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There are over 2000 short term rental properties on the Coffs Coast.
Global travel giant says council risks economic recovery
TIM JARRETT, tim.jarrett@news.com.au
21st Jul 2020 12:00 AM | Updated: 12:09 PM
THE vexed issue of short-term holiday letting has surfaced again as the deadline nears for input on a key planning document.
Last month Coffs Harbour City Council asked for feedback on a discussion paper which could have far-reaching implications for short-term rental accommodation on the Coffs Coast.
The critical issue in the Short-Term Rental Accommodation - Issues and Options
Paper is whether or not to introduce a 180-day limit on non-hosted STRA listings across either the entire LGA or in specific localities.
However, the potential 'night-cap' prompted holiday rental website Stayz - owned by global travel giant Expedia - to repeat calls for Coffs Harbour residents to make a submission in support of retaining its 365-day threshold for holiday rentals.
Stayz corporate affairs director Eacham Curry went as far as saying the proposed cap risked the recovery of the tourism sector.
"While Stayz understands the desire for action by Coffs Harbour City Council and applauds their collaborative approach, the evidence shows that night caps will put the economic uplift of the tourism sector at risk and fail to address the core questions about the impact of short-term rentals," he said.
The proliferation of STRA listings on holiday rental platforms such as Airbnb and Stayz has created a number of issues across communities worldwide in terms of amenity, character, affordability and long-term availability of rental stock.
These issues and subsequent "regulation lag" were cited as reasons for the need for action.
"Night caps and other use restrictions for holiday rentals not only put the economic uplift associated with the tourism sector at risk, but also fail to address the four most consistently raised questions about our industry; namely housing affordability, housing availability, the impact on government resources and service provision, and finally, impact on neighbourhood amenity," Mr Curry said.
"Coffs Harbour City Council would be better served by waiting until the NSW Government introduces its register for short-term rentals and let the data that is collected point to sensible and effective solutions for the industry."
Council declined an invitation to comment on the matter.
The 180 day cap was also questioned by Neighbours Not Strangers convener Trish Burt, who has been campaigning for the State Government and councils to do more to control the STRA industry.
She said just restricting the number of days a STRA could operate would not impact housing affordability and there were already laws in place which could be used to govern STRA listings in residential areas - in the same way as bed and breakfasts were.
"They have removed so many homes from the rental market and it means all those essential workers - they are literally priced out of the rental market," Ms Burt said.
"Their housing options are so minimal … and a lot of them have grown up in those towns and they can't afford to live in our regional communities."
The council discussion paper refers to a "significant shift" in how housing and homes have been perceived, as it became apparent that income generated by STRA letting could exceed returns from ordinary long-term renting.
"Analysis from the University of Sydney's Urban Housing Lab suggests that STRA has removed around 6000 properties from the permanent long-term rental market throughout NSW."
Critically, more than 80 per cent of the 2102 STRA listings on Airbnb and Stayz in Coffs Harbour are whole-home properties.
Visit coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au to find out more or to make a submission.
Premium Content Major player urges Council not to impose holiday cap
Premium Content REVEALED: $8.6m social housing plans for Coffs
Premium Content REVEALED: Extent of homelessness in Coffs Harbour
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Christmas won't be held at Notre Dame Cathedral for 1st time since French Revolution
IBTISSEM GUENFOUD
ABC News December 20, 2019
Christmas won't be held at Notre Dame Cathedral for 1st time since French Revolution originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
For the first time in centuries, Christmas mass will not be held at Notre Dame Cathedral.
The famed church has been off limits to parishioners since April 15, when a massive inferno brought down its iconic spire and roof.
"This is the first time since the French Revolution that there will be no midnight Mass," Patrick Chauvet, the cathedral rector, told The Associated Press.
It was last closed during the holiday after 1789, according to The AP.
PHOTO: A man watches Notre-Dame Cathedral burn in Paris, April 15, 2019. (Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt/AFP/Getty Images)
"We have the opportunity to celebrate the Mass outside the walls, so to speak," Chauvet added, "but with some indicators that Notre Dame is connected to us."
On Dec. 25, mass will instead be held at Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois, the Gothic neighboring church. That's where Notre Dame has moved its rector, famed statue, liturgy and ordinary services since the blaze.
Archbishop Michel Aupetit has held one ceremony inside the cathedral for priests and firefighters, who had to wear hardhats to celebrate Easter in one of the remaining untouched chapels.
Investigators determined the cause of the fire appeared to be accidental.
(MORE: Plans for Notre Dame spire reconstruction cause a fight among officials)
All ordinary services have been moved at Saint Germain l'Auxerrois, pending the reconstruction of the 850-year-old cathedral. A giant crane stands outside of the cathedral to help remove scaffolding over the burnt roof.
PHOTO: A view of the debris inside Notre-Dame de Paris in the aftermath of a fire that devastated the cathedral in Paris, April 16, 2019. (Pool/Christophe Petit Tesson/Pool via Reuters, FILE)
"As long as the scaffolding is there, there is a major risk for the building," says Remi Fromont, the chief architect for historical monuments, who has worked on Notre Dame since the fire. "If it collapses, we will have significant losses on the cathedral."
(MORE: Bees and undamaged art among 'miracles' after Notre Dame Cathedral fire)
A major concern moving forward is the extraction of the remaining pieces of the spire, which had stood since the 19th century, according to Brigitte Kuster, an MP in charge of the mission of information on the reconstruction of the cathedral.
The Notre Dame Sacred Music association is also breaking tradition this year and will remain silent during the holidays. It cancelled its Christmas concert to oppose the firing of its teachers, who were let go as a result of the financial loss caused by the fire.
In the days and weeks after the inferno, fundraising efforts triggered an unprecedented donation spree for to help with the reconstruction. More than $1 billion in pledges was collected, including $122 million already collected.
(MORE: Notre Dame proposals envision 'green' roof, glass spire, beam of light)
None of those funds will go to the choir, however, as they are earmarked solely for the reconstruction of the cathedral.
"While the safeguarding of the architectural heritage of the Cathedral since the fire of April 15 is the subject of all attention and endowments," said the collective in its online petition, "the time is also to preserve its immaterial Heritage."
Dwayne Johnson pays tribute to his late father in touching post
New report shows binge drinking is on the rise

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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LeBron Raymone James Stats, News, Bio | World Sports Fantasy
Ritu Raj Anand
LeBron Raymone James Sr. was born in Akron, Ohio, on Dec. 30, 1984, to Gloria Marie James.
He led St. Vincent-St. Mary High School to three state championships and was named the 2003 National High School Player of the Year. James also played football in high school through his junior year but gave up the sport to concentrate on basketball.
He launched the LeBron James Family Foundation (https://www.lebronjamesfamilyfoundation.org) in 2004 with a mission to positively affect the lives of children and young adults "by providing them with the programs, support and mentors they need for success in school and beyond." In July 2018, in partnership with the Akron Public Schools, he opened the I Promise School, a public elementary school in his hometown of Akron, that is aimed at providing a quality education and other resources to at-risk children.
https://worldsportsfantasy.com/nba/players-nba/lebron-raymone-james-stats-news-bio-world-sports-fantasy/#TGVCcm9uLUphbWV
He owns a production company, SpringHill Entertainment, that is named after the public housing complex where James grew up. James was elected vice president of the National Basketball Players Association on Feb. 13, 2015. He has co-authored a book titled Shooting Stars that tells the story of the St. Vincent-St. Mary High School team that overcame adversity to fulfill its dream. James hosted Saturday Night Live on Sept.
29, 2007, and co-hosted the 15th Annual ESPY Awards on July 11, 2007. Learn more by following James on Instagram (@kingjames) and on Twitter (@KingJames). James was a starter for four seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio. He and his Foundation also work with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to renovate a local Boys and Girls Club in every All-Star host city each year.
In January 2017, James received the NAACP Jackie Robinson Sports Award for his high achievement in athletics and contributions in the pursuit of social justice, civil rights and community involvement. The team went undefeated in James' freshman season and the superstar provided 21.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest as the Fighting Irish won the Division III state title.
The team won the state championship in James' sophomore season as well as he provided per-game averages of 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 3.8 steals. The school moved up to Division II for his junior season, but the team lost in the championship game. James performed well during the campaign, however, and won the Ohio Mr.
Basketball award for the second straight season while becoming the first junior to be named Gatorade National Player of the Year. He petitioned the NBA to enter the 2002 Draft, but he was denied. During his senior season, the team traveled throughout the country as the hype train grew. James averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 3.4 steals. He won the Gatorade National Player of the Year and Ohio Mr.
Basketball awards for a second consecutive year. He then successfully applied for the 2003 NBA Draft and the Cleveland Cavaliers chose him with the first overall pick.
Source:- https://www.nba.com/player/2544/lebron-james/rotowire
Tags: NBA
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Peppa Pig, George and their friends are back with a brand new live show, Peppa Pig's Adventure (www.peppapigliveus.com). The latest rendition of Peppa Pig Live!, one of the most successful family theater tours in North American history, will visit more than 50 cities in the United States. The show kicks off September 6th in Worcester, MA, before heading coast to coast with stops in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, Nashville, Chicago and Los Angeles.
For tickets, VIP packages - which include meet and greets with the characters - and tour merchandise, visit www.peppapigliveus.com.
Peppa Pig Live is based on Entertainment One's (eOne) top-rated Nick Jr series that airs more than 30 times per week and reaches over 75 million homes daily. The various tours have sold over a half a million tickets while logging more than 340 performances in North American cities since 2015.
"Peppa Pig's Adventure is a truly dynamic and engaging way for young fans and their parents to experience their much-loved pre-school television property on the big stage," said Joan Grasso, eOne's SVP, Licensing - North America, Family & Brands. "There's nothing like watching little ones react to seeing Peppa Pig live -- the joy and excitement in the theater is infectious. We are thrilled to offer this one-of-a-kind experience in major cities across the U.S."


