"We have so much data, but no answers." This phrase echoes down the halls of all of the larger clients with whom we meet. In a quantitative world, where there is every dimension of research and analysis available, unreality multiples.
The business world is drowning in data and, by the level of panic and anxiety, lost its rudder.
The ability to have machines figure out existing systems, such as playing chess or optimizing a logistics supply chain, is a great boon to humanity—and it is the role of proper and attentive management. But even the smartest predictive analytics cannot provide answers that move customers or consumers, nor can they re-imagine an industry, nor can they redesign a service experience.
Yet, we expect Big Data to act like Santa Claus with a Calculator, granting us every greedy wish we can conjure and to answer our unexplored and unmet needs as well.
We have entrusted the most ingenious and inventive humanity to a faster processor rather than to a whole-brained mix of human intuition, creativity, tempered with reason and business savvy.
No machine can empathize with clients and prospects. For this obvious reason, human-centric design is the foremost competitive leverage any company can employ. A machine, at the end of the day, will work off the inputs you provide, whereas real people will convey depth, feeling, trust, preference, and imagination.
Big data quantitative modeling has its place at the table, but don't expect any of the "insights" to tell you how to grow, how to innovate, and how to make critical new product decisions.
You can drown in the ocean of big data looking for such answers. These answers will not present themselves fully as the output of a machine.
Employ people who know how to interpret data on behalf of your organization. Ideally, a team of number crunchers, marketers, and social scientists should review the trends together. With this mix you can spot the trends, create concepts on how to capitalize on them, and understand some of the factors at hand. Figure out what questions to explore more deeply is the key work at this stage.
Talk with consumers (customers in a B-2-B world) about the trends you are discovering. Once you have ferreted out the right questions and have some heuristics indicating a shift in buying patterns and behavior, it is best to talk to real people about the trends and how they are affecting them. Try a mix of consumer empathy intercept interviews, co-creation workshops, and group conversations about the changing landscape. Respect them. Empathize. Not force a point or agenda at this stage.
Sketch new concepts, new products, and new experiences. After you break down what the data is implying from various viewpoints and get a real sense of the market, new concepts of products and services can be generated, tested, refined, then measured and brought to the market. This is a human act of creation. Getting user feedback and making adaptive revisions is part of the cycle.
In the wonderful, recursive, messiness of our humanity, there is an unlimited resource of creativity. Tap into it to spark something new to life.
Big data is a great asset, but becomes more valuable when coupled with the messy creative process that has to power to transform people and companies.


The plot is situated on the land of the village of Kamen Briag, Kavarna Municipality, on the northern part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast and on the first line, according to the sea. The total area of the land is 50,000 m2 (with the option of 100,000 m2) and the built-up area is about 60,000 m2 (with the option of 120,000 m2).
Between Shabla and Kavarna you may find the area called �Yailata�, known as Kamen Briag. Here the Dobrudza plain is divided into terraces and several bays are formed, circled by stones and greenery. Exactly on such sea terraces is situated �Yailata�, which is an archaeological reserve. You may go in two directions there � one is called the little �Yaila� and it is near the sea. The other is called the big �Yaila�, where you may find the ancient Thracian necropolis dating back from II century A. C.
Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Slavs and proto � Bulgarians inhabited these lands and honored their Gods here.
Except for its valuable remnants from ancient civilizations, the place is also charming with its marvelous flora and fauna, where visitors may enjoy the calmness, serenity and beauty of nature. So if you are looking for tranquility, balance, preserved local traditions and unique nature � Kamen Briag is your place.
The village is a combination of crystal-clear waters, magnificent panorama and fresh air. For years on people here live in absolute harmony with nature and preserve untouched places of beauty and diversity of plants and animals, together with the historical monuments.
Not far away from Kamen Briag you may find another attractive place � the Cape of Kaliakra. It is the most beautiful and strange place on the northern Black Sea Coast. The cape resembles a fiery sword, cutting the blue-green waters of the sea. Because of its beauty the place received the name Kaliakra � which means "beautiful cape". The name of the cape is associated with many legends, one of which tells about 40 Bulgarian girls, who jumped into the deep waters of the sea, unwilling to be captured by the Turkish invaders. Today a monument is erected at the beginning of the cape called �The Porch of the forty maidens�. Currently the region is a beautiful natural reserve with rare bird and animal species.
Close to Kamen Briag is situated another popular attraction � the natural reserve Taukliman, known as the Bird bay. It has magnificent small beaches, warm mineral waters and many small cliff islands. In the south-western part of Taukliman you may find the salt lake Tuzlata. Its bottom is covered with hydrogen sulphide mud, which has curative properties. Taukliman is circled by a plateau, rising 70 m. above the sea level, with scattered small caves among the terraces of the slopes.
Kamen Briag is very popular as many Bulgarian and foreign tourists visit it during summer time on their holidays. The proximity to the town of Kavarna and the Kaliakra cape attracts additional interest and the mild climate is appropriate for both summer and winter tourism during the whole year.
The area of Kavarna municipality recently gains considerable competitive advantages compared to other traditional holiday destinations, mainly because of its lovely sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters. The place is also popular as a centre of music as many concerts are held on the stadium of the town of Kavarna.
Within a distance of 30 km. from Kamen Briag are expected to be built 10 golf courses and 2 yacht ports.
The region attracts the attention of both Bulgarian and foreign investors and is expected to become one of the most beautiful and charming resorts on the Black sea coast.


text:
Hang steht für:
 eine gedankliche Nähe im Sinne der Philosophie, siehe Affinität (Philosophie)
 ein natürlicher oder künstlicher Geländeknick oder -sprung, siehe Böschung
 in einem Gebirge das lange Gefälle einer Bergflanke, siehe Steilhang
 ein Musikinstrument, siehe Hang (Musikinstrument)
 Koreanisches Alphabet (ISO-15924-Code)

Siehe auch:

 Hangendes
 Hängung
 Neigung
 Hagn
 Hange

Abkürzung

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Nikon camera news
Nikon Coolpix S610, S610c, S710 and S560 cameras debut
Stuart Miles | 7 August 2008
Best compact cameras 2019: The best point-and-shoot-cameras available to buy today
Nikon has launch a new range of compact camera in time for Christmas, and a month ahead of photography show Photokina, in the UK on Thursday.
The four new models will be the Coolpix S610, the Coolpix S610c, the Coolpix S710 and the Coolpix S570 ranging from £179.99 to £249.99 and all landing in the UK in September.
The S610 and S610c will offer 10 megapixels, a 4x optical zoom, 3-inch LCD display and all the usual technologies such as D-Lighting associated with Nikon.
The "c" version (which Nikon admits doesn't really stand for anything) will also feature Wi-Fi (b and g) to allow users to connect to the internet via a Wi-Fi hotspot and upload images to Nikon's MyPictureBank online service, however unlike in the US where photographers can also upload to Flikr accounts, there will be no such support in the UK.
"We are not planning anything at the moment," a spokesman for the company told us at a preview event with a strong emphasis on the word "moment" before the official announcement of the new cameras suggesting that Nikon hasn't ruled out offering Flickr support in the UK in the near future.
Likewise deals similar to those seen in America with Wi-Fi hotspot providers such as T-Mobile haven't been ruled out either.
The Coolpix S710 will add a further 4.5 megapixels to the equation giving a total of 14.5 megapixels, offer 12fps shooting mode and come with an ISO of 12,800. The compact camera will also be able to recognise up to 12 faces via its Face-priority AF mode.
The Coolpix S560 will offer a 5x optical zoom lens, a 2.7-inch LCD display and 10 megapixels.
The company also announced further models on Thursday including the P6000 and the S60.
The P6000 is the first compact bridge model with built in GPS so you can geotag your images on the go. It will also feature an Ethernet port allowing photographers to connect the camera to the internet to upload images.
Sections Nikon Cameras

