Imagine an anchor chain: the stronger the links, the more secure the boat.
That's what we are aiming for when learning: building strong sets of brain links is important because they help students to easily handle complex information.
Watch the below video before reading on.
A set of brain links is created gradually.
First, the working memory starts to put together and understand the new concept. After some practice, the new concept begins to feel natural – even easy. That's because a set of brain links has been created: a nicely connected pathway in long-term memory. The axons have linked across the synapses to dendritic spines.
The attentional octopus can easily link to a set of brain links.
To make the connection, the octopus slips an arm out of its mental school bag – the working memory. The arm slithers through the brain's hallways all the way over into the long-term memory locker. There, the arm gives an electrical zap to the set of links it needs. The set of brain links is activated: now the information can be used.
All the octopus needs to use is one arm. The other three arms of the attentional octopus are free. So, a student can grab on to other sets of brain links with those other arms, connecting complicated ideas or actions.
This explains how experts can think about very complex ideas and process very difficult questions even with only four "arms" of working memory.
Expert soccer players, airplane pilots, historians, musicians, mathematicians and scientists – experts of any kind – have one thing in common: lots of solid sets of brain links – short ones, long ones and everything in between.
Experts can use their attentional octopuses to easily connect to large amounts of information.
It's important to note that just understanding a concept does not create a set of brain links, they are only really created through practice. And the way a student practises is important.
A well-linked idea feels good to practise because it's so easy. But this can turn into "lazy learning" in which only the easy stuff is practised. The best way to learn more rapidly is to avoid lazy learning on the easy stuff. Instead, students should focus on what they find more difficult.


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Home LATEST Afternoon delight: how to have a successful nap
An afternoon nap is one of the joys of life, although excessive napping could signal all is not well. A new study, published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, suggests that napping during the day could be an early sign of Alzheimer's. Researchers compared the postmortem brains of 13 people with Alzheimer's to the brains of seven control subjects and found those with the brain disease had a build up of a protein, tau, in areas of the brain involved with wakefulness.
"Some people nap all their life, no problem," Lea Grinberg, professor of neuropathology at the University of California San Francisco, told the Times. "In some cultures, people will have a daily siesta – this is fine. The warning comes when people start sleeping during the daytime, when they did not before."
It is not completely clear whether naps are good for you or not. Some studies suggest they reduce stress and increase cognitive function, but one studysuggested naps were linked to an increased risk of mortality, and there is certainly good reason to believe that daytime sleepiness – as in the Alzheimer's study – can be a marker of an underlying condition.
For many people, napping during the day is mainly a sign that you are not getting enough sleep at night, says Dr Neil Stanley, a sleep expert and the author of How To Sleep Well. "If you feel sleepy during the day, you should think about taking a nap. That is what the body needs – it doesn't need to be kept awake with caffeine, it needs sleep." The feeling to notice is "sleepiness", he says, not "tiredness", which could be more psychological and linked to stress.
So how do you nap well? The key thing, says Stanley, is duration. Choose either a 20- or 90-minute nap. "When you fall asleep, you'll quickly go through the lighter stages of sleep into your first period of deep sleep. You don't want to wake up in deep sleep because that's when you wake and feel worse than you did before." Napping for 20 minutes means you will wake up before you go into deep sleep; napping for 90 minutes means you'll complete a sleep cycle.
Once you factor in the time it takes to fall asleep – some people are better at napping than others but, says Stanley, "a healthy adult will fall asleep in between five and 12 minutes" – you can set an alarm, allowing a 30- to 40-minute period for a short nap, and up to two hours for a longer one.
A good time to nap is during the body's natural dip in the afternoon, between about 2pm and 4pm (older people's circadian rhythms change, says Stanley, so they may start feeling sleepier earlier in the day). "You don't really want to be napping much past that because then you are going to be eating into your night-time sleep," he says. The point, he stresses, is to get good night-time sleep, which would ensure you probably don't need to nap at all.
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Compelling "Membrane: Biology and Art" Exhibition at Boston Cyberarts Gallery
E.R.Hasse - Portrait of the Digital Artist as a Young Parkinsonian
"Boston Biennial 4" exhibition at the Atlantic Works Gallery is online.
A 3-D printer and Data used to paint a "new" Rembrandt, but is it Art?
"The true traveler has no fixed plan and no intention of arriving."
The Museum of Neon Art (MONA) Grand Opening
Sound and music engages architecture and history at New Museum.
Jose Fernando inside Cinema4D with Houdini software.
Moving Time: Video Art at 50, 1965–2015, at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum
Travel through a painting - 3D Dreams of Dali is on view at the Dalí Museum
Do You Get Credit For Your Digital Art? Ascribe.io Raises $2 Million.
"We are working on securing copyright, giving creators a means to easily license and transfer their work and we're swallowing the Internet to give creators visibility on what happens to their work," said Pon. "The idea to use blockchain to allow artists to create digital scarcity germinated in mid-2013 when Trent and Masha asked 'Can you own digital art, like you own bitcoin?' Trent built a prototype in fall-2013. In mid-2014, we decided to leave our companies to start Ascribe full-time. Since then, we've been refining the technology and working with early users." Ascribe.io
(http://techcrunch.com/) Digital scarcity is an oxymoron. Unless it isn't. Thanks to a recently funded startup called Ascribe, artists and writers can now create unique copies of their work that can be bought and sold and cannot, in theory, be duplicated.
The founders, Bruce Pon, Trent McConaghy, and Masha McConaghy have experience in banking, hardware, and
curation. Masha, a Ph.D. from the Sorbonne, curated at the Louvre and ran galleries in Europe and Canada.
The company raised $2 million in seed from Earlybird Venture Capital, Freelands Ventures, Digital Currency Group, and various angels.
The company describes itself as a "notary and timestamp for intellectual property and creative works." This means you can upload a digital image and state it is the definitive version. You can loan it out to people or even transfer it to another user. For example, Iuploaded this photo of a smoke detector and now I can download a certificate of authenticity – really a public key – and watch where the file appears on the Internet. Sure you can make a copy yourself and run around selling it, but presumably I'd know about it thanks to Ascribe. The system uses the blockchain to store and sign each image, creating an immutable record of its existence
ascribe.io


I looked at him lovingly as I had alwaya done, ever since I had met him. Sitting on a sofa at the corner of his drawing room at this hour of the night, he looked as if he was lonely and lost into some thoughts. I remembered the day I had met him, our first time. I was introduced to him about 2 years ago by my best friend Anu and though our meeting was totally accidental, it did turn out to be absolutely magical.
I had then, just completed my 3rd year in Engineering and was looking forward to the placement season which was about to begin in my college. Anu was very much excited about this as she had managed to convince her parents about her decision to work for about 2 years before they could finally plan to get her settled.
"Hey Sonu, it was indeed a struggle to convince the elderly brats at my place", exclaimed Anu jumping around.
"Oucch", I cried out loudly as she jumped on my left foot!
"Ooops sorry, am excited", she said as she apologized.
"Hey that's nice, now you'll be able to concentrate well for the company thats visiting 3 days later", I kind of reminded her of how little time we had to prepare for the MNC that was coming down on Monday.
"Yup…Let's meet up at your place tomorrow morning and hit it!" she said with the same excitement.
"Done sweetie pie. So see ya tomorrow morning then. I got to go shopping with mom. Bye!" I said as I started my Activa.
"Cya Sonu", shouted Anu as she jumped once again! Gosh!
"You are late, Sonali. I was expecting you an hour ago", my mom began with her usual ranting.
The next day I was woken up by a tornado, ya you guessed it right. Anu was jumping on my bed yelling at me to get up! I looked at my wrist-watch and goodness me; it was just 7:40am.
"Gimme 10 more mins, I'll be up by then", I mumbled.
"Get up you lazy chick; we got just 2 days to prepare for the written test".
