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Home » The Universe and Everything » Is Masculinity TOXIC? (RE: Gillette)
Is Masculinity TOXIC? (RE: Gillette)
Posted on February 11, 2019 by Thoughty2 in The Universe and Everything | 0 Comments
Are you one of 5 in 10 Caucasians that suffers from an embarrassing and debilitating genetic affliction? Can you not leave the house without hitting or raping a woman? Unable to resist the urge to belittle, shame and sexually harass your female colleagues at work? Did you spend your childhood beating the shit out of your friends at barbeques? Do you still spend your social gatherings revealing your spectacular abs and whipping out your member to compare? Then I am afraid, what you feared is true, you suffer from a horrific disease, "maleness" Don't worry my disgusting, hairy friend, there is a cure
"Anti Man", proven to reduce your testosterone and eradicate your masculinity within 30 days, or your money back Now with added soya! This is the message that a growing number of gender activists and corporations that wish to adopt a virtuous facade, most recently Gillette, would have us believe But what's the reality here? Based on social norms that have been developed over thousands of years, underpinned by biology and using empirical evidence I seek to rationalise masculinity and answer an important question, is being masculine bad for society? A good start would be finding out what is masculinity anyway? It is entirely distinct from an individual's biological sex Sure masculine traits stem from a person's biological sex, but if we're getting technical then masculinity itself is a social construct that describes a set of traits innately present in most men The same traits, however, can often be found in women, not always, and often to lesser extremes
The traits of masculinity can also differ slightly between world cultures, but the core traits that define a masculine man are universally consistent What are those traits? Stoicism, resilience, strength, courage, independence and assertiveness Before judging men for being too assertive, occasionally resorting to violence or too stoic for not displaying emotion It's important to understand where these traits actually come from The traits themselves are not social constructs
Men don't become masculine just because we tell them that "crying is for girls" and "man up" Masculinity in men may be enhanced or even enforced in certain cultures by social pressures but make no mistake, masculine traits originate from our biology, constructed over a period of 200,000 years Long ago nature's doctrine of survival of the fittest decided the most efficient way to perpetuate a species through reproduction and ensure its longevity is by dividing each species into two sexes This division is seen across the entire animal kingdom What can also be observed in all animal species and humans are the different roles inherent within each sex
With the exception of the male pregnancy witnessed in the Syngnathidae family of fish, the young of all species are incubated by the female sex It, therefore, makes sense, logistically, that females evolved to have behavioural and physiological traits that are conducive to the healthy development and loving nurture of their young Empathy, emotional awareness, patience and tenderness Obviously, it was also vital that females never put themselves or their young in a situation of danger, so evolution naturally put that onus on the other sex, males Males developed a greater aptitude for physical strength and the natural courage to hunt to provide food for their tribe and women
Men evolved to have aggressiveness, resilience and assertiveness, underpinned by undying competitiveness so they could compete against rival males and protect their tribe from other scarier tribes who had larger, pointier sticks Sure those traits were essential pre-civilisation, but why can't we get rid of them today through the systematic emasculation of men? Are they not redundant in the 21st century? Don't such traits cause nothing but toxicity and evil throughout our societies? These are the edicts that many social justice warriors seek to mandate on modern men Masculinity is a shifting social construct, its nature has mutated over the generations Today it is more socially acceptable than ever before in the history of humanity for a man to show emotion and share his feeling with his friends, for a man to cry, for a man to choose another man as a sexual partner and marry him All these are truly amazing and undeniably positive advances towards a better, more harmonic world and none of these things degrades a man's masculinity
But these are not the traits that authoritarian leftist activists are trying to suppress What is under fire is the more assertive, domineering and tough side that is biologically present in every man, to varying degrees Such traits and the actions which can be associated with them are too often referred to as toxic masculinity The issue here is that so-called "toxic behaviour" is not endemic to masculine men or even men Evil and malice are present across all demographic cross-sections of society
There's no denying that men commit crime and nobody would claim that either sex is perfect But before shunning masculinity it's imperative that we understand how dangerous this can be, for one simple reason Masculinity does more good than bad, for everyone, men and women And not just a little bit more good For every bad deed a man commits in the world I would propose that well over a thousand good deeds are carried out by other masculine men, every day
Only a fool would argue that men never do bad In 2014 73% of those arrested in the US were male But to live in a society where the majority of good men are publically shamed for the crimes of the minority of bad men is damaging to the mental health and sense of purpose of men the world over Especially when the underlying and natural biological traits of the male species are being labelled as the cause of all these evils It also pulls all the attention away from the many beautiful things that most masculine men achieve every day, which vastly outnumber the horrendous things a much smaller portion of masculine men do
Do not forget that masculinity was born from a natural desire for men to provide for and protect their family When a man takes his daughter to school, gives her a kiss and wishes her a good day, that is masculinity doing good When a man works over ten hours a day to feed, cloth and shelter his family, that is masculinity doing good When a firefighter rescues a child from a burning building, that is masculinity doing good When a policeman arrests a perpetrator of domestic abuse, rape or murder, that is masculinity doing good
When a young man shields his sweetheart with his jacket when it rains, that is masculinity doing good When a surgeon saves a person's life through open heart surgery, that is masculinity doing good When Alexander Fleming invented penicillin, saving millions of lives, that was masculinity doing good When millions of brave men gave their lives to prevent fascism and tyranny from engulfing our world in 1914 and 1939, that was masculinity doing good The truth is, trying to control the tiny minority of bad men by quashing masculinity in all men is an exercise in futility and idiocy
Bad men will not stop being bad because they become less masculine, they will only become more frustrated and frustrated people are more likely to commit injustices than content people The result will be fewer good masculine men to stop the bad men and bad women from being bad Masculinity and femininity are the two pillars that underpin a cohesive, progressive and productive society that is beneficial to all Shorten or remove either one of those pillars and society as we know, the society that we've built over thousands of years and the society that we've protected against tyranny and evil will come crashing down beneath our very feet Yet how does modern society thank these everyday incredible men? They are widely vilified, on social media, in the press, in schools and in popular culture, and now even in advertisements, the historic bastion of greedy capitalism
This has resulted in men committing suicide at three times the rate of women And these men who help build and improve our society every day face other challenges at an alarming ratio Men are twice as likely to be the victim of a violent assault or robbery 35 times more likely to be murdered
96% of workplace fatalities happen to men Men are 56 times as likely as women to be incarcerated 86% of the homeless population is male Boys have been lagging behind girls in educational achievement since 1991, and the gap is widening every year This points to a far more concerning fact, that the increasing shaming of masculinity in schools is causing a crisis in the development of young men Competitive games that are deemed too aggressive such as British bulldog or tag and dodgeball have been long since banned in many school playgrounds in the West
A few schools in Britain are even considering banning the sport of rugby, a fundamental part of masculine development in young boys since 1823 Whilst these games and sports can on rare occasions cause injuries, they play a vital role in developing character and a strong, competitive attitude in young boys that will enable them to, later in life, compete in the workplace and protect their family In fact, competitiveness, which is predominantly a masculine trait, has been mostly eradicated from our schools in the West During sports day and other events, everyone is given a participation award, there is no winner or loser I failed miserably at sports, I finished last on sports day and I wasn't given a trophy for taking part, I got nothing, and you know what it taught me? That next time I need to try harder, that I would never amount to anything unless I put the effort in and practised, not just in sports, but in every aspect of life
That was one of the most important lessons I have ever learnt In the same way, that over-sanitisation during youth leads to a weak immune system, mollycoddling children is not how strong societies are built, doing so is in reality, a threat to a strong society for the next generation Nowhere is misandry more rife than in Swedish schools Several pre-schools and primary schools in Sweden have gone to extensive efforts to remove the words "boy" and "girl" from the children's vocabularies, preferring the gender-neutral pronoun "hen" A legal amendment in 1998 legally mandated all schools in Sweden to actively work against gender stereotypes
This all sounds very utopian in theory, but in practice, it is nothing short of brainwashing, that leads to a difficult and confusing progression into teenhood and adulthood for these children They are being taught to ignore basic science, go against the natural biological pull of their own body This will only achieve to create a generation of frustrated, passive men Without being free to indulge in their masculinity in the playground and at home then these boys will grow into men who are unable to compete in the workplace and in personal matters, unable to defend themselves and their family If evidence of this brainwashing were needed then look no further than Seafarer's Preschool in Sweden
Where boys and girls as young as one are actually segregated so their natural gender roles can be systematically indoctrinated out of them Boys are made to play with toy kitchens and give each other massages Girls are forced to practice shouting "No!" A so-called "gender specialist" is employed by the preschool to pick up on and coerce boys who refuse to partake in feminine activities such as dance Boys are encouraged to wear dresses and the teachers celebrated when one particular girl who used to be "very girlie" according to her mother, was reared by the preschool to become more boisterous and her parents noted that she had become more "cheeky and defiant" at home
Shockingly it was observed that when the children were no longer forced to play with toys typically favoured by the opposite gender that the boys reverted to playing with cars and the girl's dolls The boys shouted and hit more The staff at the preschool says this is not okay Well golly, it's almost as if their biology compels them to adhere to their natural gender roles and that forcibly preventing them from embracing this is actually child abuse, just a thought An inability to protect his family is not the only issue an emasculated man will face in adulthood
What is just as crucial, is a man's ability to lead and inspire his family, particularly his children When a masculine presence is stripped away from an otherwise nuclear family unit the consequences can often be disastrous There is no rule that children can't thrive in non-nuclear families, different family setups can absolutely nurture incredible children But looking solely at fatherlessness the statistics show a clear trend Children who grow up without a father figure are twice as likely to drop out of school, twice as likely to become obese and four times as likely to succumb to poverty
They are also more likely to commit crime, go to prison, abuse drugs and alcohol Fatherless girls are seven times more likely to fall pregnant as a teen After all this rhetoric there's an important distinction that must be made I, myself and I sincerely hope many other men out there have no desire to strip men of their right to choose how they want to develop through life If men want to go against their natural masculinity or even seek to abolish it, then we should all work to protect their rights to do so and me, I say more power to you
But it's so very important that men have that right to choose Just like freedom of speech, it's essential that as a society we work to protect a man or a woman's right to live how they want to live, be who they want to be, walk how they want to, talk how they want to and wear whatever they damn well desire But when it comes to a man's right to fully embrace and assert his masculinity in a positive way it's labelled as "sexist male privilege" by the media and the tribal activists on the internet In doing so, a man's right to choose to embrace masculinity is being eroded more and more so every year That's why it's vital that when companies such as Gillette seek to tar all men with the same discriminatory brush and suppress our right to embrace our biology, that we fight to retain our rights to be whoever the hell we want to be
Masculinity should be empowered, not shamed and belittled Men everywhere must continue to show the world that overall, masculinity is a force for good, not evil Never be ashamed of your masculinity my hairy friends because it built the roads beneath your feet
Gillette)
TOXIC?


