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Losing just the same
Please note: copyright to Losing just the same is held by WNET. All rights reserved. WNET is the premier public media provider of the New York metropolitan area and parent of public television stations THIRTEEN and WLIW21. Losing just the same was originally produced by KQED for National Educational Television (NET) - the predecessor of WNET - and was first aired on October 31st 1966, by KQED-TV in San Francisco.
This documentary reflects on the lives and aspirations of an African American family - the Johns - who moved to West Oakland from Louisiana, focusing on Robert Lee Johns and his mother Agnes. A voiceover prefaces the film with a statement that it presents: "A story of people caught in a lifelong struggle between their hopes and their abilities and their discovery that no matter how hard they try they will be losing just the same." Includes views shot around the streets of West Oakland, public speaking by Curtis Baker (Black Jesus), meetings at the Oak Center Site Office and excerpts from a graduation ceremony at McClymonds High School. Also features scenes of Robert attending a job interview at a garment factory in San Francisco and a fantasy sequence in which he imagines himself graduating successfully from high school. This film was written and produced by Richard O. Moore and Saul Landau and directed by Moore and Irving Saraf. Thanks to historical researcher and consultant Paul Lee for confirming the first date of broadcast.
Follow the link below to view KQED's earlier documentary Take this hammer (1963), which also looks at the economic and social experiences of African Americans living in the San Francisco Bay Area:
Tags: agnes johns, black jesus, county of alameda probation center, curtis baker, irving saraf, kq 223, mcclymonds high school, oak center site office, paul lee, richard o moore, robert lee johns, saul landau, west oakland
Added to Bay Area Television Archive on May 31, 2017.
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- Type of material: documentary film
- Duration: 57:38
- Rights for this video belong to: WNET.ORG Properties LLC
- Recording medium: 16mm b&w optical sound film
- Date aired: c1966
- Originally aired on: KQED News
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reconquista tagged posts
Settling doubts: territorial organization in 'Hispania: Saints & Warriors'.
September 26, 2014 Hispania
One of the chapters that usually arouses the curiosity of people who know 'Hispania: Saints & Warriors' is the territorial division that they will experience during the game. In order to get closer to a medieval territorial organization, ours is a bit more complex than in other games, but it is no big deal. Let's see:
The map of Hispania is divided during the game on two types of territorial division: the dominion, which would be the representation of the countryside; on the other hand, the site, space physically located on the dominions, but politically and legally independent of them...Read More
The making of Hispania's map: undergrowth.
May 14, 2014 Hispania
The static part of the map is now complete. We have textures, rivers, roads and Roman roads, mountains and forests. Now, we need to add depth and detail to the forests: undergrowth and bushes.
The undergrowth is that shadow we see adding an extra detail to the forest map. Its function is purely decorative, it will serve to enhance the visual appearance of the main game screen, on which the map appears. We have added three kinds of undergrowth: a green one for the Atlantic Forest; another dark brown, to the mainland; and the forth between yellow and light green for the Mediterranean area.
But w...Read More
732 years since the birth of Don Juan Manuel
May 4, 2014 Hispania
Today I wanted to write something about one of the main writers of medieval Spanish narrative, Don Juan Manuel (1282-1348), for May 5 is the 732 anniversary of his birth at Castle Escalona in Toledo, in a family of the Spanish aristocracy (the son of a royal prince).
Speaking of Don Juan Manuel, author celebrated by Hispanic literature (especially for his work The Count Lucanor) is especially appropriate now for two reasons: the first is that it never hurts to remind the old classics of literature; the second is related to the functioning of the game Hispania: Saints and Warriors, as discussed...Read More
Reconquest/Reconquista: Appropriate term? Myth?
April 18, 2014 Historia
The term Spanish Reconquista covers a historical period of about eight centuries. The origin of the Reconquista goes back to the existence of a Visigoth kingdom (s. V -VII) and its conquest by the Arab empire (between 711-714). Subsequent centuries until 1492 would be what has traditionally been called 'La Reconquista': the struggle of the Spanish Christian kingdoms, legitimate self-proclaimed heirs of Gothic Spain, to expel the invading Muslim forces and restore the ancient kingdom of the Goths, Spain.
In recent decades and particularly during the last years, many have questioned the validity...Read More
The making of Hispania's map: forests.
March 28, 2014 Hispania
It's time to put the forests, the most laborious work. The task has been to place the trees one by one, or in small groups. It took a long time to conclude, but the result has been worth it.
Spain is the second most forested country in Europe, with 56% of forest area (283.000km2), after Sweden, with 75%. What's even better: much of the forest is still wild and grows at an amazing rate. In the Middle Ages, in which Hispania is acclimated, the percentage of forest had to be much larger, covering almost the entire peninsula...Read More
The making of Hispania's map: mountains.
March 2, 2014 Hispania
Greetings to all! If you've been following us you've witnessed the evolution of the map of Hispania in recent months. We already have a form, textures, rivers, roads and driveways. Now it's time to put something more 'heavy' in our map: the mountains.
The mountains are of crucial importance, especially in a map of the Iberian Peninsula. The cause of this importance of orographic factor is that the territory of Hispania is very hilly . The rugged relief has always decisively influenced the history of the territory, until it becomes an essential factor in its development over the centuries .
The...Read More
The making of Hispania's map: bridges, roads, and Roman roads.
February 9, 2014 Hispania
Superb! Our map is taking shape, and soon you will see how is getting substance. As an example we introduce you to the next layer: the share of bridges, roads and Roman roads .
The bridges over the rivers are put at the points where roads and driveways are going to cross them. For a more varied illustration, we have chosen to place wooden bridges over the rivers when crossing a road, while for the Roman roads we have used stone bridges.
With regard to roads and Roman driveways further explanation is necessary. The reason to separate these two different types of road is important...Read More
Making Hispania's map: rivers.
January 23, 2014 Hispania
Upon completion of the textures we start giving detail to the map. These decorative map elements also influence the game mechanics. They are mostly rivers and mountains.
This elements function as borders and define the communication channels . Since ancient times, the roads have followed the course of rivers (as water is essential for the traveler) and avoided the mountains, or searched for walkways through these. In this post we care about the rivers.
The Iberian Peninsula has an extensive river network ...Read More
Making Hispania's map: textures.
December 29, 2013 Hispania
The map on which we play is fundamental. The environment is that the player will have closer contact throughout the game. The sovereign, armies, characters, and other interactive elements are moved by it, we will indicate many things we have to assess and control. Furthermore, not only has to be functional, but also aesthetically pleasing, because the idea of the game is that you enjoy hours played and not the other. Therefore I insist: it is fundamental.
No one should be surprised, therefore, that it is taking a long time to do. The work is being intense. First were map textures...Read More
First main concepts: Entity, Domain, Site, Soul and Grave
December 18, 2013 Hispania
I would like to write this post to define some basic concepts of 'Hispania' that we are developing in a word file. These concepts are referred to the kingdoms that will appear in the game, and the relation between these and the land they occupy. The concepts are: Entidad (entity), Sennorio (dominion), Solar (site), Alma (soul) and Tumba (grave).
The first of these concepts is the entity, the supreme political division in the game. An entity can be a kingdom, an empire or just a county. The common feature is that an entity has to be independent. It may sound strange in the caso of the county...Read More

subset: commoncrawl


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Fiber Expertise
I have knit for over 30 years now. I have been spinning for about 12 years. I have taken multiple workshops on fiber preparation, sheep breeds, and spinning techniques.
Still a Rank AmateurAt this year's Men's Spring Knitting Retreat last month, one of the participants, Tommy, was slated to give a talk as the owner of a spinning mill. He gave a slideshow/talk on fiber preparation and I was completely blown away.
Tommy has raised sheep most of his life and gave us a glimpse of just how much there is to understanding fiber. Everything from choosing a good fleece (or asking a sheep owner for a specific shearing), to skirting (which is way more than just removing the poo-sticky ends of the fleece), to the temperature of water to use for scouring, and the best degreaser, etc., etc., etc. A 60 minute speech and fleece review was completely full of amazing information.
It also made me realize that I will always use a skillful mill to process fleeces into roving or yarn, even if they're a bit more expensive.
You'll see in my "Current" section below that I'm currently spinning one of Tommy's premier rovings. He taunted me with it at the retreat, and then said he doesn't usually sell this blend and he definitely doesn't keep it in stock. Of course, I had to have it...the best of the best...he's a talented fiber processor and a more talented salesperson.
Tommy doesn't have a web site up at the moment, but as soon as he does, I will buy as much as I can afford, and then let y'all know it's open.
Current Knitting/SpinningI ended up finishing the Bright Lizard scarf yesterday.
It still needs to be blocked, but it will end up being a little wider than 5 inches and about 6' long. I love the way the crayon colors patterned in almost a chevron shaping in the scarf.
I also started spinning up Tommy's special blend (Merino, Bunny, Alpaca, Silk and lamb...I think I'm missing some). He holds back special top quality fleeces and fibers, and only makes this blend when he has the right components to make it.
I am truly making one of the nicest yarns I've ever spun. It's soft and lofty and lustrous and gorgeous...if I do say so myself. I don't recommend this kind of blend for new spinners, as the differing staple lengths and textures of the fibers require a constant attention to drafting evenly. And Tommy wanted me to be very clear that he doesn't stock this roving and it's not likely it will be available any time soon. :P


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Demo: Siri Dictation on the New iPad
TechSmarttPublished: September 9, 20163 views
Published: September 9, 2016
TWEET: http://goo.gl/N3g5S
Today, we take a look Siri Dictation feature on the New iPad. This is like voice to speak or even considered the Mini-Siri. I really like how this doesn't have a personality like Siri does and just types out what you say. Mini-Siri doesn't get confused with what you're


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As we enter a new fiscal year, Procurement Services is happy to announce some exciting enhancements within Deacon Depot. Effective July 1st, an automated receipt reminder email will be implemented. This email will be a reminder to process a receipt in Deacon Depot (on orders greater than $250.00) so that Accounts Payable can pay invoices based on the appropriate payment terms. For more information please visit our receiving notification page.
Additionally, two new Internal Service Provides (ISP) have been added to our catalog offerings – 88.5 WFDD underwriting packages and Graylyn Gift Shop. For full details, please visit the Deacon Depot website.


