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Where to Go in India
Home > Best Places in India
Best Time to Visit India
Best Hotels in Agra
Best Hotels in Bengaluru
Best Hotels in Chennai
Best Hotels in Delhi
Best Hotels in Goa
Best Hotels in Jaipur
Best Hotels in Jodhpur
Best Hotels in Kolkata
Best Hotels in Mumbai
A multi-day houseboat ride through the Kerala backwaters is one of the highlights of a trip to India.
Extraordinarily vast and astoundingly diverse, the statistics are mind-blowing: 1.35 billion people (about 1 in every 6 on the planet); 22 languages recognized in the constitution (and hundreds more spoken); 6 major religions, including the world's second-largest population of Muslims; a railway system that employs about 1.5 million; and some of the most crowded cities in the world.
The choice of places to visit across India is also astonishing, but when planning:
• Choose the best time to visit India for weather: consider heat, rain, cyclones, snow, and even fog
• Allow plenty of time to get around, especially if traveling by train
• Book decent hotels to escape the crowds, traffic, pollution, and poverty that can sometimes overwhelm even the most experienced traveler
With world-class beaches, a laidback lifestyle to rival Bali, and Portuguese colonial history, Goa is uniquely different. Also high on the agenda for most is Agra for one justifiable reason: the majestic Taj Mahal, the ultimate monument to love. In the desert of Rajasthan (the 'Land of the Kings') is the 'Blue City' of Jodhpur, dominated by a magnificent fort, and further south, Udaipur provides a spectacular and romantic lakeside setting.
Perched among the Himalayas to the far northeast is the colonial 'summer capital' of Darjeeling, also famous for its tea plantations. Along the western end of these mighty mountains but remarkably different is Ladakh, packed with Buddhist temples and Tibetan monasteries tiered along cliffs and mountaintops. More accessible (including by the incredible 'toy train'), the adorable hill station of Shimla is dotted with colonial-era buildings.
To the far south, Kerala boasts beaches similar to Goa, as well as undeveloped canals and backwaters that can be explored by houseboat. Impressively positioned along the sacred Ganges River is the holy city of Varanasi, while Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is the largest, most developed, and historic of India's many mesmerizing metropolises, and worth visiting for its seaside position and colonial history.
The Best Places to Stay in India
Best Luxury Hotels in India
The Oberoi Amarvilas (Agra) • Taj West End (Bengaluru) • Taj Connemara (Chennai) • The Imperial (New Delhi) • The Diwa Club (Goa) • The Raj Palace (Jaipur) • Pal Haveli (Jodhpur) • The Oberoi Grand (Kolkata) • Taj Mahal Palace (Mumbai) • Forte Kochi (Kerala) • Taj Lake Palace (Udaipur) • Mayfair (Darjeeling) • The Grand Dragon Ladakh (Leh) • Taj Nadesar Palace (Varanasi) • The Oberoi Cecil (Shimla)
Best Family Hotels in India
Trident Hotel (Agra) • Oakwood Premier Prestige (Bengaluru) • Alila Diwa (Goa) • Novotel Candolim (Goa) • Dera Mandawa (Jaipur) • The Oberoi (Mumbai)
Best Boutique Hotels in India
St. Mark's Hotel (Bengaluru) • B Nineteen Luxury Hotel (New Delhi) • Radisson Blu Marina Hotel Connaught Place (Delhi) • Mateus Boutique Hotel (Goa) • Bissau Palace (Jaipur) • Ratan Vilas (Jodhpur) • The Elgin Fairlawn (Kolkata) • Abode Bombay (Mumbai) • Titardi Garh – Heritage 18th Century Castle (Udaipur) • Gomang Boutique Hotel (Ladakh) • Via Varanasi (Varanasi)
Best Moderate Hotels in India
Adarsh Hamilton (Bengaluru) • Residency Towers (Chennai) • Santana Beach Resort (Goa) • Jhankar Haveli (Jodhpur) • Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel (Jaipur) • Kenilworth, (Kolkata) • Citizen Hotel (Mumbai) • Black Beach Resort (Kerala) • Little Singamari Home Stay (Darjeeling) • WoodVista Cottages (Shimla)
Best Cheap Hotels in India
Casa Cottage (Bengaluru) • Avenue 11 Boutique Residences (Chennai) • Hospedaria Abrigo de Botelho (Goa) • John's Highland Comfort Guest House (Goa) • Arya Niwas (Jaipur) • Jewel Palace Haweli (Jodhpur) • The Ivy House (Kolkata) • Hari Cottages (Kerala) • Mimosa (Udaipur) • Rambler's Nesting Homestay (Darjeeling) • Granny's Inn (Varanasi) • Sai Cottage (Shimla)
Where to Travel in India for…
Where to Stay in India for Beaches: Goa
Most of the coastline along India's smallest state is lined with gorgeous coves of white sands dotted with bamboo cafés offering the country's cheapest beer and fieriest sunsets. The lifestyle is as laidback as anything in more fancied parts of Southeast Asia, and such a stark contrast to the overbuilt and overcrowded cities across India. It is still easy to find vast stretches of empty sand (less so, however, during the peak times of December and January), while many visitors are also attracted by the water sports, outdoor activities (like paragliding), beachside rave parties, and yoga retreats.
Where to Stay in India for Outdoor Activities: Kerala
Along the slender beaches in this southwestern state are numerous things to do in and on the water, such as parasailing, surfing (for novices and experts), and scuba-diving (particularly at the Lakshadweep Islands, 300km offshore). The famous backwaters and canals can be explored by traditional houseboats, while the fitter can discover the sights by canoe and the more frugal by public ferry. The national parks – home to a wide selection of wild creatures such as elephants, tigers, and crocodiles, as well as more approachable deer and monkeys – can be explored via jeep safaris, lake cruises, or guided hikes.
Where to Stay in India for Landscapes: Ladakh
Stretching alongside the magnificent Himalayas, the landscape around this remote region in the far northwest is very similar to Tibet and like nowhere else in India. Imagine whitewashed monasteries and centuries-old temples perched precariously on mountaintops where shaven-headed Buddhist novices in orange robes and schoolchildren in triple layers of jumpers use ropes and pulleys to get across staggeringly deep valleys. With little rain, the landscape is also remarkably arid, but the occasional fields flourish with flowers and trees unseen elsewhere in the country. And the isolation will ensure that little will ever change; because of the extreme weather, the roads linking Ladkah to the rest of India are usually impassable for about 6 months a year, and even the airport is sometimes closed.
Where to Stay in India for National Parks: Kerala
India is home to an admirable range of national parks but many are difficult to reach and, often, frustratingly hard to explore. Renowned for its beaches and backwaters, this state to the southwest also features several wildlife sanctuaries which are reasonably accessible. Roaming the often-ignored hills, which can be explored by jeep safaris or guided hikes, are wild elephants, tigers, monkeys, and deer. Other reserves among wetlands of protected birds, otters, and turtles can be admired by boat.
Where to Stay in India for Spirituality: Varanasi
One of the most mystical cities on earth, Varanasi is spread along the banks of the sacred Ganges River. It attracts countless devout pilgrims and more ordinary Hindus who visit temples, pray, meditate, make offerings, and bathe in the river to cleanse themselves of sins. Many foreigners – devout or not, Hindu or Christian – are drawn to this city of 2 million to watch the incredible spectacles; join the various yoga, meditation, and religious classes and retreats; and to attend numerous spiritual festivals.
Where to Stay in India for Yoga & Meditation: Goa
While the more devout may flock to the sacred Hindu city of Varanasi (see above) or the Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, others are likely to increase their spiritual awareness and improve their mental and physical state while in Goa, if only because the state is so laidback and accessible. All sorts of ad hoc and organized classes in yoga and meditation along with Ayurveda massages and alternative therapies are offered along the scenic coastline. Increasingly more special retreats are being built each year, some offering resort-like facilities and others providing more eco-friendly guesthouses.
Where to Stay in India for Pre-Colonial History: Agra
So many remnants of Indian history before the British arrived in the early 17th century were destroyed during the Raj era or completely neglected beyond repair since. In Agra, many majestic pre-colonial buildings not only remain but have been beautifully restored and are lovingly maintained. Home to the Taj Mahal, built by a heartbroken Mughal emperor, visitors should also visit Agra Fort and the ancient city of Fatehpur Sikri nearby, as well as various other tombs, mausoleums, mosques, and gardens that pre-date the arrival of British colonialists. What's more, all sites are easily accessible – often within walking distance of numerous hotels.
Where to Stay in India for Colonial History: Delhi
Although the British first arrived in India during the early 17th century, Delhi wasn't built as the colonial capital until 1911, and was then abandoned less than 40 years later. During this short period, an entire city called New Delhi was designed by the still-revered architect, Edwin Lutyens. Shady broad boulevards radiating from the circular financial/business hub are still lined with imperial-style hotels and bungalows. Must-sees around the city include the India Gate war memorial, Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace, Connaught Place and its chic boutiques and trendy bistros, and numerous well-maintained gardens and museums. With infinitely more traffic and pollution than anyone could possibly imagine 100 years ago, these colonial-era sights are easily accessible, often via the sleek new metro.
Where to Stay in India for Shopping: Jaipur
Every town and village has a bustling market, mostly selling vegetables, and all cities have at least one mall offering western-style products. For something more authentic, however, visit Jaipur, named the 'Pink City' after the colors of the buildings throughout the vast 18th-century heart of the Rajasthan capital. Visitors can experience a genuine slice of traditional commerce: spice bazaars (markets) that have barely changed in 200 years, camels transporting figs and dates from across the desert, and meandering lanes overflowing with stalls specializing in regional products from across India. Popular souvenirs include handwoven rugs, leather goods, tie-dyed fabrics, special Rajasthani shoes called jutti, and, especially, gemstones.
Where to Stay in India for Families: Goa
With so much sand, sea, and sunshine, India's smallest state is understandably a hugely popular destination for families – including Indians who flock there from across the country, especially nearby Mumbai. While not as enticing for children as those in Bali and Thailand, some resorts and larger hotels do offer kids' clubs (although often modest), sizable children's pools (usually fenced), bicycle rentals, and day trips. For the younger ones, the main attractions may simply be swimming and enjoying water sports along the wide, clean, and (mostly) uncrowded beaches. Parents may also appreciate the lack of pollution, crowds, and traffic that haunts Indian cities, as well as the cheap beer and mouth-watering Goan cuisine that includes meat and seafood.
Where to Stay in India for Food & Restaurants: Mumbai
With an extended population almost equal to that of Australia, the number and variety of places to eat in Mumbai is simply mind-boggling. Happily, a wonderful selection of restaurants can be found in compact and tourist-oriented areas such as the historic hub of Colaba and the ritzy esplanade of Marine Drive. Along with French-style delicatessens, Italian-influenced bistros, and US-like pizza joints, Mumbai is an ideal place to try street food. This is often different to, and more authentic and cheaper than, westernized versions of curries and biryanis offered at hotel restaurants.
Where to Stay in India for Nightlife: Mumbai
For the same reason that India's largest city offers a superior range of cuisines and restaurants, the nightlife in Mumbai is also particularly vibrant – and increasingly so as the number of more affluent residents grows. Well-heeled locals familiar with the unfriendly public transport system may flock to chic nightclubs in the suburbs, but tourists can enjoy a more convenient range of things to do after dark – from sipping cocktails at a glamorous hotel along the inner-city esplanade to chatting over coffee in downtown Colaba. Others may check out a Bollywood movie (probably made in or around the city) or attend a cultural event during one of the numerous festivals often held in downtown.
Where to Stay in India for Vibe & Culture: Varanasi
The majority of India's immense population adheres (often strictly) to the Hindu faith, which is an inseparable part of India's culture and lifestyle in most places. This is most evident in the holy city of Varanasi, spread along the sacred Ganges River. Foreigners flock there to witness pilgrims undertaking Hindu rituals, such as bathing in the river, cremating the dead, and making offerings to the river and at the multitude of temples. Meandering alleys overflow with market stalls selling a mix of authentic and fake items rarely found elsewhere. Regardless of religion or beliefs, many visitors stay longer than intended, drawn by the history, setting, and intense spirituality of the city, and, perhaps, to attend classes in meditation, yoga, or philosophy.
Where to Stay in India for Festivals: Jodhpur
