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A blog of a writer with high-functioning autistic savant syndrome
Sunday, December 14, 2008
On Memory
"Remembering something from our past is not at all like pulling facts from our brains, but rather a reconstruction aided by our level of interest, knowledge, and emotion at the time of the event and the subsequent point of recollection. The neurologist Antonio Damasio contends that we remember in this way because there is no single area or location in the brain that contains the memory of a past experience. Rather, different aspects of an experience activate different parts of the brain so that remembering involves a process of pulling these distributed pieces back together. "
(From a later section in the chapter:)
"Elaborative encoding is how experienced actors are able to memorise lengthy scripts with very high levels of accuracy. Rather than attempting to learn their lines by rote, the actors analyse scripts, questioning the underlying meaning of the material in order to better understand the motivations and goals of their characters. Studies confirm that when students are asked to use "all physical, mental, and emotional channels to communicate the meaning of material to another person, either actually present or imagined" their line retention improved significantly, compared to those who read the script for comprehension alone."
For more information about the book, and/or to pre-order, visit http://www.optimnem.co.uk/book.php
10 comments:
- Phil said...
Hi Daniel,
I have really enjoyed following your content on the web, these extracts from the new book have persuaded me to pickup a copy, I think I will in time for xmas and look forward to spending some quiet time reading it after my turkey dinner.
Seasons Greetings
- 4:28 pm
Interesting. I think that memory will be especially important to study in your new book.
- 9:01 pm
Daniel, you're a beast. You really are. To read and hear about you gives me hope that there might not be a limit to what our beautiful three-pound organ can do.
I want to congratulate you on your progress in this hectic world. I almost forgot you live with Asperger's Syndrome.
What I've pondered is whether or not there's a limit to your ability. Is there a limit to how big numbers can be before you can't comfortably crunch them?
I believe that if you go on tour for your book, you should stop by my school!
Can't wait till your book comes out!
- 6:12 am
Hrm...I already read your last book "Born on Blue Day". Hopefully your new book comes out soon in America!
I enjoy perusing your site every now and then.
- 2:06 am
- Paulene Angela said...
Daniel, when is the release date for the new book?, I keep seeing pre-order, sorry I am like a child waiting for a new toy.
I've previously read that there is no single area or location in the brain that contains the memory of a past experience. I hope you do not read this as coming from a mad woman but I was beginning to have vivid thoughts that our memory could be stored outside of our brain, in energy fields around us, a bit like the web, we make a connection. I am fascinated by the fields of brains, human energy and connections.
My son has dyscalculia, he's now 15so any tips to make new connections will be more than welcome.
Thank you so much for this enlightening.
- 11:16 am
Hi Daniel.
I hope this new book will be released in swedish. I have just read your book born on a blue day. Thank you , I love your book.
Thank you... thank you... thank you
- 9:33 pm
- Livia said...
Dear Daniel,
Thank you for your beautiful book, Born on a Blue Day. I have been teaching dyslexic students for 25 years and have had several with Asperger's. I now have a better appreciation for their struggles and strengths.
I hope you know that you do make a huge difference in other people's lives.
I especially appreciate your desire that we celebrate our differences.
I am looking forward to reading your new book.
- 2:44 am
I'm not sure I have Asperger's but I have some of its characteristics. I loved your book "Born on a Blue Day". It helped me feel better about myself and my challenges so I thank you. I can't wait to read "Embracing the Wide Sky."
- 8:41 pm
Daniel, I have just listened to you on the Simon Mayo show and my eyes began to fill with tears. Why? Because you described me (minus the extreme savant skills; I see numbers as shapes and patterns, I love languages and find them relatively easy to learn (French, Spanish. Japanese). I am 47, male and have been diagnosed as "perhaps having mild Asperger's" by a private psychiatrist. I went to her after years of not being able to fit in properly. Your analogy of "socialese" was perfect. I too have almost lost my accent after 47 years. It's weird, having a label put on my condition was a huge relief and made me quite proud that I had managed to "carry" this condition all my life without me or anybody else knowing that it was there. I also went for CBT and my bottom-line was "I don't fit in".
