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Angry over our successful lawsuits curtailing access to "free" music, and now aging into positions of influence, the Napster Generation embraces a philosophical argument against copyright, based on the notion that intangible goods are not scarce.
Intellectual Space establishes a new paradigm allowing intellectual works to be understood and analyzed in the same manner as physical objects; showing them to be scarce, rivalrous, and rightful property; while exposing the fallacy in the anti-copyright argument.
A Brief History of Digital Piracy (Our Public Relations Nightmare)
Copyright has been the law of the land for over 300 years. Whether ignorant or defiant of the law, by the turn of the 21st century millions of mostly young people were using peer-to-peer sites like Napster to illegally copy and distribute song files. While copying a recording had always been a technical possibility, ever since Edison's wax cylinder, the advent of digital media and the internet made copies perfect, easy, and extremely cheap.
Successful copyright-infringement lawsuits were brought by the music industry against Napster, other file sharing sites, and against individuals. Now deprived of access to free music, disappointment among music fans was predictable. The visibility of the court actions highlighted our enforcement power under copyright law, consequently allowing the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), record companies, and successful artists to be portrayed as bullies. Music had a public relations problem on its hands.
To address the public relations issues, the RIAA created public service ads promoting the concept that "copying is theft". This memorable slogan seems morally self-evident to us in the music business. If I have created a piece of music, why should someone else be allowed to exploit it without my permission? Aren't property rights in intellectual works a settled matter? Unfortunately, in the minds of the Napster Generation, the answer is no.
War for the Mind of Napster Generation
While legal battles have been won, the philosophical war is not over. Books such as Stephan Kinsella's "Against Intellectual Property" offer ammunition to a Napster Generation eager to defend their iPods full of pirated songs. Kinsella, a patent attorney, denounces all of intellectual property - copyright, patent, and trademark – as allegedly being unnecessary and morally unjustifiable.
Kinsella first does an admirable job of explaining the rationale for property rights in general. Physical goods like land, food, and manufactured items are scarce and rivalrous. That is, goods are limited in abundance. The use of something by one person interferes with use by another. Both of us cannot farm the same one plot of land, nor eat the same one apple.
Because physical objects are scarce and rivalrous, human conflict over their use is inevitable. To avoid conflict, we need a system of property rights. "Property" is a legal construct allowing us to decide who may use a given resource, while excluding others.
But according to Kinsella, intellectual works are not scarce:
[I]f you copy a book I have written, I still have the original (tangible) book, and I also still "have" the pattern of words that constitute the book. Thus, authored works are not scarce in the same sense that a piece of land or a car are scarce. If you take my car, I no longer have it. But if you "take" a book-pattern and use it to make your own physical book, I still have my own copy.
Such intangible goods are allegedly "free goods", and "super-abundant ", like a "magically-reproducing lawnmower", so disputes cannot arise over their use. Therefore, Kinsella concludes, there is simply no justification for intellectual property.
Our legal actions forced music consumers to begin paying for music they had become accustomed to getting for free. Many were also led to consider the moral and philosophical basis for copyright law, an uncomfortable task for those with devices full of downloaded content. Meritorious or not, it is hardly surprising that Kinsella's anti-copyright argument finds support in the general public. More troubling is that Kinsella's thesis has apparently been persuasive to creative types as well.
Copying is Theft! Or . . . is it?
Nina Paley is the writer-director of the animated feature "Sita Sings the Blues". After being made to pay a significant license fee for songs used in her film, Paley became an anti-copyright activist and "artist in residence" at QuestionCopyright.org. She has penned the song "Copying is Not Theft". Her lyric expresses the anti-copyright argument succinctly:
Copying is not theft
Stealing a thing leaves one less left
Copying it makes one thing more
That's what copying's for
Copying is not theft
If I copy yours you have it too
One for me and one for you
That's what copies can do
If I steal your bicycle you have to take the bus
But if I just copy it there's one for each of us!
Paley is right. "Theft", synonymous with the common law crime of larceny, means taking and carrying away something rightly owned by another, with the intent to permanently deprive. Copying a song file neither carries away the original, nor deprives the owner of listening.
Our Problem Persists
We can see there is a problem here. Copying does not appear to be theft. Intellectual works can be duplicated without limit. The anti-copyright "non-scarcity" argument seems to have merit, at least superficially. Meanwhile the RIAA is characterized as a greedy leviathan tyrant. The Napster Generation, many of whom now reject intellectual property per se, are a decade older, and gradually aging into positions of influence.
Are we right or wrong? Is there a philosophical justification for the copyright law we enforce? If so, what is it? And if intellectual property is justified, then what is the fallacy in our opponent's position? And most importantly, how to we communicate this to the Napster Generation?
Artists Will Starve! Or Will They? And So What If They Do?
Our recent efforts at addressing the copyright debate have focused largely on what could be called a "utilitarian" argument: How could the creators of books, music, films, and video games possibly earn a living if others were allowed to copy the work? Nobody is going to finance any large entertainment project absent copyright protection. Without the profit motive, entertainment would be reduced to amateurs and perhaps a handful of philanthropic ventures. Counter-arguments regarding "alternative business models" notwithstanding, the utilitarian reasoning is powerful and persuasive. We should continue to bang the utilitarian drum.
However, the utilitarian argument does not appeal to everyone. Many in the Napster Generation lean somewhat libertarian in their political thinking. Do the manufacturers of buggy whips or slide rules have a right to make a living? Is copyright merely a coercive tool of the state, used to prop up a dinosaur entertainment industry that should be allowed to fail, or remake itself and adapt to a changing world? That is how many see it. For them, copyright must be argued and justified in philosophical terms.
Moving Forward
What is needed is a philosophical paradigm that allows intellectual property to be understood and justified on the same terms as physical property, and which exposes the logical fallacies of the anti-copyright argument advanced by Kinsella, et. al. This theory must be logically sound, and able to withstand rigorous academic challenge. At the same time, it must yield simple analogies and examples, making it accessible to the lay person. I believe Intellectual Space is that paradigm.
The Doctrine of Intellectual Space allows an intellectual object, such as a song, movie, book, or software to be visualized in the same manner as a physical object. This greatly facilitates the otherwise confusing task of comprehending property rights over intangible goods.
The Paradigm
Intellectual Space is an array of unique locations, like physical space. Vast quantities of raw intellectual matter are scattered around intellectual space, just as vast quantities of physical matter are scattered around physical space. Words and symbols of human language constitute the basic building blocks of intellectual matter, just as atoms and molecules are the basic building blocks of physical matter.
Random words and symbols are useless to people, like aluminum-bearing bauxite ore lying dormant in a hillside. But through human ingenuity and effort, raw material can be discovered, brought forward, re-arranged, and transformed into a more useful pattern. Aluminum can be fashioned into a beautiful new bicycle. Words and musical notes can be fashioned into a beautiful new song.
Just as with physical matter, patterns of intellectual matter can have identifiable boundaries and be stable across time, allowing them to be understood as discrete objects.
For Example, a Song
A new song exists at a unique location in intellectual space, because it is different than that which has come before. A new song has a boundary, because we can tell the difference between what is inside from what is outside. A new song is temporally stable, because it is the same today as it was yesterday. A song is an intellectual object.
Musicians have the ability to bring a new song into existence and deliver it to others. This satisfies the human desire to be entertained. It is useful. A song has all the necessary characteristics of economic goods.
The act of creating a new song is homesteading intellectual property, because it represents the discovery and transformation of raw matter into a useful object, just as bringing aluminum out of the hillside is homesteading physical property. The homesteader is the rightful owner of the new object, and is entitled to 100% of its use.
Consumer Goods vs. Producer Goods
Objects that are directly useful to consumers are called consumer goods. Consumer goods may be replicated and mass-produced, so as to satisfy a large demand. To make replication practical and efficient, a productive capacity, i.e. a factory, must first be homesteaded into existence. The factory is also a good, called a producer good. Producer goods are used to make consumer goods.
The difference between producer goods and consumer goods is quite obvious in physical space: a factory is different than the things that come rolling off its assembly line. But in intellectual space, there is this fascinating feature: an intellectual object can function as either a producer good or a consumer good, depending on how it is being used at the time.
For example, a digital song file is a consumer good when being used for listening enjoyment, but is a producer good when being used for making copies. The failure to distinguish between consumer and producer usage is at the very root of the anti-copyright fallacy. As the following analogy illustrates, copying actually does interfere with the owner's use, the producer use, but not the consumer use.
Unraveling the Anti-Copyright Fallacy
How are things like bicycles and song files actually able to be copied? And what are the ownership rights involved? To unravel the anti-copyright fallacy, and arrive at a philosophically sound theory supporting intellectual property, we will compare bicycles in physical space with song copies in intellectual space. To begin, let us first consider the homestead principle.
The Homestead Principle
"Homesteading" is the process by which un-owned things come to be owned in the first place. In homesteading land during the frontier days, it was not enough to simply discover unowned land. Rather, it was necessary to bring land under "dominion and control", which means transforming it into usefulness, for example by planting crops.
Homesteading is discovering and transforming things in a way that can fulfill human wants and needs. Homesteading is an act of creation, and the object created is rightly owned by the homesteader. Modernly, any kind of production can be considered homesteading.
A Song is a Like a Bicycle . . . and a Bicycle Factory
Bicycles are mass-produced in a bicycle factory. A song is mass-produced by making digital copies on a computer. A bicycle factory does not simply exist, nor does a master song file. Like any other economic good, both factories and master song files must first be created, only then can they be used for mass production.
Making a bike factory or a new song is an act of creation by an entrepreneur, and the person who brings this productive capacity into existence is its rightful owner, according the to the homestead principle. Ownership is not diluted. The homesteader owns 100% of the output from their factory, regardless of how much he or she chooses to utilize.
Bicycles in Physical Space
Suppose John is a bicycle maker. John discovers unowned land, and builds a bicycle factory there. By doing so, John has homesteaded in physical space, because he discovered and transformed unowned raw material into something useful. The factory exists at a unique location in physical space, because other things are at a different longitude and latitude. We can see the boundary. By titling the factory and attaching his name, John has staked his claim.
For simplicity, imagine John's factory as a building with an assembly line and a pile of raw aluminum tubing. With electricity to run the machine, and John's labor, he can make 48 bicycles in an 8-hour day.
John owns all 48 bicycles produced each day. If he sells a bicycle to Betty, then Betty owns that one bicycle. Betty is now free to ride her new bicycle whenever she pleases. But in no way does Betty own any part of the productive capacity in John's factory. When it comes to bicycles, the difference between the producer good (the factory) and the consumer good (the bicycle) is obvious, because they are physically distinct.
Suppose Betty noticed that John was only operating his factory 8 hours per day. Late one night, Betty sneaks into the factory. Using her own raw materials and her own labor, Betty runs the assembly line and produces some new bicycles, which she carts away before John returns the next morning.
Has Betty stolen anything from John? Has Betty done anything wrong? Betty may argue that she did nothing wrong. After all, John was using his factory only during the daytime, so Betty's use did not interfere with John's use. John is still free to use his factory just as before.
I hope that the flaw in Betty's argument is apparent. Betty may not have stolen anything from John, but she trespassed. The reason trespassing is wrong is that the owner of property is entitled to exclude others from using it, even when not using it himself. The owner is entitled to 100% of the use. Betty may assert that she did not interfere with John's use, but properly understood, she most certainly did interfere. Before Betty's trespass, John enjoyed 100% of his factory's productive capacity. Afterwards, it was something less.
Note that expressing the factory's total productive capacity as a percentage is crucial. If we were to express the capacity as a quantity, say "48 bicycles per day", we would arrive at the mistaken conclusion that Betty is allowed to use John's factory at night.
Songs in Intellectual Space
Now suppose John is a recording artist. John writes and records a new song called "Think This Through". In doing so, John has homesteaded in intellectual space. He discovered and transformed raw material into a useful object. The song exists at a unique location in intellectual space because it has a beginning, an end, and unique contents within. We can see the boundary because it is different than other songs. By titling and attaching his name, John has and staked his claim.
"Think This Through" exists as a digital file on John's computer. The master song file, the computer, and a stack of blank CDs are like a factory assembly line. With electricity to run the machine, and John's labor, he can make 48 copies in an 8-hour day.
John owns all 48 CDs produced each day. If he sells a CD to Betty, then Betty owns that one CD. Betty is now free to play her CD whenever she pleases. But in no way does Betty own any part of the productive capacity in John's factory. When it comes to music, the difference between the producer good (the original song) and the consumer good (a copy of the song) is not obvious, because the copy can also be used as an original. But the difference is real, and crucially important:
No matter how many copies of the song are made, there is still only one song.
No matter how many consumer goods come rolling off the assembly line, there is still only one factory.
Suppose Betty noticed that John was using only his own computer to make copies of "Think This Through". Betty buys 1 CD and extracts the digital file from it. Using her own computer, her own raw materials and her own labor, Betty burns new CDs. Has Betty stolen anything from John? Has Betty done anything wrong?
Betty may argue that she did nothing wrong. After all, John was making CDs with his own computer, so Betty's use did not interfere with John's use. John is still free to use his computer just as before.
I hope that the flaw in Betty's argument is apparent. Betty may not have stolen anything from John, but she trespassed in intellectual space. She could not have made the copies of "Think This Through" without first venturing on to John's intellectual property without permission.
The reason trespassing is wrong is that the owner of a property is entitled to exclude others from using it, even when not using it himself. The owner is entitled to 100% of the use. Betty may assert that by making copies she did not interfere with John's use. But properly understood, she most certainly did interfere. She interfered with the producer use, not the consumer use.
Before Betty's trespass, John enjoyed 100% of his song's productive capacity.
Afterwards, it was something less.
Copyright infringement is trespass, not theft. Recognizing the distinction between producer use and consumer use of intellectual objects is crucial to correct analysis. The music industry should continue making the strong utilitarian argument, pointing out that creators will not be compensated without copyright. However, the music industry should also address the philosophical debate over intellectual property by implementing the paradigm of Intellectual Space.
Intellectual space – a theoretical array of unique locations
Intellectual matter – that which can be understood through language
Intellectual object - an ascertainable, temporally stable and bounded pattern of intellectual matter which can condition the outcome of human events
Intellectual property – a non-trivial, homesteaded rivalrous intellectual object that substantially functions as productive capacity
See Wikipedia Statute of Anne Wikipedia (October 20, 2013 11:35 AM) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statute_of_Anne
See Wikipedia Napster Wikipedia (December 9, 2013 9:02 AM) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napster
See A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc., 239 F.3d 1004 (9th Cir. 2001)
See for example Sean W., How the RIAA is a Bully Picking on the Little Guys Lazy Tech Guys (2011) http://lazytechguys.com/commentary/how-the-riaa-is-a-bully-picking-on-the-little-guys/
Kinsella, Stephan Against Intellectual Property Ludwig von Mises Institute (2008) http://mises.org/books/against.pdf
Id., p. 32
Id., p. 31
Paley, Nina Copying is Not Theft blog.ninapaley.com (September 20, 2013) http://blog.ninapaley.com/2009/12/15/minute-meme-1-copying-is-not-theft/


