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Minimalism: How Less Generated More
Words by Andreas Francisco
Photography by Ina Kristine Andersen
Instagram has 4.6 million images, and counting, with the hashtag #minimalism. Black and white geometric figures, airbrushed faces, symmetry galore with carefully placed watches and pens on spotless furniture. Today we know minimalism as a style. A word that has become synonymous with Scandinavian furniture design, white space graphics, and a lifestyle that wouldn't have been coined minimalistic had it not been conceived as a reaction to western excess. But what is minimalism, truly? And would we throw it around just as easily if we knew that the word's history is older than the word itself?
As a response to the over-decorative architecture and design of the 19th century, the minimalist movement gained momentum in the early 1900s and became one of the most significant design movements of the 20th and early 21st centuries. More than just a style or a movement, minimalism is a principle, a philosophy that evangelises a reduction of elements, embracing the notion of less is more. It speaks of efficiency and the unadorned, something stripped down to the most basic and fundamental, exposing the essentials by eliminating non-essential forms.
But you knew that already.
Paradoxically, there's no definition minimalistic enough for minimalism. Because of its flexibility, the word has penetrated every creative field. It doesn't even roll off the tongue, though we certainly use it as if it did; throwing it around loosely to describe a bold typography without serifs, an abundance of white space, half-empty rooms, or short and sharp sentences. Stylishly austere.
"We try too hard to establish definitions that cover as much as possible, maybe in order to brand something," says Anders Sletvold Moe, a Norwegian artist renowned for his interest in the minimalistic landscape, monochrome visual art installations and different black hues. "And then the definition fails in its grasping. My work is certainly minimalistic, but it doesn't encapsulate me. There are so many artists who've found themselves pigeon-holed by that word, just because their work has been part of it."
Maybe it would clarify a thing or two if each field had its own tailored definition? One for architecture, one for graphic design, one for lifestyle, and so on.
"At the same time, I guess we need such words so that everyone can relate," continues Moe, "to help create an image, an idea. Words that can define a common ground."
So, how far back would we have to go in order to find the word's original meaning, or maybe even our earliest deliberate use of its definition?
It is said that the minimalism we know today has its creative origins in architecture, notably rooted in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, who was an important figure for the movement. Born in 1867, Wright had a creative period that spanned more than 70 years. Remembered for his innovative thinking and original building types, he favoured natural, local materials, human scale, warm earth tones and a connection between interior and exterior when creating his philosophy of organic architecture—all of which fits with Japanese concepts. In other words, minimalism has been part of humanity for ages. We just didn't use that word to define it. Instead, we used philosophies such as Zen Buddhism and its teachings that emphasise self-control, meditation, simplicity and insight into Buddha-nature. Zen is an attempt to understand the meaning of life without being misled by logical thought or language. Zen Buddhists have a sparing aesthetic, with little or no possessions, leavings things unadorned on purpose to let the imagination make that space complete. Or to easier see the inner qualities of yourself and others, untainted by materialism. Just like the minimalist architecture and design it inspired; function over style.
It was German architect Mies van der Rohe who gave the modern movement its unofficial mission statement, 'Less is more'—though some say it was actually his mentor Peter Behrens who aired it first. The availability of modern materials like glass, concrete and steel was an important factor in why minimalist architecture started taking off, as well as the formation of standardised building, which helped make the designing and building of minimalist structures more effective. Van der Rohe created an aesthetic of extreme simplicity by arranging the numerous necessary components of a building using a functional tactic where every element and detail was enlisted to serve multiple purposes, such as designing a floor that would also serve as a radiator. His architectural style following the First World War laid the groundwork for what we now call minimalist design–striving for simplicity and clarity, a minimum of structural framework, and lots of open spaces.
Minimalism evolved on its own, from Zen to architecture and onwards, organically influencing the entire creative sphere of the early 20th century.
The word's meaning matured as it reached the art world, where it was first popularised as an insult in 1965, when British philosopher Richard Wollheim used it in his celebrated essay 'Minimal Art'. He described a group of artists whose work was characterised by 'minimal art content'—readymades, bricks arranged on the gallery floor, grids of fluorescent light fixtures glowing in large rooms. To Wollheim, this was art that wasn't worthy of the title.
There was some adversity, as with everything else avant-garde, but a style had been coined, and so the name stuck.
"Many minimalists back then would stray from craftsmanship and rather work with a clean object," continues Moe. "It was more about the experience of the room and how the art was displayed. The sculpture didn't need a shelf. The shelf was the sculpture."
Similar to the Dutch movement De Stijl—which was important in the development of minimalism between 1917 and the 1930s—it pushed for simplicity and abstraction, using rudimentary geometric shapes. But minimalist visual art was most strongly noticed in the US, where artists Donald Judd, Robert Morris, Carl Andre and Frank Stella were just some of the highly regarded minimalists of the post-World War II era, recognised by repetition, neutral surfaces and industrial materials. They favoured the cool over the dramatic, emphasising anonymity over excess, avoiding apparent symbolism and emotional content.
"Minimalist visual art is about honesty. Honesty in its use of material."
This honesty and economy of material is related to the core values of minimalist literature as well, where the writing of mid-century authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Charles Bukowski and Samuel Beckett invited the reader to take an active role in their worldbuilding. Not wasting time or words on surface descriptions and adverbs.
At the same time, things were happening in the world of furniture design, more specifically in Scandinavia. And although the term usually refers to only Sweden, Denmark and Norway, in this case it includes Finland and Iceland as well. Scandinavian Design was a movement that slowly started to emerge in the 1930s, but came into full bloom in the 50s and 60s. It was based on many of the same characteristics as minimalist architecture; simplicity and functionality—qualities that became important for productivity in the post-war years. Scandinavian Design was all about humanising natural materials and democratising the use of innovative techniques, in order to make objects at reasonable prices. The purpose was to improve daily life, which is why the focus was on furniture, textiles and lighting within interior design. Names such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, Hans J. Wegner, Grethe Prytz Kittelsen and Børge Mogensen are just some who are looked upon as the founders of Scandinavian Design—the ones who not only set the values of its first golden era, but also inspired the values that carry Scandinavian Design forward today: durability, functionality, reliability and simplicity.
Though Ikea does not necessarily exhibit all of these values, it is another example of minimalist design in consumer products, with furniture so simple anyone is able to assemble it without needing the instructions.
From there on, simplicity spilled over into music, where the principle of minimalism represented a paradigm shift. Stripping away instruments, toning down the sound and relying on repetition in order to make a new sort of complexity that would permeate the pop mainstream. It made many of the most popular genres of today possible, from punk and techno to ambient and grime. From classical composers Phillip Glass, La Monte Young and Terry Riley of what was named the New York Hypnotic School, to Brian Eno, David Bowie and the do-it-yourself-minimalists of the early rave era.
Then the realm of digital visuals, where visual and web designers started applying extreme spareness into their designs, choosing readability above all else, with clean fonts and contrasts, strong grid alignments based on predictability and, of course, an abundance of white space to emphasise comfort and help lead the eye. In Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs was an icon of minimalism. Not just for design, but also for lifestyle, reflected in his famously austere 1980s home where he preferred sitting on the floor. This is how strong and influential a principle of minimalism is. It transcends the industry and moves back into the being, where it once began life over a thousand years ago, when ancient cultures refined it.
According to becomingminimalist.com, 'Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it.' It is not about emptiness for the sake of emptiness, but rather making room to move and think more freely. It is a lifestyle very much linked to The Paradox of Choice, psychologist Barry Schwartz' thesis on how too many options and too many decisions to make, will increase your chances of being less satisfied with the results, regretting the choice you made, even if the result is good. Fewer options to choose from—minimalism, in other words—can lead to more happy results.
The idea here, apparently, is that the minimalist lifestyle can return you to the basic state where you perceive more purely. Less clutter and less distractions, opening up people up to see the world without preconceptions. But this utopian idea has received some criticism, as you would expect. Professor of contemporary art history, David Raskin, calls it a signifier of the global elite; the richer you are, the less you have. And says that the movement is more an act of privilege than a spiritual awakening, because it actually takes a lot—social capital, a safety net and web access—to have little.
Minimalism is such a vulnerable word. Its adaptable nature is its biggest weakness. It has been thrown around every aspect of society for so long, we forget that it's not a way of presenting, but a way of seeing. It's not a matter of finding answers. It's about asking the question: is there another way of looking at the world?
"Yes, I think we use it too lightly," says Moe, winding up our conversation. "But I also think it's difficult to find a replacement word. It's almost as if we should just accept the broad use of it. One thing I know for sure about minimalism, is that practicing it isn't as easy as you think. Just because it's minimalist does not mean it's easy."
This article was first published in A New Type of Imprint Volume Nine. In stores now.


