text:
Q: Retrieving LIS file data in python I have some *.lis (and *.dis) files to open and parse in python.
I cannot understand their structure so can't see how pragmatically you can open and output the data reliably.
Anyone any ideas about how to comprehend the .lis file structure so I can do this? Are there any Python tools to do this that anyone is aware of?
Thanks

A: I had this problem before and here is how I solved it.
For LIS files you can use [https://pypi.org/project/TotalDepth/].
The package is very nicely structured but it comes with complexity in finding the right pieces of data that you require. Particularly from the header information.
TotalDepth package also extracts data from LAS files which are much easier to understand how they work.
For DLIS files, well, these are much more convoluted than LIS to put it shortly, however this package [https://pypi.org/project/dlispy/] is wonderful and I have used it many times.
If you would like to succeed in understanding how data extraction from these types of files works please try to read the documentation for RP66 [http://w3.energistics.org/rp66/v1/Toc/main.html] and LIS79 [http://w3.energistics.org/LIS/lis-79.pdf].
A word of caution, the documents are very dull to read and understand but it will help you understand how data is structured and where to find each specific information from them.
Best of luck :)


Up to six years from oak forest to the Highland distillery. Time and wood work together over the next eighteen years, within the cool darkness of the traditional, earth-floored warehouses. This creates the glowing Golden hue and wonderful mouthfeel of Glengoyne 21 year old. It is perhaps the perfect balance of complex oak, traditional skills and barley dried by air, never peat.
Christmas cake, honey and rich fruit - with a long cinnamon finish.


text:
Home » Information » Egyptian Queens and Their Significance – A List
Egyptian Queens and Their Significance – A List
Neithhotep
Merneith
Hetepheres I
Khentkawes I
Sebeknefru
Ahhotep I
Arsinoe II
Women achieved greater power in ancient Egypt than in any other ancient culture and were the equals of men in almost every area of life.
While the best known of all the Egyptian queens is Cleopatra VII, other women had held power long before she came to the throne. In fact, it's theorized that Egypt gained stability by allowing periods of rule by women. Many of these future queens started as influential wives, or king's daughters, and later became the chief decision maker in the land.
Often, female pharaohs took the throne during times of crisis, when hope for male leadership was lost, but oftentimes the men who came after these queens erased their names from the formal list of monarchs. Regardless, today these women continue to be remembered as some of the strongest and most significant female figures in history. Here's a look at the queens of Egypt from the Early Dynastic period to the Macedonian and Ptolemaic times.
Legend has it that in the late 4th millennium BCE, the warrior Menes joined the two separate sections of Upper and Lower Egypt and established the first dynasty. He was crowned as king, and his wife Neithhotep became the first queen of Egypt. There is some conjecture that she may have ruled alone during the Early Dynastic period. Neithhotep was also described as the Consort of the Two Ladies, a title which may be the equivalent of King's Mother and King's Wife.
The name Neithhotep was associated with Neith, the ancient Egyptian goddess of weaving and hunting. The goddess had a powerful connection with queenship, so several queens of the first dynasty were named after her. In fact, the queen's name means the goddess Neith is satisfied. Some scholars believe that the queen also ruled Egypt on behalf of young son Aha.
One of the earliest embodiments of female power, Merneith ruled during the first dynasty, around 3000 to 2890 BCE. She was the wife of King Djet and mother of King Den. When her husband died, she ascended the throne on behalf of her young son and ensured stability in Egypt. Her main agenda was the continuation of her family's dominance, and to establish her son in royal power.
In the past, sacrificial burials were a power display and a sacred ritual, in the belief that the victims would accompany the dead king into the afterlife. In order to protect her son's kingship, Merneith violently dispatched close family members who might claim the throne. Some of the sacrificial victims were likely rival wives and their sons who could have been chosen as king instead.
Merneith couldn't claim the title of pharaoh and is only described as a King's Mother. Still, her tomb was initially thought to belong to a king when it was first discovered, having it in the same lineup of great monarchs of the first and second dynasties. It's believed that her son had thought she deserved the kingly honor, so she was buried like a king.
In the 4th dynasty, Hetepheres I became the queen of Egypt and bore the title Daughter of God. She was the wife of King Snefru, the first to build a true or straight-sided pyramid in Egypt, and mother of Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza. As mother of the mighty king, she would've been highly honored in life, and it's believed that the cult of the queen was maintained for generations to come.
While her rise to power and details of her reign remain unclear, Hetepheres I was the eldest daughter of Huni, the last king of the 3rd dynasty, suggesting that her marriage with Snefru allowed a smooth transition between the two dynasties. Some speculate that she may also been her husband's sister, and their marriage consolidated his rule.
One of the queens of the Pyramid Age, Khentkawes I was the daughter of King Menkaure and wife of King Shepseskaf who ruled around 2510 to 2502 BCE. As a Mother of Two Kings of Upper and Lower Egypt, she was a woman of considerable importance. She had given birth to two kings, Sahure and Neferirkare, the second and third kings of the 5th dynasty.
It's believed that Khentkawes I served as regent of her infant son. However, her splendid tomb, the Fourth Pyramid of Giza, suggests that she reigned as a pharaoh. During the initial excavation of her tomb, she was depicted sitting on a throne, wearing the uraeus cobra and holding a was scepter. The uraeus was associated with kingship, although it wouldn't become standard queen's attire until the Middle Kingdom.
In the 12th dynasty, Sebeknefru took the Egyptian kingship as her formal title, when there was no crown prince to take the throne. Daughter of Amenemhat III, she became the closest in line of succession after her half-brother died, and ruled as full pharaoh until another dynasty was ready to rule. Also spelled Neferusobek or Sobekneferu, the queen was named after the crocodile god Sobek.
Sebeknefru completed her father's pyramid complex at Hawara, now known as the Labyrinth. She also completed other building projects in the tradition of earlier monarchs, and built several monuments and temples at Herakleopolis and Tell Dab'a. Her name appeared on official king lists for centuries after her death.
Ahhotep I was the wife of King Seqenenre Tao II of the 17th dynasty, and ruled as a queen regent on behalf of his young son Ahmose I. She also held the position of God's Wife of Amun, a title designated to a female counterpart of the high priest.
By the Second Intermediate Period, southern Egypt was ruled from Thebes, located between the Nubian Kingdom of Kush and the Hyksos dynasty that ruled northern Egypt. Queen Ahhotep I acted as a representative in Thebes, guarding the Upper Egypt.
While her son Ahmose I was fighting against the Nubians in the south, Queen Ahhotep I commanded the military successfully, brought back her fugitives, and put down a rebellion of Hyksos sympathizers. Later, her son the king was regarded as the founder of a new dynasty because he reunified Egypt.
Osirian statue of Hatshepsut at her tomb. She's depicted in false beard.
In the 18th dynasty, Hatshepsut became known for her power, accomplishment, prosperity, and clever strategizing. She first ruled as a queen while married to Thutmose II, then as regent to her stepson Thutmose III, who ended up being the Napoleon of Egypt. When her husband died, she used the title God's Wife of Amun, instead of King's Wife, which likely paved the way to the throne.
However, Hatshepsut broke the traditional roles of queen regent as she assumed the role of king of Egypt. Many scholars conclude that her stepson may have been fully capable of claiming the throne, but was only relegated to secondary role. In fact, the queen ruled for more than two decades and depicted herself as a male king, wearing the pharaoh's headdress and false beard, in order to sidestep the issue of gender.
The Deir el-Bahri Temple in western Thebes was built during Hatshepsut's reign in the 15th century BCE. It was designed as a mortuary temple, which included a series of chapels dedicated to Osiris, Anubis, Re and Hathor. She built a rock-cut temple at Beni Hasan in Egypt, known as Speos Artemidos in Greek. She was also responsible for military campaigns and successful trade.
Unfortunately, Hatshepsut's reign was regarded as a threat to the men who came after her, so her name was removed from historical record and her statues were destroyed. Some scholars speculate that it was an act of vengeance, while others conclude that the successor only ensured that the reign would run from Thutmose I through Thutmose III without female dominance.
Later in the 18th dynasty, Nefertiti became a co-ruler with her husband King Akhenaten, instead of being just his consort. Her reign was a critical moment in Egypt's history, as it was during this time that the traditional polytheistic religion was changed to monotheistic worship of the sun god Aten.
In Thebes, the temple known as Hwt-Benben featured Nefertiti in the role of priest, leading the worship of Aten. She also became known as Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti. It's believed that she was also regarded as a living fertility goddess at the time.
The queen of Macedonia and Thrace, Arsinoe II first married King Lysimachus—then later married her brother, Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt. She became Ptolemy's co-ruler, and shared all the titles of her husband. In some historical texts, she was even referred to as the King of Upper and Lower Egypt. As married siblings, the two were equated with Greek deities Zeus and Hera.
Arsinoe II was the first Ptolemaic woman to rule as female pharaoh in Egypt, so dedications for her were made at numerous places in Egypt and Greece, renaming entire regions, cities and towns in her honor. After the queen's death around 268 BCE, her cult was established in Alexandria and she was remembered during the annual Arsinoeia festival.
Being a member of a Macedonian Greek ruling family, Cleopatra VII almost doesn't belong on the list of Egyptian queens. However, she became powerful through the men around her and ruled Egypt for almost three decades. The queen was known for her military alliances and relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, and for actively influencing Roman politics.
By the time Cleopatra VII became the queen in 51 BCE, the Ptolemaic empire was falling apart, so she sealed her alliance with Roman general Julius Caesar—and later gave birth to their son Caesarion. When Caesar was murdered in 44 BCE, the three-year-old Caesarion became a co-ruler with his mother, as Ptolemy XV.
In order to reinforce her position as a queen, Cleopatra VII had claimed to be associated with the goddess Isis. Mark Antony became the apparent of Caesar's authority, and the queen needed him to protect her crown and maintain Egypt's independence from the Roman Empire. The country became more powerful under Cleopatra's rule, and Antony even restored several territories to Egypt.
In 34 BCE, Antony declared Caesarion as the rightful heir to the throne and awarded land to his three children with Cleopatra. In late 32 BCE, however, the Roman Senate stripped Antony of his titles and declared war on Cleopatra. In the Battle of Actium, Antony's rival Octavian defeated the two. And so the last queen of Egypt committed suicide with the bite of an asp, a venomous snake and a symbol of divine royalty.
There were many queens throughout Egypt's history, but some became more significant for their accomplishments and influence, while others only served as placeholders for the next male to take the pharaoh's throne. Their legacy gave us insight on female leadership, and today's world could learn from their example.
Yule Festival – Origins and Symbolism