There is obviously a greater number and variety of festivals in the larger cities, but these are often set up for locals (which presents possible language and cultural barriers) and/or in distant suburbs perhaps difficult to reach. In contrast, the remarkable 'Blue City' of Jodhpur offers a range of fascinating festivals, mostly designed for the enjoyment of tourists. These include events based around Rajasthan music, dance, and games, including a polo tournament featuring camels. What's more, many are held in the majestic 16th-century Mehrangarh Fort that's perched on a rocky hilltop and looms over the blue-washed old city.
Best Romantic Place in India: Udaipur
Translated as the 'Land of the Kings', the desert state of Rajasthan is home to camel markets, magnificent forts, and India's most romantic city: Udaipur. Built in the 16th century, the setting is superb: alongside a scenic lake (best explored by boat) and with a backdrop of forests (that can be admired on horseback). The city is packed with extraordinary examples of traditional architecture, including royal palaces, hilltop temples, and busy markets, and, unlike others, it's not too big or unwieldy for exploration, especially on foot. And along the winding alleys and beside the lake are charming guesthouses, many oozing history, intimacy, and elegance not found elsewhere in India.
Best Place in India for First Timers: Goa
Popular with foreigners since the Hippy Trail of the 1960s, the laidback state of Goa has far less of the crowds, traffic, poverty, and pollution compared to the rest of India. Adding to the appeal for first timers are beaches that are wide, clean, often uncrowded, and usually safe for swimming, and a range of Indian and Western food dominated by meat and fish. The more developed regions offer plenty of tourist facilities within walking distance of hotels and most are linked by public bus – the only bus service in India recommended for any visitor, first time or not. Goa is also the only place in the country where it's perfectly feasible to rent a car or motorbike.
Safest Area in India: Goa
Pollution, traffic, and petty crime, which are prevalent in the more crowded Indian cities, are less problematic in Goa. While a few tourists do get into trouble, e.g. swimming in rough waves or taking drugs at rave parties, India's smallest state is far less crowded because, in reality, the main danger anywhere in India may simply be walking along sidewalks (which are mostly non-existent) and crossing the road. Always remember: unlike in western countries, pedestrians do not have the right of way here.
The 10 Best Regions in India for Tourists
1. Goa
India's prime beach region offers a laidback lifestyle so different to the overbuilt and overcrowded areas elsewhere in India. Many come for the endless sunshine (except during the monsoon season: June-September) and the wide, clean, and often, uncrowded beaches, which are sprinkled with bamboo cafés offering cheap beer and fiery sunsets. Other visitors (including families) stay longer than intended after joining a yoga retreat, enjoying water sports or becoming captivated by the all-night beachside parties. The unique Portuguese colonial history, which resulted in the state's dominant Christianity, is most evident around the old section of the capital, Panaji. The slender alleys are full of delightful family-run guesthouses, whitewashed churches, and other beautifully-renovated buildings painted in the bright colors synonymous with Goa.
Best Luxury Hotels: Alila Diwa Goa • ITC Grand Goa, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa • Taj Holiday Village Resort & Spa • Novotel Goa Dona Sylvia Resort • The Leela Goa
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotels: Goa Villagio • Casablanca Resort • Beleza By The Beach • Mateus Boutique Hotel • Panjim Inn, Panjim Pousada & Panjim Peoples (3 hotels in one)
Best Cheap Hotels: John's Highland Comfort Guest House • Alagoa Resort • River Castle • Hospedaria Abrigo de Botelho • The Caravela Home Stay
Along the southwest coast, Kerala offers beaches as inviting and easy-going as those in Goa, with far fewer crowds and an impressive range of outdoor activities from surfing to scuba-diving. This state is more renowned, however, for its 900km of canals and backwaters. These are best explored by houseboat, although many can also admire the extraordinary scenery by kayak or public ferry. In addition, visitors are pleasantly surprised by the fiery yet tasty cuisine, likable and unhurried towns, and range of activities at accessible wildlife reserves and tea plantations that include jeep safaris, lake cruises, and guided hikes.
Best Luxury Hotels: Forte Kochi • The Raviz Kovalam • Coconut Lagoon – CGH Earth • Kumarakom Lake Resort
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotels: Black Beach Resort • Leisure Inn VKL • Elephant Court Thekkady
Best Cheap Hotels: Hari Cottages • Coconut Grove • Periyar Green Bed & Breakfast • Gloria Homestay
3. Agra
This otherwise under-represented city is home to the Taj Mahal – a Mughal emperor's heartbroken memorial to a departed wife – and India's most recognizable building very rarely disappoints. While many day-trip from Delhi, staying in Agra allows time to really capture the Taj's majesty and history from rooftop cafés providing views (albeit distant and obstructed) after dark and additional visits at the special (and less crowded) times of sunrise or sunset. Often ignored, yet only 2km from the Taj, Agra Fort would be a prime attraction in any other city, while nearby is the amazing ancient city of Fatehpur Sikri. Happily, these attractions and the numerous pre-colonial tombs, mausoleums, mosques, and gardens around Agra are easily accessible, often by foot or even rented bicycle.
Best Luxury Hotels: The Oberoi Amarvilas • Hotel Clarks Shiraz • ITC Mughal
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotels: Howard Plaza – The Fern • Mansingh Palace • Crystal Sarovar Premiere
Best Cheap Hotels: Hotel Atulyaa Taj • Hotel Seven Hills Tower • Hotel Taj Resorts
4. Jodhpur
This 15th-century desert city in the historic state of Rajasthan is nicknamed the 'Blue City' because of the multitude of homes, hotels, and shops painted in shades of the namesake color. On a rocky hilltop towering over the twisting alleys of the medieval-looking Old City is the extraordinary 16th-century Mehrangarh Fort which offers remarkable views, numerous festivals, and a fascinating museum. Allow plenty of time to explore the labyrinthine lanes, admire the breathtaking fort from a rooftop café/bar, and stay at one of the attractively-renovated and centuries-old havelis (guesthouses).
Best Luxury Hotels: Pal Haveli • RAAS Jodhpur • Radisson Jodhpur
Best Moderate Hotels: Jhankar Haveli • Haveli Inn Pal • Ratan Vilas
Best Cheap Hotels: The Blue House • Jewel Palace Haweli • Jaswant Niwas
5. Udaipur
Particularly inviting and famously romantic is the 16th-century city of Udaipur in the southern part of Rajasthan, the 'Land of the Kings'. Visitors rave about the sublime setting: alongside a glistening lake with an island that can be explored by boat, and surrounded by hills of pristine forests that can be admired on horseback. More manageable than most Indian cities, especially on foot, Udaipur is packed with gorgeous palaces, hilltop temples, and captivating museums. A highlight would be staying in a historic and elegant haveli (guesthouse) alongside the lake, while the frenetic bazaars (markets), fabulous artistic ambience, and edge-of-desert vibe add greatly to the appeal.
Best Luxury Hotels: Taj Lake Palace • The Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur • RAAS Devigarh
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotels: Madri Haveli • Titardi Garh – Heritage 18th Century Castle • Dev Villa
Best Cheap Hotels: Mimosa Udaipur • Gypsy Child Lake Hostel Udaipur • Mewar Avenue Guest House
6. Darjeeling
Squeezed between Nepal and Bhutan, this surprisingly undersized town covers numerous 2,000m-high ridges along the Himalayan rim. With a mild and dry summer that coincides with the heat, humidity, and monsoon along the plains of Delhi and Kolkata, Darjeeling developed as a hill station and 'summer capital' during the colonial era and is still a welcome respite for many. As well as an inconceivable number of guesthouses, Darjeeling offers vast panoramas of the permanently snow-topped mountains and bright-green tea plantations for which the area is also famous. Still accessible by road and air during the harsh winter, and especially romantic over Christmas, its added attractions are the colorful Buddhist monasteries, valley-stretching cable car, and outdoor activities such as rafting, hiking, and horse-riding.
Best Luxury Hotels: Mayfair Darjeeling • Singtom Tea Estate & Resort • Windamere Hotel
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotels: Little Singamari Home Stay • Suma Aavaas Farm and Homestay • Nestaway Homestay
Best Cheap Hotels: Himshikha Homestay • Parvi Homestay • Rambler's Nesting Homestay
7. Ladakh
In the far northwest, and so distant from the flooded cities and scorching plains, is Ladakh, only opened to tourism as recently as 1974. Boasting a remarkable position along the Himalayas, it is surprisingly close to China (Tibet) and Pakistan, but perfectly safe. Ladakh and, more particularly, its capital, Leh, are packed with Buddhist temples and Tibetan monasteries tiered along mountainsides and implausibly perched on peaks. Reliably accessible by road only from June to September, and sometimes inaccessible by air during the height of winter (November to February), the moon-like landscape is ideal for a range of adventurous activities, including rafting and mountain climbing.
Best Luxury Hotels: The Grand Dragon Ladakh • The Zen Ladakh • The Indus Valley
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotel: Gomang Boutique Hotel
Best Cheap Hotels: TSASKAN Hotel • Glacier View Guest House
8. Varanasi
India's holiest city also claims to be one of the oldest on the planet. Impressively positioned along the sacred Ganges River, it is teeming with pilgrims and others who follow Hinduism, and oozes a culture and religious vibe rarely so evident elsewhere. From the expansive ghats (steps) alongside the revered river, thousands pray, make offerings, bathe in the hallowed water, and even cremate the dead. Indian and foreign visitors absorb this irresistible spirituality by visiting temples; joining classes in yoga, meditation, or philosophy; and attending numerous festivals. The old section overflows with market stalls selling items different to the rest of India, and the hordes include thousands of pious sadhus, recognizable by their dreadlocks, painted faces, and saffron-colored robes.
Best Luxury Hotels: Taj Nadesar Palace • BrijRama Palace – A Heritage Hotel • Taj Ganges
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotels: Aashray • Villa Benares • Via Varanasi – A Boutique Hotel
Best Cheap Hotels: Stay Banaras • La Vaca India • Granny's Inn
Many tourists avoid Indian cities, using them only as gateways for places with less pollution, crowds, and traffic, but these heaving metropolises do provide much history and numerous sights, facilities, and festivals. India's finest city, Mumbai, is also the country's largest. With a population of 22 million (and counting), this major colonial-era outpost boasts wonderful historical sights, majestic hotels, and a suburban beach almost as good as some in Goa. Although also home to disheartening slums, the city does offer a range of upmarket bistros, boutiques, and bars to rival anywhere in Asia, but local transport is limited for tourists. The several Metro lines under construction across the city should start operations by 2022.
Note: Mumbai was the focus of a series of terrorist attacks in 2008, but the targeted buildings have been rebuilt and the city recovered very quickly. As expected, security in major hotels and transport hubs in Mumbai, as well as other major cities, is tight.
Best Luxury Hotels: Taj Mahal Palace • The Oberoi Mumbai • Trident, Nariman Point • JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotels: Abode Bombay • Hotel Kemps Corner • Citizen Hotel • Juhu Residency Boutique Hotel
Best Cheap Hotels: Bentley Hotel • Sea Green Hotel • Carlton Hotel
10. Shimla
The state of Himachal Pradesh stretches from the often-sweltering plains to the snowy foothills of the Himalayas. More accessible than the mountainside regions of Darjeeling and Ladakh (see #7), the state capital, Shimla, is still over 2,200m high. This erstwhile 'summertime capital' of British India and current hill station offers lovely mansions, crumbling lodges, and other remnants of the Raj era such as quaint tea rooms and bright-green cricket ovals. For many, the attractions are the mountain views and the amazing Toy Train, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that starts about halfway to Shimla from Delhi. Others come for the cleaner air and milder weather, although Shimla doesn't escape the monsoon (July-September) or snow (January-March).
Best Luxury Hotels: Radisson Hotel Shimla • The Oberoi Cecil • Taj Theog Resort & Spa
Best Boutique/Moderate Hotels: WoodVista Cottages • Vatsalyam Home Stay • The White Haven B&B
Best Cheap Hotels: Best Nest • Raikot Resort • Sai Cottage Shimla
The Best Time to Visit India
The Best Hotels in Agra
Where to Stay in Agra
The Best Hotels in Bengaluru
Where to Stay in Bengaluru
The Best Hotels in Chennai
Where to Stay in Chennai
The Best Hotels in Delhi
Where to Stay in Delhi
The Best Hotels in Goa
The Best Family Hotels in Goa
Where to Stay in Goa
The Best Hotels in Jaipur
Where to Stay in Jaipur
The Best Hotels in Jodhpur
Where to Stay in Jodhpur
The Best Hotels in Kolkata
Where to Stay in Kolkata
The Best Hotels in Mumbai
Where to Stay in Mumbai