"Go have breakfast, I'll be up and ready by then", I tried to drive her out of my room. But the bug was still on my bed determined to get me out of the cozy blankets. It did seem like her next step would be to kick me down the bed, so before that would happen I decided to get up and ready!
We began our preparations and Anu came up with this idea of going to a pub to celebrate in case we both did get the MNC offer on Monday! I had never been to a pub, and so agreed hesitantly.
On Monday, we smoothly cleared the written test only to face the first interview of our lives. Anu being a smooth talker came out of the interview room with a big grin on her face. But I was still tensed as my turn was yet to come. Since we were called in alphabetically, I was one among the last few to attend the interview. But, there was an advantage in that. By the time my turn came, I guess the interviewers were tired themselves. I was asked very few technical and exactly four HR questions before they shook my hands and asked me to wait for the results!
When the results were out, we were both selected and it was now celebration time. But the idea of going to the pub had not completely sunk-in in my case. After the initial celebrations, Anu and I decided to go to the pub the next noon, so that we could get time to recuperate before getting back to our respective homes late in the evening!
The next day, me and Anu accompanied by another friend Ruchi went to 'Heaven-o-Haven' which was a decent pub far away from all our houses. We found a table right at the corner and settled down after ordering our first round of spirits! We got busy chatting and also giggling at the costume that the DJ had worn and at the kind of heart-breaking and loud music he was playing! And then we heard someone call out Anu.
"Hey Anu", we heard that male voice again.
I turned back to look who that was, and all I could see was a lifted hand that was coming towards us. When the person came into picture, I was left speechless. Here was a man, tall and handsome coming straight towards us. It was definitely love at first sight for me.
"Hey Shirish, what a surprise?" Anu jumped again as she hugged him.
I was still staring at him, not realizing that he was now conscious of the fact that I was staring at him. Also, for the first time in my life I was jealous of Anu!
"Is your lovely friend alright?" he asked Anu.
"Hey ya, come let me introduce you guys", saying this Anu offered him a stool in between me and her.
"Guys, this is Shirish my cousin! And Shirish, this is Sonali and she is Ruchi", was how Anu did a one shot introduction, thankfully not jumping around this time.
'Gosh! Cousin eh?' I thought, as that brought a smile on my face and I shook hands with Shirish muttering a simple "Hi, Shirish".
I was totally smitten by his looks and most importantly by the way he projected himself to be. I was surely in love with this man. We had a lovely time that day in the company of Shirish and our celebration turned out to be one memorable event!
The next day when I met Anu, I hesitantly asked her if she could give me Shirish's cell number.
"Sure, here you go. 988*******. Don't tell me that you have a crush on my adorable cousin", she giggled.
"Am sure, its not crush", I mumbled as I carefully stored the number on my cell.
"Well, well Cutie-pie, something is cooking here…Shirish took your number from me last night itself. Anything you gotta tell me?" she was at her teasing best!
"Is it? Did he ask you for my number? And did you give it to him?" I enquired.
"Oh, I shouldn't have given is it?" she mockingly enquired.
"I didn't mean that, but did you really give it to him?" I once again asked to confirm, somewhat excitedly.
"Yes dear, I did give it to him. You two have fallen for each other, haven't you? I've no doubt about that", she said as she started ticking me.
"Hey nothing like that", is all I could say to deny as I ran for cover.
A few days later, I did get a message from Shirish and I was excited as much as I was surprised. His first message to me read, "Hey Sonali, Shirish here. Got your number from Anu. So how are you? Hope you don't mind me messaging you". And then began our series of messages which made us come close to each other. I knew I had fallen for him, and I also knew through Anu that he was always talking and asking about me to her. In short, we both had fallen for each-other. It didn't take much time for us to graduate from messages to calls and then to personal meetings. Shirish was 4 years my senior and well placed in an MNC and thanks to Anu and her family, my parents had no problems in accepting him as their future son-in-law. Things were all in place for us, and it was just a matter of time.
I was now waiting for my final year results as well as for my joining date when Shirish had to go to the US for an onsite assignment on a year long basis. He said he didn't feel like leaving me and going for that long a time, but I did convince him to grab the opportunity he had got. He reluctantly agreed and it left both of us with a heavy heart! Our parents decided to get us engaged before he left the next weekend. We got busy with preparations and shopping that we didn't realize how fast the time flew by. Our engagement was a simple but joyous occasion with a gathering of friends and close relatives.
The next day he was supposed to leave. Shirish, Anu and I went to the same pub just to have a memorable farewell. And we did enjoy amidst this hard to express gloomy feeling!
Finally the day dawned, and as I helped him in packing we looked at each other. There was so much to say, but not a word was uttered. I wanted to be with him and he too seemed not so interested in leaving me behind. I then went to drop him at the airport 2 hours before he could board his late night flight. We sat at the airport quietly holding our hands, praying that one year would fly by in the shortest time possible! My eyes were fully moist, but he being not the one who cried somehow managed to hold on to his emotions as we bid farewell to him!
We did keep in regular touch through daily mails and once in a week calls till I joined my company 6 months later. It was then easy for us to keep in touch through both mails as well as daily calls.
He got busy with his work and I was busy with my training schedule, yet we managed to find time for each other. My four month long training came to an end and I was then allocated to a project. Again a two-month on-the-job training was scheduled. I waited for this training to end, as that would not only complete my training but also mark a year of Shirish's voyage. He would be back 66 days from now. I was counting days, and was waiting for the time when I could start counting seconds.
Ten days before Shirish was supposed to come back, my team members planned a weekend tour to a nearby coastal location. We all, totally 8 of us left for the tour and enjoyed every bit of the moments that came our way! When we were on our way back, it was raining heavily and the driver of the Qualis in which we were traveling was not able to control the vehicle properly. We asked him to stop at the roadside and wait till the rain subsided. But he insisted that he could manage and started driving at a slower speed. We had not gone long, when we met with an accident with a truck that was coming in the opposite direction. We all yelled at the top of our voices as the truck driver who had lost control totally, crushed into us. That is the last memory I have of being in aware of myself.
I do not remember anything that has happened after that. I am now feeling much better as if nothing had happened to me at all. But the way Shirish is sitting on the sofa of his drawing room and sobbing past midnight, makes me feel guilty of the fact that I've made him cry. Not only that, he's making me realize the fact that I have died. I've not see this before, but that day he had cried.
Raatein lambi, jaise khatam hi na ho….


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Second Nature, 1986, That Contemporary Art Space.
Exhibitions of Paintings & Drawings, That Contemporary Art Space.
Kindly reproduced with full permission of Dale CHAPMAN.
"Artist-Run Stories. Archives. Information. Ideas. Inspiration.
The ARI Remix Collective acknowledge and respect the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the Lands in which we work and live.
PROJECT ONE - Stages One & Two of this project are supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and have been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
Join in the Artist-Run Heritage Conversation.
THE ARI REMIX PROJECT STAGES ONE & TWO IS A COLLABORATIVE ARCHIVE WORK IN PROGRESS & IS IN DEVELOPMENT UNTIL DEC 2019.


Less Than Perfect Navy & French Blue Tassel, Trellis Home Tassels & Tr – Pyar&Co.
Crafted in India, the Gold & Silver Tassel by Trellis Home with Pyar&Co. is timelessly chic. Each tassel is a stylishly-luxe detail elevating a space by simply adding the soft, stylish finishing accent.
Please note that On Their Way Out items have been removed from the Collection due to minor imperfections.


In Columbia Heights, Minnesota, the residents want a durable, strong, and an attractive driveway and parking lot, and this is why the residents always contact us for their Columbia Heights Parking lot repair needs. Pavement Resources is a family owned and operated with over fifteen years of experience. We provide quality asphalt repair services to meet the needs of our customers.
Pavement Resources has a professional crew that is qualified and highly trained, so we can provide the best asphalt services possible.
