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Home | Commentaries | Economy Watch
China's Weaker Smog Rules Favor Economic Growth
An analysis by Michael Lelyveld
Smog engulfs Beijing's central business district on a polluted day in China's capital, Oct. 15, 2018.
China has eased its winter smog rules as the country faces threats from natural gas shortages and economic pressures, signaling that the push for better air quality may take a back seat to production growth.
On Sept. 27, the newly-named Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued a revised air quality plan for the region surrounding Beijing during the winter, when pollution from coal-fired factories has traditionally combined with emissions from heating systems to produce smog.
Officials have been trying to avoid the mistakes that stirred public anger last winter after the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) banned coal-fired heating in 28 northern cities. The deadlines were set before gas and electricity projects were completed, leaving homes and schools in the cold.
The top planning agency was forced to backtrack last December and lift the coal ban, but not before gas demand soared and prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG) hit record highs.
The NDRC vowed it would not repeat the "shortcomings" of last winter's gas crisis. In August, Vice Minister of Finance Liu Wei said that attempts to convert coal-fired boilers to gas must secure a "matching supply source" from now on.
Last week, Vice Premier Han Zheng repeated the warning, telling local officials it is "absolutely forbidden" to leave residents without heat.
The attempts to control coal use last winter created a long list of consequences.
Seasonal production curbs on steel, along with cement and other high energy users, led to more problems as the market reacted to fears of supply limits by raising prices, providing an incentive to boost production outside the restricted zone.
In July, the cabinet-level State Council said it would expand the smog fight with production limits in 82 cities.
But the new rules for the coming winter suggest that enforcement will not be as strict.
The plan released jointly by central government agencies and six provincial-level regions will turn implementation over to local authorities, who have been told "to avoid the 'one-size-fits-all' method when it comes to curtailing the output of polluting industries," the official Xinhua news agency said.
The rules call for emissions limits to "be strictly implemented on heavily-polluting sectors including thermal power, steel, petrochemicals and cement."
'A differentiated approach'
But the plan also urges "a differentiated approach, with companies excelling in pollution control to be exempt from output restrictions."
The plan does not define emissions that may be considered as "excelling," leaving the door open to local discretion and production growth.
According to the government's China.org.cn website, the interagency plan will be implemented in only the original 28 cities, leaving the State Council's earlier decision on expansion to 82 cities in doubt.
The designated areas include Beijing, Tianjin and cities in Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong and Henan provinces, the official English-language China Daily said.
The revised plan targets a three-percent reduction in average concentrations of small smog-forming particulates known as PM2.5 and a similar decrease in the number of heavily polluted days over a six-month period compared with a year before.
The reductions are less burdensome than the five-percent cuts proposed in an earlier version of the plan seen by the South China Morning Post in August.
"In addition, the two targets are well below the cuts of 'at least 15 percent' set out in last year's plan," the paper said.
The heating season runs from Nov. 15 to March 15, but pollution reduction targets apply to the period lasting from Oct. 1 to March 31.
The government site stressed the tougher aspects of the new rule, saying that localities must formulate three-year action plans to reduce smog and standardize warning systems.
The cities were required to update their analyses of pollution sources by the end of September, and provincial forecasting centers were ordered to acquire seven-day forecasting capabilities.
But other reports pointed to looser requirements.
Ma Jun, director of the Institute for Public and Environmental Affairs, said that this year's pollution reduction goals are "considerably lower than those of last year," China Daily reported.
The paper cited last winter's "hasty gas-for-coal conversion projects and the shutdown of enterprises, which have caused public outcries."
"This year's approach is much more gentle and targeted," Ma said.
The leniency of the new plan is already having an effect on the steel market, which has suffered from years of excess capacity and overproduction. More steel production could trigger further responses from the United States, which slapped tariffs on steel imports from China in August.
"The fear is that China's steel mills, already operating at elevated run rates, will keep churning out metal over a seasonally weak time for demand," an analysis by Reuters said. "That risks flooding the domestic market, with the ensuing danger of more Chinese steel spilling out to the rest of the world."
A migrant worker steps out of his accommodation in an area next to a coal-fired power plant in Beijing during a smog-free day and the last day of the city's first 'red alert' for air pollution, Dec. 10, 2015. Credit: Reuters
Cause for concern
Foreign steelmakers may have cause for concern that the smog plan will lead to a price slump, it said.
But the eased restrictions of the new smog rules appear to be driven by forces that the government will find hard to avoid.
The first is criticism of last year's botched fuel-switching program after photos of freezing school children were posted online.
By shifting decision-making for conversions and factory cutbacks to local officials, the central government may limit the backlash against its own authority, whether the public complains about smog, gas shortages or production shutdowns.
Another reason for less rigid enforcement is the economy, which is already under pressure from the tariff war, whether higher steel production prompts more U.S. penalties or not.
Last week, the government reported economic figures that may heighten concerns.
Growth of gross domestic product fell to 6.5 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, down from second-quarter growth of 6.7 percent, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported.
The quarterly growth was the lowest in nearly a decade, international news agencies said.
With the new smog-control policy, the central government is walking a tightrope, delicately balanced between cutting pollution and keeping economic growth from falling too far.
For the time being, policymakers appear to be leaning toward the growth side, but interpreting the government's motives in formulating the final version of the winter plan may be a close call.
"Though concerns over economic growth may be there, I guess the government is trying to step back from the heavy-handed approach that resulted in disruption to energy supplies last year," said Philip Andrews-Speed, a China energy expert at the National University of Singapore.
The ambitious fuel-switching plan for the last heating season pushed local governments to take "arbitrary short-term measures to meet targets," Andrews-Speed said.
Whether growth concerns have driven the new policy or not, this year's anti-smog effort will play out as economic pressures mount.
The latest NBS report suggests that softening in the manufacturing sector could accelerate if smog controls force factory shutdowns over the winter.
Industrial production growth dropped to 5.8 percent in September, dipping from 6.1 percent in August, the NBS said.
The most recent survey for the official manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) found a slower rate of expansion in September with a reading of 50.8, down from 51.3 in August. Any figure below 50 would indicate contraction.
But so far, production of crude steel has kept rising through good times and bad, posting a string of monthly output figures over 80 million metric tons through September after topping the mark in May for the first time in history.
A softening of year-to-year growth rates with a 2.7-percent increase in August may even be in doubt, since a calculation based on year-earlier NBS figures shows a gain of 7.6 percent. The agency reported a 6.1-percent increase in production for the first nine months of the year.
Hard to maintain momentum
The momentum may be hard to maintain in the face of economic cooling, tariff pressures and pollution controls, but the transfer of decision-making to local authorities could turn this winter into an open season for industrial growth.
Still, there are signs that provinces are pressing steelmakers to clean up their act.
In Hebei province surrounding Beijing, environmental authorities are requiring all mills to meet stricter emission standards by 2020, Reuters said in a separate report.
The new standards call for PM2.5 emissions to be kept to within 10 micrograms per cubic meter. Concentrations in the province averaged 65 micrograms per cubic meter last year, but readings fell to a low of 31 micrograms in September, Reuters said.
This month, Beijing officials also reported an improvement in PM2.5 readings before the start of the heating season.
In the first three quarters of 2018, the average PM2.5 density declined 16.7 percent from a year earlier to 50 micrograms per cubic meter, the city's environmental protection bureau said.
Despite the reported readings, smog has returned to Beijing and the surrounding region twice in the past week.
The first bout prompted the city to post a yellow alert, the third-highest in its color-coded warning system.
The second over the past weekend forced 10 cities in Hebei province to issue a second-level orange alert.
Under anti-smog rules, heavy industrial plants are required to lower production by at least 20 percent, Reuters said.
China Doubles Down on Troubled Pollution Policy
China Cuts Smog But Burns More Coal
China's Steel Output Hits New Highs
China's Bubbles Buoy Economy as Risks Loom
China Gives 'Guarantee' on Winter Gas Supplies
China Braces For Second Winter Gas Squeeze
China's Coal Use Climbs Despite Pollution Plans
China Crimps Energy Supplies Amid Shortages
China Scrambles to Fix Winter Gas Problems
China Shifts Smog Away From Beijing, Study Says
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Sol Kyung-gu
Sol Kyung-gu (born May 1, 1968) is a Grand Bell Award, Golden Space Needle Award, and Bratislava International Film Festival Best Actor winning South Korean actor. He studied film and theater at Hanyang University and upon graduation took part in mostly theatrical productions. After transitioning into film, Sol is best known for his roles in the popular Public Enemy and Silmido. He displayed his marvelous acting skills in Palme d'Or nominated and Silver Lion winning director Lee Chang-dong's Peppermint Candy, in which he is a suicidal man devastated by the two-decades of historical change his country undergoes and as a mildly mentally-retarded outcast with sociopathic inclinations in Oasis, two groundbreaking films that are part of the Korean New Wave film movement.
Hailed as the seminal film of the Korean new wave, acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong's OASIS tells the story of two societal misfits and their struggle to find love and acceptance amidst the hypocrisy of modern Korean life. Fate helped bring them together, family fought to keep them apart.
(2002) 132 min
South Korean Drama
Chang-dong Lee
Hailed as the seminal film of the Korean new wave, OASIS tells the story of two societal misfits and their...
Source: Sol Kyung-gu on Freebase, licensed under CC-BY

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Le Tétraophase de Szecheny () est une espèce d'oiseaux de la famille des .

Distribution
Chine : sud-est et est du Xizang, sud du Tsinghaï, sud-ouest du Seutchouan et nord-ouest du Yunnan. Extrême nord-est de l'Inde dans l'Arunachal Pradesh

Habitat
La tétraophase de Szecheny se rencontre entre 3350 et 4600 m, dans les forêts d'altitude et les prairies alpines : forêts mixtes de chênes, conifères, rhododendrons jusqu'à 3700 m; forêts de conifères jusqu'à 3900 m ; pelouses, pentes rocailleuses et arbustives au-dessus de 3900 m (Hennache & Ottaviani 2011).

Alimentation
Elle se nourrit de racines, de baies, de pousses, de feuilles et de mousses (Cheng et al. 1978).

