text:
|Sanderstr., Berlin, April 2008,
The sea has passed, to plot is possible, given detachment and a careful angle, all destinations are predictable. And given too, the confidence of distance, strangers may take a hundred neural journeys [...] And even though, on any printed landscape, directions never tell you where to go, maps are an evening comfort to the traveller, a pencil line can quickly take him home.
Some places matter. When they go missing, threads and fragments of ephemeral interwoven biographies may tear away. Without: who knows what's hidden in this word?
a quiet monday, 5.10.2009
public viewing, 20.9.2009
ventilation pipe, men's toilet, 22.11.2014
last coffee, familiar sounds, 22.11.2014


text:
Groundbreaking Study Reveals New Mechanism Behind Fish Oil's Health BenefitsSeptember 2012
By Logan Bronwell
Cardiovascular Disease
New evidence reveals that people with atherosclerosis have reduced levels and function of pro-resolution molecules, which helps explain their vulnerability to the inflammation that causes the disease.33
Boosting levels of these pro-resolution molecules would be especially important to people with cardiovascular disease because they have been found to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, block clot-promoting platelet activation, prevent heart arrhythmias, prevent vascular inflammation and improve vascular function, and protect the heart muscle following a heart attack.34-39 That immense spectrum of action has led some researchers to describe omega-3s as a "polypill," capable of attacking multiple targets of cardiovascular health at once.34,40
Human studies of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil in individuals with cardiovascular disease reveal the following important effects:
Lung Disease: Asthma and COPD
Lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are well known to involve out-of-control inflammation.49-51 Recent discoveries reveal that asthmatics have reduced production of pro-resolution molecules.12,49,52 Other studies have found that experimental animals treated with these omega-3 derivatives have less severe asthma attacks.53-55
Those observations have led to experiments showing that supplementation with fish oils containing omega-3s boosts tissue levels of pro-resolution molecules, with marked improvement of asthmatic symptoms.53,56,57
It is becoming clear that the abnormal inflammation in asthma begins in utero, before a child is born58—possibly because of inadequate amounts of the pro-resolution molecules derived from omega-3s. This has led to intense interest in supplementing pregnant women with fish oil to prevent asthma and allergies in their offspring.58,59
Over the past decade, higher-dose omega-3-rich fish oil supplements have been used with remarkable success in reducing inflammation and the severity of asthma and COPD in humans:
Inflammation is widely recognized as a major contributor to chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's; it is an active component of damage from strokes and other vascular diseases of the brain.65
Studies now show that fish oil-derived pro-resolution molecules play an important role in stopping neuro-inflammation.65,66 That's leading to widespread hope that these mediators might help prevent and resolve some of the most heartbreaking conditions of aging.67-69
Extensive data exist on the role of omega-3 (especially DHA) supplementation in the cognitive decline of aging. Here are some of the most compelling findings:
One of the deadliest results of unresolved chronic inflammation is cancer.77 Years of study have shown that cancer development is associated with increased amounts of inflammatory cytokines.78
Newer research is revealing that fish oil has exciting possibilities for slowing—or even preventing—cancer.79,80
Here's what recent studies are showing:
The growing importance of fish oil in the diet is highlighted by the remarkable discovery of the pro-resolution molecules lipoxins, resolvins, and protectins.
These molecules initiate an active healing process, triggering the resolution of inflammation within minutes of its beginning. The problem has been in the chronic inflammatory diseases of aging—and in aging itself—there's a shortage of these healing substances.
A breakthrough 2012 study revealed that these molecules can be directly produced in tissues from the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil. That eliminates the need for synthetic drugs aimed at mimicking the effects of pro-resolution healing molecules and opens the door to self-management by supplementation with a high-quality fish oil supplement.
Doses of 2 to 6 grams/day of omega-3 rich fish oil have been shown to reduce the occurrence and consequences of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, the major neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Additional benefits are being reported in arthritis, age-related eye diseases, and oral health.8,88-101
Fish oil, rich in omega-3 fats, is no longer optional; it is a must-have for those interested in quelling inflammation and promoting natural healing in their bodies. •If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension® Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Stocks closed higher for the third day in a row after Greece cleared a hurdle toward getting more emergency loans. Bank of America also reached a settlement with investors over failed mortgage securities.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 73 points, or 0.6 percent, to close at 12,261 today. The S&P 500 index rose 11, or 0.8 percent, to 1,307. The Nasdaq rose 11, or 0.4 percent, to 2,740.
Greek lawmakers passed an austerity bill that brought the country closer to getting a financial backstop needed to avoid defaulting on its debt. A default could shock global markets and raise borrowing costs for other European countries.
More than two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading volume was 3.8 billion shares.


text:
Well today was a long day. I spent all day helping my grandparents. I had to clean the deck on the riding mower, which is a pain to get off and on, as well as shovel some dirt to fill in a hole. I will be back to mowing tomorrow, with a few yards to do at least, as well as helping fix a computer issue.
Supper today was chicken, mashed potatoes, and spinach. Weather was nice and tomorrow will be nice tomorrow as well, but there is a slight chance we may get some more rain either tonight or tomorrow. I will be happy if we get more rain but I hope I can at least get my yards done.


text:
US Consumer Spending Up 0.3 Percent in October
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumers increased their spending in October even though their wages and salaries barely increased, raising questions about how strong the economy will grow at the end of the year.
The Commerce Department says consumer spending increased 0.3 percent in October compared with September when spending rose 0.2 percent. Wages and salaries rose a slight 0.1 percent after a much stronger 1 percent rise in September.
Overall income actually fell 0.1 percent following a 0.5 percent rise in September. But September's gain was inflated by a legal settlement that boosted farm income that month, leading to a big decline in farm income in October.
The personal saving rate dipped to 4.8 percent of after-tax income in October, down from 5.2 percent in September, reflecting the difference between spending and income.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
A North Korean nuclear expert reportedly committed suicide in his prison cell after being forced to return to the communist dictatorship this month; swallowing poison following his transfer from China to the hermit kingdom.
The defector was apprehended in China after he refused to return to North Korea during a work visit, saying he was suffering from "anxiety over his research projects." The unidentified man was arrested and transferred across the border to Korean authorities.
According to Fox News, the man took his own life while waiting to be interrogated by Kim's regime, killing "himself only a few hours after he was placed in solitary confinement at the State Security Department in Sinuiju city."
"He died before he could be questioned about the reasons for his escape, who had helped him, and what his route had been," a source close to the incident confirmed. "He must have been searched many times while being taken from China to Sinuiju, so it's a mystery how he was able to conceal the poison he took."
The incident is the latest high-profile defection from Kim Jong Un's regime in recent weeks. Earlier this month, two North Korean soldiers shockingly dashed across the de-militarized zone between North and South Korea; rushing towards freedom while being chased by their former comrades.


