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"Fund Syria's Moderates" by Robin Yassin-Kassab
Excellent post by the fantastic Robin Yassin-Kassab:
"It's too late to avoid the militarization of the conflict or to prevent the sidelining of non-armed groups," Lynch writes. While this statement is entirely true, it fails to take account of the enormous and continuing disparity between the sides. Not only is the regime far better armed and organized than the resistance militias, it is also by far the most destructive force in the country, by far the greater killer of civilians. At this point, it's not unusual for 1,000 civilians to be killed in a week. Bombs are not dropped on bread lines or petrol queues as a battle tactic, but to murder, terrorize, and demoralize the unarmed population.
The fact of the matter is the Syrian rebels are not being armed as much as the leftist fantasists supporting Assad claim them to be. If they had, Assad would now be out of power and, in all likelihood, dead. There is something to be said for the self-fulfilling prophecy of Islamic fanaticism emerging there: dither about doing something because of a fear of Islamists, and in doing so allow the conditions that enable Islamists to prosper, justifying the dithering at the start.
I think what is remarkable is how the FSA has begged, borrowed, bought and stolen the weapons it needs to fight the regime. In spite of the many mistakes carried out in its name, the FSA emerged and remains largely in response to the overwhelming brutality of the regime and its killing machine. The only effective foreign intervention of any type has been Iran and Russia's supply and support for Assad, and this has kept this dying regime afloat for as long as it has. As Robin says, the Syrians are not going to stop fighting this regime, and the Syrian National Coalition has already been recognised by over 130 countries world wide. It is time for the world to do something, anything, rather than finger point and pontificate.


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Jean-Baptiste Gravier, dit l'abbé Gravier, né le 21 avril 1723 à Lombez (Gers), décédé le 22 novembre 1799 à Saintes, est un prêtre catholique français, également compositeur et organiste.

Biographie
Une fiche biographique détaillée a été publiée dans la base de données prosopographiques des musiciens d'église en 1790, disponible sur Philidor*.
Il a été notamment organiste de la Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux de 1755 à 1763.

Œuvres
Un Noël à grand chœur a été découvert, dont seul le livret nous est parvenu (1740-1755).

En 1759, il fait publier Six Sonates pour le Clavecin composées par Mr. l'Abbé Gravier, Organiste de la Métropole de Bordeaux, à Paris.
 Sonate I en fa majeur : Adagio cantabile, Andantino, Tambourins.
 Sonate II en sol mineur : Spiritoso, Plainte (Grave, amoroso).
 Sonate III en si bémol majeur : Allegro ma poco, Minuetto,  & 2e (Andante).
 Sonate IV en do mineur : Allegro, Airs (Affettuoso).
 Sonate V en mi bémol majeur : Moderato, Chasse (Allegro assai).
 Sonate VI en la mineur : Capricio (Allegro), Aria (Andante gratioso), Giga (Presto).

En , il fait publier chez le même éditeur des Sonates pour clavecin en Quatuor avec le premier et second dessus de violon.

Voir aussi
 École française de clavecin
 Musique de clavecin

Sources
 *Philidor Biographie détaillée.
 Six Sonates pour le Clavecin composées par Mr. l'Abbé Gravier, Organiste de la Métropole de Bordeaux, Genève, Minkoff Reprint, 1982.
 - page 157
Benoît Michel, Le Noël à grand chœur : une pratique musicale à Toulouse et en terres méridionales (XVIIe-XIXe siècles), thèse de doctorat en musicologie, sous la direction de Catherine Massip et Anne Piéjus, EPHE (2012), volume 3, p. 93-95

Prêtre catholique français du XVIIIe siècle
Claveciniste (compositeur)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Gemini rules the third month of the solar year, and the third and final month of spring. Spring is moving into summer, and the tell tale signs are there, yet it hasn't happened yet. The Gemini energy is dual in nature, having both qualities of spring and summer built in. They are great at seeing all sides of anything they pursue, and the ability to move with the times. Being so flexible can bring a restlessness that can stop the Gemini from staying with anything after its newness wears off.
Gemini is the first mutable sign, the sign that culminates spring. Gemini energy is adaptable, like the month of the season it rules. The end of May, beginning of June can seem like spring one day, summer the next. Gemini's energy is versatile, good at many things, sometimes the master of none. Gemini curiosity and need of variety can take an individual off their course quite easily. They can get bored with the same routine, and need change. It's Gemini's nature.
Gemini is the first air sign. The air element brings intellect to the Gemini. They are flexible thinkers, being a mutable air sign. The air element brings cleverness to the Gemini, unencumbered with the need of stubbornly adhering to old ways. They think on their feet, are lost in their thoughts, and challenged with the goal of bringing those thoughts down to earth.
Gemini is ruled by the God Mercury. Mercury is the messenger, and so are Geminis. The mental capacity and the speedy delivery of those thoughts are what Gemini's can excel in. The challenge is to stay connected to the world through not only the mind, but physically and emotionally. Gemini's can be aloof and cool.
The Twins symbolize the dual nature of the Gemini energy, one the opposite by nature from the other. This gives the Gemini the ability to see all sides of a situation. Used negatively, the individual can be like a Jeckyll and Hyde, from one extreme to the other.
The highest use of Gemini energy is to access the wit and lightness of this air sign to cover a broader base, free of emotions. To stay flexible in your abilities and to remain curious and forward thinking. To share and disseminate information for the greater good.


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GHS (Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemicals) – Australia, One of the
January 1st 2017 was due to be the date that Australia began a small step towards raising the bar and joining the global community in adopting and mandating the GHS.
However in an unsurprising turn of events, by mid December 2016, Michelle Baxter, CEO of Safe Work Australia decided to announce that on 25th November 2016 members had agreed to let Australia lag behind the rest of the world and water down the GHS somewhat by allowing "Chemicals manufactured or imported before 1 January 2017 can continue to be supplied without needing to meet the labelling requirements of the model Work Health and Safety Regulations"
The decision by Safe Work Australia CEO to support a lesser implementation should not come as a shock, Australia so fragmented when it comes to Safety have struggled since the Harmonized legislation (WHS Act 2011 & Regs 2011) was brought in to most states and territories on or after 1st January 2012.
However in an even greater backwards step (when it comes to the GHS) was the action of Western Australia, Victoria & the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
The regulator and decision makers in the above jurisdictions decided that the GHS was not something they wished to be part of (at this point in time) and have taken the steps not to enforce the GHS, but allow Australian businesses and operations within the states and territories to continue to use the old Australian standard.
Confused? You will be. Where a business in WA, VIC & ACT may come unstuck is when they move a product or operate outside their jurisdictions, meaning that they will have to mean the basic principal of the GHS (minus the caveat that Ms. Baxter had pushed through).
These actions have in turn caused confusion with businesses who operate in the SME (Small to Medium Enterprise) markets and traditionally do not have a dedicated WHS/Compliance capability. So when did the GHS start?
It effective concept was back in Rio in 1992 and by the year 2000 a number of countries had begun to map out their transition and over the last 25 years or so have seen the fruits of the United Nations become a reality, including Taiwan who fully adopted the GHS in 2016 and Canada by 1st June 2015.
Harmonized System
OH&S
Globally Harmonized System of classification and l

