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On tour: screamy noisy punks HANAKO!
HANAKO by Agata Hudomięt
One year since the release their latest tasty LP "Powiedz mi, że to przetrwasz" ("Tell you'll live through this"), Warsaw based noisy punks HANAKO are in their mid-way of current European tour, and we took this chance to eagerly encourage you to give this still fresh offering a listen and, drop by for a show if you're near Enschede, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, or Leipzig, and learn more about the story of a young, passionate band from the capital of Poland. Loads of other bands recommendations included. Go for it!
Hanako is a Warsaw band whose work combines influences of noise rock, screamo, post-hardcore and indie rock. The band is named after the elephant, who died in 2016 after years of suffering, left on a tiny concrete catwalk. Despite the appeals of several hundred thousand people, the authorities of the Tokyo Zoo refused to move her to the sanctuary for the last years of her life. In the band's lyrics, the tragedies of the world around us, from elephant history through exploitation and social injustice to global warming, are intertwined with personal tragedies, a sense of frustration, emptiness, loneliness and burnout.
"Powiedz mi, że to przetrwasz" is available now through Trzy Szóstki, DIY Koło Records, Extinction Records and Ten Moment.
powiedz mi, że to przetrwasz by hanako
Words by Mateusz Romanowski:
Our band was formed in 2016 by me, Bibi, Oles (from we watch clouds) and Yurii (from Bastard Disco). At that time we used to spend a lot of time together – mainly by going to gigs etc. Our idea was to play music that included screaming vocals as my main inspirations were ihatesex and La Luna. But my roots are rather in indie rock and noise rock, so from the beginning it was clear that we won't be playing 'pure' screamo. With that lineup we played some gigs and recorded two EP-s (the first one, 's-t', was published by Emocat Records and LE BLAST Records on tapes). In 2017 due the lack of time and some vision-related differences Yurii and Oles left the band. Since then we play in our current lineup. In the past I was in a band called This Modern Cults with Paweł Kowalewicz. We played only one show, but I love him as a friend and drummer, so the choice was simple. I didn't have a clue, who could play bass, but then I saw the first show of Krzysztof Sarosiek's band called Zwidy and I was impressed with his skills. Both of them knew and liked Hanako before, so they said "yes". Our first track was 'Mars' published by Marderschaden DIY on a split with Кальк, Jigglypuff and Diarrhea Disco. For two years we were playing gigs and writing songs for our LP. It was finally recorded in during the summer of 2018 and in February 2019 it was released by Trzy Szóstki on CD and later on LP by Trzy Szóstki, DIY Koło Records, Extincion Records and Wydawnictwo Ten Moment. Last year we went on a two week tour in Poland, Germany and Denmark and played a few weekend-shows (with Neighbours Burning Neighbours and August Landmesser) and single gigs. We're glad that we can express ourselves in hc/punk shows as well as more indie oriented events.
The most important people behind our story are Łukasz Ciszak (who recorded and produced all our published material), Michał Pielak (who let us use his photos on all of our covers), Maciek Misiewicz (who published our LP, did our tour posters and the cover for his limited LP edition), Kuba Kunysz (who booked an amazing Czech tour for us), Fillip and Anna from Кальк, Adrian from Chuck Bass, people from Neighbours Burning Neighbours (who invited us to our upcoming tour), Agata Hudomięt (who shot our industrial photo session) and all the labels mentioned above and last but not least: Kat Górzyńska, Łukasz Trzaskowski and Robert (from Protein and Easy, and the creator of Idealny Moment zine) – our most lovely and always ready-to-go-on-tour drivers. But we meet new amazing people all the time at our shows.
HANAKO tour, by Maciek Misiewicz
As I mentioned earlier 'Powiedz mi, że to przetrwasz' was recorded and produced by Łukasz Ciszak, who's known or unknown as an amazing producer and musician (Guiding Lights, ex- Test Prints and solo stuff) and mastered by Haldor Grunberg (Satanic Audio). The material was recorded at Hanako's and Guding Lights' rehearsal rooms at Studio Wieloślad in Warsaw. We were preparing for the recording process for a long time, so I can't really recall any funny or exciting situations connected to that. But high five for Grzegorz Wiernicki (Wild Books, Wiry, Wow) and Grzegorz Zieliński (The Spouds, Spirits Of The Air) for letting us use some extra guitars and amps for the recordings.
HANAKO by Michał Urbańczyk
Track by track commentary:
Sierść:
Working title: Hot Cross. One of the songs that we worked on for quite a long time because of that irregular rhythm at the end.
Duszność:
Working title: The Hidden Life Of Trees. This is the oldest one. I wrote it before we even started to play in the current lineup. I was strongly influenced by IDLES 'Brutalism' then. Lyrics are about the alienation at the working place, but using plants as the metaphor.
Plankton:
Bibi's lyrics are about destruction of the environment. It's probably the only song, that I recorded, that could fit into Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack. Also, one of my favorites.
Echo:
My lyrics for this track are the dark paraphrase of two famous Polish songs, 'Przemoknięte Serca Miast' by Edyta Bartosiewicz and 'Kroplą Deszczu' by Gabriel Fleszar. By the way, I strongly recommend early records of Edyta Bartosiewicz – they have a really cool Afghan Whigs' vibe.
Wstręt:
The lyrics for this track are inspired by the story of Ewa Hołuszko, an activist of Solidarność – the famous Polish workers union. In 2014 her house was attacked by transphobes and nationalists. It was the first single of our LP. We published it few days after Paweł Adamowicz, liberal president of Gdańsk was killed during a Polish charity action, WOŚP. Also, last year a trans man called Milo Mazurkiewicz killed himself, because he could no longer stand the hate towards LGBT community in the Polish society. It's a nightmare, but there are some parts of Poland that are called "anti-LGBT territories".
Drzazgi:
It's just a song about loneliness. Can't tell much more. In some of my lyrics I like to show, how I feel by showing pictures open for many kinds of interpretation.
Kurz:
This track is about the feeling of hopelessness. We wanted to make the end of this track as massive as possible. I recorded 3 tracks of vocals and 4 tracks of guitars. I wanted to achieve a mantra-like effect, where every second is more intense than the previous one.
Przetrwasz:
I wrote the lyrics to this song at a very hard period of my life, when some of my relationships were put to a test. This is a song about feeling so much mess, that all you can expect is the end of your personal world. This song was my wish to survive for everyone, who struggled.
Nikt:
In the beginning some of us didn't want to play this song, because first riff sounds a bit too close to my other band, The Spouds (fun fact: the working title was Spouds-metal), but finally it was saved by Paweł's blasts. This song is about feeling lost and guilty.
Other projects feat. members of HANAKO:
Mateusz: The Spouds, ⅔ soli // past bands: Melisa, Brooks Was Here, Sklepy Cynamonowe, Sing Nie Zagra W Kazachstanie, Lora Lie and more. Bibi: Deadly Firend, Bibi & The Wave, Evvolves // past bands: Sting Nie Zagra W Kazachstanie, Nevada. Paweł: Spirits Of The Air, Native Lungs // past bands: Karate Free Stylers. Krzysztof: Zwidy, Future
Apart from music Krzysztof books shows as Undertone Bookings and writes about music for the Undertone blog. Paweł and Krzysztof are also members of the SAD Sessions team, that releases live band recordings. All of us are also involved in an initiative called Noise For Refugees, that helps sufferers of the refugees crisis.
Warsaw alt punk and rock scene:
Is hard to answer this question. We play with very different bands. Some say, that we sound like a band that's hardcore punk and indie at the same time, and we're ok with this definition. From my point of view the turnout at gigs is much better, than a few years ago. On the other hand, the older I am, the less I know what the 'scene' really is. I think that it's a social construct to judge if people are cool enough to be or not to be a part of the 'scene'. I am loosing too much energy on judging myself, so I'm not really into judging anyone else. As far as I'm concerned – as long as you try to be a good person, you can be a part of the 'scene'. When we do some gigs with Noise For Refugees, bands playing various kinds of music share the same stage to do something good.
I see that some indie acts like Krzysiek's Zwidy, Syndrom Paryski or daysdaysdays have got quite good audience without any major label or media support. I think it's cool. I see a lot of loss in their lyrics, but a lot of distance at the same time. A lot of one-liners that you can post on Instagram. There is a bunch of interesting labels, independent radio auditions and promoters. When you're interested in any kind of music you have a lot of options to discover new, interesting stuff.
HANAKO in 2020:
We're playing 9 shows in Poland, Czech Republic, Germany and Netherlands on our current tour. We're super excited, because we love playing live, meeting new people and meeting old friends again.
Couple rehearsals ago we started to work on a new material, but it's on a really early stage, we have 2 new songs and 2 sketches at the moment. Some of these new songs I composed and sent to the rest of the band in May of 2019, but they evolved since then as when we arrange it with the whole band there are always some new ideas.
We try new things. In music and in vocals. Don't know yet what will happen, but I expect that our second LP will have much more colours and emotions.
Other artists worth a check:
My top favourites of the last couple of weeks are:
drasa – Open Your Hand – Beautiful, experimental ambient album. I was listening to it a lot, while I read 'A Little Life' by Hanya Yanagihara. It was the perfect soundtrack.
Open Your Hand by dråsa
Joseph Shabason – Anne EP
Anne, EP by Joseph Shabason
Obest – Paradise
Wacław Zimpel – Massive Oscillations
Massive Oscillations by Waclaw Zimpel
Lafemmebear – Blaq: The Story of Me
blaq: the story of me by Lafemmebear
Destroyer – How We Met
Have We Met by Destroyer
I would also like to recommend 'Podium Nie Ma' by our rehearsal room mates from daysdaysdays and a single called 'Zima', written by amazingly talented young musicians from Zawody. But I listen to a lot of music and each week this list could look different. Recently I also saw an amazing group from Canada called Deliluh. If you have an opportunity to go to their gig, do it.
podium nie ma by daysdaysdays
zimą by zawody
Beneath The Floors by Deliluh
Related Items:DIY Koło Records, exclusive, Extinction Records, hanako, hardcore, hardcore punk, noise, post hardcore, screamo, track by track, trzy szóstki
Space alt rockers VAST ROBOT ARMIES return with new album; premiere new single
Punk rock dads THE ADOLESCENTS touring Europe this Summer