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Fiancé explains how a trip to the doctors was a matter of laugh and death
in Bizarre, Health
Collect photo of Andrew Llewellyn in hospital being treated for a brain tumor. See SWNS story SWJOKE; A man known for cracking jokes discovered he had a brain tumour the size of an egg - after losing the ability to be funny. Andrew Llewellyn, 34, used to be the centre of conversation and loved telling one-liners and stories to friends and workmates. But he then found he could no longer remember his favourite jokes or find the words to make funny remarks. He went to his GP who ordered further tests and as he waited for them Andrew suffered a huge seizure on his stag do.
A funnyman known for his one-liners discovered he had a brain tumour the size of an egg – after losing the ability to crack a JOKE.
Razor-sharp Andrew Llewellyn, 34, used to be the centre of conversation with his hilarious stories and witty wisecracks.
But he then found he could no longer remember his favourite jokes or find the words to make funny remarks.
He went to his GP and while he awaited test results groom-to-be Andrew suffered a huge seizure on his stag do.
Doctors found he had a tumour and a cyst on his brain which were pressing on the part used for speech.
He underwent a four-hour operation to remove the growths – and days later he was back to his old jokey self.
Andrew is now well enough to wed his sweetheart Sian Smith, 34, on New Year's Day – and delivery a side-splitting groom's speech.
Andrew Llewellyn in hospital being treated for a brain tumor
The VAT office worker said: "By nature, I'm a pretty funny guy but I noticed this change.
"I couldn't find the right words and it started to really affect me.
"It was really hard. I like making people laugh and having a bit of fun with people but I couldn't.
"I used to make people really smile at work but I would find I would start a joke.
"I'd have four or five people around me, but I couldn't find the punch line and I'd have to stop.
"It was embarrassing. People would think I was being odd or ignorant, but actually it was all because of a brain tumour."
Andrew said he started to feel different in July when he noticed a change in his mood and an inability to find the right words or remember phrases.
He went to his doctor in September who ordered blood tests but when they came back clear his changes were put down to recent weight loss and stress.
He was referred to a memory specialist with a meeting scheduled for the New Year, leaving him half-dreading his upcoming wedding and talking to dozens of people.
It was on his stag do in Edinburgh in November that Andrew collapsed from a massive seizure and he feared he was going to die.
He was resuscitated by his firefighter friend Peter Bevan who gave him CPR.
Medics at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary carried out scans and tests and discovered an egg-sized tumour on the left side of his brain.
A cyst caused by the tumour was pressing on the part of the organ used for speech, explaining Andrew's inability to tell jokes.
Andrew, from North Cornelly, Bridgend, South Wales, said: "As unusual as it sounds, when they told me I was relieved.
"I finally knew what had been wrong all along, and how they were going to try and fix it."
Accompanied by fiance Sian, an administrator, Andrew travelled back to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend and underwent brain surgery on December 10.
Andrew Llewellyn, 34, and Sian Smith, 33, pictured at home near Bridgend, Wales.
The couple instantly noticed the difference in his speech – and humour – and within days he was back to his usual jokey self.
They are due to walk down the aisle in front of more than 100 friends and family at a converted barn in Llantwit Major on New Year's Eve.
Biopsy results have since revealed the tumour was cancerous and Andrew is awaiting news of any further treatment he may need next year.
The couple have been forced to cancel their honeymoon to Barbados due to his illness but it will be used by Sian's parents Peter and Meriol.
Andrew added: "It is going to be an awesome wedding.
"Me and Sian were tight anyway before this, but it has brought us closer together.
"The day will have extra significance now. We've got lots to celebrate."
Tags: funnytumour
A couple stricken with cancer who were told they'd never have children are celebrating the arrival of their first baby
PRIDE AND GROOM – Husband-to-be sheds 11st in 18 months so he could look trim on his wedding day
PRIDE AND GROOM - Husband-to-be sheds 11st in 18 months so he could look trim on his wedding day


The policy of Roura Cevasa has always been ahead of its time, employing a highly topical concept: Globalization, being where the market needs it to be, without borders for its products and services.
A true globalization of its activity given that Roura Cevasa is fully able to do so, and has been providing this comprehensive service for almost two decades now, not only in Spain and Europe, but also in all parts of the world: wherever the Customer needs.
Roura Cevasa has two factories, one in Spain (Madrid) and one in Portugal (Lisbon), which produce everything required to satisfy the demand of our customers, reducing costs and achieving geographic proximity in the Peninsula through a good number of its own Offices, to provide the best service. Our knowledge and experience in foreign markets, and their logistics, allows us to also attend to the needs of customers that have or are extending their business outside of our borders, whether only exporting the product or even installing it.


Followingthe 1997 Supreme Court Judgment in the case of Vishakha and others and as perthe directives of UGC and Pt. Ravi Shankar Shukla University, Raipur (Chhattisgarh),the Women Cell has been constituted in our college to uphold the dignity ofwomen at work place by developing a conduciveatmosphere on the campus, where the status of woman is respected and they aretreated with .Pursuant of the Directives of "The Sexual Harassment of women at workplace(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013, notified by the Ministry ofLaw and Justice which has come into effect from 23rd April 2013, theInternal Complaints Cell has also been established.
· Toprovide a respected identity to women and to help maintain a harmoniousatmosphere at the Institute to enable women to pursue their work with dignityand reassurance.
· Tocreate awareness amongst students about the problems faced by women of allstrata due to gender issues.
· Tocreate an environment of gender justice where men and women work together witha sense of personal security and dignity.
· Tocreate awareness amongst students about the issues related to youth, girls inparticular.
· Todisseminate knowledge about rights and laws related to women.
· Tocreate a sense of responsibility in the students and have healthy study andwork culture in college.
· Toenhance the self-esteem and self-confidence of girl students, women faculty andthe employees.
· Todevelop critical thinking ability of students.
Women Cell – The women cell of college has been dealing with problems ofgirl students and women employees of college and has also been organizingawareness activities and workshops/ lectures for women's welfare.
Internal Complaints Cell – TheCell deals with issues relating to sexual harassment at the work place. It isapplicable to all students, staff and faculty members of the college. A writtencomplaint of discrimination or sexual harassment may be lodged by the victim ora third party to the Convener of the Committee.
· Aworkshop was organized on self defence of females at work place by Mrs.Pushpalata Bhatlehri ( Additional District Judge).
· Aspecial programme was organized on 7th Mar. 2015 on the occasion ofInternational Women's day on Women Empowerment.
· Girlscommon room was renovated as per the girl's demands and requirements.


