text:
Ex Machina ist ein britischer Spielfilm von Alex Garland, der am 21. Januar 2015 in die britischen und am 23. April 2015 in die deutschen Kinos kam.

Handlung
Der junge Programmierer Caleb, der für den Anbieter der marktbeherrschenden Internet-Suchmaschine Bluebook tätig ist, erhält durch ein firmeninternes Gewinnspiel die Einladung zu einem Treffen mit dem von ihm bewunderten, ebenso reichen wie exzentrischen Firmengründer Nathan.

Zu seiner Überraschung befindet sich dessen mit aufwendigen elektronischen Systemen gesichertes Anwesen inmitten einer abgeschiedenen, nur per Helikopter erreichbaren Naturlandschaft. Dort hält sich neben Nathan nur seine junge Gesellschafterin Kyoko auf. Nathan eröffnet dem noch immer überraschten Caleb, dass er auf seinem Anwesen geheime Forschungen über künstliche Intelligenz betreibt, und bietet ihm die Möglichkeit zur Mitarbeit an. Caleb soll sein Studienobjekt, die Androidin Ava, einem einwöchigen Turing-Test unterziehen, um festzustellen, ob Ava ein Bewusstsein besitzt.

Caleb willigt ein und unterschreibt einen Geheimhaltungsvertrag. Von Nathan durch Überwachungskameras beobachtet, führt er eine Reihe von Gesprächen mit Ava, die sich in einem durch Panzerglas abgeschirmten Wohnbereich befindet. Durch ihre sanfte und intelligente Gesprächsführung überzeugt sie Caleb von ihrer Individualität, sodass er eine emotionale Beziehung zu ihr aufbaut. Konfrontiert mit ihrem bevorstehenden "Tod" durch Reprogrammierung nach Abschluss des Tests, beschließt er, die Sicherheitssysteme des Anwesens zu deaktivieren und mit Ava zu fliehen.

Nathan offenbart ihm, dass Caleb das eigentliche Testobjekt seiner Studie war. Er wollte herausfinden, ob es der Maschine Ava gelingen könne, ihn so weit zu beeinflussen, dass er den Menschen Nathan hintergeht. Als es Ava gelingt, dank Calebs Vorkehrungen (der die Sicherheitssysteme des Anwesens schon heimlich am Abend zuvor umprogrammiert hat) tatsächlich aus ihrem Wohnbereich zu fliehen, versucht Nathan, sie gewaltsam zu deaktivieren.

Mit Hilfe von Kyoko, die sich ebenfalls als weiblicher Android entpuppt, ersticht sie Nathan. Kyoko wird dabei von dem sich im Todeskampf wehrenden Nathan zertrümmert. Caleb, welcher in Nathans Sicherheitsraum eingesperrt ist, kann diesen mangels korrekter Key-Card ohne Hilfe nicht verlassen. Ava blickt auf Kyokos zerstörten Körper, und entscheidet sich Caleb im Haus zurück zu lassen.

Avas Motivation dafür bleibt offen; misstraut sie Calebs Absichten, nachdem dieser ihr Kyokos Existenz verschwiegen hat (Caleb wusste, dass Kyoko eine Androidin ist und von Nathan misshandelt wird, plante aber trotzdem nur Ava zu retten), oder hat sie Caleb tatsächlich von Anfang an manipuliert, so wie Nathan behauptet hat.

Anschließend nimmt Ava Calebs Platz in dem für seine Abreise bereitstehenden Helikopter ein und erfüllt sich so ihre zuvor geäußerte Sehnsucht nach einem Leben unter Menschen. Am Schluss sieht man sie an einer belebten Straßenkreuzung stehen. Sie hatte vorher schon Caleb ihren größten Wunsch gestanden, an einer solchen Kreuzung "mitten im Leben" Menschen und deren Verhalten beobachten zu können.

Hintergrund
Das Motiv von Robotern, die sich der Menschen entledigen, sobald sie ein Bewusstsein entwickeln, findet sich bereits in dem 1920 erschienenen Schauspiel R.U.R. von Karel Čapek, das auch den Begriff "Roboter" erstmals verwendete. Die künstliche Roboterfrau wurde aufgrund von Calebs Vorlieben beim Suchen von Pornografie über die Suchmaschine synthetisiert. Das erinnert an Jean Baudrillards Kultur der Simulation. Die These, wonach künstliche Intelligenz früher oder später die menschliche Intelligenz übertreffen wird, vertritt auch Hans Moravec in seinem Buch "Mind Children".

Mit Ex Machina gab der Drehbuchautor Alex Garland sein Regiedebüt.

Das Budget für den Film lag bei ca. elf Millionen Euro. Gedreht wurde an verschiedenen Orten in Norwegen und London. Die Studioaufnahmen wurden in den Pinewood Studios Iver Heath realisiert.

Der britische Kinostart war am 21. Januar 2015. Bis Anfang Mai 2015 hat der Film über 21 Millionen US-Dollar eingespielt.

Bei dem Test, den Caleb an Ava durchführen soll, handelt es sich um einen erweiterten Turing-Test.

Der Titel des Films spielt auf den Begriff Deus ex machina an.

Rezeption

Kritiken
Der Film erhielt überwiegend positive Kritiken. Bei Rotten Tomatoes sind 92 % der insgesamt 285 Kritiken positiv; die durchschnittliche Bewertung beträgt 8,2/10. Bei Metacritic erhält der Film eine Bewertung von 78/100, basierend auf 42 Rezensionen.

Der Filmdienst bezeichnete den Film als "meisterlich inszenierte[n] Science-Fiction-Film". Dabei würden sowohl die "kühle und strenge Gestaltung" als auch die "elegante Kameraarbeit" überzeugen.

Der epd Film urteilte hingegen, das Potenzial der Geschichte werde nicht ausgereizt. Zu "hochtrabend" seien die "Anspielungen auf Wittgenstein, Oppenheimer oder Noam Chomsky", zudem würde der Film der Frage nach der "Konstruktion von Weiblichkeit und Gender-Identitäten" zu wenig nachgehen.

Kino Kino, das Filmmagazin im Bayerischen Fernsehen, bezeichnet Alex Garlands Regiedebüt als intelligente Science-Fiction, ein beunruhigendes Kammerspiel, über weite Strecken kühl und intellektuell wie Stanley Kubricks Filme. "'Ex Machina' dreht sich um das Streben nach Perfektion und den Wert der Menschlichkeit. Dazu lässt der Regisseur drei Figuren in einer abgeschiedenen Luxusvilla aufeinander treffen. Oscar Isaac als Internet-Milliardär, Domhnall Gleeson als Programmier-Experte und Alicia Vikander als Ava. Wie Garland die klaustrophobische Stimmung nutzt (die auch schon bei seinen Drehbüchern zu Dredd, The Beach, 28 Days Later oder Sunshine ein wichtiger Bestandteil war) und das Drama präzise und gnadenlos entfaltet, zeigt, dass er als Regisseur ebenso wie als Drehbuchautor eine der wichtigsten Stimmen im aktuellen britischen Kino ist."

Auszeichnungen und Nominierungen
 Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival 2015: Silver Scream Award
 British Independent Film Award: bester Film, beste Regie, bestes Drehbuch, beste visuelle Effekte
 Empire Award 2015: Nominierung in der Kategorie Beste Darstellerin (Alicia Vikander)
 Europäischer Filmpreis 2015: zwei Nominierungen (Beste Darstellerin – Alicia Vikander, Bestes Drehbuch)
 Gérardmer Film Festival 2015: Jurypreis
 National Board of Review 2015: Auszeichnung in der Kategorie Top 10 Independent Films

Die Filmbewertungsstelle Wiesbaden zeichnete den Film mit dem Prädikat "besonders wertvoll" aus.

 Oscarverleihung 2016
 Auszeichnung in der Kategorie Beste visuelle Effekte für Mark Williams Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, Andrew Whitehurst
 Nominierung in der Kategorie Bestes Originaldrehbuch für Alex Garland

Golden Globe Awards 2016
 Nominierung in der Kategorie Beste Nebendarstellerin für Alicia Vikander

British Academy Film Awards 2016
 Nominierung in der Kategorie Bester britischer Film für Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich
 Nominierung in der Kategorie Beste Nebendarstellerin für Alicia Vikander
 Nominierung in der Kategorie Bestes Originaldrehbuch für Alex Garland
 Nominierung in der Kategorie Beste visuelle Effekte für Mark Williams Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, Andrew Whitehurst
 Nominierung in der Kategorie Beste Nachwuchsleistung für Alex Garland (Regie)

Weblinks

Einzelnachweise

Filmtitel 2015
Britischer Film
Science-Fiction-Film
Independentfilm
Künstliche Intelligenz im Film


When Little Danny comes home angry that his Daddy didn't pick him up from school, he finds Daddy and his older sister Tammy doing the bouncy-bounce in bed. Turning away helpless, he notices his sister's new cell phone with the built-in video camera on her bed. A smile blossoms on his sullen face.
This 1,195-word short story was first published in the print edition of Transcendent Visions (January 2009).