Aaron Terry is a research analyst for Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P. He is responsible for providing analytical support for Kayne Anderson's investments in Canadian Royalty Trusts and other upstream energy companies.
Prior to joining Kayne Anderson in 2011, Mr. Terry was an associate director in the global energy investment banking group at UBS, where he focused on securities underwriting transactions and mergers and acquisitions. From 2008 to 2010, Mr. Terry was in the corporate restructuring group at Alvarez & Marsal, specializing in energy turnarounds. From 2006 to 2008, Mr. Terry was in the investment banking group at Bear Stearns.
Mr. Terry earned his B.B.A. in Accounting and Information Systems from the University of Oklahoma, and his M.B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006.


Discussion in 'Search, Rescue and Technical Skills' started by Jeff Randall, Mar 31, 2019.
Kevo, StrawBunyan, JV3 and 4 others like this.
I have an old pic I will scan and post....but it highlights that you need to be "good friends" with the person you are rescuing given the physical proximity at times !!
Kevo, StrawBunyan and mtngoat like this.


California gasoline prices look to average more than $4 a gallon for the first time in nearly 5 years, says GasBuddy.
A rally in oil prices has contributed to the fuel-price spike, with U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude trading at their highest in five months. May WTI oil CLK9, +0.38% was up $1.02, or 1.6%, at $64.10 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in Monday dealings. May gasoline futures RBK9, +1.38% were also up 1.5 cents, or 0.8%, at $1.984 a gallon.


