Split (1)

train · 447k rows

pred_label stringclasses 2 values	pred_label_prob float64 0.5 1	wiki_prob float64 0.25 1	text stringlengths 128 1M	source stringlengths 39 45
__label__wiki	0.577852	0.577852	the musings of adelia chamberlain stream of conscience sharing from the mind of an indie author. Posted on November 1, 2017 May 29, 2019 book review: aftermath: empire’s end by chuck wendig Aftermath: Empire’s End is a canon novel written by Chuck Wendig and the final volume in The Aftermath Trilogy. It was first published by Del Rey on February 21, 2017. The novel features the Battle of Jakku, the final engagement of the Galactic Civil War. Category: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Publisher’s Summary: Following Star Wars: Aftermath and Star Wars: Aftermath: Life Debt, Chuck Wendig delivers the exhilarating conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy set in the years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. As the final showdown between the New Republic and the Empire draws near, all eyes turn to a once-isolated planet: Jakku. The Battle of Endor shattered the Empire, scattering its remaining forces across the galaxy. But the months following the Rebellion’s victory have not been easy. The fledgling New Republic has suffered a devastating attack from the Imperial remnant, forcing the new democracy to escalate their hunt for the hidden enemy. For her role in the deadly ambush, Grand Admiral Rae Sloane is the most wanted Imperial war criminal—and one-time rebel pilot Norra Wexley, back in service at Leia’s urgent request, is leading the hunt. But more than just loyalty to the New Republic drives Norra forward: Her husband was turned into a murderous pawn in Sloane’s assassination plot, and now she wants vengeance as much as justice. But Sloane, too, is on a furious quest: pursuing the treacherous Gallius Rax to the barren planet Jakku. As the true mastermind behind the Empire’s devastating attack, Rax has led the Empire to its defining moment. The cunning strategist has gathered the powerful remnants of the Empire’s war machine, preparing to execute the late Emperor Palpatine’s final plan. As the Imperial fleet orbits Jakku, an armada of Republic fighters closes in to finish what began at Endor. Norra and her crew soar into the heart of an apocalyptic clash that will leave land and sky alike scorched. And the future of the galaxy will finally be decided. Review: Norra Wexley’s singular need to find her husband Brentin and Grand Admiral Rae Sloane leads her and her crew to the planet of Jakku, where they discover the majority of the remnants of the Imperial fleet orbiting the planet. Ordering her son Temmin to return to Chandrila to raise the alarm, Norra and Jas Emari use an escape pod to reach the planet’s surface. Temmin orders his battle droid Mister Bones to take care of his mom and sends him in a second escape pod before he and Sinjir Rath Velus escape enemy fire and return to Chandrila. And we’re off. I’ll be honest. There was hardly a page of this book that I didn’t enjoy. It’s by far the best of the Aftermath trilogy and it’s portrayal and description of the battle of Jakku was fantastic. The relationship between Rae Sloane and Brentin Wexley as they attempt to help each other achieve the same goal of capturing Gallius Rax while on opposite sides of the conflict was interesting. Their interactions with Niima the Hutt, who I realized a couple of chapters after she first appeared has to be the namesake of the Niima Outpost Rey mentions in Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens, were very funny and action-packed, and when Norra and Jas ended up tangled up with Niima as well, the levels of comedy and action rose more. Niima was a very different kind of Hutt to Jabba personality-wise, and it was a contrast that I really enjoyed. Mister Bones reuniting with Norra was an emotional scene for many reasons, and even though I started out being really annoyed by that droid, I’ve grown to really love Mister Bones. Political conspiracies were circling back with the New Republic as elections drew near, and this is an example of Star Wars politics done right. I didn’t find any of these plotlines boring and tedious the way that thinking about the prequels from the opening words of the Phantom Menace‘s crawl does. While the New Republic come to terms with how to deal with what’s happening at Jakku and how to proceed, our characters there face different points of decision when it comes to their future, and I thought that each decision was made in a way that I understood and that didn’t seem forced. When the battle finally commences, the action is well-written and the various storylines that are occurring throughout it are weaved together seamlessly. You get the points of view of people in orbit above the planet, and in the air and on the ground on the planet, and Wendig switches between them in a way that doesn’t seem like he’s trying to squeeze in too much for the scenes to handle. There were moments that surprised me, character deaths and sacrifices that I didn’t see coming, and I really enjoyed Wendig’s writing. That’s not to say that everything was perfect. It doesn’t exactly explain why Jakku was so important to Palpatine that he would have Gallius Rax cause the final battle to occur in the planet’s atmosphere. It becomes very clear throughout flashbacks that Palpatine knew that the battle he would have Rax stage there would be the final destruction of the Empire because Palpatine believed that the Empire should not outlive its Emperor, but as to why that battle needed to happen at Jakku, we’re still in the dark. The interludes again mostly fell flat for me. The ones with the Acolytes of the Beyond are the only memorable ones, and they have me questioning whether or not the Acolytes are the beginnings of the Knights of Ren. Recommendation: This book is fantastic. It’s a great finish to a trilogy that didn’t start out the greatest but built momentum and turned into one of my favorite trilogies I’ve read in awhile. I think that if you’re at all interested in how the final battle between the Empire and the New Republic played out you need to read this book. I would suggest reading the entire trilogy to get a better grasp on the characters and where they are at the beginning of this one. But definitely, read this. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. meeting. thoughts on avengers: endgame. a midnight poem a four p.m. poem. artist problems. book review: aftermath: empire’s end by chuck wendig – the musings of adelia chamberlain on book review: aftermath: life debt by chuck wendig AdeliaChambo on Audiolog #2 – My Life With Mental Illness Nancy King on Audiolog #2 – My Life With Mental Illness book review: aftermath: empire’s end by chuck wendig – the musings of adelia chamberlain. on book review: aftermath by chuck wendig book review: aftermath: life debt by chuck wendig – the musings of adelia chamberlain. on book review: aftermath by chuck wendig artist problems audiologs film mini-reviews fox sports broadcasts international soccer tournaments mental health minute stream of conscience sharing tennis is one of my favorite sports the australian open is the happy slam the fortnight of no sleep™ © 2019 Adelia Chamberlain	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line8
__label__cc	0.60696	0.39304	Genre Chick Interview: Nia Stephens Lettuce, milk, bread, cereal…boys? Yes indeed–that’s what’s on the grocery list of Dafina author Nia Stephens in her new young adult series Boy Shopping . Genre Chick Alethea Kontis met Nia at the mall to ask her about this unique, modern, choose-your-own-adventure series–and to try on some fabulous shoes. Nashville’s Nia Stephens and I stroll down the shiny wood floors of Opry Mills Mall. We pass a gaggle of giggling young girls, and Nia smiles sagely. After reading Nia’s new book Boy Shopping, I know what those girls are really in the market for. But what if they could try out boyfriends–like so many shoes–and give them back if they weren’t a perfect fit? That’s the crux of Nia’s fabulous modern choose-your-own-adventure series. Three books, three girls, and so many boys to choose from! Alethea Kontis: What was your label in high school? Nia Stephens: In high school, I was all about geek pride. In fact, I’m still all about geek pride. Fortunately, geekiness (thanks to groups like Weezer) was pretty hip in the late ’90s. My social life revolved around the geekiest of geek institutions: high school debate. I spent most Friday nights in a hotel room somewhere east of the Mississippi, which led to a very unique dating history to say the least. AK: What’s your best/worst high school memory? NS: April of my junior year was awfully cruel: my best friend and I were in a serious car accident, and another friend ran away from home–it was a bad month. Choosing my best high school memory is harder; I had a lot of fun at my school. Because it was for gifted students, they gave us lots of freedom. (Any freedom they didn’t give us, we were likely to take anyway.) I have lots of memories of playing Frisbee on the roof, frolicking in Centennial Park in the middle of the afternoon, having picnics on the Vanderbilt campus in the middle of the night. It’s ridiculous, really–sometimes I’m amazed that I got into Harvard. AK: The Boy Shopping series is published by Dafina, Kensington’s African-American fiction line. But with such a multicultural cast of characters, do you feel the series appeals to a wider demographic? NS: Absolutely. Shakespeare is no more relevant to your average white tenth grader than your average black tenth grader, and the ability to connect with a character has nothing to do with the (wholly imagined) color of that character’s skin. The search for true love is very nearly universal, and I hope that teenagers of all races can identify with Kiki, Gemma, and Bree in their attempt to find that perfect someone–no matter what their ethnic identity might be. America is wildly multicultural. When I was in high school, I hung out with kids of every race. It would have felt false to me to write books in which a black main character only spent time with characters who looked, talked, and felt exactly like her. I think diversity makes life more interesting, so I would never leave it out of any book I wrote. AK: Kiki’s a drummer, Gemma’s a basketball player, and Briona’s an actress. Do any of their activities reflect your own experiences? NS: I was a terrible violinist in high school, I hated sports, and my school didn’t even have a drama program. One of the things I like best about being a writer is being able to say, “What if things were different?” In my fantasy writing, it’s asking questions like: “What if Woodstock was actually a cover for a secret meeting of all of America’s witches?” In the Boy Shopping books, it’s: “What’s the dark side of being gorgeous, popular, and having a million dollar record deal?” Every possible life has its benefits and problems. For each of the heroines–even though their lives may seem perfect–they have a hard time making an authentic romantic connection. That’s why writing them was so much fun. AK: Who are your favorite bands? Favorite sports teams? Favorite actors and actresses? NS: I love music, especially live music, and since I’m lucky enough to live in Nashville, I catch a lot of acts. Lately I’ve been listening to Frou Frou, Imogen Heap’s old band; Venus Hum; Butterfly Boucher; Weezer’s old albums; Gotan Project (a Tango Nuevo band); Gipsy Kings; lots of ’80s music, especially David Bowie, Salt’n’ Pepa, Peter Gabriel, and A-Ha–I’ll spare you the rest of the list. I cheer halfheartedly for Manchester United, for all the worst reasons, but I don’t actually like watching sports much. I generally view televised sports as an opportunity to eat dip, but otherwise I’m just not interested. There are several actors and actresses I like. I wish Thandie Newton would play me in the movie of my life. I will watch Johnny Depp in just about anything, and I love watching David Bowie on screen. If the three of them are ever in a movie together I might actually die of joy. AK: How did you go about writing the different possible endings of the books? Was that difficult? NS: It was tough. Each book has eight different endings. But having that many outcomes forced me to be a lot more creative than a single ending would have. If I were writing a single-ending love story, I probably wouldn’t have written a foot-fetishist mafia type, a blind shipping heir, or a dancer who might be in love with the heroine’s mom–much less all three in one book. But Get More has all that and, well, more. AK: Did you write these books to thwart the time-honored “last page of the book first” reader? Have you ever done that? NS: No, I wrote it to delight the last-page-firsters. Eight different last pages–what could be better? Honestly, I’ve never read the last page first, and never would. I love to watch stories unfold. That said, I once wrote a backwards novel–it began in the present and worked its way back. It was a grad school experiment and completely unpublishable, but it taught me a lot about the construction of narrative, and how far you can stretch even an avid reader. There are limits, apparently. AK: Have any of the girls’ choices for boys been your personal favorite? NS: Even though all of Kiki’s friends keep harping on her to find a “fun” guy, I love Lyman. He doesn’t just amuse Kiki–he challenges her. And I say this as someone who considered dumping her boyfriend on the dark day that he beat me at Scrabble. But I think going out with someone who is truly your peer is good for you, even when it’s tough. (I have to admit, though, that I haven’t played Scrabble with my boyfriend since that first loss.) It’s a different kind of fun than the brainless cuties Kiki often meets, but it’s also a better grounding for a relationship. When you trust someone’s brain, it’s easier to trust his heart. AK: How have libraries helped you and your career? NS: I was lucky enough to win the Bennett Fellowship from Phillips Exeter a few years ago, and I essentially spent the whole year hanging out in the school library. My office was decorated with signed poems and photographs from every visiting poet–Mary Oliver was my favorite. It was terrifically inspirational. Since I’ve returned to Nashville, I’ve fallen in love with the new downtown library. It’s so beautiful–all snowy marble and glowing wood. There’s even a café and an outdoor courtyard with rosemary hedges and a fountain. It has lots and lots of books, which means that it is my idea of heaven. And the staff is fantastic. I do a lot of research, some of it rather obscure, and the inter-library loan office and rare books librarians have always been very helpful, even when my schedule forces them to meet me at odd times. NS: I’ve always felt a connection to Krang in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Admittedly he’s more of a super-villain, but the tentacled, disembodied alien brain with major ego issues has always appealed to me. AK: What’s next for Nia Stephens? NS: I’m currently working on a series of YA novels that reinterpret a few lesser-known fairy tales in a very dark, very modern setting. My agent is shopping the first one, The Dream Palace of Sister Simon, right now, while I’m working on book two: Blood Red Shoes. All of them deal with issues of identity and taking responsibility for your own fate, but otherwise they’re quite wide-ranging. So far, they’ve been a pleasure to write. I love pre-Disney fairy tales: they’re so much stranger, and they demand a lot from their characters. They’re relevant to the lives of modern teenagers in ways you might not expect. I have four planned now, but I might have to write more. AK: And finally, what do you think of these shoes? NS: Thigh-high stiletto boots are always a yes, Lee. You look great! This entry was written by Princess Alethea and posted on April 13, 2007 at 9:24 pm and filed under Bibliography, Friends, Interview, tennessee. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line13
__label__wiki	0.779002	0.779002	Archie Comics Shop Archie Subscriptions Traditional Archie New Archie Riverdale on the CW Archie Digital Archie Unlimited Home News Archive by category "Events" (Page 2) Archie and Friends Face Mortal Danger in New, Game-Changing Event Kicking Off in May “OVER THE EDGE” rocks Riverdale to its core in the pages of the ongoing ARCHIE series from acclaimed team of writer Mark Waid and artist Pete Woods The lives of Archie Comics’ most popular characters will be changed forever as legendary comic book writer Mark Waid and superstar artist Pete… Ron C. April 24, 2017 June 20, 2017 Events, Featured, News Archie, mark waid, over the edge, pete woods BREAKING NEWS: Archie Comics-based drama ‘Riverdale’ set to debut Thursday, January 26th at 9pm on The CW One-shot comic book written by showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa slated to delve into show’s backstory, hits following week Mark your calendars – your trip to Riverdale has been booked. Everyone’s favorite teenagers, Archie, Betty and Veronica, Jughead and more, will take over Thursday nights starting January 26th at 9pm ET with… Ron C. November 16, 2016 November 16, 2016 Events, Featured, News archie comics, Camila Mendes, cole sprouse, KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, riverdale, the cw Check out our New York Comic Con 2016 Photo Gallery! Ron C. October 12, 2016 October 12, 2016 Events, News comic-con, gallery, new york comic con, nycc 2016 Archie Comics rocks New York Comic Con 2016 with ARCHIE MEETS RAMONES and JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS comic book launches Just a few months before the launch of The CW’s RIVERDALE TV series, the hottest publisher in comics continues its New Riverdale rebirth and unveils an impressive array of exclusives, creator signings and much more New York, NY (September 29, 2016) – Archie Comics, the acclaimed and bestselling comic book publisher… Ron C. September 29, 2016 October 5, 2016 Events, News conventions, josie and the pussycats, new york comic con, nycc, nycc 2016 Archie Comics heads to Baltimore Comic-Con 2016 with Must-See Panels and Creator Signings! Archie and the gang are taking over Baltimore Comic-Con this weekend and you’re invited along! In addition to being the focus of this year’s Baltimore Comic-Con Yearbook featuring artwork from the industry’s best and brightest, Archie Comics will be hosting two must-see panels and multiple signing events with top writers and artists throughout… Ron C. August 30, 2016 August 31, 2016 Events, News baltimore comic con, conventions Archie Comics and ReedPOP team up for New Riverdale product launch at Comic-Con International: San Diego! Archie Comics is teaming with ReedPOP to launch a new line of Betty & Veronica inspired merchandise debuting this week at Comic-Con International: San Diego! Are you more of a Betty or a Veronica? Fans can choose a side and show off their allegiance with these special #TeamBetty and #TeamVeronica… Ron C. July 18, 2016 July 18, 2016 Events, News betty and veronicas, reedpop, sdcc 2016 Archie Comics Creator Signing Schedule at Comic-Con International: 2016 (Booth #1829) Get your favorite comics signed by all-star talent at the Archie Comics Booth (#1829) at San Diego Comic-Con! ALL TIMES/SIGNINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE Updated July 20th, 2016 Wednesday, July 20 7pm-8pm BETTY & VERONICA: Adam Hughes Thursday, July 21 10am-11am BETTY & VERONICA: Adam Hughes 1pm-2pm BETTY & VERONICA: Adam… Ron C. July 11, 2016 July 20, 2016 Events, News comic-con, conventions, san diego comic con, sdcc, sdcc 2016, signings Archie Comics Panels at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2016 Archie Comics will have three must-see panels this year including a spotlight on Archie Comics Chief Creative Officer, Archie Horror writer, and ‘Riverdale’ Executive Producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, a 75th anniversary panel featuring top Archie Comics talent, and a special ‘Riverdale’ panel featuring the cast of the new live-action drama series… Ron C. July 11, 2016 July 11, 2016 Events, News comic-con, conventions, panels, san diego comic con, sdcc, sdcc 2016 Archie Comics Exclusives at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2016 Don’t miss these must-have exclusive comics available at the Archie Comics Booth (#1829) during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con! BETTY & VERONICA #1 SDCC Exclusive Variant IT’S BETTY VS. VERONICA! The most highly-anticipated debut in comics history is here with an exclusive convention cover by comics legend Adam Hughes! Betty… Ron C. July 11, 2016 July 11, 2016 Events, Featured, News betty and veronica, comic-con, conventions, exclusives, san diego comic con, sdcc 2016, sonic mega drive ARCHIE COMICS STORMS COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO WITH A FIRST LOOK AT ‘RIVERDALE’ TV SHOW AND A NEW BETTY & VERONICA COMIC BOOK SERIES Legendary writer/artist Adam Hughes brings creative firepower to latest New Riverdale debut as Archie Comics unveils plans for Comic-Con International: San Diego 2016 including creator signings, must-see panels, and sought-after exclusives. New York, NY (July 11) Archie Comics, the acclaimed and bestselling comic book publisher that is home to some of the… Ron C. July 11, 2016 July 14, 2016 Events, Featured, News betty and veronica, comic-con, conventions, san diego comic con, sdcc, sdcc 2016 New Releases for 7/17/19 Newly Digitized Classic Comics – 7/17/19 New to Archie Unlimited – 7/15/19 Revisit the Married Life with Archie, Betty, and Veronica ten years later! Archie Sites Dark Circle Comics Copyright © 2017 Archie Comic Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. www.ArchieComics.com	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line26
__label__cc	0.594881	0.405119	THIS SUNDAY, April 5th, the folks at Keepin it Deep are coming back with another one of their infamous tent parties downtown! With all the craziness going on for the Final Four, downtown is definitely the place to be! Check out all the info: Keepin’ it Deep and Tiki Bob’s Present: Spring Fling 2 w/ The Ying Yang Twins and Keys ‘N Krates 230 S. Meridian St. Tourney Party Tent TICKETS http://www.ticketfly.com/event/822749 TENT ONLY $20 TIKI’S AFTER PARTY with DJ CRAZE – ONLY $10 BLU AFTER PARTY with MARK FARINA – ONLY $10 ACCESS TO ALL 3 PARTIES $30 Last year we packed the tent for a lineup of 24 local DJ’s. This year we are keeping the locals plus adding national headliners. The tent is heated and is located across the street from Tiki’s at 230 S. Meridian St. * KEYS N KRATES * http://keysnkrates.com/ https://soundcloud.com/keysnkrates https://www.facebook.com/keysnkrates Keys N Krates is an electronic band from Toronto, Canada. The band consists of Adam Tune (drummer), David Matisse (synthesizer/keyboardist), and Jr. Flo (turntablist). The band formed in 2008 with a goal of bringing electronic instrumentation to life. Drummer Adam Tune says, “We are referencing everything from classic house music to Timbaland in our beats. They have toured extensively throughout North America. In 2013 the band released their critically acclaimed EP titled “SOLOW” which was released on Steve Aoki’s label Dim Mak Records. Unlike many other electronic artists, Keys N Krates perform completely live, using only drums, keys, turntable and live sampling. Keys N Krates successes has earned them spots in some of the world’s biggest festivals like Lollapalooza, Electric Zoo, Ultra Music Festival, Osheaga, and Sonar Festival to name a few. * YING YANG TWINS * https://www.facebook.com/OfficialYingYangTwins Ying Yang Twins debuted in 2000 with the single “Whistle While You Twurk”, which was played on urban and pop radio stations and peaked at #17 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop chart. They grew even more famous when they toured with Juz tha King, Kat Nu and Demo Dil on the tour called King Me. Their full-length debut album, Thug Walkin’, came out later that year. Immediately after discovering fellow Atlanta hip hop artist Lil Jon, A&R Bryan Leach began talks with representative Michael ‘DJ Smurf’ Crooms about signing the Ying Yang Twins to TVT Records. Protracted negotiations meant that a deal was not finalized in time to for the label to release their next album, Alley: The Return of the Ying Yang Twins, which instead appeared in 2002 on Koch. The album was successful among hip-hop fans in the Southern United States. The same year, the group appeared on the album Kings of Crunk by Lil Jon on the single “Get Low”, and the song was a huge club and radio hit. As Crooms had negotiated only a one-album deal with Koch, the duo was free to finally submit to the advances of TVT, who had impressed them with their recent work with Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. A new album U.S.A. (United State of Atlanta) appeared in the summer of 2005 as its singles “Wait (The Whisper Song)”, “Badd”, and “Shake” were dominating popular music and rap radio stations, and U.S.A. (Still United), a collection of outtakes, remixes, and collaborations similar to My Brother & Me followed in December 2005. It too was accompanied by a DVD featuring music videos and other footage from the U.S.A. (United State of Atlanta) period. In 2005, D-Roc and his younger brothers, Mr. Weeny, and Da Birthday Boy, formed the group Da Muzicianz and released their first single, “Camera Phone”. Their self-titled album was released on February 28, 2006. Displaying their quaint and bucolic maritime themed living room in their MTV Cribs appearance, they boast of “having da paintin”, “the fish”, and “the boat”. D-Roc grunts, “HANHHHHHHHHHHH!”, a number of times throughout the episode, leading one to question if his behavior is staged, or if it’s how he acts in real life. D-Roc and Kaine make a point that no women were allowed to decorate their home. Further viewing yields the “Kichon” (sic), where D-Roc displays his culinary staples, consisting of Crunk Juice and Ramen Noodles. The episode ends with a tour of the vehicles the Ying Yang Twins own, consisting of a customized 1990 Chevy Caprice with “Tweety Bird” on the interior, as they “Go bananas” when they ride. LOCAL SUPPORT FROM SLATER HOGAN, JOHN LARNER, ACTION JACKSON, LEMI VICE, GABBY LOVE, MASS APPEAL, DJ GNO, CADILLAC G, DUB KNIGHT, JODYFREE, CLAY COLLIER, CRUXXX, BUTTON MASHERS, EXPLORATIO There wil be 2 after parties at Tiki Bobs and Blu Lounge. MARK FARINA will be at Blu DJ CRAZE will be at Tiki Bob’s GET TICKETS: http://www.ticketfly.com/event/822749 Want to win a ticket for this show? Here is how you do it! 1. In the comment section below, tell us is in, why you deserve to win. Make it good people. 100 words or less! 2. Post this event blog to your Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to tag IndyMojo in your post AND make it public so we see it. You have to do both to win Winners will be announced Friday, Friday, April 3rd! It’s that time of year again! Mojostock is just around the corner, and if you want to ensure a spot on one of Indy’s biggest events of the year, this is the only guaranteed way to make it happen! It’s no secret that we do a lot of events and book a lot of talent over the course of the year. But we can admit there can be holes in the system in which we use to book said talent, and many budding artists and DJ’s could be getting overlooked. This is why we want to put together a Mixtape Competition, with BLIND JUDGING, so there’s no playing favorites, no spam, no complaints. (Who am I kidding? There will always be complaints – but you get the idea). Winning Mixtape will be awarded: - Mojostock Booking (Main stage – Date/Time Slot TBD) - Headlining slot at Altered Thurzdaze. (on a mutually agreeable date once winner is selected) - $100 cash - Potential to open for a national act at one or more of Indymojo’s events. (depending on coinciding music genre that makes sense for available headliners, mutual agreeable date, and some restrictions apply) Second Place Prize: – Mojostock Booking (Stage/Date/Time Slot TBD) – Altered Thurzdaze booking (date TBD) Third and Forth Place Prize: – Free ticket to Mojostock – Will be considered for Mojostock’s 3rd stage. We want to set a few simple guidelines: 1. Create a new mix (30-45 minutes in length). All genres welcome – PLEASE NO TOP-40 commercial crap. Be creative. Don’t insert anything that will reveal identity, such as a name drop. 2. Put it on a CD/Audio quality disk or thumb drive. (Mark them so I can notate who is came from. Judges will receive anonymous mixes) 3. Give the mix to me (Matt Ramsey – You can find me at any Indymojo event) by March 19th. For regional mixes, contact me personally. Mixes will be assigned a number and securely logged in for identification purposes. Judging: - Entries will be duplicated and given to 5 judges of various music tastes and experiences, who have no knowledge of the entry creators. Judges TBD. - Judges will rank the entries based on track selection, originality, and technical ability. - Winner will be announced by April 18th. Saturday, November 1st – NapTown Sounds is proud to bring a new all ages live music experience to the Indianapolis area! Freakaphonics is an event that shifts the paradigm for common live music experiences. Freakaphonics incorporates active surround-sound mixing of live bands, live “surround” video mixing/projection, and “surround” stage lighting. Audience members will be able to experience their favorite bands while submerged in a professional, multidimensional environment. Featuring music from: Hyryder http://www.hyryder.com/ The New Old Cavalry http://newoldcavalry.com/ Kaleidoscope Jukebox http://www.kaleidoscopejukebox.com/ Audio: Matt Vice / Malcolm Johnson ( Naptown Sounds ) http://naptownsounds.com/ Lighting Design: Hey Tommy ( Herm Productions ) Video Projection: Jesse Bieber ( Bad Dagger ) Jeff Lowe ( Jeff Lowe’s liquid lights ) Doors: @ 7:00 Show: @ 8:00 Cover: $10 / $15 D.o.S. All ages (12 & under FREE!) the Irving Buy Presale & Bus package tix here: http://freakaphonics2.brownpapertickets.com/ Admission Level Price General: $10.00 ($11.34 w/service fee) Pre-Sale Discount Bus Package: $25.00 ($26.87 w/service fee) The Bus Package includes free transportation from The Mousetrap (5565 N Keystone) to the Irving Theater and back. Entrance to BOTH venues is included. 2. Post this event blog to your Facebook Page and/or Twitter. Be sure to tag IndyMojo.com in your post and MAKE IT PUBLIC so we see it. Get as many likes as possible. (on your comment below) The winners will be picked by the amount of likes they receive. Winners will be announced Friday, October 31st! Ready to Laugh OUT Loud? Indy Pride & Talbott Street are proud to present the one-of-a-kind Wendy Ho, who combines musical and comedy into a raunchy cabaret. Draq queens have been performing her numbers for years, and now you get to hear her sing them live! The show also features the return of the stand up talents of Keith McGill! Laugh OUT Loud is one of the few times a year Indy Pride is raising money for ourselves, and your support helps us with rent, insurance, and other general fund needs. So, sit back and enjoy an evening of comedy, and help us continue on our mission to support this community! Laugh OUT Loud Starring Wendy Ho Tickets are $25 online and $30 at the door, with your first cocktail included in the ticket price. Indy Pride members receive a $5 discount online with a promo code, which will be emailed out to you. Indy Pride Board Members will also be selling tickets. Here are links to Wendy Ho’s videos. Needless to say these are not really safe for work! Who is Wendy Ho? – http://youtu.be/b3EQSrSD70c Oprah Winfrey – http://youtu.be/P8OYQ3FbXOY F$ck Me (Live in the Studio) – http://youtu.be/hLncV_pIYuA Poop Noodle – http://youtu.be/1xc_BJxdDgg Want to win tickets for this show? Comment below and share this page on Facebook or Twitter and tag IndyMojo so we see it. We will select winners and announce them on Wednesday, February 19th! IndyMojo & Live Nation present: SAVOY – Get Lazer’d Tour GET TICKETS HERE: http://bit.ly/18vdRiB Thursday, Jan 30th Deluxe @ Old National Centre SAVOY Brooklyn, NY / Boulder, CO https://www.facebook.com/SAVOY http://savoyband.com/ http://www.twitter.com/savoy http://www.soundcloud.com/savoyband Savoy has new lasers! * DOTEXE https://www.facebook.com/officialdotexe https://soundcloud.com/musicdotexe DotEXE at Spring Awakening – Chicago Scott “DotEXE” Stanley, an electronic music prodigy, was smack dab in the middle of studying computer programming when he typed his last command — “.exe” — and never looked back. He has since adopted this mysterious moniker as his DJ alias and this 22-year-old is now one of the fastest growing underground electronic producers of 2013. His Meg & Dia’s “Monster” remix has achieved viral status, accumulating over ten million views in just over a year. Despite his remix success, Stanley, a member of the growing Monstercat family, prides himself on originals, including “Run Away From Me”, “Kill It with Fire”, and his latest, “Hipster Cutthroat”. With a wide range of tempos and addicting melodies, DotEXE is breaking sound barriers at a venue near you. Local Support from: * INDIGO CHILD Indigo Child Indymojo // G-9 Collective https://www.facebook.com/IndigoChildIndy https://soundcloud.com/the_indigo_child_89 GET TICKETS: http://bit.ly/1h1mGaO DELUXE at Old National Centre 502 N. New Jersey 2. Post this event blog to your Facebook Page. Be sure to tag the IndyMojo.com Fan Page in your post so we see it. Winners will be announced Tuesday, January 28th! IndyMojo & The Vogue present: * GREENSKY BLUEGRASS Greensky Bluegrass If you’re familiar with bluegrass music, then you’re tuned in to some of what Greensky Bluegrass does. They’re also known to throw a great party, rock n roll, and (if the critics are to be believed) they have great songs. They are unquestionably a team of friends that traverse the country making music they enjoy. What makes Greensky different than Bluegrass? Poignant rural ballads about real people? Dobro tone that Jerry (Douglas or Garcia) would love? Distortion Pedals? Grit and attitude from a whiskey soaked card game? Indeed, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This quintet from Michigan has been staying up late at all the coolest festivals and stopping to play your favorite clubs and theaters across America for 11 years now. Nearly 175 shows per year has prepared them for the rigorous task of continuity. Greensky Bluegrass isn’t slowing down. “They’re coming to your town to help you party down.” Yeah. Really. Like you never thought possible. At the start of the millennium,some of these guys met, then they met more guys. They thought Greensky was a clever name for a bluegrass band. Fast forward to 2011 when they recorded their fourth studio record, called Handguns. Among them, words like, “proud,” “killer,” and “damn right!” have been spoken in regards to the music of Handguns. While they all may be accurate, we hope you’ll find far more than you expected, hell – even more than we expected contained in this piece work that may well come to define one of 21st Century America’s hardest working musical ensembles. http://www.greenskybluegrass.com/ http://www.facebook.com/greenskybluegrass http://www.twitter.com/campgreensky http://www.instagram.com/greenskybluegrass http://www.youtube.com/greenskybluegrass Local Support: * FLATLAND HARMONY EXPERIMENT Flatland Harmony Experiment Flatland Harmony Experiment is a non-traditional vocally driven bluegrass string band based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. FHE started in the summer 2011. Since then the Flatland Harmony Experiment has worked relentlessly across the midwest and has been received with open arms. Flatland Harmony Experiment is Scott Nelson on upright bass, Kris Potts on Mandolin, and Johnny Plott on Banjo. www.facebook.com/pages/Flatland-Harmony-Experiment/195406290515120 http://flatlandharmony.com/ Get tickets: http://ticketf.ly/1cFauJw $20 Day of Friday, Jan 17th Show 8pm http://www.thevogue.com/ http://www.indymojo.com/ Winners will be announced Thursday, January 16th! With our latest volume of the Collective Sessions Mix Series, we went to our very own, L810c! With production styles varying from deep and sexy to a more upbeat DNB, L810c gives us a sexy electro breaks mix for us to sink our teeth into! We hope you enjoy! @l810c www.facebook.com/L810csys 1. z4thoichi – Overmaster (Charlie Kane Remix) 2. Matskie – The 9th gate 3. Wolfen Technologies – Ace Space 4. Smoke Sign – Welcome To Neo India 5. Brujo’s Bowl – Way Behind 6. Kwah – Proton Perspective (Unconscious Minds Remix) 7. Marv in blue – Phaze 3-gti 8. Ap3x – Manufactured Reality (Bad Tango Remix) 9. Merkaba – Metamorph 10. Neurodriver – Man Made (Hedflux Remix) 11. Bad Tango – Enzyme (Hedflux Remix) 12. Big Mistake – Critical Mass All tracks have been edited and re-arranged by L810c Artwork by Nicholas Love Visuals www.facebook.com/nicholaslovevisuals THANK YOU ALL FOR THE AMAZING TIME! We hope you had as much fun as we did! Much love and HAPPY NEW YEAR! For volume 23 of our Collective Sessions Mix Series, we tapped the shoulder of one of our own bass music producer/DJ’s, Indigo Child! Rob likes to swing it heavy, but he shows us his deeper, gentler side with this mix, before laying the hammer! We hope you enjoy! @soundcloud.com/the_indigo_child_89 www.facebook.com/IndigoChildIndy 1. Demon – Geth 2. Persist – Fall 3. Fabricator – Society 4. Piezo – Ptay 5. Subreachers – The Machine 6. Chapta – This Wan 7. Jubel & J:Kenzo – Visions 8. TMSV – Persei 9. Matt-U – The Strangers 10. Bukez Finest – Homicida 11. Geode – Tesla 12. TMSV – Haze 13. Red Eyes – Night Falls 14. Rekta – Tugboat 15. Truth – Don’t leave 16. Shu – Albae 17. Fomax – Desolate 18. D Operation Drop – Defection VIP 19. Bandicoot – Mayan 20. Hiloxam – Frozen In Time 21. Dubapes – Mercy 22. Reamz – Falsify 23. Deco – Trenchtown 24. Echomaker – Ragnarock 25. B.Dual Shock – Mechanik 26. Cyberoptics – The Artifact (Truth Remix) 27. Richie August – Bust 28. Indigo Child – Cyborg Samurai 29. Indigo Child – Introduction 30. Liquid Stranger – Drones (Mantis Remix) As we work to grow the Indy Mojo Stream Team, it recently occurred to me that we’re looking for a very specific kind of person to fill the job. I think sometimes street teams are made to seem like any ‘ole body can and should join them. That’s true in some cases, but I think Indy Mojo is looking for something more committed right now- something more involved than hanging a few fliers whenever your favorite bands come through town every 3 or 4 months in exchange for tickets to those shows. I used to love getting mail from The Reverend Peyton and hanging show fliers for The Big Damn Band around town. I used to participate in the Wuhnurth and Springfest chalking contests. That level of activity was fundamental in carving a niche for myself in the local music community. I got free tickets for those events and had fun doing the work with my friends in return… and I got to meet tons of cool people along the way. – Danielle Look Music Editor for Indymojo.com Chalking for Springfest tickets in 2009 Indy Mojo is searching for the kind of people who enjoy and actively participate in those kinds of events- and view them as opportunities to advance in their long-term professional goals. We have roles for people who can be engaged on a regular, recurring basis and are actively looking to fill them. We love our fans and supporters dearly and couldn’t do what we do without them, but also I know that we have fans and supporters who want to have a greater purpose and are willing and able to give their time and energy to be a part of our loving, supportive family. Promote, discuss, and share upcoming local and national shows (social promotion online, flyering, and word of mouth), Participation with setup/teardown of the promo table and stage set at Indy Mojo shows Spreading the word of who IndyMojo is and what we do on a daily basis, and Encourage interaction with the Indymojo.com website and ticket contests. As you can see, it’s not as leisurely as sharing events on Facebook and flyering at your convenience. It’s an operating model of the saying, “Work hard to play hard.” If this is something you’re interested in doing, or would like more information, please email our Street Team Manager, Jackie Pingul, at Jackie@indymojo.com If you’re looking for a way to shine a spotlight on your craft (writing, photography, art, etc.), practice your hand at event organization and promotion, earn college credit (if you’re in school), or otherwise put your passion for the local music scene to good use, check out our Internship info and email our Promotions Manager, Gwen Wilson, at Gwen@indymojo.com!	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line27
__label__wiki	0.88478	0.88478	The Lumberjack, February 17, 2011. and a focus on using natural light. “We decided to make a lot of the areas multipurpose,” Cas-sells said, noting a blank section of the 1/8-mile indoor jogging track wall. “We want to put a projector up so [people can see instructors in] large group exer-cises, or [to create] a small con-cert venue or something like that for a fitness week.” “I toured [the HLC] for my construction class, and I thought it was amazing,” said William Gray, a junior construction man-agement major and Recreation Center employee. “It’s top of the line, and it’s going to be such a step up from the Fieldhouse.” The red brick Fieldhouse is decades old and features a curved, concrete roof that rests on corbels, which extend into columns. Inside, there is a blue, vinyl track around a rectangular area that is divided by a basket-ball court and dark blue mats where group classes are held. There is a rock climbing wall in the corner and a cardio room just off this major athletic space. “The current building is definitely too small to cater to the growing amount of students,” said Crystal Becenti, a gradu-ate student. “The cardio room where the treadmills are has been packed [to the point] where I couldn’t use it.” The HLC will have more cardio equipment, and the walls of windows will give exercising students a view of the outdoor track. There will be rooms for smaller exercise groups, and nu-tritionists and personal trainers will also be available. Natural lighting is essential to the HLC’s design. The third floor has a “corridor with a big skylight, [and there are] win-dows along the outside of the classrooms to let natural light in,” Gibbs said. “[It] is pretty unique; each classroom will have its own natural light.” The classrooms are also ac-cessible by escalator. “The escalator only goes to the third floor,” Cassells said. “The idea is because all of the classrooms are on the third and fourth floor, students going be-tween classes can get to them as quickly as possible.” Stairs will connect the third and fourth floors. Gray said he is eager for the new center to open. “I’m just excited for the at-mosphere [at the HLC,]” Gray said. “There’s not only going to be the gym, but also Fronske, a juice bar and study lounges, so there’s just going to be a lot more student traffic and a more social atmosphere than the Fieldhouse The HLC will also have an extended pharmacy and a 38-feet-tall rock wall that can be used by 11 students at a time. It was painted by an artist to re-semble the mountains of Sedona, Cassells said. “When we started look-ing at combining health and rec services and whether it would be a good alternative to create a wellness center, one of the things we looked at was student use of both of the facilities,” Cassells said. “Around 80 percent of the student population used one or more of [their services]. We an-ticipate, at one time or another, every student who comes to campus will use this facility for something, even if it’s just com-ing in to use the lounge, the café, or to go to class and then go somewhere else.” At 1:31 a.m., a subject called to report someone was running after her and a friend. An officer was dispatched, and the subject was identified and had trespassed. At 2:27 a.m., an officer pulled over a subject outside of Allen Hall. One subject was cited and released for slightest DUI and being over the legal limit. The other subject was cited and re-leased for minor with liquor in the body. At 5:13 p.m., the office received a report of a subject walking in circles near the Ge-ology Annex building. and the subject was found to be intoxicated. Flagstaff Fire De-partment and Guardian Medi-cal Transport were dispatched, and the subject was taken to Flagstaff Medical Center. At 10:43 p.m., a staff member from Allen Hall called to report a door from Target was found in a hallway. An officer was dis-patched. The door had been found at a Dumpster at Target, and the resident assistants and residence hall director said they would discard the door the next day. No charges were pressed. At 6:12 p.m., a subject called to report someone had approached her and asked for her name before following her for a short time down the hall in the Performing and Fine Arts building. Officers were dispatched but were not able to locate the subject. from POLICE BEAT page 2 from ROLLE page 1 from H&L CENTER page 1 Feb. 17 - Feb. 23, 2011 \| The Lumberjack 3 Rolle earned his bachelor’s degree at the mountain campus in 1941. As a student, he was two-time student body president, as well as a talented basketball player. He was awarded the Golden Axe Award and President’s Award his senior year. After graduat-ing, Rolle served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War II. Following his return to the U.S., he went back to NAU, completing his master’s degree in 1950. Rolle then became the dean of University Services, and he held several other jobs at the university until his retirement in 1973. After retiring, he and his wife, Marie Rolle, volunteered extensively as leaders of the alumni association. The Joseph and Marie Rolle Award for Excellence scholarship, which honors stu-dents who demonstrate high achievements, was established by the couple in 1989. Mike Adras, NAU’s men’s basketball coach, speaks fondly of the Lumberjack legend. “Joe Rolle was one of the most distinguished gentlemen I have ever met in my lifetime,” Adras said. “Whenever I speak of alums, the conversation never goes far without mentioning Dean Rolle. The impact he had on this university is tremendous.” John Haeger, NAU president, said the school will continue to honor Rolle as an esteemed alumnus. “Joe Rolle has been a mainstay at this institution since the 1940s,” Haeger said. “Few people have had an impact on Northern Arizona University as Joe and Marie Rolle. Joe remained active on campus throughout his life, and while he is no longer with us, his legacy will last as long as there is a Northern Arizona University.” Joe Rolle is survived by his wife Marie, his sons Charles and Randi Rolle, and his daughter Jo Anne Rolle. He was preceded in death by his son, Lawrence “Murph” Rolle. A rosary will be recited tonight at the Church of the Nativity at 7 p.m., followed by mass on Friday at 11 a.m. and a reception at 1:30 p.m. ABOVE: The new grandstands of the Health and Learn-ing Center will eventually contain seats, not bleachers. On the left, a new press box is being constructed facing Mountain View Hall. RIGHT: Cassells leads the tour with reporters. FAR RIGHT: An escalator remains veiled in the main lobby area. (Photos by Daniel Daw.) Title The Lumberjack, February 17, 2011. Oral history transcripts and a focus on using natural light. “We decided to make a lot of the areas multipurpose,” Cas-sells said, noting a blank section of the 1/8-mile indoor jogging track wall. “We want to put a projector up so [people can see instructors in] large group exer-cises, or [to create] a small con-cert venue or something like that for a fitness week.” “I toured [the HLC] for my construction class, and I thought it was amazing,” said William Gray, a junior construction man-agement major and Recreation Center employee. “It’s top of the line, and it’s going to be such a step up from the Fieldhouse.” The red brick Fieldhouse is decades old and features a curved, concrete roof that rests on corbels, which extend into columns. Inside, there is a blue, vinyl track around a rectangular area that is divided by a basket-ball court and dark blue mats where group classes are held. There is a rock climbing wall in the corner and a cardio room just off this major athletic space. “The current building is definitely too small to cater to the growing amount of students,” said Crystal Becenti, a gradu-ate student. “The cardio room where the treadmills are has been packed [to the point] where I couldn’t use it.” The HLC will have more cardio equipment, and the walls of windows will give exercising students a view of the outdoor track. There will be rooms for smaller exercise groups, and nu-tritionists and personal trainers will also be available. Natural lighting is essential to the HLC’s design. The third floor has a “corridor with a big skylight, [and there are] win-dows along the outside of the classrooms to let natural light in,” Gibbs said. “[It] is pretty unique; each classroom will have its own natural light.” The classrooms are also ac-cessible by escalator. “The escalator only goes to the third floor,” Cassells said. “The idea is because all of the classrooms are on the third and fourth floor, students going be-tween classes can get to them as quickly as possible.” Stairs will connect the third and fourth floors. Gray said he is eager for the new center to open. “I’m just excited for the at-mosphere [at the HLC,]” Gray said. “There’s not only going to be the gym, but also Fronske, a juice bar and study lounges, so there’s just going to be a lot more student traffic and a more social atmosphere than the Fieldhouse now.” The HLC will also have an extended pharmacy and a 38-feet-tall rock wall that can be used by 11 students at a time. It was painted by an artist to re-semble the mountains of Sedona, Cassells said. “When we started look-ing at combining health and rec services and whether it would be a good alternative to create a wellness center, one of the things we looked at was student use of both of the facilities,” Cassells said. “Around 80 percent of the student population used one or more of [their services]. We an-ticipate, at one time or another, every student who comes to campus will use this facility for something, even if it’s just com-ing in to use the lounge, the café, or to go to class and then go somewhere else.” Feb. 12 At 1:31 a.m., a subject called to report someone was running after her and a friend. An officer was dispatched, and the subject was identified and had trespassed. At 2:27 a.m., an officer pulled over a subject outside of Allen Hall. One subject was cited and released for slightest DUI and being over the legal limit. The other subject was cited and re-leased for minor with liquor in the body. At 5:13 p.m., the office received a report of a subject walking in circles near the Ge-ology Annex building. An officer was dispatched, and the subject was found to be intoxicated. Flagstaff Fire De-partment and Guardian Medi-cal Transport were dispatched, and the subject was taken to Flagstaff Medical Center. At 10:43 p.m., a staff member from Allen Hall called to report a door from Target was found in a hallway. An officer was dis-patched. The door had been found at a Dumpster at Target, and the resident assistants and residence hall director said they would discard the door the next day. No charges were pressed. Feb. 13 At 6:12 p.m., a subject called to report someone had approached her and asked for her name before following her for a short time down the hall in the Performing and Fine Arts building. Officers were dispatched but were not able to locate the subject. from POLICE BEAT page 2 from ROLLE page 1 from H&L CENTER page 1 InTheNews Feb. 17 - Feb. 23, 2011 \| The Lumberjack 3 Rolle earned his bachelor’s degree at the mountain campus in 1941. As a student, he was two-time student body president, as well as a talented basketball player. He was awarded the Golden Axe Award and President’s Award his senior year. After graduat-ing, Rolle served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army during World War II. Following his return to the U.S., he went back to NAU, completing his master’s degree in 1950. Rolle then became the dean of University Services, and he held several other jobs at the university until his retirement in 1973. After retiring, he and his wife, Marie Rolle, volunteered extensively as leaders of the alumni association. The Joseph and Marie Rolle Award for Excellence scholarship, which honors stu-dents who demonstrate high achievements, was established by the couple in 1989. Mike Adras, NAU’s men’s basketball coach, speaks fondly of the Lumberjack legend. “Joe Rolle was one of the most distinguished gentlemen I have ever met in my lifetime,” Adras said. “Whenever I speak of alums, the conversation never goes far without mentioning Dean Rolle. The impact he had on this university is tremendous.” John Haeger, NAU president, said the school will continue to honor Rolle as an esteemed alumnus. “Joe Rolle has been a mainstay at this institution since the 1940s,” Haeger said. “Few people have had an impact on Northern Arizona University as Joe and Marie Rolle. Joe remained active on campus throughout his life, and while he is no longer with us, his legacy will last as long as there is a Northern Arizona University.” Joe Rolle is survived by his wife Marie, his sons Charles and Randi Rolle, and his daughter Jo Anne Rolle. He was preceded in death by his son, Lawrence “Murph” Rolle. A rosary will be recited tonight at the Church of the Nativity at 7 p.m., followed by mass on Friday at 11 a.m. and a reception at 1:30 p.m. ABOVE: The new grandstands of the Health and Learn-ing Center will eventually contain seats, not bleachers. On the left, a new press box is being constructed facing Mountain View Hall. RIGHT: Cassells leads the tour with reporters. FAR RIGHT: An escalator remains veiled in the main lobby area. (Photos by Daniel Daw.)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line28
__label__cc	0.657469	0.342531	Plagiarism Through The Eyes Of College Students Plagiarism has been condemned lately by all types of experts, including scholars, university board members and even commercial parties, such as TurnItIn, which sells plagiarism detection software righteously claiming that plagiarism should be combated through the most efficient and up to date tools. Well, if these companies ever reach their ultimate goal of eliminating plagiarism, they will go out of business. Meanwhile, we see that everyone discussing plagiarism has certain motivation and interest to defend one point or another. Students, however, don't seem to have an interest to speak on this subject at all, or worse - they have never been asked. I neither belong to the camp that combats plagiarism, nor to the one that defends or partially justifies it. I simply want to make the voice of college students heard with no hidden reason behind it. My own college profile of a "straight A student" had nothing to do with any type of plagiarism that would involve direct copy/paste and serious violation of copyright law. However, now that the definition of plagiarism has evolved to such a broad extent, I can't tell for sure whether all my college assignments can be referred as 100% original and plagiarism-free. While I was able to devote most of my time to studying (with 2 scholarships that covered almost 85% of my college expenses, and monthly checks from my parents, who had above average income and the only daughter to spend it on), I saw many of my friends struggling with their assignments, especially when it came to writing essays and developing research papers. At that point I didn't question the meaning and purpose of my own devoted enthusiasm for education. I enjoyed the process as the end in itself, didn't have to worry about money and had all those skills and talents for being a successful student. Most of my friends, however, were different. I didn't like to hang out with the "know-it-all" crowd. I enjoyed the company of people with different backgrounds and different perspectives on life. I could learn something new from each one of them. My friends and I were very close and we could trust each other any secret with no doubt. So, I knew they cheated on the exams occasionally and hired someone to write their term papers. However, their integrity has never been challenged in my eyes by this knowledge. I knew them well enough to tell that they had their own reasons. Were they valid enough? I can't judge that objectively, because they were my friends and I was on their side. But one thing I can tell for sure - these reasons must be heard before blaming anyone a degraded cheater. VICTIM OF SOCIAL PRESSURE My friend Joshua grew up in a hard-working, but relatively poor family with three other siblings, who were younger than him. His father was a high school teacher and his mother was a nurse. They both were hard on Joshua about his education and future career. It took them a lot of efforts and a lot of money to get Joshua through college, so my friend was carrying a heavy burden of high expectations and big responsibility. He had no excuses for failure and no right for mistakes, so he could not allow himself fail some class and spend thousands of dollars to repeat it next semester just because his writing skills weren't good enough. Sad, but true. The knowledge itself is no longer a valuable asset in our society, what matters is one's degree or certification. Our society has invented the terms where grades are all that matter for education, why blame it on students after all. Joshua would have been an empty space for an employee without his degree, no matter how smart he was in engineering. So, he needed that degree no matter what. May be it was due to lack of self-confidence, or perhaps our English professor was too hard on us, but Joshua always had problems with his writing assignments at college. He never seemed to meet the instructions no matter how hard he tried. English was not the only problem. Other classes required a lot of writing, too. When faced with the threat of failure, Joshua turned to other people's help. First he asked for our advice and we tried to work out some solution for him. Unfortunately, nothing else helps to develop writing skills other than practice. But Joshua didn't have extra time for it, so it work. Then, he started using works of older students, since the assignments for some classes often repeated themselves every year. However, when caught once by one of our professors plagiarizing the same essay that was turned it a year before, Joshua decided it was too risky, because he could have been expelled. Finally, when nothing else seemed to work for him, he started ordering his term papers and essays from one of those companies that offer writing services for a fee. I thought this was quite expensive, but then I learned that competition for these services is quite fierce, and some like Go2Essay or CustomResearchPapers now offer custom written papers for as low as $13.95 per page. I was against it, but it seemed to work just fine for Joshua. ACADEMIC HONESTY DOESN'T PAY OFF My other friend Kim was from a wealthy family of a self-made businessman, who owned everything he had to his own persistence and discipline. He didn't want Kim to grow as a spoilt offspring of a wealthy family. When Kim was applying for a college, her father said that if she gets accepted, he would pay for her education, but would leave all other expenses up to her. So, Kim had to find a job when she was a freshman. Not a big deal, when you still can count on your parents to support you. However, in Kim's case she couldn't afford quitting her job even if there were too many college assignments to cope with, because she wouldn't have means to support herself otherwise. Her father didn't care much for Kim's grades as long as she could get through another semester. He only advised her to learn hard at those classes that she thought were interesting or useful for her future career, while the rest was permissible to skip as long as she could get a passing grade. In her junior year Kim had finally decided that she would go in advertisement. She was very good at drawing and really enjoyed her creative design classes. When hired for one advertisement agency as a logo designer, she was soon making $15 per hour and working full-time almost always, so the end of each semester was a real catastrophe for her, since she felt too much pressure from her deadlines both at work and at college. Kim didn't feel that there was something wrong with hiring people for writing her academic papers, which were not of particular interest or relevance to her career. However, she never cheated on her creative design assignments. She held them sacred and was truly the best student in her group. Perhaps, it was her father's influence, but Kim valued her time and was quite picky with how she spends it and whom she spends it with. None of Kim's friends, including me, could tell that she was lazy or had a lot of disposable income to spend on her custom written papers. For Kim these services were the only way to ensure that she wouldn't loose her job spending half of the day writing her paper on a subject of no relevance to her, and than turning it with no guarantee of a passing grade and no reward for her time. At the end of a semester with so many writing assignments coming from different classes it was not just a matter of making some extra money, but a question of life and death: either she writes all assignments herself and goes broke next month, or she survives the pressure by delegating some of her essays to other people. Even if it looks like an academic dishonesty for other people, I know Kim was always honest to herself in pursuit of her goals, and after all it's the only thing that matters. These are just few examples of how the perception of plagiarism as a disastrous crime can be challenged if viewed from different perspective. I don't think that plagiarism is the best solution for students and I do not defend its practice, however I do believe that the roots of plagiarism should not be looked in the nature of modern students, but instead - in the nature of modern education system, which values grades higher than knowledge and is designed to respond to the national standards rather than student needs. Thus, plagiarism detection software may help to combat plagiarism in a short-term run, however, unless we re-evaluate and improve the existing system of education, the root of plagiarism will not be extirpated for a long-time benefit. Is Teaching Writing As Important As Teaching Reading? Voice of AmericaWhen educators think of literacy -- the ability to read and write -- they often place more importance on students' abilities to read and fully understand a piece of ... Colson Whitehead and the monsters in his writing Sydney Morning HeraldColson Whitehead's follow-up to The Underground Railway is another picture of racism and its victims. Paul McCartney Writing It’s a Wonderful Life Musical PitchforkPaul McCartney is writing his first stage musical. For a new adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life, he'll pen music and collaborate on the lyrics with screenwriter and ... A Roy Peter Clark Q&A: Reporting and writing on Apollo 11 PoynterAfter a telephone interview, Roy Peter Clark submitted some questions for Poynter to Mark Bloom about his recollections of reporting and writing the story of ... Manu S Pillai on writing three Indian history books before age 30 Quartz India"I was always interested in stories—listening to them and telling them." Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward talk the inherent sexiness of letter writing, reveal 'Dirty Letters' cover Entertainment Weekly NewsRomance authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward reveal the cover for their November novel 'Dirty Letters' Grammarly will now tell you if your writing is bland - Tech News The Star OnlineGrammarly has announced that its text Editor tool will not only check your grammar correctness and spelling, but also warn you if your writing is bland or lacking ... On writing: The fountain-pen has survived time, trade and technology The Indian ExpressMany people will probably give up writing by hand and either type, or dictate to their favourite form of technology. However, for those limited few who still prefer ... Iowa Summer Writing Festival among largest in the country Iowa City Press CitizenThe 33rd Annual Iowa Summer Writing Festival is nearing its end, but there's still dozens of things for people to do. Andrea Camilleri had a late but great career in crime writing The GuardianThe author, who has died aged 93, was almost 70 when he took up the genre, but his novels are as rich with serious thinking as with thrilling plots. Emmys 2019: Writing, Directing Nominations Far From Parity Variety"Handmaid's Tale" and several comedies helped, but racial and gender parity is far from being achieved in writing and directing categories. Alan Moore Has Retired From Writing Comic Books As Planned Screen RantAlan Moore, the creator of such legendary comics as From Hell, V for Vendetta, and Watchmen has officially retired from the comic book industry with the release ... Chuck Klosterman Likes Writers Who Aren’t Self-Absorbed Sociopaths The New York TimesWhat books are on your nightstand? I have a lot of books on my nightstand, but you can't read too much into that. Some of them I've finished, some of them I ... What's the best mini-laptop for YouTube and writing reports? The GuardianPeter wants a mini-laptop to go with his old BlackBerry phone. What are his options? Reading and writing assistance increases the chance of getting a Disability Support Pension The Conversation AUHelp with reading and writing increases the probability of receiving the Disability Support Pension by about 20%. Water shortage: In schools, the writing will be on the wall Bangalore MirrorThis comes after the State government decided that 2019 should be marked as Water Year. All departments have been asked to introduce activities to address ... Doctors writing peanut prescriptions to combat peanut allergies \| News Headlines KMOV.comKANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMOV.com) -- Millions of children suffer from peanut allergies, but doctors in Kansas City are trying a new therapy to help. The doctors are ... Struggling with your academic writing? Try these experiments to get the words flowing Science MagazineOur Letters to Young Scientists columnists offer some ideas for developing good writing habits. Author Myke Cole talks writing hard science fiction in his space-set Coast Guard novel Sixteenth Watch The VergeMyke Cole is best known for his fantasy work, including his military-focused urban fantasy Shadow Ops series and his more traditionally epic fantasy Sacred ... 'Game Of Thrones' Fans Said Season 8 Writing Was Bad, These Emmy Noms For D & D Say Otherwise NewsweekThe uproar around Game of Thrones Season 8 seems like a distant memory; however, 32 Emmy nominations (including writing) restarted the conversation ... Singer Freya Ridings says she wouldn’t be writing songs without the fuel of heartbreak The SunLIKE every up-and-coming artist, Freya Ridings gets nervous about tickets sales for her gigs. But they keep getting bigger — and keep selling out. Ridings says it ... WGA Warns Writers To Be Wary Of “Help” Offered By Fired Agents DeadlineThe WGA's negotiating committee reminded writers tonight to be wary of fired agents offering to “help” their out-of-work former clients. Scholars Talk Writing: How a Literary Agent Views Academic Books The Chronicle of Higher EducationWhen scholars approach me for help writing a book proposal, especially when they believe their topic will be of general interest, my first piece of advice is ... Why I’m writing to you alleged bigots Restaurant Business OnlineI should be participating in a press event that intends to tie use of the tip credit to slavery. But it wouldn't have me. “Manuscripts Don’t Burn”: A Conversation with Wale About Writing DJBoothVeteran rapper Wale talks about his writing process and the importance of honesty as it relates to creating timeless art. He’s Writing 365 Children’s Books in 365 Days, While Holding Down a Day Job The New York TimesEAGLEHAWK NECK, Tasmania — By the time Matt Zurbo plopped on the couch to write his 282nd children's story, he'd worked all day at an oyster farm, ... Writing With Your Eyes Closed The New York TimesBlind authors like Milton show what's possible when your imagination is 20-20. John Carpenter and Anthony Burch Are Co-Writing a New Joker Comic GizmodoThe Joker? Oh, you mean the Joker? No, no, the Joker. Lately, there are a lot of Jokers. The newest one is being written by John Carpenter. Carpenter and ... Meet a Blackfoot elder who worked for 20 years to showcase Writing-on-Stone to the world The NarwhalÁísínai'pi, home to the highest concentration of rock carvings and paintings on the Great Plains of North America, was designated as Alberta's first World ... The Pitfalls of Writing About Revolutionary Defense Technology War on the RocksTechnology as a source of military innovation is hot stuff within the U.S. defense establishment right now. Anyone following the flow of information coming from ... The Con Man Who Became a True-Crime Writer The AtlanticIn his old life, Matthew Cox told stories to scam his way into millions of dollars. Now he's trying to make it by selling tales that are true. Writing is on the wall for Wirral Council's controversial newspaper Wirral GlobeTHE writing is on the wall for the council's controversial free newspaper Wirral View. Pete Holmes on How Writing Can Be a Spiritual Experience RELEVANT MagazineIf you've seen HBO's Crashing, than you're already familiar with the story of comedian Pete Holmes. Raised in an evangelical household, Pete went to a ... Meet Belfast man who, 50 years after watching lunar landing, is writing a book on Nasa's 'forgotten' astronaut Belfast TelegraphIt's obviously light years away from the scale of the historic Apollo 11 mission half a century ago, but Geoffrey Bowman's epic journey from teenage space ... Game of Thrones writers Benioff and Weiss pull out of Comic-Con CNETDavid Benioff and D. B. Weiss will not be attending SDCC. Jeff Kravitz. Game of Thrones is the most nominated series at this year's Emmys, with 32 nominations, ... RibFest a busy time for Port Moody's ticket-writing bylaw officers The Tri-City NewsBarbecue cooks and rib enthusiasts are not the only people who will be busy this weekend at Port Moody RibFest. The influx of cars into the area around Rocky ... Independent contractor bill advances in senate, limits freelance writing work Coast NewsREGION — A bill which could reshape independent contract labor, and the California economy at-large, advanced on July 10 in the California Senate. The bill ... Inside the story: writing the powerful female world of Wentworth The Conversation AUIn the popular Australian TV series Wentworth, the setting of a women's prison is a pressure-cooker for drama. The setting also allows for greater representation ... ‘Big Little Lies’ Season 2’s Woes Started With Its Writing (Column) VarietyAndrea Arnold reportedly never got the chance to put her stamp on "Big Little Lies" Season 2 -- which is frankly unsurprisingly. Stranger Things season 3 writers confirm Robin's surname Metro.co.ukThe Stranger Things writers have revealed Robin's (Maya Hawke) surname in a series of cryptic tweets. The season three writing team got in on the Twitter trend ... SJC issues show-cause to Justice Isa for writing letters to Alvi The Express TribuneISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) has issued another show-cause notice to Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa, this time for “writing ... Hunter S. Thompson Writing Cabin For Rent On Airbnb, Supports Veterans Scholarship DeadlineIf you find yourself somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert and the drugs are starting to take hold, you might as well continue on the road to a ... How'd a suburban Minnesotan wind up writing Florida Georgia Line songs in Nashville? City PagesBrett Tyler spent his childhood listening to grunge and ska in suburban Minnesota, but he'd often visit his rural family deep in the north woods… What Does It Mean to Be a “Real” Writer? The New YorkerHermione Hoby writes about Lucy Ives's “Loudermilk: Or, the Real Poet; Or, the Origin of the World” and Mona Awad's “Bunny,” two novels about creative-writing ... Racist vandal sentenced to 30 days of home confinement for writing N-word on African Burial Ground New York Daily NewsA racist recluse was sentenced to 30 days of home confinement Thursday for scrawling the N-word on the African Burial Ground monument. The One Thing You Must Do If You Want to Be a Successful Freelance Writer EntrepreneurWhy you'll need to create a schedule and stay focused -- or quickly find yourself out of work. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: Game of Thrones’ 32 Emmy nominations “validate the writing” Consequence of SoundThere's no doubt that the final season of HBO's Game of Thrones has been divisive. But, with Game of Thrones record-breaking 32 Emmy nominations, it seems ... Writer/Editor job with Smithsonian Institution \| 401097 mediabistro.comCome join a team of dedicated staff at an exceptional time in Smithsonian history, as the Institution implements a new comprehensive strategic plan and ... The Writing on the Wall: America's Retirement Crisis by the Numbers The Motley FoolThousands of Americans are at risk of going broke in retirement, and it's only going to get worse. Once-celebrated prison writing program led by author Wally Lamb is now under investigation by the state Hartford CourantAn acclaimed writing program for female prisoners at York Correctional Institution led by bestselling author Wally Lamb has been suspended after efforts to ... Writing in the Shadow of “V”: Adventures in Speculative Fiction with Stephen Graham Jones lareviewofbooksA lively interview with Bram Stoker Award–winning author Stephen Graham Jones on his turn to speculative fiction and genre. British Ambassador Concealed Insults from Trump by Writing Messages in English The New YorkerAndy Borowitz jokes that the British Ambassador to the United States, Kim Darroch, tried to hide his insulting analyses of Donald Trump from the President by ... Creative Writer Pedestrian TVCreative. Innovative. Commercially Astute. Inspired. Responsive. Just a few of the attributes we're chasing for this rare opportunity in our creative services team. This Late-Night Comedy Duo Created Two of the Summer's Funniest New Shows TIMEWith new TV series 'South Side' and 'Sherman's Showcase,' these two 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' writers made the summer's biggest hits. The Garbage Man Speaks VultureClickHole, a sister site of the Onion that parodies the internet's most clickbaity content, launched in June 2014, but it arguably wasn't until later that year that the ... Chinese Australian writer facing possible charges after six months in China jail CNNAustralian authorities are seeking to confirm that a China-born Australian writer has been moved to a detention center in Beijing ahead of possible charges ... How a colonial hunter’s writings inspired conservation efforts in south Indian forests The News MinuteIronical as it may sound, the legacy of an India-born British hunter from India's colonial past is now living on in the conservation efforts of a nature society, ... Stranger Things' writers finally answer one big fan question Yahoo NewsFrom Digital Spy. Netflix's retro sci-fi show Stranger Things has cooked up all sorts of questions during its three seasons, and now one has finally been ... All the Poets (Musicians on Writing) lareviewofbooksIn this monthly series, Scott Timberg interviews musicians on the literary work that has inspired and informed their music. A high school principal is reassigned after writing that he couldn't say the Holocaust was 'a factual, historical event' CNNThe principal at a Florida high school is being reassigned to a position with the school district after revelations that he wrote emails to a parent that seemed to ... 'Miya' poet expresses regret if his writing hurt Assamese sentiments Times of IndiaIndia News: A leading 'Miya' poet, who was among the 10 poets booked after a video of his poem about alleged discrimination towards Bengali-speaking ... Johnny Clegg was writing autobiography shortly before his death Channel 24South African music icon Johnny Clegg, who died on Tuesday following a long battle with pancreatic cancer, was writing an autobiography shortly before his ... The best books by African writers in 2019 so far... African ArgumentsFrom evocative prose to moving memoirs and hilarious satire, we bring you some of Africa's best reads from the first half of 2019: ... Man jailed after writing bad checks to local auto dealerships WTOV SteubenvilleA man accused of scheming car dealerships out of vehicles and money has been arrested. NEWS9 has connected him to four different incidents in two counties. The curriculum writers: 200 teachers determine what Anne Arundel students learn, when and how they’ll learn it CapitalGazette.comA school's curriculum shapes students' experiences in the classroom, but not everyone knows how it winds up in front of more than 82000 students in Anne ... Exclusive: Jon Favreau Says He’s Already Writing and Pre-Shooting ‘The Mandalorian’ Season 2 Collider.com'The Mandalorian' creator Jon Favreau says he's already writing and in pre-production on the second season of the live-action Star Wars TV series. How to find online writing jobs as a copywriter Android AuthorityIf you're looking for an easy business model/side hustle, consider becoming a copywriter and taking on online writing jobs. Get This, Greta Gerwig Is Writing The 'Barbie' Film Script For Margot Robbie Pedestrian TVSomehow, someway, the big screen Barbie film has tapped Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach to pen the script. Not a joke. Really happening. Boca OB-GYN accused of writing phony prescriptions, including for men Palm Beach PostBOCA RATON — A suburban Boca Raton OB-GYN was arrested Saturday after she allegedly wrote phony prescriptions for patients, including men, that she ... How Louisville basketball is writing an incredible comeback story Big Red LouieAs the 2019-20 Louisville basketball season approaches, let's put into perspective how far ahead of schedule the Cardinals and Chris Mack already are. Sats: A third below par in reading, writing and maths BBC NewsOne in three 11-year-olds in England fails to reach the expected levels in reading, writing and maths. 25-Year-Old Eva Victor Is Now Writing For Herself ForbesEva Victor might be best known for her viral videos, but this comedian and writer has a lot more going on. Writers to Watch Fall 2019: Anticipated Debuts Publishers WeeklyThis season's list features five translated works—from the French, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. Even the American debuts have a distinctly international flavor ... After British ambassador’s downfall, diplomats fear putting Trump criticisms in writing The Washington PostThe lightning-fast resignation of Britain's ambassador to the United States on Wednesday following a leak of his correspondence criticizing the Trump ... ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’ Writers on Mysterio, Those Credits Scenes, and Following ‘Endgame’ Collider.comSpoilers for Spider-Man: Far from Home and Avengers: Endgame follow below. Following in the footsteps of a movie as massively popular as Avengers: ... Writing under the Nazi jackboot: Tucholsky and Kästner RTE.ieThe writers Kurt Tucholsky (1890-1935) and Erich Kästner (1899-1974) both served in World War One and bravely resisted the Nazi jackboot through veiled ... The Simpsons: How the show's writers predict the future BBC NewsFrom celebrity cameos to predicting the future - we meet two of the writers of The Simpsons. 'John Wick' Writer Heading to Marvel's 'Falcon & Winter Soldier' WIREDThe show will eventually air on the Disney+ streaming service. 'Snyder Cut' letter-writing campaign for 'Justice League': details Business InsiderZack Snyder fans are planning a letter-writing campaign, aimed at the new Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff, in the latest "Release the Snyder Cut" effort. Get a life! When annoyed writers tell off readers questioning them Daily NationIn journalism, the intro is the first paragraph of a story. It's the most important part of the story and is supposed to arouse the interest of the reader and make him ... ‘Batman’ Writer Tom King Will Start Work on Script for ‘New Gods’ the Day After Comic-Con Ends TheWrapDC continued its celebration of Batman's 80th Anniversary with an induction into the Comic-Con Character Hall of Fame during Comic-Con 2019. Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai written update July 18, 2019: Kairav sends Naira's dance video to Kartik India TodayKairav sees Naira dancing. He makes a video recording of her dance and sends it to Kartik. Naira gets hurt while dancing. Kairav rushes to her and says she ... Our essay competition for young people The EconomistTHE ECONOMIST's Open Future initiative was begun last year to make the case for political, economic and social freedoms at a time when these values are ... DAVID DASTMALCHIAN Writing COUNT CROWLEY Comic for DARK HORSE NewsaramaDavid Dastmalchian has played numerous comic book characters on TV and screen, but now he's seguing to creating and writing them. The Ant-Man co-star is ... Paphos Writers Group benefit from social approach to writing Cyprus MailWriters. They're a solitary lot, right? “My Man Booker? Oh I wrote that at Glastonbury – the crowd surfing was insane!” said No Writer Ever. Surely writing is the ... UNC football player Jake Lawler told his own story, now he's writing new ones The Daily Tar Heel"In a world full of hopelessness, you need someone like (Superman), or something, an idea," Jake Lawler is a more than just a UNC football player, he's a ... Thor 4 Is Happening With Taika Waititi Writing And Directing EmpireIn the news Thor: Ragnarok fans have been waiting for. Get printing those revolutionary pamphlets, because Thor 4 is happening – and Taika Waititi is coming ... The many urgent voices of women writers from Africa The AgeDiversity is the keyword to this anthology of women writers of African descent - diversity of nations, styles and forms. Second CPD officer resigns for writing unwarranted tickets to motorists WCBD News 2CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Two traffic officers have resigned from the Charleston Police Department following internal affairs investigations. According to ... Portsmouth student invited to STEM camp after writing letter to join program WAVY.comMore opportunities are in store for local elementary school student, Alicia Samuels. Dissent in Ranks of Hollywood Writers Who Fired Their Agents The New York TimesAs television and movie writers find themselves in a standoff with the four major talent agencies, some of them want to push their unions in a new direction. Essex doctor struck off for writing fake prescriptions BBC NewsA doctor was caught writing fake prescriptions when he ordered menopause medicine for a pregnant woman. Dr Mohammad Khan admitted accessing patient ... Bill Nemitz: Next time, Your Honor, try writing more judiciously Press HeraldBy saying the survivor of alleged sexual abuse 'buried his head in the sand,' a federal judge betrays a disturbing lack of empathy. By Bill NemitzColumnist. Millennial Writer Cries at Work, Puts Mother on Speakerphone after Editor Corrects Her Spelling PJ MediaHow does a boss manage a worker who believes their feelings trump reality, right down to the way she "feels" about her misspelled words? Gently. And probably ... How an ex-Oakland writer is trying to repay the people whose stories he told San Francisco ChronicleRichard Davis sells the homeless advocacy newspaper Street Spirit in front of a Trader Joe's in Oakland. Photo: Michael Short, Special to The Chronicle. Author Walt Goodridge to host writer's workshop in Hagåtña Guam Pacific Daily NewsAuthor Walt Goodridge is hosting a hands-on writers workshop on July 20 in Hagåtña. The workshop will be held 9 a.m. to noon on the seventh floor of the DNA ... Snoopy taught me how to be a writer The Washington PostI first found Snoopy in Paradise, Calif., the tiny town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada that was erased by fire last fall. As a child in the late 1960s, my sister and ... Servier scoots out of another collaboration with MacroGenics, writing off their $40M Endpoints NewsServier is walking out on a partnership with MacroGenics $MGNX — for the second time. After the market closed on Wednesday MacroGenics put out word that ... Beware the Writer as Houseguest The New York TimesLiterary history is filled with authors who depended on lengthy visits for room and board, psychological solace and material. But they have not always proved the ... Fast Company is hiring a design writer Fast CompanyCo.Design, Fast Company's award-winning design news channel, is looking for an intrepid reporter and writer to cover the intersection of design, business, and ... Talent or Toil As in all endeavors, toil is necessary to succeed and... Read More Top Ten Ways to Write Like a Pro Checklist Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling... Read More Five Golden Rules for Writers Regardless of what sort of writer you are and how... Read More Arouse Your Short Story And See It Published Are you ready to abandon your short stories? Before you... Read More Eight Ways To Write Your Novel Faster I asked several writers how long it took them to... Read More Reasons for Recording Your Life Story 1. No one else will do it for you.2. No... Read More 10 Secrets For Writing Killer Complaint Letters Complaint letters aren't always fun, but sometimes they need to... Read More Italics Part 2 - Using Italics to Show Thoughts Way back in your early school years, you were probably... Read More Check Your English Grammar With This Easy Technique As an International language, English has been used widely in... Read More Be Concise Concision. (Sounds like I made up another word.) It's the... Read More Editing for Perfection ? The Personal Statement This article contains a short guide on how to edit... Read More I Am Biodegradable - My Writing Is Not My dad was wrong. I just discovered that I am... Read More Write Again! - The Art Of The Written Letter Remember the days when we wrote with pen and paper?... Read More Review of A Classic: Finneys Invasion of The Body Snatchers To keep it simple and basic: Jack Finney's Invasion of... Read More Ways to Make Extra Income Using the Internet To capitalize on ways to make extra income you can... Read More What you Dont Know About Book Publishing Can Cost You Dream that your book can be a number one best... Read More Names are important. Names give clues about us, where we... Read More Three 30 Day Journaling Ideas Here are 3 journaling or diary ideas that can contribute... Read More Why Every Freelancer Should Have A Web Site "Do I send samples, a media kit, or just the... Read More What Does It Take To Make Your Memories Into Publishable Memoirs? Why should you consider creating a memoir of your personal... Read More Do I Have To Be A Good Writer to Market My Own Business? Many of the most effective low-cost marketing strategies require writing.... Read More What is Sense of Place? It's the image of a... Read More Aesop, Abraham Lincoln, and You May I tell you about a writing technique shared by... Read More The Best Freelance Job Boards for Writers How many times have you checked out a job board... Read More Business Letter Etiquette Business etiquette is fundamentally concerned with building relationships founded upon... Read More A Few Keys to Writing Effective Dialogue Every writer expends a great deal of creative energy developing... Read More How To Write Thank You Letters With Class When I first started tracking the information preferences of people... Read More Keeping a Journal - One of the Three Treasures to Leave Behind (excerpted from the "How to Use a Journal" audio series... Read More Taming The Book Proposal Taming the Book Proposal: The BasicsOh, that most maddening of... Read More Have You Completed A Character Questionnaire? Creative Writing Tips ?Complete a character questionnaire for each of... Read More Creative Writing Tips - Have You Established Your Main Character At The Start? In the beginning of your story you have to grab... Read More Ten Quick Tips for Inexperienced Writers One of the biggest problems that inexperienced writers have is... Read More Does Your Fight Scene Pack a Punch? Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a... Read More What is Screenwriting? Simply put, it is the art of writing scripts for... Read More Effective Editing: It Spells the Difference! If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing... Read More Discover the Writer Hiding Inside You Has the thought run across you mind that you might... Read More On Giving and Receiving Feedback Writing is a personal and introspective process. To share with... Read More A Writers Tools William Faulkner, the great Mississippi writer, said, "The tools I... Read More Gut Check: Quitting Your Full-time Job for Your Freelance Career It's 6:00 p.m. You're dead tired, but instead of an... Read More How to Write Articles, Reports, and Books Quickly Do you have trouble getting your thoughts and ideas down... Read More Passionate About Writing? I'm a writing fool! 2 book proposals, 1 user's guide,... Read More Piecing It All Together There's a little known secret we writers like to keep... Read More Create the Writing Life You Want Ah, writing. For those of us who love to play... Read More Weaving Your Personal Statement Together 1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION3. AVOID... Read More Bring Out the Natural Writer in You Think you can't write a book that will sell? You... Read More With the advent of email communications in the workplace, it's... Read More Proof Positive: the importance of proofreading Last week I was having a quick browse on eBay... Read More Writers can Grow to be Comfortable with Criticism On my first newspaper assignment as a critic, I was... Read More Writing the 8 WebCopy Headline Categories My article this issue is an excerpt from a book... Read More Documenting Everything: Your Journal is Your Logbook Sailors had it for years. Great explorers had it as... Read More Writing Writing	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line30
__label__wiki	0.727072	0.727072	A Global Movement of New and More Effective ‘Problem Distribution’ delegate-3327150_1920 Resize.jpg The growing hum of citizen-led community building Tuesday July 03, 2018 -- Michelle Strutzenberger A bold match-making project in Vancouver peels away the mist on what’s possible for creating our preferred future as a society. Pairing universities’ capacities with civic needs, City Studio Vancouver unleashes cognitive and creative surplus in students that see their energies making the city better. “In the past, the problems we have in society have typically been given to some experts or some narrow groups to solve,” says City Studio Vancouver co-founder Duane Elverum. “They really are not distributed to the demos or the democracy in very effective ways, other than voting.” But that’s changing. A new and more effective way to distribute societal problems might soon be called a global movement. “In Europe in particular, there is a sense that the state is in retreat or has come to recognize the limits of its usefulness,” writes Axiom News founder and CEO Peter Pula. “Additionally, there is the sense that too much of community life is reliant upon institutionalized programs and professional services.” City Studio Vancouver is just one example of what’s unfolding. (Watch for a full Axiom News story on the studio soon.) In Bregenz, Austria, an Office of Future Related Matters exists to answer any call to host a community conversation about something that is important to citizens or elected officials. Over the years, Axiom News has told the stories of many community-building efforts. Many of the stories share this common element: There is always a convenor or a host. These individuals may or may not be acting from within an institution, but they all seem to be necessary for at least “holding the space” for community building to occur. It is also worth noting that the definition of “community building” is not hardened and dry in these stories; there is large space for ambiguity, interpretation and liberty. Here are the headlines of just a few of the stories we’ve collected: A Small Group Builds New Cincinnati Cincinnati citizen Peter Block started A Small Group, a monthly gathering of citizens who may not otherwise be in relationship with each other. In small groups, participants answer carefully crafted questions that get to the root of accountability, commitment, their gifts and talents, and possibility. “As soon as people talk to people they’ve never met before their life starts to change. Especially, if they talk in a certain way, which is about possibilities, about ownership and about gifts,” Peter said in an earlier interview, adding these questions lead to action. “People get mobilized, they begin to become more accountable to what they care about.” "I hope that people keep weaving this social fabric . . . and the narrative of our urban centres and our rural centres start to shift and people begin to see them as places where people become alive, and (that) they're useful, and they're important.” — Peter Block “It’s a shift to talking about the possibility as a community, it’s a shift to talk as if we as citizens are creating this community instead of complaining about what they, as leaders, are doing to this community. “It doesn’t mean there aren’t problems in the community, that there aren’t homicides, and poverty, but if that’s what we choose to focus on, that’s what we get.” At the time of the story, A Small Group had been running for eight years, and had more than 600 people involved. Sangudo Community Forms Investment Co-op to Spur Local Business The Sangudo Opportunity Development Co-operative (SODC) in the hamlet of Sangudo, 99 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, Alberta, was incorporated in May 2010 with the mandate to fund local business projects. Six local residents — all busy businesspeople who didn’t have time to personally run a business themselves — created the co-op. “We decided that we could pool our capital into a co-op and we could become a business incubator,” SODC chair at the time, Dan Ohler, told Axiom News. The main thing the group wanted to do was buy economic infrastructure and connect it with entrepreneurs. The three initial SODC projects were: purchasing a local abattoir that was for sale and leasing it to two community members who wanted to give up their jobs and own the meat shop. The SODC agreed to be the landlord for the Sangudo Custom Meat Packers. The co-op was to receive a percentage of the company’s gross sales. purchasing a building that the local legion branch wanted to sell, and leasing it to another two community members who wanted to start a coffee shop and restaurant. The co-op was to receive a percentage of quarterly gross sales in this case as well. providing debt financing to the Sangudo Custom Meat Packers. The company received grants through a federal and provincial program to rebuild part of the shop and kitchen. They needed $108,000 of their own money, and approached the SODC, which loaned them the money. A long-term vision for the SODC was to find a way to be engaged in supporting every business in the community. Salmon Arm Radio Journalist Reinvigorated about Community’s Future Journalist Leah Shaw was only to be reporting on a community gathering in the southern B.C. city of Salmon Arm. The gathering was centred largely on the six conversations introduced by author and thought leader Peter Block. The conversations aim at building community and are pointedly designed to confront the issue of accountability and commitment. “Listening to the ideas of how we can all use our gifts to make a better community, that’s the part that resonated with me,” said Leah, a journalist for more than 20 years. “It reinvigorated my commitment to radio. After 18 to 20 years of working in the media, this is something I can offer back to my community . . . for the good of the community.” As a result of her experience, Leah began working with Shuswap Settlement Services to develop a community radio program that would feature the individual stories of immigrants living in the community. The overarching intent was to provide a more multi-faceted perspective of the community and help people better understand the “richness of individuals” who live there. Massive, Main Street Photo Exhibit ‘Shifts Feelings’ in Alberta Community LG-Massive,-Main-Street-Photo-Exhibit-‘Shifts-Feelings’-in-Alberta-Community -- 500.jpg More than 140 photographs of local residents by portrait artist John Beebe adorned the wall of a Delburne, Alberta school. Internationally renowned portrait artist John Beebe collaborated with the Village of Delburne in Alberta to create gigantic photos of local residents. These were then wheat-pasted on multiple exterior building surfaces throughout the village. The village school featured a collection of about 140 portraits. The art project “shifted the feeling” in the community, according to Delburne Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) community worker Nora Smith. “There’s something incredibly powerful in tying the art element into the community development piece,” says Nora. “I can’t really put my finger on it, but I know it’s there just by the way I watched the community members stop and appreciate each other.” The project was part of a larger community building effort championed largely by Nora. The “shift in feeling,” though on one level a seemingly minor outcome, testified to the foundational level of change that Nora and others were investigating through the community engagement process. The work was largely about the biases and prejudices that shape one’s thinking and therefore one’s way of being in society. There is a whole movement of people building community. People such as Peter Block have been saying this for several years now. “I hope that people keep weaving this social fabric . . . and the narrative of our urban centres and our rural centres start to shift and people begin to see them as places where people become alive, and (that) they're useful, and they're important,” Peter told Axiom News in 2011. If citizen-led community building is a vital element in reimagining democracy, then how do we amplify and accelerate that happening? “Now is not the time for childish positivity. Pollyanna thinking will just not cut it," writes community-building author and facilitator Cormac Russell in his blog, "Communities are the atomic elements of molecular democracy, Part 4." “As argued brilliantly by Oliver Burkeman in The Antidote: Happiness for people who can’t stand positive thinking (2013), we need to embrace uncertainty, accepting the world as it is, not as it should be. I would add: ‘So that we can co-create the world as it should be, not as it is’.” Cormac goes on to write about the compelling need to find a “new lens to discover what’s actually there,” meaning what’s actually in our neighbourhoods, towns and villages. His blog lists a number of ways to a more citizen-centred democracy, all of which are worth reviewing closely. To his list we would add “tell the story.” Tell the story of unfolding citizen-centred democracy. Tell the story in such a way that the storytelling waters and fertilizes what is emerging into strong and healthy growth. With files from Camille Jensen, Jennifer Neutel, Peter Pula. Axiom News is interested in stories of citizen-led community building. To share your story, please contact the newsroom by e-mailing us. To ensure you don't miss any of this content, sign up for the free Axiom News e-news by clicking here. Comment on, share or print this story: Michelle Strutzenberger Generative Journalist Reprint This Story Axiom News content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Stories may be reprinted in their entirety with permission and when appropriately credited. Please contact Axiom News at 1-800-294-0051 for more information. Local News Publication Wants to Lead the Way to Citizen-led Democracy Alberta Municipalities Encouraging Neighbours to Get Know Each Other A Mammoth Gesture in the Direction of the Commons Wisdom Councils in Europe Glean Citizen Input A ‘North Star of Hope’ for Education and the World Engage with Axiom News	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line32
__label__cc	0.747073	0.252927	Upgunned Tanks Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 All Go Down Author Topic: Upgunned Tanks (Read 17858 times) dy031101 Yuri Fanboy and making cute stuff practical- at least that's the plan anyway Prefers Guns And Tanks Over Swords And Magic FT-17 TD courtesy of World of Tanks Top: With a high-velocity 47mm gun. Bottom: First time in action. Forget about his bow and arrows- why wait until that sparrow has done his deed when I can just bury him right now 'cause I'm sick and tired of hearing why he wants to have his way with the cock robin!? GTX_Admin Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe! Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place. Whiffing Demi-God! Re: Upgunned Tanks Interesting. WW1 era? All hail the God of Frustration!!! It'd still be a bit too early for Pz. II and Pz. 35(t) as victims. (Ignore the T2 for a sec. here) Now upgraded Matilda tank in 3D, again courtesy of World of Tanks. Top: with Cavalier turret and QF 6-pounder gun. Bottom: with ZiS-96 76mm gun. Churchill Mk.I re-equipped with a 6-pounder gun turret. Hull-mounted howitzer is retained since 6 pounder has ineffective HE shells anyway. (WoT actually allows for it to be armed with Vickers 75mm HV as its biggest gun, but I don't think it's do-able in real-life: Churchill has a smaller turret than Cromwell, IIRC, and Cromwell couldn't take the 75mm HV......) arc3371 Takes no responsibility should anyone try to turn the drawings into plastic...but we will still hold him accountable for the madness that ensues!!! I have been thinking about a T-28 based TD with the 107mm M-60 gun (that I love in WoT, the gun not the tank) Tank Hunter Theme While I was cursing WoT a while ago for taking away my T-28's 85mm gun and putting in its place a ZiS-4, I was reminded of the T-34-57, a tank hunter version of the pre-85mm T-34. Then I figured that a tank hunter theme might not be so bad after all...... so here come the two tanks in my inventory armed with ZiS-4. Good against distracted enemy tanks. I heard the 75mm gun used by early versions of the M4 Sherman uses the same ammunition of the famous French 75? I couldn't think of a scenario for this to happen, but I couldn't help to think of how a 75mm tank gun with the same kind of upgrade that made the German Pak-97/38 (muzzle brake, HEAT shells, amongst others) might have performed, either...... (I know it'll never beat the 76mm gun M1A1, and WWII HEAT shells weren't exactly the most reliable stuff, but that ought to still bring about some improvement......) « Last Edit: November 06, 2012, 12:02:04 PM by dy031101 » "Of course, I could be talking out of my hat" Re: Tank Hunter Theme Quote from: dy031101 on November 06, 2012, 12:00:26 PM I heard the 75mm gun used by early versions of the M4 Sherman uses the same ammunition of the famous French 75? Well, essentially any 75mm gun can fire the shell from any other 75mm as they are the same calibre. As the US 75mm tank gun was indeed essentially the French 75mm slightly tarted up and put in a tank, the shells they fired were from the same stocks that had been put aside for the 75mm Field Gun. M3 Grants/Lees used German 75mm shells (after they were remanufactured to British standards) in the Western Desert in 1942-3. The German captured Russian 76.2 Field Guns used German 75mm ammunition with changed/enlarged driving bands to ensure they engaged the lands in the barrel properly, when the Russian shells ran out. When Russian cartridge cases ran out, they "rechambered" (essentially gave it a new breech) the weapons to accept German rounds as a complete unit. Quote from: Rickshaw on November 15, 2012, 05:23:32 PM Curiosity...... did they have a chance to see how far they could go with Ex-German HEAT projectiles? Quote from: dy031101 on November 16, 2012, 07:53:39 AM I don't think there were any HEAT rounds in the Western Desert. Hunnicutt who mentions the remanufacture of German shells only refers to HE rounds. The shells had to have their driving bands machined to allow them to fit the US 75mm barrel and they had to be put on US 75mm shell cases (the powder from the German shells was reused). Apparently they had to make the lathes run in reverse because running them clockwise had an unfortunate effect on the fuses - arming them! I don't think there were any HEAT rounds in the Western Desert. Hunnicutt who mentions the remanufacture of German shells only refers to HE rounds. I see- it would still have been interesting to see if HEAT round would have been a (all be it crude and temperamental) way to counter "Mark 4 Special" and even Tiger I...... The top attachment is a T25E1 equipped with a larger turret and a 105mm gun; granted my fascination is with the T25 with HVSS (below attachment)...... In addition, I also wonder how that turret can be up-amoured. Magach-like armour pack, or Russian/Ukrainian-style ERA placement? To be realistic, I think you're going to encounter the same problems they did in real life with trying to put massive heavy tank turrets on medium tank hulls - it becomes too heavy for the suspension/engine and mobility suffers. it also becomes top heavy and unstable. The only up-armouring which could actually save you from that is ERA. It's lighter than passive steel armour. However it means your vehicles no longer have close infantry protection. Frank3k Excession Formerly Frank2056. New upgrade! Quote from: Rickshaw The only up-armouring which could actually save you from that is ERA. It's lighter than passive steel armour. However it means your vehicles no longer have close infantry protection. Well you can... just not for long. What about an early version of Chobham armor/armour? Reactive and ceramic armor were developed/built at about the same time. The ceramics would still be heavy, but not as heavy as a thick steel armor plate. « Last Edit: November 18, 2012, 11:09:24 AM by Frank3k » To be realistic, I think you're going to encounter the same problems they did in real life with trying to put massive heavy tank turrets on medium tank hulls - it becomes too heavy for the suspension/engine and mobility suffers. it also becomes top heavy and unstable. Okay, I see. But the capacity to increase its turret ring to 80 inches seems to open up a few possibilities...... can I assume that's also what the M26/M46 is theoretically capable of? (Oh...... for some reason I'm thinking East-meets-West again......) « Last Edit: November 18, 2012, 11:24:04 AM by dy031101 » Quote from: Frank3k on November 18, 2012, 01:42:09 AM Not after the first tile goes off anyway. The US Army experimented with glass armour, utilising both blocks of glass and glassfibre mats on tanks in the 1950s when HEAT was the most common AT round. Worked but was considered too fragile to be able to be used on a battlefield. The Royal Navy experimented with asphalt armour in the 1940s but found it wasn't effective against AP ammunition. Chobham's primarily designed to defeat kinetic energy rounds, with a secondary role against chemical energy ones. I think you have to be clear as to what time period you're talking about. I don't think Chobham was possible before aluminium armour and that doesn't appear until the 1960s when aluminium comes into widespread use in the civilian market and the automatic industry started looking at "crushability" as a safety feature in cars. The combination, plus a bit of lateral thinking created Chobham. If however, you were talking about the 1950s, an asphalt and glass fibre combination - the glass fibres held in an asphalt matrix might have had possibilities in defeating HEAT rounds, and it would have been durable. Wouldn't work in hot climates though. Ceramics have real possibilities but don't really start being developed for industrial uses until the 1970s. The Soviets ingeniously used to pour ceramic marbles into a steel matrix for the T-72 turret, so you got a combination of both which made it highly resistant to HEAT and kinetic energy rounds. I wonder, now if someone had thought of that with glass beads, in the 1950s, what effect do you think that would have had on tank design? From a link on the Wikipedia entry on Chobham armor: "In 1918 Maj Neville Monroe-Hopkins found that a thin layer of enamel improved the ballistic performance of a thin steel plate" So this was a possibility even before aluminum - imagine thinner steel armor faced, bonded or sintered with a ceramic layer. I don't know how advanced large scale powder metallurgy was in the late 40s and 50s, though, so this may still be a 60s-70s technology. Dropping ceramic powder pellets into molten steel (like the T-64 armor) is probably similar in principle. Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 All Go Up	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line35
__label__cc	0.665385	0.334615	2013 in Review: 2014 in Prospect Meet the new year, same as the old year, as Pete Townshend might have said. New Year's never been much of a thing round our house. Seasons change and so does the weather but resolutions and predictions don't figure much. Still and all it's as good a time to reflect as any and it's always fun to speculate, so away we go. As many have observed already, 2013 was something of a mark-time year for MMOs. The biggest event of the year was either Neverwinter or the re-launch of FFXIV. When the best the genre has to offer is a choice between the latest project on the Perfect World/Cryptic assembly line and the second coming of a game that failed hard the first time round it would be tough to claim we'd had a vintage year. That said, a lot of people seemed rather to enjoy Neverwinter although they often seemed to be admitting to something of a guilty pleasure whereas FFXIV: A Realm Reborn, to give it its full, unwieldy title, generally received the warm, if bemused, reception accorded to an old dog as it unexpectedly manages to learn a new trick. That the FFXIV revival was done so well did surprise people but nowhere near so much as that it was done at all. For me, Neverwinter turned out to be one of those games that I like in theory but never get around to playing very much and now that it's decided not to run at all on my PC even the theory part is, well, theoretical. FFXIV I liked a lot and played a lot, for a while, but the combination of extreme alt-unfriendliness and subscription payment model did for any plans I might have entertained for playing it long-term. The biggest new story of the year, in my opinion at least, was the combined EQNext/Landmark reveal at last summer's SOE Live. For a couple of weeks that seemed to be just about all anyone was talking about. More surprisingly Sony just about managed to keep the buzz going for rest of the year with a seemingly inexhaustible series of pointless polls and uncomfortable videos. As I explained, while I think I'm relatively clear on what to expect from EQNext (nothing this year for a start) but I'm still not much wiser as to what Landmark actually is. The time is fast approaching when all will be revealed. According to Smed alpha should start sometime in January. Will I be there? The Magic 8-Ball knows. Other than that, 2013 was all about GW2. It's an odd game. In some ways it turned out to be nothing like most people expected or ArenaNet claimed. With amazing sleight-of-hand ANet contrived to replace the usual vertical end-game gear grind progression with a similarly exhausting version based on crafting, while at the same time converting the hitherto sprawling, cyclical, unruly open world into a tidy, manageable sequence of numbered and packaged limited-duration events. The promised flat leveling and horizontal progression elements still exist but have deftly been rendered almost entirely irrelevant. A remarkable achievement. While the entire game was being re-purposed around us, however, one of the original articles of faith at which many, myself included, had scoffed turned out to be no more than simple truth. It had been claimed before launch that World vs World vs World would provide all the endgame that was needed and after a coughing, stuttering start so it proved. The part of the game I never expected to pay any mind to has become, over these last few months, almost the entirety of my concern. I'm not saying I like that. Indeed I may be saying I don't like it much at all. But it's a fact. Of course there were other MMOs, foremost among them EQ2, with whose expansion before last I finally caught up and whose current expansion I am just about ready to begin to explore. Then there was City of Steam, which came badly off the rails before righting itself after a fashion and carrying on along a new track altogether. I rode herd on dinosaurs in DinoStorm, jetpacked around Firefall, snuck back into The Secret World and even revisited World of Warcraft. I thought, often, about Getting Something Done in Everquest and Vanguard but rarely did. And so it goes. 2013, the Year of More Of The Same. A comfortable year. Not much got done but by and large I had fun not doing it. What about 2014? Are we stuck in this cosy little rut for another twelvemonth? You know, I rather fear we may be. The prospects for 2014 look uninspiring. I imagine the Big Three on the watch list of most Western MMO fans would be WildStar, TESO and EQLandmark. Landmark I've already mentioned. To elaborate and prognosticate, I think it will confuse and disappoint in equal measure. Half the potential audience will be wishing they were playing EQNext and lobbying hard for Landmark to be a Full Feature MMO while the rest will just want to be left alone with a toolset to make their own worlds. I predict the two demographics will not play happily together and few will feel satisfied. On the other hand, I could be the blind man at the back of the elephant telling his friends he's found a piece of old rope... TESO, on the other hand, looks set to disappoint just about everyone. I don't have any residual affection for the IP so if it ends up appealing to me even in the slightest I'll be both surprised and delighted. Plenty of other people, however, are very heavily invested indeed and when an MMO gets made from an IP that people love it doesn't often seem to go down as well as either the developers or the fans might hope or expect. LotRO might be the exception although even that's had its ups and downs, but the commercial and/or artistic history of the rest - SWG, SW:ToR, Warhammer, AoC, STO, DDO, Lego Universe, to name just a few of the better-known - well, it doesn't make pretty reading. WildStar, being an original property, should at least avoid disparaging comparisons to its source material. Instead it risks the usual fate of would-be mainstream themepark MMO launches of latter years - being largely ignored by most of the audience it would like to attract while at the same time drawing unflattering comparisons with established titles from those who do give it a try. Nevertheless, while WildStar doesn't hold much interest for me, I wouldn't be that surprised to see it making the best showing of these three in 2014, at least until something better comes along. It smacks rather of Rift, a clean, well-designed MMO from a commercially-focused and adept team with a lower megalomania co-efficient than the average MMO development House. So WildStar's my horse in this three-way race. I'll back it but I don't plan on riding it. Most likely I'll spend much of next year hacking around the same familiar landscapes on the same spavined, slouch-backed old nags or bumbling around Landmark with my eyes on the horizon and the distant promise of EQNext. Oh come on! Let's not be negative! Perhaps Landmark will surprise us all when its really A Thing. Maybe the climax of GW2's year-long Living Story will blow our socks off and leave us cheering for the next installment. Maybe something none of us has yet heard of will roar in out of left-field and bowl us all over. Or maybe 2014 will just be The Year Of More Of More Of The Same. Could be worse. Posted by Bhagpuss at 6:04 PM 4 comments Links to this post Labels: City of Steam, EQ2, EQLandmark, FFXIV, MMO, Neverwinter, TESO, WildStar We've Gone On A Quest By Mistake : EQ2 Freeport was never the most relaxing shore-leave you could find but the current crisis makes even the pending anarchy of Lucan's sabbatical, a time when you could get kicked in the backside by a self-appointed "guard" just for having the temerity to walk down the cobbled street from The Jade Tiger to the docks, feel like the Glory Days. There are dragons circling the city, breathing fire in that disconcerting way that dragons have when they want to let you know they're ticked. Doubting The Overlord is a criminal offense, Citizen. I'm a tad vague on how they came to be there or what Lucan might have done to upset them but whatever it was Our Overlord has the mages of the Academy of Arcane Science working overtime maintaining a protective dome over the entire town lest the dragons burn it to the ground. It's putting quite a damper on the Frostfell festivities, I can tell you. As a Freeportian in good standing with the citizenship papers to prove it, my Berserker has every confidence in Lucan's capacity to handle a few dozen dragons. Some of the sniveling common-folk whimpering in the streets and alleyways aren't showing the unquestioning loyalty to the Overlord they should, although of course, they don't have all their valuables safely stashed in a mansion in Maj'Dul like some forward-thinking rats do, but still...we must have faith! The Overlord Will Prevail! And so is Defeatism! It so happened that when my Berserker finished helping his Othmir pals get settled into their new, undead-Ulthork-free home in Cobalt Scar the bags and boxes he lugs around to carry the vast amount of stuff he seems to acquire everywhere he goes were full to bursting. (Seriously, what kind of refugees hand out dining-room furniture for favors done anyway?). He'd been on a killing spree for what seemed like weeks and he seriously needed a clear-out, not to mention his armor needed a good scrub down and re-oiling, which is how he came to be back in good old Freeport in the first place. Dismissing all concern of imminent draconic destruction, he was rummaging through his bags at the counter of the Freeport Bank, when he came across a strangely-marked hide. So much had happened of late with scarcely a minute to stop and reflect that he'd forgotten all about the strange, shadowy creatures that attacked him, first in Cobalt Scar and later in Great Divide. He'd just shoved the odd skin he'd found into his packs to examine more closely later. Well, now it was later. And that was how it all began. A close examination of the hide revealed a brand unlike any he'd seen before. Thinking it through he recalled an old acquaintance from his younger days, Grim Stormshield, sometimes referred to as the Nesingwary of Norrath, although not to his face. Last seen, Stormshield used to hang out in an isolated camp in the Jarsath Wastes. Today feels like a good day to buy a lottery ticket Jarsath Wastes never used to be the easiest place to get to, which is why it was always worth making the considerable effort to acquire the Fabled Worker Sledgemallet. Even once there it was a fair old trek out to Stormshield's camp. Those days are long gone, it seems. Rather than whacking hapless wildlife in the Commonlands in the hope of a proc, nowadays it's a quick ding on the World Bell and there you are on the Danak Shipyard docks. What's more, Ormark Stormshield is standing right there with a rent-a-horse trained to go straight to his brother and there's still paid time on the clock from a previous customer that he's happy to let you use. Now that's what I call timing. And that's how it went. I found myself involved in a quest that I wasn't expecting, that I'd acquired by happenstance and that I was following out of pure, natural curiosity. Each step followed neatly and logically from the preceding one, requiring a good deal of travel but providing just the right options to make the journey a pleasant run out rather than a painful slog. Got that right. The winding path took me from Jarsath Wastes back to Freeport then on to Somborne Village in the Loping Plains, to a secret lair beneath the Nektulos Forest shore, into the formless void of a Spiritual Wound and under the sea to a sunken cave off the Butcherblock coast. There was a lot of overwrought, overwritten metaphysical maundering and plenty of punch-ups. At no point did I really know what I was doing or why and it was great! All the while I was trying to guess what the purpose of the quest might be. Was it a lead-in to the new expansion? Maybe, but it didn't seem to have much to do with dragons. Was it a Heritage Quest? Possibly, but I couldn't think what ancient Everquest item it might be. Could it be a Holiday Event? Didn't seem very seasonal. That sound you hear? It's a penny dropping. Not knowing why I was doing this long sequence of tasks made each step all the more fascinating. It felt like a throwback to how questing in Norrath used to be, only with the good parts - the mystery, the speculation, the curiosity - left in and the bad parts - the tedium, the dead-ends, the massive xp loss - left out. Of course, at any time I could have googled to find out what was going on but the whole thing flowed so smoothly it literally never occurred to me. I generally only look up quest walkthroughs when I get stuck or frustrated and that never happened. It wasn't until about three-quarters of the way through that I began to get an inkling that what I was doing might be related to the new class that was added with the Tears of Veeshan expansion but I still wasn't sure until I reached the very end and received my Arrow of Spirit. What's more, I still have no idea if the quest is something you have to do before you can roll a Channeler or whether it's just some lore and flavor to get you in the mood. I don't even especially want to play a Channeler. Or I didn't, before this. Now I think I just might. This is what questing used to be like before it got a bad name, isn't it? Alright, probably not. It's what I'd like it to be like from now on, though. Posted by Bhagpuss at 12:45 PM 0 comments Links to this post Labels: EQ2, Freeport, MMO, Quests No More Sleeps 'Til Christmas! And a Very Merry Christmas, One and All Can You See What It Is Yet? : EQN Landmark Another day, another Landmark video. Here's the bullet point rundown: Huge, giant world Procedurally generated Five environments Hot Volcanic (Lavastorm) Cool Forest (Qeynos Hills) Arid Desert (Ro) Colorful Deciduous Forest (Feydark) Snowy (Everfrost) And what, if anything, can we infer from that? Well, it seems we need the "huge", "giant" world because "there always needs to be something for people to go explore through" and it has to be procedurally generated because if they'd handcrafted it they way they did Everquest and EQ2 "it would just take way too long and people would consume that content long before we could create more of it". Hmmm. So do we conclude that the "content" of Landmark is territory and that the act of exploring said territory will consume it? Is that consistent with the emphasis previous videos gave to building and creating? Is there any need for a vast world to explore if the main thrust of the game is building structures, which almost by definition tend to remain where you put them? Consider this: a) The game is called "Landmark" b) It's marketed as a game, not a utility c) The premium pre-release Pack offers as one of the highlights "a 48 hour or more headstart into Open Beta ensuring ... time to find amazing new claims". d) By the time Landmark officially launches it should include combat, achievements, titles and an economy. A pure MMO Construction Set presumably wouldn't need "content" or gameplay at all, so this must be a game first and a construction set only incidentally, unless, like Neverwinter Nights, the Game and Toolset parts come separately, something that hasn't been suggested. Yet. Not just a game either but one with a competitive element. I'm having trouble not thinking of it as a corporate version of Wurm Online, which is an intriguing, if slightly terrifying image. Also, wasn't the idea that we could build anything we fancied, not just things that might exist in Norrath? I seem to remember there being something about a SciFi setting and maybe a contemporary one. Did I imagine that, because if not, don't these five environments offer a somewhat limited palette? Or are they purely for the "Only In Norrath" segment that feeds into EQNext? That would at least explain the constant referring back to pre-existing Everquest zones. It seems the more they tell us about Landmark, the less clear it becomes what exactly it is, which makes it somewhat difficult to decide whether to spend $20, $60 or $100 or just pass on the whole thing until the finished version arrives for free. I haven't stumped up for any of the Founder's Packs yet but the time for getting down off the fence is fast approaching. John Smedley is now suggesting a mid-late January start for Alpha rather than the end of February. Oh well, I guess it's only money... Labels: EQLandmark, Landmark, MMO Anything Else You'd Like Me To Help You With? : EQ2 The Cobalt Scar main quest sequence, like the Ethernere timeline from the Chains of Eternity expansion, is a long one. Long, but very enjoyable. It benefits enormously from the strong nostalgic affection many longtime Everquest players must have for the original zone that inspired it. Alright, that I have for it, then. The nostalgia factor comes through very strongly even though in most respects the EQ2 version is scarcely recognizable as the same place. About the only thing that remains unchanged is the crescent shape of the water, water which, it transpires, (Spoiler Alert!) is no longer an ocean at all but a large lake. Indeed the entire zone now has the feeling of someplace halfway up an Alp, with great swathes of nordic pine forest covering half the map and bears and stags roaming all over. It reminds me a lot of Timberline Falls, one of my favorite Tyrian landscapes. Hey, I've got one of these at home! Smaller, and his head goes round and round. Missing, and much missed, is the crazed musical score that so enlivened every day, and there were many, that we spent among the Othmir. I still whistle that tune at work now and again. The otter men themselves are there in force but no longer are they the jolly top-hat wearing comedy figures (and perpetual murder victims, although never at my hand) that once they were. Now, in keeping with the grimmer mood that seems to prevail in almost every imaginary online world, they are desperate, driven refugees, harried on all sides by forces they don't understand and cannot hope to defeat. Well, not until I come along to sort it all out for them, as usual. If we had a bridge we could play Pooh Sticks. Oh, sorry.. Funeral. It's a pretty decent plot, too, as these things go. It certainly makes more sense than the Ethernere one, sticking to a much more down-to-earth mystery model than that confusing metaphysical mash-up. Actually, it's two mysteries. The Case of the Undead Othmir is solved but the Enigma of the Eerie Encampment remains just that - an enigma. Maybe I missed a step. Along the way I got to participate in an Othmir funeral (they send the dead back to Prexus on rafts, Viking style, although without setting anything on fire), got turned into an Othmir (the nearest we'll ever get to having them as a playable race, sadly) and listened to foliage reliving the past (as exciting as it sounds). Ulthork Man-O-War. Can't go wrong with a Classic. I also had to kill about a hundred thousand bazillion things. The current design brief for EQ2 zones appears to be "Hey, you left a square foot of grass free over there! Put a mob on it! No, wait. Make it three!"). For every Kill Ten Ulthork quest (yes, there are Ulthorks, although no Bulthar that I saw) I'd estimate I ended up killing twenty. Often more. There wasn't any quest that I ever found to kill wasps but I killed dozens of them trying to get to the bears. And forget any thought of flying over all this stuff to avoid it - Cobalt Scar airspace is jealously guarded by flying snakes, drakes and plain old hawks. I'm the one in the fancy hat. For all that killing, and there was enough of it that my mouse finger was aching long before the end of every session, experience moved like treacle going uphill. With the entire timeline completed as far as the last segment that will take him into Siren's Grotto my Berserker stands at 93.65. With luck and a following wind Siren's Grotto and Frostfell should take him to 94, at which point I'm hoping he'll be ready to start on the real current content. He certainly couldn't do it at 93. That means back to the Ethernere for a cruise around the Vespyr Isles. And after that I imagine both he and I will be ready for a lie down. Labels: Cobalt Scar, EQ2, MMO, Othmir, Quests Project: Gorgon? No, Can't Say I Have... A brief reference in a recent post by HarbingerZero was the first I'd heard of Project: Gorgon. Probably. I don't know...I might have seen the name before somewhere, I guess. So many indie sandboxes - it's hard to remember them all. Probably wouldn't have noticed it this time either had HZ not bundled it in with the much-missed Dawntide. I played a fair bit of Dawntide in its various incarnations. It was one of the buggiest attempts at an MMO that I've ever come across, although the bugs often didn't get in the way too much because most days the extreme lag made the whole thing unplayable anyway. Even when it did run, for the longest time there was next to nothing to do but walk around looking at the scenery. At the pace of a tortoise. A tortoise with a broken leg. Later, when there were things to do - fighting, crafting, trading, complicated, innovative stuff like that - the implementations were some of the slowest and most cumbersome I have ever seen. You can pack that in. You've had all the cheese you're getting. And yet it had something. I must have put in several dozen hours on and off over a couple of years. I'd play, get frustrated, leave it for a while and then catch sight of the icon on my desktop and wonder... Then back I'd go for another few sessions until the pointless futility drove me to question my judgment and my sanity all over again. Eventually the funding ran out, or the developers' patience, or both and development on Dawntide stalled then ended. Finally it closed down thereby saving me from myself. Until now. Always keen to demonstrate that I learn nothing from experience, I went straight from HarbingerZero's link to the Project: Gorgon website. In what seemed like less than a minute I was in the game. Barriers to entry? Never heard of 'em. Didn't need to register, give my name, email, nothing. I can breathe! I can breathe!! Like all too many MMOs, indie and mainstream alike, it starts in a cave. And your character's a blank slate with no memory of a former life. Could it possibly be worth carrying on after an opening like that? Well, yes it could. For a start the controls are easy, intuitive and they work. That puts it about five ranks up on Dawntide already. And there's lots to do right from the start. NPCs to talk to, skeletons to fight, puzzles to solve, chests to open, mushrooms to pick. (Bit of a Thing in P:G, mushrooms are, or so it turns out. But let's not get ahead of ourselves). The sandbox approach is plain from the get-go. The cave is a tutorial of sorts, so there are plenty of hints, suggestions and advice, but it's very clear that what you do and how or when you do it is down to you, matey. You can use all the weapons, learn all the skills, be whoever or whatever you want to be. Just don't come crying to us if you hurt yourself, or turn yourself into a cow. Forever. Tame Ten Rats I was ready to risk a cowing if only I could get out of that cave. I'd been in there for a couple of hours, found some very unsavory used clothing that was nonetheless an improvement on the soiled underwear I'd started out in, found some cheese and used it to learn to tame rats. I had one of the oversized variety following me about like a dog, which would have looked odd enough even if I hadn't chosen to be a Rakshasa, which is basically a cat standing on its hind legs. The rat and the cat, we had some adventures but when the cat saw the glowy blue portal to the outdoor world and the rat couldn't follow she dropped him like that. Cheese to spare and rats come cheap and easy. Soon find another. So out I stepped from the dark (if occasionally psychedelically-illuminated by weird crystal formations and borderline radioactive fungi) tunnels into blinding sunlight. Market Day's Tuesday Maybe it's just me but if I was trying to entice people to come play my sandbox MMO and I was able to make landscapes as entrancing and visually appealing as this, even in my pre-alpha days, I think I'd start people off right there. Not in a cave! The very first view as I emerged, blinking, from the portal was stunning. The walled, medieval village is one of the best I've seen in a game as far as spurious authenticity goes. I've been in that village several times, in France, in Spain, in Portugal. I think there's one like it about 30 miles West of where I'm sitting typing this. Maybe someone's using photo-reference. Whatever, it convinced me I was "somewhere" and that's most of the battle won right there. Are we in The Cotswolds? From then on it's mostly been wandering about. The explorable area is relatively small, I think, although it's hard to be sure. Foot travel is on the slower end of the spectrum and by the time I'd run far enough in one direction to come up against an invisible barrier in the hills surrounding town I wasn't inclined to go check every other cardinal point for breaches. So far, in three or four hours altogether, I've learned to meditate, which here is a prerequisite for the martial arts, I've met a man willing to teach me Fire Magic if I can come up with fifty gold, I've bought a potato seedling, planted and watered it and harvested a potato (go me!), I've wantonly slaughtered two pigs and a chicken and I've been killed by a bear coming out of a farmer's house even as the farmer's wife was warning me not to go inside because there was a bear in there... Just because my back's turned doesn't mean I don't see you eying up my potato, rat. So Project: Gorgon really isn't like Dawntide at all. There's no lag, plenty to do and most of it works. The light changes, the shadows lengthen, the birds sing and when you raise a skill fireworks go off and a bell chimes. For a pre-Alpha it looks in pretty good shape. Before I logged out this time I did what they hadn't made me do to begin with - I registered an account. You can do it right there from inside the game. I did it because it ensures my character will still be around next time. And there will be a next time, because in one very important way Project: Gorgon is like Dawntide: it has potential. Labels: Dawntide, MMO, Project: Gorgon, sandbox Cabin In The Woods : EQ2 Someone at SOE is on a roll. For Halloween they came up with what was quite possibly the best small prestige house in EQ2 history - Fright Manor. Now for Frostfell they've surpassed even that exemplary standard with a positively Platonic Ideal of a winter retreat. For years I've been piling up Station Cash for no better reason than "it might come in handy some day". Now that day has come. Two houses bought in two months. Carry on like this and I'll be SC broke in under a year! The deed on the generically named "Snowy Dwelling" (seriously, for something this gorgeous, that's the best name you could come up with?) comes with a price tag of 1350SC. That's $13.50 at face value but it's probably closer to $5.00 at the exchange rate that prevailed when I last topped up my imaginary money pit. That was back in the glory days before someone at Sony's Accounting Dept. paid a visit to San Diego and put the kibosh on all those Double and Treble SC sales. Note to self: Check insurance for cover against meteor strikes Even at full price it would be one hell of a bargain. Not only do you get a beyond-charming log cabin, surrounded by mature pines and set on its own private island, you also take freehold on a large swathe of the surrounding ocean both above and below the waterline, including several ice floe archipelagos. Everything's fully enabled: you can swim in the water, you can fly through the sky (assuming you can fly in the first place, of course). It's your own personal Winter Wonderland and it feels bigger than Norrath's actual holiday zone itself, Frostfell Wonderland Village. The Greening of Frostfell. I smell elf. Talking of The Village, it recently underwent a very successful and welcome facelift during which not only did the invisible decorator elves (the best kind) polish the ice, plump up the snowdrifts and repaint the rainbow bridges, they somehow managed to drag up a whole new mountain. Add that to the considerable visual pleasures of the Ethernere and the very convincing "Spring Meets Winter at Tundra's Edge" atmosphere of the recently-added Velious zone Cobalt Scar and it would seem that EQ2's artists and zone designers have turned something of a corner. Maybe it's new blood in the art department. Maybe it's the same old bloods feeling the hot breath of the Landmark crew on the backs of their necks. Maybe they just have better tools to work with nowadays. Whatever it is, EQ2 has never looked better. Not your grandmother's Cobalt Scar, that's for sure. So my Beastlord has a log cabin with enough stable room for a few dozen warders, provided they don't mind a few inches of snow on their backs. Like my Necromancer before him, now he just needs to decorate. But where to start? There's so much potential, what with the church-high ceiling, the exposed beams and the massive basement. So much potential and so much work. Just getting the carpets laid and finding a bed took the best part of an hour. Still and all, it'll be good practice for Landmark. If I can't commit to decorating one single-room cabin I can hardly expect to make much of a go of a game dedicated to the building of worlds now, can I? Bloody goblins. They told me it was flameproof... This winter and the spring that follows look set to be all about building and decorating. I suppose they always did, inasmuch as I'd expected to be decorating in Eorzea around now, with FFXIV's promised housing patch due to land just before Christmas. Then Square announced that housing would be for Free Companies only for the foreseeable future and that even if personal housing ever did arrive it might only be in the form of rented rooms within Free Company halls and that went most of the way to killing any interest I had in setting up home in FFXIV. The recent revelation of the truly insane pricing structure only delivered the final death blow. Heating might be a problem When it comes to payment models for MMOs I'm no zealot. I'll pay my sub or buy in the cash shop as required provided I'm enjoying myself. When it comes to a choice between paying a monthly fee to grind repetitive in-game content for hundreds of hours to save up sufficient imaginary money to buy an imaginary house or just getting out my credit card and handing over the earnings from just an hour or two of real-life work...well, there's no choice, is there? Calm down! It's not a giant reindeer coming to get you. It's just the sunrise. Today, in Norrath, I decided to have a cabin in the woods. Today I have a cabin in the woods in Norrath. Now I get to spend many fun hours in-game crafting, questing, buying and trading for things for my house, followed by many more fun hours making the old place look like home. If I'd decided today to get a tiny house the size of an inn room in Eorzea, I guess if I did nothing else but grind the gil I might have one by, ooh, this time next year. Provided I had a few friends willing to give up their free time and throw their cash in the pool too. I think I'll stay where I am. I know where I'm well-off. Labels: EQ2, FFXIV, Frostfell, housing, MMO Scarlet Against The Snow : GW2 Jeromai has an excellent post up about the change of pace that comes with GW2's latest Living Story update. Ravious agrees, as do I. If only we could believe it comes from a deliberate revision of policy rather than just a felicitous gift from the holiday season. The Living Story itself, or its "first season" at least, now has an end date. It's all laid out in this official memo. There are four more releases to come, the next not arriving until January 21st. Assuming the traditional two-week drop rate that puts the "epic finale" on March 4th 2014, meaning the inaugural story-arc that began so limply with a few dazed refugees stumbling through the Shiverpeak snows will have occupied our time for well over a year. All discussion of the merits and methods of the Living Story process seems to have been subverted and overtaken by negative reaction to Scarlet, the storyline's hugely controversial central character and star villain. If ArenaNet set out to create someone we'd love to hate, well they got it half right. Focusing on Scarlet's many flaws risks letting ANet off the hook for the more serious, structural problems that have sometimes tended to make playing GW2 this year an enervating activity. It's a feeling that surely underpins our sense of relief as we come into Wintersday with the prospect of six whole weeks to get stuff done before it all kicks off once more. Much has been made of the lack of effective tools for carrying a story in the first place. The decision not just to make a questless MMO but to make the very fact that it has no quests one of its unique selling points looks ill-advised when only a few months after launch you choose to re-focus your entire game around a single, extended narrative. A heroic effort has been made to use just about every in-game system to share the load - mail, achievements, dynamic events, incidental dialog, personal instances, cut-scenes - you name it, they've tried it. In the end the main thing all that hard work has served to do is emphasize how useful a framework the MMO quest is and why game developers created it in the first place. Over time the handling of the tools and the way information is disseminated through them has very clearly improved. That and we've become used to to it. It feels rather like driving a beat-up old car, the door handles replaced with string, a tinny transistor radio balanced on the dashboard, the exhaust pipe patched with a Coke can; it's not pretty, it's not always comfortable but it's familiar and it gets you where you need to go. Some parts do shine. There have been some impressive cut scenes. The team working on those should feel pretty pleased and proud with their work for the year. Indeed the visual elements have all been impressive, with the Bazaar of the Four Winds the stand-out. Whoever does the incidental dialog deserves a bonus, too. Arguably the best part of every Living Story update has been the bit where you hang around before and after the action and listen to the characters bantering with each other. If you want to know what's going on, some pro-active talking to NPCs on your part is advised, too. I spoke to all the actors in our current drama as they idle on the blasted heath in Kessex Hills and learned a lot. Most of it probably came up already, but in the hurly-burly of chasing achievements and trying to stay alive it's all too easy to miss a few lines of dialog. Luckily I have two accounts so if I think I've missed a key plot point I can take another run at it, but I have to notice I missed it in the first place. I hadn't really appreciated the degree to which the three Orders, Vigil, Whispers and Priory, were now involved in the battle against Scarlet. I didn't realize Lady Kasmeer was in training as Marjory's assistant (nobility appears to operate under very different rules in Kryta). I certainly hadn't appreciated that when the Asura let Scarlet study at all three Colleges it was because they thought they were studying her. Ah yes. In the end it all comes back to Scarlet and that is a problem. Having a central villain who elicits a first response of "FFS not her again!" is going to cause difficulties in any narrative form. ANet like to compare the Living Story to a TV series but if your audience's instinctive reaction when your main villain appears on screen is to flip to another channel you're going to struggle to keep them coming back for future episodes. My feeling is that where Scarlet is concerned the damage has already been done. No matter how epic the finale, no matter how neatly the loose ends are tied, no matter how satisfying the conclusion, too many people just flat out can't stand her. She's unlikely to be forgiven past indiscretions just because she bows out with one hell of a fireworks show. In any case, I'd be very surprised indeed to find the whole thing wrapped up prettily with all the bows tied. It's been a rag-tag, kick and hope affair thus far and I fully expect to go into next Spring not all that much wiser about what was going on or why it mattered. All in all, the Living Story Season 1 has had its ups and downs. Bits of it have been fun and the bits that haven't have been easy enough to ignore. Whatever follows it is going to need to do better. TESO launches just a month after the final episode of the Scarlet story arc. WildStar must be getting close to pressing the Go button, too. And there's a WoW expansion coming, most likely before the end of Summer. This year GW2 had things relatively easy. Next year could be tougher. Competition is supposed to be the friend of both quality and value. Let's hope so. Posted by Bhagpuss at 2:21 PM 13 comments Links to this post Labels: GW2, Lady Kasmeer, Living Story, MMO, Scarlet New MMOs for 2014: There Are Some J3w3l has some trailers for forthcoming attractions up, along with her second take on WildStar. That, along with both her and Keen's enthusiastic responses to the latest EQ Landmark promo (may as well embed it - everyone else has...) got me thinking about what we have to look forward to for 2014 in MMO Land. Off the top of my head I could think of WildStar, EQLandmark, The Elder Scrolls Online and... well that was it, really. Come on, there must be more than that. Maybe it's my memory failing. That age thing again. Remembering stuff, though, that's so 20th Century. We have machines to do that for us now. So I googled "mmo 2014 releases". Top Free MMORPG.net offers Star Citizen (don't care, won't play, won't be out in 2014 anyway), EQNext (care so much it hurts, will play unless dead, don't believe it will be out until the very end of 2014 at the earliest), Titan (yeah, right), PK Project (um, excuse me?), Lineage Eternal:Twilight Resistance (not quite clear what this is but I've successfully managed to avoid the Lineage franchise for the last decade and a half...) and World of Darkness (now you're just being silly). I won't go through all the rest of their, um, idiosyncratic list, although it did remind me that The Crew, despite being delayed, is due out next summer. Not all that interested in the gameplay on that one but the prospect of being able to take a virtual road trip across the continental United States has a certain appeal. Games Radar has a very slick slideshow that includes the usual suspects but throws in some marginally interesting possibilities like the two hyper-realistic South Korean offerings, Bless and Blade and Soul, neither of which appears to have any kind of Western release scheduled. They also name-check Black Desert, which I was interested in briefly but am no longer and Otherland, in which I was very interested indeed but which I was sure had been cancelled. On checking it appears that, weirdly, the Gamigo website is still up although the latest news refers to the closed beta from over a year ago. I'm pretty sure it's dead. Other than that the Games Radar list offers a smattering of funded Kickstarter projects like Embers of Caerus, Pathfinder and City of Titans, all of which are nominally interesting but won't see daylight in 2014. Ten Ton Hammer includes both EQNext and Pathfinder in its Top Six Sandbox MMOs To Watch In 2014, a list which intriguingly includes TESO, which I hadn't realized was supposed to be a sandbox, along with a previous hot tip now fading fast, ArcheAge. Mention of that one reminded me of Trion's other iron in the fire for next year, Trove. They're both games I'm moderately interested to take a look at but I can't say either is stoking any great fires. Massively has a round-robin of staff picks for next year that doesn't really shed much light on anything other than the predilections of the individuals involved but the paucity of suggestions on offer does serve to back up my own feeling that 2014 is going to be a really thin year for MMOs. Not having played Halo and not having much interest in space-based games, Destiny, one of the few MMOs the Massively crew add to the pile, doesn't press any of my buttons. Neither doesTUG, yet another of the seemingly endless spawn of Kickstarter-funded sandbox titles. So back we come around to where we started. I'll try most any MMO for flavor and in our brave new world of open betas, free to play and try-before-you-buy there's no reason not to give any or all of them a run. Curiosity and the potential for getting a blog post out of the experience almost ensures I'll try all of them at some point but I'm not actually looking forward to playing any of them. I don't even have the same sense of excitement and expectation for EQ Landmark that I had for, say, GW2 or The Secret World back in 2012. I'm interested in in it, sure, but I can't help thinking it looks like work. No, it's EQNext I really want to play. And that, I think, is the heart of the problem. Everything else is just marking time until EQNext, which probably won't be out until 2015. Next year is looking like another year of more of the same - GW2, EQ2, all the old favorites - unless, as I very much wish it might, one or more of the MMOs on these lacklustre lists manages to pounce on me and sink its fangs in deep. Failing that, anyone have any other good tips for 2014? Labels: Bless, EQLandmark, EQNext, MMO, The Crew, video Et In Arkadia Ego : CoS The new City of Steam opened its doors last night. At two in the morning where I live. On a work night. Thanks for that. Wasn't 'til this evening that I managed to pop in for an hour. No time to go into detail - haven't gone far enough in to have much detail into which to go. Just throwing out a few very early impressions... The graphics, already excellent for a browser game, seem to have been polished up even further. I also noticed a number of significant improvements in the UI. Seemed smoother, tidier, less cluttered. Player names turn off. Hooray! Still no "Hide UI" button that I could find. Boo! They changed the music. It's still lovely but I miss the old tunes. Tune really. There was only one but it was a good one. Maybe it turns up further in. I hope so. Character creation's streamlined to perfection. Looks great, takes no time at all. Very clear. Once past that, the opening Fall of Denton sequence has been heavily pruned and is much, much better for it. All the good bits, the atmosphere, the lore and background color, the delightful cut-scenes - still there. The deadweight and repetition - all gone. The whole extended tutorial whips by in just a few minutes. I've done it in far more iterations than I can remember but I think this is the best version so far. Perhaps they'll keep it. Once you hit Refuge it's straight to your new home. No faffing about. Again the fat's been pared. The original goblin house is back too...I think. The one-roomer. It looked as though maybe the rump housing quests that were left in the R2 version even though they no longer went anywhere have been removed at last. Whether anything replaces them I didn't have a chance to find out because... ...the Cellar under my house leads to Heaven! Well, Arkadia but it looks like Heaven, if Heaven has cogs. It appears to be some kind of hub zone with all the facilities, including Fishing and Mining mini-games that I didn't quite understand on a first run. But, hey, fishing! Visually the whole area is positively spectacular. Also bright, airy and sunny. What with that and all the flowers in Refuge the whole tone of the early game feels lighter, more positive. You get a vehicle as soon as you arrive in your house. Free! Okay, it's a wonky dirt bike but the Guide Toiler in Arkadia, a robot with some kind of 80s shoulder-pad fetish, runs you through some upgrade and crafting routines to improve it. Upgrading your vehicle's now a thing. Plenty of people there taking in the new sights. It was busy, really busy. Then again, so it was last time it launched. Keeping people around's the trick. This time, though, there were GMs in chat. Chatting. Reminded me of Fallen Earth, that. Also lots of events flagging up. No idea what those are yet. Perhaps most importantly of all, the whole of the opening part of the game now has the feel of an MMO. All the tutorial instances I did were effectively open dungeons, albeit very small ones. Huge improvement, although I saw a couple of complaints on the forums from people who prefer to adventure alone at all times. My very uninformed first-look impression; seems like a much-improved offering. It feels very different to the gritty, bleak world that so impressed me way back at the beginning but it's none the less intriguing and for once it feels like it might have heft, traction. We'll see. I'll certainly be playing on. Labels: City of Steam, CoS Arkadia, MMO The Long Road To Harrow's End : EQ2 It's over at last. The journey that began back in Antonica all those weeks ago, when Firiona Vie, Leader of the High Elves, Chosen of Tunare and Norrath's sweetheart fell suddenly and inexplicably dead at my feet, ended today in battle with a god; Drinal, The Silver Reaper. Okay, he's not one of the better-known gods. And my part in the fight was mostly trying not to get agro while my new partner, Oligar of the Dead, took all the hits. And anyway we only had to fight him for a short while, softening him up just a little before I stuck him with the bizarrely-named "Soul Skiver" and brought him to his senses. Still and all...a god! The whole affair has been a farrago of nonsense from start to finish but I've thoroughly enjoyed it, not so much in spite of the fact that none of it makes any sense as because of it. This is Norrath! Our Lore never makes any sense! We wouldn't have it any other way. Hey! Watch where you're swinging that thing! Zubon observed recently that going back to traditional questing after playing a more modern MMO like GW2 "is like driving a car with a hand-crank starter". I've never actually started a car with a hand-crank (I wonder if Zubon has?) and I struggled a bit with the analogy but I think he meant that you have to keep re-starting the process yourself - if you don't then the narrative just sits there, going nowhere. Coming into GW2's series of beta weekends back in the Spring of '12, I was on the verge of burnout with traditional MMO questing. I'd lost patience with lazy NPCs standing on street corners asking me to do their dirty work for them. It seemed very refreshing to have them run up to me in a panic instead, yelling blue murder about something awful that I could actually see happening right now, right there. A year and change later and it's the frenzy of the Dynamic Event and the Living World that seem enervating. Being able to dictate the pace, to accept each task in my own time and take as long as I want about getting the job done seems positively relaxing in comparison. But, but... I'm a pirate too! There seems to be something of a drift back to the traditional quest-driven MMO of late, at least in the corner of the blogosphere I frequent. Kaozz and J3w3l are questing away in Rift. Wilhelm and Stargrace are back in WoW. Even SynCaine dusted off his questing hat for another run at Baldur's Gate, although of course that's not an MMO. Ah, there's the nub of it. How much, really, does what I've been doing in EQ2 lately have to do with MMOs as we used to know them? A few weeks back, when I was goblining it up in WoW, I mentioned that the starter area felt like I was in my own private instance. All the bloggers linked above allude at various times to the solitary nature of their questing, the difficulty of synchronizing quests with others due to phasing, instancing or lack of quest-sharing mechanics and the extreme soloabilty of quest content. My time in EQ2's Chains of Eternity expansion hasn't felt entirely isolated. There has always been a smattering of other players swooping down on their griffons and flying horses to use the bank in Cardin Ward or grab quest from a nearby NPC. A few times I've even needed to move on to another quest for a while to let someone "play through". In essence, though, completing this very lengthy quest sequence, well over 150 quests in total, has felt much more like playing a single-player RPG than an MMO. My, Firiona, you are looking pale. Oh wait, that'll be the "dead" thing... And I don't play single-player RPGs. Haven't for many, many years. Why, then, am I eagerly consuming the exact same kind of content here? Two reasons; Person and Place. Person comes in the form of my characters. The overarching motivator of MMOs is probably character progression, which requires a couple of things to work: a character in which you are sufficiently invested to put in the time and some clear progress there to be made. The Chains of Eternity content ticks both those boxes with confidence. I love my EQ2 characters. It's a strong word but it's the right one. I made them, I care about them, I feel a responsibility toward them. Every time I help one to become more powerful, more skilled, more rounded as an individual it feels satisfying. Moreover, because the worlds they inhabit change whether or not I am there, even though my characters remain in stasis while they go unplayed, things may still have happened to them. That's something you just don't get offline. Yesterday I patched up LotRO and logged in my Guardian; several minutes-worth of trait updates flashed solemnly across the screen, after which I chose and specified a new Trait Tree for him. I had no intention of playing him, then or probably ever again but I knew he'd change and grow if I logged him in and I knew he'd want that. Or, if you prefer less metaphysics in your gaming, I knew I wanted it for him. Dreary? I beg to differ. I can think of worse places to spend the afterlife. That done, I Iogged out. Although I have a few characters there for whom I retain some affection, LotRO is not one of my favorite MMOs. Unlike for many, the faithful Tolkein setting doesn't engender any particularly strong feelings of recognition or familiarity in me. I like Lord of the Rings well enough but I'm hardly a fan. I am a fan of Norrath. Very much so. That second reason to keep plugging through the quests, absent in Middle Earth, is very much present in EQ2. A sense of Place. It might seem like laziness or parsimony to base new zones on the architecture of old ones but in my experience it almost always works. The Eidolon Jungle and Obol Plains are versions of The Feerrott and Loping plains respectively. I've spent an inordinate amount of time in both the originals and traveling through these odd, hallucinatory revisions of old, familiar haunts has been fascinating. It's nostalgia and novelty all rolled into one. For your unhappiness, that is. Not for anything I might personally have done to you. Like, say, kill you repeatedly just to get a door open... Better yet than familiar landmarks are familiar faces. Even though this is the metempsychotic holding pen of Norrath I was still surprised enough to say it out loud when I realized just who was that woman with the beetle pet standing by a tent on the Dreary Shore. "Whoah! It's Jenni Everling"! I killed her often enough - I should hardly be surprised to find her here among the dead... If Jenni was a predictable surprise, what to make of Fabian? I don't believe Fabian the Bard even makes a walk-on appearance in EQ2. He must have died centuries before the Shattering. Yet here he is, sitting on a log ruing the broken strings of his lute. As in life, so in the Ethernere. This is the kind of context you can only acquire through time. No new MMO can ever arrive freshly-minted and thrilling yet hope to score such easy hits simply by mentioning a name and playing a riff on an old quest that should have long been forgotten but somehow still sets a whole line of bells jingling merrily away. This, when we get right down to it, is why talk of a new expansion has people patching up old favorites and why it's so much easier to get excited for EQNext than WildStar. Labels: EQ2, GW2, MMO, Quests, WoW Because, Reasons : EQNext, GW2 In the long PR build-up before the launch of an MMO the quantity and quality of information coming out of the company making it may vary but usually it follows a definite narrative. We are making this type of game. It has this type of content. You can expect this type of gameplay. Companies take various stances on inclusivity and collectivism during those long months and years when there are no customers to satisfy, only curious potential purchasers and pre-sold fans. ArenaNet chose to release a seemingly endless series of "Reveals" while the EQNext team is running what appears to be an open-ended series of discussions with "the community" on just about every aspect of their upcoming flagship franchise release. Currently they're highlighting Lore. They already ran a poll on it and followed that up with one of those mildly uncomfortable PR videos that most game companies seem to insist upon doing, where a couple of guys who look like they'd probably rather be getting on with their real work do their best to emulate the co-hosts on a regional TV show that goes out in an unpopular time-slot. Omeed Dariani and Steve Danuser, well-known to the EQ community in particular and the blogosphere in general as Moorgard, do a better-than-average job keeping the conversational ball in the air. It's an entertaining-enough watch as these things go but in the end I'm not sure how much wiser we are about the precise mechanics by which Lore will be disseminated in the next iteration of Norrath. If I had to guess I'd say it won't look that much different in practice to GW2's "Dynamic Events" system. The part where they discuss the various potential outcomes arising from Orcs attacking a village sounds eerily similar to ArenaNet's famous pre-launch "Manifesto" only with Orcs instead of Centaurs. Get to know that face. You'll be seeing it again. That's not to be cynical. It's a given that almost everyone involved in the complex enterprise of making of these entertainments wants everything to turn out just as well as it can. Experience suggests, however, that, when it comes to making MMOs, reach all too often exceeds grasp. GW2 turned out to be a magnificent failure in many ways. A huge, sprawling, living world that should have continued to grow and change by day and by week ever after but simply...stopped. A year and more later the same centaurs burn the same villages as the same villagers shout the same lines even though there's no longer anyone there to listen. Meanwhile odd, fractured, half-baked tales are told badly in secure corners instanced safely away from the world, popping up like mushrooms to be gathered, consumed and forgotten. Scarlet's return as the instigator of the Thaumonova Reactor Meltdown hasn't gone down well. If ANet were to run a popularity contest between Trahearne, Logan Thackeray and Scarlet, Scarlet would probably come in fourth. There are a lot of reasons to dislike her, from her derivative personality and nonsensical backstory to her annoying catchphrases and irritating voice. That's his excuse... I find the catchphrases amusing and the voice acting entertaining myself, but it's a minority view. Instead, I share the objections of the commenter on the pithily-titled forum thread Scarlet Hate " who observed "She can basically pull what she needs from thin air, in no time and deploy it instantly, without anyone noticing. It would not be out of her apparent remit to simply make lions arch city vanish into thin air." There's a theory going around that she's behind the mysterious sizzling pillars that popped up overnight all across Tyria. Apparently they extend even into the previously untouchable realms of Orr, thought for practical reasons at least to lie outside the remit of the Living Story. Her dire hand has already been felt across the Mists, where the pillars have been received with a little more equanimity than the universal loathing which greeted the incursion of her Toxic Alliance across the borderlands. In the face of widespread, if not unanimous, disapproval, much like the character herself the Scarlet storyline endures. Still, there is hope yet for her haters. ArenaNet move as though behind a veil, mysteriously. Things once forbidden become ordained. When World Versus World received its own, separate progression path complete with its own, discrete pool of experience points, its own titles and ranks and traits, ArenaNet chose to tie all progression strictly to characters rather than to accounts. I rather liked the decision but again that put me in a tiny minority. By George, I think he's got it! Since launch WvW had been, nominally, a character-based activity but the sheer lack of any practical purpose to WvW beyond server pride and the fun of fighting other players made that easy to ignore. The arrival of points and prizes led many people to feel they had no choice but to concentrate on a single character for WvW. It was the death of Alts. Constant petitions were made against the decision, all unheeded. Then a few days ago a simple announcement turned the whole thing on its head. Most players were unwilling to look this gift horse too closely in the mouth in case it turned around and bit their heads off but there were some who raised questions. Devon Carver, ANet's WvW Co-ordinator gave the following reply, which is, I feel, emblematic: "We never said we couldn’t do it. We said we weren’t going to do it. There is a large difference between things that we decide to do for design reasons and thing that are technical constraints." So true. And so unhelpful, begging as it does the question of why a "design decision" taken a few months ago and rigidly adhered to ever since was the right one then but is the right one no longer. On we roll. At some yet unspecified date in the future all our characters will gain the benefits of the work done by their account-mates. Another step away from the origins and, as some would have it, meaning of the genre but a large stride towards making the game into something closer to what most people appear to want it to be. By the same token we might wake up any day and find Scarlet fell down a hole and can't get up. EQNext is the only upcoming MMO for which I have any real, meaningful, emotional feeling. Landmark is...I don't know what it is. Everything else is a curiosity at best. I'm certain-sure I'll play EQNext. I'd lay very long odds I'll enjoy it. Do I expect it to live up to expectations, either mine or those of the people making it? Well, what do you think? Labels: Dynamic Events, EQNext, GW2, Lore, MMO, WvW Anything Else You'd Like Me To Help You With? : EQ...