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Police seek to identify suspect accused of punching a woman in Barrie
Police released a picture of a man wanted in connection with an alleged assault in Barrie, Ont., in October 2022. (Barrie Police Services/Twitter)
Police are looking to identify a man accused of assaulting a woman in downtown Barrie in October.
Police say the man was involved in an altercation with a group outside a Dunlop Street East establishment.
"He is wanted for assault after he punched a female victim in the face," police posted on social media with an image of the suspect.
They ask anyone who recognizes him to email the investigating officer.
Winterfest returning to Barrie this weekend
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Do you find the typical New Year's resolutions depressing? Start off 2015 with a new type of resolution. Instead of eliminating the things in your life that you love, try developing a list of new adventures or activities to experience this year. Brainstorm a variety of activities, events, recipes, or exercises that you find interesting or worthwhile and stick to it.
Take the time this year to really try something new for yourself and no one else. With each new experience, keep in mind the purpose and outcome you hope to achieve. Be confident and open-minded, and aware of your response in each situation. Keep track of your experiences, and who knows: something new this year may become part of your daily routine.
Attend a new group fitness class.
Participate in a partner training session with a friend.
Walk a different route than your everyday commute to the office.
Prepare a recipe using fresh ingredients.
Attempt a new hobby, such as running, swimming, sewing, or biking.
Prepare a budget for the new year.
By diving in and trying new things, you are taking it upon yourself to develop a more self-centered lifestyle. So many times we rely on others' descriptions or evaluations of something instead of trying it for ourselves. With a new type of resolution, one that helps reinforce a healthy lifestyle, you can move forward during the New Year without regrets. Focusing on different activities and facing different challenges than what you may be used to will add variety to your days.
Try to develop simple, one-step tasks and take pride in each item you mark off your list in 2015. Choose tasks that are positive and promote overall health, rather than creating restrictive goals or limitations. Keep a running tally of your accomplishments and hold yourself accountable for each item on the list. Feel free to continue adding new events throughout the year based on successful or satisfying experiences.
Whether you are pledging to be healthier, happier, skinnier, less stressed, or more active, these tips can help. Don't think about each task for hours on end, "just do it!" and move on (here are tips for finding motivation when you need it). If it is something you enjoy, evaluate it and go back for more. The main goal of this practice is to find new and fun activities that bring a sense of satisfaction to your life. You never know if you will like something until you try. The power that comes from accomplishing a goal only helps to reinforce one's ability to keep moving forward. Keep that in mind, and work toward a healthier, happier future this New Year!
First and foremost, let's make some things clear about resolutions. When you make a resolution, you have to remember that it is not just a commitment for January 1; it is for 365 days. Make sure from the beginning it is something that is a long-term goal and a change you want to see. If it is something you have repeatedly tried to do each year, it may be time to reevaluate and come up with a different strategy this year. Otherwise, you will set yourself up to fail.
Don't be the object of the new year's resolution jokes. Come into the new year with the mindset that resolutions are achievable if you set yourself up for success. Here are some ways that you can do this.
Specific: Make resolutions clear, concise, and well-defined.
Measurable: Make sure you have a way to measure your progress and success. Goals should have time frames, dates, amounts, and other quantifiable numbers.
Attainable/realistic: Your goal should be something that is manageable, and something you believe you can succeed in reaching.
Time bound: Have a starting point and an end point. Resolutions that will take place over the entire year should be broken down into short-term and longer-term goals.
If you decide to do something, it has to be something that you want to do. Pick something that has meaning behind it for you personally. Oftentimes resolutions come from outside sources and pressures. If the idea originates with you, you're more likely to commit.
The easier you make the habit, the more likely you are to stick to it. If your resolution is to take a vitamin every day, put the vitamin container next to your toothbrush that you use each morning. Make the new habit part of an existing one.
Try your resolution for at least 21 days (it takes at least this long to create a habit). Give yourself these days as a trial period. This will give you some room to make mistakes and tweak your goal to make it more realistic.
Many of us get frustrated and give up on resolutions because we have tunnel vision to the end result, which may take all 365 days to achieve. If your resolutions and goals are smart, it should be easy to track the progress you are making, which will help keep you motivated.
By June 2013 only 46% of people will still be sticking to the resolutions they vowed to keep as the ball dropped and we said goodbye to 2012. A recent study showed that the three most popular resolutions are finding more family and friend time, increasing or starting an exercise program, and trying to lose weight. The tips below will help you stick to those resolutions so they will last all year long.
Say "no" to commitments that are not a priority. Schedule weekly family time into your planner. Play games, sit down at the dinner table together, and ask everyone about their day. Make it a priority. Also, aim for more time with friends. Start a book club, meet for a walk or a cup of coffee, check out a new restaurant. Make it a recurring event like the second Tuesday of the month, so it is easy to plan into your schedule.
Have a positive attitude when it comes to exercise. Think of it as time you will have to yourself for the day, a way to boost your energy level, or simply a break from the stress of the New Year. Make the most of the time you have allotted for exercise. Include high intensity cardiovascular activities, resistance training, and stretching. Add activity into your busy day by taking the stairs, parking farther away, walking the dog, shoveling snow, and hand delivering a message to a co-worker instead of calling or emailing them.
Set small, realistic goals when it comes to weight loss. A reduction of only 500 calories per day is a smart goal to set and is the equivalent of 1 pound of fat loss per week. Do this by cutting out regular sodas or calorie-heavy beverages like flavored coffee and juices. Swap vending machine snacks like candy bars and chips for fresh fruit, fat free yogurt, string cheese, and cut up veggies. When eating out, decrease portions by taking half of the entrée home. Each week try to tackle a new goal. Keep adding new goals throughout the spring, summer, and fall!
Fresh starts like the New Year are a perfect opportunity to better ourselves. Take your resolution seriously this year and work on these goals to improve your quality of life. Did you miss our NIFS Fitness Management Staff Resolutions blog? Check it out here!


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All About "Amour" on Either Side of the "Window"
The following piece was written for Dr. Mary Dalton's Film Theory and Criticism in spring 2013.
SPOILER ALERT: The following post discusses major plot points in both Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" and Michael Haneke's "Amour."
What do an American film from the 1950s about a cooped up reporter and a French film from 2012 about a woman dying slowly from a debilitating stroke have in common? While "Rear Window" and "Amour" seem to be an extremely unlikely pair, they explore common themes of love in confined spaces. Both films take place almost entirely within a single apartment, although Alfred Hitchcock's classic focuses mostly on the action outside the window while Michael Haneke chooses to keep his camera focused on what happens inside the window to the outside world. Yet in spite of their different emphases, both filmmakers come the conclusion that couples must turn their sights inward in order to fully realize their love for each other. Through forced identification, Hitchcock and Haneke's films powerfully convey the dangers that come along with spectatorship.
A line delivered at the beginning of "Rear Window" by Thelma Ritter's Stella, "we've become a race of Peeping Toms," has become a famous and often quoted passage from the film. Most, however, tend to cut out the sentence that follows it: "What people ought to do is get outside their own house and look in for a change." Taking that sentence into account as well, Stella is not only offering merely an implicit critique of the voyeurism of humanity – a flaw largely compounded by Hitchcock's contemporaries in the cinema – but also bringing up a seldom noticed side effect. She is taking L.B. Jeffries, known in the film as "Jeff," to task for being so concerned with the lives of others that he lets his relationship with his girlfriend begin to rot.
Throughout the film, Jeff's obsession with watching the world out his rear window is seen as an impediment to the love and intimacy between he and his girlfriend, Lisa. Every time they begin to hold each other and show tenderness, his thoughts about his neighbors' exploits distract him, often compelling him to pick up his binoculars and look in on them. Hitchcock uses forced identification with Jeff's outward gaze by the editing style of subjective POV, making the viewer not merely a party to this denial but entirely complicit in it. Jeff is never seen through the window, just looking out it from the shadows, a clever replication of what the audience does in the act of watching the film in a dark theater.
By his casting a gaze out the window, he neglects her needs not only intimately but also on a deeper relational level; it is clear that she is seeking marriage, yet Jeff seems clueless or at least ambivalent towards her regular hints. Their love is always broken off by one of them, normally Lisa, before it can escalate. The film's final shot, however, hints at some sort of reconciliation between the couple, though nothing is made explicit. While the neighbors go about their lives, Jeff sits in his wheelchair with his back turned away from the window, soaking in the sunlight rather than lurking in the shadows. He falls asleep with a smile on his face; meanwhile, Lisa moves from reading a serious book to please him to reading a fashion magazine for her own pleasure. Her demeanor and posture appear markedly more relaxed and comfortable, hinting at a much-improved relationship with Jeff's gaze turned inwards towards her.
"Amour," on the other hand, offers no such getaways for its characters or the audience watching the film. Georges and Anne, the octogenarian couple, are trapped with each other in the apartment as she slowly succumbs to complications a series of strokes. The two spend nearly every moment together; Georges even pays someone to go get their groceries so he can stay and monitor Anne. Similarly, Haneke never grants the audience a single moment of escape from their lives, confining the viewer into the apartment as an objective, third unacknowledged presence in the room. His sparse editing that chooses to leave the dull bits of life in the film as well as his predilection for long shots in deep focus provides the audience with a cold reality that they either have to accept watching or must avert their eyes from entirely.
As Anne's condition worsens, she begins to express her great dismay with her physical state, eventually telling him, "Georges, I don't want to carry on. You're making such efforts to make everything easier for me. But I don't want to go on. For my own sake. Not yours." Georges initially writes off her request as ridiculous because he believes she does not want to keep living to spare him pain. Yet after she suffers a second stroke that takes away her ability to speak coherently, Georges begins to see just how miserable an existence she has come to live. He observes as nurses give her showers, and the slightest wrong touch brings her excruciating pain. He tries to feed her, yet she spits the water back in his face. Her anguish leads him to slowly remove his own opinions from his view and focus all the more closely on her.
With all this attention and gaze directed solely inwards at their relationship, Georges eventually comes to do the selfless thing and put her out of her misery. He achieves this in a respectful and loving way by putting her at ease by telling her a pleasant childhood story and then by smothering her. Had he been aloof and turned his attention outside their apartment, he would not have noticed her lifeless life, nor would he have lovingly honored her request. Similarly, the audience through their forced witnessing of events come to interpret his killing as an action not motivated by selfishness; rather, they see it as fulfilling the action indicated in the title: love. It just takes the course of the movie for Georges to gain the same level of objectivity that the audience has been given since the beginning of the film. Only when that is achieved can he realize that true love is complicated and requires tough decisions.
"Rear Window" and "Amour," despite their different plots and tones, arrive at the same general truth within the setting of an apartment. By casting our gaze abroad, we ignore the problems at the heart of our most treasured relationships. Only when we look inward and give our own lives the attention they deserve can we truly find the love we need to give others. Ironically, to liberate us from our obsession with spectatorship, Hitchcock and Haneke feel that they must first trap us in it.
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Tags: Alfred Hitchcock, Amour, Emmanuelle Riva, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Michael Haneke, Rear Window, Thelma Ritter
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Even though hemp-derived CBD is legal this doesn't mean it isn't sometimes seized when mailed through the US Postal Service.
For those waiting on a shipment or package of CBD this can be frustrating to say the least. Fortunately, seizing lawful CBD packages is set to soon change.
Earlier this month (March 4), the USPS quietly issued an advisory on mailing hemp-derived CBD.
Rules for shipping CBD products through the mail received some clarification this month, something that will surely allow CBD manufacturers, companies, and consumers to breathe a sigh of relief when it comes to mailing cannabidiol products.
The current advisory specifies that it is legal to send hemp-derived CBD in the mail through the USPS in compliance with regulations laid out by the now seemingly ancient 2014 Farm Bill.
Read: What is the 2018 Farm Bill?
It goes on to state that while in the past, CBD was considered a Schedule I drug, the 2014 Farm Bill made some CBD products mailable under specific conditions.
What exactly are these conditions?
The industrial hemp producer possesses a license issued by the Department of Agriculture, for the state where the post office/acceptance unit is located, which includes documentation identifying the producer by name and showing the mailer is authorized by the registered producer to market products manufactured by that producer.
The industrial hemp, or products produced from industrial hemp, contains a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis.
The advisory also notes that "postal employees should be aware that the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) was recently signed into law" and that "this legislation removes industrial hemp from regulation under the Controlled Substances Act.
None of these requirements are actually necessary under both the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills.
It's been legal to mail industrial hemp and hemp-derived CBD regardless if the package contains the said documentation or not.
What exactly does the advisory do then?
Despite the passing of the 2018 farm bill and its removal of hemp CBD from legal restriction, all the rules aren't complete.
The expectation is that by 2020 all of these hiccups will be smoothed out and the hemp CBD industry will be thriving even more than it is today.
Until then, we repeat: the most prudent thing to do is speak with a lawyer and make sure you adhere to the requirements (above) from the Postal Service advisory. At the least, be aware of them.
Better to be safe than sorry, especially if you are mailing a large amount of CBD products.
Have you ever had packages of CBD seized? We want to know the details.
The post US Postal Service Issues Guide on Mailing Hemp Derived CBD appeared first on CBD School.