text:
#Skiing, #birding, #biking, #fishing, #hunting, #running, #OhMy! #FamilyFun festivals, too! #WinterIsHere!
In this edition: 1) The second Aroostook Cup ski race of the season happens this weekend in Fort Kent. 2) Katahdin area XC ski trails are in great shape and playing host to two events in the coming weeks. 3) The first 5k of the year is only three weeks away! Plus lots more! offugo…
*Sunday, January 18
10th Mountain SC Frostbite XC Ski Event – Aroostook Cup #2, Fort Kent
Distances: 30k, 15k, 5k Freestyle. Registration: 9:30 a.m.; 30k, 15k race start: 11:30 a.m.; 5k race start: 12:00 p.m. Fee: $20; includes feed stations and lunch. Visit www.10thmtskiclub.org FMI
Thursday, January 22
Aroostook Birders Meeting and Presentation, Presque Isle
6:30 p.m. Location TBA. Dave Putnam will present "A Few Birds of Mongolia, and other things." Contact Bill Sheehan (207-227-7301) or email@example.com FMI
Saturday, January 24-Sunday, January 25
MWSC Active Maine Project Katahdin Area Trails Weekend, Millinocket
Join other active adults from around Maine for fantastic groomed trails, backcountry Baxter tour, and fat bike riding! Cost: $175; includes program, lodging, gourmet dinner. Participants must provide own ski/bike equipment. Contact Mike Smith (207-227-0250) or firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
*Thursday, January 29
UMPI Enviro Studies Lecture; The River Wolf and the Blue Pearl: Endangered Salmonids in Mongolia, Presque Isle
7:00 p.m. at the Campus Center. Dr. Olaf Jensen's talk will focus on several of Mongolia's fish currently at risk, including the Hucho taimen, the largest trout in the world. Contact the UMPI Community and Media Relations Office (207-768-9452) FMI
Sunday, February 1
Aroostook Women's Ski Day, Presque Isle
9:00 a.m. at Nordic Heritage Center. AWSD offers a full day of outdoor and indoor activities. Clinic choices: skiing (classic & freestyle/skate), snowshoeing, yoga, meditation, workshop focusing on fueling the body. Fee: $45. Contact Heidi Bartley (207-551-1705) or firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
Wednesday, February 4 and Thursday, February 19
Caribou Adult Ed. Archery Hunter Education Course, Caribou
Feb 4: 6:00-9:00 p.m.; Feb 19: 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. This ME DIFW course provides knowledge regarding equipment, hunting methods, responsibilities, and general safety. Homestudy course; requires attendance at sessions as well as work from home. Contact Caribou Adult Ed. (207-493-4272) FMI
Saturday, February 7
31st Annual Wild Katahdin Trust Snow Run, Houlton
First race in the Aroostook Musterds County Challenge Series. Registration: 9:00 a.m. at Millar Arena. 2-mile walk start: 10:45 a.m. 5k run start: 11:00 a.m. Cost: $12. T-shirts to first 50 registrants. Contact Larry Tonzi email@example.com FMI.
Saturday, February 7
Florenceville-Bristol Tourism SnowBlast, Florenceville, NB
This event is a blast for the entire family to celebrate winter! Activities: youth/adult cardboard classic, snowshoe hikes, taffy on the snow, wacky snow games, food court, sliding, and more. Contact Florenceville-Bristol Tourism (506-392-6763) or visit www.florencevillebristol.ca FMI
Thursday, February 12-Sunday, February 15
Katahdin Communities Outing Club Head North Ski Weekend, Mt. Chase
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. each day at Matagamon Ski Trails, end of Matagamon Rd. Join us for groomed trails along the East Branch of the Penobscot and fun activities. Ski equipment available. Cost: $5/day suggested donation. Contact Susan Adams (207-852-1291) or firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
*Saturday, February 14
NMMC/FSTA Rally in the Valley Winter Festival, Madawaska
Kids of all ages are invited to attend a fun outdoor snow day; skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, games, and more! Registration: 10:00 a.m. at Four Seasons Lodge. Event: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Cost: $5; includes t-shirt and water bottle. Contact Gail Lamarr (207-834-1459) or firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
*Saturday, February 14
Limestone Ski Club C-Me-Ski – Aroostook Cup #5, Limestone
A great classic tour and race. Distances: .5k-2k/ages 12 and under; 7k/ages 13-18; 21k/adults. Registration: 12:00 p.m. at Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge. Youth race start: 1:00 p.m. Adult race start: 1:30 p.m. Cost: $10/adult; FREE/youth. Contact Limestone Ski Club (207-328-7491) FMI
*Saturday, February 21
Fort Kent Outdoor Center Winter Women's Day, Fort Kent
9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Skiing and snowshoeing lessons, yoga or other fitness programs, food and snacks, and a guest speaker. Fee: $20/club members; $25/non-members. Contact Laura Audibert firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
*Saturday, February 21
Aroostook State Park Winter Family Fun Day, Presque Isle
10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating (bring skates), sliding, snowmobile tote-rides, nature walks, warming hut, bonfire, hot food, and Smokey the Bear. Fee: $1.50/person ages 12-64; all others FREE. Contact Aroostook State Park (207-768-8341) FMI
Ongoing Programs:
Sunday Saunter Running Group, Presque Isle
Sundays; 10:00 a.m. at UMPI's Gentile Hall. Open to all abilities; be ready for an easy run of 30-45 minutes, and bring friends! Contact Jonathan Kelley email@example.com FMI
*Van Buren Rec. Youth Hockey, Van Buren
Sundays; 11:00 a.m. and Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays; 3:30 p.m. at the Van Buren Ice Skating Rink (weather permitting). Come play hockey outdoors! Donations of "real" ice hockey sticks, helmets, pads, would be greatly appreciated! Contact Michael "Miles" Garcia (207-868-5059) or firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
Bootlegger Snowshoe Hike, Rivière-Bleue, QC
Sundays; fourth Sunday of the month at 1:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) at the end of Path Brissette. Get to know the magical setting of the Bootlegger trails on this guided hike. Contact Jean Lebrun (418-893-1033) or email@example.com FMI
Caribou Rec. Ski-Daddle Program, Caribou
Tuesdays & Thursdays; 3:00-4:30 p.m. Jan. 6–March 3. Designed for Grades 3-5. Lessons include intro to XC ski equipment and techniques and lots of outdoor fun. Cost: $10; includes Ski-Daddle CPRD hat. Ski equipment available; pre-registration required. Contact Neal Sleeper (207-493-4224) or firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
10th Mountain Outdoor Club Jalbert Pee Wee Biathlon Program, Fort Kent
Tuesdays; 4:00 p.m. at Fort Kent Outdoor Center. Open to youth ages 9 and under. Kids will learn basic skate skiing skills, go on ski adventures, and play LOTS of games! Cost: FREE! Contact Gail Johnson email@example.com FMI
10th Mountain Outdoor Club Jalbert Youth Biathlon Program, Fort Kent
Tuesdays; 6:00 p.m. at Fort Kent Outdoor Center. Open to youth ages 10-14; roller skiing, rifle shooting, trail running, and LOTS of games! Cost: FREE! Contact Gail Johnson email@example.com FMI
MWSC Active Maine Project Adult Nordic Program, Fort Kent
Tuesdays; 6:00 p.m. at Fort Kent Outdoor Center. The program runs January 20-February 10 and is a fun, social way to improve your ski skills. Cost: $55. Contact Mike Smith (207-227-0250) or email@example.com FMI
MWSC Active Maine Project Adult Nordic Program, Presque Isle
Thursdays; 6:00 p.m. at Nordic Heritage Center. The program runs January 22-February 12 and is a fun, social way to improve your ski skills. Cost: $55. Contact Mike Smith (207-227-0250) or firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
*Lonesome Pines Trails Junior Ski Program, Fort Kent
Saturdays; 9:30-11:30 a.m. For grades K-8; runs for eight weeks, starting Jan. 31. Fee: $45; includes sweatshirt and fee waiver for LPT Annual Invitational Race on March 21. Contact Mike Voisine (207-834-5202) or firstname.lastname@example.com FMI
Nordic Heritage Sport Club Youth XC Ski Program, Presque Isle
Saturdays; 10:00-11:30 a.m. Starts January 10. Join us for a fun-filled free ski lesson! Grades K-8 welcome; ages 5 and under invited if with adult. Lessons designed for all levels. Visit www.nordicheritagecenter.org FMI
Four Seasons Trail Association Youth Ski Program, Madawaska
Saturdays; 1:00 p.m. at Four Seasons Lodge. Visit www.fourseasonstrail.org FMI
Bigrock Multi-week Youth Lesson Programs, Mars Hill
Saturdays and Sundays; time and cost varies. 10-week programs start first Saturday in January. Specially designed for junior skiers/snowboarders of all abilities, including first‐timers; focus on developing fundamentals in a safe, fun‐filled environment. Contact Ryan Guerrette (207-425-6711) FMI
* = New or updated item(s).


text: Hey guys got a problem with my door locks. My key wont turn in the lock to lock or unlock doors. If I reach in i can move the lever on the actuator to lock and unlock which i believe is the power lock lever. I can see the rod from the lock cylinder coming down in behind the actuator but no matter how hard I force it it wont budge. Ive tried spraying liquid wrench in it to free it up but to no avail. I'm assuming it's the right key as it works on my hatch. Anything else I can try or do I need all new locks? Also of note is I have no power to the car as motor and everything is out.


text:
Prince Harry gives up Battle of Britain flypast Spitfire seat for RAF veteran
His spokesman said he wanted to make sure that 95-year-old Mr Neil, an ex-wing commander and Battle of Britain Hurricane and Spitfire pilot, would still be able to take part.
And he wanted to ensure that a former para and an RAF corporal who won places on a Spitfire scholarship training programme were also still able to take part in the display.
Nathan Forster, a former private in the Parachute Regiment, from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, suffered severe damage to his left leg in an IED blast while on patrol in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2011. And Corporal Alan Robinson, an RAF aircraft technician, from Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, lost a leg in a motorbike accident.
Earlier, Harry – sporting a rugged beard – was pictured with a full beard as he set off on foot to inspect the aircraft lined up by the grass runway – and was admonished within minutes.
But, as his group began to cross the runway, a security vehicle came speeding up and stopped the Prince and his group in their tracks.
He could be seen being told to stand back and not cross the runway and a few minutes later a small aircraft came in to land.
Harry was then cleared to cross and continue his inspection as rain poured down on the airfield.
The Prince was due to fly in the Spitfire PV202 piloted by John Romain, managing director of the Aircraft Restoration Company at Duxford, Cambridgeshire.
But he will no longer be flying in the display as one of the four two-seater Spitfires has suffered mechanical problems.
The aerial display will be a tribute to the Second World War pilots famously dubbed "The Few" by wartime prime minister Winston Churchill for their efforts in defeating the Luftwaffe.
• The Battle of Britain, as it happened on September 15, 1940
During the summer and autumn of 1940, 544 personnel from Fighter Command died as the RAF fought in the skies above southern England to force back the threat of any invasion by Hitler.
The 75th anniversary is likely to be the last major anniversary at which the surviving members of the pivotal conflict – who are now all well into their 90s – will be fit to take part.
Mr Neil, 95, an ex-wing commander and Battle of Britain Hurricane and Spitfire pilot, will lead the formation from the rear of a two-seater Spitfire – the symbol of Britain's fight against Nazi forces.
The event has been organised by the Boultbee Flight Academy, based in Chichester, and two of the aircraft – a Spitfire and a Hurricane – fought in the famous battle.
The Prince had ditched the razor during his summer working on conservation projects in Africa. And he kept his new look on his return to the UK, showing off a rugged ginger beard on Tuesday morning.
It is not the first time the fifth in line to the throne has grown a beard. Most recently he sported facial hair after his trek to the South Pole with wounded servicemen in December 2013.
Harry had shaved it off by the time he appeared at a press conference to discuss the event in January 2014, amid reports the Queen did not approve of her grandson's "Windsor whiskers".
The Queen did not mind royal men growing beards while they were away with the armed forces, but she expected them to be clean-shaven when they were home, it was reported.
The Duke of Cambridge grew a beard when he joined the Special Boat Service on a mission to Barbados in 2008. He kept it over the Christmas period and gave the public their first glimpse after a festive church service at Sandringham, Norfolk.
William and Harry followed in the footsteps of their father, the Prince of Wales, who was pictured sporting a beard at the Badminton Horse Trials in 1976.
The Duke of Edinburgh was also photographed with a well-groomed beard while on active service in the Royal Navy during the Second World War.


