When I traveled, along with my husband and our three teenagers, to Amsterdam in April, I knew our time there would be brief. Less than 36 hours brief. Factoring in that I had no idea what to expect from my first overseas trip and that jet lag is rough…way too brief! But the one place that I wanted to be sure to visit was the Anne Frank House.
In fact, this museum was the only thing specifically booked into our itinerary (outside of hotels, flights, and the train from Amsterdam to Paris) when we left the U.S.
I had heard that the cues can get very long at the Anne Frank House and our limited time left no room for long cues. If I were to see it, it must be booked.
However, when you hear to book your tickets well in advance…do so. When I first went to book them (three weeks early), they were already sold out.
It was then that I discovered that the tickets to visit the Anne Frank House are released two months in advance.
There are some tickets that include a 30-minute introduction, which takes you through the history of Anne Frank in the context of the Second World War and the persecution of the Jews (note: this is the description given on the Anne Frank House website).
These tickets are released two weeks in advance. The day of their release, I refreshed and refreshed the page until they were online for sale (I needed 5 tickets!!). I was overjoyed that I was able to secure these tickets.
Our hotel was located on P.C. Hooftstraat near Vondelpark. The night before we debated on walking, but were concerned that there may be rain so we chose to take a nearby tram to Dam Square and walk the remaining way to the Anne Frank House, which is on Prinsengracht.
The museum is open 7 days a week, year-round, except Yom Kippur.
1 April-1 November daily from 9:00-22:00.
There are some exceptions to these hours which can be found at the Anne Frank House website.
The prices for standard entry are 10€ for adults, 5€ for ages 10-17 and free for ages 0-9 plus a €0,50 booking fee per ticket.
With the added 30-minute introductory session the entry fee is 15€ for adults and 10€ for ages 10-17. The introductory program is suitable for ages 10+ (prices updated to reflect 2019 prices).
The 30-minute introductory session gives the life story of Anne Frank in the context of the Second World War and the Holocaust. It also gives an overview of the museum prior to touring it. There is no photography allowed in the museum so I was surprised at the end of the introduction when we were allowed to take photos of the items in the room where the presentation is held.
You can see that the story of Anne Frank is explained along the timeline above and the corresponding things happening under Hitler are shown along the bottom of the timeline.
For my teenagers, most of this information was exactly what they were studying in history class. For me, it has been many years since I've had history classes and while I was familiar with the overarching eleme nts, history was one of my weaker subjects.
I found the introductory session to be highly informative and am glad that the other tickets weren't available so that this became my option.
Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is! -Anne Frank.
I was born well after this time period so there will always be some level that I don't understand, just as those born here in the U.S. who were babies or not yet born don't have the same understanding and experience of 9/11 as mine.
For me, the time spent hearing this story prepared me for what lay ahead. The deep sense of this horrific reality. Nothing I write will fully convey the history as I am no history expert, but I hope to be able to bring you along as I journey through the museum.
One caution I would give is to know your level of claustrophobia. The spaces are not small but we discovered that two of our teenagers are claustrophobic. Theirs was more about being in crowded spaces.
There are many people touring and the farther into the museum you go, the more compact and pressed together that it becomes before finally opening up again. My claustrophobia has to do with lack of access to fresh air and I felt fine through most of it.
The Jewish began to have to wear these stars as a way of distinguishing them from the Nazis.
A "J", to point out the fact that they were Jewish, was stamped onto their passports.
Jewish people could no longer own businesses so Otto Frank appoints his Dutch colleagues as the business owners and runs the business behind the scenes.
When they receive a letter about what Margot will need to pack for a camp, they know that they will need to go into hiding.
If you are familiar with the story, then you know that they lived in the secret annex behind the bookcase. Since the annex was a secret area attached to the business, they had to be extremely quiet during the day lest anyone should hear them.
We would travel up a set of wooden stairs.
And then we would pass through the open bookcase.
The air in this space had a palpable feeling of being separate.
You could sense what it would be like to try to have lived in this space. The quiet hush of the crowds as they walked along reading the plaques and looking at the items. Each footstep amplified by the wooden space and lack of voices to drown out any other noises.
How their hearts must have pounded in their ears if a chair accidentally scraped across the floor or somebody set a plate down a little too roughly.
Did they hold their breath when they heard the house settling in the night?
While in bed at night, did they cry silent tears in order to put on a brave face again the next day?
All these thoughts and more raced through my head as I wondered from room to room.
I have been a thirteen-year-old girl.
Miss Sunshine is now a thirteen-year-old girl.
And so I find that I place myself in Anne's shoes (as I often do with the main character when I read a story).
But on the other side of the viewing platform was this commentary from my husband.
And then I see it through the lens of his eye.
And then I step in their mother's shoes.
The role of mothering teenagers is a role that I am becoming well versed in.
And I find it hard to breathe.
My heart aching so deeply.
But it was not just Anne Frank.
As we were reminded, Margot also had a diary that it was never found.
Everyone had a story to tell and not just in this home.
This is just a tiny glimpse into what was happening.
The systematic persecution and execution of an estimated six million Jews.
I walk from room to room. I read the words. I sense their fear.
I watch videos and hear the words of survivors.
I feel their pain for all those that they have lost.
I understand a little more than I did the day before.
From here, we would walk to Oude Kerk. If you've read my post about that then you know it was a day packed with enlightenment.
But in those moments after stepping outside of the Anne Frank House, before we began the next part of our journey, I looked across the canal at this vibrant city, and it was hard to believe that such horrific atrocities had taken place here.
I think to visit the Frank house leaves everyone forever changed. This was a great tribute to her. Thank you.
Wow! Thank you for sharing. The same hushed and reverent feeling is prevalent in the Holocaust Museum in D.C.
I have not been to the Holocaust Museum in D.C. My mother in law said that she visited one, but could not remember where as they traveled the world in the Navy and then with the Lions Club. But she said the most haunting part was the shoes collection…specifically the children's shoes. I see that D.C. has that exhibit, but am not sure if other museums do as well.
She was a little girl during the war and remembers listening to it unfolding on the radio and in the news reels before movies.
Yes, I was just telling a friend about that exhibit this morning. It is, I really don't have words to explain. So many shoes.
I saw bits and pieces in that one movie. I've always wanted to go!
It is definitely a worthwhile trip!
I think there are various locations in Amsterdam that were used in the filming of "The Fault in Our Stars". I know there was a bench used as well, but we did not look for it.
I would not want to visit, as I have been made aware of the small spaces, and being so emotional, I'm sure that would intensify.
Our children's museum has a Ryan White room, a Ruby Bridges room, and an Anne Frank room. It was a somber time for us, and while I deeply appreciate the experience and the intensity, I'm not sure it's right for the mood of the children's museum. We were just all sad after that. The magnitude of … separation, accusation, inequality was inescapable. I can only imagine what you felt in Amsterdam.
I do think the emotional intensity surrounding it does heighten the anxiety. I was able to breathe through it when I could feel my heart start to race, but I was also focused on my concern for one of the teens…who I ended up sending ahead in the breaks in the crowds so they could get to open space sooner.
That does seem like an intense experience in a children's museum. I often think of that type of museum as lighthearted and fun.
It seemed in such stark contrast to the accepting vibe in Amsterdam that it seems so unfathomable that such a thing took place. And yet, you are standing there in a place that it did. Definitely a powerful moment.
Thank you. It's definitely a powerful place and worth the visit.
Very nice post!! I remember visiting Anne Frank House and remember all the displays. Yes, it's a mind-boggling history!
Thank you! I think it's a very eye-opening experience as someone who didn't live through the war and hear about the atrocities until much later and through the scope of a history book.
You took many good pictures. Somehow I didn't. I remember all the display. Did you take a picture of the bookcase used as a wall to block the doorway of Anne Frank's room? We went to Germany on another trip, and visited the gas chamber in Munich. I was depressed visiting all the sites from Berlin to Munich. Talking about one person can make a different! Yes, one person made such a great destruction to human kind. My husband used to watch a lot of war stories. It makes me sick to my stomach, yet that actually happened, how sad!
Hi Miriam! Sorry for the delayed reply. Strangely, your comment went to my spam folder. I did not get a photo of the bookcase. They didn't allow photography inside the museum. These were just taken inside of the room where they held the 30 minute introductory session that we purchased with our tickets. I don't think regular ticket holders visit that room.
I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like to visit a gas chamber. I think that a hiding place felt overwhelming enough. Walking through places where deaths occurred in such a horrific way would be very intense.
It is so sad that such things took place!
Yes, exactly. We went to Germany first. my heart was so heavy as we visited all the historic sites. Our next country to visit was Austria. Then my heart felt lighter and lighter to see the birthplace of Mozart, and other musician, Johann Stress II and Bach….
I've never ready her diary. Great post. I should really add it to the list of great books I've not read – for several years – while commuting in and out of London – I read a lot of classics.
I was just watching 'A fault in our stars' with our teenager the other night, and even watching on the screen made me hold my breath a little. I can't imagine the emotion of actually being there. Thank you for sharing this so beautifully and for all of your insights and experience.
Thank you Demelza. It was a very powerful experience. Since it is so hard to imagine such an awful thing taking place, it definitely created a sense of "real" for me as I walked through.
Wonderful intro. We will be there in 5 weeks.
I think this is one of the most important places to visit. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you. I hope that you get a chance to return and visit. It was a very moving place.
We are going in May to Amsterdam for a few days. I just reread the Anne Frank Diary, and was amazed by Anne's insight, intellect, and spirit. I cannot wait to actually experience being in the Annex. I just wish that we could have gotten the extra talk with our tickets. They were sold out. I want to thank you for a wonderful summary of your visit. It was honest and emotional.


