text:
by Lacey Rae · Published July 7, 2019 · Updated July 7, 2019
Based on the beloved 1998 Adam Sandler / Drew Barrymore film of the same name, The Wedding Singer is a sweet musical-comedy that will have audiences believing in love again. In 1986, wedding singer Robbie Hart is left at the altar, and left questioning the validity of what he sings about: love. Waitress Julia is engaged to well-off Glen, a crooked Wall Street exec, despite her lingering doubts and blossoming feelings for Robbie. Will the two lovebirds find their way together? Go see The Wedding Singer at the Morgan-Wixon Theatre in Santa Monica to find out!
With an eclectic cast of yuppies, punks, goths, and Madonna wannabes, The Wedding Singer is brought to life on stage with an upbeat '80s score (by Matthew Sklar). The over-the-top group numbers are rife with high-energy choreography (by Niko Montelibano), and fabulously wild costumes (by director Kristie Mattsson) and wigs (Alejandro Bermudez). The talented chorus members are so committed to each and every character they portray, that each scene feels like a different group of people, and the harmonies are top-notch.
Tom Brown's set design might not be as flashy as The Wedding Singer's original Broadway run, but the costumes and energy of the cast are more than capable of filling the stage with pizzazz. The simple sets, however, are conveniently transformable, easily transitioning into a Wall Street office, Robbie's bedroom, a wedding hall, a club, and even a Vegas chapel. The clever arrangement of Robbie's bedroom especially provides a few laugh-out-loud moments. The lighting design (by Cambria Martin) also complements the sets, and aides in specifying the different locales.
The cast of The Wedding Singer leans more heavily into thoughtfully portraying the characters than stunning with vocal prowess. Although none of the actors are poor singers, I felt that they really shined in the intimate character moments ("Come Out of the Dumpster" and "I Wanna Grow Old With You") more than the bombastic pop-rock numbers. The quiet moments between Robbie (Alexander Cooper) and Julia (Krystyna Rodriguez) are sweet and charming; we clearly see a connection between these two. Robbie's friend Sammy (Doug Kiphut) could have swayed into #metoo territory, but instead seemed hopelessly in love in Kiphut's able hands. The stand-out, for me, is Holly Weber as Julia's friend Holly. Emulating Madonna in her '80s glory, Weber seems the most seasoned of the leads; she brings an electric energy to her big song-and-dance numbers, "Right In Front of Your Eyes" and "Saturday Night in the City." It is hard not to watch her while she's on stage. Talented actors Steve Weber (Glen), Miriam Billington (Robbie's grandmother, Rosie), Deonte Allen (Robbie's band-member, George), and Emily Holz (Robbie's ex, Linda) all provide colorful, stand-out moments and enjoyable musical numbers.
While The Wedding Singer is ultimately a charming tribute to the movie, there are some nagging issues in the stage production, but nothing more time can't fix. With so many cast members and moving parts within a given number, the epic choreography can use a bit of tightening. It's distracting when most people are in sync, except one or two being off. Since I attended the first weekend of shows, the cast also needs to settle into the pacing more; a few spots felt as if lines were forgotten or timing was off, the jokes not landing properly. My biggest issue, however, is the sound. Although the leads are equipped with microphones, the mics either were not turned on, or set too low. Even though the pre-recorded music tracks are played pretty quietly (another issue, since the music sometimes got lost underneath the chorus' singing), it often felt like the leads had to shout their lines in order to be heard. This might have contributed to one of the leads losing their voice completely during the show I attended. And on more than one occasion, lyrics were lost. I think the music/singing balance definitely needs to be worked out to allow the audience to hear everything and the actors to save their voices.
The Wedding Singer has some truly great moments and a lively cast, but the show itself inherently has some peaks and valleys. While not all the songs are catchy winners like "Saturday Night in the City" or reminders of the movie like "Somebody Kill Me" and "I Wanna Grow Old With You," the cast does what it can with the source material, bringing an intimate sweetness to the flashy '80s setting. With some fine-tuning to the choreography and pacing, The Wedding Singer is definitely a fun time at the theater, and reminds the audience that love isn't always "All About the Green."
Find more information about the Morgan-Wixon Theatre and their shows on their website or Facebook page, and get your tickets to The Wedding Singer, running now through August 3rd, here.
Tags: Morgan-Wixonmusicalmusical theaterSanta MonicaWedding Singer
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Previous story Fringe 2019 – Gunfight at the Not-So-OK Saloon
Unauthorized Musical Parody Series: Clueless
by Lacey Rae · Published May 20, 2018
Bungie, this is Activision. Activision, Bungie.
by Christopher Kirkman · Published April 29, 2010 · Last modified July 18, 2019
How bout some video?
Take a peek at our YouTube channel for more reasons to geek out. Liking and Subscribing means more views. More views means more revenue for us. More revenue for us means better content for you to like and subscribe. It's a vicious circle.
Hidden Homages of Wreck-It Ralph
Run For Your Lives
Everything wrong with 1995's Hackers


We are off the pace big time!
What a joke of a penalty!
Yep that is my read on it, and the Dogs will have enough money for him for next season.
Great to see the pod back!
I remember Blake last season at the Sydney members meet and greet before the Bulldogs game and he looked like a total outcast. I felt really sorry for him I spent the most time talking to him.
TongueFTW wrote: Bateman gives penalty away. Still waiting for a first grade level performance.
If he is killing it and a genuine chance at Round 1 it makes sense to upgrade him. Also as GE said we need to have 29 by Round 1 so it looks like no one else is coming.
Really happy with this signing.
Hopefully he kills it in reggies and never gets a shot in first grade.
Topic: The Greenhouse - Now in our 15th season!
Re: The Greenhouse - Now in our 15th season!
Also, thank you for all the hard work that you do GE!


