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B&O BeoPlay H3 ANC review
These stylish noise-cancelling in-ears are impressive all-rounders Tested at £200
By What Hi-Fi? Posted 2016-07-19T09:41:10Z
Stylish and easy to listen to, but these buds need a bit more attack for the full five
Solid sounding with good bass weight
Detailed and insightful
Good fit
Needs more attack and excitement
Noise cancelling very subtle
Paying £200 for a pair of in-ear headphones is no small ask, but then B&O isn't exactly a company that concerns itself with budget.
In fact, amidst a range of £1,800 soundbars (BeoSound 35), £7,000 TVs (Beovision Avant 55) and £50,000 speakers (BeoLab 5), B&O has actually managed to make the Beoplay H3 ANC headphones look like a bit of a bargain.
Build and comfort
Like most B&O products, the Beoplay H3 earphones certainly don't scrimp in the design stakes. Each earbud features a brushed metal outer casing made from a single piece of aluminium, with 29 precision-drilled holes that B&O says work as air vents for a more natural sound reproduction.
The metallic construction makes them feel pretty sturdy too, but not heavy. In fact the B&O H3 earphones weigh just 40g and never feel cumbersome in your ears.
MORE: Best in-ear headphones 2016
They come with Comply memory foam tips already on – our pick for a really snug fit – but there are also four silicone tip options in the box, alongside a carry case, a micro USB charging cable and an airplane adapter.
The big difference between the B&O H3 ANC and the original B&O H3 earphones is the active noise cancellation, as made obvious by the circular control unit built into the cable. It's a pretty chunky unit, but because of its placement by the jack, can easily be tucked away in a bag or pocket along with your device.
MORE: What are Apple Lightning headphones?
Turned on and fully charged, the B&O H3 in-ear headphones will provide a quoted 20 hours of noise cancellation, but if you run out of juice mid-commute, the H3s can be used passively too.
The cable is a little thicker than the original H3s, but still features the same in-line controls for taking calls and adjusting the volume.
The noise cancellation is very subtle indeed, and it will dull the noise around you rather than block it out completely. That can help drown out the sound of public transport, but don't expect it to make much difference to office chatter.
MORE: B&O Play H3 review
Keeping noise-cancellation turned on, we put the B&O H3 ANC earphones through their paces with a blast of Dead Editors by Massive Attack.
It's a rich, full-bodied sound that works perfectly with this track, the pulsing bassline is packed with weight and authority that makes for a solid sound throughout the frequency range.
It's not overpowering though, and the H3s are actually pretty well balanced, serving up a good level of detail and insight into the midrange that ensures instruments sound natural and lifelike.
MORE: Best headphone deals: in-ear, over-ear, wireless and more
A listen to Lenny Kravitz's Frankenstein helps to emphasise the H3's good grip on timing and organisation too.
Ambitious harmonica and saxophone solos sit pretty over the top of the song's foot-tapping percussion track, and the H3s never miss a beat.
Lenny's passionate vocals could have a touch more expression to them though, and the drums could kick with more bite. In fact, the whole presentation could do with more punch and articulation – it's just a touch too easy-going for our taste.
With ANC turned on, there's more excitement from the presentation, thanks to a slightly boosted treble, but this does make for a less comfortable listen over long periods.
When your environment isn't noisy enough to really need the more upfront character, we'd keep it turned off.
MORE: Best noise-cancelling headphones 2016
While the B&O Beoplay H3 ANC in-ear headphones don't quite get the balance between excitement and easy listening right, they do a fine job at giving enough by way of detail, timing, weight and authority to make up for it.
We'd like a bit more attack to their character for the full five stars, but it's otherwise a commendable balance that works well across different tracks and genres, and makes these in-ears well worth considering.
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I just wanted to add. It has a new set of tires a new clutch, new brakes and wind shield wiper motor and the works it also has a new gas tank and no cracks in any of the glass and it has a double bunk with sink and fridge and loads of cubbard space. And no real rust to speak and was at the BUG Shop last and they suggested the price after seeing remember it is OBO.
Many have purchased mobile homes to use as temporary housing while building a house.


Since 2008 Mesotech offer exclusive formula for several indications with different meso-cocktail ready to use. Much more then 3.000.000 treatments around the world.
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We'd love your help. Let us know what's wrong with this preview of Life beyond Earth by Gerald Feinberg.
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This book provided a lot of interesting ideas about the possibilities for life in the universe. But I couldn't help but be reminded of a song parody about Star Trek featuring the voice of Spock saying "It's life, Jim, but not as we know it." Because this intellectual exploration primarily addresses the possible existence of life forms that are far removed from what we think of as life. Entities that exist on the surface of stars themselves, for example, composed of plasma, preserving and replica This book provided a lot of interesting ideas about the possibilities for life in the universe. But I couldn't help but be reminded of a song parody about Star Trek featuring the voice of Spock saying "It's life, Jim, but not as we know it." Because this intellectual exploration primarily addresses the possible existence of life forms that are far removed from what we think of as life. Entities that exist on the surface of stars themselves, for example, composed of plasma, preserving and replicating ordered patterns through magnetic interaction. Or maybe life exists within huge gas clouds, or deep in the cores of terrestrial planets like our own, under conditions of incredible pressure. Maybe.
All the speculation on alternative life forms is very interesting, but these weird gas beings are never going to come to Earth and ask us to take them to our leader. I can only hope that if those more traditional and familiar aliens do show up, that they address that request to someone with some sense, otherwise they'll end up sitting down with Glenn Beck. And then doubtless conclude that their own search for other intelligent life in the universe was an abysmal failure.
Even though some of the science in this book may be dated, the intellectual exercises here are still of great value. The wonderful variety of life possibilities are explored and the reader is forced to abandon preconceptions. Great read for the inquisitive mind.
This book is explains the possible variations of life on other planets, covering even more exotic forms such as lifeforms living in nebulas or stars. While its scientific explanations are simplistic, it was highly entertaining, informatative and inspiring for me as a child.


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Cycle of time intrudes on a life of motorcycling
The big red Harley-Davidson was Mike's pride and joy.
"Reality intrudes," a friend wrote me in an email the other day. That sounded ominous.
"Our very nice next-door neighbor Mike is a big, tough guy who does a lot of real work in retirement," my friend wrote.
"As you know, he's built furniture for us and lots of other neighbors. He just finished building a very nice stone wall in his garden. He makes daily trips to Lowes to buy lumber and whatever else he needs to keep up the pace.
"He built very impressive shelving, cabinets and a workbench in his garage to facilitate all this. He parks his truck outside to make room to work but he's always kept his big, red Harley under a cover in the middle of it all. He has been taking it out for rides at least once a week since we moved here. He has nowhere to go, of course, but he's been riding for many years and says he loves it.
"Then a month or so back, Mike fell off a ladder and hurt his right arm. Being a guy, he waited weeks to get the painful and swollen limb X-rayed. It turned out to be broken. This was a classic wake-up call.
"It got him thinking about age and healing. He realized that one tumble of the sort that he'd have bounced back from a few years ago could be life changing. He said he weighed the fun he still has on his bike against that as well as the reality that opportunities to ride will be fewer and farther between.
"So last week he sold his beloved Harley."