Federal prosecutors said Monday that they aren't convinced claims U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez cavorted with underage hookers – widely seen as discredited – are false.
Lawyers for the New Jersey Democrat last week asked a federal judge to dismiss charges that the senator took bribes from a Florida eye doctor, Salomon Melgen, and in exchange used his power to do business and personal favors for him.
How is it possible for a human being to be so completely and utterly shameless?
But at least Bob Menendez just provided all the evidence we need to show why Bob Menendez shouldn't be in the U.S. Senate.


text:
Dmitri Soloviev (en russe, Соловьёв, Дмитрий Владимирович) est un patineur artistique russe né le . Il participe aux Jeux olympiques d'hiver de 2014 à Sotchi, où il remporte la médaille d'or de l'épreuve par équipes.

Il remporte avec sa partenaire Ekaterina Bobrova la médaille d'argent aux jeux olympiques de Pyeongchang de 2018 en participant sous la bannière "athlètes olympiques de Russie".

Biographie

Carrière sportive

Palmarès
Avec sa partenaire Ekaterina Bobrova

Notes et références

Liens externes

Patineur artistique russe
Patineur artistique aux Jeux olympiques d'hiver de 2014
Patineur artistique aux Jeux olympiques d'hiver de 2018
Récipiendaire de la médaille de l'ordre du Mérite pour la Patrie, 1re classe
Champion olympique de patinage artistique
Champion olympique russe
Médaillé d'argent olympique de la délégation des athlètes olympiques de Russie
Naissance en juillet 1989
Patineur artistique aux Jeux olympiques d'hiver de 2010
Médaillé aux Jeux olympiques d'hiver de 2018
Naissance à Moscou
Naissance en RSFS de Russie

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Nocturia is a topic covered in the Diagnosaurus.
Zeiger, Roni F.. "Nocturia." Diagnosaurus, 4th ed., McGraw-Hill Education, 2014. Emergency Central, emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/Diagnosaurus/115007/all/Nocturia.
Zeiger RF. Nocturia. Diagnosaurus. 4th ed. McGraw-Hill Education; 2014. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/Diagnosaurus/115007/all/Nocturia. Accessed April 26, 2019.
Zeiger RF. Nocturia [Internet]. In: Diagnosaurus. McGraw-Hill Education; 2014. [cited 2019 April 26]. Available from: https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/Diagnosaurus/115007/all/Nocturia.


text:
Q: How to execute a shell command in vi with one function key? We can execute a shell command in vi. For example, typing in :!ls we can list files at the current directory. We can send the same command by typing in :!! in vi.
I am wondering if I could replace :!! with F7.

A: this worked for me
:nnoremap <F7> :!!<CR>

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
World champion boxer Besputin faces doping charge
Jan. 15, 2020 4:10 AM PT
MOSCOW —
World champion boxer Alexander Besputin is facing a doping charge after a drug test showed an abnormal result.
Besputin won the WBA welterweight title in November by unanimous decision against fellow Russian Radzhab Butaev, a result that could be affected by the drug test.
The Russian Boxing Federation said it has requested documentation on the test because it has started its own investigation.
Besputin told Russian news agency RIA Novosti he is "clean" and "this substance could get in through food or supplements."
Besputin is based in California and is unbeaten with a 14-0 record. The win over Butaev in Monaco was his first pro fight outside the United States.
The WBA last month ordered Besputin to defend his title against Cuban Yordenis Ugas before March 29, but no date has been set.
All Times EST Tuesday, Jan. 18 Top 25 Men's Basketball No. 5 Baylor at West Virginia, 5 p.m.
Snapdragon Stadium update: New year signals sprint to the finish
Column: Longing for days of NFL games on grass fields in Southern California

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Haddad holds musical memories
Published 5:02 pm Friday, December 4, 2020
Editor's Note: The Suffolk News-Herald will be sharing Christmas memories of notable locals in the weeks leading up to Christmas in order to help promote the Cheer Fund.
Mary Haddad has a variety of Christmas memories, but one thing that stands out in most of them is the presence of music.
She has three brothers who were musicians, and she is a talented singer herself. When she and her family went visiting at Christmastime when they were young, they would stand outside and sing Christmas carols instead of ringing the doorbell.
"We sang until they heard us and opened the door," Haddad said. Since they did most of their visiting to family in Ohio and New York, "We were really glad when they heard us pretty fast," she said.
Another memory from her younger years is an especially poignant homemade project. Her mother would take a Quaker Oats container, cut out part of the side and put some straw next to it. When the children did good deeds throughout December, they would be allowed to add a piece of straw to the homemade cradle. The goal was to have a soft spot for the baby Jesus to rest by the time Christmas came.
More recently, music has made an appearance in her Christmas memories in the form of the candlelight service at Oakland Christian Church, Haddad said.
"It's such a beautiful event to share with family and friends, and it brings tears to my eyes," she said. "I can't make it through 'Silent Night.'"
Haddad also recalls seeing the magic in her own children's eyes on Christmas morning when they found their gifts from Santa — a maximum of three per child, she said.
The desire for children to find something under the tree on Christmas morning is a reason she supports the Cheer Fund, she said.
"It would be terrible to wake up on Christmas morning and have nothing under the tree and know that all around the world, people are waking up to gifts under the tree," she said. "When you have parents and guardians who could not otherwise afford to get gifts for their children, and the Cheer Fund helps, I just think that's such a great gift."
The Cheer Fund is an annual effort by the Suffolk community to provide toys for children from disadvantaged families. The Cheer Fund provides approximately $40,000 to the Salvation Army to purchase toys every year.
To donate to the Cheer Fund, send a check to P.O. Box 1220, Suffolk, VA 23439 or bring it to the newspaper's temporary office, 157 N. Main St., from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. We will list your donation in the newspaper, but it can be marked "anonymous" if you like. Donations may be made in honor of or in memory of someone. If you bring the check to our office, we'll even take your picture as you hand it to one of our staff.
Online giving is available through the link on the Suffolk Cheer Fund Facebook page. For more information on the Cheer Fund, call 757-539-3437.
Ringing the good news
Testing at the Suffolk Corps of the Salvation Army has resulted in no further positive COVID-19 cases, Capt. Angel Simmons... read more


text:
FC Abdish-Ata Kant
FC Abdish-Ata Kant (Kyrgyzstan)
all competitionsPremier Liga
Kyrgyzstan: Premier Liga - Main
28. Round Abdish-Ata Kara Balta 5:1 (2:1, 3:0) details 29.10.2021
25. Round Ilbirs Abdish-Ata 0:1 (0:0, 0:1) details 26.10.2021
27. Round Abdish-Ata Alay Osh 3:0 AWA. details 13.10.2021
26. Round Dordoi Bishkek Abdish-Ata 1:2 (1:1, 0:1) details 09.10.2021
11. Round Abdish-Ata Alay Osh 1:0 (1:0, 0:0) details 06.10.2021
Help: FC Abdish-Ata Kant information page serves as a one place which you can use to see how FC Abdish-Ata Kant stands in overall table, home/away table or in how good shape FC Abdish-Ata Kant is. Find listed results of matches FC Abdish-Ata Kant has played so far and the upcoming games FC Abdish-Ata Kant will play, plus archive betting odds displayed in all FC Abdish-Ata Kant results in the season so far.