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line37
__label__cc	0.66583	0.33417	Home School News Brick Schools Name 2016 Teacher of the Year Brick Schools Name 2016 Teacher of the Year District officials present Jeannette Wehner with the 2016 Teacher of the Year award. (Photo: Brick Twp. Schools) The Brick Township public school district announced Tuesday morning that Jeannette Wehner, a 5th grade in-class support and STEM teacher at Emma Havens Young Elementary School, is the district’s 2016 Teacher of the Year. “Ms. Wehner represents the dedicated and talented teachers of the district,” the announcement said. “Her action inspires others as she goes above and beyond for her students and colleagues alike. She is truly an asset to our school community.” Wehner is “always engaging in new technology and techniques to use in the classroom,” as she promotes a STEM curriculum where students learn by doing, said EHYES principal Patricia Lorusso. Wehner’s actions “inspire others to dream more, learn more and do more!” the announcement said. In addition to staying current with best practices for teaching, she is also a contributor and presenter to the district’s Professional Development Academy. The district’s teacher of the year is chosen from a pool of nominees with academic contribution and student performance as important factors in the committee’s selection. The nominees for each individual school represent the “endless commitment to the students of Brick Township,” the announcement said.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line41
__label__wiki	0.589253	0.589253	Home » Cloud » How Google Cloud helped Multiplay power a record-breaking Apex Legends Launch How Google Cloud helped Multiplay power a record-breaking Apex Legends Launch Posted by: Admin in Cloud, Google Cloud March 18, 2019 36 Views Can you take a wild guess how many players a new multiplayer game typically attracts in its first day of availability? Would you say thousands, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands? Without any pre-launch marketing or promotional pushes, the free-to-play battle royale game Apex Legends, from Respawn Entertainment, reached a whopping one million unique players during the first eight hours of its debut on Monday, February 4, 2019. In the first 72 hours after its initial launch, Apex Legends reached 10-million players and has now reached 50 million unique players after just one month. Managing such high levels of engagement can be nerve-racking and intense. If players experience connectivity issues at launch, the game may never recover. So much rides on a game’s launch, including its reputation, revenue, and longevity; it’s no surprise that it requires a robust infrastructure for an optimal multiplayer experience. Apex Legends was developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, using the game server hosting specialists on Unity’s Multiplay team to facilitate the game’s availability across most major platforms. With a state-of-the-art cloud server orchestration framework and 24/7/365 professional services team, Multiplay is able to fully support ongoing game growth. The orchestration layer leverages Google Cloud to help deliver seamless global-scale game server hosting for Apex Legends in ten regions spanning the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Predicting the capacity required for a free-play title, from such a prominent studio, is impossible. Multiplay’s Hybrid Scaling technology scaled the majority of the demand for Apex Legends with Google Cloud while utilizing its global network of bare metal data centers. Google Compute Engine, an Infrastructure-as-a-Service that delivers virtual machines running in Google’s data centers and global network, provides the core computing services. Compute Engine enables Multiplay to effortlessly ramp up to match user spikes — a critical requirement for many games, especially since Apex Legends received 1M downloads in eight hours after its initial debut. Compute Engine virtual machines can also spin down quickly, correlated to player demand, helping to optimize costs when fewer game servers are needed. Google Cloud’s global private network is also an important infrastructure component for Multiplay. Fast connections, low latency and the ability for game servers to crunch through updates as quickly as possible together ensure the best experience for players. Multiplay, a division of Unity Technologies, creator of the world’s most widely used real-time 3D development platform, has had a long-standing relationship with Google Cloud. “After working with Google Cloud on Respawn’s Titanfall 2, Google Cloud was the logical option for Apex Legends. With its reliable cloud infrastructure and impressive performance during our testing phase, it was clear we made the right choice,” Paul Manuel, Managing Director for Multiplay, recently shared. “Throughout launch, Google Cloud has been a great partner. We greatly appreciated the level of dedication the team demonstrated during the simulated game launch, and for making sure we had the necessary number of cores worldwide to support this launch.” You can learn more about how game developers and platforms turn to Google Cloud for game server hosting, platform services, and global scale and reach in this blog post. And for more information about game development on Google Cloud, visit our website. Feed Source: Cloud Blog Article Source: How Google Cloud helped Multiplay power a record-breaking Apex Legends Launch Previous: EPUBCheck 4.2.0 RC published: Check EPUBCheck! Next: In the Works – EC2 Instances (G4) with NVIDIA T4 GPUs Chrome 69 Sketching Interfaces Blox – New Open Source Scheduler for Amazon EC2 Container Service New – Manage DynamoDB Items Using Time to Live (TTL) Experiment that Discovered the Higgs Boson Uses AWS to Probe Nature	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line42
__label__cc	0.739628	0.260372	PARTICLE MAN Through “Particle Man” Ramon Perez (See PEREZ Ramon) has created a delightful world of fellow superheroes “The Canadian” and G. I. Gerussi against the super villainous “Group Of Seven” including “Purple Reign”, Le Bouclier, Loon, Land-Phil, Madame Équerre & Doctor Schrödinger. In the first story, school boy Daniel Atom comes to the aid of “The Canadian” fighting “Purple Reign” and “Le Bouclier” by turning into “Particle Man. He accomplishes this through a ring he got in a Kinter Egg and by saying “Particle Ring Do Your Thing!” Perez sets the stage for this transformation, though the teacher giving a science lesson about rearranging protons and electrons. This is probably the shortest origin story in superhero history. At the end of the story “The Canadian” and probably other superheroes decide to take “Particle Man” seriously. The second story, “Trash Talk” involves a conflict between “Particle Man” and “The Loon” assisted by “Land-Phil”. Yes there are ecological overtones. Again how “Particle Man” saves the day is preceded by a small science lesson describing how water needs an impurity in it before it can freeze. The lightheartedness of these stories but perhaps even more the sly references like “Gerussi (is he referring to actor of Beachcomers Bruno Gerussi?) or more obviously naming the super villain group after Canada”s icon “Group of Seven” make them fun to read. BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY: “Particle Man.” Car., Ramon Perez. True Patriot: All New Canadian Comic Book Adventures. Ed., J. Torres. True Patriot Comics, 2013: 91-98. “Particle Man in ‘Trash Talk’, Acts 1 & 2.” Car., Ramon Perez. True Patriot: Heroes Of The Great White North. Ed., J. Torres. True Patriot Comix, 2014: 12-17 & 61-65.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line48
__label__wiki	0.645196	0.645196	Friday Aug 9th with special guest DEADCROW Liquid Ritual / Terrorhythm / The Hague, Netherlands https://soundcloud.com/deadcrxw https://twitter.com/devdcrow https://www.instagram.com/devdcrow/ https://www.facebook.com/deadcrxw/ Shimmering melodies and cinematic atmospheres underpinned with harder trap and bass sensibilites are at the core of the wave sound that Deadcrow has helped define. Experience the newest sound of your sci-fi neon reality with a leader in one of the richest emerging genres plus residents mixing up all the future jams CUTUPS & KEEB$ https://soundcloud.com/cutups/sets/lazercrunk-blast-off Plus live lazers, good friends, stiff drinks, futuristic sounds and lots of fun. $10 cover / 10PM – 2AM / 21+ Brillobox 4104 Penn Ave CUTUPS – HOT BUTTER BASH [MIX] 105 min mix of smooth and rugged UK garage, future garage, bassline, 2-step and uk funky jams, both hot buttered and classic recorded june 2019 Residency \| Lazercrunk @ Brillobox contact / bookings: geoff.maddock@gmail.com mind of a dragon – lemonade smokey bubblin b – yang redlight feat sweetie irie – zum zum matt craig – bacon fries unknown artist – unknown darkzy & example – drops (moad remix) on1 – slinky (fork and knife remix) murder he wrote – honey riddim soundbwoy killah – the bounce mind of a dragon – omg kastle – 4 real martyn – recon yak – don greno tuff culture – the one dj madd – take it down low cellardore – get right inside para – so excited artful dodger & craig david – re-rewind (the crowd say boo selecta) izco – mr dred wolfe – do me right exit99 – it’s a long way higgo – interlude killjoy – disturbance stanton warriors feat stush and foreign beggars – they follow glacci – reflector warp addicts – ruffneck n’ rugged deckstar – make it through (checan remix) roska x jus now – eedyat thing featuring fox 123mrk – pleasure arkist – out of the sun madd again – bawlout (flava d remix) sekt-87 – gangster liam b – bricklayer ciara ft ludacris – oh (juicy joints 2-step mix) horsepower productions – when you hold me gella – twinkle sorrow – aesthetics dj deller – romantic call submerse – searching horsepower productions – rude boyz menta – sounds of the future r.i.p. productions – ice cream trg – decisions untold – dante burial – claustroUK Garagebassfuture garagebashment2-stepuk funky Our summer blowout! saturday june 29th L A Z E R C R U N K 11th Anniversary and official OUTLOOK FEST Launch Party! https://outlookfestival.com/ SAM BINGA Critical, Astrophonica, Cosmic Bridge, Bristol UK https://soundcloud.com/sam_binga The ever-exploratory Sam Binga is one of those artists who has managed to infuse all of the UK’s musical subcultures into a tantalizing sound portrayal and discography. Toting a range of influences from garage, grime, drum & bass, jungle, juke, dubstep, dancehall, reggae, and more, the Bristol-based artist has yet to hold back on revealing his interests and pursuits. Binga has steadily thrown himself into the industry as a genre-defying musician and high-energy party starter who can mash down any dancehall. and support from MR YUKK https://soundcloud.com/mryukkdubstep/wavegrime-promo-mix-1 Known for his heavy sounds, Austin is taking a huge step away from his normal “tear out” dubstep productions and is stretching out into flavors of grime and wave music plus resident djs CUTUPS & KEEBS mixing up all the newest jams, and probably a few classics and as always, live lasers, good friends, stiff drinks, futuristic sounds and lots of fun! We are also pairing with OUTLOOK FEST 2019, as Pittsburgh’s Official Launch party! Outlook fest takes place in Pula, Croatia from Sept 4-8, and is one of the world’s best festivals for bass music soundsystem culture. We’ll have some promos and give-aways coming up to get you excited! (We’ll be there!) More info and tickets: https://outlookfestival.com Since 2008 we’ve been bringing you the finest in fun, underground bass music, lazers, goofball themes, zany graphics and all around good times. Expect all that and more at this epic anniversary party. Fri May 17 8 pm doors $12 adv/$15 door 21+ show Cattivo, 146 44th St., Lawrenceville 412-687-2157 (downstairs) tickets: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1843166 Arcade Highhttps://arcadehigh.bandcamp.com/ 80s-inspired synthwave twins from Texas NITEhttps://nite.bandcamp.com/https://www.facebook.com/wearethenite/ Ghost Twin (Winnipeg) https://ghosttwin.bandcamp.com/ and DJ Cutupshttps://soundcloud.com/cutups From the Dallas Observer: As the ’80s continue to disappear farther into the rear view mirror, the era continues to be a source of reference for a new generation of artists. From denim jackets and shoulder pad-emblazoned fashion trends to the cinematic homages of Netflix’s Stranger Things, the decade of Reagan, MTV, and New Coke continues to be in vogue. We’re even resurrecting the Cold War with Russia. The decade’s reach also expands to music, where synths, horns and lush production qualities have again begun surfacing in the sensibilities of many of today’s artists. As the dual lead figures of NITE, a quickly rising Dallas band, twin brothers Kyle and Myles Mendes haven’t shied away from the ‘80s musical ethos. Trafficking in dreamy pop-synth soundscapes that reference some of the ‘80s touchstones, the band leans heavily into the moods and emotions of their songs. From the buoyantly infectious grooves of “Godless City” — a track that has gotten recent airplay on KXT 91.7 — to the more quietly subdued “Dream of You,” NITE’s music would fit right in on radio playlists, circa 1988. Their influences were there from the start. When the brothers were students at the University of North Texas in Denton, they found themselves listening to lots of classic synth pop and modern pop music. “Bands like New Order, Empire of the Sun, The Cure and White Lies are some of our biggest influences,” Kyle Mendes wrote in a recent email to the Observer. Since solidifying the band in the latter half of 2013, they’ve frequently been recording new music and working to perfect their signature sound. They’ve also been pounding the pavement, relentlessly touring across North America and sharing stages with many of their idols like Howard Jones, A Flock of Seagulls and The Alarm. This week, we’re proud to premiere the debut video for their track “I’ll Be Back Again.” A tightly constructed song about someone overcoming the pain of the past and turning attention toward the possibilities of the future, it seems tailor-made for repeated summer listens. The video, of course, is also straight out of the ‘80s playbook. “Hearing [the song] immediately put visions of the ’80s through the lens of John Hughes in my head,” says the video’s director, Ryan Polly. “With the NITE boys you can always expect an ‘80s vibe, but this song in particular struck me as very nostalgic for that time. Being a huge fan of John Hughes myself, I thought it would be great to create the video as sort of an homage to him.” The pastel-tinged color palette, the sulky teenager seen lip-synching into a hairbrush and the over-the-top special effects will be familiar to anyone who’s logged hours watching cinematic treasures like The Breakfast Club or Pretty In Pink. The video is also neatly framed with an introduction and concluding coda that serve to emphasize the drama playing out onscreen. “Genre mixing is something that I have always loved,” adds Polly. “The thought of a high school girl-led romantic comedy with hints of Marvel comic book and horror elements really excited me. I think we hit a ridiculous tone that I’m honestly very proud of.” Polly, who along with Grant Wakefield and Daniel Routh, owns the Denton-based production company Maker Table, goes back a ways with the band and has a solid appreciation of their vibe. “Ryan also helped capture our first-ever performance as NITE for the Down Sessions, where we filmed in an old, abandoned haunted house in Denton,” Myles Mendes says. “He’s always had an eye for aesthetics that we feel enhances our work as songwriters, which is why we love working on ambitious projects with him.” To film the video for “I’ll Be Back Again,” the band and filmmaker again assembled in and around Denton this past December with a 12-person crew. Polly’s editor, Joy Michael, locked in the picture before passing things off to Dallas-based musician/visual effects artist Rob Martinez, who in turn added some “movie magic.” Last month found the crew performing a sound design/mix session with Brad Nyght and adding in a color grade. All in all, the process took a little more than two months from start to finish. “I’ll Be Back Again,” the third and final single off last year’s Reborn album, is serving as both a catapult into a busy touring schedule and a bookend to the album cycle. NITE are back in the studio writing and recording their third release and will perform at SXSW where they’ll kick off the Cleopatra Records’ Showcase. By cutups \| audio, events \| No Comments BXC Collective presents a night of live extreme electronics, splintered beats and futuristic sound design TERMINAL 11 sunwarped / love love records / arizona https://soundcloud.com/sibilants/exorcism https://instagram.com/terminal_11 ACRNYM (Calum Gunn) conditional / sublight / berlin https://soundcloud.com/acrnym http://www.calumgunn.com/ NANCY DRONE la squadra / conditional / new york haunted / pgh to berlin https://soundcloud.com/nancy-dr0ne SEBASTIAN CAMENS conditional / seattle https://www.sebastiancamens.com/ SOLESCA https://solesca.bandcamp.com/ plus sets from the BXC collective djs 9PM – ?? 3577 Studios Terminal 11 (aka Michael Castaneda) is a renowned electronic music artist hailing from Tempe, Arizona who produces a frenetic and kinetic assault of splintered breakcore chaos with idm undertones. He has released music on Hymen, Cock Rock Disco, Schematic, Ad Noiseam, Phthalo Records – as well as numerous other indie electronic micro labels, and is behind Sunwarped label. ACRNYM Calum Gunn is boss of computer music label Conditional, running a weekly show of computer music on Resonance Extra under the same name. He makes music under different guises in different scenes including as breakcore veteran Acrynm. His Algorave performances under his actual name tend towards off-kilter staccato FM stabs. … is Molly Gunn, an electronic musician based in Berlin recording and performing under the moniker Nancy Drone. Originally hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she’s constructed an aural fantasy of swirling ambience, arachnid techno mutations and shards of percussive mayhem. Through collapsing structures and textural explorations, an amorphous bond between emotion and chaos is born. is a Dutch/Australian Visual Designer. Currently based in Seattle Noisy, glitchy, experimental, drum-laden, IDM, Ambient, DnB, Breakcore garbage from Pittsburgh, PA Friday May 10th presents legendary dubstep producer and deejay… Chestplate / Tectonic / Planet-Mu / UK http://soundcloud.com/distance http://www.facebook.com/Distanceofficial https://www.instagram.com/dj_distance/ DJ, producer, and label owner of Chestplate recordings, Distance is one of the originators of the dubstep genre and has pretty well done it all. He’s credited to bringing in a darker, heavy metal and industrial influenced sound palette, and his sound blends together those sounds with more technoid dendancies and the heaviest, chest thumping bass riddims. You can not miss this one. plus your resident stalwarts mixing up all the latest jams… More on Distance Distance (Greg Sanders) is a world-renowned UK producer, DJ and label owner of Chestplate (established in 2007). He is one of the originators of the dubstep genre and has been instrumental in the development of dubstep since its early years. Musically, Distance is credited with introducing new elements of metal to dubstep at the start of the genre. Whilst many dubstep producers reference influences such as King Tubby to Lee Scratch Perry, Distance’s influences hail from the likes of Sepultura, Pantera and Fear Factory. With a background of heavy metal and experimental industrial music, his sound blends heavy metal, industrial rock, dub, reggae and techno. Distance has produced remixes for artists including Nicki Minaj, Paloma Faith, Bastille and many more. He has collaborated with acclaimed producers including Skream, Benga, Pinch and J:Kenzo. Distance released on seminal underground labels early in his career including Hotflush, Tectonic and Boka. He released his debut album, My Demons, on the influential Planet Mu label in 2007. The album won Dubstep Forum’s album of the year. My Demons was followed by Distance’s second album, Repercussions, in 2008, also released on Planet Mu. Distance released the single ‘Falling’ in 2011, with widespread support from DJs such as Skream, Benga, Hatcha, and radio support from DJ Swerve on Kiss FM and MistaJam on BBC 1Xtra. His third album Dynamis was released on Tectonic in 2017. Distance had early radio support from the legendary John Peel, and in 2006 he was selected to be part of the seminal ‘Dubstep Warz’ show on Radio 1 presented by Mary Anne Hobbs (the show credited with breaking dubstep globally). Distance had a label residency on BBC 1Xtra and had a long-running radio show on Rinse FM from 2004-2013. Distance has performed across the globe, as well as having performed regularly at major clubs including FWD, DMZ, Exodus and SUB: DUB. His record label Chestplate had a residency at the legendary Fabric nightclub in London from 2013-2015. DISTANCE ( SOCIAL LINKS ) Facebook: www.facebook.com/Distanceofficial Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/distance Twitter: twitter.com/distance_dj Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/TheDjDistance Mixcloud: www.mixcloud.com/Distance/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/dj_distance/ Saturday April 20th from the crew that brought you WIGGIN AHT: F Y E R F E S T a premium exclusive 3D interactive comedy danceparty experience Featuring premium luxury island experiences thanks to… IAN BRILL Major HEADLINERS such as… CUTUPS – www.mixcloud.com/cutups KEEB$ – www.mixcloud.com/toddkeebs ERYN EVANS DA/NA – www.mixcloud.com/DA_NA (plus moar MAJOR HEADLINER ANNOUNCEMENTS!) Fine dining with SLICE ISLAND It’s about models, influencers, disruption unicorns, dank gravy, pop punk orgies, authentic innovators driving authentic innovation for authentic millennials, luxury fart villas, the loudest EDM you’ve ever heard, building value added experiences, curly fries with extra ranch, and of course, the music of the best and only rap artist you know: Ja Rule. Come maybe experience everything you can’t believe is real, at FYER FEST (PGH) 2019! All taking place at Spirit Quay, an exclusive beach, due north of Slice Island! 242 51st Street just off Butler St Thematic costumes, props and role-play encouraged! (Drop us a line if you have anything in mind) Follow & Like https://www.instagram.com/fyerfest/ https://twitter.com/fyerfest http://fyerfest.com TLDR; I PULLED DJING STATS OUT OF MY DATABASE I’ve been tracking data about my DJ gigs (and shows overall) for a long time, just as a side effect of always running some form of event calendar, so I figured it would be interesting to run a database query see how they’ve changed over time. I don’t think this list is exhaustive, but it’s fairly close (90+%). If anything is missing, it’s a bunch of FUZZ/BBT dates. Aside from a handful of exceptional ones, I didn’t include house show/parties. I broke down each event by the “primary” genre tag used for the event. It’s often kind of tough to actually break down what I play, and that’s probably the biggest take-away. I try to fit the theme of the night, but I also seek out nights where I can play just about anything. As time went by, more and more sets are these pan-genre sets that fell into a few categories. “Bass” is really maybe the biggest cheat, since the contents of that have veered one way or another over time. Since 2008, my sets in this area have been often fairly genre agnostic, and combine elements of dubstep, ukg, grime, funky, wave, bassline, jersey club, footwork, drum and bass and other bass-focused sounds within one set, but different nights may go much more heavily towards one subgenre. Overall it was really facilitated by the format for Stackin Paper andLazerCrunk. I like it this way, but it’s sometimes hard to sum-up. “Dark dance” is really just my way of summing up what i typically play at goth or modern dark nights, but it doesn’t really map to an existing well known genre. It’s interesting to see that I’ve strung together a few different series that ended up expressing it self this way (ILLUSIONS, Darkwave, Coven, plus other guest spots). I made a pretty conscious decision starting from the first time that I ever played one of these nights that I’d mix it up more than what any one DJ did in those scenes. You’ll usually hear a bit of goth, deathrock, darkwave, witch house, minimal wave, ebm and noisier other tangents strung together. Sometimes I’ve played more niche sets and indicated that, usually more in the power-noise or industrial vein. “Anything goes” really is an expression of when I started to open up my creates and DJ sets to blending as many things together as possible. Some of that was my own impetus, some was getting some opportunities to play for open nights by people like Edgar Um and Kristen Dale. It’s a bit unfair of a descriptor, as sometimes it was mostly indie-dance of the era (early-mid 2000s), other other times a more open mix of punk, new wave, no-wave, funk, soul, industrial, hiphop, dancehall, house, electro, disco, world-dance or whatever else was banging or I picked up at the record store, but typically with more of an eye for the popular dancefloor than other sorts of shows. I enjoy playing all kinds of sets, but in some regards i feel like my unique strengths really are in breakcore, jungle, idm, classic rave and other niche high-energy electronic music. The reality is that I don’t find that many gigs in those styles due to their relative lack of popularity or zeitgeist. # of events by primary genre, per year 2019 (13 shows as of april) dark dance (mixed genre) 4 synthwave 2 bass (mixed genre) 2 breakcore 1 anything goes noisy (mixed genre) 1 anything goes dance (mixed genre) 1 2018 (27 shows) dark dance (mixed genre) 10 uk garage 2 drum and bass 1 electro 1 dancehall / dub 1 bass (mixed genre) 10 footwork 3 ukg 2 idm 2 chiptune 1 anything goes underground (mixed genre) 2 80s 1 witch house 1 indie dance 1 dubstep / deep 3 glitch hop 1 hardcore 1 power noise 1 dark dance 1 hiphop 1 b-more 1 dancehall 1 disco / house 1 anything goes dance (mixed genre) 11 bass 2 experimental / noise 2 dancehall / reggae 1 dark dance music (mixed genre) 1 1999 (6 shows) happy hardcore 1 Telecorps Presents ADULT. “Official” [Dais Records: Detroit] Void Vision [Philadelphia] WISTERIA [Pittsburgh] DJ Cutups live analog video projections by 8cylinder this event is co-presented by Spirit. $12 advance / $15 at the door ADVANCE TICKETS ON SALE NOW! https://www.showclix.com/event/adult-with-void-vision-wisteria-cutups Spirit Hall Over the course of the last two decades, Detroit-based duo ADULT. (Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller) have released six albums and nineteen EPs and singles across some of our favorite labels: Mute, Ghostly International, Thrill Jockey, Clone Records, Third Man Records, and their own label, the revered Ersatz Audio. November 1998 marked their first release: the five-song 12” “Dispassionate Furniture”. This September, twenty years later, Dais Records is proud to announce ADULT.’s seventh full length album: THIS BEHAVIOR. The album began as 23 demos written and recorded in a remote cabin in the woods of Northern Michigan during the dead of winter. In total isolation, and with a reduced amount of gear (a modified version of their live setup) on the cabin’s kitchen table, the duo were completely immersed in an incessant inescapable studio of their own making – looping, repetitive analogue sequences grinding away day and night. At the end of the intense demo session, a handful of peers were enlisted by the band for the difficult task of paring down the demos into the final album. The result is 10 tracks of uncompromising dark electronics, showcasing ADULT.’s return to aggressive and energetic dancefloor mastery. Album opener “This Behavior” alongside the follow-up “Violent Shakes” (which ascends into synths wailing like warning sirens over Kuperus’s commanding vocals) set the stage for an on-edge listen, while the heartbreaking “Silent Exchange” unfolds as a beautiful sad synth dirge. “Perversions of Humankind” breaks the mood – driving the listener into a slow and low groove before the frantic album midpoint of “Irregular Pleasure”. “Does The Body Know?” is the album’s post-punk anthem, with irresistible singalong “we’re out of order – we’re undefined!” The latter half of the album drives forward with “On The Edge (You Put Me…)” and “Lick Out The Content”, refusing rest and demanding movement and response. “Everything & Nothing” emerges slowly from sparkling synth textures, snowballing with nervous energy into an acid techno stomper before the album comes to a close on the icy landscape of “In All The Debris”, a goose-bump inducing slow electronic mantra that closes the curtain on a massive album. Dais Records is proud to present ADULT.’s THIS BEHAVIOR. Available on digital, digipack CD, and vinyl LP in stores 9/7, with exclusive limited vinyl colorways for UK & Europe. Artist statement on the album’s writing process: “It’s confounding how often we negate the importance of disconnecting, getting weird, getting lost. Discomfort and joy intertwined. Day to day, theatrical self-presentation set to rest in our frantic social world. Public becomes private, almost too private. Looking out into frozen woods as you deliver your vocals. For who? For what? Taking walks along icy shorelines as you try to overcome writer’s block, as you try to overcome yourself. Not seeing anyone for days and weeks on end. Overwhelming thoughts and feelings come rushing in; anxiety, fear, purpose, banality, futility of task, power structures, power struggles, pointlessness, collapse. You’re faced to face yourself. Your awareness is heightened. You are neither here nor there. You are in a liminal state. As you work in this isolated cabin your windows become mirrors.” “Are we distortions. Are we distortions, perversions of humankind. Are we distortions. Are we distortions, twisted somewhere in time.” https://www.adultperiod.com https://adultmusic.bandcamp.com Void Vision is a Philadelphia-based electronic project helmed by Shari Vari. It began around 2009 at a time when a wave of synth-revivalists were materializing, but the quality of the songwriting and intense vocals set the band apart from the pack. In a rare instance, Void Vision has managed to combine vintage dance elements with melodic structures, haunting melancholy, and lyrics that have a palpable soul. The songs themselves are dynamic, referencing a cross-section of the last 30 years of electronic music, while simultaneously retaining a uniqueness all their own. https://voidvision.bandcamp.com << 21+ w/ ID // limited capacity, please arrive early >> Live Sets By: Alex Is (La Squadra) – PGH https://soundcloud.com/alexisicon MORGANTICS (La Squadra) – PGH https://soundcloud.com/morgantics DJ Sets by: Cutups (Lazer Crunk, Coven) – PGH https://soundcloud.com/cutups Spednar (Cosmic Sound) – PGH https://soundcloud.com/spednar For the month of February DETOUR presents a selection of local Pittsburgh talent. Featuring live sets from Alex Is and Morgantics and DJ sets from Spednar and Cutups. This party also commemorates Alex Is’ Sub Missions album release. So clear your schedule and make sure you come early and are ready to stay late so you don’t miss a beat	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line51
__label__cc	0.618439	0.381561	Dolly was just about to go to bed when Anna came in to see her, attired for the night. In the course of the day Anna had several times begun to speak of matters near her heart, and every time after a few words she had stopped: `Afterward, by ourselves, we'll talk about everything. I've got so much I want to tell you,' she had said. Now they were by themselves, and Anna did not know what to talk about. She sat in the window looking at Dolly, and going over in her own mind all the stores of intimate talk which had seemed so inexhaustible beforehand, and she found nothing. At that moment it seemed to her that everything had been said already. `Well, what of Kitty?' she said with a heavy sigh, looking penitently at Dolly. `Tell me the truth, Dolly: isn't she angry with me?' `Angry? Oh, no!' said Darya Alexandrovna, smiling. `But she hates me, despises me?' `Oh, no! But you know that sort of thing isn't forgiven.' `Yes, yes,' said Anna, turning away and looking out of the open window. `But I was not to blame. And who is to blame? What's the meaning of being to blame? Could it have been otherwise? What do you think? Could it possibly have happened otherwise than that you should become the wife of Stiva?' `Really, I don't know. But this is what I want you to tell me...' `Yes, yes, but we've not finished about Kitty. Is she happy? He's a very fine man, they say.' `He's much more than very fine. I don't know a better man.' `Ah, how glad I am! I'm so glad! Much more than very fine,' she repeated. Dolly smiled. `But tell me about yourself. We've a great deal to talk about. And I've had a talk with...' Dolly did not know what to call him. She felt it awkward to call him either the Count or Alexei Kirillovich. `With Alexei,' said Anna, `I know what you talked about. But I wanted to ask you directly what you think of me, of my life?' `How am I to say anything so suddenly? I really don't know.' `No, tell me all the same.... You see my life. But you mustn't forget that you're seeing us in the summer, when you have come to us and we are not alone.... But we came here early in the spring, lived quite alone, and shall be alone again, and I desire nothing better. But imagine me living alone without him, alone, and that will be... I see by everything that it will often be repeated, that he will be half the time away from home,' she said, getting up and sitting down close by Dolly. `Of course,' she interrupted Dolly, who would have answered, `of course I won't try to keep him by force. I don't keep him indeed. The races are just coming, his horses are running, he will go. I'm very glad. But think of me, fancy my position.... But what's the use of talking about it!' She smiled. `Well, what did he talk about with you?' `He spoke of what I want to speak about myself, and it's easy for me to be his advocate; of whether there is not a possibility... whether you could not...' (Darya Alexandrovna hesitated) `correct, or improve your position.... You know how I look at it... But all the same, if possible, you should get married....' `Divorce, you mean?' said Anna. `Do you know, the only woman who came to see me in Peterburg was Betsy Tverskaia? You know her, of course? Au fond, c'est la femme la plus dépravee qui existe. She had an intrigue with Tushkevich, deceiving her husband in the basest way. And she told me that she did not care to know me so long as my position was irregular. Don't imagine I would compare... I know you, darling. But I could not help remembering... Well, so what did he say to you?' she repeated. `He said that he was unhappy on your account and his own. Perhaps you will say that it's egoism, but what a legitimate and noble egoism. He wants first of all to legitimize his daughter, and to be your husband, to have a legal right to you.' `What wife, what slave can be so utterly a slave as I, in my position?' she put in gloomily. `The chief thing he desires... he desires that you should not suffer.' `That's impossible. Well?' `Well, and the most legitimate desire - he wishes that your children should have a name.' `What children?' Anna said, not looking at Dolly, and half closing her eyes. `Annie and those to come...' `He need not trouble on that score; I shall have no more children.' `How can you tell that you won't?' `I shall not, because I don't wish it.' And, in spite of all her emotion, Anna smiled, as she caught the na?ve expression of curiosity, wonder, and horror on Dolly's face. `The doctor told me after my illness...' `Impossible!' said Dolly, opening her eyes wide. For here this was one of those discoveries the consequences and deductions from which are so immense that all that one feels for the first instant is that it is impossible to take it all in, and that one will have to reflect a great, great deal upon it. This discovery, suddenly throwing light on all those families of one or two children, which had hitherto been so incomprehensible to her, aroused so many ideas, reflections, and contradictory emotions, that she had nothing to say, and simply gazed with wide-open eyes of wonder at Anna. This was the very thing she had been dreaming of, but now learning that it was possible, she was horrified. She felt that it was too simple a solution of too complicated a problem. `N'est-ce pas immoral?' was all she said, after a brief pause. `Why so? Think - I have a choice between two alternatives: either to be with child, that is an invalid, or to be the friend and companion of my husband - practically my husband,' Anna said in a tone intentionally superficial and frivolous. `Yes, yes,' said Darya Alexandrovna, hearing the very arguments she had used to herself, and not finding the same force in them as before. `For you, for other people,' said Anna, as though divining her thoughts, `there may be reason to hesitate; but for me... You must consider - I am not his wife; he loves me as long as he loves me. And how am I to keep his love? Not like this!' She moved her white hands in a curve before her waist. With extraordinary rapidity, as happens during moments of excitement, ideas and memories rushed into Darya Alexandrovna's head. `I,' she thought, `did not keep my attraction for Stiva; he left me for others, and the first woman for whom he betrayed me did not keep him by being always pretty and lively. He deserted her and took another. And can Anna attract and keep Count Vronsky in that way? If that is what he looks for, he will find dresses and manners still more attractive and charming. And, however white and beautiful her bare arms are, however beautiful her full figure and her eager face under her black curls, he will find something better still, just as my disgusting, pitiful, and charming husband does.' Dolly made no answer, she merely sighed. Anna noticed this sigh, indicating dissent, and she went on. In her armory she had other arguments so strong that no answer could be made to them. `Do you say that it's not right? But you must consider,' she went on; `you forget my position. How can I desire children? I'm not speaking of the suffering - I'm not afraid of that. Think, only - what are my children to be? Ill-fated children, who will have to bear a stranger's name. For the very fact of their birth they will be forced to be ashamed of their mother, their father, their birth.' `But that is just why a divorce is necessary.' But Anna did not hear her. She longed to give utterance to all the arguments with which she had so many times convinced herself. `What is reason given me for, if I am not to use it to avoid bringing unhappy beings into the world!' She looked at Dolly, but without waiting for a reply she went on: `I should always feel I had wronged these unhappy children,' she said. `If there are none, at any rate they are not unhappy; while if they are unhappy, I alone should be to blame for it.' These were the very arguments Darya Alexandrovna had used in her own reflections; but she heard them now without understanding them. `How can one wrong creatures that don't exist?' she thought. And all at once the idea struck her. Could it possibly, under any circumstances, have been better for her favorite Grisha if he had never existed? And this seemed to her so wild, so strange, that she shook her head to drive away this tangle of whirling, mad ideas. `No, I don't know; it's not right,' was all she said, with an expression of disgust on her face. `Yes, but you mustn't forget what you are and what I am.... And besides that,' added Anna, in spite of the wealth of her arguments and the poverty of Dolly's objections, seeming still to admit that it was not right, `don't forget the chief point, that I am not now in the same position as you. For you the question is: Do you desire not to have any more children? While for me it is: Do I desire to have them? And that's a great difference. You must see that I can't desire them in my position.' Darya Alexandrovna made no reply. She suddenly felt that she had got away from Anna so far, that there lay between them a barrier of questions on which they could never agree, and about which it was better not to speak.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line69
__label__wiki	0.605948	0.605948	Roster Recap: Tommy Layne a LOOGY Comebacker by Ryan P. Morrison November 9, 2015 Welcome to BP Boston’s new Roster Recap series! Over the next four months, we’ll be breaking down every player on Boston’s 40-man roster and many of their top prospects in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the Red Sox roster’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as what we can expect moving forward. There’s no better time than the offseason to review the best (there was some best!) and worst (there was a lot of worst!) of the past year in red and navy. You can see previous editions of Roster Recap here. The Red Sox entered last season with three lefties in line for the major league bullpen, and PECOTA was not very impressed with any of them. Robbie Ross was pegged for a 0.2 WARP season and Craig Breslow was projected to contribute at a replacement level 0.0 WARP. Tommy Layne, with a recent if small history of success, seemed dragged down by iffy peripherals, and was given a -0.2 WARP projection. As I wrote in April, Layne had been dominant against lefties in particular, making him a promising part of the bullpen as a lefty matchups man. As I found out the afternoon that piece was posted, that didn’t mean Layne was a lock to actually stay in the majors all season. Layne made his way back to the major league roster by the end of that month, excelling in May (1.64 ERA in 11 innings) and sticking with the club for the rest of the year. Used as a true matchups man, he found success in that role; to the extent that a late-blooming journeyman LOOGY can be a bright spot of the bullpen moving forward, that’s what he appears to be. What Went Right Layne’s success starts and ends with the 102 plate appearances he tallied against left-handed hitters. The .248 OBP they managed against him was more “very good” than “outstanding,” but while pitching around the zone meant a predictably high walk rate (more on that later), that approach also had the desired effect: lefties slugged just .170 against Layne, and none of those 102 batters managed to hit a long ball. Against lefties, Layne fared exactly as well as Dallas Keuchel and Wade Davis. We’ll take that. Last year, a low slugging mark helped keep Layne’s TAv down to just .136 against lefty hitters; of sixty-three lefty relievers who pitched in at least 30 games in 2014, only Sean Doolittle had a better mark (.097 TAv against lefties). Even in his most wintry of Winter Soldier relief seasons, Zach Britton (.139 TAv) didn’t do better than Layne. Aroldis Chapman (.151 TAv) didn’t do better than Layne. Still, Layne’s brief but dominant 2014 LOOGY experience seemed to offer little beyond confirmation that Layne threw with his left arm and could have success in that role — not that he would. If the Doolittle-Britton-Chapman company was the kind that Layne needed to keep in order to call his 2015 season a success, the odds seemed heavily stacked against him. And yet… Layne ended the 2015 season with a .172 TAv against lefties, behind only a who’s who of baseball’s top pitchers who faced lefties for at least 50 PA. He ranked behind only Javier Lopez, Britton, Mark Melancon, Carter Capps, Brandon Maurer and Dellin Betances among relief pitchers. Against lefties, Layne fared exactly as well as Dallas Keuchel and Wade Davis. We’ll take that, even if it’s hard to explain how he did it. When the pressure was on, Layne was only counted on when he was in a position to succeed; according to Baseball Reference, Layne held batters to a .436 OPS in High Leverage situations. What Went Wrong No baseball player gets the platoon advantage 100% of the time, and in Layne’s case, he still ended up facing more RHH (105) than LHH (102). Even though his splits were so extreme that on paper, he looks like he was out there for RHH (21 innings) quite a bit less than LHH (26.2 innings). Just as Layne tended to pitch in high leverage situations when he’d be able to face a lefty, he sputtered when used less strategically: a .713 OPS for batters in Medium Leverage situations, and a bloated .795 OPS in Low Leverage. Layne was no Keuchel against righties, who managed a .310 TAv against him. If you’re going to hack it as a matchups reliever, it makes sense to judge you based on how well you perform in the intended matchups. Still, it’s not like the other innings don’t count. Layne yielded a 26.5% LD% against righties, a not-insignificant sign that they had a pretty easy time squaring him up. A .517 slugging percentage allowed against them tells the same story. Between Layne’s poor results against RHH on batted balls and very good results against LHH, you can’t really blame him for closing his eyes and wishing as hard as he could that he could just kind of skip RHH. Since he had a little more control over those situations than wishes, the fact that he did skip more than a few RHH is probably not a question of command. Layne’s 6.86 BB/9 against RHH is understandable, but no less horrendous than it sounds. That walk rate is tantamount to an admission that Layne has little business pitching to major league RHH. Layne’s performance against RHH in 21 innings was enough to raise the entire team’s ERA from 4.30 to 4.34. To the extent Layne finds success, it’s probably always going to feel fluky; that’s the nature of cutting up a reliever’s small sample of innings into even smaller pieces. But there is hope. In the calculation of WARP that depends on FAIR_RA, Layne was barely helpful in 2015: a 0.2 WARP. In the newer calculation of WARP that depends on DRA and more variables we’ve come to trust, Layne’s WARP skyrockets to 0.7, a strong figure for a pitcher with an innings total under 50. Not all walks are made equal; if you’re walking the right batters on purpose, maybe it’s not luck when you then seem to get more than your fair share of ERA credit. Despite its overall lack of success, the Red Sox rotation did surprisingly well in 2015 in terms of pitching deep in games, ranking 11th in baseball with an average of 5.85 innings per start. If the Red Sox can maintain or even improve that figure, they won’t be tempted to lean on Layne for several batters at a time the way they did last April. And the more Layne pitches to his strength, the better off he’ll be. Photo by Dan Hamilton/USA Today Sports Images Tags: Tommy Layne \| Ryan P. Morrison Follow @@ryanpmorrison Ryan P. Morrison is a co-author of Inside the 'Zona, and may have been the first person to suggest moving Hanley Ramirez to first base. You can thank him later. read more from Ryan P. Morrison Dave Dombrowski and the Dangers of Free Agency Roster Recap: Eduardo Rodriguez’s Excellent Debut	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line70
__label__wiki	0.678837	0.678837	The original story can be found at http://bpnews.net/52829/sex-abuse-to-be-erlcs-national-conference-focus Sex abuse to be ERLC's national conference focus by Tom Strode, posted Tuesday, April 30, 2019 (2 months ago) Tags: sexual abuseERLC Russell Moore addresses the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission’s 2018 national conference on the family. BP file photo. NASHVILLE (BP) -- The crisis of sexual abuse in churches has convinced the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission to change the topic of its 2019 national conference. The ERLC announced Tuesday (April 30) the theme of this fall's event will be "Caring Well: Equipping the Church to Confront the Abuse Crisis." The conference -- offered in partnership with the SBC Sexual Abuse Presidential Advisory Study Oct. 3-5 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas -- will focus on preventing sexual abuse in churches and ministering to survivors of such abuse. The ERLC had previously announced this year's conference would be on "Gospel Courage: Truth and Justice in a Divided World." News reports and developments within the convention in recent months regarding sex abuse persuaded the entity to alter the theme. The ERLC "came to a realization" as it planned a conference on Gospel courage, the entity's president, Russell Moore, said. "That is, the scourge of sexual abuse in churches is the very embodiment of the need for Gospel courage," Moore said in an April 30 news release. "Combating abuse takes clear eyes, resolute focus and a willingness to engage in painful, complicated questions. This is a critical season for churches seeking to address this crisis. "As we thought about this, we realized if we want to talk about courage, then we owed it to our churches and the world around us to talk about courage in light of this area of great need," he said. "So that's what we're going to do. I look forward to this event with the hope that it will be one more step toward combating the satanic evil of sexual abuse." Speakers at the sixth annual conference will include Moore and: -- Rachael Denhollander, attorney, advocate and abuse survivor who was the first gymnast to go public with charges against USA Gymnastics team doctor and serial abuser Larry Nassar, who is serving life in prison. -- J.D. Greear, SBC president and pastor of The Summit Church in the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area, who initiated the SBC Sexual Abuse Presidential Advisory Study. -- Beth Moore, popular Bible teacher with Living Proof Ministries and survivor of childhood sexual abuse. -- Gary Haugen, founder and chief executive officer of International Justice Mission, the world's largest anti-slavery organization. -- Diane Langberg, psychologist and speaker who is widely recognized for her 45 years of work with trauma and abuse victims. -- Jackie Hill Perry, poet, speaker and artist with Humble Beast Records. -- Jennifer Michelle Greenberg, writer, music artist and abuse survivor. Other speakers will include experts on sexual abuse, survivors of abuse, advocates for victims and pastors, according to the ERLC. Among the topics addressed by speakers, panels and breakout sessions will be sexual abuse and the SBC; listening to survivors; lamenting abuse; caring well for victims as a church; partnering with law enforcement and social services; church practices; response protocols; and theological and church polity issues. Sexual abuse already was a significant issue in the SBC, but a February investigative series by the Houston Chronicle, joined by the San Antonio Express-News, revealed some of the extent of the problem in the convention. The investigation found 220 pastors and other leaders in Southern Baptist churches who had been convicted of or taken plea deals in sex crimes involving more than 700 victims. About a month after his 2018 election as SBC president, Greear announced in July the formation of the sexual abuse study to address the problem. He is collaborating with the ERLC in the work of the advisory study, which is receiving input from abuse survivors and their advocates, lawyers, pastors, law enforcement officials, counselors and denominational leaders -- a majority who are women. At the SBC Executive Committee meeting in February, Greear presented 10 calls to action based on initial recommendations from the advisory study. A new curriculum -- "Becoming a Church That Cares Well for the Abused" -- will be unveiled at the SBC annual meeting June 11-12 in Birmingham, Ala., as a result of the partnership between the ERLC and the advisory study. The material is designed to prepare pastors and other leaders to respond properly to initial abuse reports. The ERLC and the advisory study will co-host June 10 in Birmingham a panel discussion on sex abuse in the SBC. The panel will feature Greear, Denhollander, Russell Moore and Beth Moore. Information on and registration for the ERLC national conference are available at https://erlc.com/upcoming-events/2019-erlc-national-conference. Tom Strode is the Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. SIGNED UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER? Get Baptist Press in your email by subscribing to our daily newsletter at bpnews.net/SubscribeBP. BP reports on missions, ministry and witness advanced through the Cooperative Program and on news related to Southern Baptists' concerns nationally and globally. N.C. pastor charged with child sex crimes SWBTS responds to sexual abuse lawsuit Pastor arrested for rape, molestation SBCAL approves plan to fight sexual abuse Bold talk not enough to stop sex abuse, Greear says Southern Baptists affirm stances on sex abuse, racism	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line71
__label__cc	0.718831	0.281169	How To Find Rate Of Reaction From Exponential Graph Chemistry Chapter 18 Concentration-time graphs The rates in the compound-interest formula for money are always annual rates, which is why t was always in years in that context. But this is not the case for the general continual-growth/decay formula; the growth/decay rates in other, non-monetary, contexts might …... Almost all reaction rates increase by a factor of 1.5 to 4.5 on doubling the temperature, but it does depend on the actual activation energy, so the "10 o temperature rise effect" is a very rough rule of thumb when we say it "doubles the rate"! Rate of a Chemical Reaction Effect of Temperature Video If a reaction produces a gas such as oxygen or carbon dioxide, there are two ways to measure the reaction rate: using a gas syringe to measure the gas produced, or calculating the reduction in the mass of the reaction solution.... We can show the changing rate of a reaction by plotting a graph of amount of reactant remaining or amount of product formed against time.. At any moment during the reaction: the steeper the slope of the graph, the faster the reaction at that point. The rates in the compound-interest formula for money are always annual rates, which is why t was always in years in that context. But this is not the case for the general continual-growth/decay formula; the growth/decay rates in other, non-monetary, contexts might … how to get rid of yellow phlegm naturally Are all graphs of molar concentration vs. time, for the reactants, exponential decay functions? (Until equilibrium is reached, if it goes to equilibrium at all.) (Until equilibrium is … MODULE 1 Nuclear Energy Exponential Growth and Decay Now that we know E a, the pre-exponential factor, A, (which is the largest rate constant that the reaction can possibly have) can be evaluated from any measure of the absolute rate constant of the reaction. how to find out if your going insane Almost all reaction rates increase by a factor of 1.5 to 4.5 on doubling the temperature, but it does depend on the actual activation energy, so the "10 o temperature rise effect" is a very rough rule of thumb when we say it "doubles the rate"! MATH 130 PROBLEMS Linear Quadratic and Exponential functions Arrhenius Equation Which Graph is Right? – The Math Doctors Hyperbolic and exponential discounting intmath.com kinetics ? advanced A level GCE revision notes Doc Brown A special application of exponential growth is "compounded Interest". Interest is often compounded (or calculated) more than once a year so the above equation needs to be modified once again. We need to divide the rate, "r" by the number of times we compound in a … In a first order reaction only one concentration matters. The equation is rate=k[A]^m A being the concentration. m is the coefficient in the balanced equation k is the rate constant To find the rate constant from a graph of rate vs concen... The graph of the exponential equation, on the other hand, is not a straight line, and increases at an increasing rate, forming a curve. Since the powers in an exponential expression indicate the number of times the base number is to multiply itself, such as 2 3 = 2 * 2 * 2, then as the powers increase, we are multiplying by the same value more and more times. graph, described in simple terms, appears to be a slow starter and then a rapid climber. The shape of the graph is typical of exponential growth. Calculate 1/reaction time for each trial. Plot concentration vs. time and concentration vs. 1/time on separate graphs. Disposal Rate of Reaction of Sodium Thiosulfate and Hydrochloric Acid continued 4 21 linn Scientific nc All Rights Resered Connecting to the National Standards This laboratory activity relates to the following National Science Education Standards (1996): Unifying Concepts How To Know My Mobile No How To Get Fancy Mobile Number In Vodafone How To Lose Weight Fast Without Bulking Up How To Get A Poop Out Quick How To Get Rid Of A Cold In 5 Minutes Hungry Shark Evolution How To Get Coins And Gems Fast How To Get To Halong Bay From Ho Chi Minh How To Train Voice To Hit Higher Notes How To Get To Route 5 In Pokemon Blue How To Find Out My Router Ip How To Keep Android Phone Running Fast How To Get Over A Phobia Of Bugs How To Help Croup At Night How To Get Signed With Img Models How To Keep Apples From Turning Brown After Cutting John on How To Get To Cooperstown Ny Pablo on How To Get Rich Early Bruce G. Li on How To Get Massive Deltoids Marlin on How To Get Stronger For Wrestling Samanta Cruze on How To Find A Good Deer Hunting Spot	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line83
__label__cc	0.681356	0.318644	CELEBS CENTRAL Mariah Carey Begging Britney Spears To Be Personal Trainer? Rihanna Pregnancy News: ‘Work’ Hitmaker Wants A Baby With Billionaire Boyfriend Dec 92019 Madonna new album: Singer CONFIRMS new music plans for 2018? Jan 22019 Inside Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux’s Cabo New Year’s – and Why Their Marriage Is ‘Great’ Despite the Rumors Britney Spears’ Rumored New Las Vegas Residency Deal Is A ’90s Kid Dream Come True Ryan Reynolds Officially Wins Valentine’s Day Thanks to His Gift for Blake Lively Khloé Posts Cryptic Instagram About Living “Hell” One Year After Tristan Cheated With Two Women It’s been a year since Tristan Thompson’s October 7, 2017 visit to a Washington D.C. hookah lounge, where he cheated on a three-months-pregnant Khloé Kardashian with two female companions. Now, the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star is posting quotes that might be alluding to her boyfriend’s infidelity. Six months later, (this past in April), TMZ posted incriminating footage (caught on […] Kim Kardashian Busts Out Of Her Dress As She Flaunts Her Famous Curves During NYC Party Kim Kardashian turned heads in New York City on Tuesday night. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star stepped out in a revealing white dress, and commanded attention as photographers snapped pictures of her. According to an October 9 report by the Daily Mail, Kim Kardashian attended the Tiffany Blue Book Collection launch in New York on Tuesday, […] Taylor Swift Makes History at 2018 American Music Awards After Teasing the “Next Chapter” And just like that, Taylor Swift has reached another career milestone. During Tuesday night’s 2018 American Music Awards, all eyes were on the “I Did Something Bad” singer from the moment she arrived on the red carpet. Yes, we loved her Balmain dress and boots. And her snake-filled performance was a sweet way to start off the three-hour telecast. But […] Colin Jost Proposed To Scarlett Johansson? Colin Jost did not propose to Scarlett Johansson, despite a report from exactly one year ago today that asserted he was on the verge of asking her to marry him. At the time, Gossip Cop said the tabloid’s claim was false, and now 12 months later it remains untrue. While the couple is still together, they are not engaged. […] Drake Seemingly Addresses The Rumors That He Slept With Kim Kardashian In The Sneakiest Way Ever OK, we’re definitely in our feelings right now! For those of you who live under a rock, a very-detailed Twitter thread surfaced on Aug. 31 that convinced the entire Internet that Kim Kardashian and Drake had an affair. We won’t bore you with the nitty-gritty details, but basically, the user speculated that Kim — who sometimes goes by the nickname “Kiki” […] Kourtney Kardashian Pregnant With Younes Bendjima’s Baby Amid Instagram Drama? Is Kourtney Kardashian pregnant with Younes Bendjima’s baby? A new report claims she’s expecting her fourth child just days after the couple had drama on Instagram. Gossip Cop looked into the claims, and now we can reveal what we know. According to the Australian edition of OK!, Kardashian is the latest in her family to be “put on bump watch.” The […] Eminem Is Down To Date Nicki Minaj. She’s Down For Him To Jump On A Track. It’s never a good sign when you publicly profess your interest in dating someone and they shut you down with a tweet that starts with “LMFAO.” Just ask Eminem. Over the last few days rumors have been swirling that Eminem and Nicki Minaj are an item. And the former’s latest antics didn’t do anything but fuel […] Rihanna allegedly broke up with Saudi BF because she ‘gets tired of men’ Rumor has it that Rihanna has broken up with Hassan Jameel, her billionaire Saudi boyfriend. According to the latest report on the couple’s relationship, which was published by Media TakeOut News, the Barbadian superstar allegedly called off the relationship because she “gets tired of men.” Speaking to MTO news, a source close to the star shared […] Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom ‘Dating But Not Putting a Label on It’ as They Reunite in Prague: Source Two months after Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom fueled reconciliation rumors by vacationing together in the Maldives, the exes got tongues wagging again this week by reuniting in Europe. On Wednesday, Perry, 33, and Bloom, 41 — who split last March after a year together — were spotted taking in the sights around Prague. “After Orlando and Katy split, they stayed in touch. […] Valentine’s Day (otherwise known as that random day in February where you eat too much candy and bitterly scroll through Instagram) has come and gone—and celebrity couples delivered when it came to extremely cute displays of love. But none more so than Ryan Reynolds, who showed the world how much he adores Blake Lively by […]	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line84
__label__wiki	0.565558	0.565558	Jun 13 Mark Hamill Gracefully Takes Back Statement About Not Being Happy With Lukes Role In The Last Jedi. Casually Implies Luke May Go To The Dark Side. Chris Gannon Last week Star Wars fans were a little freaked out by one of Mark Hamill's Comments regarding Luke's storyline in The Last Jedi. Here was his quote: "When I read 8, I told Rian, 'I fundamentally disagree with virtually everything you've decided about my character'," Hamill said. "But it might be a good sign! I was really wrong about [The Force Awakens]. Flash forward a week later, obviously Mark was given a smack on the wrist because he has followed up on last weeks quote in what seems like a forced take back. (See what we did there, forced take back) “I got into trouble because… I was quoted as saying to Rian that I fundamentally disagree with everything you decided about Luke, and it was inartfully [sic] phrased,” Hamill said. “What I was, was surprised at how he saw Luke. And it took me a while to get around to his way of thinking, but once I was there it was a thrilling experience. I hope it will be for the audience too.” As mentioned prior, this is not the first time Mark has stated he was not happy with decisions being made in a Star Wars movie. Here was his previous statement regarding how The Force Awakens ended. "I thought, Carrie will sense that Han is in danger and try to contact me. And she won’t succeed, and, in frustration, she’ll go herself. Then we’re in the situation where all three of us are together, which is one of my favorite things in the original film, when we were on the Death Star. It’s just got a fun dynamic to it. So I thought it would have been more effective, and I still feel this way, though it’s just my opinion, that Leia would make it as far as she can, and, right when she is apprehended, maybe even facing death—Ba-boom! I come in and blow the guy away and the two of us go to where Han is facing off with his son, but we’re too late. The reason that’s important is that we witness his death, which carries enormous personal resonance into the next picture. As it is, Chewie’s there, and how much can you get out of [passable Chewbacca wail] ‘Nyaaarghhh!’ and two people who have known Han for, what, 20 minutes?" While Mark has done a little back petaling, it is hard to tell if Mark is doing so because he genuinely misspoke or if he is doing so because Disney has reprimanded him for his comments. While I would like to believe Mark is fully behind Lukes role in The Last Jedi, it is more likely Mark is frustrated and shared his honest opinions in the first quote. In attempts to distract and move on from Mark's obvious frustration with Luke's character development when asked if Luke will go to the dark side, Mark responded with "It was as shocking for me to read what Rian had written as I'm sure it will be for the audience," Hamill acknowledges. While he stopped short of giving spoilers, Hamill did tease that it's "possible" that we'll actually see Luke embrace the dark side just as his nephew Kylo Ren did. Jun 13 Bored Waiting For Spiderman Homecoming?! Download The App! Jun 13 Leak: New Sports Drink Ad Leaks Possible New Last Jedi Characters	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line86
__label__cc	0.568121	0.431879	Pretty-Hot.com last updated yesterday According to the data and stats that were collected, 'Pretty-Hot.com' channel has an outstanding rank. In addition 'Pretty-Hot.com' includes a significant share of images in comparison to the text content. The channel mostly uses long articles along with sentence constructions of the basic readability level, which is a result indicating a well-balanced textual content on the channel. About 'Pretty-Hot.com' Channel Your Home For The Hottest Ebooks on the Planet Long articles are widely used on 'Pretty-Hot.com' as elaborated and interesting content can help the channel to reach a high number of subscribers. In addition there are a few medium length articles. Intermediate readability level is common for 'Pretty-Hot.com' articles as it addresses the matters that demand certain level of education to be understood. Sometimes the channel gets even more difficult by issuing pieces of advanced readability level (there are just a few of them). In addition the channel contains materials of a basic readability level, making up more than one third of its content. Positive emotional expressions prevail throughout the texts: they may include favorable reviews, appreciation or praise in regard to the subjects addressed on the channel. However, the channel also contains some rather negative or critical records that make up just a small amount of all its content. Unfortunately Pretty-Hot.com has no news yet. Beautiful Girls \| Female Pictures \| Beautiful Women \| Pretty Girls Asia sexy girl and hot star picture, Asia Sexy Girls, Beautiful girls and ladies in Asia, asbestosis mesothelioma, Thai ... CookEatShare - New Recipes James Bradford Pate's comments on religion, politics, entertainment, books, and life Hot Stewardess Pretty stewardesses: pics and video Boise News Now	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line87
__label__cc	0.700847	0.299153	BizTalk Server 2004 and SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services Posted by jefflynch on October 26, 2004 If you’re currently using BizTalk Server 2004 Standard or Enterprise Edition with SQL Server 2000, then you can use SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services at no additional cost. For those of you who haven’t yet played with it, SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services is a server-based reporting solution that enables the creation, management, and delivery of business-intelligence reports and is, quite possibly, the best overall add-on to EAI I’ve ever seen! Using BizTalk Server 2004 and SQL Server 2000 Reporting Service together is extremely simple and extremely powerful as shown in Figure 1 below. Figure 1: Integration with SQL Reporting Services In this scenario, I am using the BizTalk Server 2004 SQL Adapter to load flat-file data received from a customer into our data warehouse. Next I use the SQL Server 2000 Report Server to generate a report which compares the customer supplied data to data already in our data warehouse. Lastly, the Report Server emails this report to the customer in an Excel workbook format so the customer can make business decisions based upon the report. All of this was done using “out-of-the-box” components, with no custom code required. In fact, the entire integration took only a few days develop, test, debug and deploy using existing hardware and software. That’s what I call great ROI! This assumes you have already purchased your licenses of both BizTalk Server 2004 and SQL Server 2000. Obviously you will need to read and understand the SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services license agreement before proceeding. ← BizTalk Server 2004 – Database Growth BizTalk Server 2004 Unleashed Review → One Response to BizTalk Server 2004 and SQL Server 2000 Reporting Services Is biztalk an ETL tool? Can you do data transformations with it? How does it compare to Cognos Decision STream or Business Objects?	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line95
__label__cc	0.664826	0.335174	Diamond Geezer - the 2003 index A advent crown, adverts, American food, Amsterdam, annular eclipse, Anthroblog, April Fool, art, Audio Bullys B bananas, BBC Three, Becks, bedtime, Big Breakfast, birthday, Bloggies, blogging, blogday, blogs, Boat Race, boredom, Bow Road, Bridget Riley, Brit awards, broadband, broken links, Brookside Big Brother old house, jontical, sewage, Day 1, Day 5, Day 8, Day 12, Day 21, Day 44, Day 51, Day 60, Day 64, the end, C calories, Capital Numbers, cards, census, chess, children's TV, Christmas number 1s, Christmas story, Christmas TV, Chuckie Egg, cigarettes, cinema audiences, Circle Line party, classification, code-breaking, coin-tossing, colds, Comic Relief, comments, Concorde, Congestion Charge, coronation, the Count (continued), Creme Eggs, cricket, Crossrail, Crossroads, cryptography Cube routes introduction, 1, 8, 25, 64, 125, 216, N343 D Delia, derailed, diamond links, Dice Man, digital radio, digital watches, Disco 3, distance, Dizzee Rascal, Doctor Who, driving tests, drought, Dynasty E East End, Easter, East London line, Eastside, Ego War, elements, elgooG, the End, enneagrams, equinox, Eurovision, Everest E3 Abbey Mills, Big Breakfast, Big Brother, Block, Bow, Bow Bells, Bow Church, Bow flyover, Bow Street, Bryant & May, canals, Crossrail, Gandhi, Gladstone, Greenwich meridian, Krays, Mile End Park, River Lea, Roman Road, Stratford, Sylvia Pankhurst, Three Mills, Victoria Park, Walford East F FA Cup, family planning, famous people, fashion, fat, favicon, Fenchurch Street, Feng Shui, film quiz, films, flash mobs #1 #2 #3 #4, flight, flight time, floods, flying, Friday 13th, friends, frontline G geezers, George Orwell, ghost trains, giraffes, Grange Hill, Great Storm, Greenwich, gridlock, Guinness Book of Records H Hallowe'en, Haloscan, hard drive, Harry Potter, health, Highway Code, homepage, h2g2, Hull I iced tea, ID cards, interview, introverts, iSketch, ITV Digital J jury service, jumping to conclusions L latitude, league tables, leap year, lessons learned,lifts, links, London first, London Underground, London walk, Lotto, lunar eclipse, lunch M mafia, marathon, Mars, Matrix Reloaded, mail, medical conditions, Mercury, metric measures, Michael Jackson, microwave, Molesworth, Mondays, music N names, Nectar, neighbours, New Blogger, newspapers, New Year, New Year's Eve,nightbus, numberplates O Old Buckenham, olympics, Olympic stadium, 118, one year, Open House, Our House, oxymorons P pantomime, parental advisory, pastimes, percent, perfection, phenology, phrases, pleasant, Polyphonic Spree, population, pop quiz, postcodes, pressing buttons, pre-technology, prime numbers, Prince Charles, Prince William, protect and survive, psychopaths Puzzles [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11] Q Queen's day Quizzes [Africa, books, broccoli, carols, Central line, counties, Mondays, musical numbers, Northern line, rivers, trees, USA, weather, words, Yorkshire] R Radio 1, rail travel, rain, remembrance, resolutions, restaurants, retirement, ribbons, Richard Herring, ringtones, Robbie Williams, Rockall, royal family tree, Rugby World Cup Retail therapy introduction, phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, result, commentary, conclusion S St George, Salford Quays, San Francisco, Saturdays, Saturn, school holidays, search engines, single life, situation vacant, six degrees of separation, skyscrapers, Smash Hits, Smoke, smilies, snow, space shuttle, spam, Spiritualized, sprouts, Star Trek, Star Wars, Statement of whereabouts, Stop the war, the Streets, Summer sport, Summer time, sun, Sunday papers T Tate, television, temperature, textmap, Thorpe End, three, Thunderbirds, Top 40 show, Top of the Pops top ten, tourists, toys, trackback, train carriages, Trumpton, tube maps, tube records, TV hosts, TV nostalgia, twenty questions, twenty million seconds, typography U umbrellas, Underground, university, unpleasant V Valentine's day, Vision On, visitors W Watford, Wanted, Wayne Rooney, weather, weddings, what happened next, what the papers say, wheelie suitcases, White Christmas, woolly hats, Word magazine, World War 1 X X-men the best of January, February, March, Jan-June, July, August, September, November, 2003 10 ways to see out New Year's Eve 1) Stand in Trafalgar Square Every year tens of thousands of New Year revellers are drawn mysteriously to Trafalgar Square as midnight approaches. They stand around beside the boarded-up fountains, just out of earshot of Big Ben, and nothing happens. Even in 2003, with the area rejuvenated as a semi-pedestrianised 'World Square', nothing will happen. The Mayor may have staged all sorts of diverse events here during the rest of the year but tonight he admits "The only thing to do in Trafalgar Square will be to get cold and wet". Cheers Ken. 2) Stand by the River Thames (dg's choice 1999/2000) Westminster Bridge, that's the place to be. Right beneath Big Ben chiming twelve, and a grandstand view of Mayor Ken's real Hogmanay treat - a riverside firework display. Except that he'd rather you weren't here either. This brief display beside the London Eye is meant for global viewing, not for real Londoners standing out in the cold, so the police would much prefer you to stay home and watch your council tax going up in smoke on the telly instead. Cheers Ken. Let's hope it's more impressive than the 'River of Fire' four years ago. 3) Stand in a Circle Line train Ken's got one thing right this New Year - the tube will be running all through the night. This means you can attend any of the non-events in Central London and still get home without having to cram into a drunken nightbus. Instead you can allow the police to shoehorn you slowly onto an overcrowded platform waiting for a train that may not arrive until next year. Just make sure you're not under the Embankment at midnight rather than on it. 4) Stand inside the Dome Is it really a century since the eyes of the world nation taxpayer were trained upon this upturned bowl by the Thames? Yes it is. Who could forget all those unfortunate celebrities stuck queueing at Stratford station, or the Queen trying to look excited as she shook hands with Tony Blair's vanishing credibility? I must admit I still rather like the Dome, sitting there spikes-to-the-sky at the tip of a desolate peninsula, doomed to an afterlife as the world's only billion pound bus station. But I have no plans to be there tonight for the last gasp of Winter Wonderland - an underpatronised overpriced fairground. No change there then. 5) Stand in a pub Any other night of the year you can stand in a pub for free. On New Year's Eve you have to pay £10 for the privilege, surrounded by a bunch of losers from your local neighbourhood eating mini sausage rolls from a luke-warm buffet. At midnight some greasy no-hoper will take advantage of the national thirty-second groping amnesty and plant a wet kiss on your unwelcoming cheek. The pub should be paying you. 6) Stand in a club (dg's choice 2001/02) If you thought the pub was expensive, wait until you see what your favourite club is charging. All that ready cash is presumably essential to pay for DJ overtime and the twelve o'clock balloon drop. Try to spot the clubbers who've perfectly timed their pill-popping for a midnight high, and don't forget to feel sorry for the crowds still patiently queueing outside as the techno version of Auld Lang Syne bleeps out onto the pavement. 7) Stand around at a mate's party Accepting an invite to a New Year party always sounds like a good idea, particularly if you're getting desperate for at least some social contact this evening. Unfortunately the party will be attended by people you don't know who've only brought cheap booze and then insist on playing the naff compilation CD they've brought with them so that the TV's off when midnight comes round and you miss the chimes of Big Ben altogether, forcing everyone to raise an anti-climactic glass of sparkling wine five minutes late. Cheers. 8) Get out of London altogether (dg's choice 1998/99) Hide away in a country cottage on a New Year break and you can miss all that unnecessary hubbub in the capital. There again, you do have to sleep under floral duvets, shiver with coin-in-the-slot Economy 7 heating and discover that all the tourist attractions in the neighbourhood have shut down until Easter. 9) Get out of the country altogether (dg's choice 2002/03) Fly away, say, 6000 miles to the west and you'll find yourself in a totally different time zone. This means that midnight GMT will pass unnoticed by the locals somewhere mid-afternoon, and then you'll end up celebrating New Year somewhere around what's really breakfast time. It may be unnatural, but the firework display will be considerably better. 10) Sit at home on your sofa (dg's choice 2000/01) So, looks like it's just a can of lager and that dire Scottish Hogmanay TV special for company. Try to spot which of the featured celebrities has died or been involved in a terrible accident since the show was recorded back in November. Then text all your friends pretending to be somewhere else rather more glamorous, whilst bemoaning the fact that nobody appears to have sent you any messages in return. But, smile, because you're not cold, you're not wet, you're not on a train, you're not surrounded by drunkards and you're not fifty pounds poorer. Happy New Year! Lessons Learned Report 2003 Lesson 1) Health: Make the most of what you have - it may not last. Thursday July 3: "I've recently had cause to reflect on my good health, fingers crossed. Over the last two weeks a disturbingly high number of work colleagues and members of my family have ended up in medical establishments being told things they really didn't want to hear. Good health is something the fortunate amongst us too often take for granted." Lesson 2) Friends: Make the most of what you have - it may not last. Tuesday March 4: "Situation vacant: Best mate (London/UK/Europe) Reason for vacancy: Previous post-holder emigrated to America today, to take up leading role with partner in expanding small business." Lesson 3) Work: Make the most of what you have - it may not last. Friday March 21: "When the next spring equinox comes round I expect I'll have been moved to a different office, in a different building, on a different floor, with a different view of London, probably of a brick wall or a basement knowing my luck." Lesson 4) Hardware: Make the most of what you have - it may not last. Thursday November 27: "My computer's hard drive died totally and completely on Sunday night. The good news is that the hardware has now been repaired and is ready to collect. The bad news is that every single byte of data on the hard drive has been completely and irretrievably lost." Lesson 5) Boredom: Make the most of what you have - it may not last. Monday May 12: "Some people can fill their days many times over, never finding enough hours to get everything done. They wake up, the day passes in a blur of hyperactivity, and hey presto it's time to go to bed again. For other people each day is a potential avalanche of boredom. A featureless morning stretches out into an interminable afternoon, leading perhaps to a non-descript evening, this prescription to be repeated daily." The 7am puzzle: What's the longest word chain of numbers you can make? Each number in the chain must start with the last letter of the previous number. For example: TeNinEighThree contains 4 different numbers. Only one-word unhyphenated whole numbers are permitted, and no number may be repeated. In the event of a tie, the greatest number of letters used wins. 1) Audio Bullys - Ego War (reviewed June 4) 2) Buffseeds - The Picture Show (reviewed March 31) 3) Pet Shop Boys - Disco 3 (reviewed Feb 2) 4) Erlend Øye - Unrest (reviewed Feb 28) 5) Dizzee Rascal - Boy In Da Corner (reviewed Aug 31) Top single Mark Owen: Four Minute Warning (reviewed Aug 31) Yes, I know, I'm as surprised as you are, but it is. Killer song, killer hook (killer subject matter). Top 5 gigs (in chronological order) Feb 7: The Streets (Brixton Academy) Mar 6: Buffseeds (Metro Club) July 4: Polyphonic Spree/Mull Historical Society (Brixton Academy) Aug 2: Robbie Williams (Knebworth) Nov 19: Audio Bullys (Astoria) Top 3 books 1) Andy Miller - Tilting At Windmills (reviewed April 6) 2) Jake Arnott - Truecrime (reviewed Aug 31) 3) Artjaz - Urban Survival (reviewed Nov 30) Top magazine: Smoke (reviewed June 14, November 7) Top arty things: Bridget Riley (Sept 22) & the Weather Project (Oct 22) Top West End show: Our House (reviewed Feb 3) Top TV programme: Little Britain (reviewed Feb 9, Sept 30) Top film: this category is discontinued Pantowatch: Aladdin at the Theatre Royal, Norwich Is there anything better you could watch on Boxing Day evening than a pantomime? Oh yes there is. Not to worry, I'd already set the video set to record The Office, so I was off to watch my 7-year-old niece starring in Norfolk's premier festive entertainment instead. Apparently there were some other semi-famous people in the show as well, although I never used to watch Bread so it was hard to be certain. I was duly summoned to the front row of the upper circle to watch my niece take her very first faltering steps towards an Equity card. There she was milling around the streets of old Peking, folding clothes in Widow Twankey's laundry and parading sparkly treasure around the genie's cave. She was dead good, but then as an uncle I have to say that. She's also on first name terms with all the stars and a useful source of backstage gossip (last night Wishee Washee's trousers split on stage, so I hear). Thanks to her I was attending my first panto for almost 30 years. Pantomime is a unique British experience. Nothing else mixes comedy, myth, romance and high camp with quite the same magic. If your career is on the way up, panto is something to fill in that worrying winter gap between Butlins summer seasons. If your career is on the way down, panto is a celebrity safety net, one last greasepaint refuge where you can still revel in audience adulation. Pantomime is also a very provincial artform. Nobody pantos in central London (hell, even Bonnie Langford can't get any closer than Guildford), whereas Norwich packs the audience in for a month. From the poster outside you might have thought that the stars of the show would be the two actors from Bread and Corrie but oh no, the true stars of any panto are the dame and principal boy. Richard Gauntlett (Cannon And Ball, Time And The Rani, Beauty And The Beast) played Widow Twankey with camp aplomb, parading a series of outrageous dresses and winning over the crowd. Rikki Jay (Talking Telephone Numbers, Hamford County Primary School Nativity Play) as Wishee Washee combined an infectious cheeky grin with total audience rapport. The two of them wrote the show from scratch, ensured they got all the best lines and threw in deft ad-libs as required. Aladdin and his princess were merely sidelined romantic decoration. Perfect. Highlights of the show included an acrobatic tumbling display, the lucky programme raffle and the finest Red Arrows formation display you'll ever see below 100ft. What's more there was actually a plot, never too far below the inventive silliness. Panto may not be high culture, but its enduring seasonal success provides provincial theatre with the essential financial lifeblood to survive. Long may it last. Me, I might even be tempted back next year, even if I don't get to hang around inside the stage door afterwards and accompany the star home. The Daze after Christmas 12 unwanted presents 11 binbags of wrapping paper 10 toys without batteries 9 rainclouds drizzling 8 adverts for aspirin 7 furniture store sales 6 unopened boxes of chocolates 5 cold turkey dinners 4 extra inches on your waist 3 children playing 2 grandparents sleeping and Aladdin at the Theatre Royal Norwich On the day before Christmas... remember that Christmas is about The family Mary leaned across the breakfast table. "I suppose we're going to have to stay with your family this year." "Sorry," said Joe, "but Caesar Augustus has decreed that all the world should be taxed, so all us Davids are off to Bethlehem for the duration. At least we don't have to stay with your awful sister Elizabeth this year. She's been childless for so long that her so-called miraculous pregnancy is all she ever talks about now. And at her age! It's no wonder her husband's been struck dumb." Mary looked down lovingly at the rounded bump bulging through her blue dress. "Well, this little one was a bit of a surprise too. I don't know quite how He got there, given that we've never, you know. I still reckon it might have been that Gabriel bloke who sneaked into my bedroom nine months ago, he could have spiked my drink or anything. It's conceivable, anyway. I shudder to think what your in-laws are going to think of you shacking up with an unmarried mother. Do we really have to go?" "Afraid so," replied Joe, "there's no escape. It's the law, you know. Everyone must return back to their families this December, no matter how much they might not want to. My dad Jacob will be there, and all the grandchildren, and everyone else he's ever begat. You know you'll love it really, especially the big family meal. I'm looking forward to tucking into some ox and ass, or maybe a nice leg of lamb. Then we'll all sit round in the afternoon and listen to Herod's speech." Mary shuddered. "I've heard terrible things about what Herod does to young children. I shan't be letting him lay a finger on my baby, that's for sure. Assuming He ever gets born, that is. The last thing I should be doing in my condition is heading cross-country on the back of a donkey. Why I ever agreed to marry someone who can't even afford a proper horse is beyond me. And everyone'll be out on the roads, heading back home to see the family, it's a surefire recipe for gridlock. By the way, did you manage to find anywhere for the two of us to stay in Bethlehem?" "No, sorry," said Joe, "the whole town is already jam-packed full. Sounds like a multitude of shepherds have flocked there for some major hillside gathering. I even called round all the inns down the high street, but there was no room. Never mind, I'm sure we'll be able to make some sort of stable living arrangements once we arrive. You'd better pack some nice warm swaddling clothes though, just in case we're caught out. Now, what are we doing about sending presents this year?" "I'm sore afraid," said Mary, "that I missed the last post. Never mind, I've arranged for three couriers to deliver some gifts from the East instead. It's the usual tat, just something shiny and a couple of smellies, but it's the thought that counts. I just hope those men are wise enough to follow the directions I gave them - I only asked for the one-star delivery service." Joe smiled. "I'm sure it'll all work out fine, for the sake of that baby you're carrying. It'll be His first Christmas and we want it to be special. God knows what we'll call the little devil." "Jesus, I don't know," sighed Mary. "Just promise me we're not going to spend next Christmas with the in-laws as well. Maybe next year we should fly to Egypt instead..." On the 2nd day before Christmas... it's time to eat, drink and be merry Turkey: Why do we always buy giant turkeys at Christmas? We have to battle with mega-sized giblets, we're forced to get up at 5am to start them cooking, we can't fit them into the oven (especially at 5am) and we end up eating turkey in a variety of forms (curry, salad, pie, risotto, etc) right up until New Year. Why do we buy them? Because anything's better than nut roast, that's why. Sprouts: There's never any room on a packed festive platter to push these tiny balls of concentrated cabbage to one side. Maybe you could hide yours under that raft of parsnips you're not going to eat either. Christmas pud: After that enormous main course comes this flaming dessert... Christmas cake: ...and then stodge covered in bitter paste covered with sugar. Please no. Party nibbles: Ten years ago your visitors would have been happy with home-made sausage rolls and cheesy pineapple chunks on sticks. Nowadays anything less than filo-wrapped king prawns and spicy nacho cheese flavour bites is social suicide. Beware. Christmas hamper: If you can't face crowding into Kwik Save on Christmas Eve, why not ring up one of those nice companies who advertise mid-afternoon on Channel 4 and pay over the odds for a selection of not-quite-brand-name foodstuffs instead? Atkins Diet: No stuffing is allowed, but you are allowed to gorge on turkey, bacon, sausage, more turkey and a thick slab of lard. Dieters are advised that major weight loss may well follow, but generally only following your funeral. Turkish delight: Delicious, but if an old lady pops out of your wardrobe and offers you some, just say no. Creme Eggs: only 3 days to go :o) The drinks cabinet: You'll need to buy one of everything, just in case. Apart from the wine, which you'll need just in cases. Don't scrimp, otherwise that neighbour with the unexpected rum fixation may never speak to you again. Advocaat: Yes, sorry, there should even be one bottle of this right at the back of your drinks cabinet, just in case granny gets tipsy and wants a snowball. Maybe she doesn't realise that the bottle contains grape brandy and unpasteurised egg yolks as well as sugar. Lemonade: No matter how well stocked your drinks cabinet, the one drink that's sure to run out first is the least expensive. Go on, buy six extra bottles this Christmas, it need only cost you a quid. Champagne: If you're serving this at the start of your Christmas party, buy only the finest. If you're serving this at the end of your Christmas party, you'll get away with Pomagne instead. Mulled wine: That's proper wine ruined by excessive spice and overheating. Nice though. The pub: When you get tired of drinking at home, why not go out and drink the same alcohol at twice the price down the pub? The place is sure to be full of other people escaping from their families, so you'll have plenty to talk about. The club: When you get tired of drinking down the pub, why not go out and drink the same alcohol at four times the price in your local nightclub? The place is sure to be full of other people going out of their minds, so it'll probably remind you of being at home. Celebrity Xmas shopping tips Number 1: Ricky Gervais Seen buying: Crap Towns Published by: Boxtree Press, £10 Where: queueing at Waterstones, Covent Garden (right in front of me) Also buying: Dude, Where's My Country? (Michael Moore) Paid with: a white credit card Comment: he's a lot smaller in real life Celebrity Xmas shopping tips Number 2: Dermot O'Leary Seen buying: "A Killing In Paradise" 1000-piece mystery jigsaw Published by: Lagoon Games, £19.99 Where: Purves & Purves, Tottenham Court Road Also buying: a basketful of trendy goodies that took 5 minutes to pack Paid with: a black credit card Comment: my Christmas is complete On the 3rd day before Christmas... the arrival of snow is anticipated How fantastic it would be to wake up on Christmas morning, pull back the curtains and see the landscape covered by a thick layer of snow. All those nasty concrete outbuildings carefully blanketed, the footprints of robins scattered randomly across the lawn and Aled Jones frolicking in the lane with a couple of snowballs. Picture postcard perfect. We love snow at Christmas because it's the one day of the year most of us don't have to travel anywhere. We're already where we want need to be, the entire public transport network has already been shut down for the day and we couldn't drive safely anywhere after that pre-lunch sherry anyway. Any other day of the year and we'd all be cursing the nightmarish collapse all all local services but, on December 25th, 's no problem. Will there be a White Christmas this year? Well, no, sorry, there won't. Even this morning, when snow was actually forecast, the streets of London remain resolutely grey. Alas, a snowy Christmas Day in the UK is a rare event. Even rarer is a 'proper' white Christmas, rather than the 'a flake of sleet will do' travesty of a definition that the bookies now use. December's always been a bit early in the winter for snow (January and February are rather more likely), and global warming threatens to make the entire 21st century a bit late in the millennium for snow too. White Christmases were rather more common here during the 'Little Ice Age', back when the Thames used to regularly freeze over, but the last London Frost fair was held as long ago as 1814. In the future any light sprinkling of white across the capital is far more likely to be the result of terrorist-induced nuclear fallout. Only ten of the last Christmases in London have been white. That'd be 1916 (sleet), 1927 (snow, falling and lying), 1938 (sleet, but 15cm of snow lying on the ground), 1956 (snow), 1964 (snow), 1968 (sleet), 1970 (snow, falling and lying), 1976 (snow), 1996 (sleet) and 1999 (sleet). You may also remember a white 1981, but that year doesn't officially count because no snow fell on Christmas Day itself. Me, I remember 1970 well enough, which may be just as well because if I were any older I probably wouldn't be able to remember a proper white Christmas at all. Alas, today's children have probably missed out on seeing one for good. White Christmas links: • Detailed log of White Christmases across the UK since 1900 • Snow at Christmas in the UK • The Met Office White Christmas page, complete with recent white Christmas events in London and 14 other locations around the UK • White Christmases in the UK between 1990 and 2002 • London's Frost Fairs • 3D snow forecasts for the UK • The origins of the 'White Christmas' • Particularly mild UK Christmases • Bing Crosby's White Christmas On the 4th day before Christmas... the Christmas number one is announced Well, what do you know? The 2003 Christmas number one is Mad World by Gary Jules. Excellent! I was championing this audio jewel on diamond geezer as far back as October last year, noting "Somebody release it please - it could be huge." I'm well chuffed finally to have been proved correct. This spine-tingling Tears For Fears cover version first came to public attention over the closing credits of the film Donnie Darko and has been track 1 on my mp3 player ever since, but the song remained resolutely unreleased until this week. Gary has just beaten The Darkness into second place and (ha!) those bland Pop Idols into fifth. It's also the second time a cover version of a 1982 New Romantic classic has topped the charts at Christmas (see also Only You by the Flying Pickets in 1983). Mad. To celebrate this rare triumph of taste over tat, here's the diamond geezer Christmas Number Ones Lyrics Quiz. Can you identify these Christmas number one records from their lyrics? Every Christmas number one from the last thirty years (1973-2003) appears once on the list. (Why not annoy the family and print out the quiz for use over Christmas?) All answers now in the comments box, or by clicking on the question numbers. 1) any way the wind blows 2) a ray of hope flickers in the sky 3) look for a rainbow in every storm 4) no dark sarcasm in the classroom 5) the reddest rose I'll always bring you 6) what about sunrise? what about rain? 7) do the fairies keep him sober for a day 8) it'll be cold so cold without you to hold 9) digging and mixing, having so much fun 10) it's the season, love and understanding 11) with logs on the fire and gifts on the tree 12) nights when we sang like a heavenly choir 13) I want a man not a boy who thinks he can 14) the beat of the drum goes round and round 15) long time ago in bethlehem so the holy bible say 16) bittersweet memories, that is all I'm taking with me 17) throw your arms around the world at Christmas time 18) five years later on you've got the world at your feet 19) she always is a friend to you and she's a friend to me 20) I believe in angels, something good in everything I see 21) have you ever seen a girl for whom your soul you'd give 22) the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had 23) wonder if you'll understand it's just the touch of your hand 24) candlelight and soul forever, dream of you and me together 25) little things I should have said and done I never took the time 26) now we have been through the harvest winter has truly begun 27) I'd like to go back one time on a roller coaster ride when life was just a game 28) don't you know we've come too far now just to go and try to throw it all away 29) although he's unconventional in hue his philosophy of life will steer him through 30) we drop into a quiet little place and have a drink or two and then I go and spoil it all it's the last posting date for first class mail It's your last chance today to send a small piece of folded cardboard to somebody you've not communicated with since last Christmas. Better hurry then, because the last collection round your way is probably at noon-ish. Miss the deadline and your festive greeting will be stockpiled in a huge warehouse until mid-January, by which time the intended recipient will no doubt have crossed you off their Christmas card list for good. It was Sir Henry Cole who sent the world's first Christmas card exactly 160 years ago, using the new Penny Post. Sir Henry thought his friends would appreciate a three-panelled card depicting a smiling family bearing the inscription 'A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You'. He did not, so far as we know, send them pictures of an obese Santa stuck down a chimney, a robin smothered in glitter or Homer Simpson pretending to be a reindeer. As a reward for his good taste, Sir Henry went on to become the first director of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Royal Mail now moves over a billion Christmas cards each December. That's because there's still nothing to beat receiving a real card through the post rather than some feeble virtual greeting, not least because it's very hard to cover your mantelpiece with emails. And the annual Christmas card tally remains the indisputable annual barometer of your popularity and social standing. If you receive more cards than you send, your place in society is assured. However, send out more than you receive and the level of your insignificance is made explicitly clear. (Note to self: sent 67, received 23, give up now). Each year friendships are extended by the exchange of Christmas cards. People we once knew, echoes of former lives, their continuing existence is confirmed by the arrival of a small envelope. If you're really lucky there's one of those thrilling "What a year it's been..." family newsletters tucked inside, full of births, holidays and operation scars. This means that you never have to pick up the phone and ring the other person because you know that everything you'll ever need to know will be safely documented in next year's missive. Of course, the other person's card always arrives the day after you sent yours, so the brief scribbled note inside your card (Congratulations!) can only react to last year's news (I became a grandfather...) rather than the latest bombshell (my wife left me and the doctor had some very bad news...). So let's all remember Sir Henry Cole this Christmas because it's thanks to him that we remember everyone else. Although I suspect there'd be a whole load more forests still standing if he'd never bothered. Congratulations, you are the 50000th visitor to this website... ...and number 50000 arrived from here, about half an hour ago. Fifty thousand visitors eh? Thank you all for coming, thank you all for reading, and thanks to all those of you who link here. Must be a good time for my semi-regular 'league table' of top linking blogs, ordered by volume of visitors clicking here from there: 1) blue witch 11) my ace life 2) arseblog 12) flashmob 3) by a woman 13) my boyfriend is a twat 4) mad musings 14) bitful 5) samizdata 15) route 79 6) coopblog 16) linkmachinego 7) scaryduck 17) naked blog 8) swish cottage 18) casino avenue 9) troubled diva 19) not you, the other one 10) big n juicy 20) getting on It's disappointing that three of the top 10 have stopped blogging, two very recently, but reassuring to see some fine new entries creeping into the top 20 (at 15, 18 and 19). A special hello to the blogs that appear in the list because their owners have been making regular daily visits here for months and months - thanks, much appreciated. And, if you're interested, here's how the chart continues: 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. Point, click, and read. (No call girls knowingly featured)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line107
__label__wiki	0.776377	0.776377	The Axe, Part 11 RP Logs » Archives: Logs » The Axe, Part 11 July 27, 2014 The interrogation for Giles Gunroe nets some interesting results. One Police Plaza One Police Plaza is a large, rectangular building designed in the brutalist style and serves as the headquarters of the New York City Police Department. Thirteen floors high and several more underground, it not only functions as the seat of the departments administrative offices but also houses various units of the NYPD including the Major Case Squad and Extranormal Investigations, both of which are part of the Special Investigations Division. Giles Gunroe Officer Johnson INTERROGATION ROOM 132 "Look, Gunroe," Matt says, trying to reason with his client. "They'll be coming soon. I know Pezzini, she's alright. We can cut a deal if we can give them something. Anything." "You think I'm done for, don't you, Murdock?" "Well considering the Axe was in your possession, and considering the post is linked to your ISP, I think it's time to play smart, Giles. Depending on what type of mood they're in, you might get off with medium security. You should think about it. But-my advice? Tell the truth." "And moreso," comes a British accented voice from the doorway, "You threatened the life of a woman with said axe. Not a good combination for you, Mister Gunroe." Lara Croft comes in, sipping a cup of coffee that has not been offered to Matt or his client. She is dressed simply, in casual khaki slacks and a short sleeved blouse. Her hair is in a bun, her makeup is minimal, but the smirk on her face is just for Giles while the arched brow is for her paramour. Sara Pezzini is sticking with the black motorcycle leathers. It's appropriately intimidating, at least. In case the image of the Witchblade has somehow slipped Gunroe's mind. "So, for the record," she says as she steps into the room. "I am definitively not getting paid enough for this interrogation. Before we start. So you can be super clear on who's not going to be the good cop tonight." "Detective Pezzini," Matt says with an exhale mid-chuckle, "I think you'll find that my client is agreeable to tell you what you want to know-whatever you want to know-in order for your assurances that Mr. Gunroe is able to take a plea bargain that allows the police to go after the real culprits in this ordeal." Giles, meanwhile, is shaking. It gets worse when Lara enters, and feverish now that Sara is in the room. Nevertheless, he allows Matt to do the talking for him. "Hello, Miss Croft," Matt says, clearly already knowing her. "Mister Murdock," Lara replies cooly, keeping up the faade. She settles in a chair, lady-like, sipping from her mug as if she doesn't want to lean across the table and throttle Giles. She's clearly the good cop here. SHIELD Agent to be. Whatever. "I'm not sure anything Mister Gunroe knows is of any value to us whatsoever. The world has lost a major archaeological genius, so that will require some very, very good information to appease me." "Come on, Murdock, you know how I feel about plea bargains," Sara replies, dropping into a chair and propping her feet up on the interrogation table. "Letting one criminal go to catch another? Just leaves criminals on the streets. With a vacuum for the little guys to start fighting over. That's when innocent people get shot, when the people who aren't actually good at what they're doing start fighting to be the boss." She steeples her fingers, tilting her head to smile toothily at Gunroe. "Besides. From what mister Gunroe was saying, I'm not convinced the big players in this little drama are the sort anyone can bring to court." "I understand that Miss Croft. What Mr. Gunroe is accused of is selling stolen property and assault with a weapon. We all know that with the system the way it is he won't spend as much time as you would like behind bars. But that's not really why we're here. We're here to determine who, in fact, killed Rhys Bale. And Giles, here, he's willing to speak to that if a deal can be made here today." Matt nods to Sara, "I understand that too, Detective. But the facts are that you're going to get my client for, what? 3 years with good behavior? We'll offer you one in medium security with state's witness afterwards. And he'll give you what we all have been wanting to know for quite some time here. You, me, the rest of New York." "It had best be the truth, Mister Giles, and worth our time. As far as I'm concerned, you are an accessory after the fact to the murder of Rhys Bale, and that will get you more than Mister Murdock is stating. So spill it, and spill it all if you want any sort of bargaining to be done." Lara looks at the man with a steely expression and he may be able to tell, at that point, it was she who was ready to just kill him in the house that night. "And again, I point out, that information isn't worth a legal plea agreement if the answer is, you don't want to mess with me, the people who funded this are ancient wizards. Or demons from beyond another world-gate. Or whatever the fuck these nut cases are claiming," Sara snorts to Murdock, folding her hands over her stomach and leveling a steady look on Gunroe. "So think carefully before you start talking, Mister Gunroe. For information that leads to convictions, we can talk. For information that leads to insanity pleas, there's less wiggle room." Outside the interrogation room, the precinct is buzzing quietly. Pezzini's still on leave, until the department figures out what the hell went on with her partner. But then, no one really wants to tell her what she can and can't do. Paul finally filled out the last of his paperwork and showed up to submit it. He was promptly informed that Pezzini was also here and that the two of them spend more time at HQ when they're suspended than when they're working. Which might actually be more than a joke since they're often out on the streets. So after dropping off the papers to get reinstated (and no longer considered dead), he goes to see just what's going on. "Murdock." he sighs on seeing the lawyer. "Who's the woman with them?" he asks the nearest cop. "It's the truth, Miss Croft," says Matt. He already knows, and it's confirmed his suspicions. "But I'd argue that while you can prove that my client had the axe, you have no proof how he got it. Weaponry changes hands on the black market all of the time, and my client peddles in such things. My client will testify against the murderer at trial and also allow you to put pressure on the accomplice." Matt's head never leaves it's place towards Lara. Surely he lost Pezzini's trust a long time ago, but surely Croft knows where he's headed with this. "It's good, Pezzini. It'll be worth it," Matt says with an exhale. "He'll testify. The killer confessed to him." "That's Croft," the officer says back to Manning with a shrug. "Hell if I know, I think the chick might be Interpol. Hot accent, though." "Very well, out with it then," Lara concedes. She slides a yellow legal pad and pen over to Gunroe and sets a digital recorder on the table. The Brit leans back in her chair and sips her coffee with an almost relaxed air. "On the condition that Mister Gunroe's information leads to the conviction of Bale's killer," Sara repeats, spinning her bracelet around her wrist without looking away from the accused. Paul grunts at that answer and reaches out to flip the intercom on so he can hear what they're saying. Which is making deals without a DA present? Matt gives a nod to Sara, knowing the score. "Go ahead, Giles." "I got the Axe a few days before I put it up for auction, on account that I was trying to remain underground," Giles begins with an exhale. "I'd already agreed to take it when I found out it was involved in a murder. At that point in time no one was for sure that Bale actually got it. I was contacted by a man named Lester Poindexter. He's a well known…how should we say? He gets things done for the Kingpin when things need getting done. The guy's a walking weapon. I've seen him use a nickel to put an eye out as easy as he was flipping it heads and tails." "Can I get some water?" Matt pulls a bottle from his briefcase and Giles continues. "The guy's not real vague about his exploits either. He told me flat out that he had to wait a few hours before the whore Bale was with left. He even talked about going after her for having seen him do it. I think he's the kind who does this thing just for fun, to be honest. He's insane." "When he found Bale, he was high as a kite on the Smooth. Poindexter said he used a shotgun as he stood over him." "The Smooth?" Lara asks, gritting her teeth. "Please elaborate." Lester Poindexter cannot be a real name, anyone knows that. Right? "This Poindexter fellow doesn't sound like an independent operator to me, Gunroe," Sara prompts in turn, popping a knuckle. "Just for fun. Insane. Not things that usually lead to well-orchestrated hits unless there's something else behind it." Paul beckons to one of the uniformed and when he comes over, says "Run the name Lester Poindexter please. Let me know what you find." Giles nods to Lara, "The Smooth is a downer that the kids in Mutant Town use. It started as a way for mutants who have painful manifestations of their mutant gene to smooth out the ache. It's like heroin, but with a bit of hallucinogen to it. As far as his name, I'm not sure if it's real or not. That's what people in the Kitchen have known him as. I think he is former government or military. Really enjoys his killing." Giles nods to Sara, "Well that's the thing. He works for the Kingpin. But that's the trick. I know who the Kingpin /is/. He's Wilson Fisk. I also know why they killed Bale. Didn't have jack to do with the axe. Back in the day, when Fisk was just starting out, before he had his legit companies, he was an enforcer with a small crew. Bale's sister, she used to live in America, and she had this stalker guy. Bale contacted Fisk to protect his sister after the cops thought he was crazy. He was always really paranoid about cops for some reason. Anyways, after the first 5k, Bale promised he'd pay another 5k. But Kingpin just wanted more and more. Bale tried to pay 25k a few weeks ago, but it wasn't ever enough." "I'm telling ya, that Poindexter never shuts the hell up." "On it, Detective Manning," says one particularly plucky officer who clearly wants to get on his good side. She almost bounds away out of the room to go run the information. Lara grimaces at Gunroe's words. Wilson Fisk is not a name unknown to her. He, much like Roland Desmond, has meddled with her archaeological expeditions prior. She just seems to be at odds with all the underworld bigwigs these days. She also remembers Rhys' sister and her problems. She looks to Sara, "Is Fisk even touchable, or will we have to focus on the assassin?" Sara hesitates for a moment at Lara's question, lifting one hand to move it from side to side. "I've got some information," she says slowly. "Working on rebuilding it to something that'll stand up in court when Fisk hires a winner like Murdock here to get him off," she adds with a saccharine smile for the lawyer. "Nothing's ever guaranteed." Paul just continues to listen. Matt is certainly interested. He's accosted Paul in his bedroom and interrupted the travel of Pezzini during Chinese night with that very idea. Fisk, the Kingpin, must be taken down. To him, this looks as good a chance as any. "I give you the biggest bust of your career. A thank you would have been more polite, Pezzini." Matt shrugs and straightens his tie. "In any event, you've got enough to put Poindexter away, if you're able to catch him." Perhaps Pezzini will need his help with that too. "Yeah, there actually /is/ a guy named Poindexter," says Johnson, the pretty gal who seems taken with Manning. "He got out of a murder charge back in 09. Evidence tied it to him and they even had a confession. Apparently the guy was just spouting bullshit, talking about how he did it and why. But a technicality made the confession inadmissible." Johnson hands the paperwork to Manning with a huge smile on her face. "Then let's get this all down on paper, shall we?" Lara prompts. "We have some research to do." The woman rises and heads for the door, leaving the rest of the interrogation to the police. Otherwise she might still be tempted to slam Gunroe's head against that table repeatedly for his part in all of this. "Oh, bite me, Murdock," Sara rolls her eyes. "I don't need you to make my cases for me, thanks." Well, at least she used the word thanks. That counts, right? She looks after Lara, then shakes her head, dropping her feet to the floor. "I'll go get you a DA and someone who can get this written up for you." "/HE/ gives her the biggest bust of her career?" Paul asks. "The ambulance chaser defending the criminal?" He sounds like he's tempted to do a bit of head slamming himself. He takes the papers the cop brings back and flips through them. "Thanks Johnson. Appreciate it." Especially since he's still officially dead. "Charming, Pezzini. As always." Matt nods and gets out the paper and a pen, sliding it in front of Giles. "Just tell the truth. The whole truth." Matt gets up as Lara leaves, "Will you pardon me for a moment?" he says to Sara as he gives one of those half, fake smiles at the two sided mirror. Because he can hear Paul. He follows Lara out of the interrogation room and down the hallway towards the bathroom and touches her arm as he ducks into it with her in tow. Once she's inside, Murdock locks it. "He's telling the truth. I'll spare you the details, but I can tell, physiologically, when someone's lying. He isn't." He wipes at his mouth, letting his cool exterior evaporate. He's so close. He feels he's so close to getting something on Kingpin. For four years he's been working on this. "The sister. She might know something." Matt runs his hand through his hair and exhales. Back in on the other side of the interrogation room, Johnson sort of stands there awkwardly as Paul looks through it, "You're welcome, Paul. I mean, Detective Manning." "I've met her once or twice, I should be able to get us in contact with her," Lara murmurs to Matt. "And then I get to face the Pezzini inquisition over why I'm dating the lawyer she hates. And let me tell you, the Spanish have nothing on Sara." She smirks at the blind lawyer. Sara might let the door slam behind her just a little bit. "Oh, hey. Paul." She blinks when she sees her partner, clearing her throat. "Side job. Sort of. Which turned into…" She trails off, waving a hand at the interrogation room. "Hey, Johnson," she smiles briefly to the younger officer. "You wanna take this one, bring in the DAs?" Paul glances over at Johnson a moment before looking back at the papers. Crushing on the gay guy; doesn't care or they didn't tell her as some kind of joke? When Sara comes out, he offers her the papers. "Poindexter. Unsurprisingly, he's got a record. Fill me in on the rest? Just make it fast since I have a date with that hot fireman I told you about and don't want to keep him waiting." He didn't, since he doesn't but it does let Johnson know he's off the menu. "Boy would I, Pezzini?!" gleams Johnson. "Thank you so much!" She burns away and looks to get the DA leaving Sara and Paul alone to talk. But when she hears Manning mention the fireman, a little piece of her heart dies inside. "Pezzini?" Matt makes a face. "You know her? She's a good cop but she has no love lost for me, I'll tell you that. But it's the good cop thing that'll see this through." He leans to give her a kiss on the cheek, obviously still bristling with the energy of getting this close to Fisk. "And if you dump me, please make sure it's a better reason than Sara. Gotta go. I need to switch clothes and find this Poindexter guy." _201407daredevillara_croftpaul_manningwitchblade	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line108
__label__wiki	0.804665	0.804665	Sport Overview Events In This Sport Men Individual Bouldering, Lead and Speed Combined Women Individual Australia and Sport Climbing There are over 300,000 Australians climbing at indoor sport climbing gyms around the country. The total number of competitive climbers registered with Sport Climbing Australia has tripled in the past seven years, and there are now approximately 1,200 competition climbing members, with the sport steadily growing at competitive and amateur levels. Australia has had a few World Cup finalists over the years in the boulder discipline. The first to make this level was Samantha Berry. Berry was the Australian Champion for six years, the Asian X Games winner three times, and a four-time Oceania Cup title holder. James Kassay, the current National Boulder Champion, and Chris Webb-Parsons have also made World Cup finals. Other athletes making their mark on the climbing scene include 18-year-old Campbell Harrison, the current national Open and Junior Men’s Lead Champion, Claire Langmore, the Female National Lead and Boulder Champion, Lucy Stirling, the reigning Oceania Lead Champion since 2013 and two-time World Cup participant and Roxy Perry, the current National Speed and Lead Champion Olympic History Tokyo 2020 is the first time Sports Climbing will be included in the Olympic programme. Sport Format In sport climbing, athletes compete in three disciplines: lead climbing, bouldering and speed climbing. At the Olympic Games each climber is required to compete in all three disciplines and the final ranking is determined by the combined results of the three disciplines. Lead climbing is a height and distance competition within an eight-minute time frame. Athletes climb a fixed course on an overhanging wall. The further along the wall they travel, the more difficult the course becomes and therefore the aim is to cover the longest distance without falling off, or in the specific time frame. In bouldering, athletes climb fixed routes on a wall of 5 metres or less. A round includes four or five sets of boulder problems/walls and climbers have a fixed amount of time to attempt each wall. Competitors are ranked by the number of walls they complete within the timeframe, with ties settled by the total number of attempts taken to solve the walls. Therefore, since climbers may keep trying to climb each route as long as it is within the time frame, it is important to climb in the least number of attempts as possible. Speed climbing is a sprint race where athletes climb a fixed route on a 15-metre wall with holds. Climbers are informed in advance about the arrangement of the holds, and the climber with the fastest time wins. Qualifications, world records & titles all round for Aussie Olympians Buenos Aires 2018 Day 2 wrap Buenos Aires 2018 - Two days to go in pictures Full Team for Buenos Aires 2018 announced AOC celebrates 50 days to go until Youth Olympic Games Skateboard & sport climbing hopefuls have 2020 fever Ten athletes added to Buenos Aires Team Sports confirmed for Buenos Aires 2018 Ned to make history at Buenos Aires 2018	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line111
__label__wiki	0.510917	0.510917	Classic Fashion Classic Advertising Farberesque Wet Series A COLLABORATION OF ART AND MISFORTUNE A surprise flood nearly destroyed half of Farber's studio, but luckily most of his print archives were untouched. The images that were affected turned out to be beautiful in their own right. Introducing: the WET Series. Farber in Florence Robert travelled to Florence in July to promote Breast Cancer Awareness with the organization Firenze In Rosa Onulus. Los Angeles Exhibition: 44 Years of Capturing Beauty from Sensitive On April 7th, 2018, Chromaluxe and Blazing Editions is sponsoring a special retrospective of Robert Farber’s fine art photography as dye-infused prints on metal. Sao Paulo Exhibition at Gabriel Wickbold On April 3rd, 2018, Gabriel Wickbold Gallery will feature Farber's vintage fashion and nudes. U.S. Debut: The Deterioration Series As part of Art Miami 2017, Robert Farber debuted his Deterioration Series along with some of his never-before-seen Midnight Studio Series. December 5-10, at Hexton Gallery. Farber at Paris Photo Deterioration image selected by Karl Lagerfeld and featured on page one published by Steidl European Debut: The Deterioration Series On November 11, through the 21st Robert Farber debuted his Deterioration Series along with some of his never-before-seen Midnight Studio Series. 21st Editions, Colour Published by 21st Editions, COLOUR premieres Farber’s Deterioration Series, an organic creation 40 years in the making. In the book, Collier Brown pairs Farber’s Deteriorations with one of the greatest treatises on color ever written: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s, as Theory of Colours (1810). Art Meets Humanity Commissioned by Newsweek to shoot a cover for the breast cancer issue, Robert Farber took a more fine-art approach from the publication’s usual direction. Aside from the assigned purpose for cover image, this shooting resulted in a number of other successful photographs that have since been released as limited edition gallery prints. Additionally, an image from this shoot became the cover image for Robert's book, Natural Beauty, Farber Nudes. The Deterioration Series The deterioration of the transparencies is the result of the film's chemical reaction from decades of sitting in non-archival plastic sleeves. Other than the natural process of deterioration, no retouching or manipulation was done to the images. New York Exhibition: Capturing Beauty Robert Farber was invited to showcase a retrospective of his fine art photography in a special way, as dye-infused prints on metal. The exhibition was sponsored by ChromaLuxe and Blazing Editions. Unseen: Midnight Studio at White box Unseen: Midnight Studio at White box … a Frieze vip Program, reveals a different side of Farber's career. Ongoing from April 13 - May 13 2017 at Whitebox. Unseen: Midnight Studio A side of Robert Farber unseen for over 40 years. Trópica Galeria de Arte Rio, December 10, 2015 Farber captured this simple graphic image of the bow of a small red boat tied up in Portofino, Italy. This image became the cover for his book By the Sea. In this book he asked a cross section of people to express their feelings of being by the sea. Their words are reproduced in their own handwriting. The result is an eclectic collection of handwritten thoughts by a wide variety of people… from the “famous” to folks whose lives depend on the sea. A unique view of a great monument. Caddy Tailfins 1959 Cadillac tail fin is an image in the book, Robert Farber, American Mood. It is also a limited edition gallery print. This is from an assignment Farber shot for Phillip Morris in 1982. The campaign was to promote the glamour of smoking in the golden era of Hollywood. Their concept at the time was quite unique because in ’82 the classic lighting of George Hurrell and other great photographers of that era were not yet popularized as they are today. Walking the Dog This image was shot in the Meatpacking District. The day was rainy and the wet streets perfectly enhanced the scene. This along with the bulldog being walked by a well-dressed woman creates a juxtaposition amongst all elements. Under the Palm This image was photographed in Crandon Park, Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida for the book Natural Beauty, Farber Nudes. It is has also been released as a limited edition gallery print. American Mood American Mood is a stunning album of lyrical and nostalgic photographs. Taking the idea of one artist’s personal journey, both physical and spiritual, as a starting point, Farber has produced a collection that reflects the rich diversity of the life and landscape of America. Images of Woman Robert Farber’s fine-art work was established with the publication of this first book in 1976, Images of Woman. Miss Universe, Olivia Culpo For an assignment to shoot an editorial with Miss USA, Olivia Culpo, who since became Miss Universe. Farber captured her in a variety of different time periods… the 1960's, 1980's and now. Along with photographing Olivia, he shot Miss Teen USA, Logan West in a style inspired by the 1930’s. Our Mexico Robert was commissioned by a Mexican dignitary to create this important cultural fine-art project. Farber traveled all over Mexico to capture the spirit of the country and its people. The concept of this project is to show the devotion to family, religion and hard work as well as to capture the beauty of the country. The final creation is a limited edition fine-art portfolio & book called Our Mexico. This portfolio and book was personally delivered as a gift to political dignitaries, heads of major corporations around the world and also to President Calderon of Mexico. Visual Sample A visual overview of Farber’s career, printed as a 70 page catalogue and is available upon request. Miss Universe, Ximena Navarrete For this assignment, Farber was commissioned to photograph Ximena Navarrete who was the current Miss Universe. She was photographed as part of a print campaign endorsing a water company owned by PepsiCola, Mexico. Ximena was brought in because of her celebrity status in Mexico, and Farber for his ability to capture her in his natural way. These stills were captured between the different scenes and takes of the TV commercial, which Farber also directed. This image will be included in an upcoming book that Robert is in the process of editing. info@farber.com Copyright © 2014 Robert Farber. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line116
__label__wiki	0.61442	0.61442	Home Analysis & Comments Gambia: Police Investigating political tension In Mankamang Kunda & Busumbala Gambia: Police Investigating political tension In Mankamang Kunda & Busumbala By Alieu Ceesay Following political tension between supporters of the former ruling party, APRC and supporters of the UDP in Busumbala on Wednesday and Thursday, Gambian police have launched an investigation into the matter. In a statement, the Office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) said it has suspended all permits issued to political parties to conduct political activities. While urging the general public to adhere to the directives, the police said investigations into the tension is underway and anyone found wanting would face the full force of the law. “This is a democratic country where all are free to support any political part of their choice,” said the police in a release issued on Thursday. The incident occurred while the APRC led by its interim Fabakary Tombong Jatta was returning from their first nationwide tour with thousands of supporters since the ousting of former President Jammeh in 2016. The tension left a one-year old baby injured with properties damaged and vehicles vandalized. There was a heavy presence of security personnel to calm the situation, as angry residents of Busumbala blocked the main highway leading from the cosmopolitan town of Brikama to Serrekunda. This latest incident has been widely condemned by fearful Gambians within and outside the country. The Gambia is widely known for being peaceful but the recent spate of political tensions has sparked fear among people asking where the country is heading. A similar incident occurred when the APRC convoy was allegedly attacked at President Barrow’s home village of Mankamang Kunda in the Upper Region, which left one APRC supporter seriously injured. He was later rushed to Bansang Hospital. The government is yet to issue a statement on the matter at the time of filing this report. No arrest was also made as of Thursday. Previous articleManaging the Frustration – The Busumbala Chaos… Next articlePOLITICS IS NOT THE SOLUTION BUT UNITY IS	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line117
__label__wiki	0.692263	0.692263	【TOP 25】Literary eBooks Free Download (pdf, ePub, doc, html) \| Page-1 Are you looking for Literary ebooks. If Yes, then you have reached at right place because this page has a collection of Literary free ebooks list. We have collected these official available Literary free ebooks from internet and listed on our ebook directory portal so that you can easily find some best free ebooks for Literary. Following are the list of free e-books and guides on Literary, some of the resources in this section can be viewed online and some of them can be downloaded. Page 1 of 10, Showing 25 of 242 Records 'Twixt Land and Sea Tales 'Twixt Land and Sea Tales by Joseph Conrad Publisher: ManyBooks 1912 Joseph Conrad has come into his own. The three stories contained in this volume take rank with the m .... Literature & Fiction Literary Joseph Conrad A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain Publisher: Charles L. Webster & Co. 1889 ISBN/ASIN: B000FCK5XU Satirical novel by Mark Twain, published in 1889. It is the tale of a commonsensical Yankee who is c .... Science Fiction & Fantasy Science Fiction Time Travel & Alternate History Literature & Fiction Literary Mark Twain A Deal with The Devil A Deal with The Devil by Eden Phillpotts Publisher: Bliss, Sands and Foster 1895 ISBN/ASIN: B0019528X2 Before my grandpapa, Mr. Daniel Dolphin, comes down to breakfast on the morning of his hundredth bir .... Literature & Fiction Literary Literary Free E-Books Download A Haunted House and Other Short Stories A Haunted House and Other Short Stories by Virginia Woolf Publisher: [email protected] 2009 Virginia Woolf's intention to publish her short stories is carried out in this volume, posthumously .... Literature & Fiction Literary Virginia Woolf A Life's Morning A Life's Morning by George Gissing Publisher: Smith, Elder & Co. 1888 Originally entitled Emily, it tells the story of a poor, yet cultivated, young woman, Emily Hood, fr .... Literature & Fiction Literary George Gissing A Man and His Money A Man and His Money by Frederic Stewart Isham Publisher: The Bobbs-Merrill Company 1912 ISBN/ASIN: 384242504X The hero is a young man who voluntarily gives up his millions to start at the bottom. For Horatio He .... A Pair of Blue Eyes A Pair of Blue Eyes by Thomas Hardy ISBN/ASIN: B002RKSZAI Blue-eyed and high-spirited, Elfride has little experience of the world beyond, and becomes entangle .... Literature & Fiction Literary Thomas Hardy Free Download E-Books For Literary A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce Publisher: B. W. Huebsch 1916 ISBN/ASIN: B001O2S3HK Joyce's semi-autobiographical first novel follows Stephen Dedalus, a sensitive and creative youth wh .... Literature & Fiction Literary James Joyce A Room with a View by E. M. Forster Publisher: Edward Arnold 1908 One of the finest "novels of manners" ever written, a hilarious satire of the excessive propriety an .... Literature & Fiction Literary E. M. Forster A Round of Visits A Round of Visits by Henry James Publisher: The Ladder 1910 Mark Monteith, returned to New York in March to handle the aftermath of his trusted friend's abscond .... Literature & Fiction Literary Henry James A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy by Laurence Sterne Publisher: Project Gutenberg 1997 Celebrated in its own day as the progenitor of 'a school of sentimental writers', A Sentimental Jour .... Best Free E-books For Literary A Set of Six A Set of Six by Joseph Conrad The six stories in this volume are the result of some three or four years of occasional work. The da .... A Short History of England A Short History of England by G. K. Chesterton Publisher: Chatto and Windus 1917 This volume covers quickly, yet completely, the history of England from early Roman times to the tim .... History Europe Britain Literature & Fiction Literary G. K. Chesterton A Sicilian Romance A Sicilian Romance by Ann Radcliffe On the rocky northern shores of Sicily stands a lonely castle, the home of the aristocratic Mazzini .... A Smile of Fortune A Smile of Fortune by Joseph Conrad Embarking in the tropics, a ship's captain makes the instant acquaintance of a seemingly genial Mr. .... Top Free Downloadable E-Books For Literary A Traveler from Altruria A Traveler from Altruria by William Dean Howells Publisher: Harper & Brothers Publishers 1908 A utopian novel, set during the early 1890s in a fashionable summer resort somewhere on the East Coa .... A Woman of No Importance A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde ISBN/ASIN: B004PLNIY0 The play premiered on 19 April 1893 at London's Haymarket Theatre. It is a testimony of Wilde's wit .... Literature & Fiction Literary Oscar Wilde Aaron's Rod Aaron's Rod by D. H. Lawrence ISBN/ASIN: B002G1YWLY Lawrence's 1921 novel of protagonist Aaron Sisson also depicts the decline of civilization following .... Literature & Fiction Literary D. H. Lawrence Adam Bede Adam Bede by George Eliot Publisher: Oakland, Cal., Press 1901 Novel written by George Eliot, published in three volumes in 1859. The title character, a carpenter, .... Literature & Fiction Literary George Eliot Download Popular Free E-Books For Literary Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Publisher: Harper & Brothers 1912 ISBN/ASIN: B003VYBQPK A seminal work of American Literature that still commands deep praise and still elicits controversy, .... Children's Books Literature Literature & Fiction Literary Mark Twain Agnes Grey by Anne BrontÃ« Publisher: Pennsylvania State University 2007 Drawing directly on her own experiences, Anne Bronte describes the isolation and dark ambiguity of t .... Alroy: The Prince of the Captivity Alroy: The Prince of the Captivity by Benjamin Disraeli Publisher: M. Walter Dunne 1833 Probably the first Jewish historical novel ever published. D'Israeli describes David as a young man .... Literature & Fiction Literary Benjamin Disraeli An American Tragedy An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser It is a complex account of the life and death of a young antihero named Clyde GRIFFITHS. The novel b .... Literature & Fiction Literary Theodore Dreiser An International Episode An International Episode by Henry James In this short novel Henry James plays with a major issue of his personal life and of his time and pl .... An Outcast of the Islands An Outcast of the Islands by Joseph Conrad Conrad's second novel is a tale of intrigue in an eastern setting. Peter Willems, a clerk in Macassa ....	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line122
__label__wiki	0.803742	0.803742	He received his education at the Milan Conservatory where he was a pupil of Leoni. In 1904 he made his stage debut at the Teatro Coccia of Novara as Rodolfo to Puccini’s ‘’La Boheme’’. In 1905 he had the first success at the Teatro Comunale in Ferrara as well as at the Teatro Sociale in Treviso as Faust in ‘’La dannatione di Faust‘’ of Berlioz. In 1906 he appeared with success at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan as Giorgio in Mascagni’s ‘’Amica’’. In 1907 he performed at the Teatro San Carlo in Napoli in Verdi’s ‘’La Traviata’’ togheter with Darclee Heraclea and Eugenio Giraldoni. The same year Grassi made his La Scala debut where as a partner of Eugenia Burzio and Pasquale Amato he sang in Puccini’s ‘’Tosca’’. In the 1908-09 season he appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in ‘’Madame Butterfly’’, ‘’Tosca’’, ‘’La Boheme’’ and ‘’Cavalleria Rusticana’’. In 1912 he made guest appearance at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires singing the role Faust’’ in ‘’Mefistofele’’. At the Teatro Regio in Turin he sang the role of Dick Johnson in the premiere there of Puccini’s ‘’La Fanciulla del West’’ (1911). At the Teatro Dal Verme, Milan he appeared on 6. 3. 1920 in the premiere of Pedrollo’s ‘’L'Uomo che ride’’. He married the soprano Bianca Tamagno-Grassi (1883-1914), a niece of the heroic tenor Francesco Tamagno (1851-1905).. She died at the height of her career, at the age of 31, after a car accident. 1904 Novara Teatro Coccia Boheme (Rodolfo) 1905 Ferrara Teatro Comunale La dannatione di Faust (Faust) 1905 Treviso Teatro Sociale La dannatione di Faust (Faust) 1906 Milan Teatro Dal Verme Amica (Giorgio) 1907 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Traviata (Alfredo) 1907 Milan La Scala Tosca (Cavaradossi) 1911 Torino Teatro Regio Fanciulla del West (Dick Johnson) 1912 Buenos Aires Teatro Colon Mefistofele (Faust) L’Africana: O Paradiso Fonotipia 92262 XPh3550 Aida: Morir, si pura e bella Pathe 86170 Cavalleria Rusticana: Tu qui, Santuzza?...Ah! lo vedi with Lina Pasini-Vitale Fonotipia 74149/74150 XXPh3968/XXPh3969 Faust: Oh del ciel angioli... All'erta, all'erta with Lina Pasini-Vitale and Oreste Luppi Fonotipia 92633 XPh4031 La Gioconda: Enzo Grimaldo...O grido di quest'anima with Pasquale Amato Fonotipia 92565/92566 XPh4044/XPh4045 Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai Fonotipia 92260 XPh3551 Mefistofele: Dai campi, dai prati Fonotipia 92261 XPh3559 Mefistofele: Dimmi se credi, Enrico with Lina Pasini-Vitale Fonotipia 92567 XPh4032 Mefistofele: Strano figlio del Caos... Fin da sta notte with Oreste Luppi Fonotipia 92568 XPh4033 Rigoletto: E ' il sol dell'anima Pathe 86171 Rigoletto: La donne e mobile Fonotipia 92157 XPh3087	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line126
__label__cc	0.72609	0.27391	Search Skip to content Username: Password: Log me on automatically each visit Forgot your username or password? Board index » Road » The Clinic JV talks, sort of The Clinic is the only place on Cyclingnews where you can discuss doping-related issues. Ask questions, discuss positives or improvements to procedures. Moderators: Eshnar, King Boonen, Red Rick, Pricey_sky First unread post • 8738 posts • Page 437 of 437 • 1 ... 433, 434, 435, 436, 437 Leinster wrote: Parker wrote: Sue White wrote: Anybody know cannondale's annual budget compared to say sky? JV is probably one of the best admins of a team out there. Surely the primary role of a team boss is to attract sponsorship money. Everything flows from that. The better they are at doing it, the more successful the team is likely to be. People are welcome to criticise the likes of Brailsford and Unzue, but the foundation of the successes of their teams has been their ability to secure long term sponsorship from big multi-national companies. Don’t BSkyB own a significant chunk of Team Sky? Surely a big portion of Brailsford’s success is that he doesnt have to go running around looking for potential sponsors from about May/June every year, and can just focus on the team winning races http://inrng.com/2017/09/the-finances-of-team-sky-2016/ ...the team is 85% owned by Sky UK Limited and 15% by 21st Century Fox 2016 finances of Tour Racing Ltd who are a BSkyB holding company that own Team Sky at here Anything about Fran Millar goes in The Clinic. Not sure SdB does much these days, he certainly isn’t directing the team nor doing interviews. thehog This is the JV thread, not Sky. Stay on topic. Further off-topic postings will be deleted. Susan Westemeyer Susan Westemeyer wrote: This is the JV thread, not Sky. Stay on topic. Further off-topic postings will be deleted. What I meant that SdB has beckme more like JV and general management rather running the team for race results. thehog wrote: He was always general management, unlike JV, who coaches and acts like a DS. fmk_RoI Or one could argue that a part of other teams' success is that they develop and maintain a long term relationship with a sponsor while Slipstream's sponsor churn rate suggests a large part of their problem is poor sponsor relations. Now one can ask what exactly is the problem here. It could be that the general manager - JV - doesn't actually want to manage and would prefer to be off coaching riders or acting as DS. It could be just bad luck after bad luck after bad luck in courting and landing the wrong sponsor. It could be that cycling's economic model is borked and the only thing that will save teams - Slipstream to Sky - is revenue sharing. And franchises for life. Good ol JV. Silence then when Froome is cleared he lands on the side of the victor. http://www.velonews.com/2018/07/news/vaughters-anti-doping-testing-imperfect_471310 Vaughters follows the money. Another brownnoser...... Another one for whom the Armstrong doping was personal rather than about cleaning up the sport. Benotti69 Benotti69 wrote: Good ol JV. Silence then when Froome is cleared he lands on the side of the victor. I see Ryan Trebon has called JV out over his comments ''What’s really hilarious if you ask me is that NO ONE I know that is 100% clean has ever had any sort of positive/False positive/ over the threshold finding ever. It’s always questions riders on suspect teams that try and pull this bullshit. Vaughters opinion is so tainted''. I get what you mean well, I see a few on here and twitter for whom the Froome doping is personal, rather than about cleaning up the sport. you call every cyclist out many don´t pastronef fmk_RoI wrote: Franchises for life is interesting, but once you have that what percentage is there for the UCI middleman? I think the good old boys in the UCI would be nuts to incorporate that model because it would ultimately be suicidal. Still...they are shortsighted morons and they have done lots of stupid stuff in the past. MarkvW pastronef wrote: Not the Froome thread, but i disagree that it is personal like Armstrong. Froome has not **** any over (that i know of) like Armstrong and is only doing to a greater degree what those who have gone before have done. I dont blame him but i will call him what he is a doper and a cheat. As for Vaughters, snakeoil salesman of the lowest order. He is not good enough to be chameleon just jumps ship to whatever looks like winning. Armstrong is gone a long time and the sport is no cleaner, but according to JV the bad man who shouted at him is gone so everything is A OK. more humour from one of cyclings biggest clowns https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jul/05/team-sky-tour-de-france-rival-education-first-chris-froome-jonathan-vaughters Vaughters insisted cycling has cleaned up its act, despite many believing that little has changed since the Festina affair of 1998. Really, how and where? All that has happended is one former rider, his DS and a couple of docs got busted. The docs are probably still working albeit at a distance. “That’s just not reality,” he said. “I can say that all day long, but nobody’s going to believe it. It’s not true and I think anyone inside the sport with any genuine knowledge is going to say that’s not true. Unfortunately many people look at us all sceptically. Yet snakeoil salesman cant give and any examples for anyone to believe. Earlier he claims that teams give a paltry $140K when he says it should be much higher. SO anti-doping way under funded, so how can be it be effective? “I’m all for transparency once there’s an ADRV [anti-doping rule violation] under way. I think those should be almost like publicly open trials so that people can see the evidence. But when you’re trying to determine whether or not you’re even going to bring a case, then, come on …” Transparency, this is laugh out loud, considering Danielson and Vaughters deafening silence. What a joke Vaughters is. Bump thread: JV has a book to promote: Jonathan Vaughters calls Bradley Wiggins’ 2012 Tour win ‘blemished, and that’s painful’ https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/jonathan-vaughters-calls-bradley-wiggins-2012-tour-win-blemished-thats-painful-428218#Tv1xP96PQ5KlOhgq.99 TourOfSardinia Location: Sardinia “The situation with Brad was an absolute bully situation, with Dave and all those attorneys,” Vaughters claims. He's got a lot of score settling going on in his book. Guess a man like him feels he has a lot of scores to settle. Not sure of its factual accuracy in places, mind you. As for the denoument, where he makes a claim on your sympathy by coming out as having been diagnosed with Aspergers. Oi vey. Okay, so, some food for thought for Clinicians. JV and the ABP. I couldn't be bothered mentioning this in the review, you can have it here: Why do I defend it, if athletes are still blood doping, and the biological passport didn't catch them? The biological passport, by nature, is not an exact device to detect doping. It is, instead, a method by which you look at the body's own parameters and observe if there are changes. It is indirect testing. It looks for smoke, not fire. Simple. It was never designed to catch them. It was designed to prevent them from transfusing enough blood that it would actually make much of a difference. It isn't about catching people and burning them alive in public. It's about keeping the races fair as possible. If the bio-passport's effect on the sport is that a blood doper transfuses 350ml of blood instead of 1 liter, well then, it's been effective in its job. I'll take a talented rider that is able to sleep at night over a stressed-out rider that just transfused 350ml of blood any day in a race. fmk_RoI wrote: Okay, so, some food for thought for Clinicians. JV and the ABP. I couldn't be bothered mentioning this in the review, you can have it here: The big reveal in One Way Ticket, it turns out, is what's not in One Way Ticket: Danielson. 8738 posts • Page 437 of 437 • 1 ... 433, 434, 435, 436, 437 Return to The Clinic Jump to: Select a forum ------------------ Cafe General Road Professional road racing General Q&A Games and Fantasy Cycling The Clinic MTB General Track General Cyclo-cross General Bikes & Gear General Workshop & Maintenance Form & Fitness General Feedback About the forum About the website	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line127
__label__wiki	0.86254	0.86254	Over 400 cases of drug-resistant superbug in NY, NJ Denver Votes on Decriminalizing Magic Mushrooms Tomorrow by Trevor Bailey \| May 10, 2019 \| 16:41 Residents of Denver were voting on Tuesday on whether to make the city the first in the United States to decriminalise "magic mushrooms". The citizen-led initiative sought to make Denver the first USA city where use or possession of psilocybin by people 21 and older was the lowest law enforcement priority. With all precincts reporting late Tuesday night, the "no" votes for the initiative held a substantial lead over the "yes" votes, according to unofficial returns. The ordinance seeks to downgrade the penalties and deprioritize prosecution for those who are in the possession or use psilocybin mushrooms. The movement is primarily focused on making these mushrooms legal and thereby preventing people of 21 years and older from going to prison for the possession and usage of psilocybin mushrooms. The ballot measure, Initiated Ordinance 301, would also establish a panel to review the law's impact on public health and safety. The federal government still classifies psilocybin as a Schedule I drug, defined as having no medical goal and a high potential for abuse. In 2005, the city became the first major city in the USA to legalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. Matthews said his own experience with mushrooms had helped him overcome major depression. Small research studies have found psilocybin had positive effects on anxiety and depression for cancer patients but it remains illegal. More news: EPL: Why Solskjaer has told Manchester United to sell Martial A California proposal to decriminalise psilocybin failed to qualify for the ballot previous year. It's the latest envelope-pushing drug policy considered in the progressive "Mile High" city, so named for its proximity to the Rocky Mountains, where citizens decriminalized marijuana possession back in 2005. Organizers in OR, meanwhile, are trying to gain enough support to put an initiative to a statewide vote next year. It took the pro-psilocybin organizers in Denver three tries to develop language approved by city officials for the ballot. The initiative does not legalize psilocybin or permit its sale by Denver's cannabis businesses. "Humans have used these mushrooms for thousands of years for healing, rites of passage, spiritual insight, strengthening community, and raising consciousness", the group says on its website. Advocates in Denver amassed 9,500 signatures to put the issue on Tuesday's ballot. "One arrest is too many for something with such low and manageable risks for most people, relative to its potential benefits". Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and District Attorney Beth McCann have both publicly opposed the proposal. "No person deserves this kind of treatment for a substance this safe". Florida woman pulls gator from her yoga trousers during traffic stop The two were found to have 41 three-stripe turtles in her auto , according to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. The driver got a warning for the stop sign violation, but the deputy had to ask for more information. President Trump: US supports Israel 100% against Hamas, Islamic jihad Israel observes Memorial Day and Independence Day this week, and next week Tel Aviv will play host to the Eurovision Song Contest. The victims included two pregnant women and a toddler in the attacks , which also left 154 Palestinians wounded. Families of Lion Air crash victims criticise Boeing over alert issue The company then convened another safety review, which concluded once again that the absence of the alert was not a safety issue. In October, a Boeing Max 737 Indonesian airliner crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 189 people on board. Houston Looks to Swing the Series with a Big Game 5 Upset George Hill has been terrific in all three of Milwaukee's wins averaging 15.3 points while shooting 62% from the field. If the Bucks finish the job in five, they will look terrifying as dismantling the Celtics is an impressive feat. Denver shooting: 1 killed and multiple injured as fearless students 'tackle' gunmen Authorities said the two suspects are students. "The gunman... was against the wall and didn't know what the hell hit him". Castillo's father John Castillo confirmed to the Denver Post on Wednesday that his son was the student who was killed. Country House won't run in Preakness Mott added that Country House's illness is "probably a little viral thing" and that the horse is "not seriously sick right now". However, the race stewards ruled that Maximum Security had improperly impeded several horses and disqualified him. Trump 'very surprised' by son's subpoena in Russian Federation probe The lawsuit was brought April 22 by Mr Trump and several of his businesses against House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah E. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) says Trump Jr.is not exempt from the law and has no special privileges. Avatar Sequels' Release Dates Pushed Back Years Back in November 2018 , BBC News reported that it found documentation about the future of " Avatar " and four specific projects. And it needs to plan its release schedule even more carefully to avoid its movies competing with themselves at the box office . Pep Guardiola calls Premier League his 'toughest' test as Leicester game looms "We were putting pressure on, upping the tempo but found the last pass hard ". We were like [chipping away at] a stone". Portland chefs come home empty-handed from 2019 James Beard Awards In his acceptance speech, Wade urged all to embrace a sustainable food/farming mindset, remarking: "We have one food system". It was the fifth year in a row that the awards ceremony took place at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. United Kingdom opposition campaigns, govt lies low, in European Union election The choice of a unity candidate could be hard , as the Lib Dems and the Greens have already announced candidates for the seat. Journalists in the Q&A session overwhelmingly wanted to focus on what a Labour vote will mean for the Brexit process. Iran rolls back part of nuclear pact, France issues warning Russian Federation responded by blaming the United States for provoking Iran into rolling back the terms of the nuclear deal. Trump's announcement that he was withdrawing the US from the Iran nuclear deal , which he has called the "worst deal ever". Love Samsung’s navigation gestures? They’ll change with Android Q It ships in three colours that are named using Google's whimsical naming system: Just Black, Clearly White and Purple-ish. The organizer, Google unveils new software, new hardware and various updates for the current apps and services. Chapter 2 teaser trailer delivers a spooky look at upcoming film In the first trailer for It: Chapter Two , they get the call they've been dreading for 27 years: It ... is back. The first trailer for It: Chapter Two is here, and it's shaping up to be as haunting as the films predecessor. The Premier League rises again in this incredible Champions League season Liverpool have lost one game in 37, it's a scenario that could leave Klopp's side one point short of the league championship. The Gunners not only needed to win at fortress Anfield but do so by two clear goals. Apple's first iPhone game in over a decade stars Warren Buffett Buffett said on CNBC Monday that he hasn't ever bought shares in an IPO for Berkshire Hathaway over the past 54 years. Its insurance and utility businesses typically account for more than half of the company's net income. China vows retaliation if Trump raises tariffs Trump says despite being poised to impose the additional tariffs, he is not looking for a trade war with Beijing. Oil prices erased much of gains that were made after Trump's comments on Xi's letter raised hopes for a deal. Reds game delayed on account of ... bees? His home run Monday was a three-run shot in the sixth inning that cut the Giants' deficit at the time to 7-4. All he did was pitch a ideal 1-2-3 inning, forcing a groundout to second and two groundouts to shortstop. Mnuchin refuses to give Trump's tax returns to House Dems He concluded that the Treasury Department is "not authorized to disclose the requested returns and return information". Mnuchin said Monday he had made his decision in consultation with the US Department of Justice. Amid Trump threats of more tariffs China to send delegation to US The ruling Communist Party's People's Daily newspaper said the size and strength of the Chinese economy meant it had little to fear from tariffs. Global oil rises after surprise fall in U.S. crude inventories United States President Donald Trump on Sunday announced he would hike tariffs on $ 200 billion worth of Chinese goods this week. Meanwhile, holdings of SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold backed exchange, were at their lowest since October 11. Britain To Vote In EU Parliament Election Despite Brexit The head of a powerful Conservative committee is due to meet May Tuesday to deliver a demand for "clarity" about her departure date. Senate's Republican majority looks to cut debate time on Trump nominees Democrats Move to Defend Obamacare From Trump, Again The Coming Transparency Battle Over the Mueller Report - Hit & Run Congo Ebola epidemic exceeds 1,000 cases: health ministry DOJ Now Argues Obamacare Should be Struck Down Hot drinks link to oesophageal cancer Taking aspirin to avoid heart attacks? Risks may outweigh benefits Second man seems to be free of AIDS virus after transplant ‘London Man’ becomes second person to be cured of HIV	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line137
__label__cc	0.607073	0.392927	Mark Jones [[Image:\|200px]] Role: Writer, "The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra" BSG Universe: Galactica 1980 Date of Death: Missing required parameter 1=month! , [{{{site}}} Official Site] Mark Jones (born January 17, 1953) is one of four writers who wrote "The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra", the last episode in production at the time Galactica 1980 was officially canceled by ABC. He went on to work on as a story editor on The A-Team, and worked with Glen A. Larson on The Fall Guy and NightMan. Writer credits for "Galactica 1980" "The Day They Kidnapped Cleopatra", with Anne Collins, Chris Bunch and Alan Cole See also: Episodes written by Mark Jones Retrieved from "http://en.battlestarwiki.org/index.php?title=Mark_Jones&oldid=177240" Crew (1980) Writers (1980)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line142
__label__cc	0.618715	0.381285	Board index Main Off Topic Thoughts on game mechanics in Morrowind Not about OpenMW? Just about Morrowind in general? Have some random babble? Kindly direct it here. Post by raevol » 22 Jan 2018, 21:52 This is a brain dump I've been wanting to write up for a long time. Sorry if this is super rambley. This is inspired by a lifetime of playing games, but more specifically by my recent experiences playing three particular games: Baldur's Gate, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and the Uncharted series. And then putting all of that in context with OpenMW. So here's the thing. When you are playing games, there's usually a set of different activities you do, but there's generally only one or two activities that make up the actual gameplay. For Uncharted that would be gunfights and platforming, the game has two very specific gameplay mechanics. Puzzles is a third, it's definitely another thing you do in that game, but I'm not going to really address that here. In Horizon, the activities are fighting robots, and a second activity that could be noted is exploring. In Baldur's Gate the activities are combat and dialog. Seems weird to mention dialog as a "gameplay activity" but if you've played that series, you know it's true. So here's the thing. In Horizon and Baldur's Gate, there's also a ton of side activities that the player has to deal with. In Horizon they are crafting, foraging/scavenging, dialog, trading, etc. In Baldur's Gate they are inventory management, trading, and clicking through seemingly limitless UI elements. Uncharted is a bit different. Sure, there's picking up ammo, and swapping guns sometimes, and hunting down treasures if you are trying to get that trophy, but almost all of player time is spent on the core gameplay. There's no real inventory to deal with, there's no dialog choices, the levels are linear so there's not really much in the way of exploring... Not obviously Uncharted is an odd man out in this set of games because it's not an RPG. But I think there's a key lesson to be learned here. Of all of these games, Morrowind is most like Horizon: Zero Dawn. But what's the critical difference, as far as gameplay is concerned? Hunting robots in HZD is fun, engaging, and immersive. And aside from running around and picking stuff up, it's the overwhelming majority of the gameplay. So what are the core gameplay mechanics of Morrowind? It's really not the combat. Combat is almost an afterthought in Morrowind, it's a barely realized gameplay mechanic. I would say the core gameplay mechanics in Morrowind are exploring, which is fun, and inventory management, which really isn't fun. I can't imagine that I am the only one that feels like they spend way too much time in Morrowind with the inventory open, shuffling crap around trying to figure out what's worth keeping and what needs to be left to garbage collection. I don't enjoy this activity at all. Is it fun to find powerful and interesting items in dungeons? Or stealing valuable items from fancy NPCs? Absolutely. But is realizing that you need to dump a few racer plumes because your jump height is starting to suffer fun? No, that's an absolute chore. And back to the combat. I've been thinking about what makes Horizon's combat so fun. Here's what I have come up with. First, because you're a little tribal girl with primitive weapons fighting big, burly machines, the combat has an inherent intensity because you always feel outmatched. Second, the enemies exhibit varied and interesting combat behaviors: they will charge in, they will run away, they will circle around for a better strike. Enemies in Morrowind either charge, or kite if they are a caster or archer. There's absolutely no variation to their behavior. And as a player, there's very little variation to your abilities when retaliating. Sure, you can swap around spells or switch weapons, and the weapons have different attacks, but at the end of the day all you're doing is flailing the same attack over and over, or lobbing the same spell over and over. The enemies have no particular strengths or weaknesses to exploit, the terrain doesn't afford any advantages or disadvantages, and there's no real strategy or tactics that can be employed on an instant by instant basis. The only real strategy is preparation before-hand. So what's your point raevol? Why are you spending all this time bashing a game that you obviously love, since you've been supporting OpenMW for so long? My point is I think with some mechanics changes, Morrowind could be updated to be a really interesting modern game. Do I think these changes should be incorporated into OpenMW? Helllll no, OpenMW is supposed to be faithfully recreating Morrowind. But maybe someday, in a far future, long after the dehardcoding, I'd like to make a "raevol's mechanics overhaul" that implements some things. And here's what I'd like to see: 1. Min-maxing needs to be removed from the leveling system. Nothing frustrates me more than pouring hours into a character only to realize that I am 100hp shy of where I could be because I focused on the wrong skill as I leveled up. I know this is kind of a personal problem, but I can't even get up the motivation to play Morrowind anymore, because the only way I can play and be satisfied is to spend the first 10 hours or so of gameplay using alchemy to get my attributes all to 100, with endurance being maxed first. 