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Grain Standards Reauthorization Headed to President's Desk
Ag Policy Blog
12/3/2020 | 10:53 AM CST
By Jerry Hagstrom , DTN Political Correspondent
The Grain Standards Act provides certainty in grain trade while providing an official inspection and weighing system by providing more transparency, information-sharing, and better data, the National Grain and Feed Association stated. (DTN file photo)
The House late Wednesday passed S.4054, the Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020, by voice vote.
The bill had already passed the Senate on November 16 and now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature. The U.S. Grain Standards Act was first passed in 1916, and its current authorization passed in 2015 is set to expire on December 11. The new bill would provide a reauthorization until September 30, 2025.
"The inspections provided by the Federal Grain Inspection Service define and classify grains as well as assign grades to specify weight and quality requirements, and these inspections provide a gold standard assurance backed by the federal government to both grain buyers and sellers," House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson, D-Minn., said after the bill passed. "American grain farmers participate in a very competitive world, and foreign grain buyers should be confident in the process that we have in place to ensure our exports are adequately inspected."
Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., noted that the bill establishes marketing standards like weight and quality for certain grains and oilseeds including corn, soybeans, wheat and more, and re-establishes "a clear and fair set of guidelines for buyers and producers to follow in order get their goods to market."
House Agriculture Committee ranking member Michael Conaway, R-Texas, said, "The Grain Standards Reauthorization Act lays the foundation for grain and oilseed marketing benefiting the entire agricultural value chain. Passage of this legislation delivers regulatory stability and certainty for farmers, handlers, and processors."
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Senate Agriculture ranking member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., praised the House action.
"I'm pleased the 2020 Grain Standards Reauthorization Act has quickly moved through both chambers of Congress to deliver certainty and predictability to the federal grain inspection system," said Roberts. "I'm hopeful President Trump swiftly signs this legislation into law to ensure America can uphold its reputation as a dependable exporter of quality grain."
"Now more than ever, it is critical that we provide certainty for farmers," said Stabenow. "We are one step closer to enacting this bipartisan legislation and protecting our credibility as a reliable producer of high-quality crops."
The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) commended the House for approving the bill.
"This legislation, which would reauthorize the U.S. Grain Standards Reauthorization Act for another five years, provides certainty while improving the official inspection and weighing system by providing more transparency, information-sharing, and better data," said NGFA President and CEO Randy Gordon. "This legislation is foundationally important in providing for official grain inspection and weighing services through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Federal Grain Inspection Service, as well as that agency's maintenance of the U.S. grain standards that are relied upon by buyers, sellers and end-users to merchandise grains and oilseeds in domestic and international markets. Ultimately, this law benefits U.S. and global consumers by enhancing the utility and efficiency of the grain marketing system."
FGIS establishes official marketing standards for grains and oilseeds under the authorization provided by the U.S. Grain Standards Act, which included provisions to ensure uninterrupted export inspections.
"With our farmers facing tough economic challenges, including several years of low commodity prices and headwinds blowing against overseas demand, it is critically important that we at least maintain a smooth grain inspection system. We applaud Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate for working together to get this piece of legislation passed by the end of the year," said National Association of Wheat Growers President and Cass City, Mich., farmer Dave Milligan. "To maintain a properly functioning grain inspection system, NAWG encourages the president to sign this bill into law before the closing of 2020."
"This law and our system of standardized, independent grain inspection makes U.S. wheat more valuable," said U.S. Wheat Chairman Darren Padget, a wheat farmer from Grass Valley, Ore. "The proof of that came this year when many of our overseas buyers expressed a real concern that the pandemic would interrupt our supply chain and FGIS [Federal Grain Inspection Service] inspections."
Roberts and Stabenow also released the text of the Senate bill, a summary of it and a letter of support from farm groups.
-S.4054 - United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020 https://www.congress.gov/…
– Summary description https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/…
– Section-by-section description https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/…
Jerry Hagstrom can be reached at jhagstrom@nationaljournal.com
Follow him on Twitter @hagstromreport
(c) Copyright 2020 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.
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"Connecticut Western Reserve." Ohio History Central, July 1, 2005, http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=691.
Hatcher, Harlan. The Western Reserve: The Story of New Connecticut in Ohio. Indianapolis, IN: Bobbs-Merrill, 1949; Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 1991.
"The Western Reserve--What, Why, and Who?" Western Reserve Historical Society, http://www.wrhs.org/About/.
Wheeler, Robert. Visions of the Western Reserve: Public and Private Documents of Northeast Ohio, 1750-1860. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1990.


I have a bunch of new items just waiting for their turn in the review seat, but I thought I best "clean up" and finish up some reviews I've been planning on doing. I keep a file with photos of products on the "to do" list and every now and then I have to take a look see for ones that have gotten looked over and left behind. This item was one of them.
It is pretty much a copy cat of the YSL Touch Eclat. While I don't have the YSL version, I have tried Yves Rocher's. I can't say I am really that thrilled with it, and since reviewing I haven't used it that much. I do the odd time when I am rooting through my concealers and it pops up, but I don't consciously think to use it. Know what I mean?
Light applied heavily and swatched. Click for full size, notice the hint of shimmer.
Anyway, this is pretty much the same as the Yves Rocher pen except that the Avon's version has a hint of very fine shimmer that I am actually okay with and goes for $9.99 on sale ($14.99 regular) so it is a steal compared to $50 for YSL. I didn't think it would be something I wanted in this type of product, but it does catch light in the right way and brighten the under eye area. Also, unlike Yves Rocher, Avon has offered a wider range of shade choice with three options - light (which I have), medium, and deep. For under eye concealer I usually go a bit darker than my skin tone, but since this isn't a concealer (duh,it's an "illuminator") I went with the shade closest to my skin tone.
Illuminator applied on left applied to bare skin.
Usually when I use this I dab a bit on after I have applied all my other makeup and blend it in, but for this review, I used it solo to show how well it fared on it's own. I was surprised at how well it did work with out concealer. You can see that it doesn't give full coverage, but it does work to lighten the darker area and brighten the overall appearance.
Overall, I am pretty pleased with this, even though much like the Yves Rocher version, I don't tend to use it much. Have you tried it? What did you think?
cool, I also like the colorless MagiX, definitely keeps shine away.


3 person inflatable canoe that can be fitted with an electric outboard motor.
The Gumotex Ruby is 3 person motor boat modification of an inflatable canoe. This is designed for leisure cruises on lakes, rivers and harbours. This would make an ideal craft for the waterways that the Solet and the south coast have to offer.
Made from the Gumotex infamous Nitrilon this craft is robust and will handle rivers up to grade 2 white water. The material makes the Ruby quick drying and will pack away into the 135ltr dry bag provided with ease. The flat transom mount on located at the stern of the kayak will accommodate a short shaft electric or a maximum power of a 3.5HP. The safety relief valve on the floor will stop any over inflation.
The Gumotex Ruby will be sure to bring you many happy days out on the water, outboard assisted or not.
We offer a delivery service and nationwide click & collect for the Gumotex Ruby.


