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Battle of Economic Ideas – Part I
By Ravi Saraogi - Associate Director & Head, Northern Arc Investments	 May 7, 2015 August 2, 2018 admin_investment
The power of ideas cannot be undermined. While the people and the events linked to them may wither, ideas can live for eternity. It is perhaps for this reason that John Maynard Keynes had written, "…the ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else…"[1] In this blog series, we attempt to trace the evolution of economic ideas that have shaped history and influence policy discourse even today.
The evolution of economic ideas has been complex. The fundamental problem which these ideas try to answer is- how best to organize society so as to satisfy unlimited human wants with finite resources. The solution to this 'economic problem' differs based on different schools of economic thought and this sets the ground for these ideas to battle for primacy. It is, of course, a gargantuan task to trace the historical development of such ideas. In doing so, we are guilty of prioritizing brevity over detail.
This first post in this series will trace the origin of modern philosophy during the Age of Enlightenment (1650s-1780s) which was a precursor to the emergence of the modern economic thought during the Classical Liberal era (1750s to 1880s). The second post will give an overview of the Marxian and Keynesian backlash against the classical liberal ideas which reached a crescendo in the first half of the twentieth century. The third and final post will comment on the partial re-incarnation of classical liberal ideas through the neo-liberal counter-revolution and conclude with how the contemporary economic debate is poised.
Age of Enlightenment (1650s-1780s)
Prior to the Age of Enlightenment, the question of how to organize society was primarily answered through the doctrine of 'Divine rights of the King to rule.' Under this doctrine, kings and noblemen gained their political legitimacy by asserting that they derived their right to rule directly from God. James I, the King of England from 1603-1625, in a speech to the Parliament in 1610, said, "The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth; for kings are not only God's lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God's throne, but even by God himself they are called gods." [2] Thus, the defining trait of this doctrine was that a king had divine powers to rule. Two important corollaries flow from this- there is no separation between the Church and the State and, reason is based on religion.
This changed during the Age of Enlightenment. The political legitimacy of an absolute monarch was challenged through the separation of the Church and the State, and scientific reasoning was given prominence in the discovery of truth over religion. A prominent figure in this era was Rene Descartes (1596-1650), a French philosopher and mathematician considered to be the father of modern philosophy[3]. In many ways, Descartes epitomized the zeitgeist of the Age of Enlightenment when he said he will research and write on philosophy "as if no one had written on these matters before."[4] He famously remarked, "I think, therefore I am" [5] and in his magnum opus, Discourse on Method, wrote that knowledge is built on the foundation of rules of thought, the first being, "never to accept anything for true which I did not clearly know to be such." [6]
It is not difficult to see that anybody adopting Descartes' methodology would immediately call into question several "truths" of the Middle Ages[7]. In his pursuit for truth, Descartes considered any belief that did not "exclude all ground of doubt"[8] as false. Thus, thinkers like Descartes laid the foundation for an intellectual renaissance during the Enlightenment era.
Another prominent thinker during the Enlightenment era was John Locke (1632-1704) who played a significant role in changing the political discourse. Locke, an English philosopher and physician, advocated the natural rights hypothesis, under which, all individuals have a natural right to life, liberty and property as long as they do not infringe on someone else's rights. This was a radical thought which ran counter to how individual rights were perceived prior to the Enlightenment era – as being wholly subservient to the "divine" rights of kings. Locke further developed his ideas on natural rights through the doctrine of 'social contract' in which each individual enters into a contract with the State for the preservation of their rights.
The political doctrine which flows from Locke's individual rights hypothesis is that of 'government by consent', an idea he detailed in his magnum opus Two Treatises of Government. Maurice Cranston, in his brief biography on Locke[9], wrote, "One key word in this whole book is 'consent'. The idea that the authority of a king or other ruler rested on the consent of the people he ruled was a controversial one in the seventeenth century…. Indeed, the Divine Rights of Kings was a widely accepted belief throughout Europe….. it was Locke more than any other theorist who overthrew belief in the Rights of Kings."
Though what Locke said would now appear commonplace, it must be understood that "a lot of things which we take for granted today were new and remarkable when he (Locke) first said them."[10] Think about how revolutionary the ideas about natural rights of individuals were when society was just progressing from its feudal vestiges. Also, his views regarding government by consent was in stark opposition to the established doctrine of the divine rights of the kings.
A prominent event during the Enlightenment era was the Glorious Revolution (1688-1689) which was a battle between the notion of the divine rights of kings to rule and the Parliament of England. The outcome of this Revolution was the abolition of absolute monarchy in England through the promulgation of the Bill of Rights in 1689. Locke's ideas played an important role in the Revolution and he is often referred to as the "philosopher of the Glorious Revolution."[11]
Locke's ideas on natural rights of individuals and limited government also echoed prominently in the American Declaration of Independence in July 4, 1776, when thirteen erstwhile British colonies declared their independence and jointly formed the United States of America. The founding fathers of the United States of America were strongly influenced by Locke's natural rights hypothesis as is evident in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, which includes the following, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."[12]
Thus, the Age of Enlightenment was truly an era which took a decisive break from the past, particularly in ideas relating to political philosophy. The convulsions during this era served as a blow on the feudal institutions of the Middle Ages and a stepping stone towards the era of Classical Liberalism.
The Golden Age of Classical Liberalism (1750s to 1880s)
In continuation of the process of emancipation of the individual from his political masters, the Classical Liberal era was a time in history when ideas of individual liberty in all spheres of life – political, civil and economic, was gaining ascendancy. The Classical Liberal era also witnessed the birth of modern economic theory through the work of Adam Smith, a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment movement of the eighteenth century. The credo of the Classical Liberal era is often summarized in Smith's famous 'invisible hand' hypothesis, as per which, actions undertaken for individual benefits also leads to unintended social benefits. This is also captured in what is perhaps the best known quote from Smith's magnum opus An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, which was published in 1776[13], "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest."[14]
In Smith's world, individuals endowed with their natural rights trade with other such individuals based solely on their self-interest, and such voluntaryindividual actions in a marketplace feeds into betterment of the entire society. Thus, Smith's theories provided a justification for the government not to intervene in the functioning of the market[15].
It would be important to ruminate here on how far the world had come from the pre-Enlightenment era. While thinkers like Locke set in motion the unshackling of the individual from political slavery, Smith's theories provided a justification for the individual's economic freedom. Thus, the classical liberal period saw a proliferation of two key ideas – political freedom through democratic ideas, and economic freedom through free-market laissez-faire ideas. A key event which encapsulated these ideas was the Industrial Revolution (1760-1820).
Source: Hoppe, Hans-Hermann, 2013, From the Malthusian Trap to the Industrial Revolution, Mises Circle Feature
The Industrial Revolution has rightly been categorized as one of the most important event in history[16]. Robert Emerson Lucas Jr., who won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1995, said, "For the first time in history, the living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to undergo sustained growth…. Nothing remotely like this economic behaviour has happened before."[17] The reason for this "sustained growth" was that through the Industrial Revolution, mankind was able to, for the first time, break free from the 'Malthusian trap'.
Elucidated by Thomas Robert Malthus, an English scholar, the trap refers to the gloomy conclusion one derives when the process of population growth is compared to the process of growth in the supply of cultivable land (or food supply)– while the former grows geometrically, the latter grows arithmetically. In his 1798 treatise[18], Malthus wrote, "…. the human species would increase in the ratio of 1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128,256,516, etc. and subsistence as 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, etc. In two centuries and a quarter the population would be to the means of subsistence as 512 to 10; in three centuries as 4096 to 13, and in two thousand years the difference would be incalculable."
Thus, for most of history, the increase in population was hostage to the rate of increase in food supply. Though there is a tendency for the population growth to outstrip growth in food supply (due to the former's geometric rate of increase compared to the latter's arithmetic increase), any "excess" growth in population resulted in famines, after which, the population again realigned with the growth in subsistence. What this also meant is that for most of history, per capita income remained stagnant as any increase is subsistence was accompanied by increase in population[19].
As highlighted by economic historian Gregory Clark, "….there is no sign of any improvement in material conditions for settled agrarian societies as we approach 1800. There was no gain between 1800 BC and AD 1800 — a period of 3,600 years."[20] This changed during the Industrial Revolution when the human race escaped from the Malthusian trap. The Industrial Revolution was characterized by rapid increase in both per capita income and population made possible by the attainment of a critical mass of technological improvements and capital stock not witnessed until then. This contributed to the 'Great Divergence', which refers to the rapid increase in the wealth and power of Western civilisation, leaving behind the civilizations of India, China, Japan and the Ottomans.
One cannot help but feel awed by a phenomenon so divergent from what had been observed for the entire recorded history. The factors responsible for the Industrial Revolution continue to be debated. However, even if one can disagree on the weightage, it cannot be denied that the emergence of reason and political liberty during the Enlightenment era and free trade policies of the Classical Liberal era were enabling factors for the Industrial Revolution. It was as if starting from the Enlightenment era, the lid on what Keynes termed as "animal spirits" blew off and set in motion a phenomenon never witnessed before.
The world was a very different place in the latter half of the nineteenth century as compared to the seventeenth century. Political ideas changed. Feudal institutions form the Middle Ages were attacked. Modern economics was born and the Industrial Revolution saw mankind finally break the gloomy Malthusian trap. One would almost have thought the future could only see a further strengthening of the classical liberal ideas of liberty through the deepening of the political-economic structure of democratic-capitalism. However, as subsequent events would reveal, beneath the rosy story of Industrial Revolution, another revolution was fomenting. And when it erupted, it shook the edifice of classical liberalism right down to its foundation.
To be continued in the second part of this blog series.
[1] Keynes, John Maynard, 1936, "The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money", Ch. 24, Concluding Notes, p. 383-384
[2] http://www.h-net.org/~hst201/SpeechParl.htm
[3] http://www.iep.utm.edu/descarte/
[4] Descartes, René, 1649, Passions of the Soul
[5] Descartes, René, 1637, Discourse on Method, Part II
[7] The Middle Ages refers to the period from the 5th to the 15th century
[9] Cranston, Maurice (1966), John Locke and Government by Consent, Political Ideas – Edited by David Thomson, p. 75
[12] http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/
[13] Co-incidentally, the same year as the American Declaration of Independence
[14] Smith, Adam, 1776, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Book 1, Chapter 2
[15] It should be noted that Smith was not opposed to all government intervention. In his writings, he has expounded several areas where he sees a role for the government.
[16] Nardinelli, Clark, 2008, Industrial Revolution and the Standard of Living, The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics, Library of Economics and Liberty
[17] Lucas, Robert E., Jr., 2002, Lectures on Economic Growth. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. pp. 109–10
[18] Malthus, Thomas Robert, 1798, An Essay on the Principle of Population as It Affects the Future Improvement of Society
[19] Which is to say that any increase in numerator was accompanied by an increase in the denominator in the computation of per capital income
[20] Clark, Gregory, 2007, A Farewell to Alms: A Brief Economic History of the World, Princeton University Press
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If you have ever spent any time walking around New Orleans parks and green spaces, you have probably encountered some of Madeleine Faust's brilliant metal sculpture. She has pieces in prominent public and private places all over the metropolitan area. Madeleine is a prolific artist who also maintains a demanding teaching schedule. We interviewed Madeleine at her spacious Mid-City studio next to the Lafitte Greenway.
NCM: This is a great studio space. Where do you teach?
Madeleine: I'm an itinerant talented art teacher in Jefferson Parish. But when I am not teaching, I come here to make ceramic sculpture in addition to metal sculpture. Or basically any art that someone will pay me to do.
Madeleine: Yes, I was born and raised here.
Madeleine: I ended up getting my Masters degree at Tulane in Sculpture. My Bachelors was in Painting and Drawing from LSU.
NCM: What led you to become a professional artist as opposed to just having it as a hobby?
Madeleine: Because I love making art. I love to make stuff. I always have to have a project. I can't stop making art because something happens to me.
I didn't start teaching full-time until after Katrina. Before Katrina I was adjunct at Loyola and then adjunct at Xavier. I also supplemented my income with a decent amount of commissions and I had a husband to help support me.
But that all changed after Katrina. I had to support me and my two boys. So I started teaching full-time for Jefferson Parish, which is a fantastic job. I teach talented students.
Both of my sons have decided to work in the arts. One of my sons is getting his degree in Graphic Design at LSU and the other one is going into Photo Journalism. They have both used this studio space as well.
NCM: It's great that you have encouraged them. A lot of parents don't encourage their children to go into the arts. Did your family encourage you?
Madeleine: My dad was always great. He was an Electrical Engineer and he would help me on projects. He was excited, but he would always joke that I should take up watercolor because his back was getting hurt a lot from moving my stuff.
Madeleine: My mother is an artist, but she is primarily a lady first and foremost. She wanted me to marry someone who would take care of me. But that didn't happen.
NCM: What genre would you say that you work in?
Madeleine: Right now it is really sort of site specific work. Things made for certain spaces and for the taste of an individual. When I do my own work, I do a lot of whimsical metal sculptures. The ones that you see out there are models for bigger pieces. When you do your own work you try to put it in a gallery and hope someone will buy it. But I just don't have that luxury right now.
Madeleine: I absolutely adore John Scott. And when I worked at Xavier, I actually took his place when he was working on his retrospective at the museum. I taught his classes and I was just honored that he would ask me to do that. Fletcher Benton, Albert Paley, and David Smith have all been big influences as well. Abstract metal art does something to me. I love it.
NCM: How old were you when you first started sculpting?
Madeleine: I used to construct things out of clay and sticks at my grandmother's house. But it wasn't until I was already majoring in Painting and Drawing at LSU when I took my first sculpture class. It was a wonderful experience and I was immediately hooked. I got my degree in Painting and Drawing (because I wanted to finish at LSU), but I was hooked on Sculpture.
NCM: How do you differentiate your sculpture from everyone else's? There is a lot of art on the market these days.
I use a lot of circles and painted metal. I guess it is my sense of design. It doesn't have to be brightly colored. Sometimes it is just monochromatic.
NCM: What kind of paint do you use on the metal?
Madeleine: For the outdoor pieces I use Sherwin-Williams DTM Industrial Acrylic Enamel. I always use a primer too. It seems to last a very long time. I always go for an industrial paint for outdoor work. Like industrial marine or metal paint. Because you know that any metal outside is going to get very hot in the Summer. You can buy basic colors in that paint at Sherwin-Williams. If you want specific colors in that paint, you need to custom order it. I usually just mix my own colors based off of what I can get in the store.
NCM: What do you think is the most challenging part of being a metal sculptor?
Madeleine: It is hard to have all of the tools and the equipment that I need to get the job done. A lot of these things are expensive to acquire and I can't always afford them. So I sometimes have to improvise. I also am fortunate to have a space where I can make a lot of noise. The process of building sculpture is noisy.
The fun part of sculpting is the engineering. That is what I like. For example, The Jax and the Ball piece had to be designed so that the internal structure could support the weight of the piece. And to me that's fun.
NCM: Do you ever have an assistant here to help you life some of these pieces? Or do you lift them yourself?
Madeleine: No I have assistance when I need it. My boys are good at that. Simon is living with me this Summer.
NCM: What do you wish you had known about being a metal sculptor before you got started?
Madeleine: I wish that I had read those books that people gave me to read in college about how to make money as an artist. I never did. It has not served me well. But I still don't read the books, because I just don't have time. I'm just an impetuous creative type.
NCM: Do you find that your pieces are so big that you don't get a consistent steady stream of people that want that level of work?
Madeleine: That's definitely part of it. I might get a commission for a $25,000 piece one year, but not anything that big the next year. But that's fine because I am lucky to get my teacher's salary.
NCM: Did you get a teaching certificate for that job.
Madeleine: No, I don't teach regular art education. I teach talented art students who have been identified as gifted. These kids have passed a specific test which allows them to be in my art class.
This past Fall semester I had 42 kids assigned to me at 5 different schools. Then they hired another teacher, which brought my caseload down to 13 at four schools. It's intense artistic study.
NCM: How do you deal with negative criticism? Has anyone ever said anything that hurt you deeply?
Madeleine: The only time I had something come close to that was when I was selected to put a sculpture on Veterans Blvd. They showed me the site, which was surrounded by a lot of light green foliage. And I thought purple would look nice against light green, so I painted the sculpture purple.
NCM: How do you come up with a profitable pricing structure for your art? I know that there are additional factors that go into pricing sculptures.
Madeleine: Since I have done a number of large scale pieces, I pretty much know how to estimate certain costs. The thing that I am still really bad at is figuring out the man hours needed to finish pieces. I try to come up with that and then I factor in contingency costs, but I rarely come out with situations where I am making a lot of money.
It also helps to know people's budget. I can usually figure out how to work with people to come up with something that we can all live with. I have learned to negotiate that way.
NCM: Did you ever have a mentor? Someone that helped show you the ropes.
Madeleine: When I was in graduate school, I did stone work. Strangely enough, I actually started carving figurative work in stone at LSU. But once I moved to New Orleans, I met this family that were working in the Crown Plaza at the Entergy Center. They were a family of traveling stone masons who went from city to city for specialized jobs. They taught me how to construct with stone using diamond saw blades as well as where to cut and determining angles to cut. They taught me some really neat stuff.
Afterwards I started to make stone works that were more abstract than figurative. There was also a new construction aspect to my work.
Then I started dating a guy who had a machine shop. He also taught me a lot. In fact, I still have some of his tools. He died, but his sister gave me his tools to use. They are ancient, but they never break. He taught me how to work with metal.
Madeleine: Well, I have a piece in the French Market. And I have a pieces on Veterans and on Power Blvd. You can find my work all around Blue Plate. There are two sculptures left at American Can. There is also one at Canal and Carollton as well as another at a park in Algiers. I also have smaller pieces at individual houses around town.
Great article about a wonderful artist. Y'all covered a lot of interesting, informative aspects of Madeline's life, education and process. Thanks !
I love Madeleine's works of art. She is also a wonderful magical fun down to earth real person. I hope to one day acquire one of her pieces.