Columbia Heights is a charming city with a population of 19,496. The nickname for the city is "K-Heights." It was first formed as a village in 1898, then was formed as a city in 1921. It is a great city to live in or to visit as there is history, relaxation, and recreation.
The Heights Theater is the historic theater in the city. The theater was built in 1926 and only shown vaudeville acts, then movies. In 1998, Tom Letness and David John Holmgren bought the theater and started renovations, which included antique chandeliers, a Wurlitzer pipe organ, a new lobby, and the outside of the theater was totally renovated according to the original blueprints found by the University of Minnesota. Today, the theater shows films and also hosts special events.
The 60th Annual Columbia Heights Jamboree and Carnival is a fantastic event to attend. The jamboree starts Wednesday, June 22nd thru Sunday, June 26th. There are all types of events at the jamboree, which include Little Miss Coronation, the parade, beer garden, carnival rides, games, Colombia Heights Idol, a softball tournament, and fireworks at dusk each night. If you think you can sing, then enter the Columbia Heights Idol. There are so many fun activities at the 60th Annual Jamboree for the entire family. The downtown district is historical and where visitors can enjoy shopping at the local shops. Once you are done shopping, then you can dine at one of the top cafés for the best homemade, family style dinners. It is a wonderful community that is welcoming, friendly, and eager to meet visitors.
To stay informed on all of our projects for asphalt paving in Columbia Heights, check this page often.


What are Clinical Physiotherapy Group Classes?
Clinical Physiotherapy Group Classes are a specialised form of exercise devised by physiotherapists using spring-loaded equipment to improve body control, strength and balance. These sessions focus on strengthening the patients "core stability" muscles, such as the deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, that act as the support system for our spine and pelvis. Increases in core strength can help reduce low back and neck pain and improve body posture, movement and function.
Why choose Clinical Physiotherapy Group Classes?
Physiotherapist-run programs are individually designed after a full musculoskeletal assessment has taken place with the physiotherapist. Other types of classes are often generic and do not result in specific goals being met. Physiotherapist-run exercise programs aim to improve patients posture, core stability, strength, flexibility, balance and breathing with a specific focus on motor control issues that may be contributing to pain or reduced function.
Physiotherapists are highly trained in the assessment and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and are able to develop exercise programs that best address the patients specific needs. The exercises are chosen by our physiotherapists to incorporate findings of the most recent research to enable the best possible outcome for the patient.
Research by physiotherapists has shown that injury and pain can affect the activation and timing of certain muscle groups and that without specific re-training muscles may not return to normal function. Physiotherapists are best trained to educate people on the correct timing of muscles so that they can reduce pain and improve function. All of our physiotherapists are experienced in the use of real-time ultrasound which is used in their initial assessment and treatment to ensure optimal activation of core muscles.
Poor posture is also linked to pain and muscle imbalances and is addressed in our physiotherapy assessment and classes. Our physiotherapists are skilled in identifying postural problems and are aware of both muscle and skeletal contributing factors that may need to be addressed. We can select the most beneficial exercises to improve posture and advise patients on helpful strategies at work and at home.


UK Immigration to Level 80's Migration Figure!
UK Prime Minister promises to cut immigration level of UK to 1980 figure. As per government measures and to secure job opportunities to UK citizens, David Cameron has announced to dip current immigration figure of the country to the level of early 80's.
David Cameron further added that but the gates will be wide open for the best and brightest talents of the world. He insisted that the government has effectual and comprehensive strategy to drag immigration figure to early years of 1980.
UK government has already imposed permanent or stringent caps on non-EU migrants in an attempt to level the migration limit from around 200,000 to 100,000. The proposed plan is designed as splitting annual immigration quota into monthly allocations. 4,200 is the immigration quota allocated for the month of April followed by 1,500 immigrants every month later on.
There are many escaping fissures such as Non-European skilled labors earning above £150,000 annually will be exempted from the proposed immigration cap. Significant advantage has been provided to Scientists migrating to UK.
Prime Minister said that the government immigration policy is to draw the nation's image as the best place for global talents rather than being a massively attractive place for visa candidates whose core ethic is just a passage to United Kingdom. Further added, that's why the government is cleaning-up the present abuses of the governance system.
UK is set to curb bogus colleges who are acting as a cover for fake visas providing sham qualifications. All these measures are clear-headed for eradicating illegal immigration providing better impacts on communities, society and public services.
It is a clear sign of warning for people involved in illegal immigration activities. Abhinav immigration insists visa applicants to opt for only legal migration schemes to be exempted from any accusation, deportation or permanent immigration ban as a follow up of illegal immigration activities. There are legal solutions available even if candidates lack any immigration prerequisites of any particular country. Candidates aspiring for safe and legal immigration can assess Abhinav's legal visa services. Mail your resume today to ajay@abhinav.com for free profile assessment.
New Zealand Experienced Increased Migrants!
Entrepreneur Category- Business Immigration to New Zealand!


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Sangh and Intellectualism
TOPICS:AcademiaDistortion of HistoryHinduphobiaIntellectualsLeft FascismMarxismRSS
Author: Ashok Chowgule October 26, 2016
"Not one of the people who want to associate themselves with the BJP would be admitted within the vicinity of a detergent advertisement."
-T K Arun, "The BJP hype", The Economic Times, Dec 26, 1997.
"Its phenomenal growth notwithstanding, the BJP has always lacked acceptability in that segment of society for which BBC and the Time magazine serve as a window to the world."
-Bhaskar Roy, "Five o'clock faces", The Times of India, September 16, 1999.
Though these two quotes name the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the sentiments they convey is intended to apply to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates. For decades, cut-and-paste articles have appeared, primarily from those belonging to the left spectrum of politics, which proclaim that the RSS has not produced any intellectuals of note.
The intention of these articles is not merely to state a fact – like the RSS headquarters is at Resham Bagh in Nagpur, or that it was founded in 1925 on Vijayadashmi day. If it were so, then it would merit a line in an article, and not a full one. And, even if a full article is written, it would not merit the multiple cut-and-paste articles that one has seen. You do not get to read an article on the architecture of Resham Bagh or the various buildings and offices in the compound, nor what happened on that momentous day in 1925.
The real intention is to imply that there has to be something intrinsically wrong with an organisation that is supposedly not able to produce any intellectuals. The leftists seem to start with the proposition that for an organisation to be successful and effective it has to keep on churning intellectuals. So, when they say that the Sangh has not been able to produce intellectuals, they are effectively saying that the Sangh is not a successful or an effective organisation.
The growth of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
I think there would be a very few takers for the statement that the RSS is not successful or not effective. One could talk about the extent of having achieved this goal. I think a very large majority would give a score in excess of 80%. I do not base this number on any survey, but based on my own personal experience. Given that the RSS is going to complete 90 years of existence on this year's Vijayadashmi day, and that it has been continuously growing and expanding, reinforces my experience.
The growth of the RSS has happened despite a continuous and vigorous opposition of the governments in power – the British during the pre-independence period, and the secular governments in the period after that. And also strong opposition from those occupying the intellectual space. The articles about the RSS, particularly in the English language, have been written by the ones who had a deep antipathy to the organisation and its ideology. However, given the growth of the RSS, it would seem to me that these articles really did not have much impact in the minds of even the English readers in Bharatiya society.
Today, the RSS has spread its activities to nearly all sections of the society. And its organisations lead in many sectors – for example the labour wing and the student wing, set up just prior to independence. Then there is the organisation that I am active with – Vishwa Hindu Parishad – which has been successfully able to bring together the sants and swamis of the various sampradayas of the larger Hindu fold. Ekal Vidyalay runs more than 40,000 schools in the tribal areas on the principle of one-teacher school. In the successful struggle against the Emergency of 1975-77, those who had come out in the streets were largely swayamsevaks, and they formed more than 70% of those who spent time in jail. It was the swayamsevaks, settled outside Bharat, who formed the backbone of the Friends of India Society International, which ensured the flow of information to the world.
