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Over the phone interpreting
On-Demand Interpreting
Interpreter management system
On-Demand Interpreters from $2.5/min*
At times, you may need fast and reliable access to language services without the trouble of going through a booking process. With our On-Demand interpreting feature, you can get connected to an interpreter within seconds to conduct a remote interpretation session either via video remote interpreting (VRI) or telephone interpreting. To access our On-Demand service, all you need is a 2M lingo account and you will be able to place On-demand calls to our pool of NAATI certified interpreters. Contact us to request a client login.
Get connected to an interpreter in seconds
2M lingo provides the next-generation cloud-based audio technology connected to a NAATI certified interpreter network to offer the best On-Demand language support available today. Our advanced call routing feature will direct your call to the first interpreter available for the language pair you are requesting, our Smart Reconnect System automatically reconnects you to the same On-Demand interpreter in case of network failure.
*Applicable for standard languages only, subject to interpreter online availability. Minimum rate: 15 min then charged in 1-minute increments.
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Access our On-Demand interpreting services from your computer. Select your language combination and get connected to an interpreter within seconds with audio only or video conference.
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(CHART UPDATE) FLEETWOOD MAC & STEVIE NICKS AUSTRALIA, IRELAND & UK ALBUM CHARTS
Top 100 Albums Chart - UK
Week of 1st January, 2011
Fleetwood Mac's "The Very Best Of" starts off 2011 on the Top 100 UK Album Chart by moving up the Top 100 to # 73 from # 92 last week.
Top 100 Albums Chart - Ireland
Week Ending 23th December, 2010
Fleetwood Mac "The Very Best Of" moves up to # 65 from # 69 last week. Total of 18 non-consecutive weeks on the chart.
Top 50 Catalogue Albums Chart - Australia
Week of 27th December, 2010
Fleetwood Mac remains at # 1 on the Top 50 Catalogue Chart with "The Very Best Of" for the 4th consecutive week.
Stevie Nicks "Crystal Visions The Very Best of Stevie Nicks" remains on the catalogue chart moving up to # 43 from # 48 last week. Total weeks on this chart - 25.
Top 50 DVD Chart - Australia
On the Top 50 Music DVD Chart, Fleetwood Mac's 8x Platinum "The Dance" moves down one position to # 25 this week. Total non-consecutive weeks on this chart 216.
Posted by Nickslive at Sunday, December 26, 2010
Labels: Album Sales Data, Charts
FLEETWOOD MAC - A LOOK BACK AT A VERY BUSY 2010
NEW ON YOUTUBE: Christine McVie Live at The Countr...
Mick Fleetwood Interview
Night of a Thousand Stevie's 21 "The Wild Heart" A...
George and Dave in conversation....
(CHART UPDATE) FLEETWOOD MAC & STEVIE NICKS AUSTRA...
(Photo) Lindsey Buckingham 1982
MICK SPEAKS: NO FLEETWOOD MAC TOUR IN 2011 & STEVI...
MICK FLEETWOOD AT CELEBRITES GALLERIES, MAUI DEC 2...
Another vote of confidence if you will... for Stev...
(CHART UPDATE) FLEETWOOD MAC & STEVIE NICKS - UK, ...
Lindsey Buckingham Gets a Makeover
Mick Fleetwood joins Maui Memorial Medical Foundat...
Stevie Nicks: New Music Playback
Few more shots of Lindsey Buckingham and his wife ...
Prince Interview with Cubby & Cindy - Talks about ...
3 MONTHS...HUNDREDS OF RETWEETS... THOUSANDS OF "L...
MICK FLEETWOOD NEW YEARS EVE GIG AT MALA'S IN WAILEA
FLEETWOOD MAC'S "BEHIND THE MUSIC" REMASTERED NOW ...
(CHART UPDATES): FLEETWOOD MAC & STEVIE NICKS BEST...
PHOTOS: MICK FLEETWOOD | STEVEN TYLER
PHOTOS: Ahhhh the 70's
THE WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART!
MICK FLEETWOOD CHECKS IN AT THE ROXY, BACKS UP STE...
SIMPLY EVA... SIMPLY "SONGBIRD"
How Stevie Hears Nicks
STEVIE NICKS "Stand Back" Live - HQ Audio - MGM GR...
(CHART UPDATES) FLEETWOOD MAC BACK AT # 1 IN AUSTR...
"WHAT UP WITH THAT".... LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM SNL DEC...
FLEETWOOD MAC'S "BEHIND THE MUSIC" (REMASTERED) TO...
GUITAR TECHNIQUES... LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM "GO YOUR O...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Most married couples file their tax returns using a filing status of married filing jointly because the tax rates are lower, it's easier and only one tax return is required.
A divorced taxpayer must file as single but in certain cases may use a filing status of head of household and pay the lower rates similar to those that married couples get. The filing status you can choose generally depends on your marital status on the last day of your tax year.
When does my filing status change?
For tax purposes, you are considered unmarried for the entire year (and therefore file as single or head of household) if you have obtained a decree of divorce by the last day of the tax year which is December 31.
You are also considered unmarried if you have obtained a decree of annulment, which holds that no valid marriage ever existed. You must file amended returns for all tax years affected by the annulment. On the amended return you need to change your filing status to single. That's because an annulment extinguishes the marriage as if your marriage never existed.
You are married for the entire year (and must file Married Filing Separately or Married Filing Jointly) if you are separated but you have not obtained a final decree of divorce by December 31. An interlocutory decree or a pre-decree separation is not a final decree.
If you are married, you and your spouse can choose to file a joint return. If you file jointly, you both must include all your income, exemptions, deductions, and credits on that return. Both you and your spouse must sign a joint tax return, even if you are separated or if a divorce is pending.
If you do elect to file a joint tax return both you and your spouse may be held responsible, jointly and individually, for the tax and any interest or penalty due on your joint return. This means that one spouse may be held liable for all the tax due even if all the income was earned by the other spouse.
After divorce, am I still responsible for joint taxes?
Once you are divorced, you are still both responsible for any tax, interest, and penalties due on a joint return for a tax year which ends before your divorce is final. Both of you are legally responsible even if your divorce decree states otherwise! Therefore, even if your spouse agrees to pay any amounts due on previously filed tax returns, you will be responsible for any payment your spouse fails to make.
You must meet specific criteria to qualify for any of these three types of relief. A special written request to IRS is necessary. For more information, click here.
An attorney can help you with your divorce to make sure you make the right decisions about dividing your property and your debts to minimize adverse tax consequences. Your attorney will help you select the best tax filing status and make sure that your divorce decree includes protective provisions to avoid your liability for your spouse's taxes.


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Simbang Gabi in chapels limited to 30%
The celebration of Simbang Gabi (pre-dawn Masses) for the Christmas season would be limited to 30-percent capacity in chapels inside police camps in the country.
"As for Misa de Gallo (Spanish term for pre-dawn Masses), it should also be controlled. Our chapel inside Camp Crame would also control the crowd and would use Zoom for online viewing. If the rules say only 30 percent is allowed, we would follow that," Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Debold Sinas said in a media interview yesterday.
The "Simbang Gabi" is a Filipino tradition, during which, the Catholic faithful attend pre-dawn Masses on the nine days leading to Christmas Day.
Under rules by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), religious gatherings are allowed at 30-percent capacity in areas under the general community quarantine.
Sinas said the PNP will strictly enforce the "no-caroling" and "no Christmas party" policy to avoid mass gatherings.
However, he said the traditional lighting of Christmas tree and lanterns will push through at the PNP National Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City
"We'll do the traditional lighting of Christmas tree, and gift-giving on the same occasion. No gathering. There would only be messages from President Rodrigo Duterte, SILG (Secretary of Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año) and from me," he noted.
Earlier, Año said holding of Christmas parties in areas under GCQ will not be allowed to prevent the spread of Covid-19.*PNA
P400M allotted for hog repopulation
SSS releases P5B pensions for January
Farmers get P1.5M in livelihood projects
Capitol gives P3.5M for chicken prodn