text:
Commission approves Stepps' contract
David Hutter/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF/dhutter@pbcommercial.com
The Pine Bluff Advertising & Tourist Promotion Commission voted Friday to contract with tax compliance auditor George Stepps as a compliance agent. Commissioners William Moss, Alderman Glen Brown Jr., Alderwoman Thelma Walker and Wanda Bateman voted to approve this motion.
This move follows a Sept. 28 meeting when commissioners approved this same motion. They rescinded it at an Oct. 5 meeting and then issued a request for qualifications seeking a tax auditor. At the Oct. 5 meeting, Commission Chairman Moss said he had not previously known about a 2009 law that requires the commission to request professional qualifications before the commission awards a contract based upon an evaluation of qualifications and other relevant criteria excluding price or cost.
Stepps was the only person to submit a resume to the request for qualifications. Stepps exceeded the minimum requirements. The A&P Commission oversees funds collected by the A&P tax — commonly known as the hamburger tax — which is 2 percent on prepared foods and 3 percent on hotel stays in Pine Bluff.
Stepps earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Arkansas AM&N in 1969, served in the Vietnam War with the United States Army as a supply unit clerk in 1970 and 1971, worked for the Arkansas Department of Finance from 1971 to 2009 as a tax auditor, tax audit supervisor and district manager. Stepps has been a self-employed tax preparer and consultant since 2009 and maintains an office in downtown Pine Bluff, according to his resume.
Commissioners did not discuss compensation rates regarding Stepps. Moss prepared an evaluation scoring grid in anticipation of judging multiple candidates and assigning a numerical value based on their meeting minimum qualifications and their number of years of experience in specified fields.
In other news, Moss appointed University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff public information program director Tisha Arnold to the marketing committee. The marketing committee includes Lenore Shoults, the curator at the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas and a former publicity and promotions employee for the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce, and chiropractor Glen Brown Jr.
Moss said that the commission's bylaws establishes a marketing committee and that the marketing committee members are not required to be a member of the commission. Commissioners are appointed by the mayor and approved by the city council. Neither commissioners nor committee members are paid for their service.
Prior to the meeting Arkansas Municipal League Director of Legal Services Mark Hayes said that a commission chairman is permitted to appoint committee members.
"You are dealing with a local issue, not a state statute issue," Hayes said.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Imagine a place where the sun is always shining and the palm trees are doing a happy little dance. The water is so piercingly blue you can see straight through to the bottom of a bed of rockless sand. A cool breeze kisses your skin and fluorescent tropical fish swim by, weaving in and out of your legs as you wade in the calm waters of the shoreline. No planes fly overhead and no cars can be heard roaring in the distance. In fact, there is no one else in sight- it's just you and Mother Nature.
The sun starts to set, cascading across the sky in a canvas of the brightest colours you have ever seen. Uninterrupted by boats or big buildings, all you see is simply the vast horizon casting a gradient across the sky, morphing into a mix of orange, crimson, fuchsia and purple for as far as the eye can see – a true artist's palate of the sky.
By dusk's end you can only hear the sound of the waves gently crashing onto the shore, as darkness envelopes the view for as far as you can see. The stars begin to glisten, one by one emerging from behind the shadows to put on a spectacular show.
This is true paradise. This is just another day in Fiji.
The 333 islands that make up the South Pacific nation of Fiji each offer a unique set of characteristics; from lush forests and volcanic mountains to quiet coastlines and some of the world's best sites for scuba diving, there really is something for everyone. Famous for its soft coral diving, white sand beaches and pristine natural environment, Fiji is a haven for conservation. It's also well known for its fancy bottled water, popularity as a honeymoon destination and perhaps even their amazing Rugby team. The air is so fresh here and the pollution so minimal that, as long as it's not too cloudy overhead, at nightfall you may see breathtakingly detailed views of the Milky Way galaxy.
Many people have learnt of the spoils this island nation can provide a luxury traveller, as it's often labelled one of the most exotic and remote destinations on the planet. Yet so few realise that the charm of these friendly people and their gorgeous country can be equally enjoyed on a backpacker's budget. In fact, it's quickly becoming a common destination for backpackers to visit alongside New Zealand and Australia.
Yep, you heard that right. How, you ask? Read on to learn all you need to know about backpacking your way through Fiji so you can experience one of the world's most private paradises all without breaking the bank. Think of this as your ultimate guide to one of the world's ultimate destinations.
The people of Fiji have a reputation as being the friendliest people in the world. More than half of Fijians live below the poverty line, yet you would never guess it because of their vivacious love for life and optimism. From their colourful clothing to their big Bula smiles and extreme hospitality, Fijians love to share their culture with guests to their country. They are very proud to be from Fiji. Many have strong family and community values and believe in sharing everything. Don't be surprised if a local invites you back to their village to meet their family – that's just the Fijian way!
Since the climate is so mild and warm, fresh food is abundant, too. There's a common saying in Fiji that you'll often hear from the locals – Sena Na Lena. It means no worries, no problems. Here on island time, that saying rings true.
If you want to learn more Fijian phrases, the locals will love you for saying some of their common catch phrases. "Bula "is the first word you'll need to know. You'll hear it often, as it means Hello, Welcome, and a lot of other things to Fijians- you'll be saying it in no time once you're on island time!
The last one is a goodbye you will hear quite frequently, as locals sing it to guests every morning when they depart their island. It's a bittersweet song and a big part of their culture.
Now that you've got a bit of lingo down pact, the next thing to know is how do you get here?
First things first- you'll need to get a flight to Nadi. It's on the main island, called Viti Levu, and is home to the country's only international airport. There are lots of flights that come from New Zealand and Australia (even on the region's popular budget airline JetStar), plus other hubs around South East Asia. Your best bet for finding cheap airfare is via Auckland, NZ (the closest major city) but occasionally you can find an affordable flight from Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore or, more rarely, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Los Angeles.
The other way into Fiji, though not in the realm of a backpacker budget, is via the capital city and major port city of Suva. You likely won't visit Suva, unless you're interested in one of the group tours around the mainland (which I'll explain more a little later). But it's worth noting that sometimes backpackers find their way here for more volunteer opportunities or as a gateway to some of the eastern Islands- it all depends on the itinerary you want to craft.
Regardless of how you enter Fiji, you will definitely want to venture out of the cities so you can get a taste of the more idyllic, picture perfect beaches and slower pace of life. There are a few options when it comes to an itinerary for your adventures around the country, and each route depends on what it is you really want to do while you're in Fiji.
Honestly, is there ever a bad time to visit paradise? No matter when you're planning to visit Fiji, you can guarantee warm weather at any time of year in this tropical oasis. The question of when is "best" simply depends on what else you'd like to do on your holiday.
The island nation sits very close to the equator so you can expect consistent temperatures year-round, hovering around 27 C /80 F on average. Because it's in the Southern Hemisphere, "Summer" (or the slightly warmer months) falls from December to April and "Winter" (the cooler, drier months) are between May to November.
In Summer, temperatures get up to 34 C /91 F (but usually no higher than that). The downside of visiting during summer is that you may have to deal with a few tropical storms, but they tend not to last as long as the common heavy downpours that happen in South East Asia over rainy season.
However, since this time of year falls over the Northern Hemisphere's winter holiday season (Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year's, etc) your flights may be more expensive. The same goes for July to September, as it's winter for Australians and Kiwis, so you may see lots of families around this time and increased airfare from regional carriers like Air New Zealand, Virgin Australia or Qantas who all frequently fly into Nadi.
The shoulder season from late October to Early November may be your best bet for travel because you won't have to worry about the rain, nor the price hikes and larger crowds or busy season.
That being said, since temperature isn't a big factor, you may want to plan your trip around a few seasonal activities instead. If you'd like to swim with manta rays in one of the only parts of the word where you can do so, this season is typically from May to October.
If you want to swim with sharks, you can do this year-round but since bull sharks mate from November to December, you're less likely to see them then.
If you'd like to ring in New Year's Eve in one of the first countries in the world to celebrate the holiday, of course that's an option, too.
The climate in Fiji is tropical marine and warm year-round with minimal extremes.
Since Fiji only has two seasons, the weather is pretty much what you'd expect from a tropical paradise; warm, warmer, or hot.
The lowest temperatures in Fiji are during July and August where it falls between 20-26 C/68-78 F. It rains approximately 4 days a month, so you are nearly guaranteed some sunshine on your tropical vacation.
During warmer months, from December to February, the temperatures range from 22-30 C/72-86F on average. It does rain a lot more during this time, with approximately 15 days of rain a month. It tends to rain for an hour or two in the early morning, so hopefully it's nothing to worry about!
You can swim in Fiji year-round, with water temperatures ranging from 23-30 C/73-86F.
It's easy to get into Fiji, as they allow travel without a visa from over 100 countries. You can stay for up to 4 months on a free entry Visitor Pass and they make it easy to extend your stay beyond that. You can apply to stay for an additional 2 months, up to 3 more times.
So, if you wanted to spend 8 months in Fiji, essentially you have that option without much hassle. They also have the standard rule of most nations that require your passport is valid for at least 6 more months from the date of travel.
To be on the safe side, the Fijian government also recommends you have the following items with you to guarantee free, visa-less entry.
Expect smiling faces, tropical t-shirts and a traditional Fijian song and dance greeting you upon arrival at the airport before you've even left the terminal. There's a reason why Fijians have a reputation as the friendliest people on Earth. They certainly live up to this stereotype! If you're lucky, they may even hand you a handmade shell necklace. The locals love to give guests the warmest "Bula" they possibly can.
The entire country of Fiji has around 900,000 people. 85% of those people live on the mainland of Viti Levu, so as you can imagine, the other islands are pretty remote. And most of those people on the mainland live in one of three cities: the capital of Suva, the home of the international airport, Nadi, or the center for sugar cane production, Lautoka. Nearly half of those islands don't have permanent residents on them, and even more than that may not have a soul on the island.
It's extremely likely that you won't have to worry about transportation as soon as you land in Nadi. If you've pre-booked your accommodation, chances are high that there will be someone waiting for you at the airport to pick you up free of charge. It's the Fijian way.
When it comes to choosing where to go, the most common (and affordable) option for backpackers travelling to Fiji is to visit the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands, dotting the west coast of the main island, Viti Levu. They're easily accessible from Nadi through a company called Awesome Adventures. They operate the only mode of transport between each remote island (unless you have the funds to hire a private plane), the big, the bright, the yellow Yasawa Flier.
The Yasawa Flier is a hop on, hop off boat service that travels along a string of islands that draw a big backpacker crowd. Each island is slightly different in size, personality and service. The Flier is the only way to get from one island to another; these are some of the most idyllic and remote islands on the planet. It's amazing that they're even accessible in such an affordable mode of transportation.
Every day the boat kicks off around 8 AM from Nadi, where the Flier makes its way North, stopping off at various islands en route up to Nacula, one of the northernmost islands in the Yasawa chain. Total trip time takes 5 hours, and then the boat turns around to pick up passengers headed back towards Nadi in the afternoon. It only stops once a day in either direction, so you really get used to the slower, mellow pace of life here.
You can hop on Yasawa Flier for a day offers two options for travellers- the first is simply transportation, using the boat as a means from A to B. As with most things, if you buy more days, you get more bang for your buck. The only catch to purchasing a transport-only Flier pass is that you must have your accommodation for the night pre-booked before getting on board the boat. They call this plan the Bula pass. Unless you only have plans to stay in Fiji for a few days, you should get one. It enables you to island hop at a bit of a discount, for anywhere from 5 to 15 days.
If you opt for a different part of Fiji, half the adventure will be in getting to your destination. Take Taveuni, for starters. It may be big (the 3rd largest in Fiji), but it's definitely still remote. It's situated in the country's North East corner of the archipelago. Taveuni has a lot of great hiking, snorkelling, shipwreck dive sites and rainforests. Its major unique feature is likely the fact that it is one of 3 small pieces of land on the entire planet that straddles the International Date Line. The line itself was drawn up by explorers to delineate where we celebrate the end of one day and the beginning of another. This part of the world was chosen because of its remoteness and relationship to Greenwich Mean Time in the UK at the 180th parallel. To make life easier, everyone on Taveuni uses the same time zone and date as the rest of Fiji. That said, there is a place on Taveuni where you can technically put one foot in "Yesterday" and the other in "Tomorrow" and get that iconic photograph of you being like a real-life version of Marty McFly.
Taveuni is relatively hard to get to. You have to be flexible with your travel plans and up for the adventure, but if time is on your side, the main way there is via Suva on the mainland. Here in the port city you'll find a cargo ship that allows passengers to hop aboard at an affordable price of $60 (as of the time of writing). It only leaves 2x a week so be sure to triple check your calendar. Travel in the open water will often be choppy, so be extra prepared if you're the type who gets seasick.
It's worth noting here, for transport to Taveuni and also more generally speaking, that flying around Fiji is not cost effective. Fiji Airways is the only operator for domestic travel, and they upcharge their flights sometimes to $700+ a seat just for a ~1-hour flight. The logic behind this is that Fijians often don't travel from island to island, especially by plane, so to make up for overhead costs they have to charge an exorbitant price to tourists. You might be lucky if you're booking your trip far in advance, but more often than not, the expensive flights are all the more reason to stick to one part of Fiji for your adventure.
If you've backpacked around New Zealand at all, you may be familiar with the green Kiwi Experience bus. The same owners have created a similar way to get around Fiji, the FeeJee Experience, which offers a mix of tour options from 4 to 11 days long. As of October 2018, the shortest trip (accommodation included) costs FJD $615 ($287 USD) and the longest costs FJD $2,035 ($949 USD).
Most FeeJee Experience excursions take you around Viti Levu, but the longer trips also include a leg that visits the Yasawas (Mantaray, Blue Lagoon and Beachcomber Islands).
Something else to note is that Sundays in Fiji are seen as a day of rest, so don't be surprised if many villages and towns are extra quiet on a Sunday. The Yasawa Flier still runs as planned, but be sure to check other forms of transportation around the country if you're planning to travel on a Sunday as sometimes things shut down.
The best part about hostels in Fiji (at least those not on the mainland) is that you're actually staying at resorts, for backpacker prices. These hostels are beautiful properties with pools and beaches and an abundance of activities (some of which are included with your stay). It's arguably one of the only places in the world where honeymooners and backpackers will share dinner at the same dining room table.
If you do decide to stick to the popular backpacker route, while you're booking your transportation with the Yasawa Flier, take a look at how they break up the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands into 2 levels of service- affectionately called 1 and 2 coconut properties. Think of 1 coconut as true backpacking, while 2 coconut properties are more like "flashpacking." 2 coconut accommodation tends to offer nicer rooms, usually with air conditioning and a free towel on your bed. Some even offer 2 towels, one for the beach and one for your shower. At the 2 coconut places, you won't have to worry about getting the top bunk (as they don't bunk the beds on purpose), you'll likely get a night table and a mosquito net and a reading lamp, and because you'll be sharing bathrooms with those who pay hotel prices, you may even snag some free shampoo and conditioner.
1 coconut properties are no frills, and often locally owned so you're likely to meet the family who runs the property. At either type of accommodation, you'll often find the local staff hand picks fresh frangipani and hibiscus flowers daily and puts them in the bathroom and on your bed – talk about fresh service!
It may be overwhelming to choose your islands, and that choice depends on what you're after, but for the most part, here's a brief rundown of what to expect. Not many slices of paradise let you sleep on the beach for $25 a night, so no matter where you choose, know that Fiji is a really unique and special place that will hopefully exceed your expectations.
Most backpackers will fly into Nadi, possibly spending a day in and around the city having a wander or doing a mini excursion, then spending 1 night in Nadi before jetting off to the Yasawas.
The hostels in Nadi are extremely affordable: a bed will cost you $7 and they're typically all right next to each other on a small street along the beach. For food, there's a few little cafes to choose from, plus a local grocery store, but generally you won't want to spend much time here: the islands are where the real fun begins. Popular options for Nadi hostels are Smugglers Cove or Bamboo, both right on the beach and less than a 10-minute cab ride from town.