I replied that the motorcycle business is cyclical, as generations come and go. Baby Boomers like me fell in love with motorcycles in the 1960s, but we're aging out of riding. Will our generational cycle be the last go-around for motorcycles?
"It's the last go-'round for so much our generation thought would go on and on," my friend came back, somewhat grimly.
"We go, it all goes.
"Mike tells me he had been riding for 50 years. He is perfectly capable of continuing. I was impressed that he didn't wait until it became difficult. He just felt it was time."
Posted by David Blasco at August 14, 2020
ChennaiWrencher 8/15/2020
"Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you from misfortune." True then, true now. Better to pick your time than have it pick you - kudos to your friend for making a tough call.
Skogs 8/15/2020
We'll put! And a nice looking Harley too. We're not getting any younger, so we better enjoy our bikes while we can. I don't think we are the last generation. See lots of youngsters on 125s around here. Might be riding electrical thingies in the future, but they'll still be riding!
BJ 8/20/2020
While I get what you're all saying here, I think he got it wrong. If it was me, Ida sold the ladder and kept riding the Harley. Or better still, got a RE or side car for the Harley. From my perspective, ladders are a lot more dangerous than bikes, especially for us old timers.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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JIMMY "SCOUT" BLANKENSHIP
Jimmy "Scout" Blankenship,78, of Bluefield, WV, passed away Saturday, August 28, 2021 at Princeton Community Hospital in Princeton. Born January 10, 1943 in Welch, he was the son of the late William Henry Blankenship and Rinda Jane Milam Blankenship. Jimmy was a former coal miner. He was of the Pentecostal Faith and he was a member of the Calvary Tabernacle Church in Princeton. Jimmy loved to play the guitar and sing in church. He also loved to fish and loved his family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one daughter, Debra Kay Blankenship Powell; six brothers, Cecil, Eddie, William Henry Jr., Elmer, Buddy and Johnny Blankenship; and one sister, Stella Blankenship Akers. Those left to cherish his memories are his loving and devoted wife of 57 years, Reverend Brenda Blankenship; two sons, Joey Blankenship and wife Kim of Bluefield, Jeff Blankenship and wife Missy of Princeton; two brothers, Teddy Blankenship and wife Marie of Owensville, KY, David Blankenship and wife Chris of Plant City, FL; two sisters, Thelma Surratt of Lakeland, FL, Shelby Haskell and husband Darell of Flint, MI; six grandchildren, Jeffrey Powell and wife Amber of Premier, Brad Blankenship and wife Kristin, Brittany, Christopher, Sara, and Aaron Blankenship; five great grandchildren, Faith, Kimberlyn, Averlee, Jayden and D.J. Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday, September 7, 2021 at 1:00 PM from the Ark of Safety Church in Roderfield with Reverend Martin West officiating. Burial will follow in the Addison Christian Cemetery in Roderfield. Friends may call at the church Monday evening after 6 PM. Social distancing and the use of mask are recommended. Pallbearers will be Jeffrey Powell, Bradley, Aaron and Jeff Blankenship, Jerry Dean Justice, and Doug Potter. The Douglas Mortuary in Welch is serving the Blankenship family. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.douglasmortuary.com
Jimmy "Scout" Blankenship,78, of Bluefield, WV, passed away Saturday, August 28, 2021 at Princeton Community Hospital in Princeton. Born January 10, 1943 in Welch, he was the son of the late William Henry Blankenship and Rinda... View Obituary & Service Information
The family of JIMMY "SCOUT" BLANKENSHIP created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories.
Jimmy "Scout" Blankenship,78, of Bluefield, WV, passed away Saturday,...
Send flowers to the BLANKENSHIP family.


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Home News Scottish News Sir Chris – I won't be a pushy dad
Sir Chris – I won't be a pushy dad
By Tony Connelly -
SIR CHRIS Hoy has vowed not to be a pushy parent and make fun "the centre of everything".
The cycling legend, who became a father last week , said he did not want to be a parent who "screamed" at their children and told them off for not performing.
His wife Sarra gave birth to their first child at just 29 weeks and although early, their son is said to be doing well.
The pair decided to name their son Callum David Robert Hoy and before the birth Chris revealed how names starting with A were ruled out because the name would end up "A Hoy".
Hoy believes that parents risk putting their child off a sport for life if they are too hard on them.
The six times Olympic gold medallist, in an interview with website Parentdish, said: "You see some parents screaming at their children when competing and in training and telling them off when they don't perform, with the kids usually in tears.
"Ultimately, you are putting your child off.
"The key is to make it fun, not structured.
"Fun should be the centre of everything."
He added: "The commitment and pushing might make some children 'good' at certain disciplines, but they won't like it, so what's the point?"
The six times Olympic gold medallist recently tweeted a picture of his son's tiny hand
Sir Chris admitted: "Of course all that sounds great in theory but I can imagine it's not all that easy in practice. It's all about support and encouragement, without pushing."
"I was into any sport and activity as a child – not just cycling. I loved being out and about, and my parents embraced that," Sir Chris told Parentdish.
"Cycling scratched that sporting itch, but my time on a bike started as a way of spending time with my dad.
"He worked long hours and of course I was at school. Getting out with him was time spent together, which then grew into something bigger. We started travelling together for me to compete, and my parents came to watch me racing."
Sir Chris said he wanted to wait until he was retired before having a family.
"I don't know how athletes do it when they are still competing – both things take all your energy and time.
"I wanted to commit 100% to my baby and family and I just felt I couldn't do it when competing. So when it happened to us just after retiring it just fell into place."
Chris and wife Sarra were married in April 2010
The 38 year-old cyclist, who grew up in Edinburgh, said his own approach to impending fatherhood was inspired by the way his parents, David and , brought him up.
He said his childhood was "happy, fun and filled with love".
"I always felt secure and enjoyed unconditional love, which I believe is the foundation for a happy life.
"I had my parents with me the whole way, giving encouragement but supporting my decisions."
Asked about deciding on names for the baby, Sir Chris said: "It's a minefield and so hard.
"Every name we find we either know someone called that or associate it with someone.
"There's so much to think about – will they like it, will it end up rhyming with something awful in the playground?
"He or she can't have a name beginning with A as then they will be 'A-Hoy!"
Sir Chris said choosing a baby name was a minefield as he worried children in the playground could rhyme it with something awful.
Sir Chris has launched a search for the country's most inspirational parent.
The 'Parentspiration' campaign aims to recognise parents and guardians who have gone above and beyond to help their children achieve their dreams or overcome their challenges.
He said: "Of course, when you're younger you don't necessarily appreciate what they are giving you at the time, which is why the Parentspiration campaign and competition is right up my street.
"But the balance of support and encouragement is a tricky one to master," he said.
The star retired from professional cycling last year, and now splits his time between charity work, launching a range of Hoy bikes and a motor-racing career.
By Xantha Leatham
Sir Chris Hoy
Olympic gold medallist
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Tony Connelly
Hibs starlet Ryan Porteous signs new contract – but Easter Road outfit suffer double injury blow
http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2014/10/21/sir-chris-i-wont-be-a-pushy-dad/


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patbrit.org
The British Presence
in Southern Patagonia
+ + Site Foreword + +
English Site map Databases News E-mail Search Orientation Español
You are here: Home Page > Orientation > Foreword
This site is designed to assemble and share information on the British Presence in Southern Patagonia. Like the land it describes, this task is immense in scope; and, at the same time difficult, owing to the shortage of published materials. Still, I hope that armchair genealogists and historians alike will find something useful here. To register your research interests with this site, please visit the Special Interests page.
