text:
Sri Lanka » Ultimate Travel Guide for Indians Visiting Sri Lanka
Ultimate Travel Guide for Indians Visiting Sri Lanka
by swantour May 15, 2018
Travel Guide for Visiting Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a little island in the Indian Ocean off the south-east idea of India, with tropical and warm environment. It's a country that has everything; beautiful beaches, high mountains (over 2000 m), tropical forests and lots of animals like wild elephants, leopards, sea turtles, dolphins and whales.
The island is encircled by beaches, and from area, it looks laid out in white! Pretty cool! You can seldom travel anywhere along the coast without bumping upon a sensational stretch of sand, and a lot of them deserted! Sri Lanka is perfect for water sports like diving, snorkeling, kiting and surfing.
Inland you can extend your legs taking walking among tea plantations high up in the mountains above 2000 m. The culture of Sri Lanka is influenced by India, Portuguese, the Netherlands and obviously the United Kingdom (was a British colony until 1948). UNESCO has recognized eight World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka, quite excellent for a relatively little island!
Sri Lnaka Tour Packages
Pricing and Itinerary
Special Sri Lanka Family Tour
Special Sri Lanka Family Tour – 04 N / 05 D
Starting – ₹ 27,150
Holiday To Exotic Sri Lanka
Holiday To Exotic Sri Lanka – 05 N / 06 D
Amazing Sri Lanka Holiday Package
Amazing Sri Lanka Holiday Package – 03 N / 04 D
Sri Lanka Itinerary for 5 Days
Sri Lanka Itinerary for 5 Days – 05 N / 06 D
Sri Lanka Heritage Tour
Sri Lanka Heritage Tour – 05 N / 06 D
Best of Sri Lanka Tour
Best of Sri Lanka Tour – 05 N / 06 D
Sri Lanka Luxury Package
Sri Lanka Luxury Package – 05 N / 06 D
Colombo Bentota Package
Colombo Bentota Package – 04 N / 05 D
On our journey through Sri Lanka, we visited these locations: Colombo-Galle-Unawatuna- Mirissa-Tangalla-Yala National Park-Ella-Kandy-Sigiriya-Polonnaruwa-Kalpitiya-Negombo
Here we will give you all the travel information and pointers you have to know prior to going to Sri Lanka! We used the Lonely Planet's Sri Lanka book, which was excellent! We heard from other tourists that the maps are better in the Rough Guide. You can buy both books at Amazon:
#1. What Are The Must-See Places In Sri Lanka?
Here are our leading must-see places in Sri Lanka:
The beaches on the South Coast: Unawatuna, Mirissa, and Tangalla. They are the most stunning golden soft beaches you can ever picture! Of these 3 beaches, we liked Tangalla Beach one of the most.
Galle- Wander around the lovely and ancient fort city Galle that has a European vibe to it.
Yala National Park- Going to Safari in Sri Lanka to see wild elephants, leopards, crocodiles and lots of colorful birds is a MUST!
Ella- Visit the little and drowsy mountain village Ella, surrounded by lush and green tea plantations as far as your eyes can see.
Polonnaruwa- Cycling around the ancient ruins of the old capital Polonnaruwa, was an emphasize of our journey to Sri Lanka.
Have an appearance at our suggested two week Sri Lanka travel plan for more information about where to go and how to get around the island.
#2. What Are The Must-Do Things In Sri Lanka?
Surfing in Sri Lanka
Hiking in the stunning mountains around Ella, some of them above 2000 m, is an outright must!
Climbing Up the Sigiriya Lion Rock, where on the top apparently the royal palace once utilized to be, is certainly a must-do!
Surfing- The surfing is terrific in Sri Lanka! Both on the west coast, south, and east coast the waves are wonderful for browsing.
Dolphin Safari- Once you remain in Sri Lanka, going on a dolphin watching trip is nearly compulsory.
Kite Surfing- We went kite surfing in Kalpitiya (on the North West coast), and it was incredible!
Whale safari-We did not go on a whale safari due to the fact that we have seen a lot of whales back home in Norway, but Sri Lanka is one of the very best places worldwide to identify large whales.
Diving/ snorkelling-The diving/ snorkelling is remarkable in Sri Lanka. We went snorkelling outside of Kalpitiya, and enjoyed it! The reefs are some of the world' s biggest, complete of vibrant fish.
Eating rice and curry- The national meal rice and curry is something you get served everywhere, and it is very excellent! So delicious and loaded with flavour! The Sri Lankan understand how to use spices.
Tea Plantations- Walking through the tea plantations and check out a tea factory is a must-do. It makes you appreciate your next cup of scrumptious Sri Lankan tea.
Train ride- Taking a train trip through the Hill Country, perhaps the most lovely train trip on the planet?
#3. What' s Cool About Sri Lanka?
Beaches in Sri Lanka
Off the beaten tracks It is simple to avoid the herd of travelers. If you head up North (for instance to Jaffna) or to the East Coast, you will not find numerous tourists.
The beautiful individuals the people of Sri Lanka are fantastic! So lovely, kind and inviting.
The delicious food The Sri Lankan food is great! Their rice and curry meal is specifically tasty and full of flavour.
The perfect climate, Sri Lanka has a sub-tropic climate.
The excellent beaches you will discover some of the world's most spectacular beaches in Sri Lanka! And much of them you have all to yourself.
Wildlife and nature even though Sri Lanka is a little island, it has an excellent wildlife. You can spot animals as wild elephants, crocodiles, leopards, sea turtles, whales, dolphins and lots of gorgeous birds.
Everything is within a short range the best of everything, is that Sri Lanka is a small island that makes it easy to circumnavigate and see a lot within a short time. This country has EVERYTHING!
#4. What' s NOT So Cool About Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka Travel Guide
We don`t have much to say about Sri Lanka on the cons list.
Increasing prices one thing that is not so great regarding a travellers spending plan are the increasing prices in Sri Lanka. Just a couple of years back, the accommodation, transportation and entryway charges to sights and temples were more affordable than today. Sri Lanka is more costly than other Asian nations we have actually been to, for circumstances, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, and Cambodia.
Tourists have to pay WAY more than the residents at sights. Another thing is that foreigners need to pay far more than the residents to get in sites and temples in Sri Lanka. It can in some cases be frustrating having to pay lots of times that of the locals, however there is nothing you can do about it. Simply understand that entrance fees eat up much of your budget plan while traveling in Sri Lanka.
#5. What does it cost? Does It Cost To Travel In Sri Lanka?
Accommodations in Sri Lanka
The rates are increasing in Sri Lanka, although it is still a budget friendly nation to take a trip in, and has actually still not reached European or USA rates.
Entrance Fees: Entrance fees (for tourists) will be your most significant expenditures, at approximately 25 US$ per person. Residents pay 35 cents for numerous sites while visitors will pay 10 US$ and upwards! Yep, it feels a bit unjust sometimes.
Accommodations: As for rooms, you can discover lodgings at all rate levels, from luxury store hotels to more backpacker-like guest homes. You won`t discover excellent accommodation value in Sri Lanka, as you will in for circumstances Thailand. You will have to pay a lot more for the very same requirement as in Thailand. We paid whatever in between 20- 90 US$ for our accommodation, however we did not reside in dormitories, constantly in a double space with bathroom. Some locations we stayed, the accommodation also included food (breakfast, lunch, and supper), like the one at Kalpitiya. You can discover guest homes from around 15 US$, and hotels from around 40 US$. It all depends upon what kind of basic you like; you get exactly what you spend for.
Food: Food is still of great value, and is tasty! You can find food in all price ranges. The most inexpensive is, of course, street food (1-3 US$), and up. The most pricey dinner we had was around 17 US$, in a great restaurant in Ravana Heights Hotel in Ella. Bare in mind, though, that when purchasing rice and curry, it takes a long time to make, so you will need to wait a while (perhaps an hour or so) to obtain your food. Like among the restaurant, chefs said to us: "We do n`t makes quick food, we make fresh food." So true, and well worth the wait!
Alcohol: Alcohol is very inexpensive in Sri Lanka. You will get the local Lion beer for around 2 US$ in restaurants while imported beers are a bit more costly. Cocktails will cost you about 4-6 US$.
Tipping: As for tipping, a 10 % service cost will automatically be contributed to your food and hotel bills. The tip usually goes into the pocket of the hotel owner, so an additional 10 % is expected for waiters, chauffeurs, and tour guides.
#6. The best ways to Get around in Sri Lanka?
Tuk-tuks and Taxis in Sri Lanak
Sri Lanka is a little island, so traveling around is pretty simple. It is quite well-connected by buses and trains that make for fun transportation around the country. Taking buses and trains are inexpensive, even first class on trains is quite economical. If you are not a backpacker it is advisable to preebook the transportation with a reliable travel agent.
Tuk-tuks and taxis are simple to find and are a fast and comfortable way to get between places, although far more pricey than bus and train. For example, will a taxi from the South Coast (for instance Tangalla) to Ella cost around 70 US$, while the bus will be less than 5 US$.
#7. Exactly what are The People Of Sri Lanka Like?
People Of Sri Lanka
Many of the individuals residing in Sri Lanka are Buddhist (70%) while 8% are Islam, 7 % Hindu and 6% Christian. Individuals of Sri Lanka are real, friendly, kind and respectful. They are very interested in foreigners, smiling and waving, and as a tourist, it is easy to get in touch with the residents. Even the children, not speaking English extremely well, wish to speak to immigrants asking where you are from, what' s your name and so on. You feel welcomed by the Sri Lankan people, and it is easy to make pals.
The backpackers we met in Sri Lanka were typically older and more mature than the common backpacker you fulfill in other Asian countries. There are more families with kids and not a lot of full-moon-party-18-year-olds as there remain in for circumstances Thailand. Likewise, the Russians tourists visiting Sri Lanka are growing in numbers , mainly to the beaches in the South, like Unawatuna.
#8. What Languages Do They Speak In Sri Lanka?
People living in Sri Lanka
The 22 million people living in Sri Lanka (2012) speak different languages:
Sinhala 74% (official and nationwide).
Tamil 18% (national).
Other 8%.
English is spoken with complete confidence by about 10%. There is no issue circumnavigating Sri Lanka speaking just English. Street indications and menus (at touristy restaurants) are in both Sinhala and English.
#9. Do I Need A Visa To Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka Visa
Everyone that desires to visit Sri Lanka MUST, since 1st of January 2012, obtain a visa. The only exceptions are residents of The Republic of Singapore, The Republic of Maldives and The Republic of Seychelles. However do n`t concern, it is basic, the only thing you have to do is to apply for an online "ETA Tourist Visa" prior to entering Sri Lanka. The online visa stands for 30 days from the date of arrival and can be extended for up to 6 months. The cost of the visa is 15 US$ for SAARC nations (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan) and 45 US$ for others (January 2013).
It is quite simple to obtain Visa extensions for up to 90 days. Extensions are readily available at the Department of Immigration (011-532 9300; www.immigration.gov.lk; 41 Ananda Rajakaruna Mw, Col 10; 9am-4.30 pm Mon-Fri), in Punchi Borella, Colombo. The last payments are received at 3:30 p.m. The department sets the expense in US dollars, however you pay in rupees. You get a visa extension for 3 months, and you can request your extension nearly as quickly as you arrive in Sri Lanka (the 30-day visa given upon entry is included in the three months). You can extend for an additional 3 months after your first extension. So entirely you can get a maximum of 6 months visa to Sri Lanka.
#10. What Are The Entry Requirements To Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka is an extremely simple nation to check out, and there are not numerous entry requirements, just that you apply for an online "ETA Tourist Visa" prior to getting in. It is really simple and fast to get the online visa. There is either no requirement for vaccinations.
The only think you will need when entering Sri Lanka, in addition to the online visa, is at least one blank page in your passport which needs to stand for at least six months from the date of entry.
#11. Are There Any Health Issues When Travelling In Sri Lanka?
Travel to Sri Lanak
There are no significant health concerns or risks when taking a trip in Sri Lanka. The greatest risk is probably diarrhea, as in a lot of Asian countries, but we did not have any of that during our five weeks eating anything everywhere. There is a minor danger of getting Dengue Fever and Malaria, so use mosquito repellent and sleep under a mosquito internet (most guest houses have internet over the beds where there are mosquitoes).
Do however bring a small medical set. And do bring sun block! You can purchase sun screen in Sri Lanka, however not all over, and they might not have the sun defense element (SPF) that you want.
Of course, never ever go without legitimate travel insurance! Travel insurance coverage might seem expensive, but it is nothing compared to exactly what medical aid can cost if you require it. This is the something you don't wish to cut corners on, so get a good one.
#12. How Is The Phone And Internet Coverage In Sri Lanka?
A lot of hotels, visitor houses, and restaurants in Sri Lanka are offering free Wi-fi. In some places the web can be extremely slow; however it's enough for emails and Facebook and so on.
Phone SIM cards are easy to purchase, for under 5 US$. Having a local SIM card with a regional number is excellent, you get inexpensive local rates, and it is practical for calling lodgings to reserve a space, and taxis/ tuk-tuk. For the SIM card to work, your phone needs to be "opened.".
#13. When to Visit Sri Lanka?
When to Visit Sri Lanka
December to March is the very best time to visit Sri Lanka ´ s West Coast, South Coast and the Hill Country (dry season).
April to September is the very best time to visit the Ancient Cities and the East Coast.
High season for checking out Sri Lanka is December- March, shoulder season is April and September- November, while low season is May- August.
July- August is the time of the 10-day festival ´ Kandy Esala Perahera ´, honouring the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha (in Kandy). It is also the time for the ´ Kataragama Festival ´ in the South of Sri Lanka. Throughout these festivals, you need to schedule lodging well ahead of time.
#14. Is It Safe To Visit Sri Lanka?
Is It Safe To Visit Sri Lanka
Yes, it is safe to visit Sri Lanka. For numerous years, the country was off the traveler map, due to the twenty-six-year-long civil war, which ended in 2009.
Sri Lanka is getting extremely popular with tourists from India. Numerous daily flights between Delhi , Mumbai , Chennai and more cities in South India to Colombo has made Sri Lanka , one of the most preferred holiday destination with the outbound travelers from India . Swan Tours, One of the leading Travel agents in India has been promoting Sri Lanka since 1995. The most selling holiday itinerary to Sri Lanka by Swan Tours, Delhi is https://www.swantour.com/international-packages/sri-lanka/colombo-bentota-kandy-nuwara-eliya-tour-package
Must things to know before you go to Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka Travel GuideTravel Tips for Indians visiting Sri LankaTravel to Sri LankaUltimate Sri Lanka Travel GuideUltimate Travel Guide for Indians Visiting Sri Lanka
swantour
Must Visit Tourist Destinations in Croatia
Tourist information on Landscape of Bhutan
Weather in Sri Lanka
5 Amazing Wildlife National Park in Sri Lanka
Best Sri Lankan Foods for Vegan & Non-Vegetarian...
How to Reach Sri Lanka
Packing Tips for Sri Lanka
Fairs and Festivals in Sri Lanka in 2020
What to do in Sri Lanka in 7...


