text:
Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear.
Let's talk about LOST! Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear.
You've been clamoring for more LOST discussion. So here we go...
PERCEPTION: What do you see? Do you see what I see? Do I see what you see? Is what you are perceiving really what is being presented? Is it the truth or all part of a wonderful magic trick, where slide of hand and hypnotic convincing words are conning you into believing what you are seeing?
Since the show began we have been led to believe that these people are survivors of a plane crash. Random coincidence brought these people together. Bizarre extremes in their lives are revisited on the island. Redemption seemed to be the name of the game. We then live the trials and tribulations of these survivors trying to "survive" the island and the Others who already live there. We learned a privately funded organization used the island and its special properties to study people and their environment; a laboratory. The goal was to make people and the world better. Social behavior, education, religion and politics are part of the plan. Let's not forget the medical and psychological aspects this organization wanted to study and perfect. While on the island it became apparent to these people there is an issue with pregnant woman and fertility clashing with this "Island." We met a handsome man who seems to never get any older, although it appears he has lived a very long time. We question how people travel to and from that "Island." And then there's the implication of time travel. All of that in short seems to be the story as we are shown it. Do you agree?
When time is taken to dissect the show we find things are not what they seem. We began to see that many of the people who are on the "island" do indeed share common interests and mutual friends. Their paths have crossed before. And all roads seem to have led them all together, here, to this "Island."
If you are a regular reader of my episode clues notes, you've seen how the subliminal clues come into play. When we dig deeper into a clue we find that what we thought on the surface was the truth, could be something very different under the smoke screen. This particular blog post is here to explore additional information and reminders of events of episodes past. After four seasons, and the seemingly endless notes I've posted here, what if there's still too much assuming going on? What if the viewer is getting just enough surface information to base assumptions on? Has that been enough to let you see the truth? This is why I am always compelled to dig deeper. That's why each of my episode clues notes is written as they are. With all that digging I think I've been able to show and hint to other possibilities and ways to look at some things.
I'd like to use the long hiatus to really get into some of the clue words, connections to people, places, things, and other revelations, to see if they are fitting into the puzzle or are they clues I can file away. Of course, due to the many layers of the story, we can only tackle a few things at a time. Let's tackle just a few of them today.
Important layers and clue words I hope to address before season 5 returns are all that show up in my notes. Including, but not limited to: Plate tectonics, North, Cold, Ice, Freeze, Below, Under, Underwater, Sub, Underground, Hidden, Klick, Egg, Flash, Fly, Change, Chess, Tracking, Monitor, Looping, Australia, New York, Germany, Norway, England, Los Angeles, Tustin, Religions, Literature, Philosophy, Quarantine, Bug, Morph, Transform, Natives, Hostiles, Ancient culture, Comic books, Communication, Journey, Home and Vincent.
I've been saying to you for the longest time that things and people are not what they seem. Illusion, tricks and cons are hiding the truth. We've even seen Ben pull a rabbit out of a hat once or twice. So, taking the story as I stated in the first paragraph of this post and using the subliminal clues that are running ramped throughout the story let's refresh our memories on few things to see if things are turning out to be something different than what you originally thought or have been led to believe.
Now, that's not to say there aren't some terrific "out of this world" things going on with this "island", I'm sure there are.. But what I am saying is there could be examples of some things having a much simpler explanation.
I am not here to replay the same ol' things, but some things are necessary to show how things tie together.
It's important to remember episode titles, clues, words and phrases seem to always have at least two meaning.
Let's start with a few of my mainstay thoughts. Yep, l still feel the "Flashes" are out of order or at least don't follow in a constant time line. This could include the segments of events we see on the "island." I can only imagine what the picture is going to reveal when the puzzle pieces are placed in order. How is the picture going to differ from where we started? I also feel they are never out of the confines of the "Island" or its surrounding areas; a bloody snow globe, going from one island to another island. Would that mean the "Island" isn't really an "Island"? I've touched on that in past notes too.