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The UA's Dustin Williams at the Olympic Games in London in 2012 (Photo courtesy of Dustin Williams)
UA Athletic Trainer Achieves His Own Olympic Dream
Dustin Williams will serve as the head athletic trainer for the U.S. track and field team in Rio de Janeiro in August.
Doug Carroll
University Relations – Communications
Several Wildcats have secured — or are contending for — spots at the Rio Olympics and Paralympics. Click here for more on some of them, or go to Arizona Athletics' Olympic site.
The U.S. contingent in London included Williams, distance runner Bernard Lagat (center) and UA coach James Li. (Photo courtesy of Dustin Williams)
Dustin Williams speaks the universal language of athletes.
It's not just that he has completed 10 marathons and a triathlon, nor that he is married to Jill Camarena-Williams, who has a chance to make this year's U.S. Olympic track and field team. It's not even that he has been around the world, having worked events in Berlin, Beijing, South Korea, Poland and other far-off locations.
It's this: He knows what the demands of long-term training involve for athletes, because he has made that kind of all-in investment in his own career. You have to love it, or else you couldn't do it.
"The drive and the passion they have, they put everything into it," says Williams, an associate athletic trainer at the University of Arizona since 2011. "They sacrifice everything. I enjoy being a little piece of that puzzle. The gratitude they give back makes my job worth it."
An athlete's diligence and perseverance has brought Williams, 38, to what is arguably the grandest stage in all of sports: the Olympic Games, which will begin in a little more than a month in Rio de Janeiro. He will serve as the head athletic trainer for the U.S. track and field team, the largest contingent of American athletes with about 130 men and women.
His appointment was made official in the spring by the U.S. Olympic Committee, and this weekend he will be in Eugene, Oregon, for the start of the Olympic Trials, the 10-day competition that decides who will be on the U.S. team in Brazil. His wife, whose Olympic bid in 2012 was hampered by injury, will compete in Eugene in the shot put.
Williams, who came to the UA after five years as an athletic trainer at Brigham Young University, has worked his way up the ranks, handling a variety of international assignments over the past several years. Those have been in addition to his regular job as head trainer for the UA cross country and track and field teams.
Although his expenses will be covered by the USOC at the Trials and the Games, Williams won't be paid — and it's that way for everyone on the U.S. medical staff of 13, which includes trainers, physicians, massage therapists, chiropractors and psychologists.
"When the Games start, it's put your head down and go," he says of the long days and nights that await the staff.
Williams worked the London Olympic Games in 2012, and that experience has helped prepare him for Rio. In London, he already was being groomed by Jack Ransone, his predecessor as head athletic trainer, to take over.
"I saw early during national team events that Dustin possessed a caring spirit and a personality that easily engages athletes," says Ransone, now director of the Nebraska Athletic Performance Laboratory at the University of Nebraska. "Those attributes, as well as his broad clinical skill set, made him seamlessly transition into a leadership role within USA Track and Field."
Although the stage won't be too big for Williams, he knows his role in the cast.
"This gives me an opportunity to represent the University of Arizona, to take my skill set (to Rio) and be able to help. I'm excited about it," he says.
"I won't be on TV, and I'm OK with that. I'm a behind-the-scenes kind of guy."
From Long Jump to Lab, Chemical Engineering Student Makes Great Strides
Regents Approve Contract Extension for Arizona Athletics Director
Golf Is Newest Adaptive Athletics Sport at UA

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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1886 Storm
Indianola Historical Marker
Historical marker dedicated to the city of Indianola, Texas.
Located near the La Salle Monument on the western
shore of Matagorda Bay.
Marker Inscription
Many currents of the the mainstream of Texas history flow in this onetime port. Pineda explored the coast in 1519 and La Salle planted a settlement near here in 1685. Once an indian trading point it was a major seaport from 1844 to 1875. Texas colonists, including Germans led by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels entered through Indianola. "Forty-niners", supplies for frontier forts and experimental Army camels were landed here.
During the Civil War Indianola and Fort Esperanza which controlled the gateway to Indianola through Pass Cavallo were objectives of Federal blockading vessels. Pass Cavallo ten miles south was one of several entrances to the inside waterway created by Matagorda Peninsula and the offshore islands extending to the Rio Grande. To deny Confederate use of this waterway for commerce through Mexico the Federals had to seize control of these entrances.
Before Confederate defenses at Fort Esperanza were completed two Federal steamers slipped through Pass Cavallo to Indianola and on October 31, 1862 demanded the surrender of Lavaca (now Port Lavaca) to the northwest. the Confederate command refused , stood off the naval guns with land batteries and forced the withdrawal of the Federal ships.
Federal forces attacked Fort Esperanza November 22, 1863. the Confederates withstood the assault of naval and land forces for six days then spiked their guns, destroyed their magazines, and withdrew to the mainland. Indianola then fell December 23. On Christmas Eve Federal and Confederate forces clashed at Norris Bridge eight miles north. Two days later Lavaca was occupied and the entire Matagorda-Lavaca Bay area remained in Federal control until the war's end.
Indianola was partially destroyed by a hurricane in 1875 and completely destroyed by another in 1886.
Home | Destinations


The event ©2011 represents a copyright assertion associated with the intellectual property of resources found in University of Oklahoma Libraries.
101 Ways to Save Money on Your Tax -- Legally!
Making Banks Safer : Can Volcker and Vickers Do it?
Methodologies of Legal Research : Which Kind of Method for What Kind of Discipline?
Naturalisation : A Passport for the Better Integration of Immigrants?
New Fostering Standards, Regulations And Statutory Guidance (England) : What's New? What's Changed?


Super Punch: "In his spare time, he recovers stolen cars in Anchorage"
"In his spare time, he recovers stolen cars in Anchorage"
By now, the dispatchers and officers — even the chief of police — know him simply as Floyd. By his own tally, he has found and helped return about 75 vehicles so far this year. The authorities in Anchorage say they have not tracked the number of people, like Floyd, who have taken on roles as self-appointed spotters, watchers, trackers or all-around crime fighters, but that they are numerous. Frustration has fueled their energy, and social media has given them tools to coordinate efforts.


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Q: How to prevent chrome from using up my memory and swap space on Linux? My laptop (running Xubuntu 16.04) is a few years old, on an i7-3635QM processor. 3-4 yr ago, it had only 4GB ram, and the chrome browser often completely used up the physical memory and started using swap space (4GB) - when this happens, the entire computer is extremely slow and almost hangs. I had to kill chrome to release all the memory, but the computer is barely responding when it is on swap space.
So, I upgraded it to 16GB memory many years ago, this happened less frequently, but still, for a couple of times in a month, I still occasionally ran into this situation.
At work, I have a Xubuntu desktop running on 32 GB ram, I open as many, if not more, tabs on that desktop, but I rarely see total memory consumption from chrome to exceed 50% of the total memory, and almost never forced the system to use swap.
It feels quite strange that there is such a different behavior for a 16GB vs 32GB. The only thing I can think of is the laptop has an earlier CPU (i7-3635QM) vs the desktop (i7-7700k), but the OS versions and kernel versions are the same.
Does anyone know how to prevent chrome from throwing my system from using swap? I tried to tune the swappiness of the kernel but there was no noticeable change.
thanks

A: On Linux you can use Control Groups to limit either CPU or Memory. In your case you can do (adjust the size accordingly):
cgcreate -g memory:chrome
echo 500M > /sys/fs/cgroup/memory/chrome/memory.limit_in_bytes

And then run chrome like this:
cgexec -g memory:chrome  /usr/bin/google-chrome-stable %U

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


If you love movies, you're in luck this weekend. The 9th Breaking Down Barriers International Film Festival begins Friday and runs through Monday. The festival showcases films – feature films, short-form films, documentaries, animated and children's films, and children's films – about people with disabilities. The films are sometimes deeply moving, sometimes hilariously funny, but always fascinating, illuminating, and thought-provoking.
Altogether almost 80 films from 30 countries will be shown at three venues – the Almaz Cinema, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Multi-Media Art Museum – with the closing ceremony to be held at the Hall of Church Councils of the Christ the Savior Cathedral on Sunday evening.
All the venues are, of course, barrier-free. All the films will be shown in the original language with subtitles (most of the Russian films are also sub-titled in English).
There will also be a great number of workshops and a special children's program on Saturday with films and entertainment for little guests, so that parents or guardians can enjoy some quiet time in the theater.
Best of all – there will be nearly a dozen filmmakers at the festival to talk with audiences after their films are shown. Don't miss "Mind Over Matter," a film by director Sebastian Paquet about Brandon Mendenhall, who was born with cerebral palsy but taught himself guitar and formed a wildly successful band. Both the director and main character will be in town to talk about the film.
Another not-to-miss film is the award-winning Irish film "Sanctuary" about love between a young man with Down Syndrome and a young woman with severe epilepsy. Director Len Collin will talk about the film and answer questions.
All the films with guest filmmakers will be shown a few times at various venues, so be sure to check the schedule, here in English, to find a screening that suits.
Entrance is free but you have to register online ahead of time here.
For more information about the films, schedule, venues and film festival, see the site.


