text:
Minds, Machines, And Mathematics
David J. Chalmers
dave@twinearth.wustl.edu
Copyright (c) David Chalmers 1995
PSYCHE, 2(9), June, 1995
http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v2/psyche-2-09-chalmers.html
KEYWORDS: Gödel's theorem, Penrose, artificial intelligence, computation, consciousness, quantum mechanics
1.1 In his stimulating book Shadows of the Mind, Roger Penrose presents arguments, based on Gödel's theorem, for the conclusion that human thought is uncomputable. There are actually two separate arguments in Penrose's book. The second has been widely ignored, but seems to me to be much more interesting and novel than the first. I will address both forms of the argument in some detail. Toward the end, I will also comment on Penrose's proposals for a "new science of consciousness".
2. The First Argument
2.1 The best way to address Gödelian arguments against artificial intelligence is to ask: what would we expect, given the truth of Gödel's theorem, if our reasoning powers could be captured by some formal system F? One possibility is that F is essentially unsound, so that Gödel's theorem does not apply. But what if F is sound? Then we would expect that:
(a) F could not prove its Gödel sentence G(F);
(b) F could prove the conditional "If F is consistent, then G(F) is true";
(c) F could not prove that F is consistent.
2.2 If our reasoning powers are capturable by some sound formal system F, then, we should expect that we will be unable to see that F is consistent. This does not seem too surprising, on the face of it. After all, F is likely to be some extremely complex system, perhaps as complex as the human brain itself, and there is no reason to believe that we can determine the consistency of arbitrary formal systems when those systems are presented to us.
2.3 There does not seem to be anything especially paradoxical about this situation. Many arguments from Gödel's theorem, such as that given by Lucas, founder at just this point: they offer us no reason to believe that we can see the truth of our own Gödel sentence, as we may be unable to see the consistency of the associated formal system. How does Penrose's argument fare?
2.4 Penrose is much more cautious in his phrasing. In Chapter 2, he argues carefully for the conclusion that our reasoning powers cannot be captured by a "knowably sound" formal system. This seems to be correct, and indeed mirrors the analysis above. If we are a sound formal system F, we will not be able to determine that F is sound. So far, this offers no threat to the prospects of artificial intelligence. The real burden of Penrose's argument is carried by Chapter 3, then, where he argues that the position that we are a formal system that is not "knowably sound" is untenable.
2.5 One position that an advocate of AI might take is to argue that our reasoning is fundamentally unsound, even in an idealization. I will not take this path, however. For a start, I have some sympathy with Penrose's idea that we have an underlying sound competence, even if our performance sometimes goes astray. But further, it seems to me that to hold that this is the only problem in Penrose's argument would be to concede too much power to the argument. It would follow, for example, that there are parts of our arithmetical competence that no sound formal system could ever duplicate; it would seem that our unsoundness would be essential to our capacity to see the truth of Gödel sentences, for example. This would be a remarkably strong conclusion, and does not seem at all plausible to me. So I think that the deepest problems with Penrose's argument must lie elsewhere.
2.6 I will concede to Penrose that we are fundamentally sound, then. As before, the natural position for an advocate of AI is that our powers are captured by some sound formal system F that cannot demonstrate that F is sound. What is Penrose's argument against this position? He has two sub-arguments here, depending on whether we can know that F is the formal system that captures our reasoning.
2.7 If we could know that F captures our reasoning, Penrose's argument would be very straightforward:
(1) We know that we are sound;
(2) We know that F captures our reasoning;
so (3) We know that F is sound.
One might question premise (1) -- I will raise some problems with it later -- but it does have a certain plausible quality. Certainly, it seems antecedently more plausible than the much stronger position that we know that F is sound. But all this is irrelevant, as premise (2) is so implausible. There is very little reason to believe that if our reasoning is captured by F, then we could know that fact.
2.8 It might seem plausible that we could know that F underlies our processing -- why couldn't we just investigate our underlying brain processes? But to do this would be to change the game. It is of no help to Penrose if we can know using external resources (such as perceptual inputs) that F captures our reasoning. For to use external resources would be to go beyond the resources provided by F itself. And there would be no contradiction in the supposition that F could know, using external resources, that F is consistent, and therefore that G(F) is true. A contradiction would only arise if F could know this wholly under its own steam.
2.9 For this argument to be at all relevant, then, we would need to know that F captures our reasoning powers wholly using our internal resources -- that is, the resources that F itself provides. But there is not the slightest reason to believe that we could do this. If we are a formal system, we certainly cannot determine which formal system we are on the basis of introspection! So again, the advocate of artificial intelligence is in no danger. She need simply hold the unsurprising position that we are a formal system F, but that we can't tell through introspection that we are F.
2.10 To make his case, Penrose needs to argue that if we are a sound formal system F, then we could determine that F is sound, independently of any knowledge that we are F. That is, he needs to make the case that if F is presented to us, we could determine that it is sound through an analysis of F alone. This is the burden that Penrose tries to meet in section 3.3. It is this section that effectively carries all the crucial weight; if it does not succeed, then this line of Penrose's argument simply fails.
2.11 How does Penrose argue that we could see that F is sound? He argues in 3.3 that we can see F as a system of axioms and inference rules. Clearly, we can see that each of the axioms is true: if F can see their truth, so can we. Further, Penrose argues, we must be able to see that each of the basic inference rules is valid, as it is extremely implausible that our reasoning could rely on inference rules that we regard as "fundamentally dubious". And if we know that the axioms are true and that the inference rules are valid, then we know that F is sound.
2.12 But why should we accept that F consists of a set of axioms and inference rules? F, after all, is supposed to potentially correspond to any sort of computational system -- it might be a simulation of the whole of the human brain, for example. This will not look anything like a neat logical system: we will not be able to decompose it into an underlying set of "axioms" and "rules of procedure". Rather, it will be a big computational system that churns away on a given statement as input, and eventually outputs "yes" or "no".
2.13 It is true that for any Turing machine that accepts a certain class of statements, we can find a corresponding axiom-plus-rules system that accepts the same class (or at least the closure of that class under logical consequence). There is a lemma by Craig to this effect; without it applications of Gödel's theorem to draw conclusions about Turing machines would not even get off the ground. But the "axiom-plus-rules" system that we end up with may be extraordinarily complex. In particular, the "inference rules" may be just about as complex as the original system -- perhaps equivalent to a complex connectionist procedure for generating further theorems. And as before, there is no reason why we should be able to see that this sort of "rule" should be valid, any more than we could see from an analysis that an overall computational brain process is sound. This is not to say that we think we are relying on "fundamentally dubious" procedures -- it is just that the procedures that govern the dynamics of our brain are too complex for us to analyse them as sound or otherwise.
2.14 In this section, Penrose seems to assume that the relevant class of computational systems are all something akin to theorem-provers in first-order logic, but of course there is no reason to make such an assumption. For his argument to have its full generality, proving that our physical processes could not even be simulated computationally, it must apply to any sort of computational process. Even within the realm of existing AI research, there are many computational procedures, such as connectionist networks, which are not decomposable into axioms and rules of inference.
2.15 (I suspect that even an advocate of logic-based AI might have a response to make here. It might be held, for example, that we may occasionally use certain complex inference rules (when we generate Gödel sentences by transfinite counting, for example), whose validity is not obvious to us on analysis, without this in any way impugning the reliability of our reasoning. We might soundly "use" a procedure despite its resistance to our analysis. This indeed is just what we might expect around the "outer limits" of Gödelization, which after all is really where Penrose's argument gains its force. There is no difficulty in the idea that the reasoning methods we use in everyday mathematics can be seen to be sound -- Penrose's arguments really apply at the level of our unusual "Gödelizing" procedures, which rely on our ability to count transfinite ordinals. But to be able to see that some Gödelizing rule is valid would be akin to making that last step in a Gödelization procedure, the one that is just complex enough to be beyond us. But I leave these difficult issues aside for now.)
2.16 It is section 3.3 that carries the burden of this strand of Penrose's argument, but unfortunately it seems to be one of the least convincing sections in the book. By his assumption that the relevant class of computational systems are all straightforward axiom-and-rules system, Penrose is not taking AI seriously, and certainly is not doing enough to establish his conclusion that physics is uncomputable. I conclude that none of Penrose's argument up to this point put a dent in the natural AI position: that our reasoning powers may be captured by a sound formal system F, where we cannot determine that F is sound.
3. Penrose's Second Argument
3.1 Hiding at the back of Chapter 3, however, Penrose has a new argument that escapes many of these problems. It is unfortunate that this argument was so deeply buried; most commentators seem to have missed it. Unlike the previous argument, this argument does not depend on the claim that we if we are a sound formal system F, we would be able to see that F is sound. Because of this, it is a more novel and interesting argument, and more worthy of attention.
3.2 The argument is developed in a roundabout way (which may have led some readers astray), but is summarized in the fantasy dialogue with a robot mathematician in 3.23. The argument is given in a somewhat indirect form, involving complex procedures by which a given formal system might have evolved, but its basic structure is very simple. In a simplified and somewhat loose form, the argument goes as follows:
(1) Assume my reasoning powers are captured by some formal system F (to put this more briefly, "I am F"). Consider the class of statements I can know to be true, given this assumption.
(2) Given that I know that I am F, I know that F is sound (as I know that I am sound). Indeed, I know that the larger system F' is sound, where F' is F supplemented by the further assumption "I am F". (Supplementing a sound system with a true statement yields a sound system.)
(3) So I know that G(F') is true, where this is the Gödel sentence of the system F'.
(4) But F' could not see that G(F') is true (by Gödel's theorem).
(5) By assumption, however, I am now effectively equivalent to F'. After all, I am F supplemented by the knowledge that I am F.
(6) This is a contradiction, so the initial assumption must be false, and F must not have captured my powers of reasoning after all.
(7) The conclusion generalizes: my reasoning powers cannot be captured by any formal system.
3.3 Strictly speaking, the conclusion that must be drawn is that I cannot know that I am identical to a formal system F; in showing that I can see the truth of G(F'), we assumed not just that I am F but that I know I am F. But this is still a strong conclusion. For example, it would rule out even the possibility that we could empirically discover that we were identical to some system F -- if we were to "discover" this, the reasoning would lead us to a contradiction. So even this would be threatening to the prospects of AI.