text:
SAN DIEGO -- With another dominating pitching performance, the Los Angeles Dodgers captured the final rounds against the punchless San Diego Padres.
The Dodgers managed to score an unearned run in the seventh inning for a 1-0 victory Sunday over the Padres before 32,988 fans at Petco Park.
In the season finale between two clubs that opened the season with a bench-clearing brawl, the Dodgers (90-66), despite having already won the National League West title, showed more fight, winning the last two of the three-game series. The Dodgers won 11 of 19 overall from the Padres (72-83), and they muzzled San Diego's offense, shutting it out for the final 21 innings.
The Padres scored two runs (one unearned) in Friday's 2-0 win but were blanked Saturday by Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers' bullpen. They were shut out again Sunday by Zack Greinke, who suffered a broken collarbone in that April melee, and relievers J.P. Howell, Chris Withrow and closer Kenley Jansen.
"A lot of credit goes to our pitching staff," said Dodgers third baseman Michael Young, who went 1-for-3 with a double and was a catalyst in the decision. "They did a great job. Anytime they do really well, the defense always feeds off that. They threw a ton of strikes with a great tempo."
Young helped break up Sunday's scoreless contest by lining a double over the head of right-fielder Will Venable to bring home Adrian Gonzalez, who had singled with one out in the inning. Venable had trouble fielding the ball off the wall and was charged with an error, allowing the speed-challenged Gonzalez to round third and come home.
"I knew it would get over (Venable's) head right when I hit it," said Young, who is 15-for-39 since joining the Dodgers after being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 31. "Right when I saw him bare-hand it and drop it, I immediately picked up the third-base coach (Tim Wallach). Obviously, that was a big run for us."
Greinke, who is 2-0 with a 1.44 ERA in four starts against San Diego this season, blanked the Padres for five innings before the bullpen took over. Greinke limited the Padres to two hits -- both singles -- with three strikeouts and a walk, throwing only 72 pitches (46 strikes) before manager Don Mattingly lifted him for Howell (4-1), who threw a perfect sixth inning.
Greinke said Mattingly told him before the game not to expect a heavy workload since the Dodgers are trying to keep their starters fresh for the postseason.
"Just a minor day," said Greinke, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in his last 11 starts and is 7-0 with a 1.59 ERA during that stretch. "Trying to do as good as possible. That's the main thing, making sure all of the pitches are working and not getting any bad habits."
Withrow threw two scoreless innings before Jansen struck out the side in the ninth for his 27th save.
San Diego starter Andrew Cashner pitched well, but had little to show for his effort. Cashner (10-9), who earned a complete-game shutout win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, allowed a run (unearned) on four hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings. He threw 110 pitches (72 strikes).
"I made two mistakes. One was foul and the other one was to Young," Cashner said.
NOTES: Dodgers RHP Brian Wilson will make his first return to San Francisco in a Dodgers' uniform during a three-game series beginning Tuesday. Wilson will get an earful from the Giants' faithful, though Mattingly expects a mixed reaction. "I think it will be half and half," Mattingly said Sunday. "There will be a lot of people there that would appreciate what he was able to accomplish and what they were able to accomplish. And I think there will be a mix of traitor talk." ... Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez returned to the lineup after missing the past two games to rest his ailing back and hamstring as the Dodgers prepare for the post-season. ... Dodgers OF Andre Ethier pinch-hit in the ninth inning and struck out. It was Ethier's first appearance in nine games after a suffering a sprained left ankle. ... Padres 3B Chase Headley wasn't in the starting lineup, but pinch-hit in the eighth inning, reaching on an error by Gonzalez. Logan Forsythe started in his place. ... The Padres host the Diamondbacks for a four-game series beginning Monday. It will be the final homestand for the Padres. Arizona RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-9, 4.57) will meet San Diego LHP Eric Stults (9-13, 4.02) in the opener.


text: Steve Bluck wrote: > Being a noob at Linux I'm having trouble sourcing a card that is > supported in the 2.6.18 kernel without the need to install drivers, and > replies from manufacturers either evade the question or require a > Masters degree in Linux, so I thought I'd tap into the combined > knowledge of everyone here! > > So I'm still open to suggestions! centos-5.1 is expected out in 4 - 6 weeks now, and there is a good chance that the 3ware driver would be updated to support the 9650 cards.... -- Karanbir Singh : http://www.karan.org/ : 2522219 at icq


text:
'Windows Mobile smart phone'
'recently announced Windows Mobile 6'
'Skype sounded awful, but hey, it always does, so I can't hold that against the Treo.'
'Windows Media player, though it looks like the desktop version, is sluggish and unresponsive at times.'
'By adding support for CDMA/EV-DO Motorola should greatly increase the market for the MC70.'
'somewhat poor 240x240-pixel resolution'
'built-in Windows Media Player 10 syncs music and video'
'You can't select multiple messages (for deletion or transfer to other folders), and you can't choose whether to delete downloaded mail from the server.'
'small overall screen size'
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text:
In again reading Richard Rorty's magnum opus Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature I find myself absorbing it as if it is a sacred text. As if I'm trying to understand The Truth or how things are by reading it. And as with sacred texts, I experience a mix of getting it and not quite getting it. Of course, this way of being disposed to reading it is a direct contradiction of its point, that being that there is no way in which things are or absolute truth or ultimate guarantor of the true, the good and the beautiful and all the implications that flow from not assuming those absolutes exist or are available to us.
This is not the way I read most texts. I generally read them both to understand them and to be critical of them. Yet my oft-handled copy of Rorty's Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature has become as soft and floppy as an evangelist's Bible. Shouldn't I be more detached and critical of it? Why aren't I? Is it saying something that I need to hear? Why would I need to hear that? Why have others chosen some other text as their "Bible?" What is the unique character in which their chosen text speaks to them? What about it and them captured their allegiance?
Yet there is something in the fact that I do keep having to read Rorty's book. Is it that I don't believe Rorty's book is right and, contrary to its thesis, the absolutes exist, or is it the opposite: some part of me clings to an illusory belief in absolutes and reading Rorty is the existential remedying or extraction of this false or impractical belief?
Zizek describes Lacan's concept of the subject supposed to know. We carry this belief in the subject supposed to know into our psychoanalytic sessions and transfer it onto the analyst. So we imagine the analyst knows the truth of our psychological process. But Zizek, citing Michel de Certeau, describes an even more fundamental concept: the subject supposed to believe. This is the belief we have that there are others, more authoritative than we, who believe completely what we only want to or try to believe.
My subjects supposed to believe are Noam Chomsky (in politics) and Richard Rorty. I do believe what they believe, I've adopted their beliefs, but there is a way I don't believe as fully as they appear to believe. And part of my confidence in my beliefs is dependent upon my imagining that, despite my doubts, they believe completely the things I profess to believe that I've gotten from them, but that I feel secret uncertainties about. I believe, and need to believe, in their belief.
Oddly, the certainty I apply to Rorty and am trying to achieve for myself, is in contradiction to the uncertainty which is an inevitable result of his philosophy critical of belief in absolutes.
Monday, April 05, 2010
The Will to Believe
1 comment:
- rashida said...
Thanks for sharing about this post. This post reading is very important to me. Keep on posting in this blog.
- August 10, 2010
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text:
Renee Haugerud, the founder of commodity global macro hedge fund Galtere Ltd., invests in supermodel Petra Nemacova's charitable organization Happy Hearts Fund, which is currently rebuilding school in Haiti.
In an interview with Bloomberg's Margaret Brennan, Nemacova called Haugerud an "incredible role model and mentor."
Read more about Haugerard here >
Watch the video below. [via Bloomberg]


text:
order by popularity | order by alphabet
Be Kind To My MistakesGirls In The TreesI Dream Of CitiesA Supplement To SunshineThe Sun & The SilenceThey're Spies Aren't TheyThieves Like UsArtboy Meets ArtgirlBerceuseDaisiesRiding In Cars With GirlsChinese ButterfliesThe Art Of Kissing ProperlyThrough Loopholes With LoveSummerfoolThe Reinvention Of Simple MathTo The LighthouseMy Girl You BlushDrama QueenThe Only Happy Boy In CopenhagenWhen Cushions Were SofterSingle Glamorous WomenTonight Might Prove To Be Your Only Chance
Related Information for Moi Caprice Despite their young age, the four members of Moi Caprice are already veterans on the thriving Danish indierock scene. Having released four acclaimed studio albums during the last 7 years, the band is one of the most productive and beloved indie-acts in Denmark. They are both darlings of the critics and enjoy a thoroughly devoted fan base. Moi Caprice creates grandiose, romantic indiepop, that is not only clever, sophisticated and ambitious, but also astonishingly catchy and addicti.. read more


text:
Bad drivers rule the roads all over the world, leaving death and destruction in their wake. The World Health Organization estimates there are 1.24 million traffic fatalities each year, with half of these taking place in ten especially road rage-prone nations. We all like to think that our country tops this list — after all, when you're stuck in traffic and cut off by somebody obnoxious, there's no better way to take care of that built-up frustration than a nice venting session aimed at the car next to you. But it can be worse, right? Not if you happen to be a resident of one of the following nations, in which case you just might want to consider public transit as an alternative.
Aussie drivers often receive a bad rap for their alleged lack of driving skills. And there is some truth the the stereotypes, for, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were more 1,600 traffic-related fatalities in 2006. The majority of these took place on public roads and involved the deaths of drivers, although several hundred pedestrians also fall victim to bad driving each year. However, things are improving, with a combination of government and car insurance companies taking initiative to decrease the number of annual traffic accidents. If you're a reasonably good driver living in Australia, you might want to compare Australian car insurance. Because so many of your neighbors find themselves in accidents, you, a responsible driver, could very well be party to significant discounts.
Busy roads combined with poor infrastructure and harried citizens make for the ultimate driving disaster. Perhaps this is why, in a Gadling poll of 2,000 drivers all around the world, Italy earned the distinction of being the most hated place to take a vehicle out on the road. Common problems include aggressive driving that quickly spirals out of control, not to mention tailgating and speeding. Public transit options are decent in Italy, but if you must drive, do so with extreme caution.
The crowded streets of India's metropolitan areas are not known for being safe for pedestrians or drivers. Unfortunately a report by the "Washington Post" finds that India has the highest number of annual traffic fatalities, clocking in at a whopping 196,000 in 2012. According to the New York Times, India overtook China in annual driving fatalities in 2006 and hasn't looked back since then. This jump ahead of China arrives in spite of India's smaller population, greater concentration of agrarian towns and lack of cars compared to other nations. Unfortunately, as a greater share of the population continues to purchase cars, the risks only increases for those on the road in India.
Although it was surpassed by India for the annual number of traffic fatalities, China still holds second place. Many of the problems are similar to those seen in India, including poor infrastructure and an increase in aggressive driving. But as the LA Times reports, authorities in China are working hard to reverse this unfortunate trend, putting in place a wide array of policies to encourage safer driving.
Ella Mason, an experienced freelance writer, wrote this article. Ella specialises in providing useful and engaging advice to small businesses. Follow her on Twitter @ellatmason