Git has been integrated into ZenTao 5.0+, tasks, bugs and code can be linked, so it is convenient for users to check that. The followings are about how to integrate Git in ZenTao.
Analyze code comments committed => Get IDs of related stories, tasks and bug => Write IDs to ZenTao database.
There are two ways to do what has been mentioned above. One is to use the hook built in SVN. When the code is committed, a hook is triggered. Then its comments will be analyzed, and the IDs of a bug/story/task will be obtained. Then ZenTao API is revoked, and enter the data to the database. The other way is to use the log command via Git. The command will get the committed data, then analyze it to get the IDs, and then write it in the database.
The two ways have their own pros and cons. The second one is used in ZenTao, because it is easier to debug and more convenient to deploy. It is also more flexible and can be used to analyze all the previous records.
GIT client refers to command lines built in Git. It is git.exe in Windows and git in Linux. Currently, ZenTao can only integrate Git repos store on the same machine which installs ZenTao. If it is a remote repo that you want to use, you have to clone that repo and update it regularly.
You have to install Git for machines of Linux system. Install Git via yum for rhel and Centos and apt-get install for Debian.
The configuration file of Git is saved in zentao/module/git/config.php. You can modify it and save it in git/ext/config/git.php as recommended, so the configuration file will not be overridden once updated.
Before setting GIT parameters, there are some concepts involved as follows.
Repo: multiple repos can be set.
3.2.1 Find the location of the code in a red box as shown below.
3.3.1 Find the code in the red box in the same file.
Delete "/*" and "*/" from the code and other modifications are the same as shown above. Notes: $i ++ should not be modified.
For other Git repos, copy the code and configure in the same way.
When committing to GIT, a comment on changes in relevant stories, tasks or bug IDs is required. Please follow the format below.
bug#123,234, 1234, or bug: 123,234 1234. Either a comma or space is used as space holders among IDs.
Bugs, stories, and tasks must be labeled.
5.1 Refer to Chapter 8.1.1 Initialize Scripts to initialize all the scripts of the command line.
5.2 Enter the directory of zentao/bin/ and execute syncgit.bat or syncgit.sh.
5.3 The screenshot of executing the scripts.
6.1 When all the command lines are deployed, add the commands to the cron.
Solution 1: Login ZenTao, and go to Admin->Cron. Switch it on and then activate Sync Git scripts.
Solution 2: Use the cron in Control Panel of Windows and crontab in Linux.
6.2 The repository configured has to be synchronized via the cron. Use Git PULL to update every 5 minutes.