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Audioslave: Show Me How to Live
A/V Club, Meiert Avis, Jerry Foley, Jim Gable,
DVD (Stereo)
Audioslave: Show Me How to Live available in DVD
Alternative rock supergroup Audioslave serve up three music videos from their debut album on this DVD EP. Audioslave has been transferred to disc in the full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and the audio has been mastered in PCM Stereo. The songs are performed in English, with no multiple language options. A 15-minute documentary on the group's November 25, 2002, concert in New York City has been included as a bonus.
Scene Index
Three hit music videos; Documentary of Audioslave's performance in New York City, live on Broadway; Digitally remastered; PCM stereo
Audioslave Actor
A/V Club Director
Meiert Avis Director
Jerry Foley Director
Jim Gable Director
Mark Romanek Director
Brandy Flower Art Director
Aris McGarry Producer
Walid J. Mouaness Producer
Rick Rubin Producer
Allan Wachs Producer
Side #1 --
1. Cochise [4:05]
1. Like a Stone [5:02]
1. Show Me How to Live [4:57]
1. Audioslave in New York: November 25, 2002 [14:48]


This post today is going to be all about empties, this year i've been trying harder to use up my products (especially face products) before going out and buying new ones.
These are the products that I have used in May this year, below the pictures I will include quick reviews on them which will also let you know whether they will be something that i'd repurchase.
This body scub is gorgeous! It comes in a 300g pot which does last me quite a few months, it smells like PEACHES and has such a lovely texture which really exfoliates well. I use this all over my body including on my legs post shaving. Will Rebuy!
This is one of my favorite face masks from Lush, it smells great and sure does wonders on your break-outs. I usually get the Angels on Bare skin but decided to give this one a go this time as my skin has been having quite a few break-outs recently. I love the minty scent but I feel it's quite harsh on the skin if you have sensitive skin, however if you're like me and are oily-combo, this would be perfect for you. Will Rebuy!
This was mentioned in my favorites of the month, this has been my go to makeup remover for the past 2 months and it has lasted a suprisingly long time concidering I use it morning and night every day. I can use it on my eyes without getting any irritation which I usually get with other brands such as Simple and I love that it doesn't have any fragrance as it makes me feel clean. I am currently trying out the combination skin version of this opposed to the sensitive skin one as it has a mattifying effect to it and so far I am not very impressed with it as it is stinging my eyes! Will be Repurchasing this in a couple of days if the new one doesn't pick up its game!
This has been my go-to liner for the past 2-3 months, I've really enjoyed using this however the black isn't very black. The applicator is great and really easy to use which is great for me as I have (as we all) days where my liner game isn't on point. I will not be repurchasing this as there are plenty of options out there regarding eyeliners and I am on the hunt for one which is very black with a matte finish.
I am a sucker for buying new toothpaste when they come out and buying a new one before I use the rest of the old one. This month I've really been loving this toothpaste and I have really noticed a difference with my whiteness of my teeth. I have been using the mouthwash as well as the toothpaste which are mint flavoured which is a big plus as I hate non mint toothpaste. I'm 100% going to rebuy this when I next go to tesco!
This is a sample my mum gave me after buying items from the Lancome counter in boots, she gave me about 4 of these pots and wthis is my last one. I LOVE this night cream! I wasn't using it for the youthfulness (is that even a real word) because I have a total baby face but as a night cream it was lovely. It had just the right amount of moisture and it didn't feel greasy on my skin. The only downside is that the real thing is SO expensive, I would love to be able to repurchase this but it is totally out of my price range therefore I will not be repurchasing this.
I know there wasn't many makeup products in this months empties but I hope you found my reviews helpful and maybe even go out and get some of these items!
‹ PreviousMakeup of the Day – Work Style!


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← Bertha Sightler
Ann Vaughan →
William Frantz
Title: Associate Instructor
Company: University of Phoenix
Location: Sun Prairie, WI
Sun Prairie, WI | October 26, 2010 | William Frantz, Associate Instructor at the University of Phoenix as well as other institutions, has been recognized by Elite American Educators for his accomplishments, achievements and leadership in all aspects of education.
Mr. Frantz is a 37-year veteran of state government and is now continuing to give back to the community in his second career as an educator. He lends his talents to the University of Phoenix at their Madison Campus and Capella University, where he leads courses in humanities, historical studies and business management. He also serves as a consultant for The Winning Edge. With over 36 years of combined professional experience, Mr. Frantz attributes his success to continually keeping abreast of the latest trends in his field. He enjoys the opportunity to teach his students and is rewarded with the opportunity to watch as they grow, learn and become leaders in the field.
Mr. Frantz served in the United States Army from 1956 to 1964 with two years active duty in California and overseas with Iran Survey Project, mapping the area from the Persian Gulf to Russia. During his time in state government, Mr. Frantz worked in engineering, administration and management for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. He was an adjunct teacher and assistant professor at Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, for 23 years prior to assuming his current positions. Over his career he has also dedicated her spare time to his local youth hockey program. He has received various awards for his dedication to the youth hockey programs, including Coach of the Year Award in 1980, Service Award as President from 1974-1976, and a Citation for Extraordinary Service to Youth Hockey in 1974.
Mr. Frantz has publishes articles in the Wisconsin State Journal, Sun Prairie Star, Middleton Time Tribune, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Minneapolis Star Tribune and In Business Magazine. He has earned a Master of Arts in political science, with a concentration in public policy and administration from the University of Wisconsin in 1975, and a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the College of Engineering at Pennsylvania State University in 1956. He is a certified professional engineer with the states of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and retains affiliations with the American Management Association, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and the World Future Society. He has received various honors for his hard work and dedication, including a Governor's Special Award from the state of Wisconsin in 1993, Commendation for Public Service, a 25-Year Service Award, and an Exceptional Performance Citation from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in 1993, 1981 and 1977, respectfully. Dedicated to success, Mr. Frantz advises others to never give up when working to attain your goals.
Contact William Frantz


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By Brahma Chellaney
Published: 05:23 am Oct 08, 2009
NEW DELHI: No one in the Indian government has said Chinese cross-frontier incursions are not happening. Yet to play down the incursions, New Delhi has accused the media of overplaying such intrusions.
To the delight of the autocrats in Beijing, who tightly control the flow of information in their country, including through online censors, New Delhi has made its home media the whipping boy.
The unwitting message it sends to Beijing is that when the world's biggest autocracy builds up pressure, the world's largest democracy is willing to tame its media coverage, even if it entails dispensing half-truths and flogging distortions.
The facts, even if unpalatable, should be allowed to speak for themselves. New Delhi's oft-repeated line in recent days has been that Chinese incursions are at last year's level, so there is no need to worry. But 2008 brought a record number of incursions, with defence officials reporting that the number of such intrusions went from 140 in 2007 to 270 last year, or almost double. In addition, there were 2,285 reported instances of "aggressive border patrolling" by Chinese forces in 2008. As defence minister AK Anthony told an army commanders' conference last year, "there is no room for complacency" on the Tibet border.
That the incursions this year are continuing at the 2008 level suggests there is every reason to be concerned. After all, the 2008 record pattern is continuing, with China keeping India under sustained, unremitting pressure. Yet, from the external affairs minister and foreign secretary to the national security adviser and army chief, Indian officials have sought to tamp public concerns by saying there is "no significant increase" compared to last year. Do they wish to thank Beijing for keeping border incidents and other provocations at the 2008 level without seeking to establish a new record through a "significant"
increase in incursions?
China has opened pressure points against India across the Himalayas, with border incidents occurring in all the four sectors. Chinese forces are intruding even into Utttarakhand, although the line of control in this middle sector was clarified in 2001 through an exchange of maps, and into Sikkim, whose 206-km border with Tibet is not in dispute and indeed is recognised by Beijing.
Yet, gratuitously stretching the truth, Indian officials say the incursions are the result of differing perceptions about the line of truth. That may be so about Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh, but can that be true about Sikkim and Uttarakhand? It speaks for itself that Beijing hasn't offered this lame excuse. Make no mistake: The Chinese border provocations have resulted both from India's political pusillanimity and from the withdrawal of China-related army divisions in past years. For example, the 8th Mountain Division, tasked with defending Sikkim, was moved from northern Bengal to J&K and took part in the Kargil War. Tank forces also were moved out from Sikkim.
Similarly, a mountain division was moved from the northeast to J&K for counterinsurgency operations. Such relocation of forces emboldened the Chinese. The current Indian moves to beef up defenses against China largely involve the return of the forces that were withdrawn a decade or more ago.
Chinese cross-border incursions are designed not only to keep India under military pressure all along the Himalayas, but also to ensure Indian "good behaviour" on assorted political issues, including Tibet, Pakistan and military ties with the US.
Take the Pakistan factor: At a time when an internally troubled Pakistan is facing US pressure to redeploy a sufficient number of forces to the Afghan front, China wants to shield its "all-weather ally" from Indian military pressure by keeping a sizable number of Indian forces bogged down along the Himalayas.
The Chinese muscle-flexing suggests otherwise. In fact, more than three decades after China tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile, India doesn't have an ICBM even on the drawing board. India still hasn't deployed even a single, Beijing-reachable missile.
If the threat from an increasingly assertive and ambitious China is to be contained, India must have an honest and open debate on its diplomatic and military options, including how gaps in its defenses can be plugged and what it will take to build a credible deterrent.
The media has a crucial role to play in such a debate, both by bringing out the facts and providing a platform for discussion.
Brahma Chellaney, Professor of strategic studies at the Centre for Policy Research in New Delhi, is the author, most recently, of Asian Juggernaut: The Rise of China, India, and Japan.
Courtesy: Centre for Policy Research
#Setting boundaries
EDITORIAL: Fighting virus together