I admire you greatly for your eloquence and communication skills, the more so if they have been acquired rather than being innate.
- 3:38 pm
- Unknown said...
Congratulations on being courageous and open-minded enough to share your skill,inner thoughts and triumphs over adversity with the world.
I have watched your documentary and read your book along with some youtube videos and enjoyed them all.
You have come along way.
I look forward to reading your new book.
I can relate to your idea of connecting with numbers and language because I attempt teach it to my Grade 2's. The new ideas in education are reading for meaning and making connections. That's what you describe happens in your natural neural network.
If your ever making a book tour in Japan I would be happy to show you around and welcome you into our school.
I teach at Nagoya International School.
I am going to try and use the techniques in your course and talks to learn Japanese myself.
Thank you very much.
Ricco DiCarlantonio
- 8:45 am


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subset: commoncrawl


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SMTP and IMAP Yahoo Mail Settings For MacBook | Yahoo Email Setup On MacBook
Yahoo mail is the online emailing service provided by the Yahoo Company. These accounts can be used in Apple devices as well. In case, you don't have time to read all mails from all other email addresses then, you can use any one email address like Yahoo to read mails from any email address. And also, you can send to any one form same mail. And to manage the SMTP and IMAP setting on MacBook then it has little bit different. Yahoo mail settings for MacBook are easy and you can see the steps in details below.
First of all, you need to know whatever SMTP and IMAP are. SMTP means a server that mailing facility has and it permits you to send emails from your Yahoo Business Mail email account to other email accounts like Outlook or Gmail and also other email providers/programs.
And IMAP is exactly vice versa of SMTP because it allows you to check your messages and mails in your Yahoo Business Mail account thought the mails that has been sent to your other email accounts provided by other email providers/programs.
SMTP and IMAP Yahoo Mail Settings For MacBook are separately given below:
Yahoo Business Mail SMTP (Outgoing) Server Settings(Yahoo Mail Settings For MacBook):-
- Server Address : smtp.mail.yahoo.com
- Port : 465(default)or 587 (which can be used)
- Authentication : Yes
- Encrypted Connection : SSL : true-explicit
- User : firstname.lastname@example.com
Yahoo Business Mail IMAP (Incoming) Server Settings (Yahoo Mail Settings For MacBook):
- Server address : imap.mail.yahoo.com
- Port : 995(POP) to 993 (IMAP)
- Encrypted Connection : SSL / TSL : true-implicit
- Authentication : Yes
- User : firstname.lastname@example.com
So these are the SMTP and IMAP Yahoo Mail Settings For MacBook. Enjoy!


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A critical component of a St. Peter School education is developing concern for others and embracing the values that anchor the Catholic faith. Students regularly engage in service activities designed to foster social awareness. Many of these activities are initiated by the Student Council, which consists of Grade 8 officers and two representatives from each class, Grades 3 through 8. The Student Council sponsors several annual drives and collections, and raises money each month for a selected charitable organization.
As a Student Council, we have been able to do so much in the beginning of the year! We started with a challenge between classes to see who could raise the most money for hurricane relief for in the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. Grades were divided into teams of 'Blue' for Harvey and 'White' for Irma. The goal for each team was $150. Grade 1 raised the most money – more than $500! Overall we surpassed our goal and were able to give more than $2,000 to Disaster Operations/Hurricane Relief efforts through Catholic Charities - USA. Thank you everyone for your support.
On Thursday, October 19, we raised money for the Catholic Charities program "In the Name of the Mother" with a Pink Tag Day. We are also raising funds for our Middle School Dance with a Halloween bake sale on Monday, October 30. Look out for more fundraisers and service projects this year, including the Greg Gannon Food Drive coming in December.