Mœurs
Cette perdrix vit en groupes de 4 à 12 oiseaux en dehors de la saison de reproduction. Elle forme parfois des troupes plus importantes autour des monastères où elle est nourrie (jusqu'à 80 oiseaux d'après Madge & McGowan 2002).
En dehors des monastères, c'est une espèce timide. A la moindre alerte, elle se fige sur place ou s'envole vers un couvert forestier où elle se perche en attendant que le danger soit passé (Hennache & Ottaviani 2011).

Voix
Le chant serait formé de répétitions de deux ou trois notes saccadées entrecoupées d'une note monosyllabique assez rauque.

Nidification
Selon Madge & McGowan (2002), le nid et les œufs ne sont pas décrits, mais une séquence vidéo tournée dans la région du Ganzi tibétain, sud-ouest du Seutchouan, par Peng Jitai montre un nid, relativement profond, composé de racines et de tiges d'herbes sèches contenant quatre ou cinq œufs fauves finement et entièrement tachetés de brun-noir. On y voit également un mâle parader en déployant et en refermant ses rectrices tout en lançant une série de tseu-criiiiiii-crèèèèè aigus et obstinés. Les derniers plans révèlent un couple se déplaçant avec un seul jeune au mois de juin (Hennache & Ottaviani 2011).

Statut, conservation
Cette espèce n'est pas considérée comme menacée par BirdLife International (2010). Bien que devenue très rare en Inde, elle est assez répandue en Chine où la population est estimée entre 25000 et 40000 oiseaux dans l'est du Tibet (Madge & McGowan 2002).

Bibliographie
 Cheng Tso-hin, Tan Yoo-kuang, Lu Tai-chun, Bao Guijun & Li Fulai (1978). Fauna Sinica, Series Vertebratica, Aves. Vol.4. Galliformes. Science Press, Academia Sinica, Peking.
 Hennache, A. & Ottaviani, M. (2011). Cailles, Perdrix et Francolins de l'Ancien Monde, 400 pages. Editions W.P.A. France, Clères, France.
 Madge, S. & McGowan, P. J. K. (2002). Pheasants, Partridges & Grouse. Helm, London.

Annexes

Références taxinomiques

Liens externes

Phasianidae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Watching a play, always belonged to most people.
Seeing the Divine Phoenix Sect's people, all left the planet, the space in the surroundings, the many Loose Cultivators were also followed as they charged out.
They might have all sorts of things, However, these things didn't affect them to watch this commotion.
Phoenix Sect five million people, they covered the heavens and the earth like a swarm of locusts.
Space was so great, that much number, from one planet rushed out were naturally extremely conspicuous.
This immediately caused chaos in the Spirit Star cultivator's attention.
Their expressions of disdain, with a cold snort, looked towards the Divine Phoenix Sect's arrival.
Towards Long Yun Sect and frost Sect, well as Grand Spirit Palace these three sects, the Spirit Star around almost a hundred stars numbered in the area, they were in the sky.
This was a domain, even if they were a sect, didn't fear anyone, not to mention this was the three sects in the alliance.
In their eyes, if the opponent was very strong, that is most definitely not only a Five Thousand people.
After all, every powerful sect, the inner disciple of the numbers were extremely few in number.
When Su Hanshan and the others approached the spirit star, immediately had a huge explosive cry, from the Spirit Star came.
Su Hanshan smiled, waved his hand, indicating for the Divine Phoenix Sect's group to stop.
Numerous figures appeared in the Spirit Star's surface, in the lead, a white-haired old man.
The body retracted his aura, However, Su Hanshan was still able to tell that it was a tier Divine Sea Realm cultivation.
Old man sized up Su Hanshan's group, looked at Ye Xiao Fei and Ling Xiao's body paused for a moment, then spoke.
"Phoenix Sect." Su Hanshan smiled.
Xuanyuan sky wasn't so good temper, When he opened his eyes wide, his aura rose.
"even dares to say such words, Do you really not dead... ah..." Ling Xiao took a deep breath, his eyes narrowed into slits.
"Before my Divine Phoenix Sect to find people with you all discussed, it seems like you didn't agree to it?" Su Hanshan's smile remained.
Hearing his words, the Spirit Star burst into a smile, everyone was disdainful and mocking look at Phoenix Sect's side.
At this moment, Phoenix Sect of the High Level, he knew that the three sects to be arrogant to some extent, also understood, why Xuanyuan Wu Qing would be so furious.
"Go." Su Hanshan nodded indifferently.
At that moment, the War Clan's figure among the crowd rushed out, a total of six hundred thousand, his body emitted an extremely shocking aura in his body.
Xuanyuan Qiong didn't say a word, He took a step forward, Void directly, a rumbling sound came from.
His entire person as if had turned into an extremely fast bullets, in that instant, it charged into the Spirit Star's surface!
Fist rumbled out, a Divine Sea Realm aura from Xuanyuan sky erupted out of the body.
War Clan to it, his physical body, even Weapon!
They didn't need any weapons, he didn't need any Armor, because these things, they would need to use his own power to activate it, directly proportional.
If his body couldn't stop it, then these Weapon and Armor, so what?
Seeing Xuanyuan Qiong rushed in, the old man let out a cold snort, aged palm waved, two Bent Blade appeared.
Flashed, a Saber Light appeared, its speed was extremely fast, and Xuanyuan Qiong's fist directly and collided.
Two sounds rang out at the same time, a muffled, a clear and crisp.
A dull sound was Xuanyuan Celestial Fist Radiance exploded into pieces.
Crisp voice...... was the elder Superior Grade Emperor Weapon Bent Blade, forcefully broken!
After seeing this scene, when the old man's pupils constricted, didn't dare to believe it.
Fist Radiance might collapse, But Xuanyuan Qiong's fist was completely unharmed.
The fell down, the old man's other sword Bent Blade was shattered into countless fragments, even the old man sucked in Cold Qi's voice in his chest like a Superior Grade Emperor Weapon Armor, pierced ruthlessly landed on the old man's chest!
Another crisp sound rang out, Although the other booming sound, However, it was clearly!
Three Great Sects of the many disciples dumbstruck, It was hard to believe.
As Xuanyuan fist fell from the sky, along with the old man's chest bones were broken, his entire body, at this moment, transforming into a Blood Mist, collapsing the Primal Spirit Star's surface in!
In this noisy, Xuanyuan Qiong's palm once again stretched out, the old man's Yuan God grabbed, dragged to the front.


text:
Singapore Sweep 2017
Artists and Artwork
Portable Cinema
Lotus in a Breeze
The Ferry
Puppet Maker
Bananas in a Basket
Epic Poem of Malaya
Life by the River
National Language Class
Artist and Model
Art • Heartbeat of the Community
This painting resembles the unfurling story of a Chinese hand scroll, where carefully positioned subjects lead the eye of the viewer across the work. Demonstrating the artist's compositional skills, the arching boardwalk and sinuous river unite the various figures while telling a rich narrative.
About Liu Kang
Born in Fujian Province, China, Liu Kang (1911-2004) received his formal training at the Shanghai Academy of Fine Art, where he learned Chinese painting. In 1928, he travelled to Paris where he was influenced by art movements such as Fauvism and Post-Impressionism. One of Singapore's pioneer artists, he was also a leading figure in the Society of Chinese Artists and the Singapore Art Society. In 1970, he was awarded the Public Service Star.
Gift of the artist.
Collection of National Gallery Singapore.
Image courtesy of National Heritage Board.
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struct BasicSoundCreationInfo
{
	float volume;
	IXAudio2Voice* destinationVoice;
	const char* fileName;
	const char* filePath;
	bool loopPlayback;

	BasicSoundCreationInfo(const char* p_file, const char* p_filePath,
		bool p_loopPlayback=false, float p_volume=1.0f)
	{
		destinationVoice = NULL;
		volume = p_volume;
		fileName = p_file;
		filePath = p_filePath;
		loopPlayback = p_loopPlayback;
	}

	std::string getFullFilePathString()
	{
		std::string fullFilePath = filePath;
		fullFilePath += fileName;
		return fullFilePath;
	}
};

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The tornado that struck in May 1953 Texas Waco took the lives of 118 people, and destroyed 55 million $ of property. ▼ God in advance to send a prophet to the church, it was allowed to fasting and prayer. ▼ As a result, members of the Church did not hurt no one. ▼ some believers had seen the tornado in the corner of the building of the block building. Roof is blown off, until the floor height block went skipped. In the meantime, he was praising God raising his hands.


We are happy to announce that we will have another addition to our family of 3! This will be our second child and we couldn't be happier! With our first we weren't following anything close to a plant-based diet. We basically followed the average American diet, but perhaps even a little better than the average.
Green Leaves and Jam, a Plant-Based Diet is proudly powered by WordPress and BuddyPress. Just another WordPress Theme by Themekraft.


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A database of 50 years of FORTUNE's list of America's largest corporations
View by year: 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 View by company: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
FORTUNE 500 appearances:
FORTUNE 500 DATA
Revenues 73,061.0 29.1 11 14
Profits 2,539.0 N.A. N.A. N.A.
Assets 74,708.0 — N.A.
Stockholders' Equity 37,746.0 — N.A. N.A.
Market Value 70,130.2 — N.A. —
Employees* 142,000 — N.A. —
Revenues 3.5 N.A. N.A.
Assets 3.4 N.A. —
Stockholders' equity 6.7 N.A. —
2003 ($) 0.83
10-year growth rate (%) 3.6
2003 34.5 N.A.
10-year annual rate 12.3 N.A.
See this year's FORTUNE 500
See this year's Global 500
Since 1955, when the first FORTUNE 500 was created, more than 1,800 companies have appeared on the list. Many of these companies have changed names over this period, owing to mergers, acquisitions, and bankruptcies. Other companies have gone private, or simply changed their names.
Companies are listed by the name with which they were associated in 2005, or at the time of their most recent list appearance before that. FORTUNE 500 companies that have been acquired by other FORTUNE 500 companies are listed under the name of the acquiring company. Rankings have been revised to reflect corrections in data.
*Employee data is total number, not in $ millions.
Fortune 500 Company Search


Regarded as the most innovative winery in the Yarra Valley, Coombe Farm is a must-visit destination. The vineyard is known for its vast production of both traditional and exotic grape varieties.
Coombe Farm offers a stunning location for wine tasting, weddings, private events or simply dining in the beautiful a la carte restaurant.
The Vestey family started this winery with the goal of producing the finest grapes to create authentic wines. After doing an extensive research on the wine making process, the winemakers were able to find the best grape varieties and developed a range of sparkling wines from their estate grown grapes. Years later, they were able to fulfil their dreams and emerge as a premium wine maker in Victoria.
Coombe Farm uses gentle methods of wine making that include minimal filtration and refining so that their wines come with a persistent flavour and seamless texture. Visitors should taste their quality varieties including pinot gris, arneis and viogner.
Come here for lunch at the onsite restaurant and enjoy a tasty selection of seasonal and estate grown produce for brunch, lunch and afternoon tea seven days a week.
With seven acres of manicured gardens Coombe Farm's breathtaking venue overlooking the rolling slopes of the Great Dividing Range sets an inviting atmosphere in which visitors can indulge. Popular for weddings and other celebrations, Coombe Farm has the perfect backdrop for hosting a special event.
If you are looking for accommodation in the Yarra Valley, click the link below for the best accommodation deals.
Tasting is free for most wines with a small charge that is refundable on purchase of certain varieties.
Unfortunately we don't take lunch bookings on behalf of Coombe Farm, so you will need to contact them directly.


