Wodehouse Pick-Me-Ups – which stories would be in your collection?
The P G Wodehouse Society (UK) wants to know which three short stories you would include in a Wodehouse Pick-Me-Up edition.
Punningly termed 'pick-me-up's' to reflect both their expected sales position near the tills and the expressed belief that Wodehouse writing offers a pick-me-up for any reader, no matter what their problems may be, they each contain three of his best stories.
How would you attempt such a selection?
Would you stick to indisputable classics like Uncle Fred Flits By? Would you aim for a representative sample from three different series? Or a 'best of' selection featuring a particular character? What about three stories on a common theme? The possibilities and permutations are mind-boggling.
I set my mind boggling to the challenge, and this is what I came up with.
– I laughed out loud the first time I read them, uncontrollably and from the belly, until I was in tears.
– I attempted to read each of them aloud to someone else, but failed, because I couldn't control my laughter.
– The joy of each story remains undiminished after multiple readings – the belly laughs may be controlled, but the stories still induce beaming and general contentment.
I offer my personal Pick-Me Up collection as follows.
The speech to which he had been listening was unusually lucid and simple for a Baconian, yet Archibald, his eye catching a battle-axe that hung on the wall, could not but stifle a wistful sigh. How simple it would have been, had he not been a Mulliner and a gentleman, to remove the weapon from its hook, spit on his hands, and haul off and dot this doddering old ruin one just above the imitation pearl necklace.
Herein lies one of the problems with quoting Wodehouse. It's good stuff to be sure, but a quotation can never do justice to the joys of coming across such lines in their proper context. When I first encountered them, I laughed for fully ten minutes. Unable to compose myself sufficiently to read the story aloud, I played an audio recording by Jonathan Cecil to my family instead.
This proved to be the stuff to give the troops. My 11 year-old daughter has since played the recording over 50 times – it is daily bedtime listening in our house. She knows it better than I do and frequently drops quotes into conversation. 'The Reverent Wooing of Archibald' will always hold a special place in my heart as the story that converted her from the child of a Wodehouse reader, to a budding enthusiast in her own right.
The ramblings of Aurelia Cammarleigh's Baconian aunt, and Archibald's imitation of a hen laying an egg are priceless.
His first glance at the novelist surprised Cuthbert. Doubtless with the best of motives, Vladimir Brusiloff had permitted his face to become almost entirely concealed behind a dense zareba of hair, but his eyes were visible through the undergrowth, and it seemed to Cuthbert that there was an expression in them not unlike that of a cat in a strange backyard surrounded by small boys.
So good it has already given its name to a collection of golf stories, The Clicking of Cuthbert is indisputably among Wodehouse's best. As a mere golfer, Cuthbert Banks is an outside chance in the race for Adeline Smethurst's affections – all the smart money is on aspiring novelist Raymond Parsloe Devine. Wodehouse expertly manoeuvres the odds in Cuthbert's favour, while poking terrific fun at the snobs of the Wood Hills Literary and Debating Society.
But it's the great Russian novelist Vladimir Brusiloff who really steals the show.
It is too much to say that there was a dead silence. There could never be that in any room in which Vladimir Brusiloff was eating cake.
The human cargo, as I say, had started out in a spirit of demureness and docility. But it was amazing what a difference a mere fifty yards of the high road made to these Mothers. No sooner were they out of sight of the Vicarage than they began to effervesce to an almost unbelievable extent. The first intimation Barmy had that the binge was going to be run on lines other than those which he had anticipated was when a very stout mother in a pink bonnet and a dress covered with bugles suddenly picked off a passing cyclist with a well directed tomato, causing him to skid into a ditch. Upon which, all sixteen Mothers laughed like fiends in hell, and it was plain that they considered that the proceedings had now been formally opened.
Tried in the Furnace would be the title for my collection – it neatly encapsulates the feeling that so often prompts readers to select a Wodehouse book from the shelf and apply it to their soul like a healing balm.
This story, set in in Maiden Eggesford, recounts the trials of Cyril ('Barmy') Fotheringay-Phipps and Reginald ('Pongo') Twistleton- Twistleton, who each undertake some act of good works in the parish, in an effort to impress Angelica Briscoe, daughter of the Rev P.P. Briscoe. Pongo oversees the School Treat, while Barmy is entrusted with the village Mothers' Annual Outing.
Wodehouse also touches briefly on the trials of these village mother's.
When you are shut up all the year round in a place like Maiden Eggesford, with nothing to do but wash underclothing and attend Divine Service, you naturally let yourself go a bit at times of festival and holidays.
Much like Pongo's Uncle Fred, when permitted to roam at large in the metropolis, Wodehouse gives these Maiden Eggesford mothers the toot of a lifetime – and as a hard-working mother myself, I appreciate it. For a brief moment, I am that stout mother in a pink bonnet, picking off cyclists with tomatoes, and my burdens seem a little lighter when I'm done.
The competition ends 15 January and is open to all members of The P G Wodehouse Society (UK). See page 3 of the December Wooster Sauce for details on how to enter.
To become a Society member, simply complete the membership application form (available from their website www.pgwodehousesociety.org.uk) and follow the instructions.
Good selections, Honoria. The PG Wodehouse Society (UK) is to be commended as are the Random House Johnnies who ponied up the prize. I personally went with Came the Dawn, Jeeves and the Impending Doom, and Lord Emsworth Acts for the Best. The cross-section of characters approach to give the full Wodehouse treatment as it were. If I have to come in second, I shall hope you scope the cash.
Great picks Ken — it's so tough to choose because his stuff is so uniformly good. I am not sure if I will get my entry done in time — it will take some effort to reduce my blog post to the required 50 word limit.
Love your work as usual, Honoria. And you too Ken. You've both encapsulated the problem: there are too many good ones from which to choose. I'm not telling you my three, except to say I settled on a theme rather than nominating my favourites.
Oooh, Noel! I am not sure if I can stand the expense… It was a terrific challenge though, wasn't it? The good people at Random House have my sympathies — it can't have been easy to compile their collection.
I love those. Lord Emsworth and the Girlfriend almost made it to my list. It's a lovely story.
Love the article, Honoria. I have chosen 3 x Mr Mulliner short stories as the perfect 'Pick-Me–Up' tonics. There were so many to choose from, but I think Mr M's ramblings are amongst Plum's finest work. I went for 'Honeysuckle Cottage', 'A Slice of Life' and 'The Bishop's Move'. Every time I re-read them I discover something new. Pure genius!
Lord E and the Girlfriend, ,Indian Summer of an Uncle and The J of an O would work for me. I believe these three stories address such universal concerns as income disparities and the resulting hunger and deprivation, the brighter side of health challenges which can bring together hearts torn asunder by class/caste considerations, and the effect of diet on one's character. Mahatma Gandhi would heartily approve, I guess!


