A street artist has laid impossible-to-complete track and swim lanes all throughout the city.
If M.C. Escher designed a gym, it might look a little something like this.
Track-and-field lanes that run up 90-degree walls, a soccer field climbing a staircase, a "hopscotch without hope" that tries to get players entangled in a metal gate – all these surreal exercise markings were on display recently in Dublin, no doubt leading to at least a couple instances of late-night buffoonery that ended up with people smashing into a wall.
Is this "3D Platform" where you're supposed to stand after winning Bronze for surviving this series of traps?
All images used with permission from the artist.


1. __________________ A coalition of American Muslim groups is demanding that Sen. Hillary Clinton stop using the adjective "Islamic" to describe terrorists and extremist enemies of the United States.
2. __________________ Presidential candidates Senators John McCain and Barack Obama refrain from using the term "Islamic" to describe terrorists.
3. __________________ Approximately 8% of the U.S. Postal Service budget is used to pay employees.
4. __________________ Approximately 30% percent of all postal routes in the U.S. are done by private contractors.
5. __________________ The United States asked China this week to halt a shipment of weapons to Zimbabwe and stop further sales to that country.
6. __________________ The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) said it was mobilizing its affiliates in Africa to prevent the Chinese ship from unloading its cargo intended for Zimbabwe.
7. __________________ North Korea's government was assisting Syria in building a nuclear facility that the Israeli military bombed in September.
8. __________________ U.S. intelligence officials held a press conference this week with reporters to brief them about the Syrian nuclear facility.
9. __________________ President Bush nominated Gen. David Petraeus this week to become the new head of U.S. Central Command.
10. __________________ Gen. Petraeus is currently the Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Afghanistan (MNF-A).


text:
TMF:
TMF, 1977,	Volume 33,	Number 2,	Pages 174–184	(Mi tmf3281)
This article is cited in 8 scientific papers (total in 8 papers)
Does the energy of the source change when gravitational waves are emitted in Einstein's theory of gravitation?
A. A. Logunov, V. N. Folomeshkin
Abstract: It is shown that the total "energy" and total flux of "energy" of plane gravitational wave evaluated by means of any pseudotensor are equal to zero. The well-known (14) result by Einstein that the source energy decreases in the radiation of weak plane gravitational waves does not take place in Einstein's theory of gravitation. The examples of exact wave solutions with pseudotensor equal identically to zero are given in Einstein's theory of gravitation. The energy-momentum of any weak gravitational wave is equal to zero. When such waves are radiated, the source energy cannot change although the waves are the real waves of curvature. Thus, in the essence, in Einstein's theory of gravitation the production of energy out of pure nothing takes place.
Theoretical and Mathematical Physics, 1977, 33:2, 952–959
Citation: A. A. Logunov, V. N. Folomeshkin, "Does the energy of the source change when gravitational waves are emitted in Einstein's theory of gravitation?", TMF, 33:2 (1977), 174–184; Theoret. and Math. Phys., 33:2 (1977), 952–959
\Bibitem{LogFol77}
\by A.~A.~Logunov, V.~N.~Folomeshkin
\paper Does the energy of the source change when gravitational waves are emitted in Einstein's theory of gravitation?
\jour TMF
\mathnet{http://mi.mathnet.ru/tmf3281}
\jour Theoret. and Math. Phys.
http://mi.mathnet.ru/eng/tmf3281
http://mi.mathnet.ru/eng/tmf/v33/i2/p174
A. A. Vlasov, V. N. Folomeshkin, "On the energy of gravitational waves in Einstein's theory of gravitation", Theoret. and Math. Phys., 38:2 (1979), 99–102
A. A. Logunov, V. I. Denisov, A. A. Vlasov, M. A. Mestvirishvili, V. N. Folomeshkin, "New concepts of space-time and gravitation", Theoret. and Math. Phys., 40:3 (1979), 753–777
G. S. Asanov, "Integrable covariant energy-momentum conservation law for the gravitational field with absolute parallelism structure", Theoret. and Math. Phys., 39:1 (1979), 331–335
A. A. Vlasov, V. I. Denisov, A. A. Logunov, M. A. Mestvirishvili, "Gravitational effects in the field theory of gravitation", Theoret. and Math. Phys., 43:2 (1980), 375–401
A. A. Vlasov, V. I. Denisov, "Einstein's formula for gravitational radiation is not a consequence of the general theory of relativity", Theoret. and Math. Phys., 53:3 (1982), 1208–1216
V. I. Denisov, A. A. Logunov, "New theory of space-time and gravitation", Theoret. and Math. Phys., 50:1 (1982), 1–48
V. I. Denisov, V. O. Soloviev, "The energy determined in general relativity on the basis of the traditional Hamiltonian approach does not have physical meaning", Theoret. and Math. Phys., 56:2 (1983), 832–841
V. I. Denisov, A. A. Logunov, "Further remarks on the inequlity of the inertial and gravitational masses in general relativity", Theoret. and Math. Phys., 85:1 (1990), 1022–1028