text:
Erdogan wants to rename Hagia Sophia Basilica as "mosque"
Lusa - PortugalPartilhar
Benfica wins in Turkey and has one foot in the first knockout round of the Europa League
A high-speed train crashed into a locomotive. Nine people were killed
ISTOÉ - BrasilPartilhar
Suspicions about the role of Saudi crown prince in journalist murderer increase
Journalists in Bissau demand inquiry into Saudi colleague's death
Saudis change their version and say journalist's death was premeditated
Folha de S. Paulo - BrasilPartilhar
Turkey shares with CIA information on the death of the Saudi journalist
Turkey shared with the CIA director information obtained while investigating the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
Saudi authorities do not know where the journalist's body is
It is necessary "to bring those responsible to justice", says Amnesty
TSF - PortugalPartilhar
Turkey contests US tariffs on steel and aluminum in WTO
Turkey forwarded a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) contesting the US-imposed customs duties on steel and aluminum, according to a statement released on Monday.
Dinheiro Vivo - PortugalPartilhar
Erdogan takes office with full executive powers
The president of Turkey has taken on Monday the position of Head of State, with full executive powers, according to the new presidential system, which eliminates the figure of the Prime Minister
With 80% of the votes counted, Erdogan above 54%
The Turkish president spoke of "democratic revolution" after he voted. Turkish opposition speaks of fraud. The polls closed at 5 p.m. Votes are being counted
Saudis change their version and say journalist's death was premeditated 26.10.2018 KhashoggiTurkeySaudi ArabiaProsecutor has issued a new statement on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi at the Istanbul consulate.
Turkey shares information on the assassination of Saudi journalist with CIA 24.10.2018 InvestigationTurkeyCIAPoliticsTurkey shared with the CIA director information obtained while investigating the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
Saudi minister says he does not know where Khashoggi's body is 22.10.2018 consulateSaudi ArabiaJamal KhashoggiTurkeySaudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Sunday that he does not know where Jamal Khashoggi's body is, calling the killing a "huge mistake."
It is necessary to bring those responsible to justice, says Amnesty International Portugal on Khashoggi 20.10.2018 TurkeyJamal KhashoggiIstanbulPedro Neto tells TSF that the killing of the Saudi journalist reflects the surpassing of an "unacceptable" threshold.
Turkey contests US tariffs on steel and aluminum in WTO 21.08.2018 TradeUSATurkeyTurkey forwarded a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) contesting the US-imposed customs duties on steel and aluminum, according to a statement released on Monday.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Plus-size fashion chain Torrid coming to EastChase
Store plans giveaway at March grand opening
Plus-size fashion chain Torrid coming to EastChase Store plans giveaway at March grand opening Check out this story on montgomeryadvertiser.com: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2019/01/25/plus-size-fashion-chain-torrid-coming-eastchase/2682461002/
Brad Harper, Montgomery Advertiser Published 4:24 p.m. CT Jan. 25, 2019
Torrid plans to open its first Montgomery store in The Shoppes at EastChase.
The chain specializes in plus-sized fashion, including clothing, accessories, swimwear, lingerie and shoes designed for women sizes 10 to 30. The pieces are designed for curvy figures, the company said.
The EastChase location will be at 2472 Berryhill Road next to Massage Envy. It's a 3,700-square-foot spot. The chain is planning a grand opening March 16 and will give away gift cards valued at up to $100 to the first 50 customers in line.
The store has locations in Hoover, Leeds and Tuscaloosa.
"We are thrilled that Torrid has chosen The Shoppes at EastChase to open a new location in Alabama," said Suzanna Wasserman, marketing manager of The Shoppes at EastChase. "We already have a fantastic selection of apparel retailers at The Shoppes and this store will add a new dimension to our current tenant mix."
You can see more at torrid.com.
Torrid specializes in clothing designed for women size 10 to 30. (Photo: Contributed)
Read or Share this story: https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2019/01/25/plus-size-fashion-chain-torrid-coming-eastchase/2682461002/
Fights, rowdy behavior prompt police to crack down at Prattville's Doster Park
Prattville approves Sunday retail alcohol sales
'Comical' burglars get away with no firearms after breaking into Autaugaville gun shop
Donald Watkins gets 5 years for scamming Charles Barkley, others
ALDI plans giveaways at Montgomery opening
Prattville police investigate report of road rage involving handgun


Posted on 4, October 2016 by EuropaWire PR Editors | This entry was posted in Business, France, Healthcare, Management, Pharma & Biotech and tagged Alan Main, Consumer HealthCare, Olivier Brandicourt, Sanofi. Bookmark the permalink.
PARIS, 04-Oct-2016 — /EuropaWire/ — Sanofi today announced the appointment of Alan Main as Executive Vice President Consumer HealthCare, effective October 1st, 2016. Mr. Main will be a member of the Executive Committee and lead a newly created Consumer Healthcare global business unit.
Mr. Main, a British national from Scotland, has more than 30 years of marketing and general management experience in the Consumer Health and Medical Device fields, beginning with Stafford Miller/Block Drug (now part of GSK), before joining Merrell Dow (now Sanofi), then London Rubber Company. In 1992, he joined Roche Consumer Health and held increasingly senior roles namely in the UK, South Africa and Asia Pacific. Following Bayer's acquisition of the Roche Consumer Health in 2004, Mr. Main continued to hold key operational roles, including Region Head for Asia Pacific and Europe. In 2010 he transferred to the medical device business of Bayer as Global President for Bayer Medical Care.
Mr. Main holds a BA in International Marketing from Thames Polytechnic in London, and has completed various executive and leadership development programs at London, Harvard and Columbia Business Schools, as well as INSEAD (Asia).
Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE:SNY).


text:
File:    libraries/sv_database.lua
Purpose: Creates the functions responsible for managing characters between
         the server and the database.
--]]

if (not nut.char) then
    nut.util.include("sh_character.lua")
end

if (not nut.db) then
    nut.util.include("sv_database.lua")
end

util.AddNetworkString("nutCharData")
util.AddNetworkString("nutCharDelete")
util.AddNetworkString("nutCharTempVar")
util.AddNetworkString("nutCharVar")

-- How many bits are in a long integer.
local LONG = 32

-- Inserts and instances a character.
function nut.char.create(info, callback, context)
    assert(type(info) == "table", "info is not a table")

    context = context or {}

    -- Check if the player can create a character.
    local fault = hook.Run("CharacterPreCreate", info, context)

    if (type(fault) == "string") then
        return false, fault
    end

    -- Allow modifications to the given info.
    hook.Run("CharacterAdjustInfo", info, context)

    -- Make sure there are no extraneous variables.
    for key, value in pairs(info) do
        if (key ~= "steamID" and not nut.char.vars[key]) then
            return false, "invalid variable ("..key..")"
        end
    end

    -- Insert the character into the database.
    nut.char.insert(info, function(id)
        local character

        if (id) then
            -- The value of a character variable.
            local value

            -- If the character was made, make an object for it.
            character = nut.char.new(id)

            -- Copy the given info to the character object.
            for name, variable in pairs(nut.char.vars) do
                if (info[variable.field] ~= nil) then
                    character.vars[name] = info[variable.field]
                elseif (info[name] ~= nil) then
                    character.vars[name] = info[name]
                end

                -- Notify the variable that a character was created if needed.
                if (type(variable).onCreate == "function") then
                    variable.onCreate(character)
                end
            end

            hook.Run("CharacterCreated", character, context)
        end

        if (type(callback) == "function") then
            callback(character)
        end
    end)

    return true
end

-- Inserts a character into the database.
function nut.char.insert(info, callback)
    assert(type(info) == "table", "info is not a table")

    -- Create a table to store what values will be inserted.
    local data = {}

    -- Get the data to insert into the database.
    for name, variable in pairs(nut.char.vars) do
        if (variable.field and not variable.isConstant) then
            local value = info[name] or variable.onGetDefault()

            if (variable.notNull and value == nil) then
                error(name.." can not be null")
            end

            data[variable.field] = value
        end
    end

    -- Add some creation information.
    data.steamID = info.owner or info.steamID or 0
    data.createTime = os.time()
    data.lastJoin = data.createTime

    -- Insert the data into the database.
    nut.db.insert(CHARACTERS, data, function(result)
        -- Run the callback with the resulting data.
        if (result and type(callback) == "function") then
            callback(nut.db.getInsertID())
        elseif (type(callback) == "function") then
            callback()
        end
    end)
end

-- Loads a character from the database into an instance.
function nut.char.load(id, callback, reload)
    assert(type(id) == "number", "id is not a number")
    assert(id >= 0, "id can not be negative")

    -- Don't load the character if it already exists.
    if (not reload and nut.char.list[id]) then
        if (type(callback) == "function") then
            callback(nut.char.list[id])
        end

        return
    end

    -- The character that contains the results of loading.
    local character

    -- Get the fields that are needed to load the character.
    local fields = {}

    for name, variable in pairs(nut.char.vars) do
        if (variable.field) then
            fields[#fields + 1] = variable.field
        end
    end

