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Life January 10, 2019 January 10, 2019
Islamophobia: The new tool to silence liberal Muslims
Representational Image. Photo: PTI
Islamophobia has been twisted to be a synonym for blasphemy. It has become a tool in the hands of Islamists who use it to hound liberal and intellectual Muslims. This changes discourse and gullible people are misled into supporting the most conservative and regressive Muslim factions.
The word 'Islamophbia' has become a most contested term in the post 9/11 era. The ambiguous meaning of this word 'Islamophobia' and its vague implications have made it rather contentious, which is why many feel wary about normalizing it into the socio-political discourse.
1997 Runnymede Report titled "Islamophobia": A Challenge for Us All defined the term as—
"The term Islamophobia refers to unfounded hostility towards Islam. It refers also to the practical consequences of such hostility in unfair discrimination against Muslim individuals and communities, and the exclusion of Muslims from mainstream political and social affairs."
The definition given above proved a challenge in relation to delimiting its dynamics. Presumably, the objective in introducing the term was to counter anti-Muslim bigotry. But it is unclear how far it was supposed to entail other socio-political meanings or unstated assumptions.
Therefore, it is essential to look at how the semantics of Islamophobia have played out before holding it up as the litmus test to gauge prejudice against Islam and Muslims, especially in an age when hard-earned freedom of speech is frequently trampled in the rush to protect religious sensitivities.
Efforts to make Islamophobia a legitimate term to define anti-Muslim bigotry haven't stood up to rigorous testing. Yet it took no time before turning the label into a whip with which to strike down dissent, both within and outside Muslim communities.
The Runnymede definition of 'Islamophobia' may be sufficiently narrow to exclude disagreement and criticism of Islam and Muslims. But deployment of the term ever since has been vague and this has left interpretation of certain actions and words to the discretion of individuals to decide whether they are being criticised or victimised.
In the respect of 'hostility towards Islam' (the religion) it is doubtful whether anyone except the most intolerant religious fundamentalists are being protected by the Runnymede definition.
Few liberals would agree that religions themselves are owed protection against "hostility" since religious belief is not obligatory in modern secular states and freedom of conscience ought to include negative feelings towards ideas and doctrines.
Nevertheless, this term 'Islamophobia' has been used sweepingly not only to oppose smears against Muslims in general but also for rejecting all shades of criticism of Islam, or for persecuting and smearing critics of the most ultra-conservative interpretations of Islam.
People like Irshad Manji, Shireen Qudosi, Usama Hassan, Zuhdi Jassar, Maajid Nawaz, Raheel Raza, Haris Rafeeq, Elham Manea, Qanta Ahmed and many more are calling out the ultra-conservative mores and traditions that have proved to fuel violent tendencies within Muslim communities, yet the term "Islamophobia" has been wielded time and again to silence them.
Islamists have used the "Islamophobia" trope to intimidate these intellectuals along many others and to assail their integrity vis-à-vis liberal Westerners who have gullibly bought into the discourse and are misled into supporting the most conservative Muslims.
It is a sad state of affairs that both sides are using the same language to reprimand dissenting voices calling out Islamist ideology that legitimates unequal treatment of women and the indiscriminate killing of innocent people.
This is how constant misuse of Islamophobia has made its authenticity irrelevant while reducing it to a leitmotif playing into the hands of Islamists and their acolytes.
Subsequently, regardless of its supposed functions and implications, Islamophobia has become a synonym for blasphemy by means of which Islamists smear dissent and hound liberal Muslims.
If anything could expose its hollowness, it is the sustained effort to lend Islamophobia legitimacy by implying that it is akin to racism, which not only deploys a flawed conception of what it is to be a Muslim, but also conflates the valid criticism of political Islam with anti-Muslim bigotry.
Muslims do not comprise a homogenous group. Neither have they belonged to a particular race, ethnicity or country. Whereas race is theoretically constructed around biological markers which are unalterable, Islam is a 'faith' system that can be adopted and renounced at any time. Therefore, race and Islam can hardly be seen one and the same thing.
Likening the attributes associated with Muslims to racial characteristics in any way is delusory. It makes the debate around defining Islamophobia in terms of race orthogonal to the issue at hand.
The language of Islamophobia has tended to persistently overshadow matters concerning prejudice and hatred against Muslims as well as the rampant radicalization within Muslim communities through a politicized version of Islamism.
Given the situation, the recent European Court of Human Rights' affirmation of the conviction of an Austrian woman who criticized Islamic tradition and its prophet has made the matter more worrying.
Her remarks were considered to have gone "beyond the limits of a critical denial" of religious sanctity. The decision was highly criticized by human rights activists, scholars and victims of Islamic blasphemy laws around the world who described the ruling as infantilizing towards Muslims, while also making Islam immune to criticism.
The ruling marked a conspicuous blow to efforts to decriminalize blasphemy as a 'crime' since the decision came down in the midst of ongoing efforts to remove the 'crime' of blasphemy from the Irish constitutionand the acquittal of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian embroiled in a false case of blasphemy who remains in hiding because of Islamist threats to her life.
Meanwhile, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) of British Muslims has chosen to retain the term 'Islamophobia' in a bid to define prejudice and hatred against Muslims, despite the word's contentious connotations. There remains a lack of consensus on its definition among different sections of British society, including amongst Muslims.
The poor selection of terminology has successfully derailed the debate about protecting people of Muslim heritage from bigotry while indulging all stakeholders in a deceptive game of semantics.
The proposed definition has failed to offer any practical measure to counter its misuse and/or to protect those with well-grounded arguments aimed at reformation of extremist political Islam and/or the preservation of human rights. Instead, the term affords their enemies an instrument with which to turn them into social pariahs.
Though APPG have claimed to have consultation with academics, lawyers, activists, victims groups and British Muslim organizations, however, they have virtually excluded from their consultations secular Muslims who consider Islamic jurisdictions and Muslim traditions at odd with liberal values.
As Lead Commissioner for Countering Exteremism Sara Khan explained unequivocally in response to the proposed definition of Islamophobia: "This failure to recognise that Muslims can be abused, attacked, even killed, by other Muslims because of their "Muslimness' is a blind spot in our public debate and detrimental to the well-being of British Muslims and those of Muslim heritage."
Therefore, this relentless campaign around defining Islamophobia appears to be an effort to give privilege to a particularly vocal and extremely conservative section of Muslim communities who seek impunity in leveling allegations of "Islamophobia" at dissidents who are liable to be punished either by blatant smears at best or by extrajudicial execution at worst.
Conspicuously, the proposed definition of Islamophbia would likely increase hostility towards progressive people many folds, especially after they have criticized the term islamophobia for its misuse.
Many shady Muslim organizations, such asMuslim council of British Muslims CAGE and MEND already resist calls for reformation and foster conservative attitudes and customs among British Muslims, such as imposition of the hijab in British primary schools, disparity and inequality in Islamic jurisdiction and unfair proceedings at sharia councils, by labeling critics 'Islamophobes'.
Some of them sympathise with radical Islamist movements in the Muslim world. They smear people who have been trying to reconcile Islam and liberal values by questioning Islamic teachings and traditions that are incompatible with human rights.
This regressive attitude is clearly inimical to secularism, tolerance and basic human rights and is in conflict with democratic values aimed to provide equal opportunities to all citizens regardless of their caste, color, and creed.
Religion can be a force for good and evil on personal or highly political level so it is essential to keep the discourse open to critical perspectives and a variety of religious interpretations to draw a distinction between faith and political abuses of religion to impose social mores and fallible creeds on others who do not share the same beliefs.
Khadija Khan
To read the rest of the article please click here.
Islamophobia: The new tool to silence liberal Muslims https://www.muslimworldtoday.org/islamophobia_the_new_tool_to_silence_liberal_muslims?recruiter_id=3917


The team stuck up in imbroglio where the l2tpv3 tunnel never torn down even after shutting down of physical sub-interface. There after lot of test were made but all in vein. The problem came with the SB13 ios but the opposite side was using different vendor equipment. The problem states that when the interface was shut down, no stop ack was sent to the remote peer, it is same as keepalives used in gre tunnel to get it torn. Still we are not able to find exact RCA except the IOS bug.