If you are a manager, emerging leader, team leader or have something blocking your performance in your role, the Targeted Performance Coaching Program is designed to help you achieve specific outcomes through individual coaching and mentoring.
At Open Door we've been working with clients on specific areas of their leadership performance and capability, for example: managing change; managing difficult relationships in the workplace; increasing personal effectiveness and meeting effectiveness; preparing for a big meeting or presentation; and giving feedback.
We wanted to extend that opportunity to you, using a highly targeted approach, where you focus on one specific area of your leadership capability and achieve specific outcomes in that area.
We'll pair you up with one of Open Door's senior coaches, who will work with you over an eight week period to help you take action to achieve a significant difference in your chosen area of leadership capability.
Why is the Targeted Performance Coaching Program so important?
The program is designed to have you focus on your top performance priority – the one that will make the most difference to you and your work.
We know that a significant inroads in one area of your development can have a positive impact across other areas, and we know that working with a coach will give you the motivation and skills that you need to make a difference.
This is a unique opportunity to take the steps necessary to achieve your goal.
Just finished your Coaching Qualification and struggling to implement what you've learnt?
It's common for people to struggle with implementing the whole toolkit, so let us be a sounding-board and do some fast–track mentoring to achieve your goals in this area.
Along with targeted one-on-one coaching sessions you will receive a Strengthscope Profile to better understand your strengths in the workplace and how to leverage those strengths into the performance area and also take a look at what happens when you overplay or underplay those strengths. If you know what to do (don't we all) but are lacking motivation, then the strengths profile will help sort that out too!
Your coach will work with you intensely over the eight week period, to help you achieve your goal.
Once you've joined the program, you'll then complete a short process to identify what you want to focus on and establish your goals for the program. You'll also receive an invitation to complete a Strengthscope profile.
Once we have this information we can pair you up with a coach and in your first coaching session, your coach will go through the development area with you, and you'll get straight to work on achieving the outcomes that you are looking for.
Your coach will work with you on the phone or via skype for your coaching sessions. Face to face sessions may be available – please ask your coach once you've joined the program.
You'll also get access to the private Facebook group for all participants where you can share ideas, seek advice and support each other in achieving your development outcomes.
The investment for this program is $1,990 + GST.
Bonus Offer: Join before November 30, 2018, and receive an extra coaching session for free.
Take the first step today and give us a call on 1300 006 324, or sign up now below.


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Apollo Medical Holdings, Inc. Expands into Nevada and Texas with Acquisition of Valley Oaks Medical Group
October 05, 2022 4:05pm EDT Download as PDF
ALHAMBRA, Calif., Oct. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Apollo Medical Holdings, Inc. ("ApolloMed," and together with its subsidiaries and affiliated entities, the "Company") (NASDAQ: AMEH), a leading physician-centric, technology-powered healthcare company focused on enabling providers in the successful delivery of value-based care, today announced that it and its affiliated professional entity have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the fully diluted capitalization and assets relating to nine primary care clinics in Las Vegas, Houston, and Fort Worth operating as Valley Oaks Medical Group ("VOMG").
VOMG provides high-quality, value-based primary care services to its local communities and serves over 20,000 patients, including approximately 6,000 Medicare members. Through this transaction, ApolloMed will deploy its value-based care management and operational platform to empower VOMG's employed providers to deliver best-in-class clinical outcomes while improving the healthcare experience for its patients. The acquisition also marks ApolloMed's entry into operating primary care clinics in both Nevada and Texas, and expands ApolloMed's membership across VOMG's nine centers. The Company anticipates closing this transaction by the end of the fourth quarter of 2022 and will fund the transaction with cash on hand.
Brandon Sim, Co-CEO of ApolloMed, stated, "We are very excited to welcome Valley Oaks Medical Group to the ApolloMed family, and we look forward to continuing to expand and improve value-based healthcare experiences for new and existing patients in Las Vegas, Houston, and Fort Worth. Our partnership will allow us to bring our unique care model to key new geographic markets, and we look forward to continuing to deliver equitable and high-quality healthcare to underserved populations with high rates of chronic illness in those communities."
Guru Charan, CEO of Valley Oaks Medical Group, added, "We believe the diverse populations VOMG serves will greatly benefit from the industry-leading services that ApolloMed provides, made possible by its scale, care delivery infrastructure, and care management systems. As a leader in value-based care, ApolloMed is well equipped to help us continue our legacy of providing superior care for patients. We are energized by the months and years to come as we join the ApolloMed family."
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/apollo-medical-holdings-inc-expands-into-nevada-and-texas-with-acquisition-of-valley-oaks-medical-group-301641907.html


The Repository API allows you to query the Management Console's Repository, to get a list of projects, robots and the input required to call a robot. It also allows you to programmatically deploy robots, types and resource files.
You also need to use Java 1.5 or newer.


So kick back, relax, make some popcorn or maybe even munch on some candy corn as we bring you what's new on Netflix for the week of July 1st.
Hailed by many as the best of its series, as well as being both an underrated comic book adaptation and horror/action film in general, Blade II works so well primarily for the fact that it features Guillermo del Toro at the helm. While he was a relative unknown in the US at the time, Blade II absolutely paved the way for him to go onto bigger comic projects like Hellboy. It also had a clear influence on his novel/TV series, The Strain.
It may not be one of the best Stephen King adaptations (in fact, it's very far from that list) but Dreamcatcher is absolutely a movie that everyone should see at least once. There's so much talent involved in this, which makes you wonder what the hell happened, because even aside from the poop monsters, the overall story is totally inconsistent, as is the tone.
It comes and goes on Netflix, and that's a shame because Big Trouble in Little China should be on every streaming service at all times. There should never not be a way to see it. Big Trouble in Little China is one of those perfect comfort food movies that should always be a click of a button away.


histomorphometrical analysis with regard to frequency and percentage of parenchymal and stromal structures such as, exocrine secretory units, secretory ducts, blood vessels, islets of Langerhans and stromal connective tissue showed that minimum and maximum percentages of structures within the whole gland belonged in fetal stage, to blood vessels and stromal connective tissue; newborn stage, to blood vessels and exocrine secretory units; in sexually mature, to islets of Langerhans and exocrine secretory units and in old stage, also to islets of Langerhans and exocrine secretory units, respectively. The diameter changes of islets of Langerhans in different age groups from minimum to maximum were included: fetus, old, sexually mature and newborn stages. In comparison between different age groups, the frequency of exocrine secretory units showed a significant increase from fetal stage to newborn, sexually mature and old stages (P<0.05). On the other hand, there was a significant decrease in frequency of secretory ducts from fetal stage to newborn, sexually mature and old stages and there was also a significant decrease in frequency of blood vessels from fetal to newborn stage (P<0.05). Significant decrease was also observed in frequency of islets of Langerhans from fetal and newborn stages to sexually mature and old stages. In comparison between groups, there was a significant increase in diameter of islets of Langerhans from fetal to newborn and sexually mature stages and decrease from newborn to sexually mature and old stages. Our study revealed that, there was no significant difference in parenchymal and stromal structures and diameter of islets of Langerhans between different parts of the gland in each age group. However, the above mentioned parameters often showed significant differences between different age groups. These differences were more prominent between fetal stage compared to the other age groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that structural changes of parenchyma and stroma of pancreas gland begin from pre-natal period and will proportionally continue during the period of post-natal development.