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Spending & Taxes
Written by John Phelan | September 8, 2022
Queen Elizabeth II, 1926-2022
When Elizabeth Windsor came to the throne in 1952, Harry Truman was President and Winston Churchill would be Prime Minister for another three years. She ruled Britain over seven decades of immense change. The country no longer rules a vast empire, it is much less religious, it is vastly richer, and it is now multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. And yet, amidst all this change, the monarchy remains, more or less, as popular as it ever was.
This is almost entirely down to Elizabeth II. She 'stayed in her lane,' as they say, remaining aloof from politics and performing the role of constitutional monarch about as well as you could hope for. Even Britain's republicans — among whom I number myself, theoretically — can find nothing bad to say about her. To play a major role in public life for seven decades and generate something between indifference and affection is a remarkable achievement.
Elizabeth II was the last remaining head of state to have been a veteran of World War II. She served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service as a driver and mechanic.
Although I am theoretically a republican — in the British sense — I have never acted on this theoretical concern because it has never been an actual problem. That may change with Elizabeth's successor, Charles, who not only has views — of the drearily predictable kind — but wants to share them as well. If he wants to make policy he should run for office like everyone else, but there is no reason anyone should pay special attention to his views on the environment or economic policy simply because of who his parents were.
When Charles II was on his deathbed in 1685, he is said to have noted glumly that his successor, his brother James, would lose it all in two years. He wasn't far off. James was turfed out by his daughter and son-in-law, William III and Mary II, in 1688. Britain's respect for the monarchy is grounded in its non-political nature. Elizabeth II understood that. If the institution is to survive in an ever-changing world, Charles would do well to abide by that too.
John Phelan is an Economist at the Center of the American Experiment.
Governor Walz needs to ban TikTok from state government devices
January 26, 2023 by Caleb Larson
Governors across the country are taking steps to prevent TikTok[JS1] from being used or downloaded on government-owned devices. TikTok poses a grave threat to the data on these devices and…
Survey: More than half of Black Americans say race relations in U.S. are generally good
January 17, 2023 by Catrin Wigfall
Yesterday we honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and remembered the dream he had for all Americans. A dream that focuses on our common humanity over identity politics and racial…
Twitter account abruptly drops lawsuit against American Experiment
January 6, 2023 by Bill Walsh
The owner of a Twitter account abruptly dropped her copyright lawsuit against Center of the American Experiment this week after filing it in United States District Court last month. The…
Dakota descendants should sue county over land acknowledgement
Hennepin County worked for over a year on their version of the latest woke fad: a land acknowledgement. After reading it, I think someone with Dakota or Anishinaabe heritage should…
Huge surplus does not deter Walz from raising taxes
January 24, 2023 by Bill Walsh
Gov. Tim Walz did the most amazing thing today as he released his 2024-25 state budget: he kept a straight face proposing tax increases on top of the $17.6 billion…
Creating a fifth-tier income tax bracket in Minnesota is sheer lunacy
January 23, 2023 by Martha Njolomole
It is mind-boggling enough that with an $18 billion surplus, Minnesota DFL lawmakers have expressed no interest in lowering taxes for Minnesotans. But what is even harder to rationalize is…
The wind turbines on his Colorado farm are 20 years old—Who's going to take them down?
January 13, 2023 by Isaac Orr
On October 23, 2022, the Colorado Sun published an interesting story titled "The wind turbines on this Colorado farm are 20 years old. Who's going to take them down?" The…
Feeding Our Future: Passport fraudsters are now free
January 12, 2023 by Bill Glahn
Two defendants in the Feeding Our Future case were also arrested for passport fraud as they tried to flee the country. Both of them have been released from jail. Abdiaziz…
Copyright © 2023 Center of the American Experiment. All rights reserved.
Tell your legislator to vote NO.
The 100% carbon-free mandate ("the blackout bill") just passed the Minnesota House. There's still time to stop it from going through the Senate — use this form to ask your legislator to vote NO!
CONTACT MY SENATOR

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Even though beds are readily available in shops, picking and getting a mattress on line might be a excellent idea. Available, you may be pressured by way of a revenue associate to buy a bedding until you are ready, or perhaps being in the in-store environment might cause one to sense like you've to come to a decision when you leave. When shopping on the net, you have the choice of considering many different bed choices, examining the specifications on every one as observed by manufacturer, examining opinions from different people who've skilled the particular mattress that you're seeking to purchase, and you can make a decision when you are ready and feel great informed.
The best part about shopping online is the at home supply! Instead of having to offer a friend with a truck and circular up a few guys to assist you transfer the bedding from in-store to the car, then from the vehicle to your house, then up the steps, you'll have the option to really have a distribution service transfer the mattress from the maker straight into your room. It does not get more easy (and less time consuming) to that. Discovering your mattress options and picking the most effective bedding for your requirements is going to do you an environment of good, and the human body and mind may thanks in the short and extended run.


Objectified: The Female Form and the Male Gaze directly and frankly addresses important social issues and conventions concerning the objectification of women in western art. Viewer discretion is advised.
The topics addressed in the exhibition Objectified: The Female Form and the Male Gaze are also part of ongoing conversations elsewhere.
The Museum of Art and Archaeology's on-line exhibition of the MU Memorial Union.
Museum Curator, Benton Kidd, on Today's Academic Minute segment, "Inside Higher Education"


Our columnist spotlights new and old foodie offerings in Sheboygan County, and we're taking your suggestions.
If there's one thing I know, it's that Sheboygan loves its food.
And what's cool is that we love a variety of food. From organic cafes, to authentic ethnic cuisine, to the news of Rocky Rococo coming back to Sheboygan inspiring an amount of hype that I imagine could only be challenged if Olive Garden announced residency (don't stop believing, Sheboyganites).
On weekends, I've enjoyed exploring Sheboygan County's variety of restaurants and entertainment venues, and now I want to tell you about them once or twice a week.
These won't be your typical reviews, but rather a snapshot of that place downtown that you've always wondered about or that neat little place you never realized was just around the corner.
To kick this column off, I want to start off by saying Sheboyganites don't have to travel to Chicago for a taste of the bubble tea craze.
When I visit the Thai Cafe, 1227 N 14th St, Sheboygan, I usually pair my meal with an avocado bubble tea.
The Thai Cafe's variety of the frozen drink is thick and fresh in comparison to varieties that are more reminiscent of regular slushies. Besides avocado, there are other unique flavors such as taro root or more traditional fruit options.
Continuing with the sweet and fresh trend, I've also ordered fresh rolls as a light appetizer with my meal, which is shrimp with vegetables, cilantro, green onions, lettuce, basil, bean sprouts and rice noodles wrapped in rice paper and served with peanut sauce.
Speaking of trends, pho noodle soup has been gaining popularity in the United States for the past few years, and the Thai Cafe offers a selections of pho combinations right here in Sheboygan. Diners can choose the size of their bowl, whether they would like their choice of meat, seafood or vegetarian toppings, or a combination of all three.
The tilapia entree doesn't come in filets but rather a whole deep fried fish for a larger portion that is topped with a sweet but savory sauce and fresh onions and vegetables.
The Pad Thai dinner is stir-fried noodles with egg, garlic, peanut, green onion and bean sprouts, and comes with your choice of meat, though I personally like pork, for diners looking for a traditional plate that they might be more familiar with.
Have you tried the Thai Cafe? Let us know what you would recommend!


HIGHLANDS, N.Y. — A New York man is accused of holding an 81-year-old Marine Corps veteran hostage in an upstate motel room for at least four years in order to steal his benefits checks.
Forty-three-year-old Perry Coniglio was arrested Tuesday is his room adjoining the victim's at a motel in Highlands in the Hudson Valley. Coniglio has been charged with grand larceny, unlawful imprisonment and related offenses.
Police say he used brute force and intimidation to get the elderly and diminished veteran to cooperate with him. Investigators say the victim received three checks every month. It's unclear how much those were worth.
Coniglio is being held in the Orange County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail. It's unclear if Coniglio has an attorney who could comment on the charges.


Builder Account Manager, also known as BAM. Builder Account Manager requirements are to capture market share by generating new homebuilder accounts and provide exceptional service and increase market penetration to our existing homebuilders. Candidates must have previous builder sales experience with a track record as a top performer. Must also have a high relational IQ, be customer focused and thrive in a fast paced driven environment. Leads provided. Team members will enjoy: base salary with an aggressive commission/bonus structure, mileage reimbursement and benefits. KPS is an EOE.
Those interested and meet the above conditions, click here to fill out the application form.
We are currently looking for a Home Technology Specialist (HTS) for the San Ramon area. To demonstrate and sell our Low Voltage Technology Options, Security Systems, Monitoring Products and Services for national and regional home builders', and new homebuyers. List of Home Builders include KB Home, TriPointe Homes, Trumark Homes, Van Daele Homes, Lafferty Homes, Warmington Homes, Pulte Homes to name a few. Candidates must have at least 2 years of home sales experience with a high closing track record. Must have a high relational IQ. Also, must be able to thrive in a fast-paced driven environment.
Looking for CPVC Residential Fire Sprinkler Installers for multifamily and single family production homes (projects located in the Inland Empire and Orange County). Applicants must have minimum of 1 year experience in residential construction. Candidates who do quality work will be considered. Fire Sprinkler experience preferred, but will consider candidates with plumbing experience. We work with local and regional builders such as; KB Homes, Toll Brothers, Taylor Morrison, DR Horton, Richmond American, Lennar and many others. KPS is an EOE.
Looking for CPVC Residential Fire Sprinkler Service and Finish Fitter for new home fire sprinkler installation (projects located in the Los Angeles area). KPS Fire Sprinklers is a growing company in the residential building industry. Applicants must have minimum of 1 year experience in residential fire sprinkler construction. The primary responsibilities are to walk Trim inspections, correct deficiencies and respond to warranty calls.
KPS Fire Sprinkler is looking for a Fire Sprinkler Fitter for the East Bay and in our Northern California Division. This person should have at least one year's experience with CPVC in residential construction, along with the ability to read blue prints. KPS is a piece rate company which provides much potential for candidates who want to work fast with quality. Please provide prior 10 years work history and experience when applying.
Looking for CPVC Residential Fire Sprinkler Installers for multifamily and single family production homes in Sacramento and Central Valley areas. KPS Fire Sprinklers is a growing company in the residential building industry. Applicants must have minimum of 1 year experience in residential construction. Fire Sprinkler experience preferred, but will consider candidates with plumbing experience.
We are looking for a highly motivated, independent, field technician with experience in the residential construction and low voltage industry. Positions available in the East Bay and in the Sacramento Central Valley area of our Northern California Division. Applicants should have experience and enjoy working with security alarms, structured wiring, home networking, home theater, home audio and intercom systems. Competitive piece work paid with benefits.