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Future Yankee
Behind home plate. The upper deck. Right field. Left field.
It was hard to tell who was having more fun, Yankees prospect Jesus Montero or his family. The Venezuelan catcher spent most of batting practice chatting up his loved ones and taking photos of them in different parts of the stadium.
"This is the first time for me and for all of my family to be here," he said. "To be at Yankee Stadium is an honor. If I work hard, I'll be playing at the new one next door."

subset: commoncrawl


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Browsing Publications - Anesthesiology by Author "Radosta, Jonathan M."
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Patient Safety Event Reporting Expectation: Does it Influence Residents' Attitudes and Reporting Behaviors? Boike, Justin R.; Bortman, Jared S.; Radosta, Jonathan M.; Turner, Crescent L.; Anderson-Shaw, Lisa; Centomani, Nikki M.; Chamberlin, William H.; Mayer, David; McDonald, Timothy; Goldstein, Jay L. (Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2013-06)The use of live bacteria in cancer therapies offers exciting possibilities. Nowadays, an increasing number of genetically engineered bacteria are emerging in the field, with applications both in therapy and diagnosis. In ...


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Helen Zotos
EDUCATION California State University of Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 2008- Present
AND • California Single Subject Preliminary Credential (CLAD),
CREDENTIALS CBEST California Basic Educational Skills Test, passed February 20
Revere Academy of Jewelry, San Francisco, CA 2007
• Certificate of Jewelry Rendering
American Intercontinental University, Los Angeles, CA 2005 - 200
• MBA: Masters in International Business Administration, Concentration in Management
Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, 2001 – 2005
• B.A, Bachelor's Degree: Fine Arts, Emphasis in Jewelry Making
• Minor: Business Administration
TEACHING Teacher (9th -12th), Sierra Vista High School, Baldwin Park, CA 2009 -2014
EXPERIENCE • Art I : Drawing and Painting
• Yearbook : Design, Photography, Coverage, Reporting, Writing
Student Teacher (9th -12th), Sierra Vista High School, Baldwin Park, CA 2008-2009
• Commercial Art: Adobe Software Applications: Photoshop, Illustrator,Premiere, Flash
• Ceramics: Hand building, Throwing, Firing
• Sculpture: Ceramic, Wood, Mixed Media
• Aided in: Art I Art II, Art III, AP Art History, AP Studio 2D, AP Studio 3D, AP Studio Drawing and Painting; and Yearbook
Substitute Teacher (9th -12th), Baldwin Park Unified School District, Baldwin Park, CA 2008-2009
ORGANIZATIONS CTA Member, NAEA Member
TRAINING Jostens Advisor Training, CADA Leadership Training, Walsworth Advisor Training, BTSA, Common Core, Illuminate, Smart Board, Adobe Suites, Online Educational Software
AWARDS 2014 - Teacher of the Year - Sierra Vista High School
2014- APSA (American Scholastic Press Association) - 3rd Place
2013 - APSA (American Scholastic Press Association) - 2nd Place
2012 - ASPA (American Scholastic Press Association) - Outstanding Theme
2012 - ASPA (American Scholastic Press Association) - 1st Place
2012 - Inducted into the Walsworth Gallery of Excellence
A foundation in art education is essential to a student's complete development as a creative and innovative problem solver. The main goal of my art curriculum focuses on helping students develop intellectually, socially, and creatively through a comprehensive exploration of art history, standards based studio work, aesthetics, and constructive criticism. With this foothold in art, students are able to progress as individuals in self-expression, independent problem solving, technical skills, and abstract thinking. Additionally, students can confidently apply the abilities gained in the fine art classroom into their lives no matter the endeavors they choose to pursue; left brain or right brain – it's all supported by the arts.
What challenges me most as an educator is encouraging inquisitiveness that allows my students to find a passion that ignites their curiosity, even if it is outside the Arts. I believe students need guidance and someone to help them realize their interests so that they can set standards for themselves and achieve goals to make a contribution to society and perhaps make an impact upon the world. As an art teacher, my objectives include educating students in the arts and showing them how art can impact their lives and futures. I believe that we never stop learning. I feel that creative thinking is a part of everything we do in one way or another. This principal is both a practice in my life and a foundation in my classroom. One way in which I have seen this principal transfer into my classroom is through the yearbook program. The class has transformed into a community of students exploring their interests and working to construct a product of high quality and meaning to capture each year at Sierra Vista. I continue to be amazed at their personal journey of enrichment and what they create. In all of my classes, every day is an adventure, every moment a discovery, and with that, every art project is a potential step toward my students finding their voice, their passion, and their future.