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
UAE's non-oil foreign trade reaches record $136bn in first quarter
China was the Emirates' largest trading partner in the January-March period
Cargo containers at Jebel Ali port in Dubai. The UAE has taken proactive policies to boost non-oil trade. Reuters
Alkesh Sharma
The UAE's non-oil foreign trade reached a record Dh499.7 billion ($136bn) in the first quarter of this year as the Arab world's second-largest economy accelerates efforts to reduce its dependence on hydrocarbons.
Non-oil trade values for the first three months of the year were up more than 20 per cent compared to the same period last year, state news agency Wam reported on Wednesday, citing data from the Emirates' Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre.
The figure is also up more than 26 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2019, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
China, Asia's largest economy, was the UAE's top trading partner during the January-March period, with bilateral trade between the two countries at Dh57bn. It was followed by India (Dh46.2bn) and Saudi Arabia (Dh32.5bn).
UAE's tourism sector growth in first quarter outpaced pre-pandemic levels
UAE consumer spending up 14% in Q1 as economic recovery gains momentum
The UAE has been taking several measures to boost non-oil foreign trade.
In March, Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, said the country's non-oil trade totalled Dh16.1 trillion over the past 10 years.
The UAE's non-oil foreign trade also jumped 27 per cent in 2021 to Dh1.9tn, which was 11 per cent higher than pre-Covid levels in 2019, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said in a tweet on Sunday.
In February, the UAE signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with India, Asia's second-largest economy, that is expected to boost non-oil trade between the two countries to $100bn in five years, from $60bn currently. It is also in talks for similar agreements with South Korea and Indonesia.
ضمن تطورات الدولة الاقتصادية حققت تجارتنا الخارجية غير النفطية في ٢٠٢١ قفزة بنسبة ٢٧٪ عن السنة التي قبلها و١١٪ عن ٢٠١٩، حيث بلغت ١.٩ تريليون درهم .. انطلاقتنا بعد كوفيد قوية..ونمونا الاقتصادي تصاعدي..وابتعادنا عن الاعتماد على النفط يصل لمرحلة الاستدامة.. والقادم أجمل بإذن الله..
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) February 27, 2022
In the first three months to March 31, gold was the top commodity in the UAE's non-oil foreign trade, Wam reported.
Gold's trade value stood at Dh84.4bn and it accounted for almost 17 per cent of total trade.
It was followed by diamonds (Dh40bn), telephone and communication devices (Dh37bn), mineral oils (Dh24.6bn), ornaments and jewellery (Dh21bn) and cars (Dh19.5bn).
Updated: May 25, 2022, 6:23 PM


text:
Nitish asked me to lead his party, I refused: Prashant Kishor
Kishor launches a blistering attack on Bihar CM
By PTI Updated: October 04, 2022 22:55 IST
Political strategist and Jan Suraj Abhiyan chief Prashant Kishor during his 'Jan Suraj Padyatra', in West Champaran | PTI
Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and claimed that he spurned a recent request by the latter to "lead" the Janata Dal (United).
Kishor, who is on a 3,500-km-long pada-yatra that would cover every nook and corner of the state, made the claim in a remote part of West Champaran district, about 275 km from Patna.
"Nitish Kumar has been able to hold on to his chair and thinks he is very smart (mukhyamanti banke bahut hoshiyar ban rahe hain')," said Kishor with uncharacteristic acerbity for a leader whom he has often called a father figure.
"After losing the 2014 (Lok Sabha) polls, he met me in Delhi, begging for help. I assisted him in winning the 2015 assembly polls as the chief ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan'. Today, he has the temerity to offer gyan' (wisdom) to me, added Kishor.
The 45-year-old former national vice-president of JD(U) seems to have taken to heart Kumar's recent dismissive averment that Kishor did not know "A, B and C" of Bihar's politics, and the economy which he was promising to transform.
"I am the son of a doctor, trying to work in my home state after having proven my mettle across the country, the IPAC founder remarked, betraying indignation.
"You all must have learnt through media reports that Nitish Kumar had called me to his residence about 10-15 days back. He asked me to lead his party. I said it is not possible. I cannot go back on the commitment I have made in return for any post, said Kishor, who has launched a public awareness campaign called Jan Suraaj'.
Kishor was inducted into the JD(U) in 2018 by Kumar, who then headed the party, and got elevated to the national vice-president's post within a few weeks.
However, a squabble with Kumar over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens led to his expulsion from the party less than a couple of years later.
JD(U) leaders did not immediately react to the latest utterances of Kishor, which came on a day when festivities and a Patna High Court order throwing municipal elections into jeopardy held their attention.
However, Kishor's outbursts came just a day after JD(U) national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan had questioned the source of his funding.
Kishor also amply demonstrated that he was miffed, saying, "those wanting to know from where I am getting the money should know that unlike them, I have not indulged in dalaali' (brokerage)".
"Politicians have for long been seeking my advice on how to win elections. Media has been full of praise for my track record as a political strategist. But never before have I asked anybody to lend me money, he said.
"But today I am seeking donations. This is the fee that I am charging towards building this movement which entails expenses like the tent we have put up here," Kishor was heard as saying in the video footage shared on social media accounts of Jan Suraaj'.
Pakistan: Prominent lawyer killed in Peshawar High Court bar room firing
'Follow India's model to come out of slump', FIH president tells Pakistan
Intention is to make cinema that's remembered: Sidharth Malhotra
Mahindra announces price details, booking date of its first electric SUV XUV400
They say we know more about the Moon than about the deep sea. They're wrong
How a military-industrial ecosystem is fast taking shape in India
How Hkinn's photos from Myanmar showcase impact of military rule


text:
New Music, Remixes
Premiere: Evvol – Four Steps From Home (Ziúr Remix)
Berlin-based duo Evvol entered our consciousness last Summer with their debut Eternalism LP, offering a refreshingly subtle take on dancefloor-focused pop that hardly fits into the "darkwave" label often ascribed to them. A little under a year later and the album has received a collection of remixes including a twisted effort from Ziúr, one of our absolute favorite Berlin producers who has a load of head-turning music that's slated to come out over the next year or so. An appearance on the Tropical Waste NTS Show and tracks like "Lips" and "Collar Bone" (featured in February's For Club Use Only) have begun to drawn attention to Ziúr's outsized cyborg-ian productions, tracks that seem to balance on a knife's blade between a host of sounds, balancing the tension inherent in dubstep with a more manic resemblance to hardcore. As far as the Evvol remix goes, Ziúr took on "Four Steps From Home", potentially the most dance-ready track of the album, and transformed it into a growling, heaving monster, the original's chorus pitched down into a ritualistic yawn and eventually almost entirely abandoned in favor a collection of creaking metallic noise and echoing blips that almost seems to harmonize in the copious amounts of empty space in the production. Ziúr doesn't have an official release out yet, but the Berliner already has a sound that's all her own and is only set to expand and mutate into exciting new spaces as her career progresses. Artwork for the remix was done by Stefan Faehler.
EVVOL
Ziúr


text:
Q: Creating n number of buttons (or variable number of buttons) in JavaScript I am new to JavaScript and am having difficulty with this task. I am writing code to paginate a table I have. Right now all the logic related to buttons is hard coded and I want to make it more dynamic. Meaning, I have five buttons that all have separate code to do the same thing and I want to refactor my code so that I have n buttons and one script that controls them.
I want the code to generate (total records/number of records per page) number of buttons, then I want to take the value of that button and pass it into already existing code to grab the right section of the data table.
How do I do this though? All of the documentation I've found is for jQuery libraries like DataTables (which I spent like an hour working with and it did not display anything).
I would appreciate any tips, tricks, or tutorials.
EDIT
    $(document).ready(function () {
        $('#b1').click(function () {
            var data = $("#isgeo").serializeArray();
            data.push({ name: "page", value: '1' })
            $.ajax({
                type: 'GET',
                url: '@Url.Action("GetTable", "SubsidencePoints")',
                data: $.param(data),
                cache: false,
                processData: false,
                contentType: false
            }).done(function (result) {
                $('#Sub-table').html(result);
                });
         $('#b2').click(function () {
            var data = $("#isgeo").serializeArray();
            data.push({ name: "page", value: '2' })
                $.ajax({
                    type: 'GET',
                    url: '@Url.Action("GetTable", "SubsidencePoints")',
                    data: $.param(data),
                    cache: false,
                    processData: false,
                    contentType: false
                }).done(function (result) {
                    $('#Sub-table').html(result);
                    });

A: Pretty easy.  All you have to do is create a loop to loop through the total number of buttons and then use createElement to create a button and then attach an event to it programmatically. Check out the following code.

