Discus any of the Deadpool series, miniseries, or appearances.
It's that time of the month again! Some interesting info. to take from here... He is appearing in War of the Realms! That's written by Jason Aaron AND drawn by Russel Dauterman! And he appears drawn by Art Adams in covers... TWICE!!
As you'll see, there a couple tie-ins to War of the Realms on the main series (#13 & #14). Two issues this month and, as cc08 pointed first in this forums, the series (or at least Young's is ending on the 15th... I wonder how the plot will develop the remaining issues. Then again, being shipped twice this month gives me hopes of knowing what's coming after Young sooner... We'll see!
BTW, I didn't forget to comment on that subthread... I just haven't been able to. But I agree with cc008 it's very possible that Matt Rosemberg's Punisher is ending soon too, and so is Aaron's Thor (this June, as it happens). I hadn't given a think until now, but Aaron can be a strong contender to the main series. He is a acclaimed writer with several years of experience in the industry... Separately of the writing quality he could bring with him, marketing wise, it could be an intelligent move from Marvel to try meet the expectations "the market" may demand from the DP title after the success of the movies (remember that Bendis was appointed by the publisher to replace Duggan, regardless of what you may think of Bendis' works).
WAR OF THE REALMS TIE-IN! DEADPOOL GOES DOWN UNDER!
• As the War of the Realms rages, Deadpool is sent to Australia to take care of a pesky troll problem!
• No, not those obnoxious internet nerds. REAL TROLLS!
• How many didgeridoo jokes can one comic book make? Let's find out together!
WAR OF THE REALMS TIE-IN! BEYOND THUNDERPOOL!
• The war against the trolls grows larger! The likelihood of Deadpool not causing an international incident grows smaller!
• Prepare for carnage as only a nation begun as a penal colony can deliver!
hero Wolverine gets a real shock during his Vigil! Then, Deadpool gets into the collectibles market at JUST the wrong time!
And finally, a new Marvel U status quo for Danny Ketch who caught fire as the Ghost Rider of the era!
The conclusion of a tale almost 30 years in the making — the fate of the X-Istance! The rise of the X-Ential! And the full identity of Major X himself!
THE WORLD'S SHATTERING CONCLUSION OF WAR OF THE REALMS!
The tides begin to turn as unexpected allies appear in a twist that will shake the heavens! Malekith's allies are faltering at last before the might of all Earth's heroes, but the Dark Elf King has one final trick — and it's got a VENOMOUS bite! Out of options, the God of Thunder makes a sacrifice that will leave him forever changed. But will it be enough? And what heroes may fall in his wake? Midgard's fate is sealed as Jason Aaron's years-long saga comes to its epic conclusion!
The immense power of the Creation Constellation is in reach! The only thing between it and Domino's squad is...each other?! Which of these knockouts are gonna get knocked out?!
You know him as the 1990s superstar who transformed the New Mutants into X-Force and co-created Cable and Deadpool — but Rob Liefeld also left his mark on the wider Marvel Universe! Now these adventures featuring Liefeld's all-action plots and artwork are collected in a single, high-octane Omnibus! Relive his revolutionary reimaginings of Captain America and the Avengers in the world of Heroes Reborn — and its blockbuster sequel ONSLAUGHT REBORN! Early Liefeld artwork featuring the X-Men, X-Factor, Spider-Man and the Black Widow! A savage Wolverine vs. Deadpool showdown! And more! Collecting X-FACTOR (1986) #40, UNCANNY X-MEN (1981) #245, WHAT IF? (1989) #7, CAPTAIN AMERICA (1996) #1-6, AVENGERS (1996) #1-7, WOLVERINE (1988) #154-157 and ONSLAUGHT REBORN #1-5 — plus material from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #23; MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS (1988) #51-53, #85-86 and #99; and HEROES REBORN #1/2.
The biggest event in Marvel Comics history — honest! The Infinite House of Civil yet Secret Crisis War Invasions will shake the foundations of the Marvel Universe — and nothing will ever be the same! And it's up to Spider-Man and Deadpool to save the day — if they can make it back from the Negative Zone in time, that is! But who is the new, mysterious and omnipotent villain who has somehow restored the fourth wall? And if he can stop Deadpool from seeing and talking to the readers, what else can he do?! Prepare for a battle of epic proportions, because the danger is coming — from the other side of the page! Not a hoax! Not a dream! Not an imaginary story! This is the event that could end all events! Collecting SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL #46-50.
It will be interesting to see what's coming up. 'Spider-Man/Deadpool' is ending with #50 (and the Vol. 9 trade listed here), and the Skottie Young run finishes on the main title with #15 in July. Wonder what they have in store for old Wadey?


text:
Bohumil Klepetko (* 13. ledna 1967 Roudnice nad Labem) je český redaktor a moderátor. V letech 1998 až 2012 moderoval na ČT hlavní zpravodajskou relaci Události, mezi roky 2012 a 2013 pak Události, komentáře, v letech 2013 a 2014 Hyde park, Interview ČT24 a v současnosti moderuje pořady Události v regionech a Politické spektrum.

Životopis
Narodil se a bydlí v Roudnici nad Labem. Jeho otec byl první ředitel třetí základní školy v Roudnici nad Labem. V letech 1981 až 1985 vystudoval Gymnázium Roudnice nad Labem, ve studiích pokračoval nejprve na 2. lékařské fakultě Univerzity Karlovy v Praze a později na Fakultě sociálních věd téže univerzity.

Sám hrál lední hokej, např. za "A" tým mužů v Roudnici nad Labem. Také byl přijat na námořní akademii v zahraničí, ale z osobních důvodů nemohl nastoupit ke studiu.

Činnost
V letech 1992 až 1993 externě spolupracoval s redakcí zpravodajství České televize, od roku 1994 je zde zaměstnán:
 reportér vnitropolitického zpravodajství (parlamentní, vládní a hradní zpravodaj)
 moderátor diskusního pořadu Debata
 vedoucí redaktor domácího zpravodajství (1997–1999)
 moderátor pořadu komentovaného zpravodajství "21" (1994–1998)
 šéfredaktor zpravodajství ČT, resp. šéfredaktor zpravodajství a publicistiky ČT (2000–2002)
 moderátor hlavního zpravodajského pořadu ČT Události (1998–2012)
 moderátor pořadu Události, komentáře (2012–2013)
 moderátor pořadu Hyde park (2013–2016)
 moderátor pořadu Interview ČT24
 moderátor pořadu Události v regionech
 moderátor pořadu Politické spektrum
 moderátor Studia ČT 24

Externě spolupracoval s Českým rozhlasem a ČTK.

Do konce března 2012 moderoval společně s Ivetou Toušlovou pořad Události, hlavní zpravodajskou relaci České televize. Od dubna 2012 se přesunul do večerního pořadu Události, komentáře. Další změna nastala v září 2013, kdy opustil Události, komentáře a začal společně s Danielem Takáčem uvádět pořad Hyde park na ČT24.

Od roku 2019 moderuje pořady Události v regionech a Politické spektrum.

Záliby
 Hokej (synové hrají dorosteneckou a žákovskou ligu) a sport obecně. Prezident hokejového klubu v Roudnici nad Labem (2008–2011)
 Moře, lodě, mořeplavba (hlavně česká a československá námořní plavba)

Rodina
 Manželka: Jitka Klepetková
 Synové: Jeroným Klepetko, Benedikt Klepetko, Teodorik Klepetko

Zajímavosti
Při teroristickém útoku na Ministerstvo obrany Spojených států amerických v září 2001 byl v Pentagonu a smrti unikl jen díky nárazu letadla do opačného prostoru k místu, kde se nacházel.

