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Chicago Symphony barrels its way through Orange County
Posted on February 22, 2012 by CK Dexter Haven	1 Comment
Last Friday, Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony made their long-awaited visit to the Southland with a one-night stop at Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. The whole affair had a "take it or leave it" feel, beginning with the curiously obscure program of works by Honegger, Mason Bates, and Franck, and ending with Mr. Muti giving a compact "bye-bye" wave from the podium before the orchestra walked off the stage mid-applause without playing an encore. There were smiles on many of the musicians faces, including the maestro, but they seemed to reflect merely polite contentment, without much indication that anyone on stage was having much fun. It all seemed to coincide with Mr. Muti's declarations that orchestral performances are art, NOT entertainment — as if they cannot be both.
Thankfully, the music-making itself was uniformly excellent. If the three pieces being performed weren't familiar, they were accessible. More importantly, they provided the CSO an opportunity to flex their muscles, and the orchestra responded by playing with the power and panache for which they are famous. You'd probably expect this from the brass, but it was present throughout the ensemble, most especially in the unanimity of the strings from top to bottom. This was orchestra as monolith, and even if that meant individual sections or players lacked their own personality, one still couldn't help but be impressed with the sound.
The first half of the evening consisted of two programmatic works about man and machine. The first, Pacific 231 by Arthur Honegger, was the revelation of the night. I had never heard anything by this composer before, but if this is an indication of what his entire ouevre is like, I'm going to have to search out more if it. Representing a locomotive starting up, running, and then slowing down, Pacific 231 had everything you'd expect in such a piece: momentum, rhythmic weight, and harmonic complexity. The second work was Alternative Energy, a new work by composer and DJ, Mason Bates. One of the two CSO Composers-in-Residence, Mr. Bates created a work inspired by the concept of energy creation through the ages, starting with Ford's Farm in 1896, to Chicago in 2012, an onwards to China, then Iceland, in 100 year increments. Musical effects ranged from a country fiddle tune and car engine hand-crank, to recorded sounds from Fermilab in Illinois and other electronica generated from Mr. Bates's computer. The orchestral writing was full of interesting moments, and while Mr. Bates could sometimes resort to musical caricature to make his points, the overall effect was positive. It made me think of Magnetar, Enrico Chapela's much less compelling attempt at a similar melding of electronic and traditional sounds with the LA Phil a few months ago. Unlike that work, Alternative Energy was raucously satisfying — tonal and accessible, without ever needing to pander. Concertmaster Robert Chen played the fiddle tune with spirit, while Principal Percussionist Cynthia Yeh (formerly with the San Diego Symphony) gamely ran back and forth banging on a plethora of instruments in between turns of the hand crank.
César Franck's only symphony used to be much more prevalent on orchestra programs, but it has become an increasing rarity over the past couple of decades. Among its current fans are critic and blogger, Tim Mangan, Philharmonic Society President, Dean Corey, and writer and radio personality, Jim Svejda, who memorably described it this way:
It has something for everyone: despair, adventure, exuberance, romance, and an English horn solo in the second movement for which anyone who ever played the instrument, myself included, would cheerfully sell his grandmother to the gypsies. (Jim Svejda, The Insider's Guide to Classical Recordings, Sixth Edition)
I, on the other hand, am not so big a fan. I don't dislike it, mind you; I even happen to have three different recordings of the work. It's just that I find the Symphony in d minor to be the musical equivalent of lobster thermador: very popular in the Mad Men era; rich, buttery, and pleasant enough when you happen upon it; but hopelessly out of date, a little too cheesy, and not something you need to experience in person more than once a generation or so.
After intermission, Mr. Muti and the CSO gave Franck's work a robust and sumptuous reading. He took his time throughout, luxuriating over many moments. Scott Hostetler played a fluidly phrased English horn solo. I can't imagine the work being played any better. If there were any performance of the symphony that would have made me a believer, it should have been this one. Yet in the end, I remained unconvinced.
Random other thoughts:
Before the concert began, Mr. Corey came out to say a few words of welcome to both audience and orchestra. As he was finishing, his daughter walked on stage, announced to everyone that it was Mr. Corey's 65th birthday. She began to lead the audience in an a cappella rendition of "Happy Birthday" when after a few bars, the CSO joined in, quickly finding the right key and managing some harmony to boot.
Let's hope the Chicago Symphony doesn't wait as long before returning to the West Coast. Someone offered me a bet on whether that would happen before or after I heard the Franck Symphony performed again; even if I were a betting man — and I am — I wouldn't take that bet.
A few words about Principal Horn Dale Clevenger: the veteran musician has a legendary reputation, but as I've stated before, Principal Horn can be a lightning rod for criticism in any orchestra, and Mr. Clevenger has been taking a lot of hits in the Chicago media for his playing as of late. As recently as a few weeks ago when this same Honneger/Bates/Franck program was premiered in Chicago, John von Rhein, music critic for the Chicago Tribune, made a point of singling out Mr. Clevenger for "several splattered entrances." During the first half of Friday's concert, I had forgotten all of that; however, during the Franck, there wasn't a single exposed horn line that didn't cause me to squirm due to a rough entrance, or more disturbing, some very questionable intonation. The all-around excellence and precision of the rest of the orchestra just made those moments that much more notable. Hate to point it out, but there you go.
There seemed to be an inordinate amount of women in fur coats near where I was sitting, certainly more than I'd ever seen at Walt Disney Concert Hall or any other orchestral concert in any city — and many of those concerts were in places away from Southern California when the ambient temperature was less than 50 degrees. And for those who may be concerned, I didn't ask whether the fur was genuine or imitation.
Other reviews from the night:
Tim Mangan, Orange County Register
Richard Ginell, Los Angeles Times
Brian, OutWestArts.com
Muti on conducting new music and conducting in general; reviews from CSO's concerts in SF
Chicago Symphony coming to California; download free MP3 of Franck symphony to celebrate
Philharmonic Society of Orange County: February 17, 2012; Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
Riccardo Muti, conductor
HONEGGER: Pacific 231, Mouvement symphonique No. 1
BATES: Alternative Energy
FRANCK: Symphony in d minor
Photo credit: Todd Rosenberg, courtesy of the Chicago Symphony
Tags: Cesar Franck, Chicago Symphony, Jim Svejda, lobster thermador, Mason Bates, Riccardo Muti. Bookmark the permalink.
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International Cooperation for Sustainable Development
by Faro | Jul 9, 2019 | Democracy, Finance and Investment, Freedom of Speech, International Conference, International Trade, MENA, Politics, Population Migration, Sovereign Funds, Sustainability
The Peninsula, a daily of Qatar, elaborated on July 9, 2019, on the Qatari role of international cooperation for sustainable development.
Whereas Qatar was taken by surprise on June 5th, 2017, the international community was impressed by Qatar's composed and firm stance in the face of the blockade and continued provocations of the blockading countries. Maturity of the Qatari diplomacy has since gripped global attention, courted international approbation, and most importantly, captured hearts and minds of Qataris into solidarity. A growing reverence for Qatar's foreign policy and its key figures is unmistakable both domestically and abroad.
A less celebrated side of Qatar's international role is that of sustainable development. Hundreds of resolutions and decisions are adopted yearly by the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council of the UN, enacting and promoting sustainable development goals. Overall, the tie-ins between international cooperation and sustainable development are growing more reciprocal and symbiotic.
This is evinced by the Millennium Declaration, the Johannesburg Declaration and the thousands of bi/multilateral treaties that have followed on from the UN Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. Since then, sustainability and sustainable development have become the watchwords for international bodies, most prominently the European Commission, the World Bank Group, the G-20 and obviously the UN, so much so they established dedicated offshoot organizations. Continuing to reaffirm commitment to the international community, Qatar has lived up to the (arguably) very ambitious agenda of sustainable development set in 2015.
Largely via Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), Qatar has assumed the mantle of financiering, especially for the past several years. Qatar generously funds not-for-profit, philanthropic deeds in development assistance as well as investments in sustainable development.
View of West Bay, Doha
In one year, 2018, QFFD disbursed more than $500m to hundreds of humanitarian and developmental projects in 70 countries across the world; funding natural disaster relief and recovery in the Caribbean, roadbuilding in the Horn of Africa, microfinancing SMEs in the Muslim World, and rehabilitating healthcare facilities in Arab countries, to name a few.
QIA, on the other hand, ensures sustainable economic prosperity of Qataris for generations to come by investing in sustainable and profitable ventures worldwide. The $10bn pledged for US infrastructure enhancement and the £5bn for British infrastructure are examples of Qatari investments in international sustainable development.
We are yet to see all of these Qatari accomplishments and financial means complemented and popularised byways of active participation and close engagement with international bodies to further promulgate Qatar's established role in global sustainable development. Young, well-educated Qataris are now more than ever capable of taking part in the sophisticated, pluralistic discourse on climate change, environmental protection, circular economy, wealth equality and social justice; hot sustainability topics that are increasingly gaining steam in international dialogue. In promoting sustainability and sustainable development, Qatari youth have HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser as the role model to follow, especially with the recent designation of Her Highness as UN Sustainable Development Goals Advocate.
Domestically, international agreements have been coordinated with Qatari laws and regulations. This harmonisation process is best exemplified by the synchronization of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Qatar National Vision (QNV) 2030 and the resultant quinquennial National Development Strategies. Qatar facilitated the UN Voluntary National Review of the country's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to acquire international credibility of implementation. Many nations are still lagging in setting and/or implementing sustainable development goals.
Following the onslaught of the blockading countries against Qatar, strong local faculties in sustainable development would call attention to ways the blockade hinders international cooperation intended to foster sustainable development; and they are many.
The mere act of obstructing transportation to/from Qatar by stifling international transit corridors is condemnable as it violates the General Assembly's Resolution 69/213 propositioned by the Secretary-General's High-level Advisory Group on Sustainable Transport.
Qatar is building educational, governmental and diplomatic capabilities to navigate organizational and intergovernmental synergies of sustainable development. And as sustainable development organizations grow more influential in shaping major international accords, frameworks, standards and policies, Qatari representation is essential to preserve our state's interest.
Luckily, collective intelligence in Qatar has recognised that reinforcing alliances and partnerships through concerned UN agencies, and other organizations such as IFC and OECD can very much help perpetuate Qatar's stability amidst the perils of the region.
Whether we are bracing for more seismic shifts in our regional geopolitics, more chasms, or for that matter, expecting rapprochements, sustainable development remains key to continued Qatari prosperity.
Dr Soud Khalifa Al-Thani
Dr Soud Khalifa Al-Thani is Sustainability Director at ASTAD.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