Who are "The British" that are included in this site? They may have been born in the British Isles (Scots, Irish, English and Welsh) or in the former British Empire; or they may be descended from British emigrants, but born in some other part of the world, including Southern Patagonia itself. In a general sense, the term describes a cultural affiliation with the British Isles.
Where in South America is "Southern Patagonia"? For my purpose, it is located partly in Chile (Pacific coast) and partly in Argentina (Atlantic); comprising all that land between 56º South (Cape Horn) and 46º South (roughly, the latitude of Puerto Aysén in the west and Comodoro Rivadavia in the east). The territory is sub-divided politically, as follows: (Argentina) provinces of Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego; (Chile) regions of Aysén (part) and Magallanes.
To the north-east lies the Argentine province of Chubut; to the east (in the Atlantic Ocean) are the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas). Although both these regions have significant historical connections with Britain, I have felt it necessary to draw my boundary line more tightly: therefore, they appear here only incidentally.
To locate these places, and others mentioned in the site, see the online maps and old maps.
I am grateful to the numerous people who have shared with me their knowledge, research findings and advice — all have been used freely. Photographs and private material are acknowledged explicitly. This site is enriched by the contributions of others: the Families page shows how every little piece helps.
Invitation and Apology
You are welcome to send me a message. However, I am unable to respond to individual enquiries.
Duncan Campbell
Photo credits: Robert Runyard (Tierra del Fuego), Author (others)


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22 Most Groundbreaking Reality TV Shows (Photos)
From "Real World" to "Utopia," these shows have helped to innovate the genre
Matt Hejl | March 10, 2015 @ 5:52 PM	Last Updated: March 20, 2015 @ 3:45 AM
SURVIVORNow in its 30th season, viewers have tuned in to the reality game show in droves since 2000 to watch ordinary people physically, mentally and strategically duel with each other in order to win $1 million and the title of Sole Survivor.
AMERICAN IDOLThe first televised competition show to let viewers vote on the talent themselves, "Idol" may no longer be a ratings juggernaut, but it still proves exciting.
THE BACHELORThough the actual long-term success rate remains shockingly low, viewers do seem to love the idea of "the bachelor" selecting from a pool of beautiful women in order to find a wife.
PROJECT RUNWAYEven viewers not into fashion can understand this show's appeal: a reality competition that requires its contestants to actually make something to prove they deserve to win.
REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTYThe originator of the "Real Housewives" brand, "RHOC" showed viewers that being rich doesn't spare people messed-up lives; oftentimes, it actually makes those messes worse.
JON AND KATE PLUS 8Viewers tuned in to get a glimpse of how an exceptionally large family operates, but they stayed once Jon and Kate decided to divorce.
JERSEY SHOREThe housemates show earned record ratings for MTV, due in large part to controversy of how Italian-Americans on the East Coast were portrayed.
THE OSBOURNESAt one time MTV's highest rated show, it offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of a rock legend and his family. Viewers also tuned in to see if Ozzy was ever not stoned. (He wasn't.)
THE HILLSOriginally a spinoff of "Laguna Beach," this semi-scripted series initially followed Lauren Conrad's pursuit of a career in fashion, but slowly degenerated into a series of feuds with Heidi Montag.
THE REAL WORLDBefore it regressed to the mean, "The Real World" was one of the first reality shows to explore issues facing young adults: sex, religion, death, politics and even AIDS.
AMAZING RACECombining a physical reality competition with exotic locales most viewers will never get a chance to see continues to prove a winning formula.
DEADLIEST CATCHThis fishing boat-based program offers a rarity for viewers: a docu-series about a dangerous profession. Coast Guard rescue squads have frequently been a part of the show.
BIG BROTHERIf you throw a number of volatile personalities into a room together, you can bet people will tune in to watch the explosions.
Logo TV
RUPAUL'S DRAG RACEIf Tyra Banks could find the world's next supermodel, why can't RuPaul do the same for drag queens?
PAWN STARSIt's hard to say what's more appealing: getting a dose of history in everyday artifacts that are brought in for appraisal, or the interactions of the colorful Harrison family that owns the shop.
AMERICAN CHOPPERCentered on the Teutel family and their shop, the series showcased contrasting styles and verbal arguments between Paul Sr. and his son. Arguments drove ratings until Junior's dismissal from the show.
TOP CHEFFans of good food love this competition show about aspiring chefs cooking their way to the prize money awarded to the winner.
HERE COMES HONEY BOO BOODescribed as both offensive and exploitative, this spinoff of "Toddlers & Tiaras" instantly became must-see-TV and made its 6-year-old star a cultural lightning rod.
JACKASSWho wouldn't want to watch a group of friends torture and humiliate each other? Such is the appeal of "Jackass," which spawned three (and a half) movies and an acting career for Johnny Knoxville.
KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANSAttracting instant notoriety for a sex tape featuring its star, this Kardashian chronicle has proven to be one of the most popular reality shows of the current era.
DUCK DYNASTYFollowing a Louisiana family made wealthy by their duck-hunting products, the Robertsons became cultural icons for their ZZ-Top beards and frank yet cheerful outlooks.


Well done the hardy 121 Posh fans who turned out on a bitter cold evening and a long Coach trip. All heroes.
How about the heroine too?
For once in my life i really hope we get trounced (by Charlton).
I am absolutely sure you don't mean that pleasureboy60.
Surely you would like us to win and hope that the manager will get things right and see us into the Championship.
In the prediction game I am sort of ashamed that I have predicted we will lose. But I don't hope we do.
well what a **** team we look,slow to defend, slow to react to any situation all over the park, if this is a promotion season then we are well and truly out of the running The Chairman needs to get his blinkers off if he thinks backing this lot is the answer to his dreams of Championship football.
Are you sure about that! Evans said we were brilliant and that was the best we've played all season. Doesn't say much for some of the rest of our performances. Not too mention that was Pompeys reserves we were playing. Hopefully another dour performance against The Addicts and that will be curtains for Evans. For once in my life i really hope we get trounced.
I could never, ever wish that on my team. However, the assertion that that was a brilliant performance is only in SE's mind, I can assure you. There was a twenty second exciting passage of play where we hit the bar, had shots blocked and the ball cleared off the line. They then hit us with the sucker punch and that was that!
We did try to pass it around a bit better in the second half and Cooke was superb. Leaving Maddison on the bench and Toney on his own was ridiculous as well as playing Tomlin on the left and Cooper (hard working but useless with no passing skills or shooting ideas) in the middle.
It was a long old journey and one that is becoming increasingly hard to swallow when you not only give up your time but also your own filthy lucre to fund the away trips every other week!
Left London Road too late to get to Portsmouth and afford us time to go to the pub which, as it turned out, would've been the highlight of the evening. Had to make do with a quick drink in the stand.
O'Malley made a cracking point blank save and I thought it gonna be our night.
We seemed to have no fire-power but how can we when Toney is up there all by himself.
There was little to get excited about really.