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text:
\section{Field measurement: Delay line scan vs. holography}
\label{SM_field_measurement}

We use two techniques to extract the field of the scattered light.
The first relies on standard digital phase-stepping holography.
For this the delay line is fixed to the desired delay time of the probe pulse.
We then globally modulate the phase with the SLM (phase-stepping) and record the interference pattern between the scattered light and the plane wave probe pulse on the CCD.
From the different images recorded we retrieve the field of the scattered light.
We employ this technique to measure the transmission matrix as well as to retrieve the field for given fixed delays.
This technique is fast and especially useful for repeated measurement to allow for averaging.

The second technique relies on interferometric cross-correlation \cite{monmayrant2010newcomer}, which retrieves the entire temporal evolution of the scattered light within the pulse.
It can be seen as a continuous version of the phase-stepping holography described above.
Here the SLM displays a fixed pattern and the phase modulation is realised by tuning the delay line.
The delayed probe pulse is scanned over the broad scattered pulse while the CCD continuously records the resulting intereferogram.
Looking at a single pixel, the main frequency of the recorded signal is the carrier frequency of the laser.
Fourier filtering to extract just the amplitude of this oscillation returns the local pulse shape of the scattered light impinging on this pixel.
All temporal data presented in this article is measured in this way.
Compared to the first technique, this method is however quite slow such that in situations where repeated measurements are necessary, it becomes impractical.

\section{Definition of the temporal origin}
\label{SM_zero_delay}

For the measured temporal data presented in \cref{fig:exp_results} as well as \cref{fig:sum-b} of the main text, the time $\tau = 0$ is defined to correspond to the delay line position $\delta x$ at which the two arms of the interferometer have the same optical path length in presence of the scattering medium.
To determine this point we use quasi-monochromatic light (pulse width of $\Delta\lambda < \SI{0.1}{\nano\meter}$) whose wavelength we tune continuously over a scale of $\pm \SI{3}{\nano\meter}$ around $\lambda_0 = \SI{808}{\nano \metre}$.
In the case of a non-zero path length difference $\lvert\delta x\rvert > 0$, different wavelengths will pick up different relative phases over $\delta x$.
When tuning the wavelength, this leads to an oscillation of the global phase of the field measured with the phase-stepping holography technique described above.
The frequency of this oscillation depends linearly on the path length difference and goes to zero when the two paths are of equal length.
We probe these oscillations by calculating the correlations between the measured $\lambda$-dependent field and the field measured at $\lambda_0$.
Doing this for different delay line positions $\delta x$ we obtain the pattern shown in \cref{fig:tau_zero-a}.
A clear symmetry point is observed when the path length  difference, and with it the oscillation frequency, goes to zero.
Fourier transforming the oscillations along $\lambda$ allows to determine $\delta x = 0$, defining the temporal origin (\cref{fig:tau_zero-b}).

\begin{figure}[h!]
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:tau_zero-a}}
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:tau_zero-b}}
    \includegraphics[width=0.7\columnwidth]{Figures/fig_tau_zero.pdf}
    \caption{Measurement of the point of equal path length.
    (a) Real part of the correlation $C$ between the field speckle pattern obtained for a random input at wavelength $\lambda$ with the respective reference pattern at $\lambda_0 = \SI{808}{\nano\meter}$ for different lengths of the delay line $\delta x$.
    The fading of the pattern wavelength far from $\lambda_0$ results from the limited spectral decorrelation length of the medium.
    (b) Fourier transform $\tilde{C}$ along $\lambda$ of the data presented in (a).
    The crossing point of the oscillation peaks is used to determine $\delta x = 0$.
    }
    \label{fig:tau_zero}
\end{figure}

For the simulations presented in \cref{fig:fig_theory} of the main text, the point $\tau = 0$ is defined as the time at which an input pulse would reach the output surface if the scattering region would be homogeneously filled with an averaged refractive index medium.
The propagation delay can be computed from the mean group velocity of the excited modes, see~\Sec{SM_simu}.

Note that the experimental method for determining $\delta x = 0$ is just an operational definition.
Also for monochromatic light a distribution of different path length through the medium exists which leads to the pulse shape affecting the observed oscillations.
However, we found that in practice this definition corresponds well with the temporal origin of the simulations.
In the end, the location of the temporal origin is arbitrary and does not play a role in the interpretation of the data.

\section{Definitions of characteristic quantities}
\label{SM_Def}

\subsection{Definition of $\gamma$}
\label{SM_Def_gamma}

\noindent
The amount of control in the experiment is defined by the parameter $\gamma$.
It is given by
\begin{equation}
    \gamma \equiv \frac{N_{\mathrm{out}}}{N_{\mathrm{in}}} \approx \frac{N_{\mathrm{CCD}}}{N_{\mathrm{SLM}}},
\end{equation}
where $N_{\mathrm{SLM}}$ is the number of modes controlled on the SLM and $N_{\mathrm{CCD}}$ the number of pixels in the region of interest (ROI) of the camera.
When measuring a TM the camera pixels are binned such that one pixel corresponds to one speckle grain.
The typical numbers of targeted modes used in this article are $N_{\mathrm{SLM}}^{\mathrm{target}}$~=~$32^2$ ($N_{\mathrm{SLM}}^{\mathrm{target}}$~=~$16^2$ and $N_{\mathrm{SLM}}^{\mathrm{target}}$~=~$62^2$ are used as well).
However, due to geometric experimental  limitations, i.e., the back focal plane of the illumination microscope objective cutting some SLM modes, the effective number of controlled modes needs to be estimated.
This is done using the information contained in the TM.
Taking the square root of the sum over the CCD dimension of the Hadamard product of the TM with its conjugate gives a vector that contains the information on the contribution of each SLM mode.
Let us denote $P$ the vector containing the information, one has
\begin{equation}
P_{j} = \sqrt{ \sum_i (T \cdot T^{*})_{i,j} } = \sqrt{ \sum_i T_{i,j} \times T^{*}_{i,j} },
\label{eq:SLM_modes}
\end{equation}
with $(A \cdot B)$ being the Hadamard product of two matrices $A$ and $B$ with equal dimensions.
The vector $P$ can be reshaped to visualise the SLM modes as presented in~\cref{fig:SM_nbr_SLM_modes-a}.
Applying a threshold and summing the number of modes above this threshold enables to obtain an estimate of the effective value of $N_{\mathrm{SLM}}$ (see~\cref{fig:SM_nbr_SLM_modes-b}).

The ROI on the camera is usually chosen large enough that we obtain smooth averaged pulse shapes while still being small enough that the probe pulse is sufficiently homogeneous over the whole area.
In most experiments we work with $\gamma$~=~0.2-0.3.
The speckle grain size is extracted by taking the half width at half maximum of the cross-correlation of the field.
To be insensitive to the sampling of the speckles this width is extracted by a Gaussian fit.
The speckle grain size can also be extrapolated from the TM measurement~\cite{davy2012focusing}.
It is given by the inverse of the participation number normalized by the rank of the TM.
\begin{figure}[h!]
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:SM_nbr_SLM_modes-a}}
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:SM_nbr_SLM_modes-b}}
    \includegraphics[width=0.6\columnwidth]{Figures/fig_SM_nbr_SLM_modes.pdf}
    \caption{Effective number of SLM modes.
    (a) Image of the SLM modes contribution to the TM obtained by reshaping the vector $P$ obtained from \eq{SLM_modes}.
    (b) A threshold is applied and the number of effective modes computed by summing the modes above the threshold (fixed at 12 here).
    For the data in \fig{exp_results}(a) of the main text, this results in $N_{\mathrm{SLM}} \approx 640$ modes effectively launched to measure the TM.
    }
    \label{fig:SM_nbr_SLM_modes}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Definition of the normalized singular values}

To observe the Marchenko-Pastur law in the distribution of singular values of a TM they need to be normalized.
For a matrix of size $m \times n$ and singular values $s_i$ this normalization is usually defined as
\begin{equation}
    \tilde{s}_i^{\mathrm{MP}} = \frac{s_i}{\sqrt{\frac{1}{\mathrm{min}(n,m)}\sum_{j = 1}^{\mathrm{min}(n,m)}} s_i^2},
\end{equation}
regardless of the respective values of $m$ and $n$.
In physics normalizing the singular values of a TM such that they follow the Marchenko-Pastur law is often interesting~\cite{popoff2010measuring}.
However for a TM $m$ and $n$ have a physical meaning: the number of controlled modes ($N_{\mathrm{SLM}}$) and the degrees of freedom ($N_{\mathrm{CCD}}$).
They no longer are interchangeable.
To compute the mean over the singular values, all singular values equal to 0 should be included as they bring information on the transmission.
Here we hence will use an alternative version of the normalized singular values to be able to link them to the enhancement.
We define
\begin{equation}
    \tilde{s}_i = \frac{s_i}{\sqrt{\frac{1}{N_{\mathrm{SLM}}}\sum_{j = 1}^{N_{\mathrm{SLM}}}} s_i^2}.
\end{equation}
It is noteworthy that for $N_{\mathrm{SLM}} > N_{\mathrm{CCD}}$ (our experimental case), one has $\tilde{s}_i = \tilde{s}_i^{\mathrm{MP}}/{\sqrt{\gamma}}$.