In her second month as a police officer, 40-year-old Marinda Singer drove a Navajo Police Department SUV out to Asaayi Lake, an hour north of Window Rock, Arizona, in search of a black Chevy pickup stuck in mud.
Elroy Naswood, her field training officer and former elementary school classmate, rode in the passenger's seat. Two open Coke cans sat between them, sizzling in their cup holders. The road Singer followed, flush with the New Mexico-Arizona border, cut through great patches of yellow wildflowers.
Officer Marinda Singer first thought about joining the police force when, in high school, she sat in the cruiser of a friend's father.
Dispatch in Window Rock said the pickup driver sounded intoxicated. The situation seemed tame, but Singer still felt on edge.
"The call could be totally something other than what we're given," she said, looking out at the one-lane road from under the brim of a black department cap. Singer generally keeps her expectations loose. On her first day, she pursued a reckless driver, followed the car into a ditch, and drew her weapon, her mind racing through the training she finished only a week before.
In late June, Singer was one of 12 officers, including five other women, in Class 52, the first graduating class of the newly reopened Navajo Police Training Academy. Out of the more than 200 tribal police forces in the United States, the Navajo Nation's is the largest, and it's the only one that trains its own officers.
For nearly a decade, though, there was no academy. After the last police chief stepped down in 2008, the old facility dwindled and closed. The department began sending occasional recruits to train in Phoenix or Tucson, but many dropped out, and those who did graduate came back without training in Navajo law.
But after the department hired a new police chief in 2016, it pooled funds to open the new academy: two doublewide trailers, surrounded by chain-link fence in the shadow of a correctional facility, in Chinle, Arizona. The new cadets shore up the 199 officers who currently patrol the reservation, where each officer monitors more than 100 square miles.
Class 52 will help the Navajo Police Department cover its vast territory. Already, the academy staff is training its next class and recruiting another. If Singer, her fellow cadets and future officers stick with it, the department will be able to serve — and protect — the Navajo Nation on its own terms.
But that's only if officers can find who calls them. After Singer drove an hour and a half to Asaayi Lake and patrolled its edges, there was no sign of the stranded truck. Naswood clicked his tongue, and Singer was disappointed.
"We should have brought our fishing poles," she said.
Until a permanent academy is built, the Navajo Police Training Academy operates out of two doublewide trailers.
In Chief Phillip Francisco's office in Window Rock, maps of the Navajo Nation hang on the walls. The police department's seven districts jigsaw across a territory larger than West Virginia. Officers have to master some of the most complicated jurisdiction details of any force in the nation: Along with Navajo law, they must know Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and federal laws. On another wall, there's a to-do list — 36 items in red Sharpie on a giant easel pad. No matter where he sits, Francisco is reminded of unpatrolled areas and unfinished tasks.
Francisco knew about the Navajo Police Department's problems while he worked at different departments in San Juan County, New Mexico, which overlaps with the reservation. In 2005, the Navajo Police Department had over 350 employees, bringing it close to national averages for police-population ratios — about one police officer for every 418 people, according to FBI data. But after the previous chief stepped down, the department lost structure. The department couldn't afford a competitive salary for a replacement, and candidates stopped applying. The old academy in Toyei, Arizona, eventually shuttered. Captains rotated through the role of acting police chief, and a number of officers left for other agencies near the reservation. Reopening the academy took a backseat to simply keeping the department running.
"For a long time, I think, we were the black eye," Francisco said. He started work in August 2016, and re-opening the academy was one of the first items on the to-do list, followed by purchasing body cameras and new weapons. He is slowly crossing items off.
In 1868, after a brutal 300-mile deportation at the hands of the U.S. Government, the Navajo returned to what is now the Four Corners area. When surrounding white settlers began complaining about stolen livestock, Navajo and federal representatives agreed to begin an experiment: Manuelito, a Navajo leader, assumed the role of police chief and amassed a tribal police force.
Franklin Sage, the director of the Diné Policy Institute at Diné College, sees this early police activity as a tool for enforcing the reservation system. It was less about livestock, he said, and more "a way of protecting settlers, and to try to control and keep the Navajo within a certain area." Though tribal members made up the force, they represented a foreign system of power. Even today, if Navajo officers apprehend a non-Native offender, they often can't do much without other departments' assistance.
As federally managed law enforcement developed in most reservations by the end of the 19th century, it opened a fissure for control. Under Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) direction, tribal police were expected to cut their hair, wear settler clothing and assist in removing children to send to American Indian boarding schools. These tactics transformed tribal police into "an agent of civilization," Eileen Luna-Firebaugh, a tribal law enforcement scholar, wrote. "That regimentation became a symbol of law enforcement, and it came over to Indian Country in the same ways the (boarding) schools did," she said.
In the 1980s, the Navajo Nation entered into a contract with the BIA to manage reservation law enforcement itself. While Navajo law enforcement began as an instrument of colonial control, Francisco views it today as a crucial part of self-determination.
"It gives us the ability to police our people and to know the needs of our own community rather than the federal government just doing what they feel is right," Francisco said. "They wouldn't have the same input and love for our community that we have." Part of sovereignty, he added, is the tribe teaching and enforcing its own laws.
But the department is still financially tethered to the U.S. government. According to the National Congress of American Indians, funding for tribal law enforcement meets only 42 percent of the need nationally. And with his budget partially dependent on the federal government and federal grants, Francisco can only hire 41 more officers, bringing the force up to 240. At least 100 more are needed, he said, but with each officer costing around $76,000 in salary and equipment, that's more than $7 million that he doesn't have.
The 52nd Navajo Police Training Academy class celebrates their graduation in Chinle this June.
After their Friday afternoon lesson on crime prevention, the cadets sat in the classroom, wearing black ties and white collared shirts, Navajo Police Department pens clipped into the pockets.
"I thought it would be a little easier than this," said Joshua Martinez, a 24-year-old recruit. The day before, cadets' bedrooms were "trashed" by staff after a shoe was left turned the wrong way. Earlier, the recruits underwent relentless physical tests — "getting smoked," as the sergeants called it.
The new class is nearly twice the size of Singer's. Most are young, and some have military experience. Shawna Watchman, the oldest at 42, lived near the old academy as a girl. She remembers hearing the cadets march at night.
It will take time to strengthen the philosophy. But, in the process, the academy is the root.