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Trash piles up in the parking lot of an area designated for household waste drop-offs at the George Town landfill site.
Dumpsters at the George Town landfill for people to drop off their own household waste overflowed into the car park Monday.
"I think that was a protest from people," said North Side MLA Ezzard Miller, who took a photograph of the parking lot covered with trash bags and garden waste.
He said more and more people were having to take their own trash to the landfill because of unreliable roadside collections.
The Department of Environmental Health has acknowledged problems in every district with late roadside pick-ups over the last month but it attributed the pile of refuse to an "unplanned adjustment to the servicing schedule" at the landfill site over the weekend.
Residents across Grand Cayman have been complaining for some time about inconsistent collections of their garbage. Mr. Miller, speaking Tuesday, said it had been almost three weeks between roadside collections in North Side.
Similar problems have been reported in various districts on and off since before Christmas.
Al Suckoo, MLA for Newlands, circulated pictures of trash piling up by the roadside in his district Wednesday.
He said, "I think we have hit the end of the road as far as this situation goes. Government needs to put some priority on this issue." Mr. Suckoo is organizing a petition to present to government.
Mr. Miller, leader of the opposition, said it was time for Minister Dwayne Seymour to step in and sort it out.
Roydell Carter, the director of the Department of Environmental Health, has been on leave since before Christmas. An internal audit service inquiry into the management of overtime in the department has been going on since December.
Mr. Seymour responded to concerns in a statement, saying he was monitoring the situation closely.
He said his ministry was doing everything it could to ensure the garbage schedules were adhered to and urged residents to contact the Department of Environmental Health when trash was not collected.
Mr. Miller said there were clearly systemic issues that needed to be dealt with.
"Whenever we object, they say they are dealing with it and they hope to have a solution next week, and then a few weeks later it's happening again," he said.
He added that all residents wanted was a consistent weekly trash collection.
"How hard would it be to put a schedule in the Compass and stick to it?" he asked.
Mr. Suckoo said he was increasingly fielding calls from constituents about late garbage pickups. On certain streets, he said trash was piling up by the roadside.
At a meeting on the North Sound Estates neighborhood watch and community group Monday, concern over garbage collections was among the main topics.
Carole Broadbelt, one of the leaders of the group, said Tuesday it had been almost two weeks since the trash had been collected in the area.
She said they had invited the Department of Environmental Health to send a representative to the meeting, but they had declined.
"All the residents want to know what is happening with the garbage pickups?
"We have asked for a roll-top dumpster so there is somewhere to put it until they get back on a regular schedule," she added.
Stacey Ann-Anderson, public relations officer for the Department of Environmental Health, said all residential communities throughout Grand Cayman had experienced delays in pickups over the past month, though she said it was rare for delays to be longer than 48 hours.
Mr Seymour is monitoring the situation , he should be also ashamed of himself to be Health Minister too , for letting the whole Island turning into on big dump .
How sad of the whole Government that they can be spending big money on this project and talking about spending more big money on cruise ship pier , but can't get the garbage picked up and disposed of properly .
Give me a break. Sure this excuse could work for an occasional delay in trash pickup, but late and intermittent pickups have been happening all year.
Perhaps this is too much for the Caymanian people, but I suggest that if this keeps up, we should take our trash to our representatives, and neatly place it in the front of their homes. Maybe that will get a reaction other than "Um, I understand you plicht, but I just don't know the reason, and if I did I really would have no resolution". Let them live with flies, and smells and rodents for a while, and I bet they would discover the problem.
If the government can't even get trash picked up, what are we paying them for??
Cayman Compass , why don't you fix your comment section and post the comments in a timely manner , here my comment is finally posted , but still says that the comment is awaiting moderation . Sometimes these comments on the article you write can be more effective to solving the problem than the article you write .
One instance , wouldn't Mr Seymour act more quickly on the garbage problems if 50 people were able to voice their respective opinions on the matter ? In these situations, I always believed that the more people that said what is wrong the better chances it will get fixed .
Not every article that you write solves the problem, but it brings the problem to light .
Ok, I don't live on the island, but how hard can it be to FIRE the guilty one(s) that are not collecting the trash? Or FIRE the person(s) responsible for the conflict in schedules? Who owns the trucks? A private party or the Cayman Islands? Get a company or employee people that want to work! If it's a person in the office, obviously this isn't the first time they have screwed things up, so fire them. It doesn't look good for tourists so finding a fast and thorough answer better come fast. And, who is at the landfill guiding cars where to dump? Who is running the loader at the landfill to push the trash along? Geez. Is anyone supervising anyone over there?
Cayman Compass can you please get the Editor to write a good editorial that would shame the hell out of this Government for their incompetence . I am so mad and upset by the way to which this Government are neglecting the People and the Islands , and just doing what they want to just to benefit certain ones .
How can the Government of the Cayman Islands be talking about building a cruise ship pier , when they can't even provide the public with a sanitation service ??
I agree with Rodney suggestion that if this keeps up everyone should dump their garbage at Government Administration building and all politicians homes . I don't agree with burning of the Police cars , but I agree with the dumping of the garbage .
My last word on this topic.
I wonder if there is an agreement between the MLAs to allow the trash gather momentum so when the Dart Group announces their Quarter Billion Dollar trash to energy facility, everyone will roll over and say "who cares what it costs? just get it done, and get it done FASH???