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Education is never neutral. Most evangelical Christians continue to leave the primary task of teaching their children . . . to the secularist state. Secularism is never as neutral as it sounds. It is a high-octane religion of its own, imposed on Christians at their own expense. These high priests of ultimate American values, from Kindergarten through the great graduate programs of the state universities, tell us what is politically correct. They tell us what to believe about our origins, about what is wrong with the human condition, and how to make everything right again. Those are not merely educational concepts; they are the most profound of all religious issues.
- Joel Belz


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Introduction: Choosing the Path of Least Resistance
Dear reader,
"Choosing the path of least resistance". Does this sound like a familiar strategy to you?
Well, I decided to choose the path of least resistance as the motto for this new volume. That is of course not very ambitious. That is not very scientific either, I know very well, but it was an option that made it possible to do this work with a low budget and little manpower, in reasonable time.
This project was put into physical existence one year ago and it is still at its very beginning. For a second or so, I fancied about a 'real' research journal, with peer review and a research network and…, but after this second my pragmatism quickly took over, I decided to start small, use these first volumes for experimenting with possibilites and not try to forcefully drag a high-end-goal out of nothing. And anyways, what would I have done with an editorial board but nothing to feed them? So the first realistic goal was to get material anyhow.
One way to receive material is that people submit articles. After Vol 1 was published, I received five submissions over the time of a few months – coming to my big pleasure from all over the world. Four of them are included here. Jim Stephens (USA), Rose Eisenberg (Mexico), Odette Guimond (Quebec/CAN) and Robert Webb (AUS), are included, one more from Argentina I unfortunately couldn't include (but still: thank you!), because it was, not related enough to scientific exploration – well that is one serious criterion after all.
Then, cruising through the research lists of Ryan Nagy ((http://www.psych.utah.edu/feldenkrais/research.html) and Werner Kraus (http://feldenkrais-method.org/en/node/860) I had a second idea: Aren't there a lot of thesises and dissertations about the Feldenkrais work lingering out there, waiting to be read, but hard to find?
After sending a lot of emails to every country with a Feldenkrais guild office, I ended up with four more pieces (let's not get into the issue of dragging answers out of the world wide web here…), patiently waiting for publication: Grit Gürlich & Volker Neubeck (Germany), Warwick Long (New Zealand), Staffan Elgelid (USA/Sweden) and Larry Goldfarb (USA) spent their scientific "masterpieces" on diverse aspects of the Feldenkrais Method and were happy to provide it for publication online here.
My secret wish was to find more material in different languages. One in Spanish, one in Swedish, one in Italian… I tried, but was not successful this time. Still, this is one of the advantages of publishing this research journal on the internet. We have endless space to place publications in any language here, just remember this, when you are about to complain about the medium we chose for this enterprise!
What else do you need to know about this volume? I drew from Werner Kraus concerning the selection of material: "The selecting criteria for the articles of this edition are not arranged along the line of "good" or "bad" research." No, it is available research at this point, I have to add.
The order in which they are presented is simply alphabetical after last name of first author. No bigger secret to this, honestly. Shorter articles are presented as full text and as a pdf which you can download on your computer and print easier. Longer articles and thesises are available only as pdf-download.
For articles that were published elsewhere before and where we had problems receiving permission for reprint, we provide a link to the respective journal, so that you can find and purchase it easily yourself, if you want to.
Well, that's about it, I don't want to add more here but send a big THANK YOU to Kathrin Achenbach and Neil Schill, the web designers, Lynette Reid, my contact to the IFF board, as well as the IFF board members themselves, in making this project possible.
Welcome to Volume 2 of the IFF Academy Feldenkrais Research Journal, give us feedback, submit material and, come on guys, participate, end this few-women-show!
Carolin Theuring


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Mohammed Al-Rawi's passion for computers carried him through the war in Iraq all the way to the shores of California. His fluency in Windows and in English landed him a job with journalists, put him in the path of multiple bomb and rocket attacks, and brought him here, along with his wife and two young children, for their first Fourth of July in the United States. Like so many new Iraqi immigrants, he has much to celebrate this Independence Day, and much to mourn.
At 21, Al-Rawi ran an Internet cafe in the basement of Baghdad's Flowersland Hotel. He knew how to breach Saddam Hussein's firewalls to access forbidden websites, and in the weeks leading up to the U.S. invasion he helped reporters send their material out of the country. Then government monitors traced a photograph of the president to his computer, and he went into hiding until he saw the first U.S. tanks roll into his southern Baghdad neighborhood and one of the first U.S. soldiers on the ground, an African American in dark glasses with an M-16. "It was just like in the movies," he says.
The Iran- Iraq war had forced Al-Rawi's family to flee their hometown of Basra two decades before. His Shiite mother and Sunni father watched with apprehension in 2003 as war — and the Americans — arrived at their doorstep once again. "They'll ruin the country, because they don't know anything," his father warned. But Al-Rawi thought he was wrong.