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Home > Northwest Coast > Masks > Moon Mask
Moon Mask
Availability: Only 1 available
by Kelly Robinson
Nuxalk/ Nuu-chah-nulth Nations
Red Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
13.75 x 8.25 x 5"
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You may choose to reserve an item in consideration of purchase by clicking the "Reserve for Purchase" button (instead of Add to Shopping Cart). This allows you the opportunity to contact our gallery with any inquiries prior to purchase and it will ensure the item continues to be on hold while you are communicating with us.
If you should find an item already on "Reserve" that is of interest to you, please contact us directly at 604.684.9222 or inquiry@coastalpeoples.com and we can provide you with the status of the piece and whether it will become available for purchase again, or if the sale is in progress with a buyer.
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One of life's most rewarding experiences is collecting fine art, and sometimes it's best to take a little more time to make these acquisitions with ease. We understand and want to do everything possible to make collecting your next artwork more comfortable. At Coastal Peoples Gallery, we offer an interest-free layaway program and offer flexible terms which can be customized to your individual needs.
Categories: Northwest Coast, Masks
Kelvin (Kelly) Robinson was born on May 18, 1981 in Nanaimo, British Columbia. He grew up in Bella Coola, BC. Descending from Nuxalk and Nuu-chah-nulth nations, Kelly was exposed to First Nations artwork. From an early age, he showed interest in learning and refining the art, specifically the unique from of the Nuxalkmc.
Under the guidance of his uncle, noted Master Carver, Alvin Mack, and his high school art teacher Charlene Kurtz, Kelly has developed his own techniques in the creation of two and three dimentional art forms. He has also had the pleasure of working under artists Dan Wallace, James McGuire and Cory Bulpitt.
Due to Kelly's desire from artistic development and perfection, he enrolled at the Native Education Centre in Vancouver, where he is currently taking a course in First Nations jewelry carving. Immediately following the completion of this course, Kelly will be attending the Freda Diesing School of Norther West Coast, where he will have the opportunity to work with renowned artist Dempsey Bob.
35. Raven and His Family Mask
Ben Davidson
Cast Forton, Aluminum paint, simulated "Gun Metal" patina finish
Limited Edition of 9
20 x 20 x 12″
Ancestor Stylized Mask
Joe David
Red Cedar Wood, Acrylic Paint, Cedar Bark
13 x 8.25 x 9″ (including bark)
Sun Hawk Mask
Norman Tait
Norman Tait with Lucinda Turner
Alder wood, Copper, Cedar rope, Horse hair, Operculum shells, Acrylic paint, Leather
Norman Tait's exceptional Sun Hawk Mask stems from his father's clan, the Tlingit Nation ancestry, and primarily represents one of his father's family crest figures. While this exquisite mask depicts elements of a human face, the additional features, such as the beak, allude to its supernatural connection. Constructed from Alder wood, the wood's unique grain is a strong element within the design and is used to exemplify the mask's delicate human-like structure. Furthermore, the addition of acrylic paint and the stark horsehair locks add life to this Humanized Supernatural-being.
Featured in Finding A Voice: The Art of Norman Tait
10.5 x 9 x 7″ (excluding hair)
Welcome Figure Mask
Red Cedar wood, Human hair, Acrylic paint
This Welcome Figure portrait mask, based on a Nuu chah nulth mask from the 1850's, would be danced during a ceremonial welcome song which belongs to the David family of the Tla-O-Qui-Aht clan. Smoked elk hide has been rigged to the back of the piece to hold it securely in place when being danced.
Salmon Dancer Mask
Alder wood, Cedar bark, Cedar rope
Kelly's inspiration for this exceptionally-styled Salmon Dancer Mask with the Salmon's open mouth exposing a human face comes from a traditional Nuxalk ceremony, which occurs every spring and is meant to celebrate and honor the first Salmon run of the season.
Due to the widespread importance of Salmon among various coastal indigenous cultures, many First Nations communities throughout the Pacific Northwest Coast have their own variations of these celebrations that are held upon the return of the fish to the rivers surrounding their ancestral lands. The first catch is awarded a high level of symbolic and ceremonial importance, playing a principal role in the feasts and festivities that surround this event. In Nuxalk tradition, the first catch is referred to as the Spring Salmon.
"Every year, we use ceremony to honour the return of our Salmon runs. The first Salmon to make their way up the Bella Coola River is the Spring Salmon. Feasts are given back to the people at this time. A respected member of the people is chosen, then he in return sings and dances once a year for this gathering."
– Kelly Robinson, 2019
Eagle of the Deep Mask
Red Cedar wood, Cedar bark, Acrylic paint, Sea Salt
Octopus Pendant
Catlanite, Abalone shell
From Land to Sea Ladle
Yellow Cedar wood, Acrylic paint
12 x 13 x 4.5″ (including base)
Spoons and ladles were traditionally made from either cedar wood or the horn of a mountain sheep, and their handles were carved with family crest images. Historically, these exquisitely sculptured objects were primarily created by people in Northern Nations, and were highly sought after by other nations. During potlatches [festive gatherings], cedar ladles decorated with the hosting family's crests were used to serve food, while the elaborately carved mountain sheep spoons were distributed as gifts among the many guests.
Today, spoon and ladle productions are based on these traditional objects and are meant to be both objects of function and display. In addition to traditional mediums such as cedar wood, goat or mountain sheep horn, many modern-day spoons and ladles are constructed of gold, silver and pewter.
Established in 1996, Coastal Peoples Gallery has brought visitors and collectors together to experience a superb collection of fine First Nations and Inuit artworks.
332 Water Street, Unit 200, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 1B6
info@coastalpeoples.com
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Mid-year Budget update—mixed signals for science sector
Media contact: Dan Wheelahan
media@science.org.au
The Academy welcomes the appointment of six new board members to the National Science and Technology Council today including four Academy Fellows: Professors Barbara Howlett FAA, Geordie Williamson FAA, Brian Schmidt FAA and Ian Frazer FAA.
The Academy looks forward to the first meeting of the National Science and Technology Council in the new year.
The Government's mid-year Budget update has mixed signals for science sector.
President of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor John Shine, said while it is encouraging to see a funding injection for regional universities, it is unfortunate that this has been achieved by reducing the University Research Block Grants scheme.
"The Academy notes that research and development funding are in decline and at the lowest levels in 40 years. Economic growth and prosperity will not be achieved by cutting research, a driver of the knowledge economy," Professor Shine said.
The Academy also expressed its disappointment at the absence of funding to support the national rollout of Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE), a proven national initiative to support gender equity in higher education and research. SAGE is a partnership between the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.
Professor Shine said the gender equity measure is the only initiative of its kind that has had a proven impact on a systemic and national scale in Australia.
"Australia has taken a leadership role by piloting the Athena SWAN Charter program, with countries such as Canada and the United States now following our example. The Australian Government's continued support of this pilot would position Australia well and allow the successful pilot to expand into a full national program," Professor Shine said.
The Academy looks forward to both these important measures being addressed in April's Federal Budget. See the Academy's other science priorities for the 2019 federal election.


text:
import React, { Component } from 'react';
import { Link }             from 'react-router';