text:
2009: Jan-March
Carrey Rubbers Up...
Supporting the hype for I Love You Phillip Morris
Based on article from digitalspy.com
Jim Carrey black comedy I Love You Phillip Morris may not get a US cinema release because it contains an explicit gay sex scene.
Despite securing distribution deals in the UK and Europe, US firms are uneasy with a love scene between Carrey and Ewan McGregor's character Phillip Morris, reports The Times.
The depiction of the sexual activity was far more than I've ever seen in a mainstream film with a mainstream celebrity, said Lewis Tice, director of publicity and marketing for TLA Releasing: There's a graphic sex scene in the first 10 minutes that I was surprised to see.
Filmmakers are re-cutting the movie for US distribution companies in an attempt to secure a theatrical release. If no agreement is reached, the movie will go straight to DVD.
Mostly straight, multiplex-going audiences don't want to see a romantic comedy in which two dudes get it on; unless it is meant as a joke, commented Scott Stiffler, author of Why Hollywood Avoids Gay Movies.
Update: False Arrests...
Manhattan DA to investigate dodgy police operation targeting gay men
Based on article from pinknews.co.uk
A New York group protesting against a number of arrests of innocent gay men in adult businesses for allegedly loitering for the purpose of prostitution has met with the District Attorney for Manhattan.
Members of the Coalition to Stop the Arrests held a meeting with DA Robert Morgenthau after string of about 30 arrests.
According to the coalition, there has been an epidemic of false arrests of gay men who were targeted by undercover police posing as prostitutes.
Gay City News reports that the DA voiced his willingness to act on the arrests.
The first thing Morgenthau said was, 'We are going to investigate all these cases,' said Joey Nelson, a member of the Coalition to Stop the Arrests.
Robert Pinter, also a coalition member and one of the men who was arrested last year said: They really seemed genuinely concerned that something wrong was happening here.
The group was founded by Pinter, after his own arrest.
Pinter has said an attractive young man approached him at the Blue Door video shop last October. As it turned out, the man was an undercover police officer.
He described the man as charming and persistent , adding that they agreed to go home to have sex but as they were leaving, they man offered him $50 for the meeting.
Pinter said he thought it strange but did not respond. He then alleges he was hustled by a number of other undercover officers and arrested for loitering for the purpose of prostitution.
Unethical Ethics...
Uganda's Minister of Nutter Ethics blames porn for homosexuality
Based on article from ugpulse.com
Uganda's Minister of Ethics and Integrity, Dr. James Nsaba Buturo has told a conference organized to discuss the ways to fight Homosexuality that he will soon submit a bill on pornography and homosexuality for discussion in Parliament.
The conference that took place at Parliament was organized by Defend the Family International, an organization in the United States of America that was formed to fight homosexuality.
Buturo says pornography is partly a cause of homosexuality since it negatively affects the morals of the victims of pornography and makes them easily susceptible to the vice of homosexuality.
Buturo says the government will not only end at making laws against homosexuality but will also engage in sensitizing schools and churches in the fight against this vice.
The President of Defend the Family International, Scott Lively says it is good for the government of Uganda to criminalize homosexuality but the government should subject the criminals of homosexuality to a therapy rather than imprisoning them.
Lively says this is aimed at the criminals recovering from homosexuality which is the main objective of those fighting homosexuality and not to punish homosexuals through imprisonment. He says even schools should borrow this idea of therapy in dealing with gay students.
Burundi Intolerants...
Street protest in Burundi calling for criminalisation of gays
Based on article from ontopmag.com
A demonstration thousands strong in Bujumbura, Burundi last week called on lawmakers to criminalize being gay..
It was the largest protest yet since President Pierre Nkurunziza came to power in 2005, attracting between 10,000 and 20,000 people.
The protesters were angry that senators had rejected an amendment that would criminalize being gay when voting on a new draft criminal code law on February 17. In November, Burundi's lower chamber of Parliament had voted in favor of the amendment that prescribes two years in jail for being gay.
Speaking to reporters at the event, CNDD-FDD Party Chairman Jeremie Ngendakumana said, The CNDD-FDD is protesting today to support the [view of the] majority of Burundians that homosexuality should be punished by law.
No Pride in Thailand...
Red shirt protestors get gay pride parade cancelled
Based on article from pridesource.com
lThe second gay pride parade in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was called off at the last minute Feb. 21 following virulent on-site protests by 30 red shirted members of a group called Rak Chiang Mai 51.
Pride organizers said they feared the march would descend into violence, despite the presence of 150 police officers.
Rak Chiang Mai 51 spokesman Petchawat Wattanapongsirikul said pride events should be held in other cities, such as Phuket and Pattaya: Chiang Mai people cannot accept this and will stop the parade by all means, even violence.
Update: No Love, Only Hate...
No love for film showing gay suffering under islamic law
Based on article from dailystar.co.uk
Channel 4 has come under fire from Islamic leaders over a television documentary showing how gay and lesbian Muslims suffer under their laws.
Its director has already had death threats. Now station chiefs are bracing themselves for a backlash. Its digital channel More 4 will show A Jihad For Love tonight.
It lifts the lid on the battle gay and lesbian Muslims face as they struggle with their faith and their sexuality. The documentary not only shows gay Muslims daring to kiss, holding hands and talking about getting married, it also provides harrowing reports on the suffering they have faced under Islamic law. And it reveals the death threats and punishments handed out to gays in countries including Egypt and Iran.
Indian film maker Parvez Sharma – who spent six years making the programme – revealed: I have had death threats on my blog after making this film. Some countries have even banned it. I've been called an apostate because Muslims think I have insulted Islam but I think it will open up a debate.
Islamic leaders in the UK have attacked the documentary, saying it will offend, anger and shock. An Imam from Europe's largest mosque The Baitul Futuh based in Surrey condemned the film last night, saying: These people should not be confessing their sins to the television cameras. They should be doing it in private to God and seeking forgiveness."
Last night a Channel 4 spokesman defended the documentary. She said: This is a sensitively made documentary that has played to critical acclaim at film festivals internationally and is a legitimate area for a documentary film-maker to explore.
True Stories: A Jihad For Love will be shown on More 4 at 10pm tonight.
2nd March
Update: God Hates Westboro Baptists...
Phelps thwarted in attempt to erect anti-gay monument in a Casper park
Full story: Westboro Baptists...Reprehensible nutters hate gays and soliders
Based on article from lezgetreal.co
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week affirmed the Casper, Wyoming City counsels decision not to allow anti-gay pastor Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas to place an anti-gay monument in one of it's city parks, when the justices unanimously agreed that governments receiving monument donations for public parks are not compelled to take everything they are offered.
The city had placed a Ten Commandments statue, donated by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, in a plaza along with other monuments of historical significance and Phelps had sought to place his own monument in the Casper plaza condemning homosexuality.
Phelp's monument stated: Matthew Shepard Entered Hell October 12, 1998, in Defiance of God's Warning 'thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination. Leviticus 18:22.
Matthew Shepard was a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and subsequently murdered because he was gay.
The Casper City Council had denied Phelps' request in both 2003 and 2007.
Phelps had argued it was his First Amendment right to have his monument included.
Oscar for the Most Shameful TV Channel...
Asian STAR TV censored gay speeches from the Oscars
Viewers across Asia saw a censored version of the Oscars after television chiefs removed gay references from Sean Penn's best actor speech.
The STAR satellite channel, which broadcasts to more than 300 million viewers in 53 countries, also cut the sound when Dustin Lane Black, who wrote the screenplay for Penn's film, Milk , addressed all the gay and lesbian kids. Milk is the story of Californian gay rights activist Harvey Milk.
Both Penn and Black backed gay marriage in their speeches and called for equal rights for homosexuals.
Gay Asians voiced their anger at the broadcaster, which censored its evening telecasts of the awards ceremony.
As a gay man, I am truly offended, Pang Khee Teik, a prominent Malaysian arts commentator, wrote in a letter sent out to several media organisations. Stop censoring the words that describe who I am. Pang said the move sent a message ... that gays and lesbians are still shameful things to be censored from the public's ears.
Jannie Poon, STAR's Hong Kong-based spokeswoman, stressed that the company had no intention of upsetting any viewers ...BUT... said it has a responsibility to take the sensitivities and guidelines of all our markets into consideration.
Speechless: Silencing the Christians...
Gay campaigners get nutter advert pulled from TV
A Michigan television station in the United States has pulled a one hour programme paid for by a notoriously homophobic family group.
The American Family Association (AFA) had paid for airtime on WOOD-TV to screen Speechless: Silencing the Christians.
It claims to reveal the truth about the radical homosexual agenda and its impact on the family, the nation and religious freedom.
WOOD-TV General Manager Diane Kniowski said earlier this week that it would not run the AFA programme this Saturday as planned: Our station is being bombarded with calls and messages, and we find ourselves in the middle of someone else's fight.
The programme, which is available online, claims hate crimes laws target preaching what the Bible says about homosexuality, gays play a key role to play in the spread of all STDs and HIV/AIDS and employment protection based on sexual orientation will force churches to hire homosexuals.
The Human Rights Campaign, America's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organisation, had urged its members to contact the station and ask that they pull the programme.
Gays Stung...
NYPD targeting gay men as pawns in campaign against adult businesses
Based on article from spreadmagazine.org
Police in New York City are allegedly targeting gay men in video stores and other adult establishments for arrest under the charge of prostitution.
The arrests seem to follow a similar pattern time after time: a handsome young man chats up an (often older) gay man, suggests that the two leave the business in order to engage in consensual sex, and then, as the pair leaves the establishment, offers to pay for the encounter.
The comment about payment does not have to be acknowledged or agreed upon to in order for police waiting outside to seize the target and place him under arrest.
It seems that gay men have become pawns in what may be a legal game to target and close adult oriented businesses under the city's so-called nuisance abatement law, which provides grounds for the city to order the closure of businesses at which criminal activity is demonstrated.
And it's certainly no coincidence that these sex stores are getting closed down after a slew of prostitution arrests.
Update: False Arrests
15th February 2009. See Gay City News
Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau has agreed to meet with community leaders about the false arrests of gay men for prostitution at Manhattan porn stores.
State Senator Tom Duane said, I told him why it so important to meet and why the community is up in arms about this and he agreed, though an exact date has not been set yet.
Update: Protest
16th February See article from towleroad.com
On hand were a number of familiar LGBT activists: Brendan Fay, Gilbert Baker, Ann Northrop, Father Tony, Eric Leven, John Weis and journalists Andy Humm and Duncan Osbourne. It was Osbourne's relentless pursuit of this story that brought the entire illegal campaign to light.
An Expensive Proposition...
Big money spent on gay marriage ballot in California
Based on article from google.com
More than $83 million was donated to support or oppose the ballot initiative that abolished same-sex marriage in California, according to campaign filings recently released.
Filings show that elected officials, businesses, churches and individuals poured more than $28 million into the campaigns during the contest's closing days. The final tallies show that opponents of Proposition 8 raised $43.3 million in 2008 and had a little more than $730,000 left on hand at year's end. The measure's sponsors raised $39.9 million and had $983,000 left over.
The race was the most expensive ballot measure on a social issue in the nation's history. Proposition 8 passed to outlaw same sex marriage with 52% of the vote. Gay marriage backers have asked the California Supreme Court to overturn it.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the first time assigned a dollar value of nearly $190,000 to its role in getting the initiative passed.
Focus on the Family, the evangelical Christian media empire based in Colorado, reported giving $657,000 in cash and services to promote Proposition 8.
Kissed by Embarrassment...
Mexican mayor rescinds his public kissing ban
Based on article from metro.co.uk
A mayor has declared his Mexican city the world's kissing capital - in a bid to refute rumours he wanted to fine people for kissing in public.
Eduardo Romero, leader of Guanajuato in central Mexico, has been forced to put on hold an anti-obscenity law after protests about its supposed anti-kissing stance.
And he has now unveiled huge adverts featuring a couple locking lips on one of the city's winding, cobbled streets - with the slogan: Guanajuato, the kissing capital.
His authority has denied wanting to ban public kissing, but agreed to suspend the new legislation to review its wording.
Religion-Negative...
Scientologists try to ban protestors on grounds of being HIV-positive
Based on article from avn.com
The Church of Scientology never has been shy about attempting to silence critics. Now, however, two gay activists - one of them a former Scientologist - claim the organization has broken the law by obtaining and disclosing confidential medical records belonging to those who oppose its policies.
Graham Berry, the attorney for gay activists "Angry Gay Pope" and "Happy Smurf" (the former Scientologist), called the public revelation of their HIV-positive status by lawyers for the Church of Scientology downright sickening, illegal and an insult to members of the LGBT community and HIV patients worldwide.
The disclosure of information protected under both state and federal law was part of an effort by the church to stop protests at its "Gold Base" near Hemet, California.
According to Happy Smurf, Scientology policy states that homosexuals are 'low on the tone scale' and should be 'disposed of quietly and without sorrow.' To that end, the men aver, the church is lobbying Riverside County to pass an ordinance that will restrict protesting at Gold Base.
Scientology considers the presence of two HIV-positive men to be a threat to the well-being of the alleged 500 church workers at the base, and is seeking to restrict protests in a move that may constitute a restriction on First Amendment rights of activists in Hemet, the activists and their attorney assert.
Green Will Have a Coronary Bill...
Religious homophobia exemption clause to be deleted from UK Law
The new injustice bill contains a measure to protect people from incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.
In May the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill created for the first time an offence of incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation.
However, an amendment by Tory peer Lord Waddington, a former Home Secretary under Margaret Thatcher, was added to the legislation.
