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Black Mormons and Friends in Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina, Part III
By StanFebruary 25, 2016
This is the third and final post in a series chronicling the experiences of the The Friends of Latter-day Saints of African Descent support group in Chapel Hill and Durham, North Carolina. Part one and part two can be read here and here.
Friends of Latter-day Saints of African Descent, August 2011.
Another purpose of the Friends meetings is to provide instruction. Most black members in the Durham Stake tend to be converts to the Church, many of them having converted fairly recently. Every month a theme is chosen and one person appointed to direct the conversation or to provide a lesson. Themes include "outreach," "fellowship," "true v. false doctrine," or "being a black Mormon today."[1] In September 2011 Brother Isaiah Cummings taught a lesson titled "Blacks in the Bible." Brother Cummings has apparently written a book on this subject but has been unable to find a publisher. I was not present at this meeting but Christina shared with me a copy of his lesson outline and it is also posted at the group's Facebook page. In that lesson he taught that "When you begin to look at 'Biblical History," it is important to realize that the world had two (2) beginnings: The World 'before' the Flood and the World "after" the Flood. Hence, the Black Race had two sets of Parents: 1) Cain and his wife and 2) Ham and his wife Egyptus." The lineage Brother Cummings constructs to illustrate the history of Blacks in the Bible is supported by scriptural references to the Bible and the Book of Abraham in the Mormon book of scripture, the Pearl of Great Price.
I must confess to being a little surprised by the content of Brother Cummings lesson. A conception that revisionist Mormons have often tried to work against is the popular idea, among many Mormons and Protestants, that a black skin was the result of a divine curse for disobedience, either in the figure of Cain or Ham or Ham's son Canaan. Biblical exegetes and religious scholars have pointed out that this is never clearly stated in the Bible and is the result of long Christian tradition–a tradition that has often been used as a justification for slavery and other pernicious practices.[2] I was somewhat surprised, then, to find a straightforward acceptance and promotion of the identities of Cain, Ham, and Cannan as members of the "Black Race" in a lesson taught by a black Latter-day Saint in one of the Friends meetings.[3] But it is interesting here that these identifications of Cain, Ham, Egyptus, and "The 1st Pharaoh of Egypt (Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 1:24-25)" are being identified as Black not so much to justify or explain priesthood restriction–though that may be an accepted part of the narrative–but to claim a place in biblical history. Thus the same narratives that have typically been utilized for purposes of exclusion can be taken up by those they were meant to exclude for purposes of inclusion: in this case, for inclusion in the biblical narrative. Thus, while the cursed figure of Ham (or of Cain) has often functioned as what one scholar has called "a vehicle for Black-hatred,"[4] as Isaiah Cummings has shown us, Ham can also be a biblical Patriarch–a figure of veneration, or at least one that black Christians can recognize as one of their own, laying claim to a black biblical heritage.
But if Brother Cummings's lesson evidences a different purpose for deploying the curse of Cain/Curse of Ham narrative, it still affirms that reading of the historical record that sees the mark placed upon Ham or Cain as a skin of blackness, putting Cummings in line with much of what might be referred to as a more conservative and traditional Mormon hermeneutical tradition. It would appear, then, if his lesson is taken as representative, that, somewhat counter to my expectations, the purpose of the Friends meetings has not been so much to offer a revisionist view of the Mormon past so much as to provide support to black members who may feel lonely, self-conscious, or isolated among so many white members and so few black members. The African American cultural celebration is likewise not aimed so much at historical revisionism, in the sense described above, so much as to promote cultural exchange and exposure in terms of gospel singing and breaking bread together.
There is, however, an important sense in which both the group and the celebration try to promote historical revisionism, and that is by asserting a history and heritage of black Mormon pioneers. The second part of Brother Cummings' lesson was titled "Blacks in the Church after the Restoration by Joseph Smith," and it focused on asserting the presence of several Black pioneer Latter-day Saints in the history of the early church Restoration: Elijah Abel, Green Flake, Jane Manning, Samuel Chambers, John Brown–names that have not typically appeared in the grand narrative of Mormon history. By asserting them here, as "Black Pioneers," Cummings is claiming a place, recovering a place–a past that Black Mormons can call their own. "The presentation by Isaiah was well received and quite informative," the minutes of the meeting explain. "Perhaps what was most eye-opening was the number of 'pioneer Blacks' who joined the Church soon after the Church was organized in 1830 showing that Blacks had always been members of the Church despite not being able to hold the Priesthood."[5]
To Christina, this historical narrative of black pioneers, of black church members who were present at and contributed to the major events in Mormon history, is a vital element in her sense of inclusion and belonging in the church. The names of black Mormon pioneers have become iconic to her, connecting all the dots of the Mormon saga. "I mean, Elijah Abel; he was right there with Joseph Smith," she told me. "You know, he helped build the Nauvoo Temple and everything. And you got Jane Manning James–she took and helped out the Relief Society and stuff. She paid her tithes. And she walked 800 miles to get to Nauvoo; [and] you've got Green Flake, wild name [laughs], but he helped Brigham Young when they moved, he helped them bring the Saints to Utah. He made numerous trips back and forth. You know, you've got a lot of people, a lot of black pioneers that were right there."[6]
This narrative of black pioneers is informed by three books Christina read which were gifted her by other church members. The books are part of a series, titled Standing on the Promises, co-authored by Margaret Blair Young, an English professor at Brigham Young University, and former Genesis Group president Darius Gray. The series begins with the stories of Elijah Abel and Jane Manning James, some of the earliest black Mormon converts–and important players in the priesthood controversy–and culminates in the organization of the Genesis Group, the announcement of the priesthood revelation, and the beginnings of temple work for deceased black pioneers.[7]
These figures have not generally been a part of the grand narrative of Mormon church history. In general, Young and Gray's narrative can be read largely as an effort to attach the names and faces of black Latter-day Saints to the grand narrative–with events like the organization of the Genesis Group and the priesthood revelation taking a much more prominent position as the culminating events in the narrative of black Mormon history. It is not a story that is generally presented to new members in their missionary lessons. Christina did not know anything of this story when she was baptized and became a member of the church. When I first joined the church, "it was just the stereotypical thing: people say, there are no black Mormons [laughs]. But, you know, there have been black Mormon since day one, really." This is a story and a heritage Christina tries to share with other black Latter-day Saints. "These are some of the black pioneers that I offer for some of the people in our group to read. Cause there's three beautiful books by Darius McCrey [sic] of our church. They are beautifully written about our black pioneers." Christina notes that "new converts are happy to note that, yes! there was blacks all along." "This is new information," she exclaims. Becoming aware of these stories and sharing them with others, Christina explains, "opens up a lot of eyes."[8]
Opening eyes is one of Christina Stitt's main goals with the Friends meetings and the African American cultural celebration–for black and white Latter-day Saints alike. "As long as you're willing to open up your mind, and your heart and your eyes, you'll learn. "That's part of why we started the African American program." Accordingly, Christina and other Friends members can get frustrated when (white) church leaders are invited and fail to attend. Brother Lee Cook noted that, even though stake leaders have been supportive in allowing the group to use church facilities, they have not yet been able to get any ward bishopric members or stake leaders to attend any of their meetings. One member mentioned that, even though the Friends meeting is on the bulletin every month, the bishopric will not announce it from the pulpit. Lee Cook explained that "we are not an official church group," implying that it is a matter of policy.[9] That explanation did not satisfy Sister Stitt. "Uhmm, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts?" implying that other groups meeting outside of general church meetings get announced, then why not Friends meetings?[10]
But Christina is very positive about what they have been able to accomplish. "They should write us up in the Ensign," Christina told me as I interviewed her about the African American cultural celebration. "Nobody anywhere has done this. I mean, we broke ground." [11] Christina is well aware of the significance of what she and those who have supported and worked with her in Chapel Hill and Durham have achieved. Interestingly, when Christina is able to achieve her objectives, Utah again functions as a signifier to mark where she has taken the Chapel Hill Saints from and where she has taken them to. "I've got a choir here," she exclaimed during the Friends meeting, "right up from Utah, singing gospel." The symbolic–and also quite literal–space between Utah and Chapel Hill is both Jordan and Exodus. When she has gotten white folks moving in sync and singing gospel, the Saints have finally crossed over and have arrived in the promised land.
Postscript: As of 2016 the monthly Friends meetings have been suspended. In addition to time constraints on the organizers, there was also a lack of support or involvement from local church leaders. Although of great benefit, a grassroots initiative for a special focus group, not a standard church program, was difficult for leaders to support . (Church leaders did ask Brother Lee Cook, however, to assist black members with various needs and questions about the Church's project to index the Freedmen's Bureau records of former slaves.) The annual African American Night of Celebration has continued, though it has been somewhat downsized and simplified some from past celebrations. Though the group has faced challenges, as Christina Stitt put it, "we still keep right on."
[note: The postscript to this post has been reworded to better reflect the feelings of one or more of the participants in the The Friends of Latter-day Saints of African Descent group.]
[1] See The Friends of Latter-day Saints of African Descent Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Friends-of-Latter-Day-Saints-of-African-Descent/231064263580357
[2] See Mauss, All Abraham's Children.
[3] I was not present at this meeting, held in September 2011, but Christina gave me a copy of the handout that outlines the lesson, which is also posted, with some minutes from the meeting, on the group's Facebook page. See October 7, 2011, post at Friends of Latter-day Saints of African Descent, at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Friends-of-Latter-Day-Saints-of-African-Descent/231064263580357 (accessed April 26, 2012).
[4] Benjamin Braude, "Michelangelo and the Curse of Ham: From a Typology of Jew-Hatred to a Genealogy of Racism," in Writing Race Across the Atlantic World: Medieval to Modern, ed. Philip D. Beidler and Gary Taylor (New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2005), 79, 81. Braude sees the myth of Noah and his Sons as "foundational for nearly half a millennium in the Euro-American construction of race and ethnicity." He traces a gradual shift in images of Ham from the 13th to the 19th century as moving from being predominantly (but not solely) "a vehicle for Jew-hatred to a vehicle for Black-hatred." "Ham was the archetypical Other," writes Braude. "Whatever the phobia of the moment, Ham was it. In the course of his long history Ham was Egyptian, heretic, sinner, satyr, sodomite, Jew, Muslim, Mongol, Black, Asian, African. He was also both master of empire and slave, a paradoxical synthesis that Hegel could love and appreciate."
[5] The lesson outline is posted on the group's Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Friends-of-Latter-Day-Saints-of-African-Descent/231064263580357 (accessed May 1, 2012).
[6] Sitt, Interview, April 19, 2012.
[7] Margaret Blair Young and Darius Aiden Gray, One More River to Cross (Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft, 2000); Bound for Canaan (2002); The Last Mile of the Way (2003). Series title: Standing on the Promises.
[8] Stitt. Interview, April 19, 2012.
[9] The LDS Church has, as a matter of policy, been somewhat wary of independent study groups and events not sponsored by the Church, which may explain the unwillingness to announce Friends meetings from the pulpit. Announcements are printed in the weekly ward bulletin, however, which is distributed to ward members.
There may also be some brewing opposition to the Friends meetings on this point, since it is not an official entity of the Church. Brother Lee Cook's bishop expressed some concern when the meetings of the Friends group came to his attention. "How do we know false doctrines aren't being taught?" Another stake leader recently asked Brother Cook to change the name of the meeting from "group" to "fireside." He was apparently more comfortable with that wording, Brother Cook explained to me. Christina took some offense to the change, explaining that everyone else has a group: young men, young women–but that she figured maybe this group was just "too black." (personal coversations)
[10] Dialogue here is taken from field notes taken during Friends meeting, April 21, 2012.
[11] The Ensign is an official publication (a monthly magazine) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the main organ of the church that is distributed to all subscribing members.
Article filed under Biography Categories of Periodization: Modern Mormonism Cultural History Current Events Intellectual History Oral History Politics Race Reflective Posts Theology