export default class Home extends Component{
    render(){
        return (

                <Link to={`/recipes`}> Go See the List of Recipes</Link>

                <Link to={`/addnew`}> Add New Recipe </Link>

        );
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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Daigoro vs. Goliath
Director: Toshihiro Iijima
Stars: Akiji Kobayashi, Shoji Kobayashi, Hiroshi Inuzuka
Genre: Comedy, Weirdo, Fantasy, Adventure
Review: Years ago the Japanese military killed a giant monster rampaging across Tokyo but out of guilt chose to spare the life of her infant, Daigoro. Hapless zookeeper Saito is the man assigned to safeguard the accident-prone orange monster on its island habitat. But as Daigoro grows up his gargantuan appetite costs Japan a fortune in food. Proposed plans for a "Daigoro Tax" outrage the citizens of Japan who demand that this costly, oversized orphan be put to death. However, the nation's children, marshalled by young Taro and his friends, campaign to save Daigoro's life. Various clumsy grown-ups join the cause, including Taro's uncle, an inept inventor whose mad machines almost never work properly, and bumptious oaf Kuma whose tactless attempts at rallying the crowd end in a violent brawl. Then suddenly another giant monster dubbed Goliath rises from the ocean depths, bent on laying waste to Japan. The kids and the grown-ups must find some way to help dippy Daigoro get his act together so he can save Japan.
Daigoro vs. Goliath, or to use its unabridged Japanese title: Great Desperate Battle: Daigoro vs. Goliath, holds the dubious distinction of being the only vintage Toho studios monster movie never released theatrically in the United States or Europe. Detractors claim anyone who watches a five minute clip will see the reason why. Filmed in pretty pastel colours, laden with sing-along musical numbers with lyrics that appear on-screen, strained slapstick, crazy contraptions and abundant juvenile whimsy, this is the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) or Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) of Japanese monster movies, albeit not up to their standard. The film was co-produced by Toho and Tsuburaya Productions, marking the tenth anniversary of the studio founded by legendary effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya, co-creator of Godzilla and the man behind Japan's favourite silver-masked superhero, Ultraman.
Anyone who felt tax laws and tariffs were odd subject matter for an ostensible children's film like Star Wars - Episode One: The Phantom Menace (1999) may find themselves wondering whether avowed Japanese film fan George Lucas had a passing familiarity with this eccentric effort. For it does seem as if the filmmakers were positing Daigoro as some sort of allegorical stand-in for the imperilled Japanese economy as the plot finds the human heroes urging people to tighten their belts and make sacrifices for the greater good. At one point Kuma admonishes his wife for buying an expensive dress ("Remember, you are a carpenter's wife!"). The austerity theme certainly hits home in these troubled times. Typical of Toho kaiju eiga of the time the film also includes a heavy-handed anti-pollution message reminiscent of Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971) and The Last Days of Planet Earth (1974) as the government debate whether to use nuclear weapons against Goliath and risk despoiling the environment.
The episodic story segues from one silly scheme after another with non-linear storytelling more akin to Jean-Luc Godard than Walt Disney and punctuated by surreal fantasies as when the anonymous inventor imagines he has magic shoes or Kuma hallucinates the bikini model on a giant billboard comes alive to offer him some sake. Toshihiro Ijima, a television stalwart who only recently returned to cinema, pulls off some eye-catching and inventive visuals even though the action rarely makes any sense. Teruyoshi Nakano handles the special effects which, while not as detailed as those featured in vintage Tsuburaya product, serve the jokey, juvenile antics well enough.
Daigoro is an odd-looking, pot-bellied orange hippopotamous like monster. British viewers of a certain age may notice a slight resemblance to the similarly surreal puppet character George from children's TV show Rainbow. His opponent Goliath is equally uninspired: a Godzilla stand-in with a rhino horn that shoots death rays. According to rumour the film was originally intended as a Godzilla movie which would put it in line with the increasingly childish, though lovable series entries like Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973). At one point three hapless heroes ride on Goliath's back, prefiguring a celebrated scene in the studio's much later Godzilla x Megaguirus (2000). It is a leaden and deeply silly film, though not without its charms and frankly irresistible to die-hard fans of vintage Japanese fantasy films, no matter how childish. How many other monster movies end with one of the titular creatures taking a dump in a giant outdoor lavatory?


Why did you decide to participate in the Indian art fair?
Up until then we had participated in Scandinavian art fairs.
We assumed that we would stand out in India, and realized that would be a benefit both for us and for visitors. In states with growing economies you find many new trends. Europe has already become slightly stagnant, and even in the largest fairs you'll mostly see values that have already been proven. Unusual destinations can offer something new. That's why India seemed like an interesting alternative.
After participating in the first art fair in New Dehli, in 2009, we understood how to make the gallery's offerings more interesting for the Indian art market. That's why the artist Anita Arbidāne spent several months living in India and created her works for the exhibit while living there. Anita's works integrate Indian cultural and religious motifs. Indians feel great reverence for their culture; that's why there was lots of interest both in these works and in the artist herself. Indians appreciate this mutual symbiosis.
A portion of Anita's works were begun in Latvia, because her painting process is very time-consuming. Visitors, of course, first noticed her Indian tones, though they simultaneously became more open toward the European elements. It was a magical, mutual process.
What was different at this Indian art fair, compared with what you had seen before?
At the fair, galleries bring the very best, and offer what seems to be most suitable for the Indian art market. Each has its own mini-exposition with a thematic arrangement and slogan. The goal is to sell. We, in turn, wanted to see and integrate into a larger market. Europe is saturated with itself, but India is still in a pleasant process of searching—searching and growing!
Did you observe any trend at the fair?
Indian art is more positive, while the tendency in Europe is to shock. In India you can be shocked by so much positive emotion—the overall atmosphere is wonderful. Indian art has a tendency toward refinement; they appreciate precise completion. Perhaps this comes from the miniature tradition—for example, in an ancient miniature you can see the tiniest details on a ruler's body. They consider refinement a real value. Stories and symbolism, as well as profundity and meaningfulness, is also important. They also appreciated this in Anita's works.


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Playden, Sussex Genealogy
Playden
Guide to Playden, Sussex ancestry, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.
Playden, Sussex
Ancient Parish
Goldspur
Parish registers: 1638
Court of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) of Chichester for the Archdeaconry of Lewes
PLAYDEN (St. Michael), a parish, in the union and parliamentary borough of Rye, hundred of Goldspur, rape of Hastings, E. division of Sussex, ¾ of a mile (N.) from Rye. This place appears, from the foundations of buildings that are frequently discovered, to have been more extensive than it is at present; it had anciently an hospital, in honour of St. Bartholomew, under the government of the abbey of Westminster. The church, situated on Playden height, is in the early English style, with a central tower between the nave and chancel, surmounted by a lofty shingled spire, which is a landmark at sea.[1]
Playden St. Michael is an Ancient Parish; history of the church. Playden St Michael.
The parish church of St Michael has been designated as a grade I listed building. British listed building
Pladen Sussex Parish Clerks Online(OPC)
See Also Playden Wikipedia
From 1837 this parish was within Rye Registration district. From 1935 this was incorporated into Battle Registration district.
Certiificates may be obtained from:
The Register Office
Grove Road
BN21 4UG
Email:eastbourne.registrar@eastsussex.gov.uk
Playden, Sussex Genealogy parish registers of christenings, marriages and burials are available online for the following years:
PALL = Pallot's Marriage Index (Ancestry) - (£)[4]
PLAYDEN PARISH Online Records
IGI 1638-1880 1606-1884
Link to the FamilySearch Catalogue showing the film numbers in their collection Playden
FamilySearch Centres offer free access to images of the England and Wales Census through FHC Portal Computers here have access to the Family History Centre Portal page which gives free access to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions.
Category:England Family History Centres to locate local Family History Centres in UK.
Introduction to Family History Centers to locate outside UK. Many archives and local history collections in public libraries in England and Wales offer online census searches and also hold microfilm or fiche census returns.
The 1851 census of England and Wales attempted to identify religious places of worship in addition to the household survey census returns.
Prior to the 1911 census, the household schedule was destroyed and only the enumerator's schedule survives.
The 1911 census of England and Wales was taken on the night of Sunday 2 April 1911. In addition to households and institutions, such as prisons and workhouses, canal boats, merchant ships and naval vessels, it attempted to include homeless persons. The schedule was completed by an individual and for the first time both this record and the enumerator's schedule were preserved. Two forms of boycott of the census by women are possible due to frustration at government failure to grant women the universal right to vote in parliamentary and local elections. The schedule either records a protest by failure to complete the form in respect of the women in the household or women are absent due to organization of groups of women staying away from home for the whole night. Research estimates that several thousand women are not found by census search.
Rye Poor Law Union, Sussex
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/SSX/Playden/
↑ Lewis, Samuel A., A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 573-576. Date accessed: 27 September 2013
↑ 'British Isles Vital Records Index - 2nd Ed. Breakdown of Records', Genoot, accessed 30 December 2013.
↑ Hugh Wallis, 'IGI Batch Numbers for Sussex, England,' IGI Batch Numbers, accessed 3 January 2014.
↑ Pallot's Marriage and Birth Indexes, Guide to Parishes.
International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free
Retrieved from "https://wwwp.familysearch.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Playden,_Sussex_Genealogy&oldid=3776192"


Have you ever hear that, regardless of the actual heating and cooling system's energy efficiency rating, the average heating and AC system may only be 57% efficient at delivering conditioned air to the desired rooms inside? This is typically because of significant deficiencies in the home's duct system and/or insulation.
During our Total Home Comfort analysis, we conduct a thorough evaluation of your home's entire duct system (the "veins and arteries" of the home) to ensure that the air you are paying money to heat and cool is most efficiently reaching all of the rooms throughout your home. We'll rate your system's performance and actual efficiency level, including proper operation of duct work, registers and insulation.