2. Enemies need to have varied AI, varied attacks, and strengths and weaknesses. For example, nix hounds shouldn't just run up to the player and flail their paws: they should stalk, charge, pounce, and retreat strategically. Enemies should pose a real threat to the player, and the player should have to dodge, block, and strike carefully and skillfully in order to make it through any combat. 3. The alchemy system needs an overhaul. There's a mod I think called Visual Alchemy? that's a great start, but there's some more things I think that need to be done: you should be required to be at some sort of bench or worktable in order to use alchemy (and repair for that matter). Players shouldn't be incentivized to carry around a full alchemy kit to make potions on the fly, because that clutters their inventory and slows down exploring: they should craft potions at designated stations (maybe even being able to build these workshops later in the game) and be able to store ingredients there. Also buffs should be reworked to prevent abuse, and the types of potions should be expanded: perhaps thrown potions or poisons for blades or arrows could be added. 4. The repair and enchanting mechanics need to be overhauled, in the same vein as alchemy. 5. The inventory system needs some real work. I understand that being able to pick up every rock and leaf was a novelty in 2001, but it's only proven to be a pain in the ass in 2018. I get that being able to move anything around and redecorate can be enjoyable, but the amount of busy work and chores that come along with it are so frustrating to me. I guess my biggest complaint has to do with the weight system: Every single unit of weight the player carries changes their movement speed and jump height. This is ridiculous! Again, min-maxing needs to be done away with. Movement speed is a quality of life issue for players, and if you are completely locked out of wearing armor or at least heavier armor because you don't want to have to slog around completely overburdened, that's a problem. But raevol, just boost your speed! No, that's not a solution, that's a band-aid. Think about the player's quality of life. I understand if heavy armor prevents the player from dodging or rolling or sneaking as effectively, but if it increases travel time? That's just a no. 6. The hot buttons need to be expanded. I'd really like to see Half-Life-esque weapon/spell switching. How do potions fit into that? I guess instead of being magically consumed from your backpack straight into your stomach, you'd have to pull them out and actually drink them. I think that'd make them a lot more interesting. I'm also a huge opponent of consumables, but that's not a hill I want to die on... 7. The "customizable" UI is a chore instead of a blessing. I'd like to see a well-designed and efficient UI, rather than a customizable one that requires endless fiddling and never seems quite right. Anyway, I doubt anyone is going to read all this, so I'll stop here for now. Just some of my thoughts. tomangelo Re: Thoughts on game mechanics in Morrowind Post by tomangelo » 22 Jan 2018, 23:16 I agree, Morrowind currently lacks in many aspects when compared to other games. From what I remember, main feature was exploring, which was quite good at its time, world was quite big back then. But after those 16 years it doesn't look as impressive as it was earlier, in the meantime other studios developed many interesting mechanics, some of them were just a lot better than Morrowind ones. There are also another parts of TES series who also changed these mechanics in some way. Another thing is computers did improved much by this time, allowing to run more complex code with better AI or better physics. Combat: back in these years there wasn't much complex fighting mechanics, it was usually "who has better dps/enemyhealth wins", Morrowind quite spiced it up with hit chance based on skill or different attacks (swing, push, of course they wasn't first with experimenting, they just didn't copied generic fighting mechanic). It was quite natural that unexperienced person with low skill and strength/agility doesn't hit so precisely and powerful as experienced warrior, might have some problems when trying to kill that little running mice, or that spear is better at pushing than waving around, after years we know that this system has some flaws that might be tweaked to make it more user-friendly, saving this "simulating" fighting mechanic. Also enemies were simpler in their minds, it was "seek & destroy", I don't recall many games from these years when enemies tried to group, flank or make some another strategies, player also hadn't usually much chance to do much more than LMB-LMB-run-LMB-LMB-run-[...]. Morrowind was (I guess) just another game with such idea of enemies charging and spamming attack vs player. Nowadays there are bigger dev studies and better tools, gamers have machines with more computing power, so creating complex AI like in Horizon or Zelda is easier both to create and run. Leveling kinda taught life, bad decisions drags behind you forever, and progress require hard working. Yeah, it was turning off when you had like 78 points in some skill, needed 80 to get master degree on some guild, but you couldn't just train that ability because you first needed to upgrade Agility, then you first have to develop another skills 7x because you recently leveled up, so unlocking final quest requires from you to grinding long swords, alchemy or whatever by long hours so you could give these 2 points to damn Agility so you could train that one skill. I got annoyed by writing this :\ Inventory system was also quite ridiculous (and that didn't changed even in Skyrim), of course removing it completely and making a character that can carry by all day 100 different swords, axes, mauls, heavy and light armor, scrolls, rocks, cups, scraps, etc. would make it weird and too easy, but it kinda got away in opposite direction. As a mod it would be quite interesting position, some who prefer original flaws would play original game, while non-nostalgic players would play with refined mechanics. But pulling it out of engine to make it possible to change by scripts might be challenging. Last edited by tomangelo on 23 Jan 2018, 01:09, edited 1 time in total. Berandas Location: Prague, Czech Republic Contact Berandas Post by Berandas » 22 Jan 2018, 23:42 I believe there is already some old brainstorming topic like this somwhere on the forums and we're just repeating what has already been said, but I like this brain dump of yours. I also bear many ideas of how the world of Morrowind could be enhanced to be more immersive. Many things like this can by done by mods, but the engine needs to present the options first. Combat is an obvious issue, combined with Ai and animation. One thing that I liked about Stalker for example, were the special ways of enemy attacks (animals and mutants usually), <This might be a sort of a spoiler> for example packs of wild dogs could be driven away by loud shots (so you didn't actually have to fight them), that dog-cat-like predator with glowing eyes, which sometimes used it's psychic powers to pull away your gun, when you were aiming at their's face, the way how invisible Bloodsuckers were circling around it's pray to get the best chance of attacking it from behind, how those energy beings were pulling up objects int he air and throwing them at the player long before he was even able to see one. How that mutant grandpa used his psychic ability, with crazy loud whistling sound, quixky zooming your camera into his creepy face... Those were very simple acts, that actually made every opponent unique and also believable, no fire or frost damage, but an unique experience that accompanied every single encounter with them. So imagine driving off some creatures with fire of your torch and stuff like that, not just dumbly smashing everything in your way at first blow. When you try playing a non-combat character, it completely changes the dimension of the game, sneaking in shadows, I even remember playing as a characted that tried not to kill unless really necessary, I was crawling deeper and deeper through dwemer ruins, using invisibility potions, scrolls, levitation, chameleon, so noone can see me, looting treasures, but then I found out that I'm really deep and won't have enough of those means to get out safely. I had to solve completely different problems, then just plain drinking of health potions and repairing my weapon. As you mentioned, I also think the game needs more meta-games, for example the process of alchemy could be presented as some mini-game, where the player could actually do something to influence the process and result. (also making potions could actually take some time). Or diseases - we have many diseases in MW, yet all work basically the same, you are notified about the sickness, it damages something, you drink a potion. Ta-da! Having different diseases showing different symptoms, that would actually require the player to notice, having them reducing players stats over time if not cured and having different ways of curing them with variety of herbs, potions or balms. Of course you could probably end up by farming the ultimate magical scrolls instead of potions, but still this would add another piece of "realism" or "immersion". Also puzzles and traps! What I really miss in MW is the lack of overcoming obstacles like puzzles and traps, they're present in a few mods, but generally everything in vanilla is about wiping out the monsters and use some levitation or water breathing here and there to get some sweet loot. This is mostly up to mods. Changing the way of consuming stuff, having to actually hold the button to be drinking a potion, which would take some time, or reading a spell scroll by actually opening it... These would need some engine support certainly. Placing items on the ground could also use some options (when decorating a place). And there are also all those technical performance and optimisation issues... I guess we could brainstorm even more, but who's going to do all the work? If anything, it needs brainstorming real solutions of how these things could actually work in the engine. Yes, everyone likes to talk about everything, but there must be someone to actually implement that. And this is usually harder part of it, with not so many hands in air. Drinking would be simple animation of hand holding potion near a head/camera, maybe little wiggling as we drink in run, with simple "gulp-gulp" sounds (might be different sounds/animation when character is tired). For scrolls there would be animation of dragging out the magic from scroll to hand, then throwing at target or at ourself. Placing items - could be similar to what we have currently, but with possibility to rotate item and hiding UI windows when holding item in hand. Thank you for the input guys, good to know my ranting was worthwhile to some people haha. And @tomangelo thank you for the reminder of the historical context for Morrowind- I definitely knew that, but also definitely had forgotten to take it into consideration. You're so right! That's a reason that Baldur's Gate shows so much age with its mechanics now too. tomangelo wrote: ↑ Okay, let's stick to the drinking feature, as you mentioned, it would require some animations, lets say these ones: - character raching for their potion, opening it and putting it to their mouth - looping animation of character drinking - character closing the bottle and putting it away - character throwing the potion away, when it's empty All these on 1st person and normal skeletons. Also some sounds: - equiping the potion (already in the game) - opening the potoin - drinking (already in the game) - closing the potion - putting the potion back to your backpack (already in the game) - throwing the potion away It might also require to redo some of the bottle meshes, so you're not putting a plugged flask to your mouth. Let's say, simple modification of 15 meshes or so. Okay, so those are assets, how about sticking the object into character's hand (both for normal and 1st person skeletons), is it possible to do this dynamically in the engine? You would need the potion to behave as a weapon, so it can be equipped to your hand and then used. AI also needs to be able to use that and react accordingly, so it doesn't result in everyone standing before you, drinking, while you're chopping them to death. It would also require some markers (linear or radial) over the inventory icons, so you could actually tell, how much content there is in the bottle. And ofc some UI element, that could show this during drinking. (you could use the condition bar under the weapon icon, but that's too tiny and too far from your eye focus during the gameplay imo. Now the game mechanic – each potion usually has some magnitude of the effect and some duration, let's say the duration would determine how long you can hold the potion drinking, in order to be recieving the flask's effect. Sounds fine, the mechanic is universal enough to be working with all mods and stuff. Well, that would work for healing and magicka, but how about levitation or water breathing, it would be silly if you actually needed to drink the whole time underwater or in the air. How about potions that have multiple effects with different duration, how would the mechanic behave and what effect would take the priority? This system also makes use of cure paralysis potion impossible, unless there is a second character, putting the flask to your mouth... So that's just from the top of my head, now brainstorm and iterate please. Well, paralyses healing potion doesn't makes sense anyway, unless it's some sort of telekinesis, or really strong willpower (maybe there are a lot of Jedi masters in Vvanderfell? ). Let's say that's just another video games logic gem, I don't know how to make it reasonable without removing possibility to drink anything when paralyzed or underwater. The dirty details of implementing drinking potions would have to be hashed out, but I originally brought it up because of how they are handled with hotkeys right now- each hotkey only corresponds to one item, and when you press it, the potion is drank. In Half-Life, a hotkey pops up and cycles through a menu, and an item is selected with another keypress- mouse1. If consumables and weapons were selected the Half-Life way in Morrowind, when you click to select a potion, it would make more sense if it was "equipped" and then used with "fire" like a weapon. But I suppose it could just be invisibly consumed, and then the question would just be, does the hotkey menu close on each use? If not, how do you close it? AnyOldName3 Post by AnyOldName3 » 24 Jan 2018, 02:38 Just putting this out there - I hate games with real-time consumables. They just interrupt the most interesting part of the gameplay. That said, I've never played anything where they're implemented the way I'd implement them. In real life, if you need to eat or drink something in a hurry, it doesn't force you to stand still while you do it. If you need to dodge something or run away, you still can (although it might be a little more awkward). Standing still, drinking a potion, waiting for an animation to finish, all while shit is going down all around you is not something I enjoy in games. I can walk and eat, so why can't the magical hero of whatever fantasy land I'm saving? AnyOldName3, Master of Shadows AnyOldName3 wrote: ↑ I hate games with real-time consumables. ... Standing still, drinking a potion, waiting for an animation to finish, all while shit is going down all around you is not something I enjoy in games. I can walk and eat, so why can't the magical hero of whatever fantasy land I'm saving? I hate consumables period. I think they're a crutch. The idea is, you don't have enough health to survive an encounter, so the game wants you to evade damage to regain your health. Uncharted handles this perfectly- you evade damage, and your health restores. But basically every other game makes the amount of health you can restore an item you have to collect or purchase. And then arbitrarily limits the amount of that item you can have so you're not invincible. All of this adds busy work. I don't want to have to trek to a potion shop to buy potions halfway through my adventure through an exciting dungeon. If you want me to break off of combat and evade damage as part of the gameplay mechanics of the game, that's fine, that makes sense and is interesting. But don't make me do extra chores on top of that. I think this mechanic comes from D&D, where the idea is after combat (or during if it's an emergency) someone in your character serves the role of healing damage you have taken. But even that is clunky and annoying- I've had to play the healer in the past two D&D campaigns I've played, and nothing is more frustrating than watching your partymates deal out damage and do spectacular combat feats, while you sit back and conserve spell slots for when they inevitably come begging for healing. It's not interesting for the player. But to your point, if I did make players equip and use potions in "raevol's Morrowind", they would be able to run, jump, dodge, roll, and block while drinking them.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line147
__label__cc	0.658553	0.341447	Forums > Prince: Music and More > PRINCE DAY - June 7th [POST HERE] Page 1 of 2 12> This is a "featured" topic! — From here you can jump to the « previous or next » featured topic. Reply New topic Printable (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic) Thread started 06/05/19 9:14am luv4u PRINCE DAY - June 7th [POST HERE] Post your artwork, pics, tatoos, poems, pics of yourself dressed as Prince whether you celebrate Birthdays or not. Celebrate Prince, celebrate the music. Keep the legacy alive. Check out the Fan Gatherings forum for Prince Day events in your area: https://prince.org/msg/2 If you don't see your Prince Day event posted, send me a link for it to be included. All Prince Day events are stickied for that day. Edmonton, AB - Mod Goddess of the SNIP & BAN Making Moves - OF4S Ohh purple joy oh purple bliss oh purple rapture! REAL MUSIC by REAL MUSICIANS - Prince "I kind of wish there was a reason for Prince to make the site crash more" ~~ Ben Reply w/quote - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator TheKid94 Feels much healthier to celebrate his birthday, as I would've even when he was alive. Despite him not celebrating birthdays, this was that "one day of birth" that changed so many lives. A little story: I am a dancer and choreographer living in NYC and had the awesome opportunity to perform at Spike Lee's Prince Block Party in 2017. Spike Lee tapped into his choreographer connections to intermentently present Prince inspired dance numbers every half hour or so. After our performance to The Beautiful Ones and I Would Die 4 U, he had us stay on stage and jam out to couple songs. Here is a video of me having my Prince Splits Moment onstage with Spike Lee: https://www.instagram.com...ys3qntw71v He has inspired me immensly in my artistry. His atheleticism, musicality and natural sense of movement inform my approach to dance and choreography. I had one day hoped he would see what I could create to his music. I had just started getting into choreographing in 2014 while in school. At that time he was working with 3rdEyeGirl, and surrounding himself with creatives not much older than me. I know he gets a lot of criticism for working with younger bodies than him, but I believe the creative mind exists within a totally separate timeline. I deeply respect him for giving them their opportunity to be a part of his creative process. Below is a short video of my choreography to The Question of U. This was the first time going back in the studio after he passed: https://www.instagram.com...FQrGba8Lc8 I want to close by saying I'm super grateful for this community. I joined when I was 16 in 2010, and this was the only place where I could really dive in and learn about Prince from people who cared just as much as I did. Yes, this place can be source of daily negativity. However, the reality that we are all here on the basis of love is actually very beautiful. Thank you, Prince! [Edited 6/6/19 21:55pm] ^^^^^^ Your post is awesome. Thank you for sharing. I agree with TheKid94, that this was "one birth that changed so many lives." There is so much that came into my life because of Prince, his music, that would not have come into being otherwise. 1. Friendships - logging into The Holy River for the first time, I was nervous, a little anxious, because I'd heard all of these horror stories about what happens to people online, but having just seen Prince in concert for the first time, having checked out the website, I decided to give the chat a try. I got the internet because of Prince, because I wanted to learn more about him after having seen him perform. For some weird strange reason, I felt drawn to him. And in The River, I met some incredible friends, people who are still friends today, that I've had the opportunity to meet irl. 2. Acceptance - I always felt like I was different from everyone, that I somehow didn't fit in. That was definitely true in my family while I was growing (and even today), and so I felt like that meant there was something wrong with me that I couldn't fit in. But watching Prince's fearlessness, his walking onto a stage wearing speedos and singing about God, you don't get much different than that. He taught me to embrace myself, the good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, the different. I'm me and there ain't no one else like me, so I may as well dig the ride for as long as I have it. 3. Depth - Growing up in my family, the one thing lacking was depth. In-depth conversations, in-depth self-awareness, in-depth contemplation on anything other than what's for dinner, go to work, come home, go to sleep and do it all over again the next day. I never realized until I entered The Holy River how much I had craved that depth, depth of conversation, depth of thought, depth of self, depth of spirit. I realized that I need that kind of depth in my life, a deeper connection with people, rather than the surface, superficial connections that my family seemed to make with each other, the ol' "How's the weather today?" "What are you fixing for dinner tonight?" "What's on the TV?" I needed to explore "Who am I?" "What/who is God?" "Pop Life". 4. Self-Awareness - When I found The Holy River I was a very timid, quiet person. Mousy, even. You looked at me and I was liable to skitter away as fast as I could to the nearest hidey hole. But I found a voice in The Holy River, I began discovering who I was, what I believed outside what I had been taught by family and realized my beliefs don't necessarily align with my family's beliefs. For the first time in my life, I was getting to know myself. That knowledge of myself began to manifest in my life outside of The River, and I became more confident, more outspoken, less likely to skitter away. These are some of the things that Prince brought to my life (albeit in a round about way, but it was connected to him, his website, his fans - of whom I would never have met if not for him, and my desire to get to know more about him after that first concert). He was (is) an incredible artist, he had soul, depth, that I think pulled others, that were seeking something more than just superficial, to him. So, Thank you Prince. Thank you for the friendships, for the depth of your spirit that you shared with us, for the laughter and the tears, but most of all, thank you for sharing the same space and time with us and giving us the beauty and passion of your music. Happy Birthday, Skipper. (I miss you.) [Edited 6/7/19 0:03am] My book: https://www.amazon.com/Si...Gravermoen jgreco7 Pasta simmers on the stove in JUNE - makes no sense yet, but it will soon Somebody FAMOUS had a birthday 2day - U Prince. Hope its a great 1 wherever U R AND I really hope U R Playing UR guitar got Prince? ThatWhiteDude TThis is on my wall, I know it looks like it's skew but it's not. I got a poster but it's not up there yet. "Like books and BLACK LIVES, Albums still MATTER." "Extra cheese, extra HAM, extra bullshit" -DiminutiveRocker BartVanHemelen Related: "Celebrate Prince's birthday with a dinner in his honor -- The Onyx Culinary Collective is presenting a Prince-inspired meal with vegan and purple foods at the Bird in Minneapolis." http://www.startribune.co...510867202/ The Onyx Culinary Collective is presenting a meal in his honor on — what else — his birth date, which is Friday. The event takes place at the Bird (1612 Harmon Place, Mpls., 612-767-9495, thebirdmpls.rocks) with two seatings: at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. A dance party will follow the last seating; singer Mina Moore will perform Prince songs during each meal. © Bart Van Hemelen This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights. It is not authorized by Prince or the NPG Music Club. You assume all risk for your use. All rights reserved. PURPLEIZED3121 frankly just sitting back in awe of the amount of talent this man had. Beyond all comprehension. Lovejunky PURPLEIZED3121 said: “LOVE IS THE MASTERPLAN” Lovejunky said: Love this! I completely agree. I miss him everyday and I still have some difficulty listening to some of his music as I get very sad, but I'm getting better. He was one of a kind!!! Happy Birthday Prince Reply #10 posted 06/07/19 6:35am npgee The most talented musicians in the world were usually in awe of his immense talent. I am thankful for the quantity I have to listen too and know that there could be more things to come. I almost feel embarrassed about how much I miss him. Happy Prince Day! "What's the hurry 2 die without tryin? If u could sell ur worries would anyone buy'em?" npgee said: Don't feel embarrassed, losing Prince felt to me like losing a dear friend KCOOLMUZIQ will ALWAYS think of like a "ACT OF GOD"! N another realm. mean of all people who might of been aliens or angels.if found out that wasn't of this earth, would not have been that surprised. All needed 2 do 2 take over the world again is decided he wanted 2. will ALWAYS think of like a "ACT OF GOD"! N another realm. mean of all people who might of been aliens or angels.if found out that wasn't of this earth, would not have been that surprised. R.I.P. TheGloved1 Thanks 4 lighting the way Prince. I'm thankful I got to see you in person before you left us. Respect. RJP1205 Prince, you left us way too soon. 💜 Astasheiks Happy Birthday Musical Pops! 777 https://www.facebook.com/SonofPrince777 Reply #17 posted 06/07/19 10:41am purplethunder3 "Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." --Plato JohnShaft I've always wanted to get a tattoo but could never decide on just what it was that I wanted to get. After visiting Paisley Park last year and seeing somebody with the Symbol tattooed it made perfect sense. He is my biggest influence as a musician so getting something like this would never be something I'd regret later on down the road. However, being the guy that I am, I wanted a reason to justify my wanting to get one. The answer came later when I joined Weight Watchers to try to shed the extra tonnage I was carrying. I set a weight loss goal and decided that this would be the way I'd reward myself for hitting it. Well, I hit the goal and said "put up or shut up" and decided to get the ink done. The image was influenced by "The Dawn" bootleg CD and I have received MANY compliments on it. So, here's the ink - fresh from having it done on November 6th, 2018. I've also kept on the WW program and the weight is still comng off. What should I do to treat myself next? I hope all of you enjoy this as much as I'm proud to have it. Cheers! Who's the private d*ck that's a sex machine to all the chicks? Who's the man that would risk his neck for his brother man? Who's the cat who won't cop out when there's danger all about? John Shaft ... Damn Right! Celebrating Prince's born day on Purple Current by Sean McPherson Musician Prince, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, performs at the 10th annual Webby Awards, Monday, June 12, 2006, in New York. The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, is the leading international award honoring excellence in web design, creativity, usability and functionality. (AP Photo/Stephen Chernin) (AP Photo/Stephen Chernin) Prince was born on June 7, 1958 and though he did not celebrate his birthday for part of his life, many fans in the Prince world tend to gear celebrations to that date. Here's what we're doing on Purple Current on June 7, 2019 to be your soundtrack for #PrinceDay. Get the app, stream on your smart speaker, or join us on the web stream to hear: 9 a.m.: Interview with Mark Brown of The Revolution and Mazarati 10 a.m.: Prince music with information about Prince gatherings all aro...win Cities 11 a.m.: Prince music and interview with Prince Day Houston Organizer Craig Alexander 12 p.m.: Special Purple Hour 1 p.m.: Prince Year by Year 1991 4 p.m.-Midnight: All Prince music Stream Purple Current https://purplecurrent.stream.publicradio.org/purplecurrent.mp3 How purple fans across the globe plan to celebrate Prince’s ‘born day’ by Marla Khan-Schwartz · June 5, 2019 PRINCE CONTRIBUTORS ADD A COMMENT Prince at the NAACP Image Awards in 2005. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Although Minnesota has many opportunities to explore and celebrate the life and legacy of Prince during his birth week, fans from around the world come together in their own communities to celebrate the Purple One. Craig Alexander, a Texas native, created the annual event Prince Day Houston, which is held in the city of Houston, Texas. The event, which is built around Prince’s June 7 birth date, recognizes Prince’s contributions to music and the community. In 2016 Alexander coordinated with the City of Houston and Mayor to proclaim June 7 “Prince Day” — the only Prince Day designated by a city outside of Minnesota. Influenced by Prince’s attitude about life, music, and overall work ethic, Alexander strives to promote his event based on these core values. “Prince taught me that if you get to work and get busy, you can do it all,” Alexander said in an interview with The Current’s Sean McPherson. “You don’t need to wait around for this or that — just get it done. Make sure you are always true to self.” Alexander created the event to showcase local artists, giving them a platform to demonstrate their own abilities and talents. Inspired by Prince’s music, philanthropy, and influence on his own personal life, all of the proceeds from the annual event are given to local charities. “I always made it a point to be close and connected to not just his music, but his philosophy and his thought process, as it’s deeper than the music,” Alexander said. “Without a doubt, he had an influence on others outside of Minneapolis, specifically in Texas.” How are other Prince fans around the world celebrating his life and legacy around June 7? We asked fans to share their plans in an on-line Purple Current survey. Along with the purple community of Atlanta, Georgia, one fan plans to attend a weekend-long set of Prince-related events. Some find ways to celebrate privately, such as a fan in Portland, Oregon. Every year, to commemorate Prince’s life, this fan takes a bike ride. The city of Portland will also play the soundtrack to Purple Rain as a backdrop for a different anniversary celebration. “Since Prince has been gone, I bake a guitar-shaped cake, make Prince-themed cupcakes, and I place them on an altar that I decorate in my office at work,” wrote a fan in Las Cruces, New Mexico. “My co-workers wear purple on that day at my request.” A fan in Richmond, Virginia plans to attend a Prince-inspired cocktail party at their neighborhood bar. Across the globe, a fan in Glasgow, Scotland plans to stream Purple Current and listen to all things Prince. Another fan in Scotland plans to host a screening of Under the Cherry Moon at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow. Prince’s philanthropic values have created inspiration for one Seattle fan who plans on, “doing something for someone else, donating 100 books to a local Boys & Girls Club, and donating to an organization in Chanhassen all in his honor.” Local events in the Twin Cities are drawing fans from around the world. “I will be in Minneapolis with a group of purple buddies,” wrote a fan. “We are coming from different parts of the U.S. and outside the U.S. We’re all friends on social media and it will be our first time meeting. What a better way to meet each other — on Prince’s born day.” Many of the local and visiting fans plan to attend Twin Cities events including a Mazarati show, tours at Paisley Park, tribute shows, charity events, the First Avenue exhibit at the Minnesota History Center, an Ingrid Chavez performance at Electric Fetus, as well as other lined up week-long events. Some intend to get purple symbol tattoos and purple pedicures, while others plan to meet up to talk about Prince’s life at a local restaurant. The Minnesota History Museum plans to honor Prince with an event for fans at the museum on June 6. Partnering with Prince’s family members, the museum will host a “Prince: from Minneapolis to the World” talk. For fans like Craig Alexander, we can all find connection with Prince’s music. “When all else fails, go back to the music,” Alexander said. “Prince’s music has something for us in his music no matter what your situation is.” Listen to Craig Alexander’s full interview with Sean McPherson on Purple Current on June 7 at 11 a.m. [Wrong forum snip - luv4u] Cool a lot things going Down!!! Reply #23 posted 06/07/19 12:35pm purplethunder3121 said: Beautiful! ......As soon as I saw today's date, I remembered it as the day of Prince, the day God blessed the world with this beautiful man! Reply #24 posted 06/07/19 3:20pm kingricefan I thank the Powers That Be for letting me be alive to witness and share in the genius that is Prince. So many personal memories are intertwined with his songs. So much happiness and joy he brought to myself and millions of others who dared to listen to what he was saying with his music. One man who touched so many, many others with his God given talent, who wasn't afraid to be different and stand out from the rest. Thank you, Prince for coming into my life and becoming a most treasured part of my existence. I wish you Heaven, my friend. May you forever be at Peace. Spending the evening watching DVDs of the 1999 tour stop in Bloomington, Romance 1600 with Prince and Shelia E, now I’m on 4 Those on Valium. I’m thinking Birthday ‘86 next. Flirt1 I love this man's musical artistry and beautiful soul. I rode my bike 10 miles around the lake today to honor him.I love the last picture of him riding his bike at Paisley Park. PERFECT.... Prince was the GURU of EXTRAORDiNARY.... Do you know where and when this quote is from purplethunder3121 ?	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line148
__label__cc	0.668438	0.331562	Hugo Award Nominees orbivillein Location: Anatoll Re: Hugo Award Nominees Postby orbivillein » Wed Apr 08, 2015 6:48 pm I thought Day's (Theodore Beale) slate was the Rabid Puppies. Postby ThomasKCarpenter » Thu Apr 09, 2015 3:45 pm Thought I would add this to my earlier comment as proof of VD's intentions. http://file770.com/?p=21780&cpage=1#comment-250236 Postby orbivillein » Thu Apr 09, 2015 5:10 pm Brydar wrote: FictionMuse wrote: 6 nominations the same year. Surely that's a record. 3 nominations in the same category. Didn't know you could do that. Best Novella One Bright Star to Guide Them, John C. Wright “Pale Realms of Shade”, John C. Wright “The Plural of Helen of Troy”, John C. Wright Best Novelette “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus”, John C. Wright Best Short Story “The Parliament of Beasts and Birds”, John C. Wright Best Related Work "Transhuman and Subhuman: Essays on Science Fiction and Awful Truth," John C. Wright Color me ignorant and I am sorry if I offend a fan but who is John C. Wright? Until a moment ago when I googled his name I had no idea who he was. And I am perplexed as well, I thought you could only be nominated once per category. Is this 3x nomination for one category in a way padding the voting box for one author? Unless there is another author with more than one nomination for a novella I expect John C. Wright will win in that category (based solely on statistics). Wright is a Puppy slate selection whose personal and public beliefs align with the Puppies' campaign platform. So-called loopholes discovered in the Hugo process opened the door for voting block campaigns, that had not previously been aggressively organized campaigns like the Oscars and Emmys and other awards for distinction have encountered for a long time. I guess the Hugos have come of age and joined the mainstream. LDWriter2 Location: Central Cailf. Contact LDWriter2 Postby LDWriter2 » Thu Apr 09, 2015 8:58 pm orbivillein wrote: Wright is a Puppy slate selection whose personal and public beliefs align with the Puppies' campaign platform. So-called loopholes discovered in the Hugo process opened the door for voting block campaigns, that had not previously been aggressively organized campaigns like the Oscars and Emmys and other awards for distinction have encountered for a long time. I guess the Hugos have come of age and joined the mainstream. Which Puppy slate? Evidently there are two with different goals. Working on turning Lead into Gold. Four HMs From WotF The latest was Q1'12 HM-quarter 4 Volume 32 One HM for another contest published in Strange New Worlds Ten. Another HM http://onthepremises.com/minis/mini_18.html s_c_baker Location: Head, inside of Contact s_c_baker Postby s_c_baker » Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:19 pm Wright is present on both slates, but the vast majority of his noms come from Rabid Puppies (Vox Day's version). He only has one short and one novella on Sad Puppies (Brad's version). Unless there is another author with more than one nomination for a novella I expect John C. Wright will win in that category (based solely on statistics). Another option, and one that quite a few people are considering, is just voting "No Award" in every category. GRRM has been writing up excellent posts about the whole mess, by the way, for anyone who wants to read up on things without getting embroiled in vitriolic spewing of hatred from one viewpoint or another. On the mechanics of "slate voting" or whatever you want to call it: http://grrm.livejournal.com/417125.html More on "blogging for votes": http://grrm.livejournal.com/417812.html Martin's opinion on what SP/RP are REALLY about: http://grrm.livejournal.com/418285.html And Larry Correia's response to the last (which is incredibly long and has a lot of bolded/italic font--proceed at your own eyes' risk...) http://monsterhunternation.com/2015/04/09/a-response-to-george-r-r-martin-from-the-author-who-started-sad-puppies/ Stewart C Baker - 1st place, Q2 V32 My contest history: Semi-finalist, R, HM, R, R, HM, HM, R, R, R, R, HM, R, R, R, R, Winner My published fiction, poetry, &c. izanobu Postby izanobu » Thu Apr 09, 2015 11:07 pm Here is GRRM talking about why No Award as a policy is a terrible idea: http://grrm.livejournal.com/418643.html Postby orbivillein » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:03 am And next year and after the Hugo slate campaigns will rain kittens and puppies and bulls and bears and the Know-Nothing party candidates and scores more. Individual porcupines -- they once upon a time were happily ever after, bristled at confrontation and went otherwise contentfully unbothered. Postby E.CaimanSands » Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:06 am orbivillein wrote: And next year and after the Hugo slate campaigns will rain kittens and puppies and bulls and bears and the Know-Nothing party candidates and scores more. Individual porcupines -- they once upon a time were happily ever after, bristled at confrontation and went otherwise contentfully unbothered. Actually, Gator has already written her own spoof Happy Snappy Gator slate. She desperately wants to post it on Facebook, but I'm wrestling with her, telling her that's a Bad Idea. Seriously, I really have written one. Several ideas came to me, then they just kept coming. It's all written out in notepad. It makes me chuckle at least. Mine is a no-platform slate, but that's a slate too. I believe science fiction's difference from other stories and function is to explore how humans and the like deal with science, technology, and public and private values and how well a story gets them across. Call the slate, well, post neo-classical, I don't know, what, Sciencetifical Romance: pncSR? Or just Sigh-phigh Cappa Fidelity: SpCF. Hey, it already has a name -- science fiction. Location: Stirlingshire, UK Postby Ishmael » Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:19 am E.CaimanSands wrote: Actually, Gator has already written her own spoof Happy Snappy Gator slate. What a scandal that will be, Down with fishes! One, two, three! Like to see them add a 'gate' To the Happy Snappy Gator Slate! 1 x SF, 2 x SHM, 11 x HM, WotF batting average .583 Blog The View From Sliabh Mannan. amoskalik Contact amoskalik Postby amoskalik » Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:29 am Ishmael wrote: I like that: Gator Slate Gate. It has a Happy Snappy sound to it. Trajectory HM R R HM R R HM HM HM R R R R HM R HM Postby s_c_baker » Fri Apr 10, 2015 7:11 am izanobu wrote: Here is GRRM talking about why No Award as a policy is a terrible idea: http://grrm.livejournal.com/418643.html Yes, this latest one is especially worth reading. :) I intend to consider every story and every finalist in every category, and vote for those that I think worthy of Hugos. I will vote NO AWARD, I promise you, but only where No Award is warranted. (Truth be told, I vote No Award every year in almost every category. Usually not in first, admittedly... but I don't just look at a category and rank them one to five in order of preference, I rank the ones I think rocket-worthy above No Award, and the ones I don't below). This ballot is the worst I have ever seen, admittedly, and there are stories and writers on it who are not fit to polish a Hugo, much less win one. But there's good stuff as well, and talented writers whose work I have enjoyed, and I am not going to vote against them just because the Sad Puppies like them too. Haha, yes, Gator Slate Gate. You'd need a mouth as large as hers to say that repeatedly. I haven't read all the commentaries and arguments by GRRM or anyone else. All I'm thinking is, whether someone has written a Hugo-quality story or not, in my view folks shouldn't allow themselves to be put on such a slate, it's politicizing our creative industry to too great a degree and is entirely unnecessary. Now, this could be a purely hypocritical view on my part. If Brad came to me and said, "Gator, I love your story X, it's the shade of story I want to see more of and I want to put it on my slate next year, is that okay?" would I say no? I honestly don't know. I honestly might not. It's a HUGO, blast it! But I know that I'd feel I ought to say no, even if I really had written the best story since... since... whenever (unlikely as that might be I know. ) As an addendum to that, I believe some folk have taken a stand and declined to be put on any kind of slate. Indeed, I think our own Martin Shoemaker may well be one of the folks trying to stand above all this and if that is true I can only applaud him and others like him. One reason I had him on my Happy Snappy Gator slate. Yes, Gator, quite right too. Postby amoskalik » Fri Apr 10, 2015 10:06 am E.CaimanSands wrote: I haven't read all the commentaries and arguments by GRRM or anyone else. All I'm thinking is, whether someone has written a Hugo-quality story or not, in my view folks shouldn't allow themselves to be put on such a slate, it's politicizing our creative industry to too great a degree and is entirely unnecessary. I honestly don't know what I would do in that unlikely event either. I would definitely be conflicted though. Postby Ishmael » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:03 pm Now if the next Worldcon were to be in San Francisco we could maybe persuade our scaly friend to promote the Happy Snappy Gator Golden Gate Slate. And if it's in Snowdonia it could be the Happy Snappy Gator Welsh Slate Slate. What about Long John's Pieces of Eight Slate? There's that too. This one could run and run. Did I ever tell you how I once applied for a job on The Washington Post? Would that be the Old Folk Who Actually Remember Watergate Slate? Postby LDWriter2 » Fri Apr 10, 2015 6:40 pm Hmm,Verrry interesting prospect (for those old folks who recall the Watergate slate this is said by a short German solider hiding behind a potted plant) But Personally I think I would allow it with anyone but Vox's slate if what Martin says is true about him and I don't doubt it is. Except for the little detail about editors not liking my writing, that is. And Ishmael you are already on the Barnes and Noble slate. Postby Ishmael » Sat Apr 11, 2015 2:12 am LDWriter2 wrote: And Ishmael you are already on the Barnes and Noble slate. But nobody asked me first. It's just like in the Hall of Fame. They all take my name for granted and nobody pays me any royalties. Except when it comes to lists of people eligible for the Campbell Award where they don't manage to include my name. But that's all right because I don't sign up for Worldcon either. Once upon a time I used to attend conferences for a living. Now I live in the middle of nowhere. Except once a year when I come down from the hills for the Falkirk Festival. Then I go back up again. Postby E.CaimanSands » Sat Apr 11, 2015 3:47 am Ishmael wrote: Now if the next Worldcon were to be in San Francisco we could maybe persuade our scaly friend to promote the Happy Snappy Gator Golden Gate Slate. Heh. Don't give her ideas, I still haven't entirely convinced her that posting the Happy Snappy Gator slate on FB is a Bad Idea. It's still possible she'll do it despite me, behind my back when I'm not looking, in stealth mode. She does things like that at times. After finally weakening and reading one of the commentaries on the awards, The Guardian article, she's pointing out that there's no way her slate is worse than that. The article is here, incidently: http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/apr/06/are-the-hugo-nominees-really-the-best-sci-fi-books-of-the-year Postby ThomasKCarpenter » Sat Apr 11, 2015 1:57 pm GRRM really hits it out of the park on this one. http://grrm.livejournal.com/419232.html Brydar Postby Brydar » Sun Apr 12, 2015 3:31 am ThomasKCarpenter wrote: GRRM really hits it out of the park on this one. I am a member of a hate group and proud of it! I hate 'Haters', in my opinion they should take the more violent KKK and Black Panther members and put them on a small island with lots of guns and ammo then let them go at each other. Rid the world of the haters, well those kinds of haters. You all understand where I am coming from - correct? Entered V32/Q2, Q3, Q4 Not long ago scientists postulated that our entire universe was quite possibly a hologram. I KNEW it; we ARE in the Matrix! FictionMuse Postby FictionMuse » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:39 am Now one of Wright's stories has been disqualified: http://file770.com/?p=21886 Postby E.CaimanSands » Tue Apr 14, 2015 4:39 pm FictionMuse wrote: Now one of Wright's stories has been disqualified: Wonder if John Wright is rich and bankrolled all those dodgy Puppy nominations? Hmm, I really don't know, Gator, I haven't heard that he's especially rich or anything. Well someone bankrolled them. It seems they may have. But do you really care who? It's essentially electoral fraud whoever organized it. Maybe technically no laws have been broken but it goes against the spirit of a free and fair ballot. Which is ultimately why everyone is so mad. There's nothing that annoys folk more than a rigged ballot. Puppies claim Hugos are often biased as peeps campaign. Puppies claim this year isn't so different. But campaigning is a perfectly legitimate part of democracy. Indeed, it's an important part of democracy. Without campaigns where would voters get the information they need to choose between candidates? Still wondering who has the money to buy all those votes though. Er. Why? do you want to know? They be rich enough to buy fish farm for nice gators, maybe. Dream on, Gator. 'kay. Oh. And there she goes. Postby s_c_baker » Tue Apr 14, 2015 6:33 pm Jon Eno was also removed from the ballot on account of not having sold an eligible work during 2014. Another John C Wright nomination (the short story) is also apparently questionable, having appeared on his website from March of 2013 through December last year, before being removed and then released as part of his fiction collection--and apparently being largely identical in its latter incarnation, with a few minor revisions. Postby E.CaimanSands » Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:22 pm JMS has spoken. And personally I think he's spot on. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=963692290332301&id=139652459402959&fref=nf It shouldn't be down to the nominees to withdraw themselves, that's a horrible thing to have to do. They should just cancel the whole thing if they think it's a mess. Postby george nik. » Wed Apr 15, 2015 12:42 pm Annie Bellet has just withdrawn her story, which is very sad because she's such a good writer. I hope she'll have her chance on a brighter day. Postby E.CaimanSands » Wed Apr 15, 2015 1:42 pm george nik. wrote: Annie Bellet has just withdrawn her story, which is very sad because she's such a good writer. I hope she'll have her chance on a brighter day. Yup. Agreed. What matters most, long term, for awards is how effectively, eventually if not sooner, candidates and winners nobly represent and transcend the human condition. Period. How WorldCon navigates these turbulent shoals will make or break the Hugos for a brief time. They will, as all shows must, go on. The organizers are hamstrung by the rules to apply fairly and impartially only the organization's rules as they are at present. But voters have the inevitable next-to-last say. The scandal attracted voters for every faction. It ain't over 'till it's over. WorldCon gains membership revenue. The last say is only a matter, according to the rules, of certifying eligibility. Disqualifying several nominees due to ineligibility spoke volumes. This too shall pass. Postby FictionMuse » Wed Apr 15, 2015 8:14 pm Diabolical Plots has launched an award in response to the Hugo balloting controversies. The Mulligan Award. Not sure where the name Mulligan came from. http://www.diabolicalplots.com/announci ... ting-bloc/	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line152
__label__wiki	0.879127	0.879127	Home » Football League Championship » You are reading » Ones to watch on the opening day: League Two July 11, 2019 Ones to watch on the opening day: League Two2019-07-11T10:20:00+00:00 - Football League Championship - No Comment As the start of the new Sky Bet League Two campaign draws ever closer, we’ve been looking at some of the top players to keep an eye on during the opening weekend. There will again be a host of talented stars plying their trade in the division in 2019/20 – here are our ones to watch… JAMES VAUGHAN (BRADFORD CITY) Former Everton and Sunderland striker Vaughan joined the Bantams on a three-year deal last month, and will look to fire them back to Sky Bet League One at the first time of asking. The 30-year-old, who was released by Wigan Athletic in May, spent the second half of last season on loan at Portsmouth. Will he open his Bradford account against Cambridge United? ANDY COOK (MANSFIELD TOWN) Signed from Walsall in June, Cook will bring an added goal threat to last season’s Play-Off Semi-Finalists, Mansfield. The 28-year-old scored 18 goals in all competitions in 2018/19 but couldn’t prevent Walsall’s relegation, and will now be hoping to help his new side exact revenge for that Play-Off defeat against Newport County on the opening day. NICKY ADAMS (NORTHAMPTON TOWN) A player who shone in Sky Bet League Two last season, Nicky Adams will be looking to do so again with a new club – one he knows all about – in 2019/20. Having been promoted with Bury as the division’s top assist maker, Adams is back at Northampton, where he was a key part of a title-winning campaign in 2015/16, and will look to carry on where he left off against Walsall. RICHIE TOWELL (SALFORD CITY) After having been released by Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, Towell represents a strong capture for newly promoted Salford, who will kick off their first-ever EFL campaign against Stevenage in front of the Sky Sports cameras next month. The Irishman scored 10 goals in 79 games for Rotherham, and will no doubt boost the Ammies’ ranks. ZEKI FRYERS (SWINDON TOWN) A summer signing for Swindon, Fryers began his career at Premier League giants Manchester United, making six appearances under Sir Alex Ferguson before heading abroad to join Belgium side Standard Liege. Still only 26, the defender’s CV also includes the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace, and he’ll be looking to make an impression away to Scunthorpe United on the opening weekend. EFL Statement: Bury FC #OfficialEFLPodcast: Fraser Franks Ones to watch on the opening day: League One Mind United: 50 walkers complete Peak District challenge for Mind EFL Trophy Round One group stages confirmed Alan Curtis: Legend of the EFL Podcast « Mind: Paul Farmer Q & A Las Vegas to host Liga MX-MLS Leagues Cup final » Cisse: Senegal’s Mane should not think about winning Ballon d’Or Hadji blames Renard for Morocco’s AFCON failure Senegal out to stun Algeria in AFCON final Gio slams Galaxy over injury, contract talks Corona outlines keys to stopping Carlos Vela De Ligt joins Juventus in five-year ¬75m deal MLS-Liga MX tourney to have 16 teams in '20 MLS-Liga MX tourney to showcase 16 teams in '20 David Notoane to be in charge of SA’s CHAN qualifiers Claude Le Roy unhappy with June-July AFCON timing Copyright © 2019 EU Prime Time Football Go back to top ↑	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line154
__label__cc	0.737065	0.262935	Gong Matrices - Gilli Smyth — Parade (Voiceprint VP353CD, 2004, CD) For many of us who attended the IPMF in San Francisco in 1999, the long wait in the lobby while Porcupine Tree had ‘technical difficulties’ was rewarded with the unique spectacle of Gilli Smyth jamming with a group of unknown musicians playing violin, tamboura, hand drums and other percussives – and when Gilli’s set was finished some additional musicians and a vocalist were brought in. Indeed this was our introduction to Azigza. From that point Azigza came unto its own, and has since released two full length discs (and hopefully more to come), but in 2004 bassist Pierce McDowell regrouped all the members of that 1999 jam session (including guitarist James Rotondi and two other members of Azigza) as a backing band for Gilli’s lyrical musings and space vocals, which is documented here on Parade. The backing tracks consist mainly of free droning spacy expanses, or rhythm-driven trance workouts with rock flourishes; in every case it’s appropriate support for whatever Gilli’s lyrics happen to be focusing on at the moment, be it space aliens, parallel universes, wars, virtual lovers, how to send an email to god, the poignant “Demon Barbie and the Super Computer Matrix,” and more. Gilli’s improvisational whisperings also provide outstanding support for the musicians whenever they drift off into instrumental flights, the end result being both introspective and captivating. Related artist(s): Gong Matrices, Gilli Smyth / Mother Gong, Azigza Mother Gong - The Best of Mother Gong – I suppose there's a large segment of the record-buying public (not many Exposé readers among them) for whom the concept of The Best of Mother Gong would be a strange one: that there should... (1999) » Read more "Hinotori" means "Phoenix"	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line159
__label__wiki	0.523178	0.523178	2032: "Word Puzzles" Postby Soupspoon » Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:06 pm UTC Title text: Eno's storied aria was once soloed by Judge Lance Ito on the alto oboe at Ohio's AirAsia Arena. You air an argument? (9,3) evilspoons Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:44 am UTC Re: 2032: "Word Puzzles" Postby evilspoons » Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:13 pm UTC I haven't got a friggin' clue on this one. rhhardin Postby rhhardin » Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:20 pm UTC Orro, master of wordplay, could solve it. Sizik Postby Sizik » Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:27 pm UTC Sounds like a Jeopardy answer. she/they King Author wrote: If space (rather, distance) is an illusion, it'd be possible for one meta-me to experience both body's sensory inputs. Yes. And if wishes were horses, wishing wells would fill up very quickly with drowned horses. wolfpurplemoon Joined: Sat Mar 30, 2013 1:15 pm UTC Location: Hampshire, UK Postby wolfpurplemoon » Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:53 pm UTC I never got the hang of cryptic crossword clues, though my dad does them! Postby Heimhenge » Mon Aug 13, 2018 4:59 pm UTC Well I went right to Explain XKCD on this one. Nothing there yet beyond the cartoon. There may or may not be a real puzzle hidden here, but I ain't spending any time looking for it ... knowing Randall's propensity for messing with his readers' heads. I think he's just messing with the Word Game Enthusiasts, like he says, and getting a "Toblerone-Rolo combo" out of it, as well. Unless he's messing with non-enthusiasts to make them believe there's nothing in the Home of the dead chip. Get fifty inside, prompt! (7,4), when there's actually something. (I'm better, but not that brilliant either as you'll have seen, at setting them than solving them. Especially with no letters across!) Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 6:45 am UTC Postby Tungsten » Mon Aug 13, 2018 5:38 pm UTC Panama! Postby EdgarJPublius » Mon Aug 13, 2018 5:42 pm UTC Something something 'Starrett's Paranoia'. Though whether this is intended to refer to Writer Vincent Starrett or Crossfit CEO and stand-up desk advocate Juliet Starrett, I cannot say. Postby Steve the Pocket » Mon Aug 13, 2018 5:58 pm UTC I'm not sure what kind of people present each other with word puzzles without saying up front that they are puzzles, but it sounds like the setup to one of those elaborate puns, like the ones Pearls Before Swine does roughly every other Sunday. Postby Pfhorrest » Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:00 pm UTC I don't even understand the sense of the phrase "Word Puzzle" being used here. Like, I grok that it's some sort of puzzle involving words, but I don't know what there is to be solved, what a solution would look like, how one is supposed to proceed looking for one, or anything like that. Can someone share an example of the type of word puzzle implied here and its solution? hamjudo Postby hamjudo » Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:01 pm UTC Today's challenge: Create a puzzle based on today's comic. Or, find and solve the puzzle Randal put there (if there is one). pkcommando Location: Allston, MA Postby pkcommando » Mon Aug 13, 2018 6:17 pm UTC Tungsten wrote: Panama! That doesn't look like it will fit. It's 87 letters, starting with a 'J', and there's a 'Q' for the 85th, with an 'L' and an 'X' in the middle. "The Universe is for raptors now!" say Raptors, as they take over all of Universe. Pfhorrest wrote: I don't even understand the sense of the phrase "Word Puzzle" being used here. Like, I grok that it's some sort of puzzle involving words, but I don't know what there is to be solved, what a solution would look like, how one is supposed to proceed looking for one, or anything like that. From today's RL crossword: Vessels of the Royal Navy in America (4). "Royal Navy" is used for the letters "RN", America (in this case) is "US". RN in US would be "URNS", which are… vessels. That's an easy one. "Hunch about a piece of venison (6)" is probably "Haunch" ("Hunch" surrounds "a", the thing being then a cut of such meat) but might also be something to do with having a hunch about something, that is with six of the letters from "venison", or otherwise. I'm not yet sure, so it's only lightly pencilled in until I get some of the other clues maybe-solved to agree with it. "Having the support of the board though too old to work (2,3,5)" is a crucial one. There's often key words in a clue that often indicate an anagram of a following/preceding clue-word (mixed, tumbled, shuffle) or that a subset of some clue-words (part, cut), and the trick is to find those (if that's even what's in the clue!) and not get mixed up with the more direct clue-word ("vessels", above) that you easily might mistake for the anagram word while mistake part of the 'active DNA, junk DNA padding and enzymes' as the true target word. My Dad was taught how to do these, by a true expert. I've only learnt the principles, in turn, by casual remeniscences about the time he was in one of his first jobs and was being taught this during lunch breaks. If I pick up a paper in thr morning I'll generally do the Challenging sudoku in some time less than 10 minutes (not worth filling in the easy/medium ones), the regular crossword might take half an hour to get to the state of wondering if I should look up, the capital of some country, to break my block on another clue/confirm I've not gone wrong with it, but if I get even a half dozen of this more "word gamey" type of crossword's words then I'm happy. (I only picked this paper up an hour ago, so I'm wondering what bird matches "T_U__N", knowing that it's probably a kick-myself moment when it clicks (TRU…? THU? TAU?), wondering if I have the correct letters for "Quotes (5)" being "_I_ES".. scratch that, just realised it's "CITES", and now that might help with the three remaining downs and one across in the standard crossword. But (apart from those already mentioned) I haven't done any of the more intellectual puzzle, to its side.) Last edited by Soupspoon on Mon Aug 13, 2018 7:35 pm UTC, edited 1 time in total. Nazdar Postby Nazdar » Mon Aug 13, 2018 7:32 pm UTC But if you solve it, you'll inherit Randall's vast fortune! ECK138 Postby ECK138 » Mon Aug 13, 2018 8:42 pm UTC That could be interesting or not, depending if ended up with a bunch of 1950"s stars in a mad, mad, mad dash to Los Angeles, or a Mary-Sue retread of 80's pop culture. Mjb Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 5:32 am UTC Postby Mjb » Mon Aug 13, 2018 8:56 pm UTC Soupspoon wrote: (I only picked this paper up an hour ago, so I'm wondering what bird matches "T_U__N", knowing that it's probably a kick-myself moment when it clicks (TRU…? THU? TAU?), wondering if I have the correct letters for "Quotes (5)" being "_I_ES".. scratch that, just realised it's "CITES", and now that might help with the three remaining downs and one across in the standard crossword. But (apart from those already mentioned) I haven't done any of the more intellectual puzzle, to its side.) After hearing those, yes, it does feel like a crossword. From that most citable of sources: In June 2009 Eno curated the Luminous Festival at Sydney Opera House Fifty-fifty whether the "answer" lies in a search of the trivia of his life or the aforementioned word-hackery. Mjb wrote: (Not showing as an image. Not sure if it's because it's a slightly off-standard image URL, or if it's because in the last couple of hours my (completely up-to-date browser, SFAIK) has started warning just about every¹ https as a "Privacy error" with NET::ERR_CERT_WEAK_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM and refusing to let me see it anyway. Especially annoying as I've no need at all for security on that URI, but it won't let me http it.) ¹ Actually, poking away, it's only about half of them, now that I've poked some other places that default to https. You know what, though, this is probably better in another thread, after a bit of further checking. Soupspoon wrote: Mjb wrote: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/-_panoramio_-_Basa_Roland.jpg/240px--_panoramio_-_Basa_Roland.jpg (Not showing as an image. Not sure if it's because it's a slightly off-standard image URL, or if it's because in thr last couple of hours my (completely up-to-date browser, SFAIK) has started warning just about every https as a "Privacy error" with NET::ERR_CERT_WEAK_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM and refusing to let me see it anyway. Especially annoying as I've no need at all for security on that URI, but it won't let me http it.) Now that field is an underused source of obscure crossword hints. Wiki must be annoying for you then. It's a toucan. Postby Old Bruce » Mon Aug 13, 2018 9:49 pm UTC ECK138 wrote: San Diego area to be the pedant which I can be at times. Santa Rosita State Park to be most accurate. Haven't a clue who Mary-Sue is. [sad-and-puzzled-face emoticon] ((I was wrong, apparently Chrome had an update available on the 7th, and I never noticed before I poked and prodded some more. Why it suddenly made things that worked four hours ago stop working two hours ago, I'm not quite sure. Picture is there now, though. Also a stupidly misleading/unuseful error message, might I say. Anyway, just ignore this, it just doesn't deserve a thread of its own now, however…)) Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:21 pm UTC Postby Reka » Mon Aug 13, 2018 10:44 pm UTC Soupspoon wrote: From today's RL crossword: Vessels of the Royal Navy in America (4). I'm sorry, but that's just infuriatingly and disgustingly obtuse. (Not you, but that crossword so-called hint.) If I met such a non-clue in a crossword puzzle, I'd first, throw the book across the room, second, describe the author's questionable parentage and even more questionable intelligence at length in terms not suited for mixed company, and third, retrieve the book, find its receipt, and promptly demand a refund from whatever establishment I purchased it from. (It'd be highly unlikely to be an actual newspaper, since I don't buy those anymore, which is fortunate, because throwing a few pages from a newspaper across the room is a singularly unsatisfying way to vent one's ire.) Postby GlassHouses » Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:08 pm UTC Reka wrote: The Dutch newspaper NRC has a crossword on Saturdays, the "scryptogram," in which every single damn clue is like that. When I first started trying to solve those, it felt like a huge accomplishment to just get a single one from a whole puzzle, and that would be after hours of racking my brain. I've never solved a whole puzzle on my own. People get together to solve them as a team! People call each other on the phone to pass on the clues that they managed to crack, and to brainstorm on the ones they didn't. It's madness, pure madness! Postby da Doctah » Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:25 pm UTC At one time I came up with the idea to get a vanity license plate with a set of six random letters that meant nothing, just to screw with the head of whatever random person was behind me at a stoplight. That evolved into wondering whether I could get a vanity plate with a sequence of letters and numbers that looked like a standard non-vanity plate. (During the 1974 gas crisis, I could have used the same plate on even days because the number was even, and on odd days because all vanity plates were treated as odd.) Postby Soupspoon » Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:36 pm UTC Reka wrote: I'm sorry, but that's just infuriatingly and disgustingly obtuse. (Not you, but that crossword so-called hint.) If I met such a non-clue in a crossword puzzle, I'd first, throw the book across the room, second, describe the author's questionable parentage and even more questionable intelligence at length in terms not suited for mixed company, and third, retrieve the book, find its receipt, and promptly demand a refund from whatever establishment I purchased it from. Read this and learn more (that I didn't even know), then! Or throw your display across the room, maybe. (I'm wondering if I ought to give the two answers to my own (spur of the moment, and thus inexpert) puzzles, so far given. Probably better that than try to give more!) duckshirt Location: Pacific Northwest Postby duckshirt » Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:56 pm UTC I'd like to know where to get started with cryptic crossword puzzles. I recently learned what they are, but if you don't recognize the format it's impossible to get anywhere. lol everything matters -Ed Postby Old Bruce » Tue Aug 14, 2018 1:30 am UTC Soupspoon wrote: ... ... a singularly unsatisfying way to vent one's ire Now there is a clue for the ages. Postby orthogon » Tue Aug 14, 2018 7:20 am UTC Let's see ... "way" could be "ST" (street) ... "one's" is probably "IS" ... "singularly" ought to indicate a word that's in the singular rather than the plural, but no obvious candidate ... "ire" is unusual: normally you'd see "anger" in the clue and "IRE" would be in the solution. Maybe "FURY"? But that would make the definition "a singularly unsatisfying way" ... a dead-end street, i.e. closed at one end? It would help to have the length of the solution... ETA: (spoilered for solution) Soupspoon wrote: Home of the dead chip. Get fifty inside, prompt! (7,4) CRYPT+IC C(L)UE. No definition part, which is OK here on the basis that the context provides an overall clue. Still working on the other one - don't tell me yet. I had been led to believe that the cryptic crossword as featured in UK broadsheets was a uniquely British thing and unknown in the US, which suggests that Randall must be thinking of a slightly different type of "word game". For anyone wanting to get started, I learned to do them during work coffee breaks. They're a nice thing to do socially, because different people tend to like different types of clue (there are four or five distinct types: anagram, build-up, "in-the-clue", "cryptic", ...). There are quite a lot of "standard" things to learn, e.g. "study"="CON", "actor"="TREE", which must be based on English as she were spoke sometime in the early 20th century and/or famous people and events of the era. Postby Soupspoon » Tue Aug 14, 2018 10:10 am UTC orthogon wrote: [ETA: (spoilered for solution) Aye. And it was intended as a whole-self self-definition, in lieu, but might not have gotten past Ximenes's rules of style that I've read so much more about since composing it. The OP one has a definition, I think one could appreciate, but it was concocted in a rush so maybe you'll not find it the breeze I imagined it at the time. (If I'd have taken ten minutes instead of five to compose it, it would have been worded slightly differently. But to tell you the differences would probably give it up entirely.) Kizarvexis Postby Kizarvexis » Tue Aug 14, 2018 12:25 pm UTC I have a similar issue with a song. I just have the feeling that there is a deeper meaning to the lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUQDzj6R3p4 Postby Soupspoon » Tue Aug 14, 2018 12:34 pm UTC New thought, new post. It's occurred to me just now that a cryptic crossword is very much like a clever joke. Indeed, I often¹ give a chuckle (or a groan!) when the payoff comes into my head. Compared with standard clues. "Bird (6)". Oh goody. Let me run through all the birds I know. Compared with "Sounds like a pair may flip this creature."² Maybe there's elitism to it. Imagine you went into a topical comedy show and the guy on stage was saying something like "He who is like the second Regent of Westphalia… Does he not pour his drink into the wrong cup?"³ and the established audience starts rolling in the aisles at the astute observational comedy, but you're still trying to work out who is being said to do what. Those who 'get the joke' feel elitist, and the joke-teller who can claim to have only the elitest of audiences 'get' their jokes can consider themselves the epitome of elite that dictates who the elite are who make them so. Which obviously makes everyone else mad. (And what Randall is (allegedly) doing is Markov-chaining some likely phrases that Nerd Snipe that kind of audience. 'We' can laugh at the intelligentsia as they struggle to work out why we're laughing. Or nerd-sniper-sniping. Still not sure!) ¹ More so when I (eventually) work it out myself than when it's explained to me. ² I don't claim this as a very good clue, but it's not bad for me! ³ Don't even bother looking for an answer to this one. Wee Red Bird Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2013 11:50 am UTC Location: In a tree Postby Wee Red Bird » Tue Aug 14, 2018 12:46 pm UTC Reminiscent of the clues on the old UK show 3.2.1. For the uninitiated, they gave out several cryptic clues to various prizes and you had to discard them one by one and hope you weren't left with the booby prize. On discarding the prize, or claiming the one at the end, the host would rip through the cryptic clue at speed, making it almost impossible to follow, and the prize would be something almost unrelated to the first read through of the clue. One of 3-2-1's amazing clues explained by Ted Rogers: (Dusty Bin is the booby prize of a new dustbin) A wishbone brought on by Sonny Hayes came with the clue "Take one that never changes, add a pub and a precious stone, bring them all up-to-date, and now, you're on your own.", which the contestants rejected hoping it referred to Dusty Bin. Rogers' explanation of the clue was: "'Take one that never changes', well, that could be Dusty Bin which of course is where you might throw a wishbone. 'Add a pub and a precious stone', well, that doesn't point to Dusty. 'Bring them all up-to-date, and now you're on your own.'. Well, what about the wishbone? Sonny said 'a large wishbone', so what might a large wishbone come from? Something larger than a chicken. Turkey, maybe? Now, 'one that never changes.' is a constant, a pub can also be an inn, there's a lot of precious stones but how many go with 'constant inn'? How about opal? Yes, Constantinople, up to date, the pride of Turkey, you've rejected a 3–2–1 holiday!". Postby orthogon » Tue Aug 14, 2018 2:23 pm UTC Wee Red Bird wrote: On discarding the prize, or claiming the one at the end, the host would rip through the cryptic clue at speed, making it almost impossible to follow, and the prize would be something almost unrelated to the first read through of the clue. The thing is, cryptic crosswords can be solved. The steps in the explanation might seem outrageous to the uninitiated, but provided the setter is following the rules, a regular solver will accept, given the solution, that the clue is valid. But rules there are: for example, an element of the clue must represent an element of the solution in the same part of speech (and, where applicable, in the same number, person or tense). I'm very cross if a setter ignores such rules. Being unrelated to the first reading of the clue is absolutely normal; indeed, it's almost a rule in itself. I'll often discard a proposed solution if it seems to fit the surface reading of the clue too well. pernishus Postby pernishus » Tue Aug 14, 2018 3:28 pm UTC A Mary-Sue character is a sci-fi trope where a female character inexplicably has the abilities required to overcome a series of extremely difficult and unrelated obstacles. Some people have said Rey may be a Mary-Sue character. The male equivalent is called a Marty-Sue, which some people have accused Captain Kirk of being. There is an argument over whether the Mary-Sue label is just a sexist dog whistle for people who don't like strong female characters. The reference here is presumably to Art3mis from RPO. Perhaps if you solve the puzzle, you get Randall's vast fortune and the off-switch for the internet Postby ThirdParty » Tue Aug 14, 2018 3:37 pm UTC orthogon wrote: I had been led to believe that the cryptic crossword as featured in UK broadsheets was a uniquely British thing and unknown in the US, which suggests that Randall must be thinking of a slightly different type of "word game". Well, crosswords here in the U.S. do frequently have puns. To give a simple example, I remember a clue from a New York Times puzzle last week that read something like: "Is the stopover between Belfast and Liverpool a peninsula? [15 total letters]". hamjudo wrote: Today's challenge: Create a puzzle based on today's comic. I've thought of an ancient source of harp music which might be composed by the enthusiastic opposite of a female opera star after the start of one's post-live era. [5 letters] I've also thought of an au pair which you could produce from a popular tourist slogan if nothing divided you and your heart. [5 letters] Finally, I've thought of something that might be a code for Brian Eno; it can be constructed by taking the most frequently-occurring parts of each of the above answers, followed by what both answers have in common with an aria. [3 letters] Postby rmsgrey » Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:05 pm UTC The advantage of "straight" crossword clues is that they're direct and to the point, but it's often ambiguous whether you've got the intended answer until you've got sufficient cross-checks in place, and if you don't know the answer, there's nothing you can do about it except look it up somewhere. Examples would be "Bird (6)", "Capital of Uruguay (10)". The big advantages of cryptic clues are that there are multiple lines of attack, so if you don't know one aspect, you can still solve the clue as a whole (from time to time, I've come across clues where the answer is an obscure word I don't know, but I've been able to construct the word from the rest of the clue - or sometimes you come up with a word that fits, but you can't see how it's constructed). It's also a lot more common to know you've found the correct answer to a clue. Examples "One hears a couple may give the bird (6)", "I saw a hill? Capital! (10)". It's also fairly standard (though not universal) here in the UK for multi-word answers to be broken down - "Ruby sign of engagement is fake (3,7)"- rather than just total number of letters given (in some cases, letter count is even omitted entirely). Hyphenated words are also generally indicated, though other punctuation is not. A rare type of clue that I occasionally see is the reverse clue, where the answer is the instructions, and the clue is the result of following them - an extreme example: "E (13)" Postby Soupspoon » Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:37 pm UTC Case in point, today on the Quick puzzle "Stratagem (4)" with a P and L as the first two characters was definitely 'PLAN' (highlight the space to reveal?), which fits the clue well. Except that I needed "Mountain Pass (3)" to cross its middle character as the third character of this one, and that one's definitely what it is, and doesn't orovide the right letter for the first guess of the (4). So, now our four-lettered word is obviously PLOT. Maybe, because it's not quite a stratagem. But, regardless, that didn't help at all with the shares-last-letter perpendicular of "Room for manoeuvre (6)" that was "L_E_A_" which only became clear when I realised it would have been PLOY. (And, if I'd not yet got the Pass one, for some reason, it could conceivably have been assumed to be PLAY, and maybe other things I haven't yet had to think as possibilities.) Over on the Cryptic puzzle, though, "Sounds like one who listens to the Goddess (4)" was much more satisfyingly answered (HERA), especially when the last-char-upon-last-char perpendicular cross-referenced "Part of Nassau radiates a particular atmosphere (4)" (AURA). And I'm happy with my answer to "Don't reveal the sources of leather (4)" (HIDE) even though I have no clue about the two intersections in that one. Though right now I'm still trying to justify my answer to "Rocket an astronomical distance from the Earth (6)" (¿PARSEC?) because it answers one possible definition I can extract from the clue but doesn't seem to be an answer to the rest of it. I suspect I'll instead discover "LY", "PS" or (probably) "AU" is what that bit provides, in maybe naming a rocket. rmsgrey wrote: The advantage of "straight" crossword clues is that they're direct and to the point, but it's often ambiguous whether you've got the intended answer until you've got sufficient cross-checks in place, and if you don't know the answer, there's nothing you can do about it except look it up somewhere. Examples would be "Bird (6)", "Capital of Uruguay (10)". I grew up doing concise crosswords (i.e. straight crosswords with short clues), and once I grasped the principle of cryptic clues, my best way in was to consider each "end" in turn as a concise clue and apply my normal thought processes. Over time I got better at approaching the problem from the other end. That NY Times crossword is quite a thing. The grids used for British crosswords are much sparser - it's impressive that they can even fill those dense grids, though there's clearly a greater use of abbreviations, names and foreign words. The Peninsular clue could probably be a British cryptic clue almost unmodified (it's missing a definition part, but that's often done for a themed puzzle, provided a warning is given in the instructions. Joined: Sat May 28, 2011 6:24 am UTC Postby 6161 » Wed Aug 15, 2018 2:44 am UTC Soupspoon wrote: Case in point, today on the Quick puzzle "Stratagem (4)" with a P and L as the first two characters was definitely 'PLAN' (highlight the space to reveal?), which fits the clue well. Except that I needed "Mountain Pass (3)" to cross its middle character as the third character of this one, and that one's definitely what it is... ...which is GAP, so what was the problem? Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], orthogon and 44 guests	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line161
__label__wiki	0.813562	0.813562	SLIFF 2013: Sleeping With the Fishes 2013 // USA // Nicole Gomez Fisher // November 23, 2013 // Digital Theatrical Projection (Landmark Tivoli Theater) [Full Disclosure: Sleeping With the Fishes was one of five debut feature films in the juried New Filmmaker’s Forum competition at the 2013 St. Louis International Film Festival. I served on the NFF jury, and spoke with director Nicole Gomez Fisher briefly at the SLIFF Closing Night Party. This review is intentionally biased to provide an affirmative, constructive evaluation of the film.] An unusual species of humor bubbles through the screenplay of writer-director Nicole Gomez Fisher’s Sleeping With the Fishes. That humor relies to a great extent on the charm of lovable, over-the-top characters doing nothing more than showcasing their personalities. Fishes is not a film that sizzles with outrageous jokes, pithy one-liners, or quotable digressions. However, it is funny, in the way that an absurd anecdote provokes a helpless smile. The script contains traces of Woody Allen’s mopey, self-effacing neuroticism as well as Kathy Griffin’s catty, hyperbolic storytelling. While its eccentric sensibility misses as often as it connects, Fishes is a remarkably assured comedy for a feature film debut. The distinctive pleasures of the film lie in observing the members of the titular Fish family alternately snipe at and comfort one another, and in the way that Fisher coaxes the viewer to root for her hapless heroine. That would be Alexis Fish (Gina Rodriguez), a high-strung twentysomething who fled her Brooklyn upbringing to marry what she thought was the man of her dreams. Over the course of the past year, however, Alexis’ life has come crashing down around her. Her husband died in an accident, which not only exposed his history of secret infidelity but also saddled her with a small mountain of debt. Mired in depression and fumbling through a series of low-paying, menial jobs, Alexis desperately needs a fresh start. Fortunately, one presents itself when her endearingly geeky sister Kayla (Anna Ortiz) urges her to return to New York. Ostensibly, this homecoming is for a relative’s funeral, but in actuality the sisters are plotting to kickstart Alexis’ dormant career as a party planner. Unfortunately, this means that Alexis must confront her hyper-critical mother, Estella (Priscilla Lopez), who seizes every opportunity to comment on her daughter’s appearance and catalog her alleged blunders. Needless to say, such needling is precisely what Alexis does not need as she struggles to claw her way out from under her misfortunes. The angst of the mother-daughter relationship is the foundation on which the rest of Fishes’ drama is erected. The film’s conflicts are relatively low-stakes, but for Alexis they seem enormous. Her future financial security depends on her planning and executing an extravagant bat mitzvah for an awkward tween (Misha Seo). Her shattered confidence perks up at the sight of sensitive heartthrob Dominic (Steven Strait), but the nascent relationship is stalled by misunderstandings. As Alexis attempts to move past her humiliating and dispiriting recent past, every step forward seems to be followed by two steps backwards. Sister Kayla offers enthusiastic encouragement, but Alexis’ mother is always there, ready to offer her opinion on exactly how her daughter has erred. As with many indie comedies, the film's most serious weaknesses lie in pacing and structure. Too often, scenes feel excessively and haphazardly episodic, more like standalone sketches from improv night than slices of a cohesive narrative. Fortunately, Fishes generally maintains a cartoonish, somewhat breathless tone that keeps things moving through sequences of deadpan snark and general sitcom zaniness. Fisher is adept in her treatment of Alexis’ mixed Latina-Jewish heritage, which is integral to the film’s personality but never threatens to devours the story. Alexis’ ethnic identity finds expression not only in her anxious, sharp-tongued persona, but also in the film’s biting but warm-hearted depiction of her parents. Estella and Leonard (Tibor Feldman) simultaneously embody and subtly tweak stereotypes regarding Latin mothers and Jewish fathers, and it is in their private moments with Alexis that the film finds a touch of honest-to-goodness pathos. The challenge (and occasional necessity) of starting over in life is the prevailing theme of Fishes, and while the film has nothing particularly novel to say on the subject, it is nonetheless an enjoyable little bauble. Rodriguez is astonishingly precise in her portrayal of Alexis, conveying just enough insecurity and goggle-eyed panic that one can believe a woman as smart, sexy, and witty as she could still be an absolute train wreck under the right circumstances. That the viewer is pulling for Alexis by the end is not attributable solely (or even mostly) to her pitiable situation. Rather, it rests on the character's instinctive goodness, quick thinking, and sheer pluck in the face of adversities that would have defeated a lesser woman. Despite what her mother may insist, Alexis is worthy of a little love and success just as she is. Newer:SLIFF 2013: Ghosts of Empire PrairieOlder:SLIFF 2013: How We Got Away With It CategoriesDiary, SLIFF 2013	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line163
__label__wiki	0.772983	0.772983	Morphine: The cheap, effective pain-relief drug denied to millions By Joanne Silberner PRI's The World In the UK and US, patients who need morphine get it - it's a different story elsewhere It's cheap, effective and easy to administer - so why are millions of people around the world dying in pain, without access to morphine? In an open ward at Mulago Hospital in Uganda's capital city, Kampala, an elderly woman named Joyce lies in the fifth bed on the left. She has twisted the sheets around herself, her face contorted by pain. Joyce's husband, thin and birdlike, hovers over her. Joyce has cancer - it has spread throughout her body - and until a few days ago, she was on morphine. Then it ran out. "She's consistently had pain," says a nurse. "And she describes the pain to be deep - kind of into her bones." The Ugandan government makes and distributes its own morphine for use in hospitals, but poor management means the supply is erratic. "We're in a very difficult situation," says Lesley Henson, a British pain specialist on duty at Mulago Hospital. They have patients whose pain has been kept under control with morphine - but they are running out it. In many ways, morphine is an excellent drug for use in developing countries. It is cheap, effective, and simple and easy to administer by mouth. Yet according to the World Health Organization, every year more than five million people with cancer die in pain, without access to morphine. "The fact that what stands between them and the relief of that pain is a drug that costs $2 [£1.25] a week, I think is just really unconscionable," says Meg O'Brien, head of The Global Access to Pain Relief Initiative, a non-profit organisation that advocates for greater access to morphine. O'Brien says in well-off countries, like the UK and United States, there is enough morphine to treat 100% of people in pain - but in low-income countries, it's just 8%. In many low- and middle-income countries - 150, by some counts - morphine is all but impossible to get. Some governments don't provide it, or strictly limit it, because of concerns that it will be diverted to produce heroin. And many doctors are reluctant to prescribe morphine, fearing their patients will become addicted. In India, whether you can get morphine depends largely on where you are treated. Tata Memorial Hospital, a modern and well-equipped medical centre in Mumbai, has no problem getting morphine for patients. "We have all the medicines necessary," says Dr Mary Ann Muckaden, head of pain relief at the hospital. "We never run out." But in other parts of the country, it's a different story. Muckaden estimates only 1% to 2% of Indians with cancer pain get morphine. Dinesh Kumar Yadav, 28, has come to Tata Memorial - a 30-hour bus ride from his home - to get morphine for his wife. He tells me she is bedridden with pain but can't get morphine in the north Indian state where they live. Dr Muckaden says part of the problem is a stifling bureaucracy. "Many physicians in the north, they don't want to go through the rigorous licensing to store morphine," she explains. A morphine-use map of the world $2 (£1.25) - cost per week per patient 100% - percentage of people in UK and US who have access to morphine, if they need it 8% - percentage in the developing world who get morphine when required 20% of the world's painful deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa, but only 1% of morphine use Source: GAPRI There is a place in India where there are no barriers to morphine. But even at the CIPLA Palliative Care Centre in the city of Pune, in Maharashtra state, there are still challenges. You don't see the challenges when you walk through the cool courtyard gardens with fountains and manicured walkways, or in the beautiful whitewashed buildings with large airy wards, each named after a flower. "This is heaven on earth," says Asha Dikshit, whose mother came here last year in the last stages of breast cancer. "She was in agony. Her shoulder had dislocated. It could not be fixed back," says Dikshit. "She had pain in the back, and sometimes there were hallucinations." But she says her mother died - peacefully - on morphine. Making morphine Comes from the opium poppy Discovered in 1804 First marketed for pain relief in 1817 Recommended by WHO for pain relief under certain conditions Morphine and cancer in the UK Every patient here has cancer, and the care is free. The Indian generic drug manufacturer CIPLA supplies the morphine and pays all the other expenses. But even with all the centre offers, the occupancy rate runs at only about 60%. One big reason, says director Priya Kulkarni, is a result of patients' own concerns about morphine. They often think morphine equals death, and they recoil when doctors suggest it. Kulkarni says many local oncologists don't want to send patients here for that reason. "They don't want to give up when it comes to giving them hope," she says. "And saying something like, 'I am going to refer you to a palliative specialist,' is indirectly saying 'There is nothing more I can do for you.'" Despite all the obstacles to the use of morphine in the developing world, Kulkarni and others say things are starting to move in their direction. In low-income countries, morphine consumption is up tenfold since 1995, according to the International Narcotics Control Board. And several countries where not many years ago there was no morphine - like Uganda - at least have some today, even if the supply is unreliable. Back at the hospital in Kampala - where the pharmacy ran out of morphine and Joyce, the cancer patient, had to go without - palliative care specialist Leslie Henson finds a bit of luck. After leaving her patient, she steps into an office, glances at a bookshelf, and sees a forgotten bottle of morphine. It's enough to treat two or three people. "Hopefully, we'll go take this to her and see what we can do," she says as she troops back to Joyce's room. Soon, a doctor administers the morphine. Joyce smiles. Her face untwists. And her husband looks ecstatic. I ask Joyce if she's glad to get the morphine. Her husband answers. "Very much, indeed." Other people in the hospital will remain in pain - there is not enough morphine to go around - but for the next few hours, at least, Joyce will be pain-free. Labels: cancer, drug, hospital, India, morphine, NHS, pain, pain relief, painkiller, Tata, UK Jacintha Saldanha: Duchess hospital nurse suicide ... Why England's spinners are better Google's tax avoidance is called 'Capitalism' Figuring out the Modi speed machine Why is no one defending teaching at our universiti... There are no shortcuts On the 12th day of Christmas ... your gift will ju... Family isn't dead – it's getting better Britain could end these tax scams by hitting the b... The rotten New Zealand cricket administration - am... European Gypsies have Indian Genes Adjust your Defaults Julian Assange: the fugitive What good luck to miss out on a £64m lottery win Sex tips for writers Morphine: The cheap, effective pain-relief drug de... Blacklisting is the scandal that now demands actio... Drugs are taken for pleasure – realise this and we... Borussia Dortmund boss attacks Premier League's ol... More to getting your eye in than meets the eye Smell: The secret of true love An Alternative view on Modi's Gujarat	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line167
__label__cc	0.730662	0.269338	Oncor, the state’s largest distribution utility which covers Dallas, Fort Worth and much of North Texas, has already agreed to pass all of the millions of dollars of expected tax savings along to consumers. Oncor agreed to pass the savings along to customers as part of a rate review which is a formal process in which the PUC reviews the appropriateness of rates being charged by the utility. No exact details have been determined with respect to how the savings will be passed along. The rate review was actually completed before the tax reform bill was passed but there was a commitment in principle to passing along the savings. It’s not yet know exactly how much Oncor will save from the lower corporate tax rates but with a $245 million tax bill in 2017 future saving are likely to be in the tens of millions of dollars. The local electric company is the utility – that’s the company who owns the infrastructure, including the poles and power lines that deliver electricity to your home. They are who you call if your power goes out or there's an emergency. But in almost every city in Texas, you must choose another company to supply that energy, called a Retail Electric Provider (REP). These REPs, like Spark Energy, allow you to choose electricity plans that offer competitive prices and plans to meet your needs. Terms and conditions and restrictions apply. Copyright © 2018 Allconnect. All rights reserved. All content on this Web site is proprietary. Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. To skirt the late summer electricity rate hikes, a little bit of planning can really pay off. Try to avoid signing new long-term electricity contracts in late summer. While it may be impossible to escape signing a new electricity contract if you’re moving during that time, just know that a short-term plan may make more sense until the rates go back down in the fall. That way you’re not stuck paying a premium rate for an entire year or more. ElectricityPlans makes shopping for electricity plans simple and intuitive. We give you the search tools you need to narrow your electricity plan search to specific contract lengths. In addition, you can use advanced search to narrow the search for the perfect electricity plan even further by searching for 100% renewable, prepaid plans, or electricity + extra stuff, for example. We also show each plan’s popularity over the past 30 days so you know what other electricity shoppers have selected. Most of Direct Energy’s plans allow you to earn Plenti points — you get 1,000 as soon as you sign up. That initial windfall is about as good as it gets. You keep accumulating rewards with every payment, but just one point for every dollar you spend on supply charges (what you pay to Direct Energy vs. your EDC — so about two-thirds of your total bill). A Plenti point equates to about one cent, so that 1,000 point bonus works out to $10 when you cash it in with a Plenti merchant (Rite Aid, Macy’s, etc.) You’d have to spend a further $1,000 in supply charges before making off with another $10.00 in Plenti points. The nature and state of market reform of the electricity market often determines whether electric companies are able to be involved in just some of these processes without having to own the entire infrastructure, or citizens choose which components of infrastructure to patronise. In countries where electricity provision is deregulated, end-users of electricity may opt for more costly green electricity. Prepaid electricity plans are yet another option available to Texas customers. Prepaid plans let you avoid credit checks and deposits by pre-paying for your electricity. Prepaid electricity plans typically do not have a fixed duration and operate on a pay-as-you-go basis. Shopping for prepaid electricity can often yield relatively cheap electricity with no deposit. See Prepaid Electricity: Is It Right For Me? for more. With all the electric companies out there, it may be overwhelming to try and find the electric company for you. If you want an electricity provider that can keep up with the hustle and bustle of Round Rock, look no farther than Reliant. Whether you are new to Round Rock or a longtime resident, Reliant wants to provide you with innovative tools and electricity plans that put you in control of the way you power your life. This company has more plan variety than any other we looked at, though most of them seem more flashy than functional. And some seem weirdly niche — like "Connect to Comfort," a 24-month plan that comes with a Hive Hub and a Hive Active Thermostat, smart home devices that allow you to control your heat and A/C via app. Like many of Direct Energy’s plans, how good of a deal it is depends on how closely its offers align with your established habits. But competition didn't necessarily end up cutting prices, according to the report. One contributing factor is confusion among customers as they try to choose among scores of retail electricity providers and the overwhelming variation of plans, leading many to just stick with familiar companies rather than look for better deals, according to the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power . An additional bill was passed in 1999 that helped further establish a competitive electricity market by creating a price floor to prevent established energy providers from underselling emerging providers. In 2002, Texas finalized deregulation when the Public Utility Commission gave ERCOT the responsibility of managing and monitoring the Texas electricity market. The market opened up to around 6 million Texas power customers. Reliant offers a variety of electricity plans in Laredo, designed to match what you're searching for. Whether you’re a sports fan or world traveler, you can get rewarded for paying your electricity bill. We run special promotions throughout the year and offer plans that let you save money when you use electricity on the evenings or weekends. If you're looking for an environmentally-conscious option, check out our wind power and solar sell back plans. We carefully screen Texas electricity providers in your area. Then, we list electricity rates and plans from top providers in a user-friendly format on our website, so you can compare the information. We handle the complex concerns and considerations, so you don’t have to. With our assistance, you no longer need to track down different electricity companies, rates, and plans, because we provide all the information you need to choose the best provider. Deregulation seeks to drive down costs and spur innovation by breaking up energy monopolies. In their place, two separate entities take care of 1) generation and 2) distribution. Electric Generation Suppliers (EGS) create electricity and set their own prices for consumers. Electric Distribution Companies (EDC), a.k.a., your local utility company, bring that electricity to your home. These materials are provided by Constellation NewEnergy, Inc., Constellation NewEnergy Gas Division, LLC, Constellation Energy Power Choice, LLC, Constellation Energy Gas Choice, LLC, or BGE Home Products & Services, LLC (d/b/a BGE Home, Constellation Electric and Constellation Home in Maryland and d/b/a Constellation Home in Pennsylvania and Texas), each a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation. Exelon Corporation also owns Atlantic City Electric (ACE), Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE), ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO and Pepco energy companies. BGE Home Products & Services, LLC, is not the same company as BGE, the regulated utility. The prices of Constellation are not regulated by any state Public Utility Commission. You do not have to buy Constellation electricity, natural gas or any other products to receive the same quality regulated service from your local utility. Brand names and product names are trademarks or service marks of their respective holders. All rights reserved. Errors and omissions excepted.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line173
__label__wiki	0.682291	0.682291	H2P022 Movie Review of The Last Witch Hunter 0 After being cursed with immortality by the Witch Queen, the last witch hunter is all that stands between humanity and the most dangerous witches in the world. We also discuss the Point Break trailer. H2P021 Movie Review of Goosebumps 0 A group of teens, including the daughter of young adult horror author R.L. Stine, accidentally set free the writer’s imaginary monsters on the town of Madison, Delaware. We also discuss the Peanuts trailer. H2P020 Movie Review of Crimson Peak 0 After a family tragedy, an author gets tempted by a mysterious stranger. Trying to get away from her previous life, she is swept away to a house that seems to remember. We also discuss the Spectre trailer. H2P019 Movie Review of Pan 0 Orphan, Peter, gets whisked away to Neverland where adventure, danger, and his destiny awaits. We also discuss the Crimson Peak Trailer H2P018 Movie Review of The Martian 0 During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and is now stranded and alone. With little supplies and his ingenuity, he has to survive until a rescue mission can reach him. We also discuss the Pan trailer. H2P017 Movie Review of Black Mass 0 The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. We also discuss The Martian trailer.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line175
__label__wiki	0.612217	0.612217	Cassette exons in neoplastic pro-B-cells: implications for immunotherapy Thomas-Tikhonenko, Andrei Barash, Yoseph Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States See 29 grants from Andrei Thomas-Tikhonenko See 8 grants from Yoseph Barash See grants from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Autophagy in Adhesion and Metastasis Early Detection of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy with MRI Life Expectancy of Mentally Retarded People IT-Enhanced Market Design and Experiments Animal Economy and Sociopolitical Change in Ancient Philistia Early Life Stress, Damage Associated Molecular Patterns, and Cardiovascular Risk Role of High Density Lipoproteins in Interstitial Lung Disease Successful immunotherapies for childhood cancers typically target lineage-, rather than cancer-specific markers, B-cell specific CD19 being the prime example. These successes culminated in the recent FDA approval of bi-specific T-cell engagers and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-armed T-cells for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). However, relapses frequently occur in patients treated with CD19- directed immunotherapies, often due to epitope loss. While strategies based on dual antigen targeting are beginning to emerge, they are still based on targeting canonical B-cell markers, with the unavoidable side effect of total ablation of normal B-cells. The apparent paucity of tumor-specific targets in pediatric cancers (including leukemias) is likely to limit future immunotherapies. We hypothesize that alternative splicing could be both a mechanism of epitope loss and a rich source of a neo-antigens in B-ALL. Indeed, using computational and biochemical approaches, we have identified hundreds of local splicing variations (LSVs), mapping to transmembrane proteins (e.g., CD19 and CD22) with prominent extracellular domains (ectodomains). In fact, in our prior work we described a mechanism of acquired resistance to CART-19 based on selective loss of the CD19 ectodomain, primarily through exon 2 skipping. The two large Aims of this U01 are as follows. Aim 1 : To identify programs and determinants of altered splicing of B-ALL cell surface antigens. Our overarching goal is to construct a dedicated ?splicing code? for leukemic B-cells. Such a code will predict cis-acting genetic variants as well as trans-acting factors involved in alternative splicing and allow us to identify all alternatively spliced ectodomains. Then in Aim 2, we will investigate the effects of alternative splicing on B-ALL immunotherapy. Using CD22 as just one example, we will determine how truncated protein isoforms confer resistance to CD22-targeting immunotherapeutics, including antibody- drug conjugates such as inotuzumab ozogamicin, which was recently approved by FDA to treat relapsed or refractory B-ALL. We will also raise antibodies against peptides spanning novel exon junctions, generate antibody-drug conjugates, and test their efficacy against B-ALL cell lines and patient-derived xenografts. In summary, this leukemia-based U01 will create new computational and conceptual frameworks, which would be highly synergistic with Pediatric Immunotherapy Discovery & Development Network (PI-DDN) overall goals, including identification of antigenic epitopes that are uniquely expressed on childhood cancers and of cancer cell-intrinsic mechanisms of immune evasion. Pediatric cancers, especially hematologic malignancies, typically have low mutation burden, which could make them invisible to the immune system, trained to recognize non-self antigens. We hypothesize that in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) there exists another important source of neo-antigens, namely alternative splicing. By constructing and validating a dedicated B-ALL splicing code we will lay ground for the development of new immunotherapeutics that would target pediatric cancers with the specificity current modalities do not possess. Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01) 1U01CA232563-01 Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1) Mccarthy, Susan A Bagashev, Asen; Sotillo, Elena; Tang, Chih-Hang Anthony et al. (2018) CD19 alterations emerging after CD19-directed immunotherapy cause retention of the misfolded protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. Mol Cell Biol : Black, Kathryn L; Naqvi, Ammar S; Asnani, Mukta et al. (2018) Aberrant splicing in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nucleic Acids Res : Be the first to comment on Andrei Thomas-Tikhonenko's grant	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line177
__label__cc	0.68359	0.31641	Shivaji in confinement at Agra - The six rings of guards Four days prior to Shivaji's flight from Agra on 18th August 1666, his confinement was made all the more strict. Shivaji came to know that Emperor Aurangzeb had again ordered that he (Shiva) be put to death but later decided to keep him in the haveli of Raja Vitthaldas. When Shivaji paid a visit to Kunwar Ram Singh of Amber, who had stood by Shivaji till now and had agreed to stand as his (Shivaji's) surety also, the Kunwar did not meet him. Shivaji now understood that it was time to put his plan of escape in action before it was too late. To do so, surrounded as he was by six rings of guards to keep vigil on him, was no easy task. The sketch based on a contemporary Rajasthani letter shows the manner of his confinement thus: 1. In the innermost patrol or chauki were four Brahmins – Ram Kishan Brahman, Jevo Joshi, Shri Krishna Upadhyaya and Purohit Balram, all Kunwar Ram Singh's men. They were posted nearest to Shivaji's bed-chamber to attend upon him. From time to time, they used to go inside the room to have a look at him. On the18th August, when one ghari of night had remained, i.e. about 3.30 a.m., Shivaji had asked Purohit Balram to bring dry fruits for him which he ate, told the Purohit when questioned searchingly soon after Shivaji's escape. 2. Outside the entrance gate or deorhi of the haveli was posted a guard of musketeers with their guns loaded. 3. All around the haveli were posted Mina Chowkidars of Amber (later Jaipur), known to be expert watchmen. 4. Behind the Mina Chowkidars (watchmen) were Imperial troops ('Bagsaryas' in Parkaldas' letter of c. 23 August 1666). They formed the fourth ring of guards. 5. Behind them were posted Agra's dreaded Kotwal Faulad Khan's ahdis or gentlemen troopers. 6. And finally, there were Kunwar Ram Singh of Amber's Rajput Thakurs – Rin Singh and others. "But Shivaji, in spite of all these guards escaped is a matter of real astonishment", writes the Amber official Parkaldas in his letter dated c.23 August 1666 to Kalyandas, the Diwan of Amber. The adjoining sketch shows the arrangement of the six concentric circles of guards to keep vigil on Shivaji at the time of his flight from his confinement at Agra, as described by Parkaldas, an eye witness to the dramatic development there during 11th May – 18th August 1666. Emperor Aurangzeb acted as host of Shivaji during this period.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line190
__label__cc	0.692629	0.307371	Newsletter > July 2012 Infant 20 July 2012 So we have arrived at another end of the school year. We have had “graduation” ceremonies for Year 2 and Year 6 and everyone seems well prepared for the next exciting steps. As the children left the disco last night at about 8.10 pm there was a bright rainbow right over Holy Trinity and Pewley Down school. Joseph Harwood was heard to remark that it was “very serendipitous” (we teach good vocabulary at HTPD) and so it was a mark of God’s faithfulness to us in all circumstances. At both schools we have been following the life story of Joseph and this week have got to the end of the story and the stunning dramatic moment of Joseph revealing himself to his brothers. Joseph’s story also teaches us that through good times and hard times God has a plan and purpose for our lives. We pray for all our school community that, as Robert reminded us in the service yesterday, we will put our hand into his hand and feel sure of his presence. We are already looking forward to the next exciting year of the school with the leadership team having its first planning meeting this Thursday! In the meantime, have a great holiday, enjoy the Olympics, make lots of memories, keep safe and we look forward to seeing you all again on September 5th. With best wishes All of the staff would like to say a very big ‘thank you’ for all the lovely end-of-year presents. Your kind words and good wishes really mean a lot to us, especially at the end of such a busy term. Dates for September: Tuesday 4 September - INSET Day Wednesday 5 September - First day of term (Years 1 and 2) Thursday 6 September - First day of term (Year R) Tuesday 11 September -‘Meet the Team’ evening, 7.00pm. Well done to Hazel Class who won the Golden Boot competition for the greatest improvement in ‘green’ ways to come to school over the last month. The price of a school lunch is increasing to £2.20 per day (£2.10 currently) with effect from 4 September. Martha Fitzwater’s (Beech) Olympic bear is missing – possibly taken home by accident? Small brown bear – pink swimming suit with sparkly heart. Call 07792 452218. Anastasia Negus (Oak) has lost her named Mandela PE sweatshirt. Junior 20 July 2012 Message from all the staff "thank you for all the lovely gifts we have received". Year 3 Coffee Morning There will be a coffee morning for the Year 3 parents at 1030 on 4th September. Uniform and lunch cards will be available to purchase. Term starts for Year 1-6 on Wednesday 5th September. Lunch at HTPD This is to let you know that we have had to raise the cost of our lunches minimally to £2.20 from the 1st September. I hope you will agree that even at this price they are very nutritious and well worth the 10p increase. House Swim Gala Well done to all the swimmers who took part in the inaugural house swimming gala this week. Kate Evans (a past pupil from Holy Trinity) is carrying the Olympic Torch in Godalming on Friday 20 July. Kate is now 15, she is a passionate footballer who was nominated because of her desire to promote girls football and equality in sport. She will be running from near Godalming United Church on Bridge Rd to High St near Wharf St (see attached map) and they estimate that she will start at 5.47pm. My last Newsletter entry… I would just like to say, thank you so much for all the help, support and friendship I have received over the last 7 years whilst involved with HTSC. I have loads of great memories and wish you all the best for the future – keep fund raising and having fun! Best wishes Sarah. We are still on the look out for a Co-chair and Year Reps, please contact Caroline Swift htsc@holytrinity.surrey.sch.uk or caroline@swifts.me.uk A huge thank you to everyone who has supported HTSC this year. We have had a great year with many fun events and in the process we have raised lots of money for the school. Hope you all have a great Summer. Woodland Adventures (The Hive Project at Witley) are running a week of activities between 30th July and 3rd August. Early drop off/late pick up is available. The cost is £25.00 per day (bursary available). If you would like more information there is a poster up in Reception or please email: thehiveproject@hotmail.co.uk. Parenting Children course (by Nicky and Sila Lee from Holy Trinity Brompton): FREE 5 session course, Mondays 7.30 for 8-10pm, starting 17/09/12, all parents of 5-11yr olds welcome. Venue to be confirmed, wine and cake provided! For more info/ to book please contact Eve or Becky Ruckert (children and families’ ministers): eve@christchurchguildford.com or 07403 200961; becky@christchurchguildford.com or 07403 326948, Christ Church children’s and youth office 01483 455198; Eve Ruckert, Children and Families' Minister, Christ Church, Guildford. www.christchurchguildford.com 07403 200961/ 01483 455198 Becca Clegg (mum of Issie in Willow & Georgia 4N) will be opening her studio on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 July as part of Surrey Artists Open Studios, from 11am - 5pm, other times by appointment. For more information please telephone or text 07796 780042 or http://www.surreyopenstudios.org.uk/members/preview.php?mem_id=445 Cards available & paintings from £45 to £300. For SALE - Vauxhall Astra; Club Twinport. 1.6 litre Petrol, 5 Door Hatchback 05 Plate; 49,433 Miles Automatic with semi manual option. Black 2005 (05) Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Club TwinPort Auto-Tip, Semi manual Option, 5 Door HatchBack, MOT / Tax, Electric Windows, Multi-functional Steering wheel, Remote Central Locking, Immobiliser, CD/Radio Player, Alloy Wheels, Air Conditioning, ABS, PAS, Fully Colour Coded, Clean car inside and out. Service and MOT done late Feb. Very Good Condition. £2,950 o.n.o. Phone Rob on 07907 474521 Well there I was on Monday morning signing 4TJs reports when Sue came in and said that I had a phone call from Tribal. This is a name to bring very high levels of attention to any head. Tribal is the main provider of Ofsted inspections! I was told that we would have an inspection at Pewley Down. For various reasons I had been expecting one for the juniors but not the infants. I immediately rang Nicola and soon we were meeting as a leadership team. I like short notice inspections, there is time to smarten up a bit, but not enough to become stressed thinking what else can I do? As soon as the word got out everyone pulled together to help. The team really swung into action; parents, governors, teachers from Holy Trinity and of course all the staff at Pewley. There were some late nights and early mornings as everything was made ready. So on Wednesday at about 7.45 am they arrived. It matters so much how the team understand the school and for a positive relationship to be made between them and us! We were fortunate to have two kind and sensitive inspectors who I could relate to and this really helped the inspection to go well. So it was two days when everything was looked at from policies to fences and from behaviour to school meals. Almost every parent had returned the questionnaire – thank you – and a third inspector collated the results. At the heart were our children who showed themselves as the wonderful, confident and independent people they are. The children were introduced to the inspectors and were keen to talk to them. One of our youngsters had a vibrant conversation with an inspector about whether a book was fiction or not and another asked when the inspector thought he would die. Great lessons were observed, all part of our pre-planned Olympic Week. At the end of the first day additional documentation was called for and duly produced. Lesson observations continued right through till 2.00pm yesterday. Nicola, Helen and I all did joint observations with the inspectors. Stress levels were sky high and we came together, inspectors and senior team, to hear feedback. And really that’s as far in the story as I can go!! The report will be published on Tuesday 4 September, our first day of term.I am looking forward to you receiving the report; I think it will show a clear picture of our school. I’m really sorry I can’t share the results with you yet. Suffice to say the staff are unable to wipe the smile off their faces and I have to get a champagne stain out of my tie. We are so sorry to be saying goodbye to Thabo Metcalfe at the end of term. His last day will be Thursday 17 July. He has made a great contribution to HTPD and we will really miss him. He is going to the International School in Cambodia. We wish Thabo and his family all the best on this adventure. With best wishes, Richard Thank you to parents: All of the staff at Pewley Down would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to every single person who helped us make the school look the best it can be this week. We were incredibly touched and absolutely overwhelmed by your support whether you swept the playground, tidied a display or even did the washing up - you really made a difference! Thank you to FOPS: Another really big ‘thank you’ to FOPS for their hard work all year, but especially in organising the Summer Fair on Sunday in difficult conditions with such changeable weather. See the FOPS section for more details. Olympic toy competition: Thank you so much to everyone for the fantastic Olympic toy designs. We have been amazed by your inspiration and creativity. The winners from each year are: Rishi Bhardwaj and Thew Teerasakkul (Year R), Ethan Cashmore & Millie Chalmers (Year 1), Flora Michie & Caitlin Haresnape (Year 2) and the overall winner is: Elspeth Hoar ((Year 2). We will be keeping the toys in school until Monday as we would really like to showcase them as part of the curriculum evening. Please make sure you go up to the hall to see them. Olympic values: All this week we have been working around the theme of Olympic values and at the end of the Pewley Pentathlon today each house was awarded with a value: Mandela (friendship and respect); Keller (friendship and determination); Nightingale (friendship and courage) and Shackleton (friendship and excellence). Curriculum Evening, Monday 16th, 2.30-3.30 pm: Parents are invited to come along on Monday afternoon to have a look at the work we have been doing during curriculum week. Please collect your child from their classroom on arrival and they will then show you round the school. If you return to the classroom when you have finished looking round you will be able to collect their folders to take home. Freddie Fit, Tuesday 17th : On Tuesday morning Freddie Fit will be coming in to work with Year R and Year 1. To cover the cost of these sessions we are requesting a contribution of £2.00. Year 2, Tuesday 17th : We are really looking forward to our trip to the beach on Tuesday. If you haven’t yet returned your permission slip please bring it in on Monday. We are very happy for children to bring buckets and spaces, kites, frisbees and footballs – but they must be labelled. Leavers’ Assembly, Thursday 19th : Year 2 parents are invited to the Leavers’ Assembly at 9.15 am on Thursday. END OF TERM, Friday 20th at 12.00. A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped out with the Summer Fair last weekend and who came along to support it. We said the Fair would be on, "come rain or shine", and it did .... both! We raised just over £2600, so thank you!! If anyone would be interested in running the IQ Christmas card scheme this year, please let Louise know (louise.keiller@gmx.com). We have already registered for an early-bird deal; the designs will need to be drawn early in September. The task basically consists of collecting in the money, sending off the order and then bagging up the cards once they arrive. It is not an onerous job, but it would greatly help the new committee if someone could take over the project. Thank you. Thank you to Cecily Poole who has run the second hand uniform sales for many years but is leaving in the summer as her children move on to Holy Trinity. If anyone is interested in taking this on please contact the office or Cecily direct (01483 302008). It’s not a lot of work – sorting out the uniform for a couple of sales a year. Dates for your diary for next term: •A fun introduction to playing the piano and reading music. I have one or two slots available from September. Please contact David Hyde tel: 01483 237141 or e-mail: waggydee@btinternet.com. •Our piano teacher Liz also (Surrey Arts) has slots at HT and PD in September. Children should be aged 6 and above. The contact number in last week’s newsletter was incorrect and should have read: 01276 20095. Can you help? Have you seen / taken home / tidied away a reusable bag (possibly Sainsbury’s) with unsold toys and some new items including colouring marker pens and a wooden box (bought by my daughter at the fair)? There were 3 reusable bags stuffed full of unsold toys which were going to the charity shop after the summer fair. The bags were towards the back of the hall at about 4 pm on Sunday. Please contact the school office if you can help. Thank you – Melanie Baxter (Ben Alexander’s mum, Walnut). G Live Family Events Survey This survey is being conducted by Cassandra Copeland, an MSc student at the University of Surrey, in correlation with G Live. The survey is based on a set of questions directed towards parents of the Guildford area on how they feel towards G Live and what type of events/shows they would like to see coming into G Live. The information collected will be used for the purpose of the student’s dissertation at the University of Surrey to gain a better understanding of the research topic “An Exploration of Family Events at G Live.” All information is completely anonymous and anyone who chooses to leave the survey can do so at any time without penalty. All participants will be entered into a free draw for four complimentary tickets to a forthcoming family show at G Live. The participants cannot unfortunately choose their own show. Survey must be completed by August 1st. Click on the link to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6WJGCZMG Live Survey Tickets for One Man, Two Guvnors We still have 3 splendid tickets for “One Man, Two Guvnors” at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on Thursday 16 August, Royal Circle Row D. Hilarious show, many awards. Tickets were £55 each, we can sadly no longer use them, so if you would like them for anything you would care to offer! please contact Pippa on 07852 235247 So it was two days when everything was looked at from policies to fences and from behaviour to school meals. Almost every parent had returned the questionnaire – thank you – and a third inspector collated the results. At the heart were our children who showed themselves as the wonderful, confident and independent people they are. The children were introduced to the inspectors and were keen to talk to them. One of our youngsters had a vibrant conversation with an inspector about whether a book was fiction or not and another asked when the inspector thought he would die. Great lessons were observed, all part of our pre-planned Olympic Week. At the end of the first day additional documentation was called for and duly produced. Lesson observations continued right through till 2.00pm yesterday. Nicola, Helen and I all did joint observations with the inspectors. Stress levels were sky high and we came together, inspectors and senior team, to hear feedback. And really that’s as far in the story as I can go!! The report will be published on Tuesday 4 September, our first day of term. I am looking forward to you receiving the report; I think it will show a clear picture of our school. I’m really sorry I can’t share the results with you yet. Suffice to say the staff are unable to wipe the smile off their faces and I have to get a champagne stain out of my tie. Celebration Evening Celebration Evening at Holy Trinity will be from 4-5.30pm on Monday, 16th July. It is a lovely opportunity to see the children’s work from this term and to meet their new teacher! There will be displays from Curriculum Week in the Forum. Dance and singing performances will take place at 5.00pm, also in the Forum. Parent Thank You Wednesday 18th at 1230 on the Year 6 terrace, please RSVP by Tuesday 17th. Thanks. Year 6 Great Exhibition Tuesday at 2pm please remember that children need to be wearing a costume. End of Term Church Service Parents are welcome at the end of year service at HT church on Thursday 1.45pm. Leavers Disco Thursday 19th Year 6 Leavers Disco & BBQ 6-8pm. Please note school closes on Friday 20th at 12.15pm for the summer holidays. There will be no lunch or Clubs Plus. Sport: Tag Rugby Finals Well done to all of our team who travelled to Rugby on Wednesday. There were lots of great games and the team put up a really spirited performance in each of them. What a great achievement to get into the top 20 teams in the country! Thanks to all of the parents who took the children and gave great support from the sidelines. Olympic Football tickets We have been give two sets of three Olympic Football tickets at Wembley stadium on the 31st July. Each set is accompanied by three one day travelcards. If you are interested in taking two children please can you let Gillian know by Monday 16th July. We will put all requests into a hat and pick out two winners! School PE Kit Please could we have all of the school PE kit back next week so that we can do an audit, thank you. Please note that all school extra curricular clubs finish today. Breakfast and Clubs Plus will continue next week. We have launched a new maths page on the website today. Please email traceyd@holytrinity.surrey.sch.uk if you have any comments or suggestions for resources you would find helpful at home. Maths pocket guides for KS2 are available for £2 at the Junior School office. As it very dangerous for children to be walking into school through the driveway, please make sure all children use the alleyway and enter school via the gates in the playground. Thank you. Year 4 Topic To conclude the Year 4 topic on growing and changes the children will be watching an age appropriate film on relationships and how their bodies change. If you would like to discuss further, please contact your class teacher. Year 5 Get Together Just a little reminder about the Year 5 get together: Date: Tuesday 17th July, 8pm Place: Bridget’s house (Jessica 5M) 1 The Ridgeway, Tangier Road, Guildford It would be lovely to see you all there. If you would like to bring a bottle and a nibbly bit to share that would be great. HTSC Social – Wednesday 18th, 8pm The Albany. Sports Day Cake Sale Many thanks to all Year 6 parents who kindly brought cakes for the Sports Day tea and cake stall. We raised a terrific £200.53 towards the Year 6 leavers book. Please be thinking about whether you could be a Year rep next year, we generally have 6 per year. It would be great to have a new Committee signed up early so that we can hit the ground running in September! We are also still in need of a Chair or 2 x Co Chairs and a Treasurer, for next year. Please feel free to email/speak to Caroline Swift (caroline@swifts.me.uk) or Sarah Egerton (scegerton@aol.com) if you are considering any of these roles - happy to answer any questions - and there is loads of info available in the HTSC files to help! If you’re shopping online this summer don’t forget you can raise funds for the school by following this link http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/htscguildford Lost/Missing: Jack Jones’s navy blue Holy Trinity raincoat was accidentally picked up at the Sports Day when all the children were sitting in their houses (Keller). Could you please check to see if you have picked it up in error? Thanks. 2 x Mandela fleeces – Charlie and Ollie Stammers, keen to find before the end of term. Isaac Farrant has lost his blue "Holy Trinity South Hockey Champions" sweatshirt which he is very sad about as it is special to him. Please could you check if you have taken it by mistake. His name is on the label. If you have it or know where it is please could you return it to him in 6J. Thank you. Natasha in 3G has lost a black felt hat that she used for the 1940’s outfit. If you have seen it or taken it by mistake, please return it to the office ASAP as it has sentimental value to the family. Anastasia Negus (Oak) and George Negus (3S) have lost their named Mandela PE sweatshirts. Lunch Menu Week 2 Cards from Art4Asha.com To celebrate Asha's amazing and wonderful being, and to bring colour, texture, boldness... and much joy into the lives of others! Bridgit, mother of Bo in Year 6 and TA in Reception, has just launched her website Art4Asha.com. Hopefully you will receive a postcard in your book bag today, or in the next couple of days, explaining the offer, otherwise please see details below. Handcrafted cards - £2.50 - reduced from £2.95 -10% of all sales to HTPD. This offer is ONLY available via email or phone, or grab me at school! Please contact Bridgit at: beynon.bridgit@gmail.com Mob: 0794 118 2588 Home: 01483 576294. To view the current collection, please visit the website, www.Art4Asha.com and open the ‘Catalogue’ page. Offer valid until November 2012. BEC-Art Classes will be continuing in the Autumn Term in Guildford, for 7 -12 year olds on Friday afternoons (4-5.30pm) and Saturdays (12-1pm) from September 7 for 10 weeks. 2 hour classes now full, but 1 hour classes available on Saturdays & 1½ hour classes on Fridays. Prices from £90 for the term & from £10 for drop-in classes. We will be using Acrylics, Watercolours, Pastels, Printing, Sketching & doing 3 Dimensional work. For more information please text Becca Clegg (mother of Georgia in 4N & Issie in Willow) 07796 780042 or email becca.clegg@ntlworld.com. For sale - the Cooper family are moving overseas and so are selling our 18 month old furniture, everything in very good condition: Pine desk with 3 draws and pale pink top - £20, ELC Deluxe Canyon Road and Train Table - £40, Dreams King Size Spirit Divan Bed - £60, Dreams Single Divan Bed - £20, Pine dining table with 4 chairs (some marks) - £15, Wicker tub chair - £10, Beige/Mink Sofa Bed - £80, Beige/Mink Sofa - £40, Bush 24 inch LCD TV, built in DVD - £50, Bissell Multi Cyclonic Vacuum Cleaner - £10, Russell Hobbs Iron and Ironing Board - £15, Sanyo 800Watt Microwave - £15, Spear & Jackson Electric Grass Trimmer - £10, 2 x Pine Bed Side Tables - £5 each, 2 x Pine Wardrobes with or without doors - £10 each. Please contact Nicky on 07934 765 342, cooper.nicolle@gmail.com or Rob on 07907 474 521 Denbies Wine Estatate – Summer Fun! For more information please click here for flyer. Junior 6 July 2012 Junior School Events Next Week Olympic Sports/Curriculum Week - Would parents please make sure that the children are sent to school in school uniform, they may wear their house PE t-shirt and have PE kit at school all week. Monday 9th July Year 5 Clarinet Concert 3.15pm start - 3.45pm finish Tuesday 10th Sports Day (1pm) Family Softball Event - 6.30pm at HT, everyone welcome Summer Sports Club on Tuesday will be cancelled due to staff training. Year 6 Events Happening Next Week Monday 9th Leavers' choir rehearsal at the cathedral (9.30-11am)Tuesday 10th Leavers' Service travelling by coach to the cathedral at 9.30am, smart school uniform please. Sorry, no seats for parents on this occasion. Thursday 12th Year 6 parents social 8pm on the roof garden. Friday 13th Trinity Trek leaving school at 8.30am - please send in £10 What an exciting day of tag rugby we encountered last Thursday in Reigate, where sixteen teams competed in the South East Regional Tag Rugby Tournament. Our team or girls and boys worked brilliantly together showing real determination and discipline on the pitch. The top two teams went through which means we will be heading off to Rugby next Wednesday to compete in the National Finals. Well done to everyone and good luck next week. District Sports We were blessed with a glorious afternoon of sunshine yesterday for our District Sports Athletics. As usual, the competition was fierce with children from 7 schools competing in both track and field events which produced many exciting moments! Holy Trinity managed 1st place in all year groups thanks to the efforts of all of our children who gave great support to each other. Congratulations to all involved. Year 6 Cricket Congratulations to the year 6 cricket team who took part in the SE Regional Finals at Regents Park on Wednesday. The boys played exceptionally and we are incredibly proud of them. A big thank you to all of our parents, who as always provide great help and support in all we do. We look forward to seeing many of you at the Holy Trinity Sports Day on Tuesday which will kick off at 1pm and we aim to finish by the end of our normal school day. Wanted Urgently! It is Curriculum Week next week and we desperately need all the newspapers that you can bring in to us. Please don’t throw any away and bring as many as you can on Monday morning. Your support is much appreciated. Thank you. Olympic Torch Event Tickets in Stoke Park. Please can anybody help? I was not able to get any tickets for the event on 20th July (despite applying from 9.30am). I am desperately trying to get hold of 4 tickets so that we can see Polly representing the school, holding the HTPD flag along the torch bearer’s route. I have asked lots and lots of people, and am now getting a bit worried that she will have to go alone. If you have a ticket that you will not be using please could you let me know? Many thanks. Amanda Moon (Polly 5M). Guildford 503835. Year 5 End of Term Social We’ve organised an evening for everyone to get together and celebrate the end of Year 5: Date: Tuesday 17th July at 8pm at The Ridgeway Guildford - Bridget Parker’s house (Jessica 5M). If you would like to bring a bottle and some nibbles to share that would be lovely! RSVP samandbridget@ntlworld.com Hope to see you there Bridget, Amanda, Lisa (5M), Lisa, Bec (5H) Elaine, Vanessa (5R) Social - 18th July 8pm at The Albany. Navy Sweatshirt from Year 5 - it probably disappeared from 5R classroom the day of the fair, when the chairs were being moved away. Could you please check you have the correct sweatshirt at home please? Thank you. Burgundy adult FatFace jumper which must've been picked up at District Sports yesterday as it wasn't there at the end. It belongs to Na Kefford and she would very much like it back. Please check you didn't pick it up by mistake. Thanks. Do you need a pet feeder or plant waterer in the holidays? Reliable and caring pet feeder Jack Beynon, I am 13, and my brother Bo is in Year 6. Please let me feed your animals, or water your plants - indoor or outdoor. I charge £2.50 a visit. Contact me at beynonjack@googlemail.com or 07538 658758. I am local and my parents fully support my venture! Guildford County School are holding their annual Art Soiree on Friday 6 July between 5.30pm and 7pm and would like to invite staff and parents. This is a wonderful opportunity to view the Art and Photography coursework of our GCSE/A Level students. Everyone welcome! The Surrey Songsters is the Surrey Choir for young people aged 7-11. We are always keen to welcome new members, and there are no auditions, so if you love to sing, and especially if you are about to go into Year 3, why not get in touch? Organised by Guildford Cathedral and Lanesborough School, with the support of Surrey Arts, we rehearse in central Guildford eight times a term on Fridays from 4.15-5.15pm, and have an end of term concert, usually, at Guildford Cathedral. For more information email singup@guildford-cathedral.org Tickets for One Man, Two Guvnors We have 3 splendid tickets for One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on Thursday 16 August, Royal Circle Row D. Tickets were £55 each; we can sadly no longer use them, if you would like them for anything you would care to offer! Please contact Pippa on 07852 235247. Thank you. XY Strings, a local string group, will be holding their annual summer concert this Sat 7th July at 6.30pm at the United Reformed Church (83 Portsmouth Road). Entry is free but there will be a collection in aid of Malawian Girls, the charity XY Strings supports. Xander Wiles and Militsa Mashanovich (and ex students Isobel Wiles and Zoe Nicolaou) will be playing in the concert. The string group meets every Tuesday at 6.15 to 7.15pm during term time at the United Reform Church. They welcome string players of all levels, and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. If you are interested, please contact gillian.lloyd@hotmail.com Au pair for Holy Trinity family available for babysitting and cleaning. Please call Eva on 01483 573675 Infant 6 July 2012 Olympic Week, 9-13 July Children should come to school in PE kit every day next week. On Tuesday Gemma from the Sports Partnership is coming in with some of the young sports leaders from County School and they will be working with each year group on a variety of sporty Olympic activities. Wednesday (11th) is Sports Day and parents are invited to come and watch up on the field from 9.15am. Children will be working in their house groups for the Pewley Pentathlon. There will also be races for mums, dads and toddlers if you would like to take part as well. We have had some lovely entries already for the ‘dress your toy as an Olympic sport’ competition and all entries need to be in by Friday 13th. Please make sure they are named. Dads’ Day Thank you to all the dads who came in to help during Dads’ Day this week. Please drop any sponsorship money off at the office. Olympic Torch Event Tickets in Stoke Park Dinosaur Quiz Congratulations to Flora in Walnut Class for winning the Dinosaur Quiz. You certainly know your dinosaurs! Please see Ritvik or Marius for your prize. Strong volunteers needed to dig the steep bank at the side of the playground so that we can plant some big new shrubs. Please contact Sarah McKenzie or the school office. Building work at Mount Alvernia Mount Alvernia has had planning approval for an integrated cancer centre with work starting over the summer. Although this will be created largely by refurbishing existing space there will be some building work which may have an impact on traffic in Harvey Road. PUPS Parents Sarah Taylor has decided to leave pups at the end of this term due to family commitments. She has worked at PUPs for the past 15 months and enjoyed her time at the after-school club. She will be missed by all the children who attend PUPs as well as the PUPs team. We wish to thank her for all her hard work at pups. Learn Spanish while having fun! Small groups after school on Tuesdays from 3.00 to 4.00 pm. We do have a couple of places for next term starting in September. If you would like more information please e-mail: soiamaskell19@hotmail.com . Otherwise there will be Enrolment Forms at the School Reception if your son/daughter is interested. I will be away all school holidays and back on the 7th September. Gracias. Pewley Summer Fair – this Sunday 12-2pm Come rain or shine, the fair is on! If it pours we will relocate as much as possible indoors. Don’t forget: cakes, biscuits, jams, any home-made produce for the Pewley Produce stall to be brought to school either on Saturday 2-5pm or on Sunday morning itself. Pony rides: there will be a timesheet to sign up on arrival to avoid queues and disappointment. We look forward to seeing lots of you there for this lovely family event! Menu - click here. Our piano teacher Liz (Surrey Arts) has slots at HT and PD in September. Children should be aged 6 and above. Contact phone number is: 01265 20095. Found: Baby sling (Babybjorn) left in the hall a couple of weeks ago. Guildford Montessori Nursery School Summer Fayre, Saturday 7 July 2-4pm, Methodist Church Building, Wharf Road, Guildford GU1 4RP Cake stall – jolly jars – face painting – second hand stall – bottle tombola and much much more. Auction – including £60 Cote restaurant voucher, Aldershot FC tickets and signed shirts, Godalming Town FC training session for 10-25 children with lunch with their First Team Manager, Surrey Sports Park 6 month membership, plus many more! 25% of profits going to the charity CHASE. We have 3 splendid tickets for One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket on Thursday 16 August, Royal Circle Row D. Hilarious show, many awards. Tickets were £55 each, we can sadly no longer use them, so if you would like them for anything you would care to offer! please contact Pippa on 07852 235247 House for sale, £400,000 A three bedroom semi-detached family house, located in Cline Road, Guildford GU1 benefiting from private off-road parking, big rear garden, living room, conservatory, kitchen/diner, re-fitted white suite bathroom, downstairs WC, gas central heating, double glazed windows throughout, (possible two storey extension and loft conversion subject to planning), a short walking distance to Holy Trinity Pewley Down school and High Street. Tel: 07756 035561 or 01483 856330.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line196
__label__wiki	0.637788	0.637788	The Dingo Army Centuries ago, the Dingoes attempted to wipe out the Echidnas and their city of Echidnaopolis by using nuclear warheads provided to them by Overlanders. Although the missiles were successfully launched, the current Echidna Guardian at the time, Hawking, brought up a dome shield over the city, which destroyed the warheads. Unfortunately, the mass radiation from the weapons began to spread across Angel Island. To ensure the population of the Floating Island was safe from the radioactive waste, Hawking transported Echidnaopolis and its population to one zone, and the Dingoes to another, along with "Cavem Canus", the Dingo City. The Dingoes remained in their zone as the Echidnas did in theirs for hundreds of years, while Hawking cleaned up the Island, until Dr. Robotnik fired the Ultimate Annihilator, which distorted the zones and caused both the Echidnas and Dingoes to be transported back into the prime zone. The results of the Ultimate Annihilator on the zones proved to be more beneficial to the Echidnas, restoring their city of Echidnaopolis to the prime zone, while leaving the Dingoes' city in their former zone. When Enerjak returned to Mobius and began his invasion of Echidnaopolis, the Dingoes assisted the Echidna Security Team's defence of the city against him and the Dark Legion. Their efforts against the nearly omnipotent being proved useless, although Enerjak was quickly defeated by Mammoth Mogul who stole his Chaos powers for himself. However, he too was quickly defeated, by the trio Super Sonic, Turbo Tails and Hyper Knuckles. The Dingoes, now forced to live in Echidnaopolis with the Echidnas, felt they were being treated like second-class citizens. The Echidna Council attempted to aid the Dingoes by constructing shelters and housing for them, but the process was far too slow for the Dingoes, who decided to protest against the Council. During their protest however, the entire city was transported to the Twilight Zone when the Dark Legion fired their Quantum Beam. The effects were later reversed by Chaos Knuckles, bringing the Dingoes and the Echidnas back to Echidnaopolis. After the fight against the Xorda, when Sonic the Hedgehog disappeared and was presumed to have perished, Dr. Eggman offered the Dingoes a deal they couldn't refuse. In exchange for technological support and aid from the Eggman Empire, the Dingoes would act as Eggman's enforcers and regime on Angel Island. With their new-found resources and technology, coupled with the disappearance of the entire Brotherhood of Guardians, except for Knuckles and Locke, the Dingoes were able to overpower the Echidnas and install a fascist regime, oppressing the Echidnas and forcing them into slavery and concentration camps. The back of the Regime was effectively broken by the newly-returned Sonic and the efforts of the Knothole Freedom Fighters and Chaotix, who successfully prevented the Dingo's efforts to secure the Master Emerald for Dr. Eggman and freed Locke from imprisonment. However, the Dingos remained a threat for some time, and with the Dark Legion caught up in its own civil war, was able to repeatedly attack the remaining Echidna population (now only 10% of its former size) and reduce the recently-restored Echidnaopolis to a primitive collection of huts and houses, open to attack. Initially, the Destructix at Dr. Finitevus's command beat back repeated Dingo incursions, they eventually began planning a massive attack to overwhelm the Destructix and wipe out the few remaining Echidnas. Thankfully, this plan never reached fruition, as Finitevus was successful in creating a new Enerjak (from Knuckles), and direct him to attack the assembled Dingo population at their city of Cavem Canus. Enerjak promptly stripped the Dingos of their weapons, technology, and their pride, and condemned them to wander the desert region of Sandopolis and killed the Dingo leader; Kage Von Stryker, in a brutal manner. This brought the Dingo Regime's hold on Angel Island to a crashing end forever. Kage Von Stryker Gerbill Typical Dingo Soldier Former Members: General Helmut Von Stryker	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line199
__label__cc	0.67441	0.32559	Location: Archon Military and Naval Department Military and Naval Departme... Military and Naval Department (Civil War): Account of Expenditures and Liabilities Incurred by Counties and Towns, circa 1867 \| Illinois State Archives Title: Military and Naval Department (Civil War): Account of Expenditures and Liabilities Incurred by Counties and Towns, circa 1867 ID: 301/062 Extent: 1.0 Volumes Alphabetical by county. Military and Naval Department - RG 301 Subjects (links to similar collections) Adjutant General Military Bounties Public Aid Restrictions: None. Related Publications: This account appears in the Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois, Containing Reports for the Years 1861-1866, rev. ed., I (Springfield, 1900), pp. 204-215. Preferred Citation: Military and Naval Department, "Account of Expenditures and Liabilities Incurred by Counties and Towns," Record Series 301.062, Illinois State Archives. Collection Material Type: Official Records Other Note: No index. Printer-friendly \| Email Us Scope and Contents: Volume contains a listing of expenditures and liabilities incurred by localities during the Civil War. An account for each county, broken down by town or township, lists amounts expended for each of the following categories: bounties, transportation, subsistence, general expenses, soldiers' families, and interest. County or town totals also are listed for all categories. These accounts were probably compiled by the Adjutant General and later submitted to the federal government in an attempt to reimburse localities for their expenses on behalf of the war effort.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line200
__label__cc	0.696219	0.303781	The Seven Vials Of Wrath by William Cowper Brann [?] The trend of events points to a war that will involve the world–will align the Old against the New. I will be told the idea that Europe will combine against America is sheer madness. Is it even so? Has the time arrived when young men dream idle dreams and old men see lying visions? Scan the European press for six months past, and you will find such an event foreshadowed by the ablest editors and most distinguished diplomats. The probable necessity of such a coalition has been seriously discussed by various European cabinets. Great Britain is the pariah of nations, feared by most, detested by all. Continental Europe would gladly see her humbled in the very dust. Had war resulted from the Venezuelan complication, England would, in all probability, have been left without allies, albeit the president’s ultimatum was not relished by other transatlantic powers. Realizing his inability to cope with the Giant of the Occident, the world’s bully stopped blustering and began sniffling about his beloved cousin across the sea and the beatitude of arbitration. The American Congress passed resolutions of sympathy with the Cuban insurgents, and from so slight a spark the Spanish people took fire. Instead of acting as peace-makers, the official organs of most European governments proceeded to fan the flames– encouraged Spain to resent the fancied affront by assuring her that she would not lack powerful allies. There was no recognition by this government of Cuban independence; no recommendation that we wrest the island from the moribund nation that has so long misgoverned it; but a semi-official expression of concern for men striving to achieve their liberty afforded Europe a pretext to “get together” and work off on a distant people that war spirit, so long suppressed at home, lest it disturb the balance of power. The British journals, which had warbled so sweetly anent their American cousins and “the indissoluble bond of Anglo-Saxon brotherhood,” when there was a fair prospect that John Bull would have to toe the scratch alone, at once forgot the blessed ties of consanguinity and assured the bombastic Spaniard that he would have “plenty of help should he decide to humble American impudence.” The press of France and Germany discoursed in much the same manner, while the diplomats of those countries agreed that “Europe would yet find it necessary to materially modify the Monroe Doctrine.” But the Spaniard, believing discretion to be the better part of valor, had apologized for the acts of his undiapered babes and the excesses of his hungry beggars before his neighbors could stiffen his backbone with their ostentatious insolence. The Monroe Doctrine, literally interpreted, is simply a warning to transatlantic powers to keep off the American grass–an official notice that they will not be permitted to overrun and parcel out this continent regardless of human rights as they have done in Asia and are doing in Africa. The “Doctrine” is ridiculous, in that it establishes a quasi- protectorate over a number of petty powers that have no valid excuse for existing; still it works no injury to any European government not bent on international buccaneering. Uncle Sam’s promulgation of the Monroe Doctrine proves him a fool; Europe’s frantic objection to it demonstrates that she is a knave. The Spanish incident served to show that the war spirit is rife throughout Europe, and that her mighty armaments cannot much longer be kept inactive. It proved conclusively that Europe is feverishly eager to set limits to the growing power of this government while such limitation is yet possible–that she cannot view with composure the slightest inclination on the part of America to take a hand in the world’s politics. With wealth aggregating seventy-five billions, and as many millions of warlike Americans back of it, the Monroe Doctrine becomes something more than an iridescent dream. When such a nation decides upon “a vigorous foreign policy,” the balance of power problem cannot be long confined to the European continent–a fact which explains the pernicious activity of transatlantic governments during our late unpleasantness.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line205
__label__wiki	0.753882	0.753882	Home / Mobile / Snapchat loses 2M more users in Q3 as shares sink to new low Snapchat loses 2M more users in Q3 as shares sink to new low admin October 26, 2018 Mobile Leave a comment 188 Views Snapchat continued to shrink in Q3 2018 but its business is steadily improving. Snapchat’s daily active user count dropped again, this time by 1 percent to 186 million, down from 188M and a negative 1.5 percent growth rate in Q2. User count is still up 5 percent year-over-year, though. Snapchat earned $298 million in revenue with an EPS loss of $0.12, beating Wall Street’s expectations of $283 million in revenue and EPS loss of $0.14, plus a loss of a half a million users. Snap entered earnings with a $6.99 share price, close to its $6.46 all-time low and way down from its $24 IPO opening price. Snap lost $325 million this quarter compared to $353 million in Q2, so it’s making some progress with its cost cutting. That briefly emboldened Wall Street, which pushed the share price up 8.3 percent to around $7.57 right after earnings were announced. But then Snap’s share price came crashing down to -9.3 percent to $6.31 in after-hours trading. The stock had been so heavily shorted by investors that it only needed modest growth in its business for shares to perk up, but the fear that Snap might shrink into nothing has investors weary. Projections that Snap will lose users again next quarter further scared off investors. Worringly, Snapchat’s average revenue per user dropped 12.5 percent in the developing world this quarter. But strong gains in the US and Europe markets grew global ARPU by 14 percent. Snap projects $355 million to $380 million in holiday Q4 revenue, in line with analyst estimates. In his prepared remarks, CEO Evan Spiegel admitted that “While we have incredible reach among our core demographic of 13- to 34-year-olds in the US and Europe, there are billions of people worldwide who do not yet use Snapchat.” He explained that the 2 million user loss was mostly on Android where Snapchat doesn’t run as well as on iOS. Noticibly absent was an update on monthly active users in the US and Canada. Snap said that was over 100 million monthly users last quarter, probably in an effort to distract from the daily user shrinkage. The company didn’t update that stat, but did say the “over 100 million” stat was still accurate. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel Spiegel had said in a memo that his stretch goal was break-even this year and full-year profitability in 2019. But CFO Tim Stone said that “Looking forward to 2019, our internal stretch output goal will be an acceleration of revenue growth and full year free cash flow and profitability. Bear in mind that an internal stretch goal is not a forecast, and it’s not guidance.” During the call, Spiegel responded to questions about the Android overhaul’s schedule saying, “Quality takes time. We’re going wait until we get it right”. But analysts piled on with inquiries about how Snap would turn things around in 2019. He admitted Snaps created per day had dropped from 3.5 billion to 3 billion per day, but tried to reassure investors by saying over 60% of our users are still creating snaps every day. Spiegel said that expanding beyond the 13 to 34-year-old age group in the US and Europe, plus scoring more users in the developing world via the improved Android app would be how it restores momentum. But the problem is that courting older users could sour the perception of its younger users who don’t want their parents, teachers, or bosses on the app. Now down to $1.4 billion in cash and securities, Snap will need to start reaching more of those international users or improving monetization of those it still has to keep afloat without outside capital. An Uphill Battle Q3 saw Snapchat’s launch its first in-house augmented reality Snappable games, while plans for an third-party gaming platform leak. The Snappable Tic-Tac-Toe game saw 80 million unique users, suggesting gaming could be the right direction for Snap to move towards. It launched Lens Explorer to draw more attention to developer and creator-built augmented reality experiences, plus its Storyteller program to connect social media stars to brands to earn sponsorship money. It also shut down its Venmo-like Snapcash feature. But the biggest news came from its Q2 earnings report where it announced it’d lost 3 million users. That scored it a short-lived stock price pop, but competition and user shrinkage has pushed Snap’s shares to new lows. Snapchat is depending on the Project Mushroom engineering overhaul of its Android app to speed up performance, and thereby accelerate user growth and retention. Snap neglected the developing world’s Android market for years as it focused on iPhone-toting US teens. Given Snapchat is all about quick videos, slow load times made it nearly unusable, especially in markets with slower network connections and older phones. Looking at the competitive landscape, WhatsApp’s Snapchat Stories clone Status has grown to 450 million daily users while Instagram Stories has reached 400 million dailies — much of that coming in the developing world, thereby blocking Snap’s growth abroad as I predicted when Insta Stories launched.. Snap Map hasn’t become ubiquitous, Snap’s Original Shows still aren’t premium enough to drag in tons of new users, Discover is a clickbait-overloaded mess, and Instagram has already copied the best parts of its ephemeral messaging. Snap could be vulnerable in the developing world if WhatsApp similarly copies its disappearing chats. At this rate, Snap will run out of money before it’s projected to become profitable in 2020 or 2021. That means the company will likely need to sell new shares in exchange for outside investment or get acquired to survive. Previous Two hackers behind 2016 Uber data breach have been indicted for another hack Next Inspired by spiders and wasps, these tiny drones pull 40x their own weight Highlights from Facebook’s Libra Senate hearing Facebook’s testimony to Congress: Libra will be regulated by Swiss Snapchat announces new shows from Serena Williams, Arnold Schwarzenegger and others Snapchat just announced that it’s making shows with big names like Serena Williams, Arnold Schwarzenegger ...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line206
__label__cc	0.706149	0.293851	Futures contracts with a longer term to expiration may be priced higher than futures contracts with a shorter term to expiration, a relationship called “contango.” Conversely, futures contracts with a longer term to expiration may be priced lower than futures contracts with a shorter term to expiration, a relationship called “backwardation.” Contango and backwardation have different impacts on ProShares Bitcoin/Blockchain ProShares Bitcoin Futures Strategy ETF, ProShares Bitcoin Futures/Equity Strategy ETF and ProShares Bitcoin/Blockchain Strategy ETF (each, a “Bitcoin Fund”) and ProShares Short Bitcoin Futures Strategy ETF (the “Short Bitcoin Fund”). The value of such Creation Unit for the Equities for Rising Rates ETF, the S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF, the Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF, the MSCI Emerging Markets Dividend Growers ETF, the Managed Futures Strategy ETF, the Crude Oil Strategy ETF, the UltraPro Short Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF, the Short 7-10 Year Treasury ETF and the Ultra Gold Miners ETF as of each Fund’s inception was $1,000,000. impede the functionality of the Bitcoin Network and adversely affect the price of bitcoin. Any technical disruptions or regulatory limitations that affect Internet access may have an adverse effect on the Bitcoin Network, the price of bitcoin and the bitcoin futures contracts in which the Fund invests. In addition to technical disruptions such as cyber-attacks, the potential elimination of the net neutrality regulations in the U.S. may have a negative impact on bitcoin and the Bitcoin ecosystem. As of May 2018, over 1,800 cryptocurrency specifications existed.[29] Within a cryptocurrency system, the safety, integrity and balance of ledgers is maintained by a community of mutually distrustful parties referred to as miners: who use their computers to help validate and timestamp transactions, adding them to the ledger in accordance with a particular timestamping scheme.