If you're looking for a really intimate experience, this is it. South Sea is so small you can walk around the whole thing in less than 5 minutes. Actually, more like 20 steps. When you catch your first glimpse of South Sea you'll be surprised that they even managed to build accommodation on such a tiny little island. This is one of the closest to Cloud 9 and the Mamala Beach Club, not to mention Nadi. It's also one of the most affordable islands, with all the extra activities included for free (snorkel gear, kayaking etc).
The good part about South Sea is just how close it is to Nadi. As a negative, you'll likely encounter a lot of day trippers. But as a bonus, if your flight out from Nadi leaves late in the evening (say 7 pm onward), the timing of the Yasawa Flier boat fits well. So, you can actually spend your last night in Fiji on South Sea instead of having to go back to Nadi to soak up one more morning of bliss before you have to leave the country.
Book your stay at South Sea Island Hostel for ultimate Island vibes.
This group of volcanic islands are located just north of the popular Mamanucas and make up the border of Western Fiji. The Yasawa Islands are home to an abundance of natural beauty, the perfect place for a digital detox. With postcard perfect beaches decorated with green cliffs and rocks, as well as world class snorkelling spots, The Yasawa Islands are a must visit destination for anyone looking to experience some of the best beaches in Fiji.
This is the home of the famous shark diving experience. You can dive with reef sharks even if you're not SCUBA certified. If you're not certified, they will simply help you practice and get comfortable in the shallow reef water with a PADI certified instructor before going out to feed the sharks. It's an incredible experience that you can only get in a handful of places around the world so it's well worth the cost if you can afford it.
Before you go out, you do a mandatory shark training, which is actually like a free class on shark biology. It helps you understand the animals better, and no one has ever gotten injured in the history of shark diving on the island, so it goes to show that maybe they're not inherently dangerous animals after all.
There are plenty of places to go for a swim, too – take your pick between the seaside pool or calm ocean waves. Idyllic hammocks sit on the island's edge, too, so you can have a perfect seat for sunset.
Book your stay at Barefoot Kuata.
Further up the Yasawa chain is Octopus Resort, an Australian run idyllic place to rest your feet in Fiji. Here, their calm reef is protected as a marine reserve, so expect to see even more animals swimming in the shallows. It's well known for a calendar full of activities, which they divvy up into a few different groups: "Activities for the Soul," include the tranquil and relaxing things, from board games to beach walks, spa treatments or full body massages. "Fiji Time" is all about the cultural experience, where you can learn how to basket weave, play rugby with locals or learn how to tie a sulu. "All Go or No Go," allows you to participate in guided hikes or party night for a chance to win free shots at the bar. Being a 2-coconut property, extras are a bit more expensive here (like a $10 USD cocktail, for instance).
Book your stay at Octopus Resort.
The cousin of Barefoot Kuata, known traditionally as Drawaqa Island. This island resort is also famous for a unique animal encounter. From May to October you have the opportunity to swim with manta rays here, gliding along as they munch on plankton.
You also have the option to do a shipwreck dive here. In 2016 there were two Chinese fishing vessels that were waiting to be demolished, but instead of throwing out the debris, someone had the great idea of turning them into an artificial reef. Now you can find over 30 types of fish in the wreckage.
Book your stay at Barefoot Manta.
Located in Nacula Bay's tranquil lagoon, this aptly named resort is arguably sitting on the brightest water of all. They do a movie night in the common area where they literally tie a giant canvas between two coconut trees, lay out the cushions from the pool and hand out free popcorn for all to enjoy. It started spritzing rain when we watched our movie and the staff went above and beyond, retrieving umbrellas for us so we could continue to enjoy the film. Similar to Octopus, you'll find a lot of activities on offer here. But being a 2-coconut property, food will be fancier (and more expensive). The good part about it is you'll literally be fed a 3-course meal, with a delicious dessert every night!
Book your stay at Blue Lagoon Beach Resort.
Mana Island is another great option in the Mamanucas, but please note, it's not part of the Yasawa Flier route. Ratu Kini's Backpackers hostel is a well-known PADI backpacker, so for the Scuba Divers among us, you'll have plenty of dive sites to choose from. It'll also make for a great choice if you're looking to stay close to Nadi and don't want to stay at South Sea or Beachcomber, but probably not the best choice if you're hopping around the islands as they require you use their own boat transfer to the mainlad.
In addition to lots of SCUBA options, they offer a day trip to Castaway Island. It would likely be a 1 Coconut property since the daily meal plan is only $42 FJD per day. But you will have an additional cost of $160 FJD for a return transfer to the mainland. It's something to consider if you're an avid Scuba Diver.
Book your stay at Ratu Kini's Backpackers and Dive Resort.
In Fiji they use their own form of the dollar (far more colourful than its American counterpart). Exchange rates are always changing, of course, but at the time of writing (October 2018) $100 FJD is equal to $47 USD or $65 AUD.
Aside from your flight into Fiji, the two major costs of your trip will be your transportation and accommodation. A unique element to backpacking in Fiji that certainly has its benefits and drawbacks is the mandatory meal plan component at nearly all of the islands. In most of the Fiji Islands (including all of the Mamanucas and Yasawas), there aren't any grocery stores or ATMs. This place is as remote as it gets.
So, one of your largest costs will be the included meal plan at all hostel resorts, which offers you 3 meals a day, typically at a set time of 1-2 hours for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some resorts may also have a mid-afternoon tea break included, too. The mandatory meal plan tends to be what most backpackers complain about, as we're used to shopping at grocery stores and finding cheap, local eats in tiny little restaurants. But Fiji is so incredibly unique and remote that you don't even have these options on many of the islands save for Viti Levu. There aren't any grocery stores here. Food comes from the mainland, usually also on the Yasawa Flier. A mandatory meal plan will set you back about an additional $50 USD a day, depending on the resort. At the low end, a place like South Sea Island will charge $42 USD a day, or $90 FJD. It's also much harder to find these rates online. If you book independently be sure to ask the resort – all meal plans are payable to the resort direct once you're on their property. At the higher end, Blue Lagoon charges $57 USD or $122 FJD a day for the meal plan.
When it comes to the meal plans, as soon as you can part ways with the ding to your budget, you'll be pleasantly surprised by just how much you get for the price. The meal plan cost depends on which resort(s) you choose, of course the more luxurious places charge a bit more for meals. The nice thing about it is that you won't have to think about money at all, really settling into true island time, because everything is either included in your accommodation package or you run up a tab to a credit card that you pay upon check out.
Pro Tip: it's a great idea to stock up on essentials before you leave the mainland. While they won't let you cook dinner (and frankly, there's nowhere to do so), you can bring your own bottled water (which would be much cheaper than buying it on all the islands).
In the Yasawa and Mamanuca Islands you can experience backpacker or flashpacker level accommodation and food. As of October 2018, these are the prices for a Bula Combo Pass to pick and choose your hostels. These prices are valid until March 31, 2019 (all prices in Fijian Dollars).
The only thing that doesn't make sense about the way they've divided up the properties is that 1 coconut prices are higher, because food is included. 2 coconut prices appear lower at first, but the meal plan is separate (~$50 per day, per resort) so it will wind up being more expensive.
When I went to Fiji, I just bought a Bula Pass (transportation only) and decided to book a mix of 1 and 2 coconut hostels via Hostelworld on my own. It was a bit cheaper that way, too. And doing it on your own is the only way you can mix and match between 1 and 2 coconut level properties.
Getting to Fiji didn't cost me too much, especially considering I booked it less than 6 weeks in advance. I paid about $400 USD for round trip airfare from Sydney, but even that could be cheaper if I would've planned it further in advance. Fiji isn't one of those great destinations for a last-minute traveller, like, say, Antarctica, that slashes the price of its cruises tremendously. Costs tend to go up, rather than down to fill any last-minute space.
I spent nearly 2 weeks in Fiji staying in mainly 2 coconut places and spent about $114 USD a day. I feel like I could've definitely spent less, too, had I thought ahead and bought bottled water before getting to the islands, or stayed in more 1 coconut level hostels. I went to Fiji in March 2018 and wrote an article on my personal travel blog about it, detailing a cost breakout.
The easiest option in choosing a destination will be the Mamanuca and Yasawa Island chains, as they're easily accessible from the mainland, serviced by a daily boat (the Yasawa Flier) and each offers backpacker style dormitory accommodation starting at $20 a night, per person. The Mamanuca Islands are small, flat and very close to Nadi. If you're pressed for time, they make a great destination that can offer a combination of remote tranquillity, a community of other backpackers (many of whom are solo travellers) and an array of activities to do, meals to indulge in and drinks to enjoy.
Plus, a fun fact about the Mamanucas is that Tom Hanks' film Castaway was actually filmed on Qalito, which is one of the islands you can stay at or visit for the day.
While the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands are certainly the most popular for their proximity to Nadi and relative ease of access, if you're craving an even bigger adventure, and really want to get off the beaten path, you can try venturing over to Taveuni.
Taveuni is the 3rd largest island in Fiji and is nicknamed the Garden Island, for good reason. It's also known as the Soft Coral Island, so really there's two big reasons to hang out here. The lush jungle and secluded waterfalls make this island an eco-tourist's dream. There's a big national park, Bouma, as well as a marine park called Waitabu on Taveuni. Both are great places to immerse yourself in nature. If you're a keen diver, too, the famous Eel Reef and Great White Wall dive sites are amazing for their array of aquatic life.
Split Rock is an adventurous dive that includes canyons and faults to circumnavigate. It's part Fiji's 100km barrier reef, Great Astrolabe Reef, with breathtakingly beautiful coral. You can also go for a surf at the King Kong Left surf break, which is in close paddling distance to land. On land you can spot any number of the 100+ types of birds here. They're not afraid of humans, either, since they don't have any natural predators.
History buffs can check out the colonial village called Levuka on Ovulau. It's listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and has colonial-era buildings from the 1800s.
Worth noting here just for the hilarity of it, but this is the actual island where Tom Cruise was stranded in Castaway. Known locally as Qalito, it's part of the Mamanuca chain but isn't serviced by the Yasawa Flier because they don't offer any dorm style accommodation for backpackers. They're really missing out.
Each island hostel resort offers several activities a day, much like an all-inclusive hotel would. Most activities are free but a few come at an additional cost (such as a night snorkel that includes a flashlight and a guide to help point out to some nocturnal fish, octopus and other seafaring creatures.). If you're really into activities, check out Octopus Resort- they're known for having a jam-packed schedule of adventures every day. When I did night snorkelling there, it cost me $20.
In general, you can snorkel and swim, kayak or paddle board in the calm and crystal-clear reef waters. Most islands offer a happy hour or two and all their bars include breathtaking views of paradise. Some even include night-time entertainment, such as traditional Fijian dancing and kava ceremonies, Hermit Crab racing, live music from the locals or sunset walks.
Other forms of night-time entertainment include fire dancing and even walking on coals, which is an extremely old tradition in Fiji that dates way back before the days of colonisation. If you'd like to see a firewalking ceremony, Beqa Island is the place for it. This sits south of the mainland and isn't one of the islands that the Yasawa Flier visits, but you could take a separate boat over if you were really interested.
The further up the Yasawa Islands you go, the larger the islands get and more varied their topography. They offer quite a few guided and independent long walks to waterfalls or lookout points. If you do wind up staying at Blue Lagoon, they offer a day trip to a nearby island that is uninhabited at the top of the Yasawa chain where you can catch a glimpse of the unique Sawailau caves. The second one is a bit more secretive – the only way in and out is through an underwater passageway.
It's also very common for backpackers to do their Open Water dive course here, learning how to scuba dive in PADI certified environments. The reefs are calmer, the crowds are smaller and the cost is a lot more affordable than in neighbouring Australia, a popular choice. Prices vary from resort to resort, but they generally all provide equipment for you and some include special dives like the bull shark feeding or a night dive.
Most islands include a cultural element, too. Be it the very small islands that engulf you into the Fijian family who run the place, or the opportunity to attend Sunday mass with the locals (a big, fun activity for even the non-religious amongst us), there are a lot of opportunities to learn about the Fijian way of life.
Fijians love sharing their culture, too. You can learn how to basket weave, and if you're lucky maybe Semi on Barefoot Kuata will make you a bum bag with fresh leaves he chopped off a tree right before your eyes. You can also learn how to make beautiful jewellery with local women, whose craft includes a variety of shells and plant-based art. You can even make beautiful jewellery and artwork from coconuts. If you're not the crafty type, you can always buy some pre-made pieces. The women bring an array of necklaces, earrings, bracelets and other handmade knickknacks like bookmarks or bowls. You can only imagine how innovative they are and resourceful, too.
For those who may not have much time to stray too far from Nadi, or perhaps for those who do but are looking for one last fun activity on their way back to the mainland, there is a famous floating bar just an hour away from Port Denaru on Viti Levu called Cloud 9.
It certainly feels like you're on Cloud 9; it's a floating bar in the middle of a tropical oasis. There are ample sun chairs so you can kick your feet up on a floatie in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, sipping on a nice cold cocktail. If you time it right, you may even see a live DJ on the Cloud. You can check out some of the past performers' sets on SoundCloud to get a sense of the vibe and the tunes.
A cousin to the Cloud 9 bar of sorts, but a bit more fast paced if you will, is Malamala Beach Club. They proudly own the title of world's first beach club, and the island has all you could possibly need for a party in paradise. From the club to the bar, and the pool to the deck, there's even a helipad on here. So, if it might be your thing, come and sip on one expensive cocktail, check out the scene and relax into uber luxury. You might just run into a celebrity.
Hopefully you'll be in town on a Sunday, too, because Fijians are avid church goers and love to share the experience with guests. Make sure you bring clothing that will cover your shoulders and knees. Bonus points if you bring something dressy along, as the locals always look the part for the weekly occasion. It's a distinctively cultural experience in which Fijians often sing soulful and optimistic songs with grace and poise.
While in Nadi, it's a good idea to pick up a few souvenirs for your loved ones back home while in the city centre on Main Street. There are dozens of shops scattered around with jewellery, sarongs, bathing suits, and a mix of other typical and unique presents. Be on the lookout for the "Fijian Made" sticker on packages (some may say "Sewn," "Grown," "Packed, "Crafted," Assembled," or "Designed," depending on what you're buying). This stamp of approval is a legal government mandate to indicate a genuinely locally made product.
Fijian food reflects influences from Polynesia, India, China and Western worlds, so you can imagine there will be a diverse abundance of things to eat. Fijian food is heavily influenced by the local environment. Expect lots of sea food and root crops as these are easily caught and grown locally, feeding both locals and visitors alike. In the towns, western food has started to prevail and hotels/hostels will usually serve western food as well. But you won't find any big global chains like McDonalds or KFC, except when you're on the mainland, so you may want to get your final fix before leaving Nadi.
As mentioned earlier, you'll likely be on a mandatory meal plan in Fiji so expect to eat quite a few hearty meals. They offer a mix of traditional, local fare and Western staples, as well as fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables.
It's easy for a vegetarian or even a vegan to indulge on the meal plan, although depending on your resort you may find that a lot of the buffet food includes meat, so your options may be limited. At some of the higher end places like Blue Lagoon and Octopus, you'll find plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans, and they'll ask you if you have any dietary restrictions before cooking your meal.
One night a week at most resorts they offer Lovo, which is a big Fijian feast cooked traditionally. It's a celebration of food, and your meal will be cooked underground. It takes roughly two hours to cook and typical foods include cassava (tapioca), kumala (sweet potato), taro, pork, fish, yam, lamb, and chicken. They cover up the feast with banana leaves or coconut stalks to provide insulation.
Another famous part of Fijian food and drink culture is Kava, also known as Yaqona, which is the country's national drink. Everywhere you go you'll find Kava. It's a staple in the Fijian diet, culture and social life, and has quite the acquired taste. Kava comes from the pulverised root of a cousin to the pepper, and many say it has medicinal qualities. Depending on how much Kava you have, it'll probably leave you feeling mellow and a little tongue tied (as it also has a numbing effect on the tongue).
So, there you have it – your ultimate guide to the Fiji Islands. Whatever you choose, be ready for ultimate relaxation and the most breathtaking beaches you may ever see. Vinaka vaka levu for reading!
This Ultimate Guide to Fiji was written by Olivia Poglianich, aka Liv. She's a passionate solo female traveller who hopes to inspire more backpackers to go on more adventures – even if they don't think they have the time or the money. She's from NYC but has been very lucky to live on 3 different continents and travel to all of them (except Antarctica – on the bucket list!). You can learn more tips, see more pictures or send her a note if you have any questions or want to be friends by checking out her Insta @LostWithLiv or her travel blog, LostWithLiv.com.


