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Transformation Moment
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Archived Website 2010
Let them eat what?
By Alan Simpson | November 5, 2020 | 0
Governments fall more often from let-downs than lock-downs. That's why Marcus Rashford's 'end child food-poverty' campaign has thrown British politics into a tiz. Who would have thought a young, black footballer would provide the leadership politics seems to lack.
Although Rashford consistently says "This is not about politics: it is about humanity," everyone understands the umbilical links.
Knee-deep in the middle of the Covid pandemic, Rashford's 'free school-meals' campaign stepped in to confront another pandemic; child food-poverty in Britain. Boris Johnson's government may have spurned the call to extend free school-meals vouchers to Spring 2021, but the issue is anything but dead. If anything, it opened up a chasm between the government and the people.
Rashford's charity appeal has already raised over £30 million in cash, and unquantifiable amounts in kind. Shops, cafes and companies have piled in with food donations. Household offers to deliver hot food pour in to local food charities. Football fans boycott 'pay per view' charges to watch matches on TV, sending the money they save to his food poverty campaign. Football clubs have matched the amounts raised by players and fans, playing their own part in a national 'feed the kids' campaign.
Against all this, the government's response looks pitiful. Claims that the (temporary) increase in Universal Credit covers the food-poverty gap are met with scepticism or derision. Claims that it's an issue best left to local authorities are equally derided; knowing that local Councils are struggling with massive underfunding. Tory MPs in marginal seats know they are no longer walking a tightrope but walking the plank.
Backed by an array of supermarkets, companies, charities and communities, Rashford's Taskforce picked up on 3 basic demands set out in the (government commissioned) National Food Strategy Review –
Expand free school meals to every child from a household on Universal Credit or equivalent, reaching an additional 1.5m children aged seven to 16
Expand existing school holiday food and activities programmes to support all children on free school meals in all areas of England, instead of the current 50,000 children that are helped, and
Increase the value of the Healthy Start vouchers – which help parents with children under the age of four and pregnant women buy some basic foods – from £3.10 to £4.25 per week, and expand it to all those on Universal Credit or equivalent, reaching an additional 290,000 people.
This is the scale of intervention needed by the 2.4 million children currently living in food poverty. But it doesn't stop with the kids.
Patrolling the pandemic
The Covid furore in parliament always revolves around lockdown periods, with only a limited grasp of wider issues. Without doubt, getting the 'R' rate of re-infection below 1 is a critical part of Covid containment. Without doubt, hygiene standards and safe separation distances are important too. Without doubt, a vaccine (at some stage) will make a big difference. But Britain is one of the few countries in Europe where the use of simpler dietary and nutritional measures doesn't even get into the debate; and never beyond the level of government 'advice'.
In Spain, researchers identified that 82% of Covid patients admitted to one of their hospitals had really low levels of vitamin D. Elsewhere – in Finland, Sweden, Australia, the US and Canada – it is standard practice to add nutritional supplements to bread, milk and orange juice to boost immune systems. In Scotland, vitamin D supplements are about to be offered to everyone in vulnerable group categories. Researchers at London's Queen Mary's Hospital are now following 5,000 households through the winter to see if vitamin D supplements can boost resistance to Covid-19, or at least its severity. Other research has flagged up the importance of zinc and vitamin C to our immune systems.
I'm not citing this as an alternative or panacea, merely as an example of how the Johnson government is happy to throw vast amounts of money at the pharmaceutical industry (and to private PPE or 'test and trace'/'trick or treat' contractors), but not into the nation's nutritional health.
The government, and Public Health England, both know that over 50% of the UK population is vitamin D deficient. Both recommend we take supplements over the winter months. But for over a decade, both have resisted statutory fortification of basic foods to make good these deficiencies. How quickly we forget our own past.
My post-war childhood was 'blessed' by the public provision of orange juice, free school milk, rose hip syrup and (less ecstatically) cod liver oil. Prior to that, abjectly poor standards of nutritional health had forced the British government to mandate the inclusion of iron, calcium and B vitamins in what became known as 'the national loaf'. In Chinese medicine, trainee doctors are told at the start of their studies… "Food is our first medicine." In a food-poor and nutritionally deficient Britain, it is a lesson that party politics completely ignores, if only because the rich are largely unaffected.
Junketing and junk eating
When I first entered Parliament, my first lesson in food politics came from Dennis Skinner MP. I didn't understand the erratic basis on which some of parliament's Division votes got called. Many of these seemed to be triggered by Skinner himself. When I asked for an explanation, Dennis told me to sit in the lower corridor from 6.30pm that evening and just watch.
I did as instructed, feeling like the factory apprentice who'd been sent to the stores to ask for a tin of striped paint or a long weight/wait. But sure enough, within 15 minutes the Division bell rang and mayhem broke out on the Lower Corridor. Inside the adjacent Members Dining Rooms, plates would clatter, cutlery collide, and (posh) Members voices rise in anger. MPs emerged from their private dinners, furious about the disruption, when no vote had been expected. Most openly complained "I'll bet its that bloody Skinner!"
I raced upstairs to the Chamber, still no wiser about the vote, only for Skinner to say "Don't worry, kid. Sit thy'sen down. Tha'll see soon enough." On cue, Conservative MPs, many in tuxedos, poured into the Chamber demanding to know what Skinner was playing at? Why had he so rudely interrupted their evening meals? Denis remained unfazed. "I 'ope tha 'ain't bolted thy food, lads," he'd say. "For if ye' do, ye could get an ulcer. An' an ulcer could burst. Then ye'd 'ave t'be rushed t'hospital. Ye might even die … An' then we could have a by-election t'get rid of another of you bastards.'
Dennis wasn't known for his subtleties, but he was clear about his politics. Disrupting the comfortable private dinners of Tory MPs was a minor reprisal against a lifetime of disrupted meal times amongst the poor. Their problem was not Division bells but the absence of food on the table.
Little has changed. Johnson's privately educated cabal live lives untouched by the poverty and insecurity they create amongst 'the lower orders'. We're lucky Marcus Rashford recalls so much of his own childhood hunger. We're lucky he has a platform to challenge it. But we have to update our own understanding of the fundamental problems that now link food poverty, nutritional wellbeing and climate security.
A different hunger
It should be mandatory for all politicians (and the public) to begin by watching the documentary 'Kiss the Ground', narrated by Woody Harrelson. In the most miserable of lockdown days, it lifts your spirits; making the connections between what we eat, how we farm, and the fastest/most effective ways of taking carbon out of the atmosphere. The answer that ties all 3 together lies in the latest, un-patented, whiz-bang technology … soil.
'Kiss the Ground' throws its arms around the notion of 'regenerative farming'. Not only is this the fastest way of taking carbon out of the atmosphere but it is what would reconnect us to nature; turning our backs on the agri-business lobby; rejecting the chemical depletion of our soils, rivers and aquifers; and adopting no-til, sustainable farming practices.
It offers an approach to food security well understood by Slow Food movements in Europe and North America and by the Slow Towns who embrace its thinking. British farmers too are heading in this direction. But all throw their hands up in horror at a government that will not put nutritional and environmental standards in law within the current Agriculture Bill.
Farmers know that, without this, Britain will become the junk-food capital of the Western world; the dumping ground for the world's worst/cheapest chlorinated chicken, growth-hormone beef, and GMO foods that agro-chemical giants would dump on us. Neo-liberal ayatollahs in Johnson's government would race Britain into corporately compliant, free-trade agreements that would destroy British farming, ignore climate disruption, accelerate eco-system collapse and abandon nutritional wellbeing.
In feudal times, unprincipled owners of capital turned their backs on nutritional wellbeing by paying workers in flour adulterated with sawdust. Today's corporate feudalism would do so through de-regulated, free-trade agreements that put crap on your plate and cash in their (offshore) accounts.
For a different food politics we need to feed the kids, restore our soils and reconnect with the circularity nature has always offered. If Rashford and Harrelson can run with this we'd better not be far behind.
Beware a Covid Coalition
The Politics of Uncertainty
Robin Hood Dies: the legend lives on
A crisis like no other
Who's Lives Matter
Energy and Equity
Green New Deal – time for an ecological reboot?
The Great Unravelling: Part 4
© 2021 Alan Simpson | Powered by Beaver Builder


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Q: The task 'rp_Log' was not handled in the plugins file. The following tasks are registered: gmail:get-messages I am writing the cypress test for my website. I have included reportportal js client in my test and my test was running without any issues.
Now I have added gmail-tester for email verification. When I run it I am getting the error
cy.task('rp_Log') failed with the following error:
The task 'rp_Log' was not handled in the plugins file. The following tasks are registered: gmail:get-messages
my plugin/index.js file looks like this
/// <reference types="cypress" />
// ***********************************************************
// This example plugins/index.js can be used to load plugins
//
// You can change the location of this file or turn off loading
// the plugins file with the 'pluginsFile' configuration option.
//
// You can read more here:
// https://on.cypress.io/plugins-guide
// ***********************************************************

// This function is called when a project is opened or re-opened (e.g. due to
// the project's config changing)

/**
 * @type {Cypress.PluginConfig}
 */
// eslint-disable-next-line no-unused-vars
const registerReportPortalPlugin = require('@reportportal/agent-js-cypress/lib/plugin');
const debug = require('debug');
const path = require('path');
const gmail_tester = require('gmail-tester');

module.exports = (on) => registerReportPortalPlugin(on);

module.exports = (on, config) => {
  on("before:browser:launch", (browser = {}, launchOptions) => {
    if (browser.name === "chrome"&& browser.isHeadless) {
      launchOptions.args.push('--disable-gpu');
      return launchOptions;
    }
  });
  on("task", {
    "gmail:get-messages": async args => {
      const messages = await gmail_tester.get_messages(
        path.resolve(__dirname, "credentials.json"),
        path.resolve(__dirname, "token.json"),
        args.options
      );
      return messages;
    }
  });
};

My test file looks like this
describe('Launch website',() => {
    it('Home visit',() => {
        cy.visit('http://localhost:3000')
        cy.log("Visited the page")
        cy.screenshot("Launch_name.png")
        cy.rp_screenshot("Launch.png")
    })
})

When I run the test I can see the my page is getting launched and it's printing the log also. But after that it's telling cy.task('rp_log') is not defined instead it can see the gmail get messages.
can anyone help me to get rid of this error?