Starý zámok castle (Old Castle) is considered a "stone chronicle of the town". Its walls are the gate to the oldest secrets of Štiavnica. Long ago it used to be a church, but it was transformed into a fortress during the period of Turkish thread. It is a place of the exhibition about the oldest region's history called "Miners Are Coming", the exhibition of shooting targets, smithery, the famous pipe workshop or the exhibition of Baroque sculpture and Calvary in Asylum. The copies of the paintings from the altar of a mysterious Master M.S. are exhibited in the sacristy. The tower also offers an attractive view and some exemplars of historical clockwork. You can taste the atmosphere of a medieval dungeon in the tower of Himmelreich.
For many centuries people used to meditate as well as decide the fate of the town behind the stone walls of Old Caste. It is a magic place. Its history goes as far back as the 13th century when the Church of Saint Mary (three-aisled basilica with a square presbytery) was built on the spur of the Paradajs hill together with a cemetery.
In the 15th century the Church and the cemetery were surrounded by a wall and in 1540's it was transformed into a fortress protecting people against Turks. This was the place of protection when the enemies were beating at the door. The vault of the main nave was later demolished and the parvis was created.
Buttresses, the spiral staircase and consoles are the proof of a Gothic reconstruction. Originally Gothic castle tower with an underpass is a dominant feature of the castle. Its today's appearance is Baroque – as a result of the reconstruction carried out in 1777, when it was transformed into a bell tower.
The Chapel of St. Michal is also very interesting. The part above ground was called "karnárium" (carnarium) and the part underground – "ossarium" (ossuary). Ossuary was a storage place for non-rotten bones found when digging new graves.
Remains of the wall-paintings come from the 14th century.