\section{Temporal shift of the pulse modulation}
\label{SM_increase_ratio}

In the main text we show that the SVD of the time-gated TM allows us to modulate the transmitted amplitude at any given point in the pulse (see~\cref{fig:exp_results-c}).
Here, we want to point out that for early and late times the targeted enhancement (or reduction) does not appear exactly at the desired time, as shown in \cref{fig:enhancement-a,fig:enhancement-b}.
A way to understand this behaviour is to recall how the TM measurement is performed.
The probe pulse interferes with the elongated one at the chosen time $\tau_0$.
The probe pulse width is the one of the non-elongated pulse (full width at hall maximum \SI{100}{\femto \second}) so that the measurement is not temporally sharp but is multiplied by the Gaussian envelope of the probe.
There is then a temporal ``freedom'' for the peak position around the position $\tau_0$.
This explains the peak shifts to times at which it is easier to increase energy (i.e., where the field amplitude is higher).
This temporal position mismatch is taken into account in the enhancement value extraction: the enhancement is measured at the peak position instead of $\tau_0$.

\begin{figure}[h]
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:enhancement-a}}
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:enhancement-b}}
    \includegraphics[width=0.6\columnwidth]{Figures/fig_enhancement.pdf}
    \caption{Evolution of the peak position over the pulse.
    (a) Pulse shape of the first SVD states $v_1$ for different values of $\tau_0$.
    It is possible to control energy delivery at all times within the distribution of delays induced by the scattering, but the peak positions do not exactly coincide with the chosen values of $\tau_0$ (indicated by the vertical dashed lines).
    At early times (in the pulse peak rise, blue curve) the increase is shifted to the later times, whereas at later times (pulse tail, orange curve) the peak is shifted to the earlier times.
    In both cases this corresponds to a shift in direction of the higher field.
    For intermediate delays ($\tau_0 \sim \SI{1}{\pico \second}$, green curve) no clear shift is visible.
    (b) Plot of the peak shift, given by $\tau_0^{\mathrm{eff}} - \tau_0$ where $\tau_0^{\mathrm{eff}}$ is the delay at which the peak is measured, relative to the $\tau_0$ value along the pulse.
    }
    \label{fig:enhancement}
\end{figure}

\section{Simulation details}
\label{SM_simu}

In the numerical simulations, we solve the scalar Helmholtz equation $[\Delta + n^2(\vec{r}\,) k^2] \psi (\vec{r}\,) = 0$ in two dimensions on a regular Cartesian grid via the modular recursive Green's function method \cite{rotter2000greens,libisch2012graphene}.
Here, $\Delta = \partial_x^2 + \partial_y^2$ is the Laplacian in two dimensions and $n(\vec{r}\,)$ is the spatially-dependent refractive index distribution with $\vec{r} = (x,y)$ being the position vector.
Furthermore, $k = 2\pi/\lambda$ is the free space wave vector and $\psi(\vec{r}\,)$ is the unknown solution.

\begin{figure}
    \includegraphics[width=0.45\columnwidth]{Figures/fig_SM_waveguide.png}
    \caption{Sketch of the waveguide setup used in the numerical simulations.
    The scattering region with width $W = 1$ and length $L = W/10$ (whose boundary is marked by dashed black lines) contains circular obstacles (shown in red) with a radius of $R = W/100$ and refractive index of $n_\mathrm{scat} = 3.5$ that fill 40\% of its area.
    The black arrow marks the input side of the system.}
    \label{fig:SM_waveguide}
\end{figure}

The scattering system consists of a waveguide with a rectangular, slab-like scattering region (see~\cref{fig:SM_waveguide}) of width $W = 1$ and length $L = W/10$ in which circular obstacles of radius $R = W/100$ and refractive index $n_\mathrm{scat} = 3.5$ are placed.
To match the scattering strength of the experimentally used scattering samples, we use a filling fraction of $f_\mathrm{scat} = 0.4$ resulting in an average transmittance of $\sim 0.28$ (averaged over 10 disorder realizations) and a transport mean free path of $\ell_t \sim 0.31 L$ at the central frequency $\omega_0 = 75.55 c \pi/W$.
We then solve the monochromatic scattering problem for 301 frequencies in the interval $\omega \in [50.55, 100.55] c \pi / W$ to obtain the frequency-resolved transmission matrices $T(\omega)$ in the waveguide mode basis.

To arrive at the time-resolved transmission matrices $T(t)$, we Fourier-transform the frequency-resolved transmission matrices and only consider the lowest 50 waveguide modes at the input and output in order to avoid contributions from modes that are evanescent at certain frequencies.
Furthermore, we add a spectral function $f(\omega)$ to the Fourier transformation that defines the pulse shape which we choose to be a Gaussian.
More precisely, we use $f(\omega) = e^{-(\omega-\omega_0)^2/2\sigma_\omega^2}$ with $\sigma_\omega = \sqrt{2} \times 8/\langle \tau \rangle$.
Here, $\langle \tau \rangle = \pi A/C $ is the average time-delay in the scattering medium in two dimensions with $A = L W (1-f_\mathrm{scat}) + L W  f_\mathrm{scat} n_\mathrm{scat}^2$ corresponding to the area of the scattering region (the area of the dielectric scatterers has to be multiplied by their refractive index squared to account for the increased density of states) and $C = 2W$ being the external boundaries through which the waves can enter and exit the system \cite{pierrat2014pathlengthinvar,davy2021pathlengthinvar}.

In analogy to the experiment, we define the temporal origin $\tau = 0$ as the effective time-delay in a homogeneous medium with the same effective refractive index as the scattering medium (see~\Sec{SM_zero_delay}). The latter is given by $\tau_\mathrm{eff} = L / \langle v_g \rangle$, where $\langle v_g \rangle = (c/n_\mathrm{eff}) \langle k_x \rangle / \langle k \rangle$ is the mean group velocity with $c$ being the vacuum speed of light and $n_\mathrm{eff} = (1-f_\mathrm{scat}) + f_\mathrm{scat} n_\mathrm{scat}$ being the homogeneous effective refractive index. Moreover, $\langle k_x \rangle = \langle [ \langle k \rangle^2 - k_{y,n}^2 ]^{1/2} \rangle$ is the mode-averaged longitudinal propagation constant at the mean total wave vector $\langle k \rangle$ and $k_{y,n} = n \pi/W$ are the transverse wave vectors of the waveguide modes. In~\cref{fig:fig_theory} of the main text, we use a target time of $\tau_0 = 1.506 \langle \tau \rangle$, where the factor 1.506 has been chosen to match the position of the focusing peak with that in the experimental output pulse (at $\tau_0 = 1.1$~ps). All presented results are averaged over 10 disorder realizations with the same parameters.

\section{Minimal model to complement experimental observations}
\label{SM_minimal_model}

\subsection{Simulations}
\label{SM_minimal_model_simu}

We present the simulation results obtained from a minimal model in which the time-gated TM is regarded as a mere, numerically generated, random matrix (with complex Gaussian independent and identically distributed elements).
For this random TM we compute the output fields obtained for different input vectors, the singular modes or the global-focus input, and compare them with experimental observations.
In \cref{fig:SM_minimal_model-a}, the normalized singular values are compared to the field enhancement obtained in case of phase and amplitude control or phase-only control.
The values match well for full control.
In case of phase-only control, however, control over the output field is weaker both for increase or decrease, resulting in $\eta_E$ moving closer to 1.
\Cref{fig:SM_minimal_model-b} shows the evolution of the enhancement for the first singular vector and the global-focus vector with the degree of control $\gamma$.
As expected from the first singular vector being optimal, its enhancement is always higher than the one obtained for the global-focus.
For relatively square TM (small $1/\gamma$), the effect is clearly visible.
The more non-square the TM gets the less difference there is in the observed enhancement.
Indeed, in the extreme case of only one non-zero singular value, its associated vector is the same as the global-focus one as there exists only a single output mode.
As expected, in the case of phase-only control the observed enhancements decrease.
\begin{figure}[h!]
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:SM_minimal_model-a}}
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:SM_minimal_model-b}}
    \includegraphics[width=0.7\columnwidth]{Figures/fig_minimal_model_gs.pdf}
    \caption{Minimal model results.
    (a) Field enhancement values obtained for different singular vectors in case of full control (blue dots) or phase-only control (blue dotted line).
    These values are plotted together with the normalized singular values $\tilde{s}$ (red line).
    The simulated TM is of size $1024 \times 225$ as for the measurements presented in~\fig{exp_results}(a) of the main text.
    The measured speckle grain size (1.7 pixels) is also accounted for in the simulation (see Supplemental Materials in~\cite{devaud2021speckle})).
    The data are averaged over 10 realizations of the disorder.
    (b) Comparison of the field enhancement values of the first singular vector $v_1$ (blue) and the global-focusing vector (red) for different degrees of control $\gamma$.
    The full control case is plotted with solid lines while the phase-only case is plotted with dotted lines.
    As for the experiment presented in \fig{sum}(a) of the main text, we vary $\gamma$ by varying the number of considered pixels in the ROI while keeping the number of SLM modes fixed at 256.
    Also here the experimental speckle grain size (1 pixel) is accounted for in the simulation.
    The data are averaged over 10 realizations of the disorder.
    }
    \label{fig:SM_minimal_model}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Analytical prediction}
\label{SM_minimal_analytics}