A: I resolved an issue. We cant use two modules.export in index.js file. The answer should look like this

module.exports = (on, config) => {
registerReportPortalPlugin(on);
  on("before:browser:launch", (browser = {}, launchOptions) => {
    if (browser.name === "chrome"&& browser.isHeadless) {
      launchOptions.args.push('--disable-gpu');
      return launchOptions;
    }
  });
  on("task", {
    "gmail:get-messages": async args => {
      const messages = await gmail_tester.get_messages(
        path.resolve(__dirname, "credentials.json"),
        path.resolve(__dirname, "token.json"),
        args.options
      );
      return messages;
    }
  });
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Gem Imports Ltd stock an impressive collection of household electricals & consumer goods at low wholesale prices. Register your account today and start saving.
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Scraggy's focus blast can't quite hit the mark, but Throh doesn't have any trouble landing his seismic toss attack. Watch more Pokémon on Cartoon Network!
Welcome to Cartoon Network's YouTube Channel, the destination for all of your favorite cartoons and videos. Watch clips from shows like Adventure Time, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, Ben 10, Incredible Crew, NINJAGO, Legends of Chima and more!


text:
Netanyahu Orders Destruction of Palestinian Homes!
November 10, 2014 by mosesman
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cMRPCA0cks]
As tensions remain high in Jerusalem al-Quds, Israel orders the demolition of the homes of Palestinians who were involved in attacks against Israelis in recent days. Israeli officials say the destruction order was approved by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a security meeting on Thursday. One Palestinian was killed and another was arrested over past days after they rammed their cars into a group of Israeli soldiers as well as a tram platform in Jerusalem al-Quds. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces once again restricted Palestinian access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday barring Palestinian men under 35 from taking part in Friday prayers there. Fresh clashes between Israeli army and Palestinians also erupted in Hebron also known as al-Khalil and Qalandiya checkpoint, one of the main entrances to the holy city of Jerusalem al-Quds.
Click on image for article!
Revelation 2:9 – …. and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
"In 2001, Dr. Ariella Oppenheim, of Hebrew University, a biologist, published the first extensive study of DNA and the origin of the Jews. Her research found that virtually all the Jews came from Khazar blood. Not only that but Oppenheim discovered that the Palestinians—the very people whom the Jews had been persecuting and ejecting from Israel's land since 1948—had more Israelite blood than did the Jews. In sum, the vast majority of the Jews were not Jews; some of the Palestinians were. Some of the Palestinians even had a DNA chromosome which established that they were "Cohens"—workers at the ancient Temple and synagogues of the Jews." – Quote
Mr. Benjamin Freedman, a Jewish industrialist born in New York, wrote in the Economic Council Letter published there of October 15 1947: "These Eastern European Jews have neither a racial nor a historic connection with Palestine. Their ancestors were not inhabitants of the Promised Land. They are the direct descendants of the people of the Khazar Kingdom. The Khazars were a non-Semitic, Turko-Mongolian tribe." Mr. Freedman was challenged, unwisely, by a Zionist objector; he invited his challenger to go with him to the Jewish room of the New York Public Library. There they could together examine the Jewish Encyclopedia volume I pp. 1-12, and the published works of Graetz, Dubnow, Friedlander, Raisin and many other noted Jewish historians, which, as well as other non-Jewish authorities, "establish the fact beyond all possible doubt".'
~ Somewhere South of Suez (1950) pp349-350."
The "Jews" Are Not The Seed of Abraham! How The Racial Hoax of The "Jews" Was Finally Exposed !
Zionist Claim to Israel Unfounded ! Ashkenazi Jews are NOT Descendents of Israel !
New DNA Research Confirms That Modern Khazarian "Jews" Are Not the Descendants of Ancient Isrealites or The Seed of Abraham!
The End of The LIE ! 90+% of Modern Jewry are Non Semitic Ashkenazi Khazars! Not Real Jews! Not Descendents of 12 Tribes of Israel !
New Genome Study Destroys Zionist Claims to Palestine! Koestler's Khazar History Vindicated ! Zionists Design Myth of Jewish Genome to Usurp Palestine!
Debate on European Jews' Origin Settled? Koestler's Khazarian Theory Vindicated !
Ashkenazis 'Self Styled' Jews Are NOT the Descendants of the Ancient Israelites!
Benjamin Freedman: Ashkenazi Khazars Self Style "Jews" Are Not Semitic And Not The Biological Descendents of The 12 Tribes of Israel !
The 13th Tribe of Khazaria! Ashkenazi Khazars Are Not The Jews of The Bible!
Modern Ashkenazi Jews are not the Jews of the Bible!
New Genetic Research Confirms Koestler's "Khazar" Theory! Ashkenazi Jews Are Not The Jews of The Bible !
Ashkenazi Jews are Turkic Khazars! They Are Not The Israelites of The Bible! Not The Biological Descendents of The 12 Tribes of Israel !
Ashkenazi Khazar Jews are not semitic people and not the real Jews of the Bible! Not the descendents of the 12 sons of Jacob/Israel !Click on image for article!
US Created ISIL(ISIS) When Syria War Began!
ISIL(ISIS) Commanders Say Turkey on Their Side in Battle Over Kobani!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The toughest of all Wolf Runs, Winter Wolf 2017 returns to Stanford Hall. Designed for the hardiest of you as a demanding step up embracing the harsh bite of Winter. The once refreshing streams and lakes become brutal and challenging with the ice cold water. This event will help you push yourself to a different level. Those courageous few who complete all four seasons in 2017 will become Alpha Wolves and are presented with a prestigious medal by our Wolf Run team. Celebrate with friends and family in our event village and heated marques. Relive the action with indoor TV screens showing live footage from around the course. Hot chocolate stands compliment the usual facilities including Wolf Pack bar, food stalls.


This past June, Saint Etienne triumphantly returned with Home Counties, their first album in five years. Now, just some months later, they're already prepped to release a follow-up EP.
Titled Dive, it's a four-track collection featuring three new songs ("A Distant Sun", "Doods Brow", "Obvious") and the title track, which originally appeared on Home Counties. The English natives are also offering up a remix CD and 12-inch that comes with new "Dive" mixes helmed by the likes of Colorama & Shawn Lee, Greg Wilson & Derek Kaye and Matt Berry.
"I started writing 'Dive' with Carwyn Ellis in early 2016, we'd worked on my solo album together and were on a bit of a roll. I love the final result, it reminds me of care free summer days growing up in Home Counties Windsor fooling around on the Thames.
To preview the forthcoming project, Saint Etienne have shared Greg Wilson & Derek Kaye's reworking of "Dive". Hear it below (via BrooklynVegan).
Along with the EP, September marks the beginning of Saint Etienne's first US tour since 2012. Their full itinerary can be found here.


