If this was college football, well it isn't. Haha. This is bigger than college football, this is ballet. Like football there are ten schools that everyone wants to get into. The only thing bigger than the school you get into, is the company you might dance for as an end result. In comparison, these are the Ivies of the ballet world, and you do have to have top marks to get in. Who are we kidding, you have to have everything to get in… Like the Ivy League list… there are three schools that will always compete for number one in the world. International, and probably the most historical, they are the prestigious Paris Opera Ballet School, the Vaganova School, and the Royal Ballet School. It is hard to say which one of these schools is actually the best, because they are completely different styles, and create very different dancers. 1. Paris Opera Ballet School or to be accurate, Ecole de l'Opera National de Paris, is actually the oldest. The school itself is impossible to get into, and because they are state subsidized like most companies, they can be extremely picky on who they take. Not only is the training ridiculous, but it is based on a points system, and only top marks move on. Now, the bigger question… Why don't we see a lot of French dancers in the US? The answer is simple, they were made to dance for Paris Opera, and if they don't get in, they usually don't want to dance for another company…. Or if they do, it is usually a cutting edge ballet company with a contemporary flare. Paris Opera Dancers can be spotted a mile away for their impeccable control of turn out, their specific style of arms (very relaxed), and their calm attack to ballet.
2. The Vaganova School… The fact that a style is named after them, or pedagogy, it should say something. Like Paris Opera everything is based on the rigorous challenge of first getting in. At the entrance exams not only is the child looked at, but radiographs of their bones, and their parents' bodies are taken into consideration. This is to guess height, hip width, etc. The school itself is notarious via youtube for broadcasting their graduating class exams, in which students perform the most ridiculous barre and center combinations you will ever see. Regardless, go Russia. This can be seen because it seems that in Russia, everyone has beyond 180 turn out, ridiculous extensions, the soft arabesque arm and most importantly they have the most glorious necklines.
3. The Royal Ballet School, conveniently and beautifully located at Covent Garden. (Well truth be told all of the schools mentioned above are housed at the most glamorous places in the city.) Royal Ballet also has their particular style and thought process behind ballet, don't confuse this with RAD (Royal Academy of Dance). The Royal Ballet school is known to recruit students from the YAGP, VARNA, IBC, the Prix de Lusanne and so forth. Usually, if a dancer enters the school from a big competition win, they end up in the company. One of the prizes at the Prix de Lusanne happens to be a company spot at Royal Ballet. Royal ballet is known for softer and subtle arms, romantic like arabesque placement, and meatier legs compared to the the two prior.
Now… are has an American School taken place number 4? Nope, I think not.
4. The Rest of the Russian Schools, take place number 4. This includes Bolshoi State Academy and St. Petersberg academy. Russia has definitely turned out powerhouses and they are proud of it. We should be thankful to them, and be more grateful that they don't all come over to the US and audition for jobs, because then everyone would be unemployed. Hahah.
6. School of American Ballet, or the notorious SAB. Founded by Balanchine, and the school of New York City Ballet, this might be argued as one of the hardest schools to get into. And they are known for one thing, the Balanchine Aesthetic. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the school, like Vaganova, Royal and Paris Opera, there is a very specific style. How can you spot an Balanchine or SAB dancer? Their hands (the claw), their crazy turn out, the way they take their bow (they break to 3/4 pointe and turn in), and their aggressive attack on musicality. Most of the dancers from School of American Ballet will find a job in another Balanchine like company.
7. NBS, Canada's National Ballet School, the feeder school to National Ballet of Canada. Housed at the newly remodeled Celia Franca Center, NBS is known for creating extremely artistic and articulate dancers. What is really nice about this school is their Post-Secondary education program. This program is for dancers who have already graduated from school but need that one or two years of refinement, strengthening, and preparation for company life. In the US we call it second companies, but in reality a second company is a free corps. This is an actual program for dancers to utilize.
8. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, also known as JKO. It is a newer school compared to the rest. In fact it was founded in 2004. It is the school to American Ballet Theatre and headed by Franco De Vita. This school is ridiculously known for their bravura dancers. Like most American schools now, the emphasis on turns and jumps are stressed here. The JKO school partnered with ABT's Misty Copeland have started Project Plie, a program to help young minorities get the training they need to succeed in the dance world.
9. San Francisco Ballet School, so it was a toss up between the following schools because each are incredible: San Francisco Ballet School, Pacific Northwest Ballet School, and Boston Ballet School. Each one is extremely unique and satisfying for any young dancer. It is also convenient that they are spread across the US. You might be thinking, well if you are going to group those schools you should also at Houston Ballet Academy, Miami City Ballet School, and maybe even Orlando Ballet School…. Wrong. You probably are thinking they are on the same level because their companies are on that same middle field. You are quite wrong. Their schools are incredibly different, and San Francisco, Boston and PNB are known for creating extraordinary dancers. Their dancers all are usually very classically based, with a touch of Balanchine in moderation. These schools push their kids extremely hard, and if they don't join the company the actively seek work for them at other companies.
I like the way you write but I do not understand why you did not mentionate La Escuela Nacional de Danza in La Habana, Cuba. Cuba is the most important dance diaspora in the world. Every important dance company has a cuban dancer. Is it because they are socialists?
Actually, I love the school at National Ballet of Cuba, and it is great whenever the US or the world in general gets to see them on tour, and those who defect and join US companies are amazingly brilliant. I did not include that school since it is basically impossible for dancers to go there to train.
It's actually not terrifically difficult for a well-prepared American dancer to train at the the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. I have several times, legally, and toured there as well.
The Cuban National Ballet School !
I am very confused on why The National Cuban Ballet School was left of the list. The impact of its graduates is visible in many companies around the world and has been for many years. If you left it off because of political reasons it was a poor decision. No mater what your political views are it does not take away form the exceptional National Cuban Ballet School and its National Ballet Company.
CPYB certainly did qualify to be in the top 5 over the last 40 years, but all the teachers that made it great have left, 2 last year, and have not been replaced, the 20 class a week work ethic is not evident and Marcia is 77 and spending less time teaching. It is not the same school that produced all those wonderful dancers.
Mr Gill, I actually quite agree with you. And that Mr. Hineline has moved to Ballet San Jose is a big change as well. I do think though that their ideology and approach to ballet is extremely beautiful, and the fact they allow anyone to come and train is amazing as well.
Mr Hineline's move to San Jose is for the best. He focused too much on the schools image and performances to gather donations, and not at all on the school itself. The open enrollment has always been a school focus, but without the teachers to mold them, they now gain little by being there and therefore don't stay long. Marcia's personal desire for teaching anyone at the door is and has been as you say 'beautiful' but it is not being focused on anymore by the administration. The word now is money not quality. I went through this school and my son did also, my professional career is over but his is active. What has happened to this school in the last 10 years just makes me cry.
Well Melanie, I am happy that you are happy with what you are getting from CPYB for free. But since you are new, I think you lack perspective on what the school was, which was the thesis of my comments. My premise is that it does not still qualify for a top ten listing of schools. How can you possibly state that it 'has not suffered greatly' without ANY background or history. My history with it goes back 40 years. I also question your ability to judge the ability of a teacher. How many men's classes have you personally taken? Nick's 'wonderful' training is also building too much muscle on the girls. Being a parent does not make you an expert on ballet training. You want to see a good men's program, check out Patel Conservatory in Tampa under Peter Stark or SF. One last point, the involvement of the NYC alumni was a Summer course thing. Summer course is completely different from the normal academic year, If you honestly believe that any program can 'grow' by not replacing two of its primary and most talented teachers, then you are living a dream. Remember, invariably you always get just what you pay for.
This of course is an arguable point and whether right or wrong nothing can take little away from what the school has acomplished over the past half century, its impressive. One very valid point to be made is that many who may have moved on as well as an impressive list of alumni, are now taking this legacy elsewhere and building on its foundation in the interest of giving back. There are many examples of this emerging even in some of the most unlikely places such as Sedona AZ, where Tracy Julias, former principal with the Joffrey Ballet, and C.P.Y.B Alumni dating back to the days of the barn, has opened the Northern Arizona Youth Ballet. This new Ballet School offering very much honors the legacy of C.P.Y.B. as do a growing number of others.
I absolutely could not agree with you more. CPYB has been and continues to be a major influencer of my life and my family's life. It is such a shame therefore that it does not have a policy of bringing back alumni to continue the teaching heritage, to learn the teaching techniques that so successfully affected their lives directly from Marcia. The best teachers have left, and the less talented hang on. Allen did some notable things in his tenure as CEO, but he has allowed the school to stagnate. The entire middle levels of the school left at the end of the 12-13 academic year along with half the upper class. Most of the rest of the upper levels will not return this fall. They are leaving because they know the are not getting the level of training from the remaining staff teachers that they should. As mentioned the focus is selling the image and a lot of money in donations has come in. Unfortunately, NONE of that money has been put back into hiring the next generation of CPYB teaching staff. It is unfortunate that soon, Marcia will be gone and there is no effort to pass on her teaching technique. Only one other teacher in the school uses her teaching techniques, all the rest do their own thing. The scholarships that they offer like the men's program are great, but the technique and polish that characterized CPYB in the past does not ooze from the floorboards into the students. Dedicated teachers teaching a consistent program is the only way to accomplish that and that is gone. I live this school, every day and it hurts to see it decline.
I will be more than happy to argue with anyone about anything I have written in this comment and others. I can only hope that education of what is really happening at CPYB may bring pressure to make the changes that desperately need to be made. The slick marketing plan is a product of Allen, but caveat emptor, all that is glossy is not real.
My daughter is a year round student at CPYB. Can you advise a better program for a teen girl? Often she only has one technique class and then she is scheduled for rehearsal all evening. I feel she needs to have a pointe class everyday.
Well, since my previous comments got me banned from the school, a school of which I am an alumnus, I am not sure I should expound on them, but there a number of fine schools out there that still hold quality as their goal. It is unfortunate that CPYB is not still one of them. I do know that you still have at least one staff teacher that if asked will answer your question far better than I can. I also agree with your time and class assessment, School is the place where a dancer learns technique, not in rehearsal or on stage. That was CPYB's strength. Unfortunately the past CEO and his successor found that donors like performances and turned the school into a performing company. Money is the current driver, which is why your child is in rehearsal so much. Four major performances a year for a school are two too many. They are constantly in rehearsal, when they need to be in class. And that goes to the lowest levels. Personally I would not allow any student below level 4 to be in more than two performances a year. Also, there seems to be no plan to recapture that lost excellence. The are actually hiring new teachers that have little to no teaching experience. Ex dancers know how to dance, not necessarily how to teach basic technique. The best were naturals and have little idea of how they learned, they just did it.
I wish you the best of luck. Your teen is in the right school, unfortunately about 10 years too late.
Thanks for your support Mr. King, but it's not my school and they are going to do whatever they want for their own reasons. It is just unfortunate that they are riding on the coattails and reputation of a truly great school without understanding what made it great or really doing anything to perpetuate its strengths. It will quickly end up as just one more mediocre ballet school.
What about Germany? The Hamburg and John Cranko Schools, in Hamburg, and Stuttgart respectively, are definitely among the top 10. I'd also put the Royal Conservatory in the Hague, NL, as well as the Australian Ballet School, Royal Danish Ballet School and Royal Winnipeg Ballet School.
Hamburg and John Cranko schools are both brilliant and should have taken the JKO spot and the "show stopper" schools. The Danish Ballet school I mentioned above and talked about Bournonville Technique. Royal Winnipeg is super great as well, and probably should have been lumped in with NBS, but I didn't. Sorry that my list has offended so many people.
Would love to hear your thoughts on The Harid Conservatory in Florida. Considering its size, they have produced quite a roster of professional dancers, the list at ABT alone includes principals Marcelo Gomes and Isabella Boylston.
Also, I think it's great that many are opining — and I don't think anyone was offended by your point of view, which we all understand to be just that, your opinion, and not fact. Thank you for doing this and let's keep the conversations going!
There are hundreds of ballet schools that are amazing… kirov DC, Harid, and hundreds of others, like I said, this was just by opinion. I actually think the dancers from Harid come out quite strong, and the fact they are attached as an education system, not just a ballet school is great. I will post more about it on another date. Thanks for the comment.
Where does The Nashville Ballet School fit in?
I love the conversation. I think a major criteria for a great school is if the can teach and produce professionals from beginner through pre-professional. Most of the schools like Harid, SAB, etc., who can produce a nice list of professional alumni are just finishing schools. This was a strength of CPYB in its day. A major proportion of its professionals started at 5 or 6 and 10 years later walked directly into a company with impeccable technique, a matchless work ethic and a strong stage presence.
Dear Mr. Gill, I appreciate this comment has my e-mail is now full of the most ridiculous e-mails full of curse words, and the most random things. I appreciate that your comments are intelligent and well thought out.
Sorry about that, but not surprised. Ballet as an art is about 'floating controlled movement' to be appreciated by those who had some class. Unfortunately, it has moving a lot closer to your football analogy, competition and money.
IM Sorry, who was the douchebag who put this together. I thing there are some great schools in america but how so many made it to this list astounds me!
Americans as always blowing steam up your own arses.
What are your thoughts on the Australian Ballet School?
I'd love to hear your opinions on college ballet programs….
Indiana University is the only strictly ballet program that I am aware of that attracts top talent and has a large percentage of its graduating class enter professional companies every year. There are several colleges with excellent dance programs (off the top of my head: Juilliard, NYU, SUNY Purchase, Butler U, UNCSA, Utah) but their main focus may not be classical ballet.
I think that, without a doubt, this is an interesting conversation. I'd like to comment that although training in Cuba might not be an easy option for Americans, dancers from other countries (say Latino dancers, for instance) do have relatively easy access to training in Cuba. So, while you may choose to leave it out of your ranking for other reasons, the criteria of not including La Catedra de Danza del Ballet Nacional de Cuba because of what you say in a previous comment of it being "basically impossible to dancers to go there", is biased to your base group. While I do not have precise statistics of how many foreigners go there to train, I do know many that have. (I even went myself for a two-weeks intensive). I am not saying this with an offensive tone, but just with the intention of complementing the informative nature of your essay.
I very much agree with you, and the school at national ballet of cuba should have been number 5 on the list. And bumped everyone down… The surge of latin American Dancers in the US, and internationally right now is huge.
I just would like to point out that your article should read THE BIG TEN (INTERNATIONAL BALLET SCHOOLS).
Would also like to hear your opinion on the Australian Ballet School.
This list is absolutely the worst! First of all, the Vaganova Academy puts out great female dancers but the Bolshoi puts out both wonderful Male and female dancers! Furthermore you have got to be kidding about SAB, poor technique, Balanchine? He has ruined the training in the US….you cannot break rules in ballet, if you do not have a grasp on what you are breaking!
The Cuban Ballet are the best in turning, even the Russians are trying to figure out what the Cuban Ballet is doing in this regard! The Royal Ballet is terrible. Do you realize that all the training in the USA is bad overall. Parents have been duped! Most of the principal roles in companies are all taken by foreign dancers raely by US dancers! It is the training here…not good. The only place to train in the America continent is Canada's National Ballet School….they are getting it!….
Sorry to be picky but the Paris opera school is not in a glamorous area. It used to be, but now it is in the (near) suburbs of Paris.
I would just like to thank you for including Canada's National Ballet School in this list, having trained there for an extended period of time I can say with confidence that it's training is truly in a league of it's own. It is a pity that it is constantly overlooked and underrated, aswell that it is commonly lumped together with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School which although it is a good school is no where near the rank of the National.
Hey, I actually think you put a lot of thought into this and your reasons are well thought out. It's good to see what's out there in the world of ballet schools…I have been out of the loop way too long to have an opinion so I'd rather someone who's still "on the scene" give some guidance.
My now-amateur ballet brain feels validated to see remarks about NYCB not being the all-time best school however. I feel like the Balanchine backlash started sometime in the 90s. Turns out a lot of directors don't really like our claw hands, deep plies for pirouettes, or our tendency to choreograph so much in petit allegro. Ah well…that was the training I knew of, and the companies I had that wanted me, back in the pre-internet days of ballet. Lucky students and professionals today – there is a whole world at their fingertips to research and choose from!
There appears to be a lot of schools that you haven't mentioned. What about Stuttgart School of Ballet? I'd certainly rate it along with a number of others well above any of the so-called flashy dance schools. Is there actually a real list of the top ten International Ballet schools out there?