Experimentally, as shown in \fig{sum}(a) of the main text, and in the simulations presented in \fig{SM_minimal_model} one can observe that the first singular vector gives better enhancement results than the global-focusing input.
Here we want to analyse this difference analytically.
To do so let us consider a TM $T$ of size $n \times m$ (matrix dimensions given in subscript brackets) and its SVD: $T_{(n,m)} = U_{(n,n)} \times S_{(m,m)} \times V_{(m,m)} ^{\dagger}$.
The global-focusing vector $G_{(m,1)}$ is defined such that $G_{(m,1)} = T_{(m,n)}^{\dagger} I_{(n,1)}$ where the coefficients of I are all unity.
Now let us decompose $G$ in the basis of the singular vectors of $T$,
\begin{equation}
G_{(m,1)} = T_{(m,n)}^{\dagger} I_{(n,1)} = V_{(m,m)} S^{\dagger}_{(m,n)} U^{\dagger}_{(n,n)} I_{(n,1)} = \sum_i^{m} s_i \sum_j^{n} u^*_{j,i} V_i,
\end{equation}
where $s_i$ are the singular values and $u_{j,i}$ the elements of $U$.
The vector actually displayed on the SLM is normalized such that we have a field at the output $E_{\mathrm{G}}$:
\begin{equation}
    \tilde{G} = \frac{G}{||G||_2} = \frac{\sum_i s_i \sum_j u^*_{j,i} V_i}{\sqrt{\sum_i|s_i\sum_j u^*_{j,i}}|^2} \to E_{\mathrm{G}} = \frac{\sum_i s_i^2 \sum_j u^*_{j,i} U_i}{\sqrt{\sum_i|s_i\sum_j u^*_{j,i}}|^2}
\end{equation}
Similarly, when sending in a normalized random input $\tilde{R}$ one gets the field $E_{\mathrm{R}}$:
\begin{equation}
     \tilde{R} = \frac{\sum_i \beta_i V_i}{\sqrt{\sum_i|\beta_i|^2}} \to E_{\mathrm{R}} = \frac{\sum_i s_i \beta_i U_i}{\sqrt{\sum_i|\beta_i|^2}},
\end{equation}
where $\beta_i$ are the projection coefficients.
The total intensity at the output is then
\begin{equation}
    I_\mathrm{R} = E_{\mathrm{R}}^{\dagger} E_{\mathrm{R}} = \frac{\sum_i s_i^2 |\beta_i|^2}{\sum_i|\beta_i|^2} \approx \langle s^2 \rangle \; \text{(weighted arithmetic mean).}
\end{equation}
Note that here the mean is computed over $m$ values.
For the global-focusing state, the output intensity is given by the product of two weighted arithmetic means, giving
\begin{equation}
    I_{\mathrm{G}} = \frac{\sum_i s_i^4 |\sum_j u^*_{j,i}|^2}{\sum_i s_i^2|\sum_j u^*_{j,i}|^2} \approx \frac{\langle s^4 \rangle }{\langle s^2 \rangle}.
\end{equation}
The latter equality is only approximate, as the $s_i$ are not statistically independent from $|\sum_j u^*_{j,i}|$.
Nevertheless, it allows for a good approximation of the enhancement which is given by the ratio of the global-focus intensity to the intensity obtained with a random input: $\eta_{\mathrm{I}}^\mathrm{G} = \frac{I_\mathrm{G}}{I_\mathrm{R}} = \frac{\langle s^4 \rangle }{\langle s^2 \rangle^2}$.
For the SVD the output intensity of the input vector $i$ is more straightforward to compute and is $I_i = s_i^2$, resulting in an enhancement $\eta_{\mathrm{I}}^{i} = \frac{s_i^2}{\langle s^2\rangle}$.
Now let us compare $\eta_{\mathrm{I}}^i$ obtained for the $i^{th}$ SVD vector and $\eta_{\mathrm{I}}^{\mathrm{G}}$,
\begin{equation}
    \eta_{\mathrm{I}}^{\mathrm{R}} = 1 \le \eta_{\mathrm{I}}^{\mathrm{G}} = \frac{ \langle s^4 \rangle}{ \langle s^2 \rangle ^2} \le \eta_{\mathrm{I}}^1 = \frac{s_1^2}{ \langle s^2 \rangle} = \tilde{s}_{1}^2.
    \label{eq:enhancement_comparison}
\end{equation}
The first inequality comes from Jensen's theorem and the second from the mean inequality.

\medskip

In the general, there is no obvious link between the intensity enhancement derived above and the field enhancement, which does not have a simple analytical derivation.
However, in case of Rayleigh statistics of the field one can construct this link.
One can show that for Rayleigh statistics the ratio of $\ell_1$ norms of two vectors is equal to the ratio of the $\ell_2$ norms of these two vectors.
Hence, because the amplitude enhancement corresponds to the vectors $\ell_1$ norms ratio and the intensity enhancement to the square $\ell_2$ norms ratio, one obtains
\begin{equation}
\eta_{\mathrm{E}} \simeq \sqrt{\eta_{\mathrm{I}}}=\tilde{s}.
\end{equation}
Note that this property does not hold for the amplitude enhancement of the global-focus due to its Rician statistics (see~\Sec{SM_speckle_stat}).
Finally, assuming a Marchenko-Pastur distribution, one can expect from \cref{eq:enhancement_comparison} that the intensity enhancements of the first singular vector scale as $1/\gamma$.
For the amplitude enhancements this results in a scaling with $1/\sqrt{\gamma}$ which corresponds well with the experimental observations presented in~\cref{fig:sum-a}.

\section{Speckle statistics}
\label{SM_speckle_stat}

Fully developed speckles are governed by Rayleigh statistics: their amplitude is Rayleigh distributed while their phase distribution is flat.
While in the main text we primarily concentrated on the global modulation of the field amplitude at $\tau_0$, here we want to investigate the speckle distribution realized by the different input states.
\Cref{fig:SM_stat} shows that the reference field obtained for a random input as well as the different singular vectors reproduce the Rayleigh statistics ($v_1$ is shown as an example showing an enhanced average values compared to the reference).
However, the global-focusing pattern created by simultaneously focusing on each output pixel results in a Rician distribution of field amplitudes and a preferred phase~\cite{Goodman2007}.
This distribution corresponds to the sum of random phasors which have some common component while the Rayleigh distribution corresponds to the sum of fully random phasors.
The reason for the emergence of Rician statistics for the global-focus procedure is that it forces a common phase on all targeted output pixels.

\begin{figure}[h!]
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:SM_stat-a}}
    \phantomsubfloat{\label{fig:SM_stat-b}}
    \includegraphics[width=0.6\columnwidth]{Figures/fig_SM_stat.pdf}
    \caption{Speckle statistics.
    (a) Distribution of field amplitudes for three cases: field obtained from the first singular vector $v_1$ (blue), field of the global-focusing state (red) and a random reference input (yellow). All three distributions are normalized to the average field amplitude of the random reference $E_0$. (b) Corresponding phase distributions for the same data.}
    \label{fig:SM_stat}
\end{figure}

\end{document}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


Rs 1,350Summer is hot . premium range.
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text:
Iraq, Russia, Iran and Syria coordinate against ISIL
While Iraq has officially announced it is sharing intelligence with Russia, Syria and Iran, the cooperation is not new.
Members of the Abbas combat squad, a Shia militia, train with Iraqi soldiers in Basra [AP]
The Iraqi military has officially announced it is to begin sharing "security and intelligence" information with Russia, Syria and Iran to help combat the advances of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.
A statement issued by the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said the countries would "help and cooperate in collecting information about the terrorist Daesh group (using the Arabic acronym for ISIL)."
"It's a committee coordinating between the four countries, with representatives of each country, in the field of military intelligence and aimed at sharing and analysing information," Saad al-Hadithi, a spokesman for
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office, told the AFP news agency.
Residents of Iraq's Haditha battle to survive
Hadithi said the countries would focus on "monitoring the movements of terrorists... and degrading their capacity".
He did not say if they had already begun their work.
Al Jazeera's Imran Khan, reporting from Baghdad, said despite the official announcement, the cooperation between the countries "was nothing new".
"As the Syrian crisis became a war Iraqi militias went to Damascus to protect holy shrines there and to defend the Assad regime, in a deal brokered by Iran," our correspondent said.
"Then when ISIL took over large parts of Iraq the IRGC and the Iranian Quds Force got involved by backing Shia militias and have had some success in fighting ISIL.
"When America stalled on weapons imports to Iraq it was Russia that stepped in.
"The end game for Russia is securing its strategic interests in the region. Russia understands that the US will have a role to play in Iraq for years to come so by cooperating with Syria, Iran and Iraq it also has influence in those countries whatever the outcome may be," he said.
Russian ISIL members
The official Iraqi military statement said that Moscow was increasingly concerned about "the presence of thousands of terrorists from Russia who are carrying out criminal acts with Daesh".
Russia has sold fighter jets and weaponry to Iraq but has on the surface taken the back seat in the country as Iran and the US-led coalition - which also includes France and Britain - have taken the lead in Baghdad's conflict with ISIL.
The move comes as Moscow is boosting its military presence in neighbouring Syria, deploying more troops and warplanes to an air base along with new arms deliveries to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Washington's strategy in Iraq, built on an air campaign and the deployment of several thousand military trainers and advisers, has faced increased criticism for failing to deliver results.
- With reporting by Imran Khan
Syria's War

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: sass percentage of a number I am stuck here.
I want to calculate 2/3 of 10rem like this:
$percentage : percentage(2/3); // 66.666667%
$width      : 10rem;
$calculate  : do magic: 66.666667% of 10rem;

img { max-height: calc( 100vh - $calculate ); }

I have been looking in the SASS documentation. I can only find some stuff about math function and not too much about percentage.

A: The percentage(2/3) function call appends a %. You can not multiply that with a non-unitless value like 10rem. Instead, calculate it directly like:
img {
    max-height: calc(100vh - #{2/3 * 10rem});
}

The #{} (interpolation) is needed to render the result of the calculation inside the Css calc() expression.
Read more on...