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Abandonware - Free Culture
Rogue 1984 - The DOS game, the history, the science
AN EXPERT SYSTEM OUTPERFORMS MERE MORTALS AS IT CONQUERS THE FEARED DUNGEONS OF DOOM - A. K. Dewdney
"Scientific American", volume 252, issue 2, February 1985, pp. 18-21
Every year thousands of people die a fantasy death in the Dungeons of Doom while playing Rogue, one of a new generation of computer adventure games. The player watches a map of the dungeons on the display screen and directs the actions of his or her game persona, a character called the Rogue. The object of the game is to descend through the 26 levels of the dungeons, seize the Amulet of Vendor and return safely to the surface, gathering gold and slaying or escaping from monsters along the way. Few human players survive the dangers of this subterranean odyssey, let alone return with the amulet.
The fantasy can be quite vivid; one quickly leaves awareness of keyboard and display screen far behind. As the Rogue, I approached the entrance to the dungeons with some trepidation: it was night and the ancient ruins that marked the point of my imminent descent had a gloomy and forbidding appearance. In preparation I set out my enchanted mace, a bow and a quiver of arrows snatched from a dragon's hoard in the distant Dark Mountains. I donned my elf-crafted armor, picked up my weapons and food and stepped into the stygian darkness of a stairway.
Just as the descent began to seem endless, I bumped into an oaken door and swung it cautiously open. There before me was the first room on the uppermost level of the Dungeons of Doom. It was dimly lighted by tapers and I trod carefully to the middle of the chamber, the better to survey it. Suddenly the floor under me gave way and for a breathless second I was falling. With a sickening thud I landed in another room. This one was much darker and, even when my eyes became accustomed to the dark, I could see only a few feet in any direction. To make matters worse, I could hear something moving about in this chamber. Nauseous with fear, I stumbled to my feet to find myself confronting a squat, horrid armor-clad figure holding a club. As it raised its weapon to strike, a rush of adrenalin cleared my head. I fitted an arrow to my bow, drew it and fired all in one fluid motion. (Fortunately I took archery as a non-credit course in my senior year.) There was a swish, a thwock and a squeal as the goblin (for that is what the creature was) fell to the floor quivering with unvented rage. I stepped gingerly away from it, determined to find a stairway up and out of the Dungeons of Doom. I thought of my cozy home and my writing desk with the unfinished "Computer Recreations" article on it. As I shuffled slowly in the direction in which I guessed a stairway to lie, my boot struck what felt like a small heap of stones. I looked down. Even in the dark something gleamed. Gold! It occurred to me to explore just one more room before returning to the surface...
Aside from the intensity of vicarious experience, Rogue goes a step beyond traditional adventure games in at least two respects. First, the layout of the terrain is generated by the program itself and the layout changes from one game to the next. Second, Rogue supplies the human player with a plan view of the current level of dungeons as explored so far. Various features are indicated by different keyboard characters drawn on the screen. For example, bars and hyphens represent walls, number and percent signs represent passages and stairways respectively, plus signs represent entrances and carets represent traps. Objects and features of the chamber may or may not be visible depending on whether or not the chamber is illuminated. When the Rogue enters this particular level, no features are shown on the screen. In order for them to be represented the Rogue (represented by an "@" sign) must discover them. And so he explores, stumbles on some traps, scouts parts of various rooms and traverses passageways. He may encounter the letter U, which represents a monster known as the Umber Hulk.
Below the character-oriented graphic plan the screen displays the Rogue's current statistics. In the illustration the Rogue is on the 25th level, he has accumulated 7.730 pieces of gold, he has earned 77 hit points (but only 25 remain because of damage sustained), he has accumulated strength to the 15th degree (18 is the highest), he wears class-9 armor and has 30.668 experience points, enough to place him on the exalted 13th order of experience. At the 25th level of the Dungeons of Doom this Rogue has only one more stairway to descend before reaching the bottom level and attempting to snatch the coveted Amulet of Vendor. The Rogue must first dispose of the Umber Hulk, however.
This discussion explores only the surface of the game. It would be possible to write an entire book of rules and advice for playing Rogue. So far the only available document of that nature is a terse, eight-page report written by Michael C. Toy and Kenneth C. R. C. Arnold, A Guide to the Dungeons of Doom. Unfortunately it is available only to users of the VAX/UNIX time-sharing system. Arnold tells me that a version of Rogue suitable for the IBM PC is now available from A. I. Design, 201 San Antonio Circle, Suite 115, Mountain View, California 94040. Toy and Arnold, Rogue's creators, evidently think the best way to learn the game is to play it. Nevertheless, the general features of the game can be delineated.
At each level the playing area is divided into squares. The Rogue occupies one square at a time as he explores his vicinity. Movement within rooms and passages is controlled by typed letter commands such as h, j, k and l that move the Rogue a single square in one of the four main directions. Other commands produce diagonal movement or continued motion in a given direction. To make the Rogue ascend or descend a stairway, the player must type the character < or >.
When an object is discovered near the Rogue's current location, moving the Rogue to the square containing the object automatically causes the object to be picked up. If the player wants to move onto that square without picking up the object, he or she must type m followed by the appropriate direction character. It is also possible to have the Rogue search for traps by typing s, an action that effects a search of neighboring squares. A caution is in order: this search has only a 20 percent chance of discovering a trap.
Occasionally the Rogue must rest (type a period) or eat (type an e) to regenerate strength expended in wandering about or in subduing monsters. Apart from a limited amount of food carried in a backpack, the Rogue has nothing else to eat except what can be found on the dungeon floors (unappetizing as this may sound).
When a piece of armor is found, the Rogue may pick it up (automatically placing it in the backpack) or wear it (type a W). Armor naturally gives the Rogue more protection in combat, but armor may be cursed. If the armor is cursed, efforts to take it off (type a T) are useless without a magic scroll that breaks the curse. Any magic rings found by the Rogue may be put on (type a P) or removed (type an R) unless they are cursed.
At times it becomes necessary for the Rogue to drop a flask and a scroll or two (type a d followed by an object character) because his pack is full. (A Rogue in full pack cannot pick up armor.) Before dropping a flask, however, the Rogue might benefit from drinking the unknown contents: some potions have a healing effect and others enable the Rogue to see the Invisible Monster. On the other hand, the potion may merely cause confusion, so that if one types a command for the Rogue to move north, he may wander off in a random direction. By the same token, there may be an advantage to reading a scroll (type an r) before discarding it: certain formulas remove the curse from one's armor.
The most impressive magic devices at the Rogue's disposal are wands. Depending on the type of wand picked up, the Rogue may zap a monster (type a z) with various effects: he may transport it to a random location, shoot fireballs at it or change it into another monster. The last type of wand, called a polymorph wand, is best used on the more horrible monsters: it is much better to transform the dread Purple Worm into a bat than vice versa.
When the Rogue discovers a monster, a good policy might be to leave it alone. Sometimes a monster is sleeping and will not attack if left undisturbed. If a fight seems inevitable, however, one may wield a weapon (type a w) and then fight to the death (type an f). This can be done only after one has moved the Rogue next to the monster. The outcome of the struggle will depend probabilistically on such factors as the Rogue's current strength level, degree of experience and armor class.
Foremost in the ranks of players of Rogue stands a top-caliber nonhuman player. For the past four years a computer program has been playing the game and matching the prowess of the best Rogue runners in the quest for the amulet and gold; it provides as well an intriguing opportunity to watch an expert system at work.
On February 16, 1984, at the University of Texas at Austin, a Rogue manipulated by a program fought off all monsters, amassed a considerable pile of gold and returned with the amulet. Bearing the distinctly un-Tolkienesque name of Rog-o-Matic, this program directed the Rogue's every step, every pause, every throw and blow.
Rog-o-Matic is the creation of four graduate students in the Computer Science Department at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh: Andrew Appel, Leonard Harney, Guy Jacobson and Michael Mauldin. Rog-o-Matic links programmed knowledge sources with expert systems to make decisions about what to do in every conceivable underground situation.
When a human plays Rogue, a stream of commands from the keyboard flows by way of the operating system into the rogue program. The program automatically decides which monster to confront the Rogue with next, which layout to use for the next level of dungeons, and so on. The program transmits this information, again by way of the operating system, to the display screen in order to keep the human informed of the current situation.
In replacing a human player, the Rog-o-Matic program intercepts the keyboard character stream and transmits characters of its own to the rogue program. The latter has no idea (so to speak) that another program is playing. By the same token, information directed by the rogue program to the screen is also directed toward the Rog-o-Matic program so that it can keep its own map of the Dungeons of Doom.
The Rog-o-Matic program consists of 12.000 lines of the programming language C; it is even longer and more complicated than the rogue program. Rog-o-Matic began in 1981 as what its original creators, Appel and Jacobson, thought would be a "simple project." Shortly after Mauldin joined the group the early Rogue-playing program went through an extensive round of modifications, each version adding some enhancement in tactical or strategic play. By the time the fourth member, Harney, was contributing to program development, it was beginning to dawn on the authors that they had created, in effect, an expert system. Such systems constitute a key application of the so-called Fifth Generation of computers, projected to arrive in the marketplace in the late 1980's. An expert system is designed to embody and project human expertise in a variety of areas from medicine to engineering.
By using the type of software architecture that is suited to expert systems, the creators of Rog-o-Matic were able to design and modify their program with relative ease. In particular, they organized the kinds of knowledge and expertise required by the Rogue into a hierarchy of various subsystems.
For example, one high-level expert (called Melee) controls fighting during combat and another high-level expert (called Target) directs the Rogue's pursuit of monsters. Both these experts use a lower-level expert called Battle, which carries out special attacks or initiates retreat as the situation demands. The battle expert thus sometimes calls on the retreat expert for help, and the latter invariably draws on a source of knowledge called Pathc. This is a special algorithm that searches the local terrain for the shortest path to whichever location is specified. Shortest-path algorithms are well developed in general, and in this particular application only the fastest algorithm possible is acceptable; it is used almost continuously as Rog-o-Matic explores the Dungeons of Doom. Knowledge about terrain used by Pathc comes from Termap, essentially a data structure recording the terrain features so far discovered by the Rogue as he explores a particular level of the dungeons. Finally, Termap obtains all its knowledge from Sense, a low-level data structure containing all the relevant output of the rogue program.
Before listing the duties of other experts and knowledge sources, I should like to reexamine one of the experts, Battle, in more detail. Once a battle is under way, the melee expert calls on the battle expert to decide whether to attack or to retreat. Discretion being the better part of valor, the battle expert first determines the desirability and feasibility of retreat. In order to do so it must check some preconditions:
1. The Rogue is not currently under the influence of the potion of confusion (which could cause the Rogue to flee directly toward the monster).
2. A monster is not already holding the Rogue fast.
3. It would be possible to die in one melee round (avoiding conflict would thus be highly desirable).
4. The retreat expert can find an escape route (a retreat is possible).
If all four preconditions are met, Rog-o-Matic will turn the matter of the Rogue's retreat over to the retreat expert. If they are not met, the battle expert now runs through a list of aggressive possibilities.
1. If it is possible for the Rogue to die in one melee round, if the monster is nearby and visible to the Rogue and if the Rogue happens to have a teleportation wand, then point the wand at the monster.
2. If it is possible for the Rogue to die in one melee round, if the monster is nearby and if the Rogue has a teleportation scroll, then read the scroll's magic formula.
If neither of these conditions prevails in an encounter, there is no longer an alternative to going at least one round with the monster, and so the Rog-o-Matic program cheerfully commits its Rogue persona to the battle. Perhaps the Rogue is strong enough to endure at least one melee round. Otherwise he may well be killed.
Other experts used by the program include an exploration expert (Explore), which decides where to explore next and what motions to use. Also included are a missile expert, which handles the firing of arrows, rocks, spears and so on at monsters, an expert for choosing which objects to pick up, called Object, an expert for choosing what armor to wear, an expert at using magic and an expert called Health, which decides when to eat or rest. Objmap is a data structure that keeps track of the location and history of all objects so far encountered, Invent is an inventory of items in the Rogue's backpack and Intern is an internal-state recognizer that watches over the Rogue's readiness for exertion.
It is no surprise that Rog-o-Matic can play a game of Rogue quickly. After a few minutes of computer time it is all over one way or the other. To date the program has played more than 12.000 games of Rogue at Carnegie-Mellon alone; statistics cited by Rog-o-Matic's four creators tend to support the claim that the program's abilities now exceed those of the vast majority of human Rogue-playing experts. For example, in a test conducted at Carnegie-Mellon during a three-week period in 1983, Rog-o-Matic had a higher median score than any of the 15 top Rogue players at the university. Rog-o-Matic both outperforms most humans and shows some striking differences from them in its style of play. According to Mauldin, the program is careful and unimaginative. It explores efficiently and avoids all the redundant searches that humans are likely to undertake. Its fighting style, however, is rather methodical and, unless it is lucky, it misses some of the swashbuckling possibilities of human play.
Consider, for example, the factor of luck in its history-making performance last February at the University of Texas at Austin. After overcoming the incredible dangers of the deepest levels of the Dungeons of Doom, the Rogue (under Rog-o-Matic direction, of course) found the Amulet of Yendor in a passageway on the 26th level. Racing toward the surface with his prize, the Rogue encountered on the 22nd level one of the worst dungeon monsters, a fire-breathing dragon. The Rogue drew his sword but the dragon exhaled a bolt of fire first. The searing flame missed the Rogue, who was standing in a doorway at the time, struck a wall and bounced directly back at the dragon, scorching it severely. With its remaining strength the dragon advanced toward the Rogue, who dispatched it with a sword blow. The Rogue then continued on to the surface, dealing with minor monsters as he went. When he emerged into the light of day, he had in his possession not only the amulet but also 6.913 pieces of gold and other objects.
The reader, if intrigued by the foregoing account, may want to sample the fun. For that purpose the following puzzle was constructed by Mauldin. In addition to being an introduction to the joys of playing Rogue, it illustrates the difficulty of building intelligence into the Rog-o-Matic program.
A chamber on the 26th level of the Dungeons of Doom is currently inhabited by the Purple Worm (P), the Griffin (G) and the Rogue (@). The Amulet of Yendor (,) lies on the far side of a stairway (%) with respect to the Rogue.
The Rogue's goal is to grab the amulet and race up the stairway without getting killed. It happens that the Rogue has only one hit point left and cannot risk a confrontation with either the Purple Worm or the Griffin. Fortunately the Purple Worm is fast asleep and the Rogue, wearing the Ring of Stealth, has only to avoid stepping on it in order not to wake it up. The Griffin, on the other hand, is very much awake and in pursuit of the Rogue. Although the Griffin would never disturb a fellow monster, it would like very much to occupy the same point as the Rogue, whom it would dismember with one slash of its cruel claws.
It is the Rogue's turn to move. Each move by either the Rogue or the Griffin involves occupying any of the eight adjacent points. So single-minded is the Griffin that it always chooses a move on the most direct path to its prey. If the Rogue makes it to the stairway, he is safe from both the Griffin and the Purple Worm: monster union rules forbid pursuit to other levels.