Thank you to Principal Clay, faculty, staff, students and parents for your support of the Student Council initiatives.


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Great backgrounds that you can use for a website background or in your designs or even as a design element at your workplace. Very Easy to Edit, just edit one layer and done. The resolution is 2560×1600 pixels.
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Moritz Hess, PhD student
It is expected that almost all plant populations are locally adapted to the environmental conditions in their habitat. This adaptation is governed by the results of beneficial genetic mutations that provide the carrying owner with increased fitness. Knowing the influence of these mutations on global physiology would allow us to better understand adaptation and could be used to anticipate an individual's performance in a defined environmental condition. In the forestry or crop industries, this would lead to the opportunity to select a certain clone or race that would be perfectly adapted to the habitat it was intended to be planted in. While a detailed, albeit incomplete picture of the relationship of genomic mutations and global molecular physiology has been drawn in model organisms like Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, or Populus Trichocarpa, there is a lack of knowledge in commercially important gymnosperm forest tree species like Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir). The DougAdapt project aims at closing this gap. Here, the variability of drought responses in differentially adapted Douglas-fir populations is analyzed on various scales and will be linked with allelic variation in protein coding genes.
My thesis project, which is embedded in the DougAdapt project, aims at studying the reaction of differentially adapted populations to changing availability of water on the level of global gene expression in leaf tissue. I investigate this response to changing conditions in free growing trees, during the course of a growing season on two common garden sites. Global gene expression is measured by Illumina RNA-Seq. The high-dimensional data will be interpreted by exploiting co-expression behaviour of functionally related genes. This will result in a global picture of a tree's physiological state, dependent on origin and water availability. I will interpret this picture by including global gene expression data from controlled drought stressed Douglas-fir seedlings as well as data from drought-stressed model organisms. Thus I will select a set of genes whose expression is highly correlated with the availability of water. The expression dynamics of this gene set, inferred by Illumina RNA-Seq, will be validated by qPCR.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Howard Zinn on race / Howard Zinn ; introduction by Cornel West.
By: Zinn, Howard.Material type: BookPublisher: New York : Seven Stories Press, �2011Edition: Seven Stories Press 1st ed.Description: 239 pages ; 21 cm.Content type: text Media type: unmediated Carrier type: volumeISBN: 9781609801342 (pbk.); 1609801342 (pbk.).Subject(s): United States -- Race relations -- History | Racism -- United States -- History | Race -- Social aspects -- United States | Zinn, Howard, 1922-2010 -- Political and social views | History -- United States -- General | Zinn, Howard, 1922-2010 | Political and social views | Race relations | Race -- Social aspects | Racism | United StatesGenre/Form: History.DDC classification: 305.800973 Other classification: HIS036000
|Item type
|Current location
|Call number
|Date due
|Item holds
|Four-week, one renewal
|Butte Public Library STACKS
|305.8 ZIN (Browse shelf)
|Lost and Paid For
Includes bibliographical references.
"Howard Zinn on Race is Zinn's choice of the shorter writings and speeches that best reflect his views on America's most taboo topic. As chairman of the history department at all black women's Spelman College, Zinn was an outspoken supporter of student activists in the nascent civil rights movement. In "The Southern Mystique," he tells of how he was asked to leave Spelman in 1963 after teaching there for seven years. "Behind every one of the national government's moves toward racial equality," writes Zinn in one 1965 essay, "lies the sweat and effort of boycotts, picketing, beatings, sit-ins, and mass demonstrations." He firmly believed that bringing people of different races and nationalities together would create a more compassionate world, where equality is a given and not merely a dream. These writings, which span decades, express Zinn's steadfast belief that the people have the power to change the status quo, if they only work together and embrace the nearly forgotten American tradition of civil disobedience and revolution. In clear, compassionate, and present prose, Zinn gives us his thoughts on the Abolitionists, the march from Selma to Montgomery, John F. Kennedy, picketing, sit-ins, and, finally, the message he wanted to send to New York University students about race in a speech he delivered during the last week of his life"-- Provided by publisher.