Casket/coffin: In the S4 finale, we see Jack will need to transport a casket back to the "Island." This casket would contain the remains of Jeremy Bentham/John. Will this casket turn up empty upon arrival there, just as the casket in S1 was empty? Don't you find that curious; coincidence or replay? In S1 the casket was to contain Jack's father. Let's not forget that the empty casket Jack finds in the cave was already inside the cave. How could the casket, those plane parts, suitcases, dolls, etc., already be inside the cave when this crash was supposed to have just happened? I imagine the simple answer would be the "crash" didn't just happen. Many think those items could be already inside because of the popular "time loop theory." It very well could be. But, what if the items inside the cave are there as props for another run through of tests/exercise/challenges of the game and not by people who were there before them. What if the people who were there before them were "Them"?
Maybe that stuff was left by their "parents".
What if the items are just "triggers"? Besides, wouldn't Danielle have heard this huge "crash"? This statement being said leads me to reiterate that I still believe that Jack, along with all the survivors was placed in and around the "crash" site. Placed like pieces on a game board, all waking up at the same time.
GAMES- Backgammon and Chess- This story seems to contain a living breathing Chess game, a military game. Many examples of this are all over this story, starting with Chess terms.
Here are some of those terms we've heard or witnessed in some form since the beginning: Active, Adjournment, Adjudication, Algebraic notation, Amateur, Analysis, Arbiter, Attack, B, Battery, Bind, Black, Blunder, Board, Break, Breakthrough, Brilliancy, Bullet chess, Bye, Calculate, Capture, Castling, Casual game, Center, Check, Checkmate, Chessboard, Classical, Closed file, Coffeehouse, Color, Combination, Compensation, Control of the center, Cook, Counterattack, Cover, Cramped, Critical position, Decoy, Defense, Deflect, Develop, Diagonal, Draw, Drawing line, Equalize, Exchange, Family fork, First-move advantage, File, Fish, Flag, Flank, FM, Focal point, Forced move, Fork, Fortress, Friendly game, Grandmaster, Handicap, Hanging, Hanging pawns, Hole, Initiative, Interference, Kick, Line, Loss, Main line, Match, Mate, Material, Move, Odds, Opposition, Pairing, Pawn, Piece, Pin, Plan, Post-mortem, Promotion, Push, Queen, Rank, Resign, Sacrifice, Score, Second, See-saw, Sharp, Simplification, Skewer, Solid, Sound, Space, Squeeze, Sudden death, Swindle, Table base, Tactics, Take back, Tempo, Text move, Threat, Time, Time control, Time delay, Toilet move, Tournament, Trap, Trébuchet, Triangulation, Undermining, Valve, Variant, Variation, White, Win, Wing, X-ray attack.
Let's have some fun!!! Could we assign the people on the island Chess piece counterparts? I wonder if it would work. Hehehe!!!
Kate's real role here is more than what we perceive it to be, I'm sure. Is she on the run from something or to/for something? From the very beginning the Marshal tells Jack not to trust a word Kate says. By the way, Danielle said a similar thing to Sayid about Henry Gale.
Kate said she was awake for the entire event of the plane going down, she befriends Jack and she knows her way around the island. Kate's involved in almost every trek as if she's there to keep her 'eye' on things. She delivers Aaron in the jungle, tells Claire this baby is "All of us/ours." Kate is also responsible for Aaron off the island. Which brings me to this question...(S4 finale) Who does Claire dare Kate not to bring back? We can assume she's speaking about Aaron, but could it mean someone else? Plus I can't ignore the hug between Kate and Penny in the S4 finale. It leads me to think these two possibly know each other. Is Kate a mole, hired hand or babysitter?
"Santa Rosa's" role: Yes it has a role and is serving a purpose here, but how? Research or programming/deprogramming subjects/patients? Is it being used to "teach" subjects into "learning" something? Monitoring case studies, perhaps? I feel "Santa Rosa" is a HUGE part of the story. Could they all be patients at "Santa Rosa"? What if they were? What if they are?! It sure would explain a hell of a lot. Things would actually make sense. While I'm on that, could this be where the whispers come in?