text:
De Sint-Catharinakerk was een rooms-katholieke kerk aan de Rijksweg Zuid 19 in Wellerlooi.

De kerk werd in 1886-1888 aan de Rijksweg gebouwd, voor het in 1881 gestichte rectoraat Wellerlooi, dat in 1894 tot parochie verheven werd. Architect Johannes Kayser ontwierp een zaalkerk in neogotische stijl. Het schip telde vier traveeën, gevolgd door het lagere priesterkoor. De kerk was overdekt met een zadeldak. De gevels waren voorzien met de voor het oeuvre van Kayser typerende trapgevels.

Wellerlooi lag in december 1944 in de frontlinie van de gevechten tussen de Duitsers en de geallieerden. Nadat Duitse soldaten de toren van de Sint-Catharinakerk als uitkijkpost gebruikten werd het gebouw door de Engelsen op 6 december 1944 verwoest.
In 1946 werd de lagere school als noodkerk ingericht. Hierna werd een zaal voor dit doel bestemd en in 1947 werd een noodkerk, die uit de restanten van de verwoeste kerk was gebouwd, in gebruik genomen. Het gebouw fungeerde tot 1953 als noodkerk en is tot op heden als bedrijfspand in gebruik.
Begin jaren 50 werd een nieuwe Sint-Catharinakerk gebouwd, aan de Catharinastraat, naar een ontwerp van Pierre Weegels. Deze kerk werd op 19 december 1953 ingewijd en is tot op heden in gebruik.

Bron
 Kerkgebouwen in Limburg - Wellerlooi, Catharina

Catharina
Bouwwerk van Johannes Kayser
Catharina
Catharinakerk
Geschiedenis van Bergen (Limburg)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
Daisy Ridley & Tom Bateman; Are They Dating? Also Know Her Past Affairs And Dating History
by Sabina Gartaula
Daisy Ridley (Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley) is an English born actress and film producer, who started her career with minor roles on television. Born on 10th April 1992, Daisy is best known for her portrayal of the lead character Rey in 2015 sequel to Star Wars, Star Wars: The Force Awakens alongside other actors like Harrison Ford and John Boyega. Further, she will also be soon seen in the sequel to the 2017 movie Star Awards: The Last Jedi.
The MTV Movie Award winner has won many other awards for her portrayal of Rey in the cult hit Star Wars. Moreover, she has also provided her voice to the cartoon version of Rey in 3 episodes of the TV show, Star Wars Forces of Destiny.
This gorgeous lady!
A post shared by Daisy Ridley (@daisyridrey) on Nov 28, 2017 at 7:11am PST
Well, here in today's section, we are going to talk about Daisy's most recent affair with her Murder on the Orient Express' co-star Tom Bateman and also her past relationships.
Daisy Ridley past relationships and affairs
Star Wars star Daisy Ridley, who has an estimated net worth of $2 Million was previously in a relationship with British actor Charlie Hamblett, who best known for his work in movies like Babylon and The Secret Agent. The two started dating in 2015, but they broke up after being in a relationship for a year in 2016.
Daisy Ridley and Charlie Hamblett
Source: Daily Mail
There is not much detail about their relationship except the fact that they have been spotted together numerous times in public showing PDA.
Dasiy Ridley dating co-star Tom Bateman?
Yes, the 25-year old Daisy is officially dating her Murder on the Orient Express co-star Tom Bateman. Daisy and the 28-year-old Tom reportedly met on the sets of 'Murder on the Orient Express.' The two had no intention of dating, but as they mingled around, they hit it off and fell for each other.
Daisy Ridley and Tom Bateman
Initially, the co-stars tried to keep their relationship a secret. But one of the producers of the movie leaked the information so that it would create buzz leading to the promotion of the film.
Even though everyone knows that the two are dating, neither of them is ready to share any more about their relationship.
During an interview, when Tom was asked if he is dating any of his co-stars, he avoided the question and ended with 'Nice Try.'
Watch the trailer for Murder on the Orient Express
Well, the producer's strategy really worked as the movie proved to be a hit and has 4.5 stars rating on IMDb. We hope that their relationship works out as well. Also, we wish they soon announce their relationship officially to the public.
Alessandra Ambrosio is Looking Glamorous in Bikini: Engaged to Boyfriend Jamie Mazur, Has Two Children
by Mahammad Arsad Shekh on Jul 07, 2019
Paul Reubens aka Pee-wee Herman Salary & Net Worth Throughout His Successful Career
The Fashionable Looks of Ivanka Trump; Brands, Life style & Net Worth
Taylor Hicks is Dating Girlfriend Caroline Lyders: Rumored to Be Married, Past Affais
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Brec Bassinger is Dating Boyfriend Dylan Summerall: Pas Affairs & Relationships