text:
Xiaomi Redmi 20,000mah 18w Powerbank Review: A Powerhouse on the Go
Let's face the facts; your devices can never have enough power by themselves. If you're like me, I carry with me about four battery-powered gadgets including my smartphone, laptop, smartwatch, and sometimes an iPad. But even if you're not fully loaded in full armor like me, you'll still find yourself fidgeting for the nearest power source to juice up or better still a power bank.
The Redmi 20,000mAh is a power bank from Xiaomi, the Chinese company renown for producing premium products at unbeatable prices. Redmi is one of Xiaomi's brands targeted towards emerging markets such as India, Pakistan, Middle East, and Africa. Now Xiaomi already had the Mi Power banks in the 10,000mAh capacity category which I've also been using.
What we liked;
Dual-output charging ports
What we didn't like
No LED display for battery percentage
Slightly heavy
USB-C port is not bi-directional
The Redmi is nothing more than just another name for the same product, although it's manufactured in India by Zimi Corporation—a Mi Ecosystem company.
With enough background and context, let's dive into this product. The Redmi 20,000mAh power bank is a powerhouse. It was released in 2020, comes in black, weighs about half a kilogram which is heavy as you would expect. It comes with one micro-USB cable for charging. It's 74Wh, 3.7V meaning you can take it on a plane without issues for those traveling. The Redmi power bank has 4 ports in total; 2 inputs and 2 outputs.
Redmi 20000 mAh Power Bank Specs
Brand: Redmi
Model: PB200LZM
Cell Capacity: 20000mAh (74Wh, 3.7V)
Rated Capacity: 12000mAh(5.1V/3.6A)
Battery Cell Composition: Lithium Polymer
Dimensions: 15.4 x 7.4 x 2.7 cm
In the box: 1 Power Bank, 1 USB Cable & 1 User Manual
Input: Micro-USB/USB-C (5V/3.6A, 9V/2.1A, 12V/1.5A)
Output: Single-port USB-A (5.1A/2.4A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A)
Dual-port USB-A(5.1V/3.6A)
You can charge the powerbank using Micro-USB or USB-C ports. They are rated 5V/2.1A, 9V/2.1A, 12V/1.5A which is between 10W-18W input power. If you want to charge faster, use the USB-C port with a compatible USB-C cable and wall charger rather than the slower and soon-to-be-obsolete micro-USB cable. Otherwise, charging this power bank feels like forever. It'll take you about 10 hours using a standard 10W wall charger and about 7.5 hours when using 18W charger.
If you're charging the powerbank while at the same time charging one of your devices through only one USB-A port, then the powerbank takes 5V/2.4A (12W) and when both USB-A ports are being used, it takes in 5V/3.6A(18W) max power.
On the output side, the two big USB-A port output 5.1V/2.4V(12.24W), 9V/2V(18W), or 12V/1.5V(18W) output on a single port and 5.1V/3.6A on dual-port usage. It uses variable voltage meaning it will supply whatever amount of power your device takes—up to 18W.
Even though it takes long to fully charge, you'll be rewarded by how many times it'll charge your typical smartphone. This powerbank will recharge a 4,000mAh smartphone about four times and still have some juice left.
Finally, a few things I would like Xiaomi to improve about this powerbank. The first is definitely weight. If they would reduce it by a few more grams, that would great. Secondly, I would prefer an LED display showing the battery percentage of the power bank. The LED lights don't give much information about how much charge you have. Thirdly, I would like to see a torch/flash-light feature. That comes in handy when you're in the great outdoors. Lastly USB-C port could be made bi-directional, both used for charging the powerbank and charging devices. iPhone users with USB-C to Lightning cables or android uses with USB-C to USB-C cables would appreciate this.
The Redmi 20,000mAh powerbank is available on Amazon.com for $34.99 or on Amazon India for ₹ 1,999. For our Ugandan readers, you can get it on Odukar store for Ugx 195,000 and enjoy same-day delivery around Kampala.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


