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Communicating with Prisoners
Public Interest Analysis
I. Communicative Walls F. Knowledge of Prisoners 1. John Howard
John Howard, Pioneering Social Scientist
In England in the 1770s, John Howard pioneered the creation of public knowledge about prison conditions. Access to prisons and jails in eighteenth-century England was relatively free. Howard's innovation was to use that access not for personal communication but for creating public knowledge. That public knowledge consisted of Howard's factual, written observations about prison conditions in a large number of prisons.
Howard began personally visiting prisons and jails in November, 1773. Echoing the Royal Society's motto of 'nullius in verba' (follow no authority's command), Jeremy Bentham described Howard's prison visits:
He is set down at the door of a prison, makes enquiries under a certain number of heads which exhaust the subject, does his business and drives off again to another. His thoughts, his conversation, his writing are confined to this one object. …He is accurate to an extreme: takes nothing from report: and asserts nothing but what has come under the cognizance of his senses.^
Howard recorded names of prison administrators, their salaries or forms of income, the number and types of prisoners, fees imposed on prisoners, prison rules, sanitary conditions, access to alcoholic drinks, cell dimensions, conditions of darkness, dampness, and cold, religious teaching, and other prison facts. Despite the objective, descriptive, conceptually fragmented nature of his prison examinations, Howard, who preceded the development of social science, used the language of a criminal-court proceeding to describe his work:
The difficulty I found in searching out evidence of fraud and cruelty in various articles, together with other sources of distress, obliged me to repeat my visits, and travel over the kingdom more than once; after all, I suspect that many frauds have been concealed from me; and that sometimes the interest of my informants prevailed over their veracity.^
Howard pursued his work with the steadfast diligence of a government bureaucrat. He developed considerable expertise in prisons and prison administration. Howard's technical expertise, as well as his theatrical skills, helped him to recognize and acquire true information:
Honest Gaolers receive him with open arms: dishonest (ones) tremble at his approach. He renders both sorts alike pliant to his purpose: the one by their hope, the other by their fear. … Practise has made him familiar with all their arts and all their ways: when he has addressed himself to any of them for the first time he has commonly been taken for a brother of the profession. He has at length acquired such a command over them, that in his last tour (for he has gone over England more than once) he has never been denied satisfaction in any single article.^
Howard did not visit prisons with an authoritative commission or for a particular, official purpose. The form of his knowledge-seeking was, however, authoritative and official in a new way. Prisons were his subject.
Country boundaries mattered little to Howard's method. Just as he visited prisons in Britain, Howard also visited prisons in Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Turkey, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Howard by stealth broke into a prison in Lyon, France:
All access to this prison is strictly forbidden to strangers, the transgression of the order is punished with confinement in the gallies for life. … By dint of enquiries, {Howard} instructed himself in the several turnings and windings which led to the prison; and taking advantage from his personal appearance, which was well-calculated to assist the honest deception, dressed himself at all points like a Frenchman; and, with his hat under his arm, passed hastily by twenty-four officers, and penetrated into the very apartment where the English gentleman was confined, without impediment or suspicion.^
Like a scientist seeking to penetrate the mysteries of nature, Howard sought the truth about prison conditions. Country boundaries do not delimit truth. Howard embraced the ideal of universal knowledge in his practice of visiting prisons.
Howard was extraordinarily dedicated to his pioneering subject of study. Scholarship in Howard's time mainly consisted of studying written texts and writing additional texts. Jeremy Bentham wistfully noted that Howard had done much more than verbal work:
My venerable friend was much better employed than in arranging words and sentences. Instead of doing what so many could do if they would, what he did for the service of mankind, was what scarce any man could have done, and no man would do, but himself. In the scale of moral deserts the labours of the legislator and the writer are as far below his as earth is below heaven.^
Howard did not directly serve prisoners. He wrote verbal records of his observations of prison conditions. To make these observations, Howard personally traveled perhaps 60,000 miles, spent ₤30,000 of his own money, endured horrible conditions, and subjected himself to great health risks. Howard died in 1790 while traveling in Russia to inspect hospitals. He was acclaimed world-wide as a philanthropist, social reformer, and friend of prisoners. He would be more accurately described as a theatrical proto-social scientist who helped to create a new book of public knowledge.
Howard's Creation of Public Knowledge in 18th-Century England
John Howard's early work on extreme temperatures illustrates that his relations with influential persons and authoritative institutions were central to his success in creating public knowledge. Howard, a non-conformist, studied at the Congregational Fund Academy at Moorfields for a year or two about 1740. The universities at Oxford and Cambridge at that time did not admit students who were not members of the Church of England. The Fund Academy at Moorfields was established to provide for non-conformists the equivalent of Oxford or Cambridge . The Fund Academy's director during Howard's time there was John Eames, a close friend of Isaac Newton and widely recognized for his erudition. Howard apparently had little academic success, but at the Academy he established life-long friendships with John Densham, a tutor; with Richard Price, a classmate; and with others among the academy's intellectually influential circles.
Howard's election to the Royal Society in 1756 seems to have come not from any scholarly merit, but from the influence of his friends. The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge was the premier learned society in Britain. Howard was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on May 13, 1756 at age twenty-nine. This was a relatively young age to become a Fellow. Howard's nomination paper stated:
John Howard, Esqre, of Old Broad Street, London, having for some years pursued mathematical studies, and being desirous of the honour of being admitted into the Royal Society, we on our personal knowledge of him recommend him as a true lover of natural philosophy.
{Signed}
John Canton
John Ellicott^
A leading nineteenth-century scientific authority stated in 1873 in a celebratory history of Howard and his work:
In the year 1756 just twenty names were added to the list of {Royal Society} members. Of these nine were foreign, and eleven English. Three out of the eleven (Benjamin Franklin being one of them) had the signatures of George, Earl of Macclesfield (then the president of the Society), and of his son and successor to the title, Thomas, Lord Parker, at the head of their nomination papers. The papers themselves are not printed forms, but written documents setting forth distinctly and with discrimination the respective claims of the nominees; and in no instance are these claims other than real and respectable. And, lastly, it is well worthy of remark that no event, as far as I can ascertain, had yet occurred in the eventful life of Howard to give him such public prestige as might take the place of scientific merit;^
This authority then quite implausibly argued that Howard "had done something or other" in mathematics or natural philosophy to merit his election to the Royal Society. No evidence exists that Howard had aptitude for mathematics or that his years pursing mathematical studies produced any accomplishments. One of Howard's friends remarked about 1794:
This honor {membership in the Royal Society} was not, I presume, conferred upon him in consequence of any extraordinary proficiency in science which he had manifested; but rather in conformity to the laudable practice of that society, of attaching gentlemen of fortune and leisure to the interests of knowledge, by incorporating them into their body.^
Many gentlemen "of fortune and leisure" did not become members of the Royal Society. Desiring the honor and having influential friends undoubtedly also mattered greatly. Most probably, Howard was elected to the Royal Society in 1756 because he desired that honor and his influential friends favored him with it.
Being a member of the Royal Society provided Howard with an important resource for making knowledge. Well before his work on prison conditions, Howard published three articles in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Howard's first article was based on temperature measurements he made at his home. The article consisted of two sentences read to the Royal Society and published in the Philosophical Transactions in 1764. The first sentence provided the substance of the work:
I would beg leave to acquaint you of a degree of cold that I observed at Cardington {Howard's residence}, in Bedfordshire, the 22d of November last: just before Sun rise Farenheit's scale by one of Bird's thermometers being so low as 10 and ½.^
Howard's second article presented twenty-eight temperature readings he made in the baths and springs at Bath, England in 1765.^ Howard's third publication provided temperature measurements in even more daring circumstances.^ While in Italy in 1770, Howard measured the heat of the ground at various points on Mount Vesuvius, a volcano. Howard explained in a letter to a close friend:
as I ascended I found it 114º, 134, 149, 167, 185, at the top 220. After I had got the better of the smoak {smoke} by standing in it a quarter of an hour, I descended into the Mouth when I again took it 2 or 3 times, where it rais'd my Thermor {thermometer} to 240º and fired some paper I put into some holes. I would fain have went lower but my guides said they durst not. As I have not heard of any person going down even the little part I did since the great eruption of Oct. 6, nor of any person taking the heat, I thought it would afford you a little entertainment.^
In all three publications, which spanned seven years, Howard presented the same type of observations. These observations were made with the same instrument, required no particular skill for measurement, and had little relevance to any general theoretical or empirical project. Howard's thermometer work documented extremes and took science to places others dared not go. Howard's thermometer work is knowledge because of its publication in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.
Howard's thermometer work shows a pattern of knowledge creation similar to Howard's work on prison conditions. In both cases, Howard recorded information in extreme circumstances not attractive for comfortable, leisurely pursuit of knowledge. Another person who dared venture into those circumstances could have easily recorded the same information that Howard recorded. Unlike other such persons, Howard's social position allowed him to create relatively widely accessible, authoritative information — public knowledge.
Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt about Gaol Fever
Sheriffs and magistrates in eighteenth-century England had authority to gather information about prison conditions, but little interest in doing so. Sheriffs and commissioners of the peace were typically gentlemen from the local elite appointed as a matter of patronage. Visiting jails as a duty of office did not offer an occasion for status-displaying public ceremony. "Gaol fever," now called typhus, linked jails to contagion and death. Sheriffs' interests generally did not favor their visiting prisons:
some sheriffs excuse themselves from attention to this part of their duty, on account of short duration, expense, and trouble of their office: and these gentlemen, as well as gentlemen in the commission of the peace, have no doubt been fearful of the consequences of looking into prisons. … {Some jailers} have said, "Those gentlemen think that if they came into my gaol, they should soon be in their graves."^
Jailers who wanted to avoid supervision and interference in their administration of jails had an incentive to exaggerate the risks of visiting jails. Fear of jail fever did not stop wives and children from living with their husbands and fathers in jail. But in public officials' weighing of interests, such fears had greater effect.
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Q: Setting a Response Header after doFilter call So I've been observing some answers about this topic and I understand that after the doFilter() call is completed it is now too late to modify a repsonse header, and to best handle this case I should use a response wrapper.
I want to know how to handle the case where I only want to set a header if the response that has bubbled back up to my filter has a specific status code. Should that logic be handled before doFilter? In the Request Wrapper class?  I'm a bit confused.
@Override
    public void doFilter(ServletRequest request, ServletResponse response, FilterChain chain)
        throws IOException, ServletException {
        HttpServletRequest httpRequest;
        HttpServletResponse servlettResponse = (HttpServletResponse)response;
    CrossOriginResponseWrapper crossOriginResponseWrapper = new CrossOriginResponseWrapper(servlettResponse);
    if (crossOriginResponseWrapper.getStatus() == 404) {
        crossOriginResponseWrapper.addHeader("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", "*");
    }
    chain.doFilter(request, crossOriginResponseWrapper);

