Tapiola is a relevant example in the history of nordic garden cities which is having a deep renovation nowadays, with heavy works taking place all around. The core ideas which inspired this urbanism trend are nowadays in the point of view.
In this context, Architecture Information Center Finland chose not distant EMMA, Espoo Museum of Moder Art to host a seminar about 'Architecture in education for Children' and invited basurama to host a workshop with local students, using architecture as a tool to experience the city and its functioning.
As an inspiration we used 'Futuro House', an experimental architecture icon designed in the 60´s by Matti Suuronen which is also present in EMMA. Futuro House and Tapiola are strongly connected with the utopian trend and we consider that they can really inspire young people learning. Our idea is to use this architectural icons, make them interact with contemporary ingredients and let the students be part of this experience.
Waste is more than the surplus of city functioning, it is present in the all the production processes -tangible or intangible- operating in the city. Waste is also one of the 'dark sides' of many of the utopic ideas. Most of these dreams were made obsolescent, mass productive and were made of plastic.
Using waste we advocate for transforming this discarded material into a powerful source of raw material and show the participants experience efficient ways of designing and building.
We also aimed considering 'wasted' spaces', so common in sprawl cities as Tapiola. Inflating the House in this spaces can show the participants how to occupy them and give them life.
The plastic bags used in the workshop were collected by Archinfo and the students themselves some days prior the workshop. During two days they were classified, opened and then taped with scissors and regular tape to make the inflatable architecture surfaces. As a way to experience the scale and the impact of the plastic bags altogether, we took the bubble to different locations.
Basurama has created inflatables in cities as Taipei, Casablanca, Sao Paulo or Bangkok and everywhere we have found abundant discarded material to make them.
With this Manual, you can also make your own Plastic Futuro House.


Psi Science is the rigorous on-going scientific pursuit of experimenting and testing the validity and reliability of so-called psychic or paranormal phenomena. Common psi abilities include such things as mind-to-mind connections (telepathy), mind-over-matter interactions, (psychokinesis), perceiving distant places, people, objects, or events (clairvoyance), perceiving the future (precognition), prophetic dreams, déjà vu, spiritual healing, the power of prayer and intention, intuition, gut feelings, and the sense of being stared at.
A meta-analysis of every psi experiment performed and published (in the English language) over the past century was recently conducted by Dean Radin, senior scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences. Statistically analyzing the data from all 1,019 controlled studies produced the astonishing result of 1.3x10104 to 1 against chance – that is: 1,300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1 odds against the results being due to coincidence.
Scientists, psychologists, academic institutions and governments have been conducting psi research with consistently positive results for over a century yet wide-spread acceptance of the existence of such phenomena is curiously absent. In 2002, a review of the 57 most popular introductory psychology textbooks in common use at Universities showed that 24 contained no mention of psi whatsoever, and the 33 that did devoted an average of only 2.4 pages to the subject. Not only is the voluminous amount of available psi research mysteriously absent from the textbooks, but the second most often cited references come from the magazine, Skeptical Inquirer.
Simply stated, there is no place in the old Newtonian/Darwinian models for the existence of psi, and this more than anything is likely responsible for the lack of mass acceptance of psi as a genuine phenomenon. In a material Universe where mind is merely an emergent evolutionary mechanism, such abilities as clairvoyance and precognition must be cast aside as superstition or coincidence. Regardless, valid psi science continues its march forward while the skeptical establishment and its indoctrinated minions religiously defend the dogma of their crumbling material worldview.
I was able to do all this as a youngster (until mercury dental amalgams? water fluoridation? electro-magnetic waves?) as I slowly lost my abilities in my 20s.
I was also able to see glowing "ceiling amoebas" which looked like those Lite-Brite glow peg toys in the shape of colorful paisley shapes slowly floating at the ceilings while I was lying in bed at night watching them.
Try brain entrainment by listening to binaural beats (there are several manufacturers) but the Monroe Institute is the original modern day company. There is also meditation, which does a similar thing--you are connecting both sides of your brain to work together. This produces amazing results in clarity of mind, memory, precognitive abilities and very frequent synchronicities.


The Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry convenes scholars from across disciplines, supports relevant interdisciplinary projects, and engages with the public with new knowledge.
The Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry will become recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally as an intellectual hub for creative, interdisciplinary research where the arts, humanities and social sciences intersect all disciplines.
The Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry values collaborations and connections, innovation and diverse perspectives, and relevance to human challenges.
The Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry strives to advance diversity through supporting students, staff, faculty, and scholars who bring diverse and underrepresented perspectives to scholarship, both in the themes they explore in their work and in their own identities.


The author is a graphic designer, management consultant and educator with more than twenty years of experience in managing the operations of leading design firms in the U.S. and the U.K. He currently provides management consulting services to a range of creative firms in both traditional and new media, and he serves as chair of the AIGA Center for Practice Management.
Shel has written the Professional Practice column for STEP magazine, the Design Business newsletter for AIGA, and the Design Firm Management column for Graphics.com. He has given presentations and workshops for many organizations, including IDSA, SEGD, HOW, ACD, Dynamic Graphics, STEP, Seybold, APDF, PromaxBDA, InSource, RGD Ontario, and the Graphic Artists Guild.


After announcing his debut album recently and sharing its first single 'Waiting For You', Australian artist/producer cln returns with another incredibly sweet album teaser, 'Own Skin'.
Callan Alexander, aka cln, had actually started writing this song a few years ago. It laid dormant until he stumbled across it again while sorting through ideas for the album. He took a trip to Kruger National Park in South Africa earlier this year with his partner (a place where he spent a lot of his childhood), which is where this song was revisited, reinvented and finished off, being inspired by this amazing place and everything about it.
With that imagery in mind, close your eyes, hit play and prepare to be carried away to the plains of South Africa; bask in the warm sunset rays, hear the noises, smell the smells, feel the feels.
Production has always been the main focus on each of cln's releases, using his voice as another "tool" that he can use to help create a song. While this trend has been continued in the creation of his debut album, we'll also see a few guest vocal appearances from the likes of Spritely (Los Angeles), ACES (New York City) and Carl Fox (Sydney) (aka ex-Porsches).
'Own Skin' is available everywhere now including Spotify & Apple via AWAL.


Restaurant in Strasbourg run by Japanese and specialized in hot dishes (donburi, pasta, gyozas, karaage, takoyakis ...). For big appetites, it is recommended to take the "gourmet sake" for dessert.
Bents are on sale to take away.
Open every day of the week (until 23h), the evening holidays. Reservation recommended.
Restaurant run by a Japanese chef (Mr. Sato). Sushi lovers will be delighted. Sukiyaki is recommended (order when booking): Japanese fondue which consists of dipping Japanese beef (marbled) and vegetables in a sauce made of soy, mirin and sake.
Open Tuesday to Sunday evening (except Sunday midday).
"Pressoir gourmand" by Philippe Aubron, French chef who made a career in Japan. He was the first foreign chef to be allowed to open a restaurant in Kyoto's famous Gion neighborhood. Its restaurant serves local cuisine and is inspired by its experience. In the basement, a sushi master prepares delicious Japanese dishes (tapas).


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Posts Tagged 'prescription drugs'
District attorneys, health officials and substance abuse experts gathered May 7 in San Francisco to discuss the growing problem of prescription abuse and come up with strategies, including requiring the use of drug databases and more aggressive crackdowns on 'dirty doctors. Prescription Drug Abuse – Yahoo News Search Results
Prescription drug addicts 'are adept' at fooling GPs
Most of the people Dr Alun George treats at Bradford's Unity Centre are seeking recovery-based treatment for class A drug use – but he also sees people who are dependent on prescription drugs. Prescription Drug Abuse – Yahoo News Search Results
National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day is Saturday
Clean out your medicine cabinet to help reduce the misuse or accidental use of prescription drugs. Saturday, May 10 is National Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day, an event organized by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and supported by Police Services and other organizations across Canada. Prescription Drug Abuse – Yahoo News Search Results Read more...
9 Investigates: Drug Rings Pushing Prescription Drugs in Your Neighborhood
Prescription drug abuse is now officially being called an epidemic. "When the CDC says it's an epidemic in America, it shows that at the highest level it's become an issue," SBI Special Agent Donnie Varnell said. Varnell leads the SBI's Diversion and Environmental Crimes Unit. A part of his team's job is to investigate prescription drug diversion and fraud cases. Diversion is when … Drug Abuse – Yahoo News Search Results
SAN FRANCISCO — Prescription drug abuse in the Bay Area and nationwide is a growing problem, outpacing illegal drugs and creating a new generation of heroin addicts, law enforcement, public health officials and substance abuse specialists said during a regional summit Wednesday. Drug Abuse – Yahoo News Search Results
Oklahoma Tackles the Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic – Huffington Post
Oklahoma Tackles the Prescription Drug Abuse Epidemic
Comparatively speaking, there is a much smaller percentage of individuals whom abuse drugs, legal or otherwise. So how could this be? How can unintentional poisoning from drug overdose kill more people than car accidents in at least 29 states? And how …
AG's office taking part in National Prescription Drug Take-Back DayWest Virginia Record
Drug-related death, illness statistics grim in Mercer, McDowell – Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Drug-related death, illness statistics grim in Mercer, McDowell
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
PRINCETON — Southern West Virginia's persistent drug–abuse problem is now evident in state statistics: Both Mercer County and neighboring McDowell County have some of the highest rates for drug overdoses and drug-related health problems.
Garfield Co. Group Gets Grant to Combat Prescription Drug Abuse – Enid News & Eagle
Garfield Co. group gets grant to combat prescription drug abuse
Enid News & Eagle
"Being certified as a CHIO brings more attention and increased capacity to our community's efforts to decrease prescription drug abuse," said Sean Byrne, executive director of PreventionWorkz. "This is a problem that has reached epidemic proportions …
Prescription Drug Abuse – Google News
Everyone knows someone who has been seriously affected by prescription drug abuse. Yet, when a report issued late last year revealed that the leading cause of accidental death in the United States is drug overdose — primarily from prescription drugs …
Rahall convenes meeting on West Virginia's prescription drug abuse …The Republic
Prescription Abuse Summit Notebook: The statistics of opiate addiction – Fall River Herald News
Prescription Abuse Summit Notebook: The statistics of opiate addiction
Fall River Herald News
This week, at the National RX Drug Abuse Summit, a slew of statistics have been put forth in several PowerPoint presentations, lectures and discussions of what the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have described as a national "epidemic …