After my Introduction about the importance of storytelling we had a exclusive walk through the Hotel. Guided by Marie-Therese participants embraced many glorious stories of the Hotel. Like Michael Jackson who composed the famous Earth song during his stay at the hotel.
Highlights are the magnificent Imperial suites. Famous guests like Queen Elisabeth, John F. Kennedy and Indira Gandhi stayed there; But also artists Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Woody Allen, Frank Sinatra, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson enjoyed their stay. Famous is the story as a couple registered at the reception as "Mr. and Ms Smith". Actually the couple managed to get uncovered a several days in Vienna. Days later in a nearby museum a group of visitors uncovered them as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
I personally experienced and leaned a lot during this event. I got so many great inspirations by talking with the participants. By jointly walking through the hotel rooms and suites it became again very clear to me how powerful storytelling is and how much we all can leverage this in our communication either by words or by telling our stories via visuals. Like Steller's headline on their portal says " Everyone has a story to tell, tell yours with photos videos and text…..


Hello and welcome again! Today we are going to learn new vocabulary connected with our houses. Get ready for another vocabulary-building lesson, let's get the ball rolling!
East, West, home is best in English.
Glöm inte att ringa på dörrklockan.
Do not forget to ring the doorbell.
I am afraid that you will need more lists of paper than usual. This lesson is going to be huge I guess, there are myriads of new words connected with this topic. Let's dig in!
De lever under samma tak.
They live under the same roof.
Be careful with the difference in pronunciation of tak — roof and tack — thank you. The first one is pronounced in a longer way similar to mat whereas tack is pronounced shortly like platt.
Lägenheten var modern, ljus, med balkong och nära till skolan.
The flat was modern, light, with balcony and close to school.
Var kan man parkera sin bil/where can one park the car? This one is easy, the word garage is a French loanword used in many other languages — man kan parkera sin bil i garaget.
Here comes the last list for today. It is going to tell us the names of the rooms that we can find in our houses.
I hope that you enjoyed the lesson. There is still a huge pile of words and phrases that we don't know but we are making it smaller and smaller every day. You should be proud of yourself! Keep up the good work, study regularly and do it with joy. See you soon beautiful readers.