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The Dr. Pat Show: Talk Radio to Thrive By!: How Peruvian Maca Works for Increased Stamina, Athletic Endurance, & Energy with Maca Expert Mark Ament
03/24/2016 11:00 am PST
The 6 major reasons why people interested in building their bodies naturally use and recommend Maca Powder. Tune in to find out how this all works and what color you should be using.
Dr. Pat Baccili
Dr. Pat Baccili helps individuals and organizations break through their limiting Crust so they can reach their unlimited potential. Her specialty is assisting people face t...Find out more »
Mark Ament
The Maca Team sources and sells the best selection of high quality Peruvian grown Maca products in the world, offering 8 different kinds of Maca in powders, capsules and ext...Find out more »


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Bursting Cajun & Lime Collection
Talking about something NEW from Molton Brown today, oh and its LIMITED edition!
A couple of weeks ago I was very kindly sent the new Bursting Caju & Lime collection.
There is three items in the collection, a bath and shower gel, a body lotion and a Eau De Toilette.
Now I'm sure we've all heard or know about Molton Brown. But just incase; MB are renowned for their luxury bath and body care products, blending the finest ingredients and fragrances and can be found in most department stores, boots or standalone stores world-wide. – Basically they're readily available, is what I'm trying to say.
This Bursting Caju & Lime scent is inspired by the fun and lively carnival lifestyle blended with Brazil's signature caipirinha cocktail (mmm cocktails). Perfect timing to celebrate alongside the 2016 Olympics set in Rio – renowned for it extravagant carnival celebrations.
A citrusy blend of Lime, Grapefruit, Orange and Lemon brings a lively zing and colour to the scent. While crisp spearmint, sage, cypress and a dash of oak moss cool the tone making it the perfect combination of citrus and musk. (Erm okay why am I not a fragrance connoisseur already!?)
MB haven't spared any detail with this new release. The packaging has also been tweaked to fit in with Brazilian Carnival inspo. The bottles are printed with metallic silver labelling; referencing the steel cocktail equipment and serving appliances. While the Eua De Toilette is encased in a luxury glass bottling with a vibrant lime green ombre effect throughout, similarly the box holding has both the vibrant lime green and metallic silver detailing.
The Bursting Caju & Lime Bath & Shower Gel (300ml £20.00) lives up to MB usual standard, a viscous consistency that morphs into a luxurious lather. Although this gel is unique with its "bursting beads" of yellow and green, not only does this make the bottle look AMAZINGLY cool on the shelf with its 'confetti' appearance, but these little beads burst during use releasing moisturising properties. It almost looks to good to use!
Onto the Bursting Caju & Lime Body Lotion (300ml £25.00), a refreshing light weight moisturiser. Perfect for those hot summer months. I can't really say too much about this. It's a good lotion but nothing to crazy special about it. But I do love the citrus scent and the fact it isn't heavy at all!
Now for the Bursting Caju & Lime Eau de Toilette (30ml £39.00), for me this is a perfect summer scent; fresh and zingy. I'm sure if you've read some of my previous 'fragrance' posts you'll know I'm a big citrus scent lover, so I knew immediately I would love this. Unfortunately if you're not a fan of 'Lime' then this is definitely a no go area for you! But for all those who want an easy go to scent for summer then give this a go.
Thats all for today, I hope your all having a brilliant summer!


text: BUSINESS Berlin taps troika for jury duty 4:00 AM PST 1/27/2007 by Scott Roxborough , AP FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Empty COLOGNE, Germany -- The Berlin International Film Festival has selected the three-person jury for this year's Best First Feature Award. The jurists are Gerhard Meixner, co-managing director of Berlin-based production house Razor Films, which co-produced Oscar-nominated "Paradise Now"; Iranian actress and director Niki Karimi, who won the best actress nod in San Sebastian for "Hidden Half"; and U.K. producer Judy Counihan, whose features include the Oscar-winning "No Man's Land" (2001) and "Antonia" (1995). The First Feature Award, now in its second year, comes with a €50,000 ($64,500) cash prize and is awarded to the best debut film running in the Panorama, Forum or Generation sections of the Berlin festival. The prize money is split between the director and producer of the winning film. This year, 15 films will compete for the prize, which will be announced Feb. 17 during the official awards ceremony in the Berlinale Palast.The 57th annual Berlin International Film Festival runs Feb. 8-18. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Scott Roxborough email@example.com sroxborough AP firstname.lastname@example.com @thr


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TICKR Heart Rate Monitors
Frequently Asked Questions
TICKR (All Products) Setup Instuctions
- How do Different TICKR Models Compare?
- Can I use the TICKR with Apple Watch?
- How to Replace the Wahoo TICKR Battery
- How to wear the TICKR
- What do the TICKR LEDs mean?
- What is running smoothness?
- How to Pair the TICKR FIT with the Wahoo Fitness App (iOS)
- How to Pair the TICKR FIT with the Wahoo Fitness App (Android)
- What's the Best Way to Wear the TICKR FIT?
- TICKR FIT Troubleshooting
- What do the TICKR FIT LEDs Mean?
- How do I Charge the TICKR FIT?
- Where Will the TICKR X Count Reps?
- Why is my TICKR X Not Reporting Cadence?
- Basic TICKR X Info
- How do I manually sync workouts?
- How long does my offline workout have to be?
- What does the double tap do?
TICKR Run
Wahoo Blue HR
- Can I leave my phone at home?
- My BlueHR stopped connecting to my device.
- How do I pair my Blue HR to the Wahoo Fitness app?
- What is the correct way to wear the Wahoo Blue HR?
- What devices are compatible with the Wahoo Blue HR?
- Can I use the Wahoo Blue HR with bluetooth classic headphones?


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Summer pots are all about petunias, geraniums and busy Lizzies - aren't they? Not necessarily.
When a handful of top gardeners and designers was asked to plant a summer pot in aid of a good cause, they put on a show of some of the most creative containers ever seen outside a Chelsea marquee.
The idea began at the Garden Museum in London, to raise money for its horticultural internship, and ended in an auction of 31 "Lots in Pots", planted by gardening's brightest and best.
Museum director Christopher Woodward issued his challenge to Chelsea winners, including Andy Sturgeon, Tom Stuart-Smith and Arabella Lennox-Boyd.
Media types included TV gardener Joe Swift and Juliet Roberts of Gardens Illustrated. Guerrilla gardener Richard Reynolds signed up, as did leading plantspeople and writers.
Garden centre chain Capital Gardens provided the pots. The cube, Fresco, in concrete reinforced with plant fibre, sells at Capital Gardens for £34.95.
What began as a bright idea on the spur of the moment became, as the date drew near, a rather public test of professional mettle.
Designer nerves began to feel the strain and the pot became a focus for much fretting - some complained that it was too heavy, others fussed that they couldn't get enough plants in, or that it was the wrong colour - or even begged to be allowed to use their own pot. But after sleepless nights and much creative turmoil, all 31 pots turned out on parade for a night at the museum.
While last-minute primping refreshed plants that had wilted on their way round the M25, cash in envelopes changed hands to spare the blushes of anyone anxious about a lack of bids.
Fears were unfounded, however, as James Alexander-Sinclair ran the auction with such pizzazz and authority that none of the pots sold for less than £150, and an eye-watering £600 was paid for a pot by Stephen Crisp, head gardener at the US Ambassador's residence. Even better, the museum raised £8,000 for its internship.
The Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Rd, London SE1. The current exhibition Christopher Lloyd: A Life at Great Dixter ends on September 12 with a Topiary Weekend (020 7401 8865). To apply for the horticultural internship, see Vacancies. Closing date for applications August 20.
Reader offer
Buy six sedum for £9.95 (named varieties), six coreopsis (including 'Jive') for £9.95, six lavender 'Munstead' for £8.95 or six low-growing perennials for £8.95 (three aubrietia and three arabis) or all four packs for £27.80 and save £10 from the Telegraph Garden Shop


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Just how popular do you think that Ubisoft's upcoming Assassin's Creed 3 is? Well, for starters, lets just say that it is going to be a surefire hit, considering how the game has already achieved the status of being the most pre-ordered game by Ubisoft to date. In fact, the previous record holder was (no surprises here) Assassin's Creed Revelations, and it is interesting to note that Assassin's Creed 3 has already doubled the previous number held by Assassin's Creed Revelations, now how about that?
We are talking about pre-orders on a global scale here, and Ubisoft mentioned, "Pre-orders for Assassin's Creed III at GameStop are 100% higher than last year, putting the game on track to be one of the top titles of 2012. In addition, Ubisoft is offering a Season Pass and high quality DLC available at launch to bring even more excitement to this title."
Are you one of those who contributed to this record breaking feat? Just so you know, you can enjoy your Halloween when Assassin's Creed 3 arrives then on the PS3 and Xbox 360, while PC gamers will have to wait until November 23rd.
Filed in Assassin's Creed 3 and Ubisoft.. Read more about


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Smartphones: Dealing with our digital addiction
You know the feeling, said Farhad Manjoo in The New York Times. Your phone buzzes, urging you to check "some bit of digital effluvia"—a news update, Instagram likes, a funny tweet. Even if you resist looking, your mind soon starts to wonder about what you might be missing. Tech addiction, once a "staple of tabloidy panics," has recently assumed "a new and more righteous flavor." Some of the very people who built our "systems of digital addiction and manipulation," including Facebook's first president, Sean Parker, have begun to publicly express regret about designing social media platforms and apps that exploit our vulnerabilities and get us hopelessly hooked. "God only knows what it's doing to our children's brains," Parker said recently. As we stare incessantly at our phones despite the warnings, it's becoming harder to deny these devices' "otherworldly, possibly unhealthy bondage over our brains."
"The past few months have brought an escalating awareness of the perils that lurk in our pockets," said Ellen McCarthy in The Washington Post. But many of us are finding that it's "really, really hard" to break up with our phones, in part because we simply don't know how to be idle anymore. A 2014 study by researchers at Harvard and the University of Virginia found that nearly half of the participants would rather give themselves a small electric shock than sit for 15 minutes immersed alone in their own thoughts. We should be particularly worried about these devices' allure for the youngest users, said Jenny Anderson in Qz.com. Excessive screen time can interfere with kids' sleeping, eating, and ability to concentrate, prioritize, and control impulses. And given that many apps and platforms are "designed with the specific goal of enticing a child and keeping them coming back for more," regulating kids' time on a device is critical.
So what can we adults do? asked Michaeleen Doucleff and Allison Aubrey in NPR.org. First, "consider a digital detox." The average adult checks his or her phone 50 to 300 times daily. A weekly 24-hour sabbatical in which the entire family disables their devices can work wonders. For the rest of the week, consider turning off notifications, and use a wristwatch or an alarm clock to check the time at night. Try also to exclude your phone from mealtimes. "Don't even set it on the table." But don't go overboard: Banning your phone may "have the perverse effect of making it more enticing," said Oliver Burkeman in The Guardian. "What you need to do is make it boring." Try switching your phone's settings from color to grayscale. Instantly, it's "vastly duller." The best way to negotiate a saner relationship with tech may simply be to make it "too tedious to bother with." ■