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Romantic events present Fred Flarsky who meets again with one of the most influential women in the world, Charlotte Field. Fred begins to enchant Charlotte and they both fall into a romantic twist. As she prepares for the presidential election, where Charlotte hired that man Fred as a speechwriter where their fates become on one path.
Actors: Charlize Theron,
Charlize Theron 7 August 1975, Benoni, Transvaal, South Africa
Seth Rogen,
Seth Rogen 15 April 1982, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
June Diane Raphael,
June Diane Raphael 4 January 1980, Rockville Centre, Long Island, New York, USA
OShea Jackson Jr.,
OShea Jackson Jr. 24 February 1991, Los Angeles, California, USA
Ravi Patel,
Ravi Patel 18 December 1978, Freeport, Illinois, USA
Bob Odenkirk,
Bob Odenkirk 22 October 1962, Naperville, Illinois, USA
Andy Serkis 20 April 1964, Ruislip, London, England, UK
Director: Jonathan Levine
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


2011 is history, but here at Appleton Creative, we look back at the year with a great fondness. It was our first year at our new house (if you haven't been to 539 Delaney Avenue, what are you waiting for?), it was a year of fun and games, but most all, it was a year of nose-to-the-grindstone work.
Anyone up for a round of golf? When Golf Channel chose Appleton Creative as their agency for environmental branding, we were thrilled. The opportunity allowed us to thread the Golf Channel brand throughout the new space at their Orlando headquarters.
What does Appleton know about trucking? Quite a bit, actually! TBS proved to be our most unique new client, and we loved testing our blue-collar design grit. They liked our original illustrations so much that it inspired the company to rebrand!
Did someone say vacation? Our relationship with Hilton has been very dear to us here at Appleton. The best part? Our web team gets the chance to design functional sites with clean design and great interactive features, such as vacation personality profiles for club members.
Order in the court! Appleton is known for being a fun place, but we enjoy putting on our big-kid clothes too. A redesign for Orlando-headquartered Dean Mead had us in a well-polished mindset.
Tiger Woods returned! It's always a thrill to be involved in the world-famous Tavistock Cup as well as any of our other Tavistock projects – from Isleworth Living Magazine to website designs for Albany Bahamas, Stockworth Realty, Tavistock Group and Isleworth Realty, we welcome any Tavistock challenge.


Dublin's Q102 - Your Feel Good Station.
Q102 is a commercial radio station in Dublin, owned by UTV Radio. It broadcasts on 102.2 MHz FM. The station is licensed to target the 35+ age group, and must provide hourly news, as well as current events programming.
The station was launched as Lite 102.2. On purchasing the station, UTV rebranded it to Q102 thanks to research of Dublin people aged over 35, who decided on bringing back the name of a former pirate radio station.
Q102 listen live on LiveRadio 24/7.
A merry Christmas to you guys at q102. May you enjoy the festive season as you make your listeners feel good.
This is my favorite station,.... I play classical piano and I love to sing , I also enjoy painting and I'm almost finished with my degree in volcanology and biology and most of my studies are held over seas ,have a lovely day.
Oh Lonny my dear have you donned you're POPPY my dear ? everyone in Dublin shall wear poppy's 11/11/11 hour/day/month to respect the British army and all the Loyalists in Dublin , it is a great day to show how English everyone in Dublin is …..three cheers for England ..hip hip HURRAH hip hip HURRAH hip hip HURRAH !
Hello to all the pet and critter lovers , my animals are digging the tunes,...xo to all peace .
We have been listening to Q102 in work for a number of years now. It was one of the only station that worked as my job cannot alow access to Flash Player. The stream no longer plays for us. have you moved Q102 to Flash player?
Catrina as you well know by now Africa is a durty durty place ,....please don't bring any diseases back to Ireland thank you …..there's a good girl !!!....P.S. say hi to the chimp next door .
WOW tony Mc, you have managed to insult an entire nation of people with one comment... shows how intelligent you are!! just a thought.. have you ever been to S.A? Clearly not.. As for insulting me as a Dub.... water off a ducks back darling!!!
Chilling in garden... Blocking the World around me 'listening to Q102!!
A true Dub listening here in USA (Cape Cod Massachusetts). Ag baint taitneamhach air.
Hi there. I am in Darwin, Northern Australia. Love the station, great mix of music and chat. I get all homesick listening to the good aul Dublin accents while I sit at my desk and slog my way through the paperwork. You make my day. Thanks heaps.
I live in Guernsey and love this station but my Sonos no longer recognises you on Radio by Tunein ! Is it just me having this issue?
Interesting how so many people have called Zoe a troll for giving a bad review on an overated, overhyped cafe... or so I've been told as I couldn't a be arsed visiting such an obnoxious kip. Don't people realise encouraging and supporting this cafe owner is cyber bullying?This is a guy who clocked up a €3k phone bill and then set up a crowd funder to pay for it like some Z-list celeb . Show a bit of class! Btw, I'm curious, is the 15% discount meant to be a payoff for good reviews? What a muppet... along with the sheep that follow.
Terrible radio station. I was listening to it and decided to play some songs direct from my IPhone instead of listening to their already great mix. Anyway, I was not happy with the songs that were played. See how retarded that sounds. Just like zoe k and her review on whites.
can you wish tracy palmer happy valintines day and play van morrison have i tould you latly ,from her husband david thank you.
Meant to say, best of both worlds great music through great hi -fi.
Just got Q102 working through lap-top to via chrome cast to hi-fi , happy days . €40 cheap ditigal radio but great.
Love listening to Q102! Lovely relaxing music with less talk is excellent. Thanks Guys!