    -- Load the data from the database.
    nut.db.select(CHARACTERS, fields, "id = "..id, function(result)
        if (result and result[1]) then
            result = result[1]

            -- Create a character object to store the results.
            character = nut.char.new(id)

            -- Load variables from the results.
            for name, variable in pairs(nut.char.vars) do
                local field = variable.field
                local value = result[field]

                -- Allow for custom loading of this variable.
                if (type(variable.onLoad) == "function") then
                    variable.onLoad(character)

                    continue
                end

                -- Get the default value of the variable.
                local default = variable.onGetDefault()

                -- Convert the string value to the correct Lua type.
                if (default and field and value) then
                    -- Get the suggested type.
                    local defaultType = type(default)

                    -- Convert to the suggested type if applicable.
                    if (ENCODE_TYPES[defaultType]) then
                        local status, result = pcall(pon.decode, value)

                        if (status) then
                            value = result[1]
                        else
                            ErrorNoHalt("Failed to decode "..name.." for "..
                                        "character #"..id..".\n")
                        end
                    elseif (defaultType == "number") then
                        value = tonumber(value)
                    elseif (defaultType == "boolean") then
                        value = tobool(value)
                    end
                end

                -- Store the retrieved value.
                if (field) then
                    character.vars[name] = value
                end
            end

        else
            ErrorNoHalt("Failed to load character #"..id.."\n"..
                        nut.db.lastError.."\n")
        end

        hook.Run("CharacterLoaded", character)

        -- Run the callback if one is given.
        if (type(callback) == "function") then
            callback(character)
        end
    end, 1)
end

-- The queries needed to create tables for NutScript characters.
local MYSQL_CHARACTER = [[
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `%s` (
    `id` INT(11) UNSIGNED NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
    `name` VARCHAR(70) NOT NULL,
    `desc` TEXT,
    `model` VARCHAR(160),
    `createTime` INT(11) UNSIGNED NOT NULL,
    `lastJoin` INT(11) UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
    `money` INT(11) UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
    `team` TINYINT(4) UNSIGNED,
    `steamID` BIGINT(20) UNSIGNED NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
    PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
) AUTO_INCREMENT=1;
]]

local MYSQL_CHAR_DATA = [[
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `%s` (
    `id` INT UNSIGNED NOT NULL,
    `key` VARCHAR(65) NOT NULL,
    `value` VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
    PRIMARY KEY (`id`, `key`)
);
]]

local SQLITE_CHARACTER = [[
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `%s` (
    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
    name TEXT,
    desc TEXT,
    model TEXT,
    createTime UNSIGNED INTEGER,
    lastJoin UNSIGNED INTEGER,
    money UNSIGNED INTEGER,
    team UNSIGNED INTEGER,
    steamID  UNSIGNED INTEGER
);
]]

local SQLITE_CHAR_DATA = [[
CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `%s` (
    id UNSIGNED INTEGER,
    key TEXT,
    value TEXT,
    PRIMARY KEY (id, key)
);
]]

-- Sets up the character table
hook.Add("DatabaseConnected", "nutCharTableSetup", function()
    -- Set global variables for the character tables.
    CHARACTERS = engine.ActiveGamemode():lower().."_characters"
    CHAR_DATA = engine.ActiveGamemode():lower().."_chardata"