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Advocacy /
What is the Japan-Canada Chambers Council?
Launched in 2014, the Japan-Canada Chambers Council (JCCC) is a platform to build relationships, share knowledge and advocate policies to support bilateral trade and investment. It does this through joint events, delegations, research, public statements and meetings with policymakers. Housed in the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Japan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the JCCC includes senior executives from leading member companies in both groups. Leadership is provided by two national chairs: Mr. Shoei Utsuda, Global Chairman of Mitsui & Co., Inc (Japan) and Steve Dechka, former CEO of Canpotex (Canada).
Get up-to-date information on trade talks and other bilateral trends affecting your business
Meet with key government decision-makers from Canada and Japan
Build relationships with businesses in Japan
Shape the Council's advocacy priorities
Raise your company's profile in the bilateral corridor
Who should participate?
In Canada, participation is open and free of charge to corporate, SME, chamber and association members of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. This includes those exporting to or investing in Japan, as well as Japanese subsidiaries in Canada. Focus sectors include:
Forestry and wood products
Agriculture, seafood and food processing
Energy and mineral products
Past JCCC activities
Trip to Tokyo and Sendai, Japan, April 5-7, 2017
Rekindling the Relationship: Japan-Canada Chambers Council, Vancouver, March 21, 2016
Japan Business Seminar, Toronto, March 3, 2015
"Building the Future through Partnership", First Commemorative Symposium of the Japan-Canada Chambers Council, Tokyo, November 5, 2014
Roundtable with Ian Burney, Assistant Deputy Minister, Trade Policy & Negotiations, DFATD & Chief Negotiator, Canada-Japan EPA, Vancouver, April 15, 2014
Roundtable with Cam MacKay, Director General, Trade Negotiations, DFATD & Co-Chair, Canada-Japan EPA, Toronto, December 9, 2013
2013 Canada-Japan Trade Symposium, Toronto, April 25, 2013
Letter to the Right Hon. Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P. re: Japan-Canada Chambers Council, May 5, 2017
Small picture, big potential: Doing business with Japan, op-ed in iPolitics by Hon. Perrin Beatty, President & CEO, April 29, 2013
Canada's Rebalancing Act: Why Canada Should Turn up Trade with Japan, media series in partnership with the Canadian International Council and Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, April 2013
The Promise of an EPA with Japan, speech by Hon. Perrin Beatty, President & CEO, delivered at the Japan Society in Toronto, February 22, 2013
Japan-Canada trade: time to stop dragging our heels, op-ed in iPolitics by Hon. Perrin Beatty, President & CEO, November 1, 2012
Canada-Japan: Revitalizing the Economic Partnership, report by Canadian Chamber of Commerce, November 2011
Mark Agnew
Senior Director, International Policy
613.238.4000 (2230)
info@chamber.ca


The River Group has been nominated for Customer Magazine of the Year by The Digital Magazine Awards. These prestigious awards were only launched in 2010 but have since seen global growth, with entries from over 60 countries. Their aim is to celebrate the best in class while rewarding creativity and commercial success.
In a fiercely competitive field, featuring Harrods, Cedar Communications and Medium Rare (twice)- The River Group has proven how dynamic and successful their work has been with major high street brand Superdrug- a client relationship which has lasted for 17 years.
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Besleria parviflora är en tvåhjärtbladig växtart som beskrevs av L.E. Skog och Julian Alfred Steyermark. Besleria parviflora ingår i släktet Besleria och familjen Gesneriaceae. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Plisterordningen
parviflora

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Quakers Uniting for Migration Justice
By Alicia McBride | December 30, 2020
Many Friends are called by their faith to act in the world. The number of Friends' organizations, and organizations inspired by Friends, is a testament to these leadings to align human society with a divine vision.
However, while these organizations are inspired by a common concern, the demands of work contexts and arenas mean that these groups can often seem to be on parallel, rather than intersecting, paths.
Sometimes, though, an issue touches so closely on the core of these concerns that those paths converge. That is the case with migration.
The Quaker Statement on Migration, released in December, cuts across the specific missions of five Quaker organizations to unite on a common concern for migration justice – and for the migration injustice being perpetuated around the world. Other Quaker organizations and Friends groups are invited to endorse the statement.
The five groups – the American Friends Service Committee, Britain Yearly Meeting, Friends Committee for National Legislation, Quaker Council for European Affairs and Quaker United Nations Office – pursue different approaches and strategies while working towards the attainment of migration justice, bearing witness to the Quaker testimonies of peace and equality.
The statement begins:
"Rooted in our belief that there is that of the sacred in everyone, our spiritual leading to uphold the inherent value and agency of every human being, and our commitment to building a world without violence, we are heartbroken by migration policy that dehumanises some members of our human family on the basis of where they come from. …We are committed to working for a world where dignity and rights are upheld regardless of migration status and not on the basis of citizenship or perceived deservedness."
From this common faith, powerful work for migration justice, both individually and collectively, can flourish. You can find the full statement below.
A Quaker Statement on Migration
Alicia McBride
Director of Quaker Leadership
Alicia McBride leads FCNL's work to nurture, expand, and deepen relationships with Friends across the United States.
Tell Congress to Pass the Dream and Promise Act
A Quaker Vision for Migration Justice
Temporary—and Important—Victories for DACA and TPS


Barber pretends to cut off kid's ear during haircut as revenge for prank — did he go too far?
A barber shocked the internet by pulling a bloody prank on a 10-year-old boy — but he says people should reserve judgment.
Jude Sannicandro, the owner of Hair Medics in Naples, Fla., has been serving the DiPalma family for decades, and that includes 10-year-old Vito, who visits the shop frequently. The boy and his barber enjoy exchanging practical jokes. However, about eight weeks ago, when Vito planted a fake cockroach in the shop, Sannicandro was upset.
The barber planned the ultimate revenge: to pretend that he accidentally cut off Vito's ear during his next appointment. Last Friday, when Vito arrived at the shop, Sannicandro was ready, having purchased a fake rubber ear and vampire blood online, with the blessing of Vito's parents.
Sannicandro had already filled a plastic bag with the "blood," leaving it partially unzipped. He presses paper towels that conceal the bag to the boy's head and allows the red liquid to saturate the towels. "Mommy!" screams Vito.
Having grabbed the fake ear while Vito's eyes were closed, Sannicandro lets it drop to the floor. "Is that my ear?!" exclaims the boy. "No, no, no!" He screams for his mom, who rushes over.


