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The problem is not simply in peoples’ mind. It’s often in the experts, who do not always have a reasonable conception of rationality.
Gerd Gigerenzer directs the Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin.
He has trained U.S. federal judges, German physicians, and top managers in decision making and understanding risks and uncertainties. With the Bank of England he is working on the project “Simple heuristics for a safer world.”
Host Peter Todd is a professor in IU-Bloomington’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. | <urn:uuid:1a4809eb-eb43-4ec4-86e7-1ea7f3c7af7b> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://indianapublicmedia.org/profiles/psychologist-author-gerd-gigerenzer.php | 2024-04-13T16:31:34Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.930506 | 132 | 1.632813 | 2 |
We, a coalition of Indigenous community members and relatives from nations across Turtle Island, have come together to express our support and solidarity with all of the land protectors, warriors, elders, leaders and supporters on the ground in Elsipogtog who have waged courageous, continuous struggles to protect their lands, waters, and communities from irreparable destruction and to ensure a viable future for the coming generations.
On Dec. 6, following ongoing confrontation between the Mi’kmaq Nation and RCMP, SWN Resources Canada announced their intention to end their hydro-fracturing exploratory work for the year, with plans to “return in 2015″. Although this news has been confirmed by various news outlets, warriors on the ground are still prepared to fight SWN if they fail to uphold their commitment to withdrawing from Mi’kmaq territory. We recognize that the contested issue of hydraulic fracturing at Elsipogtog has not been resolved and that the struggle to defend land and water continues.
The Mi’kmaq and their allies began actively protecting their unceded homeland in New Brunswick against “exploratory testing” by SWN more than six months ago, in the spring of 2013. SWN is searching for deposits of natural gas in shale rock formations, which if found, will be extracted through the process of hydraulic fracturing (fracking). The Mi’kmaq did not give their consent for this activity to occur on their territory and have been adamantly resisting exploratory testing for several months due to environmental concerns regarding the extremely dangerous process of fracking, as well as ongoing treaty violations by the federal and provincial governments.
On October 17, 2013, over 100 RCMP and armed tactical unit officers raided the Mi’kmaq blockade camp in Elsipogtog, assaulting a small crowd of peaceful land protectors, including women and elders, and violently arresting 40 people, several of whom were held in solitary confinement. The RCMP was enforcing an injunction granted to SWN against protestors. The Mi’kmaq Nation was subsequently denied an injunction against SWN’s fracking activity on their homelands, but SWN secured a new injunction against all protests that was set to expire on Dec. 2nd. On Monday, however, it was extended until Dec. 17. Throughout this time, the RCMP have continued to enforce SWN’s injunctions with violent arrests and forceful attacks on unarmed protectors, elders and women, many of whom have been arrested without charges.
The Mi’kmaq and their allies have remained committed to protecting their land, water and community from toxic poisoning by hydraulic fracking.
We, a coalition of Indigenous community members and relatives from nations across Turtle Island, will continue to offer our solidarity in their efforts to protect land, water and life, and uphold their ancestral responsibilities to ensuring the vitality of their nation.
We condemn the oppressive actions carried out by federal and provincial governments, law enforcement, and legal authorities for their continued violation of Peace and Friendship Treaty agreements that bind them with the Mi’kmaq nation and grant their presence in their unceded, unsurrendered territory.
We condemn the colonial state protection of corporate interests in Elsipogtog and elsewhere, as well as the violent enforcement of discrimination against non-consenting Indigenous communities, who have every right to stand up against injustice, uphold their responsibilities to their land, and to protect life.
We call for a moratorium on all forms of hydraulic fracturing (‘fracking’) on Indigenous lands across Turtle Island and we will support and organize resistance to it everywhere we can.
We will provide our full support and assistance to all protectors, warriors, communities, allies, and defenders that uphold their sacred responsibilities and we congratulate Elsipogtog and our Mi’kmaq relatives on their successful resistance to this imminent threat to their homelands.
Your commitment, persistence and sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. Your action is both brave and inspiring. Wela’lin to all the Warriors, Elders, leaders, children, communities, and allies that sacrificed to protect the homeland of Elsipogtog.
In Peace, Friendship, and Solidarity.
Indigenous Nationhood Movement
To endorse this statement please leave a comment below, including your group/community/nation/organization’s name. If reposting the statement on your site to endorse, please link back to this post—or email [email protected]—so that we know you are in support of this statement.
Donations are still needed to support the ongoing costs of maintaining the resistance camps, funding legal defences, and providing supplies to people on the ground at Elsipogtog.
– Elsipogtog Warriors Legal & Supplies
– Warriors Defence Fund
CALL SWN RESOURCES AND TELL THEM TO STAY OFF MI’KMAQ LANDS:
SWN Logistics Operations Texas: 1-877-879-0376
SWN Canada Office: 506-382-2603
SUPPORT ONLINE: Use hashtag #Elsipogtog and #ElsipogtogSolidarity
Indigenous Peoples are putting their bodies on the line and it's our responsibility to make sure you know why. That takes time, expertise and resources - and we're up against a constant tide of misinformation and distorted coverage. By supporting IC you're empowering the kind of journalism we need, at the moment we need it most. | <urn:uuid:f514b798-4cbf-4875-91b5-153f08f25d2d> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://intercontinentalcry.org/statement-solidarity-support-elsipogtog-land-protectors/ | 2024-04-13T16:27:43Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.95363 | 1,149 | 2.046875 | 2 |
One of the famous deserts in Isfahan province is Varzaneh desert which is located near Varzaneh city. The short distance from Varzaneh city to the center of Isfahan province has made this desert very attractive to nature lovers, especially the people of Isfahan. However, nature lovers from other cities such as Tehran also show great interest in this region and visiting this desert. Varzaneh Desert is the most accessible desert in Isfahan city, and the unsurpassed breadth of sand dunes in various shapes and sandy landscapes above the slopes of the sand is incontestable. It’s an ideal place for stargazing at night and much more that you will find out by yourself. One of the most original natural landscapes of Varzaneh is the watery ecosystem with the dry land of Gavkhuni international wetland. Gavkhuni wetland is like a jewel in the central desert of Iran.
Varzaneh desert is one of the most beautiful places in Iran, along with forests and mountains. the best seasons for desert climbing is fall and winter, as it reduces the heat of the Varzaneh desert and makes it the best destination for tourists who like to experience excitement, beauty, and silence together. Varzaneh Desert is one of the beautiful deserts of the eastern part of Isfahan and the central part of Iran. At the heart of this desert, sandy hills make a wonderful view that wind beautifully crafted them in various shapes, including longitudinal hills, crests, and sandy pyramids.
The city of Varzaneh, with several natural and ancient monuments together, has become an important destination for domestic and even foreign tourists in recent years. And there is a rich culture to see the desert of Iran. It takes about 2 hours to travel the distance between Isfahan and Varzaneh. It is not far from the city of Varzaneh to the desert, and with the guidance of the signs inside the city, the desert route can be found quickly. A desert campsite has been established, and the facilities of this camp can be used.
The exceptional Varzaneh Salt Lake is what you cannot miss about this desert. Right behind the flowing sand hills of this desert lies the crystalized fields of salt lake. What remained of the evaporation of salty waters has created a shiny white landscape where you feel detached, looking at the sunset throwing its pink-hued rays on the white crystals of salt. There are many adventurous activities in this area that raise your heart rate and induce adrenaline to run all over your veins. One of these activities is sand surfing on the hills of a hundred meters height that is very popular besides SUV riding, paragliding, camping, and many other pleasures, like watching the starry nights of the desert. The main drive of a great number of people who come to visit this wonderful plain that has turned yellow in the hands of the sun is to find peace and tranquility far from the buzzing heart of the town, far from the chaotic thoughts of everyday life.
Entry to the desert is personally restricted and almost all entrances to the desert are closed. For this reason, the only way to enter the desert is from this campsite and for a fee. A short distance from the road, you can see high sands that are an attractive option for climbing if you are a hiker in the desert. Especially at sunrise and sunset when the desert climate is more pleasant. Contrary to popular belief, the desert is full of plant and animal life. That is, traces of the life of a plant or insect or reptile can be found in every corner of the desert. For this reason, if you travel to the desert, try to respect this ecosystem. As much as possible, do not drive around in places where the plant grows and avoid breaking the bushes. Because many seemingly dry shrubs are actually alive, and even those that are not alive have long been responsible for providing shelter and shelter for the small and large inhabitants of the desert.Tags:desert, esfahan province, Isfahan Province, landscape, Nature, Salt Lake, tour agency, tour operator, tour package, travel agency, travel company, Varzaneh desert, اصفهان, کویر ورزنه | <urn:uuid:b1c037de-5c9d-48e0-96d2-c1704ebbc62a> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://iranparadise.com/varzaneh-desert/ | 2024-04-13T16:47:06Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.944556 | 894 | 1.851563 | 2 |
This unique devotional study series is:
Based on a quarter and a 6-day week(leaving day 7 for you to experience the filling of His presence as you gather with others).
It is perpetual so it can be used year after year as you walk out this journey.
It is interactive – it gives you a comparatively thought filled piece of writing and then builds with scripture and questions that will stir you to look deep within yourself – making this a personal growth experience.
Winters Rest, Spring’s Assurance , Summer’s Delight and Fall’s Yield are designed to give you time to focus directly on narrowing your path on this journey.
We live in a very busy “Martha” world where to “slow down, sit, rest and be still” are all phrases that have become more and more foreign. However, these disciplines are crucial in our desire to draw close to the Lord. They refresh and recharge us as every area of our being cries out for them. Our spiritual, physical, emotional and mental faculties all respond when these disciplines are implemented in our lives on a daily basis.
Winters Rest is designed to give you time to focus directly on narrowing your path on this journey. Join me on a journey to freedom through Winters Rest. Buy ebook
Our lives are filled with the whirlwind of daily survival, where the assurance of anything is questionable. The assurance of Jesus extravagant unconditional love is as refreshing as the promise of new life that spring arouses in each of us.
Taking time to sit at the feet of Jesus and bask in the assurance of His love is His desire and the only place of recharging for our daily lives.
Join me as you narrow your path as you find the assurance of His love. Buy ebook
Our lives are fueled by a constant search for the next experience, person or thing that will bring us what we believe is true contentment. However, finding that hidden place comes from within.
When we step into a new life with Christ – understanding that He is our source of complete fullness and delight – we find that place and from that foundation we cannot be shaken.
His love and rest lead us to a place of contentment and freedom as we walk out a journey filled with hidden wells of refreshment.
Summer’s Delight is designed to give you daily time as you sit at the feet of Jesus.
To live a life daily directed by the voice of Christ is found as you enter the door where Grace meets Lordship! His presence is the key and it’s found at His feet. As you wait in that place you will bask in the assurance of His love and your greatest delight will be in His profound goodness. There, with arms stretched out in total surrender you will begin a fall into a journey where Grace meets Lordship. Here your ultimate desire will be His daily direction as a willing vessel “hearing” and “doing” as He directs.
Join me in a journey filled with extravagant love, faith, courage, purpose and anticipation. Each morning as your feet hit the floor a shout of “Yes, Lord” and an exuberant expectation of “what’s the plan today Lord?” will erupt from within.
Are you ready for the journey?
Don’t forget your journal! As you journal – growth follows.
Journal writing is an important life practice that allows and encourages growth in all areas of our lives. | <urn:uuid:0fa515d4-d615-4395-b19e-cb2d5008a056> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://jksanchez.com/devotional-series/ | 2024-04-13T16:35:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.947108 | 743 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Tekashi69 has been transferred to a federal facility that is commonly used to house snitches, TMZ reports.
6ix9ine was initially placed in general population at the very dangerous Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center. He was transferred to the new detention center Wednesday night.
6ix9ine’s attorney, Lance Lazzaro, said the rapper was reportedly transferred for “security reasons.” Tekashi was getting threats from gang members at MDC.
He is now in a unit with “neutral inmates.”
Tekashi69 is accused of being a part of a criminal organization that dealt drugs and ordered shootings of rival gang members.
6ix9ine, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, is facing racketeering and firearms charges along with five others. If convicted, the minimum sentence he faces is 32 years in prison, the New York Daily News reports.
Tekashi, 22, was ordered held without bail during his arraignment in Manhattan Federal Court Monday.
FBI warned Tekashi about death threats from two of the men also charged in the conspiracy.
The government considers Tekashi dangerous.
“The defendant is quite violent,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Longyear said. “This defendant participated in multiple acts of violence.”
The feds list Tekashi in a 17-count indictment for gang conspiracy that includes his ex-manager, Kifano (Shotti) Jordan, Jensel (Ish) Butler, Faheem (Crippy) Walter and Fuguan (Fu Banga) Lovick and Jamel (Mel Murda) Jones.
They were reportedly nabbed in a joint investigation by the NYPD, Homeland Security Investigations and ATD.
The 9 Trey Bloods are accused of committing many crimes to maintain the gang’s “power, territory and profits.”
Members of Nine Trey sold h—–, fentanyl, MDMA and weed in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx, prosecutors say.
The indictment lists several alleged instances of violence involving Tekashi and his fellow accused gang members:
“On April 3, Tekashi, Jordan, Butler and Walter robbed rival gang members at gunpoint at 40th St. and 8th Ave., according to the indictment. On April 21, Lovick fired one shot inside the Barclays Center, according to the indictment.
Manhattan prosecutors have said the incident during a boxing match at the arena stemmed from Tekashi’s beef with the rapper Cassanova. On July 16, Tekashi, Jordan, Butler and Walter conspired to kill “an individual who had shown disrespect to Nine Trey,” according to the indictment. The plan didn’t work and an innocent bystander was shot at Fulton St. and Utica Ave., authorities said.” | <urn:uuid:c5fdbd26-5d56-4074-991b-f68320741198> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://kollegekidd.com/news/tekashi69-transferred-to-facility-used-for-snitches/ | 2024-04-13T15:09:45Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.963252 | 577 | 1.539063 | 2 |
GLR-KY-073 73rd Senior Squadron Emblem
73rd Senior Squadron GLR-KY-073 Emblem
(Adopted and Approved 14 DEC 2020)
The emblem design features a horse representing Kentucky. The horse is centered and prominent in the circular squadron patch shape. It is designed and displayed in solid yellow color—Air Force yellow, same as the patch framing color. This color also represents the Goldenrod Kentucky state flower. The horse is intended to be a central feature in the patch design.
The emblem design features a 2D top view shape of a Cessna 172—the aircraft the squadron flies for missions. The plane is another major element of symbolic importance. The propellers are centered to the patch, aligned with the horizon.
The emblem design features a “light cone” item vertically centered; meaning the horizontal line is centered to the patch. This item is intended to symbolize the core activities of the squadron as it relates to search and missions. (see motto explanation above).
The emblem design features “ground and sky” elements represented by half circles divided by a horizon line. The colors or the sky, ground and horizon are derived from the Kentucky wing patch design: blue for the sky, red for the ground, and gray for the horizon. The horizon is
The motto is in the upper external concentric arc. The motto is written in Latin “PARA ET EXSEQUOR” (Prepare and Execute).
Emblem designed by: Maj John Swiecki and SM Claudia Rebola
Heraldry written by: Maj John Sweicki and SM Claudia Rebola
Approved by: Col Darrel D. Williamson, CAP KYWG Commander. | <urn:uuid:4ff8aa46-6647-4273-a472-43bf6e09e518> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://kywg.cap.gov/about/heraldry/glr-ky-073-73rd-senior-squadron-emblem | 2024-04-13T16:36:53Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.910476 | 356 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Hear the Word and feed your faith. Bishop Edir Macedo, shares the Word of God, in a digestible, relatable and transformative way, that can be applied practically to our everyday lives. Learn how faith can directly change your life.
Every day, 6PM
Life is a journey that at many times becomes very difficult, even too much for us to bear alone. Here is the shoulder that you can lean on, one that you can trust. Find help, find freedom, find life and above all… find faith. Join Bishop James as he shares his pearls of wisdom every day at 10pm on Be Inspired.
Every day, 10PM
This programme teaches singletons and couples how to be successful in love. From interviews, to covering a range of topics, this programme should not be missed!
The Love Talk Show is here to answer all your questions about love and help you to learn how to love intelligently. | <urn:uuid:86d63612-c876-405c-8e3f-d7df9c143cbb> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://libertyradio.co.uk/schedule/ | 2024-04-13T16:31:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.941801 | 194 | 1.5 | 2 |
The third day after Malaga Type, Rolfpens organised a small calligraphy workshop where I had the opportunity try out some of the pens. We started at 10:30. First with straight lines, angled lines, then half circles, circles and waved lines to begin with. After some 30 minutes we continued with writing text. Every pen is different. | <urn:uuid:e29ca1d2-a2f4-4b07-9463-768af5600732> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://loraincolors.com/blog/calligraphyrolfpens | 2024-04-13T15:39:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.954013 | 73 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The UFC made its debut appearance in Utica, New York on Friday evening with a bantamweight showdown between Jimmie Rivera (21-2) and Marlon Moraes (21-5-1) headlining the show. The card also introduced a new “Prospect” to the bantamweight division as the UK’s own Nathaniel “The Prospect” Wood (14-3) made his promotional debut, in the process picking up a $50,000 performance of the night bonus.
Wood, the former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion, squared off against 40 fight veteran Johnny Eduardo (28-12), dispatching of the Brazilian via D’arce choke in round 2.
In typical Wood fashion, he had to face some adversity early on in the fight to kickstart the fire inside him and pull off the impressive come from behind win. Eduardo landed some big shots on Wood in the first round whilst he was backed up against the fence, appearing to break his nose in the process. Despite appearing stunned, Wood managed to see the round out and regather his thoughts in between rounds with coach Brad Pickett.
As the second round kicked off Wood immediately looked more settled in the stand-up exchanges leading to Eduardo shooting for the takedown. Wood showed his impressive takedown defence to sprawl, control the posture of his opponent and sink in the choke leading to the tap. Despite being bruised and bloodied, Wood’s UFC debut ended in success, in the process of recording his 6th straight win and picking up the $50,000 bonus.
With his entertaining and never say die style, MMA fans will be eager to see “The Prospect” back in action sooner rather than later. Wood looks a fantastic addition to the bantamweight roster and as his nickname suggests he is most definitely a “prospect” in the division. | <urn:uuid:05070d78-2ddc-4868-b904-a28e0a2168c7> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://mmauk.net/2018/06/03/a-new-prospect-to-the-ufc-bantamweight-division/ | 2024-04-13T15:31:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.975012 | 390 | 2.234375 | 2 |
Fox 11 News:
Officials ordered mandatory evacuation orders in Laguna Beach after a brush fire fueled by strong winds erupted above the Emerald Bay community Thursday morning.
The wind-driven fire was reported just before 4:10 a.m. in the 1400 block of Emerald Bay, located near the Pacific Coast Highway. By 7:30 a.m., fire officials said the fire was burning between 7 and 10 acres and that they have slowed the spread of the fire. Fire authorities also noted they believe they can get the fire contained by the end of the day.
While Monarch Bay does not seem threatened, this would be a good time for residents to review the Emergency Preparedness Plan in the Library Section of the MBA Website and particularly Section 2 on Personal Preparedness in the event that an evacuation was ever required in our community. | <urn:uuid:ad106f41-9f37-4834-bff3-d79f2747f1ee> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://monarchbayhoa.com/monarch-bay-emergency-preparedness/ | 2024-04-13T16:01:51Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.972862 | 168 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Anonymous submission to North Shore Counter-info
Quebec is instituting a system of vaccine passports in the coming days, and Ontario is likely to follow suit. The passport is a document confirming your identity and your vaccination status that will have to be shown in order to access many spaces. Not a day goes by here without a barrage of open letters and social media posts asking to be required to show a passport to move around the city, for every worker to be given a policing function.
I got fully vaccinated as soon as it was available to me, and so did all my close people. However, I think the vaccine passport is despicable and that those who are advocating for it are making a serious mistake.
My crew’s choice to get vaccinated was just one product of ongoing discussions about how to relate to collective health during the pandemic. We did not obey the lockdowns or the rules about gatherings – we established our own guidelines based on our own ethical, political and practical considerations. We asked a different question. Sometimes this resulted in us being more cautious than the law allowed, sometimes it resulted in breaking the rules. We were far from alone in this, and I know my circle benefited from other people’s discussions.
The pandemic has been unique in our lifetimes, but its ethical challenges are not: controlling the behaviour of others is a pretty central element of democratic politics. The government looks at us as a mass of people to be managed towards various goals, notably profit and social peace. They look at the world from above, through a lens of domination and control – this is as much the case for the pandemic as for climate change and poverty. Different politicians and parties will have different priorities, and our agency is reduced to advocating for how we want to be managed – or how we want those other people to be managed.
We come to internalize the logic of domination and put the needs of order and the economy above our own. We start to view the world from above too, far from our own experiences, desires, ideas, values, and relationships. “The social war is this: a struggle against the structures of power that colonize us and train us to view the world from the perspective of the needs of power itself, through the metaphysical lens of domination.”
In the context of the pandemic, to view the world from above means understanding the situation through corporate media (whether social or traditional), through colour-coded maps, through the designation of hot zones, through policy debates, through rules laid out by experts (I want their knowledge, not their authority). It means to think about our own decisions in terms of what everyone should do, to act ourselves the way we think everyone should act. Our own priorities vanish, and the agency of others is perceived as a threat.
As a state-led covid measure, the vaccine passport is like the curfews and the stay at home orders, the expanded fines and the coercive powers given to bylaw. It is a public order measure. All these restrictions are meant to prevent the kinds of conversations that had people in the streets in recent months to carry out encampment defense, tear down statues, and honour residential school victims.
I want to oppose domination, but also its false critics. Some anarchists have thought they developed a critique of authoritarian responses to the pandemic, but they only succeed in being reactionaries. They are still seeing the world from above, where the only conceivable collective action is that of the state. They fall back on the discourse of individual rights, but there is nothing anarchist about a freedom carved into bite-sized pieces and spoon-fed back to us. Their analysis becomes totally unprincipled when they start defending the rights of religious conservatives to continue holding their services. They are involved in the anti-masking movement, which is not about individual ethical choice, but rather covid denialism,. They end up in bed with those who see any common good as an attack on their privilege.
To me, freedom also means responsibility. It is an individual imperative to make your own choices, but also to understand yourself as embedded in a web of relationships. It is about voluntary association, but also understanding that we are also embedded in webs of relationships with all people (not to mention all living things, the land and water). We have responsibilities to those webs as well. When our choices in the pandemic start from ourselves and builds outwards, to our chosen people and onward to the societies we exist in, we are no longer seeing the world from above, but on a human scale.
This is called autonomy, and it is itself a threat to the powerful. It means organizing our lives on a radically different basis, one that comes into conflict with the attempts of the powerful to maintain order and obedience.
A vaccine passport system is a way of cracking down on autonomy. I don’t give a shit about going to a restaurant or a concert, and my crew is continuing to avoid indoor crowds even though the state says we don’t have to. Let’s organize ourselves to avoid the repression and continue to act on our own priorities. See you in the streets. | <urn:uuid:c862cddd-3e5f-4b86-88d5-a961a76f81e0> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://mtlcounterinfo.org/health-on-a-human-scale-a-vaccinated-anarchist-against-vaccine-passports/ | 2024-04-13T16:05:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.969645 | 1,053 | 1.921875 | 2 |
🙂 You’re welcome. Kaos pees on my neighbors dog. He would run up to the fance, stop and hike his leg right on the pamapoos head. I know what it’s like to have a young pit. They’re rambunctious and it is obnoxious, especially when they want to play. It can also be difficult because people don’t understand that they aren’t being agressive. We call Kaos our ankle biter because he likes to go after our toes. There was one time my daughter sat down and he pulled her around on her butt by her shoe. She thought it was hillarious. I didn’t think it was quite so funny while trying to get the grass stains out of her pants. As far as the kennel training goes, as with all training, start when it’s quiet. If she already has some idea what the command means, then give her the command and wait for her to go INTO her kennel, then give her a treat. When she consistantly goes to her kennel when you give the command, then start making her stay before you give her the treat. Once she gets good at waiting for you, you can start giving her the command when people are around. A lot of times Kaos will try and ignore us. We just point to his kennel and give him the command sternly while stepping into his space. We don’t smack him or anything, just assert our authority with a strong voice and ominous presence. You can also try flipping her over on her back and kneeling over her like a dominant dog would. Some people think this can help assert you as an authority figure. Whether you try this method, or just assert yourself as her “pack leader” through discipline, she will respond better in all situations if she knows you’re boss. Not to say you have to be abusive, just firm and authoritative. This type of authority could help when she starts going after your feet too. 🙂 As far as excersize goes, we don’t have a whole lot of time, so we go out to a quiet road, kick Kaos out of the car, then drive. Fast enough that he can’t get infront of the car. He LOVES to chase us! This is probably not the most conventional form of excersize, but the sprints burn energy FAST. We can get one heck of a work out in 30 min. If you’re working on a tight schedule, running sprints can burn off energy in a shorter amount of time than walks. Kaos won’t play fetch, othewise that would be a good activity. Focus training and kennel training both take time and patience. Just keep at it and be consistant, and someday your dog will be old and arthritic and not able to run and jump and be obnoxious. 😉 Jk. It really does work, but only if used consistantly. Kaos is about a year and a half and is still full of puppy. Just keep workin’ hard and she’ll get it. They’re very smart, just stuborn. | <urn:uuid:cfaf65d9-6087-400c-9c18-a9f7c55ac9d3> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://pitbulls.org/reply/youre-welcome-kaos-pees | 2024-04-13T15:21:39Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.977792 | 671 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Why I Started Wing Chun
I’m going to be honest. I knew nothing about Wing Chun before I started training in it. The main reason why I started learning Wing Chun was because I saw the Ip Man movie staring Donnie Yen back when it first came out in 2008. I felt so amped and amazed by the power of Wing Chun. I know Ip Man is an exaggerated movie based on the real Grandmaster of Wing Chun, Yip Man but it’s still a bad ass movie! It wasn’t until I started Wing Chun did I learn that he was also Bruce Lee’s first martial arts teacher!
Bruce Lee and Yip Man
After watching the movie with Donnie Yen, I made a public announcement on my Facebook declaring my new found ambition to be able to take on 10 guys at once with Wing Chun like Donnie Yen did in the movie!
I wondered, does Donnie Yen know Wing Chun? I mean I know he’s an martial artist and all but he actually did have to learn Wing Chun and go through Wing Chun training for his role as Ip Man. Don’t believe me? Check out this short clip of Donnie Yen with Ip Chun! Watch it here!
Anyway, only one person on Facebook took me seriously, my friend Tommy. He was already learning Wing Chun for a few months under Yip Pui in NYC. He invited me to come check out the class. It was interesting to watch since Wing Chun is completely different from the Choy Lay Fut wushu I studied before – everything was different: the stance, the way they strike, and so on.
I was intrigued and signed up for classes under Yip Pui. As I started my Wing Chun training, it was very difficult for me at first because it required a different stance. I was used to the traditional horse stance. The Wing Chun stance is much narrower and our toes point inwards. The first class I had to learn to deflect and punch at the same time while shifting on my heels with the new stance. Everything was foreign to me and it was a lot to process! But it didn’t matter because I loved the Wing Chun philosophy of defending and striking at the same time. And I also thought the Wing Chun dummy was one of the coolest things and I had to learn it!!
I did some research and discovered that Wing Chun is the only martial art that was developed by a woman for women. I only applied it logically to think that if an average sized woman was confronted by a 200lb man and still be able to take them down, I can scale that logic to how a full size man can take down someone who is 400lbs. Of course that’s just how I saw it. It definitely made me more enthusiastic about Wing Chun! | <urn:uuid:870ae77b-0f88-489b-b2e9-f79dd8c5ebbe> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://practicewingchun.com/why-i-started-wing-chun | 2024-04-13T15:45:27Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.984492 | 580 | 2 | 2 |
a walk in the park
Four dog-loving organizations dig up funds for San Antonio park renovations
According to Mindy Kaling, unstoppable comedy writer and truth teller, “A best friend isn’t a person. ... It’s a tier.” This is good news at the dog park, where man’s best friend sprints away into the paws of another and the humans are left to make their own connections.
Last October, four dog-loving organizations that recognized the power of dog park friendship — the San Antonio Parks Foundation, Texas Public Radio, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Hops & Hounds — came together to host the mother of all dog mixers, the Official Fest of Tails Yappy Hour.
There, they raised enough money to give the uptown McAllister Park a makeover, and have recently finished repairs on the dog water fountains damaged in last year’s freeze.
Next, they’re putting in agility courses, which they hope to have installed on March 19, and will host a howling good event ahead of that installation, on March 12.
Each of the four organizers came to the project from their own previous efforts, all focused on connecting people with dogs with each other:
- Texas Public Radio’s Yappy Hour: To put a positive spin on quarantine time spent on the computer — with a dog’s head on person’s thigh, usually — Texas Public Radio started a weekly virtual “Yappy Hour.” It was a great success that allowed humans to celebrate their pets while socializing with other dog-loving humans. The event is an in-person gathering now and has included cocktails from Tito’s, a dog kissing booth, and a dog psychic, among many other fun twists.
- San Antonio Parks Foundation’s Fest of Tails: This canine carnival recently saw its 14th year of programming, with kites, live music, a parade, a costume contest, and pet and tree adoptions. SAPF events reach over 300,000 people each year, and after returning to in-person programming in 2021, the organization executed its full-year events calendar in just the last six months. Now, in mid-February, SAPF is about $20,000 away from its fundraising goal for a dog park project at Maverick Park.
- Tito’s Handmade Vodka’s Vodka for Dog People: The Tito’s distillery is a large and welcoming place where strays have shown up for years. Tito’s started taking them in, bringing them back to health, and sending them home with the people who just couldn’t get enough of them. The Vodka for Dog People program offers sponsorships, consults with other employees for more pet-friendly workplaces, and raises money for dog-centric nonprofits through merchandise sales.
- Hops & Hounds’ everyday business model: Lots of outdoor eateries are dog-friendly, but this one takes it to the next level. Dogs are allowed in the food-and-drink area, but they have even more space in the adjacent dog park, with agility obstacles and different play areas for dogs with different needs, like seniors or smalls. Of course, Hops & Hounds hosts lots of events like markets, socials, and fundraisers.
The next Fest of Tails event is coming up on March 12, a week before the projected agility course installation at McAllister. San Antonio Pets Alive! will join to discuss its foster program with interested attendees.
Texas Public Radio, the San Antonio Parks Foundation, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka plan to continue their partnership to provide updates to other local dog parks. | <urn:uuid:f3bb1516-2029-43f6-9b74-1f4365bba0c3> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://sanantonio.culturemap.com/02-14-22-four-organizations-fund-renovations-dogs-mcallister-park/?rebelltitem=3 | 2024-04-13T16:13:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.942237 | 787 | 1.859375 | 2 |
8Results for "May 31, 1780"
Moses Taylor Pyne and the Sugar Plantations of the Americas
The financial contributions of Moses Taylor Pyne (Class of 1877), one of Princeton's most prominent benefactors, reveal the complex relationship between Princeton, the American sugar trade, and the slave economy.
Princeton and Slavery: Holding the Center
Princeton University, founded as the College of New Jersey in 1746, exemplifies the central paradox of American history. From the start, liberty and slavery were intertwined.
Princeton’s Fugitive Slaves
Princeton residents published at least 28 newspaper advertisements for runaway slaves between 1774 and 1818. Each tells a unique story of courage and resistance in the face of tremendous odds.
Slavery at the President's House
At least five Princeton presidents who served between 1756 and 1822 owned enslaved people who lived, worked—and on one occasion were auctioned off—at the President’s House on campus. During this period, the President’s House was the center of slavery at Princeton.
Prospect Farm, today part of Princeton’s central campus, was worked by enslaved people in the 18th and 19th centuries. Prospect House was built in 1851 with money derived from slave labor on southern rice plantations.
Newspaper advertisement for a runaway slave | <urn:uuid:93115b49-c88b-4c32-bf99-1f828f652667> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://slavery.princeton.edu/search?q=May%2031,%201780 | 2024-04-13T14:58:41Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.93378 | 306 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Tips for Your Aspiring Copy-Writing Business
Digital technology including the Internet are developing very fast nowadays. Such fast development gives many new opportunities, for instance, a chance to find a remote job in the Internet. The list of the most popular Internet professions includes copy writing. A copywriter or a content writer is a person who composes texts to place them at various sites. Such profession is extremely important to the promotion of e-commerce and various websites. Moreover, this business can bring a lot of money to committed and professional copywriters. Therefore, if you want to start your copy-writing career, we would like to present you several tips to improve your professional skills.
How to Improve Your Writing: Several Tips for Copywriters
Certainly, commercial text creation, as well as essay writing is an art. However, nothing is impossible to a willing heart, and if you perceive copy-writing as the best opportunity for you to work, here are some pieces of advice that will help you to improve your text creation skills:
- Major activity of a writer is… writing. It may happen so that you will not have inspiration to compose an article on a particular topic. However, even if you have no ideas about the topic, you may just start writing anything coming to your head. This technique, known as free-writing, was used by many famous authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Mark Twain, and others. Thus, use free-writing to solve the problem of “no inspiration,” and ideas are going to come very soon.
- Practice individual approach to each customer because it is the heart of the copy-writing profession. Various clients have diverse needs; therefore, you should respect the interests and tastes of all your clients and find a personal approach to each of them. It will not only help create relevant content but also demonstrate your professionalism and experience, which in turn will bring you many orders for years to come. Help clients to state requirements correctly and consult with them to avoid misunderstanding and do your best to complete a certain task.
- Keep in mind the targeted audience. It is also important to pay your attention to not only the client but also the audience as well because you write for people. Therefore, it is necessary to read your texts from the point of view of the reader. In this case, you will able to evaluate whether this text is interesting for people or not. If it is very difficult to make an unbiased evaluation of your own work, you can ask someone to help you.
- Do business with editors. If you are not so good with words as you want, ask a professional editor to proofread your texts and give you a piece of advice about the style and grammar. Such an approach guarantees your quick professional development in this field. The editor is also necessary if your business is growing and you are going to hire new writers who will need a tutor. Thus, keep this point in mind.
- Do everything on time. Time is money, therefore, try to assess your abilities accurately and take only those orders you can finish before the deadline. Certainly, unexpected problems may occur because we are all humans, but it is necessary to try to do everything on time. If you have some difficulties with meeting the deadline, give your client a heads-up about it. It is sometimes possible to extend a deadline for a particular order.
- Develop your searching strategies. If you want to have more orders, it is possible to write materials in different spheres. However, to compose a text like a pro, you should know how to find reliable information quickly. Talking about professional web search, one should mention that the Internet is full of different professional databases with reliable books, journals, and articles useful for a copywriter. Hence, it is important to improve your literature search skills and the use of specialized databases.
- Professional writing is impossible without reading. Certainly, to create a good article about something new for you, you have to process a lot of information; therefore, speed-reading skills will help you decrease the time spent on information search. Moreover, reading modern fiction and classic literature is the key to improving your writing skills.
- Plan your time. Remote job in the Internet is comfortable because it gives an opportunity to have flexible working hours, but it can also be a challenge for those who cannot plan their time correctly. Planning is necessary if you want to not only meet deadlines and dedicate your life to this work but also have free time for hobbies or your family. Conversely, if you work finger to the bone, it may cause serious health problems or professional burnout. Therefore, plan your working day to have time to sleep and relax, and then you will be able to move mountains.
By using all these recommendations, you will be able to engage in new professional activity and achieve success in the copy-writing sphere. We are sure that writing is an art that makes this world a little bit better, and each person can learn the ropes of this art. | <urn:uuid:31837f5d-7c28-4080-b342-3892cbafa128> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://socialnomics.net/2017/08/09/tips-for-your-aspiring-copy-writing-business/ | 2024-04-13T16:15:27Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.962059 | 1,012 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Mar 15, 2024
Collaboration Event with TV Anime Series “The Eminence in Shadow” Begins in Fantasy RPG Valkyrie Connect! Get Collab Hero Cid Kagenou as a Free Event Reward!
Ateam Entertainment Inc. (headquarters: Nagoya, Japan; president: Yukimasa Nakauchi) has announced that its hit game Valkyrie Connect is starting a collaboration event with the TV anime series “The Eminence in Shadow” beginning worldwide on March 15, 2024.
■Collab Heroes from “The Eminence in Shadow”!
Valkyrie Connect is holding a collaboration event with “The Eminence in Shadow”!
Cid Kagenou, Shadow, Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, and more make their debut in Valkyrie Connect as collab heroes.
Clear the “Demon’s Vestige” event to get Cid Kagenou and collab-exclusive gear as a reward for free!
Enjoy both NPC life and Eminence in Shadow life with a special Connect Battle that changes every 24 hours!
Original Story “The Eminence in Shadow” Outline:
Even in another world, misconceptions run wild!
Just as Alpha and the troops are about to get their hands on the Tears of Diablos, Shadow’s immense power warps space-time, sending Shadow Garden, as well as the Tears of Diablos, to the world of Valkyrie Connect.
Event Availability: 3/15/2024 (Fri.) After Maintenance – 3/31/2024 (Sun.) 15:00 UTC
You can find more information and updates regarding this limited-time collaboration on our official social media pages.
Official X (Twitter) Page
Official Facebook Page
■Get Cid Kagenou as an Event Reward!
You can receive the collab hero Cid Kagenou as a clear reward in the “Demon’s Vestige” event.
Watch as Cid Kagenou plays up his NPC life with his NPC Technique, “Spinning Guard, Bloody Tornado!”
■Collaboration Summon! All Collab Heroes Have Newly Recorded Voice Lines!
An amazing lineup of Japanese voice actors brings all of the collab heroes to life! Shadow (Voice: Seiichiro Yamashita), Alpha (Voice: Asami Seto), and Delta (Voice: Fairouz Ai) appear with original voice lines you won’t hear anywhere else!
■About “The Eminence in Shadow” Series
“My name is Shadow. I lurk in the darkness and hunt down shadows…”
“The Eminence in Shadow”
Neither the protagonist of the story, nor the final boss.
A young boy admires the existence of a being that ordinarily suppresses their power to blend into the crowd, but demonstrates their true ability as they move in the shadows, the “Eminence in Shadow.” He lives his life trying not to stand out as he undergoes training in search of more power. Losing his life in an accident, he is transported to a new world.