His amendment to the offence of using threatening language with intent to stir up hatred on grounds of sexual orientation said that urging someone to change their sexuality should not count of itself as threatening or as intended to stir up hatred.
While he claimed his amendment was about free speech, in effect it gives people leeway to claim they were just following their religious beliefs when inciting others to hate gay, lesbian or bisexual people.
If Christians can argue that their faith gives them a get-out clause, it could make a prosecution more difficult.
The Coroners and Injustice Bill, part of the government's legislative programme for this session of Parliament, contains a clause removing the Waddington amendment.
A spokesperson for gay equality organisation Stonewall, told PinkNews.co.uk:
Last year, the House of Lords voted to retain an exemption to the new incitement to hatred protections. Stonewall believes this is unnecessary and could mean that a very small number of people of extreme views attempt to avoid prosecution by citing a 'religious defence'. Stonewall is pleased that the government is now seeking to remove this exemption. It will mean stronger protection for lesbian, gay and bisexual people from those who stir up hatred against them.
More Rights...
MEPs pass resolution supporting gay rights
Based on article from dailymail.co.uk
European MPs have passed a resolution that will support gay marriage
Italian Communist Giusto Catania tabled the pro-abortion, pro-gay resolution with the aim of improving Europe's fundamental human rights.
The motion called on each of the 27 member states to legally guarantee access to sexual and reproductive rights.
The resolution is based on the Charter of Fundamental Rights, part of the Lisbon treaty, which have yet to be passed into law.
Much of the resolution deals with xenophobia, and the rights of children and refugees but one part stressed the need to raise public awareness of the right to reproductive and sexual health, and calls on the member states to ensure that women can fully enjoy these rights, to put in place appropriate sex education, information and confidential advisory services, and to facilitate access to contraception in order to prevent all unwanted pregnancies and illegal and high-risk abortions.
It said public funds should be made available in every EU country to ensure that ethnic minority women, in particular, can have full access to such services. It also calls on all EU member states to recognise same-sex civil partnerships equally with heterosexual marriage.
The resolution will have go before the EU's Council of Ministers before becoming law.
But even before it is rubber stamped it will act as a soft law used to put every EU government under pressure to abolish any existing restrictions in their laws on abortion.
Update: Xtra Censorship...
Gay magazine faces Facebook censorship
Full story: Facebook Censorship...Facebook quick to censor
Also thanks to Stelious who points out that Facebook also censor glamour shoots even those not featuring nudity. Being sexy is banned on Facebook.
Based on article from xtra.ca
Censors at Facebook social networking site have removed the cover image of the Sep 11, 2008 issue of the Canadian gay magazine, Xtra, with only a vague explanation: Facebook was trying to protect children from viewing the image.
Julia Garro is the associate editor of the Toronto gay and lesbian newspaper. She uploads each issue's cover image to the Friends of Xtra Facebook group.
But this week, she received a message from Facebook, warning her that one image had been deleted from the Friends of Xtra group:
Facebook does not allow photos that attack an individual or group, or that contain nudity, drug use, violence, or other violations of the Terms of Use. These policies are designed to ensure Facebook remains a safe, secure and trusted environment for all users, including the many children who use the site.
Facebook declined to answer Xtra.ca's repeated attempts for an interview, so we are unable to clarify how the sight of naked breasts might create an unsafe environment for youth.
The social-networking site recently came under fire for deleting pictures of women breastfeeding their children. Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt told the New York Times that the company has no plans to change their strict no-nudity policy: Certainly we can agree that there is context where nudity is not obscene, but we are reviewing thousands of complaints a day.Whether it's obscene, art or a natural act — we'd rather just leave it at nudity and draw the line there.
Worse yet, there's no transparency in Facebook's decision-making process. Facebook typically refuses to elaborate or engage in discussion after it censors an image.
Unpleasantly Surprised...
Netherlands calls on the Vatican to justify opposition to gay decriminalisation
Full story: Gay Uncriminalisation...UN mottion to decriminalise gay sex worldwide
Based on article from lifesitenews.com
The Vatican envoy to the Netherlands has been called to a meeting to defend the Catholic teaching on sexuality and marriage by the Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister.
At the request of homosexualist activist groups, Maxime Verhagen, a Christian Democrat, has demanded that the Papal Nuncio to the Netherlands, Monsignor Fran็ois Bacqu้, respond to accusations that the Church opposes gay rights.
Verhagen said, The Netherlands is unpleasantly surprised by the opposition of Pope Benedict XVI to a UN declaration on human rights and homosexuality.
Verhagen noted that although there were points of agreement with the Vatican statements, the judgments of the Pope on homosexuality are cause for concern because they are unnecessarily offensive, as can be seen, and do not contribute to a worthy debate.
In December, the Vatican was attacked in the international press for refusing to endorse the UN motion claiming to decriminalise homosexuality. The motion, which is not legally binding, was introduced by Verhagen and by his colleagues from France, and has been signed by only 66 of the UN's 192 member states. Thus far, although the United States, Russia, China, Guatemala, El Salvador and some African countries have also refused to endorse the resolution, only the representative of the Vatican has been publicly called on the carpet by Verhagen.
Senegal Intolerance...
Nine men sentenced to 8 years for gay sex
Based on article from nytimes.com
Nine men were handed unusually harsh sentences of eight years in prison after being tried on charges of conspiracy and unnatural acts, a term used to criminalize homosexuality, according to their lawyers and gay rights groups in Senegal.
The men were arrested on December 19 at the home of Diadji Diouf, a prominent gay activist who works with AIDS organizations to prevent the spread of the disease in the largely clandestine gay community in Senegal, according to Joel Nana, a program associate for the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.
Diouf, who was among those arrested and sentenced, runs an organization that provides condoms and counseling to gay men in Senegal, a largely Muslim country that has become increasingly intolerant of homosexuality in recent years.
Update: Relating to Gay Discrimination...
Christian who refused to counsel gay couples fails in his claim of unlawful discrimination
Full story: Religious Incompetents...Unable to do the job for religious reasons
A Christian relationship counsellor who was sacked after he refused to give sex therapy to homosexual couples has lost his case for unlawful discrimination.
An employment tribunal ruled that the national counselling service Relate was entitled to dismiss Gary McFarlane after he said that encouraging gay sex went against his devout religious beliefs.
The decision prompted Christian groups to demand a rethink of religious discrimination laws, following a string of other high-profile cases in which courts have found against Christians who claim they have suffered as a result of standing up for their beliefs.
Andrea Williams, director of the Christian Legal Centre, which supported McFarlane in his claim, said the religious discrimination law was in danger of becoming a dead letter , while the Christian Institute said there was a growing feeling among churchgoers that religious discrimination laws only applied to Muslims and other minority faiths.
McFarlane brought his claim for unfair dismissal after he was sacked in March 2008. In 2006, after he qualified as a psychosexual therapist, he made it clear to his employers that his strong Christian beliefs meant he did not feel able to give sex therapy advice to homosexuals. Fellow counsellors objected to his stance and claimed his views were homophobic, and in March 2008 he was sacked.
An employment tribunal panel unanimously rejected his claim, though the panel decided McFarlane had been wrongfully dismissed as Relate had not followed the correct dismissal procedures. The panel said McFarlane's claim had failed because: The claimant was not treated as he was because of his Christian faith, but because (Relate) believed that he would not comply with its policies and that it would have treated anyone else of whom that was believed, regardless of religion, in the same way.
Anti Gay Gambia...
Gay tourists threatened with arrest and an imprisonment
A 79-year-old man from the Netherlands has been found guilty of indecency with several Gambian men.
A court sentenced Frank Boers to pay 100,000 Gambian dalasis (ฃ2,500) in lieu of a two year prison sentence.
Boers was arrested at the city's international airport when officials found he was in possession of nude pictures of himself and some Gambian men and other pornography.
Gambia, a mostly Muslim country of 1.7 million people, punishes homosexual acts, even in private, with up to seven years in prison.
oers conviction follows the President Jammeh's pledge to crack down on gay people in the country. The Daily Observer reported that the President had issued: An ultimatum to homosexuals, drug dealers, thieves and other criminals, to leave the Gambia or face serious consequences if caught. Any hotel, lodge or motel that lodges this kind of individuals will be closed down, because this act is unlawful. We are in a Muslim dominated country and I will not and shall never accept such individuals in this country.
In the wake of their arrests the Foreign Office updated its guidance for British visitors.
Although there are no laws specifically covering homosexuality in the Gambia, the Gambian Criminal Code states that any person who has, or attempts to have, "carnal knowledge" of any person "against the order of nature" is guilty of a felony and could face imprisonment.
The Gambian courts may interpret homosexual acts as falling under this part of the Code.
The Code also states that gross indecency between men, whether in public or private, is a felony and anyone committing this felony could face imprisonment.
We have received reports that the police are actively enforcing this Code.
Most Annoying People 2009...
Anne Widdecombe whinges at BBC3 programme
Half an hour after the 9pm watershed adult film actor Ron Jeremy – captioned on screen as a porn legend – described in graphic detail lewd acts that he wanted to perform on Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan and her lesbian lover.
Nutter politicians and lobby groups reacted in supposed anger to the segment on the programme Most Annoying People 2008 .
It was first broadcast on December 29 but repeated over the New Year period and is still available to view online.
Another guest on the BBC3 show, Radio 5 Live presenter DJ Spoony, referred to lesbians as munters and mingers, prompting supposed fury from gay rights activists.
Nutter MP Anne Widdecombe has demanded to know who sanctioned broadcast of the programme: What was their reasoning behind choosing a porn star as an interviewee at all – and why was the pre-recorded show screened?
You would think that following the debacle with Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand, they would have gone out of their way to ensure anything going out was within the limits of decency. This was a holiday period when children tend to stay up later and there is a strong risk that children would have seen it.
Indecency is just ingrained at the BBC. They are institutionally indecent.
Jeremy, who has appeared in almost 2,000 hardcore movies, said of Lohan and Ronson: 'These two girls are very good-looking. I would love to be in the middle of that: They will do each other, do me, do each other, do me, back and forth. Jeremy also said of Lohan: Men are wishing they could be with her and change her mind, thinking "Yeah, she is a lesbian now because she never met me."
BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Spoony, 38, said of lesbians: Let the munters and mingers get each other. That's cool because nobody wants them. But referring to Mean Girls star Lohan and Ronson, he added: When they're hot and fit - Hollywood superstars - they should be saved for the guys.
Gay rights activist Peter Tatchell branded the remarks by Jeremy and Spoony gratuitously sexist and homophobic. The BBC should have never broadcast them and should issue a public apology. Spoony should be suspended by the BBC and only be allowed to continue presenting his Radio 5 Live programme after he has apologised on air and promised not to repeat his homophobic garbage.
Ron Jeremy's comments were needlessly offensive. He's a sexist pig, which no right-thinking woman, lesbian or straight, would want to meet, let alone have sex with.
The BBC today said that it had received 13 complaints about the programme to date.
A spokeswoman said: Most Annoying People 2008 is a light-hearted and comedic look at people and events that have annoyed, amused or appalled us over the last 12 months. The contributors to the programme are expressing their own views and opinions, which are meant in a light-hearted way with no malicious intent.
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text:
If Eileen Davidson is Going To DAYS, What Happens To Ashley Now???
By Alina Adams 6 years ago
Looking for the cause of unemployment in America? Consider actress Eileen Davidson who, once again, will be appearing on two soap-operas simultaneously, The Young and the Restless (YR) and Days Of Our Lives (DOOL).
Davidson will return to Salem as Kristen, the woman who was most recently responsible for digging Little Fetus Tate out of Teresa's (Jen Lilley) womb and giving birth to him herself.
(This is how we know she's crazy, as pregnancy, labor and birth are the least pleasant parts of the motherhood process, and Kristen took them on when she didn't have to!)
Marlena (Deidre Hall) came to give Kristen what for about this – oh, and their last 25 years of other issues – and, what with one thing or another, Kristen ended up falling out a window and into shark-infested waters.
The end of Kristen?
Oh. Please.
Going, Going, Gone….
But what's got The Young and the Restless fans freaking out is the fear that the return of Kristen means the end of Ashley in Genoa City.
And now is not a good time. Ashley's got that whole 'what is going on with Dina (Marla Adams) and Graham (Max Shippee)' mystery, plus keeping an eye on Jack (Peter Bergman) at work and, let's not forget, Ravi (Abhi Sinha)!
He's all cleaned up and even more attractive now that they've shared multiple heart-to-hearts, and she's even gotten a little jealous of the time Ravi is spending with Phyllis. Everything is in place. Ashley can't leave now!
Y&R fans shouldn't worry.
Davidson intends to fit her guest appearances on DAYS as Kristen (and/or some other people) in with her Genoa City shooting schedule.
The fact is, as Davidson explained in 2014, playing multiple characters on DAYS is really, really hard, and she has no interest in doing so for an extended period of time.
Ashley, on the other hand, is one, singular lady, with a lot still to do.
And she isn't going anywhere.
DON'T MISS OUT — Soap Hub is giving away $500!! To enter our Summer Cash Giveaway – go to www.soaphub.com/giveaways/DAYS and SIGN UP! — DON"T MISS OUT
The Young and the Restless Days of our Lives Eileen Davidson The Young and the Restless
Alina Adams is the NYT best-selling author of As the World Turns tie-ins "Oakdale Confidential" and "The Man From Oakdale," and co-author of Guiding Light's "Jonathan's Story." She was the Creative Content Director for Procter & Gamble Productions, where she produced the official websites for ATWT and GL, and pioneered "Another World Today." Her romance novels include "When a Man Loves a Woman," "Annie's Wild Ride," "Thieves at Heart" and "The Fictitious Marquis." Her latest book is "Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Stories," featuring exclusive interviews with the actors, writers, and producers who created the scenes fans voted best of all time. Learn more at: www.AlinaAdams.com.