Just a quick one I whipped up using the Birthday Fiesta set. Very festive 🙂 I quite like the banners and streamers, there's also a matching Sizzix Thinlits Die Set which makes cutting the pieces out nice and easy. I'll put another card up in a couple of days using the same set but a different design. There's so much you can do with it.
Colours (Inks and Cardstock) – Tempting Turquoise, Emerald Envy, Crushed Curry, Whisper White.
This entry was posted in Birthday Fiesta, Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
You are here: Home Page > Law > International Law > Private International Law & Conflict of Laws > Conflicts in a Conflict
This book is available as part of Oxford Scholarship Online - view abstracts and keywords at book and chapter level.
Bookseller Code (06)
Conflicts in a Conflict
A Conflict of Laws Case Study on Israel and the Palestinian Territories
Michael Karayanni and Center for International Legal Education
Outlines the jurisdictional designs of the territories Israel occupied in the 1967 Six-Day War, with special emphasis on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, both before and after the Oslo Peace Process
Offers an extensive analysis of the adjudicative jurisdictional capacity of Israeli courts to deal with civil disputes originating in the Palestinian Territories, as well as the application of the forum non conveniens doctrine to such claims, and the entitlement of the Palestinian Authority to sovereign immunity when sued before an Israeli court
Discusses how the current choice of law rules, and how their application has affected the residents of the Palestinian Territories in their daily lives
This research will greatly serve scholars and practitioners in similarly troubled and complex legal settings elsewhere
Conflicts in a Conflict outlines and analyzes the legal doctrines instructing the Israeli courts in private and civil disputes involving the Occupied Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, since 1967 until the present day. In doing so, author, Michael Karayanni sheds light on a whole sphere of legal designs and norms that have not received any thorough scholarly attention, as most of the writings thus far have been on issues pertaining to international law, human rights, history, and politics. For the most part, Israeli courts turned to conflict of laws, or private international law to address private disputes implicating the Palestinian Territories. After making a thorough investigation into the jurisdictional designs of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, both before and after the Oslo Peace Accords, Conflicts in a Conflict comes to focus on traditional topics such as adjudicative jurisdiction, choice of law, and recognitions and enforcement of judgments. Related issues such as the foreign sovereign immunity claim of the Palestinian Authority before Israeli courts as well as the extent to which Palestinian plaintiffs were granted access to justice rights, are also outlined and analyzed.
This book's compelling thesis is the existence of a close relationship between conflict of laws doctrines as they developed over the years and Israeli policies generally in respect of the Palestinian Territories. This study of the conflict of laws in a war setting and conflict of laws in a jurisdictionally ambiguous location, will greatly serve scholars and practitioners in similarly troubled and complex legal situations elsewhere.
Chapter 1: Jurisdictional Designs
A. The 1967 Six-Day War and Its Aftermath
B. East Jerusalem
C. The Golan Heights
D. The Sinai Peninsula
E. The Palestinian Territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip
F. The Israeli Settlement Project
G. Legally Accommodating the Settlements
H. The Oslo Peace Accords and the Establishment of the Palestinian Authority
I. Post-Oslo Developments
Chapter 2: Personal Jurisdiction
A. On the Jurisdiction of Courts to Adjudicate Civil Disputes-General Remarks
B. The International Jurisdiction of Israeli Courts in Actions in Personam
C. Designing International Jurisdiction of Israeli Courts towards the PT
D. The Evolution of Personal Jurisdiction Doctrine in Context
Chapter 3: Jurisdictional Restrictions in Actions Pertaining to Land, Personal Status, and the Palestinian Authority
A. International Jurisdiction over Subject Matter
B. Jurisdiction over PT Land
C. Jurisdiction over Matters of Personal Status
D. Sovereign Immunity for the Palestinian Authority
E. Summary
Chapter 4: Choice of Law
A. Choosing the Law through Legislative Designs
B. Choice of Law in Torts
C. Choice of Law in Contracts
D. On Equal Treatment and the Choice of Law Process
E. The Principle of Fairness in the Choice of Law Process
Chapter 5: Judgments and Access to Justice
A. PT Judgments in Israel
B. Israeli Access to Justice Principles and Palestinian Plaintiffs
Michael Karayanni is the Bruce W. Wayne Professor of International Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has held visiting positions at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law (Hamburg), the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, Stanford University Law School, Melbourne University School of Law, and served as a Senior Fellow at Yale University's Center for International Human Rights. Professor Karayanni is the author of numerous articles appearing in such publications as the Wisconsin Journal of International Law, Michigan Journal of International Law, Journal of Private International Law, I.Con, and Civil Justice Quarterly. He is also the author of Forum Non Conveniens in the Modern Age (2004). Professor Karayanni holds an S.J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law.
Cheshire, North & Fawcett: Private International Law
Fifteenth Edition
Paul Torremans, Ugljesa Grusic, Christian Heinze...
On Human Rights
Beyond Belief, Beyond Conscience
Jack N. Rakove
Paul Torremans, Uglješa Grušić, Christian Heinze...
The Limits of International Law
Jack L. Goldsmith and Eric A. Posner
Abuse of Rights in International Arbitration
Ahmed El Far
Legal Aspects of Business
Daniel Albuquerque
Contradictions of Democracy
Nicholas Rush Smith
Symeon C. Symeonides
Should Trees Have Standing?
Christopher D. Stone
School Crime and Juvenile Justice
International Law in the U.S. Legal System
Curtis A. Bradley
Deference
Gary Lawson and Guy I. Seidman
Brown v. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Movement
Michael J. Klarman
The Conflict of Laws in India
Expanded Edition
V.C. Govindaraj
Law > International Law > Private International Law & Conflict of Laws
Law > Jurisprudence & Philosophy of Law
Law > Law & Society


text:
Happy (Hardcover)
By Mies Van Hout
I promise this book will leave you gobsmacked! When it arrived in the store, I joyously carried it around with me for an entire day, pressing it into the hands of every co-worker and customer available. Seemingly drawn in colored chalk on a blackboard, double-page spreads show vibrant renderings of fish certainly not found in nature, swimming on one page with the single word emotion they portray printed on the opposite one in a style that corresponds to their feeling. Simple, right? Yep -- but I defy you not to be completely caught up in their "lives." "Confused," looking wide-eyed and made from variegated yard fragments; "Sure" smiling and with all his scales in orderly rows swimming confidently toward the page's edge. "Bored" is droopy-eyed and seems to be floating in place, while "Delighted" is making great progress through his ocean with joyful eyes and cherubic smile. Twenty-one emotions -- 21 images that are unforgettable. Whether you're 3, 30, or 300 years old, this book is all about how it makes you feel every time you read it...and it won't be just once!
— From Pam
Clear, strong lines and radiant colors that seem to smile at the reader characterize Mies van Hout's drawings. In Happy, Mies shows all the emotions a young child encounters. Each double page spread is devoted to one fish, showing a particular emotion with its name in lettering that expresses the same feeling. Swim into Happy where the dazzling fish sparkle against the dark background and let the images spark laughter and empathy.
Mies van Hout (1962) studied at the Arts Academy in Groningen, where she majored in graphic design. She has been working as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer since 1989. Over the years, she illustrated quite a lot of children's books. Her illustrations are cheerful and witty, painted skillfully and distinctly. For Lemniscaat USA, Mies van Hout illustrated "Brave Ben," "The Child Cruncher," "Lovey and Dovey" and "Mine!"
School Library Journal on Brave Ben
'the illustrations truly bring the story to life. Irresistibly detailed cartoon characters in black outlines pop out of the fuzzy, rich-toned background paintings, creating pages that readers will want to pore over. ...'
Publisher: Lemniscaat USA
Publication Date: April 1st, 2012
Maximum Grade Level: K
Social Themes - Emotions & Feelings
Animals - Fishes
Hardcover (March 2nd, 2017): $17.95


text:
Q: Why this shift operation plus bitwise works only up to 31? Why shift operation below works and end up equal?
Is there any name for this pattern?
I am trying to find out what was going on in the head of the person who wrote this code!
int i = 0x1;
i |= 0x1 << 1;
i |= 0x1 << 2;
i |= 0x1 << 3;
i |= 0x1 << 4;
i |= 0x1 << 5;

int j = 5;

if( ((0x1 << (j + 1)) - 1) == i)
{
    // WHY?
}

I tried to check if this is true for all numbers but only works up to 31.
for (int i = 1; i <= 100; i++) {
    int total_1 = 0x1;
    for (int j = 1; j <= i; j++) {
        total_1 |= 0x1 << j;
    }

    int total_2 = (0x1 << (i + 1)) - 1;
    if (total_2 == total_1) {
    } else {
        cout << i << endl;
        break;
    }
}

UPDATE
Please explain the first part why they would end up equal?

A:
UPDATE Please explain the first part why they would end up equal?

((0x1 << (j + 1)) - 1) sets j lower bits to 1
Example:
If j is 3, j+1 is 4, 1 shifted by 4 is 0b1000; subtract 1 - you get 0b0111
Re: Is there any name for this pattern?  - I looked here, this pattern is used a couple of times, but is not named. Probably, too obvious :)

A:
Is there any name for this pattern?

0x1u << pos (or just 1u << pos) is a pattern for getting a number with only the bit in position pos is set. Using signed 0x1 is usually an anti-pattern.
i |= 1u << pos is a pattern for setting a bit in position pos of the integer i.
(1u << pos) - 1 is a pattern for creating a pattern of set bits only in positions lesser than pos.

Why shift operation below works and end up equal?

