text:
Forbidden Stories From North Korea
March 5, 2018 March 6, 2018 ~ literarygitane ~ 1 Comment
The Accusation is a collection of seven stories and two poems written under the pseudonym 'Bandi' or firefly by a dissident writer still living in North Korea and set between 1989 and 1995 during the repressive regimes of Kim-Il Sung and Kim-Jong Il. The stories are a window into the secret world of the hereditary dictatorships of the Kim family characterized by propaganda, corruption, nepotism and bureaucratic ineptitude where the government controls every aspect of a citizen's life. While there are many works published by writers who have defected to South Korea, this is presumably the first collection written by a writer still living in North Korea to cross the border. The author risked his or her life to make these harrowing stories see the light of day. The account of how the manuscript made it out from North Korea into South Korea is an interesting story in its own right and is included as an afterword.
The chilling and profoundly sad stories are fictional but based on the experiences of real people and they all share a common thread. They reveal the fear and despair of the citizens, who, living under the watchful eye of authority, have to be constantly on guard as anything can be construed as conspiracy against the state. Each and every story is about an accusation. A person could be banished to the countryside, forced into a life of hard labor or even executed for a slight infraction, real or perceived.
Record of a Defection reveals how you have to atone for the sins of your ancestors. A peasant was accused of being an anti-revolutionary and of sabotaging the Party's agricultural collectivization project as he was not abreast with the latest technology of growing rice seedlings in greenhouses. Years later his entire family suffers the consequences of his actions. His young grandson cannot run for Class President at his school. One black mark against you which can be a trifling offence or even an absurd non-offence can taint not only you and your family but many future generations.
City of Specters– A two year old is frightened by the gigantic posters near Central Square of Karl Marx and Kin Il-Sung visible from his apartment window. He mistakes them for monsters. His mother tries to allay his fears by drawing the curtains but the neighborhood is expected to exhibit uniformity in appearance for the upcoming National Day parade and her action is viewed as an infraction. Although she is a privileged woman, she has to pay a heavy price for this misstep. It is a richly symbolic story. These specters of Communism haunt not just the little boy but all the citizens in all of the land.
Life of a Swift Steed– A decorated war veteran had planted an elm tree in his youth as a symbol of the growth of a new socialist state. He had envisioned a life where everyone would live in a tile-roofed house, eat meat and rice and wear silks but the reality is that the people are living in poverty and there is a dearth of fuel in the freezing weather. The state wants to cut down his beloved elm which is interfering with a power line. The tree ends up being a symbol of his disillusionment as he comes to the painful realization that his medals mean nothing and that his entire life has been a sham.
So Near Yet so Far– Myeong-Chol, a hard-working miner wishes to visit his sick mother in the countryside but the state will not give him a permit to leave his province as there is a Class 1 celebration for the leader in his mother's town and travel is forbidden to the district. After his application for a pass is denied three times, the man who has always been a stickler for rules, decides to make the journey illegally with the help of a friend. He gets tantalizingly close to seeing his mother as the title suggests but will he see the dying old woman and what will be his punishment for violating travel regulations?
Pandemonium– An old woman is traveling with her husband and granddaughter to visit her pregnant daughter but they end up being trapped in a crowded railway station. All traffic has come to a halt as the Great Leader Kim Il- Sung is about to visit the area. In desperation, she sets out on foot to visit her daughter and ends up getting a ride in the leader's personal entourage and accidentally becomes part of a propaganda video. The government's report of her happy laughter is in striking contrast to the pandemonium at the station where her husband and granddaughter suffered injuries.
On Stage– Even a month after the demise of the leader, authorities would monitor how many times people put flowers at his altar. The people risked venomous snakes and landslides to pick flowers to demonstrate their grief. Grief was closely monitored and people became experts at faking it. An improvisational comic skit had once landed a young man in hot water. He was suspected of being brainwashed by South Korean anti-Communist freedom broadcasts and now, much to the ire of his father, he is in trouble again for having held the hand of the daughter of a political prisoner and for picking flowers in a state of intoxication. He explains to his father how living in North Korea is akin to being on stage.
The Red Mushroom– A man requests a journalist to clear his uncle's name. He has become a scapegoat of the party when the bean paste factory where he works runs short of supply due to mistakes made higher up. Unfortunately, even sincere journalists have to toe the party line:
"Eventually, he decided that he had no other choice than to knuckle down, amend the article so that the praise was meted out as the Party demanded it be, and submit it to the newspaper, all the while heaping curses on the field of journalism which he had been unfortunate enough to enter…."
I would be remiss if I failed to mention Deborah Smith who has translated these stories beautifully into English retaining the local color and turn of phrase. The writing is stark but yet imbued with poetry. Whether it is a description of a cuckoo 'crying out as if it were choking on a clot of blood' or of people assembled in the square like 'blocks of tofu' or of a person shedding " a pitcher's worth of tears from a cup of sadness", the similes and metaphors startle and suit the melodramatic nature of the tales. Many of the stories are repetitive but the repetition only serves to reinforce the shared plight of all the citizens whose fates are determined by the accident of birth and hang precariously on a piece of paper in a bureaucratic office.
There are Orwelian overtones in the stories but sadly this is not a dystopian world. It is a scathing indictment of a dynastic totalitarian regime which hasn't changed much since the time the stories were written. In The Red Mushroom, the last story of the collection, the municipal building which stands for the red European specter is compared to a poisonous mushroom, the root of all misfortune and suffering and the story ends with the protagonist's heart crying out the collective silent yearning of the people: "Pull out that red mushroom, that poisonous mushroom. Uproot it from this land, from this world, forever!"
The afterword to the stories reveals the interesting trajectory of the manuscript as it made its way to South Korea thanks to a relative of the author who enlists the help of a human rights activist. We learn that Bandi is a writer of the Chosun Writers' League but other biographical details have been altered to protect his or her identity. Bandi who sees himself or herself as a firefly illuminating the darkness that engulfs North Korea includes, in lieu of acknowledgements, a poem imploring us to read his words. We owe it to the daring author to honor his request. Please read his book as an act of solidarity.


One of the aspherical elements features an XA (extreme aspherical) designation, ensuring its refined surface precision and notable ability to minimize spherical aberrations throughout the zoom range. Additionally, a Nano AR Coating has been applied to individual elements to significantly minimize lens flare and ghosting for increased contrast and color neutrality. Pairing a sophisticated optical design and versatile speed, this standard zoom is well-suited for use in a wide array of environments and lighting conditions.
Photolease Company Finance from £31.83 (ex VAT) per month.


I had been making during the summer.
Then another little baby surprise came along.
Little Ian was born on November 11th and here is his quilt!
And thanks to Sandee for Awww Monday!
Awww, that quilt is lovely. Happy Monday!
What a wonderful quilt, sweet Kathe, and thank you for hosting too!
I love that blanket and I love your Spark. It's spot on. We need to live this way every single day, not just now and then.
Great quilt and a super Spark. I think that saying is the best. You all have a great day.
What a beautiful quilt! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
That's a beautiful quilt, and just the thing for a little boy.
WOW! Wonderful work-- the baby who gets it will be lucky!
Beautiful quilt and wonderful spark.


A little over 12 ½ years ago we were knee deep in wedding preparations and of course this included the opportunity to register at some of our favorite stores. Registering conjures up many images in my mind, not all of them are pleasant. We had a brilliant idea, though. With hopes of outdoor adventures in our future, we decided to register at REI. REI would allow us to register for that water filtration system we would need for backcountry adventures. We could select the perfect Thermarest to keep us comfy. And of course…the sleek, lightweight, 3-season, "high in livability" tent for two.
Just a week ago, we set off on our second adventure with the tent of amazingness. Our van was filled to the brim leaving barely any room for our poor dog, Sally. We left behind the worries of classrooms and congregations and hit the road. It was a warm Friday afternoon, hitting the low 80s. Blue skies promised a warm and comfortable weekend ahead. I finally exhaled, prepared to enjoy Mother's Day weekend with wonderful friends in the Oregon outdoors.
After pulling up to the campground we met up with our friends and chose a spot to pitch the tent. The lure of starry skies and trees towering over us led us to naively pitch the tent without the rain fly. We settled in for some beautiful views from the comfort of our pillow top queen Aerobed and down comforter (we nixed sleeping bags years ago…). Night one went fine. Didn't sleep too much, but at least we enjoyed the starry view. Night two, we crashed hard. Our day had been filled with river exploration. Water gun fights. Amazing food concoctions. Raging campfires and multiple s'mores. Shenanigans with fellow mom friends. Kids running in packs like our very own Lord of the Flies. Suffice it to say, everyone fell asleep without much complaining.
Until…the rain. The unpredicted, unplanned for, early morning rain showers. The rain fly seemed so superfluous just 36 hours prior. But things changed. The weather defied the most reliable apps on our phones. My husband went flying for the car to dig through the box and find the rain fly. We shivered while trying to unroll the fly, attempting to launch it over the almost 9 foot height of the already pitched tent. Somehow the kids slept through it all and we scurried back into bed after securing the fly enough to last until our departure later that Mother's Day morning.
Mother's Day. It's often one of those days that we build up in our minds. A holiday filled with big expectations of handmade cards, colorful flowers, kid-prepared breakfast in bed. Sweet children cooing around their moms' feet, gazing up with loving affection. But our best intentions and expectations often shift with time and perspective and LIFE. Those sleek, "high in livability" tents for two are soon traded in for the roomier and more comfortable Coleman models. Motherhood becomes an opportunity for best laid plans to be uprooted and changed. Parenting is all about planning for the perfect moment of starry skies perfection, and then running for the rain fly when the unexpected "storm hits," burrowing down under the wet comforter and laughing at the ironies.
For me, the process of practicing our faith in the midst of raising children also looks so different than I imagined nine years ago, days before having our firstborn. You can "register" for all the necessities, and think you have all the boxes checked, everything prepared and purchased for success. And then these little free-will beings enter your neat and tidy world and change the homeostasis. It's these same little ones, though, that teach us about God and faith in ways we never could have imagined. They help us expand our thinking and deeply held beliefs when they try and grasp the confusing enormity of God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity. Children ask the tough questions and send us running to grab the rain fly to keep us dry during the storms of their growing years.
Through it all—the warm days filled with lazy exploring in nature to the unexpected rains that surprise us—God grants us community to help us experience a felt presence of the Holy Spirit. We are not left alone. As the disciples attempted to grasp this new reality after Jesus' ascension, God promises them a gift of presence. God moves amongst them in the craziest of ways. With fire. Wind. And too many languages to count. In the midst of true bewilderment over it all, the disciples are given the gift of the Holy Spirit to help them figure it all out in community on that first Pentecost.
Maybe these moments, the surprising and unexpected, send us running for protection, for our "rain fly" that we might have deemed unnecessary. But may we know that true community and support are worth it and often, the means to weathering the hard times.
God, we thank you for the ways you surround us with fellow imperfect friends and family to show us the truest way to experience your grace and love.