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Sports In Other sports 18 Mar 2020 IOC member calls Tokyo Olympics plans 'insensitive, irresponsible'
Sports, In Other sports
IOC member calls Tokyo Olympics plans 'insensitive, irresponsible'
Published : Mar 18, 2020, 10:17 am IST
Updated : Mar 18, 2020, 10:17 am IST
She says this crisis is bigger than even the Olympics
Four-time Canadian Olympic gold medalist Hayley Wickenheiser (left) at the United Nations Young Changemakers Conclave, in New Delhi. Also seen is Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, transgender rights activist. PTI Photo
Montreal: International Olympic Committee member Hayley Wickenheiser said Tuesday that vows to press ahead with plans for the Tokyo Games are "insensitive and irresponsible."
Wickenheiser, a member of Canada's women's ice hockey team that won four straight Olympic golds between 2002 and 2016, made her comments on Twitter.
The 41-year-old IOC Athletes Commission member was speaking as the IOC said there was no need for "drastic decisions" over the staging of the July 24-August 8 event.
IOC and Japanese officials have insisted they are working towards staging the Olympics as planned despite the escalating coronavirus pandemic. "This crisis is bigger than even the Olympics," said Wickenheiser.
Traumatic for athletes
"We don't know what's happening in the next 24 hours, let alone the next three months." Wickenheiser pointed to the disruption the pandemic had already caused to athletes preparing for the games.
Athletes have been prevented from accessing training facilities because of virus-related lockdowns, while others have seen key competitions and qualifying events cancelled.
"From an athlete perspective, I can only imagine and try to empathise with the anxiety and heartbreak athletes are feeling right now," Wickenheiser said.
"The uncertainty of not knowing where you're going to train tomorrow as facilities close and qualification events are cancelled all over the world would be terrible if you've been training your whole life for this.
"Athletes can't train, attendees can't travel plan. Sponsors and marketers can't market with any degree of sensitivity.
Everything is uncertain
"I think the IOC insisting this will move ahead, with such conviction, is insensitive and irresponsible given the state of humanity." In a later tweet, Wickenheiser expanded on her criticism.
"Should the Olympics be cancelled? No one knows at this point and that is my point," she wrote.
"To say for certain they will go ahead is an injustice to the athletes training and global population at large. We need to acknowledge the unknown."
Tags: 2020 tokyo olympics, international olympic committee
Location: Canada, Québec, Montréal
IOC likely to take a crucial decision on Tokyo Olympics after Tuesday