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Elbow grease and artificial saliva: Boiserie panels being restored
Photo: Charissa Soriano/Burke Museum
May 17, 2019 | Lindsey Burns
Art & Artists New Burke
Corine Landrieu is set up in what is likely one of Seattle's most regal operating rooms.
Her patient is a 300-year-old waxed pine panel—or boiserie—and she's dabbing at what looks like a long smudge of "white out" in the center of the panel's dark wood.
It's the first layer of resin and epoxy used to fill in cracks and wood losses that have accumulated in the 300-year-old wood of the boiserie paneling that formerly lined the walls of the Burke Museum café. She and her four-person team have been working since March to clean and restore the boiserie panels to get them ready for display in the new Burke.
When asked how she manages to make filler placed today look like it's been there for the past three hundred years, she just smiles and shrugs her shoulders, "We're all artists here. That's what we do."
Conservator Corine Landrieu removing a stain on the boiserie panels formally installed in the Burke Café.
Corine and her team will be working into the summer to clean and repair all 21 panels to be displayed in the new Burke Museum when it opens in October.
Cleaning with Artificial Saliva
Originally created around 1720 in France, the waxed pine paneling—or boiseries—lined the music room of the home of D.E. Frederick (owners of the Frederick & Nelson department store in downtown Seattle) in the Highlands neighborhood of Seattle. The set was donated to the University of Washington in 1968 and installed in the Burke Museum café in 1975 as part of its permanent collection.
Until now, the boiserie set has not been conserved. In fact, recent rules prevented the wood from being altered in any way. That means no tape, no nails, just decades of pen marks, accidental coffee spills, and water stains from dirty Seattle rainboots scuffing the portion of the panels closest to the floor.
"Some of them come in and they're really filthy," said Corine. "So the first thing we do is vacuum the panels thoroughly. And then after that we clean the entire panel with artificial saliva."
Artificial saliva?
"It's a chemical gel that mimics the enzymes in saliva," she said. Similar to how saliva cleans your mouth without damaging your teeth, artificial saliva is used to break down the grime on the panels without damaging the wood.
"We go over the entire panels with cotton balls and saliva one small section at a time," Corine explained. "We clean a section then rinse with cotton swabs and distilled water to remove any residue from the saliva or grime. Then we dry it and move on to the next patch."
A hole in the wood filled with resin and epoxy and before it is painted to blend in with the original wood.
A section of the panel with a hole that has been completely filled-in and painted to blend with the original wood. Can you spot where the hole was?
The team uses acrylic paint finished with Renaissance Wax to draw and blend in missing sections of the wood.
This is not a quick and easy process.
"In the beginning it took five of us three full days to do the cleaning plus the repairs to one panel, but now we are going faster," she said.
With nine panels complete, Corine and her team will be working into the summer to clean and repair all 21 panels to be displayed in the new Burke Museum when it opens in October. The panels will be installed in the Cascade Room, a free, public area adjacent to the museum lobby, where visitors can reflect, relax and discover the history of Washington's oldest public museum.
Toolmarks created by the original sculptor visible in the flat portions of the wood around the raised decoration.
Once fully cleaned and repaired, the boiserie paneling will be installed in the Cascade Room of the New Burke.
Speaking through craftsmanship
As a professional object and sculpture conservator, no two projects Corine works on are the same.
"You can see the toolmarks [of the original sculptor] and I really love that," she said. "If you move your head in the right way you can see the [raised areas] are carved in the body of the wood that the panels are made of, they are not glued on. It's remarkable how they did this."
"When I see these toolmarks, I appreciate the talent that went into this," she said. "It is kind of like the wood is talking, in a way. It's still so present. You can see the relationship between the wood and the person who carved this."
By the time Corine and her team are finished, their own voices will be added to the paneling, ensuring that the wood remains speaking to those who view it for generations to come.
New Chinook Art Piece Welcomes Visitors to the Burke Museum
A new outdoor installation called Guests of the Great River greets guests as you arrive at the museum's east entrance.
Bringing fossils to life through paleoart
While fossils give us a peek into what long extinct species left behind, paleoartists show us what these species were like while they still roamed the earth.
Read through reflections from the Class of 2020 about their time working at the Burke Museum!
Magnificent Molluscs with Science Illustrator Sami Chang
Learn more about science illustrator Sami Chang's art, research, and mollusc masterpieces!


If you have ever driven through any neighborhood in Texas, Oklahoma or Arkansas you have probably seen these shingles on homes. Lifetime architectural shingles are the most typical choice of roofers when roofing homes. This is due in part to durability of Lifetime architectural shingles they are not inferior in any way they are simple a different design that with stand a more wind and hail damage than other shingles.
Lifetime architectural shingles come in many different colors and are a little more in cost. A Lifetime shingle can handle winds in between 150 mph and up. They have a micro weave core that helps to prevent against cracking and splitting. They typically have a class A fire rating from the Underwriters Laboratories and come with a Lifetime transferable manufacturing warranty.
At Moda Roof and Fence Company we offer a number of different Lifetime architectural shingle brands. Some of the shingle brands we carry are GAF, Owens Corning and Tamko all which come in many different colors.
If you know someone looking for a quality roofing company or roofing contractor to replace your roof, we would love to earn your business. Moda Roof and Fence Company has replaced 1000's of roofing systems with Lifetime architectural shingles throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. We have highly trained roof inspectors that can assist homeowners and business owner with a roofing system that best suits their needs. With a combined 15 years of service in the roofing industry we have the knowledge and experience to help our roofing customers with all their roofing needs.


H&M have done it again with another amazing, on-trend statement piece, in the form of this gorgeous detailed knit. I love the unusual details on this piece, from the ruffles flowing down the front, to the exaggerated bell-sleeves... It's all going on here but still manages to remain totally wearable!
A statement knit like this is the perfect throw on piece to keep you cosy in the cooler temps, but still looking super put-together and on-trend.
I always find Autumn is the best season for fashion - you can start to experiment with various layers and contrasting textures - Autumn outfits are just that bit more interesting! What's more, the intricate sleeve detailing on this knit doesn't just look pretty, it's also super practical for keeping your hands nice and snug on a chilly day, and would look beaut layered with a jacket and peeping out from under the cuff!
I chose to pair the knit with this sleek navy maxi skirt, also from H&M. Whilst the skirt is pretty formal, I've found it so easy to wear and such a useful addition to my wardrobe since buying it at the end of Summer. It's become a real daily staple that I know will carry me through the Winter months with a pair of cosy tights underneath!
The knit is super versatile however, and would look equally lovely dressed down with denim, such as a cute pair of kick-flare jeans or even a denim skirt, tights and ankle boots.
I finished off the look with a pair of statement gold earrings, because why stop at one statement?! I love experimenting with all forms of gold hoops, and have a few pairs on daily rotation. They add a real put-together finish to an outfit, and are also perfect for taking your look from day to night.


Macross Δ is a science fiction anime television series produced by Satelight, and the fourth television series set in the Macross universe. It is directed by Kenji Yasuda and written by Toshizo Nemoto with Shouji Kawamori being the chief director and mechanical designer, while Chisato Mita handling the original character design. Kawamori is also credited as the original creator along Studio Nue.
Macross Delta is set in the year 2067, 8 years after the events of Macross Frontier in a remote part of the Milky Way Galaxy called the Brisingr Globular Cluster, which is plagued by the Var Syndrome, a mysterious phenomenon which turns people berserk without any apparent cause. A team of talented idols, the Walküre, uses the power of their songs to calm down the infected by the Var Syndrome, assisted by the Delta Flight, a team of experienced Valkyrie pilots, while facing the interference from the mysterious Aerial Knights Valkyrie fighter team of the Windermere Kingdom, which found a way to exploit the infection on their favor as part of their plan to resume war against the New United Government for control of the Cluster.


We are a premiere real estate solutions company in the DC Metropolitan area helping homeowners and improving communities.
1720 Lakeside Ave in Baltimore is coming along great!
This week we opened up space on the first floor for a better look. Installed new HVAC system, replacing radiator. Also completed framing in basement with new layout. Moving on to drywall and a few finishing touches before this awesome 4 bedroom 2900 sqft home is ready for a new owner!
"As a contractor and fellow real estate investor, I have gotten to know Delroy and his team quite well. He is detailed oriented, hard working and passion driven to a high a standard. I had the pleasure of working on a few projects with Delroy and know that he is the real deal. If you are looking for someone to help you with a real estate situation, DelCare Homes would be an excellent choice."