Coffee/Tea, stimulants, drugs, alcohol, Clonazapam (other drugs), injections, implants, visions, hypnosis/triggers, lucid dreaming and states of consciousness:
All of these are forms of being able to manipulate a person's thoughts, perception and memory. We learn in a Missing Pieces episode that Ethan conveniently brings Jack a mega suitcase filled with medicine and drugs, supposedly belonging to the hypochondriac "Sullivan." I fucking call Shenanigans! It seems to me they need to be kept drugged up or in a certain "state."
Pregnancy, fertility, conceiving, parentage, blood disorders, DNA, Gnome, metabolism, blood: Who is really related to whom? Who are biological parents to which offspring? Is there a blending of two halves, creating one? Is someone trying to create the perfect person or even a perfect solider? Are they breeding a damn Super Hero race complete with ones who can fly?! Maybe their own Justice League while we're at it! Perhaps will we find a bunch of mutant alien bug beings roaming around. Through all this I still wonder why Ben claimed Alex as is daughter. But was she biologically tied to him, or even human? If there is "creating" a hybrid of some sort, to me it doesn't matter how, what matters is, why?
I don't think it is all about a physical transformation; it seems that it also encompasses emotional, mental and even spiritual transformation.
Reminder: We're told pregnant women die on the island. Let's not forget that in "All the best cowboys have daddy issues" a pregnant woman dies on the O.R. table at the hands of Jack and Christian. But this bit of info may come in handy when trying to show examples of them never really leaving the "island"; more on that next time.
Special: Locke, Walt, and Hurley. Who else? What makes them special or different? Let's not forget Shannon was special too.
Tests, Experiments, Exercises and Challenges: Since early on in S1, I have felt they've done all this before, lived on the "Island" running through things. When they first heard the monster sound they were concerned but never freaked out. As a matter of fact, when Walt hears that sound for the first time he asks Michael if that's Vincent. They found their way around the "Island" pretty comfortably. All their needs were always met, food, drink, meds, suntan lotion, pregnancy tests, reading material, etc.. I gave more insight to this back when we saw the episode The Other 48 Days. For me, the answer was right there in the title. There was, (at least) another set of 48 days, confirming they have done all this before. But how many times? 10? In that same episode Sawyer recalls in his haze, leaving Michael behind.
Being there before; returning. Did they ever leave? Since early on in S1 I felt Michael was one who may be remembering his tie to the "Island" and its people. Maybe that's why he was so determined to leave. The rest of them don't remember their tie to the "Island."
Remember this dialogue in the Missing Pieces episode Tropical Depression:
MICHAEL to Arzt- "It's Ok. The raft is finished. We're getting out of here. We're going to bring back help."
ARZT- "You are! I know you are! I know you are! And I am going to be the first one on the beach waving 'hello' when you get there."
TIME: There are inconsistencies with "time" issues. Do you think there's "Time Travel"? Where is it?! Did Desmond really time travel? I think it's possible he could be having "Flashes" of blended/blurred images of real and manipulated memory in "Flashes". These could connect to altered states of consciousness. If that is the possibility then Desmond experienced that not only in Flashes before Your Eyes, but also in The Constant.
Again, an altered conscious mind can happen via: Lucid Dreams, False awakening, Dream within a Dream, Flash within a Flash, Déjà vu, Memory and a bit of withdrawal from a hallucinogenic drug, drugs, alcohol, psychedelic drugs, brain washing, machines/computers, hypnosis, and even meditation.
Is Desmond a Pilot or Co Pilot in any of this, anyway?
I know you're going to say..."But Karen, Ben asked/mentions the year to the hotel desk clerk" and it seemed more like he, in his Ben way, cutely confirmed the year, not questioned it. Time Travel or Not to Time Travel, that is the question.