Reborn as Cid Kagenou, he decides to take advantage of his new circumstances and live out his “Eminence in Shadow” setting. He imagines a “dark organization” that he must fight to take down (it’s all just a big game of make-believe though), and moves in the darkness to accomplish his goal. However, it seems as if this “dark organization” isn’t so made up after all…?
The girls that he took on as his subordinates on a whim begin to worship Cid as “Shadow” based on mistaken impressions, and he unknowingly becomes the true “Eminence in Shadow.” Not only that, but the organization, “Shadow Garden”, that he heads soon begins to rid the world of darkness.
This series has sold over 5 million copies!
A strong protagonist, intense delusions, AND a comedy of errors!?
[About the Anime Series]
“The Eminence in Shadow” anime series is based on the books of the same title originally published by KADOKAWA (Author: Daisuke Aizawa, Illustrator: Touzai).
All 20 episodes of season 1 and 12 episodes of season 2 of the TV anime series are now available on various streaming platforms.
A completely new movie, “The Eminence in Shadow: Lost Echoes” is also scheduled to hit the big screen!
Check the official sites below for more details!
©Daisuke Aizawa,KADOKAWA/Shadow Garden
■About Valkyrie Connect
Valkyrie Connect, which has been downloaded over 27 million times, is a high fantasy RPG that combines Norse mythology with a unique Japanese anime flavor. In the game, players assemble a collection of heroes, villains, gods and more to fight in full 3D real-time battles. The co-op “Connect Battles” are the game’s signature feature, and require players to fight alongside one another in real time to take down massive bosses. With a simple battle system perfect for mobile devices, complex party composition, and excellently written characters, Valkyrie Connect is one of the premier RPGs for mobile devices.
Price: Free to play (in-app purchases available)
[Download Valkyrie Connect for PC]
*App Store and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
*This program has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple Inc.
*Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
*”Amazon”, “Amazon.co.jp” and their logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates.
*©2023 Valve Corporation. Steam and the Steam logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
*Companies and products mentioned above are trademarked and/or registered trademarks. | <urn:uuid:76b574ea-1550-4153-9ce8-9b31d14fb701> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.a-tm.co.jp/en/news/45565/ | 2024-04-13T15:32:38Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.919961 | 1,296 | 1.625 | 2 |
The Chestnut-eared Aracaris (Pteroglossus castanotis) is an Aracari that is native to central and south-eastern South America, where this lowland species inhabits western Brazil north to eastern Colombia and south through eastern Peru, northern and eastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina.
Aracaris generally roost socially throughout the year. Up to five adults and their fledged offspring sleep in the same hole with their long tails folded over their backs.
It has the widest distribution of any aracari species and is one of the most common toucan species.
The Chestnut-eared Aracari has yellow underparts, with a single red band across the chest. The head is black; the throat, ear coverts (feathers covering the ears), and collar are chestnut brown but appear black at a distance. It has a red rump.
The bill is mostly dark-brown or black with a yellow tip and stripe along the bottom of the upper bill. The irises are white or yellow. The bare skin around the eyes varies from dark turquoise to grey.
Similar Species: The Chestnut-eared Aracari resembles the Black-necked Aracari (P. aracari), except that the Chestnut-eared Aracari is larger and more colorful. The Black-necked Aracari has olive-colored thighs, while the Chestnut-eared Aracari’s are brown.
Breeding / Reproduction
They typically nest in trees with appropriate hollows, most of which were previously made by woodpeckers. Other hollows are the result of a branch break and ensuing rotting of the heartwood from rain over some time.
Both the male and female share the incubation and chick-rearing duties.
Their eggs are white and elliptical-shaped. The eggs are incubated for about 16 days. The newly hatched chicks are blind and naked with short bills and thick pads on their heels to protect them from the rough floor of the nest. Both parents, as well as their previous offspring and/or possibly other adults, feed the chicks.
The young fledge after about 6 weeks. The adults continue to feed them for several weeks after fledging.
In captivity, their nests are typically constructed from palm tree logs or nesting boxes.
Captive Breeding of Toucans, Toucanets and Aracaris
Natural and Captive Diet of Toucans / Toucanets and Aracaris
The Chestnut-eared Araçari forms a superspecies with the Black-necked Aracari (Pteroglossus aracari).
Two subspecies are recognized:
Chestnut-eared Araçari – Nominate species – Pteroglossus castanets castanets – Gould, 1834)
Range: Southeast Colombia and Western Brazil, South to Southeast Peru and, in Brazil, South Amazonas extending E to R Madeira)
Pteroglossus castanotis australis – Cassin, 1867
Range: North-central Brazil south of Amazon, east to Parintins, and south to northeast and east Bolivia, east Paraguay, northeast Argentina (Misiones), and southeast Brazil | <urn:uuid:3ec15a07-a4e0-4934-8fb2-fd58f936a8aa> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.allaboutwildlife.com/chestnut-eared-aracaris/ | 2024-04-13T16:08:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.939075 | 679 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Lord Rumi Verjee
Rumi is a highly successful serial entrepreneur. He founded Domino’s Pizza in the United Kingdom and is the Chairman of Brompton Capital Limited and Ipanema Properties in Brazil. Rumi was owner of Watford FC with Elton John taking them from the old Second Division to the Premiership. He is also an Honorary Fellow of Downing College, University of Cambridge.
In 2006 he founded, The Rumi Foundation, The initiatives it supports are diverse but all share the same goal of humanitarian work through, education, innovation and knowledge building. Amongst other programmes, the Foundation established a chair of perpetuity at Downing College, Cambridge, and is working with the Clinton Foundation to provide new schools for thousands of children in rural Uganda. Rumi is Chairman of Free the Children UK and co-hosts their annual signature event We Day UK with Holly Branson. He is also a Member of the World Presidents’ Organization, the Global Leadership Foundation and was on the Advisory Board of the British Olympic Association for the London 2012 Olympic Games. In 2009 Rumi was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for charitable services.
In September 2013, Rumi was appointed by HM The Queen to the United Kingdom House of Lords as a Liberal Democrat Peer, where he sits as Lord Verjee of Portobello in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. | <urn:uuid:40d4ab3b-f809-4a4e-b806-0f338cf8b50b> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.blueprintforbusiness.org/our-people/lord-rumi-verjee/ | 2024-04-13T15:11:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.959874 | 286 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Spanish Civil War site in Barcelona's Turó de la Rovira temporarily closed
Works aiming to restrict night visits and ensure preservation begin in location that hosts traces of anti-aircraft batteries
The Spanish Civil War archeological site in Barcelona's Turó de la Rovira hill will close temporarily from this week for six months as the local council plans to do some works to make sure the historic location is preserved.
The place hosts remains of anti-aircraft batteries used by the Republican side in the war in order to defend the city from the fascist uprising that began in 1936 and ended in 1939 with the coup mongers' victory.
The site is also known as Bunkers del Carmel, although it never hosted bomb shelters – it does offer one of the most stunning 360º views of the Catalan capital, thanks to the hill's height of 262m.
On top of Turó de la Rovira there are also traces of the shantytown Canons district, which survived until 1990 – the site was degraded after the war and further abandoned after 1990, until the new heritage space officially opened in March 2011.
On Monday, the local council informed that works will begin this week, aiming to restrict night visits like in other city parks and gardens.
Authorities believe that the large number of people attending the location especially at night threatens the preservation of the archeological site and is also a disturbance for residents living nearby.
The works will include installing a two-meter fence, creating six entries, replanting any vegetation damaged by the project, and improving the upwards paths to the top of the hill.
The first part of the path will be adapted so that the slope is 10% on average. Meanwhile, the second part is steeper, so steps will be built. | <urn:uuid:50e655ca-8a51-4fdd-a172-2272d6ad27a0> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.catalannews.com/society-science/item/spanish-civil-war-site-in-barcelonas-turo-de-la-rovira-temporarily-closed | 2024-04-13T15:06:41Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.94161 | 363 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Transportation related topics have been a common topic on this blog, whether by water or by rail. Railroads have been covered frequently, as have streetcars, and interurbans. It is well known that Indianapolis was the hub of a massive network of interurban lines which spiderwebbed their way across the state. The ruins and remains of these lines can still be found here and there around Indianapolis and Marion County.
One interurban line which operated in Indianapolis and its surrounding areas was the Union Traction Company’s Indianapolis Northern Line. The line ran north out of Indianapolis along College, into Hamilton County, and through Carmel before cutting through Noblesville and continuing northward. In Indianapolis south of Broad Ripple, little to nothing remains of the interurban line since it ran along College Avenue, and over time the expansion and widening of the road has ensured the line's disappearance. However, starting in Broad Ripple, and continuing northward, the remains of the interurban line can be found as the line ran more parallel, and adjacent to, College Avenue.
The most prominent surviving feature of the Indianapolis Northern Line is an old power substation for the line located in Broad Ripple, right along College Avenue just north of the Canal. The interurban system was powered by electricity, with substations supporting larger power stations along the route. Located at the southeast corner of 64th and College, near the Fresh Thyme grocery store, the substation is a brick structure which presently houses a chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
As a substation for the Indianapolis Northern line, this building helped provide electricity to the interurban cars as they ran north and south bound along College Avenue, and to destinations north. The image below is from a 1904 edition of the Street Railway Journal and is captioned as a substation in Kokomo. However, I think this image is actually the Broad Ripple substation (or at least, an exact copy of the Broad Ripple substation.) The south facing windows and doors in the image below match those on the present-day image. One small window has been sealed while another is missing in what appears to have been a repair or replacement of a large section of the wall which included that window. The large barn door designed to allow an interurban car to access the interior of the substation has also been sealed, although the outline is still visible.
The interior plan for the substation is shown below. Visible are the banks of storage batteries, and the rail line allowing cars to be brought inside the station if needed. The right side of the plan is the southside of the building which stands today.
Other images of the substation can be found in aerial images of the Broad Ripple area. The image below, from the Indiana Historical Society, shows the substation and the interurban line at the bottom left.
A close up of the substation is shown below. The large access door on the south side is open, and the interurban line running inside can be seen. This image has no date, but it appears to be from the mid-1930s, right before the interurban line was retired.
The substation was purchased by the local American Legion Post 312 for use as a permanent headquarters in April of 1939. At time of the purchase, the Indianapolis Star reported that the interurban line had ceased operations several moths before. A plaque memorializing the building's former use as a substation was installed on the east facing side in 1976. Also, a stretch of track to the south of the substation is preserved, in a grassy area next to the American Legion parking lot.
North of the substation the interurban line continued to parallel to College Avenue, but the line is lost to development. However, there may still be evidence of the line at the White River crossing. The line crossed the river on its own bridge, just to the east of the old College Avenue bridge. The image below shows the bridge in its heyday. I think the viewpoint is looking from the northside of the river southward toward Broad Ripple. The College Avenue bridge would have been to the right in this image, and out of view.
When the line was abandoned in the late 1930s, the bridge was removed, although the bridge piers and abutments remained for another 25 years. Aerial images still showed the piers and abutments for the bridge. Only three piers are visible in these photos. I believe that the remaining two piers (shown in the image above) may be lost in the shoreline on the northside of the river. The images below are from 1937, shortly after the demise of the line, 1962, and when the present-day College Avenue bridge was being built in 1966. As of this final photo, the piers and abutments are no longer visible.
The abutments are definitely gone. However, the foundations of the piers might still be in place. I did spot what appeared to be the remains of at least one pier in the river while kayaking from Broad Ripple to Rocky Ripple on Christmas Eve last year. Locating such foundations is not uncommon. I've written about the remains of the old Warfleigh bridge, and its midriver pier which is visible at low water. Similarly, the pier foundations for the old Emrichsville bridge are also visible at low water, just as is the midriver pier for the old Kessler Ave. bridge. The images below show the possible remains of this pier.
The images are poor quality, but in person, the object below the water seemed to be made of cut stone or concrete, suggesting the foundation of a bridge pier, similar to other bridge remains found on this stretch of river from Broad Ripple southward. I returned to the site a few weeks ago, with my Go Pro set up for underwater use, but the water was too cloudy to see anything. I'll revisit the site later in the year when the water levels drop once again.
North of this point the line disappears again, until you reach Marott Park. I’ve discussed the history of the park in this post from last year, but I did not mention its interurban components. On park land running parallel to College Avenue is a shallow gully, with a flat, and level bottom. This was the cut used by the interurban line as it ran northward. This right of way is shown below. The first image is taken just a short distance north of the Marott Park parking lot and is looking north. College Avenue is visible on the left. The second image is taken near the intersection 75th and College looking south.
This same cut can be seen at various points as you continue north along College Avenue, all the way to 96th Street. The image below was taken at the intersection of College and Forest Blvd. (about the 7900 block of College). While it's hard to see, if you squint you can see the low right of way running into the middle distance. This vantage point is looking north, with College Avenue to the left, and a subdivision with homes to the right.
The interurban line also crosses Williams Creek adjacent to Indiana School for the Blind. I checked this crossing this past weekend and found no evidence of the bridge which once stood at this location. LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scans for the part of the line adjacent to Marott Park, and several blocks north on College Avenue are shown below.
North of the 96th Street frontier in Carmel, the line continues to follow College until around 104th Street when it cuts northeast. The route of the interurban is still clearly visible on modern day maps, as shown below. In fact, Carmel turned part of the right of way into a Greenway Trail, called, appropriately enough, the. Interurban Trail. The line continues on a northeastward track before crossing the White River yet again and heading into Noblesville.
There are other remains of interurban lines throughout Indianapolis and Marion County. Chapter 9 of Vanished Indianapolis explores the remains of the Indianapolis & Northwestern interurban line which are visible from 38th Steet northward.
Brill Magazine, 1907, https://archive.org/details/brillmagazine91915phil/page/70/mode/2up
Indianapolis Canal and White River Aerial, Indiana Historical Society,
Street Railway Journal, Vol. XXIV. No. 25, December 17, 1904, STANDARDS OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE INDIANAPOLIS NORTHERN LINES OF THE INDIANA UNION TRACTION COMPANY, https://archive.org/details/streetrailwayjo241904newy/page/1064/mode/2up
Indianapolis Star: April 21, 1939
Map Indy, https://maps.indy.gov/MapIndy/ | <urn:uuid:23ab23ac-fe32-4bef-8ec7-9990f8889fad> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.class900indy.com/post/tracking-the-remains-of-the-indianapolis-northern-interurban-line | 2024-04-13T15:04:24Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.963329 | 1,812 | 1.8125 | 2 |
A Lewis Center man was killed Thursday evening in a single vehicle crash in Orange Township.
Troopers from the Delaware Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported Friday that at approximately 11:15 p.m., John D. Schmittauer, a Lewis Center resident, was travelling northbound on South Old State Road. The post reported that Schmittauer’s Honda Civic travelled off the right side of the roadway, struck a mailbox and ditch.
Troopers said his vehicle overturned in the crash, and Schmittauer was transported to Riverside Methodist Hospital for treatment, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Troopers report Schmittauer was wearing a seat-belt in the crash, and alcohol use is suspected to be a factor.
Next of kin has been notified.
The crash remains under investigation, the patrol reported Friday.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, Delaware County EMS and Orange Township Fire & EMS. | <urn:uuid:06358b46-3f74-4d73-a90a-2ceba4d6a4c1> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.delgazette.com/2018/11/03/local-man-dies-in-crash-on-old-state-road/ | 2024-04-13T15:49:59Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.966508 | 201 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Discover the captivating beauty of Phuket, Thailand's largest island, nestled amidst the enchanting Andaman Sea. Deyor invites you to explore the pristine beaches that have charmed beach enthusiasts for years. Phuket is not just an island; it's a vibrant hub of activity, with Sino-colonial palaces, iconic landmarks like Big Buddha and Wat Chalong, offering a glimpse into its rich and eclectic culture.
Venture beyond to the iconic Phi Phi Island, famous for its appearance in Hollywood blockbuster 'The Beach,' starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Witness the breathtaking limestone karsts rising majestically from the crystal-clear waters and the lush greenery blanketing the island, creating an atmosphere of unparalleled tranquility. As the waves crash against the stunning coral reefs, you'll be enchanted by the sheer beauty of Phi Phi Island.
Deyor brings you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a variety of exhilarating activities, ensuring your adrenaline is always pumping.
But the adventure doesn't stop there! Embark on a vibrant 7-day journey to the Thai island of Koh Phangan, where Deyor crafts an unforgettable experience. Dive into the world-famous Full Moon Party, explore vibrant coral reefs through snorkeling, and embark on thrilling adventures like zip-lining and more.
Join Deyor on this unforgettable 7-day tour, filled with excitement, adventure, and the vibrant culture of Thailand's stunning islands.
What is included in the tour
- Return International flight up to INR 30,000 with airport pick-up & drop-off at the destination city.
- Phi Phi day trip with lunch by Speedboat.
- 4 Island tour with lunch by Speedboat.
- Phuket to Koh Samui Transfer.
- Koh Samui to Koh Phangan and Koh Phangan to Koh Samui Speedboat transfers.
- Ferry and transfers from Phuket to Koh Samui and Koh Samui to Krabi.
- 6 nights' accommodation.
- Daily breakfast for 6 days.
What is NOT included in the tour
- 5% GST and 5% TCS (Goods and Services Tax and Tax Collected at Source).
- National Park Fees: 400 THB for Phi Phi Island and 400 THB for 4 Island Krabi.
- Visa fees (if applicable).
- Fullmoon Ticket: 200 Baht.
- RT-PCR Test (if required).
- Meals not covered by the specified inclusions.
- Personal and miscellaneous expenses.
- Any expenses related to services not explicitly mentioned in the inclusions.
DAY 1: WELCOME TO PHUKET | BANGLA WALKING STREET | PHUKET OVERNIGHT
- Your unforgettable journey begins as you touch down at Phuket airport, where Deyor ensures a smooth transfer to your hotel.
- Enjoy leisure time, immersing yourself in the vibrant culture of Phuket.
- As the evening sets in, venture to Bangla Walking Street in Patong, a prime spot to experience the pulsating nightlife of Phuket.
- Rest comfortably at your Phuket hotel for the night.
DAY 2: EXPLORE THE ICONIC PHI PHI ISLANDS | OVERNIGHT IN PHUKET
- Day two is all about Sun, Sea, and Adventure! We set sail for the renowned Phi Phi Islands.
- The itinerary includes a visit to the stunning Phi Leh Lagoon, Maya Bay (subject to availability), and exhilarating snorkeling among the vibrant marine life.
- Should Maya Bay be unavailable (August and September maintenance), we'll explore Khai Island, Viking Caves, Monkey Beach, and Lohri Samay Bay.
- After a day of island bliss, prepare for an exciting night as we dive into Phuket's lively nightlife.
- Retire for the night in your Phuket hotel.
DAY 3: KOH SAMUI BOUND | ISLAND EXPLORATION & FULL MOON PARTY | KOH SAMUI OVERNIGHT
- Following breakfast, embark on an SIC transfer to the enchanting Koh Samui.
- Dive into the island's natural beauty, relax, and soak in the serenity.
- We later transfer to the party haven, Koh Phangan, by Speedboat, marking the arrival of the highly anticipated Full Moon Party.
- Before the festivities begin, explore the island's pristine beaches.
- With neon paints and alcohol buckets in hand, dance the night away to exhilarating music.
- Your overnight stay awaits at your Koh Samui hotel.
DAY 4: RELAXATION DAY IN KOH SAMUI | KOH SAMUI OVERNIGHT
- Following a night of lively celebrations, today is a chance to rejuvenate.
- Enjoy the beachfront ambiance and embrace the revitalizing surroundings.
- Unwind at your Koh Samui hotel, soaking in the island's tranquility.
DAY 5: JOURNEY TO KRABI | CITY EXPLORATION & PUB CRAWL | KRABI OVERNIGHT
- Krabi, with its authentic charm, awaits exploration. Experience the city's laid-back vibes and warm hospitality.
- Explore local craft stalls, shop for handmade items, and savor the delectable flavors of Thailand at the vibrant markets.
- Spend the night in the heart of Krabi, soaking in its culture and cuisine.
DAY 6: FULL-DAY FOUR ISLAND ADVENTURE BY SPEED BOAT | KRABI OVERNIGHT
- After breakfast, it's time for a full-day Four Island tour. Hop aboard a speedboat for an adventure like no other.
- Visit Koh Poda, Chicken Island, Tup Island, and Phranang Cave Beach. Swim and snorkel in the mesmerizing surroundings.
- Return to your Krabi hotel, where comfort and relaxation await.
DAY 7: FAREWELL, THAILAND
- Bid farewell to the enchanting Thai islands, knowing you carry incredible memories and newfound friendships.
- Depart Krabi for Phuket to catch your flight, concluding this unforgettable journey.
We hope that your heart has been captured by the beauty of Thailand throughout your Deyor adventure. Safe travels! | <urn:uuid:ae40d4f8-3011-4f6e-a577-d96e7df823b7> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.deyorcamps.com/tours/thailand-group-tour-with-full-moon-party-flights-130152 | 2024-04-13T16:53:37Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.839164 | 1,322 | 1.890625 | 2 |
By Echo Menges
The building known to locals as the old Hatfield building has been demolished after many years of neglect and disrepair.
The building located at 205 East Lafayette was purchased at a tax sale on the courthouse steps by Jeff Kline of Memphis, MO, in August of 2020. It was previously owned by the late Asa Shaw who owned a number of derelict buildings throughout the City of Edina before his passing.
Originally, the building was built by William F. Sandknop in 1898 and operated as the Krueger & Sandknop Meat Market. The business remained a meat and grocery store until 1945, according to information given to The Edina Sentinel by the Knox County Historical Society.
After World War II it housed the offices of Dr. Newton Ray Hatfield, an Edina dentist, and several apartments.
Despite its rich history, this building was not listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, according to Edina City Clerk Margaret Gibson.
On Friday morning, March 5, 2021, Kline had the building demolished by Scott Bryant of Baring.
Highway 6/East Lafayette Street was closed during the demolition for just under one hour.
Kline and his crew worked for the rest of the day Friday and through the weekend cleaning up the pile of debris. As of our press time, Monday morning, they were still working to get the debris loaded onto trucks and hauled away. | <urn:uuid:af5ae0e3-91e1-405e-b4fc-501a51515a2b> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.edinasentinel.com/2021/03/10/edina-bids-farewell-to-eyesore/ | 2024-04-13T15:11:09Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.983883 | 290 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Strikes by Iranian energy, petrochemicals and steel workers are gaining momentum as new firms have joined nationwide industrial action.
Workers in more than 80 companies have joined industrial action, protesting poor working conditions, low wages and rising costs of living, according to the Council for Organizing Oil Contract-Workers' Protests.
The council accused the regime of seeking to sow division among workers through ethnic differences. ”It can be seen in some places that our protest rallies have been dispersed on the pretext that workers belong to a certain ethnicity,” the group said in a statement this week.
“This is while all of us workers from every part of the country have common pains and enemies. All of us are protesting the poverty and rising prices and worsening of our working and living conditions every day.”
Almost all of the striking workers in oil, gas, steel, petrochemicals and other industries, are not officially hired by the country’s oil company or relevant ministries and are working on temporary contracts, so risk their only means of livelihood by joining the strikes.
Labor activists believe warn that society is on the verge of explosion as strikes reach new levels. Experts say there is no end in sight as tensions rise amidst a crumbling economy and the biggest anti-regime sentiment in years.
Strikes at Salman Farsi Petrochemical company
In a bid to retain calm, employers claim that the strikes will end soon, claiming there will be no other rounds of strikes until the end of the summer.
However, the council refuted this. “We firmly declare that we are not slaves to anyone so no one can speak on our behalf,” it said.
In an audio file sent to Iran International and verified by our contacts earlier in the week, a man recounted the ordeal of contract workers, describing their situation as “stuck in hidden slavery”. The worker says the problems stem from the special status of a few well-connected senior managers and systematic corruption in the energy industry.
He explained details of the meagre wages paid with delays and the lack of weekend breaks for overworked and underpaid staff. The worker also went on to explain how the country’s security forces have threatened those striking and their families of serious repercussions if they do not stop participation in industrial action.
The workers who are officially employed by the oil ministry enjoy better conditions and usually do not risk their position by joining the popular movements.
Javad Abbasi Tavallali, a journalist with first hand experience about the working conditions in Asaluyeh -- a city in Bushehr province and home to the majority of the country’s energy plants and refineries – told Iran International earlier in the week that almost all these government contractors, such as Petro Sina Arya, PetroPars, and Petro Paydar Iranian, are affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.
The Council did not disclose the exact number or percentage of the striking workers or when the factories will have to stop operations if the strikes continue.
The current round of strikes started on Saturday as workers demand wage increases in the face of more than 50 percent annual inflation. | <urn:uuid:453b789e-e177-43c5-944d-8ed96a94d81a> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.iranintl.com/en/202304257727 | 2024-04-13T16:03:42Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.958443 | 645 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Google has announced a new 'immersive view' feature coming to Maps to allow users to explore the world like never before.
Whether for navigating your way around a new city or finding the quickest way to your nearest petrol station, Google Maps has long been a life saver for users across the globe.
It offers handy paths for us to follow and reviews of the places we want to go, but now its new feature will take the notion of checking out new places to a whole new level, offering users the chance to 'experience what a neighbourhood, landmark, restaurant or popular venue is like - and even feel like you’re right there before you ever set foot inside'.
Users can look at the computer-generated images see whether they like the look of an area, whether it offers whatever they're looking for and get information about the live popularity and traffic to determine when the best time to visit might be.
Liz Reid, a VP of engineering at Google, explained the company was able to fuse together its satellite images and Street View shots to help creators understand, for example, the height of the buildings.
Recalling the process, per The Verge, she commented: "How do we combine that with Street View? How do we combine it with aerial view to make something that feels much more like you were there? It’s a thing where we had demos years ago, and it was like, ‘oh, here’s the thing,’ but it didn’t really work.
"Now the technology has come a long way into making it feel pretty natural."
Another new feature announced by Google is an update on its eco-friendly routing, which launched recently in the US and Canada and allows users to choose the most fuel-efficient routes for driving.
"Users have saved more than an estimated half a million metric tons of carbon emissions, according to the company, and the figure is set to double as it expands to more places across the globe.
When it comes to helping ensure you don't get lost, Google Maps revealed plans to make its Live View technology available to developers of other apps, allowing users to better navigate their surroundings and indoor areas such as airports and shopping malls.Featured Image Credit: Google Maps | <urn:uuid:01151edd-87d2-49b1-9490-2e89894ffdfd> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.ladbible.com/news/google-maps-announces-new-immersive-view-feature-20220512 | 2024-04-13T15:31:38Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.951366 | 468 | 1.6875 | 2 |
When God called me into fulltime Christian ministry, He called me to the academy. I was trained and ordained to a ministry of teaching, and the majority of my adult life has been devoted to preparing young men for the Christian ministry and to trying to bridge the gap between seminary and Sunday school through various means under the aegis of Ligonier Ministries.
Then, in 1997, God did something I never anticipated: He placed me in the position of preaching weekly as a leader of a congregation of His people — Saint Andrew’s in Sanford, Florida. Over the past twelve years, as I have opened the Word of God on a weekly basis for these dear saints, I have come to love the task of the local minister. Though my role as a teacher continues, I am eternally grateful to God that He saw fit to place me in this new ministry, the ministry of a preacher.
Very early in my tenure at Saint Andrew’s, I determined that I should adopt the ancient Christian practice of lectio continua, the “continuous expositions,” in my preaching. This method of preaching verse by verse through books of the Bible (rather than choosing a new topic each week) has been attested throughout church history as the one approach that ensures believers hear the full counsel of God. Therefore, I began preaching lengthy series of messages at Saint Andrew’s, eventually working my way through several biblical books in a practice that continues to the present day.
Previously, I had taught through books of the Bible in various settings, including Sunday school classes, Bible studies, and audio and video teaching series for Ligonier. But then I found myself appealing not merely to the minds of my hearers but to both their minds and their hearts. I knew that I was responsible as a preacher to clearly explain God’s Word to them and to show them how they ought to live in light of it. I continue seeking to fulfill both tasks as I ascend the Saint Andrew’s pulpit each week.
The St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentaries are a written record of my preaching labors amidst my beloved congregation. The dear saints who sat under my preaching encouraged me to give my sermons a broader hearing. To that end, the expositional commentaries of Romans (Crossway Books_, 2009_) and John (Reformation Trust Publishing, 2009) were adapted from sermon series I preached at Saint Andrew's.
These books will not give you the fullest possible insight into each and every verse. Though I sought to at least touch on each verse, I focused on the key themes and ideas that comprised the “big picture” of each passage I covered. Therefore, I urge you use these books as an overview and introduction to the biblical books, but if you desire to enhance your knowledge of Scripture, you should turn to one or more of the many excellent exegetical commentaries. See my recommendations in the back of each book.
I pray that you will be as blessed in reading this material as I was in preaching it.
Crossway Books and Reformation Trust Publishing are planning future releases to continue this series. | <urn:uuid:7d266c15-978e-43a7-ab3f-f49cde0396de> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.ligonier.org/posts/rc-sproul-st-andrews-expositional-commentary-series | 2024-04-13T16:31:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.968067 | 652 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Metal Gear Ac!d²
Description official descriptions
What happened after the first Metal Gear Ac!d is somewhat left for open discussion as Snake is suffering from some serious amnesia right from the game start. He doesn't know much about his past, but is well aware of his skills, as are his newly acquired companions. Returning back to the US from a mission well done, his only hope is that he'll start remembering his past as he steps on a friendly soil. But instead of having some time to do so, an FBI agent takes him and his friends into custody, leaving him with only one option to save his friends, and that is to help the agent with a mission of his own. Reluctant but left with little to ponder about, Snake agrees until he can connect some dots.
Unlike the prior game, the game uses a 3D cell-shading technique making the game less realistic but more colorful, now spanning over 500 cards at your disposal. Gameplay is basically the same turn-based style as the original, though comes with certain enhancements like being able to undo your moves to a certain degree, or moving in real-time and not losing moves on opening doors or crouching. There is also a new type of cards that is self-triggered when you use other cards, usually enhancing your action in one way or another.
The Metal Gear Ac!d 2 package comes with a Solid Eye, a special type of 3D glasses (a cardboard box that slides over the PSP, not the blue-purple plastic but with lenses) to play the game with a 3D effect. You can also use it to watch various Snake Eater and other movies as you unlock them in the game, giving you the feeling of 3D space.
Credits (PSP version)
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|Script Program Direction
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Average score: 78% (based on 21 ratings)
Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 9 ratings with 0 reviews)
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The game can interact with the PS2 game Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence using a USB cable, but this information has been left out of the American manual. You can take 3D photos in the PS2 game and transfer them to the PSP game to watch them there. Here is how to use this feature:1. Connect the PS2 to the PSP using the USB cable. 2. Load the PSP game and select the "MGS3 Subsistence link" from the title screen. 3. Load Subsistence in the PS2 and use the camera item you can collect in the game. The message "ACID2" appears on the Subsistence game screen when connections are complete. 4. Take a picture with the camera, it will be sent to the PSP. 5. When finished, press a button on the PSP to proceed to the save screen and save the image to the memory stick. 6. You can now view the photos by pressing the Triangle button on the PSP waiting screen.
Related Sites +
This fansite is dedicated to the games produced and/or designed by Hideo Kojima and contains all kinds of trivia, artwork, plot summaries, discussion forums and more.
Metal Gear Ac!d 2
Official Japanese website
Metal Gear Solid: The Unofficial Site
A fansite that contains information about the whole Metal Gear franchise, including galleries, interviews, downloadable content and discussion boards.
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Game added by MAT.
Game added May 31, 2006. Last modified October 22, 2023. | <urn:uuid:70a96b15-a6f6-4a4c-8a22-7c6a09e9d8e9> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.mobygames.com/game/22566/metal-gear-acd2/ | 2024-04-13T17:15:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.937715 | 902 | 1.890625 | 2 |
We have copies of the new movie from Spike Jonze to giveaway to lucky winners…
Escape to a land of fantasy when WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE arrives on Blu-ray Multi-Pack, DVD and digitally on 7th May from Warner Home Video.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE follows Max, an adventurous boy who feels misunderstood at home, as he escapes to where the Wild Things are. Max lands on an island where he meets mysterious and strange creatures whose emotions are as wild and unpredictable as their actions and who are desperately longing for a leader to guide them, just as Max longs for a kingdom to rule. When Max is crowned king, he promises to create a place where everyone will be happy.
Take your family on a magical journey together this summer.
To be in with a chance of winning one of five copies of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE on DVD, simply answer the following question
Q) WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Are centers around a young boy misunderstood at home who is sent to his room without dinner and ends up escaping to a world of his own. What is the name of this character? | <urn:uuid:f21ea0b4-982c-4d9d-b702-845f8ab67143> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.movies.ie/win-where-the-wild-things-are-on-dvd/ | 2024-04-13T16:51:46Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.940708 | 234 | 2.125 | 2 |
Monday, 5 February 2024
Robert Doisneau and the Spirit of Resistance
A lecture on the exhibition at the Musée de la Résistance Nationale, Champigny-sur-Marne (until 24 April 2024)
with Chris Boïcos
Robert Doisneau (1912-1994) is one of the best-known French photographers of the post-war era. What is less known about him are his activities during the German occupation of Paris in WWII when he worked as photographer, printer and falsifier of identity documents for the French Resistance. As a key photographic witness of the occupation of Paris, he also created with his Rolleiflex some of the iconic images of Paris under the German Occupation. The current exhibition commemorates these clandestine activities and also those of his colleagues in the secret Resistance networks. This is a unique opportunity to discover the full scope of the work of one the greatest French “humanist” photographers of the mid 20th century, known for his modesty, humor and staunch patriotism.
You will be receiving the recording via WeTransfer as soon as we receive notification of your purchase | <urn:uuid:b2c197dc-d8f1-446a-98ea-c941bfcbd835> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.pasonlinelectures.com/mondays/past-monday-lectures-2024/presentation-ml-cb-5-feb-24-doisneau/ | 2024-04-13T16:45:29Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.966895 | 244 | 2.265625 | 2 |
WATCH: Behind the scenes of The Everest
Jockeys, owners and trainers have one $20 million mountain to climb – The Everest. For the first time racing industry insiders allow cameras behind the scenes to reveal the high-stakes deals and cut-throat dramas behind the world's richest race on turf. Watch The Race documentary.
The TAB Everest was dreamed up by Racing NSW boss Peter V'landys as Sydney's answer to the Melbourne Cup. Since its inception in 2017, it has electrified the global industry and divided Australian racing.
But it's the high stakes moves behind the scenes that really capture the imagination and make the race to get into The Everest as fascinating as the race itself.
By the time almost 50,000 people get trackside at Royal Randwick on October 14 the deal-making will be done and the race will be on.
Watch every episode as The Daily Telegraph's expert team takes you every step of the way in an exclusive six-part documentary.
The start of a racing revolution. The slot holders reveal the deals that go on behind the scenes.
Dirty tricks. How Racing Victoria tried to force Racing NSW out of Australian racing because of the success of The Everest.
The stallion factory. The Everest can turn a winner into a super stud worth millions.
Trainers and jockeys reveal what it means to be in the world's richest race on turf.
With three weeks to go half of the slots remained empty. The high stakes lead up races and deals that secured those slots.
The Everest. The big winners and losers from the seventh running of the richest race on turf in the world. | <urn:uuid:b9749cc6-3afb-4e3e-b0f1-6e298fbd3381> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.racenet.com.au:443/news/watch-behind-the-scenes-of-the-everest-in-the-race-documentary-series-20231012 | 2024-04-13T16:25:53Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.936981 | 368 | 2.09375 | 2 |
So far, we have examined a number of exciting tech trends that are already transforming our world. There is, however, a need to slow down and consider the dark side of technology. Although technological advancements have brought many benefits to our lives, they also pose some serious threats. This blog will focus on three potential threats that could harm society.
Technology like artificial intelligence can revolutionize warfare, but it also poses a significant threat to mankind. For example, AI-powered autonomous weapons systems, or killer robots, have the ability to identify and eliminate targets with extreme precision. This makes them highly effective in combat. However, they could be used to target and even kill without human intervention.
AI-powered autonomous weapons systems, or killer robots, have the ability to identify and eliminate targets with extreme precision. This makes them highly effective in combat.
Consider the scenario where a military uses an autonomous drone to conduct an airstrike. As soon as the drone detects a threat, the AI system launches a missile to destroy it. But what if the target was a civilian or non-combatant? An incident of this nature may result in the death of innocent people.
Have you ever seen a video that appeared to be real but was actually fake? Well, that's what deepfakes are all about. They are manipulated media created by artificial intelligence that can be used to make anyone appear to say or do anything. It is likely that this technology will have serious implications for democracy and for the spread of false information.
Deepfakes are manipulated media created by artificial intelligence that can be used to make anyone appear to say or do anything.
Imagine a world where leaders or celebrities are portrayed saying or doing things that they never actually did. This may lead to false accusations, misunderstandings, and chaos. As an example, a deepfake of a political candidate admitting to something he never did could damage his reputation and cost him the election.
In addition to giving us unprecedented access to information, technology has also allowed governments and corporations to collect vast amounts of personal information about its citizens. With the advent of the internet of things, we are becoming increasingly connected and our every move is being tracked and recorded. This has led to concerns about privacy and civil liberties, with many worrying that our personal information is being used against us.
A good example of this is the use of facial recognition technology by law enforcement agencies. It is true that this technology has the potential to assist in the investigation of crimes, but it also raises questions regarding the accuracy of the algorithms and the possibility of bias. In some cases, innocent people have been falsely identified and accused of crimes they did not commit.
Another concern is the collection of personal data by social media companies. These platforms may offer free services, but they make money by selling our personal information to advertisers. Due to this, there is a growing movement for greater transparency and accountability in the way these companies use our personal information.
In conclusion, while emerging technologies have the potential to bring about tremendous positive change, they also carry significant risks. The weaponization of AI, the rise of deepfakes, and the surveillance state are just a few of the challenges our world faces.
Our mission at Syntelo is to be your trusty sidekick in the wild world of tech. We're a bunch of tech-savvy blokes who know the ins and outs of business and office solutions. Whether it's snazzy printers, speedy connectivity, or cloud services, we've got you covered.
Give us a call today on 087 147 0878. Or visit our website on www.syntelo.co.za for more information.