Perhaps it may help to look at intermediate results:
                     // least significant byte
int i = 0x1;         // 0b0000'0001
i |= 0x1 << 1;       // 0b0000'0011
i |= 0x1 << 2;       // 0b0000'0111
i |= 0x1 << 3;       // 0b0000'1111
i |= 0x1 << 4;       // 0b0001'1111
i |= 0x1 << 5;       // 0b0011'1111

int      j = 5;
 0x1 << (j + 1)
 0x1 <<    6         // 0b0100'0000
(0x1 << (j + 1)) - 1
 0b0100'0000     - 1 // 0b0011'1111

only works up to 31

int is probably 32 bits wide on your system. If you left shift a 32 bit 0x1 by 31 or greater, then the behaviour of the program is undefined. If you were to use 0x1u, then you could shift by 31, but 32 and above would be UB.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Wing Commander Chat Zone
Questions For A Returning Wing Commander Player
Thread starter Ramp83
Ramp83
Now that the kids have all left the nest I have time and inclination to revisit a number of games. Wing Commander is among them!
I had played ALL of the WC games as they came out, beginning with WC1 in 1990 on a 75Mhz Pentium I!
I still have KILRATHI SAGA, WC IV, and PROPHECY GOLD, but they are all older, original issue copies.
Should I try to get those going, or it is GOG a better way to go?
What are the advantages/disadvantages of going the GOG route?
Are there problems running the games on modern computers, with modern versions of Windows (7, 8.1, and 10: I have a lot of hardware options <grin>).
FW, TX
Reactions: Mindcrime
I'd suggest the GOG route since a) they have added cool updates such as HD quality movies for WC4 and Prophecy, and b) it takes care of the compatibility issues. You would have a hard time getting many of the original versions to run on a modern Windows PC.
ALSO: Is FLAT UNIVERSE a complete project, or it is an add-on/mod of the original game files?
CHK 6
Flat Universe is a totally standalone project. A very cool one, I might add.
Finder of things, Doer of stuff
Usually I'd say go the GOG route, but there's a few new fan patches for the Kilrathi saga versions that might make it worth your while to run it. Check out the DDHack or WCDX projects that help with windows compatability and some other tweaks.
ddhack: https://www.wcnews.com/news/update/10357
WCDX: https://www.wcnews.com/chatzone/thr...a-for-modern-windows.27685/page-7#post-393372
Mindcrime
Gog is great, cheap, and convenient. If you wanna do some patching then you can still go the WC Kilrathi Saga route. Check out the enhancements you can use from this website. And also when you decide you want something different then check out Standoff and Wing Commander Saga in the fan projects area. Those are completed WC fan games and are great. There are more in that section too so check it out. Welcome back to the WC universe.
FredDude32
I agree with the majority: You cant really go wrong with GoG. I've re-purchased all the WC games including Privateer 1, 2.
But! I'm also a big fan of the Kilrathi Saga versions so while I own the GoG original versions I usually play WC1, WC2 on modern patched versions of Kilrathi Saga.
FredDude32 said:
Are there any benefits to playing the Kilrathi Saga version of 1 and 2? Its been so long since I've had that box I have forgotten. Also do they still work on windows 10?
Well...I cant speak for Kilrathi Saga (KS), and the later patches working with Windows 10...But in general I loved the KS for the improved music and the better graphics. (I never played the first Wing Commander on PC. I played it on the Amiga Computer first).
The Commodore Amiga had superior sound/music in the 80's and early 90's. Then the PC got dedicated sound and graphics cards which turned the tables...
Farbourne
I second (third...fifth...Nth?) the GoG recommendation. When I revisited the games, I used the GoG versions and they all worked without a hitch. Well...almost. Had to tweak a few settings to optimal, but it was fairly painless.
I also second the idea of looking at some of the excellent fan-made games. I enjoyed Standoff in particular. It's learning curve is a bit steep, but once you've practiced a little, its gameplay is some of the best in the Wing Commander universe. (And the mission design is top notch).
There's a few other KS enhancements other than just the digitized music. There was a bit better support for fancier and newer joysticks, as well as you could turn off the cockpits IIRC. The KS versions also introduces some new bugs but projects like the WCDX I believe are trying to fix those.
I guess I might as well pitch in here. I'm biased because WCDX is my project, but that's where my recommendation goes. The GOG release is great, but there are a few aspects about the default configuration that make it (in my view) suboptimal:
No frame limiter. This means that the game's frame rate slows down and speeds up proportional to the amount of stuff that happens to be going on, so intense combat tends to get pretty jerky. The KS version, on the other hand, does have a frame limiter, so the game runs at a consistent speed no matter what's happening. This is even more important than it might first seem, because game logic is tied to the frame rate; the action literally slows down or speeds up with the draw speed.
The aspect ratio is wrong. Old VGA games like Wing Commander used non-square pixels. The screen resolution was 320x200, which (with square pixels) would imply an aspect ratio of 16:10, but on a CRT monitor the pixels are vertically stretched to match the display's 4:3 aspect ratio. The game was designed with this stretching in mind; it's meant to be played at 4:3 with tall pixels. You can fix this in the GOG release by adding the line aspect=true to your dosbox.conf.
Terrible MIDI. The GOG version installs with Sound Blaster-compatible MIDI enabled by default, which doesn't sound particularly good. You can get a much better experience by using an MT-32 emulator (such as munt), but that can be a rather complicated process. For an example of the difference in music quality, look to YouTube. KS provides what I think is the best music quality; the game shipped with pre-rendered music that was re-orchestrated by George Oldziey, and this sounds quite a bit better than even the MT-32 music.
These are the reasons I felt compelled to update the Kilrathi Saga version with my WCDX patch (which greatly improves compatibility with modern Windows and fixes various bugs that were introduced in the original Kilrathi Saga release). You need the original KS release to apply my patch, but the first game (along with its add-ons) is freeware; it was released on a PC Gamer game disc, and that release is still available here. I recommend you try it out.
Reactions: ChrisReid
centaurianmudpig
There is no right or wrong method. Just what you prefer to do weighing up time and money.
Ramp83 said:
Just two add my opinion it comes down to: Do you want quick entry in to play with minimum of fuss and don't care about paying extra?
YES = Buy GOG releases (if cash is on your mind and time is not a problem wait for a sale for super bargain price).
NO = Use the existing posts in the Tech forum to help get your originals running in DOSBOX and/or with the various patches.
However, WC3, Prophecy, Privateer 2 (that I can confirm from experience so far) have various fan made patches to improve upon the original GOG releases.
GOG provide an up and running experience. That experience can be improved with patches you need to apply which can also be applied to the original releases.
Some caveats I've experienced:
Originally GOG WC1 used an inferior sound option (think the jingling of Christmas bells for laser fire), since been fixed.
GOG WC3 needs the CPU cycles adjusted to a faster rate to avoid video and audio glitches in cutscenes.
GOG Privateer 2 has slow down when viewing planets from space (last I checked)
Getting the original WC2 to work in DOSBOX requires a specific config (modefix?) to get past the second level without crashing.
Original Kilrathi Saga has better sound but various glitches, especially an annoying music repetition loop
The Secret missions for KS are buggy in cutscenes and some other places, yet still playable
Various patches are available for KS to improve the experience.
I have Wing Commander 3 running on Windows 10. Both the naked GOG version and the improved W95 patch.
CIC Dark Orange


text:
TLC News
#preachPastorE
Decisions Decisions Decisions
I remember when I was a kid and it was a group of us forced to make a decision. Mostly about who would be on our team. Inevitably, it would get to a point where no one wanted to make a choice. Those times brought out a method for decision making that took some of us into adulthood. We stood there and recited a song,
Eeny, meena, mina, mo,
Catch a Tiger by the toe;
If he hollers let him go,
Eena, meena, mina, mo
As the song approached the last sentence we would hope that we were the last one standing in hopes that we would get chosen. I have learned that type of decision making doesn't really help us as adults. It can destroy you. Eleanor Rosevelt once said "Ones philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices me make!" Doesn't matter what we talk about it is the decisions we make on this journey of life that ultimately point to our success or our failure. No great success or failure ever came over night. You earned it over a series of decisions that you made.
I believe clarity of our mission in life is essential to ultimately deciding who we are and what we are about. The bibles says that "Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint."Proverbs 29:18. Your decision for vision puts in perspective the optically challenging decisions you have to make. Some things are missed because you have moved on from making decisions not rooted in your own power. A wise man told me never make a decision when you are tempted, tired or tipsy! Your car broke down and you talked to a car salesman and he tempted you with a brand new 7 year car note when you had a 70 minute fix. What this wise man attempting to convey to me was, "Never make a permanent decision in a temporary situation." This is vital to our success in our walk because, our decisions leads to actions, actions leads to habits, habits shape our character and character leads us to our destiny!
Los Angeles Laker Basketball Star Kyle Kuzma decided that if he was going to make it out of Flint Michigan; he had to develop certain habits. One was to work out everyday. Kyle also decided to go to a different high school that meant he had to make a decision to leave the familiar in pursuit of his dream. No colleges recruited him out of High School but he kept working. Kyle's story provides inspiration to us because he didn't leave his dreams to happen chance. Hard pushed Kuzma to a point where he said, "I just need one shot to make it!" When you make a decision it fills you with conviction that will cause you to lose a lot but you gain a realistic perspective of yourself. That perspective is what allows you to grow beyond your imagination and dreams! What is that decision you have been putting off? What dreams have you allowed to die that are in need of resurrection? Don't give up on them, decide to be great. Tell someone about what God wants to do in you and form habits that lead to your destiny. I promise it is not too late to choose yourself!
#decision #kuzma #mission #vision #missionoflife #LosAngelesLakers #choice #choices #confidence #purpose #destiny #success #qualitydecision
A Cup of Coffee