Rumors have been circulating for over a year that Microsoft's gaming console will get support for Windows apps, and now MS has made that a reality.
"With Windows 10, universal Windows apps come to Xbox One," said Terry Myerson (above), head of Microsoft's Windows division, revealing the news during its Windows 10 event today.
Microsoft had announced plans for universal apps at the company's Build conference last April, and last spring they did roll out support for universal apps which can run on both Windows Phone and Windows 8, but this is the first I've heard any specifics which also included the Xbox One.
It's a shame it's not happening sooner, but on the upside the integration works both ways. Windows 10 is also going to gain the option to stream Xbox One games, including on both tablets and PCs. It looks like the Xbox One is doing all the heavy lifting, though.


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Home News Ambassador spoke about the joint struggle of Russia and Serbia against the...
Ambassador spoke about the joint struggle of Russia and Serbia against the revision of history
BELGRADE, 22 October – Russia and Serbia are jointly fighting against revising the history of World War II both in bilateral relations and in the international arena, said Russian Ambassador to the country Alexander Botan-Kharchenko.
Earlier, the concert of the soloists of the Alexandrov ensemble in Belgrade opened the "Days of Freedom" dedicated to the liberation of the capital of Serbia in the First and Second World Wars, in which the Russian and Serbian sides participate jointly from October 20 to November 8. The program includes concerts, exhibitions, theatrical performances, screenings of Russian and Serbian documentaries and fiction films dedicated to the two world wars.
On Friday, on the central square of Belgrade Republic, where a memorial plate in honor of the fallen Red Army soldiers is located, the actors of the Dadov theater showed in the presence of representatives of the Russian embassy and city authorities the feat of Lieutenant Nikolai Kravtsov. The Soviet soldier died during the liberation of the city in October 1944, when he threw himself into the embrasure of an enemy pillbox.
"This (the liberation of Belgrade – ed.) Is a very big event in our common history, throughout Serbia there are many places of memory of the heroes and these pages of history and the liberation of Serbia … We then fought together and now we are fighting against the revision of history. This is a very important area of our cooperation, both bilaterally and internationally, "the Russian ambassador said to the audience.
"I would also like to say that in the First World War, the cooperation and support of the then Russia for Serbia were very significant, not to say decisive, for the struggle and for the victory of Serbia and the liberation of it and Belgrade in 1918," said Botan-Kharchenko.
During the First World War, Belgrade was liberated on November 1, 1918. The monument in honor of the Russian and Serbian soldiers – the defenders of Belgrade, who died during the First World War at the turn of the Kalemegdan Fortress was opened in September 2014. In November of the same year, the then Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic, together with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and Patriarch Iriney of Serbia, unveiled a monument to Nicholas II Romanov in Belgrade. The pedestal in two languages quotes a telegram from the Emperor to the King of Serbia Alexander Karadjordievich in Russian and Serbian languages: "All my efforts will be directed towards respecting the dignity of Serbia … In no case will Russia remain indifferent to the fate of Serbia."
The date of the liberation of Serbia and all of Yugoslavia from the Nazis in World War II is associated with the end of the Belgrade operation on October 20, 1944. Soldiers of the Soviet Second and Third Ukrainian Fronts under the command of Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin and part of the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia took part in the battles for the capital of the country. According to the post-war estimates of the authorities of Yugoslavia, over seven thousand dead soldiers of the Red Army were buried on its territory. The Memorial Complex to the Liberators in the center of Belgrade houses the Eternal Flame, monuments to Soviet and Yugoslav soldiers and mass graves.
alexander botsan-kharchenko
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It has now been two months since I arrived back in Montreal.
I will not lie; I was tired by the end of my fieldwork period in Zambia. The climax of the last week was a workshop with disability advocates and policymakers in Lusaka. The event was great, but a lot of work to prepare. The icing on the cake might have been the realization that the workshop venue was not accessible to people arriving in wheelchairs. Here are photos of the carpenters that I hired to build a ramp – from the evening before the event.
The evening before the national disability policymaking workshop: carpenters build ramp.
On the whole, the fieldwork period was busy but successful. Despite having lost January, February, and the first part of March as I waited for approvals to start my work, the next three (hectic) months were very productive. But come the middle of June, I was happy to drag myself onto an airplane headed to Canada.
When I got back, I found that a weird thing happened. It was like I was in a honeymoon period. I was elated to be back in the Canadian world of order and predictability. Yet like in Zambia, I was rising early every morning and still felt close to Mongu and Lusaka. Meanwhile, in my neighbourhood in Montreal, the Jazz Festival and Comedy Festival were happening. I had quick access to good coffee and abundant fresh croissants. I could easily grab a bike and explore the city.
The honeymoon lasted about a month.
Since that time, I have noticed that I'm back to my Canadian routines. I am now more sluggish in the morning and sleepy in the evening. I find that I require the disciplining mechanism of an interminable to-do list that beckons me forward through the elusive satisfaction of its crossed-off items. I work, I run, I work, I make lunch, I work, I head to the office, I work, I come home, I work a bit, I go to bed.
My own self-descriptions, was written down, admittedly look pretty dull. Even to me. But it is not all that bad; I do accomplish a fair bit and it is pretty comfortable and predictable. From now until December, I plan to keep plugging away in a steady forward progress, data analyzing data, writing those data, and doing some teaching.
Admittedly, I do also have some unusual activities that are more special and fun in their own ways. I was interviewed in a Global Physio Podcast last week (and wrote a post about it here). On Monday I am doing another podcast interview (details to come).
But do not be fooled by those bigger events: this is the season of routine.