Browsing: / Home / Be More Productive. Take Time Off.
I wanted to do something about this. So, at 37signals, the software company I've run for the past 13 years, we take inspiration from the seasons and build change into our work schedule.
For example, from May through October, we switch to a four-day workweek. And not 40 hours crammed into four days, but 32 hours comfortably fit into four days. We don't work the same amount of time, we work less.
Most staff workers take Fridays off, but some choose a different day. Nearly all of us enjoy three-day weekends. Work ends Thursday, the weekend starts Friday, and work starts back up on Monday.


ROFLMHO!!! Beautiful work, a well-written story, and an incredible laugh! What more could I want!?
I like Mark's feelings towards Princess; he feels what he has is so special he doesn't want to exploit it.
Author's Response: Thanks, Candi. I don't write romance too often, but it fit for this story. Glad you liked it!
I love reading stories where the team plays practical jokes on each other.
Author's Response: Hi Amethyst: Thanks for the review! You know, maybe we should ask for a way to group all of those stories together. You are right, there are some great ones out there. I appreciate you stopping by!
Author's Response: Hi Iborgia88: Thanks for the review! Yes, I like to think that Jason sees the big picture more than Mark in this regard. I think Mark feigns cluelessness so well when it comes to Princess that he sometimes fools himself!
Yeah, Julie, you posted it! Fun read. Mark deserved it.
Author's Response: Yes, he did! ;) Thanks, Becky, for the encouragement.
Beautiful!! I really enjoyed this - it was so mischevous and yet had the desired result. Geat work.
Author's Response: Thanks, Madilayn. It was my first real foray into the BotP romance genre. Glad you liked it!


This recipe comes directly from Mongolian Sumo champion Byamba Ulambyar.
Among the 10,000 calories worth of food consumed daily by some sumo wrestlers are meatballs—lots of meatballs.
This recipe comes directly from Mongolian sumo champion Byamba Ulambyar, and is surprisingly lean. The meatballs themselves are made from pork, egg, and miso paste, but the soup is also chock full of cabbage, bok choy, tofu, and carrots, meaning that it's pretty healthy for wrestlers and non-wrestlers alike.
It's the perfect dish to fuel up for battle, in or outside of the sumo ring.


The physical demands of sports determine which fitness components should be targeted in training. Energy requirements of sports guide coaching decisions about the types and proportions of training activities that will best prepare athletes for the competition.
Once you identify which fitness components are most important, you have a foundation upon which you can build a fitness training program. The program can then be revised to accommodate the more specific requirements of positions, as well as the individual needs of particular athletes.
Those components that you rate as high and moderate-high are ones to emphasize, so select training activities that will target them the most.
*Don't get overburdened with classifications--just estimate.
*Build the right balance of targeted training activities during off-season training phases and maintain them during the competitive season.
Aerobic/Anaerobic (energy requirements): Does the sport require continuous, sustained activity, short bursts of intense activity, or a combination of both?
Examples: Distance running is high aerobic, low to moderate anaerobic. Javelin throwing is high anaerobic, low aerobic. Soccer is high for both. Archery is low for both.
This concerns how intense activities are, how long they last, and how much recovery time is needed in between bouts of activity.
Developing a training program that matches the energy requirements of your sport addresses the physiological and metabolic demands associated with the Specificity Principle.
Strength: To what extent is moving maximum resistances important?
Examples: Strength is high for Olympic lifters, but low for marathon runners. Basketball requires moderate to high strength levels.
Be clear about the type of strength (isometric, isotonic) and much of is needed in your sport, which muscle groups should be emphasized. Decide how it is combined with other components (e.g., strength-endurance) when determining the physical demands of sports.
Speed: To what extent are speed, quick reactions, and rapid movements physical demands of sports?
Examples: Sprints and tennis require high speed of movement, whereas speed is of low to moderate importance for bowling.
Estimate the balance of speed, strength and/or endurance and which skills demand the greatest speed development.
Power: To what extent are power (speed and strength together), acceleration, and explosiveness important?
Examples: Softball pitching and hitting require high power development. A goalie in ice hockey needs low to moderate power.
Match your training program with how frequently power required, how long power-related activities last, and how much recovery time.
Agility: To what extent is moving quickly while changing directions important?
Examples: Agility is of high importance in gymnastics, but of low importance in golf.
Endurance: To what extent is repeating submaximal muscle contractions for long periods of time important?
Examples: Endurance is high for long distance rowing events and cross country skiing, but low to morderate for ski jumping.
Consider how strength and/or speed are combined with muscular endurance.
Flexibility To what extent is moving through long ranges of motion at joints important?
Examples: Flexibility is of high importance for diving, but low to moderate for long distance speed skating.
Focus on the joints that require the greatest flexibility in competition and how increasing the range of motion at specific joints can improve sport performance.
*What physical demands of your sport have not been met by fitness training in the past and, perhaps, compromised your competitive edge?
*Which training activities can help prevent sport-related injuries?
*How will you refine your training program to match the physical demands of various positions?
*How will you refine your training program to accommodate individual differences?
*Fitness and sport skill testing can play a role in refining a fitness training program for any groups of athletes or individuals.
1. Martens, R. (2004). Successful coaching(3rd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.


text:
Capturing 24 hours in Gaza, one hour at a time
Gaza, Palestinian Territories Dylan Martinez
Updated 29 Mar 2019 30 images
In the build-up to the one-year anniversary of the Gaza border protests that opened up a deadly new front in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Reuters photographer Dylan Martinez visited Gaza for the first time.
As someone who had never set eyes on Gaza, his assignment was to use those unfamiliar eyes to record life beyond the daily drumbeat of violence in the blockaded Palestinian territory.
20 Feb 2019 . Gaza, Palestinian Territories. Reuters/Dylan Martinez
Locals walk past a graffiti.
The mood has become more tense in recent weeks as the March 30 anniversary nears, with trails of Palestinian rockets and Israeli missiles again appearing in the skies above.
Martinez did not know what to expect after he crossed through Israel's fortified checkpoint and past a long caged walkway and parallel road leading to a dilapidated Palestinian checkpoint at the other end.
"We have a great team of photographers and journalists in Gaza whose main task, really, is to photograph the protest, the clashes between Israel and Gaza," said Martinez, 49, a 28-year Reuters veteran who has covered Europe, Asia and the Americas and is currently based in London.
"My remit, I think, was to do pretty much anything but that. Because everyone has seen that side of Gaza."
The beach is a popular destination for Gazans to cool down in the summer, but the waters are highly polluted.
Gaza is a 139-square-mile (360-square-kilometre) coastal strip situated between Tel Aviv and Sinai and is home to around two million Palestinians, two thirds of them refugees.
It has been governed by the Islamist Palestinian movement Hamas since shortly after Israel withdrew its soldiers and settlers in 2005.
With its armed brigades and thousands of police and security men on the streets, Hamas controls Gaza's interior as tightly as Israeli soldiers, gunboats and warplanes control most of Gaza's perimeter, with Egyptian walls and watchtowers along the eight-mile southern border.
The streets are packed with kids and their rucksacks just before 7 a.m. In 2017, a Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics report said more than 40 percent of Gazans were under 15 years old. Just 3.3 percent of Palestinians over 15 were illiterate.
Accompanied by a Reuters assistant photographer from Gaza City, Martinez travelled the strip, photographing it at every hour of the day and night over a 10-day period.
One of the most powerful scenes was a patch of waste land between a school and a mosque where children were playing.
Children play a game of "Arabs and Jews" outside a school.
"These kids were burning some cardboard, they had trenches, they were throwing sandballs so they weren't hurting each other. And I said, 'Oh, what are you guys doing?' and they said, 'Oh, we are playing Jews and Arabs.'" The image, he said, "will probably stay with me forever".
Parts of Gaza, to his surprise, resembled an underdeveloped version of California's famed Venice Beach - with glorious Mediterranean sunsets, bathers and skateboarders, but often with crumbling buildings and rubbish piles as part of the backdrop.
This particular garage has cars dating back to the 1950s, including a beautiful old Opel.
In vehicle scrapyards in the north, he saw stacks of discarded cars. With 53 percent of Gazans living in poverty, according to a United Nations report in December, valuable items such as cars are cannibalised for every accessory.
Fishermen unload their catch as the sun rises.
The same "use everything" dynamic could be seen at the harbour, where even the smallest fish discarded from a catch were gathered to be sold to poorer families.
On Friday, while youths were protesting at the Gaza-Israel border, Martinez went to the beach to see what was going on.
"I really understood that not 2 million people had gone to the border to clash with the Israelis. What else were they doing?" he said.
A group of youngsters who call themselves the Gaza Skate Gang hang out at a skate park by the port.
"I found a bunch of skaters there with, I don't know, I think they had one or two boards between them, some pretty ropey roller blades... they were just busy filming themselves trying to do flips, trying to do tricks, things like that."
Locals play computer games and snooker at The Colompy Pool Hall.
After the sun falls and the streets empty, pool halls and bakeries continue to operate through the darkness imposed by night, and by Gaza's constant power cuts.
Martinez was warned many times by officials and bystanders on the street, in a more cautionary than menacing manner, not to photograph Hamas checkpoints and military installations.
Fishermen are allowed to fish just a few miles out to sea before they are stopped by Israeli forces.
Often, he did not realise what the buildings were because their exteriors gave no sign of what might have been within. Otherwise, Martinez encountered few problems.
"There's a real sense of being enclosed. You can stand on the beach looking out toward the horizon and see this fantastic sun and crystal blue waters, a sense you are part of the world and there is everything around you."
Dylan Martinez
"You look to the right, you turn one way, and there is Israel and you can go down this road but in a car it was taking 20 minutes. You look the other way, there is Egypt. You go down the road there, there's a blockade, you can't go any further.
Lights from Israel can be seen on the horizon. The Gaza lights are illuminating a military checkpoint and training camp, top right.
"You look inland, and there in the background as well is the horizon, is Israel. And you can't go that way.
"So there is always a feeling you can only go so far one way. And the other way. I did feel it. There is a sort of feeling of enclosure."
Writing by Stephen Farrell
A boy carries cardboard to burn as he walks through the streets.
A worker prepares metal at a rubbish and recycle centre. Everything is recycled but here they want any kind of metal they can sell-on.
A group of youngsters who call themselves the Gaza Skate Gang hang out at a skate park.
Singer Rahaf Shamali,15, Hamada Nasralla, 23, Ismaiel Al H'Razin, 42, Islam Mohsen, 24. and Saied Fadel of "Solband" pose on the roof of their apartment block.
Saied Fadel, 22, and Hamada Nasrallah, 23, of "Solband" rehearse, as a clown on stilts walks by.
People arrive for prayer at Al Saeed Hashem Mosque. This mosque is the largest and oldest in Gaza.
Football fans and officials pray during half-time match between Rafah and their rivals Beit Hanoun. Gaza seemed evenly split between Real Madrid and Barcelona fans, but local rivalries also run deep, with some matches having to be played on neutral grounds.
Older Gaza residents remember watching Egyptian movies in cinemas during the 1960s, but from the 1980s on, fundamentalist Islamist groups burned down such places of public entertainment and closed liquor shops.
Bedouin jockeys parade their camels during a wedding party. Families hire the camels to entertain guests during the celebrations, which often become a spectacle for the whole neighbourhood.
The Gaza Strip is swathed in beautiful light, and enjoys spectacular sunsets and sunrises. Just 25 miles long and a few miles wide, it is home to nearly 2 million Palestinians, around two-thirds of them refugees.
An Israeli factory is seen in the background as children play. Although Gaza is mostly sealed off from the outside world by walls and fences, Israel is clearly visible from many points, as is Egypt from the south.
A local shop uses a generator for power by the port. Power cuts affect the whole city at one time or another.
Fishermen bring their catch into the port. Gaza's fisherman are often only able to fish a few miles from the coast - the distance varies. Israeli gunboats stop them going farther.
A group of jobless men burn cardboard to warm themselves. The men said they would gladly work for just 5 shekels a day (about $1.35) but there were no jobs. In October 2018 the World Bank said 54 percent of Gaza's workforce is unemployed, including 70 percent of youths.
Furniture is displayed outside a store.
A woman begs outside a shopping mall. Despite widespread poverty seeing anyone beg is rare and I saw nobody sleeping rough.
A man sells cigarettes. The sellers sell individual cigarettes at one shekel apiece, or a little more than 25 U.S. cents. Gaza residents say fewer people can afford them.
Gaza's electricity often goes down, leaving residents relying on generators or solar power. The streets are pretty much empty in the early hours of the morning - but there are still 24-hour convenience stores and bakeries.
People walk through dark streets during the evening.
Vibrant Cape Verdean culture draws people to Lisbon outskirt
Obama's ancestral home
Kogelo
Without papers, Uighurs fear for their future in Turkey
Water is now gold for desperate Venezuelans
Hunger stalks Yemen's remote villages after four years of war
An immigrant's tale: Leaving Britain to escape Brexit hostility
In shadow of war, Ukrainians seek to vote for peace
Zaitseve
Nigerian boy pulled from rubble remains calm amid chaos
Venezuelans build new life in Spain, fret for homeland
In Gaza, women walk thin line between hope and despair
Gaza City
Arizona monastery, motel turned into migrant shelters
What lack of paid family leave means for one Texas mother
New mothers suffer nerves, guilt as maternity leave ends
Yannis Behrakis, award-winning Reuters photographer, dies aged 58
Idomeni
Chaos, gridlock a daily ordeal for Manila's commuters