aimaachzone.org has expired. The data items displayed on this page are the last ones that were collected.
3/5/18: transferred from ns01.cashparking.com. and ns02.cashparking.com. to ns59.domaincontrol.com. and ns60.domaincontrol.com.


I t's the 24th of July. Sorry we missed yesterday's dispatch, we couldn't get enough satellite coverage to get out of the valley we were in, which was the Adylsu Valley. It is a beautiful glacial valley near the ridge crest of the main Caucas range. It is one of my favorite places in the world.
We love to come up here and camp, we did so last night as we left the comforts of our lodge behind for just one night and we had a beautiful camp in a meadow we called the Green Hotel. We watched deer grazing on the ridge above us and Lenya our cook, our mountain cook and the woman who will cook for us up on Elbrus prepared a wonderful Borsch, that classic Russian soup for us.
This morning we had our first glacier day, we got up at 4:00am and we moved up through the Adylsu glacier and began climbing quite early. One thing that was on our mind was Deke Owens had been talking the whole trip and he was talking this morning about the fact that it was he and Corrine's anniversary, eleventh anniversary actually and that it is a real special day for him. I have to comment that Corrine and the kids have been so supportive for Deke climbing with me a lot over the last couple of years. The adventures and challenges he has shared with Berg Adventures have been wonderful and we are thinking about his family back home.
We climbed today at a really unique and special place, we went up to the very ridge crest of the Caucasus at 12,000 ft (3,657m), and we put on our crampons and climbed up the glacier. Eventually we roped up and reached a col or a small pass at a really spectacular place today.


text:
Research School of Psychology
ANU College of Health & Medicine
Sign-up for research
PhD & MPhil
Scholarships & prizes
ANU Psychology Clinic
ANU Psychology eTherapy Clinic
Future students enquiries
Discover our degree programs and courses.
Read about our research.
Research story:
The world's best evidence-based loneliness intervention »
We offer specialised psychological services to the community through the ANU Psychology Clinic and E-Clinic.
Find our people contacts and read about their profiles.
Find out about the school's latest news and events.
A new approach to understanding and improving human health »
Read about the school's history, governance and structure.
» News & events » Events » Talks on Eco-anxiety and inclusive energy transitions – part of the Social Dimensions of Climate Change Transitions Seminar Series
Talks on Eco-anxiety and inclusive energy transitions – part of the Social Dimensions of Climate Change Transitions Seminar Series
Come to hear to two fascinating talks, one on eco-anxiety and one on inclusive energy transitions on Thursday December 8 2022. The talks will be by Tanja Russell and Kate Donnelly, respectively. This will be part of the Social Dimensions of Climate Change Transitions seminar series.42A Peter Baume Building, Room 2.05.
Wed, 07 Dec 2022 23:00:00 +0000Thu, 08 Dec 2022 00:30:00 +0000
Come to hear to two fascinating talks , one on eco-anxiety and one on inclusive energy transitions on Thursday 8 December 2022. The first talk will be by Tanja Russell on the topics of "A 'greenhouse affect'? Exploring young Australians' emotional responses to climate change". The second talk will be by Kate Donnelly on the topic of "Imagined futures in the context of the energy transition: A case study from the Central Highlands Region of Queensland." Talks are part of the Social Dimensions of Climate Change Transitions seminar series.
Morning tea is included so don't forget to include your mug.
10am Thursday 8 December 2022
https://www.anu.edu.au/events/ecoanxiety-and-inclusive-energy-transitions
A 'greenhouse affect'? Exploring young Australians' emotional responses to climate change
Recent studies reveal that young people around the world are experiencing a range of eco-emotions related to environmental degradation, including climate anxiety, anger and a sense of powerlessness. In Australia, young people have also voiced distrust in the Federal government for failing to adequately address climate change, a critical threat to their future. In this Master's research, I draw upon a social-ecological systems framework to explore the affective dimensions of climate change as experienced by young Australians aged 18-24 (N=14). A primary, overarching finding is of climate change as a multidimensional emotional challenge for young people, with four sub-themes describing key experiences through which it manifests: a fragmented climate education; disillusionment with politics, but hope for change; reckoning with uncertain futures; and grappling with agency. The findings contribute to the growing literature on eco-emotions, highlighting experiences of interrelated emotions that resist being reduced to one label (eg, 'eco-anxiety'). Accordingly, I offer the term 'greenhouse affect' as a means to convey the breadth of emotions provoked by climate change, and to avoid potentially pathologizing language. I also discuss implications for educating young Australians about climate change, and how this might improve their sense of agency to meaningfully contribute to climate solutions.
Bio for Tanja Russell
Tanja Russell came to the Master of Climate Change program at ANU after holding policy roles at the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Australian Fisheries Management Authority, and corporate positions at CSIRO. She works on climate adaptation projects at ANU's Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions, and hopes to be accepted into a PhD program in the Crawford School of Public Policy in 2023.
Imagined futures in the context of the energy transition: A case study from the Central Highlands Region of Queensland
There is a growing recognition that global efforts to decarbonise energy systems pose significant risks to local communities with a dominant fossil fuel industry. Proactive and inclusive energy transition planning - often referred to as a just transition - can mitigate some of these risks, however recent studies have shown that the legacy of Australia's "climate wars" continues to impact conversations about the future of coal producing regions. This case study explores how social group dynamics affect conversations about the future in Blackwater, a metallurgical coal mining community in Queensland's Bowen Basin. The study's findings suggest that there is little active polarisation over the future of coal in Blackwater, but there is potential for premature conversations about a local energy transition to reignite social conflict, especially if led by out-groups. Instead, the findings suggest that regional development planning processes should seek to address challenges identified by locals today - such as the impacts of a growing itinerant workforce and lack of social services - in ways that take account of social group dynamics. Over time, this approach can help build the social conditions necessary for communities like Blackwater to successfully navigate periods of deep uncertainty and risk, such as that associated with the global energy transition, with agency and creativity.
Bio for Kate Donnelly
Kate Donnelly started to act on climate change as a volunteer with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition in high school. Grassroots movements and social change theory have continued to shape her praxis since then, expanding with roles in climate policy, community development projects and feminist movement building in Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Today, Kate is an analyst at the Investor Group on Climate Change, where she works with institutional investors to drive down the emissions of some of Australia's largest companies. She is also looking forward to graduating from the ANU with a Master of Climate Change this December!
About the seminar series:
Social Dimensions of Climate Change Transitions in Australia is a new community of practice for researchers and policy makers. We encourage members to come along to all the seminars, whether they are directly related to their research or not. It is a chance to learn about the broader context, build networks with others, and present their research to a wider audience. These seminars will be in person**. We will run seminars every six weeks. If you would like to subscribe to the mailing list, please email Sarah.Boddington@anu.edu.au or Rebecca.Blackburn@anu.edu.au or Hannah.Feldman@anu.edu.au, or Allyson.Crimp@anu.edu.au.
The Social Dimensions of Climate Change Transitions in Australia
10–11.30am Thursday 8 Dec 2022
Tanja Russell
Kate Donnelly
42A Peter Baume Building, Room 2.05.
Rebecca Blackburn
rebecca.blackburn@anu.edu.au
Australasian Society for Experimental Psychology Conference »