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Bryce Hall explains why he's "so happy" he got arrested
Published: 31/Jul/2020 5:23
by Andrew Amos
Instagram: Bryce Hall
Bryce Hall has opened up to Logan Paul on the Impaulsive podcast about his May arrest, explaining to the YouTuber why he's "so happy" he got arrested, as well as detailing the moments leading up to his arrest.
Bryce Hall and Jaden Hossler were arrested back in May 2020 on drug offences in Texas. While they've still got their court date ahead of them, Hall went onto Logan Paul's Impaulsive podcast to talk about the entire ordeal.
He outlined exactly what happened on the night of May 25, and also spoke candidly about how the experience behind bars changed his life.
"I'm actually so happy that I got arrested because it kind of put me in check," the TikTok star admitted on the July 29 episode.
"We were in jail for 13 hours, we got out. Everyone said that we were privileged and shit, but actually Jaden and I – and even the people who didn't get arrested – came to a huge realization, and we leveled out after that. Honestly, worst experience of my life. I don't ever want to go back."
Read more: Bryce Hall reveals why he hasn't asked out Addison Rae yet
Hall mentioned that they were pulled over for no reason, but he did admit he suspected it was some sort of profiling due to the car he was in with his "black security guard" in tow.
"We got pulled over for no reason. We were in a luxury Sprinter van. We were literally driving the speed limit. We are in Giddings, Texas, so they don't see that sh*t often. They see my black security guard and my light-skinned driver, driving with tinted-ass windows in the back," he explained.
"They pulled out my driver and they just started searching him. I'm like talking to all the people in the car — Jaden [Hossler], Josh [Richards], my photographer, my videographer — and I'm like 'guys, if they check us, we're all going to jail for a very f**king long time.' We were just in shock."
Topic starts at 47:12
The TikTok star did admit that he should have known better, and done better. "I f**ked up. I got caught with f**king drugs."
Read more: Bryce Hall opens up on "mortifying" experience after arrest
However, Logan Paul came in with a different perspective. Given Hall was only caught with marijuana on him, the YouTuber claimed the charges were "laughable."
"Depending on where you are, this is laughable," Paul chimed in.
Hall also mentioned that he is getting ready to go to court to try and contest the charges. "We are changed. We haven't smoked. It's our first offence. We've got our lawyers, we're ready."
Hall will appear in court on September 3.
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Jake Paul / Conor McGregor
Jake Paul and Logan Paul helped popularize 'YouTube Boxing' in recent years, although it's often described as a mockery of the sport. However, Conor McGregor explained why he isn't against it and thinks it's good business.
Conor McGregor has been focused on his upcoming UFC 257 bout against Dustin Poirier for a while now. However, that hasn't stopped Jake Paul from doing his best to rope the former double champion into an exhibition boxing match.
Jake first called him out back in November 2020 after he knocked out Nate Robinson. Then, he taunted him to accept a $50 million fight offer several weeks later and has been flailing about ever since.
He still hasn't managed to get his attention. However, his antics did draw out comments from UFC President Dana White and Conor's coach, John Kavanagh. Now, Conor has finally shared his thoughts on YouTube boxing as a whole, and here's what he had to say.
Jake Paul has tried and failed to bait a response from Conor McGregor.
"A lot of people are criticizing [YouTube boxing] as maybe making a bit of a mockery of fighting," asked an interviewer. It's the predominant view among fans of combat sports. "I want you to weigh in on that for me."
"If they are fighting, well, then it can't make a mockery of fighting, right?" said Conor. "They're getting in, and they're competing. I am not so much against it. The YouTube kid and the NBA star competing [was] good business.
Read more: Stipe Miocic warns Jake & Logan Paul on calling out MMA fighters
"Am I into those competitions myself? It's not the most high level if any level… [but] as they say if it makes dollars, it makes sense," he added. "I know Dana and the UFC are not really into it, but… I'm not so against it. I think if people are willing to get in and take the risk of making that walk, I am certainly a viewer."
A post shared by TheBreadBatch (@thebreadbatch)
Conor's opinion might come as a surprise to fans who expected him to make scathing comments. However, as a businessman himself, it seems like he's all for it. Plus, as he said, YouTube boxers are still fighting and giving it their all.
Read more: Jake Paul wants to fight Floyd Mayweather after Logan Paul
On another note, Conor didn't seem too incensed about Jake. He barely mentioned him at all.
Still, it's only a matter of time before Jake responds, and there's no doubt he won't be too thrilled about being referred to as "the YouTube kid."
James Charles sparks heated beef with rapper Asian Doll over makeup artist fees


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Gretchen Whitmer on Foreign Policy
Supports anti-boycott bill against anti-Israel BDS movement
Her stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become a relevant topic that may alienate potential voters. In a statement that is no longer available on her campaign website, Whitmer listed resolutions in favor of Israel that she sponsored when she was a lawmaker. "I strongly support the bipartisan anti-boycott legislation that was signed into law by Governor [Rick] Snyder last year and will do everything in my power to uphold it as Michigan's next governor," she said. Source: Middle East Eye on 2022 Michigan Gubernatorial race , Sep 19, 2018
Click here for definitions & background information on Foreign Policy.


Villa Kirgeo is the perfect holiday destination for families, friends or couples who are looking for a more relaxing vacation in Bali. Located just 100 meters from Berawa Beach in Bali, only 3 to 5minutes walk from the best beaches, cafes, restaurants and bars, which makes it ideal for people of all ages. The Canggu Club is also only a few minutes drive away, offering all types of sports and recreational activities including their new splash waterpark, ten pin bowling and their Bounce Trampoline game room.
This Villa is a new villa in the artistic design, featuring a swimming pool measuring 15 m x 5 m with grass nearby with two outdoor ornamental fish and other water features, a sunbathing area and a large wooden bale. The spacious gardens with open grass area, fish ponds, trees of Cambodia give a feel for the real Bali.
All bedrooms and the living room are all located on the ground floor at the end of the pool, with balcony upstairs that offers incredible views of the sea, making it an ideal location to enjoy a drink in the afternoon or the sunset. Each of the four bedrooms have the same size and have private bathrooms (two with bathtub), large wardrobe with safety box, queen size bed and beautiful fresh white sheets. However please note that second-level master bedroom is the owner of a private space and is not included in the rental of the Villa.
The swimming pool has a shallow end suitable for small kids and a large wooden bale can be easily suitable for the whole family. Living room, dining room, open kitchen and fully air-conditioned rooms with sliding doors from wood/glass that offers the experience of living in open spaces or in the open air. The living room is equipped with comfortable large sofas, flat-screen TV with international cable TV channels with a DVD player, plus free Wi-Fi. The dining table seats 10-wood with Rattan seating is ideal for family gatherings.
Villa Kirgeo is served daily by the warm and friendly staff and included with the rent is the use of a car and driver for the duration of your stay.