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Acquiring a brand-new Harley might be unbelievably expensive, with respect to the model selected. Even so, those who prefer a Harley might desire to look at the used Harley Davidson motorcycles for sale when they will want to obtain a Harley. They're able to get a newer model for significantly less in comparison with a brand new one as well as can be able to get everything they want with the motorcycle. Similar to acquiring a used vehicle, there might be many advantages of getting a used Harley instead of a new one.
Those that wish to purchase a motorcycle probably have a particular one planned. In any other case, they will at least have certain functions they'll wish to make sure the one they buy can have. When they choose to acquire a used one, they could acquire the one they'll need without having to spend a lot of cash. They could be able to locate an older one they like that costs a lot less compared to the more recent models. Even in case they'll prefer something that's fairly new, they are able to cut costs by getting a used model which is only a handful of years old. This provides them with the chance to receive a Harley with every thing they prefer while not having to pay the total price of a brand new one.
People that wish to buy a Harley may at least want to look at the used Harley Davidson motorycles available today. They are able to check out the site to learn a lot more with regards to what exactly is obtainable right now and also to find the one they'll want. This may help them to receive the Harley they will need without needing to spend as much money, which suggests they'll have the money left over for add-ons as well as other products they could desire.
Paixão o local - realmente individuais agradável e lotes todo para ver!
Mas atenção: Nunca compre no Mercado De forma livre!
Você de fato pretende saber tal como adquirir certa mulher?


text:
Lady Gaga Cancels Indonesia Show Due to Religious Protests
Lady Gaga's current Asia tour has been followed by controversy from the start. Her concerts in South Korea were met with criticism from conservatives, although her subsequent shows have had no trouble selling out. So, gigs in South Korea
were 18-and-over. One sold out show was her scheduled stop in Jakarta, Indonesia that was supposed to be the biggest show of the tour. However, Gaga has been made to cancel the show after police issued a statement saying that they will not grant her a permit over security fears.
Lady Gaga has cancelled her Indonesia gig following protests by Islamic hard-liners.
According to the Associated Press, a spokesperson for the national police said on Tuesday (May 15) that the permit for the show has been denied after religious conservatives worried that the concert could undermine the nation's moral fiber. Some of the critics actually threatened to use physical force to prevent Gaga from getting off her plane.
Salim Alatas, the Jakarta head of hardline Islamic Defender Front said Reuters:
She's a vulgar singer who wears only panties and a bra when she sings and she stated she is the envoy of the devil's child and that she will spread satanic teaching. This is dangerous."
Local police worried that they might not be able to guarantee security at the show and suggested to national police that the permit for what was to be Gaga's biggest gig on her current Asian tour be pulled. Every seat at the Karno stadium had been sold, with half of them going in the first two hours.
The AP reported that permits for shows are typically issued three weeks before concerts in Jakarta, so it is not uncommon for tickets to be sold well ahead of receiving a final permit.
Poor Indonesian Little Monsters… Poor Mother Monster – I guess it's pretty hard to return that money for sold-out tickets.
Susan Boyle is eyeing a duet with Lady GaGa
2010 MTV VMAs: the winners
Doronin's Estranged Wife is Citing Naomi Campbell as Main Reason for Divorce
Category: Celebrity Scandals
Posted to: Lady GaGa, The Monster Ball tour
All 2009 movies put together in one
Halloween Dirge with Anna Kournikova


Agriculture is the mainstay of the country. This sector plays prime role in the economic development of Nepal. About 65.5% of the population in the country is engaged in the Agriculture. The Government of Nepal is implementing a long-term Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP) to address the problem of widespread rural poverty and to increase growth rate in agriculture.


text:
The adventure continues | A woman's journey with BAE Systems
From JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings to Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, Kisa Christensen loves reading epic fantasy stories. You know the type of story with a hero on a quest, whose path is crossed with allies, mentors, and enemies on the way to reaching their goals. Her own journey may not have any dragons in it, but it's still been equally as epic.
A call to adventure
When Kisa was a little girl, she wanted to be an astronaut. As a kid, she spent hours and hours building spaceships and planes out of LEGO.
Her father supported her dream by paying for flying lessons, eventually leading her to earn her Private Pilot's License at just 17. He also sent her to the Space Academy in Huntsville Alabama, which is like a space camp for older kids to meet astronauts and train like them. Her mum was also supporting her dream – she was the one who bought all the LEGO.
Kisa's chosen path to becoming an astronaut was via the US Air Force Academy. However, at the time, entry into the US Air Force required US citizenship. Being a Canadian citizen, it seemed this dream wasn't meant to happen.
"I think my high-school self would be disappointed that I hadn't made it into the astronaut program and disappointed that I haven't yet set foot on Mars. I was very focused on that as a career goal! But in the end, it was a very fortuitous obstacle…"
The twists and turns of the journey
As a persistent optimist and firm believer in the attitude of 'everything happens for a reason', Kisa was far from deterred by her disappointment.
"I made a very determined decision at this point: if I couldn't fly the fighter jets – maybe I could design them! I ended up working for NASA and got a chance to do so many amazing things, including experiments on the Vomit Comet!"
Starting off as an aerospace engineer, she gradually moved into project management and then program management. Then she reached the fork in the road of her career that a lot of engineers and project managers face. Should she continue to become more and more technical, becoming a subject matter expert, or should she take the other route down the business/management path. It can be a difficult choice for an engineer, as both roads are fraught with their own challenges and potential accomplishments.
In the end she decided to take the business route going on to get her Executive MBA and becoming fascinated by how businesses operate.
The challenges faced
"Over my career, I've had many moments that were challenging due to being a woman in a male-dominated industry. There are so many examples of things that were said, or the way that I was treated in meetings."
When Kisa was a young engineer, a senior male manager told her something that even now years later, still stands out in her memory.
"He said it was unfortunate I was a woman because at some point I would have to choose between having a family and having a career – and that it was impossible for a woman to have both. It took me years to realize that his statement was utter nonsense."
As she's gotten older and more experienced, Kisa has learned to respond to these challenges better.
"It does get easier. Is there still room for improvement? Yes. Is it better than it was? Yes!"
New allies, and a newfound home
Kisa remembers the moment she knew BAE Systems was where she belonged quite clearly. It was in her very first week when she started learning about the business in a lot more detail. She was so impressed with the depth and breadth of work that BAE Systems does.
"It blew my mind! Having come from a mainly aerospace background (and a little bit of land systems), I was now learning about radars, missiles, and frigates! I love the fact that I'm constantly learning new things, and BAE Systems has definitely opened my eyes to other industries and domains that I hadn't been exposed to in the past."
Kisa admires how everyone she spoke to was welcoming and approachable, offering support and help.
"I think half the battle of joining a new business is knowing who to talk to for a particular task, and the culture of helpfulness I encountered upon joining BAE Systems was great."
She's been working at BAE Systems for just over two years, and in that time, she says she has never felt like her opinion wasn't valued and never felt like her career aspirations weren't taken seriously because she is a mother.
"It has absolutely been an inclusive environment and the business has a real focus on diversity and Inclusion. For me personally, I think having a woman as CEO has also been very inspirational."
The moral of the story
"For me success has nothing to do with power or authority, a job title or money. Success is when you're doing something you love and enjoy and that you feel you are making a difference. And as long as whatever that 'something' is provides you with the basics to support yourself and your family, that should feel like success."
Tolkien's epic works taught us how even 'the smallest person can change the course of the future'. If there is a moral to be taken from Kisa's story, it's that there is no one way of doing something or finding happiness, and once you find your path, align yourself with the people that will help you along the way.
"Everyone has their own path to take, and sometimes that path involves a few U-turns and changes along the way. Never be afraid to speak up, no matter what your experience is or what point in your career you are at. All points of view matter, and diverse thought is critical to succeeding in a very changing and complex world."
Jacynta Clayton's career started in recruitment advertising and employer branding, working with global clients to create and deploy strategic and creative content. Now she combines her industry experience with the knowledge from her psychology and professional writing degrees to write unique and resounding stories. As a WORK180 storyteller she relishes the opportunity to elevate the voices and experiences of so many amazing people, while also empowering and educating audiences on how to choose a workplace where they can thrive.


