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Zimbabwe bids farewell to Major General Mugoba
Thousands of Zimbabweans on Wednesday bade farewell to liberation war hero, Major General Trust Mugoba as his remains were interred at the national shrine in Harare. Mugoba died last week on Friday, after a short illness.
President Mnangagwa, who officiated at the burial, said Major-General Mugoba was a gallant war veteran who contributed immensely to the liberation war and post-independent Zimbabwe.
Major-General Mugoba died while on secondment to the African Union headquarters, in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, where he was Chief of Staff for the Africa Union stand-by force.
President Mnangagwa called on Zimbabweans to be united and work towards the economic development of the country. Quoting former Tanzanian President Julius "Mwalimu" Nyerere, President Mnangagwa said: "Without unity, there is no future for Africa."
September 11, 2019 ZTN News News


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Netrunner Nordic Championship Finals Game 2 – A Detailed High-Level Analysis
SneakySly • November 3, 2013
Today's post is another post from the well known tournament player Orange Devil, continuing with the second game of the Nordic Championship Finals.
This is the second part of my analysis of the Nordic Championship finals. The first part can be found here: Game 1. I recommend you watch along while reading this article. You can find the video of the game starting at 02:59:30 here:
http://www.twitch.tv/mtgvideo/b/473773889
This game features Kit running on HB Engineering the Future with Kit needing only 4 points to win.
Kit decks can go in multiple different directions, but what is clear is that the major strengths of her faction are R&D pressure and/or lock as well as a very strong lategame allowing the locking down of remotes through superior economy. Lastly program recursion and tutoring and the relative safety from program destruction this brings is one of Shaper's main assets Kit's ability is generally used in one of 3 ways: we can see Yog plus Datasuckers to sustain cheap early aggression, ideally transitioning into a relatively early R&D lock. Alternatively we could see Gordian Blade to save MU and influence and make the most out of the synergy between Kit's ability and Gordian's retained strength while being unrestrained by the influence and MU costs of Yog and Datasuckers, as well as the necessity to get suckertokens. Lastly we could see Cyber-Cypher to cheaply put extreme pressure on target servers.
We can expect Kit to be running R&D Interface and/or Maker's Eye, with Indexing much less likely due to the anti-synergy with her ability. Out of these options RDI is most likely due to the ability to gain R&D lock. Seeing Corroder should also not be surprising, although Kit may save her limited influence and go for Snowball or Battering Ram instead. Femme is near guaranteed however, as making even more ice near useless is great for Kit. We may also see a single copy of Faerie making an appearance, as Shapers can get a lot of use out of it with their tutoring and recursion suite. A single Deus X is likely to feature for similar reasons, and could be a real problem if HB relies on Heimdall 1.0 or 2.0. The choice of either Magnum Opus or Professional Contacts (likely with Aesops) economy will be an important one as it heavily influences the capabilities of the deck and tips its hand as to what suite it is running due to the MU investment or lack thereof. Given the strength of Kit's ability in the early game, Personal Workshop is less likely, and thus Modded more. Other threat cards to look out for include Escher and Tinkering. Depending on the decktype we may see Salvage doing work as well. Lastly, though less likely out of Kit the corp should always be aware of Atman versus Shapers, and thus avoid same strength ice on servers where possible.
Haas Bioroid: Engineering the Future is an extremely solid ID in a solid faction with many capabilities. Its economic ability can be leveraged to run a rush archetype, featuring a variety of cheap non-bioroid end the run ice of all 3 types and potentially Chimera as well. This may be combined with Grim, Ichi 1.0 or Aggressive Secretary for a reset of the gear check. These decks are likely to feature some fast advance capability as a backup and a way to close out the game. We may see one big remote, with varying amounts of fast advance (the big question being, Sansan, yes or no?). This decktype is more likely to run big ice, bioroids and asset economy. Splashes may well include Tollbooth and Archer. Lastly and least likely we may see a vertical HB using a great number of assets and potentially even Encryption Protocol to gain a massive economic advantage and then using that advantage through massive ice, Sansan, Biotic Labour and Ash to push 3-pointers through.
Threats we are in general most likely to see regardless of decktype include Ash, Rototurret, Biotic Labour, at least a single Grim and Sansan. Likely other splashes include Jackson Howard and Ice Wall with Neural Katana always deserving a mention in HB. This is because the native possibility of Rototurret encourages runners to run as long as possible without installing programs, which Neural Katana can punish brutally. Kit's ability can insulate the runner from this, however. Agenda composition is almost guaranteed to feature 3x Accelerated Beta Test and 2x Gila Hands Arcology. 3x Project Vitruvius is similarly expected, although there has been an increasing tendency to go to Efficiency Committee instead. A rush deck can make good use out of Executive Retreat for its 3-pointer, while Priority Requisition works with big ice. We may also simply not see 3 pointers, and Director Haas may feature in a fast advance deck.
Both players keep their first hand, which indicates at least decent to great hands for both players.
Corp Turn 1
The corp begins with an unusual first turn, icing HQ and double icing R&D, leaving him with 5 credits. This may simply be due to the corp being nervous about losing if he loses 4 points, but it may also indicate that the corp had a hand filled with very cheap ice and no agendas or money cards. It is important to note that you do want to put your Code Gates on the outside of servers against Kit to protect your other ice from her ability, so that may be what is going on here. Alternatively, the corp has installed a big ice on the inside of R&D with a small end the run outside of it to protect it during the early game. Then later on the big ice can be sprung to maximum effect, as having unrezzed big ice on the inside of developed server is infinitely preferable to putting it on the outside. The inside ice may similarly also be a Rototurret. A last option is that one or both of these ice are Popup Windows.
Runner Turn 1
The runner chooses to play Professional Contacts and use it first, perhaps fearing Neural Katana if he runs first, or possibly simply having decided he wants to draw and thus getting maximum benefits. The trade-off here is that the runner is now in a much worse position if he follows up by running into a bioroid, tracing ice or Popup Window, although especially tracing ice is rare out of HB. He should probably not run this turn, and ideally had a plan what to do with the next 2 clicks before he even played the Contacts. He chooses to draw using Contacts (henceforth: draw) again and Mods out an RDI, leaving him on 1 credit and 4 cards. No big surprises here, although the opening is really passive and does not leave him in the position to start seriously pressuring for a couple of turns. On the other hand a very early R&D lock has become a possibility.
The corp takes 3 credits, affirming that he has no money cards in hand but otherwise entirely predictable given his rather aggressive opening. Given ETF's ability and that it is extremely unlikely that Kit would run Bank Job, he could have started building a remote if he had the cards for it this turn, especially due to Kit's temporarily anemic economy, thus implying that he did not have the cards for it or preferred to keep them in hand to dilute an agenda.
Four straight draws followed by three discards. This may suggest the runner is looking for something, with economy or breakers being the leading options, but may also simply be a way for the runner to get to 5 credits to enable him to play Sure Gamble next turn while further strengthening his hand. He may just have gotten some duplicate breakers, Plascrete's or another RDI which he doesn't need right now. His opening is passive in terms of pressure on the corp, and given the limitations on Kit's ability this can come back to bite him if the corp makes an agenda play next turn, as Kit cannot run R&D first to force the corp to spend money and then still have her ability to actually break into the remote. Instead, such economic pressure needs to be applied before the corp makes an agenda play. Conversely, Kit is very aggressively building up her economy and hand, and thus her range of potential board position and potential threats to the corp. This non-commital to actual threats can be very tough for the corp to play against.
I am unfortunately not able to quite make out the discards, but they appear to include and RDI and at least 1 Atman, which is surprising coming out of Kit. In Kit, Atman is likely to be a support breaker rather than the main focus, and clearly the runner has decided he does not need them, at least right now, retaining the ability to Clone Chip it back for support later. This may imply Yog plus Datasuckers, although given the MU requirements of Atman and Yog and suckers it is by no means guaranteed. At any rate, the corp would be wise to take a moment and consider the information the runner has just given him in the form of these three discards.
The corp Biotic Labours through a Project Vitruvius. Unless the corp is dedicating himself to playing without remotes and all-in on fast advance, this is a little questionable. This move has left him with only 2 credits. Unless there are Ice Walls or Popups out, he is unlikely to be able to rez much and defend his centrals. This means he is either taking a big risk or there are no other agendas in HQ. He basically has to have either a Popup or Ice Wall on R&D or else he just gave Kit at least 2 card accesses for free. It may have been a panic move due to being under a lot of pressure playing corp from behind in the finals, in which case it was unfortunate that he did not at least get an Accelerated Beta Test or Gila Hands instead. It is important to note for the runner that once the Corp reaches 4 credits Archer becomes a possibility.
The runner plays a Datasucker. This heavily suggests his rig is composed primarily of Yog, Datasuckers and Atman. There might be a Femme, but Faerie, other Sentry breakers and Fracters in general have become less likely. Icing archives should now be a clear priority for the corp, as should building up varied ice strength on centrals and wiping viruses.
The runner runs HQ and grabs a Gila Hands Arcology. This suggests the corp was feeling clogged on agendas and low on ice and wanted to just get rid of as many AP as possible. However, scoring the Gila Hands instead likely would have given him a better chance at winning the game due to its ability. On the other hand, in that case the runner would likely be at 2 AP right now, rather than 1.
The runner next runs R&D into an unsurprising Popup Window followed by no rez into double accesses resulting in no score. Fast advancing that Vitruvius and losing the ability to rez ice has moved from a questionable decision to a clear mistake.
For his last click the runner runs HQ again seeing an Ichi 1.0. The runner now knows 2 of the 3 cards that will be in the corp's HQ, as well as the card on top of R&D. This information advantage is hard to express in terms of clicks or credits, but still quite valuable. The runner is left with 3 credits, 4 cards and 3 tokens on Datasucker.
The corp doesn't have a lot of options here on account of being poor and thus gains 3 credits.
The runner begins by drawing thrice and making a Dirty Laundry run into archives. He discards another Atman, leaving him at 5 cards, 9 credits and 4 Datasucker tokens. His aggressive drawing combined with Professional Contacts is successfully powering his deck against the economically weakened corporation and given cards like Clone Chip he has hardly lost any options. It is hard to imagine his hand isn't full of threats and answers at this point.
The corp is virtually forced to play the slow and steady building up of centrals game we often see against early aggression runners. It is important to note that prior to the Biotic Laboured Vitruvius the corp was in a strong position to give the runner a hard time with his centrals, provided his face down ice is actually small to mid cost end the run ice, and not big and/or program destroying ice that hasn't really turned on yet. The corp ices archives and takes 2 credits, going up to 9.
The runner draws another card and then plays a Diesel. This can imply that he is still searching for something or that he simply doesn't mind a flood of cards as he has duplicates or other cards he'd like to dump like Plascrete. Alternatively he has a Modded and is looking for the best possible target for it. He then installs his last RDI with Modded and draws 1 more card. A small mistake, as there is no reason not to draw first and given that drawing first is always better. The runner is left with 5 cards, 10 credits and 4 tokens.
He then discards a Dirty Laundry, suggesting he either has more economy in hand, is comfortable with his current bank or doesn't have the capability to land it yet. He also discards an Infiltration, which strongly suggests he has another one in hand. Alternatively, he doesn't believe he's going to need it anytime soon and will draw another before he does. Discarding Infiltration is interesting economically though, as it heavily implies there is more economy in hand or he expects to draw it soon with Contacts and thus he doesn't need the 2 credits for a click from Infiltration. However, he might also be foregoing those credits because drawing is that much more important to him right now, suggesting that he's been frantically searching for a non-Atman breaker or a Clone Chip these last turns. Given that Kit's ability hasn't come into play yet and the usage of 2 Modded to get RDIs into play that didn't really have much expected value for quite a number of turns to come at the time they were played further supports this. All in all, had the corp maintained a decent bank and attempted to score his agendas without fast advancing, this could well have been a very poor start for the runner.
If there was indeed a window where the runner just didn't have the breakers he wanted or needed, it may still be open, although it is very unlikely to be so for more than another turn at most. That said, forcing out a breaker to turn on the Ichi's and Rototurret is a good idea in general, and being too passive here is inviting defeat by R&D lock at this point.
The corp ices R&D and take 2 credits for a net gain of 1, leaving him with 10.
At this point the corp kinda has to hope the runner has his sights set on R&D and not just finds a way in, but spends too many resources getting that entry, then gets unlucky and doesn't score at all off of the accesses, leaving himself broke and unable to respond to a remote play. Ideally this can then be followed up by a fast advanced 2-pointer to close out the game. It's a long-shot, but probably the corp's best option, and thus the runner should take care to maintain a good bank at all times, even if it means foregoing R&D lock for another turn or 2. It goes without saying that the runner should gain the capability to get into servers as soon as possible.
The runner draws twice, then plays Dinosaurus followed by Yog. The runner may have thus had Yog in hand already for a while, but instead of putting pressure with it right away went with the somewhat greedier but stronger long term play of getting Dinosaurus first. The corp's passivity allowed him to easily get away with this, and the ability of the corp to gain an economic advantage at any point in this game is now greatly diminished. The runner is left with 5 cards, 4 tokens and 2 credits. Not having seen any Sure Gambles yet by this point is rather unfortunate, although the only other money cards we've seen have been Professional Contacts and Infiltration. If this deck is really running that low on economy a start without Contacts may well turn into a disaster, even with how cheap runs get for this deck.