    LOG.info(crossOriginResponseWrapper.getHeader("Access-Control-Allow-Origin"));

    LOG.info(servlettResponse.getStatus());
}

UPDATE:
Is the only way to solve this overriding methods in the wrapper so that the response isn't written/flushed before it gets to my filter? Is there any simpler solution?
(Referencing this answer)
Response is committing and doFilter chain is broken

A: Nop, that is the only way.
Here you have a working example.
https://github.com/sercasti/spring-httpserver-timings/blob/master/src/main/java/io/github/sercasti/tracing/filter/TracingFilter.java
I wrap the original Response with a Wrapper, thus avoiding other filters from calling the .write method, which instantly commits the response and locks you out from adding headers.
By using this wrapper, other filters write to my wrapper, and then when my filter gets the control back, I add my headers, and effectively write the original response.

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Bruiser Blog
Bruiser blogs about stuff
To Boycott or Not to Boycott
April 10, 2016 April 10, 2016 josh7 Comments
With the recent passage of some pretty crappy laws in North Carolina and Mississippi, I've seen calls to boycott the states.
Just canceled all my plans to visit MS because of HB 1523; I hope those 'moral values' will sustain your economy #boycottMS @PhilBryantMS
— Chantal Shine (@chantal_shine) April 7, 2016
Move the All-Star game out of #NC. #BoycottNC #WeAreNotThis https://t.co/6kAno5lm5F
— Boycott NC (@BoycottNC) April 7, 2016
I'm a NC resident and even I am requesting people boycott our state. #NoHateInOurState #WeAreNotThis #HB2 https://t.co/xkM4tn39EO
— Chrissy❤NC (@Chrissy_NC) April 9, 2016
But is boycotting the right thing to do? Boycotts have mixed results in bringing about change. The reality is they don't often substantially impact the target's bottom line, but instead focus media attention and harm the target's image, according to Northwestern University's Brayden King. How much financial impact could individuals have boycotting a state? Even if you add in the various governments that have banned travel, how many of their state and municipal employees are really traveling to MS and NC on "non-essential" business anyway?
King notes that the study has one ironic conclusion: "Companies with poor reputations to begin with are less vulnerable to boycotts, because they have less to lose."
Extend that to states, and I think North Carolina has more to lose than Mississippi, so a boycott may be more effective there. Indeed, we've seen NC getting more media attention, despite the belief of many (including myself) that MS passed a worse law.
Things start to heat up when companies and celebrities get involved. I'm not talking about releasing some empty statement about how they are "disappointed" with the law. I'm talking about PayPal canceling plans to open a new facility (which would have brought 400+ jobs) and Bruce Springsteen canceling a show in North Carolina. These are attention-grabbing headlines. Continue reading →
Politicsactivism, boycotts, gay, lgbt, mississippi, north carolina, politics, religion
Hate in the States
April 4, 2016 April 9, 2016 joshLeave a comment
Protest in Mississippi
As I type this, hundreds are gathered in Jackson, the capitol of Mississippi, protesting the state's HB 1523, the preposterously-named "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" and urging the governor to veto it. The fallout from North Carolina's HB 2 (pdf) is still coming down. What the heck is going on?
While the recent successes for LGBT rights in the U.S.–particularly the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court ruling–have caused many to let their guards down and celebrate victory, others have been urging us to stay vigilant. In his book "It's Not Over", author, activist and radio host Michelangelo Signorile predicted a backlash, and warned us against "victory blindness". It turns out, he was right.
We have seen a rash of anti-LGBT laws sweep the country, mostly at the state level and often under the guise of "religious freedom". Let's take a look at a few of the worst of them. Continue reading →
Politics, Rantsactivism, discrimination, equality, gay, lgbt, marriage equality, politics, religion, Ryan T Anderson, same sex marriage
Prayer and Guns
February 4, 2016 June 12, 2016 joshLeave a comment
Guns and religion in one blog post? Yes I can! Let's do it…
Remember a few months ago, after yet another mass shooting–I literally can't recall which, there are so many–when America, driven largely by social media, collectively decided they'd had enough "thoughts and prayers" after gun fatalities? Twitter exploded, and the New York Daily News printed the iconic cover seen below.
This was the result of pent up frustration, sadness and fury over the current state of violence, particularly mass shootings, in the United States. Time after time these things were happening, and time after time we saw our elected officials, who could and should be doing something about it, sending their "thoughts and prayers" out to the victims and their families. It pissed us off. It pissed me off!
There is always a subset of religious folks–largely Christian, let's be honest–who relish playing the victim. This provided an excellent opportunity. The term "prayer shaming" was born. "Our religion is under attack!" they cried out. They seemed to think they were being criticized for praying! But they weren't. By and large, we were criticizing those who had the power to take meaningful action but who either did nothing or actively impeded attempts to do something. Continue reading →
Politics, Rants, Uncategorizedguns, politics, religion
Nope, SSM is STILL not like abortion
July 15, 2015 July 15, 2015 joshLeave a comment
Remember when BruiserBlog favorite Ryan T. Anderson comforted a distraught middled-aged woman by comparing same-sex marriage to abortion and I pointed out how stupid that was? Well I guess he must have missed it. Somewhat to my surprise, he's still banging that drum. In a new post on right-wing web publication The Federalist, Ryan–after some characteristic whining, and pimping his new book–opines:
Will the defenders of marriage be treated like bigots? Will our society and our laws treat Americans who believe that marriage is the union of husband and wife as if they were the moral equivalent of racists?
Perhaps not. Think about the abortion debate. Ever since Roe v. Wade, our law has granted a right to abortion. Yet, for the most part, pro-life citizens are not treated as though they are "anti-woman" or "anti-health." Those are just slurs from extremists. Even those who disagree with the pro-life cause respect it and recognize that it has a legitimate place in the debate over public policy.
First, I won't paint with broad strokes here, but some in the anti-choice movement are in fact anti-woman. But I'm not going down that path.
Listen, Ryan, I already covered why these things are not the same or even similar. It's not apples to oranges, it's apples to brussels sprouts….they're not even in the same family. Most on the anti-abortion side see an innocent victim, and the taking of a life. That simply doesn't exist in marriage (both spouses are willing victims, and their lives are only ending in the jocularly hyperbolic sense).
Before I noticed Ryan tweeting this, I saw fellow blogger David Cary Hart's post on it (he hits on more of the points in Ryan's latest hogwash–which frankly was TL;DR for me–so it's worth a read), and in echoing my own thoughts, he had this to say:
More to the point Obergefell is not Roe. Nothing could be more illustrative of this than the fact that the pro-life (really anti-choice) movement has secular support while opposition to same-sex marriage falls strictly along religious lines. Indeed, Anderson's opposition is a product of his ultra-orthodox Catholicism. Of course Anderson's opposition to Roe is for the same reasons.
However, believing that a fetus is a baby, anti-choice activists visualize a flesh and blood victim. There is simply no visceral comparison with regard to same-sex marriage.
But wait, what's this? Has Ryan developed a bout of realism?
Will the same tolerance [as that shown to those who are "pro life"] be shown to those who believe the truth about marriage? Will the government respect their rights of conscience and religious liberty? It doesn't look good. So far, the trend has been in the opposite direction. We must now work to reverse it.
He loves that meaningless phrase "the truth about marriage" so much that he titled his book (did you hear he has a new book out?) Truth Overruled. I wouldn't say this is realism so much as alarmism, as he spends the rest of the piece trying to make people feel better about their opinions ("it's totally different than race!") and stoking fear that if they don't do something, they will be treated like social lepers and the government will steal all of their religious freedoms. Of course, if you just buy his book, he has all kinds of information there on just what to do now.
Nice try, Ryan.
Politics, Rantsabortion, lgbt, marriage equality, religion, Ryan T Anderson
July 2, 2015 joshLeave a comment
You are not alone. Just check out this video:
Not what you were expecting? Did you see the twist coming? I did because it was posted on Twitter. I was planning to just respond with some snarky comments ("Oh, you have gay friends? Well, OK then!") but then THIS came to my attention:
Look, you can believe what you want about God. You may think God doesn't consider a marriage to be between two dudes or two chicks. OK, that's fine. But when you don't believe that the state should recognize such marriages, that those relationships are and should be legally inferior, that's where you are going to run into problems. And if people give you funny looks for saying that, then so be it. Gay people have endured much worse.
Politics, Rantslgbt, marriage equality, religion, same sex marriage
Marriage Over The Rainbow
June 29, 2015 June 29, 2015 josh2 Comments
Well, I guess I should say something about what happened last Friday. I'm speaking–of course–of the Obergefell v Hodges Supreme Court ruling that states could not prevent same-sex couples from marrying.
It's hard to overstate how significant this was. Many people correctly point out that marriage equality is not the end-all of LGBT equality, that there is still much to be done. There is, it's true. But to many of us, until recently this was unthinkable. Most of us grew up, came of age and started dating without any hope of being able to marry some day. I didn't think I'd see it in my lifetime! And yet, thanks to 5 Justices, it's here today.
The announcement came around 10am Friday, and I was totally useless at work for the rest of the day. I tried to concentrate on my tasks, but couldn't. I followed the love and joy on Twitter, and I found myself tearing up at various times throughout the day. While I normally spend a fair amount of my Twitter time keeping an eye on the opponents of equality–and refuting their lies and distortions–I decided to take the weekend off, and to just be happy. So I hid those lists, and surrounded myself in love and happiness, and it was great!
