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__label__cc	0.628297	0.371703	:: Issues > Torture Salsabeel Comp. Detained Employees Released after State Security Tortures Egyptian authorities released employees in the company of Salsabeel who were arrested after arresting the company owner, ten days ago, within framework of the security campaign against the Muslim Brotherhood group. Sunday, January 7,2007 00:00 Although the prosecution did not direct any accusations against the employees whom the police detained from the Nasr City-based company of Salsabeel ; however, the State Security Police insisted on holding them throughout the last period- since they were detained last Dec. 24, 2006, at dawn till until they were released two days ago. "The prosecution did not, at the beginning, accuse us of anything, not even any fabricated charges" said one of those released to Ikhwanweb," therefore, we didn’t appear- like other detainees- before Al-Tagamue Al-Ghames-based State Security Prosecution", adding that " we were expecting an immediate and direct release from Nasr City police station-2, but we were sent to Nasr City-based State Security on claims that they will complete investigations with us; we were accused there of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood group; the police officers exercised many physical and psychological acts of torture to force us into admitting. The source confirmed that the state security officers insulted them and uttered obscene words, and even slapped them with their hands and kicked them; he said that the officers were focusing on getting any information that may help them in spying on the Muslim Brotherhood group; they didn’t stop short of the beating and insulting the detainees; they denied the 25 detainees any food for three full days, so the detainees were only drinking water during these three days; "we were drinking water before dawn and fast till the evening prayers to break our fasting with water as well" the source confirmed, as they were detained during the first days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, which prophet Mohamed PBUH was used to fasting. He added that:" They didn’t release us except after they were sure that we don’t belong to the Muslim Brotherhood and after they threatened us with committing many actions if joined it or worked with any of its members or cadres nationwide. It is worth mentioning that the Egyptian police arrested 25 employees in two flats owned by Salsabeel Comp. in Makram Ebeid street , Nasr City , after arresting him, on Sunday at dawn Dec. 24, 2006, and seized some of his personal belongings and money up to 165 thousand pounds (nearly $27000). tags: Egyptian Authorities / State Security / Torture / Muslim Brotherhood / Military Tribunals / Al Shater Posted in Torture , MB News Ayman Nour’s speech to US Congress: I reject trial of Khairat Al-Shater’s group before martial court Khairat Al-Shater Skips MB Trial Session for Health Reasons A Peace-maker behind Bars Thousands Khairat Al-Shater’s Ramadan Greeting Cards Confiscated Khairat el-Shater, blamed the group’s poor performance yesterday on the government. Police Arrests Khyrat El Shatter, MB Deputy Chairman Recent Arrests in Egypt Show Regime’s Failure, Analysts Say Why Did The Regime Detain Khayrat Al Shater? Profiles of Some of MB Members Referred to Militarily Courts Mostafa Al-Feqi..Khairat Al Shater...Other Amendments Khairat Al Shater I Didn’t Meet Legal, Illegal in Wealth of Khairat Al Shater, Ahmed Ezz	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362860
__label__wiki	0.54078	0.54078	Questions about example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Lik" Synonyms of "Lik" and their differences What is the difference between as and lik ? They are both used to compare things so there is not much of a difference. For example: My dog is soft like a cloud. My dog is as soft as a cloud. Translations of "Lik" How do you say this in English (US)? i lik you Check the question to view the answer How do you say this in English (US)? lik all of my genertion Like everyone in my generation Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "genertion" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "normal" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "strong" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "さかのぼる" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Harp" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Hangry" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "definition" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "hug" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "morning" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "incitent" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "vrei" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "びびる" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "auf" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "いく" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "wool" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Americano" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "渡す" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "disclosure" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "homage" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "he" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Bagazo" Words similar to lik Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "lije" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Lijek" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "lijen" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "lijep" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Lijepa" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "lijepi" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Lijevo" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "lijh" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "lijiac" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "lijkwit" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "lika" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "likability" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "likable" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "likah" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "likAmerican" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "likaon" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "likd" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "like" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "likea" Example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "likeability" Words that start with "L"	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362863
__label__wiki	0.609342	0.609342	In WW2, why didn't Japan invade Macau? Macau was a Portuguese Colony right next door to Hong Kong. Why didn't Japan invade it during WW2? Japan did invade Hong Kong, and they did invade Portuguese Timor too. Yet I am not even sure if Japan ever declared war on Portugal. Other colonies they invaded were French Indochina, British Burma, American Phillipines, Dutch Indonesia. I may have missed some, but Macau is very obviously standing out here. The Japanese were ostensibly very anti-colonial and proselytized their Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, and Macau is a very obvious colony right in range of them. Wikipedia has this to say about it: In August 1943, Japanese troops seized the British steamer Sian in Macau and killed about 20 guards. The next month they demanded the installation of Japanese "advisors" under the threat of overt military occupation. The result was that a virtual Japanese protectorate was created over Macau. I don't know if that counts as an invasion, but I'm inclined to think not. It sounds similar to the situation in Vietnam where first Japan stationed troops there with Vichy French consent, which I have never heard described as an invasion. (Later, Japan moved in a much larger force without permission, and this has been described as invasion.) In any case, what did these "advisors" do or enforce in Macau, if anything? Did these "advisors" see any combat? world-war-two japan portugal colony portuguese-empire DrZ214DrZ214 Portugal was neutral throughout the war. Japan invaded Portuguese Timor because the the Allies had invaded and occupied it first - of course the Japanese weren't going to just ignore a thousand commandos camping next door. As far as I am aware that was not a concern at Macau. – Semaphore♦ Mar 3 '18 at 16:09 I think you'll have to ask the bit about the Macau advisors in another question, but the implication I get is they weren't military advisors. They effectively ran the government under threat of invasion. – Schwern Mar 3 '18 at 20:04 Because they didn't need to. The Portuguese were steadfastly neutral. They weren't a military threat. Macau had no real military value and the authorities there were cooperating. Why spend the resources to invade and occupy an already compliant port and risk adding another country to your already long list of enemies? However, by the end of 1943, Macau was effectively a Japanese puppet state. Japanese "advisors" took over under threat of occupation. Japan did invade Hong Kong, and they did invade Portuguese Timor too. ...after the Allies occupied it. Timor was a key Allied air link to the Philippines, occupying it would harm the Allied defend there, and add to the Japanese defense ring. The Allies on Dutch Timor were worried about leaving neutral Portuguese Timor weakly defended. Japan could invade and attack on a new flank. So on Dec 17, 1941 they sent over a small force (but larger than the Portuguese garrison) to defend the territory. Up to this point, the government of Portugal had declined to co-operate with the Allies, relying on its claim of neutrality and plans to send an 800-strong force from Mozambique to defend the territory in the event of any Japanese invasion. However, this refusal left the Allied flank severely exposed, and a 400-man combined Dutch-Australian force subsequently occupied Portuguese Timor on 17 December. After the necessary protests, the Portuguese agreed to send a stronger defense force if the Allies would leave. This new force sailed from Mozambique on January 28, 1942, but the Japanese invaded before it arrived. The Japanese couldn't leave an Allied force on their flank, and it was the perfect excuse to take the whole island, so they invaded both halves of the island. Initially the Japanese promised that Portuguese neutrality would be respected and they would leave as soon as the battle was over, but they didn't. SchwernSchwern One quibble - a battalion or two on a flank is significantly different from "... an Allied army on their flank". Perhaps ""... an Allied force on their flank" works better. – Pieter Geerkens Mar 3 '18 at 20:10 @PieterGeerkens You got it. – Schwern Mar 3 '18 at 20:14 @Schwern I edited an apparent typo in the last paragraph, from Jan 28 1941 to Jan 28 1942. If that wasn't a typo, please rollback my edit. BTW, good details, but do you have a source for Initially the Japanese promised that Portuguese neutrality would be respected and they would leave as soon as the battle was over, but they didn't.? I would like to know the exact timing of those things because it seems so contrary to their goals of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. – DrZ214 Mar 4 '18 at 0:18 @DrZ214 Thanks. What do you see as contrary? Wikipedia dryly nails the problem with understanding the goals of the Co-Prosperity Sphere, "the intent and practical implementation of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere varied widely depending on the group and government department involved." While I'm sure there were some who believed in its stated goals, it was a zone of Japanese domination and defense similar to the Warsaw Pact. – Schwern Mar 4 '18 at 0:29 @Schwern I always understood the whole idea of the Sphere was to kick out unfair European Colonialists from those colonies and replace it with some super-integrated Pacific market or something along those lines (run by Japan ofc). I don't know much about Portuguese Colonial history, so I can't say if the brutality over the centuries was comparable to other colonies, eg, Haiti :( But I understand that Japan could be just proselytizing it while not really meaning it, like so many other war propaganda, just to incline people to their side. That's why I used the word "ostensibly" in the OP. – DrZ214 Mar 4 '18 at 0:36 Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged world-war-two japan portugal colony portuguese-empire or ask your own question. Why did Hitler treat the Slavs inconsistently? Did Japan ever pay Russia war reparations after WW2? Why or why not? Why is Thailand considered an Axis power in WWII? Why didn't Japan expand into Ezo? Why didn't Russia and Japan sign a peace treaty after WW2? Does any evidence exist that suggests Hitler’s primary reason for declaring war on America was an attempt to draw Japan into his war with Russia? How did Japan successfully conquer Vietnam (Southeast Asia) in WW2? Why didn't Japan adopt western utensils? Did Japan ever attack Vladivostok in WW2? Why or why not? Why did Japan commit atrocities against natives populaces after “liberating” them during WW2? Why didn't Japan attack communist China in WW2?	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362866
__label__wiki	0.507181	0.507181	Hotels in Japan Osaka Hotel Accommodation See Osaka hotels on a map Where to stay in Osaka Exploring Osaka An important center for business and culture, Osaka is a buzzing city full of skyscrapers and modern structures sitting alongside traditional architecture. Famous for its bustling shopping streets and exclusive nightlife, the city is always busy, and during the day the population swells thanks to the number of commuters who work in the high-rise offices. Accommodations in Osaka There is a range of options for all travellers such as Wifi equipped amenities, gym, fitness centres, and complimentary breakfast. The most popular hotel in Osaka is the Guesthouse Neko Neko – Hostel, which has been booked 5 times from our Hotels.com verified guests. Our guests also highly recommended HOSTEL APARTMENT UMEDA in Osaka as it has been reserved 5 times. Sightseeing in Osaka It's not all about the shopping; Osaka also has a good spread of attractions, both traditional and modern. There is something of interest for all types of visitor, from a highly regarded zoo and parks to some of the country's most high profile temples and shrines. There are also several well done museums. One of the star attractions is Osaka Castle, which has a fine vantage point and gardens, while the Shitennjo-ji Temple is well over 1,000 years old and is also a must-see. There is also a lofty old tower and many skyscrapers from which to take in the city, while downtown comes with many intriguing areas and side attractions. Transportation in Osaka Kansai International Airport is set on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, putting it at the heart of the city, and flights arrive from across Asia on a regular basis. From here you can take a direct, high-speed train to Namba Station with the connection taking about 37 minutes, and can change trains and get to Osaka Station in another 10 minutes. There’s also the smaller Osaka International Airport (ITM-Itami) which welcomes domestic flights from across Japan and is about a 20 minute taxi ride north of the city center. Osaka travel guides Osaka Travel Guide - Your destination overview of Osaka, Japan Japan's second largest city sits in the Kansai region of Honshu on Osaka Bay and is an industrial... Osaka Travel Tips - Helpful hints and advice on local destination information Although Osaka has a bit of a reputation as an unruly place (from a Japanese perspective), it is still... Osaka Food and Dining Guide - Restaurants, where to eat, and more Although not quite on par with Tokyo, the eating in Osaka is excellent and there are numerous places... All special hotel deals in Osaka, Japan Last minute hotel deals in Osaka, Japan	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362875
__label__wiki	0.928771	0.928771	Post Break-up with Shivangi Joshi, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Star Mohsin Khan Demands Separate Vanity Van News18 26 November 2019 Stars of popular television show Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Shivangi Joshi and Mohsin Khan, share a huge fan base together. Their popularity increased manifold when it was said that they were dating, though they never confirmed it. After reportedly dating for some years, the two recently called it quits. According to a report in Spotboye, Shivangi, who plays Naira and Mohsin, who plays Kartik on the show, have broken up and the break seems to be costing the production team by quite a fair bit. The report says that the couple, who used to share a vanity van, has now demanded separate vanity vans post their break-up. Speaking to Spotboye, a source from the sets informed, "Mohsin and Shivangi shared a vanity van, which had two sections- one was smaller than the other. When they were together, Mohsin had himself suggested that he doesn’t mind alternating the sides with Shivangi yet a lot of times it was the actress who got the bigger section. Mohsin never said anything at that time.” However, according to the source, Khan has now requested that he should be given the bigger section. The source further added that a couple of days back, while they were shooting outdoors, Khan insisted that the bigger section of the vanity van should be given to him, and if not possible, he would like to shoot sans makeup. However, Mohsin Khan rubbished the news to Spotboye saying that they were shooting a fight sequence which deemed he get into mud. Since the vanity van section, he was allotted did not have a bathroom, he had asked for the section with a bathing area. Speaking about his equation with Shivangi, Mohsin said, "I have no problems with her. It's been four years of us working together and I find her a thorough professional.” Follow @News18Movies for more	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362876
__label__cc	0.711684	0.288316	This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises. Complete with dozens of newly discovered This second novel begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises. Complete with dozens of newly discovered (and thoroughly mesmerising) vintage photographs, this new adventure will delight readers of all ages. 30 review for Hollow City Jesse (JesseTheReader) – Sep 14, 2015 I'm so happy that I decided to reread this! I forgot how crazy that ending was. :o I THINK I'M READY FOR LIBRARY OF SOULS NOW... I THINK. MAYBE NOT, BUT IT'S COMING WHETHER I'M READY OR NOT. Christine Riccio – Sep 22, 2015 4.4 STARS! Really enjoyed Hollow City - here's my booktalk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5j0g... =D Jon – Aug 22, 2012 Check out Scott Reads It for more reviews! Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is one of my all-time favorite books and I've been waiting to read Hollow City for ages! As soon as I received Hollow City, I began to devour this strange book and I believe Hollow City is even better than Mrs. P's. Hollow City does an excellent job of creating a captivating, magical world and accompanying the plot with finely selected vintage photos. The photographs in Hollow City are just as bizarre and Check out Scott Reads It for more reviews! Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children is one of my all-time favorite books and I've been waiting to read Hollow City for ages! As soon as I received Hollow City, I began to devour this strange book and I believe Hollow City is even better than Mrs. P's. Hollow City does an excellent job of creating a captivating, magical world and accompanying the plot with finely selected vintage photos. The photographs in Hollow City are just as bizarre and outlandish as the ones in the first book. I love the way the photos tie into the story and how each photo seems to tell a story of it's own. Each photo provides readers with a visual treat and I feel like reading Hollow City in a physical book is an extraordinary experience. I'm not diminishing audiobooks and ebooks at all, but there's something beautiful and raw about seeing the photographs on a page and not a screen. It was exciting to see the world outside of Cairnholm (Miss P's island) and to read about the Peculiar children who are traveling to London. The first novel in the series had a very closed environment to it and it was amazing to see the expanded world of the Peculiars. The world-building in Hollow City is thorough and readers will be brought to new loops where there are peculiar animals and other unexpected creatures (for lack of a better term). I loved visiting so many varied locations and reading about the distinct Peculiar locals. I loved learning more about the Peculiar children in Hollow City and character development is one of Riggs's strongest suits. It was interesting to see Olive, Hugh, and Emma's characters explored further and to see what effects the loop had on them. To live the same moments all over again for so many years is truly a horrifying thing and in some ways, the children are adults trapped in childrens' bodies. The way Emma took charge of the group, when all her life she was cared for by Mrs. P, was truly impressive. I love both Emma and Jacob, but still I don't get their relationship and it feels out of place and extremely unnecessary in this series. Hollow City is incredibly fast-paced with an interesting story that fans of Mrs. Peregrine's will absolutely love. With plenty of unexpected twists, Hollow City is quite frankly one of the best sequels I've read to date and it definitely surpasses it's predecessor. Ransom Riggs is at his best in Hollow City and his cinematic prose will provide readers with a story unlike any other. When Hollow City came to its satisfying conclusion, I had an urge to reread the book and relive the strangely magically novel all over again. I know I'll be rereading this in the near future as I wait for the 3rd Miss Peregrine's novel to be released. Hollow City is a wonderful sequel that is an absolute must read and it's truly upsetting how there's only one more book left in this series. Hollow City is a much faster-paced book than it's predecessor in terms of plot and character development. Riggs is an amazing author and frankly I'd read anything this man writes. Excuse me, while I wait for the 3rd and final book in this series... Jesse (JesseTheReader) – Jun 06, 2013 HOLY CRAP. I CAN'T EVEN. I'll write my thoughts when I'm able to GATHER my thoughts, but know that I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. Ivana – Aug 31, 2012 what is it with you people and rating books that arent even PUBLISHED??!!! COME ON!! what is it with you people and rating books that aren´t even PUBLISHED??!!! COME ON!! Ferdy – Jan 14, 2014 Spoilers Disappointing. The plot was uninteresting, the characters were unremarkable, and the romance was lame. -Summary: Miss Peregine's school and the time loop she created destroyed by hollows/wights/the bad guys, the peculiars/students on the run, Miss Peregine poisoned and not able to fix the loop and protect her kids, Jacob and the other peculiars have to avoid the bad guys and find another headteacher to help Miss Peregine get back to normal. -The majority of Hollow City was dull, there was Spoilers Disappointing. The plot was uninteresting, the characters were unremarkable, and the romance was lame. -Summary: Miss Peregine's school and the time loop she created destroyed by hollows/wights/the bad guys, the peculiars/students on the run, Miss Peregine poisoned and not able to fix the loop and protect her kids, Jacob and the other peculiars have to avoid the bad guys and find another headteacher to help Miss Peregine get back to normal. -The majority of Hollow City was dull, there was too much repetitiveness and everything seemed contrived. All Jacob, Emma, and the other Peculiars did was run from one place to another… They occasionally happened to bump into other peculiars who helped them, and every few chapters the wights/hollows caught up to them and they had to fight them. It was the same boring thing over and over again. -Jacob was a lot more likeable in this one, he was so whiny and spoilt in the first book. Even though he wasn't as insufferable he was still a blah character. -It was dumb how the peculiars hardly ever used their powers to fight the wights/hollows, they only used them at the very last minute. -I enjoyed the peculiar tales with the giant and the pigeon, they were better than the actual story. -I didn't buy Jacob and co constantly running into other peculiars. Weren't peculiars meant to be rare? It seemed like everyone the gang came across was either a bad guy or one of them. If the peculiars were a dying breed then I doubt they'd be so many of them running around. -Most of the characters were flat, they only seemed to have a one or two defining facets to their personality. Emma was brave and assertive, Bronwyn was motherly, Jacob was the reluctant hero, Enoch was irritable and mean, and Horace dressed like a gentleman and acted like a coward. There was very little depth and complexity to the MC's. -Jacob and Emma's romance was lame, everything between them was superficial and unconvincing. -I rolled my eyes at Jacob and co getting all pissed and outraged when they found an adult peculiar to take charge and were then dismissed and told they no longer needed to do anything. They didn't like being told the adults would take over and that since they were children they could do nothing. They wanted to help and acted all annoyed at not being able to. But a couple of pages later when they were asked to join the peculiar army and fight hollows, they were all 'Oh noes! We don't want to do anything, it's not out job to save everyone!' - WTF?! Their fickleness and contrary nature was annoying and made no sense. -The twist at the end was pretty good, I wasn't expecting Caul to turn out to be the bird they thought was Miss Peregine. -The pictures and how they were incorporated in the story was the best part of the book, they were the only element that made Hollow City stand out from every other generic YA series. All in all, I wasn't overly impressed, there were only a couple of things that were done well. Mohammed Arabey – Oct 09, 2016 Are you still into the creepy vintage photos? Welcome to a Deeper, maturer, richer & more convenient sequel. really sad we won't watch a Movie out of it.. Tim Burton only concluded the whole series in an ending that's even worse than Book One's, it almost made me ditch Book Two. I'm glad I didn't, unexpectedly loved it, this time Ransom Riggs here add more depth into the world he built in book one. THE PECULIARDOM The wonders and mystical world of Peculiarity, their animals, different loops, Are you still into the creepy vintage photos? Welcome to a Deeper, maturer, richer & more convenient sequel. really sad we won't watch a Movie out of it.. Tim Burton only concluded the whole series in an ending that's even worse than Book One's, it almost made me ditch Book Two. I'm glad I didn't, unexpectedly loved it, this time Ransom Riggs here add more depth into the world he built in book one. THE PECULIARDOM The wonders and mystical world of Peculiarity, their animals, different loops, history. Mixed with the real world horrors of WWII.. The devastated London, the prejudices and racism.. “Are you so concerned with the well-being of normals that you’d risk Miss Peregrine’s life to protect a few of theirs? A thousand of them aren’t worth one of her! Or one of us, for that matter!” Everything's similar, as in our world as the peculiar's..there's those who are good, and who are bad. And everything's connected. “If even outcasts and downtrodden folk like yourselves can’t muster a bit of compassion for others,” she said, “then there’s no hope for this world.” It's one simple plot, the mid plot of the Trilogy, one Mission, so it's simple and more focused. Yet, action packed and really full of thriller and twists. The Mission Let me put it this way, no spoiler at all, “Get Miss Peregrine to one of the last remaining ‘uncaptured’ Ymbrynes, God knows who, in any un-attackted loop, God knows where, avoiding Wights and Hollows, who's constantly one step too close, and avoiding the horrors of WWII’s German bomb assaults on Londod, which is constant too, to get her into the human form again, after being severely hurt by the end of book one, before it's too late to return human, that's mean only 5 days maximum.” And don't forget the constant watchers... This long journey in tight time is really rich, fast and have a great mixing between the World of Peculiar and our real world. Like this old bonds between Peculiars and Gypsies since they're both outcasts, both suffer prejudices cause they're different. Both wanderers souls clinging to the margins of the world. “It was hard to imagine anyone objecting to these kindly people. Then again, similar prejudices were among the reasons peculiars had withdrawn from society. Such was the way the sad world turned.” I even started to feel the world of Peculiar, Mutant X, Witch and Wizards and muggles, The Diviners, all part of real world and all in all very well hidden. Unless you really open your eyes. There's also these horrors of war, many hidden, symbolic references to the Nazi hate of less blood and Jews generally. -The horrible wights experiments on Peculiars for example reminded me much of the Nazi scientific ones on people for the welfare of Aryan race only- But the sad thing is, the Peculiardom is in grave danger here.. even for its animals. “ “Miss Wren meant this menagerie to be an ark, but gradually it’s become a tomb.” “Like all our loops,” said Enoch. “Like peculiardom itself. A failed experiment.” “ ‘This place is dying,’ Miss Wren often said.” Addison’s voice rose in imitation of her. “ ‘And I am nothing but the overseer of its long funeral!’ ” Addison’s eyes glistened, remembering her, but just as quickly went hard again. “She was very theatrical.”” And with all loops raided, our friends are in real danger, facing real threats and real decisions must be made. Specially Jacob..who has sold his normal life for one in real death threat. “Despite everything, this peculiar life was what I’d always wanted. Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.” There's a real good development here about the characters and motivations. So let's see; The Characters The really good thing in book two that it add more depth into Jacob’s character and his motivations.., remember his need to discovering the World? Well, in this journey he will go into even Time Travel. “I am a time traveler. This is real. I, Jacob Portman, am traveling in time.” This was astonishing enough. More astonishing, perhaps, was the fact that time travel hadn’t broken my brain; that by some miracle, I had not yet devolved into a gibbering crazy person ranting on a street corner. The human psyche was much more flexible than I’d imagined, capable of expanding to contain all sorts of contradictions and seeming impossibilities. Lucky for me.” And of time, it has a very good way in dealing with it, to not be an extreme unbelievable fantasy, you know dealing with time is tricky -even J.K. Rowling felt the burden of creating the Time Turner- “ “They were of the past, and the past always mends itself, no matter how we interfere.” “Which is why you can’t go back and kill baby Hitler to stop the war from happening,” said Enoch. “History heals itself. Isn’t that interesting?”” All the characters getting clear enough, We even get more into their past..and how they got here. it's one of the best things here that we finally too close to the characters more than, I believe, book one. Enoch, this sadistic racist jelous - yet part of the group-, is really has important role here. Horace ; this elegant young man obsessed with style and tuxedos, he made a real fun comic relief in many points. As well as Olive ; the eye wonder of the group, young sweet and funny, and her love of stories really helped. Bronwyn ; the tough protector she's really good character. I loved how she called Jacob “brother” just before the sad events by the end of the book. Millard ; his love to explore is almost as equal to Jacob. “And maybe it was childish, this old urge to explore for exploring’s sake. There was romance in the unknown, but once a place had been discovered and cataloged and mapped, it was diminished, just another dusty fact in a book, sapped of mystery. So maybe it was better to leave a few spots on the map blank. To let the world keep a little of its magic, rather than forcing it to divulge every last secret. Maybe it was better, now and then, to wonder.” And talking about Jacob and his wish to explore that ended him up in this world in first place. It wasn't just this which made him stay.. it was love. and his Love Interest, Emma. I have to say I wasn't convinced by it much, the love theme here I felt was a bit off, or forced, or even a bit sad and unnatural. BUT, this book is really made it right… made it real and convenient. ““Why are you pushing me away?” “Because you have a real home and a real family, and if you think any of us would’ve chosen this world over those things—wouldn’t have given up our loops and longevity and peculiar powers long ago for even a taste of what you have—then you really are living in a fantasy world. It makes me absolutely ill to think you might throw that all away—and for what?” “For you, you idiot! I love you!”.” Thanks to Emma which her character this time is really way better than book one. And you'll know why she, and Jacob too felt obliged to this journey to save Miss Peregrine. The Brave, cunning bad ass Miss Peregrine. Who must be saved as soon as possible. and truly will be missed as her actual form "Eva Green was awesome in the role BTW" Then came the ending...the thrilling creepy nightmare , weird dream, a sad decision and a very twisted turn of events. Back to the atmosphere of book one. And If I hated the long first 10% of this book, LOVED the rest of it, the last 10% of it is one of the most thrilling endings for a second good book of a sequel. So if Book One was 3 stars for me -+ extra one for the design & idea- This one is easily 4.5 stars. The author said in the Acknowledgment that book two took longer time than expected to release. I can clearly see that this patiently writing did magic.. with all this richness , even if it's like a bit other series, like this book of Peculiar stories was fun, reminded me heavily with Rowling's "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" So now I can't wait for the final part of the “First Trilogy” of Mr. Ransom Riggs planned series of the Peculiardom. Mohammed Arabey from 20 October 2016 To 25 October 2016 Laura – May 05, 2013 January 2014? Emma Giordano – Sep 13, 2016 I definitely enjoyed this book more than the first installment when I read it a two years ago. There were definitely slower moments that were rough to get through, but ultimately, I really enjoyed how the plot progressed in this novel and cannot wait to see how it ends! Val ⚓️ Shameless Non-Snowflake ⚓️ – Mar 10, 2018 4.5 Stars Wow, what an amazing ending. I totally didn’t see that coming! Something also interesting is that, until reading the author’s note, I had NO idea that Ransom Riggs and Tahereh Mafi (author of the Shatter Me series) were married. I’m sure I’m the last person to future this out...but crazy fun fact if you didn’t know. But anyway, there is something about this series and this world that I just really love. I don’t get to the obsessed fan girl level with too many things, but this series has 4.5 Stars Wow, what an amazing ending. I totally didn’t see that coming! Something also interesting is that, until reading the author’s note, I had NO idea that Ransom Riggs and Tahereh Mafi (author of the Shatter Me series) were married. I’m sure I’m the last person to future this out...but crazy fun fact if you didn’t know. But anyway, there is something about this series and this world that I just really love. I don’t get to the obsessed fan girl level with too many things, but this series has me buying POP Funkos, graphic novels, companion novels...le sigh. Anyway. Can’t wait to see what the final book brings, although I’ll be sad to see it end. Hopefully it doesn’t wreck me. Trina (Between Chapters) – Jun 17, 2012 3.5 stars. Unfortunately, Hollow City is a case of Second Book Syndrome. Extremely slow start, with many scenarios that I found just too far fetched. (view spoiler)[ Really? Really? EVERY single group they came upon had at least one peculiar person with them?! I call Bull on that!! (hide spoiler)] There has to be a suspension of belief when reading any work of fiction, especially fantasy. But it was too far a stretch for me to believe that the events could happen so easily. Not that the characters 3.5 stars. Unfortunately, Hollow City is a case of Second Book Syndrome. Extremely slow start, with many scenarios that I found just too far fetched. (view spoiler)[ Really? Really? EVERY single group they came upon had at least one peculiar person with them?! I call Bull on that!! (hide spoiler)] There has to be a suspension of belief when reading any work of fiction, especially fantasy. But it was too far a stretch for me to believe that the events could happen so easily. Not that the characters had an easy journey, but just too much felt contrived, as if Riggs had really struggled to weave his story around certain photographs. I kept getting a vibe that was reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events. (view spoiler)[Talking animals, a caravan of gypsys, a carnival, are we serious? It was all SO cartoonish, a far cry from the creepy undertone of Cairnholm. (hide spoiler)] That isn't necessarily a bad series to be compared to, although that vibe felt considerably more childish than what I had come to expect from the previous Miss Peregrine novel. While I loved the photos in the first book, I felt like they hindered the telling of this one, it wasn't as flawless this time. I would prefer fewer photos, or even none at all if it meant a better quality story. (view spoiler)[There was too much meaningless filler. Example one, you have the gypsy boy who is turning invisible. The narrative stops and focuses on a scene where he pleads to go with our group, only to be turned away. Was this scene necessary? There was no truly great wisdom imparted, no new information learned. We actually never hear from him again or hear what happens to him. We could have done without this. USELESS! We could have done without the entire animal loop in fact, but this was written in I'm sure to go along with some photos that needed to be worked in. And there was a whole chapter where our group questions people at a sideshow act and we are led to believe they aren't peculiar, only to find out later that they really were. Just... gah, get to the point. Why was all that run around necessary? All because one photo showed a guy in a clown suit and so we had to have a carnival setting to introduce him?? I don't even know what the clown's freakin power is! Was this ever said? Throw that photo away and get on with the garsh darn PLOT! (hide spoiler)] This isn't to say that the story isn't quality, because it is. I am a fan of this series and this author. But I think maybe he tried too much with this book. Hard to explain. It just wasn't an enjoyable read for me personally 75% of the time. I found myself wishing it would either pick up or end already. However, I will say that the end threw me a twist and built up the action. It left off at a good place and makes me want the next book right away. This end section (I'm not sure how much of the book this includes, less than the last quarter) was probably worth 4 or 5 stars to me. But as exciting as it was, I still couldn't overlook the slow beginning. I think I liked this one a little better than the first.. SO excited for book three! Matthew – Feb 26, 2018 If you have read my reviews before you know I am picky when it comes to bizarre, supernatural fantasy novels. I loved The Library at Mount Char, but didn't care for The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Well, so far, the bizarre magic and "peculiar" characters of of this series are on the positive side of things for me. When I mention being picky on this type of book, there is just something that I am not sure I can describe with words that either makes the book super awesome or totally If you have read my reviews before you know I am picky when it comes to bizarre, supernatural fantasy novels. I loved The Library at Mount Char, but didn't care for The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Well, so far, the bizarre magic and "peculiar" characters of of this series are on the positive side of things for me. When I mention being picky on this type of book, there is just something that I am not sure I can describe with words that either makes the book super awesome or totally disappointing. It's a fine line between creative and silly. If the bizarreness doesn't feel natural, it doesn't hold my interest. With the Miss Perigrine series, it is way weird, but I dig it! Riggs knows how to write the unbelievable in a way that I like. Also, I love the incorporation of the old time, sepia tone photographs. In the afterwards, Riggs mentions that they are actual photos (some of which are slightly modified). It is a cool idea to take an unusual photo and add a backstory too it. Sounds like it would be a fun way to do creative writing story prompts. Finally, the ending made me want more - I wasn't ready for it to end! Glad there is another book for me to keep the fantasy going! J.L. Sutton – Apr 24, 2016 The peculiar children are on the run! Danger at every turn! Until finally...okay, there's a twist thrown in. While Ransom Riggs' Hollow City is a well-written sequel in which we learn more about the nature of the peculiars (and their enemies), overall, I wasn't as wowed or intrigued. To me, it felt like the filler of a 3-book series. Will I read Library of Souls? Not sure yet... Mai – Dec 17, 2016 Did not finish at 67% People who know me, know so well that I'd rather cry out of boredom while reading a book than actually give up on it. My DNF shelf has only two books and this is the third. I know it's unfair to rate an unfinished book, but it's also unfair that this book is that bad. I don't regret this decision, not one bit! This is the first book in my reading history to have me struggling with even opening the cover, I've struggled since page one and then I thought that no I wouldn't be Did not finish at 67% People who know me, know so well that I'd rather cry out of boredom while reading a book than actually give up on it. My DNF shelf has only two books and this is the third. I know it's unfair to rate an unfinished book, but it's also unfair that this book is that bad. I don't regret this decision, not one bit! This is the first book in my reading history to have me struggling with even opening the cover, I've struggled since page one and then I thought that no I wouldn't be the kind of a reader who gives up on books just because they couldn't get into them, we all know that books sometimes get to be boring but then pick its pace while you read on. This right here wasn't just boring, it was childish, trivial and very very VERY overhyped that I'm starting to doubt my mentality -maybe I'm not just aspie- maybe I'm just incapable of coping with the hype? Maybe it's me and not the book? Maybe I should've read between the lines? Maybe I should start liking dogs who smoke pipes and wore green glasses? Or maybe I should start befriending humans who growl and park? Maybe I should like books with no plot? Or even ridiculous ones? Or Maybe I should invest my time trying to like books with creepy pictures that are just being shoved into my face? Maybe it's okay to think that a character can be that shallow and underdeveloped? Maybe I should secretly fangirl over a granny who loves her ex's grandson? Maybe I should waste my time reading something that is just absolutely nonexistent? Real reasons why I hated this book - I don't know why but I felt like the whole idea of Hollow City was only written because Ransom Riggs found some photos of animals who are guess what?peculiar and thought yes, there's also peculiar animals which was okay we haven't heard of that before but yeah whatever. -The characters, I don't know when was Ransom Riggs planning to actually put some effort on those kids? Like shading them or whatever? They still feel so shallow and not there, at some point I almost forgot who Bronwyn and Horace were. It's like he flatlayed them over a stereotypical category of bad character-driven books; The bad boy: Enoch The mysterious boy: Horace The funny boy: Millard The stupid, good for nothing boy: Jacob (also runs by the name Bella Swan) The mother hen girl: Bronwyn The naive girl: Olive The angry girl: Emma (also runs by the name Exclamation-Mark-Queen) The one who isn't that important but he was essential because the photo said so: Hugh -The plot, or was there any? -This time the photos really felt forced and uncomfortable, I felt embarrassed for the author, how strange that was, the plot was being shoved at me by photos that actually were messy, unnecessary and awful! -How many peculiars are there on Earth? weren't they supposed to be, like hidden? They met one seriously every step they took. -The romance, or was there any? I wanted to love this series because it seemed like an amazing one, it was so hyped and I was so excited but then BAM disappointment overwhelmed me. I apologize for my cash but I'm not continuing this series. At least not any time soon. Darth J – Nov 05, 2015 3.5 stars I felt like this was a lull between the first one and the finale. While there's action and adventure it seemed mostly like an info dump to bridge the gap between the end pieces. It was certainly more entertaining than the first one, but only marginally. There is a quest to bring the group's ymbryne to Miss Wren, whose first name is There are some new characters introduced in this book such as a talking dog named Addison, a pair of blind brothers who use echolocation, a telekinetic girl, 3.5 stars I felt like this was a lull between the first one and the finale. While there's action and adventure it seemed mostly like an info dump to bridge the gap between the end pieces. It was certainly more entertaining than the first one, but only marginally. There is a quest to bring the group's ymbryne to Miss Wren, whose first name is There are some new characters introduced in this book such as a talking dog named Addison, a pair of blind brothers who use echolocation, a telekinetic girl, and another who can syncopate her skin to your heart beating named Selena. It appears that Ransom Riggs just decided to find a bunch of creepy vintagy photos and create a story from that. While that kinda worked for the first book, this approach appears more like random story prompts than anything else. Also, I want him to create some peculiar characters based on this LNI realness: P – Oct 13, 2015 “What I believe is that when it comes to big things in life, there are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason. You are here for a reason -- and it's not to fail and die.” Hollow City is DARKER and CREEPIER than book one. I was really glad to finally see what's going on with children at the beginning of this book. The world of this book is madness, it's not something joyful for someone. Emma becomes a lead character in Hollow City, and her courage makes this book turn out to be the “What I believe is that when it comes to big things in life, there are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason. You are here for a reason -- and it's not to fail and die.” Hollow City is DARKER and CREEPIER than book one. I was really glad to finally see what's going on with children at the beginning of this book. The world of this book is madness, it's not something joyful for someone. Emma becomes a lead character in Hollow City, and her courage makes this book turn out to be the unputdownable one. I liked eveything in this book, even if it's not excited as the first one, but it gave me the creepy vibe all the time. Hollow City is a nightmare, I could't sleep when I finished this one. It's a contingency reading, you will NOT know what will happen next until it blows in you face. Ransom Riggs twisted his story to the point that I couldn't catch up anymore, but it's a good thing because that was totally a fascination. “A song and a smile from someone I cared about could be enough to distract me from all that darkness, if only for a little while.” Hollow City broke my soul and clenched my heart tightly. Every character in this book mirrors something more than how good they are, they have their souls to speak for whatever they want to do. However, this book is deep. It's more than a YA novel for me, it taught me to be a strong person and told me about how to fight this cruel world. Highly recommended ! ****************** เนื้อเรื่องเล่มนี้สนุกมาก แต่บรรยากาศในเรื่องจะไม่มีความลึกลับเหมือนกับเล่มที่แล้ว ในแง่ของการผจญภัยถือว่าเข้มขึ้นและสนุกกว่ามาก โดยเรื่องราวจะเกิดขึ้นกลางกรุงลอนดอนที่ตกอยู่ภายใต้สงคราม จึงมั่นใจได้เลยว่ากลิ่นอายลอนดอนปี 1940 ต้องมาแน่ๆ รวมไปถึงการเดินทางข้ามลูปเวลา และการแก้ปริศนาของเหล่าเด็กประหลาด แรนซัม ริกส์ฝีมือเฉียบคม เขาสามารถเขียนภาคต่อโดยที่ยังรักษาคาแรคเตอร์ของทุกตัวละครเอาไว้ได้อย่างหมดจด เขาไม่ได้ยัด tragedy ให้แก่ตัวละครและทำให้พวกเขาสูญเสียความบริสุทธิ์ไป กลายเป็นตัวละครที่ดาร์คขึ้นและนิสัยเปลี่ยนไปเหมือนกับที่นิยาย YA ส่วนมากชอบทำ แต่เขาใช้เหตุการณ์ต่างๆในหนังสือเคี่ยวกรำให้สภาวะทางจิตใจของตัวละครค่อยๆเติบโตขึ้นโดยที่คนอ่านไม่รู้ตัว จนสุดท้ายแล้ว ... เด็กๆที่เคยถูกปกป้องอยู่ใต้ปีกแม่นก ก็กลายเป็นเด็กที่สามารถยืนหยัดต่อสู้บนลำแข้งของตัวเองได้อย่างไม่น่าเชื่อ อีกสิ่งหนึ่งที่เราชอบมากเลยก็คือ ... สารที่ริกส์พยายามจะสื่อกับคนอ่านผ่านทางเนื้อเรื่องของเหล่าเด็กกำพร้าที่ต้องต่อสู้กับชะตาชีวิตตัวเอง โดยเฉพาะตอนที่มิลลาร์ดคุยกับพ่อเด็กยิปซีที่เป็นเหมือนเขา เรารู้สึกว่ามันลึกซึ้งมากๆ ประโยคสั้นๆตรงนั้นถือว่าสะกิดใจเราไปเต็มๆ แต่จะมีคาแรคเตอร์หนึ่งที่เรารำคาญมากๆ ก็คือ ... อีน็อค คือเขาเป็นเด็กผู้ชายที่แบบชอบแย้ง ชอบขัดขาเพื่อน แต่เวลาคับขันก็สามารถหันไปพึ่งได้ คำพูดของเขาบางครั้งเราก็รู้สึกร้ายกาจเกินไป แต่ก็ ... ถ้าเด็กส่วนมากในเรื่องนี้ถูกเรียกว่า optimistic อีน็อคก็คงจะเป็นตัวแทนของ pessimistic อย่างแน่นอน ถือว่าเป็นความบาลานซ์ในหนังสือนิยายเล่มหนึ่งที่ค่อนข้างสมบูรณ์แบบอยู่เหมือนกัน มีประเด็นที่เราชอบมากมาย ถ้าเอามารีวิวหมดคงยาวเหยียด อย่างการสอดแทกจริยธรรมความเป็นมนุษย์ที่ถูกหล่อหลอมขึ้นมาภายใต้สภาวะอันกดดันของสถาบันครอบครัวรวมไปถึงสิ่งที่เลวร้ายที่สุดอย่างสงคราม ริกส์ก็สามารถทำมันออกมาได้ดี ละเอียดอ่อน ทำให้เนื้อเรื่อง sensible อย่างแยบยล ขึ้นอยู่กับผู้อ่านจะสังเกตเห็นประเด็นเหล่านี้ได้เองในท้ายที่สุดหรือไม่ บวกลบคูณหารก็ชอบพอๆกับเล่มที่แล้วนะ ถึงแม้ว่าเนื้อเรื่องจะคนละแบบ และ Hollow City ต้องบอกว่าเนื้อเรื่องมันลึกกว่ามากๆ ถ้าอ่านแล้วไม่สังเกตให้ดีจะรู้สึกว่ามันเป็นนิยาย YA ผจญภัยแฟนตาซีธรรมดาๆเล่มหนึ่ง แต่ถ้ามองให้ลึกกว่านั้น ... ทุกบทสนทนาของตัวละครสามารถสะท้อนเสียดสีความเป็นจริงในยุคปัจจุบันได้อย่างตรงจุดจริงๆ (view spoiler)[หลังจากที่เด็กๆต้องออกจากลูปเวลาและมาใช้ชีวิตอยู่บนเกาะ พวกเขาก็ได้ค้นพบกับลูปใหม่ที่สัตว์ประหลาดอาศัยอยู่ ซึ่งก็เหมือนกับตัวเด็กๆเอง สัตว์เหล่านี้มีความสามารถพิเศษที่สัตว์ธรรมดาไม่มี เจคอบ เอ็มม่าและเพื่อนๆของพวกเขารู้ว่าพวกตนต้องรีบรักษามิสเพเรกรินโดยเร็วที่สุด มิฉะนั้นเธอจะติดอยู่ในร่างของนกตลอดกาล และหนทางเดียวที่จะตามหาเหล่าอิมบรินคนอื่นๆก็คือพวกเขาต้องเดินทางสู่ลอนดอน ระหว่างทางเด็กๆได้พบกับเหล่ายิปซีที่มีลูกชายล่องหนเหมือนกับมิลลาร์ด และเผชิญหน้ากับเหล่าไวท์ที่ตามล่าพวกเขาตั้งแต่บนเกาะมาจนถึงสถานีรถไฟไปลอนดอน ฮิวจ์ได้ใช้พลังของตัวเองในการปล่อยฝูงผึ้งออกมาจากท้องกำจัดทหารเหล่านี้ไปได้ และเมื่อเหล่าเด็กประหลาดมาถึงลอนดอนในที่สุด การตามหานกพิราบและอิมบรินเป็นเรื่องหนักหนาสาหัส เมื่อพวกเขาได้เข้าไปในอีกลูปเวลาและได้พบกับเด็กสาวที่มีโทรจิตสามารถควบคุมสิ่งของได้ สองพี่น้องตาบอดที่สามารถใช้เสียงโจมตีราวกับค้างคาว ทั้งคู่ก็ถูกไล่ล่าโดยฮอลโลว และต้องระเห็จผ่าสงครามกลางเมืองอันโหดร้าไปให้ได้ เมื่อเจคอบ เอ็มม่า และผองเพื่อนมาถึงลูปเวลาอีกหนึ่งที่ซ่อนอยู่ พวกเขาก็ได้เจอกับอิมบรินที่พวกเขาตามหาอยู่ในสถานที่ที่เย็นยะเยือกไปด้วยน้ำแข็ง เมื่อมิสเพเรกรินได้รับการรักษาในที่สุด ... ความจริงอันน่าตกใจก็ปรากฏขึ้นว่า นกที่เด็กๆพาเดินทางมาด้วยนั้น แท้จริงแล้วไม่ใช่มิสเพเรกรินด้วยซ้ำ เพราะมันคือน้องชายของมิสเพเรกรินที่มีความสามารถในการจำแลงร่างเป็นนกชนิดเดียวกับพี่สาวของเขา รวมถึงเรื่องที่ว่าเขาเป็นไวท์ที่สะกดรอยตามเด็กประหลาดมาโดยตลอด และนั่นทำให้อิมบรินคนสุดท้ายที่ยังหนีรอดไปได้ตกไปอยู่ในมือของฮอลโลว์ในที่สุด กองทัพฮอลโลว์พาเจคอบ เอ็มม่าและเด็กๆมายังเวลาปัจจุบัน และความหายนะกำลังจะเกิดขึ้นเมื่อผลลัพธ์ของเด็กประหลาดที่เดินทางออกจากลูปเวลาของตัวเองมายังยุคปัจจุบันจะทำให้อายุของพวกเขาเพิ่มขึ้นอย่างรวดเร็วตามระยะเวลาที่พวกเขาอาศัยอยู่ในลูป เจคอบและเอ็มม่าสามารถหนีพ้นเอื้อมมือฮอลโลว์มาได้ แต่ไม่ใช่สำหรับเพื่อนๆที่เหลือ รวมถึงอิมบรินคนสุดท้ายที่ถูกพาไปโดยรถไฟใต้กรุงลอนดอน ในชั่ววินาทีสุดท้ายที่เจคอบต้องต่อสู้กับฮอลโลว์ เขาก็ได้ค้นพบความจริงที่ว่านอกจากเขาจะสามารถมองเห็นพวกมันได้แล้ว เขายังสามารถใช้พลังควบคุมพวกมันได้อีกด้วย ! (hide spoiler)] Liam – Aug 11, 2015 That ending has killed me... Well and truly killed me... But anyway, this book is utterly brilliant!! I absolutely adored Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children and had pretty high hopes for this book. All I can say is that this book was better than I could've ever hoped and may well be the best sequel I have read in my life!! The characters in this book are all so incredibly unique and precious! They're written so well and the dialogue/relationships they have with one another all feel so That ending has killed me... Well and truly killed me... But anyway, this book is utterly brilliant!! I absolutely adored Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children and had pretty high hopes for this book. All I can say is that this book was better than I could've ever hoped and may well be the best sequel I have read in my life!! The characters in this book are all so incredibly unique and precious! They're written so well and the dialogue/relationships they have with one another all feel so real. Every single one of these peculiar children has a special place in my heart, and always will. This plot was amazing, there really wasn't a dull moment! The pacing of the book worked really well and everything within the plot was so intricately planned out that the story all fit together perfectly and made an excellent, gripping and entertaining read! I honestly could not put this book down and I'm incredibly excited/scared for the next book! It comes out in September so not long to wait now but I really don't know how I will survive waiting!!!! Miranda Reads – Nov 07, 2017 Do you ever find yourself climbing into an open grave during a bombing raid..and wish you'd just stayed in bed? If only you knew how often I've run into that exact situation... The peculiar children are in the midst of escape. Their ymbryne is irreparably injured, the wights are right behind him and hollowgasts are ahead. And as with so many YA books, they have to save the world (at least there isn't a love triangle). The peculiars stumble upon a time loop leading to somewhere extremely Do you ever find yourself climbing into an open grave during a bombing raid..and wish you'd just stayed in bed? If only you knew how often I've run into that exact situation... The peculiar children are in the midst of escape. Their ymbryne is irreparably injured, the wights are right behind him and hollowgasts are ahead. And as with so many YA books, they have to save the world (at least there isn't a love triangle). The peculiars stumble upon a time loop leading to somewhere extremely peculiar. (Note: Nice tie-in to the Tales of the Peculiar - good, subtle plug). Adding in creature-peculiars threw me off (it could have been the awful voice given to the emu-raffe in the audiobook) or the sheer craziness of adding in a whole new dimension (via animals) to an already extremely stretched book. As before, this one is littered with vintage photos depicting the characters. This is a bit of a conundrum because while I love a book with pictures, it sometimes felt like Riggs stretched the story to include all of the images he wanted. Riggs: Oh Em Gee. Is that a dog with a pipe? No freaking way, this is totally going in the book. Once again, I love and appreciate that Jacob is a bit of a wimp while Emma is this feisty strong gal. I've hardly read any books with the male lead being consistently shown up by the girl he likes (without adding in jealousy or mean-spirited envy). Fun book - looking forward to the third! Blog \| Instagram \| Twitter Anja H. – Nov 13, 2016 4.5 HOLLOW STARS "Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.” I only picked this one up because I recently ended up watching the movie adaption of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children and that kind of got me back in the mood to continue this series. But I gotta say, I enjoyed this one so much more than the first book! I'm really glad I decided to continue this trilogy, I can only imagine how crazy the last book is going to get! It's 4.5 HOLLOW STARS "Strange, I thought, how you can be living your dreams and your nightmares at the very same time.” I only picked this one up because I recently ended up watching the movie adaption of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children and that kind of got me back in the mood to continue this series. But I gotta say, I enjoyed this one so much more than the first book! I'm really glad I decided to continue this trilogy, I can only imagine how crazy the last book is going to get! It's not that I necessarily disliked the first one, I actually ended up rating it 4 stars apparently, but I just expected something more I guess... And this one did the trick! The story was overall a lot better and more captivating, whereas the first one kind of dragged on and wasn't as interesting to read. I also noticed a lot of improvement in Ransom Riggs' writing style and way of telling things. (Or that could also be just me being way more into this book than the previous one lol) Our group of peculiars also had a bigger role in this book and got a lot more depth, whereas I felt like in the first book, most of those characters were being kept pretty shallow and they concentrated more on Jacob, who's one of my least favorite characters to be completely honest. Full review coming soon! Carla (Carla's Book Bits) – Jun 06, 2013 That ending: WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED? Mandy – Apr 20, 2015 I love this series. The peculiar children in these novels are so fascinating. This story had me hooked just like the first book did. There were parts I wasn't crazy about but it was still good and the pictures were good, too. Looking forward to the next in the series!! Amalia Gavea – Nov 21, 2016 The Hollow City is the second installment in Rigg's trilogy of the Peculiar Children's exciting adventure, and it is a worthy following of its predecessor. But did I enjoy it as much as the first volume? The answer is a hesitant ''no''. Hesitant bceause I cannot, clearly, state what it was that made me feel that something was missing. Up until the 45% mark, it was a real page - turner, then, gradually, I seemed to lose interest. Perhaps, I couldn't fully connect with it as I was reading the first The Hollow City is the second installment in Rigg's trilogy of the Peculiar Children's exciting adventure, and it is a worthy following of its predecessor. But did I enjoy it as much as the first volume? The answer is a hesitant ''no''. Hesitant bceause I cannot, clearly, state what it was that made me feel that something was missing. Up until the 45% mark, it was a real page - turner, then, gradually, I seemed to lose interest. Perhaps, I couldn't fully connect with it as I was reading the first two volumes of ''The Grisha'' trilogy and the Ravka universe had completely sucked me into its lore. But probably the actual reason was simply that it became repetitive and predictable. ''Predictable? Really?'', some may think, ''why, with so many twists and turns?'' Yes, there are many twists and turns and chasings and cliffhangers. More than I can count, but the narrative reached a point where I, as a reader, knew what to expect. (view spoiler)[Every stranger was a threat that was eliminated by the intervention of another stranger and so on and so forth...This continues until the very end to the point where the conclusion of the second book left me a bit indifferent. The introduction of the Peculiar animals further alienated me from the story. It was just too much for my liking. Also, the absence of Miss Peregrine didn't help. (hide spoiler)] The writing and the dialogue are polished and engaging, though I could do with less of Enoch's constant bickering and battling words with everyone, and I would like to see more than just a passing glance as to how (view spoiler)[Jacob's parents are dealing with his absence. (hide spoiler)] What makes the book rich is the new set of peculiar photographs that manage to be even creepier than the ones found in the first book. I simply loved them all! Can you tell I am confused? Because I admit I am. The Hollow City is a good continuation of the story and perhaps this is just me nit-picking, but I expected to feel the well-known enthusiasm of following the Peculiars' adventures and it didn't happen. Finger crossed that the third part of the trilogy will restore my admiration for it. Lazaros – Jun 22, 2014 What a disappointment.. I had so many expectations about this one but it only let me down.. I had loved the first book in the series, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children & I wanted so much to love this one too but unfortunately the only good thing about this book was the photos, which like in the first book, they blew me away by how real and authentic they look. This one lacked the magic the first book had, it was kind of idiotic and the author tried to take an even darker turn to the What a disappointment.. I had so many expectations about this one but it only let me down.. I had loved the first book in the series, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children & I wanted so much to love this one too but unfortunately the only good thing about this book was the photos, which like in the first book, they blew me away by how real and authentic they look. This one lacked the magic the first book had, it was kind of idiotic and the author tried to take an even darker turn to the events but failed dramatically in doing so. The first book was dark and funny at times but still managed to retain a bit of its drama, something that this book didn't even get close enough to. This was morbid for sure, and while most of you may call this realism, I'll call it "failure at making a sequel". I'd rather it if this had never come out and the story would have just ended in the first book. At least, the first one left me with a sense of awe at its ending. The characters didn't have the least bit of development, which was a HUGE MISTAKE. These characters, who are so amazingly written, they deserved something better other than the same thing over and over again. The romance between Jacob and Emma failed to captivate me like I thought it would and while I thought they were cute in the first book, I don't like them together at all in this one. The plot was very poor, I mean the entire book was running around trying to get to someone and it all ended within 10 pages. It doesn't even deserve its 2 stars but let's just go with it because the photos are still part of the book, and I loved them dearly. Lindsey Lewis – Dec 12, 2013 I won Hollow City as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Can we say BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVARR? The waiting thing is destroying me though and I may just sit at the mailbox until I get it. REVIEW: Jacob and the Peculiar Children we've grown to know and love are back. Their adventure opens immediately after the close of the first novel, and as they set out to save Miss Peregrine, new danger and excitement awaits them. Jacob struggles with his newfound abilities, and the pressure of leaving I won Hollow City as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Can we say BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVARR? The waiting thing is destroying me though and I may just sit at the mailbox until I get it. REVIEW: Jacob and the Peculiar Children we've grown to know and love are back. Their adventure opens immediately after the close of the first novel, and as they set out to save Miss Peregrine, new danger and excitement awaits them. Jacob struggles with his newfound abilities, and the pressure of leaving his family behind, and his romance with Emma. Hollow City did not disappoint. In fact, I liked it MORE than the first book in the series. We get to know a lot more about the Peculiardom as well as the individual characters (-SPOILER -however fans of Claire and my personal favorite Fiona may be disappointed as they are missing from the majority of the novel). Ransom Riggs is a master of detail and atmosphere - every sentence is perfectly crafted to bring the book to life, with a perfect blend of action, humor, horror, and even romance so that every reader truly has something to gain from opening this book. I DEVOURED the book faster than a starving hollow would devour a child (ha!), even when I was forced to put it down (damn you, college!) my heart longed to be back in the story. Dear Mr. Riggs: Please make the Tales of the Peculiar into a book, like Rowling did with The Tales of Beedle the Bard! I absolutely cannot wait for the third installment, and hopefully Ransom Riggs will get a movie deal out of these books because the would play out brilliantly on-screen. Why are you still reading this? Go - buy book now, do the reading thing! Kaylin (The Re-Read Queen) – Jun 28, 2016 DNF around 20%. I just can't get into this. I'm not attached to the characters or the story at all, and I have too many other books I'd like to read more than this. Hollow City (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #2), Ransom Riggs Hollow City is a 2014 dark fantasy novel and a sequel to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children written by Ransom Riggs. It was released on January 14, 2014. After fleeing in a boat from the hollowgasts, the peculiar children are caught up in a bad storm and need to find land. They land on a beach only to find that the wights are trying to track them down, so they flee into the forests of the mainland. With nowhere to run, the Hollow City (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children #2), Ransom Riggs Hollow City is a 2014 dark fantasy novel and a sequel to Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children written by Ransom Riggs. It was released on January 14, 2014. After fleeing in a boat from the hollowgasts, the peculiar children are caught up in a bad storm and need to find land. They land on a beach only to find that the wights are trying to track them down, so they flee into the forests of the mainland. With nowhere to run, the group wander aimlessly, until they find a statue from The Tales of the Peculiar. There, they discover a time loop with the help of their book The Tales of the Peculiar and escape into it. Surprisingly, it is full of peculiar animals, who embrace and thank them for killing a hollow which had for a long time roamed in the time loop. ... عنوانها: تهی‌شهر؛ شهر تهی؛ شهر اشباح؛ نویسنده: رنسام ریگز؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز هفدهم ماه مارس سال 2018 میلادی عنوان: تهی‌شهر؛ نویسنده: رنسام ریگز؛ مترجم: شبنم سعادت ؛ ویراستار: لیلا اوصالی؛ تهران: انتشارات پریان، ‏‫1396؛ در 407 ص؛ مصور؛ فروست: سری بچه های عجیب غریب یتیمخانه خانم پرگرین: کتاب دوم؛ شابک: 9786007058541؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده امریکا - سده 21 م‬ عنوان: شهر تهی؛ نویسنده: رنسوم ریگز ؛ مترجم: بیتا ابراهیمی؛ تهران: انتشارات چکه‏‫، 1397؛ در 468 ص؛ شابک: 9786003771130؛ فروست: سری بچه های خاص؛ عنوان: شهر اشباح؛ نویسنده: رنسام ریگز؛ مترجم: سهیل محمدیان‏‫؛ ویراستار: حسین مافی؛ ‬ قزوین: سایه گستر،‌ کتابهای توت فرنگی‏‫، 1398؛ در 468 ص؛ شابک: 9786003745438؛‮‬ فروست: ... مجموعه‌ ی بچه‌ های عجیب و غریب خانم پرگرین‏‫؛ داستان دوم؛ در داستان دوم از سری بچه‌ های عجیب و غریب یتیم‌خانه خانم پرگرین: تهی‌ شهر؛ بچه‌ های عجیب و غریب، سوار بر کشتی برای فرار از چشم‌ سفیدها، دچار توفان وحشتناکی شده و باید هرچه زودتر به خشکی می‌رسیدند، تا نجات پیدا کنند. آنها به جنگل ترسناکی رسیدند. برای پیدا کردن مسیر درست‌، به راهنمایی خانم پرگرین نیاز دارند، اما او به شکل پرنده، باقی مانده است و نمی‌تواند دوباره به شکل انسان برگردد. بچه‌ های عجیب و غریب، کتابی با خود دارند، که در آن افسانه‌ های عجیب و غریب وجود دارد. از روی همین کتاب، آنها به سرنخ‌ هایی دست پیدا می‌کنند. به یاری یکی از همین داستان‌ها، آنها حلقه ی دیگری را کشف می‌کنند، که پر است از عجیب‌ و غریب‌ های دیگر. آنها چگونه می‌توانند به کمک زمان‌ باف‌ ها بر چشم‌ سفیدها غلبه کنند؟ ا. شربیانی Jonathan Terrington – Jan 15, 2014 Hollow City is one of those sequel novels that irons out many of the kinks in the first novel. It further goes to prove that the quality of children's and young adult' fiction is improving all the more in this day and age. Where once such books were throw away pieces to pass the time till younger readers could engage with more serious pieces of literature, today they are or should be recognised as being equally serious and nuanced - with the same level of power as books regarded as more mature. Hollow City is one of those sequel novels that irons out many of the kinks in the first novel. It further goes to prove that the quality of children's and young adult' fiction is improving all the more in this day and age. Where once such books were throw away pieces to pass the time till younger readers could engage with more serious pieces of literature, today they are or should be recognised as being equally serious and nuanced - with the same level of power as books regarded as more mature. In Hollow City the themes of the previous novel are explored further and with. One of the things I've appreciated with the two books in this series so far is the play upon the mixture of vintage history (through the photographs or factual evidence) and modernity. For instance the whole idea of vile wights existing and infiltrating all sorts of historical areas (such as Nazi Germany) and using them to hunt down gypsies and peculiars is one such example. I suppose the greater theme to be found in these novels though is the theme about identity and belonging. Several of the peculiars try to dismiss others because their 'peculiarities' or powers do not make them as peculiar or unusual as themselves. It has always interested me that even those who are on the fringes of , or 'othered' by, society can still find time to dismiss and others those within their particular 'caste'. It seems that humanity is destined to a history and future of classification, stratification and separation where possible so that we can consider some among us to be more desirably human than others. Which is something sad considering that true human worth and beauty is not about appearances but about character, heart and existing as an individual. On the whole I loved both the first two books. I, do however, still find some aspects to them at times slightly rough or jarring and so cannot consider them perfect books. Yet in terms of the story, the writing and the whole conception, these are novels which are nicely polished and as such I think should be read ahead of many other young adult novels. Ashley Daviau – Sep 16, 2016 I absolutely freaking adored this book! I didn't think it possible to get better than the first book but it most definitely did. The story is even more gripping and as I got to know more about the world of peculiars, I couldn't help but fall even more in love. This book is jam packed with action and is absolutely nerve wracking from start to finish. I loved getting to know my favourite characters more as well as being introduced to new ones which I can't wait to learn more about in the next I absolutely freaking adored this book! I didn't think it possible to get better than the first book but it most definitely did. The story is even more gripping and as I got to know more about the world of peculiars, I couldn't help but fall even more in love. This book is jam packed with action and is absolutely nerve wracking from start to finish. I loved getting to know my favourite characters more as well as being introduced to new ones which I can't wait to learn more about in the next book. I also really enjoyed the bits of the Tales of the Peculiar. They added an extra element to the story that I loved. And once again the photos were stellar and really made me feel like I was living the story along with the characters. I could go on and on about how much I loved this book but I'll stop now so I can get started immediately on the third book because that ending left me needing to know what happens next! Vanz – Jan 31, 2017 4.3 This book was just as good, if not better, than the first one. There's a lot of action going on with the story though sometimes it feels like it drags on just a tad, and the photographs used to elevate the plot are just as weird and intriguing. It gave light to a lot of questions in the first book, but still leaves so many new questions along the way. The characters are starting to develop better personalities on them, and you'll also learn more about their powers and what they're capable, 4.3 This book was just as good, if not better, than the first one. There's a lot of action going on with the story though sometimes it feels like it drags on just a tad, and the photographs used to elevate the plot are just as weird and intriguing. It gave light to a lot of questions in the first book, but still leaves so many new questions along the way. The characters are starting to develop better personalities on them, and you'll also learn more about their powers and what they're capable, especially with our protagonist, Jacob. Overall, it's a book that shouldn't be missed by Peculiar enthusiasts. It's a well-written book by Ransom Riggs and a little bit more maturity in his writing, he can become a really great story teller/author in the future. I'm really looking forward to reading the third and final book of the trilogy - The Library of Souls.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362877
__label__wiki	0.617613	0.617613	Connect MM registry: The importance of establishing baseline disease characteristics Robert M. Rifkin, Rafat Abonour, Howard Terebelo, Jatin J. Shah, Cristina Gasparetto, James Hardin, Shankar Srinivasan, Rosanna Ricafort, Yasir Nagarwala, Brian G M Durie Background Connect MM is the first and largest observational, noninterventional, prospective registry of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (NDMM) in the United States. It collects longitudinal data on patients within clinical practice including patients in clinical trials. Patients and Methods Of the 1513 patients enrolled, 1493 were protocol-eligible. Results Median age was 67 years, 81.9% (1223/1493) were Caucasian, and 57.2% (854/1493) were male. Of these patients, 26.5% (232/877) were International Staging System stage I, 34.9% (306/877) stage II, and 38.7% (339/877) stage III. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0/1/2 were reported in 96.6% (1017/1053). Clonal plasma cells > 10% were found in 91.6% (1282/1399) of patients and M-component in 98.8% (1343/1359). Hypercalcemia was present in 7.3% (108/1481) of patients, serum creatinine > 2 mg/dL in 18.3% (271/1484), anemia in 45.1% (673/1493), and bone involvement in 76.7% (1143/1490). Of the 15 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended diagnostic tests, a median of 12 were performed. Lactate dehydrogenase assessment, serum free light chain ratio, and immunofixation were reported in 38.4% (574/1493), 62.1% (927/1493), and 66% (985/1493) of patients, respectively. Quantitative immunoglobulin, β-2 microglobulin, and protein electrophoresis (serum or urine) were reported in 72.3% (1080/1493), 74.1% (1107/1493), and 78.0% (1164/1493) of patients, respectively. Bone marrow biopsy was reported in 92.2% (1376/1493), but conventional cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis were reported in only 63.2% (944/1493) and 59.8% (893/1493) of patients, respectively. A high-risk cytogenetic profile (according to International Myeloma Working Group [IMWG] criteria) was found in 16.9% (253/1493). Conclusion This analysis provides insight into the demographic and disease characteristics of NDMM patients in a range of clinical practices. Creating solid records of baseline patient disease characteristics using suggested NCCN diagnostic work-up and IMWG criteria provides a foundation for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clml.2014.12.002 Myeloma Proteins Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization L-Lactate Dehydrogenase Blood Proteins Baseline Disease Characteristics NCCN Guidelines Rifkin, R. M., Abonour, R., Terebelo, H., Shah, J. J., Gasparetto, C., Hardin, J., ... Durie, B. G. M. (2015). Connect MM registry: The importance of establishing baseline disease characteristics. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia, 15(6), 368-376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clml.2014.12.002 Connect MM registry : The importance of establishing baseline disease characteristics. / Rifkin, Robert M.; Abonour, Rafat; Terebelo, Howard; Shah, Jatin J.; Gasparetto, Cristina; Hardin, James; Srinivasan, Shankar; Ricafort, Rosanna; Nagarwala, Yasir; Durie, Brian G M. In: Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia, Vol. 15, No. 6, 01.06.2015, p. 368-376. Rifkin, RM, Abonour, R, Terebelo, H, Shah, JJ, Gasparetto, C, Hardin, J, Srinivasan, S, Ricafort, R, Nagarwala, Y & Durie, BGM 2015, 'Connect MM registry: The importance of establishing baseline disease characteristics', Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia, vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 368-376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clml.2014.12.002 Rifkin RM, Abonour R, Terebelo H, Shah JJ, Gasparetto C, Hardin J et al. Connect MM registry: The importance of establishing baseline disease characteristics. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia. 2015 Jun 1;15(6):368-376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clml.2014.12.002 Rifkin, Robert M. ; Abonour, Rafat ; Terebelo, Howard ; Shah, Jatin J. ; Gasparetto, Cristina ; Hardin, James ; Srinivasan, Shankar ; Ricafort, Rosanna ; Nagarwala, Yasir ; Durie, Brian G M. / Connect MM registry : The importance of establishing baseline disease characteristics. In: Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia. 2015 ; Vol. 15, No. 6. pp. 368-376. @article{11b4cecfd08c4fa1afc89980d84838d2, title = "Connect MM registry: The importance of establishing baseline disease characteristics", abstract = "Background Connect MM is the first and largest observational, noninterventional, prospective registry of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (NDMM) in the United States. It collects longitudinal data on patients within clinical practice including patients in clinical trials. Patients and Methods Of the 1513 patients enrolled, 1493 were protocol-eligible. Results Median age was 67 years, 81.9{\%} (1223/1493) were Caucasian, and 57.2{\%} (854/1493) were male. Of these patients, 26.5{\%} (232/877) were International Staging System stage I, 34.9{\%} (306/877) stage II, and 38.7{\%} (339/877) stage III. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0/1/2 were reported in 96.6{\%} (1017/1053). Clonal plasma cells > 10{\%} were found in 91.6{\%} (1282/1399) of patients and M-component in 98.8{\%} (1343/1359). Hypercalcemia was present in 7.3{\%} (108/1481) of patients, serum creatinine > 2 mg/dL in 18.3{\%} (271/1484), anemia in 45.1{\%} (673/1493), and bone involvement in 76.7{\%} (1143/1490). Of the 15 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended diagnostic tests, a median of 12 were performed. Lactate dehydrogenase assessment, serum free light chain ratio, and immunofixation were reported in 38.4{\%} (574/1493), 62.1{\%} (927/1493), and 66{\%} (985/1493) of patients, respectively. Quantitative immunoglobulin, β-2 microglobulin, and protein electrophoresis (serum or urine) were reported in 72.3{\%} (1080/1493), 74.1{\%} (1107/1493), and 78.0{\%} (1164/1493) of patients, respectively. Bone marrow biopsy was reported in 92.2{\%} (1376/1493), but conventional cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis were reported in only 63.2{\%} (944/1493) and 59.8{\%} (893/1493) of patients, respectively. A high-risk cytogenetic profile (according to International Myeloma Working Group [IMWG] criteria) was found in 16.9{\%} (253/1493). Conclusion This analysis provides insight into the demographic and disease characteristics of NDMM patients in a range of clinical practices. Creating solid records of baseline patient disease characteristics using suggested NCCN diagnostic work-up and IMWG criteria provides a foundation for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment.", keywords = "Baseline Disease Characteristics, Diagnostics, IMWG, Multiple Myeloma, NCCN Guidelines", author = "Rifkin, {Robert M.} and Rafat Abonour and Howard Terebelo and Shah, {Jatin J.} and Cristina Gasparetto and James Hardin and Shankar Srinivasan and Rosanna Ricafort and Yasir Nagarwala and Durie, {Brian G M}", doi = "10.1016/j.clml.2014.12.002", journal = "Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia", publisher = "Cancer Media Group", T1 - Connect MM registry T2 - The importance of establishing baseline disease characteristics AU - Rifkin, Robert M. AU - Abonour, Rafat AU - Terebelo, Howard AU - Shah, Jatin J. AU - Gasparetto, Cristina AU - Hardin, James AU - Srinivasan, Shankar AU - Ricafort, Rosanna AU - Nagarwala, Yasir AU - Durie, Brian G M N2 - Background Connect MM is the first and largest observational, noninterventional, prospective registry of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (NDMM) in the United States. It collects longitudinal data on patients within clinical practice including patients in clinical trials. Patients and Methods Of the 1513 patients enrolled, 1493 were protocol-eligible. Results Median age was 67 years, 81.9% (1223/1493) were Caucasian, and 57.2% (854/1493) were male. Of these patients, 26.5% (232/877) were International Staging System stage I, 34.9% (306/877) stage II, and 38.7% (339/877) stage III. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0/1/2 were reported in 96.6% (1017/1053). Clonal plasma cells > 10% were found in 91.6% (1282/1399) of patients and M-component in 98.8% (1343/1359). Hypercalcemia was present in 7.3% (108/1481) of patients, serum creatinine > 2 mg/dL in 18.3% (271/1484), anemia in 45.1% (673/1493), and bone involvement in 76.7% (1143/1490). Of the 15 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended diagnostic tests, a median of 12 were performed. Lactate dehydrogenase assessment, serum free light chain ratio, and immunofixation were reported in 38.4% (574/1493), 62.1% (927/1493), and 66% (985/1493) of patients, respectively. Quantitative immunoglobulin, β-2 microglobulin, and protein electrophoresis (serum or urine) were reported in 72.3% (1080/1493), 74.1% (1107/1493), and 78.0% (1164/1493) of patients, respectively. Bone marrow biopsy was reported in 92.2% (1376/1493), but conventional cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis were reported in only 63.2% (944/1493) and 59.8% (893/1493) of patients, respectively. A high-risk cytogenetic profile (according to International Myeloma Working Group [IMWG] criteria) was found in 16.9% (253/1493). Conclusion This analysis provides insight into the demographic and disease characteristics of NDMM patients in a range of clinical practices. Creating solid records of baseline patient disease characteristics using suggested NCCN diagnostic work-up and IMWG criteria provides a foundation for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment. AB - Background Connect MM is the first and largest observational, noninterventional, prospective registry of patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (NDMM) in the United States. It collects longitudinal data on patients within clinical practice including patients in clinical trials. Patients and Methods Of the 1513 patients enrolled, 1493 were protocol-eligible. Results Median age was 67 years, 81.9% (1223/1493) were Caucasian, and 57.2% (854/1493) were male. Of these patients, 26.5% (232/877) were International Staging System stage I, 34.9% (306/877) stage II, and 38.7% (339/877) stage III. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0/1/2 were reported in 96.6% (1017/1053). Clonal plasma cells > 10% were found in 91.6% (1282/1399) of patients and M-component in 98.8% (1343/1359). Hypercalcemia was present in 7.3% (108/1481) of patients, serum creatinine > 2 mg/dL in 18.3% (271/1484), anemia in 45.1% (673/1493), and bone involvement in 76.7% (1143/1490). Of the 15 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended diagnostic tests, a median of 12 were performed. Lactate dehydrogenase assessment, serum free light chain ratio, and immunofixation were reported in 38.4% (574/1493), 62.1% (927/1493), and 66% (985/1493) of patients, respectively. Quantitative immunoglobulin, β-2 microglobulin, and protein electrophoresis (serum or urine) were reported in 72.3% (1080/1493), 74.1% (1107/1493), and 78.0% (1164/1493) of patients, respectively. Bone marrow biopsy was reported in 92.2% (1376/1493), but conventional cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis were reported in only 63.2% (944/1493) and 59.8% (893/1493) of patients, respectively. A high-risk cytogenetic profile (according to International Myeloma Working Group [IMWG] criteria) was found in 16.9% (253/1493). Conclusion This analysis provides insight into the demographic and disease characteristics of NDMM patients in a range of clinical practices. Creating solid records of baseline patient disease characteristics using suggested NCCN diagnostic work-up and IMWG criteria provides a foundation for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment. KW - Baseline Disease Characteristics KW - Diagnostics KW - IMWG KW - Multiple Myeloma KW - NCCN Guidelines U2 - 10.1016/j.clml.2014.12.002 DO - 10.1016/j.clml.2014.12.002 JO - Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia JF - Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia 10.1016/j.clml.2014.12.002	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362878
__label__cc	0.727811	0.272189	Global IndiaSujok A comprehensive and systematic method of treating dis-eases and ailments, Sujok was invented by Prof. Park, Jae Woo (see link), based on ages-old systems of healing from different parts of the world [Onnuri] and his comprehensive Triorigin Theory. The Sujok Therapy system is now attracting practitioners across the world, from different fields of study. 10-minute introduction to Sujok by SJ. T. Bhupinder Kaur [video] Sujok is a remarkable, holistic system of healing that focuses on the hands (Su) and feet (Jok) to help bring out the inner smile of the soul into the three asoects: mind, body and life This is the natural, balanced state. The Sujok Therapy system uses a combination of physical, metaphysical or transcendental energy treatments for helping to heal specific organs, zones, meridians, energies, mental & emotional states of a person. In Korean, the language of the founder Prof. Park, Jae Woo, Su means ‘hand’ and Jok means ‘foot’. Sujok is based on the knowledge that our hands and feet have a proper system for curing the diseases of the human body. There is nothing to ingest, as this is a drug-less system, so there are no side effects. It can be used both for treating and also for preventing ailments. Sujok is thus a comprehensive health system. It blends easily with any other therapy or medicine you are taking, so it is also a complementary health system. Sujok can be used for self-healing and healing others. Why Sujok ? Hands and feet, arms and legs carry a reflection, or correspondence to all parts, organs and glands in the body and by influencing them, a variety of physiological, mental and emotional disorders can be treated. This correspondence system is already implanted by nature. Sujok Therapy fully utilizes all aspects of their healing power. The human body possesses a great number of correspondence systems representing energy-and-information copies of the entire organism or its certain parts. Located both on the surface of the body and inside each organ or its part, they act as remote control systems. ~ Prof. Park Jae Woo Sujok is based on ancient medico-philosophical principles. It uses simple and effective methods for locating the correspondences most likely to respond to treatment. This helps to treat otherwise hard-to-reach areas of the body without surgery or invasive procedures. How does Sujok work? Sujok therapy uses a variety of material like seeds, micro magnets, micro needles, palm or similar leaves, ring massagers, colours, and so on, to stimulate the correspondence points on hands or feet, and sometimes arms or legs. This results in improvement in the diseased organ or part of the body by the two-way correspondence system. Natural treatment methods like sustained massage and touch, acupressure and acupuncture, are among the methods used. Mini moxa for larger hand correspondence For successful treatment through the points of correspondence it is not necessary to take into account the etiology of the disease and its character. But it is necessary to correctly locate curative points or areas, estimate the depth of their location and select in each concrete case a suitable method of stimulation, for better generation of curative waves. ~ Prof. Park Jae Woo, A Guide to Su Jok Therapy Ring massage Micro-magnets An engineer by training, SJ. T. Sunil Mahajan has studied and used alternative methods of treatment since 2008. He has extensive experience with patients with a large spectrum of disorders including chronic pains, head disorders, nervous system and psychiatric disorders, eye, ear, nose, throat and lung ailments, digestion-related problems, conception disorders and cardiovascular system disorders and spinal cord issues. Engineering at IIT taught me the value & methodologies of Logic. What attracts me specially to the Science of Sujok is the flawless connectivity between stimuli and results of those stimuli on the condition of the patient. It is a new science with roots thousands of years old. It is old because the systems used are a collation of principles used in India, China, Egypt & even Phoenicia for over 2000 years. Bits and pieces are known in most traditional households. The fact was driven home to me when my maid was on the verge of getting a summer cold and I applied Garlic on the correspondence. I left for office with the admonition that should the skin start turning dark, to call me immediately so I could change the treatment. Shyly she asked – “Will you apply Methidana”. Surprised I asked her how she knew to which she told me that is what they do in their village. It is “new” because of two factors 1. The system of education we have been taught under in the last 100 years, invariably indirectly encourages scoffing at traditional knowledge and belief, though words to that effect are not used. It is drummed into us that the “latest” stuff is the best. Hence we are not even aware of ancient knowledge or are mentally conditioned that anything that is not widely advertised, is mumbo-jumbo. 2. Though ancient systems of all types including Chinese systems, Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology etc. have been collated, a huge amount of brilliant research has been done by a genius Prof Park Jae Woo, an MD from Korea who had resettled in Moscow. From 1968 to March 25, 2010 when he passed away, he built an incredible connectivity between these systems and evolved much simplified solutions than traditional systems have. Over these years, the number of practitioners developed are so few in number that awareness of this science is low. Hence it seems new. Sujok can be used for sudden onset and chronic ailments. Pl see: Principles of Sujok & Other Oriental Sciences Contact Quote By SJ. T. Mahajan’s Guru SJ. T. Anju Gupta A few sittings are enough to cure most diseases with the help of Sujok . The treatment can be permanently effective if the therapist gives a complete course of treatment, while the patient also changes life-style/ dietary habits, as the need be. ~ SJ. T. Anju Gupta, therapist and trainer in Punjab News Line Question, Inquiry, Comment, Request, please fill this form: City/Country where you are located does sujok helps in who are under going dialysis and kidney failure. please let me know about it. please mail me to bssrisowmya@gmail.com yes, it does Dr.shashi sharma says: very gud ,,,,,,,, Debasish says: Does it help in Asthma? Does it cure Psoriasis? Yes to all. Regret the delay in replying. thank you. as a senior member, join us in this initiative pl. Re dialysis and kidney failure, Sujok can act as a support agent to the main treatment. For details, please contact your nearest healer.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362882
__label__wiki	0.710674	0.710674	McCain Booed For Saying Obama Respects The Constitution Filed under: 2-party system, Arizona, Barack Obama, big pharma, Dictatorship, Empire, Fascism, government bureaucrat, government control, government regulation, health care, health care reform, Healthcare, John McCain, Kennedy health care bill, left right paradigm, mccain, medicaid, medical care, medical industrial complex, medicare, neocons, Neolibs, obama, obama care, obama deception, obamacare, Senate, socialism, Ted Kennedy, town hall, universial health care, US Constitution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2U4wQEF65w ‘Win One for Teddy,’ Say Dems Pushing for Health Reform McCain and Obama attend ’La Raza’ meeting Filed under: 2-party system, 2008 Election, amnesty, Amnesty Bill, Atzlan, Barack Obama, Border Patrol, Britain, CNN, drug smuggling, drug trafficking, Europe, european union, Globalism, ICE, Illegal Immigration, Immigration, John McCain, La Raza, left right paradigm, lou dobbs, Mexico, naacp, neocons, Neolibs, obama, Ted Kennedy, United Kingdom, World Court \| Tags: Immigration and Customs Enforcement, janet murguia http://youtube.com/watch?v=h1caARyCadE http://youtube.com/watch?v=xkwPmqktCVg Barack Obama: Your Children Should Learn To Speak Spanish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZprtPat1Vk World Court: U.S. must delay Mexican death sentences http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080716/ts_nm/mexico_usa_dc Mexican Drug Cartels & Islamic Radicals Working Together http://www.mexidata.info/id1903.html EU Proposes Closer Ties To Mexico http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/07/15/ap5216585.html Drug smugglers bribing U.S. agents on Mexico border http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN15311994 McCain Admits Supporting Illegal Immigration Bill Filed under: 2-party system, 2008 Election, amnesty, Amnesty Bill, Arizona, Border Patrol, CFR, code pink, DHS, George Bush, Globalism, heckled, Homeland Security, Illegal Immigration, Immigration, John McCain, left right paradigm, Mexico, neocons, Neolibs, Protest, Ted Kennedy, war on drugs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpgVdPjXBoQ Code Pink Interrupts John McCain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QeXSMHXMVc Conservative paper calls McCain a liar http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/..cord-to-woo-hispanics/ ’McCain is mentally unstable and out of control’ : Arizona Republicans http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070305/blumenthal McCain: It doesn’t matter that I don’t know cost of gas http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_It_doesnt_matter_that_I_0629.html Fmr. Bush aide takes over McCain campaign http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0..oday_operation.html Ron Paul – CPAC Speech Filed under: 2008 Election, 2nd Amendment, Al Gore, andrew Napolitano, CPAC, DEBT, Economy, election fraud, Global Warming, John McCain, Mitt Romney, New York, Republican Debate, republican forum, Ron Paul, ron paul blimp, Russ Feingold, Ted Kennedy, US Constitution, US Economy, vote scam, voter fraud, War On Terror http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWdtMftHTtQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMtjgMTYE1Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SblfSHWHnM Ron Paul blimp apparently slashed http://www.readthehook.com/blog/in..ntly-slashed/ Ron Paul Decides Not To Run 3rd Party http://www.roguegovernment.com/news.php?id=6554 ‘We Are Acting Too Much Like Democrats,’ Paul Says http://www.cnsnews.com/..rchive/200802/POL20080208a.html Ron Paul Defends The Second Amendment http://infowars.net/articles/february2008/080208gunban.htm Paper: Ron Paul Supporters, We Were Wrong http://www.montanakaimin.com..article/ron_paul_supporters_we_were_wrong/ Romney Leaves 36 Million in Debt, Ron Paul Has Zero Debt! http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.asp?cycle=2008 Ron Paul’s Name Crossed Out On New York Ballot Papers http://prisonplanet.com/articles/february2008/070208_crossed.htm Ron Paul Running Mate Short List Includes Judge Andrew Napolitano? http://www.gambling911.com/Ron-.tano-020708.html Congressman Paul Cosponsors Combat Veterans Debt Elimination Act http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.js..nav=Groupspace Ron Paul: McCain friends with Feingold, Kennedy http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/n..ron_paul_mccain_friends_with_f.html How Romney’s Departure Equals Victory for Paul http://www.nolanchart.com/article2553.html Both parties to keep Bush admin’s crimes secret Filed under: 2-party system, 4th amendment, Big Brother, George Bush, Keith Olbermann, left right paradigm, neocons, Neolibs, NSA, Senate, supreme court, Surveillance, Ted Kennedy Expert: Both parties cooperate to keep administration crimes secret The Bush administration has made widespread use of the so-called state secrets privilege to dismiss lawsuits that seek to challenge its domestic wiretaps and other illegal activities. Now two veteran senators, Arlen Spector (R-PA) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA), are teaming up to craft legislation that would direct judges to evaluate the government’s state secrets claims rather than accepting them uncritically. Keith Olbermann described this proposed legislation with a high degree of skepticism, saying sardonically, “The bill may end up as part of the Senate’s wiretapping law, due for a vote next month — after which the president will sign it and monkeys will fly out of his butt.” He then turned to constitutional law expert Jonathan Turley, asking him why there isn’t already such a law, as most Americans would assume there would be. “It actually is the law,” Turley replied. “This has been a distortion, or a mutation of the law. The privilege has become something that I think the Supreme Court never imagined when it first created it.” “Today, the privilege is used primarily not to keep something secret, but to keep something from being used against the government,” Turley went on. “I was in a courtroom when people laughed when the government counsel argued that they could use the privilege to claim as secret something that was published on the cover of the New York Times.” Turley said that some judges are already scrutinizing government claims under the state secret privilege but suggested that those who do not are merely “lazy.” He pointed out that even the original case which established the privilege was eventually found to have been based on a lie, “and the Supreme Court refused to reexamine the case.” Perhaps Turley’s most telling observation was that members of both parties are happy to see these cases dismissed because they are determined to keep impeachment off the table. “There’s a lot of people, both Democrats and Republicans, that … don’t want a court to say that the president did something that is a federal crime. That’s why they’re trying to get all these cases thrown out of court. … When a federal judge says the president committed a crime, it’s pretty darn hard to ignore that.” However, he agreed with Olbermann that it would still be important to have such a law in place for after Bush leaves office, saying, “The privilege is now a tool used to protect the government from its own crimes.” Expert on Olbermann: ‘It Is Rather Clear That What The President Ordered Was A Federal Crime’ http://www.crooksandliars.com/200….-federal-crime/ Matthews says Bush Admin. has “finally been caught in their criminality” Filed under: 2-party system, Alan Greenspan, Bill Clinton, Censorship, Chris Matthews, Dick Cheney, George Bush, Hardball, jon stewart, neocons, Neolibs, Ted Kennedy, War Crimes, White House Matthews says Bush administration has “finally been caught in their criminality” Chris Matthews had barely finished praising his colleagues at the 10th anniversary party for his “Hardball” show Thursday night in Washington, D.C. when his remarks turned political and pointed, even suggesting that the Bush administration had “finally been caught in their criminality.” In front of an audience that included such notables as Alan Greenspan, Rep. Patrick Kennedy and Sen. Ted Kennedy, Matthews began his remarks by declaring that he wanted to “make some news” and he certainly didn’t disappoint. After praising the drafters of the First Amendment for allowing him to make a living, he outlined what he said was the fundamental difference between the Bush and Clinton administrations. The Clinton camp, he said, never put pressure on his bosses to silence him. “Not so this crowd,” he added, explaining that Bush White House officials — especially those from Vice President Cheney‘s office — called MSNBC brass to complain about the content of his show and attempted to influence its editorial content. “They will not silence me!” Matthews declared. “They’ve finally been caught in their criminality,” Matthews continued, although he did not specify the exact criminal behavior to which he referred. He then drew an obvious Bush-Nixon parallel by saying, “Spiro Agnew was not an American hero.” Matthews left the throng of Washington A-listers with a parting shot at Cheney: “God help us if we had Cheney during the Cuban missile crisis. We’d all be under a parking lot.” Following his remarks, a few network insiders and party goers wondered what kind of effect Matthews’ sharp criticism of the White House would have on Tuesday’s Republican debate in Dearborn, Michigan, which Matthews co-moderates alongside CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo. “I find it hard to believe that Republican candidates will feel as if they’re being given a fair shot at Tuesday’s debate given the partisan pot-shots lobbed by Matthews this evening,” said one attendee. When reached, the White House declined to comment and NBC refused requests to release video of the event. The event included such NBC/MSNBC brass as NBC Senior Vice President Phil Griffin (the former “Hardball” executive producer called “Hardball” the “best show on cable television”), “Meet the Press” host Tim Russert, “Today” show executive producer Jim Bell, NBC News Specials Executive Producer Phil Alongi, “Meet the Press” Executive Producer Betsy Fischer, NBC chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell, MSNBC Vice President Tammy Haddad, “Hardball” correspondent David Shuster and Vice President for MSNBC Prime-Time Programming Bill Wolff. On a side note: Matthews was overheard discussing his Tuesday appearance on “The Daily Show,” which featured a heated exchange with host Jon Stewart. According to one source, Matthews was steadfast in his belief that the debate left Stewart crestfallen, and Matthews victorious. Hate Bill Passes – Senate Stabs First Amendment Filed under: 1st amendment, 2-party system, Defense Authorization Act, Hate Crimes Bill, House, Neolibs, Senate, Ted Kennedy, Troops Rev. Ted Pike By a vote of 60 to 39 this morning, Sens. Kennedy and Smith’s hate crimes amendment was attached to the defense authorization act. After three days of virtual silence, several Republican senators spoke against the bill within the two hours of debate. Sen. Lindsey Graham briefly argued that, if passed, the President will veto the hate bill and arms bill together, jeopardizing timely support of our troops. Sen. Jeff Sessions contended that states are adequately dealing with hate crimes and that Kennedy’s amendment burdens the defense authorization bill. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, arriving after the debate, was allowed to very briefly state that a hate bill was irrelevant to an arms bill. The real hero of the day was Sen. Orrin Hatch. Yesterday he stood alone among Republicans to publicly oppose the hate bill. But today he spoke three times with powerful, logical, legal, and constitutional reasons why the hate bill is redundant to state law enforcement, which adequately deals with all kinds of violent crime. He said that gender identity, as put forth in this legislation, is unclear. Its definition depends on the subjective perceptions of both the hate criminal and the victim. He offered his own amendment (which was later passed unanimously) calling for the federal government to authorize studies to determine if states are adequately enforcing hate crimes laws. Remarkably, Sen. Byrd of West Virginia , habitual supporter of the hate bill, voted against it. If only one more pro-hate bill Senator, Democrat or Republican, had been persuaded, either by massive calling during the last week or by impassioned attack of the hate bill on the floor of the Senate, the hate bill would have been destroyed in this Congress. It would have to be resubmitted in the next Congress under the stigma of having been rejected six times. Yes, the President has promised to veto today’s hate bill victory. But at the same time, the hate bill, through passage now by both House and Senate, is energized and dignified as never before to be easily ratified in the next Congress, little more than a year from now. Credit for hate bill victory must largely go to the repeated impassioned speeches by Sens. Kennedy and Smith, but leaders of the religious right and Republican senators are, by default, just as responsible. Since the defense appropriations act was introduced 16 days ago, opening the possibility of hate bill attachment, there has been an astonishing lack of consistent warning from leaders of the religious right. This has grown even more acute since Monday, with a virtual blackout of warning from all new right websites (See, Do New Right Leaders Want Hate Bill Passed? and Hate Bill Ready for a Vote). As a result, the millions of calls which might have been generated amounted to a relative trickle. Only at the last minute, yesterday, when it became virtually impossible to influence today’s Senate vote, did new right leaders send out calls to action. Such dereliction of duty was reflected on the floor of the Senate this week by the silence of Senators well known to oppose hate laws. Day after day they ignored invitations to speak to the Senate against the hate bill. Both new right leaders and Republican senators represent themselves as watchmen on the wall, guardians of our freedom. Yet God told the prophet Ezekiel that if, as such a watchman, he knew the enemy was coming and yet did not sound the alarm, he would lose his eternal soul (Ez. 33) For the past several weeks, both Christian and Republican leaders have seen the enemy coming. Yet they did not sound the alarm in a timely and effective way. For this they will have to answer to their Creator. Meanwhile, all Americans now are very, very much closer to having to answer to the federal “thought police” for every idle word that is not politically correct.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362883
__label__cc	0.655579	0.344421	Beau Cronin @beau@inscope.social https://twitter.com/beaucronin https://www.linkedin.com/in/beaucronin/ https://github.com/beaucronin Conspirator at The Data Guild. https://thedataguild.com https://beaucronin.keybase.pub we're going to need a bigger bus. Holmes: Is it true the president doesn't give a shit about Ukraine? Sondland: Trump only cares about 'big stuff' Holmes: The Ukraine war is big, isn't it? Sondland: 'Big stuff' that benefits the president personally, like the Biden investigations. CAN WE GO HOME NOW? Unpopular opinion: I don't like pandas. Newly minted George Kent fanboi. "imma let you finish" "not as outlandish as it could be" what if you could use census data reliably and flexibly - without having to spend days or weeks learning all of the idiosyncrasies of census data? Is the census “big data”? It’s certainly unwieldy as distributed - it can feel like something that requires institutional resources to handle. But it’s only ~1TB, and tabular, and fully structured, which makes me think there’s got to be a Better Way. The hypothesis - one I plan to test - is that this stems from lack of a business model. Why go through the effort to improve things only to give it away? So, this work has probably been done 100s or 1000s of times in private. There's also shockingly little high-quality, structured metadata documentation. Given its centrality and the number of folks who use it, I was expecting a more mature, and modern, set of tools. Plenty of libraries to make specific tasks easier, but no good query layer? I'm going deep on census data for the first time - the "Summary File 1" product in particular. It's basically the world's gnarliest pivot table. Fucking seriously. RT @PeterGleick@twitter.com Dear East Coast Media, The report of my death has been greatly exaggerated. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/30/opinion/california-fires.html#click=https://t.co/XBtPCVg95p 🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/PeterGleick/status/1189770229959626753 This tweet bugs me so much. RT @MaxKennerly@twitter.com By 2050, 150m people will be displaced by coastal flooding, St. Louis will have the climate of Dallas, and half the world will be in perpetual war over dwindling food and livable land. This isn't the distant future; @AOC@twitter.com still won't be old enough to get social security benefits. https://twitter.com/byjacobward/status/1189305629879554048 🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/MaxKennerly/status/1189531771756564480 Growth career: off-grid solar installer in Marin County. Bay Area, 2017: "What is 'AQI'? Is 120 bad?" "Have you heard of 'Purple Air'?" "Should we get an air purifier?" Preschool emails by 7: "it's 160; activate plan 3(c)" "Jona can't find the mask with the hearts on it" "Good news: the wind will be out of the NNE tomorrow!" Prediction: investor-owned monopoly utilities as we know them in California are gone in 3 years. I've been thinking about expanded, prosocial versions of preparedness and resilience. Initial thoughts: - Go beyond mere survival to comfort and civic life - Include robust power and data/telecomms in the planning - Incorporate mutual aid and community, not just the household d46ebe227fa5dd1d.jpg How does a house(hold) change when we start to value resilience in our everyday choices? How does the economy change when these behaviors become automatic and mainstream? fc35f30166e0252b.jpg I feel seen. RT @tenderlove@twitter.com One thing I like about working from home is that you can cry in your office instead of the bathroom 🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/tenderlove/status/1182399191827398658 inscope.social	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362887
__label__cc	0.648906	0.351094	Purified SD Rat CD3 Pan T Cells CD3 Pan T cells purified from Sprague Dawley rat PBMCs Greater than 95% post-selection purity achieved via magnetic isolation Used for a wide variety of safety assessment and functional assays for research and nonclinical drug development Carefully cryopreserved to ensure high viability (> 80%) upon thawing Available Size(s) Choose an option5 million cells / vial SKU: IQB-R1-xx Categories: PBMC, Rat, SD Rat Tags: cd3, pan t cell, pbmc, purified, sd, sd rat, Sprague Dawley About the Sprague Dawley Rat The Sprague Dawley (SD) rat is one of the two most widely-used outbred rat strains in biomedical research, including oncology, neurobiology, toxicology, pharmacology, aging, metabolism/nutrition, and neurobiology. Derived from the Wistar rat strain, the Sprague Dawley rat is also routinely employed in the field of immunology research as a model for autoimmune diseases and immunogenic challenges against pathogens. Thus, cells from Sprague Dawley rats (like SD rat PBMCs) may offer experimental advantages depending on the parameters of your experiments. SD rat CD3 pan T cells consist of both CD4 and CD8 T cells, and make up approximately 50-65% of PBMCs in a typical SD rat. All T cells carry the CD3 protein marker and the T cell receptor (TCR), which recognizes foreign antigens presented by major histocompatibility complex molecules on antigen presenting cells to activate them. T cells develop in the thymus to become mature CD4 or CD8 T cells and exit the thymus to reside and encounter foreign pathogens in lymphoid tissues. When activated, CD4 T cells will become T helper subsets to secrete cytokines to boost either the humoral or cell-mediated immune response. In contrast, CD8 T cells, when stimulated, will become cytotoxic T cells that can lyse infected or transformed cells. Together, these two main subsets work to clear infections or diseased cells. SD Rat CD3 Pan T Cell Application Summary Purified SD rat T cells are a good source of cells to study the biology of T cells and their role in the immune system. T cells are responsible for producing cytokines and performing cytotoxicity. Thus, pan T cells can be used for a variety of stimulation-dependent functional experiments to assess cytokine production, proliferation, and cytotoxicity. Rat SD T cells can be used to assess toxicity and safety characteristics of biologics that target the immune system. Many preclinical drug development experiments using rat T cells are performed before first in-human trials to ensure biologics are not eliciting unwanted functions. Other preclinical uses for rat SD T cells also include testing T cell response in the presence of therapeutic molecules that modulate the immune system. The negative isolation of pan T cells leaves them untouched without any antibody binding to cell surface markers that may influence function. This method leaves all cell surface proteins eligible to be bound to antibodies or other molecules for functional or population characterization studies. In contrast, positive isolation of pan T cells may lead to internalization of the marker that was used to isolate the cells. In most cases, these markers are only used for identification purposes and may not have any effect on function, but it will depend on the organism and function. Therefore, cells isolated using this method may also be employed for functional or population characterization studies with the knowledge that the isolation marker may be internalized and not present. SD Rat CD3 Pan T Cell Purification Collection of samples SD rat PBMCs were sourced from a responsible third party vendor that operates according to local regulations and laws. Isolation of SD Rat CD3 Pan T cells To enrich for SD rat CD3 pan T cells by the negative selection method, PBMCs were incubated with antibodies against B cells, NK cells, dendritic cells, monocytes, granulocytes, and erythrocytes, and subsequently subjected to a magnet. Cells labeled with the antibodies bound to the magnet through the test tube wall, while unlabeled cells, the CD3 pan T cells, were decanted into a fresh tube to obtain the enriched population. For the positive selection method, PBMCs were incubated in a test tube with antibodies against a pan T cell-specific marker, which will vary depending on the species of the organism, and subsequently subjected to a magnet, similar to negative isolation. However, the cells that were decanted into the fresh test tube were the non-pan T cells, which can be used for other purposes, while the labeled pan T cells were left bound to the magnet through the test tube wall. The test tube was then removed from the magnet to release the purified pan T cells directly into the test tube. Contact us for more information about purchasing our magnetically isolated pan T cells. A small aliquot of cells was tested for post-sort purity by flow cytometry analysis. Purity of pan-T cells, as defined by CD3 expression, was > 95% (Figure 1). Figure 1. Purity of pan-T cells after negative magnetic isolation from PBMCs. In this representation, SD rat PBMCs were incubated with antibodies against B cells, NK cells, dendritic cells, monocytes, granulocytes, and erythrocytes and subjected to negative magnetic isolation to obtain pan-T cells by negative selection. A small aliquot was taken after selection to evaluate post-sort purity (right). Percent of CD3+ cells in PBMCs is also shown (left). Purified SD rat CD3 pan T cells were cryopreserved carefully using iQ Biosciences’ cryopreservation protocol that ensures high viability after thawing. 