3.4 The power of this argument stems from the fact that is does not depend on one's ability to determine that a system F is sound, or to determine that we are F. Rather, it relies on the assumption that one is F to reach the relevant conclusions, thus contradicting the assumption. On the face of it one might have thought that making such an assumption would show only that the larger system F' could prove the Gödel sentence of the smaller system F, but the insight of the argument is that things can be bootstrapped into a situation where F' sees its own Gödel sentence, leading to trouble.
3.5 As far as I can determine, this argument is free of the obvious flaws that plague other Gödelian arguments, such as Lucas's argument and Penrose's earlier arguments. If it is flawed, the flaws lie deeper. It is true that the argument has a feeling of achieving its conclusion as if by magic. One is tempted to say: "why couldn't F itself engage in just the same reasoning?". But although there are various directions in which one might try to attack the argument, no knockdown refutation immediately presents itself. For this reason, the argument is quite challenging. Compared to previous versions, this argument is much more worthy of attention from supporters of AI.
3.6 On reflection, I have come to believe that the greatest vulnerability in this argument lies in the assumption that we know (unassailably) that we are consistent. This assumption seems relatively innocuous, compared to the previous strong claim that we could determine that F is consistent; on the face of it, it does not seem vastly stronger than the assumption that we are consistent. But I think that in fact, it is this assumption, and not the assumption that we know we are F, that carries the central responsibility for generating the contradiction. (I have largely become convinced of this through discussions with Daryl McCullough, and the central argument below, an adaptation of a result of Löb's, was suggested by him.)
3.7 The best way to see this is to show that the assumption that we know we are consistent already leads to a contradiction in its own right, even without the further assumption that we know we are F. Specifically, we can argue that any system that "unassailably" believes in its own consistency will in fact be led to a contradiction (under certain plausible further assumptions). This can be done as follows.
3.8 In these matters, we are concerned with a system's reasoning about its own beliefs, as well as about mathematics. So we can assume it has a symbol B, representing belief, where B(n) corresponds to the statement that it believes the statement with Gödel number n. (Below, I abbreviate by writing "B(A)" instead of "B(`A')", where `A' is the Gödel number of A.) And let us write "|- A" if the system has the power to "unassailably" assert A. (By using this notation I do not intend to beg the question about whether the system is computational!) Then the following assumptions are reasonable (suppressing universal qualifiers):
(1) If |- A, then |- B(A).
(2) |- B(A_1) & B(A_1 -> A2) -> B(A2)
(3) |- B(A) -> B(B(A))
3.9 (1) says that if the system has the power to assert A, it has the power to assert B(A). (2) says essentially that the system knows it has the power to reason by modus ponens. (3) says, in effect, that the system knows (1). All of these assumptions seem unproblematic. To these we add the key assumption:
(4) |- not B(false)
which says that the system asserts that it is not inconsistent. It turns out that these assumptions, along with the assumption that the system has the resources to do Peano arithmetic, lead to a contradiction.
3.10 To see this, we simply construct a sentence G such that
(5) |- G -> not B(G).
This is a standard diagonal construction, and does not rely on any assumptions about the system's computability. We define the function "diag" in Peano arithmetic so that diag(`C(x)') is `C(`C(x)')' for any predicate C. (For clarity, I reintroduce the `' notation for Gödel numbering.) Then let G be the sentence $not B(diag(`not B(diag(x))'))$. It is straightforward to show that G -> not B(`G'). As long as the system has at least the capacities of Peano arithmetic, it can replicate this reasoning, so that |- G -> not B(`G').
3.11 G is effectively a sentence that says "I do not believe G", much like a standard Gödelian construction, but without any assumptions about computability. It is not hard to see how the contradiction arises. The system knows that if it believes G, it is unsound; so it knows that if it is sound, it does not believe G. But this is to say that it knows that if it is sound, G is true. By assumption, it knows that it is sound, so it knows that G is true. So now it must be unsound, as it has fallen into a contradiction. This reasoning is easily formalized:
(6) |- B(G) -> B(not B(G)) [from (5), (1), (2)]
(7) |- B(G) -> B(B(G)) [from (3)]
(8) |- B(G) -> B(false) [from (6), (7), (2)]
(9) |- B(false) -> B(G) [from (2), along with |- B(false -> G)]
(10) |- G -> not B(false) [from (5), (8), (9)]
(11) |- B(G) [from (10), (4), (1)]
(12) |- B(false) [from (12), (9)]
3.12 We can see, then, that the assumption that we know we are sound leads to a contradiction. One might try to pin the blame on one of the other assumptions, but all these seem quite straightforward. Indeed, these include the sort of implicit assumptions that Penrose appeals to in his arguments all the time. Indeed, one could make the case that all of premises (1)-(4) are implicitly appealed to in Penrose's main argument. For the purposes of the argument against Penrose, it does not really matter which we blame for the contradiction, but I think it is fairly clear that it is the assumption that the system knows that it is sound that causes most of the damage. It is this assumption, then, that should be withdrawn.
3.13 Penrose has therefore pointed to a false culprit. When the contradiction is reached, he pins the blame on the assumption that our reasoning powers are captured by a formal system F. But the argument above shows that this assumption is inessential in reaching the contradiction: A similar contradiction, via a not dissimilar sort of argument, can be reached even in the absence of that assumption. It follows that the responsibility for the contradiction lies elsewhere than in the assumption of computability. It is the assumption about knowledge of soundness that should be withdrawn.
3.14 Still, Penrose's argument has succeeded in clarifying some issues. In a sense, it shows where the deepest flaw in Gödelian arguments lies. One might have thought that the deepest flaw lay in the unjustified claim that one can see the soundness of certain formal systems that underlie our own reasoning. But in fact, if the above analysis is correct, the deepest flaw lies in the assumption that we know that we are sound. All Gödelian arguments appeal to this premise somewhere, but in fact the premise generates a contradiction. Perhaps we are sound, but we cannot know unassailably that we are sound.
4. The Missing Science Of Consciousness?
4.1 A reader who is not convinced by Penrose's Gödelian arguments is left with little reason to accept his claims that physics is noncomputable and that quantum processes are essential to cognition, although these speculations are interesting in their own right. But even if one accepts that human behavior can be accounted for computationally, there is still the question of human consciousness, which after all is Penrose's ultimate target.
4.2 Penrose is clear that the puzzle of consciousness is one of his central motivations. Indeed, one reason for his skepticism about AI is that it is so hard to see how the mere enaction of a computation should give rise to an inner subjective life. Why couldn't all the computation go in the dark, without consciousness? So Penrose postulates that we to appeal to physics instead, and suggests that the locus of consciousness may be a quantum gravity process in microtubules. But this seems to suffer from exactly the same problem. Why should quantum processes in microtubules give rise to consciousness, any more than computational processes should? Neither suggestion seems appreciably better off than the other.
4.3 Although Penrose's quantum-gravity proposal might at least conceivably help explain certain elements of human behavior (if behavior turned out to be uncomputable, for example), it simply seems to be the wrong sort of thing to explain human consciousness. Indeed, Penrose nowhere claims that it does, and by the end of the book the "Missing Science of Consciousness" seems as far off as it ever was. As things stand, even by the end of Penrose's book, we seem to be left in Penrose's position D: these physical theories leave consciousness entirely unexplained.
4.4 This might seem odd, given that Penrose says he embraces position C, but in fact C and D are quite compatible. This is because Penrose's four positions run together a number of separate issues. For convenience, I repeat the positions here:
A: All thinking is computation; in particular, feelings of conscious awareness are evoked merely by the carrying out of appropriate computations.
B: Awareness if a feature of the brain's physical action; and whereas any physical action can be simulated computationally, computational simulation cannot by itself evoke awareness.
C: Appropriate physical action evokes awareness, but this physical action cannot even be properly simulated computationally.
D: Awareness cannot be explained by physical, computational, or any other scientific terms.
4.5 Note that A, B, and C all concern how awareness is evoked , but D concerns how awareness is explained. These are two very different issues. To see the contrast, note that almost everybody would accept that the brain evokes awareness -- if we were to construct a duplicate brain, there would be conscious experience associated with it. But it is far from clear that a physical description of the brain can explain awareness -- many people have argued that given any physical account of brain processes, the question of how those processes evoke conscious experience will be unanswered by the physical account.
4.6 To really clarify the positions in the vicinity, we have to distinguish three questions:
(1) What does it take to simulate our physical action ?
(2) What does it take to evoke conscious awareness?
(3) What does it take to explain conscious awareness?
4.7 In answer to each question, one might say that (a) Computation alone is enough, (b) Physics is enough, but physical features beyond computation are required, or (c) Not even physics is enough. Call these positions C, P, and N. So we have a total of 27 positions, that one might label CCC, CPN, and so on.
4.8 Question (1) is the question Penrose is concerned with for most of the book, and the issue that separates B and C above. He argues for position P-- over C--. Descartes might have argued for N--, but few would embrace such a position these days.
4.9 Question (2) is the issue at the heart of Searle's Chinese room argument, and the issue that separates A from B and C above. Searle argues for -P- over -C-, and Penrose is clearly sympathetic with this position. Almost everyone would accept that a physical duplicate of me would "evoke" consciousness, so position -N- is not central here.
4.10 Question (3) is the central question about the explanation of consciousness (a question that much of my own work is concerned with). Penrose's positions A, B, and C are neutral on this question, but D is solely concerned with it; so in a sense, D is independent of the rest. Many advocates of AI might hold --C, some neurobiologists might hold --P, whereas my own position is --N.
4.11 The four positions Penrose describes come down to CC- (A), CP- (B), PP- (C), and --N (D). Penrose seems to think that in arguing for position C (PP-) he is arguing against position D (--N), but it is clear from this analysis that this is not so. In the end, nothing in Penrose's book bears on question (3), which is a pity, though it is certainly understandable. It would be very interesting to hear Penrose's position on just how physical theories might or might not explain human consciousness.
4.12 Indeed, one might even combine positions A and D, as I do, embracing CCN. On this position, human-like behavior can be produced computationally, and indeed enacting the right computation will give rise to consciousness, but neither a computational account nor a physical account alone will explain consciousness. It might seem odd that computation should evoke but not explain consciousness, but this is no more odd than the corresponding position that neurophysiology might evoke but not explain consciousness. In either case, consciousness emerges from some underlying basis, but we need a further element in the theory to explain just how and why it emerges.
4.13 One can have a lot of fun cataloging positions (Dennett is CCC; Searle may be CPP; Eccles is NNN; Penrose is PPP; I am CCN; some philosophers and neuroscientists are CPN or PPN; note that all these are "non-decreasing" in C->P->N, as we might expect), but this is enough for now. The main point is that Penrose's treatment runs together question (3) with questions (1) and (2), so that in the end the question of how consciousness might be explained is left to one side.
4.14 A true science of consciousness will have to address all of these questions, and especially question (3). Penrose has produced an enormously enjoyable and challenging book, but it seems to me that for all his hard work, the science of consciousness is still missing.<1>
<1> This review is an elaboration of my review of Penrose's book in Scientific American, June 1995, pp. 117-18.