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Dirty Projectors, Fleet Foxes Elaborate on "Bad and Boujee" Indie Rock Comments
"Def wasn't trying to put anybody on blast—esp younger bands, who are doing amazing shit in a super unprecedented cultural context."—David Longstreth
The conversation started last night by Dirty Projectors' David Longstreth and spurred on by Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes about the current state of indie rock has continued through the afternoon, with Longstreth, Pecknold, and other artists elaborating and weighing in. Writing on Instagram, Longstreth referenced Migos' current chart-topping hit to pose the question of if the genre is "both bad and boujee?" He asked if indie rock these days is "Bad in the basic sense of like, musically underwhelming ... and boujee in the word's negative sense: refined and effete, well removed from the raindrops and drop tops of lived, earned experience?"
Pecknold weighed in via Instagram comments, saying as part of a longer message, "to me there is always a vast expanse of feeling being explored by everyone engaged in music and it's all valid in that it defines a feeling or creates a new one, for whatever group or groups have their ears turned on that music."
Longstreth has now elaborated further on his statements with a new Instagram post, as well as several tweets. And Pecknold has continued the conversation on Reddit.
On Reddit, Pecknold wrote, "I was trying to say that music doesn't have to be progressive to be enjoyable. I never said my music was 'cutting edge,' that's not my goal as a musician." He also said, among other things:
- It was a defense of those artists / indie rock, I was saying that music doesn't need to be progressive to be enjoyable. The points I tried to make were fully unitarian. And if people aren't allowed to use big words to light-heartedly mull over small, innocuous subjects, you might as well shut down the university system entirely.
- Can someone hit me with a jpg for "tfw ppl call you pretentious for saying unoriginal music is enjoyable and that all expression is valid"
Other artists, including Sadie Dupuis, Waxahatchee, and Cloud Nothings, shared their views on indie rock, as well as Longstreth and Pecknold's initial discussion.


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Hamsa Deconstructed Notebook by Justina Blakeney®
Who doesn't love a good hamsa?! The hamsa, also known as the Hand of God or the Hand of Fatima, is an ancient amulet symbolizing protection, happiness, luck, health, and good fortune. Many hamsas also feature an eye in the center to protect against any shade (AKA the evil eye) people may be throwing your way. Our Hamsa Deconstructed Notebook is designed by Justina Blakeney® for Studio Oh and is good for jotting down your hopes, wishes and good vibes!
Product Details:
- Dimensions: H: 7.25" x 5"
- 192 Lined Pages


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Suryavanshi, A. P. and Hu, J. and Yu, M.-F.. (2008) Meniscus-Controlled Continuous Fabrication of Arrays and Rolls of Extremely Long Micro- and Nano-Fibers. Advanced Materials, 20 (4). p. 793. ISSN 09359648Full text not available from this repository.
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.200701849
|Item Type:
|InterNano Taxonomy:
|Nanoscale Objects and Nanostructured Materials > Other Nanostructured Materials
|Nanomanufacturing Research Collection > Nanomanufacturing Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers > Center for Nanoscale Chemical-Electrical-Mechanical Manufacturing Systems
|Depositing User:
|Amulya Gullapalli
|Date Deposited:
|20 Jul 2011 21:22
|Last Modified:
|20 Jul 2011 21:22
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text: Support our work Fundraising events Ladies Afternoon Tea After the success of our previous afternoon tea and fashion show. We have been asked time and time again to organise another. We are very excited to bring you a highly requested sequel, a ladies afternoon tea with a quiz. The event is expected to host 150 people from all around the region. The event is it to take place at The Mere Golf and Resort, it promises to be an afternoon full of beautiful memories as well a chance to help an amazing humanitarian cause. Discounted Tickets Are available for those purchasing more than a full table of 10 Tickets, at £15 a Tickets. (10 Tickets at £150). Students can purchase a single discounted ticket at £15, please provide details of your academic institution, and remember to bring a Valid Student ID, for each Student Ticket. One child under 2 years of age, can sit on the lap of a paying parent, without charge. Event Quiz Please Click Here, if you wish to take part in the event Quiz. Event Survey Please complete the Event Survey, when requested to by the Host. You can Help by Signing up as a volunteer Due to the popularity of this event, this event has sold out. if you wish to be informed of similar events in the future please sign up to our newsletter on the homepage


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Winter enchantment
A torchlight walk in the Montafon Valley appeals to all the senses.
Author: Michael Birner
When our mountain guide Manni lights the first torch, a soft, gentle light illuminates the darkness and a warm glow spreads through the cold winter air. Each of us holds a torch in our hand and gazes into the flame lost in thought. Our small group of hikers will soon be setting off – wrapped up warmly in ski trousers and thick down jackets. And the flames from our torches will gradually float along the mountain, sprinkling small bright dots of light into the darkness of the landscape.
Snow-steeped Montafon
- Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride Ramsau © Österreich Werbung / Leo Himsl
- Torchlit hike © Silvretta Montafon / Daniel Zangerl
- Mountain huts Montafon © Österreich Werbung / Ebersberg
- Horse-Drawn Sleigh Ride Ramsau © Österreich Werbung / Leo Himsl
- Torchlit hike © Silvretta Montafon / Daniel Zangerl
- Mountain huts Montafon © Österreich Werbung / Ebersberg
Pulling the (cheese) strings
The guided torchlight tour begins when the ski slopes have closed in St. Gallenkirch, from where we ride to the middle station of the Valisera cable car at an altitude of 1,680m above sea level. But before we set off, we take time to fortify ourselves in the rustic mountain restaurant Gäßbarga – quite literally the "goat shed" – in Montafon dialect. Goats really did once live here although all that remains of the bleating inhabitants nowadays are the goatskins hanging on the wall of the rustic snug.
No sooner have we made ourselves comfortable than the innkeeper brings a regional speciality to our table: "Keesknöpfli" are served together with roast onions in a wooden bowl and on the way from the bowl to the mouth the spicy cheese has a habit of forming long threads. At times it can be hard not to laugh as the cheese strings just seem to get longer and longer.
Over a mug of mulled wine around the crackling wooden stove there's time to become better acquainted with the other winter walkers, most of whom have come from nearby East Switzerland or southern Germany. What is it that makes them want to go back up the mountain in the evening after a long day on the ski slopes? The couple from St. Gallen is looking for a romantic end to their wedding anniversary; the geologist from the Allgäu in Bavaria is looking forward to the torch flames. The senior female manager from Munich is using the time outdoors to experience the calming effect of nature and to find inner peace.
Shadows and swirling clouds of breath
With full stomachs and thick gloves, our group leaves the mountain lodge where darkness has now settled over the mountains. We light our torches and set off on our walk through the night. By now we're happy that we put on sturdy shoes and ski clothing, because at night time you feel the winter cold even more intensively. The route takes us along snow-covered forest paths, ski slopes and through a thick forest of spruce trees.
In the darkness all our senses are wide awake. The silence and the darkness of the forest produce a feeling of pleasurable fear mixed with excitement. The majestic trees lining the forest path are up to 200 years old and I feel as if I've been whisked away into a fairy-tale world from my childhood. Even the smells of the forest seem to become more intensive the less you can see. I can almost feel the woody fragrance of the spruce trees in my nose and the smell of the fresh snow.
"At night everything goes silent," says our guide Manni, and occasionally we hear a tree branch cracking as it gives way under the weight of the snow. The only other sound is the crunching of the snow beneath our feet and our breath as we march in the direction of Garfrescha. The cold winter air tingles on the skin and I notice a slight warm burning sensation in my muscles. Every breath we exhale forms clouds in the clear winter air which soon vanish again in the darkness.
Switching-off made easy
"On a torchlight walk, you get to know the ski area from a completely different perspective," says Manni, whose real name is Manfred Sprung and who has been guiding visitors through the winter landscape of Montafon for many years now. After the crowds and noise of the day, most members of the group first have to become accustomed to the darkness and silence. According to Manni that's something of a challenge for many people, especially those who never allow themselves to take a break at work. For that reason, some hikers need a little time before their thoughts stop spinning and they begin to relax. "But then a night in the mountains works wonders!"
At night, the ski region seems to be enchanted. During the day, there are hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of skiers racing downhill – in the silence of the darkness it feels as if we've stepped into another world. By now we've stopped talking. Each one of us is enjoying the silence. The tranquillity. The here and now.
A picture-postcard Alpine village
After three quarters of an hour walking we have reached our destination. The idyllic mountain village of Garfrescha is situated some 1,500m above sea level and has slightly more than 20 houses.
Up here, it's immediately clear that the brief exertion required on the walk was absolutely worth it. Full of satisfaction we stand on the mountainside and look down into the glittering valley, where the lights of the houses dot the night. And in the night skies, the stars twinkle like a never-ending sea of lights. At home in the city, we could never see this many stars. Some of us search the skies for well-known constellations like the Big Dipper or Cassiopeia - the "heavenly W".
Most people wanting to warm up again in Garfrescha after a torchlight walk go to either the Brunellawirt or the Alpenhotel. Setting off for home, we now have a choice: to borrow a toboggan from the summit station and whizz more than 5km down to the valley on the brightly lit night-time toboggan run - or to take a gentle ride down the mountain on a two-seat chair lift and to relive the impressions of the romantic walk as we go. The couple from St. Gallen will probably make themselves comfortable on the chair lift. The manager from Munich who is seeking relaxation will also later choose the gentle descent. Only the jolly geologist from the Allgäu is looking forward to the toboggan run.
Torchlight hikes and moon-lit tobogganing
Torchlight hike © Silvretta Montafon / Daniel Zangerl
Manfred Sprung © Silvretta Montafon / Daniel Zangerl
Meeting point
Torchlight hike © Silvretta Montafon / Daniel Zangerl
Torchlight hike © Silvretta Montafon / Daniel Zangerl
An interview with Manfred Sprung
The attraction of winter walking
He's almost never to be found in the office. Ski and mountain guide Manfred "Manni" Sprung is never happier than when out on a mountain. Since moving to Vorarlberg 20 years ago from the Salzburg Alps, the peaks of the Montafon valley have become his second home. The 46-year-old accompanies winter sports enthusiasts and outdoor fans through the snow even until after dark.
Austria Info: Usually you're out and about at a high speed and through steep terrain – what is the appeal of quiet winter walks?
Manfred Sprung: What I especially appreciate about the torchlight walks is that you get to know so many different kinds of people! Before we set off on the torchlight hike, we sit down together for a drink at the Gäßbarga and talk about ourselves and our lives. You wouldn't believe the amazing, interesting and amusing tales I get to hear! It's the friendliness and the human touch that make an evening like this so special. And that's even before we've set off on the walk.
"Time for yourself away from the daily grind"Manfred "Manni" Sprung, Ski- und Bergführer
Austria Info: Not everyone is used to hiking - how do you persuade a tired holidaymaker to keep on walking?
Manfred Sprung: I just keep on going. And then they're left standing in the dark and have to hurry to catch up with me (laughs)! No, seriously: If someone really doesn't want to go on, I try to motivate them and say, "We have to get through this together now." Sometimes gritting your teeth and simply getting on with things is also part of the mountain experience. And in the end, when you arrive at the top and look down on the sea of lights in the valley, it really is worth it.
Silvretta Montafon im Winter
WhatVorarlberg's most sporting ski region
Size140 kilometres of groomed pistes, 37 cable cars and lifts
GastronomyNine mountain restaurants and bars
FunparksFreeride Area, Snowpark Montafon
HighlightLongest illuminated night-time toboggan run in Vorarlberg
Austria Info: Which mountain experience is an absolute must if you're spending a winter holiday in the Silvretta Montafon ski region?
Manfred Sprung: The Storming of the Zamangspitze or the Freeride Adventure Day are great for anyone who enjoys off-piste skiing. The guests beam when we get back from the mountain. I love my job when I see the guests have enjoyed themselves as much I do. If you're not a winter sports enthusiast, then a torchlight hike is a great idea: an evening in a mountain hut with keesknöpfli, a romantic walk through a snow-covered forest and perhaps a toboggan run to finish off with - and all in one evening. That's definitely an experience.
Austria Info: You know practically every mountain peak here. What is your own favourite spot in the Montafon mountains?
Manfred Sprung: The terrace at home (laughs). No seriously - my two favourite mountains in the area are the Heimspitze and the Madrisella. The view from their summits is absolutely breath-taking.
Austria Info: And what is your favourite word in Montafon dialect?
Manfred Sprung: "Madöpfl". Not even most of the locals know that one - only the people who have been here for generations know that it's the inside of a carline thistle and tastes delicious.