<div id="nav-buttons">

</div>

<script>

  var totalRecords = 500;
var recordsPerPage = 50;

var totalButtons = totalRecords/recordsPerPage;
var navButtons = document.getElementById("nav-buttons");
  console.log(totalButtons)
for (var b=0; b<totalButtons;b++)
{
  var button = document.createElement("button");
  button.setAttribute("pageto", b);
  button.innerHTML="Page " + b;
  navButtons.appendChild(button);

  button.addEventListener("click", function(event) {
    var btn = event.target;
    var page = btn.getAttribute("pageto");
    navButtons.appendChild(btn);
    alert(page);
    // goto(page) -- write your function for getting the records for page[page]
    });

 }
  </script>

A: Perhaps try a for-loop -
$(document).ready(function () {
    for (var i = 0; i < numButtons; i++) {
        $('#b' + i).click(function () {
            var data = $("#isgeo").serializeArray();
            data.push({ name: "page", value: '1' });
            $.ajax({
                type: 'GET',
                url: '@Url.Action("GetTable", "SubsidencePoints")',
                data: $.param(data),
                cache: false,
                processData: false,
                contentType: false
            }).done(function (result) {
                $('#Sub-table').html(result);
            });
        });
    }
});

Is that what you're after?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
ccgives4@gmail.com
1140 N. Town Center Drive Ste. 350, Las Vegas, NV 89144
Why EQ
Gifting "EQ" education to Veterans, First Responders, & Teens Our mission is to provide funding for essential emotional intelligence trainings for veterans, first responders, and underserved teenagers. Donate Now Gifting "EQ" education to Veterans, First Responders, & Teens Our mission is to provide funding for essential emotional intelligence trainings for veterans, first responders, and underserved teenagers. Donate Now Gifting "EQ" education to Veterans, First Responders, & Teens Our mission is to provide funding for essential emotional intelligence trainings for veterans, first responders, and underserved teenagers. Donate Now Gifting "EQ" education to Veterans, First Responders, & Teens Our mission is to provide funding for essential emotional intelligence trainings for veterans, first responders, and underserved teenagers. Donate Now Gifting "EQ" education to Veterans, First Responders, & Teens Our mission is to provide funding for essential emotional intelligence trainings for veterans, first responders, and underserved teenagers. Donate Now Gifting "EQ" education to Veterans, First Responders, & Teens Our mission is to provide funding for essential emotional intelligence trainings for veterans, first responders, and underserved teenagers. Donate Now
About "EQ" Trainings Essential emotional intelligence trainings are designed to support people in identifying limiting belief systems that keep them from experiencing success and fulfillment in their personal and professional lives. This coursework is for high-performers who want to uplevel their lives to the next chapter of success. They are designed to maximize the relationship and communication skills of individuals to increase their ability to declare and deliver outrageous results.
Through essential emotional intelligence trainings, students learn to:
Master the principles from which all great leaders live.
Expand time management skills, create powerful communication/relationship skills, and navigate through obstacles to create intended results.
Increase confidence and self-esteem.
Increase public speaking and presentation skills.
Be driven by goals versus emotions and attitudes.
Experience what it is to empower others to achieve.
Be responsible and willing to be held accountable for results.
Enhance creative thinking skills and see possibilities verses obstacles for achieving success
Achieve personal excellence and accomplish the extraordinary in all areas of life, including the workplace.
What are "EQ" Trainings? Essential emotional intelligence trainings are designed to support people in identifying limiting belief systems that keep them from experiencing success and fulfillment in their personal and professional lives. This coursework is for high-performers who want to uplevel their lives to the next chapter of success. They are designed to maximize the relationship and communication skills of individuals to increase their ability to declare and deliver outrageous results.
Teen Leadership is a dynamic motivational and leadership training for teens between the ages of 13 and 17 who have a sincere commitment to create extraordinary results in academics, sports, relationships, and all areas of their lives. The course gives teenagers the opportunity to discover and redesign the limiting beliefs they have about themselves and others. It's these self-imposed limitations that keep them from fully achieving their maximum capabilities. This redesign allows them to pursue their dreams and goals with new freedom and passion, and to create a solid foundation of powerful tools to use the rest of their lives in relationships, conflict management, and self discipline. During the three days of training, students will participate in experiential education designed to create long-term results in the areas of: confidence, self-discipline, real and relevant relationship building, accountability, time management, public speaking, possibility thinking, team concepts (creating win/win), responsibility, honoring your word, and integrity.
Shana Ginsburg
Shana Ginsburg graduated from Teen Leadership in 2011 after her parents and older siblings attended the adult curriculum. Following the training, Shana discovered that she is the author of her own life, and with that belief, she landed her dream job as a "Creative Genius Media Guru" at only 16 years old. After her freshman year of college, Shana attended the adult leadership training and learned the value of taking risks in pursuit of her goals. Throughout her college years, she continued to immerse herself in emotional intelligence education and began the process of becoming a Certified Professional Coach. Shana earned her Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies from UNLV, and spent a college semester overseas on a travel abroad program called Semester At Sea. She was selected to sail on the Fall 2019 voyage with a $10,000 scholarship from the National Society for Collegiate Scholars. Shana attributes a big part of receiving that scholarship to the EQ trainings, which taught her the value of sharing her strengths with the world and enrolling others in bringing her personal vision alive. Shana loves empowering teens and young adults to stretch beyond their limits so they can discover the infinite possibilities that are available to them in areas of career, relationships, health. Here I am, a future entrepreneur! Watch Video
Alex Cornell Du Houx As veterans, we have a tendency to get right to work, and in many ways ignoring some of the softer skills that build connection and empathy. This can be effective in a combat environment, but when returning home taking the time for perceptive taking can be a tough transition. I spent seven years in the Marines as an 0351 assault man (infantry with demolitions rockets). Then I was thrust into running a campaign for the Maine State Legislature. I won the campaign, was sworn into office, and approached the job like the military - the mission was to successfully pass as much legislation that will help Maine and the nation. And I was effective, passing everything from dental care for kids to clean energy programs.
However, I missed a major component that my experience at ChoiceCenter Leadership University taught me. The piece of paper that is signed by the governor is important in its ability to change people's lives dramatically at the stroke of a pen -- but even more important are the people who worked to bring the bill to the governor's desk. To inspire long term change, it's not about one piece of legislation, it's about inspiring and working with people. They can then work on countless more pieces of legislation, enrolling, and inspiring others in the process. Dr. King did not focus on having a five-point plan, he had a vision that inspired others and told great stories that created empathy and action.
Creating empathy, working with people, having love for others, our, community, nation, and the planet are all elements of Emotional Intelligence. The good news is that with the right training program, unlike IQ, EQ can be increased by 50 percent according to a study by Harvard Business Review.
Veterans are taught many EQ elements in our military careers like having a clear vision/mission, responding instead of reacting, leadership skills, and taking critique well, but others like becoming more self-aware regarding our emotions and being approachable and sociable can get lost in the military context. When Navy Seal and now Congressman Dan Crenshaw went through the program he had many skills, and it was wonderful to see them come to the surface through his personal dedication, responsibility, and making the most of the experiential training and bringing it to Congress.
Gabriel Griess My life has a before and after date: May 4th, 2008. This was the day I graduated my first weekend training at ChoiceCenter. At the time I was a Major in the Air Force getting a master's in foreign policy from the Naval Postgraduate School. A dear friend of mine invited me to attend the training and when he said Leadership and Vegas I said, "I'm in". I could never imagine the value that would be created in my life each and every day because of my decision to attend.
I had the honor of attending the Air Force Academy and flying C-130 cargo aircraft. In those training environments, accuracy, mission, effectiveness, and focus were keys to success. What was missing was connection, neutrality, vision, and wholehearted living. These were skills I unlocked and then developed through ChoiceCenter's Emotional Intelligence (EQ) experiential trainings.
The military is very tactical and data-driven. If something can't be seen or measured, it doesn't exist. EQ is not present in that arena. From a perspective of how to best lead people, the perfect counterbalance to tactical military training is emotional intelligence. From a leadership perspective, the mission is to take care of the people and they'll take care of the mission. The further you go up the chain of command, the less direct effect you have on the mission. As a senior officer or enlisted person, if you can draw upon your EQ skills to communicate effectively, the mission is more likely to get done, and the people are more likely to be taken care of.
ChoiceCenter and their staff have been delivering amazing EQ development for 24 years and are committed to members of the military. They offer a generous discount scholarship towards their tuition to ensure this training is available to everyone who is looking to expand their EQ and live wholehearted. I look forward to seeing you around the center.
Vets0%
Highlights 2
education0%
Supporting Education
want to be our volunteer
Hightlight1
Support Our Veterans, TEENS, AND FIRST RESPONDERS
We are grateful for your partnership in serving our veterans, first responders, and our teens.
see our latest posts
Teaching Teenagers to Develop Their Emotional Intelligence
forbes Business Review
Why You Need Emotional Intelligence To Succeed
Can You Really Improve Your Emotional Intelligence?
Be the first to hear inspiring stories about our Veterans, FIRST RESPONDERS, and
Teens and discover how you can make a difference.
In MEN'S RETREAT, YOU'LL DISCOVER YOUR ABILITY TO BE A LEADER - TO WORK UNDER PRESSURE, SET CLEAR GOALS, MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, AND TURN CONFLICT INTO COOPERATION.
Your donation will provide access to this amazing retreat and scholarships for those in need.
Copyright © 2020 power by Spheric Agency
Email: ccgives4@gmail.com
Photography by Leslie Sullivan
1140 N. Town Center Drive Ste. 350,


The days of mobile phone usages while operating an automobile is almost coming to an end, bit by bit through the enactment of various bills.
This latest New Jersey bill will allow law enforcement to check your mobile phone records during the event of an automobile accident without a warrant.
However, the fact still remain that motorists will still use their Mobile phone while driving an automobile. If someone should asked why is this a fact? This is why think of drinking and driving and how motorists still do it today, even with the seriousness of the results could be.
When one think of the road laws with the initials DWI or DUI, the first thing that comes to mine is, will and should be imprisonment and lost of all driver's privileges. But that's the least compared to lost of injuries or lost of lives.
All motorist in New Jersey and in other States please don't let your next automobile accident caused by your illegal usages of a mobile phone while driving.