Unless the runner is happy to wear himself out on R&D and does not get any agenda hits there, this will likely be the last opportunity for the corp to leverage his economy into a solid remote play.
Instead the corp plays another ice on R&D and takes 2 credits, to be left with 10 again. The corp appears primarily focused on not losing through R&D lock, rather than winning the game. Nonetheless, as this game goes longer, R&D lock becomes an inevitability and its all about what the corp does with the time he has until then.
Note that if the corp had scored Gila over Vitruvius and done everything else identically, he'd be on 14 credits at this point. Lastly, it is possible that the corp simply hasn't drawn any further agendas and does not make a remote play for that reason. However, note that if he had not used Biotic Labour when he did, he'd be much less likely to have lost an agenda from HQ, provided the ice on HQ is not a pure bluff, and thus would have had the opportunity to make remote plays somewhere in the last 3 to 4 turns.
The runner once again begins by drawing twice, followed by playing his last Atman at strength 0, likely to protect from Rototurret while working very well with the 4 tokens he has on his Datasucker and which his Yog is unlikely to need. Note that he is still vulnerable to a Grim or Archer, so long as it isn't the first ice he encounters in a turn. He runs HQ to see a Sansan and then discards Diesel, leaving him with 5 tokens, 5 cards and a single credit.
Speaking of that Sansan, it really should have been played already. Given that the runner prior to this turn simply wasn't safe to either Roto, Archer or Grim, and still isn't safe to the latter two so long as they aren't the first ice encountered and given that there is an ice on the inside of R&D which the runner knows is very unlikely to cost 3 credits or less, R&D was relatively safe even before these 2 new ice went down on it. Especially given the runners relatively dominant board state and need for only 4 points, it is unlikely he would have risked an Archer or Grim ruining his rig at this point. Thus, instead of icing R&D more, playing the Sansan, even or especially with no ice in front of it would have put a threat on the board that the runner likely would be eager to answer, slowing down his game.
Especially if the corp did not have agendas in hand, or at least agendas he could fast advance off of just a Sansan, playing it naked would invite a run, as the runner cannot afford you sneaking a naked Beta Test by and Testing into the nuts. Back when the runner had a bunch of money, he likely would have straight trashed it, delaying the Dinosaurus plus Yog play greatly and giving the corp more time before the R&D lock goes into effect to make plays. Especially with cards like Archived Memories or simply drawing into another Sansan or even an Ash, the corp could have occupied the runners clicks and traded upgrades for runner economy while using his own ability to not slow down his own economy at all. Jackson Howard and Archived Memories could then later be used to recur those upgrades and thus minimizing the corp's loss in this exchange. Conversely, had the runner not trashed Sansan it could then either be used to score another agenda and at that point pretty much forcing him to run it again and trash it, or if the corp did not have the right agenda ready, iced up and basically also demanded a reaction by the runner, with the bonus that this would have finally forced the runner to commit to playing a breaker, thus turning on a significant chunk of the corp's ice, or at least potential ice. All in all, given what we now know about the corp's deck and draws, he could have easily played a much stronger and threatening opening had he not kneecapped himself economically with the Biotic Labour on turn 3.
Corp Turn 8.
Given that the runner saw the Sansan anyway and likely will want to remove such a threat from the board as soon as possible, and that R&D is still mostly safe given that the runner has only 5 tokens and 1 credit, playing the Sansan, even naked, right now is not a bad idea and, if the right agenda is in hand, will virtually guarantee a score. A naked Sansan further wastes a runner click as he really should go and check it just in case you got cute and are trying to sneak an agenda through.
The corp decides to wipe viruses. While it makes his ice much better and thus R&D safer and the Sansan easier to protect, it also gives the runner the time he needs to get the funds together to actually trash the Sansan. That said, a strong corp play next turn focused on that Sansan may well give the corp the momentum he needs to score 3 points, at which point he is 6 credits and a Biotic Labour plus 2-pointer in hand away from winning.
It's all about economy now, and unless he managed to fit an Imp in that deck somehow he needs to get as big a bank as fast as possible, while also rebuilding his Datasucker tokens. He can only gain 1 token safely per turn as this stand however, and HQ is by far the best place to do this. However, running into some annoying ice right now could slow him down too much.
He runs HQ and sees Sansan. Unless the ice on HQ is a Code Gate, not rezzing it is becoming more than a little questionable at this point. The next click shows why, as the runner runs HQ again and gets to see another card he otherwise likely could not have. This time we see Trick of Light. This gives us a firm read on the corp archetype. This is a hardcore fast advance deck which does not want to build a remote at all. The turn 3 play did point in that direction, but was so costly that it also could have simply been a mistake. Knowing what we know now, I still think the turn 3 Biotic Labour was a mistake that could have better waited a while, and given how credit hungry fast advance is, Gila Hands could have really done some serious work. It is also important to note that no ice has yet been advanced, and thus Trick of Light is not turned on. This may have been a deliberate choice, as advancing ice out of HB is a clear indication of Trick of Light, which given the rest of his play would have been a big tipoff towards pure fast advance. If there are no advancable cards on the table yet, however, this is a big problem for the corp.
The next 2 clicks the runner runs HQ twice more, seeing Sansan and Trick of Light. This creates a very interesting situation because the runner can only be sure he knows 2 of the corp's cards. Due to him still having only 1 credit and 4 datasucker tokens he's not in a position to either contest a Sansan going down or pressuring R&D. This means that if the Sansan does go down, he should check it (to make sure it's not a sneaky agenda) and then run hand 3 more times to attempt to snipe the likely agenda hiding in there. For the corp this means that if there is not, in fact, an agenda in hand, the current situation he is in is amazing, as he is wasting a ton of runner clicks at no risk. If there is an agenda however, he is unlikely to be able to get rid of it and quite likely to have it sniped. Icing HQ would likely protect the agenda, but also be a big giveaway, slow down the corp and not really bringing him closer to scoring, thus giving the runner the time he needs to recover his economy. It seems the runner over committed with the Dinosaurus plus Yog when he did, and dug himself an economic hole with that play he is now stuck in.
The corp dumps the HQ ice and replaces it with 2 new ones and takes a credit. This implies heavily that the original ice was a now useless Code Gate. The corp also keeps the Sansan in hand rather than playing it out when it is pretty safe and would almost guarantee waste a runner click, which further hints that there is an agenda in hand and potentially even that the ice on HQ might not keep the runner out completely. Playing the Sansan in that case would have given the runner a rather good chance to grab the agenda. The corp is left with 11 credits.
Given that the Sansan is not down yet, there really isn't any need to keep up the aggression, and switching gears into getting our economy back on track seems preferable. Running HQ is also risky due to Grim. We can discount Archer due to knowing that the corp spend influence on Sansan, Trick of Light, Popup Window and very likely Ice Wall. In fact, given those cards we would expect 2x Sansan, 2x Trick of Light, 3x Popup and 3x Ice wall, which would put the corp at 18 influence. Options to explain this include the corp only having a single Sansan, due to Trick of Light and Ice Wall going together, or only 1 Popup and 2 Ice Wall, which would be rather odd, or no Ice Walls at all and instead using Aggressive Secretary to store advancement tokens on. This would be a little questionable given that there'd be no ice to protect it and Shapers program recursion is a big thing. Plus you'd have to advance the Secretary more than 2 if you wanted it to keep protecting itself after using a Trick of Light on it. Either way, Archer, or any other out of faction shenanigans, seems right out at this point.
The runner runs HQ first click, which seems to be a massive unnecessary risk, and his Popup first, followed by jacking out. It appears the runner attempted to make the corp spend some money on a rez but was aware that the 2nd ice could be really dangerous. At least we gained some info on influence expenditure, and 1 Sansan, 3 Popup, 2 Trick of Light and 3 Ice Wall now seems most likely, likely with Archived Memories for recursion of fast advance capability and if there are 3-pointers in the deck they are likely not intended to be scored.
The runner then draws twice and plays an Infiltration for money, which is alright given that they are of much more limited value against this type of deck anyway. He'd have to use them against ice, which can be useful if you are scared of a particular ice but can get big gains if it is not actually there, but given that if he managed to just get his economy in order he can take any ice this is fine. That said, his apparent lack of economy, either in the deck or due to a poor economy draw, is really hurting him right now. He discards his last Modded, which seems fine given that the only cards he likely still wants to play that would significantly benefit from Modded, his Atmans, are in his heap and will thus be Clone Chipped.
Corp Turn 10
The corp wipes viruses once again. He appears to feel good about his ability to keep the sucker tokens off the board right now and reckons correctly that the tempo hit would really hurt the runner. He really needs to start developing his own board towards being able to use that Sansan and Trick of Light these next turns, however.
Runner Turn 10
Thee draws into a 4th click archives run, which is ok given Kit's ability and the Yogosaurus. That said, doing it on click 1 would put pressure on the corp to rez that ice and prevent repeat runs over the course of the turn, which might be preferable. We see that the ice on HQ was an Engima, unsurprisingly. The runner is left with 8 credits, 2 tokens and 5 cards after discarding Plascrete, Escher and Inside Job.
Plascrete is an expected discard, Escher could have really helped wreck the corp and set up an R&D lock, especially if a couple more rezzes could be forced, and Inside Job really would not have been a bad card to help put pressure on R&D, given the triple RDI, and force a lot of rezzes there. That said, Inside Job is curious in Kit, as it anti-combos with her ability and is very influence expensive in an ID tight on influence. Tinkering, which we haven't seen yet, generally works much better for Kit, although it does nothing for Atman. Possibly this Kit deck uses Atman and Inside Job to put early pressure, and only uses Yog plus Dinosaurus plus Kit's ability in the lategame to primarily economic effect. I am not convinced that this is the best use of Kit's ability and can't help but wonder if a similar deck out of Kate would not be better.
The corp Biotic Labours an Accelerated Beta Test, choosing not to use it, unsurprising given the board state. The corp is left with 5 credits. This move was again a little questionable, as playing the Sansan first would have forced a runner response and likely would have set the runner economy back significantly while allowing us to build up an even bigger bank. Furthermore, given this hit to the runner economy it is unlikely he would have been able to do anything elsewhere, leaving us free to make this Biotic Labour play next turn and be left with 8 credits and a poorer runner afterwards, which is much more threatening to the runner.
We really need to establish R&D lock and should be very much regretting that tossed Inside Job and Escher by now.
The runner runs R&D, leading to no rezzes before the Popup and revealing an Ichi 1.0 behind it. The runner should be more than happy to break this with clicks and does so, leaving the trace 1 subroutine up for the now nearly broke corp. The trace stays at 1 and is easily matched, leading to the accessing of 3 cards from R&D and the scoring of a Director Haas' Pet Project and a Project Vitruvius for the win going to Kit.
Game End
Given that dedicated no-server fast advance is likely to give up some points, especially to multiple R&D accesses even when it wins, and given that Kit only needed 4 points, and given that big R&D attack is the primary weakness of this type of corp deck in any case, the corp never stood much of a chance of winning this game. That said, the decision to Biotic on turn 3 was really cavalier, and allowed the runner to score a point, gain control of the game and set up without any chance for the corp to pressure. Similarly, continuously not putting the Sansan out to at least pressure the runner economically gave the runner all the room he needed.
The main lesson from this game ought to be that you should always consider where your bank will be after your big play, and if it is not in a good place, whether you can afford to postpone the big play to gain some more money first instead. Hand in hand with that goes putting economic pressure on the opposing player, through forcing them to waste clicks making runs to keep you honest or credits to trash threatening assets or upgrades or rez ice. Lastly and most elementary, make sure your deck is packing enough money generating cards. Kit may have just gotten really unlucky this game, but imagine her playing this same game minus the 1 copy of Professional Contacts she drew. Or perhaps an NBN which could use a Breaking News to trash it early on. It would have been very, very painful.
In conclusion, I feel that we have seen some interesting decks and play out of both players this finals and that the player that played best won. I wish him good luck at Worlds, and who knows, maybe I'll analyze his play at the final table there, too.
Classics.
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SneakySly
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Robert (Bob) Bojanek is an entrepreneur, senior executive, innovator and community leader. Co-Founder of ShoreGroup Inc, Bob and his partners grew ShoreGroup from start-up to an international network and system management company which introduced one of the first SaaS models in the industry. Responsible for Operations at ShoreGroup, Bob played a key role in the sale of the company to a Silicon Valley based Private Equity firm; Bob remains an investor in the company.
As an innovator, Bob is listed as a co-inventor in a dozen patents related to systems management. A former Director of Multi-Service at NEC BNS, Bob has at various times in his career been responsible for business operations, engineering, research and development, marketing, product management, staff development and sales.
Bob is also involved in various community foundations and non-profit organizations with a focus on education and youth development. Bob is the founder of The Shoreline Group which funds selected non-profit endeavors in Upstate NY.