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About the Natural Science Collections Alliance
The Natural Science Collections Alliance is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit association that supports natural science collections, their human resources, the institutions that house them, and their research activities for the benefit of science and society.
Our members are part of an international community of museums, botanical gardens, herbariums, universities and other institutions that house natural science collections and utilize them in research, exhibitions, academic and informal science education, and outreach activities.
Membership in the NSC Alliance links you to a network of institutions, scientists and other professionals in North America through which you can share news, information and common concerns - and help shape the future of our community.
Sign up to receive email alerts from NSC Alliance.
NSC Alliance in the News
Published on 13 Sep 2018
New IMLS Grant for Small Museums
The Institute of Museums and Library Services has announced a new funding opportunity for small museums. Inspire! Grants for Small Museums is a special initiative of the Museums for America (MFA) program designed to motivate small museums to apply for grants to implement projects that address priorities identified in their strategic plans.
The program includes three project categories: Lifelong Learning, Community Anchors and Catalysts, and Collections Stewardship and Public Access. Under the program, grant funding of $5,000-$50,000 can be secured for a period of up to two years.
The deadline to apply for the grant is November 1, 2018. Learn more at https://www.imls.gov/grants/available/inspire-grants-small-museums.
President Nominates NIFA, NPS Directors
The White House has nominated Dr. J. Scott Angle to be Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Mr. David Vela to be the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) at the Department of Interior (DOI).
Dr. Angle, President and CEO of the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), has a background in heavy metals and their interaction with the environment. He worked for 24 years as a professor of soil science and administrator for the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station and Maryland Cooperative Extension at the University of Maryland. He also served as Dean and Director of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia for 10 years. He is a Fellow at the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America. Dr. Angle earned his Ph.D. in soil microbiology from the University of Missouri.
Mr. Vela has worked at NPS for 28 years and currently serves as the Superintendent of Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. He has held various park postings within NPS, including at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. He has also served as Director of the NPS' Southeast Region and Associate Director for Workforce, Relevancy, and Inclusion in the NPS headquarters in Washington, DC. Mr. Vela has a B.S. in recreation and parks from the Texas A&M University.
Interior Rolls Out Reorganization Plan
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has announced the Department of the Interior's (DOI) plan to reorganize its bureaus into 12 "unified regions." The proposed management re-design establishes new regional divisions based on the boundaries of states and watersheds, including a California-Great Basin Region, a Lower Colorado Basin Region, an Upper Colorado Basin Region, and Mississippi Basin Region, among others.
The proposal has been under development for several months and was shared in a memo with DOI employees and Senior Executive Service (SES) personnel on August 29, 2018, according to departmental sources. "Our new Unified Regions will allow important decisions to be made nearer to where our stakeholders and intergovernmental partners live and work, and will make joint problem-solving and improved coordination between our Bureaus and other Federal, State, and local agencies easier," stated Secretary Zinke.
The 12 unified regions will replace the 49 individual Interior Bureau regional boundaries. Secretary Zinke said that the reorganization will "reduce bureaucratic redundancy, will improve communication between our experts in the field and leaders in Washington, D.C., and will allow us to share our knowledge and resources more effectively."
Under the plan, the national headquarters for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be moved to a city in the western United States, where the vast majority of public lands managed by the agency are located. The location for the new headquarters has not yet been determined. Individual BLM state offices will continue to function under the new unified regions. Secretary Zinke has indicated that there will be no office or personnel relocations or changes to reporting structure during the initial stages of the implementation of the new plan.
Each new region will be managed under a "Regional Leadership Team", an idea outlined by Susan Combs, acting Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget for DOI, at a roundtable discussion organized by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT). Combs described Alaska as a model for operations under the reorganization plan. "We started with a pilot in Alaska, because it's one state that has all the bureaus, it already has a legislative framework that requires federal and state agencies to work together," said Combs. "So, they are working away on inter-bureau collaboration."
The regional leadership teams will be comprised of SES members from each bureau in each unified region, with an SES member from outside being appointed in cases where there are no SES members for every bureau. In the first month, a regional facilitator will be selected from each team to guide the team across six areas, including collaborative conservation, recreation, permitting, acquisition, human resource management, and information technology management. The regional facilitators along with their leadership teams will identify key personnel for the six areas of focus, determine the "as is" and "future state" operations for their respective unified regions, and also develop an options paper to be used in the selection and rotation process for the Interior Regional Director.
The plan applies to all Interior agencies, except the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Whether these agencies are eventually aligned with the new regional boundaries will be determined after tribal consultation.
Nominations Sought for National Academies Panel on Biological Collections
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's (NASEM) Board on Life Sciences (BLS) is seeking experts to serve on a committee that will review the contributions of biological collections in research and education.
The expert panel will examine both living organisms and preserved biodiversity specimens that are supported by the National Science Foundation. The committee will study the major advances in the use of collections in the last ten years, determine the biggest challenges in maintaining collections, recommend innovative ways in which biological collections can be utilized in the future, and suggest strategies for their sustained support of research and education.
The study entitled, "Biological Collections: Their Past, Present, and Future Contributions and Options for Sustaining Them," requires experts with backgrounds in biodiversity, marine science, ecology, environmental science, and evolutionary biology, and experience with collection curation and management.
The deadline for submitting nominations is September 21, 2018. Self-nominations are accepted.
Nominations can be submitted here.
To receive updates about the study, subscribe at https://nationalacademies.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=126022b3c9b5339309157088a&id=f2f3c4827d
Published on 31 Aug 2018
NSC Alliance to Convene Collections Policy, Advocacy Meeting
The NSC Alliance Board of Directors recognizes that there are a growing number of policy issues confronting the natural science collections community. To more effectively engage in these issues and to support more coordinated community action related to matters of funding, regulation, research and training, among other issues, the NSC Alliance is convening a meeting of its membership in Washington, DC, on April 2-3, 2019. This meeting, tentatively called: Collections Policy and Advocacy, provides the forum for representatives of NSC Alliance members to gather and discuss with policymakers and each other the significant issues shaping the community, and collections-based research and stewardship. In addition to formal presentations from national policymakers, the program will include sessions designed to support information exchange and networking among NSC Alliance members. Discussion sessions will also drive the development of policy recommendations and new, coordinated strategies for engaging key audiences.
Importantly, the meeting will include more than discussions of vexing issues. NSC Alliance will facilitate meetings between its members and congressional and executive branch officials, providing a valuable opportunity to educate the individuals who must ultimately support new investments or other policy remedies.
Additional information, including registration information, about this meeting will be shared with NSC Alliance members in the next few weeks.
Expand Your Broader Impact Skills: AIBS Communications Boot Camp for Scientists
The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) will offer its Communications Training Boot Camp for Scientists this October 15-16, 2018. Students and staff affiliated with NSC Alliance member institutions are eligible to receive a significant discount off of the regular program registration rate.
The AIBS Communications Training Boot Camp for Scientists was designed to enhance the communication skills of scientists, particularly those interested in communicating with decision-makers and the news media. The program is an excellent way to develop new communication skills and identify effective methods for broadening the impact of research and education programs.
The Boot Camp is an intensive, two-day, hands-on training program.
-	How to translate scientific findings for non-technical audiences
-	How to tell a resonant story that informs decision-makers
-	How to prepare for and participate in a news interview
-	How to prepare for and engage in a meeting with a decision-maker
-	How to protect your scientific reputation
-	How to identify and define the audience you need to reach
-	What decision-makers want to hear from a scientist
-	What reporters are looking for in an interview
-	How to leverage social media
-	How the nation's science policy is developed and implemented
Participants will also have the opportunity for formal and informal discussions with science policy and communications experts working in Washington, DC.
Learn more about the program and register now at https://www.aibs.org/public-policy/communications_boot_camp.html.
Collections in the News: Legal Issues and Digitized Specimens
A new article entitled, "Digitizing Specimens-Legal Issues Abound," will appear in the September issue of the journal BioScience. The article is currently available as an Advance Access publication. The article examines legal issues arising from the digitization of museum specimens and making them publicly available, including ownership of images and data and the ability to copyright them.
The article raises several concerns. "Do the people in possession of the specimen own it, and do they have permission to distribute the specimen for scanning? Who claims the rights to the digital data? Does a contract between the owning institution and the source of the specimen affect its digital reproduction and distribution?"
To read the article, visit https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/biosci/biy086/5063482?redirectedFrom=fulltext#.W2w1314Q9xs.email
Collections in the News
According to a report from WESA, Pittsburgh's NPR News Station, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History will begin digitizing its collection of plant specimens. About one third of the herbarium's over 500,000 specimens will be scanned to high-resolution photographs and made available through a search engine, which contains data and images of plants from hundreds of collections across North America. The effort will focus on species collected in Pennsylvania and neighboring mid-Atlantic states. It is anticipated that this digitization work, made possible through a grant from the National Science Foundation, will improve accessibility to plant specimens and enable new research opportunities such as computational analysis.
Comments Requested on Proposed Revisions to Endangered Species Regulations
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have released a joint proposal to make significant revisions to regulations that implement the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and are inviting comments from the public for a period of 60 days.
ESA was enacted in 1973 with the goal of preventing plants and animals from becoming extinct. The Administration has proposed changes to the enforcement of ESA that would make it harder to provide protections for certain species.
The inter-agency proposal tightens the definition of "foreseeable future" for making crucial ESA decisions. This is in reference to the ESA requirement that USFWS or the National Marine Fisheries Service must determine whether a species is "in danger of extinction, or likely to become so within the foreseeable future" when making a listing decision. Under the new proposal, foreseeable future only extends so far as officials "can reasonably determine that the conditions posing the potential danger of extinction are probable."
The proposal would also eliminate the "blanket 4(d)" rule, which allows the same broad protections for threatened species that are received by endangered species. This move, which would only cover future listings, would result in narrower protections, made on a case-by-case basis, for threatened species.
The Administration has also proposed removing language that guides officials to ignore economic burdens when determining how species should be protected. "We propose to remove the phrase, 'without reference to possible economic or other impacts of such determination,'… to more closely align with the statutory language," the proposed rule reads. "The act requires the secretary to make determinations based 'solely on the basis of the best scientific and commercial data.'"
The proposal makes a key change to the designation of "critical habitats", which are areas essential for recovery of a species. These areas are sometimes still considered "critical" when it is not occupied by the species in question. The new rules would allow USFWS and NOAA Fisheries to designate unoccupied areas "critical habitat" only when the occupied areas are inadequate for the conservation of the species or if inclusion of unoccupied areas would yield other specified advantages. This could potentially shrink critical habitat.
The proposal has raised concerns in the conservation community. Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO of the Defenders of Wildlife and former Director of USFWS said, "These regulations are the heart of how the Endangered Species Act is implemented. Imperiled species depend on them for their very lives." Clark expressed concerns that the changes "would undercut the effectiveness of the ESA and put species at risk of extinction."
"These proposals would slam a wrecking ball into the most crucial protections for our most endangered wildlife," said Brett Hartl, Government Affairs Director at the Center for Biological Diversity. "If these regulations had been in place in the 1970s, the bald eagle and the gray whale would be extinct today."
The proposal, published in the Federal Register on July 25, 2018, will accept comments until September 24, 2018. Comments can be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Links to the Federal Register notices:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-07-25/html/2018-15811.htm
Senate Approves Second Appropriations "Minibus"
The Senate has passed a second appropriations package for fiscal year (FY) 2019, including the funding for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.
This marked the first time since FY 2010 that the Senate debated and approved an Interior and Environment spending bill without considering it as a part of a year-end omnibus spending package. Lawmakers adopted 58 amendments before approving the "minibus" package, including one for expanding federal actions to address lead in drinking water and another for fighting algal blooms. An amendment to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund was not adopted, despite receiving some bipartisan support.
The spending package will now go to conference with the House, which passed its version of the "minibus" earlier in July.
The Senate bill would provide the Department of Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other agencies $35.9 billion, about $600 million more than the House bill. EPA would receive flat funding at $8.05 billion under the Senate bill, while the House bill would slash its budget by 100 million. The U.S. Geological Survey will receive flat funding under the Senate bill and a slightly increased budget under the House bill.
Senate appropriators would provide $1.3 billion (+$11 million) for the Bureau of Land Management, $3.2 billion (+13.4 million) for the National Park Service, $1.6 billion (-$19.7 million) for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $6.29 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, and $1.043 billion (flat) for the Smithsonian Institution. Both bills have largely ignored the deep cuts proposed to the Department of Interior and EPA by the President.
The agriculture spending bill approved by Senate provides $2.73 billion (-10 percent) to agricultural research, including $1.301 billion (-$42 million) for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), $1.425 billion (+$17 million) for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and $405 million (+$5 million) for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).
The first "minibus" spending package, which provides funding for Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs was approved by both chambers in June and is expected to be ready for the President's signature by early September. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) intends to "steer clear" of another year-end omnibus spending package and said that the Senate will be in session for most of August to work on appropriations. Appropriators have indicated that the next spending package they consider could potentially combine spending bills for Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, which account for 75 percent of all discretionary spending.


Halloween is next Monday, a bummer for trick-or-treating but it does mean a weekend full of horror and parnormal events. Here's a snapshot of the spooktacular events for ghouls and ghosties of all ages happening this weekend, October 28 to 20, 2011.
By the by, there are a lot of horror film festivals this weekend but I didn't include them, mainly because I wanted to do something this weekend besides write this post. For a full list of all scary to-dos this pre-Halloween weekend, see Goblinhous' list.
Rock Creek Cemetrary, Washington D.C.
Steampunks, Gothic Victorians, Roccoco Recreationists, Jazz Ageers, etc welcomed to a formal wear potluck picnic among the graves of the historic Rock Creek Cemetary.
Horror event known for its large and diverse guest list.
Michigan's first horror convention, held at the Masonic Temple.
Masquerade ball themed soiree produced by Father Sebastiaan of SABRETOOTH.
Immersive steampunk-themed haunted house riffing on the darker aspects of Lews Carroll's classic works.