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Muslim man defeated in New Jersey Election
Utah Organization Aims To Get Muslims On The Ballot
Utah Muslim Civic League is an organization that seeks to get muslim candidates on the ballot.
Pakistani Lawyer Running for Office in Florida
Khurrum Wahid, a Pakistani-born Muslim, is a candidate for Coral Springs City Commission, Seat 2 in Florida.
Nigerian immigrant running for Nashville Metro Council at Large
Farrakhan Loving Mayor Up For Re-Election
MoveOn Endorses Rashida Tlaib for Re-Election in 2020
First Female Muslim Mayor Elected in the U.S.
Grandson Of Munich Massacre Terrorist Running For Congress
Ammar Campa-Najjar, the grandson of a muslim terrorist, is running for Congress in California, District 50.
Muslims Running for Virginia State Senate
Muslim Man Running for Virginia State Senate
Sharafat Hussain-Babu is a Democratic candidate for Virginia State Senate, District 33. Hussain-Babu is a Bangladeshi muslim man. On Hussain-Babu's website, it states: I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the opportunity to represent the 33rd district after residing for more than a decade in Loudon County. I have received a tremendous amount of…
Muslim Woman Running for Virginia State Senate
Muslim Man Defeated in Sugar Land City Council Election
Two Muslim Candidates Head to Runoff Election in Texas
Political Organization Seeks To Get Muslims Elected In Georgia
Video: Kamala Harris Confronted
Kamala Harris Confronted
Afghan-American woman running for Congress in California
Aisha Wahab, an Afghan-American muslim woman, is running for Congress in California, district 15.
Video: Joe Biden confronted about groping children
Joe Biden confronted about groping children
Video: Creepy Joe Biden
Creepy Joe Biden
Anti-Trump muslim seeks seat on the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors
Video: Bernie Sanders says convicted terrorists and rapists should be allowed to vote from prison
Bernie Sanders says convicted terrorists and sex predators should be allowed to vote from prison
Muslim groups aim to get 5,000 muslims to run for office in 2020
Political Organization seeks to get muslims elected in Kansas City
KC Muslim Civic Initiative is a political organization aimed at getting muslims elected in Kansas City, Missouri.
Former Obama White House Intern Drops Out Of Race For Congress
Massachusetts Muslim Man Drops Out Of Race For Congress
Pennsylvania Muslim Woman Sworn into Office on Quran
Linda Sarsour Congratulates First Muslim Woman Elected to Pennsylvania House of Representatives
CAIR Celebrates First Muslim Woman Elected to Pennsylvania House of Representatives
First Muslim Woman Elected to Pennsylvania State House
Movita Johnson-Harrell has been elected to Pennsylvania State House District 190. According to reports, "At 9:20 p.m., with 58 of 80 precincts reporting, Johnson-Harrell had garnered 66 percent of the vote, with her nearest challenger at 21 percent." Johnson-Harrell is the first muslim woman elected as State Representative in Pennsylvania. Johnson-Harrell is the Founder of The CHARLES…
Muslim Woman runs for Virginia State Senate
Yasmine Taeb is a Democratic candidate for State Senate in Virginia's 35th District for the 2019 election. Taeb came to the U.S. from Iran, illegally, when she was in the second grade. Taeb says that her and her family made their way to Mexico and climbed through a hole in the fence at the southern…
Jetpac hosts banquet to celebrate and discuss "America Muslim political power"
On March 2nd, Jetpac hosted the 2019 Fellowship Banquet to celebrate and discuss "American Muslim political power." Jetpac is an organization that seeks to to have Muslims at all levels of the Government. On their website it states, "Jetpac seeks to build a strong American Muslim political infrastructure and increase our community's influence and engagement. We will take our…
Organizations aimed at getting more Muslims elected in the United States Government
Muslims running in U.S. Elections (2019-2020)
Muslim Woman Seeks Pennsylvania House of Representatives Seat
Solicitor General of Michigan Sworn into Office on the Quran
In January, The Attorney General of Michigan, Dana Nessel, appointed Fadwa Hammoud, a muslim woman, as Solicitor General of Michigan. On Tuesday, Hammoud was sworn into office on the quran. Hammoud was previously an at-large member on the Dearborn Public Schools school board in Michigan. Hammoud was appointed to the board in 2015 and won re-election in…
Michigan Attorney General Appoints Muslim Woman as Solicitor General
The Attorney General of Michigan, Dana Nessel, appointed Fadwa Hammoud, a muslim woman, as Solicitor General of Michigan. Hammoud was previously an at-large member on the Dearborn Public Schools school board in Michigan. Hammoud was appointed to the board in 2015 and won re-election in 2016. Fadwa Hammoud is the first Arab muslim person to hold…
Muslim man running for California State Senate
City of Bell Councilmember and former Mayor, Ali Saleh is running for California State Senate in District 33. Saleh is running in the primary special election on March 26, 2019. The general special election is June 4, 2019. Saleh was a candidate for California State Senate in 2018 but was defeated. Saleh is the son of parents from Lebanon. Saleh…
Video: Beto supporters beat Trump piñata
Beto supporters beat Trump piñata
Massachusetts Muslim Man Running For Congress In 2020
LIVE: President Trump in El Paso, TX
deplorablekelDeplorable Kel is an independent journalist from California who covers news that the mainstream media refuses to report on. Kel covers anti-American candidates running in the U.S. elections, terrorism, crimes committed by illegal aliens and the indoctrination of children through schools and media. Donate to Deplorablekel.com http://deplorablekel.com
Muslim Woman Elected to Vice Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party
On Jan. 26th, the Arizona Democratic Party State Committee Meeting was held to elect several members to the committee. Deedra Abboud was one of 6 people elected to Arizona Democratic Party Vice Chair. There were a total of 9 Vice Chair candidates with 6 Vice Chair positions open. Deedra was elected with 52% of the votes. Abboud is…


I loved watching how happy Jessica and Mark were all day! They enjoyed every special detail they had worked on throughout the year. My personal favorite was the wedding cake that was actually cupcakes covered in rice crispy treat and frosting. Keep an eye out for the photo of the inside of the cake! Jessica and Mark glowed on their wedding day and I hope the photos show just how happy they were.


Quality Machining came into existence in November 1998. However, the shop has been in operation for 25 years: first as the machine shop for HRB Systems Company and most recently for Raytheon Systems, State College division. Raytheon acquired the HRB E-Systems in 1995 and, at that time, the complex was a development and manufacturing facility with 35 employees in the machine shop.
In 1996 Raytheon changed the direction of the State College facility to emphasize research and development and phase out manufacturing. As this evolved, Raytheon management was faced with finding a private investor or closing the machine shop. An agreement was reached with Quality Machining to purchase the machinery and lease the machine area, operating independently. At that time, the machine shop was staffed by seven full-time machinists who agreed to stay on with Quality Machining, thus giving us over 80 years experience in the electronics and communication industry.
Since November 1998 we have experienced a steady growth. In April 2004 Mr. Koleno became the sole owner of Quality Machining, Inc. We currently have 54 full-time production personnel and a support staff of five. We have outgrown our facility on Science Park Road and have moved into our new state-of-the-art facility at Penn Eagle Industrial Park in Bellefonte.


By becoming a Friend of Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna, you have the knowledge that you will be supporting us in our work to conserve our heritage sites for future generations. Thus you will be contributing positively towards the upkeep of our heritage.
Additionally our FWA Friendship will give you free and unlimited access to our sites and attractions. You will also benefit from preferential rates on tickets for FWA's great events .


text:
namespace diagnostics {

namespace {

const int64_t kOneKilobyte = 1024;
const int64_t kOneMegabyte = 1024 * kOneKilobyte;

class InstallTypeTest;
InstallTypeTest* g_install_type = 0;

// Check that the disk space in the volume where the user data directory
// normally lives is not dangerously low.
class DiskSpaceTest : public DiagnosticsTest {
 public:
  DiskSpaceTest() : DiagnosticsTest(DIAGNOSTICS_DISK_SPACE_TEST) {}

  bool ExecuteImpl(DiagnosticsModel::Observer* observer) override {
    base::FilePath data_dir;
    if (!PathService::Get(chrome::DIR_USER_DATA, &data_dir))
      return false;
    int64_t disk_space = base::SysInfo::AmountOfFreeDiskSpace(data_dir);
    if (disk_space < 0) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_UNABLE_TO_QUERY, "Unable to query free space");
      return true;
    }
    std::string printable_size = base::Int64ToString(disk_space);
    if (disk_space < 80 * kOneMegabyte) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_LOW_DISK_SPACE,
                    "Low disk space: " + printable_size);
      return true;
    }
    RecordSuccess("Free space: " + printable_size);
    return true;
  }

 private:
  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(DiskSpaceTest);
};

// Check if it is system install or per-user install.
class InstallTypeTest : public DiagnosticsTest {
 public:
  InstallTypeTest()
      : DiagnosticsTest(DIAGNOSTICS_INSTALL_TYPE_TEST), user_level_(false) {}

  bool ExecuteImpl(DiagnosticsModel::Observer* observer) override {
#if defined(OS_WIN)
    base::FilePath chrome_exe;
    if (!PathService::Get(base::FILE_EXE, &chrome_exe)) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_INSTALL_PATH_PROVIDER, "Path provider failure");
      return false;
    }
    user_level_ = InstallUtil::IsPerUserInstall(chrome_exe);
    const char* type = user_level_ ? "User Level" : "System Level";
    std::string install_type(type);
#else
    std::string install_type("System Level");
#endif  // defined(OS_WIN)
    RecordSuccess(install_type);
    g_install_type = this;
    return true;
  }

  bool system_level() const { return !user_level_; }

 private:
  bool user_level_;
  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(InstallTypeTest);
};

// Checks that a given JSON file can be correctly parsed.
class JSONTest : public DiagnosticsTest {
 public:
  enum FileImportance {
    NON_CRITICAL,
    CRITICAL
  };