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Hirschfelds are one of the oldest established jewellers in the world. Specialising in fine antique jewellery and beautiful antique engagement rings London. Rare and high quality items of Antiquejewels, Vintage jewellery and Estate Jewellery. Bespoke hand made contemporary jewellery. Exclusive jewellery from antique to the contemporary. Hatton Garden jewellers. Precious jewelery since the 19th Century. We are a family wholesale jewellers, antique jewellers and diamond dealers.
All domestic orders are dispatched by way of 'Recorded Special Delivery', for next day delivery before 1.pm. Welcome to our fine antique jewellery and antique Silver website. Here you can find thelatest information about our business, and an up to date stock list, along with images and prices of all our antiques and jewellery.
T.O'D is a family run business specialising in Fine Jewellery, Diamonds & Gemstones. We have been supplying the jewellery trade internationally since 1951. We have an extensive range of Fine Jewelleryand have won many awards for our bespoke jewellery and craftsmanship whilst also offering a broad range of simple well finished pieces. We are also dealers in antique and secondhand jewellery and regularly make offers for fine articles.


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Employee Tuition Exemption Benefit
University Policy Number 2209
Categorized: Human Resources and Payroll
Responsible Office: Human Resources and Payroll, Registrar, Student Accounts
Policy Procedure: N/A
Related Law & Policy: N/A
This policy applies to all George Mason University full- and part-time faculty, administrative and professional faculty and classified staff, as well as non-student wage employees. Full-time students, graduate assistants, and student wage employees, are not eligible for employee tuition exemption under this policy. Definitions are available in Policy 2217.
Eligible George Mason University employees are allowed to enroll in classes and related laboratories each academic year, for which tuition, lab, and course fees will be exempted under the conditions set forth herein. Employee tuition exemptions cannot be applied against other charges and are not refundable. Individuals must be current and active employees of George Mason University to use this benefit.
A. Maximum Allowable Benefits – The following table sets forth the maximum allowable benefits for each employment classification:
Class of Employee
Maximum Allowable Number of Credits Exempted Per Academic Year
Maximum Allowable Number of Credits Exempted in any one Semester or Summer Term
|Full-time faculty
|Part-time faculty
|Full-time administrative and professional faculty
|Part-time administrative and professional faculty
|Full-time classified staff
|Part-time classified staff
|Adjunct faculty
|Non-Student Wage Employees
B. Accrual of Credits for Non-Student Wage Employees – Non-student wage employees are eligible to enroll in up to 4 credit hours of course work after 500 hours of employment. An additional 4 hours of credits will be earned under this benefit after each subsequent 500 hours of employment. Each 4 credit hour exemption must be used in a single semester or summer term and no portion of the 4 credit hours may be transferred to another semester or summer term. Upon separation from a wage assignment, the employee's accrued tuition waiver hours will remain frozen for a period of six months. If the employee acquires another wage assignment at George Mason University within that six-month period, he or she will continue to accrue the benefit from the last remaining balance. Otherwise, the balance will be drawn to zero and the employee will begin to accrue at the zero balance for any future wage assignments at George Mason University.
C. Eligibility – Eligibility under this benefit will commence upon employment and extend through the academic terms of the class(es) in which the employee is enrolled. Adjunct faculty members, however, may use their earned benefits during the academic term during which they are employed, or during a future semester or summer term during the same academic year. Eligibility for non-student wage employees commences upon employment and is valid as long as an individual remains employed at the University in a wage position that is eligible for tuition exemption under this policy. Non-student wage employees are not eligible to accrue, nor to use, credits under this benefit while they are enrolled as a full-time student.
D. Costs – In the event employment terminates during the drop period of the relevant academic terms, the employee will be responsible for the costs associated with the course(s) in which he or she is enrolled. Employees whose employment has terminated after the drop period will not be responsible for costs associated with the course(s).
E. Transfer between employment classifications –Where an employee transfers between two or more employment classes in any given academic year, he or she is not permitted to combine the benefits of two or more employment classes. Employees will be restricted to the relevant maximum benefit under the employment classification that governs at the time of their enrollment in a course.
F. Transfer of credits prohibited – If a portion of an employee's allowable benefits remain unused at the end of a given academic year, they may not be transferred to another future academic year.
G. Academic Requirements – Employees must meet the same academic requirements as any other student.
H. IRS Tax Requirement – Per the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), employees who currently utilize a tuition waiver for graduate study will have amounts in excess of $5,250 in a calendar year reported as taxable earnings. This means that your tax withholding will increase in the pay period in which the excess amount is reported. If the tuition waiver amount exceeds the annual limit of $5250, the excess will be reported as taxable income and you will be notified by Human Resources & Payroll each October. Anything less than or equal to $5,250 is not reportable.
Tuition waivers for employees in undergraduate programs are not impacted.
Employees will not receive any special priority for registration, but will follow the priority of their academic category.
Employees shall make every effort to schedule classes outside of their normal working hours. Where circumstances require, an employee may request an alternative work schedule through Human Resources, pursuant to the University Policy 2202: Flexible Work Policy. Such a request will be granted only with the consent of the supervisor, and operational service effectiveness must not be jeopardized. Time missed from work as a result of class attendance must be made up by the employee or charged to an appropriate leave balance.
Application of the tuition exemption benefit shall not be used for programs that include revenue sharing agreements with external partners. Such programs include, but are not limited to: (1) Advanced Biomedical Sciences Masters Degree and Graduate Certificate; (2) History of Decorative Arts Masters Degree; (3) Wiley Online Programs and Courses; and (4) Executive and Professional Education Courses. Employees are encouraged to speak with the relevant school or program to confirm participation prior to enrolling in classes under this benefit. Additional questions should be directed to the Student Accounts Office.
The tuition exemption does not apply to orientation, new student, or special instructional fees such as individual vocal or instrumental instruction, which must be paid by the employee. Tuition for consortium courses that include foreign travel, and contract courses, are not eligible for exemption under this policy.
Exemptions will not be granted in anticipation of future work, nor will they be granted retroactively.
The following definitions apply only for purposes of this policy; they do not apply to any other policy or handbook of the University or its employees.
Academic year – for purposes of this policy, a given academic year is defined as beginning on the first day of the fall semester, and ending on the last day of the summer term.
Full-time faculty – faculty employees who work in a 9- or 12-month faculty position, and whose employee status is identified as 1.0 FTE.
Part-time faculty – faculty employees who work in a 9- or 12-month faculty position, and whose employee status is identified as less than 1.0 FTE, but greater than .50 FTE.
Full-time administrative and professional faculty – administrative and professional faculty employees who work in a 9- or 12-month faculty position, and whose employee status is identified as 1.0 FTE.
Part-time administrative and professional faculty – faculty employees who work in a 9- or 12-month faculty position, and whose employee status is identified as less than 1.0 FTE, but greater than .50 FTE.
Adjunct faculty – faculty members who are appointed to teach at least one course, or to perform other academic responsibilities on a part-time basis.
Full-time classified staff – classified staff employees who work in a position identified as 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week).
Part-time classified staff – classified staff employees who work in a position identified as less than 1.0 FTE, but greater than .50 FTE. Employees in this category will typically work less than 40 hours per week and greater than 20 hours per week.
Non-student wage employment – Non-student wage employees' primary relationship with Mason is to provide a service in exchange for pay. Non-student wage employment is intended to cover peak workloads, seasonal or short term needs. Non-student wage employees may take courses but are not in a degree program.
A. The Office of Student Accounts maintains procedures related to administration of this policy. As part of those procedures:
(1) Employees must complete an Employee Tuition Exemption Request . The form must be signed by their supervisor and routed to the Student Accounts office, as soon as practicable after the employee has registered for class(es), but prior to the payment due date for that registration (see the Student Accounts Office website for payment deadlines). Failure to complete the exemption request in a timely manner may result in late payment penalties to the employee.
(2) Student Accounts will verify eligibility and process the exemption request. Once approved, the employee's student account on Patriot Web will reflect a zero balance for exempt coursework.
B. In addition, and regardless of residency status, employees must complete the Application for Virginia In-state Tuition Rates, pursuant to Section 23-7-4 of the Code of Virginia. This is an administrative and cost accounting requirement. Answers supplied by the applicant will not affect their eligibility under the benefit.
The Director of Student Fiscal Services and Assistant Vice President for Human Resources and Payroll, in consultation with the University Registrar, will administer the Employee Tuition Waiver Program.
The policies herein are effective upon the date of approval. This policy shall be reviewed and revised, if necessary, annually and become effective immediately.
______________________ __2/22/2013_____________
Elizabeth A. Brock Date
Associate Vice President/Controller
______________________ __2/26/2013____________
Peter N. Stearns Date
Date approved: June 2, 2006
Revision approved November 6, 2007
Revised: December 1, 2012
Revised: September 3, 2015
Revised: April 17, 2017
Revised: October 18, 2017
Revised: July 11, 2018


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Hey Dave, when do we get to start using newMediaObject?
As a case in point: If hardware devices support the metaWeblog API, they'll need some method of directly uploading image/media files to a weblogging tool. Enter the (proposed) metaWeblog.newMediaObject method. As Joi writes:It would be easier if someone added more image handling in the API.
Once Dave lifts the caveat, we'll support metaWeblog.newMediaObject in the next Movable Type release.