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France Forum » Living » Earning a Livin... » Can unemployed British people claim the RSA?
NormanH
Can unemployed British people claim the RSA?
I always thought that the RSA was only for people who had worked in France, or had been born here, but having been told of a chap who lives locally and has just claimed ( successfully he claims) I started to ask myself the question.
According to this
http://www.rsa.gouv.fr/Quelles-sont-les-conditions-d.html
it looks possible, and trying the test of eligibility I came up with 411€ for a single person with no other income.
If this is correct, it rather drives a coach and horses through the argument about 'inactifs' not being allowed to stay so as not to be a burden on the French state...
Can anyone see any holes in my reasoning?
The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.
- Bertrand Russell
cooperlola
72 - Sarthe - home of les 24 heures du Mans
Re: Can unemployed British people claim the RSA?
Hmm. I had always understood, as you had, that this was not possible - at least until one had been here 5 years, after which time the member state is obliged to treat an EU citizen as its own in Soc Sec terms, afaik. There is an "ATTENTION" paragraph - at which time I guess the applicant should be referred to the Free Movement Principal which states that one cannot be a burden on the state for those first five years. .
On the other hand, is the second link assuming that one has worked at some time in France since it's all under the RSA umbrella and it's made clear that this is for those who have worked in the earlier pages?
I'm just musing here but it's interesting.
"I couldn't sleep very well last night. Some noisy b*ggers going around in automobiles kept me awake." Ken Miles
Val_2
I would think there is more to this than meets the eye. His circumstances may be something he has not divulged to friends but only to the authorities or even wrong info. I don't think it is awarded willy nilly to everyone who applies for it without a fair bit of investigation first.
NormanH wrote:
From the site that you linked to, it says that in order to receive RSA, yopu have to meet certain conditions:
CONDITIONS DE REGULARITE ET DE DUREE DU SEJOUR
Les ressortissants communautaires et suisses doivent remplir les conditions de droit au séjour. Les étrangers hors espace économique européen doivent justifier d'une résidence régulière en France non interrompue depuis au moins cinq ans (sauf situations particulières).
The conditions governing the right to remain in France are detailed in the pdf document below
www.gisti.org/IMG/pdf/norimim1000116c.pdf
and the actual law is here
It would seem to me that this requires people to support themselves for 5 years before being eligible for RSA
www.birkenwald.at
Sunday Driver
Deux Sevres (79)
'Inactives' must have own resources at least equal to the amount of RSA thereby disqualifying themselves from claiming. However, after five years legal residence, the resource condition no longer applies and they become free to make a claim.
Note that since the introduction of a new immigration law in July of this year, inactive EU citizens who do not meet the required resource/health insurance requirements lose their right of legal stay and the authorities can order their removal from French territory...
Well I know he has owned a house here for about 10 years, but only used it very occasionally. it was bought from another English alcoholic (who has now died of drink) for the equivalent of €7000
So occasionally that it was squatted, then the front was burned by a car set on fire (yes that's the sort of area we live in)
He phoned from England to ask the local Mediator to have it boarded up, but still was away for another 6 months.
He has now applied for a council grant to repair the property and says that he has just been told he can have €7000 for the façade, as it was burned (but of course he hadn't insured it!)
If he has spent a year here in those 10 years that is a generous estimate.
I think he has probably claimed that he has spent all the 10 years here, but how he explains that he has never filled in a tax return I don't know.
I know he has asked for a Carte Vitale, and now the RSA, but was previously working in a factory in the North of England and living in a council flat, just coming over from time to time.
He tells me he has an English speaking advisor at the CAF
It galls me to see this sort of abuse (as I think it is) when there are plenty of people worrying them selves sick about their health cover and how to manage.
I asked the question because I wondered if I had misunderstood the regulations, but I think that fiddling is the most likely answer.
Maybe he is lying,senile or living in fantasy land. No way would our maire or any other official here give money to a property owner to repair a façade that was damaged( and he should have had insurance anyway) without it being an official loan with interest agreed by the council for the payback, there would be a huge outcry from the locals if they discovered this. I don't believe any of what he has told you because I know for a fact that even the CAF will go through everything thoroughly and demand copies of previous avis d'Impôt before anything else.
pachapapa
...Maybe he is lying,senile or living in fantasy land.... sounds just like our maire.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The Grantly Hotel is conveniently located only 5 minutes walking from Shepherd's Bush Underground station (Central Line) and 5 minutes from Goldhawk Road Underground (Hammersmith & City Line). It's also very close to close to Hammersmith Underground (Piccadilly & District Line), offering a direct link to Heathrow Airport.
Whether you are visiting London for business or leisure, Grantly Hotel offers easy access to the main areas of the city.
• Heathrow Airport (by Piccadilly Line in Hammersmith or A2 bus from Hilton Hotel in Shepherd's Bush Green).
• Stansted Airport (Stansted Express from Liverpool Street or A6 bus from Marble Arch (Portman Street and Airport Express bus from Gloucester Place).
Also there are 24 hour buses (94, 148, and 207) connection.
Also, Victoria, Jubilee, and most of the Central, Northern and Piccadilly Lines of London Underground network run 24 hours on Fridays, Saturdays, and when Monday is Bank holiday weekend, on Sundays, too.
1. If driving: Please click on the map at the bottom of this page.
2. Coming from Heathrow Airport: Take Underground (Piccadilly line) to Hammersmith Station then, change to (Hammersmith & City line) and get out in Goldhawk Road Station, walk towards the Shepherd's Bush Green, you will find us on your right hand side before the BP Petrol Station (3 minutes walk).
3A. Coming from Gatwick Airport: Take the train to Clapham Junction, change the train to (London Overground) heading to Olympia, get out in Shepherd's Bush (stop), as you get out of Station, cross the road towards Central Line Tube station, carry on to your left to cross the main road on Shepherd's Bush Green, keep walking to your right, you will find us on your left hand side after BP Petrol Station (3 minutes walking).
3B. Coming from Gatwick Airport: Take the Gatwick Express or other trains to London Victoria, get to Underground (Central line) heading to Shepherd's Bush, as you get out of Station, walk to your right, cross the road, carry on to your right, keep walking, you will find us on your left hand side after BP Petrol Station (3 minutes walking).
4A. Coming from Stansted Airport: Take the train to Liverpool Street Station, get to underground (Central line) heading to Shepherd's Bush, get out of Station & walk to your right, cross the road, carry on walking to your right, you will find us on your left hand side after BP Petrol Station (3 minutes walk).
4B. Coming from Stansted Airport: If no train is operating, Take National Express coaches to Marble Arch, get out there and walk back to Oxford Street to take public Bus No. 94 heading to Acton , get out of Bus in Shepherd's Bush Green Station & walk along the road (same direction of the Bus), you will find us on your left hand side after BP Petrol Station (2 minutes walk).
5. Coming from Luton Airport: Take the train to Kings Cross St. Pancreas station, get to Under Ground (Hammersmith &City Line) heading to Goldhawk Road as you get out of the station, walk towards the Shepherd's Bush Green, you will find us on your right hand side before the BP Petrol Station (3 minutes walk).
6. Coming from other places: Please follow the instructions (partly) in parts 2,3 and 4 if needed.
A: We can organise a taxi for you (Please contact hotel for details).
B: Get the national express or Green line coaches (Bus) to Marble Arch, at the Marble Arch station catch local bus N94 heading to Shepherd's Bush Green, get out of the Bus & keep walking at the same direction you will find us after BP Petrol station (2 minutes walk).