Meal planning and prepping seems to be all the latest craze for people who want to lose weight and have some type of discipline when it comes to adopting a healthier lifestyle. Many of us fall off within a matter of weeks because of the time it takes and thinking eating healthier food has to be what I call the three B's…bland, boring, and a budget buster. Eating healthy doesn't have to be any of these things and it's a great opportunity to get creative in the kitchen.
What some individuals who are not trying to lose weight and people with families fail to realize is meal prepped food aimed for weight loss can be eaten by individuals and families who are not trying to lose weight based upon their dietary needs in terms of portions, age, weight, gender and active lifestyle. Besides, who has the time to cook multiple meals everyday because someone wants fried chicken, while the other wants it baked, and someone else wants something all together and orders pizza.
As women and leaders of our households when it comes to grocery shopping and cooking for our families, we set the tone of how healthy our families will be. While I understand everyone has different likes and tastes, as mothers and wives we have to educate our loved ones the reasons why we should be eating certain things, encourage them into trying new things, and not give in to our children's temper tantrums of wanting something different or saying they don't like it before they try it. We would rather give in and not hear their grumbles and moans rather than avoid the possibility of them developing childhood obesity, diabetes and poor eating habits.
Peer pressure at school and social outings can make it hard in helping them choose better food choices, but if you start the practice of eating healthy with some allowances and treats at an early age, you shouldn't have a huge problem with them steering away from it. Your normal will become their normal. If you eat fried foods all of the time, solve problems or fill your emotional voids with food, they too will do the same.
Children are like sponges. They watch and soak up everything you do even when you think they're not watching. Remember, you're the role model on their road to success in life. Get behind the wheel and steer them on the right course towards healthy eating and exercise.
Earlier this week, I talked about trying to make sure my meals and snacks cover the 7 essential nutrients (carbs, proteins, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals and water) our bodies need everyday in order to perform properly. Men need more than women and children need less than women depending upon a few factors which I named earlier.
Sometimes, life throws us curve balls. We're tired from work, children's extracurriculars, homework, housework, spousal duties, etc. When you prep and cook ahead of time, you don't have to worry about what's for lunch or dinner by trying to throw something together. Oftentimes than not, these rushed meals are unbalanced, unhealthy or might come from a drive thru.
Eating out everyday is very costly especially if you have a family. Getting lunch with co-workers, unhealthy snacks from the vending machine, that supposedly much needed coffee from Starbucks and stopping on your way home to pick up a family of four meal pack adds up to more than what most families' budgets will allow and most of the time, it's unhealthy too. Eating healthy isn't as expensive as most people think anymore. Shop your local farmer's markets and weekly grocery fliers for sale items on fresh fruit, veggies, dairy, whole grains, and lean proteins. Have a staple of pantry and fridge items on hand. You do not have to eat all organic food in order to eat healthy. It's a matter of making sure you have well balanced meals and healthy snacks throughout the day.
● You learn how to eat and make healthier choices.
Again, this is an opportunity to get creative in the kitchen and try new healthy recipes. There are a lot of recipes on pinterest, cooking blogs and sites, as well as my own blog and social media sites that I create on my own. Do a little research in your spare time searching for healthy dishes, meats, sides, and salad recipes. Every meal doesn't have to come from a recipe, be complicated or require 2o or more ingredients. A well balanced meal should consist of a lean protein, complex carb, non starchy vegetable and a healthy fat. It's that simple. Bookmark or print out your recipes for future reference. Once you get into the swing of things, you will have an abundance of healthy resources and recipes over time.
● It boosts family time.
You have more quality time to spend with your family to do other things because you're not as tired from trying to cook after work everyday, you can sit down and eat together as a family, break generational curses of chronic illnesses and poor eating habits, and teach your future generations how to cook and eat healthy by doing it with them on meal prepping days. Time is one of the valuable intangibles you can't get back.
Here are a couple of pictures of some of my own individual meal preps covering 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks for 4-5 days.
To help get you started, incorporate the 4 P's of healthy eating into your meal plans.
4. Packaging You can refer back to my previous blog post entitled, "The 4 P's of Healthy Eating: How to Save Time, Money and Unwanted Calories," in which I went into greater detail about how to do each of these.
Family meal planning can be a simple process with a little planning and organization on your part. Break out the sales papers, your weekly meal planning calendar, recipes, and take an inventory of your pantry and fridge. Now is the perfect time to break future generational curses of chronic illnesses by turning your family's health and eating habits around. Not only will you get to spend more quality time with them, you can also save money by cooking at home and using it towards family vacations and emergency funds as well as save avoiding expensive medical costs and insurance plans by being healthy.
Cook more! Move more! Live more!
Very helpful and simply explained. Thank you.


Queing Management System for Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, Customer Service Center. Used by Garuda Indonesia,Lion Air, Air Asia & Angkasa Pura II CS.
System Include Queuing Display System, Ticket Counter & Satisfaction Module.


James Westcott of Pitstone is not a runner by choice, but he's taking part in the London Marathon to raise money for research into the rare form of dementia that killed his father.
The father-of one, who works in the renewable eneregy industry, is putting his best foot forward for The National Brain Appeal – the charity that raises vital funds for the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery – and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
His father Peter was treated at the hospital and took part in dementia research before he died, aged 72, in 2014.
Peter, who lived in Hemel Hempstead and worked in the demolition and haulage business, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) when he was 70 – although, with hindsight, his family believe he had had the disease for at least 10 years prior to the diagnosis.
He had a form of FTD with MND, a condition that had also affected his mother. So his wife Lindsay (James's mum) had a good insight into what lay ahead for them as a family.
FTD is a rare form of dementia that can often affect younger people, typically in their 40s to 60s, and it is progressive.
James said at first his father's symptoms were mild . . . such as making decisions that were slightly out of character, being less patient than usual and having an increased appetite for sweet foods like biscuits.
His spatial awareness was also affected. This led to a bad fall where he banged his head and sadly he seemed to go downhill rapidly afterwards. His comprehension disintegrated and outside of the immediate family, he did not recognise anyone.
James had always been in awe of his dad's sense of direction. He said: "If I was lost, I could call him up from wherever I was in the country and he would be able to tell me what route to take.
Peter took part in clinical trials at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London's Queen Square and donated his brain to the hospital for research after he died.
James is also taking part in research. This involves annual visits to undergo a number of checks including MRI scans, together with blood, memory and comprehension tests as well as lumbar punctures so his cerebrospinal fluid can be analysed.
He, his wife and his mother also attend Rare Dementia Support meetings.
His father's consultant neurologist, Professor Nick Fox – director of the Dementia Research Centre – said dementia generally, and FTD particularly, had been neglected areas of research.
He said: "Our research is focused on some of these less common dementias.
He added: "We are very grateful to Peter for so generously taking part while he was able to, and to James for continuing to take part.
"This provides us with such valuable information to help us work towards finding treatments.
In the last nine months of his life, Peter needed round-the-clock care which was provided by his wife Lindsay and daughter Alex, James's sister. The siblings have a younger brother, Ben, and their parents are also guardians to Ellis, 13.
He and his wife Lucinda have an 18-month-old son Hugo and his sister Alex's son Sebastian is three months younger. Lindsay is an adoring granny to both children.
The family will be out in force to support James as he takes on the marathon on Sunday (April 23).
He admits running is not something he enjoys but explained: "I felt that by asking people to donate, I needed to take on something that was a real challenge.


Very rare 2 door "S" Club Coupe. Stronger body than a hardtop and all windows work - roll up and down as they should. Better sealing...quieter car.
Paint code: GG Willow Gold PO removed paint (not sure if to bare metal) and sprayed rattle can primer.
This car is nearly complete and unmolested. Almost completely original. Runs and drives with new belts and hoses.
Missing passenger side arm rests and a few emblems. Comes with switches for electric windows in trunk and a few spare parts. Extra gauges, hardware, stock style 4 bbl carb air cleaner housing, trim, etc.
Has 80's style stick-out rear tires in the rear and maybe one original rim in the trunk. Tires are old along with everything else.
No rust underneath or in usual places. Previous owner bought this at a storage auction in Las Vegas, where is had been in storage for 30+ years. The only rust I've noticed besides some minor surface rust is along the front edge of the trunk lid. Everything else - floors, doors, quarters, etc are extremely solid.
Everything is original down to the should harnesses that clip in along the side of the roof/headliner.
Clean Florida Title free and clear. New battery.
Mileage on odometer is 10,187, so probably 107k original miles.
Power steering works great. Not sure about the a/c...haven't really messed with it...compressor seems to be engaging.
Interior light works. Most exterior lights work. Brake lights work. Dash does not light up. There is only one needle on the instrument gauge...not sure if that's normal.
I've only driven the car in circles in my front lot...not currently registered.
Gas tank has a large dent underneath. Currently using a gas can up front to run the engine. I plan on blowing out the fuel line and hooking it up to test...no guarantees.
Car is a great candidate for a restoration...and super rare. Not many 1968 models out there and I'm not seeing any club coupes like this with the roof posts.
Very bold "Mad Max" body style. I'd keep and restore, but I still have a couple 60's Fords to finish. My knowledge of GM cars is very limited, so I'll leave this job to someone with more GM experience.
I can also introduce you to a restoration shop in Tijuana that does everything old school. Great metal, body, and paint work. Upholstery too. I've had 4 cars done by them so far. $60/day labor rate. Pay as you go...weekly.
Feel free to call with any questions. I'll post more photos, especially of the trunk and underneath. I ordered some 1 1/2" rear coil spring spacers so the rear tires don't rub. I'll take some more photos this weekend when I jack it up to install the spacers. I also have a new master cylinder to install...the old one wasn't working right when bleeding the brakes...original drums.
I can help with loading if car is being shipped.