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Malaysia > Kelantan > Tumpat Train Station
Apr 7th 2009
For local railway fans, Tumpat is as famous as the big KTM stations at Singapore Tanjung Pagar, Kuala Lumpur and Gemas. Tumpat is literally the end of the line for the rail track from Gemas to Kelantan. On 04/04/09, I made my maiden visit to the Tumpat Station.
Location: HERE
The facade of the Tumpat Station is as sterile as all the other 'new' KTM stations. But the original station was founded in 1914, so it has deep historical significance.
Enter the platform and one sees the end of the East Coast Line, literally, a fair distance away.
The longish platform accommodates intercity trains heading for Kuala Lumpur Sentral and Singapore Tg Pagar.
At the end of the platform, steps lead down to the tracks.
A path made of neatly arranged disused wooden sleepers finds its way past the buffer stops marking the end of the East Coast Line.
Next to a lone rusty boxcar, a train is being prepared for the 6.30pm departure to Kuala Lumpur, a 13-hr journey.
Another view of the yard, and I wonder what those stacked short rails are for.
The End of the Line. From this spot to Gemas – some 530km down the metal path – the line is nicked the 'Jungle Railway', opened in 1931. From Gemas, Singapore is a further 220km south and Kuala Lumpur 175km the other direction.
Under a tree in the hot tropical sun, a lonesome rusty boxcar reminisces the good old days.
Past the tracks, we come face to face with some real gems!
A preserved ancient crane …
… and a little lighthouse of a bygone era, 23m high, built before World War II. Apparently KTM managed this lighthouse which guided vessels plying the treacherous sea just 150m away beyond the station perimeter and the village houses.
The crane is a magnificent beast.
Born in Carlisle, England, in 1950 …
… though this bit says '1949'.
Anyway this 60-year-old contraption is impressive.
Big metal tablets stuck to the crane's body are full of important reminders.
In the shadow of the giant crane, a rolling stock sits humbly. [My friend Azmal tells me this is Plymouth Shunter. Thanks, bro!]
Inside one, I find another huge intriguing machine.
There's an ominous sign on its side: 'Rescue Tumpat'. For use when there is a derailment? To lift the rolling stocks?
Back at the main platform, the 6.30pm train to KL slowly reverses to park for passengers to board.
As the train slowly glides past, a crew talks to the locomotive pushing it.
Enough of trains, we head to the well-regarded Pantai Sri Tujuh nearby.
At a cosy spot we order an early dinner.
They say there are 7 lagoons here (whence 'Pantai Sri Tujuh'), so maybe when I'm bored I'll try to count them via Google Earth.
As the sun sets, we end our Tumpat outing at the beach, where hardcore fishos try their luck at the South China Sea. By the way, there's Thailand territory over there, less than 5km away.
I just realised I have some pics of another well-known train station, just 10km down the line from Tumpat. It's PALEKBANG, dateline 4 Apr 2009.
But alas, Palekbang is no more! What a let-down.
This is what is left of Palekbang Station now. Come to think of it, in the heydays this is *the* station for Kota Bharu, the capital of Kelantan.
Back then train passengers checked in in Kota Bharu, at the Kelantan river bank, before boarding a special boat to cross the 800m-wide river to Palekbang. That'd have been fun, a boat ride thrown in.
Even the Police Station next to it has been modernised.
The lonesome track towards Wakaf Bharu must have seen better days.
Anyway the ruin is still government property, but what a pity, another historic station just vanished!
9 Comments »
9 Responses to "Malaysia > Kelantan > Tumpat Train Station"
en_me on 08 Apr 2009 at 0805 #
chantekkknyerr gambooo.. salam kenalan dr me dikejauhannns
Howard Y on 12 Apr 2009 at 0232 #
I'm not 100% sure that the Palekbang station was operating when I was in KB in the mid-1970's. Of course, we usually caught the train at Pasir Mas (good food to eat and pretty girls to watch before boarding the train), so I never got off the train beyond Wakaf Bharu.
I do remember the boat trip from Kg Cina area in KB to Kg Laut, where you'd be mobbed by becak drivers wanting to give you a ride. My wife (we weren't married then) used to do that trip almost every day back then; she'd load up her bicycle and get on the boat. Then she'd get off at Kg Laut and bicycle to Dalang Hamzah Awang's house in Kg Gerong, where she rehearsed with and learned the musical instruments from Hamzah's wayang kulit troupe. Many of the surviving members of Hamzah's troupe still live in the Kg Laut/Palekbang area.
Thanks again for the memories, Naim!
My mom told me last weekend, she actually took me on the KB-Palekbang boat ride to send her uncle off on a hajj pilgrimage. She said I was a little boy back then, not yet in school. That must be the 60s!
If you & ma'am still keen on wayang kulit here's a forum, but in Kelantanese/Malay.
Btw, site of above Palekbang ('Plekbe' as the Kelantanese say) photoshoot is:
Howard Y on 12 Apr 2009 at 2202 #
naim wrote:
My mom told me last weekend, she actually took me on the KB-Palekbang boat ride to send her uncle off on a hajj pilgrimage. She said I was a little boy back then, not yet in school. That must be the 60s.
I feel old…
naim wrote:
If you & ma'am still keen on wayang kulit here's a forum, but in Kelantanese/Malay.
Now, THAT is cool! A forum where much of the conversation is in Kelantanese! I will send the URL to my missus. (And I need to get my Pattani Malay Dictionary out and start reading the threads!)
naim wrote:
Btw, site of above Palekbang photoshoot is:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=6.143691&lon= … =0&m=h&v=1
Thanks! I was mentally going over how I got to Palekbang and Kg Laut in those days on my Suzuki 100cc JPT motorbike. (Cross the big bridge and straight to the Wakaf Bharu roundabout, then turn right and go straight thru kampongs first then padi fields until T-junction, then turn right at T-junction, then turn left at the Palekbang sign and then straight thru Kg Laut then along the padi fields for a while until we reach the laterite road [later paved] on the left, then turn onto laterite road and straight to Kg Gerong to Hamzah's house.) Your aerial photo confirmed that… thanks! 🙂
Farah on 01 Jan 2010 at 2159 #
Very useful information. I am already bought a KTM ticket to Pasir Mas. This is my first time travelling to Kelantan by train and third time travel to Kelantan. I feel good when u said there is a lot of food stalls and good food there (hope to see good looking guys there.. heheheh)
William on 03 Feb 2010 at 1436 #
Hi Naim,
I noticed that there was a Captiva in one of your pic taken in Pantai Sri Tujuh.
Is that your car?
I'm looking at purchasing a Captiva in the future.
If it is indeed your Captiva, hope you could share some comment about it with me.
dodix on 09 Dec 2011 at 1743 #
lawanya kelantan,sorry noriza….I shouldn't meet you….coz I can't visit you……bagi sesiapa yang tahu noriza binti abdul razaq,ianya dari palekbang,tumpat,kelantan,mohon kirimkan salam kangen,rindu padanya….akulah kekasih yang dilema……sampaikan permohonan maafku pada dia,aku tak bisa datang tuk pinang kau,walau aku ingin sangat,semoga kau temukan seseorang yang jauh melebihi aku disana,semoga kau bahgia selama-lamanya……………………………………..from:Yogyakarta,midlle of java with million love
che mat on 21 Dec 2011 at 1000 #
La ni…ish..ish.. cukup lawa mata memandang sekitar stesyen keretapi tumpat. Dulu…80-an…jauh benar bezanya pemandangan. La ni kawe duduk di johor , merantau..sekali-sekala bila balik kampung…rindunya nak tengok perubahan di sini. Cukup mengkagumkan…Allahu akbar. Nasi kerabu dan laksa meme menjadi santapan berselera yang utama bila saja menjengah kampung di pasar tumpat..tqvm
saRah on 07 Jan 2012 at 0141 #
v.nice photos! tak sabar nak naik train pegi Tumpat this coming CNY. kempas baru – tumpat – kempas baru within 3 days. woo hoo!!
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CLICK HERE to view the list of single story homes in the Colorado Springs area.
CLICK HERE to send me an email to let me know that you want a customized daily list of homes automatically sent to your email box. We can customize your list so that you are only viewing the homes with the features you want, in the areas you like, that match your loan/financing.


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The Shaw House exterior was completely restored by Partners in Painting. The project involved multiple color paints and gold leafing. Two porches were replaced and seamlessly matched with the original architecture. The house is completely restored to its original historical finish.
© Partners in Painting CA License # 657873 Sitemap


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If the age of innocence is dead, how do we explain the phenomenal success of The Spirit Level? Perhaps it's the recession. 'In these gloomy times', wrote Peter Wilby in the New Statesman, 'this work should cheer you up no end'. But why should we Brits find it such a tonic? The Spirit Level, which has the self-explanatory subtitle 'Why more equal societies almost always do better', spends 300 pages telling us how ghastly Britain is compared to the workers' paradises of Scandinavia and the egalitarian nirvana of Japan.
If we rule out the 'feelgood factor' as a reason for its success, perhaps it's the halo of science that hangs over the book, written by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett and published in 2009. According to former Labour Party deputy leader turned newspaper columnist, Roy Hattersley, the book 'demonstrates the scientific truth of the assertion that social democrats have made for a hundred years'. But while the book's authors are social epidemiologists, even the casual reader can see that the science amounts to little more than a handful of crude scatter-graphs. If, as is sometimes said, epidemiology is a poor cousin of science, the ecological study (attempting to draw conclusions using aggregate data from entire nations) is the poor cousin of epidemiology. A randomised double-blind trial this is not.
Or maybe it's the appeal of what the Guardian described as 'the theory of everything'. In a world of infinite complexities, The Spirit Level offers us reassuring simplicity. According to Wilkinson and Pickett, almost everything can be explained by a single factor. Infant mortality, murder, health, obesity, mental illness, trust, drug use and even recycling all have a common cause: inequality. Not - it must stressed - poverty or deprivation, but the psychological damage of living in a country with a wide gap between rich and poor. Pick any social problem, say the authors, and it will be worse in unequal hell-holes like Australia and America.
This would be Nobel Prize-winning stuff if it were true, but remarkably few of The Spirit Level's claims stand up to serious scrutiny. Its authors say, for example, that 'more equal' countries have lower rates of obesity, teen births, homicide and infant mortality. But all of these assertions largely rest on the 'more equal' Japanese doing better than the 'less equal' Americans. Maybe inequality really is the root cause of these differences, but we must at least entertain the possibility that Asian countries are culturally, historically and physiologically different from Anglo-Saxon nations.
To find out, we would need to look at some other Asian societies. The twin elephants in the room are Singapore and Hong Kong, both of which perform superbly under almost every criteria despite having the most extreme gulf between rich and poor. If, as Wilkinson and Pickett insist, there is a cause-and-effect at work, there should also be a dose-response relationship—the least equal countries should do worst. In fact, these two bastions of unabashed capitalism do conspicuously well. Or rather they would do, if Wilkinson and Pickett showed us the data. Singapore is mentioned only occasionally in The Spirit Level, and Hong Kong not at all.


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$850K colt leads way
LEXINGTON, Ky. - As of 6 p.m. Eastern, an $850,000 Unbridled's Song colt bought by Sunland Park owner Stan Fulton was the top seller at Keeneland's one-day select 2-year-old auction.
The sale leader, a son of the Miswaki mare Whatamiss, was among a handful of horses to approach the $1 million mark, but through the middle of the sale, the auction record of $2 million, set in 1999 for La Salle Street, was still safe. The auction appeared to be following the trend of other select juvenile sales this year, with booming prices at the top of the market offset by a large number of horses who failed to reach their reserve.
Sold by Robert Scanlon, agent, the $850,000 colt - who topped the eighth-mile work tab in 10.00 seconds at the first under-tack show - found a home with Fulton after failing to reach his reserve on a $500,000 bid at last year's Keeneland July sale.
"It was right in the middle of my range," Fulton said of the price.
Fulton, who was advised by Darby Dan Farm agent Tim McMurry and California-based agent Eric Anderson, said the colt probably would spend some time at Darby Dan near Lexington before being shipped to Fulton's new training center, Frontera, in New Mexico. From there, the colt is likely to race in California.
Fulton is a relatively new racehorse owner, even though his business at Sunland has kept him close to the sport.
"I saw the pleasure my friends had owning racehorses, and I thought it looked like fun," he said. He sent Anderson to buy a couple of horses at the Barretts May sale, and when those won, Fulton was ready to become a bigger player in the game. He bought seven yearlings at Del Mar last year, and his purchases Tuesday at Keeneland also included a $350,000 Carson City-Tremolos (Vice Regent) colt. But the Unbridled's Song colt was his pick of the sale.
"We got ourselves a nice one," Fulton said to Anderson as he lit up a cigarette outside the bidding arena. "We sure did."
Anderson explained that Fulton is looking for colts with classic potential, in the hopes that this time next year he will be "about 75 miles to the west of here, instead of here," on the first Saturday in May.
"If I've got a horse I paid $2,000 for I'd want to see him in the Derby," Fulton said with a shrug. "Everybody wants to be there once in their life."
Pulpit filly goes for $750,000
The top filly, and second-highest price, was a $750,000 Pulpit filly out of the Housebuster stakes winner Aces. Consigned on behalf of Claiborne Farm by Kip Elser's Kirkwood Stables, the filly went to John Oxley.
That dark bay filly was one of several high-priced fillies that kept the auctioneers hopping from the moment they turned the microphones on to start the sale.
The auction started on a high note when Hip No. 4, a filly by young sire Touch Gold, racked up a $650,000 bid from Bob and Beverly Lewis, who were advised by their longtime agent John Moynihan.
The bay filly came to the auction with selling agents Tony Bowling and Bobby Dodd, who appeared to turn a nice profit on the filly's last auction price. She last sold as a weanling at Keeneland's 2000 November sale, where she brought $85,000.
Later, Demi O'Byrne bought a $700,000 Grand Slam filly out of Starr County (by Ogygian). The filly had attracted a lot of notice from buyers leading up to the sale, but only a few of those potential bidders could take the price as high as O'Byrne could. The agent, who generally represents Michael Tabor, easily fended off bids in the pavilion from his spot behind the auctioneer's stand.
"When you have people like that, and there are only a few in that range these days, and if you have a really nice horse, then that's what brings in the money," said consignor Niall Brennan, who sold the filly on behalf of a partnership that bought her for $260,000 at Saratoga last year.
Having observed that wealthy bidders at juvenile sales are increasingly few and increasingly selective, Brennan and Co. decided to stock up on quality, not quantity, when buying yearlings to resell.
"We tend to stick with freshman sires, because we can afford them," Brennan said. "An A. P. Indy, a Storm Cat, those yearlings are too expensive for us."
Resellers like Brennan, who spent less to stock their shelves last year, helped keep the ceiling a little lower at Keeneland's juvenile auction. Several buyers, including Fulton, who bought the top seller, noted that even at the top of the market they didn't feel overcharged. It helps, of course, that juveniles are almost ready to race.
"Depending on the foaling date and maturity, you're able to go to the racetrack, like, tomorrow," Bob Lewis said. "The advantage is that you've avoided the expense of training time between the yearling and 2-year-old years. And it gives you some action early in the game."