Before starting the game, make sure you're currently on good terms and are both open to communicate. If you had a recent argument or if there's tension in the air, wait to play the game. Also, if you are seeking counseling, work with your counselor to facilitate the game.
Together, brainstorm your financial and retirement goals. Initially, write down every thought. Just write – do not judge.
Once each of you has put ideas on paper, discuss each one together. Prioritize and list them in order of importance. You will disagree on some items. If, after a minute or two, you are unable to reach consensus, mark that item for later discussion.
During the game, be sure to remind each other that you're doing this because you care about each other. That will help you stay on course.
This game typically requires multiple meetings and planning to ensure proper alignment.
This is just the beginning but it can help you and your loved ones get on the same page financially. Remember to talk about your financial goals regularly and support each other on the road to financial wellness. The NFEC also encourages you to begin teaching children about money. The earlier you can open up the communication with your kids about money, the greater advantage they will have in life.


text:
// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
// Licensed under the MIT License.
// Code generated by Microsoft (R) AutoRest Code Generator.

package com.azure.communication.callautomation.implementation.models;

import com.azure.core.annotation.Fluent;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.annotation.JsonProperty;

/** The MicrosoftTeamsUserIdentifierModel model. */
@Fluent
public final class MicrosoftTeamsUserIdentifierModel {
    /*
     * The userId property.
     */
    @JsonProperty(value = "userId", required = true)
    private String userId;

    /*
     * The isAnonymous property.
     */
    @JsonProperty(value = "isAnonymous")
    private Boolean isAnonymous;

    /*
     * The cloud property.
     */
    @JsonProperty(value = "cloud")
    private CommunicationCloudEnvironmentModel cloud;

    /**
     * Get the userId property: The userId property.
     *
     * @return the userId value.
     */
    public String getUserId() {
        return this.userId;
    }

    /**
     * Set the userId property: The userId property.
     *
     * @param userId the userId value to set.
     * @return the MicrosoftTeamsUserIdentifierModel object itself.
     */
    public MicrosoftTeamsUserIdentifierModel setUserId(String userId) {
        this.userId = userId;
        return this;
    }

    /**
     * Get the isAnonymous property: The isAnonymous property.
     *
     * @return the isAnonymous value.
     */
    public Boolean isAnonymous() {
        return this.isAnonymous;
    }

    /**
     * Set the isAnonymous property: The isAnonymous property.
     *
     * @param isAnonymous the isAnonymous value to set.
     * @return the MicrosoftTeamsUserIdentifierModel object itself.
     */
    public MicrosoftTeamsUserIdentifierModel setIsAnonymous(Boolean isAnonymous) {
        this.isAnonymous = isAnonymous;
        return this;
    }

    /**
     * Get the cloud property: The cloud property.
     *
     * @return the cloud value.
     */
    public CommunicationCloudEnvironmentModel getCloud() {
        return this.cloud;
    }