We're the premier family of music ensembles for the LGBT community and its friends in Chicagoland. Our annual appearances and performances help the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community connect to diverse audiences everywhere through music. Each year, our ensembles reach more than one million people. In 2011, we were named to the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame for our contributions to our community.


For what is supposed to be a technologically advanced vehicle (Vorsprung durch Technik) - the Nav system on this vehicle is extremely backward. I have heard all the excuses - like the vehicle is built for the European market - well then don't sell 2nd grade stuff in the US! Now to get the system updated I have to fork out more than $200 to put it in a state it should've been when I bought the car. Have been asking for updates since I purchased the car and was originally told that this was free. Now all are backing off from this - both the dealer and Audi. It really is embarrassing when a passenger takes out their smartphone and puts it on the dash and says "Hey use this!". Clearly the Nav system on the A5 from 2011 was an absolute embarrassment for Audi but they do not even have the decency to offer to improve it!


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Balmain was founded in 1945 by Pierre Balmain. From the outset, Monsieur Balmain's boldly feminine and opulent signature style offered a startling contrast to the utilitarian looks of the day, creating a distinctive, super-feminine DNA for the house, which relied on richly embroidered fabrics, nipped-in waists and longer, often fuller skirts—and quickly transforming the Parisian house into a favorite of both European and Hollywood royalty.
Pierre Balmain was, "along with Cristobal Balenciaga, Jacques Fath and Christian Dior, one of the young Turks who revitalized Paris couture after the German occupation."
- New York Times
Balmain began his post-war career at the atelier of Lucien Lelong, where he worked alongside both Dior and Hubert de Givenchy. When he left to form his own house, success came rapidly, due in no small part to his mastery of couture techniques.
Pierre Balmain. Eric pour Vogue - 1948
Alice B Toklas wrote after Balmain's presentation of his first collection, ''suddenly there was the awakening to a new understanding of what mode really was, the embellishment and the intensification of women's form and charm.''
As The Atlantic explained in 2015, "Balmain didn't really hit his stride until the 1950s, when his slim suits and strapless evening gowns with romantic bouffant skirts conquered the American market. Stars like Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, and Sophia Loren wore his designs onscreen and off, introducing them to a vast global audience."
Katharine Hepburn - "La Milliardaire" - 1952
"The famous clients of Pierre Baimain are quite numerous," wrote Le Monde in 1958. "We know that Lili Palmer wears nothing but his light wools for both day and night, while Ingrid Bergman is not so constrained and feels free to wear whichever of his designs tempt her… Finally, Brigitte Bardot, who may not rely on one particular dressmaker has attracted a lot of attention with the velvet dress, worn under a matching coat that Pierre Balmain created special for her."
Over the decades, Balmain has always proudly remained true to the trailblazing spirit of its founder. Since Pierre Balmain's death in 1982, his house has been guided by a series of strong designers, each balancing modern offerings with the need to respect the foundations and traditions of the house. In particular, Oscar de la Renta oversaw a decade of collections in the nineties that were inspired by the colors, fluidity and elegance of Balmain's signature "Jolie Madame" aesthetic.
This is my most personal presentation to date. Today, we're marking my tenth anniversary as Balmain's Creative Director. It's a role that I stepped into when I was just a kid, (oh my god, just 25 years old!), way back in 2011. And it has been a responsibility that has controlled every moment of my life for the past decade—but, obviously, I wouldn't have had it any other way.
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Julian Burnside on 'The Favourite', historical accuracy and the 'C' word
By Julian Burnside
By the time you read this, many people will have seen The Favourite, which is showing in cinemas now. It is directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. It premiered at the 75th Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2018, and opened in UK cinemas on January 1, 2019.
The Favourite tells the story of Queen Anne of England, and the rivalry between two of her closest personal maids: Sarah Churchill (the Duchess of Marlborough) and Abigail Hill (later Baroness Masham).
Queen Anne presents as a tragic figure: crippled by gout, apparently delusional, and head of the most powerful country in the world, at a time of tremendous historical upheaval. Anne was born in 1665, while Charles II was king of England. He was her uncle. Her father was James, who became James II when Charles died without issue.James II was immensely unpopular, in part because he was Roman Catholic.
The split between Roman Catholics and Anglicans had emerged when Henry VIII left the Catholic church in1527 in order to get a divorce from Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn. It intensified under Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I. The Tudor line ended on the death of Elizabeth. The throne was taken by James VI of Scotland who became James I of England (the first of the Stuart kings). He was the target of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 (a plot by a group of pious Catholics who objected to his continued persecution of Catholics) and he was followed by Charles I. Charles I triggered the English Civil War by trying to sideline the Parliament. He lost the war and his head, but Oliver Cromwell's reign did not work out, and the monarchy was genuinely restored in 1658 with Charles II as king. Charles II died in 1685.As he had no children, the throne was taken by his brother James, who became king as James II.
As noted above, James II was immensely unpopular. The English Parliament in effect offered the throne to William of Orange, a Protestant. He accepted, and he and his wife Mary arrived in England in November 1688.
William and Mary reigned until William died in 1702. Anne was sister to Queen Mary. William and Mary had no children, so on William's death Anne was heir presumptive. She reigned as Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1702 to 1707. In 1707, the Act of Union created Great Britain, and Anne ruled as Queen of Great Britain until she died in 1714.
It is also surprising to hear some of the characters (especially the women) use the last surviving taboo word "cunt". Surprising precisely because of its taboo status these days.
Anne was second cousin to George of Hanover. When he visited England in 1680, there was a rumour that they would marry. They didn't. Instead, she married George of Denmark on 28 July 1683. Sarah Churchill was appointed one of Anne's ladies of the bedchamber.
During the early years of Anne's marriage, James II became king and (as noted above) he was removed and replaced by William of Orange and his wife, Anne's sister Mary.
Anne had 17 pregnancies, but none of her children survived. When she died in 1712, the throne was taken by her cousin George of Hanover, because of the Act of Settlement (1701). As George I he was he first Hanoverian king of Great Britain.
The accession of George as king of Great Britain must have been a shock to Georg Frideric Handel. Handel had been appointed Kapellmeister to Georg e of Hanover and asked for leave of absence to visit England. He was successful very quickly and received a grant of 200 pounds a year from Queen Anne. He didn't return to Hanover. But in 1712 his former boss became George I of Great Britain. In 1717, Handel wrote the Water Music which was performed several times for the entertainment of George I and his friends. It is said that The Water Music helped heal the rift which had developed between Handel and George as a result of him abandoning his role as Kapellmeister in favour of the lure of Queen Anne's England.
The Favourite has a dazzling sound track and includes (not surprisingly) a number of pieces by Handel. It also includes work by Purcell, Vivaldi and JS Bach (who was born in the same year as Handel). A little more surprising is music written by Franz Schubert, who was born in 1797. Similarly surprising historical misfits include characters saying "Okay", which is first recorded in use in 1919.
It is also surprising to hear some of the characters (especially the women) use the last surviving taboo word "cunt". Surprising precisely because of its taboo status these days. Although it is rare to hear "cunt" in film or TV these days, it is worth remembering that it is a very ancient word: it dates to about 1230, and was used (without apparently giving offence) by Horace Walpole in 1743. It became a term of abuse and fell into taboo status in the 1920s. In America at least it may have been eclipsed as the worst possible word: a few years ago punk poet John Cooper Clarke wrote and performed "Some cunt used the N word".