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The Experts
Changing the way we use our homes
John McGrath
Tuesday, January 30, 2018
Affordability, the rising cost of living, our ageing population and increasing multiculturalism is driving a revolution in the way we use our homes.
As revealed in our latest McGrath Report 2018, multi-generational living – where more than one generation of related adults live together, is on the rise as more extended families look to help each other both financially and in terms of lifestyle, particularly in our major capital cities.
We are also seeing a strong trend in home owners seeking ways to make money from their homes, with Airbnb enabling principal places of residence to be used for short term letting.
Changes to state planning laws are also allowing more people to build granny flats alongside their homes to accommodate family members or rent out to tenants.
In Sydney, the prevalence of people living in multi-gen homes has increased by 31.8% in just 10 years.
According to the latest Census, 129,885 grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings were living with a core family unit of mum, dad and children compared with 98,564 in 2006. In Melbourne, multi-gen living has increased by 37.7% and in Brisbane by 39%.
Among the most common scenarios is grandparents living with the core family unit due to their need for care or to help raise their grandkids to save on child care costs.
Families are also living together simply to pool funds, with a typical mortgage now requiring 39% of household income to service compared with 25% in 2001, according to CoreLogic's 2017 Perceptions of Housing Affordability Report.
As our population continues to age, we expect this trend to grow within our marketplace.
Multiculturalism is also playing a significant role in the rise of multi-gen living, especially given increasing immigration from Asia where it is common for several generations to share a home.
Another common multi-gen scenario is 20-somethings remaining in the family home to save money for a place of their own. In 2016, 18% of Sydneysiders aged 25-34 were still living with their parents. In Melbourne, it was 16.5% and in Brisbane it was 12.5%, according to Census data.
This trend is being driven by housing affordability, with young people struggling to save the deposit for a first home and often needing the bank of mum and dad to make up the difference.
According to CoreLogic, 62% of young Australians living with their parents said they could not afford to move out.
Within the property market, multi-gen living has resulted in greater demand for larger homes with teen retreats, self-contained in-law accommodation and granny flats in the backyard.
With the cost of living increasing, more Australians are also looking for ways to make money from their homes.
Airbnb has provided a substantial platform, with many owners leasing their homes while they are away on holidays. Almost 200 countries have Airbnb listings and Australia is among the top 10 destinations and top 10 sources of outbound guests, according to its website.
We expect these trends to continue, primarily in major capital cities where the cost of living and property prices are high and there are large populations and multicultural communities.
Published: Tuesday, January 30, 2018
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This product is sold by a TripleClicks ECA (e-commerce associate)
CLICK HERE or the picture above to see all details, reviews and buy the book


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The world has become technologically advanced. The internet has become an integral part of society. Information is found just at a click of a button. In order to accommodate the growing market, businesses have had to look at ways of adapting to the changing world and target market.
Search Engine Optimization
Having a business website is the first step in building a bridge between customer and business. A website that is new or updated won't magically appear on users screens. The firm has to make an effort to ensure that users see and click on the website when they see it on search engines.
Search engines like Google or Yahoo! are a great tool that centralises and de-clutters the internet. Having a top ranking on any search engine (the first page) requires setting up the website in a way that search engines and people will be able to understand and familiarise themselves with it.
Marketing Strategies
Marketing strategies that are specific to the online target market need to be employed by the business. This can be done through hiring a marketing firm that will handle every aspect of developing the website. The marketing firm is likely to use search engine marketing (SEM) to market the website effectively.
Search Engine Marketing
Search engine marketing falls under internet marketing. SEM aims to promote a website by creating an online presence on search engines results pages. Search engine optimization (SEO) or pay per click (PPC) are some of the aspects used in search engine marketing. There are essentially two categories of SEM. The first is marketing the website organically (for free) on a search engine and the second is marketing inorganically (paid) on a search engine. Organic search engine marketing usually uses SEO techniques and strategies that assist a search engine in understanding the webpage. Inorganic SEM uses PPC advertising. Websites that go for pay per click adverting are placed as adverts on various places of a search engine.
Marketing your Firm
Search Engine Marketing a firm is always a good thing to do because it is the only way to attract new customers and to keep existing clients interested in what the business is selling. There are a lot of benefits to marketing a website. A website that is marketed well pays attention to its content. It also understands the significance of having a website that is user friendly for search engines and visitors.
Although SEO and PPC are the popular search engine marketing tools, there are other techniques/methods. Analysing keywords and researching about potential keywords, analysing the websites online presence, and having software that is able to measure data are some of the other methods that are used by internet marketing experts.
What is great about search engine marketing is that the focus is on getting a good ranking on a search engine. A good ranking on a search engine means that a bulk of the target market can be reached because they will click on the website. This all depends on where it is shown on a search engine. Search engine marketing may be a lot more direct than any other form of marketing.


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3rd Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Contest Announced/
The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority is pleased to announce it's 3rd Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Contest for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders that attend either public or private schools participating in the Target Recycling at School program. Students are invited to design a billboard in keeping with the spirit of America Recycles Day, which is celebrated yearly on November 15. The top design out of the three grade levels will be displayed for four weeks on two billboards in Whitfield County.
During the 2011 contest, Dalton Middle School 7th grader, Joel Paez won first place overall. His artwork, chosen from 105 entries, included the phrase, "I Recycle. Do You?" in green letters and showed a young boy picking up an item to recycle. The suggested billboard themes for the 2012 contest are, "Let's Target Recycling Together", "I Recycle. Do You?" and "Recycle, it's the natural thing to do."
Click here to download the Contest Guide with an entry form. Deadline for entries is Wednesday, November 7, 2012. There is no entry fee, however an official entry form needs to be included with the artwork. Only artwork submitted directly from a school representative will be accepted. Winners will be announced on Thursday, November 15.
For more information contact Liz Swafford, Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, at 706-278-5001 or e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.
PHOTO CAPTION:The 3rd Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest is underway. Pictured is the winning design of 2011 designed by Joel Paez of Dalton Middle School.


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Lucie Thorne
Bonfires In Silver City
(Buy mp3s)
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Everything Sings Tonight
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The Rushing Dark (Single)
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Black Across The Field
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Where Night Birds Call
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Warwick McFadyen -The Age, August 2011
"Thorne's powerful intimacy [is] embedded in each song.
At times stylistically similar to the late Chris Whitley... Thorne
has breathed in love and life and returns both as art. Hers is a
poetic gift; Bonfires is a river of sound, its currents best revealed
the more deeply you listen."
Chris Peken - Alternative Music Group
"I've been listening to three great female artists in the last month; the first two, Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris require little introduction to most, their bodies of work substantial, their standing already verging on legendary. The third is a name lesser known,
but her album Bonfires in Silver City is undoubtedly the best of all three. Lucie Thorne is one of our own, and with this album she makes a firm statement that she is one of our finest. World-class."
Rhythms Magazine - Martin Jones
"Bonfires In Silver City reveals a subtlety and craft that eclipses Thorne's prior work."
Ian Cuthbertson, The Australian, August 2011
"Mitchell fans will sense a resonance of 1976's Hejira, for many her masterpiece, in Bonfires In Silver City....
While Hejira's theme of geographical dislocation is missing from Bonfires, perhaps replaced with journeys of the heart, the records are strikingly similar; poetic, introspective works that have a solidity and wholeness."
Orange Press, August 2011
"Bonfires in Silver City is a great ride… a beautifully subtle album of songwriter-rock presented with faultless production and delivery. Everything sits in its right place and serves nothing but the song, (and) Thorne holds your attention without demanding it, you just want to listen. She elusively conjures a post–60's Joni Mitchell - that deep, rich but definitely feminine voice of hers sits marvelously amongst the songs she's crafted. This lady's got some serious talent."
Drum Magazine, August 2011
"Somehow both restrained and edgy, Thorne retains her seemingly effortless ability to weave spaciousness into her songs, which makes them all the more enthralling. Bonfires In Silver City is further proof Thorne deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Australia's first ladies of indie singer/songwriter fare"
Courier Mail - Noel Mengel August 2011
NO ONE is more surprised than Lucie Thorne that she wound up living at Bimbaya, population four.
It's a tiny locality in the Bega Valley, a six-hour drive south from Sydney. And not the most convenient spot for a songwriter whose career took off with the release of her fourth album, 2009's extraordinary Black Across the Field.
"It's a really beautiful little corner of the world though," Thorne says when I catch up with her there. "The nearest town is Candelo, with a thriving population of 300. It's on the edge of dairy country and just before the start of the South-East National Park."
"I lived in Melbourne for 10 years and moved here to make an album and that was three albums ago. I thought I would be here for six months but as the months rolled on I thought less and less about moving back to the city."
Not that Thorne gets to spend much time in rural bliss. She has toured frequently through Australia and Europe since the breakthrough success of Black Across the Field. "Even though I'm not here that much, it is a bit of a haven for me," she says. "Just the thought of having a home does a lot for keeping you sane."While much of the writing for Thorne's new album, Bonfires in Silver City, was done while she was on tour, there is something in her music which sounds like it's close to nature and the seasons, with its quiet nuances and wide-open horizons.
"When I started writing songs I was living in a shared house in Melbourne and when all my housemates were out I would stand in the stairwell where the acoustics sounded great and sing, thinking no one else could hear me.
"Of course it was a terrace and people could hear me six houses away, so having the freedom to make a racket any time of day or night is liberating.
"I don't know if where I live now is a direct influence on the music but I am a big fan of spaciousness and good old-fashioned dynamic range."
A more clear-cut influence is her musical partnership with acclaimed Sydney drummer Hamish Stuart in the studio and as a duo on stage.
"He's an extraordinary musician and over time we've developed an understanding where we're really on the same page. There are moments when you can make a lot of noise with an electric guitar and drums but there is the other end of the spectrum. There is a lot of room for us to move on the whole scale."
And always that music leaves space for Thorne's finely etched lyrics, vignettes which capture places and emotions with the same kind of quiet force that's in her music. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree in the Thorne family. Lucie's father is the acclaimed Tasmanian poet Tim Thorne.
"I think I did try to rebel against that as a kid. Being the daughter of a poet, well, it's a bit weird," she says.
"I used to be very staunch insisting that I didn't write poetry, that I wrote songs, but I let go of that distinction a long time ago.
"I grew up surrounded by books and music and big conversations. Of course my father had a huge influence on my love of words and the playfulness of language. I love to sing and play the guitar but playing with words is a compulsion central to my songwriting."
Growing up in Launceston, Thorne had something of a split personality. There was the kid who got a guitar because at heart she wanted to be in AC/DC. And there was the one who took her classical violin lessons seriously.
"For a long time I was convinced I would be a composer of music, on-the-page music, and when I moved to Melbourne I studied composition at Latrobe University. It wasn't until I took more and more time wagging class and sitting under a tree writing songs that I thought, 'maybe this is the direction I should take'."
She's just as fascinated with exploring the form of the three-minute song as she was when she started out.
"I love it that something small, a few words that I like the sound of or a little snippet of conversation I overheard, can be enough to spark a song.
"You can write a song about anything really. Trying to distil the everyday into tiny moments of poetry, that's the thing I'm always striving for. That's my trip."
Bonfires in Silver City (Vitamin Records) is out now. Lucie Thorne plays Beetle Bar, Brisbane, August 25.
Touring Page
web site developed by Mamet and Associates
©: Red Square Music Pty Ltd T/A Vitamin Records ABN 38 095 216 630


