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Inequality Virus Report Oxfam International
Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International
Updated : Apr 20, 2022, 16:24
The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International released in January 2021 has exposed the deepening inequalities worldwide brought about by the pandemic. The report states that the pandemic has driven inequality in almost all nations at once, in a way never seen before.
Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International - Facts about the World
The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International showed the following effect worldwide:
Inequality on Health
Coronavirus has exposed the inability of a poorly equipped and poorly funded public health system to deal with such a pandemic. It has also revealed the failure of the private system to treat all equally, irrespective of their wealth.
A poor person is more likely to die from Covid-19 than a rich person. The risk is much higher for people belonging to black or indigenous communities.
Inequality on Education
In the 2020 pandemic, the children of developing countries were deprived of almost four months of schooling compared to six weeks for children of high-income countries.
The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International estimates that the pandemic will reverse the progress made during the last 20 years in girls' education.
Inequality in Work and Livelihoods
The pandemic has laid bare the brutal inequalities in the labour system. The Commitment to Reduce Inequality (CRI) Index shows that in 103 countries, at least one in three workers lacked labour rights and protections such as sick pay.
It has led to an explosion in underpaid and unpaid care work done predominantly by women from marginalized groups.
The pandemic has brought about a catastrophic loss of jobs. No income and no protection have led to an explosion in hunger.
Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International - Facts about India
The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International reports the following inequalities in India:
While the pandemic has forced millions of poor Indians out of jobs, the wealthiest billionaires in India increased their wealth by 35%.
The fortunes of India's top 100 billionaires increased by Rs 12.97 trillion. In contrast, 1,70,000 Indians lost their job every hour in April 2020.
India's informal workforce was the most hit. They made up 75% of the 122 million jobs lost.
The digital divide in India worsened the inequalities in the educational sector. Only 3% of the poorest 20% of Indian households had access to a computer, and only 9% had access to the internet.
Regarding health, only 6% of the poorest 20% of households had access to non-shared sources of improved sanitation. The same was accessible to 93% of the top 20 households in India.
Covid-19 also widened the gender disparities. Unemployment among women rose to 18% from 15%. Of the women who retained their job, 83% were subject to a cut in their income.
Pandemic also fuelled domestic violence in women, with cases rising by almost 60% in 2020.
☛ Also Read: Daily Current Affairs
Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International - Way Forward
Coronavirus has opened our eyes to the gross inequalities that require urgent attention from policymakers worldwide. As per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International, taxing the rich fairly and redesigning business policy to prioritize the society can be the way to go about it.
National Safe Motherhood Day National Programme for Organic Production
National School of Drama National Skill Development Corporation
Oil Bonds Omicron
Onake Obavva Onam Festival
One Nation One Ombudsman One Nation One Standard Mission
FAQs on Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International
Q 1. When was the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International Released?
The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International was released in January 2021.
Q 2. What is the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International about?
The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International is about the deepening inequalities fuelled by the pandemic throughout the world.
Q 3. As per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International, what inequalities persist in the health sector?
The Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International highlights that a poor person is more likely to die of Covid-19 than a rich person.
Q 4. How has the pandemic affected livelihood as per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International?
The pandemic has brought about a catastrophic job loss, leading to an explosion in hunger, as per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International.
Q 5. What is the inequality status in India as per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International?
As per the Inequality Virus Report by Oxfam International, the pandemic forced millions of poor Indians out of jobs. However, the wealthiest billionaires in India increased their wealth by 35%. Informal sector workers, women, and marginalized communities suffered the most.


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Johnston County News
Teen killed in shooting, 3 escape in 100 mph Clayton chase; police seek people in white car
by: Rodney Overton, Steve Sbraccia
CLAYTON, N.C. (WNCN) — Clayton officials Tuesday evening released details about a deadly shooting and 100 mph car chase from nearly 24 hours earlier.
The shooting was originally reported as a shots fired call just after 8:20 p.m. at 20 Pine Hall Drive in the clubhouse parking lot at the Pines at Glen Laurel Apartment complex, Clayton officials said in a news release Tuesday night.
Fatal shooting under investigation at Clayton apartment complex
When police arrived they found the victim, Jayden Shamar Jones, 16, of Clayton. Jayden died at the scene from gunshot wounds he suffered while in the parking lot, the news release said.
Officials said Jayden and two suspects were in "an altercation" before shots were fired.
One witness told CBS 17 that she heard at least 12 gunshots.
Photos from Clayton officials
"…there were about 15 or 16 shots. I thought some people were messing around. I didn't realize it was gunshots. Then I came out with my son, and we saw the young man on the ground," the woman said.
Two suspects "fired multiple shots at the victim before fleeing the area," the news release said.
When police were initially called, witnesses reported two or three suspects fled the area in a white car, possibly a Mitsubishi Lancer, officers said.
As police were responding to the scene, they spotted the car traveling at a "high rate of speed" along N.C. 42 East, the news release said.
A Clayton officer turned around and tried catching up to the white car.
Other Clayton officers spotted the car while they were directing traffic for an unrelated fire along U.S 70 Business. Those officers saw the car turn onto U.S. 70.
"Officers initiated a pursuit and attempted to stop the suspect vehicle as it traveled on U.S. 70 and Main Street at times in excess of 100 miles per hour," the news release said.
Clayton officers lost sight of the car near the Wake County line on Old U.S. 70/Garner Road.
Clayton officials released two photos of the car on Tuesday evening.
Police said anyone with information about the incident should contact Clayton Police at 919-553-4611.
Woman wrongly arrested in Fayetteville drive-by shooting …

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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I look forward to September every year because it's when I get to share my enthusiasm for the importance of life insurance to an even broader audience than normal. ExamOne has always been a strong supporter of Life Insurance Awareness Month. And this year, it's an even more exciting time since according to the MIB Life Index1 our industry is showing slow but steady growth.
To help educate the public on the importance of life insurance, I encourage our employees to have a simple "elevator" speech about more than just our company and our offerings. Let's start talking about the bigger picture — the real reasons for life insurance. If we were to have this conversation at my sons' football or baseball game, my three top reasons would be simple and straightforward: it protects your family, it's inexpensive and the process is simple.
The most obvious reason to buy life insurance is to protect your family. If you're a contributor to your family's income, have you considered what your family would do if something were to happen to you? And if you think just because you are a stay-at-home parent you don't need life insurance, guess again. According to Life Health Pro, if a stay-at-home mom was paid for all her work and contributions to her family over the course of a year, she would earn $117,000. Having life insurance can help cover funeral costs, child care or act as income replacement in the case of death, but it also helps pay off any loans you've accrued, such as a house mortgage, car payment, credit card debt or student loans. If you have life insurance, your family won't be scrambling for money to cover all of these costs in the event of your death.
Everyone assumes monthly premiums for life insurance are very expensive, but this isn't the case at all. According to LIMRA and Life Happens' 2015 Barometer Study, 80% of Americans misjudge the cost of term life insurance. Did you know that a $250,000 policy for a healthy male in his 30's could cost as low as $13 a month, which averages $160 per year? Many people pay more than $13 monthly for their cell phone bill or cable bill, and life insurance is a much more important investment.
There are many different ways to get life insurance, and all of them are easier than you think. People often use agents or financial managers who can assist you with deciding how much insurance or what type of coverage you need. And there are many options out there for life insurance agents. If you're looking for one close to you, you can use Life Happens' agent locator, which receives its information from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
Receiving life insurance through your employer is another option. Most employers will provide basic group life insurance coverage and also offer options for a voluntary, employee-paid policy. However, it's important to note that life insurance solely through your employer is often not enough coverage and it cannot be taken with you if you switch employers. Having an additional life insurance policy is a good idea.
As you can see, life insurance really can be easy and inexpensive. While challenges and changes in our industry still exist, this month we all can agree on one constant — the need and importance for life insurance never changes. Help us keep the conversation going and be committed to reaching the 95 million Americans2 not protected with life insurance. Who knows what a difference you may make with some simple and straightforward talk at the next sporting event.


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Q: Is there a good "email this" solution? I like the functionality of Share This, but I only need the "email this" option using my own custom icon. Is there a sensible way to do this?
Thanks!

A: Add This email-only option

You can create an email-only popup form. This will not affect other AddThis buttons on the page.

Looks simple enough to me

A: The simplest method is a mailto link.  This will often open in a desktop client.  However, Firefox lets you configure it to use a web service, there are extensions (e.g. ChromeMailer) to do the same in other browsers.
It's a little more complicated if you want to send the email from your server.

A: The simplest is to use JS to populate an A element:

A:

see it here

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Thailand extends ban on incoming international flights until end June
An empty arrivals terminal following the COVID-19 outbreak, at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand on Mar 28, 2020. (Photo: REUTERS/Jiraporn Kuhakan)
16 May 2020 09:00PM (Updated: 16 May 2020 09:10PM)
BANGKOK: Thailand on Saturday (May 16) extended a ban on international passenger flights until the end of June, the country's aviation regulator said, as new cases in the country dwindle.
The Civil Aviation Authority's ban extends a previous order that was set to run until the end of May.
The announcement comes as the country begins to relax local restrictions after reporting single-digit increases of infections from the new coronavirus this month.
Thailand has reported a total of 3,025 cases of the coronavirus and 56 fatalities. There were no new cases or deaths on Saturday.
On Sunday, the government will allow malls and department stores to re-open. It will also shorten a nighttime curfew by one hour, to 11pm to 4am, from 10pm to 4am.
The aviation regulator first introduced the suspension of international flights in April in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
BOOKMARK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
Source: Reuters/gs
Thailand Bangkok COVID-19 aviation