These things aside, The Favourite is a terrific film. It is visually dazzling: The sets are as sumptuous as could be expected. External scenes were filmed at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, and many of the internal scenes are also set there: in the Marble Hall, the Long Gallery and the King James Drawing Room. Some scenes were also shot at Hampton Court Palace. The costumes are dazzling, and the wigs of the Parliamentarians are astonishing, but familiar from paintings of the time. The competition between Whigs and Tories show Parliament as it was during one of the most interesting stages of its development.
I have no idea whether the complicated (and enthusiastic) lesbian sex is historically accurate. When male homosexuality was criminalised in Queen Victoria's reign, female homosexuality was not, because (apparently) she did not recognise its existence as a form of behaviour. At the time of Queen Anne, homosexuality was not a criminal act. Whether that made it more common or less restrained is not known. According to a biography by Anne Somerset Queen Anne: The Politics of Passion, Anne was a reserved figure as she entered her physically frail old age. So, The Favourite may have taken liberties with the facts.
Nevertheless, it is a fact that her friendship with Sarah Churchill was very close, and finally cooled because of political differences.
Without regard to historical accuracy and the occasional neologism, The Favourite is a really great film. Hugely entertaining and not to be missed.
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About the Author: Julian Burnside
Julian Burnside AO QC is a barrister who practises principally in commercial litigation, trade practices and administrative law. He is also a human rights and refugee advocate, and author.
16 responses to "Julian Burnside on 'The Favourite', historical accuracy and the 'C' word"
I hear 'cunt' coming from women more often these days, mostly used in the same disparaging way that men use it about other men. It may have been a taboo word, but like all taboos, its day has gone.
Fascinating to watch the movie, but the last two minutes of the film left a lot to be desired for me (and fellow movies goers I was with – even random fellow viewers came up asking 'what was that about?'). Costumes and the setting/buildings were beautiful.
Would have been interesting to read commentary of the ending in the review.
Jeff McMahon says:
Haven't seen the film. Have tried reading the (first act of) the shooting script but was not impressed (in places seemed downright amateurish) but perhaps the director has pulled something out of the bag. The 'c' word appears quite frequently in Hilary Mantel's 'Wolf Hall'. Seems it was commonplace way back then.
Rosemary A Jones says:
One of my favourites is 'quim'. c.f.
The rot is said to have set in with the passage of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885 or least when Henry Labouchère successfully moved an amendment to the bill that criminalised gay sex for men. It appears that QV did not veto a same provision for women.
In any event in late Victorian times same sex activities suffered a legal hammering at least for men and by extension it would seem for women. Not that it stopped the activity but simply drove it underground as Oscar Wilde found to his cost.
It is not so much the hard sound of the word as the violence that often accompanies its use. It current meaning – insulting someone by calling them a woman's body part offensively – hits women hard in a misogynistic society rife with domestic violence. Kids call their female teachers 'you f**king c**t' regularly in many male led schools. It is part of a bigger picture. 'Outlander' got away with it in context – Jamie loved his woman.
Rodney Polkinghorne says:
> At the time of Queen Anne, homosexuality was not a criminal act.
Actually, being gay was a capital offence under Queen Anne. An Acte for the punishment of the vice of Buggerie (25 Hen. 8 c. 6) was passed in 1533. Queen Victoria's role was to stop the hangings, in 1861.
Where can I see it? Julian lives in Melbourne. Can we see it in "the regions"? I live in Newcastle NSW (don't sneer). Please help!
Douglas says:
You need help to find out whether a movie is on in your city? YES it is!
Many thanks for your reply, but The Favourite is not showing in any cinema I can find in the Newcastle/ Lake Macquarie area. We have Event, Hoyts and Reading cinemas – but no go.
KMulholland49 says:
I would have thought that a more colloquial word to use in Queen Anne's reign was 'cunny, a common word in literature used right up until the 1900s.
Personally the C word (I'm assuming there's a nanny on this site) has become so sexist and so violently offensive that I think we should permanently delete this word from our mouths because it uses our most intimate and loving parts for our worst insults. On the other hand I would like to see the reintroduction of the word 'cunny' for use in intimate moments or when talking to children about their body parts.
Here is how it might sound in various circumstances. Note: it lacks the nasty force of the C word. http://tbqfh.com.au/2016/11/20/we-discuss-the-origin-of-cunny/
Tim Taylor says:
Our feminists are, as usual, very quick to pick up the latest trends from the other side of the Pacific. One of the reasons the C-word is so repugnant in the US is that it is mostly used as a term of abuse for women since they are the sex that is equipped with that particular feature of the anatomy.
This is not the case in Australia, where the C-word is a term of general abuse for people (perhaps even more for men than for women), things, and situations and has never been quite so taboo as it is in the US.
As for whether our swearing should be cleansed of words for 'intimate and loving parts', the same might go for 'cock', 'dick', and 'prick', which are used in various terms of abuse ('prick', 'dickhead' and the like), 'balls' (as in 'balls-up') and of course the F-word, which is supposed to refer to the act of making love but manages to find itself in some of our vilest imprecations. In fact, the C-word doesn't seem much more sexist than any of the others.
As for whether 'bad language' or 'swear words' in general should be exorcised from the language, well, good luck with that. There are people (I think Stephen Fry is one of them) who take the view that such words and expressions enrich the language, and that some of the greatest practitioners of English have actually been highly adept both at swearing and at using persuasive, respectable, even high-flown language.
Matt from Sydney says:
I agree that it is beautiful looking film with great performances. However, the historical inaccuracies start to niggle outside the ones mentioned in the article. For example, Anne was actually quite devoted to her husband, George, for the entirety of their marriage and they actually slept in the same bed (unusual for monarchs at the time), which renders the whole 'lesbian love triangle' a bit meaningless. Then you discover that the costumes aren't historical, then that weird dance scene…one leaves the cinema wondering what was the point of it all?
Dancing two shoes says:
Just because Anne had a devoted and intimately loving relationship throughout their marriage does not preclude her from having dalliances with members of the same sex. Human sexuality is a complex thing. It may be that she never had such dalliances. It may be that she trusted her intimate 'servant' so much, above others, that it was the only form of abandonment and delight she could participate in. Who knows? What I do know from reading much about eros in humans, is that any sense of 'fixed' sexuality can be dismissed out of hand. Most children start their sexual explorations with a member of the same sex, possibly experiment with both genders, fix upon one gender, change if they have great unhappiness or are lonely through the death of a partner or ill-treatment by a partner, or just because they're bored. Don't dismiss what you don't know or haven't tried! As forth dances, they were fantastic and memorable scenes, ones that depict a bored and very sad person taking delight in silliness. Anne clearly did have a sense of humour!
Robert Culbard says:
"Don't dismiss what you don't know or haven't tried" reminds me of the line in that controversial (at the time) production of "Hair – "Don't knock it until you've tried it"!
Human rights lawyer film critic & historian – I think Julian must have a secret double sharing his workload! Great read.
Rosie Jones says:
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text:
package fr.inria.anhalytics.commons.properties;

import fr.inria.anhalytics.commons.exceptions.PropertyException;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.FileInputStream;
import java.util.Properties;