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Tag: post-industrial
VRNA – La Vecchia Madre – Review
Artist: VRNA
Album: La Vecchia Madre
Label: Old Europa Cafe
01. Of Great Silence
02. Ritual of Self-Burial
03. Empty
04. Cenere
05. Campi di Polvere
06. La Vecchia Madre – Ritual of Awakening
La Vecchia Madre is not streaming online,
but you can hear some other music by VRNA below:
VRNA (Urn/Ossuary), occasionally labeled as Urna, is the industrial/ritual/dark ambient project of Gianluca Martucci. Martucci has been creating music under this guise out of Italy since 1998. Starting his career with releases on Slaughter Productions, VRNA has been a solid, but under-the-radar, project which has caught the attention of those with discerning ears for two decades. Tattoo artist by trade, Martucci uses VRNA as his bridge into more mystical realms. Referring to the music as "…reflect[ing] the vacuous psychedelia of an ancient mind casting spells in a modern world" we can see that the sounds created here are intended to work on a higher level than that of a passive-listening ambient release.
The album is incredibly dynamic, at moments slowing to a meditative lull and others reaching moments of utter chaos and frenzy. The overall quality of the production seems to deteriorate at moments, writhing in raw energies before returning to a perfectly balanced state. Percussive elements range from dispersed single beats to fully realized tribal dance rhythms to droning silences. As a ritual ambient piece, it takes the listener through a full experience, seemingly able to direct states of consciousness in strange ways, if one were to properly open themselves to it.
"Of Great Silence" starts with a mid-high range oscillating airy drone. Male chants enter the mix after a few moments. The chants slowly fade into a distorted oscillation, mimicking the dronework. "Ritual of Self-Burial" is simultaneously unnerving and serene. It seems to convey a sense of destructive action with perfectly calm intent. This feeling is certainly reinforced by the track title. This is quite an amazing track in comparison to other similar attempts at this style. It really showcases Martucci's natural grasp of ritual, industrial and ambient music and how they can all converge in the hands of the right aural alchemists.
After the chaos of the previous track, we move into "Empty", another highlight of the album, which keeps a subdued level of energy. We are able to envision ourselves in some dark catacomb, witnessing an ancient rite. Wind whirls through the chambers as the chants and incantations echo off the dank stone walls. One can almost smell the combination of torch fuel and frankincense wafting through the chamber, burning their nostrils. As the track moves toward it's close a clean piano piece enters the mix as the surrounding sounds all descend back into distorted chaos. The moment is reminiscent of some of my favorites in the works of Dahlia's Tear, but the theme, setting, and therefore also the effect are quite different.
"Cenere" descends the furthest into chaos. The track mainly consists of a repeated vocal chant which is highly distorted along with an array of drones which create a sort of sonic assault upon the senses. Deep reverberations seem to usher in a powerful and malign force.
"Campi di Polvere" starts calmly, a lonely guitar riff plays over an airy drone. It feels like a nice meditative calm amidst the intensity of the surrounding tracks. "La Vecchia Madre – Ritual of Awakening" returns to the oscillating high-pitched industrial drones. There are words spoken over the drones using heavy distortion and delay to create a demonic sort of sound which intensifies into screams and growls over a slowly pounding drum. As the track progresses toward its close, it descends further into a distorted chaos. In seeming conclusion to the entire ritual/album the sound fades out, being replaced by a more primal style of tribal music. A single chanting voice prepares the scene for the aforementioned tribal dance rhythms which are joined by a number of other chants, male and female included here.
This won't be an album for passive listening. One should really dedicate themselves to the experience of this one in order to fully and properly appreciate it. Released on Old Europa Cafe, La Vecchia Madre comes in an almost cloth or leatheresque textured digipak. As it's a good album to put your focus toward, I would definitely recommend the physical for taking on driving excursions and the like.
VRNA has been involved in a number of noteworthy releases over the last few months, a few of which include their split with Holotrop, Enkoimesis, and the brilliant compilation Sons of an Older Cosmos. Both of these were through Qualia. There are certainly a number of other previous releases from this artist that are well worth discovery. If you are a fan of ritual ambient that isn't afraid to take things into intense aural territory, you should find a lot to love on La Vecchia Madre. Those that prefer their ritual ambient subdued and meditative will have a harder time with this one, but could still catch a few of you pleasantly by surprise, as it did with me.
In Mixes
This is a mix focused on post/death industrial tracks. The mix was sort of inspired by the recent Darkness Descends event in Cleveland, we reviewed the compilation for that event here. There are many newer tracks included as well as a few older ones that I thought fit well into the blend. This one is not dark ambient! A special thanks goes to Andy Grant of The Vomit Arsonist for allowing us to use a currently unreleased live version of his track "Selective Hyperthymesia"! Enjoy at your own risk and share if you care. Thanks for the continued support! You can find links to all the music below the player.
01. 0:00:00 Shock Frontier – Tumult ft. Kristoffer Oustad
02. 0:08:25 Murderous Vision – Concussion
03. 0:12:30 IRM – The Essence of Young Death
04. 0:17:55 Trepaneringsritualen – All Flesh Has Corrupted
05. 0:22:25 Nordvargr – Livet Tar Slut
06. 0:27:40 LVMMVX – The Age of Reptiles
07. 0:32:20 Theologian – Toil
08. 0:40:10 Vortex – Odhinn's Wrath
09. 0:43:40 Harko City – Swollen Empire
10. 0:47:20 United Front – What Makes Us Great
11. 0:53:30 Haus Arafna – Hymn To Despair
12. 0:58:00 Dødsmaskin – Den Nye Døden
13. 1:04:50 Stromstad – Blood Consciousness
14. 1:08:30 MZ.412 – Algiz (Konvergence of Life and Death 2018 ft. Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio
15. 1:15:20 The Vomit Arsonist – Selective Hyperthymesia (Unreleased Live Version)
16. 1:19:50 Cunting Daughters – Awaken The Beneath
17. 1:24:40 Himukalt – Want You To See Me
18. 1:27:30 Subliminal – Hunting For Humans
19. 1:30:35 Lingua Ignota – Woe to All (On the Day of My Wrath)
20. 1:45:00 Compactor – Ultimatum
21. 1:48:25 Vitriol Gauge – No Calm
Theologian – Exclusive New Track Premiere!
Theologian is slowly creeping their way to becoming one of the most covered artists here on This Is Darkness. I've been following the artist, Lee Bartow, for a good while now, through his project Theologian, his previous project Navicon Torture Technologies, and his label Annihilvs Power Electronix. But I really started to dig into this artist when Theologian was featured as the soundtrack/soundscapes on a number of Cadabra Records spoken-art releases, the most recent being The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft, read by the brilliant Andrew Leman.
Photo by: Gretchen Heinel
Theologian – "Tetanus" from the upcoming album, Reconcile.
http://www.thisisdarkness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/03-Tetanus-05-18.mp3
After covering last year's Forced Utopia (read the review here), we are pleased to premiere a brand new track from his upcoming release, Reconcile. This new track, "Tetanus", will immediately stand out to many from the more recent previous works by Theologian. There are airy dronescapes that gently blanket the 6 1/2 minute experience, while cavernously reverberating percussion hammers and voices are heard, in a sort of irreligious long-form chanting dirge. While the percussion, in particular, will keep this outside the boundaries of your standard definition of dark ambient, I think what Theologian is doing here may end up being one of his more dark ambient friendly tracks to date. I'll be covering the album in a full review soon!
Below you can read the full press release for the Theologian – Reconcile album, to be released on 16 June 2018 via Cloister Recordings.
Cover photo by: K. Berlin
Theologian – Reconcile
Hot on the heels of The Icy Bleakness of Things, Theologian's collaboration with The Vomit Arsonist, Cloister Recordings presents Reconcile. Timed to coincide with the upcoming live appearance at the DARKNESS DESCENDS festival, this 60-minute cassette (and digital) release contains brand-new material featuring input from Andy Grant (The Vomit Arsonist), Mike McClatchey (Lament Cityscape), Stephen Petrus (Murderous Vision), and Derek Rush (Dream Into Dust). The album was mixed by Mike McClatchey. The word "supergroup" has been jokingly bandied about in reference to this collection of artists, but the final product is indeed a unique composite of industrial sounds, reflecting another step in the evolution of Theologian.
Perhaps most notable is a return to an earlier, less harsh and distorted iteration of the project, with cavernous drones and thunderous percussion creating the sort of dense sonic environments found on the 2010 debut album, The Further I Get From Your Star, The Less Light I Feel On My Face.
Eschewing the longform drone/ambient tracks of older releases, here we find Theologian attempting to approximate the immediacy and memorability of pop, using rhythm and melody to elicit slightly less sprawling emotional landscapes. The album's eight tracks are interconnected by brief interludes, serving as touchstones along the journey to the album's denouement. As the title suggests, Reconcile is ultimately about coming to terms with past versions of oneself, while examining the present and fretting over the future. Cloister Recordings is issuing this cassette in an edition of 100 copies, which will become available for the first time when Theologian headlines the DARKNESS DESCENDS festival on Saturday, June 16 at Pat's in the Flat's in Cleveland, Ohio.
Also performing are The Vomit Arsonist, Steel Hook Prostheses, Gnawed, Compactor, Shock Frontier, Vitriol Gauge, Cunting Daughters, and Murderous Vision. The Theologian performance will include Andy Grant, Stephen Petrus, and Derek Rush as live collaborators. The event is sold out.
Soft Tissue, the 2016 collaborative release by Lament Cityscape and Theologian, will be reissued later this year, featuring completely new mixes of the original album and remixes by Achromaticist, Compactor, Cutworm, Kidaudra, Neurospora, Orphx, Over Hold, rRhexis, and Snowbeasts.
Murderous Vision and Lament Cityscape have both recently completed new albums yet to be released, while The Vomit Arsonist produced a new cassette, entitled Further, in April of this year via Gutter Bloat. While Derek Rush has mostly been busy as SysAdmin for heavy electronics project Compactor, a 20th anniversary vinyl reissue of the Dream Into Dust album The World We Have Lost is in the works for April 2019.
Artist: Trepaneringsritualen
Album: Kainskult
Release date: 1 October 2017
Label: Tesco Organization
01. Death & Ecstasy
02. Maðr Malformed
03. All Flesh Has Corrupted
04. ᚲ ∴ ᚲ ∴ ᚲ
05. Feral Me
06. Serpent Seed
07. An Immaculate Body of Water
08. ∴
09. V ∴ V ∴ V
Injecting catchiness into styles as unfriendly as death industrial or ritual industrial might seem about as logical as trying to teach anteaters how to read, but that's exactly what Swedish experimental artist Thomas Martin Ekelund has done with his newest release under the alias Trepaneringsritualen (TxRxP for short. You're welcome.). Though thematically and aesthetically up to the standard this death industrial heavyweight set for mechanical dementia, Kainskult remains as infectious as it is caustic.
In comparison to the grinding ritualism of 2014's Perfection & Permanence, this LP's approach sports pervading accessibility in the midst of its harsh overtones. "Death & Ecstasy" starts Kainskult off familiarly enough with growls cadencing clanking thuds and tribal grunts, but incomes quasi-melodic vocalizations evoking the most disconcerting affectations of Michael Gira and Attila Csihar's most atmospheric tendencies. This juxtaposition of hair-raising terror and penetrating emotion derails expectations while enhancing the impact of Kainskult tenfold, which only becomes more apparent when "Death & Ecstasy" collapses into "Maðr Malformed."
This track and the following "All Flesh Has Corrupted" sear their grooves onto eardrums like a branding iron. The former's driving tribal percussion and subterraneanly heavy synth lines provide the perfect backdrop for demonic chants, standing in contrast to the plodding tom-tom hits and echoing back-beat of the latter. Though intimate delivery pails before bestial brutality, these songs transcend genre norms as they embody a maniacal occultist dance while pummeling listeners to smithereens.
The importance of vocals on Kainskult needs to be stressed. In many ways they're the nucleus for the album's memorability. On top of expanding his range, Ekelund also collaborates with several other throat-masters this time around, allowing his lyrics to take center stage on multiple occasions through multiple filters, accentuating ceremonial auras while embedding his words into the souls of listeners. The factory-esque military percussion and bass pulse on "Feral Me," while punishing enough in its own right, brutalizes to a tremendous effect through fiery gutturals. TxRxP is no longer just about scaring, but decimating.
As its title might have already clarified, Kainskult centers around the biblical character Kain, known to Judeo-Christianity as the first murderer, and to Ekelund as the "Original Heresiarch." His explorations of both the metaphysical divergency and visceral malice at play in Kain's story, when coupled with paranoia-inducing drone-scapes and dirgey percussion, produce some of the most haunting music in the genre. The depth charge percussive blasts and glacial sound collages in ambient tracks like "ᚲ ∴ ᚲ ∴ ᚲ" delve into the depths of Kain's outlook, while more structured cuts harness his archaic infamy to drive their auditory destruction.
"Serpent Seed" and "An Immaculate Body of Water" respectively encapsulate Kainskult's undeniable groove and atmospheric rites within impregnable harshness. The former employs triplet-based vocal patterns almost bordering on rap over a bludgeoning beat, while the latter's ominous synth lead piles layers of filthy distortion and disembodied voices comparing to West Europe's Stalaggh/Gulaggh in aural excruciation. With the exception of the 29-second interlude "∴," which serves only to transition from the aforementioned track into the concluding "V ∴ V ∴ V," these tracks conjure believable vibes while energizing TxRxP's overall sound.
In the final song, Ekelund showcases his ability to balance accessible forays with the cavernous terror he has become known for. A hypnotic industrial beat slowly gains more complexity, while cleverly-placed descending synth lines provide the perfect foundation for Ekelund's one-to-100 vocal jumps. The atmosphere remains intact thanks to unique auras produced by grating gutturals and brooding mutterings, keeping listeners guessing until the album closes with dynamic leaps.
TxRxP has broken new ground for the death industrial sound while paying proper respect to the style's inaccessible nature, something Ekelund's contemporaries often struggle to accomplish. Many projects embrace outside influences as they try to push beyond their template, but this album remains firmly rooted in brain-bashing claustrophobia. Trepaneringsritualen produces something hardcore fans of this music will adore, but also provides enough glimmers of approachability for those lost in the sonic fray — making Kainskult one of the most potent death industrial releases to drop in recent years.
The second mix in our "Guest Sessions" series for ThisIsDarkness.com is prepared by Miljenko Rajakovic, the dark ambient and electronic veteran known for his projects TeHÔM and Principia Audiomatica. This mix is extra special for me because a previous mix done by Miljenko Rajakovic for the Wounds of the Earth zine made a huge impact on me, it was a big inspiration and a catalyst for me starting to create mixes. On this new mix, Rajakovic takes us on a dark and twisted journey through the many varied soundscapes of dark ambient & post-industrial. There are some well known musicians include, and some others that are up & coming in the post industrial world. I hope you will enjoy this mix as much as I have, and please look into the latest releases by this highly talented musician! Below the player you can find the full set-list with links to each album!
01. T.A.G.C. – Sunset Eyes Through Water
02. Principia Audiomatica – Closed Thermodynamic System
03. Northaunt – Blood Trail
04. Karjalan sissit – …Ja Verkkaritkin Haisee Koskenkorvalle
05. Svartsinn – September Dirge (Alternate Mix)
06. Atrium Carceri – The Traitor
07. Raison d'être – The Hidden Hallows
08. New Risen Throne – Loneliness
09. Dead World Echo – Cries and Whispers
10. Lustmord Vs Metal Beast – Broadcast Frequencies Converge
11. Test Dept. & Brith Gof – Truan Yw Gennyffi
12. TeHÔM – The Realm Of Dark Senses
13. Mother Tongue (Andrew McKenzie & ZE'V) – The Humble Man
14. Herbst9 Vs Penjaga Insaf – Agung
15. Sysselmann – Coastal Fairway Northbound
16. Heilung – Krigsgaldr
17. Coil – Going Up
Mortiis – The Unraveling Mind – Review
Artist: Mortiis
Album: The Unraveling Mind
Label: Omnipresence
01. Virosus – Silentium
02. Hollowed
03. Submit
04. Submit (Flux)
05. The Unraveling Mind
06. Redeemer
07. Submit (Subdued)
08. Surge
09. Zotheca
10. Thrall
11. Virosus – Amentia
Over the years Mortiis has become a very relevant figure in the industrial / post-industrial scene. Releasing some of his first albums through the Cold Meat Industry label, Mortiis was one of the pioneers of the label and the scene. While his music has made several huge shifts in content and style, his fan-base has more or less stayed consistent through the years. Always managing to pick up new listeners as others drop out.
Mortiis started his career in, what one might consider, the worst way possible. Joining the group Emperor in 1991 as their bassist, by the end of '92 he had already been ejected from the band. What came next was quite unlikely in the grand scheme of things. Mortiis released a handful of albums over the next few years which would leave the record industry scratching their heads in confusion. Mortiis delved into a style which he called, dark dungeon music. The sounds were seemingly elementary in their depth. Using little more than some basic synth Mortiis managed a sound that was at once unique, basic, and dark.
While he may have left this style of sound behind following the release of The Stargate, almost two decades later, there would still be a massive following of his early (Era I) albums, and a whole genre of music blooming with Mortiis as a de facto trailblazer. What is now known as dungeon synth has been revived in a big way. Many labels are cropping up all over the world looking to get involved in this new wave of interest. With the cassette as their format of choice, dungeon synth fans are proud of their collections beyond the imagining of outsiders. Many of these outsiders still scratch their heads in confusion at what draws hordes of fans to this genre.
For the last twenty-ish years Mortiis has retained and gained popularity with a more generalized industrial rock sound. His goth meets Tolkien image and his creepy yet catchy vocals have done him well over the years, and it would seem that he has never looked back in regret upon this massive change in direction.
The Unraveling Mind hits us as sort of an anomaly even within the career of such an anomalous artist. The album is fully instrumental, but there are plenty of instruments and a fully developed industrial sound. And yet sometimes these sounds will slow to a crawl and mirror most closely to something that could be considered dark ambient. While this isn't the norm for Mortiis, he seems to navigate this territory with just as much confidence and skill as he has in any of his other endeavors.
Part of the reason for such a different album comes from its original intended use. The Unraveling Mind was created as a soundtrack to the film Broken (2006). While the film used some of the music, many of the tracks never saw the light of day. Eleven years later, it is finally getting a proper release.
The Unraveling Mind is available in the digital format. But, the pride of this release can be seen in its vinyl pressings. There are no less than 5 variants produced, with a host of purchase options, including 5 test pressings and 13 copies which include original art by lauded dark artist Stanislav Krawczyk. The remaining 150 copies are divided evenly between red marble, clear yellow and dark blue. The first 50 red variants are hand-numbered in Mortiis own blood!
The music itself is unsurprising when considering that it was meant as a soundtrack to a horror film. There are some tracks like "Redeemer" which are quite upbeat with industrial drum tracks and distorted guitars. Some tracks, such as the opener "Virosus – Silentium" take on a more dark ambient vibe, coming close to something that could almost resemble a more active track by Atrium Carceri. "Surge" is one of the most subtle tracks on the album, with much of its focus on atmosphere and little attention to "musical" content. The rest of the album will fall somewhere within these extremes.
The Unraveling Mind is highly enjoyable and entertaining from beginning to end. Leaving me a bit surprised that Mortiis hasn't put more attention into this area of his sound, which seems to fit him quite naturally. This certainly is not the usual Mortiis fare. Whether you are a fan of his Era I work, his later albums or neither, The Unraveling Mind is certainly worth a listen. I thoroughly enjoyed this side-step of Mortiis and would be pleased to hear him create more music in this vein over the coming years.
Kryptogen Rundfunk – Liquid Circuits – Review
Artist: Kryptogen Rundfunk
Album title: Liquid Circuits
Label: Zhelezobeton
This is the first review on This Is Darkness by Przemyslaw Murzyn known for his respected and well-revered zine, Santa Sangre!
I stumbled upon this very cool sounding name quite often, on the occasion of various splits, collaborations, compilations or live show announcements on social media. So I have to admit, I was a bit surprised when I realized that Liquid Circuits is only the second album by this project run by Zhelezobeton label manager. Second album in 12 years – who would've thought?
So I guess we should expect something epic – a creme de la creme of all Artyom's ideas that had been born in his mind during all those years. I'm guessing it might be the essence of his creativity, as the album is quite huge in all possible aspects: its duration, production, atmosphere and the abundance of used sounds and effects. At the same time, it is representative of the Russian industrial scene and their cherishing of analogue synths and the meaty, natural form of the sounds instead of purely digital output. Check the booklet and the technical specification of Liquid Circuits to see in detail what kind of equipment Artyom has used.
Kryptogen Rundfunk music is hard to classify because several musical fascinations are playing an equal role here. It is experimental, because even for a not very experienced listener it seems obvious that the artist is often improvising and checking the possibilities of the equipment and the sound forms it is able to create. It is industrial perhaps even "dark" industrial thanks to the machinesque and soulless feeling. The rhythmic pulsations, hums, diverse noises, radio waves make you feel like you're inside a giant electric device or installation full of – not necessarily liquid – circuits, coils and resistors. Its purpose is still to be determined, but it doesn't include a human factor in any aspect.
More in the background you'll notice a few dark ambient inclinations as sometimes the sounds take a more drone-like shape, like for example in the third track, "Pyramidoid". The drones and textures are also filling the holes in the composition structures, they're like concrete which bonds the whole thing into one monolithic construction. And on top of that a pinch of noise, not very aggressive, just underlining the cold and mechanical character of the album, having no ideology, no message to the people, which in this case is so unnecessary. Unless you consider the immersion with the music literally and feel that your soul is merging with the integrated circuits making one half-organic, half-artificial entity. After all, who knows if it isn't the future of humanity. Something of which we should all be afraid.
So is it a unique album? By all means no, we were drowning in these atmospheres a lot of times in the past. But at the same time, Liquid Circuits gives a whole lot of listening pleasure as it is a well prepared dish for all the connoisseurs of honest, quite old-school industry devoid of useless flashiness.
Written by: Przemyslaw Murzyn
Vacuum Aeterna – Project:Darkscapes – Review
Artist: Vacuum Aeterna
Album title: Project:Darkscapes
Label: Cyclic Law
01. Kurtz
02. Eulogy
03. Anatomy of a Spirit
04. Liminal Rits
05. Nibela Equinox
06. Control Metamorphose
07. Parasites Fall
08. Neglect
09. Enenra
Cyclic Law has released a lot of albums recently from well known artists in the post-industrial realm. They are the solid in a sea of fluidity. Fans are likely to know what to expect and without a doubt will find a positive confirmation in their latest release. Vacuum Aeterna is one of the new names to enter the dark ambient scene. Coming from a label like Cyclic Law, there is plenty of reason for fans to pay full attention to this debut.
What listeners will find on Project:Darkscapes is a breath of fresh air. There are certainly the usual dark ambient tropes involved. But the album uses the formula in their own unique way, coming up with something that will be hard to compare to other seemingly similar releases.
The opening track "Kurtz" sets the scene. We are given equal doses of industrial and ambient here. What starts out feeling like it is taking place in a primal setting, deep in a wooded wilderness, soon comes to life, not through some animals or humanity, but through the machinations of a futuristic, highly industrialized world. Yet, as the album progresses, the line between the primal and the mechanical becomes increasingly blurred. It seems that each track shows a different way of confronting this dilemma, a dilemma that speaks volumes about the state of our planet. Standing at a crossroads in time, where we will either fall backward into the life of previous countless generations or storm forward inevitably destroying the remains of the planet in the process, we certainly have a decision to make. Vacuum Aeterna seems to use this premise to make us think hard about where we stand in time.
From a technical standpoint Project:Darkscapes definitely paves its own path. While there could be similarities drawn between this album and something like Paleowolf or Ulf Söderberg, there are some distinct differences making it stand out. The tribal elements are overwhelmingly present. But the feel never moves into a primal ancient era. We somehow continue to feel the futuristic elements presented. The beating of the drums feels simultaneously futuristic and primitive. The drones and field recordings setting the foundation move from an ambient forest to the depths of some highly mechanized facility. The combination of the two seems counter-intuitive, but it somehow comes together smoothly.
The instrumentation used on Project:Darkscapes is uniquely interesting and nuanced. For example, on "Anatomy of a Spirit" there are deep whirling drones providing the foundation. A thumping bass sounds like the beating of a heart. Field recordings and possibly even some vocals can be heard dispersed masterfully throughout the mix. All the while a distorted guitar fades in and out, going from disjointed noises to outright solos. By the close of the track we are left with nothing but a staticy noise that slowly fades out. "Liminal Rites" brings those tribal drums back to the spotlight, though they can barely be considered primal, at times moving much closer to something that would feel natural on an industrial metal album, if only for fleeting seconds. There is always a dichotomy to be faced. One can never settle on a certain style or direction in which the music moves.
While Project:Darkscapes can certainly become quite active at times, it never takes on a disruptively bold persona. If one intends to use it as background music to study, read, or whatever else, it will certainly work, with only a few distractions. Conversely, it has so many interesting takes on the dark ambient genre, so many unique uses of the instrumentation and such a vast catalog of field recording sounds that there is more than enough to keep the focused listener entertained for multiple playthroughs. Each time I hear the album there are several new elements that present themselves, new ideas that take shape.
Vacuum Aeterna has created an album in Project:Darkscapes which is uniquely relevant to our times. It asks the hard questions of humanity and refuses to allow the listener to ignore the warning signs. I could absolutely recommend this to fans of the more primal forms of dark ambient, while there is also much here to entertain fans that prefer a more industrial infused sound. It will be interesting to see where they take their sound next, if they will continue delving into these topics and this format, or if they will veer off into a totally different direction. The level of skill seems to be there to make either a worthy endeavor.
Dødsmaskin – Fullstendig Brent – Review
Artist: Dødsmaskin
Album title: Fullstendig Brent
Release date: March 24 2017
Label: Malignant Records
01. Båldom (Fire Verdict)
02. Heksetimen (The Witching Hour)
03. Christoffer Orning
04. De Ti – 1621 (The Ten – 1621)
05. Dømt På Sitt Liv Til Ild Og Bål (Sentenced to Death by Flame and Pyre)
Dødsmaskin, meaning "death machine" in English, is a Norwegian post-industrial / drone act by Peter Vindel and Kjetil Ottersen. They self-released a digital album in 2015 entitled, Ingenting ("nothing" in English). On that debut they showed a lot of promise and a general sense of talent in the noisier side of drone music. But their physical debut on Malignant Records, Fullstendig Brent (Completely Burnt; Holocaust) takes them into some amazingly complex territory. This is one of those rare gems in which utterly chaotic noises are able to mingle perfectly with the serenity of dark ambient. This album could fit into many categories, post-industrial, drone, dark ambient, death industrial, power electronics. Indeed, there is a bit of all these genres presented here.
This album will be particularly pleasing to anyone with a love for the darkest days of history. The inner panel of the digipak consists of one sentence, "Djevelhorer Skal Brennes – Martin Luther (1537)" This can be translated to English as "devil whores be burned." It is a fitting preparation for the onslaught of soundscapes presented within. Fullstendig Brent takes us on a deeply cinematic journey back in time to the 17th century in the northern parts of Norway, specifically to the fortress of Vardøhus in Vardø, the center of Norwegian Finnmark. This fortress would play the stage to a particularly dark and brutal period of history. We are taken here at a time when witch trials were being carried out around the western world. Each track on Fullstendig Brent gives us a glimpse into various times during these proceedings.
"Båldom" stands as an introduction to these nightmares. It is translated to English as "Verdict of Fire", an allusion to the preferred method of dispensing of witches once their guilt was proven. "Båldom" is a perfect example of what to expect from Fullstendig Brent. The track starts with the sounds of a raging fire. A beautiful, if melancholic, loop of drone-work takes the forefront. It truly sounds majestic in its sense of foreboding. After this goes on for a short period of time we are cast into the fires, where our sins may be purged, before the eyes of the faithful. It is a descent into a truly cacophonous noise. Yet, with the brilliant talents akin to Jarl or Steel Hook Prostheses, these sounds never lose their focus. It is a perfect execution of brilliant noises.
The cinematic edge is taken to an even more obvious place on "Christoffer Orning", named after a notorious district governor responsible for the majority of deaths of innocent women and children. The track starts out with prayers being begged in unison by the demented congregation. After they give their blessings, the witches are allowed to burn for their sins. As the beating industrial noises completely overtake our senses, it's easy to imagine these so-called witches perishing in the most horrible way imaginable. Their body slowly roasting on the pyre, they shriek in utter despair soon followed by the sobbing of this unlucky female victim, attempting to alleviate some of the pain as she begins to smell her flesh being cooked, long before losing consciousness or dying.
Each track on the album goes through these ups and downs of subtle preparation followed by industrially induced terror. The true beauty of the music is that at no point do the sounds become overwhelming. They perfectly play their role, dragging the listener so close to the action that they will undoubtedly have their minds filled with the images of these brutal acts of Christian fanaticism. Part of the praise for this feat should be given to the mastering talents of Rafael Anton Irisarri working his magic from the Black Knoll Studio in New York. Equal thanks can be given to the brilliant artwork of Sense:Versus on the digipak. The front cover adorned in a minimalistic fashion with the Dødsmaskin logo, set behind a single leap of flames. The digipak is textured, with a rustic border, giving it the impression of an old worn leather book, possibly even bound in human flesh.
Dødsmaskin clearly paid the utmost attention to detail on Fullstendig Brent, which is undeniably present throughout the entirety of the album. There is never a moment wasted, each second holds our attention with its simultaneous beauty and ugliness. I would especially recommend this album to fans of cinematic dark ambient who also enjoy some noisier genres like death industrial or power electronics. Yet, there is really no reason to warn off others. This album is a miraculously well prepared example of how music can go above and beyond genre labels. While it may be significantly harsher than many listeners are used to, it should be a welcome novelty, a way to truly appreciate what is behind the thoughts of many musicians of the post-industrial scene. Many of them could surely learn a thing or two from Dødsmaskin.