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text:
Great Wall of China Facts for Kids
What is the Great Wall of China?
The large series of forts built along the northern border of Ancient China is called the Great Wall of China. They were initially built to protect the people of China from invasions by nomadic groups.
Many Chinese dynasties over the centuries have renovated or extended the wall and it served various purposes throughout history. The Great Wall of China is close to 2300 years old.
The name for the Great Wall of China came from the observations European travelers made during their visits. In China, the name for the wall has changed depending on the leadership.
In some eras, it was called the Purple Frontier or the Earth Dragon, while some other dynasties called it 'Ten Thousand Mile-Long Walk'. Now it is called Changcheng which simply means Long Wall.
The structure of the wall is built with mud, cement, bricks, wood, and stones. It is the longest structure ever built in human history. It has 7000 watchtowers along its path that served as stations for soldiers.
Most of the wall stretches through rugged mountains and the countryside of China which offer breathtaking scenery and attract tourists from all over the globe.
The stretch of the Great Wall of China near Badaling was visited by 63,000,000 visitors in 2001. On average 70,000 people visit the site per day during peak seasons.
Some parts of the wall are built near the beaches of Qinhuangdao and still some others through a desert corridor stretching between the tall mountain ranges.
The total length of the Great Wall of China is 21,196 km and on an average, it towers to about 8 meters high. The highest stretch of the wall towers to about 14 meters high.
The Great Wall of China cannot be seen with the naked eye from space, however, with devices such as binoculars, it may be possible to see some parts of it from the moon.
Today the Great Wall of China serves mainly as a tourist attraction which has caused deterioration of the wall in regions with little tourist infrastructure.
One-third of the Great Wall has disappeared because people steal materials from the crumbling walls to build other necessary structures.
In 1987, the Great Wall of China was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Geographical and Architectural Facts
The Great Wall of China is a comprehensive military defense system with sophisticated features and strategic locations. The watchtowers built along the wall at intervals served as surveillance systems and beacon towers for effective communication.
The Great Wall of China is actually not one continuous wall but several walls that connect the whole structure. Some walls even run parallel to each other and are not exactly the same in their architecture or design.
The entire wall stretches from northern China all the way to southern Mongolia. The best-preserved section of the wall extends for 8850 km east to west from Mount Hu near Dandong, southeastern Liaoning province, to Jiayu Pass west of Jiuquan, northwestern Gansu province.
About one-fourth of this section is made up of natural barriers like rivers and mountain ridges. Some other parts have ditches that act as a barrier. However, about 70% of this section of the wall is actually built using hard to use raw materials like rocks.
This stretch was built during the Ming Dynasty which ruled between 1368 and 1644. It is said to be one of the most stable but also the most autocratic dynasties of China.
The Great Wall of China was built using different raw materials over time. Wood, rammed earth, and stones were used to make the wall in the very beginning.
However, during the Ming dynasty, the use of bricks increased exponentially and other materials such as lime and tiles were also used to reinforce the structure and enhance the design.
The bricks were easier to use compared to the rocks and could bear more weight than rammed earth. This was the main reason for the Ming dynasty to contribute the most to the construction of the wall.
Stones were still used to lend to the strength of the wall. They were cut into rectangular pieces and used as foundations, inner and outer edges as well as gateways.
The parapet is castellated in the uppermost most section of the wall which allowed the soldiers to defend themselves during an attack and also guard the region and the surrounding areas.
The signal towers were of great importance to the communication system of the wall and were built at regular intervals along the wall. They were built on higher locations to ensure good visibility and could provide signals to the soldiers with the help of smoke or fire.
Some gates were made up of wood to create a trap for the invaders passing through. This served as an integral feature to deter invaders from approaching the wall.
Along the inner edge of the wall stables, barracks, and armories were built. They not only prepared the soldiers to battle for extended periods of time but also served as living quarters.
Many fortresses were built at critical locations such as access points and were large and the most formidable structures of the Great Wall of China. The notable fortresses are Shanhai Pass Fortress, Juyong Pass Fortress, and Jiayu Pass Fortress.
They worked as frontline outposts and covered the area of about 4 kilometers each. The fortresses are sturdy with walls as thick as seven meters. They are about 14 meters tall.
The terrain that was chosen to build the Great Wall of China was extremely hard to navigate from the outside but relatively flat and wide on the inside which empowered the defenders while posing a near-impossible challenge for the aggressor.
The walls were constructed in a trapeze shape for two reasons. The first was to provide extra stability to the large building by keeping the bottom wide and the top narrow and the second reason was to make the surface of the wall slippery and harder to climb.
The base structure included pits, slopes, and ditches that further bought time for the defenders. The castellated parapets worked as places to hide behind in case of firing while still providing a wide viewing range for attack.
The watchtowers served the purpose of storage for food and weapons as well as additional shelters for soldiers.
History and Legends
During the 8th and 5th century BC, the Chinese had already begun to build walls in order to protect from attacks and invasions by barbarians.
This time was characterized by several wars in ancient Chinese history when various kingdoms built massive forts to protect their borders.
Qin, Wei, Zhou, Qin, Han, Yan, and Zhongshan were among the kingdoms that built fortifications during the Warring States period to withstand attacks with weapons like swords, spears, javelins, etc.
The walls were therefore made with stones or by compressing gravel and earth between board frames.
After the victory of the Qin Dynasty against the other kingdoms, China was brought under one rule and King Zhen became the first emperor of China.
In an effort to bring China under a centralized rule, he ordered the destruction of all the walls that separated his kingdom among the former states.
However, he commanded the construction of walls against the northern territory of the Xiongnu people who lived in the Eurasian Steppe. The plan was to keep building walls along the stretch to connect the fortifications present on the empire's northern frontier.
General Meng Tian was put in charge of the construction. He commanded a large army of soldiers, convicts, workers, and common people to create one of the most ambitious building projects in human history.
The transportation of raw materials to build the walls posed a tough challenge in the difficult terrain. The people, therefore, used locally sourced stones to create the wall and earth to level the plains.
We do not know exactly how long was the wall built by the Qin dynasty due to a shortage of historical records and also the erosion of the structure but it is said that hundreds of thousands of laborers died during the construction of the Qin wall.
During 1206 and 1368, the powerful Yuan dynasty led by Genghis Khan controlled all of China and some parts of Asia and Europe.
To Genghis Khan, the wall served no purpose militarily but it did help in strengthening the prosperous Silk Route. He commanded soldiers to guard the wall and protect the traders, merchants, and their caravan.
Many dynasties took on the renovation and construction of the wall like the Han dynasty, the Sui dynasty, and the Northern Dynasties but it received the most attention during the Ming era.
The defeat of the Ming dynasty against the Mongol tribe called Oirat propelled the construction of the wall along the northern border of China. Fighting with the Mongols proved to be exhausting and the better strategy to avoid conflict was to build a wall to prevent further invasions.
They began building the wall on the southern edge of the Ordos Desert and included the bend of the Yellow river separating the territories under the Mongol and the Ming control.
The Ming dynasty construction was much stronger than the previous work done on the wall. Not only were the raw materials upgraded but the design also developed comprehensively.
An estimated 25,000 watchtowers are said to have been built to provide maximum surveillance of the region and ensure reinforcements in case of an attack.
During the Ming era, the walls near Beijing were made especially strong and a considerable amount of resources and manpower were exclusively dedicated toward making the wall an integrated defense system.
Though the wall served greatly during the Manchu invasions which began in 1600, the Manchus were able to defeat the Ming dynasty by taking advantage of the Li Cheng rebellion in 1644.
After that the Qing dynasty had complete control over China, they ventured to annex Mongolia and extend the borders of the empire beyond the wall. This led to the discontinuation of the construction of the Great wall of China.
Today major works are done on the wall by the tourism sector of China and it no longer serves the purpose of defense.
Visibility from Space and Other Facts
Many people have claimed that the size and stature of the Great Wall of China make it visible from space. However, scientists have proven that we cannot see the wall from such a large distance.
Neil Armstrong after his landing on the moon spoke about the visibility of the wall from space. He said that he was not able to see the wall from the surface of the moon.
However, William Pogue who observed the Earth from a low earth orbit distance of about 300-500 km in height reported that he was able to see the wall but not without binoculars and a lot of practice.
2000 kilometers of the wall has disappeared due to natural erosion and or human damage. The Chinese government along with the tourism sector have made many efforts in preserving and restoring the wall.
In China, the Great Wall is part of their mythology, symbolism, and national identity. From the 18th century, the Great Wall is seen by the rest of the world as the symbol of Chinese architectural strength.
It has also been perceived as the psychological representation of the Chinese state policy of guarding against foreigners and keeping their citizens under strict authority.
It has been debated whether the wall's significance was to keep the invaders out or lock the Chinese citizens inside.
Throughout history, the Chinese leaders used the concept of 'otherness' in their political policies. The presence of a physical wall reinforced this concept.
The wall represented a cultural unity between the people within the walls and a strong repulsion toward the ethnically different tribes of Mongolia outside the walls.
It is one of the most stunning feats of architecture and one of the wonders of the world.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Great-Wall-of-China/The-Han-through-Yuan-dynasties
https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-china/great-wall-of-china


Register for the sew-a-thon this Friday night, September 18, 2009, at Whipstitch, Atlanta's fabric store inside the Beehive Co-op. It'll be like that party you had when you were younger, and you put on a blindfold and tried to shove a needle through a furry jackass, but without the blindfold and fur. Come stitch and win prizes, like jewelry and groceries and tea. The last one weaving gets a weekend in the north Georgia mountains for a sewing retreat. The alternate gets a plaque in the mens room.
And don't forget to admire the exculpatory-clause laden waiver reviewed by the Atlanta accident lawyers at Moebes Law, LLC. We're there to keep the peace.


Last Sunday, I took my daughter to my parent´s house as usual. She was all excited and raring to go because she wanted to play at the neighbourhood park close by.
Once we reached there, my mother served us some evening snacks. After which, my father, my daughter and I took a short brisk walk to the park. She was jumping and hopping on the sides of the road in sheer happiness. She kept teasing me along the way and vice versa. My father kept cautioning us that we were still on a busy road and to control ourselves till we get inside the park. Yeah..yeah! I stand as guilty as charged when sometimes I behave even younger than my child in some situations. Somehow, she has the knack of bringing out the child in me.
Finally, we reached the park and my daughter ran towards the play area and wasted no time in having fun there. She climbed up the slides and came swooshing down in shrieking delight. Then, she headed towards the monkey bars to live out her long cherished dream of being a monkey, swinging from one bar to the other.
Trouble ensued when she mounted atop the merry-go-round. She stood up on her seat while my father and I watched her. She held on to the main rod in the centre for grip while it moved. And as it moved, her finger got jammed in the main rod and she screamed like there was no tomorrow. We rushed immediately to console her as she cried uncontrollably in shock and fear. Alas, her happiness and excitement were short lived.
She couldn't muster courage to even look at her injured pinky finger. My father and I tried to pep her up and divert her attention. But, she was so sorrowfully focussed on her poor ´no longer pinkey´ blackened finger, fearing if she would get alright. When paranoia strikes a young child, all hell breaks loose, I tell you.
So, we rushed her into the closest auto rickshaw and took her to a medical clinic. The physician cleaned, disinfected and stuck a washable bandaid around her finger. He gave her a tetanus injection and asked her to go back to the park and play without a care.
However, this time when we headed to the park, my daughter´s spirits were already crushed. She was happy to be back at the park but the same excitement that she had when came in earlier was missing. She was sober, quiet and just a little bit sad about the state of her pinky finger.
I accompanied her around from one playground equipment to another. And finally, we decided to share a giant swing ride with another family. They were a young married couple with a son and daughter, both under six years.
As the fun ride progressed, I witnessed something that has touched me in a way I had never imagined. The family seemed to come from a modest background from a materialistic point of view. They did not seem to have much and it certainly didn´t seem to come in the way of their happiness. I saw pure joy and contentment in all of their faces. While the husband sat on the swing and gleefully enjoyed the ride, the wife exchanged loving glances at him time and again, while holding on tight to her two children. He remarked excitedly to her, "The same ride would have costed us Rs.40 at the exhibition. Here it is only Rs.5." He chuckled in glee as his wife joined him in their laughter of happiness. The sheer thought of saving Rs.35 was enough to bring such joy to the couple. The children seemed to have no care in the world, simply enjoying the ride.
This ´short and sweet´ encounter with a family I never knew made me realise how simple it is to be happy. Like our choice for the outfit of the day, we just had to make up our minds and decide which mood to wear for the day. The best best would always be to choose happiness over sadness. Perhaps the feel of that old grey sweater is what you like. Maybe its more comfortable. If you choose sadness over happiness today, it is completely up to you.
Walking on our way back home, I hugged my daughter and asked her if she was feeling any better. I assured her that her finger would be alright. To be patient and give it a few days. Then, I asked her if she noticed the family that sat next to us in the ride and realised anything.
Previous Parenting Then & Now: Is there a missing link?