Some questions and things to note:
*Triggers: Would include things like, plane parts, caskets, dolls, the drug plane, Virgin Mary statues, rings, watches, books, (running) water, people, places, words, songs, x-rays, Vincent and a bunch of other fun items. Hypnotic suggestion seemed to be what was going on in One of Us, when Juliet heads out to the jungle to retrieve the medical kit and Sayid and Sawyer follow her. She speaks to them as if she "telling them" what to think and they appear hypnotized to me.
*Did Claire give Aaron away or did Christian? Claire looked loopy like she did when Ethan took her to the medical station.
* How old are the survivors? I'm sure Richard isn't the only one who hasn't aged. Is he really "native"? Could he be a regular person/scientist benefiting from the properties of the "island" or the studies of life extension by other scientists or something else? Besides, he better share some of whatever he's taking with me.
* THREE: The number of baby cribs in Cabin Fever. Two blue blankets and One pink. So is that where Boone, Charlie and Libby come up? Jack mentions them in the press conference. Why does he pick those three names?
* Are cryogenics involved? I'm just asking!!
Important facts:
* WAKE UP! They're always being told to Wake up!
* Yes, THEY ARE BEING WATCHED!!
* What is real and what is not?
* Eye color changes.
* Penny's boat the "SEARCHER" has no port city on it.
* Sayid spent time in France yet couldn't understand Danielle's 16 year loop recording in French. Why?
* Desmond and Juliet on the island 3 years. Coincidence? HA!
* According to the Blast Door Map, The Medical Station was abandoned in 1985. So how is Claire in the medical station with Ethan?
According to Hanso, D.I. was canceled in 1987 (funding cut).
Shut down 10.28.84. The Purge- 12.19.1992
Other Blast Door Map dates/numbers: 04.08.00, 08.15.01, 01.06.03
Kelvin and Desmond in the hatch 9.22.04
These dates show that the tests/studies never really ended.
The following is important info that I investigated while researching episode notes and previous posts.
Vocabulary...and Research...and Tid Bits...
* Agartha: is a legendary city that is said to reside in the Earth's core. It is related to the Hollow Earth theory and is a popular subject in Esotericism.
* Lost Horizon: is a 1933 novel by English writer James Hilton. It is best remembered as the origin of Shangri-La, a fictional Utopian lamasery high in the mountains of Tibet. People live a very long time, speak and understand many languages. Familiar names from the story are Rutherford, Rock and Chang.
* Imaginary friends: are pretend characters often created by children. Imaginary friends perform a tutelary function when they are engaged by the child in play activity. Imaginary friends may exist for the child into adolescence and sometimes adulthood. Imaginary friends often have elaborate personalities and behaviors. Although they may seem very real to their creators, studies have shown that children understand that their imaginary friends are not real.
* Simulated reality: is the proposition that reality could be simulated perhaps by
computer simulation to a degree indistinguishable from "true reality. In its strongest form, the "simulation hypothesis" claims it is probable that we are actually living in such a simulation. This is different from the current, technologically achievable concept of virtual reality.
* Virtual reality: is easily distinguished from the experience of "true" reality; participants are never in doubt about the nature of what they experience. Simulated reality, by contrast, would be hard or impossible to distinguish from "true" reality.
* Psychology and parapsychology, an apparition is an anomalous, quasi-perceptual experience. The term "ghost" implies that some element of the human being survives death and, at least under certain circumstances, can make itself perceptible to living human beings.
* Laboratory: (lab)-A facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments and measurement may be performed. Scientific labs can be found in schools, universities, industry, government or military facilities, and even aboard ships and spacecraft.
* "Mind's eye:" refers to the human ability for visual perception, imagination, visualization, and memory or, in other words, one's ability to "see" things with the mind.
* "Third eye": is a metaphysical and esoteric concept referring in part to the ajna (brow) chakra in certain Eastern and Western spiritual traditions. It is also spoken of as the gate that leads within to inner realms and spaces of higher consciousness.