So, why am I encouraging you on a path to self – awareness, how does that help you to be healthy, wealthy and happy? How does that help you to improve your relationships socially and professionally? As a matter of fact, what does pursuing some abstract concept have to do with your life? If you've survived this long, without even knowing what self – awareness is, how are you going to benefit now? In other words, what's in it for you?
Those are all fair and rational questions, if you are pondering them seriously, then maybe the state of self – awareness is somewhere in your future and at such time that you discover it, your life will change dramatically. Your health will improve – your wealth will increase and your happiness will abound. If you doubt my claim, or better still my promise – I have a story for you.
My early life was peppered with drama; driving accident after driving accident, interpersonal confrontations, a flagrant disregard for norms much like today's youths, I saw no need to conform to society's norms or mores. The consequences of my attitudes and behavior created extensive property damage, personal financial loss with emotional pain and distress all the while establishing a tough guy the reputation. During that phase of my early teens and twenties the havoc I created, was later to become a teaching moment and a rallying point for my psychological, emotional and spiritual health.
When your consciousness is able to assess the damage you've done, it evokes a detached objectivity which helps you to contemplate your life and your purpose. I am one of the lucky ones, I survived but I still had to find myself. I would very often ask myself; why am I experiencing so many life threatening situations, so many confrontations and conflicts?
So as most people often do, I went to church. This new environment provided a respite from my world, but I soon discovered that drama, confrontations, and conflicts exist even in the church. That new and surprising reality forced me to find answers, and in looking for answers the Divine mind directed me to myself. Whatever you seek is within.
When you become aware of yourself and assume the responsibility and accountability for self, it is only then that you find yourself. No church, no organization, no fraternity, nor university can help you find yourself. It is only when you discover the simple act of developing a relationship with yourself, of observing and communicating with yourself, (Self-talk), of understanding your own personality and individuality, only then that you find yourself. One of life's simple ironies is – our instinctive impulse to examine the behavior of others yet, we neglect personal self-examination and self-inspection.
Developing self-awareness is mandatory in navigating today's chaotic world with all its conflicts, distortions and distractions. Self-awareness also requires that you dispose of your cynicism and apathy toward your existence. Since you need a reminder, let me remind you who you really are. You are a microcosm of the universe. Every aspect of the larger universe is duplicated in your being – understanding that fact, gives you clarity and assurance of your Divinity.
Is it your intention to survive, stay alive and thrive? Then, incorporate change in your life. Step out of your comfort zone. Take the necessary steps to self-awareness. I promise you a much a better life will be in store for you. But first – remember to continue the search to find self!


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Taking on the Ride London challenge for the Big Issue Foundation was an overall fantastic experience! It was tricky to fit training in around my time-consuming job. I had to find time in the gym between sessions at work, and made the most of evening rides at Richmond Park. Riding the Box Hill – Putney leg in training was a huge help when it came to ride day. With other riders around me letting off the gas when we reached Box Hill summit, I knew there were still some hard miles ahead before the home straight.
I managed to gain some incredibly generous donations from friends and family, sold some uni books on eBay to get my total going, and ran a pub quiz and raffle alongside Justine from the Foundation. With a final push a couple of days before the ride, I sailed over my initial target, and managed to notch extra donations past that. My biggest tip for raising money on a ride is to start early, and think of ways to get the ball rolling. If you're getting close to your target with a few days to go, a final round up will get you comfortably over.
The worst part of the day was waiting for it all to start. From queueing at Richmond for the tube, to queueing at Stratford for my starting position, and then another half hour watching riders set off before me. It was a massive relief to eventually set off bang on time at 08:12, accompanied by London Calling on the loudspeakers.
The advice I'd been given the day before was 'don't go off too quick, and drink plenty of water'. Without thinking you're tempted to use your fresh legs to race through the eerily empty streets of central london. I made a mental note to hold back, which also allowed me to properly take in the amazing experience of the city becoming your own personal cycle lane. Canary Wharf, St Paul's and the huge morning queues at the museums in South Kensington were standout moments, as well as glimpsing the Mall and the finish line 95 miles before the end!
Before you hit mile 40, there's a brilliant tour of the towns and villages to the south west of London. A stop to refill my bottles at a local cricket club was in full blown carnival mode. And then you begin to reach the infamous 'Surrey Alps' Leith and Box hill. It's difficult to find a rhythm heading up in a packed group of riders with vastly ranging ability levels. The girl I passed on the final box hill twist listening to James Morrison might have been the most chilled out rider I saw all day.
After a couple more pit stops we were hitting Wimbledon, at which point I knew I wasn't far away from a recovery snack and a sit down. Cycling right past my flat was a great quirk of the route, along with the welcome downhill slope towards Putney Bridge. The sun was properly out for the final 5 miles along the north back towards Westminster, and as I swung left off Trafalgar square onto the Mall I went for the sprint finish. However, Mark Cavendish I am not, I'd timed it way to early and by the time I reached the finish I was absolutely blowing.
From being a complete Sportive novice to finishing the course in a shade under 7 hours, the ride made me keen to take on more challenges like this in the future. If I can motivate any readers to take part, it is definitely a case of 'if I can do it, you definitely can'
Less than 2 months left until the Ride London 100, and last week as part of my preparation I took on the BHF London to Brighton bike ride. At 50 miles the course is an ideal test of my mettle. I was at Clapham Common by 7am and at 7.30 my group and I were off! During the first 20+ miles involved avoiding buses and gaining a true appreciation of tarmacked road but mostly it went by like a breeze! Stopping at just under halfway to rest and refuel with the 'team leader' of our group a little before 10, I couldn't stop myself from thinking this was going to be nice and easy. The next 20 miles put me back in my place. Fatigue really started to set in after another hour of cycling, my legs grew heavier with each mile.
Ditchling beacon is, without a doubt the hardest part of the London to Brighton route. It was used in the Tour de France 1994 route, stands over 700ft tall and, well, it's terrifying. Coming into view like the crest of a tsunami, seemingly blocking out the sky, it is not the kind of challenge easily overcome with heavy legs. I'm sad to say I walked up the beacon; it was a long walk.
From Ditchling onwards, the route was downhill and, either because I was rested from the walk or for the last push to the finish line, I was cycling into Brighton with vigour, think about what I'd learnt from my first long distance cycle. The finish line finally came into view and I sped up appropriately.
I look forward to reaching the finish of Ride London as I pass Trafalgar square, under Admiralty Arch and finally cross the finish line after the 100 miles at on The Mall.
If you can donate to our fundraising page we would be sincerely grateful, thank you.
In 2014 I joined a group of mates in cycling across the Netherlands, and had an amazing time raising a little money – so when Justine from The Big Issue Foundation asked if we'd be willing to tackle the Ride London 100 challenge this year and aim for a big charity total, we could hardly turn it down. It's a fantastic charity and I hope the money raised will work to improve the lives of the vendors across the country.
Like Jamie my fellow rider, I've been putting in a few training runs ahead of the event. Last weekend I headed to Box Hill, a little over 20 miles south of my flat in South West London. On a rare Saturday off, the weather was perfect for the run. The 4.3 km long 'Surrey Alp' is one of the big features of the Ride London route, and still bears the road graffiti from the Olympic road race 3 years ago. When the event comes around on August 2nd, I can honestly say I can't wait to get back up it - the views were incredible and the climb much less intense than the weekend warriors on the cycling forums would have you believe (though maybe not after 70 miles in the legs). The ride back up through Leatherhead towards Kingston will be the last bit of countryside on the route, before the amazing experience of scooting through central London on closed roads.
With just over 30 days until the big event I'm hoping to get in a few more big runs before the big day – I'm already planning an 80 miler, as well as taking the bike up to Scotland to keep my training up whilst on a job in Glasgow. We're also plotting a few fundraisers to help see the totaliser rise, including a quiz in Vauxhall and we shall be revealing details soon! Please sponsor us and support more Big Issue Vendors on their journeys away from homelessness: http://bit.ly/1BUixE1
Organise your own
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Mikes "Big Issue" London Prudential 100
Harry McAdoo's Paris Marathon
Carolyn Aitchison's Trek to the pole
Ashar Smith's Gig night
Heidi Stewart's Big Night Walk
Steve Round's London Marathon
Stephen Robertson's London to Paris Ride
#ACrisisofConscience – 40 years of Punk Festival by Michelle Cuadra
Anna's Story
Carl's Story
Chadder's story
Dean's story
Graham's Story #notGB17
Helena's blog
Jonny's Story
Kathryn's Story
Melissa's story
Peter's Ironman Challenge
Phil and Sam's Garden Party
Piers' Story
Rebecca's Blog
Sally, Louise and Claudine's Big Knitathon Blog
Sarah's Blog
Savoo's Adam and Flora Big London Night Walk 2016 Blog
Team Daventry Bike Cycle Blog
The London Tea Company
Tom's story
Andre Rostant's London to Amsterdam Cycle
Angela's Story
Cliffe's story
Harley's Story
Jonathan's Story
Kieran's Story
Mike's blog
Patrick' Story
Peter and Sue's Big Sleep Out
Phil's Story
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Villa Gerardo with Swimming Pool " Home Vacation Rentals " is perfectly-located at the heart Siboney "Havana City" and close to 5th Ave. Boasting of bedrooms and bathrooms in uniquely-appealing classical setting accentuated with impressive frescoes; the villa emits a distinctive charm. The property has empire style deco with contemporary furnishings of the living room, plus the breathtaking views of the private garden. The kitchen and dining areas feature luxuriously chic amenities that complement the estate's subtle elegance. Havana City is one of the hottest cities in the world. Enjoy its white sand beaches, its international vibe, and its thriving nightlife with locals. Immerse yourself in the fusion of Caribbean, Latin American, and African cultures by trying new cuisines or experiencing daily life as the locals do. When you stay in your own Havana City House Rentals, you can easily fall into the rhythm of day-to-day life in Havana City – as it really happens. Havana City Vacations fit all sort of occasions as well. Escape on a romantic getaway, plan a business trip where you can unwind at the beach, or round up the family to reunite. Splitting the cost of a larger Havana City Rental Home is also a great way to keep the reins on your wallet. Renting a Villa in Havana City means you get to enjoy privacy from other tourists. Forget about those days when you used to live out of a suitcase for a week. Take advantage of home amenities, like contemporary décor, TVs and high quality bedding. You can Cook meals at home in your Havana City rental's fully equipped kitchen – another great way to save money on your Havana City vacation. Note: When you Rent a Private House, Locals Are Welcome!