[16] In general, the Code defines (1) “short-term capital gain dividends” as distributions of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses and (2) “interest-related dividends” as distributions from U.S. source interest income of types similar to those not subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by an individual foreign shareholder, in each case to the extent such distributions are properly reported as such by a Fund in a written notice to shareholders. The Advisor may give consideration to placing portfolio transactions with those brokers and dealers that also furnish research and other execution related services to the Fund or the Advisor. Such services may include, but are not limited to, any one or more of the following: information as to the availability of securities for purchase or sale; statistical or factual information or opinions pertaining to investment; information about market conditions generally; equipment that facilitates and improves trade execution; and appraisals or evaluations of portfolio securities. Portfolio holdings information may not be provided prior to its public availability (“Non-Standard Disclosure”) in other circumstances except where appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect. Non-Standard Disclosure may be authorized by the Trust’s CCO or, in his absence, any other authorized officer of the Trust if he determines that such disclosure is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders, no conflict exists between the interests of the Fund’s shareholders and those of the Advisor or Distributor and such disclosure serves a legitimate business purpose, and measures discussed in the previous paragraph regarding confidentiality are satisfied. The lag time between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed shall be determined by the officer authorizing the disclosure. The CCO is responsible for ensuring that portfolio holdings disclosures are made in accordance with this Policy. Distributions by a Fund to a shareholder that is not a “United States person” within the meaning of the Code (such a shareholder, a “foreign shareholder”) properly reported by the Fund as (1) Capital Gain Dividends, (2) short-term capital gain dividends, and (3) interest-related dividends, each as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, generally are not subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax. Bitcoin relies on blockchain technology. “Blockchain” is a decentralized database. Transactions are grouped in blocks and then chained together through cryptographic links. Blockchain is designed so that the chain can be added to, but not edited. This structure is called a “distributed ledger.” Transactions in the distributed ledger are permanently recorded and can never disappear, although theft and loss of bitcoin can occur. While bitcoin has grown in popularity, it’s still not nearly as widely accepted as traditional currency. For example, you can enter a Bitcoin futures contract with Mortimer Duke saying that you will sell him 1 BTC on March 30, 2018, for the price of 5,000 USD per BTC. (In the actual CME futures contracts, the limit for one contract is 5 BTC, but we will stick with 1 BTC now for the purposes of easy explanation.) You enter into this contract on an exchange like CME. Since the introduction of futures, the price of bitcoin has gone up, suggesting that there were more As -- people who wanted to be long bitcoin synthetically -- than Cs -- people who wanted to be short synthetically -- though again it is still early. Crudely speaking, the arbitrage spread suggests that there are also more As than Bs: There are a lot of people who want to be long bitcoin without owning bitcoin, but not so many people who want to own bitcoin without being long bitcoin. (Which makes sense! If you bought a bitcoin and sold a futures contract when Cboe launched its futures last week, you could have locked in a risk-free arbitrage profit of something like $1,200. But if you had just bought a bitcoin, you'd be up about $3,000 by now.) The costs of trading actual bitcoins on bitcoin exchanges -- in terms of blockchain transaction costs, exchange withdrawal limits, etc. -- are significant enough that people who want bitcoin exposure are willing to pay about 2 percent to avoid them. Now there is an open interest in the futures contract created. The simple act of two traders with no open interest, one making a limit order which then gets filled by the other, is what creates this position. The exchange then holds the 0.2 BTC margin of each party and the Profit and Loss (PNL) of the contract seesaws between counterparties based on market movements. If the exchange is liquid and rational, then the market price of the contract will change as the spot market moves. So if bitcoin price starts going up, futures traders will bid the price up. Government regulation could adversely impact the operation of the Bitcoin Network or the use of bitcoin. As bitcoin and other digital assets have grown in popularity and in market size, certain U.S. federal and state governments, foreign governments and self-regulatory agencies have begun to examine the operations of bitcoin, digital assets, the Bitcoin Network, bitcoin users and related issues. Although currently bitcoin is not regulated or is lightly regulated in most countries, including the United States, some countries have, and one or more countries may in the future, take regulatory actions that severely restrict the right to acquire, own, hold, sell or use bitcoin or to exchange bitcoin for fiat currency. Regulation in the U.S. and foreign jurisdictions may restrict the use of bitcoin or otherwise materially impact the global demand for bitcoin. Regulation of initial coin offerings (“ICOs”) and other cryptocurrencies may have an impact the price of bitcoin. If Bitcoin Exchanges become subject to regulation, that may also impact trading in bitcoin as trading may be concentrated in a smaller number of regulated exchanges, which may impact price, volatility and trading volumes. Also, most Bitcoin Exchanges currently require bitcoin trading accounts to be fully funded, but if margin trading is introduced, there may be additional risks, including • Active Management Risk — The performance of actively managed funds reflects, in part, the ability of ProShare Advisors to select investments and make investment decisions that are suited to achieving the Fund’s investment objective. ProShare Advisors’ judgments about the Fund’s investments may prove to be incorrect. If the investments selected and strategies employed by ProShare Advisors fail to produce the intended results, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective and could underperform other funds with a similar investment objective and/or strategies. The Fund generally does not expect to invest directly in futures contracts, option contracts and swap agreements (“Bitcoin Instruments”). The Fund expects to gain exposure to these investments by investing a portion of its assets in the ProShares Cayman Bitcoin Futures Strategy Portfolio, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the “Subsidiary”). The Subsidiary is advised by ProShare Advisors, the Fund’s investment advisor, and invests directly in Bitcoin Instruments. Unlike the Fund, the Subsidiary is not an investment company registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary is intended to provide the Fund with exposure to commodity markets related to bitcoin in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. The Fund will invest up to 25% of its total assets in the Subsidiary. Except as otherwise noted, references to the Fund’s investment strategies and risks include the investment strategies and risks of the Subsidiary. Commonly, investments subject to interest rate risk will decrease in value when interest rates rise and increase in value when interest rates decline. The value of securities with longer maturities may fluctuate more in response to interest rate changes than securities with shorter maturities. A wide variety of factors can cause interest rates to rise (e.g., central bank monetary policies, inflation rates, general economic conditions, etc.). This risk may be elevated under current economic conditions because interest rates are at historically low levels. Returns on investment in debt instruments may trail the returns on other investment options, including investments in equity securities. Fixed margin will isolate your margin to the individual position you have made in an instrument. So if you have 1 bitcoin in your account and you put 0.2btc margin for a Weeklies Futures long position, and it gets margin-called, you still have the 0.8btc left. However, if you're on cross-margin, also known as portfolio value margin, then your whole balance on the site is going to be used to back all your positions, and if you get margincalled, it's because you have run out of money on your whole account. The Bitcoin Network’s functionality relies on the Internet. A broadly accepted and widely adopted decentralized network is necessary for a fully-functional blockchain network, such as the Bitcoin Network. Features of the Bitcoin Network, such as decentralization, open source protocol, and reliance on peer-to-peer connectivity, are essential to preserve the stability of the network and decrease the risk of fraud or cyber-attacks. A significant disruption of Internet connectivity affecting large numbers of users or geographic areas could impede the functionality of the Bitcoin Network and adversely affect a Fund. In addition to technical disruptions such as cyber-attacks, the potential elimination of the net neutrality regulations in the U.S. may have a negative impact on miners, Bitcoin Markets and the Bitcoin ecosystem. Any technical disruptions or regulatory limitations that affect Internet access may have an adverse effect on the Bitcoin Network, the price of bitcoin and the Bitcoin Instruments in which the Funds invest. Slippage is when the actual price we execute at is different from what we expect. In this case, a perfect market would let us sell the bitcoin and settle the future at precisely the same time and price. But in practice, market imperfections and Bitcoin volatility could lead to the price moving between the two trades, wiping out profits or putting you in the red. Each Fund intends to use, on a regular basis, leveraged investment techniques in pursuing its investment objective. Leverage exists when a Fund achieves the right to a return on a capital base that exceeds the Fund’s assets. Utilization of leverage involves special risks and should be considered to be speculative. Specifically, leverage creates the potential for greater gains to Fund shareholders during favorable market conditions and the risk of magnified losses during adverse market conditions. Leverage is likely to cause higher volatility of the NAVs of these Funds’ Shares. Leverage may also involve the creation of a liability that does not entail any interest costs or the creation of a liability that requires the Fund to pay interest which would decrease the Fund’s total return to shareholders. If these Funds achieve their investment objectives, during adverse market conditions, shareholders should experience a loss greater than they would have incurred had these Funds not been leveraged. The proof-of-stake is a method of securing a cryptocurrency network and achieving distributed consensus through requesting users to show ownership of a certain amount of currency. It is different from proof-of-work systems that run difficult hashing algorithms to validate electronic transactions. The scheme is largely dependent on the coin, and there's currently no standard form of it. Some cryptocurrencies use a combined proof-of-work/proof-of-stake scheme.[18] You’ll find that different exchanges cater to different markets. Today, most countries have at least one cryptocurrency exchange specializing in their own currency. There are exchanges that can accept New Zealand Dollars in exchange for bitcoin, for example. Other exchanges are known for certain pairs. Bithumb, for example, has particularly strong liquidity in the ETH/KRW (South Korean Won) pair at the moment (and it’s easily the most popular cryptocurrency exchange in Korea). Because of the wide range of types and maturities of corporate debt securities, as well as the range of creditworthiness of its issuers, corporate debt securities have widely varying potentials for return and risk profiles. For example, commercial paper issued by a large established domestic corporation that is rated investment-grade may have a modest return on principal, but carries relatively limited risk. On the other hand, a long-term corporate note issued by a small foreign corporation from an emerging market country that has not been rated may have the potential for relatively large returns on principal, but carries a relatively high degree of risk. Money Map Press Home Money Map Report Energy Advantage Nova-X Report Private Briefing Fast Fortune Club Energy Inner Circle High Velocity Profits Biotech Insider Alert Radical Technology Profits Stealth Profits Trader Small-Cap Rocket Alert Money Calendar Pro Money Calendar Alert Weekly Money Call Zenith Trading Circle Seismic Profits Alert The 10-Minute Millionaire Insider Night Trader Cryptocurrency Windfalls The Money Zone Heatseekers ZagTrader platform is probably the only platform known that has a complete turnkey offering for Crypto trading that covers front ends all the way to the accounting, custody and allocations -- all integrated and under one roof. Add to this, the global markets offering along with the algos, market making, and real-time structured products creation and pricing. Bob's transaction confirms first so he goes on BFE and looks at the contract selections. He wants to trade on the January 9 expiration contract. The orderbook is empty and Bob wants to go long (profit off an increase in bitcoin). Since there are no offers available, he places a limit order in the orderbook for a bid at 400 of 1 contract, using his 0.2btc as collateral for the position. Alexander Ilyasov, ProShare Advisors: Senior Portfolio Manager since October 2013 and Portfolio Manager from November 2009 through September 2013. ProFund Advisors LLC: Senior Portfolio Manager since October 2013 and Portfolio Manager from November 2009 through September 2013. Ryan Dofflemeyer, ProShare Advisors: Portfolio Manager since January 2011, and a registered associated person and an NFA associate member of ProShares Capital Management LLC since October 2010. You may wonder: where do these contracts come from? We know on the spot market that bitcoins are being bought and sold for fiat, but how the heck are bitcoins being used to trade bitcoin futures contracts? Let's walk through a really simple example showing how an exchange functions when there's just a simple two traders who want to go long and short. • an investment company, or person that would be an investment company but for the exclusions provided by sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act, having the same investment adviser or principal underwriter as the Trust or having an investment adviser or principal underwriter that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Advisor or principal underwriter of the Trust; Tax Risk — In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded a regulated investment company (“RIC”) and its shareholders, the Fund must derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from “qualifying income,” meet certain asset diversification tests at the end of each taxable quarter, and meet annual distribution requirements. The Fund’s Each Fund may invest in master limited partnerships (“MLPs”), which are commonly treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and publicly traded on national securities exchanges. Such MLPs are limited by the Internal Revenue Code to apply to enterprises that engage in certain businesses, mostly pertaining to the use of natural resources, such as natural gas extraction and transportation. Some real estate enterprises may also qualify as MLPs. Trader A is a producer of pork bellies. In order to insure herself against a price drop in pork bellies in the future, she enters a futures contract with Trader B. Trader B uses these pork bellies to manufacture sliced breakfast bacon. Thus, he is not worried that prices might fall in the future – his worry is that prices will go up. Both traders agree that Trader A will sell a metric ton of pork bellies for 1,000 USD 3 months from now. This increases security for both of their businesses. Because a futures contract is a binding contract between two parties, neither party can drop out of the contract: Even if the price for pork bellies is 1,200 USD at the time of execution, trader A is still contractually obliged to sell for 1,000 USD.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line207
__label__cc	0.734162	0.265838	GAA Discussion => Local GAA Discussion => Laois => Topic started by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on October 14, 2017, 11:40:53 PM Title: 2018 National Football League Division 4 Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on October 14, 2017, 11:40:53 PM Laois will be operating out of Division 4 in 2018 and here are all the fixtures. http://www.laoistoday.ie/2017/10/13/laois-face-face-trip-london-2018-national-football-league/ Title: Re: 2018 National Football League Division 4 Post by: O moore parklife on October 14, 2017, 11:56:07 PM Best of luck to john and his backroom staff ( heard today one more was added lad from somewhere in munster ). The rebuilding begins in Ernest ill be positive and back these lads lots of work to do but i think they are all up for it. Post by: town1980 on October 15, 2017, 12:53:10 AM Well I'll be hopeing for promotion we are def good enough and I'm sure john will prevail Post by: Butch Cassidy on October 15, 2017, 09:58:56 AM Any new players stand out from the club championship? Post by: O moore parklife on October 15, 2017, 11:15:48 AM I could see the two murphys from portarlington getting a call up tommy kehoe from o dempseys. Get a bit of fresh blood in shake the "established" lads up. Bit of in house competition is always healthy Post by: Tony on October 15, 2017, 02:28:18 PM It'd be great to see us back in Croke Park with a League Final at least. In a way it's a great opportunity for John as the only way is up, really. It'd be very great news to welcome Cahir back and maybe a couple other Ploaise lads. Other than that, a few pacey new faces. We won't have a golden generation of squad for 2018 but I can easily see us do well in Div 4 and maybe blood some new players. That's all we can really hope for in 2018 but let's hope it's a far better setup compared with our last few ::) Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on November 01, 2017, 12:30:56 AM League begins in January as GAA unveil 2018 fixture list https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2017/1031/916492-league-opens-in-january-as-gaa-unveil-2018-fixture-lis/ Post by: Butch Cassidy on November 01, 2017, 10:12:27 AM Club Laois still going? Even though its division 4 games they should try Mark at home games to get a crowd. Some attractive away fixtures for fans with London and Carrick being the stand outs. Any word on who was called in for trial games? Post by: Laoisguy on November 01, 2017, 03:50:55 PM is there a trial game tonight? Post by: From the Terrace on November 01, 2017, 10:59:16 PM Yeah, they had trials last Wednesday + Saturday too. Not sure who's in there. I travelled in to take a quick look but had to go as the ball was being thrown in to be honest Seemed good numbers 27-28guys,very active warm up Stack doing the shouting mostly and trialists looking fairly fit Post by: South Laois man on November 09, 2017, 12:25:41 PM Any news on any players dropping off the panel or new players been looked at? Post by: clonadmad on November 10, 2017, 08:05:15 AM https://www.laoistoday.ie/2017/11/10/massive-blow-laois-footballers-kingston-opts/ Post by: O moore parklife on November 10, 2017, 08:09:35 AM Bit of an unfair blow to sugrue and his backroom team with so many of the top player's opting out so far donie conor Meredith and robbie keogh i expect as with most years there will be little involvement from the town. Just cause there has been a bad few years with bad manager's that should not to taken out on sugrue. Hopefully the lads that go in will be given a chance by the supporters as the uphill battle has just got harder. Crazy county we live in when you cant pick your top players Division 4 will test players attitude and really separate the guys who really have the county's interests at heart and those who are there just for the crack. It takes real commitment from lads to play division football as the only thing to be gained is the counties pride. Well done to the lads who do commit, they are real Laoismen and we won't forget that. Very disappointed with Donie... Post by: Don Draper on November 10, 2017, 09:36:16 AM First sign of a proper trainer with a decent bit of commitment required, and the liferafts are pushed out. Sad to see. Best of luck to those who commit. Post by: Laoisguy on November 10, 2017, 09:59:01 AM Can't believe that Donie would go down this route when whats required is our top players standing up ,shoulder to the wheel ,showing the potential new kids top commitment Bad start and bit of a let down Post by: BallyroanAbu on November 10, 2017, 11:12:51 AM These same players that people are criticising have been messed about for 5 years, every manager that has come has been a false dawn. Sugrue is probably moving a bit quick, at the moment playing for Laois is not what everyone dreams of doing. I am sure a few good results and maybe a little less tough talk and fellas will come back on board. I was very much in favour of going with a younger team because a lot of the older boys are carrying scars of previous regimes ineptitude. If I was the current management I would not issue any ultimatums and see if we can get them back on board at a later date. Quote from: BallyroanAbu on November 10, 2017, 11:12:51 AM Less tough talk? What tough talk has he made? Not yet December and our talisman forward wont commit,so much for all the talk of walking out of Division 4 and giving Kildare a game in Leinster in 2018. Quote from: clonadmad on November 10, 2017, 11:30:47 AM I think we'll beat Kildare by a point a man come the Leinster semi final. Post by: High Fielder on November 10, 2017, 12:09:35 PM Not just in Laois, but in every county like us, this has to be expected. It's gone beyond the point of being an amateur sport that lads play in their spare time. Even at club level. The demands are too great and this is the price that counties like us can expect to pay. It's not worth it. It's not enjoyable any more and I can't expect lads to slavishly commit to a cause like ours year after year. Donie owes us nothing. Maybe he will enjoy the basketball a little bit more and good luck to him Post by: Don Draper on November 10, 2017, 12:13:26 PM Quote from: High Fielder on November 10, 2017, 12:09:35 PM Sorry, but no. Not on this occasion. After 5 years of incredible shite, a proper coach and manager are in place. His career has been a story of gigantic unfulfilled talent. Donie owes us nothing. He owes his talent quite a lot. Post by: seafoid on November 10, 2017, 12:13:37 PM It might be too late for some of them. Galway hurlers had a long period of mediocrity and managers who promised much without delivering. In 2011 a new management team was appointed. They took a hatchet to the stars and picked 22 under 21s out of a panel of 37. 6 years later Galway won the all Ireland. The psychological damage done by years of mediocrity shouldn't be underestimated. Quote from: Don Draper on November 10, 2017, 12:13:26 PM And that's the point. He'll never realise his potential in Laois. There's nothing (relatively speaking) to play for. I think he'll be back but I don't blame him for taking a break from it. It's an opportunity for others to step up too. Some of them, maybe all of them, have been in his shadow for a long time Post by: BallyroanAbu on November 10, 2017, 01:12:54 PM Personally I am not sure we need to crack any eggs sometimes an Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove works better than taking a sledge hammer to things. I would rather be talking to Donie and hopefully convincing him of a return. I really don't get why Laois footballs internal problems need to be in both National & Local Media for every single issue. Quote from: seafoid on November 10, 2017, 12:13:37 PM Agree unfortunately we do not have Galways U21's Post by: Tony on November 10, 2017, 01:32:19 PM While I'm disappointed with the decision, I'm not disappointed with Donie himself as he's given a lot to Laois and has put up with a lot, too, with poor setups etc. It's just a pity that this year it looks like we will have our best setup since McNulty, but our best player wont be playing. We can perhaps handle not having Donie for the League campaign as we might still have enough for promotion. But we'll badly need him for championship if we've any hopes of a leinster semi final, so I hope he does come back in the new year at some point. Having Paul Kingston there is a bonus. Let's just hope the setup is as good as we're hoping it will be, and that somehow our top performers will opt in. Having said all that, you can't be disappointed with the players themselves if they decide not to commit. It really is like a full-time job to be an inter county player these days and players have lives, families and jobs too. In my opinion, the commitment the inter county players give across the country without any payment is unsustainable, especially for counties like us that don't see much success. That's a matter for another day though. Post by: O moore parklife on November 10, 2017, 01:47:20 PM Quote from: BallyroanAbu on November 10, 2017, 01:12:54 PM Reading the independent article john surgrue said the door was open. Lets fact check as this is how mob mentality grabs at false or badly constructed comments I have no doubt he'll be back. My concern will be, in what condition. Anyway, we move on. Quote from: Tony on November 10, 2017, 01:32:19 PM Spot on. Great post. This goes a lot deeper than Donie Kingston. Offaly are without Graham Guilfoyle for the year because of a new job. A big loss for them. Choices have to be made in counties like Laois and Offaly. Job/Family/Commuting/personal financial situation etc v representing your county. I'm surprised at times at the number who actually bother. The GAA are in cuckoo land if they think this will be a good model for future wellbeing. Post by: clonadmad on November 10, 2017, 03:32:25 PM Quote from: Don Draper on November 10, 2017, 11:32:13 AM I'll have some of what that man is having,Nurse Post by: Nameless on November 10, 2017, 03:53:47 PM Massive loss but if he's not in now he shouldn't be allowed in later. We all know it takes a massive effort and huge commitment at this level so you can't just come in after the league and hope to be in the right condition. It's just not possible anymore. We can't complain if lads want to do other things or take a break, it's worse if they join up and are not 100% committed. I'm hoping Sugrue will actually be strict on this. We've had lads dropping in and out for the past few years and they're just not prepared. Also if lads join up and they're caught drinking every weekend or not putting it in then they should be kicked off the panel. It doesn't matter what their names are. We've let an awful attitude develop within the squad and it's why we are where we are. As I said, we can't complain about lads deciding it's not for them this year but we can complain if we're spending a lot of money following them and they're unfit and way off the pace because of personal choices. Post by: The Monument Road on November 10, 2017, 04:53:48 PM Its a pity he cannot/wont commit. I have my suspicions on whats really going on but thats his own business and his own decision. Ill still be heading up to Carrick, Ruislip Netwatch Cullen park and where ever else we have to go to watch players who really want to play for laois and who dont whinge or throw dodies from their prams. Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on November 10, 2017, 05:13:40 PM Well said Monument Road, totally agree with that. At least we'll have Zack back at some stage... http://www.hoganstand.com/Laois/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=277926&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter Post by: ILikeStrawberryJam on November 12, 2017, 07:32:50 PM I dont think its such a bad thing donie leaving .. hes carried the team for years .. he prob just not enjoying it anymore He needs a break .. let sugrue develop a young team without the temptation of having to get it to donie every single time. I dont care if ythe older crew dont commit .. time for a new start .. were rock bottom now so weve nothing to lose .. donie will hopefully come back next year .. refreshed into an improving setup .. its gonna be a long journey back The future of small counties being competitive anymore .. hard to know where to even start .. id lkke to bite the bullet and see a two tier competition come in asap .. Post by: Keyser Söze on November 12, 2017, 08:24:15 PM Quote from: ILikeStrawberryJam on November 12, 2017, 07:32:50 PM I dont think its such a bad thing donie leaving .. ............................... let sugrue develop a young team without the temptation of having to get it to donie every single time. I think there is something in this. I would be thinking along the same lines. Our better performances and results over the last 4 or 5 years have generally come against middle of the road teams when Donie has been on fire. In Division 4 simply "Kicking it in to Donie" will work 80% of the time. It won't work against Kildare (if we get there). In a perverse way, this might force our hand into STICKING with a more rounded game plan if things are not going perfectly from game to game in the league. And this is the way to go in the long term. Quote from: The Monument Road on November 10, 2017, 04:53:48 PM Its a pity he cannot/wont commit. I have my suspicions on whats really going on but thats his own business and his own decision. It’s almost like you’re transfer ing your emotions onto this forum. Post by: SCFC on November 12, 2017, 09:04:13 PM Old Laughlin "basketball".... While it is hearalded that we have the return of the old guard (all great players for Laois in their prime). This is a waste of time, I know I will be hammered but unfortunately if Laois are to go forward these players will have to be dispensed with. I will add they will never retire themselves and it will be ugly and that will never take from their legacy or commitment. But for Laois it is time to move on Would not think Donie is Old Guard Yet You can't throw a bunch of new chaps out there without a few experience heads to help them. I'd be loath to get rid of the 30 to 32 age group like Quigley, Begley, Strong, Donoher, Meaney, Conway, Timmons. It would leave too many gaps in an already thin squad. Great to see the proud Laois players who have committed again this year, especially Ross. He is a credit to himself, his family and his club as are all the others who have given so much to the county. https://www.laoistoday.ie/2017/11/14/munnelly-commits-16th-season-laois-footballers/ Hopefully I will be proved wrong but going with older players is not serving us well. This same argument was thrashed out last year. I am not questioning their commitment or legacy. Just going forward what is there to gain from it a couple of wins early in the league before finding out that the legs are not what they were once the ground Firms up. Hopefully I will be proved wrong but going with older players is not serving us well. This same argument was thrashed out last year. I am not questioning their commitment or IM. Just going forward what is there to gain from it a couple of wins early in the league before finding out that the legs are not what they were once the ground Firms up. These lads are stepping up and given another year of serious commitment they are needed to bring on the younger player's. Name the lads to replace them there isn't exactly an abundance of talent out there but whatever there is im sure sugrue and his team have seen them with the 70 or so player's looked at over the trials the past month. Lets actually get behind the team and management and not try racking up passive i told you so points Look I hope I am wrong, I like Sugrue as I feel it's a step in the right direction, I just fail to see how we can improve in any major way, wIth pretty much the same personnel. What ever the ability, I think physiologically we are scarred beyond repair. Maybe I want too much too fast. Scarred beyond repair christ on a bike. Every county go through a dark patch we are in ours lets be positive and get through it. You must be great craic to have a cup of tea with. Cheer up eoin Kearns a club man of yours is in there very positive fella. Only my point of view, there will be a million others who differ. If we were all right all of the time the world would be a very boring place. You seem very bullish on the set up, you either have a good line inside or are involved. I wish you all in there the very best of luck. Im bullish as its a constant wave of negativity from the same old few on this forum and its tedious at this stage. Im far from involved in the set up any info i have is common knowledge. The set up looks good no one is suffering from PTSD as your dramatic portrayal tries to paint. Smile it doesn't hurt Post by: High Fielder on November 15, 2017, 11:39:02 AM Both viewpoints make sense but just let it pan out lads. I'm grateful to those who want to go in and give it a go. It's not an attractive proposition by any means, but an opportunity exists at such a low level to win something. fk it I'd take anything at this stage..... I respect your opinion Ballyroan but to leave the likes of Timmons, Quigley, Conway, O Loughlin and all out would be ridiculous. We're not Kerry with an amazing underage coming up. That's not to say that we should only have the older players. Of course we should blood more younger talent if we can. That's just the common sense of it. It would be the worst decision to just leave those experienced players out when they're ready to commit and give their all hopefully. Not sure why it's up for debate really. Our target this year is to get promotion out of Div 4, and have a promising run in the Leinster/Qualifiers. Kerrys is to win an All Ireland, I see where a lot of you are coming from and logically you make sense in the short term. However I think we are in Sunderland mode that if we continue with the same personnel we will get the same results. I just think Div 4 is a great place to be brave. Post by: Give and Go on November 15, 2017, 06:06:03 PM The internet is the curse of the modern age! And I'm as guilty as anyone before I start! Everyone has an opinion these days and it must be heard regardless of how offensive it is. Martin O Neill and the the Irish Team are getting it in the neck now after losing heavily last night. Laois footballers have been subject to it constantly on social media since 2003.....that was the sixth title since the start of the GAA!! We need to stop this constant barrage of criticism of players, coaches, officials and either support them or stay away and keep mouths shut and keyboards quiet! It ain't right the way society has gone - all this 'opinion' is very hurtful and damaging to those involved. Paying an admission fee into a game doesn't bestow this entitlement to abuse and insult the voluntary efforts of Gaels in all our clubs and counties. Best wishes to the team and management in 2018. There's brave and there's stupid. Brave would be to debutise plenty of new blood mixed in with more experienced crew over the coming few years and gredually phase out the old guard. Stupid would be to omit your top performers and most experienced who are willing to give it their all for the year. Sorry but i still don't get your idea at all. If we let go of the likes of Timmons, Quigley, Donagher, Healy, John O' Loughlin, etc just because they're slightly over their top peak, we'll be planted in division 4 for years to come. I don't get this all or nothing idea. Clearly the smart thing to do is to blood new talent and retain the experienced players until they A: they retire or B: are not offering as much as the younger players. Unfortunately for us, nearly all of the younger players have a lot more developing to do. Imagine John O' Loughlin, one of Laois' best servants over the last 10+ years sent a text to John Sugrue "Looking forward to having a good go in 2018, glad you're the manager." John Sugrue : "Sorry John, we're actually just playing with younger players this year." I'd get your point Ballyroan if people were saying bring back Padraig Clancy at age 38 or whatever he is. But these lads around 29 to 31 have plenty of good years left in them. If we're looking at a 3 to 5 year plan, the likes of JOL, Healy etc have a a large part to play in that. Ideally the younger lads will make an impression in that time too. one does not exclude the other. Post by: Butch Cassidy on November 15, 2017, 07:12:11 PM Regardless of age it's up to John Sugrue and his management team to try get the best players in Laois to play and come up with a system to get the best out of them. Using Ross as an example I saw a good lot of the club championship and he was one of the best forwards in the county. It's up to the younger lads in the county to step up, put pressure on the 'older lads' and give Surgue a welcome headache. Has an u20 manager been sorted? Tony your naming the players I was specifically general in this statement and every theory is open to examination you could be right on some players and wrong on others. Give & Go i don't think anyone was insulted Fair enough Ballyroan. Give and Go, not sure what you're posing about there. 99% of posts here are in good spirits and we're just talking about the sport we love. A couple of lads overstep the mark very occasionally. otherwise, the forum is very well meaning. I suppose I am also referring to our habit of second guessing managers and players; engaging in constant speculation about decisions and motivations - more often than not done without factual basis. Here we are on about players he will or will not be including when in fact we have no idea what the management are thinking because they haven't made a public statement! Sometimes we are better to say nowt and stop adding to the swirl of rumour and innuendo that wafts around every county set up in the country! Thats fair enough Give & Go, but I don't think we would have a forum if we did not have opinions. Post by: Giovanni on November 15, 2017, 10:15:28 PM I would agree that no player should be discriminated against on the basis of his birth cert and I would be amazed if that turned out to be the case. On the other hand, I really hope that the new management starts from the position that reputations are entirely irrelevant and if a young lad looks like he's doing better than the lad with the reputation, he's given his chance. Our best players last year included Alan Farrell and Eoin Buggie, neither of whom would have been given much credit when they came into the setup. Young lads like Evan O Carroll and Tom Shiel came into the squad under McNulty and did very well. Stephen Attride, who has become a very nice footballer, wasn't one of the big names when he came into the setup. I really hope that the best players are chosen regardless of their profile or reputation. Quote from: Giovanni on November 15, 2017, 10:15:28 PM Well said Giovanni, a more balanced post than mine. Post by: oneflewoverthecuckoonest on November 15, 2017, 11:51:25 PM losing the coin toss for the home venue for the first round of the leinster championship adds to the difficult year ahead....wexford park now becomes a very serious test. Post by: justinn on November 16, 2017, 12:09:52 AM Venues confirmed for 2018 Leinster SFC ties O'Moore Park, Portlaoise. O'Moore Park will play host to a Leinster SFC first round double-bill next year after the venues for a number of games were confirmed this evening. After enjoying their best championship run in 73 years last summer, Carlow face Louth at the Laois county grounds which will also see the meeting of Offaly versus Wicklow on the same day. In the other first round tie, Wexford have been awarded home advantage against Laois after winning a coin toss and so this clash will take place at Wexford Park. Meanwhile, Longford will be at home in Pearse Park for their quarter-final encounter with Meath. It's a rare home draw for the midlanders in the provincial series but one that is 'subject to redevelopment work being satisfactorily completed'. If the redevelopment work at Pearse Park is not ready in time, then the game will be moved to Navan. Dates and times for the games will be decided in due course. Leinster SFC first round Carlow v Louth, O'Moore Park Offaly v Wicklow, O'Moore Park Wexford v Laois, Innovate Wexford Park Leinter SFC quarter-final Longford v Meath, Pearse Par The 2018 O'Byrne Cup draw has been made with holders Dublin being grouped alongside Offaly and Wexford. Under the stewardship of Paul Clarke, the All-Ireland champions called on their reserves for this year's competition and ran out convincing winners when beating Louth in the final - 2-16 to 1-10. They will have a bye in the opening round of the upcoming pre-season competition which will take on Saturday, 30 December. 2018 O'Byrne Cup draw: Dates: Dec 30, Jan 3, Jan 7. Semi-finals Jan 13/14. Final Jan 20/21. Opening Fixtures: Offaly v Wexford, Louth v Longford, Wicklow v Carlow, Westmeath v Laois. Format: Round robin with first placed team advancing to semi-finals. Westmeath and Laois play each other home and away with aggregate score deciding who tops Group 4. Post by: Unlaoised on November 16, 2017, 10:18:11 AM I heard after Donie got sent off v Port he made his mind up he was not playing for Laois in 2018 How true that is I don't know. He is a massive loss but I think the door should be left open. Hopefully him and John can come to some agreement . Wexford away is now a tougher task .Even in the good times we have only won there by the skin of our teeth. The O'Byrne cup playing Westmeath twice is a joke. A bit better news is i'm hearing Portlaoise might be commiting a few more players this year! Post by: Laoiseabu on November 16, 2017, 11:21:09 AM It dosent make a difference if they commit their full population of 25,000 if Donie isn't playing  Quote from: Give and Go on November 15, 2017, 06:06:03 PM Paying an admission fee into a game doesn't bestow this entitlement to abuse and insult the voluntary efforts of Gaels in all our clubs and counties. Such an important point. Certain people threatening for years (on here and on Laois Talk before that) to stop going to games if such and such didn't improve. One lad said here last year that he wouldn't buy a county board ticket unless Laois County Board stepped in and banned somebody (Can't remember for the life of me what it was- but it was nonsensical). Laughable stuff. Post by: brandyandPORT on November 16, 2017, 07:13:40 PM Kingston is a massive loss :'( Looking at where a primary scoring forward will emerge from will be intriguing. I think Sugrue made some good choices in picking his back room team. Keyser you are one of the more balanced posters on this forum, however I would very much hold middle ground on this point. The payment of an admission fee , the purchase of county board ticket or membership of a club very much grants you the right to an opinion. Whether that opinion is the general consensus is another thing but the rule of democracy is something a lot of clubs and counties ignore and the decisions of an inner cabal (of those who supposedly know best) trumps all. We may not always agree with what every member says but they have the right to express it regardless. There are of course lines in the sand with regards to slander or defamation of character but if someone has an opinion I would hope they could express it. Quote from: Keyser Söze on November 16, 2017, 05:29:52 PM That was me and I didn't buy the ticket. It was over the drinking thing. Thankfully the episode taught me a valuable lesson, and that is there is no point in me spending my hard earned money on lads who are not as committed as their counterparts. Consequently, my expectations for Laois are now as low as it gets, so I won't be disappointed if I hear stories like that again. Personal choice and I don't see what there is to laugh at. I've invested plenty in Laois with little expectation and I continue to do as much as I can for my club. I will probably watch more of Laois footballers than most on here next year, but I am expecting very little. Hopefully I can be pleasantly surprised Quote from: brandyandPORT on November 16, 2017, 07:13:40 PM I think paul Kingston Gary walsh and Alan farrell will step up Besiides eoin Kearns and stack who else is in there??? Keyser you are one of the more balanced posters on this forum, however I would very much hold middle ground on this point. The payment of an admission fee , the purchase of county board ticket or membership of a club very much grants you the right to an opinion Of course it grants you the right to an opinion. It doesn't grant you ownership of the players or their perceived efforts. I've seen posts on here basically saying "I wasted my hard earned cash going to watch them useless shower, I bought a ticket to support that useless shower etc, never will I again." This, in my opinion(!!!), is a step too far. It's not the theatre, these are not actors. Your financial support is both crucial and appreciated. It does not grant you the right to berate and threaten to withdraw support for amateur players who (whether it comes to fruition or not) have put months of their own free time, without financial reward, into putting on a show that you have chosen to attend for your own entertainment. 1) I'm pretty sure it was a €130 County board Ticket? They are not on sale till January AFAIK, so I'm not sure how you managed to "not buy it". 2) You are deciding that Laois players (en masse?) are not as committed as who? How are you measuring this? 3) This is exactly the type of post that I cannot fathom. Lads supporting an amateur organisation/group of players with the expectations of a premier league fan base. All my opinion of course. I'm conscious that I don't want to start another sideshow with you, and in general, I respect what you're saying. I've made the choice not to commit financially to Laois because there is a lot that goes on that I disagree with. Way too much to go into in depth, but players drinking would be part of it. So I've informed the club that I won't be buying or selling the ticket for the foreseeable future. That's my choice and I'm happy enough with it. If lads want to drink and play football that's their business, but I don't believe that any county worth it's salt would tolerate that, and we did. Just my opinion and don't care who thinks if I'm right or wrong. We win nothing and we go nowhere with drinkers Post by: portlaoisekid on November 17, 2017, 08:44:50 AM Some interesting rumours around regarding transfers of some Laois footballers. One out of Laois and a couple of moves inside the county. Quote from: High Fielder on November 17, 2017, 12:18:06 AM You realise, in essence, its your club you're punishing, not Laois GAA? Quote from: portlaoisekid on November 17, 2017, 08:44:50 AM Fire them up there buddy Post by: SCFC on November 17, 2017, 10:15:46 AM If it Sean Moore, it's not accurate. He's not leaving Ballyfin. Quote from: SCFC on November 17, 2017, 10:15:46 AM Cant see why he would. Be very strange, and disappointing if another club was trying to poach a player already at senior level. I do plenty for the club on a voluntary basis so I wouldn't just measure my contribution financially. Like most clubs in Laois, they too can have a fairly casual approach at Senior level. It honestly doesn't matter that much to me any more. I'd love to see us go well obviously, but there always seems to be a few rogues in the Laois set up and with that mindset, you can't expect too much Post by: Laois fan on November 17, 2017, 11:03:39 AM where too plaois?hardly mountmelick. So anyone who does something voluntarily for a Club is absolved of any fundraising requirements? Interesting approach. I do plenty of fundraising, mostly at juvenile level. I think in general, a lot of good and positive work goes on in Laois at underage level. The wheels come off after that. Post by: Laoiseabu on November 17, 2017, 12:18:08 PM This poaching business sickens my arse . Surely they can find enough players in a town of 25,000 without having to poach off smaller clubs .bullshit Post by: portlaoisekid on November 17, 2017, 12:45:39 PM Quote from: Laoiseabu on November 17, 2017, 12:18:08 PM Who the hell said Portlaoise are after anyone!? One to Athy and another one to make a short move to Josephs I heard. Don't know its true but they both have come from a lad who knows more than me about these things. Quote from: O moore parklife on November 16, 2017, 11:34:25 PM Sorry but your talking of replacing Donie with 2 players who were not regular starters under the previous 3 managers, And another who spent the majority of his time with Laois in his own half working (obviously in a role he was asked to play by the previous manager)???? Paul Kingston- Talented footballer, Incredible at times. but hasn't the same physical presence or scoring volume of his sibling Gary Walsh- Good, But wont contribute the scores Donie has. Alan Farrell- A workhorse forward, Good skillset but not a prolific scorer. Maybe this system will suit them, and allow them to flourish. Kearns could have took any of the other Laois gigs on his own merit. Stack knows that group, and will have better guidance on the direction of the team than he had with his previous time with Laois Brendan Delaney-Reportedly very good, and has previously worked with John, It must be said trust in any managerial setup is key !!! The S&C guy has come from left of field, so I cant comment, as I know very little on him Think that's the lot. Post by: Unlaoised on November 17, 2017, 03:46:02 PM Brendan Delaney Is that the umpire from stradbally? ??? Quote from: Unlaoised on November 17, 2017, 03:46:02 PM No this man is from Park, and he would be a father of the twins. Good info thanks for that a lad on trials said there was one more in there fella from cork supposed to be very good. God no im not on about replacing donnie cause you cant really but i think those lads could step up and do a job. They wont score as much but will work. Quote from: portlaoisekid on November 17, 2017, 12:50:03 PM Sensational transfer request is in the pipeline i hear. It is jaw dropping but to be fair to the individual i cannot say anything further. Letting the name onto a public forum would probably allow grumblers to begin a campaign to immobilize the individuals chances of the transfer succeeding. I hear the chances of the transfer going through is almost 100% certain. You cant say who it is but can you say who it isn't. Kingston brothers can you say its not them Before this gathers momentum can i clarify this,i am referring to a solitary individual transfer being sought. Transfers to my knowledge can only be sought on an individual basis, not in group form. Incredible to think Zach would be coming back, and to Stradbally no less, Jesus that’s unbelievable news. Post by: Target Man on November 17, 2017, 07:22:55 PM Well at least Zach to Stradbally would be jaw dropping. I'm not sure a Kingston transfer anywhere would even register mild surprise unfortunately Post by: redsetanta on November 17, 2017, 10:17:56 PM No a Kingston transfer wouldn't be a surprise but still big news. Was talking to one of the lad I know that was in for trials, Seemingly it's Brian Breen, I'd say he's only in to Ref the in house games, as he would be barely capable of that let alone any other task!!! Well if we can't replace Donie's scores, We will be in a world of bother in the championship, as he scored the majority of our scores last year!!!!!! On the transfer saga, are we looking at a big name down that side??? Post by: Keyser Söze on November 18, 2017, 12:29:49 AM Its fairly obvious that Monument Road wants it "out there" that this player/players is/are SEEKING a transfer. The club they are seeking to transfer to ARE NOT, I repeat ARE NOT out looking for them to transfer. Reminds me of a scene from Fr Ted NOT A RACISTNOT A RACISTNOT A RACIST Monument Road is a Josephs man ? I'll take a stab at Meaney to Josephs. Lives in the area and known to be unhappy with set up in Kilcruise. Just a guess but lacks the jaw drop factor. Kingstons to Athy would hardly loosen your jaw either. Kingstons to Kildare? You'd need surgery to mend that jaw. You gotta love the close season . Much better craic than the real thing Ah brian breen na i doubt he is in reffing saw mousey moore myself doing a few of those matches he was moving well to be fsir. Thats Brian breen from o Dempseys i presume 2 good years under the belt promotion and leage pleasant to deal with from all accounts im guessing with PORT being in your username its local rivalry. Lets be positive give lads a chance before cutting the legs from under them Post by: Pablo Escobar on November 18, 2017, 11:02:11 AM Kingston to Athy has been a rumour for a The last seven off seasons. I’ll believe it when I see it. Josephs involves in transfer rumours?? No way ! I know if I was a josephs man it would sicken my bx. It’s basically telling your players ok your not good enough. We will bring in this other fella. Anyway does anyone have a list of lads training with Laois at the moment . I read today Ben Conroy is involved. Post by: The Monument Road on November 18, 2017, 11:07:25 AM Quote from: Keyser Söze on November 18, 2017, 12:29:49 AM it's Saturday morning and I can't hold it back any longer...Cora Staunton to Kileen.. Quote from: The Monument Road on November 18, 2017, 11:07:25 AM Brilliant! ;D Just tell us who the transfer is Post by: OTF on November 18, 2017, 02:12:25 PM No no don’t tell us yet ...November is a horrible month keep it going till December Quote from: O moore parklife on November 18, 2017, 08:34:54 AM Promoting a senior team back to senior as a selector is hardly a massive achievement??? Not in anyway connected to local rivalry, but I just feel he lacks the caliber to be involved in any inter-county setup. Will it effect our county team this transfer ???? Ah that's fair enough thought he was a S and C coach doubt a lad with little experience would be a selector probably just giving a hand out. Anyone willing to go in and give a dig out with things they way they are has my respect best of luck to them all in there. Hopfully port get a few lads in there colm murphy might step up for donnie with a bit of coaching. John O'Loughlin to portlaoise? Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on December 03, 2017, 08:21:28 AM Great to see loads of new lads joining the panel this year, shows that we still have guys out there who want Laois football to improve. Best of luck to all involved... https://www.laoistoday.ie/2017/12/03/number-new-players-mix-laois-footballers-prepare-new-season/ Post by: SCFC on December 05, 2017, 10:51:19 AM Is this Donie K to Athy story anyway true? Seems they want to add him to Cathal McCarron and make a real push for Kildare championship Post by: Don Draper on December 05, 2017, 10:55:22 AM McCarron should fit right in in Athy, hasn't he acclimatised nicely from his trips to Nass not so long ago. Post by: SCFC on December 05, 2017, 12:56:31 PM Quote from: Don Draper on December 05, 2017, 10:55:22 AM Kildare Town. He knows the lie of the land alright. Post by: The Monument Road on December 05, 2017, 02:39:49 PM Quote from: SCFC on December 05, 2017, 10:51:19 AM not a hope in hell of donie joining Athy. .he will be back with the panel come springtime. ..he needed a break Quote from: The Monument Road on December 05, 2017, 02:39:49 PM Good. Just a rumour I heard. Post by: Uisce on December 07, 2017, 09:12:57 AM I hear there is upwards of 55 lads in with Laois at the minute, a good number of the Portlaoise lads in too. A good balance of youth and experience, will be interesting to see who makes the cut. I assume there will be a significant cull some time soon, good for lads to get exposure to the set up but must be a pain to manage training with that number! Post by: Butch Cassidy on December 07, 2017, 11:32:02 AM Does the 55 include the u20s Uisce? That new rule will be interesting whereby u20s can only play u20 or senior. Does anyone know if this is only for championship? Any word on any challenge games? Post by: Unlaoised on December 07, 2017, 12:13:27 PM Playing some sort of 3 team tournament among themselves this weekend or next I think ... Just shy of 60 in there and all turning in for every session. David Conway calling it a day I hear.... McMahon and Donoher are considering retirement. Rest are back apart from Donie....Brian Glynn from Portlaoise is in there and flying it I heard! Quote from: Unlaoised on December 07, 2017, 12:13:27 PM Not sure that's accurate in relation to Niall Donoher. Post by: Tony on December 07, 2017, 12:24:37 PM I've always rated Glynn highly - he's a very intelligent footballer and has a good engine and decent pace. I think he could definitely do a job for us, at the very least as a squad player, but could have the potential to be in the starting 15 if he keeps showing as he's currently doing. Any update on Healy and his plans post injury? Post by: Don Draper on December 07, 2017, 02:56:51 PM A shame Glynn was lost to Laois for so long, you’d wonder whether he can be the player he was capable of once upon a time. Probably not you’d imagine. Post by: Heshs Umpire on December 18, 2017, 09:22:44 PM Quote from: Don Draper on December 07, 2017, 02:56:51 PM What age would he be? 28, 29? Quote from: Heshs Umpire on December 18, 2017, 09:22:44 PM Played Minor 10 years ago, so in or around that bracket. Post by: blueandwhite1 on December 19, 2017, 12:01:55 PM Any ideas on what sort of team might appear against Westmeath on 30th? Post by: redsetanta on December 19, 2017, 12:26:58 PM It will be very experimental I'd say with the league beginning early and many of the older players carrying knocks or out injured. Be a case of looking at lads and how they compete at the higher level. Post by: The PRO on January 14, 2018, 03:43:18 PM I see where Mark Brehony of Sligo has retired from inter county. Him and Dermot Brady of Longford who did the same recently were the longest serving inter county players. I wonder does the title pass to Ross this year? Post by: Laoisguy on January 14, 2018, 03:46:02 PM Was there a certain someone back training this morning? ;) Post by: O moore parklife on January 14, 2018, 04:18:16 PM There was 8) Post by: Tony on January 14, 2018, 04:48:35 PM I had a feeling it wouldn't take him long as his brother is still about. Post by: on the hop on January 14, 2018, 04:51:52 PM I believe the panel was to be finalised today after training, with possibly 12 cut. anybody hear anything Quote from: on the hop on January 14, 2018, 04:51:52 PM A bit unfair that some unnamed played strolls back this morning while a dozen lads get the bullet after bursting their holes for the last two months. Anyway, if said player is good enough come the summer, I guess that's the measure. I hear what your saying but its not like he rocked up in the middle of the league. 2 weeks before the first match and if imagine by johns form he will be running for quiet a while before kicking a ball . The last 2 months were an opportunity for fringe lads to put the hand up. Im sure the lads that did are there. I'm ok with him coming back, now. He's been training solidly in other sports. He hasn't been out drinking and shmoking etc all day everyday. He will be welcomed back and the games we played so far were really for the newcomers to show their worth. Donie has already shown his worth as our best player on his day, so for him to show up to trial matches could have meant another player wouldn't get a chance to start. Positive all round and great news for the year ahead if it seems like all are pulling in the right direction. Now all we need is Cahir back and I'll be smiling from ear to ear ;D Post by: Unlaoised on January 14, 2018, 11:20:15 PM What i heard thursday was true Post by: BallyroanAbu on January 14, 2018, 11:29:20 PM Quote from: Unlaoised on January 14, 2018, 11:20:15 PM Good News, huge addition to the panel. Can't see anyone put out by Donie's return they all know his ability. Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on January 15, 2018, 09:40:03 AM https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/01/14/breaking-massive-boost-laois-footballers-key-forward-returns/ Does anyone know if Paul Cahalane is involved in the panel this year. He was named earlier but haven't seen or heard of him being there since. Post by: The PRO on January 15, 2018, 10:05:22 AM Quote from: Junior Ex Laoistalk on January 15, 2018, 09:42:35 AM He is, yes. That's great, we have a very strong panel this year so no reason why we can't get out of Division 4 and give the championship a really good rattle... Post by: Don Draper on January 15, 2018, 10:24:39 AM Gway...? Post by: blueandwhite1 on January 15, 2018, 10:25:08 AM By what measure do we have a very strong panel? I would agree that they are bringing in the best players they can get in the county and have created good energy but surely we still have a significant deficit in terms of the number of quality players coming through? My own opinion is that we have many years of development before we are competitive again. We may get out of Division 4 in 2018 but it is not a certainty. At best, we would be an average Division 3 team. Post by: The Monument Road on January 15, 2018, 10:30:35 AM Great to see Donie back. He has missed the initial hard slog of November/December training but maybe that's ok if everyone agrees. I did hear that Brendan Quigley is going to struggle to be fit for any of the league, Anyone else hear this. Post by: High Fielder on January 15, 2018, 10:45:02 AM Quote from: blueandwhite1 on January 15, 2018, 10:25:08 AM Agreed. I don't see a lot to get excited about. There have been some good additions, but the foundations are very weak, particularly defensively and physically. I think it's best not to heap unnecessary pressure on Sugrue and the panel and let them find themselves. Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on January 15, 2018, 01:32:36 PM I'm not getting excited about it I just think we have the strongest panel we could possibly have at this time of the year and we should be well able for Division 4 football. Our first games in the championship wouldn't be as hard as they could have been and we could get a bit of a run in the qualifiers if we do well in the league. It's a lot better than I was expecting it to be, I honestly thought we would lose half of last year's panel and be really struggling in the league. Plenty of lads cut I hear .... Coss and Lutrell are gone for starters... Hard on the 8-10 that were cut but the training etc they got will stand them in great stead for the rest of the year. Who's to say they might not return . I hear Quigley is out for 5 more weeks at least. Quote from: High Fielder on January 15, 2018, 10:45:02 AM I think it's best not to heap unnecessary pressure on Sugrue and the panel and let them find themselves. Totally agree with High Fielder, here. Let's not put pressure on if we get a few bad results. Needs a lot of time and patience. Let the setup have an enjoyable atmosphere and we wont focus too much on results this year. We're really building but we can't expect to be world beaters in 2018. Very positive news coming from the camp though and looking forward to what should be an interesting 2018. Hopefully injuries remain low as we don't have huge strengh in depth at the moment unfortunately. Will be great to see what team emerge and are named for the league. As always, if I see we're trying 100% with what we've got, and giving things our best shot, I'll be delighted regardless of result. Post by: redsetanta on January 15, 2018, 05:11:13 PM It shows the reality of Laois football at the moment when there is not too much out there to improve the county team. From the names that were mentioned donw through the thread and those who saw game time against Westmeath what new players could realistically be given a starting jersey in 2 weeks? Quote from: redsetanta on January 15, 2018, 05:11:13 PM Possibly Glynn. That's it though. Looking at these lads I think they'll put pressure on themselves, they will know they should be good enough to get out of this division as we will have almost the same squad as we had last year. But for some mad indiscipline and the width of an upright we would still be playing in Div3 so there's no reason we cant get back there fairly quickly. I for one wont be looking for the managers head if we don't get results but I'd say the lads themselves will be disappointed if they don't at least get to a Div4 final Post by: SCFC on January 15, 2018, 07:21:19 PM I reckon Sugrue will opt for experience in the first game. Attride Timmons Kelly Strong Begley Buggie O'Loughlin Glynn Donoher P Kingston Farrell Munnelly O'Carroll Walsh Positions could be interchangeable but something like that? Who else is in the running? Lowry? Lillis? Collins? Moore? Hardly start Donie? Post by: Butch Cassidy on January 15, 2018, 09:09:48 PM You won't be far off with that team SCFC. Only issue is that team is lacking pace around the middle. Could Evan do a job midfield alongside Johnno if he ups his work rate? Dillon should also start too, he had raw pace which we badly lack. Any other corner back we could put in to release Attride around the middle? Kelly is out...had a few poor performances getting skinned at times Delighted for Dowling and hope Collins is in too Post by: High Fielder on January 15, 2018, 11:27:54 PM It surprises me at times how highly rated some lads in Laois are. Often with very little justification. If John Sugrue has the ability to make lads work harder, he will do well. I look at some names here and in all honesty they don't strike me as team players . Their presence on any team puts so much pressure on our backs because they don't know how to tackle and don't work hard enough. We need to be smarter without the ball, hold onto it longer when we get it, and toughen the fk up. Sounds simple, but it hasn't been the case for a long time now Post by: blueandwhite1 on January 15, 2018, 11:34:26 PM Quote from: SCFC on January 15, 2018, 07:21:19 PM This looks a lot like the team that got us relegated from both Div 2 and 3. Personally, would like to see more pace and new faces. Post by: From the Terrace on January 16, 2018, 08:35:16 AM agree with blueandwhite1, the kelly lad corner back i think he is dropped off panel probably due to be roasted in stradbally. Aswell not sure about strong & donoher. Post by: O moore parklife on January 16, 2018, 08:45:56 AM Holland Timmons nerney Collins Begley attride Jol Evan Farrel Kingston o Reilly Munnely walsh Lowry For freshness sake. Buggie out injured i hear Post by: Laoisguy on January 16, 2018, 09:23:44 AM Quote from: High Fielder on January 15, 2018, 11:27:54 PM Exactly.....pace and work rate to be upped please There’s a team picked by parklife with jol and Evan this pair would be rolling around with each other in a headlock ....chawing each other about who’s tracking back....no tks Post by: SCFC on January 16, 2018, 10:04:44 AM Quote from: Butch Cassidy on January 15, 2018, 09:09:48 PM I completely forgot Dillon and if as someone said Buggie is injured he'd fit in well there at 7. And Collins instead of Kelly if he has been dropped from the panel. Quote from: O moore parklife on January 16, 2018, 08:45:56 AM In fairness this is probably close to the best available we have at the moment but, a lot of them wouldnt get close to a B selection a lot of other counties. IMO two of the above forwards are average defenders, one of the selected midfielders has never played there for his club. We are where are and it will take a new generation of footballers to get us back to even a mid section footballing county Post by: OTF on January 16, 2018, 10:51:49 AM It would be helpful to know what the full panel is after the cut. I'm a bit supersized that Ross might be a starter at this point. The priority in my view would be to introduce 10 replacement players over the next two years, winning div 4 with and old team and then struggling to remain in div 3 wouldn't represent progress. Now if we were to win it with say 7 or 8 new players now that would be something. Post by: redsetanta on January 16, 2018, 11:25:11 AM The best thing that Sugrue could bring to the table is a change in attitude and work rate amongst the players along with structure and organisation. The main thing though is attitude. There are some decent footballers there if he gets them all working together. mmmm interesting team picked there by O'Moore Park-life Does that leave Donoher Lillis Cahilane Benny Carroll Chris Finn Piggot Eoin Kehoe Mcevoy Portlaoise P Mcevoy Ballylinan Ruari Fennell Whelan- Ballyroan Murray Rosenallis Quigley -Injured -again will surely play some part if available Buggie -Injured I hear Conway -Injured -Probably play some part as he is so dedicated Obv Kingston is back as well Thats 38 so I'm sure there is one or two on the above list gone? Am I missing anyone Or have some of these been cut... From this page I have seen Coss ,Luttrell and Kelly have gone? Who have we lost since last year? Jamie Farrell ???-good club player dropped from panel last year James Finn-abroad pity as he could have been a great option around the middle Meaney-Not involved again we could do with him being around McMahon-Retired?I'm not sure still be a nice option Booth-Not involved??Not sure if he is up to the pace of it anymore but was okay early last year Damien O'connor???-Good option in my opinion A Doran????-Didn't do much last year despite gettin a lot of chances Brian Daly???-Good talent don't know if he is in or out? Post by: Don Draper on January 16, 2018, 01:35:33 PM I wouldnt shed any tears for Meaney. moore,coss,kelly,luttrell,forbes and Murray are gone Kingston and O'Connor back in Post by: portlaoisekid on January 16, 2018, 03:17:42 PM Am I correct in saying that every player that Sugrue wanted to join the training panel has joined? Any update on Healy lads? Surprised Moore is cut. He has great potential but needs to work on getting physically teadyready for senior Quote from: Laoisguy on January 16, 2018, 02:47:19 PM You sure about Moore and Forbes I heard different? Heard about Forbes. Not sure about moore but looking at it might not be a bad thing letting him play club and toughen up feed him the conditioning plans come back next year bit bigger and a bit of grit from club as he will be undoubtedly be man marked and targeted . Well i'm not 100% sure My contact said those guys were cut I would love to see Moore stay but he is just so light he is 2 years behind for sure He needs 4kg right now mentally the step up has certainly affected his potency Quote from: O moore parklife on January 16, 2018, 04:41:58 PM Looking at a few Ballyfin the last few years since he scored 3-5 in the intermediate final against Timahoe I think it was he has been a target since maybe he should stay the way he is a natrual gifted fast footballer...Yes he can work on his power but does everyone have to bulk up these days? Offaly had three men on him in the u21s last year two marking him yes two and a sweeper in front! Post by: Bamford1995 on January 16, 2018, 05:15:01 PM Somebody said Paul cahillane was Involved earlier in the forum, if so he would surely be pretty close to starting for the league? Quote from: Bamford1995 on January 16, 2018, 05:15:01 PM Currently injured I believe Post by: justinn on January 16, 2018, 08:26:29 PM Is Colm Murphy still on the panel? Quote from: justinn on January 16, 2018, 08:26:29 PM Played under 21 with a cast id imagine he is in recovery mode. Heard he was doing laps a few weeks ago in OMP Good to hear Colm is there very promising player possible starter this year. Is tom shiels around this year was a starter a few years ago. Plenty of injuries so Murphy, Quigley, Strong? Timmons, Cahilane, Buggy, Conway, Booth? Conor Merdith would of been a good addition aswell. Tom Shiels was in the dugout with the team in Stradbally, wasn't togged out but he was there. Unlaoised do you realise the base that Moore is coming from? The lad is very very light....now I know heavy weights and bulking up can be a negative but he needs some foundation for confidence alone if he is to be played at Senior If in Dublin he would have a different physique and performance not compromised IMO Quote from: portlaoisekid on January 16, 2018, 03:17:42 PM Meredith? Not sure he's in. Post by: les Antiques on January 17, 2018, 03:21:07 PM Forbes still involved and Healy has made no decisions yet . The dual option has been touted .. Now if we could just get Zack back... :) Quote from: les Antiques on January 17, 2018, 03:21:07 PM Forbes is 100% gone Quote from: Junior Ex Laoistalk on January 17, 2018, 03:38:23 PM Zeds dead baby. Zeds dead. Moore doesn't need to bulk in the sense that he'd need to lift weights like Arnold. Rather, he needs to improve his S&C in terms of bursting through tackles and being able to retain possession. As someone rightly said, that is possible to do while retaining speed. Just look at the Dublin players from 20 - 23. Hopefully he'll be placed in the right hands and that talent can be harnessed correctly. You're bang on Tony, it's all about speed in the GAA now and hopefully this is an area Sugrue targets as we badly need to inject pace into the team. Any challenge games this weekend? He won’t be able to burst through the tackles he is that light That’s my point Speed and power Post by: mountrath1 on January 17, 2018, 11:06:28 PM Wow loving the new concepts in fitness that ye are now relaying to us all. Bulking a lad and making him slow. .speed and power? ??. Firstly you will never make a lad slow by putting lean massg on him. Lean mass contains all the ingredients to making a person quicker (mitochondrial density= powerhouse=greater force output)..And unfortunately power is speed x strength. So therefore without bulk as ye may say ..he will never develop power persay to aid his development. Bejaysus........... physics was lost on me with the Bull Ryan. You can say what you like about bulk but Ross never regained the speed he had before he bulked up. He was nippy, skilful but light and when he put on the strength he slowed down considerably. Well I know next to nothing about S&C but I think its got to do with body shape if you like and the 2 examples I like are Clancy and Ross before and after McNulty. I think all will agree that before they were being thrown around the place by most teams, Clancy never bulked up but BJ was he strong and I remember Ross hitting that Meath corner back a clatter in Tullamore and their supporters whinging about it for a week after :D Were they better players after ..... absolutely IMO. Post by: les Antiques on January 18, 2018, 11:19:11 AM Attride appointed captain again with JOL and Brody vice captains. Any word on the final panel yet? I would assume names etc would have to be forwarded to the gaa at this stage with the league opener just over a week away. Post by: OTF on January 18, 2018, 12:14:30 PM I heard a lot of players have left the Limerick panel ( not wanting to make the commitment 4 or 5 night plus GYM ) will probably have a lot of young players our. Limerick have been doing savage work I heard but as a previous poster has said some of the lads are getting very pissed off with toll its taken... I have a Cousin in UL who is friends with a player on the panel its none stop two lads have packed it in. Building strength does not mean reducing speed. Just look at any top level sprinter - they are absolutely built, yet the fastest people in the world. If being skinny made you fast, Usain Bolt and co would look like a skinny marathoner - but they're built. Case closed. It's sort of tragic the way in Laois we think that has to be one thing or the other. Dublin are fast and physical and skillful and play to a rigid gameplan and are creative and focus on their pipeline coming through. No point in choosing one thing to focus on, you have to have it all to be competitive. Our problem is that we are neither fast nor physical nor particulary skillful nor play to any gameplan yet. In our best days we had speed and skill but got passed out by teams who added physicality and structure. Can't make a good cake without all the ingredients in sufficient quantities. Myth: Lifting weights will bulk you up, which hinders your speed/agility. Fact :Try to build lean muscle by lifting less weight but performing more reps. You can always grow stronger without compromising your mobility. Post by: town1980 on January 18, 2018, 10:10:52 PM I miss the days the Laois teams and games used to excite me our players were house hold names known the length and breath of the country...nowadays it’s silly chat about SnC and all the excuses that roll with it...god I miss the good old days Nail on head moment Town. Fair play to them, all of them, for giving up their time and putting the hard work in. But there's a pointlessness to this, and to the GAA, that is hard to ignore. You can't blame those Limerick lads in all honesty. It will come the day when a county can't field a team. The sooner the better in my opinion because no sport worth its name can exist with such imbalances. Post by: Tony on January 19, 2018, 07:52:50 AM I think we're getting to a point (within the next 5 to 10 years) where you either pay the inter county players for their time, or you lose them in droves. It's getting to the point where you have to commit 5 or 6 training sessions per week, just to be somewhat competitive. It's not sustainable. Post by: portlaoisekid on January 19, 2018, 08:57:01 AM For me the inter county scene is pretty much dead and buried for teams outside the top 8 under the current structure. No excitement, no buzz anymore and we have players expected to devote their lives to this and all they get is failure and endless abuse. Anyone that commits fully to the regime and represents Laois is a credit to the county. Quote from: portlaoisekid on January 19, 2018, 08:57:01 AM But the answer to the problem is there in front of us. 10 teams in each grade or thereabouts, each county can have one team only. But will our pride allow it........doubt it. I have been somewhat critical at times ....but I have to agree with The Kid These guys are putting in major effort and I hope they do really well and derive real satisfaction for the effort put in Completely understandable if the head drops with expectations in counties Quote from: town1980 on January 18, 2018, 10:10:52 PM I miss Bosco, he was great fun. I miss the good old days, before mortgages and kids and work. Post by: Butch Cassidy on January 19, 2018, 11:29:33 AM Ben Conroy still with the footballers lads? Quote from: Butch Cassidy on January 19, 2018, 11:29:33 AM Back with the hurlers these past few weeks. Post by: Unlaoised on January 19, 2018, 11:59:31 AM Playing Louth Sunday somewhere in the big smoke! I heard Louth beat Kildare in a recent game! One of the reasons why Donie is back... http://hoganstand.com/Laois/article/index/280120? Quote from: Unlaoised on January 19, 2018, 11:59:31 AM Did this go ahead? Anyone got a report if so. Post by: Joeythelips on January 22, 2018, 10:54:10 AM Quote from: OTF on January 19, 2018, 09:55:24 AM Its getting to that point alright, but the Tommy Murphy cup was basically an intermediate championship but counties did not want it. They all at least want some kind of crack at Sam no matter how unrealistic. There really needs to be some kind of seeding introduced, run league and provisional championships off separately for example and work out the seedings based on results of these (so both competitions are not dead rubber, there is seeding to play for as well as silverware). Bottom half counties go into a knockout comp say 'Tommy Murphy' cup of some such name, top half play for Sam but winners of Tommy get added before qf stage. That way technically everyone has a crack at Sam. Might be nightmare fixture wise but you get the overall gist. Would have lots of good games and all games have something on the line. I think long term the GAA have two workable choices. They could go professional and create 8 to 10 franchises and let the rest play on as we do now in an amateur sport. Obviously those who are playing professional can't play in the amateur competitions. It would be very much along the lines of American Football with the amateur codes being used as a draft if wanted. I honestly believe there is no future for the GAA unless it introduces pay for play, and while counties like ours would never be able to do this, it would at least be something to aspire to for good up and coming youngsters in any county. Let's be honest, Dublin are at the level of a franchise (or not far off anyway) already. Another way could be to scrap the Provincial Championships and have an FA Cup style All Ireland with more emphasis put on the league Or, we could just keep plodding along and have pundits telling Leitrim Laois and Carlow you get out what you put in, You too can be as good as Dublin if you just train hard enough.... 'A lot was expected from me after my debut' https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2018/0118/934386-a-lot-was-expected-from-me-after-my-debut/ Manager Sugrue provides update on returning star forward https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/01/22/manager-sugrue-provides-update-returning-star-forward/ Quote from: Joeythelips on January 22, 2018, 10:54:10 AM Each county wants to have a crack at Sam ..... that the part I don't get and I agree with you that's what they want in football not so in hurling. if you relate that to county championship junior clubs don't expect or demand a crack at the senior championship. I'd say junior clubs are quite happy to play and compete at or near their own level. Lets be honest the football league starting this w/e is a much more interesting competition because we are playing at our own level. Is it eleven years since we won 2 games in the championship ?? and that's when we had a good team. A crack at Sam !!! for the birds. https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/01/23/laois-senior-football-panel-confirmed-2018/ (https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/01/23/laois-senior-football-panel-confirmed-2018/) Good to see so many from portlaoise but I think a few of them might struggle for game time! Suprised at young Kelly and Moore thought these two have what it takes especially when the weather gets a bit better! They haven't been taken out and shot or anything. Both will benefit far more following a program and playing a few games, rather than getting splinters up their holes sitting on benches in shitholes like Carrick and Aughrim. Truth be told, thats quite a weak panel. Sugrue will have a job on his hands, but we all knew that. If they commit to him, he'll knock a tune out of them. Sacrifice of the individual for the collective. I think he has a group there that will do that. Patience from the few supporters we have left is whats called for now. Disappointed for some of the guys hope they take opportunities that will arise over the coming months Thrilled for Danny o Reilly ,Benny,Dowling,Donogher and Fennel,Piggott too like his attitude.... lets hope they are given further chances to shine It's probably the best panel that we could have hoped for. Every player in the county that was interested was sent forward and culled at the later stages. I heard from a good source that the players are very happy with John Sugrue and that the morale is high. Fitness will definitely not be an issue for us this year. On another none Eoin Lowry hit 1-7 for UCD against Maynooth, could be a potential starter for the league Any update on the u20 management? It's a good panel. The only main loss that I can see is Cahir Healy, who I really hoped would be on the panel this year. But having said that I know he's had a fair few injuries and is still currently injured I believe, and he's away most of the time. Hopefully the likes of Holland, Glynn and Dillon can make the transition from club player / squad member to starting player as I really think they have a lot to offer with an inter county programme behind them. Dillon in particular hasn't been a regular with Laois but with his pace and experience, I'd like to see him in the starting 15. Without injuries, my pick would be something like this: Brody, Holland, Timmons, Attride, Glynn, Begley, Dillon, JOL, Quigley, P Kingston, E O' Carroll, Donoher, Walsh, D Kingston, Eoin Lowry. Near starters: Farrell, O Connor, Booth, Strong, Cahilane, Buggie, Shiel. https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/01/24/laois-manager-offers-advice-cut-ballyfin-forward-moore/ Outstanding management and advice. We've got a good one here guys, mark my words. Post by: BallyroanAbu on January 24, 2018, 10:27:25 AM Not often I agree with you, but so far so good. Donie back is huge but on Sugrue's terms is quite a feat. Moore hopefully will make the breakthrough at some point. Quote from: BallyroanAbu on January 24, 2018, 10:27:25 AM For once we appear to be managing a young talent properly. Instead of Donie Brennan being sent out to stand beside Francie Bellew for 70 minutes back in the day. And no one can query whay he isn't involved because Sugrue has communicated in the correct manner. Far better that the chap knows where he stands as opposed to sitting and waiting/hoping. All anyone wants is honesty and effort. Refreshing after some of the bluff and bluster we've had. The next thing is to have us playing like the galactico's What is the criteria for entering a Junior team. It looks like a lot of lads are going to miss out, and along with those culled, could we have the makings of a Junior team? I'm not sure how it works to be honest Not a big criteria I'd imagine given we haven't entered one in years, and we're a Division 4 county now. Question is, are Clubs happy to let players off to play in it. Back in the day when we had oodles of players coming out of minor and u21, the feeling was these lads were better off back with clubs rather than more county football at that grade. There might be something in it now though. Zilch interest in it unfortunately. I can't imagine Mountmellick would be happy to see Coss on a junior squad if it meant he couldn't play league games with them. Same goes for Luttrell, O'Sullivan, Moore, Kelly and their clubs Let them play league games though. I doubt the Junior would cause too many issues, wouldnt be major training for it, unless you got to a Leinster or All Ireland, and then, you're in a Leinster or All Ireland. Anyone know why Forbes was cut? He seemed to show well enough in the Westmeath games from reports. Forbes, Moore, O'Sullivan, Kelly and their likes won't develop one bit in club league football. A better way needs to be found. I suggested the Junior football thing because it's better by far than discarding them. We have to find an avenue for lads who want to be in there. Cant the lads develop themselves? I imagine a query to management about what they need to work on would get a positive response. And why cant they develop in club league? Why can't they go out and rip it up? Any self respecting club player will up his game if a lad is ripping him or his side to shreds. Do we need to handhold everyone nowadays? Back in the day Bernard Flynn (pk), would have a bag of balls in the boot of his car to go kick about in any field he encountered. Maurice Fitz, still, to this day, goes down to St Marys twice a week to kick frees. Paidi O Se would take it upon himself to run himself into the ground below in Ceann Tra. I'm not against the junior idea, but a bit of personal responsibility wouldn't go astray either. Most counties have Junior teams. Why would we not? Of course they could develop on their own, but my preference would be to keep them involved. Go back to the club and you're largely out of the loop Post by: Laoiseabu on January 24, 2018, 01:42:45 PM Hit the nail on the head Don. If lads are good enough to improve and want to improve they will improve and put in the work. If they are not willing to do that then tough luck. And as regards out of the loop? Well if lads are playing well for their clubs during the league( which most aren't) they are still in the eyes of the Laois setup.and if they are not able to play well for their club well they don't really deserve to be involved anyway? Be it club or county the cream will always rise to the top. So why do most counties have Junior teams? For craic? Many don't actually. Its a dying competition in fact. Again, I would be in favour of entering it, but dont get carried away thinking its any great development opportunity. You could play one game and be out on your hole again. How involved would they be then? Also there's the cost element of it, not to be ignored. FYI this is last years Leinster JFC, 5 counties took part. LEINSTER JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP 24th May – Meath (2-18) Kildare (1-19) 24th May – Louth (2-11) Longford (0-15) 7th June – Louth (2-11) Wicklow (0-10) 7th June – Meath (1-17) Wexford (0-10) 25th June – Meath (0-19) Louth (0-10) Here's Munster 2017 Munster Junior Football Championship Round Date Venue Referee Report SF Cork 3-21 Waterford 0-9 27/5 Fraher Field Dungarvan Sean Lonergan (Tipperary) Click here SF Kerry 0-26 Limerick 0-6 11/6 Cusack Park Ennis John Hannan (Clare) Click here Final Kerry 4-24 Cork 3-20 27/6 Pairc Ui Rinn (AET) Sean Lonergan (Tipperary) Click here This is 2018 for Connacht, where in fairness, only Roscommon seem to not enter. Connacht GAA Junior Football Championship 2018 Preliminary Round Wednesday 2nd May Mayo Roscommon tbc Semi-Final Wednesday 9th May Leitrim Winner of Prelim Rd tbc Semi-Final Wednesday 9th May Galway Sligo tbc Final Sunday 13th May Winner of Semi-Final 1 Winner of Semi-Final 2 Ulster haven't had one since 1986. Where we are, the counties who have all passed us by have one. I can't believe it would weaken us. Financially maybe, and I accept that They haven't passed us by because we don't have a Junior side. That's like saying they should have turned on the lights on the Titanic. All well and good, but it wasn't going to stop the ship from sinking. I believe the players can still develop on their own if they are determined to. I very much believe Sugrue will have assured them of that too. If he hasn't, then they can double down and decide to fking show him, and come back stronger. Or they can lie down, and bitch about it down the local with their mates. You started off saying a Junior team was a good idea. Now you're not so sure. You'd argue with your own shadow I can't see what harm a Junior team would do. In my opinion, it's better than going back to a very mediocre standard of football, which is what League football in Laois is. It's hard enough to motivate lads for that, never mind doing so off the back of full commitment to Laois A junior team IS a good idea. Its just not the solution to any real problem. You think it's the silver bullet. You think every county that passed us out is because they have junior teams. I simply proved it wasn't. Fine, it couldn't do any harm. But, if we lose the first round, the players will still be back with their clubs, so it really won't take us anywhere tangible. Tangible growth will come from the players knuckling down and taking their own development into their own hands. If they require further and greater assistance, I firmly believe direction would be forthcoming from the management. But personal responsibility will go a long way. I never argued that it was the panacea, just that it was a good idea. I've always thought it and always will. It makes no sense to have 41 players fighting for 15 places. You might as we let everyone in as discard 7 or 8. There's not 41, there's 35. Six players are currently injured, and replacements for them are required until they are fit and available to fight for their own place. And thats not counting Donie, who is weeks away from fitness. Most counties will carry a panel of 30+. You can't have everyone in there, and it does lads no favours to have them sitting on their holes, when they could be getting match practice with their clubs. Also its unfair to the clubs to have 50 players in a county panel. Also a 50 man county panel would be insane for any number of reasons. Not if you had a Junior team. Just saying Go sell crazy some place else, we're all stocked up here. What's crazy about it? Most counties around us are doing it. If the numbers are there, it makes sense. If they weren't, it wouldn't. Looks like Begley Strong Donoher Timmons Lillis will all not make the team sunday..... Add Quigley and O connor to that who are injured....Its going to be a very young side! Yes it certainly will be a different looking 15 . Can Munnelly starting with Glynn at full back and Timmons at centre back judging by training this week . Would anyone on this forum have any idea how good Limerick or Waterford footballers would be ? are the first 5 injured? If not, why would he not use their experience? Post by: oneflewoverthecuckoonest on January 24, 2018, 06:21:27 PM how good are limerick footballers? well in the munster championship last year, Limerick ran Clare to the pin of their collars, losing by one point....the same Clare team that travelled to Portlaois for the qualifiers and made a laugh of Laois. 9/2 Limerick for this game against a rebuilding Laois is an insult. I would happily take a one point win this minute and move on. We have got into a very bad habit of losing, these last two years and there is no guarantee we will snap out of it in division 4. I think limerick plus 5 points with boyles is some bet. Yeah but are Limerick not down a few guys this year ? 2 limerick veterans have retired...regular full back McCarthy and buckley who was a sub for most of last season. 14 of the 15 that started against clare in the championship in ennis are available for selection...in effect they have nearly a full squad at their disposal. Is the Limerick centre back/ captain not on Army duties ?? Corbett I think? Limerick manager Billy Lee has named a 33-man squad ahead of next Saturday's Allianz Football League Division 4 opener against Laois. The panel shows a number of changes from last year with Monaleen's Donal O'Sullivan taking over the captaincy from Iain Corbett, who will miss the league due to a tour of duty with the Irish army in Lebanon. Sean O'Dea and Paul White are the vice-captains. Limerick (Allianz Football League panel): Shane Doherty, David Connolly, Davy Lyons and Robbie Bourke (all Adare), Jim Lison, Tommy Griffin and Colm McSweeney (all Gerald Griffins), Daniel Daly, David Ward and Eoin Joy (all Fr Caseys), Donal O'Sullivan and Shane Cusack (both Monaleen), Paul White and Mickey Morrissey (both Rathkeale), Tony McCarthy and Peter Nash (both Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Garett Noonan and Cillian Fahy (both Dromcollogher-Broadford), Darragh Treacy and Sean McSweeney (both St Kierans), Patrick Begley and Killian Ryan (both Mungret), James Brouder (Mountcollins), Sean O'Dea (Kilteely-Dromkeen), Brian Fanning (Pallasgreen), Edward Sheehy (Granagh-Ballingarry), Josh Ryan (Oola), Seamus O'Carroll (Castleknock, Dublin), Jamie Lee (Newcastle West), Padraig Scanlon (Glin), Padraig De Bruin (Firies, Kerry), Danny Neville (Ballysteen), Kieran Daly (Na Piarsaigh). Limerick team v Clare 2017 LIMERICK: Donal O’ Sullivan, Daniel Daly, Johnny McCarthy, Seán O’Dea, Paul White, Iain Corbett (C), Brian Fanning; Darragh Treacy, David Ward; Peter Nash, James Naughton, Garrett Noonan; Seamus O’Carroll, Danny Neville, Ger Collins Subs: Josh Ryan for Ward (42), Seán McSweeney for Nash (46), Jamie Lee for Naughton (57), Tony McCarthy for Daniel Daly (60), Padraig Scanlon for Collins (62), Padraig Quinn for O’Carroll (67). Make no mistake Limerick will be a big test considering where we are coming from .Saying that 16 players that were on last years panel are no longer involved with half of there panel this year facing into inter-county football for the first time ! That's a major transition if there ever was one . Didn't see Ian Ryan's name on that panel ..? Good potent forward over the years . Limerick have a very young outfit out - light and pacey. It'll be a tough test but if we have an experienced team named, I think that experience will stand to us. Would like to see our team named before making a prediction though. We would also like to see the Limerick team named too Tony before making a prediction  Donal O’Sullivan Monaleen (Captain) Gareth Noonan Dromcollogher Broadford. Sean O’Dea Kilteely Dromkeen David Connolly Adare Paul White Rathkeale Cillian Fahy Dromcollogher Broadford Jim Liston Gearld Griffins Darragh Treacy St Kieran’s Brian Fanning Pallasgreen Daniel Daly Fr Caseys Peter Nash Kildimo Pallaskenry Danny Neville Ballysteen Tony McCarthy Kildimo Pallaskenry Padraig Scanlon Glin Jamie Lee Newcastle West James Brouder Mountcollins 17. Shane Doherty Adare 18. Edward Sheehy Granagh-Ballingarry 19. Colm McSweeney Gerald Griffins 20. David Ward Fr Caseys 21. Tommy Griffin Gerald Griffins 22. Seamus O’Carroll Castleknock 23. Robbie Bourke Adare 24. Sean McSweeney St Kieran’s 25. Pádraig De Brún Firies 26. Kieran Daly Na Piarsaigh 14 of them are from Senior Clubs. They’re very young and in a very similar position to us. Ryan isn’t involved. Anyone from Limerick want to shed some light on this team? Post by: LooseCannon on January 25, 2018, 05:40:38 PM Quote from: les Antiques on January 25, 2018, 10:59:09 AM Ryan is gone to the Lebanon on a tour of duty with the army. Some amount of league debutants in the 15 named. A new era has certainly begun. Best of luck to them all. Yup, lot of new faces, no harm though, ideally we can't afford to be experimenting when we are looking to get promotion but we've ignored it for a long time. I would imagine the next game will see a few more changes again Just seen the laois team for the weekend definitely a totally new team and set up best of luck to John and his team for the weekend I’m looking forward to the game Is it a secret Holland, Nerney, Fennel, Collins, attride, clowrey, J'OL and O Reilly, Farrell, Paul K, Glynn, Lowry, Walsh, Dowling Post by: Unison on January 25, 2018, 10:31:59 PM That seems a very brave team selection. I hope it goes very well for them. I think he is right because in my opinion, building a new team is more important than promotion in Sugrue's first year. I hope his bravery is rewarded with a win. Thanks, brave team to go with looks like he’s going to build a new team regardless. Best of luck we really need this to work out. Post by: theoldvet on January 25, 2018, 10:49:10 PM Fair play to the Manager, A big risk Win or Lose I like it, Outstanding. There'll be bumps and pitfalls along the way, but this needs doing, and they need to be backed. Good man John. Post by: Laois fan on January 26, 2018, 08:56:50 AM While im all for introducing new players ,id be slightly worried about playing so many at the one time especially in the backline He's hanging his hat on these new faces. Good luck to him. It will probably suffice against limerick and he will learn who is up to the step up and who is not. I agree Don, if it goes wrong we are going to have to man up behind Sugrue. What he is trying to do is ballsy, but could go badly wrong. Fingers crossed that all goes well as it's high risk stuff. Exactly what constitutes a good year this year for Sugrue ? Thoughts please Personally Decent Showing Div 4 hopefully promotion Championship Leinster Semi and be in the game with Kildare regardless of result Most important Green Shoots Post by: town1980 on January 26, 2018, 11:31:08 AM i hope john does well results are what defines managers so please god he gets off to a winning start,,it wont be easy but i act dont know one person on that limerick team so im sure will be in with a shout Post by: The Rover on January 26, 2018, 11:34:08 AM fair play to the management team for selecting so many new players, I think this is a correct and brave selection. Win or not on Saturday night we should all get behind this team and current setup and hopefully a new team and a new era for Laois football will emerge. we do not expect miracles, from such a new team but we do hope to see progress as the league campaign goes on and hope to get promotion if not this year certainly next season. best of luck to all involved and thank you for your commitment to the county. Very interesting looking team. Pretty much a new starting 15 apart from a few positions. Surprised we're not seeing a few more familiar faces to tighten up the team sheet, but at the same time, excited to see all of the inexperienced players play - this will be a top test for all. This isn't exactly a vintage Limerick team either and it's two very new sides for both. Win or lose, we'll find out a lot about what we have on Saturday. Hoping we have a game plan & don't just look like we never played together before, that would be a dissappointment, regardless of result. I have trust in John and the setup & will give it time, eitherway, and we must remember that we're building from a lowpoint and now is a time to be patient. The likes of Lowry are on top form at the moment with his college, looking forward to seeing how he does. Also looking forward to seeing how everyone else is doing, especially Holland, Glynn and young Crowley from Emo. Rory Delaney has a very good write up about about the year ahead, here : https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/gaelic-games/293484/preview-road-to-redemption-starts-here-as-laois-footballers-begin-life-in-division-4.html May I draw peoples attention to this paragraph His comments after the second O'Byrne Cup game were telling as well. While the players all might like him, he offers no indication that he isn't prepared to speak bluntly to the panel, regardless of seniority. “A lot of the most positive fellas so far are the newcomers as far as I’m concerned. They’ve shown a real freshness and a real appetite for this thing and they really want to play for Laois. So a lot of the newcomers are looking good at the moment for us.” Those were his words after the loss to Westmeath in their second O'Byrne Cup meeting, and the message was clear - he was looking for freshness and appetite. We've tried and failed repeatedly with the "experienced players" being spoken of. While a bit of it may be useful in many ways, in other ways these players, most notably in the league last year, have shown crippling inability to get over the line. They're not bad players, so the mental issue must be addressed at this point. But from what I seen of the matches I've attended so far, is that not too many were putting their hands up all that high, and on or two were way off. If the younger ones are chomping at the bit, then let them off the leash. Based on what I know about those selected, particularly in the backs, there's a work rate in them all as individuals. We can only hope that they gel and work hard for each other. As Don said above, there'll be hiccups along the way, but they deserve our support because they wouldn't be there if they didn't care about Laois. I wish them luck and would advise them to work as hard for each other as they possibly can. I say that particularly to our forwards who in recent years have allowed far too much pressure to be heaped on our back line I agree but I don't think they will get away with not working in the forwards with John Sugrue. This man has started out with a good attitude and hopefully it will carry over to the players. Not starting Donie is a huge statement of intent from him and no matter who you are you wont be getting anything handy this year. Tonight will tell us a bit more about a few lads and the management team but we have to be patient and remember just where we're coming from. Really looking forward to this one tonight. Donnie is part of a strong bench along with Begley Lillis o munnely Donoher Carroll Mecevoy x2 Dillon Jaime farrel. Lots of injuries so id imagine he is fit player 26. Best of luck to all involved great to see this many debuts its a statement of intent. Plus alot of experience on the bench to settle things if needed Another era starts... Let's go.... Very good result tonight, was slightly anxious how we would fare with such a young team. We really should push on now and look to take the group, Leitrim next week will be a tougher test Delighted with the result all lads gave it their all Div 4 at times won’t be straight forward as proven tonight they had to tough it out Good to see a system in place Thought the full back line did great.....so sorry for Attride Laois abú Post by: The Rover on January 27, 2018, 09:47:35 PM good result. the most pleasing aspect was the way all of the laois players tackled and harassed the Limerick players when they had possession. full back line were not really tested but to a man they did what they had to do. O'Reilly at midfield has some pace and will improve as the year goes on.looking forward to the next few rounds and to see how the squad progress and develop. Great win well done to team and management. There will be setbacks but a good start as they say. Great to win with such a young team. I hope John Sugrue continues to build. Promotion would be a nice bonus. Leitrim next day out will be tough, but a win would set us up well for the next home match against Waterford. Thought O'Reilly in midfield was impressive. Evan O'Carroll seemed to improve things when he came on as well. Good win but Limerick were dreadful. As poor as you'll ever see. Great to see new lads in action. Not all of them will make it but isn't that what Division 4 is for? To see if lads are up to it. O'Reilly looked good. Walsh we know can be brilliant if he holds his head. Disappointed with Farrell, Lowry, Holland. Good to see O'Carroll in for 25 minutes or so. I think with the likes of Donie, Timmons, Quigley, Murphy of Port who's a serious footballer to come in, we'll walk Division 4. SCFC I think your getting a bit excited there it's only day 1 against what may turn out to be the weakest team In this years Div4. Job done we move on . Nothing to get too excited about. When Donie comes back he will add a lot. I suppose now he probably plays the same 15 in Leitrim?? We certainly wont walk Div.4 and its that kind of attitude that has us in the division in the first place. We as supporters seem to think we are better than we really are and should be challenging for Sam every year but the fact is we are a Div.4 team and for the first half we looked every bit of it. We are definitely far fitter than last year at this time but our football was dreadful in that first half. Our defending was good and saved us from being behind on the scoreboard at half time but our forward play left a lot to be desired. Lads seem to be afraid to shoot when the opportunity arises and on several occasions we passed ourselves into trouble when a shot was on. I don't think we let one ball into Gary Walsh in the first half, instead we preferred to recycle across the field and backwards on most occasions and that will have to change if we are going to get out of this division. The second half was way better with more direct play at times which brought about a few good scores. The first ball that got sent in early resulted in a good pass from Finbar Crowley and he passed to Gary Walsh who scored a good goal. Then another early ball from Evan to Gary brought a great point from him almost immediately after the goal. That seemed to settle us down and we played some great football after that. Daniel O'Reilly could be a big player for us this year and has some burst of speed in him. Midfield seems to suit him as when he plays on the wing he runs into blind alleys a lot and looses possession which he did again on a few occasions tonight. But his work rate and running off the ball was great as was most of the lads to be honest. He will only improve with time and looks a great find for the county. The subs made a big difference which is something I haven't seen for many a year with Laois footballers so its great to have a strong panel. We even had Donie sitting on the bench if needed but he didn't get the call tonight. Overall I was happy with the display and we really can give this Div. a good rattle if we continue to improve as much as we did we did as the game went on tonight. A decent win against poor opposition . I think we could see a lot of this in this division . The standard is not going to be high let's face it and building momentum through wins is championship preparation .Hopefully as the league progresses we can build and raise our performance levels but it won't be easy when teams like limerick and Waterford put out blanket defences something Wexford or Kildare won't be doing against us come summer . Nevertheless two points on the board was vital and it'll be interesting to see how our full back line will cope in Carrick next Sunday . Danny O'Reilly was good and has got pace to burn along with a good positional sense . Walsh now needs to replicate last nights performance next week and I think he is capable . Paul Kingston worked hard throughout maybe at times trying to much . I was a little disappointed by Lowry , expected more from particularly after his college exploits . Can see O Carroll starting next week ! Anyone hear how serious Attrides injury is ? It’s a results game business and the team and management got the result so we’ll done onwards and upwards in my eyes ...they blooded a lot of players on what was a sad week for the gaa community..a lot of the unknown players showed up very well.. keep up the good work Overall happy with the performance but I must admit, at times it was a slightly nervy experience as Limerick had a couple of chances to really change the outlook of the game against the run of play. They were poor and had some woeful misses – the most noteable being a free missed from 14 yards and straight in front of the posts in the first half. Kicking it into the keeper’s hands from there is inexcusable at this level. In any event, it was a very positive start for us, considering that the line-up was very young and inexperienced. The fact that we really pulled away, only after some stalwards were introduced near the end, speaks volumes really about their experience and knowledge of how to open teams like this up. We needed that added bite up front to convert some chances and split them open through running at them and creating space. Having said that, I really do believe that we saw some very promising new starters for Laois last night. My player ratings were as follows: Brody – 7. Didn’t do anything wrong and those runs out of defence are actually useful as it provides a free man to run off the man in possession. The only criticism I have is when he goes into the opposition half. To be fair to Brody he’s good on the ball and quick, but if we lose possession & he’s in the wing forward position, that’s just asking for trouble, in my opinion. I really do think we have one of the best and most progressive keepers in the country though, he just might need a bit of refinement as those runs are a bit wild sometimes. D Holland – 6.5. Again, didn’t do much wrong and wasn’t really tested but a few times I did note him running aimlessly around when near a Laois man in possession, instead of purposelfully making himself available as a pass option. S Nerney – 7.0 Comfortable in possession, quick and a big lad. Needs to fill out a bit more perhaps but definitely a good option going forward. Not really tested as Limerick forwards were a bit toothless. Fennell – 7.0. Good in possession and solid all round. T Collins – 6.5. Solid enough but wasn't tested. Attride – Wasn’t on long enough but a pity for our captain to go off so early. To me, it looked like he tweaked his hamstring so he may be out for 2 – 4 weeks before he trains properly again. F Crowley – 7 Solid performance. JOL – 7.5 Typical JOL performance. Gave his all and was one of our best performers. Good in possession and good support play. D O Reilly – 8 – Great performance by Danny, very quick, looked very fit and agile, on this form will be a regular for us, midfield seems to suit him. Nice to have that speed around the middle of the field as JOL and Quigley aren’t speed merchants. A Farrell – 6. Was a bit disappointed with Alan, looked very rusty and not very confident with the ball. Will likely improve a lot. P Kingston – 7 Good performance all round but can do better with some decision making and shot selection. B Glynn – 5. Poor all round from brian and he looked very disappointed with his performance. Has potential but didn’t have a good game. He fielded a ball superbly at one point only to kick it 10 metres to the opposition. Looked rusty but should be given more time. E Lowry – 7 Looked very good in spells, has decent speed, needs to be more clinical and improve decision making but definitely has very good potential. G Walsh – 8.5 – Head an shoulders above any other forward on the field, showed his class and took his scores very well. Dowling – 6 – Had a quiet game, took his point well but fairly quiet otherwise. He will hope to get on more ball next time out. Begley – 7.5. Very solid and assured game for Colm and was a great sub to have to Attride. Great playmaker and covers the whole field. Looks fit and hungry. E O Carroll – 7. Evan made a positive impact when he came on. Got on a lot of ball and was good in possession. He will be looking for a starting place. Other subs not on long enough to rate. Overall, a positive start to the League, especially in the context of so many new faces and an inexperienced team. Lots to look forward to, with plenty of lads to come back, and a lot of good headaches for Sugrue given that a lot of the new lads are showing up, working very hard and making a good claim for their starting spot. Great to get the result and a 9 point win is as good as you could ask for however it has to be taken into context. It's Div 4 football and Limercik were poor enough. Gary was flying in the second half last night but one thing he won't be is consistent. He is one of the best forwards in the Div though when he does put his mind to it. The same failings are there with regard to turning possession into scores with a lot of efforts falling into the keepers arms or being sent wide. As long as Laois learn from each game and continue to improve it bodes well and for the new comers Div 4 will work t otheir advantage in getting game time and confidence. Laois should have too much for most of the teams in Div 4 and really should be looking at being in the mix at the end of the league. Great Result, move on from here and hopefully get out Div 4. Limerick were poor Limerick were like a poor junior club side. Easily the worst team inter county team bar Kilkenny I have ever seen. Of the 'new' lads, Nerney, O'Reilly showed well. Hard to tell about some of the others as they weren't properly tested. It was nice to see the impact the younger lads pace had defensively where they were able to get up in the oppositions face and tackle without fouling. I thought John O'Loughlin had a disappointing game. He slows the game down too much and was responsible for much of the sideways play in the first half. He also fouled much too often. If only he could keep the ball moving forward. I'm a fan generally but thought he didn't show great yesterday. Sugrue spoke very well again afterwards. Blue and white - when you refer to Sugrue speaking well about if afterwards, I presume you were listening to radio 3 live? I don't see any links to audio from his press interview afterwards online. Would like to hear. In my opinion I'd have brendan quigley in the middle instead of o Loughlin, he could be utilised well at centre back or maybe even centre forward? Quote from: Tony on January 28, 2018, 06:06:42 PM Yes, he was on live when I got into the car. Interestingly, he referred to the first half as being more like Laois have got into the habit of playing over the last few years - side to side and backwards. He also spoke about the deliberate injection of pace into the team. He seems a very shrewd observer of what is happening on the field. I'm sure midlands 103 will stick it on their twitter feed at some point. Post by: From the Terrace on January 28, 2018, 08:30:23 PM Decent performance, second half a lot better direct running instead ofor backwards & sideways stuff. I thought all players put a solid shift. Workrate of all players was good. Stand outs for me crowley, o'reilly, Kingston & Walsh. Only negative was sending off but you'll get that. https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/01/29/manager-sugrue-impressed-debutantes/ (https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/01/29/manager-sugrue-impressed-debutantes/) I enjoyed the win and i think we will get better .. Dicey was superb and walsh looked in great shape Next week will be a far tougher task But very positive signs of the No it won't Limerick would be classified as second or third best team in Div 4, it was just a sign of how dire Div 4 is. I'd agree with that. Antrim gave Leitrim a bit of a trimming. As bad as we might think we are if we play any way close to our potential we should be looking at top 2 minimum. Div 4 is poor and Carlow and Antrim will probably give us the toughest tests and we have Antrim in Portlaoise. Agree . Leitrim are all over the place at the moment with numerous first choice players deciding not to play under the management they have . Along with Waterford I'd expect us to dispose of those two comfortably . Carlow will be by far the toughest especially physically and they seem to have all there club players pulling in the one direction with the county now . Antrim likewise will a serious test . Both them and Carlow are at our level . I really don't know what to expect in London . They have all home ties so they should get some momentum going in Ruislip . I'd expect changes this weekend , through injuries and perhaps a positional ones . Don't know what Leitrim are like but Limerick supporters think their worst for years. Limerick were poor and their shocking misses in front of goal only rubber stamped that but we left them in the game as we have done with so many teams in recent years Wicklow antrim etc etc.... At least we got the win and I think Leitrim will be a tougher task at the weekend despite missing a few players.... Carrick on shannon on a windy and wet day will not be easy. We went up there in 2012 under Justin mcnulty with a star studded team that was going places and only won by 2 points I think?? we were in one way flattered by the 9 points win last Saturday, and if the Limerick forward had goaled instead of hitting the post in the 60th minute then the game would most certainly have gone down to the wire. the positives is that we do look fitter, we at least seemed to have some fuel left in the last 5 minutes, as compared to last year when we were often on fumes in the last 15 minutes. I sense fans at least see an element of reality with sugrue. he knows the laois scene and realises that we do have to rebuild and what we may find is that division 4, albeit, bottom of the barrel stuff, is less punishing for rebuilding projects. I read on the main forum of this board, that Sligo, a bit like ourselves are on a rebuild, and look how they suffered in div 3 last sunday at the hands of Armagh. I read elsewhere on this thread that a good season would consist of gaining promotion to div 3 and getting to a leinster semi final against Kildare. The former is achievable, the latter target is, as of now, a big ask. I think Westmeath are a long way ahead of us, possible at the peak of their current squad and spearheaded by a marquee forward. They along with Wexford are div 3 sides, and it would be quite some achievement to beat both to get to a leinster semi final, not impossible, a tough ask. as for this sunday, I was in Carrick the last two times Laois played there, that qualifier victory over Leitrim and the qualifier defeat to Donegal the next year. From memory, it is a tight pitch with a pronounced scoring goal(road end). Leitrim have a limited squad, however they do bring a local pride and passion to proceedings especially when playing in Carrick. I see they beat Sligo a fortnight ago in that Connaught league. So they deserve respect. In fact, if a transitional squad, such as ours, takes any of these div 4 sides for granted, then we may pay a price. Again, I would be happy to win 12 points to 10 and travel back east with the 2 points in the bag. I can't see anything but a convincing win Sunday even with us in this major transitional period . Leitrim are a long way from the team that we played against in the qualifiers under McNulty . Post by: From the Terrace on February 01, 2018, 11:59:21 AM I presume same starting 15, maybe donoher will get in ahead of dowling.. I'd like to see same 15 start. Post by: Owenmoresider on February 01, 2018, 12:28:04 PM Quote from: oneflewoverthecuckoonest on January 30, 2018, 12:57:47 PM No we beat them by ten points, as did Antrim last week. Carrick isn't the easiest place for visiting teams over the years and is a tight pitch alright but they have slipped a lot from the team ye'd have beaten there in 2012, so I don't imagine ye will have too much trouble on Sunday. Post by: From the Terrace on February 01, 2018, 12:59:14 PM Any news on attride injury? Begley probably start for him. Post by: Unlaoised on February 01, 2018, 04:54:50 PM Quote from: From the Terrace on February 01, 2018, 12:59:14 PM Bad enough hammer strain I'm hearing a few weeks at least we should have enough cover to get through a few of games without him. I have a feeling we will see more support for this years team more clubs represented and looks like a good young manager. Have to say Sugrue speaks very well. A successful year is promotion and a championship win for me anyway. Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on February 02, 2018, 05:28:17 PM Post by: Bamford1995 on February 02, 2018, 09:46:07 PM An unchanged team named from the Limerick game apart from Attride, Begley is in Post by: Helix on February 02, 2018, 10:39:23 PM Quote from: Bamford1995 on February 02, 2018, 09:46:07 PM O’Carroll in for Dowling aswell. Hopefully a decent score got and forwards start clicking. Post by: les Antiques on February 02, 2018, 10:55:35 PM Good team .. think Surge will bring the best out of O'Carrol ! Think the big test is ahead of us ...... carlow and Antrim . Yea, nice to see he's sticking with most of the lads who did the job last week, sends out a good message to the squad https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/02/02/two-changes-laois-football-team-ahead-trip-leitrim/ Post by: Tony on February 04, 2018, 06:59:04 PM John Sugrue post Leitrim: https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/john-sugrue-post-leitrim Post by: The Rover on February 04, 2018, 07:01:15 PM Just home from the game in Carrick on Shannon first fifteen minutes of each half Laois showed some improvement from Last week, they were much more direct and played with a purpose. Could have and should have been out of sight before half time and went in 5 points up after the first half, leitrim missed a penalty(saved by Briody) so we could have been only 2 points up. Ehe second halv for fifteen to twenty minutes we took complete control of the game and at the same time missed at least 4 very score-able goal chances, and had a lead of 14 points at one stage, then we invited Leitrim back into the game Briody made one of his trips up the field and ended up beside the Leitrim goalkeeper. Leitrim broke and senced a chance and punished Laois with a goal after that Leitrim out scored Laois 3 goals and 3 points to 4 points, Laois looked in a lot of trouble when Leitrim run at them. Full back line Fennell showed well and Nurney at times the half back line were all at sea at times Midfield J.O'L. held his own and the pitch did not suit the running from O'Reilly (he will undoubtably have many better Days. The two wing forwards could have contributed more they lost a lot of good Poscession. Paul Kingston overall had a good game. Walsh and O'Carroll both had good games and when Munnelly was introduced he created a lot of space which Laois should have made more on the score board from. Good experience for the younger Players but when Laois have a team on the rack they need to be more ruthless and drive on. The management possibly Learnt more about the team than the did in the whole game against Limerick and the first 45 minutes against Leitrim. another two points on the board with an away win so we can look forward to next week. Well done to all and it is great to see such hard work been done by all to the cause. Post by: on the hop on February 04, 2018, 07:20:32 PM A win is a win. Should have been far more as our forwards really had the run on their backs. The sloppiness in a 15 minute spell in the second half allowed them to be a lot closer than they should have been. You could blame it on the changes which resulted in the complete lack of shape but brody's run and loss of ball which resulted in Begley getting injured and them getting a goal gave them a kick start. This resulted them attacking in waves and a further two goals followed. Sugure in his interview didn't seem to worried about the turnover, blaming more on a mistake on the forwards but you would have to wonder why is your keeper near the opposition goals. There are problems to work on, the looseness of the defence and the kicking of wides before carlow and Antrim are encountered and it. Not a great day for the defence. Fennell was solid and Collins took his goal well. Begley saved our bacon a few times and wasn't bad at full back, his man did score a few. I have no idea what the plan with Holland was. He lined out at centre back and appeared to follow his man around the field. Dillon was ok but nerney had a tough day, played his man from the front and got caught several times. It's brace when it works out. The changes made the defence worse off. Jol was our only source of kickouts till Lillis came on. Reilly was cleaned by a much bigger man especially in the second half. He is athletic but is not a midfielder. Paul Kingston was good, not a good day for Glynn, while you could say Farrell tried hard. Again the changes here did not improve things. At different stages the full forward line did well. Realistically and mentioned in the interview they could and probably should have had a bigger score. Ross came on and bagged two points and will be putting Lowry under pressure who isn't sparkling at this level like he is doing at sigersion. We will need Timmons and attride back. No sign of Kingston yet but colm murphy did a heavy session before the game. Interesting to hear what others thought of sugure' s comments about Kingston Post by: Don Draper on February 04, 2018, 08:51:08 PM Quote from: on the hop on February 04, 2018, 07:20:32 PM Interesting to hear what others thought of sugure' s comments about Kingston No fking beating around the bush there, message sent out loud and clear. Cant beat it. Post by: Unison on February 04, 2018, 09:49:28 PM The message from John Sugrue is very clear, and its the right attitude. Its entirely up to Donie now. I wonder will he knuckle down? There must be a big doubt that he will. Not long home had few pints after it with few laois die hards ...not easy for the lads not drinking and driving us home with our merry analyses ha ha hard to know what to make of that game ...when we were in full flow we looked levels above them .. When we got sloppy we looked like a team short on confidence and a game plan Brody summed it up ...an unreal peno save when we were well on top ,but taking the ball up that far and loosing it gave them hope although to be fair to him he is probably one of our more pacey attacking options . The Begley injury shook the team and we were sloppy in that period . Plus points Walsh is on fire Jol was solid and looks focused Collins was good P kingston is becoming more influential Lills and munnelly were decent and have much to offer We need timmons and attride back in the backs . Darren strong could becan option at half forward give Brody more options from the kickout Happy with another win in what is a horrible little ground Roll on home advantage next week Quote from: Unison on February 04, 2018, 09:49:28 PM Its time for Donie to realise that the ship is sailing on his potential. Its time to get on board, or be another great "what if". No one can do it for him. There'll be no more smoke blown up his hole. This is big boy shit now. In a not unrelated piece, worth a read http://www.the42.ie/robbie-cannon-laois-3831467-Feb2018/?utm_source=shortlink Post by: blueandwhite1 on February 04, 2018, 10:45:31 PM Actually think it is a bit amateurish for John to call out Donie publicly. No harm behind closed doors but not great man management to mention in an interview. Quote from: blueandwhite1 on February 04, 2018, 10:45:31 PM Bullshit. More of the mollycoddling. We love a bit of that here in Laois. Post by: steven seagal on February 04, 2018, 10:59:39 PM Donie is back near enough a month at this stage. I can't imagine Sugrue hasn't said it to him in person already. If he's not getting the reaction he needs out of him, then he has to try whatever means available to get him going. It's not like he slated him anyway, he just said he needs to work harder in training. Post by: Unlaoised on February 05, 2018, 11:08:03 AM Hard for donie to make up all that ground probably feels like a struggle and the body language might not be right but it will come and when it does what a boost it will be if him Walsh and O'Carroll can all click its a decent forward line with Paul Kingston and Paul cahilanne to come! Post by: Unison on February 05, 2018, 11:36:19 AM Quote from: Unlaoised on February 05, 2018, 11:08:03 AM I hope you are right. I don't think Sugrue was disrespectful in the interview. He said, regarding when Donie will return that "A lot of that will depend on Donie's application to training." That's fair enough in my book. He was asked a straight question and was given a straight answer. And it's a good healthy message to send to the entire panel. If you show up and give 100% in training and show the desire to play for Laois, you'll get your spot ahead of someone with a bigger reputation, but is giving much less. At the end of the day, in a championship match when it's a draw match going into the last 5 minutes, the people you want in there are the lads who will give 100% to Laois. Post by: BallyroanAbu on February 05, 2018, 12:34:49 PM We are in Div 4, Gary Walsh, Paul Kingston or any player are going to look good if they are anywhere near county standard. I like what Sugrue is doing, it would be hard for Donie to walk now. By challenging him you may get the best out of someone that is out on his own as Laois best forward, but also putting your stamp on the whole setup. I like it so far he is getting the big calls right. It's very hard for Donie to walk now, once he came back in that game was up. Post by: SCFC on February 05, 2018, 12:36:09 PM Quote from: Unison on February 05, 2018, 11:36:19 AM I would think a forward line containing both Kingstons, Cahillane and ocarroll might be a shade light on the work rate required in the modern game. You have to have a very hard working.forwards. As someone said Strong could work at wing forward. Donoher is always a consistent wing forward too. I think O'Reilly could do a job there too. Is Brian Daly involved at all? Sugrue is treating them like grown ups and asking them to react accordingly. Those who know will know how he’s handled the disciplinary issues so far, firm and fair. The players are being treated like adults, they know the score with him and there’s no grey areas. The cutting of the players was honest and well informed, especially Moore. Donie knew where he stood from the start and nothing’s changed. I loved his handling of the Brody incident also, backed the player and is obviously empowering him as a leader. I’ve said it before lads, we’ve a good one. Quote from: Don Draper on February 05, 2018, 12:46:12 PM Its easily done when your winning:) Quote from: BallyroanAbu on February 05, 2018, 01:07:50 PM While its a weaker division than we're used to, are we winning because things are being done right? Chicken? Egg? I've no doubt things are being done right but we would have expected to win the first four games in this league handily enough. Carlow and Antrim look the only possible hurdles. Maybe London away will be a tricky one? Post by: The PRO on February 05, 2018, 03:21:17 PM Can't understand how Joseph's, Ballyroan and The Heath havent one player on the Laois panel, apart from an injured Denis Booth. Weaker division yes but with the turnover of players the last few years and so many bigger names missing or finished I think he has done a great job so far... I'd love to see him get real time in the job if he wanted it and I think he could bring us back to Division 2 and get us competitive with the Kildares and Meath's in Leinster again! He seems to have a bit of something about him and the respect of the players which is massive... Sort of manager I would love to play for and impress if I could! Post by: ILikeStrawberryJam on February 05, 2018, 10:33:47 PM Fair play to sugrue.. hes speaks well.. its only division 4 but we still have to go and do it .. Donie has been a magnificent player for Laois but if hes not willing to put in the work Hes no divine right to walk on to the team .. If lads arent 100% into it .. best off without them .. that said i expect the most talented Laois player i have ever Seen play to knuckle down and come good by chamionship time .. I'm Happy enough with what I'm hearing from the camp. The main thing is lads are really interested in making this work and so is John. You can't ask for much more than that at this stage. I do think we will have to keep putting up big scores from now on and tighten up on our scores against as it could all come down to score difference to decide who goes up. Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on February 08, 2018, 11:15:32 AM Laois team for Saturday Graham Brody (Portlaoise); David Holland (Portlaoise), Shane Nerney (O’Dempsey’s), Ruaidhri C Fennell (Rosenallis) Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), Colm Begley (Stradbally), Gareth Dillon (Portlaoise) John O’Loughlin (St Brigid’s, Dublin), Kieran Lillis (Portlaoise) Alan Farrell (Ballylinan), Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen), Danny O’Reilly (Graiguecullen) Ross Munnelly (Arles-Kilcruise), Gary Walsh (Ballylinan), Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard). https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/02/08/two-changes-laois-senior-footballers-ahead-waterford-clash/ (https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/02/08/two-changes-laois-senior-footballers-ahead-waterford-clash/) God Munnelly deserves some credit for still making the side I think we should win well on Saturday night but you can never count your chickens Interesting to see how Liliis goes in midfield he is probably best suited to that position I hear he is flying it in training! Looking for to seeing them in action now! Post by: OTF on February 08, 2018, 12:01:21 PM I think its quite clear, If your going well in training you'll be playing if not you wont..... no matter who you are. Post by: High Fielder on February 08, 2018, 12:01:57 PM I'd say Lillis will go centre back and Begley into midfield. Lillis, in my opinion, can only play centre back. I've always liked him there even though he'd be susceptible to runners Say what you like about Lillis, and he’s a fine solid performer, but a flyer he will never be. Are some of the younger guys dropping away? Crowley, Lowry, Dowling? Pity! I'd say more likely others are upping their efforts, the three above will come again. Post by: redsetanta on February 08, 2018, 02:56:49 PM That's why there's a panel there. Lowry is flying for UCD. Himself and O'Carroll were in top form for UCD yesterday. Lowry hasn't done enough and on top of Siggerson Sugrue probably felt Ross deserved his start. He might be getting older but he's well able for Div 4 football. Post by: Laoiseabu on February 08, 2018, 03:55:22 PM No Crowley is injured at the moment. As for Dowling I'd say Sugrue didn't see enough out of him from the Limerick game to hold down a starting spot. As for Lowry , he was taken off against Leitrim and was taken off for UCD yesterday and isn't starting against Waterford so I haven't a clue what's going on there to be honest. Quote from: redsetanta on February 08, 2018, 02:56:49 PM Division 4 yes, but championship? I don't deny that Ross has been an unbelievable servant to Laois. But, I was hoping Div 4 would be used to build a new team. Yeah it's slowly starting to look like the team of old again. Be interesting to see what youngsters hold down places for championship. Strong, Timmons, Booth, Conway, Quigley , Kingston, O Connor , Buggie , have to come back and suddenly it's the same team as last year .So I don't know how long this new team business will last for. Ah Unision, have you been paying attention - of course it's been used to build a new team! That's not to say that some older performers can't play, too. I hear Ross has been going fantastic in training and is hungry to keep playing. Why wouldn't we put him on the team. What a great attitude to have. 2018 and still going strong for Ross, what a legend he is for Laois. Still fresh enough, too. Doesn't have that electric speed that he used to have but still a great asset and a very good football brain. "Buiding a team" doesn't just mean "throw all the older lads out and put all the new lads in". It means, slowly but surely give the newer lads good game time, build them up slowly and then over time transition accordingly. The new lads should be given time to show what they're about but not to the detrement of an "older" lad who's giving his all and can do a better job on the day. Quote from: Tony on February 08, 2018, 04:03:49 PM Good point Tony I watched them train twice this year...Early after Westmeath 1st game and just last week. Players are certainly being picked on form. Lowry was flying it early but not showing as well not but he is in the middle of tough schedule and probably needs a rest ... O'Carroll looks back to his best and really sharp which can only be a boost. My only surprise was as I said earlier in this thread was Moore and esp young Kelly being cut I thought they looked hungry and added a lot to proceedings in the early training's and if he was going on training then they should have been more involved but to be fair to John he explained his reasons why he was leaving them out for now ...who's to say they won't be back or anyone else for that matter... John seems open minded I think he will be open to anything down the line that could be a player in good form coming in out of the blue like happens in a lot of other counties but never here. Its a good strong team with good subs to come in. Another 2 points and we are in good shape for the 4 toughest games in Antrim London and Carlow and wicklow away which is never easy for Laois I was sick in my stomach last year when we were relegated and thought I would never enjoy going to a game again but I'm lovin' the way this year is going so far. We have a manager who seems to be doing all the right things and the fact that we are playing in this division means he can try out young players and try new systems for us to play. I admire his stance on the more established lads and not rushing them back into the team until he believes they are fully ready both in body and mind. That is something we couldn't afford, or maybe hadn't the courage to do till now and hopefully we will reap the rewards. Winning is a habit and a few good wins, regardless of who it's against builds confidence and trust in your teammates and manager and can only be good for us. We need a big win Saturday to give us a good score difference and that team should be well capable of doing it... Quote from: Laoiseabu on February 08, 2018, 04:01:59 PM Read and listen to above in relation to Donie, there’ll be no “have to come back” everyone has to earn their places on this team. They may very well make it but they’ll be in a lot better shape than they have been these past few years Love that picture... a lot of people including portlaoise said ohhh he is fit but too raw maybe not good enough..... Well in my book he is a potential corner back for a long period ...I know if i was playing i'd hate to having him marking me! Post by: SCFC on February 09, 2018, 11:45:45 AM Quote from: OTF on February 08, 2018, 08:09:14 PM I think to be fair "have to come back into contention" is what was meant. Come the championship, there's a reasonable chance that Timmons, Quigley, Strong and Donoher will be there or thereabouts. It's good to see a few new lads getting their chance to date. I'd expect us to beat Waterford by a big margin. Quote from: SCFC on February 09, 2018, 11:45:45 AM Having read it again I agree and if my comment appeared to be dismissive it was not the intention. Good to get the 2 points vs Waterford. I couldn't make the match this week but encouraging to see Donie back and a lot of lads getting good game time. 3 wins from 3 is very positive and a nice 2 week break now for some lads coming back from niggles to push for some game time vs Wicklow. Antrim only got a point today against a 13-man Wicklow. We really need to drive on now and get this promotion. Looking like a 3 horse race with Laois, Antrim and Carlow. From what I can see, Carlow will be our biggest threat - they're playing very good football this year and look hungry and fit. John Sugrue post Waterford : https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/john-sugrue-post-waterford Post by: County Man on February 11, 2018, 10:50:53 PM Nice to have 6 points after 3 rounds. Puts us in a good position in the promotion hunt. Wicklow in Aughrim next up followed by a massive game at home against Antrim. Guys can knuckle down in training for the next 2 weeks knowing we are on track. To sum up the first 3 rounds.... there was a fine crowd in O'Moore Park for round 1 against Limerick. A 9 point victory flattered us but 2 good goals scored and held Limerick to 9 points. Danny O'Reilly impressed in that game with Gary Walsh on top form. Was good to see a lot of new faces been given their chance to impress. Round 2 away in Carrick on Shannon was quite impressive for the first 55 minutes. Paul Kingston impressed and again Gary Walsh was on fire. Evan O'Carroll had a good performance as well. Trevor Collins got a good goal. Ross Munnelly came off the bench and got 2 points. Have to continue to stay switched on when cruising at 15 points up. Was disappointing to concede the 3 late goals against Leitrim but hopefully it will be a learning curve. We played a good brand of football that day apart from the late blip. Round 3 against Waterford.... asked us more questions. We were always in control in first 2 rounds. In this game, Waterford made a fine start, 0-2 to 0-0 up and then 1-3 to 0-3 ahead. I was impressed with the increased intensity from then until half time played in horrible conditions. Alan Farrell and Kieran Lillis kicked good scores and Walsh again was a thorn in Waterford's side. Holland and Collins are doing very well covering a lot of ground. Colm Begley showed great leadership in both halves. Great to see big Donie back and he got 2 nice points. Danny O'Reilly has good pace. Ross encouraged the younger guys throughout the 70 minutes. We grinded out a deserved win. Good patience in the build up play. Hopefully we can have Attride back for the Wicklow game. Laois Abu! It was mentioned earlier that a lot of the older team have drifted back and it's looking like we are going to need them. A lot of the new players have been poor in the last two games. We were very poor for long periods and got on top when they ran out of steam but at that stage, strong, Donie and Donagher we were on. We have conceded four goals in the last two games and you would have to question the defensive shape of the team. Time and again we were left two on two with a half field to themselves, that and the insistence on playing from the front especially nerney has caused us huge problems. He has been very poor. There two inside forwards scored 1-5 from play, more than our starting full forward line. Can't see the point of Holland rambling up the field when he has the pace to be a sweeper. We are also very narrow with Collins and Dillon pushing in towards the centre. This allowed all three teams that we have played to have an out ball on both side lines. Waterford had a man right on the line both sides and worked around the heavily congested middle. Management really need to work on this we are getting. Badly exposed again last night and especially in Leitrim. Post by: BallyroanAbu on February 12, 2018, 08:22:08 AM My own opinion is that we needed to have the current period that we are now in. Sugrue is changing the mentality of players, Laois have been poor for quite a while and something needs to change. The team of the previous two years suffered two relegation's,why some on here believe going back there will yield different results. The players lads are talking about were fine Players 5 years ago but unfortunately due to a variety of issues have not been playing the same ball. I am sure 1 or 2 of them might get back in but that's it. We have to begin rebuilding and focus on what's coming through maximizing them, till we get our underage in order. I mentioned in other page about the U20's and the whole delayed appointment it does not to do players any favours. Let me say this if we do not get our underage setup right we are not going anywhere fast. I think Sugrue is doing a good job, and this will stand to Laois in the long run. We have been conceding goals easily for 3-4 years now, not just this year. Post by: on the hop on February 12, 2018, 10:58:49 AM we conceded 9 goals last year and 11 the year before at a higher level. we have conceded 4 in the last two games against much inferior opposition I would have thought a defensive plan to improve this would be a priority. We conceded 3 against Wicklow who are of this parish in championship, of course we need to improve defence but it was legacy issue for Sugrue. I would go further in is rife in the Club Championship, we don't defend well. My Ratings for Waterford game Again its only an opinion and I don't mean to be hard on any player I am greatful they give their time and effort to the Laois team and I love to go and see them play! Brody 7-Did well not many saves to make overall kick outs long and short were good took one very dangerous ball in the first half under pressure but looses a mark for one in the same half that drifted across the goals.Got some nice darts off the ball when coming out which eventually the ref punished. Holland 7-Decent performance by the young Portlaoise man he was excellent in the first half and one of the better backs in my book does tend to drift a little but that will come with more experience.Harshly judged by the ref to have fouled twice in the second half when he got in front of his man to clear. Nerney 5-Not one of his better games but he will learn from this and he was on a quality player in Hutchinson who scored 1-3 from play I think.Its a work in progress for the young man but his pace is a good asset to have. Fennell 5-Wasn't able for the number ten who went inside for most of the game and really troubled him in the first half he stuck to his task tho despite being up against it and didn't commit lazy fouls which he could have easily done. Collins 6- In and out of the game his runs forward were good and he looks very fit but he needs to improve on his tackling and positional awareness .Tries hard and got one great assist. Begley 7-Did well for the most part but left too many gaps in a period in the first half where Waterford got 1-2 in the space of five minutes.He was very good in the second half and was the catalyst for Laois in their dominant period winning breaks and dominating his area of the pitch. Dillion 5-Not one of his better games but I suppose a five is harsh needs to learn how to tackle as he has the pace to stay and get back to most players should back himself more going forward and run directly at goals instead of to the corners which will open up teams. O'Loughlin 8-One of his better games in a Laois shirt for a while won very important kickouts and battled well around the middle did commit a few fouls in the first half but at least he is willing to tackle and stop runners through the middle which is a problem for Laois. Lillis 6-Kicked two superb points one with the outside of the boot was as good as you'll see.tackling was okay but he played a few stray passes forward when he was under no pressure .Caught for pace a few times when trying to get back to a Waterford runner but tried hard. A Farrell 6- Kicked a lovely point on the run after a great Laois move and covered a lot of ground.strong on the solo run and one of the better Laois players to tackle which wouldn't be hard.Hand passing is a skill he could work on. P Kingston 8-I thought he was superb won everyball that came his way and found Laois men everytime with a lovely range of passing long and short.Did tend to look too much to Donie when he came on but thats second nature to him and they will work scores from it. O'Reilly 6-Wasn't man who covered more grass than this man but he tend to solo into blind alleys he needs to get a pass off when he beats one man or takes the ball on the run.His support play is excellent but his tackling and defending from the front is very weak he needs to work on lads walking around him. Munnelly 7-Hard to fault Ross one great score before half time cutting in from the right to roll back the years and showed a level of fitness that a 20 year old would be happy with.Hard to leave him out the next day on this showing! Walsh 9-Laois's best player I thought was out of it a little in opening period missing two scorable frees in that period but from then on he was a constant treat and showed skill power and no lack of determination in his play on the field.Becoming the player for his county now we all knew he could be. O'Carroll 4-Looked out of sorts from the start but did ship a few hard knocks I'd say his game in midweek had taken a lot oout of him and he couldn't seem to get going at all.Had one good run and won a free at an important time was replaced at half time by Donie. Donie 7-Two superb points and could have had another he really showed well for the ball and while not in the best sahpe yet it looked promising .Looked very motivated and this can only be a good thing for Laois. Strong 6-A little off the pace but thats to be expected not getting much game time one superb block to stop a certain score was calm on the ball as you'd expect. Donoher 5-Harsh maybe on Niall but got little ball and never really got into the game kicked one very poor wide with his right when there were other options which is unlike the Courtwood man.Looks in great shape like so many of the Laois team this year! Glynn 5-Not on too long so rating could be agin harsh he kicked two terrible balls away when an easy pass was on to Donie or Ross but he certainly adds strenght and power to the team and won the ball back with one great tackle . Buggy 5-Same as Glynn rating is more a reflection of how little time he got . Over all it wasn't a great performance but a few highlights included Donie coming back ,O'Loughlin and Munnelly still showing why they are on the team. Paul Kingston and Gary Walsh look like they will be a potent force for the rest of the championship. Bad points scores we conceded without a hand being laid on a player out tackling has to be improved or we will be in trouble. Not a bad crowd for the evening that was in it and they certainly got behind the team which is encouraging! Wicklow next which will a tough battle as always down there but if we can get over that its looking good. Carlow seem to be the form team so far and them and Antrim will be in the shake up. I can't wait to go over to London as well it should be a great trip !! Super update Unlaoised. Appreciated from one who couldn't make the match. Might take the whole league and several showings to decide whether some of the young backs are going to make it (as it is pretty much the same forwards as last few years). Of all the new lads, Holland and O'Riely seem to be showing strongest. Great to see Paul Kingston finally finding a niche on the team. When is Colm Murphy available? Would be great to see him in the league. Wouldn't argue with much of that unlaoised. Fair enough Nerney had a tough night but that's the standard of players he should be aspiring to match. Same goes for Fennell. Full back line is unforgiving at times. Thought Farrell was poorer than your review. He isn't a natural forward for me. Post by: theoldvet on February 13, 2018, 07:52:21 PM Good post unlaoised talking to supporters after the game we are all saying that our tackling and defending is very poor i'm sure Sugrue know this, when I see them new young Kerry defenders I say why can't we defend like them Post by: Butch Cassidy on February 13, 2018, 09:44:54 PM Great post unlaoised. Looking at the club championship the defending is very poor. I think the art of tackling has been ruined by teams playing blanket defences and players not getting coached how to tackle. Anyone been to Laois training and know what tackling drills Laois are doing? Have Laois a defence coach? Post by: Don Draper on February 14, 2018, 10:27:11 AM Quote from: theoldvet on February 13, 2018, 07:52:21 PM Because our young players havent been coached like those Kerry players. Those Kerry players are All Ireland Minor winners. Ours barely won a game or two in Leinster, and the team that got to a Leinster Final had their arses handed to them. Sugrue knows their limitation. They are being worked on. The players are being tanned. The work is going on. There is no let up. The league is important insofar as wins are vital, and they are being collected while the work goes on on the bigger issues. Its important to keep getting the wins, because it keeps cts like us off their backs while the real work goes on behind the scenes. I'll take any win, breathing room, promotion, and signs of progress. Anyone who expects to see us play like Kerry just yet, needs to reset their expectations. This is going to take time. Give him the time. The players are. I'd be very sceptical of the idea that we can train grown men how to tackle successfully. For a start if you don't have pace you can't get close enough to tackle which is still a problem for way too many of our senior footballers. Tackling skills are embedded from when lads are 12-14 and pace is untrainable. Joe Higgins and Cahir Healy were already tackling like pros when they were 17/18. Also, there is a difference between a blanket defence and a successful blanket defence. When Tyrone and Armagh were in their prime they would all filter back and dislodge the ball or draw a foul if you tried to run through them. Laois under McNulty were good at times too. Under O'Flaharta for example we had a blanket defence and conceded huge scores. We are suffering from years of poor underage teams and of an annual influx of 2-3 talented and pacey footballers into the senior ranks. We had the best underage structures in the country for many years and blew it when we thought we had 'done the job'. As for the quality of our clubs and club championship.... To be honest, a lot comes down to luck, too. The underage setup now is as good or better compared to what it was in the 90's or 2000's. I played with a lot of the lads around the time of our 90's minor success. And I swear, there was talent coming out of everywhere at that time. Most club teams had at least 3-4 inter county standard players. The underage structure and setup wasn't a whole lot different to what it is today. I think a lot of people overestimate the setup then, and underestimate the setup now, based on it's product of talent. My point being : sometimes in a county as small as Laois, you can have waves of years where you have plentiful talent, and you can have waves where you're struggling a bit. Of course, training and development comes into it, but when you have genuine top level raw talent, it doesn't take a lot at all to harness that into a very good senior player. Post by: Heshs Umpire on February 14, 2018, 03:16:36 PM Promotion is the minimum target. We should be winning the final of this in Croke Park. After that? Wexford away is one I'd like to think we can win. Then Westmeath. We'll know where we are after that. Sugrue has a problem though. It's the same problem Creedon , Lillis and O Flatharta had. The underage supply line has dried up big time. 2007 minors was our last great underage team. The 2003 and 2004 lads are nearly gone now. Only Quigley, Begley, Timmons and Donoher left I think. It's hard trying to plug the gaps with chaps who've done little or nothing at the top level. But we need to keep trying. I've great hopes for the likes of Daly (despite my dislike of that transfer), Diarmuid Whelan and young Coffey and Slevin of Port. Kelly of Joes will come again I'm sure and same goes for Sean Moore. Pity Meredith isn't involved. Fine player. Is the underage setup still poor in the county? Personally, I haven't got a clue, Maybe other counties have moved forward leaving us behind. Underage structures is one thing but the bottom line is we just don't have the players to compete at a higher level? Maybe the players are just not there at the moment?. As for Heshs post most of them players are minors and have a long way to go. Underage club football in Laois is one thing but senior inter county football will be a step too far for some of those guys in my opinion . PLAYERS NOT COMING THROUGH ETC ETC ETC ::) Lads we have went over and over this discussion again and again its really for another thread can we stick to the current players in the league the form of them and what the matches training and all things related to our division 4 journey plus what has or might happen. Quote from: Unlaoised on February 14, 2018, 04:13:51 PM They're not mutually exclusive. From the highlights, Evan O Carroll looks to have had a monster game last night for UCD. Post by: Helmut on February 15, 2018, 11:34:40 AM In fairness it did look like he was saving himself on Saturday for this match. Quote from: Helmut on February 15, 2018, 11:34:40 AM BURN. Two periods of extra time as well Quote from: Don Draper on February 15, 2018, 10:50:05 AM Didn't score from play ;) Neither did Lowry . One point and it was a free. Where can I see the highlights? Quote from: The PRO on February 15, 2018, 02:38:54 PM Was involved in a lot of plays, carried good ball throughout by the looks. We're a great auld county for dragging a lad down all the same. Thats two now, to one simple post. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMgvq3uAwJY Post by: Giovanni on February 15, 2018, 05:20:32 PM Have to agree with you on that Don. It's certainly a strange kind of support anyway. Quote from: Giovanni on February 15, 2018, 05:20:32 PM I has a little wink thing after my post to be fair. Anyone kicking 5 points from frees and 45s in a Sigerson semi is doing grand by me. Apologies if I misunderstood what you meant. Hopefully he can bring his college form to the county setup. Post by: Laoisguy on February 16, 2018, 10:41:45 AM Truth be told I have been critical of Evan in the past...and indeed I've felt the wrath of DD in this regard Just watched those highlights and he certainly made a big impact on this game for sure Freetaking outstanding Seems fitter and more focused....good news for Laois Post by: Clubber Lang on February 16, 2018, 03:40:07 PM Evan has all the attributes to be an exellent footballer for Laois. The last few seasons he probably wasn't where he needed to be be physically to play inter-county championship football. This year he seems to have rectified that and having a run playing on UCD team will definitely stand to him. I expect O'Carroll to nail down starting position come the championship. A few games into the league, the team for championship (barring injury), in my opinion, is coming together a bit like this: Lillis, Begley, Dillon, O' Loughlin, O' Reilly, O Carroll, P Kingston, Donaher, Lowry, D Kingston, Walsh Yeah, hard to see it being much different from that Tony. Maybe Quigley will get back but hard to see it. O'Connor could also be in the running? Yes Pro, O Connor if he gets back into it could slot into Attrides position with Stephen maybe moving to the wing in place of Lillis. Damien has lots of pace although I don't think the corner is his best position. I guess it all depends on injuries etc and also - maybe a few more lads will try to put a stamp on their position between now and the summer - the latter games of the league on harder ground will tell a lot. It would be excellent to get a league final but we can't get complacent yet - some tough tests ahead. I'm often reminded of how just a few more lads with real quality would impact the squad - for example if we had Cahir Healy, Merideth and Zach Tuohy back. Wishful thinking I suppose - we have to work with who we have available. Having said that, I can't help but notice that this line up looks very good. Cahir Healy, Timmons, Attride, O Loughlin, O Reilly, O Carroll, P Kingston, Zach Tuohy, Conor Merideth, D Kingston, G Walsh. Maybe one day :) Post by: jimbob2 on February 17, 2018, 08:57:41 PM My old computer is working again. I have enjoyed reading Dons posts, he is the man!!!!!!! Tony don’t forget Davy Conway, a student of Ross for years and when fit in my opinion is our best left full forward ( if that position even exists any more in the new gaa game). As said before I am very reluctant to pass negative judgement on any of our players. As a former player of some years ago and having a few family members playing at different levels, criticisms should be carefully thought out. However advice should always be taken on board whether you are a player, manager or poster!!!!. From what I have seen so far this year the freshness of a new set up has had a predictable result in the understudies racing from the blocks and giving the regulars a wake up call, which is always a positive. I like The new manager and have watched him take charge of various under age laois teams and have been really impressed. Senior inter county is a different story in the new era, we have finished up in a league where as a spectator I can go to a game and have some confidence that we are playing in a division where we can be competitive and win games and that's not a bad thing. As regards my opinion on the team, new players need lots of games and time to become consistent inter county players, I like young Holland, he reminds me a lot of a young Healy who only for injury had pledged to play for both hurlers and footballers this year, you might see him yet before the year is out. I have to say that at this stage with the needed wake up call and a fresh management team that the majority of the new players are not quiet ready to take the places of the majority of the reinvigorated established players, this will take more time in what is a very positive camp. Big Donies return was so necessary going forward, (purer class) and good to see paul has put up some weight and strength which will improve his game this year. I can see a positive year ahead and why not enjoy the prospect of a possible croke park appearance and our good friends Carlow maybe making it an interesting finale, and then progress as underdogs with a bite. Went to the sigerson final today and I think Lowry will push very hard for a place. Very good worker and a good passer, I thought he kicked two points but the reports had him with one. In a game where there was never really a full forward line on either team he played much deeper and was very direct. Not evan's best day, started as the lone full forward but was well beaten by the galway full back. Switched with McCarthy out the field which was the winning of the game and scored a good point. One brilliant pass in the second half for a score was the highlight but missed three frees when it was very tight and then drifted become being taken off. A lot of real quality players on show. Barry from Kerry, comer, Mc Carthy, Cooke from galway. Casey from tipp is a gem and a player I would Laois to have. Big man, kickout option and also knocked over three points when it mattered. Here is the full game from TG4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bUgBM8SeGw Kieran Molloy had a busy day, fair play to him... https://www.balls.ie/gaa/kieran-molloy-corofin-sub-nuig-sigerson-cup-final-383471 He looked very stiff when he came on. Liam silke in the same both didn't come on for ucd Post by: Laoisguy on February 18, 2018, 02:31:03 PM Was at the game Evan found himself under pressure after a couple of early mistakes Free taking was poor....seemed a bit tired after midweek exertions Lowry played really well....I thought he got 2 scores to be honest Great timing work rate and awareness Seems well regarded tactically by teammates Post by: gaastats on February 19, 2018, 12:39:19 AM Laois winners & finalists in the Sigerson Cup. Sigerson Cup Winning teams: 1958 UCD Joe Fingleton (Park) 1973 UCD Enda Condron (Ballylinan) 1976 Maynooth Eamonn Whelan (Portlaoise) & Michael Dowling (Mountmellick -sub) 1980 UCG Paudie O'Riordan (Annanough) 1992 UCG Tony Maher (Stradbally) 1999 ITT Noel Garvan (St Joseph's) 2006 DCU Cahir Healy (Portlaoise -sub) 2012 DCU Colm Begley (Stradbally) 2016 UCD Eoghan Keogh (Mountmellick) & Eoin Lowry (Killeshin) 2018 UCD Evan O'Carroll (Crettyard) & Eoin Lowry (Killeshin) 1974 UCG Jim Miller (Annanough) 1981 TCD Jimmy O'Callaghan 1996 Garda Adrian Phelan (Portarlington) 1999 Garda Tom Bowe (Stradbally) 2001 UCD Brian McDonald (Arles-Killeen) 2008 Garda Barry Brennan (Graiguecullen -sub) 2009 DIT Billy O'Loughlin (Arles-Killeen -sub) 2012 Maynooth Paul Cahillane (Portlaoise) 2016 DCU Stephen Attride (Crettyard) & Colm Begley (Stradbally) Anyone else? Was Lowry not on the panel in 2017, when UCD lost? Post by: Heshs Umpire on February 19, 2018, 08:53:10 AM Quote from: gaastats on February 19, 2018, 12:39:19 AM Attride is Killeshin not Crettyard. Interesting info. Post by: O moore parklife on February 19, 2018, 09:12:52 AM Did conor Meredith win one in 2015 with Begley Post by: portlaoisekid on February 19, 2018, 09:42:17 AM Colm Parkinson was with IT Tralee in 1999, he was injured for the final if I remember correctly. Quote from: portlaoisekid on February 19, 2018, 09:42:17 AM Correct. Stephen Attride is Killeshin as well. 1976 Michael Dowling in Maynooth, is that the teacher? Post by: Helmut on February 19, 2018, 04:43:40 PM On the hop has a few Sigerson programmes up on his excellent GAA Programme Collector facebook page :)this week with the weeks thats in it. DCU in 2006 also look to have the two Munnellys on it. No idea if they played or not but they were on the panel with Cahir. Evin Keane the Heath was with DCU in 2016 also. Did Evan get called in for trials? He's a nice footballer. Ambrose Doran cut? Is Cahillane injured? Quote from: Butch Cassidy on February 19, 2018, 06:51:42 PM Don't think Ambrose Doran was in with the squad at all this year.. Tom Shiel seems to be gone though, he was there earlier this year. Yes. The Heath NS. Did Evan get called in for trials? Is he abroad? Something in the back of my head says he is. Graduated last year, spent time in NY, not sure he's still there though. Post by: Butch Cassidy on February 20, 2018, 10:20:02 AM That Murphy chap from Port back fit? He'll surely get a run in the league over the next few weeks Post by: steven seagal on February 20, 2018, 10:37:32 AM He's back but injured himself while abroad, only getting back to a bit of training now Cahillane is nearly ready to play but I heard the Soccer Club are putting pressure on him to come back! I hope he stays with Laois ! Post by: South Laois man on February 20, 2018, 05:38:46 PM Good option off the bench. Not sure he'd be a starter with everyone fit. If that's the case maybe he'll go back to the soccer. I think he would push for a starting spot ..him walsh and kingston be a good full forward line Post by: town1980 on February 21, 2018, 10:59:22 PM Is he not dropped? Quote from: town1980 on February 21, 2018, 10:59:22 PM Post by: The Monument Road on February 22, 2018, 02:26:18 PM Been away from the country and football scene(still am) for awhile now. It seems the team is doing ok albeit it is Division 4 football. From looking at the remaining fixtures the hardest ones are to come starting with Wicklow on Sunday. This game will give us some idea on where we are (sad to say though that a game against Wicklow is going to be a guideline on where we are right now). I hope i'm wrong but in my opinion some here are on false dawn mode recently. We have probably played the bottom 3 teams in Ireland so far. I personally think we could find Sunday very very difficult as will the games against Antrim & Carlow. IMO I don’t think we are in false dawn mode, I personally think we will improve far more than Carlow, Wicklow or Antrim as the summer approaches. Our bright start is a consequence of decent management and a complete disaster of management ever since TOF. We have been underperforming for years and this year we have someone while inexperienced clearly capable. It is a pity that we have not yet got any semblance of our underage in order to allow continuous progression. I don't see anybody really on false dawn mode. We're being realistic - promotion for div 4 and a couple of games in the leinster championship (maybe even a semi) is what we hope for. We're pleased with the setup this year but are def not getting carried away. I think that's the consensus across the board. By the way, the bookies also heavily favour us for promotion, as well doing well against Wexford in the Championship (currently 2/7 to beat Wexford). So objectively, we're doing well enough so far this year but nobody is getting carried away yet. It’s been a few years since a few of saw a proper semi Anyword on the team? I presume it will be same as the last day? You don't suffer from the limpness yourself Don? At the moment we are the second most attack minded team in Ireland..... About time someone picked up on it Quote from: Junior Ex Laoistalk on February 23, 2018, 04:39:57 PM Yes love these stats!!! One change. Donoher for O'Reilly. Harsh on O'Reilly. I'd have gone with Donoher for Farrell. Post by: town1980 on February 24, 2018, 11:38:13 AM i cant get myself excited for one game this year in this division and i know the lads are trying and management are doing a good job but the standard of football is so poor,letrim lost all there games limerick lost all there games waterford drew one and wicklow are as bad i see us wining and it will come down to the antrim game and carlow game and not in my lifetime have i ever rated either team,just win the division and get the hell back up to some competitive football Quote from: town1980 on February 24, 2018, 11:38:13 AM Kinda the same. If we don't win the division it'll be very disappointing. Post by: bannside on February 24, 2018, 12:31:50 PM Did Antrim not beat you on your own turf in the qualifiers just two years ago. You may not rate us...but you are where you are for a reason! (You can work that bit out yourself Town). Post by: O moore parklife on February 24, 2018, 12:49:27 PM Quote from: SCFC on February 23, 2018, 11:12:53 PM Injury driven selection by all accounts not in the squad 1. Graham Brody (Portlaoise) 2. David Holland (Portlaoise) 3. Shane Nerney (O’Dempsey’s) 4. Ruadhri C Fennell (Rosenallis) 5. Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen) 6. Colm Begley (Stradbally) 7. Gareth Dillon (Portlaoise) 8. John O’Loughlin (St Brigid’s) 9. Kieran Lillis (Portlaoise) 10. Alan Farrell (Ballylinan) 11. Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen) 12. Niall Donoher (Courtwood) 13. Ross Munnelly (Arles-Kilcruise) 14. Gary Walsh (Ballylinan) 15. Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard) Could anyone give me a shout with directions to aughrim lads, from stradbally what would be the handiest way? Post by: Zooming around on February 24, 2018, 05:09:40 PM I wouldn’t start from there. The handiest way would be to drive. I will be driving, what's the handiest route I was wondering? Google maps isn't much helpful Post by: Catch and Kick on February 24, 2018, 08:04:16 PM Through Carlow, Hacketstown, Tinahely, Aughrim. Straightforward Post by: Keyser Söze on February 24, 2018, 08:40:04 PM Quote from: Zooming around on February 24, 2018, 05:09:40 PM There's always one! Post by: Dave like the tv channel on February 25, 2018, 08:38:59 AM Quote from: Catch and Kick on February 24, 2018, 08:04:16 PM Probably. You can go via the M7 to Newbridge. Come off at the Curragh and you're cross country from there...Kilcullen, Dunlavin....Aughrim Nice drive. Google maps is sending me via Ballitore, Baltinglass, Rathdangan, Aughrim. I've a mate who lives near the stadium. He's making tea & hang sangidges for any Laois people travelling down. Straightforward enough afternoon. Wicklow were poor and unfit. Typically of poor teams, they tried to rush things and only served to blow their own gaskets. We made a lot of handling errors ourselves, but we had a bit more class about us in the right places. There's a lot more to do, but at least we're ticking along. An awful game. Wicklow are close to being the worst team in the land. I pray we can get promoted. I thought it was our best performance so far, we made a lot of errors but none of them critical like in Leitrim. priority is to get out of this division, Wicklow were shocking, I never seen so many one footed players on a team, they were constantly turning back out the field. big games ahead and must wins because there is nothing to be gained staying here. first half with the wind we built up a good lead. Wicklow were very defensive but we kicked some good points, gary getting a goal to give us breathing space. we pressed up on their kickouts leaving only one or two in our half at times and it forced them to kick long. we dominated a lot of the ball as we had a lot of bodies in the area. we again defended very narrow at times, which appears to be a tactic.Second half a mess, 0-6 points all and the majority of them on both sides, frees. they hadn't the power to trouble us and we retreated back, playing keep ball at times. we ran the bench and gave a good few a run, taking off the regulars as they were starting to tackle a bit wild. for what its worth, brody was rarely troubled and his kickouts very good. we played a two man full back line and they weren't troubled. nerney much better today. fennel was sticky and dogged but might overdue watching his man rather than the ball. Begley sat in front of them and handled a lot of ball, thought he was very good. Dillon was better today, its a pity he doesn't back himself going forward. Collins much quieter and replaced by strong. Crowley started instead of Holland and was on a lot of ball. mixed a bit of everything, got into great positions but tended to get stripped of the ball to often. I thought we dominated midfield. JOL was very good and Lillis kicked a great score and was much better and fitter looking today. we kicked 1-16 but you felt there was a bit more there, played with three and the full forward line in the first half and did well. completely withdrew in the second half and it was a bit of a slog. Farrell was injured and was replaced by Glynn. Paul Kingston handled a lot of ball, got it hard off his marker physically which he doesn't like but in fairness the ref was letting a bit go. donaher was ok. evan had a good game, kicked two good fress against the wind in the second half, ross kicked I think two or three from play. gary got the goal but it probably wasn't his best game and was replaced by donie. donie came on and was positioned around midfield/centre forward. he rarely left that position and I thought he should have been put in nearer the goals. a load of subs were given a run as well. Played well fitness was showing lots of faces got game time No goals conceded free count was down. Job done players were happy morale looks high. Very easy to voice negatives than positives enough of that done here over the years lets enjoy the victories for a change Yes. We're in Div4, but we need to get out. You cannot do that without winning games. It's a three-horse race and we have to play numbers 2, 3 & 4 in the league yet. A lot of football yet to be played and one of three teams will be disappointed. Last year we were dreadful, week in week out I called for the managements head. Regardless of division this management is doing a good job. They will be promoted, we are clearly miles in front of most teams in this division. Credit where credit is due hopefully the improvement can be sustained into championship and beyond. Wicklow were poor but I've seen us get dragged down to that level before in the last few years... We were a lot fitter in all areas. I thought Begley was excellent today great composure on the ball and in good positions off it. JOL had a good game as well and apart from loosing two possesions Crowley was decent. Evan kicked two superb frees against the wind in a second half that was hard to watch. Again Munnelly chipped in with 3 points from play and he will keep his place . Donie came on but hasn't the fitness yet for out the field but done okay. Paul stood out and was counted despite getting a lot of rough treatment from a dirty marker. Niall donoher was decent aswell and always backed up Laois players in good positions. Walsh was a bit quieter today but his goal was really well taken! We look a lot fitter than we did for the last three years.!! Easy to be negative all the time but a win is a win division 4 is what it is and if anyone had to have said we would come away with a 9 point win in aughrim I think we'd have all taken it. Jesus Ballyroan don't get too excited yet the big tests still have to come against the teams around us. Wasn't at the game yesterday but job done I suppose 4from4 now albeit we have probably played the four worst teams in the country. Antrim next week may be a banana skin but if we play we should beat them .Then a trip to London ye don't really know what to expect over there. Lastly then the toughest one down in Carkow and you can be sure those fkers would love to bate us. If we beat Antrim and London we're promoted so doesn't matter what happens in Carlow and we most probably be playing them in Croke Park in Div final. As someone else said the standard is poor in this division so if a county has any aspirations they get out of there. We owe Antrim one after that championship defeat a few years ago. There'll be a big crowd Sunday with it being a double header (if the snow is gone by then). Any update on injuries to Quigley, Attride, Timmons, Murphy and Booth? We may have wished to wipe it from our memories, but Antrim beat us last year also. Sugrue said in his interview that Attride and Timmons are back training and that Booth is there or there abouts. Quigley will be a while longer but is running and he didn't mention Murphy as far as I can remember. Antrim, London & Carlow are not big tests. Excuses are the refuge of the ill-prepared, I don't think our management are ill-prepared. We have far more talent available than Carlow, Antrim or London. If we want to see ourselves down with them I am sure we can find a way. Laois are simply far better than the above 3, I don't think we will be caught on the hop and will qualify with ease. It's an Irish thing to under play ourselves. We can only beat what's in front of us and hopefully keep improving into the championship. Of course we are going to find tougher tests against Div 1,2 & 3 teams but this Div 4 is absolutely deplorable and it's disgrace we were actually bad enough to be in it. (Deservedly So) I personally wouldn't call ourselves "way better" than Carlow or Antrim.Maybe on our day yes, but I've seen nothing to suggest so. It's a three horse race mate. Remember Antrim are going for three in a row against us. And I'm not being negative I'm being realistic and grounded.Theres a reason we are down with these "deplorable" teams. If we play we should still get out of this division . Reason we are in this division is the absolute tripe management of TOF(spoofer), neither Peter nor Mick were great but TOF was absolute tripe who should have been ran after a year. Lillis nor Creedon could steady the ship, however this management combined with the opportunity Div 4 provides have done things right. They will qualify with ease, we will be in a Div 4 final and will win it. I am not going to sit on the fence and talk up teams I don't rate. They can stick it on the wall to motivate themselves but the real work is on the training pitch, are we scared of saying we have worked hard gone about our business in the right way and are reaping the benefits of a good campaign? There of course will be issues when we come up against the better teams but Antrim, Carlow and London are not one of them. I am sure there is the possibility we may be caught out in 1/3 games up coming if we have already been promoted and we take our foot off the pedal but I guarantee they won't beat us in the Div 4 final ala Donegal in Portlaoise and then the real business in Croke Park a couple of weeks later.(Div 2 final I am overcome with nostalgia) a few years ago. Carlow have certainly improved and showed that in the championship last year especially against a good monaghan team. They wouldn't be a walk in the park for anyone in division 3 or 4 ... I had ratings all done out but deleted them by mistake and I couldnt be bothered typing all that again.. Ill do a quick run through of what I thought.. I stress again these marks are just honest opinion I respect every player who puts on a Laois jersey and the commitment thay make. G Brody 7 Good kickouts looks sharp as always F Crowley 7 did himself no harm but needs to be stronger on the ball S Neary 7 better than the last day R Fennell 7 again better than the last day but bigger tests to come T Collins 7 nice point but drifted out of the game for spells C Begley 9 man of the match for me great positioning and control and scored a beauty G Dillon 6 still to get going this year but carried ball well J O'Loughlin 8 best tackler again and was strong under the ball K Lillis 7 nice score looks fitter every game he plays A Farrell 6 hope his injury isn't bad looked serious P Kingston 7 on a lot of ball wasted none N Donoher 7 Good performance from the Courtwood man R Munnelly 8Rolling back the year few nice scores from play could have had more G Walsh 7 Not his best and few bad wides but scored a cracker of a goal E O'Carroll 7 much better two from play and showed and carried well.Two superb long range frees aswell B Glynn 6 worked hard but not on the ball too much D Kingston 6 drifted out the field not really suited to a game against the wind as of yet E Lowry 5 didn't get much ball but Laois's attacks were slow in the second half D Strong 7 looked composed on the ball J Farrell and B carroll not really on long enough to rate We shall see with Carlow, but they are getting overly talked up for two games which they lost they beat Wexford, London & Leitrim in last years championship not exactly top table stuff. Best of luck to them but I just don't see it. I am sure there is someone lurking on here who will remind of these posts should I be proved wrong, stay lurking I am safe enough it won't be happening. Ahh Ballyroan  where have u drawn this optimism from? We have beaten the four worst teams in the country. Do u not remember we mightn't of beaten Waterford two weeks ago If Donie didn't come on? Are we in a better place now? Or is it that we falsely look in a better place cause we beat the four basement boys of Ireland? Just think about it? With the current crop a realistic aim would be a mid- div3 team maybe push for promotion but we aren't good enough for Div 2 football I think. Yes so far we have played 31,30,29,28 now we are playing 27,26 and 24/23 and we are somewhere around 20-17 don't think that's optimistic. I think any of the top 4 teams in Div 3 could avoid relegation in Div 2 and be competitive provided the right management. Equally badly managed teams can be horrific. I think discernibly different talent levels are probably evident at top of Div 2 and Div 1. I really think it took absolutely brutal levels of incompetence to get Laois to Div 4. Yes good point but I still feel that there is big defensive issues.Some of these teams mightn't be altogether good enough to show them though . unlaois - the programme was wrong that was Darren strong not Holland that came on. Antrim are the only team in Div.4 who haven't conceded a goal yet. That's a statistic we can aim to change next week as well as getting the two points. They scored 2-56 where we have scored 4-40, that's 62 to 52 so we could be up against it next Sunday. Carlow too are scoring very freely so we will have to tighten up at the back to win both of these games. It's gonna be tough from here on in and anyone thinks any different are only fooling themselves. John Sugrue's thoughts on the game last Sunday https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/john-sugrue-post-wicklow Seriously who are we fooling ? Simply put we have no business talking about football if we manage to get beaten by a county which is struggling every year to field teams let alone win. I refuse to underplay our hand, we quite simply are in the strongest position we have been in years. Our manager is an impressive individual who seems to be getting the vast majority of calls right. He is a breath of fresh air and should be resourced accordingly. The amount of money wasted over the last five years on complete ineptitude is staggering, It may be an inexperienced management setup but they are getting results and I think the majority of us would agree going about their business in the right way. I am not getting ahead of myself as I feel Sugrue got a break by being in Div 4, of course life would be much more difficult in Div 2 & 3 The standard level of Div 4 is appalling for anyone that enjoys football I would think Portlaoise would be capable of beating most of teams down there. I have advocated this the vast majority of time that we have been on the GAAboard forum, namely that there are more than enough lads with the intelligence & capability of being managers of our inter county team within the county. The amount of mercenaries/muppets that got paid to be here over the years is unbelievable, it's fine every now and again to shoot for the stars with a Micko to get us over the line. But I would much prefer one of own who has come through the ranks and knows ever facet of our county club scene. P.S I realize Sugrue is from Kerry but he qualifies under the residency rule :) As Sugrue himself would say "Cmere I wancha, my son is a Laois man, my wife is a Laois woman, I'm a Laois man". He's been in Laois on and off close to 15 years now. He's one of our own. Spoke very impressively last night, as did the rest of the county management of the grades. Shame there wasn't more representatives from the clubs present to listen to them, they might have learned something. Don, were there many clubs not represented last night? Who ever they are they should be ashamed. They are the people holding Laois football back. How did Billy O'Loughlin come across last night? And the minor manager? Who are we fooling you say? As I said the hardest ties have to come . Seen a stat there Leitrim only scored 0-5 against Carlow and 0-5 against Antrim put managed 3-10 against us plus missed a penalty and one or two more point blank goals. So it's not as if we are invincible in this division. A defensive plan will need to be sorted out before the championship and maybe even against Carlow and Antrim. No arguments on tighter defense and any improvements that need implemented, , I don’t think the Div 4 teams will test us in that regard. The unfortunate thing for Laois is that their frailties will be exposed by the better teams in championship where there is little time to rectify them. I just don’t see three mentioned in that regard. Yeah good point actually but I still feel we should be working on a defensive plan for the "better teams" in the championship so we are prepared for it . But I suppose first and foremost get out of div4 and then start preparing for the definite fact we will be facing better opposition come some point in the championship. We can't be giving away scores at ease like before . Clare hit us for 2-18 last year and a poor Offaly side hit us for 3-16 in the league .the second half in Leitrim brought back bad memories that worry me. I think we should beat Wexford in the championship but after that I'd be worried about what the Westmeath or Kildare foward could do to us . Quote from: Junior Ex Laoistalk on February 27, 2018, 02:12:56 AM If we beat Antrim and London we'er up right ?? Ye if we beat Antrim and London the last match is effectively a friendly If we beat Antrim and London we get promoted. The last game is against Carlow who we will probably meet again in the Division 4 final shortly afterwards. They might not even play it if fixtures get cancelled much in the next two weeks! Post by: BrendanAntrim on February 28, 2018, 09:47:10 AM If we are off this week due to the weather, and we go on to beat Carlow at home before visiting Laois...that would be a very tasty affair. :) Post by: blueandwhite1 on February 28, 2018, 09:57:18 AM It will still be an important game for Antrim who could get promoted if we manage to beat Carlow in the regular league match. It won’t be yee are the worst team in ulster and have been for a long time And beat us last year Post by: BrendanAntrim on February 28, 2018, 08:42:52 PM And in 2015. Post by: Tintin84 on March 01, 2018, 07:43:25 PM Will the game against London now be pushed out. As this weekend's fixtures that are postponed are due to be played mext weekend i think, Anyone know? As i have flights and accommodation booked. Post by: BallyroanAbu on March 01, 2018, 07:52:50 PM Don't think so I think Antrim will be played the weekend of 17/18 March https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2018/0301/944387-weekends-entire-allianz-league-programme-cancelled/ It says on that all games fixed this weekend moved too next. Post by: O moore parklife on March 01, 2018, 08:38:15 PM Have no fear the London game is going ahead as planned. We can't play the 17/18th as the only teams we havent played Antrim/carlow are playing each other. Pushing the league final a week to follow suit with the NHL will likely happen Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on March 02, 2018, 07:31:12 PM Quote from: Tintin84 on March 01, 2018, 07:43:25 PM https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/03/02/laois-footballers-face-fixture-dilemma-following-antrim-postponement/ Good to see the lads back at it this morning in portlaoise college. Look like a happy crew. May it continue Post by: Helix on March 05, 2018, 11:03:52 PM http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=28498.msg1785927;topicseen#new Thread linked above might be useful to a few making weekend in London and pubs around Ruislip. Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on March 06, 2018, 12:55:02 AM Team taking shape as so far so good for Laois footballers in promotion battle https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/03/04/team-taking-shape-far-good-laois-footballers-promotion-battle/ Laois footballers face fixture dilemma following Antrim postponement Post by: redsetanta on March 06, 2018, 06:06:56 PM Is there many of you heading to London for the weekend? Post by: on the hop on March 06, 2018, 06:48:51 PM Looks like a lot more than do be at the matches anyway Post by: The Monument Road on March 06, 2018, 08:32:50 PM Yep. I will be taking the long way though from my base in Stoke. Might just head down Saturday evening and met a few of the traveling gang from home for a few scoops in Hennessys . Yep flying out saturday at 2pm looking forward to it. Post by: Butch Cassidy on March 06, 2018, 10:47:50 PM Is there somewhere central everyone is planning to meet up Saturday night? Could be a great night, Laois on tour! Post by: From the Terrace on March 07, 2018, 08:56:06 AM We're staying in cricklewood should be good craic, Looking forward to it now. handicap 6 points its a tricky one. Post by: portlaoisekid on March 07, 2018, 08:58:10 AM Its gas some of the lads heading over to London who wouldn't bother going to see Laois in O'Moore Park. Should be a good trip ! Post by: Don Draper on March 07, 2018, 10:12:45 AM Quote from: The Monument Road on March 06, 2018, 08:32:50 PM See you there bro. Post by: Unlaoised on March 08, 2018, 02:45:25 PM Should be a great trip. I know of 100s going! Post by: town1980 on March 08, 2018, 10:56:49 PM It’s a glorified stag lads the game is irrelevant will walk that and like I stated we should win all games pulling up know one to stop big Donnie https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/03/08/laois-football-team-named-trip-london/ Quote from: town1980 on March 08, 2018, 10:56:49 PM I hear the boys are planning on tying you to a lampost naked in Leicester Sq. Post by: steven seagal on March 09, 2018, 10:38:11 AM know one to stop big Donnie I know Mueller is trying to stop big Donnie anyway, presume that's what you're talking about? Post by: Laoiseabu on March 09, 2018, 11:15:53 AM Mueller? Post by: Bueller on March 09, 2018, 11:24:26 AM Quote from: Laoiseabu on March 09, 2018, 11:15:53 AM Who's Mueller? Post by: Unlaoised on March 09, 2018, 11:27:03 AM Far from a Stag the players and sugure know there is a job to be done and won't be taking London for granted. Yes the supporters will be over to enjoy the weekend and the novelty factor of it just like the hurling a few years ago. It could encourage people to go more regular aswell when they meet some of the die hards over there and the buzz of a lot of Laois people away from home in the one area. The lads will be glad of the extra support Sunday for the game and its sure to be a great occasion! I for one am looking forward to it and most of all a victory! As for the team surprised to see Kingston in midfield but maybe he will switch with Dicey.... Lillis and Glynn are gone to Cahillane's stag so that leaves us short on options around the middle and half forward line! Great to see Attride back I'm sure he will get the job of marking Gottsche ! Quote from: Unlaoised on March 09, 2018, 11:38:33 AM Lillis and Glynn are gone to Cahillane's stag fking hell. I'm beginning to think are people prioritising this as a league game or are people more worried about a weekend on the beer. I'm looking forward to a weekend on the beer. I wasn't planning on bringing the boots so figured I'd be in the clear to enjoy the few pints. Anyone have any info on London team news?? Who's their danger men etc?? Not sure about London to be honest I know they are strong down the spine have a good full back two good midfielders and their centre forward seems to be their main man... They are a settled team now with 6-7 of them playing the last 5-6 years which is unusual for the exiles and can only be a benefit to them. Quote from: Don Draper on March 09, 2018, 11:41:26 AM Is Cahillane still on the panel, he hasn't featured in any game at all this year?? Post by: redsetanta on March 11, 2018, 12:08:34 AM Big win for Carlow tonigjt. Post by: Helmut on March 11, 2018, 01:44:39 PM Shocking stuff here at half time. The worst I ve seen thema long while. Tactically the Laois line don’t seem to have a clue and every time London attack they cut us apart. Quote from: Helmut on March 11, 2018, 01:44:39 PM Obviously you missed the qualifier against Antrim a couple of years ago. Actually I would take today as a good sign managing to win inspite of ourselves. Post by: Give and Go on March 11, 2018, 05:20:13 PM A win is a win. No one has had it handy over there this year. Promotion guaranteed and thats progress Post by: Catch and Kick on March 11, 2018, 07:44:17 PM Not guaranteed yet. Must win another game? Post by: Laoiseabu on March 11, 2018, 08:18:23 PM Didn't go to the match. Anyone stood out ? Who was poor etc? Brief summary? Post by: BrendanAntrim on March 11, 2018, 10:19:56 PM Quote from: Give and Go on March 11, 2018, 05:20:13 PM Promotion guaranteed? With two games to come against the other top 3 sides. Hope thats what your players think too. Ye the two crunch games still have to come BrendanAntrim Quote from: Laoiseabu on March 11, 2018, 11:34:16 PM They sure have, Antrim and Carlow will be major tests for this side. Watched Carlow Saturday night and they look very dangerous with some very good scoring forwards and serious pace around the middle and half back line. Mark my words, we will really have to improve to get out of division 4 this year .... Remaining Games: Antrim v Carlow, Ahoghill, 2.00 Waterford v Leitrim, Fraher Field, Dungarvan, 2.00 Wicklow v Limerick, Joule Park, Aughrim, 2.00 Carlow v Laois, Netwatch Cullen Park, 1.00 Leitrim v Wicklow, Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, 1.00 Limerick v Antrim, Gaelic Grounds, 1.00 London v Waterford, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1.00 Laois v Antrim, O'Moore Park, Portlaoise London v Leitrim, McGovern Park, Ruislip Reports in the media this week suggest that the clash between London and Leitrim may not go ahead as it looks set to be a dead rubber. The battle for promotion is between Carlow, Laois and Antrim, all of who play each other in the remaining games. Should it be a case of the top two being finalised with one round to go, then the Division 4 final will revert to its original date of March 31st. Post by: on the hop on March 12, 2018, 08:07:50 AM That was a nervy day. Won and didn't play well at all against a limited London team. Game was played at 100 miles an hour and it was a surprise to see so many players struggling to keep with it. Started like a train and had four bad wides in the first four minutes, we eventually had ten in the first half. They probably would have settled us and possibly made the game different. The finishing was very poor and we also missed at least four goals including two great saves. London played a blanket defense but positioned the two wing forwards wide on each touch line like all the teams we played so far. We played very narrow with both wing backs off their men and they exploited this by kicking diagonal balls in. They looked dangerous every time as we couldn't cope with this. We were out muscled on the first goal and horrible for the second. Six goals conceded now. We plugged away without ever getting away from them and fell over the line in the end. I said previously we don't have a defensive plan and left the two on the full back line isolated. I am amazed when both wing backs are constantly in the other half. The forwards didn't go well today. We replaced nearly all of them and would be better served with Gary at full forward, Donie is not fit or mobile enough at the moment. Not to many good performances, attride and Begley near the end. Dillon is not a corner back and Crowley is too small for this level. Jol did huge work but he was on his own in midfield, Donie didn't last long and Danny o reilly while a willing runner is very poor in general play. Gary kicked his frees and a few from play but needs more space than the corner. Evan's best game in a while and he dragged us over the line. Can't understand the tactics with benny Carroll who spent most of the game marking space on the half back line. Paul Kingston looked to have pulled his hamstring at the end. We are going to find it tough in Carlow. Damien o Connor, Denis booth and David Conway were with the panel. Timmons was a sub and strong came on, so it's looking likely we will have much the same team as last year. Post by: High Fielder on March 12, 2018, 10:05:53 AM Most of the teams at this level are like the Ireland rugby team of old. They are spirited and full of energy and then fizzle away shortly after half time. Watching the last 10 mins of Div 4 game is like watching a game in slow motion. You can't improve technically playing the game at a break neck pace, so just invite them on, keep the scores low and hit them on the break. Going toe to toe is winning matches against bad teams, but the second we step up in terms of opposition, we will suffer. It's great to be winning matches, but I'm far from convinced we're moving ahead with any real conviction. Defensively, we really don't have the right pegs for the right holes Post by: BallyroanAbu on March 12, 2018, 10:17:58 AM Quote from: High Fielder on March 12, 2018, 10:05:53 AM I agree with you in principle but I think that only the top couple of teams in Div 2 and all the teams in Div 1 are technically proficient. I really believe that it will be Div 2 before our inadequacies would be highlighted up till then you can travel along way on commitment and fitness. I do think Sugrue looks promising as a manager. You can't do anymore than win and more so than anywhere most on this forum are aware of Laois's problems. Post by: Helmut on March 12, 2018, 11:29:26 AM Quote from: BallyroanAbu on March 12, 2018, 10:17:58 AM I'm leaning more with highfielder on this at the moment. We are going toe to toe with the weakest teams in the country and limping across the line. I dont think we have improved in anyway from last year and as others have pointed out we are creeping slowly back to the same team that got us relegated. As for Sugree it is far to early to make a judgement on him but I would be quietly worried about his tactics so far and how we play. We seem to be employing a philospy of marking space and no the actual man which means a lot of the time we leave an awful lot of the oppossiton free and stand 10-15 yards off them. This has caused us continous problems all during the league. Our wingbacks are rarely in our own half and usually play overly narrow leaving massive gaps along each wing. This also leaves Nerney massively exposed on his own at times and often in a one on one situation which is tough on a new inexperienced player. This has happened in nearly every league game this season and hasnt been fixed. We rarely have runners moving beyond the man with the ball, and on the rare occassions we do we look good so its baffling more isnt made of it. Our forward line is static and narrow to meaning we get bottled up alot and dont stretch defences like we should which probably contributes to why we dont score a lot more goals at this level. As for yesterday most of the above happened. London had a simple game plan of keeping a tight compact shape in their own half without the ball and then when they broke they usually went wide and hit long diagonal balls into the forward line which caused havoc. It was obvious from early on that when there kickouts went long they lost it so they simply put a man on each touchline and we didnt go man for man and had an easy outball. As for who played bad well truth be told most of them were poor yesterday. Donnie started in central midfield but looked lost. Was out muscled a few times and stripped and didnt have anywhere near the engery or mobility for the role required. Came into it a bit more when he was shifted forward and scored a lovely pint but overall was poor and came off. Ross as well wasnt at the races with some really bad wides and often let his man pass him by easily. Paul K made some lovely runs and bursts at times but often stopped them and went backwards killing the attack. looks to have had a nasty hamstring injury right at the end. Daniel O Reilly looked really out of his depth and while he tried hard he was swallowed up at least four or five times and dispossed. Benny Carroll played a strange roll that didnt suit him and spent most of the game standing ten foot off his man near they half way line. Attride and Dillon struggled badly at wingback at times and Dillion looks illsuited to the pacey blocky man he was marking who shrugged him off very easily. Nerney again was exposed in a few one on ones but in his defence he was left completely open at times. On the good side John O loughlin had a great game and carried an ocean of ball. He took an awful lot of abuse and hits which a poor ref let slide. Including a shove to the face when he was on the ground right infront of the ref and linesman which they left unpunished. He was visible angry at a lot of his own team and was shouting at them at times in frustration. Begley started well and looked to have the legs on his man but seemed to fade badly and went out of the game. As on the hop noted above a lot of the players struggled with the pace. Gary Walsh played well had a few nice scores but like a lot of others took the wrong option at the end to many times when a simple point was on. Especially in the closing stages when the game was so close and he went for a goal from an extremely difficult angle when he could have fisted the ball over. Evan O Carroll had a great game best for us for a while. He showed a lot of fight putting in some big decent hits at times and made a lot of hard running at times. Very impressed with him. So Carlow next I think and this will probably be the first decent match we will have this year. If we play like we have so far this year I think we will lose. Carlow have a decent set of forwards and with the space we leave at the back I can see a couple of goals. Hopefully I m wrong but you might get decent odds on Carlow getting 2 goals or more on this defence. With all respect to London can someone please tell me how the pace of the game could be too much for some of the Laois players? Post by: blueandwhite1 on March 12, 2018, 01:23:15 PM Good update Helmut. For me it is quite simple. We don't have enough athletic skillful players. One by one the new guys are being replaced by the older guys who don't have the pace to compete. This crisis in Laois football will continue until we have the right type of talent flowing through. Until then, the manager will suffer the consequences rather than the football board and the clubs, who shoulder the true responsibility. Hard County to satisfy, unbeaten coming off a double relegation. I think we should be more than happy with how things are going thus far considering what's available. I do think we will be found out at some stage but there is 22 bad teams in the country. Rome wasn't built in a day, first year management team they will learn a lot this year. On another day we would have beaten London by 12. I do agree what's coming through is not been maximized, every resource should be thrown at our underage set up. Not just what they ask for we should go beyond this, it's not good enough our U20's were left in limbo for 4 months. If we are ever to improve this is where it will come from, the county board has to take the lead here in setting standards. Quote from: BallyroanAbu on March 12, 2018, 01:55:25 PM It is all about being better than as many teams in Ireland as possible and reaching levels that we have previously reached. I said it at the start of the league and I still think the same. I would rather us not get promoted and have a new team capable of building over 2-3 years into a competitive one than have the same team barely making promotion with no potential for the future. Based on limping over the line against mostly very poor teams this year, we are in danger of standing still with the same team we had over the last few years. Although we can't fault the guys that are there for effort, it is hard to see green shoots that will take us beyond division 3. What's the crack with Donie coming off? That's a bad sign? Was he poor ? Was he not arsed or what? Post by: Tony on March 12, 2018, 07:29:45 PM He came off with 5 minutes remaining having ran his legs off and busrted a lung. Get a grip. "Was he not arsed or what". Stupid comment. Yeah, not arsed, just like you were clearly not arsed even going to see the match or read up properly about it or listen to it. Donie's putting in very hard graft in training and doesn't deserve to be talked in those terms, in my opinion, from some faceless twat on the net. Tony before you start calling people tts I've loads of inside links in the panel so I know the suss And as regards u calling me not arsed going to London well what was their to be gained from going? It was very poor according to reports . Good man. A win is a win but lads let’s be real we are playing shite opposition and quality of the games just drag everything down...Carlow and Antrim are two of the worst teams in the country and there miles better than what’s below them.. we won’t see much about how tactically this management set teams up till they play better opposition but they can only beat what’s in front of them at the minute..but far stiffer tests lie ahead I think us and Carlow in the league final Supporting the players was what was to be gained Jaysus Quote from: Tony on March 12, 2018, 07:29:45 PM Ha, I like Donie, but the day he bursts a lung will be the day he's running for his life, and not before it. Donie is what he is at this stage, and thats all there is to it. He's never going to be a midfielder, thats for sure. We now have a problem, in that there's not enough room for Gary in the corner, and Donie can only really play full forward. I have faith in Sugrue to figure it out. I wouldn't be too worried about the margin of victory on Sunday, if we'd converted what we should have, we'd have bet them out the gate. When we didn't, we left ourselves in a dogfight on foreign soil. They got the job done. Thats all that matters for now. It's all relative though, Don. Donie is not that fit at the moment, so playing an inter county game for 65 mins is very taxing, so he wasn't far off bursting a lung. It's a pity Donie's fitness isn't on a good level but he's still trying very hard. Proper fitness takes years and Donie tends to go in and out of fitness quite quickly. Anyway, besides all that, I think Midfield is an ok position for him, if his fitness was a lot better and he knows the position well with his club. It's hard to know Donie's best position to impact the team but if his fitness gets to a decent level this year, I'd alternate his position him between 11 and 14 as appropriate. In modern football, positions and numbers don't mean half as much as they did anyway. Tony as much as I like Donnie, and I think hes far and away our most skillful player, I cant see him every being a midfielder at a decent level in the game. Todays best midfielders are hard tackling and non stop moving up and down the pitch. Thats never going to be Donnies game. Look at the work rate of John O Loughlin and you can see there's a world of difference. Plus I dont think were that blessed with talent up front we can take him out of there. He can literally make a score from nothing at times. It will be very interesting if Antrim can beat Carlow next Sunday. Sets up a big derby game the following week with winner taking all. Tony it dosent take a genius to know Donies best position is full foward and always will be . I can't see him getting to a fitness level required for midfield anyway. He is needed close to goal in the danger area where he can get a score out of nothing plus is a great target man. Also a defensive system needs to be put in place to avoid leaking too many scores against poor teams. Yeah as I said my preferred positions for him are at 11 or 14, but he can do OK at midfield if needs be. The thing with Donie is, he's very creative, very aware and has an excellent football brain and very clinical (something we don't have in spades). He can also take a score from distance better than anyone else on the team. We need him on the ball as much as possible, as our best player. For that reason, I'd love to see him at 11, I think it suits him very well and he can get on plenty of ball and not be waiting for it to land on his lap. We have enough players who can do a good job at 14. Big problem with him been at 11 at present is that with the blanket defence nearly every team is employing is that he hasn't the pace to go at them. While he is hard to stop when he gets going he does suffer from getting stripped and bottled up at times. Paul Kingston has been a mixed bag in the position, at times his passing has been excellent and when he backs himself to go at the centre back he has got a few scores. He doesn't like tight marking and the last two games he had tended to stop and turn back to often. Probably has suffered from the lack of movement ahead of them at times to place a pass. We will need him and I hope the injury isn't to bad. Post by: CruiseCigar on March 14, 2018, 06:54:26 AM a link to a set of pictures from the Laoise v Londain game on 11th March 2018. It was a food day out . Two points in end was not a lot and all I would say is a win is a win. http://gaapictures.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/laoise-v-londain-11th-march-2018.html I don't think we can make room for all of these forwards who are very similar. All good score takers, but can't tackle and won't track back. It's because of them, and particularly when they're on the pitch at the same time, that our backs become so exposed. We get attacked in waves and outnumbered. It is working against technically poor teams, but even they seem capable of unlocking us. It can't and won't work higher up the ladder. I have faith in Sugrue, but he hasn't got the personnel. There's no doubt we have good footballers, but we make serious sacrifices positionally to try and get quality players to do a job. Dillon and Attride so far back spring to mind. Old failings still haunt us. Physically we are weak and lack any sort of bite. Our tackling doesn't exist. It's such a big responsibility for Nerney in particular, and the poor lad is being bombarded because it's so easy to get at our full back line. Lads further up the pitch need to stop the flow and work so much harder. It's grand putting up big scores as individuals, but as a team we need to be harder to break down. We have the best man for the job in Sugrue, but we need a defensive plan if we don't have key players for key positions. And in my opinion we don't. Just a quick point high fielder you say we have the best man for the job in John surgu but we need to come up with a defensive plan??.. am I missing something.??is it not his job to come up with it the plan and to put lads in place to carry this out ?or am I totally missing this point because I expect John and his crew to do what you say or else it’s no different because at the minute we have played the worst teams in Ireland and have two more to come you can dress it up anyway you like div 4 is terrible woeful in terms of any quality and to date we have beaten absolutely shocking teams You talk some shite all the same. Post by: Unison on March 15, 2018, 07:26:28 PM He does! Where is he from? Post by: An Watcher on March 15, 2018, 07:44:58 PM Big game in Ahoghill this weekend for Antrim. Need to pull out all the stops against a fancied Carlow side Quote from: Unison on March 15, 2018, 07:26:28 PM Did ye not make an agreement last year to ignore this fella The irony is not lost on me mentioning it Quote from: An Watcher on March 15, 2018, 07:44:58 PM Ahoghill? Post by: jdyok on March 15, 2018, 09:53:09 PM Corrigan Park! Post by: Don Draper on March 15, 2018, 10:06:02 PM Kildare. Never mind the flour bag!! Antrim or Carlow? What result suits best? Post by: BrendanAntrim on March 16, 2018, 12:18:37 AM you'd be wanting Carlow to win and therefore have promotion in the bag before they play you. If we beat them, they will need a win V Laois to have any chance. Think we will beat them narrowly then our final league game V Laois can be played as the league final. Carlow have just been promoted to Div.3, beating Antrim 1-12 to 0-12. They will be determined to beat us next Sunday to celebrate promotion in front of their supporters who couldn't make it today. Congratulations to them, their first promotion in 33 years and first time out of Div.4. That will be a big test for us and will tell us how much we have progressed this year. Win that and we will most likely meet them again in Croke Park in the Div.4 Final Post by: Bamford1995 on March 19, 2018, 02:32:08 PM If we can't beat Carlow we'll have to forget about playing, there an ordinary well organised team that's about it, there'll be some buzz Sunday afternoon however Agreed lads it’s feking Carlow and they have done the last two days partying,,,again Sunday s not something that I worry about,,there poor out Lads quit with the shit talk bringing down Carlow. They are every bit as good as ourselves if not better with the spirit and organization they have. We have enough of problems without dragging down Carlow. They have been promoted for the first time in 33 years give them a break. Jesus That was a turn up for the books; the two relegated Div 3 sides beaten to the first promotion spot by Carlow. Looks like curtains for Antrim now, Carlow will surely put out below strength team with an eye to the League Final. Nice to see them on the up. Post by: jimbob2 on March 19, 2018, 08:53:16 PM Without Quigley , Timmons , Booth and Conway we will struggle to compete with Carlow. We still have not found two wing half forwards good enough to progress as a modern winning team. They have beaten the same teams we have and more impressively. They have pace and some fine footballers. I don't know what Laois team you have been watching to believe we can look down on them. Can't believe I am even responding to you. Swore I would never again read, let alone respond to your childish illegible gibberish. Blueandwhite I agree with you spot on Well said blueandwhite1, Carlow have put in massive work over the past few years and any true GAA man will acknowledge that and congratulate them. They are now a very decent side and we will have to play better than we have played all year if we are to win this and ensure promotion ourselves. Lose this and we can still be caught by Antrim if they win their game on Sunday. We haven't qualified yet and there's still a lot of work to be done.. The big question is will Carlow be still up for this match the fact they are already promoted and have a league final to look foward too Post by: Tony on March 20, 2018, 07:16:42 AM Those that are overlooking Carlow don't know what they're talking about. They're basing their opinion on Carlow from years past. 2018 Carlow are a useful team, fit and fairly pacey and have good size. They have a very good midfield and and some star performers in Murphy, Broderick and Foley. They're fairly well drilled too and would love a home victory over us, one of their local neighbours. O' Brien is a solid manager and they're definitely a team improving. I'm not saying they're a top tier team yet or anything but to write them off against a transitioning Laois side at home in Dr Cullen Park is ridiculous. If we lose that game, it's a cup final against Antrim for a promotion spot. We're not promoted yet at all. Tony your back at it again, last year you talked up a manager until he was ran out of the place. Carlow are poor and we have to be beating them all this talk of a renaissance in Carlow football from where ? 30 years in Div 4 football, good for them they are getting promoted but for us to be down there is farcical. The bookmakers have us heavy favs to win the division and while on occasion they are wrong over time this rarely happens. I am sure certain people on here will try to talk Carlow up but let me question their objectivity some of them have heavy involvement with the management or players. I will be honest promotion from Div 4 is a minimum, so please don't under talk our prospects that's the sort of crap that has here in the first place. If someone had of been critical of the way things were going in the first place we may never have ended up here. So far so good by Sugrue and I have faith he will do the job but it's the sort of job that is must rather than an option. Post by: Unison on March 20, 2018, 10:11:26 AM I am not be optimistic about he Carlow match at all. While we struggled to get past London, they beat Antrim on their home patch and gained promotion for themselves. Carlow will be full of confidence, have all the momentum behind them and will be itching to put on a show in front of their supporters. I have seen Laois in a similar positions in the past. However, we have fallen a long way in recent years, and I really think we will have our work cut out for us next Sunday. There is some amount of tripe talk here the last couple of days about Carlow. Just cause u were in division 4 the last 30 years dosent mean you can't improve . People here are overrating ourselves and underrating Carlow. If anyone has been following the results so far they will see they have beaten all the teams we have beaten maybe even more comfortably . Drive and spirit goes a long way which Carlow have in abundance. It's this type of shite talk and taking our eye off the ball that is a recipe for getting caught out by weak teams. We are in division 4 , we have to cop and on realize we have to play our arses off if we want to beat Carlow Ballyroan, I'm just stating my opinion. Carlow have impressed the most in this division, not us. To play them in Dr Cullen Park as the best and most organised and united Carlow team in years is no easy task. Bear in mind, while we are seeing green shoots, this is not by any means a vintage Laois team. I don't think our back 6 is anywhere near solid enough to guarantee a victory in Carlow. Fair play on the last couple of posts Tony. I totally agree Carlow aren't taking the game Sunday too serious, they've been on the piss since Sunday, a work colleague of mine is on the panel and they have their eyes set now on Louth in the championship in 8 weeks. They've achieved their goal in getting promoted, a league final is only a novelty Today's only Tuesday, so they had a few beers Sunday and Monday to celebrate and most were either back in work or college today. The Limerick lads probably had a few beers aswell. Carlow and their manager would love a title whether Div 4 or not so I don't buy this crack about only being worried about Louth. Carlow would love to beat Laois. Exactly. It's rubbish to say they aren't interested in the League title or beating Laois. Carlow would love to get one over on Laois. Have Carlow 11/4 Laois 1/3 get stuck into Carlow Tony If you have €10 on you will lose €10 Absolute joke talking them up As soon as anyone decent takes him Poacher will be on his bike that’s how much he rates Carlow. It’s great for Carlow but they have 30 years of direness to overcome. Laois are 1/3 away from home. That's absolute bull talk Ballyroan . As if the bookmakers knew the ins and outs of Laois and Carlow. What has happened in this league so far to suggest we are a better side than Carlow? You seem to really really not have anytime for Carlow footballers. Our glory days of 2003 and Micko are long gone so u may come back down to reality . Even under Micko, we struggled to beat Carlow. Newsflash for you Ballyroan - this is a forum to state your opinion about Gaelic Games. That's what i'm doing. Also, I never said Carlow would win. I'm saying we can't take for granted that we'll beat a good, solid, fit, organised Carlow team. This isn't 15 or 20 years ago, this is today. Didn't you see them in the last year or two? Even the Dublin match? No? They're a useful side with plenty of size and good pace. I wonder which Laois games you watched in the last 5 years to give you such confidence that it's a foregone conclusion. Get a grip mate. We're showing a few positive signs this year but we can't take Carlow or Antrim for granted. Our backline has been exposed multiple times this year to much lesser opposition and we're missing a few of our top performers through injury. It's not a forgone conclusion at all. With your arrogance you'd think we were Kerry or Galway. Carlow have been the most impressive team in division 4 this year without a question. I think we can nick it but I'd be over the moon with a 1 point win. Post by: OTF on March 20, 2018, 08:45:01 PM Bullocks notions. Lads, its Carlow. Quote from: Don Draper on March 20, 2018, 09:04:37 PM If it was Westmeath I might see their point. It’s Carlow, get real. Talking them up and then we beat Carlow and then we go about what a great victory it was would be truly bollocks. This is what they will do next Monday and Tuesday. Yes, its Carlow, but we are Laois! FFS, we have not been capable of beating Antrim over the last couple of years. We shall see Sunday but we are far better this year than any of the previous 4 years when loads of fellas on here continually talked us up. Sugrue will get us promoted because unlike some of the previous managers he has some modicum of a clue to what his doing. He may lack experience and I am sure that will be found out against better teams but Div 4 is not that place. Stop hedging your bets and get real lads. Galway & Kerry won’t be playing Carlow in the league, not arrogance being realistic. Why underplay ourselves it’s only another excuse. Having been at both those games, we got what we deserved as a result of poor player discipline and poor management. Both are improved immeasurably this year. One senior players behaviour that day against Antrim in Portlaoise was shameful. When we needed a leader, he dug a hole and crawled into it. He's still in there, but I'd be hoping he's only getting one chance now and will be ran if it comes to it. Anyway, getting back to this weekend, I wont get carried away, but again, its Carlow. The day we fear Carlow, is the day we knife the footballs. Respect, but not fear. They may catch us on occasion (can GAAStats bring up the recent meetings please), but the day we fking fear them will be a dark day. Put Mark Timmons in the middle of the huddle and let him lay down whats on the line. And let them off. Wow This board has gone mad in recent days... The bookies are never too far wrong and although I think it will be a test Sunday I believe we have what it takes to beat Carlow and thus set up the league final between the two. I hear booth and quigley are close to being fit for selection? I'd Love to get Timmons back! I wonder will Lillis and Glynn be considered for a start since they made themselves unavailable to travel to London! Ps.what a wonder support there was in London and I hope a few more of these people start coming to the home games again.. I seen a few faces I hadn't seen in donkeys years!! OK, Whatever you say guys...we're going to annihilate Carlow. I suppose I can't doubt ye, we did just beat the Mighty London by 2 points. In all seriousness, I think it's a tough task at hand. I'm not saying Carlow are the be all and end all but we've got to be realistic about where we are currently. A narrow victory would be great news. This is our level. Top tier of Div 4 / Lower tier of div 3. We need a lot of good new young talent harnessed properly to come along for that to change. Post by: recyclebin on March 21, 2018, 08:00:22 PM I don't think Carlow are going to show there full hand on Sunday as they could be playing Laois again in the final a week later. There could be some mind games 8) Catch a hold of yourself Tony, its crazy talk thinking we'll annihilate Carlow, I'd settle for 8-10 points. They can't wait to get us in there, years of beatings from us hurts them badly and now they have a team that can realistically take us on and beat us. Anyone thinks they have no interest in this game is an absolute clown ..... Quote from: Junior Ex Laoistalk on March 22, 2018, 12:43:02 AM lovely. About time they put it up to us. Should be a good crowd there sunday its a game that all players on both sides will be looking forward to ... Im going to back Gary Walsh for the first goal !! ;) https://www.facebook.com/ballsdotie/videos/10156429373951042/ Is he serious or is it a take the piss interview ? They're certainly enjoying their football! Its a pisstake, and he's pissed. As was most of the bar. Which was most of the Carlow team. Time to sober them up. Post by: oneflewoverthecuckoonest on March 22, 2018, 05:45:03 PM i would not be in the least surprised limerick beat a deflated antrim on sunday and such a result would automatically guarantee us promotion. Why would you even have to ask if that interview was a pisstake or not?! 8) Also, Limerick are a truly shocking team. I could probably do a job for them on their team, and that's saying something as my best playing days are lonnnng behind me. Antrim will win that match, 110%. I'm hearing Timmons is back. Just in time. Just in fking time. Post by: The PRO on March 22, 2018, 10:39:27 PM Just seen the team. I was thinking we'd be well able to take care of Carlow but not so sure now. Benny Carroll at 11? Jesus. I like the look of the team for Sunday good bit of pace I probably would have started o Reilly but Benny is good also I see nothing only a laois win here and in the final because I dont rate Carlow or fear them at all,we will be champions of div 4 this year Post by: Gmac on March 22, 2018, 10:42:34 PM Donie for 1-7 if he’s that close to goal Quote from: The PRO on March 22, 2018, 10:39:27 PM Same Benny Carroll that was possibly the best player of last years club championship in his club position. The risks we take. I think we will beat them with that team but hopefully the lads won't be like some posters here and think it's a foregone conclusion. Think O'Reillys pace will be needed before the game is over. Classy PRO, real classy to make little of a player through the anonymity of this forum. Or seek excuses like many on here, there is no excuse. I am sick of a once proud county deluding itself that because of ineptitude that what is must be. We are not a Division 4 county and if we accept we are that’s where we remain. No excuses be they preparation or complacency we must beat Carlow twice and that simply is a minimum. What are we going to do when we really come against it. I have never be more disappointed to read on here when we played Dublin in Kilkenny how great we were to lose by 8 points I think. My outstanding memory of that game is the half pace Dublin played at. If we want to aspire to anything we must have certain standards and fking hammering Carlow should be a basic. Convince yourselves that we are second rate and that is what we will accept as fans. We as proud Laois Supporters deserve better. I am sure some of you think I am nuts but this county drives me mad with its meek acceptance. There is something Paudi O Shea Said about the savagery of Kerry Supporters. Why are we so accepting ? Post by: The PRO on March 23, 2018, 09:04:14 AM Quote from: portlaoisekid on March 23, 2018, 08:30:41 AM You're right. Hands up. Shouldn't have singled him out. Don't like the look of the team at all. Just not convinced that Carroll, Piggott, Glynn are good enough. Hope I'm wrong. Ballyroan it's not the supporters fault we are in division 4. We are just being realistic . So if Carlow do beat Laois on Sunday what will your excuse be? It is the fans fault and the clubs if you continually accept sub standard, that is what you get. Everybody mollycoddling everyone else it’s a complete joke, Laois did not end up in Div 4 because someone waved a magic wand. We won’t lose Sunday because finally there is some joined up thinking at helm. John Sugrue was not my first choice but the further he goes on the more impressive an individual he is. He is not near the finished article nor are Laois but there is more than enough improvement to warrant confidence against Carlow. I would not have the same attitude against Kildare. There won’t be any excuses against Carlow as they won’t be needed. I like the look of the team I must say.... Graham Brody (Portlaoise); Stephen Attride (Killeshin), Mark Timmons (Graiguecullen), Gareth Dillon (Portlaoise); Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), Colm Begley (Stradbally), Robbie Piggott (Portarlington); John O’Loughlin (St Brigid’s), Kieran Lillis (Portlaoise); Alan Farrell (Ballylinan), Benny Carroll (Portlaoise), Brian Glynn (Portlaoise); Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard), Gary Walsh (Ballylinan), Donie Kingston (Arles-Killeen) Paul Kingston must be close I don't think he has done much wrong in any of the games. Not too many real natural forwards in the half forward line but options with Munnelly and Paul Kingstone even donoher and Strong could play there. Ballyroan we are second in division 4 and in the hunt for promotion which is good news. But where is your evidence that there is improvement ? Or that Sugrue has improved it? We have won all our games and that's all u can ask for but we were far from convincing against London and especially Waterford. Is it that 1. We have improved or 2. We are playing shit teams and hence we look a little better with no proper test of our metal yet? Our problem was never in talent or players certaintly not at Div 4 or possibly 3, our issue was mentality and attitude. I can't wait for Sunday I would think I am going to get some pasting if we get beaten on here (arrogance will be the word used mostly) But I won't be crowing when we win as it's only Carlow we are on a journey and Dr Cullen Park is only a sign post. Post by: Nameless on March 23, 2018, 11:59:00 AM Let's get real here. If we were in division 3 this year and played to the standard we have been up to now, we'd be relegated. That's my opinion, don't know if anyone would agree with that. My only hope is that the squad have been training hard, working on fitness and just taking the games as they come. If not we're in trouble. We should beat carlow but play as poorly as we have in other matches and we'll lose. Simple as that. We've beaten no one of note in the past few years and have lost to antrim twice. We belong in division 4. I think supporters and players believing we're better than we are is part of the reason we're down here. I'm hoping Sugrue can change the mindset, we have no given right to beat any team. Train hard, act appropriately off the field, put the work in and we'll make progress. This has not happened in the past few years and it's why we're in division 4. Post by: Laois fan on March 23, 2018, 01:01:04 PM Quote from: The PRO on March 23, 2018, 09:04:14 AM so your apology goes from singling out one newcomer to having a go at two others aswell ...classy Post by: Clubber Lang on March 23, 2018, 01:05:51 PM Every county in the country prepares to a high level these days. To say we should be beating other counties in division 4 by large margins is unrealistic. Waterford and Limerick consistently acquit themselves well in the Munster championship. Last year both Limerick and Waterford lost by a single point to Clare and Cork respectively. If we beat either a Clare or Cork side in this year's championship everyone will be talking of terrific progress made by the team. The reality is that with teams modernising their training efforts, commitment levels etc. there is in reality not a huge amount between most teams from division 2 to division 4. It's great to see Sugrue ring the changes again for this important game-he is giving a number of players an opportunity to stake a claim for a starting jersey come championship in what should be a competitive encounter with Carlow. The message is clear-championship starting places have to be earned. Looking forward to the game at the weekend and seeing how our new look half forward line operate. Hopefully they will each deliver a performance on the day. Good post Nameless. Some people are still living in the glory days of 2003 and think that Carlow should be taken for granted. 2003 is long gone and we have slowly been on the way down since. We have went really poor altogether in the past two or three years which has brought us to this point. The majority of our key players are moving on and the younger lads are simply not good enough. More and more of the older gang are coming back into the team as none of these "new faces" are up to it. In the next two or three years who will replace these old gang like Begley Quigley Conway Johnno Timmons Booth Strong Donoher Munnelly etc. I just don't think this slide is over yet and it's going to be hard to make significant progress with the age profile and the lack of talent coming through. Not sure I'd agree that we belong in Div4, as I said before it was only the width of a post against Offaly that was the difference in us going down or staying in Div3. Having said that I think it probably was the best thing that could have happened to us at the time. We were becoming very comfortable playing at a level to keep us in Div3 and that wasn't a good thing. We now have what seems to be a better management team with a plan and realistic expectations of where we should be in the next few years. We have now got used to winning and that can become a habit, so much so that we can become hard to beat. We haven't really been tested in this division yet but Carlow should provide a much stiffer test than we have had so far and it will be interesting to see how we cope with that. There is also a prize of promotion and a trip to Croke Park in this game so its all to play for. I do believe we are good enough to win this one and set up a tasty final next week but if we don't a few questions will be asked and answers will have to be given. It would be great for our confidence if we can go through the league unbeaten and win the final, that to me would have to be seen as a successful first term for this management team and give us some hope going into the championship. More and more of the older gang are coming back into the team as none of these "new faces" are up to it. In the next two or three years who will replace these old gang like Begley Quigley Conway Johnno Timmons Booth Strong Donoher Munnelly etc. I just don't think this slide is over yet and it's going to be hard to make significant progress with the age profile and the lack of talent coming through. Yet. None of the new faces are up to it, YET. You think. Give them a fking chance will you. fk sake. What are we fking like in this county. Oh yea, fk them out, make way for the next lot. Jesus its enough to give someone piles listening to some of this shit. God help the lads reading it. Stick at it boys, prove all the fkers wrong. This .... I can't wait for sunday I'm going to Laois games for 30 years or more ...I've seen good times and bad. I remember the Leinster final of 1985 and how big a think it was for the Laois team with the hurlers also going well at the time . Then there was 1986 I was on the field that day as a nipper I remember beating Louth in the reply in 1991 and another Leinster final Then the barren years before the minors came along and brought a great boost to the county starting with the unlucky 1995 team and so on and so on... We got a great group of players from the national schools set up and the Cumann na mBunscol at the time which was so well ran and ahead of most counties at the time a lot of great people from the big national schools right down to the two teacher schools must take credit for that I remember The Rock,Derrylamogue,The Swan,Barrowhouse, Clonaghadoo ,Barnashrone and even Castlecuff had fine players at the time and I used watch the other finals with interest after ours and the quality from the top rank right down to the two teacher schools was incredible at the time. With that came a crop of players with unreal talent I remember going for trials for Laois teams back then and the quality that was on show and being left out was unreal.There was a freak crop of players from all clubs even a few hurling clubs had great great footballers at the time who were unfortunate not to make panels. We didn't make the most of what we had but it did breed a new generation of players like JOL etc who were inspired by the team of 2003 etc. We are where we are for a reason the league tables don't lie. I think however progress is slowly being made I know we certainly wasted a few years talent wise for whatever reasons its easy blame each manager or players commitment etc etc...No point in going over it now. Its time to knuckle down and get the job done this sunday.I for one am looking forward to it should be a cracking atmosphere down their with our neighbours on a high.Beating us would cap it off for them but I believe we will do enough to get another craic at them in croker which would be great experience for some of these players!! The current crop deserve all our support and while we pay money and have the right to be critical what is the point ...yes we can say a lod played poorly or it wasn't his day or maybe he isn't up to it but writing off lads before the game is just too easy on a forum like this. Roll on sunday I hope Mark Timmons leads by example as he usually does and we get a win to get us back to division 3 and the bonus of a little trip to croker!!!! LAOIS LAOIS LAOIS 5 Portlaoise lads starting is a big turnaround from a couple of years back. No matter what club you're with, we all know having a good chunk of the Portlaoise panel was needed to enhance the laois squad going forward. Ive asked this question about 5 times here and I no-one seems to know the answer but Ill ask it one more time seeing we are talking about the Portlaoise lads on the panel. Is Paul Cahillane involved this year, I know he was there at the start but haven't seen him play yet??? Quote from: Junior Ex Laoistalk on March 23, 2018, 08:27:16 PM Yes but has had a woeful run of injuries to date Post by: The Boy Wonder on March 23, 2018, 11:14:20 PM It's a pity to read coarse language on a Laois GAA Forum or indeed any GAA Forum - surely any literate person can make their point without resorting to profanities. People that might normally be inclined to contribute to this forum would be put off by this juvenile behaviour. I remember Huey from the Laoistalk forum a number of years ago predicting Laois's decline - I had hoped he was wrong but he was proved right unfortunately. We are in a transition at the moment - the experienced members of the panel are ageing whilst the younger element are being introduced in the modest level of Div 4. Re. Carlow - they have upped their game and are no pushover these days - Dublin and Monaghan can attest to that. Quote from: The Boy Wonder on March 23, 2018, 11:14:20 PM Yerraya fk it be grand The boy wonder - I agree about the profanities and people (some young, some old) being put off by that, but don is a big man and big men need to swear from the comfort of behind their keyboard to feel like big men. He's some hard man, he is. No regard for other users - seems to have very low emotional IQ. So let them at it. But regarding Huey predicting the decline of Laois GAA - in fairness any man with one eye could see that happening from about 2008 onwards. Anyway, that's all the past. 2018 is positive so far, albeit in div 4. My thought always was: no matter what the quality of the panel, I'll be content once I see a Laois team give their all for the cause. We don't have a vintage Laois team currently in terms of raw talent, but we're giving it all we can, and I can't ask for more as a supporter. Fair play to Sugrue for the job he's doing and the culture he's implementing within the squad. There's definitely more of a "feel good factor" surrounding the squad and supporters this year. Let's hope we can finish it off and keep our foot on the pedal. Looking forward to seeing how lads like Carroll and Piggott do this weekend. Glynn too, he was rusty at start of League but he'll be hoping for a big match tomorrow. I agree with regard to the profanities, although I have not been entirely blameless myself. Quote from: Laois fan on March 23, 2018, 01:01:04 PM It's called a discussion board. To discuss GAA and on this sub board, Laois GAA. I didn't as you put it have a go at the three chaps in question. All I did was express my doubt as to whether they are good enough for the Laois senior football team tomorrow. I hardly cast aspersions on the chaps themselves. It's actually great to see lads from Portarlington and Portlaoise on the team by the way. For too long they haven't been contributing as many lads as they should. Good luck to all the Laois team tomorrow. I really hope we win. The thoughts of another year of Division 4 football are dreadful. Post by: OTF on March 24, 2018, 10:41:24 AM We are capable of putting up a big score with that inside forward line as the half forwards and midfield are decent. However as Sugrue continues to look at defenders and the absence of a defensive plan as YET I think Carlow with a home game and the pressure off can score at least 3 goals against that defense. I predict a narrow Carlow win. Post by: ILikeStrawberryJam on March 24, 2018, 11:14:55 AM The table doesnt lie. We are where we deserve to be. Division 4 is our lot. We have been average playing the 5 worst teams in the country. Carlow are a bit of a step up. I think it will be close. Dismissing Carlow would be foolish. Their curve is upward, ours Has been downwards for a long time. Its impossible really to know where we are at. Sunday will tell us more. Best of luck to the lads. Im not adverse to the odd rant but I agree that some of the pointless swearing takes away from the forum. My gra, on this. Yes you can use profanities on the discussion forum, the overuse of such language probably makes you less likely to be listened to. As for criticism of players or management, what's the point of discussing anything if there is no criticism. PRO has held his hands up, for what not rating a player? It's not really a sin on the scale of things, personally I like the player as many others do. But if we don't have debate this forum has no use. It's up to the moderators and our own moral code to keep things at a reasonable level. PRO did nothing wrong even though I don't agree with his call. In all reality this forum is quite reasoned even though we don't agree with each other. This is an opportunity for different views to have their say some may do it more eloquently than others. Post by: High Fielder on March 24, 2018, 12:19:59 PM I'm just trying to enjoy winning a few games and being competitive. We're in transition and there's a lot to be done in all grades of Laois GAA. It's obvious enough that Division 4 is not a place to take yourself too seriously, but it's where we are and out of it we have to try and get. A lot of these players have been badly burned in recent times and deserve the luxury of enjoying what they're achieving at the minute. Beyond that, I'm allowing Sugrue the time and space to see what he can do. It won't happen overnight, and proclaiming us as some sort of superpower is unhelpful and quite frankly ridiculous. Carlow deserve respect for what they have achieved, and I'm delighted for them Great crowd here today but good lord one point in the second half and two so far to Carlow dire stuff As I predicted, Carlow are a well drilled and organised outfit. We got out of there with a 1 point win and could have easily lost. Not sure why people were so confident of an easy win. Anyway, job done, promotion achieved. Roll on next week for a day out in Croker. Enjoy d pints Shocking shite. Nothing to fear from those puke football fkers. They’ll be hard bet, but I said fk it if we should fear Carlow. And I was right. Being right on the Internet is one of the greatest satisfactions in life. I’d love to bate the bollocks off them next weekend but today was job done. Promotion secured with a game to spare. Thanks John and the boys. Hold the powder til next Saturday night now and we’ll all drink the shite out of it then and kick the fk out of the cup outside of Pedigree and all the way up to Graigue. Listened to it from abroad.. I won't say anything bar well done to all concerned. But!. What time is Saturdays match at. Flights need organising and a trip to The town hall and Trudge for the homecoming. ..quick reply needed. MEANT TRUDIE Probably be around 5pm and division 3 at 7pm. Is that usually the case? Post by: Giovanni on March 25, 2018, 05:04:30 PM Would you really want to sit through that again? You ruined it Quote from: Giovanni on March 25, 2018, 05:04:30 PM To taste the Carlow tears? Oh god yea Post by: SCFC on March 25, 2018, 05:43:55 PM Carlow have never beaten us in a league game. Next Saturday would be a bad time to lose that record. Most important thing is we're promoted. The match will be a lot more open in croker, in my opinion. Dr Cullen a much tighter pitch. Bit of silverware would be very welcome regardless of the division. Great to see timmons play so well after injury. Hard fought win against a style like that. Took strenght and experience to hang on at the end when down to 14. Quote from: SCFC on March 25, 2018, 05:43:55 PM You reckon? said it here a few times but the league is where it’s at for Laois for the foreseeable future , try to make their way back up the league divisions get playing better opponents and if u can raise the standard then make some noise in the championship in a few years Well done to team and management for getting promotion. We've had little to shout for over last few years so it's important to acknowledge the achievement and enjoy it. Winning in Croke Park next week will top off a good league campaign. We need to develop a winning culture and good mentality and that's what John and the team are working on while developing a panel. The match today was frustrating. Carlow play to their strengths but are very frustrating and resulted in a dour game. Open spaces of Croke Park will help but is important that Laois use the wide spaces and have men coming through the middle at pace. Hope Laois kick on next weekend and finish the campaign in style and go into the championship in good spirits. Yes. Pretty sure. Does anyone have the result of the under 15 match played before the senior match? They won not sure but a nice few points to spare Laois won it was 3-10 0-3 at half time. Cahillane was with the panel today for those asking. Post by: Jellyfish on March 26, 2018, 12:33:12 AM Great win today for everybody. Players, management and us supporters alike. In the end we were probably lucky to get over the line with a victory but I knew before hand any victory in Carlow would be hard earned, and hard earned it certainly was. I have included my own player ratings from the game they are opinion based, and I dont mean to offend any player with a rating, I love Laois and have nothing but praise for these guys. If anybody thinks any differently with any rating feel free to comment. Brody- 7.5. Thought Brody done well today. Made 1 or 2 very crucial saves, however some of his kick-outs were poor at times I felt. Attride- 8. Had a brilliant game today. Really stood up I felt when the game was in the melting pot. Timmons- 7.5. Very solid today. Dealt with everything that came his way comfortably. Great to have him fit again. Dillion- 6.5. Didn’t have the greatest of game I felt today. Over carried the ball at times which at times was unnecessary I felt. However, he proved a use-full option at half back when trying to break down their blanket defence. Collins- 7. I felt Collins was pretty anonymous today, however he was pretty comfortable with ball in hand all day. Drove forward for us in the second half. Begley- 8.5. Personally I felt Begley was our best player today. An excellent leader for this group and worked tirelessly hard throughout. Really drove out of defence with the ball in the second half when the backs were to the walls. Pigott- 7. This rating my divide opinion but personally I think Pigott was having a decent game. Was given the task of marking Murphy early on. Maybe the yellow card was a factor in the early substitution. J.O’L- 8. Thought John was very impressive today, himself and Lillis really dominated midfield in the early stages today. Brilliant leader to have in the team. Lillis- 7.5. I thought Lillis in the first half was pretty good. Very good at competing in the air, however, kicked away some sloppy ball at times and his day ended prematurely after being sent-off. Farrell- 7. Probably wasn’t his best game today. However, he made good runs right through the body of their defence and was rewarded with a score. Benny Carroll- 6.5. Carroll again, not one of our best players today. Made some good runs at times. Unlucky to be taken off after the sending off, thought he starting getting into the game. Glynn- 6.5. Glynn, I felt started the game well. Was a option at the kick-outs with his height. However, seem to fade a bit in the second half and subsequently was taken off. O’Carroll- 7. Quiet enough first half for O’Carroll but grew into the game in the second half. Caught a kick-out from Brody brilliantly when we needed to relieve some pressure on our goal. Walsh- 7.5. Started very well, hitting 1-3 in the first 15-20. Goal was taken very very well. However, felt he was anonymous in the second half. Donie Kingston- 7. Didn’t get on much ball today in scoring zones. Seemed to be double marked at times. Nearly scored an outrageous point in the second half. Subs. Strong- 7.5. Played well when he came on, had lots of composure on the ball which is necessary. Lowry-6.5. Didn’t really get much of a chance to impress today. Spend a lot of his game around the middle of the field. O’Reilly- 7. Made of good runs but lost the ball aswell as result of running into contact with the ball Ross- 6.5. Didn’t really get on much ball, however kicked a wide in injury that you would put your house on ross to put over. Roll on Croker next weekend, Laois abu. Job done, promotion achieved but we literally fell over the line. Real Shocking stuff from both teams not helped by Carlow's system. Considering that they employ this system the whole time you would have to wonder had the management any sort of tactic to counter it because it didn't look like it today we played into their hands with our lack of movement and endless lateral passing. There seemed to space at times up the sides but for whatever reason we never seemed confident enough to run at them to at least draw frees or simply stretch them. Considering the physical size of the three in the full forward line you would think that we would have at least put in one high ball to mix it up. The point from the free at the end was the first score in 32 minutes and we were surviving by the skin of our teeth at that stage. Carlow had two great goal chances, both down the right side, with a great save from brody and then a terrible pass across the square luckily for us. If either of them had gone in, we were in serious bother. I hope next week in Croker that the faster surface and wider spaces will improve us. Certainly we need more zip in the forwards or some sort of movement. We will need Paul Kingston back certainly as it looks like Evan is gone. I would also hope that the management fix the kick outs. Their high press forced us to kick it long which suited them. Hopefully they will work on something that can be too over advantage. Thanks Don, that was me asking.. I was talking to someone very close to him today at the match and he said it will probably be about 3 weeks before Paul will be ok to play. It was a very poor game today, caused mostly by Carlow's negative tactics. We grew more frustrated as the game went on and what disappointed me was the reaction of some of our lads, pulling and dragging lads and in one case kneeing a guy into the thigh which we were lucky to get away with. We had one dismissal but could have had 3 or 4 if the ref (from Offaly) had been stricter. I don't want to see us finishing games with 14 men like last year, I had hoped we had stepped up our discipline but this was the first time we were targeted by negative play and we cracked a bit... We had arguably the strongest ball winning full forward line we have had in a while but we never tested the Carlow full backs to and great extent. A few high balls in could have unsteadied them and made the game easier for us as this thing of playing the ball across the field and backwards all the time must be very soul destroying for anyone calling themselves footballers. We need to run at them next week, take them on and draw fouls and pick up a few points that way. I really believe we are better than we looked today and surely better than a one point victory. Having said that well done to players and management on an unbeaten run through Div4 and gaining promotion at the first attempt. We now need to win the final to boost confidence before the championship and try to step it up for Div3 or we could find ourselves back down again pretty soon if we don't. Delighted to get over the line in what was a hard watch mainly due to Carlow's style of play.It might be different in croker tho. Here's my ratings of the players it's only an opinion and I value every man that gives the commitment to this county and has got us back to division 3 Brody- 8 Was excellent one superb save with his left hand in the second half.Kick outs were good I thought especially in first half. Attride- 8. Was great today cool on the ball and made two cracking hit's both times turning over the ball for Laois Timmons- 9 Man of the match in my opinion handled everything with ease and looked like he was never away.Superb brain and a great footballer Dillion- 7 In and out of the game fouled a few times which allowed Carlow to score but showed good support play going forward needs to back himself for the odd shot Collins- 6 Don't remember him doing too much he did make a good interception in the first half .Needs to look up on the ball quicker. Begley- 8 Was very good played the position well and used his knowledge to great effect ,can't understand why he wasn't moulded into this position 6 years ago. Pigott- 7 Thought he was okay looked rusty in the tackle but did well on Sean Murphy early doors his tackling skills need to improve big time at this level. J.O’L- 7 Maybe deserves more but he coughed up three vital balls in the second half from running down blind alleys.Did show very well for kick outs Lillis- 7 Decent in the first half catching a few nice kickbouts from Brody. Certainly holding his own in midfield but does lack pace to get to a pitch of a tackle. Farrell- 7 I thought he did well kicking a great point winning a lot of breaking ball around the middle certainly deserves a place on the team not sure where yet! Benny Carroll -6 Two clever passes early doors one for the goal another nearly created a 2nd but he was loose in possession loosing it countless times in the tackle. Glynn- 7 Best game so far for me.Strong presence helping the midfield tackling well and hitting hard.Deserves another go on this showing. O’Carroll- 6 Not his best game but not for the lack of effort got a lot of special treatment and reacted lucky not to see the line.Caught one majestic ball. Walsh-7 Was unplayable early doors taking a great goal but drifted out the field and out of the game after that two very bad hand passes in the second half which he won't be pleased with.Great threat in front of goals however! Donie Kingston- 7. Didn’t get on much ball today inside but did try his best.Was shackled well by two carlow scored on great point from play and caught the vital throw in at the end.He looks to really his appetite back and look forward to seeing him in croker! Strong- 7 solid looked fitter than recent games and showed a real calmness on the ball i don't remember him loosing possession once.Must be close to a start.Maybe as a half forward?? Lowry-6 Was too far out from goals and was muscled off the ball a few times.Showed great hunger to get back and win a vital sideline ball for Laois late on! O’Reilly- 6 Ran well off the ball but found it hard to get in to the game which was understandable the way it panned out. Ross- 6 expected him to pop that late one over but did play one lovely ball and won two vital frees. While it was a poor standard in the main Carlow do that to teams and are well drilled on this system which better teams than Laois have struggled against. We need to work and a few things ...Our passing with the foot and the hand needs to be more accurate its small margins but a good pass can beat a player or maybe two of played in front of the player and to his chest. Our tackling has certainly got better but that wouldn't be hard it still needs more work. Speed we need players who will counter at pace or at least go at pace not coming back five yards to receive a ball going up the wing from the person on the ball.(move forward away from him and stretch the play) We did show great patience yesterday on the ball and this will be rewarded in Croke Park if Carlow play the same way! Looking forward to next weekend now seems an age since we got to Croker and a bit of silverware no matter what level is always nice and will give the players a boost going forward. Well done to all connected with the team on promotion winning becomes a habit and it certainly is nice coming out of games with a smile no matter the opposition. The game became farcical when the Ref failed to send off their man. They chanced their arm after that and could have been pulled on scores of occasions for their off the ball pulling and dragging. Amazing that all officials couldn't see this. The whole incident involving Walsh and/or O'Carroll was avoidable if they had been penalised properly for their pulling. Not that we were completely blameless either. Our inability to tackle is a real problem and you are guaranteed frees and cards if you run at us. We got away with it again against a limited team but it won't last. Towards the end it got better, a lot better in fact, and Attriide in particular is our best exponent. The ability to create turnovers and tackle properly is too important in modern football to be ignored. It starts in the full forward line and the three boys that were there yesterday have to understand that they have to do more than kick frees and soft points. I went home and watched Paddy McBrearty hassling lads and putting in tackles against Mayo and I'm not seeing that with our forwards. It's a free pass to the half way line, so why Carlow played so defensively is a mystery. The positives are plentiful. We are improving. You can see that. Our possession of the ball doesn't look so hurried. We were patient at times and I was delighted with it. The tackling under real pressure at the end was excellent and we hunted in packs well; which you have to do. I think we grew as the game wore on yesterday and we learnt more in the second half than we did all year. You learn nothing kicking the crap out of poor teams so Division 3 will be a boost too. Our forward unit need to work so much harder though. Time for Laois footballers trip to Croke Park confirmed Division Four Final between Laois and Carlow confirmed for 3pm at Croke Park on Saturday https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/03/26/laois-footballers-trip-to-croke-park-confirmed/ Strange time but I think they are always on at those times .... Not sure be many staying for the second game as both teams play like Carlow! :-\ Great post High Fielder. Quote from: Unlaoised on March 26, 2018, 03:44:14 PM Is it even worth going to at all, don't think I could stick another 70 mins of what I witnessed last Sunday. Parking in Dublin at that time on a Saturday will be crazy... Junior, parking around Croke PArk won't be much different to what it would be on a Sunday around there. Traffic would be a worse problem. They're obviously not expecting a big crowd as tickets available are for the Hogan stand and it's unreserved seating. I'm surprised at your comment junior. Of course it's worth going to. First chance of silverware in years and good outing to celebrate promotion. I also highly doubt it'll be as low scoring. I think we'll open them up a bit more (and maybe then to us also) in croke park. It won't be tense either, we've both got promotion in the bag so it should be a looser game. Arriving to Dublin around 1.30 will be fine. Traffic is grand. The lads will definitely appreciate the support and i think it's a good time for us to celebrate promotion, relative positivity around Laois football, a chance to beat our local neighbours again, first time in croke park for Laois in years and a league title on the line! Well after looking at that last Sunday, I certainly won't be going (and I've literally flown thousands of miles to support Laois in the past). I think your optimistic approach is really admirable but honestly I can't find any reason to celebrate promotion from this Division or, indeed, to celebrate Division 4 silverware if we win it. I'm not particularly interested in going to an empty Croke Park either. I would be surprised if the players will be getting too excited by it either. Apart from a marginal improvement in the quality of the tackling, I could see pretty much nothing in our display on Saturday that was an improvement on last year. A lot of it looked Division 4 stuff to me. We are a small county whose potential is limited by its small size and therefore we have to be realistic in our ambition. Still, I'm just not able to get excited by a one point win over Carlow in a totally unimaginative, low-speed performance. I'd agree with High Fielder about the workrate of some, especially in the forwards. Just not good enough I'm afraid. I admire those supporters like Tony that are keeping the flag flying but let's not pretend that we have achieved anything of note. We really haven't. https://t.co/VKya8WibL9 Carlow bullish Quote from: on the hop on March 27, 2018, 08:37:19 AM Link not work for me can you copy and paste? Whilst I see you point if you go back before the Golden Era we would have been glad of trips to croker .Yes its division four but its where we are at and it would be nice to win it. No pressure game in croker with a chance to win silverware I think the players will be looking forward to it.Its a great match for John as well to prepare for Wexford as it will tell him a few more things about his newer players in what will be a big occasion for some. I'm looking forward to it and a few pints around Croker before and afterwards....hope to be up there for 12 get the all day breakfast in and get a couple of pints before it. I don't think there's any great mystery with Carlow. They look for Murphy to gain possession and the bearded lad to put them on the front foot. Stop both of them at source (easier said than done) and you'll have done a lot of work. Our build up was slow because they had 14 men behind the ball. They know the minute they open up and lose the ball could be disastrous for them. Even with the 14 men behind the ball, you could see that their backs were loose and panicky. Hence all the holding. I'm sure they saw plenty in us to expose too, because let's face it, we have a lot of frailties. I hope as many of us as possible make the journey. We got what we wanted from Sugrue and the team (promotion) so they deserve our support and thanks for that. We're a great county for thinking we're better than we are and thumbing our noses at the occasion. Post by: Laoisguy on March 27, 2018, 09:51:40 AM Good post as usual High Fielder,8 and 9 are the threats ridiculous pace actually ....curb their enthusiasm and watch the fouls Carlow can be taken I was impressed by defence in particular Attride Timmons Begley and Collins We were slightly unfortunate with Ross slipping and a pass or two that didn't stick in my opinion On another issue that Stephen Poacher seems a right .....x Laois Abu Post by: Giovanni on March 27, 2018, 10:02:15 AM Not sure whether you're referring to my post here but my point was that noone should think that this is an achievement. Noone should think we're "better than we are" because we are clearly very poor indeed. Fair play if lads want to go on a bender after beating Waterford, Limerick and London but it's not for me. According to the Carlow player interviewed in On the Hop's post, they found it easy to funnel players back because our attack was so slow. I think that's closer to the truth. They had more scores on the board than us and on another day could have added two goals. And Carlow were on the beer for half the week...... Certainly, I'm not thinking we're better than we are. Quote from: Laoisguy on March 27, 2018, 09:51:40 AM I'd say Sean murphy is a threat but Brendan is as slow as a week in jail he is strong but slow and he took on mental shots on Sunday as did their full forward Foley which cost them. Sean Murphy is a freak the speed he can pick up and even left Dillion and Collins for dead at one stage and they ain't slow!Did he not get man of the match last year against Dublin! I would be of the same opinion. We really struggled to deal with their system, the lack of movement in the forwards killed us, and it's not going to change with Evan looking like he is injured, so we may play to our strengths like isolating Donie and Gary. We were most dangerous on turn overs when they committed numbers forward but for some reason we went to a point, stopped and allowed them to get numbers. I would hope that both wing backs trust their pace and drive at them. A big fear would be the pace of the two midfielders and the wing back Morrissey who caused us problems. Who marks them will be a big issue. Where is this pace for there second midfielder coming from brendan Murphy is far from fast he is powerful a good footballers and a giant of a man but fast?? 9 with the ridiculous pace but Brendan no slouch either Actually Robbie and lillis got through to him and blew himself out by the end of it I remember Carlow came giving it big licks back in 07 in the Leinster minor final. Pity we don't have Conor there this time, but we'll have enough, I believe in this management team and these players. Get to Croker ye shower of fkers, its a national final, and your county need you. Post by: GAA-SMART on March 27, 2018, 12:33:43 PM I see Laois GAA put up a video of past glories and how we are getting excited for the weekend lets take a reality pill folks If anyone in Laois is getting excited about a Division 4 final they have very little to be worrying about. Its a shambles that Laois were ever in D4. Effectively scrapping past Carlow, London& Waterford along with conceeding 3 goals against Leitrim, Where is the ambition gone? Showing the videos of the past, being in D1 and Leinster Championships is ridiculous. Understand Laois on a road to recovery but I wont be celebrating a D4 win I can assure you. It is purely expected at minimum. Next year is where we start seeing where Laois are at, and the year after that, year after that... Quote from: GAA-SMART on March 27, 2018, 12:33:43 PM Arrah would you fk off you dry auld fecker. These players need to make their own history. Past glories in Laois are fleeting, we think we're this superpower in hibernation, we've spent far more time at the bottom of hill/halfway up than we have at the top. Not even an fking All Ireland to our name. Jesus, where would we be got. Hope Sugrue goes with a full strength team and they use the wide open spaces of Croke Park to tear into Carlow. I'd like to see Brody, Attride, Timmons, Farrell (sweeping), Piggott, Begley (holding the middle) Dillon, Johnno, Lilis, Glynn, P Kingston if fit, O'Reilly, Kingston, Walsh and Evan if fit Any update on Conway, Quigley, Murphy, Damien O'Connor? GAA Smart, we're not "getting excited" that we're in a league final. We're just pleased with the progress being made. True supporters will follow a team through thick and thin. We hit rock bottom last year, and we're pleased that we're on the way back up again. I hate that cynical attitude that a lot of ye have. Some good progress is being made and all involved deserve our support. We're all in this together as being part of the Laois GAA community. If they players had the same attitude some of ye have, half of them wouldn't have turned up this year as "it's only division 4". We'd be in some mess then. If you only support us and go to matches when we're managed by Micko and in Leinster finals, well you're not a true supporter really are you. We need all the support we can get Sunday and in this years championship. It really does make a difference when a game is tight. I've seen us lose in recent years when the other team has a 16th man cheering them on, outnumbering us by about 10 to 1. It's that kind of attitude that has us outnumbered. At least this thread is getting a nice bit of activity... Come lads there must be more out there that Troll and have an opinion but can't be bothered writing it. Its Division 4 we are where we are. Its still a chance to win a trophy. I for one will be there and i'm looking forward to it! Might be better to go Saturday but I suppose if you wear blue and white you could get away with supporting Cavan :-) ;-) Only Joking Tony!!! Quote from: Butch Cassidy on March 27, 2018, 01:40:59 PM Quigley getting it very hard to shake off his injury. Doesn't sound good. We hit rock bottom last year, and we're pleased that we're on the way back up again. This is the crux of it. We are not playing any better this year than we did last year (and in some respects the performances are even worse). The fact that we're scraping a few victories against London and Waterford is not an indication of improvement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcdNumgT8m0 Four years ago ...Jesus we had some amount of chances in the first half and played some stuff... Merdith Conway and Finn would be a boost to the ranks this year..... Don't watch the second half!!! :-) I think that might been Brody's debut I could be wrong! I'd go; Dillon Timmons Attride Strong Begley Collins Lillis JOL O'Reilly P Kingston O'Carroll D Kingston Walsh Conway is fit and ready to go. Played the league game against Ballyroan last Saturday. Quote from: redsetanta on March 27, 2018, 03:35:58 PM Interesting did he do well he must be near a place on the panel Booth is in contention as well for this weekend! It could be a week too soon for Paul Kingston! Not a bother. Up to Sugrue I suppose if he see's fit to give him game time. If Cavan were playing that might be a good idea mate, they're playing the next day. It's us, carlow, armagh and fermanagh on sat. :P Post by: justinn on March 27, 2018, 07:31:21 PM Im hearing Evan is out? So your only a supporter if you put with any old crap thrown at you, listen to yourself the bandwagon is what this county needs. I don’t care when they started following Laois hopefully supporters do get carried away by a league final and are hungry for more success because if what’s happened over the last few years is a qualification to be a supporter then you would want locking up. Roll on the band wagon bring cash we need it. I’ve never seen a bandwagon I didn’t want to be on I know that but you said your going Sunday in your previous post :P :P :P Quote from: justinn on March 27, 2018, 07:31:21 PM https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/03/28/two-major-injury-worries-for-laois-footballers-ahead-of-league-final/ Im of the opinion sugrue has made progress. Looking over previous seasons now Laois cannot take any team for granted. I think Carlow will be a bigger test this week with two our best forwards likely to be missing. At the start of the season i would of been happy with promotion and a championship win against Wexford. This a momentum changing game win and spirits are up for championship. I dont want to think of alternative but it is a big possibilty as this carlow team on the road longer than us. I expect Laois to win this one with a few points to spare, as low as we have fallen there's nothing to suggest we cant go out in Croke Park and beat them. We need to bully them from the first second and don't give them a chance to settle, they seem to think its a matter of turning up to win this. We are no great shakes but jaysus lads we are making Carlow out to be a top 4 team . Its time Laois played well for the full 70 and I really fancy us to do a job on Carlow. Laois 2-10 Carlow 0-10 Your from Portlaoise you don’t understand this mentality, firstly you build Carlow up and when you do beat them claim a victory similar to beating one of the super 8. Anyone honestly think Carlow are going to beat us Saturday. If so I can only imagine what Kildare, Tipperary or Clare would do to us. Laois will beat Carlow on Saturday same as last Sunday and before you go on with the drum “if’s” win nothing. Carlow had every chance last Sunday mainly down to Laois freezing in front and they could not take it. Laois & Carlow are probably ranked between 20 - 24 at the minute. Im not bigging up Carlow on form from last years championship they were better than us thats all im saying. I hope we beat them out the gate but can see another big struggle ahead. Quote from: From the Terrace on March 28, 2018, 08:48:07 AM I think you hit the nail on the head, I might rate both of them slightly higher but Carlow are at 100%, Laois are operating below this. Donie Kingston was maybe worth 0-6 points last year this year he has yet to hit form. I think he will at some point, it’s akin to Donegal without Murphy. I was impressed by Carlow tackling last Sunday, Laois should take note. Their formation is limited in where it can go, but some of our decision making when we lose concentration is cat. Either youve missed my point or are just a thick- My point is exactly that- why are we showing past glories when we are so far away from it. I expect a D4 win at minimum does not make me dry it makes me know there is bigger things to be done down the long road we have infront of us. No, you're dry because you've no fking joy in your soul. Let them get excited, we bitch and moan about people not coming out to support our players, and then we bitch and moan about the CB trying to drum up some good feeling. I think we're a county of bitchers and moaners really. If your comfortable with that view I have no problem with that, I clearly just have a higher standard than yourself. No doubt you're probably involved in the CB and were apart of the shambles of the last 5 years or more I can't stand reading this bullshit about our supposed seniority to Carlow. We beat them and they missed a couple of golden chances. They have every reason to believe they can beat us Saturday. I don't know where this inflated opinion of Laois either past or present comes from and I'm grateful someone with a brain like John Sugrue won't buy into this crap. The reality is that nobody fears playing Laois and if I were an opposing coach I could certainly see a number of ways that could potentially beat them. We're in Division 4 not solely because of bad coaching. Haha, Me? County Board? Have you read any of my posts on here?! fk off will you and your higher standards. You're the sort who would demand higher standards, but do jack shit to get them. Bitch and moan and complain about how the good old days were so much better, not realising that your good old days were actually shit and the truly good moments were few and far between. Buy a flag or fk off. Quote from: High Fielder on March 28, 2018, 12:20:32 PM Thank God the matches are played on the internet eh. What do you suggest I do? That I don't already do, Im sure the keyboard warrior that you are would have loads of unique suggestions.. youre some absolute moron in all fairness.. you're probably from Offaly really Just to clarify Don. Are you saying that that match on Sunday was a "truly good moment" in the overall picture of Laois GAA? Just to nip that bitching with each other in the bud there lads. Ye wouldn't even raise a voice to each other in public so sit down, ye look stupid. Nobody thinks you're hard lads. Opinions are opinions and we're all entitled to them. No need for the cowardly insults from the safety of your bedroom. Now lets get on with talking about laois gaa or else it might be wise to get your mom to turn off the wifi modem for a while. I'd suggest you don't take cheap shots from the internet like a keyboard warrior, and allow Laois GAA try to generate some good feeling around the county again. Even if it is only Division 4, it is where we are. Try keep the insults to a minimum please, I dont mind being called a moron, but dont you fking dare call me an Offaly man. Don remove that 2nd last comment you are stepping over the line, Tony’s right it’s a Laois GAA forum. You are taking it somewhere else. I'll remove it, but I expect Tony to apologise for bringing my dear mother into this. He should be ashamed of himself. He's a fine player alright but by God there's not much going on upstairs with Psycho. Poor aul divil, they snowflakes will rip him to shreds for this He should close that Twitter account. Comments like that will do him no favours in life. Let's all support our guys next Saturday .... Gary will never get anywhere if he doesn’t regulate his tweeting. Except maybe president of the USA. Unfortunate all the same. If Evan O'Carroll is out I wonder will David Conway get the nod to start? Maybe Ross starts with Conway on the bench. Quote from: redsetanta on March 29, 2018, 09:57:15 AM Ross nailed on to start I'd say I would hope that the younger lads are given the taste for Croke Park. Maybe Eoin Lowry could be given the chance. He'd add a bit of badly needed pace anyway. Ross will probably start now maybe Lowry Not much options for scoring forwards unless Cahillane is fit or maybe Darren Strong. Hopefully Cahillane can make a return soon along with Conway ...Might be and Idea to ask forbes and Moore back in because if we lost one or two more we only have a little over a month to the wexford game and forwards that can kick a point are hard to come by! I thought Moore and Forbes were sent back to their clubs to get game time? The league has barely started, how much could they have gotten? Also, is Moore not in Dubai? Thought it was Finn was in Dubai? Unless Moore is too? It will be at least 3 weeks before Cahillane is fit to play. If O'Carroll is fit he should start with Ross or Conway to come in later on. Our main problem will be breaking down that 14 man defensive wall that Carlow play with and they will almost certainly go with that strategy again on Saturday. It's at that time that we should be sending in high ball to the full forward line, grab a few scores and make them come out and play football. I think in an open game we would have the beating of them but if they set up camp in our half like they did last day it will depend on who has the most patience. Sure we grabbed a few scores the last day early and they didn't come out...they were 7 points dwon against Dublin in O'Moore park last year at the start of the second half and got a free in midfield and kicked it back to their goal keeper.That's when me and about 2000 Dubs got up from their seats in the stand and walked down to the pubs! Puke football to another extreme! They scored between 17 and 20 points in most games in the league. Not too far off our numbers. I wish Sugrue and the boys all the very best on Saturday. I hope they give a good account of themselves and if they play to their potential I don’t see them being beaten. I hope a good Laois following make their way to support them as they are wearing the Laois jersey in a national Final in Croke Park and it’s the least they deserve. One fella put himself in a shitstorm this week, and if given the chance by the management I hope he repays them. Laois abu. I heard Psycho has got the chop . A few of the Ballylinan lads have told us the news. Massive loss Hopefully not for the season Stupid and insensitive tweet but heat of the moment stuff I haven’t been impressed with the performances of the team but huge kudos to Sugrue and team for continually making good decisions on player management. One of the key things needed in Laois is a culture of maturity and responsibility. Bad decisions in private are very often reflected on the field. This is an important decision for the long term good of the county Great talent, but a thundering fking eejit. He should have all his social media accounts taken down, anyone whos seen them, will know why. I dont blame management if they have dropped him, he was a colossal fking gobshite for posting what he did. Saying that, its his opinion and he's entitled to it, and fk the snowflakes. We live in a world gone crazy on pc sadly, if you dont go along with the herd, you get jumped upon and savaged. Post by: town1980 on March 30, 2018, 12:07:26 AM Gary is a clown for doing what he did and once again has let down himself his club and his teammates far too often under previous managers my idea good luck to him let him show off his Maddness playing just club football and leave using the county as some sort of window to be an outspoken idiot... if Carlow beat laois it’s a disgrace no two ways about it but Sunday will give us a clue into our system of play because it does not seem evident yet That's bad news about Gary but it is the right thing to do by the management team. He will be a big loss to us as he is our top scorer and the top scorer in the COUNTRY during the league. A guy with his talent should know better, talk about letting the side down .. ??? He shouldn't be dropped for that. He took it down immediately and apologised immediately. It was very poorly worded and not wise to put up so soon after the event, but a large portion of the country were saying the same thing. He basically said, that if the rugby lads were found innocent it means that the girl could be seen as guilty of making things up. He put it up in a bad way but took it down and apologised. I don't agree with what he said but I don't think he should be dropped. Definitely not long term. Drop him for this match maybe and then right back in it for the championship. We might as well forget about it if our top scorer is out for the year. Post by: Leixlad on March 30, 2018, 08:06:02 AM Quote from: Tony on March 30, 2018, 07:42:15 AM Would have to agree with you there. It was stupid but not the end of the world he should have known better. As someone said the whole place is gone PC crazy its ridiculous. Cant believe the amount of people attacking the Laois Gaa twitter feed, it was a personal account people trying to make out it represented Laois Gaa. Drop him for final and play away in championship. Luckily twitter will save him just as much as it done him in as some other gobshite is sure to take the heat off him with his own shitstorm soon. Garys tweet will be forgotten and Laois will need him in the summer. PC brigade dont watch Leinster championship they will be busy tweeting about trump ect in June and July and we need Gary simple as that. The tweet was indefensible and a ban is necessary for his own good. Sooner or later he will have to learn that there are consequences for his actions. His Retweet groupies and Laois GAA won't pay his bills, so the ultimate duty of care is to himself. Quote from: Leixlad on March 30, 2018, 08:06:02 AM sensible post...Christ I never seen so many key board experts in the last 48 hours .... Yes an unwise and insensitive post but he took it down and said sorry. The crowd that were attacking Laois and saying they will be shouting for Carlow etc were never at a Laois game in their lives anyway. Social Media means everyone can have an opinion at the same time nowadays and most people follow the crowd. He was wrong its over ...End of story! Drop him from the team maybe but leave it at that... This time next week nobody will be talking about it! Now back to the game lets hope this distraction doesn't affect the team too much Both him and O'Carroll will be massive losses if not available but we still might have enough to get over the line. I hope a few from Laois make the journey up as we might not get many trips to Laois lift silverware in croke park(if they win) I for one can't wait for tomorrow ..Pity the train is such a drag just found out its a bus from Newbridge to houston thats a drag for my mates coming up . Im in Dublin the whole weekend!Hopefully going to croker Sunday as well. I'll be driving up with my son - 3 spaces in the back if anyone wants a lift - or 2 if you're a bit hefty. Might as well car pool a bit. I'll be parking about 5 - 10 mins walk from Croke Pk. Welcome to the real world where people are held accountable for their actions. Everytime Gary puts on the Laois Jersey he represents every man,woman and child in this county. I cannot believe he was that naive to put that post up and not realize their is serious ramifications to getting involved in something like this. Laois is looking for someone to take over naming right to O Moore park at the current moment. What large company would touch a county that is anyway mired in controversy. Our main sponsor was dragged in, all because somebody is attention seeking. If any team is to succeed there has to be discipline within the ranks, and there has to be consequences to actions. I’m wondering if he was warned previously about comments on social media as dropping him for the biggest game of the year seems harsh. Surely a strong warning or provision that if it happened again he’d Be dropped would have done. Why can’t lads have an alias or alter ego account for their ramblings on Twitter. Nah in hindsight it's best to drop him for the final as this will be seen as punishment enough. Also, we wont attract any major negative attention on Saturday as the man at the centre of the row will not be there. In hindsight, it was a good assertive move by management. It's appropriate punishment. Get him back for the championship and say no more about it. That’s the most sensible course of action. I'd leave him sit for the rest of the year. A message needs to be sent to all the youngsters in the county and we need to be seen to be doing the right thing. No half measures. The County is bigger than the individual even if that means shooting ourselves in the foot. High fielder I’m with you the individual has always been involved in some sort of controversy ask the joes club ...players just pass threw but they represent us as a county ballyroanabu our are spot on....I would be getting rid of him for the year if not for good A league final is a heavy punishment, for a county that is not in many. But discipline and team must be above the individual or we will continue to return to this. I don't know about leaving him sit for the year but I couldn't agree more about the need to send clear messages to all the youngsters in the county. Everyone that pulls on a Laois jersey has a responsibility to behave with a certain decorum and most especially in public forums. The only thing is that this message has to be consistent across the entire spectrum of teams and officials - from the u-13s upwards. If John Surgue is a lone voice in trying to do the right thing, it'll never work. It was a grossly insensitive and stupid thing to say. Hes his own worst enemy. Fair play to Sugrue. Dropping him is the right thing to do. Missing a lot of heads tomorrow. I think carlow will edge it. Headache for John who was probably already trying to plan without Evan...With Paul also out I'm hearing it will be a tough ask to beat Carlow now. Probably the right call but I hope its just this game as thats punishment enough. Anyway one man's loss is another man's gain some fellow will get a start instead now and its up to him to take that chance be it david Conway ,Eoin Lowry ross munnelly etc... some one will also get a place in the 26 now instead and maybe they could feature so on we go...... Still hasn't taken away from the day for me I can't wait! Post by: From the Terrace on March 30, 2018, 01:54:03 PM without paul & gary, we will be bother to get scores. hopefully gary will learn from this. I think this will be a tight one, I hope we are capable of beating them without our best two forwards going on league form. As kevin keegan once said i would love it if we beat them. Laois ABU Same old Laois. We have always been our own worst enemy. We tend to beat ourselves before we go onto the pitch. Its not the opposition we need to fear, but our own stupidity ::). I'm sure the Carlow boys cant believe their luck. Post by: G@@ on March 30, 2018, 03:23:27 PM This kinda tripe boils my blood. It's the responsibility of parents to give "messages" to youngsters, not some sports star. Reading the fookwits on Twitter throwing digs at the county board is laughable, the vast majority of them - hard core feminists, wouldn't know what the inside of O'Moore Park even looks like. It's high time normal folk start pushing back at these feminists and their left wing comrades as they will eventually get total control if they are let and God help life then or sports like the GAA then, cause they'd next to outlaw it. Having to change aspects to our games up when some jumped up left winger squeals like a pig is not the way to be running the GAA organisation. Laois GAA should have told them in the nicest way possible to fcuk right off. Enough is enough. Quote from: G@@ on March 30, 2018, 03:23:27 PM Agreed, Gary was an idiot, but it seems free speech is only for the snowflakes in this social media age. We move on. Players who wear the Laois jersey do not have the right to say whatever comes into their head. They are part of a team (which includes players, mentors and sponsors) and they need to understand that public views like this can bring the entire Laois GAA organisation into disrepute. Calling for the girl in the case to be named and shamed is hardly going to be representative of the view of his team and mentors. Snowflakes indeed. You're joking, right? Or are you being sarcastic? Looking at Gary rub out the sponsors name on his post is just so childish time to let Gary go back to his club and cause no more embarrassment for himself and the laois people ....sugru in fairness his hands are tied fk off you stones of a man Post by: ILikeStrawberryJam on March 30, 2018, 10:16:11 PM He made a mistake. He deserves to be dropped for the final. Then draw a line under it and be back for the championship. Headwreck for sugrue having to out up with this shite.. Has the potential to be a fascinating match tatically .. Quote from: ILikeStrawberryJam on March 30, 2018, 10:16:11 PM Who’d be a Laois manager, we’re some shower of crazy cts Once a villain, is Gary Walsh now becoming a cause on twitter? Its amazing the way things work. I got the impression that Paddy Jackson and co, were seen as victims, even with many women, up until the point they were found not guilty. Once that happened they became villains. Gary, before being dropped, was a villain. Once dropped, I think he has become a victim and a cause!! I see a lady on twitter saying 'Enough is enough of all the anger' regarding the reaction of feminists towards Gary. Post by: Keyser Söze on March 30, 2018, 11:11:06 PM I cannot for the life of me understand how anybody feels that Gary Walsh should be effectively suspended by Laois GAA for a tweet. His profile picture is of himself engaging in a pastime that takes up a huge amount of his time, and one which he has a talent for. He does not claim to speak for Laois GAA, the Laois Senior Football Team or anyone else for that matter. I am not going to comment on whether or not I agree with what he said, but it is a legitimate discussion to be having, and one which several others have posted about and offered opinions on. He has the right to an opinion. He could express himself better and so on, but the fact is that only people who have chosen to follow him saw the tweet, directly. Don't like him or don't agree with him? Unfollow him. He referred to "feminists" in a way that could be interpreted as derogatory. How many of those who have allowed this to take over their lives for the last 2-3 days have used terms like "misogyny" and "chauvinistic". What's the difference? Attaching unwanted labels to people they don't know. He has no obligation to the people of Laois to be a role model in his personal life. He does not work for Laois GAA, he was not speaking at a GAA event. This has nothing to do with Laois GAA. This expectation that is starting to creep in is unrealistic and unfair. People are into different things and have different "morals". Seeing as it is topical, if a devout Catholic GAA player puts up a post saying "Save the 8th", is he using his position to influence people? Is he bringing politics into the GAA? Will he be suspended? I don't agree with the decision to "suspend" him and more importantly I don't agree with WHY he was suspended. Laois GAA and John Sugrue didn't suspend him because of the tweet, they suspended him because of the grief they were getting about it. Hounded into a decision by people on social media is not a correct basis for making a decision. He was suspended for a breach of the teams COC. It is what it is. He’ll be back, with fire in his veins. The birds love a bad boy too. 1) We are now going down the route of players signing contracts of behaviour? 2) Would he have breached the rules if people hadn't kicked off complaining about it? So Laois suspended him because of the reaction and not the content? Interesting. Are you sure about that? Don is absolutely correct. The wearing of the Laois jersey should come with some responsibilities. There is, or should be, a code of conduct which makes this kind of thing an issue worthy of sanction (and this should go for all controversial issues unless sanctioned by the management). The issue here is not about feminism - in my opinion, the reaction to the teeet was over the top - the issue is about how players represent themselves in public while they’re wearing the Laois jersey. Post by: Keyser Söze on March 31, 2018, 12:16:02 AM Quote from: Giovanni on March 31, 2018, 12:01:53 AM - the issue is about how players represent themselves in public while they’re wearing the Laois jersey. Genuine question- do you feel that fact that he was wearing the Laois jersey in his twitter pic meant he was represeenting Laois while tweeting? Quote from: Keyser Söze on March 30, 2018, 11:11:06 PM The tweet was very much adversarial and extremely controversial very much taking Laois GAA to a place that it does not want to be. The Laois County Executive are perfectly within their remit to suspend Gary. The County Executive is responsible for the overall promotion of the game within the county. They have to decide what is for the greater good, that is to censure Gary or not. Gary play's for Laois at their pleasure and if they decide otherwise he does not. The County Board runs Laois GAA not John Sugrue or Gary Walsh, if they are not happy with the tweet and require a suspension they are perfectly entitled to take that course of action. They are the democratically elected body of the clubs. Personally I think if you are a Laois Player you have a certain role and responsibilities in wearing that jersey. Many on here think that on the field is where you start and stop but for a lot of people it goes much further. Just because he is not getting paid does not absolve him from his responsibilities as a Laois Player. Post by: The Boy Wonder on March 31, 2018, 12:55:32 AM Given the circumstances (Gary Walsh would never have foreseen the furore that his tweet caused) I think that Laois Co Board could have been more protective of the player and arranged his temporary withdrawal from the panel rather than a suspension. Yes, his tweet was very foolish but it was probably a bravado outburst for the benefit of his friends and certainly not intended for a nationwide audience. The vitriolic abuse he had suffered plus missing out on the Div 4 Final is more than enough punishment. You realise the laois players some years ago famously had a COC? Most clubs have one in fact. There were incidents around the Adam Johnson case where bans were imposed for inappropriate tweets. Andre Gray of Burnley was banned for comments made on Twitter long before he played for them. Very many people have been sacked worldwide for comments made on Twitter, and some not in any way related to their workplace. My point is this. When you are a part of a club, organisation or workplace, you have a duty of care to them and they to you. You cannot expect their loyalty and support when you make an ill timed and ill judged remark because they mightn't want to be perceived in that way. Its fine to debate how long the ban should be, but we cannot expect sponsors and Laois to just allow this to happen without sanction. We do after all have many ladies teams at all levels, and I'm sure many of them were disgusted by the remarks. I was too. They weren't one bit nice. I wish the team well today. It won't be easy after everything that has happened this week. It was a difficult enough assignment anyway. Quote from: The Boy Wonder on March 31, 2018, 12:55:32 AM This is the thing that really gets me about it. It seems that he DID know that it would be likely to cause a furore because the tweet itself said that he was going to throw the kitchen sink at the feminists that would attack him about it. My view is that his wearing of the Laois jersey in the Twitter profile is not the issue - the issue is that he’s a clearly recognizable member of the Laois senior squad. Could you ever imagine Ross or JOL or Mark Timmons carrying on like that? Post by: recyclebin on March 31, 2018, 09:29:45 AM He is awful eejit with no cop on at all. He already had one famous tweet about putting someone in hospital and now this. Then he goes and blurs out the sponsors name. I wonder will he be back at all this season. If he wants to spout sh1te on the internet why doesn't he just do it under a false name. The reason he won't do that is that he loves the attention and he wouldn't get any on twitter if he was some nobody on Twitter. What a clown! Right before a league final too. Makes the blood boil.... Good intelligent post high fielder. I think any manager/county board would have done the same. Hes a big loss. As is evan. Especially against such a defensive side. We still might do it if donie and ross have a good game but i put carlow as favourites now. As Don says we just cant help ourselves in this county. There always seems to be some bullshit. Anyways best of luck to the lads. Best of luck to the team today. As for our top scorer. First off, if i was him I'd be doing a James McClean on it and deleting my Twitter account. Why he's no going on to make things even worse by blurring the sponsors name on his jersey is beyond me. That man, Martin Walsh has been very good to Laois GAA and is ultimately responsible for Gary's gear, meals after games and training etc. Even the apology was a bit half assed. You do realise that two lads named above are professional players? And employees of their clubs? Gary Walsh, to the best of my knowledge, is neither an employee of Laois GAA or paid to play for them. It is absolutely not the same thing. On the COC, posting on social media (even if reckless) is not connected to performance on the field of the play, or ability to prepare. It is not an element of the players life that should be controlled to this degree, in my opinion. You cannot liken this to drinking prior to games, non attendance at training or participation in games/activities while not permitted. These are what should be covered in a COC (not that one should be needed). GO ON LAOIS. Best performance in years. Very much a work in progress but fair play they got the win. They look united and buying into the mgmt. Kick outs were killing us and donie had an awful 2nd half after a brilliant 1st. Defensively still porous but all in all great to get the win without 3 of our starting forwards .. LAOIS LAOIS LAOIS You couldnt say best performance in years jeez if Carlow could score we were in deep trouble ... this idea of letting Carlow run down the sideline baffled me but like I said I rated noone in this league and it warranted that statement... I’m very happy for John and his team as they had to deal with a stupid situation this week we looked excellent first half but our legs went at 45/46 minute stage that allowed Carlow Hilda’s they missed woeful scores and Brendan Murphy for his hype is a poor footballer who just wants to try get his own scores and it cost Carlow... Brody v good John o loughlin very good lilies first half donie first half Ross was super defying his age ... job done work extra hard on fitness over next few weeks.. we’ll done John and all involved It probably was our best in recent times. That isn't saying much because the last few years have been tripe. We played as a team today and it was nice to see. Ross was exceptional. Our defensive frailties are obvious for all to see but our options are limited in that regard. We had no midfield platform either and this allowed Carlow easy possession. But the forwards caused nightmares for Carlow. They couldn't commit in large numbers because our movement and work rate in the forwards was so much better than it has been. A work in progress for sure but at least there were things to like about the performance. Well done to all involved and that includes Gary Walsh whose scores got us there Job done, fk the begrudgers. Thanks john and team. Great to see Psycho there too, hope this can all be put behind him now. And a word for Ross, god bless you. To think people wanted that man to retire 2 years ago. A genius. Great win and nice to get out of div4 at the first attempt. Ross really came good today and it was a blessing in disguise that Gary didn't play. Good all round team performance but we'll have to improve our kickout strategy, could have cost us the game today. Well done all concerned.... Initial euphoric reaction. In fairness, they played very well in the first half. Ross is something else. Solid enough performance and a deserved win over a limited but hard working opposition. Brody was apparently given man of the match on telly. He was great alright but his kickouts were mixed. I thought either Timmons or Dillon might have got it. Both were superb. Others who were good for me were Johnno, Attride, Ross, Donie and Lowry. Glynn was decent as was Piggott but disappointed in Begley, Carroll, Lillis and Collins. Farrell I'm not sure on. Great point but didn't show enough in general play. I though O'Reilly very poor when brought on. Bad decision making on a number of occasions. Strong added nothing either and both Donoher and Conway were much more impressive in a short space of time. My player opinions today were: Brody: As always good shot stopping and positioning but a mixed bag on kickouts. Attride : disappointed with him missed an easy scoring chance in the first half and kicked a sloppy foot pass from a free across the full back line that was intercepted. Timmons: really good performance very commanding under a high ball also. Dillon: probably his best performance ever in a defenders role . Made some good interceptions. Collins: seems very light and not up to this level I feel. Begley: solid performance job done . Pigott: always seems to be willing but was tackled up once in the match and lost position. Gets the ball passes it left or right but offers nothing really as regards quality . Dosent cut it for me. Johnno: Solid performance kicked a good score and gets through a lot of work. Lillis: Mixed bag . Kicked a good point but can come across as a bit akward at times. Should still hold down that spot on the field . Farrell: kicked a nice point but feel he dosent offer enough to this team for my liking. Carroll: very poor offered nothing. Glynn: sorry not for me .Never even threatens a score. Munnelly : some man to kick a point as always . Majestic. Kingston : the talisman , kicked some great scores in the first half but wasn't to be his second half today . Will only get better as he gets more running into the legs. Lowry: kicked a couple of nice points but got blocked down a couple of times and done a flew silly things . Don't think Psycho or Evan o carrolls position will be under threat from him when they come back. Dicey : very poor , gave away handy possession every time. Strong : seems to have slowed down a lot but wasn't on for that long. Conway , Donoher , Jamie Farrell and Crowley weren't on the field long enough for me to say anything. I noticed a lot of our better performers are the same guys like Johnno Munnelly, Kingston, Timmons, Begley etc. I just wonder what happens when these guys go? Can't help but think about it Yano? Have you ever seen a half empty glass you didn’t like? What do you mean Don? Sorry for my failure to understand you Post by: High Fielder on April 01, 2018, 12:08:49 AM Completely disagree with those comments about Glynn, Collins and Pigott. Glynn is an excellent link man and his lines put us on the front foot quite often. The other two are young and improving with every game. Their aggression in the tackle went up a notch today and I was delighted for Pigott as he had a hard time last week. I wouldn't mind seeing Collins and Attride switch as an experiment and Lillis for me is CB or nothing. We got cleaned out under the high ball in midfield and I've often thought Evan should be tried there, again on an experimental basis. There's a lot of work ahead and nobody is getting carried away, but we've won a few matches, so it's not all doom and gloom for a change. Enjoy it. What's seldom is wonderful Post by: town1980 on April 01, 2018, 01:11:22 AM 5 clubmates on the laois team today I’ll predict we will abs murder anyone in club champo this year...on reflection Baratheon was unreal seen the replay of the game... I won’t deny we were poor I won’t deny we looked the 2nd best team I will admit with us yes Portlaoise boys hey lads we Sudan’s won nothing up the TOWN yee rest hahahahaha nite now hahaha Dillon it’s supposed to be Post by: Don Draper on April 01, 2018, 05:07:45 AM Quote from: town1980 on April 01, 2018, 01:11:22 AM fk up you Kildare pk Post by: on the hop on April 01, 2018, 10:08:17 AM Good to win a bit of silverware, we don't have many days like that and a different feeling to 86 and 03. Hopefully it stops the rot. Played the first half near perfect, tackling was sharp and a lot of turnovers. Ross made some great looping runs and we kicked points from distance which is the preceft way to deal with the blanket defence. I thought we would hit the high teens or twenty points. There were problems which became more evident in the second half, how narrow the wing backs played giving them an opportunity to get around us and our inability to win kickouts. We were lucky that Carlow are coached to death and their free taker missed so much. Certainly they had a lot more scoring chances even if some of the shots were wild. We played it nervously and in fairness Lowry came good in the end. Brody man of the match which says something in itself. Timmons brought cuteness and Dillon had a great game. Half back line especially the wings still a mess. Piggot a good defender but offers little going forward for a system that earlier in the year was based on attacking half backs. Collins whether a tactic or not hasn't the pace or size to be offering that outside and that much space to forwards. Jol battled hard along with Lillis but he were poor on lockouts. With so many forwards missing we were never going to get a return from the half forward line. Three workers but bar Farrell it would be hard to see them as starters in future. All three forwards in the top line had there moments thankfully at different times. Ross ran himself into the ground, Donie had a great first half but was really poor in the second and Lowry kicked in near the end. None of the subs offered a whole lot which probably shows the weakness of the panel. Hopefully we will have everybody back for Wexford. Post by: Tony on April 01, 2018, 11:15:13 AM Does anybody know if there's a link to watch the match again online somewhere? Post by: Esmarelda on April 01, 2018, 11:23:37 AM Quote from: Tony on April 01, 2018, 11:15:13 AM TG4 player has it https://www.tg4.ie/en/player/sport-tv-player/ Click E79 on the right of the page. Quote from: on the hop on April 01, 2018, 10:08:17 AM Always look forward to reading your observations. Would there be any value in trying Piggott at corner back and taking the shackles off Attride? And /or Fennell/Collins doing the same for Dillon. Both would be fairly attacking for their clubs i.e. Dillon and Attride. In the absence of natural corner backs like Healy, we have to develop because corner backs and big midfielders are in short supply. Post by: Laois fan on April 01, 2018, 08:31:44 PM Granted he is a clubman of mine but think robbie pigott is getting ahard time by some here,he wad giving a job of tracking murphy whereever he went and did that very effectively ,id imagine he was prob told to forget about getting forward.Anyone who seen port last year knows he has loads of football in him Post by: Don Draper on April 01, 2018, 09:16:35 PM Quote from: Laois fan on April 01, 2018, 08:31:44 PM Piggott has a bit about him, he’s raw as fk, but there’s definitely a place for what he brings to the table. He’ll develop more under Sugrue as well if he’s willing to which I have no doubt he will. There’s a real pest in him and that’s an admirable quality. We’ve had our share of nice backs, there’s always room for a bit of rough. I’ll not hear a bad word said about him personally. Post by: on the hop on April 01, 2018, 09:25:09 PM Not knocking him, he had a job to do yesterday and he did it. The same with Lillis following the other murphy. It worked yesterday but sugure has placed a lot on scoring wing backs and we drew a blank here yesterday. Playing defensive teams you have to stretch them. The six backs will more than likely be the starters come the summer, there are not many other options, so it is something that will improve. Against a better team the man marking could kill us, Farrell spent a lot of time on piggots wing and with Glynn playing around the middle we invited them onto us. We were blessed that the number 12 on collins side was so limited and turned back but gannon kicked three points off the other side. Post by: Giovanni on April 01, 2018, 10:17:45 PM Congrats to team and management for a job well done. The first half was a huge improvement from last week. The second half was more like last week. In the end, we were lucky that Broderick had a bad day. I was surprised that Brody got the Man of the March award. I think he's one of the top goalkeepers in the country but yesterday his kickouts were not good at all (and was partly to blame for the pressure we were under in the second half). I know other players have to show for the kick out so it's not all his fault but I thought he should have been a lot smarter at times. I thought the full-back line, for all the criticism they get, were superb. Both Dillon and Timmons were really superb. I'd agree with the other posters who are positive about Piggott - he did a huge job for us yesterday by keeping Brendan Murphy pretty much anonymous for the entire game. That was a hugely important job and he did it very well. Generally, I'm glad that some of the younger players got their day in Croke Park. In particular, I think it was important that Lowry played. He looks like a player that isn't naturally confident so he needs all these big days. He grew into the game well yesterday and got better and better as it went on. I wish he'd be a bit quicker to lift his head and look for a pass though. Hopefully he'll learn a lot from Ross in that respect. As everyone else said, he was great throughout, which is a great credit to him. The reason we won yesterday is that there is Portlaoise players there on the field of play any time laois has been successful our lads bought into it... reality the rest of the clubs in laois are so poor dirt be honest and we are soooo good there will be no stoping the town this year and it’s a fact wahooooooooooooooooooooooo ;D Post by: The PRO on April 02, 2018, 07:30:49 AM The sooner the better your beer money runs out. Post by: From the Terrace on April 02, 2018, 08:16:27 AM I agree with the one the hop post. I am very impressed with sugrue so far, the way he gave nurney valuable game time which will benefit him as he develops.. then bringing back in Timmons when needed was smart & the off the pitch stuff has been perfect have listened to 90% of his interviews. On the match first half was good, second half not so great. But it's early days 7/7 you can't ask for much more. My MOM was Gareth dillon, followed by Brady, Ross, Timmons & Johno. Thought all players tried hard. Post by: BallyroanAbu on April 02, 2018, 09:43:32 AM Surprising myself but I thought Ross was easily man of the match consistent & clever throughout entire game. Dillion played well too. The rest were in and out of it. I would not run away with ourselves on this performance we are going to have to step up a level. But unlike previous seasons we have given ourselves a platform to start from. Post by: Tony on April 02, 2018, 12:20:14 PM You'll have to say a bit more than that in fairness. What happened? Post by: The Monument Road on April 02, 2018, 12:36:31 PM Quote from: The PRO on April 02, 2018, 07:30:49 AM Unfortunately the free dole is paid out on a Tuesday Quote from: FiveStars on April 02, 2018, 11:00:32 AM Unfortunately some worrying news emerging this morning one of our players was the subject of a sickening attack last night. Please god everything will be okay. Well disturbing to hear of such an assault on a young footballer out enjoying himself. I hope he’s ok. Post by: High Fielder on April 02, 2018, 01:34:44 PM I think we've just seen the birth of a new nickname. Robert "The Mauler" Piggott :) Piggott really seems to have got under the skin of Murphy. Complaining on Twitter about being mauled for 2 games but didn’t care to mention all the mouthing he was doing himself. Great to see a young lad having the ability to get into the head of one of the more experienced players in the country. Post by: Unlaoised on April 02, 2018, 05:39:39 PM Hope young O Reilly makes a good recovery Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on April 02, 2018, 07:06:18 PM Quote from: Unlaoised on April 02, 2018, 05:39:39 PM Some Carlow lads really hate Graiguecullen and Laois when they'd go to these lengths over a game of football... sickening really. https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/04/02/laois-man-the-victim-of-a-serious-assault-in-carlow/ Post by: town1980 on April 02, 2018, 09:03:24 PM I’m gutted for that young Reilly chap hear is hoping he will av good recovery Post by: BallyroanAbu on April 02, 2018, 09:25:37 PM Get well soon Dicey, dreadful news to hear. Quote from: town1980 on April 02, 2018, 09:03:24 PM I despise you you fking *. Have you no shame? pk. Post by: County Man on April 02, 2018, 09:39:52 PM A few thoughts on the league campaign. Thought we really played as an organised team last Saturday. Super scores in first half. Dillon was outstanding in defence. Pigott is a raw, tough defender with a lot of potential. In Attride's speech,he complimented Sugrue's enthusiasm. Midfield worked well together. Sugrue is developing a stronger panel. He has blooded a lot of new guys especially in defence- Nerney, Fennell,Holland, Pigott. Trevor Collins was involved last year and is improving this year. Timmons did well in both games against Carlow after returning. Dillon looks good in corner back. Good to see Damien O'Connor and Booth warming up with the team last weekend. Attride is a super captain. For me, Colm Begley has been immense, great experience. Brody helps organise and instruct the defence. In terms of midfield, Lillis and Johnno doing great. Anyone know if Brendan Quigley is due back from injury?? Forwards: Alan Farrell is a workhorse. Glynn has done well in last 2 games. Ross turning back the years, what an example to the younger fellas. Big Donie getting back to full fitness. Gary Walsh on fire throughout the league. Hopefully Evan O'Carroll recovers from injurysoon, same with Paul K who had a fine league at centre forward. Good to give Benny Carroll game time. Daniel O'Reilly has great pace. I wish him a speedy recovery. Eoin Lowry had a great 2nd half last Saturday. Lots to be optimistic about as we head towards championship. 6 weeks we play Wexford. We need to aim for a Leinster semi final against possibly Kildare. Hopefully Paul Cahillane will be ready to step in soon. Guys will get back to the clubs and improve durability for championship. Watched Armagh/Fermanagh and not much difference in standard. Longford almot got promoted from division 3 and we bet them twice last year. In terms of division 3, it would be nice to get home games v Down and Sligo- the rest are Leinster teams anyway! Bigger crowds going to see Laois this year. LOads of youngsters in Croke Park. Good few former county players in Carlow last week. THe only game I didn't make was London but I understand it was a bit of a festival over there. The opening game against Limerick had a feel good factor about it. New era. We beat Leitrim easily away bar a blip and showd good character v Waterford after a shaky start. Against Wicklow, it was over at half time. Laois are on the up I feel and I can't wait for championship. Lets hope we have lots of support in championship. The players deserve it. Laois ABU Very best wishes to Daniel O Reilly for a speedy recovery. Puts the whole thing in perspective. Don you have a lovely tongue go back and look at your posts honours English wasn’t for you I reckon Post by: Dave like the tv channel on April 03, 2018, 01:13:02 AM Quote from: Don Draper on April 02, 2018, 09:38:52 PM Quote from: Dave like the tv channel on April 03, 2018, 01:13:02 AM Not sure, I’d say he has a form of Kildare inbreeding. Quote from: Don Draper on April 03, 2018, 05:22:41 AM Was it he named the player? Or was it his truncated syntax? Post by: Leixlad on April 03, 2018, 08:27:39 AM How come footballing counties celebrate like mad (and rightly so) after winning a division 2, 3 or 4 league title and yet when a tiered championship system is mentioned they are annoyed. Post from former Kilkenny keeper David Herity on twitter. Interesting thought. What would the feeling be here on Laois playing in a second tier comp? What re our aims now in the championship, beat couple of teams our own level and bow out graciously to a higher division team? Isnt that pointless? Why couldn't we be in a competition, div 3 & 4 teams, with a realistic ambitions of winning it? We have no chance, nor do most teams of winning Sam. Not right now anyway. Quote from: Leixlad on April 03, 2018, 08:27:39 AM The Tommy Murphy Cup was blackguarded, it definitely had the right idea. Needs marketing, All Stars, and a big day out on All Ireland weekend. I'd not be against it, but I'd still like a crack at Leinster at the very least. Post by: redsetanta on April 03, 2018, 02:27:30 PM Thoughts with young Danny O'Reilly who still remains in a critical condition. Post by: blueandwhite1 on April 03, 2018, 02:33:31 PM Quote from: redsetanta on April 03, 2018, 02:27:30 PM Likewise I really hope he recovers fully and quickly and that whoever is at fault is punished. Just one small point, media is reporting that his condition is serious rather than critical. They are quite different. Sorry for being pedantic as I know that wasn't the purpose of your post. Hopefully they catch whoever did it. I wish him a full recovery. Part of me is wondering if this is part of the fall out from Saturday. I really hope not because this is on a different level. Best wishes to the lad for a speedy recovery. As someone said, it puts it all into perspective. Quote from: blueandwhite1 on April 03, 2018, 02:33:31 PM I'm nearly sure he was reported as being in critical condition on the News at 1. I understand your point though! Quote from: High Fielder on April 03, 2018, 03:18:20 PM Seems like it is part of the fall out from Saturday according to this facebook post from Dublin GAA Fans page. https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDubsGAAFans%2Fposts%2F2096847090562474 Disgusting stuff. A lad in serious condition in hospital over that. Quote from: Tony on April 03, 2018, 05:51:53 PM Life changing stuff for both parties involved. At a time like this, it annoys me that a lad can't own his actions. Big fella in front of his mates, probably fuelled up by God knows what, and now he hides like a coward. It isn't what's important here, but I agree Tony, Dicey didn't rob him or anything serious. He plays for Laois. I hope this lad is caught and punished and that first and foremost, Dicey recovers. A sickener. Post by: OTF on April 03, 2018, 08:16:48 PM Best wishes Danny get well soon Well said. Let's hope he makes a full recovery. Sport is put into perspective when one of the lad's health and livelihood is put on the line like that. All of our thoughts and prayers must go to Danny at this time. And to the f*ker who causes it, justice will come, too. Post by: Junior Ex Laoistalk on April 04, 2018, 02:57:30 AM Arrest made following assault of Laois footballer in Carlow https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/04/03/arrest-made-following-assault-of-laois-footballer-in-carlow/ Post by: Unlaoised on April 04, 2018, 10:21:57 AM Hope the news is better for young O'Reilly this morning Just to lighten the mood a little here is my thoughts on Saturday and my ratings Again its only an opinion and I have nothing but respect for these lads who have done everything that has been asked of them this year. Brody 9 -Got the TNaG man of the match and was certainly in the running one or two stray kickouts buts Carlow had learned from last Sunday and pushed up men with Lillis and O'Loughlin not fielding too well that made it hard.He made one crucial stop and was solid under the high ball he started a lot of attacks for Laois. Attride 8-Another fine performance form the Laois captain he is one of our best tacklers and kept his man quiet did have one lapse with a pass but solid and gives 110% to the jersey every time. Timmons 8.5-He must have been close to the man of the match and over the two games he has come back he has probably been Laois's best overall player against Carlow.His block was superb to stop Murphy and his all around composure etc just brings such a calmness to the full back line. Dillon 9-His best game in a Laois shirt maybe in any shirt he was superb throughout and his tackling was well timed he supported well and just did the simple things with the ball when going forward.Delighted for him because he works so hard. Collins 6.5-A little bit loose with his man scoring three points from play he has pace but I'm not sure the half back role suits him.He is a willing worker and does a lot of running off the ball that would go unnoticed to the normal eye. Begley 7.5-Solid held the position well but was rolled in the tackle a few times which didn't happen in Carlow that saying both Murphys are hard to stop when they run at you.Was composed as always on the ball and has made this position his own. Pigott 7.5-Did a great job on Brendan Murphy which the big Carlow man didn't like he is a tenacious defender who is not afraid to mix it.Needs to improve his attacking and passing going forward to allow Laois good possession in the half forward line. O'Loughlin 8-I thought he was just okay after being at the match but watching it back on Tv he had a fine game and got through some mighty work.Not his best day fielding kickout's by any means but not as easy to get free without big fielders like Meaney and Quigley beside you. Lillis 7.5-Kicked a lovely score but not as effective as in Dr Cullen park and was beaten on a few kickouts from both keepers.Very composed on the ball though he did give away one silly possession in the first half it came back to him and he kicked a wonderful point.Good solid player who won't let you down. Farrell 7.5 Got through a lot of work and covered more ground in Croker than anyone Saturday scored a terrific point before the break and stopped the Carlow left half back getting into the game .Seems to know his role and must be a managers dream. Carroll 7-Composed on the ball and did nothing wrong in possession in the first half was beaten for a few balls he might have got to but did well on his first outing on the hallow sod of Croker , his emergence in the team has certainly given Sugure options .He will only get better. Defo has talent. Glynn 7-Steady as she goes as we say in Laois he does a job for the team and was controlled on the ball.Offers another option in terms of bulk and size which the team lacks in the forwards.Needs to add a bit more going forward and making runs off the shoulder to support the lads coming forward. Munnelly 9-Another man in line for man of the match him and Dillion were certainly Laois's best players in the first half and altough the legs gave way a little in the second half he was still making great runs.He rolled back the years and what an example he is to any young players for Laois. Lowry 7.5 -Lost a lot of possession in the first half but was always showing for the ball once he found his feet with that super free from distance he was a different player scored two fine points including the score of the second half to secure Laois's victory can be proud of his efforts. Kingston 8.5-Three super points from play in the first half one with the outside of the boot from distance was made to look easy but does that surprise ya?Always steps up on the big days and I'd say he is glad to be back.Can only get better for Laois in the season going forward. O'Reilly 6.5-Not much happened for the Graigue man and his looked nervous when he first came in it didn't stop him from trying and made one great run late on in the game his pace added to Laois closing out the game with Carlow tiring he had a very good league campaign. Strong 7- composed on the ball probably should have had a least one point which is unlike him as in them positions he can usually pop a ball over the lat.He looks hungry which can only be a good thing for the panel going forward. Conway6.5-Was busy when he came in making a few great runs and certainly upsetting the carlow back line .good option to have going forward. unfair to mark Donoher J Farrell and Crowley as they were on a bit late to get in to proceedings but they added to Laois getting over the line. Thats my out look on the game it was all set up for Laois to loose and Carlow had nothing to loose as such. With what went on in the media not helping preparations it certainly was a professional performance if you can say that in a game where these lads give their time for free to play for their county. I heard there was a buzz back in a certain Portlaoise pub on Saturday night that is good to hear with all the lads there together. There will be people who run it down as we tend to do in this county but it is what it is promotion with a bit of style and a fine performance in Croke park to take the team forward.It was great to see so many youngsters there with flags experiencing what its like to win with your county! I think Sugure has something about him and certainly the players seem to buy into him. With Paul Kingston Gary Walsh(congrats on being the top scorer in the country) Evan O'Carroll to come back it open up options for him in the forward line. I'm not so sure with Cahillane and Quigley at the moment but Booth is there to come into the back line and there is other lads who are hungry to get a piece of the pie. The future looks bright for the team this year anyway. All thoughts go to young O'Reilly now I hope he makes a full recovery and it puts all this into perspective when something like this happens. Great review Unlaoished, hard to disagree with any of that. Brody is a great keeper and we're lucky to have him but he really will have to have more options on the kickout. Not sure if that's down to him or the instructions he's getting but a better team would have put us in a lot of trouble during that 5 minute spell near the end when Carlow won every kickout that he was sending down the middle. Surely common sense would kick in at some stage and you would try to find someone closer to you or out on the wings to kick it to I'm not laying the blame totally on him as he did go short a few times and we almost got caught in possession. It's definitely one area we will have to work on as a better team could wipe you out in those few minutes. Two people have now been arrested in the Danny O'Reilly case so hopefully someone will pay for that despicable act soon. God be with you Danny and hope you recover soon. Does anyone know if he's out of danger yet? Apparently the first 72 hours are critical in a case like this. Fingers crossed that he'll come out on the right side of it without any lasting damage. Post by: Unison on April 04, 2018, 07:07:34 PM Quote from: Giovanni on April 04, 2018, 05:50:30 PM With the help of God we'll see him back in the Green and Red and the Blue and White soon! I have to say I agree with Ciaran Whelan here...... http://www.hoganstand.com/Carlow/Article/Index/283409 Look how competitive and enjoyable the league is in comparison to the outdated provincial system. Just saw this on Facebook. He came out of the coma last night for a while and spoke to his family.. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/hopefully-it-will-be-onwards-and-upwards-gaa-player-injured-in-serious-assault-wakes-up-from-coma-36773269.html BREAKING: Two men charged following assault of Laois footballer. They will appear before Carlow District Court at 10.30am tomorrow morning the 5th April 2018 https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/04/04/breaking-two-men-charged-following-assault-of-laois-footballer/ Post by: Giovanni on April 05, 2018, 08:51:15 AM Thanks for the update Junior. Good to get some good news on this. Post by: Unison on April 05, 2018, 11:12:29 AM Quote from: Junior Ex Laoistalk on April 05, 2018, 01:19:34 AM The two boyo's who carried out the assault have been named. The youngest one looks like he's into kickboxing or MMA from his facebook page. Very easy to use that on the street when you're trained in it every week. They both look like pure scumbags. I hope they're given a good sentence by the courts - they could easily have killed him. Really hoping Danny makes a 100% recovery. https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/04/05/two-men-charged-with-assault-of-laois-footballer-released-on-bail/ Post by: ILikeStrawberryJam on April 05, 2018, 09:59:12 PM Scumbags .. hopefully they get a long stretch .. very encouraging news about Danny.. Quote from: ILikeStrawberryJam on April 05, 2018, 09:59:12 PM Family ‘over the moon’ as O’Reilly takes major step forward in recovery https://www.laoistoday.ie/2018/04/05/family-over-the-moon-as-oreilly-takes-major-step-forward-in-recovery/ Ohhh Two right Cowboys Especailly the younger lad according to a guard I know in Carlow he is always in bother with the law...They would want to be watching their backs now!! Main thing is Danny is making great progress and the bleed on the brain has stopped. The players are not training this week to quote the manager I've given them a week off to get out of each other's hair and train with their respectful clubs! All county players are available for their club teams this weekend... Should create a big of interest especially in the Portlaaoise v Ballylinan game where you could potentially have 9 lads playing from the Laois panel!	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line208
__label__wiki	0.521316	0.521316	Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences Author's Guideline Ethics & Malpractice Vol 13 - Issue 2 (June 2019) Vol 13 - Issue 1 (Mar 2019) Vol 12 - Issue 4 (Dec 2018) Vol 12 - Issue 3 (Sept 2018) Vol 9 (Dec 2015) Vol 8 (June 2015) Vol 12 No 4 (2018): (December 2018) / Characterization of cohesive model and bridging laws in mode I and II fracture in nano composite laminates P. Ghabezi School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran M. Farahani School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15282/jmes.12.4.2018.24.0370 Keywords: Cohesive model, Bridging law, Nanocomposite, Traction-separation The cohesive model and traction-separation curves have brought a considerable possibility for researchers and fracture engineers to assess and simulate failure in composite laminates. Reliable determination of the traction–separation laws is very pivotal to the success of this approach in finite element methods. The objective of this paper is assessment of nanoparticles effect on bridging laws, cohesive mechanism and traction-separation parameters of nanocomposites mode I and II fracture. To do this analyzing of the experimental data from double cantilever beam, and end notched flexure tests including construction of the R-curves (energy release rate versus crack length), reconstruction of these curves in terms of the pre-crack tip opening and sliding displacement, and calculation of the corresponding bridging and traction-separation laws through the J-integral approach were carried out. For the calculation of the energy release rate in Mode I, three corresponding data reduction schemes namely Corrected Beam Theory, Experimental Compliance Method and Modified Compliance Calibration are utilized, while Compliance Calibration Method, Corrected Beam Theory and Compliance-Based Beam and II fracture are applied for that of mode II. The main concern of this research is introduction of critical parameters of two modified models to simulate mode I and II fracture. Adding 0.43 wt% nanoparticles to composite DCB samples leads to increase of 116%, 68% and 70% in GI,0 calculated by CBT, ECM and MCC respectively, and a 72% increase in GI,ss is measured by CBT, while this value for ECM and MCC is 110% and 48%. Adding 0.2 wt% nanoparticles to the composite samples results in 86% (50 MPa) increase in critical stress in mode II fracture calculated by method CBBM. This method presented the lowest value for critical displacement, fluctuated between 0.08-.11 mm in mode II. Ghabezi, P., & Farahani, M. (2018). Characterization of cohesive model and bridging laws in mode I and II fracture in nano composite laminates. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences, 12(4), 4329-4355. https://doi.org/10.15282/jmes.12.4.2018.24.0370 Vol 12 No 4 (2018): (December 2018) Copyright (c) 2018 UMP Publisher JMES is an open access, peer-review journal which publishes original and review articles that advance the understanding of both the fundamentals of engineering science and its application to the solution of challenges and problems in mechanical engineering systems, machines and components. It is particularly concerned with the demonstration of engineering science solutions to specific industrial problems. Original contributions providing insight into the use of analytical, computational modeling, structural mechanics, metal forming, behavior and application of advanced materials, impact mechanics, strain localization and other effects of nonlinearity, fluid mechanics, robotics, tribology, thermodynamics, and materials processing generally from the core of the journal contents are encouraged. ESCI, Clarivate Analytics JMES \| ISSN: 2289-4659 (Print); 2231-8380 (Online) Universiti Malaysia Pahang 26600 Pekan, Pahang, MALAYSIA	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line210
__label__wiki	0.715392	0.715392	J/Newsletter- July 13th, 2011 J/111 Speedster @ San Diego Show (San Diego, CA)- This weekend, from July 14th to 17th, JK3 Yachting will be hosting an on-going introduction party at the San Diego Boat Show for any of you who wish to take an up close and personal look at the J/111 in San Diego. For anyone in southwest America, it's a great opportunity to drop in and talk to J/111 sailors who can describe that rare and unique experience that is J/111-- a truly modern, fun, fast, easy-to-handle "offshore sportboat" that has 6 foot standing headroom and enough room to have a party comfortably in the main cockpit or down below around the enormous main cabin. Take a peak, you won't be disappointed! For those who've experienced 15-23 knots offshore downwind on a J/111, they simply cannot believe that comfort and speed like this could ever co-exist! Truly a next-generation offshore speedster and one-design class. For more information, please contact JK3 Yachting- Jeff Brown- ph- 619-224-6200 or email- jeff@jk3yachts.com Two’s Company: Fastnet Double-hander Preview (Cowes, IOW, England)- Two-Handed racing has seen a rise in popularity in offshore racing and the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race certainly reflects this with 31 entries this year. Nick Martin, RORC Rear Commodore will compete in his 5th Fastnet with his J/105, DIABLO-J, four of which have been Two-Handed. DIABLO-J is currently at the top of the RORC Season's Points Championship leader-board in this class: "We've all been inspired by the great solo sailors of our time and RORC's Two-Handed Class continues to support and provide the opportunity for many of us, typically corinthian sailors with full-time careers, to experience challenging and adventurous competitive racing. An extensive program allows us to pitch ourselves against IRC boats of all classes, both Two-Handed and fully crewed alike. It's highly rewarding, especially when you finish ahead of fully-crewed boats," explains Nick. "It is the dream of many sailors to qualify & compete in the Rolex Fastnet Race, so to achieve this in arguably the most challenging class, can be regarded as a pinnacle for many. It's fantastic that we have attracted a large fleet this year and in my opinion, this has become the most competitive of all fleets." Another competitor, Peter Olden, said: "The challenge of racing double-handed is probably the main factor, particularly in a long distance race where many hours will involve sailing the boat single-handed. The logistics, time and cost of getting a crew fully trained, qualified and equipped, particularly for the modern Fastnet Race are significant. I am certain this is a key driver. Technology has also played its part, for example, modern plotters, computers and AIS save a great deal of time and anxiety, also modern autopilots (properly calibrated) will do amazing work". For more Rolex Fastnet Double-handed sailing information Extraordinary to think that simultaneously four major offshore yacht races were taking place around the world this past week. The "premiere bluewater" events- Transpac and Trans-Atlantic were both in various stages of progression for their competitors. And two large regional events were also sailing simultaneously, the RORC's Cowes-Dinard-St Malo and the Marblehead to Halifax Race! That's thousands of people pursuing with single-minded determination to prove who's having more fun sailing in a sleep-deprived state and sleeping on sail-bags or soggy salt-water encrusted bunks and clothes (except Maltese Falcon's crew, of course). Then, for those one-design around-the-cans sailors who prefer their own bunks and showers each night (and perhaps a cold beverage of sorts), the J/24s were simultaneously also hosting the J/24 UK Nationals in Weymouth, England and the J/24 Canadian Nationals in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. And, just across Lake Ontario in Canada, the J/22s were hosting their Canadian Nationals in the former Olympic Sailing site in Kingston, Ontario! Not to be left out were the J/80 contingent, having just completed their J/80 World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark and their J/80 Northwest Championships just north of Seattle, Washington. Yes, it was a busy and fun week for J Sailing worldwide. Read on! The J/Community and Cruising section below continue to enjoy the Caribbean and the South Pacific, staying warm while others are trying to stay warm up north. Check them out! More importantly, if you have more J/Regatta News, please email it or upload onto our J/Boats Facebook page! Below are the summaries. Jul 14-17- San Diego Boatshow (J/111)- San Diego, CA- http://sandiegoyachtandboatshow.com/ Jul 16- Chicago-Mackinac Race- Chicago, IL- http://www.cycracetomackinac.com/ Jul 16- Lake Ontario 300- Port Credit, ONT- http://www.lo300.org/ Jul 17-22- Whidbey Island Race Week- Whidbey Is, WA- http://whidbeyislandraceweek.com/blog/ Jul 23-26- J/22 Europeans- Travemunde, Germany- http://www.j22kv.de/ Jul 23- Port Huron-Mackinac Race- Port Huron, MI- http://www.byc.com/mack Jul 23-24- Youngstown Level Regatta- Youngstown, NY- http://www.yyc.org/ Jul 28-31- Marblehead NOOD Regatta- http://www.sailingworld.com Jul 28-Aug 1- Sydney Boatshow (J/80, J/111)- Sydney, Australia- http://www.sydneyboatshow.com.au/ Aug 5-7- Buzzards Bay Regatta- S Dartmouth, MA- http://www.buzzardsbayregatta.com/ Aug 10-13- Chester Race Week- Halifax, Nova Scotia- http://www.chesterraceweek.com/ Aug 10-14- J/105 Northamericans- Marblehead, MA- http://www.j105northamericans.com/ Aug 14- Rolex Fastnet Race- Cowes, England- http://www.rorc.org/fastnet/index.php Sep 16-25- Southampton Boatshow (J/97, J/108, J/111)- Southampton, England Spanish Teams Sweep J/80 Worlds Camino, VDP, Martinez, Tabares Go 1-2-3-4! (Copenhagen, Denmark- July 8th)- As one of the world's leading one-design keelboat classes, this year's J/80 World Championships did not disappoint. With sixty-eight competitors participating in a world-class regatta sailed by some of the top sailors in the world, most sailors expected the top Europeans to factor in amongst the leaders. With multiple Olympic and World Champions participating as skippers or tacticians and the best sailors from Spain sailing as a team, too, it was also expected the Spanish teams would be amongst the leaders at the end of the regatta. In fact, the script for this "movie" played out nearly the same as it has in past worlds. The last day racing dawned with grey skies, easterly winds of 10 knots and rain pouring down in Dragor, but that was not going to stop the Royal Danish YC's PRO from pressing forward to complete yet another challenging World Championship. One where the actors were nearly the same as in the past four championships, but with roles swapping as to the new "cinderella story" and who would be the "new sheriff in town" for 2011. After four days and nine races of excellent sailing in conditions that saw light to moderate winds for the entire event, it was clear the Spanish sailors are not only fast in a big breeze and big waves, they're also quite fast and smart in shifty, wind streak, "drag race-type" sailing conditions on the Baltic Sea where the winds never exceeded 12 knots! Showing their extraordinary versatility was the new sheriff, World Champion for 2011, Ignacio Camino's team sailing their renown NEXTEL ENGINEERING to a very well deserved win over some extremely tough competition. Ignacio and crew only had to get two good top 10 finishes on the last day to win, finishing with a 4-6 to win his second J/80 World Championship, the second Spanish sailor in a row to do so (countryman Pichu Torcida won the 2010 J/80 Worlds in Newport, RI in epic conditions). They finished with a total score of 34 points to win by 10 points over the second place boat. The Cinderella (and family) story of this year's Worlds has to be the remarkable comeback of Jose Maria van deer Ploeg (a.k.a. "VDP") sailing his boat GREAT SAILNG. Jose started off the series on the first day barely in the top 20 with a 27-17-11, disappointing to say the least. Thereafter, from day two to day four, Jose's team (including his young son) simply smoked the fleet! Perhaps, near total domination and a "schooling" of the fleet may be a better perspective regards how well Jose's team sailed the last six races. How about a scoreline against Olympic medallists and World Champs in multiple classes that would be the envy of any team sailing in Dragor-- a 5-1-5-2-2-1 to finish with 44 points and win a tie-breaker with another Spanish team-mate Carlos Martinez (himself a former World Champion). Proof that "family teams" can be competitive at a world-class level in one of the world's premiere one-design keelboats! Third in the Spanish sweep of the podium was Carlos Martinez racing MAPFRE with his very strong, well-practiced team. Carlos' team was yet another Spanish team that raced up the ladder after a disastrous first day, starting with a 3-26-4, to then finish off the series with an average of 6th place to finish with 44 points and lose the tie-breaker to Jose Maria! Fourth yet another Spanish J/80 World Champion, Rayco Tabares and crew on HOTEL PRINCESS YAIZA GRAND CANARIAS, the same boat he's raced for years. Amongst the top five, it was apparent that Rayco was the most despondent after the first day's racing- starting off with a disastrous 4-9-52. Nevertheless, Rayco has proven to be a strong, indomitable competitor, and his "never say die" attitude serves him well. Rayco's team confidently bounced back to be the only team to score back-to-back 1st places in races 7 & 8 to jump higher than most kangaroos and finish with 53 points. In fact, had Rayco pulled off a miracle and finished in the top three in the last race, he would've finished 2nd overall! Perhaps the "hard luck" award has to go to American Glenn Darden, yet another J/80 World Champion, sailing with his veteran team aboard LE TIGRE. After starting off strongly to lead the regatta for the first two days, a lapse in race 7 on the third day was too much for them to absorb to stay in contention for the top three. Now having to count both an 18th and 15th, Glenn's team nevertheless showed the rest of the world the LE TIGRE team is never to be counted out in the final results. After getting the second best record of the final day behind Jose Maria's 2-1, LE TIGRE's 5-2 bounced them back up the ladder to fifth place overall with 56 points. If Glenn's LE TIGRE team fell on some hard luck in some races, so too the same can be said for Sweden's Ingemar Sundstedt SWE 243. Sundstedt was lying second going into the last day with a very good chance of being the first Swedish team to win the J/80 Worlds, especially since their worst race up to the last day was a 14th and their average finish was about 6th place, the most consistent team on the race course for the first three days! However, the first race of the last day erased all chances of that happening, finishing with a 27th, then followed by a 7th in the last race to end the regatta with 58 points and finish 6th overall. Finally, mention should be made of the very strong showing by the top French teams, Eric Brezellec on INTERFACE CONCEPT 2, the current French J/80 National Champion, finishing 7th and Jean Charles Moriceau finishing 8th! Furthermore, it was also the first time the German teams showed both good boat-speed and good tactics, getting the next four places in the standings! German teams finished 9th- Sven Vagt's GER 1027, 10th- Martin Menzner's GER 614 (a regatta leader on Day One), 11th- Bjorn Beilken's GER 1107 and 12th- Malte Christopherson's GER 745. Top Danish team from the host country was Jesper Kragh Jespersen's DEN 850 in 13th, the top Italian team was Massimo Rama's EXTREME SAILING TEAM beating fellow Italian Aldo Samele's CANARINO FEROCE 2 by a HALF point! The top Russian team was Vitaliy Tarakanov RUS 999 in 29th, top British team was Tom Phipps' HAMBLE YACHT SERVICES in 32nd, top Polish team was Pawel Boksa's POL 1187 in 39th, top Netherlands team was Laura Vroon's NED 831 in 36th, top Estonian team was Peeter Meressaar's EST 603 in 56th and top Finnish team was Otto Reittila FIN 1144 in 64th. In the final analysis, the racing was extraordinarily close going into the last day, as has been the case for at least the past four J/80 World Championships. Excellent world-class sailing by the top fifteen, at least. What was interesting was to see the depth of the teams that could pull off a top three finish during the course of the regatta, particularly in conditions where hitting corners often did NOT pay-off. The top three podium finishes only accounted for 8 top three finishes (of a potential 27 possible!) and only four 1st places (just 44% of the 9 races!). That's stunning fleet depth. Moreover, the only teams that could get two first places in the series were the winner, Ignacio Camino's NEXTEL ENGINEERING and Rayco Tabares' HOTEL PRINCESS YAIZA GRAND CANARIAS. The lowest placing race winner (race #4) was Frenchman Luc Nadal who finished 24th; lowest place 2nd (race #5) was the Danish/American team of GULDFAXE (Tom Klok, Will/Marie Crump and Will Welles) in 17th overall. Lowest place 3rd (race #2) was Italian Naval Academy Sailing Team's Giorgio Guzzi who finished 37th. There are few, if any, international one-design keelboat/ sportboat classes of any kind that can demonstrate that kind of fleet depth and ability to sail a boat fast enough, easily enough to fire one into the top three in any given race! That's cool. Moreover, a "family boat", finished second overall- the father/son team aboard Jose Maria van deer Ploeg's GREAT SAILING-- that's even cooler. The two women's teams faired well considering the depth of the competition, the best was TEAM MALTESERS ("The Sweeter Side of Sailing"), Gritt Bjornshave's five women team on DEN 1176 getting three finishes in the 20s and finishing 43rd overall. Sailing Photo credits: Peter Sogaard Photos For more J/80 Worlds sailing information Fast Halifax Race For J/Crews J/40 Wins IRC, J/120s Win PHRF 2 (Marblehead, MA) - Blue skies and fair winds prevailed for the start of the 34th biennial edition of the Marblehead-to-Halifax ocean race Sunday afternoon. Eighty nine sailing yachts, in nine categories crossed the starting line to begin the 363 nautical mile course from Marblehead, MA to Halifax, Nova Scotia. For the first time in the history of the race the starting course took the yachts towards land before turning to port and out to sea. Winds were more than 7 knots as the first class set sail and went up to 10 knots as the start sequences continued. Thereafter, the weather conditions became significantly more challenging for the sailors, described by one as "It was tough sailing. It was thick fog, dark, dark, dark, windy as hell, big lumpy seas on Sunday night." And, it made for a fast race for all. For the big boats, it was a record-shattering year, especially with an enormous Low southwest of the fleet pushing them faster and faster with strongly developing south-southwest breezes in the 17-22 knots range. The entire fleet essentially aimed easterly for Navigation mark "A" in the Cape Channel just off the southern tip of Nova Scotia called "The Hawk Point" on Stoney Island. Thereafter, the fleet turned left and headed NNE up to Halifax, gybing downwind in big waves and a 12-19 knot breeze before making one final left turn to the NW to head up the channel to the Halifax finish line. Jim Grundy's custom 75 footer BELLA PITA set a new record, finishing Monday in 30:46:52, shattering the old record of 33+ hours set by a Santa Cruz 70 back in 1989. Not only was it a fast race, but a beautiful race. Little if any fog, no drifting, no whales, no icebergs to deal with! The conditions made for a lot of happy crew. Amongst them were the fleet of J's racing, loving the conditions for their large, easy to set a-sails. In the IRC class, a "classic" cruising J/40 called MISTY and sailed by Fred Allardyce from Watch Hill, RI finished 3rd overall IRC and 1st in class IRC2!! The J/44 VAMP sailed by Leonard Sitar sailed a great race and finished 3rd class, 5th in fleet IRC! The race course and the wind direction certainly was welcomed by the double-handers! Start out jib reaching. Then turn the corner, set the big a-sail once, sheet in and go! Gybe once to make the heads off Halifax, surf into the finish line! Could it have been any easier? Without a doubt, Peter Rugg and Joe Cooper hailing from Fisher's Island, NY are having fun racing their J/105 JADED this year. Having just won the Block Island Race overall in the Double-handed division, they must be happy with their 2nd in the PHRF Double for the Halifax Race! Also sailing a good race was Jon Knowles and Charlie Poole on the beautiful J/46 ABRACADABRA from Portland, Maine. IN PHRF 1, the two J/130s and the J/133 all sailed good races. Getting the better of the other two was Jeff Eberle's J/130 CILISTA, these veteran offshore campaigners managed to pull off a third overall. In sixth was Kris Kristiansen's J/130 SAGA from Marblehead, MA and in seventh was Raymond Rhinelander's J/133 BELLA J from St Johns, Nova Scotia. The PHRF 2 division saw a "clinic" on offshore racing by two J/120s from Annapolis, MD, with HERON and SHINNECOCK sweeping the top two spots on the podium. Greg Leonard has campaigned HERON very successfully for years. This year they sailed the Annapolis-Newport and sailed well, so winning PHRF 2 in the Halifax Race is a terrific highpoint for their summer sailing. Second was Jim Praley, who has also campaigned extensively with SHINNECOCK and adds the silver cup to their shelfful of trophies and pickle dishes! In fifth was a good effort by the J/109 HEAT WAVE sailed by Gary Weisberg from Gloucester, MA. Sailing Photos courtesy of Craig Davis For more Marblehead-Halifax Yacht Race sailing information J/111 JAKE Cruises Australia Debut (Sydney Harbour, Australia- July 8th)- With clear blue skies and a gusty westerly wind averaging 13 to 16 knots, the first J/111 into Australia managed to fit in one of the last winter series club races before the season ends and still allows time to participate in the Sydney International Boat Show. There was time for a quick test sail during the week to make sure all was working after commissioning and tweak the rig with a superb set of sails from the Ian Short sail loft. The crew met at the CYCA dock and interested sailors passing by delayed departure time for the race with Sydney Amateurs Sailing Club based in Cremorne across the harbour but we made the start line in Athol Bay close to Taronga Zoo just in time. With a mixture of forty-plus footers to well sailed modified sport boats in the division before we knew it we were off. Great start at the committee boat end and heading West up the harbour trying to spot the club top mark in Neutral Bay. We took a conservative middle lane while concentrating on trimming the boat and getting the feel of her. It was soon apparent we had great speed and height and were first around the top mark. Bear away set onto a starboard run down the harbour to Rose Bay and staying in the channel of wind we noted on the beat. Kite up and pulling then no wind, the channel of wind was moving north, no problem lets gybe--- calamity, “we can’t gybe” comes the call from the bow. The starboard sheet has tangled and requires re running. We stay on our current course sailing into an ever decreasing wind pattern in the shifty Sydney Harbour westerly and watch as the boats behind set spinnakers and power down the harbour in the new wind lane. A few minutes later we gybe and the race is well and truly on again. Back in 6th place but in the same pressure as our competitors the J/111 starts to light up and we rapidly start to gain on the front runners. Into the Rose Bay bottom mark dousing the spinnaker we find ourselves in 3rd place. We settle into the beat back up the harbour and find the sweet spot of the J/111. Despite the gusty weather we are tracking between 7.1 and 7.5 knots and pointing high. By the second time around the top mark we are back in the lead and no mistakes on the run/ reach back towards Sow and Pigs reef where a gust gave us a glimpse of 14 knots boat speed with the 130 sqm. running kite set. We round the bottom mark and are close reaching towards the next mark at Shark Island. Another potential calamity but this time in the form of a Flying Tiger on port tack in a wild broach coming down the run on its side but still scooting across the water. Thanks to our extensive avoiding maneuvers it missed us by a few feet (barely!!). We leave Shark Island to starboard and look for the finish line close to the zoo. The next boat through is 6 minutes later. We’ve been racing for 88 minutes and wishing the race had another lap. A resounding success for the J/111’s first race in Australia. Our warm glow and total enjoyment of the boat is fueled by the fact we know there is more performance to come as we learn this easy to sail 36 foot speedster. If you would like to have a closer look at this exceptional boat she will be on the J/Boat stand in the Sydney international Boat show alongside the J/80 in pen 35 & 36 on the Cockle Bay side of Darling Harbour. Or alternatively call YachtSpot for a private viewing. Keane Crushes 105s @ SAILNewport Regatta Mollicone & Johnstone Winners in 24s, 80s (Newport, RI)- The three fleets of one-design J's racing this weekend, including fourteen J/24s, eleven J/80s and nine J/105s, were treated to what can be said as incredibly challenging weather conditions for the two days of sailing. Saturday dawned with a gorgeous northwesterly wind blowing offshore that rapidly devolved into a slugfest between the classic southwesterly trying to fill in while the northerly pressure gradient kept pushing back. For the fleets racing offshore, including all three J fleets, it made for an interesting dilemma, whether to chase the last finger of one breeze over another or stick with what you had. Sunday's racing started off with a light northerly that ultimately died and saw the fleet treated to a gorgeous, classic Newport southwest sea-breeze of 8-12 knots. In the J/105 class, Brian Keane's SAVASANA team was on a tear, demonstrating to the rest of their 105 competitors that they were going to be a big factor to contend with in the pending J/105 North American Championship in Marblehead later in August. Keane's team won ALL four races to finish with 4 pts. Perhaps the surprise story was the strong performance by Sean Doyle on KESTREL, sailing to a 2-3-2-5 for 12 pts. However, Sean's no stranger to being a fleet leader, having successfully sailed college and one-designs for years. The easy winner at the recent Rolex Block Island Race Week, Damian Emery on ECLIPSe, had to settle for third place with a 5-2-4-2 scoreline for 13 pts. Fourth was another J/105 North American Champion, Joerg Esdorn on KINCSEM with a 4-4-3-4 for 15 pts. Finally, yet another J/105 NA Champion finished fifth, Bruce Stone's team on JOUSTER with a 3-6-6-3. Other than SAVASANA, it was very close competition for the balance of the top five. As anticipated in the J/24s, the Newport teams were led by John Mollicone's 11th HOUR RACING, grabbing four 1sts and one 2nd to win with 8 pts. The surprise to the Newport locals was the excellent performance by Chris Jankowski's STREET LEGAL team, posting a tally of 4-1-2-2-4 for 13 pts. Third was Dave Marshall sailing PEGASUS with a 3-5-5-3-6 score for 22 pts, just one point clear of three other boats that were essentially tied going into the last race! Winning the 4th place tie-breaker was J/24 Champion and World Team Racing Champion Peter Levesque on MOOKIE with a 2-9-3-6-3 score for 23 pts. Peter beat the Zaleski Bro's TWINS from Stamford, CT that had a 5-2-7-4-5 score for 5th overall. Just missing out was another Newport local, Mike Hill on OBSTREPEROUS with a 8-3-6-5-2 record for 24 pts to capture 6th place! The J/80s saw well-sailed teams that traveled from as far away as California and Texas to have some fun in Newport. Like their J/24 and J/105 colleagues, they too had a runaway winner in the form of Jeff Johnstone sailing LITTLE FEAT to three 1sts and one 2nd for 5 pts. However, they also had five teams that could easily have finished second, with the last race determining who beat whom for the silver and bronze on the podium. Just squeaking by was the FIRED UP team sailed by Gary Camins and Jay Lutz with a 4-5-3-6 record for 18 pts. One point back was Newporter Andrew Burton's GROMIT with a 5-8-2-4 for 19 pts for third. Fourth was Chris Bulger's GOOSE winning a tie-breaker with a 3-2-8-7 for 20 pts, fifth was Bert Carp with a 6-6-5-3 for 20 pts losing the tiebreaker. Sixth was another Texas team, Bruno Pasquinelli's TIAMO team with a 7-4-9-1 for 21 pts! The consensus was that sailing more conservatively would have kept many of the teams even closer, if you can imagine that, and in two cases kept a bullet for those teams instead of giving it up to others-- the big "fly in the ointment" often being the Swan 42s racing on the same course creating havoc amongst the J/80s playing laylines upwind or getting through huge line-ups at the gates to get around them. For more SAILNewport Regatta sailing information Wicked Good Round The Island Race! J/111 & J/122 Lead Around The Vineyard (Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard)- Edgartown Yacht Club held its first race around Martha’s Vineyard Island in the summer of 1938, and except for the years of the Second World War the race has been an annual event since then. The 52 nm course is a splendid sail. It is reminiscent of the race around the Isle of Wight in England, which was the course of the first America’s Cup. The distance around Martha’s Vineyard is similar (only a few miles longer); both courses have views of cliffs, headlands, villages and open water; and the tidal currents and wind effects are important in both. The course around the Vineyard passes in sight of the seven lighthouses of Cape Poge, Gay Head, Tarpaulin Cove, Nobska, West Chop, East Chop and Edgartown. In the morning the fleet sails between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket along the east beach of Chappaquiddick. At midday they are in the open Atlantic Ocean with views of the south coast of the Vineyard. In the afternoon, rounding the gorgeous cliffs of Gay Head, the fleet sails up Vineyard Sound which was the second busiest body of water in the world during the age of sail. The report from Doug Curtiss aboard WICKED 2.0 gives you a great perspective on what it's like to sail the race: "After a short upwind beat, we sailed down the channel between MVY and ACK with chutes set. We reached the sea buoy ahead of the larger faster J/122 PUGWASH sailed by David Murphy. She became our sparing partner for the rest of the day. The breeze freshened out of the West, so we had a long beat to windward for the 22 miles down the South Shore. We made the turn at Gay Head about 3 minutes behind PUGWASH which put us in very good spot as she owed us about 10 minutes corrected time after a 52 nm race. We tacked down wind along the North Shore. We held our own until PUGWASH caught some extra tide lift at Middleground by going outside near the shoal where the tide runs stronger. She lead by about 4 minutes as we came past East Chop and headed to Edgartown. Then disaster. The steady 10 knots out the West we had enjoyed all day began to die, and we saw the big boats out ahead starting to dump their chutes. The breeze came in from the East Northeast almost 180 degrees the opposite direction, with a big calm doldrums in between. We held our spinnaker as long as possible in the old breeze, but then got parked for almost 30 minutes with very little movement. PUGWASH was to windward and in the new breeze. She sailed off out of site to the finish. We were very happy with a second at the end of the day. Anytime you can knock off a Jim Swartz TP52 VESPER that sails away over the horizon, that is a good day. But the real test was against the larger and faster J/122. Dave Murphy's PUGWASH is a well sailed boat and we were in the hunt till the very end. Hoping for a rematch at Buzzard's Bay Regatta in August!" After PUGWASH's victory and WICKED 2.0 finishing second in PHRF class, other J's sailing in PHRF A included 3rd place finisher URSUS MARITIMUS, a J/120 sailed by Jim Masiero, beating out the world-famous VESPER/QUANTUM RACING TP52 sailed by Jim Swartz (a California VC renowned for making the first investment into FACEBOOK!). Fifth was yet another J/120, Stephen Besse's APRES. In PHRF B, Ted Herlihy's J/109 GUT FEELING walked off with handicap honors in their class. Lying sixth was Nick Aswad's J/105 CLIO and in eighth was Bill Veno's J/130 WALTZING MATILDA. In PHRF C Non-spinnaker cruising division, the two J/42s sailed all the way around the island seemingly glued to one another. Gaining the upper hand at the end was Tom Townsend's WINDSLIPPER, giving the slip to their earnest colleagues, Kent Nicholas' PANASEA, to finish 4th and 5th respectively. For more Round the Island Race sailing information Turner Smokes J/24 UK Nationals (Weymouth, England)- The Weymouth Olympic Sailing Center hosted their annual Weymouth Regatta that included the J/24 UK National Championship. The organizers were blessed with beautiful weather, gorgeous breezes both days of racing for all. The J/24s showed up en-masse ready to do battle to determine the 2011 UK champion-- several veterans showed up that included past J/24 UK Champions, like Stuart Jardine from Royal Lymington YC. After the first days racing in the steady breezes punctuated by long wind streaks, it was self-evident that one team simply had everything dialed in to go fast, stay out of trouble and show their transom to the rest of the fleet. By day's end, Bob Turner's SERCO from Castle Cove SC simply smoked the competition, starting off with three bullets and a second to lead by a large margin. Nipping at their heels and still within striking distance was Mark Penfold from the RYA sailed RELOADED. The second day of sailing again dawned with good weather and a nice breeze from the southerly quadrants. Again, Turner's SERCO team stepped on the gas pedal, dialed in a 1-2 for the first two races, then simply coasted home in the last two races with a 7-6 to win with 14 points. Brilliant sailing is an adjective that comes to mind to describe their remarkable, somewhat sparkling performance! Maintaining their second position was Mark Penfold's team on RELOADED, finishing with 20 points. A perennial class leader, Stuart Jardine from RLYC sailed his latest generation J/24 STOUCHE to a strong third, narrowly missing out second by one point! Fourth was Darren Stansbury from Saltash SC with 30 points and fifth was Roger Morris on JOLLY ROGER from Parkstone SC. Sailing photo credits- UK Fotoboat.com For more J/24 UK Nationals Sailing information Transpac Race- 7/13 update (Honolulu, HI)- What a difference a week makes! Even for something so huge and ponderous as the Pacific High that spans thousands of square miles of the northern Pacific and determines the "synoptic winds" (e.g. trade winds) that spawns nightmares for navigators divining the "fastest lane" around the southern part of the high. Friday's 34 Transpac starters made short work of clearing the west end of Catalina Island and cracking sheets for a track south of the rhumb line, Los Angeles to Honolulu. Already, theirs is a very different race from the one that started on Monday July 4th for the 10 smallest race boats, which include Charles Browning's J/130 BEBE. That race stalled on the first night and crews struggled for days to reach the synoptic breeze that blows down the coast and bends off toward the islands as a classic trade-wind, with BEBE in the lead for about nine days on a boat-for-boat basis! The 46th running of the biennial Transpacific Yacht Race continues with 50 boats now on the course, sailing a rated distance of 2,225 miles from Point Fermin to Diamond Head. The Pacific High is (at last) nicely formed, growing, and pumping out the breeze that makes for a classic Transpac. And while that's tough for struggling Monday starters, it's better late than never. Keep an eye on how the 200-mile north-south spread plays out for Monday starters. Shown here is a NOAA projection of how the Pacific High will look as of next Tuesday. By Sunday afternoon, it has been abundantly evident the Friday starters won the luck of the draw - a fast pass through the inner coastal waters and an easy launch into the synoptic wind on the ocean. Each boat's navigator will soon be showing their hand as they "pick a lane" for rounding below the calms of the Pacific High Pressure Zone. To that end, the smaller, slower Monday starters who worked north of the rhumb line, just to keep moving, are likely to be twice-punished. Nevertheless, of the Monday group, the J/130 BEBE is smoking downwind at nearly 10 knots still amongst the leaders of their fleet. And, the J/145 BAD PAK is the leader in their group south of the rhumbline playing a quick game of "catch-up" to the Monday starters. As of Tuesday, July 12th, the prospect of lighter winds ahead means the north-south juggling act continues to be the great preoccupation. A well-formed High is pumping out some pretty nice trade-winds, but now it's time to adjust, and there is just no way to know until some point farther down the track just who is making the best bets. Farther north, closer to the High, is a shorter course but riskier. Farther south buys better breeze, probably, but at what cost in mileage? One race navigator commented, "The real test is going to be what happens over the next 48 hours. The wind is predicted to go light, and whoever can keep their light-air concentration is going to make out like a bandit - especially at night. I'm expecting that we'll peel off to the 1A in the wee hours of the morning, and we'll be forced to head slightly north just to keep our boat moving." More news again soon of this epic race and adventure of a lifetime for many! With contributions from Kimball Livingston- The Blue Planet Times. For Transpac Race Sailboat Tracking For more Transpac Race sailing information and Facebook link Harris Wins J/22 Canadian Nationals (Kingston, ONT, Canada)- This past weekend, the J/22 class had Kingston YC host their Canadian National Championship in Kingston, Ontario, site of the famous CORK Regatta held every August and also a past site of the Olympic Sailing games. The venue is fantastic for sailing as the eastern end of Lake Ontario almost always generates a reliable southwest sea-breeze in the afternoon that can blow from 8 to 15 knots. In addition, Kingston itself is great place to visit- it's a historic port, home to the world-renown Queen's University and has Fort Henry guarding the western approaches to the St Lawrence Seaway. A competitive fleet of J/22s assembled for the start of racing Saturday morning. The day started off with light breeze and, ultimately, the wind picked up around 4 pm from the southwest (the classic sea-breeze), enabling the J/22s to complete four races for the day in a great sailing breeze. Sunday morning started off significantly better with a steady 10-15 knot breeze from the southwest. The J/22’s finished the day with three races, making it a seven race series. Ron Harris, Pete Amos and John Marten, from Hudson, Quebec, were crowned the 2011 J/22 Canadian National Champions, coming in first place four out of the seven races. Gordon McIlquham, Mary Ann Turcke, Emily McIlquham and Meredith Megarry, of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club placed second, and David Doyle, Mark McLean and Lindsay McMurray also of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, came in third. Sailing photo credits- Geoff Webster- PhotoOne Gallery For more J/22 Canadian Nationals Sailing information Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race (St. Malo, France)- The 164 nm race to St. Malo from Cowes has always been a popular event and this past weekend 177 yachts raced across the English Channel to the famous port where the the race finishes just outside St Malo- the medieval walled port. It was a spectacular start from the Royal Yacht Squadron Line in Cowes, England. The impressive RORC fleet got off to a flying start reaching across the line in an awesome display of power. The Race Committee elected to start the fleet to the East to avoid sending the fleet through Hurst Narrows where 30 knots of wind over tide and congestion may well have proved hazardous for the racing yachts. The wind persisted in direction and strength as the fleet sailed down the Eastern Solent to turn to the west and out into the English Channel. "The wind was forecast to abate and veer to the West, which it did and those yachts that went West made big gains" commented RORC Racing Manager Ian Loffhagen. "The tricky decision was how far West to go and those that got their tactics right held the advantage. The breeze dropped as it veered but the wind held for most of the fleet until they got to Jersey. However, the faster boats had breeze all the way into the finish, this year, the conditions definitely favored the faster boats." Twenty-four yachts entered IRC One, including three J/133s. Two of them were British boats, Dave Ballantyne's JINGS earning a 7th in class and 13th IRC Overall and Angus Bates ASSYRIAN IV finishing 10th. Just behind JINGS was the French J/133 JIVARO sailed by Yves Grosjean and Alain Roualt finishing 8th overall. In IRC Two 48 yachts entered in one of the most competitive divisions. Proving their RORC Season Points win two years ago was no fluke, Frenchman Phillipe Delaporte's J/122 PEN AZEN finished fourth in class and 12th IRC Overall, just 8 minutes out of 2nd overall and 34 minutes shy of winning the class. Another French J/122, NUTMEG IV sailed by Francois Lognone finished 9th and yet another French J/122 LORELEI sailed by Alain Catherineau finished 14th. Top British J/122 was Dave Richard's JOLLY JELLYFISH lying in 24th place. Another hotly contested class racing to St Malo is IRC Three. Nick Martin's J/105, DIABLO-J, currently leads the class for the RORC Season's Points Championship. DIABLO-J's success so far is even more remarkable as the yacht is also sailed Two-Handed. In all 23 yachts sailed to St Malo in the Two-Handed Class. Despite strong showings in the past in this race, Nick and crew managed to score a DNF as the breeze simply shut down after the fast boats finished. Top J/105 was Frenchman Frederic Nadaud sailing VERONIKA in IRC 3 class. Top J/109 was the British team on Greg Nasmyth's JARHEAD in 15th. Contributions from Louay Habib. For more RORC Cowes-Dinard-St Malo Race sailing information Milev Dominates J/24 Canadians (Port Credit, ONT, Canada)- The 23 boat strong fleet of Canadian J/24 sailors were treated incredibly well by their host for the Canadian J/24 Nationals, Port Credit YC. PCYC has to be one of the most gracious, fun-loving clubs on Lake Ontario, renowned for their "can do" attitude, excellent RC/PRO management of races and a club membership totally focused on having fun sailing. Note, this is the same crew that host the largest offshore race of the summer Lake Ontario season- the Lake Ontario 300 that starts this coming weekend. The 23 teams woke up Friday morning to light air, blistering sun and warm temperatures. Nevertheless, the PRO managed to complete one race and then by 2:00 pm the wind shut off completely. The RC hoisted AP over H and the fleet went back to shore for shade, a dip in PCYC’s pool and re-hydration at the bar. By 4:00 pm a line of wind was spotted coming over the lake from the south west, so the fleet headed out and were able to squeak one more race out of the day. That's awesome RC work, if you go to sail a Nationals, then be ready to go anytime! At the completion of Day one, it looked like Rossi Milev sailing CLEAR AIR/ ORANGE BLOSSOM was a leader to be reckoned with, scoring a 2-1 to lead over Peter Wickwire's team on SUNNYVALE with a 1-3. Just off the pace was Tom Barbeau's NAVTECH.CA with a 4-2. On Saturday, the forecast called for very light air and the fleet wasn’t too optimistic, however, the wind filled in and by 11:00 there was a solid 9 knots of breeze coming from the east. The Race committee started the race right on time to make the best of the wind while it lasted. On the next 2 races, a persistent veer in the wind caused the race committee to put up ‘charlie’ plus green flags at the top end to indicate the leeward gates where shifted course-side-left. By the third race the wind had dropped substantially, but the waves & slop did not. The Race committee shortened the course and brought the windward mark to 0.9 nm. It was a hard slog up and down the course, and by the time the last boat had finished the fleet was exhausted. Still leading after this long day on the water was Rossi Milev with a 1-2-2 followed by Peter Wickwire's SUNNYVALE with a 3-1-11 and Scott Weakley's REX team working on the comeback trail with a 13-3-1. By 4:30 Saturday, the fleet was back on dock folding sails and finding shade. The wind had completely died so calling it quits when we did was the right call. The fleet was definitely dehydrated and looking forward to the party Saturday night where PCYC put on a great BBQ spread with salads and deserts, and plenty of beer taps flowing. Sunday morning dawned with a good breeze and the fleet took off to get in two races before the time expiration for the start of the last race. After scoring a 5-5 and holding his principal competitor back, Rossi Milev's team on CLEAR AIR/ ORANGE BLOSSOM from the local J/24 fleet at Port Credit YC were declared 2011 J/24 Canadian National Champions, winning with just 13 points after a toss race. Second was Peter Wickwire's SUNNYVALE crew from Royal Canadian YC with 21 points. Third was another local boat, Scott Weakley's REX team from PCYC with 28 points, winning a tie-breaker over Tom Barbeau's NAVTECH.CA team from Yacht Club Quebec also with 28 points for fourth place. Fifth was the first woman team skipper, Katie Colman-Nicoll sailing QUICK NICK for the host PCYC. All in all, a good showing for the local PCYC boats taking three of the top five. For more J/24 Canadians sailing information CRAZY IVAN Wins J/80 Northwests (Anacortes, WA- June 11)- This international contest was attended by four boats from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, two boats from the Seattle Sailing Club, one boat from Idaho, and two more boats from the San Juan Islands. Mike Brewis, fleet captain, enjoyed playing host on foreign shores at the Windermere Regatta hosted by the Anacortes Yacht Club. The first day saw a 2 hour delay due to a lack of wind, but racing got underway with all nine J/80s on the line – a first in the Northwest! The first day’s racing was won by Don Sargent on EXCITABLE taking two bullets in close competition. The Canadians held all of the four top spots after the day’s racing! Sunday saw the return of the owner/skipper Chris White on CRAZY IVAN who had attended his son’s graduation the day before. He stepped aboard and went 1-2-1 on Sunday to retain his trophy for the second year. Dunnery Best on SHEVA and Don Sargent on EXCITABLE took second and thirds, respectively. Mike Brewis on SWISH and the other Canadian boat, Tara Smith’s JOY RIDE, took the next two spots. The rest of the fleet included William McKinnon on the oldest J/80, SKYE ROCKET, hull #1, Joe Cline on TAJ MAHAL and Michael Sawyer on FEARFUL SYMMETRY – both from the Seattle Sailing Club, and Jerry Judd on GO FISH from North Idaho. Thanks go to Jerry Judd for hosting a great welcoming party, Mike Brewis for taking care of fleet captain duties, and Chris White for working with the Anacortes Yacht Club and their race committees. Contributed by William McKinnon on SKYE ROCKET. * Congratulations from the J/Family to George David-- the real "rambling man"! A former J/24 sailor from the 80s, George David, a New York YC member now living in Hartford, CT, simply traded up over time and is now racing RAMBLER 100, a Juan K 100 footer. Kudos to George and team for having set a new Transatlantic Race record of 6:22:08:02 for the course from Newport, Rhode Island to Lizard Point, South Cornwall, a measured distance of 2,975 miles. That's a 15.67 knots average across the Atlantic. That's amazing! It can be said with a straight face that even J/24s can go that fast for 1/100th the price! LOL, perhaps not for 120+ hours! * Congratulations also due to Ken Read, a multiple J/24 World Champion, for winning the Trans-Atlantic Race on the VOR 70 PUMA- Mar Mostro! PUMA’s Mar Mostro was the second boat to cross the finish line at Lizard Point, Cornwall, England behind RAMBLER 100 and won both IRC Class 1 and IRC overall based on corrected time. At one point topping 30 knots as they flew across the Atlantic in just over 7 days, Kenny simply remarked, “We entered the race with zero expectations, just like the other IRC handicap racing we’ve done this year. We wanted to learn the boat and the crew. Now, here we are in the position of possibly winning a race that we didn’t expect to win. We’re pleasantly shocked. We didn’t break anything, the sails held up, the team is certainly coming together, and there’s not a single negative to this race. It was a great experience.” To follow the PUMA Mar Mostro Sailing Team visit- http://www.puma.com/sailing * Another J sailor, "Dr Laura" Schlessinger is not sailing her J/100 nor her new J/105 in the Transpac Race. Instead she got a new 49 foot "ride" called Katana that was built "for this race". Dr Laura is a former motor-boating enthusiast who comes to sailing with the passion of a convert. "I never thought I'd like sailing," she says. "I gave it a try, just a try, when I moved to Santa Barbara and I was shocked. Immediately, I fell in love with it. Sailing empties you of the daily junk, and that's the meaning of life. To put amazement into every day." (Editor's note- at one point she owned and sailed THREE J's- a J/92, J/100, J/125. She's now down to just two- the J/100 and the J/105-- and her self-declared "first love" is the J/100). The J Cruising Community J Cruisers continue their adventures around the world, below are a selection of most excellent "blogs" written by their prolific publishers. Some terribly amusing anecdotes and pearls of wisdom are contained in their blogs. Read some! You'll love it. * Prolific writers, Bill and Judy Stellin, sailed their J/42 JAYWALKER around the Mediterranean and Europe and back across the Atlantic for nearly three years. Their blogs/journals can be found at- http://blog.mailasail.com/jaywalker. The earlier journals have been compiled into two self published books which can be found at: http://www.blurb.com. Search for "SEATREK: A Passion for Sailing" by Bill Stellin or William Stellin." UPDATE- Just a short note to update from Bill- "Our cruise began in May of 2000 and ended in May of 2008, some 8 years later. I have just finished and published my third and final book covering the last three or so years including our double handed crossing in 16 days and one winter in the Caribbean. Like the others, "Sea Trek- A Passion for sailing- Book III," can be found at www.blurb.com. Thanks, Bill and Judy" - SALACIA, the J/160 owned by Stephen and Cyndy Everett has an on-going blog describing some of their more amusing experiences (http://www.salacia1.blogspot.com). - Bill and Susan Grun on the J/160 AVANTE are also sailing in the Pacific archipelago, read more about their great adventures on their blog (http://web.me.com/susangrun). Check out there recent travels- now past Fiji! - Eric and Jenn on the J/160 MANDALAY also sailed the Pacific archipelago, read more on their blog at http://www.sailmandalay.com. Eric and Jenn are J/World alumni took MANDALAY up and down the West Coast (Mexico, CA) , then to the South Pacific and New Zealand. MANDALAY is back in San Francisco now, and in the J/World fleet--she is available for skippered charters, private instruction, and corporate/executive groups. * The J/109 GAIA (seen right in the Java Sea) was sailed by Bob Riggle and Phyllis Macay around the world. In February 2011, their cruising adventures came to an abrupt, sad ending. As a tribute to them and their cruising friends worldwide, we hope their chronicles on their GAIA website remains a tribute to their warm-hearted spirits- read more about why many loved them dearly and will remain touched by their loving spirit forever- http://www.gaiaworldtour.net/ J/122 GAMBLER For Sale A 2008 J/122, Gambler has the three cabin layout, and the optional light grey deck. White topsides and cherry interior. The light grey deck really cuts down on the glare, the boat looks great and is in immaculate condition. Gambler's owner has prepared this boat to race at the highest levels and her race results show it: -2011 Charleston Race Week winner: PHRF Class B winner. 4 Bullets!!! -2008 NYYC Annual Regatta-3rd -2008 Sperry Topside regatta-1st -2009 NYYC Race Week-2nd -2009 J122 North American Championship-1st -2010 Texas Race Week-2nd -2010 Sperry Topside Regatta-2nd Gambler may have the best winning record in the US topped by the 2009 North American championship! In addition the owner has been on a scheduled sail program with North Sails and the inventory has been continually updated each year, including 2011. For 2011 the owner has purchased the new 3Di carbon sails from North Sails. This boat is also set up to race offshore and includes complete foul weather for 10, Gill life jackets for 10, along with offshore jacklines. The factory options are: light grey non-skid deck, Lewmar Carbon Wheel and Opening ports-aft face of cabin. Don't Gamble and miss out on this well prepared and race winning J/122. This is truly a step aboard and sail to the start line, or cruise across the ocean. Please contact Scott Spurlin at J/Boats Southwest- email- scott@JBoatsSouthwest.com or phone- 512-335-2391 About J/Boats Started in 1977, J/Boats continues to lead the world in designing fun-to-sail, easy-to-handle, performance sailboats that can be enjoyed by a broad spectrum of sailors. The International J/24 has become the most popular recreational offshore keelboat in the world with over 5,400 J/24s cruising the waves. Today, there are 13,000+ J/Boats, ranging from the International J/22 to the J/65 and ranging in style from one-designs to racers, cruisers to daysailers and, of course, the ubiquitous J sprit boats- J/Boats' innovation in 1992 for easy-to-use asymmetric spinnakers and retractable carbon bowsprits (J/80, J/92, J/95, J/105, J/109, J/110, J/120, J/122, J/130, J/133, J/125, J/145, J/160). J/Boats has the best track record in sailing for innovation and design as evidenced by: 15 Sailing World/ Cruising World Boat of the Year Awards in 14 years; 2 SAIL Awards for Industry Leadership; 2 American Sailboat Hall of Fame Designs (J/24 & J/35); and the three largest ISAF International One-Design keelboat classes (J/22, J/24, J/80). Counting crew, every year there are over 100,000 friends to meet sailing J's, populating the most beautiful sailing harbors and sailing the waters of 35+ countries around the world. Sailing is all about friends. Come join us and expand your social network everywhere! For more information on J/Boats. Read Kimball Livingston's SAIL update on the J/Boats story- A Band of Brothers Labels: j100, j105, J109, j111, J122, j125, j145, j22, j24, j80, offshore, one-design, racing, sail, sailboats, sailing J/Newsletter- July 6th, 2011	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line212
__label__cc	0.727567	0.272433	Election Reaction: Conservatives on Rise in Kansas The 2008 elections have come and gone and now all that is left is the analysis of what happened and how it pertains to the future. One thing that the mainstream media is unlikely to mention is that in Kansas as a whole, Democrats are in defeat while conservatives are slowly on the rise. The Kansas City area and Johnson County in particularly are a bit of a different story, but opportunities abound for conservatives there as well. Governor Kathleen Sebelius had a bad night. In the Kansas Senate, Democrats actually lost one seat -- having picked up Roger Pine's seat but losing Greta Goodwin (to Steve Abrams) and the seat held by Jim Barone (to Bob Marshall). In the Kansas House, they did gain 1 -- by virtue of winning a net additional seats in Johnson County for a total of six wins -- three of which were by very narrow margins. She lost Congresswoman Boyda to State Treasurer Lynn Jenkins, one of the few Republican pickups on the night. Two of her party switchers -- Ron Wimmer and Rick Guinn -- went down to defeat -- to two Republicans who lean conservative, Julia Lynn and Steve Howe. Conservatives, however, had a good night. In the Kansas Senate, solid conservatives Mary Pilcher Cook and Steve Abrams had convincing victories against well funded opponents. Also entering the Senate are other solid conservatives from the House, including Jeff Colyer, Ty Masterson, and Dick Kelsey. In the Kansas House, while moderates Ronnie Metsker, Jim Yonally and John Skubal all went down to defeat in Johnson County, conservatives Anthony Brown, Kasha Kelley, Lance Kinzer, and others rode to resounding victories. So where does this put Kansas as we head towards 2010? First off, we have a likely close battle for leadership in the Senate, where by most counts conservatives are a couple votes away from having control. If they get power, will moderate power-brokers like Steve Morris and John Vratil even stick around? Time will tell. Even if the moderates hold on to leadership, their lives will be not be made easy with Huelskamp and Pyle being joined by Abrams, Pilcher Cook, Masterson, Kelsey, and Colyer. The conservative agenda will have play. The 2010 election is also setting up well for the first conservative surge in quite a while. The biggest question is what does the governor do? Does she get appointed to the Obama Cabinet, leaving Mark Parkinson as the incumbent? Or does she run for the U.S. Senate? News today has Jerry Moran running for the U.S. Senate, allowing the conservative Huelskamp to run for District 1. Another huge race will be the open seat for Governor, which Sam Brownback will likely be running for. Brownback's candidacy represents the single greatest opportunity for conservatives in state history. It could set up a wave down the ballot, and potentially even put District 3 in play, should Dennis Moore retire, as some say he wants to. And with the Democrats only candidates being appointments (Attorney General, State Treasurer), all the statewide offices appear in play for quality conservative candidates. In Johnson County, things are a slightly different story. As noted, the Democrats now hold 6 of the 22 State House seats, though three by narrow margins. Look for Districts 16, 18 and 19 to have races with solid conservatives representing the Republicans this time. With the heavy advance voting experience this time around, look for the huge early voting advantage that the Democrats have to wane, paving the way for likely victories for conservative challengers. It's amazing that in Johnson County that there could be so much diversity, with Olathe and southern Overland Park being solid conservative and areas towards Wyandotte and the Missouri lines turning purple. The next two years will be fun for sure. Right now, we're all waiting for the shoe to drop regarding Sebelius's plans -- and everything will then cascade from there. We'll be here to report the fallout! Posted by K&B at 3:35 AM About Kaw and Border Kaw & Border is dedicated to telling the story behind the story of Kansas City area politics -- both of the politicians themselves as well as political operatives such as key individuals, PACs, and other groups of influence. Much like the famous TV drama that is our namesake, our posts will be "ripped from the headlines" with the core mission of exposing the truth behind area politics on both sides of the border -- such as the quest for money, power, and the true agendas of some individuals and groups. Mostly, we will focus on issues in the Kansas City area and in both Kansas and Missouri politics, but from time to time we will touch on national issues as well. In addition, look for some thoughtful conservative commentary on occasion -- not just from us, but from thoughtful conservative thinkers across the two-state area as well as the nation. What this blog will not be is a vehicle for personal attacks on people, no matter which political persuasion fits their beliefs, nor will it be a place of unfounded rumor and gossip as seen in other political blogs. It will simply be a new news source for exposing the stories not told by the mainstream media -- and certainly not revealed by those entities wishing to not air their real agenda. We hope you enjoy. All original intellectual content here is copyright by the owner of Kaw & Border blog at www.kawandborder.blogspot.com and www.kawandborder.com. Linking to this content is appropriate and allowed, but any duplication, replication and/or mirroring of this blog or its content on another website, blog, or printed material is prohibited without prior written content by the owner of Kaw & Border. You may contact us by emailing kawborder3@yahoo.com. Spinoff Site Kaw & Border: Royal Intent kawandborder@yahoo.com Kansas Meadowlark Kansas Watchdog Election Reaction: Conservatives on Rise in Kansa...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line217
__label__wiki	0.699907	0.699907	Wied Fusiliers Hierarchical Path: Seven Years War (Main Page) >> Armies >> Prussian Army >> Wied Fusiliers 3.2 NCOs Uniform circa 1757 - Source: Anonymous work circa 1757 This fusilier regiment was acquired by Frederick II on January 14 1741 from the Duchy of Württemberg. The regiment existed since 1716 and was formerly designated as “Erbprinz”. In May 1741, during the War of the Austrian Succession, the regiment was initially stationed at Wesel. In October of the same year, it ceded two of its companies for the establishment of the Markgraf von Brandenburg Fusiliers (IR42). The regiment levied its troops in the districts of Cleves, Guelder and Moers. In 1755, the regiment was transferred from Wesel to Minden. Its recruiting canton then became the districts of Hausberge, Levern, Petershagen, Rahden, Reineberg and Schlüsselburg; and the cities of Hausberge, Lübekke, Minden, Petershagen During the Seven Years' War, the regiment was commanded by: since July 27 1746 until November 24 1765: Franz Carl Ludwig Count von Wied zu Neuwied The regimental numbering system (Stammliste) was first used by Leopold I, Fürst von Anhalt-Dessau (Der alte Dessauer) in the Dessauer Spezifikation from 1737. Around 1780 the numbers were used in the printed Stammlisten, still with some variations for the fusilier regiments. It became official by "Cabinets-Ordre" from October 1, 1806. The present infantry regiment was attributed number 41. On August 26 1756, when the Prussian army proceeded to the invasion of Saxony, the regiment was part of Ferdinand of Brunswick's column which had concentrated at Halle and advanced unopposed through Leipzig, Chemnitz, Freyberg and Dippoldiswalde, to the village of Cotta (reached on September 9) south of the Elbe near Pirna. By the end of September, its first battalion was garrisoning Dresden and its second, Torgau. In April 1757, the regiment took part in the invasion of Bohemia. On May 6, it fought at the Battle of Prague where it was deployed on the right of the second line of the infantry centre in Kannacher's Brigade. On June 18, the regiment took part in the Battle of Kolin where it was deployed in the second line of the infantry left wing under Lieutenant-General von Tresckow. During this battle, the regiment lost more than 1,000 men. In 1758 April 1758, the regiment took part in the siege and capture of Schweidnitz. It also participated to the invasion of Moravia and to the Siege of Olmütz in June. During the retreat from Moravia, the regiment drove an Austrian force out of Krönau. On August 23, when Frederick's army crossed the Oder to put a stop to the Russian invasion of Brandenburg, the regiment was left behind to garrison Cüstrin. On August 26, after the bloody Battle of Zorndorf, the regiment escorted a supply of bread and ammunition destined to the Prussian army. On August 28, the regiment formed part of a detachment under the Prince of Brunswick which was sent to Lower Lusatia to prevent the incursions of Austrian light troops under Loudon. On September 28, as part of Wedel's force, the regiment took part in the failed attempt to capture Fehrbellin from the Swedes. In 1759, the regiment was attached to the Prussian army of Saxony who launched an offensive in Franconia. In August, the regiment was dispatched towards Brandenburg where, on August 12, it fought in the Battle of Kunersdorf. It was deployed in the first line of the left centre as part of Diericke's Brigade and suffered heavy losses (522 dead and wounded). On December 3 and 4, one battalion of the regiment was attached to a small isolated Prussian force under Major-General Diericke who had taken post at Meissen. This small corps was attacked by a much stronger Austrian force and forced to retire after the Combat of Meissen. On August 15 1760, the regiment took part in the Battle of Liegnitz where it was attached to the reserve deployed behind the centre of the Prussian lines. On September 17, it was at the Combat of Hochgiersdorf. On November 3, it fought in the Battle of Torgau. In August 1761, the regiment was part of Frederick's army encamped in the entrenched camp of Bunzelwitz (present-day Bolesławice) near Schweidnitz in Lower Silesia. On August 16 1762, the regiment took part in the Battle of Reichenbach where it successfully defended the Prussian entrenchments. It was then present at the siege and recapture of Schweidnitz. N.B.: During the war the grenadiers from the wing grenadier companies were put together with the grenadiers of Fusilier Regiment 44, forming the III. "Standing" Grenadier Battalion (41/44 Gemmingen) (please refer to this article for the details of the service of the grenadiers during the war). A new uniform was introduced in 1756. Uniform in 1756 - Source: Dal IR41 Fusilier Mitre Cap - Source: Digby Smith and rf-figuren mitre with polished brass front plate; light carmine red headband with polished brass ornaments; light carmine red cap with polished brass ornaments; brass metal spike Grenadier mitre with polished brass front plate; light carmine red headband with a white/red/white braid and polished brass ornaments; light carmine red backing with white/red/white braid; red within white within red pompom (see III. "Standing" Grenadier Battalion (41/44 Gemmingen) for an illustration) Neckstock black Coat Prussian blue lined light carmine red with 2 yellow braid loops under each lapel and 3 yellow buttons on each side to fasten the skirts forming the turnbacks; 1 yellow braid loop on each side in the small of the back Collar light carmine red Shoulder Straps light carmine red fastened with a small yellow button Lapels light carmine red with 6 yellow buttons Pockets horizontal pockets edged in red, each with 3 yellow buttons Cuffs light carmine red (in the Swedish pattern) with 2 yellow buttons Turnbacks red Waistcoat straw Breeches straw Gaiters black Leather Equipment Crossbelt one white belt over the left shoulder for the cartridge box and one narrower white belt over the right shoulder for the haversack Waistbelt white Cartridge Box black Bayonet Scabbard brown Scabbard brown Footgear black shoes Privates were armed with a short musket, a bayonet and a curved blade sabre. NCOs NCOs wore uniforms similar to those of the privates with the following distinctions: no shoulder strap cuffs edged with a golden lace braid yellowish leather gloves black and white sabre tassel NCOs were armed with a sabre and a white half-pikes measuring 7 ½ Rhenish feet (2.37 m.) in the fusilier companies and 13 Rhenish feet (4.10 m.) in the grenadier companies (carried by the 3 most senior NCOs while other grenadier NCOs were armed with rifled muskets since 1744). NCOs also carried canes (normally attached to a button at the top of the right front while carrying the half-pike). Wied Fusiliers Officer - Source: Menzel, Adolph von, Die Armee Friedrich's des Großen in ihrer Uniformierung The uniforms of the officers were very similar to those of the privates with the following exceptions: black tricorne trimmed with a golden scalloped lace with black and white pompoms and a black cockade fastened with a golden band and a yellow button (officers always wore tricornes notwithstanding if they were commanding musketeers, fusiliers or grenadiers) black neck stock no shoulder strap on the coat no turnbacks on the coat loops under the lapels and in the small of the back embroidered in gold velvet collar, lapels and cuffs in a darker shade of carmine red black and silver sash around the waist a silver and gold gorget Officers carried white spontoons measuring 7 ½ Rhenish feet (2.36 m.) and an officer stick. Lace of the drummer uniform - Source: E. Boltze Die Infanterie Friedrichs des Großen... Uniform of the drummers - Source: E. Boltze Die Infanterie Friedrichs des Großen... The laces of the drummers consisted of a 1.7 cm yellow lace. The uniforms of the drummers were similar to those of the privates but had much more elaborate lacing and other peculiarities: collar and cuffs edged with the drummer lace 2 buttonholes under each lapel trimmed with the drummer lace buttons in the small of the back trimmed with the drummer lace 4 vertical drummer laces and 1 horizontal drummer lace on each shoulder Colonel flag (Leibfahne): White field. Centre device consisting of a light straw medallion surrounded by a silver laurel wreath and surmounted by a silver crown. The medallion is decorated with a black eagle holding a sword and lightning bolts surmounted by a white scroll bearing the golden motto "Pro Gloria et Patria". Corner monograms (crowns, laurel wreaths, "FR" ciphers) and grenades in silver. Regimental flags (Kompaniefahnen): Light straw field. Centre device consisting of a white medallion surrounded by a silver laurel wreath and surmounted by a silver crown. The medallion is decorated with a black eagle holding a sword and lightning bolts surmounted by a light straw scroll bearing the silver motto "Pro Gloria et Patria". Corner monograms (crowns, laurel wreaths, "FR" ciphers) and grenades in silver. Colonel Colour - Source: Dawid from Hanoverdidi elements Regimental Colour - Source: Dawid from Hanoverdidi elements The pikes used as staffs for the colours were white. Bleckwenn, Hans, Die Uniformen der Preußischen Infanterie 1753-1786, Teil III/Bd. 3, Osnabrück 1973 Bleckwenn, Hans, Die friderzianischen Uniformen 1753-1786, Bd. I Infanterie I, Osnabrück 1984 Boltze, Eberhard; Die Infanterie Friedrichs des Großen nach dem Stande von 1785 nebst Rückblick bis 1740, Dresden, November 1927, pp. 28-29, Annex III and IV Brauer, M.; Heer und Tradition / Heeres-Uniformbogen (so-called “Brauer-Bogen”), Berlin 1926 -1962 Engelmann, Joachim and Günter Dorn, Die Infanterie-Regimenter Friedrich des Grossen, Podzun-Pallas, 2000 Funcken, Liliane and Fred, Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle Die Bewaffnung und Ausrüstung der Armee Friedrichs des Großen: Eine Dokumentation aus Anlaß seines 200. Todesjahres, 2 erw. Auflage, Raststatt 1986 Guddat, Martin; Grenadiere, Musketiere, Füsiliere: Die Infanterie Friedrichs des Großen, Herford 1986 Hohrath, Daniel: The Uniforms of the Prussian Army under Frederick the Great from 1740 to 1786; Vol. 2; Verlag Militaria, Vienna: 2011, pp. 316-323 Menzel, Adolf v.: Die Armee Friedrichs des Großen in ihrer Uniformierung, Berlin 1851-1857 Schirmer, Friedrich; Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756-1763, published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg, Neuauflage 1989 N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges. Retrieved from "http://kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=Wied_Fusiliers&oldid=6305" Prussian Land Unit	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line218
__label__cc	0.711368	0.288632	An archive of the fantastic blog, The Void, by anarchist unemployed activist Johnny Void. A statement of principles by Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty Defend the Right to be Accompanied at Job Centre Interviews. On Monday 3rd October (2016) demonstrators will be descending on High Riggs jobcentre at Tollcross in Edinburgh. From noon till 2pm protestors will be insisting that “Advocacy is not a crime” and that the DWP must recognise the right of all claimants to be accompanied at all benefits interviews. What’s this all about? The Cultural Hegemony of “Mental Health” In this guest article Dr Bruce Scott challenges the way the “mental health” system and its institutions have been co-opted and actively promote capitalism. This system, driven by a profit motive, rather than a desire to benefit patients, has produced “fear and submission to an ideology which controls and mystifies the masses”. My Experience Dealing With the Work Programme and the Salvation Army, 2012 In 2012 I was assigned to the Salvation Army, with no consent, under the Tory party's Work Programme initiative. This is my sad little story. Enjoy! Unemployment, the JobCentre, and the imposition of labour discipline Submitted by Chilli Sauce on Oct 30 2012 20:26 Having been gainfully unemployed for a number of months, I’ve recently returned to take a swim in the shark-infested, soul-destroying, disease-ridden hell hole that is the job market. It’s also the first time I’ve been, ehhem, lucky enough to be able to claim dole. This means applying for jobs and making a fortnightly trip to the JobCentre. And it sucks. Strike by DWP contractors Submitted by Django on Apr 10 2012 20:15 Balfour Beatty staff employed to work at DWP sites have struck today in a row over redundancies. A glimpse into the future of outsourced Britain - expensive, inefficient and on its way Submitted by Django on Oct 4 2010 11:09 Last month the government's spending watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee, published its report on the Pathways to Work Scheme. The programme, brought in at a cost of over £760 million four years ago, was part of the then government's attempt to target 'welfare cheats' and shift claimants off incapacity benfit and into work. 100,000 civil servants to strike on April 24 Submitted by Steven. on Apr 19 2008 12:14 Workers in ten government departments and agencies will join thousands of other public and voluntary sector workers in a strike over pay. Two-day DWP strike ends Submitted by Ed on Mar 20 2008 12:42 Thousands of Job Centre and benefit office staff carried out a 48-hour strike this week against a new three-year pay deal. Spanish anarchists in the Welsh valleys A short account of the Spanish miners in South Wales and their relationship - sometimes positive, sometimes strained - with the local mining population. Cultivating a radical subjectivity: against death stars A look into revolutionary cognition that argues for the necessity of cultivating radical subjectivities. Arguments for automatic consciousness are critiqued, and the role of struggles, ruptures,... IWW and radical influences on the San Francisco waterfront For May Day 2017 Local 10 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union invoked a contractual "stop-work" privilege and refused to work any Bay Area docks in celebration of International...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line228
__label__wiki	0.582185	0.582185	Selected Databases for Special Collections Research Center: Choose a database... Digitized Newspapers (KY-NDNP) Explore UK: Rare and Unique... Kentucky Digital Library (KDL) Kentucky Encyclopedia Notable Kentucky African... SPOKEdb: Louie B. Nunn... UK Libraries Microfilm... UK Yearbooks (Memoria,... HOURS for July 19, 2019: 10:00am - 4:30pm Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History Nunn Center The Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History at the University of Kentucky is recognized around the world as a leader and innovator in the collection and preservation of oral histories. The more than 13,000 oral history interviews in our collection provide a unique look into Kentucky, American, and global histories and represent a valuable resource for researchers. The Nunn Center recorded its first interview in 1973, and the collection focuses on 20th century Kentucky history; Appalachia; agriculture; African American history; the history of education, politics, and public policy; the arts; Kentucky writers; gender; diversity; the Civil Rights Movement; veterans; the University of Kentucky; healthcare; and industries such as the coal, equine, and bourbon industries. The Nunn Center engages individuals and communities by recording their stories and providing innovative archival access to those interviews. You can access SPOKEdb, our online catalog/repository at https://kentuckyoralhistory.org. You can find the latest Nunn Center-related news and announcements by following us on Twitter or Facebook, reading the Nunn Center's blog, or listening to our Radio Features. If you like podcasts, we have recently launched the Wisdom Project Podcast, which features interviews from the collection. We also invite you to subscribe to our newsletter. For questions or to explore partnership opportunities, please contact the director of the Nunn Center, Doug Boyd. John G. Heyburn Initiative Teaching with Primary Sources Projects and Grants SCRC Jobs Complete list... SELECTED DATABASES Digitized Newspapers (KY-NDNP) Explore UK: Rare and Unique Resources from Special Collections Kentucky Digital Library (KDL) Kentucky Encyclopedia Notable Kentucky African Americans (NKAA) SPOKEdb: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History Collection Catalog UK Libraries Microfilm Holdings Database UK Yearbooks (Memoria, Kentuckian, Blue and White, Echoes) Copyright © 2019 UK Libraries. For questions or comments about this website contact Doug Boyd \| Site Index	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line229
__label__wiki	0.906761	0.906761	Centria 1005 Beaver Grade Road Moon Township, PA 15108 https://www.centria.com/ CENTRIA Products Transform Kent Police Station into Community Icon Formawall® Dimension Series® GraphixTM panels in specialty finishes clad modern station Moon Township, PA… CENTRIA, a leading building envelope science company, provided 6,570 total square feet of metal panels from its Formawall Dimension Series, Graphix and Ecoscreen® perforated screenwall lines for the new Kent Police Station in Kent, Ohio. Designed to represent the neighborly relationship between police and the local community, the structure provides an aesthetic transition between the modern Kent State College Architecture and Design Building and the more classic structures on campus and in the area. “CENTRIA was an integral part of the design solution from start to finish,” says Eric Pros, Director of Design, DS Architecture, the firm responsible for the design. “The Formawall metal plate and Ecoscreen perforated screenwall were utilized to effectively establish the Kent Police station as a transition between the historic downtown district and the more modern developments on campus. We selected the Allura Terra Cotta finish to echo the masonry context around this site, aiding in unifying the community — visually and physically. The large format metal panels we specified added a unique rhythm and pattern, which allowed us to create a more distinct, cleaner façade, which breaks down the larger masses of the building, and makes it feel more approachable.” The Formawall Dimension Series Graphix panels achieve unique project aesthetics with a limited number of panels, and diminishes the likelihood of air or water infiltration. The selected Allura Terra Cotta finish is a premium PVDF coating, presenting a matte, low-gloss finish. CENTRIA’s DS60 Formawall panels present a distinct profile, which further adds aesthetic interest to the structure. Additionally, CENTRIA’s Ecoscreen perforated screenwall was specified on a unique fin where the building name is prominently displayed. LED lighting will soon be incorporated into the Ecoscreen panels to make the station more visible and accessible to community members. “CENTRIA’s Ecoscreen allowed our team to incorporate lighting into the structure,” Pros added. “The entrance to the building can be accessed from two different sides and is visible from four different directions. The Ecoscreen fin and signage will seem to glow from within, establishing the police station as a safe haven in the community.” The project was completed in April 2018, and staff are currently preparing to move into the building. The general contractor was RFC Contracting. Vulcan Metal Sales was responsible for installation. ABOUT CENTRIA CENTRIA innovations in architectural metal wall and roof systems are helping building teams around the world envision metal as the future of the building envelope. From inspiration through installation, CENTRIA provides the highest level of expertise including service and support from an elite Dealer Network. Based in Pittsburgh (Moon Township, Pa.), our metal architectural systems are the perfect combination of science and aesthetics, offering advanced thermal and moisture protection technology, the broadest spectrum of design options, truly integrated components, and superior sustainability. CENTRIA is an NCI Building Systems (NYSE:NCS) company. Visit us at www.centria.com. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCexRyuC8RVRlT1kw-TY8upQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CENTRIAperformance/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/CENTRIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centriaperformance/ 100 Years of CENTRIA How does CENTRIA continuously engineer and manufacture the world’s most advanced building envelope wall and roof panels, integrated components and coating systems? The pursuit of excellence has been central to the success and growth of CENTRIA and its predecessor companies — H.H. Robertson, E.G. Smith and Steelite — from the very beginning.For over 100 years, CENTRIA has successfully navigated tremendous change throughout the building products industry. We’ve been able to do this by being innovators, continuously relying on the most advanced technology to develop unique products that further the art of commercial architecture. CENTRIA's foundation is built on year's of product and design innovation. Explore some of our most important milestones throughout a century of innovation.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line239
__label__wiki	0.73842	0.73842	Metalwërks 200 Gale Lane http://www.metalwerksusa.com/ Miriam Lamey miriam.lamey@larsonobrien.com Metalwërks® Presents High-Definition Sculpted™ 3D Video and Interactive Renderings The Sculpted 3D Rainscreen System enables walls to become more than simply barriers to the elements KENNETT SQUARE, PA…Metalwërks has launched a new product video and interactive renderings highlighting its most aesthetically-diverse product, Sculpted™ 3D. The visual exploration of this product, available in three different configurations, enables architects, design teams, and others involved in construction and engineering to wholly comprehend its capabilities. Watch the Video: https://metalwerksusa.com/product/sculpted-3d/ The Sculpted renderings can be zoomed, panned and rotated 360 degrees to explore the material's true aesthetic characteristics. With easily-searchable products and corresponding renderings, users can develop a thorough understanding of Metalwërks’ product offerings, both visually and functionally. Explore Interactive 3D Renderings: https://metalwerksusa.com/product/sculpted-3d/#design_schemes “We are excited to present this in-depth look at our Sculpted 3D Rainscreen System, - it’s a great opportunity to show the sheer range of aesthetic possibilities that can be achieved,” says John Scorsone, Sales Engineer, Metalwërks. “Presenting the visual dynamics of this system further enables us to better serve the architectural and design community, allowing them to imagine their designs come to life.” The all-new, high-definition Sculpted 3D renderings and video can be viewed on any device, whether desktop or mobile. The Sculpted™ 3D Rainscreen System is a dry-set, solid metal wall panel with three complementary and interchangeable design schemes that produce the boldest three-dimensional forms possible. For more information and to experience the renderings firsthand, visit https://metalwerksusa.com/product/sculpted-3d/#design_schemes About Metalwërks: Founded in 1968, Metalwërks is the leading U.S. manufacturer of precision high-performance metal plate exterior facade systems, integrated curtain wall components, and custom architectural features. The company works in close collaboration with top architects to achieve new levels of form and function in systems precision-manufactured from solid metal plate. Metalwërks is unparalleled in the quality, diversity, integrity and reputation of its systems, services, and employees. For more information, visit: www.metalwerksusa.com. Headquartered in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, with production facilities in Elkton, Maryland, Metalwërks is the leading US manufacturer of precision high performance metal plate exterior facade systems, integrated curtain wall components, and custom architectural features. Since 1968, Metalwërks has worked in close collaboration with top architects to achieve new levels of form and function in systems precision-manufactured from solid metal plate. Today, Metalwërks remains committed to innovating architectural plate systems that meet the ever-evolving aesthetic, functional, performance, and environmental requirements of architects and building owners. Originally founded as a metal fabrication and contracting company, Metalwërks possesses a wealth of real-world experience and knowledge that informs every design and engineering decision that go into its systems and projects. This is a big reason why Metalwërks systems are more materially and structurally efficient, far more easily and affordably constructible, and why architects, owners, and contractors alike continue to prefer Metalwërks systems over alternatives. As a family-owned company, Metalwërks takes ultimate pride in the high quality, integrity and good reputation of its systems, services, and employees. This unwavering commitment to quality is most evident in its craftsmanship, unparalleled in the industry. Metalwërks stands behind all of its products to ensure absolute customer satisfaction.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line240
__label__cc	0.73652	0.26348	Meet our Mayor Fourth Street Project Growers' Market Lavender Events Fruit Tree Mapping Holiday Stop & Shop Business Listing (A-Z) Business Listings by Category New Business Info Business License Renewals Village Magazine Village Photo Tour Board of Trustees Multimedia Planning & Zoning Multimedia Village of Los Ranchos Los Ranchos Vision Magazine For your enjoyment, click here to view the most current digital version of the Los Ranchos Vision Magazine in its entirety. It is written about the Village, by Villagers, for Villagers. The Los Ranchos Vision Magazine has grown since it began in 2004. Eight issues per calendar year are released, with each issue between 48 and 56 full color pages, and printed on 70# gloss paper. The magazine is mailed free to every household and every business in Los Ranchos. There are, in addition, a number of paid subscriptions outside the Village, and complimentary copies are distributed at Village events. If you would like to pick-up one free copy of the current publication, you may pick it up at Village Hall. If you would like more than one copy, it can be purchased at Village Hall for $2.00 per copy. Non-Village residents and other interested parties may subscribe for $20.00 (includes S/H) per annum. Alternatively, you may download/print the entire magazine or a specific page of the magazine by clicking the link at the top of this page. Eight issues per calendar year are released: Winter Issue (January/February); March Issue; Spring Issue (April/May); June Issue, Summer Lavender Issue (July/August); September Issue; Fall Issue (October); and the Holiday Issue (November/December). For a current rate sheet and other information on how to submit an advertisement, click here. For a list of the 2019 deadlines for article and advertising submissions, click here, check this website's online calendar, or see the calendar on the inside of the magazine. To submit an article for consideration, please email Cynthia Jaramillo at cjaramillo@losranchosnm.gov. If you have any additional questions, please contact us. Archived Copies of the Magazine Due to the file size, please allow up to 2 minutes for the files to load. Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque 6718 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Los Ranchos, NM 87107 505-344-6582 phone, 505-344-8978 fax info@losranchosnm.gov. Copyright © 2013 Village of Los Ranchos. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line241
__label__wiki	0.669325	0.669325	Viano AMBIENTE Viano FUN Viano MARCO POLO Viano TREND Viano VISION DIAMOND Viano Vision Pearl Magazine Mercedes-AMG GT GT C Roadster GT R Roadster GT S Roadster eActros Record Run Efficiency Run Actros previous model Atego previous model Atego 2010 Future Truck 2025 Mercedes-Benz Urban eTruck Special Purpose Vehicles Freightliner Trucks O 345 rural-service bus Urban bus Do you really want to delete "Previous model (M-Class)"? Press Kit 1 Show thumbnails Show list CO2 Value Location Release date Teaser-text Title Keys to the popemobile handed over: Dieter Zetsche in a private audience with Pope Francis Stuttgart/Rome, Jul 3, 2013 - Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, handed over the key to the Popemobile to Pope Francis yesterday at a private meeting in the Vatican. Pope Francis will use the M-Class, which was built especially for him, at the end of July when he makes his first official visit to Brazil. During their encounter, Zetsche and Pope Francis also discussed sustainable and safer mobility as well as the Daimler AG’s charitable commitment. Dr Dieter Zetsche hands over Mercedes-Benz M-Class in Rome: New Popemobile from Mercedes-Benz for Pope Benedict XVI Stuttgart/Rom, Dec 7, 2012 - By delivering a new Popemobile to Pope Benedict XVI Mercedes-Benz continues a tradition, which lasts for 80 years now. Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, personally handed over the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, specifically produced for the Pope with special-purpose body, today at the Vatican. Top Safety Pick 2007 - Mercedes-Benz M-Class: Top rating in US safety test Stuttgart, Dec 4, 2006 - The prestigious US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named the Mercedes-Benz M-Class its Top Safety Pick 2007 – the best buy when it comes to safety. The off-roader from Stuttgart performed outstandingly in all areas in the luxury SUV category. Five stars for the M-Class Stuttgart, Oct 4, 2005 - The M-Class has come out of the crash-test programme of the “National Highway Traffic Safety Administration” with flying colours, becoming one of the first SUVs to be awarded the maximum five-star rating for both the frontal and side crashes in the US-NCAP test.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line248
__label__cc	0.671154	0.328846	Madrid, Mejorada del Campo, Catedral de Justo, Spain 28 September – 7 October 2018 Cathedral of Justo The Cathedral of Justo (original name Nuestra Señora del Pilar) is a peculiar building located near Madrid. It has been built by just one man in the last 60 years (construction started on 12 October 1961). This man is Justo Gallego, 92 years old ex-monk who dedicate the whole of his life to build this project. The building has an impressive stance, with its dimensions of 20×50 metres and a total built up area of about 8,000m2. Below the main building there is a crypt and adjacent there is a complex of minor chapels, cloisters, lodgings and a library. The dome of the main building (modelled on St. Peter’s Basilica) is about 40 metres in height, about 12 metres in diameter. The whole building was made just with the use of found objects and recycled materials. This includes everyday objects and excess construction materials donated by construction companies and a nearby brick factory. The building work has been carried out without any crane. This is probably the most impressive DIY operation ever done in history, and for this reason we are delighted to host our next exhibition here. Severo pero Justo. Butterfly by Carlo Chiatti Monna Lisa by Gianluca Spanu Vortex by Paul Murrin Polycystine by Maciej Nisztuk Modern Cathedral by Insitu Leopard by Alexis Snell Atmosface by Omnivors Arduino & Laser cutter simple tea maker by Pedram Ashemi Laser Cutter & CNC Apply Here for the new edition in Madrid Keep up to date with our exhibitions and news Past Exibitions ScanAndMake 7, Curate Road L60BZ Tel. UK: +44 (0) 1513244691 Tel. USA: +1 949 5967531 VAT: GB114106567 Attachments ( .jpg , .png or .pdf allowed)*	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line253
__label__wiki	0.798777	0.798777	The Massy Foundation unveils “Souls of Steel” This past week, the philanthropic arm of the Massy Group, the Massy Foundation delighted steel pan enthusiasts and Carnival culture aficionados with the premiere of the film “Souls of Steel: A Documentary about Massy Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra”. The launch event and screening took place at the iconic Little Carib Theatre in Woodbrook, Port-Of-Spain and attracted a unique mix of past and present Massy Trinidad All Stars players, supporters of the band, T&T cultural stakeholders and members of the local film, entertainment and media fraternity. On hand at the event was Beresford Hunte, Manager, Trinidad All Stars Steel Orchestra who thanked all attendees for their presence on the momentous occasion and expressed his gratitude to the Massy Foundation for its steadfast support of the band throughout the years. Echoing Hunte’s excitement about the film was Gaston Aguilera, Chairman, Massy Foundation who shared his and the Foundation’s enthusiasm to be associated with ‘Souls of Steel’. Souls of Steel which was directed by regional film director and producer, Dave Cropper of Cropper Media Limited, was commissioned in 2013 by the Massy Group (then Neal & Massy) in honour of its 25th anniversary as the Corporate Sponsor of the Massy Trinidad All Stars. Cropper artfully wove together a mix of perspectives about Trinidad All Stars, its history, its achievements, its culture and values and its journey in the 2014 Panorama competition, offering a multi-faceted look at the famed steel band. During the screening the appreciative audience at Little Carib Theatre enjoyed many interesting on-screen anecdotes from players who reminisced on the bands evolution over the last 3 decades, inspiring interviews with past and current members such as Leon ‘Smooth’ Edwards, Arranger, Dane Gulston, long-standing member, Jason ‘Stumps’ Lewis, Operations Manager, Neville Jules, Founder, as well as classic clips of the Massy Trinidad All Stars’ past performances. The film’s content also includes footage from the band’s Panorama performance in 2014 - a contentious year for the band in which they placed second to Phase II Pan Groove in the Panorama Finals, missing the championship by only one point. This production was timely as 2015 also marks the 80th Anniversary of Massy Trinidad All Stars. The recent launch event not only provided invited guests with a platform for networking over delightful local delicacies and discussing the recent 2015 Panorama Semi-Finals which saw the Massy Trinidad All Stars triumphantly topping all the competition, but it also gave a first look at what can be deemed a true ‘piece of history’ about the 8 time National Panorama champions. The launch and screening at Little Carib Theatre was one of several activities planned by the band to commemorate its 80th Anniversary throughout the year. View photos from the event at http://www.lime.tt/2015/02/souls-of-steel-screening/ The Massy Foundation (the Foundation) was formed in 1979, two decades before former UN Secretary General – Kofi A. Annan challenged companies to f ©Massy Group	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line258
__label__cc	0.660333	0.339667	Mijanweb For deals on game keys, visit G2A! MMORPG (21) agrodeck eve tools humblebundle Powered by BlogEngine.NET Designed by Francis Bio New PC - Alienware (Me selling out) 25 March 2010 Mijan Gaming I recently decided to go for a new PC, as my old one was, well, not exactly lagging behind, but I wanted to be able to play on 2560x1600 with higher details even on new games, which I wasn’t too sure I’d be able to achieve simply by swapping some parts, so a new PC it was! Now, I’ve been building both my own and other peoples PCs for the last decade, and vowed many a time to completely avoid all the pre-built systems out there, but then I started doing some minor price comparisons and wanted to see what the hype was all about regarding Alienware. With a reputation of being extremely overpriced, I configured the top model and saw it was definitely true there, and went on to check out what parts I’d need for my new PC, but stopped at the point where watercooling for the CPU became a priority. Not feeling too brave in that department, I decided once again to look up the pre-built options. I decided to start with the smallest model from Alienware instead, as it hit me that the initial option really wasn’t too expensive given its features and components – and a price comparison showed that it was roughly the same as buying the same components! At that point I was fairly sold on the idea, and decided to add custom upgrades to the system for the part which I couldn’t easily replace myself – namely the CPU and its watercooling system – and the price was so close to the component price that it was well worth it to actually put in an order. I did however want this PC to be fairly decent, and after doing a quick check with customer service to ensure that the warranty wouldn’t be broken by me messing around in the case I placed the order, and did a side-order of RAM, an Intel SSD and the new ATI 5970 graphics card. The interesting part here is that actually upgrading these parts in the configuration of the PC put almost 50% more on the price than it should have if you were thinking component cost, and I’m fairly sure this is where the overpriced and profit margins from Alienware kicks in – as people who usually want to buy a “top of the line” PC tends to just go and max out everything, then complain as it’s horribly overpriced. When the PC arrived, I have to admit it was quite beautiful! Not really thinking so much of the appearance on the outside, but the careful thought and deliberation that had gone on in creating the inside of the case, everything was so easily accessible and doing the upgrades was so simple I’m quite convinced I’m never going to go back to custom building unless I actually have the exact same flexibility this case offers! On a side note here, the size of the 5970 is massive, and you really need some added space next to the motherboard inside the case to actually fit it at all. All in all, I’m pleasantly surprised with my experience, I feel that I’ve gotten great value, and the only negative I can think of is the time it took to actually assemble and ship the system, I’m giving them the benefit of “We had a christmas backlog”-doubt though, and figure it was just a timing issue. If you’re borderline when it comes to the custom vs pre-built and don’t have a local retailer, I would recommend just trying to check the basic specs for the smallest Alienware setup available, and then do a nice price comparison there, then add on what you really want. Current PC Specs: i7 960 3.2ghz, 12gb RAM, ATI 5970, Intel X-25 Gen2 SSD Technorati Tags: pc,alienware Star Trek Online - Overview, Tips and Review-ish Info 13 January 2010 Mijan Gaming, MMORPG Now that the NDA of the Star Trek Online has been lifted, I’ve had a fair few people ask me some questions about it, and decided it would probably be good to summarize some hints and tips, as well as giving an overview of the general mechanics of the game. The tips and suggestions will include mainly the low level stuff, as you should be able to make your own conclusions after playing for a while. A slight disclaimer should note that the views expressed here are my own opinions based on roaming around in beta, and only that, opinions. Also, this will be a lot of text, the TL;DR version should be at the bottom. :) First off, the general setting is – as the name implies – the Star Trek Universe, where you’re roaming around captaining your starship, or leading your away team to boldly go wherever you want! Undertaking missions involving combat and/or exploration for the benefit of the Federation or the Klingon Empire. The actual game is divided into two different sections, ground and space. When you’re on ground missions, you run around as your avatar, with a squad of 4 others, either your NPC officers or other players. While the space section has you captaining a spaceship roaming around in space. Probably the most anticipated and fun part of the game is the space part of the game. A typical fight would involve maneuvering around trying to destroy the other ship with phasers and torpedos, making sure to have them in your firing arcs, while at the same time trying to deflect as much damage as possible into your shield, balancing out the shield to the area where you are receiving damage. The shield mechanic is based on there being 4 different sections on your ship each covered by a portion of your total shield energy, then as attacks come in, your shield will absorb a fair amount of the damage, depleting the energy in that section. At that point you should use skills to channel energy from the other sections over to the damaged one, or simply try to maneuver away so the damaged section is no longer facing the enemy. The weapons mechanic consists of there being front and rear weapon slots, with each weapon having a different firing arc. The main types of weapons are energy weapons, torpedoes and to a certain extent mines – the energy weapons are usually quick to fire and are relatively decent at sorting out shield, while the torpedoes generally have a longer reload and have extreme amounts of damage to hull when the shield is down. The choice of weapons determine how you’re going to maneuver around in combat, typically the smaller arc gives the most damage, while the 240degree arc does medium damage, and the 360 arc does less damage. As an example, if you were extremely forward focused, you could put cannons (45degree) and torpedoes (90degree) in your forward slots, and turrets (360degree) in rear slots. If you go with such a setup, you need to adjust your playstyle to ensure that you almost always face the target, while a more balanced setup with 240degree phasers front and rear would have a more flexible setup, being able to deal damage while performing evasive actions. As an example, the standard setup is forward and rear 240degree phaser beam weapons, and front torpedoes in the second weaponslot. I’d keep the phasers on autofire and try to broadside the other ship, while switching sides or adjusting shield power to compensate for their damage output, until their shields are failing, at which point I try to get them in the frontal view to launch torpedoes for the massive hull damage. In addition to this, you also have control over where you want to put your power. There are 4 systems in need of power, namely weapons, shields, engines and auxiliary. Increasing power to weapons or auxiliary will increase damage from energy weapons or effectiveness of various utility skills respectively, while increasing power to shields will improve shield regen rates, and engines will increase movement speed. In a typical combat situation, I found it generally preferable to set full power to weapons, remainder to shields and minimal to engines/auxiliary due to the ships usually not being strong enough to break through my shields before I could destroy them. Another tip when it comes to surviving against stronger ships especially, is that you should quickly identify if they have a ton of torpedoes and/or cannons at their forward arc, typically escorts will have these, if so – try to avoid being in their really strong arc, as that could easily the difference between a destroyed ship and taking minimal damage. Furthermore, the outcome of battle will be influenced by the use of skills, these are coming either from your character, your ship(type) or your bridge officers. Bridge Officers and Ships Bridge Officers are NPCs you recruit or gain as rewards throughout the game with their own special abilities. As you progress in the game, you can also train and promote your own bridge officers, advancing them in rank just like yourself, with the slight exception of them needing to stay at least one rank below you. For each rank they gain, they gain access to another skill. The different ships available have a set amount of Bridge Officers you can use at the same time, and different grades as well. As an example, the first science vessel you can access (when you reach rank Lt. Commander) has room for two science, one tactical and one engineering officer, however only one of those two science officers can be ranked as Lieutenant (Rank 1, Ensign being Rank 0), while the other has to be ranked as an Ensign still. As a result of this, only one of those officers can use their rank 1 skill, while the other one will have this disabled. The different ships you can use are divided into three types, Science Vessels (Science Bridge Officers), Cruisers (Engineering Bridge Officers) and Escorts (Tactical Bridge Officers). Cryptic has stated that they’re aiming to fill three different roles in combat with these, and want the Cruisers to fulfill a tanking role, Escorts to perform a damage role and Science Vessels to represent the utility. The main attractions of the different ships are that Escorts are able to mount cannons, are agile and have an extra forward weapon slot, cruisers are slow, have an extra weapon slot and have a ton of hitpoints, while science vessels possess more shields than the rest and have the ability to target subsections of the enemy vessels. As far as endgame goes, the current final tier ships will allow you to have one Commander (Rank 3) and one Lt. Commander (Rank 2) of the main ship career active, while having a Lieutenant and Ensign of a second career active, and a Lieutenant of a third career active – which career the latter two relate to will depend on which subtype you choose for the final tier ship. What does this mean? This should be one of the main things to consider when deciding on a ship class. In addition to the special effects for its given class, you will only have Lt Commander and Commander Bridge Officer skills available for the given career for your shiptype available. Careers and Progression As mentioned before, there are three different classes or careers in the game, namely Tactical, Science and Engineering. The real impact these careers have on the game is narrowed down to what kind of ground abilities (kits) they can use/equip, and to a certain degree what kind of special skills they receive for use in space. I’d like to just note that there are people thinking that a certain career means you will be locked to a certain type of ship, which isn’t true at all. As it stands, certain career abilities will favor some ships more than others, but you could also argue that those abilities will complement the other ship classes as well, so it’s really up to personal choice. Note that I’m not 100% sure what the abilities for the different player careers are, as I couldn’t find a list of them, and they seem to appear at random levels. The progression is a simple leveling system, sort of tucked into the Starfleet ranks. From Lieutenant to Admiral basically involves 50 levels, with a rank up and new ship possibilities every 10 levels. Each time you complete a mission or defeat some of the higher ranked enemies in the game, you receive an amount of skillpoints. These skillpoints can be used at any time to increase your skills in the skill list. A note here should be that all of the skills are either ground or space skills, and you don’t gain any powers directly from the skills you select, in fact, most of the advanced skills are simply enhancing other skills used by yourself or your bridge officers. Currency and Missions The currency in the game is divided into two. First you have the “replicator credit” which you get from “selling” items you find. This will let you “buy” various items from most merchants ingame. Secondly you have merit points, which are awarded at the end of missions and could be seen as faction credits to be spent on various faction perks from Starfleet. In addition to these two, you have a fair amount of commodities you can either buy or trade for, some of which are required to complete certain missions. As an example, to progress in a quest at Deep Space Nine, you need 10 Entertainment Provisions, which are traded for by a nearby merchant, who requires something like 6 Provisions to trade for one Entertainment Provision. The regular provisions are replicated and sold at Starfleet commodity brokers, so you would need to first buy 60 of those provisions, trade them with the shady merchant, and then turn them in to the person who has the quest. In addition to currency, Cryptic declared that crafting was in-game, which is true according to their definition I suppose. As you travel through the universe, you come across anomalies, which upon examination rewards you with some sort of artifact or other item. Gathering these and giving them, along with an item to a merchant will reward you with an upgraded version of the item, I can’t say it’s quite SWG-crafting, but then again, nothing is. :) The various missions you can perform are relatively diverse at first, ranging from exploration quests, kill quests, and fairly mixed content. Furthermore, all missions and encounters are scaled to your group size, so you can group up and still receive challenging content, as the game will just spawn more ships or harder enemies for you. In addition to these you have missions in the form of Fleet Actions which are similar to public quests in Warhammer Online, where a ton of people group up and perform a shared goal. These also seem to mix a bit of space and ground as well, establishing groups as you beam down to perform ground combat. Ground Combat Ground combat is exactly what it sounds like, where you run around like most other mmos today, except you have a relatively limited amount of skills on your character. The mechanics are slightly different than what’s “standard” compared to the other mmos out there is that you have an expose/set-up-for-damage system and flanking damage. You want to initially perform an expose attack to render the target immobilized and open for massive damage, almost similar to dropping shields of a starship, and follow up with a damage attack to deal added damage. Furthermore, attacking from the side or the back will deal extra damage, so positioning is key to do the tactical approaches here. Now, the reason I don’t write too much about ground combat is that I really don’t have too much positive to say about it, I dislike the controls, combat feels very unnatural and there’s an insane amount of latency compared to space combat – I assume the latter one will be fixed soon though. However, after the first few ground combat missions, I just sat there with a sour taste in my mouth whenever I saw these appear, and just wanted to get back into space as quickly as possible. The solution to ground missions was for me to just run into the midst of the enemy and hopefully get killed, then go do something else for a few minutes, while my trusty Bridge Officers killed the remaining enemies and helped me get back up. Another “flaw” in both the ground and space combat, but much more visible in ground combat, is the utter lack of any death penalty. One of my missions bugged at one point, rendering the level of the boss I was going to kill much much higher than it should be, pretty much unbeatable in a fair fight. However, when he decided to follow me back to my respawn point, things started looking up – except I don’t think the “graveyard zerg” tactic should be one of the more viable ones for defeating tough opponents. Yet, with no death penalty whatsoever, this is unfortunately not only a viable tactic, but a fairly efficient one as well. Klingon Gameplay and PvP A separate section is needed here, as the above is mostly generic, but all based on the Starfleet side of the universe. Once you reach Lt. Grade 5 or 6, you receive the option to create a Klingon character. This character will start at Lt. Grade 6 as a member of the Klingon Empire and roam around with his stealthy little Bird of Prey. I have to admit I didn’t spend a lot of time on my Klingon character, so I can’t go into details on this, but from the little I played, I can tell you there’s a lot of fun to be had with a cloaked ship! The Klingon progression has been flagged as being very PvP-centric, and I suspect it became quite apparent when one of the first missions I received was to die 25 times in PvP combat. All the different scenarios were something I didn’t get around to testing, but from what I could see, there’s a wide variety of scenarios and “battlegrounds” to participate in, and the ones I did try were quite a bit of fun, despite me figuring out the hard way how cloaked doesn’t really mean undetectable as I managed to get too close to one of the enemy ships, and received a very timely torpedo barrage before I was able to remove my cloak and raise my shields. All in all though, I feel the game as a whole comes off strong despite its flaws. The space combat is quite refreshing, and as you progress to the stages where you gain new ships and more skills, the combat really turns hectic, and it’s increasingly difficult to keep track of all the different angles you need to maintain for weapons, shield values, power balance, positioning to minimize damage and various skills to use. The concerns are present especially regarding ground combat with away missions, but also in the sense that I feel they may have a case of the diversity and potential for longevity in the game not really showing until you’re quite a while into the game, and as such, it might scare off some people. Meanwhile, I’ll keep petitioning for Star Trek Online to follow the Starfleet directive prohibiting captains to participate in away missions … Technorati Tags: STO,mmorpg,gaming Aion Early Start 22 September 2009 Mijan Gaming, MMORPG I’ve been quite “busy” having fun in various games and other activities over the summer, and as a result I suspect I didn’t get around to posting things, will see if that can change a bit now though … I honestly didn’t think I would have the time to post anything at present, as I decided to give Aion a try, after pre-ordering it to get into the beta way back when … it released for pre-orders this sunday, and I’m usually quite occupied when it comes to new MMOs being released, it triggers a rather competitive must-level-asap gene… Now, the reason for me actually writing here now, is the way NCSoft is handling this lovely launch! Sure, people claim most MMOs are off to a rocky start, but really, the previous two big title MMOs in my book (Warhammer/AoC) both had a fairly decent actual launch, and seeing how Aion already has been running for a year in Asia, there shouldn’t really be any reason for it being dodgy. The current issue is the fact that servers have insanely long queues to actually get into the game, I came home from work today and immediately queued for login, and found that there was a 4hour 30minute wait ahead of me. I sighed and went around doing other stuff for a while, checking in every now and then to see how things were coming along, then at 5minutes remaining, position 50ish in the queue, the client decided enough was enough, and just froze. Back out and in, why hello there, another 4 hours for you! I tend to be quite favorable towards developers/gamecompanies when it comes to pretty much any software title. Being a developer myself, I know how messy things can get, and how extremely hard it is to predict issues/bugs and so on, yet, on this occasion I can’t seem to figure out why NCSoft hasn’t launched this smoother. First off, they knew the amount of people pre-ordering, so they should definitely be able to scale servers accordingly. If that’s not enough, they’re employing the zone-instance approach in-game, which basically lets them have a lot more people on the servers at the same time in the “same” area than most other MMOs, again, if it’s a capacity issue, just spawn more instances! Then, the final straw has to be the fact that they let people pre-register 3 days before actually being able to play. Even if they blatantly ignore the amount of people who have pre-ordered, surely this should be a VERY GOOD indication of how many people would actually want to play the during the early start period! Now, 2hours and 39minutes remaining, with the launcher still thanking me for my patience, I can’t help but wonder what will happen when the game is officially launched, and the rest of the population who wants to play decides to start playing… also, I can’t help but wonder if any anti-afk type tools are frowned upon, as it’d be quite tempting to just leave the character logged in while at work, to avoid having to spend 80% of the evening in a login queue. For the record, I’ve managed to play the game for roughly 3 hours in total now, while spending 15 hours in queues! Oh, and I’ll give the review at a later point, need to hopefully let this slide and give a relatively unbiased review based on the actual in-game features! Technorati Tags: mmorpg,aion,gaming WoW MLG Arena Tournament Weekend 08 June 2009 Mijan I just finished watching the last matches in the current Major League Gaming event for World of Warcraft 3v3 Arena, and I have to admit I felt like it was overall fairly awesome really! 7 of the best 3v3 teams in USA and 1 of the best from Europe battled in a 3 day event to determine the winner of this tournament, and every match was streamed live with comments and everything. I found it to be a lot more fun to watch than I initially had anticipated, mainly due to being able to see exactly what the players were planning on doing through Blizzards “Arena Viewer” screen-system setup, as well as getting a much better feel for what the teams were doing and trying to accomplish due to having the people commenting the game lay out some of the strats and pinpoint key points and critical twists and turns of the matches. This being especially useful for the classes I was less familiar with coming into the tournament. One of the interesting things to see is how a team plays in a “random type” match, there are a ton of videos out there which basically are highlights with like 1% of the actual gameplay being done. Although it’s fun to see those at times, for my own “progress” I’m more fond of checking out what people would do in a live setting where they can’t edit out all their crappy messups. The lineups were fairly “interesting”, with 4 teams playing Rogue/Mage/Priest, 2 teams mainly playing Rogue/Warlock/Shaman, 1 team playing Paladin/Hunter/DK and one mixing it up and playing just about anything, I think mainly Rogue/Ret/Priest though. With 3 of the RMP teams going on to the finals, along with the “PHD” team, I guess it shows what a fairly strong combination the RMP is. I suspect it’s the most versatile combination really, just changing strats for the different teams, able to do just about anything, yet, probably the combination requiring the most individual skill along with team synergy to play successfully. I think if you have some interest in WoW in general, you should try to check out one of these events being streamed really – it will most likely surprise you in a positive way if you’re sceptical. Unfortunately, the next MLG tournament will not be until August, I just hope the RMP setup will remain relatively strong, as it’s really entertaining for me as a priest-main to see the mirror matches here, and really makes me want to see if I can get around to sort out some decent 3v3s with people on my server. Also looking forward to more awesome comments from the IRC community who I was “watching” the last day of streaming with, the anonymity of an IRC-nickname surely brings out the politically incorrectness in people, all good fun! Until then, for arenastreams, arenajunkies usually have some neat ones up at http://www.arenajunkies.com/streams/ – unfortunately, the quality of these streams vary immensely, whereas the quality on the MLG stream was absolutely amazing, near-TV quality really. Oh, and grats to SK USA for picking up the win in the end, if only the matchup vs Ensidia had been a best out of 30 match… mmmm, could’ve watched those matches all day! :D Tags: wow,arena,mlg,3v3,sk-gaming,ensidia,pvp,mmorpg SW: The Old Republic - Thoughts After the launch of the extremely well done trailer for The Old Republic, I’ve been thinking a fair bit regarding what the game will actually look like, and how it will come to work in reality, and decided to ramble… An interesting thought by the “hidden messages” people seem to imply that Bioware is comparing Blizzard/WoW with the Republic, and as such is sending the message through the trailer that “You thought no force could challenge you …” and “Your republic, will fall..”, which initially made for a great scenario, but after thinking about it for a bit, I’m not sure I’d really want it to be. The average ingame WoW-mentality is so horrible and crazy that I can’t even begin to describe it, as far as WoW goes, I decided to skip off on a RP server to hopefully experience a bit more mature crowd, and it started out well, but slowly degenerated into similar madness to those that are “Normal/PvP-servers”. I should however note, that after trying out a Blood Elf character on an actual PvP server, I entered silvermoon and managed to fill my ignore list by the time I made it to the Auction House. On another note, the way WoW has been repeatedly dumbed down and made extremely easy (initially) to cater to the average “not-quite-as-smart-as-the-average-person” makes me worry that this is the standard others will follow. I remember the shock way back when I heard that Blizzard were doing a no penalty for dying deal with WoW, effectively taking the risk out, yet keeping the reward in. Comparing this approach to previous games where you traditionally lose a portion of your xp and could even de-level when you die, it has the side-effect of making people extremely reckless and will not “learn” at all. As a nice example here, in Final Fantasy XI, you’d be losing 10% of your xp required to the next level everytime you die, and you used to HAVE to group to level – implying that if you kept screwing up and making your group wipe, you’d quickly be quite unpopular in the game, and would struggle to actually make it to the higher levels of endgame – which quite simply made a lot of the less skilled people quit, leaving the remaining players quite competent, and with a level of appreciation and respect for the rest. You could “pug” just about anything at higher levels there, not due to it being easy, but due to the fact that people had to know what they were doing to actually get that high. In comparison, leveling to max level in WoW requires something like $30 and a pulse - or rather, if you’re fond of bots, $45 and no pulse. Now, if this crowd is deciding to move on, I can only assume that Bioware as a business have to cater to these people as well, most likely making the community a very crappy experience – at least from my point of view. I don’t think the immersion they’re aiming towards at Bioware as mentioned in the developer diaries would survive a fair bit of “LF IMBAH TANK FOR KORRIBAN TO RAID SITHIEZ PLZZZZ! LAST SPOT! (PS NO MORE RODIAN TANKS FFS! –.-)”. For me I suspect what it will come down to is whether or not they’ll actually be able to maintain a decent degree of control in something of an RP server environment. I guess I just want to have fun in the Star Wars Galaxy, and not have crazy people roaming around “ruining my gaming experience”. (HEH! :D) Hopefully either the threshold for playing it will be high enough to maintain a decent community, or the enforcement of typical non-leetspeak and preventing B0baPh4t420s running around in an RP environment will be enough to actually have the game grant the immersion that it aims to have. I feel I should add that some of the most fun and intense moments I’ve had in my “MMO-career” involved running around with my fresh Jedi in SW:Galaxies, before any of the deathpenalty changes, which meant that if your character died three times, it was permanently dead and you had to start over. The constant fear of your character dying really raised the pulse-level a fair bit, and made you really think about what you were doing. Having to go into town as a Jedi at that point with the possibility of a Bounty Hunter jumping you was enough to make me literally sweat and be completely focused. I guess I’m hoping for SW: The Old Republic to be a technical success, but not a huge enough all-round success to make it go the way WoW has gone. Is that bad? :) On a side-note, regarding immersion, if you’re reading this Bioware - a collectors edition package bundled with an ACTUAL real-size wearable Jedi-robe would be excellent! Tags: swtor,starwars,the old republic,mmorpg,tor WoW Arena Season 5 and Season 6 - Arena Fun! 05 May 2009 Mijan Gaming, MMORPG I had a break from WoW due to last arena-season being slightly worrying. With last season being the first season at level 80, there was bound to be some sort of imbalance really – but for me it was just too much really. I initially started off with my freshly leveled Paladin and did a few matches right out of the starting blocks really, not having done any PvP with my Paladin before that, and did rather well. A limited skillset with independant skills was really not my idea of having fun in arena though, so I decided to scrap that and level up my Priest to play that instead. My previous arena history includes grabbing Rival titles from both S3 and S4 with a Priest/Rogue setup, first one with a RL friend, second one with someone I met online. Now, I didn’t actually have someone in mind to play with, as my previous rogue had transfered off to greener pastures, but decided something would show up sooner or later, and just rushleveled Priest up to 80 to start PvPing. It was actually quite refreshing and fun in comparison to the Paladin I played, and, my previous rogue decided to transfer back to once again team up and annihilate the opposition in my battlegroup. Now, initially things weren’t going all that well, but as we progressed and got slightly better gear – we managed to push through and finally break the 2000rating barrier. However, things just went downhill really… First off, the skillset of Hunters and Death Knights mainly in combination with Paladins, we would pretty much get properly annihilated if one of these would show up and say “hi!”. Any Hunter-team could mess up several times without being able to lose really, at one point I saw 3 different CC-types on me at the same time from a Hunter/Paladin team, and still we’d barely be able to win that match. I know if we’d screw up our cooldowns like that, we’d struggle with any wins at all really. Secondly, the weapons and gear for arena was extremely important for success, especially seeing how fresh gear also implies zero resilience, people with the endgame raidgear had an insane advantage over the rest. As someone who really only enjoys the PvP/Arena aspect of the game, neither of us had access to that kind of gear, and was at an immediate disadvantage. It probably didn’t help that I only leveled my Priest after playing Paladin in arena for a few weeks and got behind on the gear race even further. As an additional point here, Blizzard had decided to let the raidgear be superior to the top pvp-gear you would be able to get from arena, as such, the dps-classes would mainly want to utilize their raidgear, even if they had access to the arena gear. As a result of all of this, and after meeting excessive amounts of what people would consider “hard counters” to our setup – where we could really play 100% flawlessly but yet have no chance of winning if they were doing well, we just dropped it, and I ran off to take a break from WoW altogether. For me, playing 2v2 with my Priest and not playing with a Rogue would just be… something I wouldn’t do to be honest, I’ve just always liked the synergy and relative finesse which you mainly have to use to win. I realize that people who have been properly annihilated by over-raidgeared luckycritting rogues would most likely be whining at this point, but really, when I see the Rogue I’m playing with having to deal with all the different choices possible, the reactions and mainly sneaky tricks in general, I can’t help but feel that it’s not as random as some people will have it. We’ve faced several matches where I see the other rogue just being utterly annihilated by my rogue, despite him not having nowhere near the gear and general damageoutput as the other person if they had been fighting targetdummies. This was one of the things I felt we just had to accept last season, neither of us would get the top gear, and we would just have to start at a slight disadvantage when facing other teams with access to these items. Now, the new season came in, I was reading up on the patch-notes, and they addressed quite a few of the problems that I felt was making last season quite crappy, namely Hunters had their insane attacks toned down, but the killer is most likely that the manadrain has been toned down to more or less a non-factor. This alone would enable us to have a fighting chance against Hunter teams. Furthermore, I have to admit I’m not all up to speed on what kind of skills the Death Knights use, but I know that I was killed by one at one point who was spamming one attack over and over again, so I’m guessing that quite possibly got toned down a bit. And those were pretty much the nice balancing factors that I felt was “enough” to make me want to give it another go. Then I came to the Priest section, and realized that they’re giving some new utility for Priests as well, increasing the survivability and lasting by so much I had a feeling it’d be a bit too much, but we’d see when the season got going. One of the new “interesting” things Blizzard did for Season 6 was to start all teams at 0 rating. I assume this was done to sortof make players feel like they were progressing, even if they were eventually going to land up around 1000 rating regardless, and for people in my guild who weren’t at the top of the lists last season, it has been a fairly huge success! The matchmaking system still matches you against your “hidden” rating (which now is a “visible hidden” rating – shown at the end of each match) and gives you points based on the differences in points from the matchmaking rating compared to your teamrating. The rating gain was capped at 47 I believe, and started going down at around 1200, so it would take about 50 wins to get to 1500, and as a result - start looking at the gear rewards. My other problem with the last season related to gear had also been solved by Blizzard, by letting PvP-weapon/armor-rewards being equal in level to the very endgame content from the PvE part, implying that as people get geared, the gear aspect of the game will more or less fade away, and it’s all down to who can play their classes and combinations best. After playing for a few days, we were doing fairly well, hanging out around 2000 rating and being quite happy with that really, when the SK-100 (top 100 teams in the world) showed something that made me laugh a bit, apparently in the top 100, almost 50% of the teams were Rogue/Priest! Now, I started thinking about this one, as it’s a fairly crazy thing really. And my theory was that by removing the Hunters from the foodchain, Priests again became the viable healer, Shaman and Paladin healers would go down as they were better against Hunter-teams, but worse against Priest-teams, and adding in the fact that Warriors got buffs and now have the ability to remove the Paladin bubble, those kinds of healers have rapidly dropped below the charts. The entire top player class representation was turned completely around. I don’t really know what I assumed would happen, I did expect some nerfs to surface soon, but seeing how they let things run wild last season, I expected them to let things calm down for a bit before doing anything quickly, as the top 100 list was nowhere near completed due to the fact that most teams had to start at 0, and not all the top teams would’ve been able to play enough to get “up there”. But, I guess I was wrong about Blizzard again, and they started their new policy, with “today we’ve patched in these changes …” type announcements, instead of letting things run through the normal patch-cycle. Priests got a few slaps in the face, but, I’m not too concerned about that really. All I see now is that things are starting to look a bit more like they were in S3/S4, with a slightly more balanced field, letting PvPers have as good gear as PvEers, and having a feeling of being able to stand a chance at most combinations we’re up against, yet we’re able to lose horribly in the same matchups if we’re not doing what we should. My favorite types of matches now have actually become the mirror matches where we play other Priest/Rogue teams, more specifically the matches that go on for a good 5+ minutes. I think even if it’s a win or loss there, it’s a fun test for both teams, and they have a great way of going back and forth creating a fair amount of close calls and recoveries. … of course, those matches will hopefully be a bit more fun tomorrow when we get our first S6 weapons … :) sitting at 2100 rating now before that, and our last rated match was a win against a double undead mirror at ~2450 matchmakingrating, good fun! Hopefully that’s us in a few weeks. :) Ooh, reminds me, I should start recording some matches again, recruited a fair few players last time I recorded arenafights in S3/S4. Tags: WoW,MMORPG,Gaming,Arena,2v2,Priest/Rogue MMOs - Yay FFXI! 28 April 2009 Mijan After a fair bit of arena in last WoW season where you’d basically just end up leaving as soon as you saw a Hunter, I decided to stop playing WoW for a while and see what else I could come up with. I went through my standard phase of “patching all possible candidates”, which basically involves patching up to date 4-5 different MMOs I’ve been playing over the years, then reading up on the different games to see if there had been any major changes done in either of them. The game I ended up having a bit of fun with was FFXI, or Final Fantasy Online. I think it might actually be one of the older MMOs I have played, having a launch date in 2002 or somewhere around there – but it’s still heaps of fun! Now, my reason for leaving this game was sitting around in the main town for an entire weekend looking for a group that would take in my Summoner, and just giving up after being so frustrated with not being invited to anything really. The basic idea of Final Fantasy Online is a thorough PvE game set in the Final Fantasy universe. What really puts this MMO in its own category is the fact that it’s actually developed for both PS2 and PC, then ported to Xbox360 later, meaning it’s probably the first major console MMORPG to hit markets. (Not counting PSO etc as MMORPG) Furthermore, it’s to my knowledge the first MMO which has a world-wide server audience in mind, and implementing an in-game translation tool for the Japanese/English languages. The way FFXI is mainly played is through grouping. Leveling goes from 1 to 75, and you used to want to group from 10 to 75 really, which is what made me stop playing as my beloved class wasn’t as wanted in groups as quite a few of the other classes. And add to that the fact that you’d basically lose 10% of your xp needed to the next level every time you died, you’d be very careful about inviting only the classes that you felt really contributed in the best sense to your group, fair call really. Now, what made me try this game again was a nice read at the FFXI Wiki, describing a fair few changes done “recently”, namely improving the XP gained from soloing, improving the XP gained from smaller groups – and the most interesting feature, a “Level Sync” feature, which basically lets you play with everyone at “any level” regardless of what level they’re at. The ability to sync to levels isn’t unique in this MMO though, it’s been done through mentoring/sidekicking/whatnot in other game,s but what sortof sets this implementation apart from the rest, is the way it benefits people. The XP System in FFXI gives you 100xp for defeating an equal level mob, regardless of level. So, when you levelsync down to another level, you still manage to maintain the same XP-gain, even though you may have synchronized your level down from 60 to 20. So you can actually level from 60 to 61 in level 20 groups. I think this implementation is what would’ve made the game a lot easier to play “back when” I actually played this actively with my friends. The problem with leveling at that point was that you pretty much always needed a perfect group set, and the perfect level, to actually level at a decent rate. This pretty much solves all of those problems, and enables friends to play whenever they want really. Now, if only I hadn’t been the only one I knew of who played this game at the moment… :( - Mijan, Level 22DNC/NIN Tags: MMORPG,FFXI,Final Fantasy Online Fable 2 Ending 24 March 2009 Mijan Gaming, Console I’ll try to avoid spoiling too much while still talking about it here … I finally sat down to play through Fable 2 this weekend, and can only say that I’m slightly worried about the decisions I assume they made towards the end of the game related to the “final boss fight”. I guess with the “we still want you to play, even though you finished the game!”-mentality, I can to a certain extent understand why they decided against making it the end-all battle, but seriously! Even though you don’t get the proper satisfaction there, the humor involved in the Castle-quest available to you after you “beat” the game makes up for it though, the reward there is a fun feature that made me laugh a fair bit. :) All in all, Fable 2 is a good fun game, it’s no fallout/oblivion sandbox-game though. Tags: Fable 2,xbox360,gaming,rpg,fable Guitar Hero Metallica Demo 24 March 2009 Mijan The demo for the upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica is now available for download at the Xbox Live Marketplace! I decided to give it a try myself to see if there had been any revolutionary changes to the overall gameplay… (right) and found their “new feature”! This is based on the GH:WT engine, so all the current features there are included, but then they have added one of the popular features from the Rock Band achievers, where you now see how far inbetween the star-ratings you are. The only thing I’d like them to add now is the gold-star concept from Rock Band, to give the achievers something a bit more hardcore to aim for, yet not as insane as the 100% requirement currently in place. By all means, keep the 100% as a separate level, make it platinum stars or something – but – it’s just quite fun to have a stretch-goal which isn’t quite at the 100%-mark yet, as that’s a really painful goal for most people. Tags: Guitar Hero,ghwt,Guitar Hero Metallica,xbox360,gaming Darkfall Online Review of Sorts I've been following Darkfall for quite some time, checking up on things now and then - waiting for it to possibly be the new Shadowbane type game that I quite enjoyed roaming around in. The basic premise seems to be an open sandbox full pvp world, with emphasis on combat requiring "true skill" as the people on the forum tend to describe it. All in all, the overall concept is quite decent on paper really, as it's a fair contrast to what other current popular mmos have to offer at present, and there's quite a few people from the "hardcore pvp-scene" who are quite fond of this game, and have been waiting anxiously the last few years for something similar to this to appear. Before going into details regarding my experience, I feel I should add in some disclaimers here. The developing company of Darkfall Online, Aventurine, is an independent developer without any proper development publisher behind them, and they seem to be suffering a bit as a result of this. More on this later. First off, the Darkfall launch was initially set to be in January, but shortly before that it was pushed back to late February. Fair enough, quite a few mmos do that nowadays, nothing bad there really. However, at the actual launch date, the shopping system and general infrastructure was revealed to be nothing short of a complete mess. At the initial launch, only a few lucky people who had pre-ordered were able to make their purchase and enter the lovely new world, after that, Aventurine shut down the sales as they were concerned about server population and so on. I can't seem to find any actual numbers from official sources, but the general public seem to think that somewhere around 5-6000 copies were sold initially. For a game who has 350,000 members registered on their forums, surely this would seem slightly low. After a few more days after, the store still wasn't back up, and it would take a whole week before they decided to put the store back up. At that point, they kept the store open for a period of 10-20minutes, then shut it down again to keep the number of new people coming into the game limited. The assumed number of copies made available per day seem to be somewhere around 1000. This practice followed, and I decided that I'd want to get a copy, and as such, I camped the online store at around the time they were opening, and tried to get a hold of an order, but to no avail. First day of camping gave me nothing but a good overview of how the actual purchasing process was set up. I spent some time checking out the forums, who were obviously quite swarmed with angry people wanting to play. Can't really blame them, as entering a fresh online world is in my opinion a LOT more fun than one already populated, especially considering the open PvP format of the game. A dodgy side-effect of this is that empty accounts for Darkfall were seen as high as $200US on ebay before being canceled due to violating terms. Forums had a nice walkthrough post listed, which probably isn't the standard walkthrough you'd imagine it to be... it was actually a detailed post describing exactly how to buy the game. Now, I know how this sounds, but it's true! And following this walkthrough, along with a fair bit of luck and patience - I managed to secure my copy the following day... When I finally logged into my account for the game, I saw one of the major issues with why it was like it was - only one server available! And the fact that they were trying to keep people from getting into the game seem to be related to them wanting to not have a lot of people running around in the starting areas at the same time. Upon arriving ingame, I managed to roam around for a bit, do some quests, kill some goblins and loot some stuff and all that good stuff! First impressions were, the UI is really horrible, I've seen better UIs in the mass produced korean MMOs really. The skill system is 'interesting', as it's a UO-copy, where you have skills that level up based on usage, meaning the more you swing a sword, the better you get at it and so on. And finally, the graphics and overall movement/feeling ... ish. The skill/spell system has the reasonable premise of usage being the best way to skill it up, this will by many of the seasoned mmo-players instantly trigger a "MACROING!" line of thought, which is fair really! I can take SWG as an example, where you even were allowed to make recursive macros - and if you were able to make your character level some boring skills a fair bit while you slept, wouldn't you want to? Now, the devs have been extremely vague on this subject, despite addressing it several times. The latest official word on it was that unattended macroing or disruptive skillups in safezones were prohibited and cause for bans, and the same behaviour out in the world was done "at your own risk", now, at the own risk of what? Being banned? Killed by other players? Successfully skilling up to max? The combat is awkward at best from what I experienced. The melee combat is done in a third person over the shoulder view, where you more or less spam the mouse button with your slashes, choosing either to slash horizontally or vertically, depending on whether or not you want to hit more than one target at the same time. This really feels like... something that's hard to describe really, closest I could come is "something I could've played quite a few years back". Archery and Magic use an FPS-view for combat, which felt a bit more "fun" to engage in, however, seeing how the low level magic spells were hardly doing any damage at all, combined with arrows for bows and reagents for the high level spells being rather expensive, the game seems to be quite intent on making you melee quite a fair bit, and I'm not sure I like that. From my point of view, the "true skill" portion of this melee-system as advocated by the hardcore forum-fans is about as "true skill" as two warriors dueling with autoattack exclusively in WoW. Really. All in all, it seems like the game is suffering a fair bit from the whole Aventurine being an independent developer deal, perhaps lacking the proper management that would be needed to make Darkfall a success. With the apparent huge fanbase as it has at present, there's a huge market for having a lot of players in the game now - which seems to be squandered by lack of servers and overall marketing. If you check out their webpage for instance, there hasn't been any updates since before launch, there's really no sign of the game actually being live there. It just seems to me that they need management who understands the fans they're catering to, and the mmo-crowd in general. With that, I suspect Aventurine would be having a lot more success than they're having at present. As for me, the 2hour queues whenever I seem to want to try it out was the final straw, so, account canceled and just like before ... ... waiting for SW: The Old Republic ... :) Tags: DFO,Darkfall Online,MMORPG	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line261
__label__wiki	0.613302	0.613302	George Ure on TMRN, December 3, 2011 Labels George Ure / Source: ‪urbansurvival.com‬, ‪halfpasthuman.com‬, ‪timemonkradio.com‬ Joshua Hart \| Stop Smart Meters!, December 8, 2011 Labels Joshua Hart, Redicecreations, Smart Meters / Source: redicecreations.com, stopsmartmeters.org December 8, 2011–Joshua Hart is Director of Stop Smart Meters! He has worked in the energy industry, as a transportation planner, environmental advocate, and freelance journalist. Growing out of the grassroots group Scotts Valley Neighbors Against Smart Meters, started in June 2010, Stop Smart Meters! has now evolved into an advocacy, media outreach, and direct action organization providing activism consultation and advice to dozens of local groups sprouting up who are fighting the wireless 'smart' meter assault. We'll discuss how the smart meter debacle is a huge threat to our health, safety, privacy, and wallet. Also, how it is an opportunity for spying, centralized power and corporate control. Joshua tells us why Smart Meters are a false solution to the green movement. He'll get into the specifics of how these meters operate. We will talk about the dangers of wireless technology, the smart grid propaganda and the inappropriate ways utility companies are demanding and enforcing the installations of these meters. Later, Joshua tells us about a utility company that has been spying, following and attempting to get info from his organization as though it is a military operation. ~Red Ice Creations The Engineered Euro Crash \| William Engdahl on GRTV, December 9, 2011 Labels F. William Engdahl, James Corbett / The leaders of the EU prepare for a summit this week as the Eurozone continues to spin out of control. But how did the collapse begin, and who will profit from it? Find out more in this week's GRTV Feature Interview with F. William Engdahl. Mack Maloney \| Wartime UFOs, December 6, 2011 Labels Mack Maloney, Ufo / Source: coasttocoastam.com, mackmaloney.com December 6, 2011–In the course of researching his novels, military fiction writer Mack Maloney discovered startling historical records of an increase of UFO sightings near pivotal military events. He discussed a variety of incidents from World Wars I & II, as well as Viet Nam and other battle zones. One of the earliest cases he found dated back to the time of Alexander the Great, when his army was planning a siege on the city of Tyre, and "flying shields" let out a lightning bolt that destroyed one of the city's walls, which allowed Alexander's army to get in. Proceeding WWI, "scareships" were reported by British newspapers in 1909. They were described as dirigible-like craft that emitted huge searchlights and could travel as fast 200 mph. In World War II, there were reports that crews of allied bombers would see fantastic aircraft flying just 100-200 ft. off their wing. These strange craft, which became known as "foo fighters," would not take action or interfere with the bombings. One of the foo fighters was described as an enormous cigar-shaped, brightly lit craft that flew in formation with the bombers. Incidents such as these led Maloney to theorize that rather than ETs, the UFO occupants were time travelers who came back to observe significant time periods, such as during wars-- to see history as it was being made. In the "ghost rocket" sightings of 1946, which took place in a remote area of Sweden, hundreds of long tubular objects flying in formation were seen. While they resembled cruise missiles, this was years before that technology was developed, he noted. Maloney also detailed bizarre incidents that took place in Viet Nam, such as when a bright object came down on top of an American base, illuminating the entire area, while all electricity was knocked out; and a UFO that hung over Hanoi for a period of two hours, while the North Vietnamese shot at it to no effect. New World Next Week \| Penn State, FEMA Cramps, Newt Stamps, December 8, 2011 The video series from Corbett Report and Media Monarchy that covers some of the most important developments in alternative news and open source intelligence. This week: Story #1: Sandusky Cuffed on New Sex Abuse Charges Related: Former Colorado Sheriff Trades Blue Uniform for Orange Jumpsuit Unlike Penn State, Syracuse Scandal Just Unfolding Phoenix Sheriff Apologizes for 'Mishandled' Sex-Crimes Cases Background Video: 'Conspiracy of Silence' Documentary on the 'Franklin Scandal' Story #2: Detention Camp Order Follows S. 1867 Related: Government Activating FEMA Camps Across US Background Video: US Army Prepares to Invade US Story #3: Gingrich Renews Food Stamp Attack on Obama Related: New York Times Screen Grab Implies Ron Paul a 'Has Been' EU Summit on Debt Crisis Faces Uncertain Prospects Visit http://NewWorldNextWeek.com to get previous episodes in various formats to download, burn & share. And as always, stay up-to-date by subscribing to the feeds from Corbett Report http://ur1.ca/39obd and Media Monarchy http://ur1.ca/kuec Thank you. John Lamb Lash \| Truth Frequency Radio, December 7, 2011 Labels Gnostic, John Lamb Lash / Source: truthfrequencyradio.com, metahistory.org John Lamb Lash - Truth Frequency Radio - December 7, 2011. Gnosticism, Nag Hammadi, Arcons, Sophia myth, Planetary Tantra. Crystal Clark \| Perception Management, Planned Chaos, & The New Future, December 2, 2011 Labels Crystal Clark, James Horak, Mel Fabregas, Veritas Show / Source: veritasradio.com, thesolsociety.com The following YouTube video accompanies the program: Courtesy of James Horak Crystal Clark envisions a world ahead of "no more disease, abundance, the ability to explore our own planet, (the Vatican vaults, undersea cities), technology that will blow your mind, and traveling out to the stars." But we cannot do any of this unless certain things happen first. The corruption, the police state, lies, manipulation, poisons in our food and water, vaccinations that cause sterility√¢‚Ç¨¬¶"We can't put it off any more. We have to do what is right." Clark calls upon the whistleblowers to tell us what they know, and upon individuals to contribute in ways unique to each. The Occupy Wall Street Movement gives her hope. "It's fantastic. We have been waiting for it. We have a group who do terrible things to the rest of us on the planet. We deal with it by not dealing with it. But when all these people show up, they have to face what they've done. They see faces, not charts and graphs." Non-violent demonstrations work, she says. Clark's mission on the planet is to wake people up, to educate. She is the author of two books, Who Are We Really 101, 102, and 103 is due out this spring. At the center of Clark's teachings is her understanding of Natural Law, ancient knowledge long camouflaged by dogmatic religious orders, and to which we must return. Natural Law explains how the world works on every level. From her website: "There is a force at work in the Universe that creates, and it does so for only one reason: the experience a soul can gain from it. Whether you want to call this force God, Creator, Allah, or any other term, is irrelevant. It does what it does for only one reason: Love. Nothing this Master Builder has ever created moves outside of that one purpose - it has but one idea that manifests itself in endless ways. From this One Law of Love, all of creation manifests through two equal but opposite forces that continue creation through balanced (equal) interchange between opposite energies." Today's world is not in balance. It can not thrive. We are being utterly manipulated. "Nothing is as it seems." "The matrix is breaking down and people are seeing it for what it is," says Clark in this interview. She talks about planned obsolescence, manufactured lack, trauma-based mind control and perception management. We are being systematically psychologically broken, she says. "We are all being suicided at a slow rate." Those who perpetrate the imbalance we are experiencing are "insane," Clark decries. Of course they are. By the end of this Veritas interview you will be asking yourself what you yourself are doing to advance the cause of rectifying a world gone mad. "There is work to be done. Stand up, do something," she implores. "Courage is contagious." To read her blog, about her books, philosophy, ways to help, guest appearances, and more, check out Clark's website at www.thesolsociety.com. Dr. Michio Kaku \| Giant Black Holes, December 6, 2011 Labels Dr. Michio Kaku / Source: coasttocoastam.com, mkaku.org December 6, 2011–Theoretical physicist Dr. Michio Kaku commented on the discovery of two gigantic black holes, as well as other science and space news. The black holes have a staggering mass that is 20 billion times that of our sun, and are 10 times the size of our solar system. Intriguingly, he suggested that the billions of stars that fell into such a black hole could be shot out the other end through a "white hole" in a process like the Big Bang. Cal Orey \| The Healing Powers of Honey, December 7, 2011 Labels Cal Orey, The Healing Powers of Honey / Source: itsrainmakingtime.com, calorey.com December 7, 2011–Renowned intuitive and author Cal Orey originally appeared on It’s Rainmaking Time!