text:
Q: Google Chrome - Is it possible to have a button to open the Developer Tools So I am trying o make the switch from Firefox to Chrome and one big hurdle for me is moving from Firebug to Chrome's developer tools.  The developer tools works fine, I'd just like to have a button on the screen to click to access them as opposed to a menu option (I know there's a shortcut keystroke but I can't remember half of the ones I need as it is)
Is there a way to add a button or a bookmark in the bookmarks bar that would open the developer tools panel?
I'm running the latest version on OS X 10.7.

A little more detail
In OS X 10.7
F12 opens dashboard while fn + F12 increases the volume
That functionality can be changed so that F12 increases the volume and fn + F12 opens the dashboard via System Preferences.

A: If you're happy with simply pressing a key, then you can have F12 work like so (instructions tested on OSX 10.8):

*

*Open Keyboard Shortcuts Preferences

*Click "Mission Control" from the list

*Untick "Show Dashboard" (disable default beahviour of F12)

*Click "Application Shortcuts" from the list

*Click the "+" below the right-hand list

*Select Google Chrome from the drop down list

*In "Menu Title", type Developer Tools

*Click in "Keyboard Shortcut", then press F12
Open Chrome, and press F12 - Dev Tools should open right up!

I have set F12 to open Dev Tools, and F5 to Refresh the page

A: Maybe Fn-F12 will do the trick? (IIRC, you can switch between the default behavior of F-keys in your system settings). Otherwise, it's ⌥⌘I or ⌥⌘J (the latter opens the console by default.) There is a good doc about the Web Inspector/DevTools shortcuts.
That said, Google Chrome's design is explicitly minimalistic to avoid UI clutter and reduce the chance of the user getting confused by the things they actually never use, so there is no way to invoke DevTools using a UI button.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Grünewalde (in basso sorabo Zeleny Gózd) è una frazione (Ortsteil) della città tedesca di Lauchhammer.

Storia

Il 20 settembre 1993 il comune di Grünewalde venne aggregato alla città di Lauchhammer.

Note

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni

Lauchhammer
Frazioni del Brandeburgo
Comuni del Brandeburgo soppressi

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Ever wonder what a DUI in the state of Hawaii is commonly referred to? No, you probably haven't. The Aloha state is known for its color – in its food, its apparel, and even its language. It should be no surprise, then, that if you're headed home from the tiki bar and you end up weaving in and out of traffic just a bit too blatantly, you'll likely be stopped and issued an OVUII – an "operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant." Yep, it takes a minute to wrap your head around that one. It takes even longer if you happen to be under the influence of said intoxicant.
All in all, it's a pretty fun place to be. And there's no denying that it's actually a fantastic place to get your drink on. That's a fact not limited to alcohol consumption; Hawaii is the only U.S. state that produces coffee. So whether you choose to indulge in espresso, Maui's organic Ocean Vodka, or the Kona brewery's Big Island Ginger Beer, you'd better believe that any sort of suspicious driving will land you in a very un-fun situation. While the laws regarding sentencing for OVUII offenses in Hawaii aren't terribly extreme, they can definitely put an ugly stain on your reputation, and you'll more than likely lose driving privileges for a considerable period of time. Not that Hawaii would be the worst place to lose your license. It's only 4,000 square miles. But really. Don't drink and drive.
The thought of just saying, "No," to an arresting officer might seem wildly appealing at the time of your arrest, should you ever be arrested under suspicion of drunk or otherwise intoxicated driving. You know, buy yourself some time. Distract the man. Unfortunately, getting sidetracked is usually not within a policeman's capabilities if he or she already has reason to believe you're fucked up. And as turns out, if you choose to refuse a breathalyzer test, the law isn't even on your side. Like many other states, Hawaii operates under an "implied consent" law, meaning that it's assumed you give your consent to be tested chemically if an officer pulls you over with reason to believe you've been drinking. And – fun fact – that goes for boating, too.
Long story short…you lose your license. The first time it happens, you lose it for a year. The second time is a minimum of two, and as many as five. The third time it's a minimum of four, and as many as five. (Keep in mind that subsequent offenses are considered as such only if they occur within five years of the last.) You'll also be required to see a substance abuse counselor – the reason being that if you refuse a breathalyzer test, pretty much everyone is going to assume you're up to no good. But fear not. If you've arrived in this sort of a situation for the very first time and legitimately didn't know or didn't understand that you really would lose driving privileges, you do have the option of requesting a permit to drive only with an ignition interlock device (an IID) for the duration of the assigned suspension period.
Now that you know the potential value of a little roadside cooperation, it's time to ask the question: What's considered illegal? Or, legally speaking, what constitutes "one too many?" And what's the worst that could happen if I throw my hands up and just hope for the best?
08% if you are over the age of 21 and hold a standard driver's license.
04% if you are over the age of 21 and hold a commercial driver's license.
02% if you are under the age of 21.
But that's not exactly the whole story. You can still be arrested with a BAC under the legal limit if you are found to be operating your car in an unsafe manner. It makes the prosecution a little harder, but it sure ain't impossible.
So how harsh might the theoretical punishments be if you decide to go it alone, sans legal representation?
We're glad you asked. Refer to the following breakdown of penalties for a general understanding. And keep in mind that with OVUII sentencing, you have a lookback period of five years.
A one-year license suspension. It is possible to apply for a restricted license with the installation of an IID, however.
No jail time is required, but it is possible to receive a jail sentence of 48 hours to five days.
A fine ranging from $500 to $1,000.
Possible community service. Depending on how the judge is feeling that day, you can get up to 72 hours.
At least 14 hours of drug/alcohol treatment.
License suspension for at least 18 months and for no more than two full years. Again, restricted license reinstatement is possible, but only with the installation of an IID.
Either 5-14 days in jail or 240 hours of community service.
A fine ranging from $500 to $1,500.
Mandatory drug/alcohol treatment; the length of time is up to the court.
A two-year license suspension. Again, restricted license reinstatement is possible with the installation of an IID.
Anywhere from 10 to 30 days in jail.
A fine ranging from $500 to $2,500.
Part of Hawaii's OVUII law is unique, in that all three of these offenses are considered to be misdemeanors. Any offense that qualifies as your fourth or more in 10 years (not five) is considered a felony, and is attached to considerably heftier punishments.
It's important to remember that in any sort of DUI case, no matter where you are, there are two areas of due process which will occur. The first is civil (although civility in the truest sense of the word might feel somewhat absent), or administrative, and is it is an area largely governed by the DMV. Upon being arrested and charged with operating under the influence, you will be given a temporary permit, which automatically expires and leave you license-less 30 days after being arrested. (Whether or not you get it back – and when you get it back – will be decided when you go to trial.) You do, however, get to appeal this suspension if you want to. You must file an appeal within 25 days of the initial arrest, and said filing does not guarantee you will get your license restored.
The second area, of course, is criminal. We've already discussed all that. You know, the hiring of an attorney (which we strongly recommend), the hearing, the sentencing – all that super fun stuff that you just might not feel like doing alone. Luckily, you don't have to.
A lawyer? Where do I get one of those?


Beauty & comfort – that was the main rule I followed creating the first wedding collection. Here in Spain we believe that life is created for delight, and that's why I decided to create gowns wearing which you would enjoy the wedding day, but would not suffer from inconvenience. I realized my dream of wedding dresses which are great by their stylish simplicity, laconism and comfort. Special pleasure is to work with smooth fabrics while creating the definite shapes and interesting lines. I consider simple and really gorgeous stitches, soft and comfort fabrics to be the main advantage of the gown, but not lace.
Making each dress, I was imagining what bride would choose one or the other model. I also was thinking how to make the dress a bride's decoration, how to highlight all the dignity of figure and a bride's natural beauty. Each stitch, each fold are penetrated with my love. I believe you'll feel that when you put on the wedding dress.


← Gaza ~ the world's largest prison.
A bold move ~ a long awaited move ~ and finally, a wise move.
What remains to be seen, is if this is set for the papers or will it be implemented.
However, a more pressing question of the hour is, will the brothers follow suit ?


text:
"""Implements directory watcher using inofify."""

import errno
import logging
import select

from . import dirwatch_base

from treadmill.syscall import inotify

_LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)

class LinuxDirWatcher(dirwatch_base.DirWatcher):
    """Linux directory watcher implementation."""