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Will the real innovators please stand up?
I'm sitting in a conference audience, just last week in fact, listening to a seriously big tech company representative talk to the Vortex of Change. Good talk, loads of stats and facts and much of it, really interesting. But I get home on Friday night, and once I'm a glass of Shiraz down, I'm thinking, that talk had more entrepreneurial innovation than seriously big tech company innovation.
There is 1 comment
A day in the life of a 55-year old start-up entrepreneur
AKA from former hero to below-zero with the intention of rising from the ashes as the superhero
Ditch the 'likes' and pursue the LOVE
'Like us on Facebook and you stand a chance to win a Ferrari, a spa day, a plane ticket to Alaska, …' Okay so I don't like Facebook and I've never heard of this damn company, but a Ferrari, like, like, like, like, like, like, LIKE …that 911 is mine baby.
A declaration of war on email and Whatsapp – the thieves of my day
Ping. Ping. Ping. That's it. I'm done with my constant eye on my email and my messages. I now find myself on over 8 Whatsapp workgroups and the recipient of far too many emails and I'm done! According to Forrester research, employees spend 13% of their time creating and 11% of their time reading emails, documents, and presentations. Forrester estimates that the constant interruptions from email reduce the time spent on an "actual task activity" to a scant 18% of a given workday.
Oct. 3 2017
Collaborative thinking – is it all horse shit?
I fully acknowledge that I am not the first to use this analogous tale below, to illustrate a point. But here's the thing. Last Thursday, I sat in the office of a guy I consider pretty smart. I shared some of the stuff we're doing in nomadicways.travel and he more or less opposed everything. I shared how we're building mobile apps in the local tourism space. The focus, I told him, is not just tourism, but enterprise development where every microenterprise on a tourist route, can be promoted to and found by tourists. He said "this sounds like another app just for the sake of an app. Have you asked people if they want and need it?" he asked. He added that people keep creating apps that no-one needs because they fail to consult.