™ following the Fukushima Prefecture (Japan) disasters this past March. She returns to introduce us to The Healing Powers of Honey, the latest in her Healing Powers book series. Touted by beekeepers and medical experts for their health benefits, antioxidant-rich honey and bee foods (pollen, propolis, and royal jelly) have been shown to lower risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, to reduce body fat, and to relieve a variety of ailments. As popular sweeteners continue to be proven unhealthy, it is more important than ever to understand the health benefits this incredible superfood offers humanity. Join us as Cal Orey shares recipes, remedies, eco-friendly household applications, and more in this interview. ~Kim Greenhouse Secret Space \| The SOYUZ Conspiracy Labels The SOYUZ Conspiracy / Source: UFOTV.com Narrated by Elliott Gould. Includes secret film footage never seen until now. After 15 years of research, filmmakers have discovered brand-new evidence that reveals a scandalous conspiracy surrounding the death of one of the old Soviet Union's most famous cosmonauts, Colonel Vladimir Komarov. When Komarov and the new Soyuz rocket was launched into space on the morning of April 23rd, 1967, his spaceship had catastrophic failures that began almost immediately. His ship lost power on re-entry and Komarov was killed instantly on impact. The Soviet government was not about to admit this failure on the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Soviet Union and covered up the entire incident by saying that Komarov's mission had been a big success, but that he later was killed in a bus crash. Only one man in the entire Soviet Union, Komarov's best friend Yuri Gagarin, was strong enough to force the government to tell the truth about what really happened to Komarov during his space flight. This program includes secret archival footage that has never been seen by the public, until now. Philip Coppens \| Ancient Aliens, December 4, 2011 Labels Ancient Civilisations, Philip Coppens / Source: coasttocoastam.com, philipcoppens.com December 4, 2011–Guest host Rob Simone welcomed internationally renowned investigative journalist and author, Philip Coppens, who discussed Earth mysteries such as the Nazca lines and evidence for the existence of ancient visitation of astronauts from outer space. "Our ancestors definitely believed that we were not alone," Coppens declared, citing numerous cultures where their writings and traditions state that the 'gods' lived among them. He speculated that part of the reason why it is not better known that our ancestors were influenced by off-world beings is because their descendants were so poorly treated by Western culture that they became reticent to share this secret knowledge. He also noted that the ancient astronaut theory faces two roadblocks from academia: the mainstream cannot accept that our ancestors held these beliefs and also refuse to contemplate that we are not alone. However, Coppens was optimistic by recent changes in the scientific community as the concept of panspermia, which suggests life originated elsewhere and naturally arrived on Earth, has begun to gain supporters. Additionally, he noted that there are some mainstream scientists who have suggested that ETs have visited our planet in the past, albeit before the dawn of human history. Coppens vehemently disagreed with this limited perspective, saying "archaeological, anthropological, mythological, and historical evidence from our ancestors clearly shows that this contact happened within the lifespan of human habitation." Dolores Cannon talking about her new book, The Convoluted Universe 4 Labels Dolores Cannon / Source: ozarkmt.com Dolores discusses her own past lives and introduces one of the 'mindbending' concepts she has discovered by working with hypnosis subjects who speak at the depest possible level of trance. It is here that Dolores is able to have incerdicle discussions with people's higher selves, or the Super-Conscious which has the answers to everything. The Tavistock Agenda Labels The Tavistock Agenda / Great description of a little known aspect of the NWO/Illuminati. Thanks to Iona Miller for this video. Dan Nelson \| The End of Dehydration, December 1, 2011 Labels Dan Nelson / Source: itsrainmakingtime.com December 1, 2011–There was a time when thirty years of advanced research on hydration stated that we must drink half our body weight in liquid ounces of water everyday to stay hydrated. But according to physicist Dan Nelson, dehydration affects all of us equally – whether we drink two glasses or two gallons per day. Picking up where Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj (the author of Your Body’s Many Cries For Water) left off, Dan identified chronic dehydration as a central factor in aging and disease and set out to find the solution. In the process, he had to rethink everything we thought we knew about water. By developing his own proprietary equipment – a one-of-a-kind laser apparatus for engineering water – Dan Nelson discovered the key to maximum absorption of water by compressing the particles to a small enough size to pass through the cell wall. As he guides us through his cutting-edge research, our current understanding of water seems fit for the stone age. Join us as we venture through groundbreaking new knowledge that can end dehydration all across the globe. ~Kim Greenhouse Micah Hanks \| UFO research and journalism, December 5, 2011 Labels Micah Hanks, Ufo / Source: openminds.tv, gralienreport.com Micah Hanks is a UFO and paranormal journalist and author. He blogs at his website, The Gralien Report, and is author of the book Magic, Mysticism & the Molecule: The Search for Sentient Intellegence from Other Worlds. Still in his twenties, he is younger than your average UFO researcher. We will talk to him about the youth and how they interface differently with the UFO phenomena, and his views on the hot topics in UFO research. His unique and intellegent perspectives offer an insight into the future of Ufology. Interview start 0:24:05 min. Dr. Andrew Saul \| The War on Vitamins & Nutrition, December 6, 2011 Labels Dr. Andrew Saul, Redicecreations / Source: redicecreations.com, doctoryourself.com December 6, 2011–Dr. Andrew W. Saul has 35 years' experience in natural health education. Saul, formerly Assistant Editor of the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, is Editor-in-Chief of the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service. He was on the faculty of the State University of New York for nine years, and taught nutrition, health science and cell biology at the college level. His peer-reviewed, non-commercial popular natural healing website is DoctorYourself.com. Saul is the author of "Doctor Yourself" and "Fire Your Doctor!". He has co-authored 7 books. Andrew can also be seen in the documentary Foodmatters. In this highly informative interview, Dr. Saul begins talking about the media's ridiculous scare tactics about using vitamins. Andrew says we can use nutrition to cure illness and brings up evidence in published medical reports dating back from the 30's. These results are being ignored by the medical and pharmaceutical industries. Dr. Saul believes death rates would be cut down by ½ if people were eating properly and getting the required nutrients. We discuss the specifics of a proper diet, vitamin therapy and doctoring yourself. Also, we talk about medicine as a belief system. Andrew brings up the importance of activism against Codex Alimentarius. NASA's Kepler Confirms Its First Planet in Habitable Zone of Sun-like Star: Kepler 22-b, December 5, 2011 Labels Kepler 22-b, Nasa / Source: nasa.gov MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. -- NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed its first planet in the "habitable zone," the region where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. Kepler also has discovered more than 1,000 new planet candidates, nearly doubling its previously known count. Ten of these candidates are near-Earth-size and orbit in the habitable zone of their host star. Candidates require follow-up observations to verify they are actual planets. - http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2011/11-99AR.html Alex Jones \| NDAA Concerns, December 4, 2011 Labels Alex Jones / Source: coasttocoastam.com, infowars.com December 4, 2011–Alex Jones talked about the National Defense Authorization Act, a piece of legislation that recently passed both houses of Congress and may have dire effects on civil liberties. He warned that, if the act is implemented, "it is truly an end of our Republic" and cited an ACLU study of the bill which called it "the most unconstitutional legislation in modern history." Facets of the bill which particularly trouble Jones are that it allows for the end of posse comitatus, which bars the military from domestic operations, and that it gives the Pentagon the right to secretly arrest Americans and hold them without a trial. Dean Dominic De Lucia \| Hollow Earth in the Puranas & Polar Expeditions, December 4, 2011 Labels Dean Dominic De Lucia / Source: redicecreations.com, Dean Dominic De Lucia December 4, 2011–From São Paulo, Brazil, Dean Dominic De Lucia discusses his book: "Hollow Earth in the Puranas." De Lucia was born in Bethesda, Maryland. He studied Business Administration at the University of Baltimore, and later on completed a two-year course in translating at the Catholic University in São Paulo. He has maintained a life-long interest in Indian Hindu philosophy and spiritual practices, which ultimately led him to take up Vedic astrology. He began his studies in 1981 under Nalini Kanta Das or "Tom Hopke", and has been a student and practitioner of the art ever since. His articles were published in two Bangalore magazines, "The Astrological Magazine" and "Modern Astrology." Dean has also written a book called "Astrologia Vedica". We'll discuss Hindu traditions, specifically, the Vedas and the Puranas as Dean has found accounts and stories in the Vedic scriptures related to "The Hollow Earth" and "The Ancient Ones", the demigods or the giants that are alleged to inhabit our inner Earth. Dean will talk about the present day search for the openings to the hollow Earth as well as older accounts and expeditions to the Antarctic and Arctic Circle. Most are familiar with Admiral Byrd's claim of exploring the inner Earth but there are others, of which involved Norwegian explorers, such as Olaf Jansen's Story, also known as "The Smokey God - A Voyage to the Inner World" and Fridtjof Nansen's "Fram" expedition. We'll talk about these and the links in Vedic mythology and the stories of a northerly Shambhala. ~Red Ice Creations Richard Hoaglands Dark Mission Coverups, Lies, & Calling for NWO, November 26, 2011 Source: latenightinthemidlands.com, project.nsearch.com Before We Broke This Story, We Had Always Admired Richard Hoagland Before this story broke, Michael Vara and I admired Richard Hoagland and had even asked him to be on the "Late Night in the Midlands" radio show. We didn't share all of his views but we still thought that he was pushing for the truth in his own way. All that changed however during our subsequent research of this story. By the time we got finished with our investigation we knew that Richard Hoagland was definitely a liar who hides data, manipulates people and most likely also still works for NASA and other government agencies as a gatekeeper to steer the herd away from the truth and into whatever fantasy he is pushing next. Examples of these fantasies were when he told everybody that Elenin was not a comet but a spaceship and that YU-55 would actually hit the moon after it flew by the Earth according to his secret sources! Of course nothing Richard Hoagland says ever comes to pass and he never shows evidence for his most outrageous claims! You'll understand why when you finish this article. Why Is Everything About Money With Richard Hoagland? Everything about Richard Hoagland seems to revolve around money. That's why each time he appears on "Coast to Coast" he tells people that to get the REAL truth, they must buy his book or attend some conference where he will spill the beans! He even charges people on his Enterprise Mission website just to chat with lord Hoagland! Why does Richard Hoagland charge money for even participating on his website anyway? Why does he control the flow of information on the website and ban people who disagree with anything he says? It will all make perfect sense as you look at all our evidence! Most In the Truth Movement Have Blindly Followed Hoagland Of course, most in the truth movement have never heard any the things we are exposing about Richard Hoagland in this article and on our upcoming radio show. It's is our sincere hope that everyone seriously researches what we are saying for themselves and quit following him like a bunch of sheep to the slaughter. We will be happy to provide any information you need to make up your own mind about Richard Hoagland. We encourage everybody to pepper Richard Hoagland with the tough questions that we will bring up in this article and our upcoming world exclusive interview about this subject matter on November 26th at 9pm EST on Radio Nsearch. Word of this show has already gone mega viral and we expect a huge turnout! www.project.nsearch.com and www.latenightinthemidlands.com Howard Hughes interviews Jeff Hilling \| Bigfoot Mystery, December 2, 2011 Labels Bigfoot, Howard Hughes, Jeff Hilling / Source: theunexplained.tv, pattersonfilm.com December 2, 2011–This time we talk with US investigator Jeff Hilling about the world’s most notorious and controversial sighting of “Bigfoot”. ~Howard Hughes Jeff Hilling is a Bigfoot historian and researcher. He has studied over 2 dozen books and countless articles on the subject of the Patterson-Gimlin film and Bigfoot. He has developed a brand new website devoted exclusively to the subject of the Patterson film debate. In the midst of his studies, he has uncovered some interesting facts regarding the film. Jeff is about 80% convinced that the Patterson film footage is genuine. Peter Dale Scott \| Norway's Massacre, Breivik & Deep Events December 1, 2011 Labels Peter Dale Scott, Redicecreations / Source: redicecreations.com, peterdalescott.net December 1, 2011–Peter Dale Scott, a former Canadian diplomat and English Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, is a poet, writer, and researcher. He was born in Montreal in 1929. An anti-war speaker during the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, he was a co-founder of the Peace and Conflict Studies Program at UC Berkeley, and of the Coalition on Political Assassinations (COPA). He is the author of several books including, The War Conspiracy (1972), The Iran-Contra Connection (1987),Cocaine Politics: Drugs, Armies, and the CIA in Central America (1991, 1998), Drugs Oil and War (2003), The Road to 9/11 (2007), and The War Conspiracy: JFK, 9/11, and the Deep Politics of War (2008). In the first hour we revisit Breivik's attack on Norway. We discuss his possible motivations, his connections and his alignment with Nick Greger. Peter explains why he refers to these attacks as "deep events" and gives examples of other systemic deep events. We'll discuss false flag attacks as a strategy to bring in a new agenda. Peter points out similarities to Operation Gladio and Breivik's model of attack. ~Red Ice Creations Joshua Hart \| Stop Smart Meters!, December 8, 2011... The Engineered Euro Crash \| William Engdahl on GRT... New World Next Week \| Penn State, FEMA Cramps, New... John Lamb Lash \| Truth Frequency Radio, December 7... Crystal Clark \| Perception Management, Planned Cha... Dr. Michio Kaku \| Giant Black Holes, December 6, 2... Cal Orey \| The Healing Powers of Honey, December 7... Dolores Cannon talking about her new book, The Con... Dan Nelson \| The End of Dehydration, December 1, 2... Micah Hanks \| UFO research and journalism, Decembe... Dr. Andrew Saul \| The War on Vitamins & Nutrition,... NASA's Kepler Confirms Its First Planet in Habitab... Dean Dominic De Lucia \| Hollow Earth in the Purana... Richard Hoaglands Dark Mission Coverups, Lies, & C... Howard Hughes interviews Jeff Hilling \| Bigfoot My... Peter Dale Scott \| Norway's Massacre, Breivik & De...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line263
__label__wiki	0.735757	0.735757	100 people who changed the world, managing editor, Robert Sullivan The Resource 100 people who changed the world, managing editor, Robert Sullivan The item 100 people who changed the world, managing editor, Robert Sullivan represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Sno-Isle Libraries. New York, Time Books, 2010 100 people who changed the world managing editor, Robert Sullivan One hundred people who changed the world Life, 100 people who changed the world Life, one hundred people who changed the world World history -- Photography qBook ill. (some col.) <div class="citation" vocab="http://schema.org/"><i class="fa fa-external-link-square fa-fw"></i> Data from <span resource="http://link.sno-isle.org/portal/100-people-who-changed-the-world-managing/NWETtfN2Hjo/" typeof="Book http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/Item"><span property="name http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/label"><a href="http://link.sno-isle.org/portal/100-people-who-changed-the-world-managing/NWETtfN2Hjo/">100 people who changed the world, managing editor, Robert Sullivan</a></span> - <span property="potentialAction" typeOf="OrganizeAction"><span property="agent" typeof="LibrarySystem http://library.link/vocab/LibrarySystem" resource="http://link.sno-isle.org/"><span property="name http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/label"><a property="url" href="http://link.sno-isle.org/">Sno-Isle Libraries</a></span></span></span></span></div> Data Citation of the Item 100 people who changed the world, managing editor, Robert Sullivan http://link.sno-isle.org/portal/100-people-who-changed-the-world-managing/NWETtfN2Hjo/ http://library.link/portal/100-people-who-changed-the-world-managing/NWETtfN2Hjo/	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line271
__label__wiki	0.947971	0.947971	KIM Gang-woo After majoring in theater, KIM made his acting debut early by appearing in such notable Korean films as [KIM Ki-duk]'s <The Coast Guard> and [KANG Woo-suk]'s <Silmido>, yet without achieving a great notoriety. His luck would change, however, with the film <Le Grand Chef>, a film adaptation of a comic book of the same title. In it, KIM portrayed a gifted chef named Seong-chan, whose diligence and talent in cooking over showy style reflected KIM's calm and poi...More After majoring in theater, KIM made his acting debut early by appearing in such notable Korean films as [KIM Ki-duk]'s <The Coast Guard> and [KANG Woo-suk]'s <Silmido>, yet without achieving a great notoriety. His luck would change, however, with the film <Le Grand Chef>, a film adaptation of a comic book of the same title. In it, KIM portrayed a gifted chef named Seong-chan, whose diligence and talent in cooking over showy style reflected KIM's calm and poised image in real life. Despite its shortcomings, the film was a box-office success and enabled KIM to become a box-office star. He didn't immerse in the moment of success, however. After starring in a genre film <Marine Boy>, he appeared in <Hahaha>, a film by [HONG Sangsoo], which was a complete departure from the style of his previous films. He played a sensitive and self-centered young poet and entered the realm of the 'HONG Sangsoo World' without difficulty. KIM's next feature <The Taste of Money> by [IM Sang-soo] was featured at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012. As well as co-starring roles in the 2013 features <Mr. Go> and <Marriage Blue>, KIM was the lead in the features <The Gifted Hands> and then 2014’s <Tabloid Truth>. Never one to stick to the same genre, he switched gears again for his next feature, the 2014 social drama <Cart>. KIM stretched himself once again for his next role, by playing the infamous King Yeonsan during the Joseon Era in MIN Kyu-dong’s erotically charged period thriller <The Treacherous> in 2015.Less Namooactors http://www.namooactors.com Fantasia Adds 3 from Korea in 2nd Wave Announcement Jun 22, 2018 The Fantasia International Film Festival has added three Korean films in its second wave of titles, bringing the Korean count to six so far for the festival’s 22nd edition, which will take place in Montreal from July 12 to August 1. The new invites go to PARK Hoon-jung’s female-led action-drama The Witch : Part 1. The Subversion, BAEK Seung-bin’s high-concept omnibus I Have a Date with Spring and ... CONTENTS PANDA Presents THE VANISHED at EFM Feb 26, 2018 Thriller, comedies, horrors and indie dramas make up the sales lineup for CONTENTS PANDA in Berlin this year. Having recently sold its titles The Chase (2017), Steel Rain (2017) and Psychokinesis to Netflix, the busy distributor launched sales on an array of new titles during the European Film Market (EFM) this year. Among their new titles are the mystery-thriller The Vanished, a remake of the 201... KIM Gang-woo Appointed as Ambassador of Korea-Vietnam Film Festival Nov 21, 2017 Actor KIM Gang-woo can now add another accomplishment to his resume: film festival ambassador. On Thursday, KIM’s management agency King Entertainment announced that the actor had been chosen to serve as the festival’s ambassador and attended the opening ceremony which held on November 17th as part of the 2017 Ho Chi Minh -Gyeongju Cultural World Expo. “I'm very honored to be chosen as ambassa... THE VANISHED Erases TOMB RAIDER in Debut Mar 13, 2018 Another quiet weekend kept admissions flat at the Korean box office, with 1.59 million tickets sold. Through a selection of mid-range local titles, the Korean film industry maintained a market advantage with a 60% share of sales. Coming in at number one during its debut was the mystery-thriller The Vanished, which bowed with a respectable 524,000 admissions (USD 4.15 million), with 654,000 sales (... Box Office: February 20 - March 5, 2014 Mar 10, 2014 Following the busy holiday season earlier this year, the frenzy at the box office abated somewhat in late February and early March. However, the top five spots were still very crowded, with three foreign and two local productions hovering around the one million admissions mark for the fortnight. Early 2014 hits Frozen and Miss Granny remained in the mix and though their dominance has eroded, they ...	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line279
__label__cc	0.631288	0.368712	Welcome to Motion Video Films Motion Video Films is an award winning production company. We are entering our 35th year of operation offering location and post production services. The company was founded by David Sewell in 1983, Its primary business is producing a variety of programming for a wide range of clients. In the 1990's, David was responsible for developing a broadcast base of business with Discovery Networks, The History Channel, and A&E. In 2000, David Sewell produced, wrote, filmed, and edited a special for A&E about the evolution of SWAT teams “Inside SWAT”, and Law Enforcement vs. Terrorists, a look at how government agencies such as DEA, FBI, Customs, and local law enforcement would work together to fight terrorism. Other broadcast projects include Times Square At The Millennium, a historical look at Times Square One and Two. Emmy award winning PSA series for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. -HD Location Video Production -Sony PXW-FS7 XDCAM Super 35 CMOS Sensor 4K Camera -Sony a7s II, Ikan slider system -Sony PXW-Z100 4K XDCAM -DJI Phantom III Gimbaled Drone with 4k - 1080i -DJI Phantom II Gimbaled Drone with GoPro 4 - 4k - 1080i -OSMO - Fully stabilized 4K, 12MP camera - Hand-held steadycam -Lighting Packages -Audio Packages -Teleprompter Services -Steadycam Services -6 GoPro Cameras Systems -10 Wireless Audio Systems -24 Track Digital Audio Recorder -Nonlinear Digital Editing -Adobe Creative Cloud, -Premier, After Effects, -Photoshop, InDesign, etc... -Final Cut Pro -Live Type, Motion, -Soundtrack, -DVD Studio Pro -Location Editing -Encoding for Web -Animation -Narrations -Talent Coordination -Closed Captioning	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line288
__label__wiki	0.560702	0.560702	Posted on February 23, 2013 May 11, 2015 Silent Movie Bookshelf: Silent Films 1877-1996 by Robert K. Klepper This book was a bit of an investment but I am happy with it overall. It is a big, big, BIG guidebook to silent films arranged chronologically and then alphabetically by Robert K. Klepper. Continue reading “Silent Movie Bookshelf: Silent Films 1877-1996 by Robert K. Klepper” Silent Movie Bookshelf: The Complete Films of William S. Hart by Diane Kaiser Koszarski This is how the (movie) west was won! William S. Hart was one of the most popular western stars of the silent era. Though his films have a low loss rate, relatively few of them are available on home media. This book is valuable because it is the closest we may ever get to some of Hart’s more obscure titles. It also happens to be the gold standard in the “complete films of” book genre. Continue reading “Silent Movie Bookshelf: The Complete Films of William S. Hart by Diane Kaiser Koszarski” Silent Movie Bookshelf: Dark Lady of the Silents by Miriam Cooper I was ferreting through the stacks of a particularly good used bookstore when I found Miriam Cooper’s autobiography, Dark Lady of the Silents. Hurrah! Continue reading “Silent Movie Bookshelf: Dark Lady of the Silents by Miriam Cooper” Tough Granny. Animated GIF Gertrude Claire is ready to take on William S. Hart, who plays her son. His crime? Becoming a cop instead of a decent everyday crook. I love this lady! Continue reading “Tough Granny. Animated GIF” The Cradle of Courage (1920) A Silent Film Review William S. Hart trades his Stetson for a blue policeman’s hat in this gangland drama. Hart is a safecracker-turned-cop who finds himself at odds with his larcenous family and targeted by a former business partner. But, as we all know, Hart is not someone to be trifled with. Continue reading “The Cradle of Courage (1920) A Silent Film Review” Running Like an Idiot, Animated GIF Carol Dempster’s evil step-mother does not approve of her frolicking in The Love Flower. Gotta say, though, I am on the side of the step-mother this time. Continue reading “Running Like an Idiot, Animated GIF” The Love Flower (1920) A Silent Film Review Director D.W. Griffith attempts to showcase his protegee, Carol Dempster, in this ocean-themed crime drama. An accused murderer is hiding out on a South Sea island with his daughter. The long arm of the law is closing in. How far will she go to make sure that her dear old dad stays free? Continue reading “The Love Flower (1920) A Silent Film Review” Silent Movie Myth: Silent movies are just sound movies with a few intertitles It’s a reasonably popular internet meme: Take hit modern film, desaturate it, add a few intertitles and a tinkling piano score and voila! You have a silent movie. That’s all silent movies are, right? Movies without sound and with those title cards placed at intervals. Continue reading “Silent Movie Myth: Silent movies are just sound movies with a few intertitles” Posted on February 12, 2013 January 15, 2017 Silent Movie Myth: Silent stars had funny voices Hooo boy, is this an old one. It is actually as old as talking pictures themselves. The myth goes like this: So-and-so (often John Gilbert) was a famous film star in the silent era but what people didn’t know is that he sounded like Mickey Mouse! Hilarious! Continue reading “Silent Movie Myth: Silent stars had funny voices” “You are the King of Fools!” Animated GIF John Barrymore is elected the King of Fools in the medieval swashbuckler The Beloved Rogue. He seems pretty thrilled about it. Continue reading ““You are the King of Fools!” Animated GIF” Tol’able David (1921) A Silent Film Review Richard Barthelmess is David, a country boy whose one goal in life is to be considered a man, to prove himself worthy of being allowed into the grown-ups club. When tragedy strikes his family, David finds himself growing up faster than even he had ever wanted. Continue reading “Tol’able David (1921) A Silent Film Review” Posted on February 9, 2013 May 10, 2015 Lemme see your tattoo… Animated GIF An animated GIF from A Woman of the World, Pola Negri’s uproarious vamp comedy. Continue reading “Lemme see your tattoo… Animated GIF” What do you wanna see a punk drama for? Animated GIF Then, as now, there were some people who just did not want to see a silent drama. Continue reading “What do you wanna see a punk drama for? Animated GIF” Posted on February 4, 2013 April 11, 2016 The Eagle (1925) A Silent Film Review Rudolph Valentino finally came up with the perfect movie formula in this 1925 hit: Action Lover. Valentino is a fun-loving Cossack who turns down the advances of the Czarina. Forced on the run, he takes the opportunity to seek revenge against his father’s enemy. And wouldntcha know it, that enemy just happens to have a beautiful daughter. Continue reading “The Eagle (1925) A Silent Film Review” My Best Girl (1927) A Silent Film Review When an innocent romance springs up between a lowly shop girl and an incognito chain-store heir, can it survive interfering parents, a hidden identity, and a secret engagement? This was Mary Pickford’s final silent film and she works opposite her future husband, Buddy Rogers. Continue reading “My Best Girl (1927) A Silent Film Review” Posted on February 4, 2013 May 9, 2015 Monte Cristo (1922) A Silent Film Review I am pretty sure we all know the famous Alexandre Duman tale. Nice guy gets framed, finds buried treasure and then he is off for revenge. Tralalala! A very young John Gilbert stars as the vengeful count, determined to destroy the men who sent him to prison on false charges. Gilbert buckles swash (or is it swashes his buckle?) in admirable style. Continue reading “Monte Cristo (1922) A Silent Film Review” Posted on February 4, 2013 January 25, 2016 West of Zanzibar (1928) A Silent Film Review Lon Chaney at his most grotesque. A delightfully slimy jungle picture that involves Chaney’s quest for revenge against the man who stole his wife and crippled him. Mary Nolan and Lionel Barrymore support. Wonderful but not for all tastes. A slightly warped mind is recommended. Maybe even required. Continue reading “West of Zanzibar (1928) A Silent Film Review” The Golden Chance (1915) A Silent Film Review Cinderella has ulterior motives in this early DeMille melodrama. Mary Denby is a judge’s daughter who married below her station. With her husband drinking away the household income, she applies for work as a seamstress. The new job puts her in contact with a rich family who decide to use her beauty and charm to their advantage in business dealings. Nice people. Continue reading “The Golden Chance (1915) A Silent Film Review” Daddy Long Legs (1919) A Silent Film Review Mary Pickford plays an orphan who is awarded a scholarship to college by a mysterious benefactor, whom she nicknames her Daddy Long Legs. Mary grows, learns and graduates and all the time, she sends letters to Daddy Long Legs detailing her progress, fears and dreams. Now just who could her Daddy be? Continue reading “Daddy Long Legs (1919) A Silent Film Review” The Garden of Eden (1928) A Silent Film Review Toni is an innocent Austrian girl who dreams of an operatic career but the only job she can get is as a showgirl in a nightclub. After refusing the advances of a wealthy customer, Toni and the club seamstress are sacked. The unlikely pair make their way to Monte Carlo where Toni gets a chance at real love. Continue reading “The Garden of Eden (1928) A Silent Film Review” Mantrap (1926) A Silent Film Review Think silent movies are dusty? Meet Clara! The divine Miss Bow is a pretty city girl who winds up married to a stodgy Canadian trapper. Then a city man shows up and starts a flirtation with our bored little flapper. He gets more than he bargained for. Basically, this is the most fun you can legally have at the movies. Continue reading “Mantrap (1926) A Silent Film Review” Raffles the Amateur Cracksman (1917) A Silent Film Review John Barrymore lends his talents to this tale of a cricket player who has found a more lucrative occupation: cat burglary. Barrymore is supported by Frank “Oz” Morgan hut can the film survive all the changes that are made to the iconic character of A.J. Raffles? Looks like we are going to find out. Continue reading “Raffles the Amateur Cracksman (1917) A Silent Film Review” Ella Cinders (1926) A Silent Film Review A Cinderella story for the 1920s. Colleen Moore plays the Ella of the title, a waif who finds happiness and her prince charming via Hollywood. The picture has some clever and funny camera work and an extremely beguiling performances from Moore, who lends her ready wit and elastic features to the affair. Continue reading “Ella Cinders (1926) A Silent Film Review” The Cheat (1915) A Silent Film Review A society woman’s plans to make easy money backfire and she turns to a Burmese businessman for help. He agrees to give her the money she needs… for a price. Excellent melodrama that showcased Sessue Hayakawa’s talents to the world. A major smash hit and the film that really put Cecil B. DeMille on the map as a director of premium entertainment. Continue reading “The Cheat (1915) A Silent Film Review” Captain January (1924) A Silent Film Review Silent child star Baby Peggy plays the captain of the title, a castaway orphan who is raised by a scruffy lighthouse keeper (Hobart Bosworth). The story is slight but that actually works in the film’s favor as it allows the viewer to focus on what’s really important: the talented Baby Peggy and the peerless Bosworth. Continue reading “Captain January (1924) A Silent Film Review” Miss Mend (1926) A Silent Film Review A historic curio from a strange time when Soviet filmmakers actively sought to create American-style films. This serial, which owes as much to Germany as it does to the U.S.A., involves a plot by capitalists to poison all of Russia. The titular heroine must save the day. Sly commentary is hidden among the action and stunts. Continue reading “Miss Mend (1926) A Silent Film Review” Son of the Sheik (1926) A Silent Film Review Valentino went back to the old Middle East well one more time. Ahmed, the son of the title character of The Sheik, loves a dancer named Yasmin. After coming to believe that she betrayed him to bandits, Ahmed seeks revenge. Valentino-style. Valentino’s final screen appearance is also one of his best. Continue reading “Son of the Sheik (1926) A Silent Film Review” Judex (1916-17) A Silent Film Review Judex, a mysterious caped vigilante, sets out to take revenge against corrupt banker Favraux. His settling of scores is complicated by the sly villainess Diana Monti and her associates. And the fact that Judex is in love with Favraux’s daughter, Jacqueline. A delightful serial in twelve episodes with a prologue. Continue reading “Judex (1916-17) A Silent Film Review” Posted on February 3, 2013 April 9, 2016 Little Annie Rooney (1925) A Silent Film Review Mary Pickford is a tenement kid with a cop father and a brother who wants to be a gangster. Mary falls for her brother’s best friend, another would-be gangster, and must clear him of murder. Subtle it ain’t but it still boasts of certain charms, namely a very young Billy Haines as the male lead. Continue reading “Little Annie Rooney (1925) A Silent Film Review” Why Change Your Wife? (1920) A Silent Film Review It’s Gloria Swanson’s turn to be the offending party in this DeMille marital comedy. She is a lovely young prude who moralizes her husband right into the waiting arms of another woman. Only then does Gloria realize that she has made a mistake and a little romance helps in marriage. Armed with this knowledge- and a wild wardrobe- she sets out to win back her man. Continue reading “Why Change Your Wife? (1920) A Silent Film Review” The Dreyfus Affair (1899) A Silent Film Review	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line291
__label__wiki	0.78359	0.78359	Marine Afghan Bang-Bang By Mark Thompson @MarkThompson_DCDec. 07, 2011 You know when the public has tired of a war? When the TV networks go home and the Marine Corps has to release its own bang-bang video. That happened Wednesday morning, as the Marines spread far and wide a five-minute clip of leathernecks coming under Taliban attack in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. It’s compelling watching, as 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. come under fire at Patrol Base Georgetown in the Kajki district. The unseen enemy rattles them with small arms fire, and they respond the way you’d expect Marines to respond. At least one wounded Marine is helicoptered away. Not unlike the Afghan war itself, the video is inconclusive. It’s a snapshot taken through a soda straw that led us to seek some answers from the Marines. Major Bradley “Flash” Gordon promptly provided some emailed background from his post with Task Force Helmand: Q1. When did it happen? A1. The footage of the insurgent attack on Patrol Base Georgetown was shot on 22 November 2011. Q1a. What unit was involved? A1a. Elements of Weapons Company, First Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment. Q1b. How many Marines were involved? A1b. We do not release specific unit strength numbers at specific locations, however, there are approximately 13 Marines in squad, 45 Marines in a platoon and 150 Marines assigned to a Company. Q2. Were any enemy casualties tallied? A2. There were multiple enemy casualties identified. Q3. Was there only one USMC wounded? A3. There were multiple Marine Corps casualties from the incident, none of which were life threatening. Q4. Details on condition of any USMC casualties? A4. All are recovering or have been returned to their unit. Q5. How did it begin? A5.Marines received small-arms and indirect fire from an insurgent position located in caves approximately a quarter of a mile from their operating location. Q6. How did it end? A6.Marines ended the conflict by calling in close-air support from an AH-1 Cobra (various weapons) causing all insurgent fire to cease. Q7. How long did it last? A7. Approximately 3-hours. Q8. Was it an isolated event? A8. Yes. There were no other insurgent attacks within that area of operations during that time period. Q9. What is its significance? A9. The video shows two things. First it shows the desperate attempts being made by a waning insurgency as coalition forces continue to keep the pressure on and not allow the insurgents respite and secondly, how Task Force Leatherneck is aggressively exploiting the successes of Operation Eastern Storm as we continue our campaign setting the conditions for transition operations throughout Helmand province.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line294
__label__cc	0.565816	0.434184	Your Ally Board and Investment Advisory Committee LISC LISC Loans LISC Programming Focus Neighborhoods Hill District Millvale D.I.Y Tools Connect to Tools and Organizations Community Development Fellowship Program Financial Opportunity Centers Asset Building Network Grassroots Grantmaking Public Art/Placemaking Academy Love My Neighbor! Grants Funder Spotlight Business Financing & Assistance Housing & Infrastructure Training & Technical Assistance Neighborhood Allies 429 Fourth Avenue, Suite 1900 info@neighborhoodallies.org Supporting the people, organizations and partnerships committed to creating and maintaining thriving neighborhoods Public Art Projects To Begin In New Communities December 2, 2015 11:11 am 3 Comments By: Mora McLaughlin, WESA, November 27, 2015 CREDIT BRYAN ORR / FOR 90.5 WESA The Office of Public Art, is looking for community organizations to help develop new public art installations in six city neighborhoods through the “placemaking” process. The office, a partnership between the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council and the Pittsburgh Department of Public Planning, is collaborating with Neighborhood Allies, a community development organization that matches growing neighborhoods with resources. The partners hope to develop new installations in Allentown, Beltzhoover, the Hill District, Homewood, Knoxville and Larimer in the city as well as in Millvale and Wilkinsburg boroughs. Placemaking involves collaborative art and cultural projects that revitalize neighborhoods using existing tools, according to Renee Piechocki, the director of the Office of Public Art. “We’re not bringing in a million new ideas with our perspective of what those neighborhoods should be doing,” she said. “We’re looking to partner with organizations that have already done some planning work and have identified public art or the need for artists to collaborate with them.” These installations are normally in the neighborhoods for one to two years. Market Square is an example of a placemaking success story, according to Piechocki. “That sight already had a cultural and social identity. It certainly had a physical identity that changed and through a lot of planning efforts, it evolved into what Market Square is now, which is basically like downtown’s piazza,” said Piechocki. The Office of Public Art is reaching out to community organizations that will collaborate with artists and the placemaking consultants to create a new installation. “We’re looking for an organization, an artist, that’s willing to be open and collaborate, to maybe come up with an idea that no one ever would have had on their own,” says Piechocki. The community organizations will be chosen over the next two months and a call for artist will be put out in February, according to Piechocki. Once an organization is picked to handle the project within the neighborhood, they begin searching for the artist whose work will best reflect their vision. Piechocki says artists already operating in the neighborhood are encouraged to participate, but talent may come from anywhere. “They’re going to see other artists from Pittsburgh or other artists from Southwestern Pennsylvania, or even other areas, where they’re like, ‘You know what? There’s something about this artist that’s going to connect to our community.’” The goal of these placemaking projects is to jumpstart public art in the neighborhoods. Piechocki says by the time the installation moves out, the neighborhood should have the tools they need to continue similar art projects themselves. Beltzhoover Neighborhood Council Hello, my name is Quincy Jones President of the Beltzhoover Neighborhood Council. We would love to have the opportunity to be part of this Arts program. We are actually looking for a artist and some funding to create a community mural that will honor our veterans and community members that were committed to their services in and out of our community. We have a great location and we are scoping out several different locations throughout Beltzhoover. We are one of the only community organizations in Beltzhoover that hold a 501C3. If you can get back with me I would gladly appreciate it. Thanks and God Bless!!! Erin Perry Greetings, my name is Erin Perry and I am the executive director of the Legacy Arts Project, a community arts organization serving youth and adults throughout Pittsburgh. We are interested in the possibility of being chosen to collaborate with the OPA, GPAC and Neighborhood Allies to create a public art project in the communities that we serve, namely Homewood and Wilkinsburg. May you provide more information regarding the selection process and the information that is required in order to be considered. eperry@legacyartsproject.org Grantee Spotlight ADDRESS 429 Fourth Avenue, Suite 1900 EMAIL info@neighborhoodallies.org © 2019 Neighborhood Allies. All rights reserved. Photography by Rick Armstrong, Annie O'Neill and John Altdorfer Site by Imagebox. Let's be allies!	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line296
__label__cc	0.700093	0.299907	Meet the SANBio Hub Manager – Dr Sechaba Bareetseng contenteditor Fri, 04/22/2016 - 09:28 Dr Sechaba Bareetseng is a highly experienced manager with a proven aptitude to manage different projects. Before being appointed as the SANBio Hub manager Dr Bareetseng was managing the Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Biodiversity Management portfolio within the then CSIR Biosciences Natural Product and Agroprocessing Technology Platform (now the Bioprospecting and Agroprocessing Technology Platform). His management experience includes roles such as Deputy Director of Biotechnology and Policy Implementation and Deputy Director of Hydrogen Economy at the Department of Science South Africa, and Technology Transfer Officer at the Medical Research Council’s Innovation Centre. Dr Sechaba holds a PhD in Microbiology, a Master’s Degree in Management in Innovation Studies, as well as a Diploma in Management Advancement Programme as well as a Post-doctoral research experience in biotechnology. The SANBio Hub (CSIR) provides support to the SANBio Network (Southern African Network for Biosciences), by increasing access to the Hub’s world-class research facilities to African countries to accelerate technology development in multi-disciplinary and diverse scientific fields. The SANBio Hub established research, development and technology offerings that can be provided to the SADC region and can also support IP management, technology transfer and commercialisation, as well as provide human and infrastructure capacity development in order to contribute towards addressing the socioeconomic challenges facing the region in the areas of food security, malnutrition and burden of diseases. “For the next period, the Hub will be focusing on establishing partnerships with the relevant research institutions and private sector companies in the region; finalising the relevant agreements and developing mechanisms to raise funding to implement the business plan. The Hub will also offer a number of training opportunities and host members from the SANBio Network in our laboratories as visiting scientists,” said Dr Sechaba. The region can leverage the Hub’s experience and the research facilities to accelerate their technology development. For more information contact the Hub Manager: Dr Sechaba Bareetseng; Email address: sbareetseng@csir.co.za, Office telephone: 27 12 841 2574; Cell phone number: +27 82 332 8367	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line297
__label__cc	0.684124	0.315876	Africa African Security Barack Obama Democracy Human Development Somalia South Sudan Sudan (North) US Militarisation of Africa will also fail By Peter Van Buren, Firedoglake History is just one of those hard things to ignore, especially in South Sudan. In 2011, the U.S. midwifed the creation of a new nation, South Sudan. Though at the time Obama invoked the words of Dr. Martin Luther King speaking about Ghana (“I knew about all of the struggles, and all of the pain, and all of the agony that these people had gone through for this moment”) in officially recognizing the country, many were more focused on the underlying U.S. motives, isolating the rest of Sudan as part of the war on terror, and securing the oil reserves in the south for the U.S. The State Department rushed to open an embassy in South Sudan, and U.S. money poured in to pay for the new government. Like his counterparts from Iraq and Afghanistan when the U.S. was still in charge of those places, the new South Sudan president was brought to the White House for photos, all blithely pushed out to the world via the Voice of America. The two leaders were said to have discussed “the importance of maintaining transparency and the rule of law.” In 2012 then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the nation as part of an extended effort at creating B-roll footage for her 2016 campaign, and Obama publicly applauded a deal brokered between Sudan and South Sudan on oil pipeline fees that the White House claimed would “help stem the ongoing violence in the region.” However, like in Iraq, Afghanistan and so many other places that fell apart while being democratized and stabilized by the U.S. (one also thinks of Libya, itself part of the African continent), the rush to mediagenic proclamations without addressing the underlying fundamentals led only to catastrophe. A scant few years later, South Sudan is at the brink of civil war and societal collapse, the U.S. is evacuating another embassy and indeed one variety or another of “rebels” are shooting at U.S. military aircraft arriving in their country in violation of their national sovereignty. Those who believe that the U.S. efforts in South Sudan do not involve special forces on the ground and drones overhead no doubt will have a nice Christmas waiting up to catch a glimpse of Santa. Obama, apparently unwilling to remember how he stood aside while an elected government recently fell apart in Egypt, went on to double-down on hypocrisy by stating in regards to South Sudan, “Any effort to seize power through the use of military force will result in the end of long-standing support from the United States and the international community.” The Militarization of Africa If the U.S. efforts in South Sudan were isolated, that would be tragedy enough. However, the U.S. militarization of Africa paints such a sad, similar picture that it bears a recapping here. The always on-track Nick Turse reported: – In recent years, the US has trained and outfitted soldiers from Uganda, Burundi and Kenya, among other nations. They have also served as a proxy force for the US in Somalia, part of the African Union Mission (Amisom) protecting the U.S.-supported government in that country’s capital, Mogadishu. – Since 2007, the State Department has given about $650-million in logistics support, equipment and training for Amisom troops. The Pentagon has given an extra $100 million since 2011. – The U.S. also continues to fund African armies through the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership and its Pentagon analogue, now known as Operation Juniper Shield, with increased support flowing to Mauritania and Niger in the wake of Mali’s collapse. In 2012, the State Department and the US Agency for International Development poured approximately $52 million into the programs and the Pentagon chipped in another $46 million. – In the Obama years, U.S. Africa Command has also built a sophisticated logistics system, officially known as the Africom Surface Distribution Network, but colloquially referred to as “the new spice route”. Its central nodes are in Manda Bay, Garissa and Mombasa in Kenya; Kampala and Entebbe in Uganda; Bangui and Djema in the Central African Republic; Nzara in South Sudan; Dire Dawa in Ethiopia; and the Pentagon’s showpiece African base, Camp Lemonnier. – In addition, the Pentagon has run a regional air campaign using drones and manned aircraft out of airports and bases around the continent including Camp Lemonnier, Arba Minch airport in Ethiopia, Niamey in Niger and the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean, while private contractor-operated surveillance aircraft have flown missions out of Entebbe. Recently, Foreign Policy reported on the existence of a possible drone base in Lamu, Kenya. – Another critical location is Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, home to a Joint Special Operations Air Detachment and the Trans-Sahara Short Take-Off and Landing Airlift Support Initiative that, according to military documents, supports “high-risk activities” carried out by elite forces from Joint Special Operations Task Force — Trans-Sahara. The Failure of the Militarization of Africa Libya is in flames, Benghazi the only point of attention for Americans while chaos consumes a once-stable country. Egypt, again on the continent though perhaps not of it, saw its brief bit of democracy stamped out by a military coup. The governments of Mauritania and Niger fell to their militaries. Chad experienced a coup, albeit unsuccessful. Fighting continues in Mali and the Central African Republic. In October 2011 the U.S. invaded, albeit in a small way, the Central African Republic. In December 2012, the U.S. evacuated its diplomats and civilians. 2011 also saw a U.S.-backed Kenyan invasion of Somalia. U.S. troops are hunting humans in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Like ghosts from the 18th century, pirates haunt the waters off East Africa. The U.S. admits to having 5,000 troops in ten African countries when once there were none. And So, Why? The basic rule for any investment is what do you gain in return for risk? It applies to buying stocks as well as investing a nation’s blood, resources and prestige. In the case of Africa, the U.S. investment has been a disaster. Chaos has replaced stability in many places, and terrorists have found homes in countries they may have once never imagined. The U.S., in sad echo of 19th century colonialism, has militarized another region of the world. Every rebel and terrorist the U.S. kills creates more, radicalizes more, gives the bad guys another propaganda lede. The more we kill, the more there seem to be to kill. America needs fewer people saying they are victims of America. The Chinese are building cultural ties and signing deals all over Africa, and we’re just throwing up barbed wire. Why? Source-PressTV As Africa Bleeds,AU Snoozes as Usual South Sudan – Greece US using NGOs to destabilise Africa?-globalresearch UN Security Council deliberates South Sudan Aid worker raped in South Sudan refuses to leave South Sudan conflict: African Union approves regional force Posted on 29th December 2013 by newsafrica. This entry was posted in Africa, African Security, Barack Obama, Democracy, Human Development, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan (North). Bookmark the permalink. « Christians are legal targets- Boko Haram Leader. In error, Machar’s rebels reject ceasefire offer in South Sudan »	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line299
__label__cc	0.696749	0.303251	Home Politics Top Congress leadership to decide CMs for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Top Congress leadership to decide CMs for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh FILE IMAGE New Delhi: While the grand old Congress party clinched three states in the Battle For States, a tussle is underway over who will take over as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Congress President Rahul Gandhi is joined with Sonia Gandhi for discussions on Thursday. Reports suggest that Kamal Nath, who is the Madhya Pradesh Congress chief, is the party’s choice for the state’s chief minister while in Rajasthan, the leadership reportedly favours Ashok Gehlot. But at the same time, there is strong support for young leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sachin Pilot. Each of the four leaders had a one-on-one meeting with Rahul Gandhi. Jyotiraditya Scindia have reportedly been offered the post of deputy chief minister, but he has reportedly refused to budge. Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday afternoon went together to a second meeting with Rahul Gandhi. Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot was also believed to be fighting hard for the top job – a post that he believes he has earned after leading the party for the past four years in the state and rebuilding it after its 2013 rout. The situation is critical for Congress’ top leadership and party president Rahul Gandhi needs to take a thoughtful decision keeping the 2019 general elections in mind. Ashok Gehlot Jyotiraditya Scindia Kamal Nath Previous articleMarkets rise for the third straight day on RBI governor’s statement Next article‘Racing Through The Ages’- McLaren’s tribute to its racing heritage	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line300
__label__cc	0.725983	0.274017	Nexxushost Forums Nexxushost Forums > General Category > Staying around here Author Topic: Staying around here (Read 12268 times) General_Iowa I honestly think I am starting to get to the point where I may leave TK and never come back. Most of the people I ever really cared about have done so on a permanent or near permanent basis and I honestly don't get into conversations in rooms anymore because I get the honest feeling most of the people in the spots I go could care less if I say anything even with knowing them for years. MEGAMADMUSICIAN Re: Staying around here But in all honesty, a fair amount of people are feeling like that. The only way to win... ...is to not play. Ne Invocas Non Expellere Posis, Principum Mors Est Other options exist. Most don't leave TK permanently, as I stand as proof, but that's a choice each makes individually. I've noticed the apathy in TK growing as well. But then again I think the reasons stem somewhat with handfuls of users and the economic and social idioms IRL too. Do try and be patient though. You never know what will come if you're not there for it or part of the change in making it. "All who stand before me will fall, all who lay behind me know this well." "Names? How fickle and odd. You are my people and here we stand together as one." I can actually elaborate on this a bit more. Over the past couple of years, I've noticed an unhealthy obsession with many TKers of wanting to know the personal buisness of the person they're RPing with. It used to never be this way, and things used to go much smoother as a result. Sure the person you're playing with might be batshit insane, but people wanted to RP more than to ask political questions. At some point though, people decided that they HAD to personally know someone, should it be because they liked the person or because they were trying to find a way to discredit the mook because 'there's no way he's stabbed someone with a knife IRL before" or whatever bullshit reason of the day is. As a result, while some users ramped up their Social Combat abilities, others decided to go full defense, and they shut nearly completely down. They get very cautious about who they want to RP with, because that's precisely what they want to avoid. There's honestly a whole bunch of bullshit that went into things being like how they are on TK, because I've seen this shit happen before. Quote from: MEGAMADMUSICIAN on October 13, 2015, 06:21:58 PM I think this is the first time you've blown my damn mind. It's nice though to see that you've hit the nail pretty much on the head. Most people in TK by now do know other players by name, and insist on playing with players not characters. To be fair, players do fall into ruts of being typecasters and playing the same rehash stuff, but, the site as a whole wasn't really set to be user to user as an rp medium. Escapism is supposed to be about avoiding who we are or were and gaining things we aren't or that we want to be. I think a number of people forgot that and just went either into the ic Arms Race ideology, or they capped themselves and after years of the same tired stuff got bored of seeing bland ideas and acts or things they circled the habits of doing. I've tended to avoid Arms Race myself. Seen where it ends and I'd rather enjoy the mundane than burn out everything nearby for the sake of false power and short-lived gains. Chat hasn't changed much in two decades though(Added OOC Lobby, Desert, and Cafe pretty much.). I still remember fighting the opening of the OOC Lobby ages ago when the Mainhall was the hinge for that kinda thing. Water Jess, Shiewie, Jade's occasional stop in. Kinda miss it. I remember the lectures I tried and failed to be heard in that the "Elites(Stronk peeps[Good combat skill, and ability to convey things well in posts and keep good plot.])", "Elders[Oldbies]", and "Ancients[Generally people I remember from the late 90's of super-early chat.]" were essentially cannibalizing the youth of the site by refusing to accept or allow them to live long enough to grow in the sites ideals before they got axed for being too annoyingly new or uncouth, without any attempt to enlighten or help them. Not much has changed at all I guess. Difference in having more years to see it though is that occasionally some things do surprise me. Even with all the drab normalcies, good characters and players have come and gone. And interesting twists in the chat have happened. So far it's been a fairly good run... barring most recent history. =>[Trying to be stronk or Alpha in a place dependent on user interactions and equality. Or Veteran status. Hi oldbies, yes you're old. Doesn't afford you much does it? Sucks knowing we have ages of experience and plot built beyond understanding of others, and that they enter the field with as much right as us to clear the field or alter the play setup. I empathize.] AsinineVulpine fuck it I have something constructive (I hope) to add, in that I have an additional viewpoint to throw into the mix. With busy lives and such, some of the older, more established RPers find themselves often unable to dedicate large amounts of time to a roleplay. Rather than being able to dive right in any time they like and not worry a single damn about it, being able to dedicate hours and hours of their day to roleplaying at random now they have to find gaps in their busy work and responsibility-filled lives, and if you get started on some interesting roleplay with someone, you don't want it to suddenly die because you can't find the person again. "Back in the day" all roleplay was centralised around one room, the main hall. Everything began there, and most things ENDED there too. It was the main room for roleplay and pretty much every interaction at least BEGAN in that room, if it didn't move off to another at some point to have a more focused set of interactions (yes that DOES include cyber, snickering gentlefellows in the back; you can stop guffawing, it wasn't always just sex). Nowadays, with the destruction of the Mainhall as it was, and with roleplay now being spread out all over the site, there's no central room any more, now it's all divided up into groups of friends and cliqués (which granted there were back in the day too but there were far fewer users so even those cliqués interacted with other ones and newbies simply because its all there was). The pool of available RPers is far, FAR greater than it ever was "in the good old days", but all the established players have grown up, gotten jobs and gotten maybe even married and have responsibilities and such. As such rather than risk devoting a few hours and getting a taste of osmething that's truly interesting, only to never get to explore it any further because the other person never shows up again, they want to know who the person on the other end of the screen is so they can chat and find out when the best times to continue the story are, because time is precious and if they can't meet up regularly, or can't ever meet up again, there's no point continuing let alone starting. Which unfortunately with aforementioned cageyness perpetuated by dickholes who use it like a weapon to make themselves feel superior, and crazy nutjobs who can't separate fantasy from reality, compounds the problem until people just... simply don't get to RP any more. Rom Spaceknight Did you dummies start a thread to cry about the scourge of SJWs lmao Quote from: Rom Spaceknight on October 14, 2015, 09:14:31 PM The only one who mentioned them was you. Quote from: AsinineVulpine on October 14, 2015, 05:13:02 PM You made some interesting points here. People change, they get/have jobs, have sex, procreate, get more responsibilities etc. Situational and relationship dynamics change, you can't change that, but how you respond or react to it is whats really important. The main-hall thing is especially of interest as I came at a point where the MH was already purely OOC, but you describing it as a centralized RP hub that regulated things might have been where things went "Wrong"? Or rather when this paradigm ended? (Though this does seem like a limited concept, but I can see how it might work at the same time.) However this does seem to lead to a "cliquish" mentality but no more than people claimed for the Arena. However when I look at TK now, it seems more people are concerned with cuddle fucking, and being sycophantic than actually being creative. I don't mean this as a shot, but this place has become more akin to some sort of "hang out" sure there's still RP, but clearly most people notice a change in the atmosphere. I also think people are more lazy and less prone to creativity. They would rather have everything laid out on a silver platter, which is why RP is so compartmentalized right now. Most Rps are canons or original concepts concocted by a few niche individuals who are good at that sort of thing. While people who still freeform either come off (rightfully or otherwise) as overpowered and overly competitive, nonsensical, etc. So no one wants to interact in broad terms anymore. Basically Everyone is too jaded. The people who freeform either consider everyone else inferior and batshit crazy (rightfully or otherwise.) and people who might have problems refuse to acknowledge them, while neutral parties who might have otherwise gotten involved say "Fuck this." and never even bother after seeing all the stress involved. But as Asanine said, people just get sick of not being constructive and want something more, and small groups seems to be where they are getting this from. Essentially what it comes down too is even if you find an ideal RP that's no guarantee there will be ideal schedules. It's just how the cookie crumbles. The toxic environment is also definitely something to consider, and its just gotten old and most people just don't want to deal with going into a room and immediately having to deal with some bullshit cause someone is mad over something that may or may not have happened in a fictional collaboration. : I My first reaction was to tell you to get over it G_I but in all actuality you bringing this up raised some points that probably needed to be addressed. If you want to leave TK go ahead, but if anyone has any ideas on how to fix these issues maybe they should bring them up. If nobody sees a problem then fuck it. (Partisan Statements will not be very productive btw, and is part of the problem. « Last Edit: October 15, 2015, 10:10:46 PM by Fenris » Quote from: Fenris on October 15, 2015, 09:57:28 PM I do not as a freeform entity believe all are below me or batshit. I do loathe the fanfic sorts to a degree(Mostly because, and god forgive me for having to agree with you on something, it seems to lack creativity by hosting an already pop culture thing into a continuation.). As for Asanine's comment on the old Mainhall. Sorry for having it brought up if the faith in it was that deeply rooted. For a good run of seven years after about 2001, I never touched it. Rp didn't slow or stop because it hadn't been started or ended in the Mainhall. It wasn't some all important hinge of activity, nor, was it some end all be all. When I was there it was a function. A thought. And it worked well for what it was purposed for. The main entry room and a place old rpers sat and told stories, and young rpers gathered and listened while gaining their motivations for stories to be made. So yes. To a degree it functioned to end and begin lives in the rp sectors, but not exclusively. The Mainhall was a place where IC and OOC were so bridged that half the time you couldn't tell if someone was literally doing something or just making some figurative statement or character action. My opposition was when they wanted to create the OOC Lobby, which at the time and sometimes still I referred to as the OOC Retirement Home. Because in a strictly OOC environment the IC end of the chat tends to wane. Sure people go there to blow steam, talk about life or chat ideas, but overall the habit in there is to be there and just do that alone as some exclusive idiom. Most young players don't flow into it, most old players don't flow back out of it to interact with the populous at large. Overall the issues in the current day and age barely notice the blip that those sorts of things are. The current issues are strictly user interaction. Not young to old, or conveyance of ideas, but the players themselves are on time schedules, ideals, and hindered by the overly knit-pickyness of others in chat. Elitist or not. This wasn't an issue of the old Mainhall, nor of older times "golden years" nostalgia bullshit. It's a relatively recent(within the last 8 years since the economic recessions/depressions) issue facing the chats that has been exponentially amplified by elitism and other fractal sorts of ideals which work to debase the users as a whole. Back to Fen in closing : I find it funny that you suggest there is a possible "problem" here. More after you suggest that if others don't see it then whatever, as if it's some possible sensory error, and you're seeing phantoms or something. You're certainly not the only one to know of the issues here, and definitely not the last to suffer on or under them. Being a fervent zealot may not gain me bonus points Fen, but my statements should be showing you at least one thing by now. TK is my adored home away from my IRL home, and having been with it for two and some decades I'm not about to slip away or stop trying to set forth some betterment in it. Whether you find my statements counterproductive or not either way. As to any others... I don't think we have SJW anymore. The Lazy Lounge was evicted, and with it possibly any who may take offence or be mild of things. Most people either have their sides in things chosen now, or they're intentionally attempting to firmly middle without touching a side in the hopes the winds will blow different tomorrow. Middle ground sorts are like Syrian refugees atm though : They're anywhere but where they started. Lounge wasn't evicted, they decided that, because apparently lots of people were complaining about the Lounge for whatever reason, they'd do the mods a favour and have their own chat so people wouldn't be bothered by their presence any more. It was entirely voluntary, not an 'eviction'. It is however entirely irrelevant to the discussion at hand, much like the comment about sjws, which is a term made up by people wanting a name to their perceived foe they were fighting against to "save gaming" or some shit, I dunno, the whole gamergate vs sjw nonsense is all bullshit anyway. And also completely irrelevant to the discussion. Moving on. Regarding the "decline of rp", here's the thing. RP hasn't changed, just the people doing it. The same rps happen, old tk still had canon rps all over the fucking place. Whenever a new cool show or roleplay system or game came out there was always some people who wanted to play in that setting, ALWAYS. There are still the odd little clusters of people wanting to do entirely original things and things BASED on existing properties but with a twist, and that happened way back when as well as now. With the RP advertisement forums though it's a LITTLE easier to set these things up. Yes the formation of the OOC lobby MIGHT have caused a general destabilising effect whereby it decentralised all the RP, but in the end it was starting to happen ANYWAY before the mainhall was dumped and removed and replaced with the lobby. The mainhall was kinda dying out and was, by the time it was removed when the OOC-Lobby was created, basically exactly what the OOC Lobby WAS, so... yeah. That was bound to happen one way or another; OOC-Lobby was just a bit more honest a name for it if we're completely honest with ourselves. I've been on this site for nigh on 17 years now. Really, fuck all is changing, just the way things are done, and the people doing it. For those of us who remained locked into looking fondly at "the good old days" (spoiler, they weren't good.), the site became alien and unwelcoming, they decided "enough with this, this isn't home any more". Those of us who were new looked at bemusement at the crotchety "Oldies" who were too elitist and snappy, and the chat felt unwelcoming, so they formed their own rooms and railed against 'the old guard'. Some of us just stuck around for our own reasons, some because we realised the problem wasn't the chat or the clientele, but us, or that we didn't care what form the chat was taking, we still wanted to see how it all would end, or maybe we just stuck around because we made new friends and in all honesty, we just use the site as a social board for catching up with people and seeing how things are doing. Maybe it's all of the above. Maybe we're the weird ones who won't let go of something we really should. Maybe the newbies have the right idea. Maybe the people who abandoned tK have the right idea. Maybe freeform RP just isn't as viable as we thought it was. Dr. Javi what's sjws? Quote from: Bane on June 17, 2015, 01:28:11 PM you can clearly see that budapestian bitch has gotta' be soaked in the knickers all fanning herself off Quote from: Dr. Javi on October 16, 2015, 05:10:30 AM social justice warriors. apparently they don't exist though or something. i don't really know the details. anyway. Usually, it's just sort of better to leave this sort of thing to itself instead of making announcements or decisions about it. Threads for it tend to mostly be made to express the feeling of change/loss experienced, but final decisions about leaving forever and so forth are a bit dramatic. There's no real saying who'll leave and come back or how things will change. Quote from: Bane on October 16, 2015, 09:40:53 AM You've seen the boards before the crash, right? And you've seen the more recent shit, I wager. That's what happens when you just leave it alone with no discussion at all. I think it needs to be discussed. Not acted on. Not overblown. Discussed. i hate those guys. New Look by Nolt	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line302
__label__cc	0.611368	0.388632	Animal Training SIFRPG Training an animal to perform a single task or role requires an Animal Handling (Train) Extended test, requiring a number of successful tests equal to the animal's Will minus Cunning (minimum 1). Each test assumes a week of regular training, working with the animal for a few hours every day. The Difficulty of this roll is based on the animal's Will rating: Will 1: Routine (6) Will 2: Challenging (9) Will 3: Formidable (12) Will 4: Hard (15) Will 5: Very Hard (18) An animal may learn a number of tricks equal to its Cunning. After that, training each additional trick increases the Difficulty of the task by +3, cumulative. [edit] Tricks These individual tricks can often be learned by a variety of animals, who may perform them slightly different from one another. Commanding an animal to use one of these tricks is an Animal Handling test, with the Charm Specialty, unless otherwise noted in the trick. Some animals may find themselves in situations where they may try and throw off the training in order to react according to their instincts. A dog wishing to bark at something when he's been ordered to be silent, a horse wishing to flee from fire when its been ordered to stay and the like. When the master is present, it is a simple Animal Handling test against the animal's passive Will; if the master is not present, it is the animal's Will test against the master's passive Animal Handling. Agility Tests: Dogs, Horses. This trains the animal to perform a variety of leaping and agility tricks. For dogs this is usually leaping through hoops and (for lighter animals) tumbling and flipping. For horses this is often course navigation, leaping fences and the like. Attack: Dogs, Horses, Ravens. With this command, the animal will attack any individual that is currently menacing its master. Horses trained to this will lash out with hooves, which is rarely a natural inclination. A rider giving this command from horseback may use the Ride Specialty. Bear a Rider: Dogs, Horses. Animals trained to this will bear a rider, with or without saddle. The rider must be of a size and weight that the animal could bear reasonably, of course. No roll is necessary to have the animal perform this function, although all commands given while in the saddle use the Ride Specialty. Bear a Burden: Dogs, Horses, Ravens. Animals trained to this trick will bear burdens on their backs or pull wayns and sleighs as appropriate for their size. Ravens trained to this will carry messages tied to their legs without trying to rid themselves of it. All commands given with this skill use the Drive Specialty. Charm: Dogs, Horses. Animals trained to this trick will perform any number of trained actions that most people find endearing: bows, counting tricks, eliciting sympathy by drooping ears and sighing and the like. Animals with this trick will also perform basic dance steps to music; animals with both this trick and the Agility Tests trick can perform quite advanced dances. Come: Dogs, Horses, Raptors, Ravens. An animal trained to this trick will come when called. Dogs, horses and ravens will answer to their names or a whistle; raptors usually are trained to a bell or whistle. Fetch: Dogs, Ravens. The animal will retrieve either something that is thrown by the master, or a specific kind of item that it is trained to, such as food, shiny things, pieces of paper and the like. An animal may be trained to this trick multiple times, each time adding another kind of thing it will fetch. Guard: Dogs, Horses. This command causes the animal to either remain in one spot and guard it against everyone it is not familiar with, or to remain with and protect an individual, designated by the master placing that person's hand on the animal's flank while giving the command. An animal with this training issues a vocal warning to those getting too near to it. Heel & Stay: Dogs, Horses, Raptors, Ravens. With this command, the animal remains calmly beside the master, remaining with him when either walking or standing still. The animal can also be commanded to remain in one place. Raptors and ravens will follow a master from the air, but cannot be commanded to stay in one place. Silence: Dogs, Horses, Raptors. With this command, the animal refrains from making its normal vocalizations. Dogs and horses with this command also actively employ their Stealth to keep from making undue noise by their passage. Speak: Ravens. Though all ravens pick up the occasional word here and there, this training teaches a raven a small vocabulary of words that it can use to communicate certain concepts such as hunger, a warning and the like. Terrain Traveling: Horses. With this training, a horse is trained to navigate through terrain that it would normally find difficult, such as wetlands or mountains. When in that terrain, the horse's movement is calculated as though it were in one category of terrain better (Deserts, Hills and Light Woods become as Plains, and Mountains, Wetlands and Dense Woods are treated as though they were Deserts, Hills and Light Woods). There are no rolls involved in the use of this kind of training, which becomes second nature to the mount. Track: Dogs. When given a strong scent to follow, the dog can follow the trail left by that scent with a Survival test. Each mile of trail requires an additional test. Situations that might throw off or confuse the scent, such as moving into a heavily populated area, a body of water or stronger scents like fire or blood can all force re-tests as well, often at higher Difficulties. Wear Barding: Dogs, Horses. The animal is trained to bear armor sized and fitted for its shape. There are no rolls involved in the use of this kind of training, which becomes second nature to the animal. [edit] Roles Unlike other tricks, these are a specific function for the animal, rather than an individual limited command. These are "jobs," as it were, training the animal to the numerous commands and situations necessary to function in this capacity. Each role is considered a single trick, and each roll to teach a role counts as two weeks. No animal may be trained to more than one role. Entertainer (+3 Difficulty): Dogs, Horses. The animal is trained to perform in one of many ways: as a show animal of some kind, or performing alongside an entertainer. The animal is assumed to know the Agility Tests and Charm tricks, as well as either the Fetch or Speak trick. Falconry Trained (+3 Difficulty): Raptors, Ravens. Birds trained thusly can be used for hunting. Hawks and ravens are launched from the fist to fly out and attack game birds flushed from the surrounding wilds, while falcons and eagles are launched from an aerie and follow the master, watching carefully for any game birds or small game (such as rabbits) that they can strike. These animals are assumed to have the Attack, Fetch and Heel & Stay tricks. Farmer (+0 Difficulty): Horses. The animal is trained as a farm animal, for the myriad purposes to which horses are put on the farm. The animal is assumed to know the Bear a Rider and Bear a Burden tricks. Guard (+6 Difficulty): Dogs. Trained as guardians, these dogs are often used as household defense. Attack, Come, Guard and Heel & Stay ricks. Herder (+3 Difficulty): Dogs. The animal is trained to assist with corralling a herd animal of some kind, patrolling their edges to keep them together and defend against predators. The animal is assumed to know the Come, Guard and Heel & Stay tricks. House (+0 Difficulty): Dogs. The animal is trained to live well indoors, well-socialized, quiet and tending to its wastes outdoors rather than inside. The animal is assumed to know the Heel & Stay and Silence tricks. Hunter (+6 Difficulty): Dogs. Dogs with this training are taught to be hunting companions, remaining near the master until they are given word to flush out the prey. They range outward, barking to drive larger prey back towards the hunting party. The animal is assumed to have the Attack, Fetch, Heel & Stay and Track tricks. Warrior (+6 Difficulty): Dogs, Horses. The animal with this training has been accustomed to the chaos, blood and pain of battle, and will not spook in such situations. Such animals are considered to have the Attack, Guard, Heel & Stay and Wear Barding tricks for dogs, or the Attack, Bear Rider, Guard and Wear Barding tricks for horses. Retrieved from "http://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php/Animal_Training_SIFRPG"	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line310
__label__cc	0.733202	0.266798	Photo Credit: Carol Ponchet-Cassidy Soapberry’s gift: Hardworking shrub gives more than it takes Carol Ponchet-Cassidy Aug 01, 2013 Plants provide us with so much: fresh air, food, fabric, fuel, beauty… the list goes on. We harvest from plants and in turn feed them organic matter in the form of mulch or a manure tea or commercial fertilizer. Some plants, known as nitrogen fixing, create their own fertilizer as well as nourish other plant life nearby. Among them is the soapberry. The soapberry shrub is a workhorse. Very hardy and tough, it can live in almost any types of soils and locations. It can protect itself from herbivores and the fruit of the soapberry and all of its other plant parts have unique and multiple uses. For these and other reasons, it makes a great addition to any garden or landscaping. For this article, I will use the common name soapberry, but the reader should be aware that this intriguing native plant has many common names. The ones I found are soapberry, foamberry, buffaloberry, russet buffaloberry, russet red buffaloberry, Canadian buffaloberry and, in old Chinook jargon, soopollalie. The most important name, the one that never changes, is the botanical Latin name Shepherdia canadensis. This deciduous shrub can grow up to one to two metres, depending on the conditions. It has a loosely branched, rounded shape. The leaves sit opposite each other on slender branches. They are oval shaped, have smooth margins and a rounded tip. The upper surface of the leaves is a dull, dusty dark green colour and is smooth to the touch. The underside of the leaf has a unique built-in protection system. It is covered in stiff, bristly, short hairs called scurf that vary in colour from silver to cinnamon-brown. The hairy underside of the leaf is unpalatable to most herbivores and caterpillars (although hares are known to browse the shrub). Resists fire, calms stomachs Soapberries fruit best in open, sunny locations. They are commonly found in the shade of the forest canopy or in mountain scree, waste areas, disturbed sites and roadsides, and are hardy down to zone 2, withstanding a minimum temperature of -45 C. Soapberries are not found in Haida Gwaii and are uncommon on Vancouver Island and in the wet coastal forests of the Pacific Northwest. Soil pH is not an issue for this versatile shrub and it grows well in any type of well-drained soil because of its unusual ability to nourish itself with nitrogen fixing root nodules. Soapberry belongs to a small group of plants that are able to convert nitrogen gas (N2) into usable nitrogen (NH4+). Some nitrogen fixing plants that we may be more familiar with are clover, alfalfa, peas, beans and soybeans. Canadian and American forestry reports state that soapberry is “moderately resistant to fire”. Generally, after a fire, the lower limbs remain. The soapberry has a large amount of adventitious buds at the crown of the shrub that will shoot readily. After a fire, more opportunities occur for buds to erupt because of increased light and decreased plant competition. Couple this regenerative characteristic with soapberry’s nitrogen-fixing abilities and one can understand why forestry is more and more interested in promoting and encouraging soapberries along roads, logged areas and burn sites. Soapberry shrubs are dioecious, meaning that some shrubs will bear only male flowers and others only female flowers. Soapberries are also not self-fertile, so a multiple planting of both genders is required to harvest berries. A soapberry shrub needs to be five or six years old before it is mature enough to produce fruit. The fruit is small, oval, orangey-red and translucent when ripe. The berries are borne at the leaf axils and contain a single seed. The flavour when eaten fresh is often described as very bitter. Soapberries sweeten after a frost. It should also be mentioned that eating soapberries has been reported to be an effective mosquito repellent. A long legacy There are many uses for the soapberry fruit. For consumption, the berries can be eaten fresh, made into lemonade, dried, pressed into cakes or whipped into an ancient confection commonly called Indian ice cream. The “ice cream” will be white if green berries are used and pink if ripe berries are used. Never let the berries come into contact with plastic or any other oily containers. The oils will stop any foaming action from occurring. Soapberries have nutritional value and are very high in vitamin C. They have been used traditionally by First Nations for treating high blood pressure, flu, digestive disorders, bringing on childbirth and externally for acne and boils. Soapberries must be consumed in moderation, however, because they contain a substance called saponin, which can cause stomach upset. The berries can also be used as a shampoo or soap for washing. The mashed berries and subsequent foam feel astringent on the skin and leave a clean, fresh feeling after a good rinse! The roots, stems, bark and leaves have also been used for medicinal purposes. Boiled twigs and inner bark were used as a laxative. An infusion of the bark was used as eyewash. The bark, mixed with pin-cherry bark and softened in hot water, was used as a plaster or bandage for broken limbs. A brew made from the stems was used for treating digestive upset, stomach cancer, constipation, high blood pressure and venereal disease. A brew from the stems and leaves was used as a wash for sores, cuts and swellings. This brew was also used as a rub for arthritis and sores on the head and face. The roots are anti-hemorrhagic (stop bleeding) and cathartic (purging and cleansing). The roots have also been used as an aid to childbirth and for treating tuberculosis. The soapberry is truly a multifaceted plant. Propagation is mostly done by seed. Seeds are collected from ripe fruit in the fall. It is important to not let the seeds dry out as their seed coat becomes very hard. Instead, sow the seeds immediately into an outdoor cold frame. Thin the seedlings in late spring and let them grow on through another winter. Then they can be planted out the following spring. If you want to store your seeds until spring rather than use a cold frame, prepare the seeds by rubbing them over fine sand paper, then put the seeds into a zip-lock bag filled with clean, moist sand. Place the bag into a brown paper bag to eliminate all light. Put the bag into your refrigerator crisper drawer until the following spring when they can be sown. Softwood cuttings can be done in July or August using a rooting hormone at 800 parts per million. This is a less reliable method of propagation, and—because of our cold winter climate—the cuttings will need to be protected over winter in a cold frame or green house. The soapberry is a workhorse of the plant world. It gives back when other plants take. It grows where other plants won’t and it nourishes and prepares barren soil for new plants. The soapberry plant, from bark to berry, from leaf to root, has the capacity to nourish and heal. Thank you, Soapberry. Where can I find these berries in bc?  Kim  May 21, 2016 Where can I find these berries in BC  Paula Venn  Jun 03, 2016 I like your article about soap berries. I was with someone when they gathered soap berries many years ago and the spread a sheet down under the bush and shook the bush until the berries fell off on tithe sheet. It was fun learning something new. I live in Vancouver and I’m hoping to gather soap berries for a feast. Condo you happen to know of places I can look. I have access to a car.  Sandra  Jan 30, 2017 then soapberry or nowus as the Ulkatcho people of the west Chilcotin Plateau call it, doesn’t grow on the coast. That made the berries a highly sought after trade item for the Dakelh and Tsilhqot’in people trading with the Nuxalk of Bella Coola for items from the sea…especially oolichan grease.  Sage Birchwater  Mar 05, 2017 Fishing for Future Opening day on the Skeena came late this year. Kitsumkalum fish monitors were there working with recreational anglers to gather data. Britta Boudreau takes us to the river, and gives us a glimpse of what’s at stake if the salmon stop swimming, and who is working to protect the resource. READ MORE➦ Tumbler Ridge wins Global Geopark status. What’s next for northern BC’s geological mecca? Folks in Tumbler Ridge aren’t strangers to uncertainty. Perhaps that’s why a delegation at the sixth International UNESCO Conference on Global Geoparks in Saint John, NB wasn’t going to celebrate until they heard the name they were waiting for: Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line319
__label__cc	0.556563	0.443437	Future versions of Mac OS X to have Virtual Input Devices? Oct 6, 2010 - 3 Comments Remember the patent news of an iMac Touch and Macbook Touch? How about the Apple job posting that referred to a revolutionary feature in Mac OS X 10.7? Is it possible all of these things are tied to each other? The same site that dug up the first two patents has uncovered another interesting Apple patent, this one referring to a “Virtual Input Device Application” that, well, basically creates a virtual input device on a touch screen. The technology will somehow allow you to project an input device into the display of the unit that could then be used instead of the physical input device. For instance, a physical touchpad could be created virtually on your display and then used as you would your physical trackpad. This virtual input would apparently work in either 2d or 3d representations, and could shift from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional object based on user input. A more simple version of a ‘virtual input device’ could be something like the iPhone and iPad keyboard, which appears as a virtual keyboard and is activated through touch response. So what does this have to do with Mac OS X 10.7 and cloud computing? More speculation about Mac OS X 10.7 PatentlyApple speculates that this could be the ‘revolutionary’ feature that Apple is apparently working on for future Mac OS X versions. This would indeed be a nice feature to include in Mac OS X, and it makes sense considering the iMac Touch patent specifically mentions Mac OS X seamlessly switching into the touch-based iOS. I originally speculated that based on information from the job posting, the ‘revolutionary’ feature is somehow related to cloud computing. I still think that is true considering the heavy HTTP emphasis in the job requirements, plus the massive data center that Apple has built to support who knows what. Perhaps an upcoming version of Mac OS X includes iOS itself, and syncs data and apps seamlessly with your other iOS devices through the cloud? Wouldn’t that be neat? That would explain the touch emphasis, virtual inputs, and the humongous data center that Apple has built in North Carolina (pictured below) that would be ideal for cloud computing and storage. We’ll find out what Apple is up to sooner or later, until then we’re all left guessing. Virtual Keyboard and Magic Mouse with Integrated Display Shown in Apple Patents How to Enable & Use the Virtual Keyboard in Mac OS X Future of Mac & iOS Keyboards? Apple Patent Shows Virtual Keyboard with Air Feedback System Enable & Access Chinese Character Input in Mac OS X Posted by: William Pearson in Mac OS X, Rumor Summer Davies says: Wonderful writing and definitely can assist with becoming familiar with the article much better. icebreaker says: I would never want to have a touch iMac. Bringing touch to these devices normally brings down image quality. And I don’t like smudging my display. Why use touch when you have much more precise and quicker mouse and keyboard? Just Frank says: I see this as a virtual keyboard and virtual game controls, it’s already on so many iOS apps it wouldn’t be a big jump to bring it to a touch Mac. « Insure an iPhone, iPad, and other expensive electronics for cheap Get 1000+ Free Audiobooks for iPhone, iPad, & iPod »	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line328
__label__wiki	0.991276	0.991276	2010-2012 • Parliament Square Hobart + the former Print Authority building peterfreeman 2015-06-01T16:40:21+10:00 ADAPTIVE REUSE OF THE FORMER TASMANIAN PRINT AUTHORITY BUILDING AT 2-4 SALAMANCA PLACE HOBART In 2007, PFCA+P were commissioned to undertake a built heritage assessment of the buildings that comprised the ‘Heritage Square’ precinct in central Hobart. That precinct subsequently became known as ‘Parliament Square’, and a development proposal was advanced for the Square. This proposal required the demolition of two listed buildings; the Government offices at 10 Murray Street, and the former Tasmanian Print Authority building at 2-4 Salamanca Place. Peter Freeman has been involved in the campaign to retain both listed buildings and has had a particular interest in the potentials of the former Print Authority building [entered on the Tasmanian Heritage Register] to be adaptively reused.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line331
__label__wiki	0.793484	0.793484	Burnt movie full 2015 Burnt movie full 2015. Watch Burnt Online 2019-01-14 Monday, January 14, 2019 4:59:59 AM Ellis Burnt (2015) Today, you are able to see that hundreds a huge number of people searching for free Burnt movie watching it on their sweat household with connection to the web. Although Tony distrusts Adam, he hires him for the hotel's restaurant and allows him to live at the hotel. Adam then visits a cutting-edge eatery run by Reece , with whom he has a long-standing rivalry, and the visit ends poorly. He has a new kitchen and is building a new team of chefs, all in an attempt to prove himself by doing the impossible: getting a third Michelin star, something reserved for the best of the best. Adam tracks down Michel , a Paris colleague whose restaurant he had sabotaged out of jealousy. Streaming movie with title Burnt full and free movie streaming in high quality. Adam improves his attitude, but refuses her request for time off for her daughter Lily's birthday. Miramax Films may no longer exist, but under their Weinstein Company rubric, Harvey and continue to make, albeit with somewhat less frequency than they used to, Miramax-y product. On July 29, 2015, the film was re-titled Burnt. Helene is irate about being fired, but Adam convinces her to work for him by tripling her salary. His scenes were later released on the home media release. In London, Adam searches for old colleagues, beginning with his mentor's former , Tony , now a hotel manager. Burnt (2015) Full Movie You may get new online movie, and Download full it for free in the site. On August 7, 2014, was added to the cast, playing chef Jones' rival, Reece. Adam goes on a talk show that he previously turned down to drum up publicity for the restaurant. Michel forgives Adam and agrees to work for him. Demanding perfection from his newly formed staff Sienna Miller, Omar Sy , the acerbic and temperamental Jones gets a second chance to fulfill his dream of earning a third Michelin star. Once inside, he begins to break down emotionally. Watch Burnt Online On September 21, 2015, the first international trailer was released. Adam Jones Bradley Cooper was once a top chef in Paris until drugs and alcohol led to a meltdown that put his career on hold. Production then moved to and. The plan then was to give the film a on October 23, 2015, before a on October 30, 2015. Storyline: Chef Adam Jones Bradley Cooper had it all and lost it. To land his own kitchen and that third elusive Michelin star though, hell need the best of the best on his side, including the beautiful Helene Sienna Miller. Burnt Movie Review & Film Summary (2015) He returns that night during dinner service beaten and bruised. Reece soothes him, and they part on better terms. Simone's favorable review convinces Tony to renovate the hotel's kitchen and hire Adam as head chef permanently. Tony convinces Helene to return with a doubled salary and some insight about Adam's behavior. Adam rejoices at the opportunity of a second chance, and he and Helene kiss. With the restaurant's reputation established, Adam sets his sights on a Michelin star, still avoiding his drug dealer, even after Tony offers to pay off his debt. Adam finds Anne Marie surprisingly forgiving after he abandoned her in Paris and missed her father's funeral. Now in London, he's trying to make amends for all the wrongs he committed in Paris. He cleans up and returns to London, determined to redeem himself by spearheading a top restaurant that can gain three Michelin stars. Watch full with title Burnt free an fun at here. During editing of the film, 's scenes were cut from the finished version. They are interrupted by Tony, accompanied by the drug dealer's thugs, who take Adam away. The movie goes up several notches in quality every time , as a sagacious therapist, turns up. Cast: , , , , , , , Director: Genres: Production Co: 3 Arts Entertainment, Shiny Penny Productions, Battle Mountain Films Distributors: Weinstein Co. Adam is upset, but relents and bakes Lily a birthday cake, which impresses Helene. Two Michelin reviewers arrive, and he cooks for them rather than go to the hospital. Tony and Helene find Adam and tell him that the two men they thought were Michelin reviewers were actually just businessmen on a trip. . The film was originally entitled Chef, and re-titled Adam Jones on July 24, 2014, to avoid confusion with 's film. Adam attends a group therapy session, then returns to the hotel, where he learns that Anne Marie has paid off his debt. Miller is tops, Sy is terrific, Brühl does quite well, particularly after his character is given a little revelation of his own, and makes a strong impression, as she does, in a very brief appearance. Cooper introduced a sneak peek of the film on the show on August 10, 2015.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line335
__label__wiki	0.543375	0.543375	New Patron Information Happenings @ the Library Toddler and Baby Story Time Programs for All Ages Book Buzz Copier/Fax/Scanner Richmond Library began a weekly code club this June. In this informal educational setting, kids will learn computer programming skills through a series of tutorials and projects. They will work towards building websites, video games, phone apps, animations and more, all the while, learning how to become better problem solvers and critical thinkers. Our first meeting was June 4th, and we had a tremendous turnout! We've expanded to two sessions every Tuesday: one from 2:00-3:00 pm and one from 3:00-4:00 pm in the library basement. The club is open to all kids ages 8-18. You're welcome to come when you can. We provide a limited number of Chromebooks or you can bring your own device. While traditionally libraries have been a place to borrow books, they are increasingly transforming into a community resource center, offering classes, courses, and experiences for people of all ages and interests. Code club fits with that mission. Richmond Library is partnering with technology company, Prenda, to offer their club. Prenda provides software, training, and support for libraries around the country to run engaging programming where kids can learn how to code. Learn more at Prenda. Question or Book Request M, F: 2-6 pm T, Th: 10 am-12 pm & 2-8 pm W: 10 am-12 pm & 2-6 pm Sat: 9 am-1 pm Closed Holidays 38 West Main OverDrive is a free service that lets you borrow digital content like ebooks and audiobooks through your library account. Meet Libby and get the app for your phone or tablet! RBdigital offers a wide variety of services and content formats through a single platform and mobile apps. Call us at (435) 258-5525 for your access code to Utah's Online Library © 2019 Richmond Public Library. All rights reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line337
__label__cc	0.699446	0.300554	Memories From A Past Life The summer sun hung low in the sky, turning the clouds all shades of orange, red, and purple, sunbeams shining through the pine trees that lined the sides of this unpaved road. They drove slowly in their rental car, taking time to drink in the environment and just to enjoy one another’s company. The vacation had been Dmitri’s idea—he needed it—but he was glad to have the others along. A vacation alone was the last thing he wanted right now. It was good to be home, and he enjoyed acting as tour guide for his friends. Few people understood the beauty of the Russian countryside; the steppe is as deep a part of their collective soul as borscht or vodka. He had taken them to his birthplace, Moscow, first. They had seen the rainbow spires of St. Basil’s Cathedral, the towering red brick of the Kremlin walls, Lenin’s mausoleum, the terrifying façade of No. 2 Dzerzhinisky Square and the crumbling remains of Stalin’s pride—the White Sea Canal. They strolled along its banks and viewed the oily, filthy water with disdain, recognizing it as the slave labor project that it was. They saw the tiny plaque and paid homage to the dead, marveling at the fruits of their labor and clucking their tongues at its current state of disrepair, noting that not a single vessel had traversed it during their time there. Strelnikov sighed to himself and viewed it with longing. They did not, could not, understand its true meaning. He continued driving, allowing them the pleasant respite of the car seats and the soothing sound of gravel under the tires. The road stretched in both directions for miles, small side roads shooting off and leading their travelers across the expanse that was modern-day Russia. He smiled inwardly, a knowing smile that he saved for special occasions such as this. He’d told them that he wanted to go home for a few days, and now he truly was—this was their last stop. The car pulled onto a winding side road and slowed to a stop, a large Russian summer house in the traditional style looming ahead of them. The others perked up and looked around in surprise as he stepped out of the car. It had belonged to her mother once, she herself purchasing it just after the collapse in 1992 when you could buy property for as cheap as a piece of Japanese electronics. They had fixed it up and spent their summers here, away from the confines and the madness of Moscow proper. He gazed up at it, hands at his sides. The paint was faded to grayness and large portions of it had been peeled and stripped away by the harsh winter elements. The eaves sagged with decay, and the porch swing sat molding, its rusting chains folded underneath it. He heard the car doors close behind him as they exited and stood behind him; he paid them no attention, just stepped onto the porch. It groaned from the pressure, the wood joints no longer sturdy. Strelnikov tried peering through the front door, but it was covered with a sheet of plywood. He tried the door—locked. It took him a few moments to remember the key stashed away in one of the porch beams; he pried the panel apart with his knife and reached in, ignoring the cobwebs and retrieving the tarnished brass key. It fit the lock perfectly, and he swung the door open and stepped in, the others following suit. He remembered coming here for the first time, seeing the furniture covered in plastic to keep the dust off, remembered the musty smell, remembered her sweeping the dirt through this very door and into the hazy summer air. There was no furniture now, only years of untended dust and dirt. Stepping further through the hall, he saw the kitchen—its strawberry-printed trim lining the ceiling had faded into unrecognizable shades of white, the only appliance left was the stove where together they had once cooked breakfast. He looked away quickly, casting a nervous and embarrassed glance to his friends. “…Was my summer home,” he said sheepishly. They nodded and gave him supportive smiles, watching carefully and waiting in the hallway, choosing not to follow as Dmitri walked up the stairs. The wooden planks sighed with each step, bowing dangerously as he climbed and only reluctantly supporting his weight. The upstairs was much the same, save for one room—their bedroom. It was empty but for a small table with a blue tin box resting atop it. This, too, required his knife to open, but after some fussing he pried it apart and looked inside. His eyes fell upon the note first, and with trembling hands he unfolded it, scanning it in silence. “My dearest Dmitri,” it began, written in her elegant, wavy Cyrillic handwriting. “It has been almost two years since I received word of your death. I have waited as long as I can. The other girls tell me to have hope, but I know it is misguided and foolish of me to have even the faintest belief that you will ever return to me. It is so hard without you—sometimes I swear I hear your voice being carried in the breeze, and for the briefest moments it is like you are near to me again. I have waited, Dmitri. But I can wait no longer. “Maybe the telegram really was a mistake, and you will return here someday to see me. I am leaving you this letter and these small remembrances in the hopes that maybe it will help you to understand and move on, as I have. I held on to them as long as I could, but the hope that you will ever see them is all but vanished from me now. I cannot bear to stay here any longer; it just reminds me of you. “I want you to know that you meant everything to me; please believe me when I say that I will never forget the way you made me feel, while we were together here. I try to shut out the bad parts as much as I can, and leave the good for another day. I always loved you, and I always will. “I hope you can understand.” She signed it, as beautiful as ever, Eva Katarinovna Strelnikova. It would have been her name had he ever come home to her. The memories flooded back at once, taking his breath away and making him weak in the knees as soon as he saw the photographs underneath. He put them down, realizing he didn’t need them; he saw them every night in his sleep. He saw her standing in the kitchen, the way the sun shone on her hair and illuminated her face like the angel she had been to him when she would cook, wearing her strawberry-patterned apron that matched the décor of the room so well. Worse yet, he saw the look on her face when he told her he was leaving, saw the anguish and the worry, and the glimmer of hope in her eyes when he kissed her and promised that he’d be back for her in one piece. He felt her in his arms when they sat together on the banks of the White Sea Canal, the way she sprawled across his body and slept with her ear to his chest, listening to him breathe and being soothed by the beat of his heart as they watched the ships drift by lazily. He remembered the soft touch of her skin and the way it glowed in the moonlight when they slept together, the way her hands would curl and lock around his own. He felt her strength and her weakness at the same time as he held her once again, telling her it would be a short war and that he was only there to keep the peace, knowing it was a lie and knowing that she was all too aware. He heard the soft coo of her voice as they planned their future, talking of how they would sit on the veranda and watch the sun set across the fields, just as it had done today. He remembered her dry laugh when he’d make a terrible joke or do something stupid, and the smile that always accompanied it. In a flash, she was with him now, standing before him, if only in the depths of his own mind. He realized then that she had always been there. She had been with him during the shelling, when the Chechens flung their rockets at him and when they trained their ancient weapons against him. She had been next to him when he was shot, held his hand in the field hospital and stroked his hair tenderly. She’d been with him up until the Foundation recruited him and took him away from her forever, their liaisons sending word to the Russian Military that he’d been killed in action near Grozny, leaving her nothing but a telegram and an engagement ring. That was nine years ago. He held up the stack of photographs, feeling something move underneath. It glinted hauntingly at him, and he recognized the gold band he had given her when he asked her to be his bride two weeks before leaving for the second Chechen war. He saw it, and at that moment he knew it was over—there was nothing left for him here. He tucked the box under his arm and returned downstairs in silence, his fellow travelers eyeing him with curiosity and silently offering him their support. He knew it to be sincere. They exited together and returned to their rented cottage to sample the stores of vodka. His three compatriots got drunk and spent the night partying in the upstairs bedroom. He slept alone. Lightworks Unofficial Wiki	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line346
__label__cc	0.53763	0.46237	It’s All About the Glove: Breaking Down the Adeiny Hechavarria Deal June 27, 2017 Diamond Exchange, Prospects, Transaction Analysisadeiny hechavarria, braxton lee, ethan clark, marlins, Miami, prospects, rays, tampa bayadmin Trade Background: It’s all about the glove, at least from the Rays’ point of view. The Rays dealt minor leaguers Braxton Lee and Ethan Clark for Adeiny Hechavarria. From the Marlins, it was about getting rid of the remainder of Hechavarria’s $4.4 M dollar salary. Long term that makes him a non-tender candidate as he’ll head to arbitration once again this Fall, but that’s getting a bit ahead of ourselves. Roster Ramifications: Hechavarria was on the DL with the Marlins and will be activated later this week, so a corresponding move has yet to be made. He’ll take over as the primary shortstop with Tim Beckham and Daniel Robertson splitting time at second base. Taylor Featherston could end up the roster casualty though it could possibly be Robertson being sent down too since he has options remaining. The returns of Brad Miller and Matt Duffy, both not until the second half for Duffy for certain and possibly for Miller, will shuffle up this whole middle infield situation again in time. For the Marlins, since Hechavarria was already on the DL, the deal does not result in any MLB-level roster changes. What it does is lock in J.T. Riddle as their primary shortstop. The Marlins do not have any other shortstop prospects close to MLB ready and so it is sink or swim time for Riddle. They do, however, have an array of journeyman/veterans with plenty of MLB experience in Triple-A to fill in should the need arise. As for the minors, Braxton Lee will head to Double-A Jacksonville and Ethan Clark is moving to Low-A Greensboro. Player Analysis: Without his plus glove Hechavarria would not have much of an MLB career. The 28-year old makes a reasonable amount of contact but lacks power, patience, and though he runs well, is not much of a stolen base threat. At best, the righty may provide a .270s to .280s batting average and single digit HR and SB totals. Braxton Lee, 23, was a 2014 12th round draft pick by the Rays. A 5’10” centerfielder with well above average speed, Lee brings a decent approach to the plate, combining moderate selectivity and some contact making skills in an effort to put the ball on the ground and leg it out as much as possible. Not surprisingly the result is an almost complete lack of a power-hitting game. In fact, his first two professional home runs came this year in his fourth season of pro ball. He was having a nice season with a .318/.387/.391 slash along with 12 steals, but still barely surfaces on the prospect radar. Expect him to be on the journeyman/fifth outfielder career path. Ethan Clark is not a high-pedigree prospect either. The 22-year old was a 2015 15th round draft pick and has worked in both starting and relief since signing with the Rays. Despite standing about 6’6”, Clark is not a power pitcher per se, but he has good command and his primary pitch is a heavy sinker that he mixes with a changeup and curve. In 55 innings Clark has posted an 8.2 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9. At best, he projects as a back-end of the rotation starter or middle reliever. The development of a secondary pitch as a true swing and miss offering is the key here. Conclusions: The Rays were determined to upgrade their defense and they accomplished that goal though it is uncertain whether or not Hechevarria will eventually fade into a defensive replacement role once Duffy and Miller both return to the scene. The Marlins meanwhile managed to shed some salary and acquire two prospects, though neither has a high ceiling, both have their utility and could contribute at the MLB level in time. ← Matt Chapman Takes Over at the Hot Corner Free Agency Outlook: The New York Mets →	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line348
__label__wiki	0.572299	0.572299	My Hammons Genealogy and other blood-related branches Rushville, IN, USA rrhammons@rrhammons.com Rev. William Hammon Ambrose Hammon James Hammon Joseph Hammon John Hammon Ham(m)on(d)(s) Veterans Our Fallen Hamond Etymology Our Migrations Our First Names Cousins Table Knights of the Garter Joseph Hammon (ca. 1753-1829) Joseph was born in Cumberland Parish, Virginia in about 1753. He is believed to be a son of John Hammon and a 2nd wife, who is unknown. This second marriage would explain the large gap between the birth of James and the sibilings which follow. Joseph served in the 14th VA Regiment, Col. DAVIDSON, Capt. BOLL's Company and was discharged in March 1779. He died in 1829 in Surry County, North Carolina. Outline Descendant Report for Joseph Hammon (54 pages) - This report does not contain sources. Descendant Report for Joseph Hammon (213 pages) - This report does not contain sources. Descendant Report for Jospeh Hammon (371 pages) - This report contains sources. Sources are just references. They do not show the actual documents themselves. These are the known children of Joseph & Martha Hammon. He married Martha Landrum in about 1777 in Cumberland Parish, Virginia. The marriage and children are documented in Martha's Revolutionary War Pension Application in 1845. Elizabeth (ca. 1781-1868) James* (ca. 1784-bef. 1850) William Andrew (1787-1835) Martha (ca. 1791-aft. 1850) * - James's surname is seen spelled as HAMMONDS. The surname spelling of his descendants is also shown as HAMMONDS and HAMMOND. Rodney R. Hammons Note the Date: Hammons © A Division of Templates In Time	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line349
__label__cc	0.565178	0.434822	From the Student Desk In the Public Interest Not for Women Only Spotlight on Teaching Spotlight on Theological Education Guide for the Guild About RSN Write for RSN holding title AAR Annual Meeting Session to Celebrate the Life and Scholarship of Luis Daniel León (1965–2018) Contemplative Pedagogy and the Religious Studies Classroom: Editor's Introduction Why I Do Not Use Contemplative Pedagogy in the Public University Classroom Making Reading Relevant: Critical Thinking as Contemplative Practice Contemplating the Smartphone Dis/Connect Critical, Creative, Contemplative Simplicity: Portals to the Contemplative Contemplative Pedagogy Reading with a Fresh Mind: Contemplative Reading Exercise » Regions Corner 2018 Southeast Regional Meeting Buckhead Marriott and Conference Center All proposal should be submitted through the online submission form. Deadline for Submissions: October 15th, 2017 AAR: Bible and Modern Culture Resisting Culture: When Christianity and the dominant culture come into conflict. Papers are welcome which deal with ethics, beliefs, social norms (e.g. LGBT issues), science, etc., where culture is wrong or Christianity is wrong. (2) Open call. Papers on any topics related to Bible and modern culture are welcome. Send questions to Brian Mooney, Brian.Mooney@jwu.edu AAR: Black Cultures and the Study of Religion Section In light of this year’s conference theme, “Discerning Truths,” The Black Cultures and the Study of Religion Section seeks papers that address “Black Religion, ‘the Law,” and ‘the truth.’” This call invites submissions that consider the ways in which black religious groups and traditions have come into confrontation with ‘the law,’ state and federal policies, the constitution as an authoritative power and with lawmakers as fair, honest and just administrators. Moreover, the call invites considerations of how black religious groups have discerned, negotiated, and attempted to speak “truths” to power in light of contestations with “the Law.” Submissions are encouraged to draw from historical and contemporary political events that appeal to theological, philosophical, ethical, economic, environmental, racial and gender-related problems, discourse, and claims to truth(s). Submissions might address contemporary phenomena such as various responses of black churches to instances of unregulated police violence, or, the ways the White House’s executive order to ban travel into the United States from seven Muslim countries has impacted black religious cultures. For instance, how has the ban affected African American Muslim communities, and what “truth(s)” have said Muslim communities appealed to and/or articulated in response? (The impact of the ban upon the black community was given some attention when Muhammad, Jr. and Khalilah Ali — son and ex-wife of Muhammad Ali — were detained at a Florida airport). Papers might also take a historical focus and consider Civil Rights legal battles, or, the manners authorities in the New World attempted to criminalize African spiritual practices with decisions like the New Orleans Municipal Council’s order that designated Congo Square in 1817 as the only legal space for African drumming and dancing. Or, from a more diasporic perspective, papers might address instances such as the post-rebellion climate after 1760 in Jamaica when acts were passed against the practice of Obeah rituals, which came to be perceived as a disruptive political force. In either of the cases above, papers might consider how African-derived religious “ways of knowing” or “truth(s)” informed responses to these encounters with “the Law.” Inquiries should be submitted to: timothy.rainey.ii@emory.edu; and b.mccormack@louisville.edu. AAR: Constructive Theologies The Constructive Theologies section invites papers that explore the varieties of theological methods for ‘discerning truth(s).’ Some questions that papers for this session might address include, but are not limited to, the following: How do differing understandings of biblical authority affect the theological discernment? What is the role of tradition and/or ecclesial teaching authority in theological discernment? What is the role of social context and/or personal experience in theological discernment? What other sources and/or norms play a role in theological discernment of truth(s)? Constructive Theologies also invites proposals for the following co-sponsored sessions: A joint session with Philosophy of Religion on J. Aaron Simmons and Bruce Ellis Benson’s The New Phenomenology: A Philosophical Introduction. Simmons will serve on the panel, which will consist of an author-meets-respondents conversation on issues such as the relationship between theology and philosophy of religion, points of overlap, common concerns, and differences between the two disciplines. A joint session with History of Christianity on the role of discernment in the history of Christian theology and spirituality. Papers addressing contemplative methods (e.g., St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises) and/or their relationship to doctrine as seen in any area of Christian History are welcomed. Questions may be directed to Elizabeth O’Donnell Gandolfo, Wake Forest University School of Divinity (gandoleo@wfu.edu) or Tracey M. Stout, Bluefield College (tstout@bluefield.edu). For the joint session with Philosophy of Religion, questions may also go to Stephen Dawson, Lynchburg College (dawson.s@lynchburg.edu) or Wesley Barker, Mercer Univeristy (barker_wn@mercer.edu). For the joint session with History of Christianity, questions may also go to Thomas J. Whitley, Florida State University (tjw11c@my.fsu.edu) or Andrew Gardner, Florida State University (abg15@my.fsu.edu). AAR: Ethics, Religion, and Society Themes: Proposals on all topics will be considered, but the following topics are encouraged: (1) a joint session with Islam on Ethics, Islam & American Culture; (2) Ethics & Politics in America; (3) Panel for scholars to share current research. All submissions are encouraged to consider and pay close attention to issues pertaining to the balance between theory and applied ethics. Submit proposals through the Google Docs paper submission form. Direct any questions to Sally Holt, Belmont University (sally.holt@belmont.edu) and Michael Stoltzfus, Georgia Gwinnett College (mstoltzfus@ggc.edu). In addition, for the joint session with Islam direct questions to Roshan Iqbal (roshan.iqbal.05@gmail.com). AAR: History of Christianity We invite proposals that relate the history of Christianity to the theme of the 2018 meeting, “Discerning Truths.” Proposals may deal with any period of history and may be conducted from any methodological or theoretical starting point; the theme “Discerning Truths” may be construed broadly. There will be three sessions. (1) Joint session with Constructive Christian Theologies on the role of discernment in the history of Christian theology and spirituality. Papers addressing contemplative methods (e.g., St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises) and/or their relationship to doctrine as seen in any area of Christian history are welcome. (2) Session on “Discerning Truths in/and the History of Christianity.” (3) Open call. Graduate students are encouraged to send proposals, provided that the proposal includes the name and contact information of a faculty member who agrees to mentor the student as needed. Send questions to Thomas J. Whitley, Florida State University (twhitley@fsu.edu) and Andrew Gardner, Florida State University (abg15@my.fsu.edu). For the joint session, questions may also go to Elizabeth O’Donnell Gandolfo, Wake Forest University School of Divinity (gandoleo@wfu.edu) or Tracey M. Stout, Bluefield College (tstout@bluefield.edu). AAR: Islam (1) There will be a joint session with Ethics, Religion, and American Society on Ethics, Islam & American Culture; (2) an open call for all proposals in Islamic studies is welcome. Questions can be directed to Roshan Iqbal (riqbal@agnesscott.edu) AAR: Judaism We invite proposals to any one of our four sessions in the following areas: (1) Second Temple Judaism: Open Call; (2) Rabbinic Judaism: Open Call; (3) Contemporary Judaism: Open Call. For these three sessions, we will consider proposals from a wide range of methodological approaches and points of interest but will give preference to essays engaging with the subject anti-Semitism/Judaeophobia. Essays may approach this topic by way of historical case studies, literary criticism, history of schoarlship, comparison, social theory, or any other appropriate avenues. (4) Joint-session: Second Temple Judaism and ASOR. Paper are invited addressing the theme: “The Influence of Romanization on Structures, Thought and Practice in Second Temple Judaism.” Please direct any questions to Michael Fuller, mfuller@leeuniversity.edu or Giancarlo Angulo, gpa15@my.fsu.edu. Regarding the Joint-Session with ASOR, also include: Greg Linton, GLinton@johnsonu.edu. AAR: Method and Theory in the Study of Religion The Method & Theory section invites proposals for two open sessions—submissions must concern either (i) a methodological issue (i.e., problem or proposal) in the history of the field or in current scholarly work in the study of religion or (ii) examine a topic of theoretical interest, whether understanding theory as critique (as in literary theory or critical theory) or an explanatory framework aiming to identify religion’s causes or function. Book review panels (i.e., author meets critics), focusing on current works examining either (i) or (ii) above, are also possible. Questions and submissions can be sent to Russell T. McCutcheon, University of Alabama (russell.mccutcheon@ua.edu). AAR: Philosophy of Religion Themes: Proposals on all topics in Philosophy of Religion will be considered, but the following session themes are encouraged: (1) a session on the conference theme of “Discerning Truths”; (2) a session exploring the implications of contemporary theories of the body for philosophy of religion; and (3) a joint session with Constructive Theology on J. Aaron Simmons and Bruce Ellis Benson’s The New Phenomenology: A Philosophical Introduction. Simmons will serve on the panel, which will consist of an author-meets-respondents conversation on issues such as the relationship between theology and philosophy of religion, points of overlap, common concerns, and differences between the two disciplines. For all sessions, please direct questions to Stephen Dawson, Lynchburg College (dawson.s@lynchburg.edu) or Wesley N. Barker, Mercer University (barker_wn@mercer.edu). For the joint session with Constructive Theologies, questions may also go to Elizabeth O’Donnell Gandolfo, Wake Forest University School of Divinity (gandoleo@wfu.edu) or Tracey M. Stout, Bluefield College (tstout@bluefield.edu). AAR: Religion and Ecology The Religion and Ecology section is excited to announce a call for presentations that address the broad theme of “Discerning Truths: from Knowledge to Action in the Age of the Anthropocene.” All topics will be considered but those which address the following subjects will be given priority: Discerning Truths about Climate Change: Alternative Facts and Religious Knowledge; From Marginalization to Resistance: Blessed are the Ecojustice Activists; Belief, Truth and Action: Religion and the Formation of Eco-praxis; A joint session with Asian Religions on the Theory and Practice of Environmental Activism. We welcome papers addressing Asian religions and the environmental crisis. Topics may include, but are not limited to: Asian religious perspectives on climate truths and climate change; Asian religious environmental movements; environmental ethics in Asian religious contexts; Asian religions and the Anthropocene; and Asian religions, economics, and ecology. Submissions for the joint session should indicate joint session with Ecology and Asian Religions. Send questions to Jefferson Calico, University of the Cumberlands (Jefferson.calico@ucumberlands.edu)and Mark Wood, Virginia Commonwealth University (mdwood@vcu.edu). AAR: Religion, Culture, and the Arts All papers related to Religion, Culture, and the Arts will be considered. Special consideration will be given to papers or panels related to the following themes: (1) Religion and multi-level marketing/pyramid schemes; (2) Religion and the recent explosion of “true crime” media/fandom; (3) Religion and genealogy; (4) Co-sponsored with the Religions in America section, we issue a joint call for papers on Atlanta, Southern Religious Culture, and Arts; (5) Co-sponsored with the Secularism, Religious Freedom, and Global Politics section, we issue a joint call for proposals on secularism, popular culture, and media – this latter panel would focus on topics such as depictions of atheists in media, the relationship between news media and entertainment, debates about secularism in popular culture, and so on. For questions on the joint call, please contact Meredith Ross (mr09@my.fsu.edu) as well as Finbarr Curtis (fcurtis@georgiasouthern.edu) and Charles McCrary (charlesamccrary@gmail.com). AAR: Religion in America Papers in all areas of Religions in America will be considered, but special consideration will be given to the following themes: (1) Religion, space, place, and the city; (2) Religion and Politics; (3) Papers dealing specifically with the meeting’s 2018 theme “discerning truths” in the context of the Americas; (4) Co-sponsored with the Religion, Culture, and the Arts section, we issue a joint call for papers on Atlanta, Southern Religious Culture, and Arts. For questions, please contact Andy McKee, am13ag@my.fsu.edu AAR: Religions of Asia (1) In conjunction with the 2018 theme, “Discerning Truths,” we solicit proposals on the issue of “revisionist historiographies” in Asian Religions. (2) “Teaching Religions of Asia in the American South: Strategies and Methodological Approaches.” (3) Joint session with Religion and Ecology: We welcome papers addressing Asian religions and the environment crisis. Topics may include, but are not limited to: Asian religious perspectives on climate truths and climate change; Asian religious environmental movements; environmental ethics in Asian religious contexts; Asian religions and the Anthropocene; and Asian religions, economics, and ecology.” (4) Open call. If you have questions regarding the Religions of Asia section, please contact Rachel Pang, Davidson College (rhpang@davidson.edu) and Jay Valentine, Troy University (jvalentine@troy.edu). Please direct questions regarding Religion and Ecology to Jefferson Calico, University of the Cumberlands (jcalico70@gmail.com) and Mark Wood, Virginia Commonwealth University (mdwood@vcu.edu). AAR: Secularism, Religious Freedom, and Global Politics Proposals from any disciplinary or methodological perspective on topics related to secularism, religious freedom, and global politics are welcome. We are especially interested in proposals related to (1) the roles of religious freedom in international relations and foreign policy; (2) critical accounts of “freedom” in the production of “religious freedom;” and (3) comparative studies of secular governance; (4) Co-sponsored with the Religion, Culture, and the Arts section, we issue a joint call for proposals on secularism, popular culture, and media. This latter panel would focus on topics such as depictions of atheists in media, the relationship between news media and entertainment, debates about secularism in popular culture, and so on. For questions on the joint call, please contact Meredith Ross (mr09@my.fsu.edu) as well as this section’s chairs, Finbarr Curtis (fcurtis@georgiasouthern.edu) and Charles McCrary (charlesamccrary@gmail.com). AAR: Teaching and Learning Religion The Teaching and Learning Religion section critically examines pedagogical theory and practice. For the 2018 meeting, we are seeking the following: (1) for a joint session with New Testament, proposals that address strategies for introducing undergraduates to the scholarly study of sacred literature; 2) for a joint session with Women, Gender, and Religion, proposals on teaching gender-related concepts in a religion course; and 3) for an open session, proposals dealing with pedagogy, teaching, and the classroom. Questions may be directed to Jodie Lyon (lyon@uga.edu) and Carole Barnsley (cbarnsley@transy.edu). AAR: Women, Gender, and Religion The Women, Gender and Religion Section foregrounds issues of women’s studies, gender, and sexuality, whether in critical analysis of and dialogue with religious traditions or texts; in the promotion of the perspectives, insights, and experiences of marginalized persons; or in the ongoing effort to theorize difference so that lives and systems may be changed. Themes: (1) Embodiment; (2) Friendship and (3) a session on issues raised by teaching concepts and theories of gender is a religion course, co-sponsored with Teaching and Learning. For questions contact Dr. Vicki Phillips, phillips_v@wvwc.edu. ASOR: Archaeology and the Ancient World ASOR: Archaeology and the Ancient World invites paper proposals for the following sessions: (1) Open session consisting of reports on ongoing excavations, archaeological theory and/or method, and other topics relating to material culture and archaeology; (2) Joint session with the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament group entitled “Uses and Abuses of Archaeology in the Study of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament,” which will focus on discussions that are methodological in nature and relevant to a particular interpretive issue (questions to David B. Schreiner, dbschreiner@gmail.com; Clinton Moyer, moyercj@wfu.edu; and Gregory Linton, glinton@johnsonu.edu; (3) Joint session with the Second Temple Judaism section entitled “The Influence of Romanization on Structures, Thought and Practice in Second Temple Judaism” (questions to Michael Fuller, mfuller@leeuniversity.edu; Giancarlo Angulo, gpa15@my.fsu.edu; and Gregory Linton, glinton@johnsonu.edu). Each year, the ASOR section honors the best paper by a graduate student with the Joseph Callaway Award, which includes a monetary gift. SECSOR: Undergraduate Research Students at institutions in the Southeast Region are invited to submit papers for the Undergraduate Sessions, sponsored by SECSOR. Open to all topics, the sessions will be composed of the papers considered the best submissions by an interdisciplinary committee. Students should submit completed papers that reflect original student research of an appropriate length for presentation (approximately 12 double-spaced pages). No paper over 15 double-spaced pages, regular size font, will be considered; one submission per student. On a cover page, please include contact information for the student and a faculty sponsor who has reviewed the submission. Proposals are to be submitted through the Google Docs link no later than December 15, 2017. The link is available at the “Proposal Submission Form” tab at the top of the SECSOR home page. Questions may be directed to the program chairs: for AAR, Dr. Joseph Winters (Joseph.Winters@duke.edu); for SBL, Dr. Phillip Michael Sherman, (Phillip.Sherman@maryvillecollege.edu). Note: Undergraduates may submit proposals to other sections as well. All undergraduate papers are automatically considered for the Undergraduate Paper Prize. SBL: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament The Hebrew Bible/Old Testament group invites proposals for two open sessions. All topics will be considered. In addition, the group seeks proposals for a third session, jointly held with the ASOR group, entitled “Uses and Abuses of Archaeology in the Study of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.” This session seeks discussions that are methodological in nature and relevant to a particular interpretive issue. Finally, in its fourth session the group will feature a panel discussion of Brent Strawn’s The Old Testament is Dying (Baker, 2017). Panel participants will be invited, but all are encouraged to attend as a Q&A session will consider comments from the floor. Questions may be directed to Drs. David B. Schreiner (dbschreiner@gmail.com) and Clinton J. Moyer (moyercj@wfu.edu) SBL: New Testament The New Testament section for the 2018 SECSOR conference invites paper proposals for three sessions: (1) a session for papers dealing with the meeting’s global theme, “Discerning Truths,” (2) an open session for papers in any area of New Testament research, and (3) a joint session between the New Testament and Teaching and Learning Religion sections for papers that address strategies for introducing undergraduates to the scholarly study of sacred texts. The New Testament section will devote a fourth session to an invited panel discussion of J. R. Daniel Kirk’s recent monograph, A Man Attested by God: The Human Jesus of the Synoptic Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2016). For questions regarding the first two sessions, please contact the New Testament Section co-chairs: Mark Proctor (mproctor@leeuniversity.edu) and Brent Driggers (Brent.Driggers@lr.edu). For questions regarding the third joint session, please contact either the New Testament section co-chairs or the Teaching and Learning Religion section co-chairs: Jodie Lyon (lyon@uga.edu) and Carole Barnsley (cbarnsley@transy.edu). AAR Home Regions Corner Journal of the American Academy of Religion Reading Religion RSN Archive (through May 2014) Twitter @AARweb RSS Terms of Use \| Contact us © 2018 American Academy of Religion. All Rights Reserved. 825 Houston Mill Road NE, Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30329-4205 \| Tel: 404.727.3049 Fax: 404.727.7959	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line350
__label__wiki	0.777525	0.777525	RussiaAustraliaUkraineUnited StatesKazakhstanBelarusGermanyIsraelUnited KingdomMoldovaUzbekistanCanadaKyrgyzstanLatviaNew ZealandNetherlandsThailandNorwayChinaAzerbaijanJapanIndonesiaIrelandUnited Arab EmiratesFranceSingaporeSwedenSpainPolandLithuaniaEstoniaCyprusSouth KoreaBelgiumCzechiaTurkeyHong KongAustriaSwitzerlandItalyPortugalFinlandArmeniaIcelandBulgariaSouth AfricaTajikistanGeorgiaBrazilGreeceMalaysiaIndiaVietnamMexicoEgyptMaltaHungaryZambiaTaiwanDenmarkArgentinaSerbiaSaudi ArabiaNepalOmanPhilippinesSudanEcuadorSri LankaIranNigeriaGhanaQatarCambodiaPapua New GuineaSloveniaRomaniaMontenegroTurkmenistanLebanonLaosMaldivesColombiaPalestinian TerritoryMacauKenyaMongoliaUruguayKuwaitFijiAfghanistan Estonia Population: 1,258,545 After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940 - an action never recognized by the US - it regained its freedom in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with the West. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004, formally joined the OECD in late 2010, and adopted the euro as its official currency on 1 January 2011. The mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore lie more than 1,500 islands Location: Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea Size comparison: about twice the size of New Jersey Land Boundaries: total: 657 km border countries (2): Latvia 333 km, Russia 324 km exclusive economic zone: limits as agreed to by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Russia Climate: maritime; wet, moderate winters, cool summers Terrain: marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south Natural resources: oil shale, peat, rare earth elements, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite, arable land, sea mud Land use: agricultural land: 22.2% arable land 14.9%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 7.2% forest: 52.1% Irrigated land: 40 sq km (2012) Natural hazards: sometimes flooding occurs in the spring Current Environment Issues: air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power plants in northeast; however, the amounts of pollutants emitted to the air have fallen dramatically; the pollution load of wastewater at purification plants has decreased substantially; Estonia has more than 1,400 natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain locations International Environment Agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Nationality: noun: Estonian(s) adjective: Estonian Ethnic groups: Estonian 68.7%, Russian 24.8%, Ukrainian 1.7%, Belarusian 1%, Finn 0.6%, other 1.6%, unspecified 1.6% (2011 est.) Languages: Estonian (official) 68.5%, Russian 29.6%, Ukrainian 0.6%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.) Religions: Lutheran 9.9%, Orthodox 16.2%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 2.2%, other 0.9%, none 54.1%, unspecified 16.7% (2011 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.12% (male 104,011/female 98,809) 15-24 years: 9.3% (male 60,714/female 56,291) 55-64 years: 13.47% (male 76,063/female 93,479) 65 years and over: 19.47% (male 82,968/female 162,114) (2016 est.) rate of urbanization: -0.45% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) Major urban areas - population: TALLINN (capital) 391,000 (2015) Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (2016 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.3% (2013 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 8,600 (2013 est.) Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 15% male: 19.3% Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Estonia conventional short form: Estonia local long form: Eesti Vabariik local short form: Eesti former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic etymology: the country name may be derived from the Aesti, an ancient people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D. Capital: name: Tallinn Administrative divisions: 15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond); Harjumaa (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru) note: counties have the administrative center name following in parentheses Independence: 20 August 1991 (declared); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union) National holiday: Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992 amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the “General Provisions” and “Amendment of the Constitution” chapters requires three-fifths majority vote of Parliament for a referendum and majority vote in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016) Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens Executive branch: chief of state: President Kersti KALJULAID (since 10 October 2016) head of government: Juri RATAS (since 23 November 2016) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the highest number of votes; election last held on 29-30 August 2016 but three rounds were inconclusive; two electoral college votes on 24 September 2016 were also indecisive, so the election passed back to Parliament; on 3 October the Parliament elected Kersti KALJULAID as president; prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament election results: Kersti KALJULAID elected president; Parliament vote - Kersti KALJULAID (independent) 81 of 98 votes; note - KALJULAID is Estonia's first female president Legislative branch: description: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 1 March 2015 (next to be held in March 2019) election results: percent of vote by party - RE 27.7%, K 24.8%, SDE 15.2%, IRL 13.7%, EV 8.7%, EKRE 8.1%, other 1.8%; seats by party - RE 30, K 27, SDE 15, IRL 14, EV 8, EKRE 7 Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 19 justices including the chief justice and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional review chambers) judge selection and term of office: the chief justice is proposed by the president of the republic and appointed by the Riigikogu; other justices proposed by the chief justice and appointed by the Riigikogu; justices appointed for life subordinate courts: circuit (appellate) courts; administrative, county, city, and specialized courts Political parties and leaders: Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) or K [Edgar SAVISAAR] Estonian Conservative People's Party (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE [Mart HELME] Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE [Taavi ROIVAS] Free Party or EV [Andres HERKEL] Social Democratic Party or SDE [Jevgeni OSSINOVSKI] Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) or IRL [Margus TSAHKNA] International organization participation: Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA (cooperating state), EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO National symbol(s): barn swallow, cornflower; national colors: blue, black, white National anthem: name: "Mu isamaa, mu onn ja room" (My Native Land, My Pride and Joy) lyrics/music: Johann Voldemar JANNSEN/Fredrik PACIUS note: adopted 1920, though banned between 1940 and 1990 under Soviet occupation; the anthem, used in Estonia since 1869, shares the same melody as Finland's but has different lyrics Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eerik MARMEI (since 18 September 2014) consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James D. MELVILLE Jr. (since 8 December 2015) embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn telephone: [372] 668-8100 FAX: [372] 668-8134 Estonia, a member of the EU since 2004 and the euro zone since 2011, has a modern market-based economy and one of the higher per capita income levels in Central Europe and the Baltic region. Estonia's successive governments have pursued a free market, pro-business economic agenda, and sound fiscal policies that have resulted in balanced budgets and low public debt. The economy benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and strong trade ties with Finland, Sweden, and Germany. After two years of robust recovery in 2011 and 2012, the Estonian economy faltered in 2013 with only 1.6% GDP growth, mainly due to continuing recession in much of the EU. GDP growth in 2014 was 2.9% but dropped to 1.2% in 2015 due to lower demand in key Scandinavian export markets. GDP growth is expected to be about 2.2% in 2016. Estonia is challenged by a shortage of labor, both skilled and unskilled, although the government has amended its immigration law to allow easier hiring of highly qualified foreign workers. GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (purchasing power parity): $38.7 billion (2016 est.) $38.12 billion (2015 est.) $37.72 billion (2014 est.) GDP (official exchange rate): GDP (official exchange rate): $23.48 billion (2015 est.) Agriculture - products: grain, potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish Industries: food, engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textiles; information technology, telecommunications Labor force: 651,200 (2016 est.) Distribution of family income - Gini index: 35.6 (2014) 37 (1999) Budget: revenues: $9.559 billion expenditures: $9.596 billion (2016 est.) Public debt: 9.7% of GDP (2016 est.) 9.7% of GDP (2015 est.) note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds Exports: $12.27 billion (2016 est.) $12.24 billion (2015 est.) Exports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 34%, food products and beverages 9%, mineral fuels 9%, wood and wood products 10%, metals 7%, furniture 9%, vehicles and parts 6%, chemicals 5% (2015 est.) Exports - partners: Sweden 18.8%, Finland 16%, Latvia 10.4%, Russia 6.7%, Lithuania 5.9%, Germany 5.2%, Norway 4.1% (2015) Imports - commodities: machinery and electrical equipment 28 %, mineral fuels 11%, food and food products 10%, vehicles 9%, chemical products 8%, metals 8% (2015 est.) Imports - partners: Finland 14.5%, Germany 11%, Lithuania 9%, Sweden 8.5%, Latvia 8.3%, Poland 7.4%, Russia 6.1%, Netherlands 5.5%, China 4.8% (2015) Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $475.5 million (31 December 2016 est.) $414.8 million (31 December 2015 est.) Debt - external: $19.05 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $18.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: $22.86 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $22.02 billion (31 December 2015 est.) Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: $9.414 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $9.164 billion (31 December 2015 est.) Market value of publicly traded shares: $2.034 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $2.591 billion (31 December 2013 est.) $2.332 billion (31 December 2012 est.) Exchange rates: kroon (EEK) per US dollar - 0.8985 (2016 est.) 0.9012 (2015 est.) 0.9012 (2014 est.) 0.7525 (2013 est.) Electricity - consumption: 8.2 billion kWh (2014 est.) Electricity - exports: 6.484 billion kWh (2014 est.) Electricity - imports: 3.73 billion kWh (2014 est.) Electricity - installed generating capacity: 3.138 million kW (2014 est.) Electricity - from fossil fuels: 87% of total installed capacity (2014 est.) Electricity - from other renewable sources: 12% of total installed capacity (2014 est.) Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) Refined petroleum products - consumption: 27,710 bbl/day (2015 est.) Refined petroleum products - exports: 6,954 bbl/day (2015 est.) Natural gas - consumption: 530 million cu m (2014 est.) Natural gas - imports: 530 million cu m (2014 est.) Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy: 5.8 million Mt (2013 est.) Telephone system: general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint business ventures greatly improved telephone service with a wide range of high-quality voice, data, and Internet services available domestic: substantial fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in the digital mode; Internet services are widely available; schools and libraries are connected to the Internet, a large percentage of the population files income tax returns on international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland, Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched service; 2 international switches are located in Tallinn (2015) Broadcast media: the publicly owned broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhaaling (ERR), operates 2 TV channels and 5 radio networks; growing number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting nationally, regionally, and locally; fully transitioned to digital television in 2 (2008) Internet country code: .ee 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013) Airports (unpaved runways): total 5 Pipelines: gas 868 km (2013) broad gauge: 1,196 km 1.520-m and 1.524-m gauge (133 km electrified) note: includes 277 km of private rail (2014) (includes urban roads) paved: 10,427 km (includes 115 km of expressways) Waterways: 335 km (320 km are navigable year round) (2011) by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 18, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Norway 2) registered in other countries: 63 (Antigua and Barbuda 10, Belize 1, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cook Islands 1, Cyprus 6, Dominica 6, Finland 2, Latvia 3, Malta 16, Russia 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 8, Sierra Leone 2, Sweden 3, Venezuela 1, unknown 1) (2010) Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Kuivastu, Kunda, Muuga, Parnu Reid, Sillamae, Tallinn Military branches: Estonian Defense Forces (Eesti Kaitsevagi): Land Force (Maavagi), Navy (Merevagi), Air Force (Ohuvagi), Defense League (Kaitseliit) (2012) Military service age and obligation: 18-27 for compulsory military or governmental service, conscript service requirement 8-11 months depending on education; NCOs, reserve officers, and specialists serve 11 months (2013) Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2015) 2% of GDP (2014) 2% of GDP (2013) 1.92% of GDP (2012) 1.69% of GDP (2011) 1.92% of GDP (2010) Disputes - International: Russia and Estonia in May 2005 signed a technical border agreement, but Russia in June 2005 recalled its signature after the Estonian parliament added to its domestic ratification act a historical preamble referencing the Soviet occupation and Estonia's pre-war borders under the 1920 Treaty of Tartu; Russia contends that the preamble allows Estonia to make territorial claims on Russia in the future, while Estonian officials deny that the preamble has any legal impact on the treaty text; Russia demands better treatment of the Russian-speaking population in Estonia; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Estonia implements strict Schengen border rules with Russia stateless persons: 85,301 (2015); note - following independence in 1991, automatic citizenship was restricted to those who were Estonian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants; thousands of ethnic Russians remained stateless when forced to choose between passing Estonian language and citizenship tests or applying for Russian citizenship; one reason for demurring on Estonian citizenship was to retain the right of visa-free travel to Russia; stateless residents can vote in local elections but not general elections; stateless parents who have been lawful residents of Estonia for at least five years can apply for citizenship for their children before they turn 15 years old Illicit drugs: growing producer of synthetic drugs; increasingly important transshipment zone for cannabis, cocaine, opiates, and synthetic drugs since joining the European Union and the Schengen Accord; potential money laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a concern, as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds; major use of opiates and ecstasy RussiaAustraliaUkraineUnited StatesKazakhstanBelarusGermanyIsraelUnited KingdomMoldovaUzbekistanCanadaKyrgyzstanLatviaNew ZealandNetherlandsThailandNorwayChinaAzerbaijanJapanIndonesiaIrelandUnited Arab EmiratesFranceSingaporeSwedenSpainPolandLithuaniaEstoniaCyprusSouth KoreaBelgiumCzechiaTurkeyHong KongAustriaSwitzerlandItalyPortugalFinlandArmeniaIcelandBulgariaSouth AfricaTajikistanGeorgiaBrazilGreeceMalaysiaIndiaVietnamMexicoEgyptMaltaHungaryZambiaTaiwanDenmarkArgentinaSerbiaSaudi ArabiaNepalOmanPhilippinesSudanEcuadorSri LankaIranNigeriaGhanaQatarCambodiaPapua New GuineaSloveniaRomaniaMontenegroTurkmenistanLebanonLaosMaldivesColombiaPalestinian TerritoryMacauKenyaMongoliaUruguayKuwaitFijiAfghanistan « Previous Country \| Next Country » Back to Flag Counter Overview	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line352
__label__wiki	0.952864	0.952864	Rights to Access Information Rights To Express Rights to Feel Safe Will Facebook Indonesia face criminal charges for data breach? By Safenet in Opinion Rights to Feel Safe 20/04/2018 With more than 1 million Indonesian users affected in the Facebook data-breach scandal, the National Police have decided to launch a criminal investigation into the case. On Wednesday, the police questioned Facebook Indonesia public policy head Ruben Hattari at the force’s headquarters, in their first attempt to shed light on the case. It remains unclear, however, if the ongoing probe could ever lead to criminal charges against Facebook or its representatives here. Below is what we know so far about the Facebook scandal in Indonesia. What is the data-breach scandal about? The Facebook data-breach scandal refers to the data harvesting by a third party, political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica (CA). CA harvested data and used it for marketing or political campaigning, allegedly helping US President Donald Trump win his presidency. CA was also contracted by one of Indonesia’s major political parties in 1999. While Facebook also harvests its users’ data and monetizes the data to run advertisements on its platform, Facebook does not sell the data to advertisers, as confirmed by founder Mark Zuckerberg during a recent US Congress hearing on the matter. CA managed to harvest the data through two University of Cambridge academics, Aleksandr Kogan and Michal Kosinski. Kogan initially created “This is Your Digital Life” for research purposes, the personality test app was downloaded by 270,000 people but also collected the data of the downloaders’ friends, boosting this number to 87 million users, 1 million of whom were Indonesians. This is why the Facebook-CA data breach is scandalous: Kogan’s app collected users’ data without their permission and the data was improperly sold to a third party. How big is Facebook in Indonesia? As quoted by kompas.com, Indonesia has the fourth-highest number of Facebook users in the world. As of January, there were 130 million accounts on the social network, or 6 percent of the total global users. The cities with the most active users in Indonesia are Bekasi in West Java with 18 million accounts and Jakarta with 16 million accounts. This makes Indonesia the country with the most Facebook users in Southeast Asia. How influential is Facebook in Indonesian elections? Social media was largely to blame for polarizing Indonesians during the 2014 presidential election and the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, with Facebook and Twitter being the biggest platforms and therefore most influential. However, this had more to do with hoaxes and hate speech than data harvesting. Some politicians have admitted to relying on social-media data for their campaigns, but it is unclear how sophisticated and widespread their use of social media data has been. Conversations regarding the elections dominated the Facebook and Twitter news feed in 2014 and peaked in 2016. Since late 2017, the National Police have caught two syndicates allegedly responsible for creating and spreading hoaxes and inciting hate speech, Saracen and the Muslim Cyber Army. Both groups, which used fake accounts on Facebook and Twitter in their operations, were critical of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and may have been organized to undermine him ahead of the 2019 presidential election. The National Police’s cybercrime unit presents suspects accused of involvement in the Muslim Cyber Army on Feb. 28. The six belong to a Whatsapp group called Family Muslim Cyber Army, which is accused of producing hate speech. (Antara/Reno Esnir) Do the police have a strong case against Facebook Indonesia? At this point, the answer is no. The investigation is still in its preliminary stage. Ruben confirmed that Wednesday’s questioning by the police revolved around the alleged data breach, but stopped short of confirming whether he was questioned in an investigation of a criminal case built by the police. National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Setyo Wasisto declined to disclose details of the questioning, and instead complained about the lack of cooperation on Facebook’s side in combating radical content on the social-media site. On Thursday, National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Ari Dono Sumanto made it clear the police were still investigating whether there was a crime in the data-breach scandal. He admitted that they had not found a single person claiming to have suffered losses from the data breach, or even claimed to have had their data stolen. What are the possible charges against Facebook? Data privacy is uncharted territory in Indonesia. There is no data protection law in the country, although a bill is expected to be passed this year. The bill has been in the 2015-2019 Prolegnas since 2016, but there has been no progress in the deliberation of the draft law. The closest thing to data privacy protection is Communications and Information Ministerial Regulation No. 20/2016, but there is only a series of administrative penalties for individuals accused of misusing personal data harvested online. The regulation has no stipulation regarding penalties for corporations accused of stealing personal information. The 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, which is focused on curbing hate speech and hoaxes, does not specifically cover personal data protection. A member of staff at the Communications and Information Ministry, however, has claimed that the ITE law could still be used to press charges against Facebook. Article 26 of the law stipulates that “the use of electronic information on an individual’s personal data should be approved by the said individual.” Article 30 of the law further states that “illegally accessing information belonging to other people” is punishable by eight years’ imprisonment. Human rights activist Wahyudi Jafar says that Facebook could be charged with interception as stipulated in Article 31 of the amended ITE law. The crime is punishable by 10 years’ imprisonment or a Rp 5 billion (US$362,287) fine. “But it won’t be easy to prove this,” he says. (ahw) Writer: Devina Heriyanto and Nurul Fitri Ramadhani Source: The Jakarta Post Tags: 2018, Facebook, privacy Hafiz Rayyan case Stop Intimidating and Release All “We Want Voting Movement” Supporters in Thailand Vietnamese Videographer Being Tortured (Again) Inside The Prison Join Statement of Solidarity with Maria Ressa and Rappler We #StandwithRappler and Condemns the Attacks on Press Freedom in the Philippines Rappler’s Cyber Libel Case Cambodia, Myanmar mirror decline of democracy in Southeast Asia Damar Juniarto on Contact Us Aman amuntai on Contact Us SAFEnet/Southeast Asia Freeedom of Expression Network Website: safenetvoice.org Facebook: /safenetvoice Twitter: @safenetvoice Twitter @safenetvoice Tweets by safenetvoice Facebook SAFEnet Copyright © 2019 SAFENET Voice. All Rights Reserved.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line353
__label__wiki	0.633338	0.633338	← SHC Meeting Videos Saving Graves → Ezra Perry Posted on April 5, 2017 by donbayley/Webmaster (The following was submitted by Paul Rentz) Here’s some material I’ve come across- on Ezra, Edmund’s information is not nearly as complete from what I’ve seen. • Born: 1625, Bideford, Devonshire, England 19,22 • Marriage: Elizabeth Burgess on 12 Feb 1651/52 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 15,18,19,20,21,139,239,240,245 • Died: 16 Oct 1689, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA at age 64 18,19,20,139,245 Ezra was one of the earliest settlers of Sandwich, Massachusetts. He married Elizabeth Burgess in Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts on February 12, 1651/51. He became a minister in 1657. In 1679 he also became constable. Ezra and Elizabeth had eight children. For well over a hundred years various descendants of Ezra1 Perry of Sandwich, Mass., have gathered data regarding him and his descendants. The results of their work have largely disappeared, sometimes through destruction by fire, but more often as a result of the decease of the searcher before his or her manuscript was completed, thus necessitating much duplication of effort. The purpose of this article, then, is to combine and record as briefly and clearly as possible the results of research of its compilers over a period of years. It is hoped that it will stimulate research in England, and that others will be encouraged to contribute corrections and additions. Circumstantial evidence suggests that this Ezra Perry was closely related to others of the name in Sandwich and probably also in Scituate, Mass. Conclusive evidence regarding the precise nature of these relationships is still to be found, as will appear. The first recorded notice of EZRA1 PERRY in America is found in the Sandwich town records, where at a Meeting 6 mo. 7, 1644 we learn that “divers persons engaged freely to pay in goods and merchantable corn” toward the repair of their Meeting House. Ezra Perry pledged an amount of nine shillings toward this project (Sandwich town records; Frederick Freeman, “Annals of Sandwich” in The History of Cape Cod, vol. II, p. 45). After his first appearance in the records nothing more is found until his marriage: “Ezra Perry & Elizabeth Burge were maried the 12th day of ffebruarie, Anno. Dom. 1651” (May, Des., 14:109 ). Elizabeth (Burges) Perry, born probably in or near Truro, Cornwall, England, about 1629, was the only daughter of Thomas and Dorothy Burges of Sandwich (see THE REGISTER, 49:240, for her ancestry). Thomas Burges was in Sandwich in 1637, Representative to the General Court, 1642, fought in the Narragansett War, 1645., etc. Savage calls him “one of the chief men of the town.” Through the agency of Capt. Miles Standish he received a grant of land 3 March 1652/3 in Manomet, the area later called Monument, lying to the north of the Sandwich Settlement which was named Herring River Village (within the township of Sandwich). This deed shows that the land lay “to the Eastward of Thomas Burgis his sonne in lawes house” thus proving that Ezra Perry was then resident, though he probably did not yet own land, in Manomet. He does not appear on a list of Sandwich land owners in 1658 (Plymouth Colony Deeds, May. Des., vol. 2, p. 29; Sandwich town records). The births of his first three children are recorded in Sandwich: Ezra, in 1653; Deborah, in 1654; and John, in 1657 (May. Des., 14: 171). A hiatus in the records then occurs until we find the births of his son Samuel, in 1667; Benjamin, in 1670; and Remembrance, in 1676. By his will we know that he had at least another daughter, Sarah Perry, born about 1659. The town records show that “Lieftenant” Perry received 4 shillings pay 4 April 1657 for service in the militia. Yet he seems not to have played a prominent role in the public life of the community. The fact that he married the daughter of one of its chief men, and that his eldest son married a daughter of the powerful Governor Prence, attests to his standing, however. His multitude of descendants represent an astonishing variety of people, including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, the first wife of President Theodore Roosevelt, and several contemporary genealogists as well as the present compilers. Among these was Capt. Thomas Crosby Perry (1807-1885), who kept a genealogical Note Book to which the attention of all those concerned with early Sandwich history and genealogy is hereby directed. The next item referring to Ezra Perry appears in the Plymouth Colony Court Records, vol. 3, p. 163: “June 7, 1659 – Ezra Perry is allowed by the Court to be Executor of the Estate of Sarah Perry, there being noe other (although she hath many friends in the Country), that claimeth any interest to the Estate, having put in securities into the Court to be accountable for the Estate encase it shall bee required by any that hath better title thereto. …” He presented the Inventory on the Estate of Sarah Perry, deceased, on the following day, June 8th. All the printed accounts which we have seen appear to base their claim that Ezra Perry and his “brother Edward Perry the Quaker” were sons of the “widow Sarah Perry of Devonshire, England,”on the above statement, but the wording of the record makes it quite clear that neither Ezra nor any of the other Perrys in Sandwich were closely related by blood to the deceased widow Sarah Perry. There is, however, an implication that Ezra Perry had some claim on the estate (perhaps for himself, possibly on behalf of others also). It would be consistent if Ezra’s claim had been based on right to a dower residue of the estate of a step-mother. It could be argued that the Perry family group came to Sandwich with a widowed step-mother in order to live under the protection of some one of the pioneer Sandwich families to whom the widow’s husband and/or these minor children may have been closely related. But such a suggestion is sheer conjecture in the absence of further evidence and is useful only in furnishing an added clue for research in England. A deed from the Sachem Quachatasett to Mr. John Alden, dated in Plymouth 27 July 1661, mentions a tract of land “on that side of Manomet River next unto Sandwich: the bounds of which is from the lands of Esra Perry, …” (Plymouth Colony Deeds, May. Des., vol. 18, p. 88). But Ezra Perry was then still resident on his father-in-law’s tract which the latter, Thomas Burges, obtained, says Thomas C. Perry, “from the Plymouth Court in consideration for his public service in 1652” (Note Book, p. 66). On 10 July 1663 “Thomas Burge, Senr. of the Towne of Sandwich, … planter … in consideration of a valluable sume; to him already payed by his son in law Named Esra Perry of. the towne aforesaid … planter” conveys “one halfe of a certain tract … of land at Manomett in the jurisdiction aforesaid, which said tract was purchased by Captaine Standish by the appointment of the Court, of Josias of Nausett an Indian Sachem … as appears by a deed bearing the date the third of March Anno Dom 1652 … bounded to the Northwards … by a tree to the Eastward of the said Perry’s house …” (Plymouth Colony Deeds, May. Des., vol. 18, p. 86) . Thomas C. Perry says this tract lay on both sides of the Monument River, nearly the whole length of it (Note Book, p. 66). Two other deeds, bearing the same date as above, disposed of the remainder of Thomas Burge’s 1652 tract; since he sold one-quarter to son Joseph Burge and the remaining quarter to Lt. Josiah Standish of Sandwich (son of Capt. Miles Standish) (May. Des., vol. 18, p. 89). On 29 May 1665 Ezra Perry agreed to assist in building the new Sandwich Meeting House (town records). On 25 June 1666 “The Court have graunted unto Ezra Perry a smale quantity of land in the Neck” (about 30 acres) … “where Mr. Edmonde Freeman Junr. hath his land …” (Plymouth Colony Court Orders, vol 4, p. 131). On 2 July 1667 “twenty acres additional graunted to Ezra Perry … being in the purchase of Mr. Edmund Freeman, and not suitable for anyone beside, being there is no meadow on it” (ibid., p. 159). Ezra and Edward Perry were both appointed, 5 June 1671, to represent Sandwich on a committee “to view the damage done to the Indians by the horses and hogges of the English” (Plymouth Colony Court Orders, vol. 2, p. 62). Ezra Perry served 3 June 1674 on the Grand Enquest (ibid., vol. 5, p. 145), and again 5 June 1677 (ibid., p. 230). It is a curious fact that in a 1675 list of Sandwich men who “have just right to the priviledges of the town” of Sandwich Ezra Perry’s name does not appear, though Edward Perry’s does (Freeman, History of Cape Cod, vol. 2, p. 69). But in 1677 the names of Ezra Perry, Senr., and Ezra Perry, Junr., are among those “added to a list of townsmen” (ibid., p. 73). Ezra Perry was appointed Constable 3 June 1679 (Plymouth Colony Court Orders, vol. 6, p. 11). The will of “Thomas Burges Senr. of Sandwich,” dated 4 April 1684, gives “to my son Ezra Perry … two lots I bought of Edmond Freeman Junr.,” directs that if a son, Joseph Burges, prefers not to accept certain land under testator’s conditions, then this, too, to “son Ezra Perry,” and makes “sons Ezra Perry and Joseph Burges” co-executors (Barnstable County Probate Records). The records show that Ezra Perry conveyed lands by deeds of gift to his sons, probably as each reached his majority and it is evident that each child was given also a “marriage portion” in furniture and livestock. This is made plain by the will (vide post), under which the three unmarried children received their shares of “moveables” while the absence of mention of any real property in either will or inventory proves that the lands had been disposed of by deeds poll in the testator’s lifetime. The will of Ezra Perry reads as follows: “In the name of God Amen ye 16 day of October 1689. I, Ezra Perry Senr. of Monument and Town of Sandwich being sick of body but of good and perfit memory thanks to Allmighty God and calling to Remembrance ye uncertaine estate of this Transitory Life and that all flesh must yield unto Death when it shall please God to Call, do make constitute ordaine and declare this my Last Will and Testament in manner and forme following, revoking and annulling by these presents all and every testament, testaments, will and Wills here to fore by me made and declared either by word or writing. And this is to be taken for my Last Will and Testament and none other. And first being penitent and sorry from the bottom of my heart for my sins past, most humbly desire forgiveness for ye same. I give and comit my Soule unto Allmighty God my Saviour and Redeemer in whom and by ye merrits of Jesue Christ I trust and believe assuredly to be saved and to have full remission and forgiveness of all my sins, and that my Soule with my Body at the generall day of Resurrection shall rise again with Joy and throue ye merritts of Christ’s Death and Passion, possess, and inherit ye Kingdom of Heaven, prepared for His Elect Chosen. And my body to be.burried at ye ordinary place of burreing. And now for ye setling of my Temporal Estate and such goods and chattles and debts as it hath pleased God, far above my deserts to bestow upon me. I do order give and bestow the same in manner and forme following: That is to say; All my outward moveables without doars and within doars to my truly and well beloved wife as my true and undoubted and Lawful Executrix, to order and dispose of as she pleases and shall see cause to dispose of at her pleasure, excepting what I Leave and bequeathe to my well beloved son Samuel Perry, that is, two stiers of two and one heifer of four years and (a) mare coult; one bed and furniture belonging thereto and (a) gune and sword and bandaleers & one iron pot. To my well beloved son Benjamin Perry, two cows, two steeres above three years old, one bed and its ffurniture, one gune and sword. To my Daughter Remember two cowes and a bed and its ffurniture, one meare and all her increase. Also to my son Ezra one shilling. To John Perry, my son, one shilling. To Deborah, my daughter wife to Seth Pope one shilling. To Sarah wife of Ephraim Swift one shilling. As witness my hand and seal day year and month first above written. his EzraPerry [seal] mark Jacob Burg his mark James Steuart Jacob Burg and James Steuart witnesses to this will made oath in Court April ye 18: 1690 that they saw ye above Ezra Perry signe seal and declare this above written to be his Last Will and Testament. Attest Joseph Lothrop: Clerk” (Barnstable County Probate Records, vol. 1, p. 33). Ezra Perry died 16 Oct. 1689 (the same day that he made his will). His gravestone shows him to have been in “his 64th yr.” (Sandwich Cemetery inscriptions). The inventory of his estate, dated 24 Oct. 1689, was taken by Elisha Bourne and Nathaniel Wing and shows a total persons estate of £78. 