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Does English have stroke order?
Ronald Defoor
There is no perfect stroke sequence or direction in English, yet certain things are done more frequently than others. The most common sequences are: top-to-bottom left-to-right and bottom-to-top right-to-left.
In general terms, words that start with a vowel sound go downstrokes, while words that start with a consonant sound go upstrokes.
This is true for letters, characters, and syllables. Words are composed of characters, and characters are made up of strokes. Thus, to say that English has a left-to-right writing system means that the typical word goes from the left side to the right side of the page or screen.
However, this is not always the case. Sometimes words switch orders when they are close together. This is called "accretion". For example, if I were to write about the movie Titanic, I would probably begin with "Rose" and then move on to "Jack", "Anchor", "Iceberg", and so on. There is no rule against these combinations; they just don't happen very often. When they do, it's because it makes sense to do so.
Does stroke order matter in English?
Does Japan have a stroke order?
Does Chinese stroke order matter?
The typical response is: nah, not really. To elaborate, stroke order isn't as critical in the English alphabet as it is in Someone could notice and point out that you're writing your "t"s "wrong," but most people won't notice or care. Stroke order does matter in some languages, such as Latin and French, because there are certain letters that can be combined with other letters only if they are played at the same time. In Latin, for example, a can be combined with an s only if they are both pronounced at the same time.
The stroke order in Japanese is 1 horizontal, 1 vertical, and 2 horizontal. Yes, sir. Simply learn the proper stroke order. When you first start learning kanji, read the stroke sequence and then practice writing it a few times to acquire a feel for it.
There are many different methods of teaching kanji. The one I describe here is called "order learning". It works like this: You learn each character by writing it according to its stroke order. For example, let's say that you want to learn the word "happy" with the meaning "joyful". First, you would look up "happy" in a dictionary or the Chinese encyclopedia and find its stroke order. In this case, it is "1 horizontal, 2 vertical". Now, all you need to do is write "happy" following these instructions until you feel comfortable with it.
This method is very easy to remember because everything is written in order. If you wanted to learn the character for "cat", you would write it as "1 horizontal, 2 vertical". This way, you can be sure to write every character correctly without thinking about it too much.
Japan uses an alphabet composed of 46 characters. Like Chinese, Japanese writing is based on the shape of the characters rather than their meaning. As in Chinese, there are several ways to write the same thing.
Yes, the sequencing of the strokes is critical. The major reason why stroke order is so crucial is that it allows you to write the character accurately, faster, and more easily. If the character is written correctly the first time, there's no need to rewrite it.
Knowing how to write characters properly is important in Chinese handwriting. Even though Chinese characters are composed of simple shapes, they can be difficult for foreigners to write because they require a certain sequence of strokes. For example, you cannot write the character for "lion" by simply drawing one shape; instead, you must write it using the two different parts of the character as shown below.
Writing these kinds of characters correctly is essential for both legibility and accuracy. If you write them incorrectly, even if it is just by mistake, you will have to go back and change them which can be very frustrating if you are trying to use the character quickly.
Chinese characters are made up of two parts: a radical and a phonetic element. Radicals are the basic building blocks of characters and they determine the meaning of the character. There are over 100 radicals in common usage today. Phonetic elements indicate the sound of each letter in Mandarin Chinese. They are used to create new characters or modify existing ones.
Ronald Defoor has been teaching for over ten years. He is an educator with extensive knowledge and understanding of the education system, who strives to make learning accessible and engaging. Ronald believes that every child deserves access to quality education regardless of their home life or socioeconomic status, which is why he dedicates so much time towards helping students reach their full potential.
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HJC Marvel helmets impress with stunning visual effects & no real compromise to comfort or safety. The time is now to ride into the sunset with your superhero motorcycle helmet.
No other helmet manufacturer plays the licencing game as well as HJC. No other helmet maker has embraced superhero helmets like HJC either. In this post we are going to tell you all about the Marvel motorcycle helmets that HJC has licenced.
Let's start with the fact that this isn't just some marketing play to promote crappy helmets and make more money with some colors. These are legitimately licenced helmets and based on some of HJCs high quality models. These Marvel superhero helmets have the same high quality manufacturing and design we have come to expect from one of the largest volume helmet makers on the planet.
With the ever-increasing popularity of Marvel Entertainment, HJC continues to add to the list of hero helmets they support so we will try our best to keep up. For now, here are the current crop of special Marvel helmets by HJC.
There are many different types of great looking motorcycle helmets on the market today. Many of which can be described as very attractive to the eye, but also filled with features that makes it desirable for anyone to wear. Even the novice who is just getting started, may want to take advantage of the best looking motorcycle helmets in the industry. So, for those of you who are interested in what the HJC Marvel Series "The Punisher" looks like, here's a brief description.
First of all, this helmet is made of polycarbonate materials, since it designed with several factors in mind. Some of the more common is making sure the helmet is comfortable for the user and meets specific industry safety standards. With the name of "Marvel" in red and white on the right chin area, it will remind anyone who sees it of the super heroes in the comic books and movies today. It is a fully enclosed head garment that has a clear shield for the face area, and the rider can easy look through it. This helmet has also received the Snell 2015 certified safety rating.
According to numerous HJC Punisher helmet consumers reviews, there are a number of different benefits to owning this type of motorcycle helmet. Starting with it overall comfort that people need when they are spending a long time on the riding on the road, this helmet meets and exceeds these demands. Also, for this price, the riders cannot go wrong, especially because the helmet provides each rider with good air flow at all times. It is also deemed by these consumers as a must have helmet for hitting the open road. It has been made with a locking visor, which is ideal for those who are concerned about blocking out the extra noise of the wind when driving at high speeds.
Manufacturers of this motorcycle helmet has remained true to form, especially when comparing how strikingly similar this helmet looks to the ironman head gear that has been seen in many of the super hero movies over the years. This helmet comes in an extra-large size with the colors of red and yellow so it is really attractive for those who love these colors. In a nutshell, this helmet looks like an exact duplicate of what iron man wears in that easily distinguishes him from other super heroes in their scenes. All the motorcycle rider needs is the bottom of the suit and they would be really good to go.
Made for the open road, it has been designed with an advanced polycarborante composite shell. Riders will also be pleased to know that it has a supercool interior that will keep them comfortable while riding both short and long distances. Manufacturers have also included a one-touch integrated system that has made for supporting its smoke tinted sunshield. Therefore, if an accident does occur, this part of the helmet will deploy easily, even if the rider has on big clumsy gloves. Users will also be interested in knowing that this helmet can be placed into 3 different positions when the wearer is using its locking system so they can adjust this part of the helmet in any manner that they wish. Also, the overall design takes advantage of the new 3D design technology that offers 95% UV protection and anti-scratch coating.
The HJC IS-17 Motorcycle Helmet Marvel Series Iron Man Red Large comes with a number of other great features. One of the most notable involves its interior. The materials contained on the inside of this helmet makes it very simple and easy for the user to keep clean and maintain its freshness. For instance, the interior of this helmet is made of anti-bacterial moisture fabric, and has a full front and back flushing heat and humidity ventilation system. The makers of this helmet have designed it with features and specifications that meets and exceeds D.O.T regulations.
Cooler than RDJ in shades, the IS-17 Iron Man Helmet will turn heads as you rocket down the road. Suit up! If you've ever thought, "I wish I had sunglasses right now" the HJC IS-17 might be the helmet for you. A centrally mounted slide on the top of the helmet will lower a tinted visor to keep the rays at bay. To keep the sun's energy in check, the IS-17 features a moisture wicking interior liner coupled with generous intake and exhaust vents for channeling cool air in and hot air out. The IS-17 is perfect for the daily commuter or anyone else who doesn't want to fuss with swapping shields in and out.
Some people tend to have their favorite super heroes that they like to support when the movies are on, while others like every hero that does that fantasy world good. Whatever the choice or personal opinion, there are some who like to see Captain America in action. So, for those of you who may favor Captain America as your ideal role model for taking care of business quickly, you may love this little added addition to the HJC CL-17 motorcycle helmet collection.
With the HJC CL-17 Marvel Series Captain America Motorcycle Helmet available online, bike riders all over the U.S. and abroad can purchase an attractive helmet that they will enjoying wearing for its overall looks, the features offered and the safety that it provides to those who wear them where ever they go. This motorcycle helmet is available in the colors blue and white. Simulating the look of captain America's actual head gear, it's main color is blue with a large A in white on the fore front and white stripes on right side of the helmet.
This helmet has a wide range of benefits that many motorcycle riders can take advantage of today. It has been made of polycarbonate materials so riders can depend on its solid high performance craftsmanship. The manufactures have also paid close attention to safety requirements too. Meaning it has received the Snell 2015 certified rating. So, for those of you who want to ride with both style and safety in mind, here is a helmet that has been made just for you.
Overall, the consumer feedback for this helmet is very good. According to a number of different comments that have been made, this helmet fits very well when the buyer orders the correct size. Also, because of its interior design, it's easy to keep clean and fresh so the wearer does not have to be offended by bad odor that lingers. The manufacturers have also added a feature that reduces noise from the wind because it has vents that can be opened and closed when needed. For the price, this helmet has been very well built so it is a very good purchase for people who are looking for a good helmet that they can wear on both long and short trips.
The Hulk comes into existence following an accident where Banner is accidentally exposed to gamma radiation during the explosion of a bomb as part of a military experiment. Banner transforms into the menacing Hulk every time he gets angry, excited, tensed or his heartbeat is elevated by or against his will which more than often results in brutal rampages that creates problems and dilemmas for Banner in his life.
The Hulk's physical strength is normally equivalent to his anger level at that time or situation. The Hulk has been characterized with having other personalities too apart from a brutal and rampant savage which are based commonly on Banner's ruptured consciousness. This range from a stupid and destructive force, to a marvelous warrior and a genius scientist.
Although both Hulk and Banner prefers to be alone being away from people to save them from being crushed by the monster; the character has acquired a large supporting cast throughout the years. Most prominent of them are Betty Ross (his lover), Rick Jones (his pal), the She-Hulk (Banner's cousin), his sons Hiro-Kala and Skaar, and the complete superhero team of The Avengers of which he is a co-founder and a prominent member. Although he has fought nearly every of his team mate because of his mindlessness when he is in uncontrollable rage.
Anyone who has read the Spider-Man comics or seen the Spider-Man comics has heard about Venom. Venom is one of the most famed super-villains in the Spider-Man series. It originates from outer space—in the movies it was shown as coming to Earth on a meteorite. It is a symbiote—that is, it needs a host to survive. It has a gooey, fluid-like form.
In the Spider-Man series, Venom not only attaches itself to human hosts, but also gives them enormous powers, along with making their personality darker and more terrifying. This vicious villain is an equal—if not more—match for all of Spider-Man's strengths and is considered to be Spider-Man's fiercest opponents. In the comics, venom first appeared as Spidey's black alien costume in the Amazing Spider-Man #252 (May 1984). Venom appeared as itself in the Amazing Spider-Man #300 (May 1988).
In the movies, people first caught a glimpse of Venom in Spider-Man 3 (where Tobey Maguire played Spider-Man) and its host was seen as Eddie Brock, the journalist with a grudge against Spider-Man.
Unleash your inner Wade Wilson in the RPHA 11 Pro Deadpool 2 Helmet from HJC, maniacal sense of humor not included.