Now it's Monday, the weekend is over and it's time to get back to the real world. There are still a few battles to be fought for marriage, and much more work to do for true, full equality. But those fights all look a bit more winnable in the multicolored afterglow of such a momentous victory. I'm invigorated to keep fighting the good fight, and not just on LGBT issues. Cops, guns, racism… as long as people are mistreated, oppressed or getting killed for no reason, there is more work to be done.
P.S. Seeing the White House lit up in rainbow colors, not to mention all the other shows of support from the executive branch of our government would have been hard to imagine a decade ago.
Love is love! #LoveWins pic.twitter.com/a1cKUcFqYa
— US Dept of Interior (@Interior) June 26, 2015
A huge step forward for every single person in America. To be equal is to be free. Proud that #LoveWins!
— Arne Duncan (@arneduncan) June 26, 2015
Every day we see so much trouble in the world. With the #SCOTUS decision, I am proud to celebrate that in America #lovewins.
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) June 26, 2015
Sure, it's just symbolic and to some it may seem small, but it's not. It means the world.
Also? The White House. No, it doesn't mean anything, but it means everything, at the same time.
— Robbie Medwed (@rjmedwed) June 27, 2015
Good Stuff, PoliticsAlabama, gay, marriage equality, same sex marriage, scotus, Texas
Messing with Texas
March 6, 2015 joshLeave a comment
These hateful laws are coming so fast it's almost impossible to keep track of them now. The latest I've seen is in Texas, where a state law maker has proposed a law similar to the the one enacted recently in Arkansas. It would roll back protections against LGBT people enacted in many of the state's larger cities. Oh, and the author has a gay son, and that son is not happy.
Beau Miller wrote on his Facebook wall on Thursday, "As many of you know by now, my dad has authored and submitted a bill in the Texas House of Representatives that, if signed into law, would prevent municipalities in Texas from maintaining sexual orientation anti-discrimination laws. While I love my dad very much, I am extremely disappointed by his actions and will do everything I can to prevent that bill, or any such legislation, from becoming law."
The more inroads we make the harder they fight back. So much for conservative family values. Good luck, Beau.
Politics, Rantsfamily, lgbt, Texas
Georgia Taking the Piss
March 5, 2015 josh2 Comments
Well damn, we can't let our guards down for a minute. Not even long enough to take a leak, apparently. That Georgia "religious liberty" bill I mentioned recently was tabled? Not any more.
The Republican members of the committee considering the bill voted quickly on it while the Democratic member was on a bathroom break.
After several hours of deliberations at Monday's committee meeting, however, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Fort asked McKoon if he could pause work for a moment to use the bathroom. McKoon obliged, but while the Democrat hurried to the lavatory, the rest of the committee — which consisted entirely of Republicans once Fort left the room — quickly pulled the "religious liberty" bill off the table and began voting. A staffer alerted other Democrats who rushed to the scene, but the committee had already passed the bill by the time lawmakers arrived.
The bill will move to the full Senate for a vote.
Do we need to start a fund to provide Democratic lawmakers in … certain states … with stadium pals?
Politics, Rantsactivism, discrimination, georgia, lgbt
February 26, 2015 February 26, 2015 josh1 Comment
Just some quick updates and tidbits worth mentioning:
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson failed to veto the AR law stopping municipalities from expanding anti-discrimination protection beyond what is contained in state law. After the veto deadline passed, Walmart, the state's largest employer, said they were against it. Too little, too late.
And I apparently wrote too soon in my previous post on Arkansas, as a "religious freedom" bill was also working its slimy way through the legislature there. This was, of course, another law meant to allow people to discriminate against LGBT folks and hide behind a shield of "religion". But there is good news! In this case, Walmart weighed in against it before it was too late, and (as if by magic) the next day the Senate panel considering the legislation rejected it.
Late last week, a similar bill in Georgia was tabled by a Senate committee there, after it was opposed by a very unlikely critic: former GA Attorney General (GA AG) Michael Bowers, who once (successfully) argued in favor of Georgia's anti-sodomy law! Bowers released a statement saying "It is not just bad public policy; it is ill-conceived, unnecessary, mean-spirited and deserving of a swift death in the General Assembly."
Here is another piece on the so-called "social science" attacking gay parenting making the rounds among conservatives, which makes reference to the post I recently re-blogged. It's worth a read on its own merits.
Notice something different? After using the same theme on this site for a couple years, I decided to try changing it up. It should work well on computers, tablet and smartphones. How do you like the new look?
Meta, Politics, Rantsactivism, blog, lgbt, parenting, politics
And Now We Have Arkansas (What the Fuck?)
Following the footsteps of Kansas, Arizona and Mississippi, the state of Arkansas is trying to use legislation to keep anti-LGBT discrimination alive and well. But this approach is a bit different. Rather than using "religious freedom", which has proven controversial–and gotten legislation dropped in Kansas and vetoed in Arizona–they are going for the innocuous sounding "standardizing" non-discrimination ordinances across the state.
According the AR branch of the ACLU, "SB 202 prohibits cities, counties, and towns from passing laws that create any "protected class" or "prohibit discrimination" that go beyond state law."
This means cities can't restrict discrimination any further than the state does. And guess what? The state doesn't protect against anti-LGBT discrimination! The ACLU claims it's "a direct fear response to Fayetteville's passage of an ordinance protecting people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity."
A different technique for the same old shit! They aren't even being subtle about it.
State Senator Bart Hester has introduced an emergency bill, SB 202, which would strike down all nondiscrimination ordinances in the state permanently.
Hester believes that to allow LGBT people to have protections in the workplace and to have legal recourse against cases of discrimination goes too far, granting "special rights" to people who aren't like him.
The 37-year-old GOP official told BuzzFeed that sure, LGBT people get discriminated against sometimes, but these days, "we are all singled out for discrimination."
"I am singled out as a politician. I am singled out because I am married to one woman," Hester said. "I want everyone in the LGBT community to have the same rights I do. I do not want them to have special rights that I do not have."
Oh, he's "singled out" as a politician (maybe because politicians do shit like this?) and for being "married to one woman"? Really?
There is a site dedicated to encouraging the governor to veto it. Let's hope he does.
Not sure this is a bad law? Hate group leader and general asshole Tony Perkins loves it. What more do you need?
Politics, RantsArkansas, discrimination, equality, lgbt, politics
Trans Day of Visibility
Muslims and Police, What?
Trump Happened
How to steal an election
The Cops
chicagobroadwaygal
Geek In Chic
Exposing NOM and its supporters (NOManiacs)
bobbytobedetermined.wordpress.com/
I *love* tickets
short commentaries, pretty pictures and strong opinions
The thoughts of a Geek in Chic, this is my life.
National Organization for Marriage
the only improv competition in the world.

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The Ironman and The Rocket Combine Forces
March 05, 2020 | By adenison | Network Post
This is the first post in a series featuring each celebrity team playing in the 2020 Ace Shootout premiering on March 22, 5:00 p.m. EDT on Golf Channel.
Roger "The Rocket" Clemens makes his second appearance in the Ace Shootout, but this year he's joined by the iconic Ironman, Cal Ripken, Jr.
Cal Ripken, Jr., played for the 1983 World Series Champion Baltimore Orioles and holds the record for the most consecutive games played (2,632). He is a 19x All-star, 2x America League MVP and 8x Silver Slugger Award winner. Cal was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. He is playing for Johns Hopkins Children's Center.
Roger Clemens played Major League Baseball for 24 seasons with the Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays and Astros. He's a seven-time Cy Young Award winner and 12-time MLB All-Star. He is playing for Texas Children's Hospital.
You can vote for Roger or Cal as your "Fan Favorite" at AceShootout.org. The player with the most votes will receive a $10,000 donation for the hospital they represent. Special thanks to Milwaukee Tool for sponsoring this year's Fan Favorite online voting.
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Q: JButton alpha background change with mouseover I want to have 2 buttons on my application with a transparent background and I "almost" done it.
This is what I've done :
public class PanelMenu extends JPanel{

//VARIABLES
private JButton buttonFightSimulator, buttonMatchUp;

//CONSTRUCTORS
public PanelMenu ()
{
    this.setBounds(0,0,240,768);
    this.setLayout(new FlowLayout(0, 0, 0));

    //BUTTON CREATION
    buttonFightSimulator = new JButton("FIGHT SIMULATOR");
    buttonMatchUp = new JButton("MATCH UP");

    buttonFightSimulator.setBackground(new Color(255,255,255,128));
    buttonFightSimulator.setFocusPainted(false);
    buttonFightSimulator.setBorderPainted(false);
    buttonFightSimulator.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(240,60));

    buttonMatchUp.setBackground(new Color(255,255,255,128));
    buttonMatchUp.setFocusPainted(false);
    buttonMatchUp.setBorderPainted(false);
    buttonMatchUp.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(240,60));

    add(buttonFightSimulator);
    add(buttonMatchUp);
    this.setBackground(new Color(0,0,0,90));
}

And this is what I visually have :

Well that's great that's what I wanted. But when I pass my mouse over the 2 buttons, this is what happen :

So first the background get less and less transparent every time the mouse moves over it and then we can see that the text of the both buttons are mixed together.
Thank you in advance for your answer.