Disclaimer: Chat GPT was utilized in the research process for writing this blog. | <urn:uuid:5c77dad7-5255-4e46-b871-6228941ba03f> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.syntelo.co.za/media/blog/future-trends/the-dark-side-of-tech-potential-threats-that-could-harm-society/ | 2024-04-13T16:32:13Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.960308 | 757 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Constitutional lawyer and jurist Fali S Nariman dies at 95
Jurist and senior constitutional advocate Fali S Nariman passed away on Wednesday, February 21, in New Delhi. He was 95. Nariman received the Padma Bhushan award in 1991 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2007. He appeared in several landmark cases including the Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association case, which led to the collegium system, and NJAC verdict, which struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission as unconstitutional.
Nariman started as an advocate in the Bombay High Court in 1950, and became a senior advocate in 1961. Later, he started practising law at the Supreme Court of India from 1972, when he was appointed as the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) of India. In 1975, he resigned his post as ASG as a mark of protest against the Indira Gandhi government’s announcement of Emergency.
Nariman has also penned a number of books, including The State of Nation, God Save the Hon'ble Supreme Court, and his autobiography Before Memory Fades.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge condoled his death and said, “The passing away of eminent jurist, senior advocate, and a fierce votary of Constitutional Civil Liberties, Fali S Nariman is a huge loss to the legal system. A Padma Vibhushan recipient, his unwavering commitment to his principles remained steadfast and admirable. My deepest condolences to his family, friends and compatriots. May his soul rest in peace.”
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his condolences and said, "Seven decades of his experience at the Bar, out of which more than five decades in the Supreme Court of India, is historic and remarkable. He is instrumental for many landmark judgments, and his contributions to Jurisprudence will be remembered for generations to come. My heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues at the Bar."
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal expressed shock at his death and said, “Shocked to learn that eminent jurist and distinguished constitutional lawyer Shri Fali Nariman has passed away. His wisdom was one of the building blocks of our nation's legal system. His demise is a huge loss, but his legacy will remain immortalised in the hearts and minds of all Indians. His works will continue to inspire us. My prayers are with his family. Om Shanti.”
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “Deeply saddened to learn about the passing away of renowned legal luminary and eminent jurist Fali S. #Nariman. The distinguished constitutional lawyer was widely respected for his legal wisdom and played instrumental role in shaping many legal discourses in the country. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family & friends.” | <urn:uuid:8bebcc15-d84d-4a1a-b438-4227ab7f4cf0> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.thenewsminute.com/news/constitutional-lawyer-and-jurist-fali-s-nariman-dies-at-95 | 2024-04-13T15:44:37Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.97974 | 594 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Let’s say you and your spouse both have worked hard in your careers to get where you are today. This may mean stock options, property, or large retirement funds to name a few assets you may own together. But what if “together” isn’t in the cards for you anymore? You will likely have questions about what will happen to your assets if you and your spouse were to separate in what would be known as a high asset divorce.
The best place to start is to look at your financial records. Start pulling tax records from the last few years. This will give you an overview of your annual income, both individually and as a couple. It will likely list big tax write-offs that will give you a hint of where to look for the rest of your assets. It is crucial that all assets and liabilities are accounted for before negotiating anything. This way you have an accurate portrayal of the value of these items that were once split between the two of you.
Once you know what property belongs to you, your spouse, and to both of you together, it is important that you separate marital from the non-marital property. For example, do not continue to pay for marital property (such as a home) with funds that may be considered non-marital property. For instance, if you received a personal injury settlement, do not use that money towards the mortgage. Personal injury settlements belong to the person who claimed them; it is not considered marital property.
Depending on the complexity of the financial account and whether or not records were well kept, it could affect the ease of this process. You may discover financial records about your spouse that you were not aware of. These records could affect the financial negotiations in a big way. Start digging into the details of your financial life together and it will likely all become clear.
Source: findlaw.com, “Managing Marital Property – Do’s and Dont’s,” Accessed Feb. 16, 2015 | <urn:uuid:41050c0a-6d51-4420-ac68-9f9eb2716ffc> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.tractonlaw.com/blog/2015/february/tips-for-dividing-marital-property-in-a-high-ass/ | 2024-04-13T15:27:13Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.977816 | 410 | 1.664063 | 2 |
New York City animal rescuers are sounding the alarm about unauthorized netting attached to the bottom of a sprawling sidewalk shed surrounding an entire Upper East Side block, trapping birds, causing injuries, and even killing adult pigeons and their nestlings.
Luxury rental development Normandie Court, which occupies nearly the whole block between East 95th and 96th Streets and Second and Third Avenues in Yorkville, installed the plastic netting to keep birds from nesting on the beams of their sidewalk shed — first erected in 2020 — but now rescuers and neighbors say that the pigeons who do manage to get inside the netting to the beams can’t escape.
“There were birds that were trapped that had no way to exit, meaning they had no way to go get food or water, and the ones that had nests in there could also not feed their babies,” said animal rescuer and Upper East Sider Sonia Izak, who was first alerted to the netting’s danger about three weeks ago, when birds started getting tangled in it.
Some areas under the scaffolding, such as East 96th Street, were entirely closed off, with fluffy white down feathers stuck to the black plastic netting, while others on Third Avenue had openings, though birds will not fly too far from their nests and may not know how to escape.
“It started to become a situation that was very distressing for not only the birds, but for anybody walking by who cares about birds,” she explained.
Though she and fellow rescuer Harley Brooks put their heroic mission into “full gear” on Friday, since November, they have rescued roughly 23 adult and fledgling birds, as well as six nestlings, or babies too young to fly.
“Now these birds are trapped in colder weather,” Izak said of this week’s dropping temperatures. When they become stuck in the nets, “they can’t regulate their body temperature.”
All were brought to the Wild Bird Fund on the west side for rehabilitation, though some were in such poor condition due to starvation, dehydration, exposure, parasitic infections and injuries from struggling to free themselves that WBF opted to euthanize them.
Izak also knows of three that died tangled in the netting itself, though she acknowledges that there could be more. Others were well enough to fly away once the netting was released.
“I don’t think we can save every bird, obviously,” Izak said. “But it would be great to have the netting company work with us.”
The Department of Buildings tells Upper East Site an inspector found that “the approved plans for the sidewalk shed did not include the netting that had been installed,” adding that the agency will be issuing violations to the building and ordering Normandie Court’s owner, Ogden CAP Properties, to remove the netting.
It was still attached to the building on Tuesday, with pigeons perched on beams inside. Upper East Site contacted Ogden CAP Properties but did not immediately hear back. | <urn:uuid:0ffb26f2-1c08-479c-a798-b14d1f6bc81c> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.uppereastsite.com/birds-trapped-dying-in-nets-installed-under-ues-luxury-buildings-sidewalk-shed-rescuers-say/ | 2024-04-13T16:51:05Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.982383 | 644 | 2.40625 | 2 |
The general who ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in a coup last month says an investigation into corruption allegations against the former leader has failed to yield solid evidence. General Sondhi Boonyaratglin's admission could undermine one of the main reasons he gave for carrying out the coup.
In an interview with The Nation newspaper, General Sondhi said he wishes he had more time to search for evidence of graft by the former prime minister.
Sondhi said he worries the military could lose public support if investigators do not find evidence of corruption against Mr. Thaksin.
The ruling junta set up several bodies to investigate alleged wrongdoing by Mr. Thaksin and his associates, including corruption and abuse of power, which the generals used as a rationale for deposing the twice-elected prime minister.
A leading Thai political scientist, Thitinan Pongsudirak of Chulalongkorn University, says if the generals take much longer to investigate corruption charges against Mr. Thaksin, they risk weakening one of the main justifications for their coup.
"The judicial process is slow, and it takes time. So, in a sense, General Sondhi is trying to say the various investigation committees need more time," he said. "But, at the same time, if they do not move more quickly, they will undermine their own rationale - one of the main rationales - for the coup."
But the general said the probe into Mr. Thaksin's assets has to proceed in line with the law. He said he is aware the military-appointed government is being closely scrutinized by the international community.
Thitinan says the military should also step up its probe into charges that Mr. Thaksin abused power during his rule, by interfering with government institutions and condoning extra-judicial killings of suspected drug dealers and Muslim separatists.
Otherwise, he says, the generals will have no legitimate reason to prevent Mr. Thaksin, who is now in London, from returning to Thailand.
General Sondhi implied in the interview that Mr. Thaksin, who is a billionaire, could try to use his fortune to stage a comeback. He told The Nation Mr. Thaksin would not be allowed to return until martial law is lifted, and he did not say when that would happen.
Professor Thitinan says martial law is a double-edged sword for the military.
"They cannot lift martial law too quickly, because that would open up a space for the pro-Thaksin elements, and there are many of them still, to come out into the open to challenge the coup," he added. "At the same time, the longer they impose martial law, the more frustrated, the anti-Thaksin coalition, will become. So this is a dilemma for the coup-makers. They have to do away with martial law, but not too soon."
Thitinan says Mr. Thaksin, who won his two elections by large majorities, is looking for a way to return. He still has support in the countryside, Thitinan says, and if the generals cannot justify their actions against him, the country could be in store for more turmoil. | <urn:uuid:7f28f4a7-ed43-4fdd-ab21-1d5f0bf029a4> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.voacambodia.com/a/a-40-2006-10-26-voa1-90145037/1360158.html | 2024-04-13T15:37:03Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.976072 | 666 | 1.8125 | 2 |
The hackneyed way of dealing with this holiday, declared to be the fourth Thursday in November in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, is for everyone concerned (especially school children) to recite what they are thankful for. In my case, it is even more hopelessly hackneyed, as, despite the (macro) political ruminations you see played out here, I have no cognizable (micro) real complaints: I am certainly thankful for my wonderful family, my lovely home, and my most pleasant overall circumstances (including certainly good physical and mental (!) health, as rewarding and fulfilling employment as I have ever had, freedom from most material wants… and… freedom in general.)
Many people would then go forth into a recitation of how great it is to live in this wonderful and prosperous country, where we can all be free. Free… to irresponsibly despoil the environment, to discriminate against those from different tribes or creeds (if not annihilate them, whether here or abroad), to squander generations of accumulated wealth, moral authority, and goodwill so that we can be undisturbed on our Playstation 5.2 …
Ooops. I lost myself there. Lookit: we are in an amazing age where some nudnik in Brooklyn can tap out things on a keyboard and have somewhere between three and four hundred people a day, most of whom he has never met, all over the planet, tune in to read… where armed only with the power of this neo-medium, he can get some of the most interesting people in the world to talk to him about the most compelling issues, and then condense their thoughts into a format for the edification of those same three or four hundred people a day (more on occasion, when others, many of whom said nudnik still hasn’t met, find his blog dialog interesting enough to refer to in their own ethereal publications.)
Which is all… revolutionary. Certainly in speed and scope, although, we have to realize that the founders of this country, when plotting what ultimately became a revolution against the then-mightiest empire in the world, used quill-written notes and letters transmitted by horse or sailing ship… So… we can communicate faster, now. We have more access to information at light speed. And yet… what is the quality of that information? As digby frequently laments, our Washington press corps, which should be more sophisticated about telling us about the workings of our ever more complex governing mechanisms, choses instead to focus on the juvenile and puerile as if they were what mattered (the irony being, of course, that in the last election cycle, this focus led to what I believed to be the overplay of the Mark Foley scandal, which ended up resonating with key sectors of the electorate). Yes, there are now millions of these web-logs out there (though I read that still only around 10,000 or so are, like this one, actually read beyond the circle of family, friends, co-workers and acquaitances of the blogger)… as we get into information overload, what matters is not the speed or the quantity, but the quality.
I have lamented that, like television, which had the potential to be the greatest cultural and educational phenomenon ever, but devolved to instead give us Charlie’s Angels, Survivor! and The Bachelor, so the internet would disappoint as well. I feared it would devolve largely into distribution mechanisms for pornography, gambling, and heated debates among geeks as to whether Kirk or Picard was the cooler Enterprise captain (answer Kirk… obviously). And, frankly, I think that lament is still right: there is an awful lot of chaff out there. And I do mean awful.
But there is, thankfully, an awful lot of wheat as well… For one, you can start with the blogs on our side-bar (or in the Dog Run), written in many cases by people I am proud to call my friends, whether I have met them in the flesh or virtually, friends that I would not have met but for this revolutionary medium…
Ah. Something else to give thanks for. | <urn:uuid:01c84c08-d5e9-415f-8e3b-3e9f22b0fae3> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | http://thetalkingdog.com/2006/11/23/happy_thanksgiv/ | 2024-04-15T00:10:45Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.964098 | 848 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Billy Wright Photography Georgia Event Photography
For more than 3 decades, I have been a photographer with a passion for capturing special moments and freezing them in time as a special memory that can last forever. I am currently a Local Store Marketing Manager for Georgia restaurants and consistently document all my marketing effort or events to tell the complete story in pictures. This website is a result of many of my customers requesting my photographic services. Over the past few years, I have documented over 1500 events and posted over 200,000 images online. I take great pride in this collection of images which have received over 15.5 million individual views… and counting!! Please click here for a little more history on me and find out why I am so " GLAD To Be ALIVE " as documented by Zig Ziglar.
My photography journey began in high school with a 35 mm film camera and a messy darkroom in my parent’s basement. Through the years, I have integrated digital photography into recording and documenting my daily business and marketing efforts at every level. I have all quality photography equipment and lighting necessary to capture and tell the story of any type of event with images. I also have access to the digital tools necessary to professionally edit and finish your images for any display, print format or digital online imaging. Video of your event also available on request.
Check Back . . . More Options Coming Soon! | <urn:uuid:8d6a8572-46b5-4872-b800-d958b288e2e1> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | http://www.billywrightphotography.com/our-story.html | 2024-04-15T00:13:32Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.940879 | 285 | 1.90625 | 2 |
This van started out as a Caravelle and the customer, Ian wanted a vehicle which he can hire out through his company Imagineering. He purchased the vehicle with a standard RIB 150 fitted. Ian had a clear idea about what he required, Escape POD, Fridge, Sink, Hob Double swivel etc. He also wanted to hide the existing seat belt holes in the panels.
It was immediately clear that the RIB seat was fitted too far forward to accommodate the POD. Ian also decided that an SCA 194 elevating roof was needed and the existing headlining and Caravelle panels were to be retained. These were the two challenges to overcome.
The RIB needed to be refitted further towards the rear to allow room for the POD, but its rear clashed with the rear panels, therefore a seat modification was required to make it fit. Once that problem was resolved, we focussed our attention on fitting the roof while retaining the Caravelle panels. This was very challenging but we achieved a very nice fit and re-trimmed the vehicle with the existing panels, relocating courtesy lights, installing a full 230V and 12v electrical system and a diesel heater. We designed bespoke stainless steel plates to cover the existing seatbelt holes in the C pillars which also housed the diesel heater control and the light switches. The Escape POD also needed heavy modification to fit in the available space, however we still managed to accommodate a Fridge, sink, hob, water bottle and gas bottle. A smaller table was designed to fit to the POD for the RIB Seat passengers.
Overall this was a very challenging job but we are very happy with the result, but more importantly so is Ian and his family!
Click here for video. | <urn:uuid:e08d489c-43cc-4c5d-9c23-98be2e0bca8e> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | http://www.eclipsecustomcampers.com/conversions/misc-conversions/3235-2/ | 2024-04-14T22:45:22Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.980898 | 372 | 1.53125 | 2 |
Are you ready for a botanical adventure? Brace yourself as we uncover the diverse and stunning world of prayer plants. These fascinating plants, known for their mesmerizing leaf movements, come in a multitude of varieties that will leave you in awe.
- Ctenanthe: A Marvelous Genus in the Marantaceae Family
- Goeppertia: A Genus Transformed
- Maranta: The Classic Prayer Plants
- Stromanthe: Where Elegance Meets Texture
- Embrace the Beauty of Prayer Plants
Ctenanthe: A Marvelous Genus in the Marantaceae Family
Let’s begin our journey with Ctenanthe, a genus within the prayer plant family, Marantaceae. Pronounced as “te-NANTH-ee,” Ctenanthe encompasses around thirty different genera. While primarily native to Brazil, these plants can also be found in other South American countries such as Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela. Just like their relatives, Ctenanthe plants raise their leaves at night and lower them in the morning when the sun rises.
1. Burle Marxii
Our first stop is Ctenanthe burle marxii, a species native to Brazil. This plant is named in honor of Roberto Burle Marx, a renowned Brazilian landscape architect. Its paddle-shaped leaves display either a vibrant green or pale silvery gray color with a darker green fishbone pattern, earning it the common name “fishbone prayer plant.” The undersides of the leaves reveal a lovely maroon hue, visible during leaf unfurling and at night when the foliage raises. While flowers are rare, they are small, inconspicuous, and white in color when they do appear. C. burle marxii is an excellent choice for a hanging basket, reaching heights of 8 to 12 inches with a spread of 18 to 24 inches.
If you’d like to add a C. burle marxii to your collection, you can find them available in four-inch pots at California Tropicals via Amazon.
Another cultivated variety of C. burle marxii is the ‘Amagris.’ This variety has silver paddle-shaped leaves with thin, medium green leaf veins and midribs, along with purple undersides. The leaves also feature a distinct spike-like leaf point. ‘Amagris’ can grow up to 16 inches tall and wide at full maturity, and its flowers, although infrequent, are small and white.
Unlike the symmetrical patterns found on most prayer plants, Ctenanthe lubbersiana breaks the mold with marbled yellow and cream variegation on its medium green foliage. Its leaves are oblong and rounded, and the plant is commonly known as “bamburanta” or “never never plant.” Bamburanta can reach heights of 2 to 4 feet with a two to three-foot width, and its tiny white flowers appear sporadically. This species was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit for ornamentals in 1993.
You can find the striking bamburanta plant available in six-inch pots from California Tropicals via Amazon.
Next up is Ctetanthe setosa ‘Grey Star,’ an enchanting cultivated variety. This exquisite plant features long elliptical leaves with a pale silver hue, darker leaf veins, and reddish-purple undersides. Offering a subtle beauty, this species produces small, white flowers. ‘Grey Star’ can grow up to 5 feet in height and up to 3 feet in width.
For those looking to add ‘Grey Star’ to their collection, you can find it in six-inch pots from the House Plant Shop via Walmart.
Goeppertia: A Genus Transformed
Now, let’s explore the Goeppertia genus (pronounced “go-PER-shuh”), previously known as Calathea. The plants belonging to this section were reclassified following a DNA analysis in 2012. Although officially renamed, they are still commonly referred to as “calatheas” by vendors, buyers, and gardeners.
Let’s delve into Goeppertia concinna ‘Freddie,’ a cultivated variety with ovate, pointed leaves. These leaves boast a pale silvery green color with a dark green herringbone pattern. ‘Freddie’ grows upright, reaching heights of up to 20 inches with a matching spread.
If ‘Freddie’ catches your eye, you can find it at Terrain.
Goeppertia crocata features large, dark green leaves with purple undersides and a wavy texture. Its scientific name is also synonymous with Calathea crocata and “saffron-colored calathea.” This species originates from Brazil and produces striking golden orange flowers. With an upright growth habit, G. crocata can reach heights of 18 inches and spread up to 12 inches.
Goeppertia elliptica, previously known as Calathea elliptica or C. vittata, showcases long, pointed, oval-shaped leaves with medium green color adorned with thin white stripes. Its undersides are light green. This species belongs to northern South America and grows between 8 and 12 inches in height, with a spread of 6 to 8 inches. Cream-colored flowers, although infrequent, may appear.
For those interested in acquiring G. elliptica, it is available in four-inch pots from Wekiva Foliage via Amazon.
Goeppertia fasciata, also known as Maranta borussica or Calathea fasciata, is a species native to northeast Brazil. Its large, rounded leaves feature broad, dark green stripes and midribs, contrasted by light green to gray stripes. The undersides of its leaves display dark red to purple shades. While the flowers are inconspicuous and rarely bloom indoors, G. fasciata can grow to be 3 to 4 feet tall with a 1.5 to 2-foot spread. This species favors strongly to moderately acidic soil.
Goeppertia kegeljanii ‘Network’ is a cultivated variety that captivates with its fine green and yellow mosaic-like foliage. Native to Brazil, this species has gone through several nomenclatural changes, previously known as Calathea bella, C. musaica, C. cardiophylla, M. kegeljanii, M. tessellate var. kegeljanii, and M. bella. It features oval, pointed leaves with slightly wavy margins, appearing like oversized holly leaves. This cultivar presents more prominent variegation and a bushier shape compared to the species plant. ‘Network’ grows upright, reaching heights of 18 to 24 inches with a spread of 12 to 18 inches.
If you wish to add the living mosaic of ‘Network’ to your living space, you can find it in a six-inch pot from Costa Farms via Walmart.
Goeppertia insignis, also known as Calathea lancifolia or “rattlesnake plant,” boasts long, narrow, pointed leaves with a pattern reminiscent of a rattlesnake’s skin. Its foliage exhibits a light green to yellowish-green color with alternating dark and light green blotches. This species hails from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
With a fountain-like spreading growth habit, rattlesnake calathea can grow to be 20 to 30 inches tall and wide. For those who’d like to cultivate this beauty at home, it is available in six-inch pots from Hirt’s Gardens via Walmart.
Maranta: The Classic Prayer Plants
Maranta plants, renowned members of the prayer plant family, are widely cherished for their captivating leaf movements. Originating from Central and tropical South America, these plants raise their leaves at night and lower them when the sun rises.
Our first Maranta stop is Maranta leuconeura ‘Lemon Lime,’ a captivating cultivated variety closely related to the red-veined prayer plant. ‘Lemon Lime’ features leaves in various shades of green, boasting a striking color combination. Pale green midribs are surrounded by medium to dark green hues, with vibrant lime green veins. This variety spreads its leaves horizontally, making it an excellent choice for hanging baskets. ‘Lemon Lime’ grows to heights of 12 to 15 inches, with a matching spread. Although rarely seen, it produces small purple flowers.
To acquire ‘Lemon Lime’ for your collection, you can find it at Terrain.
Maranta thalia, also known as Stromanthe thalia or “bloody prayer plant,” showcases long, lance-shaped leaves with dark green color and pale midribs, along with reddish-purple undersides. This species produces vibrant red and white inflorescences. When grown outdoors, M. thalia can reach heights of 5 feet and widths of 3 feet. As a houseplant, it generally stays under 3 feet in height.
For those enticed by the stunning M. thalia, you can find potted plants between 8 and 16 inches tall at Terrain.
Stromanthe: Where Elegance Meets Texture
Stromanthe plants, belonging to the arrowroot family, are known for their striking leaves. Native to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, these plants raise their leaves at night and lower them at sunrise.
Stromanthe thalia, commonly referred to as Calathea warszewiczii or “jungle velvet,” boasts large, velvety leaves in an ovoid shape that tapers to a point. The leaves exhibit a dark green color with an emerald blaze along the midrib and burgundy undersides. This species grows upright and can reach heights of 3 to 4 feet with a 3-foot spread. During flowering, it produces eye-catching red and white blooms. S. thalia received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award for Garden Merit in 2012.
Stromanthe thalia ‘Triostar’ is a delightful cultivated variety, also known as “never never plant” or “variegated stromanthe.” Its leaves showcase a colorful mix of white, pink, and green variegation, complemented by reddish-pink undersides. Each leaf possesses a marbled pattern that is unique. ‘Triostar’ has a spreading growth habit, making it a stunning choice for hanging baskets. It reaches heights of 12 to 18 inches, with a similar spread.
If ‘Triostar’ catches your attention, you can find potted plants between 8 and 16 inches tall at Terrain.
Embrace the Beauty of Prayer Plants
Embark on a journey into the captivating world of prayer plants and discover the striking beauty they possess. With their mesmerizing leaf movements and an array of stunning varieties, these plants will effortlessly add charm to any indoor space. Which of these breathtaking specimens resonates with you the most? Share your favorites in the comments and feel free to showcase your prayer plant babies too!
If you’re eager to learn more about the art of cultivating prayer plants, check out our comprehensive guide on growing these enchanting plants. | <urn:uuid:f70055d9-63fe-4cd1-8a5b-27455857a182> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://amesfarmcenter.com/prayer-plant-types/ | 2024-04-15T00:00:46Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.914067 | 2,521 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Interview With Brian Mendonca, A Popular Goa Poet
Manjushree talks with the poet and discusses various issues.
Interview With Brian Mendonca, A Popular Goa Poet
Manjushree talks with the poet and discusses various issues.
Dr Brian Mark Mendonça has emerged as one of the major poetic voices of Goa. Popularly described as a “Traveller Poet”, Brian is known for blending travels with poetry. Currently working as Assistant Professor, Department of English at Carmel College of Arts, Commerce and Science for Women, Nuvem, Goa, Brian has 2 collections of poetry to his credit, ‘Last Bus to Vasco’ and ‘A Peace of India: Poems in Transit’. Thirteen of his poems are published by the Sahitya Akademi while seven of his poems feature in Ensemble, A Canadian Quarterly of Literature, Arts and Culture. His poems are widely appreciated for having sketched “multicultural and multilingual India,” (Journal of Common Wealth Literature) that “resonates with the cadence of India” (Tribune). In his poems, that “reflect his love for exploring and new places, and examining them in the socio historical context,” (Times of India) even “common places …..acquire significant meanings” ( Muse India).
An academician, editor and a poet, a blogger, musician and a columnist, Brian speaks about his poems and passions, interests and involvements in this interview with Manjushree M.
August 2016, Goa, India
Manjushree (MS): Can you describe the evolution of Brian as a poet?
Brian: I think the answer can be divided into two parts. Brian is the name that my parents have given and poet is the name that I struggle for. Very often, I could have just remained Brian like so many Brians. They are in oblivion. If you Google search, you can get million Brians. But you might get only one Brian the poet. So if you have a dream, if you have something that is within you, despite many objections you must realize that dream. So my evolution as a poet, as you want to put it, has been a journey of struggle because right from my first poem ‘Last Bus to Vasco’ in 1998, I realized that not everybody can give you the support that you are looking for. The support is what you find within yourself. So, after I self-published Last Bus to Vasco: Poems from Goa in 2006, I got the confidence that I needed. Along with it I also produced an audio CD of a recording of the poems in my voice layered over with special sound effects suggested by the universe of the poem. After that, I again self-published A Peace of India: Poems in Transit in 2011. The second volume enlarged my canvas from Goa to India and that is how I established myself.
Since I come from a publishing background, I published the book myself. Today everybody thinks that you are a great person if you publish. So publishing is the magic mantra. But it has a flip side to it. If you don’t publish you are nothing. So we have to negotiate this dichotomy. So I decided to self-publish — it depends on the reader whether he or she likes it. So I have taken very important decisions in my life to realize that dream. I do not sit down writing and say you recognise me as a poet. I worked to make it happen. I worked with the grammar of publication. In both my volumes of poems I travelled, composed, edited, published and sold my poems. Can you imagine one person doing all these activities and still living a ‘normal’ life?
MS: Which poet or poem is close to your heart?
Brian: I was really influenced by T S Eliot. I like the romanticism of Wordsworth. But I cannot use romanticism in contemporary thought. You have to use something which can reach back even to Greek thinking. So I have a word like praxis which comes from the Greek. It means sense of becoming. This was published in the Sahitya Akademi volume in 2004. I am so happy for that moment because it is the same year that my mother passed away and that was like a tribute to her. It looks like she was waiting for that. When I search for a poem of mine to quote it is ‘A Peace of India’ (1999). It goes like this: My heart is roaming in the wild blue yonder / But where I lie will always be Goa / Between the black soil of the plains / and the red mud of the coast / There for me is India’s peace. This poem is my signature.
MS: You fuse poetry and travel together. Ordinary places look elevated and gain important in your poetry. What makes you write poems about places?
Brian: I would like to draw your attention to one word you used i.e. “elevated”. I disagree with that. My intention is not to elevate a place. My intention is to show a place in all its carnivalesque variety and pluralism. If you think it’s elevating it, it is your perception. I have a poem which is called ‘Londa Station’ (1999). It was in Delhi when this happened. A visiting person from Karnataka had come and I told her that I had written a poem on Karnataka. I expected that she would be happy. But at once she glanced at the page and her face became severe and small. She said it is about urination. Everybody urinates so why do you talk about Karnataka? So this kind of framework is what I leave open to the dialogic imagination. You take what you want. Some body may take it as about urination. Some body may say that the poet is trying to write that humans should not behave like animals. So the decoding of a wisp of poetry is infinitely complex. So whether is elevation or criticism, it is there. You take it in whatever way you want because ultimately the text belongs to the reader. The only criterion for me is that it has to be my truth.
MS: Goa is not just a place for you. It is a passion to you. As a poet how do you see Goa over these years?
Brian: I think this is a clichéd question. Today we travel, in the morning we are in Mumbai, in the evening you are in Bangalore and tomorrow you will be in Goa. How will you see a unified entity of Goa? What is Goa? Goa is changing every minute. Goa of today is not the Goa of yesterday and won’t be the Goa of tomorrow. Goa is a construct, a construct that is maintained by lobbies. What is Goa Tourist Development Corporation saying? It is saying that Goa is a land of leisure and fun. It is saying that Goa is a land where people are relaxing 365 days. Do you believe that? See the projection there. When you see the packaging of Goa, you realize what is meant by living in Goa as a Goan is like a pawn in this great drama of cultural capital. Goa is a cultural capital. Many bad things are happening. Nobody talks about it because nobody wants to know. There is this blind spot. So this is a very problematic question. If you ask me what I feel about Goa, perhaps I will be able to reply only in tears.
I do not look at Goa per se as a Goan. I look at Goa from multiple perspectives. Writing is effective when you write from the third space and this third space reminds me of Shiva’s third eye. When it opens, it is vinash. Are you ready to criticize your Goans? If you are ready, then take up the pen and write. That is the decision that I made early in my life and told myself that there is hard journey for you because you will be stepping on many people’s toes. If you want to write the truth, you will be unpopular but people will read you.
MS: Indian Poetry in English has remained elite. What do you say about it? Why do you think it has not reached many?
Brian: There are several questions here. When you say reached, we assume that someone is doing the ‘reaching’. Who does this reaching? The publishers have an agenda to publish only well known and classic poets. Then how are the new poets going to come into circulation? There is a strong bias against new poets. So this is why one has no recourse except to publish your own poems. I can spend Rs. 25,000 to publish 500 copies of an 80 page volume of my poems. One may be good poet but does he have capital? So the reaching part is very problematic because we are confined within systems of power. Since I have spent ten years in publishing, I can reverse the matrix and for me it is the empire strikes back.
MS: You have titled your poetry collections as ‘Last Bus to Vasco’ and ‘A Peace of India: Poems in Transit’. Why this titles?
Brian: Last Bus to Vasco signifies the fact that we are losing our heritage. The culture of Goa is under erasure. Unless we wake up and get on the last bus and do something, we will lose our heritage. In A Peace of India, the spelling peace signifies that India is opposed to violence which permits a kind of peace. If we do not work together, we may end up in violence and confusion. So these poems try to unify India.
MS: Say something about Goan poetry in English or Goan poetry in general.
Brain: I think Goan poetry per se needs to be encouraged more than it is. People who are writing poetry today do not really have that kind of a conviction until they have some kind of published work behind them. I can think of Ethil D Costa who is writing poetry. Lot of people are witting poems in Konkani. I gave a talk on Goan poetry at Rosary College, Navelim where I tried to tap the poetic diaspora of Goa and mediated poems written by people who are not living in Goa right now. A friend of mine called Mary has very fine poems on Goa. She works with the United Nations and at the moment she is somewhere at Iraq border. But that does not make her any less Goan. This is the internationality of Goan culture and Goan society. I think it is appropriate to mention here that I was invited to edit a special volume on Goan literature for an online journal Muse India. I am the guest editor for Volume 50.
I have always argued that writing in English cannot happen in isolation. If you are writing in Goa English is not the local language. The local language is Konkani. So when you speak in Konkani, it is mirror to the society. It is a salute to the earth from which it is born. One should be multilingual as a poet also. I wrote a poem in Portuguese called ‘Fugitivo’ / Fugitive. I have always been fascinated by this term because the fugitive is always on the run, always looking around if someone is chasing him. He is on run towards his destination. (Brian recites the poem in Portuguese and then translates it into English). It is just 4 lines poem- On the run / from the city, to the sea. In the next two lines, I reversed the trajectory. And I said From the sea / to the city.
When I left Goa to spend ten years in Delhi, I used to miss Goa. I sacrificed so many things. I sacrificed my time with my mother. When I was in Delhi my mother passed away in Goa. Now when I come here life sometimes appears meaningless because my mother is not there. There are memories which even now are fading. So this oscillation from sea to the city and city to the sea is actually the litany of my life.
I have interspersed Konkani phrases in Last Bus to Vasco. In some way it tries to encapture the polyphony of discourse in Goa because people speak all languages here. When I read poems in English and put in a Goan word, people love it. English I for me is a very superficial language. I have to go below the depth which is not provided by the English language because it is the language of colonizers. You need a language that you are grown up with, which has seen blood tears and sadness. That’s why I incorporate more Goan language in my poetry. If you don’t live with languages I think we just decay.
Speaking about other people writing in English, I cannot really say much about it because poetry today is not seen as a form that is worthy of being cultivated. Teenagers and youth are not really interested in writing poetry because it is not worthy of their time. It takes lot of effort. You need to be committed. If you are committed to poetry, people will come to you. General expectation of society is that you must talk a lot and someone who does not do that is on the fringes. It unsettles them. But I have always been on margin and I like that.
MS: What do you think of poetry as a genre?
Brian: The length or span of the work of art does not determine its intrinsic value. You can make a statement in four lines. The fact that poetry perpetually defers the meaning means that it is available to multiple interpretations. You can see that meaning if you want. You can see poetry as changing the society, if you wanted. So poetry for me is very demanding.
I have put poetry on ‘pause’ because I have been devoting lot of time to prose. For four years, I have been contributing an article a week to a Sunday Weekender here in Goa. I am reminded of a friend of mine who had said that if you love somebody you cannot love someone else with same love. But at that time I could not understand. But later I realized this. I think the same analogy can be applied to poetry and prose. Right now, if my attention is shifted to creative nonfiction, poetry is still in the shadow. I can still write a poem but the kind of immediacy is not there. I cannot force it.
I think poetry dried up in me when I returned to Goa. When I was away, I was pining for Goa, I was incomplete. I was searching for fulfillment. But when I returned to Goa, I was fulfilled. There was marriage, child, family and job and I was contented. This contentment destroyed poetry in some ways. When I was away, pining for my mother, homeland, sea etc, and poetry found its voice in the angst and through the rivulets of inspiration. But when you come back and when everything is there, you don’t have to try to write poetry. Poetry comes out of pain. But this phase in my poetic life may be temporary phase. It might be a sense of rejuvenation or waiting for the voice because as Nissim Ezekiel says, ‘To force the pace and never to be still / Is not the way one studies birds or women. / The best poets wait for words.” So this waiting disciplines you. I would like to write poetry that satisfies me and not to impress anyone. Wherever I have travelled in India, I have fallen in love with the place. A poet is not recognised in his own land. It is in the Bible, prophet is not recognized in his own land. Jesus tells his disciples if nobody accepts you, you rise up and you shake the dust from your feet and proceed because thinkers are never really accepted. You are challenging the status quo.
MS: Where would you like to position your poetry?
Brian: (smiles) I have a very piquant answer to this I, e Brianism. Calling it Goanism is like ascribing it with certain values which I may not find relevant. I am both an insider and outsider. So any attempt to categorize my work is like undermining its vitality. Why do you want to have markers? I continue to write. I may be understood in my life or later. But I am happy that I am contributing in my way. Particularly as a teacher I like to foster in my students the love for the word. Time is my friend.
MS: What made you choose poetry to express yourself?
Brian: There again I would like to invert the answer. I did not choose poetry. Poetry chose me. Because when I sit down to write poetry, I don’t even know what I am going to write. I have two books that are already published. So there is a sense of achievement. There is a sense that since I have established myself as a poet, I can look at other forms also. But I don’t get that the same kind of pleasure. When I am trying other forms, I feel I am forcing myself. But when I am writing poetry I am at peace with myself.
MS: Tell something about your next endeavours…
Brian: There is a book waiting in the wings. I wrote a series of poems when I was in Delhi for ten years. I intend to bring that out and release it in Delhi. Those are the poems of my formative years. I would like to title it as ‘Jasmine City’ because at every nook and corner, in the evening you will find women in Delhi selling jasmine flowers. In the evening in Delhi if you smell the jasmine the beauty of India and beauty the capital really suffuses you with the hope for human kind. Right now I am hunting for the manuscript . . .
[The interviewer is indebted to Brain for his time and support in editing the interview and also for his permission to publish the Interview.] | <urn:uuid:519726ab-d891-4f37-a1c5-14c2d502edc6> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://ashvamegh.net/author-poet-interviews/brian-mendonca/ | 2024-04-14T23:53:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.976588 | 3,766 | 1.921875 | 2 |
2 August 2021
By Julia Brodsky
This summer, something beautiful and unique took place in the STEM education world. Run by Blue Marble Space Institute of Science (BMSIS), an online Astrobiology Studies for Kids (ASK) program invited undergraduate students from all over the world to discuss astrobiology with dozens of pre-teens. The topics ranged from exoplanets, planetary geology, and ocean worlds to space fungi, astrovirology, and cyborgs. The instructors (undergraduate students) have turned professional reports on the cutting-edge science featured in science journals into easily understandable, colorful slides with encouraging drawings and cartoons, hands-on activities, computer simulations, and Padlet discussions.
The children were eager to withstand 2-4 hours of astrobiology per day. Due to the time zone differences, some of them had to wake up at 5 am while others stayed up till midnight. Yet their natural curiosity helped them persevere. “Astrobiology is way more exciting than sleep” – stated one of the kids. It was their opportunity to ask probing questions of aspiring scientists, ranging from “Can multiverses be nested one inside the other?” to “ Do we plan to use brain enhancements and prosthetics in space?”, “How do we search for AI civilizations?”, “How does silicon replace carbon in organic molecules?”, “Could we learn the language of viruses and use it to fight infections?”, and “Should we define a human being as a creature that is willing and able to change itself?”
It is hard to say who gained more from the discussions. Children’s profound questions motivated instructors to research new areas of science and make connections between various fields of study. “It is my first time teaching kids,” said one of the ASK instructors, “and I never thought they are so intelligent and can ask such deep, provocative questions. They helped deepen my own understanding of the subject.” “If only I had this opportunity as a kid,” said another. “I am so happy to be able to help the next generation!”