Do you experience pain or stiffness in your neck or shoulders?
Do you ever feel a pull or pinch when turning your neck?
Do headaches ever accompany your neck or shoulder pain?
If you answered YES, to one or more of the questions above, you may be suffering from one of the common conditions that affects the muscles and joints of the neck. Many people do not know that a common cause of headaches is excessive tightness of the neck and shoulders.
In our clinic, we have found Myofascial Release Technique (MRT) in combination with Chiropractic Adjustments to be an effective method for treating many common neck problems that cause neck pain or headaches. Read more about neck pain or headaches and how a chiropractor can help resolve your complaint.


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Le Timbila des Chopi (ou Chopi Timbila) est une tradition de musique orchestrale des communautés Chopi originaires de la province d'Inhambane au Mozambique. Les Timbila sont des xylophones traditionnels en bois. Le Timbila des Chopi est inscrit sur la liste représentative du patrimoine culturel immatériel de l'humanité en 2008.

Description
Le Chopi Timbila est un élément fondamental dans la culture Chopi, au sud du Mozambique. Il s'agit d'une tradition de musique orchestrale, utilisant 5 à 30 timbila (mbila au singulier) de tailles différentes. Une nouvelle composition est créée chaque année, et présentée sous forme d'une performance en 9 ou 10 sets, le ngodo. Les compositions de timbila sont jouées pendant les événements sociaux de la communauté, comme les mariages, pendant près d'une heure et en alternant différents rythmes. Elles sont liées à des danses Timbila traditionnelles, pendant lesquelles deux à douze danseurs dansent devant l'orchestre. Les textes des chants du M'zeno, qui ouvrent le concert, abordent avec humour les problèmes et les événements de la communauté . Le mot timbila peut tout à la fois désigner la danse, l'instrument, ou le chant.

Instrument
Les timbila sont des xylophones en bois de mwenje et calebasses fixées avec de la cire d'abeille, qui produisent chacun des sonorités riches et différentes. On atteste l'existence d'au moins trois types de timbila : chilanzane, debiinda, chikhulu. Le savoir-faire artisanal traditionnel pour concevoir les timbila se transmet dans les familles, de père en fils.

Danse
Les chorégraphies timbila font référence à l'histoire du peuple Chopi et notamment aux conflits avec les Zoulous au dix neuvième siècle. Le costume, le bouclier, les lances et les casse-têtes sont inspirés des Zoulous. Les pas de danses sont guerriers.

Chant
Les poèmes chantés dans le Chopi Timbila affirment l'indépendance culturelle des Chopi, et font écho aux débats internes de la société Chopi. L'ethnomusicologie s'y est particulièrement intéressée sous le prisme identitaire.

Tradition en danger de disparition
Peu de personnes dans la tribu détiennent le savoir-faire traditionnel pour créer l'ensemble des Timbila. En outre, avec la déforestation, le bois utilisé dans la confection traditionnelle des instruments se fait rare. Les joueurs expérimentés sont âgés, et les jeunes pratiquent de moins en moins ces traditions, bien que des efforts de transmission et de formation de jeunes musiciens ont été entrepris. La guerre civile du Mozambique de 1975 à 1992 a contribué à la diminution des pratiques musicales traditionnelles.

Patrimoine culturel immatériel de l'humanité
Le Chopi Timbila est proclamé chef-d'œuvre du patrimoine oral et immatériel de l'humanité par l'Unesco en 2005, puis inscrit sur la liste représentative du patrimoine culturel immatériel de l'humanité en 2008. L'Unesco met ainsi en place un projet de la tradition du Chopi Timbila, dédié à, tout d'abord, assurer la qualité et l'authenticité des instruments de musique et à encourager et accompagner la transmission de ces traditions aux générations futures. Il consiste également à permettre la documentation scientifique du Chopi Timbila, créer des occasions de représentations et d'échanges entre praticiens du Timbila, renforcer la protection juridique de ces pratiques et à promouvoir les intérêts des détenteurs des traditions du Timbila. Ce projet s'inscrit dans la volonté de préserver la diversité culturelle. Il est notamment financé par le fonds-en-dépôt japonais pour la préservation et la promotion du patrimoine culturel immatériel.

Références

Musique mozambicaine
Patrimoine culturel immatériel de l'humanité au Mozambique
Danse au Mozambique
Genre de danse
Danse au patrimoine culturel immatériel de l'humanité


Ouida Britton began this life in Rockwood, Alabama on May 6, 1931 and left February 7, 2019 after 87 years. Even though home bound and mostly bedridden the last few years, she lived a full and happy life.
Ouida was a special and unique individual who loved her God, family, and friends; and her family and friends were numerous. Her husband of seventy years, William, passed in 2016 as did her youngest son, James. She was the last of her generation having outlived her parents, three brothers and a sister, and other family, including an infant daughter.
Among those surviving Ouida, are a son Gene Britton (Carole), four daughters: Janice McAffry (Mac), Joyce Wright (Tommy), Cindy Parker (Jim), and Jennifer Kimbrell, 13 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren. Ouida loved everyone of them very much and touched the lives of many others in her journey.
Her husband, William, travelled the world in his lifetime but Ouida enjoyed the comfort of her home. Her kitchen was a well visited destination. She once said " I could stare at a blank wall and never be bored," and that was true of the life she lived.
The family is especially thankful to Alfonso Martinez, Kelly Bragwell, and grandson, Adam Britton, who provided special and loving care in her last days.
Ouida was a member of the Highland Park church of Christ in Muscle Shoals and resided in Tuscumbia the last fifty years. As per her request there was a graveside service at Spruce Pine Church of Christ Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 9, 2019.


Therapy Associates' program involves promoting the confidence, character and competence of our patients by providing a range of support through therapy and health education.
Therapy Associates works closely with the local community in providing a continuum of therapeutic and curative support.
Therapy Associates places emphasis on providing physical and emotional care.
Therapy Associates aims to give individuals a chance at a healthier and productive life.
Therapy Associates works with physicians and the medical community to promote the desired physical development and health of our patients.
Therapy Associates works to increase family knowledge, skills, and participation in promoting the well-being of their loved ones.
Therapy Associates hope is to be a powerful instrument of the healing process.


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Agilum Healthcare Intelligence Releases Daily Real-Time Nati
|Apr 14| 8 min read
DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Agilum's proprietary real-world longitudinal patient database provides a mechanism to observe trends and outcomes as they happen. The company is able to deliver updates on current and new treatment regimens of COVID-19 patients – providing transparency into the resulting outcomes for various patient cohorts.
"The COVID-19 crisis requires clinicians to make life-altering treatment decisions without access to real-world data or concluded clinical trials on the effectiveness of certain drug treatments for individual patients," says Travis Leonardi, RPh, C.P., CEO of Agilum. Leonardi continues, "Retrospective analyses lack the ability to dynamically pivot medical decisions based on what's working in hospitals today, and anecdotal evidence is never safe, especially when treating a complex, new and deadly pandemic like COVID-19."
The data to date has highlighted valuable trends across males and females, young patients vs. older patients, and those with established comorbid states vs. none. Even the established treatment protocols might be altered based on the information observed from this database, which reflects over 450 US hospitals treating COVID-19 patients. Based on the observational data, William D. Kirsh, DO, MPH, CMIO of Agilum, noted, "The use of hydroxychloroquine sulfate, Plaquenil, and chloroquine plus azithromycin is not as effective as hydroxychloroquine sulfate, Plaquenil, and chloroquine protocol alone based on survival data. To date, that observation is made by looking at 14,466 patients treated for COVID-19."
The application of Agilum's proprietary dataset is in line with expectations of regulations generated by principles outlined in the 21st Century Cures Act. Agilum's goal is to help hospitals, integrated delivery networks (IDN), pharmaceutical manufacturers, insurance companies and the entire life science industry expedite healthcare innovation by providing real-world data. To learn more about the importance of real-world evidence in combating COVID-19:
FDA: Real-world data (RWD) and real-world evidence (RWE) are playing an increasing role in health care decisions.
AgencyIQ: Could real-world evidence help to accelerate drug and device testing for COVID-19?
With the rapidly evolving incidence of COVID-19, the Agilum report will be refreshed daily to show patient outcome trends for specific drug treatment regimens. Please click here to view the latest Agilum COVID-19 observational data.
About Agilum Healthcare Intelligence
Agilum Healthcare Intelligence is an innovative pharmacy and financial analytics company focused on utilizing real-world data to deliver objective, real-world evidence for hospitals, life sciences companies and payers. Our proprietary Comparative Rapid Cycle Analytics™ (CRCA™) solution leverages a revolutionary longitudinal census population database to help healthcare leaders make more informed formulary decisions that reduce costs and improve quality of care, while our advanced Service Line Costing & Profitability platform enables insights within the healthcare organization to help manage profitability, boost departmental efficiency and optimize revenues. Our goal is simple: to drive better outcomes while leading the transition to value-based care.
Beth Sagvold, Senior Director of Marketing & Creative Strategy
877.AGLMHCI (245.6424)
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agilum-healthcare-intelligence-releases-daily-real-time-nationwide-data-on-covid-19-survival-rates-by-treatment-protocols-for-hospitalized-patients---impacting-life-saving-medication-decisions-301040603.html
SOURCE Agilum Healthcare Intelligence