A: Check out Backgrounds With Transparency for an explanation of the problem and a couple of solutions.
The basic problem is that your component is opaque but the background has transparency which breaks the painting contract between swing components so you get painting artifacts.


Finally, a festival for the hip-hop fanatics.
Migos, Tory Lanez, 6lack, and more are coming through Vancouver for the city's first all hip-hop music festival, BREAKOUT Festival.
On June 9th and 10th, the PNE amphitheatre will host the all-ages BREAKOUT festival allowing hip-hop and R&B lovers to check out local and international artists on the lineup. In addition to the music, attendees can hit up food trucks, bars, merch stands, and even Playland's amusement park.
The festival was founded by CRESCENDO1, a music platform dedicated to Vancouver's up-and-coming hip-hop and R&B artists. After partnering up with Timbre Concerts, BREAKOUT was born.
We spoke with the guys of CRESCENDO1 to hear more about the platform and the creation of the new festival.
Although Black acts as a music manager, event producer, and business owner, he doesn't do everything all on his own. There is a small but mighty team alongside him, all working towards the same goal. Audio engineer Kal Capone is one of the key members of the group. Together, the two of them host their weekly radio shows discussing the latest in Vancouver's hip-hop scene.
When it came to coming up with naming the new festival, BREAKOUT co-founder Johnny Black revealed the term was encompassing of the platform and event.
If you want to catch the new festival, tickets are currently being sold online. Single day tickets start at $129 while two-day passes are on Tier 4 and start at $199. If you're feeling a little fancy, you can also opt-in for VIP access. But for all of the broke students out there that are dying to see Lil Pump in the flesh, we've got you covered.
The contest will close Saturday, June 2nd at 11:59 PM. We'll announce the winner through our Instagram story on Sunday. To the winner, we'll slide in your DMs with more details.
If you want to learn more about CRESCENDO1, tune into the C1 radio show on Thursdays at 101.9 FM from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. You can also follow their social media pages below.


Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain ... (more)James T. Kirk, who is assisted by First Officer Mr. Spock, from the planet Vulcan, and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy. With a determined crew, the Enterprise encounters Klingons, Romulans, time paradoxes, tribbles and genetic supermen led by Khan Noonien Singh. Their mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.
When is Star Trek back?


In his admirable little treatise on Daily Mass, Father McDonnell writes: "The earnest wish of the Pope (Pius X) that the faithful should receive the Blessed Eucharist daily is an obvious and implicit expression of his desire that they should assist at Mass daily. The connection between daily Mass and daily communion is clear. Moreover, for such as have not as yet taken up the practice of daily communion, daily Mass will be a step, and a very important step, in the right direction.
"Many persons urge that they have not time to go to Mass every day. I am afraid in the vast majority of cases this is a mere excuse. They have time to read the newspapers, time to visit their friends, time to amuse themselves, to go to places of public entertainment, to spend, perhaps, hours together in useless or idle conversation, and yet, they say, they have not time to give one half-hour in the day to what is immeasurably the most important occupation it could possibly be devoted to!
"Our one and only real business on earth is to 'seek the kingdom of God and His justice,' and we may assume that, if we do so, God will never allow us to suffer, even in temporal affairs; on the contrary, He will bless us and give us a certain measure of prosperity even in these temporal matters. However, even granting that you did suffer some small diminution of earthly prosperity by devoting an hour to Mass, or did gain some advantage by the saving of time, yet 'What doth it profit a man to gain the whole world if he suffer the loss of his own soul?' Against this awful misfortune there is, with the exception of daily communion, no greater safeguard than the hearing of daily Mass."
Upon asking an elderly couple why they left their warm cottage on winter mornings to attend daily Mass, the reply was: "To thank God for creating them and redeeming them and making it possible for them to spend an eternity of happiness with Him. To ask God's blessing on all their loved ones, to whom they can only leave spiritual wealth, having little else to bequeath them. To make reparation for their own failings, those of their loved ones and the leaders of nations and all others who feel no need of God. For the welfare of Holy Mother Church and because of the tremendous, priceless value of one Holy Mass."
The Blessed Virgin Mary once told Her faithful servant Alan: "My Son so loves those who assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that, if it were necessary He would die for them as many times as they have heard Masses."
For each Mass we hear with devotion, Our Lord sends a saint to comfort us at death. (Revelation of Our Lord to St. Gertrude the Great).
Padre Pio, the stigmatic priest, said that the world could exist more easily without the sun than without the Mass.
The Cure of Ars, St. John Vianney, said that if we knew the value of the Mass we would die of joy.
Once, St. Theresa was overwhelmed with God's Goodness and asked Our Lord, "How can I thank you?" Our Lord replied, "ATTEND ONE MASS."
The following quotes are taken from the life of Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich (the greatest visionary in the history of the Church).