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Tag Archives: schools
Bodger at 10:03 am November 12, 2019
File photo of worker at Western Building Systems' site
Emma O'Kelly reports on RTÉ:
Overall €40 million has been spent by the State so far on remediation works in dozens of schools [built by Co Tyrone-based company Western Building Systems] where fire safety breaches and structural defects were discovered, RTÉ News has learned.
The figure is expected to be contained in an update that the Minister for Education Joe McHugh is expected to give to the Cabinet at its weekly meeting later this morning.
…However, the €40m bill will rise over this year and next. Work on structural repairs to eight more schools is due to begin in the New Year. Plans are being drawn up for repairs to a further 17 schools, where work is expected to begin next summer.
Eamon Melia tweetz:
The Govt have spent €40 million on repairs to new schools built by Western Building systems yet still awarding state contracts to that company. Something not right here.
€40m spent by State on school building remediation works (RTÉ)
Previously: Western Building Systems on Broadsheet
Posted in Misc and tagged schools, Western Building Systems, €40m at 10:03 am on November 12, 2019 by Bodger.
The 39 Schools
Bodger at 11:18 am August 15, 2019
Engineers have identified structural flaws in 17 school buildings that will require temporary works to be carried out in coming weeks in order to ensure that they are safe for pupils and staff to return to in September.
The 17 schools are in addition to 22 others where defects discovered last year required precautionary measures, such as scaffolding and protective fencing, to be put in place.
Two of the 17 schools newly identified with structural defects were built just last year, while several others were completed as recently as 2017 and 2016.
17 additional schools found with structural defects (RTÉ)
Rollingnews
Posted in Misc and tagged Building defects, schools at 11:18 am on August 15, 2019 by Bodger.
Meanwhile, In Mullingar
Bodger at 10:46 am July 11, 2019
A sign (above) erected last night at the building site for the new Holy Family National School
Ardmore Road, Mullingar, County Westmeath.
Holy Family NS Action Group writes:
After it was announced last month that the completion of the new Holy Family (Curraghmore) National School has been pushed back AGAIN to October 2019 (the 9th revision date in the last 5 years) we are taking action to ensure the newest date is met this time.
We have had excuse after excuse and we don't know what the issue is that is causing such delays so we now just want to highlight the issue and put the pressure on to get the school delivered.
The site is not being resourced adequately and it looks unlikely that the new October 2019 date will be met now either.
The building was originally supposed to be ready around September 2015/2016. It is a 12 month contract.
Since then, 287 students are in inadequate prefab buildings on an overcrowded site. 46 of the new junior infants this year will begin their school experience off site.
This includes 24 ASD /Special Needs students who are among the most vulnerable in society.
Holy Family NS Action Group
Posted in Misc and tagged delays, Mullingar, schools at 10:46 am on July 11, 2019 by Bodger.
A Yellow Divestment
Bodger at 3:17 pm April 10, 2019
Further to ongoing scaremongering in Catholic schools in north Dublin.
Emer O'Toole, in The Guardian, writes:
Incomprehensibly, the state all but handed over administration of the divestment process to the church.
The result? Catholic schools denied parents any objective information on alternative patrons, then warned them that if they voted for divestment there would be no opportunity to reconsider once they learned details of the proposed replacement.
Who in their right mind would vote for change under those circumstances?
Not only would divestment protect the rights of Ireland's non-Catholic children, who are currently excluded during religious instruction, and of non-Catholic teachers, who can be discriminated against in the hiring process,
it would also help to complete the separation of church and state. While over 90% of children undergo near mandatory Catholic faith formation in state schools, the church simply has too much power in the Irish Republic.
Why do state schools continue to teach Irish children to respect the moral authority of the Catholic church, when most Irish adults, aware of the lessons of the Ryan report, the Ferns report, the Cloyne report and too many others, know that such respect is dangerous and misplaced?
Why do we continue to show children that it is normal for the church to play a privileged part in public life, when generations have lived the tragic effects of such indoctrination?
If we continue to keep children ignorant of any religious belief but Catholicism, and teach them that children of other faiths are deviations from the norm, will we act surprised when these seeds grow into intolerance and division in our newly diverse Ireland?
And will we continue to ignore the misogyny and homophobia of the Catholic church, and to pretend that this has no effect on the children in its schools?
Ireland's attempts to secularise its schools have turned to farce (Emer O'Toole, The Guardian)
Previously: Hello Diversity, Goodbye Grandparents
Pic: RTÉ
Thanks Bebe
Posted in Misc and tagged Catholic Church, Divestment, schools at 3:17 pm on April 10, 2019 by Bodger.
'They Would Come To School Hungry'
Principal Mary Mother of Hope Senior School in Littlepace, Dublin 15, Enda McGorman
On RTE's Today with Sean O'Rourke.
Journalist Evelyn O'Rourke reported on homeless children who go to school hungry because the breakfast area at their place of accommodation isn't open in time for them to eat before leaving for school.
[The most recent Department of Housing figures show that, as of the final week in September, 3,829 children were living in staying in State-funded emergency accommodation across the country]
Ms O'Rourke visited the Mary Mother of Hope Senior School in Littlepace, Dublin 15, and met the school's principal Enda McGorman who is also a member of the Irish Primary Principals' Network.
Mr McGorman told Ms O'Rourke:
"It's a growing concern for me and school principals…One area that we're really, really worried about is the effect that homelessness and the homeless crisis is having on children in school. The immediate effects that it's having on school children, it's really alarming and it's at a basic level.
"One family that we're trying to support – their B&B was in town. So to get transport out here, the children had to be on a bus so early that the breakfast bar wasn't open for them. So they would come to school hungry.
"…And I think one of the other issues for us, it's so silent, maybe not always here until kids maybe are already homeless and already in a place that they can't back to school to and then we see absenteeism or we see lateness and we start to query it, where parents are either through fear or shame, forget or don't wish to share it with us.
"I'm just thinking in the last month, I've written three letters for families to say 'I know this family, they're a good solid family, please afford them the opportunity to rent your house'.
"Because they'll go to view a house and there could be 100 families waiting ahead of them. So you never thought you'd be doing that as a school principal, to try and support people who you've known and whose children you've known…these are some of the realities that we're dealing with that we never thought we'd be dealing with.
"Another concern we have is homework. And 'how can I do my homework if I'm lying on the floor?'. One of the families that we're supporting were living in one of these, it wouldn't be quite a hotel standard, but it was surrounded by roundabouts, on the periphery of a motorway and even accessing it, getting in and getting out of there, there's no public transport.
"So the family were literally trapped there. There's no way those children were going to get to our school. And no prospect of them leaving it either."
Mr McGorman also said he has often been approached by parents who go to him for help after they've received eviction letters.
Listen back in full here
Pic: Vimeo
Posted in Misc and tagged children, Homelessness, principal Enda McGorman, RTE, schools at 11:36 am on November 22, 2018 by Bodger.
The School Run
Bodger at 4:28 pm November 1, 2018
Ciaran Tierney writes;
Rush hour in Galway yesterday morning. Funny how the traffic gridlock just seems to 'evaporate' when the schools are closed …
Posted in Misc and tagged Rush Hour, schools at 4:28 pm on November 1, 2018 by Bodger.
Admin at 11:54 am March 21, 2017
Johnstone Weetabix tweetz:
The Irish Catholic is now just trolling itself.
Previously: An Bhfuil Thetan Agat?
Now For The Scientology Bit
Posted in Misc and tagged cult, schools, Scientology, The Irish Catholic at 11:54 am on March 21, 2017 by Admin.
'You Have No Idea Of The Numbers Who Might Wish To Come Forward And Say 'I Was Sexually Abused"
Admin at 1:57 pm October 26, 2016
This afternoon.
During Leaders's Questions.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin raised what he called a "legacy issue which reflects all parties who've have been in Government over the last number of years" and that he wasn't raising it as a mean to score political points.
The issue is how the State has dealt with child sex abuse in national schools in Ireland up to and since Louise O'Keeffe's successful case in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2014.
Mr Martin said the State's response to the ECHR judgement has been "a significant failure and leaves a lot to be desired".
From Leaders' Questions:
Micheál Martin: "The State that introduced an ex-gratia payment scheme, in many respects the limits were too low; but also the prior complaint expedient that was put in, has effectively debarred a lot from seeking justice. Only seven settlements so far have been reached out of about 210 cases and those cases are still going through the courts."
"I recently met a victim of, who has been involved in this situation for quite some time, of horrific abuse, at the hands of a Christian Brother in a school. The person who abused was subsequently convicted, okay, so there's no doubt about the issue. And I think he was convicted of other abuse cases as well. And there are quite a number of other victims out there at the moment, Taoiseach. Now this man went through horrific abuse, has been up and down through the courts and religious orders and has received absolutely no compensation, not a cent, nothing from the State. And, recently, in the High Court, because many of these people discontinued their cases when the Supreme Court ruled that the State didn't have an obligation, the High Court would not uphold the rights now to pursue it in law and, indeed, Judge Barrett made such a ruling. But he also said in his statement that 'The Irish people…', and I quote, this is at the end of the court case, the High Court: '…with their great and proper sense of justice may well conclude to the path of rightness in this matter should lead ultimately into a different end'. He added: 'as an Irishman, I would respectfully agree'. Essentially, Taoiseach what has been going on has been quite, in my view, unacceptable."
Enda Kenny: "I don't know how many victims of sexual abuse there are in the, there have been over the years in the primary system, no more than the secondary system I assume. We have the, we had the redress scheme, we had the case of all the Magdalenes – not that there was sexual abuse in the vast majority of cases. There is the mother and baby home report coming before the Minister for Children as well which we'll have to see what that means. I can't recall all the details of, of the file in this case. Your question is can something be done about this. I've no idea of the scale of what might be involved here. But I need to read the detail of the file and the legal outcomes here. People who are abused have to live with that for all of their lives and it's a horrific issue to have to contend with, every waking moment. Now, I don't want to go beyond that because to come into something that I haven't the full facts and details about, it wouldn't be appropriate on the floor of the Dáil here…
Kenny: "Yeah, you see, you mention that there are 7 out of 210 that have been settled – that's 210 that are before the courts now. But, you have no idea of the numbers who might wish to come forward and say 'I was sexually abused in school X or Y by teacher or person X or Y. You have no idea of the scale of that. And, and, I think in the process, when the State dealt with the Louise O'Keeffe case, on the 28th of January, 2014, that judgement was issued and the State awarded made awards both in respect of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages and costs and expenses. They also agreed in December of that year that out-of-court settlements would be offered to those extant cases of school child sexual abuse being brought against the State – where the cases came within the terms of the ECHR judgement and satisfied the statute of limitations. And in that regard the State claims agency could manage such cases on behalf of the State, has made settlement offers which have been accepted, as you say, in six cases. In July 2015, the Government approved proposals to offer ex-gratia payments of up to a maximum of €84,000 to those who initiated legal proceedings in such cases agains the State but who subsequently discontinued their claims against the State and where, similarly, the circumstances of the claims came within the terms of the ECHR judgement and where the claims were not statute barred prior to the proceedings being discontinued. I'll follow through on the question."
There you go now.
Previously: Grooming A Nation
Posted in Misc and tagged Enda Kenny, Louise O'Keeffe, Micheál Martin, schools, sexual abuse at 1:57 pm on October 26, 2016 by Admin.
'We Want Catholic Schools To Be Really Catholic'
Admin at 12:29 pm June 8, 2016
From top: Patrick Treacy and April Duff
Further to new proposals that would entail the Deaprtment of Education 'encouraging' the Catholic Church to transfer patronage of primary schools.
Patrick Treacy SC, of new lobby group 'Faith in our Schools' and April Duff, chairperson of Education Equality, spoke to Seán O'Rourke on RTÉ Radio One this morning.
Mr Treacy, who runs a 'domestic centre of Christian spiritually' called Integritas, in Stoneyford, Co. Kilkenny, argued that he actually wanted more divestment.
Patrick Treacy: "We're in favour of divestment because we want Catholic schools to be really Catholic, and Protestant schools to be really Protestant. And what we believe is that when parents start to see Catholic schools and Protestant schools really living out the Christian philosophy and understanding…"
Seán O'Rourke: "And are there Protestants in your group?"
Treacy: "Well, for instance, my wife is Protestant and just to say this, I have four children. And my three sons are Catholic and my daughter is Protestant and we send all of our four children to an Educate Together school and we actually live through the very thing that April is talking about and it's an absolute superb school in Kilkenny. But the problem is, we know from experience that what April is actually suggesting doesn't work, it doesn't work. Because what Catholic schools need to learn from Educate Together, which is a huge gift, that Educate Together give is that they really show you the importance of parental involvement. That's what we've got to bring in, in particular to Catholic schooling. We've got to move away from this mentality that the parent is left outside the school gate. The parent has got to come right into the school but the problem is, is that we need Catholic and Protestant schools to permeate the ethos throughout the invisible pedagogy, so to speak, throughout the entire working day, or sorry, the entire school day, I should say."
O'Rourke: "What do you say that to that, April?"
April Duff: "I think the main point to make is that we don't live in an ideal world. And, even if we did, we couldn't have a Muslim school and a Hindu school and a Jewish school and a Scientology school in every single area where there is one child. So this idea that you have a right to be educated in accordance with a particular religious belief and for that to be the only, the only ethos that's within that school, just isn't sustainable because you can't have that for every single religious belief and every…"
O'Rourke: "So on the basis of that logic then, there should be no schools based on any particular ethos, except where there's a sufficient population to allow for one for everybody in the audience, as it were."
Duff: "No the school should cater for everybody. I mean, remember, the purpose of schools is to educate. We're talking about education here. These aren't religious institutions, they're educational institutions, they're institutions to educate people. Remember, those schools are paid for by the taxes, sorry, by the taxpayer and people – atheist parents, Muslim parents and Catholic parents – all pay the same taxes. So the schools simply have to accommodate everybody and have to respect religious freedom of everyone. And the current system simply does not respect religious freedom. Because, first of all, you're penalised in accessing school because, if the school is oversubscribed, you won't get in unless you have a baptismal cert or if you don't belong to the right religion. So you're penalised for the exercise of your religious right at that point and then, once you're in the school, you don't have a right to continue your religious belief without another…"
O'Rourke: "OK.."
Duff: "…religion being imposed on you."
O'Rourke: "Brief response to that, Patrick Treacy."
Treacy: "Well just to say, unfortunately, there's been a gross exaggeration of the position in relation to the baptism requirement. The actual position there is that only 1.6% of Catholic primary schools have an oversubscription problem – 3.69% in Dublin. That's the first thing, the second…"
O'Rourke: "But it doesn't get away from her substantial point that she makes about what the children are subjected to, if you like – and I know that's probably a loaded phrase – in the course of the school day."
Treacy: "Well can I just say this, let's just be clear about one thing we can all agree on too. The word education comes from the Latin 'edu cara'. It means to 'lead out'. Now you either accept that your child is a spiritual being or that your child is not a spiritual being. The vast, vast, vast majority of parents believe that their child is spiritual, all right? So if you want to create a schooling system that denies the spiritual basis of the child, that in my view is not education."
The debate followed an interview on RTÉ Radio One's Morning Ireland with Education Minister Richard Bruton.
Mr Bruton spoke about the Government's plans to transfer patronage of primary schools from the Catholic church.
During the interview, presenter Gavin Jennings reminded Mr Bruton that there are more than 3,000 primary schools in Ireland and 90% of them are still run by the Catholic church.
Mr Bruton said:
"We are committed to trebling the rate at which there is new options emerging, with a target of 400 schools which would be, you know, multi-denominational, over the next 15 years. So that would be trebling the rate at which we develop new options for people."
Mr Jennings also asked Mr Bruton how many Catholic primary schools had been divested so far. Mr Bruton said 11 while Mr Jennings said some reports claim that the figure is just two.
In addition Mr Jennings asked Mr Bruton if schools will continue to be allowed to prioritise pupils on the basis of their religion.
Mr Bruton replied:
"The provision in the existing bill, there's a lot of valuable things there and I think it's very important to say what's in it. It provides that there must be a written policy, it provides that children with special needs cannot be discriminated against, it provides that parents must, you know, be consulted in respect of any changes in that policy. Parents must have an opportunity to review, there can't be discrimination in different areas."
"Now the issue of whether an oversubscribed school, that is a religious ethos, can, if you like, choose a child of a religious background over those of a non-religious background, that is a thorny issue which the last committee recognised, raised, you know, difficult Constitutional issues."
"And I will have to sit down with colleagues in the Oireachtas to discuss how we handle that because we don't have a majority. There will be different views on how to handle this and indeed whether it can be done within the Constitution. But that will be something that I will sit down and discuss with others in the Dáil so that we can have not just the good elements of the existing admissions bill but have a debate about that issue as well."
Listen back here
Posted in Misc and tagged April Duff, Divestment, Patrick Treacy, schools, Sean O'Rourke at 12:29 pm on June 8, 2016 by Admin.
Admin at 3:24 pm February 1, 2016
A short film from Equate Ireland ahead of the general election, as part of the group's Open The School Gates campaign.
"With a general election expected next month, a movement is underway in the rapidly changing nation to target another hurtful social condition by which non-Catholic children are legally denied seats at overcrowded state-financed primary schools, 97 percent of which are controlled by Catholic authorities."
"With schools allowed to give preference to Catholics, other families are forced to have their children baptized in the church, linger on school waiting lists or search for scarce alternatives. Only 74 of the nation's 3,200 primary schools are run by Educate Together, the main multidenominational alternative, whose Dublin schools are swamped with four applications for every available space."
"…Church officials are at odds, with some urging a slow evolution toward a more open-door policy in the schools. Clearly the current policy is at odds with a modern Ireland. The most encouraging force in the debate is the Irish public's realization that their nation can no longer afford shameful religious bias to remain in the law."
Intolerable Bias in Ireland's Schools (New York Times editorial, January 29, 2016)
Posted in Misc and tagged patronage, schools at 3:24 pm on February 1, 2016 by Admin.