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Nintendo Switch Game Deals
Let's unbox the MGS 5 watch and check out the new Yoji Shinkawa art
By Leon Hurley 2015-08-14T15:28:39.225Z News
In case you've somehow missed it, Kojima's kind of gone nuts on the MGS 5 merch - clothes, glasses, headphones, shoes. You name it, there's a Metal Gear Solid 5 logo on it somewhere. This is not a bad thing, but it's going to be ruinous for fans once the game's out.
This is the Sekio NextAge MGS 5 The Phantom Pain Collaboration Watch, based on a 1984 Digiborg watch that Kojima once owned. It's a hefty thing and beautiful if you like retro watches (which I do). Metal Gear art god Yoji Shinkawa has helped design the packing for this thing too, so let's take a look:
Here's a closer look at that packaging art:
If you want to buy one then they're around the $375 mark, so not cheap but they are very limited - that's 1403 of only 2500. As I mentioned earlier it's loosely based on this old watch Kojima had in the 80s:
SEIKO NEXTAGE MGSV:TPP Collaboration Watch(left), The one on the right is my DIGIBORG I used to wear back in 1984. pic.twitter.com/dpSzc0Gf26March 5, 2015
If you want to win this then keep an eye out for the UK edition of the Official PlayStation Magazine that's out on the 25th of September, where there will be a competition for this and a separate one for a 20th Anniversary PS4 as well.
Seen something newsworthy? Tell us!
gamesmaster
oxm