When a buyer is unable to obtain traditional financing for enough money to cover the price of buying a home , a wraparound mortgage is one of the creative financing options that can make the purchase possible. The wraparound mortgage allows the buyer to purchase the home by leveraging the existing mortgage from the seller.
A wraparound mortgage is a type of loan for purchase in which the seller of the property has an existing mortgage on the property and the buyer assumes the mortgage and just need to get a new mortgage for the difference between the purchase price and the mortgage existing. The seller benefits because you can sell the house. Benefits because the buyer can purchase the home without having to obtain a mortgage for the full amount. For the lender, the transaction brings more revenue.
So overall , the seller of a wraparound mortgage transaction is the mortgage lender. In this situation, the lender can increase your performance as you are charging for the first and second mortgage. Although the rate of interest on the first mortgage is already established, the second mortgage that wraps the first usually has a rate higher interest.
This means that the lender is increasing its performance. For example, Mr. Smith sold the house to Mr. Ford for $ 150,000 and has a balance of the existing mortgage of $ 90,000. Mr. Ford Mr. Smith gives an initial payment of $ 5,000 and establishes a wraparound mortgage for the remaining $ 55,000. The rate of interest on the first mortgage is six percent and the new second mortgage is eight percent. When establishing the wraparound mortgage, the lender only has to pay the buyer $ 55,000 for which he will earn eight percent, also earn the difference between the two interest rates of wraparound mortgage of $ 55,000.
To be able to make a mortgage transaction envelope, the first mortgage must be assumed by the buyer. An assumable loan is a mortgage where the existing borrower, who is the seller, you can transfer your debt obligation that is the mortgage to the buyer. Although assumable loans were more common in the past, so usually only see clause acceptable option offered with loans from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA in English), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA for its acronym in English). If no acceptable clause with the first mortgage, the seller must obtain permission from the lender to make a wraparound mortgage. If an acceptable clause, then the paperwork is submitted to the lender in order to transfer the debt obligation of the first mortgage from the seller to the buyer.
The home buyer has the option to finance the second mortgage with your existing lender. This is probably the easiest way to get a second mortgage because the lender also carries the first mortgage. Since second mortgages are riskier for the lender because they are second in line to cash in case of default by the borrower, may be more difficult to obtain.
The other option for obtaining a second mortgage is that the buyer should ask a different lender who takes the first mortgage. There are two ways that a borrower can take with the new lender. One would be the second mortgage lender pays the first mortgage lender and then you get a mortgage for the full amount. The other way is that the second mortgage lender takes the second mortgage and the first is kept as is.
How does a home equity loan involves a loan car?
« What is a mortgage used to purchase?


These are some lies we made up about Dubuque.
A space man was noticed in a Dubuque highschool late at night wandering the hallways.
A giant pronghorn showed up soaring over Peru Bottoms very late at night.
An enormous dormouse came into view in a mirror in a Dubuque apartment; the ghost was solely perceptible in the mirror.
An extraterrestrial vacationer from another world was spotted in Couler Valley before sunrise struggling to touch something.
A gargantuan anteater was noticed at Bee Branch on a dark night chucking rocks into the water.
A space alien from planet Neptune has frequently been spotted in a trailer in close proximity to Dubuque.
A beheaded man is often made out seeking a box underneath a parked truck in a Dubuque parking lot on a dark night. In any event, it without a doubt is a creepy ghost that you shouldn't go trying to find.
A lady with her head and right arm and right leg separated has purportedly been seen on many instances on the shore of Mud Lake appearing scary. A local says that this spirit is the spirit of a visitor that was murdered while driving through Dubuque a long time ago. No matter what, this is an unlikable ghost that should be left alone.


Join us for the Opening Celebration of the exhibition Up Is Down: Mid-century Experiments in Advertising and Film at the Goldsholl Studio.
Thomas Dyja, third-generation Chicagoan and author of the award-winning Third Coast: When Chicago Built the American Dream, will discuss why Chicago was fertile ground for the Goldsholls' work— and explore the mid-century circumstances that united culture and industry across the city. In conversation with Dyja, exhibition co-curators Amy Beste and Corinne Granof will share insight into the groundbreaking work of the Goldsholl Associates, tracing its artistic influences, including those of artist and designer László Moholy-Nagy, as well as the Firms' lasting design legacy.
In the 1950s, Chicago-based design firm Goldsholl and Associates made a name for itself with innovative "designs-in-film." Headed by Morton and Millie Goldsholl, the studio produced artistically-inspired television spots, films, trademarks, and print advertisements for international corporations like Kimberly-Clark, Motorola, and 7-Up. Combining Bauhaus-influenced aesthetics with commercial advertising success, the firm exemplified the way in which Chicago served as the nation's design capital and a crucial testing ground for ideas connecting art, industry, design, and film.


As you know this structure doesn't allow the use of bitmaps.
Now you are ready to use a Bitmap index.
You see also that Relative Cost is sometimes quite misleading.
At the end of the day, the count of Global references and Lines Executed is the truth.
Here it is obvious that grouping takes quite a significant part of lines executed.


JIMMY HERRING, contemporary American guitarist, embarks on the next chapter of his storied career with the debut of the new band, The Invisible Whip. As a founding member of The Aquarium Rescue Unit, Project Z, and Jazz is Dead – in addition to playing with everyone from The Allman Brothers Band to The Dead to Phil Lesh and Friends – HERRING has made an indelible impact on improvised music. He currently serves as the lead guitarist for the very popular American band Widespread Panic.
Jimmy has been touring consistently with Widespread Panic over the past decade, along with short tours with Aquarium Rescue Unit, Phil Lesh, and The Ringers, but his 2017 dates with The Invisible Whip mark the first performances of his own music, with his own band, in nearly five years. The upcoming dates will include new music Herring is currently working on, plus material from his last two albums, Lifeboat (2008) and Subject to Change Without Notice (2012). Among the concerts include appearances with John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension, whose leader is one of Herring's musical inspirations and, uniquely, also one of Herring's most prominent champions.
Composed of longtime friends and musical collaborators, The Invisible Whip, named for the intangible musical force that fuels them, is a nod to their time spent playing with Col. Bruce Hampton – who has made a lifelong impact on the members of the band. Members of The Invisible Whip are drummer Jeff Sipe (aka Apt Q258), Matt Slocum on B3 organ and clavinet, bassist Kevin Scott and multi-instrumentalist Jason Crosby on Fender Rhodes, piano and violin.


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Auriemma lone rational figure in Mo'ne Davis fiasco
Chip Malafronte cmalafronte@nhregister.com
Sep. 7, 2014 Updated: Aug. 27, 2017 3:20 p.m.
In addressing the infamous phone call to Mo'ne Davis, Register columnist Chip Malafronte says UConn Geno Auriemma came across as the "lone rational figure in a galactically ludicrous situation."AP FILE PHOTO
Checked another milestone off the bucket list. Having your car totaled in a flash flood? Done. Yes, it was on the list. Way down, though. Somewhere between catching nine innings without a cup and being trapped in a port-a-potty.
Since my insurance company took its sweet time making the official determination, I've been left without a vehicle. Rented a car last week, but realized $40 per day for a Chevy Spark was highway robbery. Pretty sure if you haggle long enough at a Chevy dealership, they'll pay you $45 just to take one off their lot.
At any rate, nothing makes a grown man feel as if he's back in junior high school like two weeks of bumming rides from friends and family. Even had to call my mother Saturday for a lift to a football field for work. So thanks again, mom. For the ride and the juice box.
** As is the case in most episodes revolving around jealousy and envy, Geno Auriemma comes off looking better than ever to prospective recruits. Because only the truly petty and paranoid believe his call to Little League World Series star Mo'ne Davis was anything more than a supportive gesture. The anonymous whistle-blower and the NCAA, which twisted its own rules to create this violation, accomplished little more than making Geno look like the lone rational figure in a galactically ludicrous situation.
** It's gotten to the point where member colleges wring their hands with worry that innocuous anecdotes may wake a sleeping Doberman. Even when there's no violation, there has always been a chronic fear of NCAA misinterpretation. And now we see why.
** Our worthless NFL predictions for the coming season: Seattle over Chicago in the NFC; Indianapolis over Baltimore in the AFC; Seattle repeats in the Super Bowl.
** Does anyone actually get excited over a combined no-hitter? That's not pitching dominance. It's a lineup that, on this particular day, was plain awful.
** The Bridgeport Bluefish made headlines throughout the summer with a steady stream of creative promotions and signings. Team general manager Ken Shepard had earned a reputation for creativity, and was as sharp as ever this season.
From securing Pete Rose to manage for a game to the now infamous military-themed "nipple jersey" to a "Battle of the Sexes" softball game between the Bluefish and Brakettes to hiring a little person to impersonate Eddie Gaedel on the 75th anniversary of his lone MLB appearance, it was true to the spirit of what minor league atmosphere should be all about – fun.
That Shepard, who died Friday at age 49, worked so hard to please us while suffering through terminal illness speaks volumes about his dedication and courage.
** Johnny Manziel filed paperwork to trademark 10 nicknames, including "Johnny Cleveland" and "ManzIIiel," whatever that's supposed to mean. One he neglected to claim, Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report points out, is "Johnny Backup."
** Given the competition in the AFC East, the Patriots should have little trouble winning the division for the 12th time in the past 14 seasons. Can they reach a ninth AFC championship game and fourth Super Bowl under Bill Belichick? That depends on the defense (and Tom Brady not, in his own words, "sucking.") Right now that starting 11 looks fierce.
** Coaches in most every sport dispense discipline through endless running. Does a cross country coach simply point to the bleachers and say 'sit'?
** Jim Calhoun is joining ESPN's college basketball coverage as a studio analyst. He should prove to be knowledgeable and entertaining. Just hope they provide subtitles.
** Random baseball fact we found this week that maybe you didn't know either: Marlon Byrd of the Phillies has struck out 165 times in 523 at-bats, tops in the majors this season. Joe Sewell, Hall of Fame infielder for Cleveland and the Yankees in the 1920s and 30s, struck out 114 times in 7,132 at-bats over his 14-year career, making him the toughest to whiff in MLB history. While with the Indians in 1925 Sewell had 698 plate appearances. He struck out only four times.
** The Yankees are the dullest team in baseball history to be in a September playoff hunt. I've seen more exciting Double-A lineups.
** You know you're getting old when someone asks your age and it requires a quick calculation in your mind to remember. But, I can say with conviction that it feels great to be 67. Wait, that can't be right. Let me get back to you next week.
In the meantime…umm…can I borrow your car?