    -- Create the tables themselves.
    if (nut.db.sqlModule == nut.db.modules.sqlite) then
        nut.db.query(SQLITE_CHARACTER:format(CHARACTERS))
        nut.db.query(SQLITE_CHAR_DATA:format(CHAR_DATA))
    else
        nut.db.query(MYSQL_CHARACTER:format(CHARACTERS))
        nut.db.query(MYSQL_CHAR_DATA:format(CHAR_DATA))
    end
end)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
I don't have to leave New Orleans, it's leaving me: An interview with Maurice Carlos Ruffin
Maurice Carlos Ruffin has always been a writer, he says, but his writing speaks for itself on this account. Ruffin, a New Orleans native, earned his MFA in 2013 and has been taking the literary community by storm ever since. His work has been widely published, and he has received several accolades, including the 2014 Novel in Progress Award from the Faulkner Society. His story "The Anchor Song" won the 2014 So to Speak Short Fiction Contest. His writing is steeped in his experiences in this city and the changes he's seen here. His work focuses on the issues he witnesses in the neighborhoods around him, expanding upon those issues through time and place, from Nigeria to Jonestown.
Ruffin will be reading at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 25 at 2448 North Villere St. along with Anya Groner as part of the Dogfish Reading Series. I spoke with Ruffin over coffee about his recent work and what drives him to write.
Room 220: You talk about yourself as a son of the country's lowest city, and you write a lot about people who live here. What does New Orleans as a subject mean to you?
Maurice Carlos Ruffin: When I first started, I thought of the setting a lot. I thought of it too much. It really put me in a cage because often I'd have a story with Café du Monde, plus gumbo. What I've done more recently is focus on the characters and make sure that they drive the setting as much as the setting drives them. "The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You" starts in the French Quarter, but it's seen in a particular way. Nobody else could really see what he sees in that position.
Rm220: What inspired the book you're working on now, All of the Lights?
MCR: Well, the city itself and my personal experiences. To some extent, what I'm writing about is not only race and identity but also the idea of art itself. It's an idea about art that many writers have gone through over time. It's always about chasing beauty, and it's an ugly chase. It'll drive you crazy, but you can only describe it. I just try and make sure it's realistic and it has a decent structure. The book is also about my sense of what New Orleans is becoming. It's set in the future, maybe fifty or one hundred years. I'm thinking about how the problems I see now will play out over time. Every city changes over time, often in unpredictable and nasty ways.
Rm220: The main character of All the Lights is a lawyer. How has your career as a lawyer informed your work as a writer?
MCR: Being a lawyer gave me access to another world. I grew up with all the opportunities of an average African American kid–going to second lines occasionally, having a huge family with all kinds of jobs–but being a lawyer meant I had that thing that people talk about in detective fiction. The protagonist can go both into the lower parts of society and into the upper parts of society. I've been in mansions on St. Charles. I've been in townhouses in the French Quarter. I've been in corporate boardrooms here in town, and frankly, for most African Americans in the city, you get those opportunities if you're the guy handing out the hors-d'oeuvres and/or cleaning up after the reception's over. Being a lawyer gives you access, and it gives you discipline.
Rm220: What pushed you into writing from that career?
MCR: I think that writers are writers from the day that they're born. When I was young people said, "Oh, that guy's a writer." There's a difference between somebody who thinks they're a writer and somebody who is a writer, and the difference is that you make a choice about how you're going to spend your spare time. At thirty, I was going to back to school and doing workshops and reading books about craft. The urge to go back was based on the understanding that I had the capacity to be a writer.
Rm220: How do the writers' groups that you're involved in influence your work?
MCR: I'm in two writing groups, the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance and the Melanated Writers of New Orleans. I'm one of the co-founders of both groups. The PWA started in October 2007, and Melanated started in August 2010. Melanated is pretty much all people of color, and it offers a very unique perspective. New Orleans is very strange in that it has this great tradition of writers, and yet minorities have very little representation. The idea of Melanated right now is we're here, we can write each other's stories, let's just do it.
Rm220: You once said, "I think story is basically voice times danger squared." How do those two factors inform each other? Do you think the intensity of your stories pulls the voice into the forefront?
MCR: I think in lot of my stories the characters are in physical danger. It's life and limb. If they make the wrong decision within the context of the story, it's going to be a bad end for them. I have one story, "The Anchor Song," in which the protagonist is running the whole time. I think much of the energy and the voice come from the same thing, that she is in true danger. So much of the vibrancy in New Orleans comes from this danger. There's the hurricane danger, which can destroy the entire city. It has. There are the fires that have destroyed the city a few times. We've had plagues, yellow fever, and then there's this sort of existential dilemma. This city has a great Mardi Gras and a great party spirit because we're constantly dying. I don't know if we can actually fix it because I think there's a spirit in the ground, like every town has. New Orleans is New Orleans for a reason, and I think danger is that reason. So whether there's a mortal danger or an existential danger, there's always something at risk in this city, constantly. That's why people flock here.
Rm220: A lot of people come here to write about New Orleans. Have you ever written about New Orleans from outside the city, from a distance?
MCR: I have written about the city from afar, but it's been sort of intermittent, like when I'm on vacation. I think for me, for my perspective, Katrina's my distance. I don't think I was able to see what New Orleans really is and was until Katrina happened. I recognized what could be lost and what has been lost since then. New Orleans is like so many communities throughout history where you can see what it was through what is missed. People look around and say, "Oh, this is New Orleans." It is New Orleans, but it's not New Orleans as it was five years, ten years ago. I don't have to leave it; it's leaving me.
I just wonder how it's going to affect the literary community. One positive thing I've seen is there's this real renaissance of spoken word poetry and slam poetry. The flipside is I wonder if we're going to experience what these other so-called meccas, Brooklyn and Austin, experienced, where people sort of flood in from out of town. If you come down from Chicago and live in New Orleans and you write about New Orleans, make sure you experience New Orleans. Don't have this sort of E.M Forester, A Passage to India, looking from the outside portrayal. Really engage with the city, instead of strip-mining the experience. A lot of people come in really specifically for the New Orleans experience, even as they stomp it out. Saying bands shouldn't be able to march down the street at 9 o'clock at night without a permit, for example. That's not really New Orleans.
Rm220: Art is such a central part of why people want to come here, but coming here can change that literary and musical scene.
MCR: Within the past couple of years, things have changed so fast. There's a real tension and frustration. It's almost like this anger that America has is being played out here in a very special way. New Orleans is not like most cities that get gentrified, like San Francisco. Even before people started moving here, there were actual choices made about who could be here. For example, they shut down a lot of public housing following Katrina. There was red lining where they said, "If you live here, we won't give you any utilities, no lights, no water." Those sort of things really did play out, and nobody really came into this part of town where we are right now, the Marigny, because they thought it was "too dangerous." Now people are coming in droves to do AirBnB and to flip properties. The city didn't become as attractive to those visitors until a lot of people couldn't come back following Katrina.
In a country where we pride ourselves on being free and brave and respecting property rights, there are people that wanted to come back to their own homes where they had lived for decades who literally could not do it. They were forced out at gunpoint, and once they left, they couldn't come back. I do feel whatever's happening here in New Orleans is a microcosm of whatever's happening in this entire country. To the extent that it's a battle for the soul of the America, I get to watch it firsthand.
Rm220: Can you talk a little more about how New Orleans reflects nationwide conflicts?
MCR: Every problem that America's experiencing in the 21st century, mass incarceration, income inequality, poor health services, a lack of opportunities up whatever ladder you want to get on, is happening in New Orleans. New Orleans is more segregated in its schools right now than it was in 1968. Why is that happening? I think people have forgotten their history. This city can be very paternalistic and parochial.
Being African American in this city, you don't want to call the cops for help because instead of having one guy trying to kill you, you'll have two guys trying to kill you. That experience is so ridiculous. It's so un-American, and it's so hard to create empathy for the people in those positions. It's kind of like, "Oh, they had it coming." Sometimes even I react that way. I know many criminal lawyers, and when they arrested someone, I would refer to them as a criminal. But no, they're not criminals, they're suspects. Maybe they're innocent. We have the highest incarceration rate in the country and in the world for a reason. Either you're saying there's an entire part of our population that's just more criminal, or there's a problem in the system and in the society.
Rm220: How do you see your writing building the empathy that's so lacking for those groups?
MR: Fiction writing is an empathy generator. I've read so many books about experiences that are so alien to me, from literal aliens to Jane Austen. If I do my job well, people will read it, and they'll understand they're fellow women and boys and girls. At any given time, you have a duty to push for human rights, whatever those rights are. My skill set is as a writer, and writers, particularly fiction writers, can present our communities as nobody else can. I'm from here; I've been here my entire life. I've seen things that people from Wisconsin or Canada probably won't understand. That's why I make it a point to present these voices. Our job as writers is to hold up a mirror to society and say, maybe you can't see it, but have a look.


UK Athletics, (UKA) have appointed Terry Colton to the Board to replace Roger Simons who will step down on 31st March 2009. Colton, the Athletics Competition Manager at the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), has extensive experience in major athletics event organisation and held the role of Championship Director at the World and European Indoor Championships in 2003 and 2007 respectively.
UKA Chairman Ed Warner commented: "I am delighted to welcome Terry to the UKA Board, his experience in international athletics is outstanding. Along with LOCOG, UKA are committed to delivering the best Olympic athletic experience in London 2012 and this appointment will undoubtedly strengthen our collective ability to do that. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Roger Simons for his contribution and commitment to the Board. I look forward to his continued involvement on the technical committee and in his other existing roles within UKA and the sport."


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Laccaria maritima (Feliks Teodorowicz, 1936 ex Rolf Singer, 1962), din încrengătura Basidiomycota în familia Hydnangiaceae și de genul Laccaria, denumită în popor pâlnioara mării, este o specie de ciuperci comestibile care coabitează, fiind un simbiont micoriza (formează micorize pe rădăcinile arborilor). Această specie foarte pare să se dezvolte și în România, dar, în mod general, numai în regiunea maritimă prin dune și sub pini. La vreme potrivită apare din iunie până în octombrie (noiembrie).

Numele epitetului este derivat din cuvântul latin (=situat la mare, aparținând mării), datorită locului dezvoltării.

Istoric
Numele binomial Hygrophorus maritimus a fost determinat de micologul polonez Feliks Teodorowicz în volumul 2 al jurnalului Badania Przyrodnicze Pomorskie din 1936 și transferat corect la genul Laccaria sub păstrarea epitetului de micologul german Rolf Singer, de verificat în volumul 15 al jurnalului botanic Sydowia din 1962.

Nu este clar, de ce micologul finlandez Seppo Huhtinen (n. 1956) care a descris specia sub aceiași denumire ca și Singer este listată în majoritatea publicațiilor drept taxon în vigoare al numelui. Probabil a descris soiul mai detaliat.