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Plant A Miniature Fairy Garden
Place your miniature garden in an easily accessible location. Here, the village runs along the top of a knee-high block wall that elevates it for good viewing and makes it easy to reach into and putter with. Then, form hills and valleys to vary the landscapes by mounding or excavating soil, or creating terraces that add dimension.
Combining drought-tolerant succulents, Cotswold cottages, and elevated beds will lend easy inspection of the wee landscaping of a miniature garden.


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Techtextil 2017
Whether by air, land or sea: Techtextil presents fibres for mobile applications
- Techtextil is increasingly popular in the automobile sector
Pic: The focus of the Mobiltech area of application at Techtextil is on materials that can also be used for automobile interiors / Source: Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
At the fair, the company from Heinsdorfergrund in Northeast Germany will present 'Velamina', a new trim material made of polyester microfibre for automobile interiors. "We wanted to combine the high-grade appearance and touch of modern micro-fibre surface finishes with ecologically sustainable polyester", says Porst, who is using the fair specifically to present newly developed mobile textiles. According to Porst, the company's development department is working not only on fibre materials and surface finishes but also on textile switches, electrodes and sensors. "It won't be long before it will be possible to charge mobile telephones on inductive areas of car seats", says Porst.
Première with panorama
In a report for the Supply Industry Working Group, the IVGT association, which represents 9,000 automotive suppliers with an annual turnover of € 218 billion, forecasts that the world market for automobile textiles will be worth around US $ 32 billion by 2024. By way of comparison: annual revenues of the German textile industry amounted to € 10.8 billion in 2016 (excluding apparel). "For the coming fair, we expect to welcome over 650 exhibitors with products and materials for use in cars and trucks, including emergency and safety vehicles", says Techtextil Director Michael Jänecke.
One of these exhibitors is Rökona, a textile supplier based in the Southwest German town of Tübingen. A specialist for knitted fabrics, dyeing and finishing on a large scale for OEMs and automotive suppliers, Rökona will be showing a new, patented shade solution for panorama roofs in Frankfurt. "With this new product, we can achieve a high degree of shade with a great increase in roof thickness", says Rökona CEO Arved Westerkamp. Thus, the cassette, into which the panorama roof rolls when open, should be significantly smaller in future. Another new, completely different four-wheel development will be making its world debut at Techtextil 2017: Rökona's engineers have placed their knowledge of children's seats at the disposal of the Erdenkind start-up for a three-in-one pram using Oekotex-certified fibre material. "This is the first time that automotive knitting technology has been used for a pram", says Westerkamp. Thanks to a special mechanism, the pram seat can 'grow' with the child.
Pic: Headliner as yard goods: the raw-materials warehouse of Rökona provides an unusual view of tomorrow's car headliners / Source: Rökona
The aerospace sector is a traditional part of the Mobiltech area of application. Hence, mobile textiles will play a significant role at the 'Living in Space' special area organised in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Aerospace Centre (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt – DLR)). There, the wide spectrum of uses for technical textiles will be vividly illustrated by a future mission to Mars.
For example, Zimmermann from the Allgäu region of South Germany, a company that makes yarns for safety belts and plied yarn for airbags, will show a carbon yarn that Augsburg-based MT Aerospace used to make a housing for the solid-fuel booster rocket of the Ariane 6. According to ESA, this satellite-launching rocket, which is still in the development phase, will make its first flight in 2020. DLR says that components made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic are used, inter alia, to make mountings for solar panels, e.g., on the ISS, as well as heat-protection tiles on space vehicles or, in combination with aluminium honeycomb structures – for rocket fairings.
Pic: Lift off: Visitors to the 'Living in Space' special area will be able to see mobile textiles such as those used in satellite launching rockets such as this Ariane 5 / Source: ESA/Stephane Corvaja, 2016
Mobiltech – the second-biggest area of application at Techtextil
Seat covers, headliners, safety belts, filters, hoses, airbags, instrument panels and, increasingly, automotive parts made of fibre-reinforced plastic – designers and engineers from the automobile sector and other industries will find the latest trends and research and development results from the mobile-textile field at Techtextil. Almost half of the approx. 1,470 exhibitors present materials, products and innovations for the Mobiltech area of application.


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One key to understanding human nature is the Pathwork Guide's concept of the Higher Self, Lower Self, and Mask Self. It's explained in detail in the Guide Lecture of the same name, and is a useful way of thinking about how and why we act in the ways we do.
The Higher Self is our divine core -- the respository of endless joy, intuition, and creativity. This is the part of us that knows no fear, that understands and welcomes our life task, and that knows that there is no conflict between your higher self and my higher self: that dualistic conflict is only a painful illusion. It contains wisdom, happiness, and the answers to all questions about our growth and development. Yet the Higher Self -- which would seem to be all we would ever want to be and to express -- is obscured by two layers, which interpose themselves between this beautiful core and the world. These are:
The Lower Self is the part of ourselves that harbors our faults and misconceptions, as well as an enduring selfish attitude about ourselves. The Lower Self includes hate and willful ignorance, the desire to destroy life and to isolate the self. The Lower Self is ruthless and selfish. Still another layer encloses the Lower Self, and this is what we primarily show to the world. The Pathwork Guide calls it:
The Mask Self is the part of ourselves we create to hide both the Lower and Higher Selves, the one because we know we will not be accepted if our hate and selfishness is plain for all to see, and the other because we are secretly ashamed of our beauty and spiritual power. As the quote by the spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson puts it: "Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'who am I to be so brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are we not to be? You are a child of God." The Mask self is the self we habitually show to others, to deny both the worst and the best in ourselves, to create a safe, conventional, but ultimately unfulfilling pseudo-truth.