My feelings exactly Nipper - but how much longer do we have to keep on saying this?


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Latest Football News, Soccer Results, Goals, Transfers talks and Rumors
Footkitchen provides comprehensive coverage of football and US soccer games, live scores, standing, transfer talks and rumors.
MLS_Major League Soccer
Gossip column: Messi, Cech, Shaqiri, Hummels, Origi, Rami
Arsenal have agreed a deal in principle to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, who is second choice to Thibaut Courtois at Stamford Bridge. (Daily Star)
Daily Express back page
Lionel Messi's father and agent Jorge said a move to the Premier League would be considered if a bid of £200m was made.(Sun - subscription required)
However, Messi Sr says the prospect of his son leaving Barcelona is "not even on the table". (Daily Mail)
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is exploring the possibility of signing Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels, 25, in January for what would be a British record transfer fee for a defender. The mark currently stands at £32m by Manchester City for Eliaquim Mangala. (The Guardian)
Liverpool want to recall their Belgian 19-year-old striker Divock Origi from Lille but are likely to have to pay an additional £5m to release him from his one-year loan. (Daily Mirror)
Bayern Munich winger and Liverpool target Xherdan Shaqiri, 23, could be forced to stay with the German champions until the end of the season as he is cup tied in the Champions League. (Inside Futbol)
Jose Mourinho has ordered his scouts to look at Ipswich defender Tyrone Mings, 21, as a potential long-term replacement for John Terry at Chelsea. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United are preparing a move for AC Milan defender Adil Rami, 28. (Daily Star)
Mats Hummels has been at Borussia Dortmund since 2009
Manchester City are willing to activate 26-year-old Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado's £28m release clause to beat rivals Manchester United to his signing.(Daily Express)
Manchester United are planning to sell midfielder Angel Di Maria, 26, to Paris St-Germain in the summer to create funds for a sensational move for either Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, 25, or Cristiano Ronaldo, 29.(Daily Express)
OTHER GOSSIP
Southampton will offer England international Nathaniel Clyne a new deal to fend off interest from Liverpool in the 23-year-old right-back. (Daily Telegraph)
Danny Welbeck, who faces former club Manchester United on Saturday, says he had to leave for Arsenal after spending much of his time at Old Trafford on the wing. (Manchester Evening News)
Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos, 26, is to return to action just two weeks after suffering a broken leg. Dortmund face Arsenal in the Champions League next Wednesday.(Daily Mirror)
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew wants his offensive players to replicate the work-rate of their Bayern Munich counterparts and has changed their style from when Yohan Cabaye was with the Magpies. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Manchester City midfielder Scott Sinclair, who has made just 11 first-team appearances in two years and three months at the club, has hinted that he will be seeking an exit in the January transfer window, but has urged Manuel Pellegrini for one more opportunity.(Manchester Evening News)
Brentford boss Mark Warburton insists Tottenham midfielder Alex Pritchard, who signed a one-year loan deal in the summer, is desperate to stay with the Bees, despite his club having a recall clause in January and rumours of another loan to a Premier League side.(GetWestLondon)
Former Liverpool midfielder Ray Houghton has described Daniel Sturridge's latest injury setback as a "major blow" for the club - and has warned the Reds will struggle to improve their fortunes in the coming weeks. (Talksport)
QPR manager Harry Redknapp says Chelsea are certainties to win the Premier League title. (Talksport)
BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Yaya Toure won his 100th cap for the Ivory Coast
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure tweeted a picture of himself after winning his 100th cap for the Ivory Coast in the 0-0 draw with Cameroon.
A tweet by Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton was re-tweeted or favourited over 650 times on Wednesday. "Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light," tweeted Barton.
Ivory Coast qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations with a 0-0 draw against Cameron but the match ended in chaos as police had to oversee a pitch invasion in which players such as Roma forward Gervinho were caught up. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool 2-1 Man City: Philippe Coutinho the hero as Reds march on
Philippe Coutinho Philippe Coutinho netted a sumptuous winner for Liverpool as they beat Man City 2-1 to continue their surge up the ...
Sky Sports expert says Philippe Coutinho will not be sold by Liverpool to Barcelona today
GUILLEM BALAGUE says Liverpool will not sell Philippe Coutinho today. Liverpool transfer news: Philippe Coutinho is wanted by Barcel...
Arsenal Transfer News: £28.6m medical TOMORROW, £5m Aston Villa FIGHT, £25m Martinez BOOS
Geoffrey Kondogbia is reportedly set to join Inter Milan, subject to a medical According to Sky Sports Italia, Arsenal have missed out ...
Exclusive: Liverpool make second bid of £64.6m for Monaco's Thomas Lemar as they push to complete transfer
Liverpool have increased their offer for Monaco's Thomas Lemar to more than 70million euros (£64.6million) and are now pushing hard for a d...
Man Utd transfer news: Gareth Bale a 'strong possibility', Willian interest on ice
Man Utd could land Gareth Bale this summer, leading to them cooling interest in Willian MANCHESTER UNITED could turn attention away f...
Man Utd news: Jose Mourinho SNUBBED players after FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea
JOSE MOURINHO didn't speak to his Manchester United players after their FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea, according to Nemanja Matic. ...
Chelsea 'ready to beat Liverpool to SHOCK Radamel Falcao'
Radamel Falcao could be lining up alongside Chelsea players next term (Picture: Getty) Chelsea are reportedly ready to beat Liverpool...
AC Milan reveal Liverpool striker Andy Carroll as shock transfer target
Andy Carroll Speculation about Luis Suarez moving away from Liverpool is still haunting the Reds, but now their worries have been doubl...
Chelsea transfer news: Antonio Conte holds talks with Riyad Mahrez ahead of £46.5m bid
CHELSEA have reportedly set their sights on Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez. Chelsea hold talks with Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez ...
Arsenal transfer targets: Mbappe and Mahrez?
Regardless of whether Arsene Wenger stays or not, there is a real need for investment at the Emirates this summer if they are to win the Pr...
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A recent study suggests widespread censorship of student publications at American Christian schools.
A group of Christian college students has released a survey that suggests censorship of student publications is not uncommon at American Christian schools, with student editors alleging faculty and administrators wield broad editorial control over campus newspapers and sometimes kill stories before publication.
Administrators at Christian colleges have a legal right to control their schools' newspapers, and argue they do so to safeguard the values that define their institutions.
"There are certain sensitivities that you're just going to have to respect about campus culture," said Greg Bandy, faculty adviser to the newspaper at Asbury University in Kentucky.
Many student journalists at Taylor University, northeast of Indianapolis, insist the restrictions imposed on them at their newspaper, The Echo, go too far. They wanted to know if their peers at Asbury and other Christian schools share their frustrations — and the results indicate they do.
The study, conducted this spring, was not sponsored by Taylor, a nondenominational Christian school, but by the Student Press Coalition, which was created by the Taylor students.
According to the study, released on May 1, more than 3 out of 4 student editors surveyed said school officials have pushed them to alter or pull a story — a number experts say would be much lower at public schools or even other private colleges.
Although some students expressed interest in finding a "balance" with administrators, others argued the findings shed light on pervasive censorship policies that contravene the journalistic values they learn in their classes and could adversely impact their future prospects in the field.