Few individuals have influenced the understanding of an entire historical topic more than Princeton University historian Dr. James McPherson. McPherson's bold 1988 narrative, Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era, examines the social, political, and economic factors related to antebellum America and the Civil War. The book, which earned the 1989 Pulitzer Prize in History, spans over eight hundred pages. And yet, the book's impressive narrative style makes it entirely accessible for the general reader. Indeed, Battle Cry of Freedom is often described as the "best one-volume" account of the Civil War.
Last November, I was able to sit down with Dr. McPherson in person. I asked him to reflect on the thirty years that have passed since the publication of his seminal work. The interview captured some of his thoughts related to the modern study of the Civil War, his views on various contemporary issues, and his approach to education.
Howard Muncy (HM): Thirty years have passed since Battle Cry of Freedom's release. What impact do you think that your research had in shaping the understanding of the Civil War in the years that have followed?
Dr. James McPherson: In conjunction with the Ken Burns series on the Civil War, which came out just a couple of years after my book, along with the release of movies like Gettysburg and Glory, together these did much to increase and awaken interest in the Civil War. As a consequence, I think there was an increase in visitation to Civil War battlefields, as well as a growth in the sheer number of people interested in the Civil War, that followed. This interest manifested in a variety of ways. I received a lot of invitations to lecture, go on television, requests for interviews, and so on. The History Channel also did several pieces on the Civil War during that period as well. At Princeton, I experienced an increase in the number [of] students that enrolled in my course. The academic attention across the country toward a variety of subjects, such as slavery and the history of the South, reflected a broader movement that characterized the late 1980s and continued throughout the 1990s.
HM: Do you feel that this widespread interest in the Civil War was dormant among the American public prior to this period? Or would you care to comment on the timing of this phenomenon?
McPherson: I would not say that it was dormant—that would be putting it too strongly—but there was certainly a growth in attention. Now partly, I think the rising levels of interest could be attributed to the fading of the strong antiwar sentiment, evoked by Vietnam, that existed in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. I believe the strength of those feelings was beginning to soften by the end of the 1980s. So, my book, and the other items I mentioned, may have benefited from a decline in the kind of hostility toward the history of conflict and the history of warfare.
HM: Several articles have recently highlighted that Civil War reenactments are experiencing a decline in the number of participants. Are you worried that this spike in Civil War interest from the late twentieth century is starting to wane or "gray," and do you think any of the gains for the subject will be lost?
McPherson: It does not seem to be fading away, as far as I am aware. Instead, it is broadening out because of the interest in preserving battlefields. What started out with Civil War battlefields has expanded, and now efforts are on the rise to protect areas of significance connected to the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and even some of the wars surrounding Native Americans as well. The Civil War Trust, which now calls itself the Battlefield Trust, seems to be flourishing. The trust keeps buying or preserving more land. This can be viewed as a positive sign on the situation.
HM: The number of works related to the Civil War is perhaps unmatched by any other historical subject. Are there any new topics that modern scholars are exploring from the Civil War Era that you view with particular interest?
McPherson: One area, and some work has been done on this already, involves the environmental history of the war. More recent approaches to this topic include historians who examine the tools, the techniques, and the ideas of the period to get a better understanding of the environmental impact of the Civil War. Until the last two or three years, nobody had really looked at that seriously with that kind of approach. But the war did have, I think, a serious environmental history. Part of this includes the impact of the spread of certain kinds of diseases. Also, large areas of the South, especially Virginia, suffered well beyond the war years from the sheer environmental destruction of armies crisscrossing and chopping down large swaths of forest. These types of events impacted the farming and water quality of the areas long after the armies were gone. I mean, you fire thousands and thousands of shells with gunpowder in them, and some of them explode and some of them do not. That is going to have a kind of toxic impact on at least limited areas of the environment. Another example is the thousands of horses and mules that died as a consequence of the war. Agriculture was set back, pretty seriously, in large parts of the South as a result of the Civil War. It took a long time to recover.
HM: At a recent talk here on Princeton's campus in celebration of Constitution Day, another Pulitzer Prize winner, Dr. Gordon Wood, commented on the broader modern historiography that academia now experiences. Dr. Wood characterized it as one focused on "woe and oppression" and that a large proportion of professional academic efforts are in a "Zeitgeist" to construct a "sordid tale" of early American history. He also mentioned that Americans are increasingly turning to nonacademic historians like Ron Chernow, David McCullough, and Jon Meacham for their history. Do you see this kind of movement in the study of Civil War history, and what do you make of this movement?
McPherson: It is true that a lot of the bestselling and most important historical works are being produced by nonacademic historians. But that is all right, they are historians. I think that has always been true. Allan Nevins, for example, started out in journalism and did not have a Ph.D. Bruce Catton is another good example of a journalist who wrote history. In fact, quite a few of the people producing valuable Civil War and other kinds of history during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s came out of a nonacademic background. I think that the more the better. Let a thousand flowers bloom. You do not need a license to practice history. Instead, all you need to do is work hard, do research, go to the sources, make the past meaningful, and write in a way that attracts readers.
Now, I think part of your question may have touched on what some of my colleagues have described as "a dark turn" in Civil War historiography. This turn has led to emphasizing the suffering, the death, the destruction, and the dark consequences of the Civil War. The movement has brought to light such topics as post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide, which we must look at seriously considering Vietnam and subsequent wars. A colleague and friend of mine, Diane Sommerville, just came out with a book, Aberration of Mind: Suicide and Suffering in the Civil War Era South, about suicide in the South among Civil War veterans. The work revealed that suicide affected not only veteran soldiers, but even many women as well, due to the disruption of their lives by the war and the bleak, hopeless outlook. Drew Faust, before she became president of Harvard, offered a similar account in her work The Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War. Displacement would be another example. The war produced a lot of refugees among the white population in the South, and the consequences for them were serious. In addition, more recent research has estimated that the number of deaths in the Civil War may well be far greater than we have previously concluded. Some scholars now estimate that as many as 750,000 or 800,000 died because of the war, rather than the earlier figure of 620,000. So, there has been a development in the last eight or ten years with this so-called "dark turn." It may seem counterintuitive, but I would view this focus as a healthy development in understanding the war.
HM: I guess another way to pose the question is do you see a gap between academic and popular historians in their approach? Is there a modern assault on the legacy of the Civil War?
McPherson: Academic historians may be more inclined to look at the cost of the conflict and place an emphasis on the sort of deleterious consequences of the war to balance some of the more positive works. I think that many of the nonacademic historians, especially those interested in military history, are more likely to highlight some of the positive and forward-looking aspects of the war. There was a cost, there is no question about that. But, I suppose I would be found among historians who emphasize some of the important positive consequences of the war, such as the preservation of the United States as a nation, the abolition of slavery, the passage of constitutional amendments and legislation, which at least moved the country, on paper, towards some degree of justice, equity and, equal rights.
HM: I want to turn to Abraham Lincoln. The view of the sixteenth president has shifted with different generations. The reverent and positive view of Lincoln grew in the last decade, especially since some of the renewed attention tied to the passing of recent anniversaries connected to his birth and the war. Doris Kearns Goodwin's book Team of Rivals and the Steven Spielberg film Lincoln certainly contributed to this perspective. However, there are still some who continue to attack Lincoln's legacy as "the Great Emancipator" and try to portray him as not being committed enough to the cause of ending slavery. Do you feel that the argument is settled, or will new efforts attempt to detract from this modern positive view of Lincoln?
McPherson: Coming out of the Civil Rights movement and the clashes of the 1960s and 1970s, there was a negative reevaluation of Lincoln because he did not measure up to modern ideas of racial equality. But you could say that about figures such as Thomas Jefferson and almost anybody else from the eighteenth or nineteenth century. But it is important to remember that Lincoln was a product of his time.
It is also useful to look at Lincoln's words from the Illinois debates with Stephen Douglas in 1858. Douglas was the one who said this was a white man's country and slavery was something the country had tolerated and should continue to tolerate. Lincoln disagreed with that opinion and was ahead of Douglas, as well as the average white American, on these issues in the 1850s and 1860s. I think recent scholarship, such as Eric Foner's 2011 book The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, provides a balanced picture of Lincoln on the issue of slavery and race. That kind of interpretation is the standard now.
Abraham Lincoln continues to stand, not just in the eyes of the general population, but in the eyes of serious historians, as one of the giants in the American past for what he accomplished. Lincoln's leadership, his rhetoric, and the ideals he expressed have survived some of the negative interpretations that burst forth a generation or two ago.
HM: A phrase that is frequently tossed about today is that "we have never been more divided than we are now." As the one of the nation's most prominent Civil War historians, do you feel that statement is overused? Or are there some parallels in today's climate to the Civil War era that should give Americans cause for alarm?
McPherson: There may be some parallels, but clearly the country was more divided in the late 1850s and first half of the 1860s than it is now. I do not think we are heading toward a Civil War. The issues today are very divisive, and people are impassioned about them, but I do not think we are in as bad shape now as we were 160 years ago.
HM: I want to turn now to education. On university campuses, issues involving free speech concerns are common. State and national education policies are the subjects of intense debate with topics such as textbooks and curriculum. Younger students are increasingly charged with being a generation more prone to distractions and apathy. Across the country, numerous history departments at the secondary and collegiate levels are being cut in favor of focus on science, technology, engineering, math, (STEM) or utilitarian degrees. What do you make of the academic world that you observe, and what challenges pose the greatest threat to the subject of history?
McPherson: I am not as concerned about some of these things as some of my colleagues. We have gone through cycles like this before. Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, after the 1957 launching of Sputnik and the concern about the missile gap, fears that the United States was falling behind the Soviet Union in science and engineering drove the same kind of reaction and brought forth similar policies. It was not called STEM then, as it is now, but it was exactly the same kind of thing that we are currently experiencing.
As far as students not knowing history, not being interested in intellectual pursuits of one sort or another, every generation says that about the younger students. Back in the 1920s, people were complaining about the youth with claims that "they do not know any history, have no interest in literature," and that they were all part of the flapper generation. Every generation thinks that the younger generation is up to no good and going to pieces. It is, however, true that there has been a decline in the number of humanities [majors] at universities and colleges, but again, that has happened before.
HM: If you had advice for a young history teacher or a professor, just beginning his or her career, what would that advice be? What makes a great teacher of history?
McPherson: I have written about the best way to get students or readers engaged and interested in history by using the root of the word history. It is a story, it is a story of the past. Teachers will find success in presenting it in a narrative format. But it is important to infuse that narrative format with a sense of what it all means. What were the consequences of this story? Not only what happened and why it happened, but what did it mean? So yeah, present it as a story that really engages people's interest. But it must be more than a story, it must have—to use an old-fashioned phrase—a moral, a meaning. That is what I have tried to do.
The conversation led to an exchange on favorite authors from the era. After discussing history for nearly an hour, a new energy filled the room, and he told me about falling for some of these classic literary works while in college. His obvious admiration of classic literature reinforces Dr. McPherson's appreciation for a good story. Perhaps it also reveals where he gets some of his skill to convey American history so successfully.