Here you will find sites with absolutely Beautiful Incredimail & Outlook Express Stationery & Matching Tags, skins and wallpaper.
Free and unique collection of soft and pretty stationery for outlook. New stationery added regularly.
Classic Outlook & Outlook Express Stationery for people that like to jazz up their emails!
Contains OE stationery, Christian and Romantic poetry, eventually tubes and tutorials. It's a new site and is updated frequently.


Ayrshire Country Sports Club is a club that has been started by like minded people who wanted a Club that they had a say in. The club is in its infancy and has already got a sizeable membership, which is growing day by day. 100% of our membership fees go to our club funds. We are a non profit organisation.
We cover sports like Clay Pigeon Shooting, Archery, Game Days, Air Rifle Target Shooting, Simulated Game Days, Fly Fishing, Wildfowling, Coarse Fishing, Away Days to various Shooting Grounds throughout Scotland, Rough Shooting, Vermin Control, Friendly Clay Pigeon Competitions or Away Days with members every month.
We offer over 100 club shoots in a year, always plenty for members to choose from. Any prizes/trophies etc won by members they get to keep for life, you do not have to hand them back.
We do have a small Committee that helps to keep things running and we do have a constitution which we expect every member of the club to adhere to. We do stipulate that everyone who joins the club have their own Insurance in place, should it be Basc, Sacs or any other company out there, but a requirement of your membership is to give Insurance details etc. This is a must as the types of sports we take part in needs Insurance in force.
You do not need to have a shotgun certificate to join the club, we have many members who do some of the other activities we offer and do not require a SGC. Also we have some members new to shooting and have only applied for their SGC, they are still welcome to come along and shoot alongside us until their SGC is granted.
Or even if you just want to come along and try clay shooting to see if it is what you like there are always experienced shooters at hand to help and guide you.
Our club works on different principals to other clubs, we are here to help and encourage people in the particular activity these choose. And it is never far from our minds that we all started the same way.


THE SMASHING PUMPKINS RECORD TV FAREWELL?
hit the stage of the hammerstein ballroom in new york for taping of vh1's storytellers.
Billy wasn't exactly at ease opening up to the audience.
"i was uncomfortable because people think that they know me,"
he says, "but i have never really sold out my true self to get anything, whather it be sympathy or praise.
i believe in art and symbols much more than personalities."
(the rest of us can look for mp3s at sites like spifc.org).
but was this a swan song for the (theoretically) disbanded quartet?
"VIBE LIVE THE SMASHING PUMPKINS"


text:
Angelina Jolie's Attorney: 12 facts about Laura Wasser
By Leanne Bayley
Instagram obsessed (follow me: @LeanneBayley) 💁💋💅💕
Angelina Jolie's attorney isn't afraid of a high-profile court case, that's for sure! Laura Wasser has a long list of celebrity clients and she's even nicknamed the Disso Queen (for her expertise in dissolving high-profile marriages).
Here's everything you need to know about her...
She most recently represented Johnny Depp in his divorce with Amber Heard, and Jennifer Garner in her divorce from Ben Affleck.
She also represented Kim Kardashian, Ryan Reynolds, and Heidi Klum, Nick Lachey.
Proof of her skills; she helped Britney Spears win joint custody of her children despite her 2007 meltdown.
She's so good, she represented herself in her own divorce case. When she was a student, back in 1993, she divorced a man she met at Loyola Law School.
She thinks her clients should have a pre-nup, but she doesn't force them to do one.
Even though she'd make the perfect reality TV star, she has no plans to hit your TV screens. She's been offered a show, but said no thank you.
She has said yes to a book deal though. In 2013, It Doesn't Have to Be That Way: How to Divorce Without Destroying Your Family or Bankrupting Yourself was published.
She will pose for magazines, though. She reportedly said that she made "the tough business of divorce look polished, professional, and downright sexy." You go, girl!
Her career was written in the stars - her dad is a well-renowned lawyer and they even practice together. What's more, her parents named her "Laura Allison Wasser" so her initials would spell "LAW."
She has pretty big shoes to fill; her dad was described as "America's most feared divorce lawyer."
She doesn't come cheap, though! She rarely represents people who have less than $10 million, and she reportedly charges over $850 an hour.
Wasser has two sons to two different fathers who she never married.
Right, she needs a movie based on her life. But who should play her? Angelina?
16 things Angelina Jolie has said about Brad Pitt
Celebrity Divorces
I'm a consultant on £39k saving for my 2021 wedding, but I want to quit for a less stressful, lower-paid role – how do I plan for this pay cut?
I've been on furlough for 10 months from my £25k a year job, how do I save for a holiday without eating into my flat deposit?
As the Covid vaccine is finally rolled out, Gen-Z and Millennials' employment prospects, mental health and social lives are being sacrificed for the over 50s
Great news about the vaccine but what about us?
I earn £20k a year and my boyfriend and I are living with parents to save money on rent, but worry we'll never be able to afford a flat in London. What should we do?


Air Canada Vacations is showing a last minute 7-night flight and hotel package from Toronto to Cancun, Mexico for $479 CAD including taxes.
The flights from Toronto to Cancun with Air Canada Rouge are non-stop both ways.
The hotel involved with the package is the Smart Cancun by Oasis. It has 4 circles on Tripadvisor with 48% of reviews rating it as Excellent.
NOTE: Once you get to the search results page, use the 'Search by hotel name' pulldown menu and select the 'Smart Cancun by Oasis'.
cancun, mexico, cun, air canada vacations, north america, montreal, yul, flight and hotel packages and smart by oasis.


text:
Jeremy Corbyn must sack his top team if he wants to survive
A government in waiting would have gone for the jugular this week. Instead we had 'The List'. Corbyn has a job to do, and must find a team capable of doing it
Emma Burnell
Thursday 24 March 2016 15:51
Jeremy Corbyn should be given the time and space to prove his leadership on his own terms.
Labour's top team are not even slightly ready to fight the next election. With the Fixed-term Parliaments Act meaning that it won't occur until 2020, some will argue that it doesn't matter. They couldn't be more wrong. Elections are not won and lost in the three week short campaign. They are won and lost as the perceptions of future leaders are formed. If those perceptions are ignored, or perceived to matter little, the election may already be lost.
Labour should know this. To its cost, the party has never recovered from a general view that it was responsible for causing the economy to crash, and Ed Miliband never recovered his weak rating on leadership. It was this combination that proved fatal to Labour's chances last year. Those in the Labour Party reassuring themselves over the current poll lead and the plight of a Conservative party in civil war should check again where they stand with the public – particularly on being trusted to run the economy and on the rating of Jeremy Corbyn as a potential prime minister – and think again.
Read more Can Labour stop bickering for one moment?
This is a crucial moment for Labour. The Government is, very publicly, in a mess. The Chancellor, George Osborne, is as unpopular as he has been since his omnishambles Budget of 2012. A potential future government would have used this moment to press home its advantage and start to change negative public perceptions.
Instead we had unrealistic, overreaching calls for Osborne's resignation that rallied even troubled Tory backbenchers to his cause. And then we had The List.
You can tell when a leadership is not focused on beating their opponents – it's when they can't tell who the opposition is. When a leader's team is more focused on internal division than gaining power then they have the wrong priorities and the country knows it. Corbyn has spent his life focused on the internal politics of the Labour Party. But as long as his team remains intent on beating Labour opponents it will never be properly engaged on the real task at hand: beating the Tories, and getting back into government.
Read more This is the list of astonishing successes the EU achieved
Yes, Corbyn's critics take too many opportunities to attack him. Everything that happens in Labour politics now happens in inglorious Technicolor. Minor mis-steps held up alongside genuinely damaging strategic errors as of equal magnitude. This makes them look like poor losers rather than those concerned with the future of the country too.
But his critics have the luxury of not being the leadership. Corbyn has a job to do now, and he needs a strategy team that can deliver it – one that can lift itself above the internal fray, ignore the provocation from those who should know better, and look not to the next insider row but to the next election.
Read more Pensions are not like any other benefit. We raid them at our peril
Corbyn should be given the time and space to prove his leadership on his own terms. He has not yet faced a national set of elections and the doom-mongering around by-elections has not yet come to much. But he will never win over the country unless he and those he surrounds himself with choose to focus solely on doing so and give up their internal battles and strategising. They must abandon any list of "hostiles" that isn't solely made up of MPs from the Tories, Lib Dems, SNP, Plaid Cymru, UKIP and the Greens.
Their focus must be on delivering a Labour government. Not just during the short campaign but today, tomorrow and every day until May 2020. If this team can't provide the strategy to do so, Corbyn must show the leadership to find those who can.
politicsJeremy CorbynLabour PartyGeorge OsborneDavid CameronConservative Party
1/1Jeremy Corbyn must sack his top team if he wants to survive


My Institute ( Indian Institute of Technology,Kanpur) ™ My Instutute offers the best kind of courses keeping in view the recent trends. The courses get updated every year.
My institute (Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur) is one of the top 100 institutes in the world. It has got the best facilities in computing than best institutes of world. The campus is full of greenery with peacocks roaming around freely without fear. The student strength of my institute is about 600 B.Tech.s, 400 M. Tech.s and 100 Ph. D.s per year.


text:
- Download the latest stable version from the releases / tags section
- Insert the JS onto the page
- Put the stylesheet where you would like
- Add an ID or class to the select(s) you would like to DropKick

If you're using jQuery:
- `$("#ID").dropkick( options );`

Pure JS:
- Call `new Dropkick( HTMLSelectELement, Options );` or `new Dropkick( "ID", Options );` in your script

## npm Install

You can install DropKick.js using npm:

`npm install dropkickjs --save-dev`

## Documentation

See [Dropkickjs.com](http://dropkickjs.com) for full docs.