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The New Jersey Plan: Explanation & Supporters
New Jersey Plan: The New Jersey Plan was one option as to how the United States would be governed. The Plan called for each state to have one vote in Congress instead of the number of votes being based on population. This was to protect the equality of the states regardless of population size.
The New Jersey Plan was introduced to the Constitutional Convention by William Paterson, a New Jersey delegate, on June 15, 1787. The Constitutional Convention was convened to amend the Articles of Confederation, but it became apparent that a new government would need to be created. The Articles of Confederation was the first form of government but was considered ineffective because Americans did not want to have another tyrant like Great Britain. The states wanted power. One of the major debates that emerged during the Convention is how many votes each state would have in Congress.
The New Jersey Plan
The New Jersey Plan was meant to be the alternative to the Virginia Plan in regards to how the federal government would be structured. Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and a delegate from Maryland (named Luther Martin) created the New Jersey Plan. The New Jersey Plan was meant to protect the interests of the smaller states from being trampled by the larger states. The plan called for one vote per state in Congress rather than having votes based on representation since that would benefit the larger states. The Virginia Plan called for two houses based on representation and that would have nullified the power of the smaller states.
New Jersey Plan Definition
The New Jersey Plan (also known as the Small State Plan or the Paterson Plan) was a proposal for the structure of the United States Government presented by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention on June 15, 1787. The plan was created in response to the Virginia Plan, which called for two houses of Congress, both elected with apportionment according to population. The less populous states were adamantly opposed to giving most of the control of the national government to the more populous states, and so proposed an alternative plan that would have kept the one-vote-per-state representation under one legislative body from the Articles of Confederation. The New Jersey Plan was opposed by James Madison and Edmund Randolph (the proponents of the Virginia State Plan).
One criticism of the Virginia Plan was that it called for the creation of a new government instead of just amending the Articles of Confederation. The New Jersey Plan would amend some of the ideas of the Articles of Confederation. The New Jersey Plan had 11 resolutions, and some of the key ideas included:
Restoring the unicameral structure from the Articles of Confederation
Each state was equal regardless of the size of its population
Power to tax and regulate interstate commerce
Gave Congress the power to tax
Virginia Plan Vs New Jersey Plan
William Paterson, representing New Jersey, took the lead in opposing the Virginia Plan. Following two weeks of debate, Paterson introduced his own proposal: the New Jersey Plan. The plan argued for increasing the power of the federal government to correct problems with the Articles of Confederation but maintaining the single house of Congress which existed under the Articles of Confederation.
In Paterson's plan, each state would get one vote in Congress, so there would be equal power divided among states regardless of population.
Paterson's plan had features beyond the apportionment argument, such as the creation of a Supreme Court and the right of the federal government to tax imports and regulate trade. But the greatest difference from the Virginia Plan was over the issue of apportionment: the allocating of legislative seats based on population.
Delegates from the large states were naturally opposed to the New Jersey Plan, as it would diminish their influence. The convention ultimately rejected Paterson's plan by a 7-3 vote, yet the delegates from the small states remained adamantly opposed to the Virginia plan.
The disagreement over the apportionment of the legislature had the convention stymied. What saved the convention was a compromise brought forward to Roger Sherman of Connecticut, which became known as the Connecticut Plan or the Great Compromise.
Under the compromise proposal, there would be a bicameral legislature, with a lower house whose membership was apportioned by the population of the states, and an upper house in which each state would have two members and two votes.
The next problem that arose was a debate over how the population of enslaved Americans—a considerable population in some of the southern states—would be counted in the apportionment for the House of Representatives. If the enslaved population counted toward apportionment, the slave states would acquire more power in Congress, though many of those being counted in the population had no rights to speak of. This conflict led to a compromise in which slaves were counted not as full people, but as 3/5 of a person for purposes of apportionment.
As the compromises were worked out, William Paterson threw his support behind the new Constitution as did other delegates from smaller states. Though Paterson's New Jersey Plan had been rejected, the debates over his proposal ensured that the U.S. Senate would be structured with each state having two Senators.
The issue of how the Senate is constituted often comes up in political debates in the modern era. As the American population is centered around urban areas, it can seem unfair that states with small populations have the same number of Senators as a New York or a California. Yet that structure is the legacy of William Paterson's argument that small states would be deprived of any power at all in a completely apportioned legislative branch.
What Was The New Jersey Plan
State, the political organization of society, or the body politic, or, more narrowly, the institutions of government. The state is a form of human association distinguished from other social groups by its purpose, the establishment of order and security; its methods, the laws, and their enforcement; its territory, the area of jurisdiction or geographic boundaries; and finally by its sovereignty. The state consists, most broadly, of the agreement of the individuals on the means whereby disputes are settled in the form of laws. In such countries as the United States, Australia, Nigeria, Mexico, and Brazil, the term state (or a cognate) also refers to political units, not sovereign themselves, but subject to the authority of the larger state, or federal union.
The history of the Western state begins in ancient Greece. Plato and Aristotle wrote of the polis, or city-state, as an ideal form of association, in which the whole community's religious, cultural, political, and economic needs could be satisfied. This city-state, characterized primarily by its self-sufficiency, was seen by Aristotle as the means of developing morality in the human character. The Greek idea corresponds more accurately to the modern concept of the nation—i.e., a population of a fixed area that shares a common language, culture, and history—whereas the Roman res publica, or commonwealth, is more similar to the modern concept of the state. The res publica was a legal system whose jurisdiction extended to all Roman citizens, securing their rights and determining their responsibilities. With the fragmentation of the Roman system, the question of authority and the need for order and security led to a long period of struggle between the warring feudal lords of Europe.
It was not until the 16th century that the modern concept of the state emerged, in the writings of Niccolò Machiavelli (Italy) and Jean Bodin (France), as the centralizing force whereby stability might be regained. In The Prince, Machiavelli gave prime importance to the durability of government, sweeping aside all moral considerations and focusing instead on the strength—the vitality, courage, and independence—of the ruler. For Bodin, his contemporary, power was not sufficient in itself to create a sovereign; rule must comply with morality to be durable, and it must have continuity—i.e., a means of establishing succession. Bodin's theory was the forerunner of the 17th-century doctrine of the "divine right of kings," whereby monarchy became the predominant form of government in Europe. It created a climate for the ideas of the 17th-century reformers like John Locke in England and Jean-Jacques Rousseau in France, who began to reexamine the origins and purposes of the state.
What was the New Jersey plan and what did it propose?
The New Jersey Plan was a proposal for the structure of the U.S. federal government put forward by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The proposal was a response to the Virginia Plan, which Paterson believed would put too much power in large states to the disadvantage of smaller states.
What was the main purpose of the New Jersey plan?
The purpose of the New Jersey Plan, proposed in June 1787, was to support the interests of the smaller states in the nation, in opposition to Virginia's plan, which argued for a powerful national government.
What was the difference between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey plan?
36) What was the difference between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan? 36) Virginia plan advocated two legislative houses of which membership would be based on population. New Jersey plan advocated one legislative house, membership in which would be equal for all states.
» The Vitamin Shoppe | Better Store for Health


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Experts reveal in-demand areas with affordable median house prices
It's easy to give up on the Australian dream when you look at our capitals. But homes in these up-and-coming spots could be yours for a steal.
news.com.auDecember 9, 20185:37pm
House prices: Australia's property market facing longest downturn in decades
Property experts have revealed Australia's top 'bargain' suburbs. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied
They're the up-and-coming areas on the cusp of exploding in popularity.
And the best part is, they can be yours for a steal — for now.
Australian property experts have shared their picks for the most in-demand areas that still offer houses with median prices below $500,000.
And according to realestate.com.au chief economist Nerida Conisbee, the best deals can now be found in Tasmania and Victoria.
• Ready to buy? Estimate your borrowing power
• In the market? Find the right home loan to suit your lifestyle
In Tasmania, Ms Conisbee singled out Lauderdale with a median house price of $470,000, Moonah with a median of $434,000, Old Beach with $449,000 and Launceston with
And in Victoria, she said the best value can be found in Ballarat with a median price of $420,000, Newcomb with $455,000, Grovedale with $495,000, Soldiers Hill with $440,000, Haddon on $500,000 and Bell Post Hill on $481,000.
"Tasmania continues to be the top performer in Australia in terms of price growth and that's due to a combination of job and population growth and also relatively low levels of new development," she said.
"The other factor is affordability — homes under $500,000 are virtually impossible to find in Sydney and Melbourne now, but if you go to Tasmania you can find really affordable property."
And she said regional Victoria was also booming.
"Another thing we've noticed is that things are going really well in regional Victoria — so much so that Geelong has seen the strongest price growth in Australia over the past 12 months," Ms Conisbee said.
"The Victorian economy is going really well, and it's attracting people and driving population growth, and because Melbourne is now quite expensive there has been renewed interest in regional Victoria, particularly in places within commuting distance to Melbourne."
She said areas like Ballarat, Newcomb, Grovedale and Haddon were attracting first home buyers and young families who wanted to find large, affordable family homes on big blocks in areas where they can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle while still being close enough to commute to Melbourne.
However, Ms Conisbee warned many of the suburbs on the list were likely to become much more expensive in the near future.
"These areas are very in-demand — there are lots and lots of people looking at listings," she said.
"In 12 months' time, probably many of them will be pushed over the $500,000 price point."
Daniel Walsh from investment buyer's agency Your Property Your Wealth also shared his top five picks across three Aussie states which are all on track to record "solid growth" in the years ahead.
They include Grovedale in Geelong, Victoria which has a median house price of $467,000, Wyndham Vale in Victoria with a $480,000 median, Petrie in Queensland's Moreton Bay at $440,000, Raceview in Ipswich, Queensland at $343,000 and Port Adelaide in South Australia, with a median price of $350,000.
The buyer's agent said these areas represented great value to investors and first home buyers looking to enter the market and save on stamp duty.
"Contrary to some people's narrow viewpoint that Sydney and Melbourne are the only markets
in Australia, there are myriad locations where investors can secure affordable property," Mr
Walsh said.
"Not only do they have median house prices under $500,000 but they are also locations on the
rise because of fundamentals such as major infrastructure or population growth."
He said the data showed there was far more bang for your buck if you look outside our overpriced capitals.
"You don't have to spend $1 million to make a wise investment decision — in fact, you could buy two properties for that price in these areas and benefit from the market upswing in the future," he said.
Mr Walsh said Geelong was a winner thanks to its affordability coupled with its "robust economy", infrastructure projects and surging population, while Wyndham Vale was also an affordable option, and has seen its median house price soar by 17 per cent over the past year.
In Queensland, a new University of the Sunshine Coast campus on the cards for Petrie has seen that suburb make the list along with its strong population growth, while Raceview is also recording a population boom and is set to benefit from some of the region's infrastructure projects.
And in South Australia, Mr Walsh said Port Adelaide was in the midst of a "rejuvenation",
with defence projects worth billions of dollars also in the pipeline.
MORE IN real estate
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Have house prices hit rock bottom?
Blue chip ramps up in coveted school zone
$8.5m dream home becomes a nightmare
Market stuck in seller standoff
Gargantuan 123-room mega mansion sets record