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Dennis Perkins is a freelance writer who lives in Auburn with his lovely wife, the writer Emily L. Stephens, and their cat, Cooper. When not watching all the movies ever made or digging up stories about the Maine film scene, he can be found writing for the AV Club and elsewhere. The rest of the time, he's worrying about the Red Sox.
Send an email | Read more from Dennis
Film series at York library takes on 'Complexity of Racism'
Written by: Dennis Perkins
Denzel Washington in "Malcolm X," a biopic about the influential black rights activist, screening Feb. 24. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
For movie enthusiasts in the know, the local public library is a secretly vital part of their movie-loving lives. Apart from libraries like Portland's that house truly impressive collections of DVDs and Blu-rays for patrons to take home, libraries consistently screen films of all kinds for the public. For free. Plus, since libraries are dedicated to the truly democratic mission of sharing knowledge, they often cater their film screenings to events of current and enduring relevance. Call it a community service, or just plain proof that libraries and the people who work there are national treasures.
As proof, look down the coast a bit to York, where the York Pubic Library is hosting an extended film, book and discussion series called "Exploring the Complexity of Racism." Comprising speakers, forums, reading groups and visiting experts, the series, according to chair of the library's programming committee Susan Yorston, marks the library's ongoing commitment to education, and to community. "Absolutely, education is part of our mission," explained Yorston, a former teacher and longtime library trustee and volunteer. "The library is a free place to speak, that's part of it. All voices are welcome. All doors are open, and since we're a public library, everything is free."
Photo courtesy of Focus Features
Adam Driver and John David Washington in "BlacKkKlansman."
The current series grew out of a similar event last year, when local church leaders and others examined the issue of diversity. As Yorston explained, the programming committee vets proposals for library events, and when the opportunity arose to continue the discussion, the library leapt at it. Successfully obtaining a grant to fund the program from the Maine Humanities Council, Yorston and fellow committee members Michelle Sampson, program chair Susan Glick, Nancy Garrick and local Methodist Pastor Effie McAvoy set out to craft a wide-ranging roster of films, books and participants designed to elevate and further that discussion in their community.
With the program having begun on Oct. 20 with a discussion of James Baldwin's ever-relevant nonfiction book "The Fire Next Time," Yorston said the event is already drawing promising interest from the York community and elsewhere. "We had 16 attendees on a Saturday morning," enthused Yorston, "That's very good."
Also discussed at that first outing was the film selection of the program going forward, with all attendees especially excited at the chance to give input on what films to show. Said Yorston, "Films just came up automatically, with people making suggestions and getting excited. It was a big hit." Some films most requested by program participants are out of the library's reach, like Ava DuVernay's searing, Oscar-nominated documentary about the role of race in America's mass incarceration industry "13th," which is only available through streaming service Netflix. (Yorston, like any good library person, referred people to their Netflix accounts.) However, some other films that might ordinarily be out of the reach of a local library with limited funds are coming to "Exploring the Complexities of Racism" through sheer luck.
"King in the Wilderness," a 2018 documentary about the late civil rights champion Dr. Martin Luther King, premiered at Sundance so recently that the film hasn't been made available on the physical media the library needs to screen it. Luckily for the people of York, however, the film's composer, Saul Simon MacWilliams, is a York native and made sure that the library could use the film for its Jan. 20 screening. Said Yorston, "His mother is associated with the library, and she was able to get us a physical copy so people can see the film on the big screen. It's really exciting."
Taraji P. Henson in "Hidden Figures," the story of a team of female mathemeticians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the American space program. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Fox
And while much of the program's film series is set, with movies like the inspirational "Hidden Figures" kicking off the series on Dec. 16, and the Feb. 24 showing of Spike Lee's biopic "Malcolm X," there's still plenty of room for library patrons to lobby for their favorites. Spike Lee's rousing true tale of Ron Stallworth, a black cop who infiltrated the KKK, "BlacKkKlansman," is one such film, recently added to the slate thanks to community feedback.
That community engagement is all part of the library's ongoing conversation with its patrons, explained Yorston, who credited chairman of the York Public Library's film commission Bill Lord for the library's various successful ongoing film series. "At first, I didn't think we could cover the wide range of the complexity of racism, and the history of racism in politics, in everything in the history of our country," said Yorston. "But the film component really looks to expand the discussion. Moving into films seemed a natural segue where we thought, 'Well, we can't tell the whole story of the issue, but what are the gaps that movies could fill?' Plus, some people are more visual learners."
Yorston said that, while she is unaware of any particular inciting incident that might have inspired people to propose this program, she's well aware that even a town like York, which she describes as "a very open place," can't escape the responsibility of examining how prejudice informs the lives of its people, sometimes in unexpected ways. "There's a lot of discussion about covert and overt racism and how that's something we have to address as a society," said Yorston. "A lot of people in our community felt they needed to do something, especially after the events happening in the larger world."
The York Public Library's film, book and discussion series "Exploring the Complexity of Racism" will run well into 2019. For a complete rundown of the program's impressive series of speakers, events and films, check out the York Public Library website, york.lib.me.us.
COMING TO LOCAL SCREENS
PMA FILMS
portlandmuseum.org/movies
Starts Friday: "On Her Shoulders." Wrenching but inspirational documentary about 23-year-old Nadia Murad, who survived the 2014 genocide of the Yazidi people in Iraq to become a vocal and effective advocate for human rights.
space538.org
Saturday: "Brewmaster." Portlanders love their beer, which might be why Space has scheduled two Saturday screenings of this sudsy documentary from director Douglas Tirola, about a pair of young aspiring brewmasters looking to make it in the beer game.
Up Next: A little bit country and a little bit rock and roll with some indie folk too


text:
Healthy skepticism
Remember the news story a couple months ago about the pregnant woman with undetected melanoma who was brain-dead from a cancer-related stroke? And her husband kept her body on life support so she could continue serving as an incubator? Well, that body has now undergone a C-section at roughly 26 weeks of gestation, and a baby weighing 1 lb., 13 oz. and 13.5 in. long has been born. According to a news article, "the baby appears healthy, said the girl's uncle." A lot of 26-weekers do start out on ventilators, so perhaps already the baby (named Susan after her quasi-late mother) resembles her mother. It's expected that adult Susan's life support will be turned off soon, and her widower can move his vigil from her hospital room to baby Susan's NICU. While the uncle describes the baby as "healthy," she's likely to remain hospitalized for a good 3 months or so (many preemies stay in the NICU until they are close to their original due date; those with complications may stay longer).
The idea of keeping a body nominally "alive" for months (about 3 months in this case) to gestate a fetus gives me the willies. Yes, I have sympathy for the family that has suffered a terrible tragedy, but it seems like a precariously slippery slope to walk out on without a better pair of cleats. Predictably, the National Pro-Life Action Center issued a statement last night, saying in part: "This has reaffirmed the incalculable value and sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death." If it makes sense for a woman whose brain has ceased working at 15 weeks of gestation to have others decide to use her body as an incubator (her husband says this is what she would have wanted, and that may well be), it's not that far a stretch for others to decide that a healthy woman in the early second trimester of pregnancy should also continue serving as a vessel, whether or not she wants to.
I suspect some of you think I'm completely wrong on this, but that's my two cents' worth.
Larry Burkum said...
Heard this story on CBS Evening News last night. My wife immediately commented, "Science and medical know-how has outstripped common sense." We're childless by choice, so I can't pretend to know what the father is going through. But in my gut I think this is just wrong. Just because we can doesn't mean we should.
Emma Goldman said...
Depends on what principle we're following here. Part of the principle in play in the Schaivo mess was that her husband claimed that (a) she was brain-dead and (b) she would not have wanted to live in that condition. Her family contested (a), of course, though clearly from the realm of wishful thinking rather than the realm of fact; they occasionally contested (b), too, but their whole case primarily rested on contesting (a).
In this case, no one is contesting (a), we're merely wondering the (b) conditions here--would she have wanted to incubate the child? If so, then her husband is respecting her wishes as well as his own desires (presumably, on the latter), and, squicky though the case is in some ways, it still maintains a certain amount of autonomy for the mother. The cases that are more problematic to me are the ones where people are ignoring the wishes of the mother. Of course i disagree completely with the Anti-Choice action center's position: what it reaffirms is the importance of respecting our right to make choices about reproduction and the importance of honoring those choices.
Did you see Twisty Faster (I blame the patriarchy)'s post on this subject? I made essentially the same argument Emma did--that it's a private decision between the woman, now dead, and her husband. But Twisty convinced me that your position, Orange, is the correct one. And the outcome--a very fragile preemie--supports that case: *maybe* the baby will be okay, but to maintain a dead body as an incubator only in order to extract a very fragile and high-risk fetus, is pretty sick. I have no doubt that the father is thrilled to death with his new little girl, and will love her madly; I would in his situation. But it's still a pretty upsetting situation.
Dr. B, I just read Twisty Faster's post from a couple weeks ago. Interesting conversation in the comment thread over there.
Additional points I neglected to mention above: The Torres family already included a 2-year-old son. Though the melanoma hadn't yet invaded the placenta, the new baby may face roughly a 20% risk of the cancer that killed her mama—man, I sure hope this guy doesn't end up facing a second cancer death in the family. And good gravy, how much therapy might you need to grapple with the fact that, biologically, your mother died months before you were even born?
So I've been thinking of commenting or not because sure this was a private decision that should have (and was thank goodliness) been made with the father/family. But keeping a woman alive on life support just to "give birth" to a high-risk fetus creeps me out. I feel like we're entering in a new realm of Invasion of the Body Snatchers or something.
You see, I can just imagine the Handmaids Tale coming into reality if the human incubator style is practiced more often. What would really stop them from making women who are alive and walking do the same thing?
Which is what Orange's point was, I think.
Wow! Thank you, thank you! Recently I have been conducting "research" to see what other people are reading, thinking, blogging...and questioning the idea of blogs themselves. Now you have answered one question: what are other people reading! I would never have known about that article (I have a 2 month old-my time is limited) and am amazed at what science can do! How wonderful! What a fantastic concept. Maybe Susan died, but her daughter lives on. Perhaps she will have some difficulties, but what a gift of life her mother gave her. Let me go get my tissue box....
Well, that went as well as could be expected
Retro rockin' reveries
How to write up your vacation
Catching up with Salon
Three good things
Freebie People
Hey, I did it!
That's so...Christian
Evolution, intelligent design, and the President
And what is this, anyway?
Why screening tests often aren't helpful
Sweet Home Chibloggo
Things that entertain the language snobs among us
Intelligent design redux
I am helpless to resist your pleas, O Spammer
Happy Birthday, Mister President
Tyrannosaurus Elton
You want a good cry?
Medical breakthrough? Political hot potato
Excellent refutation of "intelligent design"
What do you call this blog? "The Aristocrats!"
Calling all preemie parents, past and future
Approaching a milestone
Search terms that entice my readers
Blogger Meetup: IHOP Edition, Volume 2
Do you fug?
Hail to the Coward
Oddball dream
I got...nothin'
I resent the implication
Krugman on the undermining of science
Ad-susceptible boy misses a beat
A bumper sticker
Hearing people I voted for on the radio: sighhhh
The right-wingers that right-wingers love to hate
Rod Blagojevich may have a lousy rep
As*hole