Clay pigeon shooting, is the sport of shooting at special flying targets, known as 'clay pigeons', with a shotgun or any type of firearm.
If you are looking for Clay Pigeon Shooting in Mayo, visit Mayo Shooting Ground (formerly Doolough Shooting Grounds) set in the heart of the Erris peninsula amongst surrounding mountain ranges with beautiful views of the ocean.
Targets for this sport comply with set international standards and are made to exact specifications. Usually in the shape of an inverted saucer and made from a mixture of pitch and pulverized limestone rock, 'clay pigeon's are designed to withstand being thrown from traps at very high speeds, whilst at the same time are easily broken when hit by lead or steel pellets from a shotgun.
They are usually fluorescent orange or black, but other colours such as white, or yellow are frequently used so that they can be clearly seen against varying backgrounds and light conditions.
Clay pigeon shooting is very popular for group outings, parties, hen or stag celebrations, corporate events, team building ... or just having a great day out with family and friends!
Clay pigeon shooting is a sport of great physical skill and mental ability and for the more 'serious' participants it offers the opportunity to compete at local, national and international competitions up to and including the Olympic Games.


text:
Neil Cavuto Bio, Age, FOX News, Net Worth, Health, Wife, Salary, Daughter, Your World, Ratings and Live Guests Today
September 20, 2021 Author
Neil Cavuto Photo
Neil Cavuto Biography | Wiki
Neil Cavuto is an American Journalist, Anchor, Commentator and TV host for The FOX News network based in New York City. He is the main host of three segments on the network named Your World with Neil and Cavuto Live on The FOX Network. Prior to his work on FOX News, he served as a reporter and anchor for CNBC news and NBC's Today. Cavuto also hosts a business segment on FOX Business news.
Neil Cavuto Education
Cavuto attended Immaculate High School where he graduated at the age of seventeen. Later. he received a Bachelor of arts degree in mass communication from St.Bonaventure University. Neil then earned his master's degree in Journalism from American University.
Neil Cavuto Age
How old is Neil? Cavuto is 62 years old as of 2021. He was born Neil Patrick Cavuto on September 22, 1958, in Westbury, New York City, United States. His birthday is celebrated on 22nd September every year. His zodiac birth sign is Virgo. ALSO READ: Pete Hegseth
Neil Cavuto Nationality | Ethnicity
Cavuto holds American nationality by birth. He grew up in a native- American middle-class family set up in New York City, United States. Thus, he is of white ethnicity and heritage.
Neil Cavuto Height | Weight| Body Measurements
Cavuto stands at an average height of 5 feet 10 inches (1.78). He also maintains an average bodyweight of around 74 kilograms (161 Ibs). His hair color is black and his eyes are brown. However, information regarding Cavuto's other body measurements is still under review.
Neil Cavuto Family | Parents
Neil was born and raised as the son of Patrick Cavuto (father) and Kathleen T Cavuto (mother) in a simple suburban neighborhood situated in New York City. Cavuto's mother worked as a staffer at a local company before she decided to be a housewife while his father worked as a sales executive in a highly acclaimed company. His father is of Italian descent while his mother has Irish ancestry. Details about his siblings are still under review.
Neil Cavuto Wife | Married
Is Neil Married? Cavuto is married to Mary Fulling, his lovely wedded wife. The two love birds exchanged their vows on October 15, 1983, in front of close friends and family. Together Mary and Neil are blessed with three children namely; Tara, Jeremy and Bradley. The Family currently resides in Mendham Borough, New Jersey.
Neil Cavuto Daughter
Neil and his wife Mary share three children; a daughter named Tara Cavuti and two sons (Bradley & Jeremy Cavuto). Tara is their blood daughter born in 1988 while his other two sons were adopted in 2004. Neil loves his daughter very much and they have a close bond.
Neil Cavuto Salary
Cavuto working as a Business Journalist, News Anchor and TV host for FOX News and FOX Business Network earns an annual salary ranging from $100,000 to $2 Million dollars.
Neil Cavuto Illness | Health | Does Neil Have Ms
Neil suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS) condition. He was diagnosed with the condition fifteen years ago. However, this degenerative neurologic disease has not distracted him from maintaining his thriving journalism career. His health is stable and he always visits his doctors at the recommended schedule.
Neil Cavuto Fox News | Your World With Neil
Where Is Neil Cavuto Today? Neil currently serves as the main host of Your Wold with Neil segment and Cavuto live on the FOX New Network in New York City. He also hosts another show called Cavuto: Coast to Coast on the FOX Business Network since 2018. Born and raised as the son of a sales executive and staffer, Neil developed a passion for Television at a very young and naive age.
He now holds a Masters's and a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. Before FOX News, he served as a news anchor and reporter for CNBC news back in 1989. He was the main host of the station's Power Lunch show and worked with the Public Broadcasting Service for fifteen years at the same time. Cavuto also served as a New York City bureau chief back in 1995.
He joined FOX News back in July 1996 as the main host and editor of Your world with Neil. Cavuto still maintains his position as the main host of Your World since 1996. Additionally, he is a frequent critic of former President Donald Trump and he was labeled as a Trump Skeptic by The Daily Beast. In 2020, Donald Trump created a rally for 20 minutes in Colorado, Springs to insult and attack Cavuto because of his critical comments about The Doanl Trump Administration.
Neil Cavuto Net Worth
Cavuto is a renowned American Journalist, News Anchor and Reporter who has an estimated net worth of around $23 million US dollars as of 2021.
Neil Cavuto House
According to our research, Neil owns two mansions. One of them is located in Mendham Borough, New Jersey and another is situated in Riviera Beach, Florida. His first home is 9,403 feet and it was purchased in January 2007 for $6.3 million dollars. More details about his house in Florida will be updated once it s confirmed available.
Neil Cavuto Live Guests Today
As part of his work, Neil and his team share the live guest list of his three shows on all of his social media accounts two days before the episodes are officially aired on FOX. You can access Neil's Guestlist by either visiting his Twitter or Instagram account.


text:
E5 – jedna z międzynarodowych dróg transeuropejskich
 Europejski długodystansowy szlak pieszy E5
 Nokia E5 – telefon komórkowy firmy Nokia


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using Melanchall.DryWetMidi.Common;

namespace Melanchall.DryWetMidi.Core
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Provides extension methods for <see cref="TrackChunk"/>.
    /// </summary>
    public static class TrackChunkUtilities
    {
        #region Methods