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« Review – Aladdin – Hackney Empire (2009)
Cheap tickets, cheap restaurants: what theater goers wanted in 2009 »
Review – Sandy Toksvig's "Christmas Cracker" – Royal Festival Hall
I didn't know anything about Sandy Toksvig or her semi-cohost Ronnie Corbett but the blurb on LastMinute.com for "Sandy Toskvig's Christmas Cracker" totally sold me, promising "festive sing-a-longs" and a retelling of "A Christmas Carol!" It all sounded very English and a lot of fun, as I really enjoy group sings and I love a Christmas Carol.
Well. As it turns out, this show was just not all it was cracked up to be. Sandy had a few jokes to tell, Ronnie managed to make jokes about dildos ("Ann Summers calling: we need you to return our fire extinguisher"), viagra, and being felt up (not really appropriate given the number of under-12s in the audience), but somehow far too much time got wasted on a not very enticing story about a mute stagehand and the Christmas fairy he falls in love with. The guest artists seemed generally horribly wasted in the utterly underpowered Christmas Carol: neither Miriam Margolis (as Mrs. Cratchitt) or Tim Pigott-Smith (as Scrooge) were able to do much other than act as background to Toskvig's own weak jokes.
Even sadder was the unsingability of the supposed singalong moments. We were invited to join Barb Jungr as she attacked holiday classics ("White Christmas," I think, and, er, something else, maybe "Winter Wonderland") with a Minelli-esque enthusiasm – possibly from the coked-up years. The thing is, even though her voice was good, when you start going all over the place with your songs, people can not sing along with you. I would have really wanted to, but hers was not a "lead a singalong" performance – it was showy solos all the way through. And the three tenor men who sang earlier – good voices but still, they were showing off and harmonizing, not inviting us to participate. This was an utter flop as a singalong. (And I've mostly supressed the memory of the horrible, flat voice of the child who played "The Little Match Girl." Seriously, this is London: could they not have found a brat who could at least hold a note, and even the RIGHT note? Were they all off performing in Oliver? Did perhaps Ms. Toksvig owe this girl's mother a favor of some sort? The mind boggles.)
Actually, as I sat there clutching the contents of my cracker and my ticket stub after the show – reminding me I'd shelled out £25 for the pleasure of attending plus £2 for a paper crown, a bad joke, and a battery operated candle – I realized that the whole evening, from the not funny magician to the not funny stagehand to the – dare I say it – not funny joke in my cracker, was just pretty lame. Was it under-rehearsed? Is the Royal Festival hall just the kind of barn that kills any show? In retrospect, the best moments were when an audience member was being chosen in pub-quiz style to participate in "The Christmas Carol" (as Tiny Skirt, er, Tiny Tim), and the brief moment when Ronnie and Mr. Pigott-Smith were joking with each other on stage. But otherwise it was a really poor way to blow my night. Thank goodness this dog is over; I only wish I'd been warned soon enough to have spent the night at home watching David Attenborough on the BBC Iplayer.
(This review is for the performance that took place on December 23rd at 7:30 PM. The show is now over. Weep not. A more thorough review can be found on the West End Whingers' site.)
Summary from the Southbank website: A Christmas cabaret in Royal Festival Hall featuring an array of guest stars from the worlds of music, magic and comedy, including the legendary Ronnie Corbett. Hosted by queen of the quips Sandi Toksvig and a house band, the show is a joyous mix of music and comedy. It features festive sing-a-longs and, in time-honoured tradition, a re-working of a much-loved period drama in the form of a hilarious romp through Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, written by Sandi Toksvig and a specially commissioned Christmas anthem by Fascinating Aida's Dillie Keane. Created by Sandi Toksvig and Southbank Centre Artistic Director Jude Kelly, and directed by Fiona Laird, who directed Stephen Fry's Cinderella at the Old Vic in 2007 starring Sandi Toksvig, each performance will have the same format, although star guests will vary through the show's ten-day run.
Special guest stars now announced! Keep checking the website for updates – the remaining guest stars to be announced soon.
The 20 December performance is captioned and has speech-to-text reporting.
Cratchits
Maria Friedman
Sara Kestelman
Voicelab
Sarah Connolly
Jeremy Hardy
Denise Van Outen
Dick & Dom
Barb Jungr
Roger Lloyd Pack
Clive Rowe
London Gay
Sharon D. Clark
Tim Pigott-Smith
Lionel Blair
Tags: it's time to outlaw singing children for once and for all, Ronnie Corbett, Royal Festival Hall, Sandy Toskvig, Sandy Toskvig's Christmas Cracker, Southbank Centre, Tim Pigott-Smith
This entry was posted on December 24, 2009 at 11:49 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
One Response to "Review – Sandy Toksvig's "Christmas Cracker" – Royal Festival Hall"
Oh boy can I empathise with you over time wasted at the Festival Hall on this so-called "show"!!!! And it was Xmas eve !!! I was SO mad – not just at the money I had spent in order to provide a "special treat for the family"!!!!!! but also at the time spent getting there and sitting there until interval (WHEN WE FLED!!) – I think we should be hounding that annoying little Toksvig tug for a refund!!!
A crying shame that the Royal Festival Hall sees fit to accommodate such pathetic "entertainment"……
Having travelled 8 000 kms for a Xmas holiday – I was furious at having wasted that precious time!


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[102nd Cruise Report]Quebec (Canada)
Oct.18th
The day after Montreal, the ship arrived in its next port, Quebec. Named after the native word for "narrow waterway", the city is indeed located where the St Lawrence River narrows. With its cobbled stone streets, the Old Town of Quebec is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so stepping off the ship and wandering around town feels like stepping into a picture book.
But of course a visit to Quebec wouldn't be complete without maple syrup, and there are a plethora of stores filled with all kinds and varieties.
Cute little stores line the streets of Petit Champlain, where you can also find the famous Breakneck Stairs. The district is divided into the Lower and Upper towns, both of which were buzzing with tourists from all over the world come to see the autumn leaves.
Famous for its salmon and apple cider, in Quebec we had the chance to try the sparkling apple cider, which makes for a beautiful sweet wine, much like champagne.
As the sun began to set, the sky started to change colour and reflect off the autumn skyline. Back on the ship passengers could be heard saying how much they loved their time in the city, showing that despite the short space of time, both Quebec and Montreal had had their effect on the passengers. Yet the voyage must go on, and so the ship set sail for Iceland, and onto one of the highlights of the voyage, the Northern Lights.
[102nd Cruise Report]Montreal (Canada)
[102nd Cruise Report]Immigration In Europe Anna Gawlewicz (Sociologist)


The 5mm sterling silver jump ring is made from 0.6mm wire giving it an internal diameter of 3,8mm (ID 3.8mm). The Jump Ring is one of the most versatile and useful components that you can have in your jewellery kit. We have currently stock sterling silver jump rings in three sizes; 4mm, 5mm, & 6mm. Commonly used when hanging pendants from necklaces or connecting two findings together; e.g. necklace end and a clasp. When a few are linked together this forms a small chain which can be used as a clasp's safety chain or an extension chain. Also used in chainmaille jewellery. These rings have a break that allows you to twist open and close, however the sterling silver jump rings can be carefully soldered closed.


The master schedule has always been a recurring issue. Every year, there is talk of finding a new way to set up the schedules in order to provide more options for students and teachers. Principal Dr. Jay Dostal is hoping to find a solution to the schedule issue.
"It was necessary to look at how our daily bell schedule could be reconfigured to help solve these issues," Dostal said.
The biggest problem with the schedule is the 90-minute advisory. Many are unsure what to do in the period and feel that the period is ineffective. Some students want advisory to be a period where they receive information about college preparation, high school advice or help and other aids for their future. Others want advisory to be a study hall where they can catch up on missed classes, receive tutoring, do homework and work with other students on assignments and projects. Dostal hopes to make advisory more efficient and better for the students.
Dostal sent out a survey to all high school students and staff members to hear their opinions about the schedule. It asked about provided classes, amount of classes and opinions on advisory.
While there have been no changes made yet, Dostal hopes that the changes made fix the advisory issue, provide more flexibility to seniors so they can explore post-high school plans and establish a master schedule before summer so problems can be fixed during the summer.
Dostal knows that it will be an adjustment for everyone to get used to but believes the changes will be for the better and give students more opportunities.