Seventeen year old Bella Swan is forced to move in with her estranged father when her mother decides to travel with her new, younger husband. Bella moves into her gloomy new home in Forks, Washington with great reluctance. On her first day of school, she attracts the attention of many classmates, including the mysterious Edward Cullen. Although at first seemingly annoyed with her presence, Edward and Bella soon find themselves drawn to each other. Bella begins to suspect that Edward and his family are a coven of vampires, and tells him so directly. When Edward eventually confirms her suspicions, Bella is drawn into a lustful supernatural romance. When a visiting coven of vampires set their sights on Bella, the Cullen family must defend the delicate balance they have established between themselves and the human community they reside in. Edward and Bella must decide if their improbable relationship is worth the risk.
This book is a smooth read with many elements of good story writing. As long as one does not look too closely, the book simply follows a passionate relationship between a human and her improbable vampire love interest. When one reflects on the nature of their relationship, however, it seems obsessive, all-consuming, and downright creepy. Despite his young appearance, Edward is over a hundred years old and has many lifetimes of experience, yet he is interested in a girl who hasn't even reached adulthood. He essentially stalks her, and admits to watching her sleep, and yet she is not at all perturbed by this information. It isn't long before she starts distancing herself from her friends and family in favor of Edward, who she correctly suspects is a vampire. Bella is interested in becoming a vampire so that she can be immortal with her love forever. This is a pretty impulsive decision considering how little she actually knows Edward. In my opinion, this is not a portrayal of a healthy relationship and it gives teens very unrealistic expectations of what a romantic relationship should be like.
In retrospect, all the qualities that I find distasteful in their relationship are probably the same elements that have made this book so popular with teen readers. Although this thought is disconcerting, it is an unfortunate reality.
Reader's Annotation: Forbidden love is dangerous. It is even more so when the one you love wants to consume your blood.
"Stephenie Meyer, née Stephenie Morgan (born December 24, 1973, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.), American author known for the popular Twilight Saga, a series of vampire-themed novels for teenagers.
Describe Bella seeing the Cullen's family for the first time.


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class AddMaxNumberOfResultsToLibraryGroup < ActiveRecord::Migration[4.2]
  def change
    add_column :library_groups, :max_number_of_results, :integer, default: 1000
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Vol 1 November 2015 | www.hatfmv.org
FirstStop Debuts
New Director Hired
Island Wide Survey
HAMV In The News
FirstStop MV Debuts on December 7th
FirstStop MV:
Connecting People and Community Resources will be open for business on Monday, December 7th.
Originating as an idea sparked by the 2013 UMass Medical School Rural Scholars study, and developed over the past two years by dedicated and diligent community leaders and volunteers, FirstStop MV will make its public premiere at the upcoming Community Meeting in December. This is just one of Healthy Aging Task Force's island-wide, community-driven initiatives to help the growing elderly population on Martha's Vineyard.
FirstStop MV is designed to be a single entry point to the many diverse services serving Island seniors. As a centralized first point of contact for Island seniors, their families and caregivers, and service providers, FirstStop MV aims to support the health and wellness of our community by connecting people to information and critical resources.
FirstStop MV staff and volunteers have been identifying and reaching out to service providers on and off Island to create a comprehensive listing of services and resources. Programs serving Island seniors are invited to complete the online provider that can be found at www.FirstStopMV.org.
There will also be an opportunity to test drive the FirstStop MV website at Healthy Aging MV's Community Meeting, December 7th, what time, at the Hebrew Center in Vineyard Haven. The event is free and open to the general public. For more information, please contact Karin Kugel, HATF Program Manager at 774-549-0555 or by email at karin@firststopmv.org.
Healthy Aging Task Force (HATF) is a subcommittee of the Dukes County Health Council, and was formed in the spring of 2013. HATF was created to strengthen the Health Council's mission to create a supportive community for aging on the Vineyard, and to be responsible for addressing the recommendations of the UMass Rural Scholars.
HATF is a community coalition of 70+ people representing 36 non-profit and municipal organizations serving the needs of elders on Martha's Vineyard.
The goal of the HATF is to identify the needs of our rapidly growing elder population and develop collaborative programs to meet them.
Thomas Hallahan
LOCAL PROFESSIONAL CHOSEN TO LEAD PROGRAM FOR ELDERLY
The Healthy Aging Task Force is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Thomas Hallahan as the new Executive Coordinator of the Healthy Aging Task Force (HATF). Chairperson Paddy Moore said of Tom's selection that "Tom's solid career in policy, education and social service programs will advance the mission of the HATF so that our increasing elderly population will have the care and services they need in the future."
Tom is a former tenured professor, at Salem State University, teaching courses in communication sciences & disorders, inclusive education, education policy, and social justice. Previous to this, he directed the aural rehabilitation program at Boston University. Additionally, throughout his career, Tom has maintained long-term consultancies with the Department of Public Health and the Division of Medical Assistance (Medicaid) for the Commonwealth, responsible for program development and budget management of these two statewide hearing health care programs. Most recently, he was an adjunct faculty member of Harvard Medical School's MGH Institute of Health Professions. Currently, Tom serves as program coordinator for Cape Cod Community College's efforts on Martha's Vineyard, overseeing all aspects of this satellite campus on the island.
In his community, Tom, serves on the advisory board for the MV Film Society and MV Health Education Collaborative. He has served as a Dukes County Commissioner and as a committee member for MV Community Services, the Vineyard Playhouse, YMCA, Oak Bluffs Advisory Committee and Vineyard Youth Tennis.
Tom received his B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology from SUNY Geneseo, his M.A. in Audiology from The Ohio State University, his M.Ed. in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University, and his Sc.D. in Audiology from Boston University. He is a recipient of a number of state and national awards, including a CASE Fellowship from Harvard University in 2005 and a Fulbright Scholar Award to the University of Jordan in 2012.
"I am inspired by the incredible work of the HATF Executive Committee members and many volunteers, past and present, who have laid the foundation for the work that is ahead of me" said Dr. Hallahan.
If you would like to become involved, are in search of services or have questions about Healthy Aging Task Force Martha's Vineyard, please contact Tom at 508-360-0891.
HAVE YOU RETURNED
YOUR SURVEY?
If you are 65 or older you should have, or are about to, receive an important survey in the mail from Healthy Aging Task Force
(HATF). HATF is conducting the survey to help our community make important decisions about the Island's future.
Our 65+ population is expected to more than double in the next fifteen years, and we must be prepared. Please take this opportunity to voice your needs and opinions and make the Vineyard a better place to age. If your friends, neighbors or parents are over 65, make sure they complete the Healthy Aging Task Force Survey so they can be heard too.
If you don't receive a survey and are 65 or older, it is important that your voice be heard. You can fill out the survey online by clicking here:
Healthy Aging Task Force Survey. Please mail your survey by Friday, November 13th or complete online by Monday, November 23rd.
HEALTHY AGING TASK FORCE MV
October 21, 2015 Vineyard Gazette
Healthy Aging Task Force Surveys Island Seniors
July 1, 2015 MV Times
Healthy Aging Task Force receives $133,438 grant
April 13, 2015 Vineyard Gazette
Healthy Aging Task Force Works on Expanding Services for Seniors
Healthy Aging Presentation - YOUTUBE VIDEO
Healthy Aging Task Force Martha's Vineyard
Post Office Box 190 Edgartown, MA 02539


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Keyword Analysis & Research: google hong kong office
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Is Google Hong Kong a smarter Hong Kong?
Google Hong Kong - A Smarter Hong Kong Today With 89% of Hong Kongers already living online, the internet has created new opportunities for millions - from entrepreneurs and businesses to developers, creators and the general public.
Why did Google move to Hong Kong?
Because most of Google's services were blocked by the Great Firewall in China, Google decided to shut down its search engines in mainland China and moved all Google search sites to Hong Kong in 2010. Just like other Google offices, it serves a free lunch buffet for its stuff and a pantry full of snacks and drinks.
Where is Google's new Shanghai office?
The new Shanghai office is located at the 60th and 61st floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC). Google's new office is located in China's Silicon Valley. Google Shenzhen will start as a co-working space. Google also has an office in the Beijing Fortune Center.
Where is Google's new office?
Their lease will expired at the end of 2018 so it won't be long before we get to see Google's new office at the First International Financial Centre ( FIFC) which is said to be three times bigger than their existing office. Next to India with the most number of Google offices in China.
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Q: How to overwrite an vendor class How can i overwrite a vendor class?
I'm using Laravel Spark and i wanna have Uuid for all models. Due Spark manage some models inside the package and i don't see a possibility to use my own model for Notifications etc. i would like to overwrite the base Model class from Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model, so i could include there my uuid trait.
I tried over the ServiceProvider with:
public function boot()
{
    //
    $this->app->bind('Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model', 'App\Models\Model');
}

But it didn't worked.
Is it possible or maybe exist a better way?
Thanks for any help.