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Nine Inch Nails | 08.07.08 | Connecticut
12:33 pm PDT
Team JamBase
Words by: Andrew Bruss | Images by: Dave Vann
Nine Inch Nails :: 08.07.08 :: Mohegan Sun Casino :: Uncasville, CT
Nine Inch Nails' spectacle of a performance at Mohegan Sun Casino was a sensory overload that truly had to have been seen to be believed. For nearly twenty years, every Nine Inch Nails tour Trent Reznor has embarked on has gradually raised the bar on the production values. 2005's With Teeth tour was a multifaceted experience that left many a fan with their jaw dropped open, and this summer's Lights In The Sky tour mesmerized and intrigued by utilizing some of the same progressive performance ideals that made Pink Floyd such a legendary draw in their day.
Reznor and his band started the night off with "999,999," and "1,000,000," the first two tracks off his 2008 release, The Slip. He moved the set forward with a few tunes off his more recent discography before playing both "March of the Pigs" and his 1994 hit "Closer." As fans went wild over the performance, Reznor continually drew them in even deeper with a congenitally charismatic stage presence that simply filled the venue. Whether it was at the mic, the keyboard or with a guitar, Reznor consistently romped around the stage, never stopping, as he drove the performance forward with his music, as well as his persona.
As the set progressed, the performance began to feel segregated into several mini-sets, distinguishable by stage setup. For the first quarter of the show, Reznor and his backing band utilized an array of lights and special effects but were sticking to a more conventional stage setup that had a guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and multiple synth stations. However, during the start of "The Warning," a massive double-sided screen, was lowered from the ceiling, as Reznor and two other musicians each took hold of a synthesizer. Reznor and his cohorts played "The Great Destroyer" off 2007's Year Zero, in front of the now-blood-red screen, each with a keyboard in front of them, bringing to mind the multi-synth techniques of German Krautrock-pioneers, Kraftwerk.
The group continued to drive through Reznor's tunes while different stage productions kept the crowd guessing. Towards the end of the set, Nine Inch Nails found itself behind the veil of the massive, double-sided screen, which had been lowered to the foot of the stage. For the last chunk of the main set, they played behind the screen, as they visually penetrated through the projections on the other side. Reznor would walk across the stage, and the visual-static would literally part wherever he went.
While Reznor used the stage itself as a prop, he drove the crowd wild with an onslaught of his most popular tunes, such as "Terrible Lie" and "Survivalism," followed by a set-closing one-two punch of "The Hand That Feeds" followed by the ever popular "Head Like A Hole."
As the screen sat at the foot of the stage with "NIN" glowing in towering red letters, fans cheered and chanted for an encore. Reznor and company returned to perform "Echoplex," which featured Reznor toying with a drum sequencer that was projected against the back of the stage. He hit different squares on the large display, effectively changing the sequence of the beat that was currently thumping. After he got bored of using the stage as a drum-machine, he followed up with "The Good Soldier" before bringing the night to an emotionally gripping close of "Hurt" and "In This Twilight."
Although the show was slightly undersold, largely due to the fact that Reznor was scheduled to play at an arena twice the Sun's size an hour north the following night, Reznor rocked the stadium and showed everyone in attendance a full force, multimedia experience they'll likely never forget. Trent Reznor is one of the "freer thinkers" in the music industry, and his performance was the proof in the pudding. After releasing The Slip for free online, simply stating, "This one's on me," turning the albums supporting tour into an unconventional cluster fuck of an audio/visual display was the logical next step and it was a bonafide success.
JamBase | Connecticut
Go See Live Music!
Phish Concludes Camp Oswego Festival On This Date In 1999
Osiris Podcast Profile: No Simple Road
Gov't Mule Performs 'Bring On The Music' At The Capitol Theatre
Lukas Nelson Covers Bob Dylan In Hotel Room Video
Beck & Matt Shultz Perform 'Night Running' At Shoreline
Andrew Bird Shares 'Olympians' Video & 'We Are Olympians' EP
Umphrey's McGee Concludes 'Anchor Drops Redux' Video Series
LOCKN' Announces Additional Collaborative Sets
Greensky Bluegrass Welcomes Jon Stickley & Lyndsay Pruett On 'Casual Wednesday' In Norfolk
Phish Shares Alpine 'Ruby Waves' Video
Washington Nationals Announce Grateful Dead Night
Dave Matthews Band Cuts Short & Reschedules Jones Beach Concert Due To Weather
Pitchfork Music Festival 2019 Announces Free Live Stream
Stream This
2:18 pm PDT
Scott Bernstein
Stream audio, read a recap and check out the setlists from Phish's Camp Oswego festival, which came to a close on this date in 1999.
Festival Lineups
10:55 am PDT
John Popper with Twidde and Cory Wong with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong are among the collaborative sets that have been added to the 2019 LOCKN' lineup.
Reviews, Recaps & Photos
9:22 am PDT
Greensky Bluegrass recruited members of the Jon Stickley Trio for "Casual Wednesday" shenanigans at The NorVa in Norfolk.
Phish unveiled pro-shot video of the 38-minute "Ruby Waves" from Sunday night at Alpine Valley in East Troy, Wisconsin.
Nationals Park will host a Grateful Dead Night in August when the Washington Nationals take on the Cincinnati Reds.
Dave Matthews Band's Wednesday night concert at Jones Beach was cut short and eventually rescheduled due to weather.
© JamBase Inc.
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— Levon Helm
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text:
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#import "TiUIiOSStepper.h"
#import "TiUIiOSStepperProxy.h"
#import <TitaniumKit/TiUtils.h>

@implementation TiUIiOSStepper

- (UIStepper *)stepper
{
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    [stepper setMaximumValue:100];
    [stepper setMinimumValue:0];
    [stepper addTarget:self action:@selector(stepperChanged:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventValueChanged];
    [stepper addTarget:self action:@selector(controlAction:forEvent:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventAllTouchEvents];
    [self addSubview:stepper];
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  return stepper;
}

- (void)dealloc
{
  [stepper removeTarget:self action:@selector(stepperChanged:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventValueChanged];
  [stepper removeTarget:self action:@selector(controlAction:forEvent:) forControlEvents:UIControlEventAllTouchEvents];
  RELEASE_TO_NIL(stepper);
  RELEASE_TO_NIL(backgroundImageCache);
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{
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{
  ENSURE_TYPE(value, NSNumber);
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{
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  [[self stepper] setWraps:[TiUtils boolValue:value def:NO]];
}

- (void)setMaximum_:(id)value
{
  ENSURE_TYPE(value, NSNumber);
  double newValue = [TiUtils doubleValue:value];

  if ([[self stepper] minimumValue] >= newValue) {
    NSLog(@"[WARN] The maximum value must not be smaller or equal to the minimum value");
  } else {
    [[self stepper] setMaximumValue:newValue];
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}

- (void)setMinimum_:(id)value
{
  ENSURE_TYPE(value, NSNumber);
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  if ([[self stepper] maximumValue] <= newValue) {
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    [[self stepper] setMinimumValue:newValue];
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}

- (void)setSteps_:(id)value
{
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  NSNumber *stepValue = [NSNumber numberWithDouble:[TiUtils doubleValue:value]];
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  } else {
    NSLog(@"[WARN] The steps must be bigger than 0.");
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}

- (void)setValue_:(id)value
{
  ENSURE_TYPE(value, NSNumber);
  double newValue = [TiUtils doubleValue:value];

  if (newValue <= [[self stepper] maximumValue] && newValue >= [[self stepper] minimumValue]) {
    [[self stepper] setValue:newValue];
  } else {
    NSNumber *currentValue = [NSNumber numberWithDouble:[[self stepper] value]];
    [self.proxy replaceValue:currentValue forKey:@"value" notification:NO];
    NSLog(@"[WARN] The value passed in must be smaller than the maximum and bigger than the minimum stepper values");
  }
}

- (void)setTintColor_:(id)value
{
  TiColor *color = [TiUtils colorValue:value];
  if (color != nil) {
    [[self stepper] setTintColor:[[TiUtils colorValue:color] color]];
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}

- (void)setEnabled_:(id)value
{
  ENSURE_TYPE(value, NSNumber);
  [[self stepper] setEnabled:[TiUtils boolValue:value]];
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- (NSNumber *)value
{
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#pragma mark backgroundImage

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  backgroundImageCache = [self imageWithImage:[self loadImage:value] fullScale:YES];
  if (backgroundImageCache != nil) {
    [[self stepper] setBackgroundImage:backgroundImageCache forState:UIControlStateNormal];
  }
}

#pragma mark Decrement backgroundImage

- (void)setDecrementImage_:(id)value
{
  backgroundImageCache = [self imageWithImage:[self loadImage:value] fullScale:NO];
  if (backgroundImageCache != nil) {
    [[self stepper] setDecrementImage:backgroundImageCache forState:UIControlStateNormal];
  }
}

- (void)setDecrementDisabledImage_:(id)value
{
  backgroundImageCache = [self imageWithImage:[self loadImage:value] fullScale:NO];
  if (backgroundImageCache != nil) {
    [[self stepper] setDecrementImage:backgroundImageCache forState:UIControlStateDisabled];
  }
}

#pragma mark Increment backgroundImage

- (void)setIncrementImage_:(id)value
{
  backgroundImageCache = [self imageWithImage:[self loadImage:value] fullScale:NO];
  if (backgroundImageCache != nil) {
    [[self stepper] setIncrementImage:backgroundImageCache forState:UIControlStateNormal];
  }
}

- (void)setIncrementDisabledImage_:(id)value
{
  backgroundImageCache = [self imageWithImage:[self loadImage:value] fullScale:NO];
  if (backgroundImageCache != nil) {
    [[self stepper] setIncrementImage:backgroundImageCache forState:UIControlStateDisabled];
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}

- (void)frameSizeChanged:(CGRect)frame bounds:(CGRect)bounds
{
  [TiUtils setView:[self stepper] positionRect:bounds];
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- (CGFloat)contentWidthForWidth:(CGFloat)value
{
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}

- (CGFloat)contentHeightForWidth:(CGFloat)value
{
  return [[self stepper] sizeThatFits:CGSizeMake(value, 0)].height;
}

- (BOOL)hasTouchableListener
{
  // since this guy only works with touch events, we always want them
  // just always return YES no matter what listeners we have registered
  return YES;
}

- (IBAction)stepperChanged:(id)sender
{
  NSNumber *newValue = [NSNumber numberWithDouble:[[self stepper] value]];
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  if ([self.proxy _hasListeners:@"change"]) {
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               withObject:[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                                            [NSNumber numberWithDouble:stepper.value], @"value",
                                        [NSNumber numberWithDouble:stepper.minimumValue], @"minimum",
                                        [NSNumber numberWithFloat:stepper.maximumValue], @"maximum",
                                        nil]];
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}