The ASK program, which also introduces future scientists and science educators to the best STEM education practices and resources, is offered by BMSIS as a part of the Young Scientist Program (YSP) summer initiative. The initiative provides research opportunities and professional development to young scientists all over the globe. The BMSIS YSP operates two branches: one with on-site participation at NASA Ames Research Center, and the other enabling online participation from anywhere in the world. | <urn:uuid:df783f2b-382a-4b8a-86d6-7e3f2692a0f7> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://blogs.agu.org/sciencecommunication/2021/08/02/astrobiology-studies-for-kids-ask/ | 2024-04-15T00:41:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.946895 | 549 | 1.953125 | 2 |
As part of Australia’s first booktown initiative, a guide and map has been produced to the bookshops and literary landmarks in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.
Inspired by the village of Hay-on-Wye in the UK, the Southern Highlands is the latest addition to a global movement that now numbers more than 20 booktowns on almost every continent. Hay-on-Wye is situated on the English-Welsh border and was declared as the world’s first booktown in 1961 by its founder, Richard Booth. The tiny village now boasts almost 40 bookshops and attracts up to 2 million visitors annually.
The BOOKtrail brochure has been produced by the Southern Highlands Booksellers Association with the advertising support of 20 bookshops and book-related enterprises. It includes a map of the district sponsored by HarperCollins Publishers. In addition, the brochure features a listing of literary points of interest associated with the villages and towns of the Southern Highlands.
This region of NSW has been the home to many notable authors or the setting for scenes in their books.
President of the Southern Highlands Booksellers Association, Mr Leo Berkelouw, said that the BOOKtrail guide heralds the beginning of what he hopes will be an ongoing series of cooperative projects among the bookselling and publishing interests within the region.
“The economic climate has not been kind to the Australian bookselling industry in recent times but the BOOKtrail is a practical example of local businesspeople banding together to promote a new and slightly unusual attraction for visitors to our area.”
“The benefits of the BOOKtrail will not just be for the local booksellers and their customers but for the Southern Highlands community and economy generally.”
President of the Southern Highlands Accommodation Association, Mrs Sue Maude, was also enthusiastic in her praise of the project. “I know from firsthand experience what a boon this project could be for the Highlands as I have visited Hay-on-Wye.”
The appeal of that booktown to the public, especially international visitors, was quite phenomenal and I remember being pleasantly surprised at the streets being full of tourists at 10 o’clock on an ordinary Monday morning”
“An important advantage of the Southern Highlands BOOKtrail is that it is both a midweek and weekend attraction and not affected by the weather so it is always an option for visitors, unlike some event-based or seasonal attractions.”
“I’m sure that members of my association will be strongly supporting the BOOKtrail and encouraging our guests to make use of the guide,” she said.
Acting Manager of Tourism Southern Highlands, Mrs. Liz Tickner, believes that the BOOKtrail will be a valuable addition to the region’s attractions and a positive step in promoting Australian culture and heritage.
“The Highlands draws many visitors who wish to take self-drive tours around the villages and the BOOKtrail gives another dimension to their trip that may not have been apparent before now.
“Many people will be pleasantly surprised by the rich literary associations this region can claim as well as the quality and number of its bookshops,” she said.
BookTown Australia Convenor and Secretary of the Southern Highlands Booksellers Association, Paul McShane, who launched the local booktown initiative on World Book Day last year, says the internet will allow BOOKtrail visitors to plan their trip and also maintain contact afterwards with bookshops they have visited.
“Many international visitors, particularly those from European countries, will be familiar with the booktown concept.”
The BOOKtrail is a first step to creating Australia’s own distinctive contribution to this global movement and is perfectly situated in the beautiful rural environs of the Southern Highlands between Sydney, Canberra and Wollongong.”
“Thanks to the internet, overseas travellers can plan their visit to the region ahead of time and then continue to purchase from bookshops they may have visited on the BOOKtrail, even after they have returned home.”
“BookTown Australia’s website at booktown.com.au enables anyone to download and print the BOOKtrail brochure in PDF format as well as offering links to the region’s tourism facilities and local hotels, motels, guesthouses, restaurants and cafes.”
“The website not only has links to booksellers on the Southern Highlands BOOKtrail but also links to booktowns in other parts of the world,” he said.
BOOKtrail brochures are available through Tourism Southern Highlands by phoning 1300 657 559 and will be distributed through local bookshops, accommodation facilities and participating tourist offices throughout NSW. The website links can be found at booktown.com.au
A launch of the BOOKtrail is being held at the Berrima Courthouse Museum on Wednesday 4th April at 6.30pm. Media representatives are welcome to attend – please phone in advance for details or directions.
For more information and/or interviews with those quoted contact:
Secretary – Southern Highlands Booksellers Association, Convenor – BookTown Australia
Phone: 0408 65 9896 Email: [email protected] | <urn:uuid:2ec65179-2a12-44e5-aeba-2d6ca02b30d4> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://booktown.com.au/booktrail-launched-in-nsw-southern-highlands/ | 2024-04-14T23:43:43Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.948268 | 1,105 | 1.65625 | 2 |
Barbecued Pot Roast
Gluten Free Living – 2024
This is one of those new recipe tries that turned out wonderfully! There’s always a little trepidation when trying a new recipe to make sure it turns out right–especially when you’re making it for company! But Barbecued Pot Roast was a real winner in every way. The meat was so tasty and the barbecue sauce was just the right amount of tangy. It’s always nice when a meal comes together so well that everyone’s taste buds are well pleased. 🙂
In early February, I brought a meal to some dear friends who are part of our church’s Connection Group. I always try to ensure I make enough for two meals. This meal of Barbecued Pot Roast, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Corn Pudding, Easy No-Knead Dinner Rolls, Spinach Apple Raisin Salad with Glazed Walnuts and Chocolate Chip Meltaways satisfied seven healthy appetites for two meals! They had their daughter and son-in-law along with three children over to help them eat everything up. There were still enough leftovers for the following day.
If you follow my blog at all, you know I love to cook for other people. I’m one of those old-fashioned cooks who gets a lot of joy out of preparing delicious meals for others. I am constantly pouring over recipes to find new and exciting things to make! When we moved to the North Dallas area after my husband’s stroke, we downsized a lot. I got rid of SO MANY of my old cookbooks. But I managed to make room for all of my Taste of Home cookbooks and my Gooseberry Cookbooks. I still get a lot of pleasure looking through the recipes and seeing what sounds interesting.
In early February I started going through my Taste of Home cookbooks….again. I started making lists by category of all the recipes I wanted to try. I have so many cookbooks that I have to list not only the recipe name, but the cookbook name and page number so I can find the recipes easily. Barbecued Pot Roast was one of the first recipes that I tried. And we were all thrilled with the results. I only made one change to the recipe. Instead of spraying the Dutch oven with cooking spray, I used a couple of tablespoons of avocado oil to cook the pot roast.
Truthfully, I wondered how it would turn out with THREE LARGE ONIONS as part of the ingredients! But the onions cooked down well and provided tasty flavoring for the roast. If you need a new and exciting way to prepare a pot roast (or you’re just tired of making pot roast the SAME WAY every time, try this really easy recipe soon. Serve it with your favorite sides and you’re good to go!
Barbecued Pot Roast is a wonderful entree, especially if you’re a barbecue lover like me!
You can serve all those onions on top of the beef or on the side, whichever you prefer.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients plus avocado oil.
Set chuck roast out on a plate.
Sprinkle both sides with pepper.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Brown beef on all sides.
While the meat browns, slice down onions; mince garlic. Set aside.
Once the pot roast is browned, add tomato sauce.
Now add onions, garlic and water. Cover with lid and simmer over low to medium heat for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare BBQ sauce: Place ketchup, dry mustard, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a mixing bowl.
Add lemon juice.
Whisk ingredients to combine.
After the roast and onions have cooked 30 minutes, add barbecue sauce to ingredients in Dutch oven. Cover with lid and simmer over low heat 3-4 hours as necessary to tenderize the roast. My roast only took about two more hours at this point before it was done!
Here’s the Barbecued Pot Roast once it was done. It took only 2 1/2 hours total time. I was expecting it to be closer to 4 hours! Once you add the barbecue sauce start checking roast after two hours.
Remove Pot Roast to a bread board and slice down. Then place meat on a platter to serve.
I thought the barbecue sauce for this entree was terrific.
I enjoyed the BBQ flavored onions too! But whether you eat them or push them to the side, they add a lot of flavor to this pot roast.
Barbecued Pot Roast makes a delightfully sumptuous meal for family or company dinners.
Here’s the recipe.
BARBECUED POT ROAST
(Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, Low-Fat Country Cooking, pg. 183)
Barbecued Pot Roast
- 1 large Dutch oven with lid
- 1 bread board
- 1 sharp knife to cut and mince vegetables
- 1 small mixing bowl
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 two-pronged fork
- 3 to 4 lb. boneless chuck roast trimmed (I used a four-pound roast)
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. avocado oil or olive oil
- 8 oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 cup water
- 3 medium onions sliced and separated into rings
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp. light brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
- Sprinkle chuck roast with pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat avocado oil or olive oil.
- Brown roast on all sides in hot oil over medium heat.
- Add tomato sauce, then add onions, garlic and water.
- Cover with lid and simmer over low to medium heat for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and ground mustard.
- Whisk until smooth.
- After 30 minutes cooking the roast, pour barbecue sauce over roast and onions.
- Cover and simmer over low heat for about 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until roast is tender.
- Remove to serving platter placing onions on the side of the roast.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Barbecued Pot Roast is also good served as leftovers!
Barbecued Pot Roast is sure to thrill your family or guests when it’s on the menu! | <urn:uuid:d964be66-b0a3-42cc-828e-2eee20dbb23e> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2024/03/20/barbecued-pot-roast/ | 2024-04-15T00:07:40Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.926017 | 1,420 | 1.734375 | 2 |
This informal CPD article, ‘Unleashing Human Potential: Teachers as Architects of Sensory Mastery in the AI Era‘, was provided by Marwa EL HAJJ, Arts Integration Specialist, Co-founder and CEO of QIN Platform, who are passionate about transforming education and preparing students for the challenges of the 21st century. They provide innovative education solutions that integrate arts, STEM, health education, and sustainability seamlessly.
Teachers as Architects of Sensory Mastery in the AI Era
In an era overshadowed by the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), teachers often grapple with apprehensions that these intelligent machines may eventually supplant their roles in the classroom. However, it is essential to pause and examine this scenario from a different angle – one that celebrates teachers as the architects unlocking the full potential of students' senses and human capabilities.
As we stand at the precipice of the fourth wave of AI – Autonomous AI – it is crucial to grasp that, while machines have excelled at repetitive tasks and high-level cognitive functions, they still lack the sensory and sensorimotor skills that come naturally to humans. In essence, AI has mastered thinking but falters when it comes to the delicate art of human motion.
The Fourth Wave of AI
The current landscape of AI presents a captivating paradox. AI has mastered complex problem-solving and data analysis, yet it struggles with tasks that seem effortless to a toddler – grasping objects, recognizing facial expressions, and engaging in spontaneous creativity. In simpler terms, AI can diagnose diseases with pinpoint accuracy but finds humour and artistic improvisation elusive. This very distinction underscores the pivotal role of teachers.
Preparing Students for the AI Era
The pressing question emerges: How can educators seize this unique juncture in history to effectively prepare their students for the AI Era? The answer lies in identifying and nurturing the qualities that distinctly define humans amidst the AI surge – our sensorimotor skills, emotional intelligence, creativity, and authentic expression.
Here are some pathways through which teachers can guide students towards sensory mastery using various art forms:
- Sensory-Motor Skills through the Arts: Engaging in activities such as painting, sculpting, or playing musical instruments empowers students to hone their sensory-motor skills. For instance, sculpting clay or playing the piano demands intricate hand-eye coordination, fostering dexterity and spatial awareness. Similarly, dance, with its fusion of rhythm and movement, sharpens sensory-motor skills. Whether students are performing a graceful ballet or exploring contemporary dance, they synchronize their bodies with music, enhancing coordination, footwork, balance, and timing. | <urn:uuid:cd9e0e2e-036e-40cb-8bb6-4441f6c7262b> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://cpduk.co.uk/news/unleashing-human-potential-teachers-as-architects-of-sensory-mastery-in-the-ai-era | 2024-04-15T00:05:21Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.940999 | 532 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Traci Marquez, Realtor®
With a diverse background spanning Thailand, Singapore, and ultimately settling in Arizona in 1978, I bring a wealth of cultural perspective and community appreciation to my professional endeavors. My journey led me to embrace the vibrant landscape of the East Valley, where I've not only cultivated a fulfilling personal life but also found immense satisfaction in contributing to its growth and prosperity.
Having established roots in Chandler, I met my husband and embarked on the joyous journey of raising our family in this picturesque locale. Our decision to entwine our lives with this remarkable community was instinctive, driven by a profound love for its charm and opportunities.
Throughout my career, I've traversed various sectors, from the intricacies of the medical field to the meticulous world of accounting, and now thriving in the dynamic realm of real estate. Since 2017, my role as a transaction coordinator at Dow Realty has provided me with a platform to merge my passion for service with the complexities of property transactions.
As a proud member of the Dow Realty family, I adhere unwaveringly to principles of diligence, integrity, and exceptional client care. I firmly believe that effective communication, unwavering dedication, and transparent dealings are the cornerstones of fostering enduring relationships and delivering unparalleled service.
My mission is simple yet profound: to deliver bespoke, top-tier service tailored to each client's unique needs and aspirations. Whether you're embarking on the journey of buying or selling a home, I stand ready to provide guidance, support, and expertise every step of the way. Your satisfaction and success are my ultimate priorities.
Please don't hesitate to reach out at your convenience. I am deeply committed to being your trusted ally in realizing your real estate goals, and I look forward to the opportunity to serve you with excellence and enthusiasm.
Contact Traci at: | <urn:uuid:7a20cd9b-8441-4c83-ab16-2bd9b86cd034> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://dowrealtyaz.com/12345 | 2024-04-15T00:23:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.927627 | 396 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Many Napa Valley wineries are going green these days. They focus on organic and biodynamic practices. They build eco-efficient wineries. And they favor solar-powered energy. But lately, that’s become a bit of problem. Turns out they aren’t the only ones keen on solar.
Many Napa Valley wineries are being targeted by thieves. And it’s not the pricey wine they are after. Instead, they are making off with the winery’s solar energy equipment.
Not exactly an easy feat, given that the solar panels, which are large and cumbersome, are usually bolted in place. And it’s not just one or two panels that are being taken. A couple of weeks ago, while wine lovers were gathering for the 2nd annual Solarbration celebration in Yountville, thieves were busy helping themselves to 40 solar panels from the Harris Ranch winery.
Meanwhile, both ZD Wines and Hoing Vineyard and Winery had been hit, not once, but twice. Together, these two wineries have had a total of 283 solar panels stolen.
So far there have been no arrests and no clear indication of why thieves are suddenly targeting these wineries. The only thing that all these wineries have in common, except wine, is that their solar panels were ground mounted and located in the middle of vineyards far from any buildings. Most of the other wineries around the valley have their solar panels located on the top of buildings. | <urn:uuid:12e7689b-68f7-4c4b-bbfd-d207de8d3e62> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://ecosalon.com/a-solar-powered-crime-wave-in-napa-valley/ | 2024-04-15T00:02:52Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.980706 | 315 | 1.625 | 2 |
Liverpool s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (C) reacts after Real Madrid s victory in the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on May 28, 2022 (AFP)
Salah was denied on three occasions by some brilliant stops from Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois, with the Spanish giants eventually coming out on top courtesy of a second-half goal from lively Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior.
The defeat marked a painful end to Salah's season after he also lost the Premier League title with Liverpool and the African Nations Cup final with Egypt.
He also missed a crucial penalty as the Pharaohs suffered a shootout loss to Senegal in a World Cup qualifying playoff in March.
Salah still won some individual awards, including the Premier League's Golden Boot after he finished as the elite competition's joint top scorer with 23 goals.
Some intense social media debates raged over Salah following Liverpool's Champions League loss, with some saying he had produced a superb display that was worthy of at least a goal and others criticizing him and questioning his attitude.
Salah came under fire in particular for his pre-match comments, when he spoke about a possible "revenge" against Real Madrid, against whom he was taken off in the 2018 Champions League final after suffering a shoulder injury.
Some fans said such comments were distracting to him and his teammates, but what made the rounds was a stunning video that showed a group of Madrid-supporting Egyptian fans insulting Salah as he appeared on a giant screen collecting the runners-up silver medal.
Many then leapt to his support, saying Salah did not deserve such a treatment, given what he had done for his country. Among those was the EFA chief, Gamal Allam.
"Mohamed Salah is an icon of Egyptian football and a role model to Egyptian youths after he raised the bar of ambitions and dreams so high," Allam said in a statement.
"Hats off to Salah for being the best ambassador for Egyptian and African football, as well as an inspiration to millions of young people in Egypt and the Arab world.
"It's necessary to support to support and stand by Salah at this time to continue his journey and lead his club and Egypt to more achievements."
Salah looked disheartened as he walked by the coveted trophy following the loss against Real Madrid, but he beamed to Liverpool's passionate supporters on Sunday as the team took part in an open-top bus parade around the city after winning two domestic cups.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) | <urn:uuid:df318c7e-a36f-48c5-accc-a58482fbe264> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/6/53/467063/Sports/Talents-Abroad/Egyptian-FA-chief-voices-support-to-;icon;-Salah-a.aspx | 2024-04-14T23:13:43Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.976693 | 563 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Powerful and challenging new teaching for Christians on the greatest movement of God in the church since the coming of the Holy Spirit.
This thrilling volume will help readers prepare their hearts in expectation, be watchful for the approaching work of God, and build a deeper relationship with Him.
Through Spirit-inspired teaching, respected scholar and theologian R. T. Kendall uses Jesus’s parable of the ten virgins to describe the condition of the church in the last days.
Many Charismatics and Pentecostals assume that what we have seen in the one hundred years since Azusa Street is the final movement of God before the Second Coming. Kendall explains that this is not so and reveals that a movement of the Holy Spirit, which is one hundred times greater than anything yet experienced – indeed the greatest since Pentecost – is about to unfold.
It’s time to wake up! | <urn:uuid:080e7166-290f-4e96-941e-889be7200550> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://eshop.torchtrust.org.uk/product/prepare-your-heart-for-the-midnight-cry/ | 2024-04-14T23:03:16Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.929204 | 186 | 1.757813 | 2 |
Large Pottery Still Penny Bank Two tone Pig or Piggy Marked 120
Description: This is a vintage large glazed pottery penny bank in the form of a pig standing on all four legs. This bank is colored in a brown and yellow with green highlights on the top half of the animal and just in yellow on the bottom half. The pig has four short legs that are not glazed. The piggy bank shows the pig's ears, the eyes as holes and snout. The eyes are round holes that are open to the inside cavity. The bank has the coin slot on the pig's back on top. This bank is a vintage reproduction of the original bank which was made in 1880s. See Page 92, bank number 633 in Andy and Susan Moore's book "The Penny Bank Book, Collecting Still Banks" published Schiffer Publishing Ltd. of Exton, PA in 1984 for a similar example. The bank is marked under the glaze on its underside with what looks like the number 120 or 170 and the number 3 or letter E incised under the glaze (see the last photo for details). Please carefully review the photos presented as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: Early to mid-20th century.
Origin: Purchased at an estate auction in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Size: The bank is ~6 5/8" long, ~3 3/4" wide and is ~4 1/8" at its highest. The piece weighs ~13.5 ounces.
Marks: Marked 120 or 170 and has the hand written 3 or E under glaze on the pig's underside.
Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: This is a very nice vintage pottery bank that is in very good condition despite the fact that it has been around for almost 100 years. Definitely would make a great addition to any collection of still penny banks.
Condition: The bank is in good condition with no cracks, no repairs, or hairlines. The bank has general crazing to the glaze. The piece has a small firing crack in the front left leg (see 2nd photo) and a glaze defect spot (a slub), which can be seen in the third photo near the pig's back. Both are original to the making and do not distract from the pig's quality or look. It also has a few of the defects you would expect in an old piece of pottery such as pops, areas where the glaze did not fully flow (see on the side of one of the legs as shown in the next to last photo), slubs, and uneven areas. This piece has very few of those but they are there. Be that as it may, the piece is still in good condition and looks great. Please see photos for additional condition information.
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By Mariana Arce Mercado, Libre de Ser Me Communication Advisor
Hivos’ Libre de Ser (Free to Be Me) project first saw the light in September 2019. Conceived as a way to improve conditions that safeguard the life, integrity and rights of LGBTIQ+ people in Central America, it focused particularly on trans people.
Libre de Ser ran for three years, fatefully also in the middle of a pandemic. But despite the Covid-19 crisis, Libre de Ser became a refuge, a safe space to meet, and a source of hope and inspiration for LGBTIQ+ activists in Central America. For example, there was the “Creation Room.” This was a virtual communication laboratory that helped journalists and activists to create new, more accurate LGBTIQ+ narratives. They produced 16 multi-format communication products and the LGBTIQ+ community journalism manual, Free to Communicate.
“The Creation Room was an oasis of creation and community in the midst of the pandemic. It showed us that we were not alone. That throughout the region there are community journalists documenting and telling the truth. Activists who, despite their totalitarian governments, are still on the streets, mobilizing for more and better rights. And when journalists and activists collaborate following the principals of popular education, their work embodies the true voices and feelings of the people. It becomes a totally new way of communicating whose essence comes from people, lived experiences, and collective reflections.”
The Creation Room editorial team, 2021.
Data and alliances to transform realities
The other pillar of Libre de Ser was generating data to develop more comprehensive and effective security measures for LGBTIQ+ people. Some of the project’s important data-related achievements are:
- A mapping to improve data on violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity
- The CUCR open data portal on LGBTIQ+ violence in Honduras
- The Open Data and Advocacy School and the LGBTIQ+ Open Data Center of the Visibles organization
- Workshops on open justice, jurisprudence and open LGBTIQ+ data
All of these efforts represent significant advances in access to justice for LGBTIQ+ people. The data generated provides hard evidence of rights violations against diverse populations and puts long-excluded populations at the center of their legal needs. The data also makes official records available to people and organizations engaged in activism and defending the rights of LGBTIQ+ populations.
These activities also prove that civil society organizations and state entities can work together to achieve significant improvements in the living conditions of LGBTIQ+ people in Central America.
“Throughout the project, we explored the best ways to combat disinformation and insert ‘new narratives’, data and ideas into the hearts and minds of citizens and administrators of justice. We talked about quality, open data, open justice, data art, journalism, pop culture, digital and street art. We made a sustained effort to build bridges and establish the allies with whom we’ve worked for the last three years. Now we can say metaphorically that we were like farmers: we prepared the soil, sowed the seed, and let the germination process start. We laid the foundations for the growth and harvest that will follow. That’s why we feel satisfied and know we’ll continue the fight from other trenches, but with the same goal.”
Saira Ortega, Libre de Ser Project Manager
Art as a transformative tool
Libre de Ser always opted to use art as a tool for social transformation. The various artistic activities it sponsored invited people to reflect on the struggles of diverse populations for their rights. Like the performances by Regina José Galindo, Emma Segura’s art exhibit, the street happenings by Transvida and Retumba on International Women’s Day in Costa Rica, and the documentaries “Common Reflexes” and “Water for my Memory” on LGBTIQ+ populations.
“For me, Libre de Ser has been a transformative experience in many ways. As a diverse person, it has allowed me to empower myself, to know our rights and the debts that are still owed us. I was very fortunate to meet such wonderful people, admire their work and life stories, question my privileges, and reflect on how to contribute to our struggle.”
Mariana Arce, Libre de Ser Communication Advisor
The contributions and willingness of partner organizations, public institutions, activists, the media, universities, and civil society organizations was key for Libre de Ser. They all helped it become a vibrant meeting place for emotions and experiences. We especially thank the Dutch Embassy in Central America for all the follow-up and support they provided.
The road ahead remains wide and complex. The fight must continue, even more so in a turbulent region where fundamentalist positions are advancing and regressive bills are the order of the day. We must continue to support the admirable work of LGBTIQ+ activists, both financially and with technical advice. Only together will we be FREE TO BE!
“Maybe we won’t see the outcome of these struggles, but we hope that new generations will and that they’ll say there was a group of girls who fought and who shouted out their rights in the streets.”
Stacy Aragón, trans woman and activist from El Salvador
The Dutch Embassy in Central America provided Libre de Ser with financial and strategic support. Hivos Latin America implemented it together with these partner organizations: Visibles of Guatemala, ASPIDH Arcoiris Trans of El Salvador, Colectivo Unidad Color Rosa (CUCR) of Honduras, and the Sustainable Development Network (RDS) and the National LGBTIQ+ Table of Nicaragua.
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Hurawatch is a website where you can watch all your favorite TV Shows and Movies for free in HD.
Alex and Elliot argue over missing medication, and J.D. needs to choose sides. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelso gives Carla a ride to work and she sees a totally different side of him. Turk develops a conflict with Dr. Cox after he finds out that Dr. Cox has secret feelings for Carla. | <urn:uuid:91aa600e-86bc-4c8f-bba5-ad6063d06513> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://hurawatch.live/episodes/scrubs-1x14/ | 2024-04-14T23:03:53Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.94299 | 87 | 1.765625 | 2 |
Iran, Hizbullah, Hamas and the Global Jihad:
A New Conflict Paradigm for the West
The Middle East has undergone revolutionary changes in the last few years that require a serious reassessment of how the region’s myriad problems should be addressed. For most of the 1990s it was the conventional wisdom that the key to regional stability was to be found in the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict and, as a result, Western diplomatic energies were primarily focused on that area. Moreover, according to this traditional paradigm for viewing the Middle East, the Arab-Israeli conflict was also easily resolvable in a relatively short time-frame; with a diplomatic investment of a few years, it was hoped, it would be possible to conclude a region-wide peace agreement that included Israel, the Palestinians, and the Arab states.
However, in the aftermath of the War on Terrorism that began in late 2001, new factors were becoming more prominent in the politics of the Middle East. For example, it has become clear that radical Islamic militancy, which had been organizationally led by al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, transferred many of its main centers of operation to the Middle East after the fall of the Taliban regime. This was especially noticeable in the area of western Iraq and in several neighboring countries. Thus, it was becoming increasingly difficult to argue that the Arab-Israeli conflict was the root cause of regional instability. Indeed, the immediate historical roots of radical Islam could be traced to two events that had nothing to do with the Arab-Israeli conflict: the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran and the 1989 defeat of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan that spawned al-Qaeda.
Now radical Islam is gaining strength among the Palestinians with the victory of Hamas in the 2006 parliamentary elections of the Palestinian Authority. This was the first time an affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood has seized power in the core of the Middle East. The hostility of Hamas toward Israel cannot be ameliorated through diplomacy or by means of a fair territorial compromise. Hamas and its allies completely reject a negotiated solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and align themselves with jihadi organizations across the region. As a result, the Arab-Israeli conflict has become increasingly a part of the much larger struggle between radical Islam and the West.
With the emergence for the first time of a Shiite-dominated Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran sensed that it now has an historic opportunity to emerge as the dominant power in the entire Middle East, projecting its influence to neighboring Shiite communities and reaching out to the Sunni Arab street over the heads of current governments. To neutralize any Western efforts to block its quest for regional hegemony, Iran has been prepared to take all the risks entailed in order to develop an independent nuclear weapons capability, along with an assortment of long-range missile delivery systems, that could shortly pose a threat to Western Europe and eventually to the U.S., as well. The steady increase in its naval power has been intended to provide Iran with the ability to dominate the Persian Gulf and the energy sources of both the West and the rising Asian economies.
Iran’s determination to acquire these strategic capabilities has been facilitated by the steady increases in its annual revenues from oil sales since 2003, as well as the prioritization it has given to these projects. While investing in its missile and naval forces, Iran has spent relatively less on airpower and its land forces, which it could afford to do after the decline of the primary ground threat it had traditionally faced from Iraq along its western border and to a lesser extent from the radical Sunni Taliban regime in Afghanistan to its east.
The Iranian drive for new great power status has been driven by the ideological orientation of its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has rejuvenated the energy behind the original 1979 Islamic Revolution. He has underscored that he firmly believes in an impending Shiite apocalyptic scenario and, as a result, he does not seem to be influenced by the same considerations of deterrence that affected the calculations of the superpowers during the Cold War. He has put in place an Iranian government manned by fellow former Revolutionary Guards, many of whom share his ideological outlook. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps – and its Quds Force in particular – has been a critical instrument for spreading Iranian political-military influence across the Middle East, from Lebanon to Sudan, and most recently in Iraq.
It would be a cardinal error to see the rise of Sunni and Shiite militancy as completely separate developments that cannot influence one another and do not cooperate. Iran sought to make inroads with the Islamist regime in Sudan in the 1990s. It has backed Sunni organizations like Palestinian Islamic Jihad for years and is now emerging as the most significant source of support for Hamas. The 9/11 Commission details Iranian cooperation with al-Qaeda. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the butcher of Iraqi Shiites during the insurgency, was provided refuge and support by the Iranian regime when he evacuated Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. In order for Iran to assume a leadership role in the Islamic world, it must reach out beyond the Shiite communities of the world, which account for only 15 percent of all Muslims, and ally itself with Sunni movements, as well.
Yet while Iran seeks greater influence in the Sunni-dominated states, the Iraq War has exacerbated Sunni-Shiite tensions across the Middle East, leading Sunni leaders like Jordan’s King Abdullah to openly talk about the dangers of a Shiite crescent encircling the core of the Middle East. And in anticipation of a U.S. pullback from Iraq, the Saudi Arabian leadership has voiced its concern regarding the prospect that Iraqi Shiites intend to ethnically cleanse Iraq of its Sunni minority population with Iranian backing.
As a result, the Sunni-Shiite rivalry is likely to emerge as the central axis of conflict in the Middle East in the years to come. Given this new strategic context, the U.S. and its Western allies have enormous leverage with the threatened Sunni Arab states. As a consequence, the West does not have to pay for their cooperation in Israeli coin. Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s continuing support for radical jihadi movements among Sunnis needs to be carefully monitored and addressed.
It is striking that while these revolutionary changes are transpiring, many Western policy-makers seem to be locked into ideas for stabilizing the Middle East that were conceived more than a decade ago under completely different regional circumstances. This problem was particularly glaring in the report of the Iraq Study Group Commission, chaired by James Baker and Lee Hamilton, that sought to accommodate Iran (as well as its Syrian ally) and increase pressure on Israel to reach a settlement with its most radicalized neighbors.
From the analysis that follows, new principles of Western policy become necessary that reflect the new realities of the Middle East:
- Iran is more determined than ever to achieve regional hegemony in the Middle East and is fueling regional instability across the entire area. It is a cardinal error for the West to believe that Iran can be turned into a status-quo power by addressing a series of political grievances that its leadership may voice (or by apologizing for Western colonial policies toward Iran in the past). Iran’s role in the UN-sponsored “Six-Plus-Two” talks over Afghanistan in the late 1990s (with the U.S., Russia, and Afghanistan’s neighbors) cannot be compared to its intended role in Iraq. In the Afghan case, Iran had an interest in the containment of a radical Sunni state under the Taliban, where Shiites were only a minority. In the Iraqi, case in contrast, Iran is threatening to dominate a Shiite-majority country. In any case, after 2001, Iran’s limited contacts with the West did not prevent its leadership from sheltering elements of al-Qaeda.
- The primary threat to the Sunni Arab states now clearly comes from Iran. The residual Arab-Israeli conflict is not their utmost concern. Indeed, Israel and the Sunni Arabs may have many common threat perceptions. The resulting coincidence of their security interests may not be sufficient to produce any diplomatic breakthroughs in the peace process, where wide gaps remain between Israel and the Palestinians on all the core issues, but it might warrant low level discussions between Israel and its neighbors about how to address the threats that they face.
- There is no short-term diplomatic option for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As long as the present wave of radical Islam continues and successfully dominates Palestinian politics, it is extremely unlikely that Israeli-Palestinian negotiations will produce any long-lasting agreements. Further Israeli unilateral pullbacks, in the absence of a Palestinian negotiating partner, are likely to strengthen the grip of radical Islam on Palestinian society and vindicate the success of radical Islam across the region as well. This is precisely what happened with the Gaza Disengagement in August 2005.
- The stabilization of the Middle East requires the neutralization of any of the components of the current radical Islamic wave. In this sense, it doesn’t matter if Sunni or Shiite organizations are defeated, for the failure of any one of the elements in the present wave will weaken the other elements as well. The defeat of Hamas among the Palestinians or Hizballah in Lebanon would constitute an enormous setback for Iran. Today, Ahmadinejad’s Iran is the main source of regional instability across the Middle East, both directly and indirectly, through proxy organizations that it supports.
- Israel has a continuing need for defensible borders. With the rise of both Sunni and Shiite terrorist capabilities around Israel, the Middle East has become a more dangerous region. Deterrence of these organizations may be very difficult to achieve. Under such conditions, were Israel pressured to concede the Jordan Valley, for example, it would likely expose itself to a steep increase in infiltration to the strategic West Bank, including weapons and volunteers, and thus face the same experience it had with the Philadelphi corridor after the Gaza pullout. At the same time, the vacuum such a move created would increasingly attract global jihadi groups to Jordan, thereby undermining the stability of the Hashemite kingdom, and ultimately the region as a whole. | <urn:uuid:9f62a874-c46c-4c77-9db7-0ae529f376de> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://jcpa.org/article/iran-hizbullah-hamas-and-the-global-jihad-a-new-conflict-paradigm-for-the-west-executive-summary/ | 2024-04-14T22:41:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.963034 | 2,050 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Up-Date on our fuel issues.
As you read this it may be a bit of a shock that we were stranded 390 miles deep in the jungle with no fuel and needing 190 gallons to get back to the beginning of the only road that leads to an airport and our ticket home…..
We had planned on having a canoe with a peci-peci bring fuel to withing 40 miles of our destination, but once we discovered that we were in trouble we had to get a hold of the crew in that boat and have them bring the fuel all the way to our location. If not for the fact that the shortwave radio was working in Dos de May we wouldn’t have been able to do so… With the Sat-phone we may have called out for help but it would have been 3 days before anyone could come…We wouldn’t have starved but we would have missed our flight possibly.
The whole issue was caused by the boat owner who had never been to Dos de Mayo, even though this guy is the director of tourism in the area and has many boats taking people all over the river. Needless to say when I went into rescue mode I was up-set. Using my best Spanish, I let those guys know what huge idiots they were and they only had to tell me the truth about how much fuel they had and let me give my input. Never again will I hire a boat and let the control of our logistic get out of my hands.
Our ability to mobilize our team in Santa Rita to transport fuel is what ended up saving our butts. When we radioed Santa Rita they purchased every gallon of fuel in town and loaded up a borrowed canoe and peci-peci and headed off for a difficult journey. They ran the fuel up river for two days to meet the fuel boat that we turned around from Dos de Mayo to intercept them and then turn around to meet us at check point 4, about 100 miles round trip. These guys busted their humps to get us fuel to get out of the jungle.
So we loaded fuel in Dos de Mayo, intercepted the second canoe 150 miles down river with the first canoe, had it turn back around to meet us at the 100 mile point. We then transferred that fuel on the river, ran down to San Jose to pick another 80 gallons that we had arranged to have dropped off by the ferry,. | <urn:uuid:f4bd3a78-e36a-42e8-8247-72837632ecc9> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://junglemaster.org/423-2/ | 2024-04-14T23:41:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.986236 | 485 | 2.5 | 2 |
For several years, the hunting dog has gained popularity with the general public. His endurance and exceptional physical qualities have allowed him to find a place among very active people. There are many breeds of hunting dogs, classified into several categories such as pointers, terrier dogs, and blood test dogs; some are more or less suitable depending on the practice. Discover below a list of the best-hunting dogs' breeds.
Before we begin, it's good to point out that not all hunting dogs are created equal. Each breed has its own specific facilities and attributes. In fact, hunting dogs are classified into three groups according to their role during a hunting action.
First of all, we have the scent hounds and the blood test dogs. These canines have an excellent sense of smell. They use it to flush out prey for several miles. They then follow the trail and scare away their prey until it crosses the hunter's path; they are particularly effective for furry games. They are very tough and able to run long distances. For these reasons, they need to spend a lot. They also tend to run away if they are not well trained in a recall.
Then there are the pointers; they are good at spotting game birds. However, when they have flushed it out, they stop moving and thus encourage the poultry to do the same. This is the time the hunter needs to intervene.
Finally, the third group brings together the lifting and retrieval dogs. They are the animals that will find and bring back the prey, both on land and in the water. Generally, the mammals of this group are docile and very attached to their owner.
1. The Beagle
An emblem of hunting, the Beagle, is a small, alert and enduring dog. He is part of the first group. As such, he often participates in hunting activities. Rather short on legs, he tends to be left behind by big game. But, on the other hand, he stands out on small prey such as rabbits.
They are easy to train pets. He is intelligent and gentle, although very lively. He likes to be around other animals or children. Highly energetic, he needs space and a lot of exercises.
2. The Basset Hound
With his long floppy ears, the Basset Hound looks like a quiet, home-like dog. However, his powerful legs allow him to track his prey over long distances. Classified in the hounds' category, the Basset is known for his tenacity.
In the family, he is calm, although stubborn. They are also playful and enthusiastic animals who will get along very well with children.
3. The English Cocker Spaniel
The Cocker Spaniel is both a reporter dog and a game-lifting dog. Like the Beagle, the Cocker Spaniel is a dog of English origin. This is one of the oldest breeds of British Spaniels.
The Cocker Spaniel is a hunting dog by nature; it is naturally very athletic. So be ready to take long walks with him, and why not practice canicross.
Extremely loyal, he can sometimes seem like glue as he follows his master.
A medium-sized dog, he is a doggie with long hair and a silky coat of solid color (black, red, fawn, chocolate ...), two-tone (white and black, orange and brown), or tricolor (black - white - tan, orange - lemon - brown…).
With a life expectancy of 15 years, the English Cocker Spaniel is a robust hunting dog with excellent health. However, pay attention to his diet; the Cocker Spaniel is prone to obesity.
4. The Dachshund
The Dachshund, or literally, "badger dog," is par excellence a hunting dog specializing in digging up, especially for game or rabbit. Gradually, this dog was recognized as a versatile dog, also gifted for blood tests or fishing. Although he has a strong hunting instinct, he is a very amiable and playful dog with his guardians, thus becoming a very popular dog as a pet. The life expectancy of this small hunting dog is between 12 and 16 years. Its size depends on the type of Dachshund (miniature, large, medium), but this hunting dog is usually only between 25 and 30 centimeters.