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Whoo!! It's been an editing and shooting whirlwind around here this fall!
I'm happy to finally be catching up and able to blog some of the beautiful faces who have been in front of my lens this season.
This is the Kidder family, I met them when I first moved to LA 6 years ago. Since then they've made some gorgeous littles and we had a lovely morning playing in the waves together, laughing, getting way too wet and creating memories that will last for years to come :)
Here are some of my faves!


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POWELL RIVER, B.C. /Troy Media/ – My first real boss was Ed Raymond, the foreman of the skidding crew I worked for in Juskatla logging camp, run by Mac and Blo (Macmillan and Bloedel Ltd.) in what was called the Queen Charlotte Islands (now Haida Gwaii).
The fact that you have to explain who Mac and Blo were, and what Haida Gwaii used to be named on the map tells you quite a bit about our recent history, and arguably progress in the 21st century.
However, I'm pretty sure what I think of as progress wouldn't cut it with Ed.
To start with, he was very unimpressed by my educational ambitions that I shared during our first lunch, after a hot morning of me setting chokers behind the Tree Farmer he was operating.
So, what the f— are you doing with the money you're earning this summer, kid?
Well, I'm going to use it to pay for my first year's tuition at UBC.
What the f— use is that?
Well, I'm thinking of getting an Arts BA. …
I suddenly realized that Ed was actually picking up his long aluminum thermos and getting ready to chuck it right at my head. Before I could really process what was about to happen, he winged it at me.
Ed was the slow pitch king on the Port Clements softball team and he deliberately missed me by a few (of what we then called) inches. The thermos bounced off the side of the red and white Mac and Blo crummy (the crew bus), and clattered into the road gravel.
Listen up kid, you're making a stupid decision. All that really matters is how many chunks you can get from stump to dump in this life. It's called real work. Studying poetry in Point Grey doesn't impress the kind of girls I go out with. Where's the money in that?
I remember thinking that it was pretty impressive that he knew Point Grey was where UBC was located. And I wondered what kind of girls he went out with.
As the logging summer of 1969 slowly passed, there were plenty more opportunities to learn about the world of physical labour, of union pay scales, the threat of being sent down the road, and marriages that somehow functioned on the five-weeks-on, two-weeks-off work cycle.
It was a world where hard work was expected and noticed. Where work camps housed 200 men, and one woman – the camp nurse. It was a world where competency was expected; where expertise at a high mechanical level earned commensurate status.
In the camp dining hall, the top trades ate together at the central tables. Your status was visually apparent at each meal. You quickly learned the camp hierarchy: first came fallers, then shop mechanics, then teamsters, then boom crew, then road crew, then office staff, then bullcooks, then chokermen.
We sat together at the farthest table from the food, next to the washroom door. We got our grub last. Often it was the definition of slim pickings. Simply wishing to eat better was a motivation to learn a decent trade – one that moved you at least a notch up from labourer.
There aren't many Juskatla logging camps left in 2017. Mine only exists in memory. Increasingly, I think of the loggers I worked with when I read op-eds about the American 'Red State,' working-class base in the Washington Post, the New Yorker and the New York Times.
Ed Reynolds didn't study poetry at UBC, or read op-eds and nuanced editorial essays. But he did understand that hard work was the way up, especially when twinned with trades training that involved increasing mechanical complexity. He understood a few things about sacrifice, too.
One has to wonder what the work world would offer Ed today. Bush camps of all descriptions are in shorter and shorter supply. Mines, liquefied natural gas plants, logging camps and hydro dam construction projects are everywhere receiving closer scrutiny and greater public disfavour.
We live in a world characterized by economic disruption. Would Ed drive for Uber, clean Airbnbs or work in an Amazon warehouse shipping facility?
Unlikely. He'd seek work that offered high union wages, basic autonomy and good chances for upward mobility.
The question is: where is that kind of work anymore? This is the issue at the root of our distemper.
Troy Media columnist Mike Robinson has been CEO of three Canadian NGOs: the Arctic Institute of North America, the Glenbow Museum and the Bill Reid Gallery.
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Tags: Career information