8s. and no real estate. “Elizabeth Perry ye relict of above Ezra Perry” took oath to the truth of the inventory 18 April 1690. The widow Elizabeth Perry died (apparently intestate since there is no record of the settlement of her estate) 26 Sept. 1717 “in her 88th yr.” Both her gravestone and that of her husband were clearly legible in 1929. [Ezra Perry of Sandwich, Mass. (c. 1625-1689), By Lydia B. (Phinney) Brownson, of Buzzard’s Bay, Mass., and Maclean W. McLean, of Pittsburgh, Pa., NEHGS 115 (1960)] Ezra served in the Militia, as a Lieutenant, and was a constable of Sandwich. Will: “I leave and bequeathe to my well beloved son Samuel… 2 stiers of two, and one heifer of four years and a mare coult; one bed and furniture… gune and sword and bandaleers and one iron pot.” Deborah, Ezra, and Sarah did not fare so well, receiving one shilling each. His descendents include Douglas MacArthur, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Mrs. Teddy Roosevelt. [PERRY.TXT] Death date and marriage data from Torrey, New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Birth date from perry.dec. Death place and date from Damvelt. Served as lieutenant in the militia and was a constable of Sandwich. Will: “I leave and bequeath to my well beloved son Samuel … two stiers of two, and one heifer of four years and a mare colt; one bed and furniture … gun and sword and bandaleers and one iron pot.” Deborah, Ezra, and Sarah each received on shilling. Descendants include Douglas MacArthur, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Mrs. Teddy Roosevelt. Brownson, NEHGR 115:86. The very first recorded notice of Ezra Perry in America is found in the records of Sandwich where, at a meeting 6 mo7 1644 “divers persons engaged freely to pay in goods and merchantable corn” toward the repair of their meeting house. Ezra Perry pledge 9s for the project. After this first appearance, nothing more is found until his marriage to Elizabeth Burge, 12 Feb 1651 (i.e., 23 Apr 1652). Ezra Perry did not appear in 1658 on a list of Sandwich land owners. In most printed accounts which refer to early Perry inhabitants of Sandwich, it is claimed that Ezra had the following siblings: Margaret Perry (who married 18 Jul 1651, as he second wife, Edmond Freeman); Hanna Perry (who married 24 Jun 1652 Henry Dillingham); Edward Perry (who married about 1653 Mary Freeman, daughter or step-daughter of Lt. Gov. Edmond Freeman); Deborah Perry (who married 9 May 1654 Robert Harper). However, two points are of note in this regard: (1) Edmond Freeman’s will names “my son Edward Perry” but does not mention a daughter named Mary. Ferris (Dawes-Gates Ancestry) concluded that Edward Perry was himself Freeman’s step-son and that Freeman’s wife Elizabeth had been a “widow Perry.” However, if this were so, one wonders why the other young Perrys were not named also in Freeman’s will. (2) Edward Perry was a prominent member of the Sandwich Society of Friends, as were Hannah Perry Dillingham and Deborah Perry Harper; yet neither Ezra Perry nor Margaret Perry Freeman seem to have identified themselves with the Quakers. Brownson, NEHGR 115:87> Lt. Perry received 4 shillings pay 4 Apr 1657 for service in the militia. Yet he seems not to have played a prominent role in the public life of the community. The fact that he married the daughter of one of its chief men and that his eldest son married a daughter of the powerful Governor Prence, attests to his standing, however. Brownson: NEHGR 115:88> 7 June 1659, Ezra was allowed by the Court to be executor of the estate of Sarah Perry, “there being no other (although she hath many friends in the Country) that claimeth any interest to the estate, having put in securities into the Court to be accountable for the estate in case it shall be required by any that hath better title thereto…” Most printed accounts appear to base their claim that Ezra Perry and his “brother, Edward Perry the Quaker, were sons of the widow Sarah Perry of Devonshire, England” on this statement. But the wording of the record makes it clear that neither Ezra nor any of the other Perrys in Sandwich were closely related by blood to the deceased widow Sarah. There is, however, an implication that Ezra Perry had some claim on the estate (perhaps for himself, possible on behalf of others also), perhaps based on right to a dower residue of the estate of a step-mother. It could be argued that the Perry family group came to Sandwich with a widowed step mother in order to live under the protection of some of the pioneer Sandwich families to whom the widow’s husband and/or these minor children may have been closely related. Such a suggestion is, however, sheer conjecture. Brownson, NEHGR 115:88. A deed from the Sachem Quachatasett to John Alden (27 Jul 1661) mentions a tract of land “on that side of Manomet River next unto Sandwich: the bounds of which is from the lands of Ezra Perry…” But Ezra Perry was then still resident on his father-in-law’s tract which the latter, Thomas Burgess, obtained “from Plymouth Court in consideration for this public service in 1652.” On 10 Jul 1663, Burgess conveyed half his Manomet holding to Perry; one quarter to his son, Joseph Burgess, and the remaining quarter to Lt. Josiah Standish of Sandwich. On 29 May 1665, Ezra Perrry agreed to assist in building a new Sandwich meeting house; on 25 Jun 1666, the Court granted Ezra a small quantity of land in the Neck (about 30 acres); on 3 Jul 1667 it granted him an additional 20 acres “being in the purchase of Mr. Edmond Freeman and not suitable for anyone besides, being there is not meadow on it.” On 5 Jun 1671, Ezra and Edward Perry were both appointed to represent Sandwich on a committee “to view the damage done to the Indians by the horses and hogges of the English.” Ezra Perry served 3 Jun 1674 on the Grand Enquest and again 5 Jun 1677, yet his name does not appear in a 1675 list of Sandwich men who “have just right to the privileges of the town,” though Edward’s name does. But in 1677 the names of Ezra Perry, Sr., and Ezra Perry, Jr., are among those “added to a list of townsmen.” Ezra was appointed constable 3 Jun 1679. In his will of 4 Apr 1684, Thomas Burgess gave “to my son Ezra Perry … two lots I bought of Edmond Freeman Jr;” directs that if a son, Joseph Burgess, prefers not to accept certain land under testator’s conditions, then it too was maked Ezra and Joseph co-executors. Ezra conveyed lands by deeds of his sons, probably as each reached his majority, and each child a “marriage portion” of furniture and livestock. This is made clear by terms under which the three unmarried children received their shares of moveables while the absence of mention of any real property in either will or in proves that the lands had been disposed of by deeds during the testator’s life [Transcript of will in toto: NEHGR 115:89-90]. Ezra died the day he will. Inventory of his estate shows goods worth £78.8s, no real estate. [BINGHAM.GED] Noted events in his life were: • Alt. Birth, Abt 1627, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA. 18 • Will, 16 Oct 1689, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA. 139 • Alt. Death, 1689, Monument, Barnstable, MA. 22 Ezra married Elizabeth Burgess, daughter of Thomas Burgess and Dorothy Waynes, on 12 Feb 1651/52 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 15,18,19,20,21,139,239,240.,245 (Elizabeth Burgess was born about 1629 in Truro, Cornwall, England 139 and died on 26 Sep 1717 in Sandwich, Barnstable, MA 18,19,20,22,137,245.) Noted events in their marriage were: • Alt. Marriage, 12 Feb 1652/53, Sandwich, Barnstable, MA. 22 This entry was posted in Genealogy, History of Sandwich. Bookmark the permalink. 7 Responses to Ezra Perry Sharon Quinn says: I am a descendant of Ezra Perry through Samuel Perry. It is confusing when discussing the Perry/Freeman. I had thought that Ezra Perry Jr married Rebecca Freeman and Edmund Perry married Sarah Crowel. Trying to get things straight Joyce Perry says: Im A descendant from Edmund Perry and Edmund Freeman and this was confusing me? Edward Perry and Mary Freeman ancestors their son Benjamin Perry and Susannah Barber ancestors 4 Greats grandparents scott perry says: im a direct descendant of ezra down to the loyalist of shelburne county….i came through silas perry who fled to shelburne from massachusetts. Sharon (Kearsch) Quinn says: HI, I am also a descendant of Ezra Perry., My grandmother was born in Shelbourne, Nova Scotia..Is that the Shelbourne you refer to as well? I would love to have a conversation with you about how the Perrys went to Canada. Frederick Grant says: Are you connected to the Perry’s who lived on Cape Negro Island? My grandmother was Violet Perry. Born 1910. Creed Archibald says: This is wonderful information. Are there other people from that area that have been discussed? I am a descendant of several families from that area. Ellis, Freeman, Nye, and Blackwell. Susan Perry says: There is a family reunion every year of Nye descendants at the Nye museum in Sandwich, MA.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line360
__label__wiki	0.741281	0.741281	We Need to Talk about Sandy Hook: Video By Independent Media Solidarity \| \| Red Pill Reports Since 9/11, no event has spawned more conspiracy theories that have been met with coordinated efforts to discredit them than Sandy Hook. The idiom, “If you’re not catching flak, you’re not over the target.” if applied to Sandy Hook speculation indicates there’s something there they wish to protect. Immediately after the events of December 14th, 2012 the speculation began that what was being reported was not the truth. Although many anomalous reports were deemed to be innocent mistakes, a pile of unexplainable oddities began to grow. In the first days after the event, the public was told to give it some time for the facts to emerge. When those facts didn’t make a dent in the pile of oddities, the public was told to wait for the investigation to get underway. When, throughout those many months more questions emerged than were answered the public was told to wait for the final report. That report has been released. There are no further milestones to wait for in the hopes that the questions will be answered. We have reached a proverbial dead-end and each day that passes means public interest drops as they grow more comfortable with not knowing the truth. Despite our many differences of opinion, we all agree that this event has been and will continue to be of such historical significance that the true details must be revealed. Independent Media Solidarity is a loose knit group of independent journalists that have come together to tackle the issue of Sandy Hook. We are normal people with normal lives, who have families, children, and jobs. Although many of us haven’t physically met each other, we are united. All we seek are answers to the many inconsistencies. But most importantly, we just want the truth made available to all who might seek it. Sandy Hook School Massacre Timeline James Tracy \| Memory Hole Blog The following timeline of the December 14, 2012 mass killing of 20 children and 8 adults in Newtown Connecticut attempts to demonstrate how the event was presented to the public by corporate news media. The chronological assemblage of coverage is not comprehensive of all reports published on the incident but rather seeks to verify how the storyline was to a substantial degree constructed by federal and state law enforcement authorities and major media around the theory that 20-year-old Adam Lanza was the sole agent in the massacre. This scenario became an established reality through the news media’s pronounced repetition of the lone gunman narrative and meme. This proposed scenario significantly obscured the fact that police encountered and apprehended two additional shooting suspects on the school’s grounds within minutes of the crime. These suspects remain unaccounted for by authorities but the roles they may have played arguably correlate with the shifting information presented by authorities and major news media on injuries and weapons vis-à-vis the mass carnage meted out in the school. While the certain detainment of additional suspects was pointed to by alternative news media, including Natural News, Infowars, Veterans Today and Global Research in the days following the tragedy, the untenable lone gunman narrative has become firmly established in the public psyche via an overwhelming chorus of corporate media reports and interpretations. Note: Times of occurrences referenced are Eastern Standard Time and in some instances signify time of publication rather than the specific incident cited. Time of publication does not always correlate with exact time of incident. “n.t.” denotes “no time” of publication referenced. First Selectman A. Fenn Dickinson of Newtown, a 42-year-old Democrat serving his third term as Newtown’s foremost public servant, is killed when a truck backs over him at a road project in Sandy Hook. Dickinson Drive, the road leading to Sandy Hook Elementary, is named after the local leader. “Do You Remember?” Newstimes.com, May 22, 2005. President George W. Bush signs Executive Order 13407 to establish a Public Alert and Warning System for national emergencies potentially involving the public at large. “It is the policy of the United States,” the EO’s policy summary reads, to have an effective, reliable, integrated, flexible, and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people in situations of war, terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other hazards to public safety and well-being (public alert and warning system), taking appropriate account of the functions, capabilities, and needs of the private sector and of all levels of government in our Federal system, and to ensure that under all conditions the President can communicate with the American people. The Department of Homeland Security is designated as the government entity for establishment of the integrated mass communication system. “Executive Order 13407 (PDF),” Government Printing Office, June 2006. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Wayne E. Bennett, and Connecticut Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commissioner Leonard C. Boyle release a 207-page report chronicling shortcomings in the Connecticut State Police (CSP) internal affairs system and recommending reforms thereof. The investigation was requested by state troopers filing whistleblower complaints with Blumenthal’s office on the DPS internal affairs process. Commissioner Boyle also asked the NYSP to investigate those complaints and others received from state troopers about the internal affairs system. The report caps a 13-month joint investigation by Blumenthal’s office and NYSP involving 262 interviews, 207 of them with current or former sworn DPS employees, thousands of pages of documents, and 112 formal requests for information. “Attorney General-NY State Police Report Finds Shortcomings in CT State Police Internal Affairs System, Calls for Reforms,” State of Connecticut Attorney General’s Office, December 4, 2006. US Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency and State of Connecticut Division of Emergency Services and Public Protection conduct Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP) Training Course at Sandy Hook Fire Department. The training consists of “instructor-led course presentations” in addition to “small group activities, videos, and group discussions.” According to the description, “the course also provides overviews of HSEEP-related initiatives such as technology (e.g., the HSEEP Toolkit) and capabilities-based planning (e.g., Target Capabilities List [TCL]). This blended approach will give participants hands-on experience that readily translates to real-world exercise skills. Activities include creating exercise documentation, conducting exercise planning conferences and briefings, and practicing exercise evaluation.” “September 22: The HSEEP Training Course,” Connecticut Division of Emergency Services and Public Protection, n.d. n.t. Connecticut State Senators Steven T. Mikutel, Leonard A. Fasano, Michael A. McLachlan, and Len Suzio introduce SB 1054, a bill “to allow the parents of a child who was a homicide victim to request that the autopsy report not be publicly disclosed.” SB 1054: An Act Concerning the Disclosure of Autopsy Reports, Sunlight Foundation/Open States, retrieved March 1, 2013. In a memorandum to the state legislature’s judiciary committee Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner H. Wayne Carver II questions the necessity of SB 1054. “The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner as an institution and I are very concerned about the privacy rights of individuals who are examined through our office and particularly with respect to homicide victims whose family find their privacy and grieving invaded by a curious public. I believe that the proposed legislation is redundant of current statute, regulations, and practices. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner does not now and has never released autopsy reports to the general public, let alone autopsy reports of a pediatric homicide victim.” Dr. H. Wayne Carver II to Chairman Coleman, Fox and Members of the Connecticut State Judiciary Committee, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, February 25. State Police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance, a regional celebrity, announces on WPLR radio that he will try out for the next season of the Survivor television series. Tryouts are next Wednesday at Foxwoods. Vance tells the Connecticut Post that he will “do the interview (with Survivor) and explore the process.” Vance’s son, J. Paul Vance Jr. called WPLR’s “Chaz and A.J.” show earlier to nominate his father as a candidate, and Vance Sr. subsequently called in to say he was up to the “tall order,” of trying out for the show. The show’s hosts said that wardrobe will be important. “Wear your shirt, with the police hat and a grass skirt,” said show co-host Chaz. “State Police Lt. J. Paul Vance to Try Out for ‘Survivor’,” Connecticut Post, March 9, 2011. Connecticut Governor Dannell P. Malloy appoints J. Paul Vance Jr. as the state’s new claims commissioner. The Republican politician was appointed to the job with a $114,000 salary, where he will more or less decide who can sue the state.Penelope Overton, “Vance Appointed State’s Claims Commissioner,” August 16, 2011. Existing law preventing disclosure of autopsies to the press or public is bolstered through passage and enactment of recommendations encompassed in SB 1054 by Connecticut State Senate and General Assembly. Section 1. Subdivision (3) of subsection (b) of section 1-210 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof Effective October 1, 2011 (3) Records of law enforcement agencies not otherwise available to the public which records were compiled in connection with the detection or investigation of crime, if the disclosure of said records would not be in the public interest because it would result in the disclosure of … “the records of an investigation and examination by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the death of a person under eighteen years of age caused by an apparent homicide, including the autopsy report and other scientific findings.” SB 1054 An Act Concerning the Disclosure of Autopsy Reports, Sunlight Foundation/Open States, retrieved March 1, 2013. At the start of the 2012-13 academic year Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Hochsprung announces in a public letter to families the Newtown School District’s new security protocol “in all elementary schools.” Under the newly-announced security regimen, “exterior doors will be locked during the day. Every visitor will be required to ring the doorbell at the front entrance and the office staff will use a visual monitoring system to allow entry. Visitors will still be required to report directly to the office and sign in. If our office staff does not recognize you, you will be required to show identification with a picture id. Please understand that with nearly 700 students and over 1,000 parents representing 500 SHS families, most parents will be asked to show identification. Doors will be locked at approximately 9:30 a.m.” “Principal Outlined New Security Procedures at Sandy Hook Elementary,” Hartford Courant, December 14, 2012, 8:25PM EST. Sandy Hook Principal Dawn Hochsprung Tweets photo of emergency drill held at Sandy Hook fire station with Sandy Hook Elementary faculty and students participating. Esther Zuckerman, “The Sandy Hook Principal’s Twitter Feed is Haunting,” The Atlantic Wire, December 14, 2012. Following Obama’s reelection Senator Diane Feinstein is believed to be meeting with relevant federal agencies to lay groundwork for reenacting assault weapons ban. “Senator Diane Feinstein Moves to Ban All Assault Rifles, High Capacity Magazines, and Pistol Grips,” Market Daily News, November 7, 2012. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy announce Project Longevity, a joint venture by the Justice Department and State of Connecticut, at a news conference in New Haven, Connecticut. The endeavor is described by one law enforcement officials as “a statewide approach that targets repeat criminals, creates alternatives for potential gang members and rallies neighborhoods against violence.” Federal money is being directed to engage Connecticut-based agents, academics and social workers who will work for or with the FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Dave Ingram, “Project Longevity: Justice Department, Connecticut State Officials Target Gun Violence,” Reuters/Huffington Post, November 27, 2012. See also, Erin Logan, “Attorney General Eric Holder Discussing Gun Violence,” WTNH.com, November, 27, 2012. Newtown Schools superintendent Janet Robinson speaks before the Newtown Board of Finance discusses closing one of the town’s schools given the area’s 25-year-low in elementary school enrollment. “When asked about space needs,” the 12-10 meeting minutes read, “school closing declining enrollment Dr. Robinson said that the Ad Hoc Facilities group vetted every option. Their recommendation was when elementary enrollment is projected to be 1500 a study should be commissioned to begin looking at closing a school.” Robinson proposes embarking on a study to determine the feasibility of closure. “Our problem is [that] our parents really cherish their neighborhood schools,” Robinson notes, “even though these are not small neighborhoods. So, we have to prepare the parents for this in advance.” Janet Robinson, “State of Schools Presentation,” in Town of Newtown Board of Finance Meeting Minutes, and 2012-12-10 Board of Finance.wmv (electronic record at 1:18:13) Town of Newtown, Newtown, CT, December 10, 2012. Adam Lanza reportedly visits a sporting goods store in Danbury and attempts to purchase an assault rifle but was denied NBC reports. Julia Terruso, “Reports: Gunman Had Altercation at School Day Before Shooting,” Star Ledger, December 15, 2012. Connecticut State Representative John Frey Tweets his presence at the Sandy Hook Elem. Holiday concert, 4:13pm. “At the Sandy Hook Elementary School concert cheering nieces Joan and Bridget.” http://twitter.com/johnfrey/status/279378604469657601 The alleged gunman at Adam Lanza has an argument with four staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School, officials tell NBC. NBC reports that Lanza went to the school on December 13 and was in an altercation with four staff members, three of whom are killed in the December 14 shooting. The fourth person will not be at the school the day of the shooting, NBC says. Julia Terruso, “Reports: Gunman Had Altercation at School Day Before Shooting,” Star Ledger, December 15, 2012. “Planning for the Needs of Children in Disasters” emergency exercise conducted jointly by FEMA and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection commences 14 miles from Newport in Bridgeport Connecticut. “The goal of the course,” the description reads, is to enable participants to improve their community’s mitigation and emergency operations plan specifically regarding the needs of children. The course will provide them with the information needed to address the unique needs of children prior to, during and following disasters. It will also provide them guidance and direction on how to form coalitions and how to become advocates for the unique needs of children in all aspects of emergency management. Shepherd Ambellas and Alex Thomas, “Sandy Hook Shooting: Active Shooter Drill Confirmed By Law Enforcement Raises Suspicion of False Flag Operation, [News Analysis]” theintellhub.com, January 12, 2013. 9:00AM [estimate] “Active shooter drill” exercise commences by Putnam County Emergency Response Team in Carmel Connecticut, 45 miles away from Newtown. “By grim coincidence, even as the terrible events were unfolding in Newtown on Friday morning,” the Southeast Brewster-Patch reports, the Putnam County Emergency Response Team (“ERT”) happened to be assembled for regular training in Carmel, and team members were at that very moment engaged in a mock scenario of an active-shooter in a school. The ERT is comprised of specially trained and heavily armed officers from the Sheriff’s Office and the Carmel and Kent Police Departments. When news broke of the Newtown shooting, the Putnam County ERT commander called Newtown Police and offered to have the ERT respond to the Sandy Hook school, but that response was not needed because Connecticut police had already secured the scene. Ashley Tarr, “Sheriff: Putnam Officials to Talk School Safety This Afternoon,” Southeast Brewster-Patch, December 18, 2012. Only 35 minutes away from Newtown an active shooter drill is taking place at a school in Carmel, Putnam County. The operation is conducted by the Putnam County Emergency Response Team (“ERT). “The ERT is comprised of specially trained and heavily armed officers from the Sheriff’s Office and the Carmel and Kent Police Departments,” the Southeast Brewster Patch newspaper reports. “When news broke of the Newtown shooting, the Putnam County ERT commander called Newtown Police and offered to have the ERT respond to the Sandy Hook school, but that response was not needed because Connecticut police had already secured the scene.” “Sheriff: Putnam Officials to Talk School Safety This Afternoon,” Southeast Brewster Patch, December 18, 2012. (9:30AM [see below]) CNN reports local authorities take the first 911 calls from Sandy Hook Elementary School. “‘Sandy Hook school. Caller is indicating she thinks someone is shooting in the building,’” a dispatcher told fire and medical personnel, according to 911 tapes. “Sandy Hook Shooting: What Happened?” CNN, December 14, 2012. (Recording of fire and law enforcement radio dispatch [below] indicates CNN’s 9:30AM time and account of events is incorrect.) Attorney Joel T. Faxon of Newtown, who serves on the town’s five-member police commission and is a strong advocate of strengthened gun control measures, claims he is taking one of his three children to the local middle school. As he approaches the school’s front doors, he receives a text message that all the town’s schools are on lockdown. This precaution takes place on occasion because of the school’s proximity to a state prison. “I told my son, ‘Okay, something’s going on. Let’s get out of here.” Returning to his vehicle, Faxon sees the chief of police in his official car, headed to the Sandy Hook school, and I looked at my son and I said,”‘Oh my God, there must have been a shooting.” The chief doesn’t respond to anything other than a very serious incident. Within a minute of that time, I got a news report text from the Hartford Courant, that said police were responding to incident on Dickenson Drive, and I thought, “There’s only one thing on that street. And that’s the school.” Faxon pulls over to the side of the road. “At that point, literally 50 state police and Newtown police cars went by us, and they all went to Sandy Hook Elementary School. I knew there had been some kind of a catastrophe there,” Faxon recalls. Faxon texts Bridgeport police captain James Viadero, who he works on a the police commission with. “He was filling me in on what was happening, in real time.” As the story took shape in the news only a single death was reported. Yet Faxon said the numbers the Viadero relayed “were just shocking.” Faxon’s other son goes to another elementary school and was at the the doctor’s office for a checkup. His daughter, a student at the high school, also in lockdown, was texting her father, “‘Daddy, what’s going on?’ I knew she was safe.” Faxon observes ambulances heading to the scene. “There were ambulances going down there [to the school], but there were no ambulances coming back to go to the hospital” with survivors, Faxon said. “Just like in 9/11, when the hospitals were all racing to be prepared for the wounded, who never arrived.” Thomas B. Scheffy, “Joel Faxon Has Been Part of the Gun Debate in His Hometown,” Connecticut Law Tribune, December 21, 2013. Sandy Hook Elementary School reading consultant Becky Virgalla said she was in a meeting with Principal Dawn Hochsprung, school psychologist Mary Sherlach and other colleagues when the shooter broke into the building. When they heard the commotion Hochsprung, Sherlach and lead teacher Natalie Hammond proceeded into the hall “to check out the noise that we didn’t know [were] gunshots at first,” Virgalla told Reuters Television at a December 23 Newtown memorial. “The three of them were shot and they yelled back ‘shooter, stay put.’ And they saved my life and the life of four others who were at that meeting,” Virgalla said. “Becky Virgalla, Newtown Shooting Survivor, Says Principal, Others Saved Her in Sandy Hook Rampage,” Reuters/Huffington Post, December 23, 2012. Fourth grate teacher Ted Varga arrives for work at Sandy Hook. Moments later, according an the account Varga related to the New York Daily News, he and four colleagues narrowly escaped a hail of bullets. “You hear screams and gunshots, but it is still surreal,” Varga said. “This is an elementary school. … I heard someone say, ‘Oh my God.’ And then you hear shot after shot after shot.” Undaunted, Varga ran down a hallway “filled with smoke and the smell of gunpowder,” according to the press account, “to escape through an emergency exit and then returned to help three colleagues flee through a window. An unidentified teacher hid underneath a mound of donated Christmas gifts for the needy, hoping the killer jiggling the door to the conference room would move on. “She heard heavy breathing,” Varga says. “She knew it was him. … It’s a miracle we’re alive, but it’s still such a tragedy. You’re exposed to a myriad of emotions that even now I can’t really understand.” Henrick Karoliszyn, “Five Teachers Escape Death as Massacre Rages in Newtown,” New York Daily News, December 19, 2012. In the Sandy Hook library three faculty members hear noises and move 15 or so students to a storage closet in the library filled with computer servers. “Hold hands. Be quiet,” one teacher tells the children. One child questions “whether there are pots and pans were clanging. Another thought he heard firecrackers. Another worried an animal was coming to the door,” the Washington Post reports. “They were children in a place built for children, and the teachers didn’t know how to answer them … ‘It’s a drill,’ said a library clerk named Mary Anne Jacobs.” Eli Saslow, “Sandy Hook Massacre: Teachers Sought to Soothe Children in Moments of Terror,” Washington Post, December 15, 2012. 9:35:52AM Recording of Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch indicates potential of active shooter situation at Sandy Hook Elementary School. “6-7. Sandy Hook School. Caller indicates she thinks there’s someone shooting in the building.” RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. 9:36:20AM [estimate] Newtown Bee Associate Editor Shannon Hicks is among the first on the scene at Sandy Hook Elementary. Hicks says she was at the Bee‘s offices about one and one quarter miles from the school when she heard about a possible shooting on the police scanner. A volunteer firefighter, Hicks is “behind the first dozen police officers,” according to John Voket, also associate editor at the weekly. This is because the Sandy Hook firehouse where Hicks is stationed shares a driveway with the school. When Hicks proceeds down the driveway she begins frantically taking photos of the scene “through the windshield of her car, with one hand on the steering wheel and one holding her camera, Voket says. One well-knonw photo featured in news coverage may have been of the first cluster of evacuating students, Voket further notes. Julie Moos, “How the Newtown Bee is Covering Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting,” Poynter.org, December 15, 2012. Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch suggests arrival of law enforcement at scene; “front glass has been broken [unintelligible]. They’re unsure why.” RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch indicates continuance of gunfire at Sandy Hook school. “All units: The individual that I have on the phone is continuing to hear what she believes to be gunfire.” RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch indicates law enforcement units and backup continual arrival at Sandy Hook Elementary. RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch indicates “the shooting appears to have stopped. It is silent at this time. The school is in lockdown.” RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch indicates citing of shooter suspects fleeing crime scene. “Reports that a teacher saw two shadows running past the building–past the gym, which would be rear [inaudible] the shooting.” RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch indicates officers’ encounter with and apprehension of additional shooter suspects fleeing scene. “Yeah, we got ‘em. He’s comin’ at me down Crestwood Way! Coming [inaudible] up the left side.” RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. Chris Manfredonia, alleged father of a 6-year-old Sandy Hook Elementary student, claims he is on his way to the school “to help make gingerbread houses with first-graders when he heard popping sounds and smelled sulfur.” Manfredonia runs around the facility in attempt “to reach his daughter and was briefly handcuffed by police. He later found his child, who had been locked in a small room with a teacher. ‘The whole reason we moved here a year ago is because when you drive down the subdivision, it’s a happy place,’ said his wife, Georgeann Manfredonia. “‘There’s a ton of children here and the families are very kind and supportive.’” Richard A. Serrano, Allen Semuals, Tina Susman, “Gunman Kills 20, 6 Adults at Connecticut Elementary School,” Los Angeles Times, December 14, 2012. First responders initially believe there may be two gunmen and are unaware of the carnage in the school until they find 18 children and a teacher in a classroom closet, a recording of the police dispatch authenticated by police indicates. Tracy Connor, “Call For Everything: Police Scanner Recording Reveals Early Moments of Newtown Tragedy,” NBC News, December 19, 2012. Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch indicates “one now in room one who [unintelligible] injury to the foot. [unintelligible] call for an ambulance [unintelligible]. RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. Newtown and Connecticut emergency fire and law enforcement radio dispatch indicates officers’ discovery of “bodies here” and requests for ambulatory/first responders’ backup. RadioMan911TV, “Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting Newtown Police/Fire and CT State Police,” Youtube, December 14, 2012. CNN reports police and first responders arrive at Sandy Hook Elementary. Police did not discharge their weapons. The gunman took his own life with a handgun. “Sandy Hook Shooting: What Happened?” CNN, December 14, 2012. (Recording of fire and law enforcement radio dispatch [above] suggests CNN’s 9:50AM time and account of events is incorrect.) Hartford Courant publishes online Google map of Sandy Hook Elementary School. “Map of Sandy Hook Elementary School,” Hartford Courant, December 14, 2012. 10:15AM [estimate] Emergency medical technician Peter Houlahan and other EMTs are told their expertise is not needed inside the school or elsewhere on school grounds. “A person who experiences tragic events will inevitably look back and try to identify that last moment where there was still hope,” Houlahan recalls, “that instant before all was lost and their life changed forever. For the EMS teams staged in front of Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, that moment came when the Newtown EMS captain ordered us to stand down, that there was no one left to help, no one left alive.” Peter Houlahan, “Sandy Hook EMT and Former Whittier Resident Reflects on Massacre,” Daily News, December 23, 2012. Posted by Red Pill Reports in Red Pill Reports	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line363
__label__wiki	0.627747	0.627747	U.N. Investigator: 80,000 People Held in Solitary Confinement in U.S. Every Day The top United Nations investigator on torture, Juan Mendez, has been alleging that Washington is dragging its heels when it comes to granting him access to visits of federal prisons and allowing him to talk with detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. By Ben Swann \| RT Mendez’s biggest criticism has been the US’s solitary confinement policies and whether they are a violation of human rights laws. Ben Swann speaks with constitutional rights attorney Pardiss Kebriaei about the tensions growing between the State Department and the United Nations. See also: http://rt.com/usa/241201-un-torture-pentagon-guantanamo/ The Pentagon said it will refuse the United Nations special rapporteur on torture from interviewing or even meeting detainees held at the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay. The UN’s Juan E. Mendez called for increased access to the prison last week. The Guardian reported Sunday that the Obama administration had reaffirmed its commitment to secrecy at the notorious detention center following a visit to Gitmo by a handful of new US senators who are supportive of the prison. Méndez, the UN’s special rapporteur on torture, “has been invited to visit Guantánamo; however, he will not be permitted to interview detainees,” Army Lieutenant Colonel Myles Caggins, a Pentagon spokesman, told the Guardian. Last week, Méndez said he has been offered certain terms attached to a Gitmo visit, yet he, like his predecessor in 2004, declined to accept based on stipulations he deemed too narrow. Russia's Modest Proposal To Greece: "Exit Europe And We Will Lift The Food Import Ban" Putin Strikes Back: Russia Cuts Off European Gas Supplies, Starts Selling Dollars Third Australian warship sent to halt Russian flotilla bound for G20 in Brisbane Russia Announces Deployment of Bombers Over Gulf of Mexico Tags: Guantanamo Bay, Solitary Confinement	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line364
__label__wiki	0.685531	0.685531	Artists & Curators Curator Bios Policies for Exhibiting Anya and Andrew Shiva Gallery Presidents Gallery Memorial Hall (911 Memorial) Gerald W. Lynch Theater Lobby Exhibition Percent for Art Installations Naima Ramos-Chapman Naima Ramos-Chapman is an interdisciplinary artist and filmmaker. She tells stories of transformation and understated bravery that stem from true accounts, incorporate magical realism and use choreographed gestural movement to render psycho-spiritual realities we cannot see. She trained at The Alvin Ailey School for Dance, The Barrow Group for Acting, Howard University, and has a BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College, CUNY. Her writings were published in Huffington Post, The Nation, NPR, Colorlines, Saint Heron, and Postbourgie. Her debut short, And Nothing Happened premiered at the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival, and screened at the Brooklyn Museum, L.A. Film Festival, BAMcinemafest, Blackstar Film Festival, Rooftop Films, Urbanworld, CinemAfrica in Stockholm and Tacoma Film Festival – where it won Best Director. It is now a Vimeo Staff Pick. In 2017, Ramos-Chapman received a fellowship from the Sundance Institute for Screenwriting Intensive for her first feature-length script Sad Songs in Languages I Don’t Understand. www.naimaramoschapman.com © 2015 John Jay College of Criminal Justice. All Rights Reserved. Designed by 3 CLiCk Media.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line366
__label__wiki	0.721604	0.721604	Local News, Schools WISE makes plaques for Newtown by Rob Glidden The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) club at Southington High School is about to complete an ambitious effort to create memorial plaques for the victims of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. “They wanted to do a meaningful hands-on project for the people in Newtown who went through this tragedy,” said SHS guidance counselor Lee Ann Miller, the club’s advisor. The club has about 15 active members who have spent the past few months crafting wooden hearts with the names of the 26 victims of the tragedy listed on them. The names are each inside a puzzle piece design that was engraved with a laser. “I think they look awesome,” said Monika Arbaciauskaite, the club’s president. “We haven’t had a big project like this since the club started. It’s really exciting.” Several teachers involved with the Project Lead the Way program came up with the design of the hearts but it was up to the students to create them. “I’m very proud of what they’ve been able to accomplish,” said SHS technology teacher Justin Mirante. “This was a large endeavor and they’ve done a great job.” Students were responsible for carving the heart shapes out of the wood, sanding and staining the plaques and coating them with polyurethane. “It’s been really good,” said student Ellie Lefkovich. “We got to use the hand-sander, the laser printer and a lot of other machines in the wood shop.” In addition to valuable practice with powerful machines, the students were also grateful for the chance to reach out to the people of Newtown. “Money donations are something that will come and go but this is something sentimental that will stay with them,” said student Kelly Craven. The wooden hearts will eventually be mounted on a backdrop to complete the work. At a recent meeting of the club, students were carrying around piles of wooden hearts to various stations in order to finish the process. “We’ve made a lot of them,” said student Elizabeth Gwara. “Each of the families will get one, but we want to keep some around here just so we can remember.” Southington High School WISE Club member Megan Steele works on a memorial plaque for the victims of the Newtown tragedy. Tags: club Newtown SHS Southington High School WISE Womein in Sciene and Engineering ← Council sets $129 million budget; School allotment falls along party lines New school admins to take the helm →	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line369
__label__wiki	0.653704	0.653704	A rare cutaneous manifestation of Kawasaki disease Abdulmajeed Abdulrahman Alfadhel (1), Jubran Theeb Alqanatish (2) (2) King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Health Affairs and King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Jubran Theeb Alqanatish King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, National Guard Health Affairs and King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Email: qanatishj [at] ngha.med.sa Received: 17 March 2019 \| Accepted: 21 April 2019 Alfadhel AA, Alqanatish JT. A rare cutaneous manifestation of Kawasaki disease. Sudan J Paediatr. 2019;19(1):67–70. Kawasaki disease (KD) is the second common vasculitis in childhood following Henoch–Schönlein purpura. The common skin manifestations in KD are polymorphic exanthema, epidermal desquamation, erythema of the palms and soles and edema over the extremities. Skin erythema at the Bacille–Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination site has been reported frequently in patients with KD. Skin ulceration after BCG vaccination in a context of KD was also reported but not as a part of the disease manifestation. We report a 14-month-old child who presented with clinical criteria for KD and developed left forearm ulcer that did not respond to antimicrobial therapy but responded well to immunomodulatory therapy. BCG; Cutaneous manifestation; Kawasaki disease; Ulcer. Kawasaki disease (KD) is considered as an acute systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology, which predominantly affects children between the age of 1 and 5 years. KD is a common pediatric vasculitis that is diagnosed mainly based on clinical criteria, which are presence of fever for 5 days or more, beside four out of five principal features: Bilateral non-exudative conjunctival injection, oral mucosal changes, polymorphous rash, changes in extremities and unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy [1]. The common skin manifestations in KD are polymorphic exanthema, epidermal desquamation, erythema of the palms and soles and edema over the extremities [2]. To our knowledge, skin ulceration, as a cutaneous feature of KD, has not been previously reported except after Bacille–Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination [3,4]. We report here a 14-month-old child who presented with clinical criteria for KD and developed left forearm ulcer that did not respond to antimicrobial therapy but responded well to immunomodulation, including intravenous immunoglobulin and steroid therapy. A 14-month-old boy presented to our Emergency Department in a specialised Children Hospital with a 1-week history of fever (40°C) and symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. He was initially admitted in a private hospital for 1 week. During that admission, he received Ceftriaxone though he continues to spike high grade fever and found to have an increase in liver enzymes; namely, alanine aminotransferase was 100 U/l (Normal range: 5–55 U/l) and aspartate aminotransferase was 98 U/l (Normal range: 5–34 U/L) and a decrease in platelets count, which was 110 × 109/l (Normal range: 150–450 × 109/l). Also, his inflammatory markers were elevated, including: C-reactive protein 88 mg/l (Normal range: <3.50 mg/l) and Erythrocyte sedimentation rate 50 mm/hour (Normal range: 0–15 mm/hour). His white cell count (WBC) was 29 × 109/l (Normal range: 6–16 × 109/l) and therefore, he was referred to our hospital for specialised services. His past medical history was only significant for atopic dermatitis. Interestingly, he developed a painful, red, progressively swollen skin on his left arm that had descended to his forearm. Moreover, there was a necrotic lesion and hardening of subcutaneous tissue over the distal forearm, which evolved to a deep ulcer in the distal forearm (Figures 1 and 2). The differential diagnosis of such a cutaneous lesion, includes eczema herpeticum, cellulitis or thrombophlebitis. Nevertheless, there was no IV line in the same hand to suggest extravasation, not in support of the latter differential diagnosis. Left arm ultrasound showed diffuse subcutaneous soft tissue edema over distal forearm. Additionally, an MRI of the left forearm reported mild deep subcutaneous inflammation with involvement of superficial layer of extensor muscle group but no osteomyelitis or drainable collection. Antibiotic coverage was expanded to include Vancomycin. Yet, the skin ulcer did not improve after he received antibiotics and he continued to spike fever. However, he had improved significantly after the administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. The patient received two doses of IVIG 2 g/each and received pulse methylprednisolone 30 mg/kg due to a relapse of his fever. Thereafter, he was maintained on methylprednisolone 2 mg/kg/day and aspirin 40 mg daily. Continuing his care, an echocardiography was repeated after 2 weeks of his illness, reporting mild dilatation (2.6 mm) over the left coronary artery. Moreover, as advised by the plastic surgeon a wound care nurse did a daily dressing for his wound. The left hand ulcer, leukocytosis and thrombocytosis all significantly improved after the IVIG dose; the platelet was 313 × 109/l (Normal range: 150–450 × 109/l) and the WBC was 12.79 × 109/l (Normal range: 6–16 × 109/l). After 2 weeks, hand swelling had resolved, and a repeat echo showed no disease progress. Hence, we discharged the patient from our hospital with a treatment of Aspirin 40 mg daily, prednisolone 5 mg oral twice per day and daily dressing with Fucidin for the skin ulcer. To our knowledge, skin ulceration in a clinical context of KD has not been described previously in the literature as a manifestation of the disease. Uda and Hataya [4] have reported skin ulceration only in relation to the BCG vaccination in a patient with KD. Several case reports, thereafter, have also shown skin reactions at the site of BCG vaccination in patients with KD [3–6]. Although the causation is not yet clear, it is thought that the BCG vaccine proteins play a role in the reaction, which is called hyperanteginemia phenomenon [7]. Figure 1. Erythematous ulcer with black plaque and edema around the lesion. Our patient had the swelling and subsequently skin ulcer on the left side and the policy in Saudi Arabia is that BCG vaccine is given usually on the left arm. Therefore, we suggest the possibility that our patient had distal ulcer due to BCG vaccination, which was triggered by his KD. The skin ulcer did not improve with antibiotics as he was given Ceftriaxone and Vancomycin but there was no improvement until the patient had received IVIG. This supports the postulation of the role of KD in the development of the skin ulcer and demonstrates that it is not just secondary to an infection. More in favour of this is the fact that our patient had marked thrombocytosis and leukocytosis that also improved with IVIG and steroid treatment, typical of KD. In a study done by Lai et al. [3], they reported that KD patients with a skin reaction to BCG had significant thrombocytosis and leukocytosis and are more associated with coronary artery abnormalities. Our patient also had mild coronary aneurysm dilatation that regressed over time and fortunately left no sequelae. Figure 2. Skin sore with irregular borders without erythema during recovery phase. Skin ulcer with KD is a rare incidence that we have reported here. Cutaneous ulcer in clinical context of KD should raise the suspicion of soft tissue inflammation, as a manifestation of KD, once the infectious causes are ruled out. IVIG and systemic steroid should be sufficient in treating cutaneous ulcer related to KD. The authors would like to thank the patient and his family for agreeing to publish this data. The authors declare no conflict of interest. Signed informed consent for participation and publication of medical details was obtained from the parents of this child. Confidentiality of patient’s data was ensured at all stages of manuscript preparation. The Ethics Committee of our institute; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) granted ethics clearance and approval of the study. Newburger JW, Takahashi M, Gerber MA, Gewitz MH, Tani LY, Burns JC, et al. Diagnosis, treatment, long-term management of Kawasaki disease: a statement for health professionals from the Committee on Rheumatic Fever, Endocarditis, Kawasaki Disease, Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association. Pediatrics. 2004;114:1708–33. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2004-2182 Gupta A, Singh S. Kawasaki disease for dermatologists. Indian Dermatol Online J. 2016;7(6):461–70. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-5178.193903 Lai CC, Lee PC, Wang CC, Hwang BT, Meng CL, Tsai MC. Reaction at the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin inoculation site in patients with Kawasaki disease. Pediatrics Neonatol. 2013;54(1):43–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedneo.2012.10.003 Uda K, Hataya H. Ulceration at Bacillus Calmette-Guérin inoculation site in a patient with Kawasaki disease. J Pediatr. 2015;167(5):1167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.08.018 Gorman KM, Gavin PJ, Capra L. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Scar Erythema: “Haloing” the diagnosis in Kawasaki disease. J Pediatr. 2015;167(3):774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2015.06.043 Kuniyuki S, Asada M. An ulcerated lesion at the BCG vaccination site during the course of Kawasaki disease. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1997;37(2):303–4. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-9622(97)80376-3 Sireci G, Dieli F, Salerno A. T cells recognize an immunodominant epitope of heat shock protein 65 in Kawasaki disease. Mol Med. 2000;6(7):581–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03401796 Malik S, Saran S, Khanna T, Gupta R. Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl. Sudan J Paed. 2019; 19(1): 67-70. doi:10.24911/SJP.106-1552015781 Malik S, Saran S, Khanna T, Gupta R. Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl. http://www.sudanjp.com/?mno=35846 [Access: July 19, 2019]. doi:10.24911/SJP.106-1552015781 Malik S, Saran S, Khanna T, Gupta R. Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl. Sudan J Paed. (2019), [cited July 19, 2019]; 19(1): 67-70. doi:10.24911/SJP.106-1552015781 Malik, S., Saran, . S., Khanna, . T. & Gupta, . R. (2019) Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl. Sudan J Paed, 19 (1), 67-70. doi:10.24911/SJP.106-1552015781 Malik, Sunil, Sonal Saran, Tanvi Khanna, and Reema Gupta. 2019. Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl. Sudanese Journal of Paediatrics, 19 (1), 67-70. doi:10.24911/SJP.106-1552015781 Malik, Sunil, Sonal Saran, Tanvi Khanna, and Reema Gupta. "Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl." Sudanese Journal of Paediatrics 19 (2019), 67-70. doi:10.24911/SJP.106-1552015781 Malik, Sunil, Sonal Saran, Tanvi Khanna, and Reema Gupta. "Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl." Sudanese Journal of Paediatrics 19.1 (2019), 67-70. Print. doi:10.24911/SJP.106-1552015781 Malik, S., Saran, . S., Khanna, . T. & Gupta, . R. (2019) Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl. Sudanese Journal of Paediatrics, 19 (1), 67-70. doi:10.24911/SJP.106-1552015781 Type II growing skull fracture in a 12 year old girl Sunil Malik, Sonal Saran, Tanvi Khanna, Reema Gupta	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line376
__label__cc	0.722928	0.277072	KRIS MEGAW INTERVIEWS STU ARMSTRONG Personally I have not known Stuart Armstrong for very long but in the short time I have known him it has become apparent that what ever he does he puts 100 percent into. In this piece Kris Megaw chats with him about his work as a doorman, his daytime job as a Implementation Consultant also his life as author of 'The Diaries of a Doorman' series and a children's book and importantly his work with anti knife campaign Choose Lives Not Knives of which he is patron. Jon P Stu Armstrong is a good friend of the BBAD family, He is an Implementation Consultant, a Bouncer, A Best selling Author, a charity patron, A radio personality and most important a father. I first met Stu at the BBAD event in at the Newcastle NE6, after speaking for just minutes I instantly thought this guy is a proper gentleman, Stu is a big time hero of mine and is has been a delight to interview him, even though he is the busiest man on the planet, he still made time for my interview. Kris M First of all can you tell us what it is you do for your day job? All I can say is that if I told you then I would have to kill you as its top secret, actually no that’s a complete lie. By day I am an HR Implementation Consultant working for award winning provider of HR and Payroll Software Cintra. I have worked for them for just over a year now, the company itself is based just on the south side of the Tyne Bridge in Gateshead, but I travel all over the country to meet with, and to work on client sites. You obviously work hard during the day, then work nights on the doors, you have your beautiful boys as well. When you get time what do you like to do to relax? I don’t really get that much time off to relax, I like to be busy and the best thing in my life is spending time with my sons Ben, Luca and Sol doing complete daft things, but fun things. Apart from that obviously I love to write and I am a huge fan of books and I also love boxing. Your boys obviously mean the world to you, have they ever said they want to be a bouncer? Would you let them? A few years ago Luca my middle son who has just turned Ten decided that he wanted to be and I caught him standing at the front door with my door tie on, my earpiece and an my Doorman’s badge on his arm, that made for some great photos but as far as I am concerned that’s as close as any of them will ever get to working the doors, so in a nutshell over my dead body! What are your hobbies? Hobbies, what are they?? I don’t really have time for hobbies Can you tell us an embarrassing story? No………………………….Well ok then, probably the best one was featured as a chapter in my first book ‘The Diaries of a Doorman – A Collection of True Short Stories’ so I am going to give you all a free chapter! By Stu Armstrong from The Diaries of a Doorman a Collection of True Short Stories It was yet another long Saturday night on the door in the ambrosia of life that is door work. I was working with my mate Tommy. We started at 7.30pm and had managed to turn away a steady stream of pissed up people and had chucked out a couple of stag parties very early on. It was all pretty standard as things go, with maybe the exception of the ‘Super Classy’ middle aged ladies dressed in burlesque outfits, with muffin tops and more cellulite than an orange grove. They were not the most attractive bunch to look at, and when they opened their mouths… my god! You’ve never heard the likes of it! I had to Google some of the swear words just to see what the hell they meant. They ranged in age from early twenties up to the Granny of the bride to be; with her teeth like a council fence and a straw in the shape of a cock hanging round her neck, which complimented her hairy top lip which was manlier than moustaches on some young lads these days. When you get a big group of them like that, they can be bad enough to start with, but one of my all-time pet hates is whistles. They just come in and blow them and blow them so much it would put a time served prostitute to shame! So, call me a spoilsport, or a ‘grumpy old bastard’ as ‘Granny Tash’ called me on the way in, but I confiscated all of the whistles telling they could have them back on the way out. Half an hour later, in a packed bar, above the cackles of ‘Jabba the Hutts’ daughters, I could hear the shrill of a whistle over and over and over again. As I went into the bar and started to look for the clever arse that had the whistle I got the manager in my earpiece over the radio saying “For Fucks sake, Stu, stick that whistle right up her Jacksie will you? It’s doing my head in” “Oh don’t you worry I bloody will”, I replied and so off I went in search of the phantom whistler. Yeah you guessed it, it was old Granny tash. She had a pink referee whistle hanging out of her mouth blowing and blowing and blowing, actually she had the look of an over the hill prostitute to think of it. So I went over, tapped her on the shoulder and said “can I take the whistle until you leave please?” she just ignored me, as I expected. So again I said the same thing. This time she smiled at me with her chess board teeth, well that would be if chess boards were black and yellow as opposed to black and white, laughed and said “what was that you wanted son, me naked body rubbed all over you?” The very thought of her wrinkled, leather skinned body mixed with the smell of her breath was almost enough to make me heave! “Beautiful as you are I’m afraid I must decline your very tempting offer” I replied, my tone sarcastic. She cackled like a witch on acid which just made the acrid smell of her breath all the worse, you could just tell by looking, or even smelling this horror, that she’d had more cock than Bernard Matthews! “Give me the whistle now or you’re leaving’”, I said trying to disguise the look of complete and utter disgust on my face. “Oh you want my whistle son” she said “I don’t know about that but you can have my cherry if that’s any good for you son”. The mouthy, stagnant old trout that she was, she then dropped the whistle down her saggy cleavage and with another acrid smelling cackle said “There you go lover get it out with your teeth”. The whistle had a long ribbon hanging from it, sticking out of the saggy tits that no doubt would hide her feet with no bra on and probably resembled an ordnance survey map, or an A to Z. So I made a grab for the ribbon, ready to pull the poor whistle out and take my own personal bit of glory to shut this old tart up. But just as a I grabbed it and pulled on the ribbon of doom, she shouted “epee you cheeky little fucker, look lasses he is trying to cop a feel”, and then it happened; the most embarrassing night on the door ever, up came her knee and with all the force of a JCB combined with the skill of 50 years fighting in the bingo, she kneed me right in the bollocks. It felt like being hit by a truck, all I could smell was her breath and all I could hear was Tommy on radio pissing himself laughing as my face turned white, and then no doubt quickly to red. The pain in the family jewels rose up into my stomach and I fell on my knees, with granny Tash bloody shouting and laughing “look lasses he is going down on me now!” I was fuming at this point and I quickly recovered my composure, not too sure about my self-respect though, and made a grab for her to throw her out. That’s when the kicking, screaming and flaying of arms with sharp curly talons going for my face, began. “Right that’s it!” I shouted as I bent forward, picked her up and chucked her over my shoulder in a fireman’s lift. She was kicking and screaming all the way, as I began to carry her to the door to throw her out. This is where I saw Tommy, totally buckled with laughter. As I put her down on the path outside of the door she was still going off on one, trying to attack me and shouting and swearing with all of the decorum of an ally cat. The rest of her group began drifting towards the door. They all thought it was hilarious, and one woman shouted out to her, “Hope it doesn’t rain, we’re all staying here for more drinks, so you will just have to wait until we come out”. Well as you can imagine she wasn’t too happy at all with that as the rest of her group all started drifting back to the bar to order more colourful jugs of whatever the hell they were drinking. Just then, someone must have been looking down on me and arranged my revenge of this absolute savage, as the heavens just opened. Rain poured down bouncing off the ground, absolutely soaking this sorry excuse for a lady. Well I really did try my very best not to laugh, but wasn’t having much luck, as I stood just inside the shelter of the doorway as she began to resemble more and more a geriatric drowned rat. Just as quickly as it started, the rain stopped. The rest of the group started making their way back out of the bar all laughing at the sodden wet soggy mess that was waiting for them, and off they went to another bar. I really should have radioed the other bars but what would I have said? Be on the lookout for a very old woman, dressed in a pink burlesque outfit, with teeth like a council fence who ten minutes ago has just single handed dropped me in the middle of my own bar???? What made you want to write your own books? As long as I can remember I have always been fascinated by books and the written word, my grandfather used to tell me from being only a few years old that ‘The Pen is mightier than the sword’, and you know what I believe he was right. I have also from an early age wanted to write my own book and have it published, I wasn’t really interested in selling books or anything like that it was just always my biggest ambition to write a book. A couple of years ago I was made redundant from my day job and one day just thought, ‘Well what the hell give it a go’ and I did. I quickly realised that it wasn’t difficult to do, but only if I was in the right mood. In the right mood words seems to just vomit out of me onto the screen, but if I am in the wrong mood I will sit for hours trying to force it and what I write is utter shite! I have read you’re “ The Diaries of a Doorman” books when reading you can actually imagine yourself being there watching, they have their scary parts and there really funny parts, could you give your overview of the diaries of a doorman book collection? Well, it all started with ‘The Diaries of a Doorman – A Collection of true short stories’ which was a series of short stories detailing the experiences and situations that I have been in over the years on the doors, I tried to make it different to most of the other ‘Bouncer Books’ which most of them are like look I am a big hard Bouncer, not that I am knocking those books but I wanted mine to be different so I have tried to write with some humour and write about some of the weird, strange and funny things that have happened over the years, some of them embarrassing to me but hey what can you do. I have also tried to show some of the sad, tragic gut-wrenching stuff that I have come across too. The second book ‘The Diaries of a Doorman Volume Two – Bouncers and Bravado’ basically was more of the same and then came the third book, ‘The Diaries of a Doorman Volume 3 – Bouncing in the Sun (Do you like what I did there, Volumes 1, 2 and 3? I thought it was quite clever Hahaha) anyway volume three is about my time working the doors abroad in the early 90’s where the lines between Bouncer and Villain were often blurred Are there any plans for continuing “The Diaries of a Doorman” Series? I have planned out a volume 4 which will be out later this year and will be called, can you guess??? Yup you got it volume 4! ‘The Diaries of a Doorman Volume 4 – Doorman and Diva’s’ but before that I need to finish the biography of a very good friend of mine, ‘From Shields to Sicily – The Paul Charters Story’. Paul was a top boxer in the late 80’s and early 90’s holding two Northern Area Titles at two different weights, fought in two final British eliminators and came just a whisker away from being the European champion after fighting Antonio Renzo in Sicily You have also written the book Life: A collection of contemporary poetry, where did this idea come from? Poetry is something I have dabbled with from being at school and I always find that writing helps me get through stressful period of my life, and I was going through a lot of very negative stuff at the time I wrote this book and I found it helped get me through. There is a message on the back of your poetry book, “A book brought about by personal tragedy and betrayal”, could you tell us what this means? Well as mentioned above when I wrote this book I was going through bit of a bad negative time. I was on the door one night and a regular who I had known for years and that knew some of my family asked if he could have a word with me, what he told me is that my father was dying of terminal cancer. Now I and my Dad never really got on, mostly because from being a small child he was a violent bastard towards me and my mother and was always up to no good spending time in and out of jail. My parents split up when I was nine years old and we didn’t speak again until I was about 18 or 19 years old, one night years later he decided to try and play the big man with me in the pub, and well things happened and we hadn’t spoken for around 14 years when I was told this, but he was till my Dad. As it transpired he had been dying for a year and that whole side of the family had concealed it from me, one after one I contacted them all and nobody would tell me just how serious it was, how long he had left or even where he was. All I wanted to do was make peace with him before he died and because of that pack of bastards that were meant to be my family I never got to do that. Since he died some of them have started trying to suck up and talk to me, but me being me I have basically fucked them all off and disowned that whole side of my family, as far as I am concerned real family or those that are loyal, break my trust once and I just don’t want to know. I had written about this at the time on Facebook and had some amazing messages of support, in particular from Joe BBAD and Joe Ramsey, I will always remember what Hoe Ramsey had written as it helped a lot and at the time I didn’t even know the man, but now I class him as a good friend. So my Dads side of my family maybe all pieces or shit but I also found that the ‘BBAD Family’ that is often talked about is actually real, not just a marketing ploy from Joe and Aaron. For my daughters Christmas I bought her four very special books , A Dogs life, Mr Wag and his “extraordinary” Dogs, Mr Wag and his “extraordinary” Dogs – At the circus and Mr Wag and his “extraordinary” Dogs at Christmas, Poppy my wee girl wants to know, will be seeing more of Mr Wag? Oh I think so, Mr Wag is quite an extraordinary character and is really a cross between ‘Mr Ben’ and my own mother who is a dog breeder. Did you get any special help with the Children’s books? I got the best help I could have asked for, the first kids books were the Mr Wag books and were written for Sol my seven year old son. We chatted about a book for him one day in the car and Sol came up with the entire concept for Mr Wag. Equally, in the book ‘A Dogs Life’ this book was for Luca my ten year old Son and Luca came up with the whole concept of the story being told through the eyes of the dog itself, there will also be a follow up to ‘A Dogs Life’ later this year. Out of all your books, what has been the hardest to write? I wouldn’t really say that any of them have been hard to write and I really enjoy doing it, but by far the first book ‘The Diaries of a Doorman – A Collection of True Short Stories’ was the most difficult as to be honest I didn’t have a clue where to start, how to write a book, how to get it published and so-on, but from there they seem to get easier and easier You have done the doors for a very long time, what made you get into that line of business? I sort of fell into it, I grew up in pubs and then for a few years managed my own pubs from being about 20, most of them I would describe as ‘RABA’ pubs (Rough as a badgers arse) and obviously I had to sort my own bother out. When I got out of the pub trade I used to find myself stopping fights in my local and things like that and then I was asked one night if I would work the door at a pub over the weekend of a local festival on the Fish Quay in North Shields, my home town and then have really just done it on and off ever since. Obviously you have a very well storied career, have you met any celebrities? Do you have any funny celebrity stories? I have done quite a bit of celebrity ‘Minding work’ for people such as Johnny Vegas, Chrissy Rock, JLS, Glasvegas, Lucy Watson and Joey Essex. Johnny Vegas was a favourite of mine and I can’t tell you just what a top bloke he is in real life. To start off with he is funnier in real life then when on stage or TV and so nice to his fans. I was looking after him at a book signing and he would spend at least ten to fifteen mins with each person talking to them, finding out about them and then would sign the book and write a personal message and also draw a caricature of the person that the book was for. At the end of the session me and the other lads went to get a photo with him and he turned around and said, “Come on lads your meant to be hard Geordie bouncers, let’s get a photo of you pretending to chuck me out of a bar” which is just what we did and proceeded to rag him all over the shop as you will see in the photo. Very funny and top genuine bloke. When you’re on the doors you obviously have your team, if something kicks off you rely on them to watch your back, have you ever been alone when something has happened and had to deal with it yourself? Something which I am very much against are ‘One Man Doors’ they are just wrong as simple as that, but sometimes you have no option and in the summer of 2013 I found myself doing a lot of shifts by myself, over the space of that summer I had someone pull a machete on me, someone try and stab me with a dirty needle and was set upon by nine people. Luckily for me it all turned out well for me on these occasions, in fact very lucky I would say. After those experiences I now refuse to work alone. Can you tell us your funniest memory being on the doors? It had to be the big bloke from Glasgow who I ‘Asked to leave’ for being loud and drunk, I walked him into the beer garden and he decided he wanted to fight, he was about twice my size and had obviously boxed before just by his stance and up goes his fists ready so I did the same thinking it was going to be like BBAD and as we are weighing each other up I just start to piss myself laughing as I notice his wife’s pink handbag hanging from his arm, I just came out with ‘Mate seriously? Either get rid of your nice pink bag and fight me or just fuck off’………….. And off he fucked so bit of a result! Have you ever been injured working the doors? I have been very lucky when it comes injuries on the door, over the years I have had a lip ripped open from which I have a small scar and I have a permanent dent on the top of my skull from being repeatedly smashed over the head with a bottle of Desperado which just didn’t smash, it would have hurt less if it did. I got done over good style that night but proud to say he still didn’t knock me out or get me down. I have also been stabbed quite badly at the top of my left arm with a big lump of glass but that wasn’t on the door, so I do count myself as being lucky. If you could have a team of BBAD fighters on the doors with you, say 3 who would it be and why? That’s easy Kris, it would be, James McCrory, James Quinn and Dave Radford and why, well because the three of them are all full on legends, and come on be serious not many people would start with those three on door now would they! Who would be the worst BBAD fighter to eject from a pub/club? Now that’s a difficult one as to be honest I wouldn’t like to eject an BBAD fighter from a bar but I would say probably Steve Cairney as he would winge and moan on so much that it would just do my head in! Could you tell us about the charity that you have become the patron of? The Charity is called ‘Choose Lives not Knives’ (www.livesnotknives.co.uk) and it’s a charity started by Stevie Cairney in memory of his Son Leon, who was murdered two years ago when he was stabbed eleven times with a kitchen knife. What we do is raise awareness of knife crime to young people. How did you get into Choose lives not knives? Well I met Steve at BBAD Newcastle last year and we got talking and I said I would like to help and became a trustee of the charity with one of my first objectives being to appoint a Patron, I had a few big names in the hat and then one day I was talking to Steve and he told me out of the blue that the whole Cairney family had decided that they wanted to ask if I would be the Patron. I was shocked but massively touched by this and agreed What is the main aim of Choose Lives not knives? The main aim if to raise awareness in young people about the dangers of knife crime, every year in the UK so many teenagers go out with a knife, never intending to use it and then something happens, and in the heat of the moment they use, or as often happens its taken from them and used on them. Straight away that’s two lives ruined. One will normally end up dead and the other loosing everything by being locked up. What we want to do is to make people think, let them see the ruined lives, the broken hearted families, as Steve once said to me which I totally agree with, “Stu if we save just one single life it will be worth all of the hard work” Obviously working the doors, you would have probably seen the effects of knife crime, has this played a big part in your roll in the charity? Your right Kris I have seen people stabbed, seen people slashed and had people try and do the same to me but my honest answer is no. It was reading Steve’s words when he wrote something about the night Leon died, it almost broke my heart and really touched me, I have three Sons and one day it could just as easily be one of them so really all I do in my role is for my Sons and for Leon Cairney Could you let us know who the team are behind the campaign? The Choose Lives not Knives Team are: Stu Armstrong – Patron Steve Cairney – Trustee Dan Chapman – Trustee Lloyd Watson – Trustee (And he also boxes in aid of Choose Lives) Neal Salvage – Designer You have really made a go at this in 2014, it’s amazing to see it coming on in leaps and bounds, what are the plans for 2015? Are there any events etc. coming up? Things are going to massive this year, I can’t really give too much away at this moment in time but I am working on a few things but I can confirm that there will be a sponsored Fire walking event held on 25th March in Newcastle (See the website for details) and a huge sponsored Dog Walk held on Easter Bank Holiday Monday also in Newcastle. I would also just like to take this chance to thank James McCrory who is going to be the guest of honour so to speak at the firewalk. There are also a couple of pretty huge things in the pipeline that I can’t talk about at the moment, but what I will say is that two good friends of mine are lending amazing support with these events, Jon Pepperell from the amazing combat sports website www.cageamateursuk.com and Andrew Wile from Reps Gym in Wallsend near Newcastle. Thanks Lads! You were on the radio with “Radio Northumberland”, you sounded like a pro on there, could we hear more of Stu Armstrong on the airwaves in 2015? Well I have to say that I massively enjoyed doing to two shows with Paul Green at Radio Northumberland and yes you will be hearing me again very soon along with my fellow trustee and my Door partner in Crime Dan Chapman when we do a show on life as a Doorman. But between you and me I would love to do a little bit of presenting from Radio Northumberland and have mentioned it to them BBAD Obviously you are a big face in the crowed at BBAD events, how did you first get into BBAD? Well I had been part of the Facebook group group for sometime and I had Joe BBAD as a Facebook friend and I published an iPhone and Android App for my books, Joe commented on it and we had a discussion I agreed to do one for BBAD and Joe invited me to the Newcastle show and straight away I was hooked. I won’t miss a show now no matter where it is! As a massive fan of gloved boxing what was your first impression of BKB before you had been to a BBAD Event? I thought Bare Knuckle Boxing was still just in car parks and back lanes like it was back in the day with no rules or medical care, I was shocked to see just how well organised things were when I went to my first BBAD event. Before becoming a fan at BBAD did you attend any other BKB events? The last BKB fight I went to was in the mid 90’s in the car park of a closed down derelict pub in Newcastle, it was a seriously dodgy night with some seriously dodgy people there, but I did enjoy it How did it differ form a BBAD show? The two are worlds apart, there was no organisation, not ring or pit, not medical care and it was well, underground is the best way to describe it with no-one even knowing the venue until an hour before. I won’t mention any names but one bloke got hurt very badly and was dragged while out cold, across the car park and more or less thrown in the back of a car and off they went. That was the medical care! What are the main differences you see between gloved and BKB boxing? I love boxing in all forms, and I am a huge gloved boxing fan but I see BKB as more of an art form with less punches being thrown but more hitting their targets. You designed the app for BBAD is there a reason you are such a big fan of BBAD? I love Bare Knuckle Boxing always have, but I like the way things are done right and organised properly and the fighters are looked after and have the correct medical care. I also love the other fans, it really does sound a bit cheesy at times when people say the BBAD Family, but that’s just what it is. Who are your favourite contracted fighters and why? James ‘Gypsy Boy’ McCrory will always be my favourite because the man has the heart of about 50 lions, he is a complete legend and since I have gotten to know he is a really nice bloke. I am also a big fan of James Quinn since I first watched Knuckle and I won’t ever forget how he helped out with some publicity for my first book, and this was long before I had met him. I also like Scott Midgely, Now Scott don’t take the huff here mate but you don’t look like a hard kid with all the blonde hair all done up like something out of a boy band, then he gets in the ring and Boom! Obviously you have been watching for a good while, are there any upcoming talents you think are going to make it big? Billy Hawthorn, he has a big future, have you seen the power on that lads punches, bloody hell I wouldn’t want a dig off you Billy Mate!! Michael Ferry, I see him going to the very top of Bare Knuckle Boxing and all respect to Craig but I think he will take the title in February in Newcastle too. I know you sponsor some local unlicensed gloved boxers, do you see yourself ever sponsoring one of our fighters? Well its funny you should ask me that as I am over the moon to have been given the chance of sponsoring the legend that is James ‘Gypsy Boy’ McCrory, this only happened yesterday while talking to Aaron Watts and I jumped at the change so a big thanks to James and Aaron I am proud to be part of Team Gypsy Boy! Stu could you give me a paragraph on Choose life’s not knives In 2012 Leon Cairney at 25 years of age was stabbed 11 times with a kitchen knife and died of his injuries leaving behind a devastated family and two young daughters. Knife crime is on the increase with devastating statistics. Choose Lives not Knives is a Charity setup by Leon Cairney's father Steve to raise awareness in the dangers of knife crimes, currently awaiting registration as a UK registered charity ‘Choose Lives not Knives’ is going from strength to strength with an aim to educate every high school pupil in the UK in the dangers of knife crime. A Shocking statistic is that 17% of all knife crimes in the UK are carried out by Children between the ages of 10 and 17. To date Stu Armstrong and Steve Cairney has been interviewed by Radio Northumberland and the Stirling Observer with the story being syndicated to the Daily record in Scotland. And a paragraph on BBAD please? BBAD is like no other business that I have come across, the reason for its success as far as I am concerned is that they actually care. They care about the fighters and equally care about the fans. In the short time that I have been involved with BBAD I have already watched them go from strength to strength. I believe that BBAD are brining BKB to the forefront and they are doing this successfully because they are doing it the right way, I would love to see BKB have the same kind of exposure as gloved boxing or other mainstream sports and personally speaking I want to be along for the ride with BBAD to see this happen and will always help out in any way that I can. On a final not a big thanks to my good friend Joe BBAD for inviting me to my first event, I have since become obsessed! Joe BBAD had this to say about Stu: “Stu is one of the nicest guys I have met in the BKB world, very giving and a heart of gold and will and does so much for others all the time. I would like to wish him all the best from all the BBAD team” Stevie “Carnage” Cairney also wanted to make a statement: “Stu Armstrong, I don’t call just a friend I call family a true gent and a man of his word he is all that a real man should be, I look up too Stu witch is really hard cause of his height hahahaha. But no serous if I could be half the man he is I would feel lucky. Stu as a dad nothing more than the real deal u might not think that bud but do what u do best be u! God bless u sir xxx I would like to thank Stu Armstrong for taking the time to speak to us. I would like to also thank Gordon Buchan for your help with this interview, look forward to writing with you in the future. And a massive thanks as always to the Fans and BBAD Family. Kris Megaw	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line383
__label__wiki	0.767896	0.767896	Calendar for Plenary Printer friendly view View calendar for Assembly Estate Events View calendar for All Assembly Committees View calendar for Plenary View other calendars Download meeting dates or papers Show Assembly Members on site View fewer options Location: %> All locations Senedd Tŷ Hywel The Pierhead Test Location External Month: January February March April May June July August September October November December Year: 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Events from week 5, starting Monday 29 January 2018 Tuesday 30 January 2018 13.30 Plenary30/01 - Y Siambr - Y Senedd Consultation ends: The Cost of Caring for an Ageing Population Consultation ends: Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 - Post-Legislative Scrutiny Consultation ends: Creating the Right Culture: Inquiry into the Review of the Code of Conduct for Assembly Members Consultation starts: SL(5)193 - The Welsh Language Standards (No. 7) Regulations 2018 Tuesday 6 March 2018 Wednesday 7 March 2018 Friday 9 March 2018 Consultation starts: Preparations for replacing EU funding for Wales Consultation starts: Film and major television production in Wales Consultation ends: The Apprenticeship Levy – follow-up Consultation ends: Inquiry into pregnancy, maternity and work in Wales Consultation ends: Draft Autism (Wales) Bill Consultation starts: Inquiry on the Impact of Brexit on Higher and Further Education Tuesday 1 May 2018 Wednesday 2 May 2018 Consultation ends: Review of staffing support for Members: Flexibility of the allowances Consultation ends: Preparations for replacing EU funding for Wales Consultation ends: UK common frameworks on agriculture and environment Monday 4 June 2018 Consultation starts: Inquiry into diversity in local government 13.30 Plenary04/06 - Y Siambr - Y_Senedd Wednesday 6 June 2018 Consultation starts: Review of staffing support for Members: Flexibility of the allowances surrounding the Support for Political Parties Allowance Friday 8 June 2018 Consultation ends: Inquiry on the Impact of Brexit on Higher and Further Education Consultation starts: Renting Homes (Fees etc.) (Wales) Bill Consultation starts: The status of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification Wednesday 4 July 2018 Consultation starts: Dentistry in Wales Consultation starts: Impact of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 in relation to Carers Consultation starts: Welsh Government Draft Budget Proposals 2019-20 Consultation starts: Autism (Wales) Bill Consultation ends: Review of staffing support for Members: Flexibility of the allowances surrounding the Support for Political Parties Allowance Consultation starts: Electric vehicle charging in Wales Consultation ends: Impact of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 in relation to Carers Consultation ends: The status of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification 13.30 - 17.00 Plenary25/09 - Y Siambr - Y_Senedd Tuesday 2 October 2018 Wednesday 3 October 2018 Friday 5 October 2018 Consultation starts: Count me in! Consultation starts: Rail Franchise and Metro Scrutiny: Stakeholder views Consultation starts: Welsh Government draft Budget 2019-20: CCERA Stakeholder Views Consultation starts: Welsh Government's progress in developing the new Curriculum for Wales Consultation ends: Research and innovation in Wales Consultation starts: School Funding in Wales Consultation starts: Review of staffing support for Members and the review of the Disciplinary Procedure and Grievance Procedure Monday 5 November 2018 Consultation ends: Endoscopy services Consultation ends: Electric vehicle charging in Wales Wednesday 7 November 2018 Friday 9 November 2018 Consultation ends: Rail Franchise and Metro Scrutiny: Stakeholder views Consultation starts: The future development of Transport for Wales Consultation starts: Hepatitis C Tuesday 4 December 2018 Wednesday 5 December 2018 Thursday 6 December 2018 Consultation starts: Legislation (Wales) Bill What is Plenary? Oral Questions Emergency Questions	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line386
__label__cc	0.580135	0.419865	Tag Archives: david cameron Moral Panic, Politics Letter to MPs on Criminalising “Rape Porn” February 20, 2014 Jerry Barnett 1 Comment This week, the following letter was sent to a number of MPs and Lords, to raise concerns over the planned “rape porn” legislation. This was sent on behalf of Sex & Censorship and an alliance of other sexual freedom campaigns: Backlash, Consenting Adult Action Network, Campaign Against Censorship and the Sexual Freedom Coalition. We write to express grave concern regarding S16 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill which will extend the existing ban on extreme pornography (S63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act). This section is poorly defined. It will have the unintended consequence of criminalising the possession of material that depicts consensual sex, bondage and power-play fantasies common to millions. Pornography of all kinds has become much more accessible since the Internet has become available to the general public. In that time, the prevalence of sexual abuse has not increased in the United Kingdom and may have decreased. It is simplistic & mistaken to suggest that pornography is a cause of violence against women. Correlation is not causation. Serious academic studies of pornography and sexual violence (1) show that increased availability of pornography is, in fact, associated with less violence and abuse. Fictional and consensual portrayals of submission and domination are a common and popular sexual fantasy, as recently illustrated by the Fifty Shades of Grey novels. Indeed one of the largest surveys ever undertaken in Britain (2) indicated that nearly a third of us have fantasies about elements of forced sex, with approximately 2.2 million men and women having violent sexual fantasies. With around 90% of men and 60% of women viewing pornography, and with so many enjoying fantasies of this nature, the danger is that this poorly defined legislation will have a huge impact. The Bill’s Impact Assessment suggests that the number of cases cannot be predicted. When extreme material was criminalised (by S63(7) CJIA 2008) government ministers predicted there would only be 30 cases a year, but the reality was very different. In the last year for which the MoJ has provided data (2012/13), there were 1,348 prosecutions. Given that the number of people who enjoy material that features sexual bondage and power-play is so high, we fear government will create thousands of new sex offenders, most of whom will be entirely harmless law-abiding citizens. There is also a problem with government guidance for the public and prosecutors. Just prior to the enactment of S63(7) CJIA 2008, in response to reservations, the House of Lords was promised that meaningful guidance would be issued to explain those categories that were difficult to define. This never happened. In fact prosecutors were so unsure of the meaning of the law that there have been some trials of material which we are confident Parliament never intended. For example, the prosecution of barrister Simon Walsh, a former aide to Boris Johnson, whose legal practice had included investigating corruption within British police forces. His career in public life was ruined by a prosecution. It was rejected by a jury after 90 minutes deliberation. Prosecutors failed to prove that images depicting consensual sex acts between him and two other gay men were ‘extreme’. The prosecution also threatened the reputation of the Crown Prosecution Service as an impartial public servant by showing that gay men risked having their lives destroyed in court over intimate acts which were consensual, safe and commonly practiced within the LGBT community. Bad laws do not harm only the individuals prosecuted; they also harm the institutions tasked with enforcing them, and increase even further the costs of the justice system to the taxpayer. This proposed law will also traumatise large numbers of women and men by having their private sexual fantasies examined and shamed in public. It is therefore vital that S16 of this Bill be refined to limit the scope of the ban to images that are produced through real harm or lack of consent. Fantasy portrayals of forced/power-play sex are too commonly enjoyed to be reasonably subject to prohibition. We appeal to you to refine this legislation. We also ask to be permitted to put detailed evidence to Parliament at the committee stages. Finally, we ask if you would be willing to host an event in Parliament, at which representatives could speak, so that members of both Houses can better understand what is at stake. 1. Pornography, Public Acceptance and Sex Related Crime: A Review: 2009: Milton Diamond 2. British Sexual Fantasy Research Project: 2007. ISBN 978-0-713-99940-2 backlashcaancaccensored ukcensoredukcriminalisingdavid cameronlawmoral panicparliamentrape pornsfc Comment, Filtering, News, Politics UK Government Admits Filters Have Failed February 2, 2014 Jerry Barnett 9 Comments Poor old Claire Perry. Having championed Internet censorship child-protection filters, and become a hero to the Tory right and Daily Mail, she appears to have pissed off much of the remainder of the online public. She has steadfastly denied that filters are prone to massive and eternal overblocking, calling such claims “fanciful” only a few days ago. But, as long predicted, overblocking is a huge problem, and as anybody with an understanding of the technology can explain to Perry and Cameron, it can’t ever be adequately resolved: the problem is just too big. Perry and Cameron have regularly insisted that ISPs can be left to run filters without need for regulation. So it must be enormously embarrassing for them that the UK Government this week announced plans to introduce – in a small way – regulation. In response to an avalanche of news about inappropriate blocking – from ChildLine to the Samaritans – the government has announced it will create a white-list of sites that must not be blocked. Support Sex & Censorship: Buy Porn Panic! - The Book The clear motivation for this is to avoid any more embarrassing news stories highlighting how inaccurate the filters are. The government can’t hope to prevent overblocking any more than the ISPs can, but at least they can ensure that key UK charities are not blocked. This announcement is an admission of failure. But this move should not be greeted as a step in the right direction. In order to create and manage the white-list, the government needs to create – at taxpayer expense – an Internet censorship team, albeit one with a limited role, for the time being. The new list cannot possibly hope to resolve the majority of blocking errors – all it can do is ensure a small, elite list of websites remains accessible to under-18s. Overblocking isn’t the main problem, filters are So overblocking will continue – it just won’t attract as much media attention as before. But even if it could be resolved, this white-list avoids the critical concerns about the filters: overblocking isn’t the real problem. The problem is – still – the filters themselves. The government still insists on perpetuating the dangerous myth that children are in danger online, and that the answer to this danger is censorship. It continues to pretend there is evidence that allowing children to explore the Internet can be harmful. It continues to ignore the fact that parental control software for PCs has been available for years, and child-friendly tablets are now on sale everywhere, making the need for further filtering redundant. It continues to spread the myth that denying children access to information is safe, rather than harmful. It continues to blur the very important line between young adults and pre-pubescent children. It continues to provide abusers a tool with which to deny their wife, husband, child, access to vital information. The government admitted this week that the filtering programme has failed. But they maintain the pretence that the failure is a small one, and can be easily repaired. A government white-list will resolve these problems just as well as a severed limb can be repaired using a Post-It note. If the UK government truly cares about child welfare, it will defend the right of teenagers to freely access the Internet, and it will educate parents as to how they can protect and educate their younger children. Of course they won’t: and meanwhile, they have created a new censorship function within government that we should be watching very carefully indeed. censored ukcensorshipchild protectioncivil libertiesclaire perrydavid cameronfilteringgovernment white-listinternet censorshipinternet filterjerry barnettoverblocking #CensoredUK – Day of Action – Thursday 12 December 2013 December 11, 2013 Jerry Barnett 7 Comments Online day of action: #CensoredUK Thursday 12th December. Please copy and send the following tweet (and see below for more sample tweets) – and follow us on Twitter. Join the #CensoredUK online day of action! Click for details: http://bit.ly/1aUtIsn For three decades, the UK has been sleepwalking into censorship. It would be inaccurate to say we still are: now we are running at full speed! Most of the censorship measures have been introduced under the banner of “protecting children”; now we are told our children are under threat from the Internet. And yet no reliable evidence of a threat has been produced. On the contrary, a generation has grown up with Internet access, and teenage pregnancy rates are at their lowest since 1969. Since domestic violence cases peaked at over 1.1m in 1993, they have fallen by over 70%. And these trends don’t just affect the UK. In the United States, rates of sexual violence fell by 64% from 1995 to 2010. But the evidence doesn’t deter those who want to limit access to the Internet for British citizens. This Thursday, a conference will take place in London, aimed at persuading the government that even more controls are needed – again, to “protect children.” This Thursday, please use the #CensoredUK hashtag on Twitter, Facebook and other social media to register your opposition to any further moves to censor the Internet: the UK must have the same access to information as citizens in other democratic countries. Here are some sample tweets you can copy and adapt… or just write your own (and don’t forget the hashtag). Let’s get this M*F** trending! Is the UK sleepwalking into censorship? http://onforb.es/1gYULrT #CensoredUK Cameron: UK will block “extremist” web sites http://bit.ly/1jMkeHv #CensoredUK Sky, TalkTalk, BT, Virgin to introduce Internet filters http://bbc.in/J4JNVX #CensoredUK China praises UK Internet censorship plans http://bit.ly/1hM5aKj #CensoredUK Tim Berners-Lee warns of Internet censorship rise http://bit.ly/19BfjRT #CensoredUK UK “porn filter” will also censor political speech http://bit.ly/18B4dfN #CensoredUK “Porn filter” will also block conspiracy theories http://bit.ly/IP1b0j #CensoredUK British companies are blocking gay websites http://bit.ly/J4Li6l #CensoredUK Why is the UK the most censored country in Europe? http://bit.ly/1hMfNwH #CensoredUK British Library censors Hamlet as “too violent” http://bbc.in/1e4QMfQ #CensoredUK censored ukcensoredukdavid cameroninternet censorshipinternet filtersex and censorshiptwitter ALERT: Parliament Considers UK Internet Block-List November 30, 2013 Jerry Barnett 17 Comments David Cameron’s announcement of an Internet filter to “protect children” has raised great concern this year; and yet, as I wrote following the announcement, the filter is merely a first step towards Internet censorship: I referred to it as “Internet Censorship 1.0”. The filter is not a legal requirement, but a voluntary agreement between the government and ISPs; but it was inevitable that legislation would follow. And indeed it has: the Online Safety Bill is a private member’s bill which is about to have its second reading in the House of Lords. A casual reader might assume it simply refers to the filtering system already discussed, but in fact it contains something far more serious: an attempt to introduce a mandatory UK Internet block-list. This historic move would truly put the UK in the same camp as China and Iran: the government, or more likely, unelected regulators, would deem a site to be inappropriate for viewing by the British public, and it would vanish from our view of the Internet. Below is the key text from the bill, with my comments in bold. (1) Internet service providers must provide to subscribers an internet access service which excludes adult content unless all the conditions of subsection (3) have been fulfilled. Note that “adult content” is a very broad term. This blog is already considered “adult content” by some UK mobile networks. (2) Where mobile telephone network operators provide a telephone service to subscribers, which includes an internet access service, they must ensure this service excludes adult content unless all the conditions of subsection (3) have been fulfilled. (3) The conditions are— Now watch carefully… (a) the subscriber “opts-in” to subscribe to a service that includes adult content; This simply puts the existing filter plans into law. (b) the subscriber is aged 18 or over; and The ISP must age-check the subscriber before allowing them to opt in – this already happens on mobile networks. The juicy bit is next: (c) the provider of the service has an age verification policy which meets the standards set out by OFCOM and which has been used to confirm that the subscriber is aged 18 or over What does this mean? Let’s break it down: Clause 3(c) means that even if the user has proved their age and opted in to see “adult content”, the ISP must only allow them to do so if the service meets content standards as set by the media regulator Ofcom. Each ISP can’t, of course, check every site on the Internet. Instead, the only technical solution is to block any service that appears to provide adult material, unless it is on an Ofcom-approved list. Does such a list exist? Yes: Ofcom has already delegated the power to regulate online video services to a private organisation called ATVOD. ATVOD requires video services to register (and pay), and to comply with a series of UK-specific content guidelines. How many adult services comply to ATVOD? At present, around 20, and most of these are fairly soft, and are mostly linked to existing adult TV channels. There are millions of porn sites in the world. There are many million more sites that contain sexual imagery, sexual chat, sex education material or other content that might (according to some people) not be suitable for under-18s. Under this bill, ISPs would be breaking the law if they failed to block a site containing “adult content”, and so if a service is in doubt, it will be blocked, to be on the safe side. As noted above, massive over-blocking has already occurred on mobile services. There is no partial step into Internet censorship; either a block list exists, or it doesn’t. Once created, it can be used for any purpose; David Cameron has already hinted at blocking “extremist” sites. And “extreme”, like “adult content” is wide open for interpretation. Although we generally believe we live in a free country, we have always been a censored one. The Internet blew a hole in the power of the state to decide what can be published and what can be seen. It is no surprise that the state wants to reclaim that power. Any step to create a UK block list must be opposed by anyone who believes in free expression. We must ask our MPs: why does Britain, almost alone in the democratic world, see the need to implement such a measure? Why are British people more in need of “protection” than Americans or other Europeans? As a private member’s bill, the Online Safety Bill may well fail, but the measures are most likely to reappear in an official government Communications Bill. We have time to protect our Internet freedom, but we don’t have long. What can you do? We will be making an announcement shortly. Please join our mailing list to receive alerts. block listcensorshipdavid cameronfilterjerry barnettonline safety billparliamentpornuk	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line389
__label__wiki	0.819193	0.819193	Links 9/10/2014: Free Software in Germany, Lenovo Tablets With Android Posted in News Roundup at 2:31 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz Devices/Embedded Free Software/Open Source It’s not just Munich: Open source gains new ground in Germany While Munich city council’s decision to replace Microsoft software with open-source alternatives made headlines, it is one of a number of municipalities across Germany to make such a move. Across Germany at the national and local level authorities are running Linux and open-source software. The German federal employment office has migrated 13,000 public workstations from Windows NT to OpenSuse, and a number of German ubran areas are using or in the process of switching to open-source software on the desktop, including Isernhagen, Leipzig, Schwäbisch Hall and Treuchtlingen. Linux VDI desktops are a niche in a niche Moving to Linux VDI desktops could save you from Windows licensing headaches, but there aren’t many enterprise situations where virtual Linux setups fit. For the most part, Linux VMs only suit a small number of virtual desktop users. The CoreOS Threat, Real Adobe Issue, and openSUSE 13.2 RC1 Today’s Linux feeds brought news of the release of openSUSE 13.2 RC1 and Jiri Eischmann discusses GNOME and Wayland in Fedora 21. Matt Asay says CoreOS is an “existential threat to Linux vendors” and Jack Wallen says Linux users do have reason to be concerned over Adobe’s dropping Linux support. The Linux Voice says “you might be using the wrong Linux distribution” and Linus doesn’t have the time or any interest in Lennart Poettering’s problems. Kernel Space New stable kernels Greg Kroah-Hartman has released a new batch of stable kernels: 3.16.5, 3.14.21, and 3.10.57. Graphics Stack AMD Radeon R9 300 series teased with AMD’s new Linux drivers It feels like we’re very close to the Radeon R9 300 series of GPUs, with AMD dropping the price of its Radeon R9 290 and R9 290X GPUs in the last week, but now news is floating around of the Pirate Islands-based architecture, AMD’s next-generation GPU. Intel Works On Ozone-GBM For Full-Screen Chromium w/ Hardware Acceleration It’s been a while since last hearing anything from Tiago Vignatti out of Intel’s Open-Source Technology Center in Brazil but the Wayland-focused developer has recently been working on Ozone-GBM, a new target for this abstraction layer used by Google’s Chrome/Chromium web-browser. GStreamer and the command-line? bropages: It’s like man, bro kill: For one simple reason Cool-Retro-Term : Terminal Emulator with Retro Style cool-retro-term is free and open source terminal emulator developed by the Italian programmer Filippo Scognamiglio which mimics the look and feel of the old cathode tube screens, It has been designed to be eye-candy, customizable, and reasonably lightweight. What is good reference management software on Linux Breaking: Netflix now runs on Linux without tweaks Netflix now runs on Linux without any tweaks or work-around what so ever. I just noticed it when I installed a new Ubuntu system (14.10), with Chrome Beta 39.x and out of curiosity opened Netflix. It worked flawlessly. No agent switcher required anymore Netflix Updates User Agent, Ubuntu Now Has Native HTML5 Streaming in Google Chrome Ubuntu and Linux users are now able to watch Netflix natively in Google Chrome after the company finally updated their user agent that was inconvenient for so many people. Instructionals/Technical pyHook for Linux with pyxHook How To Install QupZilla 1.8.2 On Ubuntu, Debian, OpenSUSE And Derivative Systems How To Install Audio Recorder 1.5.4 On Ubuntu 14.10 Utopic Unicorn How To Easily Disable The Apport Error Reporting On Ubuntu 14.10 Utopic Unicorn How To Install QMPlay2 14.10.07 On Ubuntu 14.10, Ubuntu 14.04 And Derivative Systems How To Install Brackets 0.44 On Ubuntu 14.10, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04 And Derivative Systems How To Install Kaqaz 1.1.1 On Ubuntu, Debian And Derivative Systems How To Install Google Chrome 38 (Stable) On The Most Popular Linux Systems, Via The Official Google Repository How To Install TLP 0.6 On Ubuntu 14.10, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04 And Derivative Systems OpenSUSE 13.2 RC Is Now Available For Free Download Netflix Is Now Officially Supported On Ubuntu Systems, Via Google Chrome Unigine 2.0 Is In Alpha With Many Changes & OpenGL 4.5 Support Unigine Corp has revealed today that Unigine 2.0 has been under development for about one year and with this major revision to their technologically-amazing but seldom adopted engine is OpenGL 4.5 rendering support and other changes. A Golden Wake Review, Game Release Today Wadjet Eye Games make their first same-day release for Linux with the release of A Golden Wake today. Follow real estate agent Alfie Banks in this retelling of historical events during the Florida land boom in the early 1920s and the following Great Depression. Desktop Environments/WMs K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt Search Folders in Plasma 5.1 GNOME Desktop/GTK Cylon Linux Gives GNOME Fans Glamour Galore Cylon runs the classic GNOME 3 desktop on almost any hardware configuration made since 2007, but it is more suited to seasoned Linux users. Newcomers to Linux may not make an easy transition. Still, Cylon Linux is highly usable out of the box. With its installed software, there’s little need for supplemental installations. The user experience, however, might be less than appealing for those who are not at home with the GNOME 3 desktop. GNOME 3.14.1 newstable tarballs due Listaller + Glick: Some new ideas Currently, dependencies and applications are installed into directories in /opt, and Listaller contains some logic to make applications find dependencies, and to talk to the package manager to install missing things. This has some drawbacks, like the need to install an application before using it, the need for applications to be relocatable, and application-installations being non-atomic. Alpine Linux 3.0.5 Is an OS for People Who Are Not Afraid of the Terminal Alpine Linux is a security-oriented, lightweight Linux distribution based on musl libc and Busybox, which make up the terminal. It just hit version 3.0.5. Red Hat Family Red Hat breaks traditional storage barriers with open software-defined storage for multi-petabyte scale capacity CME Group finds a long-term partner in Red Hat Fedora 23 Might Replace EXT4 With BTRFS, As The Default File System BTRFS is already used on OpenSUSE 13.2 Beta and OpenSUSE 13.2 RC and will be used by default on the OpenSUSE systems, starting with the final version of OpenSUSE 13.2. And since SUSE has assigned three developers for making BTRFS work on their system, Fedora can use the BTRFS optimizations already implemented on OpenSUSE. Fedora 21 Alpha Release Has Three Flavors Over at the Fedora Project, we recently released the alpha version of Fedora 21. (And if the rest of this is all tl;dr, no problem – skip right to the pre-release download page, and there you are.) Looking for a silly code name like in previous years? Sorry to disappoint – this is the first release to be just called by its number. That’s not all we’re doing differently, though. Last year, Fedora reached its 10-year anniversary, and as went into our second decade, we decided to take a step back and reflect on what changes it will take to continue to be a leading Free and Open Source Linux distribution over the next ten years. Debian Family Tails OS Will Keep You Anonymous Online and Offline There are many Linux distributions available right now that claim to protect the privacy of their users, but very few actually do it properly. Tails is definitively among the top ones, if not the best. Now, a new version has been made available, but it’s just an RC for an upcoming release… Canonical/Ubuntu Ubuntu Touch on Meizu MX4 Pro sighted, still a possibility Back in February, Canonical promised that its phone-centric Ubuntu Touch will be making its way to actual retail smartphones later this year. But Canonical promises many things and with the year coming to a close, it seems that that promise might either be delayed or, worse, broken entirely. But behold, a device bearing the likeness of the Meizu MX4 but also bearing within it Ubuntu’s mobile OS has just been spotted, fanning the flames of hope of a still possible Ubuntu phone soon. Ubuntu 14.10 (Utopic Unicorn) Desktop Screenshots Tour The Ubuntu team is pleased to announce the final beta release of Ubuntu 14.10 Desktop, Server, Cloud, and Core products. Codenamed “Utopic Unicorn”, 14.10 continues Ubuntu’s proud tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution. The team has been hard at work through this cycle, introducing new features and fixing bugs. US Navy’s First Autonomous Swarmboats Are Controlled with Ubuntu The US Air Force has the drones, but now the US Navy has autonomous boats that can steer themselves, patrol a zone, and take a hostile posture, whatever that means. It was just a matter of time until someone thought of having some kind of drones that could guard a fleet on the water. The US Navy was happy to oblige. Tough little Haswell-powered Linux box does 4K2K HDMI Axiomtek’s eBOX560-880-FL is a compact embedded PC with a choice of Intel Haswell dual-core SoCs, plus temperature, vibration, and IP40 ingress protection. Sturdy Raspberry Pi mini-PC comes with B or B+ The Pi Vessel is said to be made in Germany, but is available from a Dover, Delaware based startup called MSDGroup, one of many companies of the same name, but apparently not one that has a website. The Pi Vessel is available on Kickstarter through Nov. 5 starting at $89 without a Pi or $129 with either a Raspberry Pi Model B or the newer RPi Model B+. Ballnux openSUSE 13.2 RC1 Brings the Latest GNOME 3.14 and KDE 4.14.1 The openSUSE Project has just released openSUSE 13.2 RC1, and the developers are preparing to close the development cycle and get the final version out the door. Google AXES AndroidScript app used by 20,000 STEM coders WITHOUT WARNING “Apparently we are in violation of the terms and conditions because we are using the word ‘Android’ in our title rather than ‘For Android’,” he said. Lenovo announces three new Yoga tablets powered by Windows, Android Three new Lenovo tablets land with (depending on your choice) Windows and Android. The Yoga Tablet 2 Pro also has an in-built pico-projector. This Android Tablet Has a 50″ Projector Built In…And It’s Amazing For much of the past few years it’s been tough to argue why anyone should opt for an Android tablet rather than an iPad. Besides lower prices, there simply haven’t been compelling arguments to go recommend Android tablets over Apple’s iPads, which have a much more robust ecosystem. The Yoga 2 Pro changes that and the Android camp has something to truly get excited about. After watching a video on the Yoga 2 Pro’s display at a private Lenovo briefing last week I’ve been yearning to get one of my own. Lenovo’s Yoga Tablet 2 series: Android, Windows and a projector Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 Targets Both Windows and Android Synaq: open source’s e-mail kings Synaq’s nondescript offices near the Sandton CBD feel laid back and comfortable. A large blackboard near the entrance has scribbles all over it. These offices check all the boxes of a start-up, but this business is far too big, and a few years too old, to fall into the start-up category. Open source and free software graveyard, 2014 The good thing about open source projects getting killed off is that there always seems to be another to take its place. Here’s a look at this year’s carnage to date, including some free software and freeware. Open Source Solutions Touted at MIT as Key to the Future of Cloud Computing The Industry-Academia Partnership (IAP) conducted a Cloud Workshop at MIT on September 26. Speakers from industry and academia described their R&D efforts to meet the future needs of cloud computing, spanning the full scope of hardware (servers, storage and networking) and software solutions (operating systems, virtualization, cloud orchestration software, and big data analytics). One Week: Three FOSS Expos The week after next the FOSS world will be brimming with opportunities to find out more about what’s going on in three separate shows around the country. If you are within a day’s drive of any of them — or if you are not adverse to flying — making it to one of them would be well worth the effort. Multiple screens for your conference presentation In two weeks the All Things Open conference will be taking place in Raleigh, North Carolina. Penguins from all over will be gathering together to share ideas. And as one of the presenters this year, I started wondering, in what ways can you open source a conference presentation? Firefox OS Shows Continued Global Growth Firefox OS is now available on three continents with 12 smartphones offered by 13 operators in 24 countries. As the only truly open mobile operating system, Firefox OS demonstrates the versatility of the Web as a platform, free of the limits and restrictions associated with proprietary mobile operating systems. SaaS/Big Data OpenStack Juno Set to Advance Nova Networking The open-source OpenStack Juno cloud platform is set to become generally available on October 16, bringing with it a long list of new networking capabilities. The new networking features aren’t just limited to the OpenStack Neutron networking project, either. They also include new features in the OpenStack Nova compute project. OpenStack is nowhere near a “solved problem” OpenStack has a long way to go before it reaches the nirvana state that one of its founders is claiming it has already attained. Announcing NetBSD 6.1.5 The NetBSD Project is pleased to announce NetBSD 6.1.5, the fifth security/bugfix update of the NetBSD 6.1 release branch. It represents a selected subset of fixes deemed important for security or stability reasons. FreeBSD Is Slowly But Surely Trying To Catch Up With Linux Graphics Drivers Jean-Sébastien Pédron of the FreeBSD project gave an update at this week’s XDC2014 conference about the state of the graphics stack on FreeBSD. Public Services/Government Commentary: 8 reasons why government contractors should embrace open source software Government contractors have traditionally been slow to embrace open source software. There’s a handful of reasons why that’s the case, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s why government contractors are embracing open source with increasing frequency… Openness/Sharing Antumbra Glow is a $35 open source ambient lighting solution for your PC Ambient lighting setups are always a good time, but in general these setups are either complex, expensive, or they don’t work with enough things to make the experience worth it. The folks at Antumbra think they have a solution with Glow, which is a $35 LED cube that uses open source software to offer ambient lighting to any desktop setup. Open Source Development: Course teaches students modified coding, design The term “open source” refers to something that can be modified because its design is publicly accessible. Open source software is computer software with its source code made available for modification or enhancement by anyone. Projects or initiatives that utilize this type of code are those that embrace and foster open exchange, collaborative participation, fast prototyping and community development. The D Language D is a general purpose systems and applications programming language. It is a high level language, but retains the ability to write high performance code and interface directly with the operating system API’s and with hardware (dlang.org). Liberia justice minister quits, says president blocked investigation Another son, Robert Sirleaf, resigned as chairman of Liberia’s state oil company, NOCAL, and stepped down from his role as a senior advisor to his mother last year. Johnson Sirleaf said his resignation had nothing to do with accusations of favouritism, stating that he had simply completed his assignment to restructure NOCAL and draft a petroleum law. Coverage of illumos Day 2014 CNN Turns To Outbreak Fiction Writer For Ebola Coverage Medical experts further agree that it’s highly unlikely Ebola could mutate into a form that alters its mode of transmission. That type of mutation would be unprecedented according to Columbia University virologist Vincent Racaniello, who wrote: “We have been studying viruses for over 100 years, and we’ve never seen a human virus change the way it is transmitted,” and that “There is no reason to believe that Ebola virus is any different from any of the viruses that infect humans and have not changed the way that they are spread.” The report exposes the many ways in which GM crops threaten the environment and farmers’ livelihood… Licensing issues unlikely to have delayed Apple Bash fix The likelihood that Apple delayed releasing a fix for the recent remotely exploitable vulnerability in Bash due to licensing issues is low, according to the executive director of the Free Software Foundation. INTERNATIONAL DAIRY QUEEN CONFIRMS MALWARE INTRUSION AT SOME U.S. LOCATIONS International Dairy Queen, Inc. today confirmed that the systems of some DQ® locations and one Orange Julius® location in the U.S. had been infected with the widely-reported Backoff malware that is targeting retailers across the country. The company previously indicated that it was investigating a possible malware intrusion that may have affected some payment cards used at certain DQ locations in the U.S. Upon learning of the issue, the company conducted an extensive investigation and retained external forensic experts to help determine the facts. Whether you’re a nation or a citizen, cyber security is an ever-growing issue – new hacks or data breaches emerge daily, in which people’s information is exposed or leaked, from bank details to intimate photographs. But is the threat of being hacked something that you or I really need to worry about? And if someone did hack into your computer, what would they be able to do with the information they found? Over the summer I decided to put these questions to the test. I got in touch with an ‘ethical hacker’ called John Yeo, who works for cyber security firm Trustwave, and asked him to try and hack me. HP accidentally signed malware, will revoke certificate An HP executive told security reporter Brian Krebs that that the certificate itself wasn’t compromised. HP Global Chief Information Security Officer Brett Wahlin said that HP had recently been alerted to the signed malware—a four-year old Windows Trojan—by Symantec. Wahlin said that it appears the malware, which had infected an HP employee’s computer, accidentally got digitally signed as part of a separate software package—and then sent a signed copy of itself back to its point of origin. Though the malware has since been distributed over the Internet while bearing HP’s certificate, Wahlin noted that the Trojan was never shipped to HP customers as part of the software package. Defence/Police/Secrecy/Aggression Kurdish leader: ‘We are resisting, despite Turkey, West’ A desperate battle by progressive Kurdish-led resistance fighters is seeking to defend Kobanê from ISIS fundamentalist forces. Kobanê is in Rojava, or Western Kurdistan, is a predominantly Kurdish area in northern Syria that is a semi-autonomous “liberated zone” experiencing a social revolution. Somerset woman faces federal charges in NSA drone killings protest A Somerset County woman with a history of political activism faces federal charges after attempting to enter protected National Security Agency property to protest lethal American drone attacks around the world. Manijeh Saba, a court interpreter, translator and long-time human rights activist from Franklin Township will appear in United States District Court in Baltimore Thursday for protesting on May 3 outside the gate of Fort Meade, MD against NSA surveillance providing targeting information for US drone attacks. Global Capitalism’s Bouncers Maria lived in the United States for eighteen years. She worked multiple jobs while raising two sons, a daughter, and several grandchildren. On her way home from church one Sunday, she was stopped at a checkpoint outside her trailer park. Lacking the requisite papers to be in the country, her car was seized, and she was thrown into the merciless and well-greased US deportation mill. About her forced removal and subsequent separation from her family, she said, “I became so sad I could barely move.” Todd Miller, veteran journalist and author of Border Patrol Nation, uses Maria’s tragedy to show the incredible geographic and psychological reach of the Border Patrol and its proxy agencies — which now include local police forces who enforce immigration violations far from the border, and the first-ever state-run Border Patrol, South Carolina’s Immigration Enforcement Unit. The “border,” once a contested hot zone in the Southwest, has become a mobile vacuum, ready to disappear undocumented immigrants and devastate communities from Niagara Falls, New York to Miami, Florida. Censorship goes viral with Internet The week is highlighted by gatherings where people read from books that have been banned at one time or another. On one side, the annual event celebrates the freedom to read and the freedom of expression. On the other, it shines the spotlight on the bigger and more pervasive problem of censorship, which affects not just books but all means of expression. HK backspace, backspace STREETS in Hong Kong have been filled with protesters calling for democratic reform and tweeting their experiences furiously. But in mainland China, people are struggling to discuss the unrest online. Censors have been poring over Weibo, China’s closely controlled version of Twitter, to scrub out even oblique references to it. Bahrain: Nabeel Rajab to face trial for expressing opinion Index is deeply concerned that the UK government has done little to press Bahrain to improve its human rights record. Bahrain’s insistence on the prosecution of Nabeel Rajab underlines the abysmal state of free expression in that country. Censorship is for the ignorant, not us Censorship can only perpetuate suspicion, not provide clarity. Why banning Arab authors from US is censorship At the end of the conversation, Nasser was told that he could not board the departing plane, which in any case had already left. The faceless homeland security officer would not disclose the reason Nasser wasn’t allowed into the US. “Just like that?” Nasser asked. “Just like that,” the homeland security officer responded. Nasser’s talk was still held, via Skype. But Homeland Security did manage to prevent him from the warmth of a personal address, from speaking individually to fans of his work, and from fruitful discussions with other writers. Former NSA Head Says You Can Avoid Government Spying By Using This One Simple Trick Former NSA head Keith Alexander — the original Million Dollar (a month) Man and premier cybersecurity consultant to the banking industry — is taking his years of expertise (and several mysteriously non-public patents) on the road, speaking at whatever venue will have him. This advice is less than useless. Those who actively seek contact with terrorists likely know to stay clear of surveilled channels. Those who aren’t seeking contact have their data (and sometimes communications) agnostically hoovered up by the US government’s various surveillance and investigatory arms. PRISM: Don’t talk to terrorists if you want privacy, says ex-NSA director Ex-NSA director defends PRISM and warns not to talk to terrorists EX-NSA DIRECTOR Keith Alexander has defended the PRISM programme he oversaw, and has warned that if members of the public speak to terrorists they are likely to be a target for the agency. House chairman calls for NSA reform in Senate after election “When the Senate returns in November, it must pass the USA Freedom Act in order to protect Americans’ civil liberties and to ensure that American tech companies can begin to rebuild trust with their customers and flourish in the global economy,” he said in a statement. To Stop NSA Spying, Look for Solutions Outside of Washington DC When it comes to political activism in America, it almost all focuses within the 202 area code. But over the last few years, it’s become clear we cannot count on Washington D.C. to rein in its own surveillance programs. We need a different approach that engages activists and concerned Americans outside of the Beltway. NSA: List of official leaks to the media is classified NSA Mind-Bender: We Won’t Tell You What Info We Already Leaked to the Media Longtime reporters who cover the NSA know that any time we ask the obstinate spy agency for information, we’re probably going to hit a brick wall. But who would have thought that trying to obtain information about information the agency has already given us would lead to the same wall? NSA: Even the Secrets We Tell You Are Too Secret For You To Know About It’s an assertion that defies common sense but speaks volumes about how the U.S. intelligence complex dodges accountability: The National Security Agency is arguing that even the secrets it has intentionally disclosed to reporters are still so secret that disclosing their disclosure threatens national security. NSA Claims Notifications to Congress About Authorized Leaks of Intelligence Are ‘Top Secret’ Secrecy News submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on March 10, 2014, for “a copy of any notifications to Congress transmitted in the past 12 months concerning authorized public disclosures of intelligence information.” Report on Disclosures to the Media is Classified A report to Congress on authorized disclosures of classified intelligence to the media — not unauthorized disclosures — is classified and is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, the National Security Agency said. The NSA Wants to Recruit Teen Hackers for Good Does your 13-year-old need something to do next summer? Here’s a novel idea: Send her to a special cybersecurity camp run by the NSA. The beleaguered agency’s new program tries to catch the youngest computer-savvy recruits and inculcate loyalty before they become exposed to the libertarian ideals of Reddit or read the manifestos of Aaron Swartz. How The NSA Plans To Recruit Your Teenagers Kids across America no longer have to wait until college to plan on being a part of the National Security Agency. In fact, they could start preparing for their NSA careers as early as age 13. The NSA has begun sponsoring cybersecurity camps for middle and high school students, agency recruiter Steven LaFountain told CNBC’s Eamon Javers in a recent interview. Six prototype camps launched this past summer, and the NSA hopes to eventually have a presence in schools in all 50 states. Big data seeks the higher ground on privacy Against a backdrop of Snowden/NSA revelations and growing consumer concern about massive data breaches on the Internet, participants in the gathering (which was organized and hosted by Intel) seemed to echo a common refrain: written privacy policies aren’t getting the job done. “There’s a huge gap between a company’s privacy policy and what happens in systems,” said Danny Weitzner, co-founder of TrustLayers and the former Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Internet Policy in the White House. They Fight Surveillance – And You Can Too Call it “privacy nihilism.” Whether you’re reading about the latest security breaches across the Net, or the jaw-dropping details of the latest NSA leak, or you’re explaining the importance of crypto to your blank-faced family, or struggling to stop your own government’s plans on burning your right to privacy, it’s sometimes easy to just throw up your hands in despair and give it all up. Twitter sues FBI, Justice Department to release NSA request data Twitter is suing the FBI and the Department of Justice to be able to release more information about government surveillance of its users. The social media company filed a lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco to publish its full “transparency report,” which documents government requests for user information. Twitter published a surveillance report in July but couldn’t include the exact number of national security requests it received because Internet companies are prohibited from disclosing that information, even if they didn’t get any requests. Wyden: Surveillance is a ‘Clear and Present Danger’ to the Digital Economy The pervasive dragnet surveillance of Americans revealed by the Edward Snowden documents has caused serious damage to the trust that enterprises and citizens had in the United States government and unless that trust is repaired, it could have serious effects on the Internet economy, a panel of prominent technology executives said. In Silicon Valley, senator calls for ending American “digital dragnet” Speaking at the gym at the high school where he used to play basketball in the 1960s, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) gave a dire warning to a group of students and locals on Wednesday about the effects of government spying on Silicon Valley: “There is a clear and present danger to the Internet economy.” Highlights From Sen. Ron Wyden’s Roundtable on ‘The Impact of Mass Surveillance on the Digital Economy’ Some Recent NSA Debates Here’s one that took place a couple of weeks ago at Georgetown on “The NSA, Privacy & the Global Internet: Perspectives on EO 12333.” Participants included law professors Nathan Sales, Laura Donohue, DNI General Counsel Bob Litt, and former State Department official John Tyre. Edward Snowden: whistleblower, criminal … Nobel Peace Prize winner? Experts say ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden is a favorite for the Nobel Peace Prize, set to be announced Friday. But such a decision would cause huge complications for Norway with one of its closest allies, the US. Edward Snowden, Pope Francis tipped for Nobel The race for the Nobel peace prize, to be announced on Friday, has rarely been as open or unpredictable, experts say, with the pope and Edward Snowden tipped as possible winners. Snowden, the former intelligence analyst who revealed the extent of US global eavesdropping, was one of the joint winners of the “alternative Nobel peace prize” in September. A hero to some and a traitor to others, he would be a highly controversial choice for the 878,000-euro ($1.11-million) award. The Pakistani girls’ education campaigner Malala Yousafzai who was also a favourite in 2013 is also said to be in the running along with Pope Francis for his defence of the poor, and a Japanese pacifist group. Edward Snowden to speak at Observer Ideas festival NSA whistleblower Snowden will talk via videolink from Moscow this weekend about the future of privacy, surveillance technology and democratic oversight Snowden to Make UK Public Appearance Via Video Link From Moscow: Reports The NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden is expected to make a public appearance in a UK event this Sunday, speaking via video link from Moscow, The Guardian reported on Thursday. “I’m tired of people endlessly rehashing the history of Mr Snowden’s revelations, and I’m sure he is too,” the Observer technology columnist John Naughton, who will lead the discussion with Snowden, was quoted as saying. Crypto wars redux: why the FBI’s desire to unlock your private life must be resisted In 1995, the US government tried – and failed – to categorise encryption as a weapon. Today, the same lines are being drawn and the same tactics repeated as the FBI wants to do the same. Here’s why they are wrong, and why they must fail again Can we trust the government to monitor surveillance? The USA Freedom Act certainly has its shortcomings, but it is important to weigh the options, consider the effects of not passing this measure and realize that in a sea of unsure government options, this is truly the best choice we have. This Is How the Feds Illegally Obtain Evidence of a Crime and Lie About It in Court NSA documents released by Edward Snowden show that the feds seriously deceived Congress and the courts in an effort to spy upon all of us and to use the gathered materials in criminal prosecutions, even though they told federal judges they would not. Among the more nefarious procedures the feds have engaged in is something called “parallel reconstruction.” This procedure seeks to hide the true and original source of information about a criminal defendant when it was obtained unlawfully. GCHQ wants to become more transparent, claims web pioneer Sir Tim Berners-Lee, widely-recognised as the inventor of the World Wide Web, has claimed that the UK’s electronic surveillance and oversight body GCHQ is trying to become more transparent on spying. Assange accuses Australian govt of ‘misrepresenting nature of interception’ WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has challenged assurances by the Australian government that communications interception in the country was a matter of “strict oversight.” Execs: NSA spying hurts economy Google Chairman Eric Schmidt and other Silicon Valley executives say controversial government spying programs are undercutting the Internet economy and want Congress to step up stalled reform. Schmidt and executives from Facebook Inc, Microsoft Corp. and other firms said revelations of extensive NSA surveillance are prompting governments in Europe and elsewhere to consider laws requiring that their citizens’ online data be stored within their national borders. NSA internal watchdog defends agency’s privacy practices National Security Entrepreneurs Create Cyber Insurance At the Government Accountability Project (GAP), we began working with whistleblowers in the wake of Washington’s Watergate scandal, an episode that showed what our public officials were capable of when left to their own devices. In the years since then, as the U.S. adopted sweeping privatization and deregulation policies, GAP has come to provide legal help to whistleblowers from both public agencies and private firms. When the first whistleblowers from the National Security Agency (NSA) came forward — before Edward Snowden — they reported not only violations of privacy and the Constitution, but fraud. After all, NSA cyberspying, cyberattacking and cyberdefending are largely done by private companies which are, by the way, paid lavishly. We can’t be sure exactly how lavishly, because although we’re the people paying them, we have no right to know what we’re paying for. It’s the black budget; it’s secret. UK crime chief wants even more powers to snoop NSA-style It has been said that we are living in a post-NSA world. What this really amounts to is that we are now slightly more aware of the level of snooping that has been going on in the background for many years. There has been widespread outrage at the revelations made by Edward Snowden, and there have been similar concerns raised outside of the US. In the UK, the FBI-like National Crime Agency, wants greater powers to monitor emails and phone calls — and it wants the public to agree to this. Director General of the NCA, Keith Bristow, spoke with the Guardian and said that the biggest threats to public safety are to be found online. He said that more powers to monitor online data is needed, and suggested that public resistance to this was down to the fact that he had thus far failed to properly explain why such powers are needed. [Op-Ed] Policing With Consent Would Require Throwing Away Our Freedoms Alarmingly, Keith Bristow, Director of the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), also known as Britain’s FBI, made a call to the public on Monday to obtain their consent to increase the surveillance capabilities of the state, and thus reduce their digital freedoms in return for more robust protections from organized cybercrime and terrorism. Internet spies greatest threat to freedom: poll Foreign intelligence agencies and private companies collecting personal data online are the greatest threats to freedom in Germany, according to an annual poll. UK Police Abuse Of Anti-Terrorist Snooping Powers To Reveal Journalists’ Sources Leads To Widespread Calls For Reform How police hacked Mail on Sunday phone: Officers used anti-terror laws to track down judge-protected source who exposed Chris Huhne’s speeding points fraud What’s happened since Beijing’s hacker unit was exposed? Nothing Chinese hacker unit PLA 61398 is hacking US companies harder than ever after bilateral talks between Beijing and Washington were interrupted by Snowden leaks, according to Mandiant boss Kevin Mandia. ‘Unjustified fabrication of facts’: China slams US over FBI’s hacking claims Beijing has lashed out at an allegation by FBI Director that Chinese hackers were guilty of causing billions of dollars of damage to the US economy. China accused the US of using such statements “to divert attention” from its own massive cyber-spying. DOJ In Silk Road Case: The FBI Doesn’t Need Warrants To Hack Foreign Servers US says it can hack into foreign-based servers without warrants No Warrant Needed To Hack Into Websites Outside Of The Country, U.S. Government Claims The U.S. Justice Department said in a federal court filing on Monday that the government has the legal authority to hack into servers outside of the country without a warrant. The claim came as part of the ongoing trial of the alleged operator of the Silk Road illicit drug website. The suspect, Ross Ulbricht, claimed that the government’s explanation for how they located the server of the anonymous website was “implausible,” claiming that it’s possible the FBI may have instead unlawfully colluded with the NSA to hack into the site – a technique known as parallel construction. Parallel Construction: Your Local Police Working with NSA Surveillance Edward Snowden revealed that the NSA intercepts huge amounts of electronic data warrantlessly without our permission. However, that is not the only way the surveillance state violates our rights. The NSA uses other underhanded schemes behind-the-scenes to exploit us. One of them is known as ‘parallel construction.’ VIDEO: Yes, Mass Collection of U.S. Phone Records Violates the Constitution I’m honored to be here to discuss the mass collection of Americans’ phone records by the NSA. Before getting into that program, though, it’s critical to recognize that this debate is not just about phone records, and it is not just about the NSA. This is a debate about the kind of society we want to live in. Do we want to live in a country in which the government routinely spies on hundreds of millions of people who have done absolutely nothing wrong? Or do we want to be true to the vision of our nation’s founders, who believed that the government should — as a general matter — leave us alone unless it has cause to invade our privacy. I think our founders got it right, and I hope you’ll agree, which is why you should vote for the resolution: Mass collection of our phone records violates the Fourth Amendment. NSA Mission Creep: It’s For The Children In the aftermath of Edward Snowden’s, and numerous other credible whistleblowers‘ irrefutable revelations that the National Security Agency (NSA) and other government agencies are capturing and indefinitely storing millions of innocent Americans’ phone calls, emails, internet transactions, and even movements and whereabouts at any given time—Apple and other tech companies are rightfully responding to their customers’ demands for enhanced encryption to protect their privacy rights. How Coca-Cola, Nissan and Kraft mine selfies for ‘invisible’ insight Brands are slowly finding ways to make sense of image-based social networks such as Instagram and Tumblr, mining user photos for insight into how their products are used. The rise of the ‘visual economy’ poses several challenges for marketers. One is understanding how consumers like to share post-production edits of their lives. Another challenge for brands is finding a way to participate in that activity with authenticity. And the final one is how to parse this visual data for insight. In The U.S., The Feds Are A Bigger Threat To Your Phone Than Malware The bad news is that Americans are at far greater risk of having their phones hacked by their government than by Russian malware hackers. The greatest myth about phones is that you are in control Consider, however, the reality of your relationship with your phone. First of all, it knows everything about you. It reads all your emails, sees all your pictures, learns your favorite websites, and even remembers the unsent texts you draft in the middle of the night. It tracks where you’ve been and when, who you’ve talked to and for how long — and if you have a particularly smart new phone, it also knows your resting heart rate and level of physical activity. The jobs that NSA and KGB spies would train for decades to master are now being handled by the little computer in your pocket. In its spare time. As a sideline entertainment. And what do you know about your phone, other than the megapixels of its camera or the gigabytes of its storage? The most important national-security secrets case you’ve never heard of Your phone records, your credit-card bills, your internet trail – the government has the power to summon it all on-demand, without telling you. Until now Google chief on NSA: ‘We’re going to end up breaking the Internet’ The integrity of the Internet could be at risk if Congress does not act to rein in the National Security Agency, Google head Eric Schmidt warned on Wednesday. Former NYPD Chief Ray Kelly Still Trying To Sell His Post-Stop-And-Frisk Apocalypse But The Stats Aren’t Backing Him Up Former NYPD police chief Ray Kelly is still telling his stop-and-frisk story to whoever will listen. The story is — and always has been — that if the NYPC isn’t allowed to make hundreds of thousands of unconstitutional stops every year, the city will slide back into lawlessness. The supporting evidence offered for this pending apocalypse never added up. Kelly claimed stop-and-frisk kept guns off the street but statistics maintained by the NYPD itself showed that the difference between stop-and-frisk-free 2003 and 2012′s 500,000+ stops was a grand total of 96 guns — a difference of .02%. John Oliver Takes On The US Government’s Legalized Theft Programs, Asset Seizure And Civil Asset Forfeiture “Last Week Tonight’s” John Oliver is again taking an entertaining swing at a subject that has made its way into Techdirt’s pages: asset seizure and forfeiture. Going beyond the “robbery at badgepoint” (Cory Doctorow’s term) to civil asset forfeiture (in which the government files suit against property that is presumed guilty of criminal ties), Oliver is his usual entertaining self while still managing to highlight the obscene depths these programs — started with the intent of breaking up criminal enterprises and returning assets to those defrauded, etc. — have sunk, thanks to the perversion of incentives. Police investigate potential “terroristic” threat at Snow College “Lets just say, homecoming this weekend is gonna go out with a bang,” it read, according to a statement from the Utah attorney general’s office. The bulletin has since been deleted from the site, but still can be found through a Google search. It continued: “And the football game is gonna be one no one is ever gonna forget.” College Student Posts Something That Sort Of Sounds Like A Threat; Law Enforcement, Mild Panic Ensue Presumably, the student was fully cleared of any potential wrongdoing and mocked gently for his use of the phrase “going out with a bang” by an officer drawing the shape of square with his opposing index fingers. Malala: Youngest ever Nobel Peace Laureate The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 is to be awarded to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzay for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education. Internet/Net Neutrality Obama: I want the FCC to ban paid Internet fast lanes President Barack Obama yesterday said he is still “unequivocally committed to net neutrality” and that he wants the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules that prevent Internet service providers from creating paid fast lanes. Intellectual Monopolies EU Ombudsman Slaps Down European Commission For Lack Of Transparency — Again Ombudsman asks Council and Commission to publish more TTIP documents The European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, has called on the Council of the European Union to publish the EU negotiating directives for the on-going Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations with the US. She has also proposed to the European Commission a range of practical measures to enable timely public access to TTIP documents, and to details of meetings with stakeholders. She has opened investigations involving both institutions. Hadopi Strikes Again: Net User Fined For Not Understanding How A Program Installed By Someone Else Works As we’ve reported, France’s “three strikes and you’re out” law, known officially as Hadopi, has been a joke from start to finish. For example, the law’s first victim was convicted because his wife had downloaded some songs, while the law’s first suspension was cancelled for technical reasons. Despite these setbacks, and a change of government, France is persisting with this benighted scheme, and Numerama brings us the latest installment of this uniquely French farce (original in French.) Permalink Leave Your Comment Send this to a friend	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line399
__label__wiki	0.565769	0.565769	Thousands join mass hunger strike in Assam against Citizenship Bill Assam, if not Barak valley, is otherwise burning over the debate of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. If one follows the media reports can believe that the Brahmaputra valley has been witnessing an uproarious situation for past few weeks now. Other states of the northeast region have also started experiencing the heat of the pertinent debate on Citizenship Bill. Few observers compare the situation to the days of Assam agitation, which culminated in 1985 with an accord signed by the agitators and the Union government in New Delhi. Millions of participants in the six-year-long agitation wanted to deport all illegal migrants (Bangladeshi nationals) from Assam, but, the leaders agreed in the accord to accept the migrants till 25 March, 1971. The agitation led by All Assam Student’s Union (AASU), witnessed the sacrifices of over 850 martyrs and thousands of others who all wanted to deport the illegal migrants with the national cutoff year (1951). However, the accord only agreed to identify people who had entered Assam after 25 March, 1971, as illegal foreigners. Need to be mentioned that the accord was never placed in the Parliament for endorsement. After more than three decades of the signing of the accord, the people of Assam (more precisely the civil society group representatives and media stalwarts in Brahmaputra valley) are fantasising of another uprising. This time it is against the Centre’s initiative to grant citizenship to the religious asylum seekers from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Hundreds of Assam based organisations, including few from other parts of the region, are on the streets asking the central government to withdraw the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016. They came out with a clear demand that the Narendra Modi-led government’s move to grant citizenship to those religious asylum seekers (including Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christians from the three neighboring countries who had taken shelter in India prior to 31 December 2014) must be abandoned. The logic include that Indian citizenship cannot be conferred on the basis of religion as it is a secular country and if done it would go against the spirit of the constitution. The other one, which has been supported by 95% agitation organisations, argues that Assam has already taken the burden of numerous illegal migrants (from 1951 to 1971) and it must not get more migrants, as there is a threat to Assam’s demography and Assamese as language. The protest escalated when the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) arrived in Guwahati for the hearings. A number of indigenous organisations, local politicians, intellectuals, media personalities, etc. assembled on the venue to raise their voices against the Bill. However, subsequent hearings in Silchar of Barak valley witnessed a different picture as most of the organisations came out in support of the Bill. Media organisations in Assam came out to oppose the Centre’s move. Even, some of the editors of Assam’s prominent newspapers and news channel met Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who assured them that the BJP leader would protect the interest of Assamese people. Many protesters argued that the amendment would go against the spirit of Assam accord and AASU, Asom Sahitya Sabha, Asom Gana Parishad along with many ethnic outfits of the State made it clear that they would not accept any migrants after 25 March ’71. Even, Centre has assured that Assam or northeast region will not face implications if the Bill is implemented, there are people who are opposing the exercise. The repeated assurance of the Assam government that it would not go against the interest of the people only indicates of a resolution expected to surface soon. The influential minister in Sonowal’s cabinet, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, has made it clear that the state government will take a position over the matter only after the release of National Register of Citizens (NRC)’s final draft which will by 30 June. The updating of NRC is presently going on in Assam with the direction and monitoring of the Supreme Court. “The final draft will provide a clear picture of the volume of people taking shelter in the state without valid documents,” Sarma said. One of the government sources pointed out that those without valid papers would not only be Bangladeshi Muslims or Hindus, but a mix of Rajbongsi, Hajong, Jayantiya, Bishnupriya, Chakma, Garo, Khasi, Boro, Adivasi, etc. people. Locals in the region would find it difficult to raise voices against the ethnic families. Therefore, the anger will be concentrated on Bangladeshi migrants (Muslims or Hindus) only. If the amendment identifies only the Muslims as the illegal settlers, then the government should take the responsibility in indentifying Bengali speaking Hindus from Bangladesh. This seems to be relatively an easy solution for the governments in Dispur and New Delhi. The author is a Guwahati based political commentator AASU All Assam Students’ Union Brahmaputra Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Citizenship Bill Joint Parliamentary Committee Previous articleAre Assam sandbars a safe haven for illegal Bangladeshi migrants? Next articleHomebuyers to be treated at par with money lenders Slowdown hitting across all sections of economy but growth sparks remain Supreme Court again comes to the rescue of journalists India eyes permanent UNSC seat Justice gets sacrificed in Khashoggi’s murder Teachers, Leave Them Kids Alone Why I ‘fast’ but do not ‘feast’ Will Mamata, Maya and Priyanka spoil party of Modi-Shah-led BJP? West Bengal Bandh: BJP, Trinamool men clash, Govt deploys police SP, BSP announce alliance for Lok Sabha elections, to contest 38... S Jaishankar to visit Bhutan today, his first bilateral meet as... NRI marriage fraud victims take up the cudgels	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line400
__label__cc	0.727634	0.272366	SHEPARD FAIREY: MAY DAY Shepard Fairey show will close Deitch Projects in SoHo (photo by twi-ny/mdr) Deitch Projects, 18 Wooster St., through May 29 Mural wall, Broadway & Houston St., through December Ace Hotel, Broadway & Houston St. Cooper Square Hotel, East Fifth St. at Third Ave. www.deitch.com www.obeygiant.com shepard fairey slideshow L.A.-based street artist is all over New York this month. He’s featured prominently in the Banksy movie EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP, has designed several murals throughout the city, and is currently staging the final show at Deitch Projects in SoHo. Fairey, who is proud of “manufacturing quality dissent since 1989,” is celebrating May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day, with these series of works, commenting on labor rights, social unrest, government interference, corporate domination, and the continuing struggle for artistic, political, and personal freedom. At Deitch, he has hung dozens of portraits of such icons as Neil Young, Keith Haring, Bob Dylan, jimi Hendrix, Cornel West, Woody Guthrie, John & Yoko, Joe Strummer, and the Dalai Lama as well as political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi, a Burmese monk, Arab women, and other revolutionary figures. Shepard Fairey gets political in series of works all over city (photo by twi-ny/mdr) His black-and-red color scheme relates to Soviet propaganda posters, evoking a powerful mix of capitalism and totalitarianism, while also sometimes adding Arabic designs that have a strong potency post-9/11. The Obey Giant creator has also included a stunning painting of a deserted gas station, a beautiful blue wave, and a large mural that calls for people to raise their voices and fight the system. The mural is similar to outdoor projects that he has installed at Broadway and Houston and on a temporary wooden wall along the Ace Hotel at 29th and Broadway; in addition, he has another piece on the side of the Cooper Square Hotel on Third Ave. On the murals, a newspaper article proclaims, “Right wing denies science of climate change,” artist Jasper Johns sits with a target on his chest, Arab women hide parts of their faces, roses emerge from rifles, and a police officer says, “I’m gonna kick your ass . . . and get away with it!” The show at Deitch runs through May 29, while the Broadway & Houston mural continues through the end of the year. Filed under: this week in art, twi-ny recommended events Leave a comment « WALLACE ADOPTAPALOOZA »	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line401
__label__cc	0.704257	0.295743	Home » Catalog » History » 1842120719 My Account \| Cart Contents \| Checkout Mandarin: The Diaries of an Ambassador 1969-1982 [1842120719] $39.95 $19.95 Author: Henderson, Nicholas Publisher: Phoenix Press Binding: Trade Paperback Size: 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall New book, 517 pages. Generally recognised as one of Britain's most popular and successful diplomats, Sir Nocholas (Nicko) Henderson was Ambassador to Poland 1962-72, Germany 1972-75, France 1975-79, and the United States 1979-82. His diaries, whether covering subjects as dissimilar as the sleeping arrangements in Windsor Castle, the developing relationship between Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, or the bitterest days of the Cold War, sparkle with humour and lively anecdote. Conversations are given as they took place. Hazards and gaffes inseperable from the roller-coaster career of a seasoned diplomat are recorded wihtout inhibition. As a respected author, he writes with ease and authority revealing what life was like behind the Iron Curtain; of the complicated four-power responsibility in Berlin; of the challenges of representing Britain in France at a low ebb in the relationship; of serving in Washington during the Carter and Reagan administration and of his close engagement in securing American support for the war in the Falklands. Throughout one gets a charming, unconventional diplomat's insight into what life is like for a member of the Foreign Service. There is currently 1 of this item in stock. This item was added to our catalog on Saturday 14 July, 2007.	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line405
__label__cc	0.679373	0.320627	"Indian Parley Raided" Hamilton Spectator, 13 Mar 1959, pp.1-2 "Four Indians were arrested early today after a scuffle with raiding RCMP in the council chamber of the rebellious hereditary chiefs on the Six Nations Indian Reserve." "Indians' Ancient Bible Signed Again by Queen" Dunn, Nigel, The Globe and Mail (Toronto) ( CTVglobemedia), 2 Jul 1959 "The Six Nations Indians' treasured Queen Anne Bible became even more valued as a historical possession here today when it was signed by a later Queen - Elizabeth II." "An Iroquois War on White Man's Law" "For a week an angry band of Indian warriors in Ohsweken, Ont. tried to reverse history and throw over the white man's law. Led by hereditary chiefs, Iroquis braves of the Six Nations tribes stormed the council house, proclaimed their reservation an independent nation and dispatched wires to U.S., British ... "For a week an angry band of Indian warriors in Ohsweken, Ont. tried to reverse history and throw over the white man's law. Led by hereditary chiefs, Iroquis braves of ... "RCMP Tense Amid Indians' Uneasy Calm" Kidd, Paul, Hamilton Spectator, Mar 1959 "The 6,000 Indians who have their home in the Grand River Country are sitting on a volcano. And it is one which could explode without warning. Behind what some outsiders regard as the incredible happenings of the last two days on the Six Nations Reserve, 25 miles from Hamilton, a ... Kidd, Paul, Hamilton Spectator, Mar 1959 "The 6,000 Indians who have their home in the Grand River Country are sitting on a volcano. And it is one which could explode without warning. Behind what some outsiders ... "Two Stained Glass Windows Unveiled" Brantford Expositor, 1959 "Two stained glass windows, the first of eight depicting the history of the Six Nations Indians as related to the Church of England, were dedicated at Her Majesty's Chapel of the Mohawks yesterday." Brantford Expositor, 1959 "Two stained glass windows, the first of eight depicting the history of the Six Nations Indians as related to the Church of England, were dedicated at Her Majesty's Chapel of ... Hamilton Spectator (2) Brantford Expositor (1) The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (1) Hereditary Chiefs (3) Self-Governance (3) Six Nations Confederacy (3) Six Nations Confederacy Chiefs Council (2) Confederacy Chiefs (1) Four Indian Kings (1) Her Majesty's Royal Chapel of the Mohawks (1) Mohawk Chapel (1) Queen Anne Bible (1) Revolutions (1) Royal Tour (1) Stained Glass Windows (1)	cc/2019-30/en_middle_0088.json.gz/line407

Subsets and Splits

No community queries yet

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