text:
Dun Laoghaire RNLI comes to the aid of a solo sailor dismasted off Dalkey Island
Lifeboats News Release
Dun Laoghaire RNLI responded to a 34ft yacht unexpectedly dismasted while sailing near Dalkey Island.
34ft Yacht dismasted near Dalkey Island
The volunteer lifeboat crew was requested to launch the all-weather lifeboat (ALB), the Anna Livia at 2.15pm (Sunday August 25). The skipper aboard the yacht was able to call the Coast Guard, as he had a backup VHF radio.
The weather conditions were good and calm.
Once on the scene, the lifeboat volunteer crew checked that the skipper was safe and uninjured. He and his yacht were then towed back to Dun Laoghaire.
Commenting after the call out, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Coxswain Mark McGibney said:
'In this situation where the yacht unexpectedly dismasted. The skipper was able to alert the coast guard, as thankfully he had a backup handheld VHF radio. It is also essential to always carry a means of communication'.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Sarah Hipwell, Dun Laoghaire RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer on 0878078688, email Sarah_Hipwell@rnli.org.uk
Or contact Nuala McAloon RNLI Regional Media Officer Ireland on 00353876483547 or email Nuala_McAloon@rnli.org.uk or Niamh Stephenson RNLI Regional Media Manager Ireland on 00353871254124 or Niamh_Stephenson@rnli.org.uk
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is a proud partner of the GAA in Ireland. The two organisations are working together to improve the health and well-being of local communities with the aim to reduce drowning and to share life-saving advice. To learn more about this work click here
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates 46 lifeboat stations in Ireland. The RNLI is independent of government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, the charity has saved over 142,200.
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or or by email.
Sarah Hipwell
Lifeboat Press Officer, Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat Station
Related station
Dun Laoghaire Lifeboat Station

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


"A California class action lawsuit puts Apple (APPL) at the center of a conspiracy involving Google (GOOG), Adobe (ADBE), Intel (INTL) and others to keep employee wages down."
In the 20teens, with jobless claims still rising and everyone everywhere happy just to have a job, I assume that the stories about the good old days of the 1990s in Silicon Valley are just as interesting along 101 as Grey Eagles' stories about the good old days at DG of the 1970s are here on 128 and 495 (this link to a Grey Eagles story is old but the BS goes on even today -- if you're interested -- on Facebook and LinkedIn).
Yes, there was a time in Redwood Shores or Palo Alto or out near SJO where you could walk into a bar at 7pm and leave with two or three RSO offers by 9. But -- and based only on reading the IDG article -- apparently the recruiters got sick of working late (and in bars) and accelerated the Silicon Valley job-hopping process by simply working their way through a competitor's phone directory (how 1990ish) during working hours.
"No can do," said the U.S. Department of Justice in 2009, at least under California law. So the companies agreed to stop.
Now the whole class of Silicon Valley bar hoppers who didn't get cold called during the period of the "illegal unfair" agreement are suing to get back the compensation they lost because the Valley's employment churn was turned down a notch by the agreement.


text:
El grill de cua curta de les Índies (Anurogrillus celerinictus) és una espècie d'ortòpter de la família Gryllidae. Va ser descrit per primer cop l'any 1973 per Thomas J. Walker. El gener de 2019 el seu so va ser proposat com a causa de la síndrome de l'Havana, a causa del qual alguns diplomàtics nord-americans van haver d'abandonar Cuba després de patir suposats atacs sònics.