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets all track chunks of a MIDI file.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="midiFile">MIDI file to get track chunks of.</param>
        /// <returns>Collection of track chunks contained in the <paramref name="midiFile"/>.</returns>
        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException"><paramref name="midiFile"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
        public static IEnumerable<TrackChunk> GetTrackChunks(this MidiFile midiFile)
        {
            ThrowIfArgument.IsNull(nameof(midiFile), midiFile);

            return midiFile.Chunks.OfType<TrackChunk>();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Merges multiple track chunks into one that corresponds to <see cref="MidiFileFormat.SingleTrack"/>.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="trackChunks">Track chunks to merge into one.</param>
        /// <returns>Track chunk that containes all events from the <paramref name="trackChunks"/>.</returns>
        /// <remarks>
        /// Note that events will be cloned so events in the result track chunk will not be equal
        /// by reference to events in the <paramref name="trackChunks"/>.
        /// </remarks>
        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException"><paramref name="trackChunks"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
        public static TrackChunk Merge(this IEnumerable<TrackChunk> trackChunks)
        {
            ThrowIfArgument.IsNull(nameof(trackChunks), trackChunks);

            return ConvertTrackChunks(trackChunks, MidiFileFormat.SingleTrack).First();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Splits a track chunk into multiple ones that correspond to <see cref="MidiFileFormat.MultiTrack"/>.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="trackChunk">Track chunk to split into multiple ones.</param>
        /// <returns>Multiple track chunks that represent <paramref name="trackChunk"/>.</returns>
        /// <remarks>
        /// Note that events will be cloned so events in the result track chunks will not be equal
        /// by reference to events in the <paramref name="trackChunk"/>.
        /// </remarks>
        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException"><paramref name="trackChunk"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
        public static IEnumerable<TrackChunk> Explode(this TrackChunk trackChunk)
        {
            ThrowIfArgument.IsNull(nameof(trackChunk), trackChunk);

            return ConvertTrackChunks(new[] { trackChunk }, MidiFileFormat.MultiTrack);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets all channel numbers presented in the specified <see cref="TrackChunk"/>.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="trackChunk"><see cref="TrackChunk"/> to get channels of.</param>
        /// <returns>Collection of channel numbers presented in the <paramref name="trackChunk"/>.</returns>
        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException"><paramref name="trackChunk"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
        public static IEnumerable<FourBitNumber> GetChannels(this TrackChunk trackChunk)
        {
            ThrowIfArgument.IsNull(nameof(trackChunk), trackChunk);

            return trackChunk.Events.OfType<ChannelEvent>().Select(e => e.Channel).Distinct().ToArray();
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets all channel numbers presented in the specified collection of <see cref="TrackChunk"/>.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="trackChunks">Collection of <see cref="TrackChunk"/> to get channels of.</param>
        /// <returns>Collection of channel numbers presented in the <paramref name="trackChunks"/>.</returns>
        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException"><paramref name="trackChunks"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
        public static IEnumerable<FourBitNumber> GetChannels(this IEnumerable<TrackChunk> trackChunks)
        {
            ThrowIfArgument.IsNull(nameof(trackChunks), trackChunks);

            return trackChunks.Where(c => c != null).SelectMany(GetChannels).Distinct().ToArray();
        }

        private static IEnumerable<TrackChunk> ConvertTrackChunks(IEnumerable<TrackChunk> trackChunks, MidiFileFormat format)
        {
            var chunksConverter = ChunksConverterFactory.GetConverter(format);
            return chunksConverter.Convert(trackChunks)
                                  .OfType<TrackChunk>();
        }