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


With a sleek app, free delivery and endless options based on your personal palate and goals, you're out of excuses for not eating healthy.
Snap Kitchen's dietician-created meals are made from scratch—their chefs call it reimagined comfort food—and are available for anywhere between 3- to 7-day subscriptions. Completely customizable with the option to pause days or meals, it's made for busy gals on the go. Use the app to build your meat, poultry, seafood or veggie meals (everything is gluten free) then opt for free delivery or super-quick pickup from one of the 11 Houston locations.
We asked fitness-minded local blogger Lyndsey Zorich to journal about her experience on Snap Kitchen's new meal subscription plan. Tidbits readers get $20 off their first meal plan—see below.
Lyndsey, what were the best dishes you discovered during your two-week Snap Kitchen meal plan? I love the almond butter pancakes for breakfast—so delicious and filling! The spicy dan dan noodle bowl is hands down my favorite entree. I had it for lunch multiple days—I love Asian flavors and the dish packs a punch! My kids and I also love the turkey bolognese, which I'll definitely order again to serve for dinner on busy school nights.
What goals did you set for yourself on the plan? To eat a healthy breakfast and lunch on the weekdays for a two-week period. Being a working mom with three kids, I find it challenging to find time in the day for healthy meals and end up reaching for something quick like (gasp!).....a plate of microwave nachos.
What did you learn about your eating habits? If my meals are readily available I'm more likely to take 10 minutes out of my day to make time for breakfast and lunch. The thought of having to figure out what I'm eating when I'm rushing through my day with work and kids is overwhelming, so I tend to skip meals a lot or make unhealthy choices on the go.
What dish surprised you? The vegetarian Thai grain bowl was super tasty! I've never been a fan of lentils but really loved them in this dish.
Did you use the app? I ordered my meal plan from the carpool line and they were delivered directly to my door ready to heat in the microwave—it doesn't get much easier than that!


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Ultra-Orthodox Up the Ante Against Reform Jews, but Not to Extent of Threatening Coalition
New, non-Orthodox prayer space at Western wall and official meetings for Reform rabbis with Netanyahu and Knesset members have incensed Haredi political leadership.
Yair Ettinger
Send me email alerts for new articles by Yair Ettinger
Two Reform Jews pray at the Robinson's Arch, the proposed site for an egalitarian prayer space near the main Western Wall plaza.Olivier Fitoussi
Ultra-Orthodoxy's political leadership is becoming more vitriolic in its attacks against the increasing legitimization of non-Orthodox strains of Judaism in Israel, but is steering clear of threatening to leave the coalition.
More than 150 Reform rabbis hold mixed-gender service at new Western Wall prayer space
Reform Jewish leaders thank Netanyahu for Western Wall prayer decision
Chief among the concerns of ultra-Orthodoxy is the government's approval last month of a separate prayer space at the Western Wall in Jerusalem for non-Orthodox worshippers, including women. The space is outside the authority of the Chief Rabbinate and the Rabbi of the Western Wall.
The latter, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, attended a meeting of Agudat Yisrael's Council of Torah Guardians in Jerusalem on Wednesday night and explained the details of the government's agreement with the Reform and Conservative movements.
In a statement issued at the end of the meeting, the Agudat Yisrael rabbis said: "With an aching heart and deep concern for the future, integrity and uniqueness of the Jewish people, we warn against the evil and dangers of the Reform, whose words and deeds are an utter forgery of the foundations of the Jewish religion."
The rabbis called on "everyone who is able to act to do whatever he can to alter the decree."
Speaking in the Knesset shortly after the meeting, Knesset Member Israel Eichler (United Torah Judaism) said: "If the government wants to go with the Reform and celebrate with them and participate in their crusade of oppression against Haredi education, they can't be our partners and we can't be theirs."
"The prime minister and cabinet members and all those who are interested in the existence of the coalition need to understand that," he added.
Despite his tone, Eichler did not threaten to leave the coalition if the Western Wall agreement was implemented. The impression is that the Haredim are currently refraining from pushing the coalition envelope in their sharp protests against the legitimization of the Reform and Conservative movements.
The issue of the Western Wall is bound up with other expectations that UTJ has of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including lifting the limitations on funding for schools that don't teach the core curriculum and funding yeshiva students.
It appears that winning on one issue of principle and budget may make up for losing another.
Another area of concern is the recent Supreme Court decision compelling religious councils to allow the use of mikvot (purifying baths) for Reform and Conservative converts.
At the same time, the Shas Council of Torah Sages published a letter late last week in which it said that it had ordered Shas ministers Aryeh Dery and David Azoulay to subvert the moves to legitimize the Reform and Conservative movements.
The letter was intended, among other things, to give backing to the two ministers, who have been blamed in the Haredi community for allowing the steps towards legitimization.
Reform leaders notched up another success last week when they were received by Netanyahu at his bureau. In addition, hundreds of North American Reform rabbis, male and female, who are currently in Israel for the annual conference of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, were received as official guests by the Knesset Immigration and Absorption Committee.


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#ifndef MIDIMESSAGE_H
#define MIDIMESSAGE_H

#include <jack/jack.h>
#include <jack/midiport.h>

/* struct MidiMessage */
struct MidiMessage
{
   jack_port_t    *port;
   jack_nframes_t  time;
   int             len;

   unsigned char   data[3];

   /* Construct the message with the given midi data. */
   MidiMessage(int b0, int b1, int b2, jack_nframes_t tm, unsigned channel = 0, jack_port_t *p = NULL);

   /* Create the message with null data */
   MidiMessage();
};

#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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CLICK COVER TO ENLARGE
Hope For The Dying
Genre(s): Metal
Street Date: March 4, 2016
READER RATING:
In a metal world full of sub-genres, Hope For the Dying just feels like one of the few legit modern metal bands out there. There is no "core" genre attached to the music they make (although one could argue for a prog-metal label). It's simply just heavy music with absolutely shredding guitars. They lean towards a symphonic element, but their music is based in classic metal. Dissimulation won many over as a seamless album that featured extremely talented individuals. Now the band is back with their third label release in Legacy. It's an album title that's quite fitting as it could be a record that could cement the young band's legacy as metal stalwarts already. All of this is topped off with a very Game of Thrones-like album cover.
Aletheia was a step away from Dissimulation, but Legacy brings that first release vibe back. The record has a very similar flow as the debut and songs are tied together by short interlude-type introductions. "Aurora" opens the album with a minute-long instrumental that leads directly into "Setting Sun," which sets the tone for the outing. The secondary music, an extremely haunting organ/keyboard, almost outshines the guitar work. That song runs directly into to one of the album's best and most diverse tracks, "Flamed Forged." It's not until "Nemesis" that there isn't a slick transition in place. Instead, the relentless barrage of "Narcissus" ends mashed into the beginning of "Nemesis." The change is a little harsh, but it works as the dissonance of each song complements each other. In the song, the line "I was a slave to my own demons," stands out earlier and gives credence to the title. The song ends with a huge guitar dive-bomb that would make Mr. Van Halen proud and leads to a brief orchestral moment that goes directly into the symphonic-heavy "Trenches;" another fantastic number. "Trenches" slows dramatically at the end, and "Wretched Curse" picks up immediately. It's not until now that you can really catch your breath. No quicker than you settle into a brief lull does "Wander No More" rip you out completely. It's very possible that the blazing guitars make it this reviewer's favorite song. The title track is the next gut-punch and comes in after yet another smooth transition. The song is the album's longest by 30 seconds at 9:16. The music features a very smooth, and nearly two-minute-long, interlude (starting at 3:36) that snaps out with an in-your-face type guitar lead. Things finally slow back down to soft strings at the end as it transitions to the very triumphant sounding "Adamantine." The final foray recaps all the things that make this a great album -- highlighted mostly by the excellent musicianship. The album, which clocks in at about one hour in length, fittingly comes to an end with a solo piano playing a few soft notes.
Dissimulation was sheer brilliance, but it's possible that Legacy may be even better. With each listen, you pick up a new layer or nuance. The ear and creativity that this band holds goes nearly unrivaled. They have a unique ability to string an entire album together as a seamless and neverending experience. The music also features great uses of timing changes, impressive interludes in the middle of songs, and a solid mix of straight-up metal and orchestral arrangements. The Christian metal scene suffered greatly last year with an overwhelming number of lackluster releases. Hope For the Dying gives 2016 an excellent start to the heavy music genres. If you've been passing on Hope For the Dying previously, or have preferred their debut to their second release, Legacy is an album you won't want to pass over. As a lover of metal who has become tired of the of the repeated sounds, Legacy offers something fresher. This one is well worth your while.
- Review date: 3/3/16, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com
JFH Staff's Second Opinion
The newest Hope for the Dying album, Legacy, is simultaneously an almost-great work of metal artistry and a cautionary tale on the dangers of half-measures. At its core, the music of Legacy is a powerful mix of metalcore heft and prog metal intricacy that keeps things diverse and interesting, while also being just a bit too derivative at times (the opening minutes of "Flame Forged" might be the most blatant Opeth rip-off I've ever heard). Unfortunately, the band chose to dabble in folk metal as well, and that's where things start to go off the rails. Instead of really leaning into the atmosphere that genuine folk instrumentation can create, the band chose to synthesize everything. This album is chock-full of synthesized strings, synthesized horns, and other electronic tomfoolery. This does a major disservice to the otherwise excellent metal foundation of the music, at times causing the album to sound more like a video game soundtrack than a serious work of music. It's no surprise then that the best tracks on the album, like "Nemesis," are the ones with the least amount of synth effects. Interestingly, an actual real violin does pop up at the end of "Trenches," and it works very well. It makes one wonder what could have been if the compelling metal bedrock of Legacy had been matched with the genuine folk musicianship it deserves. - Review date: 3/8/16, Timothy Estabrooks
JFH Staff's Additional 2 Cents
Progressive metal is a tricky genre. When efforts to embrace creativity inherently border on dissonance, the temptation is to settle for simplicity and, in so doing, target a broader audience. At every turn, the lure is compromise; Legacy does not offer any such concession. The newest effort from Hope For The Dying is excellent, building upon the band's previous accomplishments, especially in relation to song compensation and orchestral integration. For the reader with an ear for heavy music: do not let this release go unheard. - 3/4/16, Jeremy Barnes of Jesusfreakhideout.com
With Hope For The Dying's highly-anticipated album Legacy, the band aims to solidify itself as one of the defining forces of the genre. As is the standard for a Hope For The Dying album, you never really know what kind of musical surprises lie around the corner. Technical musicianship? For sure. Some of the finest in modern heavy metal? Count on it. Starting the album with layers emphatic trumpets that sound like King David leading his army into battle? Middle Eastern-esque music that vaguely reminds me of the Arbiter's Grounds from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess? Intermittent acoustic and orchestral sections, sometimes standalone and sometimes perfectly blended with the metal? Well...bring it on! There's plenty to enjoy here, as it's not only stylistically versatile, but the songs are long and meaty, as well. Legacy will most likely go down as one of the best metal albums of 2016, so make sure to jump on your opportunity to pick it up. - 3/5/16, Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com
Record Label: Facedown Records
Buy It: iTunes
Buy It: Amazon.com (CD)
Buy It: AmazonMP3
Aurora (1:00)
Setting Sun (6:40)
Flame Forged (4:54)
Narcissus (6:34)
Nemesis (3:32)
Trenches (7:32)
Wretched Curse (8:46)
Wander No More (4:43)
Legacy (9:16)
Adamantine (6:32)