First named Newell's Ford, for the original settler family, Finchford later was called Finch's Ford after J.L. Finch, who operated the first mill on the West Fork River. Finch's Ford eventually came to be known as Finchford.
John Barrack came to Cedar Falls with the Overman brothers in 1847. He later acquired land where a well-used trail crossed the Cedar River north of the falls. It was a good site for a dam and a mill, and Barrack platted a village, named after his wife, Jane.


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Stay tuned as we meet style ambassador Barbara Benesh. From dresses to accessories, she's helping us enhance and expand our spring wardrobe with this season's newest trends and pieces––gingham, stripes, blush pink, and denim included!


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Q&A: Wayne Hollingsworth reveals how to build a career in VFX
Posted August 26th, 2016 by Jim Thacker — Category: Education — 0 Comments
Zoic Studios' Jeep 'Polar Vortex' spot: one of new Gnomon Education Lead Wayne Hollingsworth's recent jobs.
Gnomon's newest Education Lead discusses his path to a career in visual effects, the key trends in modern FX work — and his plans for the school's FX training
He helped give Thor and Spider-Man their superpowers. He helped fairy tales come to life in Once Upon a Time, and to bend the laws of time and space in NBC's upcoming Timeless. In his recent commercials work, he helped demonstrate what happens when you drive a Jeep into a tornado. And now he's teaching at Gnomon.
For the past six years, FX artist Wayne Hollingsworth worked on some of the world's biggest movie, broadcast and commercials projects, for studios including Sony Pictures Imageworks, Digital Domain, Zoic Studios, MPC and Psyop. Now, as Gnomon's newest full-time Education Lead, he will be sharing the techniques he learned during that period with students enrolled on the school's Certificate in Digital Production Program.
You can experience some of those techniques for yourself in Wayne's upcoming talk on Destruction and Simulation, held at Gnomon's Hollywood campus on September 1st, 2016, and broadcast worldwide on the school's Livestream channel. But before you do, we wanted to give you a chance to find out what makes the man himself tick. Below, you can discover Wayne's route into the industry, what made him want to explore teaching as well as production work – and what he thinks are the biggest trends in FX work today.
Hear Wayne discuss his FX workflow on Gnomon's Livestream channel
I went to Digital Media Arts College in Boca Raton, Florida where I received my MFA in Visual Effects Animation. I started out as a generalist, so I was taught all the basics, from modeling right through to compositing.
I took my thesis project and went to a job fair at SIGGRAPH 2009 where I was fortunate enough to get job offers from MPC and The Mill, eventually leaning towards MPC. I started as a generalist, then the second year I was there, I was given the title of Junior Effects Artist and specialized into FX on high-end commercials. It was an amazing experience.
After that, I decided to go freelance, working at studios like Psyop, Luma Pictures, Digital Domain and Sony Pictures Imageworks. It was an amazing five years, during which I got to work on movies like Thor and the entire Spider-Man franchise. Most recently, I worked with Zoic Studios in Vancouver.
Wayne's R&D reel shows some of the wide range of projects he has worked on at facilities like Sony Pictures Imageworks and Zoic Studios, and the key tools used in modern FX.
How did you begin working with Gnomon?
In production, your schedule is pretty hectic, but I've worked with the school for a while, off and on. I taught every Saturday for a few terms back in 2013, and I've done a couple of Master Classes. I've always had a great relationship with Gnomon.
What made you want to join the school full-time?
Because I wanted to give back. As a student, I didn't really get a chance to learn from industry professionals, so I enjoy sharing the knowledge that I've gained over the past five years.
I'd like to stay here for a while and see how Gnomon can grow and blossom. That's one of my main goals.
What software are you going to be teaching at Gnomon?
Right now, our curriculum is pretty flexible regarding the tools we use. We've recently implemented Houdini – which I'm really excited about, since for the past three years, I've been a Senior Houdini FX TD.
We also teach Maya, which I haven't used as much in production recently, but which is still heavily used for effects work at studios like Weta Digital, MPC and Luma Pictures. At Zoic, the last production I worked on was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, and the entire pagoda destruction sequence was done with Phoenix FD Fluid Solver and DMM (Digital Molecular Matter) - both are very powerful tools.
How do you aim to develop Gnomon's effects program?
We're always trying to develop the curriculum and find ways to improve it. Down the road, we may be implementing some 3ds Max classes. Pixomondo, Blur Studio, Scanline VFX: they all have pipelines that are heavily predicated in 3ds Max, making use of FumeFX and thinkingParticles, and all the other awesome plugins available, like RayFire. We also plan on adding FractureFX, a destruction-based tool.
Wayne's 2013 reel shows some of the production work created at Blur Studio using ids Max FX tools along with RealFlow.
What's the job market like for young FX artists right now?
FX is great right now: it's blossoming and growing. We're constantly being challenged with new visions by directors and creative directors. Every time I start at a new studio, I'm faced with new challenges every day.
What do you see as the key trends in the industry?
There are a lot of magic effects right now — a lot of particle work — and a lot of destruction shots. There are also lots of effects that have do with the elements, as in movies like 2012 and San Andreas: huge tidal waves and tornadoes and cloud systems that you just can't film practically.
Also, resolution continues to grow. When I was at Zoic Studios, I was delivering hero shots at 8K, and other shots at a minimum of 4K — and that was for episodic broadcast projects, not movies. Sometimes we render at extremely high resolution, then down-res for production, so we have the flexibility if a director comes back to us later. As an artist, you have to have that methodology in mind. Your fluid simulations have to hold up at 4K.
What's the advantage of studying to become an FX artist at Gnomon?
As well as teaching the fundamentals, we develop a pipeline methodology and a storytelling methodology. That's true in every emphasis of study. Whether you choose Visual Effects Animation, Modeling & Texturing, or any of the other options on offer, our main goal is the same: to prepare you for a real job in the industry.
I train my students to come into class as if they were delivering a shot to a VFX supervisor: we start with the basics and build up through intermediate and advanced techniques, then when you get to demo reel class, we require you to create shot work. It's a fun environment and you get to do a lot of cool stuff, but you also get to learn every aspect of a real visual effects pipeline.
Zoic Studios' dynamics reel illustrates some of the key technical challenges FX artists now face, from the type of effects created to the resolution at which they are delivered.
See more of Wayne's work on his Vimeo channel
Watch Wayne's FX training videos at The Gnomon Workshop
Browse Gnomon's on-campus VFX training courses
Discover Luma Pictures' five unexpected VFX careers tips
The Secrets of Aaron Sims Creative's Creature Designs for Stranger Things
10 Power Tips for Substance Painter and Substance Designer


Removing advertising from your browsing experience is one of them - we don't just block ads, we redesign our pages to look smarter and load faster. There remain several seemingly intractable myths relating to our education system. If you never took mathematics at school, then try the mathematics literacy paper. Try the mathematics, or physics, history or English home or first additional language. There is no free pass into university. I see a stable system with slight improvements in the quality of passes over time.
It will just state whether or not you passed and with what symbol you passed — B for Bachelors Pass, D for Diploma, etc. Volmink said the 2018 matric results were a continuation of the upward trend seen in gateway subjects, like Maths and Science. This is not breaking news. If the exam papers were just getting easier and there were no changes in the quality of the whole schooling system, one would only expect to see top-performing schools getting better and better results. You can register and have your results sent to you as soon as they are released.
Look out for places to get your matric results. So we are saying now we need people to have more time to prepare for exams but also to open up the number of exams that you can write. The class of 2018 achieved , the overall pass rate in the country since 1994. This is the matric pass rate from 2015 - 2018 — Eyewitness News ewnupdates pass rates per province. Of course, matric has changed since 1994. I will discuss each one, with some empirical evidence to ensure that my opinion is more than just my own experience or gut feeling.
This is fun as classmates can gather round and celebrate or commiserate together. Our whole population became South African citizens. Ramoketsi was also pleased to announce that there was a marked improvement in the overall quality of question papers across the assessment bodies. This data from 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2015 disaggregates our population by education level. Here are Four Ways to Check Your Matric Results 1. Become a member There are many great benefits to being a Maverick Insider.
The greatest improvements have been among youth in the 20-24 age category. What happens to students who fail? How can the pass rate just keep improving? Students in the Western Cape have to wait until 11h00 on Friday 4 January to collect their results from schools and will only see the results printed in newspapers on Saturday. Where can you get the results? Her research focuses on childhood mathematics, science and language in addition to technology-enhanced learning. The Department of Basic Education now reports on the pass rates of these progressed learners separately and combined with other learners. There are many publicly funded options available to repeat matric. . Click here to see other benefits and to sign-up to our reader community supporting quality, independent journalism.
Importantly, the increases in the attainment outputs are coming from a wider range of schools. The certificate will be printed and posted only weeks later. You will have the option to opt in or out to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act. We have had similar trends over the last four years. Far more investment is needed for those youth not in education, training or employment in the 15-24 age bracket and for our vulnerable children in the 0-5 age bracket.
School The Department is encouraging learners to get their results from the schools or centres where they wrote their exams. Our higher education participation rate is about 18-20% this is the total higher education headcount for bachelors enrolment divided by the 20-24-year-old population , for 2011-2016. Here is why improving the education qualifications level is important: low education levels correlate with high poverty and high fertility. The progression policy states that a learner may only spend four years in any three-year phase. I challenge any of you who have passed matric prior to 1994 to pick up and try a matric examination paper. The Eastern Cape recorded the highest improvement 5.
I hope to receive some empirically based rebuttals. It will be in all of the big Newspaper brands, like The Rapport, The Argus and The Star. Research evidence relating to difficulty levels of examination papers in mathematics and physical science does not support the claim that the exams are getting easier. It will just state whether or not you passed and with what symbol you passed — B for Bachelors Pass, D for Diploma, etc. They may not write all seven subjects in one sitting. Visit your school Students can visit their school to collect their results but it would be best if contact is made with the school ahead of time to avoid frustration.