        #endregion
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
September 6, 2014 \ christian
in clay with sarah core
We are sitting next to a shed in a backyard behind a family home in the northern suburbs of London. Although enclosed with fences to board off neighboring yards, it does not establish any sense of private space, as windows from around prey down on what is happening here. Looking up, I wonder whether people watching us realize why this shed is set up, amidst this sea of suburban profanity. Nobody might even wonder, as nothing special is expected down here, since creating the extraordinary seemingly demands extraordinary circumstances in support. Unsurprisingly, the art created in this environment is made from an inner inspiration that is not a result of the surroundings but is instead silently transforming the world it is brought into. Just as Sarah Core's ceramics does not need a sanctuary for making, it neither demands pedestals for showing. This is why Sarah's art is so much affecting the life it has been nurtured from.
Asked how she came to ceramics, Sarah has told me that she chose ceramics over fine art because creating in ceramics requires a transformation and completion of an idea. While some fine arts projects seem to repeat the same issues over and over again without ever achieving a resolution, ceramics as a medium provides and requires this resolution by its material and tradition: First, the material in its volatility prevents any repetition and makes every piece unique, such that each piece embodies the moment of its very creation and the condition of the artist in making. And second, traditional work in ceramics is finished to purposeful objects. To this end, the tradition establishes a set of criteria to define a completed piece, like watertightness or proper decoration. With its roots in craft, the tradition in ceramics is much more intact than in many other fine art domains and Sarah exploits this strong frame as a point of reference in her work.
As a completed transformation, each piece becomes an emotional and creative relief as much as a starting point to begin anew. Since the material is unique in every single moment and the artist is changing during making, each repetition will be different. Sarah's cultivation of this repeated difference is rooted in a very personal approach to art, spirituality, and healing. Therein deeply sincere, her work reaches well beyond postmodernist strategies — first, by revitalizing a modernist past which has celebrated creativity as a spiritual act, and second, by venturing into a new era of intense but grounded making.
transformation in clay
Working with clay means to facilitate the transformation of raw clay into finished ceramic: The clay needs to be wedged in order to squeeze out bubbles and align the platelets which are responsible for its plasticity. During this preparatory work Sarah becomes silent and focused. The clay is rolled and thrown on a wooden board by "rams' heads" to form a lump of even consistency. The throwing on the wheel gradually refines the shape of the clay, starting with a quick wheel becoming subsequently slower. First, to center the lump, Sarah uses her whole body, anchoring her arm in, to push the clay towards the center, forming a tall, thin tower. When Sarah finally opens the lump, she searches with shut eyes for the unmoving center of the clay. Once found, Sarah pushes into the clay to form the base of the pot in becoming. After that, Sarah lifts the clay to the desired height, feeding the rising walls and the final narrowing from the thick clay at the base. This step seems to require most balance, since the upper clay is thinner and much more fragile, such that the centrifugal force would cause the little pot to break over any unbalances within the clay. At last, after fixing some details, Sarah cuts the pot off the wheel with a wet wire. Put onto a little board, the pot is left for drying, while awaiting decoration, burnishing, and firing.
In the process, Sarah is firstly very close to the clay, barely looking at it while searching for a tactile response, to be guided in finding the right shape. Gradually over time, when the rough outline emerges, Sarah becomes more distanced to overlook the piece in its entirety. Sarah works continuously and evenly paced, never stepping back or repeating anything. Thus the piece is the result of a single flow that incorporates the particularities of the clay as well as Sarah's relation to the piece and the material. The most challenging aspect in all of this is the unpredictability of clay. For example, when it shrinks during firing, depending on thickness and quality, each spot shrinks at a different rate. Beyond understanding these differences, Sarah has to feel the character of the material at hand to judge its expected behavior in the kiln. Because it has "a life of its own", clay cannot be forced into arbitrary shapes but must be understood and respected. This respect for the material and — in extension — for her own doing is fundamental to Sarah and her artistic practice.
Before drying and firing, clay is a very volatile material that is unforgiving in its sensitivity to the shaping hand. The leeway for corrections is marginal, such that errors often require a complete restart, as the clay needs to be wedged once more into a coherent and consistent quality — thus each piece is the result of a single flow of work. Later, when the fired clay has become hard like stone, it leaves no margin to hide any mistake made before. So the clay between Sarah's hands is at first unstable and vulnerable and hence less in a single state than in continuous transformation. Once this flow is fired into stone, it becomes a manifest transformation.
completion in tradition
Sarah has never questioned the decision to move into ceramics, as the material seems to fit her naturally. Even the second cornerstone of her practice, a sense of completion, is already asked for by the material itself, as clay only becomes persistent once it is fired. Beyond that, tradition in ceramics comes with a comprehensive and rigid sense of completion in asking for functional pieces which are fit for well-defined purposes. Sarah exploits this notion of completion, but quite unsurprisingly, while her relationship with clay is harmonious, her position towards tradition is much more ambiguous.
This sense of completion in achieving a traditional shape has led Sarah to an interesting position: First, the common-day quality of traditional ceramics allows Sarah to position her work within the surrounding world, just like common objects made to serve our daily routines; talking about this, Sarah calls ceramics a "silent servant". Second, Sarah pairs this exploitation of the craft's innocence with a playful interpretation of traditional forms. Since these forms are often archaic, such as bowls or pots, they bear a multitude of meanings everybody relates to. In subverting these forms and installing the resulting works in our common lives, Sarah creates interventions like little acupuncture needles. Since Sarah does not aim at noisy, short-lived effects but lasting changes, she is shy to use the word intervention. Nevertheless, she envisions her pieces to return to the life they originated from, to change and inspire another creation: Completion is not an end by itself but the starting point of another piece, just like one step starts another one.
So while the craft with its well-defined shapes has brought Sarah to clay, it has also become Sarah's angle for an artistic discourse on what constitutes a functional, useful, and healthy object in our post-industrial and post-postmodern societies. Instead of stripping her art from craftmanship, as to use clay as just another material in sculpture, Sarah is working at the boundary between craft and art. In order to deploy her objects within our daily lives, Sarah is rather bending the prescriptions of tradition instead of breaking them.
projecting between inner & outer
Among the projects Sarah has told me about, two stand out: First, a set of tableware sculptures reflects the notion of caring in their motifs and their mode of creation; and second, a ceramic pillow placed on a park bench plays with the concepts of interior and exterior space, as it seemingly belongs in a home while it proves to be not only weather-resistant but also completely impractical to sit on.
Each tableware sculpture consists of a number of pieces, such as plates, saucers, cups, and tea pots. The individual pieces follow traditional forms and would be functional, except for their arrangement into fixed sculptures. The tableware has a focus on its decorations which have been derived from paintings collected during a therapeutic workshop Sarah was offering. The attendees of the workshop were asked to paint an answer to the questions of what care is and how it feels to be a carer. After the workshop, Sarah covered her studio walls with the resulting paintings to use some motifs directly and to develop some further motifs from this inspiration. In condensing and integrating the individual paintings, Sarah arrived at three facets of care, namely support, structure, and flow, each leading to one of the three tableware sculptures. These three facets correspond to three colors and chakras, namely red, green, and blue for base, heart and throat chakra, respectively, all reflected in the three sculptures. With this approach, Sarah has created pieces about care in a most caring manner: First, in offering this workshop to the community, second, in thematising care during the workshop, and third, in curating the different paintings into coherent pieces (obviously enough, "curate" is derived from "cure" which is in turn derived from Latin "cura" meaning "care"). The theme of care is also reflected in the chosen techniques, playing with the concept of "bringing things to the surface" by decorating the tableware with paintings below and above the glaze. Also, some decorative elements seem to follow thin little cracks and emphasize the structure of the material underneath. By developing the pieces in a careful and caring process, the creation of the pieces has reflected back onto life, not only as pieces to look at, but by directly affecting the involved people. In this sense, the project has achieved completion and has been instrumental in a healing transformation.
In the second project, Sarah has not built upon traditional ceramic forms but instead created a ceramic pillow which proved to be a successful imposter. Put on a park bench, people walking by wanted to sit down on the seemingly soft piece that looked irritatingly alien under the open sky. The form of the cushion has been made to be literally hard to sit on. Beyond playing with perception and expected functionality, the cushion questions our concept of comfort and — related to that — the distinction between the outside and inside, as the latter should comfort us. This relation of the outer and inner world is another topic central to Sarah, as her multi-layered surfaces in the tableware already indicated. This time, she contrasts the protected and private inner space of a home with the exposed and public outer space of a park bench. Sarah's interest in the connection between inner and outer originates from healing where inner processes are made visible and accessible in providing an outer correspondence. To achieve health, not only a mere connection is necessary but also a balance. The cushion, exposed to the outside but belonging to an inside, is irritating people for its imbalance. The question of comfort is closely related to healing, since comfort amounts to creating and curating an environment that matches our needs. Finally, healing is similar to art in that both relate the inner and outer world to make the inner world accessible and the outer world habitable.
Thus, both projects are examples of Sarah's effort to establish a bridge between the inner and outer. This bridge can be seen as quintessential for a healthy and worthy life: Imre Kertész once wrote that fate arises in such a connection between inner and outer life. In his stories, this kind of fate is at the very essence of humanity in the face of most inhumane conditions. I like to believe that Sarah has come to ceramics not only because of the material with its transformation and completion, but also for creating hollow pieces as a meditation on their surface and the boundary that separates and connects the inner and outer world.
making with intuition
Interestingly, Sarah does not mention beauty at all, but describes her work in modest terms; she does not say what her pieces look like, or what they mean to her, but only whether they turned out well or not. The piece and its quality seem to come about as side-effects that are less planned than invited: Instead of realizing the pre-envisioned, Sarah wants to discover in making. This was after all one of Sarah's reasons to move into ceramics — to manifest transformation in making.
When Sarah prepares the clay for throwing, she creates the potential for a multitude of different forms in herself and the material she works on. As clay becomes homogenous during wedging and ready to sustain plasticity, it bears a multiplicity of shapes: The possible extremes present in the clay span a wide range of distinct and heterogeneous shapes that are — at the same time — interpenetrating each other as the clay's shape is evolving in an irreversible continuum. Although the shapes in the lump are morphing into each other, there is no shape that is ever repeatable, because of the ever changing clay. This multiplicity becomes a pure mobility during which no fixed shapes but only possibilities exist. Once in mobility, the making becomes indivisible, like any other movement that cannot be interrupted without ending it prematurely. In many creative processes, this is only experienced in an abstract manner, when the creative work collapses upon interruption. But in the case of ceramics, the material's behavior itself requires a continuous transformation until reaching completion. For example, the wheel cannot be stopped at will, since the centrifugal force might be essential to the stability of the shape in becoming. Thus, upon entering this flow of shapes, Sarah is pulled into the process with an intensity that increases with the density and heterogeneity of the multiplicity until it discharges into the final piece.
This perspective on Sarah's work is rooted in Henrie Bergson's philosophy of creation which is probably most famous for the notion of the qualitative multiplicity outlined above as heterogeneous (many shapes coexist), interpenetrating (the shapes morph into each other), dualistic (the shapes span a wide variety between a number of opposing extremes), temporally progressive (the shapes change over time irreversibly), and continuous (the shapes are synchronically and diachronically united in one multiplicity). Bergson places such a qualitative multiplicity at the center of creation, as the source which yields the truly new: It is an essentially non-deterministic state that bears the potential for a multitude of shapes that differ in every moment from the shapes present before; thus upon entering the flow of the multiplicity, everything becomes new. The multiplicity itself is virtual and inexpressible, since every concrete expression is realizing the multiplicity in one of its potential forms, thereby causing its collapse. Bergson also explains in his method of intuition how we can reach such a qualitative multiplicity. In this method, one installs oneself in duration, which is another Bergsonian key term. This duration refers to experiences during which events are not juxtaposed as one after another: Instead, deeply involved in what we do, we experience time as something unmeasured — when we are immersed in what we do, we do not look for the time. Such an intense experience is changing us, since we make memories therein that change us forever, such that nothing done intensively can ever be repeated again. The more we immerse ourselves, the more we are surrounded by our memories and their echos, opening different possibilities to interpret the moment at hand. This is a duration which is by itself a heterogeneous continuum and thus a qualitative multiplicity. The question of how we can enter such a duration brings me back to Sarah and her clay: When she wedges the clay before throwing, she prepares not only the clay but also herself — the clay becomes homogenous and thus ready to sustain the plasticity of a multitude of shapes, while Sarah becomes sympathetic with herself, the clay, and — through that — with the world around her. This sympathy bears an intuitive account that exposes her to an heterogeneity of perspectives that installs her in duration: Instead of taking one perspective at a time, Sarah experiences a multitude of viewpoints while the measured time is left behind and the moment turns into a creative flow.
Consequently, Sarah describes herself during making as an instrument to the process which she is involved in but ultimately not controlling herself. For example, Sarah feels "surrounded by the wheel" which is in turn not a distant tool but an extension of herself. Sympathetic to the things around her, the environment she works in is extremely important, to the point that she feels to be created by her tools. Likewise, Sarah considers making as an act of self-creation and recreation, since each completed piece embodies her disposition: A piece obviously reflects the posture during making, the height of the wheel, which distance she takes, or the strength she applies. But at a more subtle level, Sarah experiences in the material and outward transformation a simultaneous, immaterial, and inward change.
The need for a completed transformation, the bridge between inner and outer, the sympathy towards oneself and in extension to the world around, and the experience of duration can all be seen as aspects of a healing approach that affects the inner being in unison with the outer manifestation in the created piece: After having survived a terrible accident, Sarah found in clay a way to transform her life within a continuous making practice.
sincerely engaged
My interpretation of Sarah's work is replenished with Bergsonian terms. This is certainly rooted in my own interest in Bergson, but beyond that, his philosophy of creation does fit Sarah's work extremely well for two reasons: First, Sarah attempts to bridge the gap between herself and the clay by not working the clay from the outside but from within the clay — seeking in Bergsonian terminology for sympathy with the material. Second, creating in such a sympathetic state, Sarah connects deeply with the material at hand and thereby establishes a bridge between the inner and outer world. This spiritual and sincere approach to making is essentially modernist — fitting the times of Bergson who was active in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.
This turn to modernist approaches in Sarah's work is not a particular but general development. With the end of postmodernism, maybe most explicitly stated by the retrospective in the Victoria & Albert Museum in 2011/12, the discussion on our current cultural disposition brought forth the notion of metamodernism. Metamodernism describes our culture as an oscillation between a modernist sincerity and a postmodern irony. Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker, who have established metamodernism as understood today, associate metamodernism with story, engagement, sincerity, craft, and care (see their talk at A New Dawn from 2013) — which amounts to a blueprint for Sarah's work which is obviously rooted in craft: While Sarah incorporates material from other people and refers to traditional forms — as in case of her tableware described before, she is not applying strategies like pastiche or collage in a postmodern manner; instead, she integrates the material into a coherent story to precisely overcome the ruggedness of our daily lives. Engagement and care are central to her work, both as a topic to be reflected upon and as a way of creating, when she is for example teaching at community workshops. And the sincerity in Sarah's work is rooted in her belief that care can heal and better our lives.
The pictures below have been taken during a summer afternoon when Sarah has been creating a series of pots related to skin care, inspired by a late Minoan jar Sarah has discovered at the Ashmolean Museum. This jar was probably used for mixing oils and perfumes for ritualistic purposes. Taking this jar as a prototype, Sarah is creating a large jar together with an assortment of smaller vessels, each following the shapes of a plant used in skin care essences. Asked about this project, Sarah is much more careful in her words, not knowing what the project is really about until she has completed it to discover what she has done. However, the topic of care is obvious, and reflecting about it, Sarah recognizes this project as a more personal continuation of the tableware sculptures where she has incorporated the vision of care of so many other people. In any case, the principal lines of her artistic approach are well visible in this project: Sarah works here with traditional forms, neither simply adopting nor caricaturing them, but instead employing them for her ends as a rich language at her disposal, emphatic with the tradition but rooted in a very personal approach; also the topic of skin seems to be significant, as skin is mediating between the inner and outer, just as care and healing are central to Sarah as a core motivation driving her art.
copyrighted, portrait \ bergson, bw, craft, metamodernism, photography, theory
copyright reserved