## Browserstack Testing [![BrowserStack Status](https://www.browserstack.com/automate/badge.svg?badge_key=RnlldmErREpQM092WDc2Tzl5bEVGVFVFV1l4UFdYbWM4WWJadDV1dUNwTT0tLWdXWDBQSERtb0kxTGozVzBjZVBaRWc9PQ==--bd38dd39be257847e3c43c5064c1f01059d782b9%)](https://www.browserstack.com/automate/public-build/RnlldmErREpQM092WDc2Tzl5bEVGVFVFV1l4UFdYbWM4WWJadDV1dUNwTT0tLWdXWDBQSERtb0kxTGozVzBjZVBaRWc9PQ==--bd38dd39be257847e3c43c5064c1f01059d782b9%)

Cross browser testing is provided
by [BrowserStack](https://www.browserstack.com)! They have generously
provided automated testing for us.

## Building the docs

Run `yarn docs` and it will build the docs from source.

## WordPress Plugin
DropKick WordPress Plugin By [Mahfuzul Hasan](http://www.mahfuzulhasan.com/)

https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-dropkick/

Suggestions or Bugs?
====================

Search for bugs ruthlessly and call any vermin to our attention!

## Authors
[Wil Wilsman](http://wilwilsman.com) [@wilwilsman](http://twitter.com/wilwilsman)

[Robert DeLuca](http://robert-deluca.com) [@robdel12](http://twitter.com/robdel12)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Duterte's chosen successor abandons Philippines presidential race | Politics News
Senator Christopher Go, who had been given little chance of success, withdraws saying it is 'not yet my time'.
Philippine Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, the preferred successor to incumbent President Rodrigo Duterte, has announced his withdrawal from the race to be the country's next leader.
After days of speculation, Go said on Tuesday he was pulling out of the 2022 presidential campaign because it was "not yet my time".
Go, a close aide to the president, entered the contest for the country's highest office two days before the November 15 deadline, after previously registering for the vice presidential race.
His sudden exit narrows the field of candidates vying to replace Duterte, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a second six-year term. Duterte is running for the Senate instead with the country of 110 million also choosing governors, mayors and local officials in the May 2022 elections.
"My family doesn't want it either so I thought maybe this is not yet my time," Go told reporters, as he stressed his loyalty to Duterte.
Most analysts had given Go little chance of success in the election, although he was the most likely candidate to protect Duterte from criminal charges in the Philippines, and an International Criminal Court investigation into the so-called "drug war" that has left thousands dead.
"From the very start he has launched a lukewarm campaign and it's very obvious that he was just thrust into that job by President Duterte," said Jean Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines.
It is not clear who 76-year-old Duterte will now support.
"I and President Duterte are ready to support whoever will truly serve and can continue and protect Duterte's legacy towards a more comfortable and safe and prosperous life for our children," Go said in a short speech streamed on Facebook.
The current front runner is the son and namesake of former leader Ferdinand Marcos, according to a recent survey by respected polling outfit Social Weather Stations.
He is followed by the incumbent vice president and Duterte critic, Leni Robredo, celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso and boxing great Manny Pacquiao.
Duterte has been an ally of the controversial Marcos family, which had gone into exile in the United States after the patriarch's downfall in 1986.
But recently Duterte has been publicly critical of Marcos Jr, describing him as a "weak leader … saddled with baggage".
Sara Duterte, his daughter, had been widely expected to run for president.
But she has filed her candidacy for vice president, a position which holds very little power, and formed an alliance with Marcos Jr.
Go's exit from the "tight election race" could strengthen the "political force" of Marcos Jr and Sara, said Franco.
But she doubted that Duterte would endorse Marcos Jr for his job.
Palestinians decry Israeli plan for settlements near Jerusalem | Israel-Palestine conflict News
Dozens killed in clashes in Sudan's restive Darfur | News
Kazakh dissident Aron Atabek dies weeks after release from prison | News
Pakistan 'welcomes' second round of US-Taliban talks in Doha | Taliban News
Removing U.S.-China trade tariffs would ease inflation: Jacob Lew
For China, reining in real estate a high-stakes balancing act | Property


Personal Online Bill Payment allows our customers to pay their bills whenever they want conveniently, safely and efficiently without the bother of writing checks, addressing envelopes and purchasing stamps!
Save time by accessing online bill payment when it is convenient for you.
Save money on checks, stamps, and envelopes.
Pay one, or all of your bills online - you decide.
Confidently pay bills from one location using a safe and secure application.
Easily view transaction history and pending payments.
If you already have Personal Online Banking with us, login and click on the "Bill Payment" button and then continue to the registration link.
If you do not already have Personal Online Banking and would like to register, click the 'Register' link to the right under 'Personal Online Banking'.
To learn more about Personal Online Bill Payment, or if you have questions about its use, contact Davis Trust Company at (304) 636-0991 during regular business hours.


what do the prefixes stand for FS, FT, FS/FT, WTB and WTTB?
Anyone want to show off their 1996 Select Certified complete rainbow?
2018 Prizm Football Nice Hit!!!
2016 prestige blue chip recruits michael thomas "error"


Recently a landlord client with multiple motel properties wanted advice about liability for the repairs, maintenance and replacement of hot water cylinders in all of their properties.
The tenants were asserting the landlord was liable to replace all of the hot water cylinders which would have been a costly exercise. The lease was a bespoke form of lease, and as is often the case, it was not clear on the face of the lease which party was responsible for the hot water cylinders.
The starting point is always to review the lease – not just the maintenance provisions, but the contract as a whole because other provisions may be relevant to the question, for example, outgoings, building services, and insurance clauses. Who owns the item in question should also be considered as this may be determinative. It would be unusual for a landlord to be responsible for the repair and maintenance of the tenant's fixtures and fittings, but not vice versa.
Leases (whether the standard Auckland District Law Society form of the lease or bespoke leases) typically deal with specific items (for example glass, painting, and floor coverings) and have general 'catch-all' provisions, for example keeping and maintaining the interior of the premises in good order, repair and condition. Although general in nature, such clauses have limited application.
Who is responsible for the costs also should be determined. It is not always the party who is responsible for the repairs and maintenance. For example, the landlord may be responsible for the repair but entitled to recover the cost from the tenant as an outgoing or the proceeds of an insurance claim.
Another consideration is whether a replacement item also falls under the obligation to repair. The lease may specifically deal with this point and reviews of case law may also be required. By law, the commitment to repair includes replacing subsidiary parts of a whole. This obligation is different from renewal where reconstruction of substantially the whole is required – that goes beyond general repairs.
Other factors include whether the item is covered by a service maintenance contract and the implications of the legislation.
To complicate matters, tenants and landlord's alike are not obligated to cover specific items. So where does that leave the parties? This is what the Court of Appeal has referred to as a 'black hole' where neither party is liable (Avondale Hotel No.1 Limited v Peninsular Motel Hotel Limited and Portage Licencing Trust).
just because something made commercial sense did not mean it was implicit, primarily when the contract was detailed and had been the subject of extensive negotiation.
Practically this meant the tenant, who was managing the hotel, had to pay for the replacement of the relevant items to continue operating.
For our client, a detailed review of the lease meant we were able to determine the tenants were, in fact, responsible for replacing the hot water cylinders at their cost. This solution resolved a dispute which had been ongoing for some time and meant the parties could arrange the necessary replacements with certainty about responsibility.
Every situation is different and turns on the particular circumstances and the provisions of the lease. The relevant provisions are often not all in the same place. For the ADLS lease (sixth edition) below is a flow diagram outlining the inquiry that should be made to assist with the resolution of the question "Who is responsible for repairs and maintenance." (This is a guide only).
The answer to what appears to be a straightforward question (who is responsible for the repairs and maintenance) may not be so simple. Our property lawyers are leasing experts who regularly advise on these types of issues. If your landlord or tenant is asserting that you are responsible for doing something or paying for something and you're not sure, get in touch with us, and we will be able to advise you. Call our property experts Richard Caughley on04 495 8903 or Erica Tromp on (04) 495 8904, to discuss your options.
Richard is a property law expert who is responsive and can assist you to efficiently achieve your goals while minimising the risk. He is head of Morrison Kent's property law team and advises on all areas of property law.