Referències

Gríl·lids

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Time Passes
Education & Information
WE Teachers
Capital One Impact Initiative
Clean Transforms
About-Paid_Content
Powerful Clean
What Comes Next Project
Hello Humankindness
Public Interest Tech
feel more like you
Stand Together Against Poverty
Share The Sunshine With Dole
Packard Foundation
Packard Fellowship
Conscience Coalition
First Book
Youth Collaboratory
The GRE Program
Shaping Our Future Together
Equal Everywhere
Give Back Like An O.G.
Let's Do More Together
Then, Now, Next
Sunshine For All
Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force
Protect Your Privacy
Divest/Invest
Delivering Smiles
Pupworthy
Pfizer Testing
Empowered Women
Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway Program
Editorial Masthead
© GOOD Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
GOOD | GOOD Institute | Leaps.org
Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Do Not Sell My Personal Information
NBA star Chris Paul is bringing plant-based foods to Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Rebekah Sager
Images courtesy Chris Paul/Koia
Chris Paul is bringing plant-based food options Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul aka CP3 is not only one of the best players in the NBA, but he's also one of the biggest cheerleaders for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Paul doesn't just support various HBCUs, he's also committed to helping shine a light on the schools and provide students with healthy plant-based options. The 11-time NBA All-Star has been a vegan since 2019, and today, he's an investor in Atlanta's popular Slutty Vegan restaurants and recently partnered with Koia brands, leaders in 100% plant-based nutritional shakes. His plan is to take the shakes into vending machines across the nation at HBCUs and offer students in places often without a lot of healthy food something he believes in.
Paul chatted with Upworthy about that mission and what led him to embracing a plant-based lifestyle.
UP: What was the initial inspiration to begin eating a plant-based diet?
Paul: I was trying plant-based after games and I saw I wasn't feeling as heavy. So, I said let me try it full-time. It took one week. And I never looked back. I was a fan of pulled pork, and my chef used to make these chicken wings that were pretty fire, but for me, it's bigger than that. I'm so visual, as in "Game Changers" they show you about blood pressure. It stuck with me. In everything I do is about recovery and how your body feels. I'd played so many years without being plant-based and I'd wake up the next morning being achy and sore, and for that to be gone… it's amazing.
UP: With all of the work you've been involved in with the league regarding social justice issues, do you look at plant-based eating as a part of that work? Given the health disparities in the Black and brown community?
Paul: I think there's a lot of synergies there and that's because of the food deserts and the wealth disparity and food access. And alongside all of that is education. I've been playing in this league for a long time, and this didn't impact me until the age of 33 to 34. So, how do you educate people? And when you do educate people? There are so many people who're stuck in their ways. Then there are fast-food and liquor stores on every corner [in Black and brown communities].
UP: When the young guys come into the league, do they look to you? Do you talk to them about plant-based eating?
Paul: I talk to them or show them. I'm always a sponge to give them the tools they need. But I won't force it on anyone. This young guy recently asked me why I never have ice on my knees after games. He said he was gonna try it on All-Star weekend. After that weekend, he's been plant-based ever since.
UP: How did you get involved with Koia? Why this particular product?
Paul: Koia had a lot of the same values that I have and my team has. They're all about educating people and still having a great product. Whenever you partner with any company, besides the health benefits and the quality of the product, you hope your values align. And while we talk about sales, you also want to be able to make real change and educate people along the way.
UP: So, did you say you wanted to have these Koia products in Historically Black Colleges (HBCU)? Was that always part of the plan?
Paul: We're in the process of rolling this out. This was part of the conversation… how do we get these products into these areas where a lot of times these kids aren't exposed to these? So, putting the products into HBCU vending machines becomes a conversation starter and exposes these kids at an earlier age, and by doing that, they have access. In a lot of areas where these HBCUs are located there isn't a Whole Foods or a fresh juice place with these options. So, we're at least starting off making these assessable.
UP: What's the first school where the Koia products will be available?
Paul: One will be Winston-Salem State University, where my parents and all of my family went.
UP: Why do you shine a light on HBCUs? What's the inspiration for that?
Paul: I was in Houston and my stylist and I were trying to figure out what to do for attire for the season, and we came up with the idea of championing Black designers or designers of color. I wore a Texas Southern hoodie, where her dad went to school. Because it's part of my DNA anyway, as everyone from my family went to an HBCU, except me, so, we started wearing clothes from different HBCUs, talked to different designers. In the process, I started learning more about how these schools started. When you dive into and start understanding that HUBCs were created because Blacks were not allowed to attend primarily white institutions, you dig deeper and realize a lot of the HBCUs are folding because they don't receive the proper funding.
UP: Talk about the partnership with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame series you're hosting between two historically Black colleges and universities -- Norfolk State, Morgan State, Hampton, and Grambling State.
Paul: This gives eyeballs on these schools and similar exposure that other schools are getting and makes sure that kids understand that HBCUs aren't less-than. When I was coming through the system trying to figure out what college to go to, HBCUs didn't even recruit me. They didn't because they felt they didn't have a shot. When I was growing up, that wasn't the blueprint for the NBA. You have to go to one of the big schools to be recruited. But, today these kids have so much power, with social media and entertainment networks, now schools will come to you. So, if you have three of the top schools who decide to go to Xavier, guess what? There'll be so much more money going to Xavier and that school will be all over TV.
UP: Are HBCUs becoming feeders for NBA?
Paul: Not something that's going to happen overnight. But, a lot more kids are aware and understand the power of their influence. Look at what Dion Sanders is doing at Florida State. These things take time and I think they will continue to grow in the next few years.
UP: Are you glad players such as LeBron and Carmello Anthony and other Lakers players aren't plant-based? Do you think that gives you an edge?
Paul: (laughs) I'm never going to say what works for other people. I have to tell my story. But, I will say, your health can dramatically change by what you put into your body.
Rebekah Sager is an award-winning journalist and published author. She has contributed to The Washington Post, The Hollywood Reporter, Playboy, VICE, and more. She is a senior staff writer at Daily Kos
The Golden Globes are going completely vegan this year: "We felt ... ›
Basketball legend John Salley opens up about becoming vegan and ... ›
The 'Slutty Vegan' is changing minds and appetites across the South ... ›
Veganism - Wikipedia ›
The Vegan Diet — A Complete Guide for Beginners ›
WORLD OF VEGAN | MICHELLE (@vegan) • Instagram photos and ... ›
Keep Reading Show less
After their BLM flag was torn in two, an anonymous neighbor left them the perfect note
Paula Fitzgibbons
This article originally appeared on 06.28.21
After Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed Black man, was pursued and shot by three white residents while jogging through a Georgia suburb, Ellen and Patrick Miller* of San Diego hung a Black Lives Matter flag in front of their house. It was a small gesture, but something tangible they could do.
Like many people, they wanted to both support the BLM movement and bring awareness about racism to members of their community. Despite residing in a part of the county notoriously rumored to be marred by white supremacists and their beliefs, their neighbors didn't say much about it—at first.
Recently, though, during a short window when both Ellen and Patrick were out of the house, someone sliced the flag in two and left the remains in their yard.
via Paula Fitzgibbons
They were upset, but not surprised.
"Nobody prior to May of 2020 said a word about our BLM flag," Ellen explains. "After George Floyd and the protesting started, we had about 50% positive interactions with our neighbors, quietly offering solidarity as they passed by on their morning and evening walks. Then 25% of interactions were a lot of older busybodies 'pearl clutching' and hoping that 'nobody takes this the wrong way and commits vandalism' against us." Then there were the men who would drive past and scream obscenities at Ellen while she unpacked groceries with her young child.
Instead of backing down, Ellen and Patrick grew more involved. They worked to educate themselves about racism. They attended and planned local BLM rallies—including a particularly turbulent one in the middle of their intolerant suburb where members of extremist groups suddenly appeared across the street to counter-protest. They donated to BLM and joined a leadership club that Ellen says "helps students of color with special needs navigate current society."
By the time Ellen and Patrick's flag was vandalized, they had already collected some back-ups. Undeterred, they replaced the flag with one that supports a broader mix of voices including the LGBTQ+ community, which they'd planned to hang for Pride Month in June.
Though they felt the sting of violation, they understood there was no comparison to the indignities Black people in their area experience. As Ellen shares, it was mostly "a sad confirmation of the reputation of our town."
If the simple act of hanging a flag propelled Ellen and Patrick to lend greater support to the BLM movement, what happened next confirmed the need to continue working hard toward effective allyship.
Ellen explains that a couple of days after their BLM flag was vandalized, Patrick rushed into the house with tears in his eyes and handed her the typed note that was left at their front door along with two wrapped packages.
"I busted into an ugly cry as well," Ellen adds.
The note read:
"I saw your ripped BLM flag on Tuesday morning. I realize it could've been 'just the wind' but there are a fair number of other flags I see flying high in this neighborhood without tattering so suddenly…
So, just in case somebody vandalized it on purpose, I went ahead and made a $ donation to BLM on your behalf!
I also wanted to order you a replacement BLM flag in case you still wanted to fly it, then in a fit of passion I ordered two, so that there's another back-up, or a gift for another good person with a flag pole.
Also quick sidenote, I love your LGBTQ+ Ally flag too! As a "B," it gives me a sense of camaradery [sic]!
Do with these new flags as you will. It was simply my wish to 'fix' the torn flags the same way I wish to 'fix' some of the unkind acts against our fellow human beings. I saw it as a chance to remind you, remind myself, remind vandals and kind people alike that you can't tear away someone's humanity, you can't tear away their pride, you can't tear up love and compassion and good hearts the way you can tear up the fabric.
We'll continue to fly high!"
The note confirmed Ellen and Patrick's hope that flying a simple flag might help people feel more welcome in their neighborhood.
"We no longer felt indignant, but happy that our flag symbol made another neighbor feel safe," Ellen says.
Flying a BLM flag in a neighborhood with ties to white supremacy allowed the Millers to make a statement against the prevailing racist attitudes in their town. It also moved them to act intentionally in support of BLM. They never imagined the vandalism of that same flag might someday invite more neighbors into solidarity as well.
As another resident of their town commented, "It's nice to know you aren't an island when it comes to compassion in your neighborhood."
*Names have been changed at their request.
Man held up a Black Lives Matter sign in 'America's Most Racist ... ›
Michael Che's fantastic take on the phrase 'black lives matter' is ... ›
4 things you should do when you're told 'Black Lives Matter' - Upworthy ›
This is what happens when a Black Lives Matter flag is hoisted at a ... ›
Oregon Residents Receive Ominous Letters for Flying 'Black Lives ... ›
Black Lives Matter flag becomes issue in Florida community - ABC ... ›
A class presentation listing 'pros' and 'cons' of slavery is why we need racism education
Annie Reneau
@YesSirJames/Twitter
How race and racism are handled in schools has been an issue for decades, but the debate has been pushed into the spotlight in the past couple of years as the Black Lives Matter movement has gained momentum. Hysteria over critical race theory (or what people think critical race theory is) has overtaken school board meetings and resulted in legislation governing what can and can't be talked about in the classroom when it comes to race and racism.
A viral photo of a class presentation listing the pros and cons of slavery illustrates how vital it is to incorporate racism education in schools. The watering down of American slavery has gone on for far too long, and no matter what the assignment was here, this kind of slide has no place in a classroom.
I would walk out of class. https://t.co/IXcjEAnBOA
— Sir James The Second🏳🌈 (@Sir James The Second🏳🌈) 1632662539.0
The image, which seems to have first been shared in 2016, shows what appears to be a student presenting a slide with the title, "IS SLAVERY ALWAYS BAD?" followed by a list of "pros" and "cons" of enslaving people.
According to the presentation, the pros of slavery include:
- Slaves would be beneficial for some companies due to faster work performance
- Not all slaves are treated with neglect
- Most slaves have food, shelter, and clothing
- Slavery can be viewed as an opportunity to pay off debt.
And the cons listed were:
- Slaves were sometimes harshly beaten
- Slaves have little to no freedom
- Families may be separated
- Slavery goes against human rights.
Hoo boy. Lots to unpack here.
We don't know what class this photo came from—maybe history, maybe a debate class—but it doesn't matter. There is one, and only one, correct answer to the question the slide poses. YES, slavery is always bad. End of discussion. There are things that are simply not debatable, and slavery is one of them.
But unfortunately, it's far too common for Americans to engage in these kinds of "let's weigh the pros and cons before determining if making Black people work for free, using violence and family trauma to keep them enslaved for centuries, was really as evil as it sounds" arguments. It's been happening in textbooks and classrooms throughout our history. It's wrong. It has always been wrong.
@arthur_affect The other issue with pro/con "analysis" is that it doesn't adjust the weight of any factors. The ch… https://t.co/Z1kHAN5v7l
— Leonard C Suskin (@Leonard C Suskin) 1632739947.0
We don't even have to stretch our imaginations very far to understand why it's wrong.
Imagine a slide asking, "IS GENOCIDE ALWAYS WRONG?" with a list of pros that include "A smaller population would be beneficial for some due to fewer mouths to feed" and "Many people killed in a genocide aren't tortured before they die." No. We don't do that. Never ever.
Imagine a pros and cons list like this for domestic violence. Pro: Abusers get what they want. Con: Sometimes the abused get physically injured. Ridiculous, right?
Imagine asking high schoolers to make a pros and cons list for drunk driving. No. That would be asinine.
@dril And it saves money on cabs.
— Pet Food Taster (@Pet Food Taster) 1399652537.0
But some people treat slavery as if it's debatable how bad it was. I once had someone try to convince me that slavery wasn't all that bad because "many slaves were considered members of their owner's family and weren't mistreated." As if being enslaved was not mistreatment in and of itself. The mental gymnastics some Americans will do to make slavery sound better than it was is astounding.
@FreiheitKrieger @YesSirJames @BlackKnight10k My wife grew up in Alabama and their text books said slaves enjoyed b… https://t.co/ZyYgU3UynU
— My dog thinks I'm cool. (@My dog thinks I'm cool.) 1632668150.0
The fact that this slide was made and presented to a classroom in the 21st century is an indication that education about racism in schools is necessary. This slide is racism, and the fact that that's not obvious to everyone is exactly the problem.
@ResistanceRages @YesSirJames Pros: Employers save money Cons: Literally a human rights violation Lecturer: IDK t… https://t.co/ZLmvUJ0UI1
— Ross Thompson (@Ross Thompson) 1632679665.0
This kind of presentation is what happens when you teach slavery as if it were just another policy decision and not the racist, dehumanizing evil driven by white supremacy and greed that it was. We need to teach history honestly and thoroughly, explaining the racist ideology that led to racist chattel slavery in the United States and the racist oppression that followed emancipation. Otherwise, we end up with this kind of whitewashed, false-equivalency pros and cons list that has no place in a civilized society.
A school assignment asked for 3 benefits of slavery. This kid gave ... ›
Still think the Civil War wasn't fought over slavery? The Confederate ... ›
Hamilton's missing 'Cabinet Battle #3' addresses the slavery issue ... ›
Slavery · George Washington's Mount Vernon ›
About this Collection | Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the ... ›
U.S. Slavery: Timeline, Figures & Abolition - HISTORY ›
The 'Slutty Vegan' is changing minds and appetites across the South one bite at a time
Photo by Sterling Pics
Pinky Cole, owner of the Slutty Vegan
Last year, in the middle of what we thought were the darkest times of the COVID-19 pandemic, after endless months of cooking at home, my husband and I decided to venture out of our cocoon and get "slutified." That's what people are called after a visit to one of Atlanta's hottest burger joints, provocatively named, Slutty Vegan.
Owned by 33-year-old fuchsia-loc'd maven and philanthropist Aisha "Pinky" Cole, Slutty Vegan has three locations in the ATL, with more in the works. Her menu reads more like a list of offerings at a bordello than a restaurant, with the "Ménage à Trois," "One Night Stand," and the "Super Slut," and the atmosphere is more like a night club. But, it's not just the cheeky burger names or the concept of plant-based fast food that has customers literally wrapped around the block at all of her locations, it's the vibe she's created. Slutty Vegan is more than a restaurant. It's a culture. And Cole is at the center of it, building a community based on supporting Black entrepreneurs, getting involved in politics, giving back, and being thoughtful about what you put into your body.
Upworthy spoke with Cole as she was hanging out at home with her one-month-old daughter, D. Ella. Now worth seven figures, the restauranteur talked about her recent honor by PETA, growing up the daughter of a Jamaican Rastafarian mother, owning a jerk chicken restaurant in Harlem that tragically burned down, the many brands vying to partner with her, and how vitally important it is for her business to be ethically aligned with her beliefs.
Upworthy: Where did the name come from?
Cole: I was a TV producer for 10+ years. The one thing I know how to do well is to make people pay attention. I know that sex sells and the two most pleasurable experiences in life are sex and food. If I could merge those two experiences, and not make it mucky, but sexy and educational, I knew it would be big, especially in the heart of the South. I'm infusing this concept into culture, music and entertainment. I'm showing you how to eat better, even if it starts with burgers, fries, and pies. I needed the name to be so racy, that you'd pay attention. Then I can start dropping the gems on you. And we have been able to bring people together in the name of food. And to help people reimagine food, especially "flexitarians," -- meaning people who are meat-eaters.
Upworthy: How did you feel being honored by PETA as one of their "Most Beautiful Vegans?"
C: I love what PETA represents. They've supported and rallied for me since the beginning. To be alongside so many other amazing vegans shows me that I'm in the room. Meaning that I'm alongside people who stand for something. People who are making changes in their communities and it feels good to be connected in that way.
Upworthy: Let's talk about The Pinky Cole Foundation.
C: I officially started the foundation in 2019. But, it was just a way of formalizing what I'd been doing for years. I was always a steward of people. I saw my mom do it. She helped everybody anytime she could. She'd take the clothes off her back to help people. The foundation is at the crux of who we are. Slutty Vegan is nothing without the philanthropic aspect. I want to bridge the generational wealth gap. I want people to see that a young woman can start a company and it can be beyond money, but help the community and provide group economics and give back. Money doesn't move me. It's the ability to utilize my resources to help people.
* Cole has supported 30 Clark Atlanta University students in clearing their balances. When Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed by Atlanta police in a Wendy's parking lot, Cole provided life insurance for Brooks' family, a new car, and $600K in scholarships for them to go college. She partnered with TV host Steve Harvey and his wife, Marjorie's foundation to pay the electric bills for 100 Atlanta residents. She's donated thousands of pounds of produce and winter coats to local families in need. Cole along with Derrick "D" Hayes, CEO of Big Dave Cheesesteaks, provided life insurance to all Black men in Atlanta who make $30k annually or less, and she partnered with the Department of Juvenile Justice to employ ex-juvenile offenders at Slutty Vegan, and so much more.
Upworthy: How do you encourage and inspire all of your thousands of customers to do something in their own communities?
C: Leading by example. I speak to so many audiences. I speak to women; minorities; children of immigrants; mothers; small business owners; people who come from middle-class families; I speak to so many different people. So, when people come and support Slutty Vegan, they feel like they're represented. People see the representation through me. As long as I continue to be an example that you can do it. You can come from East Baltimore, or like we say, "around the way," and be everything you dreamed of. Pinky Cole did it and I can too. That's the empowerment they see.
Upworthy: What's your philosophy on being vegan as it relates to health, the environment, the Black community, and neighborhoods with obvious food deserts.
C: I don't try to push my agenda on anyone. My audience is people who aren't necessarily vegan. It's like Christianity and Islam. Believe in what you want to believe in. I can show you the way, but I won't make you drink the way. My emphasis is on the experience. I want people to feel good. And feeling good is eating good and thinking good. Emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. Food can do that for you. Am I walking around with a sign that says 'Eat Vegan or Die!' No. But, what I will say is, let me show you another way.
Upworthy: Did you feel like you had to recreate traditional fast food, but vegan-style to assure you had customers? Particularly in the South?
C: My father has a saying, 'Success is like mud. You throw something on the wall, something's gonna stick.' And this is what stuck. Obviously, I knew that I had to appeal to my audience. I did that by fusing food and culture. Slutty Vegan has grown so fast because so many celebrities have endorsed the brand. We've been able to utilize other people's platforms, especially celebrities, to expand the brand. So, if you see your favorite celebrity eating something or doing something that you love to do, nine times out of ten, you're going to want to do it. This is me meeting people where they are. Focusing on the entertainment and secondarily the food. We're in the South, so Southern comfort food is at the center of living here. So, how can I get people to eat vegan food in the heart of the South? Put it in the music. Put it in the entertainment. The things people pay attention to. You've got Megan Thee Stallion eating Slutty Vegan, so of course, people who love her want to eat it too. People want to see what all the hype is about.
Upworthy: Have you seen a difference in her customers' tastes and acceptance of veganism as a concept since opening in 2018?
C: When we started, none of the big chains had options, now all of them do. And I like to say that we have been the inspiration for that -- humbly. We were the guinea pigs. We tested the market so they didn't have to. And that's the goal, to get more people to eat plant-based. And that's a win for the plant-based community and for people who want to change their lives and be better.
Upworthy: What do you say when people say being vegan is too pricey for me?
C: It's pricier. But, you pay for your health. If you choose to eat badly all of your life, you're going to be paying for medicine. Either pay for your health now or later. Society doesn't make you think about it that way. I think COVID started to make us think more about our health. This is why Slutty Vegan became even more successful during the pandemic. People wanted to start living better.
Upworthy: What are your tips for becoming a successful entrepreneur?
C: Mess up all the time. I make a lot of conscious mistakes. I make decisions that make sense to me, but sometimes those decisions aren't the best, but that helps me learn. In my first restaurant, when it caught on fire, I was sick. But, that taught me to make sure my paperwork was right and make sure I had fire insurance. Also, alignment is a big thing in business. I believe you have to ask yourself some questions. Why am I starting this business? Who is it going to support? Who is going to help outside of me? If you have pure intentions you will win. Anything I've done, I've done it with pure intentions. Which is why I always win. I'm confident about that because I go to sleep at night knowing that I haven't done anybody wrong and I've moved with good intentions and I've helped people along the way.
Basketball legend John Salley opens up about becoming vegan and his new Disney movie - Upworthy ›
NBA star Chris Paul is bringing plant-based foods to Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Upworthy ›
Get stories worth sharing delivered to your inbox
People are sharing the adult problems that 'nobody prepared you for' and they're so true
A story about two pairs of boots illustrates how rich people get richer in ways poor people can't
In 125 years, millions of people have looked at this painting. No one really saw it until recently.
8 changes that were made to a classic Richard Scarry book to keep up with the times. Progress!
10 things that made us smile this week
Hilarious video of 'hot cop' delivering food to woman after arresting driver goes viral