  JSONTest(const base::FilePath& path,
           DiagnosticsTestId id,
           int64_t max_file_size,
           FileImportance importance)
      : DiagnosticsTest(id),
        path_(path),
        max_file_size_(max_file_size),
        importance_(importance) {}

  bool ExecuteImpl(DiagnosticsModel::Observer* observer) override {
    if (!base::PathExists(path_)) {
      if (importance_ == CRITICAL) {
        RecordOutcome(DIAG_RECON_FILE_NOT_FOUND,
                      "File not found",
                      DiagnosticsModel::TEST_FAIL_CONTINUE);
      } else {
        RecordOutcome(DIAG_RECON_FILE_NOT_FOUND_OK,
                      "File not found (but that is OK)",
                      DiagnosticsModel::TEST_OK);
      }
      return true;
    }
    int64_t file_size;
    if (!base::GetFileSize(path_, &file_size)) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_CANNOT_OBTAIN_FILE_SIZE,
                    "Cannot obtain file size");
      return true;
    }

    if (file_size > max_file_size_) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_FILE_TOO_BIG, "File too big");
      return true;
    }
    // Being small enough, we can process it in-memory.
    std::string json_data;
    if (!base::ReadFileToString(path_, &json_data)) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_UNABLE_TO_OPEN_FILE,
                    "Could not open file. Possibly locked by another process");
      return true;
    }

    JSONStringValueDeserializer json(json_data);
    int error_code = base::JSONReader::JSON_NO_ERROR;
    std::string error_message;
    std::unique_ptr<base::Value> json_root(
        json.Deserialize(&error_code, &error_message));
    if (base::JSONReader::JSON_NO_ERROR != error_code) {
      if (error_message.empty()) {
        error_message = "Parse error " + base::IntToString(error_code);
      }
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_PARSE_ERROR, error_message);
      return true;
    }

    RecordSuccess("File parsed OK");
    return true;
  }

 private:
  base::FilePath path_;
  int64_t max_file_size_;
  FileImportance importance_;
  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(JSONTest);
};

// Check that the flavor of the operating system is supported.
class OperatingSystemTest : public DiagnosticsTest {
 public:
  OperatingSystemTest()
      : DiagnosticsTest(DIAGNOSTICS_OPERATING_SYSTEM_TEST) {}

  bool ExecuteImpl(DiagnosticsModel::Observer* observer) override {
#if defined(OS_WIN)
    base::win::Version version = base::win::GetVersion();
    if ((version < base::win::VERSION_XP) ||
        ((version == base::win::VERSION_XP) &&
         (base::win::OSInfo::GetInstance()->service_pack().major < 2))) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_PRE_WINDOW_XP_SP2,
                    "Must have Windows XP SP2 or later");
      return false;
    }
#else
// TODO(port): define the OS criteria for Linux and Mac.
#endif  // defined(OS_WIN)
    RecordSuccess(
        base::StringPrintf("%s %s",
                           base::SysInfo::OperatingSystemName().c_str(),
                           base::SysInfo::OperatingSystemVersion().c_str()));
    return true;
  }

 private:
  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(OperatingSystemTest);
};

struct TestPathInfo {
  DiagnosticsTestId test_id;
  int path_id;
  bool is_directory;
  bool is_optional;
  bool test_writable;
  int64_t max_size;
};

const TestPathInfo kPathsToTest[] = {
    {DIAGNOSTICS_PATH_DICTIONARIES_TEST, chrome::DIR_APP_DICTIONARIES, true,
     true, false, 0},
    {DIAGNOSTICS_PATH_LOCAL_STATE_TEST, chrome::FILE_LOCAL_STATE, false, false,
     true, 500 * kOneKilobyte},
    {DIAGNOSTICS_PATH_RESOURCES_TEST, chrome::FILE_RESOURCES_PACK, false, false,
     false, 0},
    {DIAGNOSTICS_PATH_USER_DATA_TEST, chrome::DIR_USER_DATA, true, false, true,
     850 * kOneMegabyte},
};

// Check that the user's data directory exists and the paths are writable.
// If it is a system-wide install some paths are not expected to be writable.
// This test depends on |InstallTypeTest| having run successfully.
class PathTest : public DiagnosticsTest {
 public:
  explicit PathTest(const TestPathInfo& path_info)
      : DiagnosticsTest(path_info.test_id),
        path_info_(path_info) {}

  bool ExecuteImpl(DiagnosticsModel::Observer* observer) override {
    if (!g_install_type) {
      RecordStopFailure(DIAG_RECON_DEPENDENCY, "Install dependency failure");
      return false;
    }
    base::FilePath dir_or_file;
    if (!PathService::Get(path_info_.path_id, &dir_or_file)) {
      RecordStopFailure(DIAG_RECON_PATH_PROVIDER, "Path provider failure");
      return false;
    }
    if (!base::PathExists(dir_or_file)) {
      RecordFailure(
          DIAG_RECON_PATH_NOT_FOUND,
          "Path not found: " +
              base::UTF16ToUTF8(dir_or_file.LossyDisplayName()));
      return true;
    }

    int64_t dir_or_file_size = 0;
    if (path_info_.is_directory) {
      dir_or_file_size = base::ComputeDirectorySize(dir_or_file);
    } else {
      base::GetFileSize(dir_or_file, &dir_or_file_size);
    }
    if (!dir_or_file_size && !path_info_.is_optional) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_CANNOT_OBTAIN_SIZE,
                    "Cannot obtain size for: " +
                        base::UTF16ToUTF8(dir_or_file.LossyDisplayName()));
      return true;
    }
    std::string printable_size = base::Int64ToString(dir_or_file_size);

    if (path_info_.max_size > 0) {
      if (dir_or_file_size > path_info_.max_size) {
        RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_FILE_TOO_LARGE,
                      "Path contents too large (" + printable_size + ") for: " +
                          base::UTF16ToUTF8(dir_or_file.LossyDisplayName()));
        return true;
      }
    }
    if (g_install_type->system_level() && !path_info_.test_writable) {
      RecordSuccess("Path exists");
      return true;
    }
    if (!base::PathIsWritable(dir_or_file)) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_NOT_WRITABLE,
                    "Path is not writable: " +
                        base::UTF16ToUTF8(dir_or_file.LossyDisplayName()));
      return true;
    }
    RecordSuccess("Path exists and is writable: " + printable_size);
    return true;
  }

 private:
  TestPathInfo path_info_;
  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(PathTest);
};

// Check the version of Chrome.
class VersionTest : public DiagnosticsTest {
 public:
  VersionTest() : DiagnosticsTest(DIAGNOSTICS_VERSION_TEST) {}

  bool ExecuteImpl(DiagnosticsModel::Observer* observer) override {
    std::string current_version = version_info::GetVersionNumber();
    if (current_version.empty()) {
      RecordFailure(DIAG_RECON_EMPTY_VERSION, "Empty Version");
      return true;
    }
    std::string version_modifier = chrome::GetChannelString();
    if (!version_modifier.empty())
      current_version += " " + version_modifier;
#if defined(GOOGLE_CHROME_BUILD)
    current_version += " GCB";
#endif  // defined(GOOGLE_CHROME_BUILD)
    RecordSuccess(current_version);
    return true;
  }

 private:
  DISALLOW_COPY_AND_ASSIGN(VersionTest);
};

}  // namespace

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeDiskSpaceTest() {
  return base::MakeUnique<DiskSpaceTest>();
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeInstallTypeTest() {
  return base::MakeUnique<InstallTypeTest>();
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeBookMarksTest() {
  base::FilePath path = DiagnosticsTest::GetUserDefaultProfileDir();
  path = path.Append(bookmarks::kBookmarksFileName);
  return base::MakeUnique<JSONTest>(path, DIAGNOSTICS_JSON_BOOKMARKS_TEST,
                                    2 * kOneMegabyte, JSONTest::NON_CRITICAL);
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeLocalStateTest() {
  base::FilePath path;
  PathService::Get(chrome::DIR_USER_DATA, &path);
  path = path.Append(chrome::kLocalStateFilename);
  return base::MakeUnique<JSONTest>(path, DIAGNOSTICS_JSON_LOCAL_STATE_TEST,
                                    50 * kOneKilobyte, JSONTest::CRITICAL);
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakePreferencesTest() {
  base::FilePath path = DiagnosticsTest::GetUserDefaultProfileDir();
  path = path.Append(chrome::kPreferencesFilename);
  return base::MakeUnique<JSONTest>(path, DIAGNOSTICS_JSON_PREFERENCES_TEST,
                                    100 * kOneKilobyte, JSONTest::CRITICAL);
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeOperatingSystemTest() {
  return base::MakeUnique<OperatingSystemTest>();
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeDictonaryDirTest() {
  return base::MakeUnique<PathTest>(kPathsToTest[0]);
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeLocalStateFileTest() {
  return base::MakeUnique<PathTest>(kPathsToTest[1]);
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeResourcesFileTest() {
  return base::MakeUnique<PathTest>(kPathsToTest[2]);
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeUserDirTest() {
  return base::MakeUnique<PathTest>(kPathsToTest[3]);
}

std::unique_ptr<DiagnosticsTest> MakeVersionTest() {
  return base::MakeUnique<VersionTest>();
}

}  // namespace diagnostics

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


While liberating this future field-trial champion from your litter yesterday, I forgot to ask for shot records, his union card and country club membership. Come to think of it, don't bother.
Pup uses tree limb for dental floss.
During the drive from Dallas to TallTown, the 8-week-old set of needle teeth gave five hours of broad hints as to his lineage: He chewed on my hands, my ears, my cap, the steering wheel and the gear shift knob. Chief object of his affection, however, was a wicker basket specially prepared for his journey. He tried to eat it.
Last night, the pup celebrated his first night away from his littermates with a 2 a.m. wee-wee dance on our hardwood floors, followed at 4 by a private poopee party on The Matriarch's favorite den rug. For a visual, think Kappa Sig rush party. Artistic in every way, this masterpiece would have Vincent Van Gough quit the paint brush for a tennis racquet.
Hungry for protein, pup turns to the nearest source.
Now fully empty and pleased with his work, the pup looked for new worlds to conquer. Didn't take long. I had no idea a dog's sleeping pads had so many government labels. And who knew that yanking and tugging would produce such a satisfying shreds? Soon enough, my toothy terrorist will learn that in 14 states, removing these labels is a felony.
We all envision this pup growing into 75 pounds of valued field companion, an all-star retriever of dove and pheasant, with a keen nose for endangered species, such as quail and honest Senators. Lofty goals require commitment. The pup must watch his diet. This morning, wunderdog eschewed a bowl full of overly engineered, over-priced Science Diet Puppy Blend, Large Breed in favor of his breakfast of champions — human flesh. Nothing, it seems, gets a pup's day kick-started quite like sinking his teeth into the chewy goodness of my bare toes.
Nothing with straps is safe, not even the camera bag.
If, after reviewing these clues, there might be any room left for doubt, the pup's background was fully revealed an hour ago. He happily walked past a stack of squeaky, gummy, ridiculously expensive store-bought chew-toys, and started gnawing on the corner of our brick home. Yep. He's a Lab.
In the absence of human flesh, pup tries to eat a tree.
Bogey – A bad thing, always waiting to happen.
Miner – In honor of the only alma mater I will ever have, UTEP, Oxford on the Interstate. Our rumdum mascot, Paydirt Pete, didn't make the finals.
B-52 – A serious bomber, this pup carries a heavy payload.
Klozer – Every good pitching staff needs one.
Jhihadist – A mutt on a misguided mission of evil.
Overbite – Tooth imprints on my ankles prove it.
En route from Dallas to West Texas, needed his rest. Takes a lot of energy to eat a steering wheel and a gear shift.
Lawyer – Fill in the blank.
Queso – Everybody likes cheese. Ask yourself, what's better than cheese? Only melted cheese.
Napper – Tending to the pup every three hours at night, I could use a nap right about now. We all could.
Blocker – At long last, it would be nice to finally have one in this house. Old football teammates have waited long enough.
And to think you once had eight of these creatures? I'll put in the good word for you with St. Peter. Meantime, put yourself in for a pay raise. You deserve it.
Pup must be a literary critic. He gets wildly excited by good writing.