When we look at India's industrial and business growth we always think of the big conglomerates. However, the ground reality is that there are lacs of MSME's in India which participate in the manufacture of low cost, efficient and market suitable products and services to take care of all the market price levels in the consumer market.
These MSME's Micro-and-Small-Medium-Enterprises are the core of the business landscape in the country contributing to a huge chunk of the figures. They are located across cities and towns, with both rural and urban outreach and a flexible and customer oriented working structure.
Knowing that they are such an integral part of the business ecosystem, it's only more essential that these MSME's were internally structured to be more efficient and productive. The adaption of modern technological and digital mechanisms and their effective integration into the existing business practices of MSME's is something that is the need of the hour.
One of the first steps into streamlining the business practices is to adapt a CRM system into the existing structure of the company.
CRM software is like a digital backbone to the organization. The application of CRM is such a boon that it should not remain limited to Large organizations. In a Micro Small or Medium sized Enterprise, the importance of CRM software is signified with the fact that certain back end functions are taken care of, in automation with the existing data provided, with least dependency on manual inputs, so attention can be paid to the major front end Resource oriented functions by the Management.
All essential activities and business processes revolve around and begin with Sales. Therefore, the efficient management and tracking of potential customers/vendors who will contribute to the business and growth of the company is essential. CRM software allows to create, track and follow-up with potentially positive leads and thereby close deals with ease. Existing sales data helps in forecasting expected business for the coming month with more accuracy. Service standards are improved and there is no missed opportunity in tapping the potential market. Entire process from beginning to end is managed to ensure consistent service.
CRM software takes care of everyday Tasks, however big or small: Scheduling, Reminders, Meetings, Appointments, Field Calls, Follow-ups, Service Calls, Couriers, Visits etc. for every individual in the work cycle. It takes care of division of work, application of duties and overall time Management, having a positive effect on Productivity.
Customer profiling is a way wherein it helps in decision making processes concerning your services. CRM helps in Profiling of customers for proper customer details management. Compilation of individual Customer Details; like contact (Number, Email, DOB),past orders, preferences and behavior helps in easier and customized approach like Email or SMS and customer relationship management thereby improving service standards.
All the Relevant Files and Documents are generated at each step of daily business processes. Classification, bookmarking, indexing and storage of such documentation can be done easily with the help of CRM software. Easy and powerful search, recall and management/modification is possible. In short, it is an effective way of Record-keeping. If you are using spreadsheets, notepads, and other systems for tracking your data then the odds are high that you are going to lose it at some point. A web based CRM lets you effectively protect your data from being lost.
Social Media is a very powerful tool for the businesses to connect with their general consumer's .With the help of social media management, CRM software tracks target customers and existing as well on various social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc providing insightful information like consumer trends, likes, choices and preferences. Email integration within the CRM system ensures rapid and quick personalized approach and communication.
Analytics provide a birds-eye view as well as process specific visual data in terms of Business performance, comparative study and Statistical data for effective planning purposes. CRM software automatically collects data for analysis and helps in internally Streamlining the entire business process for increasing efficiency and productivity.
A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is perhaps one of the most precious software solution that any small and midsized businesses can implement. It is as vital as the people that are hired and will have a more significant effect long term than any one employee.
Small businesses may take favorable advantage of CRM software to increase their sales productivity.


text:
Alyssa Hatmaker's c-blog
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2016: The Year of Frustration
10:31 PM on 12.17.2016 (server time) 0
2016 has been a good year for video games. We finally saw the release of some projects that have been in development hell for years, and they delivered spectacularly on the promise of more time. It seems like studios focused on quality over quantity this year, flexing their narrative muscles and emphasizing unconventional gameplay, seemingly in an effort to show us that video games can be…more. More poetically delivered (Inside, The Last Guardian), more interestingly structured (The Witness, Fire Emblem Fates, Firewatch), and – this is the crux of this post – more difficult.
In The Last Guardian, controlling Trico is akin to controlling a real housecat – sometimes it seems to work, especially when there's food involved, but it's all just an illusion because you're really the one who's subject to the cat's whims. The Witness was the first game since Myst to reacquaint me with my good old friends Pen and Paper. Hyper Light Drifter came with warnings that I was completely on my own – no tutorials or hints to help me decipher the game's unique language and retro style.
I'm no stranger to frustration, having written about it before, but I'm beginning to realize that the amount of frustration I feel directly correlates to how engaged I am with a game. Some reviews will cite frustration as a flaw rather than a feature, and I disagree with that. Difficulty level should definitely be noted for gamers who want to know exactly what they're getting themselves into, but as long as it's not game-breaking, overt difficulty shouldn't be considered a flaw or weakness in game design. Being frustrated by difficult games forces us to pay attention and engage in ways that we don't when we glide through mindlessly slinging bullets everywhere. It implies a level of concentration that simpler games just don't offer, and that equates to being completely absorbed by something you love. You put a lot of effort into the things you love, and they're more worthwhile for your effort.
This isn't to say all the games I mentioned are perfect, or that I can't critically look at games I love and point out their flaws. I don't want to let my adoration for Fumito Ueda's artistry cloud my judgment of his games' mechanics, which are often clunky and unpolished, and I hope I'm not doing that here. I'll also be the first to admit that I'm not a particularly talented gamer. I've been playing games since I was four years old and it's my absolute favorite thing to do, but I rarely rank high in any multiplayer match, and you won't see me speed-running through anything but a buffet. Still, easy games don't offer enough for me these days.
One of my strongest early gaming memories is of learning to wall jump in Super Metroid. I remember watching the little Etecoons do it and wondering why I, in my big shiny power suit, couldn't manage a move that these little green creatures were doing with ease. There was no tutorial telling me how to pull it off. The only reason I knew it's what I had to do is because the Etecoons were doing it in front of me. So many games this year brought me back to that moment in Super Metroid with the Etecoons. The Last Guardian has a few moments where the controller pops up on the HUD showing you how to communicate with Trico or divert enemies, but it otherwise relies on subtle visual hints, usually in the form of the boy and Trico looking in the direction of your destination. The Witness often requires you to look around your immediate environment, or even to listen to audio cues, to solve its varied puzzles. Hyper Light Drifter tells you nothing, putting faith instead in your fundamental knowledge of how video games work. This all does wonders for immersion. Long, drawn-out tutorial sections or overt HUD directions take me out of a game, breaking my sense of wonder and reminding me that I'm doing something.
There's this concept that's been tossed around recently, usually in connection with project management, called flow. Flow is when you find a rhythm or "get in the zone." It's when you feel entirely focused on what you're doing, and taking it a step further than that, you break a proverbial barrier and suddenly enjoy the simple act of whatever it is you're doing. You could be working on the hardest project of your life, but because you're in this groove of total immersion, you feel really good about it. Playing difficult games, for me, is a lot like flow. Whether I'm trying to figure out a puzzle, attempting to wall jump, or dying over and over again in a boss fight – the feeling of working toward something, honing my skills, and getting a little better each time I try is a different kind of enjoyment. And there's nothing like the feeling of satisfaction that comes from finally figuring out a puzzle or fight that's been plaguing me for hours. It keeps me engaged with the game, and it makes me better. It allows me to look back and say, "I did that. I did it good." More than actually doing stuff, humans love the feeling of having done stuff. Flow is when you love both the process and the result. 2016 was my year of flow.
Good narratives and immersive worlds engage us, sure, but not on the same level as gameplay that refuses to hold our hands, letting us loose in unfamiliar and often unforgiving worlds. Difficult gameplay takes hold, and as long as you let it, doesn't let go until you're better for it. There's a fine line separating difficulty and unconventionality, though. Unconventional games take some getting used to. So, maybe it's not really that I want difficult games. Maybe I just want unconventional games. Maybe I just want developers to give me something new...or something that was lost until it reemerged this year and threw me back to the wolves again, back to that moment with the Etecoons. Give me The Last Guardian, Hyper Light Drifter, and The Witness. Give me Ico, A Link to the Past, and Myst. I don't need a pretty package. I need heart, and maybe some hard-earned tears.
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About Alyssa Hatmakerone of us since 12:52 PM on 08.12.2016
I'm here to write about games, not make hats. I used to go by Lysness in the community, where I represented Alma Armas and gushed about Crash Bandicoot. Horror and management sims are my jams.
I'm also an occasional writer for Flixist. I'm probably thinking about Star Wars right now.
Projects I've backed: Agony, Southern Monsters, Du Lac & Fey, and A Profound Waste of Time
5 of my favorite games: Bloodborne, The Binding of Isaac, Night in the Woods, Super Metroid, and Final Fantasy IX
5 of my favorite films (besides Star Wars): Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, It Follows, Alien, Whip It, and Inside Llewyn Davis
Thanks for the gif, Angie!
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Evgeniia is a Russian born, Glasgow based jewellery designer and maker. In Russia, she attended a classical art school, where she was taught strict rules of composition, technical drawing and watercolours. Evgeniia studied at the Glasgow School of Art for 4 years, graduating in June 2016.