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Is JIM MORRISON Alive?
Is JIM MORRISON Alive? By: SuperMonkey
I love a good conspiracy theory just as much as the next guy, but mostly, I find them entertaining and really don't believe them. So, I present to you an interesting scenario as presented to me at the Robby Krieger concert last month at the Palace Theater.
I run into someone that I've known for quite some time a person I consider extremely credible. I'm very confident this person is not crazy. So at the concert I mention to this friend, let's call him "Dave," that I have to meet Robby Krieger back stage. He quickly replies, "Yea I know Ray (before he died) and all those guys, I have a history with them" and then introduces me to his girlfriend.
I inquire to Dave's girlfriend "How do you know the Doors?" She is standing behind Dave, she smiles, looks at Dave, then turns around and walks away silently. Dave says "Oh it's a long story." Five minutes pass, Dave and I are watching Robby, just the two of us in the back of the Palace with no one else around. Dave then proceeds to tell me that his girlfriend is Jim Morrison's daughter. Obviously I'm a little shocked and don't believe him. He swears to me that it's true, Jim's alive, he says. Jim Morrison currently resides on a ranch outside Las Vegas on Lake Isabella. He confidently states that all of the Doors are aware of the fact that he is not really dead. They have all met with him in private and are respecting his wishes to live under a new name, William Loyer.
William Loyer has been working as a rancher for the past 20 years, and lives a quiet simple life with his wife and family raising horses. He is extremely close to his childhood friend Rick Manczerak (brother of Ray Manczerak, Keyboardist of the Doors.) All of the band members of the Doors are aware that Jim did not really die, but wanted so desperately to get out of the music business.
Then Dave pulls out his iPhone and starts showing me pictures he personally took (some with him in the pictures) with this current "Jim Morrison" who's a little older and gray, hanging out with his family, and that's states that he's actually been to his house and they talk all the time. Now all of this sounds crazy to me and I'm sure your thinking the same, but there's more. After the concert, I go home and do a Google search. Jim Morrison had been in a lot of trouble with the FBI and Police which is possibly why he moved to France. He also hated being a rock star. Another fact popped up, the media was not informed of his death for 6 days. No one but his girlfriend Pam saw his body before it was placed into the coffin, which was transported from their apartment to the grave. No autopsy was done. 7 days before he died, he bought a grave at one of the most guarded cemeteries in Paris. 3 days before he died, he was spotted walking around the cemetery. 1 day after he died he was spotted at the airport in Paris. 1 week after he died someone by the name of Jim Morrison went to the Bank of America in San Francisco and make a hefty withdraw. The teller at the bank said he recognized Jim's name and face, so he didn't ask for his ID because he knew who Jim Morrison was. The information gets more bizarre, Jim Morrison's death certificate says Douglas Morrison, and a 2nd person wrote "James" underneath the name Douglas, which appears to be in a different person's handwriting. This death certificate has been examined by handwriting experts and they concluded that it appears to be the handwriting of Jim Morrison.
Further, Jim had on many occasions publicly expressed his desire to change his identity and to reappear as someone else. He was a big fan of poet Arthur Rimbaud who faked his own death and relocated to Africa. He had a motive as he was in big trouble back in the US. He was totally burnt out on the music business and the rock star status and success he had achieved.
I personally interviewed Robby Krieger a couple months ago and I was told by his agent "don't bring up any history or the past, just keep it focused on the show." Robby actually brought up Jim and said "When you lose the greatest lead singer of all times it's hard to recover from that." "Lose" being the key word that stands out to me now that I look back, he never said he died. I will leave you with this quote from Doors Keyboardist, Ray Manczarek himself for you to decide "If there was one guy that would have been capable of staging his own death, getting a phony death certificate, and paying off some French doctor, putting a hundred and fifty pound sack of sand into a coffin and splitting to some point on this planet, like Africa or who knows where, it is Jim Morrison, who would have been able to pull it off."
Interesting? Fact or Fiction?… you decide!