Fluval Internal Aquarium Filters, Media and Spares are engineered and manufactured in Italy and are designed for aquariums and terrariums. The filters are ideal where external filtration is not possible, removing debris and providing optimum biological filtration. The Fluvel U series of underwater filters have a three way flow control to achieve maximum filtration. Working efficiently and silently, they can be installed simply and maintained easily with a flip top to replace cartridges.


text:
package com.facebook.buck.cxx;

import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;

import com.facebook.buck.io.ProjectFilesystem;
import com.facebook.buck.step.ExecutionContext;
import com.facebook.buck.step.TestExecutionContext;
import com.facebook.buck.testutil.FakeProjectFilesystem;
import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;

import org.junit.Test;

import java.nio.file.Path;
import java.nio.file.Paths;

public class CxxLinkStepTest {

  @Test
  public void cxxLinkStepUsesCorrectCommand() {
    ProjectFilesystem projectFilesystem = new FakeProjectFilesystem();
    ExecutionContext context = TestExecutionContext.newBuilder()
        .setProjectFilesystem(projectFilesystem)
        .build();

    // Setup some dummy values for inputs to the CxxLinkStep
    ImmutableList<String> linker = ImmutableList.of("linker");
    Path output = Paths.get("output");
    ImmutableList<String> args = ImmutableList.of(
        "-rpath",
        "hello",
        "a.o",
        "libb.a");
    Path frameworkRoot = Paths.get("/System/Frameworks");

    // Create our CxxLinkStep to test.
    CxxLinkStep cxxLinkStep = new CxxLinkStep(linker, output, args, ImmutableSet.of(frameworkRoot));

    // Verify it uses the expected command.
    ImmutableList<String> expected = ImmutableList.<String>builder()
        .addAll(linker)
        .add("-o", output.toString())
        .add("-F", frameworkRoot.toString())
        .addAll(args)
        .build();
    ImmutableList<String> actual = cxxLinkStep.getShellCommand(context);
    assertEquals(expected, actual);
  }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The government of Panama recently announced three major new transportation and energy megaprojects with international investments and partnerships worth over $4bn. The projects include the construction of what will be Central America's first natural gas based energy plant, Line 3 of Panama's metro, and the fourth bridge over the Panama Canal. The announcement came just weeks ahead of the 26 June opening by the government of the Panama Canal Expansion, which will transform the ease and cost of global shipping by allowing for ships with larger cargo capacity (20 TEU) to transit across the Canal. As noted by Petroleum Review in its December 2014 issue, the expansion of the Panama Canal is expected to herald a shake-up of the global LNG market, more about which can be found in the pages of our forthcoming July issue.
President Juan Carlos Varela announced the launch of construction of the first natural gas based energy plant in Central America, which will be developed by the AES Corporation with an investment of over $1bn. The new plant in Colon will generate 381 MW of new energy, strengthening Panama's energy capacity, and will create nearly 2,000 construction jobs for Panamanians.
Meanwhile, a consortium of Nippon Koei Company, Tonichi Engineering Consultant and Nippon Koei Latin America-Caribbean Company will act as project managers for the development of Line 3 of Panama's metro. The project, which will include monorail technology and 14 passenger stations, is expected to reduce traveling times by 50% for almost 20,000 passengers. Line 2 is currently being built by an international consortium with a total investment of almost $1.9 billion.
TY Lin International was also given the green light to begin project management of construction of the fourth bridge over the Panama Canal, at a cost of over $17mn.


text:
Students invited to pitch their business ideas for Glen Miller concessions
Palladium-Item
RICHMOND, Ind. — High school students in the Richmond/Wayne County area can enter their ideas in the "Food Fight" Summer Business Pitch Competition, in which teams will develop and pitch their proposals for a food service operation in the Glen Miller Concessions Stand that they would operate for the summer.
The competition, a collaboration between the STARTedUP Richmond nonprofit and the Richmond Parks Department, was created in hopes of addressing the challenges of operating the concessions at the city's multiple parks, from staffing to profitability.
"The judges will be looking for not only an idea that makes sense for the concession stand, but also they need to feel confident that the students have a strong plan and the resources needed to pull it off," Kevin Schamel, president of STARTedUP Richmond, said in a release. These resources will come in the form of startup funding and mentors for the winner.
Schamel organizes monthly Student Innovation Nights and Student Pitch competitions that give area high school students opportunities to solve real problems, learn how to network and ultimately start viewing the "problems" in our world as "opportunities," according to the release.
As a result of the first two student pitch competitions, two Richmond High School students have earned startup funding to launch their own businesses.
To prepare students, two workshops will be offered during April that are designed to help the teams develop their business plans and create their pitch. Schamel and Caleb Smith, community engagement coordinator for the Richmond Parks Department, will be calling upon local colleges, business leaders and business development resources in the area to serve as mentors during this process.
"The ability to provide this unique opportunity to the community is what we're all about" said Denise Retz, Park Superintendent. "Giving students the opportunity to gain valuable experience and to earn their own money for the summer is very exciting, and I can't wait to see the creative ideas that they bring to the table!"
The pitch competition will be at 6 p.m. April 30 at City Hall. Prior to that event, however, are a number of important dates that interested students need to know about:
March 15: Interest form submission deadline (bit.ly/parksfood)
Week of April 6: Business Development Workshop 1
Week of April 20: Business Development Workshop 2
April 24: Deadline to submit formal competition application
April 30: Pitch Competition
For more information, parents or students can contact Kevin Schamel at kschamel@startedupfoundation.org or visit richmondindiana.gov/resources/food-fight-pitch-competitition


text:
M. Russell Ballard Before He was an Apostle
byMormon Hub | Dec. 16, 2014
M. Russell Ballard serves as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But he was also a car salesman who had the nickname of "the bishop" in college because his friends knew that no matter the circumstance, he would always stay true to his standards ("M. Russell Ballard"). In this biography of M. Russell Ballard, read the stories from his life about his leadership experiences, his missionary efforts, and his reliance on the spirit.
General Authority at the Movies
Even though his grandfather died when he was ten years old, Russ still has precious memories of this man who was an apostle for the Church. Russell remembers a time when his grandfather took him to the movie theater. But when the lights dimmed and the movie started, Russ's grandfather promptly fell asleep.
Read the rest of this story at mormonhub.com
Mormon Life M. Russell Ballard Apostles Best Of Lds Blogs Best Of Lds BlogsM. Russell Ballard,Apostles,Best Of Lds Blogs,Best Of Lds Blogs,Mormon Life
What Prophets Have Said About Santa Claus
The Mysterious Newspaper That Led to a Temple Miracle
Chad Hawkins, adapted from "Holy Places"
8 Beautiful Quotes About the Atonement from Apostles and Prophets
Watch: Sheri Dew Shares Powerful Insights Behind Historic Photo of All 15 Apostles in Rome
Watch: President Ballard Speaks About the Last Sermon His Grandfather Gave as an Apostle
11 Disney Mentions in General Conference
Jannalee Sandau


There is something exciting and fun correlated with the feeling of sliding delightfully high down from a steep but gentle slope rapidly, the entire functioning structure of HaraKiri sliding rides by Preston&Barbieri Srl, is designed and developed from the Newton's laws of gravity force together with the youngest entertainment concept in mind to offer another utmost level of thrilling speed excitement to visitors at any leisure and amusement parks. It is a purpose-built family oriented recreational rides that practically keeping the riders from not getting a watery wetness and being entertained for hours. The operational feature of this sliding rides is immensely popular and enjoyed by thousands of people of all ages. In Preston&Barbieri Srl, for any high profile attraction on sliding rides of any dimensions, we are always ready and enthusiastic to offer our expertise and services. Every rides will be designed and constructed is an exceptional well-study project that add value to the objective entertaining needs of our clients and we deliver our promises.