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Home Ideas The CAA+NRC Protests: Who is the New Opposition in India?
The CAA+NRC Protests: Who is the New Opposition in India?
As protests against the CAA+NRC swell across the country, many remain confused as to their exact purpose. While they started off for diverse reasons, only one thing has remained constant: the State's conscious crackdown on dissent, furthering cycles of violence and anger. Amidst all of this, where is the formal Opposition, or the Indian National Congress? What does their visible absence from the frontline tell us about the state of Indian democracy and secularism? Are the protests indicative of the death of democracy, or its revival at the hands of citizens?
Authored by Aarathi Ganesan
Protests are erupting all over the country, some peaceful, some violent. Some feature students, others citizens, and some, according to the BJP, the fearsome 'urban Naxal' (of whom Ramachandra Guha is apparently the most tyrannical.) The protests are happening for different reasons. In the Northeast, especially in the states of Assam and Tripura, indigenous cultures already threatened by an influx of Bengali migrants, stand to be further marginalised should the CAA and NRC/NPR push through.
In New Delhi, crowds have mobilised over the Delhi police's excessive use of force against the students of Jamia Milia Islamia. As time has passed, they have galvanised over the clearly exclusionary facets of the CAA+NRC combination. Across the rest of the country, from Tamil Nadu to West Bengal to Maharashtra to Kerala, protestors have mobilised along similar lines.
Now, the reasons for protesting are clearly diverse. For many critics, this plurality of protest is what should be focused on: what do these protests really stand for? Is there any point to them? These are moot questions.
In the case of the protests, where you come from and your social identity defines your cause, be it protesting against the CAA+NRC, or for it. The inability of television anchors and pundits to identify the reasons behind mobilisation in 'liberal-happy' metros or the under-documented regions outside of them, should not imply that the movement is headless or aimless. In their defence though, this lack of awareness could have to do with the State's uniform response to the protests: silencing them, through imposing section 144, or excessive use of state force. Here's a rundown, in case your local news channel hasn't managed to cover the details of these atrocities.
In Assam and Tripura, some of the first sites of resistance against the CAA+NRC, internet services were suspended. The leader of the resistance, Akhil Gogoi, was arrested by the police and by his own admission, subject to police brutality. In New Delhi, multiple protestors were detained as Section 144 was imposed in the heart of the city's bureaucratic vistas, and telephone services were temporarily suspended. In the under-documented protests that took place in the less-privileged Muslim locales of Daryaganj, police lathi-charged and detained demonstrators (including minors) after only a few protestors turned violent, eventually denying them medical aid and legal representation once detained.
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Central Delhi) directs SHO PS Daryaganj to allow advocates to meet detainees and to provide necessary medical succour to them. CMM also notes that the detention of minors in a PS is flagrant violation of law. pic.twitter.com/nrqXCTngX3
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) December 20, 2019
In BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, in an unprecedented move, Section 144 was imposed across the state. Protests in Lucknow turned violent, with over 879 protestors arrested so far across UP, and another 5000 preventatively detained to 'keep the peace' presumably. In Kanpur alone yesterday, a remarkable 21,000 people were booked for instigating violence. 17 people have died in the process, including an 8-year-old child. Reports are flooding in that in Yogi's UP, the BJP has stoked the violence, further targeting Muslim homes and businesses. Kashmir of course, cut off from the country for five months, may have witnessed all of this and more, but we'll never really know, will we? The continued use of force against citizens, which only instigates further violence, has hit local police forces too, with multiple officers injured in the process.
Gunshots were fired after the local MP and Union Minister Sanjeev Baliyan emerged on the scene with his supporters at the Mahavir Chowk, "He pushed the police to take action against the peaceful protesters," https://t.co/jMC357f2sI
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) December 23, 2019
This is the current condition of the Indian nation-state. While protestors are thronging around the country to defend their understanding of the Indian nation, one defined by the ideals of secularism, peaceful dissent, and federalism laid out in the Constitution, the State, now seemingly divorced from these ideals has cracked down on them. Never before have the ideals of the nation and the State been at such odds with each other. Even if you are cautiously awaiting the arrival of an official document on the NRC (which has to be viewed in tandem with the CAA in any case), you cannot deny that in these events, along with secularism, democratic rights are being systematically ousted from India's formal political systems.
How do we know this for sure, though? By answering a question that's on most people's lips: where is the 'Opposition' in the midst of protests for independent India's soul? A solidified Opposition to the Centre and its policies could help legitimise protests, and minimise the extent of the State brutality taking place.
In the case of Assam, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and All Assam Students Union are unabashedly opposing the Centre, strong in their beliefs for indigenous rights and culture, and taking literal beatings as a result. Mamata Banerjee, even if for more calculated electoral reasons, has stood her ground in West Bengal. Other regional giants like the RJD, YSRCP, JD(U), and BSP have voiced their protest in their own backyards, by refusing to implement the laws.
Yet, across the rest of the varied CAA+NRC protests, larger parties have taken a backseat. Out of the national parties of real electoral significance, the INC's inability to leave the comfortable venues of India Gate and uphold its founding values is significant. Priyanka Gandhi spoke about how the CAA+NRC is 'anti-poor', and how important students are. Sonia Gandhi delivered a stern video address on the protests and how dissent is crucial in democracy from a well-decorated office. Rahul Gandhi has thus far been enjoying the wintry climes of Seoul, and is yet to deliver his first real address on violence (he has tweeted in the meantime, though.) Beyond superficial appeals to students and democracy, no party is willing to address the factors fuelling the protests.
The reasons are clear: no political party wants to be openly associated with 'appeasing Muslims' in their backyard anymore, and even fewer condescend to support the Northeast when it asks for it. Perhaps this is the greatest victory of the Shah-Modi duo, their ability to mainstream 'soft' Hindutva to the extent that democratic values take a backseat to the sentiments of a burgeoning Hindu rashtra. In this atmosphere, it is unlikely that any strong, unified stance from the electoral Opposition will truly emerge. Too much stands to be lost in the next election five years down the line.
The Opposition, that could have been led by India's grand old parties (of admittedly dwindling relevance), has perhaps forsaken the secular future of this country more than the Hindu Right has.
If this is the case, then it is important to reimagine how we understand the Opposition, and who gets to occupy it. Does it deserve to be occupied by tweeting political stalwarts alone? Or is it now occupied by Chandrashekhar Azad of the Bhim Army? By Akhil Gogoi and those standing by him as he remains booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act? By the students of Jamia Milia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University, who dared to say that the treatment met out to them was unforgivable? By Jim Sarbh, one of the lone Bollywood celebrities capable of articulating an intelligible public response on the NRC-CAA protests? By the women in Bangalore who surrounded men peacefully protesting to prevent their assured detention under Section 144? By the innumerable social influencers online who, in spite of state monitoring of social media, have done their best to ensure the digital visibility of these protests persists?
That the government takes this Opposition seriously is clear. In a surprising show of furtiveness, the BJP has deleted its official tweet on Amit Shah's intentions of combining the NRC and CAA. Then take the Prime Minister's apparent diffidence towards the NRC at a recent rally in New Delhi: the BJP really doesn't care about the NRC, it was just following the Supreme Court's orders in Assam!
The now-deleted tweet from the official BJP handle. Source: The Quint
The protests have thrown more of an electoral challenge to Shah's BJP, which rode on the coattails of a nationwide NRC over the past year, than the INC has been able to over the past five years. Why so? As the contours of Hindu nationalism slowly sharpen, so do the identities of those who are to be excluded from it. Secular democracy is being defended by those who stand to seriously lose in the absence of it. These are the young, the ethnic and religious minorities, the castes and classes that will be persecuted first, and those who uphold the limits of the law and power as envisioned by our founding politicians. India's democratic institutions may be visibly fractured as a result of the protests, but, doomsday predictions of an unchallengeable Centre are promisingly being challenged by a newly formed Citizen's Opposition.
The underlying motive of these diverse protests then, should be clear in this light: to reinstate democracy as the great leveler, not religion. Only when that happens can we have much-needed conversations on equality and refuge that comply with our own laws.
Featured image by Aarathi Ganesan.
Aarathi Ganesan Author, The Bastion Staff
aarathi.ganesan@thebastion.co.in
Student protests
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The Bastion Staff
https://thebastion.co.in
Archiving Resistance: The Women Leading the Anti-CAA-NRC Protests
The Women Leading the Anti-CAA-NRC Protests
Best of luck for taking a clear and strong position on issues of importance for the country
(Don't) Get Smart: How Schools and Education Policies Are Failing The Growing Brain


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The Syrian branch of Hezbollah is a Syrian armed group fighting in the Syrian Civil War. The group is directly trained by Lebanese Hezbollah, the IRGC, and the Syrian Armed Forces. The group has troops deployed in Damascus, Aleppo, Daraa, and Quneitra. The groups has also participated in the anti–Israel conflict. Quwat al-Ridha has obscure links with Syrian Hezbollah.

References

Hezbollah
Hezbollah involvement in the Syrian civil war
Pro-government factions of the Syrian civil war
Military units and formations established in 2012
2012 establishments in Syria
Anti-ISIL factions in Syria
Syrian Shia organizations
Jihadist groups in Syria


American major cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has expanded into cross-border payments. Coinbase revealed the development in an announcement on March 28.
Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA) plans to bolster its workforce by 12 personnel to better handle the growing influx of applications for crypto exchange licenses, Reuters Japan reported September 12.