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The Confounding Genius of R.Kellyby Brandon Edmonds, illustration by Mike Scott / 02.07.2010
Things you can't do just once. Kiss someone soul-stirring. Protest. Watch Wes Anderson's sparkling debut, Bottle Rocket. Floss. Eat lasagna. Disappoint your folks. Recycle. Masturbate. Hug an old friend and drunk dial an ex. Or listen to R. Kelly's "Ignition Remix". Impossible. Try it.
See. You have to hear that call and response again: gimme that… toot toot. Why deny yourself? Gimme that… beep beep. This is golden-winged pop music operating just shy of sublimity. It's scary good. So simple it's profound. The couplets in the chorus have the swift natural rightness, the gorgeous lyrical inevitability, of a Shakespearean sonnet, timeless but they feel especially right for the partying mindlessness of a young 21st Century.
"Sipping on Coke 'n rum / I'm like so what, I'm drunk / It's the freakin weekend baby / I'm about to have me some fun." Feel the animus for the working week in there, that undertow of a working man's real fatigue, the total commitment to pleasure.
"After the show it's the afterparty", but Kelly pushes it, utterly self-revealing as the best artists always are, "after the party it's the hotel lobby"! You dog. The man is a phallus. An erect, blessed paragon of R&B masculinity.
Black male sexuality is always potentially explosive in popular culture. There's an unmanageable quality to it – cultural stereotypes of ultra-virility, overripe physical endowment, the big buck slave figure of racist romantic fiction and early Hollywood, the black rapist specter so often deployed by politicians "tough on crime" in an election cycle, the bestial "mandingo" myth, porn sites endlessly replaying "white chicks on black dicks".
Ubiquitous cultural analyst, Slavoj Zizek, reminds us that "desire is the desire of the Other". In other words, we want what we perceive those unlike us are enjoying far more powerfully than our own enjoyment. It's deep racial wonderment. Whites imagine black men having crazy sex. Going for hours. Devastating their conquests. There's resentment there. Fear and loathing. Artists like Prince and James Brown have surfed that discomfort – flaunting potency for cultural and aesthetic identity, goading whiteness into re-thinking its own desire.
The threat of black male sexuality is behind the white usurper figure in popular music: the successful channeler of "black sounds" and "black moves" who "steals" from blackness to make it big by repackaging the danger. There's a bit of that with Die Antwoord. Elvis did it according to Public Enemy. And it certainly applies to Eminem. In 2002, he was called the "rap Hitler" by Source magazine's self-promoting publisher, Ray Scott, a wild jibe meant to convey the wrongness of a white guy being king of the hip hop castle. Scott told MTV: "Eminem gets to talk about his issues and pain. We have to entertain more than expose our true issues. The machine doesn't want our pain to be out there."
The anxiety and fascination around black male sexuality never stops. One of the few renewable cultural resources. It explains Will Smith. He's deliciously mocha, charming, smooth and entirely motivated by seeming non-threatening. A family man with a strong work ethic. You wouldn't begrudge him his success. It also explains Justin Bieber. He's a tween pop sensation, with pre-adolescent signifiers, a falsetto, no trace of body hair, angelic eyes, creamily perfect skin and a bland whiteness hearkening back to the antiseptic teen idols of the 1950s. Yet Bieber drops into hip hop registers. Has LL Cool J rap for him. Even hails from a classically "broken" family – raised by a single mother. Ironically, Bieber takes on aspects of blackness and R&B masculinity, as does Justin Timberlake, because popular music simply is "black music" in the 21st Century. Rap and R&B are the templates of uncomplicated listening pleasure everywhere. It's what radio stations and streaming sites have on default playlists. You have to master its forms to make it.
But Bieber is blackness defanged – scrubbed free of discomfort for mainstream audiences. The threat of black male potency defused in the body and face of an angelic white cherub. That Bieber commercially deploys "black signs" – the croon, the flow, the dance steps, the girl-focused party anthems – suggests that it's R. Kelly's world and every other wannabe has to live in it.
Interestingly, blackness is showing signs of Bieber-ing itself. There's an unforeseen genre of emo rap emerging. Everyone from Kanye West, Kid Cudi and Lil Wayne have opened up and got emotional. The hard gangsta shell is cracking open to reveal a whole mess of feelings. Young Canadian rapper Drake is the biggest at this kind of emotionalism right now. As Slate magazine put it, "Drake is a smoothie with a twist: the good life gets him down." There's no mistaking the influence of R. Kelly here either. Kelly invented emo if emo is all about self-doubt, internal agony and an amorphous kind of world-sick pain.
Here's the first 12 chapters of what has been described as the first "rap opera".
It is R. Kelly's opus. An ongoing saga, "a gonzo musical serial", called, ulp, Trapped in the Closet. There are 22 chapters so far taking in fun stuff like midgets, infidelity, voyeurism, guns and priests. Kelly sing-talks the deceptively straightforward lyrics as if he's narrating a fever dream. He even yodels. Yes, really, actually, yodels. Critics have taken the R&B soap opera as banging proof of Kelly's complete insanity. There was an understandable turn against him after the whole underage rimming and peeing incident. Don't ask. Black stars have a long history of burning at the stake of "sexual transgression", from Fats Waller to Kobe Bryant. But Kelly is no Gary Glitter. He's learned from his mistakes: "When people throw bricks at you, it doesn't necessarily mean you have to catch them."
Part criminal, part lover, mega star, and the sweetest soul singer since Luther Vandross sadly passed, R. Kelly is like an anamorphic hologram-statue of contemporary blackness: every time you look, he's showing something different. He's important.
Here's Sign of Victory, Kelly's surprisingly subdued and tasteful World Cup Anthem.
i saw ohpra interviewing that susan boyle and the gay american idols guy in the same segment the day before yesterday, imagine the three way backstage, oh baby oh baby AHHH AH AH pass the kfc bucket i'm nearly done, uh UH UHHH…that's rock and roll
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Say it like it is. Preach on!
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I see your astonishing indifference and fart in your general direction.
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I've been saying this for a long time, Ignition remix is one of the great tracks while "Sipping on Coke 'n rum / I'm like so what, I'm drunk / It's the freakin weekend baby / I'm about to have me some fun" is a epic line that one can use at any given point on the weekend should acting out of the ordinary. Preach. Finally.
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Brandon Edmonds – you're a good writer, an intelligent guy. How much are you getting paid for this shit? It better be worth it seeing as no one's reading it. All your words are wasted on this site. They belong somewhere for someone who cares.
Quit Mahala and get a better job, dude. You deserve it. You're worth more than this.
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From your lips to the Gods, Jersey. Gracias.
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Andy, you must be either the editor or the owner of the site
Why so indignant? Let me just say this. You say '… he was unpublished before Mahala came along', what like you did him some huge favour? He works for you. He generates content for you and you, presumably, pay him (although I understand lots of people on this site work for mahala in two senses of the phrase). So why are you attacking me?
All I'm saying is that this site is not befitting someone of Edmonds standards. He's a far better writer than deserves getting 'three kifs' and barely no reads. Writing of his kind, excellent writing, doesn't deserved to be consigned in this rubbish heap, to languish away here, unread and unappreciated. So, don't take it all personally!
And I love the fact that because I'm criticising your project justly (where are the readers? where are the kifs? where are the comments? hell, where the ads, because Edmonds is the guy that's helping you get that one Nike ad you have on the site) you want to call me a wanker and a troll.
Yeah, sure, I get a kick out of stirring up the pot anonymously (I mean, who the hell doesn't, right? Come on, admit you fuckers, the internet thrives on bringing out all the latent hate), but that doesn't mean my criticism is any less valid.
Brandon, you are a 'star writer', as Andy calls you. But is this what you're worth? Squandering your words on a hardly-read website? I don't see you in the papers or other magazines or other sites? Where else are you writing, man? Break free, motherfucker. Writers like you are hard to come by. Alls I'm saying is don't waste your time. If you like writing for Mahala, if you think it's the best platform for you, then enjoy. But I think you could do so much better.
Maybe Andy's paying you a king's ransom? Money fucking talks, I get it.
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@Jersey Pot
Maybe some suggestions would be in order. Name the places Edmonds should be writing for. In South Africa, right now. Places that would give him free reign to write about whatever takes his fancy.
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This is the most arbitrary intro ever.
To wit, I have:
Kissed someone soul stirring more than once.
Never protested.
Watched Bottle Rocket only once.
Never flossed. (probably regret that when I'm older)
Eaten lasagna plenty.
Disappointed my parents all over the place.
Never recycled.
Masturbated plenty.
Only hugged an old friend once and it was awkward.
Never drunk dialed an ex.
And listened to this shitty R Kelly track just once.
what's your point edmonds?
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Gee we're different you and I. Go fucking figure, douche nuts.
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Fuck shit, fuck fuck shit shit, arsehole, Cunt? Bastard, anus, shit shit shit, fuck fuck, shit, pussy, dick. Arsehole Cunt!
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Now that's poetry!
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You're losing it. Go read Vice.
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Jesus not Jersey Pot again!
For someone who bitches about Mahala so much, he sure does spend a lot of time here.
No point telling him to fuck off. He's here for the hate.
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Semiotics + R.Kelly + Mahala= media student leisure time smiles
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Well, I think this was another cool article. Brendon… I dig the mag. Been visiting allot. Been spamming friends and family with links… This whole find a better place, wasting your talent thing is a load. You're writing, you're doing something you enjoy. You're good at it. Fuck the limited kiffs. Because the few people reading your work now, really appreciate it. We don't tick the "I like" knoppie because we feel sorry for you. If your work sucked, we'd tell you. It's being praised because it deserves to be praised. I don't usually spend this much time acknowledging what I admire in others… just had to say my say. Mahala rocks, you rock. We want more.
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Oh, and andy.
( . ) ( . )
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Thanks for the mammaries, Dennis!
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Well written. Never heard of Mahala until today – a friend posted the link for this article on her Facebook page. Im definitely gonna be a regular reader
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Cudo's Edmonds! You really do know how to make a brother blush.
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Ma wurd, this slinky Edmonds chappie sure stirs it up. But I must dissent. R. Kelly is a disposable toe-rag, & his Black Panther turn at the WC was beyond risible. The twat should at least have pissed on Shakira or summat. As it was, one cried out for the return of a credible Cleaver – Khoisan X sprang to mind. Come back, Benny!
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Brandon, thank you for writing this. I really enjoyed it!
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Denis Delestrac
Denis Delestrac is a French journalist, writer and award-winning director. Among his social-political and cultural documentaries are: "Human Rights", shot in Israel, Colombia and Afghanistan, a powerful documentary that analyses how armed conflicts increasingly affect civilian communities and foster displacement; "The Mission to Educate" which examines the sustainability of the nomadic Nigerian tribes' lifestyle; and "The Nomad Spirit" looks at how market economy has transformed Mongolian society. More recently, Delestrac contributed to the direction and writing of the award-winning large format blockbuster Mystery of the Nile. PAX AMERICANA and the Weaponization of Space
is his first feature length documentary.
Official Website
IMDB page
Amon Tobin
Musician, programmer, recording artist, beatsmith, composer, sound designer. Amon Tobin is all of these things but most of all a forward thinker. His work is a contribution to the evolution of sound in the spirit of the pioneers of electronic music. Amon has released a series of critically-acclaimed full length albums alongside a number of side projects varying from film scores to collaborations with artists ranging in classical music to hip hop, to all stylistic disciplines in between. A relentless drive to explore has lead Amon to various places in music, but the the real fruit of his labour are in the combined knowledge gained from these experiences of how music and sound work.
Alam Raja
Born in Barcelona, Alam obtained a Graduate degree in cinema and the audiovisuals with Direction as his speciality at the Superior School of Cinema and Audiovisuals of Catalonia. He has directed short films in several formats including 16mm and 35mm, with "Mola Ser Malo" ("It's Cool to be Bad") being his first film acclaimed by the critic and featured in festivals worldwide. He is the co-founder of Bipolar Films, a production company specialising in the production of music videos and commercials. Alam is currently developping several documentary and fiction projects. He lives and works in Spain and North America.
Mikela Jay
Mikela Jay is a canadian singer, songwriter & performer as well as an established actor appearing in dozens of film & television productions. Before her contribution to Pax Americana, her voice could be heard in the multi-award winning canadian documentary *The Corporation*. Her anticipated new album *The Distance* is now available on itunes & amazon.
Harold CROOKS
Harold Crooks' signature can be seen on numerous highly-regarded documentaries, including Bhopal: The Search for Justice, The World Is Watching, The Corporation, Karsh Is History, The Champagne Safari, and Anthrax War. Among awards, grants and fellowships he has received are a Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo (Best Documentary); an Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Genie; a Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Foundation of British Columbia Leo Award for Best Screenwriter [Documentary]; a National Documentary Film Award [Best Writing Category] at 1996 Hot Docs!; a Writers Guild of Canada Top Ten Awards finalist; and a Fund for Investigative Journalism [Washington, DC] travel grant.
Mark Achbar
Mark Achbar is one of a wave of non-fiction feature filmmakers reaching large international audiences through mainstream theatres, TV, DVD, and the internet. He co-produced and co-directed the two most successful Canadian feature documentaries ever made: MANUFACTURING CONSENT: NOAM CHOMSKY AND THE MEDIA and THE CORPORATION. His films popularize radical critiques, win dozens of prestigious awards, and gross millions at the box-office. Achbar's output as Executive Producer includes: Denis Delestrac's PAX AMERICANA AND THE WEAPONIZATION OF SPACE; Fredrik Gertten's BANANAS; and Sam Bozzo's BLUE GOLD: WORLD WATER WARS.
The Corporation Website
IMDB page
Lucie Tremblay
Lucie Tremblay began her career in the production field in 1990. The different documentaries she produced fervently displays her passion for popularizing science, environmental and social issues. This same passion is reflected as that little something extra on screen which is the result of the close relationship she has developed with directors, filmmakers & crew. In her career she has produced documentaries for Radio-Canada, CBC, Canal D, TVA, Télé-Québec, ARTE, Canal Vie, Knowledge Network, CFCF, Discovery, NHK, which resulted in many awards received both nationally and internationally. Her expertise in production and coproduction has brought her to organize, in 2010, the first international pitch session for the FIFO in Tahiti.
Jeremy Edwardes
Jeremy Edwardes is the Vice-President of Coptor Productions Inc. located in Toronto, Canada. Jeremy has been producing for 10 years. Highlights include winning the Academy Award in 2005 for best animated short film for Ryan. A Gemini Nomination for Alter Egos (Director Lawrence Green) and the Aboriginal Music Documentary award in 2008 for Kitiohcikew (Dir. Jim Compton). Jeremy met director Denis Delestrac at Docs Barcelona in February of 2006. He was immediately struck by the importance of the film and offered to produce it as an international and inter-provincial co-production. It took less than a year to finance the film. Coptor is currently developing Mysteries of the Northern Lights and Sound 3D for the Giant Screen.
Betsy Carson
Betsy Carson is a producer, production manager and director with 20 years experience in documentary film and television. Among her producing credits are several feature docs including Nettie Wild's FIX: The Story of an Addicted City (2004 Genie Award), A Place Called Chiapas (1998 Genie Award) , Blockade, Gary Marcuse's ARKTIKA: The Russian Dream That Failed, Nuclear Dynamite, and The Mind of A Child (both Gemini winners) Linda Ohama's Obaachan's Garden and Arlene Ami's Say I Do (Executive Producer). One-hour documentaries she has worked on include The Lynching of Louie Sam, Time Immemorial, Deconstructing Supper, and The Legend of Cataline. She also was associate producer / production manager for four years on Omni Films's Champions of the Wild series, as well as Mystique Film's series Healing with Animals and Beyond Invention, and is a consultant for many of Vancouver's documentary filmmakers in the area of budgeting and financing.