Finding a guitar for a child or a person with small hands is not always easy. Fortunately, here you can find a selection of some of the best electric guitars for small hands, particularly if you are short on time. Our team has carefully analyzed and evaluated some of the most sought-after models available and they have come to the conclusion that the Fender Kurt Cobain guitar is the one that you should first take into consideration. It sounds awesome, it has a small fretboard radius, making it easier for people to wrap their hands around it and it has a short fretboard, measuring 24 inches. Should you find that this option is no longer available, we recommend the Fender 303000503.
This model is based on the 1965 Jaguar model Kurt Cobain used to revolutionize the alternative rock scene in the 90s. To make their model close to the one used by the rock legend, Fender equipped it with an alder body, a bound fingerboard and a Stratocaster headstock, complete with the so-called spaghetti logo. There are versions available for left-handed and right-handed players. A documentary book about Kurt Cobain is included.
Some say that it does not have all the vintage accessories and electronics, as expected.
A model created to resemble the 1965 Jaguar Kurt Cobain used to play.
If you're looking for a guitar with a vintage feel, grab the Classic Vibe from Fender, and enjoy playing like one of the rock legends of the 50s. The neck and the fingerboard are made from maple, and the guitar comes with 21 medium-jumbo frets. Excellent string to string balance is provided by the staggered pole pieces. The single-coil pickups are responsible for the unique and familiar sound that takes you back to the 50s.
Some reviewers comment that the finishing touches are less than expected for this guitar.
A genuinely vintage-designed guitar that offers many modern features.
A few essential things make this Gibson guitar stand out from the crowd. For instance, the neck heel design is familiar and has withstood the test of time, while the manual tuners are for the guitarist who is looking to hone his or her skills. The oil finish is hand-rubbed, which contributes to the feel of a well-made instrument that you will love to play. Just like the original guitars made by Gibson that it takes after, this guitar provides good value for the money.
There are buyers who report minor flaws, especially when finishing was concerned.
A model that resembles the originals and borrows all the best features.
We have taken into account all the features that good electric guitars for small hands need to have, and after researching the market we found that the following models can be great for small players.
As the name suggests, this guitar was inspired by the style of Nirvana's frontman. It's based on the body of an older Fender model and features a sunburst finish, which gives the impression of wear and age.
The idea of this guitar is to make it look like a broken one but to work perfectly. The neck is maple and the fretboard is made of rosewood.
What makes this guitar suitable for small hands is the relatively shorter scale that measures 24 inches.
There are also 22 frets, fewer than usual. The short scale may seem unusual to some but it proves to be great for the ones that can't reach too far.
Another important thing to note is the fretboard radius, which is 5 inches, a lot smaller than the normal 9.5 inches. That means the neck makes it really easy for the player to wrap the hand around it.
Rocking a solid alder body, this guitar reminds you of the 50's vibes. The wood used is known for a darker and fuller sound that some people appreciate.
When discussing the sound capturing capabilities, this model features three vintage pickups that secure a strong and easy to control tone. The neck is made of maple and comes with a maple fretboard.
Both of these are quite standard for the industry, but what makes the neck different is the low number of frets — 21. That helps the generally smaller sized players to access all the capabilities of this instrument.
What gives this guitar its sound and what makes it easy to play is its simplicity. It offers two tone knobs, a master volume one and a synchronized tremolo.
Although this model is suitable as a starter electric guitar, it will provide the sound that a professional guitar can offer.
This guitar has one of the most recognizable designs, sported by famous players. This model prides on being lightweight, slim and easy to handle. The body is made of mahogany and the neck is also mahogany.
Known for allowing fast hand movements, the guitar's neck is pretty slim but sturdy and it features a rosewood fretboard. The back of the neck has a volute to add more strength to it. The number of frets is small compared to other models — 22 frets are present.
There are different colors to pick from when choosing this guitar and they are all sprayed with satin finishes that showcase the beautiful lines of the wood.
In terms of hardware, this model has passive alnico mini humbuckers at the neck and bridge. They are controlled by two separate volume and tone knobs and you can choose between them using a switch.
Squier instruments are known for being some of the most recommended models when it comes to beginner electric guitars. They are reliable and versatile so they can cover a large range of musical styles.
This model is particularly appropriate for kids or anyone with small hands. It's the same design as a normal Squier but it's ¾ the size.
The body is made of basswood and the neck is thin and made of maple. The scale is only 22.75 inches in length and the fretboard only has 20 frets. The quality materials and the great looks give this guitar the feeling of a full sized, well-made guitar.
The instrument features three single coil pickups and a switch to choose between five ways of using those pickups. To adjust the levels, you can use the incorporated volume and tone control knobs.
It is worth mentioning that this guitar comes with many accessories including a tuner, a strap, picks, an instructional DVD and polishing cloth.
This one is a really nice guitar that can be used when traveling. Many reviews say that it's one of the most recommended models in its category.
The modern guitar radius of 9.5 inches makes it easy to play and keeping the fingers on its frets should be no issue for the players with small hands.
In building this guitar, the manufacturers used a slimmer construction and they employed a design that is accessible to small hands.
The body is solid wood and the neck is maple, featuring 22 frets. The neck is also slim and that makes it highly playable, durable and strong enough to withstand heavy playing.
What makes this guitar special is the unique tremolo plate. It's located close to the bridge in order to offer something extra to the guitar's sound.
You can get an octave pedal to emphasize this sound even more. The manufacturers upgraded the pickups from the previous models and now use two humbuckers.
While it's able to provide a great experience for boys, the Daisy Rock Venus Guitar is surely made to be a perfect fit for girls, too. It's a pretty model that showcases a vintage ivory pearl finish and a fingerboard inlay with vines and flowers.
For increased sustain and durability, this guitar features a set-neck construction. The body is made of mahogany and the top is pearloid plastic.
The company's trademark is the slim and narrow neck that allows girls with smaller hands to play the guitar freely. Additionally, it's lightweight so it will not be such a burden when carrying it for the gigs.
In terms of hardware, it features a fixed bridge and two humbucker pickups capable of producing quality sound. The player can choose which of them to use with the help of a switch.
Surprisingly, this guitar comes with features present in professional models. It has a precise tune-o-matic bridge, accurate intonation and a stable and reliable tuning.
We know it can be hard to find the best electric guitar for beginners with small hands and that is why we wrote this guide to make it easier for you to choose the instrument of your dreams. Here are some things to consider when purchasing your guitar.
Although a small and narrow body is usually important when getting an acoustic-electric guitar, the same principle applies to those players with smaller arms or hands. A bulky body will make it very difficult for a small player to fully and correctly use and hold the guitar.
The easiest electric guitar to play with small hands is one that has a slim body, allowing you to grab the guitar better and play it freely. You can find cheap electric guitars for small hands that offer a small frame and the possibility to express yourself easily when playing.
Make sure that you properly adjust the length of the strap so you can reach all the chords and the knobs. If you experience discomfort while holding and playing your electric guitar, that means you should look for a model that is a bit smaller. A guitar that is ¾ of a normal sized one is usually a good choice.
Many reviews of electric guitars for small hands say that the thickness of the neck is probably the most important aspect that small-handed players should consider. If the neck is too large, you won't be able to wrap your hand around it and you will feel uncomfortable when playing.
When discussing fingerboards, the ideal length is one between 22 and 24.6 inches. A guitar with such a fingerboard will make it a lot easier for a small player to handle it. The short length will help the user to grab the chords properly, using less power.
You should always feel at ease when playing the guitar and getting a fingerboard that allows you to do that is particularly important. However, the number of frets is important, too. Smaller hands can use the frets, even when the distance between them is not so big. Thus, the more frets there are on the guitar, the better.
A small number of frets will make it harder for the player to reach certain musical notes. That is why a person with slim fingers will benefit a lot from a small fretboard that has a lot of frets because he or she will be able to press the chords against all the frets.
Thin neck electric guitars for small hands will accommodate smaller fretboards. Necks that are not as thick will allow you to grab the guitar easier. That is why slim necks are usually used by fast guitarists because they allow them to play the guitar at maximum speed. A slim neck will require less effort to play.
Certain chords are harder to reach when playing a normal guitar. Finding a neck that helps you reach those chords is important. The radius is important as well in these circumstances and that is why you should try more guitars and have a test on how they feel in your hand before purchasing one.
When playing the guitar, the hand that holds the chords should stay in a certain position, with the wrist slightly angled. But if the wrist needs to be bent too much, it causes discomfort. This is a sign that the guitar's neck is too large and you need to find a smaller guitar.
The strings are an important part of making it easier for you to play the guitar. You should look for thinner ones, with a smaller gauge. That's because they will be easier to press and softer to your fingers to play in general. Also, make sure that your strings don't sit for too long, because they will get harder in time and they will make things more difficult for you.
Unfortunately, electric guitar players cannot benefit from the softer nylon strings that one might find on an acoustic guitar. If you're also looking for the best sounding acoustic guitar, make sure to read our guide on that.
When getting a set of strings, you should make sure they're high quality and they don't negatively affect the sound of the guitar. The light string gauges bring your thickest string from a gauge of .052 to .047 inches. Although the difference seems small, they will make your guitar a lot easier to play.
Talking about strings, you can consider tuning them down a bit. That will make them more flexible and softer. Using guitar capos could also be a solution. Many guitarists disregard the usage of these devices, considering it an easy way to play, but for those with small hands, they can be a solution.
The capo will bring the end of the neck closer to you and thus you'll be able to play the chords closer to your body, on the part of the neck where the strings are easier to press.
You can find many tutorials online on how to play the guitar and how to position your hand when playing, but most of them don't offer advice for small-handed players.
You should know that when having small hands you will find it difficult to play most guitars and that's why you should practice a lot, especially your stretching techniques. Plug your electric guitar into a small guitar amp and hear your improvements as you practice more.
There are loads of exercises that will help you to improve the length of your reach and they are easy to memorize, but they need to be done regularly. However, when practicing you should never push your limits too much, in the sense that you should feel relaxed and your hand shouldn't be in pain.
You can even find books on this theme and instructional DVDs which show different guitar aerobics for your hand. A guitar that comes with such a DVD, or with an instructional booklet is a very good purchase. When you learn to play different styles of music, you can try and get a guitar multi-effects pedal so you can truly bring the best sounds out of your guitar.
Some famous musicians managed the performance of playing normally sized guitars, although they have small hands. However, some of them have started their careers playing smaller electric guitars. If you have the possibility, try and do some research on your idols and see how they started and what guitars they used in their career.
This will give you a better impression on what guitars might be suited for your hands and your playing style. You should not assume that having small hands disqualifies someone from playing regular sized guitars, although it makes it a bit harder. With the appropriate technique and with enough practice, a small handed player can play whatever he or she likes.


1995-96 House Bill 4225. An Act To Provide An Income Tax Exemption For Families Caring For Their Elderly Relatives At Home.
Title 1995-96 House Bill 4225. An Act To Provide An Income Tax Exemption For Families Caring For Their Elderly Relatives At Home.