We all are passionate about traveling. Afterall, who doesn't want to put that backpack on and see the world till its corners?
But traveling isn't feasible for all. If it was that easy to travel, everyone would just pack their bags and leave for a vacation.
Are you a travel lover who wants to travel the entire globe but is restrained by some external factors? Well, no need to worry. Here are 26 places in US itself that will give you the feel of being Abroad.
1.) Wanna see Lombardi? Fly to Sonoma, California instead.
2.) Mexico and its desert is super dangerous. Visit the Chuihuahuan desert in New Mexico and save your head.
3.) Who needs to go all the way to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower? Just check out the strip in Las Vegas!
4.) You can't find Old World Spain, even in Spain. But you'll find it in San Antonio, Texas.
5.) Don't know why you want to see a Bavarian Village? Doesn't matter, just go to Helen, Georgia ASAP.
6.) You'll need a passport to see the Amazonian waterfalls, but you won't in El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico.
7.) Don't bother going all the way to Spain to see villas. Check out St. Augustine, Florida instead.
8.) Trust us, skip Beijing. Go to Chinatown in New York City this summer.
9.) Skip the flight to Fiji. Head to Playa Flamenco, Puerto Rico instead.
10.) Want to see ANOTHER Bavarian town? Just go to Frankenmuth, Michigan and stop with the Bavarian obsession.
11.) Know what a Swiss Chalet is? Then you'll know it's easier to visit Vail Village in Colorado.
12.) Skip the plane tickets to Tuscany and just go to Napa Valley, CA.
13.) The Alps have nothing on Mount Rainier. At least when Rainier is so close!
14.) Skip the French Chateau and head to the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC.
15.) Dreaming of climbing Mount Everest? Just go to Mount Mckinley, Alaska where it's 9000 feet shorter, and so much easier to visit.
16.) Looking for a tropical paradise? There's only one place to go: Kauai, Hawaii.
17.) Hating the idea of a 16 hour flight to Japan? Just head to the Byodo-in temple in Oahu, Hawaii.
18.) Don't worry about sailing around the Caribbean. Just go to Key West, Florida instead.
19.) Have your heart set on seeing Gothic castles? Take a visit to Duke University.
20.) Danish villages are for chumps. See Solvang, Georgia instead.
21.) Want to see the English countryside? Just go to Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.
22.) Forget about going to Dublin, Ireland over St. Patty's Day. Savannah, Georgia is so much closer.
23.) Looking to appease your French obsession? Visit New Orleans ASAP.
24.) Have this weird urge to see an Alpine Village? Leavenworth, Washington might just be the answer.
25.) Want to reenact classic James Bond exotic Mediterranean scenes? Go to Sur, California.
26.) Skip the African Steppe and take a trip to Joshua National Park.
Isn't this fabulous! Just go and visit these places. So which of these places is first among your list?


Y-Axis Overseas Careers has two offices in the financial capital of India. One of them is in Andheri (West) and the other is in Vashi. Y-Axis Andheri Office, which was started in June 2008, today has a staff of more than 40 and is spread across an area of 2200 sq. ft.
Located near the famous Fun Republic Theatre, it is well-connected through public transport to the western suburbs of Mumbai. On an average, this branch counsels/guides more than 200 people a day concerning with immigration to Australia, immigration to Canada, and other services.
Immigration and Visa Processing Services –Process consultants with in-depth knowledge of immigration process will guide people stepwise in processing their visa applications and filing their immigration petitions for Canada, immigration petitions for New Zealand, etc. That apart, applications are also processed for Germany Job Seeker Visa, Denmark Green Card and many other such visa services are provided at this office.
Education Counseling – Y-Axis has assisted thousands of young aspirants in Mumbai and will continue to do so. Mumbaikars can give them a call or pay a visit to discuss their immigration applications with the counselors.


text:
HOTELS/CONVENTION CENTRES WITH CERTIFIED HALAL STATIONS
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Others 23 record(s) found.
Company Product & Service Description
DESSERT SECTION @ STRAITS KITCHEN
10 Scotts Road
CALL (65) 6738 1234 EMAIL WEBSITE
DESSERTS @ AQUAMARINE
6 Raffles Boulevard
#04-00 Marina Square
HOT STATION @ AQUAMARINE
INDIAN SECTION @ STRAITS KITCHEN
INTERNATIONAL FOOD CORNER @ AMC
2 Stamford Road
Fairmont Singapore & Swissotel The Stamford
JAPANESE COUNTER @ CAROUSEL
Scottswalk
JAPANESE STATION @ AQUAMARINE
MALAY & WESTERN SECTIONS @ STRAITS KITCHEN
MEDITERRANEAN COUNTER @ CAROUSEL
PASTRY CORNER @ AMC


text:
He was Conductor of the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra.
The conductor must set his mark on the orchestra. This is what Maestro Emil Chakarov used to say. On June 29 he would have had his 56th birthday. He was born in Bourgas and only at the age of six showed interest in the violin lessons his sister Violeta took. Emil would stand for hours by the radio listening to symphonic music. What was peculiar, the boy waved a pencil as if conducting an imaginary orchestra. His debut with the baton was before the school choir. He happened to get in the Musical Secondary School in Sofia. Then he kept on in the Conservatory. His idol was Herbert Von Carayan. I did my best to meet him, he confessed. And he succeeded; they first met in Salzburg in 1970. The audience and connoisseurs were taken aback by the brilliant musical memory and purposefulness of the young Bulgarian. Carayan found his successor in his person, the Austrian press wrote. Soon Emil Chakarov became the Maestro's apprentice and later an assistant of his. He returned to Bulgaria in 1985 to become conductor of the Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra. Some years later he accomplished another dream of his: a New Year's Christmas Music Fest in the National Palace of Culture. He held the world stage triumphantly till 1991. He conducted his last concert on March 22 in Paris. He passed away on August 4, 1991.


Thanks for the comment. Yeah, they're quite early. I overwintered these ones, so they are well ahead of the spring sown ones which I put out last week. We're quite a way south from you too; that must have an impact.
Isn't it great to be able to start harvesting this year's crops? … and not so great to be pulling up this year's weeds already, but I guess that's what gardening is all about.
Yeah, with every good edible plant growing, there's a weed that grows faster. Perhaps eating weeds is the answer! Nettles are dead tasty.
Thanks. Yeah, think they are. But they still look good.
We've only got those. Haven't seen any English ones around the city at all. Glad of some spring colour!
Thanks for your comment. The nettles are delicious; a real fresh green taste. Not really an acquired taste, a slightly stronger taste than spinach I would say.
Yes, I've got a succession of beans sowed. May even plant another row in a week or so. They're so good when small you need a load!
Thanks for your kind comment about the photos.


text:
Patent Registration in Nepal
1.	LEGAL FRAMEWORK
The law governing Patent Registration in Nepal is the Patent, Design and Trademark Act 2022 (1965) ("PDTA"). The Department of Industry ("DOI") under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies registers and administers patent in Nepal.
Furthermore, Nepal has ratified the Paris Convention for the Protection of the Industrial Properties 1886 ("the Paris Convention") which makes it possible to file a patent application claiming convention priority in Nepal with a certified copy of the convention application.
This article outlines the current patent law framework in Nepal.
2.	REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING PATENT APPLICATION
Section 2(a) of the PDTA defines Patent as, "any useful invention relating to a new method of process or manufacture, operation or transmission of any material or combination of materials, or that made on the basis of a new theory or formula." Any person willing to obtain right over patent has to submit an application at the DOI. Such person can be either an inventor or anyone who desires to use the patent rights in the name of inventors by transferring ownership.
Section 4 of the PDTA requires an applicant to submit following particulars along with the application:
a) Name, address and occupation of the person inventing the patent;
b) If the applicant is not the investors, how and in what manner he/she acquired title from the inventor;
c) Process of manufacturing, operating or using the patent;
d) Theory or formula on which the patent is based; and
e) Map and drawings along with particulars of the patent.
3.	DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED FOR REGISTRATION
The following documents need to be submitted at the DOI for patent registration:
a) Application form;
b) Power of attorney;
c) Notarized copy of complete specification including claims;
d) Notarized/certified copy of filing receipt or application in English language in case of Priority Claim; and
e) Notarized/certified copy of home registration certificate of patent in English Language.
4.	NON-PATENTABLE INVENTIONS
The DOI under Section 6 of the PDTA can reject the patent registration application on any of the following grounds:
a) If the patent is already registered in the name of any other person;
b) If the applicant is neither the inventor and nor has acquired rights over the patent from the original inventor;
c) If the patent is likely to cause adverse effect on the public health, conduct or morality or the national interest; and
d) If the registration of patent contradicts with the prevailing laws of Nepal.
However, DOI has to provide the patentee reasonable opportunity to showcase that the patent should be registered, before rejecting the registration application of any patent.
5.	PATENT INVESTIGATION
Upon submission of the patent application, the DOI conducts investigation to ascertain:
Whether the patent invention is new or not;
Whether it is in the interest of general public; and
Whether it follows the principle of novelty, industrial applicability and inventive step under Nepal's patent law.
Based on the aforementioned requirements, the DOI decides whether or not to register such patent. Upon its decision to register the patent application, the DOI issues a registration certificate for which registration fees must first be obtained from the applicant.
6.	PUBLICATION OF REGISTERED PATENT
The DOI publishes all the registered patents in Nepal Gazette, except for those which are mandated be kept secret for national interest. Upon publication, anyone can receive or see the copy of such publication after paying fees to the DOI.
Pursuant to Section 21(A) of the PDTA, in case of objection to the particulars published, one may file a complaint within 35 (thirty five) days from the date of receiving such copy of patent to which the DOI is required to take necessary actions after conducting reasonable inquiries.
7.	VALIDITY OF PATENT
Pursuant to Section 8, a registered patent remains valid for a period of 7 (seven) years from the date of registration. Upon expiry, the expired patent can be renewed within 35 (thirty five) days of expiration. Patent cannot be renewed more than twice for seven years at a time.
8.	GOVERNMENT FEE
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and shall not be construed as legal advice, advertisement, personal communication, solicitation or inducement of any sort from the firm or any of its members. The firm shall not be liable for consequences arising out of any action undertaken by any person relying on the information provided herein.
DEEPESH OJHA
SURENDRA TIWARI
NABIN BHANDARI
AANCHAL LOHANI
TRAINEE ASSOCIATE
Phone: +977 9808811027, +977 9849093540
Email: info@lawimperial.com
Location: 4th Floor, Gravity Center (Big Mart Complex), Anamnagar-29, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal
Sunday- Friday
Twitter Facebook Linkedin Skype Youtube