Surveyors reached out to student newspaper editors at 136 schools affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in the United States. (CCCU says its members represent "more than 150" schools in the U.S. and Canada). Including Taylor, 50 schools participated in the study, which was conducted through an online questionnaire after editors were contacted directly.
As for the more than three-quarters of respondents who reported facing pressure from the university to edit or remove an article after publication, "that is an entirely different number than we'd get at a public school — it'd be much, much lower," said Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel at the Student Press Law Center.
In addition, 72 percent said faculty advisers to their paper have the power to kill a story before publication online (70 percent for print), and 34 percent reported instances in which advisers have done so (30 percent for print).
In total, 49 percent of respondents agreed "it is fair to say" their "publication is censored" by someone who is not a student at some point in the editorial process, and 48 percent said university officials have asked student journalists to stop pursuing a story while it is in the research and writing phase.
Chris Evans, president of the College Media Association, said the numbers echo his organization's own research on threats to independent journalism at universities. He said instances of censorship "happen all the time" at private colleges because they are in a different legal category than public schools.
"It's tough because it's perfectly legal at private colleges for administrators to censor because there is no guarantee of First Amendment protections," Evans said.
But Ross said the level of oversight evidenced in the survey was an "outlier" compared with the vast majority of private colleges — which often emphasize free expression — and reminded her of the control wielded over public high school newspapers.
Liberty officials have not responded to requests for comment about the alleged incident.
Robin Gericke, executive editor at The Asbury Collegian and a participant in the survey, also recounted an incident of what she described as censorship. When the Collegian published an interview with an openly gay alumnus about his experience at their school, administrators at Asbury University — a multidenominational institution grounded in "Wesleyan-Holiness theology" — confiscated the papers and locked them away, she said. Gericke says they were only released once the newspaper provided a letter proving they had express permission of the alumnus to publish the interview.
For those who would argue for greater freedom for student journalists at Christian colleges, the survey raises concerns about funding and control. Nearly 20 percent of respondents said their newspaper officially exists wholly or partially as university public relations, and 88 percent are funded at least in part by the college itself.
But those who champion student journalists' editorial independence were encouraged by one statistic: 88 percent of respondents said their advisers support journalists, even if the administration is critical of their work.
Gericke praised Bandy, the faculty adviser to her newspaper and an assistant professor of journalism at Asbury. He argued faculty oversight offers an educational experience for student journalists.
But he noted that "at the end of the day, I work for Asbury University," and said some topics are bound to stir controversy in a conservative Christian environment, including pieces that deal with human sexuality.
Grom said Taylor University's conservative Christian roots impact her reporting, and how the administration views journalism as a whole.
Ross, who also described herself as a First Amendment advocate as well as a law professor, expressed concern for students who want jobs outside Christian media.
The survey shows that less than a quarter (24 percent) of respondents "absolutely" believe their school gives them the same freedom of the press that public universities give students.


text:
Crossopetalum orientale är en benvedsväxtart som beskrevs av Mory. Crossopetalum orientale ingår i släktet Crossopetalum och familjen Celastraceae. Inga underarter finns listade.

Källor

Kärlväxter
orientale

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Musings from Singapore
Book: Floating on a Malayan Breeze
Next book: From Kerala to Shaolin
Floating on a Malayan Breeze–Malaysia Book Launch, Nov 10th in KL
October 28, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in FOMB Book Blog, Malaysia Tags: Borders Mid Valley	Leave a comment
Dear friends, I will be launching my book, Floating on a Malayan Breeze, in KL on November 10th. We've already had two events each in Hong Kong and Singapore, but this one could be the most interesting and exciting, as it's my first Malaysia event. Over the past few years, whenever I've been up to Malaysia to speak about the region, some in the audience enjoy the external perspective, but there are always a few who don't take too kindly to a Singaporean's point of view! 🙂
Anyway, I hope to see you there–please do let your friends and family know. The book will also be sold at a 10% discount, details below.
Venue: Borders Mid Valley, Lot T-216B, 3rd Floor
Date: 10 November 2012, Saturday
Time: 11am-1pm
Book Price: 10% discount off usual retail price of RM48
Diamonds, Gold and War: The British, the Boers, and the Making of South Africa
October 22, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in Identity Tags: Afrikaners, Alfred Milner, apartheid, Boers, British, Cecil Rhodes, diamonds, gold, Martin Meredith, Paul Kruger, South Africa, war	Leave a comment
I've just finished this excellent book by Martin Meredith, and thought I might record some choice quotes and passages. For future reference.
"It often strikes a man to inquire what is the chief good in life; to one the thought comes that it is a happy marriage, to another great wealth, and as each seizes on his idea, for that he more or less works for the rest of his existence. To myself thinking over the same question the wish came to render myself useful to my country. I then asked myself how could I and after reviewing the various methods I have felt that at the present day we are actually limiting our children and perhaps bringing into the world half the human beings we might owing to the lack of country for them to inhabit that if we had retained America there would at this moment be millions more of English living.
I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race. Just fancy those parts that are at present inhabited by the most despicable specimens of human beings what an alteration there would be if they were brought under Anglo-Saxon influence, look again at the extra employment a new country added to our dominions gives. I contend that every acre added to our territory means in the future birth to some more of the English race who otherwise would not be brought into existence. Added to this the absorption of the greater portion of the world under our rule simply means the end of all war."
– Cecil Rhodes, June 1877 (p. 127)
"The 'native question', he said, was the 'big test question for South Africa'. He had arrived in the Colony, he said, as 'the most rabid Jingo', but he now considered that the Cape had allowed too many Africans the vote. 'As long as the natives remain in a state of barbarism we must treat them as a subject race and be lords over them'."
"Once more, the Swazis were given no hearing. On 10 December 1894, Britain agreed a third Convention consigning Swaziland into the hands of the Transvaal as a 'Protectorate'. According to Loch, this was 'the price which must be paid to avert war between the two white peoples of South Africa'.
The Swazis remembered this passage of their history as a time when 'the documents killed us'."
"As we travelled along, Rhodes kept on asking, 'What building is this?' 'What building is that?' He made no comment, but I could see he felt depressed on his first arrival. It was only when I pointed out to him the foundations of the Jewish Synagogue that he became cheerful once more and quite excited.
'My country's all right,' he kept on exclaiming. 'If the Jews come, my country's all right.' "
"A young chief who might best be described as insolent to the elders of his tribe and particularly so to the white men put in a pertinent question. 'Where are we to live when it is over?' he said. 'The white man claims all the land.' Rhodes replied at once, 'We will give you settlements. We will set apart locations for you; we will give you land.' The young chief shouted angrily, 'You will give us land in our own country! That's good of you!' "
" 'The Lord will protect us,' Kruger told the Volksraad. 'The Lord orders the flights of bullets. The Lord gave us the triumph of the War of Independence and the capture of Jameson. The Lord will also protect you now, even if thousands of bullets fly about you.' "
Appeals went out for funds to support soldiers' dependants and for gift of clothing, tobacco, cigarettes and 'delicacies' for the men. The most potent appeal of all was made by Rudyard Kipling:
When you've shouted 'Rule Britannia', when you've
sung 'God Save the Queen',
When you're finished killing Kruger with your mouth,
Will you kindly drop a shilling in my little tambourine
For a gentleman in Khaki ordered South?