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All about Mark and his Art
Mark Betson Artist
All about mark and what inspires him to paint the way he does
Mark is a prolific painter with a unique style all of his own. He used to paint land and sea scape's, until 6 years ago when he produced his first real abstract painting with a twist of his own.
Growing in popularity his unique intricate style of painting has made people stop in their tracks and say "Wow!"
He mainly paints in acrylics on boxed canvas. Inspired by his love of nature and trees (being a hedge layer and a woodland manager for many years, he has an affinity with trees). His paintings have often been compared with the well known "Tree of Life". He takes a little bit of his inspiration from many of the great artists such as klimt and puts his own spin on their style to create his unusual paintings, often asked where does it come from, Mark simply replies "from my head".
We are the only distributors of Mark's work at present, selling it online and at the various events we attend around the South West.
Mark believes he would rather keep his art affordable for everyone to enjoy, than have a stack of paintings gathering dust under the stairs because we don't have any wall space left!
So you can purchase his art work as originals, prints, greeting cards and t-shirts.
Here is a video of Bottle, Ball, Vase as Mark was painting it.


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This poignant design features the rays of light inspired by words from The Ode of Remembrance, 'At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.'
The Ode is drawn from the poem For the Fallen, by the English poet Laurence Binyon, published in London in The Winnowing Fan: Poems of the Great War in 1914. This verse, which became The Ode for the Returned and Services League, has been used in association with commemorative services in Australia since 1921.
The symbolic design was inspired by the Australian Commonwealth Military Forces' original 'Rising Sun'. The distinctive shape of the rays that appear on the 'Rising Sun Badge,' worn on the upturned brim of a slouch hat, is commonly identified with the Spirit of Anzac.
Product Code: 310504
Monetary Denomination (AUD) 2
Minimum Gross Weight (g) 6.60
Maximum Diameter (mm) 20.50


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From small private baby showers and themed events to weddings and large corporate fundraisers, we've done it all! Lizzie and Lou have over 10 years of experience in the "events world." Whether you have 10 or 500 guests, our goal is for each one to feel special. Our unrivaled passion and dedication to detail make each event a unique and memorable occasion.
Contact Us: {Email} firstname.lastname@example.com {Cell} 719.337.1249 or 541.550.6529


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Advisers say clients are drastically cutting their asset allocations to U.S. equities as mounting concerns about political upheaval at home and abroad curtail risk tolerance.
The latest edition of the Global Asset Allocation Tracker shows allocations to domestic equities dropping to a record low. The survey, taken just prior to the presidential election, polled 311 planners. It also showed a slip in allocations to global equities, while allocations to bonds remained relatively flat.
Wealth managers say clients were sitting on cash and holding back on new allocations until they saw the U.S. election results. One planner reports advising clients "to put asset investments on hold until election results are in and analyzed."
Advisers also cited clients' concerns about the uncertainty surrounding turmoil in international markets, notably the U.K.'s upcoming negotiations to exit the EU.
Yet despite the dip in allocations to global equities, some advisers say they see buying opportunities.
"Although international markets have been lagging in recent years, we see them as a great buying opportunity amid the stale growth of the U.S. markets," an adviser says.
A wealth manager expects valuations in emerging markets in particular to improve relative to those in U.S. markets.
Several planners also report they reminded clients about the benefits of focusing on the long term. After all, U.S. presidents are in office for a maximum of eight years, and clients' investment horizons are typically much longer than that.
"My advice is to ride out the tough times, so you don't miss the initial rise as things get better," a planner says.


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Boatman Geller Personalized Bamboo Rings Navy Foldover Note
Whimsical bamboo rings accent these foldover notes.
Shown in Cherry Clarendon font.
Size: 5.5 x 4.25"
Personalize by selecting your ink color, font, and entering a full name or monogram below.
Comes with 25 note cards and white blank envelopes unless you specify another quantity below.
Ships within 6-8 business days.
For pre-Christmas delivery, order by December 12th.


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- 24 May 2013
TOPGUARD and Special Forces of Security Service of Ukraine: anti-terrorist trainings in Kiev
It was planned special tactics anti-terrorist trainings carried out in Kiev Anti-terrorist Center at Security Service of Ukraine. As per the legend, of "terrorists" attacked simultaneously three objects in the center of Kiev: Israel Embassy as well as some objects protected by the international security company "TOPGUARD" (TOPGUARD SECURITY) – the Central Synagogue and Jewish Children School.
Aim of such trainings is to practically working out the force elements of educational anti-terrorist operation in the conditions of the city, interception of a possible terrorist act and minimization of its consequences.
The participants of the trainings included Special Forces of Security Service of Ukraine, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Armed forces of Ukraine, Emergency Situations Ministry of Ukraine and the regular security guards of the TOPGUARD Company serving at these objects. Certainly, first fiddle in the trainings was played by members of Special Forces of Security Service of Ukraine; the task of all other divisions was to accurate and fast implement the instructions of the center coordination group. It wasn't difficult for "TOPGUARD" experts. It was not the first joint training – not so long ago SSU, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and "TOPGUARD" Company provided safety of EURO 2012 at Sport Stadium "Olympiysky" (Kiev). Many veterans of Special Forces "Alpha" continued their career in "TOPGUARD" Company, therefore the mutual understanding between participants during the trainings was on the highest level.
It was very pleasant to receive appreciation from members of the Anti-terrorist Center Interdepartmental Coordination Commission as well as representatives of partner foreign intelligence services.
The ambassador of Israel in Ukraine Reuven Din El during the interview told the press: "I am excited about Ukrainian Special Services work. Now we feel safe. And the broken glasses are not a problem, we'll call the glazier".
P.s. We should note that according to mass media data, in the past mister ambassador was the officer of the Israeli Intelligence "MOSSAD" therefore he can judge on terror and anti-terror from the professional point of view.


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Do you have a question for us? You'll find all the information you need about contacting us here.
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Use our online general enquiry form to provide us with your feedback on the service received. We welcome your comments.
We want to get it right... you can help us with your feedback. The ability to have 'your say' is an important part of the Credit Union difference. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Use our online general enquiry form to provide us with your suggestions. We appreciate you taking the time to assist us with our focus on continual improvement and quality member service.
If you are dissatisfied for some reason about a service you receive or any product you may have with us, we would like to know. We will do our absolute best to ensure we achieve a resolution that you are happy with. We will address your complaint in a prompt manner and try to resolve the issue immediately on receipt of the complaint. If it is a more complicated matter, it may take longer to investigate. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact our external dispute resolution service the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge. We will provide you with information on how to access this scheme.