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Grandmaster Robert A. Cheezic
Published in Action Martial Arts Magazine Issue #69 May 2007
It has been said that martial artists are not born: they are made. Their identities emanate from those who guide them in their studies. Grandmaster Robert A. Cheezic has spent the last forty-five years educating more than twenty-five thousand martial artists worldwide. He has promoted over two thousand black belts, has fiercely championed the cause of martial arts training for the specially challenged and is internationally respected for his efforts. In the midst of all this success, however, he remains humble – content to make big differences in ordinary ways. Teacher, husband, father, grandfather and mentor, Grandmaster Robert Cheezic embodies his own mantra, "Leave more than you take."
Martial Beginnings
Born January 2, 1939 in Pittston, Pennsylvania, Robert Allen Cheezic moved to his adopted hometown of Waterbury, Connecticut when he was just five years old. An energetic and athletic youngster, he attended Leavenworth High School where he excelled in sports, earned varsity letters in football and baseball, and served as Vice President of his senior class. After graduation, Cheezic joined the United States Air Force and reported to Stewart Air Force Base in Newburgh, New York where he remained for two years. In 1959, he was deployed to Osan Air Force Base in South Korea, and encountered a man who would alter the landscape of his life forever.Korean native, Jae Chul Shin, was teaching martial arts to American soldiers on base.Fascinated by what he saw, Cheezic gained entry to the club, where Shin took him in as a student.In 1960, Cheezic was awarded Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do black belt number 2278 by the style's founder, Hwang Kee.Among the first Americans to earn black belt distinction in Korea, Cheezic's classmates included Bob Thompson, and actor Carlos (Chuck) Norris, with whom he has remained friends. He returned to Waterbury, Connecticut after discharge from the U.S. Air Force, overcome with a desire to share what he learned with others.Cheezic worked full time at the Anaconda Brass and Atlantic Richfield Companies during the day and taught Tang Soo Do in the evenings in a school gymnasium before opening his own studio, The American Tang Soo Do Academy.It was the first Tang Soo Do dojang ever established in the Northeast region of the United States.
The photo above represents Grandmaster Robert Cheezic (seated with certificate in hand) as he was presented with his 1st Dan Black Belt papers by Grandmaster Hwang Kee, the Founder of Tang Soo Do. This October 1960 photo, taken in Korea, also includes Grandmaster Cheezic's personal Instructor, Jae Chul Shin (standing 2nd from the right in the back row). One month after this photo was taken, Grandmaster Cheezic returned to Waterbury, Connecticut where he began teaching Tang Soo Do.
In the early 1960's, the karate tournament scene was electrifying.Cheezic traveled the circuit regularly, performing demonstrations, judging and competing, solidifying an impressive reputation in the martial arts community. On August 23, 1969, the Isshin-Ryu Open Karate Championship tournament in West Springfield, Massachusetts welcomed some of the greatest competitors of the day, including one of its humblest champions, Robert A. Cheezic.Taking center stage at the Eastern States Coliseum, he provided the crowd with stunning self-defense and traditional forms demonstrations before competing in the tournament himself.Along with some of his students, Cheezic dominated the day and impressed crowds with more than his physical skill.He exuded an aura of emotional maturity and discipline that was enviable.It was a byproduct of the serious training he received from his teacher, Jae Shin, a disciplined taskmaster who expected students to strive for their personal best.Cheezic did not disappoint.In a 1974 "Official Karate" magazine interview, Shin spoke of his former student, "Of the thousands of students I have trained only two have attained champion status – Chuck Norris and Bob Cheezic."Cheezic was a regular at karate competitions in the Northeast region of the United States, and as the world of competition evolved, so did he. He retired from competition in the early 1970's and sponsored his students instead.He formed sport karate teams from within his own organization and campaigned for them as they traveled to international competitions and cultural programs in the United States, Australia, Russia, Poland, Bermuda, China and Paris.At the same time, Cheezic became a tournament promoter.His Connecticut Yankee Nationals annual open karate tournament will celebrate its forty-third year October 2007.
Teach self-respect and respect for others through the study and practice of Tang Soo Do, a very historic and traditional Korean discipline of the martial arts. The ideas of respect and tradition are pervasive in all of our activities and for all students at every level of achievement. - Grandmaster Cheezic
The House That Cheezic Built
A handful of students was all he needed in 1961 when Grandmaster Cheezic began teaching Tang Soo Do in Waterbury, Connecticut.Looking back, he could not have foreseen the impact he would make on the American martial arts scene as one of its modern masters.His love of Tang Soo Do and respect for its traditions was ample motivation for the trail he was about to blaze.Training those days was tough.There was no safety gear or specialized equipment.There was, simply, the martial art itself, which Cheezic was determined to share with others.In 1971, the Cheezic Tang Soo Do Karate Federation, an independent martial arts organization, was established.Its modest beginnings included classes taught at Waterbury headquarters, local recreation centers and schools.By 1999, however, the Federation's success had become remarkable.It maintained six college-based Tang Soo Do schools, fifty-one domestic branches and four international programs.Building an alliance of this size was not easy.Cheezic believes that the devotion of individual members to common goals has contributed to his organization's success.
According to the Cheezic Tang Soo Do Federation website (www.cheezictsd.com), its goal is to "teach self-respect and respect for others through the study and practice of Tang Soo Do, a very historic and traditional Korean discipline of the martial arts. The ideas of respect and tradition are pervasive in all of our activities and for all students at every level of achievement." Ultimately a compliment to his leadership, Cheezic's black belt instructors are eager to pass on what they have learned to others. As a result, it seems that there is no end to the Cheezic Tang Soo Do Karate Federation's growth. To date, Grandmaster Cheezic has a board of over fifty master belts that assist him in overseeing the operation of seventy federation-sponsored schools worldwide.
Hero for the Specially Challenged
Grandmaster Cheezic has dedicated himself to servicing the needs of the physically and mentally challenged.The cause has been dear to his heart since former student, James Brewster, was paralyzed in a swimming accident in 1966.Challenged athletes are an integral part of the Cheezic Tang Soo Do Karate Federation family.Members have included stroke victims, individuals with Downs Syndrome, stress disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Spina bifida, visual or auditory impairments, and those who suffered accident-related trauma.The success of the Cheezic Tang Soo Do Federation challenged athlete program has been overwhelming even though skeptics have doubted whether challenged individuals could succeed in martial arts.Grandmaster Cheezic has proven them wrong.His challenged athletes have demonstrated that their training has not only been appropriate, it has been overwhelmingly beneficial.Training in Tang Soo Do has encouraged the development of positive self-esteem in challenged members.They develop confidence, respect, awareness and control.Besides participation in Federation sponsored events and tournaments, the challenged team has performed dozens of public demonstrations, including several at the Connecticut Olympics and the International Special Olympic Games.Grandmaster Cheezic credits much of the challenged team's success to Janet Grimes, a fourth degree black belt who heads the program.Ms. Grimes, a longtime employee of the State of Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation, received the Cheezic Tang Soo Do Federation's 2006 Humanitarian Award in recognition of her many years of dedicated service.
Grandmaster Cheezic with the Abbott of Shaolin in the garden in China.
It's more than just karate
It has been said that the true measure of a man lies in how he treats his family. For Grandmaster Cheezic, family extends far beyond biology. As his wife of forty-five years, Alyce can tell you, he is a natural born humanitarian and not only a man of great strength, but of great compassion. This is, of course, evidenced through the mutual adoration of his children and grandchildren. Clearly, that sentiment is also echoed in the hearts and minds of the thousands of martial artists' lives he has touched across the globe. It takes great skill and commitment to lead others, and Cheezic has never wavered in his effort to build honorable martial artists. He steadfastly requires that his students become involved in community service, exhibit good citizenship and seek excellence in their personal and professional lives. Coupled with solid martial arts training, they become productive, well-rounded citizens of the world. He only asks one thing of them: "Leave more than you take." Requiring the same of himself, he leads by example. Through civic and community-based activities, Cheezic has volunteered his time and personal resources to benefit others. His efforts have positively affected countless lives. Robert Cheezic's association with the Boy's and Girl's Clubs of America began at an early age. The clubs offer programs and services to children and families in need. Dedicated to the empowerment of the disadvantaged, Cheezic knows first hand the benefits of positive youth development programming. As a child growing up in one of Connecticut's largest and toughest cities, he enrolled in the boys program at the Waterbury Anderson Boy's Club, which he credits with providing him positive outlets as a child. Fiercely loyal to his associations, Cheezic has remained affiliated with the club since childhood. As an adult volunteer, Cheezic was voted president of the Anderson Boy's Club Alumni Association, and currently serves on their Board of Directors. He is an Anderson Boy's Club Alumni Hall of Fame member, inducted in 1991. In recognition of his tireless work and dedicated service, he was awarded the Boy's Club 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to his work at the Boy's Club, Robert Cheezic has been an unwavering symbol of humanitarianism in his community, involved with various groups and organizations. He served as a member of the Catholic Family Services Board of Directors, the Waterbury Republican Town Committee, chairman of the Arco Metals Civic Action Program and as a 1993 Waterbury Sportsman Club honoree.
The martial arts world has also honored Robert Cheezic in many ways over the years.In 1991, he was inducted into the New England Karate Hall of Fame, the Professional/Amateur Karate League (PKL) Hall of Fame named him their 1996 Promoter of the Year, and in 2001 he was inducted into the Action Karate Hall of Fame.2006 brings international honors with Cheezic's induction into the Budo International America Hall of Fame as a Legend Grandmaster of Tang Soo Do.The ceremony honored a select few members of the international martial arts community in recognition of their outstanding contributions.Martial arts legends, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock and Christine Bannon-Rodrigues, along with some of Cheezic's students, family and friends, helped to make the honor memorable.For Grandmaster Robert A. Cheezic, a winning spirit has transgressed every aspect of his life.The driving passion behind his success has been his love of Tang Soo Do Karate, and by instilling that passion in so many others, he has contributed to humanity in immeasurable ways.
©Nancy Robinson