text:
Van Daele Homes, The #4 Fastest Growing Builder In The United States, Celebrates Expansion Into Utah With Groundbreaking Of First Neighborhood In Award-Winning Daybreak Master Plan
SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Van Daele Homes, a private homebuilder with operations throughout California and Utah, recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the company's first new home community, Axis at North Station in Daybreak, (South Jordan) UT.
Axis at North Station - Artist Rendering
VAN DAELE HOMES, THE #4 FASTEST GROWING BUILDER IN THE UNITED STATES, CELEBRATES EXPANSION INTO UTAH.
Located in the award-winning master planned community of Daybreak, Axis at North Station features 77 innovative two and three-story townhomes with spacious roof decks. Stylish, fresh and modern, the townhomes at Axis offer 3 to 4 Bedrooms in up to 1,915 square feet of interior living space. The community is conveniently located on South Jordan Parkway, adjacent to the American Academy of Innovation and just steps from the South Jordan Parkway Light Rail Station. Residents of Axis will enjoy the ease of connectivity to nearby schools, transportation, parks, shopping and the abundant recreational opportunities Daybreak provides its residents. Presales are anticipated to begin in early 2022, with a model grand opening and first move-ins planned for late Spring/early Summer, 2022.
"We are looking forward to opening Axis at North Station and to providing our customers with our uniquely personalized, signature Van Daele Homes experience," said Mike Van Daele, Chief Operating Officer. "Whether you're a visitor or you become a homebuyer, we'll ensure you're treated like family," Van Daele continued.
Utah Division President Todd Demarets noted what an honor it is for Van Daele Homes' first development in Utah to be within the Daybreak master plan. "There is an elite group of highly respected homebuilders here in Daybreak that we're excited to join," said Demarets. "To partner with Daybreak developers Larry H. Miller Real Estate and bring Axis at North Station to life is an amazing opportunity and we're grateful for the partnership" Demarets continued. Van Daele Homes' President/CEO/CFO Jeff Hack added "Even though we've just put our first shovels in the ground here at Daybreak, we already feel so welcomed and at home. We've formed some amazing relationships with local trade partners and consultants, and we look forward to building upon these relationships in the years ahead," Hack continued.
Van Daele Homes is a Southern California based homebuilder with offices in Newport Beach, CA, Riverside, CA, Salt Lake City, UT, and San Ramon, CA. Founded in 1987, the company has built over 17,000 homes in California. To learn more, visit vandaele.com.
Axis at North Station Groundbreaking Photo - Pictured: Left – Mike Van Daele, Chief Operating Officer, Center – Todd Demarets, Utah Division President, Right – Jeff Hack, President/CEO/CFO
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/van-daele-homes-the-4-fastest-growing-builder-in-the-united-states-celebrates-expansion-into-utah-with-groundbreaking-of-first-neighborhood-in-award-winning-daybreak-master-plan-301435530.html
SOURCE Van Daele Homes


I've been curious about Pilot Frixion erasable products ever since Ana reviewed the pens and markers and the "color-pencil-like pens" several years ago. But it wasn't until Pilot came out with actual erasable colored pencils (as opposed to gel pens that are called "color-pencil-like" but are not, in fact, color-pencil-like at all) that I became curious enough to try some.
Pilot now offers two lines of Frixion colored pencils: the standard line of 12 colors (set of 12 for $13.25; $2.05 each), which I'm going to call the kids' line, and the new adult line (set of 12 for $22 or 24 for $44; $3.05 each) available in 24 colors. I got a set of 12 of each, which I'm going to review simultaneously. Pencils in both lines are available open stock – a useful feature for any colored pencil and unusual for sets marketed to kids – so kudos to Pilot for that.
The kids' set comes in a plastic box in your choice of pink or blue. The woodcased barrels are color-matched to the cores. The attached erasers are translucent white.
The adult set comes in a dark blue metal box and includes a small coloring book. The pencils' dark blue barrel has a textured herringbone pattern. Attached erasers that match the core colors are a nice touch, especially since they are the only color identifiers (other than the pencil points).
I love these translucent colored erasers – they remind me of gummy bears and look like they should be scented (but thankfully, they are not).
Frankly, I think the colored erasers are the main reason to get the adult set instead of the kids' set, because the cores are identical (more on that in a moment). And speaking of those cores, I'm going to give you a closer look. Both the kids' pencils and the adult pencils show an odd whitish core surrounding the colored core. The wood is high-quality, the cores are well-centered, and they all sharpen well.
Since the price of the adult pencils is substantially higher than the kids' pencils, I wondered if the cores contained more pigment or if they were different in any other way. They are not – at all. Shown below is a swatch comparison of the two sets. On each swatch, I tested erasing quality with two erasers – the one attached (the right erasure) and a Tombow Mono Zero (the left erasure). In every case, the attached Frixion eraser erased more quickly, cleanly (no dust) and completely than the Tombow.
I was disappointed that the swatches came out looking pale and wimpy with the two layers I typically make for swatches, so I hoped they might be a bit more vibrant in a sketch. Alas, not much. I applied multiple layers of the relatively soft, waxy cores, but the pencils don't have enough pigment to achieve the degree of vibrancy I'm used to seeing even in low-cost, student-grade pencils. (Sketch and swatches made in a Stillman & Birn Epsilon sketchbook.) If I were looking for colored pencils to color with, Frixion would not be my first choice (nor my second or third choice). The hues are transparent, however, so they might work well as highlighter pencils.
Here's where I'll insert my confession: I didn't get Frixion pencils to sketch with! According to JetPens' product information, "FriXion pencil lead is a thermosensitive lead that can be erased by rubbing. Interestingly, erased color reappears at temperatures below 14° F (-10° C). A freezer is cold enough to make this happen." After making the apple sketch, my inner Ms. Wizard was eager to stop coloring and get to the science experiments! I'm sure there are tons of YouTubes out there showing how Frixion erasing technology works, but I didn't search for them – I wanted my own research to be pure and without influence.
First I scribbled a few swatches with the adult pencils on a Col-o-Ring card and erased lines through them with the attached eraser.
I tossed the card into the freezer for five minutes; the results show some erased areas coming back.
After removing the card from the freezer, I rushed to the bathroom and blew high heat from a hair dryer onto it. In a matter of seconds, the swatches had nearly disappeared.
I let the card sit at room temperature for about five minutes, and some of the swatches started returning.
Finally, I put the card back in the freezer for five minutes. Most swatches had nearly returned, including the lines I had initially erased.
At this point, my inner Ms. Wizard was satisfied that the Frixion pencils respond quickly to heat and cold. If you care about your writing maintaining legibility or your coloring remaining intact, heed the temperature of your paper.
Then my inner 8-year-old took over. Why fuss with invisible ink made of lemon juice if you can use Frixion pencils instead? I wrote a secret message . . .
. . . and erased it completely.
Assuming the message is delivered without being intercepted by enemy hands, the recipient would place the note in the freezer. In about a minute, the message would reappear enough to be legible. So much easier than lighting a candle!
As coloring pencils, forget it – nearly every colored pencil on the market is better than Pilot Frixion. But for the sheer fun of exchanging invisible secret messages? Priceless.