It runs large number of schools where value education is provided besides what is prescribed to get the qualification. It has put together the history of the development of science throughout our civilisation. It has encouraged Sanskrit and other Bharatiya languages. It has encouraged the temple priests to study the proper way to conduct the rituals, and also explain them to the devotees. Such micro level work in the samaj has also been emulated by other Hindu organisations, leading to a big synergy of effort.
The RSS has also inspired hundreds of thousands of swayamsevak to undertake a large number of social service activities in various fields. My favourite is the Dr Hedgewar Hospital in Aurangabad, which is one of the largest private sector hospital in the country. In contrast to many of the other private sector hospitals, poor people can access quality medical treatment at very low rates, and sometimes without having to pay. It was started by a few medical doctors in Aurangabad, who decided to devote their lives in service to the people of Bharat, forgoing an opportunity to earn large incomes if they had gone into private practice.
The leftist 'intellectuals'
In contrast, I would like those who are opposed to the ideology of the RSS to let the people know what they have achieved in activities similar to where the RSS is present. They can even list out the achievements in managing state funded institutions. And then we can have a discussion on the issue of successfulness and effectiveness.
The multitude of articles about RSS and lack of intellectualism, also implies that those opposed to the ideology have been continuously churning out what are called intellectuals. It is necessary to understand how this was achieved. While not so openly stated in the past, there is now an admission that those opposed to the RSS were the ones who were dominating the state-funded institutions. That their appointment was on the basis of conforming to an ideology, and not on the basis of scholarship is clear in the next section.
The leftists have produced the intellectuals not by setting up their own institutes, but by capturing the state institutions, which were set up by using the money from the society. And they did this through subterfuge, and not honestly. Once in the position of power they had little concern about being loyal to the society, and they tried to thrust their ideology on an unwilling people.
Three articles
To explain my point, I would like my reader to read the following articles by Ramchandra Guha:
'In Absentia'
Author: Ramachandra Guha
Publication: The Caravan Magazine
URL: http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/absentia-ramachandra-guha-indian-conservatives
(11,300 words, approximately.)
'Some thoughts on the closing of the Indian mind'
Publication: Hindustan Times
URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/ramachandraguha/some-thoughts-on-the-closing-of-the-indian-mind/article1-1370821.aspx
(960 words, approximately.)
'CAPTIVE IDEOLOGUES – History beyond Marxism and Hindutva'
Publication: The Telegraph
URL: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1140726/jsp/opinion/story_18640785.jsp#.VbSyX-GuW1k
(1560 words, approximately.)
I am deliberately using one person to make my case, because I have had correspondence with him in the past, and I attempted to put across to him the Sangh world-view on certain matters. And I met him once in Mumbai in a meeting lasting about two hours. Some time ago, he requested me not to send him any messages, and my messages to him have stopped. However, reading the comments on the articles that he has written, there seem to be sufficient number of people who are giving him perspectives that came to my mind. (Provided, of course, he does read the comments.)
Guha's twitter introduction says that he is a lapsed Marxist. I have not been able to find out when he lapsed, and I really do not see his writing to be any different from what a Marxist would write – though, perhaps due to the pressure from social media, he does deviate from the party line here and there. But, he always seems to revert back. Given the way Guha admires the Marxists that are mentioned in the article, he does not seem to have taken the necessary step to critically assess the Marxist ideology.
In one of the articles, Guha starts about how in 2004 a senior minister took a senior journalist for lunch, where the minister asked for names for the 'directorship of a prestigious centre of historical research'. No names were given, so we just have to take Guha's word that it was a prestigious centre. Nor will be dwell much on why the views of a journalist (name unknown) were sought for the position, instead of doing a professional search. It reminds me of the phone conversations that the ex-lobbyist, Nira Radia, had with journalists like Barkha Dutt, Vir Sanghvi etc.
What Guha says next is quite interesting – maybe amusing is the right word. His name was rejected because he wrote critically about Indira Gandhi, and that of Partha Chatterjee (a 'distinguished political theorist') met a similar fate because the latter wrote critically about Jawaharlal Nehru. Since we do not know the name of the institute, the nation has lost an opportunity to identify the Nehru-Gandhi sycophant who eventually made the grade. And an opportunity to evaluate his professional contribution to the 'prestigious' centre. Maybe Guha can let the nation know. If nothing else, it would be an interesting gossip.
In another article, Guha talks about his first job as a supposed academic at the Centre for Studies in Social Sciences in Kolkata, a state funded institution. He lets out that early into the job, in an interaction with a senior colleague, the latter assumed that Guha was a Marxist. (Perhaps it was true at the time, and that Guha lapsed only some years later.) Furthermore, he clearly says that this colleague was a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and he did not seem to see anything wrong that a state institution is manned with card-carrying members of the communist party.
Perhaps inadvertently, Guha lets out that '(a)t least since the time of Indira Gandhi, the Central government has sought to undermine the autonomy of institutions that promote culture and scholarship.' I do not know whether Guha wrote anything substantially about the undermining while it was happening. What is clear is that he does not dwell on the effect of the undermining today, except to state that there was undermining. He brings it up only in context of proclaiming that the RSS' supposed attempt to undermine the integrity of the institutions will lead to a disastrous situation. As if we are presently in a land of milk and honey, where academic freedom reigns, and high quality professional research is being undertaken.
There are many other tit-bits that we can glean from the above three articles about how the Marxists used the state funded institutions to try and thrust their ideology. He admits that the leftists were allowed to capture the state institutions where one would normally find intellectuals, and that this was done with a political objective in mind. And he also says that only fellow-travellers had any hope of being admitted in the supposedly hallow portals.
However, there is a common thread that even though it was a fact that the autonomy of the various institutes was undermined, the sycophants were actually quite competent in their field of work. Not the best perhaps, but competent nevertheless. But the reader just has to take Guha's word that one can be competent and sycophantic at the same time. For example, if post-independent history of Bharat is not critical of the Nehru-Gandhi family, even where there is a legitimate reason, how can the history be unbiased? Of course, hindsight is perfect vision – but a society can learn from its mistakes only when it is admitted that the mistakes are made in the first place.
At one place, Guha says: "Marxist historiography is a legitimate model of intellectual enquiry, albeit one which — with its insistence on materialist explanations — is of limited use when examining the role of culture and ideas, the influence of nature and natural processes, and the exercise of power and authority." How is it possible that a legitimate model is of limited use when it comes to applying it to so many different strands of inquiry? Such statements, and many others, makes me to conclude that Guha comes out as a confused person, drifting all over the place, and unwilling to admit that a major mistake has happened. The articles come out as written by one who has a reasonably good command over the English language, but not so much on logic or reasoning. Of course, I read it from my lens of being a right-wing.
The intellectual space
I would, therefore, like to make a distinction between an intellectual and one who occupies the intellectual space. This space consists of academic institutions, analysts who write from popular and/or specialised publications on issues relating to a nation, journalists, etc. This intellectual space need not necessarily be the one created by the state. However, when the person occupies the space created by the state, he has an aura of independence and unbiasedness.
When a reader explicitly knows that a person's writing is influenced by his ideology, the reader is able to sift the wheat from the chaff. He also understands that to form an informed view on a matter, he will have to read articles written by others. But, when the state institutions have been captured by the leftists, and the ideological inclinations of the people occupying the position of knowledge is not generally known, the reader has a problem. Either he will accept what he reads as unadulterated truth, or he will be in a state of confusion.
To understand the problem, let us look at the contribution of the leftists towards resolving the various problems that are faced by our nation. They have projected that within the Marxist school of thought, solutions to the issues confronted by the socially underprivileged will be found. Yet, even today one frequently hears of atrocities against the Dalits primarily by those who are classified as Other Backward Castes. They have authenticated the political programme of the appeasement of the religious leaders of the minority communities, as a legitimate tool to win elections. But the Sachar Committee has highlighted the failure of the political leadership to do anything for the economic and social progress of the poor in the Muslim community.