As part of the firm's 2018 National Professional Liability Webinar Series, Gordon & Rees will hold a webinar titled "The Attorney-Client Privilege in the Corporate Setting: Potential Pitfalls When Speaking with a Client's Employees, Former Employees, Etc.," on May 16 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. PST.
For the May webinar, attorneys from Gordon & Rees's Professional Liability Defense Practice Group will discuss the potential pitfalls when speaking with a client's employees, former employees, etc. Gordon & Rees partner Lance Ream and associate Greg Hearing will also provide practice pointers to help attendees in avoiding common claims. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.
To register for the May 16 webinar or for more information about Gordon & Rees's 2018 National Professional Liability Webinar Series, click here. Webinars are archived online at http://profliability.gordonreeswebinars.com/archive/.


33 America's Cup. Inauguration act.
With good public attendance and located at the foot of the Veles e Vents building has been made the presentation of the event. Among his acts the launch of the coin to decide the distribution of equipment in the starting line of the first race.
In the image we have combined three times of the act, the initial show of batucada, the Oracle team, and finally the presentation of the Cup itself and the defending team Alinghi.


Hair Color Booth Free app for ios Review amp Download IPA file.
Hair Color Booth Free App voor iPhone iPad en iPod touch AppWereld.
Hair Color Booth Free on the App Store.
Hair Color 11 apk androidappsapk.
3 fun apps to experiment with your hair colour Hair Romance.
Hair Color Android Apps on Google Play.
5 Beauty Apps to Make Your Life Easier Arbor Salon and Spa.
Beautify PlusHair Color ChangerampBlemish Remover on the App Store.
Hair Color Booth Salon HD Free AppApp.
New Hair Color Hair Color Booth Online Hair Color Booth Online Hair Color.
Hair Color Changer Apps Hair Color Trends.
8 Free Hair amp Beauty Apps For Women Of Color.
Stylist lets you try out new hair styles on your Windows Phone MSPoweruser.
Hair Color Studio Aplicaciones Android en Google Play.
Hairstyle PRO for Windows 8 and 81.


BOSTON – Social-emotional learning (SEL) has been billed as a transformational tool that will propel students to greater academic achievement and personal fulfillment. Unfortunately, as a new Pioneer Institute study makes clear, the research evidence to back up these claims is thin and unpersuasive. Moreover, the risks SEL poses to student privacy and health are significant.
Nationally, in 2018, federal, state, and local governments invested more than $30 billion annually to implement SEL in K-12 public schools. The level of expenditure is surprising considering tight public school budgets and the lack of any reliable, objective, researched-based method to measure or assess a student's personality, values, and mindsets as SEL proponents admit.
Researcher and standards analyst Robbins and Dr. Effrem, a pediatric medical doctor, call for ending taxpayer-funded implementation and expansion of SEL assessments, standards, and other programs in public schools.
The paper also features a foreword by Dr. Kevin Ryan, founder and director emeritus of the Center for Character and Social Responsibility, formerly known as the Center for Advancement of Ethics and Character, at the Boston University School of Education.
In place of SEL, the co-authors urge educators to refocus on a key lever that led to Massachusetts' rise to the highest-performing K-12 state in the nation — genuine academic achievement through state and locally developed standards, assessments, and curricula — rather than classroom content of dubious academic value based on pop psychology.
Karen Effrem, M.D. is president of Education Liberty Watch and executive director of the Florida Stop Common Core Coalition. She also serves as national education issues chairman for Eagle Forum and on the board of the Alliance for Human Research Protection. Dr. Effrem's undergraduate degree is in pharmacy from Purdue University, her medical degree is from Johns Hopkins University, and her pediatric training is from the University of Minnesota. She has provided testimony and analysis on children's education and health issues for Congress, numerous state legislatures, and for a federal lawsuit regarding unconsented mental screening. She has been interviewed by many local and national media outlets. Her writing on these topics has appeared in The Federalist, Townhall.com, The American Spectator, and Truth in American Education, among others.
Jane Robbins, J.D. is an attorney and independent researcher. She has written extensively about the deficiencies of progressive education and the Common Core, and about threats to student and family privacy posed by government policies such as training students with technology. She has testified about these issues before the legislatures of 12 states and the U.S. Congress. Jane earned an undergraduate degree from Clemson University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Kevin Ryan, Ph.D. is an emeritus professor of education at Boston University. He is the founder and director emeritus of the Center for Character and Social Responsibility. He is a former high-school English teacher and taught on the faculties of Stanford University, the University of Chicago, Harvard University, Ohio State University, and the University of Lisbon. Dr. Ryan was appointed to the Pontifical Academy for the Social Sciences by Pope John Paul II in 2003. He has authored and edited 22 books, primarily on moral education and the education of teachers, and written over 100 articles.
This is silly, you can't make up for emotional and mental damage during the formative years through a class at school. If educational advocates really want the brain to wire properly in order to control emotions and have good social skills, they'd promote things like nannies and family leave and nursing and play/art-friendly elementary and strong marriages over daycare and preschool and technology and loose moral standards and divorce.
Good article! The part that says "to consider social-emotional learning as well as any other subject area, like information and lessons that deserve explicit, planned learning," is crucial. This is very important in the sense that a lot of research has focused on what lessons, actions and group interactions give the best results. I wonder if are there any other ways that schools use to solve social emotional problems?