Calf Starter is a highly palatable, high protein and energy, pelleted feed forcalvesbetween 250 lbs and 400 lbs. Calf Starter also provides calves with a supplemental source of calcium, phosphorus, vitamins, and minerals. Calf Starter contains Chlortetracycline for increased rate of weight gain and improved feed efficiency in dairy calves.
Feed at the rate of 2—5.6 lbs/head/dayto provide 25—70 mg of Chlortetracycline.
For increased rate of weight gain and improved efficiency.
In milk replacers or starter feeds.
Processed Grain By-Products, Grain Products, Plant Protein Products, Roughage Products, Cane Molasses, Lignin Sulfonate, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Corn Distillers Dried Solubles, Yeast Culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Extract, Zinc Sulfate, Natural & Artificial Flavoring, Mineral Oil, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium Benzoate (a preservative), Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Vitamin D Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate.


We have worked tirelessly towards making state-of-the-art educational opportunities an integral part of nation-building. We have also focused on leveraging skill development to continuously create newer opportunities for our youth. Share with us your suggestions on making quality education universally accessible and creating a skilled India.


I am an associate in the dispute resolution team at Herbert Smith Freehills and am a committee member of the firm's Ability Network, which aims to raise awareness of disability and make the firm more disability confident.
When I was fifteen, I contracted salmonella, septicaemia and bacterial meningitis, which left me with chronic fatigue, muscular pain and hyperacusis (severe sensitivity to pitches and volume of noise). I was so unwell that I was unable to return to school that year and ended up taking my GCSEs at home.
When I was discharged from hospital I was only able to concentrate sufficiently to read basic "Mr Men" books. I had to use initiative to find ways to focus and build up my strength, working my way through various simple books until I was ready to return to academic material. As a result, I am very logical and methodical in my work, which served me well through my further studies and throughout my career.
Due to the fatiguing nature of my illness, I had to develop my time management skills to study in the moments when I was feeling at my best and rest in the moments that I was not. I now utilise these skills in my career to meet deadlines and balance the competing pressures on my time.
I was very open about my disability when applying for jobs and this helped with putting in place appropriate adjustments for my assessment centre and interview and for my career more generally.
I have never let my disability hold me back – I have viewed it as a platform to develop myself and demonstrate my skills.


Roma are believed to be studying the offer, which falls just short of the 75 million euros they are asking for but Liverpool hope it will be tempting enough for them to accept.
Clearly, she saw the amusing side of having a famous namesake, sparking wild celebrations for many Reds fans online before someone pointed out the stark difference between Alisson and Alison.
Roma are willing to let goalkeeper Alisson leave the club this summer, but want to have a deal in place for Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma before allowing the Brazilian to depart.
Liverpool have launched a world record £62million bid for the Roma keeper as they look to make the Brazil No.1 the most expensive keeper on the planet.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are bracing themselves for the prospect of losing Thibaut Courtois, who looks set to join Real Madrid as soon as the west Londoners have signed a replacement.
Liverpool have reportedly made a decision to lodge an offer of £62m for Roma goalkeeper Alisson.
Another Brazil global in Liverpool's sights is midfielder Bernard, who is also wanted by Arsenal and Everton.
In a friendly game against Tranmere last week, Karius spilled the ball from a free kick which led to a goal for the League Two side. He was named in last season's UEFA Champions League squad of the season.
Fox offered £14 per share to value Sky at £24.5 billion ($32 billion), 12% more than Comcast's rival £22 billion offer. Fox increased Wednesday its bid to $18.58 a share as it seeks the 61% of Sky not already under its control.
Matt Reece, 25, who works in marketing, said England had far outperformed the low expectations of them when the tournament began. The game turned in overtime on two plays - one on which a defender was alert, the other on which a defender was caught napping.
Wilshere, who has 34 senior caps and two goals, was unable to win a place in England's World Cup squad. He will join up with Pellegrini's squad for their pre-season training camp in Switzerland.
With the T2 Chip, Apple can deliver an enhanced security system with support for secure boot and on-the-fly encrypted storage. As mentioned in our previous report , the 13-inch MacBook Pro can now be obtained with up to quad-core 8th Gen Intel Core i7.
Today was my turn to lose, but I lost to a great fighter and a great legend in Manny Pacquiao. "You can say I'm 28, 27 years old". And Pacquiao quickly gave credit to bosom buddy Buboy Fernandez, who took over the coaching rein from Freddie Roach.
But in January, in a separate case, a federal district judge in MA upheld the government formula used to calculate the payments. It discourages companies from trying to save money by cherry-picking the healthiest people and kicking others to the curb.