Mai trebuie menționat, că specia Laccaria trullisata, (Ellis) Peck (1912) asociată și ea pinului, este considerată de către unii specialiști o subspecie pentru Laccaria maritima, dar este o specie de sine stătătoare

Descriere
 Pălăria: are un diametru de 2-6 (8) cm, este higrofană, destul de subțire, inițial convexă, apoi întinsă cu centrul deprimat, uneori ombilicat. Marginea inițial răsfrântă în jos, devine în vârstă ondulată neregulat. Coloritul cuticulei netede, mate și translucid canelate poate fi brun-portocaliu până la închis brun-roșcat (la bătrânețe câteodată chiar albicios) cu centrul mai închis și marginea adesea decolorată.
 Lamelele: sunt arcuite, groase și ceroase, clar distanțate între ele, neregulat ondulate, cu lamele intermediare scurte și incomplete, bombat aderente și ușor dințat decurente la picior. Coloritul este albicios cu nuanțe de roz, la bătrânețe gri-roz.
 Piciorul: are o înălțime de 3-7 cm și cu o lățime de 0,4-1 cm, este destul de subțire, în tinerețe plin, apoi gol pe dinăuntru, vertical fibros, cilindric, dar adesea îndoit, curbat și fără inel. El este de aceeași culoare cu pălăria, fibrele fiind albicioase. Dezvoltă fire miceliare albicioase la bază.
 Carnea: este subțire în partea pălăriei și fibroasă în cea a piciorului, de colorit palid brun, uneori și deschis brun-roșcat. Mirosul este slab aromatic și gustul plăcut.
 Caracteristici microscopice: are spori elipsoidali, neamilozi (nu se decolorează cu reactivi de iod), sub microscopsub microscop hialini (translucizi), presarăți cu  țepi cu un diametru de 0,2-0,5 μm și o lungime de până la 1 µm, având o mărime de 7-9,5 x 6-7,5 microni. Pulberea lor este albă. Basidiile cu 4 sterigme fiecare și o lungime de 8 μm sunt clavate, aproape fusiforme și măsoară 47-54 x 10-12 microni. Hifele bornate au o grosime de 4-8 microni.
 Reacții chimice: nu sunt cunoscute.

Confuzii
Pâlnioara mării se poate confunda în primul rând cu surata ei mai mare Laccaria trullisata precum cu Psathyrella ammophila, bureți care se dezvoltă de asemenea prin nisip în zona de coastă, prim numita de asemenea sub pini, dar preponderent în America de Nord, iar dacă nu se dă seama în cea ce privește zona dezvoltării, de asemenea cu Laccaria amethystina, Laccaria bicolor, Laccaria laccata, Laccaria lateritia sau cu Laccaria proxima, specii cu toate comestibile.

Specii asemănătoare în imagini

Valorificare
Pâlnioara mării ar fi o ciupercă destul de gustoasă, dar se reușește numai greu de a scoate tot nisipul din ea. Mai departe, specia este foarte rară și ar trebui cruțată. De acea, dacă o găsiți, lăsați-o mai bine la loc.

Note

Bibliografie
 Bruno Cetto: "I funghi dal vero", vol. 1-7, Editura Arte Grafiche Saturnia, Trento 1976-1993 (pentru cercetarea în total)
 Helmut Gams, Meinhard Michael Moser: "Kleine Kryptogamenflora Mitteleuropas", ediția a 2-a, vol. II, partea a 2-a, "Röhrlinge und Blätterpilze", Editura Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart 1967
 German J. Krieglsteiner, Siegfried Künkele: "Verbreitungsatlas der Grosspilze Deutschlands (West)", vol. 1-2, Editura Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1991, ISBN 978-3-8001-3318-5
 Erhard Ludwig: "Pilzkompendium", vol. 1, Editura HW-Verlag, 2000, ISBN 978-3-9301-6743-2
 Edmund Michael, Hanns Kreisel, Bruno Hennig: "Handbuch für Pilzfreunde", vol. 6, Editura Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart 1983 ISBN 978-3-4373-0352-4
 Unione micologica italiana: "Micologia italiana", Editura Edagricole, Bologna 1988

Legături externe

 Laccaria maritima, imagini

Laccaria
Micoriză
Ciuperci comestibile
1936 în știință

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This topic contains 2 replies, has 2 voices, and was last updated by tarun3294 8 months, 1 week ago.
What is CA signed certificate and How to get that??
A CA signed certificate is a certificate that has been signed by a "trusted" Certificate Authority. "Trusted" means that the CA has gone through a vetting process that in the end resulted in their name being listed in your client as someone that is trustworthy and any certificates that are issued by them are also trustworthy. If the CA/certificate is trusted, then you wont see the popup box or web page (as in the case of a browser) asking if you want to proceed to the untrusted site.
CA certificates are issued by companies such as DigiCert, GeoTrust, GoDaddy, Entrust, etc.
If you don't care about the trust (i.e. your clients are internal or you are in development), then you could use a "self-signed certificate" instead. They are perfectly valid purposeful certificates; they simply have not been entered into the client's trust database.
Thank you Bill Nelson for above information.


The burgeoning energy trend has opened up opportunities for emerging niche segments; especially for a sustained energy benefit targeting women, older adults and athletes. While the need remains for an immediate energy boost, new consumers to the energy category are interested in more than that. This article addresses these new markets and consumer interest in a simpler ingredient list, less sugar and calories, better taste and more alternatives across a variety of consumption formats.
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What product applications would you be most interested in when developing an energy product? Check all that apply.


Our building has grown over the years. Some parts are new, others are original. Although this can make the layout a bit confusing to those not familiar with it, it also adds character, charm, and even a bit of mystery! There is a stained-glass window visible from the outside of the building, but you won't be able to find it inside – it was covered up in one of the many renovations. What other interesting bits of history are hidden in our walls?
Building map: view / download • For information on building use, please contact the church office.
This part of the garden is composed of stone pathways, floral plantings, shrubs, hardwood trees, evergreens, boulder-edged terraces surrounding a heart-shaped brick patio, a waterfall, and a gazebo on the highest point overlooking the City of Rockford. Its purpose is for prayer and meditation.
This part of the garden will contain raised planting beds of flowering annuals in the shape of the Cross.
This part of the garden will be a an extensive open gathering space to be used as a possible outside worship area, along with picnic grounds complete with tables.
The Memorial Prayer Garden is open to everyone – not just those that attend Rockford Reformed Church. Meant for prayer, meditation, and reflection, the garden is designed to be a place away from the cares of life – a refuge dedicated to the glory of God. It is a place to sit quietly, to pray and reflect on a lost loved one, or to just sit and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the surroundings.
Adapted from the Rockford Squire. To read the full article, click here.
Is there someone you would like to memorialize? Within our Memorial Prayer Garden is a heart-shaped patio containing bricks inscribed with the names of loved ones that are no longer with us. You may contribute to the garden by buying an inscribed brick for $40 that can be personalized with the name of your loved one. Order forms are available at church (or download below) and should be turned in to the front office. (Bricks are ordered once a year near Memorial Day). Those who wish to have cremated remains buried in the Prayer Garden may call the church for more information.
In February 2013, Audra's family went to Paradise Bound Ministries' Open Doors Orphanage in Guatemala to build a playground that they donated in her name.