The southern mystique (1963) -- A quiet case of social change (1959) -- Finishing school for pickets (1960) -- Out of the sit-ins (1968) -- Kennedy : the reluctant emancipator (1962) -- Alabama : freedom day in Selma (1968) -- Mississippi : Hattiesburg (1968) -- The Selma to Montgomery march (1965) -- Abolitionists, freedom riders and the tactics of agitation (1965) -- Solving the race problem (1973) -- When will the long feud end? (1975) -- Academic freedom : collaboration and resistance (1982) -- No human being is illegal (2006) -- Zinn speaks (2008).
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text: Offering the right blend of sport performance and 4×4 terrain ability, the Can-Am Renegade 500 ATV 2010 kicks up some serious dust wherever it goes. Powered by a Rotax V-twin 499.6cc EFI engine, the Renegade 500 comes equipped with two injectors for a precise fuel delivery and throttle response. Thanks to this Can-Am ATV's RS-type TTI rear suspension, its rear wheels pivot up and down, which keeps the tread on the ground to give you better handling and traction. Other features include Digitally Encoded Security System (D.E.S.S.), center-cast-aluminum wheels, four 60W projector beam lights, and full floorboards with kick-up pegs. Kick up your own dust for $8,049. Bombardier.


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The iPhone 5 (Tech)12.9.12
Well, it is official. Apple has announced their new iPhone 5, along with the new iPod Nano and iPod Touch. But because the design (seen below) and a lot of the specs to the iPhone 5 were already leaked, it was not as exciting to watch the event. And the updates to the iPhone 5 were a bit of a let down. No new revolutionary update has come to the iPhone 5. It is basically minor advances making current aspects better.
The iPhone 5 now has a 4" display, versus its original 3.5", and a fifth row of icons. The colour on the back and sides of the black iPhone is called slate, and silver on the white model. I find the colours to complement the phone better then just the basic aluminum colour. The new "lightning connector" has replaced the current 30-pin connector, and is a lot smaller. An adapter is available for $29. 4G LTE is also here, but Apple needed to do that to keep up with competitors, so it's not much of a surprise. There have been updates to the camera, including: dynamic low-light mode, Panoramic mode, and front facing 720p HD video recording. A disappointment is that the battery life does not seem to be that it lasts longer on 4G than other smartphones, as not much was mentioned in that way.
The iPhone 5 will have iOS 6, and with the elongated screen, apps will be updated to fit the screen or black boxed top and bottom, and not stretched. Also, Apple's contract with Google to have the YouTube app has expired, so Apple is no longer default installing it. Google has released a free YouTube app in the App Store available now
As mentioned above, Apple has released new versions of the iPod Nano and iPod Touch. Personally, I find the new iPod Nano to be unattractive. The colours used look like kids toys, and the home screen matches the colour of the iPod Nano itself. The screen bottoms are round, instead of the usual square Apple style, which causes some confusion as to why they have switched styles. The iPod Nano also uses Apple's new lightning connector.
The new iPod Touch has an elongated screen, matching that of the iPhone 5. The iPod Touch comes in 5 colours (colours?!), and has an odd silver screw at the back bottom left corner that allows for a wrist strap. The iPod Touch uses the lightning connector as well, which will seemingly be Apple's new standard on their products. Also, Siri will be available on the iPod Touch (over wifi of course), but I wonder how useful that will actually be on an iPod.
An update is coming to iTunes, and resembles the iPad's iTunes. It will be coming out later in October. But now let us move on to Apple's new earbuds called EarPods. I find the name a bit odd, and makes me feel I am sticking a pod (cocoon) in my ear, and that it will eventually hatch into an iBug. But the design is rather interesting, as they were designed to fit into the ear better. There's a side speaker on the EarPods that is the bass, to give you a richer sound when listening. They spent 3 years designing these, so let us hope they are as good as they say!