5. English pointer
The English Pointer is a great pointer and ideal for hunting enthusiasts. With his athletic physique, he shows incredible endurance and unparalleled speed; he is able to sniff out and hunt down even the most distant game. In addition, he is easy to train and will quickly become the ideal companion. At the same time, he is proving to be a perfect companion and will enjoy leading the life of a companion dog as long as he is given enough exercise.
Native to Germany, the Weimaraner is used in hunting as a point dog. He is a medium-sized dog with a gray coat. It measures 62 to 67cm at the withers for males, and 59 to 63cm for females, weighs on average 30 to 40kg and generally lives 10 to 12 years.
The Weimaraner was already used as a hunting dog by Louis IX. Nowadays, the shorthaired pointer is a sociable dog that needs a lot of exercises. The teacher will also have to be firm enough to educate him. He is a dog who adores children and who is quite protective, without being aggressive.
7. Fox terrier
Of English origin, there are two varieties of fox terrier: the curly-haired, which is the most common, and the smooth-haired, which is somewhat rarer. They have a white coat, speckled with brown or black. These medium-sized dogs measure 35 to 40cm at the withers, weigh 7-9.5kg, and typically live for about 15 years.
Fox terrier dogs are excellent fox hunters. This breed is very intelligent, playful, and protective of children; he is also a good watchdog.
8. Grand Bleu de Gascogne
This dog, originally from Gascony, France, is part of the Blues de Gascogne family which has four breeds: the Petit Bleu de Gascogne, the Basset Bleu de Gascogne, the Griffon Bleu de Gascogne, and the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, which is the one of the most widespread. He is of medium height and has a speckled white robe with black speckles. This dog measures 62 to 72cm at the withers, weighs 35 to 39kg on average, and generally lives 12 years.
This is a very good blood test dog and is also used for court hunting.
The great blue of Gascony is an intelligent dog and very attached to his master. He is also gentle with children, quite protective, and friendly with other dogs.
9. The Golden Retriever
One of the most popular dogs, along with the German Shepherd. The origin of this four-legged companion is controversial. But, most importantly, he first appeared in 1909 at a dog show. Sociable, affectionate, and particularly gentle, the Golden Retriever owes his notoriety to his beauty but also to his character, which makes him an ideal pet (in addition to an excellent hunting dog).
The Golden Retriever is a long-haired dog and creamy beige or even white.
His mouth makes him look like a thoughtful and kind dog. The male is 55 to 60 cm; the female is 50 to 55. These animals are large dogs that can weigh up to 30 kg.
This dog breed loves water. As a result, you owe a little more to his health than with the best hunting dogs presented above. Although it is sturdy, be sure to dry him well when he comes out of the water.
10. The English Setter
Often cited as the prettiest of pointers, the English Setter is a versatile hunter. He adapts to all environments: marshes, woods, plains ... his rather long hairs protect him from brambles and allow him to venture out everywhere.
He is a cuddly canine with a good character. However, he needs a lot of attention to be happy. | <urn:uuid:21f16083-4ad8-4658-853d-238bc27e2b54> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://livepositively.com/hunting-dogs-top-10-of-the-best-breeds-suitable-for-hunting/ | 2024-04-14T23:38:13Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.97203 | 1,720 | 1.710938 | 2 |
While Love & Co have created a legacy of transforming many Auckland office buildings into sophisticated apartments, their most iconic to date has been their revitalising of the old Auckland council building into CAB – a centre point of upmarket living and entertainment. And while the incredible transformation of the entire building has created an iconic landmark in its own right, the jewel on the crown of this achievement is the CAB Sky Garden Penthouse. Taking up all 622 square metres of the 20th floor, this is a world-class oasis in the heart of Auckland city.
Not only does floor-to-ceiling glass provide stunning 360-degree views of the city but a vast 95 square metre open-air courtyard provides private outdoor living and entertaining while being sheltered from the wind. A stunning natural stone fireplace provides ambiance while enjoying an open view of the stars. Luxurious natural stone is also used throughout the penthouse in the dining, kitchen and bathroom areas and provides contrast to a mix of lush woodgrains, warm detail lighting and interior design features throughout.
Large open-plan living considerations provide a clever integration with the sky garden into the indoor dining and entertaining spaces but there are also plenty of spaces to hide away and work, rest or even watch a movie in a dedicated media room. The penthouse features an entry foyer, gallery, family room, home office, library, coat/powder room and a large master suite with its own dressing room. There a 3 bedrooms in total or 4 if you convert the media room.
The CAB Sky Garden Penthouse is really a masterclass in architectural and interior design with an incredible use of space, textures, materials, fittings and details combined to create one of the world’s most exclusive residences. But in this case the final experience is more than the sum of its parts and the details there is an ethereal vision behind this penthouse and the final execution is certainly a work of art taking its rightful place at the top of the heart of Auckland.
Contact the developer, John Love, directly for more information: [email protected] | <urn:uuid:c84e1327-2a4b-4a0b-9976-6d65c00335bd> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://m2now.com/an-oasis-in-the-sky/ | 2024-04-14T23:12:51Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.927967 | 423 | 1.585938 | 2 |
by Sandy Foster
A government meeting in Alaska opened with a prayer to Satan after a Satanic Temple member won the right to deliver the invocation, prompting about a dozen officials and attendees to walk out.
The invocation was the first given by the Satanic Temple since the Kenai Peninsula Borough — 75 miles south of Anchorage — changed a policy in November after the Alaska Superior Court said that policy violated the state’s constitution’s establishment clause. The new policy allows for anyone in the borough to offer an invocation, no matter their religion.
In her invocation, Iris Fontana, who is a member of the Satanic Temple and brought a lawsuit against the borough to change the policy, called the room to be present, “and for attendees to clear their minds,” the Peninsula Clarion newspaper reported.
“She asked listeners to embrace the impulse to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. ‘Let us demand that humans be judged for their actions,’ she said,” the Clarion reported.
“That which will not bend, must break, and that which can be destroyed by truth should never be spared as demise.
It is done, hail Satan,” Fontana said, Kenai radio station KSRM reported.
Some 40 people protested the inclusion of a Satanic Temple invocation. Some held signs reading “reject Satan and his works” and “know Jesus and his love,” as they demonstrated outside the government building, the Clarion reported.
“Assembly members Norm Blakeley and Paul Fischer and borough Mayor Charlie Pierce were among those who left the assembly chambers along with some audience members,” the Associated Press reported.
The protesters included William Siebenmorgen, who flew to Alaska from Pennsylvania for the event.
“God will be pleased with our public prayers of reparation. We want God’s blessings on America, not Satan’s curses. Lucifer is the eternal loser. Let’s keep him out,” he told KSRM.
But Kenai resident Greg Andersen warned that he’ll be giving the next invocation.
“This is just some advanced notice for those of you who have a hard time accepting that some people have beliefs that are different than your own,” Andersen said. “You can turn your back and walk out like I witnessed this evening.”
It isn’t the first time a Satanic Temple member has forced the government to include them. In 2018, the Chicago chapter of the Satanic Temple forced officials to display its “Snaketivity” statue next to a huge Christmas tree in the Illinois Statehouse rotunda, the The Daily Wire reported.
The statue, which featured a hand holding up an apple with a serpent wrapped around it, was included alongside a Nativity scene and a Hanukkah menorah. It’s title, “Knowledge Is The Greatest Gift,” overtly mocks the idea of Christ as God’s great gift to the world.
NPR reported that a note nearby sought to explain that the inclusion of sacrelegious statues like the “Snaketivity” wasn’t officials’ fault:
The State of Illinois is required by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution to allow temporary, public displays in the state capitol so long as these displays are not paid for by taxpayer dollars. Because the first floor of the Capitol Rotunda is a public place, state officials cannot legally censor the content of speech or displays. The United States Supreme Court has held that public officials may legally impose reasonable time, place and manner restrictions regarding displays and speeches, but no regulation can be based on the content of the speech.
The statue was included because while the Satanic Temple says it is a “non-theistic organization,” the group is still considered by the state to be a religious organization and thus is given the same rights as others. | <urn:uuid:0b8c923b-ac03-4747-90d8-a34602e28a50> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://news24.wordifysites.com/2019/06/23/state-government-meeting-opens-with-hail-satan-prayer-officials-storm-out/ | 2024-04-14T22:57:40Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.958562 | 820 | 1.75 | 2 |
Graphic Design Journal
Graphic Design Interview by Courtny Cotten
I love to share stories about design with fellow creatives, so naturally when my buddy Courtny Cotten asked to interview with him on his blog, I was excited and glad to participate.
Courtny is an incredible designer from Indianapolis, Indiana, and is a proud member of the Indy chapter of AIGA | the professional organization for design. He has a fine portfolio of identities and interfaces even though he is at the beginning of what is sure to be a long career.
Here’s a bit about Courtny from his site: I am a graphic designer focused on delivering beautiful and practical solutions. I have experience in a broad range of design disciplines: print, 3D, video, as well as web. My current passion is emerging information technologies, user interface design, as well as communication architecture. I work and play in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The interview is no longer published, but you can read it here:
What spurred you to begin your career in design? Friends, family, or an undying childhood passion?
Honestly, I am very fortunate by means of how certain I have always been in what I want to do with my career. Early on, I knew I wanted to be a graphic designer even though essentially I really didn’t even know what that meant. I knew I wanted to create. Armed with the advantage of a tangible goal, I have always emphasized nearly all of my working efforts toward that general goal.
The passion and desire to be a successful designer needs to be undying, because without the ambition to move forward a designer can quickly find their career or creative fervor to be stagnant.
That being said, my current goal of being a “Design Thinker” are a far cry from my 4 year old aspirations to be simply an artist. I found it difficult to find influence anywhere other than intrinsically early on. I didn’t know any designers growing up, so it really was an outbound effort to see what it meant to be a creative professional. I found less than motivational feedback when explaining to my teachers my dreams and ambitions. All too often it was followed up by “You know that is a really competitive industry” or something like, “So you’re saying you want to just draw pictures?” which I tried not to find too discouraging. Without the internet at the time it was much more difficult to get abstract info about any given field. Luckily family was always supportive and an honest voice in motivating me to pursue the long seeded goal.
Looking at your portfolio, one cannot help but notice your affinity towards vibrant color and the usage of collage. Do you find that your design prowess is leaning towards a particular style?
Anyone really will adhere to a certain style when they enter the field. My first exposure to design in the sense that I regard it, was Surfing Magazine publication layout and advertisements, surfing/skating videos and tattoo art from Jason Harms at http://livewiretattoo.com. Naturally, in executing initial designs and layouts I would tend to lean toward techniques and style I had seen and become enamored with before. In trying to emulate these style I had seen before and knew well, I was able to perfect my technical capabilities. Having these styles and inspirations to adhere to gave me a way to practice using software and become familiar with what compositions worked and did not. I really emphasize trying to have a diversified skill set. I think in many ways this can be noted as a disadvantage (Lack of focus on a particular strength) but I have so much love for the whole design process including photography, web development, copywriting, and any production type scenarios otherwise.
Out of a desire to learn something new, I really try and change the work on my desktop up pretty often.
I do love a bright colored, tastefully designed look with an emphasis on illustration and typography. That would be my ideal “Design on Steroids” look so to speak. With consideration to all of those elements: color, composition, type and image, you’re bound to get a great result.
What is your workspace like (environment, inspirational decor, etc.)?
I really love to have inspirational surroundings. I like hanging pictures and prints, displaying art toys, skatedecks, books and and other 3D items of interest. Some of my best influential surrounding are local poster illustrators Halftone Def Studios (http://halftonedef.com), Dog and Pony Showprints (http://dogandponyshowprints.com), and legendary fine artist Dave Kinsey (http://kinseyvisual.com). Having plenty of books around for reference is great too. To see some great bookshelves check out Emprnt (http://emprnt.com). Here is an image of my home office: http://tinyurl.com/pcarteroffice
What are some of your research resources?
Inspiration comes from all over. One really good site for web design is called designmeltdown.com. I have subscriptions to several stock photography sites, and this can be used for reference if I am going to illustrate a project. Stock photography also helps at times to develop concepts if I am in a crunch. Recently, I have been into collecting vinyl design toys, but I’m not sure how much that is beneficial to my design. Other than that, design books, poster books, random Google searches, etc. Anywhere which the designer is successful in inspiring themselves is truly the best for them.
How do you (generally) approach a project? For some it is difficult to begin, and other’s creativity flows easily. How do you cope with the need for on–demand creativity in such a fast paced career?
It tends to vary from project to project, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. It usually begins with a creating a creative brief in conjunction with meeting with the client. It’s essential to get all of the information needed, because there are so many variations of opinion, and it’s really hard to nail someone down on what they want as a look or a feel. Usually it helps to get keywords from your client so you can refer back to them throughout the process and make sure you remain on point. After you have gathered the info, thumbnails are a great way to organize your thoughts. This is a time when any idea is truly a good idea. Just throw it all out on the table and see what makes sense. 10 – 15 thumbnails will usually get you to a good concept. A good concept is essential to any successful project, because without it you may just be making something look pretty without having a message, and that isn’t really doing the job to the best extent.
Once you have a solid concept and game plan, you can move about your computer pretty easily.
This also helps cut wasted time out of your process, because you are functioning with a true goal in mind. You are avidly involved with the Jacksonville AIGA. How has your involvement there provided connections, opportunities, and experiences that you could not have received otherwise? Personally, how has design shaped your life and what have been some of the defining moments in your young career? For fun, what do you enjoy doing when not getting a pixel sunburn? Life has many facets and surely design is a small fraction of yours.
Among our audience will surely be student designer’s. What is the single biggest piece of advice you can offer to those wishing to make a career and lifestyle around design and visual communication?
I would say always refer back to the basics. Things like good use of positive and negative space, always mind your margins, be conscious of good color choices, and typography (DON’T USE PAPYRUS!!!). Make sure your resolution is always crisp, and that you are proud of the product you are putting out. Sometimes I think of a designer that I admire and wonder what they would think about what I have done with the space on the page. It truly is a blank canvas, and the possibilities are endless. It just depend on how far you are willing to go with it. Never stop learning. Never stop pushing yourself to go further, and never be scared to experiment. So long as you experiment doesn’t turn into an eye sore because there wasn’t enough thought put into it. The best advice I can give, is never give up. Great designers didn’t become great by settling for mediocrity. | <urn:uuid:707e5e37-6d3b-4fa3-8e29-49991c3e556d> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://patrickcarterdesign.com/jacksonville-design-events-news/graphic-design-interview-by-courtny-cotten/ | 2024-04-14T22:54:17Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.967366 | 1,769 | 1.929688 | 2 |
What drives military expenditures? More generally, what determines defence policy? Beyond the perceived need for national security through well equipped and trained armed forces, there are numerous reasons for governments to spend what they do on armaments and to subsidize defence production at considerable expense to the tax payer.
One theory of the military industrial complex (MIC) argues that a triad of interests-government, industry and the military-collude to keep military expenditures high. Generous military expenditures suit bureaucratic empire builders and garner corporate profits, while ensuring the dominance of the state. Defence economist J.M. Treddenick suggests that defence policy is sufficiently complicated and costly to allow government a relatively free reign in using military expenditures to target regions, industries or companies deemed to warrant economic support.
These and other explanations all have some element of truth to them. In Canada, it appears that so-called economic arguments play a very important role. Defence expenditures are a tool often used by our social welfare state. While the objective may be industrial and regional economic development and a more equitable redistribution of wealth, the end result is often wasteful industrial patronage and regional vote-buying. Defence analysts such as Dan Middlemiss and the late Rod Byers, have argued that Canada spends more for less defence. And such programs constitute poor economic policy, since better tools exist both for redistributing and creating wealth.
The evidence of welfare defence spending is compelling. Studies by economists, using the interprovincial input-output model of Statistics Canada, show defence expenditures to be evenly spread across Canada with perhaps a slightly greater concentration in the maritime provinces. There exists no good military or economic reason why this should be the case. In fact, a purely rational defence policy would see a very uneven distribution of spending across Canada according to the needs of the Department of National Defence (DND) and the unique industrial strengths of the regions.
Defence Industry Productivity Program (DIPP) grants make up one of the most generous federal assistance programs to private companies. According to Ministry of Industry, Science and Technology statistics, in fiscal year 1988-89, $248.5 million in DIPP grants and loans were made to Canadian arms producers.
Cabinet often interferes directly in the procurement process. Thus Montréal based Canadair received the lucrative CF-18 maintenance contract in spite of a better bid from Bristol Aerospace in Winnipeg. This case is infamous for contributing to the western alienation that eventually helped defeat the Meech Lake accord.
The contract to construct 6 patrol frigates for the Canadian navy was split in two to save jobs at the MIL Davis shipyard, opposite Québec City. Splitting the contract meant a loss of $53 million to Canadian tax payers, according the Auditor General. Since 1987, the federal and provincial governments have combined to bail-out the MIL Group for $140 million. The construction is two years behind schedule and the prime contractors, St. John's Shipbuilding and MIL, are suing each other. The militant workers at MIL Davis know they have the federal government over a barrel and are vigorously campaigning for more government assistance.
A study of government subsidies to industries in Canada found the aerospace and shipbuilding industries, both important defence producers, to be among the six most subsidized industries in Canada. Without defence contracts, MIL Davis and other shipyards in Canada would have closed long ago. The industry remains plagued by excess capacity-far exceeding the demands of the domestic commercial market and far beyond the needs of the Canadian defence industrial base.
Other Canadian military firms have been bailed out by the government in the past: De Havilland in Toronto and Canadair in Montréal were both nationalized, operated at tremendous loss, and then sold back to private firms. Québec-based Bombardier bought the money-losing Canadair from U.S. defence giant General Dynamics in the early 1980s after the federal government promised the DND would buy several Challenger jets from the company that it did not need.
Another costly aspect of government procurement practices is that of demanding "offsets" with major foreign companies. Instead of looking for the best value at the lowest price, the federal government looks for companies that use and promise to buy a predetermined percentage of Canadian goods. The aim is to promote high technology industry at home and encourage access to high technology abroad. The end result is a procurement process that is longer and much more costly to the Canadian taxpayer. Numerous analyses have shown that benefits to the Canadian economy are minimal.
How have defence expenditures and subsidies to arms producers come to be used as a tool of the welfare state? Security is the exclusive prerogative of the nation state. Governments can spend defence dollars as they wish without fear of countervailing duties or reprisals through the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT). In this era of increasing liberalized trade, there exists a real danger that politicians will turn more and more to defence to satisfy the needs of their electoral clients.
Defence expenditures also lack the stigma of big government or left-wing ideology attached to many government programs. Their justification can be cloaked in terms of "defending national sovereignty or the free world."
Military expenditures and production translate into big dollars spent in small communities or concentrated in often large procurement projects with a disproportionate importance for the aerospace, electronics and shipbuilding industries. Defence production often involves hi-tech state of the art products to which Canadians attach much prestige value (although the economic rationale is often hard to pin-point). Simply put, the temptation for political leaders is too great.
Unfortunately, the negative effects do not stop at wasted tax payers' dollars. It would appear that the capacity of our manufacturing industries to compete internationally is affected. Overly generous hand-outs promote inefficiency. Maintaining excess capacity in tight markets ensures that cost structures stay too high.
If the political will existed, defence spending and production could be disentangled from these so-called socio-economic objectives and political interference. However, the future does not look rosy. Defence policy-making could in effect become much more clouded than it already is.
The provinces are slowly but surely getting into the business of industrial policy. Through various grants and subsidies, they are seeking to attract manufacturing companies, including weapons manufacturers. Québec has been particularly aggressive in this field, probably because it sees defence production as a good way of reinforcing its emerging aerospace industry (often at the expense of Ontario) and boosting a weak electronics industry. In addition to the problems mentioned above, there is a danger of further balkanization of the Canadian economy.
In 1988-89, 51% of DIPP grants and loans went to Québec, although some of these funds were spent in other provinces. It is one thing to recognize the legitimate rights of Québec to seek powers in the field of language and culture and to support constitutionally entrenched asymmetrical federalism. It is another thing altogether to try to buy Québec's support for confederation through industrial policy handouts and thinly disguised military welfare.
Creating an elected, equal and effective Senate, as proposed by many in Western Canada, would merely ensure a fairer distribution of the federal government procurement pie. It would probably mean that all major procurement projects would have to guarantee work in each region of the country. This makes no economic sense and would reduce Canadian national security policy to the spectacle of elected representatives snorting at the trough (as has often been the case in the US). An enlarged House of Commons, with a proportional voting system similar to the ones prevalent in northern Europe, would ensure us a more democratic system and better policy.
For most Canadians, the debate on defence spending is limited to how many dollars overall go to defence compared to other government programs. Debating the budget envelope is important, but not enough. How defence spending is conducted and how defence goods are procured can also impact on national security policy.
Canada can be proud of its generous social welfare state, in spite of any fine-tuning or improvements it might need. The creation and distribution of wealth is too important to be pursued by the wrong tools. Likewise Canada's national security policy, whether it be pursued by armed forces, free-trade with the South, foreign assistance, our role at the United Nations or a combination of all of these, is far too important to be encumbered by other domestic objectives whose rationale is often more political than not. | <urn:uuid:a543d510-4b65-42f2-aa1c-9601461c446e> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://peacemagazine.org/archive/v07n4p21.htm | 2024-04-15T00:38:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.958327 | 1,706 | 1.828125 | 2 |
Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing
The Name in Heatlhcare
A fighting edge, every day
From rehabilitation to convalescence, we give people their lives back, reminding them why it pays to fight.
Life’s best experiences
Our experienced team of therapists help patients regain optimal mobility, range of motion, functionality, and quality of life.
Living Luxuries as standard
We are committed to providing a warm, loving environment with a special emphasis on family caregiver involvement.
Private Homelike Setting
Our quaint 80 bed facility features 32 private rooms with picturesque views of the Albany Skyline or a retreat like glimpse of nature.
You advocate. We rehabilitate
At Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing, our commitment to excellence is epitomized by our expert and professional team of caregivers. With a wealth of experience and a passion for providing top-tier healthcare, our dedicated team stands at the forefront of ensuring the highest standards of quality care. Their expertise extends beyond medical proficiency; it encompasses genuine compassion and a deep understanding of the unique needs of each resident. Our caregivers are not merely healthcare providers; they are compassionate partners on your journey to well-being, ensuring that every aspect of your care reflects the excellence that defines Rosewood — The Name in Healthcare.
Nestled amid the tranquil landscapes of upstate New York, Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing offers a comforting retreat that goes beyond typical healthcare. Our facilities are designed to provide a sense of warmth and community, embracing a homely atmosphere that promotes healing and well-being. Our focus is on creating an inviting space where residents can find solace and a supportive environment.
Thoughtful living spaces and common areas are crafted to instill a genuine sense of belonging. Rosewood is more than just a healthcare facility; it’s a place where simplicity meets compassion, and our atmosphere reflects the commitment to providing quality care in a setting that feels like home. Welcome to Rosewood, where the environment and atmosphere contribute to a healthcare experience defined by ‘The Name in Healthcare.’
Embark on a journey of exceptional care with
Rosewood Rehabilitation and Nursing.
We recognize the challenges in choosing the right healthcare services for your loved ones, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring our facilities, seeking information about our comprehensive services, or ready to make a decision, our dedicated team is here for you.
Contact us today and experience
'The Name in Healthcare'
Where compassion, well-being, and a welcoming community converge to redefine your healthcare journey.
Welcome to Rosewood, where your family becomes our family. | <urn:uuid:1d020387-02df-49d0-bbdb-39390d7d545c> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://rosewood-nursing.com/ | 2024-04-15T00:22:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.908134 | 578 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Sustaining our Agricultural Bounty: An Assessment of the Current State of Farming and Ranching in the San Francisco Bay Area
Funder: San Francisco Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation and the Gaia Fund
Partners: American Farmland Trust (AFT), Greenbelt Alliance
What would the Bay Area be like without farms and ranches? Imagine our region without the range and farm lands that bring us a bounty of local produce, fresh meats and dairy products, and the inspiring landscapes and ecosystems that define the Bay Area. Sooner than we realize we may lose this – unless the region’s agriculture can be sustained as a successful economic sector and valued for the productive land and ecosystems that supply us with a multitude of beneficial resources.
Since 1984, more than 200,000 acres of agricultural land in the nine-county Bay Area have been lost to development. Much of the region’s urban footprint was carved from irrigated cropland, the most productive and versatile land for food production. It is this high quality land that still remains the most vulnerable to development. Today, only 367,000 acres of this critical resource are still in production and much of it is up for grabs. With almost two million more people expected to live in the region by 2035, it is imperative that strong local land-use policies and conservation investments assure that the best remaining farm and ranch lands are preserved and that development consumes as little of it as possible.
But preserving the land is not enough. The one thing that distinguishes agricultural land from all other kinds of open space is that, by definition, it provides for a basic human need. Neither the food produced on agricultural land, nor its other public benefits – its scenic beauty, its environmental value as undeveloped watersheds and wildlife habitat, its historic character and cultural significance, its very presence as a bulwark against urban sprawl – can be guaranteed unless agriculture itself succeeds financially.
This recognition was behind a key recommendation of the Bay Area Open Space Council, Greenbelt Alliance, and Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) in a 2009 report entitled Golden Lands, Golden Opportunity: Preserving Vital Bay Area Lands for All Californians: Help keep the region’s farmers and ranchers in business.
Close to urban areas, Bay Area farmers and ranchers are under more pressure than their counterparts in more rural areas of the state. The cost of land and other inputs is higher and the potential for conflict with urban uses is greater. To stay in business, agriculture in this region must overcome these competitive disadvantages. And to do that, it needs the understanding and active support of the public, not only as consumers who can exert influence through their buying power, but also as constituents who can influence public policies that impact agriculture.
The Bay Area Agricultural Sustainability Project was inaugurated to keep the region’s agriculture competitive and economically viable. It is intended to help farmers and ranchers overcome the challenges they face, and to maximize their opportunity to capitalize on the advantage they enjoy due to their proximity to seven million customers. In so doing, this project seeks to maximize all of the contributions that agriculture makes to the livability and sustainability of the region as a whole.
The Bay Area’s agricultural land is not a placeholder for future development, nor simply preserved open space that will help prevent urban sprawl and all of its undesirable consequences – though that is surely one of its important functions. The Bay Area Agricultural Sustainability Project envisions a working landscape that continues to enrich the region for many generations to come as an irreplaceable environmental, cultural, and historic resource that supplies healthy food to the region’s residents and visitors, while supporting farm and ranch families who are pillars of the metropolitan community.
The Bay Area Agricultural Sustainability Project consists of two components: 1) this white paper, the product of reconnaissance to document the defining characteristics of the region’s agriculture and to identify the challenges and opportunities encountered by the region’s farmers and ranchers; and 2) a convening in early 2011 of a group of regional leaders from agriculture and other constituencies to consider the information in the white paper, along with their own experiences, and to begin designing a comprehensive strategy to assure a robust and sustainable future for Bay Area agriculture.
The project is a collaboration among three nonprofit organizations: Greenbelt Alliance, Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE), and American Farmland Trust. It was inspired by an Urban-Rural Roundtable convened in 2008 by former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, which, among other things, recommended that a concerted effort be made to realize the full potential of the region’s agricultural land and producers to supply the region’s growing demand for local food. | <urn:uuid:56b743a0-0fd2-4a57-96e8-865f4ae803fd> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://sagecenter.org/portfolio-post/sustaining-our-agricultural-bounty-an-assessment-of-the-current-state-of-farming-and-ranching-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-2011-0/ | 2024-04-15T00:46:53Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.940476 | 960 | 1.710938 | 2 |
What Can I Do for You?
I can help you feel better and move forward in your life in positive ways. You may have made changes in your life hoping it would solve the problem, but it did not reach something deeper inside that seems to get in the way of you being the person you want to be and having the life you were meant to have.
Whether your desire is to be able to have a satisfying relationship, alleviate anxiety, become free from depression, recover from past trauma, overcome an addiction, or other life problem, many people come to me to remove the barriers in their lives so they can live more freely and find their way toward healthy living.
For those interested in credentials and degrees, I am a licensed therapist, MFT, and I have completed a year of doctoral education in Clinical Psychology. I hold a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Hope International University. I’ve also earned certificates in advanced psychodynamic therapy and theory, EMDR and DBT. Additionally, I have training in family systems theories, solution-focused and solution oriented, CBT and integrated theories.
Furthermore, my life experiences, career path, and volunteer experiences have contributed to my ability to deeply understand a variety of issues and experiences, and to work well with a diverse group of people, from a variety of cultures, religions and backgrounds.
I have been a part of many people resolving interpersonal issues, overcoming areas of life they were stuck in, and learning healthy approaches to current life challenges. The main approach I take is relational in nature, identifying what the issues are, and helping you to work through it, in a sensitive, supportive and caring way, so you can make the changes you want in yourself, and your relationships. Whether it is a relationship, job, life decision, depression, anxiety, trauma, etc., it's important to look at oneself and what is at stake because staying stuck can take your life down a wrong path and waste so much time. | <urn:uuid:f205645b-9ad5-4083-9b8b-ca76cb2b2667> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://tyrabutler.com/about-me/ | 2024-04-15T00:18:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.971907 | 405 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Not going to lie, I figured this would be easier. I didn’t count on a government-regulated industry being so ‘unregulated’. However, we keep pushing forward and finding creative marketing reasons to exist.
Our followers are amazing and continue to push us further and further. Our ‘naysayers’ just strengthen our resolve and continue to push us further and further.
Is it a lot of work? – yes!
Is it hard? – yes!
Is it worth it? – also yes!
We laugh and cry all at the same time. Our team here at Vodka Friday can’t be traded for the world. Well maybe for the world I would trade in Paul, otherwise a hard no!
If I had to give some advice to anyone that has an idea or a business plan, I would say – just start! The business will evolve as you get going. Learn to pivot with the business and focus on the areas that need to be improved.
BUT the number one piece of advice I would give to everyone is – HUSTLE!!!!
Cheers, and happy Vodka Friday! | <urn:uuid:f811297b-a6ba-45d5-8146-28f7647563a1> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://vodkafriday.ca/women-entrepreneurs/ | 2024-04-14T23:42:15Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.969623 | 241 | 1.546875 | 2 |
OKLAHOMA CITY--Blame for the Oklahoma House’s shameful last-minute scuttling of monumental criminal justice reform measures with overwhelming bipartisan support falls squarely on House leadership. Despite having a clear mandate from voters to reverse the unsustainable and destructive course of Oklahoma’s overly harsh, discriminatory, and counterproductive criminal justice system, House leaders tucked tail and capitulated to out of touch, taxpayer subsidized lobbying groups.
While the public face of this cowardly act of obstructionism has been Rep. Scott Biggs, R-Chickasha, a deeper scorn should be directed at House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka. Speaker McCall may have for the time being escaped blame for this embarrassment, but history will hold him accountable. Only the weakest of Speakers would pretend that obstinate committee chairs like Biggs are beyond their control. There is only one member of the House of Representatives who has the power to keep the entire body from casting an up or down vote on any bill and that is the Speaker of the House.
“This is a transformative moment for criminal justice reform and legislators had an opportunity to seize that momentum and be leaders in ending the suffering Oklahomans are enduring daily in a state criminal justice system that has reached crisis-level status,” said Ryan Kiesel, Executive Director at the ACLU of Oklahoma. “But instead of leading, they capitulated to a small group of politicians whose political and financial interests are married to the broken status quo. By killing this widely-supported plan, Speaker McCall subverted the will of the voters, ignored his own membership and disrespected an overwhelming coalition of supporters who came together to demand action before it is too late. Speaker McCall should be as ashamed of himself as many Oklahomans – including his own colleagues – are of him.”
A package of bills recommended by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Reform Task Force advanced through the Legislature with strong support early in session. Governor Fallin herself played a consistent leadership role through this whole session. By recognizing the need for immediate reforms, proposing thoughtful, evidence based solutions to our crisis, and using her political capital to push a smart justice agenda, the Governor has proven her commitment to this worthy cause. In another catastrophic budget year, the bills presented a chance to save nearly $2 billion in ineffective corrections spending by reforming Oklahoma’s justice system to resemble the more humane, cost-effective systems other states and countries have adopted with proven success.
Despite overwhelming support for these evidence based reforms, in the final month of session, McCall and Biggs tried to quietly sweep those bills under the rug. When it blew up in their faces the last week of session, they doubled down and killed the bills.
“It appears the supposed support for reform House leadership expressed this session was a lie all along. It is not hard to conclude that Speaker McCall planned the demise of this proposal months ago, but strung it along under false pretenses as a negotiation chip to extract what he wanted from the Senate and Governor Fallin this session, all the while cultivating a public image of someone committed to reforms. It was politics at its worst, and voters should not forget it,” Kiesel said. “These antics combined with the shell game that was played with teacher pay raises this session offer hard evidence that the majority in the House of Representatives are working to actively deceive the people of Oklahoma by hiding what they're actually up to.”
How it happened
- In December, in one of his first acts as speaker, McCall made the shocking decision to appoint Biggs – the Legislature’s leading propagandist opponent of reform – as chairman of the Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee.
- In January, McCall displayed astonishing incompetence on the topic of criminal justice when he told a chamber legislative breakfast that Oklahoma should be proud of its high incarceration rates because it shows the state takes public safety seriously, eliciting groans in the audience.
- In her State of the State Address, Governor Fallin expressed strong support for the Task Force bills, a stance she defended throughout the session.
- In February, McCall did nothing as Biggs pushed forward House Bill 1482, a piece of divisive, insulting, unnecessary legislation that subverted the will of the people by rolling back State Question 780, which had just been approved by Oklahoma voters in November and reclassified simple drug possession as a misdemeanor instead of a felony.
- In March, despite widespread public outrage, McCall granted a floor hearing to House Bill 1482, which passed by one vote. McCall voted yes. When the Senate quickly denied House Bill 1482 a hearing, Biggs reportedly vowed to exact revenge on reform supporters by scuttling the task force bills. Again, he found an ally in McCall, who assigned several Senate bills containing the task force recommendations to the committee chaired by Biggs instead of the Public Safety Committee chaired by a reform supporter.
- In April, McCall stood idly by as Biggs spread blatant misinformation about the bills to justify gutting them in committee and sending them to the Legislature’s secretive conference committee process.
- In May, when a Republican Representative formally asked House leadership to move the bills to his committee for a fair hearing, McCall denied the request and allowed Biggs to retain jurisdiction. Supporters were repeatedly assured by House leadership that the bills would advance past Biggs to the House floor, but Biggs was instead permitted to abuse legislative procedures by delaying hearings, setting and canceling a series of meetings on little to no notice, and filibustering a meeting to prevent the bills from being heard.
- In the final week of session, immense pressure from dozens of supportive organizations was brought to bear – including some of the harshest criticism Gov. Mary Fallin has ever leveled against fellow Republicans – calling upon Biggs and McCall to urge them to listen to the mandate voters had given them and grant the bills a floor hearing. McCall never intervened, and Biggs used another procedural stunt the day before adjournment to kill the bills for the year.
“We are saddened by the delay, but we are encouraged that reason will prevail eventually. Our allies span political parties, and reach to the highest ranks of Oklahoma's private and public sectors. Together, we will regroup, we will continue to insist on necessary reforms, and we will prevail,” said Kiesel. “The people of Oklahoma are desperate and their calls cannot and will not go unanswered.”
The full package of ten criminal justice reform bills received support from a wide, bipartisan coalition. While many have died in committee, the bills are all still eligible to be heard again in the 2018 Legislative Session. With more support than ever before, coalition members remain confident that they can bring meaningful criminal justice reform to Oklahoma, regardless of this session’s reprehensible obstructionism. | <urn:uuid:4e2b5f93-189e-4d49-a121-aed33803afcb> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.acluok.org/en/news/oklahoma-houses-shameful-scuttling-criminal-justice-reform-measures | 2024-04-14T23:39:24Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.958848 | 1,408 | 1.75 | 2 |
HALF-STAFF COUNTRY....or....WHITE FLAG COUNTRY
Post date: Jun 19, 2016 11:46:35 PM
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of seeing our national flag flying at half staff!......every time an enemy attacks. You don't do that during a war(and we are at war). You keep picking it off the ground if need be and keep it flying high . Are we supposed to be doing this to honor the families of "enemy" victims? As I travel, I see this all across our land. I feel like I'm seeing the white flag of surrender in the face of the enemy. Locations around the world put on rainbow light displays to show their support of international communism. The rainbow is the symbol of all the groups that are controlled by them.
Is this all being done to appease the homo-communist left? Is this the kind of PC that Donald Trump would support? We all know Hillary Clinton does. We hear that the parents go to a "gay" church. Really!!? If it's gay, the only church it could represent is the church of Satan. It's more likely a communist-front church. And this is what we are lowering our national and state flags for!!? Are the parents that "dumb"? I bet they didn't have the courage to discipline their children when they were young. Were they non-judgmental and supportive of all their choices? Did they protect their children from the natural results of their decisions? If so, that's probably why they lost them. They may want to fly their own flags at half-staff, but I'm not doing so with the national or state flag.
As a candidate over the years, now and then I ran into voters who are deeply affected and saddened by the immoral choices of their children. They obviously don't like my political stand on the issue of homosexuality. They would rather support the communist left homosexual movement than stand against that threat to our liberty. They seem to take the attitude that they would rather go to hell with their children than go to heaven alone!? I prefer the latter. Why should we pay the consequences for someone else's choices? Yes, it's sad, but we cannot control the decisions of others. We can let them know that each choice has clear consequences. I'd much rather go to heaven alone than go to hell with anyone. Why should we pay for someone else's sins(slave reparations)? "The Plan of Salvation" is very clear---"shape up, or ship out"....or die...a permanent spiritual death. This is neither half-staff...or...white flag country!