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Ludwig Schulz is chairman of the board of MEIA Research. He was also academic coordinator of the MEIA Middle East Summer Schools 2017-2022.
Currently, Mr. Schulz is engaged as advisor to the director of Plan International Germany's International Programs. From 2021 to 2022, he was policy advisor for Middle East and North Africa at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Between 2016 and 2020 he ran the Middle East Program of the Center for Applied Policy Research (C.A.P.) at Munich Ludwig Maximilian University, and worked as an external for the German Near and Middle East Association (NUMOV) and the German Orient Institute (DOI) in Berlin and was co-head of the editorial office of Germany's oldest scientific journal on the Middle East, ORIENT.
Mr. Schulz studied at Munich Ludwig Maximilian University and Istanbul Bilgi University (Turkey). He graduated in 2009 with a Magister Artium (M.A.) degree in Political Science and International Relations, History and Culture of the Near and Middle East/ Turcology, and European Law. From 2011-2013 he held a graduates' stipend from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and has subsequently conducting and publishing research on Turkey and the Middle East.
Mr. Schulz's fields of expertise and interest include primarily Turkey's domestic and foreign affairs, economic and energy policies as well as societal issues, such as the Kurdish or minority issues, cultural studies, the intercultural and interreligious dialogue as well as aspects of the living conditions of Turks in Germany. Mr. Schulz regularly lectures on Turkey and Middle East politics at academic and civic education institutions in Germany and abroad. His projects and activities brought him many countries in the MENA region, such as Algeria, Tunisia, Israel and the Gulf countries. Furthermore, at C.A.P. he managed the "Black Sea Young Reformers Fellowship" in 2013, dedicated to transformation processes at the Black Sea region, and from 2016-2020 the project "Political consultancy and strategy development" of the Government of Bavaria with the Tunisian Republic together with partner institutions in Tunisia. From 2013 to 2022 he was also member of te baord of Network Turkey.
One of Mr. Schulz's more recent publications "Out of Siberia, into the Desert? The Middle East and North Africa as Building Blocks of Europe's Energy Transition," (with Simon Engelkes), in KAS International Reports, 2, 2022, pp. 6-19 or "Shaping Geopolitical Destiny and Coping with Global Complexity: Germany and Turkey as Central Powers in International Politics," in Ebru Turhan (Ed.): German-Turkish relations revisited. Baden-Baden 2019, pp. 111-142.
Contact: schulz[at]meia-research.org


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Dr. Paul Tosey is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Management, University of Surrey. After studying for his PhD in organizational change at the University of Bath (1986), Paul taught at the University of Edinburgh and the Open University. He has also worked as a consultant and coach in the public sector, and in a freelance capacity.
Paul has extensive experience of developing consultants and coaches through the MSc Change Agent Skills and Strategies that he established at Surrey in 1992. In 2007 he was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the UK Higher Education Academy.
In 1992 Paul trained as a Master Practitioner of NLP and is a member of the Association for NLP. He convened the world's First International NLP Research Conference at the University of Surrey in July 2008, and is writing a Critical Appreciation of NLP, to be published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2009. His NLP project website is: www.NLPresearch.org.
Most recently he qualified as a Certified Facilitator of Clean Language (2007), an elegant and powerful new coaching method.
Paul has also developed, in collaboration with TLA and a partner in South Africa, an instrument that profiles an organisation's `energy'.
His other interests include organisational learning; transformative learning through management development and coaching; enquiry-based learning; and complexity theory.