The iPhone 5 will undoubtedly sell, as people crave Apple. The iPod's market is getting smaller as more tweens and teens are getting smartphones, but there is still a market for them. I plan to buy the iPhone 5 when it is out, but that is because I personally prefer Apple products over competitors.
I wanted to thank CNET for the live updates during Apple's event, and the amusing commentary that took place.


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NMSS Programs
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Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP)
In 1994, NRC designed and piloted a review process for Agreement State and NRC Regional radioactive materials programs called the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program (IMPEP). Common performance indicators were established to obtain comparable information on the performance of each program. In 1996, NRC began full implementation of IMPEP to ensure that public health and safety are adequately protected from the potential hazards associated with the use of radioactive materials and that Agreement State programs are compatible with NRC's program.
The IMPEP process employs a team of NRC and Agreement State staff to assess both Agreement State and NRC Regional radioactive materials licensing and inspection programs. IMPEP reviews are currently conducted in accordance with the "Implementation of the Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program and Recission of Final General Statement of Policy," published in the Federal Register on October 16, 1997, and NRC Management Directive (MD) 5.6, "Integrated Materials Performance Evaluation Program."
All reviews use the following common indicators in the assessment and place primary emphasis on performance:
- Technical Staffing and Training
- Status of Materials Inspection Program
- Technical Quality of Inspections
- Technical Quality of Licensing Actions
- Technical Quality of Incident and Allegation Activities
Additional areas are identified as non-common performance indicators (Compatibility Requirements, Sealed Source and Device Evaluation Program, Low Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Program, and Uranium Recovery Program) and may also be addressed in the assessment.
The Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS) is the lead office responsible for the implementation of IMPEP. Approximately 10-12 reviews are scheduled each year. Regions and Agreement States are routinely reviewed every 4 years, although the timeline may be adjusted based on performance.
The final determination
of adequacy of each NRC Regional program and both adequacy and
compatibility of each Agreement State program is made by a Management
Review Board (MRB) composed of NRC managers and an Agreement
State program manager who serves as an Agreement State liaison
to the MRB. The MRB membership includes the:
- Deputy Executive Director for Materials, Waste, Research, State, Tribal, and Compliance Programs;
- General Counsel;
- Director, NMSS;
- Regional Administrator, NRC Region; and
- Organization of Agreement States Liaison.
The Organization of Agreement States is invited to nominate liaisons to participate in MRB meetings, as non-voting participants. The State representatives receive all relevant documents and engage in all MRB discussions except those that might involve the Agreement State liaison's own State.
Agreement States and Regional representatives are also invited to attend their individual MRB meetings to discuss the IMPEP team's findings with the MRB.
The range of possible findings for an Agreement State program is as follows:
- Adequate to protect the public health and safety and compatible/not compatible
- Adequate, but needs improvement and compatible/not compatible
- Inadequate to protect public health and safety and compatible/not compatible
NRC Regions are rated in the same manner, but without the additional compatibility finding.
Page last modified on Thursday March 02 2017.


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Contact: Day Gardner, National Black Pro-Life Union, 202-834-0844, email@example.com
WASHINGTON, January 9 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following statement was released today by Day Gardner, president of the National Black Pro-Life Union:
I was very disturbed by an article published on January 7, 2008 in The Atlanta Journal which stated that Sen. Barack Obama garnered praise and prayers from several African-American pulpits for his landmark victory in the Iowa caucuses. I can't help but wonder…what are these pastors thinking? Of course, we all need prayer, that part was okay, but praise? I had to ask myself, do they realize what this man stands for?
Yes, blacks have continued to make great strides in breaking down color barriers and the walls of inequality and by the grace of God, some feel we have earned bragging rights with regard to our accomplishments. But, in our efforts to be bigger, brighter and best--I worry many of us have forgotten a huge part of what our struggle was all about. Racial equality was only part of it--the other part had to do with civil rights for ALL of our people.