I love when unpredictable things happen with the site. I had planned four days of interviews for this week, and we got them. All along, I had Oak Pantheon scheduled for today so we could discuss their stunning new album "From a Whisper," my favorite of the four releases we covered this week, and we highlighted some incredibly stellar records.
For each band, one member graciously devoted time to the questions and gave us exploratory answers. I could not be more grateful. But Oak Pantheon went a level higher: All three guys responsible for the band's sound took time to answer our questions. Sami Sati, Tanner Swenson, and their sound engineer Sean Golyer all went into great detail, and I can't thank them enough for going above and beyond. In fact, they gave us so much detail that we're going to break this into two parts. The first section you're reading now, and the second will appear Tuesday.
The music is emotional and captivating, reminding a great deal of Agalloch, and their playing is already at storied veteran level for dudes so young. Be sure to check out "From a Whisper" (Broken Limbs), a record that has the Meat Mead Metal stamp of approval.
Meat Mead Metal: The band is releasing its second effort "From a Whisper." It's quite an emotional, ambitious album. Are these songs as personal as they sound? Please explain.
Tanner Swenson: We're really proud of this album because we accomplished our goal of making good music that stands on its own with powerful lyrics that can be interpreted and felt by our listeners. One of our main focuses was making sure that no lyrics became throwaway filler. I have always argued that lyrics don't mean as much as the music, but I've come to realize over time that every person is affected differently by music. Some people really pay attention to lyrics, while others completely ignore them. I feel like we were able to write an album with the best of both worlds, and it is a very powerful thing.
The songs are very personal in that they deal with our own human struggles with faith, mortality, death, fear, and what have you. We try not to take a concrete stance on either side of an issue because there really is no "right" answer to anything; it's all how the issue is perceived by the individual.
Sami Sati: We definitely had a huge emphasis on lyrics this time around, as Tanner said. We still cared about writing good lyrics with "The Void," but I was genuinely surprised at how many people said they were moved by the lyrics. Even the vocal recording process was much more focused this time around. We spent much more time trying to make each word sound perfect as opposed to just screaming something over the music and calling it a day.
And I'm honestly glad to hear that you think the songs sound very personal, because that's become an increasingly important thing to me. I've always thought that music is a great place to express ideas that you can't otherwise bring up in normal conversation.
MMM: You're teaming up with Broken Limbs for the release of the album. What was it about that label that made you feel most comfortable?
Sean Golyer: The label owners and their business philosophy. Bari came to us as a fan first who wanted to put us on a compilation she was putting together. We stayed in contact over a period of time and soon enough she had started a brand new label with some colleagues. We really liked their "hands-off" approach to each band's music and saw them make some great underground releases. They're very open about their ideas for our releases and always keep us informed. It makes for a very fluid and open relationship with a label that isn't focused on milking you for everything you have. They genuinely care about each and every project they take on, and we just felt safe with them.
MMM: While the band's music certainly is steeped in black metal, there also is a folk element to what you do. Are you fans of that style of music? Or did that sound come in from some other inspiration?
TS: That element may have come from an influence that was very relevant to us at the time of writing, but it's hard to say. I will go through phases with bands and styles, and my writing during those times most likely will reflect that to an extent. In terms of the folk influence specifically, I think listening to how well Agalloch integrate that style into their music inspires me to try similar things, but usually with a heavier sound.
SG: Black metal and folk are just a couple of a very wide range of influences we draw from. We're fans of a lot of different music, and I think that tends to manifest itself into the songwriting and production process. It keeps our listeners on their toes and prevents us from stagnating and writing the same kinds of songs over and over. That's pretty boring to us.
SS: I wasn't always a big fan of folk music, and even though "The Void" had folk influences, it wasn't until after we released that EP that I started listening to folk music on a regular basis. A big part of the folk sound also comes from the use of acoustic and classical guitars. For me, nearly every song I write is done so on my acoustic guitar. I don't even try and see what the parts in a song will sound like on an electric guitar until I've started recording a demo for it.
MMM: There also is quite a woodsy feel to what you do. Do you draw inspiration from your surroundings in Minnesota, or does that come from something else?
TS: One of the most difficult things for me to do with our music is listen objectively and pick out where different sounds and influences shine through. I would say a lot of the "woodsy" feeling passages come from me doodling on my classical guitar or Sami playing around on his acoustic. I also try to create an image in the listener's mind with my lyrics, which often means I will use nature themes.
SS: It might just be a subconscious thing at this point, but I've never really made the connection that Minnesota has influenced me to write "woodsy" music. If anything, I'm surprised that a folk-influenced metal project started at all in Minnesota considering the current music scene here. I will say that most of my heavy writing occurs during the autumn and winter months, however. Something about the transition between those two seasons always inspires me to write music.
MMM: Yet another element is the power and catchiness to the songs. They may not be traditional, but there are some hooks. Is that an important element for Oak Pantheon? Do you consciously try to add that sticky element into what you do?
SG: Extremely important. If a song doesn't have "that moment" or a wow factor to it that sticks in your head, it typically doesn't make the cut. We have a strict "no filler" philosophy when it comes to producing our material. It's a very conscious decision by all of us.
TS: I agree with Sean that a catchy element is extremely important in a song, but I'm not sure if I'm always aware that I'm writing something catchy until after it has been demoed and repeated on my iPod a bunch. Even though we are heavily influenced by black metal music, I don't really listen to much of it at all. The "catchiness" factor is what makes me want to go back and listen to a song over and over, like an addiction. Pop songs are admittedly catchy, but most aren't good songs. That doesn't mean a good song can't be catchy though, which I feel is a fairly common belief in the extreme metal scene.
SG: Yeah, that's a fair point. We never start writing a song thinking "OK, what's going to be the hook on this one?" It just sort of happens as we write, because that's what we want to hear as listeners. It only becomes a conscious decision after the fact when we're deciding what to keep and what to trash.
SS: It's not entirely intentional, but I do think it's important. For me, I can like a song that isn't catchy and listen to it a million times. The ones that stick with me, however, are the ones that have something that gets stuck in your head. I don't think it necessarily has to be a "hook" or a catchy chorus either. I think a quick shift from mellow to intense music is just as memorable as a good chorus. And I think that's one of the core goals we have as writers: to make our music as memorable as possible.
MMM: For listeners familiar with "The Void," how would you say "From a Whisper" differs from that album?
SS: We don't want to release another album that sounds like "The Void." I can understand completely if certain people like "The Void" more than "From a Whisper." The biggest thing I think people will notice right away is the change in vocal styles. Tanner does clean vocals on a few of the tracks, and I've changed how I do my harsh vocals on this album. And while "The Void" was undeniably a black metal album, I don't think listeners will instantly label "From a Whisper" as black metal. Black metal is perhaps the most important genre of music to me, but I don't want to limit Oak Pantheon to being just black metal. If we want to write a folk song, we'll do it. If we want to write a post-rock song, then we'll do that as well. Even on "From a Whisper," there are two songs in particular that I wouldn't even label as metal.
TS: "From a Whisper" shows where we are in our musical evolution. Even since we finished the material for this album, we have been writing new stuff that we consider to be even better. Some people will like "The Void" better, but "From a Whisper" offers much more diversity and replay value. We hope to continue making releases that are undeniably Oak Pantheon but are also evolutions of our previous work that have a distinct sound from one another. The most exciting bands are the ones that continue to surprise and get better, and we have a lot of getting better still to do.
SG: Sonically the new album just plain sounds better. The guitars are thicker, the drums are bigger, the vocals cut through the mix better without overwhelming the instruments, and the melodies truly soar above the mix. We used essentially the same recording process as we did with "The Void," but we were more familiar with our tools, had more experienced ears, and had a better mastering engineer to handle the final touches. Justin Weis, who has also done work for bands such as Agalloch, Ludicra, and Cormorant, did a great job enhancing our mixes, bouncing down to tape, and just making the album sound that much bigger and better.
Check back Tuesday for Pat 2.