------- The Orlando attack is now being used by the fifth column communist left to do there things: set up more protection for the homo/pedophilia class, more protection for the Muslim invasion, and three....limit 2nd amendment rights. This gives impetus to the Gay Bill of Special Homosexual Rights sponsored by Paul Ryan. It would require churches to hire gays or face federal lawsuits. Forty-three GOP Senators have already supported the transgender agenda of Obama. The military has been handed over to them. Ft. Riley cancelled a prayer breakfast sponsored by Franklin Graham. It would have featured LT. Gen.Wm "Jerry" Boykin, an original member of Delta Force. A communist front with the name of : Military Religious Freedom Foundation, filed a protest calling him a homophobic, Islamaphobic, fundamental Christian extremist. This is the kind of UN-American military that will someday be sent into your communities to get those right-wing radicals. UN forces are known for leaving special immoral calling cards wherever they go.
------- The House has voted to allow illegal aliens to serve in our military. Sen John McCain supports drafting women into the military. All this is being done as it was done in the 60's, to keep the elite ruling class from having to serve their equal share. Wonder why they stand for trans-sexual bathrooms, co-ed dorms, and income equality; but don't demand service equality....unless it's "community service". It seems they don't want the equal privilege of dying for their country. Gen. Patton said that its not our responsibility to die for our country, but make those poor dumb b#$%tards die for their country. The college "heroes" have their own take on that.
------- The Orlando massacre seems to follow the same modus operandi of others with a Muslim man influenced by federal agent provocateurs. Sound too far fetched? Remember, a socialist government.....is a "lyin" government. The US government claims to be fighting radical Muslims, but arms them in Syria and Libya. They seem to get taken off watch lists. DHS whistleblower Philip Haney, as reported by Fox news, was ordered to purge his extensive files on terrorist groups. His book is called the "Clarion Project".
------- Remember communism does not allow for free thought. West coast states are requiring ONLY the teaching of "Global Warming"....the official Soviet version of environmentalism. Green on the outside and red in the middle. Hate speech is anything that doesn't go along with communist agitprop or criticizes groups of people controlled by them, especially the gay community. | <urn:uuid:27b2550c-49a1-4157-9324-70c5420f16eb> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.afact.us/news2/half-staffcountryorwhiteflagcountry | 2024-04-14T23:16:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.971055 | 1,085 | 1.6875 | 2 |
As a continuation of the P3 Junior Innovator Programme, students are introduced to the concept of Design Thinking - a process which focuses on collaboration between designers (students) and users. The programme emphasises the value of empathy by encouraging students to understand user experiences so that they can identify user needs and create innovations to help them. The Design Thinking process ends with prototyping where students create one best innovation using the resources and time given. Our P4 students will learn to understand that, with Design Thinking in the real world, there is a need to constantly review and refine their innovation to make sure that it constantly addresses the needs of the users. Design Thinking is an iterative, flexible process – there is no ‘end’ in sight! | <urn:uuid:01cdb803-4e9c-435f-b4c2-6c439a78e531> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.aitong.moe.edu.sg/co-curriculum/Applied-Learning-Programme/p4-design-thinking/ | 2024-04-15T00:44:35Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.946672 | 150 | 1.539063 | 2 |
The Queer Archive Festival
The Queer Archive Festival is back again from 3 to 6 June 2021, hosting a great celebration of Athens’ rich and vibrant queer culture, with the support of Onassis Stegi for a second consecutive year.
Designed to celebrate the very best of queer arts and culture, The Queer Archive Festival raises the curtain on another rich program of dazzling and provocative multimedia experiences from 3-6 June 2021. Open and accessible to all, our second festival edition remains focused on highlighting talent, encouraging creativity, promoting engaging and progressive contemporary art, which reflects modern queer culture, and ultimately creating a bustling hub that praises diversity and supports social inclusivity.
From Wolfgang Tillmans to Vassilis Kekatos, from Tamir David to Dynno Dada, from Xristina Trixa to Andy James, from a tribute to the avant-pop musician Sophie to discussions on the Greek queer art scene, Athens will resonate with artists from Greece and the world. For 4 days, The Queer Archive Festival will present video installations, exhibitions, walks, discussions, experimental artworks and performances that touch upon queered or queer-responsive approaches to human experience. The second edition of “The Queer Archive Festival” will take place in a variety of traditional and alternative spaces within Athens, from the National Garden and Pedion Areos Park to galleries and cinemas.
The festival is once again supported by the Onassis Cultural Foundation that considers culture as a meeting ground for human aspirations and freedom of expression, and supports the LGBTQI+ community’s self-evident rights through its initiatives. This year, The Queer Archive Festival expands its partnership with the Onassis Foundation, as the Onassis AiR international arts research program offers hospitality and creative conversations for festival guests with the large and international family of artists who are creating through Onassis AiR research journey in the Arts.
For a second year in a row, The Queer Archive Festival brings together artists, curators, activists, venues, artist-run spaces and spectators in a citywide celebration. The festival’s programme includes both Greek and international leading artists alongside the best emerging talent.
This year, the festival hosts the video installation “Life Guarding” by the renowned German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans; a video collage, edited by Michael Amstad, exploring fluidity through visuals of fragmented body parts, fruit and insects, and the waves of the Atlantic Ocean (Space 52). Also, “Herma”, a series of drawings by Israeli artist Tamir David celebrating the on-going shifts in social values and gender representation will be presented to the Athenian art scene for the first time (Haus N Athen). This year, moreover, in collaboration with Shamonette, we invite you to hop on a fun, feisty and fabulous “Drag Bus Tour” around Athens and enjoy live performances by local drag queens or, to pay a tribute to the acclaimed avant-garde pop artist and recently deceased music visionary, Sophie. At the same time, commissioned by The Queer Archive Festival, the celebrated young Greek director Vasilis Kekatos creates the photographic series “Rooftop lovers” with LGBTQIA+ couples showing us what it is like to love and be loved above the harsh landscape of Athens (Misc).
Participations continue with the voyeuristic video art “Tethered” by Venezuelan multimedia artist Daniel Pinheiro, the site specific performance “The Thinker performs live” by Dynno Dada, the three-sectional sculptural work “Comfort Zone” by Andy James, the selection of video works “To be willing to march into Hell for a Heavenly Cause” curated by Marina Doritis, Xristina Trixa’s playfully interactive performance “Bird Watching”, George Striftaris’ photographic project “Dialogues”, as well as Nikos Menoudarakos’ photography slideshow and live photo shoot sessions “Comfortably Wild”, the site-based installation “Kartophilia” by Ermina&Vassiliki Apostolaki and Filia Milidaki, and a discussion around the subject of the queer art scene in Greece today conducted by journalist and activist Thodoris Antonopoulos with local artists and curators as guests.
Ultimately, this festival edition is complemented by the first issue of KAVLA zine, an independent publication of The Queer Archive Festival which will host works by LGBTQI+ artists across the board and, thus, yearns to ignite a fresh and meaningful conversation around queer aesthetics and experiences in modern art and culture.
OPENINGS, EVENTS, PERFORMANCES & PARTIES
Group Exhibition Opening: Daniel Pinheiro, Andy James, Tamir David, Ermina Apostolaki-Vasiliki Apostolaki-Filia Milidaki / HAUS N ΑΤΗΕΝ
Performance: Dynno Dada / HAUS N ΑΤΗΕΝ
Exhibition Opening: Wolfgang Tillmans / SPACE 52
Exhibition Opening: George Striftaris / EIGHT
The Queer Archive Festival Soirée: Roman & Saradis / HOLLYWOOD PUB
Exhibition Opening: Vasilis Kekatos / MISC
Exhibition Opening: Marina Doritis / KICK GALLERY
Panel discussion: Greek queer art today / TRIANON CINEMA
The Queer Archive Festival Soirée: Dodo / HOLLYWOOD PUB
Interactive Walk: Xristina Trixa / NATIONAL PARK
Exhibition Opening: Nikos Menoudarakos / FOKIANOU ART SPACE
Drag Tour Bus: Aria Di Vine, Helena Hudson, Marianah Grindr & Shamonette, TOUR BUS/SHAMONETTE
The Queer Archive Festival Soirée: K.atou & Jacob of Capadoccia, HOLLYWOOD PUB
Sophie Tribute, Christos Tzovaras, Christos Karoutis, Electra Vossou, Eleftheria Sotirchou, Athanasia Koutzouha, George Dereskos, Mary Giannoula, Irini Moraitelli, Iliana Kakarantza, Marina Kladi, Marianna Tsikmanli, Maria Kambanou, Natalia Kalogeropoulou, Evini Pantelaki / PEDION AREOS PARK
The Queer Archive Festival Soirée: Clubkid & Pepper Levain performance, HOLLYWOOD PUB
HAUS N ATHEN
FOKIANOU ART SPACE
The Queer Archive
The Queer Archive is a production house supporting and bolstering up the development of all forms of queer arts and culture, promoting diverse artistic practices emanating from different issues and aspects of queer life and existence, created by both, local or international, emerging and already established artists. Our art projects are often supported by special events, such as lectures, workshops or Q+A’s with artists and curators or special guests.
Besides planning, organizing and curating exhibitions, as well as various ingenious art events, we put up a wide range of film production and co-production services, including creative concepts, production and execution.
Since 2020, we produce and curate The Queer Archive Festival which takes place in the city of Athens with the support of Stegi- Onassis Foundation. The Queer Archive Festival has grown into a sheer cultural meeting point for arts stakeholders to get to know each other, exchange ideas and, ultimately, work together.
Last, but not least, we host amazing parties, gigs and immersive experiences in collaboration with brands, clubs and organizations creating a platform for our family of performers, musicians, DJs to meet their audience.
Onassis Stegi – Onassis Foundation
Every year, Onassis Stegi supports artistic initiatives that challenge stereotypes and open up discussions about the obvious that should be taken for granted, as it wishes not only to produce culture, but also to change people’s culture. Part of its mission is respect for diversity, practical support for the demands of the LGBTQIA+ community and the continuous fight for democracy, equality and justice. For the Onassis Foundation, culture is all about democracy; it is all about equal rights. | <urn:uuid:9ebd01d9-dbc7-4182-9e1a-4f02adbd0e1d> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.athensinsider.com/the-queer-archive-festival/ | 2024-04-15T00:41:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.871381 | 1,887 | 1.5 | 2 |
Body found in shallow grave
Published 9:37 am Wednesday, December 19, 2018
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The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a homicide in the Berrydale community across the state line.
On Friday, Dec. 14, detectives with the SRCSO received information about a missing persons case from May, Sgt. Rich Aloy, public relations officer for the department said.
Aloy said that immediately after receiving information, detectives obtained a search warrant for 7796 Hwy 4.
“After a non-stop weekend of searching, a shallow grave was located on Sunday in the wooded area of the address,” Aloy said. “An autopsy will be needed to positively confirm the deceased, but at this time, all indicators are leading us to believe the remains are of Felecia Kusawandy, a 38-year-old female known to occasionally stay at the same address of our search warrant.”
Aloy said the department is investigating this case as a homicide and the investigation remains active. | <urn:uuid:94fef960-6932-4e46-a06a-6696d7d70549> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.brewtonstandard.com/2018/12/19/body-found-in-shallow-grave/ | 2024-04-14T23:35:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.965463 | 228 | 2.375 | 2 |
Ondo Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has debunked allegations linking him to the action taken by the Police against his Deputy, Hon Agboola Ajayi, on Saturday night.
Ajayi was held back at the Government House as Ondo Police Commissioner, Bolaji Salami, insisted that he would not leave with his official vehicles.
The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Segun Ajiboye, described the report as false.
Akeredolu said it was a cooked up lie meant to discredit him that he asked the Police Commissioner to impede the Deputy Governor from leaving the Government House.
He said that it became worrisome and suspicious when aides of the Deputy Governor insisted on leaving the complex with items wrapped in unclear ownership as late as 11 pm.
“Governor Akeredolu reiterates his commitment to the rights of all, including the Deputy Governor governor. But he has a duty to be firm and dispassionate in exercising the roles assigned to him,” he said. | <urn:uuid:96cf066c-833f-4331-a38e-ad664a73e9ed> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.crimechannels.com/akeredolu-speaks-as-cp-holds-dep-governor-hostage/ | 2024-04-14T23:55:33Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.989995 | 218 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Ghislaine Maxwell appeals sex trafficking conviction
Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney will urge a U.S. appeals court on Tuesday to overturn her sex trafficking conviction and the 20-year sentence she received for aiding Jeffrey Epstein in the sexual abuse of teenage girls.
Maxwell, 62, faced conviction in December 2021 on five counts related to the recruitment and grooming of four underage girls for Epstein, her former boyfriend, between 1994 and 2004. The court's decision on her appeal is not expected immediately.
Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 in a Manhattan jail, shortly after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. His victims have secured hundreds of millions of dollars from his estate and from banks implicated in facilitating his criminal activities. The scandal has notably affected the reputations of individuals such as Prince Andrew of Britain and former Barclays CEO Jes Staley.
Maxwell, the daughter of the late British media tycoon Robert Maxwell, argues through her lawyers that she was scapegoated due to Epstein's death amid public outrage. Her legal team contends that the government delayed too long in filing charges and claims she was covered by a 2007 non-prosecution agreement Epstein reached with Florida federal prosecutors.
Another point of contention in Maxwell's trial was a juror's failure to disclose his history of childhood sexual abuse, which her lawyers argue compromised the fairness of the trial. Prosecutors, however, dismiss the appeal as baseless, referencing Circuit Judge Alison Nathan's assertion of Maxwell's "incalculable" harm to her victims and emphasizing that the sentence underscores the principle that no one is exempt from the law.
Judge Nathan, who has since been promoted to the appeals court, did not partake in the appeal process. Maxwell is currently serving her sentence in a low-security facility in Tallahassee, Florida, with a projected release date in July 2037. | <urn:uuid:4bf033c9-d335-4fdb-8420-e448af27bbf5> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.cumhuriyetdaily.com/world/ghislaine-maxwell-appeals-sex-trafficking-conviction-2134926 | 2024-04-15T00:11:38Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.978671 | 370 | 2 | 2 |
Bagpipes & Drums Participants
The Dallas 9/11 Memorial is an incredibly symbolic event that provides an annual opportunity to remember fallen first responders, especially those lost on 9/11. This remembrance and commemoration of the sacrifices of the 343 firefighters, 70 law enforcement officers and 9 EMS workers who perished at the World Trade Center would not be possible without the help of our Pipes & Drums Participants!
Pipes & Drums Participants are required to be ready and at the building from
6:30am until Noon on September 10, 2022.
Once Registered, you will be contacted by our Symbolic Elements Coordinator with additional details.
If you would like to Register as a Bagpipes & Drum Participant, please click the link below!
The tradition of bagpipes played at fire department and police department funerals in the United States goes back over one hundred fifty years. When the Irish and Scottish immigrated to this country, they brought many of their traditions with them. One of these was the Great Highland Bagpipe, often played at Celtic weddings, funerals and ceilis (dances).
It wasn't until the great potato famine and massive Irish immigration to the East Coast of the United States that the tradition of the bagpipes really took hold in the fire department. In the 1800's, Irish immigrants faced massive discrimination. Factories and shops had signs reading "NINA" - No Irish Need Apply. The only jobs they could get were the ones no one else wanted - jobs that were dirty, dangerous, or both - firefighters and police officers. It was not an uncommon event to have several firefighters killed at a working fire.
The Irish firefighters' funerals were typical of all Irish funerals - the pipes were played. It was somehow okay for a hardened firefighter to cry at the sound of bagpipes when his dignity would not let him weep for a fallen comrade. Those who have attended a funeral where bagpipes were played know how haunting and mournful the sound of the pipes can be. The most famous song played at fire and police funerals is Amazing Grace.
It wasn't too long before families and friends of non-Irish firefighters began asking for the bagpipes to be played for fallen heroes. The bagpipes add a special air and dignity to this solemn occasion. Bagpipe bands represent both fire and police often have more than 60 uniformed playing members. They are also traditionally known as Emerald Societies after Ireland - the Emerald Isle. Many bands wear traditional Scottish dress while others wear the simpler Irish uniform. All members wear the kilt and tunic, whether it is a Scottish clan tartan or Irish single color kilt. Today, the tradition is universal and not just for the Irish or Scottish. The bagpipes have become a distinguishing feature of a fallen hero's funeral. | <urn:uuid:a91fa534-ff93-4080-a389-5e62c2d1931f> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.dallasstairclimb.com/pipes-drums | 2024-04-15T00:02:41Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.975617 | 576 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Scientists at the University of New South Wales have managed to produce a 400-year record of El Niño events using cores drilled from coral. Many experts did not even believe it was possible to obtain such a record, which shows how the nature of El Niño events has changed in recent decades.
A better understanding of El Niño events is critical for helping to prepare for the extreme weather that they produce across the globe. The effects of these events are particularly pronounced in Australia, South East Asia, and America, where precipitation and temperatures are intensified.
By analyzing the 400-year record, the experts detected changes in the types of El Niños, with an increase in Central Pacific El Niño activity in the late 20th century. The researchers also predicted upcoming changes in the strength of El Niños that emerge in the Eastern Pacific.
“We are seeing more El Niños forming in the central Pacific Ocean in recent decades, which is unusual across the past 400 years,” said study lead author Dr. Mandy Freund. “There are even some early hints that the much stronger Eastern Pacific El Niños, like those that occurred in 1997/98 and 2015/16 may be growing in intensity.”
The team accessed information in coral cores collected from across the Pacific Ocean. Like tree rings, coral cores have growth patterns that date back over centuries, and contain isotopes that reveal many clues about the past climate. This is the first time that coral cores have been used to detect the different types of El Niño events.
“By understanding the past, we are better equipped to understand the future, especially in the context of climate change,” said Dr. Freund.
“Prior to this research, we did not know how frequently different types of El Niño occurred in past centuries. Now we do,” said study co-author Dr. Ben Henley.
The researchers identified an unprecedented increase in the number of El Niños forming in the Central Pacific over the past 30 years. At the same time, the stronger Eastern Pacific El Niños were the most intense among those examined in the 400-year long coral record.
“The El Niño phenomenon is one of the most important features of global climate, and changes to its behavior have very serious implications for weather patterns and extreme events around the world,” said Dr. Henley. “This gives us an opportunity to more accurately explore how global warming may change El Niños and what this means for future weather and climate extremes.”
“Having a better understanding of how different types of El Niños have affected us in the past and present, will mean we are more able to model, predict and plan for future El Niños and their wide-ranging impacts,” said Dr. Freund.
The study is published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Paid for by Earth.com
Image Credit: Jason Turl | <urn:uuid:a13c5a65-e06b-4fda-8914-894499fd10da> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.earth.com/news/coral-cores-el-nino-events/ | 2024-04-14T23:58:23Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.937019 | 607 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Because RV living is such a niche way of life, there are many people who are unfamiliar with the concept. Many of these folks won't even try to understand why people make the decision to live their life on the road and will often make assumptions about what it's like.
One such assumption is that living in an RV restricts you from the possibility of raising a healthy and happy family. And while it's understandable why people would think that, it's not necessarily true.
Yes, it would arguably be easier to raise a family in a more traditional home, in a neighborhood with shops and other facilities nearby, as well as a school and a local doctor and numerous other conveniences. Still, it's not the only way to do it.
RV living has so many benefits. From being a cheaper, more minimalist way of life to offering you total flexibility of movement to allowing for a much deeper connection with nature, there's no reason why you can't enjoy those benefits, even while raising a family of five.
It will take some planning and effort, and of course, it's important that every member of your family is happy with the decision, but it's definitely doable. Here's how a family of five can live comfortably in an RV:
There's no real argument against the fact that it's cheaper to live in an RV than it is to live in a city or the suburbs, but you still need to earn money. And that's somewhat more difficult when you are constantly on the move.
Having said that, if the last few years have had any positive impact on us, it's been proved that working remotely has a ton of benefits both for businesses and their employees. And so the opportunities you have as far as working on the road are pretty numerous now.
If you are a trained professional in a job that would normally be done in an office, try to find a company willing to hire you exclusively for remote work. Then, you can spend your days doing that from the RV and get moving on evenings and weekends.
You could also look into various freelance jobs, such as writing, reselling, web or graphic design, illustrating, or many, many others. Nowadays, quite a few sites can help you find clients for these kinds of jobs.
There's also some stuff which is more specific to being on the road. You could help with the upkeep of campsites (workamping) as you move around, you could offer maintenance for other RV users, or you could take up a traveling trade like nursing or contract construction work.
If you have also been interested in imparting some of your knowledge or training others in a skill you have mastered, teaching might be an option. Which brings us to:
Your kids' education is equally important as your own income, and if you aren't prepared to find ways to road school them, then it's not fair to take your family on the road. This is one of the biggest challenges that RVing families face.
When you live in an actual house, the schooling system is easily accessible, and your kids can settle into a routine and make local friends. It's a big decision to deprive your children of that, and you have to replace it with something equally as effective in securing their future.
As we said above, some others who live in RVs might be teachers, and so you can try and seek those out so that your kids can take private classes when you stop at certain campsites. Because you can't necessarily guarantee this, you should also enroll them in an online schooling service.
Much like the rise of remote work, this has gotten even more widespread in the last few years. Take a look at some of the online learning resources available to you and see if any suits your children and your mobile setup.
Some young children will get restless in quiet campsites or when constantly on the move, so this can serve as a good way to keep them focused and occupied while working or driving.
Even if you are taking a more minimalist approach to life, you are still probably going to be stuck for space in an RV, especially when you need to accommodate enough food and clothes for five people.
You need to think differently about where you put things than you would if you were in a house and recognize that the vertical space available to you is to your advantage. Don't think about utilizing floor space because you want to allow as much movement as possible; instead, look to the walls.
Everything that can be wall-mounted should be. Install shelving units for things like shoes, books, and other odds and ends, get adhesive wall hooks so that jackets and coats can be more easily accessible, and discourage your kids from using their bedroom floors for storage.
You will have to sacrifice a certain amount of storage that people who don't live on the road enjoy, but you will be surprised by how much vertical space you actually have once you start making use of it.
It's hard to make sure that everyone can eat healthily while living in an RV for several reasons. First, because, as we mentioned above, storage tends to be limited, so there is less room for good food, and also because it's not as easy to cook in an RV.
You might find yourself settling for snacks and microwaveable dinners. These things are fine every once in a while, but they aren't conducive to a healthy lifestyle on a regular basis. Instead of trying to stock up on a lot of food at once, try and buy on the go.
Have enough fresh fruit and vegetables so that everyone can have some daily, and invest in good quality cooking utensils so that you are encouraged to cook healthy meals.
Also, having a good supply of clean water is pretty tricky on the road. You should avoid buying a lot of bottled water because it will take up space, instead make use of the wells that are common on campsites.
Well water is usually reliable, but you can test it if you want to make sure it's drinkable. Wells will be the perfect source of water for you as you're on the move.
Raising your family in an RV is not an easy life, but if you think about it, is there such a thing as an easy life? It's entirely possible for a family of five to live comfortably and happily in an RV as long as you take the right approach. | <urn:uuid:db70e216-2f12-4cd0-8792-f3ba42f7de34> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.everything-about-rving.com/live-comfortably.html | 2024-04-15T00:50:25Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.98224 | 1,303 | 1.523438 | 2 |
The trailer introduces Rambabu (Venkatesh Daggubati), who is now a theater-owner, wishes to fulfill his childhood dream of producing a film. His wife, played by Meena, isn't as approving of his theater and his dreams. She asks if making the film is really necessary while saying that he should focus on getting his daughter married. In a quick black-and-white montage, we see incidents that take place previously in the first film. Geetha (Nadhiya) and Prabhakar (Naresh), parents of Varun (Roshan Basheer) who was killed are still clueless as to what happened to him and are determined to find out the truth. The new Inspector General of Police, played by Sampath Raj re-opens the investigation and says that while Rambabu is busy focusing on his film, they must unearth the truth. "There is no truth that time does not reveal" says the trailer as Rambabu assures his family to not fear and that they will be safe.
Watch the trailer here:
The film also had a trailer launch today. Venkatesh Daggubati, speaking at a event said, "I was waiting to do a story like this and I was so glad when Jeethu (Joseph) came back with this sequel. It's going to be one of the best suspense thrillers on Telugu screens."
In a teaser that launched recently, we see that the film is now set six years post the initial incident. The cast remains the same as the previous film with two new additions – Sampath Raj and Poorna.
Satheesh Kurup, who also shot the Malayalam version, has been roped in for cinematography and Marthand K Ventakesh is the editor of the film, same as the first film. The direction and writing department is given a changeover with Jeethu Joseph taking over the reins. Anup Rubens, whose most recent release was Manchi Rojulochaie, is in charge of music. The film is jointly produced under the banners of Suresh Productions, Aashirvad Cinemas and Max Movies.
The film will stream on Amazon Prime Video from November 25. | <urn:uuid:36ca9fd7-a01a-49cf-83f0-c2d9a545c4c2> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.filmcompanion.in/trailer-talk/telugu-trailer/drushyam-2-telugu-trailer-amazon-prime-video-venkatesh-six-years-since-rambabu-vows-are-to-no-end/ | 2024-04-14T23:40:02Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.985413 | 470 | 2.015625 | 2 |
The Tomorrow War is definitely a big-screen movie. However, thanks to COVID-19 and Amazon’s deep pockets, the film got moved over to Bezos’ streaming service to premiere as a Prime Original film and hopefully kick off a new franchise for the platform. The company reportedly paid Paramount around $200 million for the film in hopes of bringing the kind of big-name action that Netflix has been delivering recently to its platform. That’s a lot of money to shell out (though, Paramount still took a bath on it) for a movie, even one that stars one of the bigger stars in Hollywood in Chris Pratt.
For Amazon, this should be a film that pulls in audiences and attracts a lot of word of mouth. Yet, it seems to be neither. With theaters re-opening, Netflix pulling in far bigger names for its action films, and massive franchises finally releasing long-delayed installments, The Tomorrow War now feels like an also-ran with nothing more than made-for-streaming aspirations. It also doesn’t help that it’s not a very good movie.
Watch this video on YouTube
The Tomorrow War
Director: Chris McKay
Release Date: July 2, 2021 (Amazon)
The Tomorrow War, honestly, has a really incredible premise that deserves more than what the film turns out to be. A battalion of soldiers appears from the future informing the world that, in the near future, an alien race has nearly wiped out all of humanity. According to them, the only hope to save humanity is for the people of the past to come into the future and help fight the war. However, there is a limitation on who can come and so civilians start getting recruited. Enter Veteran and family man, Dan Forester (Pratt), who is thrown into the future alongside a collection of other civilians and set to task fighting the mysterious aliens.
That’s a really cool premise, right? There’s so much to explore there and for the first half of the film, The Tomorrow War does a decent job of doing it. After an accident during the time jump, Dan and the rest of the survivors are flung into survival mode when they have to quickly recover some scientific research for Romeo Command (Yvonne Strahovski) in an area of Miami crawling with aliens. This opening sequence shows promise, with a tense, horror-like sequence establishing a fantastic world. From that point, there are plotline twists and turns that really feel interesting and, while often cliche, the relationships, and characters work. It really does feel like a compelling action film that’s smart enough to play with science fiction in clever ways. Even the monsters are pretty well designed, with a look like Necromorphs from Dead Space and Predators.
Then it all just falls apart. The film looks generic from the get-go despite its premise but after the first half, it becomes entirely so. The Tomorrow War completely abandons its plot to turn into one of those action movies where only a certain set of people can save the world… despite that being totally ludicrous. The second half of the film lynches on a bit of a plot twist, so I won’t talk in too much detail, but suffice to say that Dan’s father, James Forester (J.K. Simmons), plays an integral part in saving the future. That should tell you all you need to know about how much the storyline collapses in the end. It really is a tale of two films and the conclusion is so groan-inducingly bad that it soils the first half of the film entirely.
This is director Chris McKay’s first live-action film after cutting his teeth on Robot Chicken and knocking it out of the park with The LEGO Batman Movie. McKay seems to have a lot to learn about live-action as the story completely gets away from him, with cause and effect becoming incredibly muddled (even more than a time travel movie should be). It isn’t entirely his fault, though, as the screenplay simply loses all weight with illogical jumps and multiple time travel contradictions. Time travel is often a bit wibbly-wobbly unless a film sticks to its own rules, but The Tomorrow War doesn’t, forcing emotional moments that make no sense and breaking the rules in favor of advancing the plot.
Nothing in the latter half of the film works. McKay doesn’t even seem to care about that part of the film. The action, including the aforementioned horror scene above, is pretty spot-on for the first half of the film but after a climatic midway sequence full of stellar visuals and concepts, the movie just stops dead. The film’s finale is a mess of bad editing and poorly-paced action. It’s as if an entirely different person came in and made it. Not even Pratt’s affable charm, which seems mostly missing here, or Strahovski’s ability to play straight man to anything, can make it work.
Sadly, The Tomorrow War turns out to be all concept and no execution. While the film gives hope of something interesting for a decent chunk of time, its devolution in lower-than-bog-standard action fare retroactively makes the entire film suck. By the end of the film, the only thing that even seems remotely interesting anymore is why J.K. Simmons is so jacked. There’s a really good science fiction world buried under the latter half of The Tomorrow War but it’s nearly impossible to dig out. | <urn:uuid:0035f087-8286-4211-9fa0-0aeb08fcd230> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.flixist.com/review-the-tommorow-war/ | 2024-04-15T00:13:32Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.957004 | 1,153 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Nick Fisher Mystery Series
The Unforgiving Stone (Nick Fisher Novels Book 1) by Alex Dunlevy: Nick Fisher and son Jason have not spoken for years. But, when the boy brings his fiancee to Crete, ex-cop Nick is persuaded to seek a reconciliation. Instead, a body is found on a remote beach. Jason has disappeared and is now prime suspect in a murder case. Nick must track down the real killer to save his son and restore some self-belief.
This book is Free on September 2, 2023
Other Books in the seriesSign up for our email and never miss a free book again! | <urn:uuid:c523076b-b5ad-4f31-b4f9-fc56df9dc79d> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.freebooksy.com/2023/09/02/nick-fisher-mystery-series/ | 2024-04-15T00:05:16Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.938881 | 132 | 2.4375 | 2 |
I didn't have high hopes for the Luxome Weighted Blanket, which might explain why it blew me away on test. This blanket doesn't feel like a burden: the sleep scientists at Luxome have worked out a way to optimize the number of glass beads per square foot of fabric. The Luxome Weighted Blanket won't suit all sleepers, but don't knock it 'til you've tried it.
Won't suit all sleepers
On the more expensive side
Tends to trap heat
You can trust Homes & Gardens.
I was extremely reluctant to test the Luxome Weighted Blanket. I think it's because I've experienced sleep paralysis, that awful inability to move or speak as you pass between wakefulness and sleep. In those moments, I tend to feel like I'm struggling under a heavy weight. I guess I worried that a weighted blanket would only exacerbate the issue.
The Luxome Weighted Blanket proved me wrong. This blanket is filled with tens of thousands of tiny glass beads, evenly distributed throughout the blanket to balance the weight of the beads against the size of the fabric. That means no lumps, no bumps, and no cold patches: just the same gentle pressure, the whole way through.
As H&G's resident sleep editor, I know a thing or two about weighted blankets. I can tell you exactly how heavy your weighted blanket should be, in proportion to your body, and how to wash a weighted blanket without damaging the beads. Until now, I'd never felt brave enough to test one, but Luxome has totally converted me.
Luxome Weighted Blanket review: tried and trusted
I've been testing the Luxome Weighted Blanket for months now. I pull it out whenever I'm struggling to sleep. Now and then, I bring it out of the bedroom, when I want to unwind in the living room or when the pressure is piling up in my home office. This article should tell you everything you need to know about the Luxome Weighted Blanket, from how it feels to whether it's worth the price.
<a href="https://luxome.pxf.io/c/221109/1761337/20656?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fluxome.com%2Fproducts%2Fweighted-blanket%3Fvariant%3D40256155779133" data-link-merchant="luxome.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Luxome Weighted Blanket | $155 - $230 at Luxome
The Luxome Weighted Blanket comes in four sizes to suit different sleepers: you might want to start with the small before upgrading to the medium. If you want to share a weighted blanket with your partner, you might appreciate the extra fabric of the large or XL options.
Luxome Weighted Blanket Product Specifications
|Small, Medium, Large, Extra-Large
|Bamboo lyocell, minky microfiber
|Yes (excluding XL insert)
|Premium Oxford carrying tote
Who would the Luxome Weighted Blanket suit?
- Anxious sleepers: I find the gentle pressure of all those glass beads very grounding, especially set against the touchable texture of the minky microfiber.
- Sleepers of all shapes and sizes: the Luxome Weighted Blanket comes in Small, Medium, Large, and XL. There's a handy visual guide on the Luxome site that maps each blanket onto a bed to help you visualize the size.
- Minimalists, and anyone who prioritizes form over function: weighted blankets tend to prize practicality over prettiness, and this Luxome piece is no exception. Your choice of colors is limited to white, gray, beige, and the odd dark blue. The Luxome Weighted Blanket should blend with all styles of bedroom decor, but I wouldn't call it a statement throw. I like the look of the Casaluna Solid Knit Weighted Blanket from Target for more of a style statement.
What is the Luxome Weighted Blanket like to sleep on?
I sampled the Luxome Weighted Blanket in the medium size, which weighs in at around 15lbs and covers my full-sized bed from top to bottom. As I settled under the blanket, I could appreciate the plush feel of minky microfiber, but I still felt stressed about sleep. I set two alarms (one to wake me up, and one to actually get me out of bed) before drifting off.
The next morning, I woke feeling pretty refreshed, all things considered. I could certainly feel the weight of the blanket, which is filled with thousands of tiny glass beads, evenly distributed throughout the fabric. The weight didn't feel like a burden, though: more of a gentle pressure that I could shift without too much effort. If you're a weighted blanket skeptic, like I was, I challenge you to give this Luxome throw a go.
As the testing process went on, I grew more and more comfortable under the weighted blanket. I carried it through to the living room to try it out on the couch as a precursor to sleep, rather than part of my bedspread. I struggled under the weight, which feels so much greater when the blanket is bundled up, instead of spread out. I certainly wouldn't want to lug the blanket back and forth every evening, but I found it soothing as and when I used it.
Your blanket shouldn't need much washing: good thing, too, as I struggled to stuff mine inside the washing machine. If I were you, I'd stick to spot-cleaning to target specific spills and stains. There's always the option to shop the Luxome Weighted Blanket with a removable cover, which should help to keep things clean.
How does the Luxome Weighted Blanket rate online?
The Luxome Weighted Blanket boasts more than 7,000 five-star reviews on the Luxome site. Happy customers praise the comfort and the quality of the blanket, as well as the range of colors, prints, and patterns. Seven style options might not sound like much, but it's more than you'll get at most specialist sleep stores.
There are a smattering of more mixed reviews. The Luxome Weighted Blanket is made from a unique blend of thermoregulating bamboo lyocell and heat-retaining minky microfiber. This mixing of materials means that the Luxome Weighted Blanket tends to trap heat. I wouldn't recommend it for overnight use in summer, or for hot sleepers, period, but the Luxome Weighted Blanket should suit most other sleepers.
Should I buy the Luxome Weighted Blanket?
Prices for the Luxome Weighted Blanket start around $155, though it's often listed for less as part of federal holiday discounts or site-wide sales. I'd say that's about the right price for this blanket, when you consider the premium fabrics and sleep science that go into making it.
$155 might sound like a lot to spend on a blanket, but I'd happily pay that price to get the Luxome Weighted Blanket at the end of it. I don't use it every night, but when I do, it helps me fall asleep quickly and deeply. Like I said, I suffer from sleep paralysis, and I haven't run into any problems with the Luxome Weighted Blanket. Still, anxious sleepers should proceed with caution, and anyone who struggles with claustrophobia should steer clear of weighted blankets altogether.
The price of the blanket increases with size, which makes sense: you're paying for more fabric and several thousand more glass beads. Still, I'd hesitate to purchase anything larger than the medium-sized, midweight Luxome Weighted Blanket, which hits the sweet spot between comfort and support at 15lbs. Anything lighter, and you won't reap the full rewards of a weighted blanket: anything heavier, and you might struggle to pull it over your body in the first place.
How we test weighted blankets
We put a lot of thought into how we test weighted blankets. It's more than a matter of sleeping on the job. Weighted blankets aren't just for the bedroom, anyway. I tend to use mine most in the living room, as I try to unwind at the end of the working day before heading to bed. We consider the distribution of weight within the blanket: how much pressure it exerts over your body, and how heavy it feels all bundled up.
The best weighted blanket should keep you just the right side of cozy and comfortable. You're looking for breathable fabrics that are soft to the touch. Some weighted blankets are machine-washable for quick and convenient cleaning, but I wouldn't say that's a prerequisite for blanket buying. If you're only using your blanket every so often, you could get away with washing it once a season.
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Before she joined Homes & Gardens, Emilia studied English at the University of Oxford, where she sharpened her critical writing skills. She also worked on the other side of the aisle writing press releases for regional newspapers and crafting copy for Sky. Emilia combines her business savvy with her creative flair as our eCommerce Editor, connecting you with the products you’ll love. When she’s not in the office, Emilia is happiest when entertaining friends al fresco or out in the country.
Kendall Jenner's minimalist living room 'fosters a sense of tranquility and cleanliness' that's always in fashion
A boucle sofa paired with white floors and walls makes for a serene and sophisticated space
By Hannah Ziegler Published
Courteney Cox's patio is the perfect extension of her luxurious mid-century modern living room
The actress experiments with artful style beyond her four walls, and experts say we should all follow suit this summer
By Sophie Edwards Published
Zendaya's decor masters the 'unexpected red theory' – a key 2024 color trend with a 'transformative effect'
The impact of a simple pop of color is amazing – 'and red is one of the most stimulating of all'
By Megan Slack Published | <urn:uuid:6ea113fd-7476-4596-986c-a91ed22e94cf> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.homesandgardens.com/reviews/luxome-weighted-blanket-review | 2024-04-14T23:37:59Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.939932 | 2,238 | 1.617188 | 2 |
The adventure world Katschi's children's world in the ski area Katschberg is ideal for the first turns of the little ones. The slopes reserved for children at Katschberg are particularly easy to ski on. This makes it easy for all families to bring their children closer to skiing.
Katschi's children's world is a slope where talking Katschi cartoon characters cheer on the young skiers as they ski down. The Mini-Jet pommel lift brings the children back up easily and safely after the descent. In addition, several children's ski schools offer courses at all levels of difficulty - so let's go to the children's adventure world and really enjoy the winter fun! | <urn:uuid:ca402e2c-c7eb-42e8-a1b4-efe13c427318> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.katschberg.at/en/childrens-world.html | 2024-04-15T00:27:25Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.952763 | 138 | 1.625 | 2 |
I definitely think the more you travel, the easier it gets when it comes to packing, but there are still challenges and I still wouldn’t consider it a quick task. While I’ve mastered , longer winded trips are a little trickier.