Senator Obama doesn't care that abortion has obliterated the rights of more than 15 million black children since 1973. He doesn't care that abortion is the number one killer of African Americans surpassing deaths caused by accidents, heart disease, stroke, crimes, HIV-AIDS and all other deaths...combined!
He won't make one of his powerful speeches decrying the injustice of abortion providers as they plant killing centers firmly in black communities--making it easier to kill black children. Instead, he actually applauds their efforts! These children are denied their most basic human right –which is the right to life; a right which our ancestors so proudly worked for, marched for and many of them died for.
For those men and women who believe they are by God called to be ministers of the word, I ask them: What about God's plans for unborn children? Jeremiah 1:5 says: Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee; Psalm 139 states: Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made--my substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of thee earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect...
Unfortunately, Barack Obama supports the ruthless culture of death--one that includes killing the smallest Americans--too small to flee or fight back leaving the black church to contemplate Obama or the word of God, i.e. Jesus or Barabbas.
The National Black Pro-Life Union is an organization founded to serve as a clearing house to coordinate the flow of communications among all African American pro-life organizations and individuals in order to better network and combine resources.


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Blog Archives
PINK: The new 'it' colour & how to use it to awaken your home office
Photo credit: Houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com/photos/12448090/Whimsical-Work-Space-contemporary-home-office-houston)
Have you thought about the office space you work in? Is it small, cramped, closet-like or big enough, yet dull?
Researchers say that the kind of office space you work within can greatly influence your health and productivity.
So for today, we thought we'd look at how to create an office space that inspires you to work at your ultimate best! Houzz.com, one of our go-to sources for the hottest home designs, sure got it right with their featured article today: "Room of the Day: Proudly Pink in San Antonio."
In it home designer Jamie Hernandez's office space is a complete mess. After finally saving enough money to decorate, she decides to use bold patterns that inspire her.
A deep pink is used on the walls, (Benjamin Moore's Peony) which safely takes away any notions of Barbie. This type of pink is a perfect shade, so sophisticated even men like it.
Read the entire article here: Houzz.com article
The U.S. Open: The Undeniable Perseverance of One Burlington Athlete
Drive and resiliency are at the core of what has led Sean Bozuk to the final qualifying rounds to the U.S. Open Championships. The 20-year-old Burlington native is among over 10,000 hopefuls worldwide, who is representing our community on the journey to golf's second-oldest major championship.
What makes Sean's journey particularly special?
It's the relationship that Sean has with his Dad, Daniel Bozuk – which he attributes to his successful entrance into the exciting world of professional golf.
For the Rocca Sisters, it's always been our passion to support the community of Burlington and help it to continue to grow and prosper, whether it be fundraising for local charities, for health-related causes, and supporting our local talent and community ambassadors such as Sean. Daniel is a valued Licensed Sales Representative with the Rocca Sisters & Associates and we're proud to watch him support his son's big dream of qualifying for the U.S. Open.
Sean's first golf game was at age 7 and Daniel has been there for him every step of the way since, often times attending national tournaments and being his caddy. "I've always told my son, that if you put effort into anything you do, you will succeed," comments Daniel.
But it hasn't always been an easy road to success. Sean faced challenges as many other young athletes do. In his younger years, he was overlooked by golf scouts seeking older talent. Sean did not let that stop him. He worked hard, often from sunrise to sunset to improve his golf game.
Now as the U.S. Open approaches, Sean is thrilled to be representing Burlington on the world stage. "I've grown up in Burlington. It's been a warm and welcoming place for me and I'm proud to say that it's my home," says Sean.
Getting through the local qualifying rounds, which took place from May 2 to May 19 was an exciting and dramatic process, which saw 10,127 golfers from around the world pursuing their chance to play in the U.S. Open.