Reference

Externí odkazy
 Stránky ČT

 Bohumil Klepetko na Ihned.cz
 Český rozhlas – Bohumil Klepetko v tandemu s Janem Rosákem

Čeští moderátoři
Čeští novináři
Lidé České televize
Lidé Českého rozhlasu
Absolventi Univerzity Karlovy
Narození v roce 1967
Žijící lidé
Muži
Narození 13. ledna
Narození v Roudnici nad Labem

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
{-# LANGUAGE PatternGuards, ScopedTypeVariables, RecordWildCards, ViewPatterns #-}

module Test.Standard(test) where

import Control.Exception
import Control.Monad
import Data.List
import Data.Maybe
import System.Directory
import System.FilePath
import System.IO
import System.Cmd
import System.Exit

import Settings
import HSE.All
import Hint.All
import Test.Util
import Test.InputOutput
import Test.Annotations

test :: ([String] -> IO ()) -> FilePath -> [FilePath] -> IO Int
test main dataDir files = withTests $
    if null files then do
        src <- doesFileExist "hlint.cabal"
        sequence_ $ (if src then id else take 1)
            [testHintFiles dataDir, testSourceFiles, testInputOutput main]
        putStrLn ""
        unless src $ putStrLn "Warning, couldn't find source code, so non-hint tests skipped"
    else do
        mapM_ (testHintFile dataDir) files

testHintFiles :: FilePath -> IO ()
testHintFiles dataDir = do
    xs <- getDirectoryContents dataDir
    mapM_ (testHintFile dataDir)
        [dataDir </> x | x <- xs, takeExtension x == ".hs", not $ "HLint" `isPrefixOf` takeBaseName x]

testHintFile :: FilePath -> FilePath -> IO ()
testHintFile dataDir file = do
    hints <- readSettings2 dataDir [file] []
    sequence_ $ nameCheckHints hints : checkAnnotations hints file :
                [typeCheckHints hints | takeFileName file /= "Test.hs"]
    progress

testSourceFiles :: IO ()
testSourceFiles = sequence_
    [checkAnnotations [Builtin name] ("src/Hint" </> name <.> "hs") | (name,h) <- builtinHints]

---------------------------------------------------------------------
-- VARIOUS SMALL TESTS

nameCheckHints :: [Setting] -> IO ()
nameCheckHints hints = do
    sequence_ [failed ["No name for the hint " ++ prettyPrint (hintRuleLHS x)] | SettingMatchExp x@HintRule{} <- hints, hintRuleName x == defaultHintName]

-- | Given a set of hints, do all the HintRule hints type check
typeCheckHints :: [Setting] -> IO ()
typeCheckHints hints = bracket
    (openTempFile "." "hlinttmp.hs")
    (\(file,h) -> removeFile file)
    $ \(file,h) -> do
        hPutStrLn h $ unlines contents
        hClose h
        res <- system $ "runhaskell " ++ file
        progress
        tested $ res == ExitSuccess
    where
        matches = [x | SettingMatchExp x <- hints]

        -- Hack around haskell98 not being compatible with base anymore
        hackImport i@ImportDecl{importAs=Just a,importModule=b}
            | prettyPrint b `elem` words "Maybe List Monad IO Char" = i{importAs=Just b,importModule=a}
        hackImport i = i

        contents =
            ["{-# LANGUAGE NoMonomorphismRestriction, ExtendedDefaultRules #-}"] ++
            concat [map (prettyPrint . hackImport) $ scopeImports $ hintRuleScope x | x <- take 1 matches] ++
            ["main = return ()"
            ,"(==>) :: a -> a -> a; (==>) = undefined"
            ,"_noParen_ = id"
            ,"_eval_ = id"] ++
            ["{-# LINE " ++ show (startLine $ ann rhs) ++ " " ++ show (fileName $ ann rhs) ++ " #-}\n" ++
             prettyPrint (PatBind an (toNamed $ "test" ++ show i) Nothing bod Nothing)
            | (i, HintRule _ _ _ lhs rhs side _) <- zip [1..] matches, "notTypeSafe" `notElem` vars (maybeToList side)
            , let vs = map toNamed $ nub $ filter isUnifyVar $ vars lhs ++ vars rhs
            , let inner = InfixApp an (Paren an lhs) (toNamed "==>") (Paren an rhs)
            , let bod = UnGuardedRhs an $ if null vs then inner else Lambda an vs inner]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
[PAST EVENT] Lecture: "Peace and Violence in Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Key Concepts"
Wren Building, Room 301
A lecture by Robert Eisen, Professor of Religion and Judaic Studies at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
He received his B.A. at Yale University in 1983, and his Ph.D. in Jewish thought at Brandeis University in 1990. His areas of interest include medieval and modern Jewish philosophy, biblical interpretation, religious ethics and comparative religion. He is author of three books, Gersonides on Providence, Covenant, and the Chosen People (State University of New York Press, 1995); The Book of Job in Medieval Jewish Philosophy (Oxford University Press, 2004); and The Peace and Violence of Judaism: From the Bible to Modern Zionism (Oxford University Press, 2011). He has also co-edited two volumes: Philosophers and the Jewish Bible (University of Maryland Press, 2008) with Charles Manekin, and Just Peacemaking in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Pilgrim Press, forthcoming) with Glen Stassen and Susan Thistlethwaite. Professor Eisen has also received a number of grants and awards to support his research, including a Fulbright research grant at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1999-2000. He was also given a teaching award in 2005 from George Washington University in recognition of his contributions in the classroom.
[[rsleve]]
German Studies Events
Previous MonthMarch 2012Next Month
Colloquia, Seminars & Lectures

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Lake Seal (photograph: Chris Crerar)
Mount Field discovery ranger program
Related PagesExpand/Collapse
Mount Field National Park is the place to be this summer, with our award-winning Discovery Rangers holding a host of free activities for all visitors.
Visitor Centre
11:00am - 1:00pm Invasive Species Discovery Table
Russell Falls Track
3:00pm - 4:00pm Russell Falls Guided Walk
Sunday 22 January, 2023
Visitor Centre
11:00am-12:00pm Biology Lab - Plant and Animal Identification
2:00pm-3:00pm Identify that Animal
Monday 23 January, 2023
11:00am - 1:00pm Invasive Species Discovery Table
2:00pm - 4:00pm Help us Map Wildlife
Tuesday 24 January, 2023
11:00am - 1:00pm Devil and Scull Discovery Table
Wednesday 25 January, 2023
2:00pm-3:00pm Identify that Animal!
Thursday 26 January, 2023
11:00am-1:00pm Invasive Species Discovery Table
Friday 27 January, 2023
11:00am - 12:00pm Biology Lab - Plant and Animal Identification
2:00pm - 3:00pm Identify that Animal!
Saturday 28 January, 2023
8:30pm - 9:30pm Spotlight Walk to see Wildlife
Sunday 29 January, 2023
12:30pm - 2:30pm Invasive Species Discovery Table
3:30pm - 4:30pm Help us Map Wildlife
Monday 30 January, 2023
11:00am - 1:00pm Invasive Species Discovery Table
Russell Falls Track
Program ends, see you next Summer!
Last modified 20/01/2023 11:33 AM


As an American living overseas, it was amazing to be witness to the sincere and enthusiastic interest in the elections for the next American Head of State. Of course one realizes that its an important election, that its worldwide news, etc., yet I was truly surprised at the one-by-one, personal care and concern that I heard all around me in Italy.
At the beginning of the election process I recall that no one gave much hope to Barack Obama. They believed that America was still too mired in hateful racism. They believed that "white" America would never let a "black" man win or that if he did there would be riot or revolution.
When it began to seem possible that this young, intelligent, self-possessed candidate could actually win, one could smell the beginnings of a whiff of hope in the air. The last few weeks and months stoked the fires under this hope and in the midst of crisis, instead of extinguishing this flame with fear and desperation, the hope actually intensified until everyone I knew seemed to feel that flame catch inside.
It was at this point that it actually clicked for me: sadly, for the first time, I realized, fin in fondo, that what happens in the United States of America can have a real, direct impact on the lives of millions around this vast globe. Especially in a moment when the world quite literally seems to be holding its breath, afraid of what the future will bring. As an "ignorant, self-centered American", I never really and truly grasped the fullness of the impact of our nation's choices. The impact on prices around the world, on food, gas, electricity, things that directly impact your average life. The true impact of our choices on world security, a sense of safety – again, a real concern to average citizens of our world.
It has been nice to see that for the first time in a long time, our choice as Americans has inspired worldwide hope. It has truly renewed the sense that at one time drew immigrants from around the world: that anything is possible! Now the world, instead of coming to the U.S., needs a new version of the American dream – a hope and possibility that emigrates out into and around the world.
A local inhabitant of a small mountain village expressed to me, upon the results of the election: "He's like me, his mother and grandmother were strong like mine and raised him right! Can you imagine? He's become president of the United States"!
If we as Americans only knew, but really knew, the power we hold in our hands, to impact average people around the world. We would understand it not as a presumptuous bully/savior but as an awesome responsibility that should truly humble us and make us acutely awake and aware when making our choices.
We, in some small yet potent way, affect many, many others. Let's hope that our choices this time will bring us closer to respecting this responsibility and through our choices use this power humbly and wisely. We have at least demonstrated that this choice, instead of dividing us, has united. Piano…,Piano…….


text:
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Starlight: How Mark Millar Got Inclusive and Wrote the Best Comic of His Career
By Shea Hennum | February 11, 2015 | 9:30am
Comics Features Mark Millar
Mark Millar writes quintessentially cinematic comics, made to be made into movies. In tandem with extraordinary artists, the Scottish scribe crafts kinetic, self-contained stories featuring original characters in familiar environs. His protagonists are superheroes designed realistically, pragmatically — some even resemble specific actors. A filmic ethos runs through his work, and it's why his runs on The Ultimates and Ultimate Fantastic Four inspired the movie iterations of The Avengers and director Josh Trank's upcoming Fantastic Four, four of his creator-owned books have been adapted directly and six more have been optioned.
But for all the interest in his work, filmmakers run into a problem when attempting to adapt it. Numerous journalists, critics and fans have noted questionable racial and sexual imagery when parsing Millar's oeuvre. These aspects are quite controversial, and, while they do garner Millar press, it's largely negative. Consequently, every direct and indirect adaptation has been altered to avoid even the potential for this controversy.
Starlight, Millar's recently-completed 6-issue Image series with art from Goran Parlov and covers from John Cassaday, was optioned before its first issue even hit the stands. Keeping in mind the way Hollywood uniformly adapts his work, the book stands out as a particularly conscious work and may mark a turning point in the writer's career. The comic contains all the bombastic pacing and blockbuster set pieces that fans of his work will be familiar with, but it sheds the same problematic aspects that all successful adaptations of his work do, delineating it from Millar's previous work.
The series concerns a man named Duke McQueen returning to Tantalus, the distant planet he saved forty years ago. Moebius, Flash Gordon and The Incredibles appear to be the narrative's biggest influences, shining through in the action-adventure energy that permeates the series. Starlight embraces its Golden Age sci-fi roots and indulges in unapologetic camp, which gives the comic a patina of pure, mindless escapism. But even though it is a genuine pleasure to read, the book also marks the first time in over a decade that Millar seems interested in wrestling with anything arguably substantive. In his meditation on 21st century superheroics, The Ultimates, he examined how superheroes would impact a world at war with terror, and in Starlight he returns to those same ideas generated by events like the Iraq War. In this series, he reckons with the consequences of "spreading democracy" and imposing a given value system on an alien culture. Wading into this intellectual gray area, Millar paints his sci-fi analog with a visceral level of real-world complexity and nuance, and he doesn't fall into the same trap of separating characters into the clearly-delineated binaries of good and evil that he normally does.
In his earlier works, Millar's depictions of people of color are similarly simple. In Ultimate Comics: Avengers, Millar introduces a black Hulk — one who changes his name from "Leonard Williams" to "Tyrone Cash," abandons his family and turns to crime the minute he's given the opportunity. The black characters in Wanted mock protagonist Wesley Gibson's whiteness, intimidating and attacking him for it; he's proudly prejudice and his prejudices are never disproven. The titular hero in Kick-Ass relentlessly beats drug dealers and gang members, roles ascribed to people of color, though he and his father sexually fetishize the only exceptions. Conversely, the black characters in Starlight are more complex.
Within a couple issues, Millar introduces characters like Krish Moor, Tilda Starr and Lord Kingfisher. Nicknamed Space-Boy, Krish seeks out McQueen in the first pages of the second issue. Millar gives Krish an enormous amount of agency, and Krish is rarely just a pawn to further the story of other characters. Rage and vengeance motivate him, and his backstory is tragic. Krish learns and grows and experiences ups and downs. Sequences move around him, and he's more than just a sidekick — he's a fully-fledged leading character. And though he's an alien, he's drawn to resemble general Asian humans and, were he a few years younger, Big Hero 6's Ryan Potter could be cast perfectly in a film adaptation.
But while Krish's racial identity may be somewhat ambiguous, Tilda Starr and Kingfisher are clearly black characters. Unlike his previous books, these characters represent a spectrum of heroism and villainy, and Starlight doesn't stereotype them.
Motivated by a perceived supremacy, Kingfisher rules his conquered territory with fear and violence. He refers to himself as a predator, and it's as if that predation is innate, natural. His actions are harsh, but backed by pathos. Culture, history and experience guide his hands. And Kingfisher is usually implicitly cruel — in fact, white characters usually dole out the lion's share of violence and white characters usually receive it.
Millar historically provides his women with similarly narrow roles. In Kick-Ass, for example, Millar dispatches with the mother of protagonist Dave Lizewski within the first few page; Dave's crush, Katie, uses him to run errands and then sends him a photograph of her performing oral sex on her boyfriend when she learns of Dave's desires. In Kick-Ass 2, supervillains attempt to exploit Katie's relationship to Dave; they murder her father and rape her. The only women with any agency, Hit-Girl and Mother Russia, are the two most physically capable characters in the series, but their male co-stars mock them because of it.
Compared to the women in previous Millar comics, Starlight's Tilda Starr compares favorably. Smart, experienced, strong and driven, she vows to never repeat the past mistakes that haunt her. That vow motivates her, and she leads her people with vigor and wisdom. Oftentimes, physical strength is substituted for complexity of character, but Tilda's intelligence and cunning aren't undermined by the fact that she can hold her own in a fight. And though Tilda is far from infallible, Millar doesn't give her the short shrift; she's instrumental in the machinations of the finale, and that import is recognized by other characters. With Tilda, Millar proves himself not only capable of writing interesting, nuanced roles for women, but for people of color as well.
However, strong representation isn't necessarily an indicator of quality, and Starlight isn't a perfect work. Moving along at a compressed pace, the series simply lacks the time or space to do anything but hint at its characters' interiority. While Millar is able to expose enough facets to make them engaging in the moment, Starlight could've benefitted from more time to flesh out the characters even further. The same could be said about the comic's world. But these are minor blemishes at best, and, in spite of them, the book manages to be one of Millar's finest.
The writer consistently works with some of the best living cartoonists, but he rarely gets that superlative quality out of them. However, he gives Goran Parlov breathing room and allows the artist to create. Proving his inimitability, Parlov illustrates the series with aplomb: the way McQueen's craggy, wrinkled skin sags and softens, Parlov relaxing and tightening the musculature with a single line. Everything from the retro-futuristic designs to the staccato, bombastic action sequences and the tactile, affecting viscera carries a consistent grandiosity.
And, for once, Millar doesn't contrive a story around weightless action. He imbues McQueen with delectable pathos, and Parlov draws placid scenes of cigarette smoking and stargazing serenely — to the point of tangibility. Millar observes loss and nostalgia insightfully, maturely, delivering a script that matches Parlov's level of craftsmanship. The series makes fantastic use of the serial format and chooses its chapter endings well, utilizing the cliffhanger exceptionally, though it could've benefitted from an additional issue or two.
The series does suffer other narrative deficiencies, too. For starters, the dramatic crux is that an alien people must rely on the intervention and guardianship of a saber-wielding white man to survive — an abstraction open to possibly controversial connotations. More concretely, however, Starlight world-builds primarily with asides and narrative implications, but it fails to sufficiently follow up on them. For example, a few characters fetishize Earth culture, which is surprising because Millar portrays Tantalus as an isolated planet. However, the story is engaging: Millar sets the tempo at a brisk pace that recalls Edgar Rice Burroughs; Goran Parlov lushly renders the world, composing it with a keen eye for action and facial expressions. Most significantly, though, the series lacks the usual representational pratfalls that castrate the readability of most Millar comics. By comparison, Starlight is thoughtful and considered, and it's a genuinely rewarding experience.
Stronger representations usually correlate to more complex works — they represent a creator thinking more, being more conscious of his or her choices and considering them more — and the way Millar simultaneously sheds the more problematic aspects of his work and delivers his strongest work to date substantiates that correlation.
goran parlov
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More TV News


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Collapse of this stout party
Here we go again. The nobly sympathetic Zoe Williams reports on a conference on obesity. She observed that inevitably:
The conventional narrative – that obesity is a combination of personal failure and societal booby-trapping, where we're nudged towards unhealthy eating and inactivity, and don't put up much of a fight – remains the starting point.
And so we plunge in to the pathological diagnoses of the inadequacies of the obese - "abuse, trauma, neglect" put in an appearance, as does depression and stigma. Other activities are suggested instead of eating: - "Five minutes of vigorous masturbation ... takes up 300 calories. It can replace a light meal." One expert ponders a deep paradox:
"The government spent millions on that obesity campaign, then wondered why it didn't work. But I don't think there is an information deficit," adds Buckroyd. Obese people know very well the mathematical discrepancies of their calorie usage. "But so many people are puzzled by their own behaviour."
And yet none of these dedicated puritans seem to have noticed something that is pretty obvious, especially judging by the profusion of cookery shows on TV. Eating and drinking are pleasurable. They are sensual, relaxing and sociable. The preparation of good food is creative and, at times, ruthlessly competitive. We have a love affair with food because it is incredibly loveable. Food is at the centre of our culture of hospitality, snacks and drinks are offered wherever we go. It makes us feel good, both to give and receive. We like it. Food is more than fuel for survival, it is the social glue that holds us together. Food is nice. Overdoing it carries the extra spice of sin, a very fine dish indeed.
Williams ends with a comforting statistic:
... obesity costs £5.1bn to the NHS. Malnutrition costs £7.3bn.
And that is in a developed country. Feeding the world rather than encouraging people to knock a few pounds off or lose the odd sagging belly is what a genuine politics of food and health should be talking about.
Of course none of this actually deals with a question that recurs throughout history. Why when indulging in this cornucopia of pleasure do some put on weight whilst others don't? So perhaps us fatties need to be a bit cheeky and muscle in on a gay anthem, insisting that perhaps the reason for our rotundity is simply that we were born this way.
What would George Orwell have made of 2013? Who knows, he's dead. Move on now ... oh no, we don't get away with it that easily. There's still a couple of thousand words to get through yet. Gawd.
More questions are raised. Lots of them. And then we play a new game.
Indeed, there's a better game to play with Orwell than "What would he be writing about were he alive?". It's called "What did he get right?". To be sure, Orwell said that what he wrote in his dystopian novels were warnings rather than predictions, but let's forget about that for a moment.
In other words, let's ignore about what he actually wrote and make something up. So, if Nineteen Eighty-Four was a prediction, even if it wasn't, what did it get right? The answer's simple. Nothing. No? Of course not, you have a column to fill. And so we get a few examples of egregious practices and then more make believe.
We don't have public executions, you might retort. Yes, but given how much we like spectacle of others suffering, that might only be a matter of time – hangings downloadable to your funky new Google glasses.
"Might be only a matter of time," eh? Anything, just anything so that we can conclude:
Perhaps 2013 isn't so different from Nineteen Eighty-Four.
I don't know about you, but I reckon I can tell them apart. A single (or even multiple) illiberality does not a totalitarianism make.
The problem with this type of writing is that it uses the work of a long dead author as a cypher for its own prejudices, in this case those of a rampant Guardianista, stamping them with the moral authority of the blessed Orwell.
So what about Orwell's novel itself? I have written before about it not being my favourite. But I think that we have to place it in its historical context. The fears it reflected were far more real then. Nazism had been defeated at horrendous cost, but Stalinism was triumphant. Of the two vastly destructive dystopias that had wreaked havoc, one, together with its apologists, remained, carrying with it the status of victor and ally. Orwell feared its attractions as a model to a ruling class.
If you want a companion piece to Nineteen Eighty-Four, I would suggest a book that would not instantly spring to mind. Hayek's The Road to Serfdom may come from a different perspective, his classic liberalism was utterly different from Orwell's democratic socialism, but the impulse behind the two was the same. Hayek feared that central planning in a social democratic state would be in danger of replicating the very fascism that it had been employed to defeat:
...many who think themselves infinitely superior to the aberrations of Nazism and sincerely hate all its manifestations, work at the same time for ideals whose realisation would lead straight to the abhorred tyranny.
Similarly, Orwell thought that the national security state and an increasingly threatened elite were perfectly capable of adopting Stalinism for their own purposes. Neither saw this as inevitable. Both wrote as a warning, sounding the alarm as to the possibility, calling for watchful and determined opposition to any moves in that direction. And they were both wrong.
It was much more understandable at the time they wrote, but their pessimism was unfounded. They had underestimated both the stability of liberal democracy and its openness to reform. We took a different road and live in far more liberal societies today than we did in the nineteen forties. That is not to be complacent about the injustices and inequities of our times, far from it. We should just remain grateful that these earlier literary warnings remain only as a device to allow privileged Guardian columnists to have what they desire most; membership of the oppressed without all the inconveniences of the real thing.
Posted by The Plump at 5:35 pm 3 comments:
Artificial union
Michael Aylwin writes with excitement about those "masters of innovation", Saracens Rugby Union Club, installing a new artificial pitch. He continues,
What makes it all so intriguing is that no one has ever seen a proper game of rugby played on such a surface.
Leaving aside the question as to whether Union can be called "proper rugby", I would like to point out that Widnes Rugby League Club sucessfully installed an artificial pitch a year ago and has played a full season on it.
Once again, Union plays catch up and the press fail to notice the real innovators. Then it is League. And in Widnes. In the North. They couldn't really be expected to know about it, could they?
Posted by The Plump at 7:06 pm No comments:
What strikes me as interesting about today's penchant for austerity, particularly in the Eurozone, is the way it has united a range of classic liberal economists with Keynesians in opposition to it. Both agree from different premises that the policy is a dismal failure and there is a measure of consensus between them about the need to maintain demand in times of recession. Whilst recognising that sovereign debt is a real problem, they are clear that it cannot be reduced without a healthy, productive real economy. Thus, they focus their critique on the extraction of rent from the real economy and the damage it causes. Here are a couple of examples.
Aditya Chakrabortty, from the social democratic left, revives the work of Michał Kalecki and in doing so stresses the importance maintaining expenditure and investment in a recession. An equitable distribution of wealth is of particular importance for maintaining demand and a healthy economy, providing the resources for the erosion of sovereign debt levels. This is something that, as Will Hutton reports, even the IMF has woken up to. Austerity certainly redistributes wealth, only it does so inequitably, filling the pockets of the rent seekers. Earnings and benefits are squeezed, depressing consumption and damaging the wider economy. He concludes, "… austerity is just code for the transfer of wealth and power into ever fewer hands."
In a longer piece, rooted in economic history, Michael Hudson argues that the interests of a rent seeking class are embedded in an ideological hegemony, often justified by false historical analogies, that is shaping the political economy of European nations to the detriment of the wider economy. I won't repeat his full argument, the piece is worth reading in its entirety, but the following illustrates what I mean by the extent of the opposition consensus.
A political and ideological coup d'état is replacing democracy with financial oligarchy, transferring government power to banks and bondholders. The new policy is not for governments to tax the wealthy but to borrow from them – at interest, which is to be paid by taxing labor, consumers and industry all the more. To proceed down this path would reverse Europe's Enlightenment and the past three centuries of economics. It is called classical economics – and even "free market economics" – but it is a travesty to impose this policy in the name of the patron saints of classical political economy. The Physiocrats, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Wilhelm Roscher, Friedrich List and Progressive Era reformers urged just the opposite path of what now is being taken, and indeed which the world seemed to be following until World War I and for a few decades after World War II.
So far, there is little sign of this counter argument having the slightest impact on our austeritian rulers. In the meantime there are consequences. Aristos Doxiadis and Manos Matsaganis have written a stimulating pamphlet on National Populism and Xenophobia in Greece, where they look at the interaction of the notion of Greek exceptionalism with the crisis to produce a nationalist populism that blames the crisis on a variety of external forces (including the bogeymen dreamt up in the wilder fantasies of conspiracy mongers) whilst absolving themselves from any responsibility. Of course, much of the responsibility for the crisis does lie outside Greece, as emphasised in the other pieces, but another dimension is the product of Greek governance, institutions and attitudes. The rise of populism is not happening only in Greece. UKIP is a comparatively mild example in this country, but is cut from the same cloth. A much more virulent version is to be found in Hungary and it is possible to argue that both German popular discourse and, more alarmingly, EU institutions seem to be more comfortable with a morality drama about the puritan north against the hedonistic south as an alternative to examining the real consequences of monetary union.
This nationalist populism could be a genuine threat to the European Union, one that it seems unwilling to recognise as it insulates itself from reality with the self-reinforcing dogma of austerity economics. What is certain is that the social stability offered by EU membership looks less secure as the undercurrent of violence, discussed here by Maria Margaronis, begins to seep from the margins. Doxiadis and Matsagianis stress the need for,
A growing economy providing good jobs, and a welfare state geared to the needs of the weakest. The most effective therapy of the underdog mentality is hope and economic security. Hope will not be created by Greeks alone: Greece's European partners must help
It seems no nearer. But just as they call for reform, they also "…call on those who feed the paranoia and the illusions to consider the consequences." In short, their pamphlet calls for mental honesty and self-criticism at a time of increasingly deluded certainties. We can only hope that such sanity prevails.
The alternative version
Posted by The Plump at 10:44 pm 2 comments:
Rugby League kicked off for me with the friendly this afternoon between Salford and Swinton. Salford now run out to Brian and Michael's saccharine song about L S Lowry. Lowry, of course, lived in Swinton. On Station Road. A few hundred yards from Swinton's old ground.
Salford are in dire financial straits. Swinton donated a large part of their share of the gate receipts to Salford for their survival fund. In return, Salford have nicked our artist.
The match ended in a win for Salford, 52-12. Oh well.
Posted by The Plump at 8:16 pm 1 comment:
Miserables reflections
With all the hype surrounding the new film of the musical version of Les Miserables (I have seen neither) I thought it was about time to read the book over the holiday period. It was a fine choice to make. Les Miserables is a vast, compelling novel, contrived in places, relying on the strings of coincidence common to the 19th Century epic novel, which keep the main protagonists linked together throughout many years. It uses gripping, dramatic narrative and then gives the reader time to breathe by interjecting long sections of reflection on everything from the Battle of Waterloo to the use of slang, before the action begins again. Much of what follows will not make sense unless you are familiar with the work, but I wanted to pick out something that struck me about the book. I saw Hugo writing not simply as a radical liberal proponent of social justice, nor as a poetic celebrant of the progress initiated by the French Revolution, but as an ironist. Let me explain.
After I finished the book I thought of the main female character, Cosette, and couldn't help but think, "what a bubble-headed wuss." Sweet and loving - yes. But a feminist icon? No way. In one sense it was part of the success of her rescue from the exploitation and abuse of her early years, spent farmed out to the 'care' of the dreadful Thénardiers, that she had the prospect of an ordinary, cosy bourgeois existence married to Marius. Being simply nice and happy is a real achievement after that start in life, a testament to the love and protection given her by Jean Valjean. The only thing is that she is not the only woman who loved Marius. He had a choice that he never considered, Éponine.
Éponine was one of the Thénardier daughters. She had become a tough street kid (Hugo's best writing is about these abandoned children, they are the most vivid and real of his characters), cunning, ruthless and hard. But that was tempered by a touch of selflessness and immense courage. She gives her life on the revolutionary barricade to save Marius, taking a bullet aimed at him, even if it was her subterfuge that led him into danger.
Éponine didn't stand a chance. Marius was already infatuated with Cosette and he was only a paper rebel. He would always return to bourgeois respectability and reconcile with his royalist family. This is what Cosette represented, an ideal bourgeois wife. Feminine, virginal, conventional and thoroughly girly. And so Hugo has Marius embracing respectability by marrying unknowingly the illegitimate daughter of a dead prostitute. And that is irony.
You find it too in the genuinely evil Mr Thénardier. The irony here is that he is pretty useless at villainy. His incompetence means that he keeps rescuing people for the worst reason and with the worst motives. He intends to betray them, but ends up saving them. The same applies to the police inspector Javert, often seen as another villain. Instead, he is an incorruptible servant of justice. His problem is that he is unthinking and sees no distinction between law, retribution and justice. The moment he sees that the application of law can be an act of injustice, his life falls apart.
If there is one theme that animates the novel it is the crime of the abuse and abandonment of children, made worse by a world that once it has condemned never forgives. Thus, Cosette is still a triumphant character, she has been redeemed and her redeemer is an ex-convict, devoted to virtue, who can never escape his past. The novel is not an exercise in moral relativism; good and evil exist. But it does argue against social convention and that you can find both in the least likely places. For example, the ironist Hugo shows that Thénardier's evil intent can result in unintended good, whilst Javert's virtue can lead to the horrors visited on a galley slave for the crime of stealing a loaf of bread when starving and penniless.
There are many other threads and devices running through this multi-layered book. Irony is only one of the tools that Hugo used to affirm the human value of the lowest without romanticising their vices, expose the callousness of class and to forcefully show that good can only thrive in a good society. Les Miserables is one of those overtly political novels that is subversive in the widest, and best, sense of the word.
First, someone should give the "troika" of lenders to Greece a lesson in the price elasticity of demand. Hefty tax rises on heating oil have meant a 75-80% drop in sales, shivering Greeks and a nasty wood smoke smog over Athens. A rise in taxation has resulted in an estimated 400 million Euro fall in tax revenue. Genius.
The UK is playing with another brilliant idea, saving money by punishing fatties. Stay fat and you could lose benefits. Mind you, with the level of benefits these days food is a bit of a luxury. The suggestion is that:
Obese and other unhealthy people (please note the association; fat and healthy? Impossible!) could be monitored to check whether they are taking exercise and have their benefits cut if they fail to do so under proposals published on Thursday by a Conservative-run council and a local government thinktank.
Westminster council and the Local Government Information Unit say new technologies such as smart cards could be used to track claimants' use of leisure centres, allowing local authorities to dock housing and council benefit payments from those who refuse to carry out exercise prescribed by their GP.
Bring back the treadmill for the poor, I say. And after that, introduce a girth tax or a corpulence charge. Us fatties are such a burden (and rather a heavy one at that).
Oh lord, please preserve us from the wisdom of our rulers.


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KBFR Releases New EP, 'Winter Time 2'
By tracymitchellva | December 26, 2022
After exploding onto the scene in 2020, KBFR has been one of the most dynamic artists since the world stopped due to the pandemic. The last five years of the 2010s saw a rampant amount of artistic expression, due to the power of social media. It felt like people who never considered making music, were more inclined to give it a shot. With it being so easy to get lost in the shuffle, there were plenty of high and low moments during this span. But one artist that stayed ten toes down, and put in the work was KBFR. This Philly rapper made the most of a bad situation and turned it into an opportunity of a lifetime. Capitalizing on his newfound success in 2020, he has continued pushing out more and more quality projects like his newest release, "Winter Time 2".
"This year been some whole other sh*t," KBFR says about the new project. "But f*ck it we ain't going sad! For the holidays I give you Winter Time 2."
On "Winter Time 2", KBFR dives further into his draft and can deliver a concise project full of party bangers, witty one-liners, and captivating stories from his life. For example, a song such as "6 Ways" shows KBFR having a moment of self-realization about how far he's come and reminiscing on overcoming past hardships throughout his life. No features are needed on this 6-song EP because they wouldn't do anything but distract listeners from his sentimental message.
"Winter Time 2" reaffirms that KBFR was destined to do great things. It's something about his stoic demeanor and cooler-than-ice personality. He's always confident in his rapping ability and brings that same swagger to every track on this EP. There's enough heat on this project to keep an entire town warm.
tracymitchellva
Music journalist based in ATL but from VA. Connect: @tracymitchellva
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Berlin producers Florian Kruse and Justin Massei originally met at Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), and with shared interests and a similar outlook on music they soon became fast friends. Both artists also have featured tracks in MetaPop's official #RemixBerlin remix competition — "Navigator" and "Sideways Eight" respectively. As such, Native Instruments spoke to the Berliners to find out how each of the artists approached their original productions, and asked for their advice on how to produce the best remixes.
What's the original inspiration behind your tracks for the contest?
Florian Kruse: I was inspired by the music I was playing in my sets. I started to work on "Navigator" right after a full weekend of gigs and was trying to keep the momentum alive and bring it into my music.
Justin Massei: The inspiration began when I found this old, trippy spoken-word sample. I immediately knew it was something I could work with. I had also recently acquired my first hardware synth, a Moog Sub 37, and the KNAS Moisturizer, which is a spring reverb unit with exposed springs, filter, and LFO, so you can get really creative with it. It is always inspiring to have new gear or plugs to play with: even just switching up your normal workflow helps to spark some creativity.
Technically speaking, how did you sketch it out? What tools did you use – in a DAW or using analog? What VSTs, effects, and ensembles were used? How did it differ from other productions? Was there something specific about the mastering process?
FK: I started with a beat and working in a short cycle in Logic Pro X, collecting elements to create a strong groove. After I had that set up, I started working on the ARP and after that I played the bass line. I started doing the arrangement and when the playback was 50% finished I sent it to my friend Brolin. He did the vocals and I was like, "Wow, this sounds amazing." It was kind of easy to finish off the production with his elements on top of what I had already worked on.
For the beats I was using the Roland TR-8 combined with Native Instruments Battery 4. That's how usually start to jam on a new rhythm. I was sampling the bass drum from another track that I liked a lot, which I knew sounded massive in the club. I put another one from my sample library on top and created my own bass drum out of the two with some EQs and compression. The bass sound is from the Diva, and the ARP I made with Logic's internal Alchemy synth. The little melody is done with the Retro synth of Native Instruments Kontakt. I love to use Valhalla for my reverbs as well as Native Instruments RC 24 and 48. For delays I mainly work with Waves H-Delay, with the PSP-85 and Native Instruments Replika XT which is my new weapon for special delays. For the mixing part I mainly use Waves, or Universal Audio plug-ins from my Apollo Twin sound card: Oxide Tape, Pultec EQ, Neve Channel Strips, and the API EQs just to name a few of my favourites.
Working with a singer always makes a difference. The track can easily go into a completely different direction when the vocals arrive. When another artist is involved with the vision of the track, it becomes special to me. In this case it worked out very well and Brolin and I were on the same page. There's a video of how I mixed this track together with Einmusik in his amazing studio here in Berlin. We were using loads of his analog preamps, EQs, and compressors to give the track an analog touch. I normally mix my own tracks but this time I was curious to hear the difference and was happy that Einmusik took the time to navigate me through the mixing in his studio.
JM: I made "Sideways Eight" a while ago, so I can't remember my exact step-by-step process. Unfortunately, melodies don't just come to me in the night, so my process is to get a groove going and start layering ideas until the direction starts to show itself. I work in Logic, with a mix of analog and digital tools. Almost every track begins in Maschine with Goldbaby drum samples. All of the darker synth and pad sounds, the big bass hit on the drop, and that white noise effect right before the drops were all done on the Moog Sub 37, going through the KNAS Moisturizer and Boss RE-20 Space Echo. I think this was my first or second track with the Moog, so I hadn't even worked out how to clock it or send MIDI – everything was played live and recorded. On the digital side, the bed ARP and the lead synth in the breakdown were done with Sylenth. Say what you want, but it's my go-to synth plug. I know it inside out and can get results fast. Kontakt is also a beast, with so much potential once you learn your way around it. As far as effects and processing, I am a big fan of Soundtoys, PSP, Fabfilter, and Waves. I did a quick DIY master to demo it, but Selador got the final mastering done professionally. In general, especially for new producers, I would worry less about mastering and more about the production skills and mixing of your music. This is where the biggest differences are made.
What are you looking for in a winning remix?
FK: Well, that's something I can't answer really. The remix can be everything from house to techno. It simply has to grab my attention and give me that "Wow" feeling. I have heard a few that touched me already.
JM: It is hard to say exactly, I bet hearing something I wasn't expecting would catch me more. Generally speaking, production and attention to detail, creativity and groove. Genre doesn't necessarily matter to me, but production value, class, and quality does.
What advice would you give to others about how to produce a remix?
FK: Just go with the flow and be yourself. Imagine there's already a Dixon, there is a Joris Voorn or Hot Since 82. You've got no chance to step into their shoes by copying the sound. Be yourself and do the music that you like. I think that's the best advice I can give not only for a remix but also for original productions.
JM: You've got to walk the line between showcasing your sound and style while keeping it somewhat recognizable to the original.
FK: "Navigator" was released on August 18, as there's another EP on Dave Seaman's Selador Records, a collaboration with Lazarusman called "The Proof Of Life." Exciting times ahead.
JM: Release-wise, it's been a busy couple of months with EPs and remixes out on Selador and Modern Day. Up next is a remix for La Fleur, out on Power Plant Records, with vocals from the infamous Lula, one of my favorite vocalists. I also curate the monthly party RITE:. at Chalet in Berlin and we have had an absolutely beautiful summer to date. There are some big plans moving forward and I'm excited for the next months.
Check out the competition entries over at MetaPop's official #RemixBerlin remix competition page, also featuring like-minded Berlin-based luminaries Pan-Pot, Sasse, Gudrun Gut, and many more.
check out Florian Kruse's latest Sounds pack for Sounds.com here.


During the 2010 Gulf oil spill, BP talked about, filmed, and ultimately announced that it had capped one leaking wellhead.
We reported last Friday that Hurricane Sandy could cause problems at Oyster Creek, Salem, Indian Point, Limerick and other nuclear plants in the Northeast.
As the debate rumbles on about India opening its doors further to powerful transnational companies, the question to be asked is just what is there in fact left to discuss?
Mitt Romney has direct ties to voting machines. His son, Tagg Romney and a cadre of former Bain Capital business partners are owners of Hart Intercivic, whose voting machines are used in all fifty states.
Recent months have seen one example after another of gains for parties advocating the creation of new, small states in Spain, Belgium, Italy, Scotland and elsewhere in Europe.
Last year, US Jerusalem Consul General, Daniel Rubenstein, told chief negotiator Saeb Erekat that Washington will veto a UN Security Council resolution on Palestinian sovereignty within June 1967 borders.
Alert Issued at Oldest Nuclear Plant in the U.S.
During a tour of the New England Compounding Center (NECC), investigators from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found foreign "greenish-black" material in some vials of the injectable steroid suspected as the cause of the ongoing meningitis outbreak.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's re-election on October 7 with more than 55% of the vote was vital for two reasons.
Call it elevating Murder, Inc. to a higher level. A Washington Post Special Report discussed America's permanent war agenda.
We have repeatedly addressed the topic of disruption of logical debate on the Internet.
Preface: We hope and expect that the severity of the hurricane is being overblown, and that the nuclear plants in the Northeast will ride out the storm without any incident.
The Human Rights Council's special rapporteur, Richard Falk, urged the international community to boycott 13 companies benefiting from business with Israeli settlements, the United Nations reported on its website on Thursday.
The U.S. and European Union (EU) are working towards launching official negotiations on a deal that would further deepen their transatlantic trade partnership.
In the latest token civil suit by the Obama administration against a major Wall Street bank, the Department of Justice on Wednesday charged Bank of America with wholesale mortgage fraud.
The opposition will oppose any changes in ownerships of the private banks, mass media and strategic economic centers which they dominate.
The U.S. government has – in some parts of the world – protected drug operations. Big American banks also launder money for the drug cartels.
October 25 marked the 10th anniversary of Wellstone's death. Was it accidental or an assassination to silence a sadly missed principled voice? Convincing evidence suggests foul play. More on that below.
Operators of Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi plant are having trouble storing a perpetual accumulation of radioactive cooling water from the plant's broken reactors, the plant's water-treatment manager, Yuichi Okamura, told the Associated Press in an interview this week.
Before the campaign contributors lavished billions of dollars on their favorite candidate; and long after they toast their winner or drink to forget their loser, Wall Street was already primed to continue its reign over the economy.
This 2-minute video from We Are Change Luke Rudkowski powerfully captures what US "leadership" has become.
There are increasing signs that the global economy is about to enter a new period of financial turbulence, coupled with deepening recession in a growing number of countries.
London-based UN expert says Geneva unit will investigate civilian drone deathsThe United Nations plans to set up a special investigation unit examining claims of civilian deaths in individual US covert drone strikes.
American crimes of war and against humanity perhaps exceed all other rogue states in history combined.
Pound-for-pound, however, Israeli lawlessness matches the world's worst. Long ago, it graduated from a regional menace to a global one.
It is virtually beyond dispute that Bush and Cheney are war criminals.
Will they ever be prosecuted?
Or does might make right … since the victor writes history?
The US is making huge investments into satellite technology. Back in 2009 US Defence Minister Robert Gates convinced Congress to designate a sum of $10.7 billion to developing this field.
Reported this morning, the cease-fire was broken by the NATO sponsored rebels.
Terrorist acts directed against military posts were conducted throughout the country on Friday.
From the TV news and commercials to the game-shows and latest instant fame program, misinformation and distraction pervade all aspects of life.
Call it three-bagger injustice. Three "bad guys" in one week include one wrongfully arrested, another forced to plead guilty though innocent, and a third convicted without having committed a crime.
Amid conflicting reports that the Libyan city of Bani Walid was captured by army forces, RT has learned that 600 people were allegedly killed in Wednesday's fighting, and over 1,000 have been hospitalized. Locals are appealing for international aid.
For decades, Israel has literally gotten away with murder. Crimes of war and against humanity repeat regularly. Human and civil rights are spurned.
A reported by Reuters, Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday condemned a NATO operation that he said killed four children in the country's east.
A new poll of Israeli Jews by Camil Fuchs and commissioned by the New Israel Fund has alarming findings concerning the deterioration of democratic values in Israel.
Iran has an extensive maritime coastline bordering onto the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. Iran is an ally of Syria but it does not have a border with Syria.
There is no democracy in the United States. American political life is dominated by one party with two heads, often called the "Republicrats". Republicans and Democrats agree on core issues and only argue on technicalities.
You would never know that US citizens can now be imprisoned and executed without due process. All that is required to terminate the liberty and life of an American citizen by his own government is an unaccountable decision somewhere in the executive branch.


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'IMAGE PLUS' aims to help 9,000 girls in Bangladesh
Followed successful implementation of the project 'Initiatives for Married Adolescent Girls' Empowerment (IMAGE)', Terre des Hommes Netherlands Bangladesh Country Office and other implementing partners launched a second phase of the project called 'IMAGE PLUS'.
The national launching of IMAGE PLUS was organised on 10th August 2017 in Dhaka city, Bangladesh, with the presence of the Honourable State Minister for the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Honourable State Minister for the Ministry of Women and Ambassador of Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Child marriage in Bangladesh
There are millions of early married girls in Bangladesh who are deprived of basic rights including education, nutrition, sexual and reproductive health and rights. From 2004 to 2016, the first phase project IMAGE provided support to young girls that are already married, ensuring a dignified life for them to realize their human rights and potentials. The target number of early married girls to be supported was 4,500 in three districts of Bangladesh's nortern region.
New target: helping 9,000 girls
To ensure many young girls from other areas can receive support when needed, IMAGE PLUS (December 2016 - 2020) was designed with an extended target of 9,000 early married girls and their families in 72 villages in 3 Northern districts in Bangladesh.
IMAGE PLUS is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, implemented by Terre des Hommes Netherlands as the lead, with RedOrange Media & Communications Ltd, Terre des hommes Foundation (Kurigram), SKS Foundation (Gaibandha), and Pollisree (Nilphamari).
To learn more about IMAGE PLUS, visit www.marriedstillachild.org
Ms Leoni Cuelenaere, Ambassador of Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands was the guest of honour at the lanching event.
A young girl shared her experience of being early married girl.
108 child brides rescued in Tanzania
In the Shinyanga region in Tanzania, Terre des Hommes Netherlands recently rescued 108 child brides. Child marriage is a major challenge in this part of the country. Together with partner...
Read moreabout 108 child brides rescued in Tanzania
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Главная / News / European Championship: Armenian wrestlers won two gold, silver and bronze medals
European Championship: Armenian wrestlers won two gold, silver and bronze medals
10.08.2015	News Оставить комментарий 597 Просмотр(ов)
The Armenian freestyle wrestlers Arsen Harutyunyan (46 kg) and Vazgen Tevanyan (58 kg) won gold medals at the European junior championship held in Serbia, reports the Armenian Wrestling Federation.
Harutyunyan with a score of 10: 3 gained victory over the Georgian athlete Giorgy Chakhidze, and in the final session Tevanyan appeared to be stronger than the wrestler from Turkey.
In the weight category of 100 kg Hovhannes Magaghyan from Armenia got a silver.
Another athlete from Armenia, Greco-Roman wrestler Tigran Minasyan, in the weight category 54 kg won the bronze medal.
From August 25 to 30 Bosnia and Herzegovina will host the World Youth Championship in wrestling, which will be also attended by Armenian athletes.
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Upper Lars without traffic jams: Trade Representative of Armenia to Russia on benefits of green corridor
Armenian vehicles are currently passing through the "green lane" on the checkpoint of "Upper Lars" …


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Hillary's Email Isn't the Only Email Worry for State
Emily Jarvis March 25, 2015
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's email isn't the only State Department email to make headlines in the past few months.
In 2014, the State Department found themselves in a very difficult situation. State Department emails had been breached, presumably by Russian hackers. "The hackers bedeviled the State Department's email system for much of the past year and continue to pose problems for technicians trying to eradicate the intrusion," reported CNN.
In Congressional reports, federal law enforcement officials called the hack on the email system the "worst ever" cyber intrusion against a federal agency.
So what happens when an agency's email is breached? Can you really trust the network any more? Has the software and hardware booth been compromised? All of these questions can lead many organizations to consider the doomsday scenario – where you would rebuild an organization from the top to the bottom.
John Dickson, an information security analyst at the Denim Group and former Air Force Intelligence Officer, is an expert on the doomsday scenario. While Dickson can't speak directly to the State Department situation, he did find many patterns in the Department's response to the attack that leads him to believe a doomsday scenario is under way.
"We are aware publicly that their unclassified networks have been compromised," explain Dickson. NextGov reported that in the wake of the attack, the State Department replaced some 30,000 keychain login fobs and asked in the FY2016 budget for more than $17.3 million dollars on "architecture services," as well as another $10 million to support "the necessary re-architecting of the classified and unclassified networks.
In order to know if your organization needs to activate the doomsday scenario, it is best to first understand how these dangerous attacks happen in the first place.
"The nature of that particular attack was something a lot of organizations are now facing. Once you are in that type of situation it is particularly difficult to figure out what is trusted and what is not trusted," said Dickson.
When a sophisticated attacker compromises a machine, a computer, a server, their next step is to quickly hide what they have done through something called a rootkit.
"A rootkit obfuscates their presence and essentially Trojans the prophecies that a computer has," explained Dickson. "It hides so well that a system administrator, even one familiar with the inner workings of the compromised computer or server, would not be able to detect that it had been compromised."
For example, a rootkit puts on a Trojaned version of a bit of software that allows you to look at files. A user can look at all these files, except for the files that the attacker says keep these off limits. In essence the rootkit hides those files. If you're a system administrator, you don't know that the version of that software that operating system has been Trojaned.
"If you don't know anything has been compromised you can't put up any defenses," explained Dickson.
Once a breach has been discovered, organizations do what's called intimate response. During that process, they will discover how much damage has occurred.
"An organization never wants to have to start over. But in certain instances it is the only thing to do because in addition to putting rootkits on these servers, attackers will try to do things like install malicious software in backup servers or drives," said Dickson. "What that means is if an organization tries to back up data with an old server, then you reinstall whatever Trojans exist in the first place."
In addition to hiding their presence on the computer, good hackers like to quickly try to breach other computers or servers in the food chain, until they come across a critical target like a mail server or access directory. "Once an attack is propagated across the network that's when you get into the doomsday scenario," explained Dickson.
While it might not be perfect there are a few things agencies can do to help avoid the doomsday scenario.
"The old cliché adage of people, processes, and technologies is accurate. Security is one area that you can't just buy your way out of the problem. The starting point for any response or any defense is really talented people," stressed Dickson. Logging or keeping track of what is on your network is really mundane and viewed as not a very sexy part of what we do, but it's the starting point for awareness and understanding of your environment and your network."
Defining the base level of activity in your networks is the first step for knowing that something went wrong. The process is called anomaly detection. With anomaly detection you can say here's what a normal day looks like. Here's how many users try to log in. If 20 percent of users have a hard time logging in that is normal. Then when the percentage jumps to 120 percent, I know something's going wrong. "That's why monitoring and understanding the networking is so critically important. In order to interpret those logs, you have to have people that know what is different than the norm," said Dickson.
According to CNN, last year the State Department shut down its email system over a weekend to try to improve security and block intruders. The FBI has also been investigating the hacking activity and warning other agencies and the public to be on the lookout for Russian cyberattacks.
Tags: breached, cyber, cyber attack, cybersecurity, Emily's Corner, hack
Worksheet: Filling the Skills Gap to Develop a Cyber Workforce
A Simpler ATO Process
How Agencies Can Combat Illicit Threat Actors With Intelligence
David B. Grinberg March 25th, 2015
Nice post, Emily, with tons of good info. Cybersecurity is a major threat that everyone needs to take very seriously — from agency heads to rank-and-file feds. That's why I recommended strengthening it as the #1 public sector priority for 2015.
https://www.govloop.com/community/blog/5-public-sector-priorities-new-year-1-strengthen-cybersecurity/
Thank you to GovLoop for keeping this critically important topic front and center!


In our modern world, we rely on scientists who specialize in reading expensive and technical weather devices to let us know what to expect from the natural world around us. These Meteorologists, or weather scientists, use Doppler radar, weather balloons, satellites, and weather-smart computers to give fairly accurate predictions of what the weather will be like for the day. But, what did we do before all of this super technical equipment became the standard for weather predictions? Who was talking to Mother Nature when computers weren't around? Follow along while we take a look at the folklore of weather signs and sayings to see just how great our ancestors could read Mother Nature before the technical stuff was created.
Generations ago, people would pass down what they knew about the signs of weather by using rhymes and sayings. These rhythmic poems would teach their children a purely "natural way to read the weather." As it turns out, those weather poems and sayings were based on the observations and wisdom of sailors, farmers, and other outdoors-people who used their experiences, which also had grounds in true weather science.
Every time you see a rainbow, it is going to be located in the sky opposite from where the sun is.
Whenever the moon is found in a clear, cloudless sky, the folklore says that frost is on its way. The natural weather science behind this saying explains that in a clear atmosphere, with no clouds to keep the heat on earth from rising into space, a low-temperature night without any wind helps frost to form. When the clouds come back and cover the sky, it's like putting a blanket above the earth, which keeps all of the sun's heat nearer to earth during the daytime.
This cloud blanket makes the earth's surface just warm enough to keep the frost from forming.
This one may seem like it doesn't make much sense, or even any sense, but it's true. A season of continuous snow is better for the farmers crops, farmland, and trees than a season of weather that switches back-and-forth from warm to cold. When there's snow all through the the winter, it stops or slows down the trees from blossoming until the cold part of the season is completely over. New blooms won't be strong enough to take the cold and will freeze off of the plant and die. Plants will blossom if a short warm spell causes them to think the cold weather is over before the snowy season has truly ended. This means alternating thawing and freezing that can come with less stable winter weather destroys the fruit-bearing trees and the much needed winter grain fields.
Ring around the moon, rain or snow soon.
Have you ever looked up at night and noticed a halo or ring that looks like it's been placed around the moon? That halo, which can also form around the sun (just harder to see and dangerous to look at), is a layer of cirrus clouds that has been made from ice crystals that reflect the moon's light like prisms. This layer of clouds are not snow or rain-producing clouds. But, they sometimes show up when a warm front and low pressure area approaches, which can mean that bad weather is coming. The brighter the ring, the bigger the chance for rain or snow.
Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor's warning.
The many colors of the sky are made when rays of sunlight that get split into colors of the spectrum as they bounce off water vapor and dust particles in our atmosphere (sky). When the sky is filled with a whole lot of dust and moisture, the sunlight coming through it makes the sky look reddish in color. This high concentration of particles usually means that high pressure and stable air are coming from the west. Since weather systems usually move from west to east, that means you will have good weather for the night. When the sun rises in the eastern sky looking all red and angry, that indicates a high water and dust content in the sky. This basically means that a storm system may be moving in your direction. So if you notice a red sky in the morning, you should probably zip-up your tent, and put on your waterproof hiking boots!
Weather Quiz - How much did you learn about Weather Folklore?
Learning to understand the weather and how to predict it from the way the sky looks is a great way to stay prepared when camping, hiking, or being outdoors in general. Observe your world and find the many ways to know if you will need to wear a rain jacket, or if shorts will be just fine!
Look to see what the weather is doing right now, and write it down under "weather."
Check an outdoors thermometer to see what the hottest temperature of the day is, and then what the coolest temperature of the day is, write the information under "temperature - low and high."
Make a note if it is raining under the section that is titled "rain fall."
What time did the sun rise?
What time did the sun set?
Complete this information for the entire 15 days.
Discuss what you noticed about the natural weather activity and how it was the same or different from the weather the scientist predicted.
Talk about how you learned to predict the natural weather conditions by using the folklore and personal observations within this lesson.
When you set out to hike or camp remember to check the weather so you have a good idea how to properly prepare. But in those instances where the weather channel has made a miscalculation, you may just find the correct answer to your weather questions among the pretty reliable weather folklore passed down through the generations. What we didn't know about our skies then, may not be much less than what we know today. So be safe and check the weather channel for their weather predictions, but keep your eyes and instincts alert. You never know when a ring around the moon can change your outdoor plans. By simply paying attention to the clues of natural weather predicting, you can always be ready for whatever Mother Nature tosses your way.
Comments for "Predicting Weather - Children's Guide to Weather Signs and Sayings for the Great Outdoors"
wavegirl22~ Oh, it is so nice to see you in the hubhood!My dad is a sailor as well and he can tell if a storm is coming every time! BTW, you may want to check out a little hub I did about a few of my favorite hubbers....hmmm...wonder why?
K9 - Brilliant! Ah if we only knew then what we know now! This is one Hub I am surely bookmarking. It is so basic that it is brilliant! My Dad a true sailior at heart always told me this one. ."Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor's warning." I see a while series of this type of Hub in your future! Next stop The Moon! Thumbs up my friend!
am grinning silly. This is my first hubhug. thanks K9 for making me feel good.
TENKAY~ What a cool bit of advice about ants and weather! I bet your grandma had a ton of knowledge, a hundred years brings much adventure I would imagine. Thanks for sharing some of your wisdom!
Watch the ants, if you see ants inside the house, rain is coming. If they build houses/colonies on walls of buildings, flood will occur. That's according to grandma who lived up to 100 years old.
WannaB Writer~ I agree with you 100%, it is very important that older generations share the folklore of their past with our younger generations. Weather seems to be one of those vital subjects that can prove to be a survival lesson more than most folklore. I believe family history should be passed along in this manner as well.
I am honored that you enjoyed the hub and I certainly appreciate your well wishes for the Fan Faves contest.
I"ve always had a lot of faith in weather predictions based on long-time observations. I can usually know when it's going to rain in spite of what the weather man says by just having watched the sky myself all these years. Thaks for sharing these old sayings with yiounger generation. Congrats on being chosen for the Fab Favs this week.
DzyMsLizzy~ I absolutely agree with you about the weathermen needing to poke their heads out a window once in a while! We may get find a more accurate weather reading! Sure am glad you made it by today, and you know I am looking forward to seeing you at the HubMeet in San Francisco on August 18Th! I hope you can work it out my friend.
Happyboomernurse~ Thank you for the very nice comments. You know, the second I heard the guy on the rainbow video I knew it was the right one for the hub. He is just so amazed at the splendor of this double rainbow!
Thank you for the congrats on the Fan-Faves this week!
Great job! I've known, "Red sky at night, sailor's delithg; red sky at morning, sailors take warning" ever since childhood.
In earth science class in college, I picked up the bits about rings around the moon and cloud types.
Wow! This was such a unique and fun hub. I remember a lot of those sayings from childhood and it's cool knowing they have some merit.
I particularly enjoyed the rainbow video. You could just hear the exhilerating joy in the gentleman's voice as he watched the spectacular double rainbow show that nature was putting on.
Voted this hub up across the board.
BTW- Congrats on being nominated for this week's Fab 14 in the Fave contest. Good luck.
Cool ideas - and I love your weather "series" - congrats on making it again~! Good luck to you!!
cardelean~ Thanks so much for the comments! I hope your kids enjoy learning about weather as much as I enjoyed creating this little lesson plan. Weather folklore has always been an interest, so doing the research was a blast!
Loved this hub! I wish that teaching weather was a part of our fourth grade curriculum. I'm still bookmarking it for use with my own children, thanks for a great job!
Simone~ You are too cool...thank you for the outstanding comments. I had so much fun creating this hub, that I wish I had an opportunity to teach this particular weather class myself; how fun it would be! It really brings a smile to know you have enjoyed this weather folklore lesson. Appreciate your time!
Just Ask Susan~ Thank you so much for your comments, they mean the world! Thrilled you find the hub interesting-- I found the "cloud cover symbols" fascinating so I had to make a chart for the kids!
ChatKath~ I am so flattered that you feel this hub is something your "Teacher" daughter-in-law would like to use. Teachers are the best! Thank you for the read and the votes. Big HubHugs!
This is so incredible, K9keystrokes. I love the way you presented the different prediction methods through their traditional sayings! And I really enjoyed reading your explanations for each, especially since I didn't know them all! The quiz and activity sheet are awesome. Wow. Just... wow.
Great weather project for children and awesome hub. I will reference your cloud cover symbols as I find this very interesting.
Love it K9 - I learned quite a bit here, not just for children although most would find it fascinating! My daughter in law teaches elementary school, I bet she would love to use something like this, Up, awesome, useful!
Robin~ I really appreciate your comments. It would be an honor to have teachers use this as a part of weather (science)curriculum! My hope would be that they have fun using it right along with those cute little students!
I believe weather is part of the curriculum for kindergarten in California. This would be a great reference Hub for kinder teachers! Wonderful job! Thanks for sharing and putting it all together so well!
Nellieanna! I am so very happy to see here today. Thank you for swinging by to read about a little weather folklore. It makes since that you say knowing the weather conditions where you reside is important; some people put their lives on the line around accurate weather predicting. Before all of our brilliant technology, these folklore rhymes were the best and most accurate way to protect life and property from Mother Natures mood swings.
PS: Good job on the quiz...I think looking back at the hub was a brilliant way to score that 100%!
Sandyksk~ You make a very good point; folklore weather prediction techniques seem much easier to recall when staring at a red sky or ring around the moon! Thanks for your comments, good stuff!
"Mist in the hills, water for the mills; mist in the hollow, good weather to follow."
It is a worthy addition to those within this Predicting Weather article!
What a delightful hub! I'm always fascinated with weather and its lore, and have been and am around others who also love it. Coming from a semi-arid part of the country where weather is the difference between major life issues, probably tended me to notice.
Voting up and valuable in many ways!
A great idea for entertaining children and also for keeping some of these very reliable old sayings and methods of reading the weather alive. My great-grandfather worked the land in the Southern Uplands of Scotland and apparently (I never knew him) one of his favourite sayings of this type was, "Mist in the hills, water for the mills; mist in the hollow, good weather to follow."
Denise~ I am thrilled that you enjoyed the hub! Teaching kids about weather folklore seemed like it would be a fun topic, and I was right! I had a blast with this. Thank you for your comments DH!
Flora~ Great comments you offer here, thank you. You are absolutely right, no human can beat the animal kingdom when it comes to the secrets of Mother Nature. Dogs are particularly aware of earthquakes well before we humans have a clue.
Thanks for the input--you rock!
Oh, I love this hub and hit the 'up' button. Awesome! What about the saying: red sky in morning, sailors take warning?
I'm familiar with the Red sky at Night Sailors' Delight, Red Sky at Morning, Sailors take warning. It reminds me that with all this need for computers, people on the water still need to learn morse code.
'Another thing that can tell you when bad weather is coming-the wild animals. People think they're so clever and smarter than other animals. But when it comes to Mother Nature and weather, people don't know anything before birds, aligators, wild cats, etc. If they dissappear and go into hiding, watch out.


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