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The UK's Labour Party: For the 0.5%, not the 99.5%
By: Redress
'I was very convincing': Academic who detransitioned four years after living as Rachel says he was 'hurtled through the system' and would never have changed gender if he was assessed properly by therapists
He started exploring the idea of changing his gender after the death of his third child and the breakdown of his second marriage, buying illegal hormones off the Internet in 2014.
Just a few weeks later he was in what he calls the 'NHS gender identity machine' and was being fast tracked through a process that usually takes years.
He flew to Thailand to have operations to remove his testicles and reconstruct his face to look more like 'Rachel' and less like Richard.
But when he returned to the UK and the Health Service offered him surgery to fully transition, he started to doubt everything.
He says he soon realised he was 'using gender transition to escape his past' and claims he regrets his operations 'every day'.
Speaking on Victoria Derbyshire today, he said: 'For the sake of the nation's sanity, we first need to explore if something else is going on before people transition.'
Prince Harry has a new job as a Prince Harry look-alike in Canada.
His new boss told us, "There's a lot of attention on Prince Harry at the moment. With that attention then demand for a Prince Harry look-alike increases. We'd had several applications but nobody that looked right. Then Prince Harry turned up and he was perfect. He can do the voice and everything. We're sure he'll be a success."
Is free speech now dead in the UK's Labour Party?
Stuart Littlewood looks at how Labour Party leadership hopefuls have embraced the Tory pro-Israel "Board of Deputies of British Jews'" pledges of obedience and invites those hopefuls – and the Board of Deputies – to sign up to the "Eleven Red Lines" of anti-Palestinianism. >>
Beales department store goes into administration closing 22 branches and putting more than 1,000 jobs at risk
Even the UK consumer can not always spend "more more more"
UK's Prince Harry & Meghan to lose titles & funds, repay millions spent for renovation as they 'exit' royal family duties
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to lose their HRH titles and public funding, as they opt for "a more independent life," Buckingham Palace has said, adding they are no longer "working members of the Royal Family."
Minsters warned Britain's electricity network needs URGENT upgrade to cope with increased demand from electric cars or risk future blackouts
With pure-electric passenger car registrations rising by 144 per cent in 2019 and due to soar in the coming years, the Electric Vehicle Energy Task Force claims the national grid will crumble under increased demand for power.
It warned ministers who commissioned the report that without a 'smart charging' infrastructure in place, there is a real risk of blackouts across the country in the future - similar to those that left 1million Britons without power in August.
Prince Andrew faces losing £300,000-a-year armed guard as Home Office recommends major downgrade of security after Jeffrey Epstein scandal
JP MORGAN INSANITY & BREXIT INCONTINENCE: why fake v genuine news is a red herring
Britain's pothole problem laid bare: Reported 20% spike in car breakdowns caused by drivers smashing through road craters
Chemicals in tap water 'may cause 5% of all bladder cancer cases in Europe' as scientists find the UK has one of the highest rates of contamination
Researchers have linked drinking, showering and bathing in the water to more than 6,500 cases of the disease in 26 countries across the continent.
They estimate 1,356 bladder cancer diagnoses in Britain since 2005 were caused by contaminated water, making up a fifth of all cases in the EU.
Long-term exposure to a group of chemicals called trihalomethanes (THMs) is thought to be the cause.
The chemicals, shown to be carcinogenic in animal studies, are formed as an unintended byproduct when water is disinfected with chlorine at supply plants.
Britain failed to tell EU countries about 75,000 crimes 'including rapes and murders' committed here by foreigners and then covered up the scandal for fear of damaging UK reputation abroad
The error went undetected for five years, during which one in three alerts on offenders which would have been sent from the police national computer to EU authorities were not delivered - potentially including rape and murder cases.
This means dangerous foreign offenders once released from prison could return to their home countries without local authorities being aware of their presence.
The blunder lead to an apparent cover up which was revealed in the minutes of an ACRO Criminal Records Office meeting obtained by the Guardian.
UK Labour Party on its hands and knees before Israel's Zionist terror networks
UK Zionist terror group demands Labour leadership candidates pledge subservience and self-censorship
Will A Credit Crisis Threaten Boris's 2020 Brexit Plans?
RAF drone operators quitting due to stress caused by long-range warfare
US/UK Dirty Hands Behind Weekend Protest in Tehran?
If Macaire was involved in inciting anti-government protests in Tehran, likely in cahoots with the Trump regime, he could be declared persona non grata and expelled from the country.
US dirty hands were all over protests in Iran last November — responsible for violence, vandalism and chaos for days until put down.
Tactics included shootings, Molotov cocktail bombings, arson, and other vandalism against state facilities, barricades of burning tires and/or rubbish, blocking roads, and other hostile actions.
What happened was straight from the CIA/MI6/Mossad playbook. Saturday's student protest in Tehran had similar fingerprints all over it.
The Bank of England gets ready for another cut interest-rate cut
What's behind the West's hatred of Iran?
Stuart Littlewood argues that if Britain and the US had played fair and allowed the Iranians to determine their own future instead of using economic terrorism to bring the country to its knees, Iran might have been "the only democracy in the Middle East" today.>>
Now the truth emerges: how the US fuelled the rise of Isis in Syria and Iraq
The war on terror, that campaign without end launched 14 years ago by George Bush, is tying itself up in ever more grotesque contortions. On Monday the trial in London of a Swedish man, Bherlin Gildo, accused of terrorism in Syria, collapsed after it became clear British intelligence had been arming the same rebel groups the defendant was charged with supporting.
The prosecution abandoned the case, apparently to avoid embarrassing the intelligence services. The defence argued that going ahead with the trial would have been an "affront to justice" when there was plenty of evidence the British state was itself providing "extensive support" to the armed Syrian opposition.
History is made as MPs FINALLY formally approve Brexit deal by 330 to 231 after three years of bitter wrangling and deadlock
The historic EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill cleared the Commons this afternoon - despite Labour opposition - as MPs gave the draft legislation its third reading by 330 votes to 231, a majority of 99.
It is the final major Commons hurdle which the so-called WAB had to navigate and it will now head to the House of Lords next week for further scrutiny before the UK leaves the EU on January 31.
Remainer peers are expected to table a wave of amendments but ministers are confident that the Lords will eventually bow to the will of the elected House.
Government BANS This Gaming PC Ad For "Offending Women"
UK Parliament finally approved the Brexit deal which allows the kingdom to leave the EU on January 31
Corbyn's scaremongering DASHED: Chlorinated chicken will be made illegal vow Tories
Chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-treated beef will not be allowed as part of any trade deal formed with the UK post-Brexit, Mr Johnson's Government has revealed to the BBC, which puts an end to Mr Corbyn's claims it would be part of the deal pursued between the Tory leader and US President Donald Trump.
NHS use of puberty blockers legal challenge begins
Papers have been lodged at the High Court by a mother and a nurse against the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust, which runs the UK's only gender-identity development service (Gids).
Lawyers will argue it is illegal to prescribe the drugs, as children cannot give informed consent to the treatment.
The Tavistock said it had a "cautious and considered" approach to treatment.
The nurse, Sue Evans, left the Gids more than a decade ago after becoming increasingly concerned teenagers who wanted to transition to a different gender were being given the puberty blockers without adequate assessments and psychological work.
Since then, she says, even younger children are being given the drugs, which block the hormones that lead to puberty-related changes including periods and facial hair.
The number of young people referred to the Gids rose from 678 in 2014-15 to 2,590 in the past year.
'Worst year for retail in 25 years' says trade body
Retail sales fell for the first time in 25 years last year, according to the leading UK retail industry body.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said total sales fell 0.1%, marking the first annual sales decline since 1995.
Sale in November and December were particularly weak, falling 0.9%, the BRC said.
A separate report from Barclaycard found a rise in consumer confidence had failed to boost festive spending.
IRAN & BREXIT: The appalling price to be paid for blocist alliances
Empires are built through the creation or acquisition of wealth. The Roman Empire came about through the productivity of its people and its subsequent acquisition of wealth from those that it invaded. The Spanish Empire began with productivity and expanded through the use of its large armada of ships, looting the New World of its gold. The British Empire began through localized productivity and grew through its creation of colonies worldwide—colonies that it exploited, bringing the wealth back to England to make it the wealthiest country in the world.
ITV's Dancing on Ice debut beats Doctor Who episode 2 in ratings battle
The second part of Doctor Who's series 12 opener might have gone down well enough with critics – but it failed to attract a sizeable audience, drawing in just 4.6 million viewers.
This is down 300,000 from the series premiere on New Year's Day, and represents the lowest overnight ratings figures for the current Doctor Who team of Chris Chibnall and Jodie Whittaker.
Psychiatric nurse launches legal action against NHS Tavistock clinic that offers 'experimental' puberty-blocking drugs to children 'as young as nine' who want to change gender
A landmark case to stop the NHS from prescribing 'experimental' puberty blockers to children who wish to undergo gender reassignment will be taken to the High Court.
Former psychiatric nurse Susan Evans, 62, who previously worked for the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, became increasingly concerned that young children were being given 'experimental treatment' without what she believed were adequate assessments.
Now, lawyers acting for Ms Evans will lodge papers at the High Court this week in order to commence legal action against the trust which runs the UK's only gender identity development service (GIDS) in North London.
FTSE 100 bosses will have earned an average annual wage by 5pm TONIGHT, study reveals
Chief executives of FTSE 100 companies were paid on average £3.46million in 2018, or the equivalent of £901.30 an hour, while full-time workers took home £29,559 a year on average.
The marked disparity was found by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and think-tank the High Pay Centre. Companies in the FTSE 100 include Lloyds bank, Barclays Group and Tesco.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj6HFjkRhs0
Must See US-Iran Relations Quick Timeline From 1953- [MFV !]This video is a basic overview of U.S. imperialism toward Iran that began at the behest of the British Government and big oil interests including British Petroleum also recently known as BP.
American Airstrike in Iraq Is a War Crime – An Illegal Act of War
Without an iota of international authority, discussion or attempted consensus the US President Trump ordered the killing of a hugely popular Iranian General and an Iraqi military leader in Iraq. While travelling in vehicles near to Baghdad airport these individuals were blown to smithereens by a deadly airstrike and instead of international condemnation of this act of terrorism, a war crime, we have the Western media and their political stooges refusing to condemn the US while calling for restraint from Iran. What utter cowardice and hypocrisy!
Boris Johnson gave a 'four-letter response' when he was told of the US drone strike on Qassem Soleimani after Britain was left in the dark about the attack
Britain sends two warships and SAS to the Gulf to 'protect our ships and citizens' in the wake of assassination of Qassem Soleimani as protests break out across world and Boris Johnson prepares to fly home on Sunday to deal with crisis
Operation Ajax (1953)
Operation Ajax (1953) (officially TP-AJAX) was an covert operation by the United States CIA in collaborating with the Pahlavi dynasty, to overthrow the elected government of Iran and Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh and consolidate the power of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.
Operation Ajax Summary
Doctors in the UK are resigning left and right over transgender lunacy targeting innocent children
The U.K.'s Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), which is run by the Tavistock Clinic and the Portman NHS (National Health Service) Foundation Trust, has reportedly seen a 30-fold increase in the number of patients it now sees compared to just 10 years ago. What this suggests is that more children than ever before are being approved for transgender "therapy" by a complicit medical system with no concern for their well-being.
Rather than try to counsel these children out of their mental illnesses, the NHS appears to be telling pretty much all of them that cutting off their genitals and taking cross-sex hormones is safe, effective and beneficial for their well-being – which is why a growing number of doctors has had enough.
British Army fury as UN imposes gender quotas - 'It should be about who's best for role!'
At least 250 soldiers are expected to join the UN peacekeeping force helping France to contain the deadly jihadi threat in the Sahel region of Africa.
Drawn from the Light Dragoons and 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, the contingent currently includes six female soldiers, attached to medical, logistical and military police sections.
But a new UN directive for peacekeeping operations lays down quotas for the number of female soldiers deployed.
And last night senior officers expressed their frustration as they face having to include at least another 12 female soldiers for next year's deployment while planning for what is anticipated to be a "highly kinetic" operation - a euphemism for active warfare.
Army urges youngsters lacking confidence to sign up
The size of Britain's armed forces fell for a ninth consecutive year last year.
The appeal is the latest in a series, launched in January each year.
Massive surge in number of migrants trying to reach Britain as French authorities stop 2,300 people crossing the Channel in 2019 compared to just 586 the year before
Elite Schools Reject British Philanthropist's $1.3M Donation to Help Underprivileged White Boys
By: ChrisMenahan
Rapper Stormzy had no issue setting up a similar fund to help only black students last year.