    __slots__ = (
        'inotify',
        'poll'
    )

    def __init__(self, watch_dir=None):
        self.inotify = inotify.Inotify(inotify.IN_CLOEXEC)
        self.poll = select.poll()
        self.poll.register(self.inotify, select.POLLIN)
        super(LinuxDirWatcher, self).__init__(watch_dir)

    def _add_dir(self, watch_dir):
        """Add `directory` to the list of watched directories.

        :param watch_dir: watch directory real path
        :returns: watch id
        """
        return self.inotify.add_watch(
            watch_dir,
            event_mask=(
                inotify.IN_ATTRIB |
                inotify.IN_CREATE |
                inotify.IN_DELETE |
                inotify.IN_DELETE_SELF |
                inotify.IN_MODIFY |
                inotify.IN_MOVE
            )
        )

    def _remove_dir(self, watch_id):
        """Remove `directory` from the list of watched directories.

        :param watch_id: watch id
        """
        self.inotify.remove_watch(watch_id)

    def _wait_for_events(self, timeout):
        """Wait for directory change event for up to ``timeout`` seconds.

        :param timeout:
            Time in milliseconds to wait for an event (-1 means forever)
        :returns:
            ``True`` if events were received, ``False`` otherwise.
        """
        try:
            rc = self.poll.poll(timeout)
            return bool(rc)
        except select.error as err:
            if err[0] == errno.EINTR:
                return False
            raise

    def _read_events(self):
        """Reads the events from the system and formats as ``DirWatcherEvent``.

        :returns: List of ``(DirWatcherEvent, <path>)``
        """
        results = []
        events = self.inotify.read_events()

        for event in events:
            if (event.is_modify or
                    event.is_attrib):
                results.append(
                    (
                        dirwatch_base.DirWatcherEvent.MODIFIED,
                        event.src_path
                    )
                )

            elif (event.is_delete or
                  event.is_moved_from or
                  event.is_delete_self):
                results.append(
                    (
                        dirwatch_base.DirWatcherEvent.DELETED,
                        event.src_path
                    )
                )

            elif (event.is_create or
                  event.is_moved_to):
                results.append(
                    (
                        dirwatch_base.DirWatcherEvent.CREATED,
                        event.src_path
                    )
                )

            elif event.mask == inotify.IN_IGNORED:
                if self._watches.pop(event.wd, None):
                    _LOGGER.info('Watch on %r auto-removed', event.src_path)