- (void)controlAction:(id)sender forEvent:(UIEvent *)event
{
  UITouch *touch = [[event allTouches] anyObject];
  NSString *fireEvent;
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      return;
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    touchStarted = YES;
    fireEvent = @"touchstart";
    break;
  case UITouchPhaseMoved:
    fireEvent = @"touchmove";
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  case UITouchPhaseEnded:
    touchStarted = NO;
    fireEvent = @"touchend";
    if (stepper.highlighted) {
      fireActionEvent = [touch tapCount] == 1 ? @"click" : ([touch tapCount] == 2 ? @"dblclick" : nil);
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    break;
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    fireEvent = @"touchcancel";
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  NSMutableDictionary *evt = [NSMutableDictionary dictionaryWithDictionary:[TiUtils touchPropertiesToDictionary:touch andView:self]];
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  if ([self.proxy _hasListeners:fireEvent]) {
    [self.proxy fireEvent:fireEvent withObject:evt];
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}

- (UIImage *)imageWithImage:(UIImage *)image fullScale:(bool)full
{
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  // Pass 1.0 to force exact pixel size.
  [self stepper];
  CGRect bounds = [stepper bounds];

  if (full != YES) {
    bounds.size.height = bounds.size.height / 2;
    bounds.size.width = bounds.size.width / 2;
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  if (image.size.height > bounds.size.height && image.size.width > bounds.size.width) {
    UIImageView *theView = [[UIImageView alloc] initWithFrame:bounds];
    [theView setImage:image];
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(bounds.size, [theView.layer isOpaque], 0.0);
    [theView.layer renderInContext:UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext()];
    UIImage *image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
    UIGraphicsEndImageContext();
    [theView release];
    return [[image retain] autorelease];
  }
  return image;
}
@end
#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Share settings between VS 2015 to 2013 I have to downgrade from VS 2015 to VS 2013.
How can I export my settings to a lower version of visual studio? When I try do do a normal import from VS 2013 I get the error"unsupported version".

A: You could try to manually edit your .vssettings file, and change the ApplicationIdentity setting from 13.0 to 12.0. (On the second line, I think)
<ApplicationIdentity version="12.0"/>


text:
Muslim justice: A Christian imperative for the Trump years
OpinionCody Sanders | February 3, 2017
Our Muslim siblings have been under attack this week. While Muslim discrimination is not new, it's taking more emboldened forms than ever before in the Trump era.
Last Friday, it came in the form of a travel ban from seven predominantly Muslim countries. On Tuesday, we learned that "extreme vetting" for some travelers from Muslim-majority countries would include prying into their social media accounts and phone records. On Wednesday, Reuters revealed that the Trump administration would change the previously named "Countering Violent Extremism" program to "Countering Islamic Extremism," dropping any focus on other extremist groups like white supremacists.
This is a clarion call for Christian action. If we don't act now in solidarity with our Muslim siblings, we've got no legitimate reason to claim we are followers of Jesus, a man executed by the state for his own supposed "religious extremism."
We've seen the institutionalization of religious bigotry into public policy before. Baptists were even subject to this violence in the past: Thomas Helwys, the founder of the Baptist way of faith, died in the King's Newgate Prison in 1616 for his perspectives on religious liberty. Roger Williams, the progenitor of Baptists in America, was banished to the wilderness in 1635 where he founded Providence — this for his "dangerous opinions" (e.g., abolitionism, fair treatment of Native people, religious liberty).
Demonstration protesting the travel ban at Logan International Airport in Boston on Jan. 28.
Our congregations and communities of faith must act swiftly to develop interreligious relationships and cultivate practices of support and solidarity for Muslim justice. Here are three things you can do in your congregations and communities to practice solidarity with your Muslim siblings:
Hold "bystander trainings" to educate people on the "best practices" for intervening and diffusing situations of harassment toward Muslims in your community. In my community, organizations like Massachusetts Communities Action Network (a PICO organization) and Jewish Voice for Peace conduct such workshops for congregations and community groups. Find the organizations doing this work in your area and partner with them. These tools will prepare you to act in situations where you were once frozen by fear.
Educate your congregation and community about the myriad policies and practices targeting Muslims in the U.S. (most predating Trump, but now greatly intensified). For example: prolonged detention and unconstitutional interrogations about religious and political beliefs Muslims face when traveling, the infiltration of mosques and Muslim Student Associations by informants often coerced into the role, and, of course, the "Countering Violent Extremism" (CVE) program. If you've never heard of this program, or don't know the extent to which it operates, then you only know the tip of the iceberg of policy unjustly targeting Muslims.
My congregation recently partnered with neighboring Lutherans to host a Muslim Justice Teach-In led by the Muslim Justice League. We had space to seat 250 attendees; we had over 2,000 people interested in attending. The demand to know what our government is up to in the lives of our Muslim friends and neighbors is great and growing. To locate resources for hosting trainings in your city, connect with the Muslim Legal Fund of America or the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Confront your state and federal politicians to oppose a Muslim registry and other intrusive practices. Many non-Muslims have suggested that if a registry existed, they would register themselves in solidarity. What I've been learning about this possibility, however, indicates that it is good-hearted but naïve. This "registry" won't be a "come to your local precinct and fill out your Muslim paperwork" all call. Muslim communities are already being surveilled and mapped all over the country in sophisticated ways. The government will target the communities of people it desires to target and weed out the rest.
Instead, educate your congregation and community about practices like the terrorist watch list, CVE, and "no fly, no buy" lists. Contact your state legislators on a regular basis about why you're concerned over these practices. Show up at demonstrations and mobilize people in your community to support Muslim civil rights and liberties in public and visible ways with media attention (clergy, you must be present and visible!). And don't wait until more measures are instituted by the administration! Now is the time to act.
There are so many concerns that will call for mobilization and protest in the coming days — solidarity with women, with the undocumented, with LGBTQ people, and so on. But justice for Muslims facing discrimination and government targeting must become an imperative for Christians in the Trump years. It's about religious liberty. It's about interreligious relationality. And, ultimately, it's about our ability to continue calling ourselves faithful followers of Jesus.
OPINION: Views expressed in Baptist News Global columns and commentaries are solely those of the authors.
Cody Sanders
BNG headlines in your inbox
Embracing the power of story
We share a new series in BNG's Storytelling Projects about the Norfolk Street Choir as part of our "Singing Our Faith" theme.
While Norfolk, VA is a performance rich city, Freemason Baptist Church's idea for a street choir was never about performance. Rather, it was "to lift spirits and add dignity to human beings, no matter their circumstances."
Norfolk Street Choir infuses dignity with a dose of music
Communal singing draws forth "beauty beyond ourselves that we get to see, get to participate in," Bob Shoup, minister of music, said. Special groups like the street choir amplify that beauty among people for whom "experiences of beauty are harder to come by."
We created Storytelling Projects because we believe stories, rooted in the Jesus Story, have the power not only to inform but to transform people and communities. They can be sources of spiritual insight, imagination, creativity and hope for all who seek justice and mercy.


A business dissertation consists of several sections. The first section is an introduction. It is a very important part of a paper because it gives the reader a basic understanding of its contents. If an introduction is written poorly, the reader may not even continue reading. If you want the opening section of your dissertation to be decent, read the tips below.
At the beginning of the introduction, you should present your topic and give its brief description to the reader.
The next thing you should do is describe the area of your research. Indicate the main questions that you're going to answer in your study.
You should write about other works made within your research area and indicate how your study will continue them or fill in their gaps.
You should give the brief information about the methods that you're going to use in order to achieve your goals.
List the general outcomes that you're going to receive from your research. Don't mention the exact results. There is a separate section for this.
In the real world, it's very difficult to conduct perfect research. Indicate what factors limit your actions and what questions you won't answer within your paper.
Your work will be built around particular assumptions related to the conditions of your research. Make sure to indicate them before you give detailed descriptions of your actions.
At the end of the introduction, you should give the brief description of your dissertation's structure.
These organizations can be found in almost any town. They'll provide you with decent sample papers and advice.
You may find a university teacher or any other professional who'll agree to assist you with writing your paper and conducting your investigation.
Use the services of academic writing companies.
Use this company so that it provides you with custom dissertations and theses. Their staff consists of competent and experienced writers who can create high-quality papers on almost any topics. Moreover, their prices are rather affordable, so your budget won't suffer a lot if you use this option.


Atlanta City Councilwoman Mary Norwood weighed in on the Atlanta Police Department's decision to close four gay bars two hours early during Black Gay Pride, issuing a statement Wednesday morning saying she spoke to Chief Erika Shields by phone and accepts the department's explanation for the incident.
Norwood, a candidate for Atlanta mayor, said she received a detailed explanation and an apology from Shields, who quietly came out in an Atlanta Magazine profile in June.
"Chief Shields said in part, '…Any notion the bars were targeted because of their clientele is unfortunate and simply not true …,'" Norwood quoted Shields as saying, which is a verbatim quote from APD spokesman Carlos Campos' statement to the media Tuesday afternoon.
Former City Council President Cathy Woolard, who is also running for Atlanta mayor, issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying she was "deeply disturbed" by the incident.


The new Taylormade Kalea is the first line of women's clubs from TaylorMade.
These Light-weight clubs generate more club head speed. The Low-kick Slim Tech shafts launch the ball higher, and Speed pockets add ball speed for shots that fly further and stay in the air longer.
The Kalea range was specifically engineered to optimize distance gaps from driver through wedge, ensuring that you will use every club in your bag.