/**
 *
 * @author achraf
 */
public class KbProperties {

    private static String processName;

    private static String fromDate;

    private static String untilDate;

    private static boolean processByDate = true;

    private static boolean reset;

    public static void init(String properties_filename) {
        Properties props = new Properties();
        try {
            File file = new File(System.getProperty("user.dir"));
            props.load(new FileInputStream(file.getAbsolutePath()+File.separator+"config"+File.separator+properties_filename));
        } catch (Exception exp) {
            throw new PropertyException("Cannot open file " + properties_filename, exp);
        }
    }

    /**
     * @return the processName
     */
    public static String getProcessName() {
        return processName;
    }

    /**
     * @param processName the processName to set
     */
    public static void setProcessName(String processname) {
        processName = processname;
    }

    /**
     * @return the fromDate
     */
    public static String getFromDate() {
        return fromDate;
    }

    /**
     * @param fromDate the fromDate to set
     */
    public static void setFromDate(String fromdate) {
        fromDate = fromdate;
    }

    /**
     * @return the untilDate
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    public static String getUntilDate() {
        return untilDate;
    }

    /**
     * @param untilDate the untilDate to set
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    public static void setUntilDate(String untildate) {
        untilDate = untildate;
    }

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    public static boolean isReset() {
        return reset;
    }

    /**
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        reset = isreset;
    }

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    public static boolean isProcessByDate() {
        return processByDate;
    }

    /**
     * @param aProcessByDate the processByDate to set
     */
    public static void setProcessByDate(boolean aProcessByDate) {
        processByDate = aProcessByDate;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Odessa Branch
The Administrative Council of the branch
HFC in Athens
HFC Worldwide
Cooperation and support
Learning greek
Greek language studies
Greek language courses
The Philiki Etaireia museum
Philiki Etairia
The work schedule
The worrk schedule
Lending division
Dance troupe
"Rhythm. Motion"
"Memory of K.K. Kostandi lives in the hearts of Odessites"
XXIII Children's Art Contest "The Spirit of Hellas is Among Us"
Published by HFC at 16.11.2017
The first personal exhibition "Rhythm. Motion" of a young artist of Greek origin Ms. Zhanna Pulcho will be launched at the Branch of the HFC November 24, 2017 (Friday) at 17:00 and last until December 10, 2017.
Zhanna Pulcho is a four-year student at the Institute of Architecture and Arts of the Odessa National Academy of Construction and Architecture specializing in Fine Arts. A graduate from the K.K. Kostandi Childrens' School of Fine Arts in Odessa, she regularly participates in joint exhibitions of the artists from Odessa at both local and national scale.
The exhibition "Rhythm. Motion" presents nearly 30 works of the young artist executed in graphics, water coloring and printing.
Commenting on the theme of her exhibition, the artist says:
"Rhythm is immanently inherent in humans as living organisms; it manifests itself in the perception of space and time in such processes as heartbeat and breathing, the alternation of day and night, the alternation of the seasons.
Rhythm is a living variety, suggestive of a suitable plastic solution. Thanks to this, works of an artist acquire emotional character.
Motion in a picture is the exponent of time.
The depth of phenomena and human characters is most evident in a concrete action, in motion. Even in such genres of as portrait, landscape or still life, the artist seeks not only to capture, but also to fill the image with dynamics, to express his essence in action during a certain period or even to imagine the future. The dynamism in the works is connected not only with the movement of some objects, but also with their internal state".
Zhanna Pulcho
+380984436953 #janetpulcho
Opening of the exhibition "Faces of Creativity"
Opening of the exhibition "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece"
Exhibition of Greek engravings from the collection of Christos and Polly Kolliali "Greece, the land of heroes"
Events of the day
Hellenic Foundation for Culture
Odessa 65026, Krasny provulok 20, Ukraine
Tel.: +380/482-357136
Fax: +380/482-346640
Winners of the 24th Annual Children's Art Contest "The Spirit of Hellas Among Us" travel to the Island of Crete, Greece
Lecture: "Nostalgia for Byzantium in Contemporary Culture"
Participation of the Branch of the Hellenic Foundation for Culture in the Book Arsenal in Kyiv
Our permanent sponsor
© 2019 HFC Odessa. All Rights Reserved. Agency Ideas


text:
package com.triode.androidtestapp.product;

import android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar;

import com.triode.androidtestapp.R;
import com.triode.androidtestapp.core.activities.MVActivity;
import com.triode.androidtestapp.core.fragmentstack.FragmentTransaction;
import com.triode.androidtestapp.product.splash.SplashFragment;

/**
 * Created by triode on 13/9/16.
 */
public class HomeActivity extends MVActivity<HomeView> {

    /**
     * Extending fragment should override this to provide the
     * enclosing view class
     *
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     */
    @Override
    protected Class<HomeView> getViewClass() {
        return HomeView.class;
    }

    /**
     * Function needs to override by the child classes to load
     * the contents and add the listeners
     */
    @Override
    protected void onBindView() {
        final Toolbar toolbar = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.toolbar);
        //toolbar.setLogo(R.drawable.ic_reorder_black_24dp);
        setSupportActionBar(toolbar);
        getSupportActionBar().setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
        if(!isRestored){
            getSupportActionBar().hide();
            showSpalshScreen();
        }
    }

    /**
     * function show the splash screen
     */
    private void showSpalshScreen(){
        final FragmentTransaction transaction = new FragmentTransaction();
        transaction.isRoot = true;
        transaction.mInAnimation = android.support.design.R.anim.abc_grow_fade_in_from_bottom;
        transaction.mOutAnimation = android.support.design.R.anim.abc_slide_out_top;
        transaction.mFrameId = R.id.container_view;
        transaction.mFragmentClass = SplashFragment.class;
        getmFragmentManager().push(transaction);
    }
}


The Schwaben 100-piece specialty bit kit includes bits to fit a wide assortment of automotive fasteners, including tamper-proof Torx® and hex bits. Breeze through repairs knowing you can remove odd specialty fasteners with ease. These bits are made of hardened Chrome Vanadium steel for years of dependable use. Packaged in a handy blow molded case with individually marked bit slots for easy organization.


text:
Hans Ougen Skotner (1903–1987) was a Norwegian lawyer and government official.  He served briefly as the County Governor of Troms county from 1941 until 1945. The previous governor, Gunnar Bjørn Nordbye died suddenly in 1940.  The Kingdom of Norway was in the midst of fighting against the German occupation of Norway, so the government-in-exile of Norway appointed Hans Gabrielsen, the County Governor of Finnmark county (to the north), as the acting governor of Troms county also. He was soon arrested by the German authorities, so then Hans Skotner was appointed to be the acting governor of Troms to replace Gabrielsen.  The German-supported Nasjonal Samling government appointed Marcus Bull to be the County Governor of Troms in 1941.  Skotner resumed his duties as acting governor after the war ended until Arne Aas was named the next official governor in 1946.