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Charlotte Šunde
Social Scientist – Policy and Planning
- PhD (Resource and Environmental Planning), Massey University, 2004
- BRP (First Class Honours), Massey University, 1997
Role at Cawthron
Charlotte Šunde is a Social Scientist in the Coastal and Freshwater Group at Cawthron. She is interested in building effective cross-cultural relationships between indigenous peoples and western-trained scientists and resource managers. Charlotte has worked with communities, councils and iwi in many parts of New Zealand.
Charlotte's work has included studying co-management between iwi and government agencies; experimenting with novel forms of environmental education such as using creative arts; critiquing valuation frameworks to incorporate a wider diversity of values in decision making; and exploring complex systems and ecosystem-based management. Charlotte draws from philosophical traditions in the humanities, theoretical framings in the social sciences, and practical applications in resource management, planning and the environmental sciences.
Technical skills, experience and interests
- Social science skillset, including conducting in-depth interviews and analysis
- Leading and facilitating collaborative management initiatives
- Advising on environmental planning and policy issues
- Developing valuation frameworks and principles
Professional affiliations
- Association for the Study of Literature, Environment and Culture (ASLEC-ANZ)
- New Zealand Geographical Society
- International Center for Transdisciplinary Research and Studies (CIRET)
View Charlotte's ResearchGate profile
Publication links
- Šunde C, Berthelsen A, Sinner J, Gillespie PA, Stringer, K and Floerl, L 2017. IMPACTS OF VEHICLE ACCESS AT DELAWARE (WAKAPUAKA) INLET.
- Šunde C 2016. Flight from the antipodes: the journey of a cosmotheandric man. CIRPIT Review, Monograph No.3. Milano, Italy: Mimesis..
- Longley A, Hutchinson J, Šunde C and Matthewman S, Fisher K 2015. Fluid pixels: communicating water sustainability through digital art. Hyperrhiz 12. Special issue: mapping culture multimodally. .
- Šunde C and Longley A 2013. 'fluid city'/water in the sustainable city: an arts-science-education collaboration for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand. Duxbury N, ed. Animation of public space through the arts: towards more sustainable communities. Coimbra, Portugal: Almedina..
- Šunde C 2012. Building effective cross-cultural relationships in environmental management: a review and critique of the international literature. Manaaki Taha Moana Research Report No.11. MTM Research Team, Massey University, Palmerston North.
- Šunde C 2012. Cultural knowledge systems and the ecosystem approach: a holistic interpretation for the Iwi Ecosystems Services project. Iwi Ecosystem Services Research Monograph Series No.10. Massey University and Landcare Research, Palmerston North.
- Šunde C 2012. Ecosophy and indigenous spiritualities: dreaming a new ecology of understanding. Hall G, Hendriks J, eds. Dreaming a new earth: Raimon Panikkar and indigenous spiritualities. Preston Victoria, Australia: Mosaic Press..
- Šunde C 2008. Cross-cultural natural sanctuaries: exploring new paths towards sacred secularity. Raimon Panikkar: his legacy and vision. Mumbai, India: Somaiya Publications.
- Šunde C 2008. The open horizon: exploring spiritual and cultural values of the ocean. Patterson M, Glavovic B, eds. Ecological economics of the oceans and coasts. Northampton, UK: Edward Elgar..
- Šunde C 2008. The water or the wave? toward an ecosystem approach for cross-cultural dialogue on the Whanganui River, New Zealand. Waltner-Toews D, Kay JJ, Lister N-M, eds. The ecosystem approach: complexity, uncertainty, and managing for sustainability. New York: Columbia University Press.


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Things To Do
The Amusements
No trip to the seaside is complete without a visit to the amusements arcade and 'The Amusements' at the Pier will be sure not to disappoint.
The Pier
This 835ft structure has dominated Swansea Bays landscape for over 100 years. Currently the Pier is halfway through a dramatic multi million pound renovation project.
There have been lifeboats stationed at The Mumbles for over 175 years. During this time, more than 800 lives have been saved and many more people rescued – over 400 in the last 5 years alone.
The Beach
Just next to the entrance to the Pier you will find our little sandy beach, south facing it enjoys the sun throughout the day and has some of the best rock pools on the Gower for the little ones to explore. With spectacular views to the Lighthouse and the North Coast of Devon (on a […]
Mumbles Pier is renowned for its fishing. As part of the piers renovation project we have introduced two new fishing platforms at the end of the pier.
The Alley
At only £2 a game its perfect for all the family!
Food & DrinkIdeal for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner the Pier offers an array delicious dishes served all day in our Beach Hut Café. Or why not grab a takeaway Fish and Chips from our Copperfish Takeaway and relax on the end of the Pier to enjoy your fish supper or indulge in some tastes of Wales in our Copperfish Bar and Restaurant. The Pier also has a fully licenced bar, traditional sweet shop and of course ice cream parlour all for you to enjoy!
Quick Links
The Mumbles Pier has been part of Swansea since 1898, a family run business the Pier is one of very few privately owned Piers left in the UK.Once a station for the world famous Mumbles Railway, Mumbles Pier has seen many decades of changes, a gateway to the Mumbles Lighthouse and home of the Mumbles RNLI station, the site is steeped in a rich history and continues to be a popular seaside tourist attraction for families across the UK.
Parties at the PierThe Mumbles Pier filled with all its unique quirks and differences allows for a party like no other. Whether it be a Private Function in our Pavilion Cafe or a Kids Party in our Amusements Arcade we have something for you. With our dedicated team of party planners, we aim to make the booking and the execution of your event as seamless and as easy as possible.
Private FunctionsOur Pavilion Cafe is a memorable and unique venue available to hire throughout the year. We can cater for up to 100 seated and approximately 200 standing. With our panoramic sea views and our seaside interior complimented by our Victorian chandeliers; creating a grand and unique space for your celebration. Whether it be a birthday, anniversary, function or wedding, all at a very competitive price. Too see our buffet packages and more click here
Children's PartiesOur Bowling Alley is available to hire privately for your Child's Birthday Party, with many unique add-on's to make the day extra special. Click Here for more Information
ChristmasOur Christmas Parties at the Pier are like no other with exclusive hire of the whole venue including the Pavilion Café, Bowling Alleys and Amusements Arcade; your Christmas Party will be bursting at the seams with things to do, drink and eat! We can cater for parties up to 200. So we'll put up the decorations, hire in the DJ and keep the drinks flowing so you have the night to remember! For further information and enquiries please call 01792 365200 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Susan Jones
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In today's exciting chapter of the new and to-be-randomly-updated feature on my little slice of the internet (henceforth to be aptly titled Word of the Day), we will discuss a word that is near and dear to many of our hearts: irregardless.
Irregardless is one of those words that a lot of people use and a lot more people hate. Like me. I hate it. It's redundant, it's stupid, and I know a few people who use it all the time like it's their favorite word. For a long time, I got behind the war cry of IT'S NOT A WORD!!! Sadly, after a five second Google search my whole world has been turned upside-down: it turns out it is a word.
Not surprisingly, its definition is the very word that should always be used in its place: regardless. Why not just use regardless? Because irregardless is a bigger word? Does the extra syllable make you feel smarter? I just can't understand it, but what amazes me most is how long this bastardized combination of irrespective and regardless has been around. According to the folks at Merriam-Webster, it's been around for over a hundred years (first known use: 1912). Considering it would take a couple years for it to make its way around the world, that would bring common knowledge of its use to around 1914. That, of course, is the beginning of World War I. Now, I'm not saying that this stupid word started WWI or anything, but with as violently hated as the word can be, you can't fault my logic that it has to be more than a mere coincidence.
All kidding aside, the sad truth remains that this is a word if for no other reason than Merriam-Webster said so. They're the word police, right? Hey, wait…if I get a job there, can I just make up words and put them in the dictionary? Wouldn't that be fun? Finally, MacDubious would get the global respect it deserves. But I digress.
I say if you like the word, go on and use it. Use it as if it's your favorite word. Use it until you're blue in the face, because everyone around will be able to look forward to you passing out just so you'll stop saying it. Go on with your bad self, but go on with the understanding that just about everyone is hating you. And if you're using it in the company of us authorly-types, well…let's just say there's a really good chance you've been straight-up murdered in someone's book. Horribly and violently murdered. Maybe more than once.
Not…not that I know anything about that…