    /**
     * Set the cloud property: The cloud property.
     *
     * @param cloud the cloud value to set.
     * @return the MicrosoftTeamsUserIdentifierModel object itself.
     */
    public MicrosoftTeamsUserIdentifierModel setCloud(CommunicationCloudEnvironmentModel cloud) {
        this.cloud = cloud;
        return this;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
A Trip to the Island
A musician performs during a free concert on Ko Kret this weekend.
We went to Ko Kret this weekend. It's a small island in the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok. It was created in 1722 when the Siamese monarch in Ayutthaya (then the capital of the Siamese Kingdom) ordered a canal dug to bypass a horseshoe bend in the Chao Phraya River. The canal separated the Ko Kret peninsula from the mainland and created the island.
Ko Kret is one of those places we've been meaning to visit but never got around to seeing. It was originally a Mon community and Mon culture is well preserved on Ko Kret. The Mon are an ethnic minority from the Thai / Burma border region. Centuries ago they sided with the Siamese (Thais) during Siam's (Thailand's) near constant wars with the Burmese.
The Mons have had a huge role in the culture of both Thailand and Myanmar. Among other things, they brought Theravada Buddhism (the dominant form of Buddhism in both Burma and Thailand) to Indochina. The Mon are a persecuted minority in Burma but are pretty much assimilated into Thai culture.
A potter at work in a shop on Ko Kret.
Ko Kret is best known as a place to get Mon style pottery and the place to go for Mon food, especially Mon style fishcakes, close to Bangkok. I like fishcakes, but I completely forgot to try the Mon style ones so I can't say if they live up to the hype.
The pottery is lovely and despite the tourists on the island, the potters will explain the process to you if you ask.
A potter etches a bowl before it goes into a kiln. The bowls bake in the kiln for three days.
The island is also well known for its temples. There are seven or eight Buddhist temples on the island, which is only two kilometers long by about one kilometer wide and home to just over 6,000 people. The largest temple, Wat Poramaiyikawat, is the most important Mon temple in Thailand and conducts services in the Mon language.
One of the ferries that brings visitors to Ko Kret. A ticket costs 2Baht (roughly .06¢ US).
There are a couple of ways to get to Ko Kret. The "adventurous" way and the easy way. We went the adventurous way.
We took the BTS Skytrain from our apartment to the river, where we caught a Chao Phraya Express Boat and went to the end of boat line in Nonthaburi. From there we caught a taxi to Pak Kret, the community on the "mainland" opposite the island and then we took the ferry to Ko Kret. It took us three hours from the time we left our apartment to the time we stepped on the island. It's 20 kilometers (roughly 12 miles) from Bangkok to Ko Kret. The BTS fare was 42Baht ($1.17 US), the boat fare was 15Baht (0.42¢ US) and the taxi fare from Nonthaburi pier to Pak Kret was 130Baht ($3.65 US). If we do the math, the total cost to get to Pak Kret was 244Baht ($6.85 US).
(Two BTS tickets at 42B each, two boat tickets at 15B each is 114B, taxi at 130B brings it to 244B.)
The easy way is to take a taxi. It's a 45 minute to one hour cab ride from central Bangkok to Pak Kret, depending on traffic. Cab fare costs between 225Baht and 275Baht ($6.30 US to $7.70 US), depending on traffic. An air conditioned taxi the entire way is almost exactly the same price as the unairconditioned adventurous way, is more comfortable and takes 1/3 as long. The next time we go to Ko Kret we're taking a taxi.
The leaning stupa at Wat Poramaiyikawat is the most recognized landmark on Ko Kret.
The best way to get around on Ko Kret is to walk. It's flat, the path is paved and shaded and it can be a pleasant stroll. There are bikes for rent on the island, but the paved path is not very wide and there are a lot of people out walking around, so navigating a bike through the crowd can be tricky. There are a few motorcycles but no cars on the island.
We spent a couple of hours wandering around the island, had a tasty lunch overlooking the river, wandered about a bit more and then headed back to Bangkok.
A dancer performs as Hanuman during a performance on the island.
It was a very pleasant way of spending a Saturday afternoon. Now that we've been to Ko Kret, and we know the easy way of getting there, I suspect we'll go back.
There are more photos from Ko Kret in my archive.
Finally, most of the photos in my archive are available for editorial use or self fulfillment as prints. If you see something you'd like to use or just hang on the wall, click on the "Add to Cart" button and follow the onscreen prompts.
Labels: Bangkok, Fun, Travel
One Week On
Thais carry their flag along Phloen Chit during a vigil to honor the victims of the Erawan Shrine bombing.
It's been one week since a person or persons unknown set off a bomb at Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok. Since then, the Thai government and national police have made a number of confusing statements about the bomber and how soon he or she would be apprehended.
Now police are saying it's possible that the bomber, who they think is a foreigner, has left Thailand and that the case has "gone cold."
Monday night there was a vigil for the victims of the bombing. The vigil was announced via social media over the weekend but there were no links to the sponsors of the event and the government announced that it was canceled for security reasons.
A woman talks to monks before the vigil started.
I went down to the shrine anyhow because I wanted to be there one week after the bombing. I wasn't really surprised to see that the vigil was going ahead, without government approval. There were five or six Buddhist monks, a few Buddhist nuns and a couple of hundred people in front of Amarin Plaza, one of the malls near the shrine.
The monks chanted and lead the people in prayer, then people unfurled a large Thai flag.
People unfurled a large Thai flag during the vigil for the victims of the bombing.
Then they lit candles and walked to the shrine, about 100 meters west of the mall.
A monk helps a boy pray during the vigil.
During the short walk to the shrine some people prayed, others wept.
The procession to the shrine.
At Erawan Shrine the monks said some more prayers and participated in funeral rites for victims of the bombing. People lit candles and prayed. Despite its spiritual importance in Thailand, the shrine is very small. There were well over 100 people there for the vigil, plus the monks plus a large number of journalists. The shrine was packed.
Monks participate in funeral rites for the people murdered at the shrine last week. In Buddhist tradition, the one week anniversary of a person's death is a milestone because Buddhists believe that it is at that point, one week after death, that the souls of the departed believe they are dead.
People light candles after the funeral prayers.
There are more photos from the vigil and the bombing in my archive or available from ZUMA Press.
Erawan Shrine 1 Week After Bombing - Images by Jack Kurtz
Labels: Bangkok, Religion, Violence
Praying for Normalcy
Women who sell flower garlands and religious paraphernalia pray in their stands on the sidewalk during a Brahmin prayer at Erawan Shrine Friday morning.
Bangkok is rushing headlong into restoring normalcy to Erawan Shrine and Ratchaprasong after the bombing there Monday night. The roads around the shrine were reopened Tuesday afternoon, less than 24 hours after the terror attack. The shrine reopened early Wednesday, less than 48 hours after the attack. Friday I covered a large interfaith prayer service to honor the victims of the bombing and restore confidence in the Ratchaprasong District.
Thais who work in the Ratchaprasong area stop at the interfaith service Friday morning.
The tourism industry is one of the bedrocks of the Thai economy. It accounts for about 10% of the Kingdom's economic activity. Tourism has taken a beating lately. New "exotic" destinations, like Cambodia and Myanmar, compete for high end travelers. The murder of two tourists in Koh Tao and the apparently botched police investigation of their murder has hurt confidence among European visitors. Pattaya and Phuket used to be virtual Russian tourist enclaves, but the collapse of the Russian Ruble has cut into arrivals from Russia. Millions of Chinese tourists come to Thailand (based on the wild success of a Chinese road trip comedy movie), but Chinese tourists were killed in the bombing and that may cut into arrivals from China.
So Thai authorities have a big vested interest in getting things back to normal.
A Brahmin priest talks to Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra (right) before the prayer to bless the shrine. Thailand is a Buddhist country and the King, like most of the Kings of the Chakri dynasty, is a former monk. But the priests to the court are Brahmins (Hindu) and Erawan Shrine is actually a Brahmin, not Buddhist, shrine. Yet, almost all of the people who come to the shrine to pray are Buddhists.
Photographers work the Brahmin prayer service at the shrine.
Friday morning there was a large interfaith service in Rathchaprasong. It started with a Brahmin prayer, open to Thai government representatives and VIPs, at the shrine. Then it moved to the plaza in front of Central World, the huge mall kitty corner from the shrine. Prayers were offered by Theravada Buddhists (the school of Buddhism in Southeast Asia), Mahayana Buddhists (Chinese Buddhists), Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians.
The service attracted a lot of people. Tourists, Thai and foreign workers from the area, and regular Thais, like street vendors, all rubbed elbows. Some came to pray and make merit. Others were drawn by the spectacle of it.
Thai Catholic nuns at the Christian service.
Imams in the Muslim service.
After I photographed the interfaith service at Central World, I walked back to the shrine where monks were performing a Mahayana service.
Mahayana monks lead a service at the shrine...
...while people sat on the plaza around the shrine.
After the prayer service ended, the dancers who perform at the shrine started performing. This is perhaps the most visible sign of the return to normalcy.
People pay for the dancers to sing and perform behind them while they pray. The dancers are an integral part of the shrine.
A woman prays while the dancers perform.
The shrine's classical dancers.
The manhunt for the bomber is continuing. There have been updates from the government about the manhunt and possible suspects (including a confusing comment from the Prime Minister about the TV show "Blue Bloods"). The government is warning netizens to watch their words about the bombing and to avoid posting rumors about the attack.
There has been some criticism of the handling of the investigation and the quick clean up. On Thursday, Jonathan Head, the BBC correspondent in Thailand, found shrapnel from the bomb embedded in a wall across the street from the shrine.
There are more photos from the interfaith service and the bombing at the shrine in my archive.
Ceremony for the Deceased at Erawan Shrine - Images by Jack Kurtz
Erawan Shrine Reopens
A man prays inside Erawan Shrine Wednesday.
Erawan Shrine reopened Wednesday morning. It opened with little fanfare about 8.45AM. There were more journalists in the shrine than devotees. There were very few tourists. It was my first opportunity to see up close the damage done by the bomb.
The only visible damage done to the Four Faced Buddha in the shrine was caused by shrapnel that blew off the chin on the face of one of the Buddhas.
The fence around the shrine and gate to the shrine were badly damaged in the bombing, but in the shrine itself, there was surprisingly little damage.
Families of the bomber's victim were among the first to visit the shrine. There were memorial services for them throughout the morning.
Buddhist monks lead a service for families of the deceased.
A family that lost loved ones in the bombing pray in the shrine.
A Thai man who lost loved ones in the bombing prays in the shrine.
On the sidewalk in front of the shrine, the vendors were back, selling flower garlands left as offerings, religious paraphernalia and soft drinks.
A vendor opens her stand in front of the shrine.
The shrine is one of my favorite places in Bangkok. For me, it has always been the essence of Bangkok. The frenetic consumerism, ancient spirituality, the religious diversity (the shrine actually dedicated to the Hindu God Brahman, but most of the people who worship here are Thai Buddhists) all come together at Erawan Shrine.
The shrine is not very big and first time visitors might say, "that's it?" but its importance and role in society are far greater than its physical size would suggest.
The reopened shrine Wednesday.
Although there weren't many people buying garlands from the vendors, a sense of normality is returning to the area around the shrine. It will be a long time though before the shrine is truly back to "normal."
There are more photos from the reopening of the shrine in my archive or available from ZUMA Press.
Erawan Shrine Reopens After Bombing - Images by Jack Kurtz
Labels: Bangkok, Violence
A man in front of Erawan Shrine.
The Thai police chief surveys the scene of the terror bombing.
The nightmare of the bombing at Erawan Shrine was all too real Tuesday morning. The death toll stands at 22 with more than 100 still hospitalized. Ratchaprasong Intersection was closed through the morning but reopened in the afternoon, although the shrine is still closed.
A security guard at the Louis Vuitton store in front of the store's massive display window, broken by the blast.
Police worked overnight Monday into Tuesday collecting evidence and ensuring that there were no follow on bombs (it's a common tactic at terrorist bombings to set off one device and then later a second device to kill people responding to the first explosion).
Terror in Bangkok
A police officer looks at a victim of the terror bombing in Bangkok Monday night.
A bomb blast ripped through central Bangkok Monday night, shattering rush hour and causing death. Person or persons unknown left a package near a bench in Erawan Shrine, one of my favorite places in the City of Angels. At about 6:55PM, the peak of rush hour, when the shrine was packed with tourists and devotees who had come to pray, the package was detonated. The resulting explosion sent a fireball into the night sky killed dozens of people and injured more than 100.
Police look for evidence at the scene.
I was home when the first alert about the explosion hit one of my social media accounts at about 7:10PM. I threw a set of lenses into a waist pack, grabbed my cameras and headed to the scene. Our apartment in Bangkok is about four miles from Erawan Shrine, which seems close but Bangkok is a very dense city with unbelievable traffic congestion. Four miles in Bangkok is far away.
It was 8:00PM, a little over an hour after the blast, when I got to the scene. At that point, police had set up a perimeter about 100 meters from the blast site. Tourists were wandering around the neighborhood, behind the perimeter barricades and media was using long lenses to photograph the police, who were in the early stages of evidence collection and investigation.
A police officer on crowd control duty watches his colleagues collect evidence.
Erawan Shrine is located in the Ratchaprasong Intersection. It's the heart of modern, commercial, Bangkok. It's next to the Grand Hyatt Regency Hotel (which is also known as the Erawan Hotel), across the street from the Intercontinental Hotel, 100 meters from the Peninsula Plaza Hotel. Thousands of foreign tourists sleep within a stone's throw of the shrine every night.
A tourist on the street after the explosion.
Gaysorn, one of Bangkok's first high end malls, with a Leica boutique and Louis Vuitton store, is across the street from the shrine. Central World, one of Bangkok's largest malls, with Timberland, the Gap, Haagen Dazs, and hundreds of other chain stores, is kitty corner. The Police General Hospital is across the street and police headquarters are just 100 meters down the road, next to the hospital.
It's hard to imagine a softer target in this city of 12 million people. It would be like putting a bomb on 5th Avenue or in Rockefeller Center in New York, on Hollywood Blvd in Los Angeles, on Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris or Oxford Street in London.
Destroyed motorcycles in the street after the explosion.
What amazes me is not how bad the destruction was but how much worse it could have been. Aside from the initial fireball, there was no fire. Windows were blown out in the malls and hospital but there was no structural damage. And the death toll could have been so much worse.
The shrine was packed with tourists and devotees, but Monday is street cleaning day in Bangkok. Normally, vendors selling flower garlands and religious paraphernalia line the sidewalk in front of the shrine, but not on Mondays. If the vendors had been there the death toll could easily have been double.
There's been no claim of credit for the bombing and police don't have a suspect but the Thais will move heaven and earth and call in every IOU from foreign law enforcement to track down the perpetrators of this act.
Thai soldiers help tourists lost after the explosion.
Bike For Mom
Bicyclists hit the Victory Monument intersection during the Bike For Mom pedalfest.
The last big public event to honor Queen Sirikit was the "Bike For Mom." It was organized by the Thai government as a countrywide event led by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, who led the cyclists on a 26 mile journey through Bangkok.
People gather in Victory Monument before Bike for Mom hit the road.
The government wanted the event to get into the Guiness book as the biggest mass bike ride in the world. Apparently the previous record holder was in Taiwan, with some 70,000 riders verified. That seems like a lot.
I have to admit, I was a little skeptical. Although bicycles are a ubiquitous form of transport in Asia, they aren't in Thailand. Thailand's economy, which is more advanced than its neighbors, means many people have moved on from bikes to motorscooters and cars (as a trip in Bangkok during rush hour will prove). Go to Phnom Penh or Yangon or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and you'll see thousands of bikes on the street. Not so in Bangkok.
A man snaps a "selfie" before the ride started.
I can admit when I'm wrong. And I was wrong about Bike For Mom. It was packed. We went to Victory Monument, a huge traffic circle in Bangkok, and it was packed with spectators. When the riders, led by the Crown Prince, passed, people were first quiet (as a sign of respect for the monarchy) then started cheering and waving their blue "Bike for mom" flags. Almost everyone was wearing sky blue polo shirts, most with the Bike For Mom embroidery. (Blue is the color associated with Queen Sirikit.)
Cyclists go around Victory Monument.
When the final tally was taken, more than 146,000 people Biked for Mom, guaranteeing Thailand a place in the Guiness book.
Labels: Bangkok, Fun, Monarchy, Tech Notes
Her Majesty's Birthday
Women at a candle light service for Queen Sirikit on her birthday.
August 12 is the birthday of Queen Sirikit, the wife of Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand's beloved monarch. He has reigned since May 5, 1950. He is the world's longest reigning monarch and is Sirikit is the world's longest reigning Consort.
School girls perform a historic pageant in honor of Her Majesty on her birthday.
The birthday of the Queen is a national holiday in Thailand. It's also celebrated as Mothers' Day. Thais of all walks of life offer prayers to the Royal Family. Schools hold special convocations to honor the mothers in the days leading up to August 12. It's a holiday people take seriously. The malls are open (the malls are always open) but many small shops are closed, most businesses and all schools are closed. Small eateries, the mom and pop ones, are closed. Street vendors stay home.
After the pageant, students sang the Queen's Anthem.
It's hard to explain the people's reverence for the Thai monarchy. To Americans, it seems archaic, like a throwback to another era. But to Thais it's very real. The Monarchy here is a near divine entity. At a time when the country is split along class lines and there's a growing rural / urban split, the monarchy is one institution that unites Thais.
Monks at a service honoring Her Majesty.
This was Her Majesty's 83rd birthday. We went from candle light service to candle light service and I was struck by the number of them. Just within a few kilometers of our apartment there were services in the temple near us and at all of the malls on Sukhumvit Road. We were walking home from the Skytrain, I stumbled upon a waitress from a restaurant we occasionally go to standing in the middle of the sidewalk holding a candle. Inside, all of the patrons held candles aloft and sang the Royal Anthems.
A waitress holds a candle on a sidewalk next to a popular restaurant.
There are more photos of the Queen's Birthday observations in my archive.
Thais Honor the Queen On Her Birthday - Images by Jack Kurtz
Labels: Bangkok, Culture, Monarchy, Thailand
Life in an IDP Camp
Rebuilding Nepal