text:
MEET OUR 2022 TEAM OF PROFESSIONAL & STUDENT JURORS
Kim Estes, Actor
Emmy Award Winner
Received the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series - 2017 - "Dicks" His television credits include . "How To Get Away With Murder" . "I'm Dying Up Here" . "Brooklyn 99", . "Hot Wet American Summer 10 Years Later" . "Pitch," . "The Real O'Neals," . "Secrets and Lies," . "Fresh off the Boat," . "Stalker," . "State of Affairs," . "Pretty Little Liars," " . The Matador," "Rake," "The Fosters," "The Bridge," "NCIS," "How I Met Your Mother, "Private Practice," "Law & Order: LA," "House," 'Dexter,", "The Closer," "Hawthorne," "Body of Proof," "Cold Case," "Criminal Minds," "Numb3rs," and others Kim has starred in many films, including Underdog (Ritchie Greer), Playing Beethoven (Catherine Shefski), Crossroad (directed by Shervin Youssefian), Not 4 Sale and Each Other (both directed by Roger Melvin), Volcano Girl (directed by Ashley Maria), Free Denmark (directed by Ricardo Korda) and The Birthday Gift (directed by Marie Tang). In addition, he has appeared in the films Five Hour Friends (produced by Ron Jackson), Viral, Breathing Room, the 400 (all produced by John Suits) and Save Me (directed by Jennifer Getzinger). His stage credits include the staged performance reading of "Buried in the Night" at The Blank Theatre", "Private Eyes" at the Little Fish Theatre, "HellCab" at the Lillian Theatre, "Frankincense" and "Henry V" at the Pacific Resident Theatre Company, "Changes in the Mating Strategies of White People" at the Lounge theatre (Nominated by NAACP for Best Actor 2014) and "Treat Yourself Like Cary Grant" (Nominated by NAACP for Best Actor 2012) at the Lillian Theatre.
While born and raised in Los Angeles, Kim has spent time in Vallejo, where he attended college at CSU, Cal Maritime Academy before continuing his post-graduate work at the University of Southern California. We are thrilled to have Kim Estes as a member of our juror panel.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1570753/
George Maguire, Acclaimed Actor
Pursuit of Happyness, Fight Club, True Lies
George Maguire is a renowned stage and film actor, director, and voice-over artist. His career began as a teenager in 1964 with Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera; it encompasses Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theaters, Shakespeare Festivals, and numerous films and TV shows. He has been an Actors Equity Association and SAG/AFTRA member for over 50 years. His career spans both coasts and includes Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Companies, and many of the top regional theaters in the states, including Actors Theater of Louisville, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Great Lakes, Marin, and Northshore Shakespeare Festivals, PCPA Theaterfest, ACT, Berkeley Rep, Magic Theater, Shotgun Players, Clarence Brown Theater and many more. His over 30 film and TV credits include "Fight Club, Pursuit of Happyness, Metro, The Sweetest Thing, Opal, The Dog Lover," James Franco's "Yosemite," Clint Eastwood's "True Lies, Youth," films and pilots for NBC, ABC, CBS, and PBS and Lt. Governor Mel Wexler on "Nash Bridges." In addition to "Nosferatu, The Stand at Paxton County, Disrupted, The Night," Mr. Invincible," additional projects include "13 Reasons Why" and "Generations," along with many others.
His directing credits include CenterRep, PCPA, the Eugene O'Neill Foundation, SRT Santa Rosa, New Conservatory Theater, Indra Theater Company, Broadway By The Bay, and Playground, of which he is a proud member. He is Professor Emeritus at Solano College Theater, co-founded the Actor Training Program and teaches Advanced On-Camera Acting for Nancy Hayes Casting and Academy of Art University.
IMDB PRO IMDB.com
Patricia La Marr, Board Chair, NCFC
Northern California Filmmakers Coalition
Patricia La Marr is a native of New York City, which has been the foundation of her experience in the Performing Arts Field. She has demonstrated her passion for arts & entertainment during various periods through dance, theater, film, and television. Patricia worked as assistant coordinator and crew for the Sacramento Summer Arts & Music Concert Series; served as a television show host for "El Musical"; created and produced the television show, "Sacramento Film Works" (Channel 17, Sacramento Access Television Station) and functioned as a producer on various local film productions in the Sacramento region.
Board Chair of the Northern California Filmmakers Coalition (NCFC). The organization intends to communicate who we are and what we do by producing compelling stories that add value to lives, communities, and "the film industry at large."
NCFC operates on a set of principles that keep our board members and film crew accountable to our Vision and Mission statements.
Patricia is excited about how the educational and entertaining component of the Northern California Filmmakers Coalition organization is significantly impacting the lives of individuals in the filmmaking community.
https://www.ncfc.media/
Dave Kilgore, Actor
Composer, Playwright, Author
Dave has lived in and around Detroit, Michigan his whole life, took four years of theatre in high school, and worked as a pianist/singer/entertainer for twenty years before going into film acting. He has appeared on camera in over one hundred projects in the last ten years, including feature films, shorts, commercials, and industrial films, playing roles that range from a police detective to mob boss to mayor to the Grim Reaper. He has also produced a handful of his own short films and music videos that have screened at festivals across the country.
Dave, always more than happy to share his life experience, enjoys most watching his students grow and learn. He has taught piano, theatre and film acting and was a mentor for the 2018 Capstone film class at Madonna University in Livonia, Michigan, where he instructed students on the auditioning, directing, and handling of talent on set.
Dave has written over one hundred songs, two musical plays for kids, and multiple books, including a book of monologues and scenes for young actors. His three books of monologues for adult actors will be available online by May 1, 2019.
https://www.imdb.me/davekilgore
https://www.amazon.com/author/davekilgore
Meja Pannell-Tyehimba, V.P. BOD, Mira Theater Guild
Film/Theater Producer/Director, Brady Fellow
Meja Pannell-Tyehimba is a 2021 3Girls Theatre Brady Fellow. She is originally from NYC, where she began her theatrical career with Harlem's famed New Lafayette Theatre. She has written, produced, and directed numerous plays and is the author of the scene study book "Real-Scenes and Monologues for Urban Youth." She is currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors and Program Developer for the Mira Theatre Guild.
Ms. Tyehimba has taught theatre arts in NY, NM, DC, and CA. She is a Filmmaking Mentor with the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project's Film & Freedom Academy. As a filmmaker, she has successfully completed several short films. In addition, Ms. Tyehimba is the artistic director of the Chocolate Rainbow Theatre Company. A theatre company comprised of LGBTQ-AI People of Color actors and their allies. https://miratheatreguild.org/
Samantha K Henderson, Film & TV Producer,
Co-Director of the SacFilmChallenge,
Music & Film Festival
Samantha K Henderson is an award-winning film and TV producer working in Sacramento and Los Angeles. She is also the Co-Director of SacFilmChallenge, a music and film festival, and founded the Sacramento Film Project, a film group that focuses on networking and developing filmmakers. Her latest film project, Smashed, was shot in Los Angeles on a Television City Studios soundstage and premiered at Raleigh Studios Hollywood in November 2021 as part of Women in Media's CAMERAderie Initiative.
Samantha serves on the Board of Directors at Access Sacramento (public access TV and radio) and is certified as a TV and Radio Producer. She is currently involved in multiple projects in various stages of production, including a feature film, docuseries, two short films, and a TV series. Her love of storytelling and the filmmaking process keeps her motivated.
Facebook, IG, & Twitter @SamKendrea.
Student Jurors
Zach St. John
The International Kids N Film Festival is pleased to have Zach return for his 3rd year as a juror. Born and raised in the Napa Valley and eventually relocating to Benicia, Zach is 13 years old and has been active in the performing arts for five years. His recent roles include playing the lead role in "Dragon Of The Winds" and as Chorus for "A Thousand Cranes." He has also appeared in several Kids N Film projects including Kids On COVID, Choices, The Note, and more.
When he's not on stage, Zach also enjoys stage production and video and short film editing. Zach is in his seventh year of Boy Scouts and his hobbies include coding, golf, swimming, and playing with his miniature pinscher, Rex.
Giselle Centeno
Giselle is thrilled to be a juror for the KidsNfilm festival for the first time this year. Giselle is 11 years old and has been raised in the SF bay area. For fun, she likes to read or watch anything anime, do karaoke with her friends, play with her adorable kitty Bagheera, or grab a boba tea.
Her background consists of performance arts such as dance and piano, along with girl scouts for 4 years. Her love for singing and acting has led her to recently become more involved in theater. Some of the live performances she has seen are Hamilton, the Nutcracker, and The Addams Family.
She is looking forward to seeing everyone's performance.
Breccan Davis
A returning juror, Breccan is a regular participant with the Kids N Film Workshop Programs, in both on camera and behind the scene filmmaking activities. He has appeared in several projects including "Kids On COVID, Positively You, Choices, Fibber, & Glukenmoc.
Breccan is passionate about Legos, books, Minecraft and films. Breccan voraciously consumes books and movies like a T-rex devours flesh. Breccan's thirst for knowledge and adventure is as unquenchable as the thirst of a weary traveller in the desert. Breccan is honored to be a juror and is excited to see the performances!
Aiden Leary
Aiden Leary was born in Oakland and loves his life in Benicia. He has been involved as an actor with Kids N Film and is now in his first year as Student Juror. He's an active member of the Cub Scouts and enjoys Little League Baseball, ping pong and especially hanging out with friends. If there is a trampoline around, he is the first one on it! He also loves family, gaming, ice cream and his dog, Grace.
Aiden has appeared in No Laughing Matter, Kids On COVID, Positively You, and a variety of film skits and marketing projects.
Solomon Brown
Solomon is a 5th grader at Mary Farmar Elementary in Benicia. He loves to travel and has seen the Theater of Epidaurus in Greece, enjoyed Gallo Pinto with the rainforest sloths of Costa Rica, and explored the beautiful coastal desert landscape of Baja Mexico. In addition to his travels, Solomon has a talent for music. He plays the snare drums in his school band, and has taken both piano and guitar lessons. His musical interest doesn't stop there because, as a drama kid, he loves to act in both plays and musicals, such as Little Orphan Annie, and is currently rehearsing with the cast of the Young People's Performing Arts for a performance of The Music Man.
He loves all things drama, from stage productions to improv, and dabbles in filmmaking with his YouTube platform, on which he has been able to pass 110,000 views. Finally, Solomon recently won his school spelling bee, and is waiting to participate in the Solano County competition with much anticipation. He is very excited to be a juror for the 2022 Film Festival.
Andrew St. John
Andrew has participated in several Kids N Film Workshop projects as an on-camera talent and behind the scenes. His most recent appearances include Kids On COVID, Choices, and a variety of short film skits.
Andrew is currently a drama student with flying monkey productions as well as in a musical titled "praystation."
Joining his brother Zach in the Kids N Film programs, both boys enjoy swim team, and Andrew participates in cub scouts. Their dog Rex now has a companion,Tucker.
The International KidsNFilm Festival
Solano County, California
©2021 KidsNFilm Multimedia, Inc.
Jacalyn Evone


I know you made that comment facetiously, but thank YOU for writing 1000 words about your teeth! I have to get Invisalign and I've never had any sort of orthodontia before so I'm nervous/procrastinating…but this makes it a lot less terrifying and I'm inspired to just bite (DENTAL PUNS!) the bullet lest my teeth crowd their way into clusterfuckery.
ugggh, braces. i had to have them twice growing up, once in middle school (no biggie, we were all brace-faced then) and once when i was a freshman in college (talk about total insecurity). since then, i've been horrible about wearing my retainer and therefor could probably use another go just to get my bite pack in alignment. sheesh! i hope august gets his father's genes in the dental department. the man has had zero cavities and never wore braces. invisalign has been attracting my attention, but the thought of dropping that kind of money gives me cold sweats.
You won't believe it, but I'm currently thinking about embracing Invisilign too! It was amazing and really insightful to read about your experience. I have not one, but two teeth bidding "GIRL BYE" to their neighbours. My mouth is too small. I'm looking forward to my next dentist appointment to make a decision.
I have had some major tooth related trauma in my life. My upper jaw is small and my teeth are big, but instead of crowding, they grew outwards and stuck out horribly when I was little. As a result I had to have braces, but they made me feel even more awkward and I was always in stage performances in those days. It was horrible feeling like the ugly duckling.
I also had major hate for my orthodontist. He was cranky and scary and not the type of person I wanted to be fiddling around in my mouth telling me what I should be doing with my teeth. In hindsight, I should've asked my mum to take me to another one, but I was young and it didn't occur to me.
I love the idea of invisalign, but apparently it wouldn't work for me because my teeth aren't technically crooked.
I have to add though, that my orthodontist was the best! He was an older gentleman with glasses and a grey ponytail, and he was goofy as all hell. His assistants always had cartoon scrubs on, and the atmosphere there was very calm and relaxing. I loved it!
I do not miss having to carry my toothbrush and toothpaste everywhere. Or having limited snacking abilities. But I have to tell you, I drank tea and coffee while I was wearing my trays. They yellowed (tea was actually worse than coffee for that) so I would never do it with my retainer. But when the trays were about to get replaced, I totally didn't care.
That's you! My Invisalign guru and temporary therapist, haha. I can't thank you enough!
seriously, who makes having the journey to having invisible orthodontia sound so adorable and fun?
That's okay, Gary Oldman. I understand that you were too distracted by realizing I was your "one that got away" that you couldn't type correctly. I don't blame you, Gary Oldman.