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NEW DELHI -- Microsoft Corporation, a multinational technology company, is likely to cut around 1,000 jobs in a new round of layoffs, as reported by CNBC on Thursday.
The company had in a statement in July said that they were planning to cut 7,800 jobs or nearly seven percent of its workforce.
Microsoft had yesterday reported better-than-expected quarterly adjusted revenue for the ninth quarter in a row, boosted by heavy demand for its cloud products.
Also Read: Twitter CEO Apologizes For Shutting Down Sites That Save Politicians' Deleted Tweets
Contact HuffPost India


text:
Friday, February 1, 2013
Another Day in Nancy, France
5 comments:
- BavarianSojourn said...
I guess you've been spoiled on the Christmas Market front! Nancy is very pretty though isn't it? Lovely pics! :)
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Disclosure Time
- I may occasionally receive monetary compensation for my recommendation, endorsement, and/or link to certain products and services. In the case of affiliate links, no advertiser will ever directly influence content on this blog. Some links are added based solely on merit, without any compensation whatsoever. Any and all content written on this personal blog is by me, Fairytale Hausfrau.


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Spring UMO Meeting - April 25
10am-12pm In-person and online peer review - We are looking for a few midwives to present! RSVP required to attend. Contact Sarah Carter to RSVP and receive a copy of the Peer Review guidelines.
12pm-1:30pm Potluck Lunch and Mingle
1:30pm-4pm Nutrition class with Melissa Chappell
North Salt Lake/Bountiful Area--Student Game Night with a workshop on IV skills or a discussion on "Confidentiality and Social Media" Time, place and more details to follow!
Peer Review and Education Opportunities
Hello, beautiful members of the Utah Midwives Organization!
I'm pleased to announce that we will be starting online peer review next month. I am looking for presenters for the following dates at 6 pm:
I would like to have two presenters for each session. Guidelines for attending and presenting are attached. Student members may attend.
If you would like to attend one of these sessions, please RSVP to firstname.lastname@example.com with your name and email address and confirmation that you have read and agree to abide by the Peer Review Guidelines and you will be sent login information for the call. Certificates will be sent to all participants following the review via email (a printable pdf file).
Also, my hope is to offer 4 regional workshops this year. In order to do this, I need to know what people would like to learn about. Please take a moment to complete this 3-question survey:
Thank you all so much!
Sarah Carter, CPM, LDEM
Utah Midwives Organization Education Chair
Peer Review Guidelines are located here: Midwifery Rules and UMO Docs
UMO Conferences and Events
Information about Organization events and meetings


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My wife and I had a question, and our daughter told us to "Google it"! So we asked Google! There it was, the answer in all of its glory, and none of the drama. That got me thinking about something... Is the internet making our kids dumber? At 35-years young I remember spending hours in the basement with my cousin huddled around a 13-inch black and white TV playing asteroids on an "old" Atari, emerging only for restroom breaks. Even then I got yelled at for not "getting enough sunlight"! At the same time I remembered spending hours in a library because I had a book report to do. I had to find accurate and reliable information relating to the topic; I had to cross-reference authors, titles, and topics; I had to use... a +Card Catalog! Mother of God! I used +Encyclopaedia Britannica,Inc. which is still a good read, just not in print anymore (I don't thing). And, I mastered the #DeweyDecimalSystem. Kind of like Algebra, a pointless chore.
In less than 10 seconds I accomplished more than a day in a library used to get me. I searched "dog" and got literally millions of hits to websites that told me everything I could ever want to know, and wish I could forget, about dogs. I remember driving the extra 10 minutes to a bigger library because they had more books, hence, larger catalog. Maybe that one would even have a topical reference and not just alphabetical author or titles. What I DID find in the library that takes longer on the internet is a reliable source. Agreeably, +Wikipedia is not an suitable source, even though there are several citations at the bottom of most subjects. In a library I would have the "truth", or at least a reliable version of it, in my hand. No ads, no spam. The internet is fraught with hazards from spam to pop-up ads to very inappropriate pop-up ads all in the quest of "dog".
Look for Part 2 coming soon!
#Google #encyclopedia #Brittanica #library


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Water Quality Programs
Wyoming County Water Resources Coordinating Committee
The Wyoming County Water Resources Coordinating Committee consists of representatives of many various groups and agencies concerned about the quality and quantity of Wyoming County's surface and groundwater. Our purpose is to help coordinate the efforts of private and commercial groups as well as local, state, federal agencies and municipalities in accomplishing our common goals and objectives through voluntary and rational approaches to maintaining and improving our water resources.
Committee Members
*Wyoming County Soil & Water Conservation District
*Cornell Cooperative Extension
*Wyoming County Health Department
*Wyoming County Emergency Services
*Wyoming County Planning & Development
*Wyoming County Board of Supervisors
*Farm Bureau
*Farm Service Agency
*Natural Resources Conservation Service
*NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
*NYS Soil & Water Conservation Committee
*Oatka Creek Watershed Committee
*Silver Lake Watershed Commission
*Trout Unlimited
*WNY Crop Management Association
Annual Water Reports
2008 Annual Report
Water Quality Strategy
FL-LOWPA: Finger Lakes – Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance
The Wyoming County Soil and Water Conservation District is a proud member of FL-LOWPA. Through this alliance, the district seeks to promote the implementation of plans that will enhance water quality. With FL-LOWPA the Wyoming County SWCD is able to undertake several local projects, share ideas and project information, and collaborate with other counties.
Lake Monitoring
Silver Lake Monitoring
Silver Lake is nestled within the towns of Perry and Castile. The lake is used by many for boating, fishing, recreation, and is a water source for three townships. Monitoring on Silver Lake begun in the early 1990s and has continued annually. Each year water samples are taken from the lake and from surrounding tributaries to monitor the quality of the water. Results are then added to a database to look at developing trends and are presented to the Silver Lake Watershed Commission.
Silver Lake Watershed Maps
Java Lake Monitoring
Java Lake is a quaint lake located in the Town of Java, and is the headwaters for Cattaraugus Creek. Java Lake is used for many types of recreation such as non motorized boating, swimming, and fishing. The Java Lake Monitoring program is performed annually for six months throughout the summer months. Results from the monitoring program are recorded and reported to the Java Lake Water Quality Committee.


text:
Find information on common issues.
Ask questions and find answers from other users.
Suggest a new site feature or improvement.
Check on status of your tickets.
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Libelium IoT Starter Kits (by Cooking Hacks)
IoT Starter Kits
Cooking Hacks has launched the IoT Starter Kits, a fully configurable range of kits. This is a great way to begin in the IoT world using one of the most professional...


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The protagonist of my game is Manila Shaw, a policewoman who is respectful of the rules and very good at her job. She always has money problems and has struggling to pay the house rent. A Manila's police action in a convenience store will attract a mysterious man's attention to her and this will change her life, throwing her into a world of corruption and deception...
Download Manila_Shaw_Blackmail_s_Obsession_-_Version_0.02.rar (822.5 Mb)


text:
There's no shortage of glum news these days, even in the cocktail world (the Tonga Room? Say it ain't so) so here's a brief photographic interlude, courtesy of The Chronicle's archives.
Chronicle librarian Johnny Miller found this while hunting down images for Gary Regan's adventures in creating devising a Chronicle anniversary cocktail.
Chronicle archives
Lest any of us worry about being replaced by a machine, seems like the bartenders of the world somehow survived the unveiling of this wondrously infernal 1956 invention. According to the caption, the "Autobar" could mix and dispense a drink in just three seconds; a "selection of liquor, mix, ice and proportions activates automatic controls and you can have the drink of your choice. Constructed at a cost of $4,000 [about $31,700 in current dollars] the bar weighs 200 lbs., is 44 inches high, 36 inches wide and 22 inches deep." (Thanks to Erick Wong for scanning it in.)
Not to point out fatal flaws, but at a quick glance it appears the number of liquors was limited to two — bourbon and Scotch — and the mixers to three. For 31 grand, shouldn't it at least dispense gin?