        return results

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Spymaster and the Rake
By A S Thomson
This book will launch on Mar 13, 2020. Currently, only those with the link can see it. 🔒
When madness strikes the Kingdom Household of up-Arran, the region is declared plague-ridden and its borders sealed. Only four-year-old Jared, smuggled out by his mother, survives.
Twenty years later, Jared arrives at the al-Rafael Household to end his affair with its ruler, Lady Morgain. Before he can say a word, however, he is arrested and accused of spying. Tortured into confessing, he loses his career, his home, and his freedom. When a voice starts whispering in his head, he fears he is losing something even more precious. His mind.
Born outside of wedlock, Armon bal-Rafael is considered an embarrassment by his family and hidden from the world. Lonely and isolated, he becomes obsessed with his lifelong companion Lady Morgain.
Jealous of her relationship with Jared, he arranges for Jared's arrest and supplies the evidence which forces Jared's confession. Now he expects Jared to work for him as a spy.
The Seventeenth Day of the Eleventh Month of the Thirty-Second Year in the Reign of King Alfred al-Farr (Kingdom Calendar)
"I've met someone else. Someone special." Jared's voice cracked, turning 'special' into an unintelligible squeak. He coughed, thumped his chest, and repeated his declaration. The muscle below his left eye twitched.
He scowled at his reflection, tilted his head from one side to the other, then ran his hand over the hollow curves of his cheeks, along the firm, hard lines of his chin, and down his long, narrow throat. Several days' worth of stubble scratched his fingers, a rough reminder of his time on the road.
Morgain would approve. 'Fashionably rugged,' she'd called him the first time they'd met. How many years ago had that been? Four? Or was it five?
He frowned and lowered his hand. Dropped his gaze to the sealed courier pouch lying on the bed.
He had no idea what messages it contained. In truth, he didn't care. His clients hired him because they trusted him not to open their correspondence. He accepted to give himself an excuse to visit Morgain.
Not that she would want to see him again after today.
"Watch yourself with that one, my boy. She may have the beauty of a winter rose, but underneath all the glamour, she stinks like a midden heap covered in manure."
He shivered at the recollection of his cousin's oft-given warning, closed the room's tiny window, lifted his shirt from its hook, and slipped it on.
He'd chosen sky-blue silk to match his eyes, gold-embroidered collar and cuffs to complement his deep tan, and mother-of-pearl buttons to catch and reflect the light. A foolish exercise, perhaps, but calling on Morgain without proper preparation would be akin to walking the corridors of the household naked. His clothes were his armour, his jewels his shield. Without them, he'd be leaving himself exposed.
He buttoned his shirt, pulled at the bottom hem to remove the wrinkles, unfastened the top two buttons, puckered his lips, and fastened them again.
He retrieved his jewel box from his travel bag and set it, open, on the dresser.
"I've met someone else. Someone… special. I can't breathe when I'm around her. Can't think of anyone else when we're apart. What we have, it's been good, but what I have with Elise—"
The muscle beneath his eye twitched again.
He scrubbed at his cheeks. Morgain wouldn't be pleased by his proclamation, but couples parted ways all the time. Surely she would understand?
He pawed through his jewel box, picked out a gold, leaf-shaped brooch, held it to his chest, shook his head, and dropped it back in the box. Too much gold. He wanted to emphasise the blond streaks in his hair, not overpower them. Perhaps an earring instead? A simple gold loop to catch the light and draw the eye. He picked out his largest one, pressed it against his ear, swapped it for a smaller one, and nodded.
He checked his reflection one last time, paused to straighten a few stray hairs, snatched up the courier pouch, and marched outside.
Gravel crunched beneath the thick soles of his knee-length boots. Wisps of ethereal vapour clouded his breath. The walls of the household and its boundary combined to trap the path in lingering shadow, leaving it as chilled as the bottom of a sunless canyon. He glanced at the ice-blue sky and shivered. Autumn had arrived.
He tightened his grip on the courier pouch and walked faster, heading for the hedge dividing the formal gardens from the lush front lawns. Leaves and tiny twigs brushed his hair as he ducked through the sprouting archway. Warm sunlight washed over his face when he emerged on the other side. He squinted against the sudden brightness and turned onto the flagstone path leading to the household's front door.
A long, skinny shadow stretched across the path, its edges as harsh and uneven as a delimbed tree's. Wind gusted, wood creaked, and the shadow danced.
Jared looked up and stumbled to a halt.
The scuffed soles of a pair of boots dangled overhead. He stepped back and traced the path of the boots' crisscrossing laces up to a pair of uniformed legs, past the buckle of a thick, leather belt, to the flapping lapels of a rumpled jacket. His gaze froze on the grey-blue skin peeking above the neckline of a white tunic for an endless heartbeat before shifting to the body's head.
A young guardsman hung from a roof beam, his elongated neck trapped in a noose, stretched like sap oozing from a shattered branch. Icy sweat crawled down Jared's neck.
Another gust spun the body in a half-circle. Jared stared into the dead man's bulging eyes. His pupils were narrowed to pinpricks, the whites marbled yellow and red. Fear lingered beneath their surface, a dark, rippling shadow captured in the moment of death.
A cough shattered the stillness.
Jared ripped his gaze away from the corpse and sucked in a breath. He blinked several times before the figure in front of him came into focus. Another guardsman; this one alive and staring back.
"What did he do?" Jared raised his hand, not quite pointing at the dead man.
"Fell asleep on duty. Had the misfortune to be caught by Lady Morgain. You Jared?"
"Yes." The sweat crept lower, chilling Jared's back. He eyed the corpse again, the body not yet swollen, the face free of decay. The tip of the dead man's tongue protruded from his grey-white mouth in a fixed expression of eternal mockery. "This happen last night?"
"Aye. The poor bugger woke up just as they tightened the noose around his neck."
The sweat turned hot and clammy, soaking every inch of Jared's skin. He doubled over, gulping in huge mouthfuls of air to keep from vomiting. "Is Lady Morgain—?"
"In her study. She's expecting you."
"Thank you." Jared spat bile and wiped his mouth. He straightened, nodded to the guardsman, and continued on shaky legs.
Another guardsman stood to attention outside the household's towering oak doors; a grey-stubbled, grizzled veteran with puckered lips and a permanent scowl welded to his brow.
Jared lifted the courier pouch, ensuring the seal faced the guard. "Message for Lady Morgain."
"You carrying any weapons?" the man asked, his voice as gruff as his appearance.
The guard's scowl deepened. He stepped forward a pace. "Arms out. Feet apart."
Jared complied, holding himself motionless. The guard conducted a rough but efficient search, stepped aside, and waved him past.
The household's main doors opened onto a grand entrance hall three storeys tall. Broad, sweeping stairs rose from a marble-tiled floor painted in a dozen liquid colours by the light filtering through the stained-glass windows above.
Jared paused inside the doorway to check his reflection in a highly polished column and frowned. His hair stood up in spikes, burrs clung to his breeches, and a sheen of condensation marred the rows of brass buckles on his boots. He flattened his hair, dried the buckles, brushed off the burrs, and headed for the stairs.
Three more guards waited there, two at the bottom and one at the top. Jared nodded to them as he passed, keeping his gaze low and his pace steady, assessing each man with a hooded glance. If it came to a fight, his height would give him a reach advantage, but he would soon be overcome by their strength—not to mention their daggers, short-swords, and spears.
He reached the first-floor landing and turned left, following the walkway to the front of the entrance hall and the second flight of stairs. The guards on the second floor subjected him to a more thorough search then waved him on. He squeezed between their tense, rock-like bodies and entered Lady Morgain's private quarters. The last door on the left gave access to her study.
He raised his hand to knock and froze.
There's something I need to tell you. I've found someone else. Someone special.
The door blurred, the whirls in the oak melting and reshaping, taking on the form of the dead guardsman's bulging eyes. He hesitated. Half-lowered his arm.
One of the guards snickered.
Jared raised his fist and knocked.
"Come," Morgain called, a sharp edge to her light, lilting voice.
Jared opened the door.
Morgain occupied the chair behind her desk, facing the door. Pale light flooded the room through the skylight, painting white highlights in her thick, black hair, their shifting patterns as mesmerising as sunrays playing across the surface of a lake. She looked up, a faint smile on her lips. The skin around her large, commanding eyes crinkled.
Jared's gaze jumped from the luscious lashes framing her nut-brown eyes, to the stray lock of hair dangling over the bridge of her nose, to the small triangle of sienna skin visible at the neckline of her dress. He curled his lips in appreciation of the ruddy blush rising on her cheeks, looked away when his own blood warmed in response, and coughed. "My lady."
"Jared." She set aside the paper she'd been reading. "Come in."
He approached her, his boots clicking on the tiled floor. A foot from the desk, he dropped to his knees and bowed, buying himself a few seconds to compose his features before he straightened. "Replies from Lords Mattan and Sinshay." He placed the courier pouch on the desk. "Plus letters from Lady Vanra and Godsman Ralmain."
Morgain's eyes appeared to dance as she retrieved the pouch with her left hand and signalled with her right.
Jared started to rise.
Ice-cold metal pricked the back of his neck. A heavy weight pressed into his spine, grinding his flesh like a pestle. Hot breath warmed his cheek as its owner's rough lips brushed his ear. "Don't move."
Jared turned his head towards the speaker, but the blade pressed harder, digging into his skin. He looked back at Morgain. She met his gaze, her expression flat. He opened his mouth to speak, found no words, and closed it again.
The hot breath vanished, the weight lifting from his back. "Put your hands on your head."
Jared obeyed, his eyes still locked on Morgain's, searching for some sign of her intentions.
Her expression never changed.
Hands grabbed his left arm and twisted it behind his back. Metal, rough and cold, snapped around his wrist. A second band locked around his upper forearm. He jerked against its bite.
The blade drove deeper, drawing blood this time.
"Well, this is… new." More hands grabbed his right arm. He locked his muscles, fighting their pull. "I know the messages I carry can be unpleasant, but I've never been arrested for delivering one before." He forced a smile.
Morgain lifted her gaze over Jared's head, propped her elbows on the desk, rested her chin on steepled fingers, and nodded.
More manacles snapped into place, pinning his arms together at elbow and wrist. "Morgain?" His ankles came next, manacled to each other and then chained to his wrists. He shuffled towards the desk, gaining less than an inch before the blade switched from the back of his neck to the front. He froze, barely daring to breathe as its edge shaved his throat. "At least tell me what I'm supposed to have done."
"You are a spy," Morgain said.
Heat prickled Jared's face. He licked lips as dry as scorched scrub. "I would never—"
"Admit it? But you will."
"Morgain, please—"
"Enough." Morgain smacked the desk. "I'm not interested in excuses. The only thing I want to hear from you is the truth."
"The truth? But I'm telling the truth. I haven't—"
"Gag him."
Fingers pried his jaws apart, and a hand shoved a large, iron ball between them. The straps used to secure it cut into the corners of his mouth.
Morgain stood. "I have to leave. Think hard whilst I'm gone. The longer it takes for you to confess, the worse this is going to get."
She picked up the courier pouch and swept past him, her shoes clacking on the floor. The door swooshed open and banged closed. Leather creaked. The unseen guard coughed. Only Jared's ragged breathing disturbed the silence that followed.
Sweat soaked Jared's hair and the back of his neck, beading on his forehead and the tip of his nose. He shook his head and flexed his hands. The rough-edged manacles dug into his flesh, rubbing with the voracity of sandpaper on stone. He swallowed a yelp and fresh blood seeped onto his tongue, adding its bitterness to the rusty, metallic taste in his mouth. He swallowed again, and the iron ball scraped his palate.
Prehen Damis, help me. What does she think I've done?
More sweat soaked his armpits and the backs of his knees, seeped down his trousers and squelched between his toes.
His clothes were ruined, as filthy and tattered as a soldier's armour after a day on the battlefield.
Except my battle is just beginning, not nearing its end.
He closed his eyes.
She'd called him a spy.
A spy!
He'd never spied on anyone in his life.
His clients trusted him. He'd thought she trusted him.
And she went from sleeping with me to this?
What had happened? Why would she think—?
He'd done nothing. Could think of nothing. Unless…
Unless someone accused me to save her own neck.
"The longer it takes for you to confess, the worse this is going to get."
Worse? What could be worse?
Spasms rocked his legs. Pins and needles stabbed his feet and hands. He shifted his weight and ice lanced his spine.
The room grew too hot, the air too thick. He couldn't breathe past the gag in his mouth.
He blinked.
The room swayed.
Felt himself falling.
Heard a distant thump.
A heavy weight smashed into his ribs.
He jerked forwards, cracking his knees on the corner of the desk, and rocked back to stare into the face of a scowling guard.
The guard lifted his foot and kicked him again. "Nobody gave you permission to sleep."
Jared braced his hands against the floor, curled his shoulder, and rolled.
The guard grabbed him by the hair, jolting him to a stop, and hauled him back to his knees. Fire wracked his body, a volcanic explosion sending fresh waves of agony through his hands and feet. He screamed.
"Filthy spy." The guard bent forward and spat in Jared's face.
Jared flinched and would have fallen if not for the guard's hold. He concentrated on breathing, sucking air in through his nose, expelling it through his mouth.
In through his nose.
Out through his mouth.
In. Nose.
Out. Mouth.
In… and out.
His heartbeat steadied. His pulse slowed. He stared at the patterns in the marble-tiled floor.
The splodge next to his knee looked like a maple leaf. The veins to its left resembled a horse's head. Closer to the desk, a monkey stood on its back legs.
The fire in his limbs faded. His mind cleared. And still the question loomed, unanswered.
What am I going to tell Morgain?
He suspected it wouldn't matter; that she'd already accepted his guilt. Even so, he would need to think of something. But for now?
For now, it was enough to breathe.
The rain had started an hour ago. A gentle shower at first, it rapidly built into a driving storm. Raindrops pounded the skylight with the force of chippings thrown by a cartwheel, their reflections dancing across the floor. Jared flinched every time a gust drove the rain harder, imagining the skylight shattering, showering him with glass. He flexed his tongue and swallowed. It did nothing to ease the dry tickle clawing the back of his throat. The pain had passed, at least, replaced by a creeping numbness spreading from his hands and feet into his arms and legs.
A pity he still had no idea what to say to Morgain.
The guard shifted behind him, the creak of leather barely audible over the storm. A huff of air might have been a sigh.
If you're bored, we could always trade places. Jared laughed and almost choked.
A rhythmic tapping sounded on the door, a hollow parody of a soldier's marching cadence. Hinges creaked, admitting a rush of frigid air, and footsteps clacked across the floor.
Something brushed against his shoulder.
He started, his shriek muffled by his gag.
Morgain's laughter filled his ears. "Hush. It's only me."
Jared grunted.
"Does that mean you want to confess?" Morgain placed one hand on his shoulder and used the other to trace the curve of his neck. "Or do I need to give you some extra incentive?"
Something tugged at the straps holding the gag in place, releasing them.
Morgain stepped around him and wiped a fresh trickle of blood from his chin. She tilted her head, her gaze raking his face, and prised the iron ball from between his teeth. "Well?"
"I…" Jared wet his lips and swallowed. "I have… no idea… what you're talking about."
"No?" Morgain cupped his chin with her fingers and wiped his lips with her thumb. "Are you sure?"
"Morgain—"
Morgain looked over his shoulder. "Remove his restraints and help him stand."
Jared had experienced pain before. He'd cried when his cousin spanked him for stealing. Shrieked when he'd dislocated his shoulder falling off a horse. But nothing—nothing—came close to the agony that roared through him when the guard loosened his restraints. He screamed—a bellow loud enough to drown out the storm—and screamed again when the guard hauled him upright. Fiery spikes stabbed the soles of his feet. He teetered and toppled sideways, weak as a sapling before a storm.
Morgain caught him by the shoulder. "Fetch a chair."
"Morgain." Jared braced his legs and closed his eyes against a wave of dizziness. "Morgain, can't we talk about this?" He opened his eyes and blinked her into focus. "Surely there's been some misunderstanding? Some mistake?"
"My poor, naïve Jared. Don't you understand the trouble you're in?" She laid an open hand on his chest and leant forward, her eyes narrowed. "Spying is a form of treason, and treason is a capital offence."
Jared's legs buckled. He thunked onto the chair and dropped his head into shaking hands. "So is falling asleep, apparently."
"You saw my guard?" Morgain gnawed on her bottom lip, a twitch that might have been a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "That man was responsible for the safety of everyone in this household. I had to make an example of him or risk the rest of the guard growing lax." She crouched in front of him and gathered up his hands. "I don't want to hurt you. I'm doing this to keep you alive. But if you want to live past the end of the week, you need to confess."
"Confess to what? I didn't do anything."
"Very well." Morgain dropped his hands and stood. She stared at him for the length of a heartbeat, her back straight and her expression hard. "You will confess to me, or you will confess to my torturer. You have until tomorrow to decide which it will be. In the meantime, you will remain in my study. Your guard will be armed with a crossbow. If you move from this chair or turn around, you will be shot."
Morgain strode past him, her arm knocking against his shoulder.
Jared shivered at the touch; at the cold indifference of the contact. He lowered his head to his hands and peered at the floor through splayed fingers. She wanted him to confess to keep him alive? But confessing would be akin to signing his own death warrant. At least the truth would give him some chance. Some hope.
If he could survive the torture.
He shuddered. How many times had he listened to the older boys' whispered stories as a child? Huddled under his blankets as they regaled each other with tales of the rack, the rat cages, the mock drownings—
I'm dead. Oh, dear gods, I'm dead.
He squeezed his eyes shut and smothered them with the heels of his hands.
The rain had ended hours ago, the clouds burnt away by the late afternoon sun. Then the sun, too, had fallen beyond the skylight's edge, to be replaced by an umbrella of stars. Thick glass dimmed and distorted the once brilliant sparks, giving them the appearance of gnarled embers.
Jared sought out the constellation of Prehen Damis and whispered a brief prayer.
'Don't waste your breath.'
He jumped and barely stopped himself from turning. Had the guard just—?
No. Of course not. Then what—?
'The Gods never answer. Prayers are a waste of time.'
"Who—?" Jared bit off the rest of the question and held his breath. There were people outside, laughing and talking. Had he overheard their whispers and misunderstood the words?
He looked away from the skylight and massaged his arms.
It was possible. Weariness had been pulling at his eyes for hours, and there was precious little else for his mind to focus on. Apart from the obvious. But once he'd overcome the initial shock, he'd avoided thinking on that. Not that ignoring the issue helped. He needed to find a way out of this trap.
He had to.
He sighed and rubbed his eyes.
Why had Morgain told him confessing would save his life? What did she expect him to say? Surely she didn't believe he was guilty. Surely—
Surely nothing. Confess to her or confess to the torturer, those were his only choices now.
But confess to what? Spying? Spying on whom? How?
His stomach cramped, gnawing on nothing. He dropped his head into his hands and groaned. He wanted to get up and pace the room. Shake his arms. Stamp his feet. Do anything—anything—but sit here and wait.
'Then turn around.'
He snapped his head up and peered into the semi-darkness. There was no-one there, and yet—
'Stand up. Turn around.'
I did not imagine that.
'One guard. One bolt. If he misses, you walk out of here. If he doesn't…'
…at least my death will be quick. He'd been thinking the same thing not long ago. Was that all it was, then? Just an echo of my own thoughts? My strained subconscious latching onto stray ideas and echoing them back?
'You know you want to.'
Yes. Yes, he did. But only part of him. The part that couldn't face any more pain.
And the part that wanted to escape.
"No," he whispered. "No. I'm not ready for death."
The quiet words irritated his sandpaper-dry throat. He ran his tongue across his teeth, but the tiny drop of moisture it produced did little to soothe the pain.
'You could always ask for a drink.'
He shook his head, looked sideways, and squinted at the books lining the nearby shelf. Perhaps if he focused on them for a while. Distracted himself.
The silent whispers continued. The cramps in his stomach intensified. The gnawing turned into the gnashing of rats' teeth slicing through his insides. He leant forward, elbows on knees, and jiggled his legs to gain some relief.
Damn Morgain for all eternity. Now he needed to pee.
Written by A S Thomson
A S Thomson
A S Thomson is a writer of all things fantasy, lover of cats and dragons, and supporter of The Terrors (Dundee United). When she isn't writing fantasy, she's reading or watching it. The primary aim of her writing is to entertain, spinning yarns she hopes her readers will enjoy. view profile
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This Halloween TVTA has taken over an abandoned Blockbuster video store… Please make your video selections from the °TVTA-BUSTER HORROR SHELF° below. Choose 2 titles and get a 3rd free! Or why not take our Bloody Halloween Special: 7 titles in exchange for a litre of blood? C'mon, it's only a teeny tiny litre of blood – the average human body contains nearly 5 litres of the stuff. It doesn't even have to be your own blood!
Presenting: 24 Japanese horror movie posters. From originals to remakes to recently made. Many titles you'll recognise, others perhaps not, some drift into genres like sci-fi and fantasy while retaining a suitable horror element.
Go ahead… pick your films wisely, lock the doors, close the curtains and enjoy! And don't forget to rewind the tapes back to the beginning before returning them to the store!
The Exorcist Director's Cut. 2000.
Twilight Zone The Movie. 1983.
A Clockwork Orange. Re-release. 2001.
The Nightmare Before Christmas. 1993.
Nightmare on Elm Street. 2010.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D. 2013.
This entry was posted in Chirashi Movie Posters, Halloween and tagged blockbuster video, Chirashi, film, Halloween, horror films, Horror movies, Japan, movie posters, movies on October 30, 2018 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser.
TVTA is always happy to add some new Japanese chirashi to the collection.
Hot off the scanner this weekend comes Venom alongside older titles Zazie dans le Métro, Match Point, Apt Pupil, 28 Days Later and Close Up.
Zazie dans le Métro. Louis Malle. 1960.
Match Point. Woody Allen. 2005.
Apt Pupil. Bryan Singer. 1998.
28 Days Later. Danny Boyle. 2002.
Persona 3 The Movie. N°4 Winter of Rebirth. Keitaro Motonaga. 2016.
121212 Hurricane Sandy Benefit Concert.
Close Up. Abbas Kiarostami. 1990.
This entry was posted in Chirashi Movie Posters and tagged 121212 concert poster, 28 Days Later poster, Anime Roadshow 2017 poster, Apt Pupil poster, Close Up movie, film, film posters, Japan, Japanese chirashi, Match Point poster, movie posters, movies, Persona 3 Japanese poster, posters, Venom movie poster, Zazie dans le Métro poster on October 14, 2018 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser.
Only 50 days to Halloween!
As Halloween creeps its way closer TVTA sneaks in two Japanese Chirashi movie posters for the cult classic horror franchise Phantasm. Enjoy!
Front image. Phantasm. 1979. Directed by Don Coscarelli.
Rear image. Phantasm. 1979. Directed by Don Coscarelli.
Front image. Phantasm II. 1988. Directed by Don Coscarelli.
Rear image. Phantasm II. 1988. Directed by Don Coscarelli.
Did we mention Halloween is one of TVTA's favourite annual events?
Look out for our next special Halloween post!
This entry was posted in Chirashi Movie Posters, Halloween and tagged Japan, movie posters, Halloween, Chirashi, film, Horror movies, publicite, Phantasm, advertising, horror adverts, Phantasm 1 and 2 on September 10, 2018 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser.
Latest additions to the Japanese chirashi run.
This entry was posted in Chirashi Movie Posters and tagged 300 chirashi poster, Atomic Blonde, Blade Runner Final Cut, Chirashi, Elle movie poster, film posters, films, Japanese movie posters, movie posters, movies, the Watchmen chirashi poster, TVTA on January 1, 2018 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser.
I finally added examples of Covenant and Prometheus to my Alien Chirashi run. A Chirashi is a doubled-sided mini-poster or flyer used to promote film releases in Japan. The size of a typical Chirashi is "B5" – approx 7 x 10 inch /18cm x 26cm.
Alien vs Predator 2 / Requiem(reverse).
This entry was posted in Chirashi Movie Posters and tagged Alien, Alien franchise posters, Alien movie chirashi, Alien vs Predator posters, Aliens, Aliens movie posters, Chirashi, Japanese movie posters, movie posters, posters, retro on October 9, 2017 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser.
A Chirashi is a printed mini-poster or flyer used to promote film releases in Japan. The size of a typical Chirashi is "B5" (approx 7 x 10 inch /18cm x 26cm). A relatively cheap and space-saving alternative to regular-size industry posters, Chirashis make excellent movie memorabilia collectables.
Most Chirashis are double-sided with an image from the film printed in colour on the front. Additional artwork and information printed in Japanese appears on the reverse. As well as the standard double-sided format, some Chirashi are more elaborate – opening up as gate-fold, tri-fold or quad-fold posters. Other deluxe features can include thicker card stock, metallic print, UV overlay, Mylar print, and die-cutting.
When Marnie Was There. 2014.
Mr Bug Goes To Town.
This entry was posted in Chirashi Movie Posters and tagged Animal Farm Japanese poster, Japan, Japanese movie posters, Jodorowsky's Dune japanese poster, Le Magasin de Suicides Japanese poster, movie posters, movies, Spirited Away Chirashi, the vintage toy advertiser, TVTA, When Marnie was There chirashi, When the Wind Blows poster on October 24, 2014 by The Vintage Toy Advertiser.