Гитарист VOLBEAT Rob Caggiano рассказал о том, как идет процесс записи нового материала: «Все совершенно точно не так, как это было на последней записи, да и вообще как это было у нас раньше. Все немного иначе. Мы сейчас где-то в середине процесса, так что сложно сказать что-то конкретное, но совершенно точно есть хорошее роковое ощущение, что, как по мне, очень круто!» После чего добавил, что "нужно сделать еще массу всего".
23 ноя 2014 Фронтмен VOLBEAT: "Большинство американских групп звучат одинаково"
29 окт 2014 Лидер VOLBEAT MICHAEL POULSEN: "Рок-н-ролл будет существовать всегда"
Only people hiding under rocks the last couple of years haven't noticed VOLBEAT in the musical landscape. The impressive success and recognition that the band enjoyed on the first album "The Strength / The Sound / The Songs" in 2005 and 2006 is next to nothing compared to the explosive impact VOLBEAT had in 2007 with the follow-up "Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil". From having played small to mid-sized venues in Denmark VOLBEAT found themselves on the biggest stages and festivals. The audience was eager to experience the sheer live energy that VOLBEAT's music radiates.
Very seldom does the local success of a Danish rock and metal band translate to other territories but in VOLBEAT's unique case the word has definitely spread like a fever. Having worked their way up from playing small European venues supporting bigger bands VOLBEAT now headline big halls and festivals in Germany, Sweden, Finland, and the Benelux, to name a few. The band's international breakthrough is a reality. Last year "Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil" was voted "Album Of The Year" in big international magazines and at the release of "Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood" VOLBEAT graced the covers of many of Europe's biggest magazines in e.g. Germany, Sweden, Holland and France.
Having debuted at a sensational number 1 on the Danish album charts with "Rock The Rebel / Metal The Devil", having received a lot of awards and prices, as well as obtaining both gold and platinum status in their home country, then what's left to dream about for a young band like VOLBEAT?
Upon a success like VOLBEAT's musicians often panic and get a serious case of writer's block. Fortunately the band's primary song writer Michael Poulsen is equipped with the confidence of a prize-fighter set on getting another title. This gave him the ability to write an astounding 28 songs prior to the recording of "Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood", of which the band decided to record 13 (plus an intro).
For the third time in a row VOLBEAT chose producer Jacob Hansen, a gentleman who's international reputation has grown steadily since his work on VOLBEAT's debut "The Strength / The Sound / The Songs". Jacob Hansen knows all the ins and outs of the band, it's chemistry and completely unique musical expression, so naturally he was the man to bring the many ideas of Michael Poulsen and the rest of VOLBEAT to a new level. Together they got "Guitar Gangsters And Cadillac Blood" down on tape in less than three weeks – a phenomenal feat for a band with so many artistic and commercial expectations weighing on their shoulders.
No doubt, "Guitar Gangsters & Cadillac Blood" is in many ways a dazzling achievement and experience. Just take a listen to the span from the opening title track to "Still Counting" and "Light A Way", further across the album's two first singles "Maybellene I Hofteholder" and "Mary Ann's Place", featuring famous Danish vocalist Pernille Rosendahl (formerly of Swan Lee, now The Storm), not to mention the two tributes "Wild Rover Of Hell" and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Indisputably and very consciously the 13 songs on the album bristle in various musical directions but thanks to VOLBEAT's brilliant playing and characteristic sound the compositions are masterly tied together into an inspiring and inspired whole. This is further underlined by the album's loose story of a male character bleeding in the desert in a Cadillac riddled with bullet holes. The story begins when the authorities show up to examine the crime scene. The man has left and is on his way into "The Ten House City". No more should be revealed here.


text:
At least 26 states push back against Biden admin vaccine mandate
By Caroline Vakil - 11/05/21 11:50 AM EDT
More than two dozen states are balking against the Biden administration's coronavirus vaccine-or-test mandate for businesses that have at least 100 employees, setting up the latest legal challenge between Republicans and the White House.
Several coalitions — which include 25 attorneys general and one solicitor general — filed petitions with federal appeals courts asking for the mandate to be blocked.
One, led by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and including 10 others, filed a lawsuit in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, claiming that the requirement is "unconstitutional, unlawful, and unwise."
The lawsuit alleges that the Biden administration did not have the constitutional authority to implement the mandate which "unconstitutionally infringes on the States' powers." It also claims that Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which developed the rule, was not authorized to put in place such sweeping federal public health regulations.
"Its unlawful mandate will cause injuries and hardship to working families, inflict economic disruption and staffing shortages on the States and private employers, and impose even greater strains on struggling labor markets and supply chains," the attorneys general allege in the lawsuit, which requested that the court stay the requirement pending review.
The other states that joined Missouri were Arizona, Montana, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska, New Hampshire and Wyoming.
A separate coalition of Republican attorneys general also filed a petition with the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, also arguing that OSHA has neither the constitutional or statutory authority to implement the rule.
"OSHA's vaccination mandate represents a real threat to individual liberty," West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said in a statement on Friday. "As we have seen throughout the country, it is also a public policy disaster that displaces vulnerable workers and exacerbates a nationwide shortage of front-line workers, with severe consequences for all Americans."
That coalition, which also includes the states of Kentucky, Idaho, Kansas, Ohio, Oklahoma and Tennessee, also asked for a stay on the mandate and for the emergency temporary standard to be reviewed by the court.
Two other coalitions have also filed lawsuits with federal appeals courts. One coalition is made up of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Utah. Another one includes Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
All four filings were submitted with appeals courts, bypassing the trial court level because they were seeking reviews of a federal agency's decision. The cases set up legal battles that will test the federal government's ability to impose sweeping public health measures and will likely reach the Supreme Court.
The wave of legal challenges comes just a day after the Biden administration published details about the mandate, which sets a Jan. 4 deadline.
An OSHA spokesperson did not immediately respond when asked for comment.
Officials from the White House, however, have previously argued that the OSHA has ample authority to implement regulations such as the vaccine one.
"The new Emergency Temporary Standard is well within OSHA's authority under the law and consistent with OSHA's requirements to protect workers from health and safety hazards, including infectious diseases," a senior administration official said during a background call with reporters this week. "There is well-established legal precedent for OSHA's authority to evaluate existing scientific evidence and apply data to develop safety and health standards."
"OSHA has broad authority to issue and enforce health and safety standards to protect workers in staying safe and healthy on the job — like precautions against bloodborne diseases, excessive noise, and falls from dangerous heights — and now, getting vaccinated against a virus that has taken more American lives than World War One, World War Two, the Vietnam War, and 9/11 combined," the person added.
— Updated at 6:33 p.m. Harper Neidig contributed.
Tags eric schmitt Patrick Morrisey COVID-19 vaccine COVID-19 Coronavirus coronavirus vaccine coronavirus pandemic vaccine mandate Biden Vaccine mandate


It's so amazing what you can do when you find a dark space, slow your shutter, crank your imagination in high gear and start playing with light. I wanted to share with you what I consider great examples of light painting. Make sure and take a moment to visit all the photographers other outstanding work.


Paris Saint-Germain were drawn to play against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals on Friday, while Monaco will face Juventus. Do PSG stand a chance against Messi, Neymar and Suarez?
Spanish giants Barcelona stand in the way of PSG after the two clubs were drawn to play each other in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
PSG will have hope after beating Barcelona 3-1 in the group stages of this year's competition, but with the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, the Spanish club will be clear favourites to qualify for the semis.
Laurent Blanc's PSG side will also have to do without talisman Zlatan Ibrahimovic for the first leg of the tie which will be played at the Camp Nou.
PSG Will however be hoping to take revenge against the Catalan club who knocked them out at the same stage in 2013. After drawing 2-2 at the Parc des Princes in Paris, the teams were tied 1-1 at the Camp Nou, meaning the French club were eliminated on away goals.
Elsewhere in the draw Monaco were paired with Juventus, and the clash of the round is a repeat of last year's final Real Madrid versus city rivals Atletico.
German giants Bayern Munich will play against Porto in the final pairing.
The first leg of the quarter finals will be played on April 14/15 with the return matches on April 21/22.


Are there any people out there (male or female of no particular playing standard) interesetd in having a game or two of 5-a-side footie?
depending on when, i will be up for that.
will i need to get boots and shin guards?
also, i've heard stories about 5 a side being the realm of aggressive chavs. is this true?
will you expect me to lie on the ground clutching my ankle like these overpaid peacocks in "the beautiful game"?
yes, so long as the hopelessly unfit and malcoordinated are invited.
Count me in - Sunday evening is a good time for me - probably the only time I could regularly commit to. I used to do this a few years ago and found that having a game Sunday evening was a good way of extending the weekend - it delayed me thinking of Monday morning issues for a while. Only reasoin I stopped was the move to Sydenham from Wandsworth (now nearly 11 years ago).
don't get home till 1900hrs most nights... weekends would be possible.
ah, a problem I would have is that I wont be able to commit to a specific regular time....so if that would be required then I'd have to be counted out. I work a strange rolling shift pattern thats on a 5 week (i think) rotation.
I'm interested. Sunday evenings sound good.
OK Sunday afternoon/evening is looking a goer. I'll get some prices and venue details and we'll try and get a game organised.
What i need from you guys is to say whether sunday afternoon/evening is going to be OK. I thought we'd go for the one match initially, and then see if people want another game,...or not.
I am total crud at football and a little past my physical peak, so anyone who can make me look good is more than welcome. Equipment required will be trainers and sports gear/tracksuit/shorts type stuff. I'll see if the proposed venues supply the ball and some bibs.
Probably looking at mid -May by the time i get some responses in and confirm a venue. That will give people like me a few weeks to try and lose some ballast.
Last edited by ALIB on 15 Apr 2009 14:57, edited 1 time in total.
I am rubbish at football but reasonably fit and I reckon that this could be good fun. Sunday afternoon/ evening is OK with me.
Great idea ALIB. I'm interested in playing too. I'm more of a Razor Ruddock than Ronaldo and more than happy to have a shot at making you look good!
However, I have found a company called 'Goals' who have multiple pitches in Beckenham and Beckenham North. The piches cost £41 an hour....so presently that would be £5 each.
Next week I'll book a sunday for Mid-May and if anyone else wants to boost the numbers, they are more than welcome. If this gets a bit of support, there'll still be plenty of the summer left to get some more matches in.
Great - either location is OK with me - thanks for organising.
Does Sunday May 10th get some support? maybe around 3pm-5pm kick-off?
Also, i would rather have a few too many people than too few. We can always use substitutes, and we should have a nice social afterwards.
I'll be the first to throw a spanner in the works and say I can't make that date. The previous and following Sunday are okay, though.
I have a ball and some bibs that I'm happy to bring (though don't let that influence your choice of date!).
I'd like to join in with this. I play in goal for a Top Corner league on Tuesdays, so it would be good to get a run out!
for my own selfish personal reasons, i cannot do the 3rd May. Therefore i suggest keeping it to the 10th, and we can always arrange additional games thereafter.
OK, I can't do Sundays in summer.
OK, i need to grab this by the horns, else it will meander and fall.
Can all those who have responded positively, provide all details as to your preferred days/dates/times for next month (May). I can then chose the best date(s).
I would have thought some of the staff from TDA and Dolphin would have been up for this?
Apart from Tuesdays and Thursdays, I should be free for nearly all of May.
Any day for me, evenings or weekends.