text:
Posted inAcross Black America
Across Black America Week of Aug. 10, 2017.
by Carol Ozemhoya, OW Contributor August 10, 2017 October 26, 2021
Several dozen Oakland residents, including Councilmember Desley Brooks and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, have published an open letter to Mayor Libby Schaaf, City Administrator Sabrina Landreth and Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick alleging that the city isn't doing enough to address "systemic racial inequalities in policing," reports the East Bay Express. The letter's authors say that the mayor and police chief appear to lack control over the department, and they also question why several officers who led the department's internal Celeste Guap sex crimes case were promoted in May, despite findings from an independent court investigator that they mishandled and prematurely closed the probe. They're requesting that these and other officers face discipline. But the authors of the letter also claim that two recent incidents demonstrate how OPD doesn't adequately protect the Black community and treats White suspects more leniently. "In both [cases], a White man terrorized African Americans unfettered while OPD responded with great patience and tolerance for the suspect," the letter read. One of the cases they refer to involved Jesse Enjain, a 32-year-old white man, who shot at multiple Black people on Las Vegas Ave. in the Oakland hills earlier this year. Despite physical evidence of the attacks, OPD did not attempt to arrest Emjain until days later, when he went on yet another shooting spree.
Suge Knight, the founder of Death Row Records, has been indicted by a grand jury in Los Angeles County for making criminal threats, reports Variety. The violation cited on court papers obtained dates to Aug. 8, 2014, while F. Gary Gray shooting the movie "Straight Outta Compton." In January, 2015, Knight was arrested on murder charges for running over Terry Carter while on the film's Compton set with his car. According to TMZ, Knight was "extremely unhappy with his portrayal in the movie" and threatened the director by text. The website says Gray was interviewed by Los Angeles police at the Slauson Swap Meet where "Straight Outta Compton" was filming.
It is the latest in a long line of legal problems for Knight, dating back to 1987, when his then-girlfriend filed a restraining order against him and he shot a man in the leg and wrist while attempting to steal his vehicle. The legal troubles continued to pile up since then. In 2014, he was arrested in Las Vegas in connection with an armed robbery, along with comedian Katt Williams. That same year, he was shot at a pre-MTV VMA party hosted by Chris Brown.
The NFL's Chargers, who have made the move up from San Diego to Los Angeles, have enlisted the team's Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson to be one of the faces of the franchise in the crowded L.A. market, reports Variety. For more than a decade, Tomlinson and his wife, LaTorsha, have worked with local communities in San Diego through Tomlinson's Touching Lives Foundation to help high school students realize college dreams, feed the hungry and raise money for other programs and initiatives. For one of his programs, he and his team work to bring different groups of kids to Chargers home games, take them to dinner and spend time with them. For the L.A. area, Tomlinson is meeting with potential partners and organizations to jump-start local programs. "The main thing is to attack fitness in this community. Fitness. Family. Football," he says, adding that family is No. 1, and if the kids get proper information, they can also influence the parents' behavior in eating healthy and getting exercise.
On Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 8 a.m., as the students of [B.E.S.T. (Business, Engineering, Science and Technology) Academy returned to school on their new campus, some were surprised by a special welcome back to school from the 100 Black Men of Atlanta, Emerging 100 of Atlanta, the Collegiate 100 and leadership from the 100 Black Men of America national chapter, which is based in Georgia. Reflecting the motto, "What They See Is Who They'll Be," the men treated each student to a walk through a tunnel of impeccably dressed cheering men. The boys were greeted with handshakes, high fives, positive affirmations and encouraging words as they entered the school. With strong personal mentor involvement from organizations such as 100 Black Men of Atlanta. B.E.S.T. boys have cut suspension rates by 30 percent and in-school suspension by 36 percent. According to a press release from B.E.S.T., 42 percent of African-American students attend schools that are under-resourced and performing poorly, which makes the mentorship that 100 Black Men of Atlanta provides to B.E.S.T. year-round especially valuable.
Haitian immigrant Jeff Chery, whose stage name is Haitian Mufasa, had made the cut and is appearing on VH-1's new show, "Signed." The eight-show series also features Atlanta resident and platinum recording artist Rick Ross on the judge's panel, along with Lenny S from Roc Nation and the Dream. Chery was such a hit with the panel that Ross offered to remix his song, "What You Doin'." The show airs on VH-1 on Wednesdays. For more on Chery at www.jeffchery.com.
A group of Black legislators and community leaders gathered last week on Chicago's West Side to urge passage of state legislation that would provide more money to struggling schools in some of the city's poorest neighborhoods, reports the Chicago Sun Times. State Rep. LaShawn Ford urged Gov. Bruce Rauner to sign a school funding bill that would distribute $350 million annually not just to schools in Chicago but across the state. "It makes sure that the funding for education is not based on a person's ZIP code or property taxes," Ford said, speaking at a news conference held at the Academy for Scholastic Achievement, a nonprofit school at 4651 W. Madison that focuses on educating at-risk youth. "If we do that, we will not have a pipeline to prison for Black children, but we will meet their needs and they will have more opportunities to grow and compete in such a highly skilled society," Ford said. Rauner has threatened to make changes to the school-funding bill and send it back to the Legislature, calling the money it contains for city teacher pensions a "CPS bailout." A spokeswoman for Rauner re-issued a statement from the governor that he's unable to act until the bill gets to his desk. "Until then, I am unable to change the legislation so that it's fair and equitable for all schoolchildren in Illinois and the taxpayers who foot the bill," Rauner said.
Taking a page from the likes of National Hot Dog Day and World Nutella Day, Black restaurant owners in Chicagp have come up with a gimmick of their own: they've declared August "Black Chicago Eats" month, reports the Chicago Sun Times. From white tablecloth restaurants to fast-food joints and from Southern cooking to Caribbean and African delicacies, Black communities are being urged to support a litany of food establishments. "Two readers dared me to produce a list of 100 Black-owned restaurants in the Chicago area. I was not sure it could be done, but we ended up with a list of more than 100, and after more research I discovered more than 200," said Chatham resident Toure Muhammad. "The amazing thing is the diversity. Of course, you find traditional soul food and Jamaican restaurants, but you can also find vegan, Cajun, Creole, Belizean, Haitian, Mexican, various African- and Italian-themed restaurants; frozen yogurt and homemade ice cream, bakeries, donut shops, burgers and more," said Muhammad, who publishes the online news site Bean Soup Times. A Taste of Black Chicago is set for Aug. 19 on an outdoor lot at 7351 S. Stony Island. On Aug. 25, Muhammad and friends plan an Everybody Eats award event recognizing some of the city's top Black bakers, chefs and restaurateurs.
A group of Black teenage girls stomp, clap and shout in unison in step dance routines, channeling their anger, frustration and hopes into powerful performances in a new documentary "Step," out in U.S. theaters this week, reports U.S. News and World Report. The journey of the founding class of the step troupe at the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women shows the girls' struggles in the aftermath of protests and rioting in the city where 25-year-old Black man Freddie Gray died after suffering a broken neck in a police van in April 2015. Stepping is not actually a dance, said Cori Grainger, one of the film's lead subjects, because it does not use a beat. Instead, "you are the beat, you are the music, you use your hands, you stomp your feet, you clap, it's spoken word," Grainger told Reuters. As the girls juggle their academics with competing in step tournaments, they visit Gray's memorial where their step coach tells them, "as African American women, we are considered bottom of the barrel." The visit inspires the girls to perform a Black Lives Matter routine, which they end with their fists in the air, chanting, "It could have been us." The charter school attended by the girls aim for a 100 percent graduation and college acceptance rate, a goal that challenges some of the film's protagonists.
When Daisha Berry read the historic marker dedicated (Near Salisbury) to Confederate Gen. John Henry Winder for the first time, the message struck her as "subtle, but frightening," reports Delmarva Now. "It makes it sound like it's a huge, great accomplishment that needs to honored and recognized, because he was this huge, great person," she said. A town hall called to address the controversy surrounding the marker last week drew near-unanimous support for its removal from the lawn outside the historic Wicomico County courthouse. It was hard to tell whether the audience reflected the sentiments of the community at large since the event was heavily promoted by a local civil rights group. But it was clear that for African-Americans like Berry, the sign resonates as a profound slap in the face. Amber Green said it's telling there's a marker on the lawn for Winder, who wasn't born in Salisbury, but rather in the western side of the county. Meanwhile, no public acknowledgement exists, she said, for two events significant in the community's Black history that actually took place just steps from the spot: the 1931 lynching of Matthew Williams and the 1880 speech Frederick Douglass gave inside the courthouse. "That's history and that is accurate history to that place and that particular spot," said Green, a founder of the Fenix Youth Project, a group that promotes leadership through the arts. "My issue is people are picking and choosing what history to look at." No one disputes that Winder was an important historical figure. The fault line in the debate runs through the sign's content and placement, the paper reports.
The NAACP issued a national advisory warning Black people about traveling in Missouri, marking the first time the organization has specified a single state as a hostile environment due to racism, reports multiple news sources. The Missouri chapter of the NAACP had previously put out a warning for the state in June, after Missouri lawmakers passed Senate Bill 43, which made it more difficult for people to sue businesses for race discrimination. "The advisory means each individual should pay special attention while in the state of Missouri and certainly if contemplating spending time in Missouri," the group said in its original June statement. "Unlike seasonal weather advisories, where no unnecessary travel on city streets or parking might be directed, the NAACP wants to make Missourians and our visitors aware of looming danger which could include the following by example of what has happened to some residents and visitors." In addition to SB 43, the Missouri NAACP pointed to other examples of allegedly racist attacks on Black people, including the case of Tory Sanford, a 28-year-old man who died in a Mississippi County jail cell in southeast Missouri hours after his arrest for making a wrong turn. The sheriff at the time, Cory Hutcheson, faced multiple charges of assault and robbery and was accused of foul play in Sanford's death. The NAACP travel advisory also warns Black drivers that they are 75 percent more likely to be stopped compared to white drivers.
Nathaniel Glover, better known as Kid Creole of the pioneering '70s and '80s hip-hop group Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, was arrested Aug. 2 in the fatal stabbing of a homeless man, a New York Police Department spokesperson confirmed to Variety. According to ABC7, Glover, 57, got into a fight with a 55-year-old homeless man on East 44th Street and Third Avenue in New York. During the fight, the homeless man was reportedly stabbed and later found on the sidewalk. He was then taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Glover was taken into custody in the Bronx and charged with murder. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was formed in the South Bronx in 1976. Glover was one of the founding members, along with Melle Mel, Keith Cowboy, Mr. Ness/Scorpio, and Rahiem. The group's biggest release was "The Message," which contained the famous hook, "Don't push me 'cause I'm close to the edge/I'm trying not to lose my head." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 — becoming the first hip-hop group to receive the honor. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five disbanded in the '80s, and Glover had reportedly been working as a security guard and handyman in the area.
The Notorious B.I.G. community is keeping the late rapper's legacy alive, reports Billboard. In a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Aug. 2, New York City Councilman Robert Cornegy officially renamed Crispus Attucks Playground in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, to Christopher "Biggie" Wallace courts. Cornegy lived in the same building as Biggie and made a promise to the rapper's mother, Voletta Wallace, that he'd honor her son's legacy. For the historic occasion, Biggie's mother, daughter Tyanna and son C.J. were all in attendance to celebrate.
Dionne Warwick will be honored during Harlem Week with a plaque on the Apollo Theatre's Walk of Fame. In addition, the singer will be recognized for her contributions at the Harlem State Building, all taking place on Aug. 15. Harlem Week organizers are also recognizing composer and producer James Mtume on Aug. 23 at Harlem Hospital. Harlem Week celebrates the past, present and future of the area with events throughout the summer.
The conversation is starting around getting more Black families in Pierce County to foster Black children, reports KING TV 5 in Seattle. "African American kids are overrepresented in our foster care system, so compared to the general population, African American kids come into the foster care system at high rates," said Trey Rabun, family outreach specialist for Amara, a local foster care organization, and he's also a foster parent to a Black child. Rabun held an informal meeting with folks from the Tacoma community last week at Amara's new offices in Tacoma. Represented were people of color who have worked with foster youth as well as a young woman, Brittney Lee, who spent 16 years in the foster care system with foster families who she said loved her but weren't Black. "I felt like I had to play catch up after I left foster care, when it came to movies, music; people were making fun of me like, 'Oh you haven't seen this you haven't heard that song you don't know who that artist is,' so that was hard and the learning to love my hair and skin where growing up in the home they didn't have my hair or skin or wide nose or you know," Lee said. State statistics find that while 16 percent of children in Washington state are Black or multiracial, only 7 percent of the foster homes in the state are Black. "I saw that number, and I really wanted to kind of close that gap," said Raybun, who notes that there are fewer homes interested in adopting Black kids in comparison to other races. He hopes last week's meeting will lead to a greater conversation in Pierce County and Tacoma on growing the Black foster family population
Revelations illustrating the economic struggles of African-Americans are the driving forces behind the founding of a new group that's leading a movement for Black economic justice across America, reports Louisiana Weekly. Black Wealth 2020, formally established only two years ago, aims to lock arms with some of the most historic national civic and civil rights organizations with a goal to impact economic outcomes in Black America over the next three years. The group's three-pronged strategy is to increase the number of Black homeowners, strengthen Black-owned businesses and increase deposits in Black banks by the year 2020. "This is, in my recollection, the first time there's been a systematic effort to draw our community's attention to these very critical issues related to wealth-building and economic self-sufficiency. That being the importance of supporting Black banks, the importance of homeownership, the importance of growing Black businesses—those really are the three pillars of economic empowerment," says Marie Johns, former deputy administrator at the Small Business Administration and retired president of Verizon Washington, who is a member of Black Wealth 2020. The seeds of Black Wealth 2020 were initially planted during a fight for economic justice. The group gelled after National Bankers Association President Michael Grant, National Association of Black-owned Broadcasters (NABOB) President Jim Winston and U.S. Black Chamber President (USBC) Ron Busby joined forces with Congresswoman Maxine Waters (A-43) to push for Black business inclusion in a proposed merger between Comcast and NBC Universal. Winston had asked Waters, ranking Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, to take action in the situation. Winston then pulled in Grant who pulled in Busby. The Comcast merger ultimately failed. But, "We decided to put together some kind of organizational team," recalled Grant, "So that whenever these issues come up, we'll have a united front and we'll have a lot of organizations. That's how Black Wealth 2020 was formed." The ultimate goal is to "turbo charge" Black wealth, Grant says. While Black Wealth 2020 is uniquely economic, it aims to work alongside traditional civil rights organizations, including the National Urban League, the NAACP and others, Winston says.
Zazzle.com, a web site that allows customers to upload images and design their own personalized T-shirts, is under fire after several Black empowerment T-shirts were spotted being worn by white models, reports BlackNews.com. Some of the messages on the shirts read: "Strong Black Women," "Black Girl Magic," and "Melanin Goddess." YouTube star Jackie Aina is being credited with publicizing the issue, and it has gone viral on social media sparking a national outrage. Many are asking and tweeting, "Why can't they use Black models to sell Black empowerment apparel?" The company, however, has since apologized, and insisted that they are committed to fairness and diversity. A spokesman from Zazzle released a statement saying, "In the case of the T-shirts in question, each designer is shown a series of pre-posed randomized model shots upon which their design is placed. It's always possible that gender, race and other attributes of the model do not match up to the specifics of the design, given the ratio of our millions of designs to the 100 or so T-shirt styles we offer." She continued, "We understand how these designs, when automatically prepopulated on random models, can appear to be a sign of disrespect, and we're working diligently on an interim fix that doesn't mismatch out-of-context content to models."
The politics of a shiny new penny losing its luster
Black man's family sues cop and city of South Bend – Presidential candidate gets involved
Police sergeant tells other officers to 'just shoot them' if they encounter homeless Black people