He's an absent-minded beggar, and his weaknesses are
great —
But we and Paul must take him as we find him —
He's out on active service, wiping something off a slate —
And he's left a lot of little things behind him!…"
"Other officers thought the results were justified. Captain R.F. Talbot of the Royal Horse Artillery wrote in his diary:
I went out this morning with some of my men ostensibly to get vegetables, but joined the provost marshal and the sappers in a farm burning party, and we burnt and blew up two farms with gun-cotton, turning out the inhabitants first. It is a bit sickening at first turning out the women and children, but they are such brutes and the former all spies; we don't mind it now. Only those are done which belong to men who are sniping or otherwise behaving badly."
"He (Alfred Milner) envisaged two principal methods of achieving this foal. The first was large-scale immigration of people of British descent. 'I attached the greatest importance of all to the increase in the British population,' he told the Colonial Office. 'If, ten years hence, there are three men of British race to two of Dutch, the country will be safe and prosperous. If there are three of Dutch to two of British, we shall have perpetual difficulty….We not only want a majority of British, we want a fair margin because of the large proportion of cranks that we British generated and who take particular pleasure in going against their own people.' "
"In parliament, the Liberal opposition criticised the use of low-paid Chinese labour in the gold mines, claiming it was tantamount to 'Chinese slavery'. What made matters worse was the discovery that Milner had authorised the flogging of Chinese labourers–without reference to magistrates–in cases of violence and unruliness. 'At the time,' Milner told his successor, Lord Selborne, 'it seemed to me so harmless that I really gave very little thought to the matter.'
"Lord Milner gave short shrift to African protests. 'A political equality of white and black is impossible,' he said. 'The white man must rle because he is elevated by many, many steps above the black man; steps which it will take the latter centuries to climb, and which it is quite possible that the vast bulk of the black population may never be able to climb at all.' "
" 'We rather congratulate ourselves,' a government minister, Frederick Moor, told the South African Native Affairs Commission, 'that our Natives are the best-mannered, and the best behaved, and the most law-abiding people that we have got in South Africa.' "
" In searching for the underlying causes of the rebellion, Natal's white community placed much of the blame on mission-educated Africans stirring up trouble for their own purposes rather than on the harsh impact of white taxes, fines and land-grabbing. Most whites tended to distrust Christian African–kholwa, as they were known–far more so than 'traditional' Africans whom they believed to be more respectful of white rule. A Natal police commissioner attributed African discontent and the 1906 rebellion to education and missionary influence which, he claimed, 'tends to inculcate an equality between black and white, which is a dangerous doctrine in Natal, and must result in discontent in the subject race.' "
"With the help of Afrikaner academics, it fashioned a new, hardened version of Afrikaner ideology. Christian-Nationalism, as it was called, was essentially a blend of the Old Testament ad modern politics, influenced in part by the rise of European fascism. At its core was the notion once expounded by Paul Kruger that Afrikaners were members of an exclusive volk created by the hand of God to fulfil a special mission in South Africa."
Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka (Ten years before independence)
October 22, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in democracy, Malaysia, Singapore Tags: British, colonialism, emergency, independence, Malaya	Leave a comment
A wonderful short documentary looking at post-war independence movements in Malaya. The good old days of a nascent democracy. Chinese/Indians/Malays coming together to kick out the British colonialists. The part around 19:50 is particularly relevant in terms of contemporary race relations. Very exciting to see more and more perspectives on our countries' histories.
Click here to watch it.
Here's the official description:
October 20th, 1947 was a historical day in the rakyat's constitutional struggle for independence from British colonialism. This short documentary film chronicles the events that culminated in the Malaya-wide 'Hartal' day of protest against the undemocratic Federation of Malaya Constitutional Proposals devised by the British Colonial Government and the UMNO, and the rise of the people's democratic movement in Malaya, ten years before independence.
Singapore Business Times' review of Floating on a Malayan Breeze
October 19, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in Business Times, FOMB Book Blog, Malaysia, Singapore Tags: Malaysia Bagus!, Sharon Cheah Ui-Hoon	2 Comments
Sharon Cheah Ui-Hoon wrote this review. Alongside the review, I got a grade of "B+" for the book. Which made me feel like I'm in school again, receiving my report card from the teacher. Except Sharon's a fellow author. Check out her book, Malaysia Bagus!.
Interview with RTHK about Floating on a Malayan Breeze
October 18, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in FOMB Book Blog, Malaysia, Singapore Tags: equality of opportunities, equality of outcomes, RTHK	Leave a comment
Dear friends, when I was in HK, a radio show interviewed me on my book. Specifically, looking at and comparing the different socio-economic systems that Malaysia and Singapore have pursued: equality of outcomes in the former; equality of opportunities in the latter. You can listen to the interview here. (scroll down slightly on the page)
Extract from Floating on a Malayan Breeze: The Straits Times, Oct 13th 2012
October 16, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in Cycling, FOMB Book Blog, Identity, Indian, Malaysia, Singapore, Straits Times Tags: Banding, machan, Royal Belum Forest, Tamil	1 Comment
Dear friends, for those who missed the extract in The Straits Times this past weekend, click on the image below.
Or, if you'd rather just read the extract right here, here it is. From pages 173-76 of the book:
Your first instinct, when approaching the back of a truck while riding downhill, is to slam on the brakes, ratchet down the speed, and play it safe. But then, you realise the incredible slowness of these trucks and temptation gets the better of you. And you just do it. Your hand eases off the brakes, your feet spin for a while but then stop, confused, because they are no longer needed, and you let gravity race you down past the truck.
Once you've passed one, the confidence grows, and those fingers just clamp on the handlebar, as if squeezing tighter will make you go faster. On we went, speeding past each truck with less fear, building up a frightening momentum. Imagine a downhill race on Super Mario Kart, or Speed Racer, slaloming around giant tortoises, but worried about potholes and bumps. One error could send us flying, flailing, at more than 50 km per hour. Sheer adrenaline.
The best moments came when there were two trucks, one in each direction, and we cut between them, through a gap which was wide enough to tempt us, yet narrow enough to kill us, should we put one foot wrong.
But what a gap it is. The moment you enter the space between two trucks, it feels like you are hitt ing a vacuum, sound just dries up and gets sucked out. All you hear is a burst, similar to that when you first jump into a swimming pool. Or like when you pour Coke into a glassful of ice. A loud fizz that gradually diminishes.
No onomatopoeic device can capture this sound. Each time we treated ourselves to a Coke during the rest of the trip, we would close our eyes and listen, transported back to those few precious seconds in the truck vacuum.
The approach to Pulau Banding is dramatic. The island sits in a reservoir that is wrapped around by tall mountains, like a little droplet in a huge bowl.
As soon as we crossed the bridge into Banding, there was a jetty on our right. The boats were mostly painted the same worn and cracked light blue colour. It was late afternoon, and the placid rocking of the boats was the only activity in sight. We rested for a while there, before showering at the only petrol station, a few minutes cycle away, in the middle of the island.
Led by our stomachs, and not wanting to worry about where to sleep, we ate at a warung nearby. The sun had set, and darkness was rapidly reaching pitch black. These were not ideal tent-pitching conditions. Worse, there was nowhere to sleep at the warung where we had just eaten; we were told to leave.