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The Richness in a Cup of Taiwanese Tea Culture
Lately, I am reminded of why it is I moved to Taiwan in the first place, having traveled so far. I had been to almost fifty countries when I chose to grow my roots on this small island, and for good reason: it is the tea capital of the world. (Why else would Wu De choose a place to live?) In sharing my week with you, perhaps you'll understand why I'm always flattering Taiwan, and even encouraging you all to visit if and when you can. For those of you who've already been here, this nostalgia will remind you of some of the reasons you also fell in love with Taiwan.
This small island boasts so much joy for a tea lover, and we are reminded of why more than often. Of course, there is tea culture and production all over Asia, though nowhere as vibrant, varied and alive as Taiwan. And in Taiwan, you find a meeting of all the different tea cultures of Asia. Casually walking into a new tea house you might find the owner boiling water with a Japanese tetusbin, steeping Taiwan Oolong in an Yixing pot with Korean decorations around. And Taiwanese tea culture is not as plastic, copied or businessminded as other places. It is inspiring to see new tea houses opening all the time, each with its own decorative style and brewing methodology. Other places, you often find many of the same shop - copying what they think is traditional, antique or perhaps just what tourists want to see. Taiwanese, on the other hand, are expressing tea spirit through the heart and soul of the brewer, and so you won't find so much redundancy.
There is so much tea to experiment with and enjoy in Taiwan that it can actually be overwhelming sometimes. It is hard for some tea lovers to find their own tradition and style in such a sea of tea. Still, each gathering - each new pot or cup - is a chance to learn something new, adding insight to even the oldest of traditions. And trust me when I say that you have wandered into the Hut of a very open tradition, where we pride ourselves on learning and growing all the time. While it is important to respect and grow upon our tradition as handed down to us, we must also give it life and blood, and better it for future generations.
This week we were invited to two of the many tea gatherings that are ever-present across the island. They were both inspiring in their own way, and just hint at all the vibrancy of tea available on this Formosa, which means "Isle of Heaven," and a tea Heaven it surely is. Long ago, Mainland Chinese saw Formosa off the coast, with mountains that raise up above the clouds, and thought that it surely must be the home of the immortals. I've found them to be Tea Immortals.
On the third and fourth of October, the second annual Southeast Asia Oolong Tea Seminar was held in Tai Nan, Taiwan, with visitors from Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Japan, China and yours truly speaking for good old "Mei Guo". My favorite part of such seminars is seeing old tea friends, discussing changes in tea and sharing great finds with each other. The event is held by Wushing Publications, and they do an excellent job of it.
Aside from the discussions, there was great food and tea for us to enjoy and we all walked away with gifts of tea and literature. Some of the discussions were boring, like the long talk about the scientific differences between various roasting temperatures, complete with "polyphenol" and "theanine" charts for various roasting temperatures, 80, 100, 120, 140... yawn... 160 degrees - and I was napping... Others, however, were interesting. They had designed the hall with a circular table in the middle of the hall and a strange, though beautiful, decorative space in the middle: it was a large clear cylinder with tubes that connected to various teapots. As the convention went on, an unseen ice block above melted and the water ran down a willow branch and into the cylinder. When the cylinder was full, the water streamed down the various branching tubes and into the teapots. During the more boring speeches, I watched with glee as the water streamed down the willow leaves and into the chamber, wondering how long it would take to reach the point at which it would start running down the branching tubes and into the Yixing teapots.
Each of the seven seminars involved a group of experts sitting around this circle discussing various topics related to Oolong tea. The audience was allowed to participate by either grabbing a microphone and asking a question, or anonymously writing their question down and handing it to one of the attendants who were circling the crowd for that purpose. This made for some interesting dialogues, arguments and even some drama for spice... The topics included the incredibly laborious roasting discussion mentioned above, Oolong history in various countries like China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, a long discussion of Yixing teaware and Oolong preparation, Cha Xi and tea gatherings (a Taiwanese invention of hosting themed gatherings), "The Old tea caddies at Master Lu's shop Future of Taiwan Oolong Tea" (also boring), and an interesting discussion of what makes Oolong tea special.
I had a chair and a small voice in the last of those discussions, about Oolong tea. I think they wanted me to talk about if Oolong has spread to America and what tea culture there is like. Instead, I politely rebuked them all. I spoke of the fact that I loved Taiwan, citing many of the reasons I already mentioned at the beginning of this article, and that it was great to hear so many of the most important people in the tea world speak about tea culture, history, production, etc., but that we won't have any more tea conventions, let alone tea culture or production, if we don't also start discussing environmental issues in the tea world. Of course, I wasn't alone. Many people agreed and one tea lover in the audience even suggested that next year's gathering have a seminar on this theme, turning to the owner of Wushing, and organizing manager in askance, hoping that they would agree on the spot. Everyone applauded and the embarrassing moment passed. I later wondered if I should have just spoken a bit about tea in America as suggested...
At night, they brought out tables in the beautiful old garden behind the cultural center where the convention was held and placed teaware on them. Last year, various shops had arranged their own Cha Xi (literally "tea stage" this refers to the decorations on which the tea is prepared). This year, however, each table had a tea sink (cha pan) with built in lights that lit up the tea table. There were pots and cups, but no other decorations. The idea was that various people could sit down and brew tea, switching every once and a while. They provided tea, but many people also brought out their own teas. You were supposed to keep your cup and wander around from table to table and try the different teas, brewers, company and conversation. This made for a quite hectic scene, but it also allowed for some interesting exchanges and the chance to try some unique teas. All in all, though, it wasn't my cup of tea... The best part of the seminar, like last year, was the enormous feast at the end. They piled us all into buses and took us off to some ritzy five-star hotel in downtown Tai Nan. There, we were treated to a twelve course extravaganza in which every single dish incorporated Taiwanese Oolong of some kind. They had a few vegetarian tables, so I was in Heaven - so stuffed I slept soundly the whole train ride back home...
Riverboat Tea
If that wasn't enough tea for a week, we were invited to go on a boat cruise just three days after the convention, hosted by Master Lu. I can't drive so Kaiya, Lindsey and I took a train up to Taipei, not knowing what to expect. Master Lu had called and talked to Joyce. All we knew was that there was tea and a boat.
Old tea caddies at Master Lu's shop
We headed to Master Lu's new shop in Taipei. It is in the Chinese medicine shop district, on one of the oldest streets, Di Hua. The house is an amazing find: an ancient wooden house backed by a small, plant-filled courtyard. Master Lu has, of course, decorated it with many antiques - furniture, tea caddies, tea boxes and teaware. We sat around and drank tea with his brother and son for a while, waiting for the boat to come at four o'clock.
We got to the dock, still wondering how this was going to play out. I knew there was a good chance it would be amazing, as some of the best tea gatherings I have been to were hosted by Master Lu. He is gracious, generous and kind; and there is often good tea, music and food at his events. The river boat was big, with ample room for the 40ish people that were coming along. Before we boarded, everyone was draped with a purple and maroon scarf of hand-dyed cloth, placed over our necks like Haiwan lei.
Tea on the river boat
Inside, we were seated six to a table. Each table had a brewer who had arranged their own unique Cha Xi. I immediately noticed that one of the back tables had a nice woman who had brought an Yixing pot, some antique porcelain cups from the Republic era and some antique Japanese coasters. Her inviting smile and tasteful selection of teaware beckoned us to her table. She had arranged some flowers in a celadon bowl for simple decoration. Earlier, Master Lu had told me I was going to have to brew at one of the tables, so I was relieved to find them all attended to.
When we set out on our long, five-hour cruise we were spellbound to discover that one of our favorite musicians would be providing the entertainment, and that the four teas we were going to enjoy were all very special Oolongs. Shou Ge plays guitar and a lute-like instrument he built himself, with a sound somewhere between a pipa and a gu zheng, though it looks kind of like a precursor of the guitar. He also sings. His music is nice for tea. We were introduced to his music through Master Tsai, donor and highlight of our April issue. He can sing in a festive way - he's a wonderfully talented musician with a range of music - but also quiet and deep. He brought a couple flutists with him this time, and they filled our evening with great joy.
Like any good tea gathering, we are the guests of the tea. So many gatherings are disappointing because they forget this very important principal: that without tea there is no tea gathering! They create glorious Cha Xi with flowers and old cloth, and are often themed around a season, festivity, etc. They have all the great colors, sights, sounds and smells but forget about the tea, which seems to be some secondary, background opening act for all the pomp. For me, it is always disappointing to come into a gorgeous tea space and drink low-quality tea from such beautiful teaware, discussing everything but the tea we're drinking... But not at Master Lu's gatherings.
This night we were treated to four incredible teas: a 40-year-old "Iron Arahant" Wuyi Cliff Tea, a 1983 Dong Ding Oolong, a 1916 Taiwanese Bao Zhong tea and finally the star of the show, a 125-yearold Wuyi Cliff Tea that Master Lu recently acquired, which is called "Bao Quai," a varietal no longer in production. The last tea was amazing, and we could have sat drinking it all night long. It was stellar - beyond words. We all left drunk on it.
The first tea was a nice example of an aged Cliff Tea (yan cha) of the 70s, which were often lower quality for export. They usually come in little single-pot packets. Though the tea was commercial grade, the age adds a poignancy to it, enhancing what was once - long ago - a mediocre tea. There is a slight sourness under the fruity, aged qualities. The second Dong Ding was roasted by Taiwan's most famous farmer. It was fruity with a yang Qi that lingered for some time. The third tea was improperly stored, as are most aged Taiwan Oolongs. Mostly, such teas were just left in bags or drums, and very rarely intentionally stored. Still, 1916 is a long time ago. The brew was deep and wise, dark as Puerh and uplifting as green tea. After the storage flavors wore off, the true tea shone, with all the berries and elegance of a very proud bao zhong tea. The final tea was the oldest and best-stored aged Cliff Tea I have ever had. It was deep and profound in every way, carrying us off the boat to "soar with the moon" as a calligrapher who was with us on the boat later commented in the poem he wrote to commemorate the event.
The four teas were interrupted by a dinner on the top of the ship, watching the sites of nighttime Taipei as we sailed downriver. Besides the music, we were Tea on the river boat treated to an enthusiastic lecture on the history of Taiwanese tea and how it had once been carried down the very same river we were cruising on barges headed to Keelong harbor. Master Lu was a gracious host, acting as "cha tong (tea boy)" and fetching out water from the galley, applauding the musicians, introducing the teas and occasionally sitting down at each table to make sure we were all having a good time. At the end, he said words of mastery which touched my heart: he said that the essence of tea was in the serving and sharing, and that we all would probably never again drink some of these teas, especially the last, but that despite its rarity and incredibly expensive price, he could think of no better way to drink it than by sharing it with other tea lovers. He said that hiring the boat and organizing such a gathering was his greatest joy, and the centrifuge of his tea practice. I left with those words echoing in my mind, amazed that one of my teachers, whom I respect so much, had just spent the night fetching our water...
With such a tea filled week, I was of course inspired to return home and make more tea, write about tea and otherwise drown in tea. I also said a special prayer of gratitude to Guanyin for guiding me to Taiwan, the Heaven of tea. I hope that these brief glimpses into the rich tea culture and heritage here have inspired you to start planning your next trip here to see us, or at least to return in thankfulness to the trip you have already been on. You are all so very welcome. A warm cup and a bed always await you here...