On October 24, 2012 the Levy County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Detectives arrested Ronald Jack Davis, Edward Lee Garcia and Di'Amonta Antwain Robinson for two counts of burglary and grand theft.
On October 17, 2012 deputies responded to two Williston homes in reference to residential burglaries. The victim's stated that unknown person(s) forcibly entered their residence and stole a washing machine, dryer and vacuum cleaner. Sgt Mike Narayan and Detective Roger Bell had no leads but feared that the suspects may return to the crime scene to steal other items inside the residence. The suspects carried the stolen items and threw the stolen property over the victim's fence on October 20, 2012.
Through old fashion police work the trio were identified. The suspects were living in Alachua County. With the assistance of the Alachua County Sheriff's Office Detectives the men were located and arrested for burglary and grand theft.
Detective Roger Bell stated "Additional charges are expected in Levy County".
On October 24, 2012 members of the Drug Task Force arrested Leroy Brown Jr. and John Edward Blair during a buy bust operation. Both men were charged with numerous felony charges.
Sergeant Jay Bolton with Chiefland Police Department and a member of the Drug Task Force Unit had a confidential source make a control phone call to Leroy Brown for the purpose of buying narcotics. The suspects live in Archer and agreed to sell an ounce of powder cocaine and a shotgun to the source for $1,350 dollars. Brown and Blair agreed to meet at the entrance of Blue Springs Park to conduct the drug deal.
Upon the men arriving they informed the confidential source they did not have an ounce of cocaine or the shotgun,, but they did have two eight balls which is commonly known as a ¼ of an ounce of powder cocaine. After the suspects and confidential source haggled about the price the confidential source purchased the eight balls of cocaine for $300.00.
After the drug deal the suspects left in their brown Buick sedan and a felony traffic stop was conducted. The suspects were overwhelmed with Drug Agents, Patrol deputies and a K-9 team and they surrender without incident.
During the arrest it was discovered that Blair had over 43 grams of marijuana in his pants pocket which led to additional charges. An inventory of the vehicle yielded over 4 grams of crack cocaine and 12 grams of marijuana.
On October 24, 2012 Rodney Charles Kirkland also known as "Stump" was arrested at 517 Main Street Bronson, Fl.
Kirkland is accused and had warrants from Dixie County for three counts of armed burglary and grand theft. The Levy County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force received information that Kirkland was in Levy County selling narcotics. Yesterday members of the Drug Task Force located and arrested Kirkland at a residence in Bronson. Kirkland was inside a residence and after the house was surrounded he decided to peacefully surrender to authorities.
Kirkland was arrested and transported to the Levy County Jail with no bond.
On October 18, 2012, the Levy County Sheriff's Office and the US Marshals Service Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Julian Christopher Howard and Arnett Clarence Bryant Jr. in Raleigh, Fl.
The Levy County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force began the investigation in February 2012. Howard is considered to be a mid level drug dealer in the Raleigh area. Howard is known to sale crack cocaine, powder cocaine and marijuana. The first phase of the investigation was concluded but other arrest is expected.
On September 27, 2012, a warrant was signed for Howard and charges included sale of crack cocaine, possession of crack cocaine and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Howard went on the run but his luck ran out last night. Members of the Drug Task Force and the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force did a surveillance at 8384 NE 190 Ave and walked miles in order to arrest a violent fugitive. Howard was located at the residence and he was doing what he does best, which is selling narcotics. Members of the Task Force were only a few feet away when the men were making drug deals and had no idea that there freedom was coming to an end. The Task Force members reverted to they're training when dealing with felony offenders and ordered the men out of the vehicle at gunpoint. The suspects complied and the arrest went without incident.
Major Evan Sullivan stated "The arrest was successful due to the element of surprise, great strategic planning and the willingness of the members to go the extra mile". "Two drug dealers have been removed from the streets".
Howard was arrested on the Levy County Fugitive warrant and was also charged with additional charges. When Howard was sitting in the vehicle he had in his lap 5.6 grams of crack cocaine and 6/10 of a gram of powder cocaine. Bryant had 2 grams of crack cocaine and 2.7 grams of marijuana in his lap.
Howard and Bryant are convicted felons and they are no strangers to law enforcement. Howard has extensive criminal history as a juvenile and an adult. Howard has been arrested for cocaine, battery on a police officer, robbery, weapons charges and homicide. Bryant has been convicted for domestic battery, child neglect, resisting arrest and has been arrested nineteen (19) times for felony charges and nine (9) misdemeanor charges.
The Levy County Drug Task Force agents have submitted and arrested ninety-two wanted fugitives to the US Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force this year. Major Sullivan explained that once a Levy County case has been adopted by the US Marshals Service the federal Task Force will pay the overtime accrued by Levy County deputies. Major Sullivan stated, "In economic lean times this Task Force has been a God Send". "It has saved Levy County taxpayers thousands of dollars in overtime".
Need a concealed weapons permit?
You are encouraged to bring your own weapon, 20-25 rounds of factory loaded ammunition, eye and ear protection. If you do not own a pistol, please bring 20 rounds of .38 caliber ammunition and a pistol will be supplied.


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Gladiator (2000) 4K Blu-ray Review
Esssential
The 4K of Gladiator is a must-have as the film has never looked or sounded better; it's my personal favourite Ridley Scott film with stunning visuals, an incredible score by Hans Zimmer and impressive action spectacle. There is also some iconic dialogue, Russell Crowe in a star making turn and an underrated performance from Joaquin Phoenix as the hateful yet pathetic Commodus. A must-have.
Plot: In this epic historical drama from director Ridley Scott, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences. Determined to avenge himself against the man who took away his freedom and laid waste to his family, Maximus believes that he can use his fame and skill in the ring to avenge the loss of his family and former glory.
Review: Gladiator is my favourite Sir Ridley Scott film (closely followed by Alien and Blade Runner) and one of my top films of all time (it's my dad's absolute favourite) so I've been looking forward to sitting down and watching the 4K Blu-ray I recently picked up.
It has two different versions of the film – The Theatrical and the Extended Edition; what's interesting is that Sir Ridley gives a brief introduction before the Extended Edition saying that he considers the theatrical version the director's cut but the extended edition is merely showing the scenes that were removed (mostly for pacing reasons I imagine).
Like The Lord of the Rings however, I can't watch the Theatrical version anymore as I know there are those extra scenes which just add a little extra meat to the characters. We get a greater insight into Commodus and his (justified) paranoia as he has his own men executed for letting Maximus live, hacking away at a bust of his father and we also get more scenes between Lucilla (the wonderful Connie Nielsen) and Gracchus (Derek Jacobi). There are some other scenes like Maximums (Russell Crowe) walking among the wounded after the spectacular opening battle but we also get some more of Quintus which I feel is necessary as I hated him in the theatrical version.
The performances, visuals and pacing are faultless with stunning set design and costumes with Hans Zimmer providing arguably his finest music score to date. The themes "Honour Him" and "The Battle" are perfect adding to the emotional core of the film as well as making the battle scenes more spectacular and Gladiator is never short on spectacle.
The opening battle immediately grabs the attention and watching some of the behind the scenes videos shows how it was created which is cinema at its finest. It is never too long between action sequences and this movie is hard R with blood, decapitations and violence occurring regularly throughout.
I think Maximus is Russell Crowe's best character to date where he is believably tough yet very human. Despite not being able to hide his accent there are little details which make his character so memorable, like him running his hands over the wheat fields and rubbing his hands in the soil, which helps to portray his history as a farmer and lover of the land. His father/son relationship with Marcus Aurelius (the majestic Richard Harris) is beautifully realized and far better than Marcus's relationship with his actual son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). You can almost sympathize with Commodus but only for a matter of minutes before we discover what a monster he actually is. Phoenix deserves more credit for his performance in Gladiator; Commodus' own father describes him as "not a moral man" and every scene between him and his sister makes your skin scrawl.
There is a fantastic supporting cast including Sven-Ole Thorsen as Tigris, Tommy Flannigan as Cicero and Ralf Moeller as the immediately appealing Hagen but Djimon Hounsou gives his finest performance to date as Maximus' loyal friend Juba.
I can't praise Connie Nielsen enough as Lucilla who has to act like she isn't terrified of her unhinged brother while also attempting to hide her love for Maximus; her scenes with Commodus make you want to take a bath afterwards as he is so unsettling around her.
It's funny how they were literally rewriting the script while filming and yet it contains some truly iconic dialogue which is endlessly quotable but it could so easily have gone the other way. Lines like this just give that extra depth to Commodus: "I search the faces of the gods… for ways to please you, to make you proud. One kind word, one full hug… where you pressed me to your chest and held me tight. Would have been like the sun on my heart for a thousand years. What is it in me that you hate so much?"
Then we get the crowd pleasing speeches like: "My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next" which to this day causes shivers down the spine.
The 4K looks and sounds incredible and once again I don't need to have the subtitles on which is very interesting; I find the audio so much clearer on 4K so Gladiator has never been better. Special features include Strength and Honour: Creating the World of Gladiator; Image & Design: Storyboard Design, Deleted scenes, Storyboard Archive, Costume Design Gallery and Photo Galleries; Visions from Elysium: Topic Portal; and The Aurelian Archives: My Gladiator Journal by Spencer Treat Clark. These are all carried over from the Blu-ray so there aren't any new features on the 4K that I noticed but there is such a wealth of content here that it will take many hours to go through it all.
Overall, Gladiator is a masterpiece and remains one of my all-time favourite films with a cast who are all at the top of their game, stunning battle and fight scenes and Hans Zimmer's best score to date. The 4K is a worthy upgrade even if it doesn't have any new special features but the picture and sound are better than ever making this a must-have.