text:
ANNAINAUSTIN...and Company!
Covering Music, Film and Pop Culture
art / blog / director / festival / film / movie / Nashville / Our Man In Nashville
Nashville Film Festival, Day Four
by Anna · June 12, 2018
Image from the Harry Ransom Center, photo by Anna Hanks
via Our Man in Nashville, JASON T SPARKS
Sunday, May 12. This is not going to be the last day of the Nashville Film Festival, but it is going to be my last day; Tuesday, I'm leaving Nashville for about a week to take my son on a tour of a college in Wisconsin. Would I rather hang out here and keep watching movies? Part of me would, yes, but there are decidedly worse fates than a road trip with one's incredibly cool oldest son.
This being my last day, I fill it to its theoretical rafters; today, I will take in five movies, more than any prior day. Four of them are good. Four of them have reasons to recommend them, four of them are worth your time, should they play near you, even if they're flawed. The fifth, however…I'll just go ahead and tell you that you are very likely to see the fifth. I know for a fact–and this is not always the case at festivals–that it is going to have a mass-market release. I also know–well, more accurately, I predict–it's going to make terrific box office, but more importantly, it's going to spark discussion. First, the four good movies…
The Good Documentary That I'm Not Entirely Sure We Needed. Christine Woodhouse's One Vote was filmed entirely on a single day, one that will live in infamy, etc: November 8, 2016, our most recent Election Day. As the title would suggest, the film is about voting, and about various efforts across the country to cast votes, and to get other people to cast votes.
In Omaha, Nebraska, we follow trolley buses hired by Omaha's most famous resident, Mr. Warren Buffet, as they roam the city in search of Omahans needing a ride to the polls; Warren himself rides one of the trolleys, and answers questions asked of him by the general public as if he were–well, as if he weren't Warren Farkarkte Buffet, occasional Richest Man In The World (when Messrs Gates and Helu falter, that is). In rural Alaska, we watch Claude and Jennifer Bondy drive to their polling station, taking their son along and explaining the importance of voting to him–which sounds like watching paint dry, until you realize that "rural Alaska" makes rural anywhere else look like midtown Manhattan–their drive to the polls takes around eight hours, during which they have time to stop and hunt for elk. (Spoiler: the elk…does not make it to the polls. Well, he does, but he's in no position to vote.)
In Chicago, we don't watch a particular voter, but we are at a unique polling place–a polling tavern. That's right, Chi-town boasts a bar and Italian restaurant in which it's possible to vote; we spend the day with owner James Higgins as he guides voters and fixes drinks. In Kentucky, we watch what becomes the film's most emotional story, as one Michael Hiser, a convicted felon who now serves as an addiction counselor, casting his first presidential vote since having his right to vote restored. There's no question that Hiser, now a devoted dad and a beneficial member of his community, has reached a better season in his life; whether he'll actually manage to jump the bureaucratic hoops between he and his vote is another matter.
All of which eventually serves to tell us…what? Voting is good, and we should do it? Sometimes it's difficult to vote? Maybe I live in a bubble of sorts, but those aren't surprising concepts in my world. Of course, there may be worlds where those are surprising concepts. If so, those worlds need this documentary. So, perhaps, we didn't need it, if we means the privileged crowd at a film festival, but for any other we, it couldn't hurt.
The Good Documentary That Doesn't Necessarily Accomplish Its Stated Goal, But See It Anyway, Especially On A Big Screen, And Thus Remember Why We Go To Movies In The First Place. Neil Galinas is a documentarian who, for 88 minutes, takes us Into the Okavango. The Okavango is a river in Africa which flows through Angola, Botswana, and Namibia; surrounding it is the Okavango Delta, an unbelievably dense and diverse swath of flora and fauna–which swatch, according to researchers, is shrinking every year. To that end, National Geographic sent a team of researchers into the delta, hoping they would learn why the delta is in peril.
It cannot be denied that the team, led by scientists from around the world (including Angolan Adjany Costa, the most compelling "character", if you will, in the film, who recounts the time she and her entire, extended family hid in a bathroom during the Angolan revolution), make voluminous discoveries in the delta; each scientist whose focus is a particular subset of the animal kingdom discovers multiple species hitherto unknown. Likewise, the local species discover them, especially the species known as Hippopotamus amphibius–The Okavango is home to vast numbers of hippo, one of whom, in the film's most memorable sequence, glides up under one of the team's boats, and capsizes it. We are treated to a POV version of this, from a camera that happened to be mounted (and running) on the boat in question.
What can be denied, however, is that a specific cause is ever determined for the Okavango's decline; perhaps I was expecting someone in a pith helmet and jodhpurs to say, "AHA! The Okavango is dying because of Thing X!"–and perhaps I was unrealistic in that. The film will succeed, however, as a clarion call to environmental action, because it shows us how much life there is in the Okavango, and how unfathomably beautiful it can be. The snarky might call it "planet porn"–if you like perfectly lit, slow-motion footage of bull elephants charging through a field, you're going to like this. And you owe it to yourself to see it on something other than a TV. (And you owe it to your planet to react to what you see.)
The Narrative Movie That Was Undeniably Well-Made, But Happened To Be About A Terrible Person. Susanna Nicchiarelli's Nico, 1988 focuses on the last few years in the life of Christa Paffgen, AKA "Nico", the singer made famous by Andy Warhol and his troupe. If you're someone who has every Velvet Underground album, if you're interested in the interplay between Nico, Warhol, Lou Reed, et alia, if your default mental picture of Nico is that of some winsome, haunting Manic Pixie Dream Girl, this movie is not for you. This movie occurs, as the title suggests, in 1988, which I must confess, I may have just now figured out: this movie is set in the year after Andy Warhol died. Nico, however, survives, and is attempting to tour Europe–including Eastern Europe, which was still an oppressive and difficult part of the world in 1988; she is also attempting to foster a relationship with her son Ari, who was taken from her custody during the Warhol years, but is now free to live with her.
If, however, actress Trine Dyrholm's performance as Nico is accurate, and I have no reason to believe otherwise, Ari should run from Nico at all speed. The Nico depicted here is an acerbic, bitter harridan; she yells at her musicians, makes anti-Semitic comments to her long-suffering manager (John Gordon Sinclair), and sings like someone doing a bad Marlene Dietrich impression while actively having a stroke—and actively going through heroin withdrawal, as Nico often was. There's no denying that the film is well-acted and beautifully shot—Eastern Europe looks wan and sickly, Southern Europe warm and nurturing—but the film does such a thorough job of depicting this woman's cringe-inducing third act that we are at a loss for the answer to one question: why is it worth our time to know this?
The Narrative Film That Was More Or Less Exactly What I'd Been Hoping For, And As Such…Meh. Mickey Reece's Alien is about Elvis, by which I mean Elvis himself (Jacob Snovel, doing a strong impression) is the main character, and the other characters include Priscilla, Col Tom Parker, and the various inner circles characters known collectively as the "Memphis Mafia". The story, such as it is, posits that Elvis (and his stillborn twin brother, Jesse Garon), were in fact aliens born to Gladys (despite Gladys being human…it's complicated, as the kids say). The King thus spends most of his life, or at least the parts of his life seen here, in search of something missing, unnamable, and baffling to those around him. As is often the case, it's Serious Elvis played for laughs, and while the laughs do occur (particularly for Cate Jones, whose Priscilla is a master class in flat affect), there's not much here you can't already find in Mojo Nixon or early Ben Stiller.
The Narrative Film That Is Going To Be Huge And A Game-Changer and an Argument Starter and I Can't Even With—and I Fell Bass-Ackwards Into Seeing For A Corny Reason.
I pursued the theatre in my youth; as such, I dig Broadway musicals—and I really dig those occasional moments when they are relevant again. As such, I'm one of those people (maybe you know some; maybe you are some) who is obsessed with the musical Hamilton. So, my ears pricked when I saw that one of the films at NFF this year featured a man named Daveed Diggs. Diggs has long been a member of Freestyle Love Supreme, the freestyle rap collective founded by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, and in the initial Broadway run of the Ten-Dollar Founding Father's show, Diggs was a key member of the cast, pulling double duty as Marquis De Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson.
And, as I said, Diggs was (according to the promotional materials) also appearing in a movie at the NFF. The name of that movie is Blindspotting, and yes, Daveed appears in it—he's the main character. He also wrote the screenplay, along with his co-star (and IRL friend since childhood), Rafael Casal. Diggs and Casal also produced the film; Carlos Lopez Estrada directed, but otherwise, it's Daveed's baby.
Perhaps because of the multiple roles he had in its production, a fragment of a thought came to mind as I watched: a black Citizen Kane. It's also possible, however, that the fragment was the result of my being blown away by the film.
Blindspotting, filmed in Diggs' hometown of Oakland, California, tells the story of Colin (Diggs), during the final three days of his parole; he's been away for an unspecified crime (at first—flashbacks reveal what happened, and to give it away here would be a disservice). If he can go his final three days without re-offending, he'll be a completely free man. Obviously, if there were no real risk of his re-offending, there would be no movie, and there is abundant risk. Most of the risk is connected to his friend Miles (Casal), who has known Colin since childhood, and is even more committed than Colin is to the hip-hop-laden world known as "thug life", despite (or maybe because) Miles is Caucasian. (There is an ugly word often applied to folks like Miles, which word might also be used for, say, a manufacturer of wigs, or perhaps one who, if "wig" is being used as an adjective, is perhaps more "wig" than others.) Colin, being on parole, can have nothing to do with firearms; Miles seems to have a supply of them that borders on comical—until it doesn't.
Another risk for Colin is something that has happened to his beloved Oakland during his time inside, something all too common in American cities: the ugly, if well-intentioned, specter of gentrification. The local drive-in fast-food place, likely a stand-in for Los Angeles's iconic Fatburger, has started to offer veggie burgers. The corner store where Miles and Colin grab breakfast (and where Miles grabs his "square", a single, unpackaged cigarette), has started to offer vile-looking green vegetarian drinks. These may not sound like horrifying changes, but the film shows us that they're all part of a bigger picture: young, affluent, largely Caucasian groups discover a neighborhood—inevitably an older, working-class, ethnically diverse neighborhood—and begin to move in, to colonize. Their world, and the trappings thereof, begins to phase out the world and trappings of the old neighborhood. Colin and Miles work for a moving company; in a heart-rending scene, our heroes are sent to an old house, still full with the belongings (including wedding pictures) of the family who once lived there. They've been hired by the new owner, a house flipper whose single directive is to purge everything.
There's another risk for Colin, a risk with the potential to be more than a risk to his parole. On the first of his final three nights, as he drives his moving van back to the halfway house where he's serving his parole, he finds himself at a tragically-timed red light, and thus, he witnesses a white police officer shoot someone—someone who was running away from the police at the time. It's nerve-wracking enough…and then Colin and the police officer, both in shock, make eye contact. Each has seen the other and knows it. The payoff is not immediate, but it looms over most of the movie, haunting it, haunting Colin. Until it doesn't.
When Blindspotting is mass-released, as it is slated to be later this summer, mark my words: it's going to spark discussion, controversy. Newspapers will carry op-ed pieces, and Diggs, in addition to reaching the celebrity stratosphere (possibly exceeding Mr. Miranda), will be invited to discuss/debate his film on news shows. There's a lot here, a lot about gentrification, about race, about cultural appropriation, about law enforcement, about the connotations of another ugly word, perhaps the English language's ugliest…and in the weeks since I've seen it, I'm still unpacking it all. I've been working to decide what Diggs is saying and what he isn't, and whether I agree or not. Colin is given an incredible narrative in the story, forced as he is to negotiate the life he's known and the world coming in all around him; what makes his story more complex (and better for it) is his relationship with Val (Janina Gavankar), an Indian-American who serves as the moving company's dispatcher, and as Colin's on-again off-again love interest. Val grew up in the old Oakland, but aspires to much of the new world as well—she's impressed when Colin actually buys some of the green drink at the corner store. It's Val, an aspiring psychology student, whose studies (and Colin's assistance with same) give the film its title: "Blindspotting" is a mnemonic term Colin coins for the psychological phenomenon behind the two-faces-or-a-vase optical illusion, the one that calls our perceptions into question: what do we see, what don't we see, and why?
And that, I must inform you with a heavy heart and a fatty liver, concludes my coverage of the Nashville Film Festival 2018. Thanks for coming on this journey with me. I have more journeys to come.
Remembering Anthony Bourdain
by Anna · Published September 17, 2018
Check Out Today's Statesman Column on Fantastic Fest and Africa!
by Anna · Published October 1, 2015
Fantastic Fest 2016 in Pictures
by Anna · Published December 31, 2016 · Last modified January 3, 2017
Next story Finding a SXSW Photo in the Wild
Previous story Nashville Film Festival: Day Three
See Anna's photos on
Utne Reader
Flickr Hive Mind
The Daily Dot
Photography World News
Say Hello to Kitty
Another summer, another Latvian music festival
Patchwork of fond memories keeps us warm
Austin American‑Statesman
Austinist
Waco Tribune‑Herald
Essay and Opinion
Why can't SXSW get beyond bro-culture?
The U.S. cannot be like the movie monster that destroys Seoul
Eating gluten free avocado toast in a former Soviet state
Why I broke my commitment to personal laziness to attend the Women's March
Film fails to show the warmth of Jackie Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson
More Essay and Opinion
Features and News
SXSW Eco Coverage: "Green is Good"
SXSW Eco Coverage: Fun With DJ Spooky and DIIV
Friday Fun @SXSWi: It's All About The Cupcake
Friday Fun @SXSWi: How to Rawk SXSW!
Unmarked Heads Found in Southwest Airlines Cargo
More Features and News
Follow annainaustin on Twitter
Email Anna
anna[at]anna-hanks[dot]com
ANNAINAUSTIN…and Company! © 2020. All Rights Reserved.