text:
package org.testobject.kernel.classification.matching;

import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;

import org.testobject.commons.util.image.Image;
import org.testobject.kernel.api.classification.graph.Locator;

/**
 *
 * @author enijkamp
 *
 */
public class Matching {

	public static class Match {
		public final double probability;
		public final Locator.Node locator;

		public Match(double probability, Locator.Node locator) {
			this.probability = probability;
			this.locator = locator;
		}
	}

	private final Map<String, Matcher> matchers;
	private final Image.Int raw1, raw2;

	public Matching(Map<String, Matcher> matchers, Image.Int raw1, Image.Int raw2) {
		this.matchers = matchers;
		this.raw1 = raw1;
		this.raw2 = raw2;
	}

	public Match best(List<Locator.Node> source, Locator.Descriptor target) {

		if(source.isEmpty()) {
			throw new IllegalArgumentException();
		}

		Locator.Node bestDescriptor = source.get(0);
		double bestProbability = 0d;

		for(Locator.Node candidate : source) {
			double probability = match(candidate.getDescriptor(), target);
			if(probability > bestProbability) {
				bestProbability = probability;
				bestDescriptor = candidate;
			}
		}

		return new Match(bestProbability, bestDescriptor);
	}

	public double match(Locator.Descriptor locator1, Locator.Descriptor locator2) {
		String type1 = locator1.getLabel().getType();
		String type2 = locator2.getLabel().getType();

		if(type1.equals(type2) == false) {
			return 0d;
		}

		if(matchers.containsKey(type1) == false) {
			throw new IllegalStateException("No matcher registered for type '" + type1 + "'");
		}

		Matcher matcher = matchers.get(type1);

		Matcher.Match match = matcher.match(locator1, Matcher.Context.Factory.create(raw1), locator2, Matcher.Context.Factory.create(raw2));

		return match.getProbability();
	}

}


text:
Europe's digital festival
A conference with a festival feel: An outdoor space at re:publica on the Station Berlin grounds. | Photo (detail): ©re:publica/Gregor Fischer (CC BY-SA 2.0)
The entire net community looks forward to re:publica Berlin every year – and not just in Germany. The conference's curator, Geraldine de Bastion, talks about re:publica's history, its importance abroad, and how Germans are talking about digital issues.
By Sarah Klein
In 2007, re:publica opened its doors for the first time as a conference for Web 2.0-related topics. For the first few years, it was held in Berlin's Kalkscheune, a relatively small venue in Berlin-Mitte and was more of a niche event for geeks and nerds interested in all things digital. Sascha Lobo was probably the only speaker a wider audience might have recognized at the time. Today though, re:publica has gone mainstream and attracts thousands of visitors every year to Station Berlin, a former post office railway station where the conference is now held. And you'd be hard pressed to find anyone involved with internet, social media, blogs or communication who isn't aware of the internet and digital society conference.
Geraldine de Bastion has been involved in organising re:publica from the very beginning and is jointly responsible for programming and moderating individual sessions. In recent years, she has helped shape new formats and accompanied the international expansion of re:publica. In an interview, she talked about how the conference has changed over time.
Something for everyone: from Web 2.0 and the blogosphere to social criticism, the re:publica program covers a broad thematic spectrum. | Photo: ©re:publica/Gregor Fischer (CC BY-SA 2.0) How did re:publica start and how has it developed over the years?
The idea for re:publica emerged when online media like blogs became relevant in Germany and a digital public developed. Re:publica was conceived of as a meeting point for everyone involved in these new media and processes, and especially for those personally involved in designing them. Today re:publica is Europe's digital festival. In 2018, almost 20,000 people attended re:publica, up from just 700 in 2007.
What part does re:publica play in the debate around digital issues in Germany?
Re:publica has contributed to shaping digital discourse in Germany. It provides a space for encounters that don't take place anywhere else – among politicians, net-policy activists, experts and scientists from all over the world as well as representatives from the digital economy, media, culture, research and academia. We have shown it is possible to organise an event where just as many women as men speak - this alone has contributed to a cultural shift in the German digital scene.
Once a niche conference for geeks and nerds, re:publica has gone mainstream to become the largest internet and digital society conference that features prominent figures from the media landscape. These include the Mouse from the children's show "Die Sendung mit der Maus" (The Show with the Mouse), a beloved selfie partner. | Photo: ©re:publica/Jan Michalko (CC BY-SA 2.0) Why has re:publica expanded into other countries? Were there no similar conferences abroad?
Berlin will always be the home base, but it is important for us to find out how the core issues addressed at re:publica are being discussed in other countries and regions. We do this in part by inviting international speakers, but also by organizing re:publica events in other countries. We focus on working with local partners to develop and implement the concept. Experience has shown that our format fills a gap: re:publica is a community festival designed to be participative. The different formats offer space for learning and exchange as well as publicity and entertainment.
Is the debate around digital issues in Germany different from that in other countries?
There are lot of differences and a lot of similarities too. Some of the issues raised through the call for participation in Ghana are just as relevant here, especially those linked to data and feminism. Other topics, like eWaste, are not our top priority. In general, people in other countries are more open to the digital shift, as there is less fear of change in places with fewer established structures.
What do you see as the highlights of the upcoming re:publica 2019?
I'm a big fan of the "tl:dr" motto and can't wait to see how it will be implemented in design and on stage. "Tl:dr" stands for "too long; didn't read" and is in part an allusion to the flood of information and the complexity of our society. I look forward to the opening keynote given by my friend Nanjira Sambuli, an outstanding digital activist from Kenya, and Nanjala Nyabola, author of the book Digital Democracy and Analogue Politics. Both spoke in Accra as well. Their talks will establish a link between the Berlin program and re:publica Ghana. I am also looking forward to astronaut Alexander Gerst and author and journalist Cory Doctorow.
One final song for the road: every year organizers and the audience raise their voices in a rousing version of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" to kick-off the closing party. | Photo: ©re:publica/Gregor Fischer (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Re:publica is a specialist conference on the internet and digital society held every year at the beginning of May in Berlin on the grounds of the Station Berlin, a historical landmark and exhibition space in the former Kreuzberg Postbahnhof. For three days, visitors enjoy a mix of lectures and interactive workshops in maker spaces and exhibition stands. Anyone who can't make it to Berlin can also follow the sessions via video or audio stream on the internet.
Sarah Klein is a journalist and PR consultant. She is editor-in-chief of the Tea after Twelve online magazine and managing director of the Bunny Island communications agency.
Translation: Sarah Smithson-Compton
Copyright: Text: Goethe-Institut, Sarah Klein. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution – Share Alike 3.0 Germany license.
Any questions about this article? Write to us!