text:
Biden administration stops taking applications for student loan forgiveness
Published Fri, Nov 11 20229:58 AM EST Updated Fri, Nov 11 202211:34 AM EST
Annie Nova@AnnieReporter
Student loan borrowers cannot apply for forgiveness at this time.
A federal judge in Texas struck down the Biden administration's plan Thursday evening.
The decision "was about as wrong and weird as any federal court ruling I can recall reading," said Laurence Tribe, a Harvard law professor.
U.S. President Joe Biden is flanked by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona as he speaks about administration plans to forgive federal student loan debt during remarks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 24, 2022.
Leah Millis | Reuters
The Biden administration has stopped accepting applications for federal student loan forgiveness after a court struck down its plan on Thursday evening.
"Courts have issued orders blocking our student debt relief program," according to a note on the forgiveness application page at Studentaid.gov. "As a result, at this time, we are not accepting applications. We are seeking to overturn those orders."
The suspension of the forgiveness program comes shortly after a federal judge in Texas rejected President Joe Biden's executive action in August to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for tens of millions of Americans.
"In this country, we are not ruled by an all-powerful executive with a pen and a phone," wrote Judge Mark Pittman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, in his 26-page decision. Pittman, who was appointed in 2019 by former President Donald Trump, sided with the Job Creators Network Foundation, a conservative advocacy group.
More from Personal Finance:
It could be cheaper to dine out on Thanksgiving this year
Here's the inflation breakdown for October 2022 — in one chart
Here are 4 of the best ways to pay for holiday gifts
The group had called Biden's plan "irrational, arbitrary and unfair," and accused the president of overreaching his authority. The complaint argued that the White House ignored federal procedures by not seeking public comment on its program.
The Biden administration said the Justice Department has already appealed the decision.
"We believe strongly that the Biden-Harris Student Debt Relief Plan is lawful and necessary to give borrowers and working families breathing room as they recover from the pandemic and to ensure they succeed when repayment restarts," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said in a statement. "Amidst efforts to block our debt relief program, we are not standing down."
The main obstacle for those hoping to bring a legal challenge against Biden's plan has been finding a plaintiff who can prove they've been harmed by the policy.
"Such injury is needed to establish what courts call 'standing,'" said Laurence Tribe, a Harvard law professor.
For that reason, Tribe said he was floored by the Texas judge's ruling.
"Judge Pittman's decision was about as wrong and weird as any federal court ruling I can recall reading," Tribe said. "He was wrong to decide the merits without first deciding whether either of the two plaintiffs had standing."
Obstacles for Biden's forgiveness plan mount
The president's student loan forgiveness plan was already on hold from a challenge brought by six Republican-led states — Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina — which also accused the president of overstepping his authority.
A federal judge rejected the states lawsuit, saying that while they raised "important and significant challenges to the debt relief plan," they ultimately lacked legal standing to pursue the case.
The GOP-led states didn't give up after their lawsuit was thrown out. They filed an appeal, and asked the court to stay the president's plan, which was supposed to start unfolding in October, while their request is considered.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the states' emergency petition, leaving the Biden administration unable to start forgiving any student debt.
However, the Education Department had encouraged borrowers to continue applying for forgiveness since its plan had not yet been struck down.
26 million borrowers have applied for forgiveness
On Aug. 24, Biden announced that tens of millions of Americans would be eligible for student loan forgiveness: up to $20,000 if they received a Pell Grant, which is a type of aid available to low-income families, and as much as $10,000 if they didn't.
Long before Biden — acting on pressure from consumer advocates and other Democrats — made his move, Republicans had criticized student loan forgiveness as a handout to well-off college graduates. They also argued the president didn't have the power to forgive consumer debt on his own without Congress.
Unsurprisingly, the legal challenges poured in. So far, at least six lawsuits have been brought against the president's plan.
Originally, the Education Department had said that borrowers would receive forgiveness within six weeks after they applied. The full application launched Oct. 17, and within three weeks, some 26 million people had requested the relief. To date, 16 million of those requests have been approved.
For now, the department says it will hold the applications of borrowers who have already applied.
Borrowers should sit tight and wait to see what happens, said higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz.
"The program is suspended but the U.S. Department of Education is appealing," Kantrowitz said, "And there were several aspects of the Texas court ruling that are unusual and may yield a successful appeal."