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Scariest Math Class Ever? Teacher Suspended After Screening "Torture Porn" for Sixth Graders
This story comes straight from the "bad decision" file. Oh those crazy French people – eating snails and showing horror films to sixth graders…
According a radio report on France's Europe 1, a math teacher in Colombes has been suspended for one day. His crime? Showing his class of sixth graders the first movie in the Saw franchise. Clearly, it's never too early to start the kids on torture porn.
Teacher Jean Baptiste Clement reportedly told his students "this will be your first horror film" before popping in the disc and scarring half of his class for life.
Clement is lucky I wasn't in his class, because I'd have laughed derisively when he told me Saw was going to be my first horror film. By the time I was in sixth grade, I was already well versed in genre fare – and I suspect more than a few of his students were as well.
Still, it's easy to see the outrage. My friends and I saw those films on our own time and because we wanted to. That's a whole different ball game than essentially being forced to watch them in your morning math class. Try as I might, I can't even come up with a potential tie in to make Saw appropriate for a math class. Maybe a lesson on fractions using dismembered body parts? I don't even know.
School officials say the one-day suspension is potentially just the beginning of Clement's nightmare (in much the same way the original Saw is just the beginning of all that torture). This will allow them to investigate the exact details of what's happened and plan additional punishment if it's deemed necessary. I suspect it probably will be. Making poor decisions like this deserves some sort of penalty. I just hope for Clement's sake the additional punishment isn't "escape this horrific bear trap we've put on your face before it slams shut." That might be kind of fitting, though.
And don't think it's just the French people who are doing this; last month a teacher in Atlanta was suspended for showing a class of 12 year olds R-rated movies like Ted and The Campaign.
[via Gawker]
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Swamped with work, I've no idea how I'm surviving the weekend. The weather doesn't seem inviting so I might stay at home for as long as I can and work hard as I could.
As I'm sipping my tea, I decided to blog about a simple photoshoot I did with Brona and make up artist Sylwia a week ago....
Sylwia is a friend of mine I met a year ago, we got along very well and would meet up for coffee often. She is currently updating her make up portfolio so she came up with this idea about flower headdress and a dainty model - Brona.
The shoot was done in Clarendon Bar, Brona is definitely a head turner, her figure is model-like and the people kept looking at her!
Ending this post by quoting Diana Rikasari's, "Success is a state of mind where we are simply happy because we are living a life we love."
Model: Brona Clarke
MUA: Sylwia Rubjik
Photography: Tuesday Jane


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The most convincing deepfake examples show us how deep learning technology could transform pipelines for filmmakers and 3D artists and greatly reduce manual editing time. But there's growing concern over the potential abuse of increasingly realistic doctored videos.
Deepfakes have already made it into some of our favourite 3D movies, and they are certainly cropping up more and more in the mainstream. Here, we look at nine landmarks in the rise of deepfakes. But first, a bit more info on what deepfakes actually are.
What are deepfakes?
Deepfakes are so-named because they use deep learning technology, a branch of machine learning that applies neural net simulation to massive data sets, to create a fake. Artificial intelligence effectively learns what a source face looks like at different angles in order to transpose the face onto a target, usually an actor, as if it were a mask. Huge advances came through the application of generative adversarial networks (GANS) to pit two AI algorithms against each other, one creating the fakes and the other grading its efforts, teaching the synthesis engine to make better forgeries.
Hollywood has transposed real or fictional faces onto other actors, for example, bringing Peter Cushing back to life in 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but the technique used complex, expensive pipelines and face-mounted cameras.
Simple software tools such as FakeApp and DeepFaceLab have since made a comparable effect available to all. The technology offers interesting possibilities that range from dubbing, improving and repairing video to solving the uncanny valley effect in video games, avoiding actors having to repeat fluffed line, the creation of apps that allow us to try on clothes or hairstyles, and even to train doctors, but many fear it being used for nefarious ends. These are the fakes that have scared (and amused) people the most so far.
01. Donald Trump joins Breaking Bad
While some deepfakes try to fool the viewer, Better Call Trump: Money Laundering 101 is a straight up parody. It takes a scene from the hugely popular Breaking Bad series and introduces Donald Trump as James McGill – who later took on the pseudonym Saul Goodman in the spin-off series Better Call Saul.
In the scene, James McGill explains to Walter White's associate Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) the basics of money laundering. To add a touch of realism to the scene Donald Trump's deepfaked son-in-law Jared Kushner takes over from Jesse Pinkman in the scene, making the parody an almost personal heart-to-heart.
YouTube creator Ctrl Shift Face, the team behind the parody, used DeepFaceLab to create Trump and Kushner's faces frame by frame. The voices, which complete the scene, were provided by Stable Voices, a custom AI model that is trained on real speech samples.
02. Obama's public service announcement
Many of the most convincing deepfakes have been produced using impersonators capable of mimicking the source's voice and gestures, as seen in this warning produced by BuzzFeed and comedian Jordan Peele using After Effects CC and FakeApp. They pasted Peele's mouth over Obama's, replaced the former president's jawline with one that followed Peele's mouth movements, then used FakeApp to refine the footage through more than 50 hours of automatic processing.
Politicians and celebrities are the most common victims of deepfakes. Less than a year before the above video, University of Washington computer scientists had used neural network AI to model the shape of Obama's mouth and make it lip synch to audio input.
High-profile figures are used because their public profiles provides ample source material for AI to learn from, but with the amount of selfies the average person takes in a lifetime and technological advances, perhaps soon anyone could be used as a source.
03. Nancy Pelosi slowed down
This deepfake example is not actually a deepfake but an example of why their potential misuse has become so feared in politics. This really was Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, but the video was slowed down by 25 per cent and the pitch was altered to make it seem like she was slurring her words.
The video was posted by a Facebook page called Politics Watchdog and was shared widely, including by former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who tweeted: "What is wrong with Nancy Pelosi? Her speech pattern is bizarre."
Facebook initially refused to remove the clip but said it had reduced its distribution after it was fact checked as false. The post was later deleted but it's unclear who by. The case illustrates the kind of misuse people fear could be made of tech presented by Stanford University in June that allows audio in a video to be edited as easily as a text document.
04. Zuckerberg speaks frankly
In response to Facebook's refusal to remove the video of Nancy Pelosi, artist Bill Posters posted this on Facebook-owned Instagram in June, showing Mark Zuckerberg boasting of how the platform "owns" its users. Would Facebook react differently when its own founder was being manipulated?
The film originally formed part of Posters' and Daniel Howe's Spectre piece, commissioned for Sheffield Doc Fest to draw attention to how people can be manipulated by social media. It was made using Israeli startup Canny AI's VDR (video dialogue replacement) software, which it's promoted with a deepfake singalong starring various world leaders.
Instagram didn't take the Zuckerberg video down, but said it would, "treat this content the same way we treat all misinformation on Instagram. If third-party fact checkers mark it as false, we will filter it." Posters had flagged it using the hashtag #deepfake. While the video is reasonably convincing on mute, the voice gives it away, showing that a good actor is still needed to make plausible fakes, but with AI voice synthesis already mooted by Lyrebird and Adobe VoCo, it may not be long until passable voices can easily be added to deepfakes.
05. Donald Trump lectures Belgium
In the first known case of a political party using a deepfake, Belgium's Socialistische Partij Anders (sp.a) posted this video on Facebook back in May 2018 showing Trump taunting Belgium for remaining in the Paris climate agreement. With Trump's hair looking even stranger than usual and the crude movement of the mouth, it's very clearly fake, and the voiceover says as much, though the final line "We all know that climate change is fake, just like this video," isn't subtitled in Flemish, but it was still enough to provoke one user to comment "Trumpy needs to look at his own country with its crazy child killers," and for sp.a to have to clarify it was fake.
A more convincing Trump (below) was created this year by YouTuber Derpfakes, who trained DeepFaceLab to map a composite of Trump's face over Alec Baldwin's Saturday Night Live impersonation of the president, showing how far the technology has come in a year. The video has been blocked in the US and Canada.
06. Yang Mi travels in time
In February, a video pasting the face of Yang Mi, one of China's best-known contemporary actors, into 1983 Hong Kong television drama The Legend Of The Condor Heroes went viral, racking up a reported 240 million views before it was removed by Chinese authorities.
Its creator, a fan of Yang Mi, issued an apology on microblogging site Weibo and said he'd made the video as a warning to raise awareness of the technology. While it seems likely that there will be an initial backlash against deepfakes from the film and television industry, it's also possible to see how the industry could eventually embrace the technology and turn it to profit by allowing viewers to play director on home releases through manipulating dialogue, incorporating alternative scenes or even inserting themselves as characters. Expect also to see video games chock-full of celebrity appearances.
07. Salvador Dalí comes back to life
Agency GS&P pulled off the kind of headline-grabbing stunt publicity-loving Dalí would surely have appreciated himself when they resurrected the Catalan artist as a charismatic host at the Dalí Museum in Florida. Billed as "art meets artificial intelligence", Dalí Lives was created by pulling more than 6,000 frames from old video interviews and processing them through 1,000 hours of machine learning to be able to overlay the source onto an actor's face. The text was composed from a mixture of quotes from interviews and letters with new commentary designed to help visitors emphasise with the artist and relate to his work.
The novelty here is that this deepfake is interactive. A total 45 minutes of footage split over 125 videos allows more than 190,000 possible combinations depending on visitor responses and even includes comments on the weather. It finishes with Dalí turning around and snapping a selfie with his audience. Dalí claimed it was unlikely he would ever die, and maybe he was right, because he was brought to life a second time recently by Samsung's AI lab in Moscow, this time by training AI on landmark facial features from just a handful of images rather than the usual thousands.
08. Gabon's president shows prompts questions
For the moment at least, the majority of deepfakes online are clearly flagged as such and are not intended to fool anyone, usually being played for laughs, for example putting Nicolas Cage in everything ever produced, or for sordid fantasy – it was through fake celebrity porn that the technology first took root. But while there's been no confirmed case of anyone trying to pass one off as real, one case has been questioned.
No one knows quite what to make of this video of Gabon's president Ali Bongo, who had been absent from the public eye for some time – leading to speculation about his health. This New Year's video address was supposed to lay doubts to rest but backfired due to opposition claims that it was actually a deepfake, allegations that possibly played a role in provoking an attempted military coup.
The incident shows that the simple fact that deepfakes exist now means that any video that looks slightly odd could be called into question to sow doubt. It's a fear that's being taken seriously enough that the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is investing in research into how to detect fakes, while both China and the US are discussing new legislation.
09. Bill Hader morphs into Pacino and Schwarzenegger
Ctrl Shift Face is one of the most prolific creators of deepfakes on YouTube. He's put Jim Carrey into The Shining and Sylvester Stalone into Terminator 2, but this is one of his most eerie pieces yet, showing former Saturday Night Live star Bill Hader appear to seamlessly transform into the two actors he impersonates during this interview. The change is so subtle you almost don't notice it happen.
Currently, DeepFaceLab, the programme used, can only replace the target's face below the forehead, but Stanford University has achieved a method of transferring an entire 3D head – the people of Reddit are desperate for the source code – and Heidelberg University has presented a technique that allows a source's entire body to be mapped onto a target. Shimmer and distortion can be still be a giveaway for now, but with the technology improving all the time, for how much longer will we be able to tell fake from reality?
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Cross Channel Marketing – The Planning Gap
Let's face it, there is no longer a direct correlation between the marketing channel (e.g. email, Search, browsing) and the point of purchase. One of my favorite depictions of this is Brian Walker's "From Channels to Touch points" image. http://blogs.forrester.com/brian_walker/11-03-11-welcome_to_the_era_of_agile_commerce.
Organization design for cross channel retailers to support an omnichannel strategy is one of the biggest issues retailers face as they consider their customer experience. In this post we won't go into the changes we are seeing on organization structure, budgeting, marketing campaign handoff's, the demand for specialized skill sets, or the need for clear lines of responsibility and accountability among the teams. These and a host of other considerations are issues that require facilitation and discussion from the very highest levels of the business.
Instead, we wanted to focus on the challenge of disparate marketing teams within our businesses. Brand marketing (or core marketing) and ecommerce marketing each have their own budgets, sets of goals, and processes. The question we are always asked is "How can we make a seamless experience for the customer across channels as we campaign for their buying dollar?"
Regardless of whether it is a branding, ecommerce, or social campaigns, we find that some of the biggest differentiators (and white elephants) within retailers are their planning rituals, campaign management processes, and post campaign performance measurements.
One common mistake we see in planning is including the digital team too late in the process. When done in this manner, the campaign lacks the benefit of a holistic customer approach. It runs the risk of a routine execution and poor return on investment. In the worst cases, the digital team is not aware of the campaign and is asked to support in the 11th hour. Equally guilty are the Ecommerce marketing teams running promotions that the retail stores are not aware of; leaving the front line team at the store vulnerable to customer dissatisfaction and a disjointed brand experience.
We juxtapose this with a best practice planning process that begins with rigorous channel calendaring and a cross team process that traces the customer journey from all touch points. Merchants are Included in this planning to help build a robust understanding of product and supply chain concerns. And store operations assure that the front line and customer care center is aware of the promotion and able to manage the questions or issues that may arise in store.
Big data, little data, and all the data in between should still rely on the same processes for campaign development. The big questions that have to be asked are:
- What are we trying to achieve (e.g., new customer acquisition, awareness, increasing page views, reactivation, retention)? Be specific about the campaign goal, it will help the team determine how to measure success.
- How are we going to measure it? If we are measuring across channels, what are the proof points? Will we be considering attribution from other marketing activities?
- What does success look like? It is always good to collectively agree on what success looks like. It helps to manage expectations and frame up the results.
- Who is responsible for measuring the effort? With multiple teams involved it helps to give the program measurement an owner.
- When will we look at the results? As with success measurement, timelines are important. You may want to see early results and later results too. But it is important to decide upfront to ensure that expectations are set.
- Based on our hypotheses, what are possible next steps? It is helpful to anticipate next steps with the cross functional team in case there needs to be longer term issues such as resources, inventory, or budget that might be impacted by the results of the program.
- Who needs to be notified of the program and what tools will they need to ready their team? This is always the one that gets the least attention but is crucial to success. Take a moment to make sure everyone who needs to be aware of the program is considered.
We consistently impress upon our clients that the most vulnerable parts of the customer experience are at the customer touch points. Through planning and cross team collaboration, brands reduce risk and improve the customer experience.
Published: 09/22/2014
Tags: Cross Channel, Cross Channel Customer Experience, digital channel, Ecommerce, International ecommerce, International Retail, Multichannel Retail, Omni-Channel, Retail Expansion Strategy
Published: 02/27/2014
Tags: International ecommerce, International Retail, Multichannel Retail, Retail Expansion Strategy
Published: 11/15/2013
Tags: Channel Strategy, Ecommerce, KPIs, Omni-Channel, Omnichannel, Organization Design, P&L, success metrics