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"BECAUSE EVERYONE DESERVES THE RIGHT TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES"
Training/Exercise Benefits
"Growth through Exercise"
Running for Autism
We all know running is good for us and have our reasons for doing it.One in forty five children between the ages of 3 and 17 have been diagnosed with Autism somewhere on the spectrum.They suggest that early intervention increases the likelihood of progress.Running may be a good option for these children.
Runner's High May Overcome Autism Depression
A common symptom kids on the spectrum is depression. Runners know all about this thing called the "runner's high." That's actually the body's natural response to aerobic exercise. It's an increase in beta-endorphins in the blood as well as positive effects in the brain's endocannabinoid system. The good news is that even kids on the autistic spectrum may be able to experience this euphoria. It's a boundless opportunity for them to escape the plague of depression.
Running May Overcome Social Anxiety
Some kids on the spectrum like mine have a lot of social issues. Runners regularly experience "me" time and use it to all sorts of advantage. Autism can cause such sever social anxiety that kids don't even want to go outside. "Me" time running may help mitigate this issue. Recreational running is often viewed as a great equalizer. Everyone has their own form, technique, speed, and preferences. Most of us ignore these differences and just enjoy the run for ourselves. That could be a perfect world for the socially anxious kids who just want to be left alone and not noticed. Nobody will stop them or stare at them or ask them why they are different. They won't get picked on. They can be free to be themselves.
Running May Overcome a Poor Diet
Kids on the autism spectrum are notoriously picky eaters. Texture, taste, and smell senses may be extremely heightened for them. As a result, their diets may be very poor. Runners know they need lots of good fuel to run well. The good news is, some autistic kids are adaptable and can find a way to overcome their food issues. But rather then force them to eat better, take a bunch of the things they do not like and put them into a smoothie.
Running May Overcome Loneliness
If the social issues don't stop autism spectrum kids from trying to make friends, then running may be a good way to make the effort. kids rarely divulge to their that they are autistic. Nevertheless, they see he is different. But that does not seem to matter too much. It works much better on a team.I coached a group of boys every saturday mornings,during these meets everything was discused from the latest computer games to the next Marvel movie coming out.Out of these discussions we devised a "Movie Night" every two weeks.
Common interests /long term friendships were developed and the kids had a blast.
Running May Overcome Hypersensitivity
Very early in life,a lot of kids do not seem to feel pain. This is a common trait among some kids on the autism spectrum. But if the pain is associated with something external like a little cut or scrape, a meltdown may be on the way. Runners normally live with pains. To a kid on the autism spectrum, these pains may be showstoppers. Others may learn d to run through them. Hyper-focus on running can overrule hypersensitivity. This is good news for parents with children on the autism spectrum. Our kids may be able to learn to adapt. We have to give them those opportunities.
Running May Unlock the Mind and Body
Some kids on the autism spectrum are locked in. This means that they may not be able to verbally communicate. For others it may mean that they are often sedentary. I do not have this experience with my sons. Runners know the freedom of running. They have mantras and other self-motivators to keep moving. Some kids on the autism spectrum know something about mantras. They may exhibit those repetitive behaviors like arm flapping. I know a boy like that. I also know he likes to run. Let him loose! There's nothing to correct here. Nothing harmful. Only good can come from letting a child run freely. If you didn't know they were autistic, they would look just like all the other kids running around the playground. They run, wave, cartwheel, sing-song, and play. Let the children play.
Running May Overcome Blockades
For reasons we don't fully understand, kids on the autism spectrum often exhibit what is often described as stubbornness or willfulness. They see things one way and just won't budge. While this may often happen with parents, one running coach I know reported great success. For the most part, runners take instruction very well and seek out advice on how to be a better runner. It seems that some kids on the autism spectrum are the same way. Parents – make good friends with those coaches who connect with your kids.
Running May Open Roads
There remains much to explore in the realm of the advantages of running. Much more research is required to help make progress in the understanding of autism. In the meantime, it seems like running may be a great opportunity for some kids on the autism spectrum.
January 02 2016 03:09 PM Victoria White,Irish Independent Newspaper
The Dublin sports club is helping autistic children thrive: 'The Rainbow Warriors make dreams come true'
(FIRST AND ONLY ATHLETICS CLUB IN DUBLIN IRELAND FOR KIDS/TEENS ON THE SPECTRUM)
The Rainbow Warriors athletics club in Dublin 4 is giving my son and other children a real boost.
"If he doesn't play I'm not playing!"
That's what athletics coach Colin Donnelly told the other boys before leaving the game and walking home with his autistic brother.
"It was hard, going home together. It was the 1980s and the word 'autism' wasn't bandied about."
Maybe he's trying to work it out of his system by starting the first athletics club in Ireland for autistic kids and teens.
The Rainbow Warriors first ran out at Irishtown Stadium in Dublin 4 last October after months of background work and years of dreaming. Now there are about 12 warriors ranging in age from seven to 14 — the oldest, who happens to be my son Tom.
"He's a flier," says Colin.
And he is. A year ago he had little interest in physical activity except flapping a belt wrapped around a coat-hanger.
Now he races around the track at Irishtown Stadium.
It's exhilarating. They're doing something, at last.
It's hard too. A boy refuses to get on to the starting line because, as he says, "I want to win. I never win anything".
Hard to argue with that. While running, hurdling and jumping are great entry points to sport for autistic kids because they are simple, the social end of it can be very difficult for them.
There's hardly a moment when they're all succeeding. And then suddenly, magic. A line of children on either side of the track representing a huge assortment of shapes, sizes and levels of ability.
And they're running a relay race. Every time a child passes a baton and sends another running off with a big grin on his face, the parents cheer.
For just a few moments they are taking part in a social activity and playing by the rules. The hope is that this experience might transfer a bit to the rest of their lives.
Some kids with autism make amazing athletes.
"They're extremely driven," says Colin. This fact is beginning to be recognised in the US. Michael Phelps, who won an Olympic gold medal for swimming, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition with many characteristics of autism. Marathon runner Mike Brannigan, who has autism, was brought to a special needs athletics club in Long Island and his parents watched in amazement as he took off like a rocket.
He ran the Marine Corps Marathon and came 22nd out of over 5,000 runners in 2009. He was 12
But winning's not the issue for most Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) kids.
Most kids with autism have multiple challenges and some are very disabled. For some, a running club is out of the question.
For others, it's a fun way of working out their issues. We are only at the beginning of research into the impact of exercise on autism. In the US, Achilles International, a foundation dedicated to getting autistic kids into athletics, has just got major funding to carry out extensive research on the results.
Here in Ireland, Colin has started a conversation with researchers at Trinity College about measuring the impact of sport for autistic kids.
Meanwhile, parents are doing their own research and getting incredible results.
"Going to the Rainbow Warriors just means we have a much nicer evening," says Joyce McDermott, mother of Jack, who is seven. "Jack's much more likely to relax, listen to a story and go to sleep."
The opportunity gap between Jack and his brothers was yawning as they play rugby and football. Jack doesn't understand how to be part of a team but he has an athletic body and Joyce wanted him to make the most of it. He's food-fussy like most autistic kids and Joyce didn't want him having a lack of exercise as well as a poor diet.
He also does wall-climbing in UCD with the southside Dublin autistic activities
group Open Spectrum, and Joyce says he's "like Spiderman."
It's frightening to think how many kids with autism and other disabilities aren't getting the chance to take part in sport.
Colin is adamant that the mainstream sports clubs should cater more for kids with disabilities.
But meanwhile the Rainbow Warrior make dreams come true every Monday night as autistic kids pound around Irishtown Stadium.


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Saturday, April 6, 2019 Staff
Lipka Named Executive Director of NECA Chapter
The Mahoning Valley Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association has appointed Tom Lipka as executive director. Lipka replaces Jack Savage, who was promoted to a field representative position with NECA National. Lipka is an attorney, formerly a partner with Manchester, Newman & Bennett in Youngstown. "Our member contractors and counterparts with the IBEW locals in Youngstown and Warren have made a true impact in the Mahoning Valley with their workmanship and emphasis on community outreach," he says. "I hope to build on the strong leadership of Jack Savage, and help guide our members to continued growth." Lipka resides in Canfield with his wife and five children. A graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, he earned a bachelor's degree from Oberlin College and a law degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
Ohio Realtors Installs 2023 Leadership Team
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Realtors recently installed its 2023 leadership team during the association's winter conference here. This year's team is Ralph Mantica, president, Ali Whitley, president-elect, and Michelle Billings, treasurer. Mantica is broker/owner of Kinzeler Realty in Dayton. He…
Westminster College English Major Publishes Research
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – A Westminster College English major recently published research in the Richard Macksey Journal at Johns Hopkins University. Lauren Millhorn, a senior from Rogers, Ohio, published her essay "From Receptors to Revisors: Readers in the Cruso(e) Narrative,"…
Miller Named President of Dutchman Hospitality Group
WALNUT CREEK, Ohiio – Dutchman Hospitality Group has named Mike Miller as the successor to retiring president Mike Palmer. For over 16 years, Palmer has served Dutchman Hospitality Group as president. DHG, a multi-faceted company, owns and operates restaurants, inns,…


UAE-based Dalma Capital Management Limited has announced that it has received approval from the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) to operate an Islamic Window, enabling it to offer products and services that are compliant with Islamic Shariaa principles in and from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
With this approval, Dalma Capital has become one of only a handful of alternative investment managers in the DIFC with the capability to offer, advise on and manage shariah-compliant investment products.
CEO and Founder Zachary Cefaratti said: "The market for Islamic products has grown in recent years and is expected to continue its growth due to demographic trends and increasing investor appetite for Shariaa compliant investments."
"Sukuks (Islamic bonds), in particular, have become an increasingly attractive source of funding for issuers. We are glad that we can now bring these products to our global clients and participate in this expanding market," stated Cefaratti.
"Islamic financial products are focused on the global Muslim population that is expected to reach over 1.9 billion this year," remarked Dr Nasser Saidi, who serves as a non-executive director of Quencia Open-Ended PCC Limited.
"The market for shari'ah-compliant financial products is growing at double digit percentages every year and could be worth $3.4 trillion by the end of 2018," he added.
According to him, Dalma Capital was planning to launch a shariah compliant protected cell under the Quencia Open Ended PCC Limited fund structure operating under its platform.
Majed Kabbara, the managing director (Asset Management) at Dalma Capital, said: "The Islamic Window allows us to proceed with our initial plan to launch a conventional and a shariaa compliant Saudi equity fund."
"The conventional fund, Quencia Saudi Equity Open Ended PC, was succesfuly launched in April 2018 and given the large base of Shariaa compliant investors in the kingdom, launching a Shariaa complaint Saudiequity fund is a natural extension."
Dalma Capital also plans to work with leading international asset managers, hedge funds and private equity houses to structure Shariaa compliant offerings of their existing products.
"We have seen considerable interest on both the buy- and sell-side for an efficient solution to accessing/distributing Shariaa compliant products," remarked Saber Farooqi, COO and General Counsel at Dalma Capital.