text:
Review of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, by John Perkins
Conspiracy arguments are always suspect, since they typically have plausibility but no compelling proof.
H. William Batt, Ph.D.
#corruption
#capitalism
#georgism
#henrygeorge
#corporations
#johnperkins
#economichitman
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
Conspiracy arguments are always suspect, since they typically have plausibility but no compelling proof. So it is particularly disturbing to read a first-hand account of one man's experience and learn that what one strongly suspected is verifiably true. John Perkins' account of his decade-long involvement in compromising and corrupting the governments of LDCs (less-developed countries), and with the tacit sanction of the US government, is compelling in its narrative and believable in its content.
But if it is not a conspiracy, it certainly is close. "Some," he writes, "would blame our current problems on an organized conspiracy. I wish it were so simple. Members of a conspiracy can be rooted out and brought to justice. This system, however, is fueled by something far more dangerous than a conspiracy. It is driven not by a small band of men but by a concept that has become accepted as gospel: the idea that all economic growth benefits humankind and that the greater the growth, the more widespread the benefits. This belief also has a corollary: that those people who excel at stoking the fires of economic growth should be exalted and rewarded, while those born at the fringes are available for exploitation."
From 1971 to 1981 Perkins was retained by a private corporation—MAIN, by name—that worked hand-in-hand with US government agencies to seduce poor nations into accepting contracts to develop electrification programs, hydro-electric and irrigation dams, transportation infrastructure and other expensive projects. To pay for the giant American contracting companies' work entailed making wildly optimistic projections of return on investment that put these nations in hopeless debt to the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and other international development agencies. However closely these private corporations worked with the US National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Agency for International Development, and however outrageous their behavior, their activities were always beyond public disclosure. Perkins knew full well that his payback projections of 15 and 20 percent per annum to GNP were fanciful at best, but his counterparts in host countries such as Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Panama, and Iran lacked the expertise to fairly judge them. So it was that MAIN was able to procure contracts for companies like Bechtel, Brown and Root, and Halliburton among others, financed by US-controlled lending institutions—hugely lucrative arrangements that would keep these nations forever in debt and beholden to the US.
Often it is assumed that the failure to reap the successes from international construction projects has been due to naive optimism, or that intervening circumstances can be blamed which could not have been foretold. But Perkins makes perfectly clear that MAIN, the international financial community, and the US government knew perfectly well the game being played. There was a conscious strategy to mortgage such nations' economic dependency to US policy and corporate business interests in a way that they would be hamstrung ever to raise significant challenges. The word used to describe these practices throughout the book is corporatocracy. For those who have witnessed the evolution of LDC economies over the past two generations, its successes have been overwhelming.
Whereas earlier forms of empire relied upon military power to maintain their hegemony, today the dominant tool of US government leaders is financial leverage, especially but not only in Republican administrations that have collaborated with such corporations. Both Bush administrations as well as that of Reagan had close links with the major corporate players—Caspar Weinberger, George Schultz, Dick Cheney, and of course the Bushes themselves—have been major players in enterprises worldwide. Perkins makes clear that when economic pressures fail, our government agencies are not beyond recourse to assassinations to rid non-cooperating national leaders in favor of more pliant ones. So it was that Omar Torrijos from Panama and Jaime Roldos from Ecuador met their deaths in untimely plane crashes after they refused to accede to US demands. And when even this proves unfeasible, the US has resorts to the near-obsolete practices of staged uprisings patterned after the now acknowledged overthrow of Iran's Mossadegh or the more recent deposition of Iraq's Saddam.
Perkins concedes that he was compensated well - in money, travel, sex, and leisure—to be so willing an instrument of these larger purposes. But once he fully realized the business that he'd gotten himself into, his conscience nagged at him, a vestige perhaps of his days in the late sixties when a mentor, anticipating his later service in such a capacity, encouraged him first to join the Peace Corps and go to Ecuador. His life since has been an effort to atone for his earlier complicity, this book being one such effort. He adds early on that his childhood upbringing of sturdy New England stock gave him heroes like Tom Paine whose first concerns were economic justice. They haven't left him.
Despite his discomfort with his past role and with the arrangements of the world financial system as it applies to LDCs, he fails as yet to understand the flaws in the economic and political systems that have allowed such exploitation. He sees that something is wrong with contemporary economics, as witnessed, for example, by the following passage:
"We prefer to believe the myth that thousands of years of human social evolution has finally perfected the ideal economic system, rather than face the fact we have merely bought into a false concept and accepted it as gospel." (p. 216) He compares the classic British empire's mercantile arrangements and the contemporary corporatocracy. each is based on "a lie ... where the truth is that the system enrich[es] only a few at the expense of the many." (p. 218) That's not the worst of it:
"[M]y college professors had not understood the true nature of macroeconomics: that in many cases helping an economy grow only makes those few people who sit atop the pyramid even richer, while it does nothing for those at the bottom except to push them even lower. Indeed, promoting capitalism often results in a system that resembles medieval feudal societies. If any of my professors knew this, they had not admitted it - probably because big corporations, and the men who run them, fund colleges. Exposing the truth would undoubtedly cost those professors their jobs." (p. 26)
Would that he really knew! If he reads Mason Gaffney's book, The Corruption of Economics, he will understand better how the discipline of economics was deliberately altered a century ago to serve those same corporate interests. Then he will learn the full nature of the conspiracy. Those earlier professors did succumb, and replaced classical economics with what we now know as neoclassical economics. Perkins' laments the resource exploitation of his old Peace Corps country, Ecuador, but may not realize that justification for that behavior derives precisely from the economics championed by its most pre-eminent contemporary economist, Hernando deSoto, especially in his book, The Mystery of Capital. DeSoto is now the foremost accomplice and apologist for the use of land titles to leverage natural capital, resources which from time immemorial have been the birthright of all humanity, not the license of a few. Tom Paine, writing in Agrarian Justice, understood this well.
By reading Henry George's Progress and Poverty as well as the growing body of current literature in this tradition, and by then understanding classical concepts like freehold titles and economic rent, Perkins would be in a better position to appreciate how corporate and financial interests exert their control both conceptually and practically. As it stands, he never quite decides whether the problem arises from a faulty belief system or from the instrumental power of institutions. He doesn't really know where to point his finger. Consequently, his plea for greater economic justice and his wistful call for American citizens to reflect on their political and consumer choices is too fuzzy, and lacking any sounder programmatic direction. Still, the book serves an important purpose: it documents how control of democratic government has shifted from the electorate to the corporatocracy. My sympathies are with him; I, too, six years earlier, was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand. But for chance fortune, I too might have followed such a path.
© Text Copyright H. William Batt, Ph.D. rights reserved.
H. WILLIAM BATT, Ph.D. is Executive Director of the Central Research Group, Inc. in Albany, NY. He was a university professor until 1981 and served on the New York State Legislative Tax Study Commission until 1992. After taking early retirement that year, he committed his life to economic justice. He now dedicates his time to research, publication, and advocacy with special focus on the utility of land value maps, property tax affairs in New York, and other varied matters. From 1962 to 1965 he served as one of the earliest Peace Corps Volunteers in Thailand. He has served on the Boards of the Schalkenbach Foundation, the Center for the Study of Economics, the Henry George School of New York, the International Union for Land-Value Taxation, and the committee for the annual CGO conference. He resides in Albany.


This soft Rainbow print infinity scarf is the perfect accessory for any outfit. Perfect for a PTA meeting or a night out with friends. Made with a soft chiffon material and sewn together at the ends to create that beautiful infinity effect. Care - please hand wash then lay flat to air dry.


You all know my love for small businesses that make sweet, pretty little things so when I received a custom bracelet stack from The Stacked Collection, I was over the moon! My custom stack had a B for Brexton, an 18 and the cross! It was so perfect and beautifully made with real Swarovski crystals and a pyrite cross! Not only are these collections stunning but the ladies behind the brand are beyond sweet with huge hearts! They are happy to make whatever custom design their clients want and they also give back! One of the gals has a brother who is a disabled veteran so they give a portion of their sales to a charity for this cause. They also have a stack collection with a military spent 5.56 bullet that is cut down into a bead by disabled veterans.
So many of you LOVED my custom Stacked Collection bracelets when I posted a picture to Instagram that we wanted you all to create your own custom stacks for 30% off the regular retail price with code 'Samantha Busch 30'! Tag us both in pictures with your creations…we can't wait to see them!
Oh! If you would like a chance to win your own custom 18 stack, head over to Instagram! Here's what you have to do: 1. Follow me (@samanthabusch) and @stackedcollection 2. Repost the picture of the custom 18 stack with #getstacked. That's it! One random winner will be chosen on Monday!


Southern California Punk Legends TSOL are set to release their new record "Live at The Observatory" on Limited Edition Vinyl via Hardline Entertainment.
Recorded live at The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA Jan, 5th 2018 by Cameron Webb (Motorhead, Pennywise, Social Distortion), "Live at The Observatory" features all tracks from the bands 1981 Self Titled EP and "Dance With Me" releases.
The recordings will be available and limited to 100 units each of Green and Pink both signed and numbered and will include a digital download card.
TSOL "Live at The Observatory" set to release June 2018 via Hardline Entertainment.


We were asked to name a festival. Well, ish.
Because this festival, to borrow the signature sales patter of a well-known British supermarket, is not just any festival. It's more private. Sophisticated. An exclusive affair.
A medley of elegant accommodation, cultural titillation and Michelin-starred dégustation, hosted for three days in one of the UK's most private private houses: the Althorp Estate.
The name had to be elegant and understated. Appeal to different generations. And travel well – Althorp one year, France the next.
So we found one that did. Then we rounded it off with a tagline that puts it all in context. Introducing: Residence – a festival, refined.


The Emerald Dove: I Opened An Online Shop!
I Opened An Online Shop!
Opening an online shop has been something I have wanted to do for a while now and I am happy that I have finally got around to it.
I am selling on Etsy and I am specialising in selling antiques but I think I'll end up just selling a real mixture of everything that I think is nice so you'll never know what you could find there.
Although I have only listed four items so far, I am going out today to get more stock and hopefully my shop will soon be very well stocked.
In all honesty, my ideal world would be if I could be a blogger and an antique dealer and just make enough to live off of from the two of those. I have always had a passion for writing and for antiques and, I think, that's really all we want - to do something we are passionate about.
I thought I would show you what I have listed over on my shop as I think the items that I found to sell are really quite interesting.
Admittedly, this calendar has been sitting around in my room for quite some time now. I was immediately drawn to the picture as I think it is really beautiful and I like the border around the picture especially. Also I found it interesting that the pages of the calendar are still intact.
When I saw these boxes, I thought they were so unusual as I hadn't seen any similar before. They are kinda Russian doll style in that they pack into each other and I think they would look so pretty filled with little trinkets and jewellery.
When I saw this item, I knew that I had to have it. I think that the rose shape is absolutely beautiful and it is lined with navy blue velvet. I really like how decorative and pretty this piece is.
I found this in a shop adjoined to a reclamation yard. The shop was a real treasure trove but it was also in quite a mess so getting to the good items proved to be quite a challenge.
I was drawn to this as they had a shelf full of them and they reminded me of the wand shop in Harry Potter. Unfortunately, the others weren't in great condition so I just went with this one as it was in the best condition of the lot.
From what I have been told, these piano rolls were put into hand operated pianos and the pianos then played the music by the markings on the sheet.
This one is from 1891 and, in all honesty, I am always shocked when something made from something as breakable as paper lasts so long.
You have picked up some really interesting bits! I love a big of Etsy though - I'm obsessed!
That Rose ring box is to die for! Do you ship internationally?
Congrats on opening a Etsy shop! You have some really interesting items.
I love selling on Etsy! I LOVE THOSE BOXES! I may need those.... Love your blog! Good luck with your shop!
Fab items, it must be difficult to part with them!
Look e imagens maravilhosa amei tenha uma semana abençoada.
this are such beautiful pieces. Congrats on opening the shop.
Congrats on opening your Etsy shop! That said, I think it is okay to start small. Online selling is going to be a process, anyway; it is not something where everything is done as soon as you put out all your stuff there. You have to build up your audience first, and get potential clients from there. But it seems that you're already on your way to doing just that. Cheers!
Yes, it's cool to be a blogger and an antique dealer at the same time. You're like an adventurer, who gets to write the accounts of your exploits and your discoveries, and sell some of them along the way. The best part is you get to immediately share this with different people through your online shops and blog. In a way, they get to be a part of that adventure, too. I do hope that you get to live off it someday, and get enough buyers to fund that aspiration.