text:
Home > Volume 95 Issue 1 > 2017 ACS national award winners > Roger Adams Award in Organic Chemistry: Hisashi Yamamoto
Hisashi Yamamoto
Credit: Courtesy of Hisashi Yamamoto
Sponsor: Organic Reactions Inc. and Organic Syntheses Inc.
Citation: For pioneering and highly creative contributions to the development of methods for the catalytic asymmetric synthesis for carbon–carbon, carbon–oxygen, and carbon–nitrogen bond formations.
Current position: professor and director of the Molecular Catalyst Research Center, Chubu University, Japan; professor emeritus, University of Chicago; professor emeritus, Nagoya University; president, Chemical Society of Japan
Education: B. S., organic chemistry, Kyoto University; Ph. D., organic chemistry, Harvard University
Yamamoto on his scientific role models: "My mentor is Professor E. J. Corey, since 1967 even until now! In addition, numerous chemists gave me important influences: Professors R. B. Woodward, H. Nozaki, R. Noyori, B. Sharpless, E. E. van Temelen, and H. Hironaka."
What his colleagues say: "Yamamoto's most influential work has been in the ingenious design and development of Lewis and Brønsted acid catalysts for asymmetric synthesis. He is a pioneer in this field and continues to lead it. Yamamoto used extensive structural, spectroscopic, and computational studies to develop a fundamental understanding of the factors that govern the coordination of Lewis acids with organic substrates. His introduction of binaphthol in early 1980s as a key ligand for chiral catalysts was a forerunner of the extensive work on C2-symmetry-based chiral Lewis acid catalysts. His insights on and success with the rational design of Lewis and Brønsted acids helped establish accepted paradigms of modern molecular catalysis."—Viresh Rawal, University of Chicago