Will Civil Partnership guarantee the same long term misery as marriage?
From today you can either get married, or have a 'Civil Partnership.' But the public are curious to see if the fancy new name will still ensure long term unhappiness.
The good news is that marriage experts believe that civil partners will still be able to feel the same misery, regret, and suffocation as married couples.
Boris Johnson is being urged to overhaul Britain's foreign aid system after it emerged £151million was sent to China and India last year, even though they are both rich enough to fund their own space programmes
Boston – National Guard units seeking to confiscate a cache of recently banned assault weapons were ambushed by elements of a Para-military extremist faction. Military and law enforcement sources estimate that 72 were killed and more than 200 injured before government forces were compelled to withdraw.
Speaking after the clash, Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage declared that the extremist faction, which was made up of local citizens, has links to the radical right-wing tax protest movement.
Gage blamed the extremists for recent incidents of vandalism directed against internal revenue offices. The governor, who described the group's organizers as "criminals," issued an executive order authorizing the summary arrest of any individual who has interfered with the government's efforts to secure law and order.
EU warning: Harold Macmillan's chilling prediction about the future of the bloc revealed
In a 2019 talk for Yale University, Vernon Bogdanor, one of Britain's most famed constitutional experts claimed Mr Macmillan, who at the time was Housing Minister, chillingly predicted that Europe was going to transform into a fully-fledged federal state even before Britain joined the bloc.
Mr Bogdanor said: "In March 1953, Macmillan asked the Cabinet: 'Are we really sure that we want to see a sixth power federal Europe with a common army, a common iron and steel industry, ending in a common currency and monetary policy?
"'If such a federal state comes into being, will it be in the long run be in our interests whether as an island or as an imperial power?'
"'Will not Germany ultimately control this state?'
"And may have we not created the very situation in Europe to prevent which in every century since the Elizabethan age we have fought long and bitter wars?'"
High Street's worst year in quarter of a century: Shops shed 2,700 jobs a WEEK in 2019 as 16,000 stores shut their doors for good
High streets suffered the loss of 2,700 jobs and 300 store closures every week in 2019.
It has proved the worst year in a quarter of a century, according to the Centre for Retail Research.
Its analysts said 143,128 employees were laid off and 16,073 shops shut their doors for good.
MEDIA'S DEAFENING SILENCE ON LATEST WIKILEAKS DROPS IS ITS OWN SCANDAL
WikiLeaks has published yet another set of leaked internal documents from within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) adding even more material to the mountain of evidence that we've been lied to about an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria last year which resulted in airstrikes upon that nation from the US, UK and France.
This new WikiLeaks drop includes an email from the OPCW Chief of Cabinet Sebastien Braha (who is reportedly so detested by organisation inspectors that they code named him "Voldemort") throwing a fit over the Ian Henderson Engineering Assessment which found that the Douma incident was likely a staged event. Braha is seen ordering OPCW staff to "remove all traces, if any, of its delivery/storage/whatever" from the organisation's secure registry.
It is painfully apparent, that truth is of no use and value to those presstitutes in the west, when that truth does not "sell an agenda to legitimize more war."
At this point in the 21st century, I fully expect my government to lie to me, to attempt to make these hegemonic wars appear to be the normal course of events which, I as a loyal American, should support, but as a Christian pacifist activist, morally and spiritually, cannot, and will not.
War, in my world, is an absolute catastrophic failure of imagination, by those in the Bowels of Power in the US government, that they can find no other ways in which to achieve their geopolitical agendas.
And it is rarely children of the monied or powerful, who wind up coming home with physical or emotional traumas which cannot heal, or in a cheaply made coffin, topped by a US flag, made in China; it's the kids, relatives, and friends of the rest of us, who bear that fate.
And I will predict something here; I don't know if this will happen in 2020 or beyond that time-frame; I think that a draft is coming back in this country, because our troop strength has been very stretched with these intense deployments around the world.
And this time, the US government, will be coming for our daughters, as well as for our sons.
Boxing Day sales slump: Footfall at top High Street stores was down 10 per cent on last year even though hordes of shoppers braved the wet and cold and retailers slash prices by up to 90 per cent to lure back online customers
Some UK universities will be handing out first-class degrees to every one of their students by 2030 if grade inflation continues
Universities minister Chris Skidmore, responding to the findings, said the 'increasing and unexplained' number of first class degrees is 'undermining the faith in our world-leading universities'.
Tom Richmond, who has advised government education ministers and is the director of the EDSK think-tank, said: 'If it becomes a case of 'top prizes for all' then the degree classification could, regrettably, become meaningless.'
MI6 building plans go missing: Construction giant Balfour Beatty is sacked from refurbishment of Secret Service headquarters after major security breach saw layout and alarm details lost
A top construction firm was sacked from its refurbishment of the MI6 headquarters after a major security breach, it was reported last night.
Balfour Beatty was axed from the project after more than 100 blueprints outlining layouts and alarm systems went missing from the home of the Secret Intelligence Service.
The building, at Vauxhall Cross in south London, is famed for its appearance in several James Bond films.
Access to the sensitive papers was limited to supervisors and there were approximately 40 staff sub-contracted to the project, The Sun reported.
So serious was the security lapse that when the alarm was raised staff workers were not allowed to leave.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson Releases Christmas Video that Has the Left Shocked, Outraged, and Disgusted
Bank of England will Remain Outside of the Eurozone
The U.K. Just Said No to EU Socialism. Will U.S. Voters Do the Same in 2020?
MI5 GIVEN THE GO-AHEAD TO ALLOW INFORMANTS TO COMMIT CRIMES
HUMAN rights campaigners today vowed to appeal against a "knife-edge" divided tribunal ruling which allowed MI5 to continue authorising informants to commit serious criminal offences.
Privacy International, Reprieve, the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) and the Pat Finucane Centre took legal action against the government over a policy the groups claim "purports to permit agents to participate in crime" potentially including murder, kidnap and torture.
The campaign groups said the policy effectively "immunises criminal conduct from prosecution" and asked the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) to declare the policy unlawful and grant an injunction to restrain further conduct.
But the tribunal today ruled the policy lawful by a 3-2 majority.
Reprieve director Maya Foa said: "The IPT's knife-edge judgment, with unprecedented published dissenting opinions, shows just how dubious the government's secret policy is.
So let me get this straight: UK intelligence agents are now formally authorized to commit torture, if they deem it necessary to extract life-saving information, and there will be no lawful repercussions for having done this.
I have to wonder just how far they are going to have to "grandfather" this protection in for people in intelligence work, who have already been accused of this kind of behaviour.
But the big, ugly question here is timing; why now?!?
What sort of "horrible, hideous international incident" is the British and/or US going to throw at us this time, to distract us from what is going and for when is this being planned?!?
I would politely suggest, that the timing of this ruling is anything but accidental.
Revealed: Police are accused of wasting £1.5MILLION on electric cars that they admit are useless for catching criminals because they 'can't go fast enough or far enough without a battery change'
Forces around the country have bought at least 448 environmentally-friendly vehicles to help them meet green energy targets.
But almost all of the cars and vans are being used in non-emergency situations or by chiefs to get to work.
Official police reports conceded that electric vehicles cannot meet the demands of urgent response or pursuit driving. They take too long to charge up to be ready for 999 calls and could run out of battery before a shift ends.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson flies the Israeli flag over Number 10
Stuart Littlewood shows how Britain's newly elected Prime Minister Boris Johnson has lost no time in scheduling laws that would guarantee Israel impunity for its crimes, and has stuffed his cabinet with Israel pimps and flag wavers.>>
Queen's Speech: Is the UK moving closer to Israel under Boris with new 'anti-BDS law'?
After the usual display of pomp and pageantry that marks the annual Queen's Speech on Thursday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined his government's plans for the coming year.
Among the priorities announced by the government was planned legislation aimed at curbing the activities of the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a grassroots pro-Palestine campaign that has taken university campuses and trade unions by storm across the UK and beyond.
"We will stop public institutions from imposing their own approach or views about international relations, through preventing boycotts, divestment or sanctions campaigns against foreign countries and those who trade with them," a government briefing on the Queen's Speech said on Thursday.
"The UK Government is responsible for foreign relations and determining the best way to interact with its international neighbours... Public institutions should not be pursuing their own foreign policy agenda with public money."
THIS, from the country which gave the world the Magna Carta?!?
I'm gobsmacked, at the audacity of such potential legislation, where freedom of speech is curtailed when you are criticising the actions of a country, not a faith tradition per se.
To conflate the two, that the Jewish religion is the same as the Israeli government, is walking down a terribly dangerous road, in terms of where such legislation may lead; think, "Thought Police", from the Tom Cruz blockbuster, "Minority Report"; it is sometimes terrifying to see how quickly science fiction melds its way into science fact.
I would like to suggest that criticising the government of Israel, when it does something morally wrong, (particularly against Palestinians) is something which should be done, in the most logical, fact-based way possible; but to say that "boycotts have legitimized antisemitism" is an outright lie.
BDS only hurts wallets, and is a completely peaceful way of focusing attention on negative actions by the Israeli government and its agencies.
RIP Corbyn: A sad case of political suicide
Stuart Littlewood reflects on the UK Labour Party's election defeat, examining the Brexit fiasco, the party's unrealistic manifesto, Corbyn's failure to confront Israel's assets and flag wavers, and his big missed opportunity – breaking from Labour and forming his own party.>>
NHS will start prescribing its first cannabis-based medicine for epilepsy in just three weeks after health bosses 'fast-track' funding
The NHS will start prescribing its first cannabis medicine for epilepsy in less than three weeks' time, it has announced.
Health bosses have officially confirmed the drug combination Epidyolex with clobazam will be available on prescription from January 6 in England.
The drug has been hailed as a game-changer for children with severe epilepsy and studies suggest it can cut seizure numbers by up to 40 per cent.
Some 2,000 patients could be eligible for the medicine, which costs a staggering £850 for a single 100ml bottle, although the NHS will pay a secretive lower price.
BRITAIN IS OUT! UK VOTES TO LEAVE EU BY JANUARY 31
EU citizens should worry about what Johnson left out of his second Queen's Speech
Queen's Speeches are like London buses: there's none for years and then two turn up at once - and the comparison between October's speech and today's should worry EU citizens living in Britain.
A week after newly re-elected Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson secured a Labour Party-destroying majority, he has drawn up and handed his revamped plans to the Queen to read out at the opening of (yet another) Parliament, as is the tradition. Quite an annoying tradition for her, because she only did this for Johnson a couple of months ago, and it's fair to say little progress has been made.
It's hard to know whether she finds the whole process dull or laborious, because the Queen reads like a well-bred automaton who's seeing the words for the first time. Presumably this is so she doesn't let slip any political leanings that may influence events. I think, however, we can safely assume she would vote Conservative.
The beginning of the end of the United Kingdom
Thursday was a busy news day, what with Trump's impeachment and the Queen's speech in Westminster, but another item given less coverage in UK mainstream media was arguably more significant than anything else making the headlines. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's speech, formally asking the UK Prime Minister to transfer the powers to hold a referendum on independence from Westminster to the Scottish parliament, may well go down in history as the beginning of the end of the United Kingdom.
Is the UK government set to define the boycott of Israel as 'antisemitic'?
One of the first bills to be introduced by Britain's new Conservative government will reportedly stop "local authorities from boycotting individual companies", a move described as targeting the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.
The Conservative Party election manifesto did indeed pledge to "ban public bodies from imposing their own direct or indirect boycotts, disinvestment or sanctions campaigns against foreign countries", on the grounds that such moves "undermine community cohesion".
'It feels like a corner has been turned': Tax expert sacked over transgender tweet hails 'astonishing' support from JK Rowling as more celebrities including Sharon Davies and Duncan Bannatyne back her
The tax expert sacked after tweeting 'men cannot become women' has thanked JK Rowling and others who have backed her, including Sharon Davies and Duncan Bannatyne.
The Central London Employment Tribunal upheld the dismissal of Maya Forstater, 45, after she shared her views on reforms to Gender Recognition Certificates, with Judge James Tayler describing her beliefs as 'not worthy of respect in a democratic society'.
Harry Potter author Mrs Rowling, 54, voiced her support for Miss Forstater, amplifying the already significant debate around the validity of her views and her dismissal from the Centre for Global Development think tank.
Miss Forstater today posted an update on her Crowd Justice page, which has £93,000 pledged to it, up from £83,000 yesterday, saying the '50,000' who tweeted in support of her had highlighted how important this issue is.