5 million cells / vial Pan T Cells Normal Peripheral Blood Request a Cellular Products Fact Sheet for Non-Human PBMCs Beagle Canine Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) SD Rat Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) C57BL/6 Mouse Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) Human CLL Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362893
__label__cc	0.722756	0.277244	JUMPCUT ALL THE WAY: Christmas with the Kranks (2004) 05/12/2018 01/12/2018 / Hughes Reviews Directed by: Joe Roth Starring: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, Julie Gonzalo, M.Emmet Walsh, Cheech Marin Written by Chris Gelderd This 2004 American festive comedy is directed by Joe Roth and stars Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, Julie Gonzalo, M.Emmet Walsh, and Cheech Marin. When young Blair Krank (Gonzalo) leaves for Peru in the Peace Corps after Thanksgiving, her parents Luther (Allen) and Nora (Curtis) agree to invest the thousands of dollars they usually spend in Christmas decorations, food and gifts to fund a luxury cruise; skipping Christmas in their local neighbourhood. They start to become frowned upon by their neighbours, none more so than Vic Frohmeyer (Aykroyd), who takes charge in rallying everyone to decorate their houses to win the local prize for best decorations. Luther stands his ground after coming under pressure from Vic, community carol singers and even local children, all hoping for him to reconsider and keep the festive spirit alive. But on Christmas Eve, hours before departing, Blair calls to reveal she is engaged and is en-route home with her new fiancé to spend Christmas at home once more. Nora is more than willing to drop the cruise and rally around for last-minute decorations, food and gifts to welcome her daughter home, but Luther will face more of a battle to convince others to help him before Blair arrives home to nothing… Probably one of the few Christmas films that I think is ok every year before watching, but when I actually DO watch it I remember how poor it really is on the surface. It’s got everything you need for a basic, run-of-the-mill madcap seasonal film; the festive community, chaotic shopping sprees, decoration disasters, a picture-perfect happy ending with cranky neighbours and bitter families alongside slapstick chaos…but something about this film is done in a way that is more irritating and drab than others. Most of the film spends time making you resent the community the Kranks life in, as the basis of the story revolves around how two parents, parted from their grown-up daughter, want to go away on a cruise for Christmas. Sounds nice. BUT we are introduced to cantankerous and creepy, stalker-ish neighbours, headed by a silly and wasted Dan Aykroyd, who spend a good portion of the time bullying, moaning and threatening the Kranks to make them stay around and decorate their home. Basically, pushing them into something they have no right to participate in. The Kranks are a very irritating couple from the outset – frumpy Jamie Lee Curtis comes across as very screechy and very unstable. Tim Allen, who increasingly comes over like he is the King of Christmas Comedy (after his ‘Santa Clause Trilogy’), gurns, goofs and over-acts his way through this in a series of un-funny set pieces, dialogue exchanges and slapstick humour. With an irritating couple to start with, mixed with a creepy community, this doesn’t give you anything other than maybe a few chuckles as the mad-cap dash to escape Christmas ensues (it’s been done better), and then the finale of the film has it all reversed for a mad-cap dash to build Christmas (it’s been done better). Very flat and clichéd supporting characters – the lazy cops, the grumpy old man, the cheeky children – give you something that is very un-memorable and rather un-funny unless you like your Christmas films to come over as very over-acted, very hammy and very tacky – festive films are usually a mix of all three, but there is usually a charm behind them. This has nothing like that. Cheech Marin, Christmas with the Kranks, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Joe Roth, Julie Gonzalo, JUMPCUT All The Way, M.Emmet Walsh, Tim Allen ← I’m Really Excited For ‘John Wick 3: Parabellum’ And You Should Be Too! REVIEW: Disobedience (2018) →	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362908
__label__wiki	0.617082	0.617082	Home / Shop / Signed DVDs/Blu-rays / The Sarah Jane Adventures – Series 4 Blu-ray Box Set Created by former Doctor Who show runner, Russell T Davies, this exciting action-adventure series follows the exploits of school friends Luke, Clyde and Rani, who team up with alien investigator Sarah Jane Smith and her trusty super-computer Mr Smith to examine strange and mysterious events. This time, Sarah Jane is reunited with another of the Doctor's former companions, Jo Grant, and they're joined by the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) in an adventure featuring new vulture aliens and a trip to an alien planet. The Sarah Jane Adventures - Series 4 Blu-ray Box Set quantity SKU: SJABR Category: Signed DVDs/Blu-rays Doctor Who: Dalek War DVD Box Set Doctor Who: Colony in Space DVD	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362915
__label__cc	0.623051	0.376949	Greg Dwyer started in radio as Marconi's Street Guy. He pioneered such bits as "Take The Black Plague Challenge" and "Battle Of The Sexes." Later, he and Bill Michaels rewrote the book of morning radio in Peoria. That book turned out to be more of a Cliff's Notes, and they promptly left The Caterpillar City for the green of John Deere. Heck, that was in 1990. If this link is still working, then they must still be employed! Veteran Carries Fellow Marine Up Mountain Summit A life lesson about friendship, brotherhood, and perseverance. One Night Of Queen is Making A Triumphant Return to the Quad Cities Back by popular demand, One Night of Queen! Inmate Tried to Disguise Himself as His Daughter to Escape Join Shawn McKenna for the "Tool of the Day" weekdays at 12:15pm on 97-7 KCRR! Hostess Is Releasing New Dark Blue Twinkies They go on sale this week exclusively at Walmart, and for a limited time. Surveillance Video Shows RAGBRAI Rider Defecating In Driveway ...And another group of riders were defecating in a cluster of trees. High-Ranking Iowa Government Official Is Forced to Resign Because of His Tupac Obsession Apparently, people had complained about his Tupac obsession before. Dixon Mom Arrested for Having Her Kids Ride in an Inflatable Pool on Her Car Join Shawn McKenna for stories like these during the "Tool of the Day", weekdays at 12:20pm on 97-7 KCRR! New Pill Will Immediately Sober You Up If You Get Too High This new invention sounds like it could prevent a LOT of freakouts and ER trips. Family Brawl Breaks Out at Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland A family was at Disneyland and got into a brawl right in the middle of Mickey's Toontown. Fastest Lawnmower In The World Sets New Guinness Record Speed was tracked by a VBOX onboard recording device and averaged 6.29 seconds in two different runs.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362916
__label__cc	0.719036	0.280964	Life at Intralox Intralox Intralox is headquartered in New Orleans and is a global provider of conveying solutions, offering direct service in more than 40 countries. Intralox offers an unparalleled opportunity for those who want to work for an established, yet consistently growing company, with opportunities for international exposure and continuous improvement. Intralox is one of four operating divisions of Laitram, LLC and has been recognized for innovation and workplace excellence, including New Orleans City Business “Best Place to Work” award. To learn more about the culture, philosophy, and benefits at Intralox, please visit our Careers website. Intralox’s New Product Development Department has an open position for Design Engineer to develop new products for the Food Industry. These products are critical to food safety and operational excellence in increasingly challenging and diverse operating environments. This individual will be primarily responsible for transforming problem statements into marketable, high-performing products through engineering analysis, design, validation, manufacturing support and post-release support of the product into the market. You will have the opportunity to own new products from concept to completion. Lead developments projects and implement designs from the conceptual phase through prototype, qualification, and into production Research desired performance requirements and determine how to achieve measurable results Work with a project manager to develop timelines, ensure projects stay within budget and match the scope of the projects to accelerate validated solutions to the market. Develop test plans to evaluate the performance of materials, components, and systems Communicate and interface with team members, representatives from other departments, and internal customers regarding problem/opportunity definitions, project scope, and project status Collaborate with in-house patent attorney on filing patents for new concepts including drafting/proofing claims and drawings Travel (10-15% max) is required periodically to: Investigate and understand problem definitions and customer needs (Voice of Customer) Learn about the specific industries and operations for which our products will be designed Perform field testing evaluations and follow ups Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical/Industrial Engineering or related engineering discipline (i.e. controls or electrical with an interest in mechanical work) 3-10 years engineering experience A self-managed individual who excels in a team environment Strong analytical skills that can quickly recognize root causes, think in free body diagrams, and correlate technical decision-making to commercial strategies. Strong organizational and time management skills Hands-on approach to problem solving Enthusiastic about continuous learning and personal growth. Approaches work with the mindset of making a difference and maximizing value. Solid Modeling experience in Pro-E, SolidWorks or Inventor Proficiency in MS Office Suite Experience/Knowledge with conveyance and large scaling manufacturing processes/facilities, especially food processing. Experience in plastic part design, material selection, and plastic manufacturing techniques (e.g. injection molding, extrusion, 3D printing and machining) #LI-AMERICAS Share Mechanical Engineer with Twitter Share Mechanical Engineer with Facebook Share Mechanical Engineer with Google Share Mechanical Engineer with LinkedIn Share Mechanical Engineer with a friend via e-mail © Copyright 2020 by Intralox L.L.C. All rights reserved \| Privacy Policy \| Terms of Use Laitram and its subsidiaries are an equal opportunity employer. Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color or protected veteran status. Click here to view information on your protections under U.S. Federal Law. If you need reasonable accommodation to complete any part of our application process, including the use of this website, please contact our team at TalentAcquisition@intralox.com	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362917
__label__cc	0.566234	0.433766	Barraband's Natural History - The Field Museum Edition Barraband Pl. 39, Le Momot dombé https://joel-oppenheimer-inc.odoo.com/shop/product/ofba3-039-barraband-pl-39-le-momot-dombe-2823 The Field Museum Edition, Limited edition of 500 Blind embossed with the Oppenheimer Editions and The Field Museum logos Barraband's Natural History, The Oppenheimer Field Museum Edition Jacques Barraband’s rendering skills are unparalleled. His prints of birds remain among the most life-like in natural history art. His luminously colored engravings, combined with Francois Levaillant’s exact ornithological depictions represent a high point in the history of ornithological art. In his work, the birds seem to glow on the paper, giving off an inner vitality that comes from a brilliant use of color, a near- perfect rendering of feathers, and a breathtaking mastery of the printing process. Jacques Barraband collaborated with Louis Bouquet (1765—1814) and Langlois to create the engravings. The plates were then inked à la poupée, an early method of color printing. Jacques Barraband (1767—1809) was well-known for his accomplishments as an artist long before he came to work for famed French naturalist Francois Levaillant (1753—1824). From 1801—1805, these men collaborated on the world’s best-known natural history work about parrots, Histoire Naturelle Des Perroquets. The pair would go on to collaborate on other great works, Histoire Naturelle Des Oiseaux Des Paradis et des Rolliers (Birds of Paradise), and Histoire Naturelle des Promerops (Toucans). Click here for more Barraband's Natural History, The Oppenheimer Field Museum Edition Specifications for Barraband Pl. 39, Le Momot dombé	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362919
__label__cc	0.734773	0.265227	Relationship Between Dietary Factors and Bodily Iron Status Among Japanese Collegiate Elite Female Rhythmic Gymnasts in International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism Yuki Kokubo 1 , Yuri Yokoyama 2 , Kumiko Kisara 3 , Yoshiko Ohira 4 , Ayaka Sunami 2 , Takahiro Yoshizaki 5 , Yuki Tada 6 , Sakuko Ishizaki 3 , Azumi Hida 6 and Yukari Kawano 6 1 Kinjo Gakuin University 2 Tokyo University of Agriculture and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 3 Japan Women’s College of Physical Education 4 Fujisangyo Co., Ltd 5 Toyo University 6 Tokyo University of Agriculture https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2015-0123 preseason; weight loss periods; protein intake This cross-sectional study explored the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) and associations between dietary factors and incidence of ID in female rhythmic gymnasts during preseason periods. Participants were 60 elite collegiate rhythmic gymnasts (18.1 ± 0.3 years [M ± SD]) who were recruited every August over the course of 8 years. Participants were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of ID. Presence of ID was defined either by ferritin less than 12 µg/L or percentage of transferrin saturation less than 16%. Anthropometric and hematologic data, as well as dietary intake, which was estimated via a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, were compared. ID was noted in 48.3% of participants. No significant group-dependent differences were observed in physical characteristics, red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, haptoglobin, or erythropoietin concentrations. The ID group had a significantly lower total iron-binding capacity; serum-free iron; percentage of transferrin saturation; ferritin; and intake of protein, fat, zinc, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, beans, and eggs but not iron or vitamin C. The recommended dietary allowance for intake of protein, iron, zinc, and various vitamins was not met by 30%, 90%, 70%, and 22%–87% of all participants, respectively. Multiple logistic analysis showed that protein intake was significantly associated with the incidence of ID (odds ratio = 0.814, 95% confidence interval [0.669, 0.990], p = .039). Participants in the preseason’s weight-loss periods showed a tendency toward insufficient nutrient intake and were at a high risk for ID, particularly because of lower protein intake. * Kokubo is with the Department of Food and Nutritional Environment, College of Human Life and Environment, Kinjo Gakuin University, Aichi, Japan. Yokoyama and Sunami are with the Graduate School of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan. Kisara and Ishizaki are with the Department of Sport Wellness Science, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Japan Women’s College of Physical Education, Tokyo, Japan. Ohira is with the Fujisangyo Co., Ltd, Chiba, Japan. Yoshizaki is with the Faculty of Food and Nutritional Sciences, Toyo University, Gunma, Japan. Tada, Hida, and Kawano are with the Department of Food and Nutritional Science, Faculty of Applied Bio-Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan. Address author correspondence to Yukari Kawano at y1kawano@nodai.ac.jp or Azumi Hida at a3hida@nodai.ac.jp. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism Yuki Kokubo Yuri Yokoyama Kumiko Kisara Yoshiko Ohira Ayaka Sunami Takahiro Yoshizaki Yuki Tada Sakuko Ishizaki Azumi Hida Yukari Kawano	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362925
__label__wiki	0.7173	0.7173	Konica Minolta’s Glenn Mathis And Mike Stramaglio Named As 2019 Difference Makers ENX Magazine’s Annual List Recognizes Two Executives From ITS division, All Covered Ramsey, NJ, (May 7, 2019) Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) is pleased to announce two leaders from its ITS division, All Covered, have been identified as 2019 Difference Makers by ENX Magazine. ENX Magazine’s annual list recognizes executives in the office technology universe who have made ‘bona fide impacts on their customers, companies, vendors, suppliers, partners, co-workers and other associates.’ Glenn Mathis, Vice President, Global Client Services and Solutions, All Covered, is a 20-year industry veteran, currently responsible for the fast-growing Professional Services consulting organization and on-site implementations services for Konica Minolta. Mathis owns an exemplary track record in leading technology-related professional services organizations and geographically dispersed sales and account management teams supporting national and international markets. “Glenn’s passion for challenging the status quo, seeing a better future and making it happen have been critical to me personally, to All Covered and, ever increasingly, to Konica Minolta at both a domestic and global level,” said Todd Croteau, President, All Covered. “Glenn is a non-stop difference maker day in and day out.” Mike Stramaglio is the President of All Covered’s MWA Business Unit. During his 45-year career he has served as president and COO of Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions, held senior management positions with Minolta Corp. and Ricoh Corp., and was a general manager for EFI. It was at EFI that Stramaglio was responsible for automated dispatch systems (ADS) and the Intelligent Device Management solution set, which led to the genesis of Mobile Workforce Automation (MWA) in 2006. In 2018, MWA was acquired by Konica Minolta, which added it to the All Covered Business Consulting Services division. Stramaglio is also known throughout the industry for his annual cross-country motorcycle ride, Ride for The Jillian Fund. Started seven years ago to help veteran organizations, Stramaglio added The Jillian Fund four years ago to help support its mission to provide financial support to parents with children who are suffering life-threatening illnesses requiring critical care. Raj Thadani, President, Mars International, comments, “Mike is one of those unique personalities who transcends time, technology and relationships, almost movie-star like. He not only crosses these thresholds himself, but often pulls others along with him.” Previous ENX Difference Makers from Konica Minolta include: Rick Taylor, President and CEO Todd Croteau, President, All Covered Scott Swidersky, President, ECM Sam Errigo, Executive Vice President, Sales and Business Development Kay Du Fernandez, Senior Vice President, Marketing Nick Pegley, Senior Vice President, Solutions and Services and Deputy General Manager for Digital Workplace Dino Pagliarello, Vice President, Product Management and Planning Nelson Lin, Vice President of IT Services and CIO Dennis Curry, Executive Director and Deputy CTO, Konica Minolta, Inc. Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future™ with its expansive smart office product portfolio from IT Services (All Covered), ECM, Managed Print Services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for 12 consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2017 America's Best Employers list. The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT Software category. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for six consecutive years. It partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit: www.CountOnKonicaMinolta.com and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, Linked In and Twitter. About ENX Magazine ENX Magazine is a monthly publication dedicated to the office technology and document imaging industry since 1994. Now in its 25th year, ENX Magazine continues to deliver exclusive editorial coverage on market opportunities and issues, news and trends, company profiles, new products, and industry insights through interviews with key players in all segments of the document technology industry. With a circulation of more than 28,000 hard copies, ENX magazine serves as a leading integrated resource that brings together industry people, products, and business concepts and strategies for document technology industry professionals. Konica Minolta Contact Maggie Grande mgrande@kmbs.konicaminolta.us	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362928
__label__wiki	0.704458	0.704458	JOURNALISM: Cannabis & Human Resources [Download .doc version] Investigative News, Marijuana and Human Resources by Jeffrey Reed, As Published By Inside Track Magazine As of October 17, 2018, Canadians will be able to legally purchase and consume cannabis. Yet the so-called marijuana law isn't as black and white as buying and using the substance, especially when it comes to liability attached to employer-employee relations and job safety which, ultimately, affects the population as whole. In fact, legislation outlining the federal government's approach to Bill C-45 has created a grey haze of smoke in the eyes of many industry sectors, including the railway industry. As the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) welcomed the Railway Safety Act (RSA) on May 31, it encouraged the rail industry and Transport Canada to consider measures that would help advance safety as legalization of cannabis approached. RAC outlined in detail "why Canada's railways are concerned," and "what Canada should do before marijuana is legalized." Said RAC, "Safety is a top priority for Canada's railways. Before recreational marijuana becomes legal, governments should be on board with policies to ensure workplaces remain safe." According to RAC, drug impairment poses a danger to everyone in the workplace. This is particularly the case in safety-sensitive industries such as rail where impairment can increase the risks of serious injury and death. RAC believes "cannabis use could increase following legalization. Evidence from jurisdictions where marijuana has been legalized demonstrates increased consumption following legalization." In addition, RAC raised concerns about how marijuana can impair the critical abilities necessary for working safely. "These skills, such as quick reaction times, the ability to respond to unexpected events, and sound decision making, are those needed for the safe operation of locomotives and equipment in rail operating environments," RAC outlined. RAC offered three suggestions in the preparation of legalized marijuana: Establish maximum permissible evidence-based levels of marijuana impairment, especially for those working in transportation safety positions; Develop an acceptable standard for instruments used to measure cannabis impairment, similar to a breathalyzer; Introduce regulatory tools allowing those in safety-sensitive industries to enforce zero-tolerations impairment policies when it comes to marijuana. Currently, railway employees in Canada can be tested for drug or alcohol use if suspected of using either, if they are involved in a derailment or safety violation or when they return to work following rehabilitation. In addition, positions involving maximum safety requirements need to pass a drug screen. And engineers and conductors operating in the U.S. can face random testing by American law enforcement officers. Fiona Brown, a partner at Toronto law firm Aird & Berlis LLP, focuses on advising clients with respect to compliance with employment standards, human rights, pay equity, occupational health and safety requirements and minimizing liabilities with respect to terminations. She said the legalization of recreational cannabis will result in "significant societal changes." According to Brown, "Many employers operating in safety-sensitive industries, such as the railway industry, are considering whether to implement drug and alcohol testing. In fact, certain employers have called for legislation to explicitly permit post-incident, reasonable cause, random and other drug testing. "Drug testing in Canada is acceptable in very limited circumstances and it is again a highly fact-specific inquiry. It is very important for employers in safety-sensitive industries to take proactive steps to craft new or update existing policies addressing cannabis use and impairment in the workplace," Brown said. According to Patrick Groom, a partner in the Labour and Employment Group of McMillan LLP in Toronto, there is no "one-size-fits-all" policy for employers to address use of cannabis. But Groom encourages all employers to implement a drug and alcohol policy, whether it involve marijuana, prescription drugs or other narcotics or substances which may impair staff. "I have had several clients who operate in the railway industry - for example, people who do track maintenance (who have had concerns)," Groom said of questions that have arisen regarding the use of marijuana. "It's not unusual for an employee to light up a cigarette while they're maintaining tracks outside, or working alongside the rails. Where there's concern is that people may not treat marijuana with as much classification, or think of it as something like alcohol, and instead may be tempted to spark up a marijuana cigarette." When it comes to cannabis in the workplace, Brown said there is no absolute right to use cannabis at work, and concurrently the legalization of recreational use will not substantially change this principle. "Access to cannabis for medical purposes has been legal in Canada since 2000," Brown explained. "Accordingly, many employers already have policies in place addressing the use of cannabis in the workplace. Human rights legislation and case law impose a very broad duty on employers to accommodate medical cannabis users and employees addicted to cannabis to the �point of undue hardship.' The scope of this duty to accommodate has been heavily litigated and unlikely to change in response to the legalization of recreational use. Accommodation is a highly fact-specific determination and may involve modified hours, duties and/or time off work on an unpaid basis. Recreational use may be more contentious and subject to change as the case law develops, according to Brown. She recommended as a first step that employers update existing or craft new cannabis policies to address the legalization of recreational cannabis. "When drafting policies, employers may also consider looking to existing case law regarding non-prescription medication and alcohol," she said. "As with alcohol, employers may prohibit the use and possession of cannabis in the workplace and discipline employees who attend work while impaired." McMillan LLP Litigation Group lawyer Laura Brazil, who specializes in construction, real estate and commercial litigation, said prior to the October 17 legalization date that a proactive approach would have been best. She added, it's not just imperative to have a policy in place, but also it is critical to "train your employees, and make sure they are familiar with (the policy). This is not something you want implemented the day after legalization. Now is the time to put the policy in place and to be training your employees." Brazil said questions have arisen as to "how do you measure impairment, and how do you define that in your policy since, unlike alcohol, there isn't an established limit, or even a clear testing method that's generally accepted? So this is a good time to revisit your existing policy, but also a good time to update it with a view to the unique aspects of cannabis." Brazil said not only is it important to walk your employees through the policy, but also "it's important to get their written signoff so that you're protecting yourself as an employer." Added Groom, "Training is an ongoing thing. Once it's out and people understand the policy, and they've signed off, that's the main thing. But reminding people that the policy is an ongoing thing is important." No group is more conscious of how recreational use of marijuana could lead to disaster than the Canadian military. On September 7, new restrictions were unveiled after a year of internal planning. What resulted were the military's new policy which is tougher than its policy on alcohol use. It applies to all uniformed personnel as well as civilian staff of the Department of Defence. All Canadian military personnel must refrain from using marijuana at least eight hours before duty. Military members serving overseas, and those on aircraft and ships, are not allowed any use of marijuana. In addition, there's a 24-hour restriction on service members who plan to handle or maintain a weapon, ammunition or military equipment, plus a 28-day restriction on members of the military who are soon serving on submarines, aircraft or operating a drone. If anything is certain now that Canadians may purchase and use cannabis, it's that uncertainty has arisen amongst employers in terms of regulations and safety associated with marijuana use. Working with a lawyer to update drug and alcohol policies is a must. Educating staff is an ongoing task. After all, there should be no shortcuts involved when safety is at risk. Download Jeffrey's Articles Cover Story: WindEEE Dome (41KB) Business London Magazine Flying High With The Western Mustangs Cheerleaders (55KB) The Londoner MCI Design-Build Profile (34KB) Russ Howard (42KB) Hockey Dynasties (68KB) Cover Story (PDF - 8.2MB) Employee Manuals (32KB) International Window Cleaning Association Phil Esposito (30KB) Homebuilding Profile (20KB) New Homes & Condos For Sale Canadian Curling (28KB) Montreal Expos (29KB) Junior Achievement/London Business Hall of Fame (20KB) Rudy Ruettiger (PDF - 668KB) London Free Press 2017 Golf Guide Amateur Radio Profile, Business London Magazine (DOC - 53KB) Profile: Badder Bus Operations, Road Explorer Magazine (DOC - 62KB) Workplace Wellness, Business London Magazine (PDF - 3.5MB) \| about jeffrey \| journalism \| pr/marketing \| photography \| testimonials \| contact \| main \| Site Contents © Jeffrey Reed	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362930
__label__cc	0.743415	0.256585	Home › NoSQL › Couchbase › Exploring NoSQL: Couchbase Exploring NoSQL: Couchbase Posted on April 1, 2012 by Jim Downey — Leave a comment In February 2011, Membase, Inc. and CouchOne merged to combine the strengths of their two open-source NoSQL projects, Membase and CouchDB. The joint team released Couchbase 1.8 in January, 2012 as an upgrade to Membase 1.7. Version 2.0 is now available as a developer preview. Meanwhile, CouchDB lives on as an independent project under Apache. Membase, developed by several leaders of the Memcached project, maintains protocol compatibility with Memcached, making it possible to plug in Membase as a replacement for Memcached without rewriting application code. Like Memcached, Membase is a key-value store supporting set and get operations. But Membase adds persistence and replication. While Memcached removes items from cache when it runs out of memory, Membase makes room by moving items to disk. And while Memcached stores each item on a single server, Membase replicates items to additional servers, first to memory, and then to disk as needed. CouchDB is a document-oriented database that stores values as JSON documents. Like Riak, CouchDB is written in Erlang, a language designed for distributed, concurrent, fault-tolerant, soft real-time systems. The merged result, Couchbase, combines the capabilities of both products, serving as either a key-value store or as a document-oriented database, depending on the use case and values being stored. Like Membase, Couchbase can replace Memcached without a code rewrite, meaning it can function as a key-value store in the manner of Memcached. Indeed, the Couchbase API supports the set and get of arbitrary binary values without forcing values to conform to JSON. And while internally all items get stored as JSON with arbitrary values kept as attachments, this need not matter to a developer. Indeed, there are quite a few use cases in which it would make sense to use Couchbase as a key-value store and ignore its document-oriented capabilities. For values that do conform to JSON, however, Couchbase provides document-oriented capabilities. Indeed, it shares many features with MongoDB. Couchbase organizes data into buckets, a concept very much akin to a MongoDB collection (and comparable to a relational table minus the schema). Both databases support sharding, replication, automatic failover, and the ability to add capacity without downtime. Both provide rich monitoring capabilities. And both emphasize consistency over high-availability, requiring that all writes go to a single master responsible for a segment of a key space so that every read consistently returns the latest value. And both Couchbase and MongoDB enable developers to retrieve collections of documents using fields other than the primary key, but the manner in which they do so varies significantly. Each has taken a different data retrieval feature from the relational database world as its starting point. MongoDB supports secondary indexes and ad-hoc queries, much like SQL but without joins. Couchbase supports materialized views. A view is very much like a pre-written query. A materialized view stores the sorted results of the query in memory or on disk ready for fast retrieval. In Couchbase, a developer creates these materialized views using JavaScript map-reduce functions. Couchbase supports updating views either on writes or reads, the latter approach making sense following bulk updates. While not as easy to define as a MongoDB query, a Couchbase view, just like a view in a relational database, can look dramatically different than the underlying data and may include aggregated values. Because views on large data sets can take a long time to materialize, Couchbase provides for developer views, which run against a random subset of data. When ready, a developer can publish a view to production and have it materialized against an entire data set. Last week, I had the chance to watch Matt Ingenthron, Director of Developer Solutions at Couchbase, and Dustin Sallings, Couchbase’s Chief Architect, demo this feature at a Couchbase user group in San Francisco. It is clearly a critically important feature for large data sets. Whether the Couchbase or MongoDB model makes the most sense for any application depends on the use case. If an application requires a key-value store in some places and document-oriented features in others, Couchbase might make sense. And if an application built on Memcached now needs a more reliable cache, Couchbase may well make a good fit. But for developers looking for ad-hoc queries and indexing reminiscent of relational databases, MongoDB would feel more comfortable. No matter your preference, the evolution of these two open-source document-oriented NoSQL databases demonstrates that choice is alive and well in the open source community. Exploring NoSQL: MongoDB Exploring NoSQL: Memcached Exploring NoSQL: Redis Exploring NoSQL: Riak ‹ Be Careful with Sloppy Quorums Not NoSQL, NewSQL › Posted in Couchbase, CouchDB, MongoDB, NoSQL, Uncategorized	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362933
__label__wiki	0.690141	0.690141	The music week in review: Jay-Z, Calvin Harris, St. Vincent and more PHOTO CRED: Facebook By August Prum June 30, 2017 July 4th weekend is upon us. As you flock to the beach or wherever you plan to honor our nation’s independence by heavy day drinking, you’ll need some accompanying music. It’s been a hell of a week of releases, with new material from some of the powerhouses of music. Whether you’re trying to listen to some good ol’-fashioned hip-hop, groove to Calvin Harris, or get emotional to St. Vincent, we got you. Jay-Z – 4:44 The king has returned. 4:44 dropped at midnight last night and has set the whole world ablaze. This might be some of the realest shit we’ve heard out of Jay-Z, not to mention hip-hop itself, in a minute. Jay-Z raps about his infidelities, disses Kanye, talks about black-owned businesses, and his mother coming out of the closet. 4:44 is some grown shit. It’s great to have Hov back. Calvin Harris – Funk Wav. Bounces Vol.1 After previewing snippets of Funk Wav. Bounces Vol.1 a couple weeks ago, courtesy of a dancing parrot, Calvin Harris dropped the album and it’s a pop/dance music masterpiece. Harris supplies his trademark toe-tapping production, the musical equivalent of driving around Miami with the top down, and then pairs that instrumentation with an amazing guest list of hip-hop musicians. Some of the collaborations include Migos and Frank Ocean; Thug, Pharrell, and Ariana Grande; and Snoop Dogg, John Legend, and Takeoff. That’s quite the group. Funk Wav. Bounces will be ringing out all summer. Washed Out – Mister Mellow Washed Out, real name Ernest Greene, one of the originators of the chillwave sound that dominated the early 2010’s, dropped the true-to-the-name Mister Mellow on Friday. Greene changed up the game with 2010’s Life of Leisure and 2011’s Within and Without, but although Mister Mellow has some serious chill factor, there’s nothing overly revolutionary about this album. Still, if you’re looking to zone out, or spark a conversation about the merits of chillwave, Mister Mellow is worth a listen. Trouble – 16 If mature rap about marriage and Black capitalism or fluffy pop-house music isn’t your thing at the moment, let me introduce you to Trouble. Trouble is one of the most slept on dudes in the game, although he has somewhat of a cult following in his hometown of Atlanta. Up until now, Trouble has been a mixtape rapper, but this 6-track “collection” is merely a preview for an upcoming full-length album with Mike Will Made-It. 16 is about as hard as it gets, so if you’re spending your July 4th weekend moving bricks instead of going to the beach, this should be your soundtrack. St. Vincent – “New York” On a completely different note, St. Vincent released a new single, “New York,” on which St. Vincent, real name Annie Clark, laments the loss of her partner and the city they shared together. Clark sings painfully about the transformation of the city after a supposed break up, “You’re the only motherfucker in the city that can handle me.” It’s a pretty big departure from St. Vincent’s catalog, much more emotional and melancholic than Clark’s other work. Anyone who has had a NYC breakup will feel this one deeply. Tyler, the Creator – “Who Dat Boy” & “911/Mr. Lonely” Tyler, the Creator released a pair of songs, the first music releases from the Odd Future rapper since 2015’s Cherry Bomb. “Who Dat Boy” brings along ASAP Rocky and has menacing, horror movie-sounding strings for Rocky and Tyler to trade bars over. “911/Mr. Lonely” is a more low-key track that brings along Frank Ocean, but then transitions into a snapping, fast-paced banger as Tyler raps about how lonely he is. It’s good to see Tyler back to his old tricks. Toro y Moi – “You and I” Toro y Moi (Chaz Bundick) released “You and I” and accompanying visuals this week. “You and I” is the second release off Bundick’s new album Boo Boo after “Girl Like You” from a couple of weeks ago. Another forefather of the chillwave sound, Bundick and Washed Out actually went to the University of South Carolina together and they’ve come a long way from their first releases years ago. They’re now making mature music, for better or for worse. “You and I” is a soft, contemplative song about a relationship, it seems we’ll see a more open and emotional Bundick on Boo Boo, slated for release on July 7th. More good news for Chaz as June 27th was named “Chaz Bundick Day” in Berkeley, California. Future – “Extra Luv” ft. YG Future has added another track to Future, one of his albums from earlier this year, teaming up with YG for “Extra Luv.” It’s been a wild year for Future, as he became the first artist in history to have two different number 1 albums in back-to-back weeks. Last week, Future announced a world tour and YG is apparently cooking up the follow up to Still Brazy and Red Friday. Desiigner – “Liife” ft. Gucci Mane Desiigner dropped his debut mixtape New English earlier this week, the highlight being “Liife” with Gucci Mane. I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t really buying into this whole Desiigner dude, but “Liife” is pretty dope, and, of course, Gucci Mane’s verse is brazy. The young Brooklyn kid has taken a lot of heat since coming up, perhaps rightfully so at times, but shouts out to him. Just a kid trying to get paper. Lil Pump – “Molly” So… this is what the kids are listening to, huh? This dude Lil Pump has gained a ridiculous cult following after “Flex Like Ouu,” which has over 16 million plays on SoundCloud, dropped in March and, well, it sure is something. On “Molly,” Pump raps about the various drugs he is taking over a simple lo-fi beat. This whole new crop of young rappers are really making waves with this aggressive, drug-addled style of music. Again, they’re getting a lot of hate, and it may not be your cup of tea, but there’s definitely something magnetic about rappers like Lil Pump, XXXtentacion, and Smokepurpp. Tags calvin harris jay z st. vincent August Prum Gus is a writer and MFA student living in the LES. In this cold world he’s just tryna get this trash content off. Gus has many different interests, including soccer and halal, but mostly just flaming your favorite lyrical rappers. 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__label__cc	0.720348	0.279652	LEAP Global Imagine a world, where we TAKE A LEAP… RASHIDA MIMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JUANITA C. BRITTON, ADVISOR, QUEEN MOTHER BOTWE NANA ADOBEA II OF KONKO VILLAGE KIM-HARDWICK-BOARD-SECRETARY KWAME ALEXANDER, CO-FOUNDER/DIRECTOR EMERITUS TRACY CHILES MCGHEE, CO-FOUNDER/DIRECTOR EMERITUS NIKKI GIOVANN GIRLS EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE NIKKI GIOVANNI LEAP SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS PRESS Seventy percent of the world’s 263 million out of school children and youth are girls, and nearly two-thirds of the world’s 758 million illiterate adults are women. These facts make gender equality increasingly difficult. We believe that education is one of the clearest paths to girls’ and women’s empowerment. Providing education for girls is the key to creating sustainable communities. The data reveals overwhelming evidence for the case of educating girls: When women and girls earn income, they reinvest 90% back into their families and communities. Education reduces the likelihood of child marriages. A girl with 7 years of education will marry four years later and have 2.2 fewer children Children born to educated mothers are twice as likely to survive past the age of 5 Every extra year of basic school boosts a girl’s future wages by 10-20 percent, while the return on secondary education is 15-25 percent Educating women helps to shift long standing limiting social beliefs that shape the lives of women Our girls empowerment initiative is dedicated to empowering young women to be bold, courageous, leaders in their schools and communities. To combat gender stereotypes, we encourage and inspire young girls to critically examine gender barriers that prevent them from achieving their dreams. Our programming specifically focuses on building self-esteem, developing leadership skills and how girls can use their voices and writings to effect change. HELP OUR GIRLS Sign up for LEAP Global news & events info@leapglobal.org © 2020 LEAP Global · All Rights Reserved · Designed by Driven Communication	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362952
__label__cc	0.746475	0.253525	Civil Code - CIV DIVISION 3. OBLIGATIONS [1427 - 3273] ( Heading of Division 3 amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 160, Sec. 14. ) PART 4. OBLIGATIONS ARISING FROM PARTICULAR TRANSACTIONS [1738 - 3273] TITLE 13. SURETYSHIP [2787 - 2856] ( Heading of Title 13 amended by Stats. 1939, Ch. 453. ) ARTICLE 2. Creation of Suretyship [2792 - 2795] ( Heading of Article 2 amended by Stats. 1939, Ch. 453. ) Where a suretyship obligation is entered into at the same time with the original obligation, or with the acceptance of the latter by the creditor, and forms with that obligation a part of the consideration to him, no other consideration need exist. In all other cases there must be a consideration distinct from that of the original obligation. (Amended by Stats. 1939, Ch. 453.) Except as prescribed by the next section, a suretyship obligation must be in writing, and signed by the surety; but the writing need not express a consideration. A promise to answer for the obligation of another, in any of the following cases, is deemed an original obligation of the promisor, and need not be in writing: (1) Where the promise is made by one who has received property of another upon an undertaking to apply it pursuant to such promise; or by one who has received a discharge from an obligation in whole or in part, in consideration of such promise; (2) Where the creditor parts with value, or enters into an obligation, in consideration of the obligation in respect to which the promise is made, in terms or under circumstances such as to render the party making the promise the principal debtor and the person in whose behalf it is made, his surety; (3) Where the promise, being for an antecedent obligation of another, is made upon the consideration that the party receiving it cancels the antecedent obligation, accepting the new promise as a substitute therefor; or upon the consideration that the party receiving it releases the property of another from a levy, or his person from imprisonment under an execution on a judgment obtained upon the antecedent obligation; (4) Where the promise is upon a consideration beneficial to the promisor, whether moving from either party to the antecedent obligation, or from another person; (5) Where a factor undertakes, for a commission, to sell merchandise and act as surety in connection with the sale; (6) Where the holder of an instrument for the payment of money, upon which a third person is or may become liable to him, transfers it in payment of a precedent debt of his own, or for a new consideration, and in connection with such transfer enters into a promise respecting such instrument. Unless notice of acceptance is expressly required, an offer to become a surety may be accepted by acting upon it, or by acceptance upon other consideration. An absolute suretyship obligation is binding upon the surety without notice of acceptance. CIVCivil Code - CIV2	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362954
__label__wiki	0.526349	0.526349	La Paz Group Experiences with Sense & Sensibility Life In Southwest India January 7, 2020 January 7, 2020 / Crist Inman / Leave a comment An elephant eats jackfruits in the backyard of a house in Valparai, Tamil Nadu. COURTESY OF SREEDHAR VIJAYAKRISHNAN Thanks to Yale e360 for this reminder of the amazing nature we witnessed from 2010-2017 while living in the Western Ghats. The Anamalai Hills in India’s Western Ghats region, shrouded in mist. COURTESY OF GANESH RAGHUNATHAN The Young Writers Awards, presented by Yale Environment 360 and the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, honor the best nonfiction environmental writing by authors under the age of 35. Entries for 2020 were received from six continents, with a prize of $2,000 going to the first-place winner. Read all the winners here. Song of the Western Ghats: A Green Island in a Crowded Land For a young ecologist, the mountains of the Western Ghats are a respite from India’s intense urban life — a lush land of monsoon rains, elephants, king cobras, leopards, and a spectacular assortment of birds — and a place where wildlife and villagers still largely manage to coexist. A dhole, or wild dog, in the Western Ghats. COURTESY OF GANESH RAGHUNATHAN What is it that draws us to the quiet, to the green? To the mist-curtained mountains, where everything is crystal clear – leaves in high definition even against an overcast sky. Where leopards leave their mark in soft mud, and you smell where an otter has walked. Continue reading → Tiger Census as Bright Star July 30, 2019 July 29, 2019 / La Paz Group / Leave a comment photo credit: Dr. Eash Hoskote Tigers and other megafauna felines have frequently held pride of place on this site, beginning long before our company was based in India. Thank you to NPR for reporting on the good news of this census, although in full disclosure their choice of cover photos is quite disappointing and we are happy to highlight a stunning photo by Dr. Eash Hoskote, one of our regular nature photography contributors instead. Census Finds Nearly 3,000 Tigers In India In 2010, India sought to double its tiger population by 2022. But on International Tiger Day, the country announced it met its goal four years earlier than expected. Nearly 3,000 tigers now reside in India, that’s more than 70% of the world’s tiger population. Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 2018 All India Tiger Estimation count on Monday, attributing the figures to India’s hardworking wildlife officials and advocates. “Once the people of India decide to do something, there is no force that can prevent them from getting the desired results,” Modi announced at a news conference. “Today we reaffirm our commitment towards protecting tigers.” He added that India now takes the lead in being the biggest and safest habitat in the world for tigers. The population, now at 2,967, is up from 2,226 since 2014. “There are several plants and animals out there that need our help,” Modi said. “What is it that we can do? Either through technology or human action to give them … a life so that they can add beauty and diversity to our planet.” Continue reading → Aana Art Equaling Life-Sized Conservation April 29, 2019 April 28, 2019 / Amie Inman / Leave a comment Elephants have held highest honors in our family for decades, as symbols for the importance of Nature Conservation, and later infused with the power of Ganesh when we lived in India. Elephant conservation has taken many forms over the years. When writing about the recent Real Elephant Collective collaboration exhibit that took place in Cochin a few months ago, I realized that art installations using elephants as symbols for big picture conservation have existed for some time. Having been unable to attend the exhibit personally, Anoodha and the Curiouser team make me feel that I was there. Misunderstandings That Become Taken For Granted April 21, 2019 April 21, 2019 / Crist Inman / Leave a comment The Atlantic’s website helps me ensure that I do not miss any intriguing episodes of Gastropod, which I listened to more frequently before we moved back to Costa Rica. Especially when we were in the process of developing 51, a restaurant in the colonial spice-trading district of Fort Cochin, in southwest India. This current headline in the Atlantic, which took me back to those years when delicious misunderstandings were the daily fare, was one I had to surrender to: The Word Curry Came From a Colonial Misunderstanding No Indian language uses the term, and the closest-sounding words usually just mean “sauce.” And over at the Gastropod website, this ensured that I would listen all the way through: …According to Lizzie Collingham, food historian and author of Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors, to trace the origins of curry, we need to go back to when the Portuguese first set up shop in Goa, in the early 1500s. “And they’d say, Oooh, what are you eating?” said Collingham, “And the Indians replied using a word like khari or caril.” At the time, Collingham explained, those words likely referred to a particular spice blend, as well as the finished dish it was used in; the same words are still in use, but they now mean sauce or gravy. Today, that’s Raghavan Iyer’s definition: he authored a doorstop of a cookbook called 660 Curries, and he uses “curry” to refer to “anything that has a sauce or gravy—it can be with or without spices.”… Flamingos In The City April 1, 2019 April 9, 2019 / La Paz Group / Leave a comment Flamingos eat plankton in front of an industrial area at Sewri mudflats, Mumbai. Photograph: Divyakant Solanki/EPA-EFE Payal Mohta reported from Mumbai for this story in the Guardian that caught our attention with images of urban flamingos. An unusual beauty can be the result of a common problem. As it is important to understand nature in wilderness areas, which is our strong preference, it is also important to understand these man-made phenomena: People watch flamingos from a boat during the Bombay Natural History Society’s flamingo festival. Photograph: Hindustan Times/Hindustan Times via Getty Images There is an air of anxious excitement among the urban professionals and tourists on board our 24-seater motorboat as we enter Thane Creek. A chorus of “oohs” and “aahs” breaks out as we spot the visions in pink we came to see – hundreds of flamingos listlessly bobbing in the murky green water – followed by the furious clicking of cameras. Flamingos at Sewri. Photograph: Hindustan Times/Hindustan Times via Getty Images Then, almost as one, the birds skim the water and take off in sync. “They always stay together,” says Prathamesh Desai, who has been organising birding excursions in the city for seven years. “They are an extremely gregarious species.”… Flamingos flock to Mumbai between September and April, but this year there are almost three times more birds than the amount that usually flocks to the area. Bachchan Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images That story continues after the jump below. First, thanks to National Public Radio (USA)’s Audrey Nguyen and Sarah Oliver for producing and bringing this story to our attention with this opening line (which goes on to credit the Guardian story as its source): Around this time every year, tens of thousands of flamingos flock to Mumbai to feed. But this year, there are almost three times more than the normal amount in the city — about 120,000. The reason for the influx is currently a mystery. But some scientists believe that pollution in the birds’ natural habitat might be one factor at play… Continue reading → Elephants By The Sea February 26, 2019 April 26, 2019 / La Paz Group / Leave a comment 100 life-size lantana replicas of wild elephants will travel across three continents spreading the message of peaceful coexistence with nature. The beautiful herd of Asian Elephants calmly drinking from this watering hole poses no threat to any onlooker. They’re actually sculptures made from the invasive lantana, introduced to the Indian subcontinent as an ornamental shrub by the British. The harmless looking plant is a scourge to native flora, animals and people of the regions where it’s taken over, as it literally poisons its surroundings so nothing else can survive there, destroying the natural biodiversity of the area. 30 of these extraordinary, life-sized works of art have been on display in Kerala, at Kochi’s South Beach, coinciding with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The outdoor exhibit, entitled Co-Exist: Matriarchs for a Whole Earth, is on display for only until the end of February, after which it will travel to Bangalore and New Delhi. In 2020, the elephant models will be taken to England where they will be displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Parks, both in London. In 2021, they will travel by truck across the USA, where they will finally be auctioned, the proceeds of which will go to preservation of wild animals. The project is a collaboration between multiple organizations, designers and indigenous community artisans. Members of the Ashoka Trust Trust for Research in Ecology & the Environment (ATREE) devised a way to safely craft with lantana as a raw material and support for the making and display of lantana elephants is through the NGOs Elephant Family, The Real Elephant Collective (TREC), and The Shola Trust. Fort Kochi To Have 100 ‘Lantana’ Elephants. And Here’s Why You Need To See Them Highlighting the cause of nature and wildlife conservation at a global scale, the Lantana elephants are part of a greater initiative to raise funds for conservation and help people and elephants live together more harmoniously. On February 7, if you are wandering around the popular South Beach in Fort Kochi, you are sure to come across a magnificent herd of 100 Asian elephants. If you are wondering about the possibility of such a huge congregation of these beings at one place, let us break the news. These are beautifully sculpted life-size elephants that have been made by tribal artisans from Thorapalli in Gudalur using Lantana camara or Lantana, a toxic invasive weed. Lantana elephants are part of a greater initiative to raise funds for conservation and help people and elephants live together more harmoniously. “Our vision is to bring Asia’s elephants and the issues they face out of India and the shadow cast by the African ivory crisis. With Asian elephants numbering only a tenth of their African counterparts, the importance of this unique migration cannot be underplayed. The survival of a species is at stake,” says Ruth Ganesh, principal trustee and the creative force of Elephant Family. She had conceptualised the Lantana herd along with Shubhra Nayar of TREC. Modelled on real elephants from the Gudalur-Pandalur region, in its bid to raise awareness and funds for the conservation of Asian elephants, this unique project is also clearing the harmful Lantana from the Nilgiri forests while providing livelihoods to about 70 artisans from the Paniya, Bettakurumba and Soliga communities. With their inherent knowledge of wild elephants and their exceptional crafting skills with Lantana, these artisans are bringing life to the elephant forms, while earning a dignified income. The elephants are designed by Shubhra Nayar and Tariq T of TREC, with Subhash Gautam overseeing the process. Continue reading → January 11, 2019 January 10, 2019 / La Paz Group / Leave a comment A visitor takes a close look at “Missing Route 4,” a hand-stitched embroidery by Bapi Das.Credit Atul Loke for The New York Times The history of our work in Kerala, and specifically in Kochi, has long been intertwined with Art, and how the surrounding community interacts with it. Biennales, by nature, often blur the line between street art and gallery space, as multi-dimensional and multi-media installations begin to appear on walls, pop-up spaces, cavernous warehouse buildings, and classic museum halls. Now in it’s 4th edition, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, has grown continually in both the breadth of the artists involved, and the depth of its work toward community outreach. This sense of inclusivity extends to gender equality, a longstanding issue that India as a country has battled with; the curator and more than half of the artists are female. As with the previous editions, the installations are thought provoking and moving, at times asking viewers to acknowledge and honor the difficult history of a colonial past. In India, Building Bridges Between Life and Art The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, South Asia’s biggest art show, uses interactive exhibits and live performances to help Indians connect with contemporary art. KOCHI, India — Clad in a simple striped shirt and the white mundu of the city’s fishmongers, Bashir stood out from the well-heeled throng at the warehouse galleries and tree-filled courtyards on the first day of India’s biggest contemporary art show, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Bashir, a fishwrapper who works nearby, visited the Kochi-Muziris Biennale on opening day because entry was free. He lingered over the photographs, including these photo essays by Chandan Gomes, a Delhi photographer. Credit: Atul Loke for The New York Times Keeping to himself, he moved from room to room, stopping to study moody landscapes by the Delhi photographer Chandan Gomes that were paired with imaginary scenes drawn by a girl who died at age 12. “I don’t understand the inner meaning of the art,” said Bashir, who uses one name and makes a living wrapping and delivering fish. “I just like to see beautiful things.” Bashir’s willingness to engage with the artwork, no matter how challenging, was a victory for the show’s organizers. The southern state of Kerala, and India as a whole, have very few public venues to see art. So the organizers of the biennale, which runs until March 29, strove to create an event that would appeal to everyone — from untutored day laborers to veteran museum curators. “We are making a cultural festival,” said Bose Krishnamachari, a painter from Kerala who co-founded the show eight years ago. “We have tried to penetrate to the people’s minds so that they feel that it is their biennale.”… Urban Tree-Huggers Women demonstrators protest a plan to to cut down more than 14,000 trees for a redevelopment project in New Delhi in June 2018. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES Thanks to Yale e360’s Mumbai-based Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar: In India’s Fast-Growing Cities, a Grassroots Effort to Save the Trees In India’s burgeoning urban areas, residents are rallying against the widespread destruction of trees to make way for development. The recent protests highlight a global issue: densely populated megacities in the developing world, which are most in need of tree cover, often have the least. Thousands of trees have been cut down in Mumbai in recent years to make way for new housing, wider roads, and a $3.3 billion subway line. COURTESY OF ZORU BHATHENA The funeral cortege was small. Six people shouldered the bier and others followed, clad in the traditional Indian white. As the group filed past the state assembly building, the armed guards did not give it a second glance. In a few minutes, however, the security forces caught on. The procession winding its way through Mumbai’s government district was not a real funeral: It was a protest. The shrouded body held aloft was not a human — it was the trunk of a tree, one of many, including grand old banyans, cut down for the construction of a $3.3 billion subway line. A protester hugs an old tree in Mumbai to prevent it from being cut down for a subway project. COURTESY OF ZORU BHATHENA Mumbai’s old trees have borne the brunt of new development in the booming city, including road widening, transport projects, and housing construction. The new subway alone is destroying or damaging 5,000 trees, from hundreds of old street trees in the dense parts of the historic island city to more than 2,000 trees in a mini-forest in suburban Aarey Colony, where a rail car shed is to be built. A less visible loss lies in defunct industrial areas, where large plots with old trees and ponds are being redeveloped into residential and commercial towers. “Developers are supposed to replace the trees but no one really checks,” says Stalin D., head of local environmental group, Vanashakti. Continue reading → A Photographic Big Year January 8, 2019 January 10, 2019 / Amie Inman / Leave a comment Black-headed Bunting Jerdons Leaf Bird Grey-headed Parrotbill Great Barbet Rufous Sibia Black-breasted Weaver It’s a relatively small world among the birding /photography community in India, and once I saw Gururaj Moorching’s photographs I reached out for an introduction to ask him to contribute to our Bird of the Day series. He started his own birding journey in 2012 after a trip to Kaziranga and another trip to the Rann of Kutch where he came across the two books “Birding on Borrowed Time” and “Lifelist” by the late Phoebe Snetsinger. We’ve been publishing his gorgeous photos for over 3 years, and I was thrilled when he shared his plan for a Photographic Birding Big Year. In our own way we’ve documented his birding travels within our series, and we applaud this amazing achievement of photo-documenting 951 of India’s 1,317 species of birds in just one year (2018). Gururaj is currently working on a book expected to be published this spring, but he recently spoke with Deepthi Sanjiv from the Bangalore Mirror about his experience. “When I had a chance meeting in April 2015 with naturalist Marmot Snetsinger in Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, I was elated. Her mother, the late Phoebe Snetsinger, was a legend in birdwatching circles. She was the first person to have crossed 8,000 birds on her Life List in 1995 and watched 8,398 species of birds across the world.” When Phoebe took up bird watching, she had a rare type of melanoma and the doctors had given her a year to live. She defied death for another 17 years since her diagnosis. I was inspired and I could especially relate to her as I faced a similar health predicament. Phoebe’s book “Birding on Borrowed Time” inspired me to take up birdwatching and photographing birds with intensity and a sense of urgency… …Ornithologist Shashank Dalvi, India’s first birder to complete one ‘Big Year’ and record 1,128 species of birds in 2015, mentored Gururaj. He helped Gururaj list out travel plans to get maximum results and devised a calendar plan, based on the seasons and locations across India. “It is not a mean task to chase 1,317 species of bird found in India, including Adaman and Nicobar Islands. My love to travel, food and meeting new people made the journey interesting in this amazing country of huge diversity. Birding community in India is a well-knit family. I received great support from birders, guides and naturalists who were eager to share any information on bird movement and even opened their homes, kitchen and hearts to me. Rofikul Islam, a gifted naturalist from Kaziranga, stood by me throughout the year, and was the inspiration behind my decision to pursue a Photographic Big Year, which was the first of its kind,” said Gururaj. “A deep sense of contentment comes over me at the end of this sojourn,” he said. The entire article can be found here. Tigers, Tales, Illumination December 30, 2018 December 30, 2018 / Crist Inman / Leave a comment Brian Phillips has not featured once in our pages until now, nor has The Ringer. If you read his essay below, featured also in the book to the right, the fit with our platform here is clear. Strange, though; I would not have expected to see it featured on a website that looks to be mostly focused on sports. But it is a welcome surprise. It serves as another welcome reminder of some of the highlights of our years in India. And it provides a reason to track the author. The blurb the publisher chose to accompany the book (click the image to the right) is telling: “…Dogged, self-aware, and radiating a contagious enthusiasm for his subjects, Phillips is an exhilarating guide to the confusion and wonder of the world today. If John Jeremiah Sullivan’s Pulphead was the last great collection of New Journalism from the print era, Impossible Owls is the first of the digital age.” Getty Images/Ringer illustration Man-eaters Of the twelve tigers I saw in India, one might have been a ghost; two were in water, eight were on land, and one was sleeping in a tree. One stepped out of high grass, crossed the road in front of me, and disappeared into grass on the other side. One walked along a low ridge on the edge of a different road, oblivious or indifferent to the tourists taking her photograph. One looked out from a cover of branches and red leaves, so perfectly concealed that from thirty feet away he kept stereoscoping in and out of sight. Three were cubs, just four or five months old. Three were juveniles, aged around one year. The rest were fully grown. All were tired, because the days were hot, and because the days were dry they moved and breathed and slept in a film of clay-colored dust. Continue reading → Fortune & Misfortune On Kerala’s Backwaters Partially submerged houses in Kerala, India last August. REUTERS / SIVARAM V Any picture of a houseboat reminds me of our good fortune to live among the people of Kerala’s backwaters from 2010-2017. The photo below is no exception and I thank Fred Pearce, writing for Yale e360, for bringing to my attention the scale of misfortune facing our old neighbors from the most recent flooding. I knew about the disaster, but had not read in any detail until now what this implies for the future. Maybe this fortune could be applied to address those challenges: In India, Nature’s Power Overwhelms Engineered Wetlands The picturesque Kerala backwaters in southern India, increasingly popular with tourists, form a network of engineered canals, lagoons, lakes, and rice paddies. But a fatal monsoon deluge has highlighted the global problem of how developed wetlands often lose their capacity to absorb major floods. Floodwaters inundated much of Kerala’s low-lying coastal plain, including the village of Pandanad, pictured here. MANJUNATH KIRAN / AFP / GETTY IMAGES In India, they call the state of Kerala in the country’s far south “God’s own country.” That wasn’t how it felt last August, when monsoon floods devastated its densely populated low-lying coastal plain. Around 500 people drowned, in an area best known to outsiders for its placid backwaters, a network of brackish lakes, lagoons, and canals where growing numbers of Western tourists cruise the picturesque waterways aboard luxury houseboats. A luxury houseboat moored along Lake Vembanad near the tourist town of Kumarakom in Kerala. FRED PEARCE / YALE E360 Now that the floodwaters have abated, questions are being raised about whether the disaster was made worse by water engineering projects in the backwaters designed to feed the state’s population and attract tourists. Increasingly, Kerala residents are wondering if “God’s own country” is damned as well as dammed. The floods came out of the Western Ghats. This chain of mountains down the west side of India is one of the country’s wettest places, drenched from June to September in monsoon. In early August, the rains there were exceptionally intense and unremitting. The rivers flowing from the mountains west toward the Arabian Sea dumped their water into the backwaters on a coastal plain that is largely below sea level. Sixty-mile-long Lake Vembanad, at the heart of the backwaters, rose up and flooded surrounding wetlands and rice paddies, cities, and farming villages. A quarter-million people took refuge in 1,500 relief camps; 6,200 miles of roads and 115 square miles of farmland were damaged. Cochin International Airport was awash. Continue reading → Big Cat News From India August 7, 2018 August 8, 2018 / La Paz Group / 1 Comment A tiger in the Sundarbans National Park, a protected tiger reserve, in the Indian state of West Bengal. SOUMYAJIT NANDY / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Richard Conniff, one of the science writers we most depend on for useful conservation news, shares this interview with one of our heroes from India’s big cat conservation network: Big Cat Comeback: How India Is Restoring Its Tiger Population Ullas Karanth Ullas Karanth has spent a half-century working to protect India’s endangered tigers. In an interview with Yale e360, he argues that with smart planning and the cooperation of its rural residents, the country could support five times the number of tigers it has now. Ullas Karanth, a senior scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society, is one of the world’s premier tiger experts and a leader in the effort to restore India’s depleted tiger populations. Raised in the South India state of Karnataka, he has spent much of his professional life studying and working to bring back tigers there, starting in Nagarahole National Park in the foothills of the Western Ghats, and then across a 10,000-square-mile region of that mountain range. Karanth’s emphasis on scientific methods has frequently brought him into conflict with India’s forest bureaucracy, particularly over its insistence on estimating tiger populations based on footprint counts. Karanth instead pioneered the use of camera traps for population estimates based on identification of individual tigers. That method belatedly became the national standard after a 2004 scandal, when Sariska Tiger Reserve, officially estimated to have 26 tigers, turned out to have none. Continue reading → Agroecology, A Guiding Principle For Food Entrepreneurship June 30, 2018 June 30, 2018 / Crist Inman / Leave a comment Ryan Donnell for The New York Times Our attention has been on food entrepreneurship recently, and here we continue the thread. With agroecology, a new word and robust concept, we have new food for thought. And for that we thank one of our favorite food writers, who we have relied since the first year of this platform. Many of the food stories we have linked to over the years have been authored by him. A year ago we linked to this story, which marked the first time we noted him as an activist. We expect, after reading Bringing Farming Back to Nature, which he co-authored with Daniel Moss, that he has found his new calling: Workers in a paddy field in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Credit Noah Seelam/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Farming the land as if nature doesn’t matter has been the model for much of the Western world’s food production system for at least the past 75 years. The results haven’t been pretty: depleted soil, chemically fouled waters, true family farms all but eliminated, a worsening of public health and more. But an approach that combines innovation and tradition has emerged, one that could transform the way we grow food. It’s called agroecology, and it places ecological science at the center of agriculture. It’s a scrappy movement that’s taking off globally. Continue reading → The Fairest Of Fair Tigers July 7, 2017 July 7, 2017 / La Paz Group / 1 Comment A rare ‘pale tiger’ discovered in the wilds of Tamil Nadu state in India. Photograph: Nilanjan Ray We have heard and read plenty about pale ale, which is often associated with India, but this is the first we are hearing of a pale tiger, in India or elsewhere: Exceptionally rare ‘pale tiger’ photographed in the wild Animal spotted by photographer in jungles of southern India may be the fairest known tiger living outside captivity A rare “pale tiger”, whose fur conservationists say could be the fairest of any in the wild, has been photographed in southern India. Continue reading → Tradition and Memory, Handed Down Stitch by Stitch July 6, 2017 / La Paz Group / Leave a comment If you happen to be anywhere near the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you have a few more days to visit this extraordinary exhibit of Phulkari: The Embroidered Textiles of Punjab. Thanks to Architectural Digest contributor Medhavi Gandhi for this informative and culturally sensitive article. Philadelphia Museum of Art showcases the history of Punjab’s rich embroidery craft through ‘Phulkari’ Phulkaris, which literally translates into ‘flower work’, is a unique style or technique of embroidery peculiar to Punjab, and today constitute the lavishly embroidered head scarves and shawls crafted in the region. ‘Phulkari: The Embroidered Textiles of Punjab’ presents phulkaris from the collection of Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz alongside the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s permanent collection, focusing mostly on embroideries from a pre-partitioned Punjab. The threads of phulkari have since endured much: partition, industrial reforms, changing economic and fashion trends, and the exhibition aptly helps you develop a perspective around all these. GEOGRAPHICAL INDEXING Curators Dr. Cristin McKnight Sethi and Dr. Darielle Mason position the craft as art, presenting phulkaris through the historical and cultural lens, thus offering a renewed contact with the old way of life; ceasing to be a commodity of high commercial value but more as a window into the lives of people. In a brief issued by the Museum, Timothy Rub, The George D. Widener Director and CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, said: “This exhibition, which examines the artistic, cultural, and political significance of phulkari, is long overdue and will certainly delight visitors who may be unfamiliar with this remarkable art form”. I couldn’t agree more, and here’s why: Continue reading → Rich Versus Ostentatious July 5, 2017 July 5, 2017 / Crist Inman / 1 Comment Ocellated turkey / Pfauentruthuhn (Meleagris ocellata) \| Detail of the side of a male individual. I am not even a novice birder, which is strange considering that my work is primarily dedicated to birders. But birds are well placed in the pantheon of natural wonders that I worship, and a photo that I just received from a recent guest of Chan Chich Lodge (a photo similar to the one above, which I have commented on before) helps explain why. During seven years in India, where the peacock is the national bird and so is in its natural habitat, I got accustomed to their ostentatious display. Peacocks are often awkward animals, noisy and bumbly in places and at times (as when in the habitat of tigers) I have wished for silence. Those otherwise annoying behaviors are compensated for by their plumes. The colors in the image above, belonging to the ocellated turkey, are rich but only during mating would these birds ever be described as ostentatious. The more time I spend in Belize, and specifically at Chan Chich Lodge, the more I see the beauty in humble display of rich color. Song of the Sloth Bear May 3, 2017 May 2, 2017 / La Paz Group / Leave a comment Much of our efforts on this site go to honoring the efforts of conservationists, in the form of scientists, activists, and writers. A special appreciation go to the photographers, filmmakers and artists whose work brings nature into the lives of many who may not normally be exposed to the incredible biodiversity of our world. Longtime contributor Sudhir Shivaram is one such photographer, and we appreciate his introduction to this lovely film Daroji by Sugandhi Gadadhar currently in final deliberation at the 2017 Wild & Green Shorts Film Festival, Montana. Daroji is a short film for children, introducing them to wildlife, specifically those from in and around Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary in Karnataka, India. Bindu, a female Indian Sloth Bear, tells the story of different families, including her own, and shares a friendly note with her audience, suggesting that man and animal can co-exist in harmony. We wish Ms. Gadadhar the best of luck! Yarn Bombing, Indian-style March 24, 2017 March 23, 2017 / La Paz Group / Leave a comment Elephants, many of whom have suffered serious abuse in the past, photographed wearing the knitted multi-coloured, pyjama-like garments knitted by local villagers Roger Allen While the concept of yarn bombing (also called guerrilla knitting) is usually a playful way to bring color to an urban setting, this isn’t our first story about altruist knitting in the realm of animal protection. This story seems particularly poignant considering it weaves together the matriarchal nature of elephants and the communal work of the village women… Villagers knit jumpers for Indian elephants to protect the large mammals from near-freezing temperatures Elephants in India are sporting colourful woollen jumpers after villagers knitted the super-size garments to protect the animals from near-freezing temperatures. Women in a village near the Wildlife SOS Elephant Conservation and Care Centre in the northern city of Mathura reportedly began producing the colourful, pyjama-like garments after staff at the centre warned temperatures were approaching sub-zero at night. Continue reading → Millet, India & A New Green Revolution February 11, 2017 February 10, 2017 / La Paz Group / Leave a comment A woman farmers harvests pearl millet in Andhra Pradesh, India. Millets were once a steady part of Indians’ diets until the Green Revolution, which encouraged farmers to grow wheat and rice. Now, the grains are slowly making a comeback. Courtesy of L.Vidyasagar Thanks to the folks at the salt for this note on millet: Getting people to change what they eat is tough. Changing a whole farming system is even tougher. The southern Indian state of Karnataka is quietly trying to do both, with a group of cereals that was once a staple in the state: millet. Continue reading → A Sensory Experience of South India, through words and photographs February 8, 2017 February 8, 2017 / Eliza Schmidt / Leave a comment Myself and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale volunteers of The Pepper House. I often struggle to formulate the words to describe transformative experiences. But now, looking at the film I developed from my month in India, waves of nostalgia and inspiration flutter to me. This post is the India I felt, saw, and loved for 30 days. I have been fascinated by India since I was four years old, when my preschool teacher brought Sri Lankan rice and curry to class. The sensation of spicy food and description of spice plantations soaked deeply into my curious brain. Throughout my childhood I researched India, and fell even deeper in love, imagining my own body amidst the color and chaos. It was not until I arrived in college (this year), that I would have sufficient time for my first trip to India. Though I studied Indian culture before arriving, no amount of reading or advice could have prepare me for what I would experience. 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__label__cc	0.543208	0.456792	Laughspin Comedy News, Reviews, Videos and More JG Smoove News TV/Movies Last Comic Standing strike, 15 editors walk out, demand union contract with health benefits and pension April 21, 2014 April 21, 2014 Laughspin Staff 1 Comment JG Smoove, Keenan Ivory Wayans, last comic standing, nbc, roseanne, russell peters, wanda sykes Last Comic Standing will make it’s triumphant return May 22 on NBC— unless, of course, an editors strike totally derails the network’s plans. Deadline.com is reporting that approximately 15 editors and assistant editors walked off the job today, part of a strike spearheaded by the Motion Picture Editors Guild, Local 700. “Hired by NBC Studios on a non-union basis, the editors are seeking a union contract that includes industry-standard health Late Night Spotlight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6lfF1JZbAY Staff Pick Sketch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwuDCcOnveA&t=2s Laughspin Social EDITOR / OWNER – Dylan Gadino – dylan@laughspin.com Copyright © 2020, Sea of Reeds Media	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362964
__label__wiki	0.913027	0.913027	Scientists can now manipulate sperm to determine the sex of cattle. Will they do it with humans? 'Sex skewing in humans would be an ethical minefield with the potential for unpredictable and disruptive social consequences' An illustration of human sperm and an egg cell. Getty Images/iStockphoto Sperm can be segregated into male and female, scientists have shown for the first time in a breakthrough experts say could have “disruptive social consequences” if applied to humans. Japanese researchers discovered that sperm bearing the X chromosome, which generates a female when it joins with the X chromosome of an egg, carries molecules which when activated slow its movement. When a chemical to trigger the receptors is added, male Y chromosomes power ahead, separating themselves from the slower Xs. Mice sperm thus treated produced litters that were 90 per cent male. When the slower sperm was used, litters were 81 per cent female. The team from Hiroshima University said it had successfully used the technique in cattle and produced sex ratios of 90 per cent. Scientists believe the method could present farmers with female dairy cattle or male beef cattle. Dr. Masayuki Shimada, a specialist in reproductive biology, said: “The successful efficient ratio by this method in cattle in IVF is more than 90 per cent in both male and female.” Hiroshima University has now applied for a patent. He added: “I think this technique would be available in human IVF. We have to discuss the ethics issue before this technique is adapted.” British experts said the implications could be “colossal” but warned it could be used for sex selection of humans. In Britain selecting babies or aborting them because of gender is illegal, but some doctors have been found to carry out the practice. Sex selection is legal in countries including the US. Dr Peter Ellis, a lecturer in molecular biology and reproduction at the University of Kent, said: “If this study were to be replicated — and in particular if it holds true in species other than mice – the implications could be colossal for animal and human artificial insemination and assisted reproduction. “Routine sex skewing in livestock animals would be a major boon with dramatic benefits for animal welfare in many species. Sex skewing in humans would be an ethical minefield with the potential for unpredictable and disruptive social consequences.” Usually in nature sperm bearing an X or a Y are present in equal numbers so have an equal chance of fertilising an egg. This allows the sex ratio of most populations to be about 50:50. Techniques exist to separate sperm by sex. But methods are laborious, expensive and can damage the sperm, but the team found a pair or receptors, Toll-like receptor 7 and 8 (TLR7/8), and showed that sending a chemical message inside slowed sperm by limiting energy production without causing harm. Prof Robin Lovell-Badge of The Francis Crick Institute, said: “This could be useful… where it is beneficial to have an excess of males.” But he added this should not be tried to “bias the likelihood of having a boy or a girl.” The research was published in the journal Plos Biology. Ukraine won't rule out possibility missile brought down doomed flight carrying... London native who received Order of Canada jailed 16 years for... Brown: Neil Peart was a great drummer, yes, but also a comic creator \| The ... What happened to key line on Blackridge-designed election sign? \| The London Free Press REVIEW: Gavin Crawford fully committed and wonderful in Grand Theatre romp – The London Free ... Premier urged to stop 'letting Saskatchewan be smarter than us' about clock change Prairie ticket takes Saturday night’s $7M Lotto 6/49 jackpot Lotto 6-49 winning lottery numbers	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362969
__label__cc	0.694118	0.305882	YNNER Locatelli ‘ Y N N E R ‘ STEVE LOCATELLI Opening night 08.02.2019 >6pm ‘Y N N E R’ Opening Night Friday 8.02.2019 Exposition : 09.02.2019> 10.03.2019 teve Locatelli is a Belgian contemporary artist known for his brightly coloured pieces often featuring skulls. He is an important figure in the street art world whose art on canvas can be found all over Belgium, including Brussels, Ghent, and Antwerp, as well as abroad, in Amsterdam, Netherlands; and Dortmund, Germany, among others. “ like the symbolism of skulls. It is so universal, you can not tell if it was a boy or a girl or if it was white, African or Chinese person. We are all the same under it all! It aslo has this subversive meaning that keeps the rebel side of people who can not assume it on an every day basis “ Paintings by Steve Locatelli Self-taught, Locatelli did his first canvas in 2007. His paintings are characterized with briskly, sometimes very graphical, brush strokes. The artist knows how to find the best combination of colors and to add perfect distorted shadow. Skulls are one of the most recurring motifs in his art, but he also depicts subjects such as girls faces, guns, dogs and bones, among others. Locatelli’s subjects are mainly very bright and colorful, and occasionally with a dark background. Steve made partnership with many brands such as BMW, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Danone, etc.. Steve Locatelli lives and works in Antwerp, Belgium Order your Online Catalog here Follow our story on Instagram Macadam Gallery + 32(0)2/502.53.61 info@macadamgallery.com FRIDAY – SATURDAY – SUNDAY 11:00 AM > 05:00 PM & by prior appointment. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay informed about the last exhibitions and updates: © 2020 Macadam Gallery \| All Rights Reserved \| Privacy Policy	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362984
__label__cc	0.691693	0.308307	METALLICA Releases Social Media Statement on Postponing Australia and New Zealand Tour. We are truly sorry to inform our fans and friends that we must postpone our upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand. As most of you probably know, our brother James has been struggling with addiction on and off for many years. He has now, unfortunately, had to re-enter a treatment program to work on his recovery again. We fully intend to make our way to your part of the world as soon as health and schedule permit. We’ll let you know as soon as we can. Once again, we are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who travel great distances to experience our shows. We appreciate your understanding and support for James and, as always, thank you for being a part of our Metallica family. All tickets purchased to the shows in Australia and New Zealand, including Enhanced Experiences and Black Tickets, will be fully refunded. More details on how to obtain your refund are below. AUS: https://www.livenation.com.au/artist/metallica-tickets NZ: https://www.livenation.co.nz/artist/metallica-tickets Enhanced Experience & Black Tickets: https://www.cidentertainment.com/e…/metallica-australia-tour GHOST Performs Live on BBC Radio 1, Set to Provide Support for METALLICA Italy’s BAD AS Lets the “Black Star” Guide Them in Lyric Video DISTURBED Announces 2nd Leg of Evolution Tour! APOCALYPTICA Brings “Plays Metallica by Four Cellos” to North America this May! Tags: Metallica Music News Previous Unleash Them: Industrial Rockers CHMCL STR8JCKT Signs with Cleopatra Records! Next (Concert Review) STATIC-X Live at O2 Ritz in Manchester, United Kingdom (10/3/2019) JUSTIN SYMBOL Releases Live Music Video for “End Times” 2 weeks ago William Zimmerman CARDINAL SIN Announces Release of “Lucified” Montreal Screwjob: Shoot or Work? DOWNTOWN JULIE BROWN & TOMMY CHONG Tapped as Hosts for Season 2 of AXS TV “A Year In Music” 1 min ago madnesstocreation Season 2 of THE VERY VERY BEST OF THE 70’S to Premiere on January 23rd on AXS TV! 1 hour ago madnesstocreation	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362986
__label__cc	0.669431	0.330569	Biggleswade Town vs Redditch United, Oct 05, 2019 – Preview, Where to Watch, Score Nazarij KusyjEnglish Southern League Central DivisionBiggleswade Town, English Southern League Central Division, Redditch United English Southern League Central Division, Biggleswade Town – Redditch, Saturday, 10:00 am ET Score, Highlights Probability of winning Biggleswade Town 46.9% Draw 25.27% Redditch 27.82% Short Preview Team outsider and a mid-table team will meet during this match (ranked 10 and 17). Biggleswade Town is in a very good shape now (in the last 5 games wins – 3). Redditch has a series of defeats in the last matches (in the last 5 games wins – 0). Redditch could have advantage in physics – more days for rest in last days. Biggleswade Town will have a small advantage in this match. Last 12 head-to-head matches Biggleswade Town won 4 matches, drawn 5 matches, lost 3 matches and goals 17-15. Including matches at home between the teams Biggleswade Town won 3 matches, drawn 2 matches, lost 1 matches and goals 8-6. Prediction (the most likely score): 2:1 !!!!! Information about video stream is absent for now 00:00 / 90:00 Watch and bet Biggleswade Town – Redditch United live Sign in or Register (it’s free) to watch and bet Live Stream* Prior to joining bookmaker and funding your account in order to view this event, or any other particular event via the bookmaker live stream, you are strongly advised to check with bookmaker if, depending on your place of residence, it is possible to view this live stream. If Yours country is restricted by curent bookmaker we will propose You another one suitable for Yours country. Last Teams Results 28.09.19 Alvechurch FC – Biggleswade Town – 1:1 21.09.19 Biggleswade Town – Ware – 1:2 17.09.19 Leiston – Biggleswade Town – 0:4 14.09.19 Biggleswade Town – Nuneaton Town – 2:0 11.09.19 Biggleswade Town – St Neots Town – 2:0 28.09.19 Redditch United – St Ives Town – 0:1 17.09.19 Redditch United – Coalville Town – 2:3 14.09.19 Tamworth – Redditch United – 3:0 10.09.19 Redditch United – Sutton Coldfield Town – 1:3 07.09.19 Sutton Coldfield Town – Redditch United – 1:1 English Southern League Central Division Standings Pl W D L Pts 1 Rushall 9 6 2 1 26:11 20 2 Hednesford 9 6 1 2 15:5 19 3 Tamworth 9 6 1 2 17:9 19 4 Stourbridge 9 6 1 2 20:14 19 5 Coalville 9 4 5 0 18:13 17 6 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 9 4 4 1 15:8 16 7 Banbury 10 4 4 2 12:8 16 8 Nuneaton 10 5 1 4 19:17 16 9 Royston 8 4 2 2 14:7 14 10 Biggleswade Town 9 4 2 3 13:14 14 11 Needham Market 8 3 2 3 11:9 11 12 Kings Langley 9 3 2 4 16:18 11 13 Stratford 9 3 2 4 14:17 11 14 Peterborough Sports 8 2 4 2 20:14 10 15 Barwell 9 3 1 5 16:18 10 16 Bromsgrove 8 2 3 3 9:10 9 17 Redditch 9 2 3 4 13:16 9 18 Alvechurch 10 2 3 5 14:19 9 19 St. Ives 9 2 1 6 8:14 7 20 Lowestoft 8 2 0 6 10:19 6 21 Hitchin 9 1 3 5 7:17 6 22 Leiston 9 0 1 8 6:36 1 Torquay United vs Fylde, Oct 05, 2019 – Preview, Where to Watch, Score Dugopolje vs Hrvatski Dragovoljac, Oct 05, 2019 – Preview, Where to Watch, Score	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1362989
__label__cc	0.700532	0.299468	How Easter Island moais walked their way to their final destinations Carlos Casanueva December 24, 2012 Filed under Archaeology Physics Ahu Tonariki \| Credit: Wikimedia commons Easter Island is an amazingly mysterious destination due to the moais, megalithic statues resembling human figures that were built by the Rapa Nui people between the 12th and 17th centuries. These magnificent volcanic rock statues can be found all over the island, mainly in the coastline. There are over 1 000 of them, and some must have been transported for more than 15 km in order to reach their final destination (Figure 1). Fig. 1. Moai places and Moai Roads of Easter Island \| Credit : Lipo et al. (2012) The heaviest of them weigh more than 80 tons and are up to 10 m tall. How did they transport these huge bulks from the quarries where they were carved to their final destinations in a treeless island? Researchers have determined that the island was deforested around the 16th century, so they still could build sledges or move them on rolling logs. There are even pseudoscientists that claim an extra-terrestrial help for the transport. Oral tradition amongst the Rapa-Nui people tells that the statues could “walk”, but this very same tradition does not explain the underlying mechanism on this walking, or if it was a metaphor at all. It has been demonstrated that the statues were transported in a vertical position, thanks to the analysis of the moaisabandoned half way to their destination 1. However, a recent study 2 has been able to experimentally prove this astonishing theory: the moais went “walking” from the sculpting quarries to their destination point. ‘Walk’ mechanism In order to make the moais walk, they used three ropes tied to the neck of the figure: one to the left, one to the right and the last one backwards in order to keep it balanced. The carriers made the megalith lean slightly to one side, while the opposite side pulled the rope towards their side. This way a relatively small group of people were able to tilt the moai in a cyclic basis. In order to advance forward, it was necessary to sculpt the statue with specific geometric properties: the centre of mass in the longitudinal direction should be positioned in the front of the statue, thus having a natural tendency to fall over his face (Figure 2). Combining this behaviour with the tilting movement, for each tilt cycle the statue leaned slightly forward, controlled by the central rope. This meant that at the end of each cycle the whole statue pivoted around the corner it was sitting, generating a walk-like movement (Figure 3) that displaced the moai slowly, but with very little effort. Fig. 2: Geometry of the moai: rounded base to enhance tilting, center of gravity leaned forward to generate the “walk”. \| Credit: Lipo et al. (2012) This mechanism is splendid: simple enough to be performed by a small group of people, cheap enough as it only requires three ropes, and extremely efficient compared to other means of transport. Fig. 3. Walking displacements of the moai \| Credit: Lipo et al (2012) Efficiency of the different transportation means As we have highlighted before, previous theories of how these huge statues were transported included the use of auxiliary elements between the load and the trail, such as i) wooden sledges or ii) logs used as wheels or rollers. Why are these options less efficient from a mechanical point of view? The only reason is the interaction between the moving parts and the soil. In order to move a load sliding on a surface we need to exert a force on the load greater than the friction coefficient times the normal force on the sliding surface. This friction coefficient can be almost zero, e.g. an icy surface; or, in the case of the moais, the soil path might have a friction coefficient greater than 0.8. So for moving a 50 ton statue, at least 40 tons must be exerted pulling the whole bulk forward. This is not operative at all. In order to avoid the sliding between the two surfaces, rolling logs can be used between the statue and the soil. Then, the force needed to pull the load would be much less, as the sliding surface becomes a rolling surface. However, rolling on soil with very high loads would stick the logs on the path, making their advance extremely difficult. And it is not consistent with the moais being transported in a vertical position. The walking moai solution avoids the friction forces on the contact surface because the sliding is extremely small. When the statue is sitting on one side and pivoting around one “foot” there is not linear sliding in the contact surface. There is actually an angular sliding that will create much lower friction forces on the surface: on the centre of the contact area, the stress will be very high, but the linear sliding is null. As we move outwards the contact patch, the normal stress decreases as the linear sliding caused by the angular displacement increases, generating small friction forces. Moreover, this friction forces are exerted by the gravity: remember that the statue is always trying to lean forward and fall on its face due to the position of the centre of gravity; so the manpower is only used for avoiding the statue fall and break apart. Fig. 4. Trail left by the walking moai. It can be noticed that the only parts with damaged soil are the extremes of its base, where the “walking” moai pivots to take its next step. \| Credit: Lipo et al. (2012) This is a very nice discovery in archaeology while it is not a breakthrough in mechanical engineering. Nevertheless, it is a very good demonstration of how an, allegedly, extremely difficult displacement could be performed using the mechanical properties of your system in your favour. We don’t need aliens in order to explain how these huge sculptures were moved. See it for yourself: Carl P. Lipo, Terry L. Hunt, “Mapping prehistoric statue roads on Easter Island” Antiquity, 79 (2005), pp. 309–317 ↩ Carl P. Lipo, Terry L. Hunt, Sergio Rapu Haoa, “The ‘walking’ megalithic statues (moai) of Easter Island”, Journal of Archaeological Science, 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2012.09.029 ↩ Carlos Casanueva Carlos Casanueva is an Assistant Professor in Rail Vehicle Technology at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, and member of the ECO2 Centre for Vehicle Design. He obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2010 at the University of Navarra studying the dynamic behaviour of variable gauge wheelsets for high speed trains, and studied the optimization of wheel profiles for freight vehicles during his postdoctoral period at KTH. His main research interests are wheel and rail damage, active suspension systems and improvement of freight operations focused on sustainability. Website:http://ccasanueva.wordpress.com/ Twitter:@carlcasan The sweet spot of wheel-rail contact modelling If you run trains faster, stones would fly Exterminate! Using lasers to get rid of leaves When cycling, wear a helmet...or maybe don’t Requiem for final causes Moving pyramid stones on sand Getting the best grip: how ridged surfaces affect finger pad tribology Curling the path of a curling stone drlitos January 3, 2013 The idea is so simple that it seems obvious that it was like that. It reminds me of some occasions when trying to move a huge fridge or washing machine, you always come up sliding in angle making short but continuos advances. However, the video is impressive, and I can imagine a primitive inhabitant of the island staring from the distance and watching moais walking, the effect is outstanding! Very interesting article. Carlos Casanueva January 15, 2013 Thanks for the comment, drlitos! It is exactly as you said: when moving a huge furniture piece or a fridge we usually balance it on one corner and advance it in several steps. Actually I thought about writing it in the article but eventually I forgot about it! But it seems quite difficult to maintain the balance of those huge statues… I guess that the work of the back-rope handlers is more difficult than it seems! Ondas de Blog – En vacaciones de invierno (parte 2 de 2): el Apolo 11, moais, murci�... July 23, 2014 […] un misterio. Hace algunos años, sin embargo, investigadores de California, Hawai e Isla de Pascua, propusieron, y experimentaron, un mecanismo de movilización de los moais que les permite “caminar” con mínimo esfuerzo, e involucrando una pequeña cantidad de […] Moving pyramid stones on sand \| Mechanical Engineering \| Mapping Ignorance August 6, 2014 […] them despite the huge technical difficulties they had to fight against. The pyramids, as for the Moai statues at Easter Island, didn’t have their materials available in-site where they were built, but had to transport […] Direct observation of dynamic tube dilation in entangled polymer blends The attosecond dynamics underlying the photoelectric effect Atomic-scale spin sensing with a single molecule Did we settle down for beer? Topology as a parameter: an artificial electronic high-order topological insulator Calculating a spacecraft optimal trajectory	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363000
__label__cc	0.612493	0.387507	This site uses scripts to enrich user experience. Please activate this option in your browser. https://marcilhacgalerie.com/marci_data/upload/files/MUSIQUE/Mozart Le nozze di Figaro Act 2.mp3 Home Artists Artworks Exhibitions Publications Gallery Press Estimate Contact MAISON ROBJ (1908 - 1931) "... Robj. Names also have a physiognomy. This one has short, fast, modern sounds. Furthermore, it contains something mysterious and magical. Robj, a magician..." La Renaissance de l'art français et des industries de luxe, Paul Sentenac, 1927 Maison Robj is founded in 1908 by the entrepreneur Jean Born, who named it with an anagram taken from the letters of his own surname. Initially the company offers electric igniters, incense burners and various trinkets, without being especially successful. Following the accidental death of its creator in 1922, the firm is taken over by one of its shareholders, Lucien Willemetz. Under his leadership, the company positively turns towards modernity and adopts the style that will make it famous. Lucien Willemetz quickly surrounds himself with a team of sculptors and ceramists. From 1927, he sponsored an annual competition of "art deco trinkets" as a means of discovering new designers. Its panel comprises famous artists (François Pompon, Maurice Dufrène, or Paul Landowski) but also influential people, such as the critic René Chavance. Rewards and Robj's reputation soon encourage many artists to present models to the firm. Most of the activity is devoted to the edition of useful trinkets (inkwells, bookends, lamps...) and the creation of new typologies (tobacco pots and liquor decanters). Usually anthropomorphic and coloured, those stylized objects are also humorous, which gives them an undeniable charm. Robj is not a manufacturer. His porcelain pieces are commissioned by various suppliers among them Manufacture de Sèvres, Villeroy & Boch in Septfontaines (Luxembourg) and several factories in Limoges. Those pieces are then delivered untreated to the decoration workshop of the firm located in Boulogne-Billancourt. The company is also part of a contemporary commercial approach. It offers catalogs to professionals, employs traveling salesmen and makes good use of the benefits of advertising by publishing attractive ads in newpapers : " Trinkets stamped Robj are the complement to any sophisticated interior, on sale in every sophisticated company". Moreover Lucien Willemetz has the idea of calling on the ensemblier René Herbst to arrange and stage his showrooms. The designer does not hesitate to use new materials, such as glass and metal, and deeply renovates the art of display, fitting Robj into modernity. For nearly ten years, Robj's productions are both popular and critical success (bronze medal at the Exposition internationale des Arts décoratifs et industriels modernes in 1925). However the firm is not able to survive the Crash of 1929 and disappears leaving for posterity about 600 referenced models. Gallery Marcilhac 8, rue Bonaparte - 75006 Paris From Tuesday to Saturday, 10 AM / 1 PM and 2:30 PM / 7 PM info@marcilhacgalerie.com T: +33.(0)1 43 26 47 36 F: +33.(0)1 43 54 96 87 ROYÈRE Credits: Xooloop Studio	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363002
__label__cc	0.539368	0.460632	TX State DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. According to our database, the NPI number for DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. is 1033311030 and activated since 12 years ago. DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. is an individual provider who specializes in Internal Medicine, and the primary practice location is 1515 Homlcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030. You can also contact DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. via telephone number is (713) 792-6161. Provider NPI information was last updated on 10/18/2013. Overview of DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. Taxonomy Code: 207R00000X Specialty: Internal Medicine License Number: 17092 License State: PR Address: 1515 Homlcombe Blvd Switch: No Provider Identifier: 319726101 Identifier State: TX Q: What is the npi number for DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D.? A: The npi number for DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. is 1033311030. Q: What are DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D.'s specialties? A: DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D.'s specialties are Internal Medicine and different specialities. Q: What is the medical license for DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D.? A: The medical license number for DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. is 17092 and issued in PR in USA. Q: Where is DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. practice location? A: DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. is practicing at 1515 Homlcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030. Q: How to contact DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D.? A: You can contact DR. Juan Carlos Lopez-mattei M.D. via 713-792-6161.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363005
__label__cc	0.519086	0.480914	Medical Scientist Training Program/ Application Process/ Medical Scientist Training Program Physician Training Scientist Training Requirements to Apply Interviews & Second Visits CYMS Policy Jeffrey A. Whitsett Fellowship Albert B. Sabin Fellowship Program Leadership/Staff 2020 Admission Dates (There is no fee for MD/PhD ONLY applications; see "Fees" section below for more information.) AMCAS Application Open for Editing Early May AMCAS Application Deadline (Our AMCAS deadline for each application cycle is mid-October) MSTP Secondary Application Deadline Interview Weekends 2019-2020 Second Visits 2020 Accepted Applicants Acceptance Deadline Eligible applicants will be United States citizens or permanent residents (with a permanent residency visa). Eligible applicants must meet the University of Cincinnati medical student application requirements. Candidates must apply to the University of Cincinnati MSTP through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) and subsequently complete the MSTP Secondary Application. Applicants will have the opportunity to apply to both the MD/PhD program and the MD program when completing the Secondary Application. For applicants who choose ONLY to apply to the MD/PhD program (not both the MD and MD/PhD programs), there is no secondary application fee. For applicants applying to BOTH the MD/PhD and MD programs, an application fee ($100) is charged. This MD secondary application fee ($100) may be waived for those who, without financial assistance, would be unable to also apply to the medical school. If you believe that you meet this criterion you may request a fee waiver. Letters of Reccomendation The MD/PhD program requires a minimum of one (1) packet from your pre-professional committee or three (3) letters from individuals who can properly evaluate you. At least one (1) letter should come from an individual(s) who served as a research mentor or advisory capacity in research. A maximum of 5 letters may be sent. Each year the program receives approximately 200 applications. 65-75 applicants will be invited to interview for 9 available MD\PhD student positions. In the past four years, our matriculated students have had a GPA in the range of 3.09 – 4.00 with an average GPA of 3.77 and median GPA of 3.80. Matriculated student MCAT scores in the past four years have ranged from 510 – 523 with an average and median score of 515. Students who have significant research experience with an honors thesis, postgraduate work with publications and strong supporting letters are most competitive however each application is given individual consideration. There are two special fellowships for which applicants can be considered: Jeffrey A. Whitsett Physician-Scientist Training Fellowship: This outstanding applicant with a declared interest in pediatrics and pediatric research will perform his/her PhD training in the Molecular & Developmental Biology Graduate Program. Albert B. Sabin Physician-Scientist Training Fellowship: This unique fellowship is awarded by the Immunology Graduate Program to a MSTP applicant with a demonstrated strong interest and commitment to research in immunology or related areas. Applicants must apply to be considered for this fellowship: Sabin Fellowship Application The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine provides a supportive and inclusive environment for all and welcomes diversity in every aspect of our daily operations. UC’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODI) is committed to increasing the number of qualified underrepresented minority medical students, residents and faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The ODI interfaces with various departments of the college, the Greater Cincinnati community and national offices committed to diversity in medical education. The leadership team also works closely with medical students to ensure that each reaches his or her greatest potential. Click here to learn more. Transfer Applicants From MD: Current M2 students at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine are eligible to apply to join the Cincinnati MSTP. This is an internal application process. Interested M2s should email mstp@uc.edu to request an application. Applications will be available after July 1st. Please note that internal applicants will be placed in the same pool as applicants not currently enrolled in the UC College of Medicine. mstp@uc.edu The University of Cincinnati is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all members of the UC community. Our Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available on the Department of Public Safety’s website at www.uc.edu/publicsafety. To receive a hard copy of the report, call 513-556-4900. University of Cincinnati Privacy Notice: https://www.uc.edu/about/policies/privacy.html 2014 Whitsett Fellow, Michael Petrany, and Dr. Jeffrey Whitsett, Co-Director, Perinatal Institute, Chief, Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology at Cincinnati Children’s, and Professor in the UC Department of Pediatrics. 2015 Whitsett Fellow, Akaljot Singh, with Dr. Jeffrey Whitsett, Co-Director, Perinatal Institute, Chief, Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology at Cincinnati Children’s, and Professor in the UC Department of Pediatrics. 2017 Sabin Fellow, Amy Rossi, with Dr. David Hildeman, Director, Immunology Graduate Program at Cincinnati Children's and Professor in the UC Department of Pediatrics. 2017 Whitsett Fellow, Courtney Linne, with Dr. Jeffrey Whitsett, Co-Director, Perinatal Institute, Chief, Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology at Cincinnati Children’s, and Professor in the UC Department of Pediatrics. 2018 Sabin Fellow, Jake Stevens, with Dr. David Hildeman, Director, Immunology Graduate Program at Cincinnati Children's and Professor in the UC Department of Pediatrics. 2019 Whitsett Fellows, Alyssa Solano and Edward Farrow, with Dr. Jeffrey Whitsett, Co-Director, Perinatal Institute, Chief, Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology at Cincinnati Children’s, and Professor in the UC Department of Pediatrics. 