A beautiful terrestrial philodendron excellent for the home landscape or large patio container. This philodendron has no stem or vine and actually grows underground while sending up rigid glossy foliage. A truly unusual landscape plant.
Davidsonii – A beautiful terrestrial philodendron excellent for the home landscape or large patio container. This philodendron has no stem or vine and actually grows underground while sending up rigid glossy foliage. A truly unusual landscape plant. This is a terrestrial variety that actually grows underground, while sending up an array of beautiful folliage making this Philodendron increadibly easy to maintain. Davidsonii makes an excellent container plant as well as a leafy landscape plant for the tropical garden. These are very healthy tropical plants with well established root system.
The plants shipping now may vary in size, form and color from the images above. Please remember that no two plants are alike. The growth rate and leaf color of Davidsonii will vary greatly depending on soil type, sunlight, temperature and other factors. A few leaves are often trimmed prior to shipping to reduce transpiration and travel stress.
Davidsonii are very easy to grow tropical plants that require little care indoors or out. Like other aroids, many species of Philodendron can be grown as houseplants, or outdoors in mild climates. They thrive in moist soils with high organic matter and grow best when provided with filtered sunlight. Philodendron plants can be grown in containers or outdoors as a remarkable landscape plant. Indoors plants thrive at temperatures between 55°- 80°F and in lower light conditions than other house plants. In the ground philodendrons get big and are often unrecognizable from their potted juvenile state. They add a wonderfully tropical accent to any well-lit space or cascading from your favorite planter. In very cold zones a containerized Philodendron can be brought inside for the winter months. Be sure to avoid frost and freezing temperatures.
Davidsonii Philodendrons enjoy well drained but moist, rich organic mix. Remember try to stay away from wet, mucky or dry, sandy soils.
To help establish your new Davidsonii Philodendron, fertilize sparingly at least 6 inches away from the base, tri-annually with a slow time released product. Unfertilized they will tend to grow very slowly. Note: The heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers will damage the roots and possibly kill the plant.
Best outdoors if grown in zone 9b-11, find your zone here. This Philodendron requires 70-85% sunlight. Depending on your location filtered sun is best. In the northern end of their grow zone Davidsonii plants should be brought indoors or protected during the winter months. The patio zone is 4b-11 which means the potted plant will flourish over the summer months in colder zones but must be brought inside before frost.
All Davidsonii Philodendron Plants for sale will vary in size. In the spring, plants are often smaller than plants shipped in the fall. Plants designated with a sku ending in -4, -6 or -8 will arrive in a standard 4 inch, 6 inch or 8 inch round growers pot respectively. Our new, reusable, recyclable deep pots are 8 inches deep and 3×3 inches in width. Products growing in these pots are easy to transplant and allow for deeper roots and faster growth, they are designated with a sku ending in -t3, most of these often come with a wood totem. (Note: The item sku number can be found just below the buy button.) The color and style of these pots may vary. If we are out of a particular size item, we may ship a larger size at no additional charge. For more information, click the "best packaging" link at the bottom of this page.
Note: Before leaving, Davidsonii Philodendron plants are inspected, watered, and pruned. Larger plants, generally those that ship in 8″ pots or with totems, will be topped to 36″ or 48″ overall, depending on the variety, if necessary to facilitate shipping. Your new plants' pot is then bagged to ensure that the soil stays in the pot and not loose in the box. Plants are tissue or kraft paper wrapped and secured in place with natural biodegradable peanuts. Buy your Davidsonii online now while they are in stock.


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Pacific NATO: Will South Korea Turn the Quad into a "Quint"?
Richard Javad Heydarian, Professorial Chairholder in Geopolitics, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
South Korea has become a dynamic economic force in the 21st century - and as a neighbor of China that hosts multiple U.S. army bases, has grown increasingly important as a potential player in the Quad's designs for a security encirclement of China.
NATOGeopoliticsRegional SecurityChina-South Korea RelationsSouth KoreaQuadQuadrilateral Security Dialogue
Falling Short in the Middle East
Wang Zhen, Research Professor, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences
President Joe Biden's trip didn't measure up to expectations. That's because America's hegemony in the region is not what it used to be. If the Biden administration had recognized this early, U.S. diplomacy would have been more rewarding.
U.S.-Middle East RelationsU.S. Foreign PolicyGeopoliticsSaudi Arabia
Biden Seeks Reset in Middle East
Yang Wenjing, Research Professor, Institute of American Studies, CICIR
Locked in a mindset of great power competition, the U.S. president has been trying to find a new balance. Decades of military involvement in the region not only cost the U.S. dearly but also provoked a sort of psychological fatigue.
U.S.-Middle East RelationsGeopoliticsU.S. Foreign PolicyAmerica FirstSaudi Arabia
Biden's Middle East Trip: Mediocre, Embarrassing
Li Shaoxian, President, China Institute for The Study of Arabian Countries, Ningxia University
U.S. President Joe Biden's recent trip to the Middle East was disappointing at best against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine. The Biden administration's attempt to promote allegiance against Russia and promote oil production has ultimately fallen flat.
U.S. Foreign PolicyU.S.-Middle East RelationsBidenOPECGeopolitics
A Stalemate in Ukraine is a Defeat for America
John Gong, Professor at University of International Business and Economics and China Forum Expert
When President Lyndon B. Johnson sent two battalions of U.S. Marines ashore the beaches at Danang in Vietnam on March 8, 1965, he probably had never imagined that America's subsequent gradual military escalation would reach the height of over half a million troops, suffering more than 58,000 casualties, and eventually resulting in a totally disgraceful withdrawal after 8 years of brutal but futile fighting to shore up the Saigon regime
Ukraine CrisisChina-U.S.-Russia RelationsNATORegional SecurityU.S. Foreign PolicyGeopolitics
The Chimera of Chinese Help on North Korea: Beijing is Unlikely to Aid its Geopolitical Foes
Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute
The U.S. and South Korea continue to look for ways to address the challenges with North Korea, while hoping for the involvement of China. Yet, China is unlikely to get involved unless its interests are also met in the process.
North KoreaGeopoliticsChina-U.S.-North Korea RelationsSouth KoreaKorean PeninsulaChina-South Korea Relations
Politics of Peace in the Asia-Pacific
Xiao Bin, Deputy Secretary-general , Center of SCO Studies
The abusive use of alliances in the region will only hurt. Judging from history and current reality, peace will not flower with a China of 1.4 billion people trapped in stagnation, nor will it help to foster hostile interactions with its neighbors.
Asia-PacificCold WarUkraine CrisisRegional SecurityAUKUSGeopolitics
Unwarranted Geopolitics Toward China and the Developing World is Undermining the Global Economy
Dan Steinbock, Founder, Difference Group
Globalization is at a crossroads. Compounded by U.S. geopolitics and the cost of economic development, de-globalization has huge economic and human damages.
GeopoliticsGeoeconomicsGlobal EconomyGlobalization
Marine Protected Areas in the High Seas: A Multilateral Resolution and Unilateral Quandary for Blue Carbon Conservation
Matt Geraci, Research Associate, Institute for China-America Studies (ICAS); Manager, ICAS Maritime Affairs Program
Marine protected areas are crucial for conserving blue carbon resources in coastal and deep-sea ecosystems, and these conservation efforts can play a crucial role in reaching multilateral treaties and mitigating conflict in areas such as the South China Sea.
South China SeaEnergy SecurityGeoeconomicsGeopolitics
Crossing the Rubicon of International Order
Da Wei, Director of the Center for International Strategy and Security and Professor at Tsinghua University
Up till now, the fighting has been going on for over 100 days, with the two warring sides still in an offensive and defensive stalemate. Questions about this ongoing crisis can be listed in a long line, most of which no one can answer at this time. Yet among all the uncertainties, one thing is certain: what the Russian troops crossed on February 24 was not simply the land border between Russia and Ukraine, but rather more symbolically, the River Rubicon of the post-cold war international order.
International OrderWorld OrderGlobal GovernanceGeopoliticsMajor Power RelationsCold WarUkraine CrisisRussia SanctionsU.S.-Russia RelationsNATORegional SecurityReport on Russia-Ukraine Crisis
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GWAR To Perform On 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon'
GWAR will be the musical guest on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" on Thursday, October 27. The show airs on NBC at 12:30 ET/PT and 11:30 CT.
"We are overjoyed that Jimmy had the good sense to invite us back as we had planned to return anyway," stated GWAR lead singer Oderus Urungus. "Now Fallon can do the show with his head still attached to his body."
After successfully decimating Europe this summer with multiple festival appearances and headlining shows, your lords and masters the almighty GWAR have awoken from their arctic slumber to once again create utter devastation in North America this fall. The tour kicks off October 18 at in Charlotte, North Carolina and will wrap on November 27 in New Haven, Connecticut. Providing direct support on the tour will be Buffalo, New York's EVERY TIME I DIE. GHOUL will open the first half of the tour and WARBEAST will be opening the second half.
Bassist Casey Orr (a.k.a. Beefcake The Mighty) recently announced his departure from GWAR. He explained in a statement that he could "simply . . . no longer devote the time and effort required to maintain my position within the group. I have so many projects going on now in Texas, including a new RIGOR MORTIS record in the works, that it just wouldn't be fair to everyone involved for me to stay and not be able to give 100%." He has since been replaced by THE BURIAL guitarist Jamison Land.
Video footage of GWAR's performance at this year's edition of Copenhell festival in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 18, 2011 can be seen below.
Metal Blade Records recently released the vinyl versions of GWAR's "Lust and Space" and "Bloody Pit of Horror" albums.
GWAR's new album, "Bloody Pit Of Horror", sold around 2,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The band's previous CD, "Lust In Space", opened with 5,000 units to debut at position No. 96 on The Billboard 200 chart.


One of my high school teachers loved to say (re: stats) that you could make 'em say anything you wanted. I think you'd have to be the king of spin to get much positive out of the numbers on the link above.
The only stat I saw that was remotely uplifting: Bike/car production ratio.
I guess there's some hope.
On the lighter side, just finished lacing my second 100mm wide wheel for the new Moots. Snowfall/road conditions dependent, I hope to pick up the frame/fork and 'old' 100mm wheel in Steamboat sometime tomorrow. With a bit of luck I'll be riding it this weekend.
The world clock is disturbing.
Data only for the last 340 years. Pragmatic, of course, but potentially misleading. % of diseased v. gross population, etc.
you are having a first time romantic encounter with the new frame in Steamboat.
madre and I celebrated our 9 year anniv 2 days ago...our honeymoon began 9 years ago in...wait for it...Steamboat, CO.
if our marriage is any indication of your new relationship, then things should go swimmingly for you.
Nice write up in VeloNews.