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Tacoma moves forward with plans for new psychiatric hospital
Posted 10:47 PM, September 24, 2019, by ajanavelq13 and Q13 News Staff, Updated at 01:25PM, September 25, 2019
TACOMA, Wash. -- The City of Tacoma is moving forward with a plan for a new 105-bed in-patient and out-patient psychiatric hospital.
The Tacoma City Council approved first reading for a plan to add a new mental hospital in the Central neighborhood. The proposed site for the hospital is on South Proctor Street and South 19th Street.
However, some residents say they do not want to see the hospital in their community.
"We hate the idea," said Judy Mitchels.
The city is aware of the concerns.
Officials with the city say they will not move forward with the final vote on the proposal until the developer meets all the city's recommendations. In a nearly 30-page document, the city details its expectations from the developer before moving forward with final approval.
Read the full document
Recommendations include focusing on areas of traffic, the environment, historical preservation, and the safety and comfort of people who live near the proposed hospital site.
However, neighbors say they're still concerned.
"Everyone needs health, mental health, but not in our neighborhood, not here," said Rosa McClatcher, who has lived in the neighborhood since the '50s.
Residents say even with the regulations, they fear anything can happen.
"It doesn't matter how much you train your staff and how hard you try to keep the facility locked, somebody is going to try to escape," said Janet Hamm.
Q13 reached out to representatives for the developer this evening, but did not hear back.
One council member says it could be months before they have a final vote on the proposed hospital development.
The new proposal comes amid reports that another recently opened mental hospital in Tacoma, Wellfound Behavioral Health Hospital, remains empty months after opening. According to The Tacoma News-Tribune, Wellfound has 120 beds and was paid for with millions of public dollars, but it has yet to receive accreditation and is not taking patients.
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A company decided to put its employees on a 32-hour work week instead of the usual 40 hours while paying them the same, and they actually worked better.
Imagine being asked to come into work a day less each week, but still receiving the same pay. Would you be able to finish the same amount of work, or would you always be struggling to meet deadlines? According to a new study reported by the New York Times, a firm discovered that their employees actually became more productive.
A New Zealand company called Perpetual Guardian allowed its employees to come in just four days a week while paying them for five days, and noticed such an improvement in results, that it is planning to make what was a trial a permanent change.
The firm manages wills, trusts, and estates, and discovered that its 240 employees demonstrated higher levels of productivity despite working fewer hours. The employees spent the additional time cooking, exercising, gardening, and hanging out with their families.
Perpetual Guardian decided to implement the 32-hour work week, down from the traditional 40-hour week it had previously implemented. It also requested two researchers to map the effects of the change on the company's staff.
A human resources professor at Auckland University of Technology, Jarrod Haar, who was involved in the study, said that on the whole, employees reported a 24-percent improvement in their work-life balance. Their days off seemed to energize them.
He said, "Supervisors said staff were more creative, their attendance was better, they were on time, and they didn't leave early or take long breaks. Their actual job performance didn't change when doing it over four days instead of five."
Since the employees now spent less time at the office, they were more motivated to find ways to maximize their time there. They shortened the length of their meetings and gave cues to their colleagues that they needed time to focus on their work without distractions.
Haar added, "They worked out where they were wasting time and worked smarter, not harder." The employees of Perpetual Guardian managed to reduce the time spent in meetings from 2 hours to a more efficient 30 minutes.
The founder of the company, Andrew Barnes, believes that his company is the first to pay its employees for 40 hours a week despite only working 32. He contrasted it with other companies who have tried to fit 40 hours into fewer days or reduced their employees' salaries for working part-time.
Barnes' idea for the experiment came to him after he read a study that indicated that people are only employed productively for less than three hours each day. He also read another study that suggested that workplace distractions had a similar effect to smoking marijuana or losing a night's sleep.
Barnes claims that the Perpetual Guardian's experiment shows that supervisors should base their contracts with new people being hired on tasks to be performed rather than on the hours they are willing to spend working in the office.
He said, "Otherwise you're saying, 'I'm too lazy to figure out what I want from you, so I'm just going to pay you for showing up.' A contract should be about an agreed level of productivity. If you deliver that in less time, why should I cut your pay?"
Barnes observed that the people who stood to gain the most from the reduced work hours were working mothers. He noticed that despite the fact that women who return from maternity leave negotiate part-time hours, they end up doing as many tasks as those engaged in full-time work.
A senior client manager with the firm, Tammy Barker, agreed with his evaluation. Barker, an Auckland-based mother of two, used her day off to run various errands like going grocery shopping or attending appointments, so that she could relax with her family on weekends.
The trial helped her realize that she was often flitting between tasks at work, often unproductively. She said, "Because there was a focus on our productivity, I made a point of doing one thing at a time, and turning myself back to it when I felt I was drifting off. At the end of each day, I felt I had got a lot more done."
Barnes noted that another benefit of the experiment was that the company received lower electricity bills, as there were at least 20 percent fewer staff in the office as a result of the new hours. He saw wide-ranging implications if his strategy were implemented. "You've got 20 percent of cars off the road in rush hour; there are implications for urban design, such as smaller offices."
Iain Lees-Galloway, the government's workplace relations minister recognized that New Zealanders often worked excessively long hours, and commented that it was "great to see a company finding a better way." He added, "I applaud this instance of working smarter and encourage more businesses to take it up."
A similar experiment in Sweden in the city of Gothenburg saw employees who worked a six-hour day accomplish the same amount of work in less time, if not more. However, France's implementation of a 35-hour work week in 2000 saw business complain about increased hiring costs and reduced competitiveness.


If answered Yes, please explain?
On what date would you be avaliable for work?
If yes, please specify those days or hours you would be unable or unwilling to work?
If you did not graduate, why did you leave high school or college?


Dave & Emmeline - Greenfield Farm Estate Wedding — Third Wheelin' Co.
If it isn't already obvious from my previous work, I freakin' love pine forests... Dave and Emmeline got married at Greenfield Farm Estate which was unreal! The venue looked amazing and the catering done by the one and only Wilderness Chef Cooper was just insane. We cruised out to the Watagans to shoot in the pine forest after the ceremony and got some of the most amazing light I've ever seen breaking through the trees.
It was such a rad time guys, cheers for having me out to third wheel with you!


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Passenger, Iron & Wine and Jason Isbell announced for Black Deer Festival - a new Americana and Country that is just over an hour away from Hertfordshire
Black Deer is set to take place at the end of June
Matthew Mohan-Hickson
The first ever Black Deer Festival has been announced
A brand new festival celebrating all things Americana and Country is coming this summer – and it is just over an hour away from Hertfordshire.
Black Deer Festival is making its debut in the beautiful surroundings of Eridge Park, near Tunbridge Wells, from June 22 to June 24.
Indie-folk legend Iron & Wine – the stage name of singer-songwriter Sam Beam -will be headlining on the Saturday (June 23) bringing along his patented brand of romantic America-tinged songs.
Having returned to the limelight in 2017 with his acclaimed album Beast Epic, Iron & Wine will be playing these cosier-than-ever tracks live in the UK for the first time at Black Deer.
Let Her Go hit maker Passenger will be headlining the festival on the Sunday (June 24), in a UK festival exclusive in 2018.
Bishop's Stortford music festival The Bish-Bash to return 'bigger and better than ever' in May with Wilko Johnson and The Bluetones headlining
And the festival have also announced that Grammy Award winning Americana artist Jason Isbell will also make the inaugural Black Deer his only UK festival appearance this year.
One of the most unique voices in America, Jason Isbell and his band The 400 Unit arrive on our shores on the back of the acclaimed album The Nashville Sound – which has been nominated for Best Americana Album at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
Also on the bill for the inaugural Black Deer Festival are British country duo Ward Thomas – who became the first UK country act to reach number one on the UK Album Chart.
Ward Thomas said: "We are really excited to play at The Black Deer Festival this June, it is so encouraging to see more country festivals pop up in the UK, and we have a feeling this is going to be a special one!
"We've recently been working on new material which makes it even more exciting."
Standon Calling 2018 announces Bryan Ferry as first headliner
Long-standing blues sensation Eric Bibb and whiskey-tinged troubadour John Moreland are also on the bill at Black Deer this summer, along with CC Smuglers, The Americans and Juaniata Stein.
Juanita Stein said: "I'm thrilled to be a part of Black Deer Festival! A whiskey soaked, musical ode to all things Country and Americana.
"I'll be bringing my band and songs down to Tunbridge Wells this June, see ya there!"
Cornwall-bassed three piece indie-rock group William The Conqueror and banjo-pickers Darren Eedens & the Slim Pickin's will be bringing their distinctive honkey tonk sounds to Black Deer.
Darren Eedens said: "The boys and I are incredibly excited to bring our music to this new Americana festival!
"Motorcycles and Banjos, this looks like the real deal, it's gunna be one hell of a good time. Catch you on the Saturday at Black Deer Fest!"
But as well as the music – and there are still many more acts still to be announced – festival goers can expect an array of authentic Americana-style meats, Smokey whiskeys and craft ales.
As well as bespoke custom motorbike showcases and storytellings from cultural pioneers – it is sure to be a weekend that promises something for the whole family.
Tickets are on sale now and are available here
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Discussion in 'A to Z Teacher Stuff's Downloads Shop' started by Amanda, Dec 4, 2015.
anon55, waomyna and MrsC like this.
I extended the sale through Tuesday. December 8th is the final day.
Hi there - is this shop still up and running? Just wanted to check before I put down my hard earned cash.