This is the last of the home tour. I'll probably show before/after pictures as we do some updating on the house. Right now we don't have any work planned, but we know what our projects are for the future.
As you can see, I only did one and a half walls with the dots. I didn't want the whole room to be so busy.
This is the laundry room. It's directly across from Chloe's room. I'll eventually paint and put some organizational shelving and such in here.
We are having baby G2 in June of 2013. We are about 14 weeks right now...starting the second trimester.
Chloe turns 3 in May and this baby will make his/her appearance shortly after her celebration. We are so excited!
Chloe is very adamant that she wants a brother. Mark is sure it's another girl. I have no idea nor do I care. I really don't. I would love to have son and think I would be sad to never have a boy. But, Chloe's so much fun that another girl would be a wonderful addition...plus I have a lot of girl clothes. We'll know more in January!
This is probably my favorite part of our home. After living in a box for the last five years (don't get me wrong...our first home was great), this open floor plan is just what we needed. I love that I can be in the kitchen and still be a part of the family room activities.
This part of our house is hidden in the back after you walk through the formal area. In our other house, you walked in the front door and were immediately standing in our family room. It can be a little awkward when you don't really know the person ringing the doorbell.
The only two drawbacks to an open kitchen?
1. The dishwasher is loud. If you want to talk, you have to wait until bedtime to run it.
2. The kitchen must be kept clean at all times...everybody can see the mess when your kitchen isn't hidden behind a wall.
I'm not complaining about either drawback. It doesn't bother me at all. I'm just pointing out the cons.
Below is the kitchen. When we moved in the entire house was white. I don't mean a shade of white. I mean the base color white that they use to mix another color...as white as white can get. Blinding white. So we toned everything down by painting the walls a sandy beige and the kitchen 'Chocolate Milk.' We also had the counter tops replaced. They were white Formica...we had that in the other house and so we decided we wanted to upgrade to quartz.
The view from the family room.
View from the hallway entrance. The door you see in the picture leads to the master suite.
Just another angle of the hallway entrance. I know there are a ridiculous amount of pictures of the kitchen...it's my favorite part of this house.
View of the family room fireplace.
This is the breakfast nook. It's huge for a 'nook' so now you see why we really have no use for the formal dining area. Don't mind the ugly linoleum. I'll put tile in someday, but I've discovered that linoleum is really easy to clean which comes in very handy with a messy toddler and mealtime.
View of the hallway that leads to the spare bedrooms and laundry room...which is next up on the home tour.
This is long overdue. But, I'm happy to start the tour of our new home. Below is our formal living/dining combo room. You can see the tree set up in the front window. When you turn to your right as you come in the front door, there is a double door to our office (pictures included in post).
These are the double doors to the right of the front door that lead to our office area/man cave.
Office. Mark picked the desk off Craigslist. I painted the room Antique Pewter. I just love the color!
Please excuse the lack of curtains. When we moved in there were no mini blinds, so we spend quite a bit putting those up for privacy. Someday I'll get around to putting up curtains and window toppers to add warmth and personality. I honestly don't have a sense of urgency about it. We plan to be in the house for a very long time.
That's all for now. I'll show our living room, kitchen and breakfast nooks next. I just need to do a little de-cluttering and that's difficult while Chloe is awake.


To help strengthen your hand and grip there are several exercises you can do at home.
Press – You need to maintain the strength of each finger. Activities such as holding or picking up small or large objects require finger strength. You can strengthen your fingers by pressing your thumb to each fingertip for approximately five seconds each. You can do this one or two times a day.
Squeeze – You need to maintain the strength of your fingers so you can grip objects. This helps you open jars, hold cups and open car doors. You can strengthen your grip by getting a ball (such as a tennis ball) that fits in the palm of your hand. Squeeze the ball 10 times about three to five seconds each. This can be repeated two to three times a day.
Stretch – Put your hand (palm down) on a flat surface. Slowly straighten your fingers so they are flat against the surface. Hold this for 30 to 60 seconds and then release. You can repeat this several times with each hand.
If you have a hand injury or pain, call and book your appointment with one of our licensed hand therapists today at Sovereign Rehabilitation.


png is a legit thing i guess i forgot to add it to git, as for the content thing read the thread.
good observation, i actaully posted the tables of an old outdated db.
nevertheless i altered a table in the right database (i double checked) my issues still haven't resolved.
haven't turned this on yet and am curious as to how folks using it find it works.
pcause wrote: haven't turned this on yet and am curious as to how folks using it find it works.
Seems to work well for me, but training is a little slow on my PPC Mac Mini server. YMMV.
Score lots of articles before expecting magic to happen.
Turn off "Group Headlines in virtual feeds"
Enjoy "Fresh Articles" showing those articles which ought to most closely match those that you've liked at the top of the list.
Another nice touch would be adding the like/dislike buttons to the Android app so you can score on the road (or on the toilet).
Anyway, seems to be doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing.
Fox, I'd think that when I mark an article as publish or star it should be equivalent to clocking the thumbs up on the article. After all, if you are sharing or starring you must think the article is important in some way. Can the plugin add the capability to mark an article good if either of those actions happens?
I enabled the classifier and things seemed fine. Was going through feeds and marking things up/down for about 20+ minutes. I then got a message that my updater was not updating / taking too long in the browser. Killed the updater script and restarted but no difference. Started again, with logging and it seemed that the script would get to a feed and seem to stop updating. Killed again, did a force update and restarted. Got the the second feed and seemed to hang. Ran the top command on my linux box and postgresql is using 50% CPU. Killed update script, disabled the classifier and started update again and behavior is back to normal. I have all tt-rss updates from git as of yesterday. Postgresql is 9.3. Sorry I can't provide more information but nothing in any other log files.
bayes stuff is rather slow (especially in the php + rdbms combination i imagine) so your server might not be up to task here.
there's a supposedly faster implementation which uses redis key/value store someone might adapt it instead.
Thanks for the information Fox. Guess I'll have to skip using this on my system.


text:
Play The Catalan - Complete Repertoire for White - Part 3
GM Mihail Marin Thursday 22 February 2018
The current database completes GM Mihail Marins' Catalan project. This time, he focuses on Black's attempts to avoid the Catalan. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3, the author deals with two highly popular moves - 3...Bb4+ and 3...c5. True to his approach, in this database, Marin advocates positionally sound but not necessarily fashionable lines. That makes the suggested repertoire valuable from a practical point of view. By following Marin's recommendations, we have good chances to surprise our opponents.
GM Mihail Marin Tuesday 13 February 2018
GM Mihail Marin continues with the examination of the theoretical subtleties of the Catalan. The current database contains 1 article about the typical Catalan Endgame, 12 theoretical chapters, and 20 Test positions. After reading the current database, the reader will learn how to deal with Black's absolute main line against the Catalan. The author provides a number of important novelties.
GM Mihail Marin Friday 2 February 2018
The theoretical importance of the Catalan is obvious to anyone who is following the recent theoretical developments. Nowadays, you will hardly find a top player who does not have the Catalan in his repertoire. Being always on the top of the wave, Modern Chess team decided to start a project concerning this fashionable opening. GM Mihail Marin is the perfect author when it comes to a positional opening like the Catalan. Moreover, it is important to point out that Marin is playing this opening for almost 30 years.
Practical Repertoire Against Pirc and Modern Defence
IM Renato Quintillano Sunday 28 January 2018
In his first database for Modern Chess, Brazilian IM Renato Quintillano is analyzing two of the most aggressive Black's choices against 1.e4 - The Pirc Defence and The Modern Defence. The author provides us with quite an interesting repertoire, not only rich in ideas, but also in new concepts of play in these setups. In the database, you can find some very sharp lines and a lot of endgame positions, which the author analyzed in depth.
Reversed Sicilian - Avrukh's Antidote to 1.c4 (Part 2)
GM Boris Avrukh Wednesday 10 January 2018
In the second part of his repertoire against 1.c4, GM Boris Avrukh deals with the systems based on 2.g3 and 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Against these two move orders, we cannot reach the Reversed Dragon with Bc5 which was discussed in Part 1. Of course, you can still play Reversed Dragon by employing the main line with Nb6. Nevertheless, Boris doesn't like the fact that White has too many possible options. As always, Avrukh chooses a very aggressive repertoire. Systems after 1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6 and 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.g3 Bb4 are positionally unbalanced and very complex. Avrukh did a fantastic job by providing the readers with a variety of novelties and sometimes even with new concepts of play.
GM Boris Avrukh Tuesday 5 December 2017
Every chess player has faced the dilemma of how to meet the English opening. 1.c4 is objectively a weaker move than 1.e4 or 1.d4, but it is by far the trickiest option for White on move 1. With so many transpositions, different setups and move orders, White has plenty of options to turn the game into the desired setup. That's why we are pleased to announce this database in which one of the top theoreticians in the world – GM Boris Avrukh, provides you with a complete, aggressive repertoire against 1.c4. Black has many choices after 1.c4, but the Reversed Sicilian (1…e5) is by far the most principled move. Hence it is no surprise that GM Avrukh decided to base his repertoire on it.
Positional Gruenfeld Repertoire - Part 3
GM Mihail Marin Tuesday 27 June 2017
The third and final part of GM Mihail Marin's "Positional Gruenfeld Repertoire" is here! The trilogy is completed with an examination of popular systems that involve developing the white bishop to g5 and f4, as well as the Fianchetto system (with g3). In the final chapters, GM Marin also covers less popular alternatives, such as the interesting 3.f3!?, as well as various 4th and 6th move alternatives for white. His theoretical recommendations, as usual, have the benefit of being fundamentally strategically sound, while somewhat less explored. This is a good combination in today's computer-driven chess era, especially for those who want to avoid long and sharp theoretical battles.
The Sicilian Kan - Repertoire for Black
IM Renier Castellanos Thursday 24 August 2017
The Paulsen Sicilian, also known as Kan variation is one of the most practical options for Black against 1.e4. A perfect mix between the Scheveningen – Taimanov – Hedgehog schemes that allows you to play a fighting game without many forced lines. Many strong grandmasters have employed it regularly and achieved great success with it, Lajos Portisch, Ilya Smirin, Vadim Milov just to name a few. Not just that, champions like Carlsen and Kramnik have played it successfully as well. The main incentive to play the Sicilian Kan is to take your opponents into a battle where talent and creativity overweight memory.
GM Mihail Marin Tuesday 25 April 2017 Updated
In this survey, GM Marin deals with some of the most critical White's responses to the Grunfeld Defence such as the classical main line in the Exchange System and the so-called Russian System. True to his creative approach to the opening, in a number of well-known theoretical lines, the author suggests original continuations which are not extensively tested in practice. Of course, every suggestion is based on solid positional grounds.
GM Mihail Marin Tuesday 21 March 2017
Nowadays, Gruenfeld Defence is one of the most topical and complicated openings. Practically, every top-player has the Gruenfeld in his opening repertoire. Still, the complexity and the enormous amount of theory make a number of players reluctant to play this opening. This is the reason why we decided to start another ambitious project - complete Gruenfeld repertoire in three parts prepared by GM Mihail Marin. Being aware of the fact that it is difficult to study a new opening without knowing the typical middlegame positions which could be reached, we have decided that this database should start with some pawn structures that every Gruenfeld player should know. The coverage of the structures is based on 4 articles that GM Marin wrote for Modern Chess Magazine. After studying the arising positions from a structural point of view, the reader will better understand the theoretical part of the database.