It seems implausible now that one would be looking for a place to sleep around the physical premises of a restaurant, scouting the place while having dinner, but at that moment, in that frame of mind, it was the most natural thing to do. Seeing that there was no respite for the night, we went back to where we were at dusk, a jetty by the edge of the Tasik.
We walked towards the first boathouse, when suddenly two figures emerged from the darkness, coming towards us. One of them was a Malay, dressed in tight jeans, with a red cap that kept his long hair tucked behind his neck. The other was an Indian, and we could barely make out his features because of the low light. Two bulbous eyes stared at us.
"Eh, what are you fellows doing here?" asked the Indian youth, rather forcefully.
"Er … erm … we are two Singaporeans cycling around Malaysia …"
"Two Singaporeans?" He came closer and shone his torchlight at our faces. "Are you Indian?"
"Yes!" we both chorused, triumphantly, excitedly, assuming that this would be a good answer.
He flicked his torchlight across our faces once again, like an immigration officer peeking into a car. Nervous, and with a light in our faces, we just kept quiet. Finally we saw the whites of his eyes bobbing up and down, as he nodded with satisfaction. His torso relaxed, and his voice softened.
"OK, good, you guys want a place to stay? Not a problem, you can stay on the boat. Just go and tell my friend. No problem letting some machas [brothers] stay with us. Lock your bicycles somewhere also. I will be back in a while. You guys want some food?" he asked briskly, obviously in a rush.
"No, it's OK, we just ate."
"Are you sure? OK, I see you in a while, I have to go and make a telephone call," Das said as he walked away, hopped onto his Malay friend's motorcycle, and sped off into the darkness.
At that moment, a flood of relief washed over us. It felt nice to be accepted. We were also swollen with Indian pride, and immediately felt a bond with Das and every one of his friends who we had never met. We were swept up in a roaring wave of Indian communalism. It felt great.
Moreover, we felt like insiders because he had called us macha. Machan, often pronounced "macha", means brother-in-law in Tamil, but is used colloquially to refer to friends. It connotes a bond stronger than just "friend". We used it in secondary school, both among Tamils and some non-Tamils, but rarely since then. Like so many of Singapore's other vernacular treasures, "macha" seems destined for extinction. It is being replaced, quite worryingly, by "dude".
Filled with gratitude, we quickly locked up our bicycles next to the boathouse, unhinged our bags and brought them onboard. A fat, bearded Indian youth dressed in a white t-shirt and black football shorts was seated in front of a wooden island in the middle of the boathouse, just behind the rudder. He appeared uninterested in us, and the three of us barely talked; the TV proved a welcome distraction, as we focused on a Copa America game in which a young Gabriel Heinze was about to partake in the last act of the drama that is a penalty shoot-out.
In the following days, months and years, as we pondered that racial examination we had been thrust into, it has always filled us with a mix of emotions. What if we were Chinese? Would he have kicked us out? Why did we feel such strong Indian pride? Or was it just relief? Do those communal sentiments linger somewhere deep inside all of us, waiting for the right situation and circumstances?
The Online Citizen's review of Floating on a Malayan Breeze
October 7, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in FOMB Book Blog, Malaysia, Singapore Tags: The Online Citizen, TOC	Leave a comment
A friend wrote this. Concise, well-written and balanced–mentioning both the good and the bad. Look forward to more reviews!
Please click here to read it.
Floating on a Malayan Breeze at the HK Literary Festival
October 7, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in FOMB Book Blog, Malaysia, Singapore Tags: Andrew Wood, Club Lusitano, Daren Shiau, Eddie Tay, Hong Kong Literary Festival, Jennifer Wong, Nicholas Wong	3 Comments
Dear friends, I will be talking about my book, Floating on a Malayan Breeze, at two events this week in Hong Kong. Quite exciting, really, the first time I'm going abroad to talk about the book. If you happen to be in Hong Kong, or if you know any "Malayans" living there who might be keen to attend, do share this page with them. Details below. Thank you.
1) The slow road from authoritarianism to democracy: Where are Malaysia and Singapore?
830-10am, Friday Oct 12th
Venue: Club Lusitano, 16 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong
This is a breakfast event moderated by Andrew Wood. Quite exciting, though I'm not sure why they've priced it so high. HK$400, incl breakfast. I'm a bit skeptical about who's willing to pay that much for breakfast! I hope it doesn't turn into Club "Loser-tano" for me….
Do join us if you're free–I'll be showing pictures from the bicycle trip, talking about my motivations behind the writing of the book, and sharing insights and thoughts about the actual book-writing experience.
You can buy tickets for this event here.
2) The Writer's Craft: Writing in English
3-430pm, Saturday Oct 13th
Venue: City University of Hong Kong – Room M3090, Run Run Shaw Creative Media Centre
This is slightly different, as I'm one of a number of writers on stage. Very glad to be sharing the stage with Daren Shiau, Jennifer Wong and Nicholas Wong. Event will be moderated by Eddie Tay, a poet at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
I won't get to talk as much about the book, but hope to have some interesting discussions about writing and language in general. I will share thoughts about Malaysian and Singapore English, the nuances in what we say, and of course, my use of Singlish in the book.
Book reading: 5pm, Oct 6th, Fost Gallery, Gillman Barracks
October 2, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in FOMB Book Blog, Malaysia, Singapore Tags: Big Easy Lifestyle, Fost Gallery, Gillman Barracks	Leave a comment
Dear friends, for those who missed the launch of my book, Floating on a Malayan Breeze, I would like to invite you to a book reading on Saturday, Oct 6th.
The venue is wonderful: Fost Gallery, in the revamped Gillman Barracks area, displays pieces from local artists–very "Malayan".
Moreover, there will be fabulous free drinks!: Su Lynn, a mixologist from Big Easy Lifestyle, will be mixing up some cocktails and mocktails.
A Big Thank You to Fost Gallery for hosting and to Big Easy Lifestyle for providing the drinks. We'll have some bites on hand too.
This one is much more casual lah, no guests of honour, no panellists, just me talking a bit and reading a couple of passages from the book. We will be selling copies of the book there.
So: Great art, free drinks and snacks, literature, and a chance to check out the refurbished Gillman Barracks. Do RSVP to Riya at orders.nuspress@nus.edu.sg, so we know how many to expect.
Please click on the flyer below for more information. And do tell your friends. See you then!
My first ever book launch: The Ups and Downs
October 1, 2012 By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh in art, creativity, Cycling, FOMB Book Blog, Malaysia, president, Singapore Tags: book launch, Donald Low, Esplanade, Manu Bhaskaran, NUS Press	Leave a comment
Dear friends, thanks for all the support and encouragement. It's still a bit surreal holding my very first book in my hands. In some ways, it seems like just yesterday that Sumana Rajarethnam, my best friend, and I were telling people that we wanted to cycle around Malaysia on RM10/day, and most responded that we're nuts.
But the anguish and self-doubt we went through then also seems very far away when I look at the book. Now, it seems almost self-evident that we would end up with something. "It always seems impossible until it's done," as Mr Mandela says. Not that writing one book is that big of a deal…but it was a mountain for us.