Even from the early days of toys, toymakers have known that if pieces are interchangeable (if two dolls can wear the same clothes, if two action figures can hold the same accessories, etc), then that will drive sales. In the 1980s, however, toymakers discovered that they could leverage still more sales by having toys that combine. Toys like Voltron, the combiners of the Transformers, and a litany of others from that era would become so popular as to almost demand that future toylines incorporate this feature.
Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad did not disappoint.
Servo was the main hero of the show, and Xenon his mighty-if-bulky companion. However, by initiating the proper program, the two figures could combine into Synchro – Tracto became the legs, Borr became the arms and shoulders, while Vitor would become the torso and head.
The Servo toy didn't look quite as agile as the character in the show. The same was true for Xenon's toy compared to his show counterpart. This was not the case with Synchro. The character looks IDENTICAL to the figure in the show.
Moreover, the figure is visually very balanced. The repetition of colors is nicely done. Most combiners have really garish color schemes (much love, Voltron, but I'm looking at you), but Synchro is really heroic yet understated.
The combined parts of Xenon and Servo don't really detract or add to the stability of Synchro. Servo's mobility really isn't that impinged by adding Xenon's components onto him like power armor. Likewise, Xenon was only adequately sturdy, which carries over to Synchro.
Much like the construction, the combined parts don't really hinder or improve the whole. Synchro can't really move anymore than Servo, but his broader feet and thicker legs (thanks to the addition of Tracto) means the character is less likely to tip over (even with the added weight on the shoulders). The figure loses some mobility in the legs and in the head, but shoulder and arm movements aren't really impeded. This isn't that big of a deal with Synchro as it is with Servo because the purpose of the character is that hand-to-hand fighting is largely over and it's overkill time.
Because this is a combined form of two other toys, there are no additional pieces that aren't included in the previous sets of Servo and Xenon. Servo's wrist communicator/watch comes off for the transformation and has no place on the Synchro toy. However, while Xenon's fists couldn't hold Servo's weapons, Synchro can hold swords, axe, and shield alike.
Because Synchro was never sold as a set, his packaging is largely isolated to what was promoted on Xenon and Servo's packaging. A plackard in yellow with black writing appears on the Xenon toy, talking about how Xenon and Servo can 'samuraize' (it was the 90s; don't hate) to become Synchro. A nice, vivid flourish to otherwise very solid packaging.
Just as Xenon's 2 felt a little stingy, this feels a little generous, but I just can't deny how incredibly satisfying this toy is, both to play with and to dismantle and reassemble. It's a shame the toy didn't combine with its counterpart Drago (more on him next week) into a super-superhuman samurai, but Synchro is a solid toy all on its own, an impressive capstone to collecting the series.


As part of our focus on expanding the company's Structural Fabrication Services, Creative Pultrusions, Inc. (CPI) acquired Kenway Corporation, who specializes in custom manufacturing and field service. Kenway is combining its extensive manufacturing and fabrication capabilities with Creative's industry leading structural shapes and components to better serve customers by offering complete engineering and design capabilities.
Now known as Kenway Composites, the company has opened a Southeastern Office that is committed to providing structural fabrication services that will solve your corrosion needs.
Contact Ian Kopp, President of Kenway Composites to discuss your next project.


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The Mayan Ruins in Quintana Roo
Information on Aztec Pyramids
Important Mayan Ruins
Amy S. Jorgensen, Leaf Group
Chichen Itza is one of several Mayan ruins. (Photo: chichen itza image by KALISTE A from Fotolia.com )
Tours of Palenque, Mexico
Mayan Ruins in Belize
The Mayan people left behind structures, such as their pyramids, in cities throughout Mexico and Central America. Along the Yucatan Peninsula, many of the most important and noteworthy of these architectural sites exist and attract travelers from all over the world. The most famous of these ruins may be Chichen Itza, but the other sites offer plenty of history for any visitor.
Whether you are a tourist or an archaeologist, you likely will enjoy visiting Chichen Itza on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Of all the Mayan sites, this one receives the most visitor attention. The grounds and 18 structures have been restored and are well-kept, recreating what is thought to have existed in the time that the site was inhabited. Visitors also will find a museum restaurants, and gift shops at the site. Travelers may want to schedule their visit around March 21 or September 21, during the spring and fall equinoxes. At these times, the setting sun creates a unique design on the structures.
If you enjoy the beach, you will enjoy Tulum, conveniently located near the Mayan Riviera. Known as the â??Walled City,â? Tulum may have been one of the most important Mayan cities, particularly with its position facing the sea. Art from the Mayans still can be seen within many of the siteâ??s structures. Once you finish a day of exploring history, you can relax on the nearby beach.
Only 26 miles west of Tulum, youâ??ll find the Coba site. This area includes Nohoch Mul, the Yucatan Peninsulaâ??s tallest pyramid. To reach the top, youâ??ll need to climb 120 stairs. Many of the ruins in Coba remain covered in the jungle, so only parts are visible. In addition to the numerous ruins found on this 80 square miles of land, travelers will find five different lakes.
Not all of the Mayan ruin sites are located in Mexico. The Tikal National Park in Guatemala has been named a UNESCO Heritage of Humanity site because of its more than 3,000 structures from the Mayan period. Historians believe the site once was home to more than 100,000 people. Today, remnants of the temples, steam baths and other structures are nestled in the jungle along with native fauna, including howler monkeys, toucans and jaguars.
Travel Yucatan: Ruin Sites in the Mayan Riviera
Loco Gringo: Mayan ruins - archaeological sites
Enjoy Guatemala: Tikal
Amy Jorgensen has ghostwritten more than 100 articles and books on raising and training animals. She is also an amateur dog trainer. She has also written more than 200 blog posts, articles, and ebooks on wedding and party planning on behalf of professionals in the field.
Ancient Mayan Landmarks
What Are the Main Highlights of Mexico?
Ancient Aztec Sites in Mexico
Aztec Pyramid Locations in Mexico
Mayan Ruins of Mexico
Mexico Tourism»
Mayan Ruins»