Get inspired and exchange ideas with design editors and icons at keynotes and panel discussions on trending topics.
· Putting Social Media In its Place: Are You Social Media Elite or Are You Too Elite for Social Media?
· Celebrity Status: Who is the Celebrity? Designer or Client?
With the movers and shakers in the design world.
Celebrating the memorable moments and highlights of LEGENDS 2016.
BNO is a lifestyle event featuring a grand reception followed by 12-15 themed dinner parties at homes of architectural significance, design or historical interest around the Southland. The event is held Saturday, May 7. The reception will be held at the 1920's Tudor style estate of Dean Hansell, founder of GLAAD, from 4:00-7 followed by dinner parties at 7:30.
Join other Legends attendees for a fabulous and unforgettable evening. For more information, click here.
This year, registration with a one-time event registration fee is required to attend any venue during LEGENDS 2016. Registration credentials will be required for admittance to every event at all venues.
Begin the process by registering for keynotes and select events. VIP passes are discounted through April 12.
You will be able to finalize your registration by adding additional programming that has become available. You may continue to add or modify programs that you would like to attend through April 30, when registration closes.
Access to keynotes, panel discussions, open houses, trunk shows, exhibitions, special appearances and all general programming on May 4 and 5. You must RSVP for each venue you would like to attend and please arrive 15 minutes prior to the event start time.
General Registration includes valet parking and shuttle service.
*Part of the proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles and the LCDQ Beautification Fund.
The VIP Pass includes General Registration and access to all events listed above, and to all signature social events, including Gala on May 3, Blogger Breakfast, Power Lunch, and Tribute Party on May 4, Breakfast, Legendary Lunch and Finale Party on May 5. VIP seating at panels provided you have RSVP'd for them and provided you arrive 15 minutes prior to the start time, space permitting.
VIP PASS includes General Registration, event parking and shuttle.
765 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Complimentary shuttle throughout the day. Printed program will have details of shuttle locations.
For more than half a century, the La Cienega Design Quarter has been the destination for sophisticated shoppers looking for top quality design.
This legendary district, with its romantic courtyards, alluring windows and treasure troves of antiques, furniture, lighting, fabrics, stone, rugs, accessories and art, is known as the "shopping heart" and workplace of the interior design profession. Having expanded to include Melrose Avenue to the west and to the east of La Cienega and side by side with some of L.A.'s most glamorous restaurants, fashion boutiques and salons, the LCDQ is the West Coast style destination for all.


Lee decorates his pots using the traditional Korean method of Punch'ŏng. A dark stoneware body is coated with white slip & decorated using various methods. Here a first coat of white slip was applied roughly over the piece, then, whilst still wet Lee used his hands to spread the slip. Sometimes different coloured slips are flicked over the white surface, in a Jackson Pollack like way. A stiff bristled brush was then used to scratch into the semi dry surface of the pot, helping to create the waterfall effect. Forest, waterfall, mountains - nature is very much in evidence in Lee's beautiful pots.