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Pamukkale Aphrodisias Tour
By plane 2 days - Pamukkale and Aphrodisias
Tour Details
Pamukkale and Aphrodisias Tour
By plane 2 days
We start our tour early in the morning about 05:00 and transfer to airport to fly Denizli. On arrival we will be picked up and transfer to Pamukkale for our first day tour. During our tour we will see Pamukkale Calcium terraces, Cotton cliffs, Hierapolis ancient city, Hierapolis theatre, Hierapolis museum, Roman bath, and Temple of Apollo. According to our time we will visit thermal pool of Cleopatra(extra entrance). We will have lunch in Pamukkale. At the end of the tour we will drive to hotel in Pamukkale and overnight.
Day 2 : After we have breakfast, we will begin our Aphrodisias tour, one of the oldest sacred sites in Turkey. Dedicated to the ancient Mother Goddess and then the Greek goddess Aphrodite, it was the site of a magnificent Temple of Aphrodite and the home of a renowed school of marble sculpture. In our tour we will see also Temple of Aphrodite, theatre and city ruins.
End of the day we will drive to Denizli airport and fly to Istanbul. On arrival you will be picked up from airport and transfer to your hotel. Our two days Pamukkale tour package ends.
Inclusions :
- All airport transfers
- All transportation
- Return flight tickets
- Pamukkale tour with lunch
- Aphrodisias tour with lunch
- Hotel accommodation for 1 night
- Professional tour guide
- Entrance fees
Exclusions :
- Food and drinks unless specified
- Cleopatra pool entrance
Click here to submit your review.
Kucukayasofya Mh. Sultanahmet Istanbul, 90, 34122 Turkey
email@example.com • +90 212 518 03 20