Byron Prince used the BaitScape® Corona™ Swimmer Floating Head to catch a bass that weighed exactly 5.00 lbs. This landed him a nice $5,000 on the first day of the Toledo Bend Big Bass Splash tournament.
Oddly enough he almost collected another $5,000 for the 4.00 lb. bass the very next hour but fell short by just a few hundredths of an ounce.
Byron was using a combination of our Corona™ Swimmer Floating Head and one of our silicone skirts on a Baby Brush Hog. Congratulations Byron!
We are happy to report that there were several other places secured by anglers using the BaitScape® Corona™ Swimmer Floating Head. If you have a catch or a story, please let us know and don't forget to like us on Facebook.
© 2019 BaitScape®, a division of AirCrow, LLC. All rights reserved.


The City Hall (in italian: Palazzo Comunale or Palazzo Pubblico) of Siena rises next to the slender Torre del Mangia in Piazza del Campo and can be considered one of the main symbol of the city. At the behest of the Nine Governors of the Republic of Siena, it was built between 1297 and 1310, with brickwork and with white elements in marble. It has flat-topped merlons and decorative windows, numerous openings all over the buildings. The façade reflects different periods of construction.
The Torre del Mangia was added in the 14th century and the Chapel was built in 1352 as a thanksgiving to the Virgin Mary for the end of the plague that had been flagged the city for a decade.
Palazzo Comunale is still today the official seat of the Communal Administration, housing the offices of the modern Town Council, those of the Mayor and some State rooms.
On the first floor there's the Civic Museum that preserves masterpieces of Sienese art such as Allegoria ed effetti del Buono e del Cattivo Governo, the series of frescoes by Ambrogio Lorenzetti and the splendid Maestà by Simone Martini, one of the most important works of the fourteenth century in Italy, depicting the Madonna with the child surrounded by the angels and saints.
On the second floor there is the Town Council Meeting Room and a loggia facing south. Next to the Torre del Mangia, there is the so-called 'Cortile del Podestà', the Podestà Courtyard, decorated with antique coats of arms.


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text:
P S GANGARKOT
Gangarkot, Ramgarh (Nainital), Uttarakhand
Schools in GANGARKOT
About P S GANGARKOT
P S GANGARKOT was established in 1978 and it is managed by the Department of Education. It is located in Rural area. It is located in RAMGARH block of NAINITAL district of Uttarakhand. The school consists of Grades from 1 to 5. The school is Co-educational and it doesn't have an attached pre-primary section. The school is N/A in nature and is not using school building as a shift-school. Hindi is the medium of instructions in this school. This school is approachable by all weather road. In this school academic session starts in April.
The school has Government building. It has got 2 classrooms for instructional purposes. All the classrooms are in good condition. It has 2 other rooms for non-teaching activities. The school has a separate room for Head master/Teacher. The school has Partial boundary wall. The school has have electric connection. The source of Drinking Water in the school is Tap Water and it is functional. The school has 1 boys toilet and it is functional. and 1 girls toilet and it is functional. The school has a playground. The school has a library and has 100 books in its library. The school does not need ramp for disabled children to access classrooms.The school has no computers for teaching and learning purposes The school is not having a computer aided learning lab. The school is Provided and Prepared in School Premises providing mid-day meal.
Head Teacher: KAMLA PATHAK
G.I.C.JAURASI P S SIRSA SSM SUYALWADI J H S CHIYORI P S BHADYUN P S KAFLAAR J H S KAKRIGHAT P S NAVALI PS TALLA SIRSA JHS DHURA
Village / Town: Gangarkot
Cluster: Suyalbari
Block: Ramgarh
District: Nainital
State: Uttarakhand
Wall: Partial
MUKTESHWAR NATHUWAKHAN PAANTHARI PURARA RAMGARH SATBUNGA SIRMOLI SUYALBARI
Gangarkot, Ramgarh
NAINITAL, Uttarakhand