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The legendary drummer says he'll never retire from his instrument, and we're all for it.
Dave Lombardo: "I Don't Retire"
POSTED 5 Jan 2021
Photo - Chiaki Nozi / Getty Images
Dave Lombardo is one of the most legendary drummers in all of metal, having carved out a storied career with Slayer, and now sitting behind the kit with Suicidal Tendencies, Dead Cross and a recent reunion stint with Mr. Bungle.
Despite the physical demands such an intense career would have after 40-odd years, Lombardo has told Ultimate-Guitar in a new interview that he is never going to retire from drumming,
"I'm not going to give up the drumsticks, man. Those motherfuckers are going to die with me. Shit, I don't retire. Even with all the money in the world, you couldn't get me to retire. I love what I do. I love music. Musicians don't retire, they only move on to another band or something.
Dave also mentioned some of his drumming idols who played into their old age, saying that the instrument is a great way to stay fit:
"...Buddy Rich… all those guys played until they were 80, you know? I think he played until he was 80. That's just something I had in my mind ever since I was a kid, looking up to these older guys - Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich. Ed Shaughnessy wrote me a beautiful letter - we got to hang out - he played for years on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. He played well into his later years. We love it. It's good for our health. It's good for our lungs and our upper body strength."
The full interview goes into detail about Jeff Hanneman, whether he'll ever do a guitar record and more.
We included Dave Lombardo in our list of the 13 best metal drummers ever, and we're so glad to hear that he never plans on hanging 'em up!
Metallica And Tool Are Deploying COVID-Sniffing Dogs On Tour
Check Out This Series Of Brutal Oil Paintings That Reimagine Metallica's 'Ride The Lightning' As Art
POSTED 9 Dec 2021
Submitted by Site Factory admin on Tue, 01/05/2021 - 01:05
Dave Lombardo
dead cross
Stryper's Michael Sweet Calls Out Slayer For Not 'Practicing What They Preach'
Members of Cradle Of Filth, Dream Theater, Haken + Protest The Hero Have Turned Slayer's 'Seasons In The Abyss' Into A Festive Christmas Rager
Nandi Bushell Has Covered Tool's 'Forty Six & 2' And Honestly We're Just Really Impressed
Fever 333 + Korn + Suicidal Tendencies Members' Noise Collab


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April 14, 2015 1:57 p.m.
Zoo Conservation Crew volunteers install a bat box in a tree. Photo via Flickr.
Thanks to some inspired Oregon Zoo volunteers and Metro's site stewards, Pacific Northwest bats will have many new places to roost this summer, some of them in Metro natural areas.
The Oregon Zoo's Environmental Conservation Outreach Team, approximately 20 zoo volunteers who work on conservation activities outside the zoo, used $500 of zoo funding to build 15 bat boxes. The project began in 2013 after volunteer Shankar Shivappa wanted to find a way to help Pacific Northwest bats.
"We have been to many places where there are bats and they host bat evenings. On one bat evening, we saw a lot of bats but we also learned about white nose syndrome and we asked ourselves what we could do to help," Shivappa said.
White nose syndrome is a fatal fungal disease contracted mostly by hibernating bats. It has not been detected in any Oregon bats, but has been moving west since its outbreak in New York state in 2006. Bat populations in Oregon are being closely watched for any signs of the disease.
Shivappa said the volunteers realized they could do two things for Oregon's bats: "Provide good habitats in our area so the numbers of bats increases and monitor the population to keep our finger on the pulse of the bat population and warn people if we see a decreased number of bats."
Bat boxes are hospitable environments for bats to roost, have babies and hibernate when natural habitat is non-existent or has been damaged. Once a bat box is installed, it could take years to be discovered by bats, or it could become inhabited right away.
Portland software developer Dave Miller designed a sophisticated bat house that caught the attention of zoo volunteers and he agreed to share his blueprints and expertise.
"The reason we're doing all this is that bats have pretty unique requirements for roosting spaces and there are not a lot of suitable environments around," Miller said. "I see bat houses in natural areas as supplemental or transitional housing until the area has large trees with exfoliating bark available, which can take 50 to 100 years."
Miller's bat boxes can house up to 400 little brown bats, the most common bat species in Oregon. They are coated with wax to make them water resistant and feature a heat-capturing piece of slate on the south-facing side. They have been described as "ultra-luxurious" by David Shepherdson, deputy conservation manager at the Oregon Zoo.
Shepherdson said the zoo's environmental conservation outreach volunteers are a passionate and active group and represent some of the zoo's larger conservation goals.
"This project is part of the zoo's field conservation activities. There is a vital role the zoo can play in connecting our 1.6 million visitors with the wild," Shepherdson said.
Six of the bat boxes have already been placed and two of them are in Metro's River's Bend Natural Area thanks to volunteer Janet Davis and her husband Mark Rogers. Davis and Rogers, a retired pharmacist and retired nurse, are doing their best to fill their days with wilderness and wildlife. They are both ZooGuides and volunteer with the Environmental Conservation Outreach group and they are Metro Site Stewards for River's Bend, in Tualatin.
As site stewards, the couple visits River's Bend at least twice a month to make sure everything looks good and there are no unauthorized uses of the land.
"On one visit, right after we'd finished the bat boxes, we noticed there was this tree in the middle of the prairie," Davis said. "A big oak tree had split and it exposed this side of the tree facing mostly south, which is what you want, and I thought that would be a perfect place to put a bat box."
Davis got in touch with Bonnie Shoffner, Metro's restoration volunteer coordinator, to see if she could put the box on the tree.
"It's great when volunteers in the community get to the point where they are coming to us with ideas instead of us telling them what to do," Shoffner said. "I thought it was really cool, Janet called up and said, 'I helped build this bat house, lets put it up at the natural area where I volunteer.'"
There are now two bat houses at River's Bend and Davis and Gordon have committed to monitor them.
Four bat boxes have been installed in Washington, one at Franz Lake National Wildlife Refuge, one at Pierce National Wildlife Refuge, and two bat boxes went up at Columbia Land Trust's Indian Jack Slough property.
One box will be installed soon at a demonstration apple orchard in Mollala.
Once construction at the zoo is completed, there are plans to install two bat boxes on zoo grounds and a third will be kept for display and educational purposes.
The zoo volunteers are seeking other Metro properties that are suitable for the remaining five bat boxes to be installed.


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Individual/Entity Making Direct Campaign Expenditures
Laws/Rules/Regulations
Filing Schedules
A person not acting in concert with another person who makes one or more direct campaign expenditures (DCE) in an election from the person's own property that exceed $100 is required to file a report with the Texas Ethics Commission to disclose the expenditure/s, in accordance with section 254.261 of the Election Code. A person includes an individual or an entity. You are a filer type DCE.
If you are a Political Committee (a group of persons), you do not file this type of report. See Filing Reports ▾ TEC Filers ▾ Campaign Finance Reports tab at the top of this page and then select Political Committees.
A direct campaign expenditure is an expenditure made by any person in connection with a campaign for an elective office or on a measure that does not constitute a contribution. Direct campaign expenditures are made without the prior consent or approval of the candidate or officeholder on whose behalf the expenditure was made. If an expenditure is made in connection with a measure, then it will constitute a direct campaign expenditure if it is not a political contribution to a political committee supporting or opposing the measure.
Example 1: A corporation purchases a billboard that supports Jane Doe for school board. The corporation is not acting in concert with another person and spends more than $100 of its own money on the billboard. Jane Doe has not given prior consent or approval for the billboard and has not otherwise coordinated with the corporation. The corporation will be required to file a DCE report as an entity with the Commission to disclose the expenditure for the billboard. The DCE report is due by the next deadline applicable to a GPAC as if it were involved in the election. Note that if Jane Doe had coordinated with the corporation then the transaction could constitute a prohibited corporate political contribution, which is a felony of the third degree.
Example 2: John Doe decides to buy yard signs that support a ballot measure. John Doe is not acting in concert with another person and spends more than $100 of his own money on the signs. There is also a local SPAC that supports the ballot measure, but the SPAC has not given prior consent or approval for the yard signs and has not otherwise coordinated with John Doe. John Doe will be required to file a DCE report as an individual with the Commission to disclose the expenditure for the yard signs. The DCE report is due by the next deadline applicable to a GPAC as if it were involved in the election.
A DCE report is only required if you have reportable DCE activity during a reporting period. Unlike a GPAC, DCE filers are not required to file a campaign treasurer appointment and are not subject to ongoing reporting requirements.
Political Committee Guide
Campaign Finance Guide for Judicial Candidates and Officerholders (used by specific-purpose committees that support/oppose/assist certain judicial officeholders) PDF
Political Advertising: What You Need To Know
formatted as an 8 1/2 x 11 PDF document
Legislative Advertising: What You Need to Know To Insure Compliance With The Law
HTML document
formatted as a 8 1/2 x 14 three-panel brochure PDF document
Commission Rules Specific to Reporting
Section 22.5. Contributions to Direct Campaign Expenditure Only Committees
Section 22.6, Reporting Direct Campaign Expenditures
Section 254.261, Election Code
U.S. Court of Appeals Ruling in Texans for Free Enterprise v. Texas Ethics Commission
Commission statement in response to ruling in Texans for Free Enterprise v. Texas Ethics Commission
U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission


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Fosco Giachetti (28 de marzo de 1900-22 de diciembre de 1974) fue un actor teatral, cinematográfico y televisivo de nacionalidad italiana, ganador en dos ocasiones de la Copa Volpi al mejor actor protagonista por los filmes Bengasi y Un colpo di pistola.