* The map is not the territory: is a remark by Alfred Korzybski, Korzybski's dictum ("The map is not the territory") is also cited as an underlying principle used in neuro-linguistic programming, where it is used to signify that individual people in fact do not in general have access to absolute knowledge of reality, but in fact only have access to a set of beliefs they have built up over time, about reality. So it is considered important to be aware that people's beliefs about reality and their awareness of things (the "map") are not reality itself or everything they could be aware of ("the territory").
* Neuro-linguistic programming: (usually shortened to NLP) is an interpersonal communication model and an alternative approach to psychotherapy.
* Imagination as a reality: The world as experienced is an interpretation of data arriving from the senses, as such it is perceived as real by contrast to most thoughts and imaginings. This difference is only one of degree and can be altered by several historic causes, namely changes to brain chemistry, hypnosis, altered states of consciousness, meditation, many hallucinogenic drugs, and electricity applied directly to specific parts of the brain. The difference between imagined and perceived real can be so imperceptible as to cause acute states of psychosis. Many mental illnesses can be attributed to this inability to distinguish between the sensed and the internally created worlds. Some cultures and traditions even view the apparently shared world as an illusion of the mind as with the Buddhist, Maya or go to the opposite extreme and accept the imagined and dreamed realms as of equal validity to the apparently shared world as the Australian Aborigines do with their concept of dream time.
* The Minka Bird is a creature featured in Aboriginal dream time stories. According to the Aboriginals, the sighting of the Minka Bird foretells certain death.
* Astral projection: (or astral travel) is an esoteric interpretation of an out-of-body experience achieved either awake or via lucid dreaming or deep meditation.
* Teleportation: is the movement of objects from one place to another, more or less instantaneously, without traveling through space. The concept has been widely used in science fiction. It should not be confused with quantum teleportation.
* Parapsychology: (Greek "alongside" + psychology) -study of ostensibly paranormal events including ESP, psycho kinesis, and survival of consciousness after death. Parapsychologists call these processes psi, a term intended to be descriptive without implying a mechanism. Parapsychology is a fringe science because it involves research that does not fit within standard theoretical models accepted by mainstream science. Para psychological research involves laboratory research and fieldwork, which is conducted at privately funded laboratories and some universities around the world. Experiments conducted by para psychologists have included the use of random number generators to test for evidence of psycho kinesis, sensory-deprivation.
* Ganzfeld experiments: to test for ESP, and research trials conducted under contract to the United States government to investigate the possibility of remote viewing.
* Zener cards: cards used to conduct experiments for ESP, most often clairvoyance. Perceptual psychologist Karl Zener designed the cards in the early 1930s. There are just 5 different Zener cards: a hollow circle (one curve), a Greek cross (two lines), three vertical wavy lines (or "waves"), a hollow square (four lines), and a hollow five-pointed star. There are 25 cards in a pack, 5 of each design.
* The 8-Circuit Model of Consciousness: is a theory of consciousness first proposed by psychologist Timothy Leary. It models the mind as a collection of 8 "circuits", with each circuit representing a higher stage of evolution than the one before it.
* The Fly: was a brig of 100 tons that sailed from Calcutta India on 14 May 1802 bound for Sydney, Australia. It was carrying a cargo of 4000 gallons of spirits and was commanded by John Black. It was never heard of again.
* Folie à deux: (literally, "a madness shared by two") is a rare psychiatric syndrome in which a symptom of psychosis (particularly a paranoid or delusional belief) is transmitted from one individual to another. The same syndrome shared by more than 2 people may be called folie à trois, folie à quatre, folie à famille , folie à plusieurs (madness of many)
* Bernard Trevisan: (Bernard of Treviso, Bernardus Trevisanus) refers to one or more Italian alchemists. These are often confused, or more accurately the name may refer to a shadowy figure or figures.
* Mahâbhûta: is Pali for the "Great Elements." The 4 Great Elements (Pali: cattâro mahâbhûtâni) are earth, water, fire and air. Mahâbhûta is generally synonymous with catudhâtu, which is Pâli for the "4 Elements." In early Buddhism the 4 Elements are a basis for understanding and for liberating oneself from suffering.