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Home Politics and government Protest and reform Women Together Education: early childhood Playcentre Aotearoa
Playcentre Aotearoa
Theme: Education: early childhood
New Zealand Federation of Nursery Play Centre Associations
New Zealand Federation of Play Centres
New Zealand Play Centre Federation
New Zealand Playcentre Federation
This essay written by Naomi Morton was first published in Women Together: a History of Women's Organisations in New Zealand in 1993. It was updated by Suzanne Manning in 2018.
Playcentre enabled parents to be actively involved in the preschool education of their children: 'A Playcentre is a co-operative — a group of families working together to enhance the development of the children and adults...' [1] In 1991 there were 16,672 families involved in 609 centres throughout New Zealand.
Although welcoming the participation of fathers, Playcentre was always predominantly a women's organisation. The unique strengths of Playcentre were the high adult:child ratio (1:5 in 1993) at all sessions, the carefully planned environment which encouraged children to learn at their own pace, and the opportunities for parents as well as children to gain skills, confidence, and support.
Playcentre, as it became known from 1973, had its roots in the progressive educational ideas of the 1930s, which placed new emphasis on early childhood. Adult education organisations such as the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) and the international New Education Fellowship (NEF) were to give both educational and financial support in the early years. During World War II many women were alone at home with young children. While on holiday together with their children in 1941, Joan Wood and Inge Smithells discussed the need to provide relief for mothers and companions for children. Back in Wellington, further discussion with Beatrice Beeby led to the opening later that year of nursery play centres in Karori and Kelburn.
Three centres in Christchurch soon followed, initiated by Doreen Dolton, an adult education tutor. The concept spread rapidly, with centres opening in both urban and rural areas. Regional Nursery Play Centre Associations, starting with Wellington in 1941, were set up to co-ordinate existing centres and encourage the formation of new ones.
These early centres were funded by small contributions from parents, but an NEF grant enabled a loan of £5 to be made to new centres to purchase equipment. The Department of Internal Affairs also gave a modest grant. Recognition from the Department of Education came in 1946 with a grant of £100, and from 1948 the department paid an establishment grant and regular maintenance grants. By then a formal linking of the regional associations had become necessary, and the New Zealand Federation of Nursery Play Centre Associations was formed at a conference in Wellington in May 1948.
Late in 1947 Gwen Somerset and her husband, both noted educationists, retired and moved to Wellington. In Feilding, where they had organised a community centre, Gwen Somerset had set up a market-day play group for young children and a child development class for mothers. She was always keen to involve parents in their children's education, and was aware of the importance of play in early learning: 'Play is a reaction to stimulation or curiosity. Through play, exploration, manipulation and creativity are woven into thought. Play is a necessity in life.' [3]
Somerset became a lecturer and examiner for the Wellington Free Kindergarten Association, and Dominion Adviser to kindergarten associations throughout New Zealand. She was also invited to be supervisor of training for the Wellington Nursery Play Centre Association, where she revised the parent education programme and began visiting centres in the region. From the start, Somerset influenced the shaping of Playcentre philosophy. She became first president of the new federation in 1948, was Dominion Adviser until 1969, and edited the Journal for many years.
Wadestown Playcentre Collection.
Demonstration playcentre set up outside the Wellington Public Library, May 1964.
Enthusiastic support also came from other adult education tutors, including Lex Grey of Victoria University College. In 1952 he moved to Auckland, where he became involved in developing playcentres and was elected president of the Auckland association. As its director of training (1952-63), he put special emphasis on the natural worth of parents as first educators. In 1963 Grey became preschool officer for the Māori Education Foundation and travelled throughout the North Island, helping Māori families establish centres in many rural and suburban communities. In the 1980s some centres in Māori communities decided to become kōhanga reo.
Centres operated initially in rented church or community halls, but local fundraising and government subsidies later enabled many to buy or build their own premises. Some centres employed a supervisor, who was usually paid a small wage; others opted for group supervision. All other work in the centres, including finances, administration, publicity, building and equipment maintenance, and assisting at sessions as 'mother helpers' (now 'parent helpers'), was always done voluntarily by the parents themselves. By 1993, the bulk of playcentres' income came from government funding on a capitation basis; the rest came from fees, which were kept as low as possible, and from fundraising.
The Federation had several name changes over the years. In 1961 the word 'Nursery' was dropped, and 'Playcentre' as a single word was adopted in 1973. The Playcentre Federation elected its members from the 33 regional associations, and was responsible for liaison with government and assisting the work of the associations. A Federation Education Committee set up in 1963 provided encouragement and resources. The federation also published books and pamphlets by playcentre people, and produced the Playcentre Journal three times a year. Some positions at federation and association level were paid a small salary or honorarium.
Parent education continued to be a major focus, and centres had to maintain a level of training approved by the local association and the Ministry of Education. Each association developed its own parent education programme, based on observation of children's play, group discussion and practical assignments. Each stage was complete in itself; parents progressed at their own pace with the help of tutors, who were themselves parents. In the 1990s, women with playcentre qualifications were employed at every level of early childhood education. The leadership skills, experience and confidence gained at playcentre also provided thousands of women with a stepping stone to other ventures.
Playcentres welcomed all family members, from babies to grandparents, although participation by fathers was in earlier years limited to traditional areas such as finance and buildings. Increasing flexibility in gender roles had by 1993 seen more fathers become fully involved in playcentre life.
By the 1990s, Playcentre had a deepening appreciation of the relationship between Māori and Tauiwi. The 1989 conference passed a remit, 'That playcentre publicly endorse the Treaty of Waitangi', and set up a working party 'to ascertain areas of playcentre that are culturally inappropriate and to suggest improvements'. Its findings were published in a booklet, Whānau Tupu Ngātahi: Families Growing Together (1990). At the 1991 conference a rūnanga of Māori women in playcentre met for the first time.
Government restructuring of the education system in 1989 brought positive change—upgraded buildings and facilities, and more government funding—as well as more detailed regulations. Playcentre emerged with its philosophy unchanged and with renewed strength.
Naomi Morton
The government restructuring in 1989 brought some positive change for Playcentre, but also many challenges. The restructured education system and the newly articulated commitment to biculturalism created many challenges to work through. In the process, Playcentre re-affirmed core philosophies: parents and families learning alongside their children in a rich learning environment based on play and progressive education ideals. This was encapsulated in the vision statement of 2017 'Whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together' (the title of the 1990 Federation booklet). [5]
The commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi made at the 1989 conference had far-reaching effects on Playcentre. The rūnanga that met for the first time in 1991 became Puriri Whakamaru and developed a structure for representing Māori in Playcentre. Pākehā Treaty Worker positions were created to increase awareness and knowledge of Te Tiriti among Playcentre members, acknowledging that it was a Pākehā, not Māori, responsibility to provide this education. Consensus decision making in place of voting was introduced to the Federation from 1998. A commissioned audit of the Federation structure against the principles of Te Tiriti was presented to the 1999 conference, and recommended dual Tiriti-based Federation positions. These positive developments were also accompanied by much uncertainty and conflict over strategic direction as well as practical operation. It was a learning curve for the whole organisation, from centres through to Federation.
Concurrently, Playcentre adjusted to the Before Five education reforms. This resulted in massive building upgrade requirements, and also in funding changes, where bigger centres received more money than before and smaller centres received less. In response, the Federation set up shared funding schemes: an equity sharing scheme to allow funding to be shared with smaller associations, and regional property schemes to help fund building projects. This provided much needed relief for smaller and rural centres, who struggled to meet all the requirements within the new funding.
Playcentre also responded to the changes in tertiary education, by registering as a tertiary provider and gaining approval to deliver a Playcentre qualification, which was used in the new licensing agreement negotiated with the Ministry of Education. The changes necessitated greater national standardisation of the adult education programme, and inclusion of new elements alongside the core child development and group leadership skills, such as understanding the new regulations, increased health and safety awareness, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. By the end of the 1990s the qualifications system across the early childhood sector was under review, so the Playcentre licence was re-negotiated to take account of the newly developed Playcentre Diploma, approved in 2000.
Development in Playcentre's Tiriti relationships continued in the new millennium. Regional Puriri Whakamaru rōpū continued as support for Māori parents, but national representation ceased, along with Pākehā Treaty Worker roles. In 2000, the first annual national Māori hui was held. Māori members also started meeting before national meetings as a Māori Caucus, more formally when the Tiriti-based two-house model of decision making was introduced in 2006. After many working parties and discussions, a Tiriti-based structural framework was introduced in 2011, and the first two co-presidents, Marion Pilkington and Maureen Woodhams, were elected at that year's conference.
The Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Education, published in 2002, had far-reaching effects on the sector, although there were few concrete policies for supporting Playcentre. The subsequent funding review resulted in 20 hours' free ECE funding for 'teacher-led' services, implemented in 2007. Playcentre was excluded from this funding until 2010, an example of the increasing marginalisation it was facing. Then in 2011, a government appointed taskforce recommended that Playcentre funding be cut, in order to focus on 'teacher-led' services. This generated large-scale protests from Playcentre members and supporters, and the government was forced to state that the cuts would not happen.
The requirements for tertiary education became more complex, and therefore paid positions were created to administer the Diploma programme, which had been previously run by volunteers. Access to tertiary funding now required greater standardisation of curriculum and delivery, and centralised data collection. This was followed by a sector-wide review of early childhood diploma-level qualifications, which resulted in the Playcentre Diploma being replaced in 2017 by new national qualifications. Playcentre continued to deliver these new qualifications, and tailor them to the needs of parents working as educators in the centres.
In response to the changing educational, societal and policy environment, the Playcentre Federation restructured in 2017/2018. The multiple regional associations were amalgamated into one legal entity, Playcentre Aotearoa. Four regional hubs were set up to support the centre, with paid staff. Centres continued to operate as autonomous but affiliated parent cooperatives, supporting and transforming parents in their local communities.
Suzanne Manning
[1] Pam Kennedy, 'Playcentre is Different', Playcentre Journal, No. 51, 1981, p. 3.
[2] The word 'Nursery' was dropped in 1962 and 'Playcentre' — one word — was adopted in 1973.
[3] Somerset, 1986 edn, p. 4.
[4] Pauline Kirton, 'Commitment to Biculturalism', Playcentre Journal, No. 75, 1989, p. 11.
[5] Working Party on Cultural Issues, Whānau Tupu Ngātahi: Families Growing Together, New Zealand Playcentre Federation, Auckland, 1990.
New Zealand Playcentre Federation records, 1948–1987, 1987–2002, ATL
New Zealand Playcentre Federation records, 2000–, Hamilton NZPF archives
New Zealand Playcentre Federation, annual statistics gathered for the Department of Education, 1948–1988
Published sources
Densem, Ailsa, The Playcentre Way, New Zealand Playcentre Federation, Auckland, 1980
McDonald, Geraldine, Working and Learning: A Participatory Project on Parent Helping in New Zealand Playcentres, New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Wellington, 1982
Densem, Ailsa, and Barbara Chapman, Learning Together the Playcentre Way (revised ed.), New Zealand Playcentre Federation, Auckland, 2000
Manning, Suzanne, 'Democracy Meets Rangatiratanga: Playcentre's Bicultural Journey 1989–2011', History of Education Review Vol. 43, No. 1, 2014, pp. 31–45
Morris, Beverley, 'It Was Good Fun Getting Here, But What Do I Do Now?', SET, No. 2 Item 4, New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Wellington, 1983
New Zealand Federation of Nursery Play Centre Associations, Newsletter, 1952–1956; Journal and Newsletter, 1958; Journal, 1960–1961
New Zealand Play Centre Journal, 1962–1973; Playcentre Journal, 1974–1992
Penrose, Pat et al., Ups and Downs, Canterbury Playcentre Association, Christchurch, 1991
Somerset, Gwen, 'The Early Days of Playcentre', Playcentre Journal, No. 72, 1988, pp. 5–6
Somerset, Gwen, Sunshine and Shadow [autobiography], New Zealand Playcentre Federation, Auckland, 1988
Somerset, Gwen, We Begin Playcentre – Families Together, Play in Early Childhood, How Playcentre Works, New Zealand Playcentre Federation, Auckland, 1990 [revised and reissued from a set of four Introductory Booklets, first published by the Wellington Nursery Play Centre Association in 1953]
Somerset, Gwen, Work and Play, New Zealand Playcentre Federation, Auckland, 1986 (revised edition)
Stover, Sue (ed.), Good Clean Fun: New Zealand's Playcentre Movement, Playcentre Publications, Auckland, 1998
Whānau Tupu Ngātahi: Families Growing Together, Report to the New Zealand Playcentre Federation from the Working Party on Cultural Issues (Ropū Hanga Tikanga), New Zealand Playcentre Federation, Auckland, 1990
Wood, Joan, 'Early History of Play Centres, 1941–1948', New Zealand Play Centre Journal, No. 7, 1962, pp. 2–3
Playcentre Aotearoa website, https://www.playcentre.org.nz
Women's Organisations
Haeata
Lady Liverpool's and Mrs Pomare's Maori Soldiers' Fund
Māori Women's Institutes
Mata Aho Collective
Nga Maia Maori Midwives Aotearoa
Ngāti Toa Rangatira Women's Hockey Club
Te Kākano o te Whānau
Te Kaunihera o Ngā Neehi Māori o Aotearoa National Council of Māori Nurses
Te Kōhanga Reo
Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa
Te Ropu o te Ora Women's Health League
Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i te Ora Māori Women's Welfare League
The Guides of Whakarewarewa
Tīwhanawhana Trust
Wāhine Taharua
Auckland Women's Political League
Broadsheet Collective
Canterbury Women's Institute
Dunedin Collective for Woman
Federation of New Zealand Housewives
Labour Women's Council
National Council of Women of New Zealand
National Organisation for Women (NOW)
National Party Women's Sections
New Zealand Women's Christian Temperance Union
Pan-Pacific and South-East Asia Women's Association
UN Women National Committee for Aotearoa NZ
Wanganui Women's Political League
Women's Electoral Lobby of New Zealand
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Girls' Friendly Society
Ladies' Committee of the Canterbury Female Refuge
League of Mothers and Homemakers of New Zealand
National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges
National Collective of Rape Crisis and Related Groups of Aotearoa
New Plymouth Women's Centre
New Zealand Federation of Home and Family Societies
Onehunga Ladies' Benevolent Society
The Aunties
Women's Unemployment Committees
Young Women's Christian Association of Aotearoa New Zealand
Association of Anglican Women
Baptist Women New Zealand
Catholic Women's League of Aotearoa–New Zealand
Church Women United in Aotearoa / New Zealand
Girls' Brigade New Zealand
New Zealand Methodist Women's Fellowship
Presbyterian Women Aotearoa New Zealand
Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salvation Army Women's Ministries
Wellington Christian Feminists
Architecture+Women New Zealand
Auckland Women Lawyers' Association
Business and Professional Women New Zealand
Coalition for Equal Value Equal Pay (CEVEP)
Combined Early Childhood Union of Aotearoa
Domestic Workers' Unions
Dunedin Tailoresses' Union
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi Women's Council
New Zealand Medical Women's Association
New Zealand Prostitutes' Collective
New Zealand Women Teachers' Association
New Zealand Working Women's Council
SheEO NZ
TechWomen
Fitness League
Home Birth Associations
La Leche League New Zealand
Mesh Down Under
New Zealand Nurses' Organisation
New Zealand Rational Dress Association
New Zealand Women's Food Value League
Parents Centres New Zealand
Positive Women Inc.
Royal New Zealand Plunket Society
Social Hygiene Society
The Health Alternatives for Women (THAW)
Women's Committees of the New Zealand Public Service Association
Women's Health Action
Women's National Abortion Action Campaign
Altrusa International (New Zealand)
Dominion Federation of Townswomen's Guilds
Dress for Success New Zealand
Hospital Library Visitors' Association
Inner Wheel New Zealand
Lower Hutt Women's Centre
New Zealand Co-operative Women's Guild
New Zealand Women's Royal Army Corps Association
Rebekah Lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
RSA Women's Sections
Soroptimist International of Aotearoa New Zealand
Women's Patriotic Associations
Zonta International (New Zealand)
New Zealand Free Kindergarten Teachers' Association
New Zealand Kindergartens – Te Pūtahi Kura Pūhou o Aotearoa
Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa New Zealand Childcare Association
Education: girls and women
Association of Home Science Alumnae of New Zealand
Auckland Feminist Teachers
GirlBoss New Zealand
Graduate Women New Zealand
New Horizons for Women: Hine Kahukura
Society for Research on Women in New Zealand
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What our children learn in the first 5-6 is their life basis! Playcentre is an excellent start!