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Rockstar's 'Grand Theft Auto 6' Might Be Delayed by One Year
Ryan Epps, Tech Times 14 January 2022, 03:01 pm
Take-Two Interactive took to the stars earlier this week by announcing the industry's most expensive acquisition to date, a nearly $12 billion purchase of mobile game distributor Zynga. The announcement alongside Take-Two's recently unveiled financial report no sooner sparked excitement as it did intense analysis by some of the most talented minds in financial investing.
Axios' Stephen Totilo on Twitter quotes one such analyst from Jefferies Financial Group:
"There are only a handful of titles that can...provide management with the confidence to put out such a strong guidance; we believe there is at least one Rockstar IP set to be released by FY24."
Cowen's Doug Creutz likewise weighed in on the estimation, claiming $9 billion as the potential output under Take-Two's hopeful 14% forecast. This evaluation does not, however, take into consideration the company's recent acquisition of Zynga. In all likelihood, it's a potential preview into Rockstar's future endeavors, as witnessed in a similar forecast back in 2011, which marked the inevitable release of Grand Theft Auto V in 2013.
Related Article: 'Bully 2' Sequel May Have Been Canceled by Take-Two Interactive, Rockstar Games - Why?
This aforementioned experience, whose online counterpart still makes Rockstar millions in revenue per day, has become the most profitable entertainment product ever conceived. Its follow-up would no doubt be caused for immediate celebration via both fans and haughty investors.
But is the fiscal year 2024 a viable release window? For those unaware, this would be from the start of April 2023 to the end of March 2024. It falls in line with previous remarks made by both Tom Henderson, game industry insider, and Jason Schreier, Bloomberg journalist.
With the pandemic pushing release windows into the stratosphere, it's not too difficult to see GTA 6 release by the end of 2024. It could also be something else entirely, potentially a remake of either Red Dead Redemption or GTA 4.
As arguably one of the most anticipated video game experiences yet to be revealed, GTA 6 would mark a major tipping point in the history of Rockstar Games. For one, it would be the first Grand Theft Auto experience unveiled in nearly a decade, but also it would be Rockstar's first game released without its prized lead writer and co-founder, Dan Houser, under its umbrella.
Houser left Rockstar back in 2020 and has only recently resurfaced with his own studio in tow. With Houser out of the picture, it remains to be seen if Rockstar can still deliver on something as monumental as GTA 5, Red Redemption 2, and Bully without the mastermind himself in the pilot seat.
Read Also: 'GTA' Parent Company Take-Two Reveals A Total Of 62 Games Releasing By 2024-Still No 'GTA 6?'


The pipeline of personal photos began long before i had children, and continues today; but the slice starting in their early childhood and to their teens, begin to show their personalities emerging, and the universality of our family and sibling experiences. Technically, these images began on film, moved to a bulky digital SLR, then became supplanted with increasingly improved iPhones until a better digital SLR arrived, as did my ever improving abilities: so technically these are all over the map.
From a more personal standpoint, these images cover the years from 2004 through 2016: through a stroke, separation, and divorce—through co-parenting and growing up.


text:
SNAPS: Randall's Island Park Alliance gala
BFAnyc.com
John McEnroe and Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, photographer and widow of tennis great Arthur Ashe, at the Randall's Island Park Alliance benefit, which raised more than $1.1 million.
Justin G. Hamill, a partner at law firm Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, and Rodney S. Cohen, a managing director at the Carlyle Group, at the Randall's Island event.
Will Ragozzino
Graves Tompkins, a managing director at investment firm General Atlantic, John Legend, Oscar- and Grammy-winning singer, and Vanessa Rahman, Summer Search NYC board member, at a March 9 benefit at Cipriani 42nd Street for Rahman's organization, a nonprofit that provides mentoring to low-income students.
Kathy Kopnisky with her husband, Jack Kopnisky, president and chief executive of Sterling Bancorp, JoAnne Braunstein with her husband, Harry Braunstein, and William Turkish, founding partners of law firm Braunstein Turkish, at the Summer Search fete, which raised a record $1.7 million.
Camille Kelleher, treasurer of New York Common Pantry's board of directors, and her husband, Rory, senior counsel in New York for Chicago-based law firm Sidley Austin, at a March 8 benefit for the pantry, which provides food for the needy. The event was held at Gotham Hall.
Margaret Sung, benefit dinner chair, Patrick Johnson, Northeast sales and marketing consultant for Wells Fargo, Sherrell Andrews, New York Common Pantry board member, Cheryl Wills, journalist at NY1, and Sara Moss, executive vice president and general counsel at the Estée Lauder Cos., at the New York Common Pantry gala, which took in more than $700.
The Randall's Island Park Alliance honored tennis legend John McEnroe at its March 8 gala at the American Museum of Natural History. About 600 people turned out to celebrate McEnroe, who runs a namesake tennis academy on the island and provides training for children who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford the lessons.


text:
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text:
Star Incorrectly Identifies Huntington Bank Robber, Rubs Salt in Wound by Asking for Attorney's Fees in Defamation Lawsuit (w/Update)
On September 11, 2009, the Indianapolis Star ran an article about the robbery at a Huntington bank:
Daniel W. Oliver used a little girl as a human shield, police say, holding a gun to her head when he and an accomplice robbed a Westside bank last week.
But not just any 11-year-old girl. The girl, police say, called him Daddy."
"Daddy told me the gun wasn't real," she told her mother, according to a police report made public Friday.
The girl's mother — Oliver's live-in girlfriend — knew Oliver planned to rob the bank and use the girl as a hostage, police said. Oliver made her bring the girl and her 5-year-old brother to the bank while the robbery was going down, the police report said, "so that it would add dramatic effects and make it seem more frightful for the employees."
The mother complied, police said, "because she was afraid of Oliver."
The pieces came together when Rutter interviewed Oliver's girlfriend.
The 31-year-old woman came to the station on her own and told detectives she believed Oliver and a friend she knows as "Skip" had committed the bank robbery, according to the report. She first heard the men discussing the robbery about two months ago, the report said.
She told detectives that Oliver took their black Ford Focus on Wednesday morning to run some errands, then called her and told her to bring her kids to the bank.
When the woman arrived home after the robbery, Oliver was already there and gave her a $100 bill, the report said.
The woman told police she was afraid of Oliver, who was prone to violence, records show. In August 2008, Oliver punched the woman in the eye and threatened her with a knife, according to a police report. Oliver was never arrested or charged in that case.
To see the rest of the article, click here.
While Oliver is a man with a long criminal history and is not exactly a model citizen, it turns out that he was not involved in the robbery.
Needless to say, Oliver wasn't happy about the article written by Star writer Vic Ryckaert and asked for a retraction. When no retraction came, Oliver filed a defamation lawsuit against Ryckaert and the Indianapolis Star in federal court.
The Star's counsel is, of course, Barnes & Thornburg. B&T filed for a summary dismissal of the lawsuit based on the Indiana anti-SLAPP lawsuit, IC 34-7-7 et seq.
The anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute was designed to prevent big powerful companies that hire big law firms like Barnes & Thornburg from suing thoe individuals for daring to speak out publicly about those companies. The idea of a SLAPP lawsuit is to drive up the person's legal fees so high, that even though the person may be totally correct on what he or she is alleging, the person will be forced to stop speaking out because the by of the litigation costs. The notion that the deep-pockets Indianapolis Star is using the anti-SLAPP legislation against a private individual, who is most likely indigent, is pretty offensive.
Nonetheless, I do agree that the lawsuit probably should have been dismissed. (I'm not sure the federal court had jurisidiction to hear the defamation case in the first place.) We need to protect reporters and their freedom to povide information. Even Oliver admits that Ryckaert, who I have found to be an excellent reporter, obtained his information from a police report. Should Ryckaert have written it more conservatively and used more qualifying language? Yes, he probably should have. Nonetheless, I believe it is protected speech.
Where this becomes an issue for this blog though is the conduct of the Indianapolis Star in going after Mr. Oliver for filing the lawsuit. The Star could have simply let the case go with the dismissal. Instead, the Star asked for over $9,038.85 in attorney's fees and expenses from Mr. Oliver, which amount has now been increased by another $1,000 or so to include costs for preparing the petition. The court has also granted the $9,038.85 preliminary petition and will undoubtedly increase it to the full amount requested.
It wasn't enough that the Star won the case, beating a pro se defendant. The Star had to also grind salt into Mr. Oliver's wounds getting a several thousand dollar judgment against him for his challenging in court a story that falsely accused him of committing a crime. I would have hoped that at some point basic human decency would have kicked in and the Star would have shown better judgment than to ask for attorney's fees and expenses from Mr. Oliver. Is basic human decency too much to ask for from the state's largest newspaper?
UPDATE: Reviewing the Complaint from Oliver, he said he was suing under 42 U.S.C 1983, a federal civil rights law that applies to violations of civil rights by government, not to private entities and people like the Star or Ryckaert. Reading the complaint though, everything in it speaks of a defamation action, which would be a state claim. Oliver properly filed in state court, but B&T's attorneys used the misidentified federal claim to get to removed it to federal court.
Given notice pleading rules and the fact that 7th Circuit case law says it doesn't matter if you misidentify a statute in a complaint, I would think the Court should have interpreted Oliver's complaint as a mispled defamation action and send it back to state court instead of making a ruling on the merits and dismissing the case. Further, as the complaint really did not state a federal claim, it would not seem the federal court had any jurisdiction to to reach a ruling on the merits of the Oliver's complaint.
Labels: SLAPP lawsuits
Cato said...
Are Barnes and Thornburg attorneys good, or are they just juiced-in with every judge and powerful family?
There needs to be a new body of law called "Indiana Dismissal," with its own caselaw and rationale. Perhaps the law schools could teach it. Maybe there could be the Indiana Dismissal Law Review.
Compelling articles would be found within. A writer would compare how a state agency received immediate dismissal of a citizen's claim, while a corporation's poorly drafted claim against a citizen would be allowed to proceed.
It could have its own symbolic expressions, similar to Learned Hand's efforts.
((p) > (d) -> NOT Dismissal) OR ((d) > (p) -> Dismissal))
"Indiana Dismissal" is a good education in how the court system really works.
If you learn Indiana Dismissal, you can skip the rest of law school.
If you want to be a good lawyer, take the cases that are going to win.
Paul K. Ogden said...
Cato, I can't really comment on such things given the fact I like to continue holding my law license. It is safe to say that B&T and the other big firm in town will do everything they can to get a case into federal court. The rules and interpretations there are a lot more favorable to the big firms. It used to be the "little guy" looked to the federal court. Recently one of the leading civil rights attorney in town told me he does everything he can to stay out of federal court.