Their definition of secularism was exclusively in terms of opposition to the RSS ideology. When sociologists like T N Madan and Asish Nandy wrote one article each questioning the practice, and inquiring whether there is true secularism, they were projected by their colleagues as having suddenly become supporters of the RSS. The former wrote, in apparent exasperation, "A couple of my critics have, however, jumped to the conclusion that, since I have reservations about secularism as presented in the prevailing discourse, I must therefore by a supporter of communalism. This is patently absurd." [T N Madan, "Secularism and the Intellectuals", Economic and Political Weekly, April 30, 1994.]
The two, and many others, were intellectually terrorised in stopping their inquiry on the lines they had proposed. And so the project of a perverted secularism still prevails.
In the economic field, the Marxist ideology determined the policy directions that the state followed. By 1980 it was clear that these policies were a failure. However, instead of introspecting on the causes of the failure, the Hindus were blamed by the Marxists for being cussed at not using the supposedly wonderful opportunities that were provided to them. Today, the same Marxists proclaim that the growth that has been achieved by the changes instituted since 1980 has done nothing for income equality between sections of the society. They do not even think of considering to examine whether there was income equality when their policies dominated the thinking at the time.
In case of history, the Marxist starting point is that there is nothing in the history of our nation that we need to be proud of. Hence, any inquiry into our past will only lead to disappointment and so there is no profit in it. In fact, the history is presented in a form that does not conform to the national consciousness. During the 1940s, they said that Bharat consists of many countries, following the line of the Soviets in USSR. They completely ignored the cultural unity that enabled Adi Shankaracharya to give discourse on Hindu philosophy all over the country. Or that of Swami Vivekanand speaking, again all over the country, on the same subject after he came back from the World Parliament of Religions, held in 1893.
It is also pertinent to point out how the leftists used their positions in the various state organisations to enrich themselves. Guha accepts that the Marxists who were given positions of influence in the state run institutions went about their task in a partisan and nepotistic manner. And, as Arun Shourie pointed out in his book "The Eminent Historians", they also had funds coming their way without showing any results of their efforts. In fact, Shourie has clearly shown the blatant disregard that these eminent historians had to any normal rules of public funded institutions, and an attitude that would seem to indicate that it is the duty of the society to ensure that they had a luxurious lifestyle, even though the people on whose behalf they claim to be speaking live lives of misery.
But, as is said, you cannot fool all the people all the time. The RSS, through its various organisations, and through mass level contacts amongst all the classes of people, have been able to bypass those who occupied the intellectual space. And through these contacts, the RSS has been able to disabuse the minds of the people of what can only be called the brainwashing that they have been subjected to by the leftists. The tragedy for the nation is that this brainwashing was conducted by using the financial resources provided by the victims, that is the people of Bharat.
Marxism and intellectualism
To really understand the failure of the Marxist ideology, we need to look into the history of Marxism and intellectualism. A defining feature of Marxism was that there was never a robust discussion, amongst those who continued to identify themselves as Marxists, about the premise on which it was based. Organisational rigidity and a top-down leadership ensured that free thinking was actively discouraged. With changing social environment, the discussions would have fine-tuned the ideology to make it relevant and dynamic. I believe it was John Maynard Keynes who said that when the data changed, he had no problem to change his views.
Marxism, right from the time it captured state power at the political level, has had a deep disdain and suspicion of those occupying the intellectual space, particularly those outside the state institutions. Lenin said: "In general, as you probably know, I am not particularly fond of intelligentsia, and our new slogan 'eliminate illiteracy' should by no means be taken as expressing a wish to give birth to a new intelligentsia. To 'eliminate illiteracy' is necessary only so that every peasant, every worker can read our decrees, orders and appeals by himself without anyone's help. The goal is purely practical. That's all there is to it". (Quoted in D N Ghosh, "A God that is failing", The Times of India, December 6, 2007.)
In effect, Lenin set about creating an army of useful idiots, who, being literate, could be given space in state institutions to take the Marxist propaganda forward. And the persons occupying the intellectual space found it monetarily profitable to lend their services. This happened in countries where the opportunity to earn decent salaries were limited, and the useful idiots allowed himself to be exploited. In the developed countries, the useful idiots were also created – here the funds used were from the society. But due to reasons of accountability, the Marxist had competition, and the same institutes also encouraged a critical study of Marxism, and alternate paradigms were also provided to the students and the society.
But, merely occupying the intellectual space really does not necessarily make one an intellectual. There is an important characteristic that is required, the one that Ghosh, in the above referred to article, quotes Albert Camus as saying, "…the intellectual's role will be to say that the king is naked when he is, and not to go into raptures over his imaginary trappings". The writings of Guha would show that the Marxists who have commandeered the position of patronage in all the state funded institutions know that if they said that the king was naked, they would have to suffer the same fate as that of the intellectuals (in the true sense) who opposed Marxist leaders like Lenin and Stalin.
In every country with a Marxist government, even in West Bengal, the ones occupying the intellectual space were always under threat of the state funding drying up. If anyone wanted to say that the king is naked, they had prior examples about what would happen if they mustered the courage to be honest to their profession. The sad experience of dissidents like Maxim Gorky and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in the Soviet Union were examples of what would happen to them if they even thought of mustering courage to defy the party line. Every Marxist government has shown the same disdain for genuine intellectuals as expressed by Lenin. They thought such people would be a threat to their position of power, and so had to be controlled, if possible, or neutralised (by exile or by death) otherwise.
In China, during the time of Mao Tse Tung, anyone occupying the intellectual space showing even a hint of questioning the party line was sent to labour camps for supposed re-education. In Cambodia, thousands of intelligent people were killed merely for being intelligent.
A useful idiot can never be an intellectual, who should have the interests of the people at large so that they are free in all sense. And when the situation is going in a direction that is not desirable, they should speak out in favour of the people. They should have no fear of their own safety, nor of their own material well-being. Genuine intellectuals should be a threat to the government in power.
Do read the full Ghosh article at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/LEADER-ARTICLE-A-God-That-Is-Failing/articleshow/2598884.cms?
He also says: "For years on end, Stalin and the top party leadership carried on this tradition, treating dissenting intelligentsia as "socially dangerous" elements." The dissenters in Bharat are those who think that within the parameters of Hindutva, solutions to the nation's problems can be located.
Lessons in logic
The first lesson in logic dwells on the following: "All the ducks that I have seen are white, therefore all ducks are white." The second lesson dwells on what is to be done if the above person meets another who says: "All the ducks that I have seen are grey, therefore all ducks are grey." There can be one of two reactions – to contend to the other that what he has seen are not really ducks, or to consider the possibility that ducks could have a colour other than white. It is only when one is ideologically driven, and not logic driven, that one will straightaway insist the former, rather than reassess one's opinion and then come to the correct conclusion.
A true intellectual, when given the additional data, will accept his conclusion that all ducks are white does not conform to the reality. Furthermore, he will investigate if ducks have more colours other than white and grey. He will define the duck not on the basis of the colour, but on other characteristics, like the shape of the beak, the size of the body, the way the bird walks, whether it floats on water, etc.
The late Yadavrao Joshi, a very senior RSS pracharak of yesteryears said that whether there are intellectuals in the Sangh is for others to say. But one can definitely say that there are intelligent persons in the Sangh. One such intelligent person, Dr Keshav Hegdewar, started the RSS ninety years ago. He inspired other intelligent persons to join the RSS, and all these intelligent people have built up the RSS to what it is today. The RSS would like the people to judge them by the work that is done, and not by flaunting the education qualifications, or the name of the state funded institute that they are employed at.