* A form constant: is one of several geometric patterns which are recurring, observed during hallucinations and altered states of consciousness.
* The Panopticon is a type of prison building designed by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham in 1785. The concept of the design is to allow an observer to observe (-opticon) all (pan-) prisoners without the prisoners being able to tell whether they are being watched, thereby conveying what one architect has called the "sentiment of an invisible omniscience." Bentham has said this is obtaining power of mind over mind, in a quantity hitherto without example.
* Dharma: Teachings of Buddha. The Start of the 8 fold path.
* Bardo: a Tibetan word means "Intermediate State" also translated as "transitional state" or "in-between state.
Together "six Bardos" form a classification of states of consciousness into six broad types: The Bardo of This Life, Bardo of Meditation, Bardo of Dream, Bardo of Dying, Bardo of Dharmata, and the Bardo of Existence.
Any state of consciousness can form a type of "intermediate state", intermediate between other states of consciousness. One can consider any momentary state of consciousness a Bardo, since it lies between our past and future existences; it provides us with the opportunity to experience reality, which is always present but obscured by the projections and confusions that are due to our previous unskillful actions.
The Liberation Through Hearing During The Intermediate State or Bardo Thodol is a funerary text.
The Liberation Through Hearing During the Intermediate State also mentions three other Bardos: those of "life" (or ordinary waking consciousness), of "Dhyana" (meditation), and of "dream" (the dream state during normal sleep).
Let's have some fun. You may think the picture posted above is here for a test on optical illusion, and yes it can be used in that way. But I want to use it to show perception. We obtain information about the world around us through our sensory system. Our perception is shaped by sensory input combined with experience. But perception can be tricked.
The image in the picture is permanently fixed so we can't change the lines and shapes. But our minds will organize the lines and shapes into a picture with meaning "to us". It will be different for some as opposed to others.
It is fact that perception can change as emotions change. Perception alters what we people see into a "partial version" of reality, which ultimately corrupts the way people perceive the truth. When people view something with a preconceived idea about it they tend to take those preconceived ideas and see them whether or not they are there. This is because humans are unable to understand new information without the inherent bias of their previous knowledge. The extent of our own knowledge/experience creates our reality as much as the truth, because the human mind can only contemplate that which it has been exposed to. The Buddhists believe "Piercing the veil of illusion." This means that our minds are shaping sensory data and we have a choice as to how we shape it.
Go back and check out my other episode clues notes for lots of details and researched items.
With the few things I mention here, along with the discussion of perception and illusion, can that be a bit of what the "islanders" are experiencing? Combine that with all the other things noted, I.E. altered state of consciousness, medication, hypnosis, lucid dreaming. PLUS illusion, tricks, magic and razzle dazzle. Could this part of the story be telling us this is due to them being challenged/tested or taught with psychology and/or parapsychology all for the purpose of finding what you've lost?
It is possible that in all that confusion..."Up is down!"
Love to all who are "LOST" ™
Disclaimer:I never claim to know everything about the show and my thoughts by no means make me right! Things I share here are my views and/or opinions. I don't claim to catch every single detail either. I hate spoilers! I stand clear of reading certain sites, as to not take me off my own research. The one thing I don't need to do here is rehash all of the obvious clues from an episode, we all know what they are. Good! I'll only note things that I know come up as clues in bold.
Labels: 2 versions, Chess, Con, Dream, drugs, eyes, hypnosis, illusion, Magic, Objects in mirror are closer than they appear, Perception, Santa Rosa, sleep, subliminal, tricks, triggers, wake up


Karan Bhagat is Founder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IIFL Investment Managers. Karan joined IIFL Holdings Ltd. (formerly India Infoline) to set up IIFL Investment Managers in 2008.
He is responsible for driving the organization's philosophy, mission, vision and its strategic goals and objectives. He has built a team of experienced and talented professionals from within and outside the industry, who manage some of the most distinguished families in India and abroad.