text:
const test = require('tap').test;
const VirtualMachine = require('../../src/virtual-machine.js');

test('renameSprite throws when there is no sprite with that id', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    vm.runtime.getTargetById = () => null;
    t.throws(
        (() => vm.renameSprite('id', 'name')),
        new Error('No target with the provided id.')
    );
    t.end();
});

test('renameSprite throws when used on a non-sprite target', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    const fakeTarget = {
        isSprite: () => false
    };
    vm.runtime.getTargetById = () => (fakeTarget);
    t.throws(
        (() => vm.renameSprite('id', 'name')),
        new Error('Cannot rename non-sprite targets.')
    );
    t.end();
});

test('renameSprite throws when there is no sprite for given target', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    const fakeTarget = {
        sprite: null,
        isSprite: () => true
    };
    vm.runtime.getTargetById = () => (fakeTarget);
    t.throws(
        (() => vm.renameSprite('id', 'name')),
        new Error('No sprite associated with this target.')
    );
    t.end();
});

test('renameSprite sets the sprite name', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    const fakeTarget = {
        sprite: {name: 'original'},
        isSprite: () => true
    };
    vm.runtime.getTargetById = () => (fakeTarget);
    vm.renameSprite('id', 'not-original');
    t.equal(fakeTarget.sprite.name, 'not-original');
    t.end();
});

test('renameSprite does not set sprite names to an empty string', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    const fakeTarget = {
        sprite: {name: 'original'},
        isSprite: () => true
    };
    vm.runtime.getTargetById = () => (fakeTarget);
    vm.renameSprite('id', '');
    t.equal(fakeTarget.sprite.name, 'original');
    t.end();
});

test('renameSprite does not set sprite names to reserved names', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    const fakeTarget = {
        sprite: {name: 'original'},
        isSprite: () => true
    };
    vm.runtime.getTargetById = () => (fakeTarget);
    vm.renameSprite('id', '_mouse_');
    t.equal(fakeTarget.sprite.name, 'original');
    t.end();
});

test('renameSprite increments from existing sprite names', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    vm.emitTargetsUpdate = () => {};
    vm.runtime.targets = [{
        id: 'id1',
        isSprite: () => true,
        sprite: {
            name: 'this name'
        }
    }, {
        id: 'id2',
        isSprite: () => true,
        sprite: {
            name: 'that name'
        }
    }];
    vm.renameSprite('id1', 'that name');
    t.equal(vm.runtime.targets[0].sprite.name, 'that name2');
    t.end();
});

test('renameSprite does not increment when renaming to the same name', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    vm.emitTargetsUpdate = () => {};
    vm.runtime.targets = [{
        id: 'id1',
        isSprite: () => true,
        sprite: {
            name: 'this name'
        }
    }];
    vm.renameSprite('id1', 'this name');
    t.equal(vm.runtime.targets[0].sprite.name, 'this name');
    t.end();
});

test('emitWorkspaceUpdate', t => {
    const vm = new VirtualMachine();
    vm.runtime.targets = [
        {
            isStage: true,
            variables: {
                global: {
                    toXML: () => 'global'
                }
            }
        }, {
            variables: {
                unused: {
                    toXML: () => 'unused'
                }
            }
        }, {
            variables: {
                local: {
                    toXML: () => 'local'
                }
            },
            blocks: {
                toXML: () => 'blocks'
            }
        }
    ];
    vm.editingTarget = vm.runtime.targets[2];

    let xml = null;
    vm.emit = (event, data) => (xml = data.xml);
    vm.emitWorkspaceUpdate();
    t.notEqual(xml.indexOf('global'), -1);
    t.notEqual(xml.indexOf('local'), -1);
    t.equal(xml.indexOf('unused'), -1);
    t.notEqual(xml.indexOf('blocks'), -1);
    t.end();
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


we are a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 kids aged 12 and 8 years.
We do not deal with accommodation and hotel booking. We only cater to rail products.
Please note that a rail pass allows you to travel extensively within the countries you have chosen. If you plan only a few train journeys during your stay in Europe, point to point tickets will certainly be cheaper than a rail pass.
You can refer to our travel magazine Connexion for sample itineraries of Europe.
If you wish to tour Paris , I suggest that you purchase a Paris Pass. The Paris Pass offers you the most romantic city in the world, its attractions and shopping galleries at a bargain deal. From museums and monuments to urban transport and restaurants, the Paris Pass is dedicated to helping you make the most of Paris, whilst also allowing you save both time and money.
If you wish to travel extensively with in Switzerland, I suggest that you purchase a Swiss Pass. With a Swiss Pass you can travel free within Switzerland on the STS (Swiss Travel System) network on trains, buses and boats. Also with a Swiss Pass you would get discounts on mountain excursions within Switzerland. This discounts can only be availed locally by showing your Swiss Pass to the ticketing office in Switzerland.
Kindly advise all your travel sectors in order to assist you with the best travel option.


text:
Blueshirt Banter 2019 NHL Draft Rankings
Blueshirt Banter 2019 NHL Draft Rankings - #5 Alex Turcotte
Alex Turcotte will play alongside Rangers' prospect K'Andre Miller at Wisconsin in 2019-2020.
By Adam Herman@AdamZHerman May 23, 2019, 8:00am EDT
Share All sharing options for: Blueshirt Banter 2019 NHL Draft Rankings - #5 Alex Turcotte
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
Alex Turcotte, US National Team Development Program (USHL)
Position: Center
Age on Draft Day: 18.33 Years Old
Height/Weight: 5'11, 185 pounds
2018-2019 Stats (USHL Only): 16 GP, 12 G, 22 A, 14 PIM
NHL Central Scouting (North America only): 4th
ISS Hockey: 6th
Bob McKenzie: 7th
Future Considerations: 8th
Craig Button: 8th
Alex Turcotte is a well-rounded player who makes his impact on the game in a number of ways.
First and foremost, he is a strong skater. His strides are anything but laborious, as he gets up the ice in a hurry and pivots efficiently when changing direction. Combine that with a very high motor, and Turcotte plays an up-tempo game. He's a strong forechecker who does not shy away from contact and fights for inside positioning.
Turcotte has what I'd describe as sneaky skill. He's not a player who is going to overwhelm with crazy moves, but in 1v1 situations he can leave defensemen wrong-footed and create offensive chances by himself.
Though he is fairly balanced in terms of offensive contributions, I'd deem him more of a passer than a shooter. His passing game is more about patience rather than precision. It's not that he's pulling off crazy feeds, but rather that he's very good at waiting for passing lanes to open and then finding teammates in dangerous positions.
Though he is not the biggest guy on the ice, he is strong and determined. He played in the slot on the USA's power play and he does a fair amount of his scoring in the dirty areas of the ice.
He was a top penalty kill option for his team. To start the season I noticed that he was prone to flying by the puck, trying to create a clean pick-six. In turn, that put him out of position and gave the opposition easier neutral zone access.
However, this was likely more about trying to make a home run play rather than laziness. He was more diligent in his coverages as the season went on, and I don't believe this will become a long-term problem.
Turcotte is a tough one to figure out for a few reasons. First, he's played second-fiddle to Jack Hughes for the last couple of seasons (not to mention a battle for the spotlight from Trevor Zegras as well). Furthermore, he missed roughly half of the season with various injuries and ailments. When looking at top-five prospects for a draft, typically there will be a trait or two that immediately stand out as elite. I'm not sure Turcotte has that. To be honest, it took me quite a while to understand the hype surrounding Turcotte.
But I now get it. He is greater than the sum of his parts. Maybe he doesn't have a standout ability, but they're all B+ or A- across the board. He's a high octane player who combines ample speed and skill to put opposing players on their heels at all times. He's a tenacious forechecker who creates a ton of offense for his team by winning races and forcing turnovers, then immediately turning them into net-front chances for his team.
What's more, even if he didn't leave a strong impression through video, the statistics are undeniably astonishing. Turcotte had the highest points-per-game mark on the USNTDP; yes, higher than Jack Hughes. In fact, Turcotte has the highest single season points-per-game total in USNTDP history.
Granted, it's a small sample, but this tracking data done by The Athletic's Mitch Brown shows just how well-rounded Turcotte is. He scores, he sets up teammates, he creates zone entries, and, in general, he keeps pucks in the offensive end of the ice.
If we were evaluating by data alone, Turcotte would be a near lock to be third overall in this draft, and though we rank him fifth, he would be as good of a pick as any after Hughes and Kakko are taken.
Turcotte will head to Wisconsin next season, joining New York Rangers' prospect K'Andre Miller. It would not be surprising if he was a one-and-done college player, as he has the skill, smarts, and strength to turn pro in the near future. I'm not sure there's enough in his toolkit to become an elite NHL player, but he is so well rounded that he certainly has first-line center potential.
"Just the way he carries himself on the ice is very annoying to the other team because he's so good and so versatile. He can go right through you or dangle you."
USNTDP Head Coach John Wroblewski, via NHL.com
Turcotte is an absolute beast who plays much bigger than his size.
Chris Peters, ESPN
Click here to view the other 2019 Draft Profiles