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Today is May 25, 2018, the deadline by which companies around the word had to comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)! This new legislation is intended to have a significant impact on data protection worldwide and its requirements affect a large number of business owners, officers, and decision–makers. We urge you to read this whole message and seek competent advice regarding the extent to which the GDPR applies to you.
Welcome to the JONES WALDO SPOTLIGHT SITE. Please check back frequently for new posts and information on the latest legal trends and issues.
You can subscribe, by clicking the RSS button to the left (orange button).
Since 1875, Jones Waldo has provided legal services to the businesses and community organizations that support and grow the state's economy. Built on a strong foundation of service and knowledge of Utah's core industries, the firm continues to evolve through meeting new challenges, finding innovative solutions and advancing legal trends in the state. With departments in business, real estate and litigation, attorneys at Jones Waldo have expertise to solve complex client needs in nearly every area of business. Jones Waldo has offices in Salt Lake City, Park City, St. George, Provo and the Chicago metro area.
In the early days of the internet, the answer was probably yes. Many courts adopted the approach first used in 1997 by the court in Zippo Mfg. Co. v. Zippo Dot Com, Inc., 952 F.Supp. 1119 (W.D. Pa. 1997). In Zippo, the court held that the operation of a "passive" web site that does little more than provide information is not enough to subject the operator to jurisdiction in all 50 dates, but the operation of an "active" web site through which products are sold is enough to subject the operator to jurisdiction in all 50 states. Based on that approach, an e-commerce company based in California could be sued in Florida, even if it had never actually made any sales into Florida.
Jones Waldo participated in this year's Love Utah Give Utah fundraising event on March 31. The firm matched contibutions to Utah Dispute Resolution up to id="mce_marker"000. The goal was acheived resulting in an overall donation of $2000.
Jones Waldo attorney George Sutton recently contributed a feature article to American Banker magazine regarding brokered deposits. George served as the Utah Commissioner of Financial Institutions from 1987 to 1993, where he was responsible for regulating all state chartered depository institutions and all consumer financial services providers in Utah. Since 1993, George has specialized in bank regulation. He assists clients with new bank and other regulatory applications, provides compliance reviews of products and services, and advises boards and management on regulation and corporate governance matters. Read the article in American Banker
Jones Waldo is pleased to announce that Bruce Babcockhas been appointed the Business Department Chair effective February 1.
Saturday, May 16, was the 33rd annual Law Day Run. It was a successful fundraiser for "...and Justice for All."
Jones Waldo recruited more than 40 people for the run. A big thank you to everyone that came and who brought family and friends. Great job by all of our runners! To see the results of the race click here.
Popular Facebook-owned photo sharing app, Instagram, recently changed its Terms of Service, spurring outrage from users, account cancellations from entities like National Geographic (with its 638,000 followers), and now a class action lawsuit.
It's no surprise Americans have an extraordinary thirst for music. What is a bit surprising (and also disconcerting) is that we download more songs illegally than any other country in the world according to MusicMetric's recent report on its investigation on file-sharing activities via BitTorrent. The report, called the Digital Music Index (DMI), showed that Americans pirated nearly 760 million songs via BitTorrent between January and June 2012 alone.
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Progress and Reaction
The Progressive Contempt for Politics
By Josh Lerner
No one has ever run for office on the promise of promoting the practice of politics in its most contentious form. The general wisdom emanating from mainstream political discourse is that the biggest problem in Washington today is not spending money on unaffordable entitlements or the threat of Islamic terror but rather rank partisanship and discord in the political process. Following the attempted assassination of Gabrielle Giffords last January, the political commentariat agreed that nothing short of a return to bipartisanship would prevent similar attacks from happening, that political discourse was the problem that needed a swift and stern remedy. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi even went as far to declare, "elections shouldn't matter as much as they do." It takes a very peculiar mindset to declare, as an elected official, that elections are an unimportant thing—it is, after all, a congressman's raison d'être—but it is also a telling look into the mindset implicit in modern liberalism, one that decries the practice of politics while concomitantly placing primacy on the political. More concretely, the business and practice of politics specifically, and pluralism generally, are to be derided but, at the same time, decisions that are necessarily political must be placed above reproach.
This mindset concerning politics is one that is built on a few very powerful assumptions: that objectively knowable policy frameworks exist, that History is the best way to illuminate them, and that there are only two real positions in politics, forwards and backwards. The dichotomy between progress and reaction, as it is sometimes framed, is the conceit that often underlies assaults on conservative political positions; the language concerning conservative political initiatives usually is built on the idea that conservatives wish to take us back to a different and worse time in our history, that they wish to undo the great political achievements of the past century. The consequence of such propositions and assumptions about politics is the paradox of the ubiquity of politics in non-political life, and the denigration of politics as practiced
Modern Politics for Progressives
The ubiquity of politics in modern liberalism is rather hard to avoid. Consider the ongoing series Jay Nordlinger, one of the most affable and witty associate editors National Review has ever had, has written about the phenomenon of politics emerging in places that it doesn't belong. His series, entitled "Safe Zones Violations" details the myriad of ways in which liberals in essentially non-political lines of work—musicians, sportswriters, and artists are the worst—insist on not only bringing in contentious political issues at the most inappropriate times, but doing so in such a way that blithely assumes that no reasonable person could disagree. He has stories of 2nd rate sportswriters (a redundant description) needlessly using political figures as either the butts of jokes or the end of a poorly constructed metaphor, like the barely literate writer who declared that "The Jaguars' front seven surrendered rushing yards as willingly as Dick Cheney admits to strategic errors in Iraq."
Or consider the number of figures in the music industry will to prostrate themselves at the shrine of bland liberalism. Leonard Bernstein, my favorite 20th century composer, completely befouled himself by hosting "radical-chic" (as the inimitable Tom Wolfe described it) parties for the Black Panthers and other radical causes back in the 1960s. This is a phenomenon that is as old as radical politics itself; art and other essentially non-political enterprises become needlessly caught up in the finer points of left-wing politics. But this conflation of the political and the non-political comes from one important development in political philosophy, the rise of the primacy of the political, the idea that politics is the defining characteristic from which to see the world.
When we speak of the "primacy of the political" we speak of the general perspective that the most important thing in society is politics. Stating that politics comes first does not mean that people care a lot about the Republicans or the Democrats, partisan politics within a liberal democracy, but rather that they see political considerations as the existential motivation for the organization of a nation's economy, social structure, and culture. Everything is reducible to the political, and considerations of politics take ultimate precedence. Essentially, the primacy of politics implies that man's relation with the state is the most important relationship he can have, whether it is through comradeship or a sense of national community, and that the maintenance of such a relationship is the ultimate goal of the state. Theories of political primacy must start with a certain sentiment about the formation of the state. Politics cannot be the primary organizational structure if it is, in fact, simply a social construction. The formation of the state, therefore, must be built off of notions that political life is life, that there is no "state of nature" or "social contract" but rather that the state is what creates culture.
The primacy of the political must build off of a judgment about society that incontrovertibly places politics at the forefront of social importance. The creation of a state must be something that is beyond the simple scope of interests and contractarianism, but must, instead be built upon things far more permanent and transcendent. The primacy of politics, ultimately, comes down to recognizing no force within the state—whether that is economics, religion, or culture—that is more important than the furtherance of the state. As such, pure politics becomes the only decision-making mechanism of any real tractable value to a state: whether or not any action is taken by the state must be evaluated on a political contingent alone. All individual decisions must be justified as political and seen in that light. Individualism is subordinate to state considerations. Politics is the alpha and the omega of the state.
A History of the Idea of History
Before we get into diagnosing progressive political primacy, we need to sketch out a brief history of where the ideas behind the primacy of the political come from. This history is important because, it is rather impossible to understand and piece together the ideas of the progressives without first exploring the philosophic origins of their thought.
The concept of the primacy of the political needed several very important ideas to exist for it to properly take hold. First, politics had to be separated from ethics. Traditionally, in classical and medieval Christian thought, politics was completely subordinate to questions of justice and morality. This is why Aristotle frames his Politics as a sketch of the form of social order which will best cultivate the moral virtues he describes in the Nicomachean Ethics; he sees considerations of the political life as subordinate to those of justice. It is also why Plato's Republic searches for the most just regime over all, and why he thinks that the proper philosopher king would be someone who did not want to rule. Medieval philosophers maintained the same balance achieved by Plato and Aristotle, whether they be Christian Aristotelians (Aquinas) or Platonic Muslims (Al-Farabi); politics was always understood in terms of ethics, not the other way around. Political considerations simply do not take ethical precedence.
The first thinker to seriously challenge this view of the place of politics in society was Machiavelli, who considered ethical constraints on political actions—the actions of republics or principalities—to be completely unwise and untenable. His discussion of the founders of republics in the Discourses on Livy encapsulates this; Romulus, the founder of Rome "deserves excuse in the deaths of his brother and of his partner, and that what he did was for the common good and not for his own ambition." Justice, it seems, was no longer as important to statecraft as the consequences of one's actions. But Machiavelli didn't wholly embrace something like the primacy of the political. His vision was a different creature altogether. But his ideas did lay the seeds for what would blossom later.
The next intellectual step was the codification of the state as something meaningful, something that is not a creation of bargains or chance, but rather a deliberate rational being. The state moves from social construction—or more precisely the form of the state moves beyond that—and into the natural realm. It is impossible to understand such statecraft without understanding the historicism of Hegel and other 19th century German thinkers. Hegel, in his lectures on History, first recognized in a serious way the idea that the state was neither a static creation of contracts—as Enlightenment thinkers argued—nor a product of eternal cycles with ideals set in stone, as the classics argued. Hegel understood the state to be a product of historical development; he held that it existed as the creation of a dialectic historical process—in which forces of "contradiction and negation" play off each other to help progress society in a rational way—and, as such, had progressed from epoch to epoch embodying the greatest expression of reason for the era. "Truth is the unity of the universal and subjective will; and the Universal is to be found in the State, in its laws, its universal and rational arrangements," he said, in Lectures on the Philosophy of History. "The State" he concludes "is the Divine Idea as it exists on earth."
For Hegel, understanding the state in its own time and place meant understanding what was rational socially and politically. Deducing the course that history is supposed to take gives you special providence over what the future will hold. For Hegel, history and rationality were inseparable, and the only way to understand one was in the context of the other. He argued "that world history is governed by an ultimate design, that it is a rational process… this is a proposition whose truth we must assume; its proof lies in the study of world history itself, which is the image and enactment of reason." Hegel, by placing reason in a historical context, as opposed to the universal one which had been the dominant definition up through then, made the wisdom and judgments of any particular era subordinate to future ones, not in that their reason was inferior per se, but that it was only fruitful to think of their work in light of what the dominant intellectual mode of their epoch was. Far from elucidating universal truths, ancient works only provided the context of their debates and thoughts.
Hegel's thoughts, or to be more fair to the philosopher, what his students thought he thought, led to ideas about the origins and progressions of statecraft. If Hegel's historical method, as Karl Popper famously claimed, could be used to justify any current power structure as "rational", then his students took it one step further and decided that they could in fact move history in the direction they wished. If it were possible to know what history up until that point meant intellectually, what the flow of history had been in an objective way, then predicting what the future holds would surely be no different.
But this, although it is far more politicized than previous eras, still does not reflect how Hegelian historicism became the primacy of the political. For that, we need to step back for a second and ponder what it means to understand where history trends. If one can have perfect intellectual accord with history, and have a perfect knowledge of what the future needs to hold, then politics takes on a very different meaning than in more traditional conceptual structures. How so? Through compartmentalizing roles within the political process as being part of something trans-historic, and pigeonholing people into these roles. Again, we must return to Hegel's dialectical historical method, in which he recognizes historical roles playing off of each other as best expressing the zeitgeist intellectually. Development and progress is impossible without this tension. But if you already know where history is headed, is such tension completely necessary?
This is where post-Hegelian theorists expand on his ideas. Hegel, if read in a very literal sense, would tend to dissuade any reform or revolution within a given regime, with the logic being that if the regime exists it must be a rational creation, and it must be deserving of its existence. This extremely conservative reading of Hegel does not engender a political platform except the furtherance of the existing state structure. However, if you read Hegel as demanding something beyond that, transcending this historical structure, and if, of course, you know how that needs to be done, then politics becomes your raison d'être. How does this work? If trans-historical ends become obtainable through acting in political ways, that you have the capability of diving the purpose of politics, then politics takes on a level of importance that is beyond the scope of just affecting policy. Achieving this proper political goal then becomes your calling, so it starts to partially define your existence. Taken to its logical extreme, the primacy of politics demands that nothing stand in the way of ultimate political ends, that, to promote the proper growth and maintenance of the state, nothing is beyond the pale. If politics becomes the only way to judge meaning and value, then existing limitations become irrelevant.
A Progressive Embrace of History Necessitates an Elevated Role for the Political
How does the primacy of the political relate to progressivism then? I will grant that although progressives are beholden to ideas about politics that do tend towards this complete politicization of everything, they were not (and are not) proto-Carl Schmitts, the thinker most closely associated with defending the primacy of the political in Nazi Germany, nor are they hidden fascists. The extent to which politics is primary to progressives does not extend to the gas chambers, nor does it extend to a totalitarian state. But politics plays an unusual role within progressivism, given the American context, and brings American politics far closer to something like Schmittian primacy.
These ideas are important because a large part of the modern progressive project has been the subjugation of standard moral judgments about actions, based on things like reason or revelation, to essentially political judgments about ethics. Consider the ethical standard that is "social justice," a rather nebulous term that places what had been traditionally political issues—like inequality or the treatment of nonunionized workers—as essentially questions of ethics. Nonpolitical action must be guided, therefore, by a broader sense that justice is achievable through politics, that the just society is a political problem above all else. Realizing social justice, which has tended to take on a decidedly socialist flavor in the past, is to be the goal of politics, and society must subsume every other consideration to accord to a politicized sense of justice. Can the just be seen as something political? Can true justice be found only in the proper manifestation of politics? Social justice teachings would say as much, placing politics ahead of ethics by itself, because ethics depoliticized becomes less and less important. In that sense, politics becomes ubiquitous.
Bringing it back to the Progressives, the primacy of the political becomes only apparent when viewed through their larger policies and (this is crucial) in their justifications for their policies. The classic example is Woodrow Wilson, the eminent Progressive theorist and our 28th chief executive, who defended his more moderate reform agenda (when compared to Socialist Eugene Debs and Progressive Theodore Roosevelt) on the premise that "real social development" required an "active" state presence. As we shall see later, Wilson and other progressives saw the "end" of the state as being complete social development and the thriving of a united organic state under which ultimate fidelity and homogeneity would create a broader national community around the state. They wished to have the state become the centerpiece of their entire broad social community, and such a vision necessitates a holistic political approach.
If historical progress is the means by which Progressivism want to transform the American political system, then History was its justification. America, it had been observed, was the nation in which politics played the least central role in making personal day-to-day determinations. One of the central lamentations of many progressives was the absence of a strongly political culture amongst American citizens; American culture existed, and there were major political problems, but, save for the slave owners in the South, no one defined themselves primarily by a political conviction. American politics was narrowly constructed around the logic of Lockean contract theory and Natural Rights, both of which posit politics as being subservient to a superstructure of either consent or nature. Commercial considerations were far more likely to define one politically then an overarching ideological framework. The justification for the American system was not an elevation of man's personal beliefs to the point of making new politics, but rather to the balancing of man's vices—their passions and interests—to create a sustainable system that does not require a reordering of human nature. The government, in the Founders' constitution, was to be a reluctant leader, something that exists only because of the frailty of humanity, not because it is the epicenter of virtue. The overarching doctrine of American Constitutionalism can be summed up in the famous quotes from Federalist 51, in which James Madison declares: "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."
Progressivism, then, rejects that statement as being completely beholden to the values of the 18th century, and not at all relevant to modern problems. Part of the Progressive agenda is accepting that government is necessary, but acknowledging that the progress we've made subsequent to the American Founding has rendered the restraints on government completely unnecessary. This is the origin of much of the Progressive contempt for restraint on their reason in the form of governance; in light of their belief in their knowledge of history, such impediments as built into the US Constitution seemed not only counterproductive but desultory.
Progressives brought with them from their studies at Germanic research universities the idea of the state as an organism, and the view that the progress doctrine they promulgated was the mechanism by which such an organism can evolve concomitantly with the changing world. Wilson, in his essay "What is Progress", defined constraints on actors in a political body as drawn from "Newtonian" rather than "Darwinian" principles. Madisonian checks and balances, as Wilson puts it, fail because "government is not a machine, but a living thing. It falls, not under the theory of the universe, but under the theory of organic life. It is accountable to Darwin, not to Newton. It is modified by its environment, necessitated by its tasks, shaped to its functions by the sheer pressure of life. No living thing can have its organs offset against each other, as checks, and live… There can be no successful government without the intimate, instinctive coordination of the organs of life and action." So, according to Wilson, government is an actual living breathing organism, and needs to be treated as such. As Joshua Hawley, an admirer or Theodore Roosevelt's brand of progressivism noted, said about the ends of government: "The state would be the chief agent of the people's sovereignty; the state would be the chief reformer of society; the state would ultimately be the bond that linked one citizen to another in an ever more diverse and pluralistic republic."
Since such value was placed one the ends of government, such ideals were contingent on politics changing man. As was discussed earlier with the example of social justice, progressive politics implies a connection between the ethics of personal redemption with the political, meaning that ultimate redemption becomes possible only through the political. What this also means is that, since redemption is tied to government, one can count on government shaping the behavior and characteristics of the people. Human nature becomes something that is entirely malleable and mutable. A conception of human nature that has anything resembling constancy loses its relevancy for Progressives because of their belief in the temporality of politics. If political values can be defined by their epoch, then things that claim to be universal and unchanging are only true given that specific time and space: it's the progressive criticism of the natural rights doctrine of the American founding, that it cannot be relevant today given its remoteness and the new challenges faced today, that informs their disbelief in the permanence of human nature. It is this belief in the malleability of human nature that provides Progressives with the justifications for their vision of politics as holistic, organic, and total, the primacy of the political.
In many ways, seeking redemption via politics is the quintessence of the primacy of the political. But once we have established that politics is of at least some primacy and provides a meaningful source of ethical values—again, think of any number of liberals or leftists who feel the need to politicize even the most mundane of consumer activities—we must move on to another very powerful conclusion: political primacy means the irrelevancy of the practice of politics.
It is rather well known that Progressives were rather contemptuous of common politics; they hoped to replace it with scientific administration of essential tasks. Frank Goodnow, a prominent Progressive political scientist, put it best when he said much of government:
"[S]hould be free from the influence of politics because of the fact that their mission is the exercise of foresight and discretion, the pursuit of truth, the gathering of information, the maintenance of a strictly impartial attitude toward the individuals with whom they have dealings, and the provision of the most efficient possible administrative organization. The position assigned to such officers should be the same as that which has been by universal consent assigned to judges. Their work is no more political in character than is that of judges."
The idea that experts can be non-political here, that judges can be completely beholden to his proudest vision of non-partisanship, is the naked Progressive mindset. Politics is, at best, a distraction from the true business of government; the contentious debates and deal making only divert resources away from the true administrative ends of government. Experts, like Goodnow, already know (or can easily determine) what policies are to be pursued, so impediments to their direct implementation, like representative democracy, are things to be overcome.
One of the governing doctrines of Progressivism was that what they were engaged in was most explicitly not the practice of politics but something greater, something historic, something that would get us closer to a true understanding of man's place in the polis. Nowhere in the progressive narrative, however, is there room for real disagreement. If your operating principles include the deduction of the course of history and the scientific impartiality of political judgments, then the value of pluralism becomes nil. If politics and ethics become inseparably intertwined, then those seeking to undo great political actions not only disagree with you, but are, if you take it to its logical extreme, doing evil. If tenable political achievements are the domain of morality, then by definition those seeking contrary political goals must therefore be agents of immorality. Seeing these things in such stark black-and-white terms may be unfair to Progressives at a practical level; no one thinks that progressives are going to start rounding up conservatives and send them off to Dachau, but the tendency to see politics in moralized terms and to structure your life around the political, is a phenomenon in this country that largely came out of the progressive movement.
So at some basic level, it seems that the primacy of the political and the practice of politics must always be diametrically opposed. If politics is concerned with ultimate cultural, social, and ethical considerations, then practicing pluralistic politics would tend, therefore, away from attaining meaning. The primacy of the political really turns politics into a religion, and Progressivism embraces this wholeheartedly. From the literal singing of Hosannah's at the Progressive Party Convention in 1912—in which Teddy Roosevelt concluded his speech with a proclamation that "We stand at Armageddon, and we battle for the Lord"—to the modern pseudo-deification of our current president, the religious aspects of Progressive political culture ends up treating alien ideologies like the Church treated heretics. Politicking and disagreements presuppose an ignorance of the ultimate course of history, because of a belief in the fallible vision of man. Madisonian republicanism keeps politics at under the purview of natural rights and real morality, something modern Progressives would be wise to heed. The conflation of politics with meaning necessitates destructive results politically.
The conflation of progressive politics with non-political life is one of the defining characteristics of progressivism. Ideological pronouncements about politics become synonymous with—or at least inseparable from—a worldview and lifestyle that defines an entire cultural subset. This reality is something that was found at the onset of progressive politics in the United States, and represents a stark break from the cultural treatment of politics present in the previous century. What made America unique was that we really existed ideologically in a rather constrained set; as numerous scholars of American political history from both the right and the left have pointed out, American ideology in the 19th century centered around the very narrow debate about the meaning of the Constitution and the extent of federal power. Progressives saw that debate as being completely immaterial to serious political debates, and as such they rejected completely the entirety of the 19th century political setup. It is why progressive political life has become devoted to altering the American political system; the justification for the conflation of non-political and political amongst American Progressives is built from a near universal agreement about the faults of the traditional American political mindset.
This devotion to altering American political destiny is why modern progressives are so beholden to claiming the language of history for their arguments. Nothing further delegitimizes an opposing argument then claiming that it is running contrary to history; if your policy is obviously the course that history will be taking, reactionary positions (itself a loaded term) and other orthogonal political views are completely worthless. The value of pluralism, which can conveniently defined by the "marketplace of ideas" framework promulgated by John Stuart Mill, diminishes to nothingness when "knowledge" of history becomes paramount. It is an implicit hostility to pluralism—further embodied by doctrines like political correctness and "hate speech" laws—that characterizes a particular dimension of the Progressive mindset, one that can, a priori, declare a position outside the "acceptable" norms. The intersection between political primacy and repressive toleration, a phrase that appears in a particularly noxious essay written by Frankfurt School philosopher Herbert Marcuse, better captures the seeming paradox of Progressive politics, in that the ideology of Progressivism is inexorably intertwined with Progressive ethics and meaning, while concomitantly denying the validity of pluralistic politics. Progressivism, by starting with the answers about the shape of government and the path it needs to take, has very little use for competing ideologies and, as such, wishes to greater marginalize the vestiges of parliamentarian style liberal democracy. Republicanism, built on the logic of competing interests and mediating institutions, serves no purpose to progressives at all, instead only acting as an impediment to History.