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Omicron is less severe than Delta Ontario study suggests as COVID cases rise across Canada – Global News
A new study on recent Ontario COVID-19 cases suggests the Omicron variant is less likely to cause hospitalization or death than the Delta variant, but could still significantly impact health-care systems due to its high transmissibility.
The study by Public Health Ontario comes as the province has set several records for daily COVID-19 infections in quick succession, with the latest peak — 13,807 new infections — reported Thursday.
The agency identified 6,314 Omicron cases that saw symptoms emerge between Nov. 22 and Dec. 17, and matched them with Delta cases based on age, gender and onset date.
It found that after adjusting for vaccination status and region, the risk of hospitalization or death was 54 per cent lower in Omicron cases than Delta cases.
"Omicron appears to be the first dominant variant to demonstrate a decline in disease severity," the study said.
"While severity may be reduced, due to the transmissibility of Omicron, the absolute number of hospitalizations and impact on the healthcare system is likely to be significant."
Omicron FAQ: Everything you need to know about the COVID-19 variant
We compared COVID-19 cases with Omicron to closely matched cases with Delta and found the risk of hospitalization or death was 54% lower for Omicron. However, given Omicron is more transmissible, we expect an increase in hospitalizations. Learn more: https://t.co/xdBo1HGLBs pic.twitter.com/K5CDKXsqYp
— Public Health ON (@PublicHealthON) December 29, 2021
On Thursday, 965 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 200 people in intensive care, Health Minister Christine Elliott said. The seven-day average of COVID-19 related patients in ICU is now 179, she said.
"Data is being updated to distinguish patients in hospital/ICU for COVID-19 from those admitted for other reasons but test positive," Elliott added.
Canada Pension Plan premiums are going up more than planned. Here's what we know
Nearly every province sets new record for COVID-19 cases as Omicron sweeps Canada
The province also recorded three new deaths due to COVID-19.
Even as daily case counts increase, health experts have said that the actual number may be much higher than reported because of holidays, and with hospitals and testing centres under strain.
Ontarians waiting on back-to-school plan amid unprecedented COVID spread
At least one public health unit in the Toronto area has asked residents to fill out a survey if they test positive on a rapid antigen test. York Region Public Health said the move would ensure it can have "the information needed to respond to the pandemic" and better understand the use of rapid tests in the region.
The public health unit also told those residents to self-isolate immediately and consider themselves to have COVID-19 due to backlogs for PCR tests.
In Ottawa, public health officials said the increase of COVID-19 cases and contacts has "exceeded the capacity of testing and case management operations."
They advised residents who test positive on a rapid antigen test to self-isolate for at least 10 days and until symptoms resolve, but said not to report their rapid test results to Ottawa Public Health.
In northwestern Ontario, a First Nation has declared an emergency and issued a call for support as it faces a COVID-19 outbreak.
Officials in Bearskin Lake First Nation, located roughly 425 kilometres north of Sioux Lookout., Ont., said there are 26 positive COVID-19 cases within the community, which has an on-reserve population of less than 400 people.
"We are requesting extra nursing support, support for wood cutting operations as members are running low on wood, support for delivering food to those isolating and community security," the First Nation said in a notice declaring the emergency.
Ontario pushes back start of school to Jan. 5, introduces more capacity limits amid COVID-19 surge
Meanwhile, Ontario's top doctor is set to make an announcement on the province's pandemic response on Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Kieran Moore was initially scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday to share new rules on COVID-19 testing and case management, but the event was postponed so officials could review changes to isolation and quarantine guidelines in the United States.
Ontarians are also waiting on the province to announce whether children will go back to school in person or online next week in light of the recent surge in cases driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant.
Some provinces have decided to prolong the winter break for some or all students, while others have opted to switch to virtual learning starting next week.
New rules also took effect Thursday at long-term care homes in the province, putting a pause on access to long-term care homes by general visitors and day absences for all residents for social purposes.
Designated caregivers, however, may continue to enter long-term care homes.
© 2021 The Canadian Press
Oil heads for biggest yearly gains since 2009
Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit now open for applications – CBC News
Health Canada expected to approve Pfizer's COVID-19 therapeutic today: sources – CBC News
Health Canada is expected to approve Pfizer's COVID-19 therapeutic today for use in this country, sources told CBC News and Radio-Canada.
Dr. Supriya Sharma, the health regulator's chief medical adviser, will speak to the media at 11 a.m. ET. CBCNews.ca will carry her remarks live.
Pfizer's Paxlovid, which is an antiviral prescribed by a doctor and administered in pill form, is designed to help the body fight off the SARS-CoV-2 virus, reduce symptoms from an infection and shorten the period of illness.
The product has been hailed as a pandemic "game changer" by some doctors because it could reduce hospitalizations and deaths among COVID-19 patients. An effective pill that's easy to self-administer at home could relieve some of the pressure on the health-care system and change the trajectory of the pandemic, experts say.
After months-long clinical trials, Pfizer reported in November that Paxlovid reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by an impressive 89 per cent compared to a placebo in non-hospitalized high-risk adults with COVID-19.
Canada has placed an order for an initial quantity of one million treatment courses. Some of that supply will start to arrive after Health Canada's expected approval.
N.Korea fires two ballistic missiles from Pyongyang airport, S.Korea says
North Korea fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) on Monday from an airport in its capital city of Pyongyang, South Korea's military reported, the fourth test https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/north-korea-used-railway-born-missile-fridays-test-kcna-2022-01-14 this month to demonstrate its expanding missile arsenal.
Japan also reported the launch, with chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno condemning it as a threat to peace and security.
In less than two weeks, nuclear-armed North Korea has conducted three other missile tests, an unusually rapid series of launches. It said two of them involved single "hypersonic missiles" capable of high speed and manoeuvring after launch, while a test on Friday involved a pair of short-range ballistic missiles fired from train cars.
Monday's launch appeared to involve two SRBMs fired east from Sunan Airfield in Pyongyang, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement.
North Korea used the airport to test fire the Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) in 2017, with leader Kim Jong Un in attendance.
The missiles fired on Monday travelled about 380 km (236 miles) to a maximum altitude of 42 km (26 miles), the JCS said in a statement.
Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi said the missiles appeared to have landed in the ocean near North Korea's east coast.
"It is self-evident that the aim of North Korea's frequent missile launches is to improve their missile technology," he told reporters.
"The repeated launching of North Korea's ballistic missiles is a grave problem for the international community, including Japan," Kishi added, noting that the launches were a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban North Korea from all ballistic missile development.
The U.S. military's Indo-Pacific Command said it assessed that the launch did not pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, but "these missile launches highlight the destabilising impact of (North Korea's ) illicit weapons programme".
The pace of testing and the different launch sites suggests that North Korea has enough missiles to feel comfortable expending them on tests, training, and demonstrations, and helps reinforce its deterrent credibility by emphasizing the volume of its missile force, said Mason Richey, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul.
North Korea has not tested its longest-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or nuclear weapons since 2017, but after denuclearisation talks stalled in 2019, it began unveiling and testing a range of new SRBM designs.
Many of the latest SRBMs, including the hypersonic missiles, appear designed to evade missile defences. North Korea has also vowed to pursue tactical nuclear weapons, which could allow it to deploy nuclear warheads on SRBMs.
"Every tactical missile launch flaunts how little sanctions have constrained the Kim regime, and how the U.S. … has failed to make North Korea pay a sufficient cost for short-range missile programme development," Richey said.
'ISOLATING AND STIFLING'
The latest launches have drawn both condemnation and an appeal for dialogue from a U.S. administration that has imposed new sanctions over North Korean missile launches and is pushing for more.
U.S. President Joe Biden's administration imposed its first new sanctions on Pyongyang on Wednesday, and called on the U.N. Security Council to blacklist several North Korean individuals and entities. It also repeated calls for North Korea to return to talks aimed at reducing tension and persuading it to surrender its arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.
North Korea has defended the missile tests as its sovereign right to self-defence and accused the United States of intentionally intensifying confrontation with new sanctions.
In a statement before Friday's missile tests, the North Korean foreign ministry said that although the United States might talk of diplomacy and dialogue, its actions showed it was still engrossed in its policy of "isolating and stifling" North Korea.
South Korea's national security council held an emergency meeting after Monday's test, with members stressing that "above all else, it is essential to start dialogue as soon as possible in order for the situation on the Korean Peninsula to not become more strained and to restore stability", the presidential Blue House said in a statement.
The launches came as North Korea, more isolated than ever under self-imposed border closures aimed at preventing a COVID-19 pandemic, appeared to be preparing to open at least some trade across its land border with China.
Chinese brokers said they expect the resumption of regular trade with North Korea soon after a North Korean train pulled into a Chinese border town on Sunday in the first such crossing since anti-coronavirus lockdowns began in 2020.
Zhao Tong, a Beijing-based nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said North Korea had few reasons to hold back its missile development.
Leader Kim appeared to have little hope of a breakthrough with the United States, and China's sympathy for North Korea and antipathy towards the United States could encourage North Korea to think that China was unlikely to support any effort by the international community to censure it for the tests, he added.
"North Korea may think this is a safe time to advance its missile development," Zhao said.
Last week, China criticised the new U.S. sanctions but also called on all sides to act prudently and engage in dialogue to reduce tensions.
China says it enforces existing international sanctions on North Korea, but has joined with Russia to urge https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-russia-revive-push-lift-un-sanctions-north-korea-2021-11-01 the U.N. Security Council to ease the measures, saying they hurt the civilian population.
(Reporting by Josh Smith; Additional reporting by Elaine Lies and Sakura Murakami in Tokyo; and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Neil Fullick and Gerry Doyle)
A major winter storm slammed much of the eastern United States with snow, ice and high winds on Sunday, causing widespread travel disruptions and power outages on a holiday weekend.
Winter weather alerts stretched more than 1,000 miles (1,609 km) from Alabama to Maine, with the governors of Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina all declaring emergencies due to the storm.
More than 200,000 homes and businesses in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia reported power outages, according to PowerOutage.US, a website tracking power outages.
In North Carolina, where some regions saw record snowfalls, two people died Sunday when they lost control of their car in Raleigh.
The highest snowfall totals were expected along the spine of the Appalachians as well as across the lower Great Lakes.
The storm made its way through the Mid-Atlantic region toward New England on Sunday night, bringing snow that is expected to change to ice, sleet and eventually rain, the National Weather Service said.
In Canada, the storm is forecast to dump between 20-40cm (8-16 inches) of snow through Monday morning over parts of southern and eastern Ontario, the Canadian province that shares part of its border with New York state, the government weather agency, Environment Canada, said.
The inclement weather hits just as Ontario schools were set to reopen for in-person classes on Monday after the winter break was extended because of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant.
More than 3,000 flights within, into or out of the United States were canceled on Sunday, and over 8,000 flights were delayed, according to FlightAware data.
American Airlines Group Inc saw more than 660 flight cancellations. More than 90% of the flights into and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, an American Airlines hub, were canceled, the FlightAware website https://flightaware.com/live/cancelled showed.
American Airlines said it is allowing customers affected by the weather to rebook flights without a fee.
Toronto, home of Canada's busiest airport, is set to see accumulations of 15 to 20cm of snow.
This was a long weekend for most people in the United States as Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said on Sunday people should avoid non-essential travel in areas impacted by the storm.
"If you're able tonight and tomorrow morning, stay home and off the roads," Kemp said on https://twitter.com/GovKemp/status/1482828779005353984Twitter. "It's going to be treacherous in a lot of parts of our state."
(Reporting by Jan Wolfe in Washington and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Steve Gorman and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Kieran Murray and Karishma Singh)
Novak Djokovic could be barred from French Open under new vaccine law – Sportsnet.ca
Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Sunday – CBC News
Canada urges avoiding non-essential travel to Ukraine due to 'Russian aggression'