Tom Furst '65 VSB found his inspiration in the extraordinary experiences he shared in the halls of Villanova University. As the student body president who introduced Martin Luther King to the Villanova community on January 20, 1965 and as a member of Blue Key, Tom was embedded in Villanova's spirit and success. "The experience of this deep involvement contributed so much to who I am and to the skills I developed". His passion for Villanova manifested into dedicated support which is felt on campus today and through his work within the West Coast Region.
As a member of the Class of 1965 Reunion committee, Tom partnered with Dan Capodanno '65 CLAS to help coordinate the alumni outreach effort for the West Coast Region. The Class of 1965's combined efforts yielded a tremendous turnout – gathering more than 18% of their classmates back on campus and raising more than $17 million for the University. Furst has also been involved in the "Villanova in the Valley" program, exposing Villanova students to innovative, creative and entrepreneurial opportunities in Silicon Valley.
Tom lives in California with his wife, Betsy. Over the last 50 years, he has worked in large organizations within the high tech and professional services industries. He served as senior vice president and CFO of SRI International, an organization responsible for the development of such transformative technologies as SIRI (the virtual personal assistant) and robotic surgery (the founder of Intuitive Surgical, maker of the da Vinci system), among others. Currently, he serves as interim CFO for US Flare Management, a startup working to reduce natural gas flaring at the wellhead. Furst is also the business strategy consultant for the aviation documentary, "Flying the Feathered Edge", starring the decorated US Air Force fighter pilot, Bob Hoover, and Harrison Ford.
©1990 - Sat Apr 20 11:15:03 EST 2019 Villanova University. All rights reserved.


Would it be cheaper to buy a boat without engine in the UK and ship it to the USA to buy/fit the engine and buy the trailer?
If you search this site you'll find a whole load of manufacturers and names.
From what I've seen it'll be a whole load cheaper to buy engines and trailers in the USA.
Your $4000 shipping at a rough guess should cover the cost of bringing one over in a container-as long as it'll fit in a 20' container.It's VERY expensive retubing in the USA and if the prices are similarly over the top for whole boats then it might well be worth looking into.
I doubt you'll be able to do anything with a rib that'll really stress any of the ones that are traditionally used as dive club boats over here though. You'd be surprised how tough they are. There's people on here (me included) beating the crap out of 20-30 year old Avons in all sorts of conditions and they just shrug it off and take it.
There's a redbay for sale on their site that'd pretty much fit your criteria too and would come in at less than $45000 including shipping it over.
These guys are out of Langley B.C. and make very high quality aluminum hulled, Hypalon tubed RIBS for much lower prices than Hurricane.
I have a used 22 foot Polais RIB for sale in British Columbia with no power. It is a heavy duty fiberglass commercial hull with double layer Hyplon tubes. It has a 2 foot alum outboard pod(extension). PM me if you are interested. 200 hp max. I just bought a new Hurricane 640.
Excellent company with attension to detail and a excellent ride.
Another good company. Their fiberglass hulls are made in house and they contract out their alum hulls.
Used Rib dealership in Vancouver Canada.
Another good but expensive company from vancouver island.
you have got to take a trip to Southern California and take our Ribcraft Mitigator, named Maverick, for a spin. I would bet that head to head the Mitigator would outperform the CZ7 and cost considerably less. You can also purchase the same boat without all the bells and whistles for less than what you might think.
Ribcrafts may not be as heavily built as Zodiacs but they are well built, lighter, and perform wonderfully especially in heavy seas. Ribcraft USA is in MA and will build a boat to suite your particular needs, set up however you like. Give me a call or send an email and I will gladly provide more info and a rough idea on prices. All the contact info is on our website. Look through the photo gallery and you will see some pictures of Maverick and there will be more coming soon.
A ride is all it will take and hopefully in a bit of a sea so you can really appreciate it.
I live in AZ and am in approx the same position as you. I am seriously considering importing a used 7/8 M RIB from UK less engine. Have a quote for the shipping from Southampton to Port Huenemein, CA, of 2418 UK pounds ( approx. $4000) Hope this helps. PM me if you need more info.
I got my Polaris about a year ago. Built very well, and the company is a dream to work with. Not particularly inexpensive, but should last pretty much forever.
I got my Ribcraft 585 this summer. Its great (built from the MA factory) and i could almost guarintee any conditions you want to take the boat out in the 585 could handle, worse conditions=swimming....alot of swimming.


If you're searching for the three-dimensional look of natural stone cladding, stacked stone, stone panels and stone veneers look no further than Norstone Rock Panels, a 100% natural stone cladding system which is ideal for both interior and exterior stone cladding use. The stone cladding's machine cut, precision modular form ensures quick, easy and economical installation.
Norstone is known throughout France and the world for its interior and exterior stone cladding panels. Our attractive and unique stone cladding designs combine a natural feel with a classical elegance and an ultra-modern look that sets Norstone apart from more traditional wall and panel products.
Norstone's unique rock panel system has been installed in some of the world's most prestigious projects and is often specified by architects and designers. The ease and speed of installation combined with natural stone cladding of the highest quality make Norstone the stone cladding of choice of architects, designers and builders in France and all over the world.


TIL: There are 14 billion insects per human on Earth.
10,000,000,000,000,000,000 insects. Divide by 7 billion people, you get roughly 14 billion per person.
About half of those are ants, and about 10% of those live in my kitchen.
That's a lot of nope.


Household duties are a breeze when Minute Women Home Care provides assistance. A variety of services are available for anyone in an assisted living situation, including help with laundry, dishes, and even deep cleaning chores like washing windows.
Assistance with a personalized focus is the Minute Women Home Care promise. Clients are in full control of the time spent cleaning, the chores performed, and the way things are cleaned. Only one cleaner will be in the home in order to build a trusting relationship with the client.
Attention to detail and personalized service are ideal for assisted living clients who need extra help maintaining a home. An individualized evaluation gives every client the chance to address their needs and create a work plan for household duties. Hourly rates and a 100% money back guarantee ensure a thorough cleaning.
With personalized service, getting help with household chores can be a pleasant process.


text:
Lighting the way towards self-empowerment
March 2016, Kerala, India
India is currently seeing a massive increase in technology and wealth – with a 211% increase in wealth from 2000 to 2015 (source: India Times). However, poverty, illiteracy, sanitation health, and crimes against women persist despite this influx of wealth and advances in technology. Speaking to this issue, Amma said, "A split personality is never a sign of sound health. If we want to see India become powerful and healthy again, we need to merge these two faces into one beautiful face." Sustainable growth requires the advancement of the environment, equity, and education in addition to the growth of the economy. Holding the vision for empowerment of all people Amma said, "If we can bring our collective knowledge, compassion and talent together, it will not be so long before we see India rising and thriving with peace, harmony, and prosperity."
All over the world there is a trending pattern of wealth being generated in the cities while rural areas are ignored. Yet much of our resources, including food, come from these rural regions. Amma said, "Today we are just exploiting and casting them aside. It is time to acknowledge that our villages are our very foundation and move forward with one heart and one mind to protect and serve them." Our own Amrita University's self-reliant village initiative attempts to address this issue. With seven focus areas of self-empowerment, health, agriculture, eco-friendly infrastructure, water and sanitation, income generation, and education, these villages are becoming role models for holistic sustainable development. Komalikudi, a tribal village in India's southern state of Kerala, is one of our adopted villages. Residents worked alongside our volunteers as well as students and staff from our own Amrita University to improve village living conditions. Just like a third of India's 600,000 villages, Komalikudi does not have access to electricity even though it is rich in natural resources. The team of residents, university students and staff, and volunteers worked together to harvest hydroelectric power and provide electricity to the tribal village.
Today, Komalikudi residents benefit from access to electricity 24/7; every house in the village has plug points. With 7-watt energy efficient LED bulbs, activities no longer have to be stopped once the sun goes down. Vellamma, a volunteer for the village's Anganwadi, a courtyard shelter that provides community services, said, "Now we have lights in the room so students can study at night - many thanks to Amma. We are so grateful to Amma for the support." Mrs. Shobana, a Komalikudi vocational skills trainer, mirrored Vellamma's statement by saying, "Earlier we had to stop our work by 5 pm as there was no light in the room. Now we have electricity so we can work at night. We are so grateful to Amma and her children for the help."
Additionally, micro hydro generators power a water distribution system in the village, including a bore well with a pump and two overhead water tanks connected to each cluster of homes. As a result, the entire village now has access to potable water year round. Access to potable water not only improves village health but also sanitation, enabling both children and adults the ability to practice better hygiene. Overall public health in the village has greatly increased.
With the successful completion of this project, our team was ecstatic. The students were thrilled to apply their theoretical knowledge in a hands-on project that also served others. The project not only provided practical solutions to the villager's struggles, but it was also an inspiring collaboration that brought great joy to everyone involved as only selfless service can.