Tbe Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in September released the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Silver State South solar project, which would destroy approximately 3.7 square miles of intact desert habitat. Although the direct impact on wildlife may not compare to BrightSource Energy's Ivanpah Solar project, the Silver State South project almost certainly will have significant long-term effects on the ability of the desert tortoise to maintain habitat connectivity.
According to an interview of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) president Michael Peevey by mydesert.com, the State of California supports distributed solar generation (such as rooftop solar) and is in favor of policy changes that makes it easier for taxpayers and businesses to benefit from distributed generation. The State's support for distributed generation is critical to the preservation of desert wildlands, since solar installations in our cities and on our rooftops are far more efficient and economical than massive facilities in the middle of the desert.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) reviewed three different alternatives for the proposed Desert Sunlight Solar power project, and expressed support for a 6.8 square mile layout that includes an area with a dense desert tortoise population. The Desert Sunlight solar project would be built by First Solar and Desert Sunlight Holdings LLC on public land less than two miles from Joshua Tree National Park. The project is still in the initial stages of review, and you can read the draft environmental impact statement and offer comments on the BLM website.


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30 Strongest Naruto Characters (RANKED)
By Hrvoje Milakovic / September 15, 2021 September 14, 2021
Naruto is one of the most successful anime series of all time, which a lot of people around the world know. 90s kids have grown up watching this series, and a lot of them stayed with Naruto until he saved the world and attained the dream of becoming Hokage. As a result, Naruto's journey has left us with a lot of memories, as well as a lot of notable characters for both their character and abilities. That's why I decided to list down 30 of the strongest characters in the whole Naruto series.
Also, to make sure that the prime level of Naruto is going to be discussed in this article, I only included characters from Naruto and Naruto Shippuuden to avoid confusion. This also ensures that no one got nerfed, as seen with how some characters in Naruto have gotten a bit weaker in Boruto. Take note that this list is based on my observation as I watched the entire anime and manga series. That means your opinion might differ after reading my list. But anyway, here are the top 30 strongest characters in Naruto:
30. Hoshigaki Kisame
29. A (Fourth Raikage)
28. Tsunade
27. Onoki
26. Mu
25. Gengetsu Hozuki
24. Kakashi Hatake
23. Hiruzen Sarutobi
22. A (Third Raikage)
21. Shisui Uchiha
20. Killer B
18. Jiraiya
17. Kabuto Yakushi
16. Izuna Uchiha
15. Minato Namikaze
14. Tobirama Senju
13. Nagato/Pain
12. Itachi Uchiha
11. Obito Uchiha
10. Might Guy
9. Hashirama Senju
8. Indra Otsutsuki
7. Ashura Otsutsuki
6. Sasuke Uchiha
5. Naruto Uzumaki
4. Ten-Tailed Beast
3. Madara Uchiha
2. Hagoromo Otsutsuki
1. Kaguya Otsutsuki
Kisame may look like he is some sort of a brute compared to Itachi, but he is a smart person when in combat or missions. He is an expert in the Water-Style genjutsu, capable of creating a massive lake on land, creating shark-shaped water bombs of any size to attack the enemy, as well as creating a massive dome of water to trap his enemies.
He is the wielder of Samehada, a sentient blade that cuts, but actually "shaves" due to its numerous jagged edges. It also can absorb chakra from others, and then transfers it to Kisame's already huge reserve. And speaking of chakra reserves, Kisame's innate amount of massive chakra gave him the title "The Tailed Beast Without a Tail".
To make him more badass, no one defeated him, even Guy himself. He committed suicide by summoning sharks while trapping himself and them inside a water bubble. This was done to prevent information about the war from being leaked inside the turtle island Naruto and Killer B were in. But before killing himself, he displayed monstrous strength by destroying his restraints.
A is the tag team nickname for the Raikage, which has been a tradition in the Hidden Cloud Village while having a compatible partner that will be nicknamed B. A is one of the most powerful characters in the whole Naruto series because of his raw strength, and the appearance that made him look like a massive wrestler.
Matching his appearance, A's fighting style focuses on wrestling moves, with one of his signature techniques being a Lariat. But that's not it, A has a massive chakra supply that makes him capable of utilizing his Lightning Style ninjutsu at its fullest.
A's usage of his Nature Release focuses on covering himself with lightning to create extremely tough armor. The armor is so tough, that it only takes the never-ending burn of the Amaterasu to decapitate his arm. His Lightning Release Armor also augments his speed to become as fast as lightning, and even sharpens his own hands just like how Kakashi sharpens his own with Raikiri.
You will know things are getting serious once his hair becomes somewhat spiky, showing that his Lighting Release has increased its voltage!
Tsunade is known for the diamond-shaped seal on her forehead – the Strength Of A Hundred Seal. This seal of hers is the pinnacle of chakra control, where all of her chakras are focused on a single point for several years. This accumulated chakra is then sealed so then she can release all of it, or at least a part of it, at any given time together with her chakra reserves.
As a result, Tsunade can focus all her strength on her fists to land a punch that can cause massive damage to a person or a huge area around her. It also helped her retain a Transformation Technique that makes her young (and curvaceous) enough to mask her aged appearance.
As the master medical ninja, the Fifth Hokage is a specialist in all medical ninjutsu, making her extremely knowledgeable enough to save Chouji from death in Part 1. This, along with her seal, grants her the ability to regenerate almost instantly when injured. Along with that, she also has Uzumaki bloodline through her grandmother, which could also be the reason why she also survived getting her upper and lower body split by Madara, while being able to summon her slug Katsuyu at the same time to repair her body.
Onoki is the Third Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone Village. He is a master of Earth Style genjutsu, capable of creating different kinds of earthen weapons and entities with it. He can make sentient rock golems to help him fight, and can even conjure fists to augment his strength, which is strong enough to despite his age.
He also uses a unique Earth Style genjutsu that helps him add or lessen the weight of things and beings. He uses it on his allies or himself to become light enough to be able to fly. He used this technique to minimize the damage of the meteor that Madara dropped on the Alliance.
Due to his Kekkei Genkai, he can mix Earth and Fire Release, making him capable of using the Lava Release (which was shown in a Naruto novel), and use Kekkei Tota to mix Earth Release with Fire and Wind to create the Dust Release. This is the most powerful genjutsu of Onoki, which lets him encase his enemies in a cube or any 3-D shape, and then disintegrate them to dust with a blinding light.
Mu is the Second Tsuchikage and the master of Onoki. This cunning individual is just as sinister-looking as his own set of abilities and characteristics. He is called the Non-Person because of his ability to never leave any physical form or chakra trace. It's all thanks to his ability to turn invisible. He is also one of the most powerful sensor ninjas in history, capable of noticing unique chakra signatures even from a populous area, as well as use it to evade techniques that seem impossible to dodge.
Mu also can split into two to escape certain situations but at the cost of halving his power. He also can use Dust Release at the same level as Onoki, as well as lighten his weight to fly.
Gengetsu is the Second Mizukage of the Hidden Mist Village, who was killed by Mu, who also died at the same time. Gengetsu's appearance that makes him look like a Japanese gang leader makes him perfect as a leader of a village with a violent history. His abilities are so powerful that some of the Allied forces are still getting caught in his ninjutsu despite him instructing them to be careful.
His Fire Release can make him shoot a bullet of fire, while his Water Release can make him turn to liquid (a signature technique of his clan) and generate bubbles that are fast enough to strike enemies. He also can create a clone of him made of water and oil. The clone then balloons with steam and explodes to damage a large vicinity. After that, it creates hail through the water vapor that went up in the air to recreate the clone, causing an infinite loop of explosions.
Lastly, he can summon a giant clam that creates a mist, which he combines with his Yin Release to make mirages through genjutsu.
Kakashi is the Copy Ninja of the Leaf Village, thanks to the Sharingan that he got from Obito, as well as the Sixth Hokage after the war, and the leader of Team 7. This grants him all of the abilities of the Sharingan, such as the ability to read chakra, as well as enhanced vision to read fast movements and hand seals.
Kakashi is an extremely talented ninja, with a high level of intelligence and fighting abilities that made him famous across different nations and was deemed dangerous by Pain himself. Kakashi's talents are further evidenced by his quick rise into Jonin and ANBU at such a young age. His abilities as a leader, and his good character that made him a good friend and teacher, made him vital for the defeat of Kaguya.
Despite his average chakra reserves, he has the intelligence to strike at the right time. His signature genjutsu is the Raikiri – which makes his hand as sharp as a blade through Lightning Release. He also has a high talent in taijutsu and using weapons such as swords.
Aside from all of these, he also learned how to use his Mangekyo Sharingan, which gives him the ability to transport objects and people into a pocket dimension called Kamui. He also learned its short-ranged variant to let attacks pass through him. And yes, he learned how to use Susanoo instantly when Obito let Kakashi borrow his eyes to defeat Kaguya!
Hiruzen Sarutobi is the Third Hokage of the Leaf Village. He is regarded as The Professor due to his knowledge of hundreds of genjutsu. He is one of the few characters who can use all five nature releases and is a master of taijutsu and weapons. He can summon Enma, who can turn into a pole that's as hard as diamond, which he can use for a wide variety of attacks.