The Intellectual Kshatriya
Even though the intellectual space was denied to them by the machinations of the Marxists, and their political masters, the Hindus worked in their own way to keep the memory of our civilisation and spirituality alive. The Hindu samaj provided theses Intellectual Kshatriyas the financial support to maintain their body and soul together. And because these Kshatriyas were working for a civilizational cause, they did not much care for material benefits. The viewed the value of their work by the body of knowledge they imparted.
The task of those who looked at history from their own civilisational perspective was not all that difficult because this work has been going on for centuries. Bharat is unique in the sense that those who came here from outside to conquer the land and subjugate the civilisation were not fully successful. The people may have been politically ruled by those who were ill-disposed to the philosophy and culture of the Hindus, but their control stopped at the level of the mundane issues relating to administration. The Hindus continued to control, and nurture, the civil institutions through which their history and culture was propagated through generations. And this formed the base on which the Hindus could easily build upon when they had the political freedom to do so.
The Hindu samaj provided the Kshatriyas various platforms to convey their thoughts to the people at large. In the true Hindu tradition, these platforms were not a one-way flow of information. There would be debates and there would be discussions, so that the Intellectual Kshatriya could refine their thoughts, as well keep them relevant to the needs of the time. Through such debates, Adi Shankarachrya was as much a student as he was a teacher.
The Hindus who ventured into natural sciences always found the philosophy books as important to their work as the ones in sciences. Many of them wrote treatises on Hindu philosophy with as much fluency as the ones they wrote on sciences. And they had no hesitation in accepting that the understanding of Hindu philosophy made them better scientists.
Out of the tens of thousands of the Intellectual Kashatriyas, I would like to name two – Ram Swarup and Sita Ram Goel – to whom I am grateful for forming my own thought process and keep them rooted in the Hindu culture and history. Apart from being a historian, Goel also set up a publication house, which allowed so many others to see their work in print, and so reach a larger number of people. Other Hindus have posted these works on the internet, and it has become available to tens of millions of people all over the world. The influence spread not just to those who were born Hindus. Others who came in contact with the people of Bharat, and who soon started to look at Hindu Dharma with a certain amount of empathy, found these works as a basis to research in a manner that made sense.
Due to their training in pamphleteering, and thinking that language can make a good substitute for logic, the Marxists are not able to comprehend that without intellectualism a mass based organisation cannot reach the levels that the Sangh has. While emotions are very important for a mass based organisation, without a sound grounding in sensibleness, the organisation cannot sustain itself in any meaningful way. Through various programmes, the Sangh explains its world view on various issues to its swayamsevaks, who then convey it to others through their contacts. Also, through the programme of mass contacts, these views are conveyed to the people at large.
The swayamsevaks in general, and the Intellectual Kshatriyas in particular, will not allow the histrionics of the Marxists to distract them from going about their self-appointed tasks of keeping Hindu Dharma not just alive but also dynamic. We know that it was the sacrifice of our ancestors that ensured the survival of our civilisation. We will not allow this sacrifice go in vain.
(Ashok Chowgule is the Working President (External) of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. This article is a tribute to the intelligent people in the Sangh parivar, the Intellectual Kshatriyas, and the hundreds of million Hindus who are doing their own bit for a resurgent Hindu Dharma)
A shorter version of this article under the title "Intellectualism And The Sangh" is available at: http://swarajyamag.com/politics/intellectualism-and-the-sangh/
Disclaimer: This article represents the opinions of the Author, and the Author is responsible for ensuring the factual veracity of the content. HinduPost will not be responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information, contained herein.
Ashok Chowgule
Working President (External), Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bharat.
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UFO SIGHTINGS DAILY: Huge UFO Hidden In Clouds Over Tijuana, Mexico On Oct 24, 2015, Video, UFO Sighting News.
Huge UFO Hidden In Clouds Over Tijuana, Mexico On Oct 24, 2015, Video, UFO Sighting News.
Here we have a UFO in the sky that is cloaked, but the sunset is causing it to reveal itself for a few minutes, due to the suns angle being 90 degrees to the UFO. UFOs often effect the appearance of the clouds or sky that they are in.


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US Continental Security
General Victor Renuart's testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee is a fun read — as it ties together all aspects of "continental security" and puts them into perspective. He oversees both the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) which has been in existence since the Cold War to protect against airborne threats (missiles, airplanes, etc) and the US Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) which was created in 2002 after the 9/11 attacks for all aspects of homeland security and incident repsonse. Some bits of trivia from the testimony… NORAD and USNORTHCOM monitor 12-20 potentially dangerous incidents everyday and there are over 17,000 manmade objects orbiting the earth in space and thousands more they cannot track.
Three important trends for homeland security emerge from his testimony:
Building up capability and preparation for WMD incident response is the #1 priority for USNORTHCOM – note this is not prevention. They prepare to deal with the 15 National Planning Scenarios.
There is a long list of domestic incidents that USNORTHCOM has responded last year (Katrina, California wildfires, drug smuggling, etc.
Working in conjunction with both state/local governments and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the USNORTHCOM will be relied upon for delivering and coordinating all domestic disaster response for major natural incidents, man-made accidents, and hostile attacks – they are in charge of the national guard and will call on the Army/Marines as necessary. This includes Army's CBRNE. (The letters CBRNE stand for the five mission elements of the 20th Support Command: chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives.)
Posted in National Security | Leave a Comment »
Corporate risks + rewards of breakthrough R&D
Corning's Biggest Bet Yet? Diesel-Filter Technologies
By SARA SILVER, March 7, 2008; Page B1, Wall Street Journal
Corning, which went public in 1945 and has a market capitalization of about $36 billion, has survived — and often thrived — in recent decades by following a playbook that Wall Street and corporate America deems outmoded. While companies like Xerox Corp. scaled back long-term research, Corning stuck with the old formula, preferring to develop novel technologies than buy them from start-ups.
An investment 25 years ago has turned Corning into the world's largest maker of liquid-crystal-display glass used in flat-panel TVs and computers. But another wager, which made it the biggest producer of optical fiber during the 1990s, almost sank the company when the tech boom turned into a bust.
Corning Inc. has survived for 157 years by betting big on new technologies, from ruby-colored railroad signals to fiber-optic cable to flat-panel TVs. And now the glass and ceramics manufacturer is making its biggest research bet ever.
Under pressure to find its next hit, the company has spent half a billion dollars — its biggest wager yet — that tougher regulations in the U.S., Europe and Japan will boost demand for its emissions filters for diesel cars and trucks.
"This is the biggest cash hole we've ever been in," says Corning President Peter Volanakis.
In Erwin, a few miles from the company's headquarters in Corning, the glassmaker is spending $300 million to expand its research labs. There, some 1,700 scientists work on hundreds of speculative projects, from next-generation lasers to optical sensors that could speed the discovery of drugs.
Corning's roots go back to 1851, when Amory Houghton, a 38-year-old merchant, bought a stake in a small glass company, Cate & Phillips. For most of Corning's history, a Houghton was either chairman or chief executive. Even today, Corning, population 12,000, is very much a company town. The original Houghton family mansion, still used for company meetings, overlooks the quaint downtown, which is punctuated by a white tower from one of Corning's original glass factories. Most senior managers have spent their entire careers at Corning.
"Culturally, they're not afraid to invest and lose money for many years," says UBS analyst Nikos Theodosopoulos. "That style is not American any more."
Corning also goes against the grain in manufacturing. While it has joined the pack in moving most of its production overseas, it eschews outsourcing and continues to own and operate the 50 factories that churn out thousands of its different products.
Corning argues that retaining control of research and manufacturing is both a competitive advantage and a form of risk management. Its strategy is to keep an array of products in the pipeline and, once a market develops, to build factories to quickly produce in volumes that keep rivals from gaining traction.
But because Corning often depends heavily on a single product line for most of its profit — 92% of last year's $2.2 billion profit came from its flat-panel-display business — it is vulnerable to downturns. Even small movements in consumer demand for or pricing of its LCD-based products can cause gyrations in its stock price. During the dot-com meltdown when the market for fiber-optic cable crashed, Corning was brought to the brink of bankruptcy and by 2003 was forced to lay off half of its workers. Today it has 25,000 employees.