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Tag Archives: christopher hitchens
I wish.
As is now tradition on this blog (2009, 2010, 2011), here are capsule reviews of all the books I read this year. The usual rules apply: only books I actually finished made the list, and I recommend them unless stated otherwise in the review. My approach is less extreme than Tyler Cowen's, but I still tend not to finish a book unless I feel it's worth the time and effort; hence the mostly favorable reviews. If you see any that interest you, I hope you'll check them out. A good book is one of life's genuine joys, and one well worth sharing.
Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson – Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
Why are some countries rich while others are poor? According to this book, institutions are the answer. Countries with extractive political and economic institutions are poor and despotic. Countries with more inclusive institutions prosper.
Tom Bethell – Eric Hoffer: The Longshoreman Philosopher
Hoffer was a dockworker and philosopher who wrote the massively influential The True Believer. This biography does a good job of blending Hoffer's personal and intellectual lives, and reveals that he may have been an illegal immigrant from Germany. Which, of course, only reinforces my pro-immigration views.
Peter Boettke – Living Economics: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
An insightful collection of 22 articles about teaching economics, and what economics can teach us — and what it can't. The economist should see himself as a student of society, not its savior. Humility, not certainty.
Daniel J. Boorstin – The Creators: A History of Heroes of the Imagination
A lengthy history of the arts spanning 3,000 years, told mainly through biography. Almost all of its 70 chapters tell the life story of one or more great artist, and describes their works. Poetry, prose, painting, sculpture, architecture, theater, photography, and more all get their moments.
Donald J. Boudreaux – Hypocrites & Half-Wits: A Daily Dose of Sanity from Cafe Hayek
I sometimes give a lunch seminar to CEI's interns about writing, and assign them to write letters to the editor. Don taught me much of what I know in that department. This excellent book, which collects 100 or so of his best letters, shows why I learned from the best. My personal favorite is the final one.
Jim Bouton – Ball Four
A baseball classic. A tell-all diary/memoir/autobiography of Bouton's 1969 season pitching for the Seattle Pilots. It's as funny as it is cynical.
Michael Breen – Kim Jong-il: North Korea's Dear Leader, Revised and Updated Edition
Unimpressive, but still valuable. Breen's use of bad pop psychology to analyze Kim Jong-il's character wastes valuable pages, and he is an awkward prose stylist. But he has gathered a lot of valuable inside information from his years as a journalist covering North Korea, and shares it eagerly.
Robert Caro – The Path to Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 1
The first of four lengthy volumes published so far. The series is a study of power as much as it is of LBJ himself. Caro, while ideologically sympathetic to Johnson's Great Society, is unafraid to paint him — accurately — as power-obsessed, manipulative, and often just plain mean.
Robert Caro – Means of Ascent: The Years of Lyndon Johnson, Volume 2
Glad I read this during an election year. The heart of the book is the story of Johnson's 1948 Senate race against Coke Stevenson. The two men could not be more different, which alone makes it interesting. But the lengths to which Johnson went during the campaign reveal much about the politician's mindset. Johnson stole the election all but openly; the rest is history.
Kenneth Clark – Civilisation: A Personal View
The companion book to Clark's masterful BBC art history documentary, which I also recommend. Clark never does define "civilization," but he shows 280 examples of it in this lavishly illustrated book.
Bill Clinton – Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy
Quick-hit book of progressive policy ideas. Recommended for young economists learning about opportunity costs, comparative advantage, and other Econ 101 concepts. Lots of places to apply them here. I also reviewed it for RealClearBooks.
Benjamin Constant – Principles of Politics Applicable to All Governments
Published in 1815, the same year as Waterloo. Constant was a French political philosopher heavily influenced by Enlightenment ideals. But this is a world-weary work; Constant lived through the French Revolution, the Terror, and Napoleon's wars. Above all else except for human freedom, he yearned for peace and quiet. I can get behind that.
Martha Derthick and Paul J. Quick – The Politics of Deregulation
Dry as dust, but informative. Tells the story of how a perfect storm led to airline, trucking, and telecom deregulation under Ford, Carter, and Reagan. In a bit of disciplinary squabbling, The political scientist authors repeatedly go out of their way to disparage by name economists such as Anthony Downs, Bill Niskanen, and Mancur Olson. But their Homo economicus-based criticisms reveal that they probably haven't read them, and certainly don't understand them.
Pierre Desrochers and Hiroko Shimizu – The Locavore's Dilemma: In Praise of the 10,000-Mile Diet
This ad hominem-free deluge of data and arguments made me feel embarrassed for buy-local activists such as Michael Pollan. Like watching a cat play with a mouse.
Peter K. Diamandis and Steven Kotler – Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think
Diamandis founded the X Prize Foundation. He has excellent insights into our biological predilection towards pessimism, and gives a tour of innovations that could change the world and end poverty over the next few decades.
Paul Dickson: Bill Veeck: Baseball's Greatest Maverick
Veeck was a baseball innovator and showman who also had a healthy sense of humor. He put the ivy in Wrigley Field, last names on players' jerseys, set off fireworks after home runs, and once sent 3′ 7″ Eddie Gaedel to bat during a regular season game. He also played a major role in baseball's racial integration.
Brian Doherty – Ron Paul's rEVOLution: The Man and the Movement He Inspired
This book is more about Ron Paul supporters, warts and all, than it is about Paul himself. A fun read, if not terribly edifying. Could stand to be a little more critical.
Susan Dudley and Jerry Brito – Regulation: A Primer, Second Edition
Highly recommended. Excellent overview of the different types of regulation, their rationales, and the regulatory process. The link goes to a free PDF version.
William Easterly – The White Man's Burden: Why the West's Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good
The title, drawn from Kipling, refers to the West's haughty condescension towards the Rest. Easterly draws a dichotomy between Planners — top-down, grandiose, and bureaucratic — and Searchers, who take a more bottom-up, humble, and effective approach to aid.
Robert Heinlein – The Man Who Sold the Moon
A collection of sci-fi stories and a novella. As dated as some Heinlein stories are, the better ones have a simple joie de vivre that both leavens and complements his usual anti-authoritarianism.
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe – The Sufferings of Young Werther
A work of much passion and emotion, and little sense. Reminds me of what it was like to be 19 years old. From an aesthetic standpoint, though, it is simply beautiful.
Rob Goodman and Jimmy Soni – Rome's Last Citizen: The Life and Legacy of Cato, Mortal Enemy of Caesar
This book weaves together three themes. The first two, tightly intertwined, are Cato's life story and the end of the Roman Republic, in which he believed strongly enough to die for. The third is his legacy, which endured all the way from St. Augustine to Dante to Addison to Trenchard and Gordon to today's Cato Institute.
Blaine Harden – Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West
The story of Shin Dong-Hyuk, who is believed to be the only person born in a North Korean prison camp to ever escape alive. Besides describing the unimaginable hardships he endured, it tells of his new life as a human rights activist, and the difficulties he has faced adjusting to life on the outside. Shin also receives 50 percent of this book's royalties, if you need further incentive to buy it.
F.A. Hayek (Stephen Kresge and Leif Wenar, eds.) – Hayek on Hayek: An Autobiographical Dialogue
Hayek's easiest read. He spoke much more clearly than he wrote. Still, it's not a good introduction. A basic prior knowledge of his major works is essential to get much out of it. A valuable read, but Hayek neophytes are better served by the relevant parts of Brian Doherty's Radicals for Capitalism.
Gene Healy – False Idol: Barack Obama and the Continuing Cult of the Presidency
An update to 2008's superb Cult of the Presidency, this short e-book looks at the abuses and expansion of executive power over the last four years. Obama doesn't deserve the blame, though. The public's unrealistic expectations for the office are what drive its constant expansion. I wrote more about the book here.
Christopher Hitchens – Why Orwell Matters
Hitchens waxes eloquent on why Orwell was a principled opponent of all kinds of totalitarianism, whether from the right or the left. He is not afraid to criticize Orwell's regrettable prejudices (women, gays, Jews), but he paints an overall picture of a an archenemy of arbitrary power, and a master of language.
Christopher Hitchens – Mortality
Hitchens' account of dying of esophageal cancer. Difficult to read.
Mike Kim – Escaping North Korea: Defiance and Hope in the World's Most Repressive Country
Kim, a Korean-American, gave up a career in finance to move to the Chinese-North Korean border and help refugees. The stories he tells about the people he met and helped are harrowing, yet ennobling.
Mark Kurlansky – Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man
Clarence Birdseye was the fellow who invented frozen food. He was also a colorful character. An enjoyable look at how innovation happens, and filled with random facts about food, Labrador, the physics and chemistry of freezing, and much else.
Robert E. Litan and William D. Nordhaus – Reforming Federal Regulation
Published in 1983, so some parts are dated. But it contains useful discussions of numerous reform ideas, including an entire chapter on the regulatory budget, a personal favorite. If there's a budget for how much government can spend, there should be one for how much it can regulate, too.
Steven Malanga – Shakedown: The Continuing Conspiracy Against the American Taxpayer
A public choice-influenced book that examines rent-seeking from public sector unions, community organizers, and allied politicians at the state and local levels. The picture Malanga paints is not a pretty one for taxpayers, especially in California and New Jersey.
David Maraniss – When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi
Lombardi is something of a god in the football world. Maraniss brings him down to earth while confirming his legendary stature. Lombardi's drive and personality never allowed him to achieve Machiavelli's preferred balance of fear and love, though he did try.
Michael L. Marlow – The Myth of Fair and Efficient Government: Why the Government You Want Is Not the One You Get
Hayek wrote that "Nobody can be a great economist who is only an economist." Marlow, at least in this book, is only an economist. Still, this would make a decent free-market policy primer for an undergraduate. The trouble is that Marlow's monomaniacal focus on efficiency leaves out all the other reasons markets are preferable to their alternatives.
Allan Massie – The Royal Stuarts: A History of the Family That Shaped Britain
Follows Scotland's royal family from its murky origins as stewards (hence Stewart, or Stuart) to earlier Scottish monarchs, to the family capturing the crown for itself, on through James VI and I's unifying the Scottish and English crowns, Charles I's 1649 "shortening," the Glorious Revolution that made Parliament supreme, to the line's extinction after Bonnie Prince Charlie's failed plot to reclaim the crown. Good stuff.
Dierdre McCloskey – Crossing: A Memoir
Deirdre, one of my favorite economists, was once Donald. This is the story of her transition. It makes one appreciate just how hard it can be to feel comfortable in one's own skin. As with all of her books, it is superbly written.
Ludwig von Mises – Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis
Originally published in 1922, and very prescient. The prevailing thought at the time was that a planned economy would be wealthier than an unplanned market economy; Mises showed this not to be true. People thought socialism would free people; Mises showed why the total state would enslave them.
David Nasaw – The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy
The Kennedy patriarch was a remarkable man, if not always a pleasant one. Nasaw's biography is Caro-esque in its level of detail. This is mostly for the good, though it spends entirely too much time on his ambassadorship in London and his alliance with Neville Chamberlain.
Bruce Nash and Alan Zullo – The Football Hall of Shame
Not the most intellectually stimulating book, but it is laugh-out-loud funny. The literary equivalent of a blooper film.
Tom Palmer (ed.) – After the Welfare State
A collection of essays about the welfare state and its alternatives. The historical essays about mutual aid by David Green and David Beito are especially valuable. You can download a free copy at the link.
Roger Pearson – Voltaire Almighty: A Life in Pursuit of Freedom
The author needs a remedial lesson in comma usage, but this is still a wonderful book. One can't help laughing along with Voltaire as he crushes l'infame.
Martin Redfern – The Earth: A Very Short Introduction
Part of Oxford's Very Short Introductions series. A densely packed geology primer written in an engaging and occasionally humorous style. Good for anyone from a high school student to an interested layman like this writer.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau – Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men
Nature is good and civilization is bad, according to this early work of Rousseau's. His later works reached the same conclusion, but fortunately with more nuance. Voltaire wrote to Rousseau about this book, "Reading your book fills one with the desire to walk on all fours." Like Voltaire and unlike Rousseau, I would rather be man than animal.
Steven Saylor – Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome
Historical fiction that does justice to both words. Follows the ebbs and flows of a single line of descendants over 1,000 years. Different personalities and common themes both shine through. Pre-Romulus and Remus mythical times, the Age of Kings, the entire life of the Republic, and the rise of Caesar and Augustus are all covered in vivid detail.
Peter Schweizer: Throw Them All Out
No one will be surprised by this book's thesis: most politicians are corrupt, and it is a thoroughly bipartisan problem. Most people would be surprised by the many details that Schweizer reveals.
William L. Shirer – The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
Long, but very good. The hardback edition I have is a two-volume set. The definitive history of Nazi Germany. A weakness is that it focuses on diplomacy, political maneuvering, and military strategy at the near-total expense of social history.
Thomas Sowell – A Conflict of Visions: Ideological Origins of Political Struggles
Very insightful. Sowell compares the constrained and unconstrained visions of the world, and shows why they tend to talk past, instead of to each other. The unconstrained vision believes in the unconstrained power of intellectuals to achieve desired social results. The constrained vision believes the world is too complicated for such plans to work, and prefers ever-evolving, bottom-up processes.
George J. Stigler – The Intellectual and the Marketplace: Enlarged Edition
Stigler, a Nobel-winning economist, was as well known for his wit and his sharp sense of humor as he was for his technical excellence. This surprisingly funny book shows that wit in full flower.
John Stossel – No They Can't: Why Government Fails – But Individuals Succeed
I don't care for the unsubtle title, but Stossel is one of today's better popularizers of libertarian ideas. Not much original material here, but well-suited for people interested in classical liberal ideas but unwilling to slog through the primary sources.
Sean Trende – The Lost Majority: Why the Future of Government Is Up for Grabs – and Who Will Take It
I'm not much on the political horse race, but this was a good read. Trende persuasively argues that there are no permanent majorities, and that most pundits are pattern-seeking, hyperbolic windbags. I've long thought the same thing myself.
Bob Uecker – Catcher in the Wry: Outrageous but True Stories of Baseball
In true Uecker fashion, I bought this book for one cent. Better, I paid nearly 400 times that — $3.99 — for shipping. It was well worth it. Uecker's self-deprecating brand of humor is always good for a smile.
Bryan Ward-Perkins – The Fall of Rome: And the End of Civilization
A darker counterpoint to Peter Wells' sunnier take on post-classical Europe. Not as pessimistic as Gibbon's Decline and Fall, but he emphasizes across-the-board declines in living standards, population, trade, literacy, architecture, and the quantity and quality of consumer goods.
Peter S. Wells – Barbarians to Angels: Reconsidering the Dark Ages
A mostly successful attempt to improve the Dark Ages' dismal rehabilitation. Surviving texts are mostly from the declining Romans' pessimistic perspective; hence the dominant view. Wells prefers a different historiographical perspective: archaeology. In his enthusiasm he oversells his case, but he makes an excellent point. I blogged about the book here.
Roy Wenzl, Tim Potter, Jurst Laviana, and L. Kelly – Bind, Torture, Kill: The Inside Story of BTK, the Serial Killer Next Door
Not a biography. This is the story of how Wichita detectives caught Dennis Rader, the BTK killer. It took them 31 years. Kudos to them for their patience and persistence in tracking down a particularly elusive monster.
David Wessel – Red Ink: Inside the High-Stakes Politics of the Federal Budget
Very little here in the way of original thought. But it's a good primer for the layman on the ticking fiscal time bomb. Wessel is studiously non-partisan, a huge plus in my book. Though he does favor fiscal stimulus, which makes me question his economic acumen; broken window fallacy and all that.
Richard Wrangham – Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human
Absolutely fascinating, and highly recommended. Cooking food makes it easier to digest, and allows otherwise indigestible nutrients to be absorbed. This is what made the large, energy-intensive human brain possible. We are literally evolved to cook.
Tagged a conflict of visions, abundance, abundance: the future is better than you think, Addison, Addison cato, after the welfare state, allan massie, allan zullo, back to work, ball four, barbarians to angels, baseball's greatest maverick, benjamin constant, bill clinton, bill easterly, bill veeck, bind torture kill, birdseye, blaine harden, bob litan, bob uecker, Books, brian Doherty, bruce nash, bryan ward-perkins, btk, catcher in the wry, catching fire, cato, christopher hitchens, civilisation, civilization, Clarence birdseye, conflict of visions, creators, crossing, cult of the presidency, Daniel boorstin, dante, daron acemoglu, david beito, david green, david maraniss, david nasaw, david wessel, deirdre mccloskey, discourse on the origin and basis of inequality among men, discourse on the origin of inequality, Don Boudreaux, eric hoffer, escape from camp 14, escaping north korea, fa hayek, fall of rome, false idol, football hall of shame, gene healy, george stigler, Goethe, hayek, hayek on hayek, hiroko shimizu, hitchens, how cooking made us human, hypocrites and half-wits, inside story of btk, james robinson, jean-jacques rousseau, jerry brito, jim bouton, jimmy soni, john stossel, joseph p. kennedy, jurst lavania, Kenneth clark, Kenneth clark civilisation, Kenneth clark civilization, kim jong-il, l. Kelly, leif wenar, living economics, locavore's dilemma, lombardi, longshoreman philosopher, ludwig von mises, lyndon johnson, mark kurlansky, Martha derthick, martin redfern, means of ascent, Michael breen, Michael marlow, mike kim, mises, mises socialism, mortality, myth of fair and efficient government, nasaw patriarch, no they can't, north korea's dear leader, ombardi when pride still mattered, orwell, path to power, paul Dickson, paul quick, peter boettke, peter diamandis, peter s. wells, peter schweizer, peter wells, pierre desrochers, politics of deregulation, principles of politics, reading list, red ink, reforming federal regulation, regulation a primer, Richard wrangham, rise and fall of the third reich, rob goodman, robert caro, robert heinlein, Robert litan, roger pearson, roma, rome's last citizen, ron paul's revolution, rousseau, rousseau discourse, roy wenzl, sean trende, shakedown, shin dong-hyuk, socialism, sorrows of young werther, st. Augustine, Stephen kresge, steven kotler, steven malanga, steven saylor, stigler, story of btk, stossel, students for liberty, sufferings of young werther, susan dudley, the creators, the earth: a very short introduction, the fall of rome, the intellectual and he marketplace, the locavore's dilemma, the lost majority, the man who sold the moon, the patriarch, the rise and fall of the third reich, the royal stuarts, thomas sowell, throw them all out, tim potter, tom bethel, tom palmer, trenchard and Gordon, trende lost majority, true believer, tyler cowen, uecker, vince Lombardi, voltaire, Voltaire almighty, when pride still mattered, white man's burden, why nations fail, why orwell matters, william easterly, william l. shirer, William nordhaus, william shirer, years of Lyndon Johnson
Contra Acton
Posted on June 22, 2012 | Comments Off on Contra Acton
Lord Acton famously wrote (quoting from memory), that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The late, great Christopher Hitchens, in his meditation on George Orwell, says there is more to the story:
"An old radical adage states that the will to command is not as corrupting as the will to obey."
Christopher Hitchens, Why Orwell Matters, p. 15.
An excellent point; following orders and all that.
Comments Off on Contra Acton
Tagged acton, christopher hitchens, christopher hitchens quotes, hitchens, lord acton, orwell, power
Rest in Peace, Christopher Hitchens
Posted on December 16, 2011 | 1 comment
Christopher Hitchens passed away last night from complications related to esophageal cancer. He was 62. He was also one of the most entertaining pundits on either side of the Atlantic. He was often in error, never in doubt, hyper-educated but not pedantic, and he possessed an unparalleled command of the English language. His prose is a joy to read, whether or not one agrees with his arguments.
One reason I admire Hitchens is his willingness to champion unpopular causes when he thought them just. Take for example his unapologetic, unadulterated hatred of Christmas — a loathing I have shared for many years.
In this short video, he compares the holiday season to life in a one-party state. This is that magical time of year when you can't go anywhere without hearing the same music everywhere. Or without hearing talk of the Great Leader and His son, the Dear Leader — the reason for the season. And so on. Click here if the embedded video doesn't work. Note: contains a bit of adult language.
Rest in peace, Christopher Hitchens. You lived a heck of a life. Pity it couldn't have been a longer one.
Posted in Great Thinkers
Tagged christopher hitchens, hitchens
Like, Totally
Posted on December 1, 2010 | Comments Off on Like, Totally
Overuse (and misuse) of the word "like" is an obstacle to clear speaking and clear thinking. It is also a signal to the rest of the world that one need not be taken seriously.
Christopher Hitchens has an amusing article on the history of "like," pointing out that "in some cases the term has become simultaneously a crutch and a tic, driving out the rest of the vocabulary as candy expels vegetables. But it didn't start off that way, and might possibly be worth saving in a modified form."
I largely agree. Read the whole thing over at Vanity Fair.
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Posted in Argumentation, General Foolishness
Tagged chris hitchens, christopher hitchens, hitchens, language, like, vanity fair
It's year-end list season. Thought I'd join the fun with a list of books I read this year, along with a few words about each. Books that I started and didn't finish are not listed. Hopefully you'll find a few you'll want to pick up yourself. I enjoyed each and every one; I wouldn't have bothered reading all the way through if I didn't.
I read a lot about economics because it's my job to. And I read a lot of history because I love history. But I'm a bit weak on literature and science. Any suggestions for good books in those areas are most welcome.
1. Dante Alighieri – Inferno
Dante was the last great gasp of the medieval mind, and arguably started Europe's transition into the early Renaissance. You probably read this in high school. I did. And I hated it. But re-reading it this year, I loved every word. Since this work is very much a creature of its time and place, some historical background into late medieval Florence is essential. Fortunately, the abundant footnotes in the edition linked to above are extremely helpful, though they do slow things down. I'm 4 cantos away from finishing Purgatorio, and hope to eventually finish the trilogy.
2. Joel Best – Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians, and Activists
A guide to the more common statistical fallacies that newspapers and politicians use. Some of those fallacies are due to ignorance. Some are intentionally misleading. This book seeks to prevent people from being misled in the first place.
3. Fernand Braudel – The Structures of Everyday Life: Civilization and Capitalism, 15th-18th Century, Volume 1
This book was a landmark event in the historiographical shift from kings-and-battles to everyday social history. It is also, unintentionally, the best case for modernity ever put to paper. The first hundred pages are a litany of disease, famine, early death, loneliness, cold, and drudgery. And that's how life was for most people before the Industrial Revolution.
4. Marcus Tullius Cicero – De Oratore
Cicero was the best, most persuasive public speaker of his day. He was also one of the best prose stylists. De Oratore is his how-to guide for aspiring orators. This book made me a better speaker, a better writer, and was a revelation in how to keep my thoughts organized.
5. Hernando De Soto – The Other Path: The Economic Answer to Terrorism
A classic in the field of development economics, which focuses on how to make poor countries rich. De Soto's answer is rooted in property rights. He wrote this book in the 1980s at great personal risk. Sendero Luminoso, a Maoist terrorist group in De Soto's native Peru, bombed his offices and made several attempts on his life because this book was such a convincing refutation of their ideas.
6. Will and Ariel Durant – The Story of Civilization, Volume XI: The Age of Napoleon
The last of their masterly eleven-volume survey of human history. Eleven of the best books I have ever read. Oh, how they could write. And their integral historiographical approach was revolutionary in bringing history alive for the layman.
7. Anthony Everitt – Hadrian and the Triumph of Rome
The third and last of Everitt's biographies of great Romans. His books on Cicero and Augustus are the best of this generation; this one falls a bit short due to the poor historical record. As a result, it is about Hadrian's predecessor Trajan as much as it is about Hadrian himself. Still a good book.
8. Bob Garfield – The Chaos Scenario
An opinionated take on the decline of old media and the rise of new media.
9. Phil Hanrahan – Life After Favre: A Season of Change with the Green Bay Packers and Their Fans
The author moved from LA back to Wisconsin to follow the Packers in their first season without Favre. Part travel memoir, part sports journalism, it's about the fans as much as it is the players.
10. Peter Heather – The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians
A new take on Rome's fall. He thinks it was external, not internal. The Empire was doing just fine in the 5th century, but population pressures in Asia forced mass migrations to the West at a faster pace than the West could assimilate. It's often paired with Adrian Goldsworthy's very different book on the same subject, which I haven't read.
11. Christopher Hitchens – Thomas Paine's Rights of Man: A Biography
Short primer on Paine, with all the panache and hyper-erudition one would expect from a Hitchens book.
12. Darrell Huff – How to Lie with Statistics
A classic of its genre from the 1950s. A quick, easy read that taxonomizes the most common tricks used in charts, graphs, and statistics.
13. Steven E. Landsburg – The Big Questions: Tackling the Problems of Philosophy with Ideas from Mathematics, Economics, and Physics
The economist as philosopher. Very different, and very good.
14. Steven E. Landsburg – More Sex Is Safer Sex: The Unconventional Wisdom of Economics
Another book along the lines of his The Armchair Economist and Fair Play. Landsburg's absolutely relentless use of logic and economic reasoning is inspiring. He's one of my favorites.
15. Peter T. Leeson – The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates
Pirates and economics, together at last. Leeson was pretty entertaining (not to mention radical) as a professor. So is his book.
16. Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner – Superfreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers should Buy Life Insurance
Better than the first one. Borders on being contrarian for its own sake at times. And a climatologist I know says that the physics behind one of the geoengineering schemes they describe in chapter 5 are flawed. But this book will make you think.
17. Niccoló Machiavelli – The Prince
Machiavelli was the original public choice theorist. He describes how Florence worked in his day, which is also how Washington works in our day. I keep a leather-bound edition in my office, and a paperback edition at home. I make sure to re-read this every few years.
18. Thomas K. McCraw – Prophet of Innovation: Joseph Schumpeter and Creative Destrtuction
Schumpeter had quite the life story, and McCraw tells it well. His explanation of Schumpeter's intellectual work is top-notch.
19. Thomas K. McCraw – Prophets of Regulation: Charles Francis Adams; Louis D. Brandeis; James M. Landis; Alfred E. Kahn
If Plutarch wrote about regulation, he would have written something like this.
20. Ludwig von Mises – Human Action: A Treatise on Economics
Didn't read it in college. Didn't read it in grad school. Finally read it this year. And I see the world a little differently now. It's not easy going, but this is the most definitive — and thorough — economic work since Adam Smith.
21. Charles Murray – Real Education: Four Simple Truths for Bringing America's Schools Back to Reality
Takes a sledgehammer to the Lake Wobegon school of thought. His pedagogy is a little traditionalist for my taste, but his policy recommendations are a breath of fresh air.
22. Johan Norberg – Financial Fiasco: How America 's Infatuation with Homeownership and Easy Money Created the Economic Crisis
The sanest breakdown of the financial crisis that I've seen. Echoes of Tocqueville. I had more to say in an earlier post.
23. Edwin S. Rockefeller – The Antitrust Religion
Strident in tone, but a valuable introduction to the basics of antitrust policy.
24. Joseph A. Schumpeter – Can Capitalism Survive? Creative Destruction and the Future of the Global Economy
An excerpt from Schumpeter's masterwork, Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy. Contains his explanation of his theory of creative destruction.
25. William Caruthers Sellar and Robert Julian Yeatman – 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England
Easily the funniest book I've read in years. It came out during the Great Depression, and is still just as funny today.
26. Thomas Sowell – Applied Economics: Thinking beyond Stage One
From the content to the delivery, Sowell is one of the best economics writers there is. He's in fine form for this book. His politics are to the right of mine, but this book is about economics, so there's very little politicking.
27. Nassim Nicholas Taleb – Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
The tone is haughty, but it contains valuable lessons about probability, certainty, and humility. Though the third seems to have escaped the author.
28. Nassim Nicholas Taleb – The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
More of the same from Taleb. This is a good thing.
29. Arnold J. Toynbee – Civilization on Trial
Toynbee was one of the best of the big-picture historians. Though his obsession with world government is a bit odd to an early 21st century reader. He thought history was unstoppably progressing in that direction.
30. Joel Waldfogel – Scroogenomics: Why You shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays
I liked it. My review will run tomorrow in the Washington Times.
31. Fiona Watson – Scotland: From Prehistory to the Present
A 300-page survey history that reads quickly. Found it in a gift shop in Scotland while there on vacation. It was exactly what I was looking for: a short introduction to the land I was visiting so I could better appreciate where I was.
32. Derek Wilson – Charlemagne: A Biography
This one was a little disappointing. Only half of this short book is about Charlemagne's life. The rest is about Europe. Charlemagne was one of the great unifiers of the continent. He was the first post-classical European to reign over a territory as large as a modern nation-state. He set in motion a trend that continues today with the EU. That's important. But I would have preferred more on his life and times, and less on all that.
Tagged 1066 and all that, anthony everitt, ariel durant, arnold toynbee, bob garfield, Books, charles murray, christopher hitchens, cicero, dante, derek wilson, Economics, edwin rockefeller, fernand braudel, fiona watson, freakonomics, hernando de soto, History, how to lie with statistics, joel waldfogel, johan norberg, ludwig von mises, machiavelli, nassim nicholas taleb, peter heather, peter leeson, phil hanrahan, schumpeter, scroogenomics, steven landsburg, steven levitt, superfreakonomics, thomas mccraw, thomas sowell, will and ariel durant, will durant