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Supporting Bahraini Apartheid Is Not in America's Interest
By Shadi Bushra, published June, 2011
Bahrain, unlike most countries experiencing political unrest is a wealthy, developed country due to its oil and natural gas reserves. The United States' support of the Sunni monarchy is the latest in a long history of Western approval of apartheid-like policies to keep the Shiite majority in check. While the percentage of Muslims is often cited as 75% Shiite and 25% Sunni, ambitious naturalization programs (where Sunni immigrants are given citizenship) have shifted the ratio closer to 60:40 through what many have termed "demographic engineering." The Shiite majority is barred from employment in the police, military, security services, and the Foreign, Defense, and Interior Ministries, as well as facing broader discrimination in public-service employment. Because Bahrain hosts the United States Navy's Fifth Fleet, the Obama administration has turned a blind eye to this year's crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators. However this only perpetuates the perception of the US as a supporter of corrupt, discriminatory and violent regimes – exactly the story Al Qaeda and other extremist groups have been preaching for decades.
The Historical Roots of Minority Rule
Before its recognition as an independent nation-state in 1971, Bahrain was a part of the Persian Empire from the 6th century BC until the spread of Islam in the 7th century AD. The currently ruling Al Khalifa family were one of the many Sunni families from the mainland of the Arabian Peninsula that moved to the island of Bahrain in the eighteenth century. They came to power in 1820 and immediately cemented their security on the throne by concluding a treaty agreement with the British – the dominant naval power at the time.
Ever the shrewd strategists, the Khalifa clan declared their allegiance to Iran in 1830 to protect against Ottoman encroachment. The Egyptian Mohammed Pasha had just captured the Arabian Peninsula for the Ottomans, and Bahrain's position right off of the coast and its abundance of precious pearls made it an easy target. With Britain vying for more influence in the kingdom's affairs the Khalifa declared themselves and the people of Bahrain Iranian subjects. But in due time the British government in India conquered the island and made it a protectorate. Part of the agreement included a promise to support Khalifa rule of Bahrain, again giving the ruling family security on the throne.
Before the end of the nineteenth century Bahrain was transformed into the leading center of trade in the Gulf. Merchants from the mainland, Europe, and southern Asia flocked to the islands. Bahraini demands for limits to British influence led to leading merchants being exiled to India in 1911, then Sheikh Issa Ben Ali was deposed for being too warm to Iran in 1923. Iran's simultaneous renewal of its claim over Bahrain was met with wide approval or ambivalence on the part of most Bahrainis. Had the international community truly believed in Woodrow Wilson's ideal of self-determination, Bahrain would now be a province of Iran or a Shiite-ruled country.
British 'advisers' to Bahrain's rulers encouraged repression and sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shi'a Bahrainis to prevent a unified opposition from coalescing – very much the same strategy the ruling family has employed in recent decades. Individuals, families, and entire tribes were exiled to the mainland if they opposed British social and economic changes, which included the abolition of slavery. Polls at the time indicated most Bahrainis were receptive to the idea of becoming part of Iran. But, afraid to let the first domino fall in their Arabian empire, Britain was determined to keep control of Bahrain at any cost.
As so often happens, the discovery of oil in 1932 intensified the tug-of-war for power. Among other things, Bahrain's new economic and military importance caused Britain to try to shift the country's demographics by moving Sunni Arabs to the Shi'a-majority island. This may have staved off an overthrow of the regime, but it only increased Shi'a resentment, which in turn led to an even more discriminatory set of policies favoring Sunnis, especially for positions in the government bureaucracy and security services. Clearly the current regime's tactics are based on the British precedent.
This longtime Sunni domination ultimately led to the 1994 Bahrain Intifada, where a wide array of opposition groups joined forces to demand a restoration of parliament and the suspended constitution. Leftists, Sunni and Shiite Islamists, and liberals came together to demand democratic reforms. Unsurprisingly, the government responded by unleashing their security services, which targeted Shiite areas and immigrants. The unrest largely subsided when constitutional rule was restored in 2001.
Bahrain and the "Arab Spring"
The examples set in Tunisia and Egypt encouraged Bahrainis to reignite their calls for equal opportunities for Shi'a and the opening of the political space. King Hamad al Khalifa attempted to buy off the protestors with generous social welfare packages, but that only insulted those on the streets. Like Tahrir Square in Egypt, the iconic Pearl Roundabout in the heart of the capital, Manama, became the nucleus of the protests. Demonstrators camped out for days, leading many to prophesize a Mubarak-like fall of the Khalifa regime.
But unlike in Egypt, the Obama administration did not give Bahrain's rulers any indication that repression would damage the US-Bahraini relationship. This implicit acknowledgement of the royal family's legitimacy and the few half-hearted calls for restraint, gave Bahrain carte blanche in crushing the unrest. To prevent a protracted war they risked losing (a la Libya), after a month of protests the Khalifa regime called for armed intervention on its behalf by the Gulf Cooperation Council. Four thousand troops and heavy armor arrived from Saudi Arabia and 500 police from the UAE on March 14th to protect oil, gas, and financial institutions.
This freed up Bahrain's security forces for an early morning raid on the protestors in the Pearl Roundabout. Having declared martial law on March 15th, government forces mercilessly attacked men, women and children in Manama. Tanks, armored vehicles and helicopters supported security forces using live ammunition and teargas, while some demonstrators attempted to resist with homemade petrol bombs. During and after the raid government officials blocked access to doctors and medical assistance, going so far as to shoot suspected demonstrators in the hospitals. Similar offensives were carried out throughout the country and door-to-door raids resulted in mass arrests. The Pearl Monument was destroyed days later due to its role as a symbol and rallying point for protestors.
Since Shiite Bahrainis were not trusted to be in the security services, many of the agents were Pakistanis and others of South Asian descent. This prompted a backlash against foreigners by some, who accused them of acting as the government's mercenaries and taking jobs from Shiites. After this massive crackdown, rights groups worldwide denounced the unchecked use of force against civilians, the farcical trials that followed, and the use of torture on those in detention.
After arresting the leaders and instigators of the protests, the government wants to bring the opposition to the negotiating table this summer. However, there are indications that opposition leaders are in no mood to sit at the same table with the people who ordered their arrest and death only months ago. More importantly, it is unlikely that the ruling family will offer serious concessions that may threaten their monopoly on power.
Sectarian Fears Play Into Iran's Hand
To underscore the sectarian nature of the crackdown, Shiite mosques were destroyed in restive areas – a process the government initially denied, then justified by claiming the mosques did not have permits. This disrespect for what is supposed to be a sacred space enraged Muslims worldwide, but especially Shiite populations in neighboring Gulf countries.
Although Bahrain is unique because a Sunni minority rules a Shiite majority, most countries in the Gulf have substantial and often restive Shiite minorities: Saudi Arabia (10%), Kuwait (40%), UAE (6%), Qatar (25%), Oman (17%). These six countries make up the Gulf Cooperation Council that authorized armed intervention in Bahrain. Iraq and Iran have Shiite majorities, estimated at 65-70% and 90%, respectively. Shiites are the largest of Lebanon's eighteen recognized sects, estimated at 28- 49% of the population. The inverse of Bahrain, Syria has a Shiite minority (13%) ruling a Sunni majority (73%).
These numbers above have long led Western analysts to come to the conclusion that Iran would use the idea of secular solidarity to support Shiite movements (especially anti-Saudi or anti-Western ones). Indeed, Iran has strong ties to Shiite groups in Lebanon and its strongest ally is the Shiite-ruled Syria. For decades, this concept has been used to justify American alliances with unsavory regimes in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the Iraq of Saddam Hussein, among others. American regimes would rather support these West-friendly dictators than allow Shiites to come to power and possibly ally themselves with Iran, or so the argument goes.
However, this logic is not only inconsistent with America's repeated declarations of support for democracy, but also serves to strengthen Iran's hand. Iran's theocracy has long used examples of American aggression (arming Saddam Hussein), occupation (Iraq, Afghanistan, some say Saudi Arabia), and support for corrupt and unrepresentative regimes (take your pick of Arab states). By allowing the Bahraini regime to use such a heavy hand in order to continue discriminating against the majority of the population, Iran now has evidence of its longtime claim: that the US is more concerned about its own interests than the safety and rights of Muslims, and especially the Shiite world.
This is especially disconcerting given that studies have noted that Bahrain's Shiite population is actually less interested in Islamic government than the Sunni minority. Contrary to the Khalifa regime's beliefs and the West's fears, Shi'a in Bahrain are not looking to Iran as an example.
Another argument is that the United States can't simply make the Bahrainis change their ways. This is even easier to refute; the US is the protector of Bahrain. Just as the naval power two centuries ago had a strong hand in maintaining the Khalifa family's supremacy, the preeminent naval power of the last 120 years has quite a say in the ruling regime's choices. The US Fifth Naval Fleet is stationed on Bahrain's shores and serves as a counterbalance to Iran. But our military presence not only gives us the ability to influence Bahraini affairs, it is the reason we refuse to do so.
The West fears that Shiite rule in the Gulf will lead to anti-Western sentiment, but it is at least as clear that this fear of Shiite rule is itself contributing to anti-Western sentiment. No one expected the US government to call for complete democracy right on Iran's doorstep. But the fact that the Obama administration gave its consent (implicit or explicit) for a deadly and widespread crackdown implicates us in the deaths, injuries, and detentions.
If there is anything the last decade of the "war on terror" should have taught us, it is that military power alone will not stop anti-American sentiment. So long as we are perceived as the reason governments like Bahrain's can oppress their people, young Muslims will sympathize with extremist organizations.
I am not optimistic about the United States supporting democracy in Bahrain, and just as cynical that reforms will be substantial or sufficient. Perhaps unwittingly and without realizing the consequences, the United States has put itself on the side of a country where a minority rules a majority with the threat (and use) of force while hoarding opportunities for economic advancement. The world knows what such a system is called: apartheid. The only difference between South African and Bahraini apartheid is that the divide is religious rather than racial. However, I'm certain that history will judge Bahrain – and the United States' support of the regime – equally harshly.
1 Comment »
- Flash Bailbonds, September 7, 2011 @ 4:31 pm
Taking this into consideration the US most likely will not want to interfere with what the Bahraini government is doing through the possibility of losing that established offshore base. The fifth fleet is the hold of power for America in that part of the world. Bahrain houses many US bases and Command points within its borders.
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My husband Tom and his brother Joe own and operate L'Ecuyer Farms a 5000+ acre farm specializing in a 350 head cow/calf operation. They also have around 3,000 acres in wheat, row crops like corn and soybeans and hay and other forages. They are proud sons of a third generation farmer.
L'Ecuyer Gardens, owned by Tom, Twilya, Olivia and Autumn L'Ecuyer is a six acre produce and poultry farm that offers home delivery, and u-pick opportunities. The farm specializes in green beans, sweet corn, heirloom and cherry tomatoes and wild fruit. It also has a nice selection of other seasonal fruits and vegetables and currently expanding its fruit capacity. In 2013 it will open its asparagus beds to the public.
Our business is growing high quality, healthy and affordable food for your family. We love on-farm visitors and invite you to experience a life we believe is truly blessed.