In his grouping of 85, Sean came in first place, shooting at 66, and now moves onto the sectional qualifying round – the last before the U.S. Open. Less than 1000 golfers make it into this final process, played on 12 sites.
Players who survive the sectional qualifying round will have a chance to play alongside some of the biggest names in golf today. And with the added element of back-to-back championships, competitors who make it to the U.S. Open, to be held on June 12-15, in the Village of Pinehurst, NC will be a part of history.
At the Rocca Sisters & Associates, we congratulate Sean on his remarkable success during the qualifying rounds and for being an incredible role model and ambassador for our community. We're cheering him on, all the way to the U.S. Open Championships and beyond.


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Plan number 31
Since 1971, Dimondstein Tribal Arts has been selling traditional and ritual art from the African continent. Joshua Dimondstein first presented at the Parcours des Mondes in 2003 and will continue to offer authentic high-quality figures, masks and utilitarian objects from African cultures at this year's Parcours des Mondes 2019. His exhibit will feature a special show of fine antique African door locks.
During the "Parcours des Mondes",
Exhibits at
Galerie Berthet-Aittouares 29, rue de Seine 75006 Paris.


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- NSW Police 18 times more likely to place Indigenous youth on secret watchlist
- In Japan, this man will pretend to be your dad for $275
- First Nations teen subjected to "brutal police assault" demands justice
- My life needs an undo button – let me explain
- Premier clamps down on 'illegal' Black Lives Matter protest
What does the next generation think of today's issues? The Big Smoke's Next Gen program publishes Australian students mentored by TBS writers. Today, Giselle Atlas (11) takes umbrage with the media's push for education against Disney. Let kids be kids.
Student: Giselle Atlas
Mentor: Valerie Buhajiar
Topic: Gender stereotyping kills storytelling for kids (whether boys or girls).
Lately in the "news" there has been word that people have been "offended" by storybooks/fairytales. Now the reason I am writing this article is because nowadays (after I was in kindergarten) people are educating young children against Disney and many other fairytales because of "gender stereotypes".
I do not feel stereotyped by stories like The Little Mermaid. In a play once I performed the character of Undine (Ariel) in the original story. In this version, she was not saved by a prince, in fact she was saved by her own courage and self-belief; in the end she did not do as she was told and kill the prince. Undine sacrificed herself because she believed that even as a spirit she would always be there with her family, not filled with guilt.
Now I know you are thinking, why is this a good example? Well it's showing that not every princess was saved by a prince. The fact that children are now taught to find the gender stereotypes in pre-school is absurd. Children should be children!
Can we please stop playing the blame game and cherry picking examples to suit these ridiculous notions? There are many wonderful princesses these alleged experts and childhood-spoilers are forgetting: Mulan, who fought in the war to save her elderly father's life; and Belle, who tried to teach a young girl to read and was then told she was "mad".
As well as that, does there have to be a "meaning" behind everything? Let amazing, wonderful and hilarious Disney films be Disney films! It is arguable that children learn gender stereotyping from movies anyway. There are many influences on young kids. I'm not saying that all Disney films don't have gender stereotyping, but there are not many movies that have princesses who get saved by the prince that come to mind.
Also on The Big Smoke
- TBS Next Gen: Boy or girl – Can You tell?
- TBS Next Gen: Revival of the Great Australian Dream
- TBS Next Gen: Are zoos just prisons?
- TBS Next Gen: Is Trump the perfect example of democracy
The way people act every day impacts what a child thinks is right and what is wrong. Even saying, "It's alright honey, you stay home with the kids and I'll work" to a woman, in front of a young child, could make that child think that women don't work. But the thing is, have you ever heard a character in a Disney film say something like that? I know I haven't!
Also, Disney has been releasing great films with strong female characters for many years. There's Fa Mulan, Marie from The Aristocats, Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries, Megara from Hercules, Lottie (and Tiana) from Princess and the Frog and most recently Anna and Elsa from Frozen to name just a small few.