We are ad creatives, producers, film-makers, academics, researchers, scientists, actors, directors, musicians. People who care about what's going on in the world around us.
We make and run awareness campaigns to deepen public understanding on issues that matter to people, but which government no longer seems concerned about.
Because we're in the public interest, we only use proven information from academic organisations. No false claims. No hidden agendas. The whole truth and nothing but the truth.


text:
State of the Education Beat
Nation's Education Reporters Confident They're Making a Difference
Learn about how we're organized, volunteer leadership, including our board of directors, committees and advisory boards
Learn about how we're organized, volunteer leadership, including our board of directors, committees and advisory boards
EWA's leadership, including its board of directors, committees and advisory boards
EWA Bylaws
EWA's governing document, detailing the operations and structure of our association
The Education Writers Association (EWA) is a nonprofit, professional organization of journalists and other writers who cover education. Established in 1947, today EWA has more than 3,000 members who participate in programs and services designed to improve their journalistic skills and their knowledge of the sector.
Leaders of the EWA Board of Directors and staff undertook a strategic planning process in Fall 2015 for a number of reasons, including:
Their existing, high-level plan had run its course.
They wanted to ensure that EWA remains relevant for its members, responds to the broadening universe of education news writers, and sustains its financial and organizational health.
They wanted to clarify who they serve, how they can better serve their key constituencies and how to keep the organization healthy and relevant.
They saw opportunities to better serve EWA members and the public at large.
They were excited about working closely together to develop a new plan to address the dramatic shifts in EWA's operating environment.
During the planning process, EWA's Board defined a new vision, mission and set of values for the organization. These foundational elements focus on the ability of effective education journalism to help improve education and create a more informed and participatory society. EWA's new five-year goals build on the success of current core programs and focus on deepening members' engagement, advocating for more education journalism, and diversifying income streams.
Together, these goals will enable EWA to advance its mission to "strengthen the community of education writers and improve the quality of education coverage to better inform the public."
Environment and Context
The planning process was informed by stakeholder interviews and surveys, trend analysis, and the State of the Education Beat (SOTB) report released in May 2016. Key information from those sources that underpin the new strategic plan include:
Stakeholders think EWA is doing an excellent job achieving its mission, delivering high-quality programs, impacting the field, and employing strong, talented staff.
EWA is well regarded for its success in creating a community. Stakeholders often cite EWA's convening function and its strong network of education journalists as a key strength.
EWA's membership has grown exponentially since 2010.
EWA has a solid financial cushion, with increasing net assets. It is well supported by an increasingly diverse funder base.
The changing media landscape represents a top challenge for EWA and its members.
Stakeholders believe the lack of investment in mainstream education journalism and the rise of the individual and the think tank journalist has led to a need to redefine/broaden EWA's constituency. The most common future opportunities discussed by stakeholders were expanding and diversifying the membership.
Young education journalists are confident about the field. SOTB reported that 79 percent of respondents say education is a career path they are committed to pursuing. Millennial education journalists have substantially higher confidence levels than their older peers, a finding that bodes well for the future of the field and the future of EWA.
Education-focused news staffs are largely holding steady. SOTB revealed a mixed picture when it comes to the size of news staffs in education-focused outlets. Although 32 percent of respondents said their education news staffs had declined over the past two years, 27 percent report growth and 41 percent say the size didn't change. Education-focused news outlets were more likely to indicate growth than general-interest media.
Setting Direction, 2016 and Beyond
Using the operating environment and current state as its guide, the Board established a fresh vision, an updated mission, and set of organizational values for EWA.
EWA's long-term vision is shaped by its collective belief that:
Excellent education journalism creates more informed citizens and leaders;
Informed citizens and leaders make better decisions about our country's education system;
Better decisions lead to improved student outcomes and a more inclusive, informed, participatory society.
EWA believes high-quality education journalism plays a key role in helping to improve education. Excellence in education journalism relies on strengthening the knowledge and skills of education writers, supporting them in their work, and raising the prominence of the education beat.
High-quality journalism creates a more informed and participatory public, which strengthens education for all.
EWA's mission is to strengthen the community of education writers and improve the quality of education coverage to better inform the public.
Organizational Values
EWA helps our members create the highest-quality coverage. This focus on quality is essential for the work to result in greater awareness and a more participatory public.
EWA builds community by fostering connections among professionals covering education and encourages them to learn together, share different perspectives, and maintain the highest standards of journalism.
EWA believes strongly in upholding professionalism in education journalism. This includes being fair, accurate, transparent, and independent in covering education issues.
EWA embraces and advocates for a diversity of education writers, a diversity of issues, and a diversity of perspectives. We continue to strive to serve an increasingly diverse and broad range of education content generators.
The Future: Ten Years Out
To launch the planning process, EWA Board members engaged in a creative visioning exercise in which they described the impact EWA could have by 2025. Ten years from now, they envisioned EWA as helping to inform a critical mass of high-quality journalism that acted as an "engine of improvement" for education. Journalism produced by EWA members was having a significant effect on the public because they were equipped with strong skills and a comprehensive body of information. Education decision-makers were more knowledgeable because they were armed with better data and information. Journalism influenced by EWA's programs was setting the national agenda. EWA was playing a role in increasing equity and inclusion. Its awards were highly sought after. Board members were excited by the idea that EWA's programs and members could not only help define the future of education journalism but also help improve education across the nation.
The Next Five Years: 2017 – 2021 Strategic Goals for EWA
The board and staff identified the following four strategic goals to move the organization toward the desired impacts envisioned by 2025. The goals are aligned with the new vision and mission statements, and informed by current internal and external conditions.
Over the next five years, EWA will:
Increase the skills and knowledge of members to cover the education beat effectively.
Attract new members and deepen membership engagement among key segments of education news content producers.
Advocate for the importance of education journalism and increase the prominence and visibility of effective, high-quality coverage.
Ensure organizational and financial health to sustain programs.
EWA Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan
In Fall 2015, Education Writers Association (EWA) undertook a strategic planning process to address the dramatic shifts in its operating environment. During that planning process, EWA's Board of Directors voted on a new vision, mission, and set of values for the organization.
EWA Event-Siting Guidelines (pdf)
EWA Fundraising Guidelines (pdf)
Finding the Details: How to Report on Seclusion and Restraint in Schools
News investigations put spotlight on troubling practices
January 16, 2020 By Mary Niederberger for EWA
When former WAMU education reporter Jenny Abamu first saw a seclusion room, she was shaken.
She described the spaces she viewed in Fairfax County, Virginia: rooms built within rooms with no windows or ventilation, and discolorations where students had defecated on the floor.
"Some of those kids were in that room over a hundred times in a school year," Abamu recalled. "People thought it was normal. I was scared. I thought, 'This is not normal.'"
Blog: Higher Ed Beat
How to Help First-Generation Students Persist Through College
Experts say assisting students takes a 'larger cultural shift'
January 14, 2020 Danielle Dreilinger
When Pete Gooden went to college, he had an all-too-common experience.
"As a first-generation student, I was just coasting through college, and I was just trying to navigate on my own without support," he said.
Eventually, he dropped out. After earning his degree at age 30, Gooden began working for KIPP Through College Chicago, where he's now the director—amazed to find a program that offered the help he once needed.
Will Betsy DeVos Outlast All of Trump's Cabinet Members?
Plus, what to watch for when presidential candidates talk education
January 14, 2020 Emily Richmond Subscribe to #ewaRADIO
February 7 will mark the three-year anniversary of Betsy DeVos' confirmation as the U.S. secretary of education. Few observers had bet she would stick around this long. But today, DeVos is one of the longest-serving members of President Trump's cabinet. Rebecca Klein of The Huffington Post recently talked with dozens of people about the education secretary's tenure, crafting an in-depth analysis of what motivates her decisions and keeps her on the job.
What Students of Color Need From Their Teachers
'Loving kids does not equal inclusivity,' educator says
January 14, 2020 By Caroline Bauman of Chalkbeat for EWA
In 1987, 13 percent of public school teachers were educators of color, according to national data. Three decades later, while the teacher workforce is more diverse, teachers are still mostly white. Meanwhile, more than half of the public school population today is students of color.
How to Write About Race Beyond Martin Luther King Jr. Day
These resources will help you address race responsibly in your coverage
January 9, 2020 Pressley Frevert
Race issues get special attention in the news on Martin Luther King Jr. Day or during Black History Month. But race plays a role in every story journalists cover: where people live and work, who their friends and neighbors are, and — especially — what schools they attend.


Pocket size horseshoe magnet - ideal for education, experiments and science projects.
25.4 x 28.5 x 8mm.
North and south poles on opposite silver-coloured ends.
The ever-popular iconic horseshoe magnet has been used for decades in the classroom and science lab to teach children about physics. These magnets are made from Alnico material which has the highest maximum operating temperature of any magnetic material, is mechanically very strong and also resistant to corrosion. This horseshoe magnet is small enough to fit in your pocket but will still lift an impressive 1.5kg. Each magnet is protected by a red and silver epoxy paint coating.