Made from a washed silk drill in pale blue, these women's trousers have a wide legged style and pleating to the front. The trousers are pre-turned at the cuffs, and have five belt loops. The trousers also have side slip pockets.


text:
class CloudstackRubyClient::BaseClient

  def initialize(api_url, api_key, secret_key, use_ssl=nil, open_timeout=20)
    @api_url      = api_url
    @api_key      = api_key
    @secret_key   = secret_key
    @use_ssl      = use_ssl
    @open_timeout = open_timeout
  end

  def request(params)
    params[:response] = 'json'
    params[:apiKey] = @api_key

    data = params.map{ |k,v| "#{k.to_s}=#{CGI.escape(v.to_s).gsub(/\+|\ /, "%20")}" }.sort.join('&')
    signature = OpenSSL::HMAC.digest 'sha1', @secret_key, data.downcase
    signature = Base64.encode64(signature).chomp

    method = 'POST' if params[:userdata] and params[:userdata].size > 2048
    if method == 'POST'
      params[:signature] = signature
      url = @api_url
    else
      signature = CGI.escape(signature)
      url = "#{@api_url}?#{data}&signature=#{signature}"
    end

    uri = URI.parse(url)
    http = Net::HTTP.new(uri.host, uri.port)
    http.use_ssl = @use_ssl
    http.open_timeout = @open_timeout  # fail the connection faster if can't open socket
    http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE

    if method == 'POST'
      request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(uri.request_uri)
      request.set_form_data(params)
    else
      request = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri.request_uri)
    end

    http.request(request)
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Sofia Robles Hernandez, a Zapotec Indigenous leader from Mexico, is one of the panelists speaking at Grassroots' 35th anniversary celebration on October 20th. The president of Mixe Peoples' Services (SER Mixe, a Grassroots International partner), Sofia has spent much of her life working to elevate the rights of Indigenous peoples and Indigenous women in the southern state of Oaxaca. In addition to leading SER Mixe, Sofia has worked with Mexico's National Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights for over 15 years. She was elected Municipal president of her home town, Tlahuitoltepec, in 2012. Over the last decade, she has trained Indigenous women in leadership skills for the Indigenous Women's Alliance at the Mexican Autonomous University.
Her leadership at SER Mixe provides an important role model for Indigenous women in Oaxaca and allows her to build political and social space for women and women's voices in Mexican society.
SER Mixe serves more than 130,000 Indigenous Peoples across 30 communities in the northwestern part of Oaxaca. They provide legal assistance to communities and advocate for their rights to land, culture, language and territory. Their work includes organizing against mining and extraction, stopping land expropriations, and resolving territorial conflicts between Indigenous communities. SER Mixe also works with communities to promote agroecology and strengthen the voice and participation of women. In addition to being an active member of the Network in Defense of Corn and the Oaxacan Collective in Defense of Territories, SER Mixe is also is connected to international Indigenous movement building networks.
Grassroots International is honored to welcome Sofia to speak at the "Resistance, Resilience and Power" panel on Saturday, October 20 in Boston, and join our 35th anniversary celebration that evening. Other panelists include Ozawa Bineshi Albert from the Indigenous Environmental Network, and Alaa Hammouda from the Gaza Community Mental Health Program. The panel is free, but pre-registration is required, and tickets are available for the evening event. For more information about all the events during Grassroots International's 35th Anniversary, including how to get tickets, visit GrassrootsOnline.org/35th.
At the 35th Anniversary event, Sofia will be speaking about her organization's resistance and resilience as they defend communal lands, territories and natural resources. In addition she will talk about their powerful work defending Indigenous identity and culture, building respect for Indigenous autonomy and self-determination through legal efforts.


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Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
Select a product typeBoxed B (1 in stock)
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Several years in the making, Final Fantasy XIII is a testament to the sheer production value Square Enix puts into its flagship RPG series. A labour of love for almost everyone in the company, this instalment in the franchise takes equal inspiration from its last game, Final Fantasy XII and decade-old classics such as Final Fantasy VII. Starring a female character called Lightning, the game is set in the future where the world is divided into two significant areas - Cocoon, a paradise high in the sky which knows only peace and prosperity; and Pulse, the dark, dingy and dangerous lower world. Long ago mankind was blessed with the presence of the fal'Cie, who decided to watch and protect over the world. However, peace and tranquility on Cocoon was not to last. After one renegade fal'Cie wakes from its slumber, humans are cursed by the fal'Cie, turning them into magic-wielding servants. These became l'Cie - pawns chosen by the fal'Cie to bring chaos and destruction. Gameplay uses a combination of turn-based action and new real-time elements such as Paradigms, which allow players to assign roles to party members at any time in combat. The Active Time battle system provides the freedom to execute several different commands in a single turn using an action gauge with multiple command slots. Add to this a usual mix of interesting characters, a twisting storyline and all-new Summons to kick the snot out of your foes, and you have one action-packed RPG.