text:
Professor's legacy lives on in garden christened by poet Allen Ginsberg
Christene "Cookie" Meyers at the dedication of the Bruce Meyers Poets Garden, May, 1993,
on the campus of Montana State University-Billings, then Eastern Montana College.
Three of the professor's poems etched on marble were written on the memorial site.
The garden is listed in the Smithsonian's list of public art (see link below.)
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
Architect Ted Wirth and EMC president Bruce Carpenter
discuss the project at the groundbreaking in fall of 1992.
EACH SPRING, Bruce Kemp Meyers and his writing students left the indoor classroom for an inviting outdoors venue. They gathered on the lawn near the Liberal Arts Building on the campus of then Eastern Montana College. It proved a tradition which Meyers continued for 25 years.
He joined the class in writing poems, short stories and essays. They talked about their goals, shared ideas.
It was a special place for my talented, nature loving husband, a way to greet spring and celebrate his gifts in a comfortable place.
The late poet Allen Ginsberg made a spectacular guest
appearance at the dedication of the "Bruce Garden."
BRUCE'S STUDENTS loved these outdoor writing workshops; so did he.
So when he passed away suddenly in February of 1992, I knew precisely where I'd like his memorial to be:
On the lawn outside the L.A. Building, where he'd logged happy hours each spring since his first year on campus in 1967 until his death, in February, 1992. The memorial includes poems written on the site.
That idea grew to include a garden and poet's corner to honor the creativity that unfolded there. I wanted it to be a place for visitors to remember him, and a haven to welcome other artists.
I CALLED my friend, architect Ted Wirth, who had followed our theater career. We'd also served on boards and committees and I'd interviewed him for the newspaper. He loved the idea and wanted to make my dream come true. The two of us approached then EMC president Bruce Carpenter, also a good friend, an original thinker who played poker with Bruce and a group of other professors.
Corby Skinner, left, and Christene Meyers
discuss the program on tap. Poet Allen
Ginsberg was waiting in the wings.
HE, TOO, liked the idea. So the process began. Over coffee, Ted and I created a space designed to relax and inspire. The front has a formal look, enhanced by granite and marble. At its center is a bronze of Bruce sculpted by our longtime friend, fellow actor and Emmy-winning Hollywood special effects artist Andy Schoneberg. A metal sculpture of our airedale dog was created by artist Lyndon Pomeroy to illustrate one of the poems, "Gandalf."
On the garden's sides are benches. A welcoming archway was inspired by our trips to Japan. Perennials and lilacs flank a brick wall, accented by a Jay Montague sculpture. Aspen and river rock create a woodsy look.
An overview of the Bruce Meyers Garden and Poets Corner.
THROUGH the years, the garden has become a favorite spot of faculty, staff and students. Some take their lunch break there. Nearby residents walk, run and bike by daily. Several professors carry on the tradition of convening classes there -- to study art, language, philosophy and of course, writing.
Bruce Kemp Meyers
is remembered with a
bronze, poems and a garden.
A 10-year event, the annual "Bruce Bash," brought together writers, musicians, actors and artists to celebrate the arts and honor Bruce. But the first arts festival celebration in May of 1993 was hard to top. Headliner was poet Allen Ginsberg, who was in Billings for a Writer's Voice appearance. When he heard of the dedication through Corby Skinner, he extended his Billings visit to participate. Also on tap were Marcia Spalding's bellissimo! bell choir, Alice Lyon's Community Youth Chorale, actors from Billings Studio Theatre, Starfire, and students and faculty from both MSU-B and Rocky Mountain College. The Nell, Roberty, Edwards Trio played jazz to wild applause and Ginsberg's 45-minute performance brought down the house.
Sculptor Andy Schoneberg and
a windblown Christene Meyers
at the dedication of the garden.
YELLOWSTONE Public Radio's Marvin Granger and his staff broadcast the event live on Yellowstone Public Radio. Director Skip Lundby kept the program running smoothly.
A book of Meyers' poems, "Ventriloquist in the Rain," debuted. It is still available -- in its fourth printing. Funds from the first edition helped establish the Bruce Meyers Scholarship Endowment at MSU-Billings. Contributions are welcome at the college's Foundation (see link below.) One of the recipients shared the stage with Bruce. She played an orphan in our dinner theater production of "Annie" and said she was inspired to pursue a teaching and English career by Bruce, who played Daddy Warbucks. "He wished us to 'break a leg' before each performance. I couldn't understand why he would say that when we had so much dancing to do," she wrote in her thank-you note.)
Alice Lyon in blue conducts her Community Youth
Chorale at the first annual Bruce Kemp Meyers
Arts Festival (the Bruce Bash) in May of 1993.
MEANWHILE, the garden - like all growing things -- evolves and changes. The spirit of its creation remains: a calming, inclusive place on campus where people come -- alone or in groups -- to contemplate the contributions of a talented man who influenced many. "Bruce Meyers: poet, actor, teacher," reads the inscription. May his memory live on.
Here is the Smithsonian Institution's link to the garden: https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM847Y_Bruce_Meyers_Billings_Montana
Here is the university foundation's link to the English scholarship in Bruce's memory:
https://msubfoundation.com/make-a-gift/donate-today/ (A field asks the donor where he'd like to direct a gift; type in Bruce Meyers Scholarship. Contributions are tax deductible and help fund annual gifts to English majors. The awards began in 1993. The Foundation also maintains the garden, as per a 1993 agreement.)
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett "Cheek to Cheek" tour,
in a spectacular Bruce Keller photo from our orchestra seats.
UP NEXT: While we're remembering and saluting a life in the arts, another performer comes to mind. Singer Tony Bennett will turn 95 this August, and we honor his life in the arts, noting his struggle with Alzheimer's. The writer of this column has been a Tony Bennett fan since childhood, listening to her parents' albums. Bruce Keller and I have seen him in concert five times, three times with Lady Gaga. His art has kept him lively and engaged. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each week for a refreshing look at travel, entertainment, nature and family: whereiscookie.com
Posted by Bruce at 4:30 PM 5 comments, Post a Comment
Hop onto a 'Hopper,' you'll sail away your troubles
"Cap'n Keller," Bruce Keller, this column's photographer, is a lifelong sailor who took the wheel
of a Hopper Boat Rentals small craft recently on a leisurely trip through Oxnard's canals.
Oxnard's architectural variety is pleasing to observe from
the water. From Victorians, to unique stone and slate
creations to Mid-Century Modern, it's an eye catching mix.
A BOAT OF ONE'S OWN
Harbor seals greet small boats as they glide
by; there is abundant sea bird life, too.
(AT LEAST FOR A DAY)
PROVES A FINE WAY
TO SAIL CARES AWAY
WE LOVE the Channel Islands and
make several pilgrimages a year there.
Always on the trail of something new, we happened on Hopper Boat Rentals and spent a lovely afternoon exploring the channels of the tranquil, clean and not-yet-discovered town of Oxnard, California.
Hopper Boat Rentals is tucked away on one of Oxnard's quiet little corners in Channel Islands Harbor. The rustic dock holds the Hopper fleet of a dozen or so boats, ranging in size from single and double kayaks and fishing kayaks to electric boats for a party as large as 12. The outfit also rents paddle boards for the more adventurous, and pedal boats for anyone out for a relaxing time.
Lane Norton helps his parents
at the family owned business.
The business is owned by the Norton family; the parents started the business and continue to sustain it in office while son Lane works outdoors on site. He's an amiable, helpful fellow, manning the harbor business, checking in passengers and keeping the boats clean and ready. He offers sailors a cheerful smile and a strong arm for getting on and comfortably seated, casting off then coming back in to port.
Hopper Boat Rentals is tucked away in a quiet corner,
offering relaxed viewing of a variety of other water craft.
You can rent by the hour, for an afternoon or a day, in small or larger groups celebrating an anniversary or birthday and groups as small as the two of us -- just a couple out for the afternoon, with our Yorkie, Nicky.
OUR SMALL, quiet boat was one of dozens out on the water that day, but the channels never seemed crowded, and that's the way it usually is, Lane said.
The business has based at Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard for 15 years.
Yorkie Nick is at home on
the waters of Oxnard Harbor.
Off for the afternoon: Cookie, Keller and Nick.
We really enjoyed the pace of this adventure on the water. The architecture in Oxnard's canals is fascinating, like most harbor towns. The mix of styles ranges from elaborate Victorian, to Italian, mission style and Carpenter Gothic. We took photos of gorgeous gardens and artful patios.
OXNARD IS at the end of the Santa Barbara Channel and offers year-round viewing of whales, dolphins and seals. The calm water was never "rock and roll" swaying, as we've felt many times on small crafts.
Oxnard's colorful harbor area on Victoria
Avenue is in various states of repair and renewal.
It was a perfectly smooth sail with other easy-going sailors. "Cap'n Keller" kept us safe and the ride smooth navigating with perfect sailor prowess. He has sailed oceans, rivers and lakes since he was a kid.
I would have been nervous piloting the boat myself. But if you've never driven an electric boat, don't let that stop you. Lane gives easy walk-through instructions, as we saw him do with a novice-sailors couple who arrived along with the two of us.
IT IS COMPLETELY relaxing. And fascinating. We loved viewing boats from another boat. There's a whole community of boat people in Oxnard.
The picturesque Oxnard, Calif., harbor reveals itself
during a leisurely few hours aboard Hopper Boat Rentals.
We watched them enjoying life on their homes, which ranged from elaborate and sleek to rustic-casual, with plants, beaded curtains and sleeping dogs. Our boat was so quiet we couldn't hear its motor.
If you've never been to Oxnard, it is an undiscovered gem on the California coast, a quiet beachside community -- not as opulent as some nor as laid back as others. It has its own rhythm and profile, and is a friendly and welcoming place to spend a few days. We recommend Hampton Inn Channel Islands Harbor, where stunning marina view rooms offer an ever-changing picture of life on the water. Fishing boats, pleasure crafts, luxurious yachts, kayaks and paddle boards all make their way to and fro as you watch with a cup of coffee or glass of wine, while your troubles disappear.
Hampton Inn Channel Islands
Harbor is our Oxnard "home."
As Cap'n Keller says, "If you've always longed to be captain of your own boat, consider a 'Harbor Hopper.' We've rented small electric boats around the world. Whether you're on the canals of Venice or the waterways of Oxnard, California, you'll find a peaceful, relaxing way to slow down."
So do consider a weekend in Oxnard, and set aside a few hours for a Hopper boat rental. You'll be so smitten, you may decide to own your own boat!
hopperboatrentals.com; 805-382-1100
Poet Allen Ginsberg was special guest at Writer's Voice, and
the dedication of the Bruce Kemp Meyers Poets Garden
on the campus of Montana State University-Billings.
UP NEXT: Memorial Day approaches, so we remember a unique memorial celebration for a talented teacher, poet and actor. Twenty-eight years ago, famed poet Allen Ginsberg made a guest performance in Billings, Montana, to honor the memory of Bruce Meyers. The award winning writer delivered a eulogy, read his poetry and sang songs. His performance during the first "Bruce Bash" christened the Bruce Kemp Meyers Poets Garden, in memory of the late professor of English at Montana State University-Billings. While working on his MFA at Kent State University, Meyers took a workshop from the acclaimed poet and they struck up a correspondence. Ginsberg's visit was arranged by Corby Skinner during Ginsberg's Billings appearance at Writer's Voice the same May weekend as the 1993 garden dedication. We look back on the remarkable celebration of music and theater. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us each week for a fresh take on travel, nature, family and the arts. Please share the link: whereiscookie.com
Countries open up, cruising begins, travel comes back in Covid times
Planning a return to Malta, here during an expedition to some of its famous caves,
Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller rejoice on the resumption of European travel.
TRAVEL IS FOREVER CHANGED
Cruisers will once again see the lights of Hong Kong's
beautiful Kowloon Harbor, as the CDC adjusts its guidelines.
BUT AT LAST, IT IS ONCE AGAIN POSSIBLE!
Bruce Keller and
Christene Meyers
in Honolulu last week.
WE TOOK OUR FIRST flight, PC, "post Covid," our first PC boat trip and our first PC foray into a large city after crossing the Pacific to Hawaii two weeks ago .
WE DINED IN restaurants, walked city streets, took taxis, buses, sail boats and rental cars. We shopped in stores and markets. All masked, distanced and glorious. It was as if we were tourists for the first time.
The famous gondolas of Venice await pandemic-weary
travelers, now that European travel bans are being lifted.
WE'RE TRAVELING again. After months of deprivation we packed passports, vaccination cards, sprays, masks and Covid negative test results.
WE'D LAST boarded a plane a remarkable 16 months ago, when we returned early from South America to nurse our ailing female Yorkie, Nora. Her passing in January, 2020, after futile attempts to curb her kidney disease, seemed an omen for what was to come. It was, in many ways, one of the most troubling years of my life. It was also a year of "inner exploration," of spending time with my favorite person, learning new ways to be happy. We've explored enough, already. So we took two weeks of aloha time.
THE GOOD NEWS this week is the European Union's announcement that it will accept those vaccinated with vaccines approved by EMA (the European Medicines Agency). According to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, three vaccines have been approved for vaccinated travelers to Europe: Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. Anxious European leaders believe travel will resume by this summer. June 15 seems to be the goal, just a month away.
The remarkable lion statues in Delos await as Greece is open
again to tourism. A dozen marble statues salute the god Apollo.
Already, there are positive signs as people are vaccinated and travel regulations ease. These countries are now open to travelers outside their own country -- hooray: Cyprus, Ecuador, Estonia, Republic of Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Iceland, Israel, Mexico, Montenegro, Nepal, Seychelles, Tahiti. Covid-negative tests are the rule for these countries, whose tourism-based economies have been nearly devastated by the pandemic. "We are working hard to propose a concrete solution, especially for U.S. citizens who are vaccinated," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a recent interview on CBS's Face the Nation.
Airlines are busy, increasing flights and offering bargains on use of frequent flier miles.
Cruising is coming back, too.
Cruise comeback
NORWEGIAN Cruise Line and others are seeking to clarify what comes next, after CDC's easing of masking and distancing requirements. It's still unclear how travelers will interact on ships with vaccinated
American Cruise Lines is selling out attractive,
safe "home based" voyages, here American Song
cruises the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.
passengers and crew and those without. As cruise lines gear up to resume operations, most are insisting that passengers be fully vaccinated. Some will also insist on a negative Covid test as well.
The CDC's Conditional Sailing Order, CSO, requires cruise lines to establish agreements at ports where they intend to operate, implement routine testing of crew. Plans are also being formulated by the various lines to require vaccination proof and testing of boarding passengers.
U.S. BASED American Cruise Lines, is selling out many of its summer and autumn cruises, with its "homegrown" advantage over lines that travel abroad. American's modern, small river and coastal boats are all U.S. built, registered and crewed, "and not subject to the issues other lines are," said Alexa Paolella, American's public
Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers enjoy lunch
al fresco in Portofino, as Italy's tourism opens up again.
relations manager.
Another line, Viking River Cruises, will restart limited operations in June with three special sailings along the coast of England.
"We acknowledge that cruising will never be a zero-risk activity and that the goal of the CSO's phased approach is to resume passenger operations in a way that mitigates the risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard cruise ships and across port communities," said Aimee
Treffiletti, head of the Maritime Unit for CDC's Global Mitigation Task Force for COVID-19. "We are committed to the resumption of cruise operations in the United States, following the requirements
Keller and Cookie above Cannes, France,
"B.C.," Before Covid. Plans are to return.
of the CSO by summer, which aligns with the goals announced by many major cruise lines."
IN A NUTSHELL: It is likely that ships resuming sailing will demand passengers provide proof of vaccination. Crews will be fully vaccinated.
Most countries will ask for a vaccination card and may require a negative Covid test.
Each country is dealing differently with foreign travel. The United Kingdom has divided countries of the world into three categories - green, amber and red. Status depends on the number of Covid-19 cases per country and the success of their vaccine rollout. Green countries have the fewest rules.
Beginning May 17, people in England and Scotland can take holidays abroad in "green" countries without having to quarantine when they return.
Wales and Northern Ireland have not yet announced plans to restart foreign holidays.
In the U.S., the CDC is expected to announce updated guidelines by this weekend.
Christene Meyers, Bruce Keller and Nick take to a rental boat
for a relaxing half-day journey in the Channel Islands.
UP NEXT: As the world regroups, travel resumes, masking and distancing ease, and the pandemic seems to be taking a healthy turn toward control, we're pausing to reflect. We're taking this tranquil time to reflect, to smell the roses, enjoying the soothing balm of the Channel Islands waters. It's possible to rent a boat for a day or afternoon, to wander the inlets and canals of this undiscovered gem on the California coast. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us each week for a fresh take on travel, nature, family and the arts. Please share the link: whereiscookie.com
Cruising's steady worldwide return: in the U.S., an opportunity to discover homegrown wonders
American Cruise Lines' American Harmony is an attractive alternative to "foreign port" cruising.
American is cruising with 75 per cent occupancy, high hygiene standards and a negative Covid test.
CRUISE LINES PLAN TO BEGIN SAILINGS IN UK,
Cruise ships are readying to ride the waves again.
CARIBBEAN, MEDITERRANEAN; AMERICAN CRUISE LINES OFFERS APPEALING CLOSE-TO-HOME CRUISES
AFTER A BRUTAL year, the cruise industry is making a comeback.
Good news is on the horizon for lovers of ship travel, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updates it policies, shedding hope for summer cruising.
This ship in the Greek Isles will be sailing again
probably by mid-summer. Holland America
and other lines plan to sail Corfu, Santorini
and Mykonos, all ports whose tourism took
a nosedive during the pandemic. Check your
cruise line websites or consult a travel agent.
Many lines hope to be cruising again by June 1, with other lines following through the summer and into autumn. Most are insisting on vaccinations for both passengers and crew. But even with vaccinations and a possible green light from CDC, it will take ships time to prepare, after more than a year of uselessness.
STILL, THIS WEEK brought hopeful news. Those of us who cancelled cruises for 2020 and 2021, are encouraged that some lines are already cruising, using foreign ports for departure. It is encouraging, too, to see that the millions who make their living as cruise booking agents, ship crews and tourism workers will return to employment. They all took a huge hit during the pandemic as cruising crashed to a standstill.
Keller and Cookie catch the
wind two years ago in Alaska,
viewing whales. Alaska and Florida
are suing the CDC for its decision
to halt cruising to their ports.
During the rough year, many cruise lines moved their vessels out of the U.S. because of stringent CDC restrictions. Most port cities have not witnessed cruise ship activity since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, except for the occasional "bare bones staff" ship coming in to refuel.
U.S. BASED American Cruise Lines, is ahead of the "comeback game." Its modern, small river and coastal boats are all U.S. built, registered and crewed, "and not subject to the issues other lines are," said Alexa Paolella, American's public relations manager. She noted that the line's CEO, Charles Robertson, is an ardent student of boat design, involved in the vessels' sophisticated blending of contemporary elegance with functionality. American's new river boats boast the artistic flair of a top Miami firm, Studio DADO, which works with other high-end lines, including Regent Seven Seas.
American Cruise Lines' beautiful American Song offers
94 spacious cabins with stellar views. Here, she glides
serenely along Pacific Northwest waters at sunset.
Paolella says many of the Connecticut based line's routes are selling out as deprived cruisers eagerly return to the waters. American's "close to home" cruises ply the eastern and western seaboard, as well as Mississippi-Ohio, and Columbia-Snake rivers, creating a devoted return clientele. Repeat customers enjoy eight-day Mississippi cruises, with an inviting mix of history, culture, food and fun, enhanced by stops in fabled port cities: Memphis, New Orleans, Nashville and St. Louis. For the true aficionado, American offers longer itineraries: a 22-day Complete Mississippi Cruise or a 15-day Grand Heartland Cruise, which remarkably explores ten states in a single journey. American also offers shorter 5-day highlights cruises, holiday and theme cruises, curated to celebrate iconic Mississippi themes, from Mark Twain to food and music.
American Cruise Lines offers a music cruise -- here to see
the bars and music hang-outs of Nashville. Many cruisers
are looking for travel opportunities closer to home this year.
(This piano player is excited about American's new "Music Cities" cruise while my foodie partner is eying the culinary cruises with Cajun, Creole and Memphis barbecue.)
AMERICAN'S diverse repertoire includes riverboats, coastal cruisers and paddle wheelers with varied itineraries, "plus theme cruises and holiday cruises," says Paolella. American's high ratings reflect loyalty of pampered passengers who sing the praises of the largest staterooms afloat, complimentary shore excursions and happy hour, signature perks since the line's 1991 inception. American makes waves in the industry, says Paolella, "because we offer the smooth sailing of larger ships with the up-close access of small-ships, and the convenience and security of cruising close-to-home."
MORE ENTICEMENT for cruisers: Holland American president Gus Antorcha said in a phone visit this week, "We're back!" The line has been preparing for a return to service during this fallow year. Holland will begin sailing from Piraeus in August aboard Eurodam with fully vaccinated passengers and crew. Antorcha said, "We are grateful to the government of Greece for allowing us to show we can safely operate our cruises."
Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers
aboard Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth before
the pandemic shut down cruising worldwide.
ALSO THIS WEEK, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian and Crystal Cruises announced plans to restart. Viking Royal Caribbean CEO Richard Fain applauded the CDC for updating its pandemic cruising policies so his fleet can resume sailing from U.S. ports. "We're pleased and excited because it sets forth a pathway that we think is achievable, practical and safe," Fain said.
Viking River Cruises, the first cruise line to suspend operations of its river and ocean cruises, is enthusiastically updating its cruise schedule. Monaco based Silversea Cruises, which pioneered all-inclusive luxury cruising with its sleek Silver Cloud, resumes Mediterranean sailings with its lovely Silver Moon.
THE VENERABLE Cunard Line, founded in 1840, has been cruising around the United Kingdom for U.K. residents only and is beginning to reschedule sailings for its distinguished fleet: Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary. Its President Simon Palethorpe said, "We know how much everyone is desperately looking forward to longed-for vacations overseas.'' (He is also president of Carnival UK.)
HOW QUICKLY cruise lines can cruise again will depend on their compliance with the CDC's framework for conditional sailing order. Friends in Israel, England and Singapore are taking advantage of cruises for residents only; those cruises have been off-limits to Americans. As of late Thursday, Royal Caribbean set July 1 for getting its ships back in water. Oceania plans August sailings, Cunard and Regent Seven Seas say September. Norwegian Cruise Lines and many other lines will insist both passengers and crew be fully vaccinated. Once vaccinated, travelers will be able to take a rapid antigen COVID-19 test before embarkation.
Self-serve buffets are becoming a thing of the past
as cruise lines do away with them, or offer them
only in modified version, with servers serving.
MANY LINES have been redesigning and rearranging public spaces, including dining rooms, gyms and theaters, to accommodate social distancing. Buffets -- where they still exist -- will insist upon servers, no self-service. In a letter to the industry Wednesday, a CDC official said that "while cruising will never be a zero-risk activity, our public-health agency is committed to getting passenger operations in the U.S. restarted by early to mid-summer." All encouraging for cruise lovers! We're fully vaccinated and our bags are packed. Sail on!
UP NEXT: As travelers return to the air, Europe opens up, and ships return to the waters, there's hope on the horizon for cruise and travel lovers. The rapidly changing rules regarding the pandemic and travel are not easily understood. We'll help unravel the mysteries and confusion. Meanwhile remember to explore, learn and live and catch us each week for a fresh spin on travel, the arts, nature, family and more, with our specialty: cruising. Please share the link, and enjoy!
Professor's legacy lives on in garden christened b...
Countries open up, cruising begins, travel comes b...
Cruising's steady worldwide return: in the U.S., a...