He is also one of the few who is capable of using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, which summons the Shinigami to seal his opponents, as well as himself inside the belly of the Shinigami, which he can also use through his shadow clones, making him a very deadly opponent whether winning or losing.
The Third Raikage is known in his village as The Strongest Shield due to its immense durability. If the Fourth Raikage looked like a wrestler, this one looks like a massive berserker. He has monstrous raw strength, which made him capable of fighting the Eight-Tailed Beast one-on-one, which he sets as a rule when it goes on a rampage again, rather than letting his men do it.
He also has augmented defense through his Lightning Release Armor, which is way stronger than the Fourth Raikage's. His defense and offense with the technique are so immense, that the only way to harm him is if he accidentally pierces his body with his finger sharpened further by the armor.
Despite being dead in the series even before it started, his background easily made him a fan favorite. Shisui is the best friend of Itachi Uchiha and is at the same level of genjutsu mastery as Itachi. He is also one of the most talented ninjas of the Uchiha clan and is known as Shishui of the Body Flicker due to his usage of it that lets him leave multiple after-images of himself.
Shisui is also a master of the Mangekyo Sharingan, making him capable of using a genjutsu of the highest level called Kotoamatsukami. This places a person in a genjutsu so powerful that the target will believe what is manipulated in their mind with the command placed on the genjutsu is really what he needs to act on. If it were not for Danzo, he would have used it on the entire clan to make them abandon their planned coup.
Also, he has a Susanoo that grants him superior defense, as well as release a barrage of needles to hit multiple opponents with blinding speed.
Killer B is the tag team partner of the Fourth Raikage, as well as the Jinchuuriki of the Eight-Tailed Beast. He is the very first person who has mastered the control over his Tailed Beast, which he might have done through his character. He is a very calm rapper who seems to go easy on any situation he's into, which might be the reason why the Eight Tailed Beast just gave up and decided to make friends with him.
In terms of strength, Killer B is a very powerful individual who can also use Lightning Release to sharpen his attacks or boost his speed. He is also a master of using eight swords at the same time through his unorthodox style, making him overpower Sasuke and his group, Kara, with almost no effort.
He may act dumb but is smart enough to back out of a battle if he thinks it's getting too dangerous for his good. Lastly, his mastery of controlling his Tailed Beast granted him the ability to shroud himself in a Tailed Beast Cloak, turn into its Version 2. And of course, he can transform his partially or fully into the Eight-Tails itself, which can create a devastating Tailed Beast Bomb, as well as a massive size and power.
Orochimaru was first seen as a powerful villain of the series, to the point where some fans thought that he is the main antagonist of the whole series. He has a very sinister appearance that resembles a snake, which makes his character and abilities themed after the animal. He can summon a snake, has a long tongue like a snake, elongates his body to become as long as a snake, use snakes to put his body together, sheds like a snake as a type of Body Replacement Jutsu, and turns into a snake.
Orochimaru is a master of several jutsus due to his conquest to master all jutsus in the world. As a result, he has altered his body heavily to the point where his normal form is not his true form, but a snake-like creature with scales composed of smaller white snakes. He also can transfer his body into someone else to retain his immortality. But after getting a White Zetsu, it seems that he has mastered immortality further due to the Hashirama cells gaining him a wide variety of new abilities, as well as Wood Release.
Jiraiya is one of the Legendary Sannin, along with Tsunade and Orochimaru, and was a candidate as Hokage, but kept on refusing the title. He is also the master of Naruto Uzumaki and the Fourth Hokage. Jiraiya has large chakra reserves that make him capable of summoning the strongest toads such as Gamabunta. He may not be a master of Sage Mode but is proficient in using it to overpower 3 of Pain's Six Paths.
He is also an expert in ninjutsu, which he uses to elongate his hair to attack or restrain enemies, as well as protect himself. He is also a user of the Rasengan and even taught Naruto how to use and enlargen it, which caused Naruto to create different Rasengan variants in the future.
He is also good at gathering intelligence and is a shrewd combatant. He is also shown to be extremely durable enough to at least leave a message to Fukusaku for him to relay over to Konoha before he got killed by Pain.
The Kabuto Yakushi that I want to explain here is the one that has attained Sage Mode. This form of his is what made him very formidable as an opponent, and some even noted that he is similar to Orochimaru already. This form of his is Orochimaru that got obsessed with altering himself and due to the greed of attaining several jutsus all for himself.
Kabuto is capable of using Nature Energy to sense enemies easier, as well as strengthen his techniques. He can also get out of his body when damaged or trapped, just like Orochimaru. Kabuto is also capable of conjuring the Sound 4, Kimimaro, and even Orochimaru by manifesting their bodies thanks to DNA manipulation. That way, he can use their signature techniques.
He also gained immunity against the Mangekyo Sharingan's genjutsu through a lid on his eyes that helps him get protected like how a snake's
Izuna is the younger brother of Madara and is also the one who first unlocked and discovered the Mangekyo Sharingan. Most of his techniques were never revealed in the series. But he is known to have led the Uchiha clan during the Warring States Period alongside his brother, just like how Hashirama and Tobirama Senju led their clan together.
As one of the first users of the Mangekyo Sharingan, Izuna must have a huge potential that made him a good match against the Second Hokage, who is a master of speed. However, he is proven to be no match against the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Minato is the Fourth Hokage and the father of the protagonist Naruto. He is known to be Konoha's Yellow Flash, who has gained a worldwide reputation that's enough to fear even the other mighty ninja villages. This is further evidenced by his mastery of using Tobirama Senju's Flying Thunder God Technique, which he uses as his main fighting style.
His reflexes in using the technique, which makes him move normally while teleporting, made him a formidable opponent when fighting one or a lot of enemies. He is also known to have wiped out thousands of enemies, forcing Onoki to form a peace treaty with Konoha to stop the war.
From childhood to adulthood, a lot of renowned ninjas regarded him as a genius. If you watch his fight scenes, you will realize that he is a genius and a total badass. He also invented the Rasengan and is one of the few users of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, which he used to seal the Nine-Tailed Beast into him and his son. Also, unlike most characters in the list, Minato did not come from a prestigious clan, nor had any Kekkei Genkai jutsus, just pure outstanding talent!
Tobirama is the Second Hokage, making him one of the most powerful characters in the whole series. Tobirama is also one of the leaders of the Senju clan, and eventually the assistant of Hashirama when he became the First Hokage. He is known to have created a lot of jutsus that were proven to be of great use for good and evil purposes alike.
He was the creator of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, which Naruto would often use as a part of his fighting style. He also created the dreaded Summoning: Impure World Resurrection, which revives the dead by using a sacrifice. He is also the creator of the Flying Thunder God Technique, which Minato is using as his main fighting style.
Aside from these badass jutsus, he is also a master of Water-style jutsu, which he uses for both offensive and defensive capabilities. He also created an almost-infinite explosive tag technique, which goes well in conjunction with the undead created by the Impure World Resurrection.
Pain is considered by people in his village, and by fans, as a god because of his abilities with the Rinnegan. Pain's main power lies on the Rinnegan, as shown in how he utilizes his Six Paths of Pain, which makes him 7 in total. The Rinnegan provides a shared vision with all of the Six Paths of Pain, as well as grants each path with a unique power.
The Deva Path can repel and attract anything towards its vicinity, and even create what seems like a ball that serves as a center of gravity to attract anything towards it. The Asura Path can create various weapons with its body. The Animal Path can summon a wide variety of animals. The Human Path can take souls. The Preta Path can absorb chakra or any ninjutsu. The Naraka Path can fix the other Six Paths, as well as steal souls, by calling the Outer Path, which Nagato can use to revive people.
The main body of Nagato is also proven to be overpowered after absorbing enough chakra to bring his emaciated body back to normal. With his original body alone, he can perform all the aforementioned Six Paths of Pain jutsus with ease.
Itachi Uchiha is known as one of the fan-favorites of the series because of his good looks, badass appearance, and the way his jutsus work. First of all, he has the Sharingan, the signature eye of his clan, which grants him a superior vision, as well as the ability to cast genjutsu if the enemy makes eye contact with him.
He also can use the Mangekyo Sharingan, which grants him access to Tsukiyomi, a powerful genjutsu that makes a few seconds feel like several hours of torture. He also has gained access to Amaterasu, which grants him the ability to burn the enemies that he stares at with inextinguishable black flames. Lastly, he has access to the powerful Susanoo, whereas his version has two powerful weapons. The first one is a mirror shield that reflects all attacks, and the Sword of Totsuka that's capable of sealing its targets in a world of drunken dreams (this sword defeated Orochimaru and Nagato in just one hit!)
Aside from these, Itachi has full knowledge of the Sharingan, which made him capable of using Izanami – another powerful genjutsu that makes its targets change their character according to the caster. He is also a master of Fire Style jutsu, capable of using a wide variety of techniques out of it, as well as shurikenjutsu.
Itachi would have made it further into the top ranks if he was not sick all along.