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October is National Ha-Penis Massage Month. Designed in Conjunction with Mr Cox and the brotherhood of Pleasure to promote excellence in Ha-Penis. The power of Ha-Penis Massage Therapies.
October is National Ha-Penis Month. The aim is to encourage more men to experience the magickal power of another man's Ha-Penis. With a intention of trust, truth and respect we invite all men to simply touch another man's ha-penis. The added injection of endorphin and serotonin that you will receive from doing this will result in strengthened self-confidence and ha-penis. Touching another man's ha-penis will not only excited your body but also your brain and the increased amount of adrenaline and cortisol hormones that you will produce will stimulate your mind, body and soul for both yourself and the man receiving
Your Ha-penis Blessings.
I used to read this thing on the internet about how to touch another man's Ha-Penis. I forget somethings. But this is what I can remember. Begin with your hands open very wide and place them about half an inch away from his Ha-Penis. Work up and down his body without actually touching. Touch his Ha-Penis with your breathe, touch every single tiny part with your sacred breath. Then start with his face and gradually make your way down to his toes. Touch him as if your hands were magick, radiating love energy with every stroke. Feel the energy penetrating through his skin, through his flesh, entering into his mind.
Moistening his Ha-Penis
Touch him with the very tips of your fingers as if they were the the feet of the best football player in the world. Dip your hands in water and touch him. Pretend your hands are raindrops, and as if you are moistening every minute part of his Ha-Penis, and then spread that masculine energy energy over every tiny part of his amazing body.
Allow him to reveal his inner self.
Lightly pull at his Ha-Penis as if you were peeling him to allow him to reveal his inner self. Touch him as if you are creating a master piece. Touch him as if your hands were on fire. Touch him as if your hands were the ocean. The tide coming in and then the tide going out.
The Ha-Penis Orchestra
Touch him as if he was an orchestra. Play every instrument excellently, like a jazz maestro
Ha-Penis whispers
As you breath deeply and encourage him to do the same, whisper, how lovely, how absolutely fucking lovely his ha_penis is. blessed bi/


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"The most beautiful order is a heap of sweepings piled up at random." - Heraclitus
Human beings are good at seeing things that aren't really there. This is helpful when a job requires finding connections and patterns. Once you've gathered a critical mass of content and data for a vision map, it's time to put the participants' ability to find those connections to work. Here's how to set it up.
Lay out all of the content you've gathered on large tables. Arm your participants with sticky notes, sharpies, highlighters, and scissors. Share these instructions:
"If you had to clean your garage, you might start by dumping everything out on the driveway and figuring out what goes together. You'd probably start by deciding what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of. Then, you COULD organize all your stuff by use. For example, all your sports equipment goes together, your gardening stuff goes together, your tools go together, and so on. Or, you might organize your stuff by shape. All your long handled stuff goes together, so you'd put rakes and baseball bats and brooms together, and all the stuff in boxes stacked neatly. HOW you organize it doesn't really matter, so long as it makes sense to the most number of people who have to find things. We're going to recreate that process here.
"First, start by scanning all the content we've gathered. If something strikes you as worth keeping, highlight it. Now, 'worth keeping' is subjective and means different things to different people. Rather than come to one definition of what 'worth keeping' means, we're going to leverage the diversity of perspectives in the room and say that if it's worth keeping for one person, it's worth keeping for the group. That way, we'll start to see all sides of the beachball.
"After a while, you'll start to see themes emerge. Themes are the big categories of information that our content falls into. If you think you see a theme across the content, move those pieces of content together, and write down the name of the theme on a sticky notes near the cluster of content. Talk with your colleagues about this. Have a discussion. Validate your proposal for a theme with others. And remember: what matters most is that the themes make sense to the most people. Keep the Paris Principle in mind."
The Mid-Atlantic Facilitators' Network practices Identifying Themes.


text: Thank you for your interest in playing at Maxwell's On Main. Currently as of 2015, we have launched a new circuit of artists to be part of our weekend Craft Culture series. We are accepting submissions for bands to become part of this rotating circuit, but as we are not your standard rock music club / bar / venue, your act may or may not be considered. But as always, we are open to exceptions. Thank you again.


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Ferguson Foundry: From the workshop to the million-dollar dream/
Ferguson Foundry Gallery - a purpose built creative space made for everyone and all walks of life, by a humble yet heroic industry icon Leo Flavel.
Leo Flavel isn't the 'idea' of a gallery owner. An avid Holden Gemini enthusiast with a passion for growing fruit trees, most days you will find him tape measure in hand, workman boots on and getting his hands dirty building a project; this time a new gallery, and it's been a life of hard yakka to get here.
Leo had a dream, and one job would slowly but surely take him there. Starting at the age of 17 in 2000, Leo spent years mastering the art of framing. Fast forward 15 years of hard work, endless hours and saving every cent, Leo's little framing workshop in the back lots of Bayswater has turned into Perth's best framing store and boutique gallery, Studio 281, and he'll soon be launching his second gallery in the heart of Maylands - Ferguson Foundry.
The Ferguson Foundry was inspired by Mephan Ferguson's pipe factory.
Mephan Ferguson was an innovative engineer and after winning a large contract in 1898 to supply pipelines to Coolgardie, he set up a new foundry and commenced production within a year of winning one of Australia's largest contracts of its time (later known as the Kalgoorlie pipeline). The enormity of this project commanded a new wave of employees and many weatherboard "worker's cottages" were built as kit homes in Hay Street and brought to the surrounding streets of Maylands by horse and cart.
Leo and his father restored one of these cottages on Ninth Avenue, and Leo's avid interest in heritage buildings and woodworking skills are apparent in the new building. Feature Jarrah beams from the old Seventh Avenue bridge and 100 year old Oregan from the Fremantle Woolstores complement the mix of contemporary design and energy efficiency.
Taking on an owner/builder project whilst maintaining one of Perth most popular galleries has been testing to say the least, but Leo says his motivation was driven from many artists and friends willing to help out. It was the strong support that has come from the tight knit Perth art community that has inspired him to push on and solidify the decision to create Ferguson Foundry Gallery
"I have dedicated my life to the Perth art scene, from assisting emerging artists with career advice, creating custom presentation techniques, assisting large scale artworks and murals to representing established professionals, this new project is the next step forward to remove the elitist persona and open the art industry to anyone and everyone who wants to be a part of it "
While WA lost many other galleries to the GFC, Leo has not only managed to succeed but positively thrive in a less competitive market, "It's the old fashioned business models that are to blame, not the economy, we have updated and evolved the way we do business, A healthy blend of established and emerging artists not only increases a diversity of styles but also having a varied price point means there is something for everyone. Perth buyers have finally found their identity and seek out artworks that best represent their own personalities to decorate their home and we are happy to help everyone weather its your first painting or an avid collector."
Perth artists are also backing Leo's project in droves, with a huge line-up of exhibiting artists including Terry Cousins, Peter Usher, Jodee Knowles and many more.
A team of artists has also been hands-on supporting the build. Local artist Daek William (well known for his large scale murals around Perth and beyond) has been lending his visual genius to create the finishing touches, simply for the love of it. He said, "Leo is a good dude and a great support, he looks after me so I'm happy to look after him with what I have to share. I believe in his dream and believe this space is going to be amazing."
- Visit studio281.com.au for more information and to speak to Leo direct.
- Click here to check out the details of the Ferguson Foundry opening night party on October 29.


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TAMPA, FL – April 4, 2011 – Behind-the-scenes tours of Raymond James Stadium are now offered Tuesdays through Thursdays to the general public at 2:00 p.m. Groups of ten or more can reserve private tours on these days at 9:00 a.m. or 10:30 a.m.
Tours give fans a chance to feel like a player when walking out of the field-level tunnel and with a visit to the home team locker room. The tour also includes a view of the club and luxury suite. A trip aboard the pirate ship ends this exciting adventure, as the tour is the only time fans can enter this area.
Tours are $4 per child, $6 per adult and $4 per senior. Hillsborough County School groups are offered a discount rate of $3 per child, chaperones free (1 per 10 kids) and additional adults $5.
The walk-up tour does not require a reservation, however, due to unforeseen cancellations, please call ahead to ensure the walk-up tour is still available on the day expected to attend.
For more information, check availability of walk-up tours or to book a private tour, please call 813-350-6545 or visit www.raymondjamesstadium.org.
Barbara Casey Public Information Officer Tampa Sports Authority 4201 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Tampa, FL 33607 813-350-6504 firstname.lastname@example.com


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This will be the first time Kimmel will host the Emmy Awards. On the other hand ABC has announced that director and producer Don Mischer will produce the live Emmy telecast. Mischer credits include directing and producing the Oscars while this will be his 12th time at the Emmys.
The 64th Emmy Awards will be held at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 23.
If you like this post, buy me a cup of coffee.


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Dell has launched a Black Friday deals bonanza, price slashing a load of its best PC wares by over 10%. Here are all the stock-clearing laptop deals you need to know about.
First and most importantly, Dell is knocking 12% off everything with the code Save12 at checkout. This will be particularly handy on higher ticket items such as the Dell XPS range.
Our pick of the bunch would be the £1,149 Intel Core i7 Dell XPS 13 with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD on board. That'll drop it down to a nice £1,012. But 12% off pretty much any high-price item is always nice.
See all Dell XPS deals for 12% off
In terms of more specific special offers, there are a couple of deals that went live earlier today but they may well have ended by the time you read this.
First up is a massive £180 slashing of the Dell Inspiron 15 3000-series. It's a decent budget laptop with a dual-core Intel Core i3 processor, a generous 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard disk. You don't often see Core i3 machines for under £200, so this is a decent deal. Head to the store page and use the code Friday to get the money off.
Save £180 on the Core i3 Dell Inspiron 15 3000
Second is £140 off another, lower-specification Inspiron 13 3000-series that's now down to a ridiculous £129. It's powered by an Intel Celeron processor and certainly won't be fast, but it's a steal for anybody whose computing tasks are very basic, such as children.
Save £140 on the Intel Celeron Dell Inspiron 15 3000
WATCH: Laptop buying guide 2016
Going to be grabbing a Dell PC this Black Friday? Let us know about the best deals you've spied in the comments below.