Biografía
Nacido en Sesto Fiorentino, Italia, tras sus experiencias en el teatro aficionado de Toscana, debutó en el teatro profesional con Ermete Zacconi, actuando posteriormente con importantes compañías teatrales, entre ellas las de Margherita Bagni, Renzo Ricci, Tatiana Pávlova y Renato Cialente. Además, en sus inicios formó parte de la famosa representación de La figlia di Jorio llevada a cabo en 1935 con Marta Abba.

Obtuvo el pleno reconocimiento como actor cinematográfico en 1936, gracias a su papel protagonista en Lo squadrone bianco, film dirigido por Augusto Genina. Su actuación seca y "viril" y su rostro severo y voz grave le convirtieron en una estrella del cine de la Italia fascista —quizás solo superado por Amedeo Nazzari— interpretando principalmente películas con trasfondo bélico como 13 uomini e un cannone (1936), Sentinelle di bronzo (1937), Frente de Madrid (1939), Sin novedad en el Alcázar (1940) y Bengasi (1942). También fue significativa su actuación en el díptico de Goffredo Alessandrini Noi vivi y Addio Kira! (1942).

Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, abordó papeles dramáticos con mayores matices, como los de Un colpo di pistola (1942, de Renato Castellani) y Fari nella nebbia (1942, de Gianni Franciolini), manteniendo una gran popularidad a pesar de que su condición de estrella comenzaba a verse empañada por la llegada de actores jóvenes como Massimo Girotti, Andrea Checchi, Massimo Serato y Roberto Villa. Finalizada la guerra volvió a la actividad teatral sin dejar el cine (fue memorable su interpretación del marido celoso en La vita ricomincia, en la cual acompañaba a una encantadora Alida Valli), aunque cada vez con mayor frecuencia se limitaba a funciones de actor de reparto. Además, rodó en España con Edgar Neville Nada y  con Ladislao Vajda Carne de horca.

Prosiguió con su actividad cinematográfica durante los años 1950 y 1960, interpretando papeles menores, pero en los cuales aún imponía su figura inflexible y orgullosa. En Il mattatore (1959), de Dino Risi, actuó junto a Vittorio Gassman, Luigi Pavese y un joven Enzo Cerusico encarnando al general de aeronáutica Mesci. Otro de sus trabajos en ese período fue dar voz a Pietro Germi en La viaccia (1961), película dirigida por el mismo. Sus últimas actuaciones en el cine tuvieron lugar en los años 1970, destacando de entre ellas El conformista, de Bernardo Bertolucci, film en el que encarnaba al coronel, personaje que ironizaba sobre los personajes interpretados por él a lo largo de su prolongada carrera.

Giachetti tuvo una intensa actividad televisiva en los años 1950, interpretando importantes producciones como Il romanzo di un maestro (1959, dirigida por Mario Landi) Vita di Michelangelo, David Copperfield, Il conte di Montecristo, I promessi sposi y Le mie prigioni (1968, con dirección de Sandro Bolchi).

Además, fue intérprete de un importante programa infantil, I racconti del faro (1966), de Angelo D'Alessandro, en el que actuaba un joven Roberto Chevalier, y en el cual encarnaba al guardián Libero.

Fosco Giachetti falleció en Roma, Italia, en 1974.

Filmografía

 Il trattato scomparso, de Mario Bonnard (1933)
 L'avvocato difensore, de Gero Zambuto (1934)
 Luci sommerse, de Adelqui Migliar (1934)
 Fiordalisi d'oro, de Giovacchino Forzano (1935)
 Amore, de Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1935)
 Cuor di vagabondo, de Jean Epstein (1936)
 Lo squadrone bianco, de Augusto Genina (1936)
 13 uomini e un cannone, de Gioacchino Forzano (1936)
 Escipión, el africano (Scipione l'Africano), de Carmine Gallone (1937)
 Sentinelle di bronzo, de Romolo Marcellini (1937)
 Giuseppe Verdi, de Carmine Gallone (1938)
 L'ultima nemica, de Umberto Barbaro (1938)
 Frente de Madrid, de Edgard Neville (1939)
 Napoli che non muore, de Amleto Palermi (1939)
 Orgoglio, de Marco Elter (1939)
 Senza cielo, de Alfredo Guarini (1940)
 L'amante segreta, de Carmine Gallone (1940)
 Sin novedad en el Alcázar, de Augusto Genina (1940)
 La peccatrice, de Amleto Palermi (1940)
 Nozze di sangue, de Goffredo Alessandrini (1941)
 La figlia del Corsaro Verde, de Enrico Guazzoni (1941)
 Fari nella nebbia, de Gianni Franciolini (1941)
 Ridi pagliaccio!, de Camillo Mastrocinque (1941)
 Luce nelle tenebre, de Mario Mattoli (1941)
 Inferno giallo, de Géza von Radvànyi (1942)
 Bengasi, de Augusto Genina (1942)
 Noi vivi, de Goffredo Alessandrini (1942)

 Addio, Kira, de Goffredo Alessandrini (1942)
 Un colpo di pistola, de Renato Castellani (1942)
 Labbra serrate, de Mario Mattoli (1942)
 Una piccola moglie, de Giorgio Bianchi (1944)
 L'abito nero da sposa, de Luigi Zampa (1945)
 La vita ricomincia, de Mario Mattoli (1945)
 Il sole di Montecassino, de Giuseppe Maria Scotese (1945)
 Addio, mia bella Napoli!, de Mario Bonnard (1946)
 Gli uomini sono nemici, de Ettore Giannini (1947)
 L'altra, de Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1947)
 I fratelli Karamazoff, de Giacomo Gentilomo (1947)
 Voragine, de Edgar Neville (1948)
 Les maudits, de René Clément (1948)
 Vento d'Africa, de Anton Giulio Majano (1949)
 Una lettera all'alba, de Giorgio Bianchi (1949)
 Romanticismo, de Clemente Fracassi (1950)
 Quattro rose rosse, de Nunzio Malasomma (1951)
 Carne de horca, de Ladislao Vajda (1953)
 Casa Ricordi, de Carmine Gallone (1954)
 Era di venerdì 17, de Mario Soldati (1957)
 La monaca di Monza, de Carmine Gallone (1962)
 L'ira di Achille, de Marino Girolami (1962)
 Dossier 107 mitra e diamanti, de Rafael Gil (1965)
 El conformista, de Bernardo Bertolucci (1970)
 Scipione detto anche l'africano, de Luigi Magni (1971)
 L'erede, de Philppe Labro (1973)

Televisión
La slitta d'oro, de Leonid M. Leonov, con Otello Toso, Evi Maltagliati, Adriana Vianello y Glauco Onorato; dirección de Silverio Blasi, 27 de mayo de 1963.
La pelle degli altri, de Arthur Miller y Romildo Craveri, con Mario Feliciani, Elisa Cegani, Renato De Carmine y Lucia Catullo; dirección de Mario Landi, 20 de noviembre de 1959.
Ragazza mia, de William Saroyan; dirección de Mario Landi, con Lea Padovani, Amedeo Nazzari, Alida Valli y Scilla Gabel. 4 episodios entre el 20 de marzo de 1960 y el 10 de abril de 1960.
Graziella, de Alphonse de Lamartine. Dirección de Mario Ferrero, con Ilaria Occhini, Corrado Pani, Luca Ronconi y Fulvia Mammi. 4 episodios entre el 11 de junio de 1961 y el 2 de julio de 1961
Una tragedia americana, de Theodore Dreiser, con Warner Bentivegna, Giuliana Lojodice, Virna Lisi y Lilla Brignone; dirección de Anton Giulio Majano, 7 episodios entre el 11 de noviembre de 1962 y el 23 de diciembre de 1962.
Nozze di sangue, de Federico García Lorca, dirección de Vittorio Cottafavi, 3 de mayo de 1963, con Wanda Capodaglio, Rina Franchetti, Nando Gazzolo y Ileana Ghione.
I miserabili, de Victor Hugo, con Gastone Moschin, Giulia Lazzarini, Cesarina Gheraldi y Tino Carraro; dirección de Sandro Bolchi, 10 episodios entre el 5 de abril de 1964 al 7 de mayo de 1964.
Vita di Michelangelo, de Silverio Blasi, con Gian Maria Volonté, Carlo D'Angelo, Umberto Orsini y Lydia Alfonsi. 3 episodios entre el  13 de diciembre de 1964 y el 20 de diciembre de 1964.
David Copperfield, de Charles Dickens, dirección de Anton Giulio Majano, con Roberto Chevalier, Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Efrikian y Annamaria Guarnieri. 8 episodios entre el 26 de diciembre de 1965 y el 13 de febrero de 1966.
Il conte di Montecristo, dirección de Edmo Fenoglio, con Andrea Giordana, Giuliana Lojodice, Enzo Tarascio y Achille Millo, 1966.
I promessi sposi, dirección de Sandro Bolchi (1967).
Le terre del Sacramento, de Francesco Jovine. Dirección de Silverio Blasi, con Renato De Carmine, Paola Pitagora,  Adalberto Maria Merli y Nino Taranto. 5 episodios entre el 23 de agosto y el 20 de septiembre de 1970.