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Bangla Radio - Selected Categoy
About Bangla Radio Canberra
[Click to see summary]
This week's program marked the beginning of ninth year of Bangla Radio broadcasting in Canberra, Australia. Bangladesh Australia Association Canberra began broadcasting the program in July 1999. This week's program presented (1) a brief history of Bangla Radio and introduced its presenters, and (2) provided information for prospective new comers to Canberra who are planning to study and live here - where to find assistance, who to contact and how to settle in this beautiful capital city of Australia. The lovely songs 'neel moyur', 'bangladesh' and 'kacha mati' played in the program were sung by budding new Bangladeshi singer Nazmul Kabir. This week's program was produced and presented by Ehsan Ullah.
This week's program marked the beginning of tenth year of Bangla Radio broadcast in Canberra. It presented: (1) brief note on the contribution of Bangla Radio Canberra presenters and their achievements, (2) introduction to the Bangladeshi community in Canberra - its characteristics and dedication to preserve the Bangla language, heritage and culture in future generations, and (3) 'shopno puroner montro' - keys to achieve our dreams - from two extraordinary stories from Dhaka, Bangladesh and Birbhum, West Bengal, India. The beautiful songs played in the program 'tumi je akash bhorey' and 'nodir majhi boley' were sung by Sydney resident Bangladeshi singer Amia Matin. This week's program was produced and presented by Ehsan Ullah.
This week's program marked the beginning of - 'eleventh' - year of Bangla Radio broadcasting in Canberra. It is the 521st program presented by the Bangla Radio team, proud of achieving the significant milestone in community radio broadcasting in Canberra. This week's program presented part of the recording of the first Bangla Radio program broadcast in July 1999 and took the opportunity to thank everyone involved in Bangla Radio and its listeners in Canberra and around the globe. It highlighted the mystic baul singer Shahjahan Miah of Bangladesh and his team, the composers of the beautiful music used as Bangla Radio title, by playing one of their song 'kala amae pagol korechhe, ghorey roi kemoney'. This week's program was produced and presented by Ehsan Ullah.
The first program of 2012 has been dedicated to three Bangla Radio Canberra producers: Dr. Sadequr Rahman, Dr. Bina D'Costa and Ms. Sakiba Rahman, who recently left Canberra to take up their new roles in Kuala Lumpur and Geneva. Bangla Radio is very much in debt for their contribution in the management and production of radio programs on a wide range of topics over the last ten years. In recollection this week's program played parts of the recording from recent annual meeting presided by Dr. Sadequr Rahman, the past Coordinator, held in his residence. The two beautiful songs played in the program: 'aaj abar money porey' and 'bhuley jao prothom aalap' were sung by popular Kolkata band 'chandrabindu'. This week's program was produced and presented by Ehsan Ullah.
This week's program marked the beginning of 15th year of Bangla Radio broadcasting in Canberra and paid tribute to Najmul Huq Napo, a founding member of Bangla Radio, who passed away recently in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The songs played in the program were sung by Sami, Punnya, Shejoti and Mona, the young artists of Canberra some of whom Napo interviewed in his last radio program thirteen years ago. This week's program was produced and presented by Ehsan Ullah.
This week's program presented a short play - 'Bangla Radio Ebong Amra' - written by Samia Shajedin and directed by Shamsuddin Shafi. It is a recorded version of the play staged for the 14th anniversary function of Bangla Radio Canberra celebrated in 2012. The Bangla Radio team members performed in the play are: Raquibul Sheikh, Samia Shajedin, Ajoy Kar, Sima Kar, Borhanuddin Shafi, Mohammad Rahman and Zaheen Rahman. The songs played in the program were written by late Bangladeshi writer Humayun Ahmed. This week's program was produced and presented by Shamsuddin Shafi.
This week's program commemorated the 15th anniversary of Bangla Radio broadcast in Canberra, Australia. The 780th program this week presented interviews of the founding radio presenters in 1999 recollecting their stories in establishing the program and their feelings on achieving this great milestone. The founding presenters are: Ehsan Ullah, Sakiba Rahman, Shireen Ahmad, Sadequr Rahman, Rumana Jamaly, Shamsul Huda and Fahmida Ehsan. The program has been dedicated to the memory of Najmul Huq Napo another founding member who unexpectedly died last year of health reason. This week's program was produced and presented by Sakiba Rahman.
This week's program, in commemorating the 15th anniversary of Bangla Radio broadcast in Canberra, presented a beautiful composition of audio clips compiled from the Bangla Radio program archive covering years since its inception in 1999 to 2004. The clips represented a selection of programs from a wide range of categories covered by Bangla Radio. Another composition will be broadcast next week from programs broadcast during 2005-2014. This week's program was produced and presented by Ehsan Ullah.
This week's program, in commemorating the 15th anniversary of Bangla Radio broadcast in Canberra, presented another beautiful composition of audio clips compiled from the Bangla Radio program archive covering programs broadcast during 2005-2014. The audio clips included in the composition were produced by sixteen old and new producers of the Bangla Radio team. This week's program was produced and presented by Sadequr Rahman and Shireen Ahmad.
This week's program covered the 15th Anniversary celebration function of Bangla Radio Canberra held on 1 Nov 2015 at the St John Paul II College auditorium in Canberra. The chief guest of the function was HE High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Australia Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Hossain. This week's program presented first part of the audio recording of the function courtesy of Mr. Muhith Masih Babu. This week's program was produced and presented by Samiya Shajedin.
This week's program covered the 15th Anniversary celebration function of Bangla Radio Canberra held on 1 Nov 2015 at the St John Paul II College auditorium in Canberra. The chief guest of the function was HE High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Australia Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Hossain. This week's program presented second part of the audio recording of the function courtesy of Mr. Muhith Masih Babu. This week's program was produced and presented by Samiya Shajedin.
This week's program presented wishes and gratitude of the current presenters of Bangla Radio Canberra on its 15th anniversary of broadcasting in Canberra. A significant milestone for a community radio program that is run by a dedicated group of volunteers. The feelings of the founding members on this achievement were broadcast on 30 June 2014 program archived in our website. This week's program was produced and presented by Ehsan Ullah.
15 Jul 2019 | Shamsuddin Shafi
22 Jul 2019 | New generation's voice
29 Jul 2019 | Sheikh Lana
05 Aug 2019 | Ehsan Ullah
12 Aug 2019 | Raquibul Sheikh
19 Aug 2019 | Shampa Barua
26 Aug 2019 | New generation's voice
02 Sep 2019 | Shamsuddin Shafi
09 Sep 2019 | Tasneem Rahman
16 Sep 2019 | Sheikh Lana
» view full schedule
Australia - history, country and people
Australia - information for prospective students and migrants
Bangladesh - history, country and people
Canberra - history, city and attractions
Canberra and Australia
Commemorations and celebrations
Language, art and culture
Life in Canberra
Our memories, dreams, sadness and happiness
Recipe for expatriates
Remembering loved ones
Science, technology and space
Songs for a lonely day
Stories of expatriate life

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Well, I missed a week. I'm sure you'll forgive me.
Suicide Squad sure is terrible, and Jared Leto's the worst thing about it.
A piece on The Knick, The Girlfriend Experience, and Soderbergh's television exploits.
I've always gone to the mat for the Bourne movies, so Jason Bourne may be the summer's biggest disappointment. My review.
Also very bad: Bad Moms, which really should put an end to women's stories told by men, but won't.
Some thoughts on disco and the movies, tied to the new series at the Metrograph.
For Second Glance, an appreciation of Garry Marshall's Nothing in Common.
Finally subjected myself to A Talking Cat!?! for the most recent Bad Movie Night.
I made an indie guide for August, with a whole bunch of goods stuff.
Blu-ray/DVD/streaming guides for 8/2 and 7/26.


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Global Business and Negotiation
Nationalism and Conflict Management
Science Technology and Innovation
University Life and Living
Salamanca social life
Global Internship
Fernando Rodriguez
Fernando Rodriguez, University of Salamanca,
Fernando Rodriguez holds a Bachelor degree in Law, a Bachelor degree in Economics and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Salamanca, as well as a Master of Arts in Economics from Boston University. He has also followed Ph.D. courses in Economics at Boston University and Harvard University. He is tenure track professor and researcher in Law and Economics, Legal Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance at the University of Salamanca, and author of several publications in these fields, as well as Director of the Master in Economic Analysis of Legal Issues and Public Policies and Economic Regulation at the University of Salamanca. He has been guest professor of Law and Economics at several universities and institutions in Spain, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and Paraguay. He has worked as consultant to several private and public institutions at the regional, national and international level regarding finance and microfinance, energy and environmental regulation, health system reform and education.
of the University of Salamanca
Paseo Francisco Tomás y Valiente, s/n
37007 Salamanca (Spain)
Professor Peter Kuznick is interviewed about Iran by the China Global Television Network.
New publication:"Developing a Systems Architecture Model to Study the Science, Tech, and Innovation in International Studies" by Francisco Del Canto Viterale.
"Murder in Equatorial Guinea: A Foreign Service Urban Legend", by Mark Asquino.
Listen to the interview to Atul Singh, member of our Think Tank.
Professor Peter Kuznick in Sputnik: "Here We Go Again: Why US Claiming Russia Violated Nuclear Testing Moratorium".
Calle Fonseca, 2,
fgu@usal.es


My mom has always been a trendsetter without trying. She has this knack for spotting new things waaaaay before they hit the mainstream. Proof: She installed her kitchen granite counter tops in 1983! Yep, a quarter of a century ago. They were so new back then that only one company in all of Colorado knew how to install them.
Well, I'm tired of granite counter tops. They've become ubiquitous and cliche and therefore, in my mind, outre. They have become a sign of nouveau riche. Whenever I hear anyone say, "Oh, and we installed GRANITE counter tops!" I have to close my eyes so they can't see me rolling them. "Why?" I generally will ask them. And they usually can't give me a good reason. Usually the people who choose granite counter tops aren't serious cooks because they are impractical as hell. You can't cut on them. (They ruin your knives) They stain easily. And talk about environmentally destructive: Think of all the clawing into Mother Earth that's being done to satisfy this senseless craze.
In my opinion, the best counter tops out there still are Corian ... or any other generic solid-surface counter. If you stain or scratch them you simply buff them with a fine-grade sandpaper.
In my current kitchen I have Formica ... made to look like faux black marble with white swirls in it. It came with the house. And it's fine. Granite does not belong in a 1954 ranch-style Florida home.
FYI, granite does not stain. It cleans like a dream. Marble stains. And who in blazes cuts on their counter tops? (Unless they're wood, of course.) Otherwise, I can't find anything else to argue about in this blog.
You the man, Mr. Clean!
Points well taken. Oh...and I did forget to mention something else about granite: You can set hot pans directly onto it. Very handy.
I miss the terrazzo floors of olden. Oh how I loved those terrazzo floors.... My sibs and I would move all the chairs out of the way and sweep the floors and load a bucket with hot sudsy water and scrub. One of my sisters had a habit of using too much dish washing liquid for a cleaner and the suds were a riot. (Hey we lived in Ft. Myers and it was the sixties...we were a LITTLED BORED, Ok?!) After several buckets of rinse water we'd get out the towels and slide around to rock & roll, drying and dancing and shining those waxed terrazzo floors. We did it every Saturday. Thanks for starting a memory today for me Ad.
What's Lurking in Your Countertop?
TESTING Reports of granite emitting high levels of radon and radiation are increasing.
DETECTION Using devices like the Geiger counter and the radiation detection instrument Stanley Liebert measures the radiation and radon emanating from granite like that in Lynn Sugarman's kitchen counters.
OMG, radioactive granite! Who knew? Put your nutrient-sucking microwave on it and you've got quite a combo.
My home came with aqua blue formica countertops and I really liked them. Been in the house 4 years and I still really like them. They "pop" just the right color.
But you are breaking the heart of every decorina and household fashonista in America.
First off, doing a simple google search reveals that granite stains quite easily, so no need to apologise to the granite fabricator that took offense to your staining cmmment. You have to be very careful cleaning it, use the special granite cleaners that have diluted sealer in them to keep it clean and the sealer continually renewed.
And DO NOT SET HOT POTS ON GRANITE! Ever see a cracked car window from using hot water to thaw it? Thermal expansion is the culprit. Again do a google search to prove it happens.
And granite does emit radiation and Radon. Both the CRCPD (state radiation officials) and AARST (Radon scientists) are currently meeting to set maximum allowed radiation/radon standards and measurement protocols for granite countertop materials. This controversy has been embraced by the scientists as being truly of concern.
We currently conducting a full scale radon test, 18 square feet of granite in a 96 square foot room has elevated the Radon levels to over 10 pCi/L, about like smoking 1 1/2 packs a day according to EPA information. Here is a link to veiw the test and the current results.


