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Women and Territory
The Struggle for Recognition and Participation of indigenous Andean and Amazonian women in Peru.
Mujeres y territorio.pdf 9.23 MB
Autora / Autor:
Roxana Vergara
Miércoles, 2 Septiembre, 2020
In Peru, 49.7% of the territory is managed by peasant communities and indigenous peoples; However, women, despite representing more than 50% of these communities, have difficulties in accessing decision-making spaces on territorial management.
Indigenous, Andean and Amazonian women in Peru know first-hand the realities in their communities in relation to the governance of the territory. They participate directly in agricultural, pastoral and forestry activities, in addition to taking care of children, youth and the elderly in their families, homes and neighborhoods. They face socio-environmental problems directly. Many are victims of gender violence and in some cases, men establish relationships with them in order to obtain access to family and community resources. They also have management experience by their involvement in grassroots organizations such as mothers' clubs, parents' associations and self-defense committees, water management and the 'glass of milk' (communal kitchen) program committees, among others.
This publication reports on an intervention project with the objective of improving for indigenous women to access to decision-making and effective participation in land governance and territorial management through the modification of communal statutes and the incorporation of gender quotas in the lists for communal elections. The project was carried out for three years - from 2016 to 2019 - and was led by the National Organization of Andean and Amazonian Indigenous Women of Peru (ONAMIAP) with the support of Oxfam, community women organizations in local and regional levels, community authorities, municipalities, local NGOs, and many women leaders.
The publication is the result of an evaluation of the project implemented in five peasant and native communities of Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Ucayali, Junín and Lima in Peru. More than fifty documents produced within the framework of the project were analyzed and systematized. These included project proposals, medium-term and final reports, minute books, old and modified statutes, public registry entries, institutional agendas and public legislation, among others. In addition, interviews were conducted with 147 people such as national directors, project managers, promoters and directors of grassroots organizations, members of the Oxfam project team, community leaders, directors of indigenous organizations and officials of state and private institutions.
The strategy to improve access conditions for indigenous women to decision-making spaces was to generate awareness among community authorities and members, both men and women, about the importance of female roles in land governance. Then, efforts were undertaken to modify the communal statutes in order to recognize women as qualified community members and incorporate them in the communities' board of directors, based on gender quotas.
The book addresses the different struggles which indigenous women face daily at the community level, describing the contexts of each of the communities, evaluating the results of the intervention process and looking at the life stories of women leaders.
Personal experiences, collective changes
The first community described in the book is the Uras peasant community in the Ayacucho region. The community is located at an altitude of more than 2,500 meters in the Andes, four hours from the city of Huamanga. It counts 130 members according to the 2017 national census. Most of the community has Quechua as their mother tongue, but they also speak Spanish, although women have more difficulty speaking it. The population was heavily impacted during the time of the Peruvian armed conflict, with 3,884 cases of violence officially registered in the district of San Miguel, where the Uras community is located.
Nevertheless, the organization of the peasant community is strong, in charge of a board of directors, and supported by different committees, such as the self-defense committee, irrigation committee and the "Glass of Milk"[1] committee. This is supported by a strong self-consciousness of collective identity. The territory faces external challenges such as those related to the Camisea gas extraction project (with a gas pipeline that runs through the community's land), as well as internal tensions between displaced community members who return to the territory and those who do not respect boundaries of family land plots.
Before the project, women were not recognized in the statutes as community members qualified to participate and vote in community decisions, with the exception of widows and single mothers, as they did not have a male partner to represent them. Despite this, the women did have experience in organization, direction and articulation based on their local participation in the "Glass of Milk" program and the Parents Association in the schools.
The process of modifying the communal statutes in Uras involved presenting the project to the directors, consulting the community assembly, holding awareness sessions for all community members, holding meetings with the statutory committee to prepare the new bylaws, a workshop to approve the new bylaws in the statutory assembly, and registering the changed statutes at Sunarp (the governmental body in charge of the official registry for organizational documents).
Thanks to the intervention, women are now recognized as qualified community members in the communal statutes. The community established a gender quota of 30% in the election processes of the communal board of directors, leading to the election, for the first time, of a married woman as a member of the board for the 2018-2019 period. This fact stands out since the last time a woman had been on the board of directors was for the period 2003-2004, about 15 years ago.
The life story narrated in this first intervention is that of the elected member of the Uras community: Magdalena Arcce Silva, a Quechua speaker. By electing her, the community recognized her skills, commitment and strength present when overcoming challenging situations, such as family violence, terrorism, school abandonment and migration. Magdalena developed her leadership when she was forced to support her family, after her husband suffered an accident. She had to replace him for three years in the communal tasks, which meant to participate in construction work for the school and maintenance of communal irrigation infrastructure and the tree nursery. She was also president of the Parents Association, the Mothers Club and the Women's League of the local Christian Church. She attended workshops on gender equality through her participation in the Glass of Milk committee. When the statutes were modified, it was her opportunity to be elected as part of the board of directors, where she is responsible of calling the meetings, plan the community agenda with the other directors and assign tasks.
The legal and communal changes following the project intervention process in the Uras community are similar in the following three communities reviewed: the peasant community of Congalla in the Andean region of Huancavelica, in the native community of Shambo Porvenir, in the Amazonian region of Ucayali, and in the native community of Shintoriato, in the Amazonian part of Junin. In the fifth locality described, the rural community of Pirca in the province of Huaral in the Lima region, the statutory changes were not completed.
As in the Uras community, Congalla inhabitants are mostly Quechua speakers and their territorial governance is affected by similar external and internal factors. Although women were also not recognized as qualified community members, they had already been part of the boards of directors in previous years. Through the project, the status of qualified community members for women was incorporated into the statutes, so that women could participate in communal governance. This enabled that in the election of the new board of directors for the 2019-2020 period five of the seven positions were occupied by women. It was also an opportunity to debate internal territorial governance and its external and internal conflicts, such as boundary problems, as well as mechanism to mitigate them, like communal rights and the Prior Consultation Law.
[1] 'Vaso de Leche' in Spanish; a national social welfare program centered on communal kitchens and led by women.
The life story narrated in Congalla is that of Eugenia Sulca, elected as the community prosecutor for the 2019-2020 period. Her election was based on the public recognition she had gained as a community leader, having previously held positions of community president, district councilor, deputy peace judge and president of the irrigation and construction committees. Her career as a leader built on her personal family history as well as her participation in grassroots organizations and as president of "Glass of Milk" and Juntos (another social program in agriculture). In the past, she had been honored by her community as a good leader through a custom called 'viga huantuy' (wantuy in Quechua means 'to be carried by two or more people'), where she was raised on a tree trunk ('viga' or eucalyptus trunk) and strolled through the main square of the village as a sign of recognition.
The third intervention was in the native community Shambo Porvenir, an Amazon Shipibo-Konibo community, where people have historically been affected by extraction of rubber, gas, oil and timber, along with colonization by settler groups. The demands for better territorial governance are similar to the previous cases. Also here, many indigenous women have gained experience through their participation in grassroots organizations and in workshops on leadership, territorial rights, and climate change. As a result of the intervention, it was possible to modify the communal statutes incorporating an inclusive language. In addition, quotas of 40% were introduced in favor of women and 30% of young people in the lists of candidates to promote their election to the board of directors. Added to this provision was the inclusion of women in the electoral roll to ensure their participation in various positions and commissions.
From Shambo Porvenir, we learned the story of Celia Valera, elected as the first lieutenant governor that the native community has had. Being a mother of four children, with many family issues and lack of schooling, she developed her leadership based on her personal family history and migrant work that she had carried out in other regions of Peru. As lieutenant governor, she has to conciliate family problems within the community, from child abandonment to gender-based violence. She also has a role in protecting the communal lands from encroachments. Although she is not the first lieutenant governor in the district, she is one of the first Shipibo women to hold the position, paving the way for future female leaders.
The Shitoriato native community is an Ashaninka community located in the Amazon, at the foot of the Andes. Also, this community faces encroachments by settlers, migration due to political violence, and extraction of natural resources. As in Shambo Porvenir, men and women have formally the same rights to participate and vote in communal assemblies. However, even though women leadership has developed in grassroots organizations, they are reluctant to participate in the assemblies. The intervention succeeded in the approval of a revised statute with a 40% quota in favor of women for the communal board of directors, facilitating their election in positions of greater hierarchy.
The life story in Shintoriato is that of Hilda Pérez, elected as the first head of the native community, for the period 2019-2021. As in the other life stories mentioned in the publication, the path of personal and family life led to her participation in grassroots organizations and helped Hilda develop her leadership capacities. First, she was president of the "Glass of Milk" committee and then assumed the position of treasurer on the communal board of directors in 2010. In her vision, as a mother, widow and leader of her community, she seeks to encourage young people to take on leadership roles and continue the work she has started.
The fifth intervention continues in the rural community of Pirca in Lima, where individual and organizational learning was achieved by the directors of the communal board, indigenous women, the promoters of the project and ONAMIAP, although the community's statutes were not modified by the end of the project term.
Results and Recommendations
In four of the five experiences it was possible to agree on changes in the communal statutes, including gender quotas, thanks to the recognition and active participation of women. In all cases, the project generated awareness of communal rights, strengthened cooperation between women organizations, and incorporated in the revised statutes issues that were of special concern for women: children and youth, the elderly and gender-based violence.
Based on these positive experiences, the book provides recommendations for governmental and social organizations to achieve greater political participation of women in communal governance. The recommendations for the State include the adaptation of the model statutes that are provided to the communities by the Ministry of Agriculture, the updating of the manuals of the national registries regarding gender quotas, and the dissemination of the lessons learned from the experiences of ONAMIAP for its incorporation into the practices of the Ministry of Culture and local governments. The recommendations for women's organizations include incorporating quotas in community statutes for the participation of women, establishing relationships and strengthening alliances with other organizations with similar objectives such as other communities, federations and local governments, organizing awareness workshops on collective rights and leadership, and promoting the design and implementation of action plans at the regional and national levels. For civil society organizations, the recommendation to continue support for the development of local capacities and collective articulation stands out, as well as the importance of supporting the creation of spaces for dialogue and providing legal advice to indigenous women's organizations and communities.
The book communicates in all its sections the importance of incorporating indigenous women in community governance and management, given their agency and capacities for the defense of cultural and territorial integrity and the sustainable use of community resources.
América Latina: la región más desigual en el acceso a la tierra


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package org.zstack.core.notification;

import org.zstack.header.query.APIQueryReply;
import org.zstack.header.rest.RestResponse;

import java.util.List;

/**
 * Created by xing5 on 2017/3/18.
 */
@RestResponse(allTo = "inventories")
public class APIQueryNotificationReply extends APIQueryReply {
    private List<NotificationInventory> inventories;

    public List<NotificationInventory> getInventories() {
        return inventories;
    }

    public void setInventories(List<NotificationInventory> inventories) {
        this.inventories = inventories;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I hate ball chasing sports.
NHL Playoffs: Who will make it to the finals?
Golf + Lapdancing = ??
New French President Under Fire for Jogging.
Why Americans Don't Like Football.
Bulletball, who want's to play this future Olympic sport?
Tour de France: Now With MORE Controversy!
$63,000,000,000 billion dollar lawsuit??? Yes, you read right.
How the F**uck, I mean F***, do you buy bike tires?
When do put racehorse out to pasture?
Sourth Korea knows how to cheer for a soccer team.
A Very Large, Hairy Frenchman Batters Crap Out Of Other Rugby Players.
$20 says Boston is going to win the World Series tonight.
Hockey Thread - Everyone Else F*ck Off!
The Dying Art Of Verbal Abuse In Cricket.
Another doping case: Billiards champ busted, WTF?
And now for something positive!!
A father's love just drips from this: Awesome.
What Happens When Your Kid Is Really Good at Baseball?
The Juice is GUILTY! 15 years in prison: Totally different kind of Gridiron.
Huh, a hook kick is good for something after all!
So I'm playing rugby. Again.
MJS wins championship and sets world record!
The French and their crazy punishments: "Make 'em bike, that'll teach them!"
Detroit Lions Finally Win !!
Poor Timing? I think not.
Can't we all just get along?? Well, actually... yeah (sometimes... maybe).
Ever ask yourself why baseball is Americas no. 1 passtime?
Lingerie Football League - why has no one discussed this?!!
Kimbo's Days in The UFC Are Over..
okay...this is goes too far, even for me.
MMA Finally Coming To Ontario !!
NFL in midst of "Sexual Harassment" allegations from woman who wasn't harassed.
WAAAAAAARR EAGLE! AUBURN IS THE 2010 NATIONAL CHAMPION!
Will Phoenix Relocate To Winnipeg?
Joe Sakic Wins A Million Bucks !
RIP Wade Belak..3rd NHL Enforcer To Die Within 4 Months ??
Let's Talk About Concussions ..
London Knights Win OHL Championship !
bombing of Iran vs Saudi Arabia football/soccer match.
Sambo competition in the UK!
GLORY, GLORY TO OLE AUBURN!!!!
this should supplant baseball and cricket in the respective countries.
Rugby Season starts in a couple of weeks, Laws of the Game Refresher.
Edmonton Free-Fall..Enough is Enough !
Have the birds come home to roost for world football?
Is any body not cheating?


Since the birth of my son, I have been trying to be as natural as possible with all aspects of his life. Non-medicated birth, exclusive breastfeeding, homemade purees... so I decided to continue and make a natural, homemade moisturizing lotion. After a bit of research, I was inspired rawmazing to create my own recipe.
You can change the Essential Oil to modify the smell to your liking. The Calendula Oil is for added healing properties, you can leave it out or change it to another oil of your choosing. You can also increase the quantity to make the lotion creamier.
1. Melt all ingredients on low heat.
2. Let cool until semi-hard.
It's important to let the mix solidify slightly, otherwise the lotion will not whip. It may take some time, to speed things up put in the fridge.
The lotion will solidify since both Coconut Oil and Shea Butter are solids at room temperature. Skin contact melts it instantly and the oils absorb quickly. The mixture is shelf stable.
If you are planning on making big batches (or taking a really long time to use your lotion), you can also add a drop of Vitamin E as a preservative agent. All the ingredients have a long shelf stable life, so you shouldn't need to. Stay tuned for my lip balm and eatable lip gloss recipes.
How would you personalize this lotion?
Coconut Oil is moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and helps with healing.
Shea Butter moisturizes, is anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and helps with healing.
Calendula Oil is moisturizing, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal.
Eucalyptus Oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiseptic, deodorant and decongestant.
Disclaimer: This recipe is homemade. I am not a health professional, I am simply a mother trying to find simple and chemical-free solutions for my family. This lotion works great for us but it may not work for you and I take no responsibility for that.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking them.


"I learned in my life that we don't need to be "more" of anything to start to become the person God intended us to become.
God will take you as you are at this very moment and begin to work with you. All you need is a willing heart, a desire to believe, and trust in the Lord."


Malcolm X lived just 40 short years. However the impact of the man's action, ideals, beliefs and journey has as strong a resonance for the post millennium era as it had in the 1960s.
Like many I "discovered" Malcolm X in my mid-teens. Increasingly aware of the global dimensions of power and oppression, I looked for the heroes and "sheroes" of past and present for inspiration, motivation and knowledge. In the aftermath of the 1985 uprisings in the Handsworth district of Birmingham, the teachings of Malcolm X found a new congregation of second generation immigrant kids dealing with the daily grind of racism.
But at that time my knowledge of Malcolm and what his life and journey meant was limited to the few powerful quotes I could recount. It was much later in life that I discovered the "real" Malcolm.
For me Malcolm X signifies what it truly means to be part of the struggle for the rights of the oppressed.
He embraced change and new learning, evident in his movement away from black nationalism to a broader agenda that linked oppressed people by experience as opposed to identity.
If there was one aspect of brother Malcolm's teaching that I hold above all others, it is the quote, "the future belongs to those who prepare for it today".
As someone working in the contemporary world of race equality, Malcolm X continues to be an inspiration, a relevant and meaningful reference. Bound up in his life, journey, teachings and beliefs are important messages of our history and for our future.


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A Ryvius Advent
Advent, the time of year in which Christians commemorate Christmas by looking forward to it in anticipation, as well as to Christ's return, is upon us. We hope that we can help you participate and get into the "Christmas spirit" through our blog as we do our traditional Christmas posts. Consider signing up for our newsletter as we gear up for the season, and following along here on the blog as well with posts like today's, which kicks off the season is a most appropriate way.
Infinite Ryvius (Mugen no Ryvius), Goro Taniguchi´s Lord of the Flies meets Lost in Space, is without doubt one of my favorite shows. Yet, I must warn you: It is not an easy one to watch. Its slow burn starts with the focus on the people-pleaser protagonist, Kouji Aiba—a guy who finds it uncool to hang out with anyone who has known him for a long time, his estranged brother Yuki, and their bossy childhood friend Aoi. But soon it expands its scope to perhaps twenty or so very interesting youngsters aboard the Liebe Delta, a starship academy for future space cadets, left without adults after a strange accident (or is it?), and through them, encompasses an entire teen society which grows, fights, suffers, and evolves with every episode, always waiting for rescue.
That is the starting point of a journey that will take its protagonists through hard decisions about survival and violence, war, lies, fears and betrayal, the collapse of social norms, emotional and mental breakdown, and repeated moral failure in what I found to be a very atypical, honest story full of quasi Eva-like angst and misfortune.
What's worse is that you do not even have a Gendo to blame here, either for how frustratingly Kouji acts nor for anything else. There are adults and dangers outside, but they are not the focus. Instead, it's on the kids. From the kindhearted teen hero to the bright model student, from the Vulcanian-like brainy to the loud representative, from the weak-willed fat boy to the "bad girl," from the silent gang leader to the space princess (sort of), they are as flawed as they are relatable, and truly dangerous to each other in their own ways. And the consequences of their sins and errors are not small, not here. What follows has been aptly described as an ascent/descent into hell.
Why watch it, then? Why suffer? For one, its characters are (in my view) fascinating, and their occasional ugliness, and that of the situation, is how we gradually come to see something genuine and hopeful about them. They may start as archetypes, but they suffer, evolve, interact, struggle, and surprise me, for better and for worse. No matter how minor their roles, they all have something to say, and quite frequently they are things I hadn't heard before from characters like these. The story does not whitewash their flaws, but neither does it give up on them when they fail (and boy, do they fail). The comparison with The Lord of the Flies may be the first thing that comes to mind, but if you go along, you will receive, one after another, signs that things may go differently here. It is not only the primal they confront, but also the supernatural; not only the evil in them, but the good. And I have come to understand enough about myself to know that I´m pretty much like Hikki Hachiman: I thirst to know the human heart, of others and mine, and I often find hope in it.
More than that, Mugen no Ryvius is a show firmly interested in what is good and evil, right and wrong, just and unjust, much like Bokurano or Serial Experiments Lain. It takes its premise seriously, and it makes every effort to show us that everyone is connected. This principle is personified in the character of the Girl in Pink, the soul of the starship, an observer who wanders around learning about its inhabitants, sometimes talking with them, sometimes helping them, sometimes unveiling what is beneath the surface, she herself connected to the deeper mysteries of the ship. And, as I have loved reading about the evolution of fictional societies and regimes since I first read Plato´s terrific (in both senses of the word) Republic in Philosophy class, the self-contained nature of the community which is described, the elegant way in which everything is presented and the 26 episodes that give us plenty of time to know everything about everyone make this a very enjoyable story, even if sometimes you have to just endure it.
There is even more. Ryvius is not only a psychological thriller or a social experiment. It is a tale of discernment and heroism, but not only that either. Much as in Taniguchi´s Planetes, its themes and symbology go all the way to the philosophical and the spiritual, in this case with the salvation of all humanity literally at stake. The characters are largely unaware of this larger plot—they are busy enough as it is—except for some weird encounters they experience here and there, but we get to see it through the Girl in Pink. The story has something to say about who we are to each other, and about sacrifice, sin and delusion, and also about the meaning of hope and love in this fallen world. Thus, it connects with the themes of Advent, the time when we remember the long wait for Christ during the long ages of Israel, the longing of the human heart for Him in the reign of sin, the promises of the prophets and the difficult and specific, strange, miraculous yet discreet circumstances in which the fulfillment of that hope was prepared when the time came.
But, God being the Lord of the Living, this period is not only one of remembrance. It is also the time when we try to better dispose our hearts so that His coming here and now can touch us more deeply. It's becoming a challenging, tiring Advent for me, both professionally and personally, so these days I am fasting a bit, trying to bring to mind the hope of Christmas and of the future and meditating on the readings of Isaiah and John the Baptist, Joseph, and Mary. Because Advent is also the time when we look to the future from the hardships of this world and renew our hope that He will come back, that rescue is coming. That there is a second, hidden story in my life too, and it encompasses and explains the one I see. It is something of a funny coincidence that the hardest part of the Ryvius story comes also at December, a December in space.
I think that is as far as I can go speaking only in general, so spoilers ahead. Ryvius is full of twists and turns, so you have been warned.
Episode 23 is probably the show at is bleakest. Just an episode or two before, the violence, the egoism, the anarchy, the malevolence, the ill will, the disorder and the laziness have reached its peak, and a friend has been scarred. The sins of the little society—unbeknownst to them, a literally chosen people, because the Ryvius is the only hope for humanity to escape the Second Solar Flare, and no crew has ever been able to make it react—are just too many, and they are punished. It is the logical consequence, and even I was hoping for it. Our heroes experience a mutual emotional breakdown, unable to comfort each other. And hurt and bitter, the courageous and kind Ikumi turns into a tyrant by threats and sheer force, threatening to destroy entire sections of the starship if he is not immediately given unconditional obedience. Like the Leviathan of Hobbes, he demands absolute power to prevent the kids to becoming wolves for each other. With Yuki and the rest of the mecha aces on his side, those aboard are forced to comply.
His first decision is to reinstate the gang of Airs Blue, that other interesting tyrant, back from prison as the police force, a role than they clearly enjoy. Shortly after, order is restored, but in such a way the ship starts to feel like an occupied country. Violence is not as overt as it was, but it is there. And maybe all that would be at least an improvement on the previous anarchy, were not that his main advisor is the ultimate schemer of the Zwei group, Heiger, who has been given free hands to engage in his social engineering projects and protect this Pax Romana until the number of violent incidents is zero.
Shortly after, people are sorted by ability and separated (well, either that, or if Heiger thinks you a subversive element, sent straight to Class F, which includes pretty much every important character who is not part of the regime). Juli Bahana, the voice of empathy and reason, is expelled from the bridge for objecting (more specifically, for objecting without providing a feasible alternative), and sent to Class F. So is her ever-jealous friend Ran, who has undermined her in every way she could. His crime is violently protesting that the little kid aboard, Pat, has been sent to Class F too (well, says Heiger, naturally, he is not useful by any objective standard). Fina S. Shinozaki, the beautiful pagan priestess/cult leader who preaches the false Gospel of making yourself a new you of your own design, is leading the course of the ship, which now points toward her planet.
When all the new residents of Class F are in their area, a new surprise comes. Unbeknownst to Ikumi, Heiger, who is losing it a bit, blocks the area and switches the lights off. They are left without food or a way out. In his reasoning, these people are not useful, the lowest of the low, and everything that is given to them is a waste. Many of them, conscious of their crimes or their lack of ability, even recognize it is only natural that they would end up at Class F. So there they are, our most pathetic characters, in the darkness. Jealous Ran, indecisive Juli, feeble and treacherous Charlie (sorry, I mean Good Turtleland the Third), femme fatale Criff, bratty Nicks, people-pleaser Kouji, messy and bossy Aoi, loud Lucson, spoiled Pat, the lazy couple who stole points, even the creepy psycho who "protects" Charlotte—all there.
When someone lights a lantern, and it turns out that Lucson was stealing food, so he decides to share it, not without boasting about his "keen foresight." The last, the not useful, the dispossessed, the guilty thus share the little they have, and sit around the light. Somehow, a curious joy starts to permeate them, and someone asks out of the blue, "iIt is almost Christmas, isn't it?"
What it is is December 13rd, the birthday of the youngest member of the crew, Pat Campbell. His father and mother figure are beside him. Lucson may be an incompetent, a liar, and a vain leader, but he has taken good care of Pat, to the point of showing that he is willing to take a beating in his place, and has tried to set example for him in his own clumsy way. Juli may be indecisive and her renouncing as captain of the ship may have played a part in the present state of things, but she has cared for the kid from the first moment. The Girl of Pink is attracted towards that light they share, not towards the bridge, and it´s no wonder. The bleakness of Ryvius disappears for a couple of minutes, and there is a warm light instead. This is the moment in which she speaks to Kouji and stops being an observer, providing hope, a way out. Literally, there is a path.
The darkness will strike twice again in this very episode and the hardest part of this journey of purification is still ahead, but we have seen a glimpse of where it leads. As viewers, we can have hope. Kouji still has to carry his own Cross, his own Gethsemane, and beyond. Aoi will share it all with him. We will still suffer before we reach the end. But for now, there is light. There is a sign of something beyond the madness the Ryvius has fallen into, something that reaches these broken sinners suffering the consequences of their own errors and makes them one, even so.
While darkness and poverty have united Class F, the powerful, the strong and the wise in the terms of the ship are not so lucky. Ikumi cannot participate in the feast. After all, he is locked in his palace—the officials bedroom—with his own thoughts, increasing his own power, worried, navigating his inner traumas, working to stop even the littlest of crimes aboard while the tyrannical system he has created causes others he does not detect. He wants his Pax Romana no matter the means, and even if he is not mistaken about what is right, he is wrong about placing all hope in his own hands, and about the darkness of his own heart. Like Herod (though younger, more desperate and driven by fear and trauma), he may resort even to murder. Neither can Kozue, who has made the conscious decision to play into Ikumi´s trauma to have someone who will provide her affection, and literally shut the door to everything and everyone else.
Neither can Yuki, our punk Pharisee, who never loses an opportunity to point how weak-willed, despicable, low and inauthentic his elder brother is, usually with a punch or two to show him. Even if he is Kouji´s younger brother, he is no doubt like the older brother of the parable, only substituting obedience to the father to doing what he pleases without external influence. He also wants acknowledgement for his achievements. Nor Heiger, who is busy with the census of his new empire, sending every member of the Ryvius community to the place where he belongs to, in his opinion, and worshiping efficiency like he always wanted to. Heiger´s terrified reaction to the unknown, in the form of the Lovecraftian/Ghiblian space beasts, shows us how self-enclosed in the works of his own hands he is at this point of the story: His own cleverness has blinded him to this hope.
But if Ikumi is traumatized, Heiger is a materialist, and Yuki is just doing what he feels vaguely good about, someone is searching for a spiritual meaning in the circumstances. And the meaning she finds is evil. That is Fina S, Shinozaki, the young cult leader/priestess of Mother Arne, a pagan deity who considers letting your past behind and rebuilding yourself from zero as the first moral imperative, adapts to every situation quickly and cleverly, considers Ikumi to be a war god, and believes the Universe will help you if you desire things strongly enough. Behind the bizarre elements of this space cult (you know, those pesky Uranians), there is a very familiar philosophy: Be the center of everything, project a perfect illusion, become powerful no matter the situation, delete from your life those people and parts of yourself you don´t like, always be determined, and get what you want.
Villainous as Fina is, I cannot but feel compassion for her, as she is farther away from hope than the rest, and suffers without it. When hurt, she tries to kill the same person whose love she longs for: she wants to prevent him from applying her own philosophy to her and letting her in his past. When heartbroken, she tries to force her smile like a mask. When her acts get her scarred, she wonders if she is not as virtuous as she should be. The philosophy of becoming your own creator not only destroy you, but also tells you that it´s your fault, for not wanting to be free and happy strongly enough. So I truly pity her, and this broken age of ours, too. In a silent alliance with the Girl in Pink, Kouji will risk everything to confront all four, like John the Baptist, and call them to repent.
So at this time of the year, we should also prepare for what is to come—the fights as well as the rescue, the present as well as the future. The joy of the feast and the time of waiting. In the midst of our daily struggles and sufferings, of the problems of the world, we may take a step back to reflect and pray, try to hear the call, think about the meaning of what is happening, share the little we have, remove the obstacles, acknowledge who we are, repent. Take perspective on the things of the world. Give others the comfort and hope they need. Be brave. And help those who are not useful for us, even those who have hurt us, for we are connected, aboard the same ship. And those far from Class F, locked anywhere, need Christmas too, and dearly: Their hearts thirst just like ours.
And miraculously, there is a path.
Mugen no Ryvius can be acquired at Amazon.
Gaheret
Latest posts by Gaheret (see all)
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11.30.2020 11.29.2020 GaheretAnime, Christianity, Paganism, Personal, ReviewAdvent, anime, Christmas, hope, Infinite Ryvius, Mugen no Ryvius, sin
3 thoughts on "A Ryvius Advent"
Bluemind
I think last time i tried watching this i was taken aback from the darkness of it, i couldn't watch it for long. After this review though i think i will give it another shot in the future, another thing that worried me was also the same character design of gundam destiny ( -_-)
Thank you for your comment! Ryvius is without doubt a very angsty, existential show, but I found the ending rewarding. I wish The Lord of the Flies had ended like that.
Emma, Kill and Eat: Advent and The Promised Neverland – Beneath the Tangles
[…] sky. Very fittingly. As I'm writing this, the Catholic liturgical year ends. Tomorrow, a new Advent will begin, a time for purification, cleaning our hearts and making room for the birth of […]
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This page contains a complete price list of our Maui wedding and vow renewal packages and services with prices. If any of these prices do not coincide with the prices listed on the other web pages, then the prices on the other web pages will supersede these prices. Feel free to give us a call at 808-280-2388 if you'd like assistance with deciding on the package that best suits your needs.
We start with the wedding package or vow renewal package that has everything you want, and then add to it from the list of wedding services and flowers and decor provided. You may add to the packages, but not delete from them (flowers may be substituted for other flowers). Please call for current pricing on the private wedding venues. We'll be more than happy to assist you in putting together a custom package and email you a free proposal. We're here to help, so just give us a call.
Looking for just a minister or minister & photographer and on a budget? click here.


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WESTWOOD FIFA 17 Prices and Rating
Sheffield Wed
GK BASIC (62%)
GLOVE (16%)
WALL (9%)
WALL (11%)
Keiren Westwood
188cm | 6'2"
Injury Prone
Reflexes
Sheffield Wednesday VS Plymouth Argyle (League One)
Fleetwood Town VS Sheffield Wednesday (FA Cup)
Ipswich Town VS Sheffield Wednesday (League One)
Sheffield Wednesday VS Morecambe FC (League One)
Sheffield Wednesday VS Milton Keynes Dons (League One)
Charlton Athletic VS Sheffield Wednesday (League One)
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Squad chemistry
100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 81 80 79 78 77 76 75 74 73 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
Westwood's card is rated 81, he is 188cm | 6'2" tall, left-footed Republic of Ireland (GK) that plays for Sheffield Wed in EFL Championship with Med/Med work rates. He has 4-star weak foot and 1-star skill moves, He does not have a real face in-game. Westwood has 2 special cards with ratings between 76 and 81. The best chemistry style for him is GK BASIC. He was born on 23-10-1984 and he is now 38 years old.
His real-life stats are currently 0 goals and 0 assists in 0 matches in domestic competition. He also received 0 yellow cards and 0 red cards.
His current price on FUT is 33,000 on PlayStation, 17,500 on Xbox, and 0 on PC.
Bossut
Boeckx
Coosemans


Web services are everywhere such as SOAP requests, WCF services and traditional ASMX asp.net web services. I was working on a task recently we needed to call a SOAP service from a powershell script. A good friend of mine passed this snippet to me. If you want to test SOAP requests, using SOAP UI This allows you to build soap requests. Hope this helps.
These return XML objects with the server's response.
Almost done with Chapter 1, few questions on things like Polymorphism, few terms that I have to remember. The concept of OOP isn't as foreign as it was in the past, I call that progress. I even wrote a couple of Console applications with my 11 year old. Man would I give anything to be young and learn OOP. I recall those days being a spunge. I'm sure this will get A LOT harder for a newbie. I'm willing to forge ahead. I think before class on Thursday, I should probably read the chapter again. The homework itself wasn't too bad. A couple of review questions I stumbled on was OO related. Off to see the teacher 🙂 Mostly the questions where asking sample content and what should the class name be. Umm….
Here is a link to the book The book so far is written very nicely, I should have bought the book from Amazon, I would have saved 4 bucks, and gotten it brand new. 😐 The next book I write, I should target colleges, they sell for a lot more than normal geeky books. I'm used to the 30/40 dollar range.
Have you ever gotten excited about learning something and wanted to share?!?! I'll probably write a few posts about my experiences. I'm taking a "Introduction to C# Programming Class" at Grand Rapids Community College. It's been a while since I was in a college setting (and book prices are insane, the next book I write will be for colleges). I graduated 15+ years ago from college. And I went for Business. That's another story. If you follow my blog, you probably wonder why I would take a C# programming class. I'm not a full-time programmer nor have I had formal a programming class, until now. I've always respected developers who can develop (notice I didn't say "just code"). They know how to design, architect and all around perform code miracles. I don't expect the class to make me the next guru. I'd like to get some foundational principals that can be used in future projects.
The first class tonight (1/7) covered the basics, history of C# and a few others. It was cool! As the instructor was talking about the history portion. I remember being at Microsoft in July of 2000 listening to Anders Hejlsberg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Hejlsberg talk about C# and the .NET framework. After the first 5 minutes of Anders presentation, I was lost, but was hooked on wanting to understand more. I decided then I would conquer learning OOP (yes 10 years and I'm still learning). We'll be learning some OOP basics, which I'm all geeked about. (Yes geeked!!) My first assignment is due in a couple weeks, the format is straight forward. An "Assignment" has three exercises, each exercise is 1 program. This is where I got really excited. I read the first assignment and said, well glad I'm in school cause I'm not sure where to begin. 🙂 I wasn't too good with story problems in school, I re-read the first assignment and said yup. Glad I'm in school.
Here is a portion of the first problem.
"A program that calculates an approximate cost to fertilize a customer's yard" I have to collect some information, calculate this, get some more stuff, calculate more and display to the user. Yeah ok sure. I'm confident things will work out. Just because I know the history of C# doesn't make me any smarter on doing the homework.
Well, I'm off but stay tuned for more stories. It's like a roller coaster, up, down, twist and it's adventure!


Cesar Gomez – Page 2 – Student, rookie blogger, and snack enthusiast.
Effective strategies and tactic in public relations stems from understanding your client. The more you can tailor your message to your client, the more personal a message is communicated and the more likely the consumer will listen and engage in a conversation. It's a difficult game to play. Consumer preferences range in variety and are … Continue reading Understanding your client.
Today's society has grown so accustom to updating consistently that employees' social media behavior can bleed into business image and reputation. There are cases of it and several have paid the price. A social policy is crucial to businesses in today's social heavy market, whether it's to establish limitations in the work environment or guidelines to … Continue reading Social Policy: Brinker International.


3 Zigma Master Tool Kit 4 X 10 includes 4 CHI transformer-coupled head amps, all 4 Lollipop large diaphragm capsule modules, 3 pairs of Lipstick capsule modules (2 cardioid, 2 hypercardioid, 2 diffuse-field omni), all in a large wooden jewel box.
The 3 Zigma Master Tool Kit 4 X 10 (Transformer-Coupled) includes 4 CHI transformer-coupled head amps, all 4 Lollipop large diaphragm capsule modules, 3 pairs of Lipstick capsule modules (2 cardioid, 2 hypercardioid, 2 diffuse-field omni), all in a large wooden jewel box. The 3 Zigma CHI is designed to be an extremely flexible platform offering the demanding engineer a range of sounds going from the most classic vintage toned capsules to the most true to the source, "straight wire", modern specs capsules. Made to be reliable and robust, this microphone system must be regarded as a long term investment, and one that can only grow: indeed, as you add more capsules and accessories, your CHI system will expand and offer more options thus enhancing your recording, helping you getting the sounds you're after in the studio and generally speaking, broadening your sound "palette" when recording. The CHI head amp is a very neutral impedance converter, simply fed by standard 48 Volts Phantom power. The transformer-coupled version features a hi-pass filter and pad. It has ample headroom, extremely low noise and is totally stable and perfectly shielded. The main strength of the CHI system lies in its flexibility: the transparent head amp lets you pick the sound and behavior of the capsule to form a combination which offers a sound ranging from transparent and unobtrusive (using the Lipstick Small Diaphragm capsules) and flexible (many different polar responses) to obviously colored (any of the Lollipop Large Diaphragm capsules). Let's now go over the capsules one by one.
In a mic comparison using the same sources, blindly the panel of listeners collectively selected several of the top ten mic options from within this kit. Performing very admirably alongside some very well regarded industry standards, this system is perfectly suited for both stage and studio.
As a service to those considering this kit and wondering the differences between the two body options, there are some slight sonic variations to consider. With the transformer version we have noticed the signature is a tad more even across the spectrum. You do lose a little sheen on the top end that the transformerless version has. This is not a negative because it really depends on the source. I prefer having both. If the source needs a little more brightness, I use the transformerless body. If I want a little more focused sound or need to employ a low cut especially in live situations, I like the transformer. I hope this is helpful.


It was fascinating visiting his home and gardens. Every room in his home is painted a different color and his gardens' beds are filled with beautiful flowers, divided by either cool colors or warm colors. The water-lily pond is magical.
Color filled his world and his painting. To have walked where this amazing man painted and lived with his family, is just incredible and I am so excited that my daughters have had a chance to be inspired by traveling to this enchanting place.
We brought sketchbooks and pencils and studied the landscapes as Mr. Monet may have a hundred years ago. Closely examining the dahlias, mums, clematis and sunflowers as we strolled. We read "Linnea in Monet's Garden" before visiting Giverny, which helped us have a wonderful introduction to Monet's world.
The pictures of the flowers are breathtaking!!!


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Megachile coloradensis är en biart som beskrevs av Mitchell 1936. Megachile coloradensis ingår i släktet tapetserarbin, och familjen buksamlarbin. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Tapetserarbin
coloradensis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The important repercussion of persistent gender gaps is that the potential economic contribution from women remains untapped in many countries.
The world has gradually realized the importance of the economic participation of women. Policymakers around the world have been making significant changes to increase the role of women in economic participation and growth. Ambitious approaches are being taken to empower and strengthen women.
Moreover, The World Bank has partnered with 14 governments to generate over a billion dollars in financing for women-owned businesses in developing countries. This has been possible through the women entrepreneurs financing initiative.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) May 2018 report 'Pursuing Women's Economic Empowerment', greater gender equality boosts economic growth. "It leads to better development outcomes, contributes to reducing income inequality", says IMF. Research shows that greater gender equality boosts economic diversification and this, in turn, supports economic resilience.
The report states that "important repercussion of persistent gender gaps is that the potential economic contribution from women remains untapped in many countries." The World Bank has also set up initiatives and strategies to help countries remove barriers to women's ownership and control of productive assets such as land and housing.
The World Bank's Annual 2018 Report, 'Women's Entrepreneurship Development Program' highlights the Ethiopia initiative. The organization is using modern technologies including psychometric testing and data-driven algorithms to unlock access to formal finance for women business owners.
Women, being brought to the forefront of economies, are part of the UN sustainable development goals (SDG). Women's participation and gender equality are essential for positive economic growth.


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Our NBA picks page is your home for all the latest information you need to bet on the league's nightly action, featuring game previews and betting picks. You'll find picks on futures too, from MVP to NBA champions.
Latest NBA Picks & Predictions
Miami Heat @ Utah Jazz / 2022 NBA Predictions & Preview
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Our betting picks are generated via three key ingredients, starting with our NBA experts analyzing the key storylines, picks ahead of each weekend's action. The betting.com NBA coverage also benefits from experienced handicappers and AI-driven insights.
With betting.com, you have easy access to both picks and wagering. If you're reading our picks and reach a firm decision about the wagers you want to place, you'll see that we've already tracked down the most favourable odds on the market. From your account, it just takes a few clicks to place your bets.
The moneyline is the simplest concept in NBA betting. You are simply picking which team will win the game. The margin of victory is not a factor here.
Atlantic Division:
Even without Kyrie Irving and with a hobbled James Harden, the Brooklyn Nets were a Kevin Durant toenail away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals (his toe was on the three-point line as he attempted a game-winner). Now, they return even hungrier and brimming with talent. Durant remains the NBA's most gifted scorer while a healthy Harden-Irving backcourt is unmatched across the league. Even the bench has extra depth this year with Patty Mills, Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge for Steve Nash to call on. It has been a turbulent summer for the Philadelphia 76ers after a gut-wrenching playoff exit – and the big question now is what happens next with Ben Simmons, who is very much on the trade block. Even with Joel Embiid likely to serve up another MVP-level year, the 76ers have to be dropped to the second tier in the East.
Adding to what is the most competitive division in the NBA, the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors all enter the season with playoff aspirations. For the Celtics, much depends on whether a third scorer can step up to share the burden with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, while the Knicks are hoping continuity plus a refreshed Kemba Walker adds up to another step forward. The Raptors are the wildcard as they enter the post-Kyle Lowry era and retool around a promising core. Rookie Scottie Barnes should be able to contribute straightaway. The pick: Nets (-250)
Central Division:
The Milwaukee Bucks, the defending NBA champions, should have a smooth path to another division crown, with Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday back to defend their title. A slightly weakened bench will depend more heavily on the re-signed Bobby Portis, and Milwaukee will be pleased to welcome back Donte DiVincenzo after a foot injury.
The appointment of Rick Carlisle should keep the Indiana Pacers in the playoff mix, as long as the Malcolm Brogdon-Caris Levert-Domantas Sabonis core stays healthy, while the Chicago Bulls made plenty of off-season headlines with win-now moves to put Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso alongside Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. The Bulls should be in their fair share of high-scoring games with a potent offense and a shaky defense. The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers can afford to be patient as their young rosters gain more experience. Cade Cunningham, the number one pick, is sure to get all the minutes he can handle in Detroit and the same goes for Evan Mobley in Cleveland. The pick: Bucks (-1000)
Southeast:
With Lowry joining forces with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Miami Heat have every reason to think they can go toe-to-toe with the league's elite. If Tyler Herro bounces back from a disappointing year, Miami are a sneaky outside bet to come out of the East. After a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Atlanta Hawks should carry that momentum into the new season. John Collins is back on a new deal and the Hawks have a pool of young players ready to blossom off the bench.
The new-look Washington Wizards gave their roster a more balanced look around Bradley Beal this summer, adding Montrezl Harrell, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the Russell Westbrook trade and reaching a deal for Spencer Dinwiddie. The Wizards are still a work in progress but a spot in the play-in tournament again is a possibility. The same could be said for the Charlotte Hornets, who made solid picks in the draft and have a budding star in LaMelo Ball. The Orlando Magic are in full rebuild mode and have a path to another high draft pick next year. The pick: Heat (-125)
Southwest:
It is tough to look past Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks in a division that looks weaker heading into the 2021/22 season. Dallas has maximized the shooting around their superstar but will need much more from Kristaps Porzingis to avoid another first-round playoff exit. New head coach Jason Kidd also has to be considered a slight question mark as he adapts to working with Doncic and Porzingis. Much is expected from the New Orleans Pelicans with Zion Williamson primed to take a major leap. New head coach Willie Green will need to create a smoother fit for Williamson and Brandon Ingram to overcome an inexperienced backcourt.
The Memphis Grizzlies have the potential to be in the postseason mix again, but trading away Jonas Valanciunas this summer was a surprise. Unless Morant's shooting numbers climb, they could regress slightly. The San Antonio Spurs have an interesting young core who will have no shortage of minutes to shine after DeRozan and Mills exited this summer, while the Houston Rockets are starting a new era, spearheaded by Jalen Green, the number two pick. The pick: Mavs (-160)
Pacific:
As usual, the Los Angeles Lakers are the talk of the division – and the league. A wild offseason saw the Lakers add Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Rajon Rondo, while also bolstering the shooting around James and Anthony Davis. But expect the Phoenix Suns to prove that their trip to the NBA Finals last season was no fluke. Chris Paul is back to guide a rapidly improving young group and Devin Booker could force his way into the MVP race.
Though the LA Clippers got good news with Kawhi Leonard re-signing long-term, his absence with an ACL injury derails their title chances this season. Then there is the Golden State Warriors' bid to get back into title contention. Klay Thompson will be back to join Steph Curry and Draymond Green later in the season, but there is enough depth on the roster to keep the Warriors in the top eight in the West. The Sacramento Kings have a chance to finally make a splash as postseason outsiders, but much depends on whether De'Aaron Fox emerges as a top tier point guard. The pick: Lakers (+100)
Northwest:
There are high stakes in play throughout this division, with the 2021/22 season perhaps proving to be a fork in the road for a couple of these teams. The Utah Jazz saw their playoff run end in disappointing fashion when a spot in the Western Conference Finals was there for the taking. Their pricey roster returns this season but durability concerns over Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic are worth noting.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets will be without Jamal Murray (ACL) for most of the season. Jokic has shown that he can carry the offense, but it is asking a lot of the supporting cast to stay in the midst of the playoff race. That opens the door for the Portland Trail Blazers, who likely have one last chance to convince Damian Lillard that they are trending in the right direction. Expect new head coach Chauncey Billups to get Portland off to a strong start, though he will need to work wonders with a shaky bench.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a real shot at returning to relevance this year – on paper, there's an exciting line-up featuring Karl-Anthony Towns, D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards, but it may take an MVP-level run from Towns to elevate Minnesota into the final eight. The Oklahoma City Thunder (and their stash of young talent and draft picks) are a good bet to finish at the bottom of the standings in the West. The pick: Blazers (+850)Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award
Doncic is understandably the favourite here, but there is value further down the list too. It may be tough for Durant and Harden to make their individual cases on such a talented Nets roster, while you could say the same for James and Davis with the Lakers. But Antetokounmpo and Curry are both expected to shoulder heavy burdens this year, and the latter is capable of getting on such hot streaks that he has every chance of leading the league in scoring again. If Klay Thompson returns in the second half of the season, it could give Curry the extra push he needs to make his case.The pick: Curry (+750)Coach of the Year
Erik Spoelstra is renowned for getting the most out of his teams and the arrival of Kyle Lowry gives the Heat a legitimate Big Three. If Miami end up pushing the Nets and Bucks close in the regular season, and Spoelstra manages to get Herro back on track as the leader of the second unit, he will deserve Coach of the Year buzz. With a deep roster, the Heat have a shot at 55+ wins. The pick: Spoelstra (Heat), (+1000)Defensive Player of the Year
As impressive and dominant as Rudy Gobert has been as a deterrent around the rim, voters could be looking for a new narrative for the 2021/22 season. If he stays healthy, Joel Embiid should make a compelling case, particularly if he is anchoring a 76ers defense that no longer has Simmons to lock down the perimeter. That would mean more action at the rim and a larger share of the limelight if Philadelphia remains one of the league's stingier defenses. The pick: Embiid (76ers), (+900)Rookie of the Year
This feels like an open race between Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley and Jalen Suggs, who will all have large roles immediately as rookies. We're leaning towards Green as the most natural scorer and the likeliest player in the group to put up eye-popping numbers. The pick: Green (Rockets), (+350)NBA Championship
As we saw again last season, bad injury luck can tip the playoff picture upside down. But, barring major health setbacks, the Nets and Lakers appear to be on an NBA Finals collision course. And if we get this series, the offensive firepower of Durant, Harden and Irving should give Brooklyn a small edge, even if the Lakers have the greater postseason experience. The pick: Nets (+260) over Lakers
Building on our division winner picks above, let's take a look at how the Eastern Conference playoff picture could unfold. Setting aside our projected division champs (Nets, Bucks, Heat), the rest of the playoff race should be fascinating. We like the Hawks to push the Heat close in the Southeast Division and secure a playoff spot. Despite the uncertainty around Simmons' future in Philadelphia, the 76ers feel like a playoff lock as long as Joel Embiid is healthy. Meanwhile, there is little to choose between the Knicks, Celtics and Raptors (who should get a major boost on their return to playing in Canada). The Pacers, Bulls and Wizards should also be in the hunt, barring injury setbacks.
To make the playoffs outright: Nets, Bucks, Heat, 76ers, Hawks, Knicks
To make the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament: Raptors, Celtics
Even if you feel strongly that the Lakers are a step ahead of the rest in the West, there should be a tight race to be part of the final eight playoff teams. The LA Clippers could take a step back without Leonard (ACL), but most of last season's postseason performers will expect to be in the mix once again. There is extra motivation everywhere you look – from Doncic's bid to get past the first round of the playoffs to the Suns' response to their NBA Finals loss to the Blazers' attempts to show Lillard he can win big in Portland. That said, with the West somewhat in flux, outsiders like the Timberwolves and Kings may not have a better shot at breaking through.
To make the playoffs outright: Lakers, Mavericks, Suns, Blazers, Jazz, Warriors
To make the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament: Nuggets, Clippers
Nets over Celtics, Bucks over Raptors, Heat over Knicks, Hawks over 76ers
Nets over Hawks, Heat over Bucks
Nets over Heat
Lakers over Timberwolves, Mavericks over Nuggets, Warriors over Suns, Blazers over Jazz
Lakers over Blazers, Mavericks over Warriors
Lakers over Mavericks
The possibilities are endless for the 2021/22 NBA season, with subplots, trades and major surprises bubbling below the surface – the one thing we can say with certainty is that we'll have you covered throughout the year on betting.com


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Fairstead, Invesco pay $350M for affordable Bronx portfolio
Property Resources Corp. parting with 48 buildings
From left: Martin Flanagan, chief executive officer, Invesco, and Jeffrey Goldberg, chief executive officer, Fairstead (Invesco, Fairstead, Property Resources Corporation)
The profit potential of affordable housing will never get the Billionaires' Row developers like Steve Roth and Gary Barnett too excited, but a major purchase by Fairstead and Invesco Real Estate is a reminder that there is money to be made on the asset class. It just takes a lot of units.
The firms are paying more than $350 million for a portfolio of 48 Bronx buildings totaling 2.3 million square feet across almost 2,000 apartments, according to Crain's. Property Resources Corp. is the seller.
The properties are scattered throughout the borough and include buildings in Morrisania, Longwood, Crotona Park and Tremont. Crain's reported that the firms will keep the buildings affordable.
Fairstead makes $85M senior housing play in Newark
L+M and Invesco partner to buy 2,800 market-rate apartments
Affordable housing developer Camber scoops up Section 8 portfolio
The portfolio of mostly five and six-story buildings includes some with retail space on the ground floor. Apartments in the buildings are available to households earning between 30 percent and 100 percent of the area median income, under their subsidy agreements.
Berkadia and Deutsche Bank provided financing for the acquisition, but did not reveal how much they each contributed. The deal was brokered by Victor Sozio and Shimon Shkury of Ariel Property Advisors.
Fairstead plans to incorporate job training and financial literacy programs into the portfolio, according to Crain's. It will continue a relationship with the Renaissance Youth Center to provide funding for music programs for residents.
"We are proud to be serving thousands of Bronx families, giving them peace of mind that their homes will remain affordable and providing them with access to important social services and programming," Fairstead CEO Jeffrey Goldberg shared in a statement.
This is Fairstead's second notable affordable housing deal in as many months. Last month, it bought a 13-property, 691-unit affordable housing portfolio in Newar, spending $85 million in a joint venture with LIHC Investment Group. The deal came after Fairstead committed $500 million to grow its multifamily holdings.
Two years ago, Invesco partnered with Ron Moelis' L+M Development Partners on a $1.2 billion purchase of the 2,800-unit portion of the Putnam portfolio. Two-thirds of the units involved in the purchase were designated to remain affordable.
Elsewhere in the Bronx, Camber Property Group recently acquired a portfolio of three project-based Section 8 communities for $105 million. One was the Target V Apartments in the Morris Heights section, one was in Brooklyn and one was in Manhattan.
[Crain's] — Holden Walter-Warner
Affordable HousingInvesco Real EstateResidential Real Estatethe Bronx
Nonprofit plans affordable housing development near Essex Crossing
All Falls Down: Kanye West's "Star Wars"-themed affordable housing plan hits snag
Prana pays Related $36M in Bronx multifamily play
Southampton compound sells for $118.5M
The cryptonaires will see you now
US housing market up a historic $6.9T in 2021: Zillow


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Meeting of Design Students
ABOUT MEDS
#SUPPORTBEIRUT
MEDS Workshops 2010 – 2017
MEDS Byblos 2018
MEDS Spetses 2019
MEDS Silesia 2021
MEDS Zaragoza 2022
MEDS India 2018
MEDS Croatia 2019
MEDS Egypt 2020
contact@medsworkshop.com
The urban and architectural context of Silesia as an industrial space of mines, smelters and factories translates into a very specific sense of Silesian identity. Industrial context and identity allows us to reflect on the issue of transformation. Transformation that has already taken place, and the one that can potentially occur for the future of Silesia.
Context, Identity and Transformation, three main categories of the MEDS REVIVAL theme are carried out through three main fields of action: Ecology, Society and Revitalization.
Ecology concerns the shift from the commercial industrial mindset to a sustainable one. which is both physical (creating eco friendly projects that are to be put in the public space) and as well an attempt to shift the citizens' mentality.
Social aspect of the workshops serves to encourage the inhabitants of the Silesian cities to engage in the changes that are done and can be done in their nearest environment. MEDS participants and the citizens will brainstorm and work together to change the image of Katowice's backyards.
Revitalization very directly refers to the refreshment of the historical spaces and bringing back their liveliness.
As well as the impact of these changes, hopefully they will result in a revitalised identity of the citizens. more and more proud to be Silesian with all the implications that derive from the mixture of old and revived.
Silesia had a completely different history than other regions of Poland and for almost 600 years the region did not belong to Poland until the end of World War I…
Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of: first: Greater Moravia, then the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, and then part of Habsburg Monarchy, later the Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire later… After the Second World War it was placed under the administration of the Republic of Poland. As you can see our history is really interesting, and this year will be a great opportunity to get to know more about it 🙂
There is a very strong Silesian identity in the historical region of Silesia and more than 800,000 people define themselves as part of a different nation.
Gallery of Reflections
Main intention behind "Gallery of Reflections" was to create an interactive installation within a natural environment connected to everyday residential life. The project interrogates not just how we view but also how we physically engage with and mediate the natural world. On a community level provided shelter lends itself to a range of uses and intends to foster and develop a relationship between the local children and thier natural environment. The space is a canvas for play, reconfiguration, and reinterpretation - it is a lens, a frame and a home in one.
On a workshop level the installation is an attempt at a collaborative, interdisciplinary exploration. It was an opportunity for participants to actively engage in a group design and construction process. Collaboration is at the heart of any great project, so it was important to give space for each participant to express themselves, resulting in a more interesting and engaging project. On an architectural level, the material itself was the heart of the process. Participants had the opportunity to work with timber and the challenging material of steel.
Magdalena Storożenko, architect, Poland
Kamila Haja, architect, Poland
Alex Curtis, architect, Ireland
Enes Bayrak (Turkey), Kasia Mizera (Poland), Margherita Padovan (Italy), Matty Galea Souchet (Malta), Damian Wnuk (Poland), Jason O'Kelly (Ireland), Sara Navarro (Spain), Haya Suri (USA), Ibrahim Sadiklar (Turkey), Rami Lazkani (Lebanon)
Grid of the city
This project is an experience of light and sound. Its landmark within the microscopic scale of the site. The mosaic is a unique element in the city of Tychy that not only has a historic point but also has a unique landmarks. The installation is consisted of wood, lights and white covering sheet. The structure system of the project is timber frame structure that carries the wood panels and lights of the installation. The lights were placed on the panels with different colours reffering to different districts and plots. The last finishing element is white sheet that covers the whole installation to show the created mosaic using lights. As a result a playful installation was brought to life that now you can enjoy on site of Civic Brewery in Tychy.
Blanka Byrwa, Interior designer, Poland
Jan Książek, architect, Poland
Ksawery and Jakub Kirklewski!
Adrian Alfonso (Spain), Ahmad El Zubi (Lebanon), Dominikos Wildeboer (Cyprus), Demetris Nicolaou (Cyprus), Emma Vručinić (Croatia), Sofia Rampanelli (Italy), Kasia Prokopiuk (Poland), Melisa de Castro (Spain)
Green Pavilion
The Green Pavilion is a design challange on may levels. Creating the best condition for the hop plants and a pleasant place to rest for people while fitting into historic fabric of the brewery was the main concept of the project. Benches, hop plants and shade sounds simple, but what gives it a flair are old, reused materials, that were found on the site. The idea itself is simple, however implementation turned out to be really challenging. The 3Rs principle (reuse,reduce and recycle) is demonstrated at every stage of the project. Main materials were found on site - Civic Brewery... after reconstruction remaining materials were stored and now it was used for creating a completely new object.
Basia Płonczyńska, Architect, Poland
Dominika Ufnal, architect, Poland
Nicolas Boscoboinik, architect, Argentina
Klaudiusz Szwajka (Poland), Ralph Rizkallah (Lebanon), Mark Caruana (Malta), Leda Demetriadou (Cyprus), Donal McLarnon (Ireland), Iga Sowa (Poland) Agnieszka Niczyporuk (Poland), Sara Prilepchanska (Macedonia), Ola Rysak (Poland), Agron Suka (Kosovo)
We warmly invite you to visit the Wabi Sabi tunnel and learn about Silesian legends! Project location - the tunnel by the City Point shopping center in Tychy. Let the flow of Melusine guide you through the tunnel filled with wonders of the Silesian legends. Melusine is a figure of European folklore, a female spirit of fresh water in a holy well or river. She is usually depicted as a woman who is a serpent or fish from the waist down (much like a mermaid). To this day the people of Silesia can hear her cry through the wind. 🌬 Are you lost? If you see a really short man with hair looking like ears of grain, watch out! Who was Polewnik? He was depicted as an unnaturally short man with a grainy complexion, with ears of grain instead of facial hair. Supposedly he walked the fields, sometimes at noon, sometimes at sunset, and played at the expense of those he encountered, leading them off in the wrong direction. You are at the end of the tunnel - so look out for the glowing, green-eyed miner – a ghost of a former miner called the Treasurer. If you roam the tunnel in peace and with respect, he will only keep an eye on you and warn you if there's danger, but if you make him angry, run! The Treasurer is a spirit in the shape of an old man with eyes that glow in the dark. According to the story he was a former miner called Walenty, who was completely obsessed with his work. As he aged he made a plea to God, to let him stay in the mines after he dies. His wish was granted and now he roams coal mine. Can you believe all this was created from trash?
Andrew Byrne, Architect, Ireland
Deimis Bakunas, architect, Ireland
Vanessa Chamlian, architect, Lebanon
Elira Beqaj, architect, Kosovo
Errita Zuna, architect, Kosovo
Andrew Galea (Malta), Blanka Przedpełska (Poland), Bogusława Szlachciak (Poland), Julia Siemonov (Croatia), Marc Aquilina (Malta), Nola Bokun (Croatia), Leyla Abou-chedid (Lebanon), Robyn Harfouche(Lebanon)
Magdalena Storożenko-Polak
Workshop Manager
Architect with a love for revitalization. Overprotective and pushy, excel enthusiast.
Kamila Haja
Generally an architect but to be honest she is a specialist in everything
Michalina Brokos
Graphic and Social Media Manager
Sandra Przepiórkowska
Ewelina Szczepanowska
Blanka Przedpełska
Social Media Manager & Project Support
Katarzyna Prokopiuk
Kasia Mizera
Ola Rysak
Iga Sowa
THE HONORARY PATRONAGE
MEDIA PATRONAGE
Published by ArchitectureQuote at May 27, 2021
MEDS Silesia 2021 – Participant Call: Apply and let your impact be a part of the story of MEDS Silesia Revival!
Published by archdaily at May 26, 2021
Published by competitions.archi at May 26, 2021
MEDS Silesia 2021 – Participant Call
MEDS 'Meeting of Design Students' is an international network where young professionals and students from diverse design backgrounds meet for workshops and other events.
The association started in 2010 with its first workshop in Alanya, Turkey and has expanded ever since.
MEDS Network
meds.zaragoza(@)gmail.com
© 2019 MEDS – Meeting of Design Students. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Q: glutBitmapString access violation (OS: Windows 7, Compiler: Visual Studio 2010 C++ compiler)
I've got a correctly working OpenGL program that draws some spheres and models, applies some shaders etc.. etc..
Now I thought it would be nice to add some text, so I added the following three lines to my draw method:
glColor3f(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f);
glRasterPos2f(0, 0);
glutBitmapString(GLUT_BITMAP_HELVETICA_12, (unsigned char*)"some text");

Now somehow this all makes my program get stuck in an infinite "access violation" loop, which I can't seem to fix. I even commented all the other draw code out, to just output the text, and it still gives the access violation error, I'm at a loss here because there is nothing that seems to affect this. So does anybody have some pointers ;)) on how to fix this issue?
I could post all my draw code, but I even tried an empty project, so I'm pretty sure it's not the rest of the code.
Edit: I tried narrowing down the error even more, and it seems that glRasterPos2f is throwing the acces violation (weirdly enough). It's not between any glBegin and glEnd calls, and there is no OpenGL error.
Edit2: After some advice I tried the following code, I got rid of the access violation, but still no text is displayed
glColor3f(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f);
glRasterPos2f(0.0f, 0.0f);
std::string str("Hello World");
char* p = new char[strlen(str.c_str() + 1)];
strcpy(p, str.c_str());
glutBitmapString(GLUT_BITMAP_HELVETICA_12, (const unsigned char*)p);

A: glutBitmapString is of type const unsigned char* and not of unsigned char*. Would that help? I had problems with string casting as well.
And I found out, that I wasn't closing my string, because the unsigned char* should be 1 longer than a string. Here was a snippet that solved it for another method with the same parameter type:
string fullPath = TextureManager::s_sTEXTUREFOLDER + filename;
char *filePath = new char[strlen(fullPath.c_str())+1];
strcpy(filePath,fullPath.c_str());

And then you have your char*.

A: I recently got the same error while attempting to use glBitmapString(). I was using vs2008. I set a breakpoint at the function call and stepped into it (using freeglut_font.c). Inside I noticed that the exception was being thrown upon what was described to be glut not being initialized. So inside my initialization function I added...
char* argv[] = {"some","stuff"};    int argc=2;
glutInit(&argc,argv);
glutInitDisplayMode(GLUT_DEPTH | GLUT_DOUBLE | GLUT_RGBA);
glutInitWindowPosition(100,100);
glutInitWindowSize(800,600);

Where of course you can use whatever argc/argv you please. This, as well as what was suggested by Marnix solved the exception errors for me.
Note that I don't actually create a window with glut.

A: Try putting the string in a temporary variable. The fact that you have to cast should raise a red flag.
glColor3f(0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f);
glRasterPos2f(0, 0);
unsigned char* s = "some text";
glutBitmapString(GLUT_BITMAP_HELVETICA_12, s);

if const doesn't work, then glutBitmapString() may be modifying the string.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Preschool teacher Amy Lane's Prince Charming must have gotten lost along the way to quaint Ashford Falls. Maybe she'll need to get out into the world to find him. But to find love and adventure on her travels, she needs a part-time job quick.
Ben Brooks knows more about curing cancer than he does about raising kids. He spends all his time in his lab, searching for a cure, and avoiding contact with people. Growing up as a child prodigy, he's never been good with relationships, but now he's suddenly responsible for his young daughter, Livvy. At a loss for how to relate to the solemn, quiet child he knows he needs help and he needs it fast.
When Livvy and Ben meet Miss Amy in Cupid's Coffeeshop, she easily gets Livvy to giggle. Hoping to learn her technique, Ben hires Amy to teach him to have fun with his daughter. But when he falls hard for the lively woman who brightens the gray January days, will lessons in fun turn into playing for keeps?
When Claire O'Shaughnessy needs a date for her younger sister's upcoming wedding, her new co-worker Grayson March offers to help her—for a price. She'll have to let him work with her on their firms biggest account.
To pose as her lover, Grayson takes a crash course in getting to know Claire. They quickly learn that a fake romance might just turn out to be the real thing…in Lucky Latte, third in the Cupid's Coffeeshop series.
Spring fever strikes as the Lockhart cousins spar over drumming up more business. When Joe rents a food truck to drive around at lunch, he becomes a media sensation as the coffee hunk.
Ace reporter Jefferson Elliot arrives to cover the story and just happens to be attorney Ruby Davis' old flame.
When they were young, Ruby turned down Jefferson's proposal for the chance to go to law school. When Jefferson returns to Ashford Falls, maybe it's not too late for true love after all.


text:
You are browsing the archive for Alex Fitch.
by Royston
Sixth Herne Bay Cartoon Festival begins
July 27, 2018 in Events, General, News
[Poster by The Surreal McCoy]
Exhibitions are now open at the sixth Herne Bay Cartoon Festival and more than 20 of the UK's top cartoonists will descend on the Kent seaside town next weekend for three days of talks, workshops and live drawing.
The first event is a discussion featuring The Surreal McCoy and Rachael Ball. They will talk about their work-in-progress graphic novels The Wolf of Baghdad and Wolf Man. The event is hosted by Alex Fitch, journalist and critic behind the Panel Borders radio show. It takes place on Friday 3 August at 5.30pm.
On Saturday 4 August, Alex Hallatt will run a workshop for kids at Beach Creative from 11.30am-1pm. Creator of the syndicated comic strip Arctic Circle, she is British but lives in New Zealand and is visiting the festival while on a trip to the UK.
Roger Todd will run a puppet caricature workshop at the same venue from 1.30pm. Political cartoonist and PCO member Martin Rowson will host a caricature workshop at Pettman House from 2.30pm.
The main festival day is the Sunday 5 August. The cartoonists will gather on Herne Bay Pier from midday to draw big-board cartoons, seaside peep boards, caricatures and more. As ever, there will be a chance for the public to get involved with drawing on big boards, plus they can play drawing games with the Guardian cartoonist Ros Asquith.
Cartoon from the Turning the Tide exhibition by Tat Effby
The festival exhibition Turning the Tide is now open at Beach Creative and runs until Sunday 12 August. The theme, which is always linked to the seaside location, acknowledges that the past year has been eventful for women. It is 100 years since the first women won the vote, we've seen the birth of #MeToo and #TimesUp, the protests over the gender pay gap … and even the first woman Doctor Who.
Of course, the festival always lets cartoonists interpret the theme however they want, so the choppy waters of Brexit are visited once more and there are also Turning the Tide cartoons about plastic in the oceans.
There will be a private view of Turning the Tide on Saturday 4 August, 6.30pm-8.30pm.
Tim Sanders cartoon from Turning the Tide
Also open now is Funny Women, an exhibition held jointly at the Seaside Museum and Bay Art Gallery, both on William Street. The show runs until Sunday 19 August.
It looks at women cartoonists and illustrators from the past 100 years and includes Mary Tourtel, creator of Rupert the Bear, and Tove Jansson of Moomins fame, alongside contemporary cartoonists such as Riana Duncan, Posy Simmonds, Nicola Jennings, Grizelda, Martha Richler (Marf) and many more. The exhibition is held in conjunction with the British Cartoon Archive in nearby Canterbury.
There will be a private view of Funny Women on Friday 3 August at the Seaside Museum, then the Bay Art Gallery, 7pm-8.30pm.
Also this year, a group of US women cartoonists were invited to give their perspective on the festival theme, and the work of Isabella Bannerman, Maddie Dai, and Liza Donnelly will feature in both the Turning the Tide and Funny Women exhibitions.
Cartoon by Maddie Dai
Alongside the main show at Beach Creative, the festival also hosts the PCO's Gagged exhibition in the Rossetti Room. It ran at the Westminster Reference Library last year. The Herne Bay version runs until Sunday 12 August.
The full list of cartoonists scheduled to attend the festival is as follows: Nathan Ariss, Ros Asquith, Rachael Ball, Andrew Birch, Dave Brown, Des Buckley, Chris Burke, Pete Dredge, Clive Goddard, Grizelda, Alex Hallatt, Tim Harries, Alex Hughes, Kathryn Lamb, Glenn Marshall, Lou McKeever, Rob Murray, Helen Pointer, Royston Robertson, Martin Rowson, Cathy Simpson, Rich Skipworth, The Surreal McCoy and Steve Way.
For updates on the Herne Bay Cartoon Festival, follow @HBCartoonFest on Twitter or go to Facebook.com/HBCartoonFest.
The Independent cartoonist Dave Brown will return this year
Herne Bay Cartoon Festival is sponsored by the Professional Cartoonists Organisation and supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Tags: #HBCartoonFest, Alex Fitch, Alex Hallatt, Bay Art Gallery, Beach Creative, caricatures, cartoon exhibitions, Cartoon festivals, Cartoon workshops, Contains Male Nudity, Dave Brown, Funny Women, Gagged, Glenn Marshall, Grizelda, Herne Bay, Herne Bay Cartoon Festival, Herne Bay Cartoon Festival 2018, live cartoon drawing, Marf, Martha Richler, Martin Rowson, Nicola Jennings, Posy Simmonds, Rachael Ball, Roger Todd, Ros Asquith, Seaside Museum, Tat Effby, The Surreal McCoy, Tim Sanders, Turning the Tide 4 Comments »


So, here's my prediction: in the next 2-3 weeks Sony will announce a new ebook reader. It will be touch screen. It will be a pearl e-ink display. And it will retail for under $180.
Well I called it, though I was two months early. I forgot about the WiFi though . Now that I've taken a better look at it though I've noticed something. It's priced too high still. The other readers are in a race to the bottom, and I'm afraid that ebook readers are not a must have gadget. Which means that people will buy the cheapest one, not the best quality one. They've done a good thing by lightening it up (plastic chassis), but they also need to lighten the price more. I know I predicted $180 and it came in at $150, but now that Amazon is looking like they'll bring out a new Kindle in time for Christmas, Sony needs to win the price war.
A $109 price point would pretty much kick out the rest of the competition.
That being said, I think that Sony's focus on libraries is going to be a major point in their favour.
So I just realized today that both Kobo and Nook have new editions out. And Kobo's is selling for $139. Looks like the Kindle 3 is almost to its one year milestone, and Kindle now has a new ad-supported version (not touching that one with a ten foot pole). Well, as I love my Sony I figured that I'd go take a look at their current offerings. And low and behold the touch edition: sold out, pocket edition: sold out. In fact only the daily edition is left. So I checked around, looks like the Sony is on a major sale down at Amazon… I sense a theme developing here. They're clearing out the models. Which hints at one thing. Last year (around November I think) Sony inked a deal for an exclusive contract for new e-ink displays. Putting these together I think we have a new model coming out soon. And I think it's going to be competitive with the Kobo. So, here's my prediction: in the next 2-3 weeks Sony will announce a new ebook reader. It will be touch screen. It will be a pearl e-ink display. And it will retail for under $180. If they're smart they'll peg it at $139. If they're stupid they'll peg it at $199. They will also have a smaller version, an updated pocket edition, which will retail for $99. It won't have touch screen, but it will have a pearl e-ink display.
Posted byNoah Arney May 25, 2011 November 19, 2014 Posted inTechnologyTags: books, ebooks, reader, sony, technologyLeave a comment on New Sony Reader?
Huh, looks like that video might work.
Another E3 has come and gone.
Nintendo had some reasonable announcements, nothing amazing, but bringing Mario back in a host of titles.
Sony on the other hand had almost nothing. Well, not quite nothing. They had one release that I am dying to play. The Last Guardian, by the same people who made Shadow of the Colossus. For anyone who isn't into that kind of thing, Shadow of the Colossus is one of the 10 most beautiful games ever made, and in my top five games ever played. It isn't just a video game, it's a piece of art. And yes, the Last Guardian has continued that.
I want this game. It looks amazing. That being said, with the exception this game nothing else at E3 was that amazing coming from Sony. I suspect that the PS3 may be in danger of dying out because of lack of innovation, which is sad because it's my favourite console.
Microsoft however has not stopped moving forward. They have shown the next step in video games. Nintendo got the first step with the Wii, but now Microsoft is trying to move beyond that with their Project Natal (video at the top). Essentially they took the next logical step beyond the Wii, what if you didn't need a controller? Project Natal is all about movement mapping and voice recognition. fighting games or sports games that map your motion, skate boarding games where it will scan in your deck so you can play on your own board, and controllerless menus.
This of course brings in a new revenue stream with custom controllers. Sure you don't need one for tennis, or golf, or driving a car, but as the Wii has shown, people will buy cheap plastic add-ons anyway. But more importantly they will be able to redesign their controllers in a new way. No longer will it be the two sticks for movement and view control and a few buttons for specified things, they will be able to get creative with their controller (granted, this is Xbox so I wouldn't be surprised if they came out with a large brick for a controller). And who isn't looking forward to the gun shaped Halo 4 controller?
Project Natal probably isn't as accurate yet as they make it out to be, but still, this is the next step in video games.
It's also the next step in home entertainment. Microsoft seems to be continuing their campaign of making the Xbox do everything under the sun. I wouldn't be surprised if soon it will do the dishes, or laundry, or rent videos (oh wait, it already does that one). Sony is falling behind here. They need to get Netflix or something similar on their console or they will be left behind as "Just a gaming machine". I'm sure it's all right to be "Just a gaming machine", but that's not where the money is going to be.
I want a PS3, but the way things are going, I'll probably end up buying an Xbox.
But there's other up and coming technology that's going to be important. Projected multi-touch is going to be very cool, along with the new multi-projectors. Imagine sitting down to a desk, and having a screen projected both onto the wall in front of you, and also onto the desk in front of you. You reach up and move things around the "screen" by touching it on your desk with your hand and dragging. Whatever you do on the "screen" on the desk happens on the "screen" on the wall. You open up a word processor and a keyboard appears on your desk but not on the wall. In Japan laptop sales are being impacted by cellphones. Cellphones can be used as a web browser, for e-mail, for word processing, music, and who knows what's next. There's a new product nearly on the market, the cellphone projector. There are already ones with very few colours designed to be part of the cellphone, but there are also full colour projectors that are external, but are the same size as a phone. Perhaps in a few years having movies on a cell phone won't seem like a useless undertaking. Now imagine the multi-touch multi-projector I discussed earlier mixed with the cellphone projectors. Imagine taking out your cellphone, putting it on the desk and having your computer appear. The future is coming, and it looks cool.


Rare Northwest Coast Owl figure circa. late 19th century or early 20th century. This dynamic figure was possibly part of a Shaman's staff or ornamental ceremonial object. All original dry patina, overall excellent condition with minor loss to right ear and bottom left lip (see photos). Sister item by same (unknown) artist was attributed to the Haida.


Rahul Dravid: Dravid dropped again:Why?
So the shocking news has arrived.Dravid and Ganguly have been dropped from ODI squad.
Dravid has been dropped for 2nd consecutive series (1st against Pakistan).He must be surprised by this decision taken by selectors.After being dropped from Pakistan series,he had hit a double ton against Mumbai (in Ranji trophy) to show that he is not out of form.He is getting punished just because he had not scored much against Australia in ODI series.
He came back strongly in Test series against Australia hitting 93 in Perth to help India win the match.With his form coming back,it was a shock for him to be dropped from squad.
Ganguly was another victim of poor team selectin.Inspite of his great performance in the year 2007,he has been axed from the team.
The Indian team includes 90% youngsters (most of them from 20-20 team).With only 2 experienced batsmen in squad (sachin and Yuvraj),it will be interesting to see how the new team performs.


For your special girl of 8 or 80, this sleek heart necklace speaks of your love. Crafted in sterling silver, this solid heart means respect, friendship, love, and more. Buffed to a brilliant luster, this sweet charm suspends centered along an 18.0-inch cable chain that secures with a lobster claw clasp.


You didn't really believe that Brad Pitt would be a drug dealer did you? I can't imagine a single reason why he would become an international drug dealer when he has Angelina and 19 children waiting for him at home.
It looks like a hectic homelife is taking it's toll on Brad as his image has moved from Buff to Scruff as personal grooming time is reduced by a constant influx of Asian children.
Even as William Bradley Pitt approaches 50, he remains one of the hottest men on the planet (except in that scruffy goatee picture, he looks like The Edge's grandfather). I am so glad he goes by his middle name, Brad and not William or Bill. William Pitt was the name of a couple of 18th century British Prime Ministers. And even worse TMZ would have portmanteau'ed the name Wangelina instead of Brangelina.
Getting back to the point, can you see the likeness between the real Brad Pitt and El Brad Pitt? Is there a different celebrity that has a closer resemblance to Marco Zuniga? Let us know via the comments section. We really do value your thoughts and opinions.
Maybe it was an ironic nickname. Like calling an elephant "Tiny," or the Governator "Mr. Celibate."


I have completed the reading of this book on March 12, 2017. I would have completed the reading yesterday but for a number of hurdles. One of the hurdles was that it for the first time, I have felt tired while reading the works of W. W. Atkinson. Surprise.
It is a large book because it contains 32 chapters. However, it is a small book because many chapters contain merely two to three pages.
One may ask that if you have read the book then tell us about Hatha Yoga.
Ok, Explain, What is Hatha Yoga?
My answer will be that I have not learned anything about Hatha Yoga.
Ok, Let me explain. I believe that I have a preconceived notion about Hatha Yoga without exactly knowing the real meaning of Hatha Yoga. Yoga, as generally perceived is a practice of a set of some postures which are not generally acquired or followed in day to day life. You have to learn about them in order to recognise that you can put your body in a particular posture. Some may say that they are a set of peculiar exercises.
A person who may like to flaunt his eruditeness may say it includes doing pranayama, anoloma and pratiloma, sheersh Asana, Makar Asana, Surya Namaskar, Kpal Bhatti, pavan mukta asana, pachimuttan asana, vakra asana, padam asana, gumukha asana, vajra asana and many more.
He may say that it is a high level learning. You may have to be a blessed one in order to fully understand the Yoga. Then, he would utter some sounds, which you may not comprehend.
You may say, "What was that? Are you a human mockingbird? If so, then Charles Darwin study is incomplete."
He would reply that this is what I have told you that you are not a blessed one. Baby, it is Sanskrit.
Now, W. W. Atkinson had tried to explain it in a very simple English.
I believe that it is about the Deep Breathing and Complete Breathing. It is about a suggestion that one should do regular exercise.
If I quote him from his last chapter then, read the following quotations borrowed from the chapter 32.
One of the chapters attracted my attention. I was highly amused to read into the actual nature of the content. It is chapter number 30 titled Regeneration. I did not know that the western world observe restraint in talking about this subject in print in 1910. I had a different impression of the western world on this aspect. One can learn about the actual cultural attitude of the Indians about this topic by reading the Autobiography of a Yogi.
It is also amusing to learn about the features of the culture of the America as it was prevailing there in 1910. The author has tried to address some of the cultural habits of the Americans by writing chapters on exercise, bathing and general hygiene.
'The actual contents are same as I have commented on in my other post on Raja Yoga. I reproduce the comment here.
However, in the case of this book, he has discussed the anatomy and physiology in more detail without referring to any Yogic thought.
Among all the books written by W. W. Atkinson, which I have read, this book is not all that gripping. In the case of other books, I yearned to return back to his writing. In the case of this book, I just glided through it. If I was able to read the whole, it is only because of the attractiveness of the writing of the author.