2019 Sabin Fellow, Keisuke Sawada, with Dr. David Hildeman, Director, Immunology Graduate Program at Cincinnati Children's and Professor in the UC Department of Pediatrics. Cincinnati,OH 45267-0552 Email: mstp@uc.edu	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363008
__label__cc	0.729906	0.270094	Impulsiveness linked to activity in brain's reward center A new imaging study shows that our brains react with varying sensitivity to reward and suggests that people most susceptible to impulse -- those who need to buy it, eat it, or have it, now -- show the greatest activity in a reward center of the brain. The study appears in the December 20 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. In their study of 45 subjects, Ahmad Hariri, PhD, and colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh and collaborators at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the University of Chicago showed that activity in the ventral striatum, a core component of the brain's reward circuitry, correlated with individuals' impulsiveness. "These data are exciting because they begin to unravel individual differences in brain organization underlying differences in complex psychological constructs, such as 'impulsivity,' which may contribute to the propensity to addiction," says Terry E. Robinson, PhD, of the University of Michigan biopsychology program. The Hariri team tested the subjects on two computer-based tasks. First, participants indicated their preferences in a series of immediate-versus-delayed, hypothetical monetary rewards. They chose between receiving an amount from 10 cents to $105 that day and receiving $100 at one of seven points up to five years in the future. "Switch points"—the value at which they were equally likely to choose getting money today as getting $100 at a future point in time—were calculated for each person. Seven months later, subjects were told they could win money if they correctly guessed numbers on a series of cards while scientists used blood oxygenation-level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity in response to correct and incorrect guesses. These images reflected participants' reactions to positive and negative "reward" feedback. After matching images to the subjects' switch points on the index of impulsiveness, the researchers looked for patterns. Individuals indicating the strongest preference for immediate over delayed rewards showed the most ventral striatum activity associated with positive and negative feedback for a monetary reward. "Our findings suggest that the ventral striatum plays a key role in striking a balance between gratification and delay, impulsive action and prudent choice, that can have far-reaching implications for our current and future well-being," says Hariri. The team aims to examine the role of specific factors that drive the sensitivity of the ventral striatum next. One target of future research will be genes that regulate levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine and how they vary among individuals, Hariri says. Source: Society for Neuroscience Why stress doesn't always cause depression Citation: Impulsiveness linked to activity in brain's reward center (2006, December 20) retrieved 19 January 2020 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2006-12-impulsiveness-linked-brain-reward-center.html Scientists identify the cells behind nicotine aversion in the mouse brain Scientists find gender-distinct circuit for depression Molecular link between chronic pain and depression revealed Study finds hub linking movement and motivation in the brain Curiosity: We're studying the brain to help you harness it Research shows real risks associated with cannabis exposure during pregnancy Cheap roundworm drug found to enhance the effects of chemotherapy in prostate cancer Stage is set to develop clinically relevant, senescence-based biomarkers of aging Zika virus' key into brain cells ID'd, leveraged to block infection and kill cancer cells Cancer study may accidentally help researchers create usable blood stem cells Why can't Bertrand Might cry? Scientists offer an answer: missing water channels	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363009
__label__cc	0.531689	0.468311	Admission for foreigners ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS — 1. — Look trough the admission rules below and file the documents -before the deadline (Don’t forget to attach a copy —of the payment receipt) 2. — -Look trough -the list of —admission tests Application period — from June, 20 Deadlines — -full time and intra-extramural forms of study — 21, August — -part-time education form — 24, November from 16 to 20 August —1. Prepare all the documents for the admission (you can find the list below) We strongly recommend you to check if you need —Nostrification or legalization —of the foreign education certificate. — -2. — -Visit the Admission board -(Moscow, Tashkentskaya st.18, building 4). There you will file the documents and -sign the contract for educational services. — — Copy of the passport (and it’s notarized translation), visa and the migration card (if you need visa support, don’t hesitate to contact us by mail or telephone)- — The original education certificate (or its notarized copy). It must be properly translated and notarized- —— -Certificate of equivalence (if necessary) or original Diploma from a foreign country (if — necessary) and Diploma Supplements (if it is provided by the legal system of the native country)- — -Insurance— —— — — — — a copy of a Russian visa if the applicant arrived in Russia with such a visa: — — -coloured photos 3×4 cm. — All entrance examinations in general subjects are held at the Admission Board (Moscow, Tashkentskaya st.18, building 4). Creative entrance examinations to such faculties as Design, Culture and Music Arts, Fine and Visual arts are held at the building of the chosen faculty in accordance with the schedule. — In case of any problems contact or visit -the -International Relations -Department -(Moscow, Verkhnyaya Radishchevskaya St., 16-18) — 1. Department of International relations -examines legality of residency of international students in Russia and decides on the necessity of nostrification. 2. In case when the applicant’s education certificate doesn’t confirm the level which is necessary for entering the chosen educational program, the applicant will be rejected (or he/she will be expelled as the student at any stage of education if the equivalent certificate will be received after the entering order). 3. Entering — of the applicant under the contract will be possible only when they bring a copy of payment receipt to the Admission Committee in accordance with the contract. admission.smsuh@gmail.com ums-mggu-sh@mail.ru	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363012
__label__cc	0.65896	0.34104	Cart Login Share Subscribe What is Mastering Alchemy? Jim & Roxane Where We Donate Fundamental Tools Questions for Jim Advanced Webinars Articles (International) The Shift Ebook Morning Conversations Videos Class Events Re-balance Your Divine Creative Energy, Part 1 Excerpt from the interactive book: A Course in Mastering Alchemy: Tools to Shift, Transform and Ascend . Due to the planetary Shift of Consciousness that is occurring within the planet and within each of us, we are now reaching a point in human evolution where the present masculine patriarchal phase is about to end. Instead of continuing as we have in the third dimension with alternating masculine and feminine cycles, we are moving into a new cycle of consciousness. This is one in which masculine and feminine become one balanced Unified Field of consciousness. In order to enter and hold yourself in the vibrations of a fifth-dimensional reality and bring the Unified Field into wholeness, the masculine and the feminine within you must first be in balance. When this is accomplished the structure of the masculine creative energy will begin to be the structure in which the feminine creative energy can flow, grow and expand. The feminine energy can then direct the masculine energy into an expanded structure, which in turn allows the feminine to create within that new space. It’s an ongoing expansion of masculine and feminine that allows for amazing opportunities and a joyful creative process. This new level of balanced masculine and feminine creative energies is where we are headed, although sometimes it doesn’t appear that way. This unification and rebalancing requires the original essences of the feminine and masculine to be reestablished within you, and therefore also upon the planet and within all of humanity. This original essence or template is what you lived and demonstrated but forgot at the Fall of Consciousness. This is the divine aspect of who you are. This is known as the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine. You hold both within your fifth-dimensional experience. It is the divinity you share with All That Is. The wise, knowing Divine Feminine nurtures and offers the life-giving safety of the crucible (symbolically and in reality). It’s that aspect of divinity that has to be reestablished first. This original Divine Feminine aspect of Creator will open the space within the fifth dimension for the Divine Masculine to enter and be present in its full glory, as it was originally created. At that point the Divine Masculine will take its proper place in perfect unison with that feminine aspect. It’s the Divine Feminine who does this because the Divine Masculine is not strongly present at this time in the third dimension. The masculine is still operating from that place of dominance, inequality and control. For that masculine structure to be dismantled and transformed into the divine, it takes the feminine to set the energetic balance, make it available for the divine image of the masculine to enter and take its proper positioning not only in the creative process in the physical realm, but also within the physical body and all of humanity and Earth. Anna comments on rebalancing (Anna, Mother of Mother Mary, is a member of the collective known as the Teachers of Light*) I am very pleased to be a presenter at this time. Aeons ago, before I walked your Earth, there was a separation, a fracture that took place within the creative realms of form. There was a mutation that began to occur within the energetics of the creative process. This split and fracture was in the energies that held everything in operation, and held everything in unity. Part of that fracture was within the energetic positioning of the masculine-feminine unit. It was in that fracturing within the energetics that there came an aspect of domination and submissiveness. This polarity began to creep into the energetics of the creative process. To be the evolved, Light being you came here to experience, there must be within you the Divine Masculine and the Divine Feminine. We bring in and show to you the importance of this. It is the Feminine, the matriarch, the wise one, the teacher who will open up that space within the fifth dimension that allows for the Masculine to enter and to be present in full power. Never dominant over, but in perfect unity with, in perfected divine Love. I cannot tell you strongly enough how important this is. This collective of Teachers offer you specific tools to once and for all eliminate the third dimension and embrace yourself as that perfected divine image. For if the Golden Age is to reign and there is to be peace and love and harmony on your planet, as you so desire, this presence must be here in the physical, in every energetic aspect of the fifth dimension and above. This is an excerpt from the interactive book, A Course in Mastering Alchemy - Tools to Shift, Transform and Ascend by Jim Self and Roxane Burnett Next week: Re-balance Your Divine Creative Energy, Part 2 A New Interactive Book~ A Course in Mastering Alchemy: Tools to Shift, Transform and Ascend by Jim Self and Roxane Burnett Access free supplemental meditations, lectures, videos and animations from the actual Mastering Alchemy course, guided by the Teachers of Light. A free, private online classroom is available only to readers of this book. Order via these links now: Amazon or Barnes & Noble JANUARY 9 - Free Webinar Release Emotions Without Guilt or Blame. Most of the emotional baggage you carry has nothing to do with who you are today. Join us. Recordings Ready Sample the information, tools and strategies of A Course in Mastering Alchemy. Experience the simple, powerful tools to navigate this crazy planetary and personal Shift. Cart Login Subscribe © 2020 Mastering Alchemy \| Sitemap	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363015
__label__wiki	0.630812	0.630812	jhm.nljhmkindermuseum.nlhollandscheschouwburg.nlportugesesynagoge.nletshaim.nljoodsmonument.nlmenassehbenisrael.nl who was Menasseh? Commission for the History and Culture of the Jews in the Netherlands Activity reports and annual accounts home > news > archive 13th Hartog Beem Prize In May 2011 the 13th Hartog Beem Prize will be awarded to the writer of the best Master thesis about Jewish history and culture. Theses can be entered until March 1, 2011. In 1982, the Hartog Beem Prize was awarded for the first time. This year will be the first time that the Commission for the History and Culture of the Jews in the Netherlands awards the prize together with the Menasseh ben Israel Institute. Entries can be sent to the Menasseh ben Israel Institute, P.O. Box 16737, 1001 RE Amsterdam, attn. David Wertheim. Please send four copies, in an envelope which does not contain any sender-information. Information about name, address and birth of date have to be submitted in an unwritten envelope, which only contains the title of the thesis on the outside. The jury who will judge the theses will consist of prof.dr. J. Frishman (chair), prof.dr. K. Hofmeester and prof.dr. W.Jac. van Bekkum PO Box 16737 \| 1001 RE Amsterdam \| The Netherlands \| tel: +31 (0)20 5310324/5 \| fax: + 31 (0)20 5310311 \| mbii@jck.nl	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363019
__label__wiki	0.728157	0.728157	Products Liability Law Daily Boeing faces lawsuit arising from Ethiopian Airlines crash Boeing faces lawsuit arising from Ethiopian Airlines crash By Georgia D. Koutouzos, J.D. Claims that 737 MAX 8 had defective flight control system mirror allegations in Lion Air crash. A lawsuit arising from the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 has been filed in Illinois federal court against Chicago-based Boeing Co. and others by the survivors of a young American woman who perished in last month’s crash. Among the claims asserted against the aircraft manufacturer are negligence, defective design, and failure to warn with respect to the at-issue aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 that experienced flight control problems immediately after takeoff and uncontrollably pitched downward into the ground near the town of Bishoftu, Ethiopia (Stumo v. Boeing Co., April 4, 2019). On March 10, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 took off from Addis Ababa to Nairobi, Kenya. Within minutes of its departure, the pilot radioed that he was having flight control problems and requested permission to return to the airport in Addis Ababa. According to the flight crew, the plane was accelerating abnormally and was oscillating up and down. Shortly thereafter, all communication with Flight 302 stopped and the plane crashed into a field, killing all 157 people on board, including a 24-year-old American health financing analyst headed for Kenya and Uganda to work on a Gates Foundation health initiative. The abnormal acceleration and vertical oscillations mirrored the problems experienced five months earlier by the pilots of Lion Air Flight 610, a scheduled flight operated by PT Lion Mentari Airlines from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia, that crashed into the Java Sea and killed all 189 passengers and crew [see Products Liability Law Daily’s March 22, 2019 analysis]. Investigations into both crashes are ongoing, but preliminary reports indicate that both airliners—Boeing Model 737 MAX 8s—may have experienced the same malfunction, i.e., an unwarranted activation of the aircraft’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which is supposed to stabilize the plane in flight. In the days since the Flight 302 crash, all countries have grounded Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 9 aircraft from continued operation. The young woman’s parents filed suit against Boeing, Ethiopian Airlines, and Rosemount Aerospace, Inc., the manufacturer of flight sensors used in Boeing aircraft. According to the decedent’s representatives, following the Lion Air crash, Boeing knew or had reason to suspect that a malfunction in the aircraft’s external sensor and MCAS may have been responsible for the accident. The aircraft manufacturer issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive ("AD") identifying the potential danger presented by the flight control system but failing to provide clear instruction on what pilots should do in the event of a sensor failure. Boeing also failed to insist on further training of pilots to deal with the defective sensor or MCAS software, downplayed the significance of the threat presented by the MCAS, and did not call for any aggressive action to prevent further incidents, the complaint asserted. Causes of action asserted against the company include negligence, breach of warranty, strict liability, failure to warn, and civil conspiracy, while Rosemount and Ethiopian Airlines face claims of negligence and strict liability. Negligence. The complaint contends that Boeing breached its duty of care to the decedents with respect to the design, manufacture, inspection, testing, assembly, certification, distribution, and/or sale of a safe, airworthy aircraft—including the failure to train, instruct, and/or issue advisory warnings necessary to assure the safe operation, control, management, and/or maintenance of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The potential harm to airline passengers, pilots, crews, and the public from the 737 MAX 8 was objectively foreseeable both in nature and in scope and was subjectively known to Boeing because of the company’s own safety assessment of the sensor and MCAS during development of the aircraft, which revealed potential problems with the system, as well as the evidence that flight control issues caused the crash of Lion Air Flight 610, complaints lodged by pilots in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Safety Reporting System database regarding the performance of the MCAS, the lack of clear instruction and training, the occurrence of unexpected MCAS dives/flight control issues, and Boeing’s identification of a software upgrade to address problems with the sensors and flight control system in the weeks and months prior to the crash of Flight 302. Strict liability. The 737 MAX 8 aircraft and its component parts were being used for the purposes of which they were manufactured, designed, inspected, sold and intended to be used, and in a manner reasonably foreseeable to the aircraft manufacturer. The 737 MAX 8 and its component parts were defective, dangerous, unsafe, and not airworthy by reason of defective manufacture, design, warning systems, inspections, testing, service, and/or maintenance of the subject aircraft and its component parts. Further, the aircraft and its component parts were in substantially similar condition to their original condition at delivery to Ethiopian Airlines. Failure to warn. Ordinary consumers, including but not limited to airlines, flight crew, and passengers, would not have recognized the potential risks presented by the aircraft’s unreasonably dangerous and defective design, the complaint maintained. In that regard, both Boeing and its federal regulators unlawfully provided incomplete and inadequate warnings to pilots, passengers, and the public that severely understated and downplayed the serious known safety risk associated with continued flight of the 737 MAX 8. The decedent relied on this to her detriment, being duped into a false sense of security about riding on a 737 MAX 8. Civil conspiracy. Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration allegedly deceived the public as to the safety of the 737 MAX 8 aircraft and its component parts and systems by: (1) certifying the aircraft and the MCAS as safe based upon false and/or inaccurate information; (2) failing to provide clear instruction in flight manuals or informing pilots as to automated systems embedded in the 737 MAX 8 aircraft; (3) denying technical experts the necessary time or resources to thoroughly evaluate the 737 MAX 8 aircraft; and (4) compelling technical experts to certify the aircraft despite their concerns about the safety of the 737 MAX 8—all in violation of applicable laws, regulations, and mandatory duties. Damages. The complaint is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and is demanding a jury trial as to all claims in the action. The case is No. 19-cv-02281. Attorneys: Robert A. Clifford (Clifford Law Offices) and Joseph W. Cotchett (Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP) for Michael Stumo and Nadia Milleron. Companies: Boeing Co.; Ethiopian Airlines; Ethiopian Airlines Enterprise; Ethiopian Airlines Group, Inc.; Rosemount Aerospace, Inc. MainStory: TopStory ComplaintNewsStory AircraftWatercraftNews DesignManufacturingNews WarningsNews DamagesNews IllinoisNews Product Liability Law Daily: Breaking legal news at your fingertips Sign up today for your free trial to this daily reporting service created by attorneys, for attorneys. Stay up to date on product liability legal matters with same-day coverage of breaking news, court decisions, legislation, and regulatory activity with easy access through email or mobile app. Free Trial Learn More Meet the experts behind the article Georgia D. Koutouzos Jury reasonably found Ethicon’s Prolift® mesh to be ‘unreasonably dangerous’ Appeal of inadequate warning preemption ruling in acetaminophen case premature Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 lawsuits belong in Malaysia Georgia D. Koutouzos January 13, 2020 Product Liability Case Digest, 2020 Edition By Scott Baldwin, Francis H. Hare, Jr., Francis E. McGovern Products Liability Reporter By Wolters Kluwer Editorial Staff Product Liability Desk Reference: A Fifty State Compendium, 2020 Edition By Morton F. Daller, Nicholas Daller Preparation of a Product Liability Case, Third Edition Thank you for your interest in a free trial! We look forward to connecting with you. 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__label__cc	0.520732	0.479268	Motorola razr 2019 shows up in more promo shots Microsoft unveils the Surface Laptop 3 LG unveils K30 with Snapdragon 425 Phones Laptops Hardware Components Computers & Tablets Electronics Car Electronics Zopo Flash X3 - Specification, Features. Phones Specs >> Zopo >> Zopo Flash X3 Specs \| Reviews \| Secret codes \| Unlock \| Root Design Zopo Flash X3 Gold, Black, Blue, Red Body materials: Metal, Plastic Network Zopo Flash X3 2G Network Bands: 2G is short for Second Generation, the name usually given to original GSM, CDMA, and TDMA networks. 1G, a term rarely used, would refer to the original analog (AMPS) type mobile networks first used in the early 1980s. GSM 850 MHz, GSM 900 MHz, GSM 1800 MHz, GSM 1900 MHz 3G Network Bands: 3G actually stands for "third generation", as it is the third type of access technology that has been made widely commercially available for connecting mobile phones. W-CDMA 850 MHz, W-CDMA 900 MHz, W-CDMA 2100 MHz 4G Network Bands: 4G LTE is one of several competing 4G standards along with Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) and WiMax (IEEE 802.16). The leading cellular providers have started to deploy 4G technologies, with Verizon and AT&T launching 4G LTE networks and Sprint utilizing its new 4G WiMax network. LTE 850 MHz, LTE 900 MHz, LTE 1800 MHz, LTE 2100 MHz, LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39), LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40), LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41), LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38), LTE-TDD 2000 MHz (B34) Nano-SIM / microSD, Nano-SIM Display Zopo Flash X3 Display Colors: 24 bit, 16777216 colors 6 in, 152.4 mm, 15.24 cm Resolution: Image resolution can be measured in various ways. Basically, resolution quantifies how close lines can be to each other and still be visibly resolved. Resolution units can be tied to physical sizes (e.g. lines per mm, lines per inch), to the overall size of a picture (lines per picture height, also known simply as lines, TV lines, or TVL), or to angular subtenant. Line pairs are often used instead of lines; a line pair comprises a dark line and an adjacent light line. Pixel Density: Pixels per inch (PPI) is a measurement of the pixel density (resolution) of an electronic image device, such as a computer monitor or television display, or image digitizing device such as a camera or image scanner. Horizontal and vertical density are usually the same, as most devices have square pixels, but differ on devices that have non-square pixels. 402 ppi, 158 ppcm Display features: Multi-touch, Capacitive Camera Zopo Flash X3 4608 x 3456 pixels, 15.93 MP Sony IMX499 Exmor RS Dual LED Video Recording: 1920 x 1080 pixels, 2.07 MP at 30 fps 3264 x 2448 pixels, 7.99 MP Camera Features: Continuous shooting, Autofocus, Geotagging, Digital zoom, HDR, Panorama, Face detection, Touch focus, ISO settings, White balance settings, Self-timer, Exposure compensation, Scene mode Media Zopo Flash X3 Video Playback: 3GPP, AVI, Flash Video, H.263, H.264 / MPEG-4 Part 10 / AVC video, MKV, QuickTime, MP4, WMV Audio Playback: AAC, AMR / AMR-NB / GSM-AMR, AMR-WB, eAAC / aacPlus v2 / HE-AAC v2, FLAC, MIDI, MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV Ring Tones: Earpiece, Loudspeaker FM Radio: 3.5mm jack: Software Zopo Flash X3 Operating System: Is an operating system for smartphones, tablets, PDAs, or other mobile devices. While computers such as the typical laptop are mobile, the operating systems usually used on them are not considered mobile ones as they were originally designed for bigger stationary desktop computers that historically did not have or need specific "mobile" features. Mobile operating systems combine features of a personal computer operating system with other features useful for mobile or handheld use; usually including, and most of the following considered essential in modern mobile systems; a touchscreen, cellular, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS mobile navigation, camera, video camera, speech recognition, voice recorder, music player, near field communication and infrared blaster. Hardware Zopo Flash X3 Chipset: Mobile phones run on so-called embedded chipsets, which are designed to perform one or a few dedicated functions, often with real-time computing constraints. They are embedded as part of the complete device including hardware and mechanical parts. MediaTek Helio P23 (MT6763T) CPU: The central processing unit (CPU) is the unit, which performs most of the processing inside a smartphone. To control instructions and data flow to and from other parts of the smartphone. 2300 MHz Octa-core GPU: The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) is a specialized circuit designed to accelerate the image output in a frame buffer intended for output to a display. ARM Mali-G71 MP2 770 MHz RAM: Random-access memory (RAM) is a form of computer data storage. A random-access memory device allows data items to be accessed (read or written) in almost the same amount of time irrespective of the physical location of data inside the memory. Internal Storage: Card Slot: Light, Proximity, Compass, Accelerometer, Fingerprint, Gyroscope Connectivity Zopo Flash X3 Bluetooth: Bluetooth is a wireless technology for exchanging data over short distances. The chip can be plugged into computers, digital cameras and mobile phones. Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi (or WiFi) is a local area wireless computer networking technology that allows electronic devices to connect to the network, mainly using the 2.4 gigahertz (12 cm) UHF and 5 gigahertz (6 cm) SHF ISM radio bands. 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.11n 5GHz, Dual band, Wi-Fi Hotspot GPS: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. The system provides critical capabilities to military, civil, and commercial users around the world. The United States government created the system, maintains it, and makes it freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver. GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS Computer sync, OTA sync, Tethering Data Zopo Flash X3 UMTS (384 kbit/s ), EDGE, GPRS, HSPA , LTE Cat 6 (51.0 Mbit/s, 301.5 Mbit/s ), EV-DO Rev. A (1.8 Mbit/s, 3.1 Mbit/s ), TD-SCDMA, TD-HSDPA Web Browser: HTML, HTML5, CSS 3 Battery Zopo Flash X3 Li-Polymer 3300 mAh Fast charging, Non-removable Comments, questions and answers to Zopo Flash X3 Ask a question about Zopo Flash X3 3+1= *Enter the sum of the two numbers. Copyright © 2014-2019 MobileSpecs.net. All rights reserved. Contact	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363048
__label__cc	0.659105	0.340895	SEE IT: Southwest Airlines worker dances while de-icing plane Max Drechsler November 28, 2019 2 Comments One Southwest Airlines employee danced like nobody was watching while de-icing a plane at Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Airport last week On Nov. 14, a Southwest plane had to be de-iced on the tarmac before taking off The passengers, already on the plane, were waiting for the process be done when one passenger, Claire Embil, looked out her window Advertisement “I had never been on board a flight while they were de-icing so naturally I was really curious,” she told USA Today. There was an airline employee perched on a crane, showering the plane with a hose to remove ice from the plane’s wings But Embil noticed the worker was having a bit of fun while doing it, dancing up a storm “He was in his own world in between the sprays just jamming out,” she told USA Today “I couldn’t help but take a video” [More U.S. News] First in-vitro birth of toad near extinction gives scientist hope » Embil posted the video on Twitter, writing, “Idk who this man is but he made a delayed flight so much better! It’s the little things ” Idk who this man is but he made a delayed flight so much better! It’s the little things @MitchellAirport @SouthwestAir pic.twitter.com/CuunTWR4Kt— Claire Embil (@ClaireEmbil) November 14, 2019 The dancing man turned out to be Davon Sims, a Southwest employee who’s been with the company for nearly seven years and who likes to whistle while he works Most Read Slain family friend of Aamir Griffin was killed by ex-boyfriend’s new lover over pregnancy scare: sources ‘Give me the baby!’ Deranged man tries to take 10-month-old girl from mom in Queens Smugglers cut massive hole in border wall, drive truck through it Sims said “it didn’t really matter” to him if any of the plane’s passengers were watching him get down to what was probably an R&B song from the 1990s [More U.S. News] Beck says he’s not a Scientologist: ‘I don’t have any connection or affiliation with it’ » “Usually I’m out there at 4 in the morning,” Sims told USA Today “Either I’m listening to music or I have a song stuck in my head and I’m moving to stay warm ” He added that “it;s pretty cool” that he was able to bring joy to those who caught a glimpse of his moves “With a lot of things going on in the world, someone recognized me and they were having a rough day with their flight being delayed and that day was made better by me,” he said plane The was section 8 says: I already know what happened, I want to see the video, thumbs down Concerned Customer says: I’m surprised because of this climate we are in that he was not immediately fired and the airline issues an apology for there employee have fun .	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363050
__label__cc	0.657255	0.342745	Posts Tagged Harvard Square Editions Movements, movers and shakers: publishers and authors as literary citizens .. an interview Posted by Roz Morris @Roz_Morris in The writing business on May 17, 2018 This week I’m interviewing Laura Stanfill, author, founder of the literary imprint Forest Avenue Pressin Portland, Oregon. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here. This is the final instalment. Find her on Twitter as @ForestAvePress Roz How much do you consider an author’s platform when deciding whether to offer on a manuscript? Laura Our submission readers do consider marketing potential, whether the author has relationships with well-known authors who might blurb, and—most importantly—whether the author has built genuine community and relationships with indie bookstores. We don’t measure social media account followers or anything of that sort, though. Roz Speaking of which … You’ve built a great relationship with authors and bookshops and a supportive community within the writing world. Laura I moved to Portland in 2001, founded a writing group at a local bookstore, and then proceeded to watch the literary scene and write fiction for 10 years. I didn’t know how to engage—or that I should engage. I didn’t realize I could speak up, or be part of the community, besides as a witness. When I founded the press, I built on those years of being present on the scene, and that credibility helped me earn respect, blurbs, and consignment deals with local bookstores. Roz I follow you on Facebook and often see lovely pictures of you at your authors’ readings. Laura Showing up and listening and supporting others is important, of course, and that’s really how I built my community. I founded my press nearly six years ago now, but I also had that decade of being present, of walking into indie bookstores and listening. Going to other authors’ and presses’ events is still very important to me. I encourage writers not only to show up at events, but to say hi to the people sitting next to them, to introduce themselves to the presenting author(s) when they ask for an autograph, and always bring business cards. Roz What about the Main St Writers Movement? (Reader, if that’s familiar to you, you might have seen it here.) Laura I founded Main Street in February 2017 to urge writers to support each other at the local level—and their indie bookstores—as a way to strengthen the literary ecosystem. The movement crystallized out of the core values I have as a publisher. One component of Main Street is amplifying underrepresented voices. If your voice is well represented, or if you have social capital, use your voice to direct attention to stories that need to be heard. Don’t hog the mic; pass it. Don’t take up all the space with your words; leave space for others. We’re in this together; we need to have parades for each other and celebrate each other’s achievements. This is an anti-competition movement, a togetherness movement, and quite frankly, a quest to get writers who want to establish professional careers to actually support publishers, literary magazines, and booksellers, which strengthens the industry and then in theory creates more space for more voices. It’s really, at its most basic level, what I’m doing to fight the erosion of reading culture. We have a Main Street pledge and newsletter, which is on hiatus right now, because I’m focused on a publishers’ speaking tour. I talk about community at every gig, no matter what the topic. Then I challenge my audience to do something: attend a reading at an indie bookstore, or volunteer at a school, for instance. I’ve been to Pasadena, Tucson, and several Portland events already this spring promoting these values and trying to inspire others to do this work too. Because a movement isn’t about a founder; it takes all of us. Michael Ferro, author of Title 13 (Harvard Square Editions) has been quoted publicly about reaching out to me for advice, only to have me connect him with publishing community members in his own city, Ann Arbor, Michigan. He’s a great example of what Main Street can be, because he took the example I set and is now passing on what he knows to others. If we all reach out and share what we can, we’re going to uplift each other. Roz Michael Ferro? Small world. I saw that post, tweeted it, we then got chatting on Twitter and he’s writing a post for The Undercover Soundtrack. I love what we can do simply by saying hello. Any advice for an author thinking of setting up a publishing house? Laura Figure out your business model, your distribution method, your initial number of titles, and the cost of running the business for the first two years. Don’t forget to factor in printing costs, mailing costs, design software, freelancers, Internet access, and everything else you’ll need to make your business run. You’ll find helpful and accessible information in Joe Biel’s forthcoming People’s Guide to Publishing: Building a Successful, Sustainable, Meaningful Book Business, forthcoming in late 2018 through Microcosm Publishing. If you want to do some reading right now, Thomas Woll’s classic Publishing for Profit is a great resource. Laura – thanks so much. This has been fascinating, inspiring and empowering. Guys, you can find Laura at the Forest Avenue website, on Twitter @forestavepress, on Facebook and on Instagram. Meanwhile, in my own little literary world, if you’re curious to know what I’m cooking up, here’s my latest newsletter… #mainstreetwriters, Forest Avenue Press, Harvard Square Editions, Joe Biel, Laura Stanfill, literary citizenship, Main Street Writers Movement, Michael Ferro, Microcosm Publishing, now to be a good literary citizen, People's Guide To Publishing, Publishing for Profit, publishing literary fiction, Thomas Woll, Title 13	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363056
__label__wiki	0.888876	0.888876	Things to See on a Casablanca Jewish Heritage Tour Moroccan Festivals & Holidays, FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS & EVENTS, Morocco Vacations & Tours, TOURS & TRAVEL by Alecia Cohen Temple Beth-El, Casablanca The cultural diversity of contemporary Morocco reflects its historic vantage point as a gateway to Europe and the world. Morocco’s rich Jewish Heritage offers visitors an encounter with ancient historic traditions, customs, architecture, monuments, and sites that have permeated Moroccan society for centuries. Travelers visiting Morocco on a limited timeframe during a journey at sea can enjoy a one-day guided Casablanca Jewish Heritage Tour. For those interested in the history of Moroccan Jewry the perfect way to discover Morocco is on a shore excursion from the Casablanca Port. Morocco’s rich Jewish Heritage offers visitors an encounter with ancient historic traditions. During a Casablanca Private Jewish Heritage Tour, travelers will visit Casablanca’s Sacred Sites, Jewish Monuments, and the Jewish Quarter (Jewish Mellah) along with all of the highlights of old Casablanca. Some of the sites visited during a top end Casablanca Jewish Heritage Tour are Temple Beth-El, the Jewish Mellah, Casablanca’s Museum of Moroccan Judaism and the opportunity to enjoy Kosher fare for lunch at a Kosher restaurant in Casablanca or the Jewish Club. Casablanca Synagogue, Jewish Heritage Tour A Top End Jewish Heritage Tour of Casablanca Itinerary: Morning departure from your hotel or the Port in Casablanca. Casablanca is more affectionately known as Casa by the locals. The biggest city in the Maghreb, Casablanca is the heart of Moroccan business. Enjoy Casablanca’s vibrant new town, visit the old medina, lounge at beach clubs, and dine at seafood restaurants along the Corniche. Casablancaʼs 4,500 Jews now live mostly outside the mellah and worship in over 30 synagogues around the city. Throughout Casablanca, you can find kosher restaurants, Jewish community centers, and Jewish schools. Casablancaʼs 4,500 Jews now live mostly outside the mellah and worship in over 30 synagogues around the city. Temple Beth El Torah Ark, Casablanca Start the Jewish Heritage Day Tour with visits to Casablanca’s Jewish Sacred sites, then continue on to see the highlights of old Casablanca. The synagogues, cemeteries, monuments, and communal institutions of Casablanca demonstrate the importance of the city to the Jewish community during the twentieth century. Visit Temple Beth-El, the Jewish Synagogue in Casablanca. Beth-El is considered the centerpiece of a once vibrant Jewish community. The Synagogue has remarkable stained glass windows and many artistic elements. Explore the old Jewish Mellah of Casablanca. While Jews no longer live in the mellah, kosher butchers can still be found in the old market. The Jewish cemetery in the mellah is open and quiet, with well-kept white stone markers in French, Hebrew, and Spanish. Once a year, Casablancans celebrate a hiloula, or prayer festival, at the tomb of the Jewish saint, Eliahou. Jewish Museum, Casablanca The Jewish Museum in Casablanca holds the treasures of the Arab region and is the only of its kind in the Muslim world. Visit the Museum of Moroccan Judaism in Casablanca, a museum of history and ethnography created by the Jewish Community of Casablanca in 1997 with the support of the Foundation of Jewish-Moroccan Cultural Heritage. The Museum holds the treasures of the Arab regionʼs only Jewish Museum. Using world-class standards of conservation for the collections, the Museum of Moroccan Judaism presents religious, ethnographic, and artistic objects that demonstrate the history, religion, traditions and daily life of Jews in the context of Moroccan civilization. The Jewish Museum in Casablanca exhibits paintings, photography, and sculpture by Jewish-Moroccan artists. There are permanent exhibitions on Jewish religious and family life. Jewish-Moroccan artifacts like oil lamps, Torahs, Chanukah lamps, clothing, Jewish marriage contracts (ketubot), and Torah covers are also on display, as well as rooms depicting a complete Moroccan Jewish Synagogue. For research purposes, the Museum houses a document research library, a video library, and a photo library. The Museum offers guided visits, seminars, and conferences on Jewish-Moroccan history and culture. On special request, it organizes group visits in Arabic, French, English, or Spanish. Explore Casablanca’s Jewish Mellah & Cemetery. Visit Casablanca’s Jewish Cemetery. The Jewish Cemetery in the mellah is open and quiet, with well-kept white stone markers in French, Hebrew, and Spanish. Once a year, Casablancans celebrate a hiloula, or prayer festival, at the tomb of the Jewish saint, Eliahou. Lunch Options: Casablanca’s Jewish Club. Kosher Food in Casablanca, Seafood, or Moroccan Fare. Kosher Jewish Lunch: Cercle de L’Alliance is a central Casablanca Jewish hangout and social spot with a cafe, a small bar, and a restaurant with great appetizers and an outstanding menu. E.J.J. A vegetarian restaurant that serves delicious fresh pizza, pasta, and salads. La Truffe A fantastic kosher restaurant located in downtown Casablanca across from the medina. Seafood restaurants along the Corniche, El Mer, or Rick’s Cafe. After lunch visit Hassan II Mosque designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau. It is situated on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic, which can be seen through a gigantic glass floor with room for 25,000 worshippers. Its minaret is the world’s tallest at 210 meters. It is an enormous architectural masterpiece and the second largest religious building in the world. On Fridays, the Mosque of Hassan II is open to non-Muslims. The Mosque of Hassan II’s promontory offers lovely views overlooking Casa in the residential Anfa quarter. Visit the famous clock tower, Art Deco buildings, and the eleven-story Moretti apartment block on Boulevard Mohammed V. Visit the famous residential blocks of the Glaoui, the Bessonneau, and the Asayag. Stroll the labyrinth of narrow streets lined with jewelers and artisanal shops. See La Squala, the fortified 18th-century wall of the city. Visit the nearby shrine and tomb of Sidi Allal el-Kairouant, Casablanca’s patron saint. Tags: Jewish Mellah Jewish Heritage Tours, UNESCO Heritage Sites, Things to do Casablanca, Tours to Morocco, Travel Exploration, Casablanca Tours, Jewish Heritage sites, Jewish Synagogues Where to Shop, Eat & Gallery hop in Marrakesh Moroccan Guides, The Best Way to See Morocco Alecia Cohen April 8, 2016 16 Moroccan Synagogues: Remnants of Jewish Life in the Imperial Cities and Great South Marina Solovyov January 3, 2020 Ourigane Morocco’s Untouched Berber Villages & Jewish Past Alecia Cohen January 3, 2020 Morocco’s Top Vineyards and Wine History Lynn Sheppard December 22, 2019 5 Fabulous Courtyard Gardens in Marrakech Moroccan Festivals & Holidays, FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS & EVENTS, TOURS & TRAVEL, Most Popular A Design Lovers Guided Tour of Marrakech Alecia Cohen September 16, 2017 Moroccan Food & Drink, FOOD, DRINK & AGRICULTURE, TOURS & TRAVEL Fes food: Eating Well in Fes,Your Morocco Tour Colin Kilkelly June 4, 2013 Moroccan Festivals & Holidays, FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS & EVENTS, TOURS & TRAVEL, Morocco Travel Tips 24 Hours In Tarifa, Andalucia’s Little Morocco Marina Solovyov April 2, 2019 Moroccan Festivals & Holidays, FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS & EVENTS, Morocco Travel Tips	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363062
__label__wiki	0.565659	0.565659	Dreamer in the Mirror Examining why I think movies and shows are fun and interesting Category: animated musicals My friend and I giving Mickey a kiss, during the band trip to Disney I’m sure some of my readers have wondered how I would ultimately rank the Disney movies I reviewed. And I am sure that everyone is aware, there are hundreds of these lists and hundreds of ways to rank favorite Disney movies; this is by no way a definitive guide, just my personal preference at the end of the day. My Ranking of Disney Movies Beauty and the Beast live action Beauty and the Beast animated Cinderella live action Jungle Book animated Jungle Book live action Cinderella animated Emperor’s New Groove So, the live action Beauty and the Beast tops the list; are we honestly surprised, lol? I still love Winnie the Pooh, so not terribly surprising that I placed it second. I’m more surprised at how high I placed Moana, considering I’ve watched it only twice. But Moana is such an awesome protagonist. And Tangled beat out Hunchback; again, due to it has a more pleasant storyline. And of course, Snow White beats out any movie I decided to not review. I know I have friends who have different opinions. And that’s what makes it fun to debate! A few other favorites: Favorite Soundtrack: Lion King (mind you, if I’m listening to my Disney playlist, I will inevitably want to watch whatever movie I just heard part of the soundtrack for. Listening to Mulan‘s score, I want to watch Mulan, etc.) Favorite Princess: Belle (again, not a surprise, see my original post on the movie, lol) Favorite Prince: I want Adam from the live action Beauty and the Beast, with his well rounded backstory. Favorite Hero: Robin Hood (this version is the paragon of good) Best Sidekick: Genie (he supported Aladdin so much, and Robin Williams was genius) When we get to Best or Most Evil Villain, it becomes more of a discussion: There’s the evil queen from Snow White; she wanted to kill a girl because she was prettier. Not really a villain in Sword in the Stone. Izma, I always found her more funny. Hook…well, if I had an annoying child taunting me for years, I’d challenge him to a duel. Doesn’t excuse attempting to drown Tiger Lily or blowing up the kids. Lady Tremaine is horrible and abusive to Cinderella. Shere Kahn, he’s a tiger, he’s most likely going to try to eat a boy. Hades, is hilarious. But still tries to take over the world; I don’t think we want a world ruled by Hades. Maleficent, in the animated, wanted to kill a child because she was snubbed. Very much redeemed in the live action. Stephan was a jerk. Curella wants to murder innocent puppies. Edgar in Aristocats, not high on the “evil scale.” No one villain in Lilo and Stitch, they’re all redeemable. Hans, let’s discuss. Think for a minute (if Disney would go so far), if his plan had gone through. Anna would have been married to someone who didn’t love her, who only wanted her for her throne (at the very least, she’d be ignored, quite possibly abused). He intended to kill her sister. (Once Upon a Time delves into his villainy a little further). Rourke was a typical villain. Wanted to kill a whole race of innocent people, all for money. Clayton was a jerk. Frollo, very evil. Murdered an innocent woman, then wanted to drop a helpless baby down a well, in winter. Abuses the boy. Lusts after a gypsy woman. And uses religion as an excuse. Mother Gothel, again, abusive. Selfish. Silver from Treasure Planet is redeemable for his relationship with Jim. Can’t really count Te Kā as a villain in the end. Jafar is nasty. Ursula, well, I’d love to play that role because it would be fun. But she also wants Triton’s throne, is not above dirty dealing to get it, including hypnotizing a man into marriage. (That could go so badly). Shan Yu does kill an entire village and probably would do that to every village. Mor’du, not exactly the main conflict in the movie. Ratcliffe needs punched. Willing to kill an entire village of people for his gold lust. Prince John is more laughable in this version of Robin Hood. Still love Scar, and a lot of that has to do with Jeremy Irons. Played brilliantly. But, kills his brother, attempts to kill his nephew (more than once), turns on those who supported his power play and a few deleted scenes had him making moves on Nala. Gaston is the picture of arrogance. He makes it very clear that he wants Belle for his wife, whether she agrees or not (again, would not end well if he won). Ultimate contenders are Lady Tremaine, the Evil Queen, Hans, Frollo, Shan Yu, Ratcliffe, or Scar. Going to have to go with Frollo; he terrified me as a kid. Again, if you have any questions, let me know! Any other favorites you want to know? Let me know your favorites! Next Time: Enchanted mirrordreamer animated musicals, movies Leave a comment January 29, 2019 February 1, 2019 4 Minutes “That Voice Inside is Who You Are” The movie exposes us to the ancient Polynesian culture (Polynesia incorporates Hawaii, Samoa, New Zealand, Tahiti and other Pacific Islands), exploring the “Long Pause” in Polynesian voyaging. Newcomer Auli’i Cravalho voices titular Moana (meaning “ocean”), Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson voices Maui, and Alan Tudyk (who was just Weasel) is Heihei the chicken. I heard the soundtrack (Lin-Manuel Miranda, famous for the Broadway hit Hamilton, co-wrote the songs) for months before I ever saw the movie thanks to the kids’ zone across from the store I work at. And I’m going to go ahead and apologize if I misspell anything. The prologue introduces the legend of Te Fiti, the mother island emerging from the ocean. Her heart could create life and she shared it with the world. Years pass and the demi-god of the wind and sea, Maui; a trickster, a warrior, and shape-shifter, stole Te Fiti’s heart. “Without her heart, Te Fiti began to crumble, giving birth to a terrible darkness.” Te Kā, a demon of earth and fire, blocks Maui’s escape. He’s knocked from the sky, never to be seen; his magical fish hook, which gives him the power to shape-shift, was lost to the sea. The heart, a green stone, is also lost. Little Moana is intrigued by the story, while the other children are frightened. Her grandmother explains that the darkness has been spreading for a thousand years, draining the life from island after island. “But, one day, the heart will be found by someone who will journey far beyond our reef. Find Maui. Deliver him across the great ocean to restore Te Fiti’s heart and save us all.” Moana’s father (the chief) enters and warns the children that no one goes beyond the reef. They are safe on their island. There are no monsters and no darkness, he soothes. His mother insists the legends are true. While they debate, little Moana wanders down to the shore. She finds a baby turtle stuck on shore and carries a leaf, so the baby will have shade and shoos away birds that would eat the morsel. In thanks, the ocean parts and plays with the small child. It gives Moana a green stone, but she drops is when her father plucks her from the water. “It’s time you knew the village of Motunui is all you need,” he tells his daughter, who will one day be chief. But she’s still called to the water and her father has to keep retrieving her, insisting she stays on the ground, “happiness is Where You Are.” He schools her on the traditions of their village; all they need is provided on the island. Yet his mother still dances next to the water and teaches her granddaughter that while she is her father’s daughter, stubborn and proud, a voice inside may give her a new direction. Moana must discover who she is. Her father takes Moana to the top of a sacred mountain, showing her a stack of stones, one set down by every chief. When her time comes, she will place her own stone on top. She needs to be who the people need. Moana accepts her duty and starts advising people. Except their harvest is poor. Coconuts turn black. There are no fish; they’ve tried every spot. Moana suggests beyond the reef and the chief still refuses; no one goes beyond the reef. Her mother counsels Moana; her father is hard on her because he was her years ago. He ventured beyond the reef with his best friend, but they encountered a storm and the friend drowned. Her father can save Moana by keeping her on the island. “Sometimes who we wish we were, what we wish we could do, is just not meant to be.” But, as hard as Moana tries, she’s always led back to the water, always longs to be there. “It calls me/ and no one knows/ how far it goes.” She can try to live in her role, but he ocean still calls. So she takes a canoe out, determined to see How Far I’ll Go; “there’s more beyond the reef.” However, her canoe capsizes in the rough water at the reef; Moana almost drowns. When she collapses back on shore, her grandmother is waiting. Moana claims that her father was right. Instead, her grandmother leads her to a covered cave to learn another legend of their people. Bang the drum, her grandmother instructs, and find out who you were meant to be. Inside, there are larger boats. Once the drum sounds, the sails tell the story of how Motunui was founded; We Know the Way, they said. “We were voyagers!” Moana exclaims. Her grandmother explains further; they stopped when boats stopped coming back, because of Maui and the spreading darkness. She shows Moana that the darkness has come to their island. Then reminds her of the legend that foretold someone would venture beyond the reef, find Maui, and restore the heart of Te Fiti. Grandma gives Moana the green stone, reminding her that the ocean chose her. Moana rushes to the council meeting, insisting they can stop the darkness by finding Maui. They were once voyagers, they can be so again. The chief has had enough. He marches off to burn the boats. They’re called back to the village; his mother is dying. Grandma whispers to Moana “Go.” She rushes out, her mother helps her pack, and she loads one of the boats she discovered. The spirit of a sting ray (her grandmother had said she would come back as one and bore a tattoo of one) leads her over the reef and “soon I’ll know, How Far I’ll Go.” The next morning Moana discovers a stowaway, Heihei the chicken (and the funny scene of the screaming and coconut). The journey is not easy. Her boat turns over again in a storm and she asks the ocean for help. She wakes on a shore – the island where Maui has been marooned. Moana meets the demi-god who insists that he stole the heart to help mortals, he’s their hero. He brought them fire and the breeze and the sun. You’re Welcome. Then he traps Moana in a cave and tries to steal her boat. Moana escapes and the ocean puts her on the boat, even after Maui tries to throw her off a few times. The stone is a magnet for danger, he claims. And they’re soon set upon by the Kakamora (which look like evil coconut people). Moana further demonstrates her cleverness and her determination to see the mission through. She persuades Maui to do his duty and return the heart; he’d be a hero again. Fine, they find his hook first, then they’ll return the heart. In the meantime, Moana asks Maui to teach her to sail. “It’s called way finding, princess,” Maui corrects. Moana states she’s the daughter of a chief, not a princess. “If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you are a princess.” (Leaning on the fourth wall, ey, Disney? While Moana is not in the “official” princess line-up, she is seen alongside the other princesses in clips from Wreck-It Ralph 2, and fits the same criteria as Pocahontas {daughter of the chief, with an animal sidekick, saves her people}, who is part of the “official” line-up. I just thought it was funny that they bring it up in the movie and call attention what everyone notices about Disney’s princesses.) The pair must sail to Lalotai, the Realm of Monsters in order to retrieve Maui’s hook from Tamatoa, the collector crab. He enjoys talking about himself and how Shiny he is [I dislike this song, it doesn’t fit with the rest of the soundtrack; I understand why, but still, it’s weird.] Moana distracts the crab with a fake stone so she and Maui can escape. His shape shifting powers are on the fritz, though we do briefly see him transform into Sven. Maui tries to leave the mission again. He explains how he came to be a demi-god; he was born mortal, but his parents threw him into the sea. The gods found him and saved him, gifting the magical fish hook. He uses his powers to help mankind, hoping they’ll love him. But it was never enough. Now he’s not sure he’s worthy to be saved. Moana encourages him; the powers and the hook don’t make Maui, he does. Further encouraged by his mini-me tattoo, he gets his mojo back. They finally reach Te Fiti and Maui goes to return the heart, but the demon, Te Kā throws fireballs and clashes with Maui’s hook. The boat is pushed back and Maui’s hook is cracked. “Without my hook, I am nothing!” Maui shouts, and leaves. Moana now believes that the mission is truly hopeless and begs the ocean to choose someone else. The spirit of her grandmother comforts her; she should have never put all the pressure on Moana. If she wants to return home, her grandmother will help. “The people you love will change you, the things you have learned will guide you,” does Moana know who she is? “I am a girl who loves my island, I am the girl who loves the sea, it calls me.” Spirits of the old voyagers appear around her. “And the call isn’t out there at all, it’s inside me…come what may, I know the way. I Am Moana!” [that song gives me goosebumps] She swims down to the stone and when she pops back up, the spirits have vanished. But she knows what to do. She repairs her boat and sets off for Te Fiti again. She dodges Te Kā’s attacks, seems to go for one opening, then doubles back through the other. But a wave capsizes her again, yet Maui flies to the rescue. He’ll distract Te Kā, so Moana can get to Te Fiti. But when she stands on top of the one island, there’s only the outline of a woman below. Then she notices the swirl on her stone matches one on Te Kā’s chest. She shows the stone and asks the ocean to “let her come to me.” The ocean splits and Te Kā rushes to the small young woman. “I know your name/ they have stolen the heart from inside you/ but this does not define you/ this is not who you are/ you Know Who You Are.” Te Kā pauses in front of Moana. The woman places the heart in the center of the spiral. Greenery overtakes the lava stone and Te Fiti emerges. She smiles down at the little heroine. Moana and Maui are brought before her; Maui apologizes and he receives a new hook (the old one was destroyed while he fought Te Kā). Te Fiti gifts a new boat to Moana. The goddess then lays down and reverts back to a beautiful island. Moana offers that Maui could return with her to Motunui. He won’t, but she’ll see him around. He gains a new tattoo of her (he had earlier explained that he receives a new tattoo when he’s earned them). Moana returns home to her island and her pleased parents. Her father remarks that going past the reefs suits Moana and they pull out the old boats. Moana teaches what she’s learned of way finding and they set sail again (a shell sits on top the rock pile on the mountain). I enjoyed this movie a lot; the story was different, it showcased another culture that I have developed an interest in (due to Hobbit and Lord of the Rings being filmed in New Zealand and the country and people showcased in the behind the scenes features, and starting to watch the rebooted Hawaii Five-0 series). Moana is an amazing character, well rounded and developed. While she loves the water and it calls to her, she is willing to do her duty and doesn’t complain. There is value in serving others and putting them ahead of yourself (or as Spock would say, “The good of the many outweigh the good of the few or the one.” Though there are times when that can be broken, as all rules are subject to). She goes on a physical journey as well as a personal journey. She stands up to demi-god Maui (not my favorite character, until we got deeper; he was very brash to start with, almost Gaston-like). The grandmother was sassy; I like sassy characters. Her death was sad, but did not leave me a sobbing mess. I didn’t see the ending as a twist so much; Te Kā appeared more as a guardian to Te Fiti. But the scene was beautiful and how the goddess appeared as balancing elements. I enjoyed the bulk of the soundtrack, typically the songs that featured Moana. Not a huge fan of You’re Welcome, again because of the bragging, and Shiny was just weird. So, that’s it! I’ll be moving on from animated Disney movies, after a wrap up blog next time. A few live action Disney films, mainly Pirates of the Caribbean, then onto some other action-adventure categories. But first, weigh in on what is your favorite Disney animated film (or live-action adaptation). And your favorite Disney hero/princess and villain (i.e., who do you love to hate, or who do you root for, or who do you think is the most well-developed). Heck, what’s your favorite Disney soundtrack? Coming Soon: Enchanted (could count as a Disney princess movie; we’ll get into that during the post) mirrordreamer animated musicals, movies Leave a comment January 24, 2019 9 Minutes “You Can Fix This Fixer Upper Up With a Little Bit of Love.” That movie that everyone couldn’t stop talking about for months. Ranked as the highest-grossing animated film of all time (Lion King holds that distinction in traditional animation), ninth highest-grossing film of all time, highest-grossing film of 2013, and currently fourth highest-grossing Disney film, behind the new Star Wars movies and new Avengers movies. It won two Oscars, for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (Let It Go), a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature, and a BAFTA for Best Animated Film. On the one hand, I agree it has a story that departs from typical Disney. My (distant) cousin also designed young Anna. On the other hand, why did kids love this more than other movies? Why did everything go Frozen-crazy for so long? Proceeding…the film is based on Hans Christian Anderson’s tale The Snow Queen, a darker story (aren’t they all?) with the titular Snow Queen as the villainess. The names of the four main characters are inspired by the storyteller’s name: Hans, Kristoff, Anna, Sven (read them quickly together). Kristen Bell (part of several television series, includng the titular Veronica Mars) voices Anna and Idina Menzel (she won acclaim for premiering the role of Elphaba for Wicked on Broadway) voices Elsa. Josh Gad is Olfa, Alan Tudyk (among some other voice acting roles, he’s in Knight’s Tale and the sci-fi show Firefly) is the Duke of Weaselton, sorry, Weselton, and Ciarán Hinds (an Irish actor who has appeared in several period pieces, and Game of Thrones) pops up as Pabbie the troll. The opening music has a different tone than the rest of the soundtrack; inspired by Scandinavian culture and indigenous chanting (Fun fact: Cantus, the group that performs the piece, is all female). Then we’re into Frozen Heart as men cut ice, aided by a young Kristoff and Sven. My question is, why are they there? Is Kristoff’s father an ice cutter? And no one seems to be paying to this little boy. Then we come to the palace and meet little princesses Elsa and Anna. Anna begs her older sister to “do the magic!” so they can play in snow. They sneak to a ballroom and Elsa freezes the floor. We briefly glimpse Olaf, who likes warm hugs. But Anna goes too fast jumping from snow mound to snow mound that Elsa creates. When Elsa trips, her shot goes too high and hits Anna. Their parents rush in from the commotion, their father demanding “Elsa, what have you done?” and they immediately head out of the capital, Elsa still trailing ice. Kristoff and Sven spot the royal family on their venture to the mountain and look on. A collection of rocks turns out to be a troll community (whom promptly adopt the wayward boy and reindeer). The leader can cure Anna, this time; the head can be persuaded, but a shot to the heart is more dangerous. But Anna can no longer know about Elsa’s powers; her memories are changed to remove the magic – but keep the fun. Pabbi did ask if Elsa had been born or cursed with the powers – she had been born with them. Then he warns Elsa that while there is beauty in her powers, there is great danger as well. She must learn to control them, for fear will be her enemy. Her father’s response: lock her away and limit all human contact, even with her sister. I agree with most fans that this is just about the dumbest thing a parent can do. Bottle all your feelings, be scared of an integral part of yourself, and separate you from everyone else, including a beloved younger sibling. Not a smart move. We watch the princesses grow up during Do You Wanna Build a Snowman? [I like about two songs from this film; this is not one of them]. Anna pleads with Elsa, “we used to be best buddies.” The whole time, Elsa grows more afraid of herself. Their parents eventually take a trip, and their ship is overpowered by a storm. Anna must attend the funeral alone. Afterwards, she sits outside her sister’s door; it’s just the two of them now. On the other side of the door, Elsa is in the same position, with her room looking like a snow blast went off. Now, there is a fan theory floating around, and I honestly don’t remember which parts have been confirmed or not, but Frozen is connected to other Disney movies. It is generally postulated that the queen of Arendelle and queen of Corona are sisters. And the king and queen of Arendelle were heading to Rapunzel and Eugene’s wedding when their ship went down. This is supported by Rapunzel and Eugene showing up at Elsa’s coronation (if you’re watching closely, it is distinctly them) and further supported by Frozen releasing three years after Tangled, and Elsa comes of age three years after her parents’ death. It is further theorized that the Arendelle ship is the shipwreck Ariel is exploring at the beginning of The Little Mermaid. This stems from the fact that both original fairytales were written by Hans Christen Anderson and there is a statue of a mermaid in Denmark, which lies along the route Anna and Elsa’s parents would have taken from Norway to Germany (Rapunzel being a German tale). Another option is that the Arendelle ship was blown way off course and ended up finally sinking off the coast of Africa and Anna and Elsa’s parents are in fact Tarzan’s parents, making Tarzan their brother. (Would that make him Rapunzel’s cousin as well?) I side more with the Tangled connection since we actually see the Corona couple at the coronation. There is another backstory that has been created for Anna and Elsa’s mother. The first half of season four of Once Upon a Time involves characters from Frozen. Here, Elsa and Anna’s mother is named Gerda, and she has two older sisters, Ingrid and Helga. Ingrid has ice powers, which explains how Elsa has them. Without getting too into (and spoiling) the whole plot, events happen that cause Gerda to become queen. I liked the way Once Upon a Time handled Frozen, particularly examining Elsa’s bond with Anna and her new bonding with Emma. Continuing on with the original animated movie: three years pass and Elsa is now of age to assume the crown. Time to open the gates For the First Time in Forever, after Anna is woken (looking like every other woman when she first wakes up). Anna is excited and wishes the gates would remain open; she’s also hoping to meet “the one,” which, considering she’s been left alone and possibly read dozens of romances, not a completely crazy dream (unrealistic, yes). Elsa is nervous, practicing removing the gloves that have been a protective layer for years, urging herself to be the good girl. While exploring outside, a horse knocks Anna into a boat, but she is gallantly rescued by a dashing prince, Hans of the Southern Isles. Anna is adorably awkward, then has to rush off to the coronation. Elsa manages to get through it without revealing her powers, though it was a near thing. Later, at the ball, the sisters awkwardly stand next to each other. They no longer have the rapport they shared as youngsters. Though they share a love of chocolate. They start bonding, but Anna is soon swept off her feet by Prince Hans and the couple harmonizes that Love is an Open Door. At the end, they share the same crazy thought: “Hey, let’s get married!” They reenter the ballroom to ask for Elsa’s blessing. Elsa refuses, calling out Disney’s age-old cliché: “You can’t marry someone you just met.” Anna insists it’s true love and argues that Elsa wouldn’t know anything about that since she’s shut everyone out of her life. Anna pushes the issue with her sister, pulling off one of the gloves. In confusion and annoyance, Elsa sends a blast of ice. Weaselton, sorry, Weselton immediately declares sorcery and calls Elsa a monster. Elsa flees and is overwhelmed by the crowd outside. At first, they’re kind and adoring, but once she freezes a fountain, they turn on her. Elsa continues her flight, pausing for a moment at the fjord, but her powers allow her to freeze a path. She runs to the mountains, unknowingly leaving a path of ice that freezes the whole capital. Anna and Hans had followed her. Anna insists that she caused Elsa’s panic; her sister isn’t dangerous and would never hurt her, so she should be the one to go after the queen. Anna leaves Hans in charge. Elsa is making her way up North Mountain and ponders everything that had brought her to this point. She finally had to let some of her emotions out, after trying for so long. “Don’t let them in/ don’t let them see/ be the good girl you always have to be/ conceal, don’t feel/ don’t let them know. Well now they know!” She Let[s] it Go. She’s able to use her power freely; and it’s beautiful. She creates a magnificent ice castle and to match her new mood, she creates a new (iconic) dress. The cold never bothered her, so she’s comfortable where she is. She’s never going back and tosses away her crown. According to Disney trivia, this song was the turning point the in the development of the film. At this point, the Snow Queen was not longer the villain. The song has also topped the Billboard list and that was the only song we heard on repeat for about a year, I think (Piano Guys did a beautiful crossover between this song and Vivaldi’s Winter; as I have often found, I prefer Piano Guys’ covers to the original). It was during this song that I figured out Idnia Menzel voiced Elsa, because the singing tone matches Defying Gravity from Wicked. I personally believe that the lyrics to this song are an aid to those who bottle up their emotions and worry about being themselves. Meanwhile, Anna is still searching for her sister. Her horse bolts, leaving her freezing. She finds Oakens’ outpost and manages a costume change and meets ice deliverer Kristoff. After Kristoff is sent to sleep in the barn, Anna approaches him (with the supplies he needed) and requests/demands he take her to the North Mountain where the worst of the storm is, figuring that is where Elsa will be. Kristoff reluctantly agrees. He sides with Elsa, that you cannot marry some guy you’ve just met. Before their conversation can go much further, a pack of wolves attacks. Anna is helpful in chasing some of the pack away, but they’re still forced to jump a gorge, letting the sled fall. Anna understands if afterwards, Kristoff doesn’t want to help anymore. Sven persuades Kristoff, and they set off further up the mountain. Along the way, they encounter a talking snowman, Olaf, who likes warm hugs. Elsa made him, a reminder of her childhood with Anna. The little snowman dreams of what will happen to him during Summer. [Personally, I agree with Kristoff, let’s tell him what happens! I also find Olaf annoying; he’s the tagalong who never shuts up.] Back in Arendelle, Hans is assisting the people when Anna’s horse returns without its rider. He wants to head out and calls for volunteers to help find the sisters. Weasel sends two of his burly guards, with instructions to put an end to winter (meaning, kill the queen. Buddy, that’s treason). When Anna and Kristoff finally meet with Elsa, she still wants to be left alone. It’s for Anna’s protection, she doesn’t want to hurt her sister (again). However, she did not realize that she had caused eternal winter back in Arendelle. To her, this is just another reason why she should be alone and she hasn’t gained control of herself or her powers. Her emotions spiral and she shoots another blast, unknowingly hitting Anna. Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf leave, firmly persuaded by a new giant snowman. More like, chased off the mountain. Kristoff notices that Anna’s hair is turning more white and decides it’s time to introduce her to his love expert friends; they’ve had dealings with that sort of thing before. His love expert friends are the trolls who took him in. They’re so excited that Kristoff has brought a girl home, they at first don’t listen to the pair’s protestations, declaring that love is power and can help both Fixer Uppers. When Anna collapses, Pabbi comes out. But this time, the power struck her heart, only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart. Both Anna and Kristoff figure a kiss from Hans will do the trick. Hans and his volunteers find Elsa’s new castle and battle her giant guard. A few manage to duck, Weasel’s two guys aiming to kill. Elsa defends herself and almost kills both attackers. Hans urges her to not turn into the monster people believe she is, be better. He knocks a bolt out of the way, but it severs the chandelier, knocking Elsa out when she dives out of the way. She wakes up in a jail cell, chained, her hands manacled. Hans informs her that Anna hasn’t returned, but they all need her to unfreeze the capital. Elsa doesn’t know how. Kristoff and Anna arrive at the castle; Kristoff stays outside and the servants take Anna to Hans. She begs for a kiss, explaining that Elsa froze her heart, by accident. A act of true love will thaw it. He makes her comfortable and leans in…only to say, “if only there was someone out there who loved you.” He extinguishes the candles and fire and reveals that it was all a ploy. As thirteenth in line for his own throne, the only way he would become a king was to marry. Nothing was known about Elsa, but Anna – young and eager, it was easy. He originally intended for an accident to befall Elsa after his marriage to Anna. Now, he will just have to kill her and that should bring back summer, making him a hero. He leaves Anna alone and informs the council that she is dead, only after they managed to say their vows, making him the ruler of Arendelle. His first act, execute Elsa for treason for murdering her sister. In Elsa’s cell, ice spreads and she manages to break free. She sets off across the frozen fjord. A storm swirls around her. Sven is trying to persuade Kristoff to go back, for Anna. When he catches sight of the storm, they take off. Olaf makes his way through the castle and happens upon Anna’s room, lighting a fire to keep her warm. Anna urges him to stop, he’ll melt. “Some people are worth melting for.” He also figures that Kristoff is the one who loves Anna, not Hans. The blond man raced to get her to the castle, and sees that he is racing back. They escape the rapidly freezing palace (Anna slides like a lady, straightening her skirts after) and Anna makes her way to Kristoff. Hans finds Elsa, telling her that it was too late to save Anna; “she’s dead because of you.” Elsa collapses in grief, which freezes the center of the storm (snowflakes are frozen in place). Anna and Kristoff see each other and Kristoff races to Anna, but Anna hears a sword and turns to see Hans behind her sister, ready to strike. She makes a decision and steps between the two, stopping the sword as she freezes solid. Elsa turns around and sees the new statue of her sister and hugs her, crying, as Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf look on. Anna starts to slowly thaw. The sisters embrace, Elsa in disbelief that Anna would sacrifice herself for her. Anna simply responds “I love you.” Olaf realizes “an act of true love will thaw a frozen heart.” Love. That gives Elsa an idea. Armed with new knowledge and a reprise of the opening track playing, she unfreezes Arendelle. Luckily, the heroes were standing over a locked ship. Olaf starts melting, but Elsa gives him “my own personal flurry.” Hans gets up and Kristoff starts marching towards him. Anna stops him. She strides over to Hans, tells him “the only frozen heart around here is yours.” Turns, then turns back and punches him in the face. Brilliant! Hans will be returned to the Lonely Isles to face his twelve older brothers. Weaselton will no longer be allowed to trade with Arendelle for his actions against the crown. Kristoff is the new official Ice Master for the capital and Anna gifts him a new sled (keeping her promise to replace the one that burned). He’s so happy, he could kiss Anna. May he? He may (they’re adorable together). Elsa makes a pond for everyone to skate on in their courtyard and she and Anna declare they are never closing the gates again. A short, Frozen Fever was released in 2015 alongside the live action Cinderella film. A sequel to the full-length movie is due out this November. I enjoyed the “Hans is actually the bad guy” twist; I believed he was good right until he betrayed Anna. While she was falling in love with Kristoff, I thought maybe Hans would pair with Elsa. But this made it a more complex story, which is good. Again, I appreciated both Elsa and Kristoff warning that one cannot marry someone they just met. The relationship between Kristoff and Anna was built on working together and accepting each other’s flaws. The relationship between Elsa and Anna was wonderfully done; they were adorable as kids and understandably awkward once they were in the same room again, having grown up separated. (And again, horrible decision on their parents. Anna could have helped Elsa so much). And I appreciated that the “act of true love,” was between sisters, because that is a very strong bond. Siblings give their loyalty to each other first. A partner may come and take their own place, but a sibling grew up with you and knows all your secrets. Overall, not my favorite soundtrack; it’s cute and fun, but doesn’t have quite the depth that Disney has shown (Lion King for example). It is a fun movie, though it took me a while; I tend to not be eager to jump on band wagons. I resisted Harry Potter when the books first came out because I didn’t want to read what everyone else was reading just because everyone else was reading it. But it is a cute story and I certainly want to see more of Anna and Elsa. As always, let me know if you have any questions or comments. This is shockingly, my thirtieth blog (more like, how did I get this far?) There’s still lots more to come! Next Time: The last Disney animated film I’ll be blogging, Moana Fanfic Recommendations: Burning in the Fire of a Thousand Smiles by qqueenofhades is a modern Alternate Universe story involving the Once Upon a Time characters, pairing Emma with Killian and does include Elsa as one of Emma’s friends. mirrordreamer animated musicals, movies 1 Comment January 22, 2019 January 22, 2019 13 Minutes “Cause Way Down Deep Inside I’ve Got a Dream” Disney’s 50th animated motion picture and first to use a three-dimensional computer animation style. Leading the voice cast are Mandy Moore (A Walk to Remember) and Zachary Levi as Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. (Disney changed the title from Rapunzel to Tangled to make it gender-neutral with the hope to attract boys to watch the film). It’s also considered part of the Disney Revival and is a return to the musical set-up that Disney is known for (Alan Menken, from The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and Pocahontas returned to compose for the film). The film is occasionally narrated by Flynn, opening with “This is the story of how I died.” But he’s quick to add that it’s a fun movie and goes into the tale of the golden flower. It held magical healing abilities, and with the right words, also had the ability to keep one looking young for an eternity. A selfish old woman, Mother Gothel, hid the flower from sight for hundreds of years, so she alone could benefit. However, the current queen fell ill as she was due to deliver a baby. The flower was found and saved the queen. She bore a princess, Rapunzel, who had golden hair, like the flower. The old woman snuck into the castle, intent on using the infant’s hair. Yet, when she went to cut the hair to take with her, it turned brown and did not contain the magic. So, being a selfish woman, Mother Gothel kidnapped the child and hid them away in a tall tower. She raises Rapunzel as her own and warns her that “the outside world is a dangerous place, filled with horrible, selfish people.” The king and queen light lanterns each year on their daughter’s birthday, hoping for the day she’ll return. Fast forward several years, Rapunzel is on the brink of turning eighteen (older than some other princesses). Her pet chameleon, Pascal, urges her to venture outside, but she insists that they are happy in their tower. They both know she’s lying. Rapunzel explains (sings) her daily schedule, which includes a lot of painting and brushing her hair, and wonders When Will My Life Begin? Mother Gothel returns home and calls for “Rapunzel, let down your hair!”, the classic line. And I further dislike the hag for her use of mean teasing; it’s a pet peeve of mine. One has to wonder how Rapunzel turned out sweet and kind with that kind of influence. Rapunzel informs her mother what she wants most desperately for her eighteenth birthday is to see the floating lights. Mother Gothel attempts to dispute her wish by stating they are stars; Rapunzel has been busy in her tower and has tracked stars; these lights cannot be stars since they only appear on her birthday (and as it’s been pointed out; why did Gothel not change Rapunzel’s birthday?). Gothel insists that the world outside is scary and Mother Knows Best. At the end, she commands Rapunzel “don’t ever ask to leave this tower again.” We break away to meet Flynn Rider and his accomplices, the Stabbington Brothers (really Disney? Stabbington? Far too obvious) as they steal the crown from the palace. Flynn despairs about his wanted posters and their ineptitude of getting his nose right, double crosses the brothers and keeps the crown for himself, but runs into a very determined guard horse, Maximus. On the run, Flynn finds Rapunzel’s tower and climbs in order to escape Maximus. He’s greeted with a blow to the head from a frying pan. Rapunzel gives a little squeak at her actions. She cautiously approaches her captive, and discovers, contrary to her mother’s warning, this man does not have pointed teeth. She briefly investigates the satchel and discovers the crown, and tries it on. For a moment, it seems like memoires might be returning, but she puts the crown down, then hides the man in her closet, very pleased with how she handled herself. Gothel returns and Rapunzel brings up the lights again, to which Gothel sternly yells “You Are Not Leaving This Tower…Ever!” Gothel plays the victim; it was Rapunzel’s fault for upsetting her. Rapunzel backtracks and asks for special paint for her birthday; a trip that will take Gothel three days. Once Gothel is gone, Rapunzel puts her plan into action. Flynn wakes thanks to Pascal’s tongue in his ear, to find himself strapped to a chair, by hair. Rapunzel reveals herself, asking “Who are you and how did you find me?”, believing that he is there for her hair. Flynn starts very charming, then falls into more modern flirting, which is a bit humorous (I do like that he is not like any other prince or leading man and he’s very sarcastic). But he’s concerned for his satchel. He guesses Rapunzel’s hiding spot, so she knocks him out again (that never gets old) and he’s woken by Pascal’s tongue again. Rapunzel feels that fate or destiny brought them together, Flynn cracks “a horse,” and points out that it’s terrible idea to simply trust him (works out this time, but not a theory to be tested often). She strikes a deal with Flynn once she finds out he’s not after her hair; he takes her to see the lanterns, she’ll return his satchel; without her help, he will never find it. Flynn attempts his “smolder” [I side with Rapunzel; not terribly impressed]. He agrees, Rapunzel drops him on his face: “You broke my smolder!” [ha ha! That is always funny]. Rapunzel marvels at everything in the outside world; “for the first time every I’m completely free.” She’s ecstatic to be outside, but begins to think about how she is disappointing her mother. She goes back and forth and Flynn tries to convince her to go back to the tower so he can have his satchel and be on his way, telling the young woman that rebellion is a natural part of growing up. Rapunzel insists on seeing the lanterns. They venture to the Snuggly Duckling. Meanwhile, Mother Gothel comes across Maximus and is frightened to find a palace horse so close to her tower. She races back home and when Rapunzel doesn’t let down her hair, she has to unblock a door and climb up the long way. Rapunzel is not home when she opens the door. Gothel too discovers the crown and is even more afraid…she could lose her ticket to everlasting life. In the satchel with the crown is one of Flynn’s wanted posters; she knows who to search for now and grabs a knife. In the Snuggly Duckling, Flynn and Rapunzel are faced with ruffians and thugs, as Flynn expected. He is recognized from his wanted posters and they begin fighting over him, but Rapunzel steps in and pleads with them to stop; she has a dream to see the lanterns and needs Flynn to accomplish. “Haven’t any of you ever had a dream?” Indeed, they have; deep down, they all have soft spots. Gothel appears in the window at one point as Rapunzel sings of being free. The fun is cut short when the warning comes that the palace guards are on their way. The leader of the ruffians shows Flynn and Rapunzel a secret passage, encouraging Rapunzel, not Flynn (because his dream stinks) to fulfill her dream. The pair gets a bit of a head start, but not long when Maximus shows up and points the way. Everyone; the guards, Flynn and Rapunzel, and the Stabbington brothers, end up at a dam. Rapunzel gets away first, handing her frying pan to Flynn, who then fights the guards and Maximus, who holds a sword in his teeth – somehow. She rescues him and they escape into a cavern, which is shortly blocked by a huge bolder, thus allowing the chamber to fill with water. Facing their death, Rapunzel moans that it was all her fault. She apologizes to Flynn, who corrects her that his real name is Eugene Fitzherbert. In the spirit of sharing secrets, she reveals “I have magic hair that glows when I sing.” Which gives her an idea! They manage to find a way out and now Eugene has to keep calm. Rapunzel heals his scratched hand; we’re better able to hear the lyrics to the little song: Flower gleam and glow/ let your power shine/ make the clock reverse/ bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt/ change the fate’s design/ save what has been lost/ bring back what once was mine. She then explains the backstory she was fed by Mother Gothel, that a gift like what she has, has to be protected. Eugene questions whether she will go back. Her initial response is “no,” but she’s really not sure; it’s complicated. Eugene shares that he’s an orphan and got the idea for Flynn Rider from a book he used to read to the younger kids, tales of a great hero with money to do whatever he wanted; for a kid with nothing, it seemed like a better life. Rapunzel states that she likes Eugene better than Flynn, but won’t spoil Flynn’s reputation. Meanwhile, Gothel meets the Stabbington brothers and promises them a reward bigger than a simple crown and revenge on Flynn Rider besides. She finds the couple’s camp and when Eugene goes to gather firewood, she has a conversation with her daughter, demanding they return to the tower. Gothel counsels Rapunzel that she can’t trust Eugene; it’s demented to think that he likes her. She should have never left the tower; she’s too naive. When she starts to say “Mother knows best,” Rapunzel interrupts, insisting, “no.” Oh, now Rapunzel knows best. Well, if she’s so smart, she should give Eugene the crown. Gothel cautions, once he has the crown, he’ll leave her in a flash. Gothel disappears into the woods. Rapunzel doesn’t give Eugene the crown quite yet. Morning dawns; Eugene is woken by a dripping Maximus. Rapunzel to the rescue, again. She charms Maximus and bargains that she just needs Eugene for the day; afterwards, they can chase each other to their hearts’ content. Now Maximus has joined their party into the kingdom. It’s quickly discovered that incredibly long loose hair is not good in a town center; Eugene enlists the help of a few young girls to braid Rapunzel’s locks. They have wonderful little adventures throughout the day; Rapunzel showing off her art skills, reading books in the sunshine, learning about the lost princess in front of mosaic of the royal family, culminating in a dance [my favorite part of the soundtrack]. Eugene and Rapunzel finally end together at the end of the dance, but before they have a chance to act, the call goes out to head to boats for the lanterns. The next few sequences are beautiful. Though the king and queen never speak, the animation is such that you can plainly read all the emotion in their faces, their despair for their lost daughter, almost not wanting to participate in the ceremony, but still clinging to hope. Eugene takes Rapunzel for a romantic boat ride, to get the best view. She’s quiet at the time draws closer; what if it’s not everything she’s dreamed? What if it’s better, Eugene poses. Then what does she do? She finds a new dream. As the sky lightens from the multitudes of lanterns, the couple sing how at last I See the Light. Before they set their own lanterns aloft, Rapunzel reveals that she has Eugene’s satchel. She’s no longer scared. Eugene just smiles and lowers the satchel; the lanterns are more important. It becomes clear to both of them, that they are better around each other, their feelings are reciprocated: “And at last I see the light/ and it’s like the fog has lifted/ and at last I see the light/ and it’s like the sky is new/ and it’s warm and real and bright/ and the world has somehow shifted. All at once/ everything is different/ now that I see you.” (There is a beautiful version of this done by Thomas Kinkade; there’s actually a whole series of Disney drawings that he did…go check them out!) Eugene is about to kiss Rapunzel, but he catches sight of the Stabbington brothers, lit by a creepy green light on shore. He takes the satchel, telling Rapunzel he just needs a minute to take care of business. She hesitates, but believes him. Eugene goes to hand the crown over to the brothers, but they ask about Rapunzel instead. They knock him out and go after Rapunzel. They tell her that Eugene left her, pointing to a figure on a boat in the fog. Gothel saves Rapunzel from being captured by the brothers. Thinking Eugene abandoned her, she willingly goes with her mother, crying that she was right about everything. Eugene was tied to the boat and comes to when he reaches the dock. He’s immediately taken into custody, Maximus hearing the whole thing. Eugene is far more worried about Rapunzel than himself, straining to get back to her. He’s locked in a cell and the next morning is collected; “it’s time,” the leader states. He sees the brothers locked up as well and demands to know about Rapunzel; who told them? One reveals that it was an old woman. Eugene instantly knows that Gothel betrayed her daughter. He fights harder to get free to save her. Back in the tower, Gothel removes all of Rapunzel’s flowers from her braid, like it never happened. Dejected, Rapunzel lays on her bed, examining the small cloth she held onto of the crest of Corona. Her eyes drift between the sun and her paintings. And she realizes that there are suns all through her paintings. Small memories click; she saw the crest as a baby in her cradle. Hazy images of her parents and she deduces that she is the lost princess. She stumbles out of her room and states her discovery to Gothel; “I am the lost princess.” All this time, she had been hiding from those who would use her hair for evil and she really should have been hiding from Gothel. Gothel crushes any idea Rapunzel would have of going to Eugene, revealing that he will be hung for his crimes (we even catch a glimpse of the noose…continuing to be shockingly blunt, aren’t we Disney). Gothel goes to comfort Rapunzel, but the teen won’t have it anymore. “You were wrong about the world, and you were wrong about me. And I will never let you use my hair again.” She forces Gothel away and she crashes into a mirror. “Alright, now I’m the bad guy.” We cut to the ruffians rescuing Eugene, which is quite humorous. They flip him onto Maximus and the horse takes off. They come to the tower and Eugene calls up for Rapunzel. When he gets no answer, he begins to climb, then the hair descends. He climbs up, but is met by a chained and gagged Rapunzel. Gothel comes behind him and stabs him, her secret will die with him. Rapunzel works out of her gag and struggles against Gothel. She will continue to do so, forever, unless Gothel lets her heal Eugene. If Gothel allows it, she will never fight; she promises. Gothel gives in, but chains Eugene to a post as a precaution. Eugene can’t let her heal him; she can’t let him die. But if she heals him and goes with Gothel, she’ll die, Eugene asserts. He asks her to wait a moment and leans closer…and uses a broken shard from the mirror to cut off her hair. Rapunzel wonders and Gothel freaks out. She quickly ages (a la Donovan from Last Crusade) and Pascals trips her as she backs towards the window (Rapunzel reaches for her). She’s dust before she hits the ground. Rapunzel turns back to a still Eugene. She tries the song, but it doesn’t work. “You were my new dream,” are his last words (yes, he dies). He was Rapunzel’s new dream as well. Rapunzel softly sings the song again. A tear drops onto his cheek, and glows. His wound begins glowing and soon the tower is filled with light. Eugene’s wound is healed and his eyes slowly opens. Did he ever mention that he has a thing for brunettes? Rapunzel is ecstatic and throws herself in Eugene’s arms. Breaking apart, she pulls him in for a kiss. A guard bursts into the king and queen’s chambers and simply nods. They race to the balcony and greet their grown daughter. The small family is tearfully reunited, sinking to the ground in a loving embrace. The queen pulls Eugene into the hug. The young couple narrates the ending, stating that the kingdom rejoiced at the return of their princess; Rapunzel went on to rule as kindly as her parents; the ruffians got their dreams; but most importantly, they did get married (there is a short that was released, showing their wedding). Eugene is healed at the end because of the true meaning of the song. Yes, “make the clock reverse,” is typically used by Gothel to reverse time and make her young, but it also means reversing the damage done to Eugene by the knife. “Change the fate’s design/ save what has been lost” easily translates to saving Eugene. “Bring back what once was mine,” is Rapunzel’s plea. I thought it was very smart of the writers to phrase the song in such a way that it makes sense for Gothel; or when she finds it, she only reads it the way she wants, but it also has the deeper magic to change more momentous events. Another aspect of the writing that I enjoyed in this tale of Rapunzel is that Rapunzel does a lot of the saving. It can be argued that she saves Eugene from himself, but I shan’t be delving that deep into the story. But I thought her actions at the dam were impressive and Flynn/Eugene is no slouch either. The frying pan is a hilarious touch. Rapunzel and Eugene are a more modern couple and relevant to today’s audience. Gothel’s control issues and manipulation also flesh out the story, but make me really dislike her (someone with a psychology major could have fun dissecting her; I do not hold that major, so I shan’t). Overall, the music of Tangled is not my favorite, but it has a decent story that I enjoy re-watching. As always, let me know if you have any questions or comments. Next Time: Brave mirrordreamer animated musicals, movies 2 Comments January 15, 2019 12 Minutes “Did They Send Me Daughters, When I Asked For Sons?” Another film I can vividly recall seeing in theatres, Mulan is based on a Chinese legend. The art, especially in the opening, is beautiful. From there, we begin at the Great Wall of China, closing in on a guard. A falcon swoops by and puts him on edge. His feeling is proven when a slew of grappling hooks fly up and catch on the wall. He rushes to light the fire and sees the falcon land on someone; the legendary Shan Yu, leader of the Hun army. In defiance, the solider lights the brazier, “now all of China knows you’re here.” “Perfect,” Shan Yu replies. A general sweeps into the emperor’s chambers, announcing that Shan Yu has invaded China. The general immediately offers to have his troops surround the palace. The emperor insists that the troops are needed elsewhere, “send your troops to protect my people.” In addition to the general’s troops, the emperor orders reserves be brought into action, and conscription notices sent out, recruiting new troops. A wise ruler, the emperor does enjoy speaking in metaphors. Then we meet Mulan, running late to her meeting with the matchmaker and making notes on her arm. Her family pray to their ancestors that Mulan will make a successful match and Bring Honor to Us All. I cannot speak as to the validity or importance of what Mulan goes through, but it was fascinating as a child to watch, and comparing to what I knew of European culture. I agree with the grandmother that the matchmaker is a horrible woman. The women preparing Mulan said that men desired a tiny waist, and yet the matchmaker claims she’s too skinny, “not good for bearing sons.” She finds fault with everything and throws Mulan out after an incident with a cricket. “You may look like a bride, but you will never bring your family honor,” the woman shouts. Her family is concerned by the news and Mulan blames herself, and who she is. She feels like she is not the “perfect daughter.” “Can it be/I’m not meant to play this part? Now I see/that if I were truly/to be myself/I would break my family’s heart.” “Somehow I cannot hide/who I am/though I’ve tried/when will my reflection show/who I am inside?” Every girl has felt like this; I have felt like this off and on my entire life. Not fitting in, not being like people around you. Luckily, Mulan teaches us different. The imagery of Mulan wiping away her make-up, pausing when she splits her face between the painted bride and her natural look, highlighting how her Reflection doesn’t truly show her. Her father attempts to cheer her up, by offering that the last blossoms to bloom are the most beautiful. Their talk is interrupted by the arrival of the emperor’s advisor, ordering one man from every family to serve in the army. Mulan’s father is injured from already fighting in one war and there is no son to take his place. Mulan begs Chi Fu to spare her father, but is dismissed and ordered not to speak in a man’s presence. At dinner, she attempts to talk sense into her father, concerned that he will “die for honor.” She’s already witnessed that her father cannot wield a sword any longer; his leg gives out. She understands that if he fights, he will die. But her father is determined to uphold the family’s honor, he knows his place, he angrily shouts, it’s time Mulan learns hers. She seeks solace under the dragon statue, rain matching her despair, witnessing that her father can’t even comfort her mother. The change in music signals Mulan’s decision. A brief prayer to the ancestors, then she takes the notice and leaves her comb in its place. She cuts her hair and dons her father’s armor. She takes her horse and rides away. Her grandmother senses something is wrong and wakes to realize Mulan is gone. Mulan’s mother begs her husband to go after Mulan; she could be killed in battle. Her father reveals to the audience, that if he exposes Mulan to be a woman, she’d be killed for certain. The ancestors awaken and send tiny dragon Mushu to waken the Great Stone Dragon. The Great Stone Dragon does not waken, so Mushu decides to take the job of protecting Mulan (lying to the ancestors and pretending that the Great Stone Dragon did wake). Mushu finds Mulan practicing how she’ll approach the men in the camp and blend in; she’s not very good and Mushu puts on a show to introduce himself. He earns a slap when he makes the crack “I can see straight through your armor;” the slap prompts him to declare “Dishonor on you. Dishonor on your cow,” (not a cow, Mushu, Kahn is a horse, but a hilarious line nonetheless that I think everyone who grew up with the movie knows.) Mulan apologizes and the pair attempt to work together. Meanwhile, in camp, the general directs his new captain on his duties to train the new recruits and meet with the main army when finished. The new captain is his son, Shang. And he’s got a lot to cover with the new soldiers; Mulan has already managed to knock everyone over. She clumsily announces her name is “Ping,” and the trio of men she first meets (Yao, Ling, Chin Po) attempt to sabotage her training. She shows a slight interest in Shang when he removes his shirt and lays out his plan to Make a Man Out of You. [Fun Note: the singing voice of Shang is Donny Osmond]. Qualities of a man include: “tranquil as a forest/but a fire within…you must be swift as a coursing river/with all of the force of a great typhoon/with all of the strength of a raging fire/mysterious as the dark side of the moon.” (Except I thought females were typically attributed to the moon) I still don’t get why they had to climb to the top of a pole wearing weights, but it was funny to see how bad they all were at the beginning. Shang tells Mulan “you’re unsuited for the rage of war/so pack up, go home, you’re through.” Mulan wants to prove herself and gets an idea. She wraps the weights around each other and uses them to pull herself up. After that, she excels at training, demonstrating that brains is better than brawn; one needs to outwit their opponent. We’ve already seen that Shan Yu is merciless. When he captures two imperial scouts, he informs them that his invasion is a response to China’s unwritten challenge by building the Wall. He lets them go to deliver the message, but then asks his troops how many are needed to deliver a message. The one drawing an arrow replies “one.” (Did not get that reference as a kid). Later, his falcon brings him a doll from a village in the pass, giving him clues that the Imperial Army is waiting for him. As a naive child, I thought he was being nice, wanting to return the little girl’s doll. Nope. He’s really a psychopath. Mushu and Cricket fake orders so Mulan will see combat. The troops are excited at first, cheerfully singing about A Girl Worth Fighting For. They dismiss “Ping’s” suggestion of “a girl whose got a brain/who always speaks her mind.” The mood changes when they come to the village and find it decimated and in flames. The army is slaughtered, including Shang’s father; we even see the doll, without an owner. Shang takes one moment to remember his father, then instructs his troops that they are the only hope for the Emperor now. Their trek continues. Mushu, goofing around, sets off a rocket, giving away the troops’ position. A single arrow manages to hit Shang, which he immediately removes, no harm done (not factual). The Hun army impressively lines up on the top of the ridge, then rides down amidst canon fire (a CGI masterpiece). Shang reserves the last canon for Shan Yu, but Mulan gets an idea again. She takes the canon and stops right in front of the Hun leader, but fires at the mountain behind him. Starting an avalanche. The Hun realizes what the Chinese solider has done (love Mulan’s sassy smirk) and swipes with his sword (again, why are you using a jagged sword? That cannot be the most efficient weapon!) Shang has raced forward to help “Ping” but she dashes back and pulls him away from the onrushing snow. Kahn gets free to rescue them. Shang is pulled away and once Mulan has fought back to the surface, she grabs his unconscious body. Being resourceful, she manages to get both of them to safety. Once Shang has caught his breath, his thanks “Ping” for his bravery; calling him “the craziest man I’ve ever met,” and “from now on, you have my trust.” Mulan realizes she’s injured and the troops get her aid. She’s revealed as a woman. Chi Fu is a jerk and refers to her as a “treacherous snake.” Her friends, Yao, Ling, and Chin Po try to save her; Shang spares her life; “a life for a life, my debt is repaid.” They leave her supplies, but move on to the city. There is a heartfelt scene between Mushu and Mulan on the mountainside. While Mulan did join the army to save her father, she also wanted to prove that she could so something right. So when she looked in the mirror, she’d see someone worthwhile. But she was wrong, she sees nothing. Mulan does not get long to dwell; figures are popping out of the snow; Shan Yu and five of his men survived. Demonstrating her bravery, Mulan rides to the city and attempts to warn Shang and the troops that Shan Yu is still alive. No one listens to her, now that she looks like a woman again; Mulan retorts to Shang “you trusted Ping, why is Mulan any different.” Yet, we can tell that the trio are intrigued. They readily follow her when she has a plan after Shan Yu breaks out of the dragon and kidnaps the Emperor. There’s a reprise of Make a Man Out of You as the men dress as concubines to break into the palace. Shang joins them as they climb the pillars, like Mulan did back at camp. The trio are the distraction and Shang and Mulan rescue the Emperor. Mulan has the idea to use the lanterns as a zip line, but cuts off her own escape to stay with Shang when Shan Yu violently headbutts the captain. She reveals herself as “the solider from the mountains” who stole away Shan Yu’s victory. Shan Yu chases her, ending up on the roof. All Mulan has left on her is her fan and (totally awesome!) spins it around Shan Yu’s sword, then pins him to the roof as Mushu lights a giant firework. As Shan Yu is carried away, Mulan mutters “get off the roof, get off the roof!” tackling Shang as she escapes the explosion. Chi Fu once again goes after Mulan, but now Shang and the others stand in front of her, calling her a “hero” when Chi Fu insists she’s a woman, she’s not worth protecting. The Emperor descends and has his say. “You stole your father’s armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese army, destroyed my palace, and…you have saved us all.” He bows to her. The crowd follows his lead so soon, everyone is bowing to Mulan. He offers her a position on his staff, but she politely declines; “I’ve been away from home long enough.” He gifts her his medal, “so your family will know what you have done for me”, and Shan Yu’s sword, “so the world will know what you have done for China.” Mulan hugs the Emperor…she can get away with that because she just saved China. Her friends hug her as well and Shang awkwardly compliments her…”you fight good.” The Emperor gives Shang some advice once Mulan has gone: “the flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” Which translates to “you don’t meet a girl like that every dynasty.” Mulan’s father is sitting beneath the cherry blossom tree and Mulan presents her gifts to him, they’re to honor the Fa family. He sets them aside and embraces his daughter; “the greatest gift is having you for a daughter.” Just as the grandmother is making a crack about Mulan should have brought home a man, Shang shows up and again awkwardly compliments Mulan. She saves him by inviting him to dinner. Grandma shouts “would you like to stay forever!” A happy ending. As a girl growing up in the nineties, I like Mulan for not being a typical princess movie. Mulan is the hero of the film and shows that girls can kick butt too, that girls are just as good as boys. The romance between her and Shang is almost an after-thought, which is okay. They’re also a more modern couple, equal in their relationship. Disney tried to expand that idea with a sequel that is definitely not as good as the first. They threw in problems, which happens in real life, but managed to exaggerate reactions, and Mushu was really annoying. I enjoy this soundtrack, and really need to get a copy of it. The song over the credits, True To Your Heart was performed by Stevie Wonder and 98˚ (again, it was the nineties and boy bands were all the rage, lol). I also remember an ice show of the film, starring Michelle Kwan and she thus became my favorite figure skater. As always, I welcome questions or comments. Up Next: Tarzan mirrordreamer animated musicals, movies Leave a comment December 5, 2018 9 Minutes “We’ll Stand in the Sun, in that Bright Afternoon” Based on the Victor Hugo novel, it too has a star-studded cast and amazing music. Tom Hulce (Amadeus from the movie Amadeus, never saw the movie until I was in college) leads as Quasimodo, Demi Moore voices Esmeralda the gypsy, David Ogden Stiers returns as the Archdeacon, Tony Jay (previously the man from the asylum in Beauty and the Beast) voices Frollo (no wonder he’s creepy), and Kevin Kline (who later is Maurice in the live action Beauty and the Beast, among a bunch of movies I’ve never seen) rounds out as Phoebus. We open on the gypsy leader Clopin telling the children of Paris a story, accompanied by a phenomenal choir interjecting Latin with The Bells of Notre Dame echoing in the background. A few gypsies are attempting to sneak into Paris under the regime of Judge Claude Frollo. He “longed to purge the world of vice and sin/and saw corruption everywhere/except, within.” A guard questions a bundle in the gypsy woman’s arms and Frollo instructs his man to take it. In terror, the woman bolts. Frollo pursues her to the steps of Notre Dame, ignoring her pleads of “Sanctuary!” and rips the bundle from her, kicking her onto the steps and killing her. Instead of the “stolen goods” he assumed, the bundle was a baby, regrettably deformed. “A monster,” he hisses and the judge plans to drop the baby into a well. The Archdeacon of Notre Dame has come out and halts the judge; he already has one person’s innocent blood on his hands, don’t add another, the eyes of Notre Dame see all. With a bit of fear, Frollo agrees to take the child as his ward, naming him “Quasimodo,” meaning half-formed, and the boy will stay locked away high in the bell tower, where no one can see him, until he is of use to Frollo. The artists did capture the details and intricacies of Notre Dame well The next scene dawns on the annual Feast of Fools. Quasimodo has three friends (Lavern, Victor, and Hugo [the last two are a nod to the author]), gargoyles who come to life for him alone; they urge their human friend to sneak to the festival and enjoy life for once. “No one wants to be cooped up here forever.” Quasi has himself talked into it, until his master, Frollo arrives and disparages the festival. “I am your only friend,” he tells Quasimodo saying that the people outside the cathedral will view am a monster. “The world is cruel…and wicked/it is I alone whom you can trust.” Quasi is only safe in the tower of Notre Dame. Quasimodo begs forgiveness. But once Frollo has gone, he continues to dream of “living in the sun/give me one day out there.” He’s spent his whole life watching the people of Paris, they’re “heedless of the gift it is to be them.” He’d take just one day, “to hold forever” Out There. So, he goes. [In the crowd, you can just see Belle meandering with a book] In the meantime, a soldier has just returned (probably from the Crusades) and is to report to Frollo. While Phoebus is looking for the Palace of Justice, turned about because the city has changed in a few decades, he comes across a dancing gypsy, Esmeralda. When guards attempt to arrest her, Phoebus artfully gets in the way (and makes his horse, Achilles, “sit”). He “persuades” the guards to help him and on their way, tosses loose gold coins into disguised Esmeralda’s hat. At the Palace, Frollo informs him that his job is to help eradicate the gypsy vermin of Paris (those are the words he uses, in a film meant for kids). The Festival of Fools is the one day everything is Topsy Turvy in Paris; “it’s the day for breaking rules.” They have a contest where they crown “the King of Fools;” men wear masks, then make an ugly face, the ugliest wins. Quasimodo is amazed by everything and at one point, stumbles into Esmeralda’s dressing room. She’s kind to him. A few moments later, she’s featured in a dance (very provocative for a kids’ movie) and she takes the opportunity to mock Frollo. The contest follows, which Quasi wins. The crowd is a bit shocked at first; it’s not a mask, it’s his face. Clopin urges them to not be frightened, they asked for the ugliest man in all of Paris (watching it as an adult…not the nicest thing to say). Frollo is appalled. The crowd is on Quasimodo’s side, at first. Then a guard makes a snide remark and throws a tomato. The crowd joins in. They’re no longer laughing with Quasi, now they’re laughing at him. Esmeralda once again shows kindness and frees Quasimodo, despite Frollo’s protests. She speaks out against Frollo; the ones who need justice the most are the ones who are persecuted. Frollo orders his men, led by Phoebus to capture her. Phoebus wanted to stop the mocking earlier, but was ordered to stand down. Phoebus does not actively chase Esmeralda, sending the goons; he’s actually impressed by her evasion skills. The gypsy “disappears” and Frollo is steaming. Esmeralda sneaks into Notre Dame, followed by Phoebus. Interesting introductions: candlelight, combat, banter; essentially, the pair are already flirting. Frollo sneaks in, but Phoebus says that Esmeralda has claimed “sanctuary,” acting the opposite from other soldiers. He’s still kicked out for his troubles. The gypsy is safe, as long as she stays in the church. She uses the time to reflect, adding her prayer with the rest. “I’m just an outcast/I shouldn’t speak to you/still I