Receiving his first Oscar nomination this year for Moonlight, composer Nicholas Britell fulfilled yet another dream recently, teaming up with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles on Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris' Battle of the Sexes. Like Britell, Bareilles has found herself creatively stimulated in recent years, touring with new music, writing music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Waitress, in which she also starred, and now writing music for film. What the pair responded to in Battle of the Sexes, for which they've written the original song "If I Dare", was the personal story of tennis legend Billie Jean King, and the "empathy and compassion" with which she approached the world—traits which are necessary now more than ever.
How did you come to work together on Battle of the Sexes?
Nicholas Britell: When I was scoring the film with Jon and Val, we had this dream of having an original song for the movie that felt like it was evolving from the movie itself. There was this idea of, what if we took themes from the movie and figured out a way to turn that into a song? Honestly, from early on, we were like, "Would ever Sara Bareilles be interested?" I'm such a huge fan of Sara's music, so Jon and Val reached out, and it all came together from there.
Had you finished the score by the time you set to working on your original song?
Britell: I had finished the score early in the year, and actually made a demo idea of what a song might be like, threading some of the themes. Then, we started working together in the summer, and some of those ideas were really just a starting point, if anything. The key for me, musically, was that I really wanted Sara to respond to the material, and bring her own musical sensitivity and thought process to it.
Sara, what compelled you to take part in this project?
Sara Bareilles: My writing collaborator on the musical I've been working on happens to be next-door neighbors with Jon and Val, which felt like a cosmic nod. It was a yes for me immediately, even before I'd seen the film. I'm a big fan of Nick's work, and Jon and Val have an amazing legacy already in what they do in film, and in music video—that's how I first got to know their work.
Was Billie Jean King's story familiar to either of you beforehand?
Bareilles: I'm embarrassed to say, but I didn't even know anything about this event at all.
I think it speaks to the fact that audiences will really respond to this movie, if they happen to be like me and weren't as aware of this, to see the seeds of Billie Jean take root, in terms of her determination about making change in her industry, and her effortless and soulful pursuit of being an advocate for others. It seems to be very much in her DNA—it's about justice for all. That's just how she engages with the world. I think that just came in her suitcase when she got here.
Britell: It's so a part of who she is, and I think in some ways too, that's what drew me to the film. When I first saw the rough cut,what I was drawn to immediately was that personal story, and I actually loved that Jon and Val focused on that. For me, the movie is so much about personal journeys, obviously in context of where they're going, and everything getting realized on that incredibly public stage. But learning about Billie Jean's own personal fears and dreams; I didn't know a lot of that story.
With "If I Dare", was it the melody or the lyrics that came first?
Bareilles: This was interesting for me because it was working with a template that already existed. Nick is such a melodic writer, so there were lots of ideas to draw from. I didn't originally intend for the melody to not be the hook of the song, but it ended up sort of flipping on itself. One of the things that I shared with him at the very beginning was that when I watched the film for the first time, the feeling that I got from the story was a sense of motivation, and a driving force forward. So, it was wanting to take what was there, and just give it a little more movement forward. To have these beautiful melodies and try to make it live in a more rhythmic space, which is something that happened really organically for us.
Britell: I remember when Sara sent her first response to the ideas, it already had that rhythmic element. I was just blown away by it.
Both the song and the score build progressively upward. The score begins with more sparse arrangements, whereas in the song, vocal percussion lays the foundation.
Britell: One of the fascinating things about film scoring is that there's this mysterious element of discovering where you're going as you're going there. A lot of it is very much emotional response from moment to moment, trusting those feelings. It's more about feeling than thinking.
Sometimes in looking back, you see these structures that have unfolded, and I feel with the score, there actually is this arc—which makes sense, but we followed it very emotionally. As you get towards the match, the music gets more orchestral. Early on, many themes are stated in a more intimate, quiet, tender way. Then, the scope of instrumentation grows and grows, and finally with Billie Jean's personal theme—that you hear first very quietly in the haircut sequence—that, at the moment of victory, is a 79-piece symphony orchestra playing.
Bareilles: I love what he does so much—it does just resonate on a very emotional plane. Speaking to the vocal percussion, some of it admittedly is technical limitation in my little home studio. Sometimes, the voice is the fastest way for me to shorthand an idea. Sometimes it lives on, and I also have a background in a capella. I love the sound of voices covering a wide range of sonic experience.
I liked that it felt intimate, and very human, and I thought that was something that was a theme of the movie for me. It was about humanizing this iconic figure, so it made sense to draw that forward. Also, it's done in a woman's voice—it had that essence to it.
Britell: Like the film, it evolves and grows. One of my favorite parts of putting the song structure together was that we did follow an unconventional approach with how the song evolves. It doesn't just come back to the verse—it's constantly evolving, it goes into modulation and it winds up in a very different place than it starts. It felt natural, but looking at it from 30,000 feet, it actually has this interesting architecture.
What inspired the song's title and lyrical content?
Bareilles: I love how we ended up with the title "If I Dare" because that spoke to the collaborative process. Originally, the song was called "I Will Be Loved". Jon and Val loved that the sentiment of the song was speaking to the personal side of Billie Jean; they didn't want the song to feel overly political. It was trying to thread the needle a little bit, not speaking too much to how vast her story feels, but at the same time, not ignoring that. There's just no sidestepping the fact that Billie Jean King is one of the great feminist leaders of our time.
Britell: I loved that, too, because it felt like there's something about that title that resonates with the music, in a way. The rhythm is persistent—it's intimate and beautiful, but it has a drive. You feel an energy, and that lyric, "If I dare," has its own internal power to it. It's percussive, it's fighting, it's pushing. I love that.
With all the revelations coming out of Hollywood in the last month or two, it seems like there is no more important time to see this film.
Bareilles: Totally, just in terms of where we're at in our state of consciousness, as people. When a pervasive issue comes to light, it's a painful transition, but the deeper truth is that there has been an injustice. We see this in so many different parts of life, whether it's race or economic disparity or gender issues. But what I love about this story, and about Billie Jean King as a person, is that it's about empathy and compassion, forgiveness and education. I've met her a few times now, and it was so special to get to spend a minute with her, and discover her curiosity about the world.
When a problem like this comes to light, it's our job to be mindful about examining why. This is not just about wagging fingers of blame—it's about taking responsibility and educating and moving forward, knowing that we're not trying to build a society where all the men are in one corner and all the women are [in another]. We're trying to have a deeper understanding of each other, and I think that's something that she does so beautifully in her life.
We're at a really charged time, politically, socially, globally, environmentally. It's time to make really conscious decisions about how we're going to engage with these issues.
My friend said this to me and I thought it was so interesting—she said, "Rage is really trendy right now." I think that anger is absolutely important and serves a function, but what's also important is a continued conversation, and what happens next. What do we do now?
Britell: I couldn't agree more. One of the fascinating things in the film is that it shows that Billie Jean was so aware of these institutional power dynamics, that are sometimes so woven into society that people don't even realize they're there. Inequality or injustice just deeply makes no sense to her. She doesn't comprehend it, I think.
That's what I think is so exciting and empowering about seeing this story in the film. I think it has the potential for making other people go, "Oh yeah, this is insane, the fact that any of that does exist." I think unfortunately, as we're seeing, this is a continuing struggle. It is unfortunate that decades later, it's still as relevant as ever—it's not an old story. It feels incredibly of the moment. This is still an unfortunate truth, I think, in the way people live.


text:
Tribute to Pasolini's 'The Gospel' to open in Hamburg
(AGI) Hamburg, Sept. 24 - An event dedicated to 'The GospelAccording to St. Matthew', a 1964 Italian biographical dramafilm directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, will be held in Hamburg.The event is organised by the Italian Cultural Institute in theGerman city, by the Alta Murgia National Park and by CinemaMetropolis. The project, an initiative of Cultural AssociationMenhir and led by artistic director Giulio De Leo, will be heldon Oct. 13, 14 and 15. The film is set in Murgia, in southernItaly. Matera was used as the set for scenes in Jerusalem,Nazareth was
24 settembre 2015, 16:21
(AGI) Hamburg, Sept. 24 - An event dedicated to 'The GospelAccording to St. Matthew', a 1964 Italian biographical dramafilm directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini, will be held in Hamburg.The event is organised by the Italian Cultural Institute in theGerman city, by the Alta Murgia National Park and by CinemaMetropolis. The project, an initiative of Cultural AssociationMenhir and led by artistic director Giulio De Leo, will be heldon Oct. 13, 14 and 15. The film is set in Murgia, in southernItaly. Matera was used as the set for scenes in Jerusalem,Nazareth was recreated in Massafra and the river Chiarepresented the river Jordan. The goal of the project inHamburg is to study the Murgia landscape in relation to thethemes in the film.	The people responsible for theexhibition, Nicholas Cesareo, Luciano Lovino, MarianoFracchiolla and Antonio Minafra, together with the artdirector, have created a series of scenes conceived as dialoguebetween a reflection of the film, the landscape and severalcommunities in Murgia that were involved in the making of sixchoreographic pictures dedicated to the 'Gospel According toSt. Matthew', coordinated by choreographer Giulio De Leo. Thefiftieth anniversary of the Gospel came in a special year forMurgia, which in 2014 celebrated the tenth anniversary of theAlta Murgia National Park, which has been awarded the EuropeanCharter for Sustainable Tourism. The project in Hamburgwill cover three days: on Oct. 13, the Metropolis cinema willscreen the film 'The Gospel According to St. Matthew' in theoriginal version with English subtitles. On Oct. 14, theItalian Cultural Institute in Hamburg will open an exhibitionof photographs of the set used for the film and made by DominicNotarangelo. On Oct. 15, a dialogue on Pasolini's film will beheld at Hamburg's Sprechwerk Theater. After an introduction byCesare Veronico and Fabio Modesti, the president and directorof the National Park Alta Murgia, philosopher Umberto Curi willgive a presentation on the symbols used in 'The Gospel'.Anthropologist Laura Marchetti will speak about 'Pasolini andthe mothers'. This theme will also be used by choreographer DiLeo, who will dance 'La Pieta' with his mother, FrancescaVendola. (AGI) . .
Marcinelle, il ricordo degli italiani 61 anni dopo la tragedia
Il tiramisù è veneto o friulano? La missione 'giusta' in Libia e le altre notizie in 100 secondi
Gli italiani vogliono l'obbligo di pagamento con il bancomat?


Thanks to SgtGuava for the signature!
How do you actually make a QR code? So i can make the pokemon have its moves, ablitys, ect...?
Sir_Quence wrote: How do you actually make a QR code? So i can make the pokemon have its moves, ablitys, ect...?
Also, this is in the wrong section.
I dont know if it just me doing something wrong but everytime i use the PokEdit Online and then use that file on PokEdit QR is always says this Invalid Size File.
So i always use the PkHeX and use the PokEdit QR when giving QR codes to someone.
PokEdit Online only supports 4th and 5th Gen Save files at this time. PokEdit QR can only handle 6th Gen (PKX) format. We'll be adding PKX support to the Pokemon Maker at some point and possibly to PokEdit Online later on. Sorry for the delays.
@XxAsunaxX ya, that method works actually.


Well you just got yourself erased from the list. Well done Moggy. Hope you're happy with yourself.
In the books the stamps were in a different order.
Advent7 wrote: In the books the stamps were in a different order.
Put it in a spoiler box bookwanker.
I mentioned in the things that annoy you thread about a guy at work that has started watching this. He has finally taken my advice and took out a Now TV trial and is trying to binge it all before his trial expires.
I know he is currently about halfway through Season 3. I can't wait until he gets to the Red Wedding.
Moggy wrote: I mentioned in the things that annoy you thread about a guy at work that has started watching this. He has finally taken my advice and took out a Now TV trial and is trying to binge it all before his trial expires.
Work was quite glorious when that happened. Still remember hearing the reactions to it.
Did the tour yesterday and the coach driver told us some locations that have been closed off for filming the final season.
It was really cool to see iconic locations and we even got to see of the outside set of Winterfell.
Did they mention where Cersei will be when she becomes the eventual winner?
Cersi will be sat on the throne downing bottles of cheap Asda wine after she's strawberry floated everyone up. She's gonna strawberry float em up. strawberry float em up big time.
I'm hoping we should be about due a teaser soon.
Cersei will die and Jon and Daenerys will win.
After all the promise of nobody being safe and anything could happen, it'll be the most predictable ending ever.
The books might be different, but GRR Martin will never finish them so we'll never know.
The quality of the last season was a real nosedive.
Cersei will die. It is known.
Denster wrote: Cersei will die. It is known.
Maybe of old age and being so successful as the one true king who Makes Westeros Great Again that they turn her into a living God.
Albear wrote: I fear you are correct.
I think Moggy's probably right, seems to be drifting into standard Hollywood style territory.
Or after 6 seasons of build and exposition - we are in the payoff area. That's why the pacing was different last season. Teleporting notwithstanding.
David Bradley is at comicon next week.
Denster wrote: Or after 6 seasons of build and exposition - we are in the payoff area. That's why the pacing was different last season. Teleporting notwithstanding.