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Annals of Ideas
Things to think about.
Manu Prakash, a biophysicist at Stanford and the creator of the Foldscope, muses on the beauty of the microscopic world.
The Doomsday Invention
Nick Bostrom asks, Will we engineer our own extinction?
Turking for a Living
Amazon's Mechanical Turk is a crowdsourced marketplace that allows people (turkers) to complete small tasks that computers cannot. These turkers represent the Wild West of the crowdsourcing workforce.
The Voice Illusion
Mel Slater and Domna Banakou, of the University of Barcelona, have shown that we can be tricked into believing that a virtual avatar's voice is our own. But do its thoughts belong to us, too?
Yitang Zhang's Discovery
Alec Wilkinson explains a mathematical breakthrough.
Egg Freezing: A Hope, Not a Promise
Oöcyte cryopreservation is available at clinics across the country for women who wish to delay having children. We spent time with an N.Y.U. fertility specialist to find out how the process works.
Roger Angell's Baseball Writing
"I'd no idea in my life that I'd spend so much time writing about baseball," muses an on-camera Roger Angell. To celebrate his induction into the Hall of Fame, Open Road Integrated Media produced this short video, the first in what will be a series of interviews with Angell.
The "Truman Show" Delusion
What if "The Truman Show" were your life? That's the delusion one psychiatrist observed in patients at Bellevue Hospital, in New York. As cameras and technology continue to encroach on us, will this disorder, and others like it, become more common?
A Weak Signal at WBAI
The iconic alternative radio station WBAI is still on the air, but recent layoffs have badly shaken the community that supports it.
O.K., Glass, Take a Video
Gary Shteyngart visits his favorite bar and his psychoanalyst's office, and walks his dog, Felix, all while wearing Google Glass.
The Tricks of a Master Pickpocket
Apollo Robbins demonstrates some of the tricks and techniques of a theatrical pickpocket.
The Arc of TED
Breaking down the arc of the TED performance.
Taryn Simon's Rabbits
Taryn Simon on her project, "A Living Man Declared Dead," and Australia's problem with rabbit overpopulation.
Illustrating The Talk of the Town
Susan Morrison and Tom Bachtell discuss the illustrations in The Talk of the Town.
The 9/11 Names
Jake Barton, of the media-design firm Local Projects, and the data artist Jer Thorpe discuss the computer algorithm they designed to help arrange victims' names on the National September 11 Memorial.
The Art and Activism of Ai Weiwei
The artist Ai Weiwei documents his struggles with police in Chengdu.
The Making of the Plastiki
David de Rothschild talks about the building of the Plastiki, a boat made entirely of recyclable plastics, which he plans to sail across the Pacific Ocean.