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Friends of Jim Seimers
Jim Siemers loved our church and we are all beneficiaries of his wonderful spirit. He felt blessed in life and lived with gratitude and grace, inspiring us with his words of encouragement, his compassion, and his self-effacing humor. He was revered in our faith community as a wise elder, poet laureate, and untiring champion of our vision to become a community that is truly welcoming to everyone.
Jim's gratitude was also expressed in his incredible generosity. He wasn't a wealthy man, but his annual pledge was always one of our church's highest. He put his money where his heart was. Jim also made provisions for supporting the church in his estate planning. Recently, the church received a legacy gift in the amount of $108,000 from a life insurance policy that Jim had purchased and designated the church as the beneficiary.
After talking with his daughter Jeanne, our Church Council's Administration Team has decided to use Jim's legacy to start a "Friends of Jim Siemers Fund" to pay for our urgently-needed facility repairs. Now we are inviting you to prayerfully consider honoring Jim's legacy by adding your contribution to this fund.
Our goal is to cover the cost of the work that needs immediate attention and to build up our "Sinking Fund" to cover future building expenses we know we will soon be facing. Our Facility Team estimates that it will take $162,000 to fund the crucial roof repair, masonry repair, and carpet replacement. Beyond those immediate needs, we know that the rooftop heating and cooling units and the flat roofs are reaching the end of serviceability and we need to start setting aside funds now to replace them as well.
Rather than taking out a mortgage and adding to our deficit, we will cover the necessary repairs with the gifts we receive to our Friends of Jim Siemers Fund. Chris and Betty Christ and our Women's Fellowship have already contributed an additional $19,000 to the fund, bringing our starting total to $128,000 — so we're already off to a great start!
Jim was a person who always planned ahead. You can honor his legacy by making a gift to our Friends of Jim Siemers Fund to provide resources for maintaining our church facility today and throughout the years to come.
Designate your gift as a "Friends of Jim Siemers" donation.


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Vodafone Qatar Supports Think Pink 'Walk of Life'
14 October 2010: For the second year in a row Vodafone Qatar, is proudly supporting the Think Pink Qatar and Qatar National Cancer Society 'Walk of Life 2010' taking place on Friday October 29th.
'Breast screening saves lives' is the message from Walk of Life organizers as dozens of Vodafone Qatar employees signed up today at Vodafone's office to take part in the annual event. Morse so, 50% of all sales at Vodafone Qatar's 'Walk of Life' stand will be donated to the Qatar National Cancer Society.
"'Walk of Life' is a fun and interactive way to promote awareness about breast cancer. If detected early by screening, there is a good chance treatment will be successful and the cancer made benign," says Think Pink organiser Karen Al Kharouf.
"Of course, this event would not be possible without our sponsors, and we thank Vodafone Qatar for their support in the last two years," continued Karen Al Kharouf
"Vodafone Qatar is once again proud to support Think Pink Qatar in its breast screening awareness campaign. We hope Vodafone's participation will raise the community's awareness about breast cancer and encourage both women and men to have regular screenings," said Ms. Luisa Gentile, Vodafone Qatar Head of Corporate Responsibility.
Vodafone Qatar and Think Pink encourage individuals and groups to take part and support the 5-kilometre event which starts at 5pm on Friday October 29th outside the Museum of Islamic Art on the Doha Corniche.
'Walk of Life 2010' registration forms and sponsorship details can be downloaded from the www.thinkpinkqatar.com website.


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Partner Program
SAFEDATA elaborated a number of partner programs that allows partners SAFEDATA service products selling under their own brand.
Almost any SAFEDATA product can be sold through partner program including cabinets and equipment colocation as well as cloud resources (VDC, VDI) leasing. Participating these programs partner companies can get partner discount prices depending on service sales volume. SAFEDATA doesn't require partner to reveal the end user name. Partner specialists can make technical support requests instead of end user personnel. Such cooperation model allows our partners to be sure their customers consider the service provided by partner.
Our personal manager is responsible for cooperation with each partner.
Our products SLA's can be revised by partner's or his customer request, depending on their business tasks.
SAFEDATA is ready to participate partner's marketing activities, round-table discussions, seminars and other actions to expand partner's client base and support current business positions and actual contacts. Our technical and commercial departments specialists can take part in negotiations with customer on behalf of our partners to assist in making the right decision.
For any details on partner programs please contact SAFEDATA commercial service by phone +7 (495) 645-6889 or via e-mail email@example.com.