British Academic Wants To Ban The Insults "Nerd" And "Geek" As Hate Crimes .........no, this is not The Onion or Babylon Bee!
Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Summit News,
An academic in the UK says that the insults "geek" and "nerd" should be criminalized as hate crimes because they cause distress to people with high IQs.
Psychology lecturer and psychotherapist Dr Sonja Falck says that "anti-IQ" insults are hate crime's last "taboo" and that they should be legally treated the same way as homophobic and racist slurs.
During her research, Falck says that people being called "nerd" or "egghead" or "brainiac" contributed to them "being set apart as being different to others and feeling like they're a misfit and they don't belong."
So in other words, these individuals developed high IQs partly as a result of being taunted as "nerds," suggesting the insults actually helped them in life.
From....the UK department of "You cannot make this stuff up!!"
Yet another scandal unfolds at the Bank of England
UK's Prince Charles to visit the occupied Palestinian territories, Israel
Prince Charles is scheduled to visit the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel for the first time in January, Clarence House announced in a statement yesterday.
On behalf of the British government, the Prince of Wales will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank, where the heir to the throne will "undertake engagements".
His five-day trip will begin in Amman, the capital of Jordan, at the end of January and end in Jerusalem.
Deposed Labour MP founds anti-smear legal fund
Chris Williamson announced on Tuesday he would launch a fighting fund for left-wingers smeared and harassed by false allegations of anti-Semitism.
A former Labour member of the UK's Parliament, Williamson was pushed out of the party earlier this year.
The legal fighting fund is being established thanks to a crowdfunding campaign and a legal victory by Williamson and his supporters.
"We'll keep defending our comrades by any means necessary," Williamson promised in a video posted to social media on Tuesday.
Homelessness in England Increased by 9%, New Report Says
London has the highest concentration of homeless people according to Shelter who also says that "wider definitions of homelessness would result in far more people being counted".
Homelessness in England continues to rise according to the latest information gathered by one of the UK's leading charities. Shelter says that their "analysis of government data" shows the number of homeless people has increased by 23,000 to 280,000 homeless people since 2016. This reflects a 9% overall increase in homelessness and an 11% increase in "rough sleepers" specifically.
Council is threatened with legal action after telling schools to let transgender pupils choose which toilets and changing rooms to use
A mother is threatening a council with legal action over its 'dangerous' transgender policy which tells children to use whichever toilet they like at school.
Victoria Edwards is fighting Oxfordshire County Council over its 'Trans Inclusion Toolkit', claiming it puts pupils' in danger.
The 65-page document states that children can use the toilet and get changed wherever they feel most comfortable.
But Ms Edwards has branded the authority's stance 'unlawful and damaging', claiming it 'places the rights of trans identified children above the rights of all other children and staff'.
UK: Black Who Strangled Young White Barmaid to Death is Now Charged with Her Rape
It's shocking that a black would rape a woman before killing her.
You just don't expect such a thing from a people who are celebrated for their exceptional self-restraint.
America's illegal alien population is three times Europe's
American conservatives are concerned that we are a step or two behind Europe in committing open-borders suicide. But if you actually look at the numbers, in many respects America is blazing the trail to destruction much more swiftly than Europe.
A recent Pew Research report estimated the entire illegal immigrant population of Europe is 3.9-4.8 million. That is for an entire continent of 747 million people. The U.S. is less than half the size, yet the estimates of the illegal alien population range from 11 million to as high as 22 million.
Boris Prepares to Give the EU an Absolute Haymaker
Britain plans to have 'new EU relationship' ready for January 2021 – PM Johnson's spokesman
The British government plans for its new relationship with the European Union to be ready to be implemented in January 2021, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said on Tuesday.
The government also plans to outlaw any extension of the Brexit transition period beyond December 2020, Reuters reports.
The spokesman added that Johnson had spoken to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the pair had agreed to work with "great energy" to agree a future relationship by the end of next year.
Scotland to push for second independence referendum post-election
Boris Johnson, having slaughtered Jeremy Corbyn in the election, is jubilant. He is currently coasting along on cloud nine, feeling vindicated after months of accusations hurled at himself and his 'untrustworthy' leadership. The man who just a short time ago, it was said, could face jail for deceiving the Queen and illegally proroguing parliament, took a gamble which paid off. He defiantly won the general election and now has a parliament behind him to pass his beloved Brexit bill.
Brexit Macht Frei? Controversial Cartoon Featuring 'UK Escaping Nazi Camp-Like' EU Sparks Outrage
Earlier, the head of the British Conservative party, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, secured a convincing victory for his party in the 12 December snap general election. His party made a strong emphasis on finalising the UK's long-overdue exit from the European Union.
A cartoon, drawn and published by Italian artist Mario Improta in the wake of Johnson's party victory in general election in the UK, sparked controversy over its use of Nazi symbolism to deliver the message that London will complete Brexit and be satisfied with the result.
UK: Boris Johnson to Pass Anti-BDS Law, Says Senior Conservative Politician
Days after winning a landslide majority in the UK general elections, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is considering a law combating the anti-Israel boycott campaign, the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), a senior Conservative politician revealed on Sunday.
The proposed legislation will forbid public sector organizations from boycotting Israel, former chairman of the Conservative Party Eric Pickles said at a conference in Jerusalem. "BDS is antisemitic and should be treated as such," Pickles added.
Furious parents hit out after children aged 12 were given homework assignment on the Manchester bombing and whether terrorists should be forgiven
Year 8 pupils at Bridlington School in Yorkshire were asked to pretend they were the parents of one of the young people killed in the horrific Manchester Arena attack in 2017.
Teachers asked them: 'Write a response to the point of view that: ''All terrorists should be forgiven''.
Corbyn's defeat has slain the left's last illusion
Corbyn's defeat has slain the left's last illusion. Jonathan Cook argues that the entire British political system and media are structurally biased against any advocate of real progressive change – not just Jeremy Corbyn – and that it is time to "head to the streets… to reclaim the public space, to reinvent and rediscover it". >>
UK PM Johnson Boycotts Davos Trip, Bans Ministers From Drinking "Champagne With Billionaires"
Just as President Trump refused to attend the globalist elites' party in Davos, so newly-crowned UK PM Boris Johnson has reportedly banned any of his ministers from attending the Swiss World Economic Forum snowfest next year (including himself).
As The Daily Mail's Jason Groves reports,
"Boris Johnson has banned ministers from attending next month's Davos summit - the annual gathering of the global elite.
Govt source: 'Our focus is on delivering for the people, not champagne with billionaires'"
Most notably, Johnson is now branding his administration as "the people's government," an image that might be undermined by the sight of him or his team brushing shoulders with the global elite at a Swiss ski resort.
British Elections are a Warning to Democrats
British Weapons Manufacturers, Banks, See Share Price Rocket after Conservative Election Victory
The big winner in last week's conservative landslide elections in the United Kingdom? Weapons manufacturers.
Almost every one of Britain's top arms producers saw large spikes in their share price immediately following the news that Boris Johnson was to become the next Prime Minister and Jeremy Corbyn was going to stand down as leader of the Labour Party.
Great Britain is the world's sixth-leading arms exporter, and nine British companies make the list of the 100 largest military contractors in the world. With the exception of Rolls Royce, which is suffering a sustained, long term decline in value, every one saw significant increases in value on Friday. Military engineering multinational Babcock, for example, saw its share price rise from £599 to £657 in the first hour of trading after the news of the Tory victory. There were also spikes for the likes of BAE Systems, Cobham, Serco, QinetiQ and Chemring and Ultra Electronics.
Who's Afraid Of Johnson's Big Brexit Win?
Boris Johnson finally cut the Gordian knot of British politics. With the massive victory in Thursday's election Johnson ensured his Withdrawal Treaty will make it through the House of Commons and deliver some version of Brexit in the future.
The win was so big it was an embarrassment to those who obstructed Brexit for the past three years. Of particular delight was watching Jo Swinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats, lose her seat after betting the party's future on revoking Article 50.
Head of UK Israel Lobby Group Announces Gov't Plan To Ban Boycotting Israel
After an election dogged by the weaponization of anti-Semitism, the victorious UK conservative party has announced a new legislative push that would prevent the public sector from working with any individual or organization that supports a boycott of Israel's government.
Pre-Christmas shopping discounts 'could hit 50%'
Sales discounts on clothing and products in the lead up to Christmas could be the biggest in almost ten years, according to one consultancy.
Deloitte, which has monitored the prices of 800,000 products online and in shops since 2011, expects average discounts to hit 50% by Christmas Eve.
Its forecast came as data provider Springboard said shopper numbers were lower than the same time last year.
Peggy Grande: Democrats beware -- British election is final nail in the coffin of the globalist experiment!
Leftist Losers React to UK Election
The Most Dangerous Political Party in Europe
The Brits cast their votes. They had a choice between Nationalist – hard capitalism and a socialist manifesto that promised a four day workweek, free broadband, free higher education, saving the NHS and equality ahead. The election results couldn't be more definitive:
When people are asked to choose between hard capitalism and socialism, capitalism wins.
A lot can be said about the collapse of Labour and its leader. How is it possible that Corbyn, clearly a well meaning man, managed to get squashed by the pompous, not so nice, Boris Johnson? How is it possible that the unruly Bojo crushed Britain's socialist elder, the man who just three years ago appeared to be a rock star and the only hope for change? How is it possible that the British working class turned their backs on the man who promised to save their NHS, raise minimum wages and push for an equal and fairer society?
Galloway Launches Workers Party Of Britain: Opposes Identity Politics And NATO, Supports Brexit
Following the failure of Jeremy Corbyn to be elected as the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, boisterous George Galloway, host of the "Mother Of All Talk Shows" on Sputnik, has launched the Workers Party of Britain.
Boris Johnson poised to tear up David Cameron's 'catastrophic' law after election triumph
In the Queen's Speech next week, Boris Johnson is expected to include the abolition of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act. According to a recent report by The Times, the Tories hope that the repeal will make it easier for them to retain office. The first elements of changes are said to be "ready to go" and could be put before Parliament before Christmas.
Corbyn's Massive Defeat Is Big Wakeup Call For Democrats
Jeremy Corbyn went down in flames this week in the biggest Labour defeat in 35 years.
DOUGLAS MURRAY: Britain's divide isn't North v South or red v blue. It's between the ugly intolerant Left and the rest of us
There is a troubling new divide running through our country, but it is not the one that people like to imagine. It is best shown by the Election result in affluent Putney, West London, where, in a rare victory, the Labour party gained a seat from the Conservatives.
Putney, like Kensington and Chelsea, is filled with rows of over-priced £1 million homes where residents would have faced huge tax hikes if Labour got into power. Yet the constituency still decided to vote for the socialist experiment that Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell were promising – and in so doing, upended a whole set of presumptions.
UK General Election: The winner is the Herzlian party – Zionist terror networks and Israel flag wavers
Ian Fantom argues that the real winner of the 12 December UK parliamentary election is the Herzlian party, the network of Zionist terror groups and Israel flag wavers within the Labour and Conservative parties and the British media.>>
Gina Miller admits NEW plot to wreck Boris Johnson's Brexit – despite Remainer humiliation
Gina Miller has told the BBC that her fight against Brexit is still far from over, as she revealed how Remainers will next try to halt Boris Johnson's deal. However, the arch-Remainer admitted that Boris Johnson's resounding victory meant that Remainers could no longer rely on Parliament to wreck Britain's departure from the EU. Mr Johnson won a landslide victory last night, after the Conservatives swept aside Labour in its traditional Red Wall heartlands.
Protests erupt across Britain as Remainers and Brexit supporters CLASH near Downing Street
ON THE DAY Boris Johnson called on the country to come together and heal from the divisions of Brexit, hundreds of left-wing activists took to the streets to participate in angry protests against the Conservative Party's landslide election majority.
*LIVE* screaming at the sky has started~UK protest
"F**k Boris" - Antifa Protesters Clash With Police Outside Downing Street As Furious Leftists Revolt
And since the fun never stops, more 'Stand Up To Racism' rallies are expected this weekend in Leeds, one of the few areas of Labour's "Red Wall" where support held up, and elsewhere.
Ironically, one of their favorite chants was "this is what democracy looks like."
Is it, now? Because we thought that's what you all were doing yesterday.
How the Red Wall crumbled: Traditional working-class support for Labour IMPLODES in usually safe seats as Darlington, Redcar, Bishop Auckland, and Burnley all fall to rampaging Tories
The Conservatives racked up a stunning tally of 365 seats in the first December election for nearly a century.
Jeremy Corbyn announced this morning that he will quit as leader after Labour humiliatingly collapsed to 203 - down 59 on 2017.
The bombshell numbers would give Mr Johnson a huge Commons majority of 80, the biggest since Margaret Thatcher's third victory in 1987, and more than enough to fulfill his vow to 'get Brexit done'.