Premios y distinciones
Festival Internacional de Cine de Venecia

Bibliografía
Gli attori, Gremese editore, Roma 2003.
Il Radiocorriere, varios años.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

 Giachetti en Cinematografo.it
 Archivo cinematográfico ANICA

Actores de teatro de Italia
Actores de cine de Italia
Actores de televisión de Italia
Nacidos en Sesto Fiorentino
Fallecidos en Roma


Miss Marple | Notes from the U.K.
But for you non-Brits out there, the point is this: Britain's a real place and part of the same world you live in. That's another way of saying that it does have crime, and none of it is fun if you're on the receiving end. Even the petty stuff can feel big. In contrast to the U.S., though, very little of it involves guns. They're tightly regulated. People who want to get lethal are more likely to pick up a knife, but even so, things can get ugly.
I'm not going to tell you about that, though. I live in a village of some 600 people and I'm going to tell you about what Miss Marple would have to content herself with if she lived next door.
A few years ago, two men went into the village store in balaclavas. Even in winter the Cornish weather isn't balaclava-level cold, but that doesn't really matter since it wasn't winter. They made the guys stand out a bit.
S. was the only person working there at the time, and when they pulled out a knife and demanded the money in the cash register, she gave it to them. Two of them plus a knife, and one of her? I'd do the same. Then they demanded the money from the post office, which is part of the store but separated by a lockable door and glassed-in window.
Now, the post office in Britain doesn't just sell stamps. You can start a savings account there. You can buy travel insurance, or foreign currency. You can pay some of your bills. So you might expect it to have a bit of cash. But the village post office is closed on Wednesday afternoons, and this was a Wednesday afternoon.
And they said, "Oh," and left.
They drove out of the village still wearing their balaclavas and were arrested before they got to the main road. All the police had to do was look for two guys in balaclavas, but in case that got too complicated one of the store's owners followed them in his own car.
Wild Thing thinks they should be grateful to have been arrested. They weren't cut out for a life of crime.
A few years before we got here, someone tried to smuggle in drugs (I'm not sure what kind, but if I had to guess I'd say cocaine) from a boat. If you don't live here, you could convince yourself that with all these empty beaches and fields nobody would notice a thing. You'd be wrong. Apparently the police already knew about the plan beforehand, but if they hadn't somebody would have noticed. Whether they'd have called the police I don't know, but someone would have seen them.
Fast forward to the era of cell phones–or mobile phones, if you prefer–and phone boxes aren't making money anymore. BT's getting rid of them anywhere it can. And then someone sets this one of fire.
BT left it in place for a while, fulfilling the letter of the agreement, then they carted it away and H. didn't protest.
Wild Thing suspects they paid someone to burn it down. Me, I doubt they'd invest the money, but whoever did it hasn't been caught. In fact, I never heard any rumors about who it might have been. Which in this village is highly suspicious.
We used to have eggs for sale in several places along the road. They were free range, fresh (or as A. puts is, "Still warm from the hen"), and cheaper than in the supermarket. Plus the money went directly into the farmer or smallholder's pocket instead of the supermarket's.
Then someone started stealing the money and eggs. Now most of the egg boxes are gone. I've heard lots of speculation about who it might've been—a visitor? someone local?—but no one seems to know.
There've been two loud dances, which escalated to property destruction (a toilet paper holder was broken) and people harassing the sheep in the nearby field. I can testify that they were loud. Wild Thing and I went to one but stayed outside because it was too painful to be in the room with the band. The rest is hearsay. We left before the party had really gotten going and already people were peeing in the hedges. I don't know—maybe that's just part of a good night out.
On a public level, that's pretty much it unless you count some property destruction. Or rumored property destruction. Stories have a tendency to change shape as they circulate, so I won't present this one as fact.
We also have some drug use. Or reliably rumored drug use. Sorry, but I stopped doing first-hand research into that years ago. How much is some? Quite a bit. Doesn't that sound like a more accurate measure, even if it isn't? No one's been arrested, so I'm not sure it counts in the crime statistics.
A couple of people have been arrested for drunk driving. And I've heard about a theft that apparently involved someone settling an old score. But no one involved the police in that. We're off the beaten track here. You have to work at it if you want to get arrested.
A couple of years ago, a police car parked on our corner every so often and sat there for ten or fifteen minutes, then drove off. And no, the cop was looking away from our house. In fact, he was barely looking at anything. He did a pretty good impression of someone hiding from a job he liked even less than killing time inside a parked car. The rumor was that it was a community policing effort, although I'd have thought getting out of the car would have made it more effective. Anyway, that lasted a couple of weeks, then he stopped coming.
And then there's private crime—the kind that happens behind closed doors, within families, and isn't remotely amusing. Once in a great while these spill into the street and get noisy enough to wake the neighbors. Some of us wonder who it was and eventually someone tells us. The fine art of gossip is alive and well here. Mostly I'd guess that whatever happens inside doesn't get heard. That kind of crime is as common here as it is in cities, I'm sure, and as unlikely to be known about by outsiders.
We did find out about the guy who was arrested for trying to kill his wife with a knife, but there was no mystery involved. The police came, and the papers ran a story. It wasn't good for much more than a paragraph. It's by far the most serious crime I've mentioned, but I've dumped it here under Other stuff because it's not funny.
Still, some of us—including me—watched the papers for details. It's horrible, that fascination, and I indulged as much as anyone else. Miss Marple knew how to harness it, but the rest of us? We just pass the tales back and forth and shake our heads. J. works with a women's center that deals with sexual violence, putting her head-shaking to good use, but all I do is write the occasional blog post.
The next morning Wild Thing told me the exact time it happened, but it involved numbers so I promptly forgot.
It's all very suspicious. And you heard it here first.
I'm sure Miss Marple would agree: There are no secrets in the village. But there's a lot of misinformation, and if you want to unravel a story, that's where you start.
Wild Thing and I worked on the village newsletter for a while. Then we stopped and the newsletter continued on. Long story there and not one I'm going to tell (sorry), but I mention it because we got a letter last week addressed not to either of us but to the newsletter's secretary—no name, just the title—with no street address and a post code that would land you somewhere in the village but not at our house, or even close to it.
And it reached us. Because we used to get mail for the newsletter, and because the letter carrier remembered that.
Remains of a church, destroyed in the bombing of Exeter city center, now preserved as a monument.
I took the letter to M. She's not the newsletter's secretary, but then neither is anyone else. It works just fine without one. She does work on the newsletter and part of her job, at least when I was still involved, was to type up announcements that come in on handwritten scraps of paper, so it more or less made sense to choose her. Here was a handwritten bit of paper. Not a minute's walk from our house was M. So I rang her bell and handed her the envelope.
"You didn't open it," she said.
I hadn't. Not because I'm virtuous (although, oh, I am; painfully so; if I didn't swear so much, I'd float a good six inches off the ground) but because I hadn't been curious about it. Mostly—let's be honest here—the newsletter's pretty dull. Suddenly, though, I did care. We were holding a secret and we were inside the village. We were two bad kids, about to be find out something that was none of our business. Except that it was, but let's not argue, the feeling was delicious.
She tore open the envelope.
The letter turned out to be from a woman who'd been evacuated to the village during World War II, asking for information about someone she'd known. M., who's much better than I am about knowing who's related to who(m, if you insist), immediately started talking about who would know. And there I left it. She'll make a few calls. People will ask around. The network will be activated. If nothing else works, the newsletter will run the letter. Maybe it'll run it anyway, because other people will want to know about it, and it may trigger reminiscences of those times, and all of that is the job of a village newsletter.
Of the nearby big cities, Plymouth was heavily bombed, and Exeter was bombed but not as heavily. Unlike Plymouth, it wasn't targeted for its industrial or military importance, but for its cultural and historical interest, which no one had expected, and although children were evacuated from Plymouth (a predictable target), they'd been evacuated to Exeter, which must have seemed safe. The BBC has compiled a list of bombings in Cornwall and some memories of evacuees and others who lived in Cornwall during the war (and elsewhere in the country, but the link will take you to the Cornwall pages). The memories especially are worth a look.


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November 20, 2018: This Week on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD
By Silas Lesnick | Nov 20, 2018
With worldwide box office in excess of $236 million, Jon M. Chu's megahit Crazy Rich Asians comes home this week on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K. Other recent big screen releases arriving this week include the comedy drama Blindspotting (written, produced by and starring Daveed Diggs), as well as the science fiction adventure Kin.
Kino invites cinephiles to take a step back in history with their impressive Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers boxed set. Spread across six discs, the set boasts nearly 30 hours of films from the first decades of moviemaking from Lois Weber, Mabel Normand, Alice Guy Blaché and more.
Flicker Alley last year released their own Early Women Filmmakers boxed set, which complements the new Kino set nicely. They, meanwhile, are celebrating Mary Pickford with two of her most popular films: 1915's Fanchon the Cricket and 1925's Little Annie Rooney. Both boast loving restorations in cooperation with The Mary Pickford Foundation.
Criterion turns their attention back to Billy Wilder as his comedy classic Some Like It Hot joins the collection alongside Wilder's earlier Ace in Hole. Starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe, Some Like it Hot came in number one on the American Film Institute's "100 Years… 100 Laughs".
Also seeing release from Criterion this week is Ingmar Bergman's Cinema, a massive 30-disc set that celebrates the centennial of the legendary director. There are even a few of the 39 films included that have not received individual releases, making this far and away the most complete Bergman collection ever assembled.
Warner Archive turns their attention this week to Bob Fosse's 1972 take on Cabaret. The acclaimed musical's big screen adaptation was a massive hit upon release, taking home six Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for star Joel Grey.
If you like 90's horror, Scream Factory has some titles for you! This week sees the release of 1992's Candyman in a full fledged special edition. They're also bringing 1998's Urban Legends to Blu-ray for the first time ever alongside the 2000 sequel, Urban Legends: Final Cut.
Shout! Factory is re-releasing two of its Shout! Select titles in stylish new Steelbook packaging. Look for both Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (complementing an earlier Steelbook for Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure) and a 35th anniversary edition of Walter Hill's unique rock and roll musical, Streets of Fire.
Shout! Factory concludes a busy week with two more additions to the Shout! Select line. Look for Anthony Mann's 1954 musical biopic The Glenn Miller Story (starring James Stewart and June Allyson) as well as Leos Carax's mesmerizing 2012 fantasy, Holy Motors.
Joining the MVD Rewind Collection this week is the 1988 drama Bright Lights, Big City, starring Michael J. Fox, Phoebe Cates and Kiefer Sutherland. The James Bridges film arrives packed with bonus features, including two feature length commentaries.
From Artsploitation comes Gonzalo Calzado's recent horror thriller Luciferina. An Argentinian production, the story follows Sofía Del Tuffo as Natalia, a young woman who heads into the jungle in the hopes of saving her dying father. What she finds instead, however, just might be the devil himself.
The Outer Limits on Blu-ray is officially complete with the release of the sci-fi/horror anthology series' second season. Fully restored in HD, the second season includes a few of the series' most popular episodes like "I, Robot" and "Devil with a Glass Hand".