text:
Q: QTcpSocket status is incorrect I am using Qt 4.8.2 (64 bit) on Linux Debian.
I am having problem with socket status. I am client connecting to server, my relevant code snippet is:
QTcpSocket *socket = new QTcpSocket(this);
socket->connectToHost(interface[cameras[listnum].interface].ip,interface[cameras[listnum].interface].port);
qDebug() << socket->waitForConnected(10000);
qDebug() << socket->isValid();
qDebug() << socket->state();

I am connecting to server that is local to me and I can disconnect Ethernet cable to it to test both connected and non-connected states. I can tell if I connect by the wait time, if cable is connected to server then waitForConnected takes less than 0.5 seconds and if cable is not connected then waitForConnected times out at 10 seconds.
My problem is I get the same status connected or not. The output of the qDebug is:
false
true
QAbstractSocket::UnconnectedState
And it stays this way if I am really connected or not. When connected I can send data. I also put the last two statements in command button and verified the return status does not change even after several seconds or minutes.
Any help pointing me in the right direction would be most appreciated.

A: First of all, there's no point to checking if a socket is valid, it's the state you're interested in.
If, as you've shown, the waitForConnected returns false, then you can be sure that the state is also unconnected - no point in further checking it.
When the connection succeeds, waitForConnected should return true, and state should return the connected state. It may be that the state will only turn true after you've drained the remaining events, although it would be a Qt 4.8.2 quirk (can't you try on 4.8.5 or 5.3.1?).
I'm somehow skeptical that what you describe really happens, but if it does, you'll need to convince us first. Write a self contained test case (a single main.cpp file), edit it into your question, verify that it does still happen on Qt 4.8.5, and then submit a bug report.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Random numbers using malloc function Why aren't the numbers after the first one of each line of the matrix random numbers? Why are they zeros? For example if I print a line of this matrix I get4 0 0 0 0 but I should get the numbers after 4 as random numbers instead.
void readfile(FILE *input,int **matrix){
    int i=0, num;
    while(fscanf(input, "%d ", &num) == 1){
        matrix[i] = malloc((num+1)*sizeof(int));
        matrix[i][0] = num;
        i++;
    }
}

A:
Why aren't the numbers after the first one of each line of the matrix random numbers?

Why should they be?
Yes, malloc returns a newly allocated block of uninitialized memory, but nobody said that it had to be random.
Indeed, typically at process start you are going to get blank pages, just zeroed out by the operating system and provided to your process (the OS cannot recycle pages from other processes without blanking them out for security reasons), while later you are more likely to get back pages that your process has freed, so generally containing old data from your own program.
All this is strictly non-contractual, and is often violated - for example, so-called "debug heaps" generally fill in free pages with a known pattern (e.g. 0xCDCDCDCD on Visual C++) to spot usages of uninitialized memory.
Long story short: don't make any kind of assumption about the content of memory provided by malloc.


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text:
Stop Buying Cheap, Multi-Pack Socks. Get These Instead
Why you should invest more money into one pair of good socks.
By Gerald Ortiz
Welcome to Counterpoint, a series in which we challenge commonly held ideas about well-known products. This time, cheap, multi-pack socks.
I used to be a multi-pack, big-box store kind of guy when it came to socks. If you do the math, a six-pack of socks for $10 comes out to exactly diddly-squat per pair. Bang for your buck. Better mileage. So when brands are charging double, triple or even more than that for just one pair, the numbers just don't seem to add up.
You already know where I'm going with this. After a few wears, my socks seemed to get fuzzier. A few wears more and they're pilling. After that, it wasn't much longer before I could see the heel of my foot through one of the socks. I'm not making this up — I had a pair of socks turn into Swiss cheese after less than 10 wears. While I can't blame the entire category of cheap socks over the shortcomings of one, it's definitely not an isolated incident.
Let's look at how brands are able to produce such cheap socks. First, they just produce a lot of them. Higher volume means factories can produce more of the same product without having to switch out materials and patterns to make different products for different brands, saving the factories time and money. Next, they use cheaper materials. In this case, that means lower-grade cotton blended with a higher percentage of synthetic materials. Lesser-quality cotton has shorter staples (essentially, a staple is a length of fiber). The shorter the staple, the weaker the fiber, the easier it is to fall apart in a weave or a knit. As for synthetics, most socks will need some kind of nylon or elastane for durability and stretch — these man-made materials are also cheaper to produce than natural fibers.
The other way brands keep sock prices low is with the construction. The faster they can produce socks, the cheaper it costs them in the long run, passing the "savings" on to you. Often, a byproduct of that speed is poorly-knit fabrics that are loosely woven. They're also less dense because they use less material, another cost-cutting tactic. And then, there's the dreaded toe seam. Toe seams are a crucial part of the sock and really make or break a pair from the first wear. Many value-pack socks forgo seamless or hand-linked toes, instead opting to sew them shut — the result is a bulky seam you'll feel with every step.
In the end, you'll end up throwing away pairs of these low-cost socks just to buy another family pack because it costs less, and is easier than repairing them.
As I write this, I'm wearing a pair of socks I've had since 2009. They're thick, dense and have no uncomfortable seams pressing against my precious little piggies. And, they have no holes. At the time, they cost me around $25 and they're still going strong. While the price point for a pair of quality socks will vary, a good pair of socks will likely cost you well over $10 a pair (I have a pair of very plain socks from Japanese brand Kapital that are more than five times that). For all the reasons cheap socks are bad, more well-made socks are better and then some.
Anonymous Ism is a brand many style enthusiasts mention by name. They produce socks in a range of materials, thicknesses, colors and patterns and they're all made in Japan to high standards. I've got a few pairs from the brand because they're so good. They're not inexpensive and I'm okay with that. When they do wear out, it gives me more incentive to mend them myself rather than to buy another pair. It also gives me more appreciation for the clothes that I own and reminds me to take pride in the details.
Since we're staying at home more these days, a new pair of socks is almost akin to a new pair of shoes. And like shoes, you want your socks to be comfortable, look good and last a long time.
It's a bit difficult to really convey how great a nice pair of socks really feels until you try a pair. But I've always said that maybe the biggest thing you can do to upgrade your wardrobe starts with the basics. That's underwear, t-shirts and, certainly, socks.
Breton Stripe Kennedy Sock by American Trench x Gear Patrol $18 $11
Ribbed Sock by Arvin Goods $12
Walking Relaxing Sock by Beams Plus $35 (two-pack)
Bamboo Socks by CDLP $20
Blend Ankle Socks by Thunders Love ~$25
LWC Sock by Lady White Co. $28
Line Slub Crew Sock by Anonymous Ism $29
These Japanese-Made Socks Are Worth the Money
More From Counterpoint
Why You Shouldn't Buy Cloth Bath Mats
The Big Problem with All-In-One Turntables
Cold Brew Coffee Sucks. Here's Why
House Slippers Are Overrated. Get These Instead
No, You Shouldn't Buy a Crossover. This Is Why
Please Stop Making Illegible Watches
Instant Pots Are Overrated
Why You Don't Actually Need a Watch Winder
Raw Denim Is Overrated, Here's Why
Don't Get a Cheap New Car. Buy a Used BMW Instead
This Cheap Multi-tool Is for People Who Don't Need Multi-tools
No, You Don't Need Polarized Sunglasses. Get These Instead
Stop Cooking Eggs with a Cast-Iron Skillet. Use This Instead
Want an Audi RS4? Get This Instead


Most people receive their income from working a nine to five and that is all the money that they will ever receive. While this is a honorable tradition, it does leave you flying by the seat of your pants if anything does indeed go wrong. Financial advisers will always find a way for you to invest in other companies, which is a good thing, but they always neglect the main thing that you should invest in, yourself. You do not have to leave your job and create a big business to invest in yourself, something simple such as a weekend hobby that you turn into a paying gig would be enough. Although it is not for everybody, making money on your own time will leave you with a very fulfilling experience, both in your heart and in your pockets.
When you decide to sit down and decide how you will make money, you have to think about your particular skill set and what they would best suited for. Some people work better outside, others work better in the home, remember it is up to you to decide which way you would like to make extra money. A popular way these days to make money at home is the use of the internet and making money online. There are plenty of web sites that will help you to go about that very thing. The resources to help get you started are vast on the internet as well as what do you can do on the internet. You could become a writer, a programmer, a proof reader, a sports analysis for your favorite sports site, selling nick knacks on ebay, remember the choices are huge.
The most important thing is to find a niche that you like, the keyword is like because remember this is just about making extra money and if you do not like what you are doing you will not stick with it. Whether you decide to work online or do something offline, creating your own money is a very rewarding thing that you are sure to enjoy.
This entry was filed in Money and tagged Business, Cash, Financial, Income, Invest, make money from home, Markets, Money, supplement income. Bookmark the permalink.