Politicians and public figures from around the world have reacted with horror after a truck smashed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 84 as they watched a Bastille Day fireworks display.
[PARIS] Politicians and public figures from around the world have reacted with horror after a truck smashed into a crowd in the French resort of Nice, killing at least 84 as they watched a Bastille Day fireworks display.
US President Barack Obama condemned what he said appeared to be a "horrific terrorist attack".
US Secretary of State John Kerry, who had himself been in Paris earlier in the day for a Bastille Day parade, said: "The United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed."
Germany "stands alongside France in the fight against terrorism," Chancellor Angela Merkel said, adding that "words can barely express" what France's allies felt.
A spokesman for new British Prime Minister Theresa May called the attack "a terrible incident", adding "we are shocked and concerned".
Boris Johnson, whose first engagement as Britain's new foreign secretary was at the French ambassador's Bastille Day party in London, said on Twitter: "Shocked and saddened by the appalling events in Nice, and the terrible loss of life."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on Twitter: "Canadians are shocked by tonight's attack in Nice. Our sympathy is with the victims, and our solidarity with the French people."
European Council President Donald Tusk called it "a sad day for France, for Europe". He said it was "tragic" that "the subjects of the attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity."
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim - whose own country suffered deadly suicide bombings at Istanbul's airport two weeks ago - condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack that has bloodied Nice on this national celebration day".
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang offered his "condolences" to the victims and said China opposed all forms of terrorism.
The United Nations Security Council called the attack "barbaric and cowardly".
Latin American leaders also condemned the carnage, with Brazilian interim president Michel Temer declaring: "Today, more than ever, we are all French."
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa added that he was sending France "a hug" after "a tragedy caused by insanity".
The Vatican said in a statement that it "condemned in the strongest possible terms" the bloodshed in Nice.
Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy evoked "the pain of all good people, who are potential victims of barbarism, folly and the greatest contempt for human life".
The Kremlin said Russia was "in solidarity with the people of France during these difficult days."
EU President Jean-Claude Juncker said: "France can count on the European Commission to continue to support the fight against terrorism both inside and outside the EU. Our resolve will remain as firm as our unity."
US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said: "Every American stands in strong solidarity with the people of France, and we say with one voice: we will not be intimidated. We will never allow terrorists to undermine the egalitarian and democratic values that underpin our very way of life."


VIB are mechanical components that exploit the elastic deformation of four natural rubber cylinders that are inserted between two hollow sections positioned 45° one to the other. The maximum rotational angle is ±30° from the neutral position. The VIB mounts use the VIB base elements as foundation and have been developed for various typical applications. These Technidea units all come with fitting flanges off the shelf and are interchangeable with industry standards. Other variations of design suitable for specific applications are also available upon request.
Mainly used as rocker mounts in crank driven oscillating conveyor/vibrating screen applications with one chute. These units have left and right thread versions and are used in pairs to accommodate mount height adjustment, simply requiring a threaded bar to connect them. Recommended rocker mounting angle is 20 to 30 degrees.
These units are used as the driving element on a crank shaft in oscillating conveyor/vibrating screen applications and can handle up to 23000N of acceleration force. TB is available with right hand thread. Left hand threaded version is also available upon request.
Used in conveyers or screens with two chutes. The Tecnidea design is a square structure welded all around to ensure the rigidity. Available with the fixing flanges all on one side or with the middle fixing flange reversed.
Mainly used as suspension mounts in vibrating motor driven oscillating conveyor or vibrating screen applications. These units have welded or cast flanges off the shelf and so you don't have to make your own flanges. Design variations for special applications and in stainless steel are also available upon request.
Heavy duty version of the DE-R units. These are mainly used in large conveyors or screens. DE 70 SYM and DE 70/2 SYEM can be used with standard DE 70 R units, as they use the same rubber elements.
A compact VIB unit used as vibration mounts in many applications for dampening of low to medium frequency vibrations, including impact beds in the mining industry.


text:
Q: Null list after query I have a problem where I create an object containing a list, load it into my database, run a query that returns the object, but find the list null. All other properties of the object are as they should be. I'm using a list called "Ints" that is filled with a few integers but I've tried using other types.
Here's my model:
public class CourseModel
{
    public int CourseModelId { get; set; }
    public virtual ICollection<int> Ints { get; set; } // the variable in question
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Overview { get; set; }
}

And here's my database population (The database is called LearnYou):
public class LearnYouDbContextInitializer : DropCreateDatabaseAlways<LearnYouDbContext>
{
    protected override void Seed(LearnYouDbContext context)
    {
        context.Courses.Add(new CourseModel()
        {
            Name = "C# Programming",
            Overview = "You'll learn some C#",
            Ints = new List<int> { 1, 42, 3 },
        });
        context.SaveChanges();
    }
}

Here's the controller code for querying the object:
// GET: Course/Edit/5
    public ActionResult Edit(int? id)
    {
        if (id == null)
        {
            return new HttpStatusCodeResult(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest);
        }
        CourseModel courseModel = db.Courses.Find(id);

        // DEBUGGING THE PREVIOUS LINE SHOWS INTS IS NULL

        if (courseModel == null)
        {
            return HttpNotFound();
        }
        return View(courseModel);
    }

The "Ints" property is not null after saving the context in the database population part but is always null when it's queried (I visit the page ~Edit/1 to debug). I just can't figure out why when all other properties are fine. Any ideas? Thanks.

A: An ICollection in a model indicates a Parent->Child relationship. However, I doubt EF will be able to determine how to create a child table for an ICollection of integers. Here is what I would do.
Create a new model Ints (or whatever it actually represents):
public class Ints {
    public int Value { get; set;}
}

Modify your original model to use it:
public class CourseModel
{
    public int CourseModelId { get; set; }
    public virtual ICollection<Ints> Ints { get; set; } // See the difference?
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Overview { get; set; }
}

That should make it work.

A: It Is not working because you are mapping directly to a int primitive type of .net and Entity Framework doesn't allow it.
In this case what you can do is create your onw object for example and sql table like
public class Ints {
{
      public Course Course { get; set; }
      public int IntValue { ger; set ; }
}

And referencing it from CourseModel
public virtual List<Ints> Ints { get; set; }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In the La Paz area of the Puerto de la Cruz resort you'll find the Sol Puerto de la Cruz hotel, which offers you stunning views of the surrounding sea and sand from practically every angle and is surrounded by one of the most beautiful sub tropical gardens on the island.
The sun terraces on the complex surround two beautiful swimming pools with crystal clear water for you to have a gentle swim in, or you could simply relax by the pool side with a drink. For those who want some real relaxation on the site you could try the professional massage service, or if you want to keep in shape there's a gym and tennis court that all guests can use. The restaurant is so much more than a place to get your dinner here, and you can watch show cooking or go to one of the theme nights where they serve a specific kind of dish all night and decorate the place in kind. Your room is well equipped with an ensuite and cable TV Connection, and all guests have their own private balcony. If you want to explore the town there's a free shuttle bus on weekdays for you to do this and you're very near the beach and town.
A beautiful resort with stunning views all around that will make this holiday one of the most beautiful and relaxing you've had in a while.


Are you looking for a co-founder?Are you finding team-building difficult? Are you struggling to find the right people to work with?
Part of our events series, we are sharing personal insights about how to find the right co-founder for your startup. What should you look for when you build a team, where to find potential candidates and how to make your teamwork efficient.
1. Analysis of your teamwork and personal skills.
Evaluate your previous teamwork experience.
Create the profile of the right candidate for your startup.
Aligning your values and vision.
Creating a common road map (trial period).
Incentives (Salary / Equity / Rewards / Bonuses).
Sharing responsibilities and tasks delegation.
KPI tracking and performance analysis.
Teamwork challenges / issues and problem solving.


