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PDF version of this essay: InDefenseOfMonarchy
I. The principle of authority
II. The branches of government
III. Other advantages of monarchy
The principle of authority
The distinguishing characteristic of primitive peoples, according to Emile Durkheim, is the strength and rigidity of the conscience collective, the moral consensus of the community. This collective consciousness is above and distinct from the consciousness of each individual member of the community, and it possesses an authoritative character by its connection to the social order. The primitive man experiences the will of society as the will of a higher being, who he imagines to be God. Justice in such societies is retributive; it expresses the community's outrage over the violation of its norms. For an atheist liberal, Professor Durkheim was quite perceptive.
It is quite true that the purpose of the state—any state, not just a primitive one—is to embody the conscience collective. This is only to repeat Cicero's observation that a republic is distinguished from lesser forms of association by possessing a shared conception of justice. A strong conscience collective can obviously be a powerful force for encouraging just behavior and discouraging unjust behavior. However, the purpose of collective morality is not just to promote individual morality: public laws and standards have a positive moral value in themselves. For example, suppose there were two cities in which the citizens were so peaceful that no murders ever took place in either one. Now suppose that murder is prohibited by law in one polity but not the other. The society which prohibits murder would be morally superior to the society which doesn't. In both cities, each individual respects his neighbor's right to live, but only one citizenry collectively recognizes these rights. In the other city, each individual may be morally upstanding, but their society is still morally deficient. The opposite situation is more common: laws may have positive moral value even when they can't be effectively enforced.
The function of government is to symbolize justice—to represent the community's moral consensus to itself—and to execute justice by punishing the wicked. Of these two functions, it is government's symbolic role which is the more important. It is the ability to symbolize justice that gives the state its authority over its subjects. This is the meaning of the scholastic doctrine that government derives its authority from being "established". The very fact that, through whatever series of historical accidents, a people has come to see a governing body as the representative of justice suffices to give that body real moral authority. The source of the state's authority is in the minds of its subjects. It is, however, in their intellects, not in their wills. The state's authority has nothing to do with anybody's consent; a man might wish he didn't have to obey his government while still recognizing its legitimacy. Moreover, we should not think that a people first exists and then decides on a principle of legitimacy (a constitution). It is such a principle which makes a people to be one people and not a mere aggregate. So, for example, there is a French people, but there is no united "Caucasian people" or "people of western Illinois". Caucasians are found among many people, and western Illinoisans recognize no authority which is not also recognized by eastern Illinoisans. Also, it's not true that Americans created their principle of legitimacy at the Constitutional Convention. The procedural rules which we call the U.S. "Constitution" draw their authority from America's prior sense of legitimacy. The "Constitution" had to be ratified by the thirteen states, whose authority was taken as given, and the delegates of the Convention never imagined questioning that the United States comprised these and (at the time) only these states.
The Thinking Housewife gets patriarchy « Throne and Altar, on December 31, 2009 at 11:34 pm said:
[…] and the paternal role. Then it gets better by linking authority to symbolism, something else I'm always emphasizing. As I wrote in my defense of patriarchy, the father must represent the outside world and the […]
Basic Readings on the Web « The Orthosphere, on February 17, 2012 at 11:49 am said:
[…] In Defense of the Patriarchal Family Bonald – In Defense of Regional Cultures Bonald – In Defense of Monarchy Bonald – In Defense of Censorship Bonald – In Defense of Religion Mark Richardson […]
Misanthropy and glory. | Dark Brightness, on April 20, 2012 at 10:22 pm said:
[…] I'm moderately conservative, but I know some people who argue that we should go back to direct rule by kings and an established church. The Misanthrope came out, snarled, and has not yet gone into his […]
Reaction vs. Neoreaction, and Roger Scruton vs. himself | The Orthosphere, on October 26, 2013 at 4:45 pm said:
[…] for a specific difference won't stand; it is a fact that there are general defenses of monarchy, religion, tradition, and the like that proceed along entirely different lines than those of the […]


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Elven pantheon
Elves are no less passionate about religion than other races, although they do take a more casual approach to the worship of their deities. Even though they share their devotion to Calistria, Desna, and Nethys with Golarion's other races, they have a small number of their own deities.[1]
Gods of the elven pantheon
See also: Category:Elven pantheon
Alseta
Also known as the Welcomer, Alseta is a goddess of doorways, thresholds, and transitions that is strongly associated with the Aiudara network.[1]
Calistria
The goddess of lust and revenge is held in especially high regard by elves, who often identify with her moods and changeable nature.[2]
Cernunnos presents himself as a muscular elf with dull fur clothes that bear drawings of birds in flight or leaping animals.[3]
Findeladlara
The Guiding Hand is a god of art that is particularly interested in its preservation.[1]
Ketephys
A god of hunting, Ketephys is most often portrayed in the company of his dog Meycho and his hawk Falling Star.[1][4]
Yuelral
A goddess of crafting, Yuelral the Wise is the only elven goddess to openly encourage her worship by half-elves.[1]
↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Sean K Reynolds et al. (2014). Inner Sea Gods, p. 183. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-597-6
↑ Erik Mona et al. (2008). Campaign Setting, p. 161. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
↑ Amber Scott. (2013). Chronicle of the Righteous, p. 54. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-506-8
↑ Kate Baker et al. (2018). Faiths of Golarion, p. 35. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-64078-099-6
Desna
Nethys
Retrieved from "https://pathfinderwiki.com/w/index.php?title=Elven_pantheon&oldid=296704"
Deities by pantheon

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Our Expertise | AEROSPACE
Greenhouse Module for Space System
This feasibility study has been carried out to investigate and develop the characteristics of a greenhouse module for a future lunar base
To increase the possibilities for humans to explore space, the development of bio-regenerative life support systems is essential: these systems must fulfil all human needs to sustain a sufficient living condition. In this contest, a greenhouse module is the fundamental part of every concept for a stable and independent base in future space missions. Indeed a greenhouse can (re-)generate essential resources for humans by closing different loops within a habitat, like waste water recycling, CO2 reduction, food and O2 production.
Following this aim this feasibility study has been carried out to investigate and develop the characteristics of a greenhouse module for a future lunar base. This project has been coordinated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and it is embedded in the MELiSSA framework of ESA research projects.
To investigate and define the technical concept of a greenhouse module on the Moon connected to an already existing habitat, different subsystems have been identified: Design/ Structure of the Greenhouse, Air Management System, Plant Health Monitoring & Quality Assurance, Nutrient Delivery System, Illumination System and Thermal/ Power Control System. Each one of these subsystem has been simultaneously developed and then combined together.
During this project EnginSoft, thanks to its experience in the field of Heat Ventilation and Air conditioning (HVAC), has worked on the Air Management System and on the interface with the habitat infrastructure. In this article we will focus on these aspects.
Figure 1 - Baseline design of the Greenhouse Module
Baseline design of the Greenhouse Module
Looking at the global structure of the greenhouse, the design evolution during the study has led to a baseline design which is composed by a rigid core module with four inflatable petals, two connections to the lunar base structure and a solar collector to enable a hybrid natural and artificial illumination system. A sintered regolith cover around the structure was envisioned to provide micro-meteoroid and radiation protection, as well as facilitate the thermal management of the greenhouse (Figure 1).
The inner core offers space for a three-level configuration (Figure 2-Left). The lower level is the main connection point to the habitat, where two independent and pressurized corridors lead to the habitat infrastructure. The lower level of the rigid core houses the nutrient delivery system, the thermal management system, and the power subsystem with batteries for redundancy. The middle level of the central core houses the data handling and control system, and several working desks. Furthermore, the astronauts can access the petals from this level.
The lower section of the petal is reserved for storage and placement of additional subsystem components, such as inflatable tanks and pumps, as well as interface panels for resource flows (e.g. water, cooling fluid) to and from the core module (Figure 2-Right). The upper section of each petal is dedicated to plant growth and contains the plant support structure, illumination system equipment, ducts and tubing of air and thermal management system, as well as piping of nutrient delivery system.
All components are mainly placed inside the core where the air is recirculated in a loop (Figure 4-Right, Figure 5-Right). Pipping and plenum for air distribution/ collection are located inside the petal (Figure 5-Left). The connections between each petal and the air management system, located in the core, are established by two supply ducts (air form the core to the petal) and one suction duct (air from the petal to the core). With respect to the duct system two approaches have been foreseen: within the core, rigid aluminium-based duct systems are implemented, while flexible and semi-rigid ducts within the petals. The deployable ducts consist of flexible material reinforced by a wire cable built in a spiral configuration to maintain structural integrity.
To manage the air exchange between the greenhouse module and the habitants a direct gas connection is selected introducing the following operating modes (Figure 6):
NOMINAL MODE. Each petal has a dedicated air loop with a continuous air recirculation. Temperature, pressure and air composition is monitored and regulated. In this mode there is no air exchange with the habitat.
BREATHING MODE. Each petal is directly connected to the habitat infrastructure. In this mode O2-rich air can flow from the petal to the habitats and CO2-rich air can move in the opposite direction simultaneously. The breathing mode can be activated for a single petal at a time.
When nominal mode is active, the air inside the petal is completely recirculated. During the nominal mode each petal is a separate growth chamber with a dedicated air management system to control the climate. For each petal the sensor packages provide an instant feedback to the air management system in order to reach the desired temperature, pressure, humidity, and CO2 level. Due to the complete recirculation in nominal mode, the O2 level can't be continuously regulated, but it will be maintained in a predefined range, form 21% to 26.5%. When the maximum O2 level is reached, the nominal mode is modified into the breathing mode. In the breathing mode, through a set of regulation valves that are partially or completely open, the O2-rich air can flow from the petal to the habitat and the CO2-rich air can flow in the opposite direction (from habitat to petal). During the breathing mode the O2 level inside the petal decreases till the minimum value is reached and the nominal mode can start again. For example, to increase the level of O2 from 21% to 23% (nominal mode) inside the petal (with 2.85[kg/day] of O2 plant production rate) it takes approximately 90[h] (with lights on). So the breathing mode can be activated at least every 5-6 day to decrease the level of oxygen, moving it back to 21% of O2 level. The breathing mode itself lasts only several minutes, considering no extreme recirculation effects within the petal. With a mass flow of 8200[m³/h] and a petal volume of 618[m³] the total gas exchange would be around 4-5 minutes.
CFD analyses of a growth chamber
CFD models of a growth chamber has been created to check internal climate of the petals: these simulations has allowed to calculate pressure, velocity, temperature, local concentration of O2/CO2 and humidity level.
When the nominal mode is active the air is treated in the core and then is blown down, through the supply ducts, into two plenum placed under the floor of the petal (Figure 7-Left). The air inside the (inflatable) plenum is pressurized by fans that are located just before the plenum entrance. Moreover the top surface of the plenum is perforated with circular holes (grid). The open area of the holes is the 40% of the total plenum area: this solution guarantees an uniform air distribution to the different parts of the floor. The air inside the petal is finally collected from a suction duct located at the top of the chamber.
A geometrical model of the plants has been introduced to include the principal characteristics of the plants in the CFD analysis (Figure 7-Right). Plants are represented as boxes, taking into account the maximum volume that they can occupy respect to their growth. From a fluid-dynamic point of view, an isotropic pressure resistance is applied on boxes, considering that 85% of the total volume of boxes is occupied by plants.
Plants are also sources/sinks of O2, CO2 and H2O according to the crop characteristic. In this case the cultivated crop is potato with O2 source =2.85[kg/day], CO2 sink =3.8[kg/day] and H2O source =740[l/day].
Plants are also sinks of energy: considering the quantity of evaporated water (740[l/day]) and a constant enthalpy of evaporation (2444[kJ/kg]), the total power absorbed is 35.8[W]. The heat due to lights (and other electrical equipments) is about 53[kW] and it is distributed uniformly in the part of petal volume that is illuminated by led panels.
The flow is considered in a steady condition and in a turbulent state. The energy equation is solved, but no radiation is simulated. The reference pressure is set to the atmospheric pressure. The total mass flow at the two inlets is 8200[m3/h], the temperature is 20[°C] and the inlet air composition is fixed (O2= 21%, CO2= 0.12% and RH=70%). On the outlet a relative pressure of 0[Pa] is applied. Buoyancy effects are also taken into account using the gravity of the moon.
The contour plots of the results show a velocity field in the range from 0[m/s] to 1[m/s] (Figure 8): no peak velocity values are present near plants. Higher velocity values are only present in the plenum for the supply air and around the suction duct (Figure 8). The total pressure loss between inlet and outlet is 130[Pa].
The temperature inside the chamber remains in the range from 20[°C] to 30[°C], with a temperature of 26[°C] at the outlet duct (Figure 9). The highest temperature values are present in the top part of the chamber where the heat is transported due to buoyancy effects. The change in the relative humidity is from 70% (Inlet temperature = 20[°C]) to 74% (Outlet temperature = 26[°C]). The temperature gradient remains below 10[°C], this should be compatible with the plant growth.
Other CFD calculations have been performed with the same procedure considering bread wheat as cultivated crop: some critical aspects on thermal loads and temperature gradient have been pointed out and mitigation strategies have been proposed in this case.
In conclusion, during this project, a greenhouse module layout has been developed, defining all the necessary subsystems for the growth of plants. Relevant issues related to bio-regenerative systems are taken into account.
In particular, the air management system has been designed with the selection and characterization of different components to control the climatic condition (velocity, temperature, air composition and relative humidity) inside each growth chamber.
A direct interface with the lunar base has been defined for O2/CO2 exchange: a switch between two operating modes (nominal and breathing mode) is able to adjust the O2/CO2 levels inside the greenhouse.
A CFD analysis has been finally performed to check the behaviour of the air management system from a fluid-dynamic point of view.
Lorenzo Bucchieri, Erik Mazzoleni | EnginSoft
Figure 2 - Left: Core design. Right: Petal internal layout
Figure 3 - Air loop for each petal
Figure 4 - Left: mass and total power for the air management system. Right: scheme of air loop
Figure 5 - Left: air flow path inside the petal. Right: air ducts and distribution channels
Figure 6 - Left: nominal mode. Right: breathing mode
Figure 7 - Left: air flow path inside the petal. Right: CFD model of the petal
Figure 8 - Velocity distribution on two section planes
Figure 9 - Temperature distribution on two section planes
EDEN ISS
Ground Demonstration of Plant Cultivation Technologies and Operation in Space
The aim of EDEN ISS is to identify operation procedures for safe food production in space through adaptation, integration and demonstration of higher plant cultivation techniques.
Immergas: Using CAE to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and costs, and shorten time-to-market
Interview with engineer Luca Cavalli, from the advanced engineering team at Immergas
In this interview, engineer Luca Cavalli, of Immergas' advanced engineering team, discusses the technical and business benefits the company has realised since first introducing Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) technologies into its R&D department in 1997.
ansys appliances cfd mechanics


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January 13, 2020 / 2:45 PM / 7 days ago
Instructure says activist investor trying to derail $2 bln Thoma Bravo deal
Jan 13 (Reuters) - U.S. educational software company Instructure Inc said on Monday a certain activist investor was trying to derail its $2 billion deal with private equity firm Thoma Bravo.
Instructure said the investor was "perpetuating a false and misleading narrative about the Board's deliberations, intentions and strategic transactions process", despite pushing for a sale earlier.
Last month, top shareholders Praesidium Investment Management and Rivulet Capital said Instructure had failed to conduct an exhaustive search for buyers and settled for a $47.60 per share deal with Thoma Bravo too quickly.
Praesidium, which is Instructure's largest shareholder with a 7.63% stake, also said it would vote against the deal and has been reaching out to other shareholders.
Reporting by Ayanti Bera in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli


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posted Friday, February 5, 2016 - Volume 44 Issue 06
Skadoosh! Po's third Kung Fu adventure packs a pleasing punch
by Sara Michelle Fetters - SGN A&E Writer
Panda Po (voiced by Jack Black), the fabled Dragon Warrior and fun-loving leader of the Furious Five made up of fearless warriors Tigress (Angelina Jolie-Pitt), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Viper (Lucy Liu) and Crane (David Cross), is perplexed when his teacher Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) states he will no longer be training the group. Instead, it will be up to Po to do this, proclaiming the task must fall to the chubby bear if he is ever going to live up to his full potential and unlock the mysterious power of Qi (pronounced 'chi').
As strange as this might initially appear, Shifu's intentions are never allowed the chance to blossom thanks to a pair of unexpected events. The first is the arrival of Po's long-lost father Li (Bryan Cranston), revealing to his missing son the existence of a hidden panda sanctuary while also offering to take him there so he can meet more of his species. The second is the appearance of warrior Kai (J.K. Simmons), a former friend turned enemy of the late Master Oogway (Randall Duk Kim), emerging from the mysterious Spirit Realm to destroy the Furious Five, defeat Master Shifu and steal the power of Qi from all the remaining pandas living within their mountain sanctuary.
This is Kung Fu Panda 3, the supposedly final step in the story of Po as the Dragon Warrior who is tasked with facing down his most imposing adversary yet while also discovering things about his abilities he heretofore didn't know existed. At the same time, he also learns, not only does his father still live, but so does an entire village of fellow pandas, he and his adopted father, the noodle-selling duck Mr. Ping (James Hong), journeying to this isolated mountain hideaway, absolutely astonished by what it is they find.
It's a lot for Po to deal with, and considering our furry hero has never been the best at being able to focus, it's understandable that all of this has him more than a little flustered. Thing is, even with so much going on that's ripe in dramatic, character-driven comedic potential, it takes some time before this third entry in the popular animated series finds its footing and begins to click on all cylinders. Thankfully, when it does, it is right when it needs to, the last 30 minutes building up to the rousing, energetically exuberant climax so wonderful they end up making the initial, unfocused missteps of the early portions barely even matter.
But there's a lot of shaky ground here, and it's difficult not to notice it. Kai's villainous plan is fairly ephemeral and nondescript, and other than wreaking a lot of havoc and stealing the Qi (pronounced 'chi') of all the kung fu masters he defeats - while also transforming them into his mindless jade-colored slaves - there's not a lot to what he wants to do. More, Li's introduction to all of this is relatively amateurish, feeling more like something out of a sitcom than a major motion picture. It also seems like it takes Cranston a little bit of time to get a handle on the character and what it is he's hoping to do with him, and as great as it is to hear him tap back into his comedic side it's not until the pair end up in the supposed safety of the secret panda village that the actor begins to find his groove.
Yet, the pre-credits opening featuring Kai and Master Oogway in the Spirit Realm is spectacular, setting a tone I had trouble thinking any other portion of the film was going to be able to equal let alone top. Happy to say, not only does this happen, it does so at the perfect time, right at the end, the last act of the film truly sublime. Not only is it marvelous from an action perspective, it's also sublime from a character-driven one as well. From Tigress accepting Po as a teacher, to his maturation as a mentor to an embarrassment of pandas, to his willingness to make what can only be described as an ultimate sacrifice to defeat Kai - all of it works, every second, even to the point I wanted to stand up and cheer by the time the fight between the hero and the villain had come to its end.
Somewhat surprisingly, it all begins with James Hong. Not only have returning screenwriters Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger done right by Po's adoptive father Mr. Ping, giving him the majority of the best gags and biggest laughs, they've also given the veteran character actor the most complex and heartfelt emotive beats as well. It is Mr. Ping's realization as to what family means, what being a parent and father is all about, that gives his son the belief that he can not only train the villagers, but also stand up to Kai. Mr. Ping does this by working directly with Li, the two males putting their differences aside in order to do what is best for their son, and in so doing work a type of magic that touched my heart while also bringing on a handful of honestly earned happy tears.
There's no denying that this third chapter in Po's saga cannot hold a candle to the 2008 first film that got the good-natured panda's story rolling; and I can't help but wish the initial first couple of acts of this third tale could have been a little more focused, and felt a little less fractured, than they ultimately did. But there's no denying that Kung Fu Panda 3 concludes on a high note, filled with eye-popping animated set pieces as well as thrilling story beats that I was perfectly entertained by. If it is the end of the road for this particular hero, he certainly goes out a winner. In other words, this sequel is a total Skadoosh! and there's not a heck of a lot more to add.
Seattle Women's Chorus goes back to CAMP at Cornish Playhouse
Dos Fallopia joins the women for four Seattle performances: February 26-28
Seattle's Robbie Turner to compete on 'RuPaul's Drag Race - Season 8'
Silent Sky a fascinating story about astronomer Henrietta Leavitt
Billy Joel to perform at Safeco Field this spring
February theater - something sweet for everyone
A marvelous cast in Schmeater's In Arabia
Bullets Over Broadway - the Musical at the Paramount
Iconic queens go head-to-head in Donizetti's Mary Stuart
Exquisite period drama premieres at Seattle Opera
Lady GaGa tapped for David Bowie tribute, singing National Anthem for Super Bowl
Intimately immersive Saul an emotionally profound masterpiece
Austen meets Romero with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies


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107,000 Repatriated Garands and Milsurp 1911s on CMP Racks
by Art Merrill, Field Editor - Tuesday, February 6, 2018
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) said it has received shipment of nearly 100,000 repatriated M1 Garand rifles to replenish nearly depleted stocks of U.S. military surplus rifles sold the past two decades to eligible American citizens. In addition, the Secretary of the Army recently released approximately 8,000 much-anticipated milsurp M1911/M1911A1 pistols to CMP.
"We're excited to have the guns," CMP Chief Operating Officer Mark Johnson said. "We've been working on getting them for several years, and it's the first shipment of guns we've received in quite some time."
Loaners come home
The repatriated M1 Garands―about 86,000 from the Philippines and 13,000 from Turkey―went on loan to those countries following WWII under the Military Assistance Program (MAP). Because the rifles technically belong to the U.S. Army, it was up to that organization, not CMP, to seek repatriation. Under the anti-civil rights Obama administration, repatriation was never on the table; during those years CMP worked quietly with the U.S. Army, preparing to eventually receive the repatriated rifles and milsurp pistols. Last week's receipt of the firearms is the culmination of long effort while adopting a wait-and-see attitude by CMP.
Today, the semi-automatic Garands with a fixed capacity of eight rounds are obsolete for military purposes, and they now enjoy collector and "collector-shooter" status among American riflemen, especially for those who participate in CMP As-issued John C. Garand competitions. The U.S. Army, having no use for the repatriated rifles, has turned them over to CMP for subsequent sale to eligible individuals. The practice at CMP is to clean, carefully inspect, and test fire every salable firearm to ensure safe and proper operation. Then, a price is set based upon its overall condition, with a few select rifles garnering higher, collector-status prices.
"We've already begun on the Turkish rifles," Johnson said. "They're already filtering into the system and there are some on the racks for sale now." Of note to collectors, he said the Turk and Filipino Garands are indistinguishable from any other M1 Garand. "We haven't seen any kind of markings thus far, nothing to identify what country has had them," he said.
Pistols, too
The milsurp M1911/M1911A1 pistols will also go to eligible citizens through CMP sales on a lottery basis. CMP posts eligibility requirements for pistol and rifle purchases on its website; those requirements include proof of U.S. citizenship, participation in marksmanship activities and membership in a CMP affiliated club, as well as passing an FBI NICS criminal background check. In the case of the M1911/M1911A1 pistols, buyers must pass two NICS checks, one at CMP and a second at the Federal Firearms License dealer where they pick up the shipped handgun.
Sales of milsurp arms was historically through the U.S. Army Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) via the NRA. In 1996, Congress closed DCM and chartered the non-profit Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety (now called the CMP). At that time the Army transferred remaining stocks of surplus firearms and ammunition to CMP to sell for income in supporting itself. Late last year, Johnson said CMP expected to sell the last of those remaining milsurp M1 Garands by 2019; this eleventh-hour receipt of the Garands and M1911/M1911A1 pistols is a big financial shot in the arm for CMP.
More to come?
And while the present 107,000 milsurp rifles and pistols are good news for CMP, collectors and competitors, there is more on the horizon. South Korea has approximately 80,000 M1 Garands and about 600,000 M1 Carbines loaned to that country under MAP. South Korea aborted an attempt to sell those loaned firearms to U.S. importers a few years ago. CMP is hopeful that these will also eventually be repatriated and passed on to the American citizen.
cmp surplus m1 garand 1911 milsurp arms sales Art Merrill
Cabot Guns Offering Digital Firearm Collection Via NFT
Cabot Guns' New Moonshot 1911 Pistol Crowned With Lunar Meteorite
All About Stick Magazine Maintenance


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Paris Live - Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Ettore Bugatti
02/10/2014 - 04:23 | Bugatti Veyron, Bugatti, 2014 Paris Motor Show | Shrawan Raja
Last hurrah of the Veyron.
Bugatti unveiled the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Ettore Bugatti special edition at the Volkswagen Group Night, on the eve of the 2014 Paris Motor Show.
First displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the special edition is the sixth and last model of the "Les Légendes de Bugatti" series.
Since the car is named after the company's founder, Bugatti has taken every effort to make it the most luxurious and exclusive Veyron to be made. The car has a hand-polished aluminum front-end that has a contrasting look against the dark blue exposed carbon fiber rear-end. The model sits on bespoke alloy wheels and an interior upholstered with natural brown calf leather that gets a platinum-coated dancing elephant emblem.
The Ettore Bugatti Edition is persuaded by a quad-turbocharged 8-liter W16 engine that produces 1,200 PS and 1,500 Nm. Linked to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the car accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 2.6 seconds and achieves a max speed of 408.84 km/h with its roof down.
Bugatti President Wolfgang Dürheimer finished his presentation tonight saying that the Veyron is on the "finishing straight" and once the 20 remaining units are delivered the "next chapter" will begin.
You can read more about the special edition Bugatti in the press release below.
Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Ettore Bugatti - Press Release
[Can't see the release above? Head to Slideshare]
Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse Ettore Bugatti
Bugatti Veyron vs Bugatti Chiron - In Images
Bugatti Chiron - Geneva Motor Show Live
Bugatti releases teaser video for Chiron - IAB Report
Bugatti Chiron capable of hitting 467 km/h (290 mph) - Report
Bugatti Chiron teased on company's greeting card - IAB Report
Bugatti confirms 'Chiron' name for Veyron successor, debut at Geneva 2016 - IAB Report


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The Two Reviews: The Shape of Water (2017 Guillermo del Toro)
"…an adult fairytale, with love, passion and blood and violence…"
The Shape of Water is a 'Beauty and the Beast'-style fairytale between a mute woman and an amphibious creature. Unapologetically emotional and melodramatic, director del Toro, who seems to specialize in deep-colour and moody fantasy narratives, delivers a moving and engaging film. Given the somewhat wild plot, that is an achievement. The creature (Doug Jones) – unmistakably a homage to The Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) – is captured in the deep Amazon by a US military research team and deemed 'the asset'. It is then shipped to a Baltimore research laboratory so that scientists might learn new things relating to space exploration (breathing apparatus) in their race to beat the Soviet Union. It is 1962, the height of the Cold War. The laboratory boss, Strickland (Michael Shannon), is hard-nosed, single-minded and mildly psychopathic, and is prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy the creature to learn the secrets of its breathing. A cleaner, Eliza (Sally Hawkins), who has been mute since birth, bonds with the creature, and they learn to communicate and exchange friendship, and later affection. As the 'science' nears its destruction of the creature, she must then save him.
The set design is moody and impressive. But I love the lighting in this film. Bright shafts of filtered light from high windows or lamps shine a back-light on characters, creating soft shadows and muted colour that are reminiscent of filtered light in deep water. The music is good, as del Toro shifts from sci-fi-creature fantasy to jazz and tap-dance Hollywood in dream-like sequences. And it just works. It's a fairytale after all. An adult fairytale, with love, passion and blood and violence. In addition to some nice jazz pieces, there is an original orchestral score by Alexandre Desplat, which is very impressive and adds to the moodiness of the film. The photography is good, and there are lots of interesting characters contributing to the story – indeed, all the main characters are 'outsiders' in some sense. But I single out Sally Hawkins. She is an outstanding actor; and even though I thought 'this film is a bit silly', I had a tear in my eye. If you like pure escapism in film, then this is an absolutely enjoyable two plus hours.
Reviewed by Robin Stevens – Rated 3.5/5
"…it also paints a subtle picture of class and race prejudices…"
The Shape of Water is a film about two desperately lonely people and a mysterious sea creature that has been captured by the US government. It is a tale of desperation and loss, and being willing to sacrifice everything for love. The main character Eliza (Sally Hawkins) is a mute cleaning lady who works at a government research facility. She dreams of a life of happiness, inspired by the tap-dancing and singing she sees on her neighbour Giles' (Richard Jenkins) TV. He, too, is lonely but forms a close friendship with Eliza.
One day, Eliza and her work friend and fellow cleaner Zelda (Octavia Spencer) are cleaning one of the rooms at the facility when a delivery is made. In the haste of the delivery the research personnel forget that Eliza and Zelda are in the room, but they are soon ushered out before being able to see anything. The aggressive, career-driven Strickland (Michael Shannon) makes his appearance at this point. Eliza and Zelda are called in to clean up the mess after an incident occurs between Strickland and the creature (played by Doug Jones). Curious as to what has happened, Eliza walks to the water tank where she encounters the creature for the first time. She is awestruck. A deeply compassionate person, Eliza makes her mission each day to sneak in to see the creature. Over time they build a close friendship. The story that unfolds is one of passion and love, and being willing to sacrifice everything for love.
The Shape of Water is an unusual movie, but it is very thought-provoking. The film is set in the early 1960s in the midst of the Cold War, which seeps into the narrative. It also paints a subtle picture of class and race prejudices that were predominant at the time. The story takes time to build, and it is not until 40 minutes in that the true picture of the research facility becomes apparent. Nonetheless, the characters are interesting and multi-dimensional. The acting is good, as is the storyline once it gets going. Be prepared to fast-forward the first 30 minutes of this movie, but all in all it is definitely worth a watch.
Reviewed by Annabelle Davis – Rated 3.8/5
Posted in: Art, cinema, Drama, Escapism, Film, Film 2018, film review, Science Fiction, Uncategorized | Tagged: Alexandre Desplat, Creature Feature, Fairytale, Film, Film 2018, film review, Guillermo del Toro, Love Story, Michael Shannon, Sally Hawkins, Sci Fi, The Shape of Water
Published by Robin Stevens
I probably know as much about films as you do. I like what might be called 'classics' such A Place in the Sun, Rashomon and The Godfather, through to modern dramas and documentaries with strong social critiques. And I even quite enjoy badly acted and poorly scripted 1950s sci-fi films. I dislike some films as much as I like some others. That's probably something you and I have in common. Love & Peace - Robin	View all posts by Robin Stevens
The Two Reviews: The Florida Project (2017 Sean Baker)
The Two Reviews: Darkest Hour and The Post
2 thoughts on "The Two Reviews: The Shape of Water (2017 Guillermo del Toro)"
I gave this one 4/5 stars. I really loved it. As you say, pure escapism. My fav performance was Richard Jenkins. Shannon sure can play the bad guy.
Robin Stevens says:
Yes, Cindy, a really enjoyable – and emotional – film 🙂


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Home > Course Catalog > Dynamic Dialogue: The Art of Subtext
Dynamic Dialogue: The Art of Subtext
Introductory / Intermediate | Do you want to liven up your dialogue? It might surprise you to learn that the most important things aren't necessarily what's said, but what's not. This class introduces you to the art of subtext: those implied messages that give invisible life to the things we say. Through writing exercises and sample stories by authors such as Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O'Connor, Charles Baxter, and Karen Russell, you'll learn to master the most important element of dynamic dialogue: what's left unsaid.
Instructor: Susan Meyers
Fiction, Multigenre, Nonfiction, Prose
Term: Spring 2019
Susan Meyers
Susan V. Meyers has lived and taught in Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico. She earned an MFA from the University of Minnesota and a PhD from the University of Arizona, and she currently directs the Creative Writing Program at Seattle University. Her fiction and nonfiction have been supported by grants from the Fulbright foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, 4Culture, Artist Trust, and the Squaw Valley Community of Writers, as well as several artists residencies. Her novel Failing the Trapeze won the Nilsen Award for a First Novel and the Fiction Attic Press Award for a First Novel, and it was a finalist for the New American Fiction Award. Other work has recently appeared in Per Contra, Calyx, Dogwood, The Portland Review, and The Minnesota Review, and it has twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.


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Home/Health/Miley Cyrus talks about Black Mirror, Sobriety and Britney Spears – Variety
Miley Cyrus talks about Black Mirror, Sobriety and Britney Spears – Variety
06/24/2020 Health, World
Miley Cyrus was one of the first celebrities to adapt to the new COVID-19 world order. Not long after the stay-at-home rules were implemented, the singer-actor launched "Bright Minded," an Instagram Live talk show with a guest list that included Elton John, Demi Lovato, Kerry Washington, and Selena Gomez. . "I loved how there really was no pressure. It was as if the show ended, if the show had any technological issues, it was just about doing it for love of him, "she says in Tuesday's episode. Variety and the iHeart podcast "The Big Ticket".
When asked if he was developing "Bright Minded" as a television show, Cyrus scoffs "We'll see."
Before the pandemic, the former "Hannah Montana" star returned to starring in an episode of the Netflix anthology series "Black Mirror." She plays Ashley O, an apparently happy pop star who wants to stop being her main manager, her aunt Catherine (Susan Pourfar). When her aunt gives her too many pills, Ashley falls into a coma, but a fanatic (Angourie Rice) helps her wake up and break free. Cyrus is being featured for Emmy consideration in the guest actress in a drama series category.
Variety caught up with Cyrus by Zoom from his home in the Los Angeles area.
Hi Miley, very happy to see you!
I have worn a white button twice in my entire life. Once for this and once for when I interviewed Senator Elizabeth Warren. And in the last four months I think I have washed my hair twice. Once for you and once for Sir Elton John.
What did you think when you first read the script for "Black Mirror"?
There were some obvious similarities through the character I played before that really became my life, like she wanted to explore rock and roll and change her gender. That is something that, right after "Hannah Montana", was really important to me. The main difference for me is that I don't have an Aunt Catherine. My mother has been my mother. I'm almost going crazy 30, and I don't buy a light bulb for my house without asking my mother if it's the right one. Without my parents, I bet my life would have been more like the Ashley O story. What really makes me different from Ashley is my parents and the team that my parents surround me with. Just like when I was looking for a manager, we have someone Dolly (Parton) told me would protect me. It had nothing to do with "she is going to make you a star". It was "you will feel comfortable with your child traveling with him and he will take care of her and respect her [your] values."
Tell me about acting like Ashley and putting on that wig.
We shot in South Africa. I really enjoyed my time. I made records and traveled around the world, but I was able to spend about a month there and record in the studios and I was able to work with some choreographers that I might not have worked with before. It was a really cool experience, being so isolated from my family and friends. I was able to really disconnect from myself, and I was really able to get into Ashley. When Ashley woke up from a coma and was totally traumatic, that was the day I lost my home in Malibu to the fires. I was able to get myself out of that trauma and use it on the scene. There were times when I had to stop and just go out there and melt completely. It was a really interesting time for me because a lot of things were falling apart in my personal life, and it was the same thing that was happening in Ashley's life. It gave me a lot to use.
Who were some of your Ashley when you were little? Whose posters were you on your wall?
I had the weirdest hodgepodge of Britney Spears, 'NSync, Metallica and Hilary [Duff.] I had Joan Jett and Pat Benatar. You should have seen my face when Britney covered "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" in "Crossroads". I melted That scene was the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost, all in one room. I actually lost my mind. They were worlds colliding beyond what he could have dreamed of.
You and Justin Bieber had a conversation in your Instagram comments about a collaboration between Ashley and Justin. When is that going to happen?
Man, I think we could come up with something very, very, very special. As of now, nothing is in the works, but I remember sitting in front of him at the premiere of his movie. He was 16 years old, something like that. He leaned towards me and asked for advice in a very kind and friendly way. I said, "Just try to remember everything, try to press the register in your brain and remember everything because there are many times in my life when my mother says, 'Do you remember when you were able to act for the queen?' And I say, 'no'. "There were so many things, both to assimilate and such a young person that he did not remember having assimilated everything. That is something my father always taught me, it was when you are on stage, either when you get there or when you are about to leave, take a photo in your mind. And remember it, and enjoy it, and take it.
Do you ever look back at some of the things you've done and say, "What was I thinking?"
One of my favorite interviews is when I say, "Anyone who smokes weed is a mannequin." The one that I love to send to my parents, who are great drug addicts, from time to time. It has been really important for me for the last year to live a sober lifestyle, because I really wanted to polish my craft. I had great vocal surgery in November. I was insanely four weeks where I was not allowed to speak. I was so torn writing on the board, yelling at everyone[[[[Laughs]I had a big bicep for just yelling at mom and still trying to do meetings. But it prepared me for stillness and tranquility.
What was the surgery for?
My doctor examined my vocal cords and said, "Nobody shy has to have this surgery. This is from overuse of the vocal cords. "Not surprisingly, he has this. I've been on tour since I was 12, but even touring isn't the hard part. You end up staying up late and you find yourself and They greet you and things like that. And obviously I only speak like … ton.
You mentioned living a sober life. Are you sober sober?
I've been sober sober for the past six months. At first, it was about this vocal surgery. … But I had been thinking a lot about my mother. My mother was adopted and I inherited some of the feelings she had, the feelings of abandonment and the desire to show that you are loved and valuable. My father's parents divorced when he was 3 years old, so my father was raised. I did a lot of family history, which has a lot of addiction and mental health problems. So I just went through that and asked, "Why am I the way I am?" By understanding the past, we understand the present and the future much more clearly. I think therapy is great.
That's great. I celebrate my sober birthday on July 7th. It will be seven years.
Congratulations. It is really difficult because especially when you are young, there is the stigma of "you are not fun". It's like, "Honey, you can call me a lot of things, but I know I'm fun." What I love is waking up 100%, 100% of the time. I don't want to wake up feeling groggy. I want to wake up feeling ready.
"Black Mirror" is available on Netflix.
This interview has been edited and condensed. Listen to the full interview above. You can also listen to "The Big Ticket" on iHeartRadio or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
The governor of Florida banned the Covid-19 'vaccine passport'


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FBI Offers $50K Reward for Information on Who Planted Pipe Bombs At DNC, RNC Headquarters
The FBI is offering a hefty reward for information leading to the arrest of whoever placed pipe bombs at the respective headquarters of both the Democrat National Committee and the Republican National Committee on Wednesday, January 6th. If they were really serious though, they would offer One million dollars. That would demonstrate a real sense of urgency.
The explosive devices were discovered amid chaos on Capitol Hill as protesters dressed in pro-Trump gear breached the building and flooded the halls of Congress during a massive demonstration objecting to the certification of the electoral votes.
#FBIWFO is offering a reward of up to $50K for info leading to the location, arrest & conviction of the person(s) responsible for the pipe bombs found in DC on Jan. 6. https://t.co/q9pdw6Rnoy pic.twitter.com/aQ7Vz4uydO
— FBI Washington Field (@FBIWFO) January 8, 2021
"At approximately 1:00 p.m. EST on January 6, 2021, multiple law enforcement agencies received reports of a suspected pipe bomb with wires at the headquarters of the Republican National Committee (RNC) located at 310 First Street Southeast in Washington, D.C.," the FBI said of the incident.
"At approximately 1:15 p.m. EST, a second suspected pipe bomb with similar descriptors was reported at the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) at 430 South Capitol Street Southeast #3 in Washington, DC."
A bomb squad was called to the scene at both buildings, which were evacuated.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) was then able to safely secure the devices.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents is encouraged to contact the FBI's tip line or website, 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) and fbi.gov/USCapitol.
What happened Wednesday was an absolute mess, but it doesn't take much to discover that what went down is far more complicated than the mainstream media would have you believe—but what else is new?
This has Antifa written all over it. They advocate for the destruction and fall of the US government.
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Grand Opening of Landon's Miracle Field in Billings This Week
Trent Flager
Trent Flager Published: August 15, 2022
Credit: Trent Flager, Townsquare Media
The unveiling of a baseball park 9 years in the making is about to unfold this Wednesday, in memory of a Billings teen and his dream. This new park will also symbolize the creation of a new baseball league in the Magic City for youth and adults alike. However, the ballpark itself has a few quirks that make it unique and the first one of its kind in the city of Billings.
The Reveal of Landon's Miracle Field at Poly Vista Park
The new field will be home to the Miracle League, a baseball league that removes athletic barriers like physical and mental disabilities, and encourages anyone to play the game of baseball. Landon's Miracle Field at Poly Vista Park is fully wheelchair accessible, using custom rubberized turf on the field.
Billings Parks and Recreation, along with Landon's Legacy have dedicated the park to Landon Patrick Smith, who tragically passed away in June 2013 just two days before his 18th birthday. In doing so, Landon's Legacy hopes to embody its mission to help those with all abilities get an opportunity to play Landon's favorite game.
The Grand Opening is on August 17th
Credit: Billings Parks and Recreation
If you're interested in enjoying live music, a dunk tank, food trucks, and seeing the Grand Opening of Landon's Miracle Field, head over to Poly Vista Park at 5:00 p.m. on August 17th. Signups for the Miracle League will also take place; there are leagues for youth aged 5-17 and adults 18 and older. They're also looking for coaches, so if you're interested, the Grand Opening will be your opportunity to get signed up.
This is such an amazing event, and the field will give new opportunities to baseball players regardless of ability. As a former Special Olympics coach, I applaud this. I'm excited to see how awesome it will become.
WOW! Photos from the 2022 Big Sky International Balloon Rendezvous
Have you ever wondered what it's like to see the Magic City from a hot air balloon? Here are some photos of the city as well as the balloons on display at the 2022 Big Sky International Balloon Rendezvous!
LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history
Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we've lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete's winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.
Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.
Source: Grand Opening of Landon's Miracle Field in Billings This Week
Filed Under: Landon's Legacy, Miracle League Field
Categories: Billings Events
Eat at Billings' Jersey Mike's on Wednesday (3/31) for Landon's Legacy


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Mobile app tells residents about changes in their local area
A new mobile app has been released which tells residents in Hertfordshire about changes in their area. The 'Notice Herts' app provides convenient access to information about planning, transport and licencing applications and local emergency services together with events and places to visit in the local area, and recommended traders.
The free app is the work of a new partnership of Hertfordshire councils, a local newspaper group, technology companies, and charities who were selected to run an innovative central government pilot using technology to make public notices clearer, simpler, and in a place the public will access them.
In a recent focus group with Hertfordshire residents, less than a fifth of the group said they currently access public notices, yet over four out of five people admitted to being interested in these developments happening in their local area.
Notice Herts aims to bridge the gap between notices in local papers and information on council websites. Covering Hertfordshire County Council and the districts of Dacorum, Three Rivers, East Herts and Watford, the app features:
Notices of planning applications, road changes and licensing applications (sex and alcohol establishments) based on geographical location.
Local 'blue light' services.
Local events and places of interest locally.
Approved local tradespeople.
'Notice Herts' is available on Android and iOS, from Google Play or the Apple Store and more content will be added during the coming weeks.
The partnership includes: Hertfordshire County Council, Three Rivers District Council, Watford Borough Council, East Herts District Council, Dacorum Borough Council, Johnston Press Newspaper Group, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, the Plain English Campaign, and Streetlife social media. The partnership was awarded £66,000 from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to run the pilot.


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4 Ways to Find What Truly MOVES You
By Renee Loux
It's been said that passion breeds success, but how, exactly, do you zero in on what you love—and make a living at? Start here.
In theory, it's good to do what makes you happy. But finding what spurs you—what you wake up thinking about, or what you would gladly do for free—may take some digging and distilling. Forging my own successful yet unconventional career as a chef, author, and entrepreneur took listening to my gut and, even tougher, trusting it. These four valuable tips can help speed up the process for you.
Put aside practical concerns.
What's stirring in your soul can be blocked by thoughts about, say, what salary you can earn for the work. To unearth what you really want to do, quiet your mind and tune in to your heart. Pose queries such as "At the end of my life, what am I going to wish I'd done?" I moved to Maui, sight unseen, and lived there for 15 years because it was my answer to "If I could live anywhere, where would I live?"
Identify granular interests.
If it's not realistic to give up a regular paycheck for a passion project right now, chances are there are aspects of your current job that intersect with what moves you. Figure out what you dig in your day-to-day and focus on that. For example, if you're interested in social responsibility, scout a nonprofit that is related to your work and create a proposal for how an affiliation would benefit your company.
Figure out what you don't love.
Be honest about where your true talents lie. One critical lesson I learned: As a restaurant owner, I was capable of sourcing competitively priced ingredients, but that wasn't the best or most joyful use of my time. So I enlisted someone to handle that duty while I focused on what really inspired me—developing new recipes.
Be true to you.
Don't let what others say override your inner counsel. At many points, I was told that there wasn't enough interest in the things I wanted to pursue to make them successful. I opened one of the country's first raw-food restaurants in Maui in 1996, which was way ahead of the curve. I also became deeply interested in environmentally responsible practices well before they became mainstream. Trusting my instincts above anyone else's enabled me to be a pioneer in the sustainable-food movement, proving that authenticity is the most valuable commodity of all.
Renée Loux has been a trendsetter in the environmental and sustainable food movements for more than 17 yea rs. As an author, chef, restaurateur, television personality, eco-consultant, monthly columnist for Women's Health Magazine, and founder of the Food First Institute in collaboration with the University of Hawaii and the Maui Culinary Academy, she has been a leading expert in the field. She founded one of America's first raw food restaurants, the Raw Experience, in 1996, was a founding partner of Mala Wailea and has published the Gourmand Award-winning The Balanced Plate, and Living Cuisine, The Whole Green Catalog, and Easy Green Living. Loux has been teaching at the Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC since 1999 and has worked with and along side of some of the best and brightest figures in Hollywood and Culinary Arts. As the host of the TV show It's Easy Being Green, she has appeared on the Food Network, HG TV and the Cooking Channel as well as a frequent green-expert and organic chef on various TV shows including the Today Show, Good Morning America, Extra, Insider Edition and Fox News. Visit Renée at www.reneeloux.com.
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The Tesla Semi Truck Will Change Freight Industry
By Judah Levine November 2, 2017
Freight innovation frequently focuses on moving data better – like visibility, eBookings, and the new generation of forwarders and brokers.
But changing infrastructure is no less critical. Which is why one of technology's most respected minds is now fundamentally overhauling land freight (and he's not just stopping at an electric truck).
Tesla Semi unveil now Nov 16. Diverting resources to fix Model 3 bottlenecks & increase battery production for Puerto Rico & other affected areas.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 6, 2017
Meet the Tesla Semi Truck
Coca Cola, UPS, and others already use electric delivery trucks. Now it's turn for the big rigs. Many major truck manufacturers are now investing in electric rigs, with one projection having them reaching a 25% market share by 2025.
But Tesla's Semi Truck launch on November 16′ is bigger. It's tangible evidence of Elon Musk, the brains behind PayPal, Tesla, SpaceX, and more, transportation infrastructure play, with the power to disrupt both domestic trucking and international freight.
What The Tesla Semi Means For Domestic and International Freight
So far, Tesla Semi's pre-launch has been widely heralded by the sustainability media. That's understandable, given the US Energy Information Administration estimates that large trucks consume nearly 7% of all energy in the U.S.
Tesla Semi's clean technology will certainly reduce emissions, but for most truckers, it's cost and power that matters. The cost of power that these trucks will take from the grid is 70% cheaper than diesel. On top of that, the Tesla Semi has more grunt than diesel, with Musk boasting that it will out-torque any diesel semi uphill.
For now, range is the biggest constraint. However, a third of all semi truck trips are regional, with travel distances within the truck's current capability. And Tesla are working on making long-distance electric trucking feasible too.
But in the long term, the more trucking is automated, the more attractive it will become for tech giants like Amazon and Uber to extend their operations into freight. Amazon and Alibaba already have last mile and international freight in their sights; trucking is likely there too. With half a million carriers – mostly small operators – moving 82% by value of all US freight, the industry is ripe for the picking by capital-rich company that bring their own supply and demand.
And beyond just the trucking industry, electric rigs becoming commonplace may even impact port behavior. More transpacific imports due for the Midwest may pass through US West Coast ports (where freight rates are some 60% cheaper) once long-haul trucking is more affordable.
…there are two other types of electric vehicle needed: heavy-duty trucks and high passenger-density urban transport…We believe the Tesla Semi will deliver a substantial reduction in the cost of cargo transport, while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate.
Tesla Master Plan, July 20 2016
What Elon Musk's Blueprint Means For The Freight Industry
Elon Musk recently described his motivation: "I'm just trying to think about the future and not be sad."
Electric rigs, autonomous vehicles, and everything else he plans to introduce may be driven by sustainability principles, but he must also prove that they are being cheaper, better, and/or safer than their eventual replacements.
Standing in the way of Musk's vision of tomorrow's transportation infrastructure has been congestion and delayed transit time on long-haul trucking. Overhauling the US Interstate system is due, being built over half a century ago, when US vehicles drove a sixth of their current 3 trillion miles per year. And the case for overhauling urban transport goes without saying.
So he's going underground.
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/924387972161552384/photo/1
Musk is slashing tunneling costs as he digs The Boring Company's first tunnel. Combined with pressurized capsules and vehicle elevators, this new infrastructure will literally shoot vehicles across the country. He's received provisional approval to start digging in Maryland, in what might potentially become part of a DC to New York link, in turn potentially part of a massive underground Hyperloop network.
Such a grand plan, if he can pull it off, is still many years away. But investors, bolstered by his success with Paypal and the Tesla electric car, have showed they believe in his big ideas.
The Tesla Semi launch on November 16 is about much more than just batteries.
It's about how real innovation (not the hyperbole that often passes as such) combines vision, capital, technical know-how, and drive to make a vision reality.
Henry Ford famously preferred to give people a car, not a faster horse. Seems like the car's replacement may not be so far away.
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It's been amazing twenty years since me and my friends started organizing illegal raves in the squat houses of Helsinki in early 90s. Most bizarre experience must have been DJing for Jean-Paul Gaultier and Helena Christensen at a Berlin fetish club Kit Kat after their first ever Berlin show. Most flashy ones have been entertaining the rich & famous of Hong Kong or Russia while warming up Chemical Brothers, Paul van Dyk or Underworld was something I'll never forget. From the venues I've DJed Tresor in Berlin, Pacha in Ibiza, Ministry of Sound in London and CODE in Tokyo were special places to play.
My recording career started in 1998 with Slusnik Luna's Nicklas Renqvist. 'Unity' was signed to british Steelfish label and found it's way to Gatecrasher and Renaissance compilations. Sasha and Oakenfold opened their Essential Mixes with it and Pete Tong played it on BBC Radio 1. Gigs with DJ Tiesto lead into signing to his Black Hole label while other releases include 'Embrace' on Five AM and 'Beautiful' on Sential (finnish national singles chart #1). Most famous colaborations include 'YearZero' together with Andy Moor, 'God's Garden' together with David West and 'Zeitgeist' with Solarstone. My remixes include Aalto's 'Rush' made together with Super8, Stage One remix made for Hooj Choons, Way Out West's 'Killa' and more recently a bootleg remix of Hans Zimmer's 'Time' from Inception soundtrack which Paul Oakenfold loved so much he did his own edit. In 2011 I released my third artist album "20" which also celebrates my twenty years of DJing.
As promoters we have come a very long way from the days of illegal warehouse raves. Together with my friends, we have run Club Unity for over ten years, promoted Renaissance's events in Helsinki and organized events called "Pacifique" for almost 3000 people in a water park. We have had fun at 16 hour Sunday clubbing sessions at DTM and have brought Jose Padilla to Finland. We have organised events on boats, in parks, on ice-skating rinks and even did one of Finland's first flash mobs: the infamous One Minute Raves. The longest set I've ever played was 23 hours on New Year's Day in 2010. To me electronic music and club culture has always been about open-mindness, unity amongst people and pushing the musical boundaries forward, whether it's ambient concert in a park or full on rave in warehouse. Uniting the sounds, the minds, the people…	Read more
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The Cosmic Joke
An amphibian writer, translator, poltergeist,researcher... my doppelganger pretends to be a Professor of English, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara.
'The Age of OBCs in Indian Literatures'? Rethinking Indian Literatures and the Question of Caste Identity
The study of relationship between caste and literature in India has primarily been dominated by the Dalit Studies, which justifiably interrogates the ' Sawarna-Upper Caste' hegemony in literary and cultural studies from the Ambedkarite position. Statistically speaking the Dalits, ( the former ' untouchables') who are usually categorized as ' Scheduled Castes' ( SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) by the constitution of India, form roughly 30% of Indian population as per 2011 census. Approximately 40 % of population in India comprises of a multitude of castes and communities classified as ' Other Backward Classes' or 'OBC'. The Wikipedia graph about the OBC is informative.
Friends of South Asia or FOSA has put together a website Friendsofsouthasia.org which provides useful information about this social category. It notes, " The OBCs comprise, by and large, the lower rungs of the Sudras who, in the past, suffered from varying degrees of ritual prohibitions applied to the a-dvijas (literally, those not twice-born) and remain till today socially and occupationally disadvantaged". It also notes, " "OBCs, by profession, being small cultivators, agricultural laborers, artisans and also being engaged in weaving, fishing, construction work, etc. and these occupations being common to SCs and OBCs, the status of OBCs cannot be treated as very much different from that of SCs ....OBCs constitute a majority of poor and backward population which produced a variety of goods and services, but on terms and conditions unfair to them."
However, in the study of sociology of Indian literature, the category of ' OBC' has not received the importance it deserves. One of the most significant statements comes from a renowned Marathi writer Vilas Sarang (1942-). In his provocative essay, " Marathi Sahityatil OBC Yug' ( in the magazine ' Khel' vol. 7, 2007) he attempts to theorize the relationship between this societal category and the poetics practiced by these writers in terms of the questions of identity. The essay is later anthologized as ' Marathi Vangmaiyatil Madhyamvarniya Yug' in his collection of essays Vangmaiyeen Sauskruti ani Samajik Vastav (2011).
Sarang points out that this mass of ' Other Backward Classes' is a heterogeneous and scattered one. It lacks any ' face of it's own'. Historically, the modernist poets of the nineteen forties and the fifties in Marathi like BS Mardhekar or Vinda Karandikar were from the upper-castes. After the sixties, the Dalits and OBCs started making in-roads into Marathi literary world. While the Dalits were aggressive and assertive, the OBC writers were very often on the ' middle grounds'. Sarang points out that Bhalchandra Nemade, a major OBC writer of this period, failed to provide leadership as he remained closer to the identarian politics of ' grameen' writing and 'sub-culture' ( pot-sauskruti) politics. As the time proceeds, the ' grameen (rural) literature' will give way to the category of ' OBC' literature, Sarang notes. In short, great shift in literary values is under way.
Sarang remarks that in terms of literary practice, it did not have a poetics of its own. It often used the brahminical upper caste aesthetics, or used the Modernist idiom, or used the Dalit poetics or often followed the poetics of' grameen' or ' rural' literature. After 1980, Sarang argues, however the situation changed and the OBC writers started asserting themselves in poetry. Their preferred mode was 'realism' which gave rise to ' realistic and unadorned poetry in Marathi.' They could not identify with the poetic idiom of the poetry of earlier generation be it conventional-romantic one or be it modernist one. It seems the OBCs' search for their own identity, their own face and their own voice will be critical for Indian cultural scenario.
Sarang's conceptualization, irrespective of its accuracy, is fascinating and has far-reaching implications for literary studies in India. It is interesting how he changed the title of his essay from ' OBC' Yug (2007) to ' Madhyam Varniya' ( of Middle Varna) in his collection in 2011, probably to avoid controversy. However, some questions need to probed further. For instance, why did the OBCs stay away from Dalit politics and poetics? What was the impact of the Mandal Commission implementation and the rise of OBCs as a force in Indian politics on the way Indian literature was read and written? What is the impact of the swing of the OBCs towards the erstwhile upper caste party BJP ( see the statistics from the Hindu given below) on cultural politics of India, especially, the identarian ones? Specifically, with the OBC as a Prime Minister who has a thumping support from the upper-castes as well, what will be the trajectory of OBC identity politics in India?
As the Friends of South Asia website tells us, the OBC is a dynamic category. What we need today is more contemporary sociological framework in the study of Indian literature to explain this dynamics and I don't think we are anywhere near to deal with this.
Posted by Sachin C. Ketkar at 10:11 AM
Labels: dalit poetry, Dalit Studies, Indian culture, indian literature, Narendra Modi, OBCs, postmodernism, Vilas Sarang
Sachin C. Ketkar
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"A historical political resource."
Methuen - Demographic History
City DETAILS
Parents > United States > Massachusetts > Counties > Essex > Methuen
Website http://www.ci.methuen.ma.us/Index.htm
Established December 08, 1725
Disbanded Still Active
Last Modified Scott³ December 31, 2005 08:31pm
Description HISTORY
The Town of Methuen was originally organized as a town in 1725 when Lt. Stephen
Barker petitioned to divide the Town of Haverhill. Governor Dummer signed the act
establishing the Town of Methuen, naming the town in honor of Sir Paul Methuen,
a friend of the Governor's and member of the King's Privy Council. The first Town
Meeting was held March 9, 1726.
Methuen operated under the Town Meeting form of government until 1917 when the
state Legislature allowed the town to organize as a city. In 1921 the Supreme
Judicial Court found that the City Charter had not been appropriately adopted under
the constitution of the Commonwealth. Methuen reverted to its status as a town
and established a Charter setting a Selectman/Representative Town Meeting
government. That Charter remained in effect until 1973 when Methuen's first Home
Rule Charter became effective establishing a 21 member Town Council and Town
Manager. Methuen's second Home Rule Charter in 1978 maintained the Town
Manager/Town council form of government, but reduced the number of councilors
to nine and increased the powers of the Council. Another Charter change approved
by Methuen voters in 1993 replaced the appointed Town Manager with an elected
Mayor. When he took office in Jan. 1994, Mayor Dennis DiZoglio became Methuen's
first Mayor Since 1921.
Mayor DiZoglio's successor, Sharon M. Pollard took office January 3, 2000.
County Essex
Population 1980: 36,701
--------------- 1990: 39,990
Established as a Town December 8, 1725 (Resumed as a town--1921)
Obtained City Charter 1917, and again in 1972.
Type of Government Mayor / City Council
Methuen's Home Rule Charter, as amended in 1993, provides for a city goverment
with the elected Mayor serving as executive & a nine-member City Council serving
as legislative body. The Mayor, whose term is two years, is responsible for
overseeing daily functioning of government departments. The Council, In addition
to establishing city ordinances, has authority to approve such matters as contracts
and appointments. The Council and seven-member School Committee are elected
by city voters for two-year terms.
Date Population
44,055 (100%)


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Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner in Dawson Minnesota
Coroners & Medical Examiners
Lac qui Parle County
Address and phone number for Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner, a Coroner & Medical Examiner, at Walnut Street, Dawson MN.
Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner
1282 Walnut Street, Dawson, Minnesota, 56232
About the Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner
The Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner, located in Dawson, MN, keeps death records for individuals who passed away in Dawson. The Coroner and Medical Examiner determines a deceased person's time and cause of death, often in the case of sudden or unexpected deaths. The office identifies bodies, notifies the next of kin, and returns personal belongings to the family. They also work with Lac qui Parle County police and sheriff's offices to investigate suspicious or violent deaths. The Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner creates death records that can be used in criminal investigations, to resolve insurance claims, or to monitor Dawson public health.
Interested Parties may contact Coroners & Medical Examiners for questions about:
Finding Dawson death records
Locating death certificates
Order autopsy reports
Search unidentified remains reports
Dawson death reports
Dawson Death Records
In Dawson, the Coroner and Medical Examiner keeps records on deaths that occur under their jurisdiction. These include autopsy reports, investigation reports, and other death reports. In some cases, these records may be sealed and only available to the deceased's next of kin or law enforcement agencies. Family members can request death records, including autopsy reports and the outcome of forensic investigations, by contacting the office.
Death Certificates in Dawson
The Coroner and Medical Examiner helps issue death certificates in Dawson. After conducting an investigation, the office signs the Lac qui Parle County death certificate and files it with the appropriate office. Contact the Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner for more information about locating death certificates in Dawson.
Forensic Investigation Reports
The Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner investigates suspected overdose deaths, suicides, or deaths not monitored by a physician. Some results of these forensic investigation reports are available to the public, including data on the number of overdose deaths, gun deaths, and other deaths investigated by the Coroner and Medical Examiner in Dawson.
The Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner creates reports on Dawson deaths, including overdose deaths. While some autopsy and investigation reports are private, Coroner and Medical Examiner Offices release information about the cause and manner of deaths under its jurisdiction. The report includes an analysis of trends in homicides, drug overdose deaths, gun deaths, and traffic fatalities. These reports provide public health information for the community.
Unidentified Remains in Dawson
The Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner conducts investigations into unidentified remains found in Dawson. They also provide information about unidentified remains to the public, in the hope of identifying the deceased. Contact the office for information about unidentified remains, including the indigent remains program that holds a ceremony and burial for unidentified or indigent individuals who died in Lac qui Parle County.
Contact the Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner
You may contact the Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner by addressing inquiries to the office mailing address: Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner, 1282 Walnut Street, Dawson, Minnesota, 56232.
Map of Lac Qui Parle County Medical Examiner & Coroner in Dawson Minnesota
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Coroners & Medical Examiners near Dawson
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Home INTERNATIONAL STORIES
Torkham to Kabul – Part 3
Pakistani media was reporting that Panjshir had been taken over. 'BREAKING NEWS' flashing everywhere
By Farzana Ali
It was our second night in Kabul.
I met many people during my stay. And while it was important for me to get some bearing on the opinions and sentiments of working women, I began considering the views of stay-at-home women. It turned out to be an eye-opening venture when, as I sat down and talked with the women of a household, I noticed that they were hesitant to use the phrase "working women."
On the guarantee of anonymity, Darsheela bore her heart… cables being shut down, malls lying abandoned, and the truth about Kandahar and Kunduz.
"Some people are of the view that the Taliban have changed. Do you think so too?"
"It's been your second day of roaming the streets and alleys here… what do you think?" she instead bounced my own question back to me.
"It's been difficult for me, no doubt about it, but I want to know the opinion of locals."
"They haven't changed. They're just cautiously taking each new step so that the world can be fooled into thinking they're different now."
"Did you manage to venture outside after August 15?"
"Yes, just once."
"How did it feel?"
"There are a lot of Taliban in our area so we were afraid, but we drove around a little bit and came back."
"You have a daughter. Has her school reopened?"
"Yes, classes resumed yesterday. She goes to a private school, but because she's still in the fourth grade her school was able to reopen. They're still closed for grades seven and above."
"They're older children. Co-education hasn't been allowed yet."
"And public schools?"
"It's the same. They're open up till the sixth grade until the holidays, everything else is closed."
All of a sudden, Darsheela piped up, "I want to tell you something."
"Go ahead."
"When your Prime Minister Imran Khan came [into power], he said he would establish a riasat-e-madina. He never did over there but instead created it here."
"But he didn't do it. It was your people who have been struggling for it for the past twenty years," I replied with a smile.
"They are our people, but…" gunshots echoing across Kabul cut her sentence short.
"What's happening?" I demanded, throwing a puzzled look her way.
"I think Panjshir has fallen!"
I quickly snatched up my phone and called my Afghan correspondent.
"Yes sister, what can I do for you?" the voice on the other line offered.
"Why are they firing off shots? Any news from Panjshir?"
"Only conjecture, I've yet to confirm things. I'll stay in touch and let you know as soon as there's news."
The firing had gotten so intense by that point that Darsheela's eleven-year-old daughter, who was in the same room as us, crouched down on the ground.
"I think she's frightened," I turned to her mother.
"Our children are traumatized… sometimes it's explosions, other times it's gunshots… they see and hear everything and are shaken by it," she explained and then turned toward her daughter, consoling her. She kept reassuring the small girl that everything will be okay soon, that it was just a little bit of firing and nothing more.
But this was not just a little bit of firing.
The intensity and duration of gunfire resounding in the streets began increasing. Amidst this cacophony, my phone began ringing. My Afghan contact told me that there was word of the Taliban managing to enter a district in Panjshir, however they had still not confirmed this development. However, Zabiullah Mujahid had issued instructions to cease firing. The correspondent told me that if there was any further information, he would contact me again.
I scoured through Twitter, where Pakistani media was reporting that Panjshir had been taken over. 'BREAKING NEWS' flashing everywhere and headlines scrolling across the screen… Darsheela too picked up her phone to watch a live broadcast from a Pakistani channel.
"How about that? You're sitting right here and have yet to confirm things and over there everything's over," she grinned, the irony in her voice the same as when she had mentioned the Prime Minister. I implored her to see what the Afghan media was saying. She browsed through several Afghan media house and news agency websites. She stayed quiet for a long time.
"There's nothing. It'll happen when it happens," she chuckled.
"Will it really?"
"Of course it will. When it's happened everywhere else, how can Panjshir be the only place left standing?"
A simple woman who had a gradeschool education, who was born just two years before Russia's defeat in Afghanistan, who had witnessed the arrival and unceremonious exit of the Mujahideen, the Taliban and the United States… she knew it all. She understood the internet extremely well, consuming information from Pakistan, Kabul, Mecca and Kunduz. What could possibly remain hidden from her?
"Do you think they'll be able to govern things?" I inquired.
"Maybe for a little while. Those who they leave out will do what they need to too. It's not that difficult to take territory here, the real problem is to keep affairs going and they face plenty of obstacles. Women are a lot more aware now, they want their rights and a share in things. If they don't allow this, then there'll be problems. On the other hand, older girls want to study and progress, but they're stuck in their homes. These are all problems that need to be resolved. People are keeping quiet for now, but this silence won't last long."
Our conversation lasted till one in the morning. I had to report on schools in the area when it was daylight and therefore we decided to retire for the night. Profound silence pervaded the night air after the firing finally died down, creating a sense of mystery.
After breakfast, we headed off for an area called Khushal Khan where there were three schools nearby – two public and one private. I visited the private school first. I instructed the cameraman and reporter to remain in the car while I went to get permission to shoot inside. The principal was a man while both men and women were employed as teachers there.
Exchanging greetings, I introduced myself and explained my reason for coming there. They listened patiently and respectfully turned down giving statements on video, but said they would answer my questions anyway.
"Why not on video?"
"There are two reasons. Firstly, we are just employees. The school is owned by someone else and they are not here right now. Secondly, there is no clear policy from the Islamic Emirates and they keep altering their statement every new day. We don't want to say anything that will add to our troubles."
"We can just talk, then," I had to compromise.
"Certainly."
"When did the school open and what is your position?"
"We teach till the twelfth grade. We began classes for up until the sixth grade yesterday, the rest are not allowed to resume as of yet."
"Is this a co-education school?"
"Yes, it is why classes for higher grades are closed."
I asked a female teacher if there was anything different in her life now.
She laughed and glanced at the principal.
"Look at me and my clothes. Everything's changed. I leave my house in fear every time, but I can't leave my job. I have a home to look after."
As I exited the building, I headed over to the government schools just across. There, only a handful of classes were in session while most of the rooms remained locked. Female teachers were holding classes. When I told them my purpose for visiting them, they told me that they received instructions from the school just yesterday that all teachers and students for grade six and lower were to attend, and so they were here. They related the same things that the female teacher from the private school had told me.
However, they added that there has been a consistent increase in the number of school-going girls in the past fifteen years, an incredibly positive development for a country such as Afghanistan. The interviewees expressed their hope that the trend continues, adding that any obstacle at this point will push them back again which they sorely did not want to happen.
From there, we went to meet with owners of pharmaceutical companies and traders whose businesses were in steady decline. One proprietor told me that he has had to bear a seventeen percent loss in the past week alone. The markets are all shuttered and the banks are undergoing their own crises, drying up all earnings.
"Did a delegation of yours hold discussions with any officials?"
"Yes, and they also threatened us that if we criticized anything, they would punish us per Sharia."
"What do you mean? If trade thrives, it'll be beneficial to your country. If trade thrives, so will the country."
"Yes, that's what we believe, isn't it? But they want what they want, and there is no room for disapproval or questions."
"But they have announced a general amnesty, so they can't take action against just anyone willy-nilly."
"The general amnesty applies only to common folk, but target killings are still going on. And no one's allowed to report on this."
The proprietor further told me that if things did not change for the better by next year or so, he will shift his business to Tajikistan or Dubai like many others planning the same.
On my way back, I kept thinking how crucial it is to take into confidence the business community of a country in order to boost its economy, yet here even they are being cowed into begrudging compliance. There was no way this was not going to have a negative impact on trade.
While I was still at the marketplace, I noticed the scores of Afghan flags – the colours that were flown prior to August 15 – hoisted in the area. I asked them why they had not changed the flags.
"Why should we?" an angry voice drew my attention.
"Actually, the new regime has a different flag… that's why I asked."
"They might have their own flag, but this is and always will be Afghanistan's flag," I was taken aback by his bitter tone.
We had just left the marketplace when we received word that a group of women had gathered in the city to demand their rights and protest against the attack on Panjshir, however they had been dispersed by then.
Darsheela's words echoed in my mind…
"People are keeping quiet for now, but this silence won't last long."
And then, the very next day, the silence was broken and the world was witness to that which these women were desperate to repel. Scores of women took to the streets of Kabul, chanting slogans that we could not air.
On our way back to Pakistan as we passed through Kabul's bazaars, I kept my eyes trained on the doors and walls that zoomed by. The walls that were once adorned with social messages alongside a picture of a woman and girl were being whitewashed.
And on those blank walls, the words "The occupiers will be swept away in a flood of martyrs' blood" were hastily scrawled.
This feature was originally published by Aaj TV in Urdu and comprises three parts. Read part one and two here.
Fall of Kabul
Taliban controlled Afghanistan
Trip to Kabul
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