Having just come back from a week and a half in Italy, I wanted to share a few things I was grateful I had packed–aside from clothing–and what I wish I had brought in my suitcase.
(1) (AT LEAST) TWO PAIRS OF SHOES | Being able to switch out your shoes is golden, not only for occasion, but if you’re walking a ton and get blisters, the second pair will likely not be rubbing the same areas.
(2) NAIL POLISH | Painting my nails seems to be the last thing that happens before heading anywhere (I’m often doing them in the airport!), so having a bottle on hand for touch ups is gold. I brought with me to Italy.
(3) NAIL POLISH REMOVER | If you’re going for longer than a week, and it’s not a shellac mani, there is likely going to be some chipping. I like to bring just in case I have time to swipe on a couple of fresh coats so my hands are still looking fresh in photos.
(4) SOCKS | I’m not going to lie, I’m not a huge fan of socks; I rarely wear them but happened to pack four pairs for this trip and was thankful I did. First, it ended up being cold, and it was way nicer for tromping around the room of various hotels and AirBnB’s we stayed at. Secondly, again with the blisters, socks can be such a life saver.
(5) | Sometimes I’ll forgo my hair dryer (however, I have , that folds up & packs a punch, so I tend to bring it), but the curling iron is one hot tool I cannot live without. If you’re someone that uses one on a regular basis, it’s worth the weight in your suitcase.
(6) CANDLE IN A TIN | My girlfriend gifted me with a candle in a tin (in this scent) prior to our trip to Italy, which was so sweet. She said she always brings a candle to mask any hotel room smells, and I love the added bonus of creating a nostalgic scent from your trip!
(7) | If you’re anything like me, going from shower to dressing immediately is not your cup of tea, and I hate standing around in a towel that is constantly slipping down. This time, I packed one of my favourite, thin robes–which is something I wear everyday at home, so why had I never done this before?! It was perfect for slipping into after a shower before bed, or in the morning to do my make-up. It helped keep a relaxed vibe, in my mind, not having to rush to dress right away, and I like that. Bonus: it doesn’t have to be a super sexy one, but he will still think it is.
(8) | When I get home, the first thing I want to do is slip into comfy, but somewhat supportive clothing, if you know what I mean. I wore a sports bra on the plane, but totally forgot to pack a bralette, which would have made hotel life a lot more comfy and cozy.
(9) TWO TUBES OF YOUR | I lost the one tube I brought on our second day and ended up having to wear chapstick or lipstick for the rest of the trip #saynomore
So there are my top nine items I will be bringing from now on, whenever I travel on longer trips. I’d love to hear if you think I missed anything, or what your must-haves are for travelling! | <urn:uuid:6787d7fd-6496-4c2d-ae62-0a89513c3ccb> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.lifewithaco.com/2016/11/9-essential-items-to-pack-for-longer.html | 2024-04-14T23:00:06Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.969324 | 828 | 1.8125 | 2 |
The terms “off-label” and “unlicensed” are sometimes used when prescribing medicine. Many people will be unsure of what this entails.
In theory, there is no problem in a patient being prescribed something off-label. Generally speaking too, unlicensed medicines are also okay.
What is an off-label medicine?
Doctors are very experienced when it comes to mental health. They will have a lot of knowledge from other patients in their care – especially in terms of how medicines affect people.
A doctor can use their own knowledge and experience if they need to prescribe a medicine that perhaps isn’t conventionally used for the condition in question.
Off-label medicine: An example
For this hypothetical example, a doctor has a patient that has an Anxiety disorder. One of the main elements of their condition is that they are struggling to sleep at night.
The patient has tried medicines that are licensed for use on Anxiety – but it has not worked. So a doctor may choose to prescribe the antidepressant Mirtazapine (Remeron).
Mirtazapine is not licensed to treat Anxiety. However, Mirtazapine is known for its sedative-like effects. Therefore, the doctor may think that as Mirtazapine is an antidepressant – which is the class of drugs used to treat Anxiety – that also has sedative effects, that it would be perfect for this patient.
So when the doctor prescribes the patient Mirtazapine, they are doing so off-label. There is clear logic behind this approach, even if it isn’t the most conventional.
What is an unlicensed medicine?
An unlicensed medicine will typically be a medicine that does not have a license in the United Kingdom. However, it is licensed in another country that has stringent regulations on medicines.
Or in some cases it will be a medicine that has a license, but needs to be provided in a specialised formulation, such as a liquid. This would be different to the tablet formulation which would likely be licensed.
But put simply, the medicine that is going to be prescribed does not have a license for use in the United Kingdom – hence its name.
Unlicensed medicine: An example
In this hypothetical scenario, there is a patient that has Bipolar Disorder who desperately needs a mood stabiliser to help them manage their symptoms. The doctor tries to prescribe them Lamotrigine (Lamictal) – a mood stabiliser.
However, the patient cannot take tablets as they find they physically are unable to swallow the medicine. They automatically throw up any time they try to swallow it.
But as the patient desperately needs Lamotrigine. So the doctor decides to order a specialised liquid version of Lamotrigine. This is offered in a different country, but not in the United Kingdom.
The doctor believes that this will be worthwhile. It takes some time for the special liquid version to make it to the United Kingdom but it is eventually given to the patient.
For most people, medicines will be prescribed as intended. But when some patients present with special circumstances or have specific requirements, off-label or unlicensed prescribing can be useful.
The aim is to always ensure that the patient gets the best treatment possible. If this involves off-label or unlicensed use of medicines, then it is worthwhile.
- 10 Alternative and Complimentary Mental Health Treatments
- 10 Common Myths About Mental Health Medicines
- What Does It Mean if a Medicine is Prescribed “Off-Label” or “Unlicensed”
- What Should You Do If You Run Out of Medicine?
- Can I Buy Mental Health Medication Online? Is it Safe?
This website should be used purely for informational purposes, and does not intend to, nor should it ever, be used as a replacement for professional medical advice.
We strive to keep all of our pages updated, and ensure that our website is full of factual and in-depth information. However, we encourage you to browse this website with care.
As a reminder, this website and all content within it cannot and should not replace the advice of a trained medical professional. You can read our full disclaimer at this link.
If you are struggling with your mental health, help is available. With the right support and treatment, you can make a recovery. For information on helplines, or if you are in a state of crisis, please visit our crisis page by clicking on the relevant link for your geographical location (United Kingdom), (United States), (International). You can also see how to get mental health treatment and the process involved by clicking this link. | <urn:uuid:45efc5ad-6c5f-4a51-a301-0c534f1eb1aa> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.mentalhealthgeneral.com/what-does-it-mean-if-a-medicine-is-prescribed-off-label-or-unlicensed/ | 2024-04-14T22:50:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.945608 | 974 | 1.65625 | 2 |
In the last issue, we included an email from an online supervisee, Chris , to a supervisor in summarised form. I asked four online supervisors to respond to ‘Chris’ and their full replies are reproduced at the end of this article. Here is the original email from the Supervisee:
You will remember my client Jo, whom I brought to supervision a few weeks ago. I said at the time that I felt there was something that I wasn’t quite ‘getting’. Well, I have a horrible feeling that I am now discovering what it is and it’s leaving me not knowing quite how to handle it.
I think that the information that Jo gave on the intake form may be partly untrue – but I don’t know how much of it is or isn’t. For a start, I am pretty sure that the question about use of alcohol or non prescribed drugs was either a lie or way below the actual use – the answer said occasional alcohol intake with friends, and no drug use. In the last email, Jo was telling me about a night out and said:
‘As usual, the next morning I couldn’t really recall what had happened,…..’
… read the complete story ~ http://issuu.com/onlinetherapyinstitute/docs/tiltiss8/19
This article first appeared in the November 2011 issue of TILT Magazine ~ Therapeutic Innovations in Light of Technology.
Click here to read the entire PDF version of the Ethical Dilemma Online Supervision Special article. | <urn:uuid:d350c31d-f6fb-4cd7-acb7-78b46e3e8177> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.onlinetherapyinstitute.com/2013/05/22/ethical-dilemma-online-supervision-special/ | 2024-04-15T00:02:14Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.942896 | 349 | 2.015625 | 2 |
Creating a model scene for your model railway or any other kind of model scene is something that’s deeply personal. You’ll want to take an approach that works for you and that enables you to create exactly the scene you had in mind. That’s what we love about model building and designing and we know our customers feel the same. Find out more about what we can offer to customers here at Paignton Model Shop below.
A Wide Range of Railway Model Scenery
We have a wide range of railway model scenery available to buy here at Paignton Model Shop. No matter what you’re looking for or what kind of scene you’re looking to create, we’ll help you find the pieces and models that are right for you and what you’re trying to achieve.
We understand how personal model-making and scene building is, and we understand that our customers are often looking for very specific things. We have the stock and range available to us to help meet those needs. It’s why so many people come to us and trust us.
Kits and Pieces That’ll Help You Create the Scenes You Want to Create
Every scene is unique, and that’s what makes model railways so much fun and such a great hobby to be a part of. Our range of kits and models will enable you to create the scene that you have in your mind.
After all, turning those ideas into something real and tangible is the best part of building a scene. And it’s why so many people keep coming back to this hobby and stay engaged with it across years and decades. We’re proud to be a key part of that process for so many people.
Great Prices and a Friendly Welcome at Paignton Model Shop
When you come to us here at Paignton Model Shop, you can be sure that you’re going to be getting the best prices and deals possible, and that’s something we pride ourselves on. We do our best to pass on savings to customers where possible.
As well as that, you can be sure of getting a friendly welcome and plenty of help and assistance when you need it. We’re just as passionate about models and scenery as you are, there’s no doubt about that.
We’re Here to Help
If you’re not sure what you’re looking for or need some help with making a purchase for your model scene, we’ll be more than happy to assist you with that. As we’ve said, we’re passionate about models too and we know the hobby inside out. And it’s that experience and expertise that enables us to assist our customers so well.
So if you’re looking for something to add to your model railway scene and you want to make sure it’s just right, don’t hesitate to drop by Paignton Model Shop or contact us today. You should have no trouble finding the model scene kits and pieces that are right for you. You can call us on 01803 555882 or send an email to [email protected] if you want to contact us. | <urn:uuid:29b75234-644f-444b-a567-8dd1ce393445> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.paigntonmodelshop.com/index.php/?k=:27:::0 | 2024-04-14T23:00:20Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.947669 | 668 | 1.585938 | 2 |
World’s Largest Supermarket Rejects Lamb Mutilation
Mulesing is a barbaric procedure in which Australian farmers use gardening shears to carve chunks of skin and flesh from the lambs’ backsides in a crude attempt to create smoother skin that won’t collect moisture and attract flies. But the exposed, bloody wounds often attract flies before they heal, or they become infected. Many sheep who have undergone the mulesing mutilation still suffer slow, agonising deaths from flystrike. PETA and its affiliates have lobbied for the Australian wool industry to require all sheep farmers to control flystrike with humane methods – such as breeding for a bare breech, spray-washing and more frequent monitoring of sheep – that are already being used by some farmers.
To thank Tesco for helping to end this cruel practice, PETA has sent them a vegan cake emblazoned with the image of a sheep. You can be a flock star by urging the Australian government to outlaw mulesing today. | <urn:uuid:af330038-fc25-4b08-9f6b-743debc79aa3> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.peta.org.uk/blog/worlds-largest-supermarket-rejects-lamb-mutilation/ | 2024-04-14T22:56:56Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.939668 | 208 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Dogs named Nona tend to be loving, strong-willed, and hard-working. This feminine name is also associated with companionship.
Naming your dog Nona suggests that you have a strong connection to family and tradition. It could also suggest that you have a strong sense of loyalty and love for those close to you.
Nona has two syllables, which is highly recommended by dog trainers. The name also ends in a vowel sound, so it's easy for dogs to recognize. Nona isn't one of the most common names, so your dog will certainly stand out. If you love the name, you should pick it!
Nona is not a popular dog name. That's great if you like to stand out from the crowd!
Nona was, in the past month, the 2925th most viewed dog name on PupNames.com.
As of April 2024, Nona is becoming ever more niche with new puppy owners. Our stats suggest that the name is less fashionable than it was at this time last year.
We've seen quite a lot of variation in rank for this name, which may suggest seasonal factors or interest driven by pop culture events.
In the past week, Nona was viewed 24 times, and liked 1 times.
The map below shows Nona's popularity across the United States, according to PupNames data.
As you can see, this name is not particularly common across the United States.
And this world map shows which countries have the greatest love for the name Nona.
Most popular breeds named Nona:
- Shiba Inu
- Cocker Spaniel
- German Shepherd
Nona is found in these categories:
In Roman mythology, Nona is the goddess of pregnancy. | <urn:uuid:bdab1fb4-7321-4bc8-bd98-663cd67d8f6e> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.pupnames.com/dog-name/nona | 2024-04-14T23:55:59Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.962232 | 403 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Springfield is surrounded by communities that help make up the fabric of the Ozarks. Nixa, just south on U.S. 160, is certainly one worth visiting.
“There is a hidden secret that many people are finally beginning to realize — and traveling from all over to experience — and that is our shopping and dining experiences here in Nixa,” said Chris Russell, executive director of the Nixa Chamber of Commerce. “We encourage people to share their experiences while shopping and dining in our city on social media by using the hashtag #experienceNixa.”
Dining at D’Arpino’s Piccolo Contemporary Italian Restaurant in Nixa, Missouri.
This bedroom community that exudes a modern, energetic vibe is filled with restaurants sure to please any foodie. D’Arpino’s Piccolo Contemporary Italian puts a new spin on traditional Italian cuisine, and Japanese food fans can have an exciting meal in front of a hibachi grill at Hinode Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi. Your personal chef puts on a show while cooking hibachi-style noodles, vegetables, shrimp tasters and fried rice with your choice of protein.
Homemade Poptart at Morning Day Cafe
The expanded Morning Day Cafe is a farm-to-table gem that sources as many products as possible from local producers. Housed in a 113-year-old building, the restaurant’s colorful decor, kitschy salt and pepper shakers and friendly staff add charm to the tasty food. The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is known for its made-from-scratch savory breakfast menu.
Recently named the grand champion of the 32nd Jack Daniel’s World Invitational Barbecue Championship, Gettin’ Basted has locations in Nixa, Springfield and Branson. Enjoy some sweet southern hospitality and delicious smoked meats when you stop in for lunch or dinner.
Big Whiskey’s, a franchise that got its start in Springfield, is another popular dining spot, and there are many others ranging from mom-and-pop pizza joints to names you’ll recognize.
Related Post: Visit Bolivar & Polk County
Shopping abounds in Nixa from large retailers to locally owned stores that enhance Nixa’s small-town charm. For a sense of Nixa’s farming community roots, shopping at Nixa Hardware and Seed Store is a must. Operating since 1899, the independent hardware store offers everything you expect, such as tools and plumbing supplies, to items you wouldn’t expect, such as beekeeping supplies, cowboy boots, wood stoves, equine supplies, cattle medication and more. Shoppers also can get advice from a beekeeper, electricians, plumbers and others who are happy to share their expertise.
Outdoor Home in Nixa, Missouri
Outdoor Home is a popular store known for grills, smokers, outdoor furniture and especially The Big Green Egg. Many versions of this popular grill and Eggcessories are available, including seasoning and sauces. Stop by at 10 a.m. on a Saturday for cooking demonstrations followed by samples.
Shopping in Nixa, Missouri
At The Attic Antiques & Treasures, you’ll find everything from brand new furniture to antiques and collectibles. The store features a number of booths that rotate items throughout the year. During each visit, you’ll always find something new or different.
A growing community, Nixa is full of amenities such as beautiful parks, golf and disc golf courses and a variety of events.
Related Post: Only In Ozark
Nixa blends past with present when it comes to events and attractions that draw crowds year-round. The town’s most well-known event is Nixa Sucker Days Music, Arts and Crafts Festival set for May 19-22. This event started as a fish fry in 1957, with suckers provided by anglers who snagged them from local rivers and streams. Some of the fish are still grabbed by locals, but the event has evolved into more than a fish fry, with two stages for live entertainment, food trucks, a beer garden, kids’ rides and more.
For a fireworks display like no other, check out the Sky High Fireworks Celebration at Nixa High School stadium around the Fourth of July.
Learn more about Nixa at nixachamber.com or through the Experience Nixa app available for download in the App Store or Google Play Store. | <urn:uuid:d5de93e9-61f6-4b39-ab77-77f59398a7c3> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.springfieldmo.org/blog/post/experience-nixa/ | 2024-04-14T23:29:26Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.937691 | 962 | 1.578125 | 2 |
California’s “statute of frauds” requires that a deed that transfers title in real property must be in writing. The parties to a grant deed are the grantor, the owner, and the receiver of title, the grantee. With a quitclaim deed the owner transferring the property is commonly called the “quitclaimor.”
Many falsely believe only the act of recording a deed transfers title and if not recorded the deed is ineffective. There are times when an effective deed is not recorded. To determine the effective transfer of title by deed one must determine if the deed was “delivered” and “accepted.”
A deed does not transfer title to the grantee until it has been legally delivered. “Delivery” is a term of art. First year law students struggle to learn about “delivery” as stemming from the feudal days when lords transferred possession of land by “livery of seisin” by giving a clump of dirt to the grantee. The actual transfer or delivery was necessary to effect the transfer. However, today delivery is dependent on “livery of seisin.”
Delivery is a question of intent. A valid delivery of a deed depends upon whether the grantor intended that it should be presently operative. Delivery does not mean the physical act of transmitting the deed to the grantee. Delivery refers to the intention of the grantor that the deed be presently operative and the grantee becoming the legal owner.
Acceptance is a question of intent. California law requires that not only must “delivery” occur the deed must also be accepted, which refers to the grantee’s intent. The grantee must have the intention to become the legal owner of the property.
Usually delivery and acceptance do not come up, except in unusual circumstances. Such an unusual case came up when deeds were prepared for a trust that had not been created.
In Luna v Brownell (2010) 185 CA4th 668, the settlor of a trust (the father) prematurely transferred his interest in the home he owned to the trust that he had not yet created. On August 6, 2006, the settlor’s children, who owned a 75% interest in the home, executed a deed which conveyed their interest in the home to the trustee of the settlor’s forthcoming trust. On August 13, 2006, the settlor executed a deed which transferred his 25% interest to his forthcoming trust. On August 29, 2006, the settlor executed a trust which named himself as trustee. The settlor passed away shortly afterwards on September 19, 2006 and a week after that the children filed suit against his estate.
One of their arguments was that the deed from them to their father’s trust was void because the trust was not in existence when the deed was executed. This argument was rejected by both the trial court and the court of appeal because case law from other states held that such transfers are permitted. Those cases held that the transfer is valid between the parties but is void against third-parties. The result was that the deeds executed by the children to their father’s trust were valid.
The Court in Luna v Brownell stated in part as follows:
“A deed does not transfer title to the grantee until it has been legally delivered.” (3 Miller & Starr, Cal. Real Estate (3d ed. 2000) Deeds, § 8:36, p. 66, fn. omitted; see also Civ.Code, § 1054 .) “Delivery is a question of intent.” (Osborn v. Osborn (1954) 42 Cal.2d 358, 363.) “A valid delivery of a deed depends upon whether the grantor intended that it should be presently operative, and a manual transfer is not conclusive evidence of such intention.” (Huth v. Katz (1947) 30 Cal.2d 605, 608.) Although physical delivery of a deed raises an inference that the grantor intended to immediately transfer title, that inference may be overcome by evidence showing a contrary intent. (Helm v. Hess (1955) 131 Cal.App.2d 251, 254.) The trier of fact must determine intent by reviewing all of the surrounding circumstances of the transaction. (Perry v. Wallner (1962) 206 Cal.App.2d 218, 221 (Perry ).) “Where there is substantial evidence, or where an inference or presumption may be drawn from the evidence to sustain the court’s finding of delivery or nondelivery, the finding will not be disturbed on appeal.” (Ibid.)
In addition, acceptance by the grantee is necessary to make a delivery effective and the deed operative. Whether the deed was accepted by the grantee so as to complete a transfer of title to him is likewise a question of fact for the trial court.” (Perry, supra, 206 Cal.App.2d at p. 222.)”
If you have a California probate matter or questions regarding a deed transfer of real property and wish to gain more information please contact me. From my office in Southern California, I represent families in all California courts, including Southern California counties, including Imperial County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, others spread across the state and interested parties outside California.
To schedule a consultation, call me toll free at 800-575-9610 or locally at 760-989-4820. I enjoy meeting in person whenever possible, but am also available via Skype or through my online contact form.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general information. The content of this publication is for informational purposes only. Neither this publication nor its author is rendering legal or other professional advice or opinions on specific facts or matters. No attorney-client relationship is created by this advisory, nor by any response to the information herein, unless and until a conflicts review has been conducted by William K. Sweeney, and a written agreement containing all terms of representation has been signed.
Copyright © William K. Sweeney, Attorney at Law. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:07b90e0b-5bd7-4ce5-9501-8b4c36f44c96> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.sweeneyprobatelaw.com/real-property-deed-in-california/ | 2024-04-14T23:52:44Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.955759 | 1,280 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Attire restriction sparks student protest
The students of Chittagong Nursing College yesterday protested the authorities' decision to strictly enforce the institutional dress code during class time.
The agitators demanded that they should be allowed to wear "scarf" (hijab), but the authorities said it was inconsistent with the dress code and therefore not permissible.
At least 50 students putting on scarves staged the demonstration in front of the college's main entrance.
They reasoned that wearing a headscarf was one's personal choice.
Principal of the college Hosne Ara Begum however said that when a student was under an institution, she would have to abide by the rules of the institution.
The protesting students said the teachers got them out of the classroom if they wore scarves.
Eleven students were made to leave the classroom yesterday, said Maimuna Akter, a first year student of the college, which has about 400 students.
She also said, “We requested the director of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) to allow us to work in the hospital with scarf but he rejected it.”
Brig Gen Fashiur Rahman, director of CMCH, said he would not allow any nursing student to work in the hospital, who was not maintaining the dress code.
“I had a talk to the director of the Directorate of Nursing Services (DNS). He told me that the DNS would not allow any student violating the dress code."
He also said the students came to study in the nursing college after knowing about the dress code. "So why they have been so crazy to wear hijab?" | <urn:uuid:88076e71-8d6f-4eb9-bac0-6cf518e56585> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-240693 | 2024-04-15T00:13:29Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.975747 | 337 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Minke whale excrement is "worth its weight in gold" as it plays an important role in fertilising phytoplankton and thereby reducing the cetacean's carbon footprint, according to a Norwegian study.
For the first time, researchers from the Norwegian Institute for Marine Research have studied the concentration of nutrients in whale excrement before it is dissolved in seawater.
"It can sound disgusting, but for the ecosystem it's worth its weight in gold," researchers said in a statement Thursday.
"The idea is simply that the faeces fertilize the sea in the same way that cows and sheep do on land," they continued.
The researchers analysed the excrement of minke whales harpooned by whalers -- as Norway is one of few countries allowing the commercial hunting of these cetaceans.
The some 15,000 whales that migrate each summer to the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard in the Arctic release some 600 tonnes of excrement on the surface of the water each day, at a rate of about 40 kilograms (88 pounds) per animal.
According to the study, the daily excrement releases about 10 tonnes of phosphorus and 7 tonnes of nitrogen into the oceans, nutrients that are essential for the growth of phytoplankton -- microscopic algae that absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and convert it into oxygen.
The scientists concluded that the minke whale excrement contributed to between 0.2 and 4% of daily phytoplankton production in the Arctic Svalbard region.
"The real contribution of whales is probably higher because these estimates do not include urine, which is very rich in nitrogen," research leader Kjell Gundersen told AFP.
Each minke whale -- an animal weighing 40-50 tonnes as an adult that feeds by filtering large quantities of water -- releases "several hundred litres of urine" per day.
"If there are fewer whales, there is a risk that there will be less fertilisation of the ocean," Gundersen said.
"More phytoplankton production also means more CO2 is absorbed," he added.
"This is positive for the climate," he noted, "but we don't know the net balance of whales in terms of greenhouse gases" because cetaceans also emit methane when they breathe.
This question, which is still largely unexplored, will be the subject of a European study that will start in June and last four years. | <urn:uuid:5f854f14-10c5-46c1-86a5-a1a8eebc698a> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/norway-study-highlights-whale-excrements-role-in-ecosystem/article66493109.ece | 2024-04-15T00:30:28Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.946201 | 513 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Two huge explosions tore through an industrial area where toxic chemicals and gas were stored in the northeast Chinese port city of Tianjin, killing at least 44 people, including at least a dozen fire fighters, officials and state media said on Thursday.
At least 520 people were injured, more than 60 of them seriously, the Tianjin government said on its Weibo microblog, and the People\’s Daily newspaper said four fires were still burning.
Wednesday night\’s blasts, so large that they were seen by satellites in space, sent shockwaves through apartment blocks kilometers away in the port city of 15 million people. Internet videos showed fireballs shooting into the sky and the U.S. Geological Survey registered the blasts as seismic events.
Vast areas of the port – the 10th largest in the world – were devastated, crumpled shipping containers were thrown around like match sticks, hundreds of new cars were torched and port buildings left as burnt-out shells, Reuters witnesses said.
China Central Television had earlier put the death toll at 17. Tianjin authorities later said 12 firefighters were among the 44 killed.
Industrial accidents are not uncommon in China following three decades of breakneck economic growth. A blast at an auto parts factory in eastern China killed 75 people a year ago when a room filled with metal dust exploded.
The state-run Beijing News earlier cited Tianjin fire authorities as saying they had lost contact with 36 firefighters, and that another 33 were among the hundreds of people being treated in nearby hospitals.
The official Xinhua news agency said 1,000 firefighters and more than 140 fire engines were struggling to contain a blaze in a warehouse that contained "dangerous goods".
"The volatility of the goods means the fire is especially unpredictable and dangerous to approach," Xinhua said.
Several fire trucks had been destroyed and nearby firefighters wept as they worked to extinguish flames, the Beijing News reported.
President Xi Jinping demanded that authorities "make full effort to rescue and treat the injured and ensure the safety of people and their property".
Xi said in a statement carried by official media that those responsible should be "severely handled".
Anxious residents rushed to hospitals to seek news about injured loved ones. Dozens of police guarded the entrance of the TEDA hospital, a Reuters witness said.
Pictures on Chinese media websites showed residents and workers, some bleeding, fleeing their homes. Xinhua said people had been hurt by broken glass and other flying debris.
A Reuters witness said gray clouds of smoke billowed above the blast site and several trucks carrying paramilitary police – wearing masks to protect them from potentially toxic smoke – headed to the area.
The blasts shattered windows in buildings and cars and knocked down walls in a 2-km radius around the site. Photographs on news websites showed burned-out cars inside a multi-story car park at a logistics base at Tianjin Port.
Video posted on YouTube from what appeared to be an apartment building some distance from the scene showed an initial blast followed by a second, much bigger, explosion. Shockwaves hit the building seconds later.
"Our building is shaking. Is this an atomic bomb?" said a frenzied voice inside. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeXBME2YVQo)
Despite the devastation, the port was operating normally, a port official said. Tianjin port is the gateway to northern China\’s industrial belt.
Xinhua said the explosions, the first equivalent to 3 tonnes of TNT and the second to 21 tonnes of TNT, ripped through a warehouse.
It identified the owner of the warehouse as Tianjin Dongjiang Port Ruihai International Logistics. The company\’s website said it was a government-approved firm specializing in handling "dangerous goods". Company officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
According to an assessment by government environmental inspectors published in 2014, the facility was designed to store several dangerous and toxic chemicals including butanone, an explosive industrial solvent, sodium cyanide and compressed natural gas.
CCTV said at least one person at a "relevant company" had been detained.
People react near a street after a blast at Binhai new district, in Tianjin municipality, China, August 12, 2015. REUTERS | <urn:uuid:00a5dea0-2e25-4c28-9e07-86550b686dbb> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.timesofearth.com/2015/08/13/huge-explosions-rock-tianjin-in-northeast-china/ | 2024-04-15T00:03:50Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.967312 | 897 | 2.328125 | 2 |
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Published: October 2nd 2009
Finally got a few Mozambique pics loaded. It's strange, we spent almost a month in Mozambique and didn't take very many photos. We really did just hang out with Martina and get rested up from our previous adventures. Once again, we'd like to thank Martina for opening her home and heart to us and putting up with us for so long. We really had a great time with her and miss her alot.
Mozambique is really just opening up to tourists. They were at civil war for so long. That's been over for 10 years now, but their infrastructure was completely torn away. Roads and bridges are just now being re-built. Burned out tanks removed, etc. They've been working on their unexploded land mine situation for several years now and have that under control. That was not in the area we were in, but we did see alot of people, and children too, missing feet and either one or both legs. It was a really bad problem for farmers and their families when they obtained some land and started to plow or dig and would hit a mine.
I've never seen electricity lines like that either. In Vilanculos, the
Indian Ocean Mozambique
lines were on a tall pole just like at home, but when the electricity went out, a guy with a really long pole would come around and trip a breaker looking thing at the top of every pole until the power came back on in that area. Then in Tofo, the electric poles were only about 6 ft. high because they don't have bucket trucks or ladders so they put everything down where they can stand on the ground and work on it. It's kind of scary seeing a big transformer 6 ft. off the ground instead of 30ft.
If you're ever going through Tete we highly recommend a little lodge called "Sundowners". The rooms were very nice and very affordable, the food was good and the owner even drove us to the bus station the next morning.
We're in Malawi now, Aaron's very favorite place, and I must say I understand why it's called "The Warm Heart of Africa". It's true, the poorest people are the ones that are the friendliest and the most helpful. We've been here 3 weeks already and plan to stay another month, so our Malawi entry will be a big one.
Until next time,
Catamaran at Sunset
take care. We've enjoyed hearing from all of you, please keep it up.
Carolyn & Aaron
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The Kvarken Archipelago is not just about sea and islands. Here you can experience culture in an archipelago style.
When the summer arrives to the archipelago towards the end of June, the islanders celebrate the traditions and organise a rowing contest with wooden mail boats. The archipelago museums reveal how the rising land has affected the locals’ lives and how fearless seal hunting trips the islanders made to the sea ice during the winters. You could also take a twirl on the dance floor at Molpe’s summer dance or enjoy the art at the Art Gallery Arte Mare.
The event calendar also shows you the events of the winter time. During the winter, you could attend to Lucia parade in the Christmas time or the family events of the skiing holiday or see the Easter’s bonfires.
Experience the archipelago nature in Terranova
In Ostrobothnian museum’s natural science exhibition Terranova you can experience the nature of the Kvarken archipelago in the middle of the city. You can see and hear the birds, pat a seal on the head and look into a virtual aquarium, teeming with fishes of all sizes. Read more about Terranova here. | <urn:uuid:f35d1aee-9f4d-47cf-8a7a-c9558452940c> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.vaasa.fi/en/see-and-experience/the-kvarken-archipelago-world-heritage-site/experience-kvarken/to-see-in-the-kvarken/experience-the-archipelago-culture/ | 2024-04-14T23:20:09Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.919667 | 255 | 2.171875 | 2 |
“Gamification makes about as much sense as chocolate-dipped broccoli,” said Adrian Segar at Conferences That Work. A controversial statement, perhaps, because effective gamification exists but, most of the time, it’s applied poorly.
For example, associations have been pushing leaderboards, passports, and scavenger hunts at virtual conferences to get attendees to visit exhibitors. The problem with this type of gamification is the same one you see with gamified online learning. The underlying program—the expo hall or online course—is designed poorly, so no amount of gamification is going to help.
A virtual expo hall that offers a display of exhibitor logos, downloadable marketing collateral, and a text box chat is a yawn for everyone no matter how much you try to gamify it. A few people might play along, but they aren’t usually qualified leads for the exhibitors. They’re just in it for the prizes. This type of gamification doesn’t help attendees, exhibitors, or the association meet their goals.
The difference between learning games and gamification
Don’t confuse gamification with learning games. Learning games immerse people into a learning journey. They feature scenarios depicting real-life situations and give participants repeated opportunities to apply what they’re learning. Game mechanics, like points and badges, may support that experience, but they’re the icing on a well-designed, compelling learning cake, er, journey.
Gamification isn’t an evil practice. When done well, the principles of gamification can enhance the learning experience. But too often, gamification is applied poorly, which is why researchers compare it to chocolate-covered broccoli. Without a strong, underlying design, gamification is a waste of everyone’s time.
The potential problems with gamifying online courses
Gamification relies on extrinsic motivation. The promise of external rewards, like ranking or points, is supposed to motivate participants. These extrinsic rewards can work in the short-term, but the novelty of grabbing points soon wears off and no longer feels meaningful.
Intrinsic motivators, however, lead to deeper engagement than extrinsic motivators. When a learner is intrinsically motivated by feelings of mastery, purpose, and belonging, they’re driven to get the most out of the course.
Understand why you want to use gamification. Is it because it seems like an “innovative” thing to do? What value will it add to the learning experience? We’re big fans of digital badges because they serve as visual proof of a learner’s mastery of competencies, but gaming badges and points mean nothing to the outside world. They merely add clutter to the learning experience. They’re a distraction from the learner’s goal, which is not to get points but to acquire knowledge and skills.
Before using gamification, you must understand your target audience’s motivations and preferences. Competition makes the heart beat faster for some people. It spurs their interest temporarily. But other hearts are beating faster because competition makes them anxious. They rather avoid ranking and judgment, and will resent having to participate.
Some people think gamification is a bit of fun injected into a serious undertaking. Others think it’s gimmicky. Know your audience before deciding to inflict gamification on everyone.
Leverage behavioral science like a game developer
You can apply the principles of gamification to your online course design and delivery without relying on game mechanics.
An extrinsic motivator, like the dangling carrot of a potential pay raise, may drive a learner to your online course, but it won’t provide the internal push they need to persevere when the going gets tough. How can you intrinsically motivate participants so they stay hungry for learning?
Tap into these intrinsic motivators:
• Autonomy: the desire to control your destiny.
• Mastery: the desire to improve skills and develop expertise.
• Purpose: the desire to do something meaningful.
• Belonging: the desire to feel part of a group or community.
Games are based on stories, usually a hero’s journey. The hero encounters and overcomes challenges as they make their way toward their date with destiny. Design online courses that use scenarios, case studies, and exercises to put learners into a story where they have to assess the situation, make decisions, and emerge victorious. Let them practice autonomy while learning so they can better apply their new competencies in the workplace.
Let learners feel mastery as they solve problems. Help them understand how to apply what they’re learning and have those “aha” moments when they see all the pieces connect. Provide feedback and progress reports on their journey toward mastery. These dopamine hits give them the same feel-good emotions that games do.
Interactive videos provide a sense of progress within a learning module. Add polling or questions at key points in the videos to encourage learners to keep paying attention and help them see how well they’re comprehending information.
Upon successful completion of the course, recognize their excellence. Find ways for them to feel personal satisfaction for a job well done. Provide proof of their mastery of the competencies taught, if it’s appropriate, with a digital badge.
Reaffirm their sense of purpose by showing them the path forward from here. Suggest next steps, certificate programs, and learning pathways they can follow.
Like a well-crafted game, learning is more enjoyable when done in the company of others, where a learner can discuss, share, debate, and banter with their peers. Learning can and should be fun. A happy brain is a more receptive brain.
A well-designed course doesn’t need the ornamentation of gamification. Build behavioral science principles of gaming into the design of your online course, and learners will be intrinsically motivated to succeed. | <urn:uuid:56937ce5-68da-49c7-b5c8-2561b0cd3b98> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.wbtsystems.com/learning-hub/blogs/gamification-motivation | 2024-04-14T23:06:55Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.93995 | 1,245 | 2.28125 | 2 |
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No wonder he suddenly asked about the five major sects. It turned out that people from the five major sects were nearby!
Sect Leader Luo looked at Qi Peijia with murderous intent in his eyes and walked slowly over!
Qi Peijia’s face turned very ugly!
“You dare to kill my disciples from the five major sects. Our five major sects must avenge this revenge!”
After speaking, Sect Master Luo shouted to hundreds of disciples from the five major sects, “Everyone stab him with a sword, for your senior brother Revenge…”
Hundreds of disciples from the five major sects were all filled with righteous indignation!
Qi Peijia was stunned. He wanted to die, but he didn’t want hundreds of people to be stabbed to death! 🄼.𝙫🄾𝘿𝙩🅆.𝙡𝓐
Qi Peijia was very scared, but there was nothing she could do!
He knew the consequences of resistance would be a worse death!
A disciple from the five major sects came over and gave Qi Peijia a sword!
Then one by one came forward, and Qi Peijia was reduced to a puddle of rotten flesh in the end!
Qi Peijia died, but it was not David who killed him, he was tricked to death!
“Fellow Taoist, I’m really sorry. I misunderstood you before…”
Sect Leader Luo stepped forward and said to David!
David didn’t reply, but looked at Hai Dafu and others with deep hatred in his eyes!
David wished he could kill these guys right away!
But now he is not a match for the five major sects. If these people join forces, David is still not sure!
What’s more, he came to find Jishi, so revenge can only be postponed!
However, David must avenge himself. If he finds a suitable opportunity, he will take action without hesitation!
After David finished speaking, he turned around and left, with Lan Yingying following behind!
“Sect Master Luo, I’m afraid this kid’s value is not lower than that of the place where the immortal fell. This is a century-old tribute from the Demon Sealing Alliance.”
Hai Dafu stepped forward and whispered to Sect Leader Luo!
“You still want to use his life to seal the Demon Alliance in exchange for a hundred years of worship?”
Zongzhu Luo gave Hai Dafu a cold look!
When Hai Dafu saw this, he shut his mouth, while Sect Leader Luo chased David!
“Hmph, you are just a fool to waste a lot of resources.”
“It seems that we have to take action in advance. We can just catch this David and go to the Demon Sealing Alliance in exchange for rewards.”
Hai Dafu said to Sect Master Yue Talk to Sect Master Yang!
“Yes, let’s start first. Didn’t Sect Master Na Luo say that as soon as we leave the five major sects, he won’t stop us from attacking David?”
“We are testing the situation later. If Sect Master Na Luo really doesn’t care, , you can let him live longer, if he blocks it, kill him first.”
Sect Master Yue said coldly!
“Yes, just do it!” Sect Leader Yang also nodded!