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Plain Sarah Jane
A butterfly trying to make sense
Link Salad
Being Online
13th Jan 2019 17th Jan 2019 Sarah Jane
What do replicants and copies remember?
We are not so different
"I'm not an answer," she said. "I'm a question."
She might also be a message incarnate, a signal in the flesh, even if she hadn't yet figured out what story she was supposed to tell."
Ghost Bird to Control
Book 3, Southern Reach Trilogy
Since the first time I saw the Blade Runner (1982) movie, I was fascinated with the world that it replicated and built, with the characters and also with the questions it posed to the viewer. I have seen both the original Blade Runner movie and the various different versions of it. I've also seen the new Blade Runner 2049 (2017) film and the three short films (Blade Runner Black Out 2022, 2036: Nexus Dawn and 2048: Nowhere to Run ) that bridge the "gap" between the two films. This being said, Blade Runner has not been the focus of my attention the last week or two. Rather, the Southern Reach and Area X has occupied me. But, strangely enough, by reading the Southern Reach trilogy, I have also been thinking about Blade Runner.
One specific thing has triggered my thinking, while reading the Southern Reach trilogy written by Jeff Vandermeer, namely the so-called "copies" or "false doppelgangers" created by Area X. (See below for further explanation.) In turn I have been thinking about the replicants in the Blade Runner Films. (The Annihilation-film, although very good, does not follow the same trajectory as the books.) I have been wondering if the "copies" made by Area X and the "replicants" in Blade Runner does not lead us to ask similar type of questions?
For me these questions circle very much around identity, our relation to the world and memories of it. I have been thinking of three type of questions, which I would like to discuss in this blog posting:
(On a more personal level, in some way I can relate to the replicants in Blade Runner, and the copies in the Southern Reach trilogy, as a trans person. For many, I am as a trans person just a "skin job" and my experiences are viewed suspiciously. Aren't we also talking in some way about "passing" here? )
1. Question about the World: Who made them? Where did they come from?
In the first Blade Runner we are introduced to a futuristic and dystopian Los Angeles. (I am not sure if cyberpunk is the correct description, so that is why I keep with futuristic and dystopian.) An earth that has fallen in decay, and living "off world" is probably a more sensible option. Personally, I find that the cinematic world of Blade Runner is different from the world in the Philip K Dick's book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. Philip K Dick's world is empty and has a feeling of complete desolation caused by World War Terminus. Within Blade Runner, the world feels so busy, specifically the scenes in the streets. (For me the area where Deckard stays / hides in Blade Runner 2049, is more similar to the world of Philip K Dick's book. Have a look at the following compilation of art of Blade Runner 2049.) Within the first and second Blade Runner movies, corporations play a very important role, respectively the Tyrell Corporation and then later the Wallace Corporation. Both corporations make replicants that fulfil various functions and are specifically important for "off world" living and colonising new worlds. These corporations are central to the survival of the human species, whether we want to recognise it or not.
The Southern Reach trilogy takes place on the Forgotten Coast (image of the Forgotten Coast). After a certain event Area X is created that encapsulates a part of the Forgotten Coast. There is a border between Area X and the world around it, with initially one opening. Area X is studied by a government agency, called the Southern Reach. Their headquarters is situated not far from the entrance to Area X. Over the last 30 years, this government agency have been sending expeditions to Area X to study it. Within Area X certain geographical areas play central roles within the story. Namely, the topological anomaly, where the Crawler is situated, the two light houses, and Failure island.
"You draw a map, too, of all the landmarks in Area X. There's the base camp, or as you call it now, the Mirage. There's the
lighthouse, which should be some form of safety but too often isn't, the place that journals go to die. There's the topographical
anomaly, the hole in the ground into which all initiative and focus descended, only to become hazy and diffuse. There, too is the island and, finally, the Southern Reach itself, looking either like the last defense against the enemy or its farthestmost outpost."
Cynthia / Gloria describing Area X
The twelfth expedition has just returned. Control, the new director of the Southern Reach replacing the long standing Director Cynthia / Gloria who has not returned with the twelfth expedition, is trying to determine what has gone wrong, because it seems like the Southern Reach has fallen into disrepair, rife with personal power struggles and agendas. Also, up to now, the Southern Reach has not really been successful in determining what Area X is. Many of the expeditions have been unsuccessful, with some not returning or bringing back any useful information. To some extent the efforts of the Southern Reach to make Area X react to them has been unsuccessful. Reading the descriptions and about the experiences of the characters, it almost seems that some (un-) natural disaster has taken place which has caused devastation within Area X. But different from the world of Philip K Dick and the Blade Runner movies, paradoxically is the world (-s) within Area X full of life and life in new forms … What one finds out is that Area X creates copies of some of the expedition members and they return to the world outside Area X in different ways. Ghost Bird, who is the copy of the Biologist, a member of the twelfth expedition, returns and plays a central role in the story. Interesting enough some humans are also transformed by Area X into other creatures, while their copies live on. We see this with the Biologist and the Biologist's husband.
What is important to recognise is that humans created the replicants in Blade Runner, while in the Southern Reach trilogy Area X is responsible for the creation of so-called copies of humans. The replicants in Blade Runner serve a human purpose, and the copies from Area X do not. The latter catches us off-guard, because they were created by the unknown with an unknown purpose. Are they here to help us? To destroy us? To mess with our data?
2. Unique Characteristics: How is a human distinguished from a copy or replicant?
Because the copies or replicants look and act (mostly) in the same way as we do, it is not always certain who is a replicant / copy and who is human. Various tests are therefore devised to determine if a person is "real".
At the beginning of Blade Runner Deckard is introduced to Rachael. He performs a test with the Voight-Kampff machine to determine if she is a replicant. He does not know that she is a replicant, and, at the same time, Rachael also does know that she is a replicant. A normal intelligence test would not be enough, because in many ways replicants have surpassed normal human intelligence. For that reason other things are tested (for example empathy, unique memories etc.), that are more characteristic of human beings and the absence of this would reveal a replicant. It is easier to spot older replicant models, but more advanced tests are devised for newer models.
"Over fifty of the T-14 androids as he recalled had made their way by one means or another to Earth, and had not yet been detected for a period in some cases up to an entire year. But then the Voigt Empathy Test had been devised by the Pavlov Institute working in the Soviet Union. And no T-14 android – insofar, at least, as was known – had pass that particular test."
Deckard in Do Androids dream of Electric Sheep?
In Blade Runner 2049, interesting enough, Officer K, is put through a test after each work assignment. But here it is not really to determine if Officer K is a human, but to determine if the experiences of K is causing him to become more human. Calling forth human responses, that would possibly prohibit him from fulfilling the purposes he is designed for. So although the Voight-Kampff test does not feature in Blade Runner 2049, you have a different type of test with the baseline test which K has to undergo.
With the Southern Reach-trilogy you have an interesting dynamic. It seems in most cases that the copies know that they are copies, for example Ghost Bird knows that she is a copy and that the memories she has are the memories of the Biologist. (I do think some copies decide to disclose it, and some don't.) She is generally still viewed with suspicion and therefore interrogated, which in some sense is also a kind of test. Maybe, to some extent, it is to determine the purpose of the copy. The latter is however not always the case with copies, which is evident with Whitby. Whitby went with the previous director secretly into Area X, and had a fight with his copy in Area X. We are however not sure which one overcame the other and returned with the director; he does not undergo the same type of interrogation as Ghost Bird does.
"Test me," she said, a snarl from deep in her throat. She stopped, faced him, threw down her pack. "Go Ahead and test me. Say it. Say the words you think will destroy me."
Before the Biologist was selected for the twelfth expedition she was interviewed by the Director, who was also a psychologist, to determine if she would be a suitable candidate for the expedition. Here we have here a different kind of test. She asks general questions to see what type of responses will be evoked with the Biologist. And because of the biologist's responses, she is deemed suitable for the expedition. But her responses is very different from the other human participants. She is much more distanced, and in some sense more inhumane. The director was hoping that this "inhuman" biologist would call forth a response from Area X.
All of the above "tests" are interesting, because they try to determine who is authentic and who is a fake. In some scenarios the person who is tested and interrogated, prompts their inquisitor to reflect on the nature of the test. They asked them if they would pass the test? Would you pass the test set for an ideal human? An ideal man? And ideal woman? I am not so sure. And in many cases these questions causes existential crises with the questioners. This we can definitely see with Deckard, and to a lesser extend with Control.
3. Memories: How does one deal with memories that you know, or suspect, is not real?
Memories in Blade Runner and in the Southern Reach trilogy are very important. They explain certain actions of characters, but most importantly, memories are strongly embedded within the identities of the characters. If the memories of the characters become suspect, the identities of the characters become problematised. The following questions become pertinent: Who am I? What am I? What is my purpose? We see this with the different responses of the characters to their own memories
Rachael: After she is tested and confronts Deckard, she realises that she is a replicant. Which by implication means that her memories are implants. She shows a picture of her and her mother to Deckard, only to realise that it is not real. This has a radical disarming impact on Rachael.
Ghost Bird: She knows that the memories she has are those of the Biologist. They don't feel like her own because she has not lived them. Because these memories are not her own, she is sometimes critical of the Biologist and the choices she made. Sometimes she wants to confront the Biologist about these choices. And at the same time, one finds that there is a drive within Ghost Bird, to create her own memories. For example, when she escapes from Central, she goes to a place where she knows the Biologist used to go. In such a way she makes the memory her own, or new. Also, she becomes very fond of Control, because he forms part of her real memories until he is annihilated / transformed by Area X.
Officer K: Officer K is a replicant and he knows his memories are implants. But due to various incidents and findings he comes to doubt the inauthenticity of one of his earliest memories (namely, being a boy in an orphanage), and therefore suspects that he is a human. He confronts the maker of the replicant memories and she (Dr. Ana Stelline) confirms that this memory is real. Later however he finds out that although the memory is real, it is not his memory: it belongs to someone else. One would expect that he would then discard the importance of the memory, but this does not happen. Rather, this memory – the only real thing he has – drives his actions to save Deckard among other things. This real memory also forces him to act humanely. For example, he starts to lie to his superior to keep others safe. The memory almost act as an infection and he undergoes a transformation in the process.
"If you have authentic memories you have… real human responses. Wouldn't you agree?"
Dr Ana Stelline from Blade Runner 2049
Control vs. Deckard: Control is human, but at some point he realises that he was brain washed and his actions were under hypnosis steered by his superiors (which includes his mother). When he realises this, he starts to question some of his old memories: were they hypnotic suggestions to cause him to act in a certain way? (Control keeps a carving of his dad with him at all times, it becomes a reality anchor, confirming that some of his memories are real. With Officer K, ironically enough, there is also a carved wooden horse he finds in the orphanage and keeps with himself, but this acts as a reality distractor. It causes him to start questioning the inauthenticity of his own memories.) Like Control, Deckard also starts to question some of his own memories through his interactions with Rachael. That is why, in some way, I think that Control and Deckard are very similar characters.
The above experiences of problematic memories is interesting because it asks questions about who we are. Sometimes it almost seems that we are merely a conglomeration of memories. Consequently, shake the memories and you shake the foundations on which your identity is built. Anyway, all of these characters in some way signify a philosophical thinking experiment and this is why I think the character building of Blade Runner and the Southern Trilogy is so interesting. Personally, I think a philosophy semester course can be presented on identity using the examples from these fictional worlds.
This suggests to me that what is seen as human is to a large extent normative – which implies that instruments like the Voight-Kampff machine (and many other tests) are normative instruments.
I don't have much else to say, these were just some general remarks and I have already said too much. Maybe, as a closing, I just want to return to what I said regarding me being a trans person and identifying with the experiences of the replicants and copies. Although, I am a real human (not created by some corporation or Area X), my identity as a queer trans person disqualifies me in the eyes of some people to be human. This suggests to me that what is seen as human is to a large extent normative – which implies that instruments like the Voight-Kampff machine (and many other tests) are normative instruments. In some way I think the questioners of the replicants and copies finds this out, and starts to question the world around them. Some of us are just luckier by knowing this earlier.
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Published by Sarah Jane
I am a failed industrial designer, who ended up completing an undergraduate degree in economics, political science and philosophy. I did my graduate studies in philosophy. I am currently working in the field of international education. I also use technology in strange & interesting ways. I have a real interest in terms of how technology, gender, sexuality, education and studying abroad intersect. For me technology should be an enabling tool (maybe this is also why I sometimes use / approach tech in non-traditional manners). Also, I tweet too much! I believe the world is complex and to better understand it we need to approach the world in an intersectional manner.	View all posts by Sarah Jane
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Ghost Bird from Authority (Book 2 in Southern Reach Trilogy)
"I've been trying to remember this place," she said, almost plaintively. "I love it here, but the entire time I've felt like it was the one remembering me."
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Tarot in the tradition of Feminist Sci-Fi and Queer Magic
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