Let's hope the US stays out.
Just when Hillary Clinton thought it was safe to make up stories about Syria getting new helicopters from Russia, meant as a hint that the United States and NATO might start thinking again about a no-fly zone in Syria, Egypt blows up in her face.
Not that President Obama and the administration should do anything about Egypt. There, too, the best policy is stay out.
The crisis in Egypt, provoked by a court ruling on both the upcoming presidential election and the parliamentary election earlier this year, is a serious one. In an irony of ironies, Egypt's so-called constitutional court made a ruling based on what is essentially a defunct constitution. It ruled that the parliamentary elections held earlier this year, which gave the Muslim Brotherhood and its reactionary allies a majority, was illegal. And it gave a thumbs-up to the presidential candidacy of Ahmed Shafik, a holdover from the era of Hosni Mubarak, who was the lone remaining opponent of Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate. Thing is, the new parliament, the president, and a bizarrely designed commission were supposed to draw up a brand-new, post-Mubarak constitution. Now, everything is up in the air.
There's nothing that the United States can do about any of this, except to use its good offices to seek peaceful solutions in all three cases. In Syria, the shrill denunciations of President Assad have egged on violent rebels and made things much worse. Let's hope the United States stays out of the area, except for its diplomats.


These small ceramic shoes were my grandmother's. At some point, she gave them to my mom, who gave them to me. I have loved them for as long as I can remember. One shoe is broken, I don't remember it any other way.
The backdrop is a cardboard presentation board, the light was provided by a candle in my only truly dark space… the laundry room.
Minor edits in lightroom and photoshop.


These two angels were for sale in the local pharmacy and so I bought them to decorate my house for Christmas. Do you like them in sepia? I do.
Mr. Linky is below. Please sign in and visit your fellow Sepia Scenes players.
Lovely angels. Perfect for the Christmas decorations I think.
Pretty contrast. I like the shiny highlights.
The sepia angles make one think of Christmases past. Nice.
I do like them very much, so elegant.
Angels do they sell in pharmacy ? Strange for a drug !
Lovely picture with the plate like halo.
Awesome picture and lovely angels!
Your Angels are very pretty. They will look good in either color or sepia. Have a great day!


2nd CS4 animaton on SPP.
[Poppet] Kick , Jump , stumps.
D= No choice naow but to show.
So like, I've been bored.
I'm sorry eimyz ...... lolololololololololololololololololololololol .
(Ouestion) How do you put gif pictures in pivot?
I like to whoosh a lot.


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Abuse in the Church of England
January 15, 2020 TonyLeave a comment
If you haven't yet watched Exposed – The Church's Darkest Secret, I urge you to do so, right now. Broadcast on BBC2 earlier this week, it will be available on BBC iPlayer for another 28 days. It is harrowing and horrifying viewing, but I would say it's essential viewing for anyone who cares, and believes that any and all forms of abuse – sexual, physical, emotional, or spiritual – should have no place in the Church of God. They need to be identified, rooted out, offenders removed from office and brought to justice, and above all, victims believed and supported.
The programme examines the scandal of Peter Ball, formally Bishop of Lewes and then Gloucester. In 1993 a young man told the police that, when he was a novice monk, Ball had taken advantage of his own position as mentor and director, to abuse this young man on numerous occasions, forcing him to strip naked together with the then bishop, and submit to physical embraces, beatings, and mutual masturbation.
Ball was arrested and questioned, strenuously denying the allegations, and exercising his right to remain silent. (Why is it that courts of law don't reckon "No comment" as an admission of guilt, and find the accused Guilty immediately?) One of the most chilling moments is when Ball is asked about the naked beatings, sadly shakes his head and murmurs, "You wouldn't understand." Sometimes you wonder whether he ever even knew he had done something evil…
The Crown Prosecution Service told Gloucestershire Police not to prosecute, and Ball accepted a caution and resigned as Bishop. Within two years he had been granted Permission to Officiate again, and was able to minister in churches and as a school chaplain: a clear sign, then, that in spite of his own admission of guilt – that's what accepting a caution means, for God's sake – the church hierarchy believed he was the innocent victim of false accusations.
It becomes clear, however, that the pattern of abuse was persistent and long-lasting, going back to the 1970s, and continuing after his short-term suspension and reinstatement. He emerges as a man who loved his position of power and influence. Vain and arrogant, he deliberately courted the friendship of the powerful, wealthy and important. Margaret Thatcher was a frequent host, often inviting him to dinner. Prince Charles was a supporter and admirer, who went on believing long afterwards that Ball was innocent, that "monstrous wrongs" had been done to him by "that dreadful man" who was making accusations. As Bishop of Lewes Ball was a friend and supporter of several of the other notorious paedophile priests in Chichester Diocese, not only colluding with them, but on at least one occasion taking advantage of one of the teenagers who had been groomed, and was being systematically abused, by one of those priests.
Lots of people knew about what had been happening, but they were not important or influential enough to be believed. When a small number of heroic people – the newly appointed Safeguarding Officer for Bath & Wells, and a former detective turned professional safeguarding consultant, and a former victim of clergy abuse – began to investigate, they were hampered again and again by powerful men taking them to task. Sir This and Lord That and Chief Constable or Right Reverend The Other would phone them up and give them a rollicking, telling them that Ball was a wonderful saintly chap, and his accusers were liars, losers, only out to make money out of the situation. The 'smoking gun' in the end was the Tyler Report, compiled by the Revd Brian Tyler, a former CID officer and now private investigator. Eric Kemp, the Bishop of Chichester, had instructed Tyler to carry out the investigation in order to defend Ball and discredit his accusers. Instead of this Tyler became convinced that the accusers were telling the truth, and Ball was in fact guilty. His Report seems to have been quietly filed away within Chichester Church House, until this 'second generation' of investigators brought it to light.
It wasn't until 20 years after Neil Todd first came forward, that Ball was finally tried, pleading Guilty to a token number of charges, in order to avoid a longer charge sheet, and was sentenced to 32 months in prison, of which he served only 16. The greatest tragedy was that when the investigations were finally being reopened, Todd could not face the ordeal of being questioned all over again, and forced to relive what he had suffered. He took his own life. Ball was never charged with having indirectly been the cause of his death.
High-up figures in the Church, including former Archbishop George Carey who had spent years telling the police he was 'unhappy' about the suffering the investigations were causing to Ball (!), finally admitted they had been wrong, and gave a sort of apology.
Has the Church learned anything from this sorry, terrible story? There are signs it has learned something and is trying harder, but Phil Johnson, a former victim and now a member of the Church's Safeguarding Commission, says there are still times when he thinks 'they' wish he wasn't there.
And what about me? I found these two programmes disturbing and challenging. I never knew Ball except by reputation. When I heard about the first allegations back in 1993 I didn't want to believe them, so I didn't believe them. I suspect that was how many people reacted. But those who were in a position to find out the truth, and to know, should have known better. And I know now that I was wrong, and the present emphasis on caring for the victims of abuse, helping them, trusting them and above all believing them, is the right one. Never again will I grumble about the mandatory safeguarding training we're required to undergo periodically. Instead, I mean to welcome it and suck every bit of learning from it that I can.
There are other questions I'm sure we should be asking, too. Should a monk really be so ambitious for fame, position, and influential friends and contacts? What about humility, obedience to the abbot, conversion of life, contentment, lack of ambition? Ball and his brother, not content with joining an existing monastic order, founded one of their own: that ought to ring alarm bells. It's like in the United States where it's common for men (usually men) who feel called to the ministry to start their own churches, rather than join established denominations, and that has led to numerous instances of abuse, immorality, fraud and loss of faith. Spiritual leaders need to be under authority, under the oversight of superiors, and where that oversight is absent or lacking, it's all too easy for them to go astray. Where was the oversight over George Carey? Who oversees the Archbishop of Canterbury anyway, and was the lack of any such oversight partially the reason for his terrible misjudgement in the Ball affair? And, how do we disempower the Establishment, which allows the powerful men (usually men) like Sir This and Lord That and Chief Constable or Right Reverend The Other to continue to close ranks, defend their own kind, prevent justice from being done, and victimise the vulnerable and powerless?
Please, do watch these programmes. And weep, and think, and pray, and let your default position ever hereafter be to believe anyone who has the courage to speak about the abuse they have suffered, no matter how powerful or godly their abuser may seem to be.
Posted in God talk, The Republic
Oysters? No way
We enjoyed a lovely 4-night stay at the Grand Hotel in Brighton. It was partly to celebrate Alison's 70th birthday, but also to get away from the Middle-of-England for a few days. Is that the same as Middle England? I'm not sure, but Oxford is about the furthest away from the sea that you can get in these islands, and Alison was really wanting to see the Sea again.
The weather was kind of what you expect from the seaside in January. Windy, misty, damp, cold. The wind farm out at sea, which we caught a glimpse of on the day we arrived, was invisible after that until the morning we left to return home – when the weather, it goes without saying, was the best it had been all week. Much of the time you couldn't see the top of British Airways i360, which was closed for annual maintenance. Sometimes you couldn't even see the roof of the seafront hotels. At least the city was not overrun with holidaymakers, so it was always possible to find somewhere to eat. We enjoyed some good meals. But not oysters and champagne, which I wasn't tempted to try, and which I truly believe nothing on earth could ever induce me to try. Even though your 70s are supposed to be a time for trying new things. I draw the line here.
If you were to fancy trying them, I suppose you would go to Riddle & Finns.
Riddle & Finns. Champagne and Oysters on Brighton seafront
This is their seafront place: it looks appealing enough, doesn't it? But I googled how to eat oysters, and confirmed what I had suspected and feared: that you eat them raw, and alive, and swallow them down whole out of the shell. If you knew the difficulties I have swallowing stuff (e.g. paracetamol, a particularly troublesome thing to be swallowed), and knew that according to my family I even have to chew yoghurt before I can get it down, you would realise that this is a perfect recipe to have me gagging and throwing up the whole of my stomach contents on the well-kept floor of Riddle & Finns.
So forgive me if you should get a glimpse of my bucket list and be dismayed that 'Enjoy a breakfast of oysters and champagne' is strangely missing.
Posted in My life, Whose God is their belly?