Published by Dabria Normanson, at Tuesday, November 13th , 2018 - 07:55:21 AM, in Home Exterior & Interior category.
Published by Jazlyn Vipond, at Tuesday, November 13th , 2018 - 04:58:43 AM, in Home Decorating Ideas category.
Published by Jazlyn Vipond, at Tuesday, November 13th , 2018 - 05:21:56 AM, in Home Creative category.
Published by Dabria Normanson, at Tuesday, November 13th , 2018 - 10:26:19 AM, in Home & House Design category.
Published by Slade Sackville, at Tuesday, November 13th , 2018 - 09:02:56 AM, in Home Creative category.
Published by Dabria Normanson, at Tuesday, November 13th , 2018 - 06:57:19 AM, in Home & House Design category.
Published by Slade Sackville, at Tuesday, November 13th , 2018 - 08:33:43 AM, in Home Decorating Ideas category.


text:
Malaysia: Malaysiakini should not be liable for users' comments
Posted on July 02, 2020 5 min read Share: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
ARTICLE 19 calls on the Federal Court of Malaysia to respect international freedom of expression standards on intermediary liability in the case against Malaysiakini, a leading Malaysian web-based news portal known for its impactful reporting on human rights issues.
If Malaysiakini is held liable for comments made by its users, this will have a serious chilling effect on freedom of expression and will greatly undermine news publishers' business models at a time when the news industry is struggling to survive. It can potentially lead to the complete shutdown of online comments, which would undoubtedly diminish online freedom of expression.
ARTICLE 19 repeats its call to end the ongoing harassment and legal attacks against Malaysiakini.
On 15 June, Attorney General Idrus Harun filed criminal contempt proceedings at Malaysia's Apex Court against Malaysiakini and its editor-in-chief, Steven Gan. The proceedings related to comments by readers on the Malaysiakini. The commenters expressed their dissenting views, disagreeing with the acquittal of previous chief ministers without trial and lamenting that the courts have become null. The Attorney General argued that the five comments implied that the country's courts had committed wrongdoing, were involved in corruption, failed to uphold justice, and had compromised their integrity. On 25 June, Malaysiakini applied to set aside the Federal Court ruling that granted leave to the Attorney General Idrus Harun to start proceedings against Malaysiakini.
Today, the Federal Court of Malaysia dismissed Malaysiakini's application to set aside the order, granting leave to initiate contempt proceedings by the Attorney General Idrus Harun. The Federal Court dismissal is a signal that Malaysia is taking a step backward in protecting and promoting freedom of expression. The Federal Court will hear the substantive contempt on the merits on 13 July. The court has specifically made an order to parties not to comment on the case to avoid sub-judice.
International freedom of expression standards and liability for third party comments
ARTICLE 19 notes that online comments by Internet users are an expression of debate on matters of public interest by the public itself rather than a form of journalism. The value of comment on online platforms, therefore, is that they enable and promote public debate in its purest form. Online news sites should be considered as hosts – rather than publishers – for the purposes of the comment sections on their website. As such, they should only be held liable for their users' comments if they have intervened in the content at issue.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression in his thematic report on the Internet (A/HRC/17/27) recommended that "censorship measures should never be delegated to private entities, and that no one should be held liable for content on the Internet of which they are not the author."
Problems with the Court's decision
ARTICLE 19 calls on the Federal Court to respect international freedom of expression standards in this area. Finding Malaysiakini liable for the comments of its users will have a chilling effect and restrict the free flow of information. If website owners and administrators can be criminally liable for the actions of Internet users, they might simply prevent users from posting comments on their website altogether, stifling the right to freedom of expression.
Further, the use of criminal contempt proceedings to prosecute the media for comments deemed critical of the judiciary infringes on the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by Article 10(1)(a) of Malaysia's Federal Constitution and by international human rights law. The Malaysian Bar and several former presidents of the Malaysian Bar have raised concerns with both the substance of the charges and the lack of procedural guarantees of fairness during the proceedings.
The Federal Court should drop the contempt proceedings against Malaysiakini unconditionally.
We also call on the Perikatan Nasional government to ensure that intermediaries enjoy full conditional liability. Further, the government must refrain from all further prosecutions of journalists for their reporting and the other ways of exercising their right to freedom of expression. ARTICLE 19 also calls on the Malaysian government to immediately undertake a comprehensive programme of legislative reform to bring all laws in line with its obligations.
Nalini Elumalai, Malaysia Program Officer at ARTICLE 19, +601136535927.
Censorship Digital rights Media Freedom


If you've been following this blog for long, you may know of my love of roses.
Roses on plates, roses on pillows, even roses on tole trays!
I mean, is there any thing more beautiful than a bouquet of roses?
If you are a romantic like me, you will agree!
So, when these linen pillows came up for sale on OKL, I bought them without hesitation.
I had no idea where I would put them. I just knew that a fabric this beautiful depicting cabbage roses would be too hard for me to pass up.
But wait, didn't I go through this rose phase already?
Well, guess what? I think this rose phase is coming back. And I think design is heading again in that direction. Have you noticed more florals lately in design magazines, fabrics and fashion? I have.
We used to call it the English Country look. Remember?
Romantic decor with floral fabrics and rugs. With fresh picked cabbage roses straight from the cottage garden.
Yes, I think us romantics have always loved this look, and after several years of scratchy burlap and simple linen, a soft floral here and there is a welcome surprise. Again!
Yesterday while shopping with my daughter Ashley, we noticed lots of cabbage roses on clothing.
There is definitely a romantic vibe going on in fashion too!
A sure clue that cabbage roses are a design trend that is still here and not going anywhere!
Which brings me to the word, "timeless."
And that makes me a very happy girl!
I think roses are always in style, and those pants..well. I saw on tv that large floral pants are big this year. All I can say is "not on my hips". They'd be really cute on you though.
We just planted 4 new rose bushes last weekend and I can't wait for them to bloom. I was never much of a rose girl and now I love them and can't get enough of them!
I love roses too. I love them in soft shades on pillows, and plates, and paintings etc. All of these pictures here are so lovely!
Roses could NEVER EVER go out of fashion or trend! "We WON'T LET IT"!!! Those jeans are adorable, Hmmm, I think I would wear those! I definitely know that we can NEVER HAVE enough roses surrounding us...I just did a few posts on that very subject!
Oh my gosh I love, love roses...in anything, anywhere!!!
Love them both as a flower and as design inspiration....to me its such a timeless classic. Never will go out of style. SO pretty!
And to Rindy above, those roses are Iceberg roses and they are the best!
I think either you are a floral gal or you are not. I have to have flowers in my home in boquets and artwork. I don't wear florals, but they are really big this season and seeing the jeans reminded me of a pair I had in the late 80s. that old saying what goes around come around.
I am with you, my dear, soft and romantic...a good thing. I had that bark cloth faded pillow you have. I am afraid it is one of those things that was lost in the frenzy of the move to FL. Wish I had it now.
Always have had a love affair for cabbage roses - on anything. But I swear I had those jeans about maybe 15 + years ago. Even if I had of kept them they would not fit. Everything seems to come full circle!
Love those floral pants but to look good in them, one must have a tiny figure like Ashley..who can look good in ANYTHING!
Your roses looks magnificent, real and linen!!
Beautiful post! Can you share the name of the charming china pattern?
I'm a hopeless romantic...like you, I love roses! Cabbage or any variety will do here on the Prairie!
Yes, those white roses are Iceberg roses. They are the best. Disease resistant and prolific bloomers. I have them in bush form and standard (topiary) form.
I'm happy to see cabbage roses anytime on anything! I agree, they never go out of style. Thanks for sharing yours!
Well I'm with you! I love roses too. They are my favorite. No other flower makes me as happy to be around them.
Love all the roses! I think the cabbage rose jeans are so cute! Roses never go out of style.
The china pattern is by Royal Doulton, Pomeroy pattern.
Thank you! It's absolutely beautiful!


02/22/08 | Vida Preciosa International, Inc.
The following quotes were taken off the message boards I take no credit whatsoever, but they sure made yesterday a little more enjoyable!
"A new method of the death penalty. Instead of lethal injection.........lethal constriction. It'll save money and we won't have to dispose of the body!!"
"The idiot 'scientists' who have nothing important to do are playing with numbers in a little computer simulation and predicting what will happen 92 years from now."
"These are just college lifers who don't have real lives but want their 15 seconds of fame. Any idiot can extrapolate numbers out 100, 1000, 10,000 years and just create more nonsense to talk about."
"Any mathematical model is only as accurate as its assumptions and these assumptions of what will change between now and 2100 are far beyond the realm of reasonable prediction. It is complete stupid to even talk about it."
"The people who are making these predictions are stupid. The reporter who wrote this article is even more stupid, and the people reading it who believe it represents anything close to 'future reality' is the most stupid of all. I just thought you all would like to know."
"Snakes. Next they'll be finding them on a plane."
"Cool! I might have to find one for myself. I have a ball python now, who not get another python."
"This is a pretty stupid alarmist story."
"Our USF&W are uneducated on the topic of non-native reptiles and some of this is backed up from zoologists and zoological institutions that want to keep exotics out of the hands of "common" people. The worst part about this is, most of the responsible keepers know more than the zoos do about some of these potentially threatened and protected species. Without private keepers, we would not have many of these animals we have in some zoos."
"When will our government wise up? We elect these men and women to "represent" us citizens. Instead they make more and more useless laws that keep us from our freedoms and "persuit of happiness". This newspaper is not helping the situation. These animals actually do play an important roll not only in education, but in freedom. This all boils down to control by fear. As long as our government can strike more fear about something that will never happen, they will get support from the uneducated masses. This is a 911 tactic at its best."
"The ignorant person does not know any better. The stupid person just does not care. Be informed not stupid."
"I am releasing seven baby tigers around the Houston area sometime next week. I guess that with the current global warming trend, the U.S. will have more tigers than Asia and Africa combined."
I wonder how much taxpayer money funded these researchers?
And I quote "an area that expands when scientists use global warming models for 2100"
"Lets try an experiment. Why don't we back the computer model up to 1965 & see what we get as an out put for todays weather. Bet it's not even close."
"What a scam..... Watch your wallets, the carbon offset tax man commeth."
"They couldn't figure out how to get the rest of your money & they think this has a shot!"
"Isn't Obama debating this one soon?"
"Snakes........why did it have to be snakes"
"Come on is this really that big of news, there SNAKES. There not that dangerous but I know that when that idiot gets too drunk passes out in the woods and gets killed by one it will become a national crisis. I think there is more pressing matters on hand. Lets start with curing AIDS and work our way down to the snakes."
" This has been the most fun post i've seen in awhile. Thank you all!
And THANKS USAToday, for printing such a stupid article. Good to know that any news story is news to you."
"I have enough to worry about right now without worrying about Pythons taking over the US, thank you."
"Don't worry Yanks. Bush will protect you... by invading Burma."
"Soooo, if I'm reading this right, they are pretty much contained to Florida until global warming allows them to move north, right? They used predicted climate in 92 years given global warming models? I haven't seen any model even close to right in predicting weather trends more than a few days - now we jump to 92 years. That's good science right there. And we're basing that on 100 years worth of surface temperature, most of which was written down with a pencil looking at a thermometer - no varience there. Stats are great aren't they? They'll provide what ever prediction you want."
"Wow...I feel robbed for having wasted 5 minutes to read this article."
"No...Congress would rather fix baseball."
"And I thought I only needed to worry about terrorists, skyrocketing fuel prices, and stagflation! Now I can't even go hiking without worrying about pythons!"
"Global warming. I was OK with rising oceans, extinction of species, crop destruction and starvation, disease, and the possible annihilation of the human race."
did I hear somebody say Al Gore wrote this article?"
"Now in Theaters "Snakes on a Political Platform"