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text:
BOTANIC MIND
The Mind Botanist
Botanic Mind Garden
Sow a question
»Art Grows Crazy« by D.B.
Tag: Hälfte des Lebens
(»Pallaksch. Pallaksch.«)
Posted on 16. September 2018 9. March 2022 by Botanic Mind
What makes a poet fall silent? Too high ideals and disappointed hopes? Existing power relations and lack of freedom? What makes a poet rebel and become creative, what ultimately silences him? A lost love, a prison cell or the oppression by a performance-oriented society that forces one into a tedious bread-and-butter job? The alienation from (one's essential) nature? It is a fine line on which artists balance. Today as in Hölderlin's time. Pain gives birth to something new, but it can also kill. To be struck by Apollo* (von "Apollo geschlagen") can mean a great, ecstatic inspiration, but also a spiritual visitation. The direct path to madness? How can an artist, a human being, endure the inner and outer tensions without being torn apart? When does one start to become another in order to protect oneself? Is it worth it to be oneself – without any compromise and with all the consequences? The artist identity is fragile "und wozu Dichter in dürftiger Zeit."
*Apollo(n): the roman/greek god of poetry and divination
BOTANIC MIND FERTILIZERS:
The works and thoughts of Friedrich Hölderlin (20 March 1770 – 7 June 1843). Hölderlin was a German poet and philosopher. The poetry of Hölderlin, widely recognized today as one of the highest points of German literature, was little known or understood during his lifetime, and slipped into obscurity shortly after his death. Hölderlin had high hopes, but was disappointed by society and politics, struggled to establish himself as a poet, and also lost the love of his life Susette Gontard. He was plagued by mental illness, and sent to a clinic in 1805 but deemed incurable and instead given lodging by a carpenter, Ernst Zimmer. He spent the final 36 years of his life in Zimmer's residence in Tübingen what is today known as the "Hölderlin Tower". Hölderlin's major publication in his lifetime was his novel Hyperion, which was issued in two volumes (1797 and 1799). In the great poems of his maturity, Hölderlin would generally adopt a large-scale, expansive and unrhymed style. Together with these long hymns, odes and elegies – which included "Der Archipelagus" ("The Archipelago"), "Brod und Wein" ("Bread and Wine") and "Patmos" – he also cultivated a crisper, more concise manner in epigrams and couplets, and in short poems like the famous "Hälfte des Lebens" ("The Middle of Life"). His shorter and sometimes more fragmentary poems have exerted wide influence too on later German poets, from Georg Trakl onwards. He also had an influence on the poetry of Hermann Hesse and Paul Celan. Celan wrote a poem about Hölderlin, called "Tübingen, Jänner" ("Tübingen, January") which ends with the word Pallaksch — according to Schwab, Hölderlin's favourite neologism "which sometimes meant Yes, sometimes No".
Europe: The European Union, the European Culture and the European Thought.
Write down your mind!
Tagged Art, Borders, Botanic Mind, Collage, Creativity, Design, Eccentric, Europe, Friedrich Hölderlin, Hälfte des Lebens, Illustration, Melancholy, Mind, Paul Celan, Poetry, Poets, Tübingen JännerLeave a comment


text:
6-Hour Prince Tribute
Posted on April 21, 2016 by WRTC
There was a special, six-hour tribute to Prince on April 22 as Devo remembered the life and music of the acclaimed artist who passed away at the age of 57 on April 21.
Go here for Hour 1, Hour 2, Hour 3, Hour 4, Hour 5 and Hour 6.
In the late 1970s, Prince embarked on what would one day become an iconic, innovative career, as he blended funk, rock and glam with no shortage of erotica — especially during his live performances. Early on, he released a handful of critically well-received albums, but didn't gain a Top 10 placement until 1982 when his 1999 went to No. 9.
By 1994, thanks to his top-charting Purple Rain — which was boosted by a pair of No. 1 singles, "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy" — Prince became an international star. Two other tracks from that release, "Raspberry Beret" and "Purple Rain" would go to No. 2.
In February, he opened his "Piano & A Microphone Tour" — a completely scaled down approach to live performance where he eschewed a band, opting to go solo on piano, playing two shows a night, each averaging around 25 tracks covering his entire career with no shortage of interesting cover songs added to the sets which usually changed with show. He played a handful of North American dates in February before making appearances in Australia and New Zealand.
He played what would ultimately was his final show on April 7 at The Fox Theatre in Atlanta. Only hours later, the charter he was on made an unscheduled landing in Moline, Ill., where he was treated in an emergency room for what was initially reported to be suffering from effects of the flu. Prince, according to later reports, left the hospital less than an hour after receiving treatment for an alleged drug overdose, despite his representatives claiming the stop was flu-related.
His death remains under investigation.
Prince released nearly 40 albums and 100-plus singles in his career.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Prince by WRTC. Bookmark the permalink.


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text:
Chapter 3-196: VOLUME 3: CHAPTER 196 – THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS WANTS BLOOD
VOLUME 3: CHAPTER 196 – THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS WANTS BLOOD (1/3)
Within the headquarters of the Kushain believers, the holy city, Cultidian, within the room of the patriarch, was the saint, Mira, who watched over the meeting with a peaceful expression . In her mind, she thought of how to deal with the army of Elrain Kingdom that failed to learn its lesson, as reports say that they have once again mobilized their troops . This time numbering 15,000 soldiers strong .
That was not enough to wipe out Cultidian, but more than enough if they only sought to surround them . Moreover, with news of her spies being successfully hunted, Mira's mood quickly worsened .
They were in a tight spot . The Kingdom of Germion to the north continued to squirm about, while the goblins to the west still haven't been subjugated . The goblins were watching them, waiting for an opening . No matter which direction she faced, there were enemies everywhere .
Mira wasn't sure if it was possible to hole up within the castle for a long period of time, but wise as she was, she already knew the answer .
Unfortunately, it was not something she could accept, for such a conclusion would not only be humiliating but an act of profanity toward those who believed in her .
Who could happily accept that their country was weaker than others?
The army from Elrain Kingdom brought siege weapons with them, and they showed them off as if to say that they intended to conquer Cultidian . Of course, Mira wasn't sure if they truly intended to do so .
The Red King has been building a nest within Elrain Kingdom, and their spies within have proven themselves more than capable . Mira's people have already exhausted every option, and yet they still failed to discern the unwavering Red King's internal affairs .
Based on the recent battle, they might not have been aiming for Cultidian but the borderlands instead . Unfortunately, Mira had no evidence to support that hypothesis .
Suspicions and speculations are an endless hole . so she refrained from giving an answer and did not say anything .
The influential people of the Kushain believers continued to argue vehemently among themselves . Mira's eyes began to grow dark .
These people argued whether to fight Elrain Kingdom or not . If they did decide to fight, then they would need to decide whether to hold up within the castle or to go out and fight in the fields . If they chose not to, then they would need to find out if there was any room for compromise .
There were two factions to this debate . On one hand, there is the group that simply did not want to make a loss and was trying to end this issue as peacefully as possible, while the other was trying to use this opportunity to increase their influence .
The former faction was made of up cardinals and bishops while the latter faction was from the army . Of course, there were also exceptions . For example, the cardinals who also have strong ties with the army were a part of the latter faction .
With no end in sight, Mira decided to take a break for the meantime .
She had both the support of the people and the army behind her, as well as her identity as both the patriarch and the saint . Such a maiden entered her bedroom to rest only to take her pillow and slam it as hard as she could against her bed .
"Damn wastrels! This isn't the time for this!"
A knock sounded from outside her room, then a voice sought permission to enter . It was none other than Vilan Do Zul's .
Mira responded with the voice of a lady and granted him permission to enter .
When Vilan entered, he immediately noticed the pillow thrown casually on top of the bed . He felt like sighing .
Mira could sense his feelings, but she told him to close the door, then she let herself fall on the bed .
"I'm done . I can't do it anymore… Maybe it would be best if I ordered those senile old men to be lined up and impaled in public . "
"Milady, I'm not sure where you picked that up, but you really need to mind your words more…"
"I picked it up from the war princess of the Holy Shushunu Kingdom . Isn't she wonderful? I would love to be able to call her elder sister . "
"That would surely trouble her, so please don't . "
"…Strict, aren't you, Vil?"
"I have my lord to thank for that . "
Hmph, Mira sneered as she stood up and walked toward Vilan, who refused to move away from the door .
As Mira's footsteps resounded, something cold slid down Vilan's back . When Mira was right in front of him, his eyes were swimming .
He wasn't good with women, so he was desperately trying to restrain himself .
"…Hey, Vil . Do you think you can win?" Mira asked with a quiet voice .
When Vilan heard that, he forgot his own propensity and answered her as gently as he could . That was the most he could do for someone like him who wasn't skilled in this sort of stuff .
"I will do my best . "
"My father told you something, didn't he?"
"…His majesty is always worrying over you, so he just mentioned that you should go home if you're tired…"
"Fool," Mira said as she cast her eyes downward .
Vilan couldn't meet her eyes, so he just remained standing at attention .
"…Tens of thousands could die with a single word from me . You know that, don't you? And yet… How unsightly . "
Her hands shook as she balled them into a fist .
"Milady, you are a gentle girl . That gentleness is enough to save the believers . Please just do what you believe is right . "
"Will you follow me even if I tell you to slaughter wantonly?"
"…You are my one and only master . I give you all my loyalty . If you give an order, then I shall carry it out . "
"Thank you… Just a little… Let me be weak, alright?"
Mira leaned on Vilan's chest, and for a while, their breathing resonated . After a short while, she abandoned all frail thoughts and gallantly left the room .
"Vilan Do Zul, I hereby order you . With the power vested unto me, take your soldiers and secure the room of the pope . "
"…As you will!"
On that day, a small internal conflict arose within Cultidian . When some 4 bishops and cardinals refused to submit to the order of the pope, their properties were forfeited and their families were all executed . The influential people within the Kushain believers quivered as they looked up in fear at the smiling saint, who sat atop the highest seat .
On that day, the maiden known as a saint also came to be known as the Bloody Queen . It could be said that it was on this very moment that the Bloody Queen was born .
The remains of the three cardinals laid before the quivering influential people as the Bloody Queen approached them .
Then she spoke .
"Send a messenger to the monsters in the border lands at once . We shall ally with them . "
"Preposterous!" A pious bishop of the Kushain believers stood up flurried . "They killed the late patriarch!"
"Then allow me to ask you this . Are we able to have an equal alliance with Elrain Kingdom, Germion Kingdom, or Pena?" Mira asked .
With all the different players striving for supremacy, if the Kushain believers were to survive through this, then they would have to cross a dangerous bridge .
The holy wars have strained the relationship of the Kushain believers with Elrain Kingdom and Pena . As for Germion Kingdom, they have been at war with each other for decades, so their hatred runs deep .
Regardless which of country it was, unless there was a very good reason, an alliance was simply impossible .
As such, that left only the goblins in the border lands . Although they killed their patriarch, the Kushain believers themselves have yet to do anything to them .
So long as they could get past the patriarch's death, they could surely form an alliance .
But what concerned Mira the most was how impartial the current goverment of the goblins was .
If the border lords were simply using the goblins, then that would leave her an opportunity . Mira believed that there was nothing they could do that she herself couldn't . But in the unlikely event that the goblins themselves are responsible for their current government, then those goblins would no longer be the goblins she knew, and she would have to acknowledge them as something completely different .
"We shouldn't need to in the first place! Our armies are protected by god! We can't lose!" The bishop said .
Noise resounded in the backdrop as Mira pondered to herself .
When she heard what that unpleasant voice said, her face almost twitched, but somehow, she managed to keep up her smile as she muttered, "…It was under that very reasoning that Mr . Benem died and caused much suffering to the people . "
"You can't hide behind the people for—" The pious bishop replied, but Mira raised her hand, and in the net moment, Vilan, donned in armor, led his men and suppressed the bishop .
Vilan turned to Mira for confirmation, and she nodded .
"Kill him," Vilan said .
And just like that, the soldiers added the fourth corpse .
"H-Have you lost your mind!?" A general said, but Mira only turned to him with a calm gaze .
"Unfortunately, I am not so sweet as to allow madness to take me . Let me ask you, general . Have you heard of any among our people who might match a holy knight in battle?"
"T-That's…"
"Or a person who could match the clan leader of the Red Clan, who with only 2,000 soldiers, brought down our Fatina?"
Silently, the general turned to Vilan .
"…Your grace, surely you already know . Vilan Do Zul is the greatest warrior among our people," the general said shamefully, causing Mira to smile .
"I love honest people, general . Very well, Vilan . I ask you then . Can you match a holy knight or the Red King?" Mira asked .
"Unfortunately, my current strength cannot reach either," Vilan replied .
"But that doesn't mean these people should die!" The general argued .
"Silence, fool!" The ever quiet Vilan reprimanded .
It was such a rare sight to see him loudly rebuke someone that everyone in the area looked at him in wonderment .
"When Elrain Kingdom attacked, have you forgotten who it was that saved your life!?"
Vilan took out some documents from his chest and threw them over the corpses .
"Even dogs know better than these ungrateful mutts who dared plot against her grace!" Vilan declared .
The generals fearfully gathered the documents Vilan threw, and when they saw the bloodied contents, they saw that the men had pledged to overthrow the goverment . The name of the 4 men that have been killed was undoubtedly written .
"Have they really?" The general asked in disbelief .
When Mira nodded, he could only mutter, "I can't believe it…"
The other influential people and soldiers in the area nodded .
"Now is not the time to be clinging to pride . Just this once, let us endure the shame and use the power of the monsters . For the sake of the people, obey me . "
Just a while ago, Mira's words were cold and grim, but now, they were warm and gentle .
With the 'truth' of the slain people's collusion disclosed, the fear of Vilan's sword, and Mira's smile, the people were completely ensnared .
Half a day later, a lone horseman quickly rode for the borderlands .
The merchant country, Pena, had a House of Elders under the queen . It was made up of old-timers that have spread their roots throughout the land, merchants who have amassed a fortune, and warriors who have vanquished monsters . Although it looked different, this was none other than the organization that regulated the profits of the influential people in Pena .
It was to that very organization that a proposal had been brought .
The marriage of Raksha El Pena and Brandika Rual Fatina .
Queen Rashka was turning 19 this year, while archduke Brandika was an honorable and brave man . Their union would essentially be a tug of war . One with Pena trying to absorb the Red King into them, while the Red King tried to suppress them .
"Nothing good would come out of getting involved with the Red King! Just look at the royal family of Elrain Kingdom!"
The one who said that was Allen, a childhood friend to the queen and a vice-commander to the Order of the Blue Knights . He was against their marriage .
His words weren't false, for Elrain Kingdom was at the brink of defeat when they hired the Red King to fight for them . Unfortunately, the price of that was that their supposed King Yuguno was now currently being treated as nothing more than decoration . Their survival was guaranteed, but in exchange, King Yuguno now no longer meddled in politics .
"Perhaps, but the threat from the north is approaching . Already the goblins are 4,000 strong, and the Kushain believers are 5 times their numbers . Do you have any hopes of winning? What with that half destroyed Order of the Blue Knights of yours?"
Allen's fervent speech was only met with a cold gaze from an elder .
"That's why we should quickly rebuild the knight order! We still have the holy sword! It's too early to be pessimistic!"
One of the people from the queen's faction spoke, but the argument that came shooting back was equally cruel .
"But Aizas, its master, has died . It will take a year before the holy sword finds another master . Unfortunately, that is simply too long . Why did the knight-commander have to die?"
As that grave voice resounded, criticism turned to Allen .
"We shall form an equal alliance with the Red King and accept them into our lands, regardless if the weakened Elrain Kingdom, Kushain Believers, or the goblins be their prey…"
"I can't change it . It's obvious . "
Allen clicked his tongue internally . Just the thought of how these people could have possible struck a deal with the Red King and were currently trying to make this marriage succeed made him feel like dung had been rubbed all over him . If he could, he would really want to cut these people down right here and now .
Take care of the princess…
Aizas' last words were what brought Allen's raging heart back to a calm .
But he knew full well that he couldn't fulfill them .
It would be hard to maintain this country without the support of the council . It was impossible to keep a country running on feelings alone .
That's why Allen tried to speak reason into them once more . Again, he stood up in this battlefield without a sword .
"You overestimate the Red King! They have already lost to the goblins! Rather than relying on some mercs, it would be better for us to rebuild the Order of the Blue Knights!"
The reason the council wasn't keen on rebuilding the Order of the Blue Knights was one – it would increase Allen and his people's influence, and two – raising the sand horses cost a lot of money .
Sand horses were amazing monster beasts that could move quickly through the desert for a long time, but they had one problem . They could only eat living monster beasts .
Catching monster beasts were in and of itself a problem . Not to mention, finding such prey within the desert .
From the perspective of the council, Allen and his order lost a bunch of valuable gifts that the council had given him . Of course, these sand horses were indeed powerful weapons .
Truth be told, when the Order of the Blue Knights were in good condition, their might was something that earned them much envy . But after one battle, they were left half destroyed . The desert bandits thus took this to mean that their might had fallen and have once again made an appearance . Dealing with them would once again cost money . Which is why the young Allen was currently rebelling like this .
From the perspective of these people that have left their name in the council, this wasn't an interesting situation .
The late Aizas was much better than Allen . He was someone who understood his opponents well and understood the politics of this country . Although he had few zealous supporters, that was also what made him ideal as a companion to the queen .
But then he died, and the one to succeed him was a young zealous warrior who has lived his life without having anything to do with politics .
But advantages and disadvantages were two sides of the same coin . While the zealous Allen might not have been suited for politics, he was unyielding when it came to his own beliefs .
The way he thought of his own country single-mindedly attracted a lot of zealous supporters around him, most of which revolved around the young who found the elders disagreeable .
This was also not amusing to the council, but Allen had no way of understanding this .
Pena's misfortune was that it had no one who could calm the young army in times of need, while also mending the relationship between the elders and the warriors .
With only Queen Raksha able to stop Allen, the elders found the situation dangerous .
If they were to allow the Order of the Blue Knights to be rebuilt, all of their possessions would be gradually used up for the sake of the country . That was how dangerous they saw this situation as .
In the end, the meeting for that day closed without any conclusion .
Allen felt that if only Aizas were alive, the elders would have surely understood .


A few weeks ago we hosted one of the first weekend virtual reality (vr) jam in New York. Over two hundred amateur vr enthusiasts attended both locally in New York and remotely online using Itch.io. For most of the attendees this was the first time they had been exposed to Unity, Unreal Engine, VR headsets (Oculus Rift, Vive, Gear VR) and the hackathon/game jam scene.
Over the course of the weekend there were thirty vr experiences created. Thirty! Three of the games sourced their game models from Sketchfab using the proper cc licensing of course. I'm so proud of everyone because they exceeded my expectations and have reinforced the point that anyone can create content if you put your mind to it.


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