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Information for Conservatory Level Students
Cambridge Music Consortium
315 Broadway Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Conservatory level students are welcome to take lessons with Ms. Vitkauskaite around the year at the pristine facilities of the Cambridge Music Consortium in Cambridge, MA. She is also on the faculty at the International Youth & Muse Summer Festival at the Boston Conservatory held annually.
Ms. Vitkauskaite is a frequent guest teacher around the globe. Recently, she has given masterclasses, private lessons and coachings at the Ohio University, University of Akron, National University of Rosario in Argentina, Carlos Gomes State Institute in Belém, Brazil, "Ciutat de Xàtiva" International Music Festival in Spain, Longy School of Music of Bard College and New England Conservatory Preparatory program.
Herself an accomplished performer and distinguished recording artist, Ms. Vitkauskaite is committed to providing excellence in piano performance education and finds great joy in helping her students achieve technical command, find ease of playing, and further develop their musicianship in an encouraging and supportive environment. She finds detailed study of the score to be an inspiration that challenges students' curiosity for future scholarship in piano performance and music in general. Her ultimate goal is to prepare her students to be as versatile performers as possible and help them find their path of success in today's musical world. As a teacher and performer, she strives to enhance the status of classical music in American culture and around the world.
Harvard Students
You may sign up for lessons through Office of the Arts music lesson subsidy program.
International Summer Festival, August 2017
Offering a concerto performance with orchestra for every student and much more.
Upcoming masterclasses
University of Akron School of Music
7 - 9 pm, February 12, 2017 (Guzzetta Hall)
Ohio University School of Music, Athens
12 - 2 pm, February 13, 2017


text: Leolux Berden Design Competition by Marc de Graaff | Mar 11, 2009 | Awards, Design, Studio STOUT news | Berden Leolux Design Competition. Studio STOUT entered the Berden/Leolux 2008 design competition and was rewarded with a 2nd price/honourable mention for the design "Aurora". Subject of the competition was: "Create a design original of a set of coffee tables /... Read More


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Fall quiets with anticipation.
A slow hush falls to the earth as it prepares for a long winter's sleep. The leaves announce the coming of the end (and the promise of a new beginning) as their colors change from greens into brilliant shades of reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. The oppressive humidity finally leaves the South and a crispness to the air arrives ushering in a slight chill.
The harvest is picked and collected from the fields, leaving rows and rows of stalks and dirt. The sun gives everything a breathtaking glow as it sets over the workers. The families rake and collect and gather the fallen leaves.
Sometimes only to gather them again.
And again.
|I could cry. Buckets.
Molly & Lily 2008.
And even the earth knows and proclaims and cries out that Death must occur before New Life can truly begin.
It knows it must lay everything down in order to release the old from its hands and branches before the new can take root and flourish and can begin living with a renewed purpose.
And full of possibility.


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Wine Clubs
Joining our wine club is a fantastic way to have our latest releases show up on your door step and to enjoy these wines at a discounted price. Club members have a special connection with our winery through events at the tasting rooms, newsletters that provide in-depth information about Pali Wine, and special wines created just for club members. We highly value our club members and continuously cultivate new ways for you to enjoy Pali Wine and make new friends through our many events.
Benefits for All Club Levels
- Invitation to 3 exclusive and complimentary wine pick up parties per year
- Refer a friend beneft: $25 credit towards your next a la carte order
- Recieve shipments 3x per year in February, May, and October
- Discounts apply to shipments, online orders, and in the tasting rooms
- Club benefits apply to all tasting room locations
- New loyalty programs: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels recieve enhanced benefits over time. Spend more in the tasting rooms, stay on the club list longer, and the perks add up!
Wine Club Discounts & Commitments
- 4-bottle club members receive a 15% discount. Total commitment of 12 bottles annually. Enter at Bronze Level
- 6-bottle club members receive a 20% discount. Total commitment of 18 bottles annually. Enter at Silver Level
- 12-bottle club members receive a 25% discount. Total commitment of 36 bottles annually. Enter at Gold Level
Loyalty Program:
- Bronze Level: 2 complimentary tastings per month
- Silver Level: 4 complimentary tastings per month
- Gold Level: Silver + annual gift + $10 flat rate shipping
- Platinum Level: Gold + complimentary glass of tap wine + exclusive winemaker dinner
Additional Details
- Customize and receive your first shipment when you join - we will reach out to you with more details after you sign up.
- By joining our club, you kindly agree to take a minimum of 3 shipments
- Club orders can be shipped or picked up at the tasting room
- An adult signature is required at the time of delivery


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2014 in Retrospect
A wonderful year, with so many wonderful moments and experiences!
To begin with, I received many accolades from my piers this year. The first was a Best in Class award in the "Industrial Portrait" category received from PPOC – ON (Professional Photographers of Canada – Ontario Region) presented to me at the convention in Toronto. At this same image competition, I was also very proud to have all four of my images submitted in the Commercial category accepted, one also earning a "merit". All of this came as a surprise to me since I was competing in this category for the very first time. Those who know me well know that I'm first and foremost a portrait photographer. I decided to change things up and challenge myself by competing in another category, so I am particularly proud of these results.
Then came the PPOC national image salon and a Best in Class "Portrait" award presented to me at the Winnipeg Convention. I am very proud of this image, since it's the portrait of my friend Marc Langis and was one of the four images that led to my earning the Ontario Portrait photographer of the year award in 2013. And it's always very nice to receive a national award. I also received my first bar – Master of Photographic Arts at the Winnipeg convention: the result of many years of participation in image competitions and services rendered to the association and to the photographic community.
Another nice surprise was to have my four images accepted in the out of province category of the PPOC–Atlantic image salon. An excellent way to test images before the next national competition.
But the icing on the cake for me this year came from the Professional Photographers of America image competition. I've been a member of the PPA for a year and all four of my images received a merit. This means I get a bronze medal in the international image competition and I am so very proud of this award. It also means I'll be going to the Imaging USA convention in Nashville in February to receive it. I'll keep you posted.
I also received my 18th accreditation in the Environmental Business Portrait Category. I try to obtain at least one accreditation per year. And as a way to step out of my comfort zone, I'll submit images for accreditation in categories that aren't what I typically shoot.
I also had the chance to present a few conferences, including one in Toronto as part of the NoBS Inferno workshop. That was a real blast and I really loved the experience. The subject of my presentation was wedding photography and it was very well received, with a lot of positive feedback. (The fact is that even after all of these years, I'm still very passionate about photography. And I guess this passion shows when I speaking on the subject.) The other conference was presented at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orléans as part of the "Artpreneur" day. This was a first for me: speaking about photography to an audience mainly made up of non-photographers. A bit stressful but it went very well.
Many beautiful weddings to shoot this year. I'm so very lucky to have these extraordinary clients enabling me to live my passion and grow as a photographer while shooting their big day. Thanks to them, I've had the opportunity to experience so many unique moments this year. I also had the pleasure of working with many artists (for CD projects launched in 2014 or to come, etc.) including Dominique Forest, Bryan Browne & Elise Letourneau, Bianca Basso, Dave Quessy and Norteno. There are so many talented artists in our region: do yourself a favour by getting to know them.
My best experience in 2014 as far as personal and professional growth goes was the PPDQ (Photographes professionnels du Québec) symposium that took place at Le Baluchon in Saint-Paulin in the Laurentians: a two-day weekend workshop with Corsican photographer Bruno Mayer and photographer friends of the PPDQ. I obviously also greatly enjoyed attending PPOC's provincial and national conventions: many great speakers sharing their know-how and the opportunity to see the most beautiful tradeshows and interact with friends and colleagues from the PPOC.
I also discovered acrylic painting after taking a course at the Shenkman Arts Centre last winter. It really opened my eyes to some very interesting possibilities. The only problem: not enough time. It requires more time and patience to get ready and more materials, but I definitely intend to find some time for painting in 2015.
I experienced a bit of a downer in the fall when I found out I had to leave my studio in Orléans, since the owners were selling the building. I haven't yet found the ideal spot to set up my next studio but I'm working on it. The ideal for me would be to find a space to share with one or two other creative types. In the meantime, I'm working from home, which works out quite well given that most of my shoots are on location and there are several interesting venues available when studio space is required. We also lost our calico, our pretty and gentle Mimi. We had her for 15 years and you don't get over such a loss overnight. There's a definite void and we see reminders of her everywhere but we can console ourselves with the fact that we gave her a very good life and a lot of affection and that, in the end, she didn't have to suffer for too long. An interesting note came out of this though: our 2nd cat—a tabby named Ziggy that became part of our household four years after Mimi, is so much happier since. Certain cats are gregarious by nature and enjoy being with other cats, and then there are the "alpha" cats, much happier to be the only cat in a household. And Ziggy is obviously meant to be by herself, it's so obvious now. The changes are so noticeable, it's almost as if someone planted a different personality in Ziggy's body: she looks the same but everything else has changed. We had initially decided we would wait a bit before setting off to find a second cat but as a result, we've decided not to do that: we'll let Ziggy be the only cat and queen of this household!
To end the year on a high note (no pun intended!), I decided to finally go ahead with a major project and fulfil a dream I've had for a great many years: I will be recording and releasing a vocal jazz CD. I've always been involved with music and being a drummer thrilled me to my core. I rocked for a great many years until I had to give it up because of tinnitus. I then turned to vocal jazz which is gentler than rock. With the help of some amazing professional musicians, I now think I'm really ready to go ahead with this. I should be in the recording studio in January. I'll keep you informed on the developments on this project that will really force me to step out of my comfort zone. 2014 also gave me the opportunity to do a few live shows here in Orléans at the Café Latté Cino with Jean-Pierre Allain, Mark Ferguson, Normand Glaude and a few of my singer friends. A great big thank you to Nicole Ratté for accepting to be the special guest at one of these shows. Our dear Nicole is so talented and such a joy to work with!
All in all, this has been a wonderful year and one where I experienced so many wonderful moments and emotions. A big thank you to each and everyone of you for your support throughout my adventures as a photographer or my musical projects: my friends who never say no when I have an idea for a shoot and require a model as well as those who take the time to encourage me with their kind words in person or by sharing them on social media. 2015 promises to be a wonderful year, filled with good things and great experiences and I would like to end this by offering my warmest wishes to you and yours for a wonderful and outstanding New Year.