*

*Sass interpolation: https://sass-lang.com/documentation/interpolation

*Operators: https://sass-lang.com/documentation/operators/numeric

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Starting the Conversation with Digital Mental Health
By Martha Neary
Martha Neary is the PsyberGuide Project Manager, based at University of California, Irvine. Martha's broad and varied research interests include healthcare disparities among minority populations, the integration of technology into mental health interventions, and early education, particularly in the areas of health and sexuality.
The field of mental health care faces a number of challenges, and those providing and seeking professional support often have to grapple with issues such as access to insurance, access to treatment, and lack of mental health education. One challenge less visible to the naked eye, but nonetheless very real, is mental health stigma. More than any other type of illnesses, mental health problems often receive negative judgments and stigmatization, stemming from a lack of knowledge and understanding of mental health. Many people experiencing mental health problems not only have to cope with their symptoms and experience but may also suffer from social exclusion and prejudices. Stigma doesn't always just come from the outside; because these prejudices are so ingrained in our society, stigma can be internalized, and people can come to believe that they themselves are of lesser value because of their own mental health.
People have dedicated their professional lives to the study of mental health stigma; there is a long and complex history, far beyond the scope of this piece. Suffice to say that stigma manifests itself in silence. While conversations around physical health and wellbeing are commonplace, mental illness continues to be one topic people don't want to talk about, despite increasing rates of depression and suicide. This silence and "taboo" around mental health can inhibit people seeking help; if you've grown up in a world where mental health is not something to be openly discussed, you may, understandably, be reluctant to ask others for help. Thankfully, things are improving, but there's still a long way to go before people can openly discuss mental wellbeing in a healthy and productive way.
Health technologies have a role to play in the battle against mental health stigma. Apps and other technologies for mental health increase accessibility to support, which can help normalize mental health care. Apps are not for everyone, but they can be a great first step for many people's help-seeking — engaging with a mental health app can help show someone that mental health management is possible, and encourage them to seek additional support or see a professional. Mental health apps can also help increase education and awareness around mental health, which are key factors in overcoming stigma. Some apps have even succeeded in making self-care and mental health management "trendy" — apps like Headspace, Calm and Woebot have done a tremendous job of marketing their products in a fun, engaging and youthful way.
Apps have often been heralded as a "stigma-free" way for people to access mental health support. Nowadays, people who seek support don't necessarily need to go to a doctor or therapists' office, or even speak to anyone or disclose their mental health issues; they can download an app, and use it discreetly and privately on their personal smartphone. Great, right? Yes and no.
Anything that increases accessibility to mental health support is, of course, positive, but I worry that these apps aren't doing anything to help the societal problem of mental health stigma. When people can get support without ever talking about their experience to another human being, is the cycle of stigma is being perpetuated? Ultimately, the power that mental health stigma holds will only truly start to weaken when we engage in open, honest and compassionate conversations with one another about our experiences.
At PsyberGuide, we encourage people to use mental health apps as a starting point for conversations around mental health. We hope that increased accessibility to mental health resources and apps will help to normalize these conversations and in turn decrease stigma. Just as you might suggest a helpful app to a friend who needs help with their time management, fitness tracking, or navigation, with a whole range of mental health apps to choose from you might also say "Oh, I have an app for that!".
For more information on mental health stigma and how we can fight it, you can visit nami.org and read about their StigmaFree campaign.


text:
Q: Правильное приведение от структуры к структуре в фабрике Не хочу плодить однотипный код по созданию объектов структур, но никак не могу найти правильный рабочий подход к реализации на Go:
type DecodeFrame struct {
    name    string
    decData map[string]string
}

type Frame struct {
    header  byte
    command [2]byte
    length  int
    rawData []byte
    CRC     byte
    DecodeFrame
}
type Decoder interface {
    decodeData()
}

type FrameCanBusState Frame

func (f *FrameCanBusState) decodeData() {
//specific realisation}

type FrameCommands Frame

func (f *FrameCommands) decodeData() {
// specific realisation}

func newFrame(rawFrameBytes []byte) *Frame {
    frame := new(Frame)
    length := rawFrameBytes[2]
    rawData := rawFrameBytes[3 : len(rawFrameBytes)-1]

    frame.header = Header[0]
    frame.command = [2]byte{rawFrameBytes[1], rawFrameBytes[0]}
    frame.length = int(length)
    frame.rawData = rawData
    frame.CRC = rawFrameBytes[len(rawFrameBytes)-1]
    frame.decData = make(map[string]string)
    return frame
}
func factoryDecoders(rawFrame *Frame) (Decoder, error) {
    switch {
    // this place, i don`t know how implement
    case: fr := rawFrame.(FrameStateFlags) // error
    case: fr := rawFrame.(FrameCommands) // error
    }
 }

func main() {
     rawBytes := // parse
     rawFrame := newFrame(rawBytes)
     decoder := factoryDecoders(rawFrame)
     decoder.decodeData()
}

Может, я что то не так пишу. Или что-то не понимаю, прошу не бить а объяснить как правильно кастовать в данном случае чтобы следовать еще и DRY.

A: В вашем коде возникает ошибка из-за того, что вы пытаетесь явно привести объект типа *Frame к типу FrameStateFlags или FrameCommands, что невозможно, так как эти типы объявлены как алиасы для типа Frame.
Вам нужно использовать конструкцию type assertion, чтобы убедиться в том, что объект принадлежит нужному вам типу:
if fr, ok := rawFrame.(*FrameStateFlags); ok {
    // объект типа *FrameStateFlags
} else if fr, ok := rawFrame.(*FrameCommands); ok {
    // объект типа *FrameCommands
} else {
    // объект не типа *FrameStateFlags и не типа *FrameCommands
}

Также стоит отметить, что ваш код не совсем следует принципу "Don't Repeat Yourself" (DRY). В частности, у вас повторяется код инициализации полей структуры Frame, который выполняется в функции newFrame. Вы можете сделать эту функцию фабричной и использовать ее для создания экземпляров разных типов Frame, например:
type FrameType int

const (
    FrameTypeStateFlags FrameType = iota
    FrameTypeCommands
    // другие типы фреймов
)

func NewFrame(frameType FrameType, rawFrameBytes []byte) *Frame {
    frame := new(Frame)
    length := rawFrameBytes[2]
    rawData := rawFrameBytes[3 : len(rawFrameBytes)-1]

    frame.header = Header[0]
    frame.command = [2]byte{rawFrameBytes[1], rawFrameBytes[0]}
    frame.length = int(length)
    frame.rawData = rawData
    frame.CRC = rawFrameBytes[len(rawFrameBytes)-1]
    frame.decData = make(map[string]string)

    switch frameType {
    case FrameTypeStateFlags:
        frame.DecodeFrame = &FrameStateFlags{}
    case FrameTypeCommands:
        frame.DecodeFrame = &FrameCommands{}
    // другие типы фреймов
    }

    return frame
}

Теперь вы можете использовать эту функцию для создания экземпляров разных типов Frame:
rawFrameBytes := // parse

rawFrame := NewFrame(FrameTypeStateFlags, rawFrameBytes)
decoder := rawFrame.DecodeFrame.(Decoder)
decoder.decodeData()

rawFrame = NewFrame(FrameTypeCommands, rawFrameBytes)
decoder = rawFrame.DecodeFrame.(Decoder)
decoder.decodeData()

Таким образом, вы не повторяете код инициализации общих полей структуры Frame и можете создавать экземпляры разных типов Frame, не писая отдельный код для каждого типа.


At the doctor's office, sometimes the waiting is the hardest part. E.R. physician Dr. Travis Stork shares tips to to make your next trip to the doctor easy and less time consuming, and OB/GYN Dr. Lisa Masterson uncovers the number one source of germs in a waiting room!
Dr. Lisa has an important tip about one of America's most common diseases.
How do you pass time in the waiting room? Tell us here!
One in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, however the numbers are higher if women have a history of the disease in their family.
Patty, 31, is worried about getting the disease because both her mother and grandmother were diagnosed in their 50s, and her grandmother passed away shortly after the diagnosis. Patty visits breast specialist Dr. Kristi Funk to undergo her first mammogram.
"I have no words for how I would feel if they did find something in my breast," Patty says. "I'm very, very scared to see these results."
Dr. Funk demonstrates how a mammogram is performed.
Patty learns the results of her first mammogram.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., but if caught early, chances of a full recovery are very high.
Dr. Travis demonstrates the correct way to perform CPR, without using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Nicole, 30, was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, on her scalp.
"I'm really nervous and scared. I just really didn't think that this would happen to me," she says. "You think it's going to happen to people who are older. I know it was from over-exposure to the sun. I was a lifeguard for three years in a row. I was always outdoors exercising without a hat, with my hair pulled back. I put sunscreen on my face and body, but I didn't put it on my scalp or my head."
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joel L. Cohen performs Mohs surgery, a procedure to excise the carcinoma from Nicole's scalp. The procedure has a 99 percent cure rate for basal cell carcinoma, with only a 1 percent recurrence rate.
• Tips for preventing ear infections.
"I'm so relieved," Nicole says. "I'm just thankful that it's gone, and I caught it early."
Most moles, freckles and beauty spots on your skin are normal and harmless. However, over time they can change and become malignant, or cancerous, so it is important to stay vigilant about your skin's health.
The Doctors and Everyday Health reveal how to determine if a wound will heal on its own, or if it requires professional care.
• Diameter — Technically, moles can be all sizes, but if your mole is bigger than an eraser point on a pencil.
• Find out where you can get a free skin care screening in your community.
Dr. Jennifer Arnold, neonatologist and star of the hit TV show The Little Couple, answers commonly asked questions about babies born prematurely.
Learn how to prepare for and bond with a premature baby.
Do you have a question about babies? Ask The Doctors!


text:
Symbol trwałości produktów kosmetycznych (ang. period-after-opening – termin przydatności do użycia po otwarciu) zwany PAO lub symbolem otwartego słoiczka jest znakiem graficznym ilustrującym okres przydatności do użycia kosmetyku po jego pierwszym otwarciu bez ryzyka narażenia zdrowia użytkownika. Przedstawia on otwarty słoiczek kosmetyku wraz z napisem informującym o liczbie miesięcy (np. 6M, 9M, 24M) lub lat (1Y).

Uwarunkowania prawne
W Unii Europejskiej powyższy sposób oznakowania wymagany jest od lutego 2003 roku, kiedy to Parlament Europejski ustanowił dyrektywę dotyczącą oznakowania kosmetyków.

W Polsce sprawy związane z używaniem znaku reguluje Rozporządzenie Ministra Zdrowia z dnia 30 marca 2005 r. w sprawie list substancji niedozwolonych lub dozwolonych z ograniczeniami do stosowania w kosmetykach oraz znaków graficznych umieszczanych na opakowaniach kosmetyków

Zgodnie z dyrektywą UE symbol PAO musi być zaznaczony na produkcie, którego termin ważności wynosi 30 lub więcej miesięcy. Dla produktów o terminie ważności krótszym niż 30 miesięcy wymagana jest dokładna data, do której produkt może być sprzedawany i używany jeśli przechowywany był w odpowiednich warunkach.

Symbol jest zgodny z normą ISO 8601

Oznakowanie to nie musi być stosowane dla:
 produktów, które nie ulegają zniszczeniu (nie tracą swych właściwości),
 produktów, które nie otwierają się np. aerozole,
 produktów, które mają na celu jednorazowe użycie np. próbki.