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Filed in Press Archives
Helix Q&A: Jeri Ryan and Steve Maeda Talk Forthcoming Answers, Upping the Gore, Season 2, and Lots More
Posted on March 20, 2014 Written by Ariane Comments Off on Helix Q&A: Jeri Ryan and Steve Maeda Talk Forthcoming Answers, Upping the Gore, Season 2, and Lots More
This interview with Jeri Ryan and Helix's exec producer/showrunner Steve Maeda was published while I was in the hospital, so I'm a bit late posting it but better late than never!
Syfy hosted a Q&A with "Helix" guest star Jeri Ryan and exec producer/showrunner Steve Maeda last week, and they revealed quite a bit about what's ahead now that Constance Sutton (Ryan) has arrived in the Arctic.
Things kick off with some discussion about Sutton, who she really is and her motives, and then we hear about topics ranging from the likelihood of a second season, Jeri's love of gore, how long they can keep up the series' intensity, Hatake's obsession with Walker, the current state of genre TV, and much, much more.
If you're a fan of the show and/or Ryan (whose appearance as Ilaria's corporate "face" first occurred this past Friday night in Episode 1.07, "Survivor Zero," and will continue in future eps), you'll want to grab your morning coffee or tea and settle in for a bit.
It's President's Day; you don't have to work anyway, right? There's a lot of good stuff here!
Q: When we first see Sutton, she pretends to be this nice woman who's there to help, and we learn pretty quickly that's not true. Can you talk about playing the more cold, calculated side of the character?
Jeri Ryan: She was just fun. This was a really fun role to play because it's… she's kind of out there. You know, she's not subtle, which I love. So it was fun to just sort of let go and just really play and let her go to those places… that was a treat as an actor.
Steve Maeda: Sutton for us was someone who put on a very sort of benign and corporate face, which is why she does a lot of corporate speak, but then underneath there's obviously a lot more going on, and Jeri just ate it up. It was fantastic.
Q: This is more for clarification. We see obviously that Julia has the silver eyes, and now your character has the silver eyes. Does that mean possibly she's had the virus, or is it something else completely, entirely different that has nothing to do with the virus or the cure? Or can you not tell us that?
Maeda: You're asking all the right questions.
Ryan: Well, that's part of the mystery, isn't it?
Maeda: Yes. You're asking all the right questions, and answers will be forthcoming, I promise. It's going to be answered really quickly. But, yes, those are the questions we want you to be wondering about.
Q: Steve, are you completely done with Season 1? Is it totally out of your hands now?
Maeda: Not totally. We are locking our last episode, Episode 13, today [February 10th], and then we are actually on the mix stage right now. We are watching a playback – a sound playback of Episode 8, which is the second episode that Jeri is in, and we're working through those. So that'll be going on almost until… a couple weeks before we air this last episode.
Q: Are you waiting to finalize this finale until after you hear about a Season 2 pickup?
Maeda: You know what? We're locked into our finale. We don't have the luxury. So we are cautiously optimistic on a Season 2 pickup, and [Episode] 13 is going to lock today, so we're crossing our fingers and toes.
Ryan: I'm not cautious. I'm not cautious. I'm going out there. They're picked up… I'm making the prediction right now.
Q: Whose idea was it to have Constance have to file her teeth down? And is that a hint that maybe she has to keep doing that or otherwise they'll grow longer and longer?
Maeda: That's absolutely the hint, and that idea… I think that was something that came from Cameron [Porsandeh]'s original script. It may have actually been in the original pilot. I don't remember, but it's something that we always liked because it was so freaking weird. And we just had to put it in. It's just the best so yes, it was there originally. It was something that fell out of the pilot I think, and then we ended up finding a nice place for it.
Q: This show can be very tension-filled, but you guys always break it up. Either with Alan and Sarah being unsure of themselves after having sex in this Friday's episode or the music. The music has been really great. Like "Fever" being used in this episode. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Maeda: We decided from the get-go that we wanted to do some things a little bit differently and be unsettling not only in, you know, storytelling and how we were shooting the show, but also in post and in how we cut the show and in music… "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?," which started the whole thing, came from Ron [Moore] when we were sitting in post on the pilot. And… one of our other producers… we bought it on iTunes and watched it just kind of temped in, and it was like, "Wow. That works really well." So it was something we had talked about. When we saw it, we thought it was great, and so that's why we continued to do it. And "Fever" is the perfect one. That's probably the best song we're using in the entire show.
Q: Jeri, how would you best describe Constance and what motivates her?
Ryan: She's kind of a ball-buster. I think that's the best way to describe her, which I love. What motivates her? Well, I can't – see, I can't really tell you exactly what motivates her. That you sort of find out.
Maeda: She's a company employee, and so I would say she is trying to be loyal to the corporation and to the folks that she has been working with and been developing this whole plan with. And once she finds out that Hatake has since been working on his own agenda, she gets pretty damn angry about that. And it's an interesting thing… I thought Jeri walked that line really well, that line between the corporate kind of niceties and the polite things that you say versus the things that you actually do. And once the fangs came out, it's all over. So it was a lot of fun to watch.
Ryan: It was a lot of fun to play. And I also love, as you'll see without trying to give too much away, she's definitely, as Steve said, in the corporate world and very much looking out for the best interests of Ilaria, but you find out that there's a little more personal issue for her at stake as well, which I really loved…
Maeda: We tried to do with characters, even if they seem to be – both with Hatake and with Sutton – even if they seem to be very kind of on point and you know their agenda comes first, we try to infuse them with some emotion down the road so you understand where they're coming from, and it's not just about money. It's not just about greed or this sci-fi illness of the show, but there's an emotional component as well.
Ryan: And I love that.
Q: Jeri, what was it like to work on a series that's sometimes kind of gory and gross?
Ryan:Oh, I love the gore. Are you kidding me? Oh, God, more gore. I love it. The goo and the guts and all of it. I love it. So much fun. Come on. I observed autopsies when I was on "Body of Proof"! I love this stuff. I love the science of it. I love the gore. I love all of it.
Q: Steve, "The X-Files" was very dark [Ed. Note: Maeda served as writer, story editor, and executive story editor on the show] and certainly a pioneer in that sort of vibe, and "Helix" has a really dark edge. But "The X-Files" had at least a little humor with the interplay between Scully and Mulder, but this one is just relentless. Do you plan to keep up this intensity, or are you going to maybe let us breathe every now and then somewhere in the series?
Maeda: No. We want to keep up the intensity. There are light moments coming, but they tend to be kind of in the service of… it's black humor definitely, and they tend to be in service of keeping everything moving. and just sometimes you find those moments in the worst situations. So yes, we have 13 episodes and we really want to… our mantra was to keep the show moving, and so we want to have down time, we want to have character time, but we definitely want to keep everything twisting and turning and keep you coming back for more hopefully.
Q: You got to kind of get rough with Hatake there when you were mad at him. Would you like to maybe explore some more action and physical roles after getting a little taste of that?
Ryan: Oh, yes. It's not my first taste of it either. I did Mortal Combat, and I've done some other roles with a little bit of action here and there. Yes, it's a lot of fun. I always enjoy those scenes. But I have to tell you, I have to brag about Hiro [Sanada] for a minute. That man is unbelievable. I was in awe of him. I still am in awe of him. He's… the man is a ninja. The scene where I had to throw the book at his head, and I have to throw it directly at his face…it's on me. I can't like pretend to throw it. I have to wail it at him, and he's standing like six feet away from me. And I was a wreck shooting the scene. I was so nervous. I was like, "Dude, I have no aim. I can't." He was like, "Just throw it. Just do it. Just right at my face. Just go." And there's cameras set up right behind him, and so he has to knock the book away, and we're worried about hitting the lens and all this expensive equipment. He never even blinked. Never flinched. Never breathed heavy. Nothing. Every take, he just batted it out of the way like it was nothing in the exact spot that it was supposed to land so it didn't hit any equipment. He is amazing. He is amazing.
Maeda: Yes, he pretty much didn't flinch for the entire series… everything he was asked to do, yes. He really is amazing. And just… Was he dancing on set at all?
Ryan: No, I didn't see the dancing.
Maeda:Because the last time I was there, he's also really graceful. I mean, he can dance and sing. It's unbelievable. He's really talented.
Q: Jeri, could you tell us who is this character? How would you describe Constance for those people who have just met her for the first time?
Ryan: I'm not trying to tiptoe the line about not giving too much away, but she's certainly driven, and she definitely has an agenda that she is there to do. Hatake has gone off the rails. He is supposed to be finding them a virus and a cure, and he's screwed up. He's messing around and doing his own thing, and that's not okay so she's there to fix it, and whatever she has to do to make that happen is what has to happen.
Maeda: Yes. She's a fixer. She comes in and she takes care of things. And you know under the guise of corporate benevolence, she really has this very, very clear agenda, and you know if Hatake has gone off the rails a little bit, Sutton has not gone off the rails of this. Firmly on the rails and is trying to make sure that everything happens the way it's supposed to be happening and try to figure out what Hatake's game is.
Q: Steve, what can you tell us about Ilaria?
Maeda: Well, they're a pharmaceutical giant. They are – you know, they do good work and they make lots of drugs…their public face is actually benevolent. But behind the scenes there's a lot more going on than what you might expect. And I can't tell too much more than that, but the foundation of Ilaria, the origin story and how all that happened and how the company became what it is, is something that we're going to see over the back half of the season.
Q: Do you know exactly where Constance's arc is going?
Maeda: Oh, yes. We know where she's going. We know exactly… Sutton was a character who we knew very early on that we wanted to get into the show, that we wanted to have someone come from the corporation. And then the idea of Sutton was something that we talked about very early on. And then the rest of it just sort of came in kind of discussing and breaking stories with her.
Q: Steve, do you see what gets posted to "Helix's" Access Granted website? And how consequential or crucial do you think the content of that site is to understanding what's going on with the show?
Maeda: It's not critical to understand the show, but we do try to add some value to that experience… I did not do all that material myself, but I certainly saw all of it and approved it all. But it's something that if you watch the show, if you really like the show, the Access Granted stuff is something that can add a little more insight… it's planting clues and little things. If you don't watch it, you're still going to enjoy the show I think, but if you do, you'll get other little hints of things and get a little more background. [But] the answers will all be in the show.
Q: Answers like why Hatake's so obsessed with Walker? Will that be fully explained this season, or is it a mystery that might carry over until the next season if there is one?
Maeda: It will be fully explained this season.
Q: How do the other characters react to Sutton's arrival?
Maeda: Oh, gosh… I think that they are all sort of dismayed… for their own reasons because I think very quickly, very early on you discover that Sutton is putting on a performance for the gang. And so Hatake certainly knows who she is and where she's coming from. I think that Daniel has an idea. And I think that Alan and company learn very quickly what's going on… what appears to be, you know, "Oh good, help is here," is really not help at all. Look, she arrives with gun-toting soldiers, too. She comes loaded for bear.
Q: And will this also kind of shift some of the bad guy image away from Hatake? So far he's seemed like our villain, but will he be teaming up with the CDC now?
Maeda: Absolutely. One of the things we wanted to do was take our characters who seemed to be villains and try to humanize them and create some kind of unlikely pairings. And also take our characters who seem to be on the side of the angels and turn them a little bit and twist them and give them some unsavory motives perhaps. And so yes, we're trying to find those balances, and I think you'll see them.
Q: Steve, obviously "The X-Files" was iconic for the 1990's, and here we are in 2014. How has the state of genre TV changed in your opinion? It seems to have almost gotten to the point where it's now the mainstream.
Maeda: Yes. I think it definitely has gone more mainstream, and there's so much good stuff out there I think both in TV and movies. It's so great… I've done genre shows and shows that are not genre, and I just love these because of the storytelling; you get to first off come up with whatever you can imagine and put it out there. But then also when you do want to get a theme in, it's so much easier to couch that in science-fiction or in genre because for some reason it just doesn't feel as heavy-handed, and you can tell stories that are much more… you can layer in something without feeling preachy because you have the genre kind of as your shield and still do a really entertaining [show] but have something to say. So it's a lot of fun. I really enjoy it.
Q: The themes of "Helix" are very much a cautionary tale about where we're going with genetic research and medicine and pharmaceuticals. Where do you mine the science for the show? Do you have science advisors?
Maeda: We do, and we've done a lot of research ourselves. We do have an advisor who reads all of our scripts. We have an advisor on set as well, but we have a CDC doctor who reads all our scripts and then comes back to us with, "You know what? It would really be this way, guys, and not that way," and we try to take those cues when we can. Dramatically, we're always trying to tell the best story, but we also want to be as grounded as possible. And yes, sometimes we take flights of fancy, but in doing so… it's something I actually learned on "X-Files," which is the more you tie your fantastic story, your science-fiction story, into actual science, the easier it is to buy. And so, that's what we're trying to do. You know, we may not hit it all the time, but it's something we certainly are mindful of.
Q: Dr. Hatake stabbing himself was one of the many shocking things that have happened on the show, and the idea of this virus being a delivery system or something genetic leads us to wonder what that has to do with Hatake's ability to heal quickly and his own chromosomes and what experiments he's been doing on himself. Can you shed some light?
Maeda: I would say it very much has something to do with that, without giving too much away. It's part of just who he is and what will be revealed in later episodes. But yes, we delved as deeply as we could into [the] research and into trying to take a lot of really arcane science and make it understandable to us, understandable to the audience. And without dumbing it down too much, to get in as much real stuff as we could.
Q: Jeri, any chance you'll be out hitting the convention circuit again?
Ryan: I have been. I wasn't able to do them for a few years because I have stalkers, and so I had security issues. And then Creation Entertainment, who organizes most of the "Star Trek" conventions, got a really great security detail for me, and so I was able to start doing them again, and it's a lot of fun. That's a great way to see the fans and to meet them. It's fun… it's a great treat to get to meet the fans. They're a very enthusiastic, very loyal, very passionate group of people, and they're amazing. And you know, none of us would be anywhere without the fans. It's another reason why I love social media so much now. It's another way to safely interact with your fans.
Maeda: Yes. I would second that. The sci-fi fans are so passionate. I mean, that's the really great thing, too, about the response we're getting. Science-fiction fans either love you or hate you, but very, very passionate. And you know, going after those fans is… it's a great fan base.
Q: Lastly, can you tease how many episodes Constance will be appearing in? Will there be a chance for the character to return in future episodes or seasons?
Maeda: This is Syfy; there's always a chance. Yes. Without giving too much away, she's… I don't want to say how many episodes or the why or the why not; all that will come to bear, but we love having Jeri. She's in a number of episodes, and we'll just leave it at that.
Our thanks to Jeri and Steve for their time, moderator Stephen Cox, Garrott Smith, and everyone at Syfy.
"Helix" is executive produced by Ron Moore, creator of "Battlestar Galactica." The 13-episode series stars Billy Campbell, Kyra Zagorsky, Jordan Hayes, Catherine Lemieux, Hiroyuki Sanada, Meegwun Fairbrother, Mark Ghanimé, and Neil Napier.
SOURCE: Dread Central
The Hottie Stop interviews Jeri Ryan, star of Against the Wild 2 and Bosch
STLV19: 'Star Trek: Picard' Panel Talks Seven's New Voice, Riker's Return, And More
Inside Jeri Ryan's daughter Gisele's nursery
Helix 1.07 Survivor Zero Screencaps