References

1903 births
1987 deaths
County governors of Norway


text:
Disasters to rise as climate changes: insurers
By Hamish McNeilly
Distasters are coming. That is the prediction from Insurance Council of New Zealand chief executive Chris Ryan, who said the number of disasters caused by storms, floods, tornadoes and snowstorms would rise.
"The insurance industry is of the belief that [the] climate is changing," he said.
Volatile weather patterns, coupled with more people living in risk-prone localities such as coastal, flood plains, and slip-prone areas, was a recipe for more natural disasters, he said.
Mr Ryan cited the 2007 Otago and Canterbury frosts, and the 2009 North Island tornadoes as examples of recent volatile weather patterns which had resulted in large insurance claims.
Insurance Council claims history reveals New Zealand's costliest disaster was the 1987 Bay of Plenty earthquake, which cost $192 million but had been inflation-adjusted to $330 million.
Although earthquakes were "the most destructive" disasters, they were infrequent compared with other natural disasters.
Mr Ryan said the claims history dated from 1968, and began with the sinking of the ferry Wahine which cost $10 million at the time but had been adjusted to $145 million - the second-costliest natural disaster.
In addition, the 1968 Wahine storm was 10th on the list, with an adjusted cost of $51 million.
Three Southern disasters featured in the top 10 list, which did not take into account claims to the Earthquake Commission, such as the 1979 Abbotsford landslip.
Third-placed were the 1984 Southland floods ($124 million), seventh-placed the 1999 Queenstown Lakes floods ($56 million) and ninth-placed the 1978 Otago floods ($53.3 million).
Despite flood protection work, "the risk for all three is still there", and he cited increasing development on the Taieri as one example.
Large waterways, particularly during times of heavy spring rainfall and snow melt, made some areas of the Southern region susceptible to flooding.
Mr Ryan said homebuyersshould check to see if their potential home had been flooded before, as that could affect future insurance claims.
He also advised people to check their contents insurance, often woefully inadequate for disasters such as floods.
Anecdotal evidence suggested for every financial disaster payout, another third could be added to the total for those uninsured, and a further third for the effect on the local economy.
While most homeowners had insurance, many people in rental accommodation did not, and were financially at risk in any disaster.
Last year, the Insurance Council dealt with four large-scale weather and one earthquake-related event, costing insurers $6.75 million, compared with $86.27 million the year before.
Asked if New Zealand could expect a major disaster this year, Mr Ryan was unequivocal.
"Oh, yeah. This last winter was one of the quietest we have ever had."
It is too early to estimate the damage from last month's severe flooding in Southland and the flooding in Queenstown and Wanaka last week.
Niwa scientist Dr James Renwick said climate was hard enough to predict, let alone extreme weather patterns.
However, New Zealanders could expect to see more weather volatility.
"New Zealand is exposed to a lot of weather and climate extremes."
Otago Civil Defence emergency management group co-ordinator Scott McNaughton said it was important for people to be prepared, and referred households to the survival guide at the back of their telephone books.
Digging up the past
Striking at the heart of the issue
Dunedin pupils show support for youth climate campaign
Youth climate crusade coming to Dunedin
Joining global effort on climate change rational choice for NZ
Ice sheet could melt - study
Putting a price on our emissions
Toxic price may be paid for warm summer
Tower seeks $71m for shaky balance sheet
Heavyweights lobby Govt on climate action
Royal Highnesses no more: Sussexes cease using royal titles


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text:
Arthur the Cat, Providing Affection and Support to Emergency Room...
Family Helps Blinded Kitty to See Again
The Cat Food Shortage on Japan's Cat Island and the Recent Miracle That Saved Them ..
TOKYO, JAPAN – An army of cats ruling a remote Japanese island seem to be licking their whiskers after a plea for food aid triggered an onslaught of donations from cat lovers from all over the world.
More than 140 cats occupy the tiny island of Aoshima in the south of Japan — outnumbering humans by eight to one — but when the feral felines recently ran out of cat food, a cry for help led to an unprecedented response.
"Food began pouring in from all over Japan," Kazuyuki Ono, 59, whose tweet raised the alarm, told reporters.
"There's so much of it now we can't store it," he added.
"We're asking people to stop sending donations. But the cats couldn't be happier."
Literally hundreds of boxes of cat food arrived at Aoshima dock, a 30-minute boat ride from the mainland, in time for February 22 — officially Cat Day in Japan.
"The food started arriving right at that time," said Ono.
"In spring and summer, tourists bring food to feed the cats but when it gets cold, the sea is rough and nobody comes. Sometimes boats can't cross in the rough seas. It's a mysterious little island."
Aoshima, known also as Cat Island, was once home to 1,000 people but today only 16 remain, and most of them are senior citizens.
But the cats, originally brought to the island to kill the mice that infested fishermen's boats, rule the roost and visitors flock from across Asia and even Europe and the United States to see these amazing fluffy creatures.
"It's a cat paradise here," said Ono, who took to Twitter at the request of Naoko Kamimoto, president of the Aoshima Cat Protection Society, after she noticed that the cupboard was bare.
"There are no crows, no dogs, no bikes, no cars," Ono said.
"They love nothing more than to just lie about in the street sunning themselves all day. Now their bellies are full, they're purring happily."
Just goes to show you, when cat lovers can come together in a common cause, miracles DO happen!
A taste of Cat Island:
More From: Inspiring
One-Eyed Rescue Cat Finds A Purrfect Companion In Her New Family's Dog


Fitch has reaffirmed Computershare Loan Services' ratings of 'RPS1-' and 'RSS2+'.
It cited the company's approach to technology and operational efficiency in its latest report.
By re-assigning the company UK Residential Primary and Special Servicer Ratings of 'RPS1-' and 'RSS2+', Fitch has again given Computershare Loan Services the joint highest rating of any UK third-party mortgage servicer.
Andrew Jones, CEO at Computershare Loan Services, said: "This rating again reflects our long-standing status as the best-rated and largest mortgage servicer in the UK – and the increasing benefits of being part of a global servicing operation.
In the report, Fitch praised the Skipton-headquartered company's "three-lines-of-defence risk management framework, which is industry best practice" and its "well documented" policies and procedures.
The report also referred to "timelines for handling written correspondence" that "compare well with UK rated peers" and "robust oversight of third party suppliers" that "includes a dedicated team carrying out regular reviews, providing documented feedback with issues tracked through an action log".