If you're a Seahawks fan, your head didn't spend much time upright on Monday. Your eyes were glued to your phone from sunup until the clock struck midnight.
The stress typically associated with April 15 was secondary. There was only one real concern: Would Russell Wilson and the Seahawks work out a long-term extension?
Even without the details, that was music to anyone who bleeds blue and green. But with details? It became Beethoven.
Despite all the theatrics that came with this Wilson-imposed tax-day deadline, the Seahawks hammered out a reasonable contract. They locked up one of the best quarterbacks in the league for the next five years without sacrificing their ability to build around him.
Yes, with his four-year, $140 million extension, Wilson will become the highest-paid player in NFL history. But given his résumé and value to his team, a higher number wouldn't have been out of the question.
The 110.9 passer rating Wilson recorded last year was the best in his already storied career. And though Seattle returned to its run-first philosophy, Wilson still tallied a career-high 35 touchdown passes.
The Seahawks' options were abundant as to how they wanted to handle their quarterback's future. But the message Tuesday was clear: This guy is our franchise, and we're not going to mess with that.
If the Seahawks wanted to, they could have retained Wilson for a decent price over the next three years without committing to him long-term. His initial contract doesn't expire until the end of next season, and the team could have used the franchise tag to keep him for about $30 million in 2020 and for about $36 million in 2021.
Given that Wilson is a 30-year-old known for his mobility, this would have seemed like a reasonable financial tactic. But given that Wilson is also the most valuable player to ever wear a Seahawks jersey, satisfying his long-term desires seems like the smartest play.
The truth is, if you have an elite quarterback, your team always has a chance in the NFL. The Seahawks proved as much in 2018, when they won 10 games and made the playoffs despite almost completely overhauling their historically dominant defense.
And now, barring injury, they'll have an elite quarterback for the next five years. If you're a fan, you take that deal every time.
That doesn't mean there isn't doubt as to whether there's enough money to make Seattle a consistent Super Bowl contender. As has been noted many times by now, none of the six highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL made the playoffs last year.
But that was also a statistical rarity. And though teams have won Super Bowls without a great quarterback (see: Broncos, 2015), successful franchises almost always have a marquee signal caller.
Had these negotiations dragged on beyond this year, the Seahawks likely would have had to fork over a lot more dough to keep Wilson. The salary cap goes up every year, and if Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has another MVP-like season in 2019, he'll likely sign an extension paying him more than $40 million a year.
Wilson's camp could have used that number as leverage for a bigger deal, but it never got to that point. Crazy as this may sound, Seattle got a $140 million bargain.
Questions still linger as to what the Seahawks will do with other premium players. Five-time Pro Bowl linebacker Bobby Wagner is in line for an extension this offseason, and defensive end Frank Clark is lobbying for a megadeal himself.
They didn't. They couldn't have. They kept their prized QB happy.
No doubt Wilson feels good right now, but the Seahawks brass should, too.


HOUSTON -- Indianapolis Colts' Pro Bowl corner Vontae Davis has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Houston Texans with what an NFL source described as a "coaching decision."
The Colts' official announcement said Davis did not travel with the team to Houston and said his absence is not injury related. Davis was not listed on the team's injury report this week with any sort of injury, though he did take a customary "rest" day on Wednesday.
The Colts later clarified Davis was not missing the game because any kind of personal matter, but it did not offer any specific explanation.
Some reports Saturday afternoon said Davis' absence is related to a lingering groin issue that has plagued Davis since the preseason, but Davis' presence in practice all week would make that a surprising explanation. Davis said this week he would be able to push through despite not being 100 percent healed.
With rookie Quincy Wilson already ruled out with a knee injury, the Colts will turn to Pierre Desir as the starter at right cornerback, according to a separate source.
Davis was hurt and missed three weeks to open the season and has struggled to regain his form since returning to the lineup. last month.
With his contract expiring at the end of this season, Davis is scheduled to become a free agent in March.


cool fashion jewelry which includes necklace, anklets, bracelets and many more creative items.
♣ Detail of contest: This contest is open for all. It will be conducted in our facebook fan page : www.facebook.com/myfashionvilla . Interested candidates have to submit the photograph of the Jewelry which is made by themselves.
2) Post the photograph of best jewelry made by you.
3) Ask your friends to join our facebook page and vote/comment on your design.
♣ Duration: This contest will start from 24th July, so contestants are requested to submit their designs before the last date which is 14th August.
♣ How will we decide winners? : The design which get maximum comments in our facebook fan page will be announced as winner.
2) With the submission please mention your name, profession, design theme and tools which you have used.
3) If we find that design which you have submitted is not made by you, we will reject your entry.
1) Winners will be highlighted in our site as Handmade Jewelry designer of the month.
2) We will promote their art by posting their work profile and images.
3) We will also highlight your video so as to explore your art and youtube channel in international platform.


Thunder Creek Falls is, in my opinion, the best waterfall to visit on the road between Wanaka and the West Coast. It's also one of the most accessible large waterfalls in New Zealand (although you can only see it from across the river) — the viewing platform / river's edge is just a two minute walk from the main road.
Thunder Creek Falls is the ultimate lazy person's waterfall as there is no long, uphill hike to get there (as is often the case in New Zealand). At 28 metres, it's one of the largest waterfall in the area. It crashes down a forested hill into a small pool, which you can't really get to as it's on the other side of a swift river. They really need to build a bridge over there – but I guess the lack of access keeps it kind of unspoilt.
It's a pretty awesome sight though. It can get quite busy but you can generally get an unobstructed view. As with the other waterfalls in the area, part of Thunder Creek Falls' appeal is the bright blue / green river flowing in front of it — rivers don't get much more exotic than this!
You can walk down to the edge of the water for a different angle, or to escape the crowds. Sandflies are an issue in this region so try and get some insect repellent beforehand and cover up if you can.
Thunder Creek Falls is located on the road between Wanaka and Haast, around an hours' drive from Wanaka. It's just after the Blue Pools and Fantail Falls, both of which you should definitely visit. Further down the road is Roaring Billy Falls, another stunning waterfall near Haast.
READ MORE: I wrote a post on my other blog about the drive from Wanaka to Haast – check it out!
Did you enjoy our post about Thunder Creek Falls? Share it with your friends using the buttons below!


I love the name of this book!!! Brilliant title. I have just read this and am so excited to read this book to my daughter who has been waking up lately with bad dreams. This book seems to have lots of useful tools that my daughter will relate too. I can't wait to read this to my her tonight.
As a doctor I am always searching for child friendly ways to help children deal with their fears and anxiety .This book does exactly this in a clear ,easy to relate to manner.An excellent resource for parents , teachers , psychologists and doctors.


A large proportion of the collections in the State Library are held in storage areas.
Request materials from other libraries if titles you are looking for are not held in our collection.
Many items from the State Library collection are available for loan to library members.


Tis the season to be jolly… but with all that jolliness can come a lot of bloating, indigestion and hangovers. There's no getting away from it – rich Christmas food and drink may look and taste wonderful but it doesn't always sit that well with our digestive systems. So how can we make sure that we enjoy a merry, but healthy, Christmas?
Making sure that you eat a proper breakfast is the best way to start your Christmas morning, according to Sarah Green, Registered Nutritional Therapist and Vice Chair of BANT (www.BANT.org.uk). "Studies show people who eat a decent breakfast tend to eat fewer calories in a day without even trying," says Sarah. "A good breakfast including some protein (nuts, seeds, eggs, fish or meat) and fat (avocados, nuts, seeds or salmon) within an hour of getting up will help to keep your energy levels up and reduce cravings." Sarah suggests adding nuts, seeds and some fresh fruit to a whole oat porridge or even to improve your regular cereal or having mashed avocado on toast topped with a poached, scrambled or boiled egg. Be sure to avoid fruit juice though – a 250ml glass of orange juice has around six teaspoons of sugar – about the same as a glass of coke.
Whether you enjoy long walks in nature, hot yoga or a bath, take time out to connect with your body, slow down and let go of stress. Our fast-paced lifestyle does not support healthy liver function.
Try to avoid unhealthy packaged foods if you can, and aim for a diet that is rich in broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, green cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, artichoke and beetroot. These liver-friendly foods help support the body's natural detoxification methods and are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Consider using a 30-day liver detox supplement that contains hepatoprotective herbs and amino acids in one formula, and does not require you to change your diet or lifestyle. Helping protect the liver and supporting the liver's detoxification pathways and during the festive season can help the liver cope better. A sluggish or stressed liver can lead to symptoms of fatigue, digestive issues, headaches, acne and skin issues.