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Year 2
Welcome to Year 2.
This half term our theme is Identity.
In English we will be reading the book Troll Swap. We will be looking at the identity of different characters in the story and our own identity.
Please can you read with children as it is very helpful if the children could read as often as possible at home. If the children do read at home, please write in their reading record and this can include a school reading book or any book that they read from home. Reading book bags need to be brought to school each day along with reading records. Please let one of the adults in year two know if their books needs changing.
English and Maths homework will be sent home each Friday and children must bring their homework back by the following Thursday.
The children will need their PE kit in school every week. P.E is on a Tuesday afternoon. I will be giving out house points to those children that have their PE kit! Please make sure that the children have a white t-shirt, blue/ black shorts and black pumps or trainers. All items need to be clearly labelled with their names please!
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions,
Thank you!
Miss Hunniford


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Here is just a little taste of our show last weekend in Gastonia.
John Mouser, aka "and Company" was one of the first to join me, musically, and has remained a staple and a backbone to J.A. & Co. since 2003…ish, providing some of the best percussion I've ever come across.
Cheers to ya, John
I love the OOooOOomph John brings!!


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We recently published a new guide for hyperlocal producers to support the ways in which they can engage with the communities they seek to represent. At the Creative Citizens conference on 18 September, Rachel Howells (from Port Talbot Magnet) spoke to one of the guide's authors, Andy Williams about the publication.
Engaging your community through hyperlocal
September 19th, 2014 by Dave Harte in Conference Hyperlocal | no comments
Geoff Mulgan – 'BBC need stronger links to hyperlocals'
September 18th, 2014 by Dave Harte in Conference | no comments
Following his keynote address to our Creative Citizens conference on the 18th September, Geoff Mulgan from Nesta spoke to Sara Moseley (from Cardiff University's Centre for Community Journalism) about his thoughts on the value of hyperlocal journalism and how it might be sustained.
Creative citizenship and public policy: a flibbertijibbet?
September 17th, 2014 by Dave Harte in Conference Research | no comments
As part of the Creative Citizens conference we're holding a policy debate in partnership with the think-tank CentreForum. We'll be asking the question: How can we unlock citizen creativity to strengthen communities?
Creative Citizens at the AHRC Creative Economy Showcase
March 19th, 2014 by Dave Harte in Showcase | no comments
From time to time our research team are asked to participate in the AHRC's Showcase events. At the latest one, the Creative Economy Showcase on March 12th 2014, we managed to get ourselves in front of the roving 'event amplification' team. The result is this video where Dave Harte talks us through the project and […]
Hyperlocal Publishing in the UK – A 2013 Snapshot
October 11th, 2013 by Dave Harte in Hyperlocal | no comments
Last year I did some stats about how many news stories are produced by hyperlocal websites. I used the Openly Local database as the listing source and then counted the stories pushed through the RSS feeds of the sites (there was also a degree of tortuous manual counting as well. The method is described in […]
Asset Mapping Hyperlocal
October 10th, 2013 by Dave Harte in Hyperlocal | no comments
Best to have a quick glance at the set of pics of this asset-mapping session on Flickr to give you an idea of what I'm talking about below. Members of the Creative Citizens research team (myself, Jerome Turner and Andy Williams) attended an 'unconference' (#TAL13) on Saturday 29 September 2013, staged by our project partners Talk About Local. […]
Hyperlocals in Scotland
July 4th, 2013 by Dave Harte in Hyperlocal | no comments
As part of our project's participation in the Connected Communities Research Showcase event in Edinburgh on 4th July, we commissioned a short film focusing on two hyperlocal websites in Scotland. The film was produced by our research partners, Talk About Local with the help of multimedia journalist Tom Allan. In the film we hear from […]
About that Hyperlocal research – Q & A
June 19th, 2012 by Dave Harte in Hyperlocal | no comments
In response to my recent research regarding the scale of Hyperlocal publishing, Damian Radcliffe, author of Nesta's 'Here and Now' report, asked me a few questions about the research and what further we can do to better understand the scope and value of the sector. We both agreed that it was worth publishing the responses. […]
Hyperlocal publishing – some statistics
May 24th, 2012 by Dave Harte in Hyperlocal | no comments
I was pleased to be asked to talk at the BBC's Connecting Communities conference on 24th May 2012. I used my 10 minute slot to announce the findings of some research this strand of the Creative Citizenship project had been doing into the scale and scope of Hyperlocal publishing. Below are the audio and slides […]
Hyperlocal – one every two minutes
April 4th, 2012 by Dave Harte in Hyperlocal | no comments
This blog post was originally published at Dave Harte's blog. I've been wondering exactly how many news stories UK Hyperlocal websites publish. Last month I had a meeting with Ofcom where I suggested that it might be a decent amount. So after a bit of research, outlined below, it looks like there is a news […]


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The film shows up every once in a while on Youtube, but it isn't there now. I also can't find a trailer. Here's one of the songs from the movie:
DVD Talk calls it one of Autry's best and "a must-have for anyone that's a fan of classical Hollywood cinema, especially fans of movie Westerns" and says
Tumbling Tumbleweeds was a bona fide phenomenon in rural America; its influence cannot be overstated. It remains one of the most profitable movies ever: it cost just $12,500 (a pittance even by 1935 standards) but reportedly grossed around $1 million. Watching the film even today it's easy to see why.


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Northampton Street View
We designed this adaptive use of the former Hotel Easton as condominiums. The HVAC system is a unique 2-pipe system, in order to eliminate need for nay new openings in the facade - a registered historic facade.
Keim limestone rehabilitation products; landscape and site design; LEED registered (Gold level).
View of natatorium and balcony additions
The natatorium, which houses an urban indoor pool, also doubles as much needed outdoor space off the "Gold Room," one of the small banqueting spaces in the building. The aesthetic is purposefully utilitarian, given the alley location.
Lobby Reception
A slender, modern installation meant to minimally encroach on the already spare historical fabric.
View of cooling tower hood
The facility was designed to meet strict energy performance goals - roughly 40% better than ASHRAE.
Natatorium end wall
Simple, expressed structure. The natatorium walls are super-insulated ICF clad in an iron brick.
Loft 201
Converted from the former ballroom, this unit is two-stories in height.
Loft Apartment 301
This unit takes the entire Mezzanine level and has a private rooftop patio overlooking the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers.
Hotel Easton
Adaptive re-use of 100,000 sf former Hotel Easton, including natatorium (indoor swimming pool) addition, as the Grand Eastonian. LEED Gold registered. Project Team: William G Dohe AIA LEED AP, Ryan G. Welty AIA, Karen Ramsey AIA, Eric Herbold


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Come on out for another fun evening at Kulak's!! Arrive by 8pm to watch the show, 7-7:30pm if you want to perform.....6-6:30pm if you'd like to play with the Kulak's band...chord charts in tow. See you there!
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: January 22Chado Tea Room
Later Event: March 13Hosting at Kulak's Woodshed!


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AceShowbiz - Fans apparently have to wait longer to get a hold of %cShakira%'s "She Wolf". The third English studio album, which was set to be released in U.S. stores on October 13, reportedly will not arrive until more than a month later. In the store section of record label Epic Records' site, the singer's latest effort is listed to be released on November 17.
Of the upcoming album, the 32-year-old has opened up to MTV earlier about what to expect. "It's a very electronic album," she stated. "Dance-oriented. Club-oriented. I want people to have fun with it. Forget about the troubles. Forget about the crisis. Forget everything for a minute - at least while they listen to the music."
For "She Wolf", the Columbian songstress teamed up with %cPharrell Williams% and %cWyclef Jean%. She incorporates elements of Colombian, Indian, Middle Eastern and African musical styles in this studio project. Lead single which title is also "She Wolf" has been released and topped U.S. Billboard Latin Songs. A music video for the track has also been premiered.
About the song, she previously told Rolling Stone, " 'She Wolf' came to me very mysteriously, I was in the studio in a bad mood that day, then I got inspired and went to a corner and I wrote the lyrics and the melody in 10 minutes. The image of the she wolf just came to my head, and when I least expected it I was howling and panting."