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Three New & Interesting Games to Try on Your Pool Table
No game room is complete without the game of kings, commoners, and poppers. Billiards, better known as pool, is a game which dates way back into the fifteenth century! Over centuries of time, this game has evolved with time but is still very much a favorite for many! Most people know common pool games like eight ball and nine ball but did you know there are more? If you are bored with the typical pool games, shake it up a little with three, new-to-you games to play on your pool table!
Cutthroat Pool
Number of Players: Three or Teams of two or more
Number of Balls: Standard pool set of 15 balls
Cut-throat is normally played with three-players or teams. Each player begins with an assigned set of five consecutively numbered balls such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. To win you must be the last player or group to have at least one or more balls remaining on the pool table. For full instructions you can visit Wikipedia and search 'Cutthroat (pool)'.
One Pocket
Number of Players: Two or Teams of two or more
Where most billiard games make use of all of the pockets on the table, in this game one pocket is assigned to each player or team (thus the name, one pocket). Wikipedia explains the object of the game is to have the most points earned by pocketing balls in your assigned pocket. Check out their full instructions by searching 'One-Pocket'.
Baseball Pool
Number of Players: Two or more
Number of Balls: 15-21
Baseball pool is a simple game that consists of nine innings or rounds for each player to score points by pocketing balls. The winner is the one who has scored the most points at the end of the nine innings. Full home-run instructions can be found with a simple Wikipedia search of 'Baseball Pocket Billiards'.
Don't have a pool table or want to upgrade your current one? Come in today and we will help you find the one that fits your game room the best!