text:
US Attorney General Sessions Defends Rosenstein From House Impeachment Effort
© REUTERS/ Leah Millis
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – US Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday defended Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who heads the federal government's Russia probe, against attempts by a group of Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives to impeach him.
"My deputy Rod Rosenstein is highly capable, I have the highest confidence in him," Sessions told reporters.
His stance was echoed by US House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan who also did not support the idea of impeaching Rosenstein.
"I don't think we should be cavalier with this process or this term," Ryan said. "I don't think this rises to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors."
On Wednesday, Representatives Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows, along with nine co-sponsors, filed articles of impeachment against Rosenstein – a long-shot attempt to oust the official in charge of the Trump-Russia probe.
READ MORE: US Attorney General Joins Students' Chant of Jailing Hillary Clinton (VIDEO)
The lawmakers claim Rosenstein is withholding documents related to Department of Justice and FBI decisions during the 2016 US presidential campaign to end an investigation of Hillary Clinton and begin spying on officials in the Trump campaign.
© AP Photo / J. Scott Applewhite
US Attorney in Hot Water as He Calls Rep. Waters 'C*nt', Insults Michelle Obama
The congressmen have charged Rosenstein with hiding the use of an unverified opposition-research dossier funded by the Clinton presidential campaign and Democratic Party to obtain a warrant to eavesdrop on Trump campaign workers with purported connections to Russia.
The disclosure of spying initiated a chain of events that led to Rosenstein's appointment of Robert Muller as special counsel charged with investigating unverified allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.
After more than a year, no evidence of collusion has turned up, Trump continues to call the Muller probe a "witch hunt" and there is no indication when the special counsel investigation will conclude.
READ MORE: Former Trump Attorney Reportedly Questions President's Fitness
Impeachment would require a majority vote in the House followed by a two-thirds vote in the Senate to convict and therefore remove Rosenstein from office.
Both Russia and Trump have repeatedly denied allegations of collusion, and Moscow dismisses accusations that it interfered in the vote as "absurd."
US Lawmakers File to Impeach DOJ's Rod Rosenstein, Who Oversees Mueller Probe
Rod Rosenstein Squares Off With Congress on Capitol Hill
Cop Charged in Killing 17 Year Old; Rosenstein Testifies Before Congress
US Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein Seeks Meeting With Senate Intel Committee
attorney, impeachment, Rod Rosenstein, United States