Obito Uchiha is the acting true leader of Akatsuki, as Madara let Obito use his name for their goal to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi. Obito was first seen as a weak ninja just like Naruto in the first episodes. But when he descended into evil due to the influence and manipulation of Madara, he grew so much in power.
First, he has the ability of the Mangekyo Sharingan, which grants him access to his unique ability called Kamui. It is time-space ninjutsu that makes him absorb enemies with his single eye, as long as they are near them. He cal also use it to go into the pocket dimension himself, as well as seemingly "phase" through objects by teleporting a part of his body into the dimension if attacked.
As an Uchiha, he is also proficient in using several weapons, and use Fire-Style Jutsu. When he became the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, it took the help of all of Naruto's friends to extract the chakra of the Tailed Beasts out of Obito. They then needed the help of the entire Allied Shinobi Forces to remove them out of Obito.
Might Guy is one of the silliest-looking characters with a personality that matches his appearance that seems funny at first. After all, his first appearance made him show a weird-looking pose while eccentrically greeting Naruto and Rock Lee's group. He is the leader of Rock Lee, Neji, and Tenten, and is the master of Rock Lee. He is also considered as a rival and best friend to Kakashi.
Might Guy has a little bit of proficiency when it comes to simple ninjutsu such as the Summoning Jutsu. But he focused mainly on taijutsu to the point where he is labeled as a dangerous opponent if fought one-on-one. He has monstrous raw strength and speed due to having trained intensely through his entire adult life, which he would then pass on to Lee.
He also learned how to open the Eight Gates from his father, which grants him an immense boost in speed and strength. The boost grows exponentially when more gates are opened, which matches his fighting style very well. The Seventh and Eight Gates made his attacks so packed with raw strength that it can release air pressure. Guy made it into the Top 10 because of his jutsu, as he was able to almost kill Madara when he used the Eighth Gate, which grants him a speed that can bend the fabric of space itself.
Hashirama Senju is the First Hokage and is referred to as the God of Shinobi because of his feats and his talents as a ninja. Originally the leader of his clan, he would found Konoha along with Madara to resolve the endless wars of their era. He is also known to have controlled all Tailed Beasts thanks to his signature Wood Style Release, which only he knows how to use.
His Wood Release is his fighting style. With this, he can create a forest, which was said to have helped build the foundation of Konoha. He can also use these to attack opponents, or make a clone of himself. It also has the tremendous power of restraining a Tailed Beast, as well as creating sentient creatures with it.
He can create dragons and golems with it. But his most badass Wood Style jutsu was the Shinshu Senju, which creates a massive humanoid statue with a thousand hands behind it. The statue can fight as well and was able to overpower Madara, who was using the Nine-Tails with Susanoo armor. To add more to his badass characteristics in battle, he is also capable of using Sage Mode.
Indra Otsutsuki is the older son of Hagoromo Otsutsuki. He is also known as the ancestor of the Uchihas. Sasuke and Madara were reincarnated from Indra. Nothing much is known of Indra's overall abilities, but he was shown capable of using Sharingan and Susanoo to a very high degree. He is also capable of using a larger-scale version of Amaterasu called Hinokagutsuchi.
Ashura is the younger and more favored son of Hagoromo. Naruto and Hashirama reincarnated from him, making him the ancestor of the Senju clan (and the Uzumaki since they are blood-related from them). Little is also known about Ashura, but he was shown to be capable of using a technique that's similar to the Rasengan, which comes in the form of a sphere with Rasengans inside it. He can also conjure a chakra-like entity similar to the Nine-Tailed Beast Mode but in the form of a 3-headed, 6-armed entity.
Sasuke is one of the members of Team 7 and is regarded as the best friend and rival of Naruto. He grew in power over the series through hatred, unlike Naruto who grew in power due to the determination and love of everyone around him. But still, it made him powerful enough to become one of the strongest characters in history.
In the first parts of the series, he was considered more badass than Naruto, which made fans think why is he not the main character. After all, he can breathe fire, use lightning on his hands to attack, and use the Sharingan. He is also a very proficient ninja in the art of shurikenjutsu, just like his brother.
Sasuke's usage of the Mangekyo Sharingan also made him very powerful, since it grants him the ability to use Amaterasu and control its shape and direction. He also gains access to the powerful Susanoo, which Sasuke has perfected through the war. He also gained the Rinnegan from Hagoromo, which grants him access to the powers of the Six Paths (see Pain/Nagato), as well as a unique ability that lets him swap places with a certain object or person.
His final battle against Naruto was his strongest form, as he was able to use Chibaku Tensei to seal the Tailed Beasts and use them to absorb their Chakra while converting them into Lightning Release. This, along with using Indra's Arrow, is enough to tell that Sasuke is a master of chakra manipulation.
But still, Sasuke is outranked by Naruto not just because Naruto seemed to have won the fight, but also in terms of Naruto's character and his way to improve over the series. He began as a ninja that sucks a lot and gets laughed at. But through training and his determination to become Hokage, he became a hero that everyone loved.
Naruto's fighting style revolves around the usage of multiple shadow clones, which a normal person cannot do due to having their chakra split in half evenly among the clones. But take note that aside from having the Nine-Tails in him, he naturally has a huge chakra reserve.
His fighting style is also more about using the Rasengan in various ways. He can create a small or large version of it, a planetary version where a Rasengan has smaller ones rotating around it, and the Rasenshuriken – a Rasengan mixed with millions of tiny wind blades that rotate like a shuriken around the sphere.
He can also unlock Sage Mode by focusing Natural energy around him, which makes him a lot stronger in terms of durability and raw strength. It also made him throw the Rasenshuriken, which is dangerous to use for the owner in short-range. Aside from that, he also earned the trust of the Nine-Tails, granting him the same level of mastery as Killer B when controlling his Tailed Beast. This grants him immense power, size, and the ability to use Tailed Beast Bombs.
After gaining the power of Hagoromo, as well as a few chakras from all Tailed Beasts, Naruto is capable of using Natural energy to its fullest. He then used the Tailed Beasts' power to create multiple Tailed Beast versions of the Rasenshuriken to overpower Kaguya before landing their final strategy to seal her for good.
The Ten-Tailed Beast is one of the most powerful beings in the series, as it took almost all the efforts of the entire Shinobi Alliance, but was not able to defeat it at all. If it was not Madara's plan to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi to the moon, the Ten-Tails has the potential to wipe out the entire Alliance.
Even when not in its full form, it has the power to create a massive Tailed Beast Bomb that dwarf's a normal Tailed Beast Bomb. It also has immense durability that matches its massive size, as well as the ability to create smaller beings out of its body to fight as its army.
Madara Uchiha is regarded as one of the most powerful villains in history not just because of his talents in battle, but because of his calculated schemes that ended up very well (but not at the end of achieving his plan). He is the mastermind behind Akatsuki, as well as Rin's death. These were testaments that made him formidable as an enemy inside and outside of combat.
He also has an appetite for war, which made him a very powerful fighter. If you all remember, his debut in the anime was so badass when he fought hundreds of fodder ninjas as a warm-up. He has exceptional talent in using the Sharingan and the Mangekyo Sharingan, which lets him use a massive and extremely powerful Susanoo.
Upon becoming the Ten-Tailed Jinchuuriki, as well as obtaining the Rinnegan, he became capable of using the Six Paths Jutsus, which let him create several Chibaku Tensei to form meteorites. He can also use his Rinnegan to summon a version of himself in an invisible dimension that only another Rinnegan can see. He also gained mastery over all nature releases, as well as the ability to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Hagoromo Otsutsuki is the Sage of The Six Paths, which was regarded as folklore in the Naruto world before he manifested right before them. He is a very wise person who naturally had the Rinnegan and chakra. He taught people Ninshu, a means to use chakra to communicate thoughts and feelings. However, the principle was weaponized, turning it into ninjutsu.
Hagoromo is a very powerful being who is capable of using Chibaku Tense, alongside his brother, to seal their evil mother away. He can also share his chakra despite being a spirit only, which boosted Naruto and Sasuke's powers in preparation for the final battle. He was also the one responsible for splitting the Ten Tailed Beast into 9 unique beings before he died. He may not have a major fight scene, but these feats were enough to prove that he can outmatch all the other characters at the bottom ranks.
Lastly, the final villain of the Naruto series. Kaguya is the mother of all chakra on the planet, as she was the one who consumed the chakra fruit. Her views in attaining power and ruling over the humans made her mad, which caused her two sons to seal her to create the moon. When she returned, she was not killed as it seemed impossible, which is why Sasuke and Naruto had no choice but to seal her.
Kaguya is extremely powerful, as she can transport herself and others into another dimension in just a second. She can also extend her hair to restrain or attack enemies. She might not have any display or raw strength, but she can shoot bones out of her hands that can turn enemies into ash once it hits. She is also overpowered enough to create a gigantic Truth-Seeking Ball (a ball that grants all nature releases, which Naruto, Obito, and Madara gained when initially gaining Six Paths power) to create a new dimension while disintegrating everyone once they come in contact with its exponentially expanding size.
Who Killed Daki and Gyutaro in Demon Slayer?
What to Expect from Demon Slayer Entertainment District Arc Epis...