Stories have been circulating for some weeks that "up to 40 African nations" have been given exemptions from the June 17th absolute switch-over from analogue TV broadcasting to digital.
'Not so" states the ITU bluntly, and warns that any nation which has not switched off its analogue TV by mid-June risks their international protection rights to non-interference by adjacent nations.
The "exemption" claim was made in a Kenyan court-room last month by litigants seeking to extend their analogue transmissions for a period.
The ITU explains it has worked patiently with 47 African nations over a period of years to prepare for the mid-June date and in the planning and coordination needed to free up the 700 and 800 MHz bands (usually used for analogue TV).


On October 3, 2008, Congress approved an extension and modification of "Section 181," a federal tax incentive designed to combat runaway film and television production.
The following information should help members understand how the newly-revised IRC Section 181 can help reduce film and television production costs when shooting projects in the United States.
Qualifying Film Expenses Immediately Deductible.
Producers or active financial participants in qualifying film and television productions may elect to immediately deduct the cost of qualifying film expenditures in the year the expenditure occurs.
Qualified film and television productions include any film or video tape production of a motion picture or television show whose costs would otherwise be required to be capitalized but for section 181. Only the first 44 episodes, including the pilot production, of a television series are eligible under the law.
In the case of a film co-produced by multiple investors, the deduction for qualifying expenditures must be allocated among the owners of the film in a manner that reasonably reflects each owner's proportionate investment and economic interest in the film.
Qualified films do not include sexually explicit productions as defined in section 2257 of title 18 of the U.S. Code.
Qualifying Expenses Include the First $15 Million of Expenditures.
The proposal applies to the first $15 million in production costs for qualifying film or television productions. This is a major expansion from the previous law which only applied to productions with production costs under $15 million.
A higher expenditure cap of $20 million applies to productions the aggregate costs of which are "significantly incurred" in: a) areas eligible for designation as a low-income community under the New Markets Tax Credit program, or b) areas eligible for designation by the Delta Regional Authority as a distressed county or isolated area of distress.
The IRS temporary regulations (T.D. 9312) outline two alternative tests to determine if costs are "significantly incurred" in qualifying low-income areas. The first test is based upon production costs and establishes a 20% threshold for the test. It compares production costs incurred in first-unit principal photography that takes place in a designated area to all productions costs incurred in first-unit principal photography. This does not include preproduction, editing and post-production costs. The second test is based upon the number of days of principal photography. If at least 50% of the total days of principal photography take place in the designated area, the production will be deemed to satisfy the significantly occurred test.
To qualify, at least 75% of the total compensation expended on the production must be for services performed in the United States.
Qualifying compensation includes payments for services performed in the United States by actors, directors, producers, and other relevant production personnel. Compensation does not include participations and residuals.
This revised domestic film production incentive program - covering the first $15 million of costs of all productions - will be in effect for qualifying productions commencing after December 31, 2007 and before January 1, 2010.
What are the key changes to Section 181 - The "Runaway Production" Federal tax incentive?
Section 181, which was first enacted by Congress in 2004, was extended and modified as part of the financial rescue package recently passed by Congress and enacted into law on October 3, 2008. It was extended for one year for qualified productions that begin the first day of principal photography before January 1, 2010. Importantly, it was also significantly modified so that the first $15 million ($20 million in the case of productions in certain low-income and eligible areas of the country) of film and television may be immediately written-off for tax purposes. This now makes the incentive available for film and television productions of all sizes, small or large. In addition, the new rules are retroactive for all productions commencing after December 31, 2007.
When do productions need to commence to qualify for the new incentive?
The incentive, which is ongoing since 2004, has now been broadened to include qualified productions commencing after December 31, 2007, and before January 1, 2010.
Can the immediate write-offs be taken in more than one year?
When, where, and how does the "election" to immediately deduct the qualifying expenditures apply?
The election is to be made on the tax return for the taxable year in which the production costs are first incurred. The election must be made by the due date (including extensions of time) of such return.
What tax form do I need to fill out to get the incentive?
Currently, there is no specific form to fill out. The IRS temporary regulations require that you declare in a separate statement that you are electing to utilize Section 181. The legislative history also states that: "deducting qualifying costs on the appropriate tax return shall constitute a valid election." Therefore, deducting the production costs (that would otherwise be capitalized) on your tax return will qualify as electing to take advantage of this incentive.
Does it apply to all productions (e.g., big budget productions)?
Yes, as mentioned above, the immediate write-off provision now applies to the first $15 million (or $20 million in low income or distressed areas) of costs for all productions regardless of the aggregate cost of the project.
What is the real benefit of this incentive?
This is a significant Federal tax incentive that allows producers of qualifying productions to take an immediate tax deduction for the full or partial costs of a production in the year the cost is incurred (as opposed to having to spread or amortize those costs over a period of years beginning after the film goes to market).
How do I determine if it is beneficial to my production?
Since the new incentive is elective, producers can run numbers with or without the new incentive and determine whether or not to elect to immediately expense the production costs in the first year(s).
No. However, depending on the investment structure you choose, multiple parties may be able to properly allocate costs that could be immediately expensed.
What happens in the case of a co-production or a film financed by multiple investors?
The $15 million ($20 million) threshold refers to the qualifying film. The benefits of the provision must be allocated among the owners of a film in a manner that reasonably reflects each owner's proportionate investment in and economic interest in the film.
In order to qualify for the higher ($20 million) deduction, what does it mean to require that a "significant" amount of the expenditures be incurred in an eligible area?
The IRS temporary regulations outlined two alternative tests to determine if the "significantly occurred" requirement is met. One test is based upon production costs and establishes a 20% threshold for the test. It compares production costs incurred in first-unit principal photography that takes place in a designated area to all productions costs incurred in first-unit principal photography. This does not include preproduction, editing and post-production costs. The second test is based upon the number of days of principal photography. If at least 50% of the total days of principal photography take place in the designated area, the production will be deemed to satisfy the significantly occurred test.
Are there other Federal tax incentives that may be valuable to film productions?
Yes, all US based productions continue to have other potential incentives including a 6% tax deduction from gross revenues for U.S. film and television production activities (Section 199). Producers should consult with their professional tax advisors for other tax incentives that may be available.
The DGA has worked with a coalition of film industry organizations for nearly ten years to stem the tide of runaway production. The current effort focused on amending Section 181 to make the United States a competitive place for film and television production. Combined with the incentives that many states have enacted, we believe that the federal incentive will serve as an effective tool to keep more television and film production in the United States.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as tax advice with respect to your production activities. For such advice, you should consult with your tax advisor.
Click here for a print formatted PDF of this Section 181 information.


Tuscan Fresh Italian Kitchen can be the start of something big for Chef Greg Nalley who has already had great success in Baltimore for his Nalley Fresh Restaurants. He and his partners have opened the Nalley Fresh quick casual food concept in downtown Baltimore, Hunt Valley and Towson with a Timonium location opening in a couple weeks, in Canton at the Can Company late October and another downtown location at 400 E. Pratt Street early winter.
The quick casual Tuscan Fresh Italian Kitchen will be opening in the old Ullswater location at 554 E. Fort Avenue not quite Federal Hill and not quite Locust Point, just in-between. The Tuscan Fresh Italian Kitchen concept is patrons choose from established pasta and salad bowl offerings or customizing their own by picking their pasta shape preference (gluten free available), sauce and protein. There will be daily offerings of additional gourmet sauces, proteins and pastas. Pick your beverage; Tuscan Fresh has a liquor license so they will be serving wine on tap from mini kegs or indulge in a bottled brew. They put our meal together tout suite and bring it to your table. Look for a November opening date for Tuscan Fresh.
This like the first Nalley Fresh, will be a prototype for future Tuscan Fresh Italian Kitchens. Nalley advised, "Like Nalley Fresh where we do a nice portion of our business in carryout, I foresee the same for Tuscan Fresh – guests will be able to order on line." He continued, "The price point will be in the $12 to $15 range." Chef expressed that Tuscan Fresh will be conducive to family dining.
Chef Nalley started in the business back in 1992 where he spent 10 years as the executive chef at the Maryland Jockey Club. He opened his first restaurant at Tide Point, the Harvest Table, and sold it after seven years. Since then he has been doing consulting and developing his Nalley Fresh concept. His partners in Tuscan Fresh Italian Kitchen are not the same as Nalley Fresh and wish to remain silent.
When asked why the Riverside/Locust Point location chef Nalley replied, "There isn't an Italian restaurant in the neighborhood so the location is ideal." So get ready to get your Italian on Riverside, Buon Appetito.


Exclusive: The BMA is under pressure to take legal action against the Government to block its controversial NHS reforms, Pulse has learned.
A motion submitted to next month's Special Representative Meeting calls on the BMA to 'investigate the legality of the Government's action in implementing significant parts of the Health and Social Care bill ahead of its ratification by Parliament, and then to take any appropriate legal action'.
The motion, from the BMA's City and Hackney division, also calls on the BMA to oppose the bill in its entirety 'as the coalition Government has no authority to enact it'.
Public sector union Unison launched a legal challenge to the health white paper last August over health secretary Andrew Lansley´s 'refusal' to consult with the public on the proposals. However the union failed to win a judicial review in October after Justice Mitting ruled that the court could not place a legal demand on the Government to consult the public, patients or staff over its plans.
A spokesperson for the BMA said all motions submitted for the SRM would be considered by the meeting's agenda committee. The agenda will be published during the week preceding the 15 March meeting, she said.