I saw the front in a distance. A solid wall of water, just obscuring where Kings House once stood (a view improved, I dare say). It was upon me before I had the tent up, a scramble to get inside, wait it out by candle light.
Half an hour or so and it's over. A tiny light on Beinn Bheag, a kindred spirit I imagine. But there is no sign of the blood moon (unlikely as it was, the reason I rushed here this evening after work). Though the cloud has cleared somewhat, so there is still a tiny glimmer of hope, some time left.
Alas, it's not to be. I notice a white cloud oozing from Lairig Gartain, then a rather menacing black one emerges from behind the Buchaille. But the real weather is behind my back. The wind has done a half circle turn and another wall of rain just passed Beinn Fhada and is advancing my way, fast. The torrents hit just as I am unzipping the tent. More time for idle thoughts by the candle light; much to be recommended.
The first lightning takes me by surprise. Sure, it was forecast, but out there just now it did not feel like a stormy sort of a day. One elephant, two elephants, three elephants, four elephants. One elephant, two elephants, ... eight elephants. Good. One elephant, ... three elephants. Less good; glad I didn't camp any higher up, sparing a thought for the tiny light on Beinn Bheag.
It lasts another half hour. Time to put the boots on again, just in case the moon has appeared; there is still a little time left. But, naturally, there is no moon, just some sheet lightning far to the east. For some reason the road is very busy just now, so I decide to take some cliche long exposure pictures, but the rain returns before I am ready, so back into the tent. More lightning. This is it, out of time, turn in for the night.
When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I see are two unfamiliar blotches. As my eyes manage to focus, I make out two birch seeds stuck to the outside of the inner tent. They must have come on the wind during the night, possibly a long way – I can't recall any birches around here.
They make me smile. Symbols of new life, of change; of the very possibility of change. But they make me sad at the same time, for, unwittingly, by my being here, their progress came to a sudden halt. Another hard to escape symbolism.
I know, it's just a couple of birch seeds. But symbolism matters. As every religion ever understood, symbolism makes it possible to participate in what we do not see, in what is not (yet) here. Symbols turn the abstract and theoretical, into personal and tangible; they turn thoughts into surrogate experiences.
Take the plastic straw. It's been pointed out (unhelpfully) that if you, and I, and everyone else, give up on plastic straws, nothing much will change, for most of that plastic pollution in our seas comes from fishing nets. Perhaps, but that is to miss the point.
The moment I decide 'no more plastic straws' is the moment I, personally, start owning the bigger problem, the moment I accept my complicity. The symbolic value of this act is immense, for without such an ownership, both individual and collective, real change cannot happen.
Perhaps that is also the reason we need the lynx back in Scotland.
I will be honest, I have read the NGO materials, the economic forecasts, the description of the methodologies used to derive these. They leave me cold – they do not read like economic forecasts from people rushing to make money out of the lynx. They read like statements from people who believe it is the right thing to do, but the only way to achieve that is to convince the world at large there is money to be made. I, for one, am not sold on this Lynx-the-tourist-attraction, not least because should the economic case fail, the whole project is doomed, and doomed for a long time after.
But the argument that, ecologically, and I think also morally, it's the right, even necessary, thing to do, seems to me very strong. Lynx as a symbol of change, of accepting that our natural resources cannot be managed purely form the perspective of primitive market economics, that repairing damage done in the past rather than merely maintaining status quo has to be part of modern environmental ethos, that is, I think very potent and could have ramifications beyond the few roe deer that will not need to be culled.
Perhaps. I am neither an ecologist, nor a sheep farmer, but, FWIW, I know a bit about religion and symbolism.
I forgot all about my two seeds until just now, drying the tent in the garden. They are no longer there, just two small stains on the fabric. And now I am not even sure they were there in the first place. Did my eyesight deceive me? It would not be the first time.
It doesn't matter. Just now there are birch seeds everywhere I look. There are thousands of them in the air, in my hair, they fall behind my shirt, and land in my pockets, my shoes are full of them. And the wind? The wind is picking up again!


Cherry Tree Beads Trunk Show – through May 1st!
Bead loot from Cherry Tree Beads is here through Sunday, May 1st! Get in here quick before it goes away!
Crystal, cloisonne, beach glass beads, lampwork, polymer….beautiful stones, large hole beads & pearls, tassels, bezel set focal pieces, pewter & more.


Rosanne Hertogh is the founder and designer of Sololu, a lifestyle brand that specializes in ethically made, seasonless women's clothing. As an avid traveler, Rosanne's mission is to inspire women to live life to the fullest and empower them to feel beautiful and confident while doing so, all while making ethical and sustainable clothing choices.
My first job ever was… Being a babysitter to my little cousins –I loved spending time with them. I was quite young, but simply loved it (and the fact that I was making a bit of money for the first time).
I decided to be an entrepreneur because… I wanted to do what I am passionate about, make my own rules and create something I was missing.
My proudest accomplishment is… Receiving a government grant after putting in a lot of time and effort to get my business plan and presentation in front of a jury approved.
My boldest move to date was… Moving to Canada from the Netherlands.
I surprise people when I tell them… I auditioned for the Dutch versions of American Idol and X-Factor when I was 16.
Starting a business with an ethical purpose is… What a lot more entrepreneurs should do. I can't imagine my clothing designs being made under terrible work conditions. I like to treat people the way I'd like to be treated and that's why the choice for being ethical was simple. I find it important to have my clothing made in an ethical work environment and keep our planet, the people we share it with, the environment and our future generations in mind.
My best advice to people trying to get an idea off the ground is… Start working on it as soon as you can, before someone else does, and start small – you can always invest in it more (money and time wise) once things take off. Also, do your research of course. Nowadays there's a ton of information available online and there may have been others who have done or launched something similar to your idea that could be helpful to you.
My best advice from a mentor was… Trust your instincts.
My biggest setback was… Finding a right manufacturer for my clothing collection who is ethical and shares the same values.
I overcame it by… Not giving up and keep searching for that right manufacturer.
Work/life balance is… A healthy combination between living life to the fullest and working on your passion.
If you googled me, you still wouldn't know… I've lived in Italy for an internship.
I stay inspired by… Traveling – visiting new places and meeting new people.
The future excites me because… I have so many ideas for my business and lots of fun things coming up with family and friends.
My next step is… Creating and adding new clothing designs to Sololu's current collection that contribute to a better everyday life, whether at home or abroad. I'd love to add more collections as well, such as swimwear and loungewear. My goal is to become as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible. It would be nice to become an inspiring go-to brand for women that travel on a regular basis or lead active lives.
Do you know a successful female entrepreneur who deserves recognition? Nominate her for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards!


text:
When Jimmy Savile died, I reproached his obituarists for their cover-up of his faith. Now I have to ask: what was he thinking of during daily Mass?
William Oddie
Last November, people filed past Savile's golden coffin in Leeds to pay their respects (Photo: PA)
I have just returned from a foreign absence blessedly out of touch with the internet. I came back to find an email from the Herald asking if I wanted to appear on Radio Leeds to talk about Sir Jimmy Savile. Why me, I thought at first: and then, sickeningly, I remembered: in November last year, at the time of Savile's death, when everyone was lauding his apparently selfless charity work and all the good he had done, I had written a piece (long since forgotten by me) complaining that one thing everyone had kept very quiet about was his Catholic faith: my now deeply embarrassing headline was "Jimmy Savile's obituaries mentioned his charity work: but why the conspiracy of silence about his faith?"
Just how wrong did I get it? There's still a question to be asked about all this. Was Jimmy Savile a deeply conflicted human being, torn between his impulse to do good in the world and his compulsion towards a particularly repulsive kind of human sinfulness? We are all a mixture of good and evil instincts: what Catholics think of as their commitment (sometimes strong, at other times weak) towards sanctification of life is a continuing process of attempting to weaken their habitual sinfulness and strengthen their commitment to their love of God. Is that what was going on here? Or – a truly horrendous possibility – was all the good he did in the world simply a means of getting access to the young girls he abused? Would it really be worth all that time and trouble? Maybe to someone so obviously compulsive in his sexual instincts it really was. Think of those flats in hospitals he was provided with (and whose idea was that?), places he could take his victims: is that what it was all about?
I assumed at the time (not, under the circumstances, surely, entirely unreasonably) that the motivating force for all the good he did was his faith: so I reproached his obituarists (who were no less fulsome in their praise for him than I or anyone else was) for ignoring it: "Why not," I asked, "mention that an important part of his life was attending daily Mass? There's a deep dedication in the life of a man who gives away 90 per cent of everything he earns and so tirelessly does all the other things he did. You'd think that an obituarist would want to ask a simple question: where did all that come from? It's almost as though they couldn't bear to accept that the answer was his Catholicism: even that Catholicism itself could ever be the source of actual human goodness." Oh dear.
What was going through his mind as he sat there, having slipped quietly into the back of Leeds cathedral, during those daily Masses? Was he praying for strength to resist his sexual compulsion? What did he tell his confessor? A psychologist, asked this question in one of the endless series of radio discussions about this horrible story last week, replied "probably he told him nothing: these people have an almost endless capacity to convince themselves that they have done nothing wrong".
I remain confused about all this. Which was it: was he simply and damnably an evil man, who did good in order that the opportunity for evil might come from it? I pray that that was not the source of all the undoubted good he really did do; I really hope that he was a man torn between good and evil whose faith in the end brought him true penitence. I note that most of the cases now emerging date back to the 70s and earlier: does that mean that towards the end of his life he had changed his behaviour? I simply don't know. Does anyone?
I usually go on for much longer than this: this time, though, I am simply reduced to silence. Thank God we are told not to judge others lest we ourselves come under judgment for it. This time I have no confident conclusions, I have nothing to say: only questions.
A terrible human weakness lies at the heart of the Jimmy Savile case
It is very hard for us to acknowledge the evil that lies plainly before our eyes
Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith
How did Jimmy Savile fool everyone for so long?
The BBC was blinded by his celebrity status. But its problems with group-think are shared by many institutions
Even at the time, I supported Mary Whitehouse: now, even on the Left, she has been vindicated. She was right, because she was motivated by her faith
She wasn't afraid of being laughed at by the fashionable intelligentsia. Her passion for decency and her hatred of 'filth' were inspired by her love of God