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We need you! Join our team in India
Because of the need of expanding our business and increasing interest in our Corporate solution and mission of introducing the Employee Well-being Programs to organizations in India, our work responsibilities increased. Thus, we are looking for local professionals to help us:
Marketing and Sales Executive
Marketing and Sales Manager
One of the most important values of the 24alife team is professionalism. We are looking for professionals with adequate education and experience in their field. Also, advanced computer literacy is required due to usage of the 24alife solutions. Members of the 24alife team have strong positive mind set, are highly motivated and enjoy their work.
Send your CV to: email@example.com
Why to Become 24alife Professional?
Besides other benefits of working with us, being part of the 24alife team brings great opportunities for international career. Becoming a part of our team can help you in your professional and personal growth. You will be able to gain experiences form world top experts and contribute to a healthier and happier India and world.
#1 - You Love Helping People Thriveand become healthier and happier
#2 – International career and great opportunities for career growth
#3 – Great team and leadership
#4 –Good benefits and conditions
#5 - You Want to Work with a Company That Believes What You Believe
The employer is an International Consulting firm in Bangalore. After the 6 moths of trial you will get a chance to get full time employment in newly established branch office of 24alife India Pvt Ltd in Bangalore of the renowned Central European ICT company Mikropis Holding – 24alife. 24alife, is comprehensive e- solution for wellbeing of people in organizations who use scientific and expert knowledge and deliver it through smart technology, developed in collaboration with Mayo Clinic.
Due to the continued growth of our markets, we are seeking qualified, motivated health-career-oriented marketing manager sales manager who wants to maximize their career potential in a new and stimulating environment by joining our 24alife India team with a chance of international career.
Job description
Marketing and Sales Executive
BA, B.Com ,BA, BMS Fresher
International Consulting firm, Bangalore
Responsibilities and Duties:
- Call new leads derived from lists, referrals and advertising programs.
- Answer calls (in rotation) & Business Development inquiry line
- Follow up with leads who have been contacted in the past
- Conduct initial qualification of leads based on brief phone discussion
- Set appointments for Business Development/Sales Manager or Director of Business
- Development for program discussion and ultimate goal of closing qualified leads
- Use email to correspond with leads to follow up and/or to confirm appointments
- Provide feedback to others in department related to information prospects share that could be helpful in advertising/marketing as well as our overall programs
- Manage and Run online marketing campaigns
Knowledge and Skills:
- Relevant graduate degree or equivalent
- One or more years telemarketing/phone sales experience
- Freshers also welcome with Good Communication Skills
- Experience using CRM/sales software preferred
- Basic knowledge of promotional products industry will be helpful,
- Behavioural traits required (Communication, Customer service, team orientation, Self-starter, High degree of motivation etc)
NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.
Qualifications: BA / BA / B.COM/ BMS any graduate with good communication skill.
Job Type: Full-time
- Marketing: 1 year (Preferred) or Fresher with high degree of motivation
- Experiences in sales or business development are desired
Education: Bachelor's (Preferred)
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Language: English (Required)
Marketing and Sales Manager
MBA, M.Com ,MA, MBA Fresher
International Consulting firm, Bangalore
- Manage the development, delivery, and analysis of integrated go-to-market programs for the market that include all key service areas; all customer segments; and all types of partner marketing.
- Manage the development/delivery/analysis of integrated go-to-market (GTM) programs.
- Manage all customer segments (horizontal, vertical/industry, key accounts) and all types of partner marketing (channels, alliances, sponsorships, promotional)
Responsibilities and Duties
- Develops and secures approval for GTM plans and budget
- Execution of GTM plans in line with the budget
- Manages/monitors delivery of pre-determined messaging/content
- Executes/monitors pre- determined customer segmentation strategies and experience plans.
- Tracks and reports marketing metrics/goals/benchmarks.
- Develops closed-loop post- analyses for marketing programs, and identifies/executes indicated actions.
- Performs marketing support activities as needed, e.g. Siebel MRM/CRM, PO and accrual management, collateral fulfilment.
- Assists Sales with development of sales training materials.
Knowledge and Skills:
- Knowledge of marketing principles, practices, tactics and tools.
- Knowledge of offering, segment, partner and account-based marketing.
- Knowledge of advertising/direct marketing/research vendor practices and procedures.
- Understanding of the industry, offering categories and company offerings/strategy.
- Solid project and budget management skills.
- Excellent written/oral communications.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage and influence virtual teams.
- Strong negotiating skills.
- Ability to interface effectively with multiple levels of management and functional discipline.
- Strong influencing skills.
Education and Experience Required:
- MBA or Masters in Marketing or related field, MBA preferred.
- 1+ years marketing experience including offering marketing, segment marketing, channel marketing and partner marketing preferred
- MBA Fresher with high levels of motivation and willingness to go the extra mile
- Agency, sales and/or channel experience a plus.
Location: Bangalore, Karnataka
Language: English (Required)


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Mobile Banking
ADCB provides you simple, secure and convenient ways to access your accounts and cards using your mobile phone.
With Mobile Banking, you can check your account and card balances, transfer money anywhere across the globe, pay your bills, and do a lot more effortlessly.
Choose the Mobile Banking option which suits your banking needs:
Mobile App
SMS Banking
ADCB Offers App
Terms & Conditions:
- Mobile Banking Learn more
- TouchPoints Learn more
Write to Us
I want to:


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Join for free and connect with our local tech scene
Stay on top of the latest companies and upcoming events with our weekly newsletter, and be counted among the people building the future of your local tech community.
- Website: about.me/billm
Bill Murphy
Freelance Software Developer
I'm a highly experienced software developer with a broad range of experience. Since 2000, I have enjoyed an interesting and fulfilling tenure as an independent contractor. I am now seeking to join a team using modern methods and tools.
I am a life-long resident of the Buffalo area. I was educated at St. Benedict School, Canisius High School, UB and Canisius College. My early career was with Calspan and Moog. I have three great son, all in their 20s. I live just north of Buffalo with my partner Susan and our cats Jasper and George.
Stuff I enjoy doing include sailing, home brewing, biking, walking, and general geekiness.


text: The SWAAY Story: "I Am An Immigrant" The SWAAY Story: "I Am An Immigrant" I am an Irish immigrant. SWAAY's Founder is a Muslim who emigrated here from Morocco, and our Managing Editor is a first generation Cuban whose grandparents arrived on JFK's Freedom flights. Our stories are as diverse as they come, our backgrounds worlds apart and yet we have all ended up here in New York at the same time. There is no cosmic cause that explains why we have all met each other – there is simply the fact that this country has welcomed immigrants since its birth, and here we are, three immigrants of some variation, legally living in this country. And yet for the past week we have been questioning our very status because of a ban that persecutes those executing their right to travel here under years of agreements and contractual legislation between their countries and this one. Yes, it's been temporarily stopped by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, but with our new President responding with a law suit threat, it seems the ban is far from disappearing. We are bemused. I am from Dublin – I am Irish, and by extension, I'm European. But first and foremost, I am a person. I do not quantify or qualify myself in terms of my nationality – in fact, it is only one of many parts that make up the whole. And it is not nearly the most important. In the 1800's however, this was a different story. Irish people were breaching the American border on ships plagued with disease, death and then, of course, disembarking from these ships in the state they were in, the Irish were quantified and qualified because of their nationality. They were dirty, desperate and fleeing a country that was very literally rotting from the ground up. Sound familiar? Courtesy of Talking Points Memo It's because this story is one that has regurgitated itself time and again over the centuries – one that is retold when there is a large migration from anywhere to a land that promises more opportunity, wealth and growth. It's a story that has lead to the conception of visas and homeland security, and the coining of the term refugee status. It is a story that (many choose to forget) led to the building of Manhattan – the cross country rail road and countless states, cities and towns across this nation. The immigrants of America have very literally made the country what it is today, and this has been repeatedly proved over the last few weeks with stories from every corner of the country explicating how integral the presence of foreign nationals in this country is. SWAAY Belisa, our managing editor, is as American as they come. She arrives into the office every morning sporting a Venti Starbucks and an impossibly large personality, coupled with an American twang that would challenge the haughtiest of Valley Girls. Her olive skin however, would fool those who don't pay attention, and it's those people that have her — all of us — worried. Those that would chastise my Irish accent in my New York job, and her tan-coloured skin and American passport. She was never anything but American, and her heritage attests to the very reason people are parading the streets in protest of Trump's ban – because America has a history of saving the distressed, the exiled and the poor, not turning them away at customs. Her grandmother came on President Kennedy's Freedom Flights, which ran from 1965-1973 transporting Cubans to Miami airport when Castro's malevolent plans for the country began coming to fruition. She arrived with nothing but hope for a better life. Hers was a situation similar to those fleeing a war-torn Europe back in the 1940s, whereby then President, Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered a War Refugee Commission be established to help fleeing Jews from the persecution of fascist dictators. "It always astonishes me the leaps of faith my grandparents took leaving everything and everyone they knew just for the promise of an opportunity-filled tomorrow for babies that had yet to be born. The foresight and bravery of those who risked their lives to come to America is intricately woven into the very fabric of our nation. It's who we all are." -Belisa Silva Iman, our Founder's story is a more recent one, told with more frequency and ease than that of the Irish fleeing the famine or the Cubans fleeing Communism. Her parents decided 12 years ago that they wanted their children to grow up encapsulated by the American Dream – two highly successful Moroccan engineers that abandoned their lucrative positions at home to introduce their children to a completely new and wholly different life. Their position was one millions have faced – one that called into question their very nationality, their devotion to the 'homeland.' Only, that wasn't a factor here, their children's future was the factor. They wanted better. They wanted the land that promised more. "I was so angry with my parents for leaving our life in Morocco, where we had everything I thought we could ever want," says Iman. "I fell into a depression as a young girl in this country because I didn't know the language and I didn't know anyone. My parents constantly told me to believe in the American Dream, and that I could do anything I wanted. I didn't understand what this meant at first. However, after winning Miss New York US in 2015, earning my Masters and launching my business, all as a proud Muslim American woman, I can definitely say the American Dream is real." Trump America Inc. These past two weeks has seen a United States of America as divided perhaps as its ever been in recent history. Between the President breeding discontent in politics, as well as the people protesting for and against this immigration ban — coupled with talk of secession — there is certainly a revolution afoot. The sheer enormity of the immigrant population in the U.S attests the fact that the ban is almost futile in its outlook. Migrationpolicy.org records that "The U.S. immigrant population stood at more than 42.4 million, or 13.3 percent, of the total U.S. population of 318.9 million in 2014, according to ACS data. Between 2013 and 2014, the foreign-born population increased by 1 million, or 2.5 percent. Immigrants in the United States and their U.S.-born children now number approximately 81 million people, or 26 percent of the overall U.S. population" – a staggering number, and an undeniable reason for the president to finish with the preposterous line of thought he is so dangerously circulating throughout the country – that immigrants are not welcome here. In that case – what do you do with the millions here already? It is the beginning of a political climate that is separating people in the sand. There are those who believe the country should welcome everyone with arms wide open, and there are those who stand along the sidelines of the protests holding up signs in favor of walls and devision. It seems Trump's election has opened the floodgates and allowed those who favor exclusion to finally feel strong enough about speaking their mind. While normally you would be hard pressed to hear a journalist speaking ill of free speech, but as Mr. Trump lumbers forward challenging freedoms that encapsulate the essence of the United States, I cannot help but wonder, what is the end game? Amy Corcoran Head of Content at SWAAY: Amy is an Irish writer, avid foodie and feminist with an insatiable appetite for novels and empowering women's writing. She has enjoyed calling Dublin, Paris and now New York her home.