Excellent examination of prevailing thought in relation to Biblical Truth. So grateful for the fine scholarship and clear explanations for laymen so we can understand how it differs from the teachings in Scripture.
Oh my word I am so thankful to God for this material. I have been fighting this garbage of the emerging church etc. and am so glad that other people are FINALLY getting a clue with this garbage. The Shack is awful and people are so blinded by this. The devil is so at work in our churches, we need to wake up and get out of Laodicea and get ready for our amazing Savior to come and bring us home! Keep up the good work on this information.


Last week, the world said goodbye to the Kepler Space Telescope — the most prolific planet seeker that humanity has ever had up in the sky.
As the Inquisitr recently reported, Kepler ended its long and impressive career after the spacecraft finally depleted all of its fuel reserves around mid-October. The venerable telescope is currently suspended in its last-known orbit, resting among the myriad of stars that it so diligently scoured for almost a decade.
Launched on March 6, 2009, the space telescope "has wildly exceeded all our expectations," opening our eyes to the diversity of planets that exist in our galaxy, NASA officials stated on Tuesday, when the space agency officially announced Kepler's retirement.
Although his watch has ended, Kepler's legacy lives on. Throughout the span of its two extended mission, the telescope discovered a whopping 2,818 confirmed exoplanets. In addition, another 2,679 planet candidates identified by Kepler still await verification by scientists.
This wealth of data will take at least another decade to be analyzed and could lead to even more exciting discoveries, thereby adding to the rich legacy that NASA's remarkable space telescope has left behind.
According to Phys.org, the impressive trove of data gathered by Kepler during its nine years of activity can be consulted by anyone who wants to get up to speed on the incredible finds of the space telescope.
The data has been released to the public and is available through the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST) at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). Here, researchers, citizen scientists, and space enthusiasts from all around the world can download and study the Kepler data to learn more about the Milky Way, notes Digital Trends.
"The search for exoplanets using the Kepler data is still underway. Many are still hiding in the data, ready to be discovered," said Susan Mullally, a STScI scientist working on the Kepler mission.
Up until the moment it officially signed off, Kepler was busy working on its 19th observational campaign, conducted as part of its second mission, K2. Prior to that, the telescope spent four years observing 150,000 stars in a patch of sky located in the Cygnus constellation ("The Swan").
All in all, Kepler surveyed more than 500,000 stars, enriching our knowledge of stellar properties and behavior and helping scientists piece together data on the alien worlds that could be orbiting them.
"New research into stars with Kepler data also is furthering other areas of astronomy, such as the history of our Milky Way galaxy and the beginning stages of exploding stars called supernovae that are used to study how fast the universe is expanding," explained NASA.


text:
#ifndef __OPENSPACE_MODULE_SERVER___BOUNCETOPIC___H__
#define __OPENSPACE_MODULE_SERVER___BOUNCETOPIC___H__

#include <modules/server/include/topics/topic.h>

namespace openspace {

class Connection;

class BounceTopic : public Topic {
public:
    BounceTopic() = default;
    ~BounceTopic() override = default;

    void handleJson(const nlohmann::json& json) override;
    bool isDone() const override;
};