Dua Lipa is the famous songstress from Kosovo, she is everyday part of the media.
Her beloved Isaac Carew, who is a model and culinary chief, became even more known after started a relation with Dua Lipa.
Thus, in a selfie published by him recently on Instagram, a fan called him gay, while Isaac reacted in a very interesting manner: He has published the person's comment, and has put in its background in an upside-down manner a multicolored emoji, a symbol of the LGBT community.
We recall that Isaac has been very supportive of Lipa, and whenever she visits Kosovo, he comes along with her.


text:
Battling Orkney still in the frame for National League return
Jack Nixon recalls the islanders' quest to reach the big time in the late 1990s and is rooting for them to make it back this season
10 January 2022 Jack Nixon Clubland, Grassroots, Opinion 3
Orkney lost narrowly to Dunfermline in Caledonia One on Saturday
ORKNEY are finding getting back into the National Leagues hard going after narrowly losing out to fellow promotion candidates Dunfermline in an tense affair at the McKane Park on Saturday, but despite that 11-7 defeat they are still warm favourites to top Caledonia Division One.
The islanders are one point behind the Fifers but have two games in hand going into the last third of the competition, and according to head coach Garry Coltherd are well placed to achieve their objective of going back to National League Three.
"We always knew it was going to be tough after they ran us close up in Kirkwall earlier in the season," he said. "We had our chances but had to settle for a losing bonus point which may yet be extremely valuable. But I will back us to go up. This has been our target all along."
Glasgow v Ospreys: Warriors blow away the cobwebs with bonus-point win
Premiership: Glasgow Hawks boost play-off prospect with big win over Hawick
Edinburgh v Cardiff: superb first-half display takes Scots to URC summit
The visitors led 7-3 at half time but were unable to cement their position in the second period when the home side took control with a penalty and an unconverted try to set up a thrilling climax to the season for both contenders, although Ellon and Caithness still have outside chances of overhauling the two leaders.
Orkney are, in fact, no strangers to fighting to go up into the National Leagues, having spent a number of years in the 1990s trying not only to win games but beat a system which was not overly supportive of having an island team competing nationwide.
There is one thing for certain, the popular Orcadians will have the backing of most mainland teams should they go up, something they could not have said at the tail-end of the last century when it was clear teams saw them as an expense they did not need.
The ruling body clearly agreed, for why else would they have placed so many obstacles in the way of an aspiring club who only wanted to better themselves?
The situation rightly intrigued the central belt media, including The Scotsman and The Herald newspapers who both paid my trips to various parts of Scotland to cover play-off games involving Orkney, including three trips to Kirkwall. This, after all, was a David versus Goliath clash well worthy of coverage.
The first play-off game I covered was at Invergordon where Helensburgh beat Orkney on a ground which was deemed to be neutral.
Next was RAF Lossiemouth where the islanders did battle with Ellon, the most progressive team of that era who went on to win six consecutive promotions. That encounter was memorable in part for the security arrangements that required each and every one of the 600 spectators to be signed in at the camp's guardhouse which delayed the kick-off by 15 minutes.
I was also present at Pickaquoy on February 8th 1997 when Ellon again were the opponents on a day when 300 spectators braved the elements to watch Orkney win 43- 9. So foul were the conditions that Ellon's chartered flight was the only one to land at Kirkwall Airport that day.
And yet, despite all these play-off deciders, there was no evidence of the SRU relenting and allowing Orkney into the National Leagues.
The biggest farce of a game was the so called final league game of the 1999 season when islanders were scheduled to meet Mackie FP's in Kirkwall and informed by the SRU that they needed to win by 78 points to go up. So, there I was again back on a plane from Aberdeen to Kirkwall with a request from the ruling body to ring back with the final score. This I duly did, happily reporting that Orkney had in fact won 105-0 on a beautifully warm, spring day in front of over 1,500 spectators who rejoiced in the fact that surely their team was now on the way to the big time of Scottish rugby.
But even as the fog rolled in from the North Sea over the Island, a fax from the SRU arrived informing Orkney that the championship committee had invoked clause 16.4 of the constitution and that they would not be promoted.
At this point I almost gave up but then so did the SRU, who folded under the volume of support from the game for the men of Pickaquoy, not least I am told from senior players from the Scotland team in the 1990s.
The rest, of course, is history, with Orkney going on to make friends all over Scotland in their fulfilment of national league fixtures. A trip to Orkney is now considered a must for many teams, not least for the warmth of hospitality received there.
Hopefully, and with no disrespect to Dunfermline, normal service will be resumed in the 2022-23 season, three years after the islanders were relegated.
Tribute: Barry Sinclair: one of Scottish rugby's great unsung heroes
About Jack Nixon 60 Articles
Jack is a Borderer, born in Langholm, and a graduate of Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh. He was a founder member of Livingston Rugby Club in 1968 and has been rugby correspondent for the Aberdeen Press and Journal since 1997. He has been going to Murrayfield man and boy since 1954!
ChrisBos says:
10 January 2022 at 10:13 pm
Twas a good game Saturday. Orkney just a clean line out catch and drive from a winning try. But Dunfermline also played well. And well done the referee who kept the game flowing in often dreich conditions. Good advert for the club game beyond the Premiership.
septic+9 says:
good article Jack
I remember how they were treated by the SRU General Committee. Shameless stuff
Anyway, Orkney Dark Island still the best beer around LOL
Dom Ward says:
A great club who show the true spirt of the game. I admire their hard work in getting fixtures fulfilled
Good luck to Orkney for the rest of the season