text:
<?php
/**
 * Created by PhpStorm.
 * User: janhuang
 * Date: 16/2/22
 * Time: 下午10:53
 * Github: https://www.github.com/janhuang
 * Coding: https://www.coding.net/janhuang
 * SegmentFault: http://segmentfault.com/u/janhuang
 * Blog: http://segmentfault.com/blog/janhuang
 * Gmail: bboyjanhuang@gmail.com
 * WebSite: http://www.janhuang.me
 */

namespace FastD\Generator\Parser;

use FastD\Generator\Factory\Generate;

/**
 * Class Parser
 *
 * @package FastD\Generator\Parser
 */
abstract class Parser implements ParserInterface
{
    /**
     * @var \Reflector
     */
    protected $reflector;

    /**
     * @var Generate
     */
    protected $factory;

    /**
     * Parser constructor.
     * @param \Reflector $reflector
     */
    public function __construct(\Reflector $reflector)
    {
        $this->reflector = $reflector;
    }

    /**
     * @param $name
     * @return mixed|string
     */
    public function parseName($name)
    {
        if (strpos($name, '_')) {
            $arr = explode('_', $name);
            $name = array_shift($arr);
            foreach ($arr as $value) {
                $name .= ucfirst($value);
            }
        }

        return $name;
    }

    /**
     * @return Generate
     */
    public function getGenerator()
    {
        return $this->factory;
    }

    /**
     * @return string
     */
    public function getContent()
    {
        return $this->factory->generate();
    }

    /**
     * @return string
     */
    public function __toString()
    {
        return $this->getContent();
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Havana Bedroom Set – If you are in possession of a little bedroom, then you can make it seem a bit larger than it actually is by picking the most appropriate colours. Light shades are the most suitable for smaller chambers. If you're searching bedroom colours for boys, black may be an ultimate pick. Unfortunately dumping your clothes isn't an option and not everybody has the luxury of having a walk-in-closet for keeping their clothes, sneakers, and accessories. If you're putting your tv set in a larger room which offers enough free space, then a massive rack might be the perfect pick. You're in a position to hang your clothing in the tower every night, then awaken and apparel facing either of the full-length mirrors.
Browse through our many furniture lines to discover the proper purchase and fill out the affordable yet stylish and wholly comfortable bedroom collection you have been searching for. Besides this, you should be careful to get a bedroom furniture collection that has clean lines and isn't too ornate or it is going to end up overpowering the space. Contemporary bedroom furniture will just look weird in a national home.
It is possible to change the bedroom decorating ideas which will permit your room look more attractive. After all, if you're going to generate a massive investment in bedroom furniture you'd like it to supply you with years of use. When it has to do with furnishing a bedroom, the goal should be choosing decor that delivers a comfortable, serene sense of this space. Bedrooms are a few of the coziest places in a home. Undoubtedly, it's an essential part of a house. It is one of the most important parts of your house where you could sit back and unwind.
The bedroom furniture chief intention is to supply an enjoyable and relaxing setting. In general, perfect planning for decorating the bedroom may provide an aesthetic look to the bedroom. One of the easiest places in the house to renovate is the bedroom. Bedroom color schemes have to be chosen in this way they provide a concept of your mood, likes, and interests. The design works since it creates a vacation-like atmosphere. It can be hard to find out which color or design to get but here are a few suggestions that could make the decision simpler.
Bedrooms don't just signify the place in which you sleep. Again, make sure you gauge the thickness of the mattress. Considering all the options on the sector, however, it can be hard to select a carpet to your bedroom.


text:
Arts & Culture » Visual Art
by Metro Times Staff
20 Wed • Music: Da Camera of Houston: Epigraph for a Condemned Book
"You would take the entire universe to your hole,/Sick woman! Ennui rends your cruel soul./You play a peculiar game with your teeth,/Requiring one heart each day to eat." Roughly translated, these are the kind of boldly modern (and at times downright twisted) visions that landed 19th century French poet, Charles Baudelaire on trial for obscenity. His Flowers of Evil was a particular favorite of one of his contemporaries — a young pianist named Fredric Chopin — who shared the poet's taste for themes of sex and death. Nearly 200 years later the two visionaries are brought together in a multimedia recital. These might seem like dusty fancies to MTV culture, but rest assured, this promises to be an evening drenched in lyrical sexuality, impassioned musicianship and scandal so enticing that it remains fully relevant 150 or so years after its inception. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Power Center for the Performing Arts, 121 Fletcher St., Ann Arbor. Call 734-647-1171.
21 Thurs • Music: KaitO
British. Low-fi. Energetic female/male vocal dueling. It's a no-brainer; a just-add-water recipe for success with the All–Star-wearing contingent of independent music. But it's more than that: KaitO is thankfully caught amid the sugary popularity of head-bopping and Molly Ringwald dances and cerebral art pop. They'll take the stage with Detroit's own Eric Weir and Philadelphia-based acousta-crooner Matt Pond, PA (a band with more cellos than guitars). The Lager House is at 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. Call 313-961-4668.
22 Fri • Music: Rodney Whitiker
As a band leader, collaborator, composer and bass pedagogue Rodney Whitiker is a key player in the younger generation of jazz heavyweights who emerged from Detroit in the early 1990s. His overwhelming candor on stage is matched only by his sturdy anchor and hard-driven swing. Whitiker will make a two-day stand at the Harlequin (8047 Agnes, Detroit. Call 313-331-0922) this weekend, playing both Friday and Saturday nights and will return next Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30.
22 Fri • Music: James Blood Ulmer
Between tightening his Wes Montgomery guitar licks in Columbus, Ohio, and letting it loose with Ornette Coleman in New York, James Blood Ulmer gigged with an organ trio in the basement of Detroit's 20 Grand (while George Clinton strutted upstairs, no less). Long an avant-jazz guitar hero, Ulmer's latest flirt with fame rests on the bluesy — and Grammy nominated — Memphis Blood: The Sun Session, produced by Vernon Reid. Appropriately, his first Detroit gig in many ages is a stone's throw from where he played "Honky Tonk" in the late '60s. Detroit Art Space, 101 E. Baltimore, Detroit. He's also appearing Saturday, the 23rd. Call 313-875-9981.
23 Sat • Dance Music Art: Spring Ball
To get in the right spirit, play some Astrud Gilberto ("I feel so gay, in a melancholy way. It might as well be spring. …") on the way to CPOP Saturday night. Play it with the windows down and celebrate the thaw. In the same expression of spring fever a group of notable local and national artists have come together for Spring Ball, an evening of filled original movement, dance, visual art, film and sound. Performers and artists include choreographer and dancer Kelly Handyside, Chicago dance duo Back & To the Left Productions, painter T. Racee Miller (who also plays bass in Detroit's ever-lovable goth-country outfit, Blache), multimedia artist Geoffrey Walker, Warn Defever of His Name is Alive, Detroit filmmaker Russel Forster and many others. The show runs 7-11 p.m. at CPOP Gallery (4160 Woodward, Detroit. Call 313-833-9901) $10. All ages welcome.
23 Sat • Music: Immigrant Sons CD Release
Local record stores should be forced to build a completely unique section in the stacks for Supernova, the latest from the Immigrant Suns. Supernova would never be quite at home in the current bins — it needs to be filed just west of the Eastern European folk-rock records, just north of the Middle Eastern street-parade sound tracks and on the melodic side of klezmer-influenced avant-jazz. The band's baffling originality and penchant for unpronounceable instruments (What the hell is mazahr? Or a bouzouki? Or a qyteli?) never comes at the cost of well-crafted, at times brilliant songwriting. To celebrate the release of Supernova, the Immigrant Sun's will appear at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward, Detroit. Call 313-833-9700.
24 Sun • Dance: Twyla Tharp
Through her bold vision of American dance and ability to leave audiences breathless with programs of mind-boggling stamina, dancer-choreographer Twyla Tharp has a reputation for being one of the most exhilarating artists in modern dance. Hopefully the Power Center (121 Fletcher, Ann Arbor. Call 734-647-1171.) will still have a stage when she's done.
24 Sun • Music: The Wu Tang Clan
As a musical entity, the Wu Tang Clan has been influential enough to inspire a complete subculture. There are Wu Tang toys and tags and even a Web site that you can visit to get your own Wu-name. I-can't-get-no-respect Rodney Dangerfield becomes Dubious Masturbatah-X. Bible-thumping Jerry Falwell, Black Wicker Ventriloquist. Tiger great Chet Lemon becomes Ultra-Chronic Monstah, and local garage hero Jack White is renamed Gorky's Zygotic Glove Puppet. Go to www.recordstore.com/cgi-bin/wuname/wuname.pl for your Wu-name. Go to the State Theatre, 2115 Woodward, Detroit. for the Wu Tang Clan. Call 313-961-5450.
26 Tues • Music: Natural History
As denim-clad ambassadors of tough-as-nails NYC rock strut, the Natural History provide a soulful update to the Modern Lovers and Lou Reed. Front-man Max Tepper's young-Elvis charisma is as alluring as the trio's post-modern mod appeal. They will play the Lager House on Tuesday night (the bar's dollar draft night), making for a foolproof combination of cheap liquor and quality music. The Lager House is at 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. Call 313-961-4668.
Visual Art Detox Jukebox Music Arts