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Top 5 Foretellers and Their Key Prophecies
5. Wolf Messing
In fifth place we will put the famous Soviet Jew. Who was rather a very good psychologist and mentalist. He gave whole concerts for "believers" in themselves.
His main prediction for the 21st century can be considered the transformation of the United States into a second-rate state.
4. Edgar Cayce
An American medium who made his prophecies in a state of trance. Created thousands of pages of text about the future, which he saw in a "dream". All his predictions are carefully kept in the archives of the CIA.
His key word was that the Urals would save everyone in times of global cataclysms.
3. Grigory Rasputin
The most mysterious person in history. He had a colossal influence on the fate of Russia and the whole world, while remaining in the shadows. Neither a priest nor a sorcerer. He himself did not fully understand who he was, but he left his mark in the prophecies for us.
"People are heading towards disaster. The most inept will drive the wagon in Russia, and in France, and in Italy, and in other places … "(c)
2. Nostradamus
One of the most famous prophets. The French soothsayer, with the help of his quatrains, encrypted messages for 2500 years ahead.
In the near future, according to him, we are waiting for hunger, devastation and the Third World War.
1. Vanga
Well, where without Vanga? Pillar of prophetic thought. Bulgarian, who is generally the most powerful predictor in the entire history of civilization. She left predictions until 3797. Oh, if only mankind hadn't killed themselves before…
For the near future, her key prediction can be considered the discovery of an alternative energy source that will turn the world upside down.
Bible prophecy: a brief overview, predictions about the end of the world and three fulfilled prophecies (8 photos)
Prophecies for America's Future
What the Jewish prophet Gaon predicted for Russia
Next story 10 amazing prophecies of Bill Gates. Half of them have already come true
Previous story The prediction of the famous sorcerer from Komi: "… there will be no men left on the planet"
Noah Novak named the name of the President of the United States in 2030 (3 photos)
Juna's predictions for Russia for 2020
Wolf Messing predicted the prosperity of Russia in 2020 and told how the Third World War will begin (4 photos)
World War III and human cloning. What predictions of Grigory Rasputin would be better never come true?
What awaits us in the future, according to the blessed Matrona of Moscow?
Elder Vladislav Shumov's unknown predictions about Russia and the world


Tim Peterson is Moose Lake's new city administrator.
Tim Peterson, Moose Lake's new city administrator, spent just a few days on his new job when floodwaters threatened to swamp homes and businesses.
"There is nothing like a flood to get one out to meet people and introduce yourself to the community," he said in a recent interview. "Something like that puts you out there in a hurry."
Along with meeting residents and others who were helping to protect homes and businesses from the floodwaters along the lakeshore and river, Peterson found himself a spokesperson when he was interviewed by TV news crews.
"I was a media representative," he said. "I had to speak for the city."
Peterson described the process he was involved in as emergency response personnel made plans to minimize damage from the rising waters.
"The mayor and I initially met with the emergency response team," Peterson explained. "And we met with the residents to let them know what to expect and let them know we were there.
"I pitched in whenever I could. I helped pull equipment out of a flooded building and met with legislators and the lieutenant governor the same day."
Peterson said this was the first time he met Lt. Gov. Tina Smith, Sen. Tony Lourey and Rep. Mike Sundin.
"It was great to have them here," he said. "It is great to have representation become part of the recovery phase. They saw the damage and they let people know they are here to help."
Peterson has small town roots.
"I grew up in Somerset, Wisconsin," he said. "It is located right across the river from Stillwater. There are a lot of country and rock concerts in Somerset. That little town grows exponentially during those events.
"When the concerts are over, a convey drives across the Stillwater bridge."
After Peterson graduated from high school in Somerset, he came to Duluth to attend college at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), he said.
He was living in an apartment on campus at UMD when there was a knock on his door one day.
"I don't even remember what she came for," he said, "but there stood the gal who lived right across the hall from me."
The two later married and now have two children - Jackson is 9 and Layla is 4.
The Petersons are very involved in their children's sports activities and both are coaches.
"I coach Jackson's basketball, baseball, flag football and football teams," said Peterson. "He has grown increasingly interested in playing sports and swimming.
"Janel, my wife, is in her first year of coaching Layla's tee-ball team."
Peterson explained that Janel is in Health Information Management for The College of St. Scholastica and a company from South Dakota.
The couple found a lot of people involved in children's sports.
"It's eye-opening to be a coach," said Peterson. "There is a lot of effort from a lot of people for the young ones."
The couple has owned a home in Esko for three years. He said there are a lot of similarities between the two communities.
"Moose Lake reminds me of Esko as far as the people go," he said. "Moose Lake people are very involved in their community and proud of their sports."
Peterson's last position was as deputy clerk for the city of Proctor for three and a half years.
"Proctor and Moose Lake are similar in size in population," he said. "The size of the staffing is pretty similar but there are additional operations in Moose Lake: the library and the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)."
Peterson said he has been interested in moving into a different position.
"I've been looking forward to this kind of position for a while," he said. "This position is a great fit for me; I hope the residents feel the same. The communities have a lot of similarities."
Peterson has felt welcome in his new position.
"It's going really well," he said. "All of the staff has been great. We are working on budgets and sewer issues and we will be having contract negotiations. Hopefully, we can go forward with something.
"This is a nice community to live and work in. I hope we can continue that."
Peterson extended an invitation to the residents of Moose Lake. "If anyone has any ideas or anything that they need to discuss, come and see me," he said. "I'm always available."
Contact Peterson at (218) 485-4010 or at tpeterson@ci.mooselake.mn.us.


text:
Guaidó calls for more protests despite Maduro's defiance and other stories
By Harvey Baldwin on May 1, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )
Guaidó calls for more protests despite Maduro's defiance
Poster showing support for Nicolas Maduro
Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro claims to have defeated what he called a military coup attempt by the opposition leader, Juan Guaido.
Mr. Guaidó has appealed for his supporters to take to the streets of Venezuela again today.
Yesterday's clashes resulted in more than 100 injuries.
Nicolás Maduro says his troops stood firm against what he described as Donald Trump's 'unhinged imperialist gang'.
Mr. Guaidó has been formally recognised as interim leader of Venezuela by more than 50 countries, including the UK, United States and most Latin American countries.
Campaigners lose challenge against Heathrow
Heathrow Airport
Plans for a third runway at London Heathrow have been approved by the government despite challenges from local campaigners.
Local authorities and nearby residents argued that the government's National Policy Statement (NPS) failed to account for the impact on air quality, climate change, noise and congestion.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling's lawyers said the legal challenge had been 'premature', as they would have the opportunity to make representations at a later stage in the development process.
Vanishing Free cash machines
Cash machine charging for withdrawal. Photo Credit : Sofie Strøbeck
Numbers of free-to-use cash machines are rapidly declining across the UK, according to a new study by Which?
Approximately 1,700 machines started charging for withdrawals in the first three months of the year, with the majority starting to charge in March.
Leading operators, Cardtronics and NoteMachine, are both likely to put a charge on more of their machines by the end of this year.
The changes come after a reduction in the fee that operators receive from banks each time an ATM is used.
Which says this could result in the country losing around 13% of its free ATMs in only a few months.
Police left injured after Ajax stun Tottenham
Dutch giants Ajax defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at the new White Hart Lane last night, but the battle continued off the pitch in the streets of London.
The two sets of fans brawled on High Road in north London on Tuesday night, with sections of both supporters throwing glass bottles and street cones.
Nine arrests were made last night before the game had kicked off in an attempt to contain the spread of disorder.
The violence after the game resulted in three officers being treated for injuries.
#Haringey
Semi-final #Tottenham and Dutch side #Ajax football supporters launch glass bottles and cones at each other in the middle of High Road, #N17 leaving some taking cover behind a bus stop.
Scotland Yard say three police officers have been injured.
Video: @jalahil pic.twitter.com/FQ2KPHYX4U
— London 999 Feed (@999London) April 30, 2019
Spurs will travel to Amsterdam for the second leg next Wednesday where police will be on high alert.
Categories: News, Politics - International, Politics- Parliamentary, Sport
Tagged as: Ajax, Cash machines, injured, Juan Guaido, Nicolas Maduro, police, Spurs, Venezuela
US opposition to Huawei's 5G plan and other stories
Julian Assange sentenced to prison and other stories