} // namespace openspace

#endif // __OPENSPACE_MODULE_SERVER___BOUNCETOPIC___H__

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


CFA Weekly Market "SITREP" - Campbell Financial Advisory, LLC.
SITREP: n. a report on the current situation; a military abbreviation; from "situation report".
The long-term valuation of the market is commonly measured by the Cyclically Adjusted Price to Earnings ratio, or "CAPE", which smooths out shorter-term earnings swings in order to get a longer-term assessment of market valuation. A CAPE level of 30 is considered to be the upper end of the normal range, and the level at which further PE-ratio expansion comes to a halt (meaning that increases in market prices only occur in a general response to earnings increases, instead of rising "just because").
Of course, a "mania" could come along and drive prices higher – much higher, even – and for some years to come. Manias occur when valuation no longer seems to matter, and caution is thrown completely to the wind as buyers rush in to buy first and ask questions later. Two manias in the last century – the 1920's "Roaring Twenties" and the 1990's "Tech Bubble" – show that the sky is the limit when common sense is overcome by a blind desire to buy. But, of course, the piper must be paid and the following decade or two are spent in Secular Bear Markets, giving most or all of the mania gains back.
See Fig. 1 for the 100-year view of Secular Bulls and Bears. The CAPE is now at 32.46, down slightly from the prior week's 32.56, and exceeds the level reached at the pre-crash high in October, 2007. Since 1881, the average annual return for all ten year periods that began with a CAPE around this level have been in the 0% - 3%/yr. range. (see Fig. 2).
The "big picture" is the months-to-years timeframe – the timeframe in which Cyclical Bulls and Bears operate. The U.S. Bull-Bear Indicator (see Fig. 3) is in Cyclical Bull territory at 82.57, down from the prior week's 83.63.
The Shorter-term (weeks to months) Indicator (see Fig. 4) turned positive on December 27th. The indicator ended the week at 25, up 4 from the prior week's 21. Separately, the Intermediate-term Quarterly Trend Indicator - based on domestic and international stock trend status at the start of each quarter – was positive entering January, indicating positive prospects for equities in the first quarter of 2018.
The year 2017 was a banner year in the financial markets. Major indexes in the U.S. hit a number of record highs, and there was not a single down month the entire year for the S&P 500 Total Return Index. The gains, however, have caused equity valuations to be stretched by almost all traditional metrics.
By most measures, the US equity market is at its most overbought level in over 20 years. Duncan Lamont, head of research and analytics at Schroders Investment Management, writes that there is still some value in the market, "but it is hard work finding it." In the following chart from Schroders, Dividend Yield is the only metric where the S&P 500 might be attractively valued compared to its 15-year average value (shown in parentheses).
However, the reading of most concern is the CAPE, or cyclically-adjusted price-to-earnings multiple. The CAPE compares the S&P to its average, annual inflation-adjusted earnings over the previous 10 years. The current CAPE reading of 31 is above the 15-year average of 25, and nearly twice the long-term average of 16.8 that goes back to 1881. The only other times it has been above 30 were in 1929, before the Great Depression, and from 1997-2002, at the apex of the dot.com bubble.
Some analysts say "It's different this time", citing rising profits from the new tax laws and differing accounting standards now vs then. Nonetheless, whenever one hears "It's different this time" usually turns out to be a good time to look around the room for a door marked "Exit"!
In this chart, Cape = CAPE, P/E = price to earnings, P/B = price to book value, DY = dividend yield and EM = Emerging Markets.
All written content on this site is for information purposes only. Opinions expressed herein are solely those of Campbell Financial Advisory, LLC and our editorial staff. Material presented is believed to be from reliable sources; however, we make no representations as to its accuracy or completeness. All information and ideas should be discussed in detail with your individual adviser prior to implementation. Fee-based financial planning and investment advisory services are offered by Campbell Financial Advisory, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor in the State of Arkansas. Insurance products and services are offered through Campbell Insurance Services, LLC. Arkansas Insurance Producer Number #1667080. Campbell Financial Advisory, LLC and Campbell Insurance Services, LLC are affiliated companies. The presence of this web site shall in no way be construed or interpreted as a solicitation to sell or offer to sell investment advisory services to any residents of any State other than the State of Arkansas or where otherwise legally permitted. Campbell Financial Advisory, LLC/Campbell Insurance Services, LLC and Aaron Campbell are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other government agency.


text:
Amritsar Court Orders Grant Of Compensation to 40 Jodhpur (June 1984) Detainees
April 13, 2017	| By Sikh Siyasat Bureau
Amritsar: A sessions court in Amritsar on Wednesday (April 12) announced to grant compensation worth Rs. 4 Lakh each (along with 6% interest) to forty persons who were detained by the Indian government at Jodhpur jail in Rajashtan after they were taken in to custody by the Indian Army from Darbar Sahib Amritsar in June 1984.
Advocate Bhagwant Singh Sialka with the petitioners and others
Advocate Bhagwant Singh Sialka, counsel for the petitioners, said that the Indian army had detained around 364 Sikhs, on record, from the Darbar Sahib complex during June 1984 attack. They were tortured and were detained at Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan. After detaining them for five years without trial they were release on March 6, 1989.
He said that forty Jodhpur detainees had filed suits between 1992-93 regarding their detention in Jodhpur jail. The cases were heard jointly by Amritsar's District and Sessions Judge Gurbir Singh who gave the order to clear the grant of compensation worth Rs. 4 Lakh each to all the plaintiffs along with 6% interest dating back to the filing of suits.
Related Topics: Army Attack on Darbar Sahib, Darbar Sahib, Indian Politics, Indian State, Jodhpur, June 1984 attack on Sikhs


text:
News from the Art and Academic Worlds
posted by Christopher Howard — Jan 15, 2014
Each week CAA News publishes summaries of eight articles, published around the web, that CAA members may find interesting and useful in their professional and creative lives.
$330 Million Pledged to Save Pensions, DIA Artwork from Detroit Bankruptcy
The mediator in Detroit's federal bankruptcy case has announced that local and national foundations have pledged $330 million toward an effort to shore up Detroit's ailing pensions funds and to protect artwork in the Detroit Institute of Arts. US Chief District Judge Gerald Rosen's statement made clear that the pledges do not by themselves mean that pensions and DIA art are now beyond the reach of creditors. (Read more from the Detroit Free Press.)
Architecting Identity: What the Lobby Says about the Art Museum
As the doors to Mario Botta's stalwart brick San Francisco Museum of Modern Art opened in 1995, its central atrium greeted visitors with the Swiss architect's formidable grand staircase, three stories of floating granite framed by white columns and spotlighted by the serene white glow of the oculus overhead. Architecture critics deemed the stairs a monumental centerpiece reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic Guggenheim ramp or the bell tower that rises above an Italian piazza. It's gone now. SFMOMA, currently closed for construction, demolished Botta's icon last year to make way for the museum's forthcoming 235,000-square-foot expansion. (Read more from Blouin Artinfo.)
How Should Graduate School Change?
I recently conducted an email interview with a dean who works with graduate education in the arts and sciences at a well-endowed private institution—let's call it Very Good University. He's a full professor who came up through the faculty ranks and was named a dean less than a decade ago. Because I've shielded his identity here, he was able to offer some bracing observations about graduate school and sound prescriptions for how they might change. (Read more from the Chronicle of Higher Education.)
Using Craft Art To Explore Contemporary LGBTQ Culture
Felt paintings, yarn drawings, quilted tapestries, and crocheted sculptures—these are the types of masterpieces that exist in the craft world, marked by either their decorative, DIY, or traditional flair. Made of everything from macramé to needlepoint, these handmade objets d'art are not exactly the first things that pop into one's mind when discussing the complex and varied realm of contemporary LGBTQ issues in art. Yet they are the subject of Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and Community, a new exhibition at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art. (Read more from the Huffington Post.)
Judge Orders Renoir Painting Returned to Museum
The story began with one of those improbable tales of an artistic masterpiece uncovered at a flea market. It concluded last week, the painting still a masterpiece but the story about the flea market all the more improbable. A federal judge awarded ownership of a disputed Renoir painting to a Baltimore museum, citing "overwhelming evidence" that the painting had been stolen from the museum more than sixty years ago. The judge's decision rejected the claims of a woman who maintained that she bought the painting at a flea market for $7. (Read more from ABC News.)
Sexism in Architecture: On the Rise
Sixty-six percent of female architects have experienced some form of sexism over their career, claims a survey from Architects' Journal, with 31 percent reporting monthly or quarterly occurrences. This is a rise from 58 percent when the survey first launched in 2011. On top of this, 88 percent of women respondents felt that having children would hold them back in their career and 62 percent thought that the building industry still doesn't accept the authority of female architects. Former RIBA president Angela Brady called the results "shocking" and said women needed to be particularly firm around the issue of equal pay. (Read more from the Guardian.)
How Is Nazi-Looted Art Returned?
In November German authorities revealed that more than 1,400 valuable works of art had been confiscated from the Munich flat of Cornelius Gurlitt, a reclusive octogenarian. The trove is full of the kind of avant-garde "degenerate" art the Nazis removed from Germany's state museums, such as works by Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, and Beckmann, as well as older gems, such as an engraving by Albrecht Dürer. Some of it may have come from Jews who were forced to flee or were sent to concentration camps. Surviving heirs and museums have been coming forward as the rightful owners. How is Nazi-looted artwork returned? (Read more from the Economist.)
Twelve Trends Defining This Season's Art-Museum Shows
The 2014 season has begun. While popular shows of artists like Magritte, Hopper, and Carrie Mae Weems continue their travels, dozens of new exhibitions devoted to modern and contemporary art are opening across the country. The season starts with a bang at the Guggenheim, where Italian Futurism, 1909–1944 tells the fast-paced story of the brash Italian vanguard. Cubism is in the spotlight at the MFA Houston, the only US stop for a huge Braque survey. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Museum of Art showcases the revolutionary spirit of German Expressionism, MoMA unveils Gauguin's rare prints and transfer drawings, and Matisse is at San Francisco's Legion of Honor. (Read more from ARTnews.)
Filed under: CAA News —


In response to my first posting on Gen. George Washington's reported "huzzah" quote at Yorktown, Joseph M. Bauman left a comment I wanted to bring up front here.
We were on a kind of side hill. We had plaguey little to eat and nothing to drink under heaven. We hove up some brush to keep the flies off. Washington ordered that there should be no laughing at the British; said it was bad enough to surrender without being insulted. The army came out with guns clubbed on their backs. They were paraded on a great smooth lot, and there they stacked their arms.
That's another version of the same story that Dr. Thomas H. McCalla told in Charleston in the early years of the nineteenth century.
Of course, the two stories might not have been independent. By the time Cook was interviewed, Dr. McCalla's anecdote about Washington had been in print for decades. It was in popular histories and textbooks. If audiences had come to expect that detail, that could have tinged the way Cook retold his story.
Second, this anecdote, unlike some, is completely in character for Gen. Washington. He always valued military discipline. He always favored keeping emotion in check. This is just the sort of order he would have given, whatever language he chose.
Joe Bauman's comment mentions his edition of The Last Men of the Revolution, available for Kindle or Nook. The original book collected the Rev. E. B. Hillard's short profiles and photographs of six men who had fought in the Revolutionary War. For his digital reprint, Bauman added a foreword and substituted some photographs from his own collection, producing crisper reproductions.
A few months earlier Bauman published Don't Tread on Me (Kindle or Nook), with photographs and original profiles of eight more Revolutionary War veterans who survived into the age of photography. That book describes how he collected those images and identified the old men they showed. With each photograph is a thoroughly researched and cited biography.
Bauman's books are also a fine use of digital publishing. The market for them is select, but they'd have to be printed well to show off the photographs; until recently, that would have meant quite expensive printed books. But tablet computers display the portraits well at a minimal cost. Together these two e-books cost less than $10, and they'll let you gaze into the eyes of fourteen Revolutionary War veterans.
I was surprised when I saw the photo of Lemuel on your site today. His GG-Grandson was a friend of mine and was something of a family hero. One of Rogers prized possessions was a photo of him. Roger died a few years ago having lived well past 100 himself and in good health and mind until the end. Must be something in those genes.
I'm afraid that's not actually Lemuel Cook. Here's his picture.
Cook is featured in the other e-book published by Joe Bauman, reprinting the text from Hillard. At this late hour, I don't recall which veteran is on the cover of Don't Tread on Me above.
Mr Bell, I hope you enjoyed your day yesterday at Old Sturbridge Village for the Drummer's Call. I am a member of The Musick of Prescott's Battalion and noticed you were there enjoying the music being performed.


When I was a kid, I had a traveling library. As in, I found a lovely old suitcase that was blue, slightly torn, and had old fashioned buckles across it. I filled the thing to the brim with books – from picture books to easy chapter reads and a few dictionaries I had managed to nick from my dad's study.
That was all I needed, in my eight-year-old mind, to get good business. And why not? The best thing about a traveling library is that you don't have to rely on foot traffic for business, you can utilize your own feet, and make your way to the busy areas.
My high traffic areas included the nearby, shared playroom.
Oftentimes I would plop down in the midst of my sister's craft messes and open up my offerings to her beautiful wide eyes. I went to great pains to ensure that she could 'check out' a title or two on my hand-drawn timesheet.
And check out she did.
For instance, the simple scenario of my mom offering me a freshly baked cookie would unfold in my mind, as follows.
Over the kitchen table she began to implore.
The only problem was when I happened to let a quote or two slip out loud. It was always interesting to explain to others, although my family came to expect it of me. No surprise to my parents, then, when I called that fateful day sophomore year of college to tell them the news.
As someone from a mostly medical family who had – up until that point – decided she was also going to go the medical route … I was nothing less than nervous.
Spoken in unison with a tone devoid of sarcasm my parents seemed – of all things – relieved.
And here we are now, dear readers.
While I haven't been writing the great American novel or finishing up poetry on par with "The Raven," I have been crafting something that I hope others will enjoy. In fact, our first issue of Brewed In Arkansas will hit newsstands in a couple of weeks.
If you're into beer, you should come check out our launch party at the Flying Saucer in Little Rock on Thursday, Feb. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m.


Questions like these not only swirled the 101 apartments within the building but they spilled onto the streets of South Chicago causing panic among the countless families who looked to the YMCA as a neighborhood resource and a place to create memories with their children. On October of 2017, this sudden disinvestment dealt a heavy blow to South Chicago, and its most vulnerable residents were dragged into a state of panic.
That is, until Claretian Associates stepped in with a strategic plan. We began searching for, and eventually found, a partner to assist in purchasing the building and preserving the 101 units of senior housing. With our deep ties to grassroots coalitions such as the Concerned Citizens to Keep the South Chicago YMCA and expertise as a local housing expert, we convinced YMCA to accept our joint bid with POAH (Preservation of Affordable Housing) and not only preserve these units (saving over 100 seniors from becoming homeless) but to also fortify the health of these seniors through the incorporation of a new community health center, called the Salud Center! This is a testament to the fact that when hit hard with circumstances, South Chicagoans, like the staff here at Claretian Associates, do not give up. We Listen. We Speak. We Plan. We Act. And with supporters like you, We THRIVE!
This Holiday season, we invite you to thrive with us by making a tax-deductible contribution of $25, $50, or $100 to make sure that no family or senior is without an affordable place to call home this Holiday season.


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Job notices may not be listed here for more than 30 days unless more time is explicitly requested.


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Act, Scheme, Mission
How 'Smart' is India's Smart City Mission?
21/06/2020 22/06/2020 / By admin / Act, Scheme, Mission / 6 minutes of reading
Smart Cities and Urban Development in India
Urbanization is a continuing megatrend, in 1950, only 30% of the world's population was urban. In 2014, 54% of the global population lives in urban areas and 2050, it is anticipated that two-thirds of the world's population will be urban, with 95% of that growth taking place in developing countries (United Nations, 2018). Currently, 30% of the Indian population resides in urban centers, these centers contribute around 65% to the national GDP (Deloitte, 2015). India envisions infrastructure across the country must expand rapidly (Department of Land Resources, 2013) due to which Smart City Mission has been launched in 2015.
Related: Smart city concept by MoUD, Government of India
Indian Smart City Mission has the objective is "to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of 'Smart' Solutions. The Mission has three models of Area-based development: Retrofitting, Redevelopment and Greenfield development, and Pan city development which envisages the incorporation of Smart solutions in the existing infrastructure. Retrofitting is the introduction of Smart solutions in the existing built-up area of 500 acres, Redevelopment involves the replacement of existing built-up area for redevelopment purpose for an area of 50 acres while Greenfield development will take place on the vacant land of more than 250 acres. For the purpose, the government is providing 100 crores per city every year.
Inadequacy associated with India's Smart City Mission
Though the mission seems great but yet there are few inadequacies associated with it. First being, MoHUA has not described the meaning of a Smart city to them. It has defined core infrastructure elements of the Smart City which are similar to the infrastructure proposed in the development plan/Master Plan of the city. So there is no difference created but just the introduction of 'new' terminology. While the Master Plans focuses on each and every part of the city, the Smart city mission fails to envisage the same. It has been defined the areas would be chosen based on citizen consultation. But it has failed to address the underprivileged people who don't have access to internet/education. There are only 72% of internet users in urban areas use the internet daily (India, 2019) and do not know how to participate in such a citizen consultation process. Also, it varies from city to city which kind of development has to take place.
There might be cities that do not have vacant spaces or are denser like that of Mumbai, Greenfield development, in that case, may not be possible. The same can't be substituted in the mission if they want to redevelop an area or anything else. This requires attention. Does India need a really smart infrastructure is also a question? The cities where basic amenities and services are lacking, as five out of the eight cities, less than 50% of those populations have access to improved sanitation facilities, and three out of the four mega-cities examined have less than 50% coverage of cooking gas connections, the survival of digital infrastructure is going to be a big challenge for the ULBs.
The concept of development at the Regional level is also not taken into consideration. Ignoring the same will bring focus on growth centers/large cities rather than focusing at the regional level. The rural-urban linkages and dependencies have to be recognized. This will not only promote cities but also rural areas would be given the required attention.
Related: Impact of Smart Cities on India | Opinion
What could be done?
Instead of coming up with the 'new' concept, the inadequacies in the old concepts have to be seen and alterations could be done so that one can understand the need and scope of it easily.
The concept of development Plans, Local Area Plans, Zonal development Plans, and Site Plans are not new. The infrastructure which has to be targeted in the Smart city mission has to be targeted in the Plans stated above. The reason behind this is, the Smart City concept deals with the city area itself and it ignores the Peri-urban areas where unplanned growth of settlements is occurring. Focusing on such Plans (Development Plan), will not only help the city area but also the peri-urban areas which lack necessities and are often ignored.
Also, bringing Regional perspectives into the picture can be the addition.
The flexibility should be given to the city government/Development authority depending upon where the development is needed and of what kind. On the smaller scale, instead of focusing on Retrofitting and Redevelopment, Local area Plans and Zonal development Plans should be the guided Plans to understand the needs of the local area such as the ward or zone of the city area. The Smart city elements could be incorporated in the given Plans for making it more efficient and also wide citizen participation can also be involved at the ground level. In this case, since the Planners and the experts have to visit the field, a more precise picture of the needs of the people can be analyzed. While in the smart city mission, online consultation of the citizen may not provide a clear picture of the community, and it's needed.
With the stated approach, the outcome would be much more efficient since the development will not be focused on the city itself but also peri-urban areas would be given prior consideration. Unregulated and unplanned development would be controlled and regulated. Also, the approach will define the clear picture of the community assets and their needs because the prior analysis of existing conditions would be done followed by citizen engagement for any recommendation and proposal. There might be a case where 'Smart solution' is not the real solution but the solution comes from the community itself depending upon their needs. Community Inclusion would be the best outcome as all the underprivileged and marginalized groups of the society will be given an opportunity for development. Not only Urban areas, but the emerging settlements also face the challenge of development and infrastructure. Therefore, not only 100 smart cities, each and every city should be allowed to develop be its census towns or other class towns that need attention.
The potential impediments could be the availability of technical experts within the Urban local bodies/Development authorizes, in that case, the stakeholders to be hired for SPVs can be given an opportunity for the suggestions. Also, the major part where the cities lack is funding, in that case, the Smart city fund could be allocated to ULBs and development authorities for effective implementation of Plans and proposals.
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PRIENE : Despite its small size, Priene was a very important city in antiquity because on its territory stood the Panionium, the central meeting-place and sanctuary of the Ionic Confederacy. The theatre, the temple of Athena, the agora, the Bouleterion and the temenos of Zeus Olympus will be the steps of this visit.
MILETUS : Miletus was the principal port and the richest emporium on the Aegean coast. Thales of Miletus believed that "there was a fundamental unity beneath the apparent disorder and complexity of nature" and he postulated that "water was the material basis for all things." the theatre of Miletus is by far the most impressive of the town's surviving monuments. There is also the council-chambre, market place, temples, baths and a Islamic monument: Ilyas Bey Mosque.
DIDYMA : Didyma was never a city in its own right, but a Miletian sanctuary of Apollo inhabited only by priests and the suppliants who come to consult the famous oracle there and Temple of Apollo.