To impart education in best possible form and to bring out the best in the students for all round personality development as well as for academic excellence leading to a prosperous career.
Spread of education and dissemination of knowledge to the denied and underprivileged sections of women in the society.
Imbibing scientific temperament, organisational abilities and human values in the upliftment of women.
Create consciousness regarding constitutional rights and empowerment of women to bring them to the national mainstream. Besides this we dedicate ourselves to the cause of comprehensive personality development to women students and teach them to the cause of social upliftment by providing them the excellence in the academic and moral education.
The strength of our College is our student from both rural and urban areas, who belong to different communicates like minorities S.C., ST and other backward classes. Though at present we have only undergraduate courses, we have planned to introduce post-graduate courses in some subjects. We have also planned to start career-orientated education in Beauty Care, Communicative English and Fashion designing. With reference to the core values of NAAC and our goals we practice various activities to help the students for their all round development.


Tucker Ellis LLP is proud to announce that 26 of the firm's attorneys have been named 2019 Ohio Super Lawyers® and another 14 have been selected as 2019 Ohio Rising Stars®.
The complete list of Tucker Ellis attorneys selected as 2019 Ohio Super Lawyers appears below.
Listed below are the Tucker Ellis attorneys selected as 2019 Ohio Super Lawyers Rising Stars.