The additional risk with value strategies is they sometimes fall victim to value traps in the latter stages of bull markets. When a company like Amazon is overtaking the retail sector it is easy for value investors to miss the wood for the trees because the balance sheets of the disruptees often look attractive on paper right up until they go bankrupt.
Hanesbrands, for example, appears in the statements of a number of value strategies because on paper it is a sound business selling a consumer staple. However, that ignores the growth of own brand essential garments and questions the brand premium of the incumbent. The share has held a progression of lower rally highs since 2015 and remains in a consistent downtrend despite the reasonably attractive valuations.
An additional consideration is the withdrawal of well-regarded value strategies from the market is a testament to the conclusion we are in the third psychological perception stage of this bull market where buy and hold and momentum have trumped just about every other strategy for the last couple of years. I'm tempted to think of value investors giving up as something of a contrary indicator.


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The Daily Beagle
Articles & essays on obscure history | The Daily Beagle
The Most Audacious Fraud in History
April 8, 2013 · by yamatosaxon · in Obscure History · Leave a comment
Gregor MacGregor by Martin Tovar y Tovar, 1874
On a recent visit to the British Museum, in the "History of Money" section, I came across a small side exhibition on "Bubbles and Bankruptcy". The main exhibit was a chart documenting the Dutch tulip craze, a well known economic bubble of the buying and selling of tulip bulbs. However, the piece that most intrigued me was a document regarding the issue of a £200,000 bond to a Scot called Gregor MacGregor who claimed to be the Prince of the sovereign territory of Poyais in Central America in the early 19th century. MacGregor was raising money for the colonization of this new land he claimed to rule. The entire enterprise would turn out to be one of the greatest frauds in history, there was no such place as Poyais. Hundred of thousands of pounds would be lost and hundreds of would-be-settlers would lose their lives on this scheme and yet MacGregor himself would never face justice. The fraud itself would continue for several decades despite clear warnings that it was a hoax.
Gregor MacGregor was born on Christmas Eve 1786 in Glengyle, Scotland, the son of an East India Company sea captain and a doctor's daughter. Very little is known about his early life other that he had at least one sister. At the age of 16 (1803) MacGregor joined the British Army, serving in the 57th Foot Regiment. His military career showed much promise as he rose quickly through the ranks to the position of Lieutenant in 1804 (probably through purchase of the rank as was usual at the time). In the same year he married Maria Bowater, an Admiral's daughter, but was stationed to Gibraltar the following year (she remained in London).
In July 1809 the 57th Foot were sent to Portugal as reinforcements for the Duke of Wellington who was in the process of driving the French out of Spain. MacGregor was seconded to the Portuguese army and promoted to the rank of Major. In 1810, only a year later, MacGregor bought himself out of the British Army and returned home. Adopting the rank of "Colonel" for himself, MacGregor and his wife settled in Edinburgh. The adoption of the rank of Colonel was but the first in a long line of lies that MacGregor would spin for himself. He soon claimed that he was a direct descendant of Rob Roy MacGregor and that as such he was the head of Clan MacGregor, a claim that was never substantiated.
It was around this time that MacGregor started to become interested in the independence movements that were springing up in Latin America, Venezuela in particular. Tragedy struck in 1811 when his wife, Maria, died prematurely. This sad end to his first marriage resolved MacGregor to go to Latin America to aid the independence campaigns. In 1812 MacGregor sold his modest estates in Scotland and his house in London and bought passage to Caracas, arriving in the spring of the same year. Whilst in Caracas he struck up a relationship with Josefa Antonia Andrea Aristeguieta y Lovera, a cousin to Simon Bolivar. The two were married on the 10th June 1812 and would have three children (Gregorio in 1817, Constantino in 1819, and Josefa Anna Gregoria in 1821).
In Caracas MacGregor was enlisted by General Francisco de Miranda, Commander-in-Chief of the Venezuelan Republican Army and Dictator, as a colonel. Almost immediately MacGregor proved his worth to the cause. At the time Venezuela was in a state of civil war between the pro-independence republicans and the pro-Spanish royalists. MacGregor managed to win a series of key skirmishes against the royalists which earned him a promotion to brigadier-general after only a few months of service (outranking Bolivar who was only a colonel at the time). However, the republicans were struggling to bring the royalist under control. Miranda sought to negotiate a truce, a treasonous act in the eyes of Bolivar. Bolivar and his fellow officers initiated a coup d'etat and arrested Miranda. Bolivar initially wanted to shoot the former Dictator but eventually decided to hand him over to the royalists instead. Miranda would die in prison and was buried in a mass grave.
Following Miranda's arrest MacGregor was forced to flee to British-held Jamaica having been in Venezuela for less than a year. MacGregor left his new wife in Jamaica and proceeded to New Granada to aid the independence movement in Colombia. He was placed in charge of the district of Socorro on the Venezuelan border where his only contribution was to aggravate his fellow soldiers. One local official wrote of him: "I am sick and tired of this bluffer, or Quixote, or the devil knows what. This man can hardly serve us in New Granada without heaping ten thousand embarassments upon us."
In 1814 the republican forces were routed by the royalists. MacGregor and the rest of the republican forces fled to Cartagena where he helped organise the city's defenses. The city was subsequently besieged by the royalist forces. MacGregor managed to organize a mass escape from the doomed city aboard gunboats than managed to break through the blockade and escape to Jamaica.
MacGregor would spend the next 6 years assisting Bolivar and even proclaimed independence for Florida from the Spanish Empire, although this campaign would ultimately end in failure.
MacGregor returned to London in 1820 as a celebrated war hero and he quickly set about using his new-found fame for one of the most audacious frauds in history. MacGregor claims that his escapades in the Caribbean had taken him to the Bay of Honduras. There he claimed to have befriended the chieftain-king of the Miskito people, George Frederic Augustus I (both king and people are real). MacGregor claimed that the king had granted him the principality of Poyais, a 12,500 miles² area on the bay of Honduras. MacGregor claimed that the land was fertile, with untapped resources and inhabited by "cooperative natives who were eager to please".
MacGregor had tapped into a British desire to colonize areas of South America and tap into the lucrative trade that had largely been denied to them by the Spanish. As such his scheme was embraced by London high society. The Lord Mayor even organized an official reception for him at the London Guildhall. MacGregor opened an office for the Legation of the Territory of Poyais at Downgate Hill in London where he would host banquets for government ministers, foreign ambassadors and senior military officers.
However, MacGregor was primarily interested in luring the Scots. He had been inspired by the Darien Scheme, Scotland's failed attempt at colonizing Panama in the 1690s. MacGregor claimed that he was a direct descendant of one of the survivors of the Darien Scheme and said that he wished to extend his new territory to the Scots first in compensation for the Darien Scheme. In Edinburgh he started selling tracts of land for 3 shillings and 3 pence per acre. This was at a time when the average worker's wage was 1 shilling per week. The price would soon rise to four shillings as people became more interested in MacGregor's scheme. MacGregor also managed to secure a loan of £200,000 to the government of Poyais on the promise of untapped gold and silver mines and a place free of tropical diseases.
The Legation of Poyais chartered a ship in 1822 for the first 70 would-be settlers (MacGregor had them all convert their money into Poyais dollars before they left) who included not just workers but bankers, lawyers and various people recruited to the Poyais civil service.
The following year another ship was sent with 200 would-be settlers. Upon arriving in the Bay of Honduras the ship spent two days looking for a port before finally stumbling upon the previous year's ship. The settlers found only untouched jungle. The settlers tried to make a settlement out of the jungle but soon arguments and tropical diseases broke out. Eventually the governor of British Honduras sent a sent a ship to rescue the survivors. Of the 270 original settlers more than 180 died and less than 50 would return to Britain.
Surprisingly, few of the survivors blamed MacGregor for their ill-fated journey. Instead they blamed his advisers and claimed that had MacGregor gone with them things would have turned out better. Even had they wished to sue MacGregor they would not have been able to as he had fled to Paris on the news of settlers returning.
In France, MacGregor contacted the trading company La Compagnie de la Nouvelle Neustrie and commissioned it to solicit more money. In France he would manage to raise a further £300,000 and some more settlers. However, French suspicions were aroused by an influx of people requesting passports to travel to a country they had never heard of. MacGregor and his associates were arrested by the French and taken to court. The trial, in 1826, lasted for four days. MacGregor's lawyer was able to shift the blame onto everyone except MacGregor himself. The only one who had to face prison was the director of la Nouvelle Neustrie.
MacGregor returned to Britain where he would spend the next eleven years trying to raise loans and sell land in Poyais. Despite the overwhelming evidence against him he continued to garner support but faced competition from other charlatans setting up rival Poyais Offices. He is last reported as trying to some land certificates in 1837. In 1839 MacGregor would return to Venezuela where he would be given a general's pension and citizenship in recognition for his services to Simon Bolivar. He died in Caracas on December 4th 1845.
Tags: British Museum, Fraud, Gregor MacGregor, Honduras, Poyais, Simon Bolivar, Venezuela
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text:
The West Chester Railroad (WCRR) was chartered in 1831 and began operation in 1832. The railroad line ran from West Chester, Pennsylvania, for  to Malvern, Pennsylvania, where it connected with the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad. Service was originally provided with horse-drawn cars.