Posted in Marketing, Technology, Trust, Workplace | Leave a Comment »
Trust in students + lessons tailored to their needs leads to results in education
What Makes Finnish Kids So Smart? By ELLEN GAMERMAN, February 29, 2008; Page W1, Wall Street Journal
"…by one international measure, Finnish teenagers are among the smartest in the world. They earned some of the top scores by 15-year-old students who were tested in 57 countries. American teens finished among the world's C students even as U.S. educators piled on more homework, standards and rules. Finnish youth, like their U.S. counterparts, also waste hours online. They dye their hair, love sarcasm and listen to rap and heavy metal. But by ninth grade they're way ahead in math, science and reading — on track to keeping Finns among the world's most productive workers…
The academic prowess of Finland's students has lured educators from more than 50 countries in recent years to learn the country's secret, including an official from the U.S. Department of Education. What they find is simple but not easy: well-trained teachers and responsible children. Early on, kids do a lot without adults hovering. And teachers create lessons to fit their students.
In addition to the article, also see the video linked from the WSJ website. The international comparison/test was for 15 year olds in math, science, and reading skills. The video explains that Finnish students don't start school until age 7 allowing them to play, be free, and develop emotionally for a longer time than their American counterparts who start first grade at age 5.
Posted in Trust, Workplace | 1 Comment »
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The school we are currently working with in Birmingham is a multi-faith free school. They are currently recruiting for a Humanities Teacher to cover RE, Geography and History.
Flourish Education are an Education recruitment specialist that cover the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Worcestershire. We are currently working with a school in Birmingham who are recruiting for a Humanities Teacher.
The role the Humanities Teacher will be to teach Key Stage 3 RE, History and Geography. They are looking for someone with a fantastic approach to keep the pupils engaged and push them that little bit further.
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Capable of teaching and delivering RE, Geography and History.
All candidates are subject to enhanced D&BS reference and list 99 checks. Flourish Education is acting as an employment and business agency.


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Hope for foster kids
Juan Villa
When funding issues prevented Peacock Acres' foster youth from attending therapeutic sessions at Hope, Horses & Kids, administrators thought it was silly and decided to do something about it.
That's when the chili cook-off fundraiser was formed.
"It's a fundraiser, but it also outreaches to educate the community about foster youth and these two great youth development nonprofit organizations," said Teressa Jimenez, director of development at Peacock Acres. "We both serve Monterey County youth."
Peacock Acres, founded in 1983 and based out of Salinas, provides supportive housing, intensive case management and life coaching for foster children.
Reneé Piearcy waves goodbye
At Hope, Horses & Kids, founder and executive director Lori Tuttle offers support to individuals with physical disabilities, emotional disabilities and cognitive, behavioral and other challenges.
"If you think about the foster youth population, they come from homes of abuse and neglect," Jimenez said. "So when they attend programs like this they might have social anxieties. This is not only building their own self-awareness and self-development but things like trust and empathy. Things they will use throughout life."
The fundraiser is taking place on May 21 at the SPCA Stables at Indian Springs, a barn the SPCA runs a public boarding facility. The stables, located on Indian Springs Road, should not be confused with the SPCA facility off Highway 68.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit both Hope, Horses & Kids and Peacock Acres, specifically the foster youth attending the life and horsemanship skills program at the stables.
The fundraiser will pay for the foster youth's tuition to the program.
Hope, Horses & Kids houses its program at the SPCA Stables at Indian Springs.
"We like to think that anytime the kids interact with the horses it's a good thing," Tuttle said. "…when we work with these kids, specifically the foster youth, they develop a connection with the people and the horses just by virtue of the horses being who they are. It's one of those things that's really hard to explain; you have to see it in action."
The two nonprofits have been working together for about four years.
Jimenez said that in January, they were looking at not participating with Hope, Horses & Kids at all because of funding issues. The cost for each session, which can hold about six kids, is $600.
"We definitely hope to be able to fund more semesters for more kids. With more funding, we could serve more kid, but it all depends on the funding," she said. "…we really hope we can fund it for a few years."
Living with autism
While the funding is great, Tuttle said they also want to make the community aware of the collaboration between two great nonprofits.
"We hear from teachers that after the kids have been in the program, they often have a higher sense of self-esteem, they show more patience and a lot more self-confidence," Tuttle said. "The horses facilitate a lot of it by just being who they are."
During the program, kids do a lot of activities that encourage them to learn about themselves. Riding the horses is not the focus, it's more about life skills.
The fundraiser will feature chili cooking and tasting, a kids area, a horseshoe tournament, cow pie throwing contest, pony rides, food and more.
Those interested in participating in the horseshoe tournament and cow pie throwing contest can sign up the day of the event. For the chili cook-off, contact Jimenez to see if contestant spots are available.
"This is a family-oriented fundraiser," Jimenez said. "You can come out with the family, and there's something for everyone. There are also things you can do together."
The fundraiser also falls during National Foster Care Awareness Month.
"The foster kids come from traumatic experiences, and they're learning how to work through social anxieties and develop their self-confidence and life skills," Jimenez said. "From far away horses are beautiful but close up they're intimidating, and you don't know what to do. To see our kids interact with them really is magical."
The Hope, Horses & Kids, and Peacock Acres fundraiser is from 2 to 6 p.m. on May 21 at the SPCA Stables at Indian Springs, 22400 Indian Springs Rd. in Salinas.
The event is free, but there will be tickets sold for the activities and food. Tickets are $1 each, $5 for six, $10 for 12 and $20 for 25.
Those interested in participating in the chili cook-off can contact Teressa Jimenez at 831-754-3635 to see if there are spots still available.
For more information about Hope, Horses & Kids or Peacock Acres, visit their websites at www.hopehorseskids.org and www.peacockacres.org.


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War of the Polish Succession
War of the Polish Succession >
The War of the Polish Succession (1733–1738) was a major European war for princes' possessions sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland that other European powers widened in pursuit of their own national interests. France and Spain, the two Bourbon powers, attempted to check the power of the Austrian Habsburgs in western Europe, as did the Kingdom of Prussia; whilst in the East, Saxony and Russia mobilized to support the eventual Polish victor. The slight amount of fighting in Poland resulted in the accession of Augustus III, who in addition to Russia and Saxony, was politically supported by the Habsburgs.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W ... he_Polish_Succession
The War of the Polish Succession (1733–1738) was a major European war for princes' possessions sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland that other European powers widened in pursuit of their own national interests. France and Spain, the two Bourbon powers, attempted to check the power of the Austrian Habsburgs in western Europe, as did the Kingdom of Prussia; whilst in the East, Saxony and Russia mobilized to support the eventual Polish victor. The slight amount of fighting in Poland resulted in the accession of Augustus III, who in addition to Russia and Saxony, was politically supported by the Habsburgs. More...
Related > Wars • Enlightenment • Europe • Poland • War • All Events • 18th Century
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Design & Décor, Living with Style, The Newport Diary
Newport Society: Closing Beaulieu for the Season
September 7, 2017 by Bettie Bearden Pardee
Beaulieu is a very distinguished house. Dating from 1862, it is one of the oldest homes still in private hands on Bellevue Avenue, and its grounds remain just as the landscape architect Calvert Vaux originally laid them out.
Noteworthy individuals have resided here, including John Jacob Astor, William Waldorf Astor, and Cornelius Vanderbilt III. And, in one of those coincidences special to Newport, Beaulieu (having originally been built for a diplomat, Federico Barreda, Peruvian minister to the United States) became the home to another diplomat, Wiley T. Buchanan, almost one hundred years later.