Disco Volante Strange name for a guitar you say? Not for us at Tao Guitars by John and Serge. The reference to the Italian automobile design had so far not yet found it into our line. And it's now something done. But why "Disco Volante" then..?… We pay a certain interest to any adventurous designs of people who attain respect in their desire not to play it easy by following the trends. In 1952, Alfa Romeo set the new aesthetical & aerodynamic landmark of the time with a Touring Carrozzeria Superleggera design called Disco Volante (Italian for "flying saucer"); his lines prefiguring the iconic jaguar type E by almost 10 years.
As we've always thought that the exercise of explaining our work or the philosophy behind what we're doing could be a somewhat frustrating experience, so the sentence here is what seems to be just the right words for us.
The machine is not master & tyrant, but willing servant and helper, and the products do not take their physiognomy from mechanical technology but from the spirit of their artistic originator and from the dexterity of artistically skilled hands. It is better to work ten days on an article than producing ten articles a day, this is the ruling principal. Style as identity.
All our necks are quarter-sawn cut, for the maple ones we use European maple, mostly used in violins & other quatuor instruments making. Lighter in weight, whitish in color it as some gorgeous flame appeal and deliver a more open airy sound than his north American counterpart .
They also feature our trademark asymmetrical shape (round on the bass side, a lil' flatter on the treble side ), super rounded frets & fretboard edges for a cool » fits like a glove » feel.
We also do our custom fret job, that we start with a regular jumbo wire to the 12th fret & then going on with smaller ones toward the end of the fret board. This help push-pulls when the space between the frets are becoming to narrow.
We've also developed our own single bar, double action with spoke wheel truss rods which are machined by a custom race car parts workshop. We call it « the carbon flex » influenced by Steve Klein's truss rod design, it consist of a multi layered wood/carbon heart for a larger push or pull than normal truss rods.
This prevent necks from twisting & other problems related to standard designs, it also makes the neck curb evenly through all his length, flanked with 2 carbon bars running from the 9th fret to the end of the fretboard, this helps getting rid of this fretboard end bump that gives us a hell with low action settings .
Our neck joints are tight as possible & hand adjusted.
We are doing our own little magic trick to give our bolt on necks the same sustain as their glue-on sisters, this is our trade secret & would not be explained!
Finishing wise we are trying to keep the layers as thin as possible to let the wood sounds and express itself to the max!
We would also make custom hardware parts as our own designed « BUCKET » bridge , pot buttons, control plates or decorative jewel as on our « El Mirage ».
For our pickups we are now enjoying a collaboration with Mr Dave Stephens of SD pickups.
After nine long years of research we think he reached the peak of what could be to our ears the most touch sensitive & best sounding humbucker known to mankind.
He also make us his own incarnation of our «chicken strut» neck pickup in which he also put his little magic to bring it to a new level of sophistication.
Our custom SD pickups comes with our trademark « front grill » custom made nickel covers.
We always stay open for new project, special features, or crazy ideas in order to make creative and beautiful tone machines.


It's done! It's been edited by me, tech edited, and test knit so I guess it's time to let my pattern out into the world. It ended up being 12 pages long. I wanted to try to get it under 10 pages, but I would rather avoid "at the same time"s and "reverse shaping for left"s and take up a few extra pages on something this complicated. It's definitely an intermediate to advanced knit. You can get the pattern on Ravelry here for $6.50 or buy it now.
You can read more about the construction in detail in my older posts, but to sum it up, Agatha is a seamless top down sweater with lace panels and cuffed set in sleeves. The body is knit first in one piece and then the sleeves are picked up and worked using short rows. It uses Cascade 220 and 4.5mm needles and comes in seven sizes ranging from 29″-53″ busts. My sweater is the 37″ bust and is modeled with two or three inches of negative ease.
What I really like talking about when I finish a pattern I've been blogging about is the pictures. These ones still amuse me. They look nice and fall-like with all of the colorful leaves, right? Well I took them in January in Lancaster. Those are flash frozen leaves. There were a few pictures that didn't work out where you could see snow on the ground. I was very cold when I took these which is probably why I ended up with zero pictures where I'm smiling.
I was also reading a lot of gothic literature for class at the time and I think that spilled over into the pictures a little bit. I like the sort of lost-in-the-woods vibe I ended up with, but I'm not sure how well that will work for selling a pattern. Most pattern photos have smiley models.
Anyways, thank you for all of the supportive comments I've received through out this process and thank you to my test knitters and tech editor. This was a huge project for me and I really appreciated how encouraging everyone was. Thank you.
And for the record, this pattern is named after Agatha Christie.
Beautiful! Can't wait to knit this. You are so talented!
First, the sweater is *gorgeous*. Second, the photography is perfect. Even before I read your description of the photo shoot, I thought the photos were telling me a story — loved it!
I'm so happy that it is finally out. And I'm with you. I'd rather have more pattern pages and fewer "interpretive" bits.
I've been rather nervous about using a tech editor on my own knits. (Like who to go to, what to ask, price) Do you have any advice?
I'll e-mail you about it.
Beautiful! Congratulations! It's sure to be a popular pattern.
You can tell that a lot of work went into this knitting pattern. It's beautiful. And the photos look really amazing!
Yippee! I know you are going to do sooo well with this! I love your pictures too, you really know how to rock the remote controlled pics. I always look ridiculous when I take them of myself.
Wow, I wouldn't worry about the pictures – for one, they're gorgeous, and for another, that pattern sells itself! It's beautiful, plus top-down and seamless? Yes, please!
Love! What a wonderful and flattering pattern!
So lovely! This has definitely gone straight on my to-knit list!
Yippee! I already queued it on ravelry. I'm so thrilled for you. It is such a beautiful sweater, and I can't wait to try it myself!
Oh, it is so pretty! I love the photos and the gothic romance vibe. Now I'm just imagining it in that fuchsia color of 220….
I love this!! I also love that you're not smiling in the photos. I always think that sometimes the models look crazy for smiling while traipsing about during an obviously cold day. Then again, I like to make snap judgements based on zero evidence when it comes to models.
Just stunning. And of course your photoshoot is amazing! You and Agatha look so lovely.
I actually disagree. The sadder looking the model, the more I want to buy the pattern. It's an odd thing but look at the Quince pattern photos and the Rowan patterns.
It's so beautiful, and I'd love to make one!
And I'm with Elizabeth — the combination of lost, lonely, and literary is definitely a selling point!
Haha, well I actually really love the photos. And you're right, it totally looks like fall.
Gorgeous! Gorgeous!! I certainly intend to buy the pattern. I love my Miette to death so, as far as I'm concerned, purchasing Agatha is getting 2 for the price of one.
Question: how much yardage of yarn do you estimate I could save if I switched to elbow length sleeves?
I have no idea. It would depend on what size you knit and what length you consider to be elbow length (at, below, or above).
Why can't I pin these beautiful pictures so that I can remember to buy this pattern?!
I'm sorry to disappoint! I don't know how closely you've read Pinterest's TOS, but they give Pinterest the right to do whatever they want with images that are pinned, and I am not comfortable with that. Pinning images that don't belong to you both violates the creator's copyrights and Pinterest's TOS. If you'd like to remember the pattern, you can always use traditional bookmarking methods that don't involve giving away my rights to Cold Brew Labs, or you can add it to your queue on Ravelry.
I just wanted to thank you for the time you put into this pattern! As I can be quite air-headed, I appreciate that you didn't resort to any "reverse shaping for left"s. You have the most adorable style, and I've been on the hunt for the perfect cropped cardigan for my dresses and skirts and this one definitely fits the bill.


text:
TVWeek
HBO Max Announces Four New One-Hour Comedy Specials With Tracy Morgan, John Early, Rose Matafeo and Ahir Shah
Dec 3, 2019 • Post A Comment
Press release from WarnerMedia, Dec. 3, 2019:
HBO Max has greenlit four new stand-up comedy specials. Tapping into existing talent across the WarnerMedia portfolio, the streamer is teaming up with Tracy Morgan (The Last O.G.), John Early (Search Party), and rising stars Rose Matafeo, Edinburgh Comedy Award winner, and Ahir Shah, double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee.
"We are incredibly proud to showcase this expansive range of comedic talent on HBO MAX," said Suzanna Makkos, executive vice president of original programming, comedy and animation, HBO Max. "From legends to newcomers, this impressive slate of specials will complement the library of premium stand-up specials that HBO has become known for."
Tracy Morgan returned to television in 2018 with The Last O.G. on TBS, which debuted as cable's #1 new comedy. The series' sophomore season ranks among the top 10 cable comedies of 2019 and a third season is due to premiere on TBS in 2020. Comedy superstar, multiple Emmy (R) nominee, and a true O.G. of comedy himself, Morgan is no stranger to stand-up specials. His most recent special, Staying Alive, explores his new take on life, his career, and mortality. Morgan recently announced his 2020 comedy tour, No Disrespect, and will executive produce this special for HBO Max.
John Early is best known for his role as Elliot in the critically acclaimed TBS series Search Party. Following sold out runs of his live show, John Early: Now More Than Ever, in New York and Los Angeles, this will be Early's first one-hour television special showcasing his talent in stand-up, characters, and cover song performances. The special is executive produced by Early and A24.
Rose Matafeo is a comedian and actress whose celebrated show Horndog won Best Show at the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2018. A whirlwind of stand-up, sketch and mid 20s angst, Horndog has enjoyed sell-out performances around the world. Her first-ever comedy special is a continuation of her partnership with HBO Max following the recently announced Starstruck, a brand new comedy series written, created by and starring Matafeo. Starstruck and the stand-up special are produced by Avalon Television and executive produced by Matafeo, Rob Aslett, Jon Thoday and Richard Allen-Turner.
Ahir Shah is a double Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee for Best Comedy Show in 2017 and 2018. He has had sold-out runs in London's West End, as well as successful UK and international tours, including runs at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. He is currently on tour with his critically acclaimed new stand-up show Dots, which made best of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe lists including The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Scotsman. Produced by Avalon Television, Shah will executive produce his first stand-up comedy special alongside Rob Aslett, Jon Thoday, and Richard Allen-Turner.
HBO Max recently announced a partnership with Conan O'Brien and Team Coco to bring stand-up specials to the streamer. O'Brien will host two specials that feature short sets from multiple up-and-coming comics while also curating hour-long sets from three comedians. In addition to those five specials, HBO Max has purchased the rights to a one-hour special from comedian James Veitch, also produced by Team Coco.
MotorTrend Group and BBC Studios Tap Dax Shepard, Rob Corddry and Jethro Bovingdon to Host the All-New 'Top Gear America'
America Ferrera and Danai Gurira to Announce the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations


Founded in 2016 and based in Singapore, Om & Away is the first interactive wellness travel portal in Asia that serves wellness lovers all over the world. Our motto, "Be good to yourself" embodies our mission in treating yourself well both internally and externally; at home or during holidays.
With more than 150 curated retreats from over 30 resort partners, this interactive platform connects you to the desired holiday you need and makes your booking easy and hassle free.
Om & Away has something for everyone – be it a first time experience or a retreat veteran. We believe individuals need to rejuvenate and renew themselves; challenge their fitness levels and bond with family and friends. We feel that this vision coincides with what all of us need now, and we are helping you achieve this goal.
Charlyn has been a wellness entrepreneur ever since she hung-up her heels when she left the corporate world. She drives the company's vision and strategy as she believes that modern jet setters have become tired of their usual shopping trips and surface skimming tourist experience. She wants your wellness vacation to be big on serenity and low on stress; and more importantly to find your inner peace.
Elaine's professional career spanned 10 years in investments and hospitality and she spent most of her career traveling for work. A spa trip to recharge left her exploring and searching for destination retreats over the years. Feeling overwhelmed by her options, she felt the need to curate the industry. Elaine pursue strategic opportunities and implements growth for Om & Away.
Terence heads the innovation content and technology department at Shaw Organisation. He brings to Om & Away the decades of experience he has in technology, and digital customer engagement. Terrence is also a triathlete and has competed in the Metasprint and Trifactor Singapore Sprint Triathlon.
Mark is the founder and CEO of SoulScape Asia. He brings to Om & Away years of expertise in digital marketing and wellness events. Together in this partnership, we seek to take Om & Away to even greater heights.


Sightseeing information about Sunshine City in Japan.
Sunshine City is a microcity complex centered on the 240m-high Sunshine 60 skyscraper, the landmark of Ikebukuro. Attractions include Sunshine Aquarium, Japan's first roof-top aquarium themed on 'oasis of the sky', Namuko Namja Town, the largest in-building theme park in the country, and the Manten planetarium with star-sprinkled images.
When night approaches, the observation deck at 251m offers a romantic, panoramic view of Tokyo with sunset colors and illumination. This is a place you can enjoy fashion and gourmet experience with your family - children, adults and couples alike. One day is not enough to poke through all the fun facilities.
One of three malls nestled in between four office towers, this is the one with the stores you came to Tokyo for. The restaurants in the food court are varying levels of tourist friendly. Have pictures of the Pokemon you want to make things easier with the local staff. Buy your tickets for Tokyo Disneyland at the Disney store here so you don't have to wait in line at the park.
Yes that's bacon and eggs on spaghetti next to my salary steak...I love Japan!
It's like a labyrinth of stores and hallways. You could get lost easily. And don't forget to bring lots of cash because of so many nice things.
Best building to go to on a rainy day. Filled with Namja Town (indoor theme park), a huge roof aquarium, and a pricey planetarium. This mall seems endless. There's also a huge Pokemon center located inside the mall.
I went many times for specific stores, like Pokemon Center Mega Tokyo, but it was a very comfortable, its a big and cute mall, i love to walk there and looking the coffee shops, as well. Very close to Ikebukuro.


Does anyone know if Running on Italics will be back ever? I loved reading that series.
Yeah. Heck if they don't do it I wanna make my own but if they're coming back I don't wanna crimp their style.
Yeah, I've been wanting to make my own as well.
Doesn't seem to be any harm in other people doing it as well. This thread could be dedicated to flavor discussion if we want to preserve the front page article space for the Running on Italics series.
So what the f*** is going on in Ramajun Reliant 550 BMI?
If they don't write another article by the end of March, we could all chip in and write them ourselves.
One of the podcasts (I think it was Terminal 7) had their creative coordinator on, and she gave out some trivia about the art on this card - the kids are apparently genetically modified/designed to have gendered color-coded eyes; blue and pink for the son and daughter, respectively.


text:
Festivals, Reviews
by Glen Falkenstein June 17, 20159:36 pm August 11, 2016
"We wanted to exploit the iphone and see what we could do with it."
Director Sean Baker was in Sydney to promote his new film TANGERINE which had its Australian premiere this week as part of the Sydney Film Festival. Addressing a crowd occupying half of the Sydney Apple Store (a hugely appropriate venue to discuss TANGERINE) Baker explained how he filmed the entirety of his new movie on a set of iphones.
TANGERINE takes place one Christmas Eve in Los Angeles, over the course of a day following transgender prostitutes Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) and Alexandra (Mya Taylor) throughout the city. Sin-Dee has just been released from prison when she is informed by her friend that her fiancée cheated on her, the two together tracking him down while Alexandra promotes her solo gig to take place later that evening.
Searching the city and confronting her boyfriend's lover Dinah (Mickey O'Hagan), elsewhere taxi driver and family man Razmik (Karren Karagulian) rides through the city, living a life secret from his family, searching for transgender prostitutes during the day and returning home at night. The various stories intertwine throughout the day, reaching a turbulent climax at a local fast food joint.
"I like to explore areas I'm unfamiliar with so I can educate myself and others about these cultures," explained Baker, noting that his first film was about "white straight guys in the suburbs." TANGERINE's characters and context will certainly be unfamiliar to many, the decision to set a relatively straightforward story on untraditional ground for cinema a gutsy and ultimately rewarding move by Baker, who commented "as long as you're telling a universal story we can all identify."
TANGERINE is at once a light-hearted and empathetic tale, immediately accessible to a vast audience however unfamiliar with its subject matter by its realistic tone and frequently funny moments. The film does not shy away from darker subject matter, dealing in part with the frequent discrimination experienced by transgender persons, resulting in a multilayered and thoroughly entertaining comedy-drama.
"We set about going into the neighbourhoods and introducing ourselves to the women in the area… we were looking for someone to collaborate with," Baker explained, commenting on his initial research for the project. "It's a controversial, unofficial red light area, it really catches your eye."
"I found this dynamic duo and knew I was going to write these characters for them (Rodriguez and Taylor)… They are friends yet they're not playing themselves, but there are bits of themselves in these characters, they understand the language of this area."
Baker would improvise dialogue with his leading stars, going so far as to edit the film in their presence so they could give him advice. The presence of the two main actors certainly lent the strongest voice to the film, their performances having an impact beyond the already thought-provoking screenplay with both playing captivating and consistently interesting characters. Baker explained how their role in the film even influenced its comedic arc, commenting, "That's how a lot of women cope with their hardship, through humour."
The film's photographic style is visually captivating, with Baker opting to follow the actors around LA with a set of iphones and film their interactions.
"We really didn't have the money to shoot on the high end equipment, we couldn't shoot on film and to tell you the truth I wanted to set this film apart from others out there and have a different look," explained Baker.
"I don't think it's about a particular genre or style, the benefits were revealed to me while we were shooting, being able to run around and be mobile, but it was also about the relationship with the actors, many of whom were first-timers."
Many of the actors were drawn from the area; the iphones proving much less confronting for the screen-novices than the bulky camera equipment, which while versatile still had its drawbacks.
"Everyone had a smartphone so it wasn't intimidating," said Baker. "[Because] We were using the iphones, no one knew we were filming a film, there were fights (that we filmed) in the streets and there were a few times the police were called."
"I would," said Baker in response to a question about whether he would use the technique again. "I don't know if its going to be the next one but I would, I'm sure there's been so many advancements in just the last year and a half (since filming took place) which would make it of enormous benefit."
"There's also the amount of cameras, and just that you can grab a phone tomorrow and do it, you can buy a phone and after the shoot you can ebay it."
"It also gives opportunities to aspiring actors, I think of Spike Lee who introduced someone new in every film, he's introduced some amazing actors and I really admire that."
A technically competent, entertaining and at times confronting film, TANGERINE is a welcome experiment which in time will surely be emulated and appreciated by a multitude of filmmakers.
On Salty Popcorn
Tagged with: sean baker Sydney Film Festival tangerine tangerine movie
Glen Falkenstein
Glen produces film, theatre and television news, reviews and commentary for a number of outlets, covering Festivals, interviews and events. Glen lives in Sydney where he enjoys making short films. Tweets @GlenFalkenstein
About Glen
SF3 Marks 5th Year with 1st Smartphone Film – FalkenScreen	 on September 10, 2019 at 5:29 pm
[…] "It was always going to be just a matter of time before we opened up our festival to include a smartphone feature film," said SF3 co-Founder Alison Crew. "We thought, why don't we just add it as a new category and put it out there and see what we get? We really didn't know. If all else failed we could maybe do a retrospective screening of Tangerine." […]
SF3 Celebrates Fifth Year with First Smartphone Feature | Festevez	 on September 10, 2019 at 6:15 pm
Film Fight Club S5E45: Last Night in Soho & Titane
Film Fight Club S5E43: Sydney Film Festival Wrap
Film Fight Club S5E42: Sydney Film Festival
Film Fight Club S5E41: Sydney Film Festival Director Nashen Moodley
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The Buildings of Huddersfield: Four Architectural Walks was written by David Wyles and published in 1984 by Kirklees Metropolitan Council.
The work was revised and updated as The Buildings of Huddersfield: Five Architectural Walks (2006) by David Wyles.
This page was last modified on 28 June 2017 and has been edited by Dave Pattern.