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Usino-Bundi surging ahead
January 7, 2022 January 10, 2022 The National Weekender
Usino-Bundi MP Jimmy Uguro meeting councilors inside the Usion LLG chambers.
By JAMES G KILA
USINO-Bundi electorate in Madand is surging ahead full-steam with a good number of impact projects previously unseen or unheard of.
Some of these projects include a sports stadium at rural Walium district headquarter, a modern health centre at Usino and a new Usino-Bundi district office complex currently under construction.
These developments are indications of a positive societal change for this one-time 'back-page' of Madang province which is now a much-talked about district in Madang and PNG in terms of better service delivery.
It took a short time since a visionary navigator in the form of local MP, Jimmy Uguro took over as the Member of Parliament for this rural district of Madang.
This was the general observation by a ward councilor during a recent meeting with MP Uguro at the Usino LLG council chamber.
The ward councilors said that for over four decades no elected leader had spared some time to visit and sit in with them during a council meeting.
He said for the current Usino-Bundi MP and Education Minister Jimmy Uguro to spare time within his busy schedule to attend a council meeting was very significant and showed rare humility.
This same ward councilor recalled that in the early 1960s and 1970s he accompanied his father to Usino and saw a white man named Bruce Jephcott arriving in a Landrover station wagon or by horse during rainy seasons just to sit in and listen to councilors.
It was also during that era when the iconic Australian country singer James Blundell 'was living and working on the land' at Jephcott's cattle ranch at Dumpu, near Usino station.
Most of the Usino LLG councilors who attended the meeting also spoke highly of MP Uguro as an innovative person who has initiated some tangible projects for his people in only his first term in parliament,
Minister Uguro was invited by the president of Usino LLG, Peiwa Aimai to witness the presentation of 34 lawn mowers to all the wards in the LLG.
The lawn mowers were purchased from royalty allocation to Usino LLG from the country's first nickel/cobalt mine developer in Madang province, Ramu NiCo Management (MCC).
The LLG has also used royalty funds from the mine to purchase rice milling equipment for all council wards and handed out K3,000 to all councillors to support small projects at their discretion.
Usino LLG is amongst three others in the electorate, including Bundi and Gama, as well as Saidor and Astrolabe Bay in Rai Coast district which receive larger slices of the royalty payments from the Ramu NiCo project.
As per the Ramu Project Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) seven per cent of the total for every royalty payment is allocated to the other 14 LLGs of Madang province to be shared equally. This is considered a rare kind of royalty sharing which might not exist in other project areas.
Ramu NiCo anticipates that when paying out royalties the company is willing to work in full consultation with the State, Madang provincial government, LLGs and landowner associations to ensure a smooth and efficient operation of the project and that would maintain the constant flow of such benefits.
Aimai, when acknowledging payments to other LLGs, challenged the 14 LLGs outside of the Ramu project area to utilise the royalties they receive wisely to establish impact projects for the benefit of the people.
Aimai said they should also make it known to the people in their respective LLGs that they were receiving royalities from Ramu NiCo and the people must be aware of that fact
However, Aimai said the invitation to have Minister Uguro meet with the Usino LLG councilors was to give assurance to the ward councilors of the Government's commitment to the lower tier government
The MP had earlier met with all ward members from Gama LLG in Madang town upon their invitation and also met with councilors from Bundi LLG.
During the meeting with Usino LLG members, Minister Uguro reiterated the National Government's commitment to free education in the 2022 academic year. He emphasised that the Department of Education would take the burden off parents due to the impact of Covid-19 experienced in the last couple of years
Another important announcement Uguro made in the Usino LLG chamber was that from next year each ward in Usino, Bundi Gama would be allocated K10,00 each to support councilors in their respective community projects in the villages.
Education Minister Jimmy Uguro and Usino LLG president Peiwa Aimai handing out new lawn mowers for wards.
This is to complement the commitment by the National Government to have all councilors included in the Alesco pay-roll next year.
Minister Uguro also took time to explain to the Usino councilors work currently being done on the new Usino-Bundi office complex at Walium district headquarter.
The work is being carried out by 3Days International building construction company based in Madang,
"We are moving away from the guest house to a state-of –the art office complex, from a temporary lifestyle to a permanent lifestyle," Uguro said.
The new Usino-Bundi office complex will cost approximately K2.5 million. The funding is from the district development authority. The National Gaming Control Board has contributed K200,000 to the project through the support of Prime Minister James Marape.
The new office complex at Walium would be a double-storey building with 22 office spaces to cater for the MP, the district admninistrator, the district treasury and other sectors, as well as a conference room.
The new Usino-Bundi district office complex, a new stadium at Walium plus a modern health facility at Usino are examples of the kind of initiated by a leader who is taking his mandate seriously to deliver goods and services for the benefit of his people and improving their general wellbeing.
Uguro, in his capacity as education minister, also took the opportunity to explain to the Usino councilors that free education was one of the Pangu government's key focuses for 2022 which was aimed at ensuring all school-aged children attended classes from elementary level to Grade 12.
Uguro reiterated that the Government would focus on improving access, quality and affordability to education at all levels from primary and secondary education to technical and vocational training (TVET) institutions, colleges, universities and other higher learning institutions in the country.
Uguro told the Usino councilors that 2021 was a challenging year for all but he encouraged them not to be bogged down but look forward to 2022 with hope to achieve their goals that have been set.
He encouraged the councilors to be community-oriented and not self-oriented
"As what Dr Kombra (Education Secretary) likes to say: 'Together we can make a difference in providing accessible, affordable and quality education'.
"Likewise, everyone including the Usino councilors and every able man and woman of this country can contribute his or her time wisely with goals to achieving a better quality of life for the people of this beautiful nation Papua New Guinea," the minister said.
There is always a bright light shining at the end of the tunnel, like in Usino-Bundi, once considered the back page of Madang.
James Kila works as a supervisor with the public relations section of Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Ltd in Madang.
Sown word bears fruit


Zealous Media Group worldwide (zmgworldwide) Entertainment. It is the follow-up to his outstanding singles like, Chiokike gworu Meka, special money coming, my five alive, all of me and mujo from (2014).
The album's release were the singles"ONE LOVE" "ONLY YOU" "GOD OVER EVERYTHING" "FEELINGS" "DON'T LIE" "JESUS ONYEOMA" "NGWA NGWA" "SG with BG" "NAOMI" "MY FIVE ALIVE" "MIGRATE" "MONEY IN THE BANK" "CHIOKIKE GWORU MEKA" "SOMETHING INSIDE SOMETHING" "STREET PARTY" "SPECIAL MONEY COMING" "AKA CHUKWU" "IKEBE SUPER" MUJO" "THANK GOD". As one of the executive producers of the album, VIRGINBERRY collaborated with record producers such as Nelly Yung, xtofabeat, x1, Jeffy Jeff, t9, iceberg.
The album features guest appearances from Kelly Hansome, Maxi, double Jay, Crazy Kay, Bablojay, Obidiz, Busta Pop. Fortified was met with mixed reviews from music critics, who had a difference of opinion about the album. Some critics complimented the album's production, song arrangement and sound quality, while others were disenchanted with its lyrical theme.
It has been God over everything.
I appreciate everyone that has supported me this far, God bless you and i pray that you get bigger.