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CEDA have identified the cause of this issue and are seeking to resolve this later this week and we will update users when this service is fully functional again.
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text:
Lawmakers, local officials spar over property tax plan
Asher Price @asherprice
Feb 6, 2019 at 12:06 PM Feb 7, 2019 at 10:15 AM
State lawmakers and local officials sparred Wednesday over one of the legislative session's marquee proposals — one that would provide tax relief to homeowners and could hamstring city and county budgets.
"Tax rates need to come down," said Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, chairman of the Senate Property Tax Committee.
Senate Bill 2, which, after more than 12 hours of testimony on Wednesday was left pending in committee, would require taxing districts to get voter approval for property tax increases that lead to collections that are more than 2.5 percent higher than those in the previous year.
The current rollback rate is 8 percent.
In a committee room largely in favor of the proposal — taxpayers who made the trip to Austin cheered at testimony about how the legislation would cut tax revenue growth and shine a light on revenue collections — some of the financial officers and elected officials were the anti-heroes.
Officials from Dallas, San Antonio, McKinney and El Paso said any shortfall in property tax revenue would have consequences for everything from salaries and hiring of police officers to pothole filling.
The dichotomy sometimes led to prickly exchanges with the Republican-dominated committee.
After Elizabeth Reich, financial officer of Dallas, said the proposed property caps would save the average Dallas homeowner 15 cents a day — and cost the city $32 million a year, or the equivalent of 358 police officers — state Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, responded with a hint of dubiousness.
He asked Reich whether $32 million out of a $1.36 billion budget would "cause a mighty cut in police and fire."
"I'd have to look at staffing cuts in safety," she repeated.
Bettencourt, a professional tax consultant who maintained good humor while displaying a full command of a range of property tax statistics, cajoled, lectured and razzed some of the officials before him.
An official with the Panhandle city of Canyon worried how a 2.5 percent cap would harm his city budget.
The cap under consideration would not apply to cities and counties with less than $15 million in combined property and sales tax revenue.
Bettencourt took a swipe since the city of Canyon is exempt: "Why did you at government expense come down here?"
The official, Cody Jones, a city commissioner, shot back that the legislation could change and his city might not be exempt from the final version.
"Several people testified we should be covered," he observed.
But other local officials supported the bill.
Chris Hill, county judge of Collin County, says that local officials who say SB 2 doesn't allow them to overcome challenges "are mistaken."
Over 93 percent of 3,000 constituents he's heard from support the legislation, Hill said.
And Ellen Troxclair, formerly an Austin City Council member, now on the staff of the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, said, "Local governments do not need all of this additional revenue in order to keep up with growth.
"In fact, the exact opposite is true," she continued. "Fast-growing cities like Austin are shoveling in new revenue each year from new construction, sales taxes, development fees and other revenue that bolsters city coffers. The city of Austin brought in nearly $50 million more than last year before raising property taxes a single penny. And, yet, they've turned back to the residents for nearly 8 percent tax increases a shocking eight out of the last 12 years."
Millennial pitch
Bettencourt opened the hearing by arguing that the bill would open up home ownership to younger Texans.
He said that he recently drove by a starter home he had once owned — and realized how out of reach it might be for people now looking for a similar property.
He had purchased the home three decades ago for $139,000 and sold it 10 years later for $148,000. Now it's worth $448,000.
The tax rates had not come down, he said, making the cost of home ownership impossible for millennials, roughly defined as people currently in their 20s and early 30s.
"We're not talking rocket science here," he said. "As values go up, tax rates need to come down."
"I don't want to make a decision that boxes out millennials because they weren't in the right place, and baby boomers and Gen Xers are," he said.
Addiction to money?
Rod Lanton, a Euless resident who traveled to Austin with his wife, both of whom were wearing buttons that said "2.5" told the American-Statesman that "something has to be done about the government's addiction to money."
"It's always the claim of a drug addict," he said of the arguments of local officials. "They say they can't see a way of operating their business without money."
Lanton, a 61-year-old retired computer programmer, said his three-bedroom home in Euless has increased in value from $104,000 in 1993 to $250,000 today — and he said his tax bill has risen $600 in the last year.
State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, the committee's sole Democrat, suggested he might be open to a proposal to tamp down rising appraisals.
"Property taxes really support cities and counties," he said — while adding that some kind of tax relief is necessary.
Property owners are "suffocating under the current system we have," said Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, another member of the committee.
An identical bill has been filed in the Texas House.


text:
What do others see in gold?
The battle of $1,200 gold seems to be going on. What is it about round numbers that rivets our attention?
It should not matter whether gold closes today at $1,200 or $1,199, but you can bet that it will matter.
Huge inferences will be made about its future path. Wait and see.
I was lingering over the www.Kitco.com website this morning. It seemed like the thing to do.
I studied a chart that shows the price of gold expressed in other world currencies.
A British investor's gold is worth 734.71 pounds sterling. This figure has no appeal to round-number buffs.
The euro zone price of gold is 876.73 euros, also a number that inspires no thoughts of importance.
Gold buyers in India are much closer to a round number. The price expressed there comes to 74,272.25 rupees.
Chinese buyers are probably the most important ones on the planet currently. Their price is 7,284.91 yuan, which looks like nothing but a routine number.
Japanese investors will see gold close to a round number. It is 124,861.97 yen.
Australians see gold's value as $1,343.62.
What does all this mean? Perhaps only that it is good information for a slow pre-holiday business day.
We Americans sometimes forget that factors influencing the price of precious metals extend far beyond what goes on in the United States.
Check out the website and draw your own conclusions.
I will return to the office to write my next blog on Thursday.
Buzz blogger Dave Harper is winner of the 2013 Numismatic Literary Guild Award for Best Blog and is editor of the weekly newspaper "Numismatic News."
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What did those gold coins do to me?
Are you supposed to be a gold coin collector? From all of the precious metal headlines, you would think that nearly all of us would be, but in fact the opposite is the case. Most of us are not cut out for it.
By Dave Harper Apr 15, 2013
Believe what you see?
Others do not love gold as we collectors do
Whatever else we think about gold,
What do these numbers mean?
By Dave Harper Jul 28, 2016
What can the Mint do?
By Dave Harper Jan 30, 2009
What do you do without TV?
By Dave Harper Nov 5, 2007
What do you think the price will be?
Do you know what osmium is?


The big question on all market participant's minds is will the charter market continue in the same vein as the last few months and keep moving ever upwards or will it stagnate with the summer season upon us. In general we feel the summer slowdown will impact the market in terms of activity, however we expect limited impact upon rates in most market sectors. However, we do expect the rate disparity between the Asian market and the Atlantic market to widen with the summer slowdown hitting the European market harder.
In the last month we have seen significant increases in all sizes however most activity in recent weeks has been reserved for the 2500-2800 teu sizes. In Asia the 2800 teu sizes have reached usd 13000 for period with the reported fixture of the Irenes Remedy and in the mid usd 12000s for the 2500 teu ships. These sizes are now much closer to parity on a slot cost basis with the 3500 teu ships which are now fixing in the mid usd 16000s, as with the fixture of the Praia.
The Atlantic market is somewhat quieter and the rates are slightly lower. A few ships in the Atlantic have fixed empty containers towards Asia at discount rates. Liner companies have been keen to address the equipment imbalance with trade managers crying out for more containers in Asia and owners are seeking the higher rates and improved fixing opportunities in Asia.
The 1700 teu sizes have been relatively quiet however the market seems balanced with only a few ships coming open and limited demand in evidence. Rates for 1700 teu ships in Asia are around the usd 8000 level with owners of larger Wenchong versions pushing for mid usd 8000s. The same story is true of the 1000 teu feeder sizes with limited good specification ships available.
On the 4000 teu plus market, CSAV were again active securing high reefer ships for dedicated services, paying a rumoured usd 24000 x 24 months for 3 x Santa "R" types. Otherwise the market was somewhat quiet but again primarily due to a lack of ships available to be discussed.


Taste the 'real Chicago' with a comprehensive tour of the city's most popular and essential highlights. Tour the world-famous 'loop', stride along State Street, wander the pretty Lakefront path, check-out the new Millennium Park and take in must-see sights like Grant Park and Museum Campus. Travel along Lake Shore South Shore Drives before enjoying a real Chicago style pizza at one of the most popular downtown restaurants. Available daily.
Get to know the city as the sun sets by gliding for two hours through beautiful parks to the city's most interesting sites. Tour highlights you'll see along the way include the Field Museum, Adler Planetarium, Grant Park, Buckingham Fountain, Lake Michigan Lakefront, Monroe Harbour, Soldier Field and of course, Chicago's amazing skyline. Available daily. Minimum age 12 years.
Experience the best of Chicago with CityPASS, which includes VIP admission to the most iconic attractions in the city. Valid for 9 consecutive days starting with the first day of use, there's no need to rush through each attraction. Featured attractions and inclusions are Shedd Aquarium; Field Museum & Underground Adventure; Skydeck Chicago; your choice of The Adler Planetarium or Art Institute of Chicago; and your choice of 360 Chicago or the Museum of Science and Industry. Available daily.


Counselors will begin meeting with all seniors individually next week to discuss plans for after high school.
Seniors should complete a Senior Questionnaire and Resume in Naviance if they have not already done so.
Discover Duke- regional event for students to learn more about Duke University 9/24/18. Register Here.
DePaul University Regional Reception 9/25/18- for students interested in learning more about DePaul. Register Here.
Miami University Bridges Program- overnight experience for high achieving high school seniors from historically underrepresented populations or who have a commitment to promoting a deeper understanding of and appreciation for diversity. Apply Here.
Members of Congress may nominate candidates for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy, West Point, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. If interested in being nominated, students must complete a nomination interest form. Learn More.