text:
JFK's Harvard Application
Started by stocks , Jan 21 2011 03:15 PM
#11 stocks
RFK Jr's 2001 secret diary of affairs uncovered
Those skeptical of the degeneration of America's royal line need look no further than Robert Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s journal is full of mistresses and Catholic guilt. The Post also exclusively revealed RFK's secret slams against Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Governor Cuomo – and insight on his days full of celebrities, yachts and falcons.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. grappled with what he called his biggest defect — "my lust demons" — while keeping a scorecard of more than two dozen conquests, according to his secret diary.
The thick, red journal was found in their home by his wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy, who, distraught over their impending divorce and Kennedy's serial philandering, committed suicide last year.
http://nypost.com/20...ry-of-adultery/
Views on autism and vaccines
An outspoken opponent of vaccination, in June 2005 Kennedy authored an article in Rolling Stone and Salon.com alleging a government conspiracy to cover up connections between the vaccine preservative thimerosal and childhood autism.[48] The article contained a number of factual errors, leading Salon.com to issue five corrections and ultimately to retract the article completely on January 16, 2011.
The retraction was motivated by accumulating evidence of errors and scientific fraud underlying the vaccine-autism claim.[49] Previous to this retraction, sometime in 2010, Rolling Stone had also deleted Kennedy's article from their archives without explanation.[50][51] As of January 2011, the original, uncorrected, version of the article was still posted on Kennedy's website, including his factual errors which Salon had corrected.[51]
http://en.wikipedia...._F._Kennedy,_Jr
-- -
Defenders of the status quo are always stronger than reformers seeking change,
UNTIL the status quo self-destructs from its own corruption, and the reformers are free to build on its ashes.
Caroline Kennedy is in the 1% (actually the .01%)
Caroline Kennedy Worth Up to $278 Million, Disclosures Show
Zero talent, big inheritance.
Caroline Kennedy sells out Camelot
It's clear that Caroline's image is as fake and manufactured as her father's: She is a profit-minded serial holder of non-jobs, culminating in her appointment to one of our ultimate non-jobs, ambassador to Japan.
Caroline's true accomplishments have gone criminally unnoticed: Her ability to seem above the fray while continuing to burnish a false legacy, all while indulging in a "Real Housewives"-style hustling of ancillary products.
As the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination approaches, so does the merchandising onslaught — books, movies, commemorative magazines.
But there is one aspect of this commercialism that remains surprising: The most shameless huckster of Kennedy mythology and memorabilia is Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg.
http://nypost.com/20...ls-out-camelot/
The Dark Side of Camelot -- Seymour M. Hersh
This is another tale of our society's ability to become enraptured by someone with star quality and ignore the real picture despite overwhelming evidence.
New book details JFK's last year with Jackie: Affair with Marilyn, amphetamines from 'Dr. Feelgood'..
Max Jacobson, known as Dr. Feelgood, administered high-dosage amphetamine shots laced with steroids to the president on a regular basis. In fact, he would do multiple duty injecting the president, first lady, and members of their inner circle at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Max Jacobson (July 3, 1900 – December 1, 1979) was a German-born New York physician, nicknamed "Miracle Max" and "Dr. Feelgood", who administered amphetamines and other medications to several high profile clients, including President John F. Kennedy.
After fleeing Berlin in 1936, Jacobson set up an office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where he treated a number of famous names including Yul Brynner, Truman Capote, Maya Deren, Cecil B. DeMille, Marlene Dietrich, Eddie Fisher, Alan Jay Lerner, Mickey Mantle, Marilyn Monroe, Zero Mostel, Elvis Presley, Anthony Quinn, Nelson Rockefeller, and Tennessee Williams. Dubbed "Dr. Feelgood", Jacobson was known for his "miracle tissue regenerator" shots, which consisted of amphetamines, animal hormones, bone marrow, enzymes, human placenta, painkillers, steroids, and multivitamins.
By the late 1960s, Jacobson's behavior became increasingly erratic as his own amphetamine usage increased. He began working 24-hour days and was seeing up to 30 patients per day. In 1969, one of Jacobson's clients, former Presidential photographer Mark Shaw, died at the age of 47. An autopsy showed that Shaw had died of "acute and chronic intravenous amphetamine poisoning."[13] Under questioning Jacobson's staff admitted to buying large quantities of amphetamines to give many high level doses. The Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs seized Jacobson's supply, and his medical license was revoked in 1975 by the New York State Board of Regents.[15]
http://en.wikipedia....ki/Max_Jacobson
#14 diogenes227
TT Patron+
After fleeing Berlin in 1936, Jacobson set up an office on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where he treated a number of famous names including Yul Brynner, Truman Capote, Maya Deren, Cecil B. DeMille, Marlene Dietrich, Eddie Fisher, Alan Jay Lerner, Mickey Mantle, Marilyn Monroe, Zero Mostel, Elvis Presley, Anthony Quinn, Nelson Rockefeller, and Tennessee Williams. Dubbed "Dr. Feelgood", Jacobson was known for his "miracle tissue regenerator" shots, which consisted of amphetamines, animal hormones, bone marrow, enzymes, human placenta, painkillers, steroids, and multivitamins.[/b]
Ready for your close-up, Mr. Demille?
DeMille was a highly active Republican. In 1944, he was the master of ceremonies at the massive rally organized by David O. Selznick in the Los Angeles Coliseum in support of the Dewey-Bricker ticket as well as Governor Earl Warren of California, who would become Dewey's running mate in 1948 and later the Chief Justice of the United States. The gathering drew 93,000, with short speeches by Hedda Hopper and Walt Disney. Among those in attendance were Ann Sothern, Ginger Rogers, Randolph Scott, Adolphe Menjou, Gary Cooper, and Walter Pidgeon. Though the rally drew a good response, most Hollywood celebrities who took a public position sided with the Roosevelt-Truman ticket.[13]
"If you've heard this story before, don't stop me because I'd like to hear it again," Groucho Marx (on market history?).
"I've learned in options trading simple is best and the obvious is often the most elusive to recognize."
"The god of trading rewards persistence, experience and discipline, and absolutely nothing else."
Sickly, Sickly JFK
50 year later, people are still unaware of how sickly JFK was. It's a deep dark secret.
From a medical standpoint, Kennedy was a mess. For example, there is the simple fact that Kennedy was hospitalized more than three dozen times in his life and given the last rites three times .
During the first six months of his presidency, Kennedy's physicians "administered large doses of so many drugs that [Dr. Janet] Travell kept a `Medicine Administration Record'" . Many of the drugs Kennedy received affect thinking
To put things in a different light, if an officer in the U.S. Air Force were taking any one of these medications, he or she would not even be allowed to talk on the radio to aircraft as supervisor of flying. Kennedy, as commander-in-chief, was supervisor for the entire Air Force.
Dallek believes steroid treatment of Kennedy's colitis began in 1937 6d. Steroid therapy often comes at a cost, because of its propensity to cause adverse health effects. This was especially true in Kennedy's case, as steroid therapy was still new to medicine in the 1930s. The consequences of steroid excess, now known as "Cushing syndrome," were not described by Cushing until 19__.
Dallek believes steroids were the "principal contributor" to Kennedy's duodenal ulcer (see above) and back problems (see below) 6d. (Steroids cause thinning of bones.) Steroids also altered the shape of Kennedy's face (see below) and, perhaps, body.
Another complication of steroid use is suppression of adrenal gland function. Kennedy was diagnosed with underactive adrenal glands in 1947, a condition known as Addison disease (see below). If Dallek is correct, Kennedy had by then been on steroids for 10 years, although not continuously 6. This makes it extremely difficult to know if Kennedy's Addison disease was the result of chronic steroid use, or whether it was the result of some other process (e.g. auto-immunity).
http://www.doctorzeb...z/g35.htm#zree3
A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods, to create an idealized, heroic, and at times, god-like public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise.
the cult of personality holds parallels with what Weber defined as "charismatic authority". A cult of personality is similar to hero worship, except that it is established by mass media and propaganda.
Throughout history, monarchs and other heads of state were almost always held in enormous reverence. Through the principle of the divine right of kings, for example, rulers were said to hold office by the will of God. Ancient Egypt, Japan, the Inca, the Aztecs, Tibet, Siam (now Thailand), and the Roman Empire are especially noted for redefining monarchs as "god-kings".
The spread of democratic and secular ideas in Europe and North America in the 18th and 19th centuries made it increasingly difficult for monarchs to preserve this aura. However, the subsequent development of photography, sound recording, film, and mass production, as well as public education and techniques used in commercial advertising, enabled political leaders to project a positive image like never before
http://en.wikipedia...._of_personality
The Kennedys are proof that you can grow up in a mansion and attend an ivy league college and still be white trash.
Kerry Kerry is accused of hitting a tractor-trailer truck on the interstate on July 13, 2012, while zonked out on the sleeping pill Ambien.
She claims she made a mistake and took the drug in place of her thyroid medication.
The privileged daughter of slain Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, niece of slain President John F. Kennedy and ex-wife of Gov. Cuomo will have to do better to prove to me that she's not responsible for making a mess.
http://nypost.com/20...-driving-trial/
RFK Jr supports the death penalty.
I do, however, believe that corporations which deliberately, purposefully, maliciously and systematically sponsor climate lies should be given the death penalty. This can be accomplished through an existing legal proceeding known as "charter revocation." State Attorneys General can invoke this remedy whenever corporations put their profit-making before the "public welfare."
http://www.powerline...acking-mode.php
I do, however, believe that corporations which deliberately, purposefully, maliciously and systematically sponsor climate lies should be given the death penalty.
Climate March - RFK Jr goes ballistic when challenged about his hypocrisy
Hollywood film to revisit events on Chappaquiddick in 1969 which ended Edward Kennedy's dream of becoming president
Known as the Chappaquiddick Incident after the Massachusetts island where it took place
Edward had been driving back from a party when he veered off a bridge
Kennedy swam ashore to save himself but left passenger Mary Jo Kopechne to drown - and did not report the incident for nine hours
Film will now revisit events in 1969 that appalled millions of Americans
It transpired Miss Kopechne had not drowned but had survived in an air pocked inside the car - she was asphyxiated only when the oxygen ran out several hours later.
Teddy escaped with a two-year suspended sentence and the loss of his driving licence for a year. He had been allowed to plead guilty to no more than the charge of leaving the scene of an accident.
Read more: http://www.dailymail...l#ixzz47d5xa0R2


Mary Chapin Carpenter! I wish could say my signed copy of "Stones in the Road" is my most cherished disc in my collection for the benefit of this post. But….
Sadly she's indirectly responsible for "Fly Away Home"not having a soundtrack album, not a legal one anyway. Because they didn't to put out an album of just Mark Isham's score without MCC's"10,000 Miles" and Sony's trademark dickishness went into effect.
I remember someone wrote a frothing letter to the "Radio Times" about Letterman's London shows, the bloke equated him to Bernard Manning… which seems strange.
Indeed, I remember that, he complained that the shows were full of jokes about how odd us Brits were and pondered whether US TV would welcome a show where Manning takes the piss out of Americans.
I remember reading in Private Eye at the time that one of Michael Jackson's ambitions when he was Controller of BBC2 was to have Letterman on every night, and he used this London run as an excuse. I was really excited about it at the time – but I'm a sucker for anything that involves Americans being bemused about British culture – but it seemed a bit underwhelming, and I remember people saying that Dave was never at his best when he was away from the Ed Sullivan Theatre.
I do remember him introducing David Duchovny as "star of Britain's most popular TV show!". Not quite, Dave.