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Sunday, July 13, 2008
Anti-Drugs Poster Painting Competition 2008
A piece in the spirit of watercolour by Liew Yoke Hui of SMK Jinjang. This piece won first place in the Lower Secondary School category.
There is a lot of talent among children as evident from the recent nationwide Anti-Drugs Campaign Poster Painting Competition held in Kuala Lumpur recently.
I had the opportunity to attend the state finals and was given the chance to speak to a number of judges and art teachers there. The medium of painting comprised soft pastels/crayons and watercolour/poster colour(gouache).
More than a dozen students were selected from 12 district champions qualified for the finals from which the champion will represent Kuala Lumpur at the National Finals in Kota Baru later this year.
The judges must have had a tough time deciding who should rightly win based on the high quality of the paintings. I know I was at a loss for words looking at the variety of subjects and colours each had chosen to paint their message on such a grim subject as drugs. The art teachers have taught their students well, indeed.
Although there were great similarities between the subjects, there are also some gems among the lot. Many should have won but were not picked by the judges for reasons best known to them. But there was certainly no lack of originality and unique concepts in this finals.
One thing I saw at this competition, which I think is very unhealthy, is how some parents become too involved in wanting their children to win - to the extent of bad mouthing their children's rivals' work that were selected. Even the judges were not spared.
My advice to these parents is not to take part in such competition if it drives so much stress into themselves and their children. The prize money is not much - only a few hundred ringgit - and certainly not worth the gripe nor the bragging rights should your child win.
The desperation to see a winning work in the hands of their children is not doing anything to encourage the latter's love for art. In all likelihood, your children is going to despise art for the misery their work brings upon them in terms of scolding from you parents!
Anyway, here's a video of the final winners. These are good in my opinion - what more could you ask for from teens from 13 to 17?
Posted by ES Tung at Sunday, July 13, 2008
Labels: News
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A Quick Jaunt to Thirsk.
Why Thirsk?
Because of LEL (London Edinburgh London) the flagship ride of Audax UK. Not as a cyclist, but myself and my eldest daughter Beth had ourselves up as volunteers to help at the Thirsk Control.
Firstly though we had to get there...
My hysterectomy and bowel surgery op in March (sorry if its too much info), almost put paid to my cycling this year, and to be honest I was 'cheating' a bit by taking the bike on this trip. Initially I had the car booked on the ferry, but the fears in my belly of driving in the UK, were building. Once I had my final signing off by the Consultant on the 1st July, I was informed I would be able to cycle again... but only if carefully, and slowly.
Despite telling them I cycle a lot, I got the impression no one on the NHS really believed me. OK... Ill take it carefully and slowly.
So, I cancelled the car and started at last to look forward to our work at Thirsk, as we would indeed be cycling there instead. Beth and I cycled initially to Hawes, then on to Helmsley and finally to Thirsk its self. Why not directly to Thirsk? Cos of the 'carefully and slowly' promise to the NHS and to my family. So one night at Hawes, two at Helmsley and then onto Thirsk for 4 days before coming home via Hawes again and then the ferry. See, nice and careful. Nice and slow.
The Hawes YHA accommodation was just 40 miles from the ferry. Thats one hassle of taking the ferry to UK, it eats into a full half day of travel, as the boat docks at noon. The route to Hawes YH is lovely once of course you leave Morecambe and Lancaster behind. Both the towns suffer from narrow streets and lots of traffic. The off road bits are heavily used by pedestrians and as such, they are themselves stressful and slow, we thought we would go the road way. To be honest we were soon on the B roads. The sun was out and it was at least 5 degrees C warmer than home once we were away from the coast.
Now... Thing is see, I was travelling with Beth. 🙂
Beth is my eldest and she has just completed a very stressful 2nd year at Lancaster Uni where she is studying Economics. Its been a real tough year for her. Ending in June in a cycling accident where a car ploughed into her stationary bicycle while she was waiting to turn right at a road junction. Beth was thrown clear and landed on her feet. Not so her poor bike, which became lodged beneath the wheels of the car and was dragged down the road. The car did not stop. After crunching fully over her bike, the driver sped off, leaving a very shaken Beth and crumpled bike behind.
Thankfully it was witnessed and many lovely people of Lancaster had the number plate and details. The police tracked the driver and an insurance claim was lodged.
This meant though that Beth had no bike. So for our ride to Hawes, Enid my winter rider held her wheel aloft and offered up her services. I provided Beth with bags and we sorted out our gear. I am after a few years finally managing to sort my bags out quite efficiently. But we had a lot to bring as we were working in the kitchens and clean clothing was required for the 4 days of our volunteering stint. (This assumes I wear mucky cloths.. I dont, but I do 'recycle' items sometimes and we had no idea what cleaning arrangements if any existed at the Control).
Beth though wasnt taking any chances and assumed there might be long lengths of time without much to do... so brought with her a lot of heavy reading materials! Her bags were stuffed to briming and I could hardly lift them! (I'm not allowed to lift heavy stuff as yet)
Poor Enid. Beth and I set off for the ferry. Outside our door is a down hill, a junction, then a big up hill. I rode off on Hettie, looked behind me at the empty road. Waited at the next bit of pavement to see Beth pushing Enid up the hill! 'Hummmm not looking too good is this is it?'
Thankfully, it was just a little gearing issue. Beth being a Shimarno kinda girl, me being a Campagnolo lady. And the Campag gearing on Enid was foxing Beth a bit.
Once off the ferry we set off for Hawes.
Did you know Hawes is uphill? It is... and its uphill for 40 + miles from Lancaster!
Ferry to Hawes. OK it included Douglas, but no hills at sea!
Since the 12 of March this year, I had cycled a total of 50 miles split up over 5 days. Yes, it was a testing time. But we had all day. Beth had issues too. I was glad she had over loaded Enid now, because I didnt feel so slow. Beth is a fast cyclist. She likes plastic bicycles... er..Carbon I mean. And she normally rides a bike where lightness is the word of the day. (She is the Uni President for their Triathlete team and competes herself) Here she was, carrying 2 stones of luggage, all on the back wheel. Enid has her plastic front forks on and every time Beth tried to stand in the pedals, she could feel the front wheel was not a happy bunny down on earth, so sitting and grinding was the only way forward.
Beth with Enid. Having 'issues' with Gravity
We cycled to Ingleton, and followed the hairpin out of the village up to the Ribblehead Station where we stopped for a worthwhile late lunch or very early tea at about 4ish. It was good to rest up, especially as I knew the hills that lie ahead.
But you know... the hills to Hawes were nothing compared to Helmsleys' little secret!
Having arrived in Hawes we over nighted at the YHA there in the village. Comfortable, albeit a little – shall I say – Jobs Worth and Rules are rules... I dislike being told I cannot buy a tea bag, but I HAVE to purchase my wine from them should I wish a short bevie before bed! Yes, we did finally squeeze a cheap tea bag out of the place, but only because Beth begged for some (and they made a 200% profit on them at least too! Thats what happens when your with an economist, she knows these things!) Note to self... dont leave home without your own Yorkshire Tea bags again EVER!
Anyway, following morning after cheap tea and lashings of ace porridge for breakfast (ha ha didn't forget our porridge oats), we set off early as we had a ride of about 60 miles to do. Our next night was at Helmsley YHA. Looking forward to it. Day was ace, perfect cycling weather. No wind to speak off, and a clear sky. IT was warm. Infact at a guess, I think it was about 20 C at 8am in the morning.
We took the most direct route to Helmsley, taking us through Leyburn along an A road, but it wasnt busy, infact it was a pleasure to use. Initially I had wanted to cycle via Bolton Castle, but my SATMAP suggested it was hillier and with 60 miles head and an unfit and now fat Mary (I have gained 2 stones in weight), we opted for the flatter route.
FLATTER I said.... did I say flatter?
Here is our route to Helmsley:
The route to Helmsley
When we arrived at Knayton, the route had been lovely. Gentle rises and falls gave us the impression of a nice easy ride. In fact we were making really good time for two laden bicycles, (one heavily so). We looked at our watches, we had ten miles to go and it was only 3pm. So we were hoping to be at the hostel for about 4pm, knowing they often dont open until 5pm, I promised Beth a cafe stop to eat the time away...
Then we turned off onto a 'lovely' single tracked lane and wound lovingly rounds some outcrops of lumpy land... all looking so innocent...
We cycled up a short incline, around a wooded escarpment, and looked ever upwards in horror at the task that was rising ahead of us! The tarmac went ever upwards. It twisted like a laughing dragon around and around sharp hairpin corners that tricked our brains into thinking 'surely we are at the end now?'
But no, there was more to come.
Much more....
Around one bend, not sure which side Boltby village was on, but we certainly cycled though Boltby and Old Byland. The road snaked its way though a wooded part of the hillside and a stretch of uphill road the likes I have never cycled up before on a fully loaded bike rose before us. Beth's Strava account said it was a 25% er.
By this time, I had already walked at least 2 miles pushing Hettie. Beth on the other hand had held on to the fact that she was cycling the route no matter what.. but even she had to admit defeat. The hill was SO steep that nothing could keep the front wheel on the floor. So much so, I had to push Hettie up the long hill, hide her in the bushes at the top, and walk back down the hill to push Enid from behind.
It was ages and ages and ages of hard slog. Sweat dripped off our noses. Finally at the top, we slugged the final drops from our water bottles. We had only gone 3 miles and it had taken us a full hour! Beth had also almost worn out the road cleats from her shoes...
'Some where near here', I said to Beth. 'Is the Kilburn Horse – we must look out for it'.
Well, we never did find the Horse that day.
Once at the top, we could see nothing over our heads, we were on the embankment surely... well, it then dropped into a deep valley and we had to repeat the procedure all over again. We were totally trashed energy wise. Our tanks and our water bottles were empty.
Finally, at the top of the hill-work enroute to Helmsley – so where exactly is the Kilburn Horse then?
Then, suddenly the road joined a main road and we were back on the home straight travelling downhill at last! As we approached Helmsley a lovely sight was in front of us, as Helmsley Castle stood tall and proud (albeit a bit bashed from its battles during the War of the Roses).
Helmsley is a really stunning marking town. One of the nicest I have as yet ever stayed at.... Beth reckons its so beautiful because its so hard to get to, and so hard to leave!
Oh.. And on the return journey to Thirsk, we discovered why we couldn't find the Kilburn Horse.... It was because we'd been cycling over his back. 🙂