A: Create a custom model class which will extend the eloquent model.
namespace App\Models;

use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;

class CustomModel extends Model {
    // Your implementation
}

And then rest of the models you extend your custom model.
class Test extends CustomModel {
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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February 2022 Upcoming Issue of Natural Awakenings Charlotte
HEART-CENTERED LIVING
Feature: The Heart-Mind Connection: How Thoughts and Emotions Affect Our Heart Health
Defying long-held assumptions in Western medicine, emotions being processed by the brain are being shown to play a vital part in cardiac health and the heart is increasingly shown to affect cognitive health. Emotions like anger, depression and anxiety are now conclusively linked to heart attacks and strokes, and the corollary is also true: Optimism and other positive emotions can reverse markers of heart disease. Heart-and-brain-healthy strategies include breathwork, yoga, laughter, letting go, giving and getting hugs, music and meditation.
Healing Ways: Truly Making Love: Sex and Intimacy as a Healing Force
Connecting with a beloved on the intimate level is one of life's most precious gifts, and we can deepen its life-giving value by putting down our devices and talking while being willing to be vulnerable. Helpful steps include getting enough quality sleep, getting clear through conversation what our partners really want, eating foods that kick up feel-good neurotransmitters and seeing sex as a sacred act which initiates healing for both parties.
Fit Body: Power Up Your Workouts: A Guide to Protein Powders and Shakes
When we fortify our diet with digestible, nutritionally dense, non-meat protein, we amp up our fitness efforts, enhance immunity and offset premature aging. Thirty years ago, heavily sweetened, incomplete, protein powders seemed to be the only game in town, but now there are countless plant-based options, including pea, rice, soy, hemp, pumpkin seed and quinoa. Nutritional extras are also easy to add, from antioxidant-rich pomegranate powder to blood-sugar-supportive monk fruit to adrenal- and thyroid-nourishing maca. With a sidebar listing plant-based protein powders.
Healthy Kids: Parents as Role Models: How to Help Kids Discover Positive Behaviors
Children learn habits, attitudes and values by observing and mimicking their parents—which is a double-edged sword. Actions speak louder than words, which is why saying "Eat your spinach" while regularly gobbling ice cream won't inspire desired results. Modeling calm and support to an anxious child, rather than concurring with their fears, helps a child to cope with the anxiety and develop the self-confidence to face it head-on, Yale research shows.
Wise Words: David Perlmutter on the Role of Uric Acid in Metabolic Health
The prominent neurologist and bestselling author speaks on the key role of uric acid elevation in metabolic syndrome, which affects up to 88 percent of Americans. High levels of uric acid lead to unhealthy blood sugar levels, increased production and storage of fat and high blood pressure, but levels can be lowered by taking high-fructose items like sodas and desserts off the table; limiting consumption of organ meats and small fish; forgoing beer for wine or coffee; and monitoring health data with wearable devices.
Conscious Eating: Fermenting for Foodies: Preserving Food and Traditions
A fermentation revival is underway as people rediscover its ability to promote health, boost flavor and preserve the bounty of the seasons. Old favorites like yogurt and sauerkraut are being expanded by adventurous chefs that are creating foods like fermented and aged vegan cheeses from acorns and "seaweed" made from fermented broadleaf plantain. Along with encouraging experimenting, they debunk the myth that fermenting foods is difficult or dangerous or that everything must be sterilized to laboratory conditions. With recipes for pickled carrot sticks and curry kraut.
Inspiration: Living in the Frequency of Love
Most of us refer to love as an emotion, but in essence, love is a verb, a powerful call to action that not only inspires but heals. Mother Teresa once said, "We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair and hopelessness is love." With our willingness to both give and receive, and to gift one another with our full and authentic presence, all else is possible.
Green Living: Secondhand Fashion: Online Used Clothing Stores Good for the Wallet and Planet
Fueled by the pandemic and economic downturn, online sales of used clothing is booming, with growth projected to double in the next five years, reaching a whopping $77 billion. Younger, tech-savvy shoppers are the primary drivers of the growth, and a host of apps and websites are responding to the demand, serving such niches as luxury and vintage. Major fashion brands are partnering with resale apps or launching their own operations to reach the younger demographic at a better price point. Although buying used clothing has environmental benefits, most buyers are motivated by saving money and shopping convenience.
Natural Pet: Fostering Love: Tips for First-Time Pet Foster Parents
When a shelter is filled to capacity or when a rescue operation needs to quickly place dogs and cats, pet foster parents that provide temporary homes help fill the gap. As important and rewarding as the task of fostering is, it's important to work with a cooperative, well-run shelter, to make sure to also consider the needs of your own pets, to understand what any financial obligations might be and to know that it's okay to fall in love with, and even adopt, a foster pet.
Eco Tip: Purposeful Shopping: How Fair Trade Can Change the World
An alternative international business model that puts people and planet first, Fair Trade certification helps growers and producers in developing countries get fair prices while nurturing sustainable agriculture practices and community development. It focuses particularly on commodities like coffee, tea, textiles and seafood, and works to ensure sustainable prices, better working conditions and higher environmental standards.
Articles Local Interest Upcoming Issues


ALTOONA, Pa. – The Wells College men's volleyball team edged the Chargers from Lancaster Bible College by a 3-2 score on Saturday. Wells (10-16, 6-7 NEAC) has won 10 matches for the third-straight season as a result while the Chargers dip to 7-18 and to 2-10 within the North Eastern Athletic Conference.
Wells dispatched Lancaster Bible via set scores of 25-22, 19-25, 28-26, 15-25 and 15-13. The Express move to 5-3 all-time against the Chargers dating back to the first-ever meeting between both programs on Mar. 3, 2012.
Junior Liam Kaylor (Falls Church, Va.) continued to impress for Wells, hammering home 16 kills for the third-straight match. He fell just one dig short of a double-double with nine to his credit while his three service aces led the Express. Senior J.J. Podczasy (Macungie, Pa.) recorded a team-leading .351 attacking percentage, matching Kaylor with 16 kills while committing only three attacking errors.
Sophomore Brannon Perdicho (Victor, N.Y.) reached 13 kills for Wells, leading the team with 18 digs to set a career-high, single-match mark. Senior John Farruggia (New Hartford, N.Y.) posted 17 digs while Podczasy added 14 digs of his own. Sophomore Scott Litvin (Sayville, N.Y.) assisted 22 kills while senior Derek Nipps (Turnersville, N.J.) ranked second with 21 assists.
Wells took the first set after scoring five of the set's final seven points with the score tied at 20. Kaylor recorded two kills with his team ahead by a 22-21 score. The second set would slip away from the Express as, down by only two points at 9-7, the Chargers would go on an 8-1 run to eventually even the match at one.
With the score tied at 26 in the third set, back-to-back kills from Perdicho would lift the Express to a 2-1 advantage in the match, but Lancaster Bible would stun the Express in the fourth set by opening up a commanding 20-10 lead near the midpoint of the set.
The Express would put the match away in the decisive fifth set, opening up a 14-11 lead with key kills from Kaylor and freshman Jonathan Haines (Wellington, Fla.). An attacking error by the Chargers at match point would elevate the Express to the 3-2 match win.
Wells will return to action later on this evening, Saturday, Mar. 19, as it takes on the host Lions from Penn St.-Altoona at 7 p.m.