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MAY 11 — Now that the people have elected Pakatan Harapan (PH) as their first-ever alternate government to Barisan Nasional (BN), PH must show that they truly represent change.
The biggest impact from the overthrow of BN, perhaps, is the start of the end of race-based politics. Malaysians have shown that they do not need Umno, MCA, or MIC to defend so-called Malay, Chinese, or Indian rights.
Of course, there is Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Malay party, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM), and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) that explicitly endorses an Islamic agenda. DAP, on the other hand, has very few Malay members and leaders, even if its membership is open to all Malaysians.
Within this term, PPBM and Amanah should provide full membership privileges to all Malaysians who want to join them, regardless of race or religion, and change their party mission so that they do not promote the interests of one particular ethnic or religious group. DAP, on the other hand, should pull back their pro-Chinese chauvinistic tendencies.
Hopefully, BN will take this time to self-reflect and perhaps transform into a single multiracial party by merging Umno, MCA and MIC, together with the rest of its component parties.
As a responsible party, PH should implement its 10 pledges in their first 100 days of office.
However, it is uncertain if PH can fulfill its promises to abolish the goods and services tax (GST), without raising income or corporate tax, and to reintroduce petrol subsidies, as the GST collection is a major revenue stream, estimated to total RM43.8 billion this year.
The PH government would have to make major spending cuts to accommodate the revenue loss. What will they cut?
The PH government must also prevent Dr Mahathir from returning to authoritarianism if he does not get his way. They must work even harder to repair the institutions that he destroyed when he was first prime minister under Umno.
Do amend the Local Government Act 1976 when Parliament convenes and restore local council elections. Although PH did not promise this in its manifesto, 10 PH Members of Parliament from Kuala Lumpur signed a manifesto by the Selamatkan Kuala Lumpur citizen group, which pushed for the election of the KL mayor, community participation in city planning, protection of urban green and public spaces, and to gazette a local plan.
Local council elections should be held in all other states too, of course, so that local councillors and mayors are elected by the people, not used as jockeying positions by political parties.
Do promote transparency and competition in government procurement, as promised in PH's election manifesto. If PH is serious in producing "the best value for taxpayer's money", it should review Bumiputera preference in government procurement.
Do repeal price control regulations and roll back pro-Bumiputera economic policies to create a more competitive business environment. Competition will lead to better products and services and lower prices.
Do enact legislation to protect people from discrimination in employment, education, and goods and services provision. The PH manifesto merely states that it will set up an Equal Opportunity Commission, but several PH MPs have supported secular group BEBAS' campaign to support laws prohibiting property owners and businesses from discriminating based on race.
Do repeal various oppressive laws that violate freedom of speech like the Anti-Fake News Act 2018, the Sedition Act 1948, the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984, and certain provisions in the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.
Don't use the Senate as backdoor appointments for unelected people as ministers or deputy ministers. The Senate must be respected and further empowered so that it will not simply rubber-stamp laws.
Don't put yes-men in Cabinet or restrict Members of Parliament or state assemblymen from going against the party line on most Bills in the interest of their constituents.
Don't stack political appointees in government-linked corporations. The PH manifesto contains this pledge, but the Pakatan state governments of Penang and Selangor in the previous term have not practised this.
Don't punish BN by withholding funds from Opposition-held states.
Don't give in to religious fundamentalism. PH should promote secularism, both at the federal level and in the states it governs, by removing enforcement powers from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and state religious authorities, which have long violated people's right to freedom of expression and privacy.


The relationship between religion and politics in the American social and constitutional structure is a subject of endless contestation. Much of that discussion, taking place as it has in an academic environment, has had a decidedly abstract air. In this paper, I shift the focus from the abstract to the practical by looking at the central participants in the debate over religion and politics: the political candidates themselves. I offer a close reading of speeches by three of the most prominent political candidates to offer an examination of religion's role in politics: John F. Kennedy, Mitt Romney, and Barack Obama. A close reading of these three speeches reveals much common ground, but also a good deal of change and, I argue, progress in the terms of debate, although that progress is incomplete.
The overall movement in the speeches is from a strategy of avoidance, practiced most notably by John F. Kennedy, in which minority religious candidates are welcomed in the public square but religion is rendered a private matter for both candidates and voters alike, to one of engagement and inclusion, in which both religious candidates and religious arguments are increasingly accepted in the public square. Each of the modern candidates examined here achieves only a partial marriage of inclusion and engagement. Mitt Romney pursues a strategy of inclusion in which religious views are permitted in political debate, but seeks to foreclose any genuine engagement with religion. By contrast, Barack Obama offers a thoughtful engagement between religion and politics. But he prescribes a rule of dialogue in which religious individuals are required to speak in publicly accessible terms, thus precluding the total inclusion of religious individuals in the political process in their own voices.
In contrast to all three, I argue here for a model of genuine inclusion and engagement, in which religion and openly religious arguments are welcome in the public square but also subject to critical inquiry and disagreement. The model of inclusion and engagement may be messy, but it is also the fairest and best approach to the relationship between religion and politics.