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Home › Outflanking Platitudes › The Phenomenology of Reading and the Rhetoric of Theorists
The Phenomenology of Reading and the Rhetoric of Theorists
By Mark Carrigan on May 1, 2014 • ( 4 )
The notion of 'clarity' is a contested one within social theory. This was made clear to me when various posts of mine, often just embedding videos of other people speaking, attracted a lot of indignation on Twitter. There are some people who really don't like Lacan and Žižek being criticised for their lack of clarity. The latter still bothers me, given how much I enjoy his work and how much of it I read. For instance I'm currently reading his Hegel magnum opus* – the seeming inability of some people to accept it is possible to enjoy someone's work while also criticising them baffles me. Or perhaps I'm still indigent about being called 'scientistic'.
Rather than rehearsing this tedious internet dispute, my point is to stress that writing clearly and writingwell can be antithetical. I think Žižek often writes well, in the limited sense that his work is often enjoyable to read, while nonetheless rarely writing in a way that could be called clear. I think John Rawls writes clearly, in the sense that one knows where one stands with him, while nonetheless writing tedious prose. I mean this in the sense that it is clear what he is saying and why he is saying it. This is sustained throughout a text. Therefore it becomes possible to relate to him in a way that otherwise would not be possible.
It's this capacity to relate to the arguments a theorist makes in a text which has been on my mind since reading the chapter on Goffman in Ian Craib's (wonderful) Experiencing Identity. In this chapter, he identifies the "appeal to obviousness, self-evidence and reasonableness" which runs through Goffman's work, such that "the world calls, everyone can hear it, it is reasonable that someone try to answer" (p 76). He offers a wonderfully incisive critique of this rhetorical deployment of obviousness:
To read Goffman is to be seduced or to refuse seduction. It is not to enter into a critical dialogue, nor is it to understand another's view of the world. Initially one must lose oneself in his world or keep out of it altogether. The seduction fails or succeeds through a double strategy. In the first place, the reader is led into an 'identification-in-superiority' with Goffman. We become privileged observers in a special way: we see through tricks, acts, illusions of all sorts. With Goffman the reader is no fool. the reader becomes an 'insider', his or her status is confirmed by the systematic use of argot and suspicion. The alliance is confirmed when the suspicion is extended by Goffman to himself; it becomes a knowing alliance in which both Goffman and the reader admit to the possibility that Goffman might be fooling the reader. The systematic 'frame-breaking' of the introduction sets up a knowing conspiracy which achieves seduction through a revelation that seduction may be what is happening. It is not that we are taken in by Goffman's openness, rather we side with him because of his admitted trickiness. We ourselves become tricky, knowing and suspicious. (pg 79)
He goes on to develop this line of argument, contending that "rarely does [Goffman] take the responsibility for what he is saying". I'm not sure Žižek takes much responsibility for what he is saying either. This is my fundamental suspicion about opaque writing – it tends to undermine active intellectual engagement** by suppressing the propositional content of the argument. In any argument there are a multiplicity of points which can be affirmed or contested, with varying degrees of significance given their locations within the unfolding structure of the argument. Many of these nodal points will call into question the logic of the argument itself, or at least open up the possibility of it being reframed. By suppressing the propositional content of the argument (which all prose will do to some extent) we close down certain lines of response. Texts which lack clarity tend to obscure these and, through doing so, preclude an experience of being monologued at becoming one of having a dialogue with. For instance I find Žižek difficult to engage with because reading him is like having a very entertaining, interesting and learned scholar drunkenly monologuing at you in a high speed way. It can be great just to sit and listen. It can get boring and you make your excuses and move to a different table. But what it never facilitates is a dialogue.
I find Žižek to be a very particular sort of reading experience, which is perhaps why I enjoy reading his books. What I'd like to understand more broadly is this relationship between the phenomenology of reading and the rhetorical style of theorists. I think Craib captures something important about Goffman and there's the possibility of extending an analysis of this form to other theorists:
The alliance with the reader, then, is in the face of a world which is 'just like that'. All one can say immediately is, 'Yes, it is like that', or 'No, it is not'. In fact, neither response is adequate, or both are equally adequate: some aspects of the world are 'like that', others are not. To break free of Goffman's guiding gestures is to begin to distinguish what he is really talking about, and it is a matter of looking at the questions that come out of his descriptions, but which remain unanswered and often unasked (pg 79-80)
My most rewarding experiences of reading theory have come from those who I was initially sceptical of but then was largely persuaded by (Archer) or those who I was initially persuaded by but then developed a scepticism towards (Crossley, Giddens, Elder-Vass). It's this experience of moving closer or moving further away from a body of work, through textual engagement, which I'd like to understand better than I do. What sorts of relations does a text facilitate with its reader? What implications do these have for the reader's mode of engagement? How can we understood these as a relationship between two distinct sets of properties and powers: those of the reader and those of the text?
*Consciously I'm genuinely interested in it. I'm also hoping it's broad enough in its scope to help flesh out the limited (and limiting) intellectual map of contemporary continental philosophy I'm working with. Though it's hard not to wonder if I have some unconscious motive in relation to these disputes about Žižek that irritated me so much at the time (whereas few things on the internet do these days).
**I use the word 'tends' very consciously here. I think there are countervailing tendencies, often arising from determined readers keen to cut through the thicket of obscurity, operating here in a way which ensures that philosophy of this sort doesn't descend into oratory.
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Categories: Outflanking Platitudes
Tags: goffman, ian craib, reading, rhetoric, theory
Samantha Lyle
May 1, 2014 • 8:45 am
Mark, i really enjoyed reading The Phenomenology of Reading and the Rhetoric of Theorists. It reminded me of the joy and agony of reading (not being a Social Theory person (?!) and having moderate Dyslexia) what i would call dense, difficult or dull prose is especially painful. With a research interest in social class i am pained by the heavy tombs of Bourdieu, notorious for his writing style with the added issue of translation on top. Reading Goffman was indeed seductive because i found it 'easy' to read but i was always left with a feeling that i was missing something, being tricked, surely, i thought to myself, it couldn't be that straight forward and obvious. Sadly my response to the 'difficult' theorists Lacan, Butler, Irigigary etc 'is to shrink into a "I'm not clever enough to understand this so i shall give up" mind set. Whereas those writers such as Beverley Skeggs whose work and prose i usually find exciting and engaging and therefore 'easier' to read sustain my attention even to the point where i might be able to offer a critique. What one finds convincing depends so heavily (in my experience) on how readable it is that I cannot take too seriously my own or others insistent that one theoretical perspective is better than an other – this is obviously bad for social science and i can only assume that others are better at this important aspect of our work than I am.
May 2, 2014 • 1:12 pm
Hi Sam, I'm glad you liked it. I'm really curious about why both reading and writing are seen as so marginal in terms of the things sociologists talk about, whereas they're so central to what sociologists actually do. Ian Craib, who prompted that post, wrote later in the same book about Lacan. I've tried to read primary and secondary literature on Lacan and barely got anything out of it. But Ian Craib described it straight forwardly in a way I could immediately understand. Which then made me wonder why neither Lacan nor Lacanians could do that. I think there's all sorts of weird power relationships that get reproduced through writing, the reactions of readers, as well as the kinds of writing those readers learn to do as a consequence of what they're exposed to. It's something really insidious and I think it hinders real debate in social theory for precisely the reasons you're pointing to.
Steve Fuller
I understand your response to Zizek, and it is not unreasonable. But I think it is worth saying that Zizek is a real virtuoso at what he does and he is a master of his source texts (Marx, Freud, Lacan, etc.) but he is not very original and so there isn't any of the mystery to him that is associated with a thinker whose sources aren't so obvious, which would lead one to think that they contain 'hidden depths'. So, while Heidegger may have been a student of Husserl, Heidegger cannot be reduced to Husserl. However, Zizek is pretty decomposable. His 'value-added' really comes from the applications (to film, current events, etc.) of a body of work that will be familiar, by now in quite good detail, to a broad swathe of people across the humanities and social sciences (i.e. the Marx-Freud nexus). A guy like him could only have such a mass following in a period where there is already a generation or two of people who have been taught to think that Marx and Freud can constitute a coherent centre to the intellectual universe. This really only began in the 1960s and Zizek is the ultimate beneficiary of this tendency. And as often happens when intellectual or artistic tendencies are in decline, a baroque manner of expression sets in as people desperately tweak the canon to make it say new things. So think of Zizek as a master jazzman whose repertoire draws on a well-defined set of scores to which an appreciable audience can readily respond.
I think you're underselling him to a certain extent, as well as his readers. If you read enough of it (I'm not sure why I do this given my antipathy to him) there clearly are original ideas, though obviously ones that are heavily indebted to a very particular tradition of post-Freudian thought. Though having said that, I do find it plausible that Zizek could be the last gasp for that tradition. He monopolises the intellectual field to such an absurd extent and doesn't exactly work in a way that lends itself to post-Zizekian work. I'm curious as to what the journal of Zizek Studies is like for this reason, though not curious enough to actually go and look through it.