Everything about Beaulieu invites you to step back in time and reflect on a Newport lifestyle that existed many years ago. The gracious chatelaine who still lives a version of that life today, to the pleasure of her many friends and large family (eleven great-grandchildren), appreciates that Beaulieu was designed for entertaining, with five graciously scaled rooms leading off a large central hall.
Photo Credit: Mick Hales
The dining room, salon and small octagonal room flow openly to the porch through tall French doors, their elaborate hardware dulled to a soft patina by the salt air.
The completion of this vast porch was the occasion for the new owners' first formal party, honoring their house guests, the future King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain (seen in the center framed picture below).
Having enjoyed a romantic diplomatic career, which included the position of U.S. chief of protocol, the couple were very popular hosts, counting Washington ambassadors among their friends. The first summer began a tradition that would continue, in one fashion or another, for almost thirty-five years — the Fourth of July dance. In the Newport spirit, this lady of the house loves to dance, "Fred Astaire style." She confides, with a twinkle in her eye, "When I first walked into this house, I didn't have to think twice. The marble hall was just a natural. It told me it was the place to dance. That's the best thing about being a hostess. You're invited to dance more often."
Memories abound of the exigences and progress of this party over the years. "I had to give up a seated dinner because the party grew too big, four hundred people, so then we just had a dance. But when you're older, a dance at ten is just too late. So after that I tried a tea dance, but just for one year. Nobody in Newport wanted to dance at five in the afternoon. They don't even think about it until seven or eight. So that was out. Finally I concluded that a party from seven to eleven, with a dinner, buffet style, so guests can dine throughout the house and dance when they wish, was the perfect answer."
For almost 150 years, this imposing but very livable house has seemingly reveled in the many fêtes, dances, luncheons, garden parties, formal dinners and cocktail parties held under its mansard roof. But then, come September, it all comes to a close…
At Beaulieu, departing Newport is preceded by an elaborate, two-week process known as "closing up the house." To the amusement, or bewilderment, of her friends, our indefatigable chatelaine is the only one left in Newport who still carries out this ancient regimen. "It's really so old-fashioned in today's world that it's ludicrous, but I can say it does pay off. Every curtain, chair, picture and light fixture is covered. Even newspapers are put on the wool carpets because moths are not partial to newsprint. It looks exactly as though we had died and gone to heaven."
"All bibelots on every surface, in every vitrine are put away in their groups and labeled, to be put back in exactly the same place next year. Then, of course, all has to be uncovered and thoroughly cleaned before we return in mid-June."
When asked for advice if one were to close up the house, she makes it all sound so practical. " It saves a lot of wear and tear. For instance, these curtains in the powder room have been up since 1962. Forty years. Can you see anything wrong with them? If they hadn't been covered, they would have bleached out. We do it every year with many people helping. It is a big house. Ten bedrooms and six staff bedrooms. But it just gets done."
Three or four generations are always living at Beaulieu, with much warmth and affection the focus of such family life. And that is one of the secrets that makes Newport so special. Generation after generation comes back, "my great- grandchildren are friends with my friend's great-grandchildren …it goes right on down the line." our chatelaine allows. Her grandson echoes the sentiments of many who live here. "There's something about Newport and the way the different age groups intermingle which you don't find in a lot of summer communities. That's one of the aspects that everybody likes about Newport…and I hope it continues."
Featured Image Credit, Mick Hales.
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8 thoughts on "Newport Society: Closing Beaulieu for the Season"
Neale Kitchens says:
Bettie…..What an amazing bird's eye view of preserving traditions ! I was most impressed with the fact that third and fourth generations were still celebrating this house and its matriarch.
I enjoyed the little inside tips for closing up a huge mansion. What an undertaking but it's worth it to keep it just the was it "always was". Delightful blog
Tina Carpenter says:
Doing it the "right way", closing up the house, generation after generation, preserving. I love it!
Almost "gone with the wind." She just turned 100!!
Loved this! What a beautiful home to be enjoyed by so many. I especially love the part about her 4th of July dance
And they were as much fun as they sound!! I've danced many a dance on that marble entry hall floor.
Nena Ivon says:
Fabulous blog. Found you through The Glam Pad.
Thank you, Nena, and welcome to Privatenewport!


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Willie Nelson's sister, bandmate Bobby has died at the age of 91
Thora Mcdaniel 11 months ago 2 min read
Willie Nelson's sister and co-star Bobby Nelson have passed away. She was 91 years old.
Bobby, who was a pianist, singer and member of the band Willie Nelson & Family, passed away Thursday morning "peacefully and surrounded by family."
"Her elegance, grace, beauty and talent made this world a better place. She was Willie's first member as a pianist and singer. Our hearts are broken and we will miss her dearly. But we are very fortunate to have her in our lives," the Nelson family said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. Please keep her family. in your thoughts and give them the privacy they need at this time.
Bobby has toured with her brother for over five decades. She was the original member of Willie Nelson and Family Band as a pianist and singer.
Willie and Bobby Nelson perform on New Year's Eve 2014 in Austin, Texas.
Gary Miller
The family noted that Bobby and Willie's love of music came from their grandparents, who raised the siblings in Abbott, Texas.
Bobby previously said, "My grandfather said to me when I was learning to play the piano, 'You know, if you really work at this, you can make a living playing music someday.'" "I have never forgotten that."
During his teenage years, brother and sister joined Bud Fletcher, who later became Bobbie's husband. Fletcher later died in a car accident, forcing Bobby to raise her three sons as a single mother.
Willie and Bobby Nelson also wrote two books together: a memoir and a children's book.
Rick Diamond
At the time of her husband's death, Bobby had quit music to attend college in Fort Worth, Texas, which later led her to take a desk job. While working at the Hammond Organ Company, Bobby gave her desk skills to work at the company's music library. She also sang as a pianist around Austin and Nashville.
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She's previously described her return to music as "a cool thing."
"I was so happy that I was able to sit down and play from my heart and soul," she said.
She would join her brother Willie's band in 1972 when he signed a deal with Atlantic Records. She not only joined him on stage, but also appeared in his albums.
Bobby released her debut album "Audiobiography" in 2007. Two songs appeared on the album Willie, who is now 88 years old.
Willie and Bobby also wrote two books together: the 2020 memoir "Bobby's Sister and I: True Tales of the Family Band" and the 2021 children's book "Sister, Brother, Family: An American Childhood in Music."
Thora Mcdaniel
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So the new Microsoft Surface has been revealed in a last minute event on Monday (I say last minute as most of the attendees only got their invites on Thursday/Friday and even then the venue was only confirmed a few hours before it began on Monday!). I gotta say it looks pretty slick, and that flip out keyboard is really nice (cue a ton of after market knock-offs for the iPad).
The timing of the announcement is a bit funny though, why announce now when it won't be available for months yet? No release date, no apps, no pricing? I guess they want to steal a bit of Apple's and Google's thunder by squeezing in their own announcement between those company's developer conferences, but the whole thing felt like it wasn't meant to be unveiled yet and was a last minute decision (strengthened by the fact that journalists were only allowed to handle units that were powered off: "Microsoft representatives were happy to show off the device, but they didn't let me actually use the new tablet").
I'd be happy to be proven wrong about the whole thing however, maybe it will be a great tablet. MS are certainly tenacious enough and have the pile of money needed to keep at it until they hit paydirt (something that HP was too scared to do with the TouchPad). Overall it does look a whole lot better than what we've seen lately from the other vendors and more competition in this space will be good. I just hope that it isn't like Windows Phone 7 - a good product but released incomplete and has gained next to no traction against the iPhone and Android. I wish them luck!
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Oh look, Blunkett's gone again. It's a little odd that someone who's apparently very sharp should have generally made a bit of a pig's ear out of things, but maybe it's a kind of absent-minded professor thing. Either that or the power and influence went to his head a bit. Very touching of his local party agent and the PM to praise him for his "integrity", although I'm not totally convinced that owning up when you get caught out is quite what's usually meant by the word. Still. Politicians, eh? Pfft.