The rail line originally terminated in West Chester near the corner of East Chestnut and North Matlack Streets. The railroad opened a 1.75-mile long branch line from Kirkland to Oakland to serve nearby lime and marble quarries before making a connection with the Philadelphia and Columbia. When locomotives were introduced to the railroad in 1845, it was determined that the iron-plated wooden rails had deteriorated beyond repair and the branch was abandoned. The first permanent station was built in 1846 and the line was rebuilt in the late 1840s to support steam locomotives. The line was later routed to terminate at the East Market Street station of the West Chester and Philadelphia Railroad (WC&P).

The Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) took over the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad in 1857, and began leasing the West Chester Railroad in 1859, though they lost control of the railroad after the WC&P acquired the entire capital stock of the West Chester Railroad. The WC&P ended the 1870s in a poor financial situation however, and as a result sold the entirety of the West Chester Railroad's stock to the PRR for $135,300. The West Chester Railroad remained a subsidiary of the PRR until it was merged into the latter company in 1903. The PRR re-routed the northern end of the line to a connection with the main line at Frazer in 1880, and subsequently the line was known as the "Frazer Branch." The PRR ended passenger service on the Frazer Branch in 1932, while service continued on the WC&P line (known until then as the "Media Branch," and later as the "West Chester Branch") until 1986. The majority of the Frazer Branch was removed from service in April 1969, with the truncated remainder surviving until about 1981.

The currently-operating West Chester Railroad is a tourist railroad which runs trains between West Chester and Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, on the Media/West Chester Branch.

See also
 List of defunct Pennsylvania railroads
 West Chester Branch (PRR)

References

Defunct Pennsylvania railroads
Predecessors of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Railway companies established in 1831
Railway lines opened in 1832
Railway companies disestablished in 1903
West Chester, Pennsylvania

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Stefany Bryan
Gymnast turned piano focused singer-songwriter Stefany Bryan joins us for some yummy organic goodness at Culver City, CA cafe Destroyer to chat about her debut album The Death Of The Songwriter, the double standards that women in music face, and her decision to trust her heart in her new musical journey.
You're riding the highs of the recent release of your debut album The Death Of the Songwriter! Congrats lady!
Stefany Bryan: Thank you!
Would you care to share with us a little bit of insight as to what inspired the songs lyrically and instrumentally?
Stefany: Yeah! Well in general, all my songs are basically forms of therapy for me, but also kind of give me a chance of exposing a more vulnerable side of myself. A lot of people don't get to see all sides of me, especially as a personal trainer, you kind of have to put on a certain face, you know? A lot of times my songs will stem from an incident involving me being really upset and emotional, like, a single instance or something that's accumulated over time, and then I'll just turn into a song. That's why I kind of like to joke that my songs are 'sad girl songs' or like, me just being moody. *laughs* It's really just the sad side of Stefany Bryan!
But we need to see the sad sights though! It shows you're a real person, and a lot of the greatest songs come from sadness.
Stefany: For sure!
And which song would you say was your favorite to write and record? If there's two separate songs.
Stefany: Definitely my favorite to write was "I Don't Look Like Her." A lot of my other songs are a little bit more cryptic and more ambiguous, but this one was very straightforward, like, you can tell exactly what it's about. It's like, 'This is how I felt, and I'm putting it all out there.'
And good for you on that because a lot of women, and maybe even men too, can totally relate to that type of topic.
Stefany: Yeah. When I tell people the story behind it, they're like, 'Yeah, you know what, I would feel the same way too.' As much as you're not supposed to feel a certain way because you have to be strong in situations, everyone was like, 'Yeah, I get it. I would feel that way too.' Like for me, I take rejection personally, and everyone always says, 'Oh don't take it so personally. It's them, it's their problem, it's their loss.' I get that they're trying to put it in a good light, but like, you're just naturally gonna take any kind of rejection personally no matter what. And I think with the recording, I already had it so ready and I was just so ready to release it that it was really easy to record. I think we actually did only two takes of my vocals, and we were like, 'Ok! Cool! It's perfect!' *laughs*
Was "I Don't Look Like Her" your favorite to record?
Stefany: I would say that was my favorite record, but I also felt like each time I recorded a song, it would all just get better and better, and I would enjoy it more and more. I also really liked working with my engineer. Like, at first I really didn't know what to do, but working with him just made the whole thing easier. He had all these options and things that you can change on the songs, and I didn't realize the complexity behind all of it. It was a great learning experience though!
If you had an unlimited budget to do a music video for any song off the album, which song would you choose? And what would your concept be?
Stefany: Ahh! This is like the hardest question out of all, and the reason is because I'm always so torn about music videos. I don't think there's ever been a music video where I've been like, 'Yes! This is exactly how I imagined it would be!' I've just never felt super satisfied with the final music video when it comes to songs that I like, you know what I mean? So I don't know if I want to do a music video. Is that a thing? Can I just not do them? *laughs*
There's always lyric videos! Then you can do really cool graphics and stuff!
Stefany: Yeah, that's true. I think when I try to picture myself doing music videos, it's so hard for me to imagine because I don't want to box my music into one interpretation. I guess it's because when you see a music video, you associate the meaning behind a song with the music video.
Or vice-versa. I feel like a lot of people are just so visual now that even if a video is not exactly what you might have imagined it to look like, because you've seen it already, sometimes it's easy to just automatically go to that particular version of it.
Stefany: Right! So I guess I'm not really sure about whether or not I want to do music videos. *laughs*
Stefany: Oh gosh, three artists?
You can do it! I believe in you!
Stefany: *laughs* Ok. Well my favorite band is Local Natives, and I would just love to tour with them because they're so awesome! I've watched them live, and they're honestly better live than on the album, which is weird because that's not common.
It's very rare, especially for pop acts.
Stefany: Yeah. They just have this really great energy, and I've loved them since high school, so Local Natives would definitely have to be on the tour. And then I love Ingrid Michaelson. I definitely draw some inspiration from her in my own music, and I love how she just has this amazing control over her voice. I just love listening to it, she's amazing. I also think I draw a lot of inspiration from Regina Spektor. She's a lot more piano based, and she released her first album herself also. I'm just like, 'Ok, if she can do it, then I can do it too.' I feel like we're really similar in our styles and how we're getting our music out there. So I guess those would be the three, and the name of the tour would probably be the name of my album, 'The Death Of The Songwriter.' I was thinking I'd be kind of a cool tour name, 'The Death Of The Songwriter Tour.'
I love it! And kind of going into your influences, you already named a few of them, but clearly you're very piano based, which is rare nowadays and very refreshing.
Stefany: Aww, thanks!
What other experiences, and also people or artists, inspire you as an artist and why did you choose to go with the piano as your instrumental base camp?
Stefany: I'll answer the last part first. *laughs* So I chose piano because I was classically trained in it for twelve years. I played piano for a very long time, but it was all about reading music and playing the melody by hand, not singing the melody. That's really the instrument that I know, and I mean, why not stick with the instrument I know? *laughs* I picked up ukulele when I was in high school, but I haven't done any of my songs with the ukulele. For me, I think there's way more options when it comes to piano. There's so much more you can do with it. And it's funny because one of the biggest criticisms I get from people, I know that's a little off topic, is like, 'Oh, you should learn guitar,' or 'Oh, you should get a band, or 'Oh, you should add more instruments.'
It's like, 'Umm, there's a reason why I'm doing this style of music.'
Stefany: Exactly! Like, the point is it's acoustic, it's low key, it's chill, it's not a band, it's me being a singer-songwriter, you know? I think that's funny, but I think people are just so used to hearing a full band all the time.
Yeah. Especially people here in L.A., we're so spoiled!
Stefany: Because the music scene is like, everyone's in a band here.
But even when you're a solo artist, you still have your band.
Stefany: Yeah. It's funny because I did try the band thing in, like, high school and middle school. I was in a band and I didn't like it. I found it really hard to write songs, and now I kind of refuse to have anyone collaborate with me because I really want a be able to make all the decisions myself. But going back to what you said, where I draw my inspirations would be Regina Spektor and Ingrid Michaelson. Like, sometimes I'll just take a song that I like to play and I'll take the key and use it for my own music. *laughs* A lot of times I'll be like, 'Ok, where do I start? Oh, what's a song that I like to play on the piano? What key is it in? Let's use that key and make my own song.'
I mean, when you think about it, there's only so many keys and notes to work with. *laughs*
Stefany: Yeah, exactly! But you know, it's hard because there really aren't a lot of piano-focused musicians. When I was younger, or I guess, really when I was in high school, I remember I really liked Atmosphere because they had piano. I was like, 'What if I was a female rapper that played piano?' But then that didn't work out because I can't rap. *laughs*
It definitely takes talent to do rap successfully.
Stefany: Yes! *laughs* But hey, Awkwafina is a rapper and she's Asian! Some people can do it! *laughs*
I always forget that she raps! *laughs*
Stefany: Yeah! Crazy Rich Asians is what everyone thinks about. It's so funny, so many people have said that I remind them of Awkwafina after they saw that movie. *laughs*
I saw her in Oceans 8 first.
Stefany: I need to see that still!
It's so great! I loved the cast and the story was fun. It was a good pace. I mean, it's your standard heist movie, but it's fun and I know what I'm getting into when I'm watching an Oceans movie. *laughs*
Stefany: True. *laughs* But it's also gender forward!
Yes! So good! Anybody who's reading, go watch Oceans 8! *laughs*
Stefany: *laughs* A little recommended movie plug there.
So with the way that modern music listening has been focused on the streaming aspect as well singles based releases and EP styles as opposed to a full length album, why do you think consumers are more likely leaning towards those types of releases and how do you feel as a newer artist whose released an album?
Stefany: I think it makes sense with the way society is, you know. We very much want things right away, we don't want to wait for them, so it makes sense that singles and EPs are successful. Also, like, in terms of attention span, more people are likely going to like sit and listen to like a fifteen minute EP than a forty-five minute album, you know?
Unless it's your favorite artist, and then you listen to everything, even if it's bad. *laughs*
Stefany: That's true! But how many times have people said, 'Oh my God, you should listen to this artist,' and you're like, 'Oh yeah, I'll look them up,' and you just never do. *laughs* At least if it's a shorter release, the likelihood for someone to listen to it I think will go up because, you know, people tell you all the time, 'listen to this person,' and then what? Like, how often do you actually go and search that person and look for them?
You have to write them all down because you'll forget, and then you just end up with this giant list of people that you forget to listen to because you got back to listening to Simple Plan. Oh wait, that might just be me. *both laugh*
Stefany: Same! *laughs* Well, for me, I feel releasing an album is the next step, regardless of if it's maybe not as conducive to the way that people want to listen to music nowadays, it's my next step.
And with social media being the most prominent form of marketing right now, do you think that it's made it easier or harder for independent artists to make a name for themselves?
Stefany: I think that it depends on the person. What I've learned is that I'm very bad at self-promotion, but I think if you're very good at self-promotion, then it's a really good platform to use. You have to have that confidence to put yourself out there all the time, or even if you don't have the confidence, you have to be good at pretending that you do have that confidence. That's really all it takes, and isn't that what all influencers are anyways?
You fake it till you make it.
Stefany: For real though. It's really hard for me because I feel like I'm just this tiny fish in the sea, you know, because everybody here is trying to be someone. It's like, 'Ok, what makes me different or what's gonna make me stand out?'
Well for one, your music style.
Stefany: I hope so, right? But how many listeners do I really have right now? Not as many as I would like, and I think part of it is being able to self promote, and it's just always been hard for me.
Us shy girls!
Stefany: Yes, shy girl life! *laughs*
It's like, no one cares about my life. Why do I supposedly need to post a billion times a day? *both laugh*
Stefany: Seriously?!?
Do you feel that social media also kind of adds on a pressure for artists to constantly have something going on, whether it's a show or a song or, I don't know, 'Here's my breakfast,' kind of thing?
Stefany: Oh yeah, for sure! Like, when you're booking a show, they ask for all your social media links.That's what they're going to look at and that's how they're going to decide whether or not they want to book you. That's how they judge you now.
I don't quite agree with that tactic of booking shows.
Stefany: Oh yeah, but I get it all the time. People are like, 'Send me your links,' and I mean, if you look at my links you'll know that I don't have a lot of followers. I don't, like, post my breakfast for everyone to see. It's hard because you have to pretend like everything you do people will care about, even if they don't.
As a female musician, you feel that women in the music industry need to portray themselves in certain ways in order to be successful.
Stefany: Yeah, I mean the whole 'sex sells' thing applies to that for sure. What I think about is this whole debacle with my EP cover, and it took forever for it to get approved because it was like the torso of a man. Even if I tried to post a link to my Spotify with that picture on my Facebook, they'd be like, 'Yeah, we're taking it down. It's inappropriate. I couldn't even post the actual version that I wanted on Instagram. It was ridiculous! This is literally a man's torso, and then when you look at all the album covers of female musicians, like, all of them are half naked. They might have a little flower over the nipple or something, but it's still in the same vein as my cover.
But that also goes into the question of, like, we can sexualize a woman, but not a man?
Stefany: Yeah, it's not cool at all, and it just shows the double standard of the music industry. But going back to what you said about the standards, I mean, yeah, I guess if I posted the show myself in bikinis and stuff I'd probably have more followers. *laughs* Sometimes I just like to satirically approach the whole situation because it's me understanding that it's messed up. It's like, if I need to be naked for a cover, eh, I would consider it for money. *both laugh*
I mean, you're a personal trainer so you have nothing to be shy about!
Stefany: Just don't let my mom and dad see it.
Just don't tell them, they'll never find out.
Stefany: They don't even understand how to get on Spotify, I'm not too concerned. *both laugh*
So the most important question that'll probably ever be asked, how do you balance your personal life with your professional life?
Stefany: That's such a good question. That's something I always struggle with in general, it's really hard for me to find a balance. I have a very nonexistent social life. That's about it, so I don't really balance it. *laughs* In terms of music and training, because my hours are weird, I do have time to go home. If I'm feeling it, that's usually when I write my music. I think if you have those waves of inspiration, then you have the time to write the music. Maybe I should, but I don't. It takes a long time to sit down and write music. I don't do as much as people say to do it. Everyone is like, 'You know, you should make that into your job as well' or 'You should write everyday for this amount of time,' but more for me, I kind of like to wait for the inspiration to come. And then if I'm really feeling it, then there will always be time for it.
Yeah. And I mean, you can't really rush art, and you shouldn't feel like you have to force it. Maybe, like, to practice everyday could be good, but it's always going to depend on what works best for you. And if you're actually trying to take it seriously, then taking the time is better, and we as listeners appreciate it more.
If you could give your younger self some advice in regards to what you've experienced so far with music or in life in general, what advice would you give her?
Stefany: Oh, this is going to be really sad, because I would tell her 'You should've started way sooner.' Like, when I think about it, it was all there when I started playing piano at like six years old. I had the tools to do more with music, and my whole life when I was growing up, I always had dreams of being a musician and I just never did anything about it. I know partially because gymnastics consumed most of my life, so it's like, if I put more time into music, I might not have gotten a scholarship for gymnastics and stuff. But I think a lot of the reason why I didn't fully pursue becoming a musician was because my parents really made me feel like I sucked at singing. They still give me backhanded compliments even to this day with my songs, and I think back then it really got to me and I was like, 'Shit, maybe I'm not good.' I think right now at this point in my life, I don't really care anymore. Even if my parents or my family doesn't like my music, there's gonna be someone out there that does, and at least like I can rely on them. So that's kind of sad, isn't it? I feel like I was always embarrassed to sing and play piano, so I'd wait for my parents to be out of the house and then I'd sing and play and stuff. And then when they'd come in, I had to stop singing. I mean, I honestly don't think they were doing it to be hard on me because they didn't think being a musician is a career. I think they just really didn't think I sounded good.
At least they still love you.
Stefany: Yes they do. *laughs*
And what do you hope that your audience will take away from your music?
Stefany: I think in a way, this has been a way for me to show people another side of me. Hopefully they'll kind of see that there is a more sensitive side to me, and that there is a lot more to me than just what you see on the outside, so hopefully they can see that. You know, we all have these complexities, and music is my way of exposing it. But also, I hope it helps people to take me a little bit more seriously when it comes to music, especially the people who have known me longer, like friends from high school and family and stuff. It's like, I've played piano forever, but that wasn't the big part of me that they emphasize, it was always me as 'the gymnast,' you know? So hopefully some of those older friends that have known me for a long time can see that there is a musical side of me. I feel like I've also had a problem of having too many interests in my life, and people tend to just stick to one and then identify me with that one of those interests. But there's more!
Yeah! There are so many layers! It's like in Shrek when he says that ogres are like onions because they have layers! We're not ogres, but we still have layers! Life mantras from the greatest cartoon ever! *both laugh*
Stefany: Oh my God! That's so great!
And now for our last question! Apart from riding the highs of your debut album, what other big, exciting things should we be expecting from you?
Stefany: So I actually haven't told a lot of people, but the reason I really wanted to get my album out there is because I plan on moving to Europe.
*gasp* Oh my God! How fun!
Stefany: Yeah! I'm just everywhere. I'm going to take a backpack and buy a one way ticket. I mean, our visas only allow us to be there on travel for ninety days, so I'll be doing the ninety days in Europe, and then I'm going to probably go to New Zealand. My mom's from New Zealand, so I'm going to go to New Zealand because you have to wait another ninety days before you go back to Europe. My whole next year is going to be me traveling, so when it comes to music, that's the thing, I don't know if I'll have time to write music while I'm traveling with a backpack. That's why I wanted to kind of make sure I got everything out of the way before I left, you know?
Well, you'll be having a great experience! And who knows! You could get inspired from your travels to write a whole new album!
Stefany: Yeah! Definitely hoping for more opportunities for awesome songs in the future!
Check out Stefany Bryan on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify!
About Destroyer:
Word of mouth has spread through the Westside (as well as many a Los Angeles based food blog) about a cafe that serves delicious high-end bites for a relatively affordable price, and that cafe Destroyer. The chic, modern minimalist shop strives to bring fresh, organic, and homemade recipes to any guest that steps through its doors. Apart from the intriguing blend of sweet, smokey, and savory scents that graze your nose, your eyes will naturally shoot to its environmentally friendly projected menu, and boy, are you in for a treat.
Destroyer's offerings include basic coffee options (espresso based drinks primarily), teas, and tonics amongst an impressive menu split into grains (oatmeals and breads), cold (veggie and light protein), hot (heavier proteins with healthy starches), and sweet (exactly what you would imagine to be gourmet dessert). I chose to go for a latte and the Spiced Apricot Bread, which was a glorious blend of fresh fruit, creme fraiche, and red currant. Believe me when I say that these meals are meant to be slowly savored, and if you're lucky to nab yourself a seat in one of their coveted indoor tables, shaded patio area or benched bistro tables, jump on it and enjoy the journey that your tastebuds are about to experience.
Check out more about Destroyer on their Website, and Instagram.
Posted in Female Vocalists, Solo ArtistsTagged art graphics, Asian, Asian artist, Asian musician, Atmosphere, Awkwafina, creme fraiche, backpacking, booking, cafe, california, classically trained, coffee, coffee blogger, coffee industry, Crazy Rich Asians, culver city, debut album, Destroyer, Destroyer LA, double standards, emotional songs, europe, facebook, female artist, female instrumentalist, female musician, female pianist, female singer, female singer-songwriter, female solo artist, female soloist, female songwriter, female vocalist, food blogs, gourmet, gourmet cake, gourmet food, graphic design, gym trainer, Gymnast, gymnastics, health conscious, healthy food, I Don't Look Like Her, I Don't Look Like Her song, independent artist, independent music, independent music scene, indie artist, indie music, Ingrid Michaelson, instagram, instrumental music, instrumental piano, live performance, live performing, local, local artist, local cafe, local coffee, local coffee scene, local coffeeshop, local community, local music, local music scene, Local Natives, local restaurant, los angeles, los angeles food blogs, los angeles music scene, lyric videos, marketing, minimalistic, modern design, moving, music, music blog, music blogger, music booking, music business, music community, music industry, music interview, music journalism, music journalist, music listening, music promoting, music promotion, music recording, music streaming, music video, musician, New Zealand, Oceans 8, organic, organic coffee, organic food, organic tea, oversexualization, personal trainer, pianist, piano, piano focused artist, plant-based, recording, red currant, Regina Spektor, sad girl songs, sadness, satire, satirical approach, scholarship, self-promotion, Shrek, Simple Plan, singer, singer songwriter, singer-songwriter scene, social media, solo artist, solo music, solo singer, solo travel, soloist, songwriting, southern california, Spiced Apricot Bread, Spotify, Stefany Bryan, stripped down music, The Death Of The Songwriter, The Death Of The Songwriter album, touring, travel, traveling, traveling musician, ukulele, west la, west los angeles, westside, women, women in entertainment, women in musicBy Crooners In CoffeeshopsLeave a comment
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Computer imaging and computer-assisted navigation were first explored in neurosurgery in the wake of improved precision and accuracy, leading to better outcomes. Later, its application in orthopedic surgery was recognized because of one main reason – the bony structure of the area being operated and its anatomical relationship remains stable and unchanged for the entire duration of imaging and surgical intervention.
Computer imaging was once used just during the surgery. However, its role and use before the knee surgery cannot be underestimated. The success of any knee surgery depends on how well the surgeon has prepared a treatment plan, which is done after the proper and accurate information has been gathered about the damaged joint.
Patients who are suspected to be the right candidates for knee replacement are first required to undergo a series of computer imaging tests conducted by an orthopedic specialist. There are many diagnostic tools available, including computed tomography (CT) scan, X-ray, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan to examine the knee and analyze the severity of damage to figure out whether a knee replacement is required or not.
While an X-ray can help identify problems with the knee, a computer imaging test is almost always required to assess the extent of damage to the ligaments, cartilages, and soft tissues surrounding the knee. Imaging tools such as CT and MRI scan show the extent of damage in detail in cross-sections.
Osteoarthritis of the knee is one of the most common reasons why patients are needed to undergo knee replacement surgery. It causes severe pain in the knee because of cartilage loss and damage, thus affecting the mobility and day-to-day life of the sufferer. Apart from cartilage, ligaments, and meniscus damage, it may induce sclerosis and cyst formation as well.
The extent of damage done by osteoarthritis is analyzed before the surgery with the help of computer imaging. The detailed test results help the surgeons select the best treatment approach for the patient that will produce the maximum benefit.
Once the problem areas have been identified, and the extent of damage is evident, computer imaging can be used to create customized patient instrumentation (CPI) and customized knee implants. This is done to improve the alignment, placement, and precision of the technique.
During this phase, the findings from the pre-surgery imaging studies such as X-rays, CT scan, and MRI scan are collated and manipulated using software to generate 3D models of the damaged knee joint and its alignment with the leg. The digital recreation of the injured knee joint is then used to create customized pieces that fit into the identified places to complete the anatomy of the knee.
This information is sometimes used to create customized implants that will be used to replace the damaged knee components.
Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) has long been used to position and place implants during knee replacement surgery. Computer imaging and assistance during knee replacement helps the surgeons avoid and prevent mistakes related to misalignment and malpositioning of the prosthesis.
Limb alignment and tissue balancing are two significant aspects that dictate the success of any knee replacement implant. Misalignment of the implant may decrease its life and increase the need for revision surgery. It may result in loosening and abnormal wear and tear, and this is the reason why surgeons need to pay keen attention to how the implant is aligned and placed during the surgery.
Computer imaging, thus, plays the role of a hero here. The different components of the computer-assisted navigations used during the surgery – the platform, tracking system, and active marker – make it possible to correctly align the implant during the surgery.
There are different types of computer-assisted navigations, based on the kind of referencing method (kinematic or bone morphing) that it uses to locate the appropriate locations. CT-based, fluoroscopy based, and imageless systems are the three types of navigations used during the surgery.
Out of these three, image-free navigation is the most common technique. Using this navigation, the surgeon obtains various landmarks from different knee surface points to determine the joint centers. The database that it possesses contains a vast number of CT scans from patients. The navigation system database morphs a model of the two bones – femur and tibia – that is best suitable for the registered surface points.
Does it make a difference at all?
Computer imaging has, indeed, revolutionized the way how knee replacement is conducted. But this is not the only advantage.
CAS takes more time as compared to conventional surgery. But it assures minimal risk of complications as compared to the latter. Additionally, knee arthroplasty conducted using traditional instrumentation may get complicated in case of extra-articular deformities. In such cases, computer navigation proves to be a boon.
As with any medical technology, there are certain things about computer imaging in knee replacement that are still questionable. First of all, the cost of customized implants is far higher than simple implants used during traditional knee replacement surgery. Additionally, the cost of computer-assisted robotic knee replacement surgery or simple surgery is far higher than traditional open knee surgery single-handedly managed by the surgeon.
Moreover, computerized navigation is not a full proof method. Its success largely depends on how skilled or experienced the surgeon is. Also, the surgeon conducting the surgery must be aware of the default settings and assumptions that are built into the computer system. Surgeons must understand that they cannot merely rely on the navigation systems to identify things that they cannot identify or point out.