Sometimes we can be entertained and transported back to a simpler time. A time when life had rules and people knew their own place and maybe just for a moment it might seem like a good place, or maybe a scary place, maybe an unequal or dare I say a discriminatory place. But in the end surely it is just fantasy, and like my Dad used to say, "Just because the coyote survives a 2-tonne anvil falling on his head doesn't mean you will" – to which I will always say, "Well duh, Daddy. As if!!!??" I guess what I'm trying to say is, for heaven's sake give kids some credit.
Please, just because you want to blame someone for every little problem does not mean that you can abuse your "media power" and blame it on silly things like fictional fairytales. Let children be children and let them enjoy the stories that you, your parents and even I grew up on.
Hopefully in the end, in this crazy world, we will all live happily, ever, after.
This article is part of a series for The Big Smoke Next Gen.
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For the second year in a row Benzinga is proud to host the Benzinga Fintech Awards, dedicated to recognizing the most innovative companies in the world of fintech.
For more information on submitting your company, voting for the finalists, or attending the May 24 gala, click here.
Doing due diligence on a stock can be difficult and time consuming. It can also be very expensive. That's what Joe McCann is trying to change.
He started Slingshot Insights after realizing that most investors do not have access to the kind of research that his firm was afforded.
"We sought to create a solution that would bring the same access to expert interviews, management teams, and customer surveys not just to professionals, but every investor," McCann said. "Once we had the insight that by crowdfunding the cost of these resources we could drastically reduce the per person cost, we got started on building the company."
In anticipation of the 2016 Benzinga Fintech Awards, Benzinga got the scoop on Slingshot Insights and how they aim to revolutionize retail investing.
Benzinga: What do you think makes you unique in the fintech space?
McCann: We are filling a void in the investment process landscape for many investors. Our competitors are extremely expensive and exclusionary. They offer their customers 1×1 consultations with experts without capturing the information shared for wider consumption. Slingshot Insights uses technology and transparency to get this information into the hands of every interested investor.
Benzinga: What's one thing you want users to remember your company by?
McCann: The high quality of the expert and diligence resources we offer. We solved the cost and access problems with traditional expert networks, not by diluting the offering or going for "cheaper" experts, but with innovation. We want our members to know they are speaking to the same people the best institutions are on any given topic.
Benzinga: What drives you to get up every single day and work on your business?
McCann: It pains us to watch individual investors blindly following near fraudulent managements to bankruptcy, all while crying that 'The shorts are just manipulating the stock!'. Most often the true story is that institutions did their diligence and are on to underlying problems, not a conspiracy. Slingshot Insights is about leveling the informational playing field and knocking down the barriers between investor classes. We hope this business can prevent heartache and loses for our members just as often as it helps them find outsized gains. Benzinga: Do you offer investors any unique data points that can help their trading/investing decisions?
McCann: All of the data points, conversations, and sentiment indicators that we offer our members are unique. With the exception of document requests from the federal government we do not pull any information explicitly from third party vendors. The key to our offering is that it is a platform for investors to ask their own questions. These answers are then unique to our site and community. I think one of the key features of our product is that the diligence projects, catalysts to track, and strategic initiatives to monitor can be input by any member. The power of what we offer is how it is only limited by the creativity and thoroughness of our users.
You can find out more about Slingshot Insights at their website, or email them at email@example.com.


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Planting and growing our own vegetables
The Little Bumbles have enjoyed setting up our new project! We are going to be growing our own vegetables over the next few weeks. We have planted some carrots, spring onions and radishes. Using the perspex container we will be able to see the roots as they grow down into the compost. During this activity we took time to closely look at the seeds, comparing their colour, size and shape. The children knew that their seeds needed some water and sunshine to enable them to grow, we then found a sunny spot on our window sill where we will be able to observe our vegetables as they grow. We already can't wait to have a taste when they have finished growing.


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