see your face and wonder/were you once an outcast too?” While the rest of the parishioners ask for wealth, fame, and glory, Esmeralda asks “God Help the Outcasts/or nobody will.” [This is one Disney song I have had the opportunity to sing; I know another song, Someday from the movie through the Celtic Woman arrangement and have sung that as well.] Quasimodo has snuck downstairs to watch the gypsy, but runs off when he’s spotted. Esmeralda follows and their friendship blossoms. Esmeralda is the first person outside of Frollo who has shown any emotion other than fear to the young man. Both young people yearn to be free; sanctuary is not freedom for a gypsy. Esmeralda (and the audience) wonders how a man as cruel as Frollo managed to raise a kind man like Quasi; she disagrees that the hunchback is a monster, reading his hand to prove her point. In return for her kindness, and saving him at the festival, Quasimodo helps Esmeralda escape Notre Dame, not using a door. No, they swing down the architecture [not quite adventurous enough as a child to want to do that]. As Quasi heads back up the stairs, he briefly meets Phoebus and they jockey over the gypsy’s affection. The gargoyles call Quasi a “lover boy,” but Quasi still feels unworthy of affection from someone as kind and compassionate as Esmeralda. Heaven’s Light is a sweet song, but I tend to forget about it in comparison to Hellfire. The song terrified me a bit as a child (and luckily a good portion of the subtext went over my head.) Frollo continues to be a hypocrite, claiming to be a “righteous man,” and proud of his virtue, but blames everyone and everything else for his troubles. Esmeralda haunts him; he desires her and knows he shouldn’t. Well, he claims, he shouldn’t, but by the end of the song, he will gladly take her if she chooses him over the fire. At the end, Frollo falls to the floor in the shape of a crucifix. (I will leave analyzing the religious undertones to someone better educated. And I have no desire to open that can of worms. I’ll simply leave with the note that the song was overall…ominous, made even more so backed by a choir chanting a Confiteor and Kyrie Eleison.) The judge keeps his word that he is willing to burn down all of Paris to find Esmeralda after her miraculous escape from Notre Dame. The track in the score encapsulates the drama of the events, once again incorporating . He interrogates peasants and chains countless gypsies, offering silver in exchange for information. He eventually comes to a family on the outskirts, who compassionately harbor any weary traveler. In exchange for their benevolence, Frollo orders Phoebus to burn down their house. The captain refuses. Frollo takes a torch himself and sets the thatch roof alight. Phoebus jumps into the house to save the family. Right after he hands the baby off to its mother, another soldier knocks him out and they prepare to behead him. Esmeralda, who has been watching to proceedings, causes a distraction, allowing Phoebus to take Frollo’s horse and makes a getaway. Out of the rain of arrows, one gets lucky and hits him in the back of the shoulder (must be a really lucky shot, considering he’s wearing armor. And how did he manage to get out of the armor while he’s underwater?) He falls into the river and is rescued by Esmeralda again. The gypsy takes him to Quasimodo to hide. He allows Phoebus to hide and regrettably witnesses Esmeralda and the captain kiss. Frollo stops by, suspicious that Quasimodo is hiding something again. He catches sight of Quasi’s carved figure of Esmeralda and blames him for the state of Paris. Gypsies aren’t capable of real love, the proof is that Quasimodo’s mother abandoned him as an infant (lie), Esmeralda now has him under a spell. But no matter, he knows where she’s hiding and will attack at dawn. Phoebus and Quasimodo have to warn the gypsies and have to work together. They manage to find the Court of Miracles, which is not as pleasant as it sounds. Disney, after spending most of the movie portraying gypsies as misunderstood and innocent, revealing them as cutthroats and liars does not help your argument. Not giving the two men a chance to explain, the gypsies jump to the conclusion that they are spies for Frollo. Esmeralda sets them straight, preventing a double hanging. With a cringe, we find out Frollo followed Quasimodo and Phoebus. His soldiers round up the gypsies. The next morning, Quasimodo is chained in the tower, depressed over failing his friends; Phoebus is locked up; and Esmeralda is tied to a stake. Frollo offers her one last chance, be his or burn. She knows exactly what Frollo wants (little kids don’t) and spits her refusal. The gargoyles talk sense into Quasi in time for him to break the chains and swing to Esmeralda’s rescue. He shouts “Sanctuary!” from the top of the cathedral, and after making sure Esmeralda is safe, prepares for battle. Frollo declares war. The crowd is incensed (remember, he’s attacking a church), and rallied by Phoebus, they fight back. Frollo makes his way to Quasi and for a moment, we all believe Esmeralda’s dead. Quasimodo won’t have too long to mourn her, for Frollo intends to stab him in the back. Quasi catches the shadow and dodges, managing to get the dagger. It’s Frollo’s turn to listen. “All my life you’ve taught me that the world is a dark and cruel place, but the only thing dark and cruel about it are people like you.” He tosses the dagger aside and they hear Esmeralda get up. Quasi flees with her, Frollo pursues, punctuated by a score that heightens our anxiety. The crowd looks up in horror as Frollo tries to chop the hunchback and gypsy’s heads off. Frollo growls, “I should have known you’d risk your life to save that gypsy witch; just as your own mother died trying to save you.” He and Quasimodo tumble over the edge and Quasi has the chance to simply let the evil man fall, but doesn’t. Frollo swings to a stylized spout and Esmeralda desperately holds onto Quasimodo. Frollo raises his sword, eyes a demonic yellow, and pronounces “And He shall smite the wicked and cast them into the fiery pits!” (no, not an exact quote of the Bible, but pretty close to Isaiah Chapter 11). The gargoyle comes to life, cracks, and drops Frollo into the raging fire below (Quasi had poured something molten out of the spouts earlier). Esmeralda can’t hold Quasimodo and he drops as well, to be caught by Phoebus. Esmeralda gives Quasimodo a happy hug, then he places her hand with Phoebus, giving his blessing I assume, and the couple share a kiss. The trio makes their way outside (everything got cleaned up fast), though Quasi pauses at the door. Esmeralda silently encourages him, and a little girl comes up to him, touching his face, then giving the hunchback a hug. Clopin finishes his tale of “what makes a monster/and what makes a man” as the Bells of Notre Dame ring out again. While it’s not necessarily a favorite of mine, I do enjoy parts of Hunchback. The music is fantastic (there was a short run musical), the action is engaging. The scores for Paris Burning and Sanctuary are helpful when writing fight scenes, or imagining danger that I put my characters in. It has a good lesson about not judging people. I never really connected to any of the characters; Esmeralda was fun, Phoebus seemed stuffy (though more believable as an adult), I certainly felt sorry for Quasimodo and rooted for him, but still, no connection like the lions from Lion King. But it is certainly one of Disney’s darkest films; though what should we expect when it’s based off of a novel written by the man who wrote Les Miserablés (translates to “the miserable people”). And it’s also supposed to be lighter than the original book. There was an absolutely horrible sequel to the movie that I have seen exactly once, because it was so bad. Next Time: Hercules mirrordreamer animated musicals, movies Leave a comment November 15, 2018 9 Minutes “How High Does the Sycamore Grow?” Disney once again won an Oscar for Best Original Score (Alan Menken once again, he was assisted by Stephen Schwartz, who would go on to write lyrics for Hunchback of Notre Dame, Prince of Egypt, and Broadway smash hit Wicked) and Best Original Song for Colors of the Wind, another one of my favorite Disney soundtracks. This was also the first movie I can remember seeing in the theatre; I would have been about six when it came out. It has another all-star cast, Mel Gibson (before he said stupid things) voices John Smith, Christian Bale (yep, Batman) voices Thomas, Billy Connolly voices Ben (the dark-haired friend of John Smith), Linda Hunt (Hetty from NCIS: Los Angeles, I’ll admit, I just figured this one out) voices Grandmother Willow, and Disney alum David Ogden Stiers is back, voicing Governor Ratcliffe and his companion Wiggins. Disney considers Pocahontas a princess, since her father is chief of the Powhatan tribe of Indians (I’m glad she’s recognized, but she’s not really a princess.) The film is based on the founding of Jamestown and opens on London, seeing the Susan Constant off. Virginia Company is the reason I remember that Jamestown was founded in 1607 and that they were searching for “glory, gold, and God,” though mainly gold (surprising a teacher in eighth grade). John Smith is portrayed as an adventurer and helps rescue Thomas when the lad is swept overboard in a storm [btw, amazing soundtrack]. He’s apparently been other “New Worlds” and is skilled with pushing back the “savages” or “Injuns” as the English sometimes refer (we cringe at that now; in Disney’s defense, the rest of the movie is devoted to proving that concept wrong). He has no reason to think that this trip will be any different (just you wait). Governor Ratcliffe shows us shades of his true nature early, admitting to Wiggins he needs the men cheerful so they’ll “dig up my gold.” Next we meet the Powhatan Indian village, giving insight into Native culture and extolling the virtues of living off the Earth, promoting “walk in balance all our days.” The titular character does not view life as steady. No, Pocahontas rather jump off a cliff (accompanied by her animal friends Flit and Meeko [a hummingbird and raccon]) instead of taking the meandering course down. Definitely more fun to a kid. When she meets up with her father, he informs her that the bravest warrior, Kocoum wishes to marry her. It would be a good match, Powhatan believes; “he is loyal and strong and will build you a good house…with him, you will be safe from harm.” Pocahontas, on the other hand, sees the warrior as stern and serious and not the excitement she thought her dream means. Pocahontas wants to be able to choose her own path; her father cautions that the wisest way is to become Steady as the Beating Drum, like the river. She is the daughter of the chief, her people expect her to take her place. To aid her decision, Powhatan gifts his daughter her mother’s necklace, which was worn on her wedding day. But the river is not steady; there are always new things Just Around the Riverbend, waiting to be discovered, including a waterfall and exhilarating rapids; another favorite scene of mine. [I loved to sing this song on the bus; I got looks.] Pocahontas comments that in exchange for being safe, we lose our sense of adventure. “For a handsome sturdy husband/who builds handsome study walls/and never dreams that something might be coming/just around the riverbend.” “Should I choose the smoothest course/steady as the beating drum…is all my dreaming at an end?” The river leads the young woman to Grandmother Willow, a wise spirit with a bit of spunk. There, she explains her dream of a spinning arrow. Grandmother Willow instructs her to Listen with Your Heart to determine what her dream means and the path she should follow. The wind tells her that there are strange clouds coming. Indeed there are; the sails of the Susan Constant. Pocahontas hides and observes the settlers landing and declaring the area now belongs to King James I of England [hence, Jamestown, in the colony of Virginia, for Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen]. Ratcliffe orders a few men to unload the ship, a few to build the fort, and the rest to break out the shovels. After all, they came for gold; it’s time to Mine, Mine, Mine (a play on mining for gold, and Ratcliffe being greedy; this is his last chance for glory). The Spanish found gold in South America and the English presume they will easily find mountains of it in Virginia. Smith, on the other hand, is investigating the territory, excited by “hundreds of dangers await/and I don’t plan to miss one!” He sees Virginia as “a land I can claim/a land I can tame!” I sided with Smith’s idea of adventure compared to digging for gold and as a kid, I wanted to swing around mountains. Or jump off them, like Pocahontas. Or white water canoeing. In his explorations, Smith comes to a quiet waterfall and sees a figure in his periphery. He does as he’s trained and leaps out [ok, yeah, can’t jump through a waterfall with that kind of gun], but pauses when he discovers the Indian happens to be a stunning woman. The art in this scene is breathtaking, glimpses of Pocahontas through the mists, wind whipping her hair elegantly across her face; broken when Pocahontas rushes off. Smith stops her and (through magic, I suppose, or “listening with your heart”) the brightly colored leaves [I like those leaves] aid the couple in understanding the other’s language. By this time, a party from the village has come to investigate their new neighbors. The settlers startle and start firing. Ratcliffe manages to hit one of the warriors and they retreat. Powhatan warns his people not to go near the white people. He instructs Kocoum to send for reinforcements from their allies. Meanwhile, Pocahontas and John Smith have been getting to know one another better, demonstrating an array of aspects from their different cultures. They trade salutations and Smith starts going on about how the settlers will teach the Natives “how to use this land properly;” they’re current methods are substandard because they “don’t know any better.” He puts his foot in his mouth and calls Pocahontas a “savage.” That word she does not need explained. Smith muddles through backtracking and Pocahontas firmly grasps his meaning; uncivilized means “not like you.” “You think you own whatever land you land on/the Earth is just a dead thing you can claim…You think the only people who are people/are the people who look and think like you/but if you walk the footsteps of a stranger/you’ll learn things you never knew.” For all that the settlers spout themselves as advanced, they have missed wonders to marvel at. There are Colors of the Wind and voices in the mountain. “And we are all connected to each other/in a circle, in a hoop that never ends (reminds us of The Circle of Life),” whether one is white or copper skinned. A truly wonderful message and worthy of the Oscar it won. It’s beautifully drawn, almost mixing techniques at times. [Like the Lion King preceding it, Pocahontas is filled with utterly amazing artwork.] Several days later, at the fort, Ratcliffe bemoans their lack of gold and assumes that the Indian “attack” was due to the “insolent heathens” having their gold “and they don’t want to us to take it from them.” And the logical response is to “take it by force.” (Um, no, I think Wiggins got that one right: you “invaded their land, cut down their trees, and dug up their Earth.”) Ratcliffe goes to search for John Smith, but Smith has wandered off again…to meet Pocahontas, scaring her friend, Nakoma in the process. Pocahontas introduces Smith to Grandmother Willow and Smith explains that the settlers came for gold. There is no gold, Pocahontas informs him. Most of the settlers would probably leave, but Smith has never belonged anywhere. There’s hope that he may stay with Pocahontas. Ben and Lon stumble through the forest, noisily looking for Smith. Grandmother Willow is able to scare them off, but Smith needs to report to the fort. The couple makes plans to meet again that evening. Pocahontas admits to Grandmother Willow she thinks that Smith might be the man her dream refers to. Back at the fort, Smith finds out that Ratcliffe is planning a battle to retrieve “their” gold. Smith refuses. “There is no gold,” he relays to the men, admitting that he’s been speaking to an Indian. The Natives are not savages, they could help, he argues. “Lies!” Ratcliffe states; declaring he is the law and if anyone so much as looks at a savage without killing it, they will be tried for treason and hanged. Smith still sneaks out that night, desperate to prevent the battle. Unbeknownst to Smith, Thomas and Ratcliffe have seen him; the governor sends Thomas after his friend (and a few added insults so Thomas feels pressured to prove himself). Pocahontas has also been speaking to her father, begging that if one white man was willing to talk, would Powhatan listen? He concedes, but doesn’t believe it. Nakoma tries to talk Pocahontas out of sneaking out again, but Pocahontas insists “I’m trying to help my people.” Worried about her friend, Nakoma goes to Kocoum. The couple meets at Grandmother Willow. Each side is preparing for battle. Pocahontas pleads for Smith to accompany her back to her village to speak with her father. Smith at first says it won’t work, using Percy and Meeko as an example; they’ve been chasing each other constantly. The wise willow points out that “sometimes, the right path is not the easiest;” the only way he and Pocahontas can be together is if the fighting stops. “Alright,” he gives in. Happy, they share a kiss. Looked on by Thomas and Kocoum. Kocoum is understandably upset, here’s the woman he’s attempting to court, sneaking off with the enemy and now they’re kissing. He lets out a war cry and attacks. Thomas rushes in (and thanks to lessons from Smith…nice job, hero) shoots his gun and kills Kocoum. Smith sends Thomas away and allows himself to be captured. Powhatan is furious at his daughter; she has shamed her father by disobeying him. The chief announces that the white man will be the first to die in the morning. Nakoma sees the despair in her friend’s eyes and persuades the guards to let Pocahontas have a few moments with Smith. She tells her love that it would have been better if they had never met. He refutes her claim, “I’d rather die tomorrow, than live a hundred years without knowing you.” (Aww! This is why we love this John Smith; the real one was not as sweet). They part, believing they will never see each other again. The 10th Anniversary Edition includes If I Never Knew You, a love song originally written for the film, and you can hear the instrumental theme throughout the score, but the duet was cut from the original movie due to pacing and children being uninterested [this was when I first discovered that I loved learning “behind the scenes” tidbits about movies; I shared this trivia with a class during a project in high school…I got blank stares, but I had fun]. The first time I heard it was on Michael Crawford’s Disney album (in case you’re unaware, Michael Crawford is most famous as the original Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera), and I love that version. I’m actually not terribly fond of it in the movie and it might be that I don’t like Mel Gibson singing it; he doesn’t really have the voice for a love song. At the fort, Thomas has explained that Smith has been captured. Ratcliffe uses it as proof that Smith was wrong, and he was right. At dawn, they will attack. Savages is a powerful scene, each side preparing for war, claiming the others are “barely even human” and equating them to demons. Ratcliffe asserts “they’re only good when dead…they’re not like you and me/which means they must be evil.” (Also, Ratcliffe, they’re not your shores, the Natives were there first) In the village, Powhatan says that white men are killers at the core. Fires from each side crash together, drums of war underpinning the preparations. Still in despair, Pocahontas seeks Grandmother Willow’s guidance. Meeko brings down John Smith’s compass, which Pocahontas and Grandmother Willow realize is a spinning arrow. She makes her decision to follow her heart and save John Smith. Savages is reprised as she rushes to the cliff as the sun rises and flings herself overtop John. She won’t stand back, she loves him; she insists as she defies her father’s order. The crowd is shocked. She argues that “this is where the path of hatred has brought us.” Her path is with Smith. Powhatan realizes the wisdom his daughter is demonstrating and backs down from the conflict. He has Smith released and the couple hug for a moment. Both sides lower their weapons. Ratcliffe takes the opportunity, despite his men’s protests, to fire on Powhatan. Smith hears the commotion and jumps in front of the chief [oddly, this is one of my favorite scenes; probably because I like my heroes to bleed a little, makes them a little more heroic]. The English settlers are angry and turn on Ratcliffe. Thomas takes charge and has the governor chained. Smith must return to England or he’ll die (wouldn’t traveling for four months aboard a ship be just as dangerous?) Pocahontas and the villagers come to see him off and Smith asks Pocahontas to come with him. She looks to her father for advice, but he tells her she must choose her own path, which she realizes is with her people; she must foster the feldging peace between the natives and settlers. Smith wants to stay with her, but she won’t let him die. One last kiss and the couple poignantly parts, Smith aboard the ship and Pocahontas waving goodbye from her cliff, the colorful leaves speeding the ship on its way. There was a terrible sequel to the movie, Brave New World, where Pocahontas accompanies John Rolfe back to England to plead her case to King James to prevent a massacre. Ratcliffe is back; everyone thinks John Smith is dead; he’s not, but she chooses Rolfe. The only things they got historically correct are that Pocahontas did marry John Rolfe and she did got to England. That’s it. As for the story, Disney, you spent an entire movie making us fall in love with John Smith and Pocahontas as a couple, and then destroy that pairing with flimsy excuses. Replica of “Susan Constant” from my latest trip to Jamestown Recreated fort at Jamestown Model of how the fort would have been laid out Pocahontas statue Statue of John Smith (Disney’s verison is much cuter) I loved this movie as a kid because it was “historical.” Then I actually studied the true history and visited Jamestown twice (and thank you Adam Conover, for further ruining it)…and I feel a bit betrayed. First, the geography is off; there are no mountains that close to the shoreline in Virginia. Second, if the English had asked the Spanish who had explored the region decades prior, they would have known there was no gold and the site they built their fort was poor planning; the nearest freshwater source was miles inland, where the Powhatan village was. Third, Pocahontas was about ten during the events and not in a romantic relationship with Smith (there was a YA novel I read in junior high that took that line of thinking…it was odd.) Most historians now believe, (no thanks to Smith’s written accounts, which were highly skewed and inaccurate) that there may have been some ceremony in the Powhatan village that Smith and Pocahontas were involved in, but she did not “save his life.” [Btw, learned all of this on my own, or from Jamestown. Sadly, this was not covered in school, beyond: “Jamestown was founded in 1607 as a result of the Virginia Company.” Again, learned all of that from the first line of the song.] I still love the story, despite knowing the historical inaccuracies. To me, it is a tale of two people overcoming the mistrust of their people. I like these characterizations as a couple; they’re both adventurous and Pocahontas changes John Smith’s views and make him a better person. Would I have liked this to have happened, yes. Did it, no. The Disney movie is good for kids, if a little mature in some areas: Ratcliffe wants to commit genocide after all. Again, the music is great, the art is great. And it did get me interested in history and when I was graduating college, I considered moving to the Jamestown area due to its connection to British history. There is a lot of colonial history in the area, specifically Williamsburg and I have enjoyed both of my visits and highly recommend the trip. I welcome questions or comments (sorry, couldn’t help including my little rant at the end; I have to admit, this was a harder post for me to write, warring between “I loved this movie as a kid!” and “they got the history so wrong!”) Up Next: The Hunchback of Notre Dame mirrordreamer animated musicals, movies 4 Comments November 13, 2018 12 Minutes	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363065
__label__wiki	0.978848	0.978848	HomeRegional Baahubali 2 New Poster: Katappa, Baahubali And The Cliffhanging Moment Rajamouli shared a new poster of Baahubali: The Conclusion and wrote: "The boy he raised. The man he killed" Written by: Divya Goyal \| March 11, 2017 17:31 IST (New Delhi) Sathyaraj and Prabhas in Baahubali: The Beginning. "The boy he raised. The man he killed," Rajamouli wrote The new posted depicts the moment when Kattapa killed Baahubali Baahubali: The Conclusion releases on April 28 Director SS Rajamouli shared a new poster for his upcoming film Baahubali: The Conclusion, which is probably the most special to fans of his two-part epic Baahubali. One part of the new poster shows Amarendra Baahubali's senapati Katappa raising him as a new born and the second part depicts the ultimate cliffhanger of the epic film - the moment when Katappa (played by Sathyaraj) kills Amarendra Baahubali (played by Prabhas). He shared the poster on Twitter and captioned it: "The boy he raised. The man he killed." Rajamouli also said that the film's designer "came up with this idea. Couldn't help but tweet, though unscheduled." Our designer jegan came up with this idea. Couldnt help but tweet, though unscheduled. The boy he raised The man he killed... #Baahubali2pic.twitter.com/hMV4YN5hVn ? rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) March 11, 2017 The first part of the epic, titled Baahubali: The Beginning released in 2015 and was an enormous hit. The film tracked the story of Shiva, who learned about his true identity - Mahendra Baahubali, son of Amarendra Baahubali - and the story of how his father, a beloved king and a revered leader, became the king of Mahishmati. Rana Daggubati plays the role of Bhallala Deva, a great warrior, but who was always jealous of his cousin's popularity. In Baahubali: The Beginging, Bhallala Deva is shown as a tyrannical ruler. The second film will show the events which lead upto the moment of Amarendra Baahubali's murder and then a war between Mahendra Baahubali and Bhallala Deva, which Rajamouli said will be epic. Actress Anushka Shetty stars as Amarendra Baahubali's wife Devasena, who was captured and tortured by Bhallala Deva after her husband's death. Tamannaah Bhatia stars as Avanthika, Mahendra Baahubali's love interest. The trailer of Baahubali: The Conclusion will release on March 16 and the film will hit the screens on April 28. baahubali 2 baahubali 2 poster baahubali 2 trailer baahubali 2 release date baahubali story Doctor Strange Director Reveals Himself As Baahubali Fan. See His Tweet 2 Years Of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, Prabhas Opens Up About His 'Emotional Connection' With The Film 'You're Next': As Baahubali Soared, A Picturesque Wink To The Moon Thugs Of Hindostan's Insanely Viral Trailer Crosses 27 Million Views In 24 Hours. But Is It As Insane As Baahubali 2? 'Baahubali Sarees'. A Hit, Just Like The Film 10 Spoiler-Free Takeaways From Baahubali 2 Baahubali 2 Releases Today, Fans Celebrate Baahubali 2 Hindi Is At Par With Any Khan Film: Producer	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363066
__label__wiki	0.691828	0.691828	Bemidji State University Bethany Global University Bethany Lutheran College NCES College Navigator search plug-in The NCES College Navigator search plug-in provides the ability to directly execute basic College Navigator searches from a web browser. The plug-in uses OpenSearch technologies, which are supported by Mozilla Firefox 2+, Internet Explorer 7+ and Google Chrome web browsers. Install NCES College Navigator search plug-in ( Español ) When using the browser search plug-in, in addition to the existing Name of School search function you can also enter state and jurisdiction abbreviations, for example: – "dc" returns all schools in the District of Columbia, "institute pr" returns all schools with "institute" in their name in Puerto Rico, "community md" returns all schools with "community" in their name in Maryland, "community dc md va" returns all schools with "community" in their name in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. You can also combine a search with a ZIP code, which defaults to the 5-mile search distance: – "64101" (a Kansas City ZIP code) returns all schools within 5 miles of ZIP code 64101, including schools in Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS, "mo 64101" returns schools within 5 miles of ZIP 64101 in the state of Missouri. "tech mo 64101" returns schools within 5 miles of ZIP 64101 in the state of Missouri with "tech" in their name. If you know the exact IPEDS ID of a school, you can also search by the ID. Note: The order of the search terms does not matter, although if you enter multiple ZIP codes only the last ZIP code you enter will be used. About \| Search Plug-in	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363069
__label__cc	0.698777	0.301223	School District of Osceola County Adult Learning Center Osceola (ALCO) Bellalago Academy Boggy Creek Elementary Celebration High Celebration K-8 Central Avenue Elementary Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering Deerwood Elementary Denn John Middle Discovery Intermediate Flora Ridge Elementary Gateway High Harmony Community Harmony High Hickory Tree Elementary Highlands Elementary Horizon Middle Kissimmee Elementary Kissimmee Middle Koa Elementary Liberty High Michigan Avenue Elementary Mill Creek Elementary Narcoossee Elementary Narcoossee Middle NeoCity Academy Neptune Elementary Neptune Middle New Beginnings Education Center Osceola County School For The Arts Osceola High Osceola Technical College Osceola Virtual School Parkway Middle Partin Settlement Elementary Pleasant Hill Elementary Poinciana Academy of Fine Arts Poinciana High Professional and Technical High (PATHS) St. Cloud Elementary St. Cloud High St. Cloud Middle Sunrise Elementary Thacker Ave. Elementary School for International Studies Tohopekaliga High Ventura Elementary Westside K-8 Zenith Accelerated Learning Academy share your great NCES PTO Facebook Page MTSS Parent Information 2018-2019 Business Partners Bookmark Buddies Fitness Olympics Morning Mile News Crew STEM Olympiads Destiny Card Catalog Student Leader in the Spotlight Pre-K / VPK Mrs. Moody's MOOS Special Area Non-Instructional Cafeteria Staff ESE Staff The 7 Habits Future Leaders Molded at NCES Habit Homework The Leader in Me Family Newsletter MRA Survey About NCES Mascot and School Colors Programs, Curriculum and Processes School and Office Hours Martin L. King, Jr. Day-Teacher/Student Holiday All Day Boy Scouts of America Pack 727 Meeting6:30PM - 8:00PM Girl Scouts of Citrus County Daisey Troop 2205 Meeting6:00PM - 8:00PM Girl Scouts of Citrus Council-Troop #4516:30PM - 7:30PM Father/Daughter Dance6:00PM - 8:00PM information from the school & district boards No Early Release Of Osceola Students On Five Wednesdays During Testing The Osceola County School District is planning ahead by allowing students in all grade levels to have a full day of school on the Wednesdays when testing will be administered. Student Lighthouse Team Service Project – charity: water NCES Earns Golden School Award School Bus Drivers Needed... Tweets by Osceolaschools During the month of December we will be focusing on Habit 4: Think Win-Win. Habit 4 is about mutual benefit, fairness, and abundance. Think Win-Win is a frame of mind that seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. It's based on the paradigm that there's plenty for everybody, that one person's success is not achieved at the expense of others. This is known as the Abundance Mentality, yet most people view life with a Scarcity Mentality. They see life as having only so much, as though there were only one pie out there and if someone gets a big piece of pie, it means less for everybody else. When we have an Abundance Mentality, we are not threatened by others' success because we are secure in our own self-worth. We know there is more than enough "pie" for everyone. This comes from achieving the Private Victory in Habits 1, 2, and 3. We move from dependence to independence. As we begin Habit 4, we move into the Public Victory and work towards achieving interdependence. There are six paradigms of human interaction: WIN-LOSE, LOSE-WIN, LOSE-LOSE, WIN, WIN-WIN, and WIN-WIN or NO DEAL. Win-Win is the habit of effective interpersonal leadership. It is a belief in the Third Alternative. It's not your way or my way; it's a better, a higher way. The six paradigms are described in detail below. WIN-LOSE: "I'm going to win and you're going to lose." LOSE-WIN: "Walk over me; everyone else does." LOSE-LOSE: "If I'm going to lose, so are you." WIN: "As long as I win, I don't care if you win or lose." WIN-WIN: "Let's find a solution that works for both of us." WIN-WIN or NO DEAL: "Let's find a solution that works for both of us, or let's not play." What are ways you can practice Habit 4: Think Win-Win? Think About... 1. In what areas of your life do you have a Scarcity Mentality (i.e., that there is not enough money, attention, resources, credit, etc., to go around)? 2. Where might your Scarcity Mentality come from? 3. What could you do to think more abundantly? 1. Stop comparing yourself to others. 2. Celebrate your own unique strengths and contributions 3. Celebrate others' success. 4. Share compliments, praise, credit, and rewards liberally. Being highly effective in this habit means to balance courage and consideration within our interaction with others. This means we are willing and able to speak our thoughts respectfully. This is being courageous. It also means being considerate. We are willing and able to seek out and listen to others' thoughts and feelings with respect. When we do this, we are able to develop Win-Win agreements. Scott P. Knoebel NCES Programs, Curriculum and Processes Mr. Knoebel would like you to join NCES is now using Remind as a free, safe, and simple messaging tool to help share important updates and reminders with parents. You may subscribe by text, email, or using the Remind app. You can click the link above or visit www.remind.com to learn more. Multicultural Education Department English -- Spanish -- Haitian-Creole ____________________________________________________ Footsteps2Brilliance is a mobile tech platform that uses the latest in cognitive research to aid early learning development. The interactive app digitally links home and the school, allowing children to have a curriculum-based Pre-K education anywhere. Every child in Osceola County has access to Footsteps2Brilliance! NCES Monthly Newsletter Click on the picture of the newspaper above to read the latest edition of the Bear Cub Chronicle. Open the hyperlinks for further information on important subjects! Click on the LEAD picture above to read the latest edition of the NCES Student Newsletter! NARCOOSSEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Group # 990022792 We're partnering with Yankee Candle® Fundraising to help achieve our goal this year. They are the world's #1 candle brand and they offer a wide range of premium candles, fragrances, and décor items at a very wide range of prices. But the most important thing to know is that a percentage of every sale goes to us! To help support us, click on the link below and order items online. Your purchases ship directly to your home and our group receives profit on each and every sale. This promotion is good through Wednesday, January 8, 2020. FortifyFL-A Suspicious Activity Reporting App FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials. Please join us Monday, September 9th for the School Advisory Council meeting at 5:30 for the discussion of the School Improvement Plan. The 2018-19 NCES Yearbook is now available for sale in the front office! Hardcover: $18 Softcover: $15 Cash or check only, first come first serve! Visitor Parking Signs Advertising Opportunity Rena Avant, Business Partner Coordinator Sandra.Avant@osceolaschools.net Kindergarten & Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) Kindergarten registration is now available. All other grade level registrations will begin after June 3rd. Click on the picture above to view a video of kids teaching the & Habits! Cafeteria Corner In accordance with the new state law, the NCES cafeteria will no longer be able to add money to a student’s lunch account without written permission from a parent or guardian. Prepaid money will need to in an envelope labeled with the student’s name, teacher and student ID number. The envelope must contain a note written by the student’s parent or guardian giving permission for the change to be added to the student’s account. If the envelope does not contain a note, the change will be returned to the student. Breakfast is FREE for all students. Lunch is $2.40 per day. Visit www.myschoolbucks.com to set up an account to deposit lunch money online. For questions please contact cafeteria manager: Donna Kelley 407-498-0309 from 7 am-2:30 pm Donna.Kelley@osceolaschools.net Ricky Booth – School Board Member – District 5 2690 N. Narcoossee Road, St. Cloud, FL 34771 Accessibility & Disclaimers	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363070
__label__wiki	0.565319	0.565319	Margo Price, Hayes Carll light up ACL Live to benefit Hill Country Conservancy Margo Price performs at the Hill Country Conservancy’s 12th Annual Hill Country Nights at ACL Live on September 7, 2018. Scott Moore for American-Statesman “Maybe songs aren’t about Arkansas aren’t appropriate tonight,” Hayes Carll wisecracked after playing his early hit “Little Rock” for the crowd at ACL Live that gathered Friday night to raise a Texas-sized bounty for the Hill Country Conservancy. Carll and headliner Margo Price sent patrons home with plenty of good songs in their hearts, capping a long evening that included a pre-concert dinner and live auction which raised $430,935 for the organization. The nonprofit land trust works to protect natural outdoor spaces in Central Texas as well as the area’s working farms and ranches. Carll is, like Bob Schneider, the rare Austin act who can play regularly at the intimate Saxon Pub while also occasionally stepping up for special shows at the city’s marquee concert hall. He’s played here before for other major fundraisers, and to tape the “Austin City Limits” TV show. RELATED: Our 2016 interview with Hayes Carll On this night, backed by a four-piece crew that included ringer Emily Gimble on piano, Carll ran through a set of his best material, supplementing songs from 2016’s “Lovers and Leavers” with older favorites such as “I Got a Gig,” the Ray Wylie Hubbard co-write “Drunken Poet’s Dream” and the set-closing “KMAG YOYO.” Gimble handled the female duet vocal part on “Another Like You,” the quasi-political love song Carll prefaced by suggesting that “there’s nothing we can’t overcome with a little bit of physical attraction and a whole lot of alcohol.” Hayes Carll and band perform at the Hill Country benefit at ACL Live on September 7, 2018. Scott Moore for American-Statesman Price has played Austin a few times this year, including a tour-de-force performance at Emo’s back in January plus gigs with Willie Nelson at the Luck Reunion event during South by Southwest and his annual Fourth of July Picnic at Circuit of the Americas. Each time through, she seems to win over new fans; her steady rise has been a sharp study in the triumph of natural talent when combined with a lot of hard work. READ MORE: Our 2018 interview with Margo Price Of particular note on this night were a couple of new songs, most notably “Long Live the King,” delivered early in the set. A show-stopping number that puts Price’s powerhouse vocals way out front, its three verses address a trio of 20th-century icons: first Elvis Presley, then Martin Luther King Jr. and finally John Lennon. The nature of the fundraising event meant Price’s set was a little shorter than her usual headlining show, so we missed a couple of her finest numbers: the sweeping “Hands of Time” from her 2016 breakthrough album “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter,” and the emotional title track to last year’s “All American Made” that she often plays solo on piano. One highlight still intact from her Emo’s set earlier this year, though, was the auxiliary drum kit set up next to her drummer Dillon Napier, placed there so Price could go back and hammer away at the end of “Cocaine Cowboys” (and later, “Paper Cowboy”). The crowd loved it: “That was awesome!”, shouted out one attendee at the end of “Cocaine Cowboys.” A couple of choice covers illuminated where Price draws some of her songwriting and performance inspiration. Guy Clark’s “New Cut Road” was a hot-pickin’ mid-set highlight, and she closed the show with a rousing version of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.” (When Price performed it with Brandi Carlile at the Newport Folk Festival earlier this summer, Parton’s complimentary tweet about their version “made my day/week/year/life!”, Price beamed on Twitter.) Still, the best elements of Price’s repertoire are her own songs. Standouts on this night included the blazing indictment “Four Years of Chances,” the swinging groove of “A Little Pain” and especially “Weakness,” a rocking honky-tonker in which Price confesses, “Sometimes my weakness is stronger than me.” That’s no doubt true for her, and all of us. But judging from her impressive career ascendance in the past few years, Price is winning that battle by a good country mile. RELATED: Hill Country Conservancy helps to preserve Hays County ranch land Author Peter BlackstockPosted on September 8, 2018 Categories live music, ReviewsTags things to do Previous Previous post: Austin360 On The Record: Ghostland Observatory, Black Joe Lewis, more Next Next post: One Night in Austin: Longhorn afternoon gives way to a local music evening	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363077
__label__cc	0.636864	0.363136	How is character formed? Applying the process Homeschool Subscription Civic Products Member Resources \| Faith-Based Member Resources \| Civic By using our site, you understand and expressly agree to be legally bound by these Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy and to follow these Terms and Conditions and all applicable laws and regulations governing our site. We reserve the right to change these Terms and Conditions at any time, effective immediately upon posting on our site. Character Formation Project is a registered trademark. Our character formation process is service marked. Its imagery and language may not be copied or reproduced in any form. All materials incorporated in or accessible through this site, including, without limitation, text, photographs, images, graphics, illustrations, logos, button icons, audio clips, video clips, software, and other content, and the compilation, collection, arrangement, and assembly thereof (including the look and feel of this site), are protected by United States and international copyright laws, and are owned or controlled by the Character Formation Project or by the original creators of such materials or their respective assignees. Any use of such materials, including any copying, reproduction, modification, sale, distribution, transmission, republication, downloading, display, posting, performance, or other exploitation thereof by any means or medium without the prior written permission of the Character Formation Project or other copyright owner is strictly prohibited. In the event of any permitted use of such materials, including, without limitation, any copying, reproduction, distribution, republication, downloading, or display thereof, you will make no changes in or deletion of author attribution, trademark legend, or copyright notice. No right, title, or interest in any such materials will be granted or transferred to you as a result of any permitted use of such materials. While every effort is made to ensure that accurate information is disseminated through this medium, the Character Formation Project makes no representation about the content and suitability of the information provided on this website for any purpose. It is provided “as is” without express or implied warranty. The Character Formation Project disclaims all warranties with regard to this website, including all implied warranties or merchantability and fitness. In no event shall the Character Formation Project be liable for any special indirect or consequential damages or any damages whatsoever resulting from loss of income or profits, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tortious action, arising in connection with the use or performance of this website. Further, the Character Formation Project has provided Hypertext links to a number of sites. This should NOT be taken as implying any link between us and those various organizations or individuals. The Character Formation Project 20935 West Swenson Drive, Suite 101 \| Waukesha, WI 53186-2006 © 2018 Character Formation Project, Inc. All rights reserved Legal \| Privacy Policy	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363086
__label__wiki	0.654293	0.654293	Ivey-Watson Named Field of the Year Ivey Watson Field Gainesville City School System's Ivey Watson Field has been named Sports Turf Managers Association (STMA) 2015 High School Baseball Field of the Year. The award is given to members who manage baseball, football, soccer, softball, and other sporting grounds at the professional, collegiate, school (K-12), and parks and recreation level. Ivey Watson Field was selected based on sound management practices and maintenance of the field to the highest standards. "The Field of the Year Award is a testament to the personal and professional contributions by a select group of sports turf industry leaders," says Kim Heck, CEO of STMA. "The process of selecting winners each year becomes more difficult as the candidate pool grows and the industry continues to progress with innovative technologies, state-of-the-art equipment, and best practices." A panel of fifteen judges independently scored entries based on playability, appearance of surfaces, utilization of innovative solutions, effective use of budget, and implementation of a comprehensive agronomic program. Winning fields will be featured in a 2016 issue of SportsTurf Magazine. Adrian Niles, Director of Maintenance and Operations, stated, "I am thrilled that Ivey Watson has been selected as "Field of the Year" by Sports Turf Magazine. It is an honor and speaks well of our district's support and staff's commitment to excellence. " GCSS Athletic Field Manager David Presnell said, "I think it's a testament to my staff and administration. My staff understands the level of excellence that's expected and really has taken it to the next level. No matter the circumstance, we strive to provide the best possible playing surface for our student-athletes." Built in 1986, Ivey Watson Field is located on the shores of Lake Lanier and is home to the Gainesville Red Elephants baseball team. It has a rich history, hosting five state championships. The field celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. GHS Head Baseball Coach Jeremy Kemp commended the staff for their outstanding work and stated, "There is no place like playing at Ivey-Watson. The fans, the atmosphere, and the history are all second to none, and to top it all off the playing surface is always immaculate thanks to David Presnell and his staff." Student Make-Up Day - February 15, 2016 Don't forget to mark your calendars! Monday, February 15, 2016 will be a student make-up day, and students should report to school. The district had implemented this date within the 2015-2016 school calendar to be utilized in case of inclement weather. Student Group Visits State Capitol GHS Youth Leadership Hall group with Gov. Deal and Legislators Youth Leadership Hall students had an opportunity to tour the Capitol and visit with the Hall County delegation. Representative Emory Dunahoo talked to the students about the process of how a bill becomes a law in state government. Other speakers who took time away from their busy schedules to meet with the students included State Representatives Carl Rogers, Lee Hawkins, and Timothy Barr. The students visited the Senate Chambers with Senator Butch Miller and saw historical artifacts at the Georgia History Museum in the Capitol. The purpose of the tour was to familiarize the high school students with the processes and procedures of the state government. Legislators spoke to the students about their duties and about their commitment to serving the citizens of Georgia. At the end of the tour, students were more knowledgeable about the Hall County delegation and the significance of their roles as legislators. Enota Hosts Multiple Intelligences Fair A judge admires a student project On January 28th, Enota presented its annual Multiple Intelligences Fair to parents and the community. The MI Fair always has a lot to offer but one of the best features is student projects. Students worked diligently for weeks to demonstrate their unique "smart", and the results were amazing. Enota coach Tommy Jones had a chance to extensively review the projects, and he was very impressed. "I liked a project that made a map of America with string art. I had never seen anything like that before," he stated. "Another good one was a replica of the Mayflower with minute detail. It was really cool." Enota media specialist Kyle Sanders was also really impressed with a detailed papier-mâché elephant created by a student. Everyone did an amazing job creating projects and preparing for the event. Parents and the community saw the amazing talent and creativity displayed by students. Thanks to all of the families, judges, and students that helped make Enota's Multiple Intelligences Fair a huge success! Gainesville Exploration is #FamilyStrong Families show their support of GEA Gainesville Exploration Academy's brand is #FamilyStrong, meaning students. parents, teachers, and the community all work together to create a family atmosphere in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated. GEA's climate exhibits this brand because everyone works hard to ensure student success. Parents and families have the most direct and lasting impact on children's learning and development of social competence. When parents are involved, students achieve more, exhibit more positive attitudes and behavior, and feel more comfortable in new settings. When schools actively involve parents and engage community resources, they are able to respond more effectively to students' needs. At GEA, family involvement is instrumental in fostering a nurturing learning environment and in building strong, lasting relationships between teachers, parents, and students that directly impact students' academic achievement. Gainesville City School System #OneGainesville Gainesville City School System - @GCSSK12 Centennial - @GCSS_CAA Enota - @enotamiacademy Fair Street - @GCSS_FS Gainesville Exploration - @GCSS_GEA New Holland - @GCSS_NH Gainesville Middle School - @GCSS_GMS Gainesville High School - @GCSS_GHS Download the GCSS Mobile App through App Store, Google Play, or Window Store to access the latest information while on the go! Features such as Calendar of Events, Directions, Faculty and Staff Directory, Emergency and District Alerts, Helpful Links, and Current News can be accessed through our mobile application. " Go Mobile" with GCSS! Wanda Creel, Ed.D. Delores Diaz, Chair Brett Mercer, Vice Chair Sammy Smith John Filson BOE Work Session Student Make-Up Day (Students Report to School) BOE Meeting ELEPHANT TRACKS NEWS Help us share our story GHS Alum Receives Emmy Class of 2015 Achievements Our students will think critically, act compassionately, work meaningfully, choose wisely, and live joyfully. As ONE GAINESVILLE, we will INSPIRE , NURTURE, CHALLENGE & Gainesville High Wood's Mill Academy Gainesville Middle Centennial Arts Academy Enota MI Academy Fair Street IB School Exploration Academy Knowledge Academy www.gcssk12.net	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363087
__label__cc	0.554478	0.445522	Bidders for 2026 World Cup wishing they’d kept receipts for bribes Nations bidding to host the 2026 World Cup have been left wishing they’d got a receipt their bribes after FIFA announced it was postponing the bidding process. With Canada, Mexico and Colombia already confirming their interest in holding the World Cup in 2026, the football associations of those countries said they had spent untold amounts securing favour with FIFA executives, only to find out it was pointless. A spokesperson for the Colombian FA told us, “As a nation, we have a certain fondness for cash related transactions, which is why we get on so well with FIFA – they are of much the same mind.” “We don’t believe in paper trails, so we never asked for a receipt, obviously. But that is admittedly looking pretty foolish right now.” “That said, anyone wishing to take Colombian money and then not deliver their side of the deal is a brave man indeed.” “Let’s see just how brave they are.” Another titan of global sport, Kazakhstan, had previously expressed an interest in bidding for the 2026 event. However an insider from their football association told us, “It looks like we won’t bother now.” “What is the point in having an abundance of natural resources such as oil and gas if you can’t use to them to buy yourself a football tournament every now and again?” “We spent a lot of time on our initial bid document, which we wrote on one side of A4 then packed inside a suitcase full of cash and sent off to Switzerland, as instructed.” “No, we didn’t get a receipt.” Previous post: Nobel Prize for Literature awarded to person who stole new 50 Shades manuscript Next post: Steve McClaren develops Geordie accent during first Newcastle interview Man City goalkeeper criticised for making a cheese fondue during Aston Villa game	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363091
__label__wiki	0.738267	0.738267	NEWH News Spain’s Balearic Islands Bars Pub Crawls to Crack Down on Unruly Tourists From Skift There's sober curious tourism, and there is this. By barring happy hours and pub crawls, the Balearic Islands hope to restore some order to its communities. Let's see how much… There’s sober curious tourism, and there is this. By barring happy hours and pub crawls, the Balearic Islands hope to restore some order to its communities. Let’s see how much pushback follows. -Tom Lowry Distribution Giants Jockey for Air India Biz and 8 Other Top Aviation Stories This Week This week in aviation news, global distribution systems battle for struggling Air India's business, plus Ethiopian Airlines plans to build a new $5 billion airport outside of Addis Ababa. -Danielle… This week in aviation news, global distribution systems battle for struggling Air India’s business, plus Ethiopian Airlines plans to build a new $5 billion airport outside of Addis Ababa. -Danielle Hyams From Dezeen A lawyer's office occupies a contemporary extension to a commercial building in Montreal, which local studio Naturehumaine designed with a monochrome palette and wooden accents. Read more A lawyer’s office occupies a contemporary extension to a commercial building in Montreal, which local studio Naturehumaine designed with a monochrome palette and wooden accents. Read more From COOL HUNTING From a two-sided trip-hop tune to an electro oddity, a few of our favorite tracks from this week U.S. Girls: Overtime Technically a rework of a 2013 release, “Overtime,” as… From a two-sided trip-hop tune to an electro oddity, a few of our favorite tracks from this week U.S. Girls: Overtime Technically a rework of a 2013 release, “Overtime,” as it appears now, is a single from U.S. Girls’ forthcoming seve… Southwest Becomes Latest U.S. Airline to Delay Boeing 737 Max Return Many predicted that Boeing would have gotten its act together by now and that 737 Max aircraft would be safe to fly. It's still up in the air exactly when… Many predicted that Boeing would have gotten its act together by now and that 737 Max aircraft would be safe to fly. It’s still up in the air exactly when that will be, but there is hope for the busy U.S. summer travel season. -Andrew Sheivachman Bez + Kock Architekten used a bridge to connect an extension and a 17th-century museum in Arnsberg, Germany, forming the Museum and Cultural Forum South Westphalia. Read more Italian architecture studio Marcante Testa has unveiled a new range for bathroom brand Ex.t, which references the work of American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. Read more Our new Pinterest board showcases images of boutique hotels from around the world, including a property nestled in a field of olive trees in Portugal, and a hotel that boasts… Our new Pinterest board showcases images of boutique hotels from around the world, including a property nestled in a field of olive trees in Portugal, and a hotel that boasts an exhibition space. Follow Dezeen on Pinterest or visit our new board to see… NL Architects unveils Forum Groningen as a “cultural department store” NL Architects has completed a huge cultural complex in Groningen, which is set to become an important landmark for the Dutch city. Read more Hong Kong Express Stops Pregnancy Tests for Saipan-Bound Travelers Hong Kong Express is now owned by Cathay Pacific, which moved swiftly to suspend these tests. That's the right call. -Andrew Sheivachmamn Hong Kong Express is now owned by Cathay Pacific, which moved swiftly to suspend these tests. That’s the right call. -Andrew Sheivachmamn	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363097
__label__wiki	0.668779	0.668779	9th Annual Nolafunk Series During Jazz Fest Samantha Fish Announces Show at NYC’s PlayStation Theater in December The Marcus King Band Announces December Show at New York’s Iconic Beacon Theatre Phish After-Party Series Initial Line-Up Announcement Brass Against To Play April 20 Show At Gramercy Theatre CEG Presents Music News Concerts In & Around NYC Jazz Fest New Orleans Nolafunk New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Unveils Its 2017 Lineup January 27, 2017 January 27, 2017 Sam Hutchinson Jazz Fest Lineup, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Announced earlier today, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has released a powerhouse lineup for its 2017 festival. Founded in 1970, the 46th annual Jazz Fest will take place over the course of two weekends from April 28th – May 7th at the Fair Grounds Race Course in Mid-City New Orleans. This summer’s lineup features a star-studded roster of local and international talent including Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Kings of Leon, Snoop Dogg, Alabama Shakes and many more. Check out the entire lineup below: One unique aspect of Jazz Fest is the main festival and fair ground closes each night at 7pm, which consequently welcomes a frenzy of after hour music and cultural events at unaffiliated venues throughout New Orleans during the two-week stretch. To provide Jazz Fest attendees quality music after 7pm, NYC-based promoter NolaFunk schedules a series of concerts in New Orleans throughout Jazz Fest each year. For this year’s Jazz Fest, NolaFunk has announced moe. on Thursday, April 27th at Le Petit Theatre, North Mississippi Allstars & Anders Osborne present NMO & The Record Company on Friday, April 28th at Republic NOLA, Dead Feat featuring John K of Furthur, Paul Barrere & Fred Tackett of Little Feat, Jackie Greene, Anders Osborne, Brady Blade & Carl Durfene on April 29th & 30th at Repubulic Nola, Twiddle on Saturday, April 29th at Republic NOLA, Morgan James on Sunday, April 30th at Le Petit Theatre, Foundation of Funk featuring members of Widespread Panic & The Meters (SOLD OUT) on Thursday, May 4th at Republic NOLA, Tab Benoit & Samantha Fish at Republic NOLA on Friday, May 5th, Big Freedia (live band set) & The Soul Rebels with special guests Tank and the Bangas on Saturday, May 6th at Republic NOLA, and VooDoo Dead featuring Steve Kimock, Jackie Greene, George Porter Jr., Jeff Chimenti, and JM Kimock on May 6th and May 7th at Republic NOLA. With the exception of the sold out Foundation of Funk show, tickets for each concert in the NolaFunk Series During Jazz Fest are currently on sale. Tickets and more information can be found here. To receive presale access codes and discounts to future NolaFunk concerts, sign up your email for its New Orleans newsletter here, and its New York newsletter here. ← Five New Albums to Look Out for in February Chris Vos of The Record Company Discusses his Grammy Nomination, Jazz Fest, & the Year Ahead → Join the CEG Presents Mailing List 10 Interesting Facts About New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Philip Lassiter Talks Prince, Snarky Puppy, & New Album Neal Morse Discusses New Music, His International Tour, and Playing at NYC’s Gramercy Theatre (8/22/17) Laith Al-Saadi Discusses Life Before and After NBC’s The Voice (B.B. King’s NYC, 3/24/17) Interview: Greg & Jeremy of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (11/18, Irving Plaza) Copyright © 2020 CEG Presents Music News. All rights reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363100
__label__wiki	0.998318	0.998318	Police 'discussions' over diplomatic memos leak as Sir Kim Darroch resigns The UK's man in Washington quits his role following criticism by Donald Trump, while at Westminster anger grows at Boris Johnson. By Greg Heffer, political reporter Thursday 11 July 2019 11:12, UK Sir Kim Darroch Image: Sir Kim Darroch with Theresa May in 2017 Police have held "initial discussions" over an investigation into the leak of diplomatic memos from Sir Kim Darroch, the UK's ambassador to the US, who has now resigned. The deepening diplomatic rift between the UK and US President Donald Trump saw Sir Kim quit his post in Washington earlier. He said the furore over the leaked messages, in which he called Mr Trump "inept", was making it "impossible" for him to carry out his duties. The US president had responded to the revelation of Sir Kim's memos by branding the diplomat "wacky" and "a very stupid guy", as well as vowing to "no longer deal with him". Sir Kim was 'thrown under a bus' by Johnson Sir Kim's resignation came just before Theresa May took Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons. She revealed to MPs her "great regret" at Sir Kim's resignation, adding: "Good government depends on public servants being able to give full and frank advice, and I want all our public servants to have the confidence to be able to do that. "I hope that the House will reflect on the importance of defending our values and principles, particularly when they are under pressure." More from Boris Johnson Government reshuffle: Ministers warned over 'showboating' as shake-up looms House of Lords could leave London for the north to connect people with politics Boris Johnson distances himself from Big Ben Brexit crowdfunding campaign Boris Johnson vows to 'get those waiting lists down' after worst NHS figures Boris Johnson denies Nicola Sturgeon's request for IndyRef2 Downing Street later revealed the government has held "initial discussions" with the police over a Whitehall investigation into the leak. "If there was concern about criminal activity the police would become involved more formally at that point," a Number 10 spokeswoman said. Memo leaker 'should be eviscerated' Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick confirmed her force had been "alerted" to the inquiry, but added the government had yet to refer the matter to Scotland Yard. Offering her personal viewpoint, Ms Dick expressed her "regret" at the leak, adding: "I obviously think it's very sad to somebody like Sir Kim resigning in this manner. "I also think that as a citizen... it is a deeply worrying situation where communications like this can end up in the public domain." Listen to "Did President Trump bully the UK's ambassador out of a job?" on Spreaker. The most senior civil servant at the Foreign Office, Sir Simon McDonald, admitted he was "bracing" himself for more leaks of diplomatic messages. "I fear there may be more," Sir Simon said, as he told the Commons' foreign affairs committee that "nothing like this has ever happened before, there must be consequences". Johnson refuses to commit on ambassador's future while Hunt says he would stay The top official added the last time Britain had "difficulty" with the US over its ambassador was in 1856, when its diplomat was accused of recruiting Americans to fight on the British side in the Crimean War. Anger at Westminster over the growing row centered on Boris Johnson's refusal to commit to keeping Sir Kim in post during a televised Conservative leadership debate on Tuesday night. Whitehall sources told Sky News that Sir Kim "decided the game was up" following the lack of support from Mr Johnson, who is expected to succeed Mrs May as prime minister later this month. Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan, who is supporting Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt over Mr Johnson in the Conservative leadership race, told Sky News that Mr Johnson had "basically thrown [Sir Kim] under the bus". "I think that the conduct of Boris Johnson has discredited him enormously in the eyes of many people in this country," Sir Alan said. Johnson 'utterly spineless' over ambassador Mr Hunt himself said it was "absolutely essential" for the UK to defend its diplomats when they "do their job". "In this situation we had a fine diplomat who was just doing what he should have been doing, giving a frank assessment, a personal assessment of the political situation in the country that he was posted," he said. "That's why I defended him and I think we all should." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn chose not to ask a single question about the diplomatic row during PMQs. But shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry later issued a statement to claim Sir Kim had been "bullied out of his job because of Donald Trump's tantrums and Boris Johnson's pathetic lick-spittle response". 'Terminator' Trump: Best bits of UK ambassador's damning report Sir Kim Darroch gives a damning assessment of the Trump administration - but insists he could well win a second term Following Sir Kim's resignation, Mr Johnson claimed whoever was responsible for leaking the diplomatic memos had "done a grave disservice to our civil servants". "I hope that whoever it is, is run down, caught and eviscerated, quite frankly, because it is not right that advice to ministers that civil servants must be able to make in a spirit of freedom should be leaked," he said. "It is not right that civil servants' careers and prospects should be dragged into the political agenda." Defence minister Tobias Ellwood claimed the "diplomatic discord" between the UK and US was "unprecedented in modern times". He posted on Twitter: "The rapid & very public escalation, culminating in the resignation of a respected senior diplomat, raises serious questions- not least about the quality of critical back channels with our most trusted & valued ally." Boris-backing MP dances around ambassador issue On the other side of the Atlantic, Sir Kim found support from US senators, with Republican Linsey Graham countering the views of his president by tweeting: "Kim Darroch did an outstanding job as Ambassador and sorry to see he has resigned his post. "He got a raw deal from press." Mark Warner, the Democrat vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, posted: "@KimDarroch was an outstanding Ambassador who served his country with honesty and integrity. "He was a true friend to the United States, and it's a shame to see him go."	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363104
__label__wiki	0.817533	0.817533	Alabama 61, Florida 55: Crimson Tide gigs the Gators at last Alabama took out almost a decade’s worth of frustration on Florida Saturday afternoon, holding the Gators to under 29 percent field goal shooting and pulling away for a 61-55 road victory to snap an 11-game losing streak in the series. What did we learn today?: It’s time to talk about Alabama’s NCAA tournament chances in a voice louder than a whisper. The Crimson Tide has won four consecutive games, currently the best streak in the SEC, is now .500 in the league after a 1-5 start and could be just one more upset away from finishing with at least 20 wins. And while Florida isn’t ranked in the polls, in many ways this win is more impressive than any of the four games where Bama knocked off a Top 25 team. The Gators entered the day 21st in the RPI and 12-1 at the O’Connell Center, where Alabama hadn’t won since 1995. And even while playing far from a perfect game, the wrecked Florida’s offense, stayed confident while waiting for its own shots to fall and was mentally tough enough to overcome late adversity against a team that always gives it fits. What was the best part of the game?: This has always been a team of Grinches on defense, but their hearts grew three sizes this day. Alabama fought and scrapped its way to a 48-44 lead, but calamity struck when Retin Obasohan picked up two quick whistles to foul out with 5:35 left. It felt like the Tide was about to sink without its undisputed star and floor leader, and the feeling multiplied when Arthur Edwards committed his fifth foul on the very next possession. But instead of backing down, Bama fought back even harder, keeping the clamps on the anemic Gators, holding onto possession and grinding out just enough points to salt the game away. And while Obasohan was key to Alabama seizing the lead after halftime, his team had already shown its heart by battling Florida on level terms even as he struggled, missing nine of his first 11 shots. If that effort gets combined with a normal Obasohan showing, Bama can hang with anyone in the SEC. Who was the star?: Jimmie Taylor did yeoman’s work in the paint denying scoring opportunities to Florida’s talented big men, finishing with five blocks, four rebounds and two steals in 27 minutes. He also got into the offensive flow with 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting and had a couple of signature dunks, including a beauty with eight minutes remaining when he snagged an ankle-high, slightly off-target pass from Shannon Hale, launched himself from four feet away and nearly bent the rim down to a 45-degree angle. But it was his defense (and his ability to avoid fouls so he could stay in to play it) that was the real story. What were the biggest concerns?: The only reason the Gators weren’t run out of the gym was their ability to grab an obscene 23 offensive rebounds. Florida out-rebounded the Tide 54-35, and could have made the game ugly if it could have ever warmed up from the floor (and still could have escaped with a win if it weren’t for 11 missed free throws). Obasohan got off to a rough start when the Gators sold out to contain his driving layups and was slow to adjust by looking for open teammates. His fifth foul was a disaster, an out-of-control charge that came seconds after he narrowly avoided an over-the-back whistle going for a rebound. Ordinarily he plays more under control when in foul trouble, and for him and Edwards to vapor lock at the same time is the last thing Avery Johnson needed from his two seniors. What’s next?: Bama bumps up against fellow bubble team LSU on Wednesday in Baton Rouge. Tipoff on the SEC Network is at 8 p.m. Central. Previous articleBama’s win streak faces tough test in Gator country Next articleThis week in the SEC: Alabama’s suddenly making bracket racket again	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363105
__label__wiki	0.530265	0.530265	(-) Remove Bess Connolly filter Bess Connolly In conversation: Andrew Johnston on digging up Roman history Last summer, archaeologists from the University of Michigan, Yale, and other institutions digging at a site near Rome known as Gabii unearthed a monument that dates back 300 years before the Coliseum. Among the researchers working on the Gabii Project was... Students explore indigenous Montréal during ‘inspirational’ fall-break trip Yale to host 40th session of Model United Nations Nearly 1,700 high school students from around the world will converge on the Yale campus for the 40th session of Yale Model United Nations (YMUN XL), to be held Jan. 23–26.YMUN is one of the most prestigious academic simulations of the United Nations in... Institute of Sacred Music celebrates 40 years of ‘creativity and collaboration’ This spring, the Yale Institute of Sacred Music (ISM) will celebrate 40 years at Yale with a month-long series of events highlighting its interdisciplinary mission.Performances, lectures, readings, symposia, and exhibitions will showcase the international... Q&A: Yale College student Eugene Kim on his recent trip to Ghana Eugene Kim ’16, a clarinetist and president of the Yale Concert Band, recently traveled to Ghana with the Yale Percussion Group for 12 days of cultural exchange, musical research, and community service. He recently spoke to YaleNews about his experiences... Q&A: Yale School of Music alumnus Douglas Perry on his recent trip to Ghana In conversation: Verity Harte on a decade-long project devoted to reading Plato’s 'Republic' Mellon grant will support development of new online platform to study ancient Chinese texts Yale project on ancient Mesopotamia makes the ‘esoteric’ more accessible Analyzing ancient texts on cuneiform, or clay tablets, may seem like an esoteric endeavor.Not so, say the scholars working on the Yale Cuneiform Commentaries Project (CCP). They argue that these are just some of the first traces of a tradition that is... In conversation: Karen Nakamura on 25 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act Remove Bess Connolly filter Bess Connolly World (14) Apply World filter	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363106
__label__cc	0.568719	0.431281	Families Of Mississippi Prison Inmates Speak Out Families of Mississippi inmates are speaking out amid recent deaths and inhumane prison conditions. by A. Woods California Is Slammed For Inmate 'Slave Labor' Fighting… Social media sheds light on a major problem. Prison Guards Won’t Face Charges In Inmate’s Death Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle announced that the four prison guards who were allegedly tied to Darren Rainey’s death… Former Inmates Sue NY 'Supermax' Prison The New York Daily News reports that the Southport Correctional facility near Elmira, NY has shelled out $10 million to… by Desire Thompson South Carolina Inmates Get Combined Total Of 20… Seven inmates were given a combined total punishment of 7,150 days, or 19.75 years, of solitary confinement at the South… ACLU Asks Judge To Improve Unsanitary, Dangerous Conditions… Unsanitary and dangerous conditions at the Baltimore City Detention center prompted civil rights lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union… by Christina Coleman Ex-Con Launches $3 Million Tech Company To Help… When Frederick Hutson landed in prison at the age of 24 on a drug trafficking charge in Florida, he was… Are Deputies In This San Francisco Jail Forcing… Four San Francisco sheriff’s deputies were placed on administrative leave and are currently under investigation after a public defender accused them… News Roundup: Paula Deen Will Return To Television,… After going on a 22-month hiatus following backlash from her racist remarks, Paula Deen will be returning to television. The… Study Suggests Whites Willing To Support Harsher Criminal… A new study suggests that white people are willing to support harsher criminal laws if they think more Black people…	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363108
__label__cc	0.739315	0.260685	Oil drilling — a nasty national habit by Source on April 6, 2010 · 2 comments in Culture, Energy, Environment, War and Peace Editor: The following timely piece is by former OBcean and former member of the original OB Rag staff in the mid-Seventies, David Helvarg, who now resides in San Francisco. By David Helvarg/ Los Angeles Times / Originally posted April 01, 2010\| It’s like advocating a healthy diet based on fast food, speed and low-tar cigarettes. President Obama’s decision to have Interior Secretary Ken Salazar open vast new areas of federal ocean waters to offshore oil drilling is no surprise. In his State of the Union address, the president explained that his vision for a clean energy future included offshore drilling, nuclear power and clean coal. Unfortunately, that’s like advocating a healthy diet based on fast-food snacking, amphetamines and low-tar cigarettes. If the arguments you hear in the coming days for expanded drilling sound familiar, it’s because they’ve been repeated for generations. We’ve been hearing promises about safer drilling technologies since before Union Oil began drilling in the Santa Barbara Channel. And if you don’t remember what happened that time, you should. Soon after the wells were bored, one of them blew out in January 1969, causing a massive oil slick that slimed beaches and killed birds, fish and marine mammals. The resulting catastrophe helped spark the modern environmental movement. The president has promised no new drilling off the West Coast, and it’s no wonder. Opposition was unified and vociferous during Salazar’s public hearing on offshore energy development in San Francisco in April 2009. More than 500 people — including Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Gov. Ted Kulongoski of Oregon, California’s lieutenant governor and four House members — testified and rallied for clean energy and against any new oil drilling. Boxer noted that the coast was a treasure and a huge economic asset “just as is,” generating $24 billion a year and 390,000 jobs. Still, in the new Department of Interior announcement, one can hear echoes of President Reagan’s Interior secretary, Don Hodel, who warned us in the 1980s that if we didn’t expand offshore drilling, we’d be “putting ourselves at the tender mercies of OPEC.” We did expand offshore drilling then, not off the stunning redwood coastline of Mendocino, Calif., as Hodel wanted, but where the oil industry knew most of the oil and gas actually was and is: in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. We even created a royalty moratorium for the oil companies that went after those huge deep-water fields. But offshore drilling has done little to wean us from Middle Eastern oil. And with less than 5% of our domestic oil located offshore, more ocean drilling won’t help now either. The only real way to quit relying on foreign oil is to wean ourselves from oil, and that’s something our leaders are unlikely to fully embrace until we’ve tapped that last reserve of sweet crude. Tagged as: Barack Obama Cat310 April 6, 2010 at 4:40 pm Drill baby drill, and crack a few more atoms while you’re at it to. Residential solar is for smucks, state and federal incentives should be eliminated. Renewables, (solar, wind, biofuels, algae, tidal, geotermal), need to be focused on commercial scale utility projects with lower costs of energy if we want to influence our burn rate of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels can be extended and burned cleanly by the use of fuel cells like Bloom Energy. Sunshine April 7, 2010 at 7:10 am Thank you for your article outlining what forms of energy Obama actually called for in his first State of the Union Address. I was stunned when he mentioned “nuclear” and now you refresh my memory on his call for “offshore drilling.” I am no less stunned by this reminder today than I was when he announced his intentions during the State of the Union Address. Thank goodness for those that went to Washington in opposition of such unsightly and completely unnecessary offshore rigs. Level headed politicians? Who woulda thunk it? Here’s a solution you can build and utilize at home, while camping, or at Burning Man… http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-october-7-2009/william-kamkwamba Upbeat clip from Jon Stewart’s Daily Show featuring William Kamkwamba. William wrote the book, “The boy who harnesses the wind” Older Article: OB FLASHES – April 6th – News, Calendar and Whatever Newer Article: Next earthquake: Do NOT get under the furniture	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363113
__label__cc	0.579866	0.420134	Whales Have Lost the Ability to Taste Anything but Salt djublonskopf Filed to:Evolution Sweet, savory (umami), sour, bitter, and salty . . . the ability to detect these five primary tastes is shared by nearly all living animals, passed down to us from some ancestral gustatory prodigy over 900 million years ago. Fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals, and even insects share this tightly-conserved taste palate. Not every animal can detect every taste, of course. Invertebrates like insects taste "carbonation" instead of "sour". Cats can't taste sweets. Giant pandas cannot taste savory/meaty foods, something they probably lost when their ancestors switched from meat to bamboo. Animal groups are reluctant to let go of "salty" and "bitter", because "bitter" basically means "poison", and balancing salt levels is pretty important for animals trying to not become dead animals. Enter the whales. Like cats, whales have lost their taste for sweets. They've also given up savory-tasting like the giant panda. Surprisingly, they've taken taste-loss further still, dumping their awareness of sour and bitter too. In what seems like a first for the animal kingdom, the whales have lost four out of five primary tastes. Researchers from the UK and China examined the DNA of 12 different whale and dolphin species (seven toothed and five baleen). Across all 12 species, they found that genes encoding for sweet, umami, sour, and bitter taste receptors were all degraded to the point of uselessness, no longer coding for anything. Only their salt receptors were conserved, which for ocean-feeding animals means that every single meal tastes like nothing but a mouthful of sea salt. Further genetic analysis indicates that the common ancestor to all whales probably lost its sense of taste shortly after they branched off from the rest of the artiodactyls sometime prior to 53 million years ago. Why would whales lose so much of their sense of taste, when it is so tightly conserved across the rest of the animal kingdom? The researchers have educated guesses, involving an ancestral all-meat diet combined with a tendency to swallow food whole rather than bite or chew it . . . plus the omnipresent taste of seawater diluting and overpowering any other possible tastes. The paper (Massive losses of taste receptor genes in toothed and baleen whales. Feng et al. 2014) is open access, so you can download and read the PDF whenever you please. Image is in the public domain. Thanks to artiofab for correcting several of the doubtless dozens of errors that originally appeared in this post.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363114
__label__wiki	0.86317	0.86317	KinetIQ™ 100 KinetIQ™ 1000 KinetIQ™ OS AGV & Mobile Robot Navigation Vehicle Tracking & Platooning Tool Tracking Crane Positioning Drone Navigation Rail Signaling Humatics Accelerates Microlocation Innovation with Acquisition of 5D Robotics and Time Domain Millimeter- and centimeter-scale microlocation sensors and software will revolutionize industrial automation, next-generation construction, autonomous vehicles and smart cities CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS – February 27th, 2018 - Humatics Corporation, the company developing breakthrough microlocation products, today announced the acquisition of 5D Robotics and its subsidiary, Time Domain. Humatics is developing radio-frequency (RF) sensors that measure the positions of objects in three-dimensional space with unprecedented, millimeter-scale precision at up to 30-meter ranges. 5D Robotics and Time Domain make RF systems that locate objects with centimeter-scale precision at up to 500-meter ranges. Together, the combined company will offer products that measure position with precisions that will transform industrial automation, next-generation construction, autonomous vehicles, and smart cities. Location matters. To interact safely and seamlessly with people and their environments, autonomous systems such as drones, vehicles, and robots need to know precisely where they are at all times. GPS lacks the required accuracy, and doesn't work indoors. Cameras and lasers help, but they rely on data-intensive maps and fail in dusty, rainy, foggy, or snowy conditions. Only RF technologies are able to overcome all these challenges. 5D Robotics and Time Domain are providing proven centimeter-scale sensors to the industrial automation and manufacturing markets. Humatics' breakthrough Spatial Intelligence Platform™ captures and calculates even more precise 3D positions, indoors and out. Together, the technologies greatly expand Humatics' new product category - microlocation - for improved safety, efficiency and productivity. The acquisition also consolidates a considerable patent portfolio, making Humatics the only industry player offering a comprehensive technology stack capable of addressing the microlocation challenge. "Time Domain has been the leader in precision positioning for many years, taking the technology to chip-scale solutions deployed at scale in challenging, critical environments," said Ray Stata, founder and Chairman of Analog Devices, Series A investor and board member at Humatics. "I'm delighted to see the 5D Robotics and Time Domain products join Humatics' technology portfolio. The synthesis of these technologies will make robust, precise positioning - and all the applications it unlocks - a reality." "Since we led the Series A last April, Humatics has exceeded the many milestones set by the board," said Chris Cheever, co-founder and partner at Fontinalis Partners, a venture capital firm focused on next-generation mobility technologies. "That includes demonstrating successful pilots with brand-name customers, attracting world-class technology and business leaders, growing the team to nearly 50 employees, and most recently, completing this very strategic and timely acquisition. It's transformed Humatics from a development-stage startup into a fully integrated, solutions-driven company capable of unlocking and creating value for next-generation mobility and countless other industries starved for exact location intelligence." Gabe Klein, co-founder of smart cities advisory services firm CityFi and a Special Venture Partner at Fontinalis, said, "As former head of the D.C. and Chicago Departments of Transportation, I'm acutely attuned to the challenges of keeping people safe as we create the cities of the future. The newly expanded Humatics team has foundational technology that's poised to augment or replace GPS and better manage interactions between people and moving objects like cars and drones." "We have a passion for precision. We've always been the state-of-the-art RF solution, providing our customers with centimeter-scale accuracy," said Rachel Reinhardt, a senior leader at 5D Robotics and Time Domain who now joins the Humatics management team. "But Humatics takes that to the next level-we're now millimeter scale. The team is thrilled with this acquisition, and we're already hard at work advancing the combined technology," she said. In 2017 Humatics closed an $18 million series A financing round and was recognized as one of Built in Boston's top start-ups to watch. With the added technology and talent brought by the 5D Robotics and Time Domain acquisition, the company is in an even stronger position to provide the "location layer" that will be crucial for smooth, safe collaboration between people and machines in connected environments. "At Humatics we've been focusing our development work on industrial automation applications," said David Mindell, co-founder and chief executive officer of Humatics. "With the acquisition, we're now positioned as a key enabler for next-generation construction, autonomous vehicles, and smart cities. With Humatics products, people, robots, and infrastructure can locate, navigate, and collaborate - with robust precision - to create extraordinary value in the connected world." Humatics' centimeter-scale microlocation sensors and software solutions are shipping today. Millimeter-scale capabilities will be piloted in 2018 and launched in 2019. About Humatics Humatics is pioneering microlocation technology, offering millimeter- and centimeter-scale positioning that is faster, more precise, and more affordable than any 3D positioning or location tracking technology on the market. Its breakthrough microlocation system and analytics software comprise a Spatial Intelligence Platform™ that will revolutionize how people and machines locate, navigate, and collaborate in the connected world. With its extensible architecture and application programming interfaces (APIs), the Humatics Spatial Intelligence Platform™ will power an ecosystem of new position-based products and services with the promise to transform huge markets including industrial automation, next-generation construction, autonomous vehicles, and smart cities. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Humatics was founded in 2015 by CEO David Mindell (a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and chair of MIT's Work of the Future Task Force) and President Gary Cohen, a technology industry veteran. About 5D Robotics, Inc. 5D Robotics, Inc., located in Carlsbad, California, is a world leader in the development of technologies that provide extremely accurate position and navigation, obstacle avoidance, and guarded motion. These solutions work in almost any setting, including indoor environments without GPS and outdoor environments with rain and snow. 5D's solution can be found in air and ground vehicles ranging in applications from industrial, mapping and inspection, and automotive to smart mobility. About Time Domain Corporation Time Domain was founded over 25 years ago, and developed the world's first ultra-wide-band (UWB) silicon chipset in 1999. As a technology leader in UWB product development and services, Time Domain makes PulsON® OEM modules that enable breakthrough capabilities for a wide range of precision ranging, communications, and radar applications. Time Domain is located in Huntsville, Alabama. Andrea Dunbeck Matter Communications pr@humatics.com Topics: Acquisition, Press Release Jan '19: Humatics Raises $28 Million in Series A1 Financing to Meet Growing Demand for Microlocation Sept '18: Humatics Announces Commercial Launch of Spatial Intelligence Platform™ at IMTS 2018 May '18: Humatics & Hangar Partner to Deliver Precision Autonomous Drone Navigation Feb '18: Humatics Acquires 5D Robotics and Time Domain Sept '17: Humatics Corporation Raises $18 Million Series A Financing Boston Business Journal: Waltham 'Microlocation' Startup Humatics Raises $28M Automation World: Microlocation Brings More Value to Movement VentureBeat: Humatics launches spatial intelligence platform for human-robot interactions Xconomy: Don’t Fear the Robot: Humatics, Eckhart Push Factory Automation Tech Robotics Business Review: How Microlocation Will Open New Frontiers for Robotics, Smart Cities BostInno: Humatics Bolsters Autonomous Vehicle Ambitions with Acquisition BuiltIn Boston: Humatics raises $18M to help people and robots collaborate MIT Technology Review: A Radar for Industrial Robots May Guide Collaboration with Humans COPYRIGHT © 2018 HUMATICS CORPORATION	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363121
__label__cc	0.508356	0.491644	Miley Cyrus Responds to Anorexia Rumors on Twitter We have watched Miley Cyrus grow from spirited youngster on Hannah Montana to beautiful woman in The Last Song. But as she has been hitting the red carpet pretty consistently in past few months on the arm of her Hunger Games boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth, it has also been noticed how much she has slimmed down. OK! GALLERY: THE HUNGER GAMES L.A. PREMIERE WITH JENNIFER LAWRENCE, LIAM HEMSWORTH & JOSH HUTCHERSON And then on Sunday, Miley Tweeted a photo of herself with a bag from Carl's Jr. saying: "I can't eat it. So I'm just gonna smell the s–t out of it! My mouth is LITERALLY watering." Reports have been accusing Miley of suffering from anorexia, but the "Party in the U.S.A." singer is hitting back at those rumors on Twitter: She is not anorexic! Miley Tweeted: "For everyone calling me anorexic I have a gluten and lactose allergy. It's not about weight it's about health. Gluten is crapppp anyway!" OK! GALLERY: MILEY CYRUS BARES HER TONED TUMMY AS SHE LEAVES A PILATES CLASS IN L.A. It seems that due to Miley's allergies, she has had to give up gluten, and the weight has just dropped off. Add on to that her newfound love for Pilates, and you've got an explanation for the drastic weight loss. This isn't the first time the actress has been attacked for her weight. Back in November, critics said she had gained too much weight! The weight battles just never end in Hollywood, do they? Stay healthy, Miley! Do you think she has lost too much weight? Want to stay on top of Miley Cyrus news? Sign up for OK INSIDER!	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363127
__label__cc	0.558843	0.441157	Our Kitchen Table Growing Justice Southeast Area Farmers’ Market Collective Whole Foods Purchase Group Access of West Michigan Walk for Good Food Tag Archive \| Partners for a Racism-Free Community Partners for a Racism-Free Community announces 2018 conference Partners for a Racism-Free Community hosts its 2018 conference, Standing at the Intersection, noon to 6 p.m. March 5 at DeVos Place. The conference will focus on intersectionality and how racial bias often intersects with other aspects of an individual’s identity that can be marginalized- such as gender, sexuality, ability, religion and so forth- even within spaces they identify with. Intersectionality is a term coined by scholar Kimberle Crenshaw as a way to help explain the oppression of African-American women. FORUM 2018 will aim to center the voices of intersectionality and will feature organizers, educators, and leaders from within the Grand Rapids community. Keynote speaker, Charlene Carruthers, is a young social justice activist from Chicago who focuses on Intersectionality. Ms. Carruthers’ career in justice advocacy spans over ten years, working with some high-profile activist organizations including Color of Change and Women’s Media Center. She was an integral member in the creation of the Black Youth Project 100, and has served as National Director or National Coordinator since the organization’s founding in 2013. Tickets available now! Take advantage of the Early Bird Special by purchasing your tickets before February 15th. Group Pricing is available for groups of 5 and 10. Student Pricing is available at a discounted rate. Purchase Early Bird tickets Visit Facebook Event page This entry was posted on February 13, 2018, in Community Events/Dialouges and tagged Charlene Carrothers, Partners for a Racism-Free Community. Leave a comment 2017 Equity Profile highlights potential for equity to drive shared prosperity Released by Partners for a Racism-free Community An Equity Profile of Grand Rapids, released April 28 , highlights inequities in income, employment, education, and opportunity in Grand Rapids. The report was developed by PolicyLink and the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) at USC, with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Since 2011, PolicyLink and PERE have engaged in a formal partnership to amplify the message that equity—just and fair inclusion—is both a moral imperative and the key to our nation’s economic prosperity as America’s demographics shift and communities of color emerge as the new majority. An Equity Profile of Grand Rapids underscores while the city demonstrates overall strength and resilience, gaps in income, employment, education, and opportunity by race and geography place its economic future at risk. In 2014, more than 40 percent of residents were people of color, double the share (20 percent) in 1980. Diverse groups are driving growth and change in the region and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. “The City of Grand Rapids believes in equity-informed decision making which is why we are committed to creating and implementing an equity dashboard and scorecard,” said Stacy Stout, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Grand Rapids. “We don’t want data paralysis, we want action; if you have analysis without the action it often results in managerial racism and that hurts the community. Tools like the PolicyLink Equity Profile help us better visualize that work.” “Robust data about the state of equity in Grand Rapids is essential for crafting strategies to improve outcomes for vulnerable children,“ said Huilan Krenn, Director of Learning and Impact at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. “Our foundation is committed to enabling communities to take data-driven actions using the powerful data contained in the Equity Profile.” “There has been growing consensus amongst economists that more equitable cities and regions experience more sustainable growth,” said Jessica Pizarek, Associate at PolicyLink. “This is also true for Grand Rapids. If racial gaps in income were closed, its economy would be $4 billion stronger. We call this the ‘racial equity dividend.’” Other key findings in the report include: • Since 1980, communities of color have driven the city’s population growth. While Grand Rapids’s population has not grown much overall (only a net increase of about 9,000 people), its demographic makeup has changed significantly. All of the city’s population growth since 1980 has come from communities of color, which has countered steady decline in the number of residents who are White. • Young people are leading this demographic shift. Three in fiveyouth under the age of 18 in the city are non-White. Looking to the future, Grand Rapids will become a majority people-of-color city around 2050, just behind the nation, which will become majority people-of-color in 2044. • In 2014, 12 percent of all residents who could work and were employed full time but still lived below 200 percent of the poverty line. Latinos have the highest rate of working poverty, at more than 26 percent. • Median hourly wages have dropped for all residents since 2000, but Black workers saw the largest decrease of nearly $3 per hour from 2000 to 2014. Latino workers continue to earn the lowest median wage of all groups at $12.30 an hour. “I am glad PolicyLink is elevating data about racial inequities, particularly at a time when we are being presented with new studies locally showing disparate interaction with law enforcement in Grand Rapids communities of color,” said Faye Richardson-Green, Executive Director of Partners for a Racism-Free Community. The equity profile and potential solutions included therein will serve as a unique resource for local advocates and residents seeking to address disinvestment in communities of color. To this end,PolicyLink and Partners for a Racism-Free Community are holding a panel discussion and community forum around equity in Grand Rapids this morning at DeVos Place (303 Monroe Ave NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503). To download a copy of the report, click here: http://nationalequityatlas.org/sites/default/files/GrandRapids_final_profile.pdf About PolicyLink PolicyLink is a national research and action institute advancing economic and social equity by Lifting Up What Works®. For more information, visit PolicyLink.org. This entry was posted on May 24, 2017, in Policy and tagged Partners for a Racism-Free Community, Policy Link. Leave a comment So you want to be an ally? When: May 19, 2017 Where: Inner City Christian Federation (920 Cherry St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506) Cost: $45 (lunch included) Join Partners for a Racism Free Community for its May Learning Lab, “So You Want To Be An Ally” – A Safety Pin Box Workshop.” Join Safety Pin Box Co-Founder Leslie Mac for a workshop digging into what defines allyship in this unique time of Resistance. This session will feature personal reflections from Leslie’s work around the country, critical best practices for creating authentic accountability with marginalized communities, hands on breakout group work and a 4-week Safety Pin Box task to take home. Lunch is included. About Leslie Mac Leslie Mac is a Brooklyn born & raised activist and a first generation American of Jamaican ancestry. She founded the Ferguson Response tumblr to connect nationwide efforts supporting the important racial justice movement started in Ferguson, MO. She has since expanded the Ferguson Response Network to provide additional support for Black organizers working to create lasting social change. Projects include the Movement for Black Lives Convening, Women’s Freedom Conference & #MLKSitIn. She attended Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism and is a founding member of the Black Lives of UU Organizing Collective. In 2016 with fellow activist Marissa Jenae Johnson Leslie founded Safety Pin Box, a monthly subscription box for white people striving to be allies in the fight for Black Liberation. She was recently named to Essence Magazine’s list of 100 Woke Women and is BlogHer’s 2017 Impact Voice of the Year. You can follow her on twitter @LeslieMac or visit LeslieMac.com for more information. This entry was posted on May 10, 2017, in Community Events/Dialouges and tagged Partners for a Racism-Free Community. 2 Comments Do Black Babies Matter? During the first year of life, twice as many black babies die in Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids (11.9 per thousand) than white babies. In Muskegon, the numbers are even higher. To take a look at why these numbers continue to plague infants born to black women of all socio-economic and educational levels, Partners for a Racism-Free Community sponsored a Nov. 30 program, “A Deeper Look at Racism and Infant Mortality.” Breannah Alexander, director of strategic programs, facilitated the dialogue that featured Cathy Brown, from the YWCA Kalamazoo, and Celeste Sanchez-Lloyd, from Strong Beginnings. Black babies die at double the rate of white babies across the nation. Michigan ranks 40th in terms of good infant outcomes. However, first generation black babies, i.e. babies born to immigrants just coming here from Africa, have the same infant mortality rate as white babies. This leads to the conclusion that the stress of living day to day in a racist environment is a factor in babies dying. “This has to do with racism, the stress of not belonging, not feeling welcome,” Alexander said. “It’s everywhere in the US, regardless of income. However, poverty is another stress factor for most African Americans. Poverty is the thing we see first; we understand it. It does have an effect but not the only effect. Being black, regardless of income, doubles the risks for infant mortality and low birth weight.” The YWCA Kalamazoo and Strong Beginnings, in Kent County, are taking intentional steps to keep more black babies alive. Sanchez-Lloyd noted that Strong Beginnings community health workers empower the families they serve by offering in-home mental health support, family planning guidance, a fatherhood program as well as help with housing, transportation and employment. These strategies not only create a healthier environment for pregnant black women but also help alleviate some of the stressors impacting them. “We are looking to save that baby but also to making an intergenerational change,” she said. Left to right, Cathy Brown, Celeste Sanchez-Lloyd and Breannah Alexander. Brown, who works in programs that offer support to victims of domestic violence, notes that black victims who are pregnant face even higher levels of stress. The YWCA Kalamazoo program seeks to meet women where they are at and figure out intentional ways of helping them carry heathy babies to full term. Both presenters also spoke about the institutional racism pregnant black women face when seeking medical care. Providers routinely ask them about “baby daddies,” illicit drug use or simply assume that the pregnancy was unplanned and that they are not living a healthy lifestyle. Because many black women are using low cost clinic services, they are afraid to report such treatment for fear they may lose all access to medical treatment. Notably, Grand Rapids is the most segregated city in Michigan and among the five most segregated cities in the nation. OKT’s Lisa Oliver-King was in the audience and related how her white OB-GYN mistreated her when she went in for her initial exam after discovering she was pregnant. “I had just finished my masters’ degree. My husband and I had the very best health insurance. This was our first and planned pregnancy. The doctor spoke down to me in a very condescending manner. He even asked me ‘How many sexual partners do you have?’” A white, OB-GYN nurse in the audience says she has noticed this treatment of pregnant black women where she works. She is making efforts to raise awareness. She noted that where she worked, 75% of back women were suspected of drug abuse and referred to screening whereas only 25% of white women were. She believes this discrepancy is due to racism. This discrepancy has been noted and new initiatives will require all women to be routinely screened. OKT believes that other factors impacting infant mortality include diet and environmental toxins. Across the board, women rarely eat a well-balanced diet including 80 grams of protein each day. Physicians don’t often provide sufficient nutritional advice and can tend to stoke fears of weight gain. This may influence women to eat less in the final months of pregnancy when the infant needs the most nutrition. Women of color living in neighborhoods without access to healthy foods face additional barriers. Recent research has shown that organophosphate pesticides, fire retardants in clothing and furniture, compounds found in most plastics and on every electronic receipt are linked to premature labor and, low birth weight as well as autism, hyperactivity, lower IQ and cerebral palsy in children. Girls exposed in the womb have more risk for emotional illness; boys are more prone to aggression. (Organophosphates were first developed for deadly chemical warfare and later modified for use as pesticides.) Urban neighborhoods with income-challenged residents, most often people of color, have higher incidence of environmental toxins. Another consideration is the American way of birth. As a nation, we rank 58th in infant mortality. That means, 57 other countries are a safer place to have a baby. (Cuba is one of the safest.) “Other countries recognize the value of health. They offer comprehensive sex education, comprehensive healthcare, lengthy maternal leave,” noted audience member, Peggy Vander Meulen, who is program director at Strong Beginnings. “Here we also have wealth disparities and racism. It’s political will. Are we going to fund wars and tax cuts for the wealthy or are we going to fund health and education?” Progress has been made in Kent County. Vander Meulen reported that the 2003 Kent County black infant mortality rate was five times higher (22.3 per thousand) than white infants; today it is two times higher. “We have made a lot of progress,” she said. “We’re not there until there is no disparity. If we get to Cuba’s rate, I can retire.” Alexander concluded that stress experienced related to racism is an undervalued part of the conversation. Sanchez-Lloyd agreed. “Black women carry the burden of being black, the weight of it every day, living in the white culture,” she said. “When I was pregnant, I remember the added stress of watching African American men get shot on TV and having to wonder if my husband, who is a police officer, would be shot when not in uniform, just for driving while black.” This entry was posted on December 1, 2016, in Community Events/Dialouges and tagged Black Infant Mortality Michigan, Partners for a Racism-Free Community, Strong Beginnings. Leave a comment Partners for a Racism-free Community offers free program Thursday Deconstructing Institutional Bias 4 – 5 p.m. Thursday, November 17 At Heart of West Michigan United Way 118 Commerce Ave SW Grand Rapids, MI 49503 United States On Thursday, November 17 from 4:00pm-5:00pm, Partners for a Racism-Free Community will open up its Building Block program Deconstructing Institutional Bias to the community at large free of charge. For more information on this event please contact Breannah Alexander at balexander@prfc-gr.org. In addition, they released the following statement: A Statement from Partners for a Racism-Free Community on recent news: Last week members of our team were at Race Forward’s Facing Race conference in Atlanta, GA with 2,000 other individuals working to address racial disparity across the United States and, in some cases, globally. The attendees carried with them the weight of a saddening and damaging presidential election cycle and grappled with the meaning of the results. At Partners for a Racism-Free Community we cannot ignore the significance of the campaign rhetoric and the problematic nature of a space in which relentless hate speech yielded such an outcome. This is what we know: right now, in this moment, we have to make a series of decisions that all impact how we shape our communities and our children moving forward. We know that there is a woeful need for continued education on race. We know that there are places and spaces that not only create uncomfortable realities for people of color in our communities, but dangerous ones as well. What we must first learn to do, however, is listen. In this moment, we must give room for healing and respect that, for some, a safety pin is still not indicative of a safe space. We must address the privilege that leads us to erase the feelings and pain of those around us as we ask our fellow communities members to unify in ways that silence their oppression. As we navigate this moment we must remember to center the voices of those at risk. A lesson that has undoubtedly been reinforced this election cycle is that we must also be clear about how our ally-ship affects others. Are we listening to those we are supporting? Does our rhetoric translate into the kind of daily actions that address racism as it’s happening in our families, places of worship and communities at large? Are we having the conversation with all of our young people and what are we saying? We cannot sustain the practice of dispersing the burden of understanding to historically disenfranchised groups only. Today, our team asks you to think about your commitment to addressing racism, creating inclusive spaces and navigating what it means to hold yourself and those around you accountable for their actions. In our profession, witnessing is crucial in doing this work and last Tuesday there was a failure to witness. This moment mirrors other pivotal historical moments globally – the recognition of strife that saves lives and the failure to witness that destroys them. Our organization will continue to support this community as it works to better understand the kind of environment it wants to cultivate. We will continue to educate. We will continue to elevate the voices of the oppressed. We will continue to create spaces for dialogue. And we will work harder to activate community members who desire to engage further in this work and be the resource that you need for moments like these. On Thursday, November 17 from 4:00pm-5:00pm, Partners for a Racism-Free Community will open up its Building Block program Deconstructing Institutional Bias to the community at large for free of charge. For more information on this event please contact Breannah Alexander at balexander@prfc-gr.org. For more information on Partners for a Racism-Free Community, please visit our website at www.prfc-gr.org. This entry was posted on November 15, 2016, in Community Events/Dialouges and tagged Partners for a Racism-Free Community. Leave a comment A grass-roots, nonprofit organization serving the communities of greater Grand Rapids, Our Kitchen Table (OKT) seeks to promote social justice and serve as a vehicle that empowers our neighbors so that they can improve their health and environment, and the health and environment of their children, through information, community organizing and advocacy. Follow OKT via Email Community Events/Dialouges Food Diversity Hand-outs and Zines Healthy Eating Strategies Curriculum OKT Food Justice Series Jail task force offers up major improvements Citizen initiative would prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people Food Justice & Oral Health Michigan wastes massive amounts of food. Heart of West Michigan United Way shares post about OKT Program for Growth	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363128
__label__cc	0.654404	0.345596	Fire in My Bones The Strang Report God Encounters Today The Plumb Line Charisma News App Charisma News Widget Preview Digital About Charisma Magazine Latest from : Weight-Loss Coach: 'Diets Made Me Fat' These 3 Effective Tools Will Help You Kill the Spirit of Lust Christine Caine: Why It's Important to Submit to a Local Church The Prophetic Connection Between Jesus and the Torah Prophetic Word: America Must Lay Down Its Pride ⇑ back to "Men" Want to receive New Man by email? Sign up here Why You Might Be Growing the Wrong Kind of Spiritual Fruit 4:00PM EDT 10/12/2018 Dr. Doug Weiss (Photo by Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash) The Holy Spirit in you will help you choose and do the right things and the Lord Himself will work the pattern of behavior into your character. You see, there is accidental fruit bearing and intentional fruit bearing. Accidental fruit bearing is exactly that, an accident. It's when my wife does something, and I accidentally don't make a big deal out of it. She accidentally experiences the fruit of patience from me. She tastes the fruit and it was good. The next time something happens, she really tastes my flesh. I may ask questions and shame her for not knowing the obvious. Now that fruit doesn't taste very good and neither one of us feel good after this interaction. But you see the fruit of patience was an accident to begin with. Then there's intentional fruit. This is where you train yourself to listen and obey the Holy Spirit. That is exactly what farmers do—they have intentional fruit. You take a farmer who grows corn, for instance. He could just wait until corn happens to fall on his hundred acres. He could hope nature would do all the work of fertilizing or watering. But the farmer who relies on accidental fruit is truly not a farmer. The intentional farmer is truly the only kind of farmer. So many of us are so far removed from the farm that even the basics of farming escape us. First, the farmer decides what kind of seed he wants to plant; for instance, our corn farmer chooses corn, but he might just as well have chosen barley or wheat. Now, choosing a seed doesn't bring a crop, it takes a little thing called work to make that happen. He gets up early day-after-day (changing of behavior). He plants, waters and fertilizes on a regular basis to get the results. This means he not only changed his behavior say from sleeping to planting—he was consistent over a season. After a while the seed grew in an intentional manner. You only have to fly a plane over Kansas or some other agricultural area to see just how intentional farmers really are. Prepare for the Season of Fruit: Cultivating the Spirit's Seed Inside You Expose the Unfruitful Schemes of Darkness at Work Right Now As in the natural, so it is in the spiritual. If we want to have spiritual first, it's better to be intentional. The Scripture describes this process of growing the fruit of the spirit. We can be the kind of Christians who have an occasional fruit for someone to eat or we can be someone who has intentional fruits. You may know of a bitter, elderly person who complains constantly. They go to church, read their Bible, but don't have a friend in the world or a family member who enjoys their company. One day a Girl Scout comes by this elderly person's house selling cookies. This elderly person for whatever reason is behaving very graciously and is kind to the little girl and even gives her an extra dollar tip because she is such a good little Girl Scout. Occasional fruit like this is unfortunately the norm. Dream with me a minute; you don't want to be that elderly person with barely any fruit to offer to others in the barren land we call earth. Imagine instead a life of fruitfulness, a life that each decade gets more fruitful than the decade before. Doug Weiss, Ph.D., is a nationally known author, speaker and licensed psychologist. He is the executive director of Heart to Heart Counseling Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the author of several books including, The 7 Love Agreements. You may contact Dr. Weiss via his website, drdougweiss.com or on his Facebook, by phone at 719-278-3708 or through email at heart2heart@xc.org. RELATED TOPICS: Fruit \| Spiritual Growth Film Made By Christians Tells Inspiring Story Of Jewish Settlers If you are in leadership for any length of time, there will probably come a time where you will need to lead other leaders. Heaven is So Real Retail: $14.99 Our Price: $10.49 Save: $4.50 (30%) The Ruth Anointing Retail: $12.99 Our Price: $9.09 Save: $3.90 (30%) Purchase Single Issue Charisma — Empowering believers for life in the Spirit	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363129
__label__wiki	0.827549	0.827549	Humans, Male Characters, Revolutionaries, Dawn Island Characters Will of D. Loguetown Characters Monkey D. Dragon 'One Piece' Profile: Monkey D. Dragon Ahoy! This here is the 50th Featured Article. "Monkey D. Dragon" has been featured, meaning it was chosen as an article of interest. モンキー・D（ディー）・ドラゴン Monkī Dī Doragon Revolutionary Army[2] Supreme Commander of the Revolutionary Army[3][4] "Dragon the Revolutionary" (革命家ドラゴン, Kakumeika Doragon?), "The World's Most-Dangerous Criminal" (世界最悪の犯罪者, Sekai Saiaku no Hanzaisha?)