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Home / Commentary / As calls rise for the US to ease sanctions on Tehran, why is Netanyahu silent?
As calls rise for the US to ease sanctions on Tehran, why is Netanyahu silent?
https://jiss.org.il/en/amidror-calls-rise-for-us-to-ease-sanctions/
Major General (res.) Yaakov Amidror
The Anne and Greg Rosshandler Senior Fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.
General Amidror: "Israel attacked targets in Syria yesterday, according to foreign sources. The State of Israel continues to do what it needs to do, without talking, and the Americans do whatever they think is right in terms of sanctions."
Times Of Israel, 02.04.2020
In February 2015, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu casually dismissed socioeconomic worries because, in his view, the greatest threat to Israel's existence is Iran's quest for nuclear weapons. "When we talk about the price of housing, about the cost of living, I don't forget life itself for a single moment," he tweeted, earning much scorn from people poking fun at his apparent Iran obsession.
No politician in the world has been as outspoken about the need to confront Iran as Netanyahu. But since the novel coronavirus started spreading several weeks ago, the prime minister has not mentioned Iran even once. Rather, his public statements focus exclusively on two issues: the need to prevent the pandemic from spreading lest thousands of Israel die — what he called "life itself," if you will — and, in the political realm, the need to establish a unity government.
Over in the United States, Donald Trump's administration has continued to wage a verbal and economic war with the Islamic Republic, despite thousands of Iranians dying from COVID-19, the sickness caused by the virus. By contrast, the Israeli government has been absolutely silent on the issue.
Is Jerusalem in favor of temporarily easing sanctions on Tehran, as a humanitarian gesture? Or does Netanyahu fully back the White House's ongoing "maximum pressure" campaign against the regime?
Official Israel has not taken a position on these questions. The Prime Minister's Office did not respond to several Times of Israel queries on its position vis-a-vis Jerusalem's regional arch-enemy during this time of unprecedented crisis.
Notwithstanding the radio silence, the coronavirus has not replaced Iran as Israel's public enemy number one, several analysts said this week.
"I'm not sure what added value it would have for Netanyahu to chime in here. It seems to me that it's actually better for Israel to keep a lower profile from Israel's standpoint," said Michael Makovsky, the president and CEO of the Washington-based Jewish Institute for National Security of America.
Iran has lots of money and could easily divert some of it to health care rather than its military adventures, he added, noting that he is in favor of the US increasing the already-biting sanctions on the regime.
"But it's better for the US to be seen as acting alone," he said.
While Netanyahu hasn't said so explicitly, Jerusalem still supports Washington in its struggle against Tehran, according to Dore Gold, a former director-general of the Foreign Ministry who is known to be close to Netanyahu.
"As long as Iranian-backed militias in Iraq continue to attack American troops on Iraqi soil, the US has a right of self-defense. The use of economic sanctions is far less escalatory than opting for full-scale military response each time. And to rule out America's right to use economic sanctions would be leaving it defenseless in light of continuing Iranian aggression," Gold said.
"I would assume that Israel has a similar view," he added.
Ehud Eiran, an assistant professor of international relations at the University of Haifa, offered several reasons that would explain why Israel is staying out of the picture. For one, the US is pressuring Iran without Israel's encouragement, so Netanyahu doesn't need to waste diplomatic capital to push for more sanctions.
Secondly, Israel has its hands full fighting the pandemic, "so there's no need to add more items to deal with, such as an angry exchange with Tehran," he said.
Furthermore, there is "no internal need for rallying the nation around [Netanyahu's] leadership, as the coronavirus serves this purpose," Eiran posited. And lastly, the government "does not want to come across as seeking to harm the Iranian people at their great moment of distress [since] Israel claims it has a conflict with the regime, not the Iranian population."
Iran is one of the countries that has suffered the most from the coronavirus, with nearly 45,000 people infected and more than 2,800 dead. The regime has been using the crisis to call on the international community to ignore the US sanctions, arguing that they prevent Iranian doctors from properly treating the country's ill. Officials in Tehran accuse the US of "medical terror."
Undeterred, the US State Department has continued and even intensified its "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran, increasing sanctions and retaliating against its proxies when they attacked US interests.
Iran's poor healthcare system is the regime's own fault, officials on Washington argued, noting as well that Tehran refuses to accept humanitarian aid from the US.
As the weeks went on, and the death toll in Iran continued to rise, some of the regime's allies, senior United Nation officials and even prominent politicians in the US started urging the administration to ease economic pressure on the Islamic Republic.
"Rather than continue to invoke new sanctions in the Iranian people's hour of need, we urge you to substantially suspend sanctions on Iran during this global public health emergency in a humanitarian gesture to the Iranian people to better enable them to fight the virus," 34 Democratic lawmakers, including presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, wrote on Tuesday in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Pompeo was the face of the administration's persistent hostility toward Iran, even as the country was overwhelmed with the deadly virus, which has earned him much criticism.
"Even close U.S. allies, such as Britain, are calling on the Trump administration to ease sanctions that are inhibiting shipment of medical supplies and humanitarian aid to Iran's 80 million people. Yet Pompeo appears to view the epidemic as a handy means to compound 'maximum pressure.' To what end?" wondered Jackson Diehl, a prominent columnist at the Washington Post.
"Regime change, which the secretary of state has made clear he favors, is hardly likely to be the result. More probable is wholesale death of innocent people, and the further discrediting of America's claim to humanitarianism," he wrote earlier this week.
On Tuesday, France, Germany and the United Kingdom announced that INSTEX, the financial instrument they designed to circumvent the US sanctions against Iran, had successfully concluded its first transaction, facilitating the export of medical goods from Europe to Iran.
The prime minister is wise enough to keep his words for the critical junctions
Later that day, Pompeo indicated for the first time that he was willing to reconsider his position.
"Well, of course, we evaluate all of our policies constantly. So the answer is would we ever rethink it — of course, we're constantly trying to make sure we have our policies right," he told reporters at a press briefing.
Netanyahu's office on Wednesday refused to comment on Pompeo's statement. But Yaakov Amidror, his former national security adviser, said the prime minister's actions speak louder than words.
"There's a classic saying that every American knows: If you want to shoot, shoot. Don't talk," he said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "Yesterday, Israel attacked targets in Syria, according to foreign sources. The State of Israel continues to do what it needs to do, without talking. We continue to do what we deem necessary, and the Americans do whatever they think is right in terms of sanctions."
The current debate in the US is not about terminating all sanctions on Iran but merely about possibly easing some of them to alleviate the suffering due to the pandemic, Amidror stressed. Even if the administration were to do that, in the framework of a humanitarian gesture, Israel would be well-advised not to publicly comment on the matter, in his view.
"The prime minister is wise enough to keep his words for the critical junctions," he said. "Right now, it's not critical. What's critical for us right now is to deal with the coronavirus."
By RAPHAEL AHREN, Times Of Israel, 02.04.2020
Tags: iran Israeli-Iranian relations Sanctions US - Iran Relations US Middle East Policy
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Idioculture in crowd computing: A focus on group interaction in an event-driven social media system
Seongtaek Lim, Sang Yun Cha, Chala Park, Inseong Lee, Jinwoo Kim
This study aims to establish a conceptual framework on the characteristics of idioculture in crowd computing, as well as the antecedents and consequences of idioculture. Idioculture is defined as distinct cultural elements that characterize a certain group. It is important in group interaction because it can be used as a tool to seek a groups optimal distinctiveness, which is a natural human desire to maintain a balance between being too inclusive or too personalized in crowd settings. In order to provide empirical data for the conceptual framework, this study developed a crowd computing system prototype, named event-driven social media (EDSM), which supports idioculture emergence and sharing in a crowd setting. The prototype was implemented in a massive-scale event involving approximately 20,000 people. The study results were derived from content analysis on 5988 text messages from 1510 users exchanged through EDSM during the event and interviews with 15 users after the event. The findings revealed that group cultures were triggered by EDSM to become idioculture, and the idioculture shared through EDSM affected user experience. First, sources of idioculture included collective, playful, and routine-breaking group cultures. Second, the characteristics of idioculture included catchwords, humorous references, and nicknames. Third, by sharing idioculture, users of EDSM were able to experience social connectedness, group cohesion, and social enjoyment. This study ends with implications on the design of EDSM from the perspective of HCI.
International Journal of Human Computer Studies
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2011.02.001
group interaction
social system
Human Factors and Ergonomics
Lim, S., Cha, S. Y., Park, C., Lee, I., & Kim, J. (2011). Idioculture in crowd computing: A focus on group interaction in an event-driven social media system. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 69(10), 632-646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2011.02.001
Lim, Seongtaek ; Cha, Sang Yun ; Park, Chala ; Lee, Inseong ; Kim, Jinwoo. / Idioculture in crowd computing : A focus on group interaction in an event-driven social media system. In: International Journal of Human Computer Studies. 2011 ; Vol. 69, No. 10. pp. 632-646.
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title = "Idioculture in crowd computing: A focus on group interaction in an event-driven social media system",
abstract = "This study aims to establish a conceptual framework on the characteristics of idioculture in crowd computing, as well as the antecedents and consequences of idioculture. Idioculture is defined as distinct cultural elements that characterize a certain group. It is important in group interaction because it can be used as a tool to seek a groups optimal distinctiveness, which is a natural human desire to maintain a balance between being too inclusive or too personalized in crowd settings. In order to provide empirical data for the conceptual framework, this study developed a crowd computing system prototype, named event-driven social media (EDSM), which supports idioculture emergence and sharing in a crowd setting. The prototype was implemented in a massive-scale event involving approximately 20,000 people. The study results were derived from content analysis on 5988 text messages from 1510 users exchanged through EDSM during the event and interviews with 15 users after the event. The findings revealed that group cultures were triggered by EDSM to become idioculture, and the idioculture shared through EDSM affected user experience. First, sources of idioculture included collective, playful, and routine-breaking group cultures. Second, the characteristics of idioculture included catchwords, humorous references, and nicknames. Third, by sharing idioculture, users of EDSM were able to experience social connectedness, group cohesion, and social enjoyment. This study ends with implications on the design of EDSM from the perspective of HCI.",
author = "Seongtaek Lim and Cha, {Sang Yun} and Chala Park and Inseong Lee and Jinwoo Kim",
doi = "10.1016/j.ijhcs.2011.02.001",
journal = "International Journal of Human Computer Studies",
Lim, S, Cha, SY, Park, C, Lee, I & Kim, J 2011, 'Idioculture in crowd computing: A focus on group interaction in an event-driven social media system', International Journal of Human Computer Studies, vol. 69, no. 10, pp. 632-646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2011.02.001
Idioculture in crowd computing : A focus on group interaction in an event-driven social media system. / Lim, Seongtaek; Cha, Sang Yun; Park, Chala; Lee, Inseong; Kim, Jinwoo.
In: International Journal of Human Computer Studies, Vol. 69, No. 10, 01.09.2011, p. 632-646.
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T2 - A focus on group interaction in an event-driven social media system
AU - Lim, Seongtaek
AU - Cha, Sang Yun
AU - Park, Chala
AU - Lee, Inseong
AU - Kim, Jinwoo
N2 - This study aims to establish a conceptual framework on the characteristics of idioculture in crowd computing, as well as the antecedents and consequences of idioculture. Idioculture is defined as distinct cultural elements that characterize a certain group. It is important in group interaction because it can be used as a tool to seek a groups optimal distinctiveness, which is a natural human desire to maintain a balance between being too inclusive or too personalized in crowd settings. In order to provide empirical data for the conceptual framework, this study developed a crowd computing system prototype, named event-driven social media (EDSM), which supports idioculture emergence and sharing in a crowd setting. The prototype was implemented in a massive-scale event involving approximately 20,000 people. The study results were derived from content analysis on 5988 text messages from 1510 users exchanged through EDSM during the event and interviews with 15 users after the event. The findings revealed that group cultures were triggered by EDSM to become idioculture, and the idioculture shared through EDSM affected user experience. First, sources of idioculture included collective, playful, and routine-breaking group cultures. Second, the characteristics of idioculture included catchwords, humorous references, and nicknames. Third, by sharing idioculture, users of EDSM were able to experience social connectedness, group cohesion, and social enjoyment. This study ends with implications on the design of EDSM from the perspective of HCI.
AB - This study aims to establish a conceptual framework on the characteristics of idioculture in crowd computing, as well as the antecedents and consequences of idioculture. Idioculture is defined as distinct cultural elements that characterize a certain group. It is important in group interaction because it can be used as a tool to seek a groups optimal distinctiveness, which is a natural human desire to maintain a balance between being too inclusive or too personalized in crowd settings. In order to provide empirical data for the conceptual framework, this study developed a crowd computing system prototype, named event-driven social media (EDSM), which supports idioculture emergence and sharing in a crowd setting. The prototype was implemented in a massive-scale event involving approximately 20,000 people. The study results were derived from content analysis on 5988 text messages from 1510 users exchanged through EDSM during the event and interviews with 15 users after the event. The findings revealed that group cultures were triggered by EDSM to become idioculture, and the idioculture shared through EDSM affected user experience. First, sources of idioculture included collective, playful, and routine-breaking group cultures. Second, the characteristics of idioculture included catchwords, humorous references, and nicknames. Third, by sharing idioculture, users of EDSM were able to experience social connectedness, group cohesion, and social enjoyment. This study ends with implications on the design of EDSM from the perspective of HCI.
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Lim S, Cha SY, Park C, Lee I, Kim J. Idioculture in crowd computing: A focus on group interaction in an event-driven social media system. International Journal of Human Computer Studies. 2011 Sep 1;69(10):632-646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2011.02.001
10.1016/j.ijhcs.2011.02.001