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Report: Layoffs strike Disney's Club Penguin
Disney Interactive has reportedly laid off a number of people who work on its decade-old MMO game/world Club Penguin this week across offices in Los Angeles, England and Canada.
Alex Wawro
Disney Interactive has laid off a number of people who work on its decade-old virtual world Club Penguin this week across offices in Los Angeles, England and Canada, according to both a local news report and a blog post from a former Club Penguin artist.
Disney paid $700 million to acquire the kid-focused virtual world and its British Columbian creators back in 2007; Club Penguin went on to repeatedly miss profit goals, and its three co-creators have since departed Disney.
But it's still operating, and today British Columbian local news outlet Castanet reports that 30 people at Disney Canada (formerly New Horizon Interactive, which created Club Penguin in partnership with RocketSnail Games) have lost their jobs.
More layoffs are believed to be occurring at Club Penguin offices in Los Angeles and Brighton, England, with Castanet reporting that the latter office is being shut down. Gamasutra has reached out to Disney Interactive for confirmation and further comment on these cutbacks.
A Disney Interactive representative reportedly issued the following statement to Castanet regarding the layoffs:
"Disney Interactive continually looks to find ways to create efficiencies and streamline our operations. As part of this ongoing process, we are consolidating a small number of teams and are undergoing a targeted reduction in workforce."
As always, if you or someone you know was affected by this deal you can email Gamasutra to tell your story confidentially.


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A recent Seventh Circuit case involving Wisconsin could have implications for Indiana collective bargaining agreements. In Laborers Local 236 v. Walker, the Seventh Circuit rejected a constitutional challenge to a controversial law that restricted the collective bargaining rights of public employee unions.Wisconsin's Act 10, also known as the Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill, was passed in 2011, purportedly to address an expected $3.6 billion budget deficit. The Act impacted public sector employees' collective bargaining rights, along with compensation, retirement, health insurance, and sick leave. Notably, it prevented the state from even recognizing unions unless 51 percent of all potential members, not just those voting, supported the union in annual elections. Only police and fire department employees were exempted. Public sector employees charged the legislature and Governor Scott Walker with using Act 10 as a ruse to weaken their union protection, and that Act 10 was no meaningful budget solution.
The Act went through a series of legal challenges, including that it infringed upon federal constitutional protections, violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the First Amendment. In September 2013, a district court judge rejected this argument, claiming that it did not violate the free association clause of the First Amendment because the First Amendment did not require an affirmative response from government entities, simply the absence of a negative restriction. Nor did the law impermissibly disadvantage represented employees — or those who chose to express their grievances by joining a union. The judge claimed that because union representation is not a suspect classification, it is only entitled to a rational basis review, the lowest standard required. Under that low standard, the state of Wisconsin had a rational basis for passing Act 10.
The public sector union employees appealed the ruling to the Seventh Circuit, and a three-judge panel upheld the lower court's findings. They noted that the law is constitutional because it targets the actions of government officials rather than union members. The judges also stated that it did not forbid unions from forming or meeting, nor from advocating on behalf of their members. Union members, however, claimed that the ruling could have a farther-reaching impact than the judges may think.
Overall, the ruling suggests that the Seventh Circuit would approve of other state efforts to curb union protections, including in Indiana. At present, Indiana unions have managed to retain their rights, thanks to a state court judge striking down its "right to work" law. However, the Indiana Attorney General's office has appealed to the state Supreme Court, and the case is currently under consideration. Yet even if the lower court's ruling is upheld, those opposed to unions may find other ways to chip at them through the Seventh Circuit.


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admin@passiontrust.org
Passion Plays
Sharing the Passion
The Passion Trust
The Passion Trust is a registered charity supporting performances of Passion Plays around the UK. Passion Plays dramatize the Easter story, bringing the true meaning of Easter to life in free, community performances. They are an important part of Easter celebrations for many people and they are free for all to get involved or to watch in their local community.
"Helping Communities Share the Passion"
COMMUNITY PLAYS
Community theatre is a unique form of theatre, and Easter performances of Passion plays exemplify its value and relevance. The focus is on the process of rehearsing as much as the final product of performance. Large amateur casts receive training and mentorship during rehearsals and the rehearsal process involves marginalised or disadvantaged members of the local community.
Passion Plays help address the lack of biblical literacy in the UK and bring to life the heritage that is often forgotten. According to a study undertaken by YouGov in 2014, 43% of children who took part indicated that they have never seen, read or heard the story of the Crucifixion. Over 60% of children indicated they had not read, seen or heard the Feeding of the 5,000 (61%) or the Good Samaritan (61%).
NEW AUDIENCES
Passion Plays are great ways to connect with new audiences and people from your local community. Professional theatre companies are often involved and help build relationships with people of faith. For all involved, it is a unique and rewarding experience to work with large casts, outdoor city spaces and a host of local volunteers.
Passion Plays provide an opportunity for increased positive dialogue between different faiths in the community. They have a wonderful ability to promote dialogue and inspire new relationships between people of different faiths or none. The plays are a fascinating place for exploration, dialogue and mutual understanding.
CONNECTING CHURCHES
Passion Plays present the Christian faith in fresh ways relevant to local communities around the UK. They also give people a chance to get involved in re-telling the story or to see it performed at no cost. They also help churches fulfil their mission to reach out to marginalised, isolated or vulnerable people in the community.
SHARING EXPERTISE
The Passion Trust runs training events & conferences that bring together people who are involved in Passion Plays in all capacities: actors, directors, producers, photographers, journalists, fundraisers, volunteers, script-writers, PR experts & event organisers. These events are the only time in the year to hear from the experts & connect with others.
More about the Passion Trust
The Passion Trust was established in 2010 to support performances of Passion Plays in the United Kingdom. Drawing together people of all faiths and none to engage with the Easter story, the charity's artistic activities focus on productions and performances of passion plays including community events, major city-wide productions and tours around the UK.
The Passion Trust has been supported over 20 new plays in the last 4 years, bringing the Gospel to life for audiences of thousands. Our trustees have been directors, actors and produces in Passion Plays in Brighton (2010-11), Trafalgar Square (2015-2018), Manchester (2017), Edinburgh (2015-2018) and around the world (Louisiana, Milan, Brazil, Cape Town, and Perth, WA).
Download the Passion Trust Brochure
Brochure psd created by Yeven_popov – Freepik.com
"Cutting Edge has really benefited from partnering with the passion play in Edinburgh. It's great to work with local communities and to have a shared experience. We've met some wonderful people whilst passing on skills....and found a whole new audience for our own productions! We'd recommend any professional Directors and Companies to get involved."
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan
Attracting an audience of thousands, of all faiths and no organised faith, Trafalger Square's Passion of Jesus provides a unique insight into Holy Week and demonstrates that London is open to people of all religions and backgrounds.
The Conference was a huge support to me personally. Just to know that there were others in the same boat and often also looking for a paddle…Since the conference it has all turned around. We have support coming in and people are coming forward and getting involved.
Great Waltham
Please convey our thanks to the Trustees for their support…It is also good to know that this Easter there will be a network of people in different parts of the country, all engaged in the same mission and all bound together in mutual support, through the good offices of the Passion Trust.
Ken, 73
From Brighton
I'm not religious, but when they put Jesus on the Cross, it got through to me. It was very real.
Email Or Visit
admin@ passiontrust.org
Passion Trust 1141493
Visit or Email:
www.passiontrust.org
www.passion-plays.co.uk
© 2019 Passion Trust | Company number 07330034 | Registered Charity 1141493 | VAT number 264 9983 43
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Juliette Jagger is a Canadian music journalist and writer.
© 2019 Juliette Jagger. All Rights Reserved.
LIVE REVIEW: Paolo Nutini @ Sound Academy September 15, 2014
Toronto received a taste of a highly seasoned Paolo Nutini when the Scottish alt-R&B singer-songwriter hit the Sound Academy for a stand out performance last night. Nutini, whose third much anticipated album, Caustic Love, dropped to rave reviews back in April, opened the show with recent single "Scream (Funk My Life Up)," putting his signature rasp on full display right off the top. Further punctuated by the harmonies of a female back-up vocalist, Nutini wailed away while a full backing band, which included an absolutely electric horn section, built the song up around him until it reached a thundering, brassy crescendo.
Pausing briefly, a confident and almost matter-of-fact Nutini addressed the crowd: "I'd like to introduce…myself. I'm Paolo. I'd also like to introduce these guys. They're The Vipers. Thanks for coming to check out the show," before launching into a cool, causal rendition of "Coming Up Easy" off of his second album, 2009's Sunny Side Up. Wearing a stark white t-shirt, and leaning deeply into the mic stand, Nutini had the crowd––which was something of a mixed bag––swooning with every breath he took.
With five long years between releases, Nutini has clocked plenty of time on the road and it shows. From the rawness and strain in his vocals to his casually sexed stage presence to the tight knit dynamic of his backing band, this guy is a true artist and entertainer. Not only does Nutini exude that inherent from the gut soul that made traditional R&B so primal the first time around but he does it with this unassuming boy next door awkwardness that makes him endearing.
Going on to play a reworked 70's power guitar version of his hit "Jenny Don't Be Hasty," and then blowing through everything from "Better Man," "Cherry Blossom" and "Candy" to "Pencil Full of Lead" and a fully invested version of his most recent single "Iron Sky," it was of course, the always heart-breaking "Last Request" that most of the audience was eager to hear. Though Nutini made sure to wait until the very last second to perform it, he delivered. Mind you it was a much more breezy, island-esc rendition of the song than is heard on the album and one which the crowd refused to adhere to when chiming in on the chorus, but a well imagined closing to an expertly delivered set none the less.
Q&A: Death From Above 1979
Retrospective Review: Treble Charger – Detox (2002)
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Muhammad Ali was 'The Greatest', in the ring and out
The iconic boxer's achievements mark him as much more than a sports legend
Jan 17 is the birthday of boxer Muhammad Ali, often referred to as 'The Greatest'.
From a 12-year-old amateur to the greatest heavyweight of all time and an icon for change, Muhammad Ali conquered many worlds.
He blazed his own path, revolutionising the sport of boxing with his flair for showmanship. And then, when he was on top, he turned his back on the arena to stand for his principles.
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr, Ali started his sports career with a bang, amassing numerous state titles and even attaining the light heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics.
Inside the ring, he was a menace. Using an innovative and highly unorthodox style, Ali eluded opponents by staying light on his feet and punished them when they slipped.
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see.
Even before the bell rang, Ali hounded his opponents with verbal lashings. He turned weigh-ins into public spectacles, breaking the confidence of opponents with cutting remarks before he even put on his gloves.
Ali's impressive record of 19–0 with 15 wins by knockout in 1963 would make him a top contender for Sonny Liston's World Heavyweight Champion title. In a superb fight, Ali's superior speed and mobility were enough to beat Liston and earn him the championship. This was the beginning of his reign at the top.
Throughout a storied career, he became world champion three times.
But outside the arena, Ali was also a force to be reckoned with, spearheading social change and using his influence as a top athlete to combat injustice.
Growing up black in the segregated American South, Ali used boxing as a platform to speak out on racial inequality and prejudice. As he grew older, he began following the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X, and the Nation of Islam, eventually converting to Islam and changing his name.
He became part of the Civil Rights Movement, standing as a symbol of bravery and heroism in the black struggle for freedom. He was a charismatic speaker with a silver tongue and a quick wit, enthralling audiences with his boisterous charm.
Ali was an entertainer through and through, dabbling in films, spoken-word poetry, professional wrestling, and even amateur art. He always stood larger than life.
But perhaps the biggest fight of that life came in 1966, during the brutal Vietnam War. Amid the draft, Ali refused to enlist in the US armed forces. He challenged the war and protested what he viewed as its unethical nature. It wasn't a popular stance. At one point, Ali was branded the most hated person in the country, receiving many death threats.
The US government stepped in and he was convicted of draft evasion, arrested, and fined $10,000. His career was taken away from him for three years as states systematically refused to grant him a boxing license. He was determined to not fight, saying his beliefs forbade him from serving.
No, I'm not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over… The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality.
Despite all the setbacks, Ali stayed true to his principles and won a Supreme Court ruling, which allowed him to avoid serving in the military.
He was a giant of the sport and a titan of bravery outside of it, refusing to allow life and circumstance to beat him down. No wonder they call him 'The Greatest'.
This article is a part of Stripe, bdnews24.com's special publication with a focus on culture and society from a youth perspective.