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Talking With a Region: Lessons from Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan
Volume XVI
Mahjoob Zweiri and Simon Staffell
Dr. Zweiri is an assistant professor in Middle East Politics and Iran, Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan, and research fellow at the School of Government and International Relations, Durham University, Darham, England. He is the author (with A. Ehteshami) of Iran and the Rise of Its Neoconservatives: The Politics of Tehran's Silent Revolution (I.B. Tauris, 2007) and the editor of Iran's Foreign Policy: From Khatami to Ahmadinejad (Ithaca Press, 2008).
Mr. Staffell is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Politics at the University of Sheffield, England, currently conducting research at the Center for Strategic Studies, University of Jordan.
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El emponzoñamiento crotálico es el envenenamiento producido por la mordedura de una serpiente del género Crotalus. Este tipo de emponzoñamiento representa un problema médico común en América Central y partes de América del Sur, siendo la segunda más frecuente que se registran en la región después del emponzoñamiento bothrópico. El emponzoñamiento se caracteriza por escasas patologías del tejido que rodea la zona de la mordedura, siendo evidente un edema importante pero sin llegar a la necrosis. Sin embargo, debido a la naturaleza neurotóxica y hemolítica del veneno de las cascabel, las manifestaciones generales suelen ser tórpidas con afectación neurológica y hematológica.

Epidemiología
Los accidentes por serpientes venenosas en América Latina son, en general, sub-notificados, estimándose que se producen unos 150.000 accidentes al año, de los cuales ~65% son hospitalizados. Brasil, Ecuador y Venezuela son los países más afectados, con una incidencia variable ente 45 a 1000 casos por 100.000 habitantes, la mayoría producidos por serpientes del género Bothrops, Crotalus y con menor frecuencia Lachesis y Micrurus (coral). En México cerca del 10% de las mordeduras de serpientes acaban con la vida del paciente, siendo las mordeduras de cascabel y Bothrops atrox las más frecuentes, especialmente en el estado de Veracrúz.

Los crótalos no están presentes en España ni Europa de manera que no son de interés epidemiológico en esos países.

Patogenia
El veneno de las cascabel contiene una variedad de péptidos, enzimas y toxinas, de los cuales la crotoxina es la más importante representando cerca del 50% de la ponzoña. Se ha observado que los accidentes en la cabeza y en el tronco tienden a ser más serios. Los niños suelen complicarse con mayor frecuencia, ya que su reducido volumen de distribución hace que el veneno actúe con mayor rapidez a nivel sistémico.

Cuadro clínico

El envenenamiento por serpientes cascabel inducen muy pocas alteraciones en el sitio de la inyección de veneno, sin conducir a daño permanente al tejido circundante a la herida ni a la discapacidad o amputación del miembro afectado. El edema es la manifestación local más importante y común en el emponzoñamiento por Crotalus.

Ocasionalmente se han reportado un conjunto de signos y síntomas cardiotóxicos, tales como taquicardia, bradicardia y otros trastornos del ritmo cardíaco.

Afectación neurológica
Los emponzoñamiento de todas las cascabel causan fundamentalmente alteraciones sistémicas como trastornos neurológicos y hematológicos y, en los casos más graves, una insuficiencia renal aguda que puede llevar a la muerte del paciente. Los primeros síntomas suelen ser oculares, especialmente la ptosis palpebral que puede aparecer una hora después de la mordedura. También pueden aparecer complicaciones como estrabismo convergente o divergente, trastornos visuales debido a una oftalmoplejia externa y ocasionalmente interna con visión borrosa pero sin que los reflejos a la luz ya sean directos o no, sufren alteración.

Se han reportado mareos, dolor de cabeza, calambres en todo el cuerpo y especialmente en la extremidad afectada, temblores, angustia, sudoración, náuseas y vómitos ocasionales.

Afectación hematológica
Hay dos efectos hemotóxicos principales causados por el veneno de cascabel. Primero está la acción de las metaloproteasas que contienen zinc y fosfolipasas sobre las células del endotelio capilares. Este efecto puede causar la agregación plaquetaria y hemorragia. El segundo es la acción del antagonista de plaquetas llamado crotoxina; una toxina que crea un efecto de sangrado intenso, ya que se une a la superficie las proteínas que bloquean la agregación plaquetaria.

Estos dos efectos completamente diferentes puede parecer contraproducente, sin embargo, el efecto es aditivo. En primer lugar, si se rompen las células endoteliales causará un efecto de lisis y hemorragia interna, entonces como estas hemorragias aumentan la respuesta natural de la trombina que se ve obstaculizada por el efecto de la crotoxina incrementando el efecto tóxico. La respuesta de pánico ante una mordedura de cascabel acelera el ritmo cardíaco y aumenta la presión arterial, acelerando la velocidad del efecto tóxico, así como la difusión del efecto hemolítico y hemorrágico del veneno.

Tratamiento
Aunque la inmovilización de la extremidad mordida puede ser útil para los elápidos, incluyendo las cobras, las serpientes de coral, las mambas y las serpientes marinas, no es un procedimiento adecuado para el emponzoñamiento por víboras como los Bothorps.

El suero antiofídico polivalente es el adecuado para los emponzoñamientos por todas las especies de Crotalus, una solución de inmunoglobulinas específicas purificadas por digestión enzimática, por lo general del caballo. Cada mililitro del antiofídico polivalente—el cual viene en frascos de 10 ml—neutraliza a 2 mg de veneno. Anterior a la administración del antiofídico se debe realizar una prueba de sensibilidad por razón de que suele causar reacciones alérgicas. Para ello se administra 0,1 ml de una solución preparada con 1 ml de suero antiofídico diluido en 9 ml de solución salina. Si la prueba de sensibilidad resulta positivo el personal de atención médica realiza una desensibilización con hidrocortisona previo al suero antiofídico.

Véase también
Mordedura de serpiente
Emponzoñamiento bothrópico
Emponzoñamiento micrúrico

Referencias

Crotalus
Venenos


text:
Wine & Food Pairing
New York Wineries Sued over Website Accessibility for Visually Impaired
Lawsuits accuse wineries like Long Island's Wölffer Estate of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act
Wölffer Estate on Long Island is one of 15 wineries facing a lawsuit over its website. (Chuck Baker)
Brianne Garrett
More than a dozen New York state wineries on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley are facing federal lawsuits, with plaintiffs claiming that the wineries' websites violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not being accessible for the visually impaired.
The lawsuits, filed earlier this month by the Brooklyn-based Marks Law Firm on behalf of its visually-impaired client Kathy Wu, claim that the lack of website services like screen-reading software by 15 New York wineries, including Wölffer Estate, Bedell Cellars and Channing Daughters, discriminates against disabled customers.
"Approximately 8.1 million people in the United States are visually impaired, including 2 million who are blind," the complaints state, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. "Approximately 400,000 visually impaired persons live in the state of New York."
Representatives from Wölffer Estate, Bedell Cellars and Channing Daughters declined to comment on the pending litigation, as did staff at the Marks Law Firm.
Lawsuit Reform Alliance public affairs manager Adam Morey said he's noticed an increasing trend of ADA Title III federal lawsuits filed against wineries and other small businesses in the past year. A study conducted in July by the Seyfarth Shaw Law Firm found that ADA lawsuits involving website accessibility hit record numbers this year—4,965 federal ADA Title III lawsuits were filed in the first six months of 2018 alone, according to the report, compared to the 7,663 that were filed for all of 2017. Of those 2018 suits, 1,026 were filed in New York.
"There aren't clear guidelines from the [U.S.] Department of Justice on how the ADA applies to the Internet," Morey told Wine Spectator. He believes law firms are taking advantage of the unclear regulations. "New York has quickly become the top jurisdiction for these lawsuits."
A lawsuit argues that Bedell Cellars' website is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by not being accessible for the visually impaired.
A Department of Justice spokesman told Wine Spectator that the department is still evaluating whether specific web-accessibility standards are necessary to ensure compliance with the ADA. More recently, the department has opted to refer to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as a compatible set of online-compliance standards.
New York courts have adapted and ordered businesses to comply with those standards in similar cases, such as a 2017 lawsuit involving Blick Art Materials, LLC and a visually-impaired customer. The guidelines suggest websites implement features like screen-reading software as well as make color, word spacing and text size customizable to website visitors.
Chris Danielsen, director of public relations for the National Federation of the Blind, offers another solution. He recommends that wineries and other businesses with online platforms work directly with visually-impaired consumers.
"It basically incorporates human testing into the process of making a website accessible," Danielsen said. "We are willing to work with companies on this, so that the website is not only technically accessible, but it's actually working well for blind consumers."
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