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Once the check-in round and administrative concerns are done, each member can add their tensions on the agenda in 2 different ways:
- Enter a word or expression in the Add a tension field OR
- Import an already prepared proposal from your tension via the Import from my tensions link
If you are the Secretary of the meeting, you can also import the tensions of the Circle's member.
The tensions of all the participants are displayed on a list. Each tension is identified by the initials of the member that added it.


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Metheringham author Sheila Glossop is due to release her debut novel 'The Wow'.
Sheila moved to Lincolnshire from Wales in 2012 to help look after her mother and uncle who both suffer with dementia and Alzheimer's.
Sheila studied Sociology and taught for the Inner London Education Authority for several years.
On her book, Sheila said: "I started the book in 2009 and finished it in 2014. There are several themes: love is a major one, in particular the love between Billbo and Pop, friendship and humour too."
She said the majority of the story is an autobiography to 17 years she spent with her own pet dog, Billbo, who she named the character after.
"Billbo was such a big part of my life I wanted to write our story, but in a way that was entertaining and enlightening," she explains. "I wanted to see if I could do it. The world is wondrous and full of beauty. It is also light-hearted and sparkling with humour. I wanted to pass on some of these feelings through my novel."
In the book, Pop discovers her dog Billbo can talk, and they embark on an amazing adventure, strengthening the bond between them as they share their thoughts and feelings. They are guided to meet the Spirit Clan of the mysterious Anasazi tribe where they discover they are the Chosen Ones and a mission to find a precious artefact awaits them.
"The Wow" published by Austin Macauley, will be released on June 30. For details visit http://www.austinmacauley.com/book/wow


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The demand for high performance batteries is growing, especially within the automotive market, as highlighted at the International Automotive Exhibition in Germany. A new generation of batteries is vital to address the requirement to reduce fuel consumption and emissions in nations around the world. Improved battery performance is not just critical to the automotive sector; there is a growing demand for high performance lead-acid batteries and advanced energy storage capabilities in numerous industries and applications, including industrial manufacturing, material handling systems, backup power storage and telecommunications. there is a growing demand for high performance lead-acid batteries.
"Batteries are expected to last longer, charge faster and deliver more power, all at a lower cost. Porocarb can help solve that equation."
Dr. Michael Rohde, the Head of Marketing & Sales for the Heraeus Battery Technology group