In this game you play a game of volleyball with cute animals in the jungle. Choose from 8 locations and 4 different players. Collect powers during play and use them to have an edge over your opponent during the match! Click on the instructions button to know more about powers! This game can be played as both single player and multiplayer.


text:
{-# LANGUAGE DeriveDataTypeable #-}
-- |
-- Module    : Statistics.Distribution.Geometric
-- Copyright : (c) 2009 Bryan O'Sullivan
-- License   : BSD3
--
-- Maintainer  : bos@serpentine.com
-- Stability   : experimental
-- Portability : portable
--
-- The Geometric distribution. This is the probability distribution of
-- the number of Bernoulli trials needed to get one success, supported
-- on the set [1,2..].
--
-- This distribution is sometimes referred to as the /shifted/
-- geometric distribution, to distinguish it from a variant measuring
-- the number of failures before the first success, defined over the
-- set [0,1..].

module Statistics.Distribution.Geometric
    (
      GeometricDistribution
    -- * Constructors
    , geometric
    -- ** Accessors
    , gdSuccess
    ) where

import Data.Typeable (Typeable)
import qualified Statistics.Distribution as D

newtype GeometricDistribution = GD {
      gdSuccess :: Double
    } deriving (Eq, Read, Show, Typeable)

instance D.Distribution GeometricDistribution where
    cumulative = cumulative

instance D.DiscreteDistr GeometricDistribution where
    probability = probability

instance D.Mean GeometricDistribution where
    mean (GD s) = 1 / s
    {-# INLINE mean #-}

instance D.Variance GeometricDistribution where
    variance (GD s) = (1 - s) / (s * s)
    {-# INLINE variance #-}

instance D.MaybeMean GeometricDistribution where
    maybeMean = Just . D.mean

instance D.MaybeVariance GeometricDistribution where
    maybeStdDev   = Just . D.stdDev
    maybeVariance = Just . D.variance

-- | Create geometric distribution.
geometric :: Double                -- ^ Success rate
          -> GeometricDistribution
geometric x
  | x >= 0 && x <= 1 = GD x
  | otherwise        =
    error $ "Statistics.Distribution.Geometric.geometric: probability must be in [0,1] range. Got " ++ show x
{-# INLINE geometric #-}

probability :: GeometricDistribution -> Int -> Double
probability (GD s) n | n < 1     = 0
                     | otherwise = s * (1-s) ** (fromIntegral n - 1)
{-# INLINE probability #-}

cumulative :: GeometricDistribution -> Double -> Double
cumulative (GD s) x | x < 1     = 0
                    | otherwise = 1 - (1-s) ^ (floor x :: Int)
{-# INLINE cumulative #-}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


If your new year's resolution was to increase your ability to wait and wait and wait and wait and… wait, then this is the fruit for you!
Totally cute, small, yellow banana with pale, off-white flesh.
Strong, flowery, banana fragrance with a little bit of something bright, maybe pineapple.
Soft with a cool feel. Dry!
Yummy combination of banana and pineapple and maybe a bit of strawberry.
This is a diva of a banana if ever I saw one. You have to wait to eat it until the skin is black (not just a little black: BLACK) otherwise it is just "blah" with a tannic aftertaste. But, if you wait (and I mean WAIT – like three weeks well past what you think is a reasonable wait for a banana) then you will be rewarded with a tropical disco in your mouth — smooth, creamy, pineapply, strawberry, banana love. Oh and then the taste will linger and linger until eventually you think, "What is that weird flavor in my mouth? Oh – Is it STILL that banana? Good lord!" (This banana made me wait so long to eat it that I am overwhelmed with the use of ALLCAPS).
Some think the banana is good for fertility (hmm), while others are so convinced that the banana is bad luck that they won't even let their comrades wear fruit of the loom undies. These seem like a tragic confluence of the two.
If you like bananas, have you seen this? That has to be the craziest and most pointless kitchen tool I've seen yet. I would love to hear more about the bananas you've tried as well as crazy kitchen tools you have or use. You can see the very short list of kitchen tools I like here.
I love your site!! And I LOVE these tiny bananas, with their tangy, apple-y flavor. They're a thousand times better than the "normal" kind. I used to eat them all the time when I lived in Hawaii, where they actually sell these at the regular grocery store. They're so worth the wait.
Thanks for the info on this fruit . I bought a few bundles n thought id give em a try but the have yet to get ripe so thought I'd do some research before I thought they werr rotten n pointless to buy again.
thanks for posting this! I just bought a bunch of manzanos. I ate one thinking it was ripe (it would have been by Cavendish standards) and was wondering whether they were cooking bananas. Now I know what to look forward to, I'll be patient!
I hope y'all liked them after they ripened!
Thanks! I got some of these and thought they were ripe, could not figure out what the heck was wrong with them. Ah well, a little time in a bag on the counter and they will be yummy!
I live in the Caribbean and I have a bunch of these trees (or weeds, whatevs) in my front yard. I never knew what they were called until I googled and eventually found this article. "Tropical disco in your mouth" – hysterical. Also, one of my plants is blooming now so come by in a few months to get some of these awesome bananas!
Hi DFG and Francie – Glad I could help! I love these little guys.
I have a bunch of these in my home in Florida. I found that if you cut the entire vine and let them ripen upside down on the vine for a while and then pull off the bunches and let those ripen, that they retain their color and make for a better taste (less starchy) in my opinion.
Did not know it was necessary to wait until they're black to be ripe. I decided to fry an unripened manzanos in butter. It was okay, but it still had an unusual flavor. I will wait until the rest of the bunch are black before eating them.
Do they have a black seed?