Proposed City link Tullamarine freeway widening cost recovery April 2017.
In line with City Link's proposal to widen the Tullamarine toll road a new cost recovery initiative has been published with the freight industry targeted to contribute up to a 225% increase in toll road fees.
Due to the sunsetting of the Commerce (Imports) Regulations 1940 (CI Regulations), the Australian Government has developed a new regulation called the Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Regulation 2016 (the CTD Regulation) which will commence on 1 April 2017. The CI Regulations will continue to be in force until this date.
...The GST low-value threshold exemption disadvantages Australian businesses and jobs, and poses a growing risk to the integrity of the GST base, with the continued growth in online shopping.
To support Australia's biosecurity efforts, the CBFCA, on request from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, is providing members with the information as set out below and in the attachment.
Container transport operators have united in agreeing that City Link toll increases to come into effect on 1 April will be passed along the supply chain, impacting the cost of goods to Victorian consumers.
Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) received a letter today from Leanne Herrick, Acting Assistant Secretary, Pathway Compliance – Department of Agriculture & Water Resources. The correspondence refers to a notice that has been sent to all shipping lines advising that Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs are now establishing in Europe and provides some preventative measures that the shipping lines can implement to help prevent the bugs from arriving in Australia on vessels and cargo from European ports.
We understand that the Department is also preparing an Industry Notice to inform importers and other interested parties of the preventative measures that shipping lines may be adopting, and the reasons why. In the interim, if you have any questions about BMSB or the preventative measures, please email airandseacargo@agriculture.gov.au.


text:
Ysis Amariele Sonkeng (born September 20, 1989, Baleveng) is a Cameroonian women's football player, who plays for the Cameroon women's national football team and Louves Minproff de Yaoundé. She plays as a defender and played in the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was known for scoring an own goal against New Zealand.

References

External links

1989 births
Living people
Women's association football defenders
Cameroonian women's footballers
Cameroon women's international footballers
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup players
2019 FIFA Women's World Cup players
Olympic footballers of Cameroon
Footballers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
African Games silver medalists for Cameroon
African Games medalists in football
Competitors at the 2015 African Games
Cameroonian expatriate women's footballers
Cameroonian expatriate sportspeople in Israel
Expatriate women's footballers in Israel
20th-century Cameroonian women
21st-century Cameroonian women

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Formula 1 succeed in growing TV and digital audiences in 2018
Published on 19 Jan 2019 13:18
By: Coilin Higgins
Formula 1 has announced a successful increase in their digital and television platforms in 2018. The rise comes after a content and presentation revamp by new owners Liberty Media for the 2018 season. Areas such as a new logo, TV graphics and the introduction of a streaming service in selected territories has seen a general interest increase.
Liberty Media, who took over from Bernie Ecclestone and the CVC Group after a buyout of Formula One Management in 2016, were looking to revamp the sport in the interest of attracting more viewers, with the most attention focused on younger audiences.
"Formula 1 has registered a significant increase in its audience figures during the 2018 season, across both digital and TV platforms, compared to the previous year." The official Press Release read, which was released today. "In terms of unique viewers, during 2018 the sport once again had an improvement globally (+10%), reaching 490.2-million."
It was noted that F1's biggest markets currently are Brazil, Germany and Italy, where the Chinese market seen a viewing figure three times that of 2017, thanks to the return of the sport to the free-to-air broadcaster, CCTV. It was also revealed that the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix was the most viewed race, peaking at 100 million total viewers. Formula 1's social media platforms also saw a significant rise.
"In 2018 the number of users across Formula 1's social media platforms also grew significantly, with the total number of followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube reaching 18.5-million (+53.7 compared to 2017), confirming Formula 1 as the fastest growing major sport on social media platforms." read today's statement.
As well as a rise on social media networks, F1's Youtube seen a staggering 115% rise in growth, the highest of all marquee holder rights on the sight. However, UK viewers will have no option but to opt for Sky Sports in 2019 as F1 is set to be taken off the free-to-air Channel 4, leaving only highlight packages and the British Grand Prix live on the channel, giving Sky exclusive rights. It is yet to be seen how this will affect UK viewership rates of the sport.
They've done a good job at it. But I beg of you, unshackle us from Viasat. Carey, Deliver us!
Jan 19 2019 - 14:34
f1dave
When you're starting from near zero any gains look good.
There's substantial opportunity left untapped on the social media and the developing markets with increased middle class. Hope F1 would leave no stone unturned.
Ecclestone: F1 will struggle to replace 'super' Whiting
Ecclestone made new Russian GP deal more 'efficient'
Howell steps down as head of F1 communications
F1 TV to broadcast 2019 winter testing


text:
George Eustice The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 6:01 pm, 7th December 2015
My general experience of these things is that the more science we have, the more evidence gaps get identified, so we never actually have a perfect picture and all we can ever do is make the best judgment we can with the science that we have. However, I do believe that much of the work that is being done—for instance, by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology—will mean a big increase and big improvement in our understanding of neonicotinoids in the future. Some of the work that we are commissioning as part of our national pollinator strategy will also assist in that process.
I want to turn now to the specific emergency authorisations in relation to the three neonicotinoids. We had two applications: one for Cruiser and one for Modesto; they were the products in question. The first application from the National Farmers Union asked for an authorisation covering 79% of the area of England. The conclusion, which was published, of the Expert Committee on Pesticides was that although it acknowledged that there was a problem with cabbage stem flea beetle in particular that could not be controlled by other means, it believed that an authorisation covering 79% of the country did not satisfy the requirement of its being strictly confined and restricted. For that reason, it recommended refusal of the first application. I accepted that: I refused the first application.
There was subsequently a second application from the NFU, bringing much more detailed evidence from agronomists of the impact on the ground of cabbage stem flea beetle in particular, county by county. On the basis of that, it put in an application for use over 5% of the English area, which roughly represented the area of Suffolk, which had suffered particularly badly. The Expert Committee on Pesticides assessed that second application and concluded that it satisfied all the requirements, so it recommended that we approve that emergency authorisation and that is what we did.


2 updates in one day?
i know it's crazy. since i had it on my mind i added a few links to the other places to find me section. they're all show pieces that still reside with the gallery. if you have money you're looking to spend please check them out. even if you don't buy my stuff, there's other artwork available from those galleries. artists and galleries need support.
I've been really busy as of late which explains the lack of updates, but I'll have a decent update soon. Lots of shows coming up and my list of commissions is nearing its end. That means soon I'll be able to make my own figures. Always keep an eye on my flickr since all my new stuff gets dumped there.
I'll have an updated list of links in the next day or so. I've got a handful of pieces available on a handful of sites, and I'm sure some of you have money burning a hole in your pockets.


WATSON - A gravel pit company may be required to obtain two permits if the Livingston Parish Council passes a slew of regulations next month.
Southern Aggregates, a gravel mining company, plans to dig a gravel pit behind the Oak Hills Subdivision off of Highway 16 in Watson. Homeowners are furious and think the plan will destroy their lifestyles, become a health hazard and drive their property values into the ground.
"I want to go back to New Orleans in a year," said Oak Hills Subdivision homeowner Don Clement. "What's going to happen to the equity of my house because someone chooses to operate this business next to me?"
Thursday, Councilman Jim Norred, who also lives in Oak Hills Subdivision, proposed three ordinances to regulate gravel mining pits in the parish.
Norred's regulations include a permit issued by the parish, a drainage impact and environmental study, specific time constraints for operations, an eight foot fence and a 500 ft. buffer zone between the nearest edge of excavation to the nearest property line.
Norred said the parish is growing and gravel pits are moving into more populated areas.
"I want to be able to breathe clean air," said Norred. "I don't want to have to worry about dust clouds blowing in all the time. This shouldn't be happening anywhere in the parish."
Southern Aggregates filed for a permit with the Army Corps of Engineers this summer.
"As a citizen who opens a business, I have to be permitted for everything," said Clement. "They don't."
Last month, Oak Hills Subdivisions held a question and answer session with Southern Aggregates. The company said then, the plot of land off Highway 16 is the spot it wants.
"We want to partner with them in still going ahead with our business," said Southern Aggregates Vice President Kevin Black. "And also trying to work with them so they feel comfortable and recognize over the fact that over a short period of time we're going to leave an environment that's going to be conducive to their neighborhood."
The ordinances are set for a public hearing on September 25.


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Home Authors Posts by Rebecca Tewksbury
Rebecca Tewksbury
Hi. I'm a writer who likes to analyze art, but mostly I just sit here and play video games. Video games are art, so I talk about those. A lot. I'm also a photographer, a law student, a novelist, an aspiring YouTuber and Twitch streamer, and now I write editorials for this site.
Editorials Rebecca Tewksbury - March 25, 2017
Nostalgia can be one Hell of a thing. It blinds everyone. Games from our childhood seem so much better than they actually are because we played them back then and still like them to this day, even if, in hindsight, they weren't very good. On the flip side, those of us without nostalgia for these don't see quite so...
Pokemon Sun and Moon Review | Matter of Experience
Editorials Rebecca Tewksbury - December 31, 2016
Pokemon is a huge part of my life. The original games came out in Japan less than a month before I was born, the first games I ever owned on my first ever console were Pokemon Snap and Hey You, Pikachu, and now it's a huge part of my life to the point where it's practically my job (except...
Pokemon and Propaganda [Pokemon: Evolutions Commercial Analysis]
Editorials Rebecca Tewksbury - October 27, 2016
Pokemon. For those of us who've grown up with video games in our lives, more often than not, Pokemon is the leader of the pack, the game we all immediately think of. It was revolutionary, with fun gameplay, hours of a brand new world to explore, and, best of all, hundreds of creatures for us to catch, play with,...