Throughout Phase 1 and 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a variety of directors have introduced the core group of heroes who have appeared in The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Now, Phase 3 is set to launch with Captain America: Civil War, which will see conflict between two major heroes: Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America (Chris Evans) and Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr).
However, Civil War will feature a number of other characters previously established in the MCU like Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Vision (Paul Bettany), and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) among others. Civil War will also be tasked with introducing both Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) before they receive their own standalone films. Now, directors Anthony and Joe Russo have discussed how they approached Civil War.
"My brother and I, we've always loved ensemble storytelling. And if you look at a lot of our work, we worked in ensembles a lot from our first movie Welcome to Collinwood to our television shows. We love ensembles, and I think we're kind of in tune to the idea of telling the story that has more than a single protagonist. We like that kind of story. We like depth storytelling. We like layered storytelling. Joe and I, as we were developing the script with the writers, we like to pick a path and look at the script from every different character's point of view. Even though it's Cap's movie, and the ultimate way we decide where to go with the film is filtered through Cap's perspective, we do take time and walk ourselves through the story from every single character's point of view as if it's their movie.
"We know how important these characters are. We love these characters ourselves. We know that there's somebody sitting out there in the audience whose favorite character is that one, even if that character has only a few scenes in the movie. We want to make sure everyone's coming to the movie and it's going to get a lot of satisfaction and have a lot of fun with what's being done with their favorite character in the movie, regardless of who it is. We work really hard to do a lot and do something special with characters who may only have limited screen time in the film."
Between the Russos' past work with ensemble casts and their knowledge of the Captain America world that they established in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it seems the many characters in Civil War are safe in their hands. Additionally, their awareness of the importance of these characters to many fans should offer viewers hope that although Civil War will feature a large number of heroes, their favorite will be portrayed well.
Of course, that's not to say every character in Civil War will receive a lot of screen time - given the ensemble cast that's nearly impossible to achieve without sacrificing the main conflict between Cap and Iron Man. Certainly, since it is, at its core, an installment in the Captain America series, it makes sense for that character to take up the majority of the film. But, given the consideration the Russos and the writers gave to the other characters, it seems likely the portrayals of Black Panther, Spider-Man, and the host of returning heroes will satisfy fans.


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and the world-famous northern Black Forest with its natural park and mundane Baden-Baden just around the corner.
The gastronomic culture of Baden, which splendidly competes with Alsatian and French cooking, as well as a wine that really fits the motto "smiled upon by the sun".
Why are we mentioning the gastronomic culture of Baden in this chapter entitled "Castles, palaces and other places to see"? Quite simple: Just look at the castles and magnificent buildings in Baden, and you will realize what all of them radiate – the pure joy of living. And when digging deeper into history, you will find out that many an electoral prince appreciated the art of eating and drinking as the highest of all arts.
"How did I get to bed last night?
Must have been a drunken flight!"
Mannheim, the "City of the Squares", with its castle (being the building with the highest number of windows in Europe after the Castle of Versailles), its water tower and Luisenpark; Dr. Carl Benz invented the automobile in Square T 6, which is a residential area today.
and finally Schwetzingen, its castle and the world-famous castle gardens, as well as the world's most delicious asparagus (it must have been invented here).


text:
Q: Обход символов в строке и последовательное удаление дубликатов Пытаюсь обойти строку и последовательно удалять дубликаты букв.
ABBACBAABCB-->AACBAABCB-->CBAABCB-->CBBCB-->CCB-->B

Идея в том, чтобы обходить символы в строке и удалять дубликаты внутри цикла do-while.
class Main {
    public static String list = "ABBACBAABCB";
    public static boolean notvalid = true;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        do {
            String r = Itterate(list);
            isvalid(r);
            //list = r does not work
        } while (notvalid);

    }

    public static String Itterate(String str) {
        for (int i = 1; i < list.length(); i = i + 1) {
            char Curr = list.charAt(i);
            char Prev = list.charAt(i - 1);
            if (Curr == Prev) {
                String results = str.substring(0, i - 1)
                        + str.substring(i, str.length());
                return results;
            }
        }
        return str;
    }

    public static void isvalid(String str) {
        for (int i = 1; i < str.length(); i = i + 1) {
            char curr = str.charAt(i);
            char prev = str.charAt(i - 1);
            if (curr == prev) {
                notvalid = true;
                return;
            }
        }
        notvalid = false;
        return;
    }
}

Понятно, что это не работает, это просто бесконечный цикл.
Из чего я сделал вывод, что нельзя выполнить list = results в java, так как string неизменяемы.
Как это можно сделать в Java?

A: А зачем так сложно? Может я чего-то не понял, но вроде это достаточно тривиальная задача и решается довольно просто:
public static String removeDuplicateSymbols(String phrase) {
    int length = 0;
    while (true) {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        char[] arr = phrase.toCharArray();
        for (int i = 0; i < arr.length - 1; i++) {
            if (arr[i] != arr[i + 1]) sb.append(arr[i]);
        }
        String result = sb.append(arr[arr.length - 1]).toString();
        if (result.length() == length) return result;
        length = result.length();
    }
}

A: Можно использовать regexp и один цикл do-while:
String str = "ABBACBAABCB";

do {
    System.out.println(str);
} while (!str.equals(str = str.replaceFirst("(.)\\1", "")));

Вывод:
ABBACBAABCB
AACBAABCB
CBAABCB
CBBCB
CCB
B

Подробно:

*

*regexp (.)\\1 - любой символ, за который следует такой же символ;

*str = str.replaceFirst(...) - последовательно удаяет дубликаты один за одним и заменяет текущую строку;

*!str.equals(...) - проверяет неравенство текущей строки самой себе, только без дубликатов.

A: Ваш алгоритм работает. Добавлена печать промежуточных результатов, раскомментировано присвоение list = r и исправлена ошибка в составлении новой строки (удалялся только один символ из пары):
6a7
>             System.out.println(list);
9c10
<             //list = r does not work
---
>             list = r;
11c12
<
---
>         System.out.println(list);
20c21
<                         + str.substring(i, str.length());
---
>                         + str.substring(i + 1, str.length());

Почему у вас не работало, я не понимаю. Могу только предположить что вы смотрели результаты в отладчике и куда-то не туда посмотрели. Всё работает как надо:

$ javac Main.java && java Main
ABBACBAABCB
AACBAABCB
CBAABCB
CBBCB
CCB
B

Хотя всё работает, есть вещи которые должны быть исправлены. Функция Itterate работает нормально только если её вызывать с аргументом list. В её теле перемешаны обращения к list и к str. Не следовало пользоваться глобальными переменными - в данном случае list.
Метод isvalid работает правильно, но использует глобальную переменную notvalid. Кроме того он не нужен. Функцию Itterate можно вызвать в цикле до тех пор пока длина строки сокращается.
Вот ваш код почищенный и отглаженный (в частности Itterate стала ReduceOnce):
class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Reduce("ABBACBAABCB");
    }

    public static String Reduce(String s) {
        for (; ; ) {
            System.out.println(s);
            String s2 = ReduceOnce(s);
            if (s2.length() == s.length()) {
                break;
            }
            s = s2;
        }
        return s;
    }

    public static String ReduceOnce(String s) {
        for (int i = 1; i < s.length(); ++i) {
            if (s.charAt(i - 1) == s.charAt(i)) {
                return s.substring(0, i - 1) + s.substring(i + 1, s.length());
            }
        }
        return s;
    }
}

Есть ещё одна вещь которую можно доработать - алгоритм. Текущее решение решение работает за время пропорциональное квадрату длины строки в худшем случае. А можно решить задачу за линейное время с помощью стека.
Символы строки накапливаются в стеке. Если следущий символ совпадает с вершиной стека, то вершина удаляется и символ тоже отбрасывается. Если совпадения нет, то символ добавляется в стек. По окончании цикла ответ в стеке:
import java.util.Stack;

class ReduceString {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(Reduce("ABBACBAABCB"));
    }

    public static String Reduce(String s) {
        Stack<Character> stack = new Stack<Character>();

        for (int i = 0; i < s.length(); ++i) {
            char c = s.charAt(i);
            if (!stack.empty() && stack.peek() == c) {
                stack.pop();
            } else {
                stack.push(c);
            }
        }

        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder(stack.size());
        for (char c : stack) {
            sb.append(c);
        }
        return sb.toString();
    }
}

Вот как выглядит обработка строки ABBACBAABCB с помощью стека:

[    ] <- A
[A   ] <- B
[AB  ] <- B
[A   ] <- A
[    ] <- C
[C   ] <- B
[CB  ] <- A
[CBA ] <- A
[CB  ] <- B
[C   ] <- C
[    ] <- B
[B   ]