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A No Brainer
Alright, if my favorite non-lesbian duo other than Calvin & Hobbes decides to take a quick break while one of them does a side project, what the hell do you think the other one is going to do? Yes, you'd better believe it; Teller is going to host a talk show.
Man... I did not see that one coming. I'm actually referring to the inane wanderings of my mind.
Also, after Dan Auerbach decided NOT to Keep it Hid (alright, these word puns are even starting to piss me off), his abusive cohort, Patrick Carney, joined up with a few friends to create the misleadingly titled Drummer. Misleading because in fact, Carney will not be drumming, but playing the bass.
While Auerbach's aside was similar to the Keys, but much more stripped down, basic, and traditional, Drummer is playing around in the indie end of the pool, or as I call it, the shallow end. Sadly, while I love The Black Keys, I can't put my stamp of approval on this, simply by association. The one track up on their myspace sounds like synthetic diarrhea, but without the cleansing relief. I just can't bring myself to like pretentious, ambient indie music. That said, there's still a full album of material I have yet to hear, and I only hope they prove me wrong.
In the meantime, let's just let Dan make it all better.
-Just try to make me smile from your candy tower
Clean that Shit Up
So, since the departure of Rage, I've watched Tom Morello's career in eager anticipation. He's spent a long time fighting the good fight and trying to make change with his solo career, the Nightwatchman. However, I have to say that it was difficult listening to the dude who taught me to hate The Man, strumming away on an old out of tune acoustic.
As such, all hail the mighty Street Sweeper. Morello teamed up with Boots Riley, an MC from The Coup, creating a sound which is unique in its self, but still carries a small hint of the old days with De La Rocha.
To make matters better, it was recently announced that Street Sweeper would be touring with NIN and Janes Addiction AND have a new album ready for the summer. If you haven't heard of this tour yet, please go take a look at what's being dubbed the NIN|JA tour. At least let the cheap bastard in you flourish and download the free EP they're offering with 2 awesome Street Sweeper songs.
-Dying is the weak man's excuse for not living
I should have been born in Sweden
Seriously... apparently, it's nothing but blond bombshells over there.
Also, it seems as though I'm championing some Swedish stoner rock band nearly every other week, so I really might as well travel to the source. At minimum, I think I'd better plan to make it over there before I jettison myself out of the UK.
Greenleaf is a Swedish stoner rock SUPER GROUP formed of a bunch of other Swedish stoner rock groups who we've never heard of (but they're just super). Actually, that's not entirely true; I just looked at the bands who formed into Greenleaf and I know all of them (Dozer, Demon Cleaner and Truckfighters).
These guys seriously fit the formula of chug and plug. They formed up in '99 and to date have released 4 albums of penis-packed-to-the-brim rock n roll. I'm not saying you can't enjoy this stuff if you don't have a cock, I'm just saying that if you're a girl, and you do... you may want to get that checked out.
-Like demons with angelic eyes
This should be fun
Seriously... I realize that this has MASSIVE 80's influence... but this is going to be shitloads of fun.
-Smile toward the sun
Choking on the leftovers
Nothing warms my heart than hearing about a band rise from the ashes of a former band that I loved which, for one reason or another, went tits up. Wow... lent must be getting to me because that comment actually turned me on a bit.
Choke was a fucking awesome, nay... REALLY fucking awesome band from Edmonton. They pioneered an entirely new sound of techy-progressive punk rock which would pave the way for an army of copycats to follow. After going strong for 13 years, it was time to pack it in.
However, Shawn Moncrieff and Clay Shea (who in my opinion were the driving creative force of the band) decided that they weren't done having fun. They formed Passenger Action and things just clicked. The songs flowed like cheap wine and within months, they were signed to Choke's old home, Smallman Records.
They're now doing the Canadian name proud, as they've released their self-titled debut and are nearly finished a cross-Canada, winter tour. I tip my glass to the fellow prairie boys for having the balls to jump in a van and pack it across thousands of kms of snowy wasteland.
The least you could do is listen.
-If it's not right, it must at least be good
When two is not enough
So, just because you've got two phenomenally successful projects going... why the fuck not start a third, right? This is what must have gone through Jack White's head when contemplating adding another to the collection.
Thus, welcome to the stage The Dead Weather. Formed with members of The Stills and Queens of the Stone Age, White gives, what is in my opinion a final 'fuck you' to Meg White, by playing the drums and sharing vocal duties. It was one thing to run off and start another band, but when you make a whole new project and take over the other member's instrument... that's just mean.
They've pulled together an album which White has produced and is aiming for a June release. I'll be surprised if Jack can top his work with Benson, but if he keeps making 'em, lord knows I'll keep buying 'em.
I'm off to France for a few days with work, but I'll see you when I'm back on Thursday.
-Roll me over and pick me up
Ruskie Broadcasting
Hi there... how you doing? Awww yeah.
Sorry, I just found 2 awesome stoner rock bands and I'm kinda stoked. You get one today but the other waits until you've finished your Monday.
Uggg... I just sneezed all over my laptop.
Radio Moscow had my respect before I heard I single note. You see, if Dan Auerbach decides to produce your album, you have an immediate in within my books. It helps if once you start playing, you're as good as RM, but that's really only in continuation factor.
What you're hearing is that sought after 60's fuzz tone which defined a generation, and in my opinion, never died. It all started in 2004 after Parker Griggs was playing around with a solo project in his basement. After a while, I suppose he got lonely and filled out to a 3 piece. After that, I guess it was just a simple hop, skip and a jump to get signed by Auerbach's Alive Records.
They released their self titled debut in 2007 and are just under a month away from their softmore effort, Brain Cycles. So far, I've only heard one track off the new album titled, Broke Down but so far, I like what I hear. They've tightened up their ensemble since 2007, added a bit more edge, and learned a few new riffs.
All in all, I think it should be a good old fashioned, heavy-petting-good-time.
-Dive right in and swim in my liquid soul
Going to see Watchmen tonight
-No shit
A riddle for you
Why is Manitoba so windy?
Because Saskatchewan blows and Ontario sucks.
While I'll not deny a moment on the latter, I'm slowly trying to defend the former, primarily because I'm realizing over time that MB and SK are identical, aside from we have a few more lakes and trees, and some funny shaped political boundaries because of Hudson Bay (at least, by comparison to a fucking rectangle).
Alas, I do have to admit that were it not for SK, we'd be sans such amazing acts as Jordan Cook, Joni Mitchell, Wide Mouth Mason, and Colin James. In addition, some new life is being breathed back into the squatch by means of good 'ol fashioned rock and roll. Hats off to The Sheepdogs.
A standard foursome from Saskatoon, these boys do the word rock justice, and bring it back to their roots. Closing one's eyes, you can almost catch a brief glimpse of a younger Neil Young. Don't expect grinding riffs like Tricky Woo. Don't be waiting for Danko Jones to make your knees shake with his voice. Do expect to hear some solid, big beat rock and roll.
-Gotta trust in Love when Love's all we got
Mars is Hell
Today, you are simply going to be confused.
Primarily, because we're looking into what Omar Rodriguez-Lopez has been up to these days. When he's not writing increasingly confusing music for his mainstay, The Mars Volta, he seems to be always dabbling in one or more solo or side projects.
As though his music weren't out there enough, this time he's decided to team up with Zach Hill from the band Hella. You may not remember Hella, however you will likely remember the video for Biblical Violence floating around the net a few years back. Hill is the spastic man on the drums who I still have a difficult time wrapping my head around.
Still, El Grupo Nuevo should be an interesting project to follow, if only because it brings together some of the most unique musicians I can think of. Toss in a dash of Cedric Bixler-Zavala on vocals, and you can pretty much guarantee this is going to cause a few embolisms. The only thing I can't quite put my finger on is that if Omar and Cedric are doing a side project, isn't this just The Mars Volta, with a big 'fuck you' to their regular drummer?
-Feel that liquid soul flow
Darryl Wins
Big thanks to D-rock for pointing out a band which has been sitting under my nose this entire time, while I've been too busy finding bands back in Montreal or obscure post-sludge prog from Scandinavia.
She has so graciously turned my eye inward and directed my attention to Mr. Frank Turner. After fronting Million Dead for years, Frank would go lone-gunman on us after MD's breakup in '05, and in my opinion, make a change for the better. Million Dead was labeled as a post-punk/hardcore band... but really, I just hear a british rock band who occasionally tries to emulate At the Drive-In.
When Frank broke off though, he brought a unique modern take, and angry lyric feel to traditional folk music. Taking a lot of the classic punk, hardcore, and rock tricks and applying them to a small band with an acoustic guitar and a fiddle, Turner made a music which is both accessible, and still makes you feel like a rebellious teen. Perhaps his greatest contribution is the pairing of gang vocals to a hoppy-folk song.
He's now got 2 EPs under his belt and two full lengths. Love Ire & Song was just released midway through 2008, and Turner has been touring on it recently. As a testament to how out of it I am, this is a man who is playing 4 sold out shows in late April and I'd never even heard of him until yesterday.
-You be queen for the day, I'll be king for the night
Posted by shananigans at 3:04 AM 1 comment: