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How Much Does a Nissan GT-R Cost?
Author: Curtis Farrell |
Nissan knows how to surprise. Even if you look for a highly ambitious supercar, Nissan can offer one – the Nissan GT-R hand-built 2+2 coupe is one of the most distinctive vehicles currently on the market.
A couple of months ago Nissan unveiled the refreshed 2017 Nissan GT-R – enhanced and polished to utter elegance. You can find the review of the 2017 Nissan GT-R in here. It will be available this summer.
Currently, only the 2016 Nissan GT-R is available for purchase. The MSRP starts at $101,770 for the Premium model, at $102,770 for the 45th Anniversary Gold Edition model, at $111,510 for the Black Edition model, and at $149,990 for the top-of-the-line NISMO model with NISMO-tuned 600-hp, 3.8-liter, high-capacity twin-turbocharged V6 engine.
2017 Nissan GT-R © Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan GT-R's Generations
If we put aside the whole Nissan Skyline line of cars, we may say that the Nissan GT-R appeared in its first generation in 2007 when it was unveiled in the production form at the Tokyo Motor Show. Only two concepts were made prior to the unveiling of the production model. The first was shown in 2001 as an exhibition maquette, while the second one appeared 4 years later as a starting point for the future supercar.
Since its debut, the Nissan GT-R received two major uplifts – in 2011 and in 2016. However, it is still in its first generation. If you compare the 2008 model with the 2017 model, you will find better performance and fresher styling in the new one, although mechanically and aesthetically they are pretty similar.
Nissan GT-R's Future
Nissan has a long history of making distinctive sports cars, especially grand tourers, under the Nissan Skyline name. Company's mastery in this prospect led to the creation of the Nissan GT-R, the ultimate Nissan sports car. While the model itself may become unprofitable, it is likely that the company will continue the production of successive supercars no matter what. Extraordinary vehicles such as the Nissan GT-R build the brand's prestige, after all.
Nissan, Nissan GT-R


Recently, we wrote about how biobanking technology is being used to create genome resource banks and preserve the genetic material of endangered animals around the world.
The threat of extinction reaches far beyond the animal kingdom, though.
Researchers estimate that between 60,000 and 100,000 plant species are currently at risk of extinction –that's about one quarter of all plant species on the planet. For the most part, human activities, such as clear cutting of vegetation, over exploitation of plant resources and the expansion of agriculture and infrastructure, are to blame. Plus, as you might expect, global climate change is playing a major role, too.
Given our reliance on plants for everything from food and medicine to building materials and clothing, the endangerment and extinction of plant species should be worrying news to all of us.
Can anything be done to save endangered plant species?
Fortunately, it's relatively easy to preserve plants in a biobank. When you're collecting samples for a plant biobank, there's no need to extract genetic material or preserve embryos, as is required for the Frozen Zoo. Instead, all the information needed to create the next generation of plants is preserved in the seeds –and most seeds can be dried and stored for hundreds of years at a cool -20°C.
Scientists at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens began thinking about preserving seeds in the late 19th century, but it wasn't until the 1960's that a seed bank was established to exchange plants with other gardens. The preservation effort has grown into today's Millennium Seed Bank partnership, with a mission to preserve threatened, endangered and important plants.
And the Millennium Seed Bank does more than just collect and freeze seeds.
Scientists at Kew are actively conducting research into the process of seed germination and using their findings to help agriculture in developing nations. In fact, every 10 years the bank performs germination testing on its entire collection –yes, all 33,000+ species! –to ensure the seeds are preserved well and will remain viable for future generations.
How many plant species can Kew researchers preserve?
Their goal is to preserve all of the planet's important and threatened plant species in the Millennium Seed Bank, and they aim to collect more than 75,000 species –representing over one quarter of plant diversity on earth –by 2020. Environments vulnerable to climate change, such as mountains, coastlines and islands, will be prioritized in the collection.
For an overview of the operation and a great view into the underground seed bank, take a look at this video.


Can inflation help the debt?
JOIN The Draft Alan Brown Jr. for U.S. Congress 2012 Kentucky 2nd District Facebook Page!
"They are propagandists for war, I challenge them on the notion they're conservative"
Do you like whiskey? Try this!
Harvard libertarian leaning college students write article supporting Ron Paul.
The scientific evidence alone does not prove Ivans guilty of anthrax attacks.
House votes down F-35 engine funding !
Two TSA agents arrested at JFK Airport for stealing $39K from passenger's bag.
Has anyone started organizing groups to attend the first two debates (California & SC)?
Does your college have a Pro-Ron Paul website?
Rand Paul on Rothbard - from his new book.
What do I do with all my socialist/communist followers?
FOX Forced To Apologize On Air Over Ron Paul CPAC Video Deception !
Vote for Ron in this poll! He is losing right now.
Scott Garrett N.J. 5th (R) wants to eliminate federal funding for libraries.
Glenn Beck: Don't Do A Google Search!
Geithner Admits: Obligations in President's Budget "Unsustainable"
<Video> Fox news' "apology" for airing wrong CPAC footage.
Gary Johnson going to be on in Bowling Green, KY radio between 4-6 cst today. Link inside.
What are the best methods and resources for de-apathizing people?
Gary Johnson on RIGHT NOW!
Shouldn't unions have the right to collectively bargain?
[Video] Mike Lee on CNN: I will filibuster debt ceiling increase.
I called Ron Pauls congressional office..
Brian Frank's Victory Garden 2011 - GROW YOURS!
"Bill, Your Bias Against Ron Paul Is Shameful"
WI Showdown: Democrats *not* needed for regular business?
Apparently Ron Paul Pulled His Foreign Aid Amendment ?
Activists swarm Boehner's Capitol Hill home; Chant 'don't tread on DC'..
[Drinking too much hate-o-rade] I am seeing a disturbing trend.
Positivity Train, Im new here.
No Presidential Primary in 12 states? Good or bad?
Welfare Queen Warren Buffet awarded "Medal of Freedom" by Obama.
Is Fox News funding terrorism?
Why are Cops, fire and state inspectors exempt from Walker's Budget Bill?
The Washington Times bl calls Cicero and Ron Paul true statesmen; Chris Lee, not so much.
Would CPAC's Vetting Process Kick Out Libertarians?
Speaking of which, did you see Rand's mention of YAF in passing in his book? B4 CPAC?
Freedom Watch will be on Main Fox News channel Sunday at 9 PM ET!
Is neocon/police state cousin janet not willing to run for sentate a good or bad thing?
What do YOU think about collective bargaining?
Is the WI Crisis "Manufactured"??
Where is all the Money Bomb hype?
Gary Johnson for Senate Email-bomb: let's convince him to run!!
What happens to the level of education if Walker fires the teachers?
Some states may cancel presidential primaries due to lack of funds. - Opportunity!
Paul, Barbara Lee float bill to end Afghanistan War. Is it constitutional?
With Judge NAP on National TV this Sunday.. How do we get him to annoucne the MONEY BOMB?
The Empire Strikes? Bring it on already with the public sector strikes!
Robert Paul for U.S. Senate 2012???
DRAFT Gary Johnson for U.S. SENATE!!!
Draft Debra Medina for U.S. Senate!!!
Did Kucinich vote for the PATRIOT Act extension?
REVOLUTION AMERICA Moneybomb RON PAUL 2012!!!!!!
Why are many Republicans refusing to cut government sponsorship of NASCAR?
This is how we can spread the message of Ron Paul.
Manufacturing Consent - US Govt.
So about Net Neutrality. . .
FDR: "collective bargaining...cannot be transplanted into the public service"
Can Any Confirm or Debunk This Video?
Tom Woods Slams National Review - "takes its role as the safe opposition seriously"


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This website is where I'll tell you all about my murder mysteries. The first one is Murder in Murloo.
Brigid George is the pseudonym of JB Rowley.
Many people seem to have issues with my real name.
They insist on putting full stops after the J and the B when they write my name.
They mispronounce Rowley so that the 'Row' part rhymes with 'cow'. Wrong! 'Rowl' rhymes with 'bowl' so that Rowley rhymes with 'holy'.
They accuse me of copying the name from a well known children's author. Well, let me tell you Rowley is my family name and I had my name before that children's author got her name! Besides, if you have grown up as 'Rowley', the name 'Rowling' is quite different.
AND I wanted to differentiate my crime novels from my other books.
My father always called me Brigid. I have no idea why. When I was young I assumed all fathers called their daughters Brigid. Being called Brigid again will remind me of my dad and my very happy childhood.
My father's first name was George. So there you go, Brigid George is a tribute to my father: a devoted family man who died too young.
Want an exclusive free sneak peek at the latest Dusty Kent Mystery due out at end of 2019? YES!


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Calls for action over homelessness crisis
Thousands of pounds of taxpayers' cash is being spent on B&Bs in Glasgow for people who are waiting on a council house in Renfrewshire.
The Paisley Daily Express can reveal that bed-and-breakfast rooms in the city are being booked to provide temporary accommodation for around 240 people on Renfrewshire's waiting list – with a desperate lack of affordable homes being blamed for the crisis.
Gordon MacRae, spokesman for housing charity Shelter Scotland, told the Express: "The under-provision of suitable temporary accommodation is a problem facing many local authorities.
"The root cause of the problem is the chronic shortage of affordable homes, and many people have to linger on housing waiting lists.
"To end this housing crisis for good, the Scottish Government needs a renewed commitment to build at least 10,000 affordable homes a year."
More than 1,000 people in Renfrewshire have applied to be registered as homeless in the last year, with 841 of them being marked as 'at risk.'
And, although council officers have reported a drop in the total number of applications over the past 12 months, there has been a worrying surge in registrations by younger people.
Councillor Tommy Williams, convener of Renfrewshire's housing and community safety policy board, said: "The overall downward trend is welcome but we understand the difficulties that people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness may face, such as relationship breakdown, debt and poor health.
"Young, single applicants, in particular, also need to be able to receive support from their family and friends.
"This brings different problems, such as securing suitable accommodation which isn't too large for people who may be affected by the bedroom tax."
Across Scotland as a whole, more than 10,000 people have registered as homeless in the last 12 months, with fighting among family cited as the biggest factor.
Nicola Sturgeon lifts measures on pubs as nightclubs in Scotland to reopen next week
CoronavirusThe First Minister issued an update to the Scottish Parliament earlier today on the latest restrictions.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie stripped of protection after intervention from Charles
Royal FamilyThe pair were the subject of a row about funding in 2011 that was said to have left their father Prince Andrew furious.
West DunbartonshireTributes paid to Vale community champion who trained thousands of first aidersRobert Muir dedicated his life to helping others, instructing thousands on how to deliver first aid and CPR.
BREAKING: Major incident as emergency services "surround" Paisley learning centre
RenfrewshirePolice rushed to the area shortly after noon following reports of a disturbance.
Ricky Gervais donates benches to Scots parks to mark new season of After Life
Ricky GervaisThe actor teamed up with suicide prevention charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) to place benches where people can talk, listen and reflect at 25 locations across Britain.
Line of Duty's Martin Compston leads hilarious spoof cast interrogation of Boris Johnson
Martin CompstonBoris Johnson looked like he was actually in an episode of Line of Duty as he was put under the spotlight by Martin and his AC-12 colleagues Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar.
Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson at 'end of the road' with excuses over covid lockdown partiesLabour and the SNP said the Prime Minister should accept he had to go after he broke his silence and attempt to blame others for not telling him he was attending a party not a work event.
Spring wild swimming Loch Lomond event announced to replace New Year Dook
Loch LomondThe Spring Swim will raise funds for the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat.
First ever haggis-flavoured beer created in time for Burns Night
Burns NightThe haggis spices are said to lend themselves to a "full bodied, balanced pale ale."
More politicians urge Prime Minister Boris Johnson to quit over garden party
Boris JohnsonMore of the area's politicians have called for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign as he faces mounting pressure over a boozy garden party at his Downing Street residence whilst the rest of the nation was in lockdown.
Insider view on Alfredo Morelos at Rangers as Jermain Defoe reveals what makes the striker 'unhappy'
Alfredo MorelosThe England cap has spoken highly of the talismanic Ibrox centre forward following his departure from the club.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Ethereum price reached a high of $237 yesterday wiping off the loses garnered over the weekend, but it turns out that the correction in the cryptocurrency is far from over.
Currently Ethereum is trading at $213 – down 11 per cent over the last 24 hours – and this effectively means that confidence in the cryptocurrency after the weekend slump hasn't been fully restored.
After hitting a $134.21 low this month, Ethereum has recovered to $237 yesterday, effectively reaching the value it had last week before the price dropped.
Ethereum's market cap yesterday was at $20.90 billion. Bitcoin's market cap is currently at $38.18 billion with the number one cryptocurrency also gaining a lot after the weekend price plunge. Currency Bitcoin is trading at $2351.
Braving the weekend price plunge disaster, investors and cryptocurrency users are at it again with a bullish mood. The total market cap of cryptocurrency after gains over the last couple of days stood at $83.36 billion.
One of the reasons behind Ethereum's recent surge is the Ethereum Enterprise Alliance (EEA), which recently just added 34 new members, turning it into the world's largest blockchain consortium.
Last month The Flippening, the scenario in which Ethereum would surpass bitcoin and become the number one cryptocurrency, looked like a real possibility before Ethereum's value dropped and bitcoin recovered part of its dominance.
Now, Ethereum seems to be recovering part of its share, even though it's still far below bitcoin. At press time, Bitcoin's dominance is currently at 45.2%, while Ethereum's is about 25%.


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INTERIOR INFLUENCE: May/June
Sometimes referred to as micro-influencers, Instagramers with audiences that are too small to move the needle for any mass consumer brand, like Coke or Ford, can be most valuable for advertisers looking for a more pinpointed campaign. Local brands and retailers are looking for influencers with geographically defined followers, and many advertisers require a specifically focused audience to make the ad spending efficient (eg. a fishing tackle company wants an audience of fishing enthusiasts).
Gaining 10,000 followers can be pivotal, as it's a critical step in getting the 'swipe up' feature on Instagram stories, and micro-influencers like @Dianarosespier, with 24,000 followers, are now a focus for many marketers looking for influencers with a more defined, engaged, dedicated and loyal following than the mega-influencers can offer.
Diana started her Instagram account in 2014. As a new stay-at-home mom living in Bedford, she was looking for hobbies, and was in the process of decorating her first home. "I was just taking pictures of my house. Instagram was still pretty new, and I figured it could be fun to post some of the pictures I was taking. It was a personal, private thing. I was doing it just for kicks," Diana says. But as she began using hashtags and posting regular content, all while keeping her anonymity, the account, then called @BedfordRose, began to grow.
In her Bedford home, Diana tried out some flamboyant trends, like painting a room hot turquoise and using bold wallpaper. And her eye-catching décor began to attract a following. "As the account grew, I got more and more into decorating. I'm not a professional decorator by any means, but I was having a lot of fun, and I thought maybe one day it could lead to something," Diana recalls.
@BedfordRose reached a crossroads, as Diana describes it, when the Spiers moved from Bedford to New Canaan in 2017.
The account had amassed about 6k followers, which was enough that Diana knew she had something worth pursuing, but also enough that the account required a real time commitment. "That's when I realized I could really grow this thing if I focused, and implemented some small tweaks.
And, with a new house in New Canaan, I had a new blank canvas to work with!"
she exclaimed. And as the content was no longer Bedford-based, Diana changed the account name to @dianarosespier, and began to incorporate herself into the feed more as well.
Diana's interiors-focused following began taking off right before COVID, and gained significant traction during the pandemic, as many folks were spending much more time in their homes and looking for inspiration to make their spaces feel more special. She attributes the success to posting daily, strong content, networking and collaborating with other influencers, and always being willing to build up others.
For Diana, her brand has been more about the connections she builds and the fun she's having, than turning her hobby into a business. As Diana sums it up, "First and foremost, I'm a mom. I have two kids, a boy and girl. But my youngest is off to kindergarten next year – so I'm only going to have more time to make this even bigger and better. Sometimes I get partnerships with companies that make sense for my brand or my home, and that's always fun… but what I've enjoyed recently is creating a bit of a design consulting business. Followers would reach out all the time asking for advice, or maybe needing a specific item to fit a space, or just wondering what would look good to complete a room. So I've started working with them to source some great stuff. Still, being part of the local influencer community has really been most rewarding. I get to meet new people constantly, and I've made so many great friends and connections from doing it!"


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\Fintech News/
Insurtech Hedvig raises €9m in bid to become Europe's Lemonade
Can the Swedish insurtech company spark off the tepid sector of home insurance in Europe?
By Mimi Billing 27 August 2019
Credit: Swedish insurtech startup Hedvig just raised €9,3m.
\Other
Fastest-growing direct-to-consumer startups 2020
By Connor Bilboe 21 December 2020
The Swedish home insurance startup Hedvig has raised €9,3m from San Francisco based Obvious Ventures and Swedish retailer group Axel Johnson's venture leg D-Ax.
Many of the most successful startups in the insurtech sector are brokers for insurance products, but Hedvig somewhat breaks the mould being an actual home insurer.
The company uses technology to automate many of the processes including pricing and claims. According to the cofounder Lucas Carlsén, much of the claim process is already automated.
"It means that if you lose your laptop in Copenhagen, you would open the Hedvig app to record a voice message. From that voice message we can determine what happened and then trigger an automatic payoff, which would happen in a couple of minutes," Carlsén tells Sifted.
Hedvig's founders Fredrik Fors, John Ardelius and Lucas Carlsén.
One of Hedvig's selling points is that, in comparison to the large and established insurance companies, it wants to be a "nice" company. Apart from taking its cut on what users pay in insurance fees, the money that is not paid out in claims is donated to charities.
"This is one of the last industries that are still sort of untouched by innovation and equality. So what we set out to do was changing the business model of insurance, to make sure that we should never earn more by paying out less," Carlsén says.
Hedvig must be doing something right. The company has attracted angel investors such as Khaled Helioui — who is also an investor in Uber, Deliveroo and Bolt — as well as Sophia Bendz, partner at Atomico, and Victor Jacobsson, one of the co-founders of Klarna. Hedvig is also backed by Berlin-based venture capital company Cherry Ventures.
But it's still early days for Hedvig. With only 15,000 customers in Sweden, the company is planning to invest the new capital in growing both its customer base, in Sweden and later internationally, and by expanding its insurance offering to houses, instead of just serving flats as before.
The insurance market is anything but sexy. But for a startup offering a different approach than the big insurance companies, it can be worth billions.
American company Lemonade, which started off by offering home insurance in New York back in 2015, has raised $480m from Softbank. This summer it also embarked on Europe by launching in Germany.
The competition is not something that worries Carlsén though.
Although insurtech is a commonly used word for the startup's sector, most companies within it are middlemen creating a better user experience but are co-operating with the big insurance companies.
German startup Getsafe, an insurance broker that has so far raised $23m dollar according to Crunchbase, is an example of that. The Belgian startup Qover, that recently raised €8m has a different model offering digital companies insurance-as-a-service.
The best London startups to work at in 2021
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Glovo partners with real estate investor to pile €100m into 'dark stores'
By Tim Smith in Barcelona
Perchpeek: the startup that wants to help anyone work from anywhere


Since a few days ago, I noticed an increase of reporting activities from users who said they have never received notification email when they register to templateplazza.
As an initial response we usually advice them to check their spam / bulk folder, and in some cases indeed the notification email accidentally thrown into their spam folder. But strangely, there are some cases where the problem is not related to spam/bulk folder matter but it's about a significant delay of the notification email delivery. If the delay is still a matter of minutes, it can be tolerated. But some users report that they got their notification email in a few hours. This is not normal and I decided to investigate what really happened.


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Tom DeLonge's alien-hunting group partners with US Army
Aaron Feis
Social Links for Aaron Feis
Tom DeLonge WireImage
The truth is out there — and the US Army wants Blink-182 founder Tom DeLonge's help uncovering it, "Dammit."
The military inked a research partnership with the alien-obsessed singer's organization, To The Stars Academy, to probe everything from the mysteries of the universe to space-age technology.
Navy: Tom DeLonge 'UFO videos' are 'unexplained aerial phenomena'
"MAJOR NEWS: @TTSAcademy has entered into a Cooperative Research & Development Agreement with the @usarmy Combat Capabilities Development Command to advance TTSA's materiel & technology innovations," tweeted DeLonge, the group's co-founder, on Thursday.
A press release from TTSA said that the Army will help the group's research into "material science, space-time metric engineering, quantum physics, beamed energy propulsion, and active camouflage," in search of potential military applications.
"Our partnership with TTSA serves as an exciting, non-traditional source for novel materials and transformational technologies to enhance our military ground system capabilities," said Dr. Joseph Cannon, with the US Army Futures Command.
TTSA's board and advisers include former members of the CIA and the Pentagon, a former White House IT director and, of course, pop-punk icon DeLonge.
The "Aliens Exist" singer, 43, has been trying to get the government's ear on his avowed faith in extraterrestrials for years, including writing in 2015 on the topic to the chair of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
Just last month, the Navy gave credence to TTSA's work by ruling that three videos the group posted of apparent UFOs had been classified as "unexplained aerial phenomena."
Read Next Bernie Sanders says he'd back Joe Biden or any other Dem n...
'Real Friends of WeHo' star Brad Goreski to angry 'Drag Race' fans: 'Lighten up'
Who needs friends when you have 80 guinea pigs?


With the beginning of the Monsoon session, a new positive wave has surged in the India parliament. There is a strong possibility that the withstanding Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill will get clearance from the house.
A day before the beginning of the session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that "GST is of national importance. Issue is not which government gets credit. Important Bills, including GST will be taken up in the monsoon session and I hope for meaningful discussions and outcomes." Later on the first day of the session, he suggested that everyone should work together for this Bill as it will prove to be a breakthrough for the greater good of the country. The Congress has also agreed to a five-hour debate on the proposal giving way for the Bill.
The proposal has already been passed in Lok Sabha but has not received an approval in the Rajya Sabha. However, now many parties are coming forward in the support of the bill indicating the positive chances that it will get an approval in the upcoming times. BJP has made it clear that GST proposal is on priority in this session and they will strive hard to get a clearance on it.
It is said that this Bill will remove the implications of the tariffs imposed by the Centre and different states. The Bill has been presented as the most important tax reform in the past years and will certainly contribute towards the national interest.


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One of the greatest sports cars of all time, the AC Cobra was a sensation in a way that is simply unimaginable today. Such was the demand for this Anglo-American hybrid that it was not until November 1965 that the Autocar was able to get its hands on one. "Few readers," it wrote in the opening lines of its road test of the 289 cu.in model, "will get even this far before turning the page to see the steepest acceleration graph we have ever plotted." That indeed was the essence of the Cobra: it may have lacked the cornering finesse of the contemporary Ferrari 250 GTO, the car it was designed to beat, (and emphatically did) but the sheer power and torque of the Ford V8, especially the 7 litre version meant that in the right hands, it was faster.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then the Cobra surely wins the prize as the most flattered sports car ever: fewer than a thousand AC versions were made, but since production ceased in1968, well over 50,000 copies, continuation models and replicas have appeared.
In its familiar original format, this Haynes Owners' Workshop Manual describes how Carroll Shelby transformed the AC Ace into a championship winning sports car and goes on to detail its development and racing history. Author Glen Smale is an old hand at this and he really brings the Cobra to life, particularly through his interviews with period drivers Gurney, Sears and Bondurant. The section on racing a Cobra today shows how fine the engineering line is between respecting originality and technical improvements. Like the Lola T70, the Cobras are significantly faster now than in the 1960s; the same cannot be said of the more complex V12 Ferraris and Flat 12 Porsches.
Especially interesting are the observations of seasoned Aston Martin works driver Darren Turner who since 2009 has also driven a variety of a Cobras in the Goodwood tourist trophy: the sixties racing car requires far more contribution from the driver; he really has to take responsibility for it, using the engine note or the rev counter to know when to change gear and checking the water temperature and oil pressure instruments systematically, operations that are all completely foreign to today's professional racer in his computer-programmed car. Clearly these 50 year old sports racers are not just far more pleasing to spectators – as Glen Smale shows, some of today's professionals relish the challenge they offer too.


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Stactobia decosteri är en nattsländeart som beskrevs av Jacquemart 1965. Stactobia decosteri ingår i släktet Stactobia och familjen smånattsländor. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Smånattsländor
decosteri

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For centuries, humans have celebrated the birth of new life. We find a great example of this with the Easter holiday. Though this holiday is generally associated with Christian beliefs of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, this also intertwines with other ancient beliefs that were practiced for centuries. The sphere of rebirth is a gift to creation, and one that holds vibrance and beauty.
In ancient times, indigenous tribes from across the world held celebrations commemorating the return of spring; festivals for the renewal and rebirth of life. One of the more famous accounts is of the pagan Teutonic tribes whose deity for spring was named Eastre or Eostre. She was also known by the symbol of the rabbit. This marked the return of spring, the planting of crops and the spring equinox.
Even though speculation is given to the actual day for the resurrection of Jesus, I find it a wonderful synchronicity that the celebration of his rising is intertwined with the return of spring. This to me gives weight to the fact that our spiritual essence is intertwined with the workings of nature. It is a natural magic of life.
This wonderful sphere holds the truth that life is constantly in motion, never stopping. It postulates that even in death we have rebirth; life will continue to transform beyond what is known to us.
Whether or not one chooses to believe in the resurrection, its symbolic marker is found here; spring and the resurrection are symbols; to be reborn, to rise again; to witness life spring forth, to return to growth. These are all part of the natural and spiritual world that we inhabit.
The sphere of rebirth is a gift to us. It is a promise of new life tomorrow. No matter our beliefs, the rhythm of nature is alive and well in both the physical world and in the spiritual realm. We should recognize and smile at them as they surely smile upon us.
Happy Easter! I found myself sharing a lot of the same thoughts at this point in time. Life is beautiful!
I love that! I also like to call it Zombie Day 🙂 Did you read my blog on it?
There are a number of Christian traditions and festivals that fall on the same or similar dates as ancient tribal and pagan ones. During the conversion of a tribe to Christianity it would have been easier to enmesh the new with the old. In short: it is easier to change the sign above the door than it is to move the building.
This is illustrated when one investigates the church burnings in Norway. These churches are built on sites that were once sacred to pagans and anamists before the second crusade. No excuse for such behaviour but it adds another interesting nuance to the points outlined in your (as usual) nicely written post.
I can feel the smile growing stronger in the spring. ohmmmm Rawberto.
I love the gift of spring and the Risen Christ. Happy Easter.
I'm a Christian. However, it's no secret that the early Church co-opted the ancient holidays and adopted them as Church "holy days".
The Resurrection and the spring growths are synonymous with new life.
Wow! I'm also a Christian and found this post very educational and overall I'd have to agree and say I really like this post!
i like this! it is a beautiful time to sit and reflect … to embrace the changes and recognize impermanence.
You're welcome. Thank you for your talents. Have a great day!
As usual, a beautifully written post. I was aware of most of it, including the co-opting of earlier celebrations mentioned in earlier comments.
You filled in many gaps in the story that I was unaware of – where the name Easter came from, or how the rabbit fit in to it, for instance. Thank you for the education.
Have you looked much into the whole Eostre = Ishtar = Venus = Ushas = Astarte = Eos thing? It is quite fascinating! These are all goddesses from various European/Asian cultures, and some of their names are etymologically related, whereas some have similar roles and similar names, but experts are not sure if those names have the same root origin.
Another really well written post. Thanks.
Many Catholic holidays have root in pagan traditions. Even religions know to honor the cycles of nature, in whatever form. Happy resurrection to all! Happy rebirth!
I am Muslim but my Italian partner is Catholic and this year I accompanied him to church on Good Friday. It was a lovely and interesting experience.
Easter is called Pasqua in Italian. It's fascinating though to learn where the word Easter comes from, and also how you link it to the season of spring, of rebirth. I never thought of it that way.
Great post, I appreciate the mention of Jesus. The fact of his resirrection gives Christians hope and confidence tat, as you wrote here, we will be (and are) reborn.
Do you agree with me that our human nature needs a rebirth? Spiritual rebirth is what we've all been looking for.
A rebirth perhaps. I think more along the lines of a shift in consciousness. If we could see ourselves and each other as simply spiritual beings, then maybe things will change.
You have captured well the essence of spring and the worldwide celebrations for life's renewal both within us and outside ourselves.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ coincides with Passover. I know a guy who believes that God did this so we could have a spring festival. He is wrong for that. It coincides with passover as the powerful symbolism for God's promise that he would send a messiah to redeem mankind. The passover happened at the beginning of spring because that is when the Jews were about to flee egypt. God knew the best time for them to begin the Exodus was in the Spring. I know you have read my blog a few times and liked a few post over at Montana Truth Seekers Ministries. Did you get a chance to stop by and read my Easter Aliens blog? I would love it if you would read it and comment on it for me. Here is the link to the exact blog.
Knowthesphere, thank you SO MUCH for deciding to follow my blog! As a granbee, it is such an encouragement to be joined by folks of younger generations in different locations in the world. My daugher and son-in-law work and live in the East Village in NYC. I am also very encourage by your commitment (as apparent from this wonderful post on Eostre's Gift) to addressing and celebrating issues and occasions and events in Nature that all peoples everywhere, of every belief system, can hold in mutual respect and awe! I do my meditating almost always outdoors and am especially blessed to do so during this wonderful time of spring and renewal in the earth. Have a most blessed and productive and joyous springtide and Eostre Week!
I am new to the whole blogging community and how wonderful it has been to read your initial post and everyone's replies! I am a follower of Christ but I have been hardened a bit as of late by the disingenuousness of Christian's. Sometimes I feel like if I do not do things as "expected" I am looked down upon. So, over the last couple months I have taken a step back from going to church and have been using this time to reflect and think about who I am in Christ, how that relates to the church community and then how that connects with my Christian friends.
One great thing about the internet is that it brings people together that would have never had an opportunity to be linked previously. To learn from others, from their experiences, their successes and failures, what a blessing that is! I appreciate it when people discuss their religious differences rather than tear each other down.
I was running yesterday and had quite some time to think about and reflect on Passover Sunday, what it means historically and how Jesus has affected my life because of the ultimate sacrifice he made for me. I may not fully understand how everything relates together in this world, suffering, death, injustice, deceit, and the list goes on. Instead I focus on the work God has done in my life and how I see him changing me through steadfastness, love, compassion, and most importantly for me, humor!
I love spring because I see his promises in the flowers blooming for the first time, the trees slowing changing to color, the smell of life in the air. Promises for a better life…hope for the future!
There are so many different religions in this world…can one solely be right? I don't really know and I don't want to waste my life debating with people about it. I would much rather build relationships with people for who they are and how they choose to live life!
You are an excellent writer! Happy Easter!
Yessir! My belief path designated the New Year to begin during this period! It feels more like the "new beginning" that ushers in a new cycle…good stuff!
Wow…there is a certain essence of truth to this, one that, like many Christian believers like myself, are blind to. I've never actually speculated the origins of spring and its relation to the world as a whole. Makes you wonder about how maybe other things that modern day cultures have adopted as traditional ceremonies and celebrations interrelate with the centuries previous. The origins of life…a rather thought provoking subject. 🙂 I like it.


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Indian.age 66,retired as an engineer in Govt. service.Unmarried. Living alone.Like reading and thinking.Interests- Indian philosophy, vedanta.Just written/selfpublished my first novel.
The book is a new kind of fantasy novelset in modern times and the present day.Lots of humour and good dialogues. Continuous action to engage the reader's attention.Good,chaste english.
A seemingly insane man, living in a fantasy world reacts with sane men of the real world, upsetting their sense of reality, spreading happiness and joy and wonder as he moves along cheerfully.


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Olivia DeJonge's Biography: Boyfriend, Net Worth, Family, Height
By Robbie Peterson August 25, 2021
1 Who is Olivia DeJonge?
2 How rich is she, as of now? Olivia DeJonge Net Worth
3 Early Life, Parents, Siblings, Nationality, Ethnicity, Educational Background
4 Career Beginnings
5 Rise to Prominence
6 Continued Success
7 Recent Year
8 Upcoming Projects
9 Appearance and Vital Statistics
10 Personal Life
Who is Olivia DeJonge?
Olivia DeJonge was born on 30 April 1998 under the zodiac sign of Taurus, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She's a 23-year-old actress, probably best recognized for landing the role of Shaneen Quigg / Tara Swift in the ABC1 drama series "Hiding" (2015), and the same year also playing Becca in the found-footage comedy horror film "The Visit", and featuring as Elle in the Netflix mystery teen drama series "The Society" (2019).
A post shared by Olivia De Jonge (@olivia_dejonge)
How rich is she, as of now? Olivia DeJonge Net Worth
As of mid-2021, Olivia DeJonge's net worth is estimated at over $1 million, acquired through her successful involvement in the world of entertainment as a professional actress, who has garnered over 15 television and film acting credits since she launched her career in the early 2010s.
Early Life, Parents, Siblings, Nationality, Ethnicity, Educational Background
Olivia DeJonge spent her early years in her hometown of Melbourne until the age of five, when she relocated to Perth, Western Australia with her family. There, she was raised in Peppermint Grove by her father, Rob DeJonge, who's a businessman, and her mother Robyn DeJonge, whose profession is unknown.
She has a younger brother named James DeJonge. She holds Australian nationality, and belongs to White Caucasian ethnic group. Regarding her education, Olivia attended the Presbyterian Ladies' College in Perth. She is fluent in both English and French.
Career Beginnings
Olivia DeJonge started pursuing her career as a professional actress in the early 2010s, when she made her debut appearance in the main role of Ally in the critically-acclaimed short family drama film "Good Pretender" (2011), directed by Maziar Lahooti.
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For her performance, she won a West Australian Screen Award for Best Actress and received an Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Award for Best Young Actor.
It was followed by her portrayals of Beth in the short family comedy film "Polarised", and Sally in the short family drama film "Eleven Thirty", both in 2012. Two years later, Olivia made her feature film debut appearance with the role of Lavinia Hall in the American mystery thriller "The Sisterhood Of Night", alongside such actors as Georgie Henley, Willa Cuthrell and Kara Hayward; directed by Caryn Waechter, it was based on the short story of the same title by Pulitzer Prize-winner Steven Millhauser.
Rise to Prominence
Olivia DeJonge's first major role came when she was chosen to portray one of the lead roles as Shaneen Quigg and Tara Swift in the Australian crime drama TV series "Hiding", created by Matt Ford – the series ran on ABC1 for eight episodes from February to March 2015. Later that year, she starred in the co-lead role of Becca in the American found-footage comedy horror film "The Visit", written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
The film received generally positive reviews from critics, and became a box office success, since it grossed almost $100 million worldwide against the budget of $5 million. Her portrayal of Becca earned her nominations for Best Performance by a Younger Actor at the 2015 Saturn Awards, and Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress (14 – 21) at the 2016 Young Artist Awards.
Continued Success
In 2016, Olivia landed the role of Abby in the horror film "Scare Campaign", and featured as Ashley in the psychological horror film "Better Watch Out", starring alongside Ed Oxenbould and Levi Miller.
Afterwards, she was cast as Alice Burbage in the American drama TV series "Will", broadcast on TNT from July to September 2017, which follows the life of the greatest dramatist and writer William Shakespeare. Olivia then had the part of Angie in the thriller film "Undertow", and played Shaz in the short drama film "Love And Other Places", both in 2018.
Recent Year
Olivia's next remarkable role came in 2019, when she was selected to feature in the main role of Elle Tomkins in the American mystery teen drama TV series "The Society".
Olivia DeJonge
Created by Christopher Keyser and released on Netflix, she starred alongside Kathryn Newton, Sean Berdy and Gideon Adlon; although it was renewed for a second season, the series was eventually canceled due to the corona pandemic. During the same year, Olivia played Dallas in the American crime film "Stray Dolls", co-written and directed by Sonejuhi Sinha, and starred as Josie in the American drama film "Josie & Jack", opposite Alex Neustaedter.
Most recently, it's announced that she will portray Priscilla Presley in the upcoming biographical musical drama film "Elvis", about the legendary singer Elvis Presley, next to Tom Hanks and Austin Butler, and set to be released in June 2022.
Furthermore, she will also play Caitlin in the upcoming American crime drama streaming TV mini-series "The Staircase", which will premiere on HBO Max. Created by Antonio Campos it's based on the true-crime docuseries of the same title written by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade.
Appearance and Vital Statistics
Olivia DeJonge has long blonde hair and blue eyes. She stands at a height of 5ft 3ins (1.60m), her weight is around 115lbs (52kgs), while her vital statistics are 33-25-33, bra size 36B, dress size 4 (US), and shoe size 6 (US).
Olivia DeJonge tends to keep her private life far away from the eye of the public. However, it was rumored that she was romantically involved with her "Elvis" co-star Austin Butler in early 2020 – neither of them confirmed or denied it. Her current relationship status is a mystery, but she hasn't married, and doesn't have any kids.
She is an avid animal lover, and has a pet dog named Buddy.
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Upon arrival into Buenos Aires, transfer to your boutique hotel located in the upmarket Recoleta neighbourhood. With only 11 spacious suites mixing local artisan and contemporary furnishings, a personalised service and fantastic restaurant, this is a perfect place to relax when not exploring the cities delights. During your time in Argentina's capital city, we have included a number of tours which will allow you to explore Argentine culture at its best, from a fascinating city tour to experiencing a passionate tango show.
After arriving into Ushuaia, you will be transferred to your hotel for the night before your Antarctic cruise. The day can be spent enjoying the natural splendours of the Tierra Fuego National Park, the first established coastal park in Argentina. The land here encompasses deep valleys, lakes, waterfalls, forests and huge mountains. A great way to see the landscape of the park is by hopping aboard 'The End of the World Train', a historic railway line that originally served the prison of Ushuaia. Passing through magnificent scenery, you will travel back in time and learn more about the history of the area.
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Today you will embark on your Antarctic expedition cruise aboard the luxury Hebridean Sky. Recent refurbishments have made this one of the most luxurious expedition vessels allowing you to enjoy the off board adventures of Antarctica whilst dining and sleeping in comfort.
During your crossing of the Drake Passage you can attend informative lectures on anything from wildlife to glaciology and polar history led by experts on board. Once you have made it to the South Shetland Islands the adventure really starts with morning and afternoon excursions that could see you cruising through turquoise blue iceberg graveyards, interacting with the vast penguin colonies, kayaking amongst whales and stepping back in time at Port Lockroy. Everyday new incredible sights will greet you and refresh your senses, from watching huge glacial carvings at Paradise bay to exploring the old whaling stations at Deception Island, it is impossible not to be impressed and take thousands of photos.
There are generally two excursions per day allowing you to explore this pristine environment and discover the wildlife (weather conditions permitting). On the excursions you will be accompanied by the expedition team who will help to widen your knowledge on the flora, fauna and history of the region.
After flying back to Buenos Aires, the final two days of your trip will be spent in the pampas, staying at La Bamba, a beautifully renovated estancia steeped in history and gaucho tradition. Spend your time here exploring the endless plains on horseback (caters for all abilities), by bike or carriage. Try your hand at fishing or just relax with a glass of Malbec by the pool or watch a polo game. The hotel also offers numerous shady colonnades perfect for relaxing and admiring the beautiful surroundings. This is also a great place for foodies and the lunchtime 'asados' and semi-formal dinners are delicious.
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We invite educators to join us for an evening of object-based learning and teaching centered around our spring Focus Project exhibitions with tours, discussion, and an art-making workshop. Network with colleagues, enjoy refreshments, and receive priority scheduling for group tours. Educators of all disciplines and grade levels welcome!


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Winning the strongest US Junior event ever in my first appearance!
The US Junior Closed Chess Championship is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the United States – next only to the US Championships. This was my first time playing the US Junior, and I was looking forward to competing in this event. The chief attraction of the invitational Junior Championship is that the winner qualifies for the following year's US Championship, in which they get to play top world-class players in a typical round-robin format, just like other elite tournaments. With next year's edition potentially having a lineup that could include Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So and Gata Kamsky, each participant in the Junior championship had sufficient motivation to go all out.
The players arrived in St. Louis on July 6, one day before the event was to begin, and we all drew our pairing lots during the opening ceremony that evening. The picking of the lots was done by last name, but in reverse alphabetical order. By the time I got around to picking, all the 5 White lots had already been selected, and I had to content myself with the 4 Whites draw. The strongest US Junior ever had begun.
Luke Harmon Vellotti playing Akshat Chandra in Round 1
In Round 1, I had the Black pieces and faced a good friend of mine, the precocious International Master Luke Harmon Vellotti. This was a tough game to start off the tournament. Although one may have been tempted to play a solid opening, especially with the Black pieces, I decided to go for a more fighting and complex game by revisiting an old friend.
[Event "US Junior Championship 2015"] [Site "Chess Club and Scholastic Center, St. Louis"] [Date "2015.07.07"] [Round "R1"] [White "Vellotti Harmon, Luke"] [Black "Chandra, Akshat"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D91"] [WhiteElo "2430"] [BlackElo "2495"] [Annotator "Chandra,Akshat"] [PlyCount "70"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [SourceDate "2014.11.26"] {In Round 1, I was faced with Luke Harmon Vellotti. I decided to suprise Luke in the opening by revisiting an old friend of mine, the Gruenfeld.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 $5 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 {My opponent has only played this line against the Gruenfeld, and so this was expected.} Ne4 6. Bh4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 dxc4 8. e3 $5 {Now this was an unpleasant surprise. I wasn't aware of any concrete theory here, and only had a vague sense of the general ideas for Black.} (8. Qa4+ {is what my opponent had previously played in all his games.}) 8... b5 9. a4 c6 10. Be2 a6 11. O-O Bb7 $6 {An inaccurate move which allows White to seize the initiative.} ({I refrained from} 11... Nd7 {because of} 12. Nd2 {is more natural, and would tranpose to the game after} (12. d5 {not realizing that after} Nb6 (12... Nc5 {looks natural, but it allows some activity for White after} 13. Nd4 cxd5 14. Nc6 $13) 13. Nd4 cxd5 14. Nc6 Qd6 15. Nxe7 (15. axb5 e6 $19) 15... Bb7 $17) 12... Bb7) 12. Nd2 ({The immediate} 12. Qb1 $1 { was stronger.} Qc8 13. Qb4 {If Black now tries to hold onto his extra pawn with the dicey looking} f6 {then} 14. Rfb1 Nd7 15. Nd2 Ra7 16. Bg3 $14 {gives White excellent compensation for the pawn.}) 12... Nd7 13. Bf3 Qc8 14. Qb1 f6 { This looks ugly, but it's only (hopefully) temporary .} (14... Bf6 {was an alternative I was considering, but I didn't like} 15. Bxf6 Nxf6 16. Qb4 Qc7 ( 16... Rb8 {is more accurate, but things still remain unclear after} 17. Qc5 $13 ) 17. Rfb1 {after which White is winning the pawn back by force.} Rb8 (17... c5 18. Qxc5 Qxc5 19. dxc5 Bxf3 20. gxf3 $14) 18. axb5 cxb5 19. Bxb7 Rxb7 20. Nxc4 $14) 15. Bg4 f5 {As I said, only temporary!} 16. Bf3 e5 (16... e6 {was a more restrained approach.}) 17. Qb4 $2 (17. axb5 $1 axb5 18. Rxa8 Bxa8 19. Nxc4 $1 { We both missed this.} bxc4 20. Qb4 Bf6 21. Bxf6 Nxf6 22. dxe5 Ng4 $11 {and White has several moves now which provide him with enough activity to draw.}) 17... Bf8 18. Qb2 Bd6 19. Rfb1 e4 20. Be2 Rb8 21. f3 (21. Bxc4 $5 bxc4 22. Nxc4 Bc7 (22... Qc7 $4 23. Nxd6+ Qxd6 24. Bg3 $18) 23. Qa2 Kf8 24. Qa3+ c5 25. dxc5 Bc6 {is where I had stopped my calculations, but it seems that after} 26. Rb6 $1 Ne5 27. Na5 {White has succeeded in complicating the game, giving Black the uneviable task of finding precise moves to consolidate his advantage.}) 21... exf3 22. Bxf3 Qc7 23. axb5 (23. h3 O-O 24. axb5 axb5 25. e4 {was what I was expecting.}) 23... cxb5 (23... axb5 24. Ra7 Nb6 25. d5 {looked too scary for me!}) 24. Bxb7 Rxb7 25. Rxa6 Bxh2+ 26. Kh1 O-O {Finally my K escapes to safety! } 27. Qa3 (27. Nxc4 Bg3 (27... Qxc4 28. Kxh2 Ne5 29. Qb3 Qxb3 30. Rxb3 {I thought that White should be able to hold this endgame without much difficulty. }) 28. Bxg3 Qxg3 29. Nd2 Nf6 30. Nf3 Ne4 $17 {with excellent winning chances.}) 27... Bg3 $1 28. Bxg3 Qxg3 29. Nxc4 Nf6 30. Ne5 Ng4 $1 31. Nxg4 ({Now it's too late for White to try to hold the position together with} 31. Nf3 {because of} Nxe3 $19) 31... fxg4 {Black's attack develops swiftly.} 32. Qd6 Qh4+ 33. Qh2 Qf2 34. Qh6 (34. Qg1 Qg3 (34... Qf5 $19 {is also good enough.}) 35. Qh2 Qxe3 $19) 34... g3 35. Rg1 Rbf7 {A great start to the tournament - Winning with one of the tougher players as Black.} (35... Rbf7 36. Raa1 Rf5 $19) 0-1
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Akshat Chandra and Luke Vellotti after Round 1
It felt great to start the tournament off with a victory as Black against a strong opponent. I carried the momentum through the next 3 rounds and raced out to 3.5/4. In Round 5, I faced FM Ruifeng Li, as Black.
Ruifeng Li playing Akshat Chandra in Round 5
The game started off horribly, as I got trapped in my opponent's preparation, like an insect trapped in tree sap. Ruifeng was incredibly well prepared, and was blitzing out his moves. He literally got a near-decisive advantage with his preparation. Meanwhile, I was sweating it out and had already fallen way behind on the clock. Under enormous pressure, I ended up making a horrible blunder, which I realized as soon as I had moved. I saw the winning continuation for Ruifeng, and thought I was going to lose any moment. The only consolation was that Ruifeng was out of his preparation. It was here that the tide of the game started to turn. Ruifeng missed the killer blow, and I started to outplay him despite being an exchange down. His advantage dissipated after inaccurate moves from his side, and I found myself holding the advantage now. However, I was so relieved of not being in any danger of losing that I decided to simplify matters and force a draw.
Akshat Chandra playing Ruifeng Lee
Here is the game, annotated by tournament analyst Mackenzie Molner:
[Event "US Junior Championship 2015"] [Site "Chess Club and Scholastic Center, St. Louis"] [Date "2015.07.11"] [Round "R5"] [White "Li, Ruifeng"] [Black "Chandra, Akshat"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B84"] [WhiteElo "2394"] [BlackElo "2495"] [Annotator "Mackenzie Molner"] [PlyCount "95"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [SourceDate "2014.11.26"] [WhiteClock "1:15:18"] [BlackClock "0:24:05"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 {This already is a bit of a surprise. Earlier in the tournament Chandra played the Najdorf against Yian Liou.} 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be2 Nf6 7. Be3 a6 8. a3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. g4 {It seems like in every Sicilian White is playing g4. This is yet another game that shows why it is so dangerous...} Nd7 11. g5 b5 12. Nxc6 {'!' A nice way to help accelerate White's development} Qxc6 13. Qd4 O-O 14. O-O-O {Black is already in a serious dilemma. White's fully developed and is ready to launch f4-f5. It's clear that the opening has turned out strongly in White's favor.} Rb8 15. f5 Ne5 16. f6 {'!' Li is playing perfect attacking chess. He is wasting no time, playing forceful moves, trying to pry open his opponent's king at the cost of a pawn.} gxf6 {'?' This is a very cooperative move. White's attack along the g-file will be overwhelming} (16... Bd8 {This is not an appetizing move to have to play but compared to the alternative, it is a massive improvement. White will still have a clear advantage after the following} 17. fxg7 Kxg7 18. Qxd6 Qxd6 19. Rxd6 {This is still relatively playable for Black, although White is clearly better.}) 17. gxf6 Bxf6 {'??'} 18. Bh6 {'?'} (18. Rhg1+ $1 {If Li had played this, the game would not have lasted much longer. The best case scenario for Black is going into an endgame a full rook down after} Kh8 19. Bh6 Qc5 20. Qxc5 dxc5 21. Bxf8 Bb7 22. Bxc5) 18... Bh8 {'!' This is the only move that keeps the game going. From this point on, Chandra defends resourcefully despite being at a significant time disadvantage.} 19. Bxf8 (19. h4 $1 {This idea looks very strong. White intends to play h4-h5 and follow up with a check in the guarantee that will win material. It's hard to offer Black a worthy defense.}) 19... Kxf8 20. Qd2 Ke7 21. Rhf1 Kd7 22. Qh6 Kc7 23. Qxh7 Bd7 24. Rd2 Qc5 25. Qh3 b4 {A good move. Black has another good alternative} (25... a5 $5 {The threat of b4 is a major inconvenience to White. In spite of White's material advantage, most players would prefer to play black here. Unbelievably, it is now White's king that is in greater danger than Black's!}) 26. Nb1 {'?'} Bg7 27. Kd1 bxa3 28. Qxa3 Bh6 29. Qxc5+ dxc5 30. b3 Bxd2 {'?!' This is the last chance for Black to fight for more than a draw. The remaining moves don't need much explanation} (30... c4 $1 {White's rook has nowhere to go and can be captured whenever Black deems it necessary. The b3 pawn is a serious weakness. White will need to defend accurately to make a draw.}) 31. Nxd2 Rh8 32. Nc4 Nxc4 33. Bxc4 f5 34. exf5 exf5 35. Bd3 Rxh2 36. Bxf5 Bxf5 37. Rxf5 Kb6 38. Kc1 Rg2 39. Kb2 Rh2 40. Rf4 Rg2 41. Kc3 Rh2 42. Kd3 Rg2 43. Rf6+ Kb5 44. c4+ Ka5 45. Rc6 Rg3+ 46. Kc2 Rc3+ {A cute trick that brings the game to an immediate end. Capturing the rook here or on the next turn results in an immediate stalemate.} 47. Kb2 Rxb3+ 48. Kxb3 1/2-1/2
Akshat Chandra playing Michael Bodek in Round 6
After a bloodless draw in R6 against IM Michael Bodek, I faced GM Jeffery Xiong, with the Black pieces. This was easily the most anticipated match of the tournament, with the two top seeds facing off in the crucial 7th round. I had a ½ point lead over Jeffery at this stage, and so it was essential to hold my ground and not lose my grip on the tournament standings.
Jeffery Xiong playing Akshat Chandra in Round 7
I decided to roll with the Taimanov once again. Things were fairly balanced, and we soon traded Queens into a minor piece endgame with rooks on the board. The position was completely even, but I had fallen into serious time trouble. I had about 2 minutes to complete the last 12 moves and as a result, I made some serious mistakes. When we reached the time control, Jeffery had a near-decisive advantage. I defended tenaciously for the next few moves, while Jeffery kept playing accurately to hold his advantage. But suddenly, Jeffery made a blunder, overlooking a fantastic resource of mine. This allowed me to simplify into an easily drawn 2 vs 1 Rook endgame, and the game was eventually drawn.
[Event ""US Junior Championship 2015"] [Site "Chess Club and Scholastic Center, St. Louis"] [Date "2015.07.13"] [Round "R7"] [White "Xiong, Jeffery"] [Black "Chandra, Akshat"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "B49"] [Annotator "Mackenzie Molner"] [PlyCount "160"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [SourceDate "2014.11.26"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 {Chandra's previous handling of the Taimanov was not as impressive as displayed in this game} (2... d6 {Against Yian Liou, Chandra chose to play the Najdorf.}) 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 7. Be2 b5 8. Nxc6 Qxc6 (8... dxc6 {A playable alternative}) 9. Bf3 Bb7 10. e5 Qc7 11. O-O Bxf3 12. Qxf3 Rc8 (12... Rd8 {This move was chosen in the only game I can find in this position. Chandra's move is a perfectly acceptable novelty}) 13. Rad1 Ne7 14. Rfe1 Ng6 15. Bd4 Be7 16. Ne4 {Both players have been playing at a very high level up until this point. Chandra's next move is very reasonable but he could have been more daring with 16... Qxc2!} O-O (16... Qxc2 {Black will soon castle and in order for White to regain the pawn, Xiong will need to capture on d7, quickly allowing Black gain activity along the d-file, ending White's attack.} 17. Bc3 O-O 18. Rxd7 b4 19. Rd2 Qa4 20. Bd4 Rfd8 {An example of how Black's coordination improves by trading the c-pawn for the d-pawn.}) 17. c3 Nh4 18. Qg4 Nf5 19. Nf6+ Kh8 20. Nd5 Qb7 21. Nxe7 Nxe7 22. Re3 b4 23. cxb4 (23. Rh3 $1 {It's very unlikely that White can checkmate Black here, but it forces Black's knight to f5 in order to protect the kingside. This is a concession that gives White a better position. Black would rather play bxc3 and be able to meet Bxc3 with Nd5}) 23... Qxb4 24. Qe2 Nd5 25. Rb3 Qa4 26. Ra3 Qb5 27. Qxb5 axb5 28. Ra7 Rfd8 29. a3 Kg8 30. g3 f6 31. Rd3 Ra8 32. Rb7 Rab8 33. Rxb8 Rxb8 34. Rb3 Kf7 35. f4 Ke8 36. Bc5 Kd8 $6 37. Kf2 Kc8 38. Kf3 Rb7 39. Kg4 Kc7 40. Bf8 g6 41. exf6 Nxf6+ 42. Kg5 Nd5 43. Kh6 Kd8 44. Kxh7 Ke8 45. Bd6 Kf7 46. Kh6 Rb6 47. Be5 d6 48. Bd4 Rb8 49. Kg5 Ne7 50. g4 Nc6 51. Bf6 $6 (51. Be3 $1 {With strong chances to win}) 51... b4 $1 {Black's new found counterplay with Rb5 is enough to salvage the game} 52. Rd3 bxa3 53. bxa3 Rb5+ 54. f5 gxf5 55. Rxd6 fxg4+ 56. Kxg4 Kxf6 57. Rxc6 Ra5 58. Rc3 Ra4+ 59. Kg3 Kf5 60. Rb3 e5 61. Rf3+ Kg5 62. Re3 Kf5 63. Rb3 Kg5 64. Rf3 Rg4+ 65. Kf2 Ra4 66. Rb3 Kf5 67. Ke1 e4 68. Ke2 Kf4 69. Rc3 Ra8 70. h4 Rb8 71. h5 Rb2+ 72. Kd1 Rh2 73. a4 Rxh5 74. Ke2 Rh2+ 75. Ke1 Ra2 76. Rb3 Rxa4 77. Ke2 Ra2+ 78. Ke1 e3 79. Rb8 Kf3 80. Rf8+ Ke4 {An exciting and difficult defense for Chandra. With two rounds left, both players still have everything to play for!} 1/2-1/2
In R8, I faced FM Arthur Shen with the White pieces. While I had drawn my last three games, Arthur had reeled off four straight wins to join me in the lead with 5/7. It was only fitting that we played in the penultimate round.
Akshat Chandra playing Arthur Shen in Round 8
Arthur surprised me in the opening by offering me to go into the main line Ruy Lopez, something he has never played before. After some thought, I decided to decline by going for 6.d3 instead. I managed to win a pawn after an inaccuracy by him, and though he had compensation, Arthur was unable to find the best continuation. I was able to consolidate, and show good technique to close out the game effectively.
Akshat Chandra in game against Arthur Shen in R8
[Event "US Junior Championship 2015"] [Site "Chess Club and Scholastic Center, St. Louis"] [Date "2015.07.14"] [Round "R8"] [White "Chandra, Akshat"] [Black "Shen, Arthur"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C77"] [Annotator "Mackenzie Molner"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [SourceDate "2014.11.26"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 {Immediately showing that Akshat has no interest in playing any Marshall or mainstream Ruy Lopez lines} b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. a3 O-O 9. Nc3 Nb8 {Wesley So has popularized this move. Recently he lost to Vishy Anand in this variation, but it has a good reputation for Black} (9... Nd4 {This move has also been played frequently but I would trust Nb8 more} 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. Ne2 {The d4-pawn is weak and White's kingside play is pleasant}) 10. Ne2 Nbd7 11. Ng3 Bb7 12. Re1 (12. Nf5 {This looks like a very tempting move. Black retains a solid position but I like White's long-term chances with the bishop pair.}) 12... Re8 13. c3 Bf8 14. Ng5 $1 {A critical choice} d5 15. exd5 Nc5 $1 (15... h6 $2 16. Ne6 $1 {A powerful blow that holds on to the extra material for White} fxe6 17. dxe6 Kh8 {Black needs to deal with the threat of e7+} 18. exd7) 16. c4 c6 $5 (16... Nxb3 $1 { This looks more to the point. Black will still follow up with moves similar to the game but having an uncontested light-squared bishop on the long diagonal, is already very good compensation.} 17. Qxb3 c6 18. dxc6 Bxc6 {Now Black's bishop comes to life.} 19. Be3 (19. cxb5 Bd5 $1 20. Qd1 axb5) 19... Ng4 20. N5e4 Nxe3) 17. dxc6 Bxc6 18. Bc2 (18. Ba2 $5 {This would also lead to complicated play. Some variations that illustrate the tactical possibilities here are} b4 $1 (18... Nxd3 $2 19. cxb5) 19. axb4 $6 Nxd3 {Without cxb5, White is no facing some pressure}) 18... h6 19. Nf3 e4 $2 {This is where it starts to go wrong for Shen. If he found 19... bxc4, things would be very different} ( 19... bxc4 20. dxc4 Qc7 21. b4 Rad8 {Black's pieces are incredibly active and well coordinated. Both sides still have everything play for}) 20. cxb5 $1 { Including this move, Chandra plays the rest of the game incredibly well.} (20. dxe4 $2 bxc4 {Black has good compensation here once again}) 20... exf3 21. bxc6 Rxe1+ 22. Qxe1 fxg2 23. Be3 Ng4 24. d4 $1 {Not fearing any kingside ghosts.} Qh4 {This looks very dangerous but Chandra correctly calculated that he is in no serious danger} 25. Kxg2 Ne6 26. Bf5 Re8 (26... Qxh2+ 27. Kf3 {Possibly not for the faint of heart, but Black has no strong follow up. Qh1 is White's next idea, trying to eliminate Black's dangerous attacking piece.} Nxe3 28. Qxe3 Ng5+ 29. Ke2 {White's king has made it to safety}) 27. Bxg4 Qxg4 28. Qd1 Nf4+ 29. Kh1 Qh4 30. Qf3 Nd3 31. Nf5 $1 Qd8 32. Rg1 {The tables have turned, and all of White's pieces are now attacking Black's king. Shen's next move is a mistake but he is in a difficult position anyway} Kh7 $2 (32... g6 $1) 33. Nxh6 Rxe3 34. fxe3 $1 {Black can't avoid huge material losses or the strong threats to the King. Chandra picked a great time to play his best chess of the tournament! A very clean performance from Akshat and a tough set back for Arthur Shen.} 1-0
Going into the last round, I was the sole leader at 6/9, with Jeffery following close behind at 5.5/9. It was reassuring to know that things were in my hands, and I had control of the tournament's outcome. I faced FM Awonder Liang with the Black pieces.
Awonder Liang playing Akshat Chandra in Round 9
I stuck to my Taimanov once again, and Awonder surprised me in the opening by going for a variation he had never played before. I responded in the most solid manner, but Awonder was still in his preparation, and continued playing swiftly. This was quite uncomfortable, and I decided to throw him out of his preparation by developing my bishop to d7, instead of the natural looking 14…exf4. This seemed to do the trick as Awonder began to think now. He was able to gain an impressive-looking center, but it turned out to be rather flimsy. I enhanced the pressure and Awonder cracked, allowing me to build up a decisive advantage. The game went on for a few more moves, before White resigned.
[Event "US Junior Championship 2015"] [Site "Chess Club and Scholastic Center, St. Louis"] [Date "2015.07.15"] [Round "R9"] [White "Liang, Awonder"] [Black "Chandra, Akshat"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B48"] [WhiteElo "2428"] [BlackElo "2589"] [Annotator "Mackenzie Molner"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [SourceDate "2014.11.26"] [WhiteClock "0:29:07"] [BlackClock "0:31:18"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. Be3 a6 {Akshat trusts his mainstay opening of the tournament, the Taimanov Sicilian. Here White has many options. Awonder's choice is the second most popular.} 7. Bd3 Nf6 8. O-O Nxd4 9. Bxd4 Bc5 10. Bxc5 Qxc5 {The computer prefers Na4 or Qd2.} 11. Kh1 $6 ( 11. Qd2 O-O 12. Rae1 d6 13. Qe3) 11... O-O 12. f4 d6 13. Qe1 e5 $1 14. Qh4 Bd7 $1 {This is probably most accurate move. Be6 could give White an unpleasant tempo to start a kingside attack.} (14... Be6 $6 15. f5 Bc4 16. g4 $1) 15. Rae1 exf4 16. Rxf4 Qh5 $1 (16... g5 $6 {This wouldn't be an ideal choice based on the tournament situation.} 17. Qh6 gxf4 18. e5 {Leading to at best a perpetual check for Black}) 17. Qf2 Ng4 (17... Be6) 18. Qg3 Ne5 19. Rf6 $1 Nxd3 20. cxd3 Be6 21. d4 Kh8 22. Rf3 Rad8 {Black has equalized and can begin to hope for more.} 23. a3 (23. d5 {This was an interesting continuation although not leading to anything special for White.} Bg4 24. Rfe3 f6 25. h3 Bc8 26. Ne2) 23... Rfe8 24. h3 f6 25. Rfe3 Qa5 26. Qf2 Qb6 {White's center is becoming a little unstable and is now more of a target, rather than an asset.} 27. Qd2 Rc8 28. Ne2 Rc4 29. Rc1 Rxc1+ 30. Qxc1 Bd7 31. Qd2 Qb5 32. Kh2 Qg5 33. Qc3 f5 $1 { Akshat seizes his opportunity! White's awkwardly placed rook on e3 allows Black to play this undermining move. Black's advantage steadily increases from this point onward.} 34. e5 f4 35. Rd3 $2 {After this move, Awonder never gets a second chance.} (35. Rf3 $1 {Black still has a slight advantage after this move but it is a much tougher nut to crack.}) 35... dxe5 36. dxe5 Bc6 37. g3 f3 38. Nf4 f2 39. Rd1 Bb5 40. h4 Qg4 41. Qc1 Qxd1 $1 {Guaranteeing promotin of the f-pawn and massive material gains. An impressive, well played game from Chandra! Congratulations to the new champion!} 0-1
I was thrilled to have won the 2015 US Junior Championship, and earn a spot into the 2016 US Championships. It is exciting to know that I could be playing the likes of Caruana and Nakamura next year!
It was a great feeling to view the screens displaying my picture as I walked out of the playing hall
It takes a great team to organize such a major tournament flawlessly. Arbiters Tony Rich and Mike Kummer did a great job officiating the event, and the production staff did an impeccable job of broadcasting the games and commentary online. In many ways, the organization of the US Junior was like a dry-run for the Sinquefield Cup which begins in August. Judging by the way they managed the US Junior, the team is definitely more than ready to host the world's elite once more.
Some of the US Junior production team members
Sitting (L to R): FM Aviv Friedman, Ben Simon, GM Ben Finegold
Standing: Bishop, Paige Pederson, Nick Schleicher, Laura Schilli, Jonathan Schrantz, Nicole Halpin, Austin Fuller, Tammy Hyde, and The King 🙂
Finally, I'd like to thank Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield for providing juniors an opportunity to compete in an elite environment and conditions. Without their support and vision, the level of chess interest in America would not be where it is today.
Rex Sinquefield and Rachel Li
Arbiter Mike Kummer with his magic wand
Mika Brattain playing Akshat Chandra
Yian Liou playing Akshat Chandra
Curran Han playing Akshat Chandra
Photo Credits: Austin Fuller of CCSCSL and Akshat Chandra
Annotation Credits: GM Mackenzie Molner and Akshat Chandra
This entry was posted in Chess, Chess Tournaments on August 17, 2015 by Akshat.
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4 thoughts on "The US Junior Championship 2015
Justin (wolvie) Kristoff September 2, 2015 at 10:24 am
Congrats to AKSHAT CHANDRA !!! nice win. keep it up!
Akshat Post author October 5, 2015 at 11:10 pm
Hey wolvie,
Great to hear from you, buddy!
Thanks for your kinds words 😀
Aarush September 9, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Hi Akshat,
Its an honour to know you !! I am a newbie in chess (U600) and i am inspired by your hardwork and the rate at which you made it to GM and beyond.
what are your recommendations , books…
For opening, stragetgy…I might make it to some intermediate level books.
Thanks and hopeful to meet you !!
Akshat Post author October 25, 2015 at 10:47 pm
Hi Aarush,
I appreciate your kind words.
The books I started out with, when I began playing chess, were:
Openings – I didn't read many opening books, and this is a subjective phase of the game anyways. Create an opening repertoire for yourself, and look for books analyzing those openings.
Middlegames- Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters: Fundamentals of the Game (Volume 1 and 2) written by Lev Alburt and Larry Par , and Simple Chess by GM Michael Stean
Endgames – Silman's Complete Endgame Course, written by IM Jeremy Silman
Hope this helps, and good luck.


text:
The Boston Phoenix December 28, 2000 - January 4, 2001
Reality bursts dot-com bubble
But the Internet is better than ever
by Dan Kennedy
What a difference a year makes. Last December, Time magazine anointed Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos as its "Person of the Year." In prose bordering on the erotic, the magazine gushed, "Jeff Bezos loves being on the move. He sits in the back of a white van, beaming as usual, surrounded by an entourage of lanky young lieutenants from Amazon.com, the Web's biggest retail store and, someday, if Bezos gets it right, Earth's Biggest Store."
A HEAD OF HIS TIME: a year ago, Jeff Bezos was Time's Person of the Year. Now he's watching his stock prices plummet.
Fast-forward to December 21, 2000, at approximately 9:30 p.m. Amazon's stock had closed at $15.19 per share -- down more than $86 from its 52-week high of $102, a nearly seven-fold drop from the glory days. And there was Bezos on MSNBC, looking slightly punch-drunk, a loopy grin on his face, offering variations on the theme of What happened?
As the media have proclaimed endlessly this year, and especially during the stock-market slide of the past few weeks, 2000 will end as the Year of the Dot-Com Meltdown. E- commerce Web sites have gone down left and right. Pets.com. Living.com. DrKoop.com. Furniture.com. Toysmart.com. One of the early pioneers, eToys.com, may run out of cash and close its doors as early as March. Locally, Internet incubator CMGI's stock has crashed so sickeningly that shareholders are calling for chairman David Wetherell's head.
Media properties, too, have been belted. TheStreet.com, the once-high-flying, attitude-drenched answer to the Wall Street Journal, has scaled back its ambitions as its stock price has gone down the toilet. Salon, the most ambitious general-interest magazine published on the Web, followed up cutbacks last June with another round last week: it laid off 25 staffers, representing 20 percent of its work force. The move, editor and co-founder David Talbot announced, should bring the webzine to profitability in 2001. Left unspoken was the likelihood that if he falls short of that goal, Salon might shut its doors -- a possibility that sites such as DeathWatch.com and FuckedCompany.com have been speculating about feverishly in recent weeks. Kurt Andersen's media site, Inside.com, is hedging its bets with a slick print cousin, Inside magazine. Even Salon's principal competitor, Slate, a fully owned subsidiary of Microsoft and thus protected from the shifting winds of the dot-com economy, may not be safe, since the dropping demand for personal computers has begun to take a toll on Bill Gates's fortune. And every day, projects you've never heard of are preparing for the end. On Saturday, for instance, the Washington Post reported that something called PlanetGov.com, a Web site for federal and military workers, had laid off 45 people, including 18 of its 20 editorial employees.
Of course, stock-market bubbles come and -- as a generation of previously unscathed twenty- and thirtysomethings is now learning -- go. In retrospect, it's now clear that there were some problems with the notion of endless online riches. For one thing, it never made much sense why an e- commerce site -- even mighty Amazon -- should be vastly more valuable than a good catalogue-and-mail-order operation of the sort that L.L. Bean has been running for decades. For another, online media essentially mimic newspapers and magazines -- a "mature" industry, as they say, defined by declining circulation and a tight advertising market. The current state of technology, which requires users to be chained to a computer and read an eyestrain-inducing screen, makes Internet media in many respects less attractive than print, not more.
But if 2000 was the year we finally grew up about the Internet economy -- and stopped treating dot-com stocks as though every one were a winning lottery ticket -- it doesn't necessarily follow that we have come to terms with what the Internet is all about. Sure, some people will get rich; Jeff Bezos already has, and if Amazon's current $5 billion market capitalization is well below its lofty $35 billion of a year ago, it's still double that of Kmart, the Land of the Blue-Light Special. Cambridge-based Forrester Research projects that the total revenue of e- commerce in the US will rise from $488.7 billion in 2000 to $3.19 trillion in 2004. Besides, the failure of so many Internet companies is no different from what happens in the early phase of any major technological advance, from automobiles to aviation to personal computers. (Booted up a Kaypro lately?)
Fundamentally, however, the Internet isn't about selling things, or about how media companies, old and new, can find yet another outlet for their content. Rather, it is about revolution -- not the kind of business-oriented revolution you see endlessly celebrated in magazines such as Fast Company and the Industry Standard, but the kind of overarching cultural revolution that shakes society to its core.
The Internet revolution is about empowering the individual -- putting more information in people's hands, making it easier for them to form communities, giving them a voice with which to be heard. The dot-com universe may be shrinking, but the Internet itself continues to grow dramatically. According to a study by the US Department of Commerce, the share of American households with Internet access rose from 26 percent in December 1998 to nearly 42 percent in August 2000. Even the much-vaunted Digital Divide is shrinking, with the Commerce study showing that middle-income, rural, black, and Hispanic households were far more likely to be wired than they were before. A generation ago, Gil Scott-Heron proclaimed, "The revolution will not be televised." He was right. It will be webcast instead. And no network executive will be able to do anything about it.
art - classical - cultural explosions - dance - film
film culture - fiction - jazz - internet - law - local rock
local punk and metal - nonfiction - queer - pop
protest - theater - tv
Consider the last information revolution of comparable proportions: Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in 1436-'37. To say that Gutenberg didn't get rich would be an understatement: he actually had to get rid of his press in order to pay his debts. But you can draw a straight line between the first printed Bibles that came from Gutenberg's press and Martin Luther's assault on the Catholic Church in the following century.
Then, as now, information equals power equals revolution. Gutenberg's invention led to the Reformation. Given enough time, growth, and further technological breakthroughs, the Internet may someday lead to an upheaval of similar importance.
Take the Internet's biggest technological development of 2000: Napster. Developed by then-Northeastern University student Shawn Fanning in 1999, its software lets anyone with a computer and a broadband connection share music files. Napster.com went online in late 1999, and by early 2000 it was a phenomenon. On college campuses, so many students were downloading music that some system operators had to block the program lest their networks become overwhelmed.
Napster exists to make copyright violation easy and rewarding. By year's end, the company was fighting to stay alive, as it was being pursued in court by various outraged record companies (although there was also the possibility that Napster could survive by working with the industry and developing a subscription-based model). But whether Napster continues to exist as a business or not, Fanning's programming feat was far more in keeping with the culture of the Internet than anything Jeff Bezos has ever done. That is, he took information that was previously expensive and hard to get and made it free -- and easily accessible -- to anyone. Newer programs already take Fanning's idea one or two steps further. Gnutella allows users to share all kinds of files, not just music; and unlike Napster, it has no central server routing traffic, meaning there's no one to sue except the millions of people who may one day use the program. FreeNet does the same thing, only anonymously, thus providing yet another layer of legal protection.
It doesn't really matter whether you think such developments are good or bad; they just are. And they will revolutionize the realm of information and ideas in ways that we can't even imagine yet. Internet pioneer John Perry Barlow, a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead and the co-founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, wrote a piece for Wired several months ago arguing that Napster and its ilk mean nothing less than the end of copyright. "For ideas, fame is fortune," Barlow wrote. "And nothing makes you famous faster than an audience willing to distribute your work for free." I don't share Barlow's enthusiasm over the demise of intellectual property; in the short term and maybe even in the long term, I think it will make it harder for writers, musicians, and artists to make a living. But he's right about one thing: it's going to happen, whether I like it or not.
The Napster phenomenon is merely the most extreme example of that hoary Internet cliché "Information wants to be free." Others abound. The very nature of the Internet encourages many-to-many communication, the building of communities, and the democratizing of information. In such an environment, dedicated amateurs and nonprofit organizations don't just compete equally with their profit-oriented brethren -- they actually have an advantage.
When 2000 began, for instance, for-profit political Web sites were all the rage, with names like Politics.com, Voter.com, and Vote.com and established frontmen such as Carl Bernstein, Mike McCurry, and Dick Morris. None of these new sites succeeded in setting the world on fire. And though the general lack of interest in politics surely had much to do with that, the larger problem is that such projects were misconceived in the first place. As traditional media, they couldn't compete with the Web sites of newspapers such as the New York Times and the Washington Post, or with the offerings of Salon and Slate. More significantly, however, the political sites failed at the grassroots level as well. The reason: dedicated nonprofits such as Project Vote Smart (www.vote- smart.org) and the Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org) provide extensive information on elected officials' voting records and money ties.
While Salon downsizes and Slate staffers nervously watch the price of Microsoft stock, small, nonprofit media projects are thriving. Two examples: the left-leaning watchdog Media Channel (www.mediachannel.org), run by former Boston broadcast journalist Danny "The News Dissector" Schechter, and the Narco News Bulletin (www.narconews.com), produced on the fly by former Phoenix reporter Al Giordano -- who, unfortunately, is facing legal woes arising from his tough-minded reporting on the failed war on drugs. On an even smaller scale, journalists such as Andrew Sullivan, Mickey Kaus, Joyce Maynard, Malcolm Gladwell, and, well, uh, me all have our own Web sites to promote our work and ourselves.
Innovative as such efforts are, they're also old-fashioned in the sense that they represent top-down communication from a central authority. When the Internet first started to penetrate the public consciousness in the early '90s, the emphasis was on "virtual communities," to use the phrase made famous by author Howard Rheingold -- that is, communities of shared interests that could never have come together if people were limited by geography. A personal example: I'm the webmaster of LPA Online (www.lpaonline.org), the Web site of Little People of America, the country's largest organization for dwarfs and their families. When the younger of our two children, Rebecca, was diagnosed shortly after her 1992 birth with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, there was no readily accessible place to go for information or community. Today, you can enter the term "dwarfism" in any Internet search engine and you will be directed to LPA Online; and the site's listserv, an interactive discussion group conducted by e- mail, has nearly 1000 members.
There are thousands of examples of such projects on the Internet. Together they add up to an increasingly vibrant and vital medium that isn't the least bit dependent on the NASDAQ or the environment for IPOs or the state of the venture-capital market. Indeed, financial woes notwithstanding, the Internet continues to grow, and has changed the lives of millions of people for the better, giving them more autonomy, providing greater access to information, and making them part of communities at a time when nonvirtual (i.e., real) communities are harder and harder to find.
There is a reason that dictatorial regimes such as China's have imposed tight controls on the Internet. They, perhaps better than we, understand the medium's true potential. The obsession with dot-com wealth (and poverty) says more about American culture than it does about the technological revolution under way.
Some years back, I attended a conference on the future of the Internet at which the mantra was "Every Client a Server." (Yes, they still talked that way back in 1994 and '95.) The simplified translation: every consumer of information can and should be a provider of information as well.
Until now, such thoughts have been obscured by visions of unimaginable riches. Now, amid the rubble, it may be possible to think those thoughts anew.
Dan Kennedy can be reached at dkennedy[a]phx.com
Dan Kennedy's work can be accessed from his Web site: http://www.dankennedy.net
Articles from July 24, 1997 & before can be accessed here


Talia Grover is responsible for organizing and executing Brion Harris' numerous events, creative marketing, maintaining Brion's client database and managing Brion's calendar. Additionally, she works to deepen existing relationships and establish new relationships, as well as to help maintain a comprehensive client database which contains the information necessary to communicate effectively and efficiently with all of Brion's clients. Now, as Head of Marketing for Premier Planning Group, Talia also works with other agents in the firm to assist in the creation of their marketing plans and events, as well as speaking, sharing and presenting ideas to firms all over the United States!
Growing up as an Army BRAT, Talia has had quite an extensive history of traveling around the country, and loves to meet new people! When she is not hard at work, Talia enjoys spending time with her husband Jeff, her friends and her two doggies, Odie and Goofy, going to concerts, following the Baltimore Orioles, traveling, spending time at the beach, playing kickball and dodgeball, hiking and rock climbing, practicing yoga, swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding and exploring historical and political landmarks in the DC metropolitan area.


Prayers and blessings from the Scottish Hebrides, evoking a sense of the wholeness of life and communicating awareness of the presence of God under our very roofs.
Esther de Waal uses prayers and blessings collected from the oral tradition of the fishing and farming people of the Hebrides, a group of islands off the west coast of Scotland, to evoke a vision of the wholeness of life. These songs are shot through with an awareness of God's presence. God can be found close at hand, under our very roofs. We are encouraged to make the prayers our own and to speak to God, the angels and the saints with simplicity and candour.
Esther de Waal is well known as a writer, lecturer and retreat conductor. She has done much to foster awareness of the Celtic, Benedictine and Cistercian traditions of life and prayer.


You are at:Home»Course Selection Help - Student Opinions»Are you ready for exams?
As exams are starting to quickly approach and only a few weeks are left until May 24th, the day they begin, 10th grade students are wondering what the best techniques to study for an exam are.
There have been hundreds of different opinions on the best ways to study for an exam, whether it's cramming in all of the information in the last few hours before to have everything fresh in your mind, or to study every awakening hour to outperform the competition.
Believe it or not, but cramming all of the information into your head in the last few hours before an exam is not the answer, according to Oxford Learning. Studying week's ahead gives you time to read through everything carefully and ask about any uncertainties or questions.
It's easy to get distracted, and especially at home where you're surrounded with social networking sites and the television. Why not just study at school? The classroom is a great area to ask questions, write notes and get help from your teacher. Even better is that you can make it an environment which is distraction-free by using a piece of paper and a pen and picking a quiet area to focus.
Tablets are not the answer when it comes to studying for an exam. Besides being filled with distractions, they don't help you remember information as well as paper and pen do. Studies from University of Stavanger in Norway state that the physical act of holding a pen and pencil and writing out what you need to remember signals feedback to the brain, which then leaves a "motor memory". The motor memory will make it easier to recall information connected with the movement that you made when writing.
It's best to always be prepared and study earlier because in the end doing your best is most important. Close the Facebook tab, grab some paper and begin to make notes because exams are approaching faster than some may think.