Maria's South Indian Cooking Class is one of the most sought-after cookery classes in the rustic town of Fort Cochin. The teacher, Maria is an expert in the South Indian cuisine, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. She speaks fluent English. So the cooking class has become popular, especially attracting many foreign travelers.
A premium culinary experience in Fort Cochin.
Maria's Cooking Class is one of the best cooking classes not only in the state of Kerala but also in the country. The teacher is fluent in English and has good communication skills. So the class is easy to understand. You will especially enjoy the explanation of the various spices and ingredients, which is done before the actual cooking starts. The teacher speaks with warmth and enthusiasm, making the class a pleasant experience.
The teacher is fluent in English.
An amazingly detailed explanation of spices and ingredients.
The class can seem a little fast sometimes.
The class becomes less personalized if there are many students.
Maria's South India Cooking Class is a popular cookery class in Fort Cochin. It attracts a number of foreign travelers who are interested in tasting and learning to cook delicacies from the South-Indian cuisine. Since the teacher, Maria is not only a culinary expert but also has great communication skills; the classes are engaging as well as easy to understand.
As you participate in the class, you will be amazed to hear and see Maria's knowledge of the South-Indian cuisine. Her friendly demeanor makes for a pleasant learning experience. The class is very practical. After the class, you get to relish the rich flavors of South India's spices in every morsel of food you eat. The afternoon is guaranteed to be a memorable one.
Maria's South Indian Cooking Class, Burgher Street, Fort Cochin, Kerala 682001.
Try and visit the class during a low-tourist season. The experience is more personalized when there are fewer students.


Landscape Service Professionals is a complete "From the ground up" Landscape company, with numerous successful projects having been recognized throughout the industry over the past 18 years. Noted projects include, Fort Lauderdale International Airport, Pro Player Stadium (home to the Miami Dolphins), as well as Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, just to name a few.
We've also had a great presence at several colleges and universities throughout South Florida. Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton is a great example of multi projects in which we installed landscape and irrigation.
We recently completed the SWA Renewal Energy Plant in West Palm Beach which took a year to complete with a Florida friendly design including sustainable natives. One of our many specialties is transplanting large trees and palms, which helps maintain South Florida's precious old-growth.
Due to exceptional service, constantly evolving to new industry standards, and employing some of the best in our industry, our successful survival rate is second to none and recognized throughout South Florida.


Once established, weeds are extremely difficult to remove from your Round Rock lawn. Weed seed can stick around for years, causing weeds to reappear years after you thought you had the problem whipped. The best way to avoid having a problem with weeds is to keep them from establishing themselves in the first place.
When it comes to weeds, the best defense is a good offense. A weed seed is not likely to start where there is already a good stand of grass. Therefore, a thickly seeded lawn in excellent health is the best way to keep weeds out of your Round Rock yard. If you are starting from scratch or renovating an existing lawn, be sure to pick seed that is well suited for the Round Rock area.
Large dead spots due to freezing out during the winter or dying from heat stress in the summer make the perfect place for weeds to establish in large numbers. Always seed according to the label directions. While the directions may seem like overkill, some types of seed have lower germination rates. If you start out with a poor strand, you leave too much room between plants and weeds can easily wheedle their way in. In addition, make sure you aren't bringing in weeds unsuspectingly. Carefully check the tag of your desired grass seed. By law, these tags are required to list the percentages of seed, inert matter (usually dirt or a coating to improve seed viability), and weeds. Choose a type of seed with less than 5% weeds. This also applies to when you begin mowing your lawn. If you hire your lawn care, inspect the company's lawn equipment to be sure they are not bringing in a lawnmower deck full of weed seeds.
Next, fertilize carefully. The right percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can ensure that your Round Rock lawn spends less time growing upward and more time spreading out. Weed seeds are less likely to grow if they can get adequate light. Tall, upward growth of grass leaves a lot of space for weed seeds to edge in and get the light they need, whereas short, bushy growth habits don't provide extra space for weeds. Don't fertilize repeatedly during the year; at most, fertilize early in the spring and again just prior to dormancy. The goal of lawn fertilization is to help the grass plant become stronger so that it can support itself during periods of stress, not necessarily to increase growth.


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Racism in the Adirondacks: Online meetings target it and what can be done
It's being called an "Antiracism Campaign" for the Adirondacks.
A series of virtual "Listen-in" and "Teach-in" sessions focusing on mobilizing the greater Adirondack community on the issues of racial equity and justice begins next week. The series is being offered by the Adirondack Diversity Initiative in partnership with the Adirondack North Country Association.
The series, said organizers, is in response to peaceful protests across northern New York in recent weeks, "as people and communities seek ways to engage in the broader national movement for racial justice."
The first Listen-in session,"Antiracism 101: Checklist for white allies and activitists," will feature Nicky Hylton-Patterson, director of the Adirondack Diversity Initiative and a panel of black activist-scholars from across the region for a talk about the black experience in America. The online session will take place via Zoom and is scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday.
"We are witnessing an unprecedented wave of passion and support for racial justice across the nation and here in the North Country," said Hylton-Patterson. "Our hope is that ADI's new Antiracism Campaign will educate and empower white allies and activists so they can understand and combat systemic racism within their own communities and social networks."
Read the full article in NYup.com.


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Ohio's House votes to make finance chairman its next speaker
By Julie Carr Smyth - AP Statehouse Correspondent
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The scandal-scarred Ohio House, after weeks of impasse, on Wednesday chose the favored successor to Republican former Speaker Cliff Rosenberger to lead it through the end of the year.
Republican House Finance Chairman Ryan Smith prevailed in a dramatic 11 rounds of floor voting in which he was unable to win a majority but got more votes than any other candidate. The win to fulfill Rosenberger's unexpired term could better position Ryan in the brewing speaker fight against Republican former Speaker Larry Householder for next session.
In nominating Smith, Republican Rep. Robert Cupp, a former state Supreme Court justice, said he had the track record to lead.
"Respectful, process-oriented, inclusive, accommodating, trustworthy and decisive, qualities we all value in a leader," Cupp said. "This is what the lamp of experience has shown."
Speakers hold powerful sway over which bills are advanced into law in the state and which ones die unceremonious deaths.
After his win, Smith, of Gallia County, called on House members to conduct themselves with respect and "common decency."
Lawmakers supported Smith over Householder's choice, term-limited state Rep. Andy Thompson, and a surprise 11th-hour addition to the race, Columbus-area Rep. Jim Hughes, both Republicans. Thompson, a conservative from Marietta, pitched himself as a neutral placeholder who could restore normalcy and integrity to the chamber following Rosenberger's sudden departure. Householder supported Thompson in early voting and later switched his vote to Hughes.
Rosenberger resigned last month amid an FBI inquiry into his travel, his lavish lifestyle and a condo he rented from a wealthy GOP donor. He has said all of his actions were legal but he was resigning because the federal investigation would take time to resolve and could become a distraction.
Republican caucus members had failed to agree on a replacement that could win the 50 votes required by No. 2 Rep. Kirk Schuring, who's been leading the chamber since Rosenberger's departure.
Thompson, a publisher and former city councilman, made his pitch to fellow Republicans using a Beatles comparison. He told caucus members he'd follow the House's fractious "Let It Be" period under Rosenberger with a transcendent "Abbey Road" finish. The iconic rockers were notoriously divided while recording "Let It Be," recorded before but released after "Abbey Road," considered one of the band's greatest albums.
Hughes is a freshman House member this term but is a longtime politician, having served in the House in the early 2000s and in the state Senate later.
Lawmaking in the state had been at a standstill for weeks, as House Republicans sparred over who should succeed Rosenberger.
Federal agents searched Rosenberger's home and storage unit on May 23 in a probe that's believed to center on the money and influence behind his international travel and lavish lifestyle. Rosenberger says he has broken no laws.
Rosenberger's departure left Schuring in charge of the chamber but unable under House rules to pass any bills. Among measures stalled as a result are payday lending regulations, money for voting machines and a proposal that would streamline access to hunting and fishing licenses.
By Julie Carr Smyth
AP Statehouse Correspondent
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: Ohio's House votes to make finance chairman its next speaker. Here is a link to that story: https://www.recordherald.com/news/27202/ohios-house-votes-to-make-finance-chairman-its-next-speaker