text:
POWER OF POP
Music. Film. TV. Comics. Books. News and Reviews.
ABOUT POWER OF POP
KEVIN MATHEWS
SUPPORT POWER OF POP!
FUR IN SINGAPORE (INTERVIEW + REVIEW)
Posted on November 9, 2019 November 9, 2019 by Kevin Mathews
FUR in Singapore!
"… we're inspired by songwriters themselves – (the sixties) as an era had some of the best songwriters of all time and I don't think you can ever get close to that ever again. We're trying."
The above quote comes from FUR bass player Tav and comes closest perhaps to a mission statement from the Brighton-based pop-rock band, which also includes Murray (vocals, guitar), Flynn (drums), Josh (lead guitar) and James (keyboards).
FUR made its Singapore bow on Wednesday, 6th November 2019 at the Hard Rock Cafe, as part of promoter LAMC Production's Rising Star series, presenting up and coming bands and artists in intimate settings.
Certainly, in the case of FUR in Singapore, the tight surroundings of the Hard Rock Cafe provided the band and its young fans, a vital connection that was expressed in spontaneous singalongs, enthusiastic appreciation and an electrifying performance from the lads on stage.
About two hours before, I had spent a brief time with FUR expanding on the email interview I had done with them, attempting to glean some insightful nuggets from the song themselves. Time was at a premium but even in 15 minutes, it was clear to me that these funny, likeable young men were by the same token dead serious about the craft of songwriting.
With regards to why their first hit single "If You Know That I'm Lonely" signalled a change of direction from earlier indie pop styled material like "Creature" and "Eyes", Murray remarked,
"I think we had a little break after we released "Eyes" where we weren't really playing with each other that much and I was just writing music on my own and I dug a little deeper into writing more for myself and then "If You Know That I'm Lonely" was the first song that felt like there was really something there. So we released that and that was the first thing – it wasn't just the sound but we also had a visual element to the band as well. Once we tapped into that we had the music video and the kind of sound we loved, that was the first thing we were really happy with to set the band up."
Anyone who has seen the "If You Know That I'm Lonely" video – and almost 10 million have already on Youtube, will no doubt be struck by the retro vibe of the aesthetic, both sonically and visually.
"I think we had a bit of brainstorming" Murray continued, "and I went back to a lot of the music I listened to as a child – The Monkees, the Beatles and The Kinks – and that sort of fit. We realised that the sounds we were playing fit into the whole 60s era when we were thinking of an aesthetic for a music video, it made sense to play on the old Monkees TV style. When we explained that to Ed (Zorab), who directed the video, we really managed to capture that feel."
I highlighted two other popular songs, both found on the recent eponymous EP, which the band was happy to provide details on their origins.
"Love Song for No One"
"Was the first song that I wrote where I tried to challenge myself lyrically more. I've never been one to sit down and worry about lyrics, I've always said whatever came out at the time I was playing the chords or piecing together the song. So that was the first time I tried to write all the lyrics first and try to create a story with characters that had nothing to do with my personal life. The story was quite dark and thus it felt unnatural to do a standard verse/chorus/verse structure." (Murray)
Typically of how the interview went, the lads provided an interesting albeit raucous discussion.
Tav : We played this really rubbishy song in this Brighton venue about three years ago. It was really early days and Murray saw a pretty little lady in the crowd.
Murray : Or more she saw me. Tav : Yeah, she saw you. But he never got to speak to her.
Murray : Not really about that. It was more based on that but it inspired something. That's one that instrumentation wise is a little bit different. I came up with the melody for what is now the bass line and I thought that it was a really nice melody. But it sounded so good on bass that instead of having it as a guitar riff I thought that if that runs the whole way through the song as the bass line, it just seemed more interesting.
Josh : Definitely very relatable, we all fall in love with strangers we never get to speak to.
Murray : Then you start to think – "What if?"
Which demonstrates rather well the band dynamic which is translated onto the stage in terms of the delivery of the material. The overall set was quite short but what FUR might have lacked in quantity, they more than made up with sheer quality.
Most of the released songs were dutifully trotted out to rapturous appreciation from a young crowd that did not give two hoots about the retro-pop inspirations of the music and simply responded with their hearts and souls. It was a joy to behold and affirmed this old dog's faith in the power of pop!
Thanks to LAMC Productions for making this Fur in Singapore review/interview possible.
… still there's more …
Posted In MUSICTagged In Interview, Review
CAUSEWAY YOUTH – "PLACES"
GEEK OUT | THE INVISIBLE MAN (PREVIEW)
Archives Select Month January 2020 (8) November 2019 (4) October 2019 (10) September 2019 (25) June 2019 (7) May 2019 (24) April 2019 (6) March 2019 (44) February 2019 (11) December 2018 (30) November 2018 (23) October 2018 (25) September 2018 (35) August 2018 (26) July 2018 (23) June 2018 (25) May 2018 (25) April 2018 (21) March 2018 (25) February 2018 (36) January 2018 (43) December 2017 (37) November 2017 (39) October 2017 (46) September 2017 (61) August 2017 (47) July 2017 (54) June 2017 (53) May 2017 (39) April 2017 (37) March 2017 (35) February 2017 (27) January 2017 (39) December 2016 (46) November 2016 (51) October 2016 (63) September 2016 (53) August 2016 (57) July 2016 (75) June 2016 (60) May 2016 (41) April 2016 (45) March 2016 (51) February 2016 (45) January 2016 (50) December 2015 (61) November 2015 (52) October 2015 (63) September 2015 (30) August 2015 (16) July 2015 (36) June 2015 (28) May 2015 (18) April 2015 (39) March 2015 (44) February 2015 (62) January 2015 (87) December 2014 (28) November 2014 (38) October 2014 (49) September 2014 (45) August 2014 (22) July 2014 (31) June 2014 (52) May 2014 (25) April 2014 (20) March 2014 (25) February 2014 (20) January 2014 (34) December 2013 (34) November 2013 (12) October 2013 (22) September 2013 (20) August 2013 (8) July 2013 (5) June 2013 (22) May 2013 (15) April 2013 (17) March 2013 (39) February 2013 (22) January 2013 (20)


Samsung got away from the trend of mobile phones notch in 2017 and 2018, but this year they are rumored to be using Notch in all series, including low-end mobile phones. Samsung, as reported 91Mobiles and Phone Arena, is preparing various models of bangs for cellphones output this year.
Technology companies from South Korea will launch the Galaxy A50 in the second quarter of this year, this smartphone will use the Infinity-V screen design that resembles notch waterdrop, only the angle of the curve is sharper. The Galaxy A50 will also have a fingerprint scanner planted on the screen. Sensors embedded in the Galaxy A50 are certainly different from the fingerprint scanner for the Galaxy S10.
The Galaxy A50 has a triple camera design on the back, reportedly the main camera sensor of 24MP. Chances are the Galaxy A50 will use the same camera as the Galaxy A7 which has a wide-angle lens and lens depth. This phone will be powered by Exynos 9610 with 4GB of RAM and running with Android 9 Pie.
The Galaxy A50 will be introduced along with the Galaxy A70 and A90, the latter two models will also use the Infinity-V notch. It is estimated that all Samsung phones using the Infinity-V screen total 6 models. The Galaxy A70 and Galaxy A90 will also use an in-display fingerprint scanner and several cameras at the back. Not many specifications are circulating about the two phones, but the Galaxy A90 is expected to have a capacity of 128GB and is available in black, gold and silver.
According to a report of 28th January, Samsung will also appear on the Galaxy M10 and Galaxy M20 phones. These 2 phones will also use the "Infinity V" screen.


Fellow readers, I wish you all an AMAZING new year, may the year 2016 be the year of all great achievements, joys, successes, and awesomeness. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who visited my blog, reblogged articles, and to all future visitors. 2015 was a beautiful year: the number of subscribers on Afrolegends.com has tripled, with over 200,000 new visitors viewing the blog, and many articles getting reblogged on multiple sites. For 2016, I wish you wonders without borders, peace, grace, and love. May there be peace and happiness in the world.
The 5 top posts of 2015 can be seen below. For the first time in 3 years, the article on Samori Toure was surpassed as the top post for the blog Afrolegends.com; the article on Adinkra symbols was also particularly loved. Keep trusting, reading, sharing, and liking. Keep your heads up, and may your year be as beautiful as the petals of this flower!
Thank you AverageSouthAfrican! I wish you too an amazing year full of joy, success, wins, and readers… Best wishes for 2016.


text:
Published March 8
Stocks lower as inflation worries, higher gas prices drag down markets
Senate passage of US economic aid package Saturday a victory for Biden, but congressional approval needed
By Yuri Kageyama Associated Press
U.S. equity futures are trading lower hours before the opening bell on Wall Street as higher inflation worries, lower unemployment figures and higher gas prices are pushing markets down.
The U.S. economic aid package, passed narrowly by the Senate on Saturday, provides direct payments of up to $1,400 for most Americans and extends emergency unemployment benefits. It's a victory for President Joe Biden and his Democratic allies as the final congressional approval is expected this week.
Wall Street capped a volatile day of trading to finish last week with a broad rally that snapped the market's three-day losing streak. The S&P 500 gained 2% to 3,841.94. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.9% to 31,496.30. The Nasdaq composite climbed 1.6% to 12,920.15.
CHINA FEB EXPORTS POST RECORD SURGE FROM COVID-19-DEPRESSED 2020 LEVELS
Smaller company stocks outgained the broader market, as they have all year. The Russell 2000 index picked up 2.1%, to 2,192.21.
A U.S. government report Friday showed employers added hundreds of thousands more jobs last month than economists expected and was an encouraging sign for the economy. But it also helped lift Treasury yields, adding to worries that rising inflation might end a spell of ultralow interest rates.
U.S. equity futures are trading lower hours before the opening bell on Wall Street as higher inflation worries, lower unemployment figures and higher gas prices are pushing markets down. (Nicole Pereira/New York Stock Exchange via AP)
Rising oil prices are a part of that picture. After plunging with the onset of the pandemic, as demand plummeted, prices have been recovering in the past few months.
The devastating winter freeze that hit Texas and other parts of the southern United States last month knocked out production of roughly 4 million barrels per day of U.S. oil and prices climbed above $60 a barrel.
Last week, with oil prices rising, some observers were expecting the OPEC cartel and its allies to lift more restrictions and let the oil flow more freely. But OPEC agreed to leave most restrictions in place, despite growing demand.
Benchmark U.S. crude rose $1.27 to $67.36 a barrel in electronic trading Monday on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It jumped $2.26 to $66.09 per barrel on Friday.
Brent crude, the international standard, gained $1.36 to $70.72 a barrel.
Meanwhile, Asian shares were mostly lower Monday despite hopes for a gradual global recovery after the U.S. stimulus package passed the Senate over the weekend.
Heavy selling of shares in technology companies helped drag benchmarks lower in Japan and South Korea after early gains. The Shanghai Composite index dropped 2.3% after China's foreign minister made ominous comments about the self-ruled island of Taiwan.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 shed 0.4% to 28,743.25. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.4% higher to 6,739.60, while South Korea's Kospi sank 1.0% to 2,995.90. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.5% to 28,661.49, while the Shanghai Composite fell to 3,423.02.
Chinese computer chip maker SMIC dropped 5.2%; mobile phone maker Xiaomi lost 7.8%; Japanese technology and energy giant SoftBank shed 2.4% and printer and copy machine maker Ricoh lost 6.3%.
Oil prices pressed higher, with Brent crude surpassing $70 per barrel after OPEC chose not to lift production cuts. Oil prices surged late last week after Yemen rebels claimed they had attacked a Saudi oil facility.
At an annual news conference on the sidelines of largely ceremonial annual session of China's National People's Congress, Foreign Minister Wang Yi demanded the Biden administration reverse former President Donald Trump's "dangerous practice" of showing support for Taiwan.
China's claim to Taiwan, which split with the mainland in 1949 but is claimed by Beijing as its territory, is an "insurmountable red line," he said. Separately, Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry and a delegate to the congress, said that China would not "renounce the use of force and reserve the right to take whatever measures are necessary."
Taiwan's share benchmark fell a modest 0.2%.
Beijing data released Saturday showed China's exports surged 60.6% over a year earlier in the first two months of 2021, as factories reopened and global demand gradually recovered. The huge increase reflects a plunge in manufacturing and exports in early 2020 at the height of China's coronavirus outbreaks.
The gradual vaccine rollout in most parts of the world is also boosting optimism, although it has hardly started in some Asian nations, including Japan.
Japan has extended a state of emergency for the Tokyo area for two more weeks through March 21, asking restaurants and other businesses to close at 8 p.m. as the government tries to keep the economy growing while curtailing the spread of COVID-19 infections.
In currency trading, the U.S. dollar inched up to 108.42 Japanese yen from 108.34 yen. The euro cost $1.1904, down from $1.1919.
AP Business Writer Cathy Bussewitz contributed.


I write for several websites that promote my work. I hope you will find a topic of your interest among my titles. If you are interested in reading my short stories, or my novel in the making: The Self Employed Housewife, enjoy! Most of the images that I created for my articles are to be found on Pinterest.
Those in power have no power if we give them no power!


Whether it's from a sore, overworked muscle or joint discomfort, pain in our body can affect our day negatively. This is why pain management is so crucial to living an enjoyable, active and productive life. If you've ever received a massage here at FPTW, it is likely that you've experienced the cool, numbing feelings of BioFreeze.
BioFreeze is a topical pain reliever. This means the product is applied directly to the area of pain for almost immediate relief. BioFreeze has been the number one most recommended topical pain reliever in the United States for over 20 years, for good reason. In a clinical study 9 out of 10 patients preferred BioFreeze opposed to conventional pain management with ice. We are pleased to announce our new line of BioFreeze products, available at the front desk, which can be bought for a reasonable price. Check it out today!


too flow as timeless Now.
Enjoy this space, present yet flowing, an eternal growing of (k)new views, appreciating subtle shifts as watery hues wake and roll ... shimmering reflections of all that IS, in light of what may be, honoring what has been ~ in order to be peace, be peace-full, be peace-full-ness.
During a time of mass personal transformation, I was offered an opportunity to travel to China to teach english and travel. With NO immediate funds available, or any clue as to how they might be arriving - I signed on the dotted line, and committed myself to the adventure. Intuitively I knew at the time it was an exercise in being peace, letting go to be fully present, and enjoying the current journey.
With a grateful heart, a short time later, I stood before the bridge pictured above, a witness to my own magnificent ability to manifest my intentions. Peace flowed through my entire being as I realized the reflection before me was an illusion - in an instant, elemental influences would alter, re-arrange, and distort my view. However, by holding the experience, the meaning, the gift in my heart, this state of peaceful Gratitude transcended time to simply BE ... An eternal Now within ME.
I am grateful to be here with you, to bridge our experiences in support of our mutual dreams, darings and adventurous wanderings. Thank you, thank you, thank for your presence on this amazing journey!
Thank you for co-creating World Gratitude. Thank you for being YOU.
In Love and Gratitude, Me.
(k)new you were powerful beyond measure, and all the heavens were present to deliver earthly treasures. Consider sharing here, or at the FORUM, in order to add to our memories the collective success's enjoyed by many as ONE.
Thank you so much for the Go Gratitude, every day I feel the energy flowing and connecting me all over with the Earth and the Sun and the whole Universe. I am feeling blissful in all areas of my life. Even I am laid off I still feel peace and perfection observing all what is happening within me and around me.
The things that I need are coming to me as a miracle, all the teachers that I called are with me through this process of transformation. LOVE AND GRATITUDE TO ALL!
One of those moment when I (k)new I was "powerful beyond measure, and all the heavens were present to deliver earthly treasures" was a few years after my divorce.
At first, my divorce sent me into a place of fear of not being taken care of. I pursued my endevours and career from a place that now I had to make money in order to survive and I would have to do it alone.
I journeyed, quested,prayed for peace of heart and mind. For trust in Spirit to carry me on her wings. I came to know Beauty within myself and to trust and have faith that our Sacred Parents, Earth and Sky, are all-ways here to take care of us.
Five years into the divorce the economy shifted as did my resources. The Beauty was that I found myself at peace knowing I/we are held beyond any measure.
Why else would we all be here at this time?
My moment, dear Grateful Ones, of cosmos union and knowing power beyond from beyond, is when I see my chromosomes lining up and hear my inner voice commanding corrections, repairs and replacements, then guiding them to be re integrated back into a healthier strand of DNA! And this I know for truth, that in these ways and more, leukocytes are healthy and lymphoma signatures are GONE!
THANK YOU for this wonder-ful remembering of gratitude every day!!! It gives me a lot of happiness and support to change my mind to see the development in the world and events in my life from a different view - the view of gratitude. I loose this view still often during the day and am very happy to be remembered by the mails - wonderful pictures and poesy.
This reminds us on how we should be aware.


Tomorrow is Bring a Friend Day! Saturday a bunch of people are getting together at Jacks Abby around 6pm to watch the Final Four. Come one, come all!
OHS looked good. I think you're due for a PR.
Keep the short shorts coming!
Great job working those strict pull-ups.
Getting back to it with the 6:30!
105 on the OHS, need to work on pull-ups!
5×2 pause OHS, worked up to 185, 190X1, failed second rep.


text:
Vocational, adult and workplace education
Education and development
Register as an ACER Associate
ACER seminars
ACER product training
Accredited short courses
Graduate Certificate in Education
Rasch Measurement Theory
ACER Events
Tailored professional learning
Subject Consulting Forums
School assessments
Vocational, adult and workplace education assessments
Organisational assessments
Clinical assessments
Assessment administrators
Tailored assessment
ACER Press
Permissions enquiries
School Readiness Initiative
STEM Video Game Challenge
Mathematics Anxiety and Engagement Strategy
ACER Alumni
ACER news
Remuneration and benefits
India Indonesia Malaysia UAE UK Global
Schools do matter, say ACER education experts
Education systems must overcome 'biological social determinism' to focus on student learning, Professor Steve Dinham of the Australian Council for Educational Research will tell education leaders in a series of seminars next week.
"Many people today, including practicing teachers, still subscribe, consciously or subconsciously, to various forms of biological social determinism, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary," says Professor Dinham, Research Director of ACER's Teaching, Learning and Leadership research program.
For immediate release 16 February 2009
"What students can achieve in their education is not predetermined by heredity, where they live, their socio-economic background or family circumstances. All students can benefit from quality education," says Dinham.
"Similarly, there is no such thing as a 'born teacher', and all teachers are capable of learning to be more effective," he says.
"But it takes time for teachers to develop from novice to competent to expert, and the expectation that first-year teachers will immediately be capable is unrealistic."
According to Dinham, student learning and achievement should be the focus of every school, educational system, and education department and faculty. Quality leadership should drive this focus. Professor Brain Caldwell, Deputy Chair of the ACER Board of Directors, will also speak about the connection between student achievement, professional learning, quality teaching and leadership. "A degree of artistry is required to ensure an optimal balance of autonomy, accountability and choice," Professor Caldwell says.
"Transformation is within the reach of every school that develops the four forms of capital and is governed well. Findings from international studies provide the foundation for a 10-point, 10-year strategy to enable all schools to become as good as those currently considered to be the best, here in Australia and in other nations," he says.
Professor Dinham and Professor Caldwell will give a series of seminars in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on 23, 24 and 25 February. The seminars are run by ACER's Leadership Centre.
Professor Dinham's latest book, How to Get Your School Moving and Improving, and Professor Caldwell's latest book, Why Not the Best Schools? are published by ACER Press.
****************ENDS*************
General enquiries: +61 3 9277 5555
© 2020 Australian Council for Educational Research — ACER, official partner of UNESCO
ACER on Twitter ACER on Facebook ACER on LinkedIn ACER on Vimeo ACER's RSS feed
ABN: 19 004 398 145 Privacy policy Online terms of use Careers Social media directory Reconciliation at ACER Contact Bookshop locations
ACER Shop


In the February 26 edition of the Daily, Andrew Mason cuts the brakes with his pre-Combine mock first ound, calling for two trades in the top 10 -- including a Broncos trade down from No. 10 to No. 20. Then, Ryan Edwards and Tyler Polumbus take a deep dive into the production of Denver's second-year running backs, Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman. Finally, Justin Adams and Brandon Krisztal talk about Case Keenum with Jason Romano of Sports Spectrum.


text:
Canada Markets/
Week 38 Western Terminal Unloads
Canada Markets
5/1/2018 | 5:06 PM CDT
By Cliff Jamieson , Canadian Grains Analyst
Connect with Cliff:
@CliffJamieson
Cumulative grain receipts at Western Canada's ports are pegged at 24.1 million metric tons as of week 38, the lowest in four years and only slightly higher than the five-year average. (DTN graphic by Cliff Jamieson)
As of week 38, or the week ending April 22, a cumulative 24.143 million metric tons of all grains have been unloaded at the western ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Thunder Bay. This is the lowest cumulative volume reported for this week in four years, while just 493,500 metric tons higher than the previous five-year average (2012/13 to 2016/17).
At 19.530 mmt, receipts at West Coast terminals are the lowest in three years although remains just over 1 mmt above the previous five-year average, while Thunder Bay receipts are the lowest in four years and are roughly 242,000 mt below the five-year average.
Over the past five crop years, an average of 72.7% of total western terminal receipts were realized in the first 38 weeks of the crop year, or 73.1% of the crop year. This ranges from a low of 66.3% of total western terminal receipts realized in the first 38 weeks in 2013/14 to a high of 76.6% of western terminal receipts realized in the same period in 2015/16. The average five-year pace of unloads would project to total crop year receipts of 33.2 mmt, which would still be the lowest volume unloaded in four years.
This comes at a time when both railroads are trying to get back on track following a disastrous winter shipping season, while CN has nicely recovered from a brief halt in operations given the recent threat of strike.
As reported by the AG Transport Coalition, in week 38, CN Rail spotted 91% of the empty hoppers requested for loading at prairie points, the company's best weekly performance seen since week 3 and only the fourth week of the crop year where the company spotted 90% or more of the cars requested. At the same time, the company did not outright cancel any hopper cars for week 38, the first time since week 9, while cancelling 22,243 cars in total so far this crop year.
Focus has shifted back to CP Rail, following a superior performance over the course of the winter months. In week 38, CP spotted just 53% of the empty cars ordered for loading, matching the company's week 36 performance while close to its weakest performance shown over the crop year.
It is interesting to note that the problem does not lie with shipper demand, according to AG Transport Coalition data. As of week 38, hopper car demand is pegged at 324,251 cars for the coalition members, described as responsible for 90% of all prairie shipments. This volume is 1,557 cars or .5% lower than reported in the same period of 2016/17.
While both railways struggle to get back on track with grain, they face demand in every direction they look. CBC.ca reports that oil companies are looking to rail, given the lack of pipeline capacity. In today's piece titled Oilpatch, it said leaders wait desperately to ship more crude by rail with pipelines maxed out. The author noted that Alberta has rail terminal capacity for oil of 600,000 barrels/day, while is shipping only 100,000 barrels. It is suggested that the current rail backlog is expected to be cleared in the last half of this calendar year when oil companies are expected to benefit from increased service.
DTN 360 Poll
This week's poll asks what you found to be the biggest surprise in Statistics Canada's March intentions planting report. You can find this poll at the lower right side of your DTN Canada Home Page. We thank you for your input.
Cliff Jamieson can be reached at cliff.jamieson@dtn.com
Follow Cliff Jamieson on Twitter @CliffJamieson
(ES/)
Previous Post (New-crop Canola Continues Sideways)
Next Post (Potentially Troubling Signals on Vegetable Oil Charts)
Cliff Jamieson