Linki zewnętrzne
 Rozporządzenie Ministra Zdrowia z dnia 30 marca 2005 r. w sprawie list substancji niedozwolonych lub dozwolonych z ograniczeniami do stosowania w kosmetykach oraz znaków graficznych umieszczanych na opakowaniach kosmetyków
 DYREKTYWA KOMISJI 2003/80/WE z dnia 5 września 2003 r. ustanawiająca symbol określający trwałość produktów kosmetycznych w załączniku VIIIa do dyrektywy Rady 76/768/EWG (wygasła 11/07/2013)
 Symbol trwałości produktów kosmetycznych

Kosmetyki
Niezawodność
Symbole

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


If she is elected mayor in the Oct.20 municipal election, Coalition Vancouver mayoral candidate Wai Young promises to eliminate two separated bike lanes--one recently installed on the Cambie Bridge, one under construction on West 10th Avenue--and another paved cycling path planned for Kitsilano Beach.
Young officially launched her campaign Thursday at the Helena Gutteridge Plaza at city hall and received the loudest applause from her supporters when she promised to scrap the bike lanes, which have increased across the city since the Vision Vancouver administration took office in 2008.
Will Wai Young scuttle the NPA's mission to win back city hall?
Young named the recently installed "superfluous" separated bike lane on the Cambie Bridge, the separated bike lane under construction in front of Vancouver General Hospital along West 10th Avenue and a proposed paved lane to run through the Kitsilano Beach area.
"I also want to confirm that no new bike lanes will ever be imposed on communities without specific consultation and voting by those communities that are directly affected," said Young, who didn't elaborate on how residents would "vote" on a bike lane, or specify with reporters whether she includes painted bike lanes in her campaign.
She promised free parking on Sundays.
Much of Young's speech focused on "a broken city hall," saying it has been influenced by big business, developers and special interest groups and ignored seniors, children, families, youth and small business owners.
She talked about her opposition to the provincial government's so-called school tax, which imposes taxes on people whose homes are worth more than $3 million. Young was involved in the protests against the school tax and against a temporary modular housing complex in Marpole for homeless people.
Asked to clarify that statement in a scrum with reporters, Young referred to a joint-operating agreement related to the park board. She provided no specific examples of votes at city hall, many of which divided Vision and the NPA on major issues such as the Northeast False Creek plan, various developments, tax increases and bike lanes.
Solutions to affordable housing, which has become the top issue in the civic campaign, were absent from Young's speech. She told reporters she would provide details on her party's housing platform at a later date.
Labrie said he left the NPA because "the party doesn't fundamentally represent the centre of Vancouver." He said he didn't know how many members belonged to Coalition Vancouver. Young said in her speech that people from all over Vancouver and all municipal parties belonged to the party.
Both Labrie and Young said the party plans to run full slates for council, school board and park board.
Young's official entry into the mayoral race makes for a crowded field.
Others competing to take over for the retiring Mayor Gregor Robertson include Ken Sim of the NPA, Ian Campbell of Vision Vancouver, independents Kennedy Stewart and Shauna Sylvester, potentially Patrick Condon of COPE, David Chen of ProVancouver and councillor Hector Bremner, who will soon launch his new party after being dumped by the NPA as a potential mayoral nominee.


A NUANS report is a five-page document that includes a list of corporations, business names, and trademarks that appear and sound similar to the name you are proposing.
This report must be ordered and submitted to the pertinent jurisdiction, along with your Articles, in almost all cases. When this name search is ordered on your proposed corporate name, that report has a life of 90 days from the date the NUANS report was requested.
If your proposed name and Articles are not approved within this 90- day period, you must make another request for the name search.
2. Order online through our secured order form. NUANS Order Online.
Orders placed before 1 pm, will be ready the same day before 6 pm.
Orders placed after 1 pm, will be ready the next business day before 11:30 am.