This budget document is intended to be accessible to readers with significant, little, or no experience with municipal finance. Presented in six distinct sections, this budget document will provide both general and specific data, from philosophical discourse on the nature of the fiscal partnership between branches of government, to line-by-line department spending requests for items such as office supplies and gasoline.
Section 1 - The Town Manager's Budget Message is found in this section and contains the overall philosophy upon which the budget was developed, and provides an explanation of the budget process, and any significant changes to the budget as compared to previous years. This section also covers the budget highlights and provides a summary of the balanced budget proposal.
Section 2 - The Revenue Summary is found in this section and identifies the sources of revenue to meet the proposed operational, miscellaneous, and capital expenses for the coming year. The section also provides the reader with an overview of historical and proposed revenue, including the assumptions used to develop the estimates.
Section 3 - Contains the Department Descriptions for the General Fund, Enterprise Funds, and Community Preservation Fund. These are descriptions identifying the general purpose of each department and include a history of past year expenditures, the current year budget, and the recommended balanced budget.
Section 4 - Contains the Executive Summary of the FY09 – 13 Capital Improvement Plan, published as a separate document on Jan. 8, 2008.
Section 5 - Contains actual Departmental Spending Requests for General Fund, Enterprise Funds, and the Community Preservation Fund.
Section 6 - Contains a Glossary of Terms that may prove useful in reviewing this budget.


Unbelievable. I'm sitting here this morning looking out my library window at falling snow. Until several days ago that would mean a reprieve from the unsettledness of the extreme fire season. Not so anymore. Thursday it snowed. Thursday afternoon the Meyer Ranch fire started.
All this week Bob Seger's Against The Wind has played over and over in my head. Running against the wind. That's what we – Animal Evac Volunteers – were doing last Sunday morning, some of us that maintain red card certification. We weren't really running. That isn't allowed during pack tests. The three levels of pack tests are arduous, moderate and light. Arduous pack test = 3-mile hike with 45 lb pack in 45 minutes. Moderate field test = 2-mile hike with 25 lb pack in 30 minutes. Light walk test = 1-mile hike with no pack in 16 minutes. No jogging or running in any of them. Still, it was against the wind.
Walking against the wind. It was so freakin' windy last Sunday. Head down, against the wind. You'd think the wind would push you along on the opposite side of the track, but nope. The track sits in a hillside, which kept the wind away on one side of the track. The side where the wind would have pushed us along.
AEV was formed in 2002 during another extreme fire season. It was the year my family, including all the dogs and Laura the cat, spent three days away from home. Fortunately we were home the afternoon the Black Mountain Fire started. We live on Black Mountain. Nate had his driver's licence. We had three vehicles and several hours warning before mandatory evacuation. There was time to prepare. But what if we hadn't been home? Once an area is sealed off by the authorities, there's no getting in.
People have told me, "there's no way they could have kept me out." Ya. Right. Then you've never been in that situation. It was eerie. Ash was falling. The sky was orange.
So, each year I fulfill the requirements for red card certification and volunteer for Animal Evac.
I googled the lyrics for Against the Wind this morning. Yep, the song is a love song, a long lost love. But the first verse creeped me out!
Thanks, now that song will be running through my head all day. Always makes me think of Forrest Gump!
Better than Marshall Tucker's Fire on the mountain, lighting in the air.


text:
The Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia, NSW (JMGA-NSW Inc.) is a membership based organisation, representing jewellery and object practitioners throughout New South Wales. As a volunteer non-profit organisation we provide a forum to promote, support and develop the field of contemporary jewellery.
JMGA-NSW is part of a loose affiliation of state jewellery and metalsmiths groups (JMGV, JMGQ, JMGA WA, etc) collectively known as JMGA. JMGA is the national forum for the biennial conferences.
The primary aims of the organisation are to:
promote the crafts of jewellery and metalsmithing in Australia;
act as a vehicle by which jewellers and metalsmiths can communicate with each other, and those interested in this area;
support the advancement of craft in Australia;
maintain an exchange of information with similar groups in Australia and overseas;
publish newsletters and/or magazines which will be of benefit and promote members and membership;
generate funds, for the advancement of the crafts of jewellery and metalsmithing in Australia;
become a lobbying force in such areas as legislation affecting jewellers and metalsmiths and exhibitions;
consolidate the craft of jewellery and metalwork in Australia as an art form.
Our new logo was designed by Stephen Goddard.
New logo, 2018
"It is a simple typographic response in which the letters are hand-crafted to make them distinct, but which reflect a simplicity of design. This simplicity is offset by the use of a textural background image in the Filings newsletter. Red has been maintained to link the new logo to the current brand identity." SG
Click on image to find out more.
Liza Feeney
Teya Lehne
Bic Tieu
Newsletter Editor
Gavin Pili
JMGA Constitution
Read the JMGA Constitution here.


text:
Confessions of a Marilyn Monroe Snob: How Anita Loos convinced me that "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"
Leave a Comment / Books Into Film, Fiction, Underrated Classics / By Lois Warner
In my recent foray into this year's crop of public domain books, I ran across Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. You might have already seen it featured on our post about movies made from some of the books that have gone into public domain this year.
If you missed it, click here: The Novels Behind 8 Great Movies Are in the Public Domain in 2021
Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, & Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
I have found that I really enjoy a certain type of female humorous writer that I have come across recently, and I wondered if Anita Loos might be more of the same. To be honest, I was surprised to see the context of the book because like most people, I know of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes through the Marilyn Monroe & Jane Russell film.
20th Century Fox, 1953/Public Domain
I realized, however, that I have never seen Gentlemen Prefer Blondes…I'm not sure I've ever seen any Marilyn Monroe movie, with the exception of one of my favorite movies, All About Eve.
If you know All About Eve, you know that it is definitely not about Marilyn Monroe, who has a minor role. I guess I made the mistake of thinking that the character Monroe played in that film, a coy blonde using her looks and charm to break into the acting business, as who Marilyn Monroe really was.
The other thing that I have found off putting is the iconography of Marilyn Monroe. You know how you can see an image or hear about something so often that eventually what you've seen and heard becomes the thing rather than the thing itself?
When I think of Marilyn Monroe, I think of that classic image of her in the white dress with her skirt blowing up, an image that I now see doesn't do the woman justice.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was near the beginning of her career as a star, in fact, her costar, Jane Russell received top billing over Monroe in this film.
You can't help but be aghast at Marilyn Monroe's incredible sex appeal. Seriously, it doesn't even seem real. I can see why the poor woman had so much difficulty, between her rough early life and her appearance. It must have been hard for people to break through all of that to the real woman underneath.
I know what I'm saying isn't a big revelation in the scheme of things: far from it; this is my reaction to my first viewing of this film.
Now perhaps I was quicker to arrive at this next conclusion because I read Loos' novella before I saw the film, but any characterization of Monroe's character, Lorelei, as being a dumb blonde in this film is completely idiotic. A dumb blonde would not be able finagle as many situations as she does. That's all there is to it. If people think it was all coincidence, which just proves the genius of her performance.
Let's see: she cons one man out of a diamond tiara while managing to keep her wealthy and conservative fiancé and marry him in the end. Huh.
Sounds like a dummy to me.
The thing I really love about this movie, however, is that it is such a great buddy film. A FEMALE buddy film. In the '50's. The Jane Russell character, Dorothy, doesn't like what her friend has done, and she risks losing her guy over it, but a friend is a friend…we don't have to like everything our friends do all the time…and she lets the guy know that if he wants to get her, he has to cover for her friend.
And Jane Russell's impression of Marilyn Monroe in the courtroom scene is absolutely priceless, especially with her raunchier version of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend".
I was also pleasantly surprised by this sexy Jane Russell featuring some eye candy for the ladies. Yeah, I get ALL the subtexts, but men objectified costumed to look near nude with a demurely clad Jane Russell is pretty hot. Why have I never discussed this in a women's studies class?
Anita Loos' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Anita Loos, center, flanked by actors from the 1926 silent version of Gentlemen, now believed lost. Photoplay Magazine, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, April 1928.
Anita Loos was a writer in the 1920's, and when she wrote Gentlemen, she was a "scenario" writer for early films, which is what script writers were called during the silent film era. It was a huge bestseller when it came out, but it wasn't taken "seriously" because of its subject matter.
1 November 1925SourceScan from the first edition of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1925) by Boni & Liveright. Ralph Barton
The book is written in the form of Lorelei's diary, in which she tells her readers all about her exploits as an adventuress in New York City. As she reveals more and more about herself, you can see how others see her, and why others might denigrate her. Love her or hate her, you judge for yourself. But why you are trying to figure it out, you will have one heck of a good time.
If you like the film, and I do heartily recommend the film, you will like the book even more because there is more to Lorelei than a pretty gold digger. Personal happiness is also important to her, so in the end, you find yourself wanting to be on her team even if you don't quite agree with her methods. In other words, as the reader, you become Dorothy.
Loos' style is easy to under appreciate because it seems as though she is just writing the book off the top of her head, but it actually takes a lot to achieve such a light hearted tone while conveying Lorelei's character through her "own" words. One example of the lengths Loos goes to with this style, and one of the things I most appreciate, is the way that she misspells certain words: Lorelei is intelligent enough to have picked up some words in life that she never learned to spell. Or perhaps her formal education was sketchy all the way around.
It amazes me how many people, including literary scholars, are fooled by comedy. Comedy isn't easy. It's much harder than tragedy, and it doesn't age as well either because it relies so heavily on context. So writing a seemingly light hearted story in the voice of a character that will make you laugh out loud 95 years after publication is a feat that shouldn't be ignored.
The "Ziegfeld Girl" Lillian Lorraine was the real-life basis for Lorelei Lee. She sold all of her fancy trinkets for more than $200,000 during the height of The Depression.
James Abbe, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons The Tatler, June, 1922.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a quick read that you will be glad you took the time to pick up.
To get an idea of what awaits you here, when Anita Loos was asked if there would be a third novel after Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes, she said yes, and it will be called Gentlemen Prefer Gentlemen.