Credit where it's due: this really does remind me of Bolivia. You know, aside from the sniper hiding in the grass.
I've been wondering about that. There are so many different environments here. It almost seems impossible for them all to be in one country, as big as it is. But I certainly wouldn't pretend to be any sort of expert, or heck, even sort of well informed about this matter. It's the temperate forests of the south-east that feel most out of place. They're basically Norwegian forests, which seems odd.
I can see that. I've found it works well enough to play them one province at a time. I can usually get all the main missions done in two nights, then clean up the side stuff on a third. Since there's no dramatic story or such, it's easy to spread that out. The gameplay itself is quite fun, and I'm not sure I'd actually like it better with others. Maybe that's just my preferred long-range, stealthy playstyle.
I really like the lovely pictures that you've been uploading from this game. How do you take these pics in the game? Is it possible to turn off the HUD and/or move the camera around?
Thanks! Ghost Recon: Wildlands supports Nvidia's Ansel, which is basically exactly like that.
I just finished Night In The Woods. It was wonderful.


text:
Home Archives 2009 N° 16. Septembre 2009 September 2009 China
Emma Graham-Harrison
White collar no shield for China workers in downturn 06 Aug 2009 12:04:25 GMT
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In China, a university degree has long been seen as a ticket away from the grim production lines and workplace abuse of its boomtown factories, but some graduates now face a fate that belies their investment of time and money.
The suicide of Sun Danyong, a worker at contract cellpone maker Foxconn International who was accused of industrial espionage after a prototype Apple iPhone went missing on his watch, has thrown a spotlight on the plight of many of his peers.
The country has been battered by the global financial crisis at a time when a rising tide of degree-holders is flowing out of its fast-expanding universities. At least three million are still looking for work now, official figures show.
And in a country where the laws of supply and demand are often ruthlessly applied, the employment squeeze has had a predictable effect on graduates' futures.
"Their main pressure is to find work, so they go to the factories, where they have to start at the bottom," said Li Qiang, Executive Director of China Labor Watch.
His organisation last year highlighted the use of student interns on the production line at Foxconn, in an apparently prescient report on the company's hothouse working environment.
"It is quite normal for students to do this kind of work ... Often when they start they are fairly depressed, but they have more opportunities to rise than ordinary workers," Li added.
But in the hunt for a monthly salary, or fast promotion, graduates across the employment spectrum are now falling victim to some of the abuses, such as bullying and excessive overtime, well documented in cases of migrant workers in China's sweatshops.
"I didn't have a backup plan. It's so hard to get a job these days," said 24-year-old Liu Xiaoping, a Japanese-language university graduate who was tormented by his first supervisor but stayed with the firm.
Particularly vulnerable to despair when seeking a job, and to bullying when in employment, are those from poor backgrounds, whose families have often run up debts to pay for their child's education but have no contacts to help them secure a job.
Foxconn worker Sun was from just such a humble background.
An engineering graduate employed as a factory product manager, Sun was suspected of leaking secrets when an iPhone prototype went missing during his shift, local media reported. He jumped from his 12th floor apartment after the company raided his home, they added.Apple expressed regret at his death and said it was awaiting the results of a formal investigation.
The same week in July that he died, another graduate factory-worker threw himself off a building, leaving behind a note blaming overwork after three months without a day off, local media reported.
"We have to raise awareness about rights. If not today it may be Sun Danyong but tomorrow it will be you or me," said one angry commentator using the pen name Qi Zhi, posted on a website about life working for Foxconn (www.foxlife.cn).
"It's just a company yet it insults a person like this!" said another poster Ying Pozi on popular forum Tianya (www.tianya.cn).
Foxconn declined repeated requests for comment.
NO BARRICADES IN THE STREET
Though current discontent over job prospects echoes elements of the economic anxieties that fed the 1989 protests on Tiananmen Square, analysts say it is extremely unlikely that discontented students will take to the streets for now.
"Students, intellectuals and emerging urban middle classes were among the groups where a lot of effort was put into what is sometimes called 'strategic generosity', making sure they have a relatively comfortable life," said Andrew Gilholm, Control Risks' senior analyst for China and Northeast Asia.
"They are very much aware that they are the beneficiaries of how things are now, and any instability would be more of a threat than an opportunity for them."
Yet if the employment prospects at the end of a degree appear to be dimming, shutting off one of the few remaining avenues of social mobility in an increasingly stratified society, it risks creating long-term disillusionment with one-party Communist rule.
Barely half this year's college leavers have secured jobs, the respected Caijing magazine reported a survey saying, a figure far below official figures that two-thirds have signed contracts.
Although statistics on balance show that a job helps protect against suicide, even those in employment will be strained when the economy is rough, said Paul Yip, Director for the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the University of Hong Kong.
"Whenever you have a poor economic climate you have to lay off a lot of people to save costs. But for those who remain in their jobs, because they have to do some additional work to cover the other workers, they are not necessarily immune to pressure."
No longer a guaranteed ticket to a better job or salary, an education may provide one consolation, however, in a country that has always held its intellectuals in high esteem.
"The pressure they face isn't necessarily any more than that on ordinary workers. But if the university students face bad conditions, then the middle classes, the intellectuals, tend to rally around," said China Labour Watch's Li.
"There are actually many instances of ordinary workers jumping from buildings ... they just don't get much attention."
(Additional reporting by Kelvin Soh in Taipei, Editing by Ken Wills and Megan Goldin)
http://alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK103039.htm
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//
// Licensed to Green Energy Corp (www.greenenergycorp.com) under one
// or more contributor license agreements. See the NOTICE file
// distributed with this work for additional information
// regarding copyright ownership.  Green Enery Corp licenses this file
// to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
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// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
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#ifndef __TLS_BASE_H_
#define __TLS_BASE_H_

#include <opendnp3/APL/Types.h>
#include <opendnp3/APL/Uncopyable.h>

#include <string>

namespace apl
{
namespace dnp
{

class TransportLayer;

/**
Base class for all TransportLayerStates (TLS)
*/
class TLS_Base
{
public:
	virtual void Send(const boost::uint8_t*, size_t, TransportLayer*);
	virtual void HandleReceive(const boost::uint8_t*, size_t, TransportLayer*);

	// TPDU failure/success handlers
	virtual void HandleSendSuccess(TransportLayer*);
	virtual void HandleSendFailure(TransportLayer*);

	virtual void LowerLayerUp(TransportLayer*);
	virtual void LowerLayerDown(TransportLayer*);

	virtual std::string Name() const = 0;
};

}
}

#endif