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Tag: Derek Hill
Slate: The Ubiquitous Anderson
Today, Slate looks at The Brothers Bloom and "the problem of Wes Anderson's pervasive influence." Problem? Hrmm…
Rian Johnson's caper comedy The Brothers Bloom begins its nationwide rollout already burdened with a reputation as an imitation of an American original. If Johnson's terrific debut, Brick, crackled with the borrowed brio of the Coen brothers, early notices for The Brothers Bloom have identified a new muse: Wes Anderson. It's an assessment that the preview and opening sequence hardly dispel.
But The Brothers Bloom is only the latest addition to a burgeoning subgenre. Over the last few years, Anderson's movies have become touchstones for indie culture. In the 1990s, it seemed every NYU graduate and Sundance contender was making his own Tarantino knockoff. These days, the Tarantino imitators have been replaced by the Wes wannabes. A popular strain in recent American indie cinema has been the Andersonian quirkfest, a tendency that runs through movies like Juno, Napoleon Dynamite, Son of Rambow, Charlie Bartlett, and Garden State, among others.
Read and watch the slideshow essay.
Above all, the essay rehashes an old argument, about the alleged "decline" of Wes Anderson:
If Anderson's ascent was swift, so has been the backlash. His last two movies, The Life Aquatic and The Darjeeling Limited, were received coolly by critics. Some of that has to do with the ubiquity of the Anderson aesthetic, an overexposure that has had the effect of watering down the originator's own vision. (I wouldn't be surprised if Aquatic and Darjeeling are rediscovered as unfairly maligned classics a decade or two from now, removed from the fickle context.) But part of it has to do with the elements of his style that Anderson has chosen to cultivate. The Royal Tenenbaums inaugurated the current Anderson period, defined by whimsical bricolage and diorama-style mise-en-scène. His recent movies give off the sense of an artist receding ever deeper into a dollhouse of his own making-or, worse, becoming his own imitator, repeating moves that we have become all too familiar with.
These criticisms are not new. I end with a quote from our interview with author Derek Hill from September of last year:
So if we castigate Anderson for these cinematic sins then we have to scold Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford and David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick and Yasujir? Ozu and Luis Buñuel and on and on. I think the criticism is unfair and displays a lack of awareness about how some directors choose to work. If you don't like Anderson's style, so be it. It's the way he's chosen to tell stories and I don't think it's necessarily a negative thing that he may have a limited thematic or stylistic palette. There's nothing wrong with that. Look at the films of Lynch in regards to style. They're distinctive yet rather limited; same with his themes. Even Kubrick, who tried his hand with various genres and style, was repeatedly working his way through ideas concerning control systems and the chance that what we label individuality wasn't even possible within these constraining social and biological systems. Big, bold themes… but "limited" as well. Anderson is no different.
Posted on 6 May 2009
Derek Hill + Waris Ahluwalia (unrelated)
(buy the book)
Our old pal Derek Hill's book is featured in today's IFC.com Bright Lights:
So back to those book reviews. First up is Derek Hill's "Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists, and Dreamers: An Excursion into the American New Wave," and Colm O'Shea notes that the filmmakers under consideration here, or at least the six warranting their own chapters, are Richard Linklater, David O Russell, Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze, Sofia Coppola and Michel Gondry…. It's curious that Kaufman, despite being featured in the title, does not get a chapter to himself. Though the book was written before 'Synecdoche, New York,' Kaufman is after all presented as the driving force behind Jonze and Gondry's best work to date, and the embodiment of the sensibility with which Hill is so enamoured…. Hill sets out his linking principle as a predominant thematic through-line of comic unease and alienation."
If you haven't read Derek's book yet, you really should.
In an unrelated note, Aman Singh reports "You Can't Offend Waris Ahluwalia":
Waris Ahluwalia – best known for his roles in Wes Anderson movies and his House of Waris jewelry line – looked at us quizzically at Saturday's Elise Overland presentation, as though trying to remember if he'd met us before. "I actively chose a while ago to go, I'm not going to remember anything," he explained. "Sort of a meditative thing: I thought I would keep my head clear, and thoughts would flow in and out. And then I became an actor." There are occupational hazards to this M.O., such as memorizing lines or awkward social encounters. "We were up in Hudson, on the street. This guy comes up: 'Hey.' I'm like, 'Hey, nice to meet you.' And, like, beginning of the summer we had spent a weekend at his house," said Waris. But he has adopted a credo passed onto him by Simon Doonan: "Be unoffendable." We decided to hold him to it.
Waris, a Sikh, keeps his hair tightly coiled under a turban. How long, we asked, were his locks? "I cannot believe you asked me that!" he said. "It's down to the hips." Nearby, a girl with her back to us had her hair up in a bun. "It's sort of like that," he said, cupping his hand around it. She spun around, looking slightly bewildered. Waris didn't flinch: "Unoffendable!" He's removed the turban in movies like The Life Aquatic and Inside Man, but never for a photo shoot. So which fashion magazines would he take it off for? "Purple. And I'd do it for L'Uomo Vogue. I believe in art, and I believe in ideas and concepts," he said. So, no Men's Vogue? "No." What about Harper's Bazaar? Waris pointed to his turban. "They get this." Waris is currently playing a hypochondriac in a film he hopes is Sundance-bound. Does he draw on his own neuroses for the role? No, he said, sounding a bit disappointed. "I wish I had some kind of weird tendencies. I try to."
Derek Hill on neo-neo-realism
Back a few weeks ago, when A.O. Scott and Richard Brody were debating "neo-neo-realism," I asked our resident film historian Derek Hill to put it in perspective for us. His brief essay follows.
With many of the world's "first world" economies sputtering and grinding down, the need to curb excesses in one's life seems understandable if not an outright necessity. Dream factory Hollywood, not exactly the type of place known for cutting back on indulgences of any kind, continues to roll on with one grandiose, bloated B-movie after another. And while many of them are no doubt fun and occasionally even great, most of us need a little more substance to balance out all the eye candy. For the adventurous filmgoer, fans of more character-driven, modestly budgeted fare, there are plenty of wonderfully crafted films—Wendy and Lucy being a notable example—among all of the bullying Hollywood blockbusters.
A few weeks ago, Mr. A.O. Scott from The New York Times spotlighted some films he regards as a part of a Neo-Neo Realist movement, and reminds readers that in times of crisis (we have been down these dark roads many times before) we tend to gravitate toward more escapist films and genres. But what about those of us who want an "escape from escapism"? Scott highlights the extraordinary post-World War Two Italian Neorealist films as aesthetic forebears to the newer low-budget indie films like Wendy and Lucy and others, seeing a distinct common thread binding the struggling, determined working class "heroes" of the Italian era with the struggling, determined mostly working class heroes from the current films.
I don't think Scott is entirely off the mark, but writer Richard Brody, in his rebuttal in The New Yorker, isn't so convinced and brings up some glaring examples of how Scott's through line isn't as sharp as he intends. Film noir immediately came to mind while I read Scott's piece (although most noir films are in no way realistic), and Brody does pinpoint that equally extraordinary American post-World War Two genre as having utilized many of the same gritty, naturalistic qualities as the Italians, especially in the pre-Hollywood blacklist era films of Jules Dassin. Brody also contradicts and clarifies that… oh, I'm just going to let you read it for yourselves.
Personally, I love "realism" and "naturalism" in films when done correctly and many of the films from the Neorealist movement are favourites. But I don't see films like Bicycle Thieves as inherently more noble or enriching than a film with a surreal, fantastical, or broadly comedic hyper-realistic approach. All films are trickery and loaded with varying degrees of manipulation. All films are seductive, lulling us into belief.
Much to ponder. I think both critics bring up valuable points. Any thoughts?
Derek Hill is the author of Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists and Dreamers: An Excursion Into the American New Wave.
Last call on webicon contest!
The webicon contest ends tonight at midnight! We will post the finalists and open the voting on Thursday!
E-mail edwardappleby @ yankeeracers.org or tweet @rushmoreacademy!
Oh, and new entries have been posted. You can win a copy of Derek Hill's fantastic Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists and Dreamers: An Excursion Into the American New Wave (available for purchase on Amazon.com).
Posted on 28 March 2009 31 March 2009
Enter the Rushmore Academy Webicon contest (updated)
Make Wes Anderson-inspired art at Paste Magazine's Webicon.me! Then, Tweet (@rushmoreacademy) or e-mail (edwardappleby @ yankeeracers.org) us your image. We will post your entries here at the Rushmore Academy, and the best one will win of copy of Derek Hill's fantastic Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists and Dreamers: An Excursion Into the American New Wave (available for purchase on Amazon.com).
Contest is on-going. We will add new prizes if we extend it beyond April 1, 2009.
Check out the entries so far after the break! Please digg our contest!
Continue reading "Enter the Rushmore Academy Webicon contest (updated)"
Posted on 2 September 2008 20 September 2008
Interview with Derek Hill, author of Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists, and Dreamers
Derek Hill is an American abroad, currently residing in rural Ireland. His writing has appeared in numerous print and online publications, such as The Third Alternative, VideoScope, Mystery Scene, Video Watchdog, Images: A Journal of Film and Popular Culture, and All Movie (previously The All Movie Guide). He was also a contributor to the three volume Greenwood Press Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy (writing about the Planet of the Apes film series and Close Encounters of the Third Kind). He's currently writing a book for Wallflower Press' Cultographies line about Alex Cox's seminal 1980s cult film, Repo Man.
RA: Could you briefly describe the book, and tell us what motivated you to write it.
DH: The book is a look at contemporary (mostly) American filmmakers Richard Linklater, David O. Russell, Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze, Sofia Coppola, and Michel Gondry-a sort of new American New Wave if you will. Using the films of Charlie Kaufman as the center-pieces, so to speak, I felt that there were a number of filmmakers who had enough shared themes and comedic sensibilities to be viewed as a movement. It's an unconscious, unplanned movement, to be sure, but a vital psychological one. I think that these filmmakers are some of the most engaging, imaginative, original, storytellers working in commercial film today. There's a real sense of experimentation (especially with someone like Linklater or Russell), virtuosic style, and a peculiar mix of angst and comedy that seemed pertinent to these troubled times. There's a real sense of dissatisfaction with a lot of the characters and the humor running through all of the films. And while most of these films are ostensibly comedies, there's an underlying melancholy and seriousness in them as well which seems completely antithetical to what's coming out of the Hollywood machine or even the indie-trenches for that matter. Many of the filmmakers had been written about only in terms of their loose affiliation as directors in the "independent film" scene or whatever… not in terms of their thematic or stylistic similarities. It just felt appropriate to engage them on an aesthetic or thematic level instead of a consumer-oriented level which would be much too broad for what I wanted to do.
(more after the break)
Continue reading "Interview with Derek Hill, author of Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists, and Dreamers"
Posted on 6 August 2008 6 August 2008
Guest Blogger: Derek Hill on the Musicology of Wes Anderson
Derek Hill is the author of the new book Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists and Dreamers, now available in the U.K. (Amazon | Waterstone's | Blackwell ) and the U.S. ( Amazon ). He has agreed to write several pieces for the Academy.
Wes Anderson's skillful use of music in his films has no doubt come up on this site before, so I'll refrain from proselytizing. Along with Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, PT Anderson, and Sofia Coppola, Anderson—working with his longtime musical composer Mark Mothersbaugh (at least up until The Darjeeling Limited) and any of his respective editors—is one of the best practitioners at integrating pop/rock songs into a scene in a way that is memorable and emotionally satisfying. It's easier said than done, of course. Utilizing songs in lieu of an original score (or in tandem) can be precarious. It can bring out the most wasteful and unimaginative characteristics in a clumsy filmmaker. I'm sure we all have our own list of nefarious culprits who exemplify the worst that the medium can offer up, those lazy directors/composers who send us into catatonia as they slather on yet another saccharine note or bludgeon us into the next theater with their bullying bombastic chords. I'm talking about… well, you know who they are. We all bear the sonic scars.
Continue reading "Guest Blogger: Derek Hill on the Musicology of Wes Anderson"
Posted on 6 July 2008
Guest Blogger: Derek Hill on Wes Anderson
Derek Hill is the author of the new book Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists and Dreamers, now available in the U.K. (Amazon | Waterstone's | Blackwell ) and out soon in the U.S. ( Amazon ). He has agreed to write several pieces for the Academy.
First of all, I want to thank Mr. Appleby for inviting me here to blog and for graciously mentioning my book, Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists and Dreamers. The book is the first study of directors Richard Linklater, David O. Russell, Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze, Sofia Coppola, and Michel Gondry as a movement of filmmakers despite their varied aesthetic approaches– a sort of (new) American New Wave in the direct tradition of the French New Wave filmmakers. It's currently available in the UK and will be released in the US in September.
Perusing the Rushmore Academy message boards, I was taken with the thread asking "how long have you been a Wes fan?" So as a way to introduce myself to the Rushmore Academy, I'll give my own rambling two cents, but also I'd like to talk about the film that did it… the one that sent me head over heels in love with Anderson's work.
Continue reading "Guest Blogger: Derek Hill on Wes Anderson"
New book by Derek Hill, with a chapter on Wes Anderson
Derek Hill's great new book, Charlie Kaufman and Hollywood's Merry Band of Pranksters, Fabulists and Dreamers: An Excursion Into the American New Wave, is out in the U.K. and coming soon to North America. More soon…
(Click to pre-order: for Americanos)
(Britishers, Little Englanders, and other UK residents, order: Amazon | Waterstone's | Blackwell)