Under his able leadership, IIFL Investment Managers has grown from its humble beginnings to one of the leading wealth management companies in India managing over USD20 billion in client assets.
Karan has two decades of experience in the financial services industry. He featured in Fortune India's '40 under 40' list in 2016 and 2017 and The Economic Times '40 under Forty' list in 2017. He has received the URS Asia One Global Indian of the Year award in 2018.
Karan holds an MBA in Finance from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and acquired his Bachelor's Degree in Commerce from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata.


John Travolta and Barry Miller at the 30th anniversary screening of "Saturday Night Fever."
Barry Miller, Joseph Cali and Donna Pescow at the 30th anniversary screening of "Saturday Night Fever."
Barry Miller and Joseph Cali at the 30th anniversary screening of "Saturday Night Fever."
Barry Miller at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 30th anniversary screening of "Saturday Night Fever."


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Click on the picture to see the larger version.
Sugar Mountain Press Release
Sugar Mountain: "Madonna of the Four", 1997, sugar and mixed media, 56 x 35 x 37 in.
Sugar Mountain: "Pieta"
1997, sugar and mixed media
55 x 23 x 24 in.
Sugar Mountain: "Pieta" (closeup)
sugar and mixed media
Sugar Mountain: "Madonna of the Altar"
"Pieta 2001"
water and mixed medium
104 x 105 x 105 in.
"Ashita no Joe: The Tokyo Icon"
89 x 100 x 87 in.
Fura S. (Nobi Shioya)
On Wednesday, October 29, 123 Watts will present an exhibition of works by an engaging Japanese-American sculptor, Fura S. This will be FuraAlbany, New York in 1958 and moved to Japan with his family in the 60Kamakura before entering Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. In 1988, Fura S. returned to the United States and he now lives and works in New York City.
For the past five years, Fura has been working on his private project "Water Series", as well as being actively involved with public art projects. In the "Water Series", Fura reflects his personal side. The 1996 exhibition "Submersions" consisted of religious figures (Piet`, Saint, Altar Boys) submerged in water-filled containers made of epoxy resin and fiberglass. Fura continues to explore the "Water Series". He is currently fabricating two gigantic pieces. The first, "Ashita no Joe: The Tokyo Icon," is a stark white, life-size sculpture of a young boxer (the hero of a popular Japanese comic strip from the late 60sculpture entitled "Piet` 2001", is a remake of MichelangeloPiet` submerged in a huge cylindrical glass tank of water. The lens effect of glass and water distorts the image. Both sculptures should be completed by the year 2000.
In SUGAR MOUNTAIN, Fura departs from water, his favorite material. The exhibition will feature three sculptures primarily made of sugar and presented in a set-like installation. Both floor and walls are made of raw plywood panels. Fura S. says: "This is like going off into a doze in class after lunch. I just wanted to spend some time on something stemming from my silly ideas and idle memories.... Putting these together in an installation is a bit like digging a big hole and ditches in your parentsown landscape."
Fura S. offers us some of his "day dreams" revolving around the Madonna. The shape of the three sculptures evokes mountains. The installation evokes the intimate feeling one would experience upon entering a small Japanese garden, teahouse or even the narrow ways found in any of the cities in Japan. In SUGAR MOUNTAIN, the medium plays a prominent part. Here, sugar is used as opposed to salt, which is used in religious rituals. Sugar has a profane character. Like salt, it has a crystalline whiteness that suggests purity but sugar also represents sweetness and pleasure. For Fura S., sugar is associated with intimate childhood memories. It reminds him of a characteristic body scent of white American kids he used to play with, which was different from that of Japanese kids.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you are lucky enough to to be buying for a special someone this Valentine's Day who has certain, shall we say, higher standards than the average love of your life, then worry no more. We've put together a selection of beautiful gifts only transcended by the beauty of the gift receiver. You can use that in the card if you like too, you're welcome. And they're not just bees.