text:
More PDA
Cardi B, Offset's maybe on-again romance continues in Atlanta, more news
By Wonderwall.com Editors 3:24pm PDT, Oct 13, 2020
Cardi B and Offset take their seemingly on-again romance to Atlanta
Cardi B and Offset's divorce lawyers may want to hold off on their next filing. After the recent exes enjoyed more than a few PDA-packed moments at Cardi's birthday party in Las Vegas over the weekend, the two were photographed looking very much like a couple while partying together at Allure Gentlemen's club in Atlanta on Monday night. (Despite Georgia's surging COVID-19 case numbers, nobody in the club appeared to be wearing a mask.) When the seemingly on-again couple returned to the home they apparently still share, the Daily Mail reports Offset filmed himself flirting with the "WAP" rapper, who filed for divorce just last month. Cardi and Offset previously split in 2018. After their birthday party appearance — and the multiple expensive gifts Offset lavished on Cardi — a source told E! News, "They aren't back together but [it's] just a matter of time. She loves the attention from him and he's trying really hard to win her back."
Keep reading for highlights from Megan Thee Stallion's powerful op-ed and more …
RELATED: Celebrity splits of 2020
John Travolta remembers late wife Kelly Preston on her birthday
John Travolta had his late wife, Kelly Preston, on his mind even more than usual on Tuesday, which would have been her 58th birthday had she not lost her battle with breast cancer in July. "Happy Birthday hon!" John, 66, captioned a split photo of the two from their wedding next to a pic from the day his parents said "I do." "I found this photo of my mom and dad's wedding. It was nice to see ours alongside theirs," he wrote, adding, "All my love, John." The "Grease" alum confirmed news of Kelly's death over the summer on Instagram as well, thanking the team that cared for the actress, "at MD Anderson Cancer Center, all the medical centers that have helped, as well as her many friends and loved ones who have been by her side." John and Kelly met on the set of "The Experts" in the late '80s, got married in September 1991, and went on to have three children together, Ella, now 20, Benjamin, now 9, and Jett, who died at age 16 in 2009.
RELATED: Country music's longest-lasting couples
Oprah Winfrey cold calls Texas voters ahead of the state's early voting period
Clad in a shirt that read, "Your Voice Matters," Oprah Winfrey made cold calls to Texas voters this week to make sure they had a voting plan and knew the early voting dates for their state (which this year are Tuesday, Oct. 13 through Friday, Oct. 30). She shared video on Instagram Monday from her first call, which she placed to a voter named Christian who, after realizing it was actually Oprah on the phone, eagerly assured her that on a scale of 1 to 10, his likelihood of voting this year is "an 11." He said he also hoped to "galvanize a friend" or two who may have otherwise been unlikely to vote to make it to the polls this year because so much seems to be at stake. Like many who want to avoid potentially long lines and bigger crowds during the pandemic on Nov. 3, Christian also said he planned to vote early. "Since I can't go knocking on people's doors this election, I spent today talking with @betoorourke and calling Texas voters to make sure they have a voting plan," Oprah captioned the clip. "So get ready like Christian because early voting starts … 10/13 for the Lone Star State! Visit poweredxpeople.org to find your nearest polling place🤠🇺🇸🗳."
RELATED: Oprah Winfrey's life in pictures
Jonah Hill and Gianna Santos call off their engagement
There will be no wedding bells after all for Jonah Hill and Gianna Santos. That's according to People, which reported Monday night that the pair have called off their engagement a year after Jonah popped the question. Gianna, 31, was first linked to the 36-year-old "Wolf of Wall Street" star in 2018. Since then, they've kept their romance out of the public eye as much as possible. And it appears they're still on good terms. A source told People the split was amicable and Jonah, along with his sister, Beanie Feldstein, and their mom, Sharon Feldstein, all still follow Gianna — a content manager at the beauty company Violet Gray — on Instagram.
Megan Thee Harris pens moving NYT op-ed, 'Why I Speak Up for Black Women'
In a powerful op-ed titled, "Why I Speak Up for Black Women," published in the New York Times Tuesday, Megan Thee Stallion explains everything from why she is now speaking out about being shot, allegedly by Tony Lanez, to the injustices she finds against Black women like Breonna Taylor, whose killers were not arrested. Megan opens by pointing to the upcoming election, writing that, "Black women are expected once again to deliver victory for Democratic candidates … Despite this and despite the way so many have embraced messages about racial justice this year, Black women are still constantly disrespected and disregarded in so many areas of life." Referencing the shooting, she writes: "After a party, I was shot twice as I walked away from him. We were not in a relationship … Violence against women is not always connected to being in a relationship. Instead, it happens because too many men treat all women as objects, which helps them to justify inflicting abuse against us when we choose to exercise our own free will." The rapper goes on to explain why, as she puts it, "there's not much room for passionate advocacy if you are a Black woman," before she asserts she's "not afraid of criticism" and points out, "it's ridiculous that some people think the simple phrase "Protect Black women" is controversial," referencing her recent backdrop for a performance on "SNL." "We deserve to be protected as human beings," Megan continues. "And we are entitled to our anger about a laundry list of mistreatment and neglect that we suffer." She closes by sharing the achievements of Black women and girls who have changed history, then says she hopes Kamala Harris' V.P. nomination, "will usher in an era where Black women in 2020 are no longer 'making history' for achieving things that should have been accomplished decades ago."
Gal Gadot's upcoming 'Cleopatra' role stirs controversy
Gal Gadot announced Sunday she's preparing to step into a different kind of "Wonder Woman" role — that of Cleopatra in an upcoming biopic directed by Patty Jenkins. Given Gal's Israeli heritage, the casting choice is already stirring controversy — even though new research from Smithsonian Magazine shows Cleopatra was "ethnically Greek, descended from Alexander the Great's general Ptolemy I Soter." (The film's screenwriter is Laeta Kalogridis, whose grandparents hailed from Greece.) In her announcement, Gal tweeted that she was excited, "to bring the story of Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, to the big screen in a way she's never been seen before …to tell her story for the first time through women's eyes, both behind and in front of the camera." But a number of users skipped over the fact women would be telling the story for the first time in Hollywood's history. "Ummm… you're not Egyptian though? Why would you accept a role that may offend others? … It's very selfish of you and I'd rethink the role," tweeted one person (via The Daily News). Others slammed the project as "another attempt to white wash a historical figure."
Glamour Woman of the Year Regina King talks 'bittersweet' success in fraught times
In September, "Watchmen" star Regina King's Outstanding Lead Actress Emmy win tied the record for the most acting Emmys won by a Black performer. That same month, she became the first Black director to have her work screened at the Venice Film Festival, which premiered her new film, "One Night in Miami." Critics are already buzzing that she's likely to become the first Black woman nominated for a Best Director Oscar, too. But as Glamour explains in Regina's Women of the Year cover story, published Tuesday, the history-making firsts and awards have left her with "survivor's guilt," given the backdrop of protests against so many instances of police brutality against Black Americans. "For that to be the case and all of this to be going on is bittersweet, sobering," she says. Regina, who wore a shirt demanding justice Breonna Taylor during her Emmy acceptance speech, says that she's getting through that conflict by "allowing myself to be OK with being emotional and being honest about being emotional." She's also looking forward to what she hopes will be "real systemic change" coming out of what she calls our current "powder keg moment," which for her includes "everything from the climate changing to the pandemic." Near the end of the interview, Regina's voice gives way to her emotion as she admits she felt "so much hope" seeing people around the world standing up for the Black Lives Matter movement. She goes on to say she doesn't want people to keep dying like martyrs but she wonders, "… if Jacob Blake hadn't [been shot by police]," the movement would have "calmed down." Ultimately, though, the actress and director says she's "got to believe" that "we're at our true reckoning."
Flaming Lips' frontman Wayne Coyne says they're planning to put audiences in 'space bubbles'
For years, Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne has included moments in his shows where he walks/rolls out onto the audience in a giant, plastic ball filled with air that lets him walk on top of fans without touching any of them. Now, with the band in promotion mode for their latest album, "American Head," amid a global pandemic, that technology sounds pretty appealing. In fact, in a new interview with BrooklynVegan.com, Wayne says the Lips are currently preparing for a concert in which the audience uses the "space bubbles" as protective barriers against the transmission of the coronavirus. "… We're starting to set up a show downtown even as we speak, where we have people in these space bubbles and do a show where the audience is in space bubbles and wearing space bubbles," Wayne said. "I mean, it seems absurd, but we at first were just doing it as … not a joke, but just as a kind of funny thing. And now it's becoming kind of serious and real." Asked if they were "actually going to do it," Wayne confirmed that's the plan. "Well, I think so. I mean, we're setting it up as we speak," he said. "I mean, we have these hundred that were made for us, but they were made in China, so it took a long time for them to get here and we didn't really know if they were going to arrive. … But we're starting to get ready to do an actual show where yeah, there's three people in each of these space bubbles, and we play… We think maybe playing two shows a night, and getting a big audience in there each time. … It sounds insane, but it seems doable." It's unclear what the logistics will involve, but Wayne says once the bubbles are full of air, "people can be in them for quite a while." He added that the band also has lots of experience working with them, which makes the Lips the right people to try it out. "Yeah, it's a bizarre situation for sure," he admitted. "I mean, I'm not suggesting the whole world should do it this way. I'm just saying the Flaming Lips can try it this way, and if you like our music, you can come see us. You'll have to be in one of these space bubbles, but maybe that'll be a good thing."
Kanye West wants to trademark 'God Save America'
As Kanye West continues campaigning on his last-minute, "Birthday Party" ticket White House bid, he's apparently looking to incorporate God into his (uber-expensive) merch. Last week, the rapper and designer filed an application to trademark the phrase "God Save America" for use on shirts, sweaters and sweatshirts, according to TMZ. Though the documents didn't specify that the phrase would be a campaign slogan, the filing reportedly landed just days before Kanye released his first campaign ad, which features statements such as, "By turning to faith … we will be the kind of nation … God intends us to be."
'Two and a Half Men' star Conchata Ferrell dies from complications following a heart attack
Conchata Ferrell, who played Charlie Sheen's housekeeper Berta on "Two and a Half Men," has died at age 77. Deadline reports the Emmy-nominated actress passed away on Monday with loved ones by her side at Sherman Oaks Hospital in Sherman Oaks, California. Conchata's health had reportedly failed after she suffered a heart attack while hospitalized in May. Charlie described Conchata as, "An absolute sweetheart, a consummate pro, a genuine friend," and called her death "a shocking, painful loss." Their co-star Jon Cryer said in a statement: "She was a beautiful human. Berta's gruff exterior was an invention of the writers. Chatty's warmth and vulnerability were her real strengths. I'm crying for the woman I'll miss, and the joy she brought so many." In addition to two Emmy nominations for her role on "Two and a Half Men," Conchata earned a nomination in 1992 for playing Susan Bloom on "L.A. Law." Other TV series and films in which she appeared include "Grace and Frankie," "The Wild Thornberrys," "Deported," and more.
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