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If anything, America has an under-incarceration problem
The victims of violent crime are paying the price
August 29, 2020 | 12:20 pm
Cannon Hinnant, who was shot in the head aged 5, and Darius Sessoms who is charged with his murder
Pedro L. Gonzalez
By	Pedro L. Gonzalez
https://spectator.us/topic/america-under-incarceration-problem/
John Marvin Weed stood his ground as his assailants encircled him. He had already been pummeled and was bracing himself for more. Weed was with family that day, enjoying Maryland's Great Frederick Fair when a young man asked him for a dollar. When Weed refused, the young man and his brother attacked.
In a video of the incident, Weed appears calm, hands low at his sides, as the brothers taunt him. Mild-mannered and middle-aged, Weed was a builder; he helped with his hands. 'He gave so much love to his young niece and nephew, four-wheeler rides, playing in the pool, reading bedtime stories, and so much more,' said Weed's sister, Lori Hawkins.
A year after Weed moved with his sister to Frederick County to care for their aging parents, a punch to the back of the head knocked him to the ground near the midway area of the fair. The brothers laughed at Weed, and one stooped to spit in his face. He died of his wounds the next day.
Weed was beaten to death over $1.
The Frederick County Circuit Court placed on probation the younger of the two brothers and ordered him to complete an anger management program. The older brother pleaded guilty to second-degree assault for spitting on Weed after he had fallen, but a second assault charge was dropped. Because they are both under 18, prosecutors argued they should be tried as adults. Two motions to move each case to adult court were denied.
Just days after the gavel came down as a slap on the wrist in Frederick County, a gunshot shattered another family's life in Wilson, North Carolina.
As five-year-old Cannon Hinnant rode his bicycle, Darius Sessoms approached him, produced a gun, and shot him in the head, according to eyewitnesses. Sessoms killed Hinnant as he played in the front yard of his father's home with his two sisters, seven and eight years old. 'My first reaction was he's playing with the kids,' said Doris Lybrand, a neighbor who witnessed the shooting through the window of her home. 'For a second, I thought, "That couldn't happen." People don't run across the street and kill kids.' But to her and the Hinnant family's horror, it did happen.
The Hinnant family is inconsolable. They are also angry at the lack of attention the killing received, compared to what followed George Floyd's death in Minneapolis: a deluge of media coverage and political oratory, protests, and policy proposals. 'We expect the same outrage about him as an innocent child as you have about all of the George Floyds, and all of these other people,' Cannon's grandmother, Gwen Hinnant, told me. The dynamics in Maryland were the same. Weed was white, his assailants were black, and the incident also received little attention.
Most importantly, both cases highlight the fundamental problem of crime and punishment today: we proceed from the belief that America suffers from over-incarceration. In this view, Weed's killers must receive clemency, lest we enlarge the stain of mass incarceration. But that's hardly true. Sessoms, for example, had two pending counts of felony maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance in Wilson County, and a rap sheet mapped across several counties. Had he been incapacitated behind bars, Cannon would be alive.
Most of what Americans have been told about mass incarceration is untrue, or takes half-truths and tortures them into whole lies.
About half of federal prisoners are incarcerated on drug charges, but that does not necessarily mean they are harmless. Out of 70,000 federal convictions in 2015, only 198 were for simple drug possession. Just six were for simple possession of crack cocaine. The vast majority of felony arrests that end in convictions are the result of plea bargains that understate an inmate's history.
In 1997, Joel Francisco pleaded no contest to charges of assault with intent to murder, conspiracy, racketeering and racketeering conspiracy. He was a federal inmate serving a life sentence for a drug offense in 2005 when the First Step Act set him free. Shortly after his early release in 2019, Francisco stabbed a man to death.
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Federal inmates constitute about 12 percent of all prisoners. Most American inmates are in state facilities, where those incarcerated primarily for drug offenses constitute less than 15 percent of the prison population. According to Rafael A. Mangual, the deputy director of legal policy at the Manhattan Institute, four times as many state inmates are behind bars for one of five serious crimes: 'murder (14.2 percent), rape or sexual assault (12.8 percent), robbery (13.1 percent), aggravated or simple assault (10.5 percent), and burglary (9.4 percent).' One in five state drug offenders spends less than six months in prison — 45 percent serve less than one year. Twenty percent of convicted murderers, and nearly 60 percent of those convicted for rape or sexual assault, serve less than five years of their sentences.
The consequences of the revolving door are predictable.
A special report by BJS statisticians found 83 percent of state prisoners released in 2005 across 30 states were arrested at least once within nine years after getting out. More than three-quarters of released drug offenders were arrested for a non-drug crime within nine years. For example, of 118 homicide suspects Baltimore police identified in 2017, 70 percent had been previously arrested on drug charges. In Illinois, a study found that of those arrested for homicides or shootings in Chicago in 2015 and 2016, about '90 percent had at least one prior arrest, approximately 50 percent had a prior arrest for a violent crime specifically, and almost 40 percent had a prior gun arrest.' Of this number, nearly 36 percent were 'on parole or probation' at the time of the alleged crime.
America has an under-incarceration problem based on the narrative that it doesn't, and the consequences bear out as a war on decent people in our streets. Gwen told me the Hinnant family intends to honor Cannon by building a memorial park in his name, where children can play and ride their bicycles. As the Hinnant and Weed families mourn, however, a question remains. When Democrats and Republicans seem enthralled or cowed by the zeitgeist of reform, who will fight to keep communities safe?
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Naftali Group Celebrates CNN Correspondent Juliette Kayyem's book, Security Mom
On Thursday, May 18th, Naftali Group hosted a very special evening in the model residence of 210 West 77th Street to celebrate Juliette Kayyem's latest book, Security Mom. Guests mixed and mingled with the CNN correspondent before she discussed her memoir which provides a candid behind-the-scenes look at marriage, motherhood and managing the high-stakes world of national security. Following the discussion, Juliette signed copies of her book.
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Delivery plan for Emirates 777-9s a 'work in progress': Clark
By Graham Dunn2021-11-16T17:15:00+00:00
Emirates Airline president Tim Clark describes as a "work in progress" efforts to pin down a firm delivery date for its delayed Boeing 777-9s and braced to wait for nine months to a year before the manufacturer is able to give a definitive date amid the ongoing certification process.
"It's work in progress. We are moving on it," Clark said, asked about progress on the likely timings for the arrival of its Boeing 777-9 during a media round table at the Dubai air show.
Source: Graham Dunn/FlightGlobal
Tim Clark, speaking at the Dubai air show on 16 November 2021
Emirates holds 115 orders for the aircraft, which it ordered at the Dubai air show in 2013 and was due for delivery last summer. Clark has been critical of a lack of clarity on when it will begin taking the aircraft. Boeing during the air show has said it is on course to start delivering aircraft by the end of 2023.
"I think we will probably watch very carefully how the process of certification goes over the next couple of years, and then we'll firm up what those deliveries positions will be," says Clark. "We are not moving away from that aeroplane at all, it's just a question of when are we going to get it. Boeing are hopeful they will get it certified in July 2023, we'll have to see how that goes. Maybe we will get more visibility in the next nine months to a year.
"We've have had discussions with them," he adds. "We've come to an agreement on what we think we ought to be doing collectively, and when we have a firmer position from Boeing, then we will start executing the things we need to do with the new aircraft programme insertion [to its fleet]."
Even if certification is achieved in the middle of 2023, Clark believes Emirates may not be able to secure the aircraft later that same year.
"If its July 2023, it's going to be very difficult for us to take aircraft in 2023, because the certification is not until July. So we will take a view at some point in the next year at what that is likely to be.
"We don't want more any torpedoes coming into the certification process," he adds. "So we've said to Boeing get it sorted, get a firm position, work the FAA… and when you are ready, and they are ready and happy, then come back to us."
FAA proposes new rule to address 747 fuel-tank ignition risk
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Emirates is to retrofit over a 100 of its widebodies with premium economy seats as part of wider cabin upgrade moves which could include a new business class product on its Boeing 777s.
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Middle Eastern carrier Emirates is signing up for Israel Aerospace Industries' Boeing 777-300ER freighter conversion programme, with a commitment to modify four aircraft. It is part of a $1 billion plan to increase the capacity of its SkyCargo operation, which will include the acquisition of another pair of 777 freighters ...
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Organisers and visitors alike will be hoping that the biennial Dubai air show has bookended the worst of the Covid-19 crisis, proving the maxim that 'timing is everything'.