I thought I'd just share a few thoughts about the actual launch itself because the day was both exhilarating and harrowing. I will try my best to tell this story without it becoming a bit of a Sandiwara. Not easy, given the details you'll read, but I'll try.
I returned home on Tuesday morning from a 10-day trip abroad–a holiday my mum had planned in January, well before I knew about the dates for the book launch. I was in pretty good shape, went to work, and then returned home in the evening, looking forward to preparing my notes and slide deck for the launch on Wed evening.
When I returned home, I found out that my dad had been admitted to hospital. Nothing too serious, he had been down with flu on the last day of our holiday. But still cause for a little bit of concern. Given that he wasn't too ill–"just observation"–the main disappointment here was that he would not be able to attend the launch the next day.
Soon after, I found out that my uncle in KL had just passed away. I wouldn't say I was super close to my dad's cousin, but neither were we far–I always had a good laugh with him whenever we met, and often sung songs together.
Regardless, these double shocks meant that despite being quite tired from the trip and the whole day at work, I just wasn't able to sleep. I slept for 3 hours, and then woke up at 2am, and couldn't get back to sleep. From 2-7, I was just lying in bed, a million thoughts racing through my head. "Should I postpone the event? Should I go to KL for the wake? Should I visit my dad in the morning?" etc. etc.
The most immediate problem, of course, is that I had a Channel News Asia interview scheduled at 8.20am. Up till about 7.15am, I thought I might cancel it. But I was also worried about the repercussions, especially after the planning the CNA production team had done–reading the book, writing up questions for the anchors, etc. If I cancelled, would CNA ever call me back? How bad would it look for the book if I wasn't there? How many people would I be letting down?
So, I got up showered, chugged two big mugs of green tea, and headed over to Caldecott. It seems like only a few people who knew me well could tell I was tired, so overall, not too bad. You can watch the interview here.
The next problem is that I had to go to work, but I could hardly sit up after the Live TV energy-boost had worn off. So, at around 9.30am, I spoke with my boss and applied for urgent leave. Always understanding, she told me to take it. I worked for about an hour, some urgent emails and calls, and then collapsed in bed.
I woke at around 2pm feeling fantastic. From that point on, the day was a breeze, actually. Sumana, my wife and I headed down to the Esplanade at around 5.45pm. The folks there were setting up, so we just hung around waiting.
The next few hours passed by so quickly. Before I knew it, some guests had arrived and were asking for the books and my signature. From then on, I was moving around, saying hello, signing books, getting dragged back into the studio and asked to "relax and prepare". I didn't really need to, because I am quite comfortable speaking in public. In fact, people around often have the opposite problem–getting me to shut up.
Many people asked me how I was feeling. I said great, but that I had had a real moment of crisis and panic in the morning. Before I could explain why, I was whisked off somewhere. It was all a lot of fun, but also quite chaotic.
The diversity of the crowd was wonderful. On the one hand, there were people who have known me since I was in diapers, and friends who had been there right from the start–they had bade farewell to Sumana and me in 2004, as we cycled off. I felt so happy that they were there to witness the end of the long journey. On the other hand, there were quite a few new friends–people I had just met, some others who I was meeting for the first time, people who have followed my blog writings and had come down to support me. I was humbled.
One of my big disappointments of the night was the organisation. There were long queues of people waiting to get into the Studio, waiting to buy the book, waiting to get my signature. I don't think this is necessarily anybody's fault, but just a confluence of factors.
The Esplanade is extremely stringent about all sorts of things. All guests must have a ticket before they enter. We are allowed to issue only 245 tickets (the capacity of the Studio). Guests are allowed in only after 730pm. etc etc.
On top of that, my publisher, NUS Press, was also a bit under-resourced for an event like this. I know they were all trying their best, but many guests entered the Studio feeling tired and frustrated after what must have seemed like an unnecessarily laborious entry process. As the author, I felt quite bad.
Note to other artists/authors: The Esplanade, while a lovely venue with a great location, has soooo many regulations and rules. It would take me an hour to list them all, but here is one: no outside mineral water bottles allowed because of product placement rules.
What did this mean for us? Well, Christine from NUS Press had brought 3 bottles of Evian water and placed it next to the panellists chairs. Before the event started, an employee from The Esplanade went around removing the labels from around the bottles. No big deal, but just another activity in the rush to set up. If you're interested, The Esplanade has its own water–of course–that you are welcome to buy and use there.
Nevertheless, strict rules and guidelines can be the bedrock of efficiency. Another good thing about The Esplanade is that everybody there is very professional and competent, and their systems seem to be working perfectly.
So, once the guests had finally sat down and the proceedings were underway, everything went off flawlessly.
The rest of the evening went by in a blur. First Mr Nathan made a speech that had been largely written by Sumana. Then I spoke for about 20mins. Then Donald Low, Manu Bhaskaran and myself had a panel discussion, with lots of audience participation. (For those who are wondering why and how I asked Mr Nathan, Donald and Manu to join me, please read this other piece, The politics of personalities.) Then everything was over and I was outside signing books. And then, finally, I was downstairs at Sauce, having drinks with friends and family.
By that point, the stress of the early morning seemed so, so far away. It was quite thrilling, really, to be celebrating with friends, new and old. A good friend bought me a Flaming Lamborghini, something I hadn't had for a long time. As the bartender lit the drink up, he said, "This will help you float on a Malayan breeze." It did.
In a way, all this is a bit anti-climatic, because I had actually finished with the manuscript in April, and for the past month have actually been thinking a lot about my next project. That said, it still feels quite good to know that an 8-year project has finally come to an end. This is the longest piece of work I've been involved in. At many points I felt like giving up.
When I started it, I was single, still in college, and wondering what I was going to do with my life. Now, by the time I've finished, I'm married to my darling wife, working in a job I like, and….still sort of wondering what I am going to do with my life.
Now that it's all over, I actually feel a bit of a void.
Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh
On Star Wars
a longform on Hong Kong vs Singapore
Lee Eng Su, chef and champion cock talker, 1979-2019
4 Hours in Singapore: for visitors flying in
on W!LD RICE's Merdeka (Raffles must fall)
my talk on identity at The Economist's Open Future Festival
The day Singapore's education minister lost some credibility
On my first two videos: race in Singapore
a conversation this Friday about ghosts & politics
on speech: the PAP's cheerleaders are the last ones standing
on speech: free speech, ethnic harmony and Watain
on speech: has the government ever spread misinformation in Singapore?
on speech: the slow death of honest discourse
Singapore—history haunts the ultra-modern state
Shirkers, a film about Singapore and life
Malaysia and Singapore: Here we go again
Two weeks with "Tony"
Malaysia dreaming
Is enough ever enough?: a discussion this Saturday on consumerism in Singapore
on fake news
Singapore, Bali diaries
on Singapore's presidential election
Yayoi Kusama in Singapore
Singaporean fornications
some final thoughts on Oxley
a piece on the Lee Family Oxley Road saga
Why Singaporeans need to discuss 1987's Marxist Conspiracy
The santan revolution: coconuts, nasi lemak and cendol
Mauritius diary 4: Life and Food
Photos from India: Kalarippayattu
The day Singapore's education minister lost some credibility
SDP's Manifesto: What I like and What I don't
Government bans "69″ sexual position
on speech: the PAP's cheerleaders are the last ones standing
Five notes from The Malayan Forum
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