text:
Planetransgender
Laura Ingram and Fox TV at WAR(warbeeaatch)
Laura Ingram and Fox Tv at war (WARbeeaatch)
By Kelli Busey
Febuary 9,2008
http://planetransgender.blogspot.com/
Laura Ingraham in this video broadcasted on FOX TV attempts to bully and intimidate CODE PINK'S Medea Bejamin. This defies all standards of broadcast decency and the principles of free speach. Laura Ingraham is in the absence of armed men demanding silence, is by default the enemy of free speach and an America where we respect the right of others to have and express an opposing opinion. As someone who served in the Armed forces I can attest she is not speaking for me nor a majority of service members.
I would hope Laura Ingram would have a more open mind to the Transgender community. According to the WIkapeda, she has involved herself with purposefully harming innocent people by ingaging in Anti-homosexual activism.
According to David Brock (in his 2002 book Blinded by the Right), Ingraham, while writing for The Dartmouth Review in the mid-1980s, once attended meetings of a gay student organization for the purpose of publicly outing them in the newspaper. Ingraham secretly taped a meeting of the Gay Students Association, then published the transcript, identifying students by name and calling them "sodomites." According to Ingraham, however, she attended the meetings to report in the newspaper how tuition money was being spent.
A decade later, on February 23, 1997, however, Ingraham wrote an essay in The Washington Post in which she announced significant changes in how she views gays and lesbians. This was motivated primarily by her experience with one of her brothers rumored to have been estranged from her for a time after the gay student group controversy, as he cared for his ailing partner:
"In the ten years since I learned one of my brothers was gay, my views and rhetoric about homosexuals have been tempered... because I have seen him and his partner of 14 years, lead their lives with dignity, fidelity and courage.
I AM FURIOUS THAT I SPENT 7 YEARS IN THE ARMY TO HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH DESECRATED.
You may contact FOX at yourcomments@foxnews.com and exercise your freedom of speech!
SUPPORT CODEPINK's peace efforts at
http://codepinkalert.org/
http://planetransgender.blogspot.com
Posted by planetransgender at 3:26 PM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: b, bigot, Bisexual, gay, gender, GLBT, intersexed, LBGT, lesbian, lies, out, protest, questioning, thirdsex, transexual, transgender
Old Problems Plague Gay Movement
http://www.queerty.com/old-problems-plague-gay-movement-20080207/#comments
The contemporary gay rights movement got off the ground way back in 1969. Despite nearly forty years of struggle, activists still can't overcome one fundamental hurdle: should the gay movement subscribe to separatist isolationism or dedicate itself to more universal human rights?
The pressing matter came into sharp contrast during last year's ENDA debacle, when homos took sides on whether or not to accept a trans exclusive employment non-discrimination act. While some organizations - such as Human Rights Campaign - rallied for an incremental approach, hundreds of other organizations insisted on all or nothing. The resulting drama highlighted a problem that has been brewing since the beginning of the movement.
The Stonewall rebellion led to the formation of the Gay Liberation Front, which dedicated itself to fighting solely for same-sex lovers. It wasn't long, however, until frustrated activists broke off to form the Gay Activist Alliance, which worked with other liberation groups to achieve universal equal rights. Their purview extended beyond the gates of Oz and into the real world. Though neither organization stood the test of time, their ideologies continue to dominate - and divide - the gay rights movement.
New Republic journo James Kirchick gave the old debate new life this week when he published a scathing editorial against outgoing National Gay and Lesbian Task Force director Matt Foreman. Though much of his piece - which The Advocate published - gets caught up in the old liberal v. conservative debate, Kirchick raises interesting political, social and moral matters.
Kirchick opens by taking on Foreman's record at the Task Force, which apparently Kirchick doesn't think did enough for the gay community. He writes:
[Foreman] was many things during his five years at the top of one of the country's preeminent gay rights organizations. He was an outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq. He fought against privatizing Social Security. He stood foursquare against the erosion of abortion rights.
But what any of these issues have to do with lobbying for gay rights — presumably Foreman's job description — is beyond me.
Kirchick later uses Foreman's opposition to an exclusive ENDA, as well as some Task Forcers' opposition to marriage as an indication of why the Task Force actually harms the gay community.
The Task Force's flaws, he writes, stem from the fact that they're committed to "broader social justice movement". This should come as no surprise - anyone who's familiar with the history of the gay rights movement knows that the Task Force formed from the ashes of GAA, the organization which focused on cross-cultural struggle. Despite its history, Kirchick can't seem to wrap his mind around the fact that gay people may want to help other people who are oppressed. Or perhaps he's intimidated by the "Marxist" inspired "queer theory" - who wouldn't be? Thinking outside your box can be a frightful experience, even for the political elite.
We won't comment on the Task Force's relationship with the United Nations or alleged allegiance to wealth distribution. We will, however, say that it's morally irresponsible to dismiss an organization for looking beyond its ranks. Would it be acceptable to save a gay man from a burning building and let a black man be consumed by flames? No, of course not, nor is it acceptable to work for group rights without realizing that there are others who need uplifting, as well.
Kirchick and his ideological adherents practice the most dangerous type of isolation: selfish activism. Those who insist on getting the goods for the gays and no one else are just as guilty as those who work against universal human rights. Foreman, whom we interviewed earlier this week, puts it best when he says the gay rights movement faces one huge division: our ultimate end.
I think where there is a divergence and there is not a consensus is the long-term vision for our movement. Part of this is trying to figure out… We are part of something bigger than just trying to get the technical equality under the law. That's a prerequisite, but we can't pretend that's the end. That's really a more just society.
Are we willing to work simply for gay rights and call it a day or should we work for universal equality? The answer seems simple to us.
Of course, Kirchick's correct in pointing out that there are a number of gay-centric organizations - HRC, Servicemembers Legal Defense Fund, and many more - all of which are great in their own way. It seems to use, however, that while we should all fight for gay rights, we shouldn't forget our fellow man.
Posted by planetransgender at 11:12 AM No comments: Links to this post
Gainsville FL Transgender Debate Draws croud
Transgender debate draws crowd
By MEGAN ROLLAND
Sun staff writer
City Hall was buzzing Monday night with both protest and support for a proposed city ordinance that would include gender identity as a class of people protected from discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodation.
Continue to 2nd paragraph The auditorium had standing-room only, as did the entryway where a large crowd watched the decision on closed-circuit television. The vast majority of those who spoke on the issue were against the ordinance.
Those in favor of the ordinance lauded it as a step toward increased human rights for transgender individuals, who some said are marginalized in society.
The ordinance would add gender identity as a category of people protected from discrimination. Discrimination based on race, religion, sexual orientation and gender are already outlawed in Gainesville.
City officials defined gender identity as a situation where people have an inner sense of being a gender other than their gender at birth.
Those opposed reiterated oft-cited concerns of having a man in a woman's restroom, as well as the burden it would place on business owners to provide accommodations in the case of changing facilities.
Commissioner Ed Braddy immediately made a motion to deny the ordinance, and Commissioner Rick Bryant quickly seconded the motion.
"When you boil it down the issue is that because of some people who have some sort of emotional or psychological issue, others have to change," Braddy said.
He said the ordinance would require separate facilities if a business owner decided to deny a transgender individual access to dressing rooms.
"In that sense it makes a claim on other people's property," Braddy said. "This is about granting special privileges to a class of people."
Commissioner Craig Lowe countered. "There is nothing special about being able to have a home, get a job, go to a restaurant," said Lowe adding that those are simple rights that are often taken for granted.
"It does a very simple thing for a group of people that is very intensely discriminated (against). They are few in number but sometimes it is the few in number who need the most protection," Lowe said.
Commissioner Jeanna Mastrodicasa emphasized that there is a standard across the nation for these types of ordinances.
In Florida the cities of Lake Worth and West Palm Beach, Miami Beach, Wilton Manors, Gulfport and Key West have anti-discrimination policies that protect gender identity, as do Orange, Monroe and Palm Beach counties.
Some residents quoted the Bible and expressed anger that the city would make an ordinance protecting people who in their minds were going against the way that God created them.
One man said the commissioners would suffer the wrath of God and another yelled "the blood is on your hands" for supporting the ordinance.
Several pastors, including the pastor of the Rock of Gainesville, also spoke against the ordinance. Many opposed to the ordinance said it was unfair to make the majority uncomfortable in order to protect a minority.
A University of Florida student said in the meeting it was a sad state of affairs when basic human rights were debatable not only among the public but also among elected officials.
Another UF student said, "We have a right not to be hassled, harassed, beat up or killed, and it happens everyday based on what people look like and what we wear."
By press time, the commission hadn't voted on the issue.
Megan Rolland can be reached at 338-3104 or megan.rolland@ gvillesun.com.
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20080129/NEWS/801290319/1002/NEWS
Labels: Bisexual, gay, gender, GLBT, intersexed, LBGT, lesbian, out, questioning, thirdsex, transexual, transgender, truth, wins
The Independent Florida Alligator: Opinion - Transgender ordinance is necessary for equality
Dallas Voice :: Youth group leader eager to help teens
Dallas Voice :: TACT takes message to Austin Black Tie Dinner
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text:
Ejo #122 – Fuck You, Facebook
February 29, 2020 Learning About Mefacebook, influence, mark zuckerberg, politics, social media, social networkingmisschryss View all 2 comments
Facebook. You've heard of it, right? It's the social networking site that, since 2005, has become so widespread and popular, we can't even imagine life without it. Considering it's been on the market for fifteen years, Facebook's interface certainly hasn't improved in line with its explosive popularity – mostly because it hasn't needed to. Facebook's appeal lies not in the way it looks, or performs, but rather, in how it makes you feel. It is systematically designed to be addictive, to administer micro-doses of feel-good neurotransmitters every time someone likes or comments on something that you've posted. Human beings are complex creatures, but our brain reward centres operate very simply. When the brain gets a drop of dopamine, it enjoys it very much and wants more. Facebook knows this and its programmers have learned to manipulate the interface, in order to take advantage of that. Why? The longer we spend on the site, the more advertising we are exposed to, the more money goes rolling into Facebook's coffers. It really is as simple as that. But that's just the beginning.
We all know about FB's sketchy privacy practices. On a global scale we seem to enjoy Facebook enough to ignore the fact that so much of our personal data is shared with big corporations. Perhaps we feel it's a small price to pay for the privilege of staying connected to so many other people, so easily. Or maybe we just aren't aware of exactly how much we are giving away. Did you know that Facebook allowed huge companies like Spotify, Netflix and the Royal Bank of Canada complete access to your private messages? Not just the ability to read them, but also to write and delete them!!!! WTAF?! The first you heard about your data being used in such a shitty way was probably when the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke. Suddenly there was an outrage. For a while. And then it all died down and it was back to business as usual in Menlo Park. Facebook continues to act behind closed doors and to avoid anything more than a mere semblance of transparency. And that's before we even start talking about the fake news.
In 2016 FB discovered millions of false pages that may have contributed to Trump's shock win at the election. Seemingly genuine pages that were peddling outright lies. "Pope Francis endorses Donald Trump." "Someone was murdered after agreeing to testify against Hillary Clinton." "Bill Clinton raped a 13 year old girl." None of these stories are true but they spread like wildfire because FB's algorithm favours stories with high engagement. And nothing engages people more than sensationalist bullshit. The most commonly shared news content on Facebook today is from Fox News and other right leaning outlets, such as Breitbart. Not exactly paragons of journalistic truth. But it actually benefits FB to spread misinformation and lies. They are not invested in the truth, and they keep trying to wash their hands of any responsibility when it comes to the veracity of content posted on their site.
Despite that, occasionally they are compelled into increased accountability. Only as recently as last year, FB pledged to eliminate white nationalist/supremacist pages from their site. They didn't particularly want to, as doing so goes against their "freedom of speech" ethos, but public and government pressure forced their hand. But, because they are an unregulated beast, several nationalist, alt-right, white supremacy groups still hold court on Facebook, untouched. Only when specific complaints about a particular page become public does Facebook bother to take any action. Otherwise these hate-spouting organisations are allowed to operate unchecked. In addition, these extremist groups are permitted to magnify their exposure on FB through means that are in violation of FB's own rules, i.e. inauthentic coordinated behavior (using multiple pages to promote the same content in order to increase readership). If I did that, I would be banned.
In its purported claims to be seen as unbiased and non-partisan, FB has been forced to partner with a number of third-party fact-checking organisations. Last year they came under fire for taking on a partnership with a company that is a subsidiary of the right-wing, white-nationalist publication Daily Caller. Not exactly unbiased. These fact-checkers have a huge influence on which news articles are seen (and not seen) by Facebook users, and considering that more than half of Americans now use social media as their primary news source, it means that these "fact-checkers" wield a huge amount of power. So why would FB give a far-right group the job of checking facts on its site? The answer seems to be that they want to suck up to the Republicans, and in particular they want to suck up to Trump. When Democrats, like Elizabeth Warren, campaign on a promise of breaking up and regulating Facebook, it's easy to see why the behemoth social media platform would favour the incumbent president and party. So much so that they are prepared to bend democracy to their will in order to insure Trump stays in power. They have $556 billion dollars riding on it.
Following the 2016 election, FB started openly pandering to the Trump administration, crumbling under the president's online whining about how he was being unfairly treated on the site. But the slide from left to right had started much earlier. Months before the election, FB actually discovered evidence that Russians were acting to influence the result (in Trump's favour). They kept that information to themselves, and did nothing to prevent Russia's continued interference. And Facebook continues to staunchly defend their policy of allowing proven false information to be included in political ads, with Zuckerberg defending that stance, "The ability to speak freely has been central in the fight for democracy world-wide". Nice soundbite Mark, but allowing absolute bullshit "news" articles to circulate on Facebook under the guise of fact, is actually harmful to democracy. I cannot stress enough how dangerous this is to the very fabric of our society.
Zuckerberg justifies the lack of editorial oversight, "We think our users can make up their own minds". But then he pays researchers to see if he can make up their minds for them. In 2012, FB conducted an ethically dodgy study in which they manipulated their user's feeds to see what effect that would have on their moods – without ever asking their explicit permission to do so. Some people's feeds showed them happy, positive words, photos and news stories for a week, and at the end of that time FB's researchers would assess whether that person was posting noticeably more positive things themselves (they usually were). But you know what else Facebook did? Some users' feeds were showered with content that was sad, or angry or negative in order to gauge if that also had the same knock-on effect. And it did, resulting in those users generally posting downbeat status updates. And that's fucked up. They didn't ask any of the users their permission to take part in the study. They didn't ask anyone if they were interested in having their moods manhandled, in such a creepy way. They just went ahead and did it. To 689,003 people. Were you one of them? You will never know.
It's FB's ability to manipulate and control its users that makes them so powerful. It's the almost total lack of oversight that makes them scary. They've already demonstrated that they can (and will) control their user's emotions and moods through deceptive means. Their privacy terms and conditions allow for it, so it's not illegal. But try telling me it's not wrong.
When I joined FB thirteen years ago, I did so because I thought it was a cool way to connect with my friends. By 2016, I had started becoming fairly disillusioned with the platform, but still felt that, being an expat, it was the best way to keep in touch with my loved ones back home. I stayed, despite FB's insane growth and metamorphosis into something other than it was pretending to be. I can no longer ignore what it has become, and because of that, I can no longer continue to use it. It is my view that Facebook has become nothing less than a deadly weapon. I honestly don't think it's an exaggeration to suggest that it has transformed from an ivy league rich kid's club into an insidious monster of mind-control on a mass scale. Am I impervious to the tactics employed? Are you? How do we know? Maybe we are smart enough to stay neutral and unaffected. But what about the other 2.4 billion monthly users? That's almost a third of the earth's population, and you can bet that a huge chunk of them are easy targets, particularly in third world countries where Facebook isn't just an online application, but the internet itself.
And it's not just FB manipulating its own users. Other times it's third party actors. Governments. Usually with nefarious intentions. For instance, in 2018 it was discovered that a coordinated social media attack designed to incite violence and hatred against Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority group had been perpetrated by that country's own military. The United Nations found that the five year campaign of false propaganda saw the Myanmar government use Facebook as a tool for genocide and ethnic cleansing. And because of Facebook's manifesto that "free speech" is the cornerstone of democracy, they felt justified in allowing that to happen. That is not OK. Really, it's not OK. It's fucking awful and I can no longer allow myself to passively be part of it. I am a little nervous about completely deleting my account, but I'm still going to do it, and I know I'll find a way to live without it. In fact, a Stanford study found that: "The downsides are real. The negative effects of Facebook are large enough to be of real concerns. Four weeks without Facebook improves subjective well-being."
I think I'm going to be just fine.
Some more reading…
The New York Times – As Facebook Raised a Privacy Wall, It Carved an Opening for Tech Giants
The Guardian – White Nationalists are Openly Operating on Facebook. The Company Won't Act
Popular Information – Facebook Allows Prominent Right-Wing Website to Break the Rules
Popular Information – The Republican Political Operatives Who Call the Shots at Facebook
The New York Times – A Genocide Incited on Facebook, With Posts From Myanmar's Military
Salon – A "Gold Standard" Study Finds Deleting Facebook is Great for Your Mental Health


Dining for John Hay is a community gathering supported by our local restaurants. They graciously give back a percentage of purchases made throughout the day or night to our school, that helps pay for class size reductions, a computer lab, art supplies, tutors, and so much more. Without their support our grant would look a bit different. We would like to take a moment and thank last year's sponsors and encourage you to visit these establishments on the hill thanking them as well.
for their support during the 2017-18 school year!


Semester-on-a-Ranch offers much more than a chance for unique college credits. We are committed to ensuring that students who choose to immerse themselves in the ranching lifestyle will come away with incomparable experiences, connections between both landholders and stakeholders, and certifications in practical skills. A student who commits to a semester will add invaluable depth to their education.
Ranching– as Champagne Creek Ranch revolves around the biological cycles, so will possible ranching experiences. These may include fencing, herding, calving, feeding, haying, riding, maintenance, irrigating, etc.
Training– an introduction to basic skills will benefit any job-seeker in the western landscape. Thus, we offer instruction in chainsaw, GPS, map and compass, fire, ATV and First Aid/CPR. Additionally, we offer exposure to a myriad of common western necessities such as horses, livestock, tractors, trailers, heavy equipment and backroad survival.
Experience-just as the range landscape doesn't end at fences, preparation for land management cannot end with a diploma. Communication among devoted stakeholders must be a focus for future managers. This is a chance to learn on a ranch that recognizes the importance of coordinating proper stewardship with a community of producers, conservationists, and land managers.
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