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Q: Processing pgSQL query results in batches I've written the rake task to perform a postgreSQL query. The task returns an object of class Result.
Here's my task:
task export_products: :environment do
  results = execute "SELECT smth IN somewhere"
    if results.present?
      results
    else
      nil
    end
end

def execute sql
  ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute sql
end

My further plan is to split the output in batches and save these batches one by one into a .csv file.
Here I get stuck. I cannot imagine how to call find_in_batches method of ActiveRecord::Batches module for PG::Result.
How should I proceed?
Edit: I have a legacy sql query to a legacy database

A: If you look at how find_in_batches is implemented, you'll see that the algorithm is essentially:

*

*Force the query to be ordered by the primary key.

*Add a LIMIT clause to the query to match the batch size.

*Execute the modified query from (2) to get a batch.

*Do whatever needs to be done with the batch.

*If the batch is smaller than the batch size, then the unlimited query has been exhausted so we're done.

*Get the maximum primary query value (last_max) from the batch you get in (3).

*Add primary_key_column > last_max to the query from (2)'s WHERE clause, run the query again, and go to step (4).

Pretty straight forward and could be implemented with something like this:
def in_batches_of(batch_size)
  last_max = 0 # This should be safe for any normal integer primary key.
  query = %Q{
    select whatever
    from table
    where what_you_have_now
      and primary_key_column > %{last_max}
    order by primary_key_column
    limit #{batch_size}
  }

  results = execute(query % { last_max: last_max }).to_a
  while(results.any?)
    yield results
    break if(results.length < batch_size)
    last_max = results.last['primary_key_column']
    results = execute(query % { last_max: last_max }).to_a
  end
end

in_batches_of(1000) do |batch|
  # Do whatever needs to be done with the `batch` array here
end

Where, of course, primary_key_column and friends have been replaced with real values.
If you don't have a primary key in your query then you can use some other column that sorts nicely and is unique enough for your needs. You could also use an OFFSET clause instead of the primary key but that can get expensive with large result sets.


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Teyana Taylor To Release Unfiltered Documentary 'Teyana Taylor's House of Petunia'
D' Shonda Brown
Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty
Boss Black woman, fitness queen and R&B songstress Teyana Taylor is no stranger to the screen. We've seen her from the age of fifteen on My Super Sweet 16 to her own reality show, Teyana & Iman, on VH1. All of which gave us an inside look into her personal life as a mom, wife and an entrepreneur. This time, Teyana has partnered with Red Bull Music to give fans an all-exclusive peek into her preparation for her dream set at Red Bull Music Festival New York.
With the House of Petunia trailer officially out in the world, this Assembly Required segment commercial gives us a 60-second taste of what to expect from the full-length feature to be released on February 20th on YouTube and Red Bull TV. As she takes over her hometown of New York City, Red Bull Music shines a light on Teyana Taylor's work ethic, grind and resilience to put together an avant-garde spectacular for the world's eyes to behold.
Teyana Taylor Shows Off Her Adorable Daughters Junie And Rue Rose During Family 'Date Night'
Tips To Winterize Your Hair, By Celebrity Hairstylist Cynthia Meadows
"It's all of my visions being brought to life," shared Teyana at a promo event for the upcoming documentary. "It feels really good to have the opportunity to have my dream show." This film gives us the inside scoop from beginning to end as we follow the young, talented creative mold her vision from the audition process to the main stage on opening night.
Teyana is ready to show us all the blood, sweat, tears and long nights it takes to put together a stellar production with moving parts in place. House of Petunia will be kicking off Red Bull Music's new Assembly Required series, which allows viewers to travel through the journey of an artist putting together an unforgettable live performance.
Make sure to check out the official trailer Teyana Taylor's House of Petunia on YouTube and Red Bull TV now.
Assembly Required: Teyana Taylor's House of Petunia will be available to watch and embed in full on YouTube and Red Bull TV on February 20.
Teyana Taylor Becomes A Brand Ambassador For Pretty Little Thing
15 Times She Gave Us Androgynous & Glamour Girl Realness
20 Times Teyana Taylor Gave Us Both Androgynous & Glamour Girl Looks


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Home » Stories » Against All Odds, Doron Followed the Words of the Bible and Replanted in the Hot Desert
Against All Odds, Doron Followed the Words of the Bible and Replanted in the Hot Desert
PrevPreviousAncient Temple Grapes Found!
NextHappy New Year to the Trees!Next
Doron Alush arrived at a barren, desert landscape. We know from the Bible that dates were once a prominent fruit in the Holy Land, as it says,
"Jericho, the city of date-trees"
(2 Chronicles Chapter 28:15),
but for centuries, the land lay fruitless, without any dates at all. When the Jews returned to Israel in the 20th century, they brought date seeds with them and began planting the Biblical fruit in its homeland.
Doron was born and raised in France in a traditional household. At around age 16, he began searching for his identity, trying to figure out what to do with his life. He realized that being a Jew is more important than being French and he began pursuing his Jewish identity. At this time, he went to study bio-technology, and with degree-in-hand, he made aliya and moved to the Holy Land at age 21.
Doron Alush with his wife and 8 children
For one year, Doron lived and studied in Kibbutz S'de Eliyahu, where he did research in his field. Then, in 1999, he moved to Mevo'ot Jericho – a research facility for agriculture, which would later grow into a settlement town. In 1999 though, it was just Doron with three other young scientists, Doron being the manager of the facility. The heat was nearly unbearable, with temperatures regularly reaching over 42 degrees Celsius (107.5 degrees Fahrenheit).
Soon after moving to Mevo'ot Jericho, Doron met his wife. Mevo'ot Jericho was not somewhere she ever expected to live, but he convinced her to join him there in 1999, and they have lived there ever since. Together they have 8 children, and the community has grown to over 40 families. Four years after moving to Mevo'ot Jericho, it received town status and no longer functioned as a research facility. Instead of returning to work in labs, Doron and his wife decided to begin growing dates. They slowly learned how to grow dates and over the last few years they opened their land and facilities to tourism. People come from all over to see their date trees, and attend their workshops that show how they produce silan (date honey). They sell dates and silan, and Doron's most recent project is making date beer! Their facility is called Kesem HaTamar – the magic of the Date. What they have seen happen before their eyes truly has been magic.
Doron's Date Farm
Doron feels that it is a great privilege to live here and work the Land of Israel. For thousands of years, our ancestors prayed to return to the Holy Land, a land that they could not even imagine, a land they had never even seen a picture of. Today, it might be easy to take it for granted that the Jewish people are free to visit and live in Israel. Doron feels connected to the generations who yearned to return to the Land of Israel and sees himself as their messenger. He lives in the heart of the ancient city of Jericho, the very first city that Joshua conquered upon entering the Land of Israel. Doron lives near an ancient synagogue with a 1,500-year-old Mosaic and knows that the Jewish people have finally come home. In their daily life, Doron and his family are busy with the same mundane things as everyone else – household chores, bills to pay, work to do,
but every so often, they look around and realize how lucky they are to be growing a Biblical fruit in the Land of Israel.
Harvesting the dates from Doron's date trees in Jericho
When the Jews went into exile, so did the dates. Upon returning to the Land, the Jewish people brought date seeds with them and planted them here. With the return of the Jews, the dates flourished, and Israel's medjool dates are the star of the market. Israel's surrounding Arab neighbors grow the exact same dates in the exact same conditions, but none are anywhere near the size and quality of Israel's dates, particularly the ones grown in Mevo'ot Jericho. The average medjool date can measure up to five centimeters and can weigh up to 35 grams, but Doron found record-breaking dates growing on his trees, as large as seven centimeters and weighing 52 grams!
"Is this a special agricultural trick?" we asked Doron.
He simply answered, "This is the blessing from G-d, as it says in the Bible, 'Jericho, the city of date-trees.'"
(2 Chronicles Chapter 28:15)
Logically, after generations of growing dates, the nearby Arabic countries should have the most perfect dates in the world – but the dates of Mevo'ot Jericho grown by the Alush family are simply the best in the world because they are grown in the Biblical "city of date-trees."


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text:
Upen Patel rehearsing despite Injures for Nach Baliye 7
By Kritika Kapoor
Mumbai: Upen Patel, who has made it to the finale of the popular dance reality show Nach Baliye 7, along with his ladylove Karishma Tanna, has been the most popular and consistent contestant in the show.
Upen, who's garnering good numbers in the show, was recently injured while rehearsing for his act on the sets of the dance show. While rehearsing for one particular dance form recently, Upen got his lower back injured and he is in pain. The actor, who enjoys dancing, has been rehearsing for long hours to put up a spectacular dance act for the finale.
A source says, "The long hours of rehearsals and stress could be one of the major reasons for his injury. Upen is a thorough professional and understands the importance of winning the dance reality show. He's leaving no stone unturned for the finale," the source adds.
Confirming the same, Upen says, "I've always tried to raise the bar with each performance and push my limits. But unfortunately I was injured very badly in sixth week and I've only made it worse and now my lower back hurts but I can't let my fans and the audience down. I will find a way to overcome this and give my best."
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Here's why Upen Patel left a film trial without watching the movie!
Angad Hasija goes bold!
Interview: "I am really happy to know Mahima is happy," says Roopal Tyagi