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'Real Housewives of New York City' star blames arrest on 'long-buried emotions'
Luann de Lesseps was booked into jail Sunday on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer.
'Real Housewives of New York City' star blames arrest on 'long-buried emotions' Luann de Lesseps was booked into jail Sunday on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2prmwb5
The Associated Press Published 12:32 p.m. ET Dec. 24, 2017 | Updated 5:12 p.m. ET Dec. 24, 2017
This Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017 photo provided by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office shows Luann de Lesseps, a star of the reality television series "'The Real Housewives of New York City".'(Photo: AP)
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A star of the reality television series The Real Housewives of New York City apologized Sunday after she was arrested in Florida, saying her visit to exclusive Palm Beach brought up "long-buried emotions."
Palm Beach County court records show 52-year-old Luann de Lesseps was booked Sunday on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence, disorderly intoxication and corruption by threat.
De Lesseps, who lives in Sag Harbor, New York, was released on her own recognizance, according to jail records. Her next court appearance is scheduled Jan. 25.
The circumstances of de Lesseps' arrest late Saturday in Palm Beach were not immediately available. The Palm Beach Post reported that a prosecutor said de Lesseps slammed a door and kicked at least one police officer, and she made threatening comments before she was arrested.
In a statement emailed by her spokesman Pete Sanders, de Lesseps offered her sincere apologies to anyone she might have offended with her behavior.
"This was my first time in Palm Beach since my wedding and being there brought up long-buried emotions," she said.
She said she was committed to a "transformative and hopeful 2018."
De Lesseps married Tom D'Agostino Jr. in Palm Beach on New Year's Eve. The couple split earlier this year.
Messages left Sunday morning for a Palm Beach Police spokesman were not immediately returned.
The cast of 'The Real Housewives of New York City' Season 8; Pictured: (l-r) Luann de Lesseps, Julianne Wainstein, Bethenny Frankel, Carole Radziwill, Ramona Singer, Dorinda Medley, Sonja Morgan. (Photo: Bravo, Mathieu Young/Heidi Gutman/Bravo)
Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2prmwb5


Episode Summary: Leo Boytsov, a PhD researcher from the Language Technologies Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, talks about fast approximate search in modern information retrieval. We discuss the curse of dimensionality, hard-to-beat baselines and NMSLIB, Leo's super fast library for nearest-neighbour search. How does NMSLIB compare to Facebook's FAISS and Spotify's Annoy? Warning: very technical.
NMSLIB: Leonid's Non-Metric Space Library (NMSLIB) for efficient similarity search.
Facebook's FAISS and Spotify's Annoy, alternative libraries for the same thing.
Erik Bernhardsson's excellent repo for benchmarking kNN search libraries.
My original 2014 benchmark series of Python libraries for nearest neighbour search in high dimensional spaces.
Revisiting the Inverted Indices for Billion-Scale Approximate Nearest Neighbors. D Baranchuk, A Babenko, Y Malkov. arxiv.org, 2018.
Combining Retrieval, Statistics, and Inference to Answer Elementary Science Questions. P Clark, O Etzioni, T Khot, A Sabharwal, O Tafjord… aaai.org, 2017.
Revisiting unreasonable effectiveness of data in deep learning era. C Sun, A Shrivastava, S Singh. arxiv.org, 2017.
Subscribe with RSS, iTunes, YouTube, Stitcher, SoundCloud.


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Ohio GOP calls Rep. Anthony Gonzalez to resign over impeachment vote of Trump
Gonzalez is undergoing primary challenge from former Trump aide Max Miller
The central committee of the Ohio Republican Party voted Friday to punish Republican Representative Anthony Gonzalez and called on him to step down over his vote for impeaching the former President Trump.
Gonzalez was one of ten House Republicans to vote to impeach former President Trump — the most recent congressional member who voted to impeach or convict the previous president to be censured at home.
"This resolution addresses an unconstitutional, politically motivated process that served no purpose," Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Paduchik said in a statement.
He stated that Republicans and Democratic members both have the right to vote in any way they decide, but the committee also has a right to stand on principle and conviction.
It was anticipated that the central committee would vote to punish Gonzalez on Friday, but not that it would go so far as to call for his resignation, stated by a person with knowledge of the matter.
"We believe that Congressman Gonzalez knowingly and willfully violated his oath of office," the resolution calling on the congressman to resign read.
"The decision to side with Democrats on their sustained appetite for impeachment, regardless of motive, severed the confidence of The Republican State Central And Executive Committee of Ohio membership, and therefore, we conclude that Congressman Gonzales does not represent the will of his constituents," it continued. "[T]hus we call upon him, in the strongest terms, TO RESIGN his position as US Representative."
"There was a comment during discussion on is this setting a dangerous precedent for the party to take such a decisive stand," Shannon Burns, the central committee members who introduced the resolution, told Fox News. Burns continued to say that it is a "dangerous precedent for a sitting congressman to not uphold his oath of office" and "prevent due process for an elected president of the United States."
The censure resolution called out all ten House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, but the decision for resignation aimed only at Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has not been as persistently direct in pushing Republicans to denounce Trump as some others who voted to impeach him, including Representative Liz Cheney, and Adam Kinzinger. But he's formerly defended his impeachment vote.
"The president of the United States helped organize and incite a mob that attacked the United States Congress in an attempt to prevent us from completing our solemn duties as prescribed by the Constitution," Gonzalez said in a statement announcing that he would vote to impeach Trump. "The Vice President and both chambers of Congress had their lives put in grave danger… These are fundamental threats not just to people's lives but to the very foundation of our Republic."
Meanwhile, Max Miller, the previous Trump aide who is running a primary challenge against Gonzalez over his vote, said the vote represented responsibility for Gonzalez. Miller was supported by Trump soon after after declaring his candidacy.
"The Ohio GOP has rightly voted to hold Anthony Gonzalez accountable for abandoning his constituents, his promises and the Republican Party," Miller said in a statement.
Miller also stated that regardless if he resigns or not, that they will continue to expand pro-Trump, America First message to all.
Explosive New Info on Hunter Biden and his Chinese Dealings
Biden ABOLISHES a Crucial Trump Regulation
Hot Mic Catches McCarthy Slamming Cheney Vice President Harris speaks on southern border assignment: 'It's not going to be solved overnight' Cuomo screams INNOCENCE and refuses to resign Biden's Top Nominee Claims Taxpayer-funded Abortion is Essential for 'Racial Justice'


One of my all-time favorite recipes is the one for our corn chowder; it's inexpensive, it's quick, it's insanely delicious, I almost always have all the ingredients available, it's healthy, no one complains too loudly if we have leftovers the next night.
I've been making that corn chowder since the summer my husband and I got married so…12 years (side note: how???) and I've never really veered too far off course because I love it so much. But then…one day…it happened. I decided to mix it up. I didn't have any bacon (gasp!) and I had a can of chipotles left over from this chicken (plus about half the chicken, which, spoiler alert, comes into play as well). It ended up being fabulous; my kids thought it was a little on the spicy side, but my husband and I loved it.
You're going to need chicken broth, a small can of corn, a can of black beans, 2 colored bell peppers, a whole bunch of garlic, an onion, chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, butter, flour, and some leftover chicken. Oh, and a couple of small red potatoes that didn't make it into the picture.
Chop the onion and peppers and mince the garlic and the chipotle (I seed mine because the seeds are burn-your-mouth off spicy).
and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and cook until the flour is smooth and the broth is starting to thicken. Add the milk and bring to a low simmer. Add the chopped potatoes (these help thicken the chowder). Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the milk isn't burning. Add the chicken, corn, black beans and a small amount of adobo sauce at a time, and any additional salt to taste.
Serve with chipotle Tabasco sauce and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
Melt butter in a large skillet. Saute the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and chipotle chili until the veggies are tender. Add the flour and cook 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and cook until the flour is smooth and the broth is starting to thicken. Add the milk and bring to a low simmer. Add the potatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure the milk isn't burning. Add the chicken, corn, black beans and a small amount of adobo sauce at a time, and any additional salt to taste. Serve with chipotle Tabasco sauce and shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Serves 8-10.
This looks amazing. Your corn chowder is one of our very favorite soups. I can't wait to try this one out.
This looks awesome. And we are finally having cool enough weather to eat soup. I think this will be dinner tomorrow night. Hooray for a new soup!
P.S. I don't see in the recipe when you add the potatoes. I assume it's before you let it simmer for 20 minutes?
Okay, that's so weird–I fixed it on my phone first thing this morning, and it looks like it's changed on the wordpress mobile app, but not on the site. It should be fixed now! Thanks, girl!
I'm cooking the garlic lime chicken recipe today. Look's like I might have to try this one with the leftovers tomorrow!
I absolutely love your corn chowder recipe. I even make my family eat it in the middle of summer because I love it so much. I am beyond excited to try this new take on it. Yay!!!
This looks really good. I do love me some soup weather!
My family LOVES your corn chowder and I know they would like this one too, but I'm wondering if you have any suggestions for substitutions for the bell peppers. I am unfortunately allergic to them.
We just had this for lunch. It was so good. The chipotle was great in it. I did half an onion instead of a whole one.
We got hit with a surprise snow today so this trumped my normal dinner plan. It was perfect! Very tasty and made a good amount of soup so everyone was able to eat to their heart's content. Thank you!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! Thanks for the delicious recipes!
Can't wait to make this tomorrow! Just have a quick question: I don't have any chipotle Tabasco sauce. Is this little ingredient going to be a deal-breaker if I don't have it? Thanks!
Where do you find chipotle? I've never bought it. Is it something you can find at any grocery store? Is it a canned thing or a fresh thing from the produce section?
Can this be frozen? I made a double batch for a function tomorrow and it just got postponed until next week. Love this soup btw!
I love having chowder in winter, this dish looks so awesome! Thank you for the recipe!
I made this tonight and used tapioca flour instead of all purpose to make it gluten free. Texture was just like times I've made it in the past. Heads up to anyone who has to avoid gluten.
I've made this before when my boys were still at home (both grad students now) and I remember everyone liking it. So when I was talking with my oldest yesterday about "what for dinner", he mentioned Chicken Chipotle Chowder and how much he loves it. Apparently he's made it multiple times and it's one of his favs. So now that he's got this in my head, this is on the menu for dinner this week! I wonder if it'd be good in a Panera bread bowl?
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. Thank you for another great recipe!