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Assamese film Dikchow Banat Palaax selected for Indian Panorama at IFFI
By TNM NewsDesk On Oct 30, 2016
A screenshot of the movie
Critically acclaimed Assamese feature film Dikchow Banat Palaax, which was released on September 30 across theatres in Assam, has been selected for Indian Panorama at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to be held from November 20, 2016. IFFI is held in Goa in November annually and it attracts film aficionados from across the globe.
As per an official release, 26 feature films and 21 non-feature films (including the best feature and best non-feature films from 63rd National Film Awards, 2015), distinguished by cinematic, thematic and aesthetic excellence will feature in the Indian Panorama. Out of the films selected for Indian Panorama, two will be nominated for the Competition Section of 47th International Film Festival of India.
Produced by Assam Film (Finance & Development) Corporation Ltd and Utpal Kumar Das of Canvascope, Dikchow Banat Palaax was written, scripted and directed by National Award winning filmmaker Sanjib Sabhapandit. It is worth mentioning that it is the only Assamese language film to be selected for Indian Panorama 2016. The list includes Baahubali (Teelugu), Loktak Lairembee (Manipuri), Onaatah (Khasi), Bajirao Mastani, Airlift and Sultan.
Sanjib Sabhapandit, director of Dikchow Banat Palaax, says, "Selection to Indian Panorama is a very satisfying achievement. The selected films will represent the country as the bests of Indian cinema for one year all over the world. It will travel across the globe carrying a slice of Indian culture. This year the competition was very tough with films of giants like Adoor Gopalkrishnan, Girish Kasarvalli etc in the fray.
Our film has a wide human dimension and it is set in the backdrop of two culturally and anthropologically distinct people although they are neighbours. I believe, a refreshingly new story, a good script, superlative acting, brilliant camera work, authentic sound design and above all a very good team work that led to a good production design resulted in this glory."
Commenting on the selection of the film to be screened at the reputed film festival, Utpal Kumar Das, executive producer of the film, said, "I really feel proud that Dikchow Banat Palaax has been selected for Indian Panorama. Among the three films produced by Canvascope so far, this is our second film to be selected in Indian Panorama. The entire credit for our success goes to the team Dikchow Banat Palaax. I would specially like to thank to my director Sanjib Sabhapandit and veteran actor Kulada Bhattacharjee for making this project successful."
Dikchow Banat Palaax explores the relationship of a freedom fighter and a Naga woman through decades of separation. Set in 1946, the film portrays the journey of a young Assamese man, who is banished from his home district by the British empire, as he wanders to the Naga Hills. Love blooms and a Naga damsel gave him a few coins for his sustenance. But the love birds get separated, until the protagonist recollects memories of his past in the year 2000, when he decides to revisit the place just to return those coins to the lady.
Veteran actor Kulada Kumar Bhattacharjee is seen in a pivotal role in the feature film. Besides, Naga actress Lolenla Ao, Chikmik, and Mala Goswami are also featured in the movie. The cinematography is done by Parasher Baruah and music direction by Anurag Saikia.
Canvascope, a film production banner by Utpal Kumar Das, has produced many critically acclaimed feature films like Jaangfaai Joonaak, Jeeyaa Jurir Xubaax and several short films and documentaries. An engineer and real estate businessman, Das is also an art enthusiastic and has promoted several art projects.
The movies selected for the Indian Panorama will also be featured in various international film festivals, film weeks, Indian Panorama festivals and other non-commercial screenings, within the country and abroad at the discretion of the Directorate of Film Festivals.


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A very Japanese haven
By Matt Nighswonger
9 Nov, 2005, 23:18
It was the weekend and we needed a break. It had been a long work week and the city was wearing us down. We needed to find some peace and quiet, and it had to be away from Tokyo. So, we hopped on a train and headed west into the mountains. After only an hour or two on the train one feels like he/she is in another country. The hustle and bustle that is Tokyo is replaced by serene mountain views that dominate the skyline.
We had to transfer trains a couple of times and soon were on a train that matched the relaxed natural beauty. The express trains were replaced by old 1960's train models. The windows could be opened allowing the fresh mountain air into the cars. There were no air conditioning units, only rotating fans attached to the ceilings. The train stations were two small concrete platforms, one on each side, and a simple awning to hide from the weather, as opposed to behemoth buildings that oozed with neon lights and had non-stop traffic.
As we continued, mountains packed with tall green trees soaring towards the sky could be seen all around us. We rode through the long skinny valleys that had been carved out by meandering rivers. Small towns that hugged the habitable space next to the river before the mountains shot up dotted the countryside. Raised highways and train tracks connected each little town. Before even arriving at our destination we already felt rejuvenated.
Part of our burn out was due to our current location. We are in a suburb of Tokyo surrounded by city without enough parks or green spaces to provide a reprieve from the concrete monotony. Living in the world's largest metropolitan area doesn't provide a lot of peace and quiet. Tokyo, and most of Japan, is constant action with the schedule never ending and punctuality vital. Trains and buses run on precise times seven days a week, 365 days a year from 5:00 AM to 1:00AM with the only exception being Mother Nature. With all of this action comes constant noise. There are cars, horns, bells, whistles, trains, and sirens heard around the clock. Even the stores provide a barrage of noises. Computerized greetings and techno mixes of 80's songs are found virtually everywhere. The noise and activity seem impossible to escape. The never ending madness can become all consuming.
After living here for an extended time it is easy to feel like there is nothing new to see. We were beginning to think we had seen it all and done it all. It seemed like we had done everything Japan had to offer, like nothing was new and it all was old hat. Tall buildings and flashing lights can be found anywhere. Of course there is the Tokyo twist on the city here, but any big city is impersonal and distant. This coupled with the language and culture barrier can make Tokyo hard to feel a connection towards. Even the foreign population in this area is hesitant to break through the barriers of silence and minding one's own business. With all of this it was no wonder we needed a break from everything.
Getting away to the quaint Japanese country side provided the change of scenery that we needed. We were snapping pictures left and right of all the unique Japanese things, which in the city just seem like part of the jumbled chaos that can be found in any city throughout the world. Cities around the world all have a distinct and different feel, but the true differences in cultures and countries are found outside of the big cities.
When we arrived at our stop we bounded out of the train full of excitement and energy despite the three hour train journey (it can take a long time to escape the urban sprawl of Tokyo). The scene was amazing; instead of buildings and flashing lights surrounding us, soaring mountains and trees were everywhere. The station was a small wooden building with a smiling lady sitting behind the glass patiently waiting to take our tickets. We exited the station and found a map of the surrounding trails. We decided on our course and headed out for our hike. Along the way we found a park tucked away behind some buildings. For some reason the park had an old fire truck that had been parked for the kids to play on. Attached to the fire truck was a zip line. Even though the weight limit might have been exceeded we played on the zip line for a few minutes and then sat down in the park to eat our snack.
After our snack we got off the main road and started down the path. It wound along the river between the forest and a row of houses. The thick bamboo forest on one side was so dense there was no way to wiggle through the randomly spaced trees. All of the back yards of the houses were meticulously groomed gardens. A hard working couple was out tending to their vegetables. The ground was over flowing with fresh cabbage, green onions, radishes, carrots, and pumpkins. Each yard looked like a farmer's market.
Along the way we passed a gushing waterfall. The stream appeared from out of the forest canopy and then suddenly dropped 20 feet to a small pool and then carved its way through the forest to join up with the river. It was beautiful, it carved out its own little cove. A lucky resident had built his/her home next to the waterfall. The porch of the house looked out onto the pristine cove the water had made. It was a scene most people pay to go to a bar and have a drink overlooking this gift of nature. Every evening this family is fortunate enough to do it for free.
After the waterfall we crossed a bridge and entered into a cedar forest. The long skinny trees towered above us. There were so many trees that only small patches of light seeped through the forest canopy. The path meandered through the forest going past waterfalls, over streams, and beside the river. Then it began to go up. The path led to the top of the mountain. From the summit we looked down into a small village that was hidden away in the river valley. Every direction there were mountains and trees as far as the eye could see. Tokyo felt like an entire world away. We were on top of the world and felt like our spirits had been restored.
After absorbing the scene for a few minutes we made our way back down the mountain. The path led into the village, across the river gorge that looked almost a mile below. Huge boulders and white water ran along the bottom of the valley. After crossing the bridge we found a small restaurant and had dinner before getting back on the train. Finally, as the sky was turning from blue to black we got onto the train. The entire ride home we smiled. We had fallen in love with Japan again. This outing reminded us so much of our previous stay in Japan. It looked and felt so much like Gifu. Gifu was where we fell in love with Japan, and where we fell in love with each other. The people were friendly, the pace of life was slower, and concrete finally yielded to trees. Mountains and rivers were everywhere. It was sublime.
After the long train ride we arrived in our small town of Katsutadai and felt refreshed. We came back feeling like Japan still had mysteries and secrets yet to be discovered. It was an exhilarating feeling, one that can help us in our times of culture shock and longing for home. It reignited that spark of magic that we hadn't felt towards Japan for a while.
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Copyright © 2005 Matt Nighswonger