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The company was created in 2012 as a manufacturer of tteokbokki products in the name of "Cook-Tok Original." Personally, I ran a consulting firm, which had nothing to do with food, for six years before I set up this company. Besides, I didn't really like tteokbokki. But one day, I happened to eat tteokbokki made of wheat flour cakes and I was fascinated with it. I thought anyone would love this food since it appealed to a person like me who didn't even like the snack. While doing business, I felt that the representative food of Korea was not so much kimchi or bulgogi but tteokbokki, which could be adored by people the world over. As time went by, I became more confident about that.
Tteokbokki is usually made from rice cakes cooked with a spicy pepper sauce. When Mr. Seo tasted a different version made of wheat flour cakes with a softer texture, which was harmonized with Korea's famous hot chili paste of gochujang, he reminisced about his school days. On his way home from school back then, he would eat tteokbokki with his friends at a snack stand near the school. The chewy rice cakes perfectly seasoned with a hot and spicy sauce and salty fish cakes captivated the young boy. Recalling the old memories, he decided to commercialize the traditional dish. He put a great deal of effort into creating old-style tteokbooki made of wheat flour cakes with soup, which he had enjoyed when he was in elementary school. Mr. Seo continues.
As I wasn't a food specialist, I had to run around on my own two feet to develop food products. I visited more than 20 rice cake factories as well as sauce manufacturers. But there was no factory producing wheat flour cakes, making it difficult to develop a product. I took over a small factory, where I steamed hundreds of bags of wheat flour cakes with my friend to find out the most appropriate length and thickness of the cakes. After a few months of hard work, we were finally able to make ideal wheat flour cakes. We also had to purchase fish cakes, as we couldn't produce them on our own. Fish cakes were generally sold in large quantities, but we needed the food in small packs with reasonable prices. After asking all around, we managed to secure what we wanted. That's how our products were created.
He experimented with wheat flour cakes countless times and poured immense effort into developing sauces so consumers can revive the dish's traditional spicy and sweet taste even when they cook it at home. He visited fish cake factories all around the country to find out best-quality fish cakes, which would add flavor to tteokbokki with enough soup. As a result, he successfully developed soft and smooth wheat flour cakes and special sauces that allow consumers to adjust the levels of spiciness and sweetness as they wish. What is better, the recipe is even simpler than that of the instant noodle dish ramen. He knocked on the door of distributors, filled with confidence that his new product, which was certainly different from existing ones, would be well received in the market. But Mr. Seo says that things didn't turn out as expected.
At first, we tried to sell our products to retailers, not directly to consumers. But the retailers didn't like the products, taking issue with their difference from previous tteokbokki items. We thought of that very difference as our strength, but the retailers didn't. Rather, they complained of the long name of our products, the fact there was no photo of tteokbokki on the packaging, and the price. They also asked me why the products needed to include fish cakes. While I believed those features were our strengths, the retailers regarded all of them as shortcomings and refused to accept our products. Still, I posted them on the Internet. That was six years ago. There was no particular response from the online market, though. But sales began to increase sharply on group purchase Internet sites used by housewives. Guess what? We didn't carry out marketing activities at all. I discovered how powerful female consumers were. Based on the word-of-mouth sensation, we were able to expand our sales in the online market.
Despite the cold response from distributors, Mr. Seo began to sell the products online in 2012. There were hardly any advertisements or marketing campaigns, but housewives began to post positive reviews on online cafés or group purchase websites after trying SJ CORE's delicious tteokbokki that evoked memories of their old school days. From then on, tteokbokki with the brand name of "Cook-Tok Original" sold like hot cakes through word of mouth. The products were so popular that the company couldn't meet the rising demand even though it manufactured them all night. The accumulated online sales surpassed one million packs in 2014 and the figure jumped to three million packs in the following year. On the back of the brisk sales in the domestic market, SJ CORE started to export the products overseas in 2014. Its export market has now expanded to the entire world, including the Americas, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Southeast Asia, with the company's outbound shipments in 2015 tallied at two million US dollars. Mr. Seo explains that the secret of success lies in the unique Korean flavor.
At a free sampling event in South America, not only ethnic Koreans but local people also liked our products very much. When the event led to increasing sales, I thought tteokbokki could become a global food item. We just focused on the Korean flavor, and it turned out that the flavor pleased the foreign palate as well. I'm not sure this comparison is appropriate, but the hugely popular boy band BTS is mesmerizing foreign fans with a Korean music style. On a similar note, I think traditional Korean tteokbokki can appeal greatly to foreign consumers.
A number of Korean food products have been introduced in the global market, thanks to the popularity of Korean pop culture overseas and growing interest in Korean cuisine. Most of the Korean dishes in the overseas market employ a localization strategy tailored to the taste of local people. In contrast, SJ CORE adheres to the Korean flavor, only adjusting the levels of spiciness, in the belief that foreign consumers pay attention to Korean food because of its own unique taste. In the case of tteokbokki, in particular, the company was convinced that the Korean taste should be kept intact, since the traditional spicy and sweet taste has long attracted consumers of all ages in Korea. With its steadfast philosophy about tteokbokki, SJ CORE is creating a stir in the export market. Mr. Seo says that his company will continue to grow as an expert on this popular Korean snack.
As a matter of fact, it is consumers who named our products "Cook-Tok." As Cook-Tok products became popular, some proposed to produce new food items with the same brand. But as a tteokbokki maker, we'll only focus on tteokbokki products and diversify its versions. For example, our "Cook-Tok rice cup" can be stored at room temperature, unlike our previous frozen products. It is difficult for consumers in Southeast Asia to enjoy our original products due to the inadequate cold chain system for frozen and refrigerated goods in the region. In general, it isn't easy to store rice cakes and sauces at room temperature for ten months. But we managed to develop the technology to preserve food at room temperature, and these products are quite charming. See? There are lots of things to do with tteokbokki alone. So our company will concentrate on this item for the time being and establish itself as a solid tteokbokki provider.
By diversifying tteokbokki versions and relevant technology, SJ CORE is turning the food into a global snack. The company is exploring the world market with the distinctive Korean flavor.


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Today in Japan (11.23.17)
SNA (Tokyo) — The following stories were reported today by the Shingetsu News Agency.
—Finance Ministry gave Abe-linked Moritomo Gakuen a huge 86% discount on public land for new rightwing elementary school. Board of Audit concludes there were no grounds for selling the land at such a low price.
—Osaka District Court rejects bail for the Kagoikes. They go to jail while the bigger, more important Moritomo Gakuen scandal suspects remain uncharged and not even forced to answer questions under oath.
—Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan Acting Leader Akira Nagatsuma calls on Abe government to publicly release all documents, including memos, on approval of Kake Gakuen veterinary school.
—On Tuesday the 21st, the Diet began hearings on the Shiori rape case, in which it is suspected a journalist with close ties to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was given favorable treatment by police and prosecutors.
—Liberal Democratic Party to hold its convention in late March. Constitution revision policy expected to be a key issue.
—On Sunday, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan had its first local government politician elected. It was a by-election for the Nagoya City Council.
—Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan to decide on which Democratic Party local politicians it will allow to join the new party by the end of the year. It will not consider applicants from parties other than the Democratic Party for the time being.
—Rengo's Rikio Kozu and Democratic Party leader Kohei Otsuka are echoing each others' exact words. They say Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan call for Democratic Party local politicians to decide by end of year which party to belong to is "unlike Yukio Edano."
—Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike assumes post of "Special Advisor" to the Party of Hope after new leader Yuichiro Tamaki appealed to her to remain linked to the party she founded.
—Rengo chief Rikio Kozu says that his labor union federation feels its closest connection with the remnants of Democratic Party, in spite of its negligible support from the public.
—Rengo chief Rikio Kozu's latest hare-brained scheme is to push Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Democratic Party, and Party of Hope into an electoral coalition with a united candidate list, which would completely defeat the purpose of Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan's foundation as separate progressive party.
—Democratic Party leader Kohei Otsuka is also pushing idea of three-party alliance, arguing that his centrist party should play the mediator between progressive Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and conservative Party of Hope.
—The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, meanwhile, wisely seems to realize that federating with the Democratic Party and Party of Hope would be a political minus. Akira Nagatsuma states, "Working together with them would weaken our policies and would be difficult for the people to understand."
—Far right politician Yasuhiro Oe, now Liberal Democratic Party but formerly a Happiness Realization Party member, announces he will run for post of Governor of Wakayama in December 2018 election.
—Ruling coalition and opposition parties appear to have agreed on 5:9 split on question time in the all-important Diet Budget Committee. This effectively reduces opposition question time from 80% to about 65%.
—Shigeru Ishiba says that as a ruling party lawmaker it is not one's job to silently fall in line behind the prime minister: "Where there is no criticism, there is no progress," he declares.
—Prime Minister Abe "welcomes and supports" US President Donald Trump's decision to re-list North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. Anything that adds "pressure" is okay with Shinzo Abe.
—Abe government suggests that US re-listing of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism will help resolved abductee issue, assuming Japan is right that there is actually much left to resolve.
—Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke before the Diet on Friday the 17th: "My mission will not end until the abduction victims step on Japanese soil again and embrace their families."
—Abductee mother Sakie Yokota goes off the rightwing playbook by publicly urging Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to engage in direct talks with North Korea over abductee issue: "Now is the time," she declared.
—UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi says that Japan's program for accepting refugees "is very small," and points out that Tokyo's international funding for refugees has been slipping downwards every year since Abe returned to power.
—Ministry of Justice plan to deal with refugee policy criticism is to try to ensure that fewer people are able to apply to Japan as refugees.
—Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declines invitation to participate in climate summit to be held in Paris in December. This is possibly another effort to flatter US President Donald Trump, who is hostile to international efforts to combat climate change.
—On Sunday the 19th a drunk US Marine in Okinawa reportedly ran a red light and crashed into a small truck, killing the driver, 61-year-old Hidemasa Taira. Order issued banning US troops in Okinawa from drinking alcohol and confining them to base.
—Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga responds to US Marine's fatal auto accident: "We can't help but conclude that preventive measures against drunken driving taken so far by the US side are insufficient."
—Yesterday a US Navy C2-A transport plane crashed in the seas off Okinawa during "routine" mission. Three people reported missing after initial rescue operations.
—Concerned about Taro Aso's imagined "armed refugees" from a potential Korean war, Abe government said to be mulling concentration camps in western Japan should a conflict break out.
—Self-Defense Forces to expand area of Japan's overseas military base in Djibouti by 20% by leasing more land. Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera confirmed the plan over the weekend.
—Trump's America First policy muse, Steve Bannon, calls upon Japan to remilitarize: "It's a fairly dangerous time, and it's just logical that the Japanese now would start to think about rearming."
—Recently retired veteran politician Shizuka Kamei mulling a visit to North Korea next month in order to encourage bilateral diplomacy on missile development and nuclear weapons.
—Mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura to go ahead and cancel Osaka's oldest sister city agreement with San Francisco over his rightwing tantrum regarding Comfort Women statue in the United States.
—Minister of Economic Revitalization Toshimitsu Motegi calls on Asia-Pacific governments to quickly ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreement before any democratic opposition in any country might have a chance to pronounce a different verdict at the polls.
—US Ambassador William Hagerty says Trump and Abe "had significant discussions regarding trade" during US President's visit. Abe government says that trade was not discussed. You can choose who to believe.
—Safe Country Japan: Ministry of Justice White Paper on Crime finds there were less than one million crimes reported in Japan for the entire year of 2016, a new record low for the post-1945 era.
— Liberal Democratic Party dinosaur Wataru Takeshita strikes again! This time he declares that any foreign state guest who has a same-sex partner should be banned from dining with the Emperor and Empress.
For breaking news, follow on Twitter @ShingetsuNews


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Sleeping two adults and two children, our family rooms are ideal for families who'd like a little more privacy, with a separate room for your little ones.
Located in the rear of Fowey Hall, they're decorated in a traditional country house style, with impressive period furnishings. Children have their own room, with twin beds or modern bunk beds (pirate ship, anyone?)
Family rooms can be equipped with a full baby kit, baby and toddler equipment, and access to our baby listening service. Settle children down and go for a relaxed, adult dinner, safe in the knowledge that our staff are listening out for any noise.