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If you are trying to get a social media campaign off the ground, but you haven't yet achieved the highest ranking possible for your website with a quality SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) program, then you might be doing things back to front.
If you do want to act on search engine optimisation, but remain impatient about social media, then our tailored SEO+social media strategies work hand-in-hand.
To find out more please feel free to call our site or contact us obligation free to talk with a specialist.


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I have taken on a voluntary role within the lab to assist in CAIN laboratory projects, where I specifically use psychophysiological and cognitive measures to assess ageing processes and neurological impairment. I have a passion for clinical research and using science to help improve quality of life; volunteering within the CAIN lab allows me to be an active participant in this process.
In addition to this role I also work as a sleep scientist, both research and clinical, and I am currently studying a Masters in Public Health.


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Dining Room Tables
Dining room tables are a type of furniture that is used for eating meals or dining. Dining room tables are part of the furnishings in a home, usually in the dining room and primarily serve a functional purpose.
Dining Room Table Overview
In today's busy society, dining room tables are often used only for formal dining during holidays or for special occasions. Typically, food is served on the tabletop and guests are seated in chairs surrounding the table. Dining room tables come in a range of sizes, but are typically larger than kitchen tables.
Dining room tables consist of a flat surface supported by four legs. These tables may be oval, square, round, or rectangular. Some have pull-out extensions, or leaves hidden under the table that fold down to allow the table to accommodate more people. Because dining room tables have been in existence for centuries, there are many styles of dining room tables that follow the current styles of the day.
Purchasing Dining Room Tables
Dining room tables today come in a wide range of styles from modern to antique to period reproductions. When buying good quality dining room tables that will last, it is important to understand the types of woods that dining room tables are made from and the type of construction used to make the dining room tables.
Dining room tables are constructed from many types of woods such as pine, maple, cherry, and oak. Most dining room tables are constructed of solid wood or use a fancy wood veneer over a solid wood frame. Factory finishes are typically high gloss. Hand finishes of custom-made dining room tables are generally a matte finish. They should use mortis and tenon or dowel joints and table legs should be reinforced with triangular-shaped blocks of wood for stability.
First Dining Room Tables
Early dining room table styles in the United States include:
- Biedermeier
- Chippendale
- Colonial
- Mission Oak
- Queen Anne
- Sheraton
- Second Empire.
As with other types of furniture, dining room tables can also be categorized by periods such as Colonial, Federal, Victorian, Mission, and Modern. As such, dining room tables have a distinct look depending on the period, whether it's the trestle table of the colonial period, spade legs of the Sheraton period, or the distinctive wood graining pattern that characterizes Mission Oak.


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Connect - the communication disability network
Charity information
Connect - the communication disability network
Connect is a national charity that works with people living with aphasia - a communication disability that usually occurs after a stroke or head injury. We aim to improve the lives of people living with aphasia by creating empowering and supportive peer led opportunities, helping equip them to re-connect with life.
Founded 2000
Mission statement
Connect is a national charity. Our vision is a world where people with aphasia (communication disability) and other long term conditions can find opportunity and fulfillment.
Many people with a communication disability will feel isolated and frustrated. They will know what they want to say, but struggle to say it.
Connect services are 'peer-led' by people who are living with aphasia, stroke or other long-term conditions. They know what it's like to live with a communication disability. They are the experts.
Helping people with aphasia reconnect with life has been central to Connect's work. We are now using our experience and knowledge of peer-supported opportunities to help others with long-term conditions.
Connect - the communication disability network aims to:
- Increase the ways in which people living with aphasia can be authentically involved in the services and opportunities available to them.
- Improve services and increase opportunities available for people living with aphasia by changing attitudes and practices in service provision.
- We aim to improve the lives of people living with aphasia and other long term conditions, equipping them to reconnect with life.
Established: May 2000
Registered Charity Number: 1081740
Full time staff: 7
Part time staff: 14
Phone number: 020 7367 0840
Address: St Alphege, King's Bench Street, London SE1 0QXView charity accounts on the Charity Commission website


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Did you know?
You can donate in lots of different ways to support the long-term conservation of Wisconsin's amazing birds and habitats. Gifts of stock and IRA distributions are just a couple of the options that you have.
Give a Gift of stock
Madison Audubon is pleased to accept your gifts of stock. Per our current financial practices, we will instruct our broker to sell your donated shares upon receipt of the gift.
If you would like to donate a gift of stock, you simply need to provide the following information to your broker or financial adviser:
Stockbroker: Morgan Stanley
DTC Number: 0015
Internal Account #: 432-109138
Interested Party A/C #: Madison Audubon Society
donate from your ira
Congress has re-authorized the provision that allows you to make a distribution from your IRA without incurring tax on the withdrawal. That's great news for folks who want to make a difference for conservation.
A contribution to Madison Audubon:
Is an easy and convenient way to make a gift from one of your major assets, tax-free
Can be excluded from your gross income
Counts towards your required minimum distribution
For your contribution to qualify:
You must be 70 1/2 or older.
The transfer must go directly from your traditional or Roth IRA to Madison Audubon
Your total IRA contribution(s) cannot exceed $100,000
Your gift must be outright
No goods or services may be received for the gift (don't worry - we'll see to that)
Questions? Feel free to contact Matt Reetz, Madison Audubon's executive director, by phone (608-255-2473) or email (email@example.com) to find the right way for you to help us plan for the future.
Banner photo: Dragonfly on purple prairie clover. Photo by Arlene Koziol.


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Fill and freeze a glass bottle, and see the natural power of ice in action.
- Sealable glass bottle
- Plastic container (to hold the bottle bits post-explosion)
Possible Hazards:
- Cuts and scrapes
- Mess
How It All Went Down:
I can think of multiple times we accidentally exploded a bottle in the freezer as kids, but flipping through the 50 Dangerous Things book, I realized my kids have never experienced this. If you're looking for somewhere small to start on your own 50 Dangerous Things journey, this is a good one. You probably already have everything you need, and it's easy to do while you're home and doing other things. Bonus: kids get really excited about breaking things, especially something as forbidden as glass.
The author suggests using a resealable soda bottle, but all of our glass soda and beer bottles had bottle caps, not screw tops. Empty glass vinegar, wine, or liquor bottles will all work. Just remember – the bigger your bottle, the longer it will take to freeze … and the bigger the mess!
Fill the glass bottle with water, and screw on the cap. Using a Sharpie, draw on the bottle where you think it will break. Place the bottle in a plastic container. This is a must, unless you want to spend an entire day picking broken glass out of your freezer. You can also cover the plastic container with a cloth to keep any stray glass shards from flying around your freezer.
Now wait for your bottle to freeze. A standard home freezer will take at least an hour to freeze a small glass bottle. We used our deep freezer, which is colder and freezes faster. After an hour has passed, check the bottle by gently rocking the plastic container to see if the contents are frozen. Check back every 30 minutes or so to see if your bottle has broken.
Once the bottle has exploded (bonus points if you hear it!), carefully remove the plastic container and the broken bottle from the freezer. Observe your bottle and hypothesize about why it broke in the spots it did. You can repeat the experiment with different shapes and sizes of bottles, and compare how long they take to freeze and how differently they explode.
It's kind of amazing how something as innocuous as freezing water can cause so much damage. How do you topple a mountain? Expose it to season after season of freezing water, which expands as it freezes and forms large cracks.
We joke about how most of the tasks we've completed in the 50 Dangerous Things book really aren't dangerous at all, but this task gets the honors of producing our first real injury. I warned Eli over and over again that broken glass can be ridiculously sharp. Sure enough, he couldn't resist and he sliced his finger open. I'll warn you as well, but if your kids are anything like mine, it takes a teachable moment for the lesson (and the bandaid) to stick.
You can read about the rest of our experiences with 50 Dangerous Things. Inspired by Gever Tulley's book 50 Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do).