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ESOT Council – Call for nominations
March 15, 2021 | General
At the ESOT Congress in Milan, Oriol Bestard, Umberto Cillo, and Frank Dor will complete their term in office as ESOT Councillors. I am sure that you will all join me in expressing our most sincere gratitude to Oriol, Umberto and Frank for their truly excellent service to ESOT.
In addition, the seat of Xavier Rogiers, who sadly left us too soon in 2019, needs to be filled.
We will now proceed with the election of four new Councillors.
The election will take place as follows:
Members of the ESOT Council, all bona fide Members of ESOT and all Presidents of the European National Transplant Societies are cordially invited to nominate Members of ESOT for the position of ESOT Councillor. Nominations should be forwarded to me (gabriel.oniscu@ed.ac.uk) and to Mr Luca Segantini, the ESOT CEO (luca.segantini@esot.org). Nominations must include the name and contact details of the nominee and must also ensure that the nominee is aware and agreeable with their nomination. It is of utmost importance that nominations take into consideration the fact that ESOT wishes to have a broad and balanced representation concerning, among others, gender and transplant discipline. Therefore, members of traditionally underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. The nomination also needs to take into consideration experience, expertise, national and international status and recognition. ESOT is looking for dynamic, enthusiastic professionals with a strong commitment to the Society and the willingness to be actively involved in its numerous projects and activities. Nominees will then be asked to submit a CV and a statement of their intended contribution to the Council (max. 300 words).
Please kindly send your nominations by 11 April 2021, midnight CEST.
We invite nominations from each of the four geographical areas listed below.
Applications will be reviewed by the ESOT team. Only bona-fide ESOT members can be included on the ballot. Please note that, according to the ESOT Bylaws (art. 4), International, Honorary and Emeritus members of ESOT are not eligible to vote or run for office.
Following that, the election of the four Councillors will take place. All eligible ESOT members will receive an email informing them of the opening and closing dates of the voting process and a unique link to the voting platform, where they will be able to view the CVs and statements of the nominees and to cast their vote.
Upon closing of the voting platform, candidates will be grouped and ranked (if more than one per region) according to one of the following geographical areas:
Western Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Liechtenstein)
Northern Europe (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia)
Southern Europe (Spain, Andorra, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Malta, Turkey, Croatia, Slovenia, Republic of North Macedonia, Cyprus, San Marino, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Monaco)
Eastern Europe (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan).
A candidate's area is determined by the country in which they carry out their profession.
The candidate receiving the highest number of votes in each area will be elected. In the event that one of the geographical areas is not represented, the seat will be re-distributed to the highest-ranking candidate in the second place from the other three areas.
Nominees will be informed of the outcome of the election upon closing of the voting platform. Their election will need to be ratified by the next ESOT General Assembly which will take place at the ESOT Congress in Milan.
I encourage you to get involved in the democratic process by submitting your nominations and exercising your right to vote!
Thank you and kindest regards,
Gabriel Oniscu
ESOT Secretary
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Tyler Labine And The Disrespecting Of A Fandom, Not Just A Ship
Home » Tyler Labine And The Disrespecting Of A Fandom, Not Just A Ship
When I started watching New Amsterdam, it was because I was worn out from the medical system in New York. As a person with a chronic illness, I have spent way too much time in hospitals, subject to pokes and prods; doctors who were kind and doctors who were mean. Nurses who kept me alive and also ones that broke my spirit.
And I wanted hope.
I'd heard from a lot of people that New Amsterdam was that show. So I turned it on and watched.
One of the best things about television is the way that shows portray relationships. It doesn't matter what the relationship is – it is what draws the viewer in and keeps them invested. It doesn't have to be a romantic relationship, it can be a friendship or a familial relationship. The list goes on and on.
But the reality is that relationships are important in real life and on the screen. And when it comes to social media one of the most important relationships is the "ship."
A ship is defined as, "the desire by followers of a fandom for two or more people, either real-life people or fictional characters (in film, literature, television series, etc.) to be in a romantic or sexual relationship."
It's a valid thing to say that sometimes a fandom's desire for a ship can become toxic. But when it comes to New Amsterdam, it has never been toxic. It isn't toxic. Instead it's been just about seeing two actors with unbelievable chemistry on screen. It's been about performers who have been able to convey to people that they are not alone and that no matter how broken you feel, no matter how hard you push someone away to guard yourself, no matter how alone you feel – there is someone out there that has never given up hope for you.
Sharpwin's relationship isn't perfect. It's not even close, because no relationship is or can be. But it's an escape. No one has ever said that New Amsterdam is only about romance – it's the furthest thing from it. And in reality, until Tyler Labine's live, I had never even thought about it that way. What I had thought was that New Amsterdam offered me a rounded out show. It wasn't just about what happened in the hospital, it was also about what happened outside.
It was about people living their lives while saving others. And yes, it was about the fact that there was a light at the end of the tunnel for two deeply damaged people who were looking to piece together their lives.
This past week Tyler Labine, who plays Iggy on the show, did an Instagram live where he shared what he thought of Sharpwin.
sharpwin literally just went canon what the fuck else did you think we'd talk about pic.twitter.com/FXKV3vMv2Q
— mar (@helcnsharpe) August 18, 2021
"I am a fan of the idea of Sharpwin. I am getting a little bit sick of the fact that this show is only known for the whole Sharpwin thing. Everyone seems to only want to talk about Sharpwin and I didn't think I was on that kinda show. If I'm being honest, I didn't think I was on the show that had the big will they won't they in the center of it. Turns out I am and I am a sucker for that stuff too, but sometimes when you're on a show like this, a big ensemble and then the only thing that anyone ever talks about is Sharpwin it makes you feel a little bit resentful. Just a little bit. You're kinda like man, what about us. But I get it, I totally get it. Like I said I am a voracious TV viewer myself and I get it, it sucks you in. I'm just being honest. Just being honest." he said in the live.
And if we're being honest, if he had stopped there – there was a chance for redemption. It wasn't great, but there was a chance. But here's the thing – Labine doubled down and insulted the fandom. He also let us all know that he doesn't know how to use social media, because he doesn't realize that people talk about things beyond Sharpwin.
But l have to wonder if he understands what he said comes across as petty jealousy? I have to wonder if he realizes that what he said comes across as a slap in the face to a fandom that loves the show wholeheartedly.
"I don't have a problem with Sharpwin. This fandom is being toxic. Jessh. Watch the video. I bet you haven't even hear what I actually said in the first place. Just piling on. I was simply stating that the show has a lot of depth beyond a romance." Tyler Labine wrote in a comment after the fandom exploded over his Instagram live.
Ummm… talk about doubling down on bullshit. But one also has to wonder if he realizes that he just insulted the millions of people that watch this show? And he also dismissed the many people who are online talking about the importance of Iggy's storyline, how much it has touched them, or how much they appreciate his relationship with Martin – with its ups and downs (and honestly, that's been much more of a rollercoaster than Sharpwin has, remember when Iggy adopted a kid without telling Martin?)
And he should also be understanding the world we live in. There is a pandemic. Life is fucking depressing. So are we supposed to talk about all the depressing stuff all the time? Should we be online talking about how Iggy has a lot of issues? Should we be online talking about how Reynolds has no true storyline? Should we be online talking about how Bloom really needs to be seeing a therapist because she's definitely not worked through her issues?
We do talk about it. As a fandom, everyone examines all of the moments. Personally, I spent most of last season talking about Iggy and his storyline and how it helped me come to terms with my own eating issues. But, it seems that what Tyler wants is for the mainstream media to pick up more about the other characters and give them equal attention all the time.
Ships are the anchor of any show. It is what it is, and we don't make the rules. Ships are what draw people in and keep them invested in the show. We are all looking for connections. But it doesn't mean that we're neglecting other characters.
And yet, for Tyler it seems that isn't okay. Which, if we're being honest, he needs to realize that ships help bring that sweet syndication money, so he should be thanking Sharpwin for giving the fans something to hold onto, something that makes them watch the show repeatedly.
Instead, he's taking a stance that makes PR teams cringe. Don't read the comments. Don't reply to the negative comments.
He's right. People should be able to express their love and dislike for a ship. But who shouldn't? Anyone involved with the show. He doesn't need to be replying to comments, particularly comments that start with attacking a character, not even the ship. I'd imagine that he's looking for a lifeline, someone to agree with him, since basically a large portion of the fandom told him off.
He even went on to like tweets that supported his position. And he chose to remain silent when it came to the things that insulted his cast members.
But hey, again, he made sure to defend people that took his position.
this man is never coming back from letting someone call helen a "know it all bitch" in the comments without deleting/replying. that's not even about #sharpwin anymore and it's not an opinion that anyone HAS to platform. insane. pic.twitter.com/YvO8TyReqU
— sharpwin angst agenda (@3quifinal) August 18, 2021
Unfortunately, the way that he acted, the things that he said, the way he chose to insult the fandom, his comments, have personally tainted my love for his character. I don't know if I will ever be able to look at Iggy the same way.
I certainly won't look at Tyler the same way.
Tyler Labine is a human being and entitled to his opinion. However, he doesn't get to insult a fandom that is devoted to New Amsterdam and still have us follow and celebrate his every word, or his character's.
He owes the fandom an apology. Maybe then we can go back to investing in Iggy.
Tags Editorial Freema Agyeman Instagram New Amsterdam Ryan Eggold Sharpwin TV Tyler Labine
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