[5] 53 (debut) 55 (after timeskip)[4] October 5th[6] 256 cm (8'5")[4] F[4] Bounty: Japanese VA: Odex English VA: Brian Zimmerman 4Kids English VA: Funi English VA: For other uses of the name, see Dragon (Disambiguation). Monkey D. Dragon,[7] commonly known as "Dragon the Revolutionary", is the infamous Supreme Commander (総司令官, Sōshireikan?) of the Revolutionary Army who has been attempting to overthrow the World Government. He is the World Government's greatest enemy, considered to be the most dangerous, most wanted man in the world.[3][5] He is the father of Monkey D. Luffy and the son of Monkey D. Garp.[2] Dragon is a tall middle-aged man with spiky black hair with a widow's peak and a tattoo on the left side of his face, which is colored dark red in the anime and bright red in the manga. He has a bit of stubble on his chin. He is usually dressed in a long green cloak (colored black in the manga), underneath which he wears the garb of a revolutionary, colored white in the anime and orange in the manga. He is most often seen sporting a grin. Only on rare occasions, such as at Roger's execution, has Dragon not been seen smiling. 22 years before the start of the series, at Gol D. Roger's execution, Dragon did not have his tattoo or his stubble on his face. After the timeskip, Dragon's hair has grown slightly longer - reaching down his back past his shoulders. Dragon at age 31. Dragon's color scheme in the manga. Dragon's color scheme in the manga with his hood up. Dragon's concept art from the anime. A close up of Dragon's face. Dragon's personality is mostly unknown due to the many mysteries that are surrounding him, save for an apparent love for freedom and a belief in fate, traits of a "D". Despite this, he is completely serious about his crusade, warning his subordinates that the conflict against the World Government will be protracted and arduous. Unlike the members of his family, Dragon has a stern demeanor. However, he is often seen with a confident grin on his face. He also shares their traits in casually admitting things, such as when he confirmed his relationship to Luffy after it was revealed. Dragon bears strong concern for common people and dedicatedly fights against the World Government's oppression towards them, as shown when he rescued the denizens of the Gray Terminal and offered them a position in the Revolutionary Army. Dragon is a strong devoter of freedom and liberalism, having formed the Revolutionary Army for the main purpose of overthrowing the World Government and their tyrannical oppression of the innocent. He is also a righteous, trustworthy, and compassionate man, as he sympathized with Sabo's plight and was silently enraged at Jalmack for trying to kill Sabo for his unreasonable arrogance. Dragon is completely fearless in the pursuit of his ideas as he is willing to oppose even the most powerful enemies such as the World Nobles as he intended to declare war on them. He speaks as though he is a mystic and apparently does not like to speak of, or be asked about, his past. He also has a habit of always looking towards the East Blue when the wind changes. His revolutionary comrade Emporio Ivankov speculates that this is because he has family in the East Blue.[8] The Revolutionaries show him respect and follow his orders to liberate islands under oppression. After the Marineford war, they were relieved to find out that their mysterious leader is, in fact, a "human" when they heard that he is the father of Luffy and son of Garp. This shows that the Revolutionaries are loyal to Dragon since no one deserted him due to the learning of his heritage.[9][10] Emporio Ivankov Dragon speaking to Ivankov at the HQ. Emporio Ivankov is one of Dragon's comrades and one of the commanders of his revolutionary army. Ivankov apparently understands Dragon's habit of looking at the direction of East Blue whenever the winds blow, as though he is homesick. However, Ivankov had no knowledge of Dragon's family until after he met Luffy years later, which led the commander to protect him at all cost. It is unknown how Dragon met Ivankov. Following the end of the Battle of Marineford, Dragon contacted his subordinate and they caught up. Ivankov remarked on Dragon's family ties being revealed while Dragon expressed surprise that Ivankov protected his son and sounded grateful to him. After the Blackbeard Pirates destroyed Baltigo, Dragon and the other revolutionaries are allowed by Ivankov to relocate to Momoiro Island. They are still on good terms with Ivankov remarking on Luffy's raise in infamy and comparing it to Dragon, something he takes in stride.[11] Bartholomew Kuma Bartholomew Kuma was once a member of Dragon's crew and the Revolutionary Army, as shown in a flashback when Dragon rescued the people of the Gray Terminal in the Goa Kingdom. His relationship with Dragon is still a mystery, though he knew that Luffy is Dragon's son, a fact that even Ivankov did not know until he met Luffy at Impel Down. Though Kuma was working with the Revolutionary Army in secret as a Shichibukai, his final modification into a full Pacifista placed him fully under the World Government's control. Dragon is seemingly aware of Kuma's deal with the Marines. Dragon's hatred of the nobles does not seem to include Sabo. In fact, Dragon was shocked to hear the boy's shame of being born a noble, and listened to what he had to say. Following the boy's confession to the plot, Dragon and the Revolutionary Army rescued the citizens of the Gray Terminal. He later saved Sabo's life after the latter's boat was shot and burned down by a World Noble. Because Sabo lost his memories of Luffy and Ace after this incident, Dragon was not aware that Sabo was a sworn brother to his son while Sabo was unaware of Dragon being Luffy's father. When Sabo refused to return to his family, Dragon allowed him to join the Revolutionary Army, and later personally trained Sabo himself until Sabo became his second-in-command.[12] However, due to Sabo regaining his memories during the aftermath of the Marineford War, Dragon was made aware of the relationship between Sabo and his son. In return, Sabo was made aware that Dragon was Luffy's father. Sabo refers to Dragon as "Dragon-san" and appears to be loyal to him and is trusted enough to lead the Revolutionary Army's investigation of Dressrosa's weapons trade. He also granted Sabo permission to obtain and consume Ace's Mera Mera no Mi. Upon Sabo's return to Baltigo following his mission to Dressrosa, Sabo personally informed Dragon about how Luffy was doing during his report.[13] Dragon also appeared to be concerned for Sabo's safety after a recent incident regarding him at Levely was revealed in the newspaper.[14] Dragon is the son of the famous Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp.[2] No direct interaction has been seen between the two. However, Garp was casual about telling Luffy about Dragon's criminal status, even picking his nose while saying this. He even laughed when he realized he should not be telling people that kind of information. There appears to be some sort of understanding between the two, as Garp was aware that the reason Dragon was in Loguetown was to see Luffy set off for the Grand Line. When Dragon's connection to Garp was revealed to his army, he was unfazed by it since it put his men at ease that he was human.[15] It is clear that both Garp and Dragon have different assessments of the East Blue. While Garp perceives it as a rather peaceful place, Dragon expresses his disgust with Garp's view of "peace" since it was nothing more than a form of oppression authorized by the law in places, such as Tequila Wolf and the Goa Kingdom, evidently forcing common people to inhabit horrible living conditions. Ultimately, Dragon has an extremely different ideology from his father. While Garp takes pride and contentment in being a marine serving the World Government, Dragon absolutely despised the World Government to the point of becoming a revolutionary and seeking to overthrow them. Despite this, the two at least share the same mutual hatred and disdain towards the World Nobles. Dragon appears on the news about Luffy's return. Luffy is Dragon's son.[2] Like his own father, Garp, he seems to hold high expectations for Luffy. Although he has yet to formally introduce himself to Luffy, Dragon appears to support his son's actions thus far. He appeared in Loguetown to see Luffy off to the Grand Line [1] and stopped Smoker from capturing him, showing that he cares for his son's well-being,[16] though he did not seem to have participated in raising Luffy himself. Even after his men learned of their connection, Dragon just casually confirmed it.[17] Dragon also appears to be incredibly proud of his son because of all the trouble Luffy has been causing for the World Government and looks forward to the day they would meet face to face.[18] His unusual habit of standing in the wind and facing East Blue (where he had left Luffy), apparently means that he misses his son. When he was informed about Luffy's second intrusion in Marineford, he decided to focus on his own goals, thinking that Luffy was old enough to take care of himself.[19] It appears that he keeps up with the news of his son as shown when Sabo informed him of Luffy's progression after the Dressrosa incident.[20] As the news of the Straw Hats' accomplishment at Dressrosa spread throughout the world, Dragon was seen looking at the new bounty poster of his son.[21] He also kept up with the news of Luffy's exploits in Totto Land. 10 years before the Battle of Marineford, Dragon had ordered his men to locate the sole surviving Archaeologist of Ohara, Nico Robin who became known as the "Light of the Revolution" among the Revolutionaries. Though his exact reasons for doing so remain unknown, it is known that he wanted to meet Robin for a long time (even before she became a member of his son's crew). After the Revolutionaries liberated Nico Robin from Tequila Wolf after she was sent there by Kuma, Robin decided to meet with Dragon after receiving Luffy's message to wait 2 years in the newspaper. During those 2 years, Nico Robin became acquainted with Dragon and the other Revolutionaries like Sabo and Koala. Dragon shows some concern about Robin's well-being as he asked Koala about Robin after the Revolutionaries had returned from their mission to Dressrosa, due to rumors that she had been captured on Sabaody. Due to the fact that he is the leader and main center of the largest anti-government organization in the world, Dragon has been dubbed the most-dangerous and the most-wanted man in the world by the World Government. As Robin has said, many people and organizations (especially pirates) try to steer clear of disrupting the World Government and drawing attention to themselves. However, the organization led by Dragon does the exact opposite. Although many people call him a revolutionary, the World Government feels that his ideals and goals can collapse the strength and justice of the World Government. So far, it seems the World Government is the only known enemy of Dragon. Regardless, just being the son of Dragon is enough to make Luffy a target for "justice". The Marines being the World Government's primary military force have much disdain for Dragon and his ideals, especially Akainu for unknown reasons. Sakazuki was also one of the only people who (before Sengoku made it public) was aware that Luffy is Dragon's son and that Dragon is the son of Garp. It is unknown if that was simply common knowledge amongst high ranking Marines or not. However, the marine soldiers were very shocked when they learned Straw Hat Luffy's father was none other than the Revolutionary Dragon and prioritized his elimination as a threat. Smoker, then-captain of Loguetown's base, was surprised to see Dragon there, and even more confused and angry when Dragon saved Luffy from capture; it was not until the Battle of Marineford that Smoker fully understood why Dragon intervened, at that point, he saw Luffy as an even more potent threat than ever. “ So you've finally forced your own children to say things like this, Goa Kingdom!! ” — Dragon's thoughts on hearing Sabo's cries. Dragon seems to hold much hatred towards the Goa nobles for destroying the Gray Terminal and he saved the residents of the junkyard as an act of defiance to the nobles who tried to kill them. Dragon's hatred of the nobles does not seem to include Sabo. In fact, Dragon was shocked to hear the boy's shame of being born a noble and listened to what he had to say. World Nobles Dragon completely despises the World Nobles for their immense tyranny and cruel oppression of civilians. After saving Sabo from the wreckage caused by Saint Jalmack, Dragon was furious at the latter's actions.[22] Dragon fully intended to declare war on the World Nobles during the Levely, showing that he is not afraid to openly oppose them despite their privilege of summoning Marine Admirals for protection. Portgas D. Ace It is unknown if Dragon knew that Portgas D. Ace was the son of Gol D. Roger prior to Sengoku making it public to the world, or if he was aware of Ace's adoption into the family (though his subordinate Kuma did know). However, Ace was aware that Dragon is Luffy's father (before it was announced to the world by Sengoku).[23] As the leader of the Revolutionaries, he has full control of the organization and the World Government has dubbed him as the "World's Most Wanted Man". Political powers aside, it is currently unknown how strong Dragon really is, but there have been some hints that Dragon is extremely powerful. After Luffy tells Emporio Ivankov that Ace is his brother, the okama queen greatly fears the possibility of the World Government warring against Dragon along with Whitebeard. Dragon is already a powerful threat in his own right, as well as having powerful subordinates such as Sabo, Ivankov, Bartholomew Kuma, and Inazuma who are in comparison, lower in rank. This only speaks volumes of Dragon's true power. In Loguetown, it was worth noting Smoker and his soldiers made no attempt to arrest Dragon. When Sengoku told everyone of his relationship with Luffy, most people were stunned, including Gecko Moria of the Shichibukai and members of the Whitebeard Pirates. This reputation alone was enough for Luffy to be marked as a dangerous potential to the future, and for Demaro Black to take advantage of via impersonation. Ivankov has been seen commenting on how Luffy's will to live and his phenomenal strength only helps to prove the idea that he is indeed Dragon's son, implying that Dragon has similar strength and will. Very little is known of Dragon's early life, other than he is the son of Monkey D. Garp and was born in the Goa Kingdom 55 years before the start of the story. Twenty four years ago, Dragon was shown to have witnessed Roger's execution, but he had not yet acquired his facial tattoo at this point.[24] Some time after, he became a revolutionary and formed the Revolutionary Army between 24 and 19 years ago, with aim of opposing the World Government.[43] As time passed, his ideals slowly spread throughout the world and one by one, countries slowly began to support him, athough sometimes through conflict, causing many countries to fall.[4] Eventually, Dragon would be regarded as the world's most wanted man. At the age of 36, seventeen years before the the start of the story, Dragon and an unknown woman bore a son, Monkey D Luffy, who was left to be raised by Dragon's father in the East Blue. “ Someday, I promise you, they will all watch as I change the world. ” — Dragon speaking to Ivankov when saving those from the Gray Terminal.[25] Twelve years before the current storyline, Dragon returned to his home in the Goa Kingdom and witnessed the burning of the Gray Terminal. After witnessing the sorrow of its own people by way of Sabo, with the boy begging for help and claiming shame of his heritage, Dragon enacted a plan in order to save the people and embarrass the government by creating a causeway to allow for those on Trash Mountain to escape and join him. Due to his actions, the nobles merely noticed that the charred remains from their burning of the mountain was far less than anticipated.[26] Dragon saves Sabo. When Sabo was leaving home to become a pirate, his ship was obliterated by a World Noble. Dragon saved him from the wreckage and brought him to the revolutionaries' ship.[22] Sometime later, the Revolutionary Army docked in Shimotsuki Village for food and supplies, coincidentally close to where Roronoa Zoro was currently training. There, Dragon was seen on his ship, being scolded by Ivankov for being late.[27] The following events are Non-Canon and therefore not considered part of the Canon story. In the anime, Ivankov asked Dragon where he had been, to which he replied that he had been at the World Noble's reception ceremony on Dawn Island. When Ivankov indignantly asks why he was not invited, Dragon told him that he attracted too much attention.[28] Concludes non-canon section. Dragon asked if they had enough food. When he heard that the local dojo had resupplied them, he nodded before announcing that they would be returning to Baltigo.[27] After Sabo regained consciousness, he was noted to suffer from memory loss. Dragon explained that he was part of a noble family from Goa, but Sabo insisted on staying with the revolutionaries, not wanting to return to his family.[22] Dragon began directly training Sabo three years later, as Hack had nothing left to teach the boy.[29] East Blue Saga Loguetown Arc Dragon saves his son Luffy from Smoker. Dragon was walking the streets of Loguetown as a storm broke out and stated that Luffy being the Pirate King was fine with him. When the Marine Captain Smoker had his son Luffy pinned to the ground, Dragon intervened and a massive gust occurred that blew away the Marines and freed Luffy. As the Straw Hat Pirates sailed off, Dragon watched and told Luffy to go on to make his dream happen before asking Smoker what reason he had to prevent a man from setting sail.[16] Water 7 Saga Post-Enies Lobby Arc On Baltigo, Dragon was looking at Luffy's new bounty when one of his men was about to tell him that Luffy was Vice Admiral Garp's grandson. However, Dragon interrupted him by leaving the room and said he will stay in the wind for a while. He walked out into the castle's balcony where he remarked that the true nature of the world will be answered and that he will meet Luffy again.[30] Summit War Saga Post-War Arc After Whitebeard's death and the liberation of the slaves at Tequila Wolf, Dragon expressed the desire to see one of the slaves: Nico Robin, the archaeologist of his son's crew and the sole survivor of the Ohara Incident. Also after the Battle of Marineford, some of the revolutionaries questioned Dragon if he is really the father of Monkey D. Luffy just as the recent newspapers said. Dragon casually confirmed that fact, much to the shock of his followers.[31] In his headquarters, Dragon talked to Ivankov through the Den Den Mushi. Ivankov told Dragon about a newspaper article about Luffy and commented on how much he is like him. In turn, Dragon told the Okama that Luffy's no longer a child that one should keep an eye on, but did not expect the boy to be under Ivankov's protection during the war, and was somewhat grateful as a result. Dragon informed Ivankov that as Whitebeard had died, they would soon have to gather the Revolutionary leaders spread around the world as the world's balance was beginning to shift. Dragon then went on to tell Ivankov about Kuma.[32] Yonko Saga Zou Arc After Doflamingo's defeat, Dragon received reports that rebel armies were succeeding all across the world. He then spoke to Koala, who informed him that the weapons they retrieved from Dressrosa contained a special mineral known as Liquor Iron Ore, which could provide a clue on where the weapons were made. After a small conversation concerning Luffy, Sabo, and Robin, Dragon requested Koala to gather all the revolutionary leaders.[33] From the Decks of the World: The 500,000,000 Man Arc As the news of the Straw Hats' accomplishment at Dressrosa spread throughout the world, Dragon, Sabo, and Koala read about the pirates' new bounties.[21] Whole Cake Island Arc Sometime later, a newspaper explained about Blackbeard's attack on Baltigo. The island was destroyed by the time the Marines and Cipher Pol arrived.[34][35] Levely Arc The Revolutionary Army escaped the destruction of Baltigo and they moved their base to Momoiro Island. While waiting for all the revolutionary commanders to arrive, Dragon spoke to Sabo and discussed their plan to declare war on the World Nobles during the Levely.[36] After the Levely, the revolutionaries read some distressing news concerning Sabo. Dragon then told his subordinates that they needed to confirm the news themselves.[37] Revolutionary Army vs. Blackbeard Pirates (unseen) Filler Battles Monkey D. Dragon vs. Sabo Support Appearances One Piece: Gear Spirit One Piece: Gigant Battle One Piece: Gigant Battle! 2 New World Non-Playable Appearances Grand Battle! 2 Monkey D. Dragon is in the first anime opening "We Are!", showing his face for a brief second. Whether it is a foreshadowing on Oda's part or a coincidence, Luffy appeared in the short Mugiwara Theatre - Monster Time as a dragon years before he was revealed to be Dragon's son. All members of the Monkey Family have shown to have a noticeable mark on the left side of their faces. Both Luffy and Garp have a scar while Dragon has a large tattoo. So far, the few times he was seen in the series outside of Baltigo, there was always at least the suggestion of a storm coming, if not one already there. This happened when he saved Luffy in Loguetown,[38] at Gol D. Roger's execution,[24] and in Goa Kingdom when the residents were saved by a wind tunnel through the flames.[39] In the anime, he arrives onto the ship after rescuing Sabo with a gust of wind seemingly appearing from nowhere. This is referenced in his appearance as a support character in One Piece Gigant Battle and its sequel, where he can help his Leader or blow his opponents away with a gust of wind. In the 6th fan poll, Dragon ranked 85th. Dragon's favorite food is bocaditos, Cuban slider-like sandwiches that are typically served on soft rolls.[4] ↑ 1.0 1.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 12 Chapter 100 (p. 1) and Episode 52, Dragon debuts. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 45 Chapter 432 (p. 16-17) and Episode 314, Dragon is revealed by Garp to be his son as well as Luffy's father. ↑ 3.0 3.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 45 Chapter 432 (p. 18) and Episode 314, Dragon is spoken of by Robin. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Vivre Card - One Piece Visual Dictionary, Dragon's information and timeline of history is given. ↑ 5.0 5.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 45 Chapter 440 (p. 10) and Episode 324, Dragon is introduced. ↑ One Piece Blue Deep: Characters World (p. 184), Dragon's birthday is given. ↑ One Piece Green: Secret Pieces, Dragon's name is romanized. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 55 Chapter 539 and Episode 441, Traits of Dragon's personality are shown. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 60 Chapter 593 (p. 10-11) and Episode 510, Dragon and Ivankov discuss the news about Luffy, current events, and Kuma. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 79 Chapter 794 (p. 1) and Episode 738, Dragon confirms Luffy is his son. ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 90 Chapter 904. ↑ SBS One Piece Manga — Vol. 80, Sabo's past with the Revolutionaries is revealed. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 80 Chapter 803 and Episode 752. ↑ 16.0 16.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 12 Chapter 100 (p. 17-18) and Episode 53, Dragon saves Luffy from Smoker. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 45 Chapter 440 (p. 9-10) and Episode 324, Dragon talks about the nature of the world and Luffy. ↑ 21.0 21.1 One Piece Manga — Vol. 82 Chapter 818. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 One Piece Manga — Vol. 79 Chapter 794. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 54 Chapter 525 and Episode 422, "Luffy and I both carry the blood of a world-renowned criminal." ↑ 24.0 24.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 0 Chapter 0 and Episode 0, Dragon witnesses Gold Roger's execution. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 60 Chapter 587 (p. 15) and Episode 502, Dragon reveals his plan to his comrades as they are assembled. ↑ 27.0 27.1 One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 60 Chapter 589 (p. 7) and Episode 504. ↑ One Piece Anime — Episode 504, anime-exclusive filler scene. ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 60 Chapter 593 (p. 10-11) and Episode 510, Dragon and Ivankov discuss the news about Luffy, current events and Kuma. ↑ One Piece Manga — Vol. 95 Chapter 956 (p. 9). ↑ One Piece Manga and Anime — Vol. 12 Chapter 100 (p. 19-20) and Episode 53, a storm occurs in Loguetown upon Dragon's arrival. Leaders: Monkey D. Dragon • Sabo * Commanders: Emporio Ivankov • Karasu • Belo Betty • Morley • Lindbergh Officers: Inazuma • Ahiru • Koala • Bartholomew Kuma ‡ Other Members: Terry Gilteo • Bunny Joe • Hack • Raise Max ≠ Associate(s): Nico Robin ‡ Ships: Wind Granma Devil Fruit Based: Mera Mera no Mi • Kobu Kobu no Mi • Oshi Oshi no Mi • Horu Horu no Mi • Choki Choki no Mi • Nikyu Nikyu no Mi ‡ • Hana Hana no Mi ‡ Fighting Style Based: Newkama Kenpo • Fish-Man Karate • Haki • Fish-Man Jujutsu • Ryusoken Associated Locations: Baltigo ‡ • Momoiro Island • Newkama Land ‡ Conquered Locations: Centaurea • Tequila Wolf • Lulusia Kingdom Story Arc(s): Loguetown Arc • Post-Enies Lobby Arc • Impel Down Arc • Marineford Arc • Post-War Arc • Dressrosa Arc • Zou Arc • Levely Arc • Wano Country Arc Cover Stories: Straw Hat's Separation Serial • From the Decks of the World: The 500,000,000 Man Arc Movies: One Piece Film: Gold • One Piece: Stampede Others: Will of D. • Okama Monkey Family: Monkey D. Luffy • Monkey D. Dragon • Monkey D. Garp Gol Family: Gol D. Roger † • Portgas D. Ace † • Portgas D. Rouge † Other Carriers: Marshall D. Teach • Jaguar D. Saul † • Trafalgar D. Water Law • Rocks D. Xebec † Devil Fruit Based: Gomu Gomu no Mi • Mera Mera no Mi † • Yami Yami no Mi • Ope Ope no Mi • Gura Gura no Mi Fighting Style Based: Haki Swords: Kikoku Organizations: Straw Hat Pirates • Whitebeard Pirates • Revolutionary Army • Marines • Roger Pirates • Blackbeard Pirates • Spade Pirates • Heart Pirates • Donquixote Pirates • Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance • Rocks Pirates Others: Grand Line Times Major Events: God Valley Incident • Battle of Edd War • Ohara Incident • Conquest of Four Nations • Battle of Marineford Literature: Newspaper • Brag Men • Liar Noland • Rainbow Mist, Volumes I to VIII ≠ • Devil Fruit Encyclopedia • Sora, Warrior of the Sea Archaeologists: Demons of Ohara (Nico Robin • Professor Clover • Nico Olvia • Rint • Zadie • Roche • Busshiri • Hack • Gram • Hocha) Explorers and Pioneers: Mont Blanc Noland • Fisher Tiger • Louis Arnote • Jew Wall Pirates: Rocks Pirates • Roger Pirates • Fisher Tiger • Vander Decken • Chinjao • Nox Pirates Marines: Sengoku • Monkey D. Garp • Vegapunk • Kong Leaders/Royalty: Monkey D. Dragon • Kalgara • Tom • Oars • Shirahoshi • Otohime • Vinsmoke Judge • Kozuki Oden Misc.: Rob Lucci • Ryuma • Jigoro • Joy Boy • Mousse • Herb • Seto • Pantri • Kashigami Void Century Ancient Weapons: Pluton • Poseidon • Uranus Artifacts: Poneglyph • Shandorian Golden Belfry Bell • Noah • Empty Throne The Great War: World Government • Great Kingdom • Shandia • Kozuki Family Story Arcs: Alabasta Arc • Jaya Arc • Skypiea Arc • Water 7 Arc • Enies Lobby Arc • Sabaody Archipelago Arc • Marineford Arc • Fish-Man Island Arc • Dressrosa Arc • Zou Arc • Wano Country Arc Locations: Loguetown • Tomb of the Kings • Water 7 • Ohara (Tree of Knowledge) • Land of Ice • Shandora • Mary Geoise • Laugh Tale • Sea Forest • Fish-Man District • Wano Country • Flower Capital Others: Will of D. • New Age • World Timeline Retrieved from "https://onepiece.fandom.com/wiki/Monkey_D._Dragon?oldid=1665177"	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363132
__label__wiki	0.889487	0.889487	Russell Brand’s mom broke her neck and back in horror hit-and-run By Ellie Henman, The Sun Russell Brand and his mom, Barbara Brand Getty Images Originally Published by: Christine and Frank Lampard announce they’re having their first baby Loose Women fans outraged as Andrea McLean forced to apologize twice when Russell Brand ‘swears’ live on air Chloe Ferry tried to have Geordie Shore newbie Grant Molloy ‘banned from the show’ because she ‘hates him’ Sarah Rafferty joins Suits co-star and good friend Meghan Markle talking about show Russell Brand has revealed his mom, Barbara, broke her back and neck in a horrorific car crash last month. During his appearance on “Loose Women,” he also said she’d broken eight ribs in the smash. She is still recovering in the hospital. When asked how she was, Russell explained: “She’s done amazing. She had a terrible terrible car crash. “The geezer in the other motor legged it. “She had terrible terrible injuries, a broken back, broken neck, eight ribs … but she’s making a remarkable recovery due to her spirit and the incredible National Health Service and the people that work there do such phenomenal work. It’s unbelievable.” Russell has previously praised the NHS for helping his mom get back to health following the incident. Barbara was pulled bleeding from the comedian’s chauffeur-driven limo after the hit-and-run smash. She was in the back of an Audi A8 which crashed with a Vauxhall Astra. Its driver fled after getting into another car. A witness, who gave first aid, said: “The Astra came round the corner and lost control. It went straight into the Audi. “The chauffeur got out and fell. Russell’s mum was trapped. She had a seatbelt across her chest. She was in pain and people got her out. “She was in a bad way, lying on a stretcher. “She had blood coming from her nose and on the back of her head. We were talking to her, trying to keep her with it.” Filed under car accidents , celebrity moms , russell brand Carrie Ann Inaba alludes to being 'terrorized' on 'Showgir...	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363135
__label__cc	0.654904	0.345096	New Puppy Owners New Kitten Owners Pet Care Philosophy & Practice Pet Supplies & Services Pet Dental Which Vaccines Are Essential For Your Pet? Concerns about potential side effects and the cumulative effects of vaccines may make you wonder if immunizations are really necessary. Although your pet can probably skip some vaccines, others are absolutely essential for good health and disease prevention. Why Vaccines Are Important Vaccines boost your pet's immunity and prevent him or her from developing serious diseases and illnesses, including rabies and distemper. Vaccines contain small amounts of weakened or killed viruses. After your pet receives the vaccine, he or she will develop antibodies to the disease. If your dog, cat or ferret is exposed to the virus in the future, the antibodies will quickly kill and attack the virus, preventing your pet from becoming ill. Vaccines not only safeguard your pet's health but also protect animals that are too young to receive vaccinations or can't receive them due to certain health conditions. Vaccination slows or stops the spread of disease, keeping pets, and sometimes, people safe. Before the rabies vaccine was introduced, pets and humans exposed to the virus faced certain death. Thanks to the vaccine, untold numbers of lives have been saved since it was introduced in the late 1800s. Unfortunately, rabies still kills thousands of people and animals a year in parts of the world where vaccinations are uncommon. Which Vaccines Do My Pets Need? Dogs, cats, and ferrets are vaccinated against the diseases most likely to affect them. Vaccines are grouped into two categories: core and non-core. Core vaccines prevent your pet from diseases most likely to occur where you live. Non-core vaccines are optional vaccines that could be needed depending on your pet's risk factors. Core vaccines for dogs include: Adenovirus-2 (Adenovirus and hepatitis) Is Lyme disease widespread in your area? Your dog may benefit from a non-core Lyme disease vaccination. Other non-core vaccines include bordetella (kennel cough), coronavirus, leptospirosis, and canine influenza. Your cat will need these core vaccines: Feline Calicivirus Feline Herpesvirus Type 1 Feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia, bordetella, and chlamydophila felis vaccines are non-core vaccines that may be recommended for some cats. For example, your veterinarian may suggest the feline leukemia vaccine if your pet spends times outdoors where he or she may be exposed to cats with the virus. Core vaccines are given when your pet is a puppy or kitten, although they can also be given to adult pets that haven't received them yet. Some vaccines need to be repeated every year, while others are effective for three years or longer. The rabies vaccine schedule varies depending on the laws in your area. Ferrets receive distemper and rabies vaccines, but there are no non-core vaccines for these animals. What About Side Effects? Side effects can occur after vaccination, but most are mild and only last for a day or two. Common side effects may include mild fever, pain around the injection site, lethargy, reduced appetite, coughing, and sneezing. Call your pet's veterinarian immediately if your companion experiences nausea or vomiting, hives, trouble breathing, severe coughing or swelling around the face, eyes or nose. Fortunately, most animals have only mild side effects after receiving vaccines. The temporary discomfort of side effects far outweighs the potentially devastating consequences should your pet develop rabies, distemper, parvovirus or other serious diseases. Is it time for your pet's vaccinations? Contact us to schedule your furry friend's appointment. ASPCA: Vaccinations for Your Pet https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/vaccinations-your-pet Consumer Reports: Why It’s So Important to Vaccinate Your Dog, 9/17/18 https://www.consumerreports.org/pets/why-its-so-important-to-vaccinate-your-dog/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Is Rabies in Your State? https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/location/usa/surveillance/index.html Canine Journal: Which Dog Vaccinations Are Necessary?, 6/21/19 https://www.caninejournal.com/dog-vaccinations/ Merck Manual: Management of Ferrets https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/ferrets/management-of-ferrets American Humane: Vaccinating Your Pet https://www.americanhumane.org/fact-sheet/vaccinating-your-pet/	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363136
__label__cc	0.579646	0.420354	Grade My Paper Conclusion Generator Order Now Log In HOME Essays Treasure Island Treasure Island Essays A limited time offer! Get custom essay sample written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteed Order now Introduction and Aim Las Vegas is one of the most celebrated, popular, and profitable gambling and touristry finishs in the universe. Get downing from the 1980s, Las Vegas has developed itself through a series of strategic stigmatization attempts, smart placement, catchy selling and advertisement runs, and the development of mega resorts and amusement centres. To… Chinatown The Lottery and Other Stories Golden Age of Piracy With canons blaring in the distance, Captain Edward Teach sits in his quarters, preparing for battle. To his belt, Teach straps pistols, daggers, and his cutlass. Across his chest, a sling with six pistols all loaded. Then, slowly, Teach braids his bushy, pitch-black beard that would come to give him his name. 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__label__wiki	0.635504	0.635504	The Pegasus Mission Dare Mighty Things Pegasus Mission Annual Report – 2016 December 20, 2016 December 20, 2016 wmattlong2015 IOT, Mark Nichols, Matt Long, Near Space, North American Eagle, Real-Time IOT, Uncategorized It has been a remarkable year for The Pegasus Mission as we flew to new heights in the upper atmosphere and traversed a desert at extreme speed. We engaged over 20,000 in a global audience in 60 countries with captivating adventures centered in STEM and experimental real-time technologies running in the MS Cloud. Our team grew to 60 volunteers and partners that showed unwavering support and demonstrated the power of the human spirit to challenge assumptions about is possible. The payoff was massive real-time engagement with a global audience and acceptance by the media for our collective efforts. Over 25 million people viewed 30 plus articles written about our adventures in near space and in the remote Alvord desert. Pegasus II We made history with Pegasus II by flying 2 hours into near space and bi-directionally communicating with a global audience in real-time. Using apps for Web, mobile, and Media Services, thousands of people experienced the flight from 60 different countries as we transmitted video, telemetry, and received messages from well-wishers through our experimental technology running in the MS Cloud. The impact was overwhelming and it deeply connected with a global audience of interested parties. Our charter of challenging assumptions about what is possible and making research an experience became a viral meme in 2016 as soon as Pegasus II lifted itself into the heavens. North American Eagle Partnership Our partnership with the North American Eagle (NAE) team built on our experience with Pegasus II and enabled us to synthesize technology to enable users to experience extreme speed in different type of hostile environment, a desert devoid of infrastructure. Using satellite communications and our experimental technology in the MS Cloud, we gave 15,000 people a real-time experience of the drama of extreme speed, i.e., 478 mph, across a remote desert floor. The outpouring of the emotional user messages we received told the same story as Pegasus II…it had deeply connected. It is with endearing gratitude that we thank the NAE team, Ed Shadle, and Jessi Combs for allowing us to participate in a remarkable risky pursuit of a challenge that only a few will ever take, extreme speed. Accomplishments – 2016 The Pegasus Mission derives itself from a trifecta of concepts; research, experimentation, and human consumable experiences that form a powerful gestalt when combined with taking risks to achieve what has not been done before. Our accomplishments in 2016 demonstrated that these challenges resonate broadly across a spectrum of interest levels. Technically, we showed how it was possible to build an open-system of heterogeneous system actors on a global basis that could behave organically and communicate in real-time with the latency of an online video game, and did this will great scale and economic feasibility. We simplified communications and decoupled the system actors, which allowed us to build unique experiences that touched people from impossibly remote and hostile environments. We took the initial steps in democratizing IoT and we were rewarded with the endless appreciation from the audiences for taking them on risky scientific adventures where success is never a guarantee. Together with our partners and our dedicated team of volunteers we brought a piece of an amazing future into the present. Looking Forwarded – 2017 2017 is shaping up to be an incredible year. Our top priority is the total eclipse of the sun occurring over North America on Aug. 21. This is a one-in-a-lifetime event. We will be creating a remarkable global event with “Flight into Totality”, where we will fly to 80-100K feet into the upper atmosphere and film the total eclipse from a floating and self-stabilizing platform. We will provide Web and Mobile apps for a global audience to participate in the flights. To remediate as much risk as possible we will be launching redundant flights for 4 different time zones. This will be fulltime work to engineer, test, promote, and prepare for an opportunity that will not reoccur. We will expand on the number of ways users can participate and leverage more technologies. This is complex mission and time is short to begin the work. We plan to build video documentaries and promote them as we prepare for flight to amplify messaging, grow the audience, expand our connections, and capture mind-share. Using the videos and attaching to social media, we plan to build an audience that will become participants as we attempt to deliver another risky and perhaps astonishing mission to near space. This is considered an “at-risk” project due to requirements of time and funding that we must pursue. We plan to re-engage with North American Eagle for another run at history. One of the lessons learned from NAE was how well it connects with people, but how little has been done to message the enormity of the challenge or the engineering required to safely travel at extreme speed. We believe that we can build a story around the challenge versus the land speed record, and maximize real-time engagement of a global audience. Our impact will be to deliver the extreme speed experience in real-time as the NAE makes it runs, and increase the ways we creativity engage with the audience. In summary, we will be engaging more people for these events in real-time, telling true stories that capture the imagination, and putting leading edge technologies to the ultimate test. By doing what has not been done before, we energize, collaborate, partner, and go forth to challenge assumptions about what is possible. Pegasus Mission Pegasus Archives	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363144
__label__wiki	0.849779	0.849779	PlayStation 4Xbox OnePCNintendo SwitchAll Platforms Game Subscriptions Kamil Dyszewski Kama_Kamilia Specmajster 55 games reviewed 66.2 average score 70 median score 45.5% of games recommended Kamil Dyszewski's Reviews Freelance writer, who specialises in game reviews and complex analysis of the entertainment industry, and its products. Sort by: Page 1 of 6 PushStartPlay 8 / 10.0 - Wreckfest If you were looking for the next big racing game, then you’ve found it with Wreckfest. 7 / 10.0 - The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan Ultimately, Man of Medan is a decent experience, and it does exactly what it says on the tin. But it does feel more like a single episode (which it is), than an entire game. 6 / 10.0 - Redeemer: Enhanced Edition If mowing down brainless mercenaries and mutants in confined spaces is your thing, then you’ll feel right at home with the Redeemer: Enhanced Edition. But if you are expecting something more from the £25/$30 which you’ll have to spend on this particular release, then you will be inexplicably disappointed – especially when faced with title’s numerous issues. 8 / 10.0 - A Plague Tale: Innocence All that really has to be said about A Plague’s Tale: Innocence, is that it is a neat adventure game, which has significantly exceeded my expectations, and while those were not very profound to begin with, then even I have to admit that A Plague’s Tale: Innocence is ten times the game which I, and many others expected it to be. It may not have some of the certain AAA qualities, due to its clearly limited, AA budget – then ultimately it offers an experience, which is above and beyond games such as Anthem or Fallout 76, and feels like a breath of fresh air in the always online, games as a service, world. 9 / 10.0 - F1 2018 F1 2018, is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best racing games of this generation, and as far as PlayStation 4 is concerned, it might just be the best racing game on the platform. 8 / 10.0 - Vampyr I don’t feel like I am crossing the line in saying that Vampyr is clearly the best title which Dontnod has ever developed, and most definitely the best game which Focus Home Interactive has ever published. If you are looking for the next big RPG to scratch your role-playing itch, then you don’t have to look further, as Vampyr has been crafted especially for you, and if you happen to also be a fan of the Soulsborne series then you’ll simply be in heaven with this particular game – even with all its slight imperfections. 9 / 10.0 - Onrush While I have honestly thought that Paul Rustchynsky, and the ex-Evolution developers have given their all when crafting MotorStorm: Apocalypse, then I am more than happy to say that ONRUSH is a much superior title, which dwarfs all the other arcade racers of this generation, and should be seen by other developers and publishers as a shining example of what racing games should be like. 8 / 10.0 - Gravel When all is said and done, all that has to be said about Gravel, is that it is likely going to be one of your favourite titles of this generation, if only you are willing to give it a fighting chance and won’t judge it by the studio’s prior efforts. 9 / 10.0 - EA Sports UFC 3 All that has to be said about UFC 3, is that it is the grandiose, and robust MMA sim, which most were waiting for, since the release of UFC 2009 Undisputed. It features intuitive and explosive stand-up gameplay, which beautifully coexists with all the ground-game mechanics. And while some armchair pundits, may still moan about how simple ground and clinch based manoeuvres and holds are. Then it has to be underlined that the so-called simplicity, ultimately allows the title to reach wider audience, which won’t feel intimidated by unnecessarily confusing submissions or takedowns. And while the highly anticipated Ultimate Team, may be a Stockton slap in the face of many, it can ultimately be overlooked, and those who skip it, will not be missing out on anything significant. 7 / 10.0 - Thimbleweed Park Ultimately, Thimbleweed Park succeeds at what it tries to achieve. It’s a sharp adventure game full of cutting-edge wit. It keeps one on his/her toes, while ensuring that the fun never stops, and that genre-centric jokes are targeted at the player throughout. However, unlike the adventure titles of old, Thimbleweed Park fails to reach the levels of the Day of The Tentacle, or Grim Fandango, as the world of Thimbleweed Park is simply not as interesting. And despite the satisfying story, the characters which are used to move it forward, in the end feel more like an afterthought. A portion of the sale from items purchased through the Amazon, GamesPlanet, Best Buy, Walmart, GameStop, and other 3rd party retailer links on this page directly support OpenCritic. Activate Dark Theme © 2019 Copyright: OpenCritic Inc	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363151
__label__cc	0.511882	0.488118	Self Archiving Policies Special Fee Waivers and Discounts Cell Engineering and Molecular Pharming for Biopharmaceuticals M.A Abdullah, 1, Anisa ur Rahmah1, A.J Sinskey2, C.K Rha3 1 Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia 2 Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA 3 Biomaterials Science and Engineering Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Identifiers and Pagination: Last Page: 61 Publisher Id: TOMCJ-2-49 DOI: 10.2174/1874104500802010049 Received Date: 18/3/2008 Revision Received Date: 20/4/2008 Acceptance Date: 21/4/2008 Electronic publication date: 14/5/2008 Collection year: 2008 CrossRef Citations: Total Statistics: Full-Text HTML Views: 3122 Abstract HTML Views: 1274 PDF Downloads: 282 Total Views/Downloads: 4678 Unique Statistics: Abstract HTML Views: 703 © Abdullah et al.; Licensee Bentham Open. open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/), which permits unrestrictive use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia; Tel.: +605-3687636; Fax: +605-3656176; E-mail: azmuddin@petronas.com.my Biopharmaceuticals are often produced by recombinant E. coli or mammalian cell lines. This is usually achieved by the introduction of a gene or cDNA coding for the protein of interest into a well-characterized strain of producer cells. Naturally, each recombinant production system has its own unique advantages and disadvantages. This paper examines the current practices, developments, and future trends in the production of biopharmaceuticals. Platform technologies for rapid screening and analyses of biosystems are reviewed. Strategies to improve productivity via metabolic and integrated engineering are also highlighted. View Abstract Download PDF Findings in the 1950s that DNA is the molecule that encodes proteins, which in turn control all the cellular processes inside the organism, have provided the impetus for the biotechnology era [1]. This has led to the advent of recombinant DNA technology and hybridoma technology in the 1970s, which marks the birth of modern biopharmaceutical development. As far as drug discovery and development is concerned, this is a significant milestone as some molecules are too complex and far too difficult to be extracted and purified from living materials, or synthesized chemically [2]. Genetic engineering provides an alternative means for the production of therapeutic proteins through the use of bacteria, yeasts, insect, animal and plant cells. The compounds produced provide alternative therapies for serious life threatening diseases such as cancer, viral infection or hereditary deficiencies, and other untreatable conditions [1]. Various technologies have since emerged ranging from the innovations in broad-based, rapid screening and macroscale analyses, to the sophistication in the imaging, control and automation technologies. Also contributing to the rapid progress are the innovations in gene therapies, antisense, cell surface engineering and molecular diagnostics. The production of biopharmaceuticals via recombinant technologies has led to new, innovative products, as well as significant improvements in quality and yield of existing products. They are better defined scientifically, with consistent quality and are free from infectious agents due to stringent cGMP guidelines [2]. The industrial scale manufacturing of penicillin G by the fermentation of mould Penicilliumnotatum in the early 1940s is the early success story of the use of living cells for drug production to combat infection by Staphylococcus and other bacteria [3]. Since mid-1970s, large scale production of hundreds of therapeutic proteins such as insulin, monoclonal antibodies, interferons or interleukins, have been developed [1,2,4]. The world wide pharmaceutical market is estimated to grow to $1.3 trillion by the year 2020 [5]. While chemical-based drug continues to be the major source of drugs, the world-wide biopharmaceutical market in 2003 is estimated in the region of $30-35 billion, accounting for 15% of the overall world pharmaceutical market [6]. Of these, plant-derived drugs and intermediates account for approximately $9-11 billion annually in the USA [2,5]. It was the scientific and technological innovation in drug discovery and development that had led to the creation of hundreds of start-up biopharmaceutical companies in the 1970s and 80s. With the basic research done in the universities and research institutions, the synergies between industrial players and academia over the years have resulted in the new technologies and tools to find new molecules to combat diseases; development of methods and biomarkers for clinical phenotyping; and validation of biochemical hypothesis of a drug candidate [1,2,4]. The growing confidence and interest in biopharmaceuticals has pushed big pharma companies to acquire technologies or invest in manufacturing facilities. Merck has bought RNAi developer, Sirna Therapeutics for $1.1 billion (RNAi being short interfering molecules to inhibit any gene of interest in any cells) [7]. Genentech has invested $140 million to set-up microbial-based manufacturing operations for biotherapeutics in Asia [8]. Despite high expenses in R&D, Merck and Genentech earn $32.8 and $1.4 billion in revenue, respectively, in the year 2000 [4]. This review article examines the practices, developments, and future trends in the production of biopharmaceuticals. HOST SYSTEMS FOR MOLECULAR PHARMING The triggering factor behind the revolution in biopharmaceutical industries can largely be attributed to the development of advanced methods in the field of recombinant DNA technology. Cell engineering and transgenic technology border on several enabling techniques in such diverse fields as cell biology, embryology, molecular genetics, bioprocesses and metabolic engineering. A more directed approach to improve the cells or a given pathway of interest have become possible with specific genetic perturbations through modification of the promoter strength of a given gene, or by gene deletions, or by introducing whole new genes or pathways into the cells [9-12]. This means that the alteration effects can be determined and the amount directly-probed and produced at a specified quantity. Scientific advances gained by transgenic capabilities also enable further understanding of basic biological pathways and yield insights into how changes in fundamental processes can perturb programmed development or culminate in disease pathogenesis [13]. Primary step behind recombinant DNA technology is the introduction of heterologous gene(s) in a non-native genetic background, and the sufficient expression of a cloned gene in the new host system. Two types of gene library are known, namely the genomic library which includes all the total chromosomal DNA of an organism; and cDNA library which corresponds to the mRNA fraction from a cell or tissue at specific point and time [14]. Recombinant Microorganisms Biopharmaceuticals produced from microorganisms that have gained marketing approval are invariably produced in the recombinant E. coli cell systems such as E. coli K12. The species are well-studied, documented and optimized as hosts for gene cloning [15-17]. These biopharmaceutical products include tissue plasminogen activator, insulin, α,γ-interferons, interleukin-2, granulocyte colony stimulating factor and human growth hormone [1,2,18]. The advantages that are normally associated with E. coli as the source of biopharmaceuticals include the well-characterized molecular biology and the ease of genetic manipulation; high levels of heterologous protein expression (as high as 25% of total cellular protein in the case of γ-interferon); relatively simple and inexpensive media, supported by well-established fermentation technology [2]. However, vast bulk of heterologous proteins from E. coli are intracellular which could complicate the downstream processing. There is also the possibility of the formation of a highly-densed inclusion body or insoluble aggregates of proteins, which could overload the normal protein-folding mechanism. Being a gram negative bacteria, the presence of endotoxin molecule lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in E. coli is a concern [2,19]. LPS, which make up 75% of E. coli’s outer membrane surface, influence the hypothalamic regulation of body temperature when they enter the blood-stream, and cause fever, which in some instances fatal. E. coli also often does not recognize the upstream elements of genes derived from different bacterial genera or families, or in some cases the over expressed protein may be toxic. Yeast protein kinase over-expressed in E. coli for example has been found inactive, but the same protein is active when expressed in yeast [20]. It is therefore common to transfer a gene which is originally cloned in E. coli, back into its native genetic background such as the α-amylase gene cloned in E. coli but transferred and expressed in its native Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, or antibiotic biosynthetic genes in Streptomycetes species [2]. Many therapeutically useful proteins, when naturally produced in the body are glycosylated. The limitation in biological activities of some expressed proteins from prokaryotes has been attributed to their limited capability to carry out post-translational modifications (PTMs) [2,21]. Vast majority of therapeutic proteins undergo several PTMs, which are the final steps in which genetic information from a gene directs the formation of a functional gene product. PTMs include covalent modifications of individual amino acids residues such as glycosylation, phosphorylation, methylation, ADP-ribosylation, oxidation and glycation; proteolytic processing and non-enzymatic modifications such as deamidation and racemisation. Most therapeutic proteins require at least proteolytic cleavages, oligomerization and glycosylation for their bioactivity, pharmacokinetics, stability and solubility [22,23]. Polyglutamylation is an example of PTM thatgenerates lateral acidic side chains on proteins by sequentialaddition of glutamate amino acids. This modification is firstdiscovered on tubulins, and is important for several microtubulefunctions [24]. As complex therapeutic proteins produced in prokaryotes are not always properly folded to confer the desired biological activity, microbial expression system is suitable mainly for the expression of relatively simple proteins which do not require folding or PTMs to be biologically active. Table 1 shows the comparison between different transgenic systems for the production of recombinant proteins. Transgenic Systems for the Production of Biopharmaceuticals Bacteria Mammalian Transgenic Animal Transgenic Plant g/L culture g/L culture g/L milk or urine kg/ha or g/L (for latex) 2. Advantages Easy to culture PTMs mechanism Low capital cost Low cost Well-characterised Easy to harvest Easy to harvest Easy to scale-up Easy to scale-up PTMs mechanism PTMs mechanism Lack of PTMs Inappropriate PTMs Inconsistent product yield Low product yield Limited capacity More complex media Environmental concern on GMOs Slow cell growth 4. Issues Presence of inclusion bodies, endotoxin molecules Viruses and prions contamination Methods for genetic modification Need stronger promoters Targeted protein expression in specific organs, cell compartment Eukaryotic Cell Systems Major advantage of eukaryotic expression systems such as yeast, Chinese hamster ovary strain K1 (CHO-K1) or Baby hamster kidney cells (BHK), is their ability to carry out PTMs of protein product. While bacteria and yeasts may only be suitable for the synthesis of antibody fragments, insect cells infected by baculovirus and CHO cells can be the source of intact antibodies. Animal cell cultures are being used for the production of monoclonal antibodies via hybridoma cell technology; and vaccines production such as yellow fever viral particles via chick embryos culture, hepatitis A viral vaccines via human diploid fibroblast or gp120 [2]. Fungi such as Aspergillus niger and yeast such as Pichia pastoris have received considerable attention due to their potential for high level of protein expression such as factor VIII, α-interferon or Human Serum Albumin; and protein is excreted out into the extracellular media [25-27]. The gp160 HIV vaccines for example have been produced not only in insect or CHO cell-lines, but also in Saccharomyces cerevisiae [2]. Large scale production of polypeptides normally present on the surface of pathogen can now be produced by producer organisms such as hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) genes expressed in yeast for the production of clinically-safe subunit vaccines [28]. Yeast has received considerable attention due to its more detailed genetics and molecular biology that can facilitate genetic manipulation, and a long history of application in brewing and baking. It is thus considered as GRAS organism (Generally regarded as safe) [2,29,30]. Important advantage for the use of yeast as host system is its ability to assemble DNA fragment in genomes by homologus recombination which allows the insertion of DNA sequences at specific locations in the yeast genome [31]. In the application of “biodrug” into the gastrointestinal tract, yeasts can be advantageous over bacteria, for the functional expression of heterologous genes, and they are not sensitive to antibiotics with high level of resistance to digestive secretions [30,32]. A “biodrug” concept involves the use of recombinant microorganisms as new delivery vehicles which may have potential medical applications in the correction of enzyme deficiencies, the control of the activation of pro-drug to drug or the production of therapeutic proteins, such as vaccines, directly in the digestive tract. The recombinant cells may produce active compounds such as hormones, enzymes, and vaccines; or perform bioconversions or “biodetoxication” [32,33]. The eukaryotic cell-based system however may need a more complex nutritional requirement as compared to E. coli. It may also require a carefully controlled-fementation condition due to the shear sensitivity of the cells, and also to control protein glycosylation which may depend on cell metabolism such as that in CHO [34]. Cell growth are much slower, the post-translational glycosylation pattern especially in yeast and fungal cells may be inappropriate or different from the pattern observed in native glycoprotein isolated from natural sources, and the cells are often proned to contamination by virus or prions [2]. Scaling-up of cultured mammalian cells to large volumes is more difficult. It may take 4 years to build a 100000L fermenter, costing $400 million for CHO cells [35]. Because of huge capital costs, industry has been unable to keep up with the growing demand [36]. Another method that can be explored is to extract biopharmaceuticals from animal and human tissues such as insulin from pig and cow pancreas, or blood proteins from human blood [37]. However, these also incur high-cost and carry the risk of transmitting infectious diseases to humans [38]. Transgenic Animal The biochemical, technical and economic limitations of prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems have spurred interest in transgenic animal and plant as new expression systems. Transgenic animal as a bioreactor system for pharmaceutical production, or for modification of tissues and organs for transplantations, or as a model system from DNA microinjection to gene targeting and cloning, has had a significant impact on human health, pharmaceutical discovery and the drug pipeline [13]. Transgenic modifications, particularly in mice, are commonly used to model human conditions. The use of transgenic animal have been beneficial in the studies for drug discovery in human developmental and pathological conditions, including gene therapy, genetic basis of human and animal disease, the assessment of the validity of therapeutic strategies before clinical trials, disease resistance in humans and animals, drug and product testing or toxicological screening, and novel product development through molecular pharming [13,39]. The production of therapeutic proteins from transgenic animals involves the expression from mammary-gland specific promoters to drive secretion of the transgene into milk, or the use of kidney- or bladder specific promoters that direct transgene expression to the urine [40-42]. Mammary specific expression is achieved by fusing the gene of interest with promoter containing regulatory sequences of a gene coding for a milk-specific protein, such as whey acid protein promoter in the β-casein and α- β-lactoglobulin genes [2]. The early success story of transgenic expression of a Human Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator (tPA) has been reported in mouse milk [43] and Goat Milk [44]. The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has approved the use of ATryn, a drug extracted from the milk of goats engineered to carry a human gene involved in inhibiting blood clots [45]. For monoclonal antibodies, the vast majority of production source are of murine origin [2]. Major problems associated with murine antibodies include the reduced stimulation of cytotoxicity and the formation of complexes after repeated administration, resulting in mild allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock [46]. Rabbit milk is seen as an attractive alternative source for antibodies, as rabbit is not susceptible to prion diseases and is known to transmit only rare and minor diseases to human [47]. Other various end-organs and system being investigated for antibodies production include blood, urine and other tissues, and egg white from transgenic chicken. In 2002, a mature and functional human immunoglobulins has been reported in the blood of transchromosomic calf. This is achieved by introducing a human artificial chromosome (HAC) vector containing the entire unrearranged sequences of the human immunoglobulin (hIg) heavy-chain (H) and lambda (λ) light-chain loci, into bovine primary fetal fibroblasts using a microcell-mediated chromosome transfer (MMCT) approach [48]. The use of the transchromosomic calves is an important step in the development of a system for producing therapeutic Human polyclonal antibodies (hPABs). In the area of human xenotransplantation, the transgenic models remain a viable option in dealing with severe donor organ shortages. Research continues to address the biological barriers with regards to hyperacute rejection mediated by preformed natural antibodies and complement [13,49]. An important development in the area of xenotransplantation is the stem cell and nuclear transfer cloning procedures such as that being developed in the production of α-1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout pigs [50-52]. The embryonic stem-cell technology has moved from the well studied transgenic mouse to now include the transgenic fish, chicken, rabbits, sheep and cattle [53,54]. The main advantages of transgenic animal as a source of biopharmaceutical production are as shown in Table 1. High protein expression level is achievable (in many cases exceeding 1 g protein/litre milk, which may be similar to 50-100 litre bioreactor in a day) [2]. There is less environmental concern as transgenic farm animals are kept in enclosed areas. The only drawback is the variability in the expression levels ranging from 1 mg/L to 1 g/L. This can be improved through vector optimization and the use of gene insulators for increased and more predictable production such as for antibodies in milk [47,53]. Transgenic Plant Both transgenic animal and plants may be the only tools capable of producing high level of protein or antibodies [47]. Different types of therapeutic proteins such as blood and plasma proteins, vaccines, hormones, cytokins and growth factors, enzymes and others such as hirudin, endostatin and human lactoferrin, have been produced in transgenic plant systems mainly in tobacco and potato [22]. Many antibodies or antibody fragments have been produced for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes in various plant expression systems [55]. These plant-based antibodies are correctly assembled, proteolytically matured and glycosylated, with high mannose and biantennary complex type N-glycans [56,57]. While animal and plant cells may have similar capacity to assemble antibody subunits, plants may differ from animals in carrying out PTMs, as far as the capacity to glycosylate antibodies is concerned. This is pertinent as glycosylation is required for stable antibodies in vivo and in inducing complement and antibody-dependent cellular cyotoxicity (ADCC) [47]. Despite differences in N-glycan structures, antibodies produced in plants have similar antigen-binding capacity as their homologs produced in mammalian cells. But unlike mammalian cell cultures, plants are devoid of human infective viruses and prions [2,22]. Furthermore, an antibody half-life in the bloodstream as well as its ability to be recognized by Fc receptors, which are both determined by heavy chains N-glycosylation, are not strongly affected when a plant-N-glycan is present instead of a mammalian N-glycan [58-60]. Glycosylation of antibodies can be improved in plants and animals by transferring the genes encoding enzymes capable of adding N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNac), sialic acid, fucose and galactose to the N-glycans [47]. Current limitations of plant expression systems are low yields of some therapeutic proteins and the impact of non-mammalian glycosylation on the activity, immunogenicity and allergenicity of glycosylated plant-made pharmaceuticals. The N-glycan of antibodies extracted from plants (plantibodies) have been reported to not only unable to confer some biological properties and to induce immune response when tested in mice, but also may have undesirable side-effects in patients [47]. Different strategies and new plant expression systems are currently being developed to improve the yields and quality of plant-made pharmaceuticals. The challenges include in choosing the transformation systems, adaptation of codon usage, gene silencing, design of recombinant transgenes with appropriate expression, tissue specificity and proper developmental regulation, and subcellular localization of products [22]. The location of protein accumulation within the cell is important to ensure correct folding and stability of the protein [61]. Different plant organs (leaves, seeds, root) and plant cell compartments (endoplasmic reticulum, chloroplast, vacuole and oil body) have been used to express many therapeutic proteins [62,63]. In plants with large foliage volume such as tobacco, alfalfa and legume plants, expression is performed in leaves. In potato, corn, rapeseed, safflower, soybean, wheat or rice, protein accumulation is achieved in tubers or in seeds [64,65]. In plants, genetic material is distributed between the nucleus, plastids, and mitochondria. Traditionally, the production of transgenic plants, for basic and applied purposes, has been mainly through transgenes expression in the nucleus. Nonetheless, there is a concern that transgenes may escape and contaminate the environment via pollen such as in corn [66]. There is now an increasing interest in expressing the transgenes in chloroplasts rather than the nucleus as the genes expressed in the plastome will not be transferred through pollination [66,67]. Most biopharming applications target production and storage in seeds, which naturally accumulate high concentrations of proteins and oils, and the easiest part of the plant to store and transport to processing facilities. Two seed-specific “promoters” have been used experimentally - the beta-phaseolin promoter of common bean and the oleosin promoter of Brassica species [61]. Recent advances in the control of post-translational maturations in transgenic plants will allow them to perform human-like maturations on recombinant proteins and make plant expression systems suitable alternatives to animal cell factories [22]. Antibodies that currently cost thousands of dollars per gram might be produced in plants for $200 per gram [68]. Transgenic plants are expected to produce up to 10 kg antibodies per acre [69] or 1 kg of plantibodies after 36 months. This may be achievable with rabbit milk, but not goat milk [58]. A plant “bioreactor” will allow the production of recombinant proteins up to 20 kg/ha, regardless of the plant material considered – tobacco, corn, soybean or alfalfa [58]. With the whole gamut of issues pertaining to potential host systems for recombinant protein production elaborated and recognized, in the next part, new development and future direction of research in biopharmaceuticals production are discussed. SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS IN BIOPHARMACEUTICALS Human Stem Cells The discovery that cells are capable of self-renewal has led to the functional definition of stem cells [70,71]. This has great impact in the area of targeted therapies and drug delivery as human stem cells may not only find application in the repair, regeneration and cellular replacement of damaged or defective tissues, but also in the toxicological screening and discovery of new therapeutic drug molecules, and as a tool for in vitro investigation of cellular and developmental processes [72-74]. Human stem cells can be isolated, purified, expanded in number and differentiated into the cell type of choice in a controlled manner. The cells may be sourced or derived from blood and tissues postnatally (‘adult’ stem cells), and from the fetus (fetal stem cells) or from the blastocyst in the developing embryo prior to implantation (embryonic stem cells) [72,75]. Adult stem cells and progenitor cells found in adult tissues, act as a repair system for the body, replenishing specialized cells, and also maintain the normal turnover of regenerative organs, such as blood, skin or intestinal tissues. They have been used to treat successfully leukemia and related bone/blood cancers through bone marrow transplants [76]. Of great interest today is in the derivation and culture of Human embryonic stem cells (hESC). These cells are pluripotent and undifferentiated, and can grow in vitro indefinitely. They can potentially provide a supply of readily available differentiated cells and tissues of many types to be used for therapeutic purposes, as well as for drug screening and discovery [77]. The actual methods of hESC derivation have not changed greatly since the method first porposed [72,77]. It requires establishment of embryonic stem cell lines using the inner cell mass of an early pre-implantation embryo or excess human embryos from in vitro fertilization treatments. To enable the clinical use of hESC for cell transplantation, the use of animal derived biological components is no longer acceptable. The main emphasis over the last several years has been in finding defined conditions for derivation and culture of hESCs. The aim is to replace even human derived materials with completely defined systems. The use of embryonic stem cells is embroiled with ethical issues as the blastocyst may be destroyed during the process [72,77,78]. There are also challenges to generate cells of sufficient quality and quantity and to expand cell numbers while maintaining the fidelity of phenotype. Strategies need to be developed to control and direct differentiation to produce the cell type of interest in a format that is suitable for intended purposes [79]. Gene and Targeted Therapies Gene therapy is a novel technique, emerge as a direct result of recombinant DNA revolution. Though still highly experimental, it has the potential to become an important treatment regimen as it allows the transfer of genetic information into patient tissues and organs for the diseased genes to be eliminated or their normal functions rescued. The procedure allows the addition of new functions to cells, such as the production of immune system mediator proteins that help to combat cancer and other diseases [80]. The technique entails stable introduction of a gene into the genetic complement of a cell, such that subsequent expression of the gene achieves a therapeutic goal. The desired gene can be naked DNA as in the case of DNA-based vaccine; or packaged into a vector system such as retroviruses or plasmid-containing liposomes, or microencapsulated, to affect gene transfer [2,81-83]. Once assimilated by the cells, the exogeneous nucleic acids must be delivered to the nucleus. The in vitro approach necessitates removal of the target cells such as blood cells, stem cells, epithelial cells, muscle cells or hepatocytes from the body, cultured in vitro together with vector containing nucleic acid to be delivered, and the genetically altered cells reintroduced into the patient’s body. Another approach is direct administration of the nucleic-acid containing vector to the target cell, in situ in the body, such as direct injection of vectors into a tumour mass, or aerosol administration of vectors containing cystic fibrosis gene to respiratory tract epithelial cells. For intravenous injection, vector can be designed to be bio-specific such that it will recognize and bind only to the specified target cells. Selective delivery can be made possible by the inclusion of antibody on the vector surface, which specifically binds a surface antigen uniquely associated with the target cell; or vector engineered with a specific hormone that can only bind to cells displaying the hormone receptor [2]. The therapeutic potential of gene therapy includes curing in-born errors of metabolism, or conditions induced by the presence of a defective copy of a specific gene (s), including cancer, AIDS, cystic fibrosis, haemophilia, neurological disorder, or retinal degeneration [2,84-86]. The antisense approach is a type of gene therapy based upon the generation of short, single-stranded stretches of DNA or RNA, termed antisense oligonucleotides, displaying specific nucleotide sequences. These oligonucleotides can be synthesized and are capable of binding to DNA at specific gene sites or mRNA derived from specific genes. The translation of mRNA can be blocked, preventing the synthesis of mature gene protein product. This may have potential application in treating disease states which require blocking of gene expression for curing effect [2]. However, antisense DNA technology has failed to live up to its early hype, as most standalone antisense companies folded [7]. The downfall of antisense has been attributed largely to its off-target effects, especially the tendency of nucleic acid sequences to induce generalized immune responses, as well as the difficulty of delivering the therapies to the right cell types. Another nucleic acid-based therapy, short interfering RNA (siRNAs) or microRNAs (miRNAs) or RNAi therapies, have been hailed as the hallmark of new frontiers in biotechnology [7]. These are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by repressing translation of target cellular transcripts. Though the extent of miRNA regulation is not well known, increasing evidence indicates that this is a naturally occurring mechanism in eukaryotes, and miRNAs have distinct expression profiles and play crucial roles in numerous cellular processes. miRNAs can induce a cell to destroy complementary pieces of mRNA, preventing the target message from being transcribed. This RNA inhibition can be exploited to inhibit any gene of interest and may be particularly useful in gene therapies [2,7,87]. The major challenges with developing RNAi therapies also involve delivery to the target site, and cross-talk in signaling pathways. Transgene expression can be suppressed in hematopoietic cells using vectors that are responsive to miRNA regulation. A study has shown that by challenging mice with lentiviral vectors encoding target sequences of endogenous miRNAs, the efficiency of miRNAs is achieved in sharply segregating the gene expression among different tissues [87]. In another study, analysis of the relationship between miRNA expression levels and target mRNA suppression suggests that the suppression depends on a threshold miRNA concentration, which makes it pertinent to exploit the miRNA regulatory pathway and to generate vectors that could rapidly adjust transgene expression in response to changes in miRNA expression [84]. The properties of miRNA-regulated vectors should allow for safer and more effective therapeutic applications [88]. This fast target validation and easy synthesis of miRNAs are attracting attention from drug developers, as a potential multi-billion dollar therapeutic platform in the next few years [7]. Metabolic Engineering The approaches used to improve foreign-protein production in various expression systems include strain improvement by mutagenesis and screening and genetic modifications such as the deletion of proteases from the production strain, the introduction of multiple copies of expressed genes, the use of strong promoters, gene fusions to well-secreted proteins, the use of native signal sequences, and overexpression of individual endoplasmic reticulum-resident genes [89-92]. The basic idea is for increased productivity, cost reduction, and for developing new strains with more specific desirable characteristics such as achieving a more complete PTMs that could accentuate, diminish or eliminate the activity of the desired enzyme. This may require a more comprehensive analysis of the recombinant organism in terms of its biology, kinetics, physiology and performance. Metabolic engineering takes strain improvement, from empirical approach through mutagenesis and selection, to a more directed improved productivity through the modification of specific biochemical(s) or the introduction of new one(s), via molecular biology, physiology, bioinformatics, computer modeling and control engineering [9-12]. Metabolic engineering comprises a synthesis step that introduces new pathways and genetic controls; an analysis step to elucidate the properties of metabolic reaction networks in their entirety; and the evaluation of the recombinant physiological state via metabolic flux determination [11]. The way and the speed of improving biosystems is greatly changed through this systems-based analysis as it involves identifying the reaction and/or transport bottlenecks, thermodynamic feasibility, pathway flux distribution and flux control. Metabolic engineering has already made impact in drug discovery through the synthesis of enhanced or novel natural products and proteins such as carotenoids, ascorbic and lactic acids, xylanases, progestrones, amino acids and novel precursors to amino acids, biopolymers and chiral chemicals, extension of substrate range for growth and product formation, and the detoxification, biodegradation or mineralization of toxic pollutants [93]. The metabolic engineering approach in the precursor formation of useful stereochemistry has been demonstrated in the bioconversion of indene to 1-indenol and cis-(1S,2R)-indandiol, from which Cis-aminoindanol, a key chiral precursor to the HIV protease inhibitor CRIXIVAN, can be derived. A new operon encoding a toluene-inducible dioxygenase (TID) discovered from Rhodococcus sp. I24 strain, has shown the capability of converting indene to 1-indenol and cis-(1S,2R)-indandiol, when the operon is heterologously expressed in E. coli [94]. Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics and Fluxomics The synthesis aspect in metabolic engineering can be achieved if the genes to be expressedare available, but analysis is more of a problem, due to the the complexity of the cellular metabolism and the lack of a breakthrough technology to deal with it [11,95]. A number of powerful techniques have been developed that enable a far morein-depth analysis of the cellular physiology. These include DNA sequencer for genomic analysis, DNAmicroarray for transcriptomic analysis (simultaneous quantificationof all gene transcripts in a cell), two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, protein microarray and protein function microarrayfor proteomic analysis (simultaneous quantification of a largenumber of proteins in a cell), gas chromatography (GC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), direct injection mass spectrometry (MS), or Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy for metabolomic analysis (analysis of the intracellular metabolitelevels), advancedfermentation technology with on-line control and monitoring, and bioinformatics (including mathematicalmodels for analysis of pathway structures and control of pathwayfluxes) [95-97]. Advances in sequencing and DNA replication technologies have made it possible to sequence the entire genomes of many organisms. Genomes of more than 170 microorganisms have been completely sequenced and more than 190 sequencing projects were active in July 2004 [98]. The completion of these sequencing projects coupled with rapid development of genome-derived technologies will spur the effort towards linking the global gene expression analysis with cell physiology. Of greater impact in this effort is the development of protein microarrays and protein function arrays which have been suggested to have greater diversity of assays than DNA microarrays. A novel type of protein array has been developed where the recombinant proteins are bound to the surface without possible losses of functions. The first yeast proteome chip investigating protein-protein interactions and lipid-binding; and a human proteome chip composed of 5000 proteins have been reported [99]. Another indispensable area in metabolic engineering for direct pathway modification and strain analysis is metabolomics analysis. Metabolomics offers the unbiased ability to differentiate organisms or cell states based on metabolite levels that may or may not produce visible phenotypes/genotypes. To understand the global cellular functions at multi-controlling steps, it is imperative to carry out combined analysis of transcriptome, proteome and/or metabolome simultaneously [100]. In comparing two different strains of E. coli, it has been established through metabolic flux, NMR/MS and Northern blot analysis, that the glyoxylate shunt, the TCA cycle, and acetate uptake by acetyl-CoA synthetase are more active in E. coli strain BL21 than in JM109. This has resulted in the differences in the glucose metabolism and acetate excretion. Upon closer examination with microarrays and time course Northern blot, it is found that not only the glyoxylate shunt, the TCA cycle and the acetate uptake are different, the other metabolic pathways such as gluconeogenesis, anaplerotic sfcA shunt, ppc shunt, glycogen biosynthesis, and fatty acid degradation, are also active differently in the two strains [101]. The advent of bioinformatics through genome databases, protein databanks and other databases containing detailed information about biological systems has changed the landscape of biological and bioengineering research. This rapid growth of bioinformatics databases and pattern discovery methods provides a powerful means of achieving the goals of metabolic engineering. The combination of computational biology and expression-based analysis of large amounts of sequence information emerge as indispensable tools for gene discovery and characterization. The paradigm has changed from ‘vertical’ analysis of the role(s) of one or a few genes to ‘horizontal’ holistic approaches, studying the function of many or even all of the genes of an organism simultaneously [96]. This requirement, coupled with the rapidly increasing database size necessitates pattern recognition algorithm for association formation, feature extraction, and identifying homogeneous subsets of data with similar characteristics or dominant discriminating characteristic that can be used for sequence identification, function assignment or process diagnosis [102]. Several pattern recognition algorithms have emerged which has proven effective in identifying patterns across all data sets. These include Principal Component Analysis, Cluster Analysis, Mean Hypothesis Testing, multi-resolutional scale analysis by Wavelet Transforms, Decision Trees, and Artificial Neural Networks. Gene prediction or gene finding is the most important step to understand the genomic species once it has been sequenced [103]. The individual genes can be algorithmically identified from the stretches of sequence, usually genomic DNA; while the biochemical function of a gene can be deduced by comparing the DNA sequence with the sequences of genes of known function in the databases. A facility where researchers can interactively scan for recurring patterns in the sequence, or investigate reading frames, variable regions, positions of particular codons could facilitate quick overview of the sequence features [104]. New computer tools may prove indispensable to compose genetic data at all levels of biological organization - from gene to population, species and ecosystems - for multiple purposes, including gene conservation. Similarly, structural genomics projects have begun to produce protein structures with unknown function. Such progress requires accurate, automated predictors of protein function to be developed if all these structures are to be properly annotated in reasonable time. Algorithms that can align more than two sequences (i.e., multiple alignments) can help elucidate phylogenetic relationships within protein families, thus providing new insight into the evolution of a protein and its potential utility [105,106]. Identifying the interface between two interacting proteins provides important clues to the function of a protein and can reduce the search space required by docking algorithms to predict the structures of complexes. An increasingly popular machine-learning approach, the support vector machine (SVM), has been applied for protein–protein binding sites prediction with high accuracy whilst avoiding over-fitting, using the profiles of spatially and sequentially neighbouring sequences and also sequence neighbours of a target residue. SVM have also found applications in gene expression classification, protein classification, protein fold recognition and prediction of protein solvent accessibility, β-edge strands, single nucleotide polymorphisms, protein secondary structure, protein quaternary structure and T-cell epitopes [106]. Another important area is in protein–protein interfaces and development of methods for predicting protein interface residues. The side chains of the amino acids, owing to a large extent to their different physical properties, have characteristic distributions in interior/surface regions of individual proteins and in interface/non-interface portions of protein surfaces that bind proteins or nucleic acids. These distributions have important structural and functional implications [107,108]. Interface prediction methods rely on a wide range ofsequence, structural and physical attributes that distinguishinterface residues from non-interface surface residues. Theinput data are manipulated into either a numerical value ora probability representing the potential for a residue to beinside a protein interface. Accurate methods have been developed for predicting the solvent accessibility of amino acids from a protein sequence and for predicting interface residues from the structure of a protein-binding or DNA-binding protein [107]. Satisfactory predictions for complex-forming proteins that are well represented in theProtein Data Bank have been achieved, but less so for the under-represented ones. Efforts are reportedly being made in buildingstructural models for multi-component structural complexes [108]. High Throughput Bioprocess Development With greater need for rapid sampling and accurate information on the interactions between biosystems and the bioprocess operations, microfabrication and array-based testing could revolutionize the drug discovery process. Miniaturized analytical devices could reduce reagents and sample consumption, and improve the analytical speed by reducing the time required by running several analyses in parallel [109]. In combination with optical sensor technology, low-cost microbioreactor is relevant to investigate biological kinetics and for high-throughput evaluation of the operational or nutritional parameters on cell growth and product formation in a systematic and statistically significant manner [110,111]. A multiplexed microbioreactor system with a working volume of 150 μl for simultaneous operation of up to eight microbioreactors has been reported (Fig. 1) [112]. The reactors, fabricated of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), include miniaturized motors for magnetic stirring of the reactors, and optic sensors for measuring the fermentation parameters. Optical density is determined with a transmittance measurement through the reactor chamber, and in-situ measurements of dissolved oxygen and pH are obtained with fluorescence lifetime sensors embedded in the bottom of the reactor chambers. The multiplexed microbioreactor system monitors and records the process parameters in real time for each microbioreactor. Parallel batch culture of E. coli fermentation data of cell growth, DO, and pH compare favorably with microbial fermentations undertaken with the same strain and under the same conditions in multiple bioreactor systems at the bench scale. In another system, a well-mixed, 150 μl, membrane-aerated microbioreactor run in chemostat mode reach a steady state condition at which E. coli cell biomass production, substrates and the product concentrations have been reported to remain constant. The reactor is fed by a pressure-driven flow of fresh medium through a microchannel. Chemotaxisial back growth of bacterial cells into the medium feed channel is prevented by local heating. Using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) copolymer films, the inner surfaces of PMMA and PDMS of the reactor wall are modified to generate bio-inert surfaces resistant to non-specific protein adsorption and cell adhesion. These modified surfaces effectively reduce wall growth of E. coli for a prolonged period of cultivation [113]. Fig. (1). (a) Multiplexed microbioreactor system. The “Sixfors” bioreactor system containing six bench-scale reactors (Infors, Switzerland). (b) Fermentation data obtained with the Sixfors. (c) The multiplexed system with four stirred microbioreactors and an integrated microbioreactor cassette. (d) Fermentation data obtained with the multiplexed microbioreactor system [112] (Reproduced by permission of The Royal Society of Chemistry). An integrated array of microbioreactors has also been developed, leveraging on the advantages of microfluidic integration to deliver a disposable, parallel bioreactor in a single chip, rather than on robotically multiplexing independent bioreactors. The system offers small scale bioreactor arrays with the capabilities of bench scale stirred tank reactors. The microbioreactor with 100 μl working volume, comprise a peristaltic oxygenating mixer and microfluidic injectors (Fig. 2). These integrated devices are fabricated in a single chip and can provide a high oxygen transfer rate (kLa ≈ 0.1 s-1) without introducing bubbles, and closed loop control over dissolved oxygen and pH (± 0.1). The system reportedly could support eight simultaneous E. coli fermentations to cell densities greater than 13 gDW/L comparable to that achieved in a 4 L bench scale stirred tank bioreactor. This is more than four times higher than cell densities previously achieved in microbioreactors. Bubble free oxygenation permitted near real time optical density measurements could be used to observe subtle changes in the growth rate and infer changes in the state of microbial genetic networks [114]. Fig.(2). Microbioreactor array module. (a) Four reactors integrated into a single module. (b) Cross-section of a microbioreactor showing the peristaltic oxygenating mixer tubes and fluid reservoir with pressure chamber. (c) Top view of a microbioreactor showing optical sensors and layout of peristaltic oxygenating mixer and fluid injectors. Growth well is 500 mm deep, with a 100 μl working volume. (d) Cross-section showing the fluid injector metering valves [114] (Reproduced by permission of The Royal Society of Chemistry). Rational Drug Design High-throughput screening (HTS) involves screening of thousands to millions of compounds to identify target or lead compound with useful biological activities, and accessing the libraries of pharmaceutical and chemical companies. Such technique of blind-screening of millions of compounds in the lab and hoping for a hit or a lead has increasingly be seen instead as an irrational approach. Rational drug design which is synonymous with structure-based design, draws the emphasis away from traditional random screening. It involves a logical, calculated approach, which may include ligand-based approach to discovery [2,115]. It relies heavily upon computer modeling to modify an existing drug or design a new drug which will interact with selected molecular target important in disease progression. In silico methods are becoming more efficient as they allow scientists to hone in on and manipulate specific molecular structures of interest. A pre-requisite is the three dimensional structure of the drug’s target be known to ease the finding of the molecules that would interact more efficiently in an active protein site, and subsequently assist the chemists to design more efficient drugs [2,116]. Targets are normally proteins such as specific enzymes or receptors for hormones or ligand that would modify the target activity. An example being the activity of retroviral reverse transcriptase as an effective AIDS therapeutic agent. Predictive computer modeling software allows generation of a likely 3D structure from the amino acid primary sequence. This however must be complemented by X-ray crystallography to determine the exact 3D structure. Once the 3D structure of the target protein has been resolved, molecular modeling software facilitates rational design such as a small ligand capable of fitting into a region of an enzyme’s active site [2]. The development of combinatorial libraries, through techniques capable of generating large numbers of novel synthetic chemicals, coupled with high-throughput screening methods and the use of sophisticated knowledge-based approaches to drug discovery is becoming routine [2]. The discovery informatics software for virtual HTS (vHTS) will continue to play a vital role in rational drug design [115]. It has been suggested that without computer modeling, identification of a potent drug would require screening of hundreds of thousands of candidates, taking up to 10 years or so, costing hundreds of millions dollars. Computer modelling saves time and cost as the discovery can be made with a software, and fewer compounds to be prepared or modified to yield a highly effective drug; as compared to the cost in setting up an experimental HTS laboratory and developing assays to discover a compound [2,115]. Ironically, one of the major issues facing pharma and biotechs sector today is the lack of innovation. This downward spiral has been attributed among others to the heavy investment in computer-assisted drug design, in building chemical libraries and in high-throughput screening at the expense of hiring innovative chemists and biologists [117]. There are challenges in generating high quality protein crystals to facilitate X-ray analysis, as NMR can only determine 3D structure of small proteins [2]. The crystal structure does not always accurately depict how a molecule will behave in vivo; and the medicinal chemists also often find it difficult to develop new structures for the “rational” approach [116]. The “omics” technology coupled with efficient and effective “knowledge and disease management” strategies should offer new opportunities for achieving rationality in drug design. In addition, much drug discovery and development data requires the time dependence of biological responses, which means collecting the data at an infinite number of points, and employing time-series methods to give a clearer understanding of biological processes. With this new network biology era, it becomes pertinent for quantitative description of all the cellular communication networks and how they integrate. For these, validation of the networks through statistics to provide estimates of the robustness of the parameters and network structures; and identification and confirmation of the genetic regulation mechanism through fundamental genetics and biochemistry, are vital [116]. Integrated Platform Current research on chemical and pharmaceutical development and manufacturing for integrated systems focuses on advanced analytical and control techniques, computational methods for process invention and optimization and knowledge management. High-throughput microscopy and imaging analysis are becoming increasingly important with the development of fluorescence tagging, live cell experimentation, image acquisition and processing and computer software that brings all together. In pharmacotherapy, where there is a greater need to observe the changes in real-time, a microfluidic technology has been developed for highthroughput live-cell screening, with fluidic control techniques for kinetic studies, changes of media, changes of drugs or flow mixing, under microscopic scrutiny [118]. There is an increasing trend towards integration of in situ (on-line) spectroscopic measurements (particularly of reactions), real-time analysis of the spectroscopic signals, and feedback control to feeds, and dosing units in order to achieve desired reaction rates or selectivity. This is done with the implementation of chemometrics or multivariate statistical analysis for elucidating pertinent chemical information from various process analytical measurements [118]. Molecular imaging has become useful for drug discovery as there is a greater interest in understanding the mechanisms at the gene and molecular level. A new technology STORM (sub-diffraction limit imaging by Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy) has been developed where optical image is built through the orchestration of photon emissions of individual, switchable fluorescent molecules with molecular specificity for intracellular details. Another technique, MIMS (Multi-isotope Imaging Mass Spectrometry) takes advantage of the existence of stable non-toxic isotopes such as 15N. Applications include in the pulse chase, small molecule drug target interaction and tracking the lineage of transplanted stem cells [119]. The ultimate aim of biopharma development is to improve the quality of life and to extend longevity. The quest for new drugs is never ending, as is the need to understand disease causes beyond the symptoms. The rapid emergence of new technologies is revolutionizing the biopharma industry. As shown in Fig. (3), the approach in the development of biopharmaceuticals require multi-pronged strategies. Promising among these are the development of molecular diagnostic technologies to elucidate, evaluate and monitor diseases, vaccine technology principally the DNA-based viral vaccine, and the high-throughput screening platform with real-time monitoring and analysis. The future for biopharmaceuticals production is indeed extremely bright and offers an unprecedented opportunity. Biopharmaceuticals production considerations in a nut-shell (Modified from [120]). The authors would like to thank the Universiti Teknologi Petronas for the financial support given to M.A. Abdullah to present the paper at the First International Conference on Drug Design and Discovery, Dubai, 4-7th February, 2008. [1] Crommelin, DJA; Sidelar, RD an Introduction for Pharmacist and Pharmaceutical Scientist In: Pharmaceutical Biotechnology; John Wiley& Sons : New York, 2002. [2] Walsh, G Biochemistry and Biotechnology In: Biopharmaceuticals ; John Wiley& Sons : New York, 1999. 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__label__cc	0.723145	0.276855	Company Product Published by Orbital Insight Global Real Estate Trends: Asian Malls & Hospitality GO Highlights Global Parallels In Realty & Retail The American Dream is finally here. But it took its developers more than 15 years to realize their dream of bringing the best of shopping and fun to the Western Hemisphere’s largest theme park mall in New Jersey. New retail complexes keep popping up across the United States, even as talk of a mall glut and the so-called Retail Apocalypse foretell more bleak predictions than bright for the industry. While e-commerce behemoths like Amazon appear to have infinite growth potential, Orbital Insight’s research shows that brick-and-mortar malls move from the “survive” mode to “thrive” when they start thinking about “lifestyle” instead of “just shopping” — as the American Dream has set out to do. But whether a mall is drawing blockbuster crowds or not, what’s important to note is that it remains under the constant watch of investors, sector analysts, peers, realty developers and city authorities monitoring for signs of growth, distress, and related impact. This is a universal truth, applicable in most parts of the urban world, as our research shows. Shown here are select real estate and mall locations in Asia and their activity timelines seen from the perspective of our GO platform, which leverages on anonymized device pings that translate into foot-traffic at the sites. Device-date aside, GO also utilizes object detection and movement-based intelligence for a richer cadence of information that results in more efficient analysis and decision-making. Computer vision is another technology we deploy, using geospatial imaging constructed with the aid of geometry, physics, statistics, and learning theory. The Philippines: New Mall & Impact To Local Area New mall openings often result in crowd spikes, not only at the malls themselves but also in adjoining areas that could bring a positive impact to other businesses. An underperforming mall might have less than desirable foot-traffic but it is still watched by investors, sector analysts, peers, realty developers and city authorities looking for signs of improvement and related impact to the Area of Interest (AOI) around it. Seen here is the impact from the opening of the SM Mall Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Philippines, which led to a temporary traffic spike in its vicinity. Philippines: Temporary Closure & Time to Recovery Boracay is a small island in the central Philippines known for its resorts and beaches. Backed by palm trees, bars and restaurants, it is a hub for water sports. Aside from the panoramic views over the island, its underwater is a world of its own coral reefs and shipwrecks that become home to a diverse marine life. Using GO, you’ll be able to view the impact from the Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort temporary closure and recovery in tourist activity. The Shangri-La Boracay Resorts & Spa is one of the Philippines island’s prime attractions. Seen here is the dramatic drop in foot-traffic at the resort during a closure and ramp-up thereafter, recovering to pre-closure levels four months after reopening. Thailand — Mall Comparisons by Day of Week Understanding traffic trends—throughout the week, or during the day—is important for site selection and and retailing. Using GO, we compared two major malls, IconSiam and Central World. At IconSiam, one can clearly see that traffic is dominant on weekends, meanwhile Central World sees a much more consistent traffic flow throughout the week, which can impact site selection decisions of luxury brands versus traditional retailers, grocery chains, and or other potential tenants. Understanding traffic trends is key to any commercial asset. Bangkok’s Central World, a mall that carries everyday retail needs has more relative traffic during weekdays. IconSiam, home to Apple’s latest retail design store, has crowds slightly more skewed towards weekends. Indonesia: Market Share Analytics GO allows users to quickly analyze the assets that they’re interested in — for example, the analysis of leading resorts in Bali — including Club Med, Sofitel, Bali Nusa Dua, The Westin, The Laguna, Melia, the Grand Hyatt, Inaya Putri and Ayodha only took a couple of minutes. After choosing which assets to analyze, it was easy and quick to analyze which hotels saw more/less traffic share over time; in this example we can see that the Inaya Putri hotel has been gaining market share since March 2019 onwards — which can be impactful for advertisers, pricing decisions, and more. Orbital Insight GO allows users to create quick, accurate, and efficient real estate analytics data to monitor real estate portfolios within hours. For more information on gaining location-based insights using GO, please reach out to: support@orbitalinsight.com GeospatialGISLocation IntelligenceRetail How Big Data Identified Where the Next Lowe’s Should Go Nov 5 2019 Using Mobile Phone Geolocation Data to Understand Lower-Income Areas in Cairo Oct 28 2019	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363153
__label__wiki	0.780123	0.780123	Travel 5 Must-Visit Hong Kong Sites For A Glimpse Of The City's History 5 Must-Visit Hong Kong Sites For A Glimpse Of The City's History By Helen Yu October 25, 2019 From appreciating traditional craftsmanship to exploring local culinary heritage, get a taste of old Hong Kong by visiting these hidden gems Living in a vibrant city like Hong Kong where boasts a sophisticated fusion of East and West cultures, it’s easy to overlook those local traditions which shaped and influenced the city in every facet of lifestyle for decades. Whether you’re a local or a tourist, you may have been to the most stylish alfresco bars and restaurants for impressive food and cocktails, or a gorgeous boutique hotel for a luxury staycation. But we bet you haven’t seen the best of Hong Kong, until you have checked out these spots for the city's most famous cultural heritage: Biu Kee Mahjong It’s impossible to discuss Hong Kong’s traditions without mentioning mahjong—a tile-based strategy game originated from the Qing dynasty—which is about as essential to Chinese culture as Beijing opera, traditional Chinese paintings and traditional Chinese medicine. Mahjong has long been a favourite pastime amongst locals, and is often played at family gatherings during Chinese New Year and weddings. Today, the game is evolving with electronic tables and magnetic tiles, but Biu Kee Mahjong—one of Hong Kong’s last makers of hand-carved mahjong tiles—has survived through the tide of time, preserving and reviving the dying art. Pay a visit to this small shop and join a hand-carving mahjong class led by the owner—Uncle King. You’ll be able to appreciate the meticulous work behind the tiles, and bring home a little cultural gem. Biu Kee Mahjong, 235 Temple Street, Jordan, Hong Kong, +852 2730 4028; Biu Kee Mahjong Facebook page Des Voeux Road West The Best Fitness Classes in Asia to Help You Shape Up in 2020 Introducing The Inaugural Gen.T Asia Summit A Grand Time: The Role Exhibitions Played In Patek Philippe's Glittering History Located in Sheung Wan is the buzzing Des Voeux Road West where salty, marine scent fills the air, as it is home to the city’s most traditional dried seafood stores—it is often dubbed as a treasure trove for exotic fare. Around 50 years ago, the street was famed for salted fish production and trading. As the area continues to flourish, business was gradually replaced by dried seafood retailing due to growing demand for more high-end ingredients to craft auspicious dishes. On Des Voeux Road West today, you will find a wide array of rare and premium delicacies such as dried oysters, dried sea shrimps, sea cucumbers, abalones and fish maws—all kinds of dried seafood beloved by generations of locals. Don’t forget to check out Wing Lok and Ko Shing streets nearby for ancient Chinese tonics with great medicinal value (mostly bird’s nest and ginseng), too! Des Voeux Road West, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong Linva Tailor Photo: Courtesy of Linva Tailor For those obsessed with acclaimed local film director Wong Kar-wai’s works, it’s likely you’ll find the movie In the Mood For Love (2000) utterly beautiful. It’s not just because of its sentimental plot and unique cinematography, but also all the elegant bespoke cheongsams (or qipao) worn by actress Maggie Cheung in the movie. But only a few know that these classic, sophisticated Chinese dresses were made by Linva Tailor—an old-fashioned tailor shop operated by master Leung Ching-wah since 1965 in Hong Kong. Whether it’s lovely florals or subtle geometric patterns, Linva Tailor strives to offer authentic and traditional designs. Book an appointment and meet the reputed designer to get your exquisite made-to-order qipao. You’re required to go for a fitting at least twice, where you'll select fabrics and patterns and have your measurements taken. It’s definitely worth the wait if you’re looking for something to make a statement for important occasions such as Chinese New Year and traditional weddings. Linva Tailor, 38 Cochrane Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2544 2456 Lin Heung Tea House No Hong Kong experience is complete with an indulgent dim sum feast—and if you’re looking for something a little bit different, this gem of Hong Kong’s “yum cha”—a traditional Cantonese meal of dim sum paired with hot tea—is sure to impress. Serving up classic delicacies such as shrimp dumplings, lotus seed paste buns and steamed Chinese sausage rolls since the 1920s, Lin Heung Tea House is one of the very few tea houses still using trolleys to deliver steaming bamboo baskets filled with delicious delights. The trolleys are wheeled around by old ladies in the dining area. As no ordering service is provided, customers must approach the trolleys to select what they want with a tally card for the ladies to chop. Be quick, though, as all dim sum served at Lin Heung Tea House are made in limited quantities. Lin Heung Tea House, 160 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2544 4556 Hawk Advertising Company Limited Photo: Courtesy of Hawk Advertising Company Limited Nestled amidst the hustle and bustle of Jordan, Hawk Advertising is known as the last standing minibus sign painter in Hong Kong and is a must-visit place for avid art lovers. From practising calligraphy to carving Chinese characters onto the acrylic board and adding colour, everything is made by hand from start to finish. It’s a painstaking task, and you’d be hard-pressed to find hand-painted signs like these in today’s digital age. The owner of Hawk Advertising, Mak Kam-seng, boasts close to 50 years of expertise, and his persistence in keeping the tradition alive has won him many loyal customers and new admirers. Apart from offering souvenir keychains with hand-painted place names, Mak also accepts custom orders for any words or slogans you can think of. Hawk Advertising Company Limited, M/F, 39 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, Hong Kong, +852 9017 9587; Hawk Advertising Company Limited Facebook page Travel Hong Kong History Cultural Heritage Hong Kong Culture Hong Kong History Old Hong Kong Tailoring Qipao Mahjong Yum Cha Lin Heung Tea House Minibus Sign Arts & Culture Clockenflap 2019: What To Expect At Hong Kong's Biggest Music Festival By Pearl Yan Arts & Culture How Former Domestic Helper Xyza Cruz Bacani Became A World Class Photographer By Oliver Giles Arts & Culture Into a Golden Age: Celebrating 50 Years of the Cultural Centre of the Philippines By Marga Manlapig Arts & Culture Chinese New Year Superstitions You Shouldn’t Break For A Year Of Good Luck By Syrah Vivien Inocencio Travel The World’s Largest Aluminium Yacht Sets Sail In Amsterdam By Kaitlyn McInnis Arts & Culture Top Non-English Films From The 2010s You Should Watch ASAP By Franz Sorilla IV Arts & Culture Top Cinematic Masterpieces Of The 2010s You Have To Rewatch 5 Must-Visit Hong Kong Sites For A Glimpse Of The City's History \| Philippine Tatler	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363154
__label__wiki	0.856289	0.856289	The Philippine Diary Project > About the Philippine Diary Project > Alphabetical list of Authors > Diary of Francis Burton Harrison > March 24, 1936 At the office. Miguel Unson, to whom I reported that Quezon told me he had instructed him (Unson) that I was to sit with the Government Survey Board replied: “It must be so because he said so, but I never heard it.” Said he would try again to see Quezon tomorrow. Usual crowd of office seekers and Others needing help, in my office. Visit from Hartendorp, Dutch-born American citizen; editor of the Philippine Magazine, who has just received from Vargas his dismissal as Adviser on Press matters. Says Quezon had sent for him before inauguration and had asked him to be Press Adviser at a salary of five hundred pesos monthly. He was flattered and pleased. He has a Filipina wife and children and was proud to be called in by the President. He asked Quezon from whom ho should take orders, and the President replied: “only from me”; thereupon Quezon called in his a.d.c. and gave instructions for the immediate admission of Hartendorp whenever the latter wished. However, Hartendorp soon found that he could not obtain “audience.” He thinks Vargas has “gypped” him, because he had criticized him severely in his magazine. Hartendorp had rented a house in Uli-Uli, had taken his children out of boarding school, and was about to celebrate his reunion with them in a home when he received his dismissal. When first appointed, he had asked Quezon how long the work was to continue, and Quezon replied “two or three years–or as long as my administration lasts.” Hartendorp lasted three months!! Talk with A. D. Williams, who suggested buying for the National Development Co. a yacht like Yolanda of 1000 tons for Quezon’s use. Thoroughly good idea! Williams has just been made a director of the Cebu-Portland Cement Co. which had inherited the Cebu coal field, once the property of our defunct National Coal Co. He says they have just found 350,000 tons of excellent coal there which will lower the cost of cement. (Even our Coal Company was not without some merit!) Elizalde presided over his last meeting of the National Development Co. this morning. Usual glowing accounts of his management given in Herald which he owns. It seems he thinks the Elizaldes have lost “face” since his resignation as President of the National Development Co. was accepted, so during this week while the President was away the Elizaldes forced an issue in the Polo Club by proposing and seconding Manuel Nieto for membership. (The Polo Club and the Army and Navy Club are the last stand of the “Old Tinier” Americans.) [Nieto was rejected on the ground that he was only Quezon’s “gun-man” (which is very unjust!).] All four Elizaldes thereupon resigned from the club and took their polo team to the practice field in Camp Claudio. They are now seeking to lead the army polo players away from the Polo Club–but in vain. The late General Tinio’s son (nephew of Don Isauro Gabaldon) came in to see me with the request that he be appointed technical assistant to me. It seems that Assemblyman Angara of Tayabas had asked his uncle (Quezon) to make this appointment without consulting me, and Vargas had told him in reply that if “Governor Harrison had need of a technical assistant, it might become possible later on”!!!! Tag: Abraham Van Heyningen Hartendorp, Alpheus D. Williams, Army Navy Club, Camp Claudio, Cebu-Portland Cement Co., Francis Burton Harrison, Government Survey Board, Isauro Gabaldon, Joaquin M. Elizalde, Jorge Vargas, Jose A. Angara, Manila Polo Club, Manuel L. Quezon, Manuel Nieto, Miguel Unson, National Development Company, Philippine Magazine, Philippines Herald	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363158
__label__wiki	0.75558	0.75558	April 25, 2017 feature Stretchable sodium-ion battery electrodes made using sugar cubes by Lisa Zyga , Phys.org A sugar cube serves as a template for new stretchable, sponge-like, graphene-based battery electrodes. Credit: Li et al. ©2017 WILEY-VCH (Phys.org)—Scientists have used sugar cubes as a template for synthesizing stretchable battery electrodes, which serve as a key component in newly designed stretchable yet mechanically robust sodium-ion batteries. Although there has recently been a great deal of research on stretchable batteries, usually these devices still contain some rigid components. By using electrodes templated on sugar cubes, the new battery is one of the first sodium-ion batteries whose components are all fully stretchable. The scientists, led by Guihua Yu at the University of Texas at Austin, have published a paper on the new stretchable batteries in a recent issue of Advanced Materials. By starting with sugar cubes, the researchers were able to obtain the size, shape, and porosity needed for high-performance battery electrodes. The researchers first placed ordinary sugar cubes on top of a polymer gel in a dish. After the dish was placed in a vacuum, heated in an oven, and washed, the sugar was dissolved away and the polymer gel took its place, resulting in stretchable polymer sponges. The pores of the polymer sponges were then filled with a conductive graphene-based solution to create "sponge electrodes," which the researchers achieved by immersing the sponges in the solution and squeezing them several times to soak it up. As the researchers explained, the sponge's porous architecture provides a combination of stretchability, mechanical strength, fast sodium-ion transport, and large storage capacity. Tests showed that the full battery can be stretched to 50% beyond its original length, and that the strain is limited by the intrinsic properties of the polymer material. The researchers expect that modifying the polymer or developing a new nanoarchitectured elastomer could further increase the stretchability of the battery. The stretchable sodium-ion full battery is attached to an athletic elbow brace under different bending states, where it continuously powers a commercial LED light. Credit: Li et al. ©2017 WILEY-VCH "This first-of-its-kind battery design maintains better mechanical properties compared with most reported designs using one or more rigid components that fail to meet the stretchability requirement for the entire device," Yu told Phys.org. "Moreover, the demonstrated electrochemical performance rivals most previously reported stretchable energy systems. This novel stretchable sodium-ion battery represents a promising alternative for the next generation of energy-storage technologies in a broad range of applications." In its current form, the battery retains nearly 90% of its capacity after 100 cycles of stretching to 50% strain. This performance is sufficient to enable the researchers to mount the stretchable battery on an elbow brace, and demonstrate that the battery continues to power an LED when the user's arm is bent at different angles. The stretchable battery has potential applications in conformable health monitoring skin sensors, wearable communication devices, roll-up displays, and implantable medical devices. In the future, the researchers plan to make further improvements to the battery, such as extending the lifetime and scaling up the design to larger-sized batteries. They anticipate that the sponge design can also be extended to other types of devices, such as energy-harvesting devices. "Future directions will be focused on further improving the mechanical properties and electrochemical performance, along with lowering the manufacturing cost," Yu said. Making sodium-ion batteries that last More information: Hongsen Li et al. "An All-Stretchable-Component Sodium-Ion Full Battery." Advanced Materials. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201700898 Journal information: Advanced Materials © 2017 Phys.org Citation: Stretchable sodium-ion battery electrodes made using sugar cubes (2017, April 25) retrieved 19 January 2020 from https://phys.org/news/2017-04-stretchable-sodium-ion-battery-electrodes-sugar.html Zinc chloride as Lewis acid Preserving breast milk for jewelry Having trouble understanding pH = pKa log([A-]/[HA]) Electrodeposition of copper -- Why are the anodic and cathodic Tafel curves different? Questions about making galinstan The number of atoms in an amount of a substance More from Chemistry Additive manufacturing—a new twist for stretchable electronics? Stretchable batteries that can be applied to the skin like a band-aid (w/ video) Engineers create polymer light-emitting devices that can be stretched like rubber Stretchable lithium-ion battery can twist, bend, return to normal shape (w/ Video) A wolverine inspired material: Self-healing, transparent, highly stretchable material can be electrically activated Newly developed screening processes will accelerate carbon capture research Material developed which is heat-insulating and heat-conducting at the same time Potassium-driven rechargeable batteries: An effort toward a more sustainable environment	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363162
__label__wiki	0.868668	0.868668	Le Bataclan Schedule Le Bataclan Paris Its design inspired by Chinese architecture, Le Bataclan Paris is an eye-catching building. It was built in 1864 and even before the first performance, ... read more Le Bataclan Schedule and Tickets Jan 23 6:00 PM DIMMU BORGIR / AMORPHIS Get Details Jan 23 6:00 PM DIMMU BORGIR - AMORPHIS - + Wolves in the Throne Room Get Details Jan 31 8:00 PM BROKEN BACK Get Details Feb 1 8:00 PM ScHoolboy Q Paris Find Tickets Feb 16 8:00 PM THE GAME Get Details Feb 25 8:00 PM EPMD The French Tour Get Details Feb 29 7:30 PM MOHAMED ABDEL WAHAB Get Details Mar 3 8:00 PM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Find Tickets Mar 13 6:30 PM RUSSIAN CIRCLES - TORCHE Get Details Mar 21 8:00 PM HOMMAGE A FAIROUZ Get Details MORE INFO ABOUT Le Bataclan Its design inspired by Chinese architecture, Le Bataclan Paris is an eye-catching building. It was built in 1864 and even before the first performance, the venue's music / theatre functionality was apparent: Le Bataclan Paris is a direct reference to Offenbach's opera, 'Ba-Ta-Clan'. Today, the Le Bataclan schedule is a colorful array of rock and pop gigs, stand-up comedy, dance-club / disco nights and 'café-théâtre'. However, in its earlier days, Le Bataclan Paris was a larger-size 'café-concert' serving primarily to accommodate the vaudeville genre of entertainment which was so popular at the time. To this day, the venue's intimate setting, and distinctive decor along with its consistently impressive calendar of events ensures that Le Bataclan Paris remains a very popular and highly acclaimed institution on the Parisienne live entertainment scene. For all the latest news and up-to-date event information, check out the Le Bataclan schedule. Official Website \| https://twitter.com/le_bataclan \| https://www.facebook.com/lebataclan/ Le Trabendo (Parc de la Villette) Venue setup: Le Bataclan	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363164
__label__cc	0.725572	0.274428	Parkchester News Man found dead with gunshot wounds to head &... Editor Jan 2, 2020 0 189 My Wishes For The Year 2020 Editor Dec 30, 2019 0 66 Multiple families displaced by fire John Perez Announces run for 32nd State Senate Editor Dec 23, 2019 0 174 Book Bags for Students PT Staff Oct 25, 2018 0 1010 Council Member Van Bramer Celebrates Activation... PT Staff Oct 25, 2018 0 913 Health and Wellness in Parkchester SITNET Staff Oct 25, 2018 0 966 Citibank Treats Security Guards with Cruelty Editor Jan 12, 2020 0 46 Rally to demand Queens Library to find a new... Editor Jan 8, 2020 0 84 Police Brutality on the Rise 52-year-old man shot during attempted carjacking... Guide to the Mental Health Maze Tappan Oct 19, 2019 0 233 Even Death Threats Could Not Stop Famed Historian... 2019 was one of the most productive years...... Editor II Jan 3, 2020 0 210 Trump’s impeachment and the probabilities Former Model Elizabeth Pipko: Her Secret Is No... 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Entering a New Decade for Peace December Editor Dec 1, 2019 0 185 World Heart Day: Nestlé pioneers health and wellness programs across Central and West Africa Editor Sep 30, 2019 213 0 World Heart Day: Nestlé pioneers health and wellness programs across Central and West Africa (Source: Nestlé \| APO Group. Lifestyle Lifespan ACCRA, Ghana, September 30, 2019/ -- With high blood pressure as one of the leading risks for deaths worldwide, and hypertension prevalence rates in some sub-Saharan African countries among the highest in the world, do you know how to keep your heart healthy? A number of health factors, including lifestyle, age and family history can all contribute to the risk of heart disease and impact on people’s health and well-being. While age and family history cannot be controlled, research suggests making a few simple changes to your daily routine at home, and at work, can make a difference. At Nestlé, supporting and promoting our employees’ well-being is part of our commitment to inspire people to lead healthier lives, and we believe more workplaces should be creating an environment to boost the nutrition, health and wellness of their employees. “As the world’s largest nutrition, health and wellness company, we believe it’s time to invest in happier and healthier employees through health and wellness programmes,” said Rémy Ejel, Market Head for Nestlé Central and West Africa (CWA) Ltd. “Creating health and wellness activities for employees highlight our purpose to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future to support a more engaged and productive workforce – and also help to cut down on absenteeism, increase productivity and turnover, and as a result, enhance customer quality and satisfaction,” he added. Investing in healthy workplaces Action is already underway to tackle heart and other health issues, and so far, 75% of employers worldwide offer wellness resources, information and/or a general wellness programme, as highlighted by the 2018 Employee Benefits Report from the Society for Human Resources Management – marking a change in promoting employee health and wellness. Globally, Google has invested in a People & Innovation Lab (PiLab) to conduct research and think of unique ways to keep its employees healthy. In addition, its Googlers-to-Googlers programme encourages employees to teach other employees fitness practices to keep them healthy. Newmont Goldcorp has created the Military Veterans Programs and Support group in the United States to help employees connect and foster a sense of belonging. In Burkina Faso, Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale organises team sports and fitness sessions for its employees, twice a week. Telecel also leads football matches with other companies in the country, twice a week in a public square. These are just a few examples to show how companies in the region and worldwide can all actively contribute to improving employee wellness and invest in healthy workplaces. Employees at Nestlé also have the opportunity to learn more about their health, and in turn, improve their lifestyle choices through our global initiative, ‘Know Your Numbers Programme’ (KYNP). Launched in 2017 in CWA, and again in 2019 as a reminder to all employees, it aims to help employees assess their current health status and set personal health goals, while also helping us better understand our employees and create health programmes. After completing a short, online anonymous Health Risk Assessment (HRA), covering topics such as family health history, tobacco consumption, nutrition and stress, they are provided with an insight on their current health status and areas that need more attention. Employees can also use their previous biometric results – measuring a person’s physical and behavioural characteristics through blood pressure, weight, height and waist circumference – carried out in the past six months by a health care professional, to support their personalised HRA report. Assessments can be taken more than once to keep up with changes in their lifestyle and to help track their health and fitness progress. To support employees further, the KYNP scheme provides them with access to personalised health programmes, guided health investigations and other health initiatives led by Nestlé and other company partners. In addition, annual employee medical reviews are carried out at our sites across the region each year. Inspiring employees to lead healthier lives More health and wellness activities are also currently up and running at Nestlé CWA. “Employees are encouraged to take part in daily ‘wellness breaks’ at our offices across the region, urging them to move from their desks and combat sedentary behaviour,” explained Gregoire Scilipoti, Regional Head of Human Resources at Nestlé CWA. He added they are also getting involved in exercise sessions in the office led by fitness experts, including ‘Workout Thursdays’ in Ghana which was launched earlier this year, Zumba classes in Côte d’Ivoire, and training sessions with a fitness coach in Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. They can get active by using the fitness facilities at our Cameroon and Burkina Faso offices managed by a Wellness Committee. As an alternative, all our workers are offered discounted rates at local fitness centres nearby. “Taking part in fitness sessions is helping me to get fit and healthy, invest in my own personal development and makes me feel part of the company,” said Gbede Koffi Tohonou, junior financial accountant in Burkina Faso for the Nestlé Savanna Cluster. On specific international days – such as World Heart Day on September 29 – employees are also offered nutrition advice and recommendations by experts at organised in-house events, and via internal communication messaging. Instilling healthy living habits In Ghana, Nestlé employees are able to enjoy ‘Fruity Tuesdays’, where a variety of fruits are offered to instil healthy eating habits and nutritious snacking. The Nestlé Nutrition Line, a daily public service radio on nutrition, health and wellness which has been running for nearly 20 years, is still being broadcast in the Ghana office to provide employees with healthy living tips and advice. “Instilling a healthy living culture among employees and encouraging them to be ambassadors is very important,” said Philomena Tan, Managing Director for Nestlé Ghana. “This all has value, as by improving the wellbeing of employees through such activities and wellness programmes, these can help to boost efficiency and productivity, benefit their families, our consumers and stakeholders to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future,” she added. Samelys Lopez Announces Bid for 15th Congressional Race Inclusive government action needed to bring stability to Mali United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on... Editor Jan 16, 2019 0 309 The President of the Republic of Cabo Verde Opens Second... 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Editor Nov 27, 2018 0 356 When the shopkeeper measures blood pressure: Novartis Foundation and partners prove... Veneration of the Cross Editor Sep 16, 2019 0 172 Veneration of the Cross at St Helena's Church Worst Folks in Our Times Have Created Their Worst Enemies! STEMDUP stands for science, technology, engineering, mathematics, diversity, unity,... And The New Public Advocate Is The race has been divided into two parts, the top ten candidates whom any one could... Nigerians lash Shehu Sani over reckless comment about Somalia-Somaliland tussle International recognition of Somaliland Before We Kill the "Ugly Wife" Called Fuel Subsidy in partnership with Clickatell’s Transact division Qalam Educational and Technical Center Women who observed public modesty, Muslim women in particular, have been left out by public physical fitness settings. The fitness places aren’t designed to help them maintain their privacy, modest dressing and single gender interactions. Yet, like men, many of the health-related issues these women deal with can be minimized by regular physical activities, as physical fitness enhances the quality of life for both sexes. For example, Aisha, the wife of Prophet Muhammad once said, “I raced with the Prophet (PBUH) and beat him in the race. Later, when I had put on some weight, we raced again and he won.” So, if there were physical fitness centers/gyms designed to accommodate the privacy need of women who observe public modesty, would you be more willing to use them or for husbands, would you be more willing to encourage your wives/daughters to use them? Yes. As a woman who observes modesty, I would love to use such facility. Yes. As a husband of modesty observing wife/daughter, I would encourage them to use such facility. No. I wouldn’t use such facilities even though they are designed to accommodate modesty requirements. No. I wouldn’t allow my wife/daughter to use such facilities even though they are designed to accommodate modesty requirements. No. I am not interested in physical fitness It doesn’t matter the setting as long as I can exercise there. Total Vote: 2 Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who represents Congressional District 14th has gained national and international media publicity for not only defeating a formidable opponent but also for her aggressive push of progressive agenda in Congress. Yet some of her Bronx constituents have complaint about her lack of Congressional Office in the Bronx, among others. Do you think she deserved to be primaried by the Democratic Counties Committees in Queens and the Bronx? No. She is doing a great job for her constituents. No. She needs more time to put her infrastructure in place Yes. She is doing a terrible job for her constituents. Yes. While she is all over the place, she is not serving her own constituents efficiently. I don't like her no matter what she does. I love her and she will always have my support. I don't care about this issue. As you may be aware, two sitting United States Congress Members who had planned to visit Palestine/Israel were refused entry by the Israeli Government for their support of Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction (BDS) of Israel's Occupied Palestinian Territories. Do you agree with Israeli Government's decision barring them from entering Israel? Yes. Israel should refuse entry to anyone who supports BDS No. Regardless of their positions, as members of Congress, they must be allowed to visit Israel like all others members. Yes. because their trip was for a propaganda purpose only. No. They have the right to visit places of their preferences and meet whomever they need to meet while they are there. I don't care about this issue at all. It doesn't concern me. There has been heightened war rhetoric between the United States and Iran lately. Do you support US war with Iran? Yes. Iran has been a problem for US for a long time. No. I don't support another war in the Middle East involving US. Yes. I support war with Iran to protect US allies in the region No. US is being pulled to another Middle East war by Iran's enemies in the region I don't care either way. According to Attorney General Barr, Mueller Report exonerates President Trump of Collusion with Russia and Obstruction of Justice. Do you agree with the outcome of Mueller Report? Yes. I don't think the president colluded with Russia or obstructed justice. I support the report's position on collusion, but I still think there is obstruction of justice No. I think there were collusion and obstruction. No. I think democrats should proceed with more investigations. It does not matter anymore. Congress must move on to other issues. I did not follow this issue and do not care one way or another. There are over 50,000 students on waiting list for Charter School seats and the city has recently maxed its Charter School limit. Do you support removing or raising the Charter Schools cap so that these and other students can attend Charters Schools? Yes. I support removing the cap. Yes. I support raising the cap. No. I don't support removing the cap, but I support raising it. I don't support Charter Schools. I support Public Schools only. I don't care what they do. TODAY, February 12th, Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer was joined by members of the NYC Council LGBT and Progressive Caucuses, members of the LGBTQ community, and progressive groups to denounce homophobia and to reiterate calls for Council Member Ruben Diaz Sr. to resign. “Council Member Ruben Diaz Sr. must resign. I do not want an apology. We are past time for apologies. Words have consequences. And Council Member Diaz’s words happen to be part of a long history of homophobia and disgusting attacks on the LGBTQ community. The NYC Council cannot tolerate elected officials who use their power and authority to demonize, hurt, and incite violence against marginalized people,” said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. “I am proud to have led this effort because I have an obligation as a gay man to speak up for my community and to protect and save the lives of LGBTQ youth. I call on Council Member Diaz to resign, not because I want to stifle his free speech or religious beliefs, but because I know all too well how homophobic smears like this are detrimental to the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ youth. Our community has been fighting for a seat at the table for generations. Now that we have rightly claimed our seats at the table, it is time to close the door on bigotry and hate once and for all.” *** Based on the LGBTQ Caucus of New York City Council's call for the resignation of Councilman, Reverend Ruben Diaz Sr, do you agree for Diaz to resign? Yes. His views are incomparable to being an elected official. No. Resignation would infringe on his religious freedom. He should not resign but he should apologize to the LGBTQ Community. He should not resign or apologize. I don't care what he does. It's not my business. What would you change to make the most significant positive impact on the quality of live in Parkchester? I would offer tax incentives for health food stores like Wholefoods to move to the area (preferably the 365 economy chain). I would take steps to improve security in Parkchester. I would offer more senior services, and host year-round events in the Oval. I would offer resources to entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs in Parkchester. I would open a multiservice community center with services for children (tutoring, counseling, etc.) and adults (resume writing assistance, legal services, letter writing assistance, health seminars, skill building courses, etc.). Parkchester Times is primarily devoted to reporting on news and events in and around Parkchester and Community Board 9, however it is a newspaper that reports 'all things Bronx' as well. We are objective in all of our reporting, with the exception of our “Opinion” section, which is clearly marked. As a community media, we are always open to interns, freelancers, opinion writers and public tips. Please contact us via phone, e-mail, or the form on our “Contact” page with news of interest to our community. UK and Other Embassies Support Kenya's Fight Against Corruption Stabbing Leaves 1 Dead in Parkchester Looking Back on 2018 and Ahead to 2019 Copyright © 2019 Parkchester Times - All Rights Reserved. \| Powered by Big Apple Web Developers	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363165
__label__wiki	0.70515	0.70515	Motor Sport Hall of Fame, London, UK Sharron Davies attend The Motor Sport Hall of Fame will return to the spectacular Royal Automobile Club at Woodcote Park, Surrey, London, UK. 4 June 2018. Motor Sport Hall of Fame (36).jpg Damon Hill Derek Bell Hall of Fame Johnny Mowlem Motor Sport Motor Sport Hall of Fame Paddy Hopkirk Perry McCarthy Royal Automobile Club Sharron Davies	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363167
__label__cc	0.580321	0.419679	HomePosts tagged 'carbon dioxide' January 7, 2020 January 17, 2020 greenteeth climate, environment, science, society, Uncategorized carbon dioxide, climate, climate change, co2, computer, evidence, greta thunberg, models, science, sciencetits, snow, warmageddon Greta Thunberg and her cartoon twin Pippi Longstocking As the backlash against the Greta Thunberg cult gathers momentum a lot of lefties are asking why the little Climate Warriorette is so hated by so many people. As usual with the left, they are asking the wrong question. Just as they asked, “Why can’t you believe the scientists, they spend their lives studying climate, they know what they are talking about, why can’t you just accept the science is settled?” when in fact not only is it always legitimate (and scientific,) to question and challenge scientific theory, so it is perfectly rational and logical to challenge the Cult of Saint Greta. “The science” on climate change was never settled of course, in fact a lot of it was very dodgy, being based on output from mathematical models run on computers managed by people with a career investment in persuading people to believe the catastrophes forecast by these computer models, which were fed adjusted data rather than information from observations of the real world. This goes a long away towards explaining why none of the dire predictions of catastrophic natural disasters predicted by Warmageddonists over the past twenty five years has come true. It is 2020, snow is falling in Scotland and Northern England, in the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Scandinavia, yet climate sciencetits (not a typo,) told us with great certainty that snow would be a thing of the past by 2010. Likewise they told us rapidly rising sea levels caused by the melting of the ice caps would submerge low lying nations like The Maldives by 2010. Earlier this week my brother booked his annual post Christmas holiday in The Maldives. He’s pretty certain it will still be there, because he went to the same resort last year and found it above water. And yet, despite all the demonstrable evidence to the contrary, Warmageddonists still insist we must accept that “the science” is correct because sciencetits (not a typo,) are very clever and they say the science is settled. The Greta Thunberg thing took off, I believe, because the Warmageddonist movement had lost so much credibility, they were desperate to prevent the wheels coming off their globalist bandwagon. And so they resorted to the dirtiest of tactics. Now that is backfiring too. I don’t think it is hatred of Little Saint Greta that drives the criticism so much as that people dislike and are angered by the way the girl’s handlers are manipulating her to be the poster child for a campaign based on a particularly nasty kind of emotional blackmail. It is the same kind of blackmail as was used at the height of the European Union’s when pictures of a drowned child lying on a beach somewhere in the Greek Islands was accompanied by screaming headlines in mainstream media about how heartless Europeans were in not welcoming anyone who wanted to come from a third world country to “seek a better life” (a very emotive phrase,) in Europe. It turned out the boy was not from a migrant family at all, but had been taken along for the ride by his father who was in the human trafficking business and drowned when the overloaded inflatable boat sank on the crossing from Turkey to Greece with a cargo of people who had paid exorbitant fees to be smuggled into the EU illegally. I believe Greta Thunberg has just turned 17 so I started commenting on her activities when she was sixteen and one of the things I remarked on was that she was like no sixteen year old Swedish girl I encountered when working in that country a few years ago. They are mostly stylish, fashion conscious and desperate to give the impression they are older than their years. Greta Thunberg looked and dressed as a ten or eleven year old would, i.e. as a child. And she conjured childish tears when talking about her childhood being stolen. It was all carefully stage managed to play on the emotions of adults. I actually referred to her as a wannabe Pippi Longstocking, a reference to the children’s fiction character created by Astrid Lindgren (https://www.astridlindgren.com/en/characters/pippi-longstocking) in the 1940s, a little girl with special powers. If Greta’s childhood has been stolen it is not by climate change, but by the people who are using (or abusing perhaps,) her to advance a political agenda. So my view, shared by many other people around the web, is criticisms of Greta Thunberg are not motivated so much by anger at her, the socially inept teenager with learning difficulties and Asperger’s syndrome, as anger at the fictional character created by those who are managing her campaign and putting words in her mouth. People are more likely to feel sympathy for her. Beyond that, there is a growing stack of evidence that the “science” behind the climate change scare is fraudulent, and the fact that United Nations climate experts have confessed that they look at output from mathematical models when formulating their long term forecasts rather than giving priority to real world evidence. All of this damages the credibility of the case for destroying industrial civilization as does the focus of Ms Thunberg and other activists on demanding that the liberal democracies bear the full burden of reducing CO2 emissions while China (https://originalboggartblog.wordpress.com/2019/11/21/clean-green-power-sucks-china-goes-all-out-for-coal/), India, Brazil, Philippines, Nigeria and other developing nations continue to develop their industrial base without regard for the environmental effects of their economic expansion. The link in this paragraph leads to a page which exposes how many new coal powered generating plants are under construction or planned right now in China, it is more than in the whole of Europe. India is following the same path. Finally, “the masses” as left wing intellectuals contemptuously refer to us ordinary people who work hard for decent living, do not like being treated as if we are stupid or told what we must think and how we must behave. In a democratic society we have a right to question “the science” of climate change, and when questioned it does not stand up to logical analysis. So Greta Thunberg’s handlers who send her across the Atlantic in a specially built carbon fibre yacht (check out how CO2 intensive the manufacturing process for carbon fibre is,) and the other elitists who fly halfway round the world in their private jets for a lunch meeting (Yes Leonardo DefuckingCaprio, I’m talking about you,) are hardly going the right way about winning the battle for hearts and minds are they? Personally I feel no hatred to Greta (just don’t get me started on Leonardo DefuckingCaprio,) but think the people who turned her into a social media phenomenon should be exposed for the abusive opportunistic charlatans they are. As the backlash against the Greta Thunberg cult gathers momentum a lot of lefties are asking why the little Climate Warriorette is so hated by so many people. As usual with the left, they are asking the wrong question. Just as they asked, “Why can’t you believe the scientists, when in fact not only is it always legitimate (and scientific,) to question and challenge scientific theory, so it is perfectly rational and logical to challenge the Cult of Saint Greta …. Climate change hoax COLLAPSES as new science finds human activity has virtually zero impact on global temperaturesWe have previously highlighted this report from Finland which exposes the great flaw in “the science” of global warming. The link at the end of this extract takes you to a much more complete account of the research project which, not for the first time debunks the fake science on which the politically – motivate climate change scare. Fellow Slams The Royal Society as Nothing But a Lobby Group for Climate Change. Another respected scientist comes out and denounces the science behind the climate change scare as a fraud. The whole thing has been a scam to justify punitive taxes on fuel and enable the rich to make fortunes trading carbon credits. Again it shows what a sack of rogues the climate science community really are. Clean Green Power Sucks – China Goes All Out For Coal The lying leftie paskudnyaks clean, green, save the planet machine and the worshippers of Greta Thunberg tell us that China is the world’s biggest investor in sustainable energy and has more wind turnbines installed than any other nation. It is the worst kind of lie because it is true, but only tells half the story. And sometimes being told half the story creates completely the wrong impression … Paris Climate conference: Scientists Debunk Global Warming Scaremongering As national leaders and self interested science whore collaborated to impose of the world a United Nations “climate regime” based on the vile and authoritarian Agenda 21 agreement, at the COP21 global-warming summit, a group of internationally respected scientists and environmentalists from various fields presented research at a separate conference in Paris that ridiculed the climate change hysteria. Another Kick In The Bollocks For Warmageddonists And CAGWARTS* I’ve had many arguments with the Warmageddonists, the people who have been saying that if we did not shut down all coal, oil and gas related activites the earth was going to turn into a giant furnace and we would all burn. When the scaremongering first started, the deadline for frying was “after dinner”. Then it got to “Tomorrow …… or the day after tomorrow perhaps,” then “next year”, “before 2050,” and eventually “soon.” What if man-made climate change is all in the mind? If our view of reality is shaped by the mind and our perceptions of information, how successful are attempts to manipulate the perceptions of the whole populations through manipulated data, spin and assertions of authority likely to be. As scientists and politicians moan that the public no longer take sertiously climate change scare stories, we have to conclude, not very. November 21, 2019 December 3, 2019 greenteeth climate, science, trade and industry carbon dioxide, china, coal, electricity, energy, green Picture: Kevin Freyer, Getty The lying leftie paskudnyaks clean, green, save the planet machine and the worshippers of Greta Thunberg are always eager to tell us that China is the world’s biggest investor in sustainable energy and has more wind turnbines installed than any other nation on earth. It is the worst kind of lie because it is true, but only tells half the story. And someytimes being told half the story creates completely the wrong impression in the mind of the audience. In this case the weirdie bearies and tree shaggers are giving the impression that by trashing our economies in the west, trying to meet unrealistic targets for eliminating carbon emissions we are being good global citizens, while by pointing out the stupidity of such ambitions shows we are evil capitalist sociopaths intent on destroying the planet. So what is the full story? While it is true that China has installed huge numbers of wind turbines, this is nothing to do with cleaning up the environment. China is installing wind turbines because then need electricity, end of story. At the same time China is planning to massively increase its coal-fired energy production. This makes a nonsense of claims by gullible Western politicians and dishonest environmental activists that China is as keen as anyone to do its bit to ‘combat climate change.’ by reducing CO2 emissions. A report from Bloomberg reveals that China now has enough coal-fired generating plants in the various stages of planning and construction to match the entire capacity of the European Union, and that’s on top the ones they already have up and running. So much for doing their but to clean up the environment and show support for the movement against highly polluting fossil fuel.’ Bloomberg tells us: “The nation has almost 148 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity under active construction or likely to be resumed after being suspended, Global Energy Monitor, a non-profit group that tracks coal stations, said in the press release Thursday based on plant-by-plant data. That’s almost equivalent to 150 gigawatts of existing coal fleet capacity in the EU and more than the combined 105 gigawatts under construction in the rest of the world, it said.” China’s plans contrat with those of many other countries, including France’s goal of being a zero carbon economy by 2040 and the U.K.’s pledge to close all coal plants by 2025, (both of which cannot be achieved without irreversible damage to the economies of those countries. Beijing remains committed to coal as its biggest and cheapest source of electrical power, and also to sidelining the developed economies and achieving global economic hegemony. In effect The People’s Republic has thrown down a major challenge to global emissions reduction targets. Its additions in the 18 months to June dwarf declines elsewhere in the world, according to the report. Meanwhile western leaders are intent on taking orders from the Sewedish baby troll and destroying civilisation, all are so firmly committed to helping China’s world domination bid carbon free economies with the exception of Donald Trump who doesn’t seem to be committed to anything except making The Democrats look stupid. None of this is news to climate realists, I have been warning for ten years that China was rapidly expanding coal fuelled energy generation while western leaders were talking about returning to medieval technologies like windmills. One of the main arguments put by climate change sceptics against concerted government action by the West to decarbonise its economies is that it takes no account of emerging economies like Nigeria’s, Pakistan’s Indonesia’s, India’s and, especially, China’s. Any attempts to cut carbon dioxide production in Western economies are more than offset by the growth in China’s CO2 output alone. And China’s is matched by the others mentioned. This latest development was predicted in a report published last year by the Global Warming Policy Foundation. After three years of Facebook campaigning for the impeachment and firing of Trump because of alleged cooperation with the government of Russia in the 2016 US election, the Social Media giant’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg has at last admitted what many of us suspected all along, that it is Facebook, rather that hostile governments which interferes in the political processes of democratic nations. While Eco Loons Worship Fairies, Reality Exposes Real Cause Of Amazonian Fires/ While Pippi Longstocking lokalike and eco – activist wunderkind Greta Thurnberg is schlepping her climate change schtick round New York, preaching her net zero carbon emissions gospel after crossing the Atlantic in a ‘zero emissions’ superyacht made of carbon fibre, a material which in its manufacture produces shitloads more carbon emissions than my or your car or even my brother’s V8 Range Rover will in their entire useful lives,) back home the Extinction Rebellion wankers have been getting their knickers in a twist about some fires (allegedly wildfires until it was reported they are started deliberately and are not destroying the rainforest, but areas of former forest now cleared for cultivation. France’s boy president and current climate scaremonger in chief and leading European federalist Emmanuel Macron arrived in Japan for the G-20 summit full of sound and fury, which like the stuff of Macbeth’s soliloquy in Shakespeare’s play turned out to signify nothing.France’s boy president and current climate scaremonger in chief and leading European federalist Emmanuel Macron arrived in Japan for the G-20 summit full of sound and fury, which like the stuff of Macbeth’s soliloquy in Shakespeare’s play turned out to signify nothing. War and Politics Behind Mass Displacement in Africa, Not Climate Change – UCL A report from a new study conducted by University College London’s may cause a stir in the climate scaremongering industry. The report challenges the academic establishment’s standard narrative of mass displacement in Africa being principally responsible for the creation of refugees in Africa and casts doubt on a number of other assumptions about global problems. Trump Announces US To Quit The Paris Climate Accord Fulfilling another campaign pledge, US President Donald Trump yesterday announced the U.S. would withdraw from the Paris climate pact and that he will work to renegotiate the international agreement in a way that treats American workers better. “So we are getting out, but we will start to negotiate and we will see if we can … German Scientist Confims Climate Change Ia A Politically Motivated Scam Even as the inbred idiot Prince Charles was babbling to a hand picked audience about the skid marks in his underpants being caused by Climate Change, a somewhat more scientifically literate person, Dr. Friedrich Karl Ewert, a retired geologist and data computation expert, has confirmed what those of us dubbed ‘climate deniers’ have been telling you for years … Even as the inbred idiot Prince Charles was babbling to a hand picked audience about the skid marks in his underpants being caused by Climate Change, a somewhat more scientifically literate person, Dr. Friedrich Karl Ewert, a retired geologist and data computation expert, has confirmed what those of us dubbed ‘climate deniers’ have been telling … Big Business Joins Climate Change Scaremongers The Paris summit on climate change approasches, which means the tree hugging fascist tendency are turning up the volume to eleven again. Trouble is they cannot produce a shed of evidence to back up their wild claims of imminent catastrophe because global warming only exists in their mathematical models, in the real world it is not happening/ Volkswagen Emissions Scandal – Is It The Tip Of The Iceberg? The real problem here is that, driven by the hysterical warnings of self interested pseudo-scientists, politicians have set unachievable targets for reducing emissions while demanding that national economies keep growing. Climate Denial Finally Pays Off This blog has always been sceptical of the scientific case for climate change. And we admit that NO we are not climate scientists, NO we have not published research papers in ‘peer reviewed’ science journals. Of the three main contributors (all retired or semi retired) one is an engineer who still lectures in engineering and … Nobel Laureate Smashes the Global Warming Hoax VIDEO Nobel laureate Ivar Giaever’s speech at the Nobel Laureates meeting 1st July 2015. Ivar points out the mistakes which Obama makes in his speeches about global warming, and shares other not-well known facts about the state of the climate. Climate Lies (omnibus) Ruling Elites support Extinction Rebellion plan for Marxist world to ‘fight climate change’ Climate change: Electrical industry’s ‘dirty secret’ boosts warming Scaremongering IPCC Pushes Climate Hysteria with New Doomsday Report Eco Nuts Are Back, Threatening To Shut Down Heathrow August 31, 2019 August 31, 2019 greenteeth climate, politically correct, science carbon dioxide, climate, climate change, green, heathrow, protest Planes at Heathrow grounded by a previous (unconnected) drone incident (Picture: http://www.lindaikejisblog.com/ ) Yesterday’s story featured a bunch of eco – hypocrites, rock band The 1975, whose latest album features eco – wunderkind Greta Thunberg reading a plea for us all to adopy zero emissions lifestyles to save the planet and who will shortly be jetting off on a world tour to promote their message (and album sales of course.) Today we report on the eco – psychopathes of Extinction Rebellion and their insane plan to shut down Heathrow Airport by flying drones into the approach and take off flight paths of aircraft using the world’s busiest airport. The eco-warriors have grown more ambitious but no more intelligent since their attempt to shut down London by blocking main roads in and out of the city centre anatagonised people rather than gaining support for their movement. This time they’re calling themselves ‘drone activists’ and are planning to ground flights at Britain’s Heathrow throughout September.A drone activist group calling itself Heathrow Pause and described as a splinter of environmental group Extinction Rebellion has warned that on September 13 its members will be flying drones around Heathrow, forcing the grounding of flights as part of a protest at the planned expansion of the airport. These protests cause a dilemma for many people, because while almost everyone wants to save the world, many of us believe the problems are not carbon dioxide emissions but population explosion and the toxic shite dumped in the environment by manufacturing processes and the kind of careless consumption promoted by governments, economists and scientists for decades as a means to maintain ‘growth.’ So apart from barking up the wrong tree on cause, the eco – nutters seem to target the wrong people with their brainless stunts. People have to travel on business and move goods around the globe, people want to go on holiday, and many actually want to come back from holiday before theor money runs out. And who wouldn’t choose a week on the beach over protecting some small, unknown glacier in Iceland. Perhaps activists need to take this into account when planning their public relations campaign. At the moment the environmentalists seem to believe that they can annoy the public into changing their behaviour with a series of seriously. Last time I checked that was called bullying and was a favourite tactic of fascist and communist groups that deal in authoritarianism. The extremists targeting Heathrow say a legal loophole will allow them to fly drones near the airport without breaking the law. They will be flying toy drones at head height within restricted airspace which they believe will force all air traffic to be stopped without violating air safety regulations. Some members claim they have discussed the plans with police in advance. This could cause hard liners to question their commitment, as telling the authorities in advance where, when and how you intend to disrupt air traffic give the cops chance to round up the would be perpetrators, charge them with conspiracy and bang them up on remand.This news blog would wholly approve of such action. Anything that gets a bunch of crusties who stink of patchouli oil off te streets and out of our nostrils improves the environment. This latest plan to force us to care about climate catastrophe tells us as much about the intelligence of eco warriors as their belief that pissing off people who hope to persuade to share your point of view is not usually the best way to boost support for a cause. The activists justify their protest action by insisting they are raising awareness of climate change, but is there anyone in Britain for example that is not aware of the scaremongering or prophecies of doom over climate change that have been thrown about for the past twenty years? Or for that matter that all the prophecies of disaster have failed to deliver, the polar ice caps still exists, the Himalayan glaciers still exist, polar bear numbers are increasing, sea levels are rising no faster than they have since the end of the last ice age and we still get snow in winter, despite all the warning of the scaremongers. And most people in Britain, apart from crusties, university brainwashed liberals and Jeremy Corbyn supporters are aware of that. Hurricane Harvey Climate Catastrophe Man Made?As we reported last week the Hurricane Harvey disaster which has hit the U.S. states of Texas and Louisiana has shown characteristics never before observed in any hurricane or tropical storm since records began. Meteorological depressions (because that is what hurricanes, typhoons and other intense storms are,) move and once over land quickly weaken as air pressures become normalised. Harvey has stayed in the same area, dumping massive amounts of rain on the heavily populated coastal strip and causing $$$billionsworth of damage through flooding and high winds. Obama’s Climate Change Hypocrisy – The Arrogance Of The New Patricians It is customary for US Presidents, when they leave office either having served two terms, been defeated in an election, or of their own volition, to fade quietly into the background. This is largely good manners, for an ex President to appear to be trying to intervene on political issues and influence events or public … Confusion Reigns As Paris Climate Conference Draws Near The carbon dioxide driven climate change scam is back on the agenda as yet another monstrously expensive and fossil fulel gobbling jolly for politicians, scientists, freeloaders and general wankers gather to eat, drink, talk a lot and do nothing about a problem that exists in mathematical models but not in the real world. Rock Band The Flying Hypocrites Embark On World Tour August 30, 2019 August 31, 2019 greenteeth climate, politically correct, science carbon dioxide, climate, emissions, hypocrisy, hypocrites, jet Climate activist GretaThurnberg and fairy tale character Pippi Longstocking – Secret twins) As Eco – activism wunderkind and Pippi Longstocking lookalike Greta Thurnberg swans about in New York after crossing the Atlantic in a zero emissions superyacht made of carbon fibre (the manufacturing of which produces far more than your or my car or even my brothers V8 Range Rover will throughout their useful lifetimes,) rock band The 1975 have set off on a world tour to publicise a new album which features for one of its tracks the aforementioned Froken Thurnberg reading one of her sanctimonious but scientifically defunct essays on climate change. For a bunch of British boys ‘the 1975’ seem to lack the usual appreciation of irony as, according to an open letter written to the lads by Conservative MP David T C Davis, in their zeal to make the world understand how important it is that we all heed the Swedish Pippi Thurnberg’s message about the urgency of adopting zero emissions lifestyles, they will be jetting off with their road crew and all their heavy equipment to gigs in South Korea, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and a series of venues across the USA. And they will not be travelling anywhere by camel train, ox cart, horse drawn barge or even £4million carbon fibre superyacht, these Extinction Rebellion supporting zealots will be flying round the world by Jumbo Jet to teach us all about how irresponsible and selfish we are in flying off on business or pleasure trips by jet aircraft. Maybe like Pippi Longstocking Thurnberg, The 1975 are far more enlightened than we know, and understand the extent of the climate catastrophe far better than a mature adult can ever hope to. Or maybe they are just a bunch of wankers who are so far up their own arses they have completely lost their self awareness. The letter sent by David T C Davis MP posted on Twitter: MORE ON CLIMATE CHANGE Finnish Climate Study Finds No Evidence That Humans Caused Climate Change Scientific American says chill out over Global Warming Fifty years Of Apocalytic Global Warming Predictions And Why People believe Them April 24, 2019 greenteeth climate, science carbon, carbon dioxide, climate change, global warming, plants, scientists Scientists have known for some time that their predictive models of global warming were at increasing odds with the data. More recently, they have begun to pinpoint some of the faulty assumptions in the models used to make projections (not observations) of global warming. One example of this type of correction is a 2018 article published in the prestigious journal, Science. Nitrogen availability is a central controller of terrestrial plant growth and, thereby, of the carbon cycle and global climate change. It has been widely assumed that the atmosphere is the main source of terrestrial nitrogen input. Surprisingly, Houlton et al. now show that bedrock is just as large a nitrogen source across major sectors of the global terrestrial environment. Climate scientists have long known that plants offset some of the effects of climate change by absorbing and storing CO2. But they assumed that the ability to plants to perform this function was limited because the availability of nitrogen in the atmosphere was limited. As an earlier 2003 study published in Science stated, “there will not be enough nitrogen available to sustain the high carbon uptake scenarios.” But this idea that the only source of nitrogen for plant life came from the air has been refuted in a more recent article, also in Science … READ ALL >>> Climate change menu Scientists Accidentally Prove Global Warming Is A Hoax April 17, 2019 April 17, 2019 greenteeth climate, politically correct carbon dioxide, climate, climate changr, global warming, science, scientists Looks like scientists just admitted that the claims by global warming religionists is just a bunch of B.S. … but they probably didn’t realize that’s what they did. A new report on climate change by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research made the accidental admission that the earth has seen these same levels of CO2 in the past and was not “destroyed” by it all. As reported by the extremist, left-wing site Think Progress: Wait…. so let’s get this straight: the last time we have CO2 levels like this was “three million years ago”? When man was not around to cause it? …And…and the earth is still here for us to talk about it? Didn’t they just admit that even if man is contributing to some rise in temperatures, natural causes also contribute AND the earth won’t be destroyed by it? Not in 12 years… OR in three million! Back to Contents Table” Climate change omnibus The ‘Hunger Stones’ Crush Climate Change ‘Warmageddon’ Scaremongers. August 27, 2018 greenteeth climate, europe, science carbon dioxide, climate, climate change, drought, global warming, history, human, hunger stones, science Authored by Martin Armstrong via ArmstrongEconomics.com, Every time during the past twenty years when there has been a spell of unusually hot weather, the Global Warming fanatics have come crawling out from under the stones they hope wil protect them from the rampant sun’s merciless rays, screaming, “We told you so, you horrible climate deniers, the earth is being fried because you insist on driving cars, heating your homes, cooking you food and earning a living. And while they blether incoherently and unscientifically about carbon dioxide and human activity they continue to ignore history. The extreme heat in Europe this year is part of well (if unusually documented) irregular cycle. Swings from extreme heat to extreme cold have been going on throughout recorded history. They have been recorded by medieval monks, renaissance era scholars, enlightenment era scientists and since the medieval era at least, by people with club hammers and stone chisels. One of the most unusual but irrefutable sets of historical evidence we have, and which is ignored by climate change scaremongers are known as the Hunger Stones. Pictured above is a Hunger Stone from 1616 which has been exposed by the low level of water in the Elbe River. Such events have been recorded when drought has resulted in the low level of water in the Elbe river. The above scene is at Decin, in the Czech Republic. Throughout the centuries, there have been cycles of extreme heat followed by extreme cold (e.g. so called the mini ice age, when the River Thames in London froze each winter for several years and Londoners held ‘frost fairs’ on the ice). Such fairs were also common in Europe where continental weather effcts generally make the winters colder than Britain’s The hot, dry weather in Europe has, for the recorded time in over a century, exposed the Hunger Stones that have been used for centuries to commemorate historic droughts which warn of their consequences when you see these stones again.It might be unwise to infer anything from this gap, given Europe’s political history in the twentieth centure it’s possible droughts occurred at times when people in Germany and central Europe faced bigger worries than drought. The Hunger Stones are visible this year in the Elbe a major river which rises in the Czech Republic and flows west through Germany. There are more than a dozen Hunger Stones that serve as records of previous droughts establishing that the extreme heat and drought of this year is by no means unique to history. The various Hunger Stones record droughts droughts that resulted in crop failure and famine on the stones dated 1417, 1616, 1707, 1746, 1790, 1800, 1811, 1830, 1842, 1868, 1892, and 1893, which covers a period of 476 years, which would take us from the end of the ‘medieval warm period’ to the end of the nineteenth century.You may remember in one of the most notorious global warming frauds, Professor Michael Mann, creator of the now ridiculed ‘hockey stick graph’ erased the medieval warm period from history. Basing his calculations on tree ring data from bog oaks, tree trunks preserved in peat bogs, which he claimed showed no unusual climate trends in the medieval warm period (which lasted several hundred years,) because the tree rings in preserved oaks pulled from north European bogs showed average or less than average growth. Mann only succeeded in proving he is either dishonest or stupid. Cool weather is not the only cause of poor growth rates as any gardener or a novice biology student could tell you. Hot, dry weather will adversely affect growth as will any unusually dry period. Trees and plants need carbon dioxide, oxygen, temeratures in the right range, and water to grow. Some scientific types have already noted that if we look at the above drought data it produces a gap average of 39.6 years.This only proves that scientists, like Michael Mann are idiots and wankers. A quick glance at the data would show there’s no regular pattern there. An intelligent person would immediately understand this is not a scientific record and the data is probably incomplete. It is worth noting that two drought years used to obtain that average, 1892 and 1893 are back-to-back. It’s highly unlikely there were two separate droughts, it probable there was ab extended dry period. In fact, additional evidence that is being ignored by the Global Warming crowd who seem intent upon leading society to its doom by ignoring the past entirely and persuading governments we must suck every molecule of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere (thus making the existence on Earth of carbon based life – forms – i.e. everything including us,) impossible.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363172
__label__cc	0.740171	0.259829	Tackling Freshwater Decision Making Through a Catchment Wide Collaborative Approach : An Evaluation of the Manuherikia Catchment Decision Making Process Stagg, Erin StaggErin2015MPlan.pdf (7.961Mb) Cite this item: Stagg, E. (2015). Tackling Freshwater Decision Making Through a Catchment Wide Collaborative Approach : An Evaluation of the Manuherikia Catchment Decision Making Process (Thesis, Master of Planning). University of Otago. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10523/5663 Balancing the demands and values attributed to complex and integrated freshwater systems can often be contentious and challenging. Collaborative planning has gained international support as a potential solution for balancing multifarious values and including those disparate interests in decision making. In New Zealand, the Land and Water Forum has also recommended that difficult freshwater allocation decisions be made through collaboration. As a result several catchments throughout New Zealand have pursued collaborative planning models in order to make decisions regarding freshwater allocation. The study aims to evaluate the collaborative process occurring within Central Otago’s Manuherikia Catchment. The Manuherikia Catchment Group process was examined to determine the extent to which collaboration was equitable, just and engaging, and whether consensus was sought through group discourse and deliberation. It was also used as a case study through which collaboration could be evaluated as a decision making mechanism. The analysis of the results showed that while the process designers had sought to include divergent and diverse voices in the decision making process, some weaker aspects of the process have resulted in certain groups feeling marginalised. Strengths of the process included the dissemination of information, the creation of social capital, and the consensus seeking process. Weaknesses included that power dynamics, process designer expectations and tight time frames resulted in some views not being equally heard. Given these results, future collaborative freshwater planning efforts should endeavour to address these weaknesses in order to facilitate more robust and equitable processes. Overall the research findings indicate that collaborative planning processes are desirable solution finding and decision making tool so long as all interests groups are willing and able to participate as equals. Advisor: Morgan, Richard Degree Name: Master of Planning Degree Discipline: Geography Keywords: Collaborative; Planning; Freshwater; Allocation Geography [296]	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363177
__label__wiki	0.656682	0.656682	In the Scene #KaraniwangLGBT LGBTQIA PHL HISTORY LOVE AFFAIRS Love Guides Literary Pieces PEOPLE BEHIND THE OUTRAGE ADVERTISE WITH OUTRAGEMAG Outrage Magazine LGBTs question Phl definition of marriage Inter-Agency Committee on Diversity and Inclusion created via executive order Province of Capiz holds first Pride parade ‘We need inclusive responses to HIV’ – Bahaghari Center ‘Ang laban ng LGBT ay laban ng mamamayan’ Baguio marks 13th LGBTQIA Pride Boys who are bullied online may have more risky sex Progressive gender beliefs in teen boys may be protective against violence From as young as 4, children see males as more powerful than females Supreme Court junks with finality petition for same-sex marriage Gender norms affect attitudes towards gay men and lesbian women globally 6 Unique ideas for date nights When possibility of sex looms, people more likely to tweak truth Dating: How to choose the right person for you Despite what you might think, sexting isn’t just about sex – research Kindness is a top priority in a long-term partner – study Truvada should remain first choice for HIV prevention, experts say Phl reported 36 new HIV cases per day as of end-August 2019 Pregnant women with HIV often not given recommended treatment Even with early treatment, HIV still attacks young brains, says MSU study Addressing perceived stigma about HIV preventive meds key to helping women at risk Lesbian and intersex And this, too, shall pass… Intersex Pride Cry freedom LGBT Filipinos are set to question the country’s definition of marriage. According to Atty. Clara Rita Padilla, executive director of EnGendeRights: “The right to marry is guaranteed by our constitutional rights to equality, equal protection of the law, privacy, and religion. Limiting the right to marry to heterosexuals discriminates against LGBT people and denies people of different faiths and beliefs their right to marry. Recognizing the right to equality of marriage of LGBTs is an important step towards eliminating discrimination against LGBT people.” Mikee dela Cruz TIME TO MAKE CHANGES. LGBT people – particularly those in relationships – in the Philippines are set to question the country’s definition of marriage. This came after the relationships of select same sex couples in the cities of Quezon, Baguio and Davao, and in Silang, Cavite were refused to be registered in their respective location’s civil registry after they simultaneously filed for marriage licenses that will give them legal recognition. According to Atty. Clara Rita Padilla, executive director of EnGendeRights, this development is obviously discriminatory. “The right to marry is guaranteed by our constitutional rights to equality, equal protection of the law, privacy, and religion,” Padilla said. Sugar Ibañez: “Nais namin na maging legal ang same sex marriage sa Pilipinas dahil naniniwala kami na ang kasal ay para sa dalawang tao na nagmahahalan.” PHOTO FROM SUGAR IBANEZ’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT DEFINING LEGAL ‘UNIONS’ Civil registration (a.k.a. “vital registration”) is the recording in the appropriate civil registers those “vital acts and events that affect the civil status of individuals.” These vital acts and events include: “births, deaths, fetal deaths, marriages, and all such events that have something to do with an individual’s entrance and departure from life together with the changes in civil status that may occur to a person during his lifetime”. In the Philippines, “marriage” is defined as a “special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life. It is the foundation of the family and an inviolable social institution whose nature, consequences, and incidence are governed by law and not subject to stipulation, except that marriage settlements may fix the property relations during the marriage within the limits provided in the Family Code of the Philippines.” READ: DOH eyes to make HIV testing mandatory For Padilla, “limiting the right to marry to heterosexuals discriminates against LGBT people and denies people of different faiths and beliefs their right to marry. Recognizing the right to equality of marriage of LGBTs is an important step towards eliminating discrimination against LGBT people, paving the way towards a society where the LGBT people live a life of dignity and respect.” Padilla is also a human rights lawyer who represented the Ang Ladlad in the Ang Ladlad vs. Comelec decision en banc by the Supreme Court in favor of LGBT party-list. FACING DISCRIMINATION In Quezon City, Maria Arlyn “Sugar” Ibañez, 33, and her partner Joanna Reena Gregorio, 31, applied for a marriage license at the QC Civil Registrar’s Office; along with Rev. Ceejay Agbayani, of the LGBTS Christian Church, and his partner Marlon Felipe. Rev. Ceejay Agbayani: “Masakit ma-reject (It hurts to be rejected).” PHOTO FROM REV. CEEJAY AGBAYANI’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT In a statement provided to Outrage Magazine, Ibañez said that she and Gregorio have been together for a year and a half now, with a “holy union”/commitment ceremony scheduled on August 16. “Nais namin na maging legal ang same sex marriage sa Pilipinas dahil naniniwala kami na ang kasal ay para sa dalawang tao na nagmahahalan. Karapatan din namin na maikasal at magamit ang benepisyo na nakukuha ng mga legal na mag-asawa sa ngayon. Patuloy kaming makikiisa sa pakikipaglaban na makamit ang pagkakapantay-pantay sa Pilipinas (We want for same sex marriage to be legalized in the Philippines because we believe that marriage is for two people who love each other. It is also our right to be married and avail of the benefits availed by the partners of people whose relationships are legally recognized. We join the fight to attain equal treatment for all in the Philippines).” READ: Bills eyeing to protect LGBT Filipinos from discrimination filed anew Meanwhile, for Agbayani, “masakit ma-reject (it hurts to be rejected),” he said, following the refusal of the QC Civil Registrar’s Office to grant him and his partner a marriage license. “Sinabi lang nila, plain and simple, na ang kasal ay para sa lalaki at babae lang. Kaya hindi puwede magbigay ng marriage license (They just said, plain and simple, that marriage is only for a man and a woman. So they couldn’t give us marriage license).” For Agbayani, this is particularly “noteworthy” because Quezon City has an anti-discrimination ordinance (ADO), which is supposed to protect the rights of LGBT people in the city. “But of course we know that we’re dealing with a national law that is bigger than a city-wide ordinance.” FIGHT GOES ON With the refusal of the granting of civil registration to the LGBT couples, there is now plan to elevate the issue to the Supreme Court. “There are LGBT people who belong to various religions whose unions were celebrated by their churches, and who now want to be validly married by their non-Catholic churches,” Padilla said. The Philippine Constitution, by the way, does not defines marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman. Specifically, Article XV states: Section 1. The State recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of the nation. Accordingly, it shall strengthen its solidarity and actively promote its total development. Section 2. Marriage, as an inviolable social institution, is the foundation of the family and shall be protected by the State. Section 3. The State shall defend: (1) The right of spouses to found a family in accordance with their religious convictions and the demands of responsible parenthood; (2) The right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development; (3) The right of the family to a family living wage and income; and (4) The right of families or family associations to participate in the planning and implementation of policies and programs that affect them. Section 4. The family has the duty to care for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just programs of social security. It was only the Family Code of the Philippines that defined marriage as a “special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman”. READ: Many parents unsure of talking about sex with LGBT kids What occurred is therefore “important as a basis for further pro-same sex marriage lawsuits,” Padilla ended. Related Topics:#KaraniwangLGBTgay marriagegay marriage philippineslgbtLGBT Philippinessame-sex marriagesame-sex marriage Philippinessame-sex relationships Pink, bruised and battered Kahel at Bughaw 5 Ways to #ResistTogether after #Pride Be constantly reminded that #Pride is never (just) about partying. It’s about the ongoing struggle for the human rights of LGBTQIA people (no mater what sector they may be part of). Michael David dela Cruz Tan ALL PHOTOS TAKEN DURING METRO MANILA PRIDE PARADE 2019 A few days into July, after the June Pride month, I was chatting with someone from Grindr; he boasted that he was at the “essence of pride: the Pride parade” (his words, not mine). The chat revolved around shaming, particularly of other LGBTQIA people; that now that the one-day celebration is over, things (including his way of “booking”) are “just back to normal.” See… right after the “very proud” placement of the #ResistTogether hashtag in his pick-up account (particularly while he was in Marikina City), it has been refreshed, reverting back to claiming “NO chubs; NO oldies; NO femmes. Don’t dare me, I have unliblock.” This got me thinking about this “brand” of exclusivist #Pride; and how we should instead be making (and continuing to make) it inclusive… And so – off my head – here are five ways to #ResistTogether after the #Pride parade… 1. Stop the shaming from within the LGBTQIA community. Change should start from within our community; and this can happen if our community members become more aware that – frequently – hatred starts from within. Stop shaming the “oldies”; we’d all grow old. Stop shaming the “chubs”; ALL bodies are beautiful. Stop hating on the femmes; every gender expression is VALID. Stop discriminating against sex workers; there is no shame in trying to make a living. Our community is minority, as it is. Stop creating more minorities from within our community with your biases. 2. Donate… not just because you want merchs. I get this concept of “what’s in it for me?”. This is the “driver” of so many of our actions – e.g. if companies give money to “support” Pride, they expect to get media mileage from it; and if we give money to “make Pride happen”, we may as well have that sticker (or whatever) to prove that… yes, we gave money. READ: LGBT org marks 2nd death anniversary of Jennifer Laude by calling for Pemberton to be jailed in Bilibid But helping should be done not because of any return; it should be done because it’s the right thing to do. And so if/when someone asked you to donate (however small the amount may be) to help establish an actual home for senior LGBTQIA Filipinos, give. If someone asked you to chip in (no matter how small the amount you can give) to help pay for the PhilHealth of a person living with HIV, give. And if someone asked you to donate (whatever amount) to help finance the picket line of LGBTQIA workers who were illegally dismissed from their jobs after they (rightfully) asked to be made regular employees, give. LGBTQIA-related issues happen EVERY DAY of the year, not just in June. So if you’re willing to cough up cash to look glamorous/fab ONLY in June, you should also be willing to do so the rest of the year… 3. Be the voice of other minorities. This shouldn’t be a divisive issue, but it is becoming that – i.e. the supposed “hijacking of commies of Pride month” by highlighting other issues that those who complain say have nothing to do with the LGBTQIA community. These issues include: contractualization, wage hike, extra-judicial killings, war on drugs, and so on. Here’s the BASIC thing though: LGBTQIA people do not live in a vacuum. Some of us are contractual workers (e.g. LGBTQIA people working for – say – Zagu, or Jollibbee, or the baggers in department stores). Many of us LGBTQIA people do not get the wages we deserve (e.g. LGBTQIA people who are also nurses and teachers). There are LGBTQIA people also killed because they were allegedly involved in the drug trade; and this is even if the claim may be true or not. READ: Elevating gayspeak, and denouncing linguistic prejudice & discrimination We say that LGBTQIA people are EVERYWHERE. Well, WE ARE; including among other minority sectors. So that we can’t separate THEIR issues from OUR issues. 4. Be seen the rest of the year. You, like many others, helped create the noise for LGBTQIA issues during Pride month. That’s all good (and thank you, truly, for this). But please, please don’t disappear after June (or worse, don’t be the source of discrimination after June – as noted in #1). If you can’t be bothered leaving your desk, that’s your call; but continue making noise for the LGBTQIA community. But if/when you are able to/you are keen to, join the ongoing struggle for our total liberation – e.g. join the call for rally for the anti-discrimination bill, attend gatherings pushing for marriage equality, attend events of LGBTQIA-related NGOs (including HIV-related events), physically support LGBTQIA-related shows/productions/et cetera. Just BE SEEN BEYOND JUNE; it matters a lot. 5. Go back to the streets… and not just to party. So you had fun attending the parade; perhaps even more so when you attended the after-parade party/ies. That’s all good. Not one to miss out on fun, I am one with you here… BUT be reminded that #Pride is never (just) about partying. It’s about the ongoing struggle for the human rights of LGBTQIA people (no mater what sector they may be part of). After almost 20 (THAT’S 20!) years, the anti-discrimination bill is still languishing in Congress. Over 80% of the new HIV cases in the Philippines affect members of the LGBTQIA community (particularly gay, bi and trans people). Schools (including State-owned/run) still discriminate against LGBTQIA students; a handful of them barring LGBTQIA students from enroling/attending classes because of some bloody haircut or because of what they are wearing. Because of their HIV status, people living with HIV (many of them LGBTQIA) are: still fired from work; kicked out of their homes; or not given access to life-saving HIV medicines. LGBTQIA informal settlers – along with hetero-identifying informal settlers – are kicked out of their homes. LGBTQIA contractual workers are still not regularized. So – let’s state this – IF THERE IS A CALL TO RALLY FOR OUR RIGHTS, not just a call to parade and party, TAKE HEED. If 70,000+++ people can gather to parade and party, surely the same number (if not more) should also be able to gather when a call is made for us to rise again together to push for equality. Yes, we have taken progressive steps (corporations are even considering how to profit off us now); but so much still needs to be done. And – to stress- we need to always show our force; to always take to the streets to highlight our issues. So party on, yes; but never stop fighting as one. This is how we continue to truly #ResistTogether. Haircut battleground FACT: A number of trans students fail to complete schooling because of strict implementation of uniform policies that affect their gender identity and expression. School officials claim they’re simply implementing (discriminatory) policies; while activists claim human rights violation. And while the discussions happen, the students are caught in the middle, who – in the end – really just want to finish schooling while being true to oneself. Luwela A. Rodrigo Photo by Mohamed Nohassi from Unsplash.com In July 2018, Jenny* (not her real name), a transgender Senior High School (SHS) student from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) was allegedly told to report to the principal’s office for the first time. “Pinatawag ako nung principal, tapos she told me that ano… kapag hindi ako nagpagupit until tomorrow morning, ganon, papalabasin niya ako ng PUP (I was told to report to the principal’s office, and there, she told me to get a haircut the next day, or risk getting asked to leave PUP),” she recalled to Outrage Magazine. Jenny got a haircut this January. This had to be done as a prerequisite when she applied for graduation. But she said that she was promised that “after that, (I) won’t have to cut my hair again when I process my papers in the future.” Jenny said that the experience affected her psychologically; because of this, she wasn’t able to go to school for two days. And with the eventual haircut, Jenny’s gender expression was also dictated by another, affecting her sense of self. But in an interview with Dr. Minna L. Comuyog, PUP-SHS principal, she denied that she threatened any student, and that neither her office nor PUP-SHS’s registrar’s office denied any student of transaction or that their documents will be held if they won’t cut their hair. Comuyog said that, in fact, PUP-SHS has a “No Discrimination Policy”, which is implemented in the entire PUP system (which includes SHS). “Hindi namin ina-identify ‘yung mga estudyante namin na bading ‘to, tomboy ‘to. Basta when they come here, estudyante namin sila (We don’t separately identify students as ‘He’s gay, she’s a lesbian’. For us, when they come here, they’re all students),” she said. Comuyog added: “As a teacher, ang aking training ay students sila (They are students). They have their unique personalit(ies) and we adjust our lessons to their needs. So kahit anong mga bata ang dumating sa amin (So no matter what kind of student they are), we accept them for who they are.” But notwithstanding the “No Discrimination Policy”, Comuyog believes that the haircut policy should be implemented and be observed by all students (in this case, particularly those under her care; i.e. PUP-SHS). Comuyog claimed that she is unaware of the existence of transgender students in PUP-SHS; thus of transgender students being forced to cut their hair due to the school’s haircut policy. “It’s something na (that is) not known to me,” she said. But Comuyog added that she looks at the students using the gender binary dictated by the assigned sex at birth – i.e. “I look at them as male, female, ganon ang classification nila (that’s how I classify them).” And so she believes that even if a student is a transgender woman, this student will still be mandated to get a haircut befitting those assigned male at birth (that is, she still won’t be allowed to have long hair, which is deemed socially acceptable only for those assigned female at birth). On the handling of students who are transgender women (or those assigned male at birth) and with long hair, Comuyog said that she “normally asks” these students “what they needed to change or do.” As part of her training as a teacher, she lets the students think. And in this case, it is the students who often end up saying that it is their hair that they should change. NON-DISCRIMINATION AS A POLICY The Department of Education (DepEd) actually has pro-LGBTQIA policies, which – in December 2018 – it reiterated via a statement reminding “all public and private Kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools of the necessity and importance of adopting and enforcing anti-bullying policies in their respective institutions.” Various (specific) policies particularly touch on non-discrimination (including of LGBTQIA students). DepEd Order No. 40, series 2012, or the “DepEd Child Protection Policy,” institutionalized zero tolerance against any form of violence against the child and provided for the establishment of a Child Protection Committee (CPC) in all public and private schools. READ: OutrageMag.com launches #LoveisLovePH DepEd Order No. 55, series 2013 (DO 55 s. 2013), or the “Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 10627 (R.A. 10627) Otherwise Known as the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013,” requires all public and private schools to submit a copy of their child protection or anti-bullying policy to the Division Office. Meanwhile, Rule IV of DO 55 s. 2013 underscores that “the bullying prevention program in schools shall be comprehensive and multifaceted, and shall involve all education stakeholders and personnel. Schools shall develop intervention strategies like counseling, life skills training, education and other activities that will enhance the psychological, emotional and psychosocial well-being of victims, bullies, and other parties who may be affected by the bullying incident.” Particularly pertaining the uniform policy (which touches on the haircut policy), DepEd released in 2008 DepEd Order No. 46, s. 2008, guidelines on “proper school attire”. It stated that “while the general policy is that the wearing of a school uniform shall not be required in public schools (as embodied in DepEd Order No. 45 s. 2008), it is necessary to provide guidance on what constitutes proper school attire.” The following principles are offered as a guide: A student’s basic right to go to school, study and learn is of paramount importance and should be respected and promoted at all times. A student’s attire should reflect respect for the school as an institution for learning. A student’s attire should not become a cause for discrimination particularly for students belonging to a lower socio-economic status. Promoting physical hygiene and proper school decorum is part of the teaching- learning process in schools, thus a student’s attire and physical appearance should manifest learnings from this process. Nowhere in the DepEd Order No. 46, s. 2008 was “proper” haircut discussed. According to PUP Kasarianlan’s Watson Vergara, the haircut policy implemented in schools is a form of oppression. “Not only the right of the student to express oneself was trampled, but the student’s right to education was put on line.” Photo by Cassidy Kelley from Unsplash.com Having policies and actually implementing them are – however, and also – two different things. In 2015, for instance, a United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) report observed that only 38% of schools submitted child protection or anti-bullying policies in 2013, and the “low rate of submission has been attributed to a low level of awareness of requirements of the Act and weak monitoring of compliance.” Releasing a report in 2017, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) also touched on the uniform policies (including forcing particularly transgender women to get haircuts) and stated that “students who are transgender or do not identify as their sex assigned at birth face especially pervasive discrimination as a result of uniform and hair-length policies and other gendered restrictions.” This is made more apparent because “right to free expression of students is violated when schools limit displays of same-sex affection or gender expression solely for LGBTQIA youth” – meaning, the policies are used differently for them to make them tow some lines. Also, according to Watson Vergara, who heads PUP Kasarianlan, the official student organization for people with diverse SOGIE in PUP, even anti-discriminatory policies (such as DepEd’s) fail to take into consideration the power dynamics within educational institutions. Vergara said that they know of students who asked for help from PUP Kasarianlan, claiming that they feel threatened that if they won’t cut their hair, then their names will be taken out of the list of graduating students. Non-compliance may also be seen as insubordination, which means that these students won’t be given a good moral certificate (which is needed when enrolling in college/university), or will even be kicked out of PUP. PUP Kasarianlan also documented other cases like Jenny’s – e.g. in one case, a student claimed that she was kept in an office, prohibited to go out unless she signs a statement stipulating her to cut her hair. “Syempre (Of course), the kid, crying, shaking and afraid, signed the paper. Kasi wala siyang (Because she did not have a) choice, she wants to go out,” Vergara said. Vergara is aware that there are people who may see this as a non-issue – i.e. it’s “just hair.” But PUP Kasarianlan also received stories of transgender students who refused to have their graduation photos taken, and of one transgender student who “can’t do homework or even eat properly because of this (traumatizing experience).” For Vergara, this is a form of oppression. “Not only the right of the student to express oneself was trampled, but the student’s right to education was put on line.” For Kate Montecarlo Cordova, if uniform is really needed, then schools should implement gender neutral school uniforms (e.g. gender neutral or unisex design and cut of school uniforms, and no prescribed length of hair for those assigned male at birth). Or, simply, “let the students wear uniforms based on their sense of being,” Photo by Chen Feng from Unsplash.com DETRACTING FROM SENSE OF SELF According to Kate Montecarlo Cordova, founder of the Association of Transgender People in the Philippines (ATP), “One of the identified positive benefits of school uniform is to promote a “sense of community” (which actually refers to classification or clustering). But this can be detrimental to transgender students if not properly managed/implemented for this can deprive their self-expression, their sense of identity, their authenticity.” Cordova added that “the imposition of school uniform with strict observance to the heteronormative gender binary can be an utter threat to transgender students while serving a meaningless purpose to learning.” There are somewhat practical efforts that can be done. For one, Cordova suggested that if uniform is really needed, then schools should implement gender neutral school uniforms (e.g. gender neutral or unisex design and cut of school uniforms, and no prescribed length of hair for those assigned male at birth). Or, simply, “let the students wear uniforms based on their sense of being,” Cordova said. Secondly, Cordova said that it is important for any educational institution to “undergo extensive trainings, workshops and lectures not just about gender sensitivity but also, specifically, about transgender issues to understand the complexities of transgender human rights and health needs.” And thirdly, Cordova suggests for transgender students to “rightfully assert and claim their rights to exist and learn by standing up to what is just and righteous to their authentic self by: 1. Being knowledgeable of their rights, 2. Being vocal about their identity, and 3. Being brave to socially present their sense of self.” STARTING THE DISCUSSIONS Back in PUP-SHS, the school principal Comuyog thinks that high school students are “confused” because they can see some transgender college students grow their hair, and they may also want to do the same. While she acknowledges how some of the SHS students want to “emulate” the college students, she also said that this isn’t necessarily possible because of “certain policies”. Particularly, Comuyog noted PUP-SHS’s Code of Conduct that highlights (in Section 3) that “every student shall dress up according to the conventions of decency and proper grooming… dyan nakapaloob ang haircut for male and hairstyle for female.” Section 3 of the Code of Conduct specifically states: “Every PUP student shall dress up according to the conventions of decency and proper grooming. Also, to wit: 3.1 – Every PUP Senior High student is expected to demonstrate personal grooming standards of cleanliness and to wear the prescribed uniform while inside the school premises, during educational exposures or work immersion, and during official off-campus events. 3.2 – Students must observe the following provisions when wearing the prescribed school uniform: 3.2.1 – Uniforms should be kept buttoned and properly worn; 3.2.2 – School ID must be worn at all times within the school premises; 3.2.3 – The hairstyle for female should be simple and well kept, while the acceptable haircut for male must be off the eyebrows and above the collar line (EMPHASIS OURS); 3.2.4 – Moustache and side beards are not allowed; 3.2.5 – Hair color may be allowed provided that it is not vulgar. The Code of Conduct does not discuss SOGIE (and implications to the uniform policy), but enforce these requirements based on assigned sex at birth. READ: Love is not color blind after all? Comuyog quipped that it is only now that the said (haircut) policy is becoming an issue. And here, she also holds accountable some educators. “Yun namang teacher nila, napapabayaan sila kaya if there is a person na mas liable, itong mga teacher kasi ina-allow nila. Kasi may teacher din tayong mahaba ang buhok, may teacher tayong nakatali ang buhok. ‘Yun ang nakikita nitong mga bata (There are teachers who just let their students be, so if there’s someone liable, it’s the teacher who allows this. This may also be because some teachers assigned male at birth grow their hair long. And this is what these students see),” Comuyog said. But – again – since there aren’t any students who talked to her and said that she is a transgender person, Comuyog said that she remains “unaware of this.” And that “just in case that she will be aware” of this, then she will have to consider the individual student’s situation. For Professor Earl Guzman, SHS and college professor, and an open member of the LGBTQIA community, forcing the students to cut their hair, especially if they identify as gay or transgender, is abuse. “Kasi itong mga taong ‘to, itong mga kabataang ito, yung buhok nila (These kids’ hair) and how they present themselves are part of their gender identity,” he said. Guzman added that teaching the students how to be gender sensitive yet confining them in the same heteronormative stereotypes, same heteronormative ways of expressing themselves, “kind of defeats its purpose.” “Tayo as PUPians (Products of PUP), we’re so proud of being at the frontier of fighting for sexual equality. Eh eto nga, ginigipit natin ngayon (And now we’re pressuring these students to conform). It all makes us look like hypocrites,” Guzman said. For Guzman, the principal should listen to the students as well because what is happening most of the time is that teachers become just enforcers of rules or policies, and teachers owe it to the students to listen to them. “Anong klaseng lesson kasi ‘yung tinuturo natin sa students kapag ganon (What kind of lesson are we teaching the students), when we refuse to hear them out? Are we telling them that we know better than them? May mga pagkakataon na (There are times when) we know better than them pero kasi (but also) we’re not the ones living their lives right now, it’s them,” he said. “Maybe we should take their experiences into account; maybe we should listen to what they have to say. Kasi hindi puwedeng ano (Because the case shouldn’t be)… in our desire to enforce obedience, ang nangyayari ay (what happens is we create) blind obedience.” For his part, PUP Kasarianlan head Vergara said that this kind of discrimination against members of the LGBTQIA community also happens in other schools – i.e. this goes beyond PUP-SHS. In “Being LGBT in Asia: The Philippines Country Report” – written by Michael David C. Tan for USAID and UNDP – it was reported that forcing transgender women to get haircuts before allowing them to access education is one of the common anti-LGBTQIA policies still common in the Philippines, along with: the conduct of “masculinity tests” (where effeminate students had to “prove” they were “man enough” to be allowed to enroll, or stay in school) conducted by some schools, and instances when LGBTQIA students were made to sign “contracts” to ensure they did not express their sexual orientation or gender identity while going to school. But Watson also acknowledges that – sadly – they can only do what little help they can. In 2017, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that “students who are transgender or do not identify as their sex assigned at birth face experience especially pervasive discrimination as a result of uniform and hair-length policies and other gendered restrictions.” Photo by Ryan Tauss from Unsplash.com In the end, Guzman hopes that this will be settled, with all parties involved discussing this. “Let’s be civilized. Let’s add something positive to the discourse. ‘Wag nating gawing (Let’s not turn the issue into an) excuse para siraan ‘yung mga bagay, tao, o policy na hindi naman natin dapat siraan (to destroy people or policies that need not be destroyed). And then, let’s come to an agreement. I think we should all try to understand where everyone is coming from,” Guzman said. And while the discussions happen, the likes of Jenny are caught in the middle, who – in the end – really just want to finish schooling while being true to oneself. Lesbian Lumad What is it like to be a lesbian and also a part of an indigenous group? For Teng Calimpang, the Tagbawa ethnic group of people at the foot of Mt. Apo accepted her, so she hopes other lesbian Lumads live good lives both as LGBTQIA community members and as Lumads. This is part of #KaraniwangLGBT, which Outrage Magazine officially launched on July 26, 2015 to offer vignettes of LGBT people/living, particularly in the Philippines, to give so-called “everyday people” – in this case, the common LGBT people – that chance to share their stories. As Outrage Magazine editor Michael David C. Tan says: “All our stories are valid – not just the stories of the ‘big shots’. And it’s high time we start telling all our stories.” “Dili lisod mag-lesbian ka diri kay tanan diri murag paryente lang nako, mga pinsan lang (It isn’t hard to be a lesbian here because everyone here is just like a relative, just like my cousins),” Teng Calimpang, who is from Meohao at the foot of Mt. Apo, said. “Tanan pud mga tawo nakabalo kung kinsa ko ug unsa ko (People here also know who I am and what I am).” Teng’s family is from the Tagbawa Manobo ethic group of people. Originally from Bansalan, her mother met her father in Meohao, where they decided to eventually settle. Also because of being based here, Teng is fluent in Bagobo Diangan, spoken by another ethnic group of people particularly at the foot of Mt. Apo. At least in her experience, being a lesbian is a non-issue for her people (Tagbawa Manobo), as well as for her “adopted” Bagobo Diangan family. Teng was 10 when she recognized her “otherness”; she did not like wearing girls’ clothes, and she preferred doing things that boys do. At 15, “diha na nako napansin nga… na-feel na nako nga dili gyud nako ma-love ang boy (I noticed that I was not attracted to members of the opposite sex).” Teng said that “babae ang mugawas sa akoang heart ba (I was attracted also to women).” READ: Active Vista film fest puts spotlight on human rights issues Teng told her family about “ang tinuod (the truth).” And “okay lang sa ilaha. Tanggap gyud ko nila (it’s fine with them. They accepted me as a lesbian).” Now 48, Teng works for Dole Phils. (Stanfilco Division). After work, she is also a local healer, giving “hilot (traditional massage)” to those who seek her out for the same. Teng credits her “lolo (grandfather)” for her gift to heal. She was 15 when she was “taught” how to “help people”; she dreamt her then-deceased grandfather show her how to do so, serving as a passing-of-the-torch to heal others. Teng said that there are two kinds of people who help – one who expects to be grandly paid for the effort, and one who doesn’t. “Donation, okay lang sa ako-a (I’m okay with just receiving donations),” she said, adding that it already makes her happy that “nakatabang ko sa ilahang kinahanglan sa lawas (at least I’ve helped people with their needs).” Teng had a heterosexual-identifying GF in the past; but that relationship didn’t last. She noted that there are some women who just want to be financially supported; they leave their partners when they have gotten what they wanted, or if their partner can’t offer them what they really want (i.e. wealth). “Pait kaayo ba (This makes being lesbian hard).” Now single, Teng has other lesbian friends, and not all of them from Lumad communities. But her friends are now based overseas, where they work. She admitted that it can be lonely at times, but that technology (e.g. social networking sites) help alleviate the loneliness since she can at least chat with them even if they’re apart. READ: The language of love: When diverse cultures come together Teng also has an adopted child, given to her when the child was only a month old. She is now 18. “Lisud gyud (sa sinugdanan) kay syempre ang acting nimo is as a boy, so nalisdan ko pagpa-dako niya (It was hard for me to raise her at first because I am masculine/not stereotypically motherly),” Teng said. “But I gradually learned how to properly raise her.” To other lesbians who may also belong to Lumad communities, Teng said: “Kung unsa gyud sila sa ilang panginabuhi, ipadayun na nila (Continue living your true selves in living a good life).” And in the end, “learn from me as I say that you can be good people as lesbians.” All hail the beauty queen A glimpse into the life of a trans woman beauty pageant enthusiast, Ms Mandy Madrigal of Transpinay of Antipolo Organization. “I feel accepted.” That, said Mandy Madrigal, is the main appeal of joining beauty pageants. “I feel so loved when I join pageants. Especially when people clap for us, cheer for us. And when you win… it (just) feels different.” FINDING ACCEPTANCE Assigned male at birth, Mandy was in primary school when her father asked her if “I was a boy or a girl”. That question scared her, she admitted, because – as the only boy among six kids – she thought she did not really have “any choice”. “So I answered my father, ‘I am a boy’.” But Mandy’s father asked her the same question again; and this time, “I said, yes, I am gay.” No, Mandy is NOT gay; she is a transpinay, and a straight one at that. But the misconceptions about the binary remains – i.e. in this case, she is associated with being gay mainly because she did not identify with the sex assigned her at birth. In a way, Mandy said she’s lucky because “I believe he (my father) accepted (me) with his whole heart.” The rest of her family did, too. Though – speaking realistically – Mandy said this may be abetted by her “contributions” to the family. “Hindi naman aka basta naging bakla lang (I’m not a ’typical’ gay person),” she said, “na naglalandi lang o sumasali lang ng pageant (who just flirts, or just joins beauty pageants). Instead, Mandy provides financial support to her family by – among others – selling RTW clothes and beauty products. In fact, some of her winnings also go to the family’s coffers. By helping provide them with what they need, “it’s easy for them to accept me as a transgender woman.” READ: Media people in the Visayas get LGBT sensitivity training Growing up, Mandy realized that while “makakapagsinungaling ka sa ibang tao, pero sarili mo, hindi mo maloloko. Kaya mas magandang tanggapin mo ang sarili mo para matanggap ka ng ibang tao (you may be able to lie to others about who you really are, but you can’t lie to yourself. So it’s better to accept your true self so that others will be able to accept you too).” Mandy was “introduced” to beauty pageants when she was 13 or 14. At that time, a friend asked her to join a pageant; and “I won first runner up.” She never looked backed since, even – at one time – earning as much as P20,000 after winning a title. Like many regular beauconeras (beauty pageant participants), she also heads to distant provinces to compete, largely because – according to her – prizes in provincial competitions tend to be higher. The prize money earned helps one buy more paraphernalia for the next pageants, and – in Mandy’s case – also helps support her family. Generally speaking, Mandy Madrigal said that “ang tunay na queen ay may malaking puso (a real queen has a big heart).” FORMING A FAMILY Beauty pageants are competitions, yes; but for Mandy, pageants also allow the candidates to form bonds as they get close to each other. Pageants, she said, can be a way “na maging close kami, magkaroon ng magagandang bonding… at magkakilala kami (for us to be close, to bond and get to know the others better).” READ: Gregory and Jorge: Falling into place Pageants can be costly, Mandy admitted – for instance, “you have to invest,” she said, adding that a candidate needs to be able to provide for herself (instead of just always renting) costumes, swimsuits, casual wear, gowns, and so on. In a way, therefore, having people who believe in you helps. In Mandy’s case, for instance, a lot of people helped (by providing necessities she needs) because “naniniwala sila na I am a queen inside and out,” she smiled. But this support can also rack the nerves, particularly when people expect one to win (particularly because of the support given). One will not always win, of course; and this doesn’t always give one good feelings. In 2017, for instance, Mandy joined Queen of Antipolo, and – after failing to win a crown – she said many people told her she should have won the title, or at least placed among the runners-up. “naguluhan ang utak ko (That confused me),” she said. “‘Bakit ako ang gusto ninyong manalo?’ But that’s when I realized na marami ako na-i-inspire na tao dahil marami nagtitiwala sa akin (I ask, ‘Why do you want me to win?’ But that’s when I realized that I inspire a lot of people, which is why they count on me).” This gives her confidence; enough to deal with the nervousness that will also allow her to just enjoy any pageant she joins. A TIME TO SHINE Mandy believes pageants can help LGBTQI people by providing them a platform to showcase to non-LGBTQI people why “hindi tayo dapat husgahan (we should not be judged).” Generally speaking, Mandy said that “ang tunay na queen ay may malaking puso (a real queen has a big heart).” And she knows that not every pageant is good for every contestant. There will be pageants where you will be crowned the queen, she said, just as there will be pageants where you will lose. But over and above the winning and losing, note “what’s most important: that there’s a lot of people who supported you in a (certain) pageant.” At the end of the day, “sa lahat ng patimpalak, pagkatandaan natin na merong nananalo at may natatalo. Depende na lang yan sa araw mo. Kung ikaw ay nakatadhanang manalo ay mananalo ka; kung nakatadhanang matalo ay matatalo ka talaga. Yun lang yun. Isipin mo na lang na meron pang araw na darating na mas maganda para sa iyo (in all competitions, remember that there will always be a winner and a loser. It all depends on your luck for the day. If you are fated to win, you will win; if you are fated to lose, you will lose. That’s that. But still remember – even when you lose – that there will always come a day that will be great for you).” Paolo, naked Paolo Dumlao, a pansexual Filipino performance artist, uses his naked body as a canvas, believing that art can help the people – both the artist and those who see the artworks. “It makes people think, ask… and feel,” he said, all relevant because “we’re not robots; we’re humans.” Four years ago, Paolo Dumlao, a pansexual Filipino, did his first performance art “as mema lang (out of whim),” he said. At that time, he just wanted to “tick off something from my bucket list.” But he fell in love with the form, and so stayed with it. Here’s the thing: In his performances, Paolo is always without clothes since he is a nude artist. There is reason behind this, he said. “It’s not because it’s something different, or because it’s something new since it’s been done before… but because for me, the feeling (when one is nude) is very vulnerable, and I think it’s my most vulnerable form, and I want to be in that state when I perform so I can emphasize with people.” To be clear, Paolo is not a performing artist; instead, he is a performance artist. Performance art is different from performing arts. With the latter, “you are portraying a character that is not you. So you’re using your body as a canvas to create another character. When it comes to performance art, you yourself are the character, and the message you relay is different outside of the text,” he said. “At least that’s what I am doing.” Paolo noted that there are people who see performances of nude artists as sexual, and he said that this is not necessarily true. On the one hand, just because one is naked doesn’t mean the piece is sexual, as “it could be pure, it could be wholesome (even if the performer is not clothed). And I am able to show these (through my performances), and that (things aren’t) just black and white.” And so, it is worth stressing, “it is not pornography; I am not selling my body, I am just using my body as canvas for my art.” Paolo said that malice needs to be removed when viewing particularly his performances – i.e. “We don’t give malice when seeing a naked child, so why give malice when seeing a naked adult?” This is particularly true when “they’re not doing anything malicious or anything sexual.” On the other hand, Paolo said with emphasis, even if the piece is also sexual, it’s not like there’s something wrong with that. “We’re all different; sensuality is different for everyone, just as sexuality is different for everyone. You can be modest and that empowers you, and that’s fine. You could be very, very promiscuous and very sexual, and that empowers you, and that’s fine, too. As long as you’re responsible with yourself, you’re responsible when dealing with other people, and you know for a fact you’re not stepping on other people’s toes.” Though Paolo has been inspired by various artists, his main inspiration are the people he deals with while performing. “My interaction creates an experience for me, and from that experience, I get inspired to make more art,” he said. Paolo said he gets two reactions when he performs. For one, there are people who get “the vulnerability,” he said. And, secondly, “there are times when (people) get intimidated.” But with performance art, “your art is effective when you get a reaction, once it creates discourse.” And so for Paolo, the piece still works “even if only one person gets it.” There are members of his family who disapprove of what he does, though Paolo said this is largely due to security/safety issues – e.g. he could get harassed, or he could be accused of harassing and could get in trouble for this. But Paolo said that he is actually cautious when planning performances, making sure that – yes – he does so in a safe space where he won’t be harassed, and only in contexts where he won’t knowingly end up harassing people. For those who oversimplify what he’s doing as “just getting naked”, Paolo said performing is actually very draining, not just mentally but also physically. Which is why “I look after my body,” he said, “because I use my body as my canvas and I need to take care of it. I always make sure I am ready for it; it’s strenuous.” If there’s one lesson his performances taught him, it’s that “we share similar stories,” Paolo said. “We share similar pain, we share similar happiness or success… The levels may be different on how we deal with these, but they’re similar.” READ: Krizia Consolacion: Proud to be an indigenous transpinay And after his performances, if there is one thing he wants those who see him to take away from seeing him, it’s the ability to “ask questions,” Paolo said. “Never be afraid to ask questions. It’s a start of being curious, of interacting with other people. So if possible, ask all the questions you can ask. It’s a way to grow as a person.” Worsening #ARVshortage in the Phl? On Jan. 9, the Philippines gained a new HIV and AIDS law that is supposed to better the lives of Filipinos living with HIV. But many in the HIV community mark this day with distress, largely because of the worsening ARV shortage. In September 2018, Xander (not his real name; anonymity requested), a Filipino living with HIV, claimed that he was told by the person working in the pharmacy of his hub to “consume already-expired medicines (the three-in-one tablet of Lamivudine/Tenofovir/Efavirenz)”, and that “it is “still good for three months after the expiration date.” Since dealing with ARV-related issue is not new to him (it happened to him in the last quarter of 2013), he complained and was given newer meds. Noticeably, “those who didn’t complain – like I did – ended up using the expired meds,” he said. Xander can only recall how he earlier lamented – again in 2013 – that the ARV shortage will happen again, particularly considering the continuing denial of the Department of Health (DOH) about this issue. TAINTED ‘SUCCESS’ The 9th of January is supposed to be a happy day particularly for Filipinos living with HIV and their advocates. On that day, the newly-signed Republic Act 11166 or the Philippine HIV and AIDS Policy Act was released after it was signed into law by Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte. By replacing the 20-year-old Republic Act 8504 or the Philippine National AIDS and Control Act of 1998, this new law is supposed to boost the government’s response to HIV and AIDS by making health services for HIV and AIDS more accessible to Filipinos. But many in the HIV community mark this day with distress, largely because of the worsening ARV shortage, which is not helped by the denial of the issue by various heads of offices – including government officials, as well as those helming treatment hubs/facilities and even select non-government organizations (NGOs). In an unsigned statement (as if so that no one can be “chased” to be held accountable for the same statement), the DOH seemed to belittle the issue by outright claiming that there’s an ‘alleged’ shortage of ARVs; even as it also stated that they take the issue of HIV infection in the country seriously. Part of this is to take “great steps to ensure that access for HIV treatments are available for those who are diagnosed with HIV.” The DOH statement added: “As of October 2018, we have enrolled 32,224 persons living with HIV for treatment with ARV such as Nevirapine, Lamivudine/Tenofovir. The DOH has been providing free ARV to Filipinos living with HIV through our HIV treatment hubs. “Based on our records, there are 3,200 registered PLHIV who are on Nevirapine and 1,791 PLHIV on Lamivudine/Tenofovir, as of December last year. That just about half of the total PLHIVs in the Philippines use ARVs is worth noting, even if it’s another issue altogether. But the mention of these two meds/cocktails is important because the complaints reaching – among others – Outrage Magazine, Bahaghari Center for SOGIE Research, Education and Advocacy, Inc. (Bahaghari Center) other and HIV-related community-based organizations/non-government organizations particularly currently mention these. In Quezon City, for instance, at least eight PLHIVs alleged that they have been given incomplete medications – i.e. they were supplied with either Lamivudine/Tenofovir or Lamivudine/Zidovudine, but they have not been receiving Nevirapine because this is not available. These people are, therefore, taking incomplete meds. Pinoy Plus’s hotline, PRC, has received similar allegations of non-delivery of Nevirapine. In Cavite (Imus, Bacoor and Dasmariñas), at least three clients surfaced to allege about the same issue. PLHIVs are now “borrowing” each others’ Nevirapine supply just so they don’t miss their required dosage because their hub does not have supplies from the DOH. There are similar allegations in Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City and Zamboanga City. And in Alabang, the pharmacy of a treatment hub even posted on January 8, 2019 an announcement that “due to the shortage and delay of the deliveries at DOH, only one bottle will be dispensed of the following medicines: Nevirapine (200mg tablet); Lamivudine (150mg)/Zidovudine (300mg tablet); and Lamivudine (300mg)/Tenofovir (300mg tablet).” The same hub is telling its clients to “wait for further announcement on stock availability.” Note that the RITM-AIDS Research Group’s pharmacy is putting the blame on the DOH. DOH’s CLAIM The same DOH statement stressed that “the latest data, as of January 4, confirms that Nevirapine has already been delivered to the 16 treatment hubs to meet the requirements for February-April 2019. For Lamivudine/Tenofovir, a month’s supply has also been delivered to Regions X, VI and I. The rest of the regions will expect deliveries within this week.” Noticeably, the DOH statement responds to issues only this January, even if this concern has been circulating in the PLHIV community since 2018, and only peaked now. There are fewer ARV refills now. If, in the past, the usual practice is for hubs to give PLHIVs three bottles of ARV to last them for three months, a growing number are now complaining about the supply being cut to one month in numerous hubs – e.g. there’s that post in RITM’s pharmacy. Some allege that they are even supplied ARVs just for a week or even just for three days. Due to the ARV shortage that the DOH is not outright confronting, expired medicines are allegedly being given to PLHIVs – as in the case of Xander. Also due to the ARV shortage, the medication of a number of PLHIVs are allegedly being changed not because it’s medically sound, but because their usual medicines are not readily available. In Mandaluyong City, there are PLHIVs who claimed to have been told to use Lamivudine/Tenofovir/Efavirenz because it’s the only available ARV. If they refuse to do so, then they will have to stop taking their usual medications until such time when the delivery of supplies are normalized again. To allow the DOH to respond to these claims, Outrage Magazine repeatedly reached out to the government body. Upon calling the media relations unit (at +63 2 651-7800 loc. 1126), we were turned over to the office of Dr. Gerard Belimac (+63 2 651-7800 locs. 2355, 2352, 2354). Five attempts were made to speak with Belimac or any other authority in his office, but he has been unavailable at those five times; and even after leaving requests for a statement from him on the ARV shortage, as of press time, the publication has not heard back. As this is a continuing story, coordination will continue to – eventually hopefully – extensively hear from the DOH on this issue. The DOH statement also stated that it is “working closely with our suppliers to ensure that there are no gaps in our supply chain. In fact, we are waiting for deliveries of an additional 12,375 bottles of Nevirapine good for another three months and 7,024 bottles of Lamivudine/Tenofovir good for another two months.” READ: Technological advancements up to present day The DOH also claimed that it is continuing to explore “for more partners in providing excellent support for Filipinos living with HIV-AIDS and in ending the deadly disease.” As if wanting to pacify the complaining PLHIVs, the DOH statement transferred to responsibility to “HIV doctors to explore possible options”, or visit Facebook page (PLHIV Response Center) or email dohnaspcphiv@gmail.com. Note the use of a gmail account for a body with millions in budget. No investigations on where the errors in the supply chain is happening so that these can be fixed is forthcoming. No one being held accountable here. THE NEED TO GO BEYOND LIP SERVICE Incidentally, Article V, Sec. 33 of the newly signed HIV law states: “The DOH shall establish a program that will provide free and accessible ART and medication for opportunistic infections to all PLHIVs who are enrolled in the program… A manual of procedures for management of PLHIV shall be developed by the DOH.” The IRR is not even there yet, but this mandate to provide life-saving meds is now already cast in doubt. Xander – who only had a refill of his ARVs – said that many like him who posted about this issue online were told to stop doing so “because we are supposedly creating panic among PLHIVs.” He now says that people who cover up this issue are “as worse as those paid to work on this issue. Because if you go to the HIV community, we’ve long lived with worrying that our meds may not be given us at any moment. If some people think complaining about this is wrong, then they shouldn’t be in HIV advocacy, but work as PR people of those failing to do their jobs.” In the end, “this needs to be resolved fast. Enough with discussing semantics on what we’re having is a shortage or a stockout; the fact remains that there are PLHIVs not getting their supplies. Lives are at stake. So supply the ARVs; now.” SEARCH OUTRAGEMAG.COM #KaraniwangLGBT3 days ago LIFESTYLE & CULTURE3 days ago It’s 2020, time to teach teens ‘safe’ sexting Health & Wellness3 days ago Having less sex linked to earlier menopause Transgender students face higher levels of substance abuse NEWSMAKERS5 days ago POZ5 days ago Hidden sexual-arousal disorder can compromise mental health Travel1 week ago 4 Ways to get around while vacationing in Washington D.C. Technology3 weeks ago Tinder is a waste of time for most people NEWSMAKERS3 weeks ago Community sewing center for Quezon City women Health & Wellness2 weeks ago Depression and suicide risk linked to air pollution LOVE AFFAIRS2 weeks ago FEATURES4 weeks ago Travel4 weeks ago POZ3 weeks ago Having to defend one’s sexuality increases fear of childbirth #KaraniwangLGBT1 week ago #KaraniwangLGBT1 month ago Travel1 month ago FEATURES2 months ago #KaraniwangLGBT2 months ago ‘Kitilin ang diskriminasyon’ Travel2 months ago Surrounded by art NEWSMAKERS3 months ago Divided US Supreme Court to decide whether Civil Rights Act should also protect LGBT workers Coastal appeal LIVING HISTORY2 weeks ago Marriage equality, trans rights upheld in Costa Rica © FRINGE PUBLISHING. All rights reserved.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363180
__label__cc	0.529858	0.470142	North Texas Presbyterians vote to ease rules on gay clergy Added by Kelli Busey on April 1, 2009. Posted by Thomas Squiers on “Walking With Integrity” original source By SAM HODGES / The Dallas Morning News samhodges@dallasnews.com “In a break from the past, North Texas clergy and lay leaders of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) have voted to ease the way for ordination of openly gay pastors, deacons and elders.” “Clergy and lay leaders of Grace Presbytery – the regional body covering 177 churches in North Texas and other parts of the state – voted Saturday to remove constitutional language requiring that ordained officers maintain “fidelity within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman or chastity in singleness.” ”The vote was 203-182 in favor of the change, with six abstensions, said Rob Allen, spokesman for Grace Presbytery.” “The issue has come up in previous years, and Grace Presbytery has voted in favor of maintaining the barrier to ordination of gay pastors, deacons and elders.” Full Story at Dallas Morning News	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363183
__label__wiki	0.869311	0.869311	The death of Robert Neill March 2, 1913 kjehan March 2, 1913 By the death of that once popular player, Robert Neill, at his residence in Govan, a link that binds the present Rangers Coroner’s Inquiry into the death of John Parkinson December 22, 1911 kjehan December 22, 1911 An inquest regarding the death of Mr. John Parkinson was held last night when a verdict of “Accidental Death, “ was returned. The death of Harry Nicholl August 21, 1911 kjehan August 21, 1911 The death is announce of Harry Nicholl, one of the best-known Irish International half backs of recent years. Whilst playing for Belfast The funeral of Mr. John Milne July 9, 1911 kjehan Sunday, July 9 – 1911 The funeral of the late Mr. John Milne, P.M., P.P.G.S., of West Kirkdale Lodge (No. 1,756); P.Z., P.P.A.G.S., Walton Chapter The funeral of Charles Athersmith September 22, 1910 kjehan September 22, 1910 The death of Charles Athersmith, the once famous Aston Villa right-winger and athlete, occurred at the residence of his mother (Mrs. Hancox) Death of a famous footballer Tuesday, September 20 – 1910 The death is announced of Charles Athersmith, the once famous Aston Villa forward, who played for England in a dozen The death of David Storrier January 27, 1910 kjehan January 27, 1910 The death occurred at Panmure Street, Arbroath, of Mr. David Storrier, the well-known footballer. Deceased had been in indifferent health for a The death of Frank Becton November 6, 1909 kjehan November 6, 1909 The death occurred at his residence in Villiers Street, Preston, on Saturday, after lingering illness, of an old North End player in Abe Hartley dies October 9, 1909 kjehan Saturday, October 9 – 1909 Abe Hartley, formerly a well-known footballer, who played for Dumbarton, Everton, Liverpool, and Southampton, died suddenly, on Saturday, at Southampton The death of John Herbert McLaughlin August 11, 1909 By the death of Mr. John Herbert McLaughlin, chairman of the Celtic Football Club, a well-known figure in Scottish Athletics has been The death of Malcolm McVean June 6, 1907 kjehan June 6, 1907 An ex-Dundee right winger in the person of Malcolm McVean has died at Bonhill, Alexandra, at the early age of 35. McVean Tragic end for William Walker Wednesday, January 23 – 1907 Footballers will regret to learn of the tragic death of Willie Walker, the veteran Leith Athletic player which took place The death of Sam McClure July 17, 1906 kjehan July 17, 1906 The death occurred at Blackpool on Tuesday of Sam McCure, the well-known footballer, and a member of the Blackburn Rovers team, from The death of John Middleton Campbell June 7, 1906 The celebrated Association football players, Johnny Campbell, who a few years ago was the foremost centre-forward in England, died suddenly on Thursday The death of Fred Bubb May 23, 1905 kjehan May 23, 1905 Great regret is expressed at the death of young Fred Bubb, who did so well in the Liverpool Football Club reserves last Jimmy Ross – The “little demon” is dead June 12, 1902 kjehan Thursday, June 12 – 1902 The announcement on Thursday that Jimmy Ross was dead came as a surprise, and caused a feeling of regret among Lincoln City’s former captain dies Saturday, November 9 – 1901 The news of the death of Quentin Neill in South Africa has caused much regret in Lincoln, in which town George Allan – As a rule he was a scrupulous player October 23, 1899 kjehan Monday, October 23 – 1899 No doubt to many the news of the death of George Allan, Liverpool’s late and great centre forward, came as James McBride passes away Thursday, May 25 – 1899 The death took place very suddenly yesterday at his home at Manchester of James McBride, a well-known Association footballer, formerly The death of Nick Ross August 7, 1894 kjehan August 7, 1894 We regret to announce the death of Nick Ross, who for many years has played at full back for Preston North End The inquest into the death of the Everton F.C. groundsman August 29, 1893 Inquest and verdict Yesterday afternoon, Mr. S. Brighouse, county coroner, held an inquest at the Spellow House Hotel, Walton, relative to the Former Everton player dies November 19, 1889 kjehan Tuesday, November 19 – 1889 We hear that Mr. Mike Higgins, until lately well-known in connection with the Everton Football Club, and late captain of « Previous Posts 1 2 3	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363188
__label__wiki	0.506054	0.506054	The Adriance Memorial Library is a Funding Information Network partner with the Foundation Center. The Foundation Center’s mission is to gather, analyze and disseminate information about foundations to organizations and individuals looking for grants. Adriance’s funding resources are available for use whenever the Library is open. Computers to access the Foundation Center’s databases are located in Adriance’s Reference Room on the Main Floor. Ask at the Reference Desk to be directed to the online resources and circulating print collection of books. Find Funders Come to Adriance, and use Foundation Directory Online Professional (FDO) for free in order to find funders for your nonprofit organization. This database is the Foundation Center’s premier searchable database containing many thousands of U. S. grant makers. Printing FDO records at Adriance costs $.15/page. It is also possible to save FDO records to a flash drive or to e-mail them. If you are currently in the Adriance Memorial Library building, click HERE for immediate access to FDO. Search the Mid-Hudson Library System online catalog for books and videos on issues and information pertaining to nonprofit corporations. For fundraising, planned giving, grant proposal writing, use the following subject heading: Nonprofit organizations-Finance For nonprofit boards, planning, executive director, communications, use the following subject heading: Nonprofit organizations-Management For directories of foundations and grant givers, use the following subject heading: Endowments-United States-Directories Use the Library Catalog’s Request-a-title option to request books and videos to be sent to the most convenient library for you to pick them up. Web Sites for Nonprofits “Advancing philanthropy through education, training and advocacy” Board Café “The monthly internet newsletter for nonprofit boards” Chronicle of Philanthropy News for nonprofit organizations, grant seeking, foundations, fundraising, managing nonprofit groups, technology and nonprofit jobs Provides public access to information about U. S. grant makers and philanthropy and on the grant seeking process “A unified site for interaction between grant applicants and the U. S. Federal agencies” “The leading source of information on U. S. nonprofits.” How to Start a Non-Profit Organization in New York Provides a detailed outline of the processes involved in establishing your organization, with links to agencies and forms. IRS Tax Information for Charities & other Nonprofits “Important Federal Tax information for non-profits” NYS Attorney General’s Charities Bureau Page Supervises charitable organizations in New York State New York Council of Nonprofits offering high-quality affordable technical assistance and more Resources for Nonprofit Financial Management-From the Wallace Foundation Detailed help is given, and policy and procedure recommendations offered. Getting a Grant To find out what is involved in getting a grant, go to the Proposal Writing Short Course and the Proposal Budgeting Basics course on the Foundation Center’s web site. Foundations rarely give grants directly to individuals. Private foundations usually give to nonprofit organizations that help individuals with services and programs. Use the Foundation Grants to Individuals Online (FGTIOL) database for free in the Reference Room at the Adriance Memorial Library to search for the few grants that foundations do give to individuals. Most of the grants to individuals in this database are for education, or for artists and writers. The book entitled Foundation Grants to Individuals is available at Adriance and other Mid- Hudson Library System libraries. This guide may be used at Adriance Memorial Library to find out how you can pay for graduate school or postgraduate studies: Money for Graduate Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences You may also find useful information in the online Foundation Center resource for individual grant seekers and the Foundation Center’s Page for Individual Grantseekers When an individual works under the “fiscal umbrella” of a nonprofit organization, it is called “fiscal sponsorship.” Search the Mid-Hudson Library System online catalog for books on fiscal sponsorship, or look at the Foundation Center web site’s FAQs on Fiscal Sponsorship and Guide to Fiscal Sponsorship.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363198
__label__cc	0.512595	0.487405	Lawyer: Prosecutor in former Sen. Ted Stevens' trial commits suicide CNN Senior Producer Carol Cratty (CNN) - One of the prosecutors who handled the corruption trial of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens committed suicide over the weekend, according to his lawyer. Justice Department prosecutor Nicholas Marsh and five others have been the subject of an investigation by the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility over their handling of the Stevens case, which the Justice Department ultimately dropped amid charges the government did not properly share evidence with Stevens' defense attorneys. The judge in the Stevens case also ordered a special prosecutor to look into it. Bob Luskin, an attorney for Marsh, told CNN Marsh killed himself but did not provide details. "It did seem he was overwhelmed by the emotional cost of this investigation," said Luskin. According to the attorney, Marsh was in his late 30s. Filed under: Ted Stevens Our deepest condelences to the family and friends of Nicholas Marsh for their loss. May fond memories of him help them cope during this difficult time. Alaska has become the go to State except that it's for nothing good. They have been hiding themselves, like most of them want to, for years. mcnasty pulled the half term governor from under a rock and now they are in the news constantly. stevens was a crook, she's a nut and miller is a liar and opportunistic sob. On the bright side . . . . . UFOs have been seen lately. Maybe they are trying to find the quitter to take her home. I hope they know that she is never in AK and they find her in whatever state she is spewing hate. We are headed to hell in a handbasket. The only way to kill a lizard is to smash it's head. To do this we must VOTE and elect the burger flipper at the diner downtown. That ;person may not know diddly but it will stop the neolibcon insanity. VOTE all of them out even if they bring home the bacon, we can live on grass for a while if we have to. Better than what we have.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363200
__label__wiki	0.647843	0.647843	Pontiac Theatre IV Carl Tenuta Scholarship Pontiac Theatre IV’s Production Disney’s Mulan, Jr ! By Admin on May 5, 2019 Pontiac Theatre IV”s next production, Disney’s Mulan, Jr opens Friday, May 10 for eight performances. The final four performances 17 (7:30 pm), 18 (2:00 matinee and 7:30 evening) and 19 (4:00 matinee), 2019 at the Michigan School for the Arts, Date and Time Changes for You Can’t Take It With You Due to facility conflicts, Pontiac Theatre IV has had to make a change to the dates and times for our upcoming production You Can’t Take It With You. There will be THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY at Central United Methodist Church, 3882 2019-2020 Annual Picnic The 2019-2020 Annual Picnic and election will be held on Saturday, August 10 at the home of lifetime members Dennis and Emily Barberi. Their address is 1567 Eason in Waterford. The picnic will begin at 2:00 pm with the board Theatre IV Announces Cast for You Can’t Take It With You Pontiac Theatre IV is pleased to announce The cast for You Can’t Take It With You by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, directed by AmandaJane Schade Rhodes! This production is presented through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. Pontiac Theatre IV Presents Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show By Admin on October 11, 2018 Pontiac Theatre IV is pleased to present our first main stage production, Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show, produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. The show will be presented for Three Weekends, October 26 and 27, November 2, Our Next Show – The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) Pontiac Theatre IV and Three Idiots Productions are please to present our next show The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) by Adam Long, Reed Martin, Austin Tichenor. We are especially pleased to continue our relationship with Pontiac Little 50 By IV Dinner Theatre – Sales Closed By Admin on April 25, 2018 Sales for the dinner theatre portion of 50 By IV have ended. There will still be show only tickets available at the door for $15.00 general admission and $5/00 for Pontiac Theatre IV members. 50 By IV – SATURDAY VENUE CHANGE Due to the ice storm this past weekend, we will not be able to perform our Saturday Night performance of 50 By IV at the Pontiac Creative Arts Center. They have a roof problem that will not be corrected for Final Weekend for Charlotte’s Web Pontiac Theatre IV wants to remind everyone about the final weekend our production Charlotte’s Web based on the beloved novel by E. B. White and adapted for the stage by Joseph Robinette. Charlotte’s Web will be performed at The Michigan Our 50th Anniversary Review! Pontiac Theatre IV is pleased to announce our 50th Anniversary music review, 50 By IV. 50 By IV will include songs from shows performed during our first fifty seasons as a community Theatre in Pontiac. The show will take place Carl Tenuta Scholarship (1) Tweets by @PontiacThtrIV Donations via PayPal are accepted (You do not need an account) 31035 Beachwalk Dr. info@pontiactheatreiv.com © 2018, Pontiac Theatre IV	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363202
__label__cc	0.595597	0.404403	© Screenshot from the film’s trailer 7 life lessons from Julia von Heinz’ I’m Off Then By Krizia Dela Cruz Krizia Dela Cruz We list down the things we learned from Julia von Heinz’ I’m Off Then, a film that garnered Devid Striesow a Jupiter Award for his portrayal of beloved German comedian Hape Kerkeling. READ: German Film Week at Ayala Malls Cinemas’ Glorietta 4 and Trinoma on September 22-27 1. Take a break. The movie stars Hape, an overweight and overworked comedian who, one day, passes out on the stage before performing.He talks about that feeling in your gut that tells you you should take a break. This serves as a reminder for all of us to respect our bodies’ capabilities and never compromise our physical health. 2. Fortune favors the bold. Hape’s plan to take on the pilgrimage to Camino de Santiago was risky. Especially if you factor in his poor health. But in the end, this pilgrimage helped him learn more about himself, the purpose of life and the existence of God. 3. Lose yourself in nature’s picturesque views. Our protagonist was on the right track joining the almost 500-mile hike to Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The movie featured stunning views of Southern France, Spain and more. Getting lost in nature’s picturesque landscapes will remind you how small your problems are, how small you are in the vastness of a universe with infinite possibilities. 4. Do a good deed for someone else. During the retreat, Hape sees a striking vandalism- “You+Me”. It prompts him to help Lena, who was initially an enemy. It raises the question: why are we always so fixated on our own lives when we can concentrate our efforts outwards and do a kind deed for someone else? 5. Find inner peace by writing things down. Write things down on a small notebook, just like Hape’s red Leuchtterm. It helps one to make sense of their thoughts, ideas and feelings. In fact, a writing exercise called “morning pages” aids in decluttering one’s mind. The practice helps when it comes to dealing with creative blocks. The idea is to fill up three pages of your journal once you wake up. No need to worry about editing or censoring yourself since its purpose is to filter your worries away. 6. Just as you are about to give up, remember why you wanted to do this in the first place. Ever feel like quitting in the midst of a long, arduous journey? Hey now, hey now, don’t dream it’s over! Remember your purpose. Towards the end of the film, we find out that Stella joins the pilgrimage in honor of her daughter, who died due to a terminal condition. Hape reminds her of this, and she is encouraged to continue the long hike. 7. Laugh with friends. Our hero splurges on proper lodging so he can eat, drink and be merry with his new-found friends. I’m Off Then was screened at Ayala Malls Cinemas in Glorietta 4 and Trinoma during German Film Week’s run on September 22-27. Check out SureSeats.com and Goethe Institut’s official website and Facebook page for more details. #GermanFilmWeekPH German Film Week German Film Week 2016 Goethe-Institut I'm Off Then Julia von Heinz The Witcher series prompts over 500,000 reprints of Andrzej Sapkowski’s books One of the Year’s Best Films ‘1917’ Arrives in PH Cinemas this February It’s Peter to the Rescue in the New ‘Peter Rabbit 2’ Trailer Artist turns these Hollywood celebrities into live-action Disney characters	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363203
__label__cc	0.742344	0.257656	The 621st meeting of the Council of the County of St. Paul No. 19 was called to order by Reeve Steve Upham at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 10, 2013 at the County Office in St. Paul, there being present the following: Kyle Attanasio Municipal Intern Absent: Glen Ockerman Motion to approve the minutes of the August 13, 2013 Council Meeting as presented. Motion to table the Bank Reconciliation for the month ending August 30, 2013 to September Public Works Meeting. The following additions were made to the agenda: 7.25 St. Paul Champions for Change 4th Annual Harvest Ball 7.26 Partners in Excellence 2013 Conference & Trade Show 7.27 Request to Purchase Truck for LARA under County's Fleet number 7.28 St. Paul Fire Department - Request for 20 Yards of Cold Mix 7.29 Request for School Bus Sign along Secondary Highway 646 7.30 2013 Municipal Fall Election Pay Schedule 7.31 Funding Request from Alberta Beef Producers for Survey 7.32 2013 Elk Point Emergency Services Golf Tournament Motion to adopt the agenda for the Regular Meeting of Council for September 10, 2013 with the above noted additions. Bylaw No. 2013-26 - Unsightly Conditions Bylaw 1.UnsightlyConditionsBylaw.pdf Motion to give first reading to Bylaw 2013-26, which is a Bylaw for the Regulation of Unsightly Properties within the County of St. Paul. Motion to give second reading to Bylaw 2013-26. Motion to present Bylaw 2013-26 at this meeting for third reading. Motion to give third reading to Bylaw 2013-26. Request for improvements on TWP RD 560 1.Denega August 2103.pdf Councillor G. Ockerman entered the meeting at 10:10 a.m. Motion to ratify the letter to Mr. Ken Denega denying his request for dirt work where the County cancelled a portion of road on Range Road 83 as there are many areas in the County where a road was built on a different alignment than the original road from many years ago. 10:30 a.m. - St. Paul RCMP Corporal James Morton, Watch Commander from the St. Paul Detachment, was admitted to the Council Room at 10:30 a.m. Corporal Morton presented the quarterly update. He then discussed how they are changing the way things are being done and are working on being more visible in the public. Council discussed the Municipal Parks and thanked Corporal Morton for their efforts there. The delegation left the Council Room at 11:00 a.m. Councillor Fodness left the Council Room at 11:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. - Public Hearing - Bylaw No. 2013-35 - Amend LUB Rezone S 1/2 SW 35-56-7-W4 from Ag to CR(1) 1.2013-35 - Amend LUB - Rezone S 1 2 SW 35-56-7-W4.pdf Reeve Upham called the Public Hearing to order at 11:00 a.m. with all members of Council present, except Councillor M. Fodness. Krystle Fedoretz, Planning and Development, informed Council that the public hearing was advertised in accordance with section 606 of the M.G.A. and the adjacent landowners were notified. Krystle Fedoretz informed Council that the purpose of the public hearing is to discuss Bylaw No. 2013-35, which is a bylaw to amend the Land Use Bylaw as it relates to rezoning S 1/2 SW 35-56-7-W4 from Agricultural to Country Residential (1). Krystle read aloud the following written submissions in opposition to the proposed rezoning: I am currently a co-owner of the adjacent property at NW 35-56-7 W4M. I strongly object to the rezoning of the a/n property for residential purposes. As a family we have had gravel sales from our land bordering this property and hope to maintain future sales as the oil extraction continues in this area. This is a long term process that entails crushing and hauling gravel. The ensuing traffic, dust and noise are part of our commercial viability. It would be reasonable to assume the developer of this property would object to our commercial ventures and thwart any further business for us. There are five families affected by this possible motion. I request a moratorium on any residential development on this property for 10 years. At that time it would be reasonable to expect the gravel source to be exhausted and the land reclaimed as required. Ross and Gail Farewell I recently received a notice of a Public Hearing on Tuesday concerning the rezoning of property S 1/2 of SW 35-56-7-W4M to be held on September 10, 2013 at the county office in St Paul. I will be out of the country on that day and am therefore sending by mail my strongest possible objection to rezoning this property from Agricultural to County Residential. I am a co-owner of the property NW 35-56-7-W4M adjoining the proposed rezone property S 1/2 of SW 35-56-7-W4M where we have had agricultural and commercial interests for many years. In recent times this land has been used for cattle pasture and other agricultural purposes. In addition, our property is the source of a valuable gravel resource, of which I understand is urgently needed by several counties and by the oil and gas industry in northeastern Alberta generally. Both agricultural use and gravel development on our property are inconsistent with the proposed residential development. I can well imagine that the county would not want to prevent commercial development in the area (tax revenue, etc.). There are other locations suitable for residential development in close proximity to Elk Point that would not conflict with agricultural and gravel commercial activity. I therefore, urge you in the strongest possible terms to reconsider rezoning this property. Marie Bibby, Co-owner As co-owner of a property in close proximity to the above property, I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed rezoning of the above property. The property at NW 35-56-7-W4 has been in our family for well over a half century. Over those many years it has provided pasture for large herds of cattle and a steady source of gravel. Today, that land continues to provide economic benefit for what are now five families. As oil extraction continues in the area, we anticipate the need for gravel will not only continue, but expand, well into the future and our property will continue to contribute to the livelihood of us and our children for years to come. I was quite surprised to hear that the property so close to ours is being considered for residential use. I can't imagine why someone would choose to develop a residential area in the middle of pasture across the road from a gravel pit. Raising and transporting cattle and crushing and hauling gravel are both dusty, noisy and odorous endeavors that are bound to cause problems for anyone living close by. In this case, residential use would not be a good fit with the current use of surrounding land. Given that I was only notified yesterday, I must admit I don't yet know what all rezoning for residential use would mean down the road and I really haven't had sufficient time to fully consider this matter. At this moment, I am very concerned that rezoning would be the first step on a slippery slope. Rezoning the adjacent property for residential use would allow for further action that limits, interferes or otherwise impinges on our long standing use of our property, and access to our property for that use. This would adversely affect our ability to continue to benefit economically from our land. This would not be fair or reasonable. As such, I must voice my strong objection to the passing of Bylaw 2013-35. Jean L. Edwards Diana Anderson - Also, co-owner of the property spoke in opposition to the proposed rezoning as they have a gravel pit on the adjacent property. She read her letter aloud to Council: I received the notice that the Council of the County of St. Paul No 19 is considering amending the Land Use Bylaw No. 2013·11 from Agricultural to County Residential One(1). I am a co-owner of the property located on NW-35-56-7-W4M which is adjacent to the land that you are considering for rezoning. I fully realize that the tax revenue generated from the proposed residential development will be much higher than what you are currently getting from agriculture taxation but ask that you consider the following: Our property has both aggregate and future re-estate value as the creek runs through the north end of the property and the golf course borders us from the east. It is our intent to extract the aggregate and once the land has been re-claimed to sell it for residential development. As you are aware, the oil patch is booming and gravel is in great demand, We have several parties interested in developing the aggregate potential and are very concerned that objections may be raised due the activity this would create. On this basis, I must object to the proposed re-zoning. However, when we receive a signed document from the County of St. Paul, that the owner/developer and future owners of the proposed residential area will not raise any objections or restrictions (traffic, noise, dust, environmental etc.) now or in the future to impede the development and access to the aggregate on our property, I would withdraw my objection and am reasonably certain my sisters would do so also. This response has been discussed and approved by my sister Evangeline Munns, who is also co-owner, and lives in Toronto and is unable to attend the meeting. Mrs. Anderson went on to state that she is not totally opposed to the proposed subdivision however is requesting that a condition be placed on the approval, stating that there are no objections to them using the access road to develop the aggregate on their property. They have not removed any aggregate from the property for a couple of years, but the potential is there to develop the aggregate. Albert Rachynski, with Rachynski Land Surveys, spoke in favor of the proposed rezoning. The landowners are looking to plan and develop for the long term and are open to conditions on the proposed development. Reeve Upham declared the public hearing closed at 11:16 a.m. The delegation left the Council Room. Councillor Maxine Fodness abstained from voting as she was absent during part of the public hearing. Councillor Maxine Fodness abstained from voting as she was absent during the public hearing. Motion to adjourn the meeting and proceed to Public Hearing scheduled for 11:00 a.m. to discuss Bylaw No. 2013-35, which is a Bylaw to amend Land Use Bylaw No. 2013-11 as it relates to rezoning S 1/2 SW 35-56-7-W4 from Agricultural to Country Residential (1). Motion to table this item until later during the meeting. Motion to give second reading to Bylaw No. 2013-35, as amended, with a correction to a typo on the bylaw. Motion to give third reading to Bylaw No. 2013-35, as amended. Motion that, at the time of development of the S 1/2 SW 35-56-7-W4, a restrictive covenant will be registered on title identifying the potential gravel operations on the NW 35-56-7-W4. 11:15 a.m. - Josh Morrow 1.Map.pdf Josh Morrow was admitted to the Council Room at 11:17 a.m. to request permission to use the Stoney Lake Campground road to access his property located at NW 26-56-5-W4. Mr. Morrow is proposing to develop a multi lot subdivision on that property, however before he proceeds with his plan, he will require access to the property. Following his presentation to Council, the delegation left the Council Room. Reeve Upham recessed the meeting at 11:55 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 1:00 p.m. with all members of Council present. Motion that administration approach Alberta Transportation regarding information on traffic counts along HWY 646, adjacent to NW 26-56-5-W4. 1:00 p.m. - Maurice & Aline Brousseau & Gilles & Eileen Boulianne 1.Request - Maurice Aline Brousseau.pdf Aline and Maurice Brousseau, Gilles and Eileen Boulianne and Albert Rachynski with Rachynski Land Surveys were admitted to the Council Room at 1:00 p.m. to request permission to close a statutory road between SW 22-58-11-W4 and SE 21-58-11-W4 and consolidate it with a parcel of land which is naturally fragmented by range road 113. Aline circulated a plan of survey showing the proposed subdivision approximately 10-12 acres in size. She advised that they are prepared to pay the advertising and survey fees but requested that Council consider waiving the administration fees and the cost of the land. Following the discussion, the delegation left the Council Room. Motion to proceed with the road cancelation on the north end of the statutory road located between SE 21-58-11-W4 and SW 22-58-11-W4 and that the landowners pay for the land as per County Policy as well as all surveying, advertising and associated costs. Alberta Recreation Parks Association Conference - Oct. 24-26 Motion to approve one Councillor to attend the Alberta Recreation & Parks Association Conference in Lake Louise on October 24-26, 2013. Synergy Conference - Oct. 28-30 1.Synergy Conference.pdf Motion to file the information on the Synergy Conference. AEMA Stakeholder Summit - Nov. 4-5 1.2013 AEMA Summit Agenda Draft.pdf Motion to approve the appropriate staff to attend the 2013 AEMA Stakeholder Summit on November 4-5, 2013 in Calgary. AAMDC Fall Convention - Nov. 12-15 Motion to approve Kyle Attanasio, Municipal Intern, to attend the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties Fall Convention from November 12 to 15, 2013 in Edmonton. Date for October Public Works Meeting Motion to reschedule to October Public Works Meeting to October 29, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. as per section 193(3) of the M.G.A. Date for November Council Meeting Motion to reschedule the November Council Meeting to November 19, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., as per section 193(3) of the M.G.A. Bylaw 2013-36 - Parking Bylaw 1.ParkingBylaw.pdf Motion to give first reading to Bylaw 2013-36, which is a Bylaw to provide for the control and regulation of the County`s municipal parking lot located at 5015- 49 Avenue, St. Paul, AB. Policy ADM-96 - Exit Interview Policy 1.ExitInterviewPolicy.pdf Motion to approve Policy ADM-96 as it relates to the establishment of an exit interview process for the purpose of ascertaining the reasons why employees elect to leave their employment with the County of St. Paul No. 19, as per the recommendations of the Policy Committee. Policy PW-97 - Light Efficient Community Policy 1.Light Efficient Community Policy.pdf Motion to approve Policy PW-97 as it relates to the implementation of LED technology for all future street light replacements and future installations, as per the recommendations of the Policy Committee. Policy PW-98 - Recreation Corridor Designation Policy 1.RecreationalCorridorDesignation.pdf Motion to approve Policy PW-98, as it relates to the establishment of a process whereby recreational corridors can become designated within the County of St. Paul No. 19, as per the recommendations of the Policy Committee. Policy ADM-99 - Council Naming Policy 1.CouncilNamingPolicy.pdf Motion to approve Policy ADM-99, as it relates to establishing the process by which Council can approve renaming of roads, parks, trails and municipal facilities, as per the recommendation of the Policy Committee. Bylaw No. 2013-37 - Amend LUB - Rezone PNW 19-60-9-W4 1.2013-37 - Amend LUB - PNW 19-60-9-W4.pdf 2.Rezoning Application PNW 19-60-9-W4.pdf Motion to table a decision on Bylaw No. 2013-37 until later during the meeting. Motion to give first reading to Bylaw No. 2013-37, to amend Land Use Bylaw No. 2013-11, as it relates to rezoning PNW 19-60-9-W4 from Agricultural to Country Residential (1). Increase Road Construction on Stark Road Motion to to increase the road construction on Twp Rd 583, N of 14-58-8-W4 by approximately .3 of a mile, located east of what was already approved. Paving in Ashmont - Streets Improvements Grant (SIP) Motion that the County hire Blue Star Paving to pave 155 metres along railway avenue in the Hamlet of Ashmont, starting at the back alley of main street and going east to first street, for a cost of $58,500. Motion to allocate the funding from the 2013 Streets Improvement Program to the Ashmont paving project which is 155 metres along railway avenue, from the back alley of main street going east to first street. Cost of the project is approximately $58,500. Use of Floatingstone Campground for ID VIP Team Group Weekend Motion to ratify the use of Floatingstone Municipal Campground by IDP VP from September 6-8, 2013 for their third Annual Harvest Moon Celebration, and in exchange they will provide entertainment at the 2014 Ashmont Canada Day Celebrations. Agreement with Landowner to Remove Screenings 1.Lease Agreement - Dechaine.pdf Motion to ratify the Agreement dated August 23, 2013 with the owners of NW 25-62-11-W4 to remove their screenings which were stockpiled on PSW 36-62-11-W4, which the County has a lease agreement on. Motion to extend the agreement by 2 weeks, to give the landowners extra time to remove their screenings from the lease area. Vermilion Beach Association - Request for Support 1.Letter - Vermilion Beach Assn.pdf Motion that administration send a letter to the Vermilion Beach Association advising that CNRL's proposed development in sections 14, 23, 26 and 35-56-4-W4 does not fall under the County's jurisdiction, therefore Council will not get involved in the approval process. Input on Maintenance and Service on Three Digit Highways 1.Survey - Maintenance and Service on Three-Digit (Secondary) Highways.pdf Motion to table the survey from the AAMD&C regarding the condition and maintenance of the three digit highways within our Municipality, to the Public Works Meeting. Renew Lease for St. Lina Recreation Grounds 1.Rec Lease - SE 29-61-10-W4 - St. Lina Rec Grounds.pdf 2.SE 29-61-10-W4.pdf Motion that administration send a letter to Alberta Environment & Sustainable Resources stating the County's desire to retain the lease on SE 29-61-10-W4 for use by the St. Lina Ag Society. Request from Mallaig Minor Hockey for Assistance with Caretaker 1.Mallaig Minor Hockey.pdf Motion to enter into an agreement with Mallaig Minor Hockey to provide payroll services for the Mallaig Caretaker providing they agree to pay the employer portion of the payroll costs. Request for Funding - Williams' Haunted House 1.Williams Haunted House.pdf Motion to give a $200 donation to the Williams' Haunted House to help offset the expenses of hosting the annual halloween Spooktacular Event. Westcove Kennels - Contract for Boarding Stray Dogs 1.Contract for Boarding Stray Dogs-2013.pdf Motion to renew the contract for boarding stray dogs with Westcove Kennels for a one-year period commencing September 1, 2013. Office Space for Ambulance Staff Motion to proceed with the renovations in the lower level of the County office building to accommodate the ambulance staff. Motion to go in camera to discuss land, legal and staffing issues. Motion to refund the deposit for Lot 11, Block 7, Plan 0928675, as the purchaser is unable to fulfill their commitment to purchase the property due health reasons. Motion that administration send a letter to the owner of NW 13-57-6-W4 restating the county's position that Range Road 61, which crosses his property, is a public road and does not belong to the landowner. St. Paul Champions for Change Annual Harvest Ball Motion to approve a silent auction item for the St. Paul Champions for Change 4th Annual Harvest Ball fundraiser to be held October 5, 2013. Partners in Excellence 2013 Conf. & Trade Show Councillor Frank Sloan left the meeting at 1:56 p.m. Councillor Frank Sloan entered the meeting at 1:58 p.m. Motion to approve two Public Works employees to attend the Partners in Excellence 2013 Conference and Trade Show from Sept. 30 - Oct. 2 in Red Deer. Request to Purchase Truck under County Fleet Motion to purchase a truck under the County's fleet number for the Lakeland Applied Research Association (LARA) and they will refund the County for the purchase price of the vehicle. St. Paul Fire Department - Request for 20 Yards of Cold Mix Motion to supply the cold mix for the St. Paul Fire Department building and the Town of St. Paul will haul it and lay it on their parking lot. Requst for School Bus Sign on SH 646 Motion that administration send a letter to Alberta Transportation requesting that a school bus sign be erected in either direction along Secondary Highway 646 adjacent to NW 32-56-10-W4, as per the request of the landowner. 2013 Municipal Fall Election Pay Schedule Motion to set the pay schedule for the Deputy Returning Officers for the 2013 Municipal Election as follows: - $240 for Election Day - $0.52 per kilometer for mileage - $125 for training plus mileage Funding Request from Alberta Beef Producers for Survey Motion to approve a $269 donation for the Alberta Beef Producers to help offset the costs of conducting a survey to evaluate the average annual economic cost of wildlife to Livestock Producers, providing they include input from the County of St. Paul. 2013 Elk Point Emergency Services Golf Tournament Motion to sponsor one team at $400 for the 14th Annual Emergency Services Golf Tournament on September 21, 2013 in Elk Point. Motion to file the CAO Report as presented. Motion to cancel the lease on NE 2-62-12-W4 with Sherill and Dwayne Bull, as they did not comply with the condition in the lease which states that "any fencing that impacts other producers shall be completed to the County's satisfaction within 60 days of the commencement date of the lease or by July 15th of the first year of the lease". Motion to offer a lease on NE 2-62-12-W4 to the other interested party, with a condition that the fence must be completed by June 30, 2014. Councillor Sloan reported on the Ag/Industrial tour with MP Brian Storseth on September 5. Joint Health & Safety Committee Minutes 1.Joint Health Safety - June 14 2013 meeting.pdf Sept. 13 @ 9:30 a.m. - Zone Meeting - Whitecroft Hall, Strathcona County 1.Zone Meeting Agenda.pdf Sept. 20 @ 9:45 a.m. - AAMD&C MGA Consultation Workshop - Lower Level Sept. 20 - Beaver Cnty Service Centre Grand Opening 1.Grand Opening - Beaver County.pdf Motion to donate $80 to the Tofield/Ryley and Area Food Bank in lieu of a plaque congratulating Beaver County on the grand opening of their service centre, as per their request. Motion to approve the Council Fees for the Month of August, 2013 as circulated. Motion to file the listing of Accounts Payable as circulated: Batch Cheque Date Cheque Nos. Batch Amount 17141 August 7, 2013 17825-17858 $2,948,926.63 17166 August 15. 2013 17859-17945 $ 999,128.57 17175 August 21, 2013 17946-17978 $ 162,481.98 Motion to approve the budget to actual as of August 31, 2013. These minutes approved this 8th day of October, 2013.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363205
__label__cc	0.715273	0.284727	Ayzel, Georgy (2) Heistermann, Maik (2) Winterrath, Tanja (2) system (2) (remove) Optical flow models as an open benchmark for radar-based precipitation nowcasting (rainymotion v0.1) (2019) Ayzel, Georgy ; Heistermann, Maik ; Winterrath, Tanja Quantitative precipitation nowcasting (QPN) has become an essential technique in various application contexts, such as early warning or urban sewage control. A common heuristic prediction approach is to track the motion of precipitation features from a sequence of weather radar images and then to displace the precipitation field to the imminent future (minutes to hours) based on that motion, assuming that the intensity of the features remains constant (“Lagrangian persistence”). In that context, “optical flow” has become one of the most popular tracking techniques. Yet the present landscape of computational QPN models still struggles with producing open software implementations. Focusing on this gap, we have developed and extensively benchmarked a stack of models based on different optical flow algorithms for the tracking step and a set of parsimonious extrapolation procedures based on image warping and advection. We demonstrate that these models provide skillful predictions comparable with or even superior to state-of-the-art operational software. Our software library (“rainymotion”) for precipitation nowcasting is written in the Python programming language and openly available at GitHub (https://github.com/hydrogo/rainymotion, Ayzel et al., 2019). That way, the library may serve as a tool for providing fast, free, and transparent solutions that could serve as a benchmark for further model development and hypothesis testing – a benchmark that is far more advanced than the conventional benchmark of Eulerian persistence commonly used in QPN verification experiments.	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363207
__label__wiki	0.539148	0.539148	Utility of the Serum Cystatin C level for diagnosis of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people Satoshi Tanaka, Kei Ando, Kazuyoshi Kobayashi, Tetsuro Hida, Kenyu Ito, Mikito Tsushima, Masayoshi Morozumi, Masaaki Machino, Kyotaro Ota, Koji Suzuki, Taisuke Seki, Naoki Ishiguro, Yukiharu Hasegawa, Shiro Imagama Purpose. Osteoporosis is a common age-related disorder leading to increased bone fragility and risk of fracture. Early diagnosis of osteoporosis is a vital step in providing early therapeutic intervention. Serum cystatin C is a marker of early renal dysfunction, a predictor of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and an inhibitor of the differentiation of osteoclast precursor cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum cystatin C and osteoporosis. Methods. We enrolled 46 subjects who attended a health checkup and underwent measurement of bone status by quantitative ultrasound and determination of the level of serum cystatin C. A comparative study was conducted between those with and without osteoporosis for all subjects collectively and in two subgroups aged <65 and ≥65 years. Results. Serum cystatin C levels were strongly correlated with age, creatinine, and bone status data, with significant negative correlations with stiffness, T-score, and percentage of young adult mean. Among patients with osteoporosis, serum cystatin C was significantly higher even after adjustment for age and sex, whereas no significant difference was noted in creatinine. For patients aged ≥ 65 years, serum cystatin C was significantly higher in subjects with osteoporosis, although there was no significant difference in age between normal subjects and those with osteoporosis. Conclusions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between serum cystatin C and osteoporosis. Serum cystatin C is significantly higher in osteoporosis and in particular may be a useful marker for osteoporosis among middle and elderly people aged ≥ 65 years. Measurement of serum cystatin C can be carried out easily and may contribute to early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. BioMed Research International Tanaka, S., Ando, K., Kobayashi, K., Hida, T., Ito, K., Tsushima, M., ... Imagama, S. (2019). Utility of the Serum Cystatin C level for diagnosis of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people. BioMed Research International, 2019, [5046852]. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5046852 Tanaka, Satoshi ; Ando, Kei ; Kobayashi, Kazuyoshi ; Hida, Tetsuro ; Ito, Kenyu ; Tsushima, Mikito ; Morozumi, Masayoshi ; Machino, Masaaki ; Ota, Kyotaro ; Suzuki, Koji ; Seki, Taisuke ; Ishiguro, Naoki ; Hasegawa, Yukiharu ; Imagama, Shiro. / Utility of the Serum Cystatin C level for diagnosis of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people. In: BioMed Research International. 2019 ; Vol. 2019. @article{3bdc25f4bafa4fcaadffd87bd7ae3625, title = "Utility of the Serum Cystatin C level for diagnosis of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people", abstract = "Purpose. Osteoporosis is a common age-related disorder leading to increased bone fragility and risk of fracture. Early diagnosis of osteoporosis is a vital step in providing early therapeutic intervention. Serum cystatin C is a marker of early renal dysfunction, a predictor of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and an inhibitor of the differentiation of osteoclast precursor cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum cystatin C and osteoporosis. Methods. We enrolled 46 subjects who attended a health checkup and underwent measurement of bone status by quantitative ultrasound and determination of the level of serum cystatin C. A comparative study was conducted between those with and without osteoporosis for all subjects collectively and in two subgroups aged <65 and ≥65 years. Results. Serum cystatin C levels were strongly correlated with age, creatinine, and bone status data, with significant negative correlations with stiffness, T-score, and percentage of young adult mean. Among patients with osteoporosis, serum cystatin C was significantly higher even after adjustment for age and sex, whereas no significant difference was noted in creatinine. For patients aged ≥ 65 years, serum cystatin C was significantly higher in subjects with osteoporosis, although there was no significant difference in age between normal subjects and those with osteoporosis. Conclusions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between serum cystatin C and osteoporosis. Serum cystatin C is significantly higher in osteoporosis and in particular may be a useful marker for osteoporosis among middle and elderly people aged ≥ 65 years. Measurement of serum cystatin C can be carried out easily and may contribute to early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.", author = "Satoshi Tanaka and Kei Ando and Kazuyoshi Kobayashi and Tetsuro Hida and Kenyu Ito and Mikito Tsushima and Masayoshi Morozumi and Masaaki Machino and Kyotaro Ota and Koji Suzuki and Taisuke Seki and Naoki Ishiguro and Yukiharu Hasegawa and Shiro Imagama", journal = "BioMed Research International", Tanaka, S, Ando, K, Kobayashi, K, Hida, T, Ito, K, Tsushima, M, Morozumi, M, Machino, M, Ota, K, Suzuki, K, Seki, T, Ishiguro, N, Hasegawa, Y & Imagama, S 2019, 'Utility of the Serum Cystatin C level for diagnosis of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people', BioMed Research International, vol. 2019, 5046852. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5046852 Utility of the Serum Cystatin C level for diagnosis of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people. / Tanaka, Satoshi; Ando, Kei; Kobayashi, Kazuyoshi; Hida, Tetsuro; Ito, Kenyu; Tsushima, Mikito; Morozumi, Masayoshi; Machino, Masaaki; Ota, Kyotaro; Suzuki, Koji; Seki, Taisuke; Ishiguro, Naoki; Hasegawa, Yukiharu; Imagama, Shiro. In: BioMed Research International, Vol. 2019, 5046852, 01.01.2019. T1 - Utility of the Serum Cystatin C level for diagnosis of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people AU - Tanaka, Satoshi AU - Ando, Kei AU - Kobayashi, Kazuyoshi AU - Hida, Tetsuro AU - Ito, Kenyu AU - Tsushima, Mikito AU - Morozumi, Masayoshi AU - Machino, Masaaki AU - Ota, Kyotaro AU - Suzuki, Koji AU - Seki, Taisuke AU - Ishiguro, Naoki AU - Hasegawa, Yukiharu AU - Imagama, Shiro N2 - Purpose. Osteoporosis is a common age-related disorder leading to increased bone fragility and risk of fracture. Early diagnosis of osteoporosis is a vital step in providing early therapeutic intervention. Serum cystatin C is a marker of early renal dysfunction, a predictor of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and an inhibitor of the differentiation of osteoclast precursor cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum cystatin C and osteoporosis. Methods. We enrolled 46 subjects who attended a health checkup and underwent measurement of bone status by quantitative ultrasound and determination of the level of serum cystatin C. A comparative study was conducted between those with and without osteoporosis for all subjects collectively and in two subgroups aged <65 and ≥65 years. Results. Serum cystatin C levels were strongly correlated with age, creatinine, and bone status data, with significant negative correlations with stiffness, T-score, and percentage of young adult mean. Among patients with osteoporosis, serum cystatin C was significantly higher even after adjustment for age and sex, whereas no significant difference was noted in creatinine. For patients aged ≥ 65 years, serum cystatin C was significantly higher in subjects with osteoporosis, although there was no significant difference in age between normal subjects and those with osteoporosis. Conclusions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between serum cystatin C and osteoporosis. Serum cystatin C is significantly higher in osteoporosis and in particular may be a useful marker for osteoporosis among middle and elderly people aged ≥ 65 years. Measurement of serum cystatin C can be carried out easily and may contribute to early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. AB - Purpose. Osteoporosis is a common age-related disorder leading to increased bone fragility and risk of fracture. Early diagnosis of osteoporosis is a vital step in providing early therapeutic intervention. Serum cystatin C is a marker of early renal dysfunction, a predictor of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and an inhibitor of the differentiation of osteoclast precursor cells. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum cystatin C and osteoporosis. Methods. We enrolled 46 subjects who attended a health checkup and underwent measurement of bone status by quantitative ultrasound and determination of the level of serum cystatin C. A comparative study was conducted between those with and without osteoporosis for all subjects collectively and in two subgroups aged <65 and ≥65 years. Results. Serum cystatin C levels were strongly correlated with age, creatinine, and bone status data, with significant negative correlations with stiffness, T-score, and percentage of young adult mean. Among patients with osteoporosis, serum cystatin C was significantly higher even after adjustment for age and sex, whereas no significant difference was noted in creatinine. For patients aged ≥ 65 years, serum cystatin C was significantly higher in subjects with osteoporosis, although there was no significant difference in age between normal subjects and those with osteoporosis. Conclusions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate an association between serum cystatin C and osteoporosis. Serum cystatin C is significantly higher in osteoporosis and in particular may be a useful marker for osteoporosis among middle and elderly people aged ≥ 65 years. Measurement of serum cystatin C can be carried out easily and may contribute to early diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. JO - BioMed Research International JF - BioMed Research International Tanaka S, Ando K, Kobayashi K, Hida T, Ito K, Tsushima M et al. Utility of the Serum Cystatin C level for diagnosis of osteoporosis among middle-aged and elderly people. BioMed Research International. 2019 Jan 1;2019. 5046852. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5046852	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363208
__label__cc	0.604541	0.395459	On constraining estimates of climate sensitivity with present-day observations Klocke, Daniel Emmy Noether Junior Research Group Cloud-Climate Feedbacks, The Atmosphere in the Earth System, MPI for Meteorology, Max Planck Society; IMPRS on Earth System Modelling, MPI for Meteorology, Max Planck Society; Quaas, Johannes Klocke, D., Pincus, R., & Quaas, J. (2011). On constraining estimates of climate sensitivity with present-day observations. Journal of Climate, 24, 6092-6099. doi:10.1175/2011JCLI4193.1. Cite as: http://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-000E-E9EE-1 The distribution of model-based estimates of equilibrium climate sensitivity has not changed substantially in more than 30 years. Efforts to narrow this distribution by weighting projections according to measures of model fidelity have so far failed, largely because climate sensitivity is independent of current measures of skill in current ensembles of models. This work presents a cautionary example showing that measures of model fidelity that are effective at narrowing the distribution of future projections (because they are systematically related to climate sensitivity in an ensemble of models) may be poor measures of the likelihood that a model will provide an accurate estimate of climate sensitivity (and thus degrade distributions of projections if they are used as weights). Furthermore, it appears unlikely that statistical tests alone can identify robust measures of likelihood. The conclusions are drawn from two ensembles: one obtained by perturbing parameters in a single climate model and a second containing the majority of the world’s climate models. The simple ensemble reproduces many aspects of the multimodel ensemble, including the distributions of skill in reproducing the present-day climatology of clouds and radiation, the distribution of climate sensitivity, and the dependence of climate sensitivity on certain cloud regimes. Weighting by error measures targeted on those regimes permits the development of tighter relationships between climate sensitivity and model error and, hence, narrower distributions of climate sensitivity in the simple ensemble. These relationships, however, do not carry into the multimodel ensemble. This suggests that model weighting based on statistical relationships alone is unfounded and perhaps that climate model errors are still large enough that model weighting is not sensible	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363209
__label__cc	0.70129	0.29871	New Terrace Homes Pre Release Projects Ready to move into today! Ask us to review a project Lutwyche Newstead and Teneriffe Redcliffe Peninsula Sunnybank & Sunnybank Hills Biggera Waters and Runaway Bay Tweed Coast Denman Prospect Gungahlin Decoding Property Jargon Search for independent and authentic reviews on every new project for sale in Brisbane. With plenty of both residential and commercial development on the horizon, Sippy Downs is certainly one of the Sunshine Coast suburbs we will be keeping a close eye on in the future. Located just off the highway, Sippy Downs in a rapidly developing region of the northern Sunshine Coast. Home to the University of the Sunshine Coast (the largest tertiary campus in the region), Sippy Downs has been earmarked to become one of the area’s most significant technology hubs. Use the right hand side configs to select the Projects Category you want to show at this Map. The map renders only at FrontEnd Median apartment price Median apartment rental value Median house price Median house rental value Bus, cycle paths Sippy Downs is perfect for students as it’s so close to the University of the Sunshine Coast. From Sippy Downs, the future Maroochydore CBD is only 10km away. There are several luxury apartment developments currently underway in the area due for completion in 2019. But remember that… Sippy Downs is at least 10-minutes drive away from the beach. Because of the proximity to the university, street parking on a lot of neighbouring streets is difficult. Location & Transport Situated just off the Sunshine Motorway, Sippy Downs is located towards the northern end of the Sunshine Coast. Brisbane is just over an hour away, and Noosa is 50 minutes in the other direction. To the east of Sippy Downs is Mooloolah River National Park, where you will find many walking tracks that lead you through pristine woodlands and open forests. The Maloolah River runs through this national park. Other attractions in the area include the Aussie World theme park, Bellingham Maze, and Kawana Shoppingworld which can all be accessed within around 10 minutes from Sippy Downs. One Tree Exterior (Render by Habitat Development Group) Sippy Downs is comprised primarily of young professionals, with 60% of the suburb’s demographic made up by DINKs (double income, no kids). The average age of the population is between 20 and 39, with over 45% of the suburb renting. This means rental demand is very high, and Sippy Downs has an incredibly low rental vacancy rate of just 0.5%, making the area a dream for investors. For those who live in the region, Sippy Downs provides a good base for work in retail, health care or construction, and these three occupations make up over a third of the population in the area. The new Sippy Downs Town Centre provides a large Coles for all your grocery needs as well as a number of local restaurants and eateries. Just 10-minutes away, The Esplanade at Mooloolaba has a thriving cafe scene with a myriad of options for delicious indulgences as well as some retail therapy at local boutiques. The latest Sunshine Coast Project Reviews See more Alpha Maroochydore: Penthouse-style apartments with riverfront views Read More Avalon: A new master-planned community next to the Maroochy River Read More Elevate on Buderim: Boutique apartments minutes from Buderim Village Read More The Rhythm on Beach: Maroochydore apartments with views in all directions Read More Beach Life Alex: New apartments with beach and park views Read More There are a number of local schools in the Sippy Downs area. For those who prefer public state schools, Chancellor State College takes students from prep to Year 12 and is located off Sippy Downs Drive. Siena Catholic Primary School and High School are also in Sippy Downs, with the campus also located on Sippy Downs Drive. Sippy Downs is the best place for university students to live on the Sunshine Coast as it’s home to the University of the Sunshine Coast campus. This university recently underwent an $81 million expansion and is set to be home to more than 20,000 students by the year 2020. There are several apartment developments in Sippy Downs at the moment, including One Tree, Botanica and Forest Edge, all on High Street. These three developments are all currently under construction and are being developed by Habitat Development Group. In the wider Sunshine Coast area, one of the major projects that will completely alter the region is the development of the Maroochydore CBD. Read more about the development here. Maroochydore City Centre. Render by SunCentral. Our most popular project reviews from Brisbane and the Gold Coast Mali Residences Mermaid Beach: Gold Coast luxury apartments Silk One: The best seats in Brisbane The Jasmine Apartments: New apartments close to the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre Parc Thornlands: Acreage within 30 minutes of Brisbane CBD Elysian Broadbeach: Beachside high-tech luxury apartments Atlas South Brisbane: Apartments located in Brisbane’s cultural hub Parc Sunnybank Hills: Townhouses on a large block ideal for families Parc Carindale: A boutique land development for families Brisbane Skytower: Brisbane’s tallest residential building GemLife Pacific Paradise: Over 50’s Luxury Resort Allure Chevron Island: Chevron Island’s latest apartment tower Clearview Urban Village: A nine-hectare estate in Seven Hills Kirkland Residences: New townhouses in Coorparoo Elevate on Buderim: Boutique apartments minutes from Buderim Village Sayre: New art deco inspired apartments in Windsor PropertyMash.com has every new project available for sale in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast on one website. Our professional journalists write a detailed and impartial review on each one – so you have the most up to date information at your fingertips. We think this will help you make a more informed purchasing decision…and save you a heap of time. It’s simply a better way to find, explore and buy new property. © Copyright 2019 - PropertyMash powered by Brightfox	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363215
__label__wiki	0.668074	0.668074	Home Article RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. It says something about my interests that of the three friends who gave me Christmas presents this year, two of them gave me multiple types of dried chili peppers and crushed chili powders. My yearning for heat, it seems, has gone from a preference to a definitional aspect of my personality. Insight into my addiction -- and mounting medical evidence suggests that it is exactly that -- comes from this Economist article. The key is capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers. The body reacts to it as an antagonist: The pulse speeds, the sweat glands open, the tear ducts kick into gear. Then the body relaxes. Endorphins spill into our system. We achieve a slight high. And like with any other high, repeated exposure increase tolerance. Recipes of yesteryear call for a small pinch of pepper. Newer models suggest you slice up a jalapeno. And many of us go rather further than that. But to go further than that, we need more capsaicin. Tesco, Britain’s biggest supermarket chain, recently added a new pepper to its vegetable shelves: the Dorset naga. Inhaling its vapour makes your nose tingle. Touching it is painful; cooks are advised to wear gloves. It is the only food product that Tesco will not sell to children. By the standards of other chilies, it is astronomically hot. On the commonly used Scoville scale (based on dilution in sugar syrup to the point that the capsaicin becomes no longer noticeable to the taster) it rates 1.6m units, close to the 2m score of pepper spray used in riot control. The pepper that previously counted as the world’s hottest, the Bhut Jolokia grown by the Chile Pepper Institute at the New Mexico State University, scored just over 1m. That in turn displaced a chili grown by the Indian Defence Research Laboratory in Tezpur, which scored a mere 855,000. The hottest habanero chilies score a wimpy 577,000. Get that? it has replaced a pepper grown by a defense research laboratory. I want. That said, it's always worth remembering that "spicy" and "hot" are not the same. Something can be hot without being spicy. It can have heat with no taste. That might ease your need for a fix, but it's not very satisfying.(Via Ben Miller, who not only gave me this article, but a bag of chiles, a bag of sichuan peppercorns, a bag of pink peppercorns, and various other tongue scorching gifts. Thanks Ben! Image used under a CC license from CMBellman.)	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363216
__label__wiki	0.523572	0.523572	Practice Areas OverviewDisability Insurance CasesSocial Security Disability ClaimsSupplemental Security IncomeShort-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance ClaimsDiscrimination MattersCivil Service Disability PensionUniform Civil Service Disability Claims: CorrectionsMatrimonial/Divorce LawPersonal InjuryReal Estate MattersCriminal CasesDisciplinary MattersEmployment LawFamily LawBusiness Immigration LinksClient's RightsAreas of Representation The Seelig Law Group Seelig Law Offices, LLC \| Seelig Dressler Ochani, LLC Contact Us New York City: 212.766.0600 Uniform Civil Service Understanding the Basics of New York Civil Service Disability Benefits Am I eligible for disability retirement benefits as an employee of the Department of Corrections? Fortunately, the financial security afforded by a disability pension through the State and City of New York is not limited solely to police officers and first responders. Other civil service employees are also entitled to certain benefits in the event of an on-the-job accident, injury or medical condition that precludes the continuation of work. From the Department of Corrections to the Department of Sanitation, a disability pension may be available to help offset the enormous costs of medical bills and lost wages incurred as a result of a career-ending injury. We encourage you to contact an experienced civil service disability attorney as soon as possible following your injury in order to assure greater likelihood of success. Types of civil service accident claims As a civil servant, there are generally two types of claims that can result in disability benefits. The first is known as a civil service accident, and is generally classified as a sudden, fortuitous, out- of- the-ordinary mischance that is injurious in impact, such as: Slip and fall while on the job Injuries while effecting an arrest Injuries while fighting a fire Harm caused by defective equipment Certain illnesses contracted by on-the-job exposure. Not all injuries at work qualify as accidents. Non-accidental injuries may also qualify for pension benefits. Typically they result in lesser monthly income than that of an accidental disability pension. For Correction Officers to win a 3/4’s pay disability benefit, the cause of the disability must be incurred as the natural and proximate result of an act of an inmate. The only circumstance under which a Correction Officer may be eligible for a 3/4’s pension beyond such an event is if they qualify for a presumptive bill pension, such as the Heart Bill, the Infectious Disease Bill, or the World Trade Center Bill. Navigating the tier system There are several tiers within the civil service realm that help dictate the extent of a claimant’s eligible benefits. Within the non-uniformed sector (i.e., workers other than police officers, firefighters, corrections officers, emergency medical personnel, and sanitation workers), there are six pension tiers, and generally the longer a claimant has worked for New York, the greater the benefit available. Likewise, the tier will also determine whether a contribution is necessary, and what formula should be used to calculate the total benefit amount. The process to obtain uniform civil service disability benefits in New York can be daunting, and we recommend seeking the assistance of a reputable attorney. For help, call the Seelig Law Offices at 212-766-0600. Newtown Police Officer Eligible For Disability Pay Are Psychological Ailments Considered A Disability? A police officer began to suffer from anxiety and depression after responding to the 2012 Newtown shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school. The officer has been on disability due to a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and has not worked since the day of the shootings when twenty children and six educators were killed. Newton’s police chief originally suggested firing the officer because he is unable to return to work. The chief later withdrew that statement, but brings to light the negative connotation those on disability face when they are unable to return to work because of an injury. This officer was one of many who responded to a horrific scene at the school that day. The officer originally supervised the evacuation of children from the school’s side doors but later went into the classroom where many of the children were shot dead by the gunman. The officer says the things he saw that day continue to affect his mental faculties and ability to adequately perform his job. The officer testified in front of Connecticut lawmakers during a General Assembly’s debate on granting worker’s compensation and disability payments to first responders suffering from PTSD. The town’s insurance company is responsible for paying 50% of the officer’s salary through June. The State Board of Mediation and Arbitration ruled the officer’s contract with Newtown requires the town pay the officer half of his salary until retirement. A first responder’s job often involves witnessing horrific accidents and crime scenes.. New York provides short and long-term disability when people become physically or mentally ill. But, filing for and successfully claiming disability can be tricky and tedious. The lawyers at Seelig Law Offices have years of experience helping people claim disability benefits and getting a maximum payment while the individual is unable to work. Contact our experienced New York City disability lawyers today at (212) 766-0600 for a consultation. NYC Mayor Proposes New Calculation for Disability Pensions I am a recently hired uniformed employee of New York City. Are there any proposed increases scheduled for my disability pension? Many of New York City’s uniformed officers rely on the availability of disability pension funds in the event of an unforeseen injury or disability. With the costs of living steadily rising and disability claims congruently increasing across the city, Mayor De Blasio recently unveiled his plan to recalculate the amount available for the city’s police, firefighters, and other workers enduring dangerous and hazardous work conditions. Under the new plan, which covers the New York Police Department, the Fire Department of New York, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Sanitation, the calculation of disability payments would rely on the employee’s final average salary or “basic maximum salary,” whichever happens to be greater. Moreover, the calculation would remove the offset currently in place to adjust for the payment of Social Security benefits. Lastly, De Blasio proposes an updated formula to adjust for cost of living expenses. Using several commonplace examples, the Mayor’s office explained that many of the city’s hardworking employees would see increases as high as 65 percent. Of course, the measure will require final approval by the New York General Assembly, which meets regularly in Albany. Currently, disability pensions are calculated using a tiered system based on the date the employee joined the pension system. This tiered system has caused significant conflict between the mayor and groups like the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and the Uniformed Firefighters Association. Another bill being considered by the legislature would restore 75% of disability pay to police and fire members. The bill should be amended to include uniform correction officers and sanitation workers. If you are a NYC employee and have questions about your disability benefits, we encourage you to contact the disability law attorneys at the Seelig Law Offices as soon as possible. You can reach our office by calling (212)766-0600 today. More Female FDNY Retirees Receive Disability Than Men What percentage of retired firefighters receive disability pension? According to a review of the New York City Fire Pension Fund’s 2014 financial report, as many as 70 percent of the former FDNY female workforce is receiving three-quarters disability pension payments in retirement. Among these women is Ms. Brenda Berkman, who broke the FDNY’s gender barrier and was among the first 41 female firefighters inducted in 1982. Today, however, Ms. Berkman suffers from several post-9/11 injuries, as she was one of the brave first responders – and worked Ground Zero for several months thereafter. The Pension Fund report included 30 retired female FDNY firefighters. Disability pension is paid to 22 of those retirees, or 73 percent, and 21 of those retirees receive an “accidental disability” pension after experiencing a job-related injury. That means 70 percent of all female retirees are getting an accidental disability pension, which represents 75 percent of the former employee’s final average salary. Following the release of the report, some experts weighed in on the issue and noted the apparently disproportionate number of disabled female retirees versus men, a group with a 63 percent disability pension rate. Some have questioned whether the academy is properly training females for the rigors of the job position, while others are concerned whether certain tactics used in emergency response efforts are too outdated or ineffective to avoid injury. The 9/11 tragedy triggered a swell in disability claims, ranging from severe respiratory issues to mental health conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder. Other women have suffered severe burns, irreversible orthopedic injuries and permanent lung damage. Of the 10,500 cadets serving in the FDNY, there are currently 44 active duty females – the most ever to serve since employment was opened to women in 1982. Civil service employees, including firefighters, turn to Seelig Law Offices, LLC, for valued advice and effective representation when pursuing disability claims. Our attorneys have the knowledge and experience needed to guide your case successfully. Contact us today at (212)766-0600 to learn more. New FDNY Recruits Face Diminished Disability Pay As a New York City Firefighter, am I entitled to a disability pension if I am injured on the job? The New York City Administrative Code recognizes that firefighting in New York City is highly dangerous by including a lifetime disability pension set at 75 percent of a firefighter’s final average salary. In a city with some of the country’s highest living expenses, this protection against financial crisis following an on-the-job injury is crucial to a firefighter's pre- and post-accident well-being. Unfortunately, new hires do not enjoy the disability pension benefits enjoyed by veteran/Tier 2 firefighters. According to a union representing firefighters, the reduced benefits amount to only $27 per day. These newly-hired firefighters were recruited to add diversity to the department, and there are many African-American, Hispanic and female new hires. Now, the union claims the disability policy is discriminatory. The most recent tier of reduced pension benefits came about following a veto to extend tier 2 benefits by former Governor Paterson. At that time, finances precluded extending the status quo of pension benefits to firefighters and some other municipal and state employees. The ensuing cost cutting measures include these reduced pension costs. Mayor de Blasio's office cited fiscal concerns, stating that it would cost $40 million to provide every firefighter a 75 percent disability pension. That is precisely what UFA President Steve Cassidy is advocating for his members. Hundreds of firefighters protested recently at City Hall demanding that the pension law be rewritten. The attorneys at Seelig Law Offices have the knowledge and experience needed to help you with any disability case. We regularly assist FDNY members who were injured on the job, as well as handle other uniform civil service and non-uniform civil service disability claims. Contact us today at (212)766-0600 for a consultation. Police Officers and World Trade Center Injuries Can Police Officers and Other Emergency Responders Obtain or Increase Disability Benefits Almost 15 Years After the Attacks? Most Americans are familiar with the extensive funds amassed by various organizations for the victims of the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. While much of this money was dispersed as intended, the majority of it went to individuals who were lost or injured inside the towers on the day of the attack. For hundreds of 9/11 emergency responders who suffered, and for their families, financial recourse for injuries and fatalities has come mainly from municipal pension plans and various private and work-related insurance policies. Obtaining lump sum or ongoing compensation immediately following an accident can be difficult. Obtaining it more than a decade after the event can be even more challenging. But if a World Trade Center emergency responder experiences new, ongoing or increasing injury symptoms resulting from 9/11, he or she can pursue compensation. An example of this type of case is one involving former NYC police officer Annmarie Sheldon. Ms. Sheldon spent 300 hours at Ground Zero in 2001, after which her health deteriorated rapidly. Under World Trade Center presumption laws, she pursued accidental disability retirement benefits from the Police Pension Fund. Fund administrators denied her request, stating there was no link between her 9/11 service and health problems. Ms. Sheldon appealed. Earlier this month, a judge found in favor of Ms. Sheldon, stating that the evidence shows that she “did not have fibromyalgia before September 11, 2001” and that her disabling condition developed “in the wake of her WTC exposure.” As a result of her case, Ms. Sheldon will receive an additional $2,500 per month for her WTC-related injuries. If you are a police officer, firefighter or other type of emergency responder currently facing injuries or questions relating to your World Trade Center service, make sure your rights to financial compensation are fully protected by contacting the New York City disability attorneys of Seelig Law Offices, LLC, in Manhattan. We have successfully fought for the rights of hundreds of injured NYC workers. Call (212)766-0600. Police Officer Allowed to Fight Denial of Disability Benefits in Court of Appeals If you are a uniform civil service member, is an agency denial of disability benefits final? When it comes to New York City police, firefighters and other uniform civil service members, those injured on the job are usually entitled to some type of disability benefit. These benefits come in grades and trouble often arises when a civil servant requests that his or her disability benefits be increased in some way. One New York Police Department (NYPD) Officer has recently been involved in just this type of litigation. In 2008, a fire erupted in a New York City apartment building. Officer Robert Pastalove arrived at the scene and immediately ran into the burning building to alert the occupants. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) arrived and as Pastalove exited the building he was instructed to move his car. As he walked over to his car, two hoses laid out by firefighters unexpectedly filled up with water, causing Pastalove to trip. He sustained injuries to his hand and wrist as a result of the fall. Pastalove applied for and was granted ordinary disability benefits from the NYPD. After some time, he applied for a type of enhanced benefits from the department. The New York City Police Pension Fund Board of Trustees took a vote and tied. Following standard procedure, the tied vote caused the Board to deny Pastalove’s request. Pastalove then brought an Article 78 proceeding in the Manhattan Supreme Court. The court denied the petition and the denial was affirmed by the Appellate Division First Department. But, the court later granted Pastalove leave to appeal the First Department’s decision to the New York State Court of Appeals. One justice of the Appellate Division noted that a decision like this could cause our first responders to be more reluctant to do their jobs as they might fear being injured and left without enhanced benefits. It will be interesting to see whether the Court of Appeals agrees with this assessment. If you are a police officer, firefighter or any other type of civil service worker, and were injured on the job, you might be entitled to disability benefits. The New York City attorneys at the Seelig Law Offices regularly fight for the rights of injured workers. Contact us by calling (212)766-0600 for a free consultation today. Can I Get Both Workers' Comp & Social Security Disability? Am I Eligible for NYSLRS Benefits? On Throwing Starfish: Helping Adults Disabled Before the Age of 22 Tap into the Benefits They Need Report Reveals Disabled Workers In NYC Paid 20% Less SSD and Migraines Qualifying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) The Benefits of Setting Up a my Social Security Account Beware Scammers Impersonating Social Security Personnel Avoiding SSD Fraud How to Hire a Disability Benefits Lawyer Discrimination Matters NYSLRS Benefits SSDI Why Does Social Security Disability Care About My Past Jobs? Social Security Disability Benefits and Parkinson’s Disease Over 2,000 Americans Have Died Awaiting Social Security Hearings Understanding Long Term Disability Denials in New York Tips for Applying for a Social Security Disability Expedited Reinstatement Unemployment Rates for Disabled Americans Remain High How These Social Security Rule Changes May Affect Your Case Contingent Workers Could Be Eligible for Social Security Disability Benefits Disability Insurance Program Eligibility Can You or Should You Try to Work After Filing for Social Security Disability Benefits? Are Social Security Benefits Taxable? How do I Know What Illnesses are Covered by Social Security Disability? What Medical Conditions Qualify for Social Security Disability or SSI? SSA Reinstates Reconsideration in New York and 9 Other States SSD Applicants in Syracuse, New York Face Two Year Waits $3.5 Million Settlement Highlights Issue Of When Pregnancy May Be A Disability - Have You Faced Pregnancy Discrimination? Comparing SSD vs. SSI Should You Hire an Attorney to Help With Your Social Security Disability Claim? Seeking Benefits for Your Disabled Adult Child Can I Get SSDI or SSI for Depression? Collecting Social Security Before the Age of 62 What is the Income Limit for Social Security Disability in 2018? SSD and COPD How Might the New SSA Regulations Affect Your Case? Social Security Disability and Hearing Loss Seven Social Security Disability Mistakes and How to Avoid Them How Do I Qualify for Social Security Disability in New York? Winning Your SSD Hearing Understanding the Social Security Disability Appeals Process Unable to Work? You Could Be Entitled To Supplemental Benefits Should I Take a Lump Sum Payout in a Long Term Disability Lawsuit? SSD and Heart Conditions 10 Things You May Not Know About Long-Term Disability in New York SSD Claimants Routinely Wait Four Years for Benefits Work Credits for SSDI Can A Disabled Person on SSDI Have An S-Corp or LLC? SSD and Mental Illness Do I qualify for Disability Insurance if I am Self-Employed? Can I be Fired While on Long Term Disability? Preparing for the SSD Hearing Qualifying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits Wait times for Social Security benefit appeals leave people in limbo Exploring Social Security Spousal Benefits and Auxiliary Benefits 5 Ways The Americans With Disabilities Act Can Help You Dealing With a Sudden Disability Are My Disability Payments Taxable? Understanding the Listing of Medical Impairments I’m Receiving Social Security Disability - Can My Family Receive Auxiliary Benefits? SSDI v SSI: Which Benefits Should I Seek? Veterans - What You Need to Know About Social Security Disability Unraveling The Confusion With State and Private Short Term Disability Coverage SSDI Applicants Could Experience Delays Budget Cuts Could Be Coming to SSDI Can My Employer Demote Me Because I Became Disabled? What You Need to Know about the Medical Exam for Social Security Disability How to Lose at Your Social Security Disability Hearing - Top Behaviors to Avoid Long-Term Disability Benefits in New York What Illnesses/Injuries Are Covered By NY Disability Benefits Insurance? SSDI Benefits for Cancer Patients Do I Qualify For Social Security Disability Benefits? Do You Qualify for a Compassionate Allowance? Social Security Disability and Epilepsy Social Security Disability for Mental Impairment Reviews of Social Security Disability Benefits Atria Senior Living Settles Lawsuit Alleging Discrimination Against Deaf or Hard of Hearing Seniors SAVE Benefits Act May Help Social Security Beneficiaries Disabled New Yorkers Sue Over Hazardous Curb Cuts Landlord's Refusal to Pay for Bathtub for Disabled Tenant Proves Costly Civil Service Retirement Disability Receiving Social Security Disability Benefits for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Disability Lawsuit Targets Uber's Lack of Wheelchair Access Lawmakers Consider Expediting SSDI for People with ALS Suit by Former NFL Player Highlights Difficulty of Proving Disability from Brain Injuries Large Insurers Accused of Fraud in Denying Disability Claim PBA Pushing for Disability Benefit Parity for Newer City Cops Retired NYPD Cop Convicted of 911 Disability Fraud Reducing the Social Security Backlog—Will New Steps Help or Hurt? Improving Your Chances of Being Approved for SSDI Benefits Need Social Security Disability Benefits? Get in Line Claiming Social Security and Medicare Applying for SSI or SSDI NYC Mayor De Blasio Signs Bill Expanding Accessibility Laws for Disabled New Yorkers Interesting Facts about Social Security Disability Insurance Fighting for Job-Related Disability Payments -- an NYPD Cop's Long Struggle FAQ: Understanding Recent Changes to Social Security Claiming Strategies Social Security Projections Miss the Mark A Safety Net for Society’s Neediest The Urban Legend of Disability Fraud New Study Demonstrates Hiring Bias Against Disabled How the Social Security Administration Classifies Disability Based on Respiratory Disease or Injury Richard Seelig Selected as 2015 Super Lawyers Rising Star Social Security Disability: General Qualification Information Bronx Woman Files Discrimination Allegations Over Transit Authority's Refusal to Allow Therapy Dog Onboard Congress Considers Proposal to Raise Social Security Benefits State Earmarks $7 million to Help New Yorkers Denied Federal Disability Benefits Public Protests Highlight Possible Disability Discrimination in Ridesharing Companies NYC Council Aims to Assist Taxi Drivers in Obtaining Rightful Benefits & Employment Status Effect of Divorce on Claims for Social Security Retirement Benefits Federal Government Restores Hundreds of Wrongfully-Denied Disability Claims Understanding the Difference Between Short-term and Long-term Disability in New York SSDI Benefits Are In Danger of Shortfall Seelig Law Offices, LLC © 2020 Seelig Law Offices, LLC \| Attorney Advertising 299 Broadway, Suite 1600, New York, NY 10007 \| Phone: 212-766-0600 Practice Areas Overview \| Disability Insurance Cases \| Social Security Disability Claims \| Supplemental Security Income \| Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance Claims \| Discrimination Matters \| Civil Service Disability Pension \| Uniform Civil Service Disability Claims: Corrections \| Matrimonial/Divorce Law \| Personal Injury \| Real Estate Matters \| Criminal Cases \| Disciplinary Matters \| Employment Law \| Family Law \| Business Immigration \| \| Staff \| Resources \| News Attorney Website Design by © Seelig Law Offices, LLC \| Disclaimer / Attorney Advertising \| Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. 299 Broadway, Suite 1600, NY 10007 \| Phone: 212-766-0600 Legal Website Design by Zola Creative	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363220
__label__wiki	0.804344	0.804344	Tag Archives: teasers Fill up on Dallas’ PR stunt I wonder how many PR agencies have come up with the idea to launch a petrol station – offering cheap fuel – to promote a prime time TV programme? Answer – one. To celebrate the launch of Dallas returning to the small screen this week, US TV network TNT launched Ewing Energies – in honour of ‘oil man’ character JR Ewing – for Manhattan consumers to fill up their cars for just $1.98 per gallon. Up to $2 per gallon cheaper than anywhere else in the area, it’s no surprise that motorists were queuing two blocks away to take advantage of the one day deal. TNT launched the stunt with a video, where JR tells fans that the offer makes good business sense. And, as one of the most powerful people in America, he can make it happen. What I like about it, is that the video is ‘on message’ with the soap, adding drama and intrigue around the new series, but interesting and fun at the same time. It’s also effective because it has a short shelf-life. It propels a call to action, with consumers knowing that if they miss this, they miss out. The video, hosted on the Dallas’ Facebook page which has over 1.4m fans, generated over 1,000 likes. And images of the man behind JR, Josh Henderson, pushed that figure to more than 13,000. It’s an active Facebook page that acts in the form of JR’s diary, encouraging people to comment on what they’ve just viewed and forthcoming teasers. It’s also completely different to the way it runs Twitter, so it was right to make the most of the stunt on that social media channel. All in all, I think it’s a fantastic idea, engaging with new and existing soap fans by bringing TV to life. Although it’s not yet known how many viewers the PR activity brought in, TNT has many more tricks up its sleeve. Next month, JR is also set to launch a range of Bourbon. What do you think? Does this campaign make you want to reach for the remote? It’s a formula that we could see open up in the UK. Just think: The Queen Vic opening up in Shoreditch BBC bosses have recently been complaining that E20 no longer represents trendy East London. So, why not connect with new viewers by launching a cheap bar? Content could be used in its online mini-series, that runs alongside the show, giving customers the chance to be on TV. Doctors to offer free check ups Members of the show could chat to people who are in line for a free health check up – blood pressure or cholesterol etc – to make them feel at ease. Linking in with a medical brand or pharmacy, discounts could be offered on certain products. Meet Mr Selfridge To coincide with Selfridge’s next milestone anniversary, the cast from the hit ITV show could attend an exclusive party at the flagship store, of which part of it would be re-designed in the style from the 1900s. ITV could then launch a competition giving viewers the chance to win tickets to the champagne reception, maximising coverage opportunities and generating talkability. BBC and ITV – talk to me. Tags: actor, agencies, America, anniversary, bar, blood pressure, bourbon, brand, call to action, car, cast, champagne, channel, chat, check up, cholesterol, competition, coverage, customer, Dallas, Diary, Doctors, drama, E20, Eastenders. BBC, engage, Ewing Energies, exclusive, Facebook, figure, flagship, formula, fuel, gallon, gas, health, idea, image, ITV, Josh Henderson, JR, JR Ewing, launch, likes, Manhattan, medical, mini series, motorists, Mr Selfridge, network, oil, online, party, petrol, pharmacy, photo, PR, Prime Time, Queen Vic, reception, remote, series, Shoreditch, soap, social media, stunt, talkability, teasers, tickets, TNT, TV, Twitter, US, video, view, who shot JR Categories Brands, Events, Marketing, PR, Social media, TV	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363221
__label__cc	0.6893	0.3107	Tag Archives: world cup A perfect World Cup tweet gone wrong I’ve decided that when Taylor Swift first sang the words ‘I knew you were trouble when you walked in’ she was talking about one of two things: 1D’s Harry Styles or the perils of social media. Social media is a bear trap for brands and the latest honey to lure them in is the World Cup. Put simply, if a tweet misses the net the person behind the shot will end up paying the price. Playing the hand you’re Delta On Monday night Delta Airlines decided to keep its 690,000+ followers updated on the final score of the USA (2) vs Ghana (1) match with this tweet. An ignorant stereotype On the outside this looks like a great tweet. It’s factual, engaging and makes the most of iconic photography. Look a little closer and you’ll see that it was all going so well until the company decided that the photo that best defined Ghana was a giraffe. Moments later, experts quickly pointed out that giraffes don’t live in Ghana (If you didn’t already know this go straight to jail. Do not pass go and do not collect £200.) In fact, with a bit of digging the experts discovered that this stock image had Kenya written all over it. (Well, you know what I mean.) So, there’s no reason, or excuse, for the Delta team to have got this one wrong. Not only does it make the brand look a little unworldly – believe me for a travel company that’s not the adjective you want to be associated with – but also a little uncaring. Cue the apology To right its wrong, Delta did the only thing it could do in this situation: issue a public apology. But, I can only imagine that its community manager was trembling with fear because it added an unnecessary step to its sorry note. It made a typo by referring to its ‘precious’ tweet (opposed to previous). I’ve previously said that if a link between a brand and an event isn’t obvious then they shouldn’t be wading into the conversation at all. Global events, like the World Cup, are not only notoriously difficult to generate cut-through, but when brands do get noticed it’s often because a mistake’s been made. Destroying the evidence Not that you’d ever know Delta had been issued a yellow card. The offending image has disappeared from the timeline and the airline has spent the last day ‘doing a Sainsbury’s‘ by directly apologising to its critics. Perhaps I’m not giving Delta enough credit. It may have been completely in control of this risky stunt. But, it’s not one that I’d ever recommend. Tags: 1D, adjective, Airlines, apology, associate, bear, brand, community, company, conversation, critics, cut-through, Delta, dig, do not collect £200, do not pass go, event, expert, FIFA, follower, football, Ghana, giraffe, goal, Harry Styles, honey, i knew you were trouble when you walked in, ignorant, jail, Kenya, link, manager, match, mistake, Monopoly, net, one direction, person, photo, pop, price, prison, recommend, risk, Sainsbury's, sang, score, shot, sing, singer, social media, sorry, star, stereotype, stock image, stunt, Taylor Swift, team, trap, trouble, tweet, typo, uncaring, unworldly, USA, world cup, yellow card Categories Brands, Events, Marketing, PR, Social media, Top news Royal Mail fails as brands attempt to cash in on World Cup buzz Call me naive (although I’d prefer it if you called me Donna), but I didn’t even realise until this week that postal officers could refuse to deliver mail that they deemed offensive. But they can, and they did, when they were handed the latest issue of marketing magazine The Drum. The front cover included the F-bomb, in large font, as part of a creative design tying in with the World Cup which kicks off today. (Go Belgium, thanks to my sweep stake pick). But, context aside, according to the Royal Mail, the subscription-only trade publication failed to comply with the company’s T&Cs of avoiding ‘offensive, obscene or threatening language’. So, knowing what I know now, I’m not sure why I was surprised to read again today that there are reports of postal staff – possibly Royal Mail, possibly not – refusing to deliver a special edition of The Sun in the North West. A blow to the UK’s largest newspaper after it invested in creating a one-off paper celebrating ‘Englishness’ to celebrate the launch of that football tournament. There’s a pattern emerging here, don’t you think? Reaching 22 million people across the UK and not a Page 3 model in sight, The Sun had already pre-empted a negative reaction from Liverpool, so decided against distributing there, as a result of the newspaper’s Hillsborough football disaster coverage. But, reports are circulating that elsewhere in the North of England – including Runcorn, St Helens, Skelmersdale and Ellesmere Port – that postal staff wouldn’t agree to deliver in these areas if asked. At a time when the print journalism industry is struggling to stay alive, because consumers are choosing to eat their news and views in more convenient digital bites, I’m surprised that delivery companies like the Royal Mail are turning their back on print partners. Surely, these corporate contracts – whether they’re one-off projects on long-term – are their bread and butter. And, without them they’ll just go hungry! Particularly if their hunger pangs come down to language preference, like in The Drum’s case. It’s for the end consumer to make the complaint and, if they’re offended, the issue (no pun intended) should be taken up with the company responsible: the publisher, not the carrier. FIFA has enough PR problems to deal with around this global event, besides whether its ‘brand’ can even be delivered to the right people. It needs to focus on protecting its image against rumours that half-built stadiums will be half empty, as well as the news that the Brazilian army has been asked to drive lingering drug lords out of local favelas. Let’s hope these latest Royal Mail fails don’t reflect too badly on the tournament. That bad joke proves I am my mother’s child, just in case anyone was wondering. The Drum editor says ‘F@£! It’ to Royal Mail over F-bomb front cover Tags: army, behaviour, Belgium, Britain, British, carrier, company, complain, conditions, consumer, coverage, creative, crisis, deliver, design, digital, disaster, Donna, drug, drum, Ellesmere Port, England, English, favelas, FIFA, foot, football, front cover, Hillsborough, industry, journalism, language, Livepool, magazine, mail, marketing, newspaper, north west, obscene, offense, officer, partner, periodical, Post, PR, publication, publisher, report, royal mail, rumour, Runcorn, Skelmersdale, St Helens, stadium, subscription, sweep stake, terms, The Sun, threat, tournament, UK, world cup Categories Brands, Events, Journalism, Marketing, PR, Top news	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363222
__label__wiki	0.99283	0.99283	Roger Rowland (1935–2011) Known for An American Werewolf in London (1981), Softly Softly (1969), Paul Temple (1971), Special Branch (1969-1974) Apr 1, 1935 (died Jan 14, 2011) 1 link Become a member to see Roger Rowland's STARmeter. Become a member to see Roger Rowland's contact information. Past Film & Video (2 titles) Plenty (1985) Police Officer Police Officer See fewer Assorted Police Assorted Police See fewer Traders (1996) Pennies from Heaven (1996) Season 1, Episode 2 - Actor Actor See fewer Boon (1989) (TV Series) - Boyce (1 episode, 1989) Boyce (1 episode, 1989) See fewer Arms and the Dog (Oct 30, 1989) Season 4, Episode 5 - Boyce Boyce See fewer Coronation Street (1964–1989) (TV Series) - Mr. Craven / Mr. Plummer / Frank Hoyle / Fred Marsh (4 episodes, 1964) Mr. Craven / Mr. Plummer / Frank Hoyle / Fred Marsh (4 episodes, 1964) See fewer Episode #1.2960 (Aug 9, 1989) Season 1, Episode 2,960 - Mr. Craven Mr. Craven See fewer Tales of Sherwood Forest (1989) (TV Series) - Det. Sgt. Renwick (1 episode, 1989) Det. Sgt. Renwick (1 episode, 1989) See fewer Back in Your Own Backyard (Jul 2, 1989) Season 1, Episode 4 - Det. Sgt. Renwick Det. Sgt. Renwick See fewer Emmerdale Farm (1989) (TV Series) - Doctor (1 episode, 1989) Doctor (1 episode, 1989) See fewer Episode #1.1318 (Jan 19, 1989) Season 1, Episode 1,318 - Doctor Doctor See fewer Final Run (1988) (TV Series) - Mr. Clarke (1 episode, 1988) Mr. Clarke (1 episode, 1988) See fewer Episode #1.4 (Jul 31, 1988) Season 1, Episode 4 - Mr. Clarke Mr. Clarke See fewer Floodtide (1987) (TV Series) - Exton Waite (1 episode, 1987) Exton Waite (1 episode, 1987) See fewer One: The Call (Jun 14, 1987) Season 1, Episode 1 - Exton Waite Exton Waite See fewer First Among Equals (1986) (TV Mini-series) - Robin Oakley / Robin Oakley - Junior Minister / Chairman of the 1922 Committee (3 episodes, 1986) Robin Oakley / Robin Oakley - Junior Minister / Chairman of the 1922 Committee (3 episodes, 1986) See fewer Episode #1.9 (Nov 25, 1986) Season 1, Episode 9 - Robin Oakley Robin Oakley See fewer The Monocled Mutineer (1986) (TV Mini-series) - Actor (1 episode, 1986) Actor (1 episode, 1986) See fewer Before the Shambles (Sep 7, 1986) Season 1, Episode 2 - Actor Actor See fewer (TV Series) - Butler (1 episode, 1986) Butler (1 episode, 1986) See fewer The Empty House (Jul 9, 1986) Season 1, Episode 1 - Butler Butler See fewer Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1986) (TV Series) - Rev. 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(Apr 21, 1971) Season 1, Episode 3 - Faulkner Faulkner See fewer Paul Temple (1971) (TV Series) - Inspector Dunham (1 episode, 1971) Inspector Dunham (1 episode, 1971) See fewer Catch Your Death (Apr 11, 1971) Season 3, Episode 13 - Inspector Dunham Inspector Dunham See fewer ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1971) (TV Series) - Andrew Bride (1 episode, 1971) Andrew Bride (1 episode, 1971) See fewer Pandora (Mar 21, 1971) Season 3, Episode 15 - Andrew Bride Andrew Bride See fewer A Family at War (1971) (TV Series) - Rawson (1 episode, 1971) Rawson (1 episode, 1971) See fewer We Could Be a Lot Worse Off (Jan 6, 1971) Season 2, Episode 9 - Rawson Rawson See fewer The Dustbinmen (1970) (TV Series) - Customs Man (1 episode, 1970) Customs Man (1 episode, 1970) See fewer Episode #3.7 (Aug 31, 1970) Season 3, Episode 7 - Customs Man Customs Man See fewer Take Three Girls (1970) (TV Series) - First Policeman (1 episode, 1970) First Policeman (1 episode, 1970) See fewer Gloria for First Offence (Feb 2, 1970) Season 1, Episode 12 - First Policeman First Policeman See fewer The Worker (1970) (TV Series) - Sandy (1 episode, 1970) Sandy (1 episode, 1970) See fewer The Siege of Kidney Street (Jan 12, 1970) Season 3, Episode 3 - Sandy Sandy See fewer Sexton Blake (1967–1969) (TV Series) - Bee-Bee / Cafe barman (3 episodes, 1967) Bee-Bee / Cafe barman (3 episodes, 1967) See fewer Sexton Blake and the Toy Family: Part 1 - The Highest Price (Dec 23, 1969) Season 4, Episode 12 - Bee-Bee Bee-Bee See fewer ITV Playhouse (1969) (TV Series) - Det. Sgt. Brightwell (1 episode, 1969) Det. Sgt. Brightwell (1 episode, 1969) See fewer Suspect (Nov 17, 1969) Season 3, Episode 12 - Det. Sgt. Brightwell Det. Sgt. Brightwell See fewer Softly Softly (1969) (TV Series) - Det. Sgt. Rogers (1 episode, 1969) Det. Sgt. Rogers (1 episode, 1969) See fewer Flash Point (Sep 18, 1969) Season 5, Episode 2 - Det. Sgt. Rogers Det. Sgt. Rogers See fewer The Caesars (1968) (TV Mini-series) - Veranius (1 episode, 1968) Veranius (1 episode, 1968) See fewer Tiberius (Oct 6, 1968) Season 1, Episode 3 - Veranius Veranius See fewer Frontier (1968) (TV Series) - Sgt. Peters (2 episodes, 1968) Sgt. Peters (2 episodes, 1968) See fewer Dasturi (Aug 7, 1968) Season 1, Episode 2 - Sgt. Peters Sgt. Peters See fewer The Last of the Line (Jul 31, 1968) Season 1, Episode 1 - Sgt. Peters Sgt. Peters See fewer Let's Go Out (1968) (TV Series) - Parson Dary / Jailer (1 episode, 1968) Parson Dary / Jailer (1 episode, 1968) See fewer Churches (Feb 13, 1968) Parson Dary / Jailer Parson Dary / Jailer See fewer Send Foster (1967) (TV Series) - Sandy Potter (1 episode, 1967) Sandy Potter (1 episode, 1967) See fewer Which Wedding Were You At? (Aug 25, 1967) Season 1, Episode 8 - Sandy Potter Sandy Potter See fewer ITV Play of the Week (1966–1967) (TV Series) - Joe Crooky / Det. Con. Harris (2 episodes, 1966) Joe Crooky / Det. Con. Harris (2 episodes, 1966) See fewer Stories of D.H Lawrence #9: Strike Pay (Jun 6, 1967) Season 12, Episode 40 - Joe Crooky Joe Crooky See fewer An Experience of Evil (Aug 1, 1966) Season 11, Episode 48 - Det. Con. Harris Det. Con. Harris See fewer Mickey Dunne (1967) (TV Series) - Boy in jazz club (1 episode, 1967) Boy in jazz club (1 episode, 1967) See fewer My Pal Fred (May 29, 1967) Season 1, Episode 4 - Boy in jazz club Boy in jazz club See fewer Write a Play (1967) Johnny Dies at War & The Legend (Apr 18, 1967) Season 2, Episode 3 - Actor Actor See fewer (TV Series) - Hunter (7 episodes, 1966) Hunter (7 episodes, 1966) See fewer Follow the Leader (May 24, 1966) Season 2, Episode 7 - Hunter Hunter See fewer Object Z (1965) (TV Series) - Vicar (1 episode, 1965) Vicar (1 episode, 1965) See fewer The World in Fear (Oct 26, 1965) Season 1, Episode 2 - Vicar Vicar See fewer It's Dark Outside (1965) (TV Series) - Kapp (1 episode, 1965) Kapp (1 episode, 1965) See fewer A Slight Case of Matrimony (Mar 26, 1965) Season 2, Episode 5 - Kapp Kapp See fewer The Villains (1965) (TV Series) - George / Jordan (2 episodes, 1965) George / Jordan (2 episodes, 1965) See fewer A Joker for Your Button Hole (Feb 19, 1965) Season 3, Episode 9 - George George See fewer Three to a Cell (Jan 15, 1965) Season 3, Episode 4 - Jordan Jordan See fewer Probation Officer (1960) Episode #2.15 (Dec 19, 1960) Season 2, Episode 15 - First Policeman First Policeman See fewer Quatermass and the Pit (1958–1959) (TV Mini-series) - Dead Journalist / Man in Crowd / Journalist (3 episodes, 1958) Dead Journalist / Man in Crowd / Journalist (3 episodes, 1958) See fewer Hob (Jan 26, 1959) Season 1, Episode 6 - Dead Journalist (uncredited) Dead Journalist (uncredited) See fewer	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363224
__label__wiki	0.994645	0.994645	Michael Rutkowski (I) Miscellaneous Crew \| Second Unit or Assistant Director \| Writer Mike Rutkowski graduated from the Los Angeles Film School in 2008. Since then Mike has gone on to write and direct a short film entitled Purgatory Monologues. The short went on to screen at the ... read full biography Known for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015), Captain Marvel (2019), Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019), Rampage (2018) Become a member to see Michael Rutkowski's STARmeter. Become a member to see Michael Rutkowski's contact information. Miscellaneous Crew (77) Camera and Electrical Department (3) Script and Continuity Department (2) Art Department (1) Films in Production (2 titles) Second Second Assistant Director Second Second Assistant Director See fewer Post-Prod $100MM Annabelle Comes Home (2019) Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) Production Assistant (Los Angeles) Production Assistant (Los Angeles) See fewer Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski), Set Production Assistant Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski), Set Production Assistant See fewer $1.13B Higher Power (2018) Additional First Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski) Additional First Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Production Assistant (Los Angeles) (as Mike Rutkowski) Production Assistant (Los Angeles) (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Alice is Dying (2018) (Short) - Director, Executive Producer, Producer, Writer Director, Executive Producer, Producer, Writer See fewer Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016) Get a Job (2016) The Meddler (2015) Set Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) Set Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Beverly Hills Christmas (2015) Writer (rewrite) (as Mike Rutkowski) Writer (rewrite) (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Mojave (2015) Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski) Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Jem and the Holograms (2015) Key Set Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) Key Set Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer American Poltergeist (2015) Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Producer (as Mike Rutkowski), Writer (as Mike Rutkowski) Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Producer (as Mike Rutkowski), Writer (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer I Really Hate My Ex (2015) Walter (2015) Catch (2014) (Short) - Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski) Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer At the Devil's Door (2014) Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Walk of Shame (2014) Transcendence (2014) Space Station 76 (2014) Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Key Set Production Assistant Second Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Key Set Production Assistant See fewer Audrey (2014) Sinbad: The Fifth Voyage (2014) Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski) Second Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Crush (2013) Set (as Mike Rutkowski) Set (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Matthew Koma: One Night (2013) (Video) - Additional Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) Additional Assistant Director (as Mike Rutkowski), Production Assistant (as Mike Rutkowski) See fewer Wrong Cops (2013) Captain Planet 2 (2012) (Short) - 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__label__wiki	0.689777	0.689777	Sam Winchester Quotes Total quotes (35) Portrayed by Jared Padalecki You mind doing a little bit of thinking with your upstairs brain, Dean? — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 1: Shadow Upstairs BrainSex Drive Sam: Were you racing me? Dean: No. I was kicking your ass. Sam: Very mature. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 6: The Third Man RacingmatureKicking Ass Crime Scene Tech: What are the feds doing here? Sam: Oh, we're specialists. They call us in to answer the questions of mouth-breathing dick monkeys. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 6: All Dogs Go to Heaven FedsDick Monkeys Sam: [concerning God] All current indications of His presence are...that there are no current indications of His presence. Rowena: Well dear, if you can't stand the heat, stay out of hell. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 11: O Brother Where Art Thou? GodatheismHell Sam: Just try to relax. Dean: Just try to shut up. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 1: Phantom Traveler Sarcasmrelaxshut up You're a hypocrite, Dean. How did you feel when Dad sold his soul for you? 'Cause I was there. I remember. You were twisted and broken. And now you go and do the same thing...to me. What you did was selfish. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 3: The Magnificent Seven Hypocrisyselfishness No drinking, no gambling, no premarital sex. Dean, they basically just outlawed 90 percent of your personality. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 5: 99 Problems DrinkingGamblingPremarital SexVices Sam: A dentist drilled a guy to death. Dean: You mean the non-sexy kind of drilling, right? — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 6: You Can't Handle the Truth DrillingDouble EntendresDentists Guess that's why we all hold onto life so hard....Even the dead....We're all just scared of the unknown. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 2: Roadkill Fear of UnknownDeath I'm ready to die. And I'm ready to watch people I love die. But I'm not ready to be your bitch. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 11: The Devil in the Details Fighting SpiritReady to DieBitch Sam: Hey, did you know the Nazis had a special branch devoted to archeology? Dean: A little early for Nazi trivia, especially without caffeine. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 11: The Vessel archeologyNazisCaffeine Sam: A demon summoning; why? Hallucifer: Why? To summon a demon, jackass. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 7: Repo Man DemonsDuh Sam: Turns out Harold was stealing the other residents' Viagra. Dean: I know. A real dick move, huh? — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 11: Into the Mystic ViagraDick Move Some people are just born tortured. So when they die, their spirits are just as dark. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 1: Provenance TorturedspiritsDeath Sam: Dad said they always had the perfect marriage. Dean: It wasn't perfect until after she died. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 5: Dark Side of the Moon MarriageRose-Colored Glasses Sam: He's singing 'Stairway to Heaven' right now. Dean: Good song. Sam: Not 50 times in a row. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 7: Out With the Old Stairway to HeavenEarworms Check the freezer. Maybe there's some human hearts behind the Häagen-Dazs or something. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 2: Heart Häagen-DazsNecrophiliaCannibalism Look, you're my brother. And I'd die for you. But there are some things I need to keep to myself. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 1: Bloody Mary PrivacybrothersSacrifice Sam: We've gotta save as many people as we can. Dean: Wow, that attitude is just way too healthy for me. I'm officially uncomfortable now. Thank you. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 2: Playthings healthyAttitudeSavior Complex Sam: So let me get this straight. You want to drive all the way to Cicero just to hook up with some random chick? Dean: She was a yoga teacher. That was the bendiest weekend of my life! — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 3: The Kids Are Alright yogahookupsCicero IL Mr. Benson: Her name was...Jasmine. Sam: She was a stripper? Dean: Dude, her name was Jasmine. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 4: Sex and Violence StrippersJasmineStripper Names You know, maybe the spirits are trying to shut down the movie 'cause they think it sucks. 'Cause, I mean, it kinda does. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 2: Hollywood Babylon spiritsBad MoviesSucks It's not what I meant. I meant Michael. [pauses] He'll always know that there are things out there in the dark. He'll never be the same, you know? Sometimes I wish that...I wish I could have that kind of innocence. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 1: Something Wicked DarknessFearInnocence Sam: So, this job as glamorous as you thought it would be? Jo: Well, except for all the pee-your-pants terror, yeah, sure. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 2: No Exit glamorTerrorInvoluntary Urination Sam: Go to Hell. Alastair: Oh, if only I could. But they just keep sending me back up to this Arctic craphole. — Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki), Supernatural, Season 4: Death Takes a Holiday HellArcticDisappointment	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363227
__label__cc	0.592584	0.407416	Tag: impostor Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front – Babylonia – 05 – A Rousing Royal Road Trip King Gilgamesh comes to Ritsuka and Mash’s dwelling in person because he intends for them to serve as his escorts on a journey to the Persian Gulf to inspect the quality of the water keeping his people alive. Watching Gilgamesh, er, mesh with ordinary citizens on the streets of Uruk softens the pompous bastard a bit. I also found the streamlining of both the cast and plot effective. Aside from occasional check-ins from Romani and Leo, it’s just Ritsuka, Mash, and Gilgamesh on a road trip with a simple objective. I just wish we could have heard (or seen) some of the adventures with which Ritsuka and Mash regale Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh has enough personality for the three of them, which is good, because aside from being generally kind, agreeable, and brave, there’s simply not much to Mash, and even less to Ritsuka (which is, of course, by design). The scenes in which Mash voices her doubts and Ritsuka reassures her have become a bit repetitive. At least this time we actually catch a glimpse of one Francis Drake from the Okeanos Singularity mission, while the gulf coast makes for a very picturesque setting for their little break. It’s a break rudely interrupted by Enkidu screaming in low and hot like a cruise missile from the ocean horizon. Annoyed that Ritsuka and Mash are taking it so easy, he unleashes a very Gilgamesh-esque attack upon them, with dozens of mini-dimensional portals opening and launching a torrent of blade-tipped chains. Mash is able to block and dodge a few, but eventually ends up a sitting duck, and Ritsuka just manages to shove her away from a killing blow. Things look grim for a duo, but thankfully they’re not alone, and Gilgamesh has concluded whatever additional business of which they weren’t aware. He’s able to match Enkidu’s frighteningly powerful attacks with some of his own, opening up his treasury to produce a weapon for each of his opponent’s chain-blades. The two put on quite a show, but ultimately Enkidu misses and hesitates before retreating, as if some of the old Enkidu were still within him. Gilgamesh warns Ritsuka and Mash that if that fake Enkidu truly wanted him dead, he’d be so. Later, Enkidu has to convince himself compulsively that yes, he can indeed kill Gilgamesh…he just couldn’t do it today. Author braveradePosted on Sat, 2 Nov 2019 Sun, 10 Nov 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2019, Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen BabyloniaTags chaldea, enkidu, escort, fate grand order, francis drake, fujimaru ritsuka, gilgamesh, humanity, impostor, mash kyrielight, persian gulf, road trip, romani archaman, servants, stories, uruk, ushiwakamaru, water quality Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front – Babylonia – 03 – Getting Situated It doesn’t take long for Gilgamesh to determine that Mash, Ana are a waste of his time, as he easily deflects their attacks. He also reveals that the Holy Grail is already among his treasures, which is why the Three Goddess Alliance is attacking Uruk. But as it’s one of his treasures, Gil is unwilling to give it to anyone; not the goddesses (including Ishtar, who makes a brief appearance) and not to Chaldea. Merlin suggests they stop asking for now; Gil is a moody man, and leaving him alone could bear fruit later. Gil’s attendant Siduri suggests Mash and Ritsuka gain his favor through achievements not in battle, but simply in soaking up the capital and its people, rhythms, and work. If they play ball and show due deference to the king and his city, maye he’ll be more receptive. To that end, Siduri shows them their modest but adequate new base of operations, where three additional Servants in Benkei, Ushiwakamaru, and Leonidas come to visit, eat, drink, and be merry with Mash, Ritsuka, Merlin and Ana as part of the larger “Uruk Experience.” Siduri also confirms that Enkidu is indeed dead and has been replaced by a fake who answers to the Alliance; but Gilgamesth has yet to meet him in person. From there Mash, Ritsuka and Ana make themselves useful performing all manner of tasks that while generally menial and perhaps “above” time travelling warriors, are nevertheless tasks that are crucial to Uruk’s survival. That means not just making mud bricks, harvesting wheat, shearing sheep, and tending to the children and the sick, but also joining Ana in the caverns below Uruk to dispose of evil spirits she believes are contributing to a wasting epidemic among the populace. Ana doesn’t initially get why Ritsuka and Mash are interacting so closely with that populace, but Ritsuka very logically explains that getting to actually know the human beings he seeks to save helps to motivate him, as well as to more fully empathize with their fate should they fail. And Fake Enkidu and his goddess mother very much want them to fail. Author braveradePosted on Sun, 20 Oct 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2019, Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen BabyloniaTags ana, chaldea, demonic beasts, fate grand order, fighting, fujimaru ritsuka, gilgamesh, holy grail, home base, humanity, impostor, ishtar, manual labor, mash kyrielight, merlin, romani archaman, servants, siduri, spirits, uruk, ushiwakamaru, ziggurat Fate/Grand Order: Absolute Demonic Front – Babylonia – 02 – He’s Not That Bad? With the placid Enkidu as their guide, Ritsuka and Mash would seem to be on easy street, but even after several previous excursions to singularities across time, the duo isn’t above someone getting one over on them. Fortunately for them, you can’t kid a kidder—in this case, Grand Caster Merlin, whom they meet in a forest. Merlin tells Ritsuka and Mash that King Gilgamesh just returned from a quest to attain the herb of immortality—a quest he didn’t begin until after Enkidu died. Exposed as an impostor working against Chaldea, “Enkidu” attacks Ritsuka and Mash, but Merlin’s companion Ana protects them while Merlin creates an illusion to force him to withdraw for the time being. Like last week’s tilt with the demonic beasts, Ana and Mash’s fight with Enkidu provides the action highlight of an otherwise talky episode, with the dense forest providing a new venue for the lightning-fast kinetic combat. While back at Chaldea Romani is perplexed to find Merlin in Mesopotamia considering he’s supposed to still be alive in Avalon, the fact that the current time period precedes his birth meant he could be summoned there. Merlin also sports almost zero offensive power, so even Fou—who apparently hates his guts—can fight him on even footing. Merlin claims to have a Master, while Ana is a rogue Servant. They’re there to assist Chaldea in saving humanity. Merlin and Ana escort Ritsuka and Mash to Uruk without further incident. Ana has a cute human moment with one of the sentries, and they pass through the gates with ease and head to the massive central ziggurat. The size and grandeur of the city surprise the pair from Chaldea, which is saying something considering all the places they’ve seen. Once in Gilgamesh’s throne room, Ritsuka is equally impressed by how level-headed, detail-oriented, and downright on top of things the king seems to be; far cry from the arrogant tyrant of legend. However, when Merlin interrupts normal business to introduce Ritsuka and Mash, Gilgamesh is done talking, and immediately challenges them to a duel. It’s just as well. If the two are going to easily fall to the king right then and there, they weren’t going to be of any use to him in the first place—nor could they ever be the true saviors of humanity. Author braveradePosted on Sat, 12 Oct 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2019, Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen BabyloniaTags ana, battle, caster, chaldea, demonic beasts, fate grand order, fou, fujimaru ritsuka, gilgamesh, holy grail, humanity, impostor, mash kyrielight, merlin, mesopotamia, romani archaman, saving the world, servants, singularity, uruk, ziggurat Boogiepop wa Warawanai – 07 – Great Kid! Don’t Get Cocky Aya and Masaki have begun running a little act where she serves as bait against drug dealers while he swoops in as Boogiepop and takes them out. It’s worked so far, and Masaki is happy they’re keeping hundreds of people from being hurt or destroyed by the drugs they steal. You even get the sense that Aya’s taking a shine to Masaki, since she seems hesitant when Spooky E orders her to cut off ties with him pending new orders. Meanwhile, Spooky E is trying to get his hands on Imaginator, and finds an in in Kinukawa Kotoe. We get a little backstory about how she’s known Jin since she was five and fell in love at first sight. Unfortunately, Spooky E gets a hold of her, and doesn’t turn her into a terminal, but copies himself into her body, so he can more easily gather information from a local bar. Using cash from the vast Kinukata coffers to bribe someone in the know, Spooky KotoE learns that Imaginator can control peoples’ minds and turn former allies against one another, in addition to sending them flying without touching them. The next day Masaki finds KotoE with Aya, and she knows about their Boogiepop charade. Spooky tells Aya, a synthetic human who has been trying for some time to crossbreed with normal ones, to try crossbreeding with Masaki before they “cut him loose.” But Masaki doesn’t want to stop the Boogiepop act; he wants to do it alone, without exposing Aya to danger. Of course, Aya’s already in a heap of danger, as is he; Spooky E switches up the plans once again; he’ll let Masaki go off and keep being Boogiepop, right up until he ends up a corpse in an alley. Aya wants to go after Masaki to help him, but Spooky E disables her, informing her that Towa and Axis have abandoned her. As far as he’s concerned she’s a tool he no longer needs. As for Masaki, everyone may think he’s stupid, a moron, or according to Nagi, in danger of getting too cocky, something clicks about what Jin said to him about Aya not being as calm as she seems. To properly protect her, he’ll need to learn more about what’s going on…a lot more. This week didn’t close the Imaginator arc, but by eschewing Touka/Boogiepop, Jin, and Anou Shinjirou, it felt a bit more focused and grounded than last week, while still propelling the story. I don’t know if the classic shounen hero in Masaki will be able to prevail, but I’m pretty sure it will involve the real Boogiepop at some point. Author braveradePosted on Fri, 8 Feb 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Boogiepop wa Warawanai, Winter 2019Tags anou shinjirou, asukai jin, ブギーポップは笑わない, boogiepop, camille, copy, crossbreeding, imaginator, impostor, kinukawa kotoe, kirima nagi, miyashita touka, orders, orihata aya, programming, shinyou academy, spooky e, suema kazuko, synthetic human, taniguchi masaki, towa organization Rokka no Yuusha – 06 Our boy Adlet is in a heap of trouble, with a most of the other Braves either suspecting him (Maura), ready to kill him (Hans and Chamo), or abstaining and letting the others do what they want (Fremy). Only Tania still believes in his innocence, and is both confused and outraged by the positions of the others. When it’s Goldolf’s turn to offer his thoughts, he offers them in the form of a strike against Adlet, ignoring his princess’ doubts about his guilt. Hans joins in, and Adlet has no choice but to improvise, knocking Fremy out cold and running out of the temple. And thank God he does, too, because I was dead tired of that stuffy glowy room. Adlet doesn’t get far, as Hans throws a dagger in his back and he passes out. While out, he helpfully dreams about his backstory, back when he wasn’t even the strongest boy in his village, to when he presented himself before his future master, a pitiful bag of bones, begging to be trained. We don’t see the in between, when his friend, mother, and village are presumably wiped out by fiends. The longbeard begins the lesson at once by beating young Adlet up, telling him he must smile when things go bad and laugh at despair if he wants to become strong. Adlet isn’t smiling much when he wakes up to find Fremy has saved him, but not only to prepare for what she calculates is just a 1% chance he isn’t the seventh brave and her enemy. Still, there’s something to the fact she didn’t make a lot of noise so the other braves could capture them. Perhaps she’s giving Adlet that 1% chance to convince her he’s not lying. Adlet doesn’t do so well at first, but then starts to smile again, remembering the words of his master. No matter how dark the night gets, he’ll pierce it with his defiant grin. He doesn’t know how to convince Fremy that his theory about an eighth brave helping the seventh (who then framed him), but he won’t concede defeat. Even though Fremy flatly refuses to help him, his boundless optimism moves her to ask him why he wanted to become a brave, a question that suggests, for the first time, that she has the slightest interest in anything about Adlet (other than her suspicions he’s the enemy). It’s not much, but Adlet—and I—will take it, and similarly look forward to the morning when he must figure out a way to prove his innocence and foil the real enemy. Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sun, 9 Aug 2015 Sun, 9 Aug 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Rokka no Yuusha, Summer 2015Tags adlet mayer, arena, chamo rosso, demon god, eighth, enemy, escape, fiends, first battle, fremy speeddraw, goldof, hans humpty, impostor, locked room, mora chester, mystery, nashetania, piena, princess, Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers, speculation, strongest man in the world, suspicion, traitor, trap, 六花の勇者 RnY really slammed on the brakes this week, finishing the job it started last week of bringing the story’s momentum to a screeching halt. What had been a thrilling, sprawling fantasy adventure tale is now stuck in a square room with a lame mystery, pacing around, tapping its foot; scratching its head, and yawning. I know; seven Braves when there should be six isn’t that bad a mystery. It’s more that the way the mystery is being investigated saps all of my interest. First we get another set of introductions, along with their stories of where they were when the barrier came up. We hear Adlet’s monologue as he sizes people and their stories up, but aside from learning Fremy is half-fiend (which is actually pretty interesting), we don’t learn much of note. From there, everyone starts chiming in with their ideas about what happened and who they suspect the seventh Brave to be. Now, I’m a big fan of 12 Angry Men, but they were a jury deliberating a verdict; these guys are supposed to be legendary heroes kicking ass and saving the world. The fact that they’re holed up in this room pointing fingers at each other for an entire episodes diminishes their splendor along with our patience. When Chamo yawned, I said to myself “You and me both, kid!” Thankfully, the seven do eventually get somewhere, though I’m not yet satisfied with where that is: Hans (whose cat-speak and constant cackling is really annoying, BTW) says once the temple doors open they cannot be closed, calling into question Adlet’s story about having to blow the door open, which immediately preceded the activation of the barrier. Even though Fremy is in chains, Hans seems on the cusp of turning everyone against Adlet. Yet we witnessed what Adlet did, from start to finish, and at worst, he activated the barrier accidentally. He doesn’t work as the culprit, since we’ve been following him the whole time, before even Nashetania showed up. So unless the show itself was lying to us, he can’t possibly be the enemy. Because the deliberation is far from over, it’s guaranteed that the Braves won’t be leaving this room for at least part of the next episode. Smoke if you got ’em… Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 1 Aug 2015 Sat, 1 Aug 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Rokka no Yuusha, Summer 2015Tags adlet mayer, arena, chamo rosso, demon god, disguise, enemy, fiends, first battle, fremy speeddraw, goldof, gunner, hans humpty, impostor, introductions, mora chester, mystery, nashetania, piena, princess, Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers, seven, shounen, speculation, stalling, strongest man in the world, traitor, 六花の勇者7 Comments on Rokka no Yuusha – 05 Introductions between Fremy and Tania/Goldof are tense because Goldof has it on good authority that Fremy is in fact the Brave-Killer…an accusation she doesn’t even bother refuting. Yet Adlet still shields her from Tania’s blades. Why? Because whatever she did in the past, she’s one of the Six Braves now, by the will of the Goddess, and The Strongest Man in the World isn’t going to let them fight among themselves. Tania stands down, because she trusts Adlet, not Fremy. Fremy tells her she’s a naive girl and doesn’t so much as thank Adlet for saving her, but the group of four is off to meet the remaining two. As soon as they’re in the dense forest, a fleet of aerial fiends begins bombing it, while land-based fiends swarm and surround them. Here, for the first time, we see what kind of badassery four Braves are capable of, especially since one of those four, Adlet, is able to continue on to the temple, since three Braves are enough to hold off the horde: Tania and Fremy from long-range; Goldof the close-range brawler. Adlet finds the beautiful yet foreboding temple (looking like the entrance to many an FF dungeon) and meets an injured priestess only to watch her transform into a fiend (which promptly, confusingly runs away). Rather than pursue, Adlet enters the temple, shocked to find the phantasmal barrier already active, and even when the others arrive unharmed, they’re unable to shut it down. Adlet tries using his blood, while Tania flails about in a panic, to the point I though for a moment she was hallucinating. Then, it all becomes clear: the barrier is active because it was activated by the remaining Braves. First, they meet Chamo Rosso, a small, child-like girl in green whom Adlet acknowledges as the “claimed” strongest person in the world; a claim he obviously disputes. Chamo immediately wishes to kill Fremy, who must’ve gotten the same memo as Goldof, and we learn for certain why when not one but two more Braves grace their presence—Mora Chester and Hans Humpty (dumb name)—for a total of seven. Since there was never any instance in all of history of their being any less or more than six Braves, everyone concludes that there’s an impostor in their midst. Assuming they’re right, who could it be? Have we already been privy to previously unnoticed clues? At this point Fremy seems too obvious. Hans, who seems a bit more sinister than the others, also seems too obvious. I wouldn’t have cast any suspicion whatsoever on Nashetania, were it not for a heavily Tania-centric ending sequence (complete with an awesome ending theme). As for Adlet, well, we witnessed him become a Brave. Hell, maybe there are just supposed to be seven this time around… While the action and adventure were definitely here, there was something mechanical and underwhelming about the reveal of the other three Braves. They just kinda…show up, all at once, with little fanfare or showmanship. I suppose I’ve been hanging around the showboating Adlet and stylish Tania too long. I’m also loath to watch the group continue bickering when there’s a Demon God to defeat. Finally, the character animation looked rougher and sloppier than usual at points, possibly in order to accommodate the CGI fiends. Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Sat, 25 Jul 2015 Sat, 25 Jul 2015 Categories Anime Reviews, Rokka no Yuusha, Summer 2015Tags adlet mayer, arena, chamo rosso, demon god, disguise, enemy, fiends, final fantasy, first battle, fremy speeddraw, goldof, gunner, hans humpty, impostor, mora chester, nashetania, passione, piena, princess, Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers, rpg, seven, shounen, strongest man in the world, traitor, 六花の勇者1 Comment on Rokka no Yuusha – 04 Aldnoah.Zero – 21 Slaine’s preoccupation with the battles on Earth, combined with Lemrina’s relative freedom of movement, means it doesn’t take long for Lemrina to find her sister awake and well, and learn that her fiancee has been lying to her face. Lemrina had certainly showed signs of increasing obsession with besting her sister, and when she pulls a gun on the real Asseylum, it seems like a natural extension of that attitude. But at least, here, she stays her hand. Perhaps its the fact that a part of her is genuinely glad to see her sister; that it was easier to consider sororicide when her sister was nothing but an unconscious body floating in a tube. Instead of killing Asseylum, she and Lemrina organize a clever little switcheroo on Slaine. This time it’s Asseylum posing as Lemrina, who confronts Slaine and listens to him prattle on about the inevitability of war, proving to her the Slaine she knew and cared for has changed in two years, for the worse. He’s power-drunk, and there is no longer any reasoning with him. In one of the more badass sequences of this season, “Lemrina” stands up out of her wheelchair, reveals her true identity, and orders Slaine to stand down. Down on the surface, the United Earth Forces are faced with three Orbital Knights working together, combining their powers of invisibility, electricity, and duplication to good use. It’s another showcase for Inaho’s inexhaustible resourcefulness, as all three counts’ kataphrakts are taken out one by one by finding and exploiting their weaknesses, just as if they were only dealing with one at a time. It’s a big victory, in that it proves that even working together, the Orbital Knights are far from invincible. It also shows that Inaho is putting too much pressure on his physical body for the sake of carrying the day for the UEF. I doubt his pain will go away, especially as he takes on more and more complicated operations. He’s running out of time; if he’s to do something about Slaine, he’ll have to act soon, before his own body betrays him. And despite the Vers Sisters working together, Slaine isn’t going anywhere. He has the full command and confidence in his subbordinates, and is also pretty sure Asseylum isn’t going to shoot him with a gun. So he disarms her and has both princesses confined to quarters under guard. In this, the “palace intrigue” side of A/Z would seem to have come to an end, especially when Slaine tells Harklight he doesn’t care anymore whether the sisters ever understand his actions anymore. There’s no more pretending there’s going to be a fairy tale ending for anyone. The sisters are his keys to Aldnoah, and so still have value, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a little further down the road, his plans include doing away with Aldnoah altogether, righting a great wrong Saazbaum was never able to. But like Inaho, Slaine is running out of time. None of the Orbital Knights know of all the drama going down with the princesses, and assume everything is being done under Asseylum’s authority. One such Knight, the son of the late Count Cruhteo, Cronkine, is arriving. Like Asseylum, he knows Slaine from way back. I doubt he’ll be pleased with what’s become of him. I forsee Slaine becoming far less patient and thus far less careful in maintaining all his lies and deceptions. Combined with the fact the Deucalion is being deployed to space for an as-yet-unannounced but surely important (and risky) new mission, it opens up the possibility for an anti-Slaine resistance, involving Inaho, Mazuurek, and possibly Cronkine. But first, Slaine’s source of power taken away, which means the princesses must be freed. Author braveradePosted on Sun, 8 Mar 2015 Categories Aldnoah.Zero 2, Anime Reviews, Winter 2015Tags aldnoah, aldnoah drive, amifumi inko, amnesia, asseylum, awakening, アルドノア・ゼロ, coup, deucalion, eddelrittuo, flying blind, harklight, impostor, intrigue, kaizuka inaho, kaizuka yuki, kataphrakt, lemrina, mazuurek, momentum, orbital knights, princess lemrina, rayet areash, saazbaum, seylum, sisters, slaine troyard, space opera, vers4 Comments on Aldnoah.Zero – 21 In a flashback to when Slaine first sees Asseylum in that damnable tube, we see the belief being imprinted within his heart: “She’s going to wake up.” This was merely a dark night, which would soon be broken by the light of day. Somewhere down the road, that hope faded, and we see the result: battles being fought and won by knights loyal to him and cooperating, gaining him territory for his new kingdom with Lemrina. But now that Asseylum is awake, as if to reprimand him for losing hope, he’s now forced to reassess everything. Even hot-shot Inaho has few choices other than a speedy retreat when surrounded by powerful knights. Captain Magbaredge may be playing favorites by having the Deucalion execute risky low-altitude rescue maneuvers, but can you blame her for not wanting to lose Inaho, not to mention her remaining kataphrakts and pilots, considering how both are in short supply. Also, seeing the big battleship swoop in and take a licking but still get its people out was its own thrill. The Deuc loses avionics, but Inaho is able to serve as a supplemental eye for Nina. Thankfully, it’s temporary: once she has her (literal) bearings, she thanks him and takes it form there. She’s the one who pulled off those rescue maneuvers, after all; she’s no slouch at the helm. Inaho could fly the ship if he needed to, but the fact he lacks experience would put him at a disadvantage, in spite of his magic eye. Meanwhile, awkwardness is at an all-time high for the engaged couple. Lemrina continues to pour her heart out to Slaine but gets nothing in return; Slaine doesn’t blush in the least at her words, and is quickly off again to “attend to matters,” promptly turning his back on her so as not to suffer objections. Lemrina is distressed by the fact her comatose (at least she thinks she still is) sister continues to command so firm a grip on her fiancee’s heart, and no matter how much power Lemrina amasses, she is powerless to wrest that heart away. Similarly, Inko is unable to get close to Inaho due to his continued insistence Asseylum is still alive. Even if he’s proven right, Inko isn’t exactly happy to be second fiddle (or even third, if you count the Rayet angle). Hell, even Inaho and Nina had a brighter interaction. I wonder what Inko says to him in that corridor. Speaking of not happy, Darzana receives orders to re-take the territory they just lost by throwing everything they have at the Martians, even though it’s pretty clear that’s playing right into the Martians’ hands. Earths leaders are short-sighted, inept fools, but the Martian situation doesn’t seem to be in that much better shape, seeing as how Slaine is paying far more attention to Asseylum than the war, and Lemrina’s growing resentment. Slaine tells Eddelrittuo how he gave up hope on the princess and is now being punished by having his plans blow up in his face. He can now only hope Asseylum’s amnesia is permanent—a terrible thing to hope for the one you loved—or else he’ll be at the center of a power struggle between princesses, and Slaine would choose Asseylum without hesitation. Her happiness is more important to him than power or the war. That means if she wants the war to end, he’ll do everything he can to end it. The political swagger gained by Lemrina’s proclamation certainly rallyed the Orbital Knights to her cause, but in her audience with Count Mazuurek (which Slaine patronizingly, callously agrees to in order to essentially throw her a bone and “keep her happy”) she falters fast and hard. Mazuurek has little trouble noticing something’s not quite right about “Asseylum”, and Lemrina, angered she was left out to dry alone, loses her cool altogeher and ends up a pathetic heap on the bulkhead. Lemrina acts like a spouse who senses intrinsically that their spouse is being unfaithful. And even though Lemrina told him she didn’t care if he never loved her, as long as they were togther, Slaine isn’t even giving her that right now, and she’s collapsing under the weight of that constant rejection. Just as there was a point in time when Slaine gave up on Asseylum enough to agree to marry Lemrina, Lemrina is starting to give up on Slaine, and it only looks to get worse for her. The suspicions Mazuurek develops in his talk with Lemrina are only compounded when he catches Eddelrittuo in several lies and omissions, particularly when he mentions Inaho right after she insisted she’d never been to Earth. Mazuurek is no fool, and that’s a good thing. I wonder what steps he’ll take from here. Lemrina and Slaine have never been more vulnerable, and as Slaine said, there’s nothing more fleeting and worthless than a knight’s loyalty. Having clearly cried for a long time, an increasingly unstable Lemrina enters her sister’s lab, only to find the tube empty. This isn’t going to be good for Slaine, who probably should have put a lock on it, or used another hologram. But like her, Slaine is so all over the place he’s making a lot more mistakes that could end up paying dearly for very soon. One of those mistakes was letting Mazuurek, a recently-released prisoner of the Earthlings, anywhere near Lemrina, as well as being blind to Lemrina’s steady descent into infatuation. Mazuurek was able to return Asseylum’s pendant to her, resulting in the sudden triggering of her memories, the same ones which we’ve seen in the first moments of the opening sequence all season. This is great news for Inaho and Earth, terrible news for Lemrina, and a decidedly mixed bag for Slaine. In any case, it’s a welcome development, and I hope it leads to peace. Author braveradePosted on Sat, 28 Feb 2015 Categories Aldnoah.Zero 2, Anime Reviews, Winter 2015Tags aldnoah, aldnoah drive, amifumi inko, amnesia, asseylum, awakening, アルドノア・ゼロ, deucalion, eddelrittuo, flying blind, harklight, impostor, intrigue, kaizuka inaho, kaizuka yuki, kataphrakt, lemrina, mazuurek, momentum, orbital knights, princess lemrina, rayet areash, saazbaum, seylum, slaine troyard, space opera, vers I don’t usually pay much attention to episode titles, but “The Beautiful and Damned” is pretty damned apropos. Beautiful, damned people are fighting for their respective beautiful, damned worlds. Let’s start with Inaho. His new eye (flawed though it still is), has greatly increased his ability to measure and assess situations and formulate tweaks to existing resources and strategy in realtime. It also allows him to determine not only that Inko has put on weight, but whose words are accompanied by a vocal “tell” indicating she’s not being entirely honest with him (due to her feelings for him). Using Inko as a test subject for his new eye is a dick move, sure, but it’s Pure Inaho. Rayet rightly calls him a dick (well, an idiot, at least), but this is how Inaho flirts. He detects a similar tell in the “Princess Asseylum’s” speech. If he survives the war, he’d make a badass detective. To my relief, it turns out Asseylum is in a persistent coma, not intentionally imprisoned in that tube, which makes sense considering her injuries last season (I can see either she or Inaho surviving relatively unscathed, but both? Nah-ah). Eddelrittuo isn’t strictly allowed to see her, but Slaine’s a nice guy so he won’t tell anyone, and promises her the princess will wake up someday. Listening from the other side of the heavy metal door (she must have really good ears) is Princess Lemrina, who doesn’t seem to like Slaine’s regular visits to Asseylum one bit. To the point she deactivates Tharsis’ Aldnoah drive just when Slaine is about to embark on a mission. Slaine and Lemrina stand out among all the beautiful, damned people in the world of A/Z. Up to this point, many people were asking ‘Hey, where the heck did this chick come from?”…turns out, that was the point. All her life, Lemrina has been the ignored and forgotten princess; Asseylum’s sister by another mother; the Kato Megumi of the Vers Royal Family. No one ever had any cause to admire or love or even take notice of her, until Asseylum was out of the picture. Only then is she unique and indispensable to Count Saazbaum and Slaine. In this context, it’s perfectly understandable that we’ve never seen hide nor tail of her. When she calls Slaine out on this bullshit, he’s ready, showing her he’s dealt with hardship and isolation as well (and still has the back scars to prove it), getting on one knee, and earning a kiss that gives him the power to activate Tharsis once by himself. There’s so much good stuff going on in this exchange: Slaine is either being extremely manipulative or extremely sincere (or both), and Lemrina either totally believes him or is willing to let the display appease her. Regardless of whether either or both harbor deceit, the fact is they need one another: Lemrina wants to take over everything her sister once had, and Slaine needs his kat to move. Speaking of beautiful and damned, how ’bout that view of Earth from the Satellite Belt? I haven’t mentioned the fact that this week we get a space battle, and a damned good one, at that. The setup is simple: like two ships passing in the night, UE and Vers bases are about to cross paths along their orbits. The largest UE space force since the very beginning of the war (which didn’t go well for Earth) has been amassed at Trident, while a similarly large force is making the trip to Marineros. When those forces meet, there are lovely fireworks, but the build-up is handled nicely, particularly the logistics of transporting Slaine, Saazbaum, and the Stygis Platoon where it needs to be. The tension also builds on the EU side, allowing Darzana to get another little dig in on her uncharacteristically nervous XO. Not surprisingly, Inaho isn’t the slightest bit flustered at the prospect of his first space battle. He simply floats over to his by now highly-modded but still orange trainer, steps into his office and gets to work. There are few backdrops to a space battle more attractive than the big ol’ Blue Marble itself, partially obscured by clusters of satellites, which we learn create a gravity gradient that must be compensated for in order for weapon shots to hit their targets (gravity gradient=”wind”). Inevitably, Orange and Bat encounter one another, but between Inaho’s mad skillz and Tharsis’ superior stats, neither Inaho nor Slaine are even able to land a love tap on the other. Their brief skirmish this week was a stalemate, but now Slaine knows Inaho is alive, and Inaho knows what’s become of Slaine. I don’t think I’m alone when I say I’d truly like to see these two not only at each others’ throats on the battlefield, but trading dry insults in person. We’ll see how and when the show decides to bring them back together in either setting, and when Chekhov’s Comatose Princess wakes up and puts the kibosh on both Saazbaum and Lemrina’s ambitions. Author braveradePosted on Sat, 17 Jan 2015 Categories Aldnoah.Zero 2, Anime Reviews, Winter 2015Tags aldnoah, aldnoah drive, amifumi inko, asseylum, アルドノア・ゼロ, coma, deucalion, eddelrittuo, finale, harklight, impostor, kaizuka inaho, kaizuka yuki, kataphrakt, lemrina, mecha, princess lemrina, rayet areash, saazbaum, satellite belt, seylum, slaine troyard, space battle, trident base, vers, war7 Comments on Aldnoah.Zero – 14 A/Z’s second cour picks up nineteen months after the incident at Saazbaum’s castle. Slaine is now a Vers Knight piloting Tharsis and taking it to Terran Kataphrakts raiding the satellite belt. Meanwhile, Princess Asseylum (who IS still alive) delivers a propaganda speech voicing her newfound support for the war against Earth and praising the Orbital Knights. I buy that she may have recovered from her wounds, but my first thoughts were that she’s either an impostor or being forced to toe the hard line. In any case, something’s not quite right. Down on Earth, Inko, Nina (who was watching the speech on her phone) and Rayet are enjoying R&R, and Inaho seems to be on Inko’s mind. Up in orbit, Count Saazbaum (also not dead!) welcomes Sir Slaine back aboard and praises him for his prowess in battle. We’re also introduced to the frail Princess Lemrina, who is clearly the one posing as Princess Asseylum in those videos. When Martian Count Yacoym launches an assault against UEF headquarters, the girls are recalled. Inko is weary, but Rayet assures her, they “don’t have time do die.” In fact, as they form up to defend their base, Rayet seems to have replaced Inaho as the calm, cool squad leader. But neither she nor Inko can get close to Yacoym’s Kat, “Frozen Elysium”, because it freezes solid all enemy kats that come near him, along with the pilots inside. Things are about to go bad when Inaho surprises both girls by coming up from behind them in Orange and taking control of the situation. At this point, come-from-behind wins are his specialty, and he’s got it down to a science, using his new bionic eye to analyze all of the variables needed to determine the proper way of taking Yacoym out. Inaho still has that insufferable Martian arrogance and overconfidence aiding him, as he times his shots to his advance until he’s in point-blank-range, and it’s bang, Game Over. Slaine may have been badly wounded by that kat crash, but in a year and a half he seems to be back on top of his game. It seems to have been many months since Inko and Rayet have seen Inaho, so their reunion is appropriately warm and touching, even though Inaho is as stiff as a board. Inko’s joy and relief are palpable, while even Rayet cracks a joke about how Inaho’s people skills have improved since they last met. As for what happened after episode 12 went dark, Slaine chooses Vers and escapes with Saazbaum and Asseylum, while Inaho’s sister finds him and brings him to the bridge of the powerless Deucalion. He needs surgery, but there’s no way to get him there. But then, when Inko’s tears mix with Asseylum’s spattered blood on his face and runs into his mouth, his body suddenly glows with the light of Aldnoah, and the core starts back up, saving everyone. Jeez, even while passed out Inaho even manages to come through big when it counts. Back in the present, Inaho, Inko and Rayet catch another one of Asseylum’s sketchy broadcasts, and in a nice callback to the time Inaho corrected Asseylum on why the sky was blue, the Princess on air makes the same mistake a second time. If I were Inaho, that could be enough to suspect the girl they’re watching is not the real Asseylum. That fact is confirms when the broadcast is over and Saazbaum and Slaine thank Princess Lemrina for her help. Slaine then pays a visit to the real Asseylum, who is floating in a stasis tube surprisingly, not naked. I wonder if she’s in there because they can’t fully save her, or if she’s there for security’s sake? In any case, I’m not dwelling on the somewhat irritating fact A/Z couldn’t wrap up in one cour, and chose not to kill anyone important off. There’s still a lot of Martians holding territory on Terran soil, and Saazbaum was just one victory, and a costly one. Earth will need a lot more of them to turn the war around, and I’m looking forward to watching Inaho, Inko, and Rayet achieve them. Author braveradePosted on Sat, 10 Jan 2015 Sun, 11 Jan 2015 Categories Aldnoah.Zero 2, Anime Reviews, Winter 2015Tags aldnoah, aldnoah drive, amifumi inko, asseylum vers allusia, アルドノア・ゼロ, darzana magbaredge, deucalion, eddelrittuo, finale, harklight, impostor, injuries, kaizuka inaho, kaizuka yuki, kataphrakt, knighted, lemrina, mecha, princess asseylum, rayet areash, saazbaum, seylum, slaine troyard, united earth headquarters, vers, war26 Comments on Aldnoah.Zero – 13 PSYCHO-PASS 2 – 07 Psycho-Pass 2 follows an uncharacteristically indulgent episode with one that sets aside the guns, drones, explosives, and boats and gets down to the less shouty and visceral but arguably more interesting police work that’s necessary to learn about, find, and catch Kamui Kirito. After showing us Mika grudgingly cleaning up area stress mess her superior made for her, we delve briefly into Akane’s own mind, where she shoots the breeze with an echo of her mentor Kogami, who reminds her of the basics of detection: being confronted with something impossible either means wrong assumptions…or insanity. Both he and Togane bring up the same possibility: the answers are probably closer than they think. I see Akane continues to light cigarettes, but we have yet to see her puff, unlike Shion, who wonders if Saiga is being so calm because he’s found out a way to stop Kamui. But Matsuda said nothing, so he’s got nothing; as long as Sybil continues to deem Inspector Shisui’s psycho-pass as clear, she — and by extension Kamui — can do as they please. Speaking of psycho-passes…we finally meet a family member of Akanes, her grandma Aoi, whose hospital Akane rushes to when there’s a report of a medical drone malfunction. Aoi is fine, but encourages her as Kogami did in her head earlier, though in a different way. Her granny tells it like it is, and the way it is is that Akane always puts others before herself and understands the value of life; every life — to the point of neglecting or jeopardizing her own. It makes Akane a tremendous cop, but it wouldn’t normally be the formula for a happy life, or even a clear psycho-pass. But Akane doesn’t mind living in a crime scene or not having a boyfriend or putting in the work that’s needed. Her main frustration in life is probably having to serve under a system as fundamentally corrupt and flawed as Sybil, simply because the alternative is probably worse; the cure is worse than the disease. In this, she’s diametrically opposed to Kamui, who’s willing to do whatever it takes and sacrifice as much life as is needed to bring Sybil down. Which begs the question: What does Sybil make of all this? Akane confers with “Chief Kasei” to try to divine that. At this point in the case Akane is not in the mood for playing around; she flat out voices her suspicion Sybil is afraid to take action outside of normal operations, lest it reveal their weakness. Sybil is aware Kamui is unique, but because he’s not the kind of ‘unique’ that made, say, Mikishima an excellent candidate to join the Brain Trust. When Akane tells her there’s no way to bring Kamui in By The Book, Kasei agrees, but she doesn’t want him brought in period. Sybil would prefer if Kamui quietly disappeared, and points out that Akane and Togane had the means to ‘deal with’ Kamui but refrained from doing so. But Akane isn’t killing anyone if she doesn’t have to. She promises Kasei she’ll arrest him lawfully and bring him to proper justice, not the shadowy, loose end-tying justice Kasei intimates. Speaking of Togane: As expected, Mika hasn’t shared her knowledge of his intense clandestine surveillance of Akane with anyone, and particularly not Akane, who remains a thorn in her bushy tail. Not that there’s no value in withholding knowledge and until she finds out more, but as she learns Togane was once an enforcer eighteen years ago, and every inspector he touched was declared a latent criminal and executed with Dominators, she may want to say something to someone soon. Also, Togane is totally on to her; both her unsettling of his quarters and the spilling of her drink suggests she may be a bit of a klutz. I mentioned the presence of nitty-gritty police work in this episode, and there’s plenty to be done. A lot of progress is made in the case, but that progress was unwittingly delayed by, yup, Mika, who simply sat on Hinakawa’s digital report on the pharmacist holo at the scene of Aoyanagi’s death. That holo was another aged-up version of a child who died on a plane crash fifteen years ago. Realizing how Hinakawa’s skills can aid in the case, Akane sets him to work aging up the 184 children (of the 201 passengers) who died on that flight. They also learn that the sole survivor of that plane crash was one Kamui Kirito. Boom. After locating and inviting the doctor who treated Kamui to answer some questions, Akane tells Mika to look into Kamui’s treatment records to corroborate whatever the doc ends up giving them. Naturally, she pawns this work off on Hinakawa, who’s already got an all-nighter ahead of him. But when Hinakawa hits a confidentiality wall and suggests it could be due to sensitive drug or medical tech patents, Mika recalls the name of one of the leading organizations in that field: the Togane Foundation. Uh-oh. The one tasked with talking with Dr. Masuzaki is Professor Saiga, which is, again, a wise choice on Akane’s part, because it affords us an always welcome Epic Old Guy Staredown, but Masuzaki is actually fine with telling Saiga everything, or at least something about Kamui. Heck, the Doc seems almost paternally proud of the kid. But just as Akane depends on the talents of Saiga and Hinakawa, Shion and Yayoi, Ginoza and Togane, and yes, even Mika (who’d be relegated making Starbucks runs if I were her boss) in order to achieve her goal of bringing Kamui to justice, so too does Kamui rely on others to achieve his goal to bring Sybil down. That’s made abundantly and shockingly clear, as is the earlier notion that “the answer is closer than we think”, as the aging up of the remaining 185 children reveals that dozens of holo-impostors of people Akane and the others know are already walking among them. Author braveradePosted on Fri, 21 Nov 2014 Thu, 27 Nov 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2014, Psycho-Pass 2Tags サイコパス, detective, dominator, dr masuzaki, enforcers, flight 321, ginoza nobuchika, gospel, hinakawa, holos, impostor, inspectors, interrogation, kamui kirito, karanomori shion, kogami shinya, kunizuka yayoi, latent criminals, lethal eliminator, lone survivor, mwpsb, plane crash, police work, professor, psychopass, saiga jouji, shimotsuki mika, sybil system, togane sakura, togane sakuya, touma kouzaburou, trap, tsunemori akane1 Comment on PSYCHO-PASS 2 – 07 Kamui is committed to discovering and exploiting every weakness in the Sybil System, and he continues to prove he’s exceedingly good at it, luring a large force of MWPSBers into an elaborate trap, perverting the same holo software used to “sanitize” military drone footage so operators’ Psycho-passes don’t get clouded. The facility is also a chance to test out his new convert, Former Inspector Shisui. One major weakness of Sybil is obviously the use of eyes. Granted, few people are able to perform successful eye transplant, if one does, one can control any Dominator as if he was an inspector. And while we saw what torturous ordeals Shisui went through in Kamui’s custody, here she’s actually grateful he took her eye. Among this guy’s many gifts and disciplines, add in psychological manipulation and infectious charisma. It’s a another particularly shitty day for MWPSB, who are, after all, nothing but complacent, obedient pawns to Sybil. Even if the drones weren’t hacked and trying to kill them all, MWPSB doesn’t even have enough ammo to destroy them all. Rushing in there was a costly mistake; Division 3 is eviscerated. And we hardly knew thee… Back at HQ, the gang isn’t sitting still. Well, they are, but they’re tapping away at computers. Well, Saiga isn’t, but…hey, he’s the over-brains of the counter-hacking operation, planting the idea in Shion’s head that the key to stopping the drones is their own MPS operational servers. Saiga basically helps prevent a crisis from turning into an calamity, and if it wasn’t for Akane, he wouldn’t even be in that building. Naturally, Mika is utterly dismayed and appalled by Akane’s actions, most of all putting the safety of lowly enforcers before her own and going after Kamui herself; ushing to the forefront instead of staying back and delegating. It doesn’t help that recent events have had a somewhat clouding effect on Mika’s soul, to the point she mutters that she hopes Akane gets clouded. That’s after coming back from Togane’s quarters, where she found that he was taking constant measurements of Akane’s color. Togane can’t help himself when Akane has her back turned to him in the field. He’s astonished by how clear she is, even there, which, as he thinks to himself, makes him want to turn her black that much more. Clearly, Akane needs to watch this guy, but she’s given no indication of being anything other than totally in the dark regarding him. Mika knows something now, but I expect her to keep that knowledge to herself. Why help Akane out, and reward her for breaking the rules constantly? Oh, and if you like turn-off-your-brain action, you liked this episode. The running and jumping and shooting and exploding is virtually non-stop, with Akane right in the thick of it; she’s everywhere, kicking ass and taking names. The clever tactics used to bunch the drones together so their guns lock (a measure to avoid hitting one another) is a particularly neat little setpiece, though how Akane and the others survive an ammunition warehouse explosion is uncertain! Really, how are they not dead? As it turns out, Mika missed out on all the action, which was probably for the best, as she’d probably only issue orders that would have made the situation worse and cause the deaths of more enforcers and civilians. It’s also nice that Shion, Yayoi, Hinakawa and Saiga pay her no mind while switching off the holo overlays. Yes, it clouds a great many minds, but it also saves their lives. The righteous Mika has the usual arguments about how This Is Not How Things Are Done (clearly unfazed by the Chief’s shutdown last week), and Saiga tells her what we all want tell her: “Quit yer damn whining!” Some problems, he says, simply can’t be solved (or even understood, I’ll add) by doing things by the book. Kamui is one of those things. He’s a ghost to Sybil’s technology, and he’s also a cunning creature who’s been able to turn it around on itself almost every time. Now he has at least five Dominators, and the ability to use them all at any time. For her confrontation, Akane brings a real gun, but suddenly remembering Kogami, she can’t fire it, nor does she allow Togane to. Kamui gets away very slowly on his boat (named What Color, LOL), but the standoff ends with Akane still a Dominator in the clear, which she needs to continue to be if she’s going to stop Kamui. Author braveradePosted on Fri, 14 Nov 2014 Sat, 15 Nov 2014 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2014, Psycho-Pass 2Tags angry birds, サイコパス, cell phone game, crime coefficient, detective, division 3, drones, enforcers, ginoza nobuchika, hacking, hinakawa, impostor, inspectors, interrogation, kamui kirito, karanomori shion, kunizuka yayoi, latent criminals, lethal eliminator, mastermind, mwpsb, professor, psychopass, saiga jouji, shimotsuki mika, sybil system, togane sakura, togane sakuya, touma kouzaburou, trap, tsunemori akane8 Comments on PSYCHO-PASS 2 – 06	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363228
__label__cc	0.56041	0.43959	Tag: romance Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun – 01 (First Impressions) – Meeting the Seventh School Wonder From Lerche, a studio that specializes in highly-styled high concept school series, comes Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun, a title that initially invokes dread: will this be full of toilet humor? Fortunately not at all; it centers Nanako, one of the School Wonders of Kamome Academy: the ghost of a student who resides the girls’ bathroom. Legends claim that Nanako will grant a wish if the wisher pays a certain price. Yashiro Nene wants to have success in love with her current crush, and manages to summon Nanako, only to learn she’s actually a boy, and someone mischievous and somewhat inexperienced in matters of love. Nene doesn’t exactly have a lot of options, so she follows Nanako’s advice, which unfolds in a similar fashion to a Wile E. Coyote-vs.-Road Runner scenario: ill-conceived scheme after another fails. By the time an impatient Nene swallows a mermaid scale and transforms into a fish, she’s realized that all of her efforts thus far were for naught, because she never bothered to actually talk to her crush. She doesn’t even know his name! She just placed him on a pedestal and appointed him as her one and only goal in life. Then a mermaid from the “other side” comes to claim her, and Nanako whips out a big knife and protects her. When Nanako eats the second mermaid scale, he’s able to grant Nene her wish to be changed back into a human. In exchange, she must serve as his assistant with his wish-granting business. Gorgeously adorable design, top-notch voices spewing witty banter, a fast-paced, energetic story, and that prototypical Lerche “edge” all conspire to make this an enticing option for Winter 2020. Author sesameacrylicPosted on Thu, 9 Jan 2020 Thu, 9 Jan 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun, Winter 2020Tags bathroom, bond, character design, comedy, deal with the devil, hanako, kamome academy, lerche, mermaid, mystery, romance, supernatural, toilet-bound hanako-kun, yashiro nene, 地縛少年花子くんLeave a comment on Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun – 01 (First Impressions) – Meeting the Seventh School Wonder Asagao to Kase-san. (OVA) – The Sun is Always Shining Above the Clouds Asagaro to Kase-san, an OVA released in the Summer of 2018, is a concise but solid piece of serious yuri storytelling in the vein of Aoi Hana, Sasameki Koto, and Sakura Trick. It strikes that delicate balance of covering a fair amount of material while never feeling like it’s trying to do too much. The stakes never stray from the future of a couple of young lovers who start dating in their final year of high school. That they’re both girls, living in relatively conservative Japan, never comes up, because this isn’t about whether they can be together or not. It’s about their mutual love, plain and simple, and how they weather other challenges to remain together, a state neither of them at any point wish to leave. Mild-mannered gardening fanatic Yamada Yui had never dated anyone before she and the athletic track star Kase Tomoka got together, but they’re together before the opening credits, which is a heck of a timesaver! Suffice it to say they liked each other to the extent they were equally enthusiastic about becoming a couple. That mutual enthusiasm paid dividends, as before long the like turned to love. There’s never any doubt that Kase is as smitten with Yamada as vice-versa, even if the latter tends to feel inferior due to Kase’s social and literal stature at school. There are also times when she allows Kase to swept up by others, often interrupting potential time alone. But while Yamada comes to realize she’ll have to be more assertive at times, the fact that Kase is so popular isn’t a problem for her; it serves to validate why she loves her so much in the first place: Kase’s a surpassingly kind and gregarious young woman. In any case, in moments when Yamada might feel lonely due to indulging Kase’s natural gregariousness, Kase’s own desire to be alone with Yamada means it’s never that long before she seeks Yamada out, both grateful for her patience and relieved to have in her a kind of haven. Time with Yamada is special to Kase; more special than time with anyone else. That’s whether they’re on an intimate nighttime phone call, alone together in Yamada’s room raising the temperature a bit, or on a beach in Okinawa making up and out after Yamada gets a bit too “surprised” seeing Kase nude. The biggest threat to their relationship isn’t the fact that they’re both girls, which is refreshing. Instead, like any other relationship, it’s the unrelenting march of time and the changes it brings. Kase is on the fast track to Tokyo U on an athletic scholarship; Yamada’s inertia seems to be keeping her tethered to her hometown, commuting to the local college from home. Especially when Kase calls to offer to turn down the scholarship and she essentially tells her not to, Yamada is on the cusp of relegating their relationship to a long-distance affair, with visits very few and far between. It’s only on the very day Kase leaves for Tokyo that Yamada wakes up and realizes she doesn’t want that at all. She wants as much Kase as she can get, and so she runs and keeps running until she’s in Kase’s arms aboard the Shinkansen. How will Yamada manage to get into a Tokyo school? Ehh, she’ll figure it out! The most important thing is that they’re together, like they want to be. They’re also on the same wavelength; Kase really didn’t want to leave Yamada, but felt trapped by the circumstance of her athletic excellence. Fortunately for her, Yamada wasn’t going to let something like that cause what they had to fall apart. Backed by gorgeous animation and superb voice work from Sakura Ayane and Takahashi Minami, Asagao to Kase-san delivers an elegant and captivating romance between two girls for whom simply no one else would do, and whose bond managed to withstand the winds of change. Give it a watch and your heart will grow at least three sizes! Author sesameacrylicPosted on Sat, 28 Sep 2019 Categories OVA ReviewsTags あさがおと加瀬さん, challenges, dating, gardening, high school, in love, kase tomoka, kase-san and morning glories, kissing, okinawa, phone call, romance, separated, shoujo-ai, track club, yamada yui, yuri Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 – 12 (Fin) – The Real Game Begins The entirety of Takagi 2‘s finale is devoted to the summer festival, as it should be. We start with Nishikata waiting nervously for Takagi, his hands already sweating with anticipation. She arrives positively resplendent in a yukata, nearly bowling him over with her beauty. As they walk to the festival together, little kids and old people alike see them for what they are: a couple on a date. Nishikata thinks he can win a game in which no adults say they’re on a date, but he has to rely on semantics, and ultimately loses at the candy apple stand. As the other members of the cast enjoy the festival, Nishikata tries to distract from the fact he’s on a date with Takagi by engaging in one competition after the other, from goldfish scooping to ring toss. He loses at all of them, but Takagi gives him an out: if he does “date stuff” with her, he’ll automatically win. For once, Nishikata doesn’t want to win, or rather the little timid voice inside him doesn’t want him to fully open himself to the experience. He won’t feed Takagi, but he does give her the gift of a cute hairpin, eschewing the childish toys also available to choose. On two notable occasions, the large crowds separate Takagi and Nishikata. The first time, he’s able to locate her quickly, but the second almost spells disaster, as they can’t find each other when the fireworks begin. Thankfully, Nishikata’s mate Kimura, with the assist of the episode, directing Nishikata to Takagi’s location atop the shrine steps. Takagi has to endure the bulk of fireworks all alone, and her face has never been more morose…but when she spots Nishikata running up the steps her face brightens, and meets him halfway down the steps. Sadly, the fireworks end just as they reunite. Far more importantly to Takagi, Nishikata finally takes her hand into his, unbidden, calmly explaining how it would suck if they got separated, not to mention the steps can be perilous. DAWWWWWWWWWW Takagi’s reaction above tells you all you need to know about how much this means to her. Just one episode after he finally asked her out, he mustered the courage to take her hand, and even if it was the practical move, it shows HUGE growth on his part to actually, you know, make it. They descend the steps hand-in-hand and later we find them playing with sparklers on the beach; unassailably a date thing. Takagi tells him that throughout all the “losses” he’s endured, he’s never really lost, because, well, he has her. Her attention, her affection, her eyes on him. No matter how you slice it, Nishikata is a winner. And in what I dearly hope will be a third season of this beautiful, uplifting show, perhaps he’ll keep gaining confidence, shaking off his childish hang-ups, and making the right moves. There’s a lot of game left to be played. But if this is the ending to this particular story, I’m glad it ended on a happy note. Author sesameacrylicPosted on Tue, 24 Sep 2019 Tue, 24 Sep 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2, Summer 2019Tags からかい上手の高木さん, couple, crowds, date, excuses, fireworks, games, hairpin, holding hands, kimura, nishikata, romance, separated, skilled teaser takagi-san, slice of life, steps, summer festival, takagi, teasing, timid, yukari, yukata O Maidens in Your Savage Season – 12 (Fin) – Using the Same Words on a Train with No Brakes The girls might be referring to the hostage situation, but the real train with no brakes each one of them is on is adolescence. It’s a crazy chemical, biological train where bodies take off before minds are ready; where feelings are felt before the words to express them can be found. The reaction of Tomita-sensei, the principal and vice principal to the girl’s act of rebellion couldn’t be any appropriate: they shrug and go back home, hoping things will cool off by morning, or in about a day or so. They’re not looking down on their students or mocking their seriousness. Instead, all they have to do is remember when they were that age to know that in this case, anything they try to do or say in this situation can only make things worse. Better to let the crazy kids work things out; to find the brakes. Also, Tomita will be by in the morning with McDonalds breakfast! She’s an angel. What Tomita also does is call Rika, the person for whom the girls kidnapped Yamagishi-sensei, and who arrives with Amagi by her side. But this isn’t just about Rika anymore; it’s about settling things among each other, so they don’t let Rika or Amagi in. Rika contacts Izumi, who contacts Kazusa to tell her he’s coming. He sneaks in to find Niina tangled up on the floor with Momoko as Kazusa looks on. Niina thinks it the best time to confess her feelings to Izumi, but Momoko doesn’t accept Kazusa “giving her permission”, and she sure as hell doesn’t have hers. Izumi somehow makes things far worse by declaring he’ll clearly state how he feels about both of them, then proceeding to say that he loves Kazusa but is sexually attracted to Niina, words so lacking in nuance and open to interpretation they end up satisfying no one. No one, that is, except Niina, who we’ve known for a while now is too far removed from traditional “love” to value it as much as the pure physical attraction she can make better sense of, since she’s experienced it herself, most powerfully on the train when, as she says “he touched her.” Those words also lack nuance and serve to stir the shit further, until Kazusa suggests they simply dispense with further words and make it a pure neolithic fight, like their pillow war at the bathhouse. Rika, who arrived with Amagi in time to castigate Izumi for his harsh and imprecise words, laments that her girls have been “driven mad by lust” but doesn’t think abandoning language is the answer. The only adult in the room, Yamagishi, free of his binds, suggests that they combine some kind of “fight” with language: color tag. By having those who aren’t “it” look for a color the person who is “it” describes in a very personal way, it will enable them to reach beyond mere words to find the thoughts and feelings behind them. Momoko fails to find Hitoha’s “gray sigh,” but when she just blurts out “peach-colored Momoko” despite not knowing what it is at the time, Niina still runs at full speed to find it. Niina wants to understand Momoko’s feelings so they can continue being friends. Happy that Niina feels that way, she embraces Niina, declaring she is now “it.” Niina tells the others to find the “Blues of our youth,” which leads Kazusa to a dark hall, where she thinks about how she’s felt like she’s been lost in that darkness ever since Niina fist mentioned sex during club, confused about romance, sexual desire, and everything in between. But once her eyes adjust and the moon peeks out of the clouds, she and the hallway are bathed in blue light—the blues of their youth. Izumi ends up right there with Kazusa, and manages to use the opportunity to put how he’s feeling into better, more useful words. To Kazusa’s dawning realization and delight, he’s finally using the same words she would use to describe how she feels. Now they both have a useful tool to fall back on if they ever get anxious in the future. Neither of them are experts on what they’re headed into, but they’re speaking the same language, so they won’t be walking that path alone. On the other fronts, in addition to Niina and Momoko making up, Hitoha notes Milo-sensei’s dedication to the advisor role even in such an unusual situation. When he plays the “you’re nothing if not entertaining” card on her, she proudly warns him not to “attempt to satisfy me with half-hearted platitudes,” as that isn’t entertaining. Finally, with things calming down around them, things aren’t as bad as Mom-Mode Rika initially feared. She’s more concerned about Amagi’s experience kissing other girls. But Amagi isn’t that experienced after all, as he’s never kissed anyone on the forehead before, as he does with Rika, and which he states makes his heart race more than any past kiss. Dawwww. The other girls find them before they’re able to start making out, and Amagi, Izumi, and Milo are all dismissed so the five girls can finish working things out without further interruption from members of the opposite sex. Their group catharsis takes the form of a massive poster and banner-painting project that leaves the facade of the school plastered in revolutionary slogans and the girls sleeping in their clubroom, spattered in paint of all colors. Those literal colors represent the proverbial colors that color the blank white canvas of youth as one goes through one’s savage season. To be so colored is no curse, nor anything of which anyone need be ashamed. They are necessary and inevitable—as much as a train with no brakes will, after enough distance with the throttle pulled back, eventually slow down and become more manageable. After some time passes, it seems all of these young women are managing fine with the bevy of new colors that have been splashed across their canvases. Jujou sends Rika a photo of her, her boyfriend, and their new baby, aged two months. Rika is on a date with Amagi. Hitoha is working on a performance for Milo and Tomita’s wedding. Niina and Momoko are hanging out and having fun. And Kazusa and Izumi are holding hands, in public while taking a train together. In a marvelous callback to an earlier episode when their train enters a tunnel, she thinks to herself with a placid smile, “It fit.” O Maidens satisfied my desire for a candid and genuine teen romantic drama that didn’t rely on cliches and didn’t hold back. It was packed with richly-rendered, distinctive, and ultimately lovable characters, and didn’t hesitate to put them—and us—through the wringer, but also didn’t keep us or them in that wringer, and balanced drama and comedy with aplomb. It looked great, too. Finally, while that ship was built on stormy seas, it managed to sail the ship I wanted! It would have been a dealbreaker if it hadn’t, but that makes all the difference between simply liking or admiring a show, and actually loving it. O Maidens just…fit. Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 20 Sep 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo., Summer 2019Tags amagi, banners, boyfriend, colors, confession, 荒ぶる季節の乙女どもよ。, fighting, hongou hitoha, hostage, kiss, misunderstandings, norimoto izumi, onodera kazusa, reconciliation, romance, sonezaki rika, sudou momoko, sugawara niina, tag, tomita, tunnel, wavelength, words, yamagishi Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 – 11 – A Big Catch In a desperate attempt for a win, any win, Nishikata manages to find out from Takagi’s friend that she’ll be walking down a certain road at a certain time, and arranges for a game to guess the steps to a certain spot. Thinking more than one step ahead for once, he correctly predicts she’ll call for a further target, but he’s such an open book she changes it again, demonstrating that thinking just two steps ahead won’t cut it if you want to beat Takagi! Still Takagi had fun, and is flattered that Nishikata would go so far to win a game, and asks what he wants her to get him as a souvenir on her family vacation. Later, Takagi’s friend can tell from her face “something nice happened.” When Takagi is back, she presents Nishikata with another great gift: a 100% Unrequited Love-themed curry kit. He also went on vacation, and surprises her with a gift of cookies. Little does she know they’re sour cookies. When she suggests they go to the shrine to enjoy their gifts together, it’s the perfect chance to see her distressed, puckered face… …But on the way there, Takagi expresses her happiness so genuinely, Nishikata has no choice but to warn her ahead of time. Turns out the cookies are actually pretty good. Takagi also uses their shrine visit to tell him she had her family vacation shortened so she could go to the upcoming summer festival. Nishikata isn’t planning to go with anyone, and neither is Takagi, so she tells him in no uncertain terms that if someone asked her to go, she would—someone she teases all the time, for instance. Knowing him all to well, Takagi provides him with everything he needs…all he has to do is, well, ask her out. The subtle animation really shines in this scene, conveying Takagi’s nervousness as she adjusts her legs and stretches her trembling hands, matching Takahashi Rie’s superb voice work. Asking Takagi out is one of the hardest things Nishikata has ever had to do, because it pretty much throws out the window the fiction that, as he’s so fond of saying, “it isn’t like that” between them. When the two run into each other on the street and he offers to carry her groceries in his bike basket, the atmosphere gets more and more awkward as he utterly fails to speak up and say the words that need to be said. I really can’t overstate how much tension is built up as they walk up to her house and say goodbye and he starts to walk away, without asking her out. Her usual cheerful smile vanishes, replaced by a look of resignation…she tried her best. But then she hears his bike returning, and the shy sonofabitch finally, finally asks her if she wants to go to the summer festival with him. The answer, of course, is yes, and in her elation she tosses more canned drinks into his arms before he heads off to fish with his mates. Nishikata doesn’t get to see her adorable quivering look of relief and joy as he pedals off. Now this is how you build anticipation for the twelfth and final episode! While fishing, even when he gets a bite on his line he doesn’t notice, as he’s in a kind of trance state. Not surprising, as he’d already snagged the biggest catch of his life. Author sesameacrylicPosted on Tue, 17 Sep 2019 Tue, 17 Sep 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2, Summer 2019Tags asking out, awkward, からかい上手の高木さん, best laid plans, dense, library, nishikata, plans, romance, schedule, shrine, skilled teaser takagi-san, slice of life, souvenirs, steps, struggle, summer festival, takagi, teasing, yukari O Maidens in Your Savage Season – 11 – No Time to Take Things Slow Rika truly was transformed by her love of Amagi. Far from being disappointed or feeling betrayed by Juujo for going and getting herself knocked up, Rika is firmly in her corner. When Hitoha argues the other side too far, Rika almost calls out Hitoha’s own relationship before storming off, leading Hitoha to declare it’s “wrong to stop in the middle of things”—a glorious line considering its subtext. Kazusa and Momoko are out of the loop, and so ponder and worry together right up until Momoko asks her who’d she’d rather sleep with to keep the world blowing up: her, or Milo-sensei. When Kazusa says she’d pick Milo because she’d “have to go with a guy,” then goes in for a “best friends!” hug, Momoko dodges, warning Kazusa to watch out for Niina before storming off herself. Hitoha has noticed her interactions with Milo have become “softer and warmer” since their semi-cathartic encounter. She believes it’s because he interpreted her childish tears as being “overwhelmed by his kindness” when in reality, she felt so pathetic it actually felt good. With that in mind, she’s not quite ready to give up on him. Meanwhile, Niina has never felt hatred about her present self, or more determined to eliminate that self as soon as possible. With Izumi unwilling to play ball, she arranges a meeting at a hotel with Saegusa, who is, unlike Milo, perfectly willing to follow through, the pervert. But as he starts to touch her, Niina discovers something about that self she hates so much: it won’t be killed so easily. When Saegusa’s gross face and gross mouth and gross white nose hairs get too close, she instinctively slugs him, and flees. The next morning, the only two who show up for lit club are Kazusa…and Niina. After a beautiful monologue that begins with her being lost in the haunted forest of those nose hairs, she tells Kazusa straight up that she’s in love with Izumi and plans to confess to him, even if he loves Kazusa. To Niina’s shock, Izumi doesn’t react in anger, but in understanding, love, and gratitude. She wouldn’t have had the courage to confess to Izumi were it not for Niina’s help, so what kind of friend would she be to deny her the opportunity to do the same? Niina and Kazusa go into the “best friends” hug Momoko wouldn’t, and everything seems hunky-dory…until we see Kazusa racing home in an absolute panic. She’s not sure what else she could have done in that situation, but she sure as shit isn’t happy about it! In this episode full of people who believe they’re running out of time, Kazusa believes the only thing to do to stave off the threat of Niina is to put her mark on Izumi immediately. It just so happens his folks aren’t home, and she invites herself up to his room. Her sexy underwear didn’t arrive in time, but she intends to make do, presenting herself for him to kiss, and when he expresses confusion, she declares her desire to do it with him, straight up. He tells Kazusa he wants to “treat her right” by taking things slow, but he also brings up Niina, souring the mood and leading to Kazusa’s early exit. To add insult to injury, the underwear arrives, but Kazusa is so flustered by their presence she quickly snips them to tiny shreds with scissors. We segue from that particularly childish display to a very mature and elegant phone conversation between Rika, who is growing increasingly weary of herself (calling herself “a shameful disgrace”, and Amagi, warning her not to badmouth the girl he likes. Their bliss is rudely interrupted by her mother bursting in the room. The next day there’s an all-school assembly where the principal and vice-principal announce that all “non-platonic interaction between the sexes” is banned with immediate effect. Rumors fly through the student body, including that Sonezaki and Amagi were spotted outside a love hotel and will now be expelled. The scene of Rika being guided into a cab by her mom, like some kind of criminal, possibly never to return, is witnessed by Kazusa, Niina, Momoko and Hitoha, in an unlikely but very welcome reunion. It’s the start of the girls deciding to put aside their differences for Rika’s sake, their sakes, and the sake of the entire school. Hitoha, who (rightly) blames herself for putting Rika and Amagi in that place at that time, is ready to confess, but Milo-sensei beats her to it, albeit keeping her name out of it (though he refers to her as “someone he’s considering a future with” in his lie). But the principals won’t budge; after Juujou, they’re prepared to make an example of Rika and Amagi. Later, in the clubroom, Milo assures Hitoha he’ll keep fighting for Rika, but also admits he doesn’t quite have a plan for doing so at the moment. That’s unfortunately not good enough for these maidens in their savage season, who must make the most of this time and can’t afford to endure the oppression of the school’s new ban. So, after Kazusa gives Izumi a solemn call telling him she’s about to commit a “grave sin,” she joins her sisters in kidnapping Milo-sensei, beating and tying him up, and using him as a hostage. The school staff is sent their demands, and when they arrive at the school the four girls are there to repeat them: lifting of the ban, reinstating of Rika, and an apology, or else. No negotiations, no retreat: the maidens have spoken! As amazingly awful as it was to watch them nearly destroy each others’ friendships, this latest emergency of injustice has brought them back together, at least for now. Watching them use their powers to save one of their own another is an inspiring sight to behold, though I can’t see there not being serious consequences. Still, what’s done is done—and they did it together. Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 13 Sep 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo., Summer 2019Tags amagi, best friends, boyfriend, caught, confession, encounter, expelled, 荒ぶる季節の乙女どもよ。, hongou hitoha, hostage, misunderstanding, norimoto izumi, onodera kazusa, out of time, reunion, romance, sonezaki rika, sudou momoko, sugawara niina, sugimoto satoshi, taking action, taking it slow, underwear, yamagishi2 Comments on O Maidens in Your Savage Season – 11 – No Time to Take Things Slow Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 – 10 – The Wrong Idea is the Right Idea Whether by sheer chance or calculation as a result of her enduring affection for him, Takagi has been finding ways to progressively inch (or rather senchimetoru) a little bit closer to him. Her slow but steady pace exhibits sensitivity to the fact he’s still pretty childish. While he’s just not quite at the stage of adolescence where he’s willing to be openly honest about his feelings for her, the pace could also be fine for her; after all, she’s had ample opportunities to push a little harder and further, but has remained immensely patient and incremental. Knowing his patterns and habits is one way to get closer. She knows full well he was up late watching 100% Unrequited Love, so brings in some eye drops. When he can’t get the drops in without blinking, she offers to help, and tickles him into opening his eyes. Then they switch places, and when Yukari (who already has her suspicions about the couple) enters the classroom it sure looks like they’re about to kiss. Yukari relays this to Houjou, who has a look but sees nothing untoward; then Yukari declares it a “scoop” but Sanae and Mina correct her; if she’s not sure what she saw it can’t be a scoop. Whoever saw Takagi and Nishikata and whatever they think they saw, Takagi doesn’t mind, even if Nishikata still does. If the whole school manages to become comfortable with them as a pair before he does, so be it! Takagi likely anticipates another opportunity to be close with Nishikata, as they engage in an after-school game of one-on-one hide-and-seek. She correctly predicts that despite the large field and long count, Nishikata will hide close by, and sure enough, she finds him behind a pair of oil drums. What neither of them expected was for another couple to show up: Hamaguchi and Houjou, AKA “the ‘mature’ classmate.” Nishikata and Takagi play voyeurs for a bit as the other couple interacts in a way they probably wouldn’t if others were around. Then Takagi makes her move, telling Nishikata that if they’re caught behind those drums, it’s better if what the others are assuming is the truth. Drawing closer and closer, Nishikata finally bails out, and he and Takagi have to awkwardly say hi, while Nishikata tells them they were just playing hide-and-seek, which, while the actual truth, probably sounds like a lie to Houjou and Hamaguchi. At this point Nishikata is ready to head home to train for future teasing, but Takagi finds what looks like a treasure map on the ground, and he’s wrapped up in another roving adventure with her. The map eventually leads them to a tree that has a pair of names carved into the trunk. Takagi presumes it was the spot where a couple had their first kiss. Hearing that, Nishikata wants to flee again, but Takagi suggests they sit down under the tree and enjoy the shade and gentle breeze. Out in the open yet all alone in a secluded, safe place known as the site of another first kiss, it looks like as good a place as any for Takagi to attempt to solicit her and Nishikata’s first kiss. It’s certainly on Nishikata’s mind as she draws nearer and nearer…but she whips out her phone and headphones instead, asking if he’ll listen to some music with her. After playing him a recording of cats fighting outside her house last night, she pops one earbud into his ear so they can listen to the song that plays over the end credits together. Sharing earbuds may not be a first kiss, but it is another first, and another centimeter closer. To quote Nishikata: “Crap, I really can’t compare with her, can I?” Nope! Author sesameacrylicPosted on Tue, 10 Sep 2019 Tue, 10 Sep 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2, Summer 2019Tags からかい上手の高木さん, childish, eye drops, first kiss, hamaguchi, headphones, hide and seek, houjou, nishikata, rock paper scissors, romance, skilled teaser takagi-san, slice of life, takagi, teasing, treasure map, yukari O Maidens in Your Savage Season – 10 – Maiden Abyss God, where do I even start? I knew I’d be navigating an emotional minefield with a show like this, but in the spirit of one of this episode’s themes, the difference between thinking you know something and actually experiencing it in the moment is as vast as, well, the holes that threaten to swallow up every single character. Certainly far larger than the holes in the sexy underwear Kazusa is investigating on her phone. Rika just happens to be hanging out with Amagi across the park where Hitoha gets picked up by Milo-sensei. Rika finds Hitoha’s underwear in the trash, freaks out for a minute, then calls a cab to follow them and hopefully save Hitoha and/or Milo from themselves/each other. She’s acting as a good friend would: as best she can with what little, highly concerning information she has. Meanwhile, after all the hard work he did finding porn not set aboard trains, Niina has likely well and truly ruined them for him as anything pure and innocent, what with her placing his hand on her bum and keeping it there. Izumi pulls away and exits the train, but Niina follows him and demands to know why he’s going so far to refuse her. Since he asked for advice, Niina offers to let him practice doing it on her. With all of her (not always consciously) honed powers of seduction in overdrive, she asks him straight up if he wants to do it with her, and he rejects her again, but not in the most convincing way. Before leaving on the next train, Niina passes by and takes note of how hard he was—which is, of course, ludicrous: the hardness of one’s dick and one’s desire to sleep with someone are not the same thing at all. If Niina can’t ever get Izumi to love her like he loves Kazusa, she’ll do everything she can to make him desire her. She’s determined to kill that virginity of hers, and at the moment she has eyes only for him. Momo plays Street Fighter alone in an empty arcade, and as she watches Chun Li get mercilessly wailed on by Ryu, she comes to a realization that had probably been gestating in her head and heart for some time. She texts Niina, asking to meet up and talk. Just then, Satoshi, a name I rather naively didn’t think I’d have to type again, texts her asking to meet up and talk. Last week the window (or rather “hole”) seemed to be closing fast for Yamagishi-sensei to put a stop to a situation that, while not strictly illegal in Japan, is still a very bad idea for both parties involved. While yes, he picked up Hitoha, there’s still a possibility he’s just trying to scare her straight by only taking things so far. Little does he know as he’s driving Hitoha is planning exactly what she’s going to do when they hit a red light: grab Milo’s hand and put it in her. It’s a bold plan to be sure, one I’m not sure she would have actually done, but we’ll never know, because they don’t hit another red light. Instead, Milo pulls in to a love hotel…the cheapest, seediest, least sexy love hotel he could find. Rika arrives at the love hotel district, but there Hitoha’s trail goes cold, and Amagi really doesn’t want to hang around such a place, as it’s making him think and feel weird things when he’s committed to treating Rika right, a sentiment that makes her swoon when he expresses it. To our unending relief, we finally learn definitively through his inner monologue that Milo has no intention whatsoever of going through with anything in that dingy lovenest, but makes the mistake of letting Hitoha go off to the bathroom (even more awful than the bedroom! They nailed the details on this shithole) to steel herself up, desperately swiping webpages on what to do in this situation. She bursts out of the bathroom pounces on Milo, positions herself over his crotch, and starts unbuckling his belt and unzipping. Suddenly, a very stunned Milo has lost control of the situation. Hitoha is just as stunned, but feels if she’s gone this far there’s nowhere to go but forward. But, once the zipper is down, and there’s no erection, Hitoha gives up and starts to cry, assuming it’s because she’s so “disgusting” to him. Always so condescending and rude in so many of their interactions, Milo drops that act, gently places his hand atop her head and tells her she’s wrong; this isn’t happening not because she’s ugly, but because he’s a coward. As she cries in his arms, I breathe another sigh of relief. In the end, Yamagishi was the adult here, recognizing he had to to preserve her pride, and the best way to do that was to abandon his own for her sake. That may not satisfy or comfort her in the long run, but it stopped something very bad from happening for the wrong reasons. Then comes an exchange I wish we didn’t have to witness, because it’s just so hard to watch and so gosh-darn realistic. Satoshi, “The Nice Guy,” didn’t take too kindly to being embarrassed in front of his friends at the cultural festival. He accuses Momo of leading him on, calls her a slut, and demands an apology lest he make it impossible for her to come back to cram school. Momo isn’t apologizing, and she’s not going back to cram school either, and that’s that. But as she walks away, Satoshi grabs her arm, because he’s not done with her yet. She’s not showing him proper respect, you see? For that, Momo cries out so all the passersby can hear, and naturally Satoshi calls her weird and crazy and scurries off. What an apocalyptic boob. Maybe don’t grab girls who couldn’t be less interested in you and are trying to walk away, brah! As Niina walks around the same district where we’ve already seen Rika, Amagi, Hitoha and Milo, she thinks about how she always, always gets comments and cat calls whenever she walks down this street…until now. It’s as if Izumi’s rejection of her has marked her as some kind of hideous creature from which all ment will keep their distance. After years being looked at the wrong way, suddenly she no longer feels the attention…and she’s not feeling so great…like withdrawal from a drug you were forced to take. Then Momo calls her, again asking to meet up. After being touched by a guy, Momo wants Niina to touch her, to “purify” her, because she’s in love with her. No longer feeling waves of desire from men in her radius, suddenly Niina is confronted by a woman, stating in no uncertain terms she wants to be touched by her. Niina isn’t sure how to respond, so she apologizes and ends the call. And that, inexorably, brings is to Miss Smartphone Sexy Underwear Shopper. Kazusa is in a wonderful little bubble of bliss, as she has been ever since she and Izumi became a couple. That bubble only grows larger when Izumi gives her a quick “just calling to say I love you” call from the station where he’s still processing what happened with Niina. It’s clear with this call Izumi is trying both to assuage the measure of guilt he feels and ease the swirling of confusing thoughts in his head by reiterating his feelings to Kazusa, clearly, out loud. He’s a mess, and the call does little to fix that. After the call, Kazusa beams like we’ve never seen her before, then continues her underwear shopping. In voice-over, she states that at that time she had no idea what vast and widening holes her friends were staring down, nor that she’d soon be staring down her own once her blissful bubble inevitably bursts. The next morning, Izumi can’t even hold hands on their walk to school for some vague fear of “the neighbors.” That last exchange with Niina really did a number on him, huh? Sure looks like it could be the beginning of the end for these two…before so much as a peck on the cheek. That just leaves us with Rika and Amagi, the one couple that seems to actually, ya know, be okay! Just as Rika is starting to contemplate getting a little closer to him, the teacher (who is, let it be said, shitty for doing this) announces that her friend Sonoe got pregnant and is dropping out of school. As if the previous twenty minutes of carnage weren’t enough, one last savage dagger before the curtain. I need a drink! (Of Misery) Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 6 Sep 2019 Sun, 8 Sep 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo., Summer 2019Tags amagi, awkward, awkwardness, boyfriend, confession, drama, 荒ぶる季節の乙女どもよ。, hard-on, holding hands, holes, hongou hitoha, juujo sonoe, love hotel, norimoto izumi, onodera kazusa, pregnant, romance, sonezaki rika, sudou momoko, sugawara niina, sugimoto satoshi, train, underwear, yamagishi1 Comment on O Maidens in Your Savage Season – 10 – Maiden Abyss Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 – 09 – Look Over Here In Failed Attempt #5,704 to get one over on Takagi-san, Nishitaka challenges her to a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors With “Look Over There” (Acchi Muite Hoi), where the winner tries to get the loser to look where they point. As usual, Nishikata underestimates Takagi, who not only fails to look where he points when he does win, but gets him to look exactly where she wants, distracting him by asking if he has a crush on her. After Hina accidentally determines that Yukari’s talent is that she has none, Nishikata arrives at class the next day to find Takagi is…a little off. The whole day goes by without her teasing him, and she doesn’t offer to walk home together, so Nishikata is worried. He may claim to dislike her teasing, but if it doesn’t feel right when she doesn’t, what does that say about his true feelings on the matter? On his way home he spots Takagi’s bike by a shrine, and finds her sitting by herself, as she says it, “spacing out.” Turns out she had a fight with her mom, and was feeling down. But without even trying, Nishikata manages to cheer her up, with the very “mystery box” full of cotton with which he intended to scare her. She has a laugh, and when Nishikata moves to leave, she gently, warmly asks if he’d stay a little longer. Who is he to refuse? When Kimura shows Nishikata a dumb trick through text message, Nishikata reconsiders trying it on Takagi, worried she’s still feeling down because of her mom. But she texts him, saying she made up and everything is fine now, so he proceeds to send her a photo of his arm that vaguely looks like a butt. Takagi punishes Nishikata for such a lame attempt to trick her/gross her out, she sends a number of questions to him that if he’s not careful how he words his responses, it could read as him confessing his love. He tries to play that game by texting “how about a kisu”, referring to the fish whose name sounds like “kiss.” Takagi utterly defeats him once more by sending him a video response of her lying in bed, earnestly responding “I love (them),” then sending a text correctly assuming he’s blushing, and daring him to send a pic of his face to prove he isn’t. Of course, as she heads downstairs for dinner and bids him goodbye until school tomorrow, she’s blushing too. Author sesameacrylicPosted on Tue, 3 Sep 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2, Summer 2019Tags からかい上手の高木さん, cheering up, Fight, laughing, mystery box, nishikata, rock paper scissors, romance, school, skilled teaser takagi-san, slice of life, surprise, takagi, teasing, texting, video O Maidens in Your Savage Season – 09 – What Now? At least, for a little while, we get to experience the pure initial jubilation of Kazusa and Izumi being a couple, meeting outside their adjoining houses, and walking to and from school together. Everything looks brighter and shinier, food smells and tastes better, and Izumi looks cuter to Kazusa’s eyes. They’re very much on cloud nine, but throughout it all there’s the underlying knowledge that it just can’t last. Rika, too, admits she has changed, as a “victim of love”, but has also learned that boys are far more sensitive and nuanced than she thought, and tells the rest of the club to value them as humans—something only she didn’t do before. While all five girls were in one way or another “losers,” now suddenly Kazusa and Rika are “winners,” having broken the plane of boy-girl romance, and their subsequent floating on clouds does not go unnoticed by those left behind. As a self-proclaimed “loser” himself, it’s Milo-sensei’s experience that winning stifles the imagination, which suits Hitoha just fine. You could also say that winners are so busy winning their guards are down. Kazusa buys Niina’s half-hearted congratulations, but what Niina doesn’t tell her is that she’s still considering whether to steal Izumi from her, and if so, how. Momo isn’t okay with that, and promises Niina that losing two friends (her and Kazusa) for one boy isn’t worth it. Niina begs to differ: after all, saying she can’t have sex with mere friends—something Momo doesn’t seem that sure about. So as their destruction is plotted, Kazusa and Izumi go about their wonderful glittery romance…only the glitter gives way to awkwardness when they find themselves alone in Izumi’s house together. What’s the next step for them? They have no idea, not just what they want to do, but what the other person wants to do. They aren’t communicating properly yet, nor have they set boundaries or lack thereof, so they make assumptions, some of which are right, like Izumi sitting beside her. They hold hands together, but they both get hung up on how sweaty their hands are, and then Izumi’s mom comes in and suddenly they’re six feet apart. Ultimately, they won’t know what they want to do until they try something, and they won’t know what to try with each other until they discuss it. Right now, their deep, ten-year familiarity is clashing with the newness of their boyfriend-girlfriend status, and resulting in a bit of a short-circuit. Meanwhile, the fact Kasuza is with Izumi and Rika is with Amagi means the lit club is suddenly taking a break, giving the recent festival as an excuse, but let’s not fool ourselves: Momo and Hitoha and especially Niina are only going to sit and listen to Rika and Kazusa talk about how great it is to be dating boys for so long. So Momo goes home alone, not knowing quite what to do about the rift between Niina and Kazusa. Niina invites Izumi to “ride the train” with him assuming she’s willing to offer advice as a friend. Hitoha ambushes Milo-sensei in the clubroom with an “expose,” and give him an ultimatum: sleep with her, just once, or everyone, including his beloved Tomita-sensei, will find out about all the things he’s said to a high school girl. While I doubt Hitoha was simply bluffing here, the fact remains, she wasn’t 100% prepared for him to not only say “okay” to an offer of sex, but set a time and place for him to pick her up. Milo is quickly approaching the point of no return, but his feelings for Tomita, and the threat of her knowing how deviant he’s been, are clearly clouding his judgment. Later, Hitoha waits at the agreed-upon time and place, and gets in when Milo-sensei stops and tells her to, tossing her underwear into a nearby garbage can. No good can come of this! In a nice bit of synergy, the same book that Rika and her new gal friend Sonoe (with whom she now interacts far more comfortably) bond over in the library is the book Niina presents to Izumi on the train, describing his relationship with Kazusa to the The Little Prince and the one rose on his planet. When he went to earth, he found that roses were commonplace, but a fox told him that the sum of his time and experiences with that first rose make it unique. Saegusa tells Niina that she’s the fox, saying the words that will lead to the Prince living the rest of his days with that one special rose, while the fox itself is never mentioned again once they part ways. To not be forgotten like the fox in the story, Niina has to make a bold move. Whether someone was actually touching her bottom on the train once it gets crowded is immaterial; the point is, Niina wanted a situation in which she could tell Izumi to place his hand on her bottom. Not only that, there’s now a record of their exchange on their phones she could potentially use against Kazusa. So one of Izumi’s hands is sweatily, awkwardly clutching Kazusa’s as the ticking of the clock grows louder and louder, and the other hand is resting on Niina’s bottom, with Niina’s hand guiding and keeping it there. So, as is asked many times in the heads of the characters this week, What Now? Trouble…that’s what! Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 30 Aug 2019 Fri, 30 Aug 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo., Summer 2019Tags amagi, awkward, boyfriend, cultural festival, drama, 荒ぶる季節の乙女どもよ。, falling in love, fox, holding hands, hongou hitoha, juujo sonoe, making a move, norimoto izumi, onodera kazusa, romance, saegusa, sonezaki rika, sudou momoko, sugawara niina, the little prince, threat, together, tomita emi, train, ultimatum, yamagishi Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 – 08 – A Better Dream This week Takagi and Nishikata get “stuck” in the storage shed after gym class, as Nishikata pretends he can’t open the door in order to scare Takagi. Honestly it’s a pretty sizable “own goal” on his part, as Takagi doesn’t mind being alone in a shed with Nishikata one bit. She even realizes pretty quickly that the door’s not really locked, but if he’s going to make conditions so perfect for teasing, who is she to resist? While in the dim shed Nishikata scrapes a knee, so Takagi takes him to the conveniently empty nurse’s office to administer antiseptic. Again, the two are all alone, and Takagi makes sure to point this out, sitting on the bed with Nishikata (the second bed of the episode!) and putting her hand just an inch from his, daring him to hold it and claim victory. Unfortunately, Nishikata…just can’t do it. When the two compare dreams of what they’d do with a million (then ten million) yen, we can see the recurring theme of Nishikata being an unapologetic, helpless…kid. He wants to buy all the video games and comics; she wants to go on vacation with “someone she loves”—someone Nishikata can’t yet realize or accept to be…him. Presumably, at some point, Nishikata will grow up a little more and take Takagi’s numerous, increasingly obvious hints. Or perhaps the time will come when Takagi will stop “teasing” and simply tell him upfront how she feels, leaving no room for doubt and not following it up with a “just joking.” Mind you, I’m not saying that’s Takagi’s responsibility to move this thing forward. For all I know, she’s fine with things the way they are—which is why she’s not pressing—or she’s waiting to see how things play out. In any case, her odds of a desirable outcome are surely better than winning a 10 million-yen lotto ticket. Author sesameacrylicPosted on Tue, 27 Aug 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2, Summer 2019Tags alone together, からかい上手の高木さん, dreams, games, laughing, lottery, nishikata, nurses office, romance, school, skilled teaser takagi-san, slice of life, storage shed, summer festival, takagi, teasing O Maidens in Your Savage Season – 08 – Where Legends are Made This week, with the cultural festival as the backdrop, every O Maiden decides they’re going to make a choice that will hopefully ensure them happiness and stability as they move forward. Naturally, things don’t start out smoothly for anyone. For Kazusa, it’s deciding to tell Izumi upfront how she feels. As her performance with Niina looms, Kazusa is mindul, and nervous, of the fact that Izumi is about to witness her essentially rehearse her confession to him with Niina on stage. Momo decides she’s not going to entertain Sugimoto’s vapid attention any longer, something she’s even more sure of when he shows up with two of his friends. When Rika sees another girl flirting with Amagi, she starts to realize they can’t have relationship if she insists on keeping it secret from the world. Then there’s Niina. She seems the most lost out of everyone, caught between feelings for Saegusa and Izumi, but neither sure what those feelings are or how to act on them. For his part, Izumi is taken aback when she puts her hand on his face, leading to her scurrying off while he struggles to hold three teapots—which I’m sure is a metaphor for something. Hongou finds her encounters with Milo-sensei almost completely dominated by the presence of the modern Japanese teacher Tomita-sensei, who has clearly taken a liking to Milo. Tomita doesn’t see Hongou as a threat, she sees her as a child and a student, and there’s clearly the sense Milo appreciates having Tomita around, almost as a shield from Hongou’s potential mischief. But any discomfort he has comes out of his refusal thus far to set clear boundaries, a responsibility that’s his and his alone. While wallowing in the rest area, Rika is joined by Sonoe, and the two get to talking about the latter’s boyfriend. Sonoe, who it should be said is clearly ready to move on from bullying Rika to a conventional friendship between hotties, tells Rika how her thing with her boyfriend was physical at first, but became romantic when she learned he was a nice guy. Also, that it’s only natural to want to show off and be proud of the person they like. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Izumi in the audience would be awkward enough, but Saegusa also joins the crowd, sitting right beside Izumi. Suddenly, it’s a rehearsal for Niina as well as Kazusa, in which to somehow prove to Saegusa that she’s not boring, that despite having become a woman, she can still be unpredictable like a child. When nobody expects it, and just when Kazusa is starting to get into rhythm with Izumi less of a source of stress and more of a calming presence, Niina flips the script, walks out into the crowd, and puts her hand on Izumi’s chest, shocking everyone there (and no one more than Kazusa), but eliciting an impressed smirk from Saegusa. Izumi takes Niina by the wrist to talk in private, whipping the crowd into a frenzy as they hoot and applaud what looks to all the world like two lovers shuffling off to be alone. In the moment, it looks like a heel turn for Niina (if you’re an KaZumi shipper, like me). Izumi is surprised when Niina tells him even she didn’t really know what she was doing, he surmises that it may have been to make Saegusa jealous, and that if she still wants to do that kind of stuff because she still likes Saegusa, he’s willing to help her. The key is, she should focus on what she wants, not how others will see it. A tall task for someone all but defined by observers. But the one thing Izumi can’t see is the real reason Niina reached out to him: she likes him. As for Kazusa, she also considered the fact that it may be game over for her and Izumi before she even took her shot, but she’s determined to take that shot anyway. Seeing how Niina looked when she touched Izumi clinched it for her: for someone who clearly likes him that much to still support Kazusa, who only ever thought about herself…that’s the person she’d want to be with Izumi, rather than some rando. Everything comes to a head at the bonfire that concludes the festival. Due to the buzz caused by the performances—no doubt supercharged by Niina’s improvisation—the whole school is aware of the urban legend about standing in the shadow of the one you love, and people are trying it out. It’s the first time Hongou’s work has reached an audience so large, and the pride in her accomplishment fuels her confidence in wanting to try it out on Milo-sensei. Unfortunately she doesn’t come close to getting a chance; Milo is well away from the bonfire’s flames, chatting with Tomita-sensei. Rika fares better. Turns out Amagi wasn’t as close to giving up on them as it seemed last week, but Rika goes for broke and confesses to him in front of everyone, telling him she can now see the difference between romance and sexual desire, but more to the point, she doesn’t care anymore about anything other than Amagi knowing she’s in love with him. He responds by hugging her, telling her he’s never been so happy. Momo was successful in getting Sugimoto to take a hike, but that leaves her alone at the bonfire when everyone else is busy with their respective love interests. Still, you get the feeling she’d rather be alone than have those annoying dudes buzzing around her, so it’s a win for her. Niina tells Saegusa that she’s decided to let herself “obsess” over someone for the first time, and see where it goes, after a lifetime of keeping her distance. She’s pretty much asserting she has to look out for herself, even if it hurts Kazusa and ends up fruitless, as Izumi just doesn’t see her that way, and has—has always had—someone closer to him. That brings us to Izumi, who beats Kazusa to the punch and and confesses to her first, moving her to tears of joy and relief. He references that day years ago when he first saw her as a girl, and after all those years of her protecting him, he decided he wanted to protect her too. Big sister, little sister, good friend…she’s been all of those things to him, but now he knows all of those characterizations are reflections of the love he’s always had for her. The two walk to the riverfront hand-in-hand to admire the cityscape, at peace and happy as clams. So many weights have been lifted on this night, but the smooth sailing will only last so long with four episodes left. Storms lie ahead, and the strength of all of the night’s confessions and rejections place will be vigorously tested. I’m fist-pumpingly happy for Kazusa and Rika, but love and pain do go hand in hand! Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 23 Aug 2019 Mon, 26 Aug 2019 Categories Anime Reviews, Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo., Summer 2019Tags amagi, bonfire, competition, confession, cultural festival, drama, 荒ぶる季節の乙女どもよ。, falling in love, holding hands, hongou hitoha, hug, juujo sonoe, literature club, norimoto izumi, off-script, onodera kazusa, rejection, romance, saegusa, shadow, sonezaki rika, sudou momoko, sugawara niina, sugimoto satoshi, urban legend, yamagishi	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363229
__label__wiki	0.778327	0.778327	Activities> The Ramsar Awards> 2002e.png In 2002 the Awards recognized a private company in Australia, a government agency in India and a consortium of NGOs in Central Europe. The Ramsar Award was complemented by the Evian Special Prize, consisting of US$10,000 generously donated by the Danone Group (France), owner of Evian Mineral Waters, as part of a programme of support to the Ramsar Convention. In addition to the three Ramsar Awards for 2002, a Recognition of Excellence was conferred upon two individuals whose distinguished service has significantly furthered the cause of wetland conservation and wise use. Award 1 2002 Banrock Station Wines, Australia The Chilika Development Authority (India) The NGO Trinational Initiative for the Morava-Dyje Floodplain, Daphne (Slovak Republic), Distelverein (Austria), Veronica (Czech Republic), WWF International-Danube Carpathian Programme Recognition of Excellence 2002 Dr Max Finlayson (Australia) Dr Monique Coulet, France	cc/2020-05/en_middle_0087.json.gz/line1363231

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