text:
Thinking — December 10, 2016
What Is the Most "Godless" City on Earth?
Surveys reveal the least religious, most atheistic population centers in the world.
Paul Ratner
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Whether you fervently believe in a deity or flat our reject any religious teachings, opting for an atheist mindset, chances are you would rather be surrounded by like-minded people. Outside of the extreme religious control exercised by ISIS or the state-mandated atheism of countries like North Korea, most places are somewhere in between on the religiosity scale. But if you wanted to know what is the most "godless" place you can live, where would you go?
This place is most likely a city, at least according to how some scientists have described atheists.
"Those with no religious affiliation have been found to be younger, mostly male, with higher levels of education and income, more liberal, but also more unhappy and more alienated from wider society," said Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, professor of psychology at the University of Haifa, about atheists in a psychological profile.
To biopsychologist and author Nigel Barber, these people are more likely to be in a major population center, and not a rural area, because cities tend to be more prosperous, and as such their inhabitants will feel less need for religion. In fact, he thinks that by 2038 most countries will have less than 50% of their populace thinking that religion is important to them, crossing what he calls "the atheist threshold".
What are some places that have already passed this point?
In a WIN/GALLUP survey from 2015, China was declared the world's least religious country, with twice the amount of "convinced atheists" (at 61%) than any other country. Following it was Japan at 31% and the Czech Republic at 30%. In general, Western Europe was the least religious area according to the survey, with 51% of the population either not religious or decidedly atheist. Scandinavia, in particular, often leads the way in such polls, as Sweden, Denmark and Norway have large populations of non-believers.
What about specific cities?
Berlin has been called the "atheist capital of Europe" since 60% of Berliners do not associate with any religion.
As far as the U.K. is concerned, according to a 2011 Census, Norwich had the most people (42.5%) marking "no religion". This is compared with 25.1% for the whole of England and Wales.
In the U.S., the American Bible Society's rankings for 2016 point to Albany/Schenectady/Troy area in New York State as being the least "Bible-minded," which means only 10% of the respondents there read the Bible in the last week and lead their lives accordingly. Boston was the least Bible-minded city in the survey, with just 11% of its population having the book as a part of their lives.
The most Bible-friendly city? Chattanooga, Tennessee. Not surprisingly, the South leads the U.S in religiosity, with cities in Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia and Louisiana topping the chart.
In a separate survey, the 2016 Public Religion Research Institute identified Portland, Seattle and San Francisco as the least religious cities in America, with 37% of the people there practicing no religion. Boston was number 8 in their findings.
So what is the least religious city in the world? While the numbers could surely vary based on how you define religiosity, the largest city in China, the least religious country in the world, would likely be the most atheist population center in the world. And that would be Shanghai, a city of 24 million people of whom 86.9% say they are not affiliated with any religion. That could amount to about 21 million atheists.
Cover photo: A man flies kite at The Bund on December 5, 2013 in Shanghai, China. Heavy smog hit northern and eastern parts of China, disturbing the traffic, worsening air pollution and forcing the closure of schools. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
atheismChinaCzech RepublicDenmarkgodlessNorwaynorwichreligionSwedenunited kingdon
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