Thursday 14 December 2006, 6.30 for 7.00 p.m.
Trained in both economics and law, Sirc is able to unite the perspective of a scholar with personal experience to observe firsthand the dangers of communist regimes. Born in Kranj, Slovenia, he participated in the Resistance and served in the Yugoslav Army between 1941 and 1945. In 1947, due to his political opposition and friendship with Western diplomats, he was sentenced to death. His sentence was ultimately commuted to twenty years in prison, of which he served seven, much of it in solitary confinement. In his various teaching posts since then, including twenty years at the University of Glasgow, Sirc has been a leading expert on socialist economics and communist regimes. He is the author of numerous books and articles in a variety of languages. His autobiography, Between Hitler and Tito, was published in 1989.
Philip Hanson is Professor Emeritus of the Political Economy of Russia and Eastern Europe at The University of Birmingham and a former Director of that university�s Centre for Russian and East European Studies. He has published widely on the Soviet and Russian economies and on post-communist transition. His books include From Stagnation to Catastroika, 1992; Regional Economic Change in Russia (co-edited with Michael Bradshaw), 2000; and The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Economy: An Economic History of the USSR after 1945, 2003.


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SUBCHAPTER V
§ 360bbb–8d
21 U.S. Code § 360bbb–8d - Notification, nondistribution, and recall of controlled substances
(a) Order to cease distribution and recall
(1) In general
If the Secretary determines there is a reasonable probability that a controlled substance would cause serious adverse health consequences or death, the Secretary may, after providing the appropriate person with an opportunity to consult with the agency, issue an order requiring manufacturers, importers, distributors, or pharmacists, who distribute such controlled substance to immediately cease distribution of such controlled substance.
(2) Hearing
An order under paragraph (1) shall provide the person subject to the order with an opportunity for an informal hearing, to be held not later than 10 days after the date of issuance of the order, on whether adequate evidence exists to justify an amendment to the order, and what actions are required by such amended order pursuant to subparagraph (3).
(3) Order resolutionAfter an order is issued according to the process under paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary shall, except as provided in paragraph (4)—
vacate the order, if the Secretary determines that inadequate grounds exist to support the actions required by the order;
continue the order ceasing distribution of the controlled substance until a date specified in such order; or
amend the order to require a recall of the controlled substance, including any requirements to notify appropriate persons, a timetable for the recall to occur, and a schedule for updates to be provided to the Secretary regarding such recall.
(4) Risk assessment
If the Secretary determines that the risk of recalling a controlled substance presents a greater health risk than the health risk of not recalling such controlled substance from use, an amended order under subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (3) shall not include either a recall order for, or an order to cease distribution of, such controlled substance, as applicable.
(5) Action following order
Any person who is subject to an order pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (3) shall immediately cease distribution of or recall, as applicable, the controlled substance and provide notification as required by such order.
(b) Notice to persons affected
If the Secretary determines necessary, the Secretary may require the person subject to an order pursuant to paragraph (1) or an amended order pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (C) of paragraph (3) to provide either a notice of a recall order for, or an order to cease distribution of, such controlled substance, as applicable, under this section to appropriate persons, including persons who manufacture, distribute, import, or offer for sale such product that is the subject of an order and to the public. In providing such notice, the Secretary may use the assistance of health professionals who prescribed or dispensed such controlled substances.
(c) Nondelegation
An order described in subsection (a)(3) shall be ordered by the Secretary or an official designated by the Secretary. An official may not be so designated under this section unless the official is the Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research or an official senior to such Director.
(d) Savings clauseNothing contained in this section shall be construed as limiting—
the authority of the Secretary to issue an order to cease distribution of, or to recall, any drug under any other provision of this chapter or the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 201 et seq.]; or
the ability of the Secretary to request any person to perform a voluntary activity related to any drug subject to this chapter or the Public Health Service Act.
(June 25, 1938, ch. 675, § 569D, as added Pub. L. 115