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Where to Eat around The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit
Collected by Westin AFAR
Forget what you may have read or heard in the news, Detroit is the place to visit if you want a vibrant urban scene. Urban gardens, the oldest farmers' market in the U.S., galleries and boutiques, craft breweries, even a burgeoning bike scene—the Motor City has it all.
Photo by Edsel Little/Flickr
ROAST A Michael Symon Restaurant
1128 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226, USA
Probably not one for vegetarians, Roast celebrates animal proteins in all their meaty marvelousness. Be bold and try cuts like tongue, ear, and cheek—in the hands of a great chef, you'll be amazed at how delicious they can be. Even diners on a...
Hot Taco Detroit
2233 Park Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
Conveniently close to Tiger Stadium, Fox Theatre, and many of the best nightlife spots Detroit can offer, Hot Taco is a great choice for post-event satisfaction. It's also excellent for lunch, a snack, dinner, or really any time of day you might...
Corktown, Detroit, MI, USA
This barbecue restaurant in the middle of the Corktown Historic District in Detroit is known for its slow-cooked meats, such as pork brisket and ribs, and off-the-bone chicken. The macaroni is another popular menu choice and I can definitely see...
Avalon International Breads LLC.
422 W Willis St, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
Avalon International Bakery has been delighting Midtown residents for 16 years. Many of their breads are made with a sourdough starter and favorites amongst regular clientele include: scallion dill (great for grilled cheese sandwiches), beer...
Foran's Grand Trunk Pub
612 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226, USA
Grand Trunk Pub is in the heart of downtown Detroit on its main artery, Woodward Avenue and very close to Campus Martius Park in a historical building that was once used as the Grand Trunk Railway's ticket office. Before that, it was a jewelry...
Maccabees at Midtown
Macabees at Midtown, right on Woodward Avenue across from the DIA, is a gem for brunch in the Motor City. Beautiful decor, with a graphic nod to Art Deco, makes for an environment that's comfortable for a long stay, and a great soundtrack had me...
Bert's Marketplace
2727 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207, USA
Slows Bar-B-Q is known as the place to go in Detroit if you want grilled meat sauced to perfection. But if you find yourself in Eastern Market there's an alternative that even the strongest of wills would be hard pressed to pass up. Bert's on...
Traffic Jam & Snug Restaurant
511 W Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
Owner Carolyn claims that what was once a neighborhood dive bar got its current name when a brawl broke out—the former owner held up the keys, asked if anyone wanted to buy a bar and a local teacher said, "sure," which prompted one of his friends...
Iridescence
2901 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
Pair a Wine Spectator Award–winning wine list with the menu of the only Four-Diamond restaurant in the city of Detroit, and the stunning views from the dining room's plush booths and cozy tables are really just a bonus. (It's perfect for a group...
Green Dot Stables
2200 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48216, USA
With just over a year in business, Green Dot Stables is still new, but owner Jacques and his wife took over a building in Corktown that isn't. Instead, they took it from abandoned and historical to historical but fresh. The interior still retains...
70 W Alexandrine St, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
This cafe in a garden on a side street in Detroit serves up perfect French crepes, fresh salads and a variety of other menu items that really replicate the experience of dining in France. Their coffee drinks come in a mug the size of Paris herself...
Photo by Jdolenga/Flickr
Lafayette Vs America Coney
118 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226, USA
Every city has its food specialities and in Detroit one of the favorites is the Coney Island hot dog, a messy but gorgeous fast food snack that consists of an all-beef dog with chili, white onions, and yellow mustard. In Detroit the only question...
Traffic Jam And Snug
Another great place to eat in Detroit is The Traffic Jam & Snug! If you are in town looking for a place to indulge your sweet tooth—with a unique atmosphere—then this is the place for you. Inside the old building are lots of antique decorations,...
Supino Pizzeria
On a Saturday during the summer, the line for Supino Pizzeria can stretch around the block. The nearby Eastern Market can draw a crowd of 30-40,000 people and most of those have heard just how legendary the pizza is at this artisan outpost. Brave...
Photo by Hungry Dudes/Flickr
Angelina Italian Bistro
1565 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226, USA
Housed in a former movie theater, built in the Neo-Classical style 1917, Angelina Italian Bistro boasts floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook Grand Circus Park, the Detroit Opera House and Comerica Park, making it an ideal spot for a romantic...
Slows Bar-B-Q
2138 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216, USA
Detroit's foodie scene is something that took me completely by surprise during my visit there. The legendary Slow's Bar-B-Q restaurant located on Michigan Avenue attracts foodies and locals alike who want to sample unique foods as well as craft...
Photo by Terry Johnston/Flickr
Hard Rock Cafe Detroit
45 Monroe St, Detroit, MI 48226, USA
Sure, it's a massive chain restaurant, but for a fun night out of crowd-pleasing food, drinks, and loud music, you can't really go wrong at Hard Rock Cafe. Look out for music memorabilia from Motown acts and Detroit locals, including the...
Photo by Lori L. Stalteri/Flickr
The Hudson Cafe
1241 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226, USA
Take a seat in the Hudson Cafe's airy dining room and prepare to make a tough decision as you work through the menu. French toast earns its own section, with varieties that come with a graham cracker crust, Monte Cristo-style, and stuffed with...


Already, migration and displacement are at an all-time high. The International Organisation for Migration's (IOM) newest projections are that there will be 405 million international migrants by 2050. Some of this movement will be involuntary – driven by conflict, poverty, environmental disasters and persecution.
Many developing countries have made efforts to raise more revenues domestically over recent years, and they are by far the largest and most important source of finance for development. However, AI may drive down the income states are able to derive from labour as robots replace more and more jobs. Proposals for a 'robot' tax have been mooted, but it's not yet clear how seriously these have really been taken. In this context, efforts to tackle tax avoidance (and evasion), and broader reforms to international taxation and tax cooperation, are increasingly important, especially as we see debt-fuelled investment rise across many developing countries.