Only the leader of the Chen Sect, Chen, remained silent that day, with a very complicated expression on his face!
At this time, David had already brought Lan Yingying back to the cave!
Binglu was surprised when she saw Lan Yingying like that. She thought it was David who had used force on Lan Yingying!
“Don’t look at me like this. I didn’t do this. Find her some clothes quickly!”
David saw Binglu’s strange look and hurriedly explained!
Binglu found some clothes for Lan Yingying to put on, and then asked, “Sister Yingying, what’s wrong?”
Lan Yingying lowered her head and didn’t speak!
In fact, Lan Yingying felt very guilty for indirectly killing two saints!
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have the shame to stay!
“Why are they following?”
David frowned and realized that people from the five major sects were following!
Davidyuan originally wanted to avoid them, but he didn’t expect these people to follow him all the time!
David walked out of the cave and saw Sect Master Luo walking to the entrance of the cave!
“Sect Master Luo, why are you following me?”
David asked angrily.
If Sect Leader Luo hadn’t helped him out of trouble when he was in the five major sects, David would have been angry by now! | <urn:uuid:f34b2235-ccbc-4074-92b3-0b8b16c39862> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://xperimentalhamid.com/novel/action/a-man-like-none-other-novel-chapter-3788/ | 2024-04-15T00:40:45Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816904.18/warc/CC-MAIN-20240414223349-20240415013349-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.971482 | 1,127 | 1.828125 | 2 |
I have never been in the middle of a natural disaster until last month. For those who were affected, it is very much a difficult time. What has greatly surprised me is the extent to which Southern Alberta has been able to address numerous issues regarding the recovery. Already, Calgary has its electrical grid up and running and the Stampede will go “hell or highwater’. The resiliency of Alberta at this time is truly impressive. Short term, this is a very serious situation but in 6-8 months, I fully expect us to be in a fully operational mode. Although the news articles I post in the short term can be challenging for readers, always keep the faith that this economy is one of the strongest in the world. Our actions and abilities in rising up speak for us and not even a flood can stop the momentum we have.
Success is not a straight line and no matter what happens, we will get through this. For those of you in Calgary, please visit www.nenshi.ca as something to keep in mind this coming October. A vote is a way of saying thank you for the tremendous leadership Mayor Nenshi has shown to us at this time. | <urn:uuid:f2bace97-98a5-4b51-99a0-f5f0225db02f> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | http://www.greatestboomever.com/flooding-update-for-july-2013/ | 2024-04-16T08:12:08Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296817073.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20240416062523-20240416092523-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.974333 | 243 | 2.046875 | 2 |
In 1928, Thomas Winston Briggs, a Memphian, founded the Welcome Wagon Company. From its modest beginnings in the Mid-South, the company grew to become Welcome Wagon International with its corporate headquarters in Memphis and offices in New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Canada and London, England.
Welcome Wagon became a household word throughout the world and its 8,000 Hostesses were a familiar symbol of community service and friendship. The Welcome Wagon Hostesses made more than one million home visits per year welcoming new families to their communities and visiting others during special occasions. These visits were sponsored by 100,000 businesses and included gifts and messages from the sponsors along with helpful information about the community, its services and organizations.
Women always played an important role at Welcome Wagon. A principal leader and guiding force in the development of the company, Executive Vice President, Rosanne Beringer, was second in command of the organization for thirty years. Following the death of Thomas Briggs in 1964, she succeeded Mr. Briggs as Chairman and President and efficiently ran the company until she retired in 1972. Welcome Wagon visits still continue through Welcome Wagon Canada. Welcome Wagon in Canada was founded in 1930 and was led to its present level of success by Pauline Hill, who first became a Hostess in 1953 and advanced to be head of the company as CEO. (1962-1990)
Throughout his life, the interests of the community were always foremost in the mind of Thomas W. Briggs. The needs of the community helped guide his business, the Welcome Wagon Company. “Work first to serve your community, and your business success will follow,” was a theme Briggs often repeated to the people he worked with.
Those ideals were also the basis of the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation which was chartered by Briggs in New York in 1957. He died in 1964 and by the terms of Briggs will, a large portion of his estate was bequeathed to the Thomas W. Briggs Residuary Trust for the benefit of 69 individuals. Most of the beneficiaries were long-standing members of the Welcome Wagon organization and under his will received income for life from the Trust. The will also provided that at the death of a beneficiary, his or her prorated share of the Trust’s assets be transferred to the Foundation, thereby assuring the growth and perpetuation of the Foundation. The foundation moved to Memphis in the 1980’s.
The Foundation Today
The Trust was terminated in 2017; the remaining two beneficiaries received their portion of the assets and the balance was transferred to the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation. Its directors are committed to honoring this legacy in the community. They consider it a privilege and responsibility to continue the community interest Mr. Briggs fostered. Each year, the Foundation makes substantial gifts to numerous non-profit agencies in Memphis. | <urn:uuid:13a2eb81-8eb9-449a-9e3a-873fe5172b03> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://briggsmemphis.org/history/ | 2024-04-16T07:39:09Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296817073.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20240416062523-20240416092523-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.983359 | 582 | 1.898438 | 2 |
By Betty Gandee
A local boy was Speaker of the House for a day. Gavin Nichols attends West Virginia State University and took part in the mock legislature at the state’s capital on April 26, 2018. The groups day started at 8:45 a.m., and was a major learning experience.
After meeting with speaker Tim Armstead, the mock session began. This was Gavin’s chance to show the leadership skills he has been learning. The group had a meeting with Mr. Armstead following the mock session where several things were discussed. The main points addressed included how he came to the decision to not run for election again. He also touched base on the flood that struck Clay and Kanawha county in June 2016. Armstead, being from Clendenin, is passionate about the relief efforts in these areas and the future rebuilding. The group had the privilege of enjoying lunch with a legislator and finished their day by touring the capitals cultural center.
Gavin says that he took a lot away from this opportunity. A lot was learned about Speaker Armstead, like how he was the minority leader and his goals previously were to block or stop legislature from happening, but when Republicans became the majority he became the speaker and roles switched to him trying to pass legislation. “I was able to speak with him about how to better connect with people as I begin my professional career and ways to make a lasting impact on people.” Gavin expresses how he believes that this was a great learning tool and that he really enjoyed the opportunity to sit on the panel and believes that it will benefit his professional resume greatly. | <urn:uuid:a5ca276d-4ceb-4da4-b78c-48613ecdd8ec> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://claycountyfreepress.com/news/cc-top-stories/nichols-speaker-of-the-house/ | 2024-04-16T08:29:54Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296817073.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20240416062523-20240416092523-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.992279 | 329 | 1.664063 | 2 |
Please join us on Saturday, October 19th, 12 – 3 PM, for a casual event with popular local ceramist, Lotus. Drop in to chat with the artist and learn more about her work and grass-roots approach to building the clay community in Houston. Many of you may be familiar with her widely exhibited sculptural and functional pieces, including the popular skull and vegetable collections. But did you know Lotus has been teaching ceramics in Houston for 16 years? From private lessons to graduate-level courses, she has made her mark as an instructor in the Gulf Coast region. She’s now taken this a step further with the opening of Third Coast Clay, a ceramics studio specializing in pottery-wheel lessons for beginner to advanced levels.
Lotus explains the source for her inspiration: “I am constantly stimulated by the world around me and feel compelled to translate it into a way that I can share with others. Functional work is inspired by objects I use myself or would like to use. My figurative, sculptural works become conglomerations of my encounters, sprinkled with the kind of nervous energy persisting in present day America.”
Above: “Skull Flask” by Lotus, ceramic. Photo by HCCC. Lotus at work on the wheel. Image courtesy the artist. | <urn:uuid:65ba6cef-5ce5-4ab4-a245-4265506e11e6> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://crafthouston.org/event/asher-gallery-artist-chat-with-lotus/ | 2024-04-16T07:36:18Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296817073.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20240416062523-20240416092523-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.966164 | 268 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Lawyers and families of Egyptian political activists imprisoned for issues related to disturbing the country’s security, most notably belonging to a banned group or spreading false news, demanded their release after periods of pretrial detention that exceeded two years.
They have criticised the conditions of their imprisonment and the fact that it is complicated to visit. These calls coincide with International Human Rights Day.
Over the past week, the Egyptian authorities released a few hundred people who participated in rare demonstrations against Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in late September. The prosecution also ordered the release of the deputy leader of the Strong Egypt Party, Mohamed al-Qassas, amid human rights demands to release more activists, and then rearrested him.
The families of some of the imprisoned activists used social media to broadcast their complaints and appeals, criticising the continued imprisonment of their relatives, in light of the lack of serious steps towards changing their conditions.
The wife of the Egyptian activist Shadi al-Ghazali Harb broadcast a tragic video on Facebook recounting what she and her children are suffering because of her husband’s imprisonment for more than a year and a half on charges of spreading false news that would affect the national security of the country, and joining a group that was established contrary to the provisions of law and the constitution.
In the video clip, Dr. Fatima Murad complained that thousands of families are suffering, stating they are “without sin, except that they loved their country.”
“Whoever imagines the situation will continue like this. Is there a sane person who thinks that life will continue like this for the country in general or for the detainees and their families? Who can imagine this situation is easy, or [that the] humiliation of detainees and their families is good for Egypt?” Murad asked.
“Who wrote this life for us? … Do you think that no one will reach you? And if we are all silent, there is a God above all, especially with the prayers of the oppressed… everyone who participated in the crime of bulldozing the country, selling it, starving it, ignorance and disease will pay the price.”
Shadi is a medical school professor and political activist whose name was associated with the January revolution. He joined the Constitution Party founded by Mohamed ElBaradei for a period of time in May 2018.
Shadi was arrested for his opposition to al-Sisi after supporting the June 30, 2013 demonstrations that ended in the dismissal of the late President Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood.
His wife said: “The thing that made me explode was the advice of people [that I stay silent] so that Shadi would not be harmed. I feel terrified because I am the only family for my children after him, but I have the right to express my pain. I may have touched on political matters, but I just wanted to scream and say how I feel.”
She pointed out that she lives between hope and anxiety after the video was broadcast, demanding the release of all detainees.
“The official authorities will respond that there are no detainees and tell them that pretrial detention is a legal arrest… the first question that [comes to] me when visiting Shadi in prison is: is it criminal or political?”
The court released Shadi a few months ago, but the Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) appealed against the decision, and the court reimprisoned him.
Osama al-Ghazali Harb, one of Shadi’s uncles, demanded that President al-Sisi release him in a televised meeting last month, saying that he was never a member of the Brotherhood and held views opposed to them.
Osama al-Ghazali Harb is a political science professor appointed by al-Sisi years ago to head a presidential amnesty committee that specialises in raising the cases of political prisoners with the president and security agencies in preparation for decisions about who will be granted amnesty.
The Human Rights Committee in the Egyptian Parliament says that there are between 25,000 and 30,000 detainees in pretrial detention in Egypt, while human rights organisations, including the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, say in their estimates that there are more than 60,000 political prisoners in the country.
A few days ago, Al-Zahraa Mahmoud Hussein, the daughter of Al-Jazeera journalist Mahmoud Hussein, asked the Attorney General for an explanation about why her father had been incarcerated for nearly three years.
Al-Zahraa wrote on her Facebook page: “We are close to completing three years of oppression, arbitrary detention, and a court order to release and then [he was reimprisoned] before returning home. Our trips to Tora Prison have become a bitter routine, and what is the reason? Tell me, Mr. Attorney General?”
Hussein has repeatedly denied accusations leveled at him by the prosecution, of participating in a plan to create chaos in Egypt by broadcasting false news.
The authorities recently allowed Hussein to go out to the funeral of his deceased father and was then returned to prison.
Over the past 10 days, the SSSP released about 700 of those arrested following rare and limited demonstrations against al-Sisi in Tahrir Square and several other areas around the country.
An amendment to the Criminal Procedures Law, introduced in 2013, allowed for more than two years of pretrial detention, with the accused being renewed every 45 days, which sparked widespread human rights criticism.
A few days ago activists on social media started a virtual campaign to send solidarity messages by mail to those imprisoned in Egyptian prisons, and published the postal addresses of several Egyptian prisons.
Some of those involved in the campaign said that it aims to make the conditions of prisoners known and that they are not alone, and that their freedom is a priority. | <urn:uuid:c84553fd-2d3e-46ab-915b-fd94ef2d18d2> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://egyptwatch.net/2019/12/17/renewed-calls-for-the-release-of-pretrial-prisoners-in-egypt/ | 2024-04-16T07:06:01Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296817073.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20240416062523-20240416092523-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.971912 | 1,205 | 1.9375 | 2 |
Last Updated on February 2, 2023 by Derek
The most favourite flower in many countries is the Rose. There are many varieties of the rose flower and it comes in all shapes and sizes. Different countries also have their own favourite flowers. For example, the most favourite flower in Japan is the Cherry Blossom.
It’s difficult to pick just one favorite flower, but many of us can’t seem to make a decision. In fact, we can’t even settle on a favorite breed. In this article, we’ll list some of the most popular flowers around the world and in the United States.
What are the top 10 most popular flowers?
- Orchids (Orchidaceae)
- Roses (Rosa rubiginosa)
- Daisies (Bellis perennis)
- Snapdragons (Antirrhinums)
- Calla Lilies (Zantedeschia)
- Gerberas (Gerbera jamesonii)
- Daffodils (Narcissus poeticus)
- Sunflowers (Helianthus)
- Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
- Tulips (Tulipa)
Flowers are one of the best ways to decorate a home or office, and there are thousands of species to choose from. While some are more popular than others, most people are familiar with the more common varieties. Flowers are also great gifts for special occasions.
Many people use flowers as tokens of love and when visiting a friend or family member. Aside from being a great way to express your feelings, flowers are also a great way to bring happiness into your life.
Marigold flowers are very common, and they come in a wide variety of shades. Marigold flowers are yellow, orange, or gold, and some even have maroon outlines.
The marigold is known as a symbol of light and is associated with the sun. The marigold is also said to have positive meanings, but they can also symbolize death and grief in some cultures.
Sunflowers are easy to grow and are considered a symbol of loyalty. Sunflowers are commonly found in a variety of colors and are often used in floral arrangements. They’re often given as a gift and are known as the 30th anniversary flower.
Other popular flowers include begonias, which are prized for their intricate leaf patterns and bright colors. Many species of begonias flower from spring until late fall and provide stunning displays of color. Some species have large, bushy flowers while others have delicate petals.
What is the most common flower in the world?
A flower may be the most common in a country, but not everyone knows what it is. There are several different species of flowers and a few are more common than others. These flowers may look similar, but their beauty is entirely different. Some are very rare and some may even be extinct in the wild.
The most popular flower in the world is the rose. Roses are the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day or anniversaries, as they symbolize passion and love. They are also associated with peace and harmony. Aside from these obvious uses, flowers also hold a special place in human civilization.
What is the most popular flower in the United States?
There are several different kinds of flowers in the United States, but roses tend to be the most popular. A sunflower is a close second, and the daylily is the least popular.
Some flowers are more popular in warm climates, while others do better in cold climates. But there is one flower that isn’t on this list: the gerbera dais.
While the rose is widely considered the national flower, the most popular flowers vary greatly by state. A study by mail-order gardening company Breck’s analyzed data from Google Trends to determine the most popular flower in every state.
The team considered search volume data from the past year and the past 90 days to see which types of flowers were most popular in each state.
While roses have many varieties, the Red Rose is the most popular. They are used in weddings and on special occasions, like anniversaries, as a symbol of love and gratitude. They also come in many colors, and are useful for making perfumes.
List the most popular flowers to give
When it comes to flowers, list making is a great way to help narrow down your options and make your gifting experience go smoother. Most people like to find solutions and to narrow things down. Whether it’s a new flower to your friend’s daughter or a new flower to your grandmother, list making will help you make a great impression.
Many people choose flowers based on their appearance, as well as the personal taste of the recipient, but you should also consider the meaning behind the flower
. Some flowers have been associated with specific sentiments for centuries, and your gift will be more meaningful if the recipient knows about that meaning. Some of the most common flowers are roses, tulips, and peonies, which have meanings as varied as love, friendship, and sadness.
Daisies are popular because they symbolize purity, rebirth, and springtime. They also have a light scent that will brighten up a room. Sunflowers are another popular choice and are symbolic of a long life and good luck. They are also often given to friends or people in need of healing.
100 most popular flowers names
There are about four million species of flowers. Many are common and some are exotic. Some grow only in a few specific countries, while others live in jungles and remote areas. They grow in a variety of climates and conditions, making knowing their names a great help in the world of flowers.
Flower names first gained popularity in England during the Edwardian era. By 1914, Ivy, Violet, Lily and May were among the most popular names. By 1974, only Heather and Iris remained popular, and only one of these two species has a male name. But this didn’t mean that flower names were dead.
While some people choose to call their child after a flower, other names are more unusual. Some resemble the names of mythological figures, such as the nymph Narcissu
s. For instance, Yarrow is a strong herb that blossoms into a beautiful yellow flower. It is also Arabic in origin, and means blossoming. In Islam, the name Zahir means fragrant flower.
What is the second most popular flower in the world?
The second most popular flower in the world is the sunflower. Sunflowers are large and bright plants that are native to the Americas. They are named for the sun and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Despite their native origin, sunflowers are now grown around the world.
Sunflowers grow very tall and are known for their yellow and black colors. They are a symbol of hope and a new beginning, and they are grown for their beauty. Sunflowers are strong, decorative flowers that stay fresh for four to six weeks. Sunflowers are widely available from SnapBlooms.
How many types of flowers are there?
The answer to the question, “How many types of flowers are there?” depends on how you classify flower species. Some sources claim that there are 250,000 to 400,000 species of flowering plants on Earth.
Nevertheless, there are likely thousands more not listed on the official lists because they are similar to each other. This makes it nearly impossible to compile a list of every flower species. Nonetheless, some biological compendiums have attempted to do this.
The parts of a flower are categorized according to their structure and function. The outer part of a flower is called the calyx, while the inner part contains the petals and sepals. Then there’s the androecium, which consists of stamens and pistils.
Flowers have evolved to attract animals and to produce pollen. In turn, the pollen will develop into a fruit that contains seeds. They have long been used by humans to beautify the environment. They are also objects of romance and ritual. Not only that, but they also serve as sources of food and medicine.
20 most popular flowers in Japan
There are many flower festivals and exhibitions in Japan. While sakura flowers are popular in spring and summer, you’ll find other beautiful flowers that bloom in other seasons
. Here are some of the most popular flowers in Japan. Some flowers are native to Japan, while others are imported from Europe. Whether you’re buying a flower for a special occasion or looking for a gift for a loved one, you’ll find a variety of beautiful blooms in Japan.
Wisteria is a purple-and-white flower that can grow up to 20 meters. It is commonly associated with the Mediterranean, though you can also find large fields of it in Japan, particularly on Hokkaido.
Lilies are another popular flower in Japan and have different meanings depending on the color. For example, white lilies are considered a symbol of purity while orange lilies are considered to be a sign of hatred.
While the majority of flowers are used for religious purposes, some people use flowers as a way to express their feelings. A lotus flower, for example, is used to express pure feelings to loved ones. Its large flowers and floating leaves represent a symbol of love and purity. | <urn:uuid:44e7c5fa-ce66-4ea3-a641-826c7fb868d3> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://essentialgardenguide.com/what-is-the-most-favourite-flower/ | 2024-04-16T08:28:24Z | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296817073.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20240416062523-20240416092523-00899.warc.gz | en | 0.964745 | 1,966 | 1.625 | 2 |
Close your eyes and imagine strolling hand-in-hand with a Swedish woman along the charming streets of Stockholm. As her laughter fills the air, you’ll realize there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to dating these extraordinary women from Northern Europe.
Their magnetic charisma effortlessly blends with intelligence and independence, making them irresistible companions who can challenge your mind while stealing your heart. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable experience where every moment is laced with excitement.
What Are Swedish Women Like?
When it comes to discussing the beauty and appearance of people from a particular country, it is essential to approach the topic with sensitivity and respect for diversity. Sweden, known for its progressive values and inclusive society, is home to women who embody various looks that reflect their rich cultural heritage.
- Diversity In Appearance
Sweden’s population comprises individuals from different ethnic backgrounds, including Nordic, Baltic-Slavic, Middle Eastern, and African diaspora communities, among others. Consequently, Swedish girls exhibit unique physical attributes ranging from fair complexions with light eyes and hair colors like blonde or red to darker skin tones complemented by brown or hazel eyes.
- Natural Elegance
Many Swedish girls are renowned for their natural elegance – a sense of effortless style that transcends trends. Their fashion choices often embrace simplicity yet showcase impeccable taste through clean lines and quality materials. Scandinavian minimalism inspires many Swedes’ wardrobe choices, as they opt for neutral color palettes accentuated by bold accessories or pops of vibrant hues.
- Fitness-Oriented Lifestyle
Physical fitness is integral to many Swedes’ lives due to their strong emphasis on leading healthy lifestyles. Engaging in outdoor activities, such as skiing during winter months or enjoying long walks along picturesque landscapes, contributes significantly towards maintaining not just physical but also mental well-being – an aspect reflected in the radiant glow found amongst many Swedish girls.
When it comes to getting to know someone from a different culture, exploring their unique personality traits can be an exciting journey. Beyond their stunning looks and renowned warmth and intelligence lies a treasure trove of distinctive characteristics that shape these amazing individuals.
Swedish girls are well-known for their commitment to gender equality in all aspects of life. Raised in one of the most egalitarian societies globally, they possess strong beliefs regarding equal opportunities and fair treatment for everyone, a trait deeply ingrained within them since childhood.
Self-assuredness is another notable attribute among Swedish girls. They embrace individuality without hesitation, exuding confidence both inside and outside relationships. This quality not only makes conversation with them engaging but also fosters an environment where mutual growth thrives.
Embracing diversity is second nature to Swedish women who have grown up in multicultural environments due to Sweden’s welcoming stance towards immigrants over the years. Their open-minded attitude allows for easy adaptation when encountering new cultures or perspectives – an invaluable asset in today’s interconnected world.
Swedish girls possess exceptional communication skills rooted in honesty, transparency, and directness – highly valued by those seeking meaningful connections online or offline. They value effective dialogue as a means of building trust while promoting emotional intimacy throughout any relationship.
Most Common Stereotypes On Swedish Women
Stereotype 1: Did Blondes Have More Fun? Not so Fast!
One prevailing stereotype about Swedish girls is their supposed obsession with being blonde bombshells. While it may be true that many Swedish women rock stunning golden locks, let’s remember that hair color does not define an entire nation of inspiring individuals.
Stereotype 2. Independent & Fierce – Oh Yes!
Another common stereotype suggests that all Swedish girls are fiercely independent go-getters who don’t need anyone else in their lives to feel complete. Sure, they value autonomy and self-sufficiency highly (which is awesome!), but just like any other group of people around the world, everyone has unique desires when it comes to companionship.
Stereotype 3. Open-Mindedness Beyond Compare
Swedish girls often get labeled as incredibly open-minded beings who fully embrace unconventional ideas without batting an eyelash, from alternative lifestyles to diverse cultural experiences! It’s essential to acknowledge individual differences while appreciating Sweden’s progressive society as a whole.
Stereotype 4. Tall Goddesses or Simply Confident?
Height seems to take center stage when discussing Scandinavian beauties; however, height alone doesn’t determine confidence or attractiveness in real-life connections between two souls seeking love.
Qualities That Make Swedish Women Good Wives
When it comes to finding an ideal life partner, there are certain qualities you all seek – kindness, loyalty, intelligence, and a sense of humor. But what if a group of women possessed these traits in abundance? Enter the Swedish women – they are not only stunningly beautiful but also possess unique qualities that make them exceptional wives.
One cannot overlook the fact that Swedish girls have been ranked as some of the happiest people on earth multiple times by various studies! And happiness can be contagious, having such radiant energy around you every day surely contributes positively to any relationship!
In addition to being intelligent conversationalists, Swedish girls often possess excellent problem-solving skills due to growing up amidst high-quality education systems that emphasize critical thinking abilities from an early age – an invaluable asset during challenging moments encountered throughout married life together.
Moreover, Sweden’s natural landscapes provide ample opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking or skiing – which many Swedes enjoy partaking in regularly – with potential spouses benefiting greatly from shared adventures, enhancing the bond between them.
An aspect that sets Swedish girls apart is their environmentally conscious mindset. This characteristic often translates into a sustainable lifestyle, influencing decisions regarding everything from transportation to food choices and even parenting styles, creating an eco-friendly home environment for future generations.
Lastly, Swedish women have a distinctive sense of style that combines simplicity with elegance effortlessly. Their fashion-forward approach is reflected in both their personal appearance and how they choose to decorate their homes, aesthetics which can significantly contribute to creating a cozy atmosphere within married life together.
Top Destinations To Meet Swedish Women In Sweden
Sweden is known for its beautiful landscapes, vibrant cities, and attractive people. If you are interested in meeting Swedish women, there are several popular destinations where you can increase your chances of finding a potential partner or starting a romantic connection. From the bustling capital city to picturesque coastal towns, here are some places worth considering.
Stockholm: The Capital Charm
Stockholm is not only the capital but also one of the best places to meet Swedish women. This cosmopolitan city has a diverse population and offers numerous opportunities for socializing and dating. Head to trendy neighborhoods like Södermalm or Östermalm that have lively bars, clubs, and cafes frequented by locals and tourists alike.
Gothenburg: A Vibrant Coastal City
Located on Sweden’s west coast, Gothenburg combines urban charm with stunning seaside views, making it an excellent place to meet Swedish women who appreciate both culture and nature. Stroll along Liseberg Park or visit Haga district’s quaint streets lined with charming cafes where you might strike up conversations effortlessly.
Malmö: A Multicultural Melting Pot
The southern city of Malmö boasts cultural diversity due to its proximity to Denmark through the Øresund Bridge, connecting them both physically as well as culturally. Explore Möllevångstorget Square during summer when street markets come alive; this area attracts many young Swedes looking for new experiences while enjoying international cuisine at food trucks.
Gotland Island: Paradise Vibes
For those seeking more relaxed settings away from big cities’ noise, Gotland Island presents itself as an ideal destination. With its pristine beaches and medieval architecture, especially Visby town, Gotland Island allows visitors to enjoy tranquility while keeping open possibilities about running into Swedish girls attending various festivals held throughout the year.
Where to Meet Swedish Women Online?
Looking to connect with charming Swedish women online? Dating websites are a great place to start your search. These platforms provide an opportunity for like-minded individuals to come together and form meaningful connections.
When choosing a dating website, consider those that cater specifically to the Scandinavian or European market, as they will have a higher likelihood of introducing you to potential partners from Sweden.
Remember, it’s essential to create an authentic profile that showcases your interests and values while being respectful towards others’ cultures and backgrounds. So, dive into the world of online dating websites – who knows where it might lead!
How To Date a Swedish Woman?
So, you’ve set your sights on a Swedish woman? Well, get ready for some Viking-level dating adventures. In this section, I’ll spill the beans on how to woo those stunning Swedish girls and make sure you’re well-prepared for an epic romance in the land of ABBA and meatballs. Let’s dive right into it!
Dos And Don’ts Of Dating a Swedish Woman
- Be respectful, and polite and show genuine interest in her culture.
- Plan fun activities like outdoor adventures or cultural experiences together.
- Dress well, as Swedes appreciate a clean and stylish appearance.
- Give her space to express herself and listen actively when she talks.
- Don’t rush physical intimacy.
- Don’t be overly assertive or dominating.
- Don’t criticize Sweden or its values.
Dating Etiquettes or Guestures Appreciated in Sweden
Every country has its own set of customs and etiquette when it comes to dating. In Sweden, known for its progressive mindset and egalitarian society, locals appreciate some unique gestures. Understanding these cultural nuances can help you easily navigate the Swedish dating scene.
In Sweden, casualness is valued in relationships, and this is reflected in dating as well. A common way to start dating someone is through social circles or mutual friends rather than formal introductions or online platforms.
When going out on a date in Sweden, splitting the bill between partners (or taking turns) is a widely accepted practice unless one party insists otherwise explicitly beforehand.
Respecting Personal Space
Swedish girls value personal space and privacy; therefore, maintaining appropriate physical distance until familiarity develops would be appreciated. Avoid excessive physical contact like hugging or kissing unless your date indicates they’re comfortable with it. Give them enough room to feel at ease during conversations without invading their personal bubble
Non-Exclusivity At Early Stages
While exclusivity may vary depending on individual preferences, couples tend to keep their options open during the initial stages of courtship before deciding if they want an exclusive relationship.
Discussing Expectations Clearly
Having clear conversations regarding intentions, future plans, and boundaries ensures transparency within the partnership leading to better understanding between partners.
Equality Is Key
One key aspect of Swedish dating etiquette revolves around equality between partners. Swedes highly value gender equality, so it’s important to treat your date as an equal partner rather than assuming traditional gender roles. This means splitting the bill on dates or taking turns paying for activities.
Possible Challenges When Dating a Swedish Woman
If you’re lucky enough to find yourself attracted to a Swedish woman, there are a few challenges you might encounter along the way. From cultural differences to communication styles, here are some possible hurdles that could arise when dating Swedish girls.
Reserved Nature: Breaking The Ice
Swedish women tend to have a reserved nature initially, making it important for you as their potential partner to take charge of breaking the ice. Be prepared for some initial shyness or aloofness, but once comfortable with each other, they open up like beautiful flowers blooming under the Nordic sun.
Equality Matters: Gender Roles
Sweden is known for its commitment towards gender equality, and this extends into relationships too! You may need to adjust your expectations of traditional gender roles while dating Swedish women because they value independence and equal partnership rather than conforming solely to societal norms.
Direct Communication: Saying It As It Is
In Sweden, people often prefer direct communication without any sugarcoating or beating around the bush – something that can catch non-Swedes off guard occasionally! So, don’t be surprised if your date expresses her opinions frankly; she’s just being true to herself!
Things To Avoid When Dating a Swedish Woman
If you’re interested in dating Swedish women, understanding their unique cultural values and preferences is essential for building successful connections. Here, I will explore some common pitfalls that should be avoided when dating Swedish women.
Overdoing The Chivalry Act
While chivalry has its place in every relationship, going overboard might only sometimes impress your date if she’s a modern-day Swede accustomed to egalitarianism. Although many Swedish women can still appreciate gestures like holding doors open or pulling out chairs, avoid being too formal or overly traditional unless explicitly requested otherwise.
Limited Conversation Topics
Small talk might work well initially, but delving deeper into engaging topics would demonstrate a genuine interest in your date’s thoughts and opinions. Avoid discussing trivial matters such as weather or superficialities about Sweden alone.
Instead, talk about shared hobbies, personal aspirations, and global issues. This way, you’ll foster intellectual stimulation while creating strong emotional bonds simultaneously.
Rushing Physical Intimacy
Building trust takes time, regardless of where you are from; rushing physical intimacy may convey impatience and a lack of respect for your partner’s boundaries. Swedish women appreciate taking things slow, allowing the connection to grow naturally before progressing physically.
Should I Expect a Language Barrier With a Swedish Woman?
When it comes to Swedish women, you may encounter some language barriers. While many Swedes speak English fluently, not all do, and this can vary depending on the individual. However, English prevalence among Swedish women is generally high due to their excellent education system and exposure to English media.
To cope with any potential communication challenges, try using translation apps or learning a few basic phrases in Swedish as a gesture of goodwill and effort. This shows your willingness to bridge any gaps in understanding and can make the conversation more enjoyable for both parties involved.
Key Phrases And Expressions In The Swedish Language
If you’re dating a Swedish woman, impressing her with some key phrases in her native language can go a long way in showing your interest and effort to connect with her culture. Here are some useful Swedish phrases that will surely make an impression:
- Hej (Hey) – A simple greeting that shows friendliness.
- Hur mår du? (How are you?) – Asking about her well-being demonstrates care.
- Du är vacker (You are beautiful) – Complimenting her appearance is always appreciated.
- Jag tycker om dig (I like you) – Expressing your feelings directly conveys sincerity.
- Vad vill du göra ikväll? (What do you want to do tonight?) – Planning activities together shows initiative.
What Leisure Activities Are Popular Among Swedish Women?
Nordic Nature Nurturers
Swedish girls are renowned for their love affair with Mother Nature. Many embrace outdoor pursuits like hiking through breathtaking forests or taking serene strolls along picturesque lakeshores. They find solace in exploring Sweden’s stunning landscapes while reveling in fresh air and tranquility.
Innovation runs deep within Swedish culture, inspiring countless artistic endeavors among its lovely female population! You’ll often discover talented painters capturing life on canvas or imaginative craftswomen meticulously knitting beautiful garments infused with personal flair.
Don’t be surprised if you meet a fitness-obsessed Swede who can effortlessly conquer any workout challenge thrown her way! These incredible ladies adore staying active; you might spot them joyfully partaking in everything from invigorating cross-country skiing adventures to intense CrossFit sessions at local gyms.
Empathy shines brightly within every community-minded Swedish woman looking to create positive change around her surroundings – whether it’s volunteering at shelters, organizing charity events, or spearheading sustainable initiatives that benefit society as a whole.
How to Know If a Swedish Woman Likes You?
While every individual is unique, some cultural cues might help decipher whether a Swedish woman has developed an interest in you. Let’s delve into these subtle yet significant signs that could indicate she likes you.
- Genuine Interest In Your Background
Swedish girls value genuine connections and tend to express their curiosity about your life story. If she actively engages in conversations regarding your background, hobbies, or experiences with a sincere desire to understand who you are as a person, this could be an encouraging sign of her developing affection.
- Increased Eye Contact And Smiling
Eye contact plays a crucial role in non-verbal communication among Swedish girls. When interacting with a Swedish woman who likes you, notice if she maintains steady eye contact during conversations while occasionally flashing warm smiles at appropriate moments – these gestures often signify her growing attraction towards you.
- Active Engagement Through Communication Channels
In Sweden’s tech-savvy society, where online communication prevails, active engagement via messaging platforms indicates potential interest from her side. Pay attention if she initiates conversations frequently or responds promptly with enthusiasm; such behavior suggests that she enjoys talking to you and values building emotional connections outside physical encounters.
Tips On How To Impress Her Parents
When it comes to impressing the parents of your Swedish love interest, understanding their culture and values is key. With these unique tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating an unforgettable first-time impression.
- Show Respect For Traditions
Swedish families often hold dear their cultural traditions and customs. Take some time to learn about important holidays or festivities in Sweden, such as Midsummer or Lucia Day. Showing genuine curiosity and appreciation will demonstrate that you value their heritage.
- Bring a Thoughtful Gift From Home:
A small token representing your own country’s culture would make an excellent gesture during this initial meeting. Avoid overly expensive gifts but instead opt for something personal yet meaningful, such as local delicacies, distinctive crafts, or even a photo book showcasing beautiful places in your homeland.
- Demonstrate Good Manners At The Dining Table
Whether invited for dinner at their home or out at a restaurant, familiarize yourself with basic etiquette. Swedes appreciate politeness, and observing proper table manners like waiting until everyone has been served before eating, eating slowly, and expressing gratitude after sharing meals will leave behind a positive impression.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Are The Roles of Swedish Women in Swedish Society?
Swedish women challenge traditional gender roles. They have the freedom to pursue their careers and education, with equal opportunities for both men and women. Swedish women actively participate in politics, business, science, and other fields traditionally dominated by men.
They strive for equality and work towards creating an inclusive society where everyone’s voices are heard. Swedish girls also prioritize family life while maintaining their independence and autonomy.
Are Swedish Women Religious?
Swedish women, like many people in Sweden, tend to have a more secular approach to religion. While some may identify with certain religious beliefs or practices on an individual level, overall, the country has seen a decline in religious affiliation and attendance. Swedish society values personal freedom and autonomy when it comes to matters of faith.
What is the Average Fertility Rate In Sweden?
According to the World Bank’s most recent data from 2021, the average fertility rate in Sweden was approximately 1.7 births per woman. The fertility rate among Swedish girls may differ due to various factors such as socio-economic conditions, education levels, cultural norms and values, access to healthcare services, availability of family planning methods, government policies on reproductive health, and age at marriage.
Are Swedish Women Educated?
Sweden has a strong focus on education and gender equality, which has resulted in high rates of female participation in higher education.
Numerous studies have shown that girls consistently outperform boys academically at both primary and secondary levels in Sweden. This emphasis on education for both genders contributes to Sweden’s overall reputation for having a well-educated population.
Are Swedish Women Good At Cooking?
From traditional Swedish delicacies like meatballs and cinnamon buns to international cuisine with their own twist, these ladies know how to tantalize taste buds.
With their exceptional culinary skills passed down through generations, you can expect mouthwatering meals that will leave you craving for more. So, prepare your palate for a gastronomic adventure because Swedish girls take the cake when it comes to cooking.
Are Swedish Women Good Lovers?
Swedish women are renowned for their captivating beauty, intelligence, and open-mindedness. Their vibrant personalities and progressive attitudes toward relationships make them exceptional lovers. Swedish girls prioritize communication and understanding in intimate connections, allowing partners to express themselves freely without judgment or reservation.
They possess a unique combination of sensuality and loyalty that enhances the bond between two individuals. With an adventurous spirit, they approach love with enthusiasm, always seeking new experiences to keep the relationship exciting and fulfilling.
Are Swedish Women Open To Dating Foreigners?
Swedish women are known for their open-mindedness and adventurous spirit, making them very receptive to dating foreigners.
They appreciate diversity and enjoy learning about different cultures, which makes dating someone from another country an exciting prospect. As long as there is mutual respect and genuine connection, Swedish girls are more than willing to explore romantic relationships with people from around the world.
Is It Common For Swedish Women To Raise a Child Without Her Partner?
Sweden has one of the highest rates of single-parent households in Europe, and it is socially accepted for women to choose this path if they wish. The country provides strong social support systems such as affordable childcare, parental leave policies, and financial assistance that enable women to successfully navigate parenthood independently.
How Does Maternity Leave Work For Working Mothers In Sweden?
In Sweden, working mothers are entitled to 480 days of paid maternity leave. The first 390 days are paid at approximately 80% of their salary, while the remaining 90 days are paid at a flat rate. It is common for fathers to take parental leave, and they can share up to 240 of the total allocated days with the mother.
At What Age Do Most Swedish Women Get Married At?
The median age for first marriages among women was around 33 years old. This trend suggests that Swedish girls are focusing more on education and career-building before tying the knot.
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