text:
Park of the Monsters (On the Excesses of Human Love)
A mannerist garden in Italy, rediscovered by Salvador Dalí and admired by Jean Cocteau, recounts an old tale of love.
Human history is full of works attempting to outwit time and to celebrate a great love. This noble feeling fills the world with creations portraying an impulse toward permanence in the face of fleeting and finite humanity.
A true cathedral of poetry, Dante's Comedy (the epithet "Divine" was added later) was inspired by a superhuman love, albeit, a Platonic one, awoken by one woman: Beatriz. It's also recorded that the love felt by the Pharaoh Ramses II for Nefertiti resulted in monumental works that aspired toward the eternal. The dark, tangled history of Beethoven's Immortal Beloved was written right into the body of the work of the great German composer. But one category of love seems to move the spirit above all others: the love felt by those widowed. India's Taj Mahal is a superlative example of this "eternalization" of the beloved. This was for one Mumtaz Mahal. Undertaken by Emperor Shah Jahan, a premature widower, his sighs haunt the marble even to this day.
We could include in this category, as well, the grotesquely romantic Park of the Monsters, also known as the Garden of Bomarzo, located beneath the Castello degli Orsini, in Bomarzo just north of Rome, Italy. The monumental garden was dedicated to the memory of one beloved Giulia Farnese, (niece of the Cardinal Alexander Farnese, who later became Pope Paul III), by the fierce and celebrated mercenary, Pier Francesco Orsini.
At the end of the Franco-Spanish war in 1550, Orsini retired to his famous castle and surrounded himself with artists and writers and devoted himself to an epicurean life. In this legendary era, Italian nobleman lived, often with near-pagan levels of license, nourished by the Italian Renaissance, and thanks in part to the rediscovery and definitive influence of ancient Greek and Roman art.
It's no wonder, then, that the absurd and the monstrous, both deeply Renaissance attributes, still inhabit the garden. Beings somewhere between the terrifying and the beautiful; mythical characters and fantastic beings. Late Italian mannerism, of which the garden is emblematic, had been tolerated by the Church, and the sinister inquisition, for two reasons. First was the prestige that the Greek and Latin classics had recovered by this time. The second was due to the high positions held by the Orsini family, both in the military and in relation to the papacy. Even still, the funereal, lucent resonance represented by the gardens aroused suspicious respect and, above all, a sense of celebrity and a powerful intimacy.
Paradoxically, even somewhat amusingly, the rescue of the gardens, abandoned for centuries, was due to Salvador Dalí (modern avatar of the fantastic and the dreamlike, and devotee of his own beloved, Gala). Dalí shot a short film in the garden, then in ruins. It fit his own extravagant aesthetic so well that it soon captivated the imaginations of other artists, among them Jean Cocteau.
*Images: 1) Esteban Fernández García – flickr / Creative Commons; 2) Pitichinaccio – Wikimedia Commons; 3) bass_nroll – flickr / Creative Commons
Believe, Enchant
When ancient rituals became religion
The emergence of religions irreversibly changed the history of humanity. It's therefore essential to ask when and how did ancient peoples' rituals become organized systems of thought, each with their
Larung Gar, the valley that is home to thousands of Buddhist monks
If we think about the monastic life it is very probable that we think about solitude, seclusion, silence and a few other qualities whose common denominator is the appropriate isolation for mediation
Believe, Evolve, Inspire
Dialogue with the Dalai Lama on science and spirituality
The Dalai Lama has been interested in science since he was a child. Over the years he's visited many laboratories and has attended conferences that discuss consciousness from the scientific point of
A New Year's resolution for the earth
Worrisome quantities of waste are generated by human populations. Especially in cities, these have reached unprecedented and alarming levels. A largely uncontrolled practice, it affects everything on
The Dark Mountain Project: or how literature can confront ecocide
One impulse from a vernal wood May teach you more of man, Of moral evil and of good, Than all the sages can. Wordsworth, "The Tables Turned" (fragment) Words are elementary. The only reason we can
Believe, Inspire
Are there no women in the history of philosophy?
Do only men philosophize? This could sound like a silly question, but if we quickly review the names of philosophers, from Aristotle to Slavoj Žižek, it would appear to be an exercise that is
Things that are about to disappear: photography as environmental conservation
Cristina Mittermeier is the founder of the International League of Conservationist Photography (iLCP), and is at the front of a modern movement to use photography with environmental purposes. Her work
Believe, Enchant, Inspire
Architecture And Music; An Affair That Acts On The Matter
A composition is like a house you can walk around in. — John Cage Perhaps music, more than the art of sound, is the art of time. That's why its communion with space, and architecture, is so often so
Psycho-geography (On The Ritual Casting of a City)
Mrs. Dalloway walked down the streets of London guided by an "internal tide" that made her stop somewhere, enter a store, turn at the corner and continue her journey, as if she were adrift. La dérive
A Theme Park Inspired by Hayao Miyazaki is About to Open …
One of animation's most spectacular exponents, Hayao Miyazaki, is the artist who transformed the direction of traditional animation forever.


At our school we are very lucky to have two art clubs running. One is organised by the Art coordinator the other by an external professional artist - Emma from Go Sketch. Look below for examples of what we have created so far.
We were lucky enough to have some large wooded slices donated to us which we decorated to create interesting stepping stones.
It was coming up to Christmas and I saw lovely rag decorations in a shop window. We had a go at creating our own versions in Art Club by tying strips of fabric to sticks. They came out very well!
To create these amazing faces we first splattered paint, ink and crayoned large pieces of paper which we then ripped into strips. (This did get rather messy!) These were glued onto card in a star burst design. On to this we added oil pastel eyes, a nose then inked on fur or feathers. The eyes have a glint to them because I painted a layer of resin over them. They look absolutely fantastic.


Brands are about relationships. Until now, the brand owner controlled most of the messaging on the brand in this owner-consumer relationship.
The consumer participated in the relationship through comprehending the messaging and parting with his/her hard earned money for the promise of the brand. But now, in the social media world, all that is changing. The very fabric of the relationship has altered because the control of the messaging is no longer the monopoly of the firm.
Social media, in my book, is voluntary communication with people, community and society that matters to you. People have always had a basic hunger to connect and reconnect. The Internet gave them a great opportunity and social media, combined with omnipresent mobile phones, has fueled this hunger.
Social media helps people reconnect the dots in their life. It enables them to stay in touch with what's happening in the lives of people who matter to them. It allows them to voluntarily express their views on what they like, what they dislike and what they want. It helps them create, control and contribute to a body of knowledge.
There are more than a billion personal computers and about four billion mobile phones in the world. Consumers of these two pieces of technology contribute to 139 million blogs. About half-a-billion people read a million blogs that are posted everyday. And, the momentum is just building.
The social media movement is altering a number of things. For a start, it is altering the relationships in the family. On an average, consumers have about 250 to 300 friends on various social media sites. Of this, they actively keep in touch with about 50, and are really close to about ten people. In the past, the family was the core of a person's being and his highest connection was with the family. With social media, a few close friends are now the core, followed by the family and then some more friends and then relatives.
Second, social media is changing the source of trust. In the past, people had higher trust in institutions, in the government, in companies etc. Today, their fundamental trust is moving to what their social media peer group says and thinks. With the advent of Twitter etc, the trust in CEOs in the West has dropped because people in the company and outside are constantly tracking actions versus words and posting it for everyone to read and comment.
Third, social media is changing the concept of news and the speed of reporting of news. The Turkish airlines crash at Schipol, the Hudson River aircraft episode and the closure of Delhi airport last month due to a storm were first flashed on social media before being picked up by mainline media.
Many companies have used social media to good and not-so-good effect. Companies today are asking consumers to create ads for the brand. This worked extremely well for Coca-Cola, IKEA but didn't work for Chevrolet and Tahoe, their pick-up truck. Consumers made ads for Tahoe which focused on the green effects of such vehicles! Chevrolets intent was involvement, but how that involvement will shape out in a social media world is something brands cannot control. The Dell battery issue was first posted by consumers. Jet airways used social media to target special deals for students.
Social media is helping people resolve their customer care issues. Consumers now have a voice that is heard by the company directly. Either shared as feedback in the community or someone in their network has access to the companies employees. At the same time, young people are leveraging social media to get jobs with their admired companies Social media is changing the Internet. It is changing the nature of relationships and also the definition of consumer involvement. What's driving this change is the network effect of the consumer, the user generated content and the knowledge that the community generates as a result.
While the benefits are obvious, there are downsides too. The whole issue of privacy and the dividing line between what's private and what's public is entirely in the hands of the person posting something. A lot of people think social media is free. However, they are not factoring in an important dimension—their time. The time they spend is not free; it has come out of something else.
The good word of the public has always been important to brands, firms and governments. That's built on reputation and trust. With social media, that's truer than ever before as the relationship paradigm has now become two-way and interactive. Hence, reputation and trust will now have to be managed every day and every minute.


I've never written a letter to Santa or composed a Christmas list, so I thought I'd share my wishes with you since you will be fulfilling them, not in any particular order.
I wish every person in Boulder City was registered to vote and went to the polls for every election.
I wish everyone in town spoke to everyone else, no matter what our preconceived ideas of that person may be. That means we start by saying hello to everyone. There's nothing more satisfying than saying "hello" and getting a smile and a hello back at you.
I wish there would be police officers walking our downtown and neighborhoods and getting to know residents as individuals and not only when folks are at their worst.
I wish that no matter what our philosophical or religious beliefs, we refrain from judging or snubbing folks or treating them as if their opinions didn't matter.
I wish every pet in Boulder City had a license, was walked on a leash in public and had a responsible owner who picked up their messes.
I wish teachers were treated with respect by students, parents, administrators, the school district and the community. It would be nice if teachers never had to hear the words "my parents will sue you" from a student.
I wish every person in Boulder City who needs a job finds one at a wage that allows him or her to afford a place to live, buy food, pay for medical bills and prescriptions, utilities, a phone and insurance, go to the dentist and eye doctor, buy clothing and afford a car or transportation to get to work. Notice I didn't mention any "frills," although a little money to eat at a restaurant once in a while doesn't seem to be asking too much.
I wish those who have positions of authority remember where their "power" comes from and think not once, but twice and maybe even three times, before abusing it.
I wish those who say they shop in Boulder City really did.
I wish those who have no time to learn what's going on in all facets of government carve out some time in their busy week to enrich themselves by reading about what is going on around them.
I wish everyone would recycle their trash and use less water and electricity.
I wish people wouldn't drink or text and drive; and while they're at it, I wish everyone would obey speed limits and traffic signs and use turn signals.
I wish everyone would say what they believe and live what they believe.
I wish we had ways to advertise garage sales, new homes and other "events" instead of using boxes in the medians and trailers parked on streets.
I wish people wouldn't park illegally.
I wish everyone would stop to think before they throw trash in the street or on the sidewalk.
I wish everyone had access to all the medical services they need right here in Boulder City.
I wish everyone who wants to get a higher education or job training had the financial means to do just that.
I wish everyone had someone on whom they can depend not just in an emergency but when they simply need someone to talk to.
I wish the city of Boulder City would use renewable energy in every city building.
I wish domestic violence, drug abuse and gun violence were nonexistent, and while I'm at it, it would be nice if we never sent anyone off to war.
I wish everyone enjoyed their job and shared that joy with those they served.
I could wish for more, but, if we can accomplish some of my wishes, we'd all be that much better for trying.
— Rose Ann Miele is a journalist and was public information officer for Boulder City for nine years. She can be reached at roseannrab@hotmail.com or at 702-339-9082.