Jessi brings vast experience in the restaurant, retail, food and beverage supply chain industries. He is a highly accomplished IT Executive & Technologist with deep expertise in developing and implementing customer facing systems and infrastructure. Prior to Kitchen United, he led the business technology initiatives for Pick Up Stix, Leeann Chin, Mandarin Express, & City Brewing Company.


text:
Announcements & Articles
A Pentecost Message from the Dean
In many ways, 1st century Jerusalem 2000 years ago was like NYC of 21st century. Jerusalem was an eastern crossroads of the known world. It was cosmopolitan with many languages, cultures, religions, races and political sentiments swirling around. That was the setting for the account of Pentecost in the Book of Acts. According to the reading, into the midst and mix of this seething cauldron of people and politics, religions and races gathered in Jerusalem, an amazing moment took place with an event that has been etched into human imagination and history for two millennia.
Here's the picture: It is not long after Jesus's resurrection. His disciples were huddled in a room. Suddenly there comes a sound of rushing wind, and tongues of fire settle on their heads. Who wouldn't have run out of there and into the street? Further amazement follows for the disciples and teeming crowds: the disciples of Jesus began to speak a new language that at first sounded like drunken babbling – but then all those in the street realized they could understand clearly what the disciples were saying. They were hearing the Good News of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in their own language.
Now, in the Hebrew Scripture the story of the Tower of Babel tells a tale of the origin of different languages. But in this moment on the streets of Jerusalem, that story was reversed. Everybody could understand everybody else.
That experience and the fire it lit and the vision of unity and understanding that was laid out in that moment was so electrifying that we gather to remember and celebrate it 2000 years later. The vision cast in that moment in the hearts of women and men gathered on the dusty streets of Jerusalem has never been forgotten.
The electric moment of the Day of Pentecost was rooted in the atomic power of love set loose in human hearts and lives. The disciples were speaking in the power of love and love is a universal language – no wonder everyone in hearing distance understood! The disciples were speaking love – love of God, love of neighbor, love of self. They were speaking the native language of the human heart and that language is love – romantic love, yes, but more – love of justice, love of peace, forgiveness for the past and strength for the present and future of life.
That's the language of love. And since love is a language, love has its own vocabulary and the words of love are expressed in actions and deeds of generosity, sacrifice, justice, hope and reconciliation. We all know this language of love because it is the language of God in whose image every human being is created, and every human being bears the stamp of the divine. The language and vocabulary of love is written deep in our DNA. The language of love is rooted in the divine and the vocabulary of love is expressed in loving human actions.
Love is a powerful language. When love is set loose in human experience as it was on Pentecost, it can never be forgotten. The Day of Pentecost was only a glimpse of God's loving power – and that power, once experienced is never forgotten. And that power, unleashed in human life by loving actions, confronts all that distorts and disfigures human existence: hunger, fear, hatred, war. In God's love racism is no more, religious and cultural prejudice is no more. War is abolished and peace is supreme. That's the language and vocabulary of God's love and your and my place in it.
Now, Pentecost is rooted in the past and points to the present and the future. Pentecost is a glimpse of the world God envisions and that world is coming. The Resurrection of Jesus is about God's actions in the past. Jesus was crucified, buried, dead for three days. God's love is so powerful that Jesus was resurrected from that deadly past and given a new and eternal life. Pentecost is about God's presence in the present and future: through God's love Jesus's new life continues and permeates our lives in the present; and into the endlessness of God's unconditional love for each of us and all of us.
Pentecost happened 2000 years ago. It was such a powerful glimpse into the future that no one has ever forgotten that blazing moment. Pentecost is the foundation of believing that God through Jesus is still present and active in your life and mine and every life on this planet. Pentecost is the assurance that the risen Jesus is alive and active in our world and lives.
We can trust the language of God's love. Love is spoken here in this Cathedral and through its ministries and worship. The risen Jesus abides forever in the world and in the hearts of women and men, for Pentecost is the assurance that in the end, God's love will prevail and all will be swept up from death and given new and eternal life. And then, like the first Pentecost, we will gather around God's table and sing the songs of love and thanksgiving in a language that all understand.
Messages from the Dean


text:
Gameday News
WYMM
Social Reactions
Packers making the best of unconventional offseason
Aaron Rodgers keeping his arm in shape, enjoying virtual program
Wes Hodkiewicz
packers.com digital reporter
Evan Siegle, packers.com
QB Aaron Rodgers
GREEN BAY – Most years, Aaron Rodgers and the other 89 players on the Packers' roster would be back on the field this week for the first public practice of organized team activities.
But this isn't most years.
Instead, the two-time MVP quarterback is reconnecting with returning teammates and coaches, and getting to know the new additions to Green Bay's locker room, through Zoom meetings due to league-wide COVID-19 restrictions.
Rodgers has crafted and honed his offseason preparation over the course of his 15-year NFL career, whether it's his personal training routine in California or teambuilding with a handful of teammates at the Kentucky Derby each May.
The pandemic has erased most of that and forced Rodgers to make his own modifications in response to the pandemic. While he has the necessary equipment to train on his own, Rodgers had to get creative when it came time to ramp up his throwing in early May.
Without naming names, Rodgers said he found some pros around the Los Angeles area to throw to "a couple times a week" to keep his arm in shape.
"The biggest change has been, you know, feeling like a kid throwing the football at the park," said Rodgers during a conference call with Green Bay media Friday.
"You have to find different places to get some of these workouts in … to get our running in, our agility in with our group, and then finding places to throw the ball. We've got a couple good places now to throw it."
For the past three weeks, Rodgers has been part of the virtual offseason program the Packers' coaching staff has been conducting with players. It's enabled the strength-and-conditioning staff to touch base with the roster, while position coaches have addressed their players in individual meetings.
Head Coach Matt LaFleur marshaled in the offseason program with a Zoom meeting with close to 100 attendees last month. On other occasions, coaches have been pre-recording presentations on players' iPads to lay out the team's vision and expectations for the 2020 season.
LaFleur said the team has run part of the virtual program through its technical support staff and director of technology Mike Halbach, but also outsourced a portion through a contact of offensive coordinator Nathanial Hackett's.
On top of the usual X's and O's, the Packers' coaches have integrated their own personal comedic touch to the meetings. Rodgers specifically credited the ingenuity (and humor) of Hackett, offensive line coach Adam Stenavich and running backs coach Ben Sirmans during their presentations.
"Our coaches have done an unbelievable job of being creative, because the majority of our installs and whatnot have been more of those voice-over type installs and you want to keep the guys entertained," LaFleur said. "You spend a lot of time, you make these videos and they take a lot longer than they would normally."
The coaches have proceeded at a slower pace with virtual instructions and installs than they normally do with in-person individual player workouts and OTAs, but Rodgers feels that's been beneficial since there's been more emphasis on the details.
The time and effort LaFleur and the coaches have invested in reviewing the 2019 season have been apparent in one-on-one meetings Rodgers has had with the Packers' second-year head coach, Hackett and quarterbacks coach/passing-game coordinator Luke Getsy.
Two of the main areas the Packers have been working on this offseason are incorporating more no-huddle into the offense and streamlining tempo. Rodgers doesn't anticipate shedding the wristband given the nature of the offensive verbiage, but he and the coaches have been cleaning things up over the past month.
"This has been a great opportunity to … go through everything last year that was good, what didn't work, what we want to add to it, what we want to take out," Rodgers said. "I think Matt and Nathaniel have done a really good job of going through those and keeping me in the loop about conversations. We've had a number of conversations about these installs and I feel really good about where they're at."
The absence of a traditional offseason program isn't completely foreign to Rodgers, who went through that once before during 2011 lockout following the Packers' Super Bowl XLV victory.
Although the current landscape undoubtedly makes life a bit more difficult on everyone, Rodgers sees the silver lining. Like 2011, he expects guys to be healthy and in great condition whenever players can report back to Green Bay.
Furthermore, this should be a good litmus test to gauge the dedication of young players on the roster, who still will be expected to make strides in spite of the current environment.
"I think it's probably making the coaches better coaches and at the same time, you expect great accountability where guys now have the opportunity," Rodgers said. "What are you doing during your off time? We all have a lot more off time now because we don't have the schedule constraints that we would in a normal-life situation. Guys have more time to study, more time to work on themselves."
Devonte Wyatt ready to take next step after rookie apprenticeship
Packers' first-round pick learned many lessons from Kenny Clark & Co.
Packers' rookie receivers formed tight-knit trio
Bond served them well, and will continue to
Rich Bisaccia helped reignite the fire inside Packers' special teams
Culture change has unit again trending in the right direction
Packers LB Quay Walker named to PFWA All-Rookie Team
First-round pick from Georgia led Green Bay's defense with 121 tackles
Packers KR Keisean Nixon named to PFWA's All-NFL team
Green Bay CB Jaire Alexander voted to All-NFC squad
Packers RB Aaron Jones 'keeps on defying the odds'
Veteran running back established several career highs in 2022
Robert Tonyan appreciates personal friendships amidst professional uncertainty
Packers tight end provides window into the human side of the business
Packers have only scratched the surface with Christian Watson
Rookie receiver overcame early setbacks to become offensive spark
'Too much inconsistency' will motivate Kenny Clark in 2023
Packers' defensive captain calls out himself to play to higher standard he expects
Packers will never stop searching for hidden offseason gems
Green Bay has turned under-the-radar signings into All-Pros the past two years
Two Packers named to Associated Press All-Pro team
Keisean Nixon voted first team at kickoff returner, Jaire Alexander second team at cornerback
5 things learned from Packers GM Brian Gutekunst
Season-ending news conference touched on QBs Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love, plus several other topics