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Palestine: 'Freedom Tunnel' heroes sentenced to additional years in occupation prisons after self-liberation
Posted in North Africa & West Asia, Palestine, Prisoners
By Richie Merino
An Israeli occupation court has sentenced six Palestinian prisoners, known as the heroes of the "Freedom Tunnel," to an additional five years and eight months imprisonment for successfully liberating themselves from Israel's high-security prison in Gilboa in 2021.
Maitham Abdel's sculpture "Freedom Spoon"
Credit: Samidoun
Mahmoud al-Ardah, Mohammed al-Ardah, Yaqoub Qadri, Ayham Kamamji, Munadil Nafa'at and Zakaria Zubaidi freed themselves from the prison by digging a tunnel with a spoon and their hands over an extended period. Their bold escape inspired Palestinians and people worldwide with their ingenuity and willingness to sacrifice for freedom. The metal spoon — the primary tool used to dig the tunnel — has become a symbol of Palestinian resistance, steadfastness, creativity and unbreakable determination to win liberation from Israel's violent occupation.
In response to the sentences, Yaqoub Qadri stated: "We do not care what the sentence is. The important thing is that we made the impossible possible; we were able to break through the Israeli security services and dealt a blow. We achieved something unthinkable for Israel and its security mechanisms."
All six heroes of the Freedom Tunnel have repeatedly affirmed their commitment to the path of resistance and liberation for Palestine by any means necessary, refusing to back down from their positions despite the risks.
The sentence came only a week after occupation forces killed Daoud al-Zubaidi, Zakaria Zubaidi's brother, a former Palestinian prisoner and a longtime fighter with the Palestinian resistance in Jenin. Occupation forces have repeatedly invaded the Jenin refugee camp to suppress the growing resistance movement there. In one such raid, the occupation military assassinated beloved Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, while the Al-Jazeera journalist was reporting on the attack.
Resisting settler colonialism is not a crime, nor is an attempted escape from colonial imprisonment. The Palestinian freedom fighters were tried in a military court via martial law, using colonial laws adopted from imperialist Britain. Their sentence is revenge for exposing the fragility of colonial domination in Palestine.
The Freedom Tunnel and the six heroes of the self-liberation operation represent the enduring struggle for freedom that no amount of militarized Zionist colonization can suppress. They have dealt a massive blow to the mirage of Israeli invincibility and security control. Their bravery and commitment to freedom are celebrated throughout Palestine, from the river to the sea and throughout the region. Their capture by Israeli occupation forces does nothing to dim the light of their heroism and the inspiration they provide for the future of the liberation struggle.


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Visa Cash is a smart card electronic cash system, implemented as a stored-value card owned by Visa.

Trialled in various locations worldwide (including Leeds, UK in 1997), the system works via a 'chip' embedded in a bank card, and looks similar to the so-called 'Chip and PIN' cards issued, among other countries, in Europe. Another early trial was performed in conjunction with the World Ski Championship in Trondheim, Norway in late February 1997. Several different cards were issued, with loaded face values of 200, 250, 400 and 600 NOK. The cards expired Aug 97.

The card is 'loaded' with cash via specialized ATMs, and the cash can later be 'spent' by inserting the card into the retailer's card-reader and pressing a button to confirm the amount. Neither PIN entry nor a signature is required, which makes for a speedy transaction for the card's owner.

Other competing cashless payment systems for micro-payments (small amounts) include Mondex.

A more successful smart card electronic cash system is the Octopus card system in Hong Kong.

See also

Digital wallet
Mondex
Dexit (corporation)
Octopus card
OnePulse
Oyster card
T-money(visacash Korea)

External links
VisaCash.org a website dedicated to saving the history of the Visa Cash card program.

Payment systems
Smart cards
Visa Inc.
Stored-value payment card