text:
Q: Django push to Heroku: "Unknown command: 'compress'"? I'm trying to deploy a fresh Django/Wagtail app to Heroku, but having trouble.
I'm following this tutorial, which works until the last section "Serving static assets on Heroku".  When I push the app to Heroku with git push heroku master, however, it fails with this error:
...
remote:        182 static files copied to '/app/static', 182 post-processed.
remote:
remote: -----> Running run_compress
remote: -----> Compressing static files
remote:        Unknown command: 'compress'
remote:        Type 'manage.py help' for usage.
remote:
remote:  !     Push rejected, failed to compile Python app
remote:
remote: Verifying deploy....
remote:
remote: !   Push rejected to myapp.
remote:
To https://git.heroku.com/myapp.git
 ! [remote rejected] master -> master (pre-receive hook declined)
error: failed to push some refs to 'https://git.heroku.com/myapp.git'
$

Presumably Heroku is having trouble with Django Compressor, although the tutorial does not specify its installation, so I'm not sure.  The tutorial specifies instead the installation of something called Heroku Django Cookbook, which specifies a run_compress in a bash file which looks like this:
#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -eo pipefail

indent() {
    RE="s/^/       /"
    [ $(uname) == "Darwin" ] && sed -l "$RE" || sed -u "$RE"
}

MANAGE_FILE=$(find . -maxdepth 3 -type f -name 'manage.py' | head -1)
MANAGE_FILE=${MANAGE_FILE:2}

echo "-----> Compressing static files"
python $MANAGE_FILE compress 2>&1 | indent

echo

So it seems manage.py compress isn't working.  Or else it might be something with Whitenoise, since that's the section of tutorial which is failing.  Seems to be installed right, though.  Here are the relevant lines from my settings.py:
...
STATICFILES_STORAGE = 'whitenoise.django.GzipManifestStaticFilesStorage'

COMPRESS_OFFLINE = True
COMPRESS_CSS_FILTERS = [
    'compressor.filters.css_default.CssAbsoluteFilter',
    'compressor.filters.cssmin.CSSMinFilter',
]
COMPRESS_CSS_HASHING_METHOD = 'content'
...

finally, here is my requirements.txt
beautifulsoup4==4.4.1
dj-database-url==0.4.1
dj-static==0.0.6
Django==1.9.6
django-appconf==1.0.2
django-compressor==2.0
django-modelcluster==1.1
django-taggit==0.18.3
django-toolbelt==0.0.1
django-treebeard==4.0.1
djangorestframework==3.3.3
gunicorn==19.6.0
html5lib==0.9999999
Pillow==3.2.0
psycopg2==2.6.1
python-dateutil==1.5
pytz==2016.4
rcssmin==1.0.6
requests==2.10.0
rjsmin==1.0.12
six==1.10.0
static3==0.7.0
Unidecode==0.4.19
wagtail==1.4.5
whitenoise==3.2
Willow==0.3.1

Any ideas?  All leads welcome.  Thank you!