Low-income residents of Canada face a significant double standard when it comes to accessing banking services despite urgently wanting them.
Canada's postal system is under review, and creating a postal banking system is a major talking point. rabble labour reporter Teuila Fuatai looks at how postal banking has worked out in New Zealand.
Where do bond rating agencies get the nerve? They loom over economic policy like divine oracles, telling lenders how safe to feel when making loans and what interest rates to charge governments.
Instead of opting for an idea which promised to increase competition in the banking sector and produce higher profits for Canada Post, the Harper government settled for a "lose-lose" strategy.
Earlier this year, we learned that Canada was considering policy changes, pushed by EU negotiators in ongoing trade and investment talks, that would weaken financial and banking rules.
Canada's superiority complex: Are our banks really better?
The self-congratulatory myth of Canadian exceptionalism is an act of willful denial. All that bragging about our banking sector's resilience is no guarantee about the future.
The Barclays scandal is not a conspiracy made by radical anti-capitalists determined to destroy the world. It is a sad story, revealing symptoms of a chronic disease.
As Spain's prime minister announced deep austerity cuts Wednesday in order to secure funds from the European Union to bail out Spain's failing banks, the people have taken to the streets once again.
Those who believe the financial meltdown was a one-off fluke and that lessons have been learned to prevent a re-occurrence, need to think again. Derivatives operations bedevil the world economy today.


You want to inpire and mobilize your employees or communicate with your clients?
Book NOW to see how I can help you!
In fact, the human being is at the heart of my life purpose.
Being an "ex-Performance Machine" allowed me to travel the world professionally and opened up my horizons, I now create experiences aiming at the evolution of human consciousness in life or at work. For me, the key to the "machine-to-human" transformation is self-consciousness.
Life, our inner world, our exchanges with different people personally, professionally and culturally are my sources of inspiration.
If somebody asks me : What motivates you Stephanie?
Self-awareness leads to living in authenticity, health and sharing our talents and passion and it also sallows us to adapt to any environment, any situation and enables us to realize our wildest dreams. My mission is to be a positive catalyst in the life and workplace of people.
A favorable environment for awareness in order to regain our bearings, activate the coherence and the inner power in our professional and personal life!
Author and international Speaker in human transformation and change management.
I'm a member of the AICPF and show a solid track record of more than 20 years in business transformation coaching and training of leaders and project teams, from SMEs to multinationals!
I confess, I have an unconventional profile that reflects rigor, creativity and adaptability to all corporate, technological, human and cultural contexts.
Conferences, seminars, workshops and inspiration books, by all means I share my discoveries & knowledge in North America, Europe, Africa and North Africa.
CLICK on the image to receive a SYNOPSIS by email!


text:
I took my girls to see the movie ParaNorman last weekend. I hated it in just about every way it is possible to hate a movie.
[SPOILERS FOLLOW.]
Norman Babcock, the protagonist, lives in a small town with a Puritan ancestory, and a curent population of the most unsympathetic prolish characters imaginable. Incredibly, the town proudly embraces its history of having burned a witch some 300 years earlier, even going so far as to represent it in an annual school play. The witch's specific crime in life turns out to be talking with the dead, but upon her conviction she cursed the town, promising to zombiefy her accusers at some future opportunity. Borrowing from The Sixth Sense, Norman, the protagonist, has atavistically inherited the ability of talking with ghosts, of which there are a fair number. Shunned as a weirdo by everyone, Normal eventually saves the town from the zombies and the witch's shost.
The town isn't actually Salem, MA, so the writers could construct a tendentious history of the witch trials in which the witches were just misunderstood little girls who needed someone to love them. In reality (as I understand it), the Salem witches were accused of specific crimes like making other people sick, or crazy, or having their crops or livestock die. Now, I believe these trials were a travesty -- because I don't believe in witchcraft. But the Puritan judges did believe in witchcraft, which makes them superstitious and ignorant, but not, I think, evil, given that if someone actually did the things the witches were accused of, they would in fact be guilty of a capital crime in the context of a subsistence agricultural society. But in the movie's telling, the town is guilty of an offense against multicultural diversity. The witches were real, but the town was afraid of what it didn't understand.
The town's Puritan heritage is retailed by the school's obnoxious drama director as she hector's her charges to put more oompf in their performances. So Puritanism itself, rather than Salem's dysfunctional political and social life, takes the full blame for the victim's death.
The obvious anti-Puritan propaganda isn't my only objection. The movie was made using CGI, but it's style evokes the Claymation technology of a half century ago, to little artistic merit. The movie also has extraordinarily intense scenes, some more appropriate to an adult horror film than a children's animation. (So far, my daughters have not admitted to any nightmares.)
To give credit where it is due, the pacing was kept taut. I didn't enjoy the film, but I was never bored. Several of the ancillary characters where laugh-out-loud funny; Norman's older sister, in particular, was the perfect sendup of a high school girl, with her petty status games, obnoxious irritation with her little brother, and unsuccessful attempts to flirt with his best friend's muscle-headed older brother. (It was all for naught; he reveals himself to be homosexual at the end of the movie. What a lovely thing to have to explain to your children.)
As I recall, the problem with the Salem witch trials, and witch trials in general, is not that the judge and prosecutor believed in witchcraft, but that witnesses presented false testimony.
There is still no safety against that today. Particularly in civil suits where the defendent has deep pockets.
Aug 20, 2012, 8:29:00 AM
Prof Hale: Exactly. As the Wikipedia article describes it, Salem Village was beset by feuding families apparently willing to make up this kind of thing. Additionally, as even Cotton Mather said at the time, the standards of evidence were inadequate.
But in the movie's telling, the Puritans merely "hated and feared what they didn't understand." Piffle.
Aug 20, 2012, 8:31:00 PM
because I don't believe in witchcraft.
Wut? You need to get out more.
Samson: Well, to be specific, I am skeptical in the extreme that "witches", shamans, or whatever, by means of incantations, potions, or states-of-mind, can produce their desired outcomes. Occassional appearances to the contrary are sleight of hand or coincidence. Our minds like being fooled.
Some more than others.
Dexter said...
"We don't exist" is just what witches and the Devil want you to think! =)
I am skeptical in the extreme that "witches", shamans, or whatever, by means of incantations, potions, or states-of-mind, can produce their desired outcomes.
Have you even met anyone who's really into this stuff? Some of these people are in actual contact with actual demons (which I *hope* you believe in...).
Dexter/Samson:
Look, I'm not here to judge anybody's personal experience. I tend to look benignly on, and try not to quibble with, anybody's testimony about being drawn closer to God and Christ via encounters with supernatural phenomena. I tend not to look benignly on mass hysteria, show trials, and grave miscarriages of justice.
So if you have a story to tell about how a demon scared you into getting right with Jesus, fine. But if your belief in demons causes you to swallow whole a child's story about how a daycare worker turned her into a mouse, well, then we've got a problem.
You asked me if I believe in demons. Since their existence is recorded in the Bible, yes. And I have heard the personal testimonies of missionaries who relate their encounters with demon possessed individuals. And I have walked the streets of Salvador, Bahia and seen what a culture organized around witchcraft looks like.
And my default reaction to any particular claim is still skepticism tinged with instrumentality.