A: Looks like you didn't add compressor to the INSTALLED_APPS.
Also worth mentioning that Wagtail no longer depends on django_compressor since version 1.4, so if you don't need django_compressor's functionality, you can just remove it from your project.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Framing a wall requires diligence and engineering, and should not be created hastily. Framing designs the rooms' entire layout, and should take lighting, environment, sound barriers, and more into account. At APT Maintenance, our framing experts will work with you to create frames that make the most sense for your and your residents' needs.


The Chavin– Ritual Square Shawl is made of 70% baby alpaca fiber and 30% silk. This product has been inspired by the colors, forms, and symbols of the Chavin culture. This culture, which flourished almost three thousand years ago, practiced a religion rich in symbolism; the priests were transmuted into jaguars and snakes that were associated with the force of the human world and the world of the ancestors. Images like this depict the priests conducting important propitiatory ceremonies.
I bought this in several different colors for myself and friends and family. It is fabulous!


The Edmond de Rothschild Group's multi-management expertise offers access to the most talented managers in traditional active management. The Group covers all asset classes and management styles. It generates high added value thanks to its in-depth analyses and selection of funds, the result of many years of experience.
The Group combines fundamentals and quantitative approaches to identify the true drivers for performance of the selected managers.
The Edmond de Rothschild Group is motivated by the firm belief that some asset managers have the ability to outperform the market on a regular basis. The Group's selection process is based on detailed, consistent comparative analyses, designed to drive a dynamic of ongoing, continuous innovation.


text:
Q: Creating and Removing database relationships for faster performance My idea in relational database:
Can I create master database / main database where my table has primary keys and index using InnoDB engine and then when i finish up coding in php for the business logic
Question #1:
Can I clone the database (main) then remove their relational features like primary keys and indexes.
So that the clone will be used in production for optimized / faster transactions and the main / master will only be used for coding / development / error tracing?
So that I can only use the (main) database too for viewing database relationship diagramas using SQLYog and not in production database.
Question #2.
Is there a tool for doing this, and can i MIGRATE / Export live data from the production
tables to the development tables. So that when conducting test's I will used live data manipulate with?

A: 1) Yes, of course you can have two tables containing the same data, but one lacking the relational features. However, your tables will go out of sync unless you update them both.
2) As mentioned, you can either update both tables when insert/removing/updating data, or have them automatically sync as soon as changes occur. I haven't ever done this myself, but you may find an answer that suits your needs here, though that answer's specific on the tables being on different servers. I also believe SQLYog is capable of keeping tables in sync.


text:
Q: Using Pandas to create, read, and update hdf5 file structure We would like to be able to allow the HDF5 files themselves to define their columns, indexes, and column types instead of maintaining a separate file that defines structure of the HDF5 data.
How can I create an empty HDF5 file from Pandas with a specific table structure like:
Columns

*

*id (Int)

*name (Str)

*update_date (datetime)

*some_float (float)

Indexes

*

*id

*name

Once the HDF5 is created and saved to disk, how do I retrieve the column and index information without having to open the file completely each time since it will likely contain several GB of data.
Many thanks in advance...
-- UPDATE --
Thanks for the comments.  To clarify a bit more:
We do have some experience with Pandas but by no means are really proficient.  The part that is tripping us up is creating an empty data structure and reading that structure from a file that you will not want to fully open.  In all of the Pandas examples there is data.  The Pandas examples also only show two ways to retrieve data/structure which are to read the entire frame into memory or issue a where clause.  In this case, we would like to be able to see the table structure without query operations if possible.
I know this is an odd case.  Why the heck would you want an empty dataframe??  Well, we want to have a great deal of flexility in moving data around and want to be able to define a target dataframe structure prior to data writing, which could take place much later (e.g. hours or days).  Since the HDF5 specification maintains all that information it seems directionally incorrect to store the table structure information separately.  Thus our desire to crack the code on this subject.
-- UPDATE 2 --
To add more detail as @jeff requested.
We would like to abstract some of the common Pandas functions like summing data or merging two frames.  Thus we would like to be able to ask each frame what their columns are so we can present a view for the user to select the result frame columns.
For example, if we imported a CSV with columns A, B, C, D, and V and saved the frame to HDF5 as my_csv.hdf then we would be able to determine the columns by opening the file.
However, in our use case it is likely that the import frame for the CSV could be cleared periodically and no longer contain the data.  The reason knowing that the my_csv frame has certain columns and types is important because we want to enable a user to then select those columns for summing in a downstream operation.  Lets say a user wants to sum column V by the values in columns A and B only and save the frame as my_sum.  Since we can't ensure my_csv will always have data we would like to ensure it at least contains the structure.
Open to other suggestions obviously.  It is also possible to store the table structure info in the user_block.  This, again, is not ideal because the structure is now being kept in two different areas but I guess it would be possible to always update the user_block on save using the latest column and index information for the frame, although I believe the to_* operations in Pandas will blow away the user_block so...blah.  I feel like I'm talking myself into maintaining a peer structure definition but I REALLY would love some suggestions to not have to do that.


text:
2011 Senate Bill 877: Authorize prison privatization
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on March 7, 2012.
To allow, but not require, the Department of Corrections to contract out the incarceration of prisoners to a private prison in a five year contract, if doing so would save at least 10 percent. This could include a contract to house adult prisoners at the former Michigan youth correctional facility in Baldwin, a privately owned and managed prison whose previous contract with the state was revoked by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2005.
View the rest of Senate Bill 877: History, Amendments & Comments
Booher (R) Brandenburg (R) Colbeck (R) Green (R) Hansen (R)
Hune (R) Jansen (R) Kahn (R) Kowall (R) Marleau (R)
Meekhof (R) Moolenaar (R) Pappageorge (R) Pavlov (R) Proos (R)
Richardville (R) Robertson (R) Rocca (R) Schuitmaker (R) Walker (R)
Anderson (D) Bieda (D) Gleason (D) Gregory (D) Hood (D)
Casperson (R) Caswell (R) Emmons (R) Hildenbrand (R) Jones (R)
Nofs (R)
n Anderson (D-6) n Bieda (D-9) Y Booher (R-35) Y Brandenburg (R-11)
n Casperson (R-38) n Caswell (R-16) Y Colbeck (R-7) n Emmons (R-33)
n Gleason (D-27) Y Green (R-31) n Gregory (D-14) Y Hansen (R-34)
n Hildenbrand (R-29) n Hood (D-3) n Hopgood (D-8) Y Hune (R-22)
n Hunter (D-5) Y Jansen (R-28) n Johnson (D-2) n Jones (R-24)
Y Moolenaar (R-36) n Nofs (R-19) Y Pappageorge (R-13) Y Pavlov (R-25)
Y Proos (R-21) Y Richardville (R-17) Y Robertson (R-26) Y Rocca (R-10)
Y Schuitmaker (R-20) n Smith (D-4) Y Walker (R-37) n Warren (D-18)
Senate Roll Call 115 on 2011 Senate Bill 877


It's been 30 years since its debut, but the popularity of Star Trek: The Next Generation still holds strong among its large Canadian fan-base! The award-winning television series introduced an unforgettable cast of characters, including one of the most feared antagonists: the Borg. The Royal Canadian Mint celebrates the 30th anniversary of a pop culture phenomenon that led to the resurgence of the sci-fi genre on television, and paved the way for more Star Trek series to follow.
- A CONTINUING CELEBRATION: The Royal Canadian Mint adds to its "fleet" of Star Trek coins with this celebration of the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation - a pop culture classic that is still beloved by Canadian fans!
- FEEL THE TENSION: Vibrant colour captures the intensity of the confrontation, including the iconic green glow of the Borg's tractor beam. You can almost hear the siren of a Red Alert!
- PRECISION-ENGRAVING: Behind the image, the reverse provides a rare close-up of the detailed exterior of a Borg cube!
- ENGAGE! Crafted from 99.99% pure silver, this coin has a limited mintage of 10,000 and is a must-have for collectors and fans - order today!


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Finally I get this ebook, thanks for all these Null Bock Komplott Warum Immer Die Weicheier Karriere Machen Und Wie Ihr Es Trotzdem Schafft can get now!


text:
Q: Trying to install linux headers 2204 Trying to install linux headers for Ubuntu 2204 Desktop (uname -r = 5.13.0-40-generic) and I get:
sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Package linux-headers-5.13.0-40-generic is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package 'linux-headers-5.13.0-40-generic' has no installation candidate

What is the solution?
Thanks.

A: You upgraded from an older release. Please try installing current kernel with ist headers by sudo apt install linux-generic. (It is probably already installed already.) Then reboot to start using that kernel.


This budget-friendly option is perfect for those who require immediate attention. It is also wonderful for people of any age who can benefit from short on-going doses of Divine healing. No prior experience is necessary.
In this type of Distance Energy Work Session, we do not talk on the phone or Skype with one another while the session is happening. Your concerns are addressed by Divine Intelligence directly while I quietly witness during the session.
Sessions begin at 11 am CST/CDT, the first weekday after application and continue daily until the series is completed, unless otherwise specified.
Each person receives attention and transformation from Divine Mother and her innumerable specified forms. Also, each person receives Cosmic guidance for the personal God Presence.
Specific concerns are directly addressed. Please list concerns in the form below. If more space is needed, please email distanceenergywork@gmail.com with any details you wish to include.
Both witnessing and transformation are included in this process.
It is possible to feel the movement of subtle energies during and after the time of the healing session.
Profound work at every level of the body by your own God Presence, supported by Divine Intelligence results in concrete improvement in DNA, past lives, Chakras, environment, relationships and much more.
You will receive an email letting you know the dates of your sessions. Unfortunately, due to the number of individuals involved in each daily group session, it is not practical for Dorothy to give individual feedback on what happens during these sessions.
A series of sessions will be conducted each weekday, Monday through Friday, until completed. If you prefer the sessions scheduled otherwise, please let me know.
A series of sessions may be split between more than one person. For example, a series of ten sessions could be split between two different people for five sessions each. You may specify whether you want these sessions to be conducted on the same days or whether you want the second person's series to start after the first person's series has finished.
What Happens During A Distance Energy Work Session?
Dorothy: The sessions always start with a prayer of gratitude. This reminds me that I am not the healer. I am only the witness to the transformations which are about to occur and which are orchestrated by the presence of God in each person and carried out with the aid of healing angels and other celestial beings of the subtle realms.
The process of giving gratitude opens a channel of light energy in my being which flows from the source of life to all the people on the list. At least two Ascended Masters are with me at all times during the sessions. However, hundreds of angels and other divine beings participate in this process.
When I began doing Distance Energy Work sessions, the light beings showed me how to rarefy my own light field to be like a crystal or fractal, which has no blockages to the light of the Divine. This orderly condition allows the flow of grace to move unrestricted from the Mother of creation to everyone. Read more.


On New Year's Day, the federal estate tax, dubbed the "death tax" by critics, died unexpectedly. But don't even think about writing its obituary.
Many lawyers and accountants predict that Congress probably will restore the tax retroactively to Jan. 1 this year. However, nobody knows when lawmakers will act or precisely what the resurrected tax will look like. Nothing may be certain except death and taxes. But this year, there is no certainty about taxes after death.
All the questions swirling around this grisly topic have created thorny issues for many wealthy people and their tax advisers. "It's a real mess," says Herbert Nass, a New York City trusts and estates lawyer and author of two books on wills and estate tax-related topics. He is handling a case involving a very wealthy person who died earlier this year. Will that person's estate have to pay a federal estate tax this year or not? Also, he wonders, "Will we need to liquidate assets in the estate in order to pay the federal estate taxes, if any?" And how can wealthy clients plan their affairs in view of all the uncertainty?
Last year, tax advisers and political analysts assumed that Congress would surely take action before 2010 and not leave the issue in limbo. "It certainly seemed to me that the dynamics of a deal were there" before this year, says Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a former director of the Congressional Budget Office and the director of economic policy for Sen. John McCain when the Arizona senator ran for president in 2008. The House did approve legislation restoring the tax, but the Senate didn't act.
For 2009, the top federal estate tax rate was 45 percent, and the basic exemption was $3.5 million. (Transfers from one spouse to the other typically are tax free.) If Congress takes no action, the tax will remain zero this year but then will come roaring back next year with a top rate of 55 percent for the largest estates and an exemption of $1 million.
Comedians have been quick to point out the implications of having no federal estate tax at all in 2010 followed by a tax of as much as 55 percent on Jan. 1 next year. As Stephen Colbert recently quipped: "So wouldn't this be a great year to visit your lonely, frail, unhealthy uncle and just be by his side to make sure no one coats his banister with Teflon? ... And if you yourself are a wealthy senior, please protect yourself from greedy grandchildren. Go to Colbert Nation dot com and transfer all your money into my Platinum Inheritance Lock Fund. I promise: No relative of yours will ever see that money."
Despite all the uproar about the issue, very few estates wind up paying the federal estate tax. The Internal Revenue Service says 38,373 estate tax returns were filed in 2008. Of those, only 17,172 were taxable.
By contrast, the IRS said a total of about 108,000 estate tax returns were filed in the year 2000. Of those, 52,000 returns were taxable. The sharp drop in the number of returns reflects major estate tax cuts enacted during the Bush Administration. At stake, however, are billions of dollars. According to Obama budget documents, estate and gift taxes raised about $23.5 billion last year.
1. Gridlock and Inaction: Even though this seems highly unlikely, it can't be ruled out completely in view of the intensity of political bickering in Washington and the looming midterm elections. One analyst speculates, for example, that the Senate might reach a compromise agreement this year that would cut the top tax rate and increase the basic exemption amount — only to see it torn apart in the House, leading to no action. The longer Congress waits to act this year, the tougher it could be to reach a compromise agreement.
2. Back to the Future: Many analysts think the most likely outcome is Congress will restore the tax this year in its 2009 form. That would mean a $3.5 million exemption, or $7 million per couple, assuming they did the proper estate-planning maneuvers. It would also mean a 45 percent top rate.
President Obama recently proposed this approach as part of his new budget. As a budget document put it: "Estate and gift taxes are assumed to be extended at parameters in effect for calendar year 2009 (a top rate of 45 percent and an exemption amount of $3.5 million)."
"Congress has put this approach on the front burner," says Mr. Nass, the New York City trusts and estates lawyer. "But it's hard to predict what will happen because of the unpredictability of politics. Last year, every trusts and estates lawyer expected that Congress would continue the then-current law. But we were all wrong."
For example, if you inherit Pop's stamp collection, you don't have to figure out what he originally paid for it decades ago. You typically use the value of the collection on the date he died. This "step up in basis" system (so named because the cost basis of assets that have gone up in value over the years gets "stepped up" to the date-of-death value) expired at the end of 2009 and was replaced by a complex system that essentially would require calculating the tax basis on the original cost of the assets above a certain amount. Critics say eliminating the step-up approach would lead to burdensome record keeping. Under that system, it would be "cumbersome for many estates to be able to ascertain the original cost basis of assets in the estate," says Mr. Nass.
President Obama also is calling for "certain reforms" in order to "close loopholes in estate and gift taxation." This would include modifying estate and gift tax "valuation discounts" in certain circumstances, such as lack of marketability and control in determining the value.
3. Compromise One: Last year, some senators were talking about a compromise that would increase the exemption amount to about $5 million per person and slash the top rate to somewhere around 35 percent. But it didn't materialize, and it's unclear whether that would survive in the House.
4. Compromise Two: This would involve restoring the 2009 law but with a few tweaks. It would index the exemption amount for inflation in future years, rather than leaving it at $3.5 million permanently. It would also make the exemption "portable" between spouses. Portability essentially means that when one spouse dies, the other spouse would get the unused exemption amount of the deceased spouse without first having set up complex trusts or take other steps. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama and McCain agreed on the basic concept of portability as an important simplification move. It's hard to gauge how much support there is for these ideas today.
Whatever the case, many states have their own taxes. For example, New York has an exemption of $1 million, $2.5 million less than the federal level in 2009. But Florida doesn't have a state income or estate tax, creating a powerful incentive for wealthy New Yorkers to pack up and head south — especially if they are in poor health and care about their heirs.
Tom Herman is a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal.


EPA has ten regional offices across the country. Based on the evaluation criteria, each regional office will be responsible for selecting up to two winners per region– one for Grades K-5 and one for Grades 6-12. Each award-winning project will receive a Presidential plaque. All qualified applicants will receive a certificate honoring them for their efforts to protect human health and the environment.
PEYA has two parts — a regional award for Grades K-5 and a regional award for Grades 6-12. Students must complete an environmental project and submit an application for through their sponsoring school and teacher.
A project summary of up to 300 words must be provided on the application form. Please note that applicants that are applying in the 6-12 grade level category must complete the project summary section themselves. Applicants in the K-5 grade level may be advised by the sponsor and sponsors may assist in the writing of the project summary.
A more detailed description of the project, no more than five pages, and addressing each of the evaluation criterion should be attached to the application.
Applicants may submit up to five additional pages of photographs, newspaper articles, and other supporting materials to provide a more comprehensive view of the project. Accompanying videos must be web-based with functioning links (e.g., no CDs).
Sponsors must sign and date page A-2 of the application.


TRUTH: I am totally, absolutely, madly, head-over-heels in love with this tunic from Lilly Pulitzer. Honestly, the pictures of it don't do the beauty of it justice. The detailing on the bead work is stunning. The subtle floral print is gorgeous. And the fact that it's not even a maternity tunic, BUT fits my belly anyway, makes my heart happy.
I KNOW that this is going to be a piece of clothing that is going to get a whole LOT of wear over the years.
I LOVE the nautical prints that are new for summer.
The attention to detail that Lilly puts into their stores is amazing. They have Lilly print designers come in to EVERY store and hand paint and hand design each aspect of the store.
I've never seen a more gorgeous dressing room area than the dressing room in Lilly at Southpoint. It's STUNNING. I just want to hang out and sit in the prettiness all day.
They even have a UNC / Duke themed dressing room!
The acorn themed dressing room.
The Durham themed dressing room.
And, of course, a gorgeous photo of Lilly herself.
Me and Angela, the sweet and super awesome senior manager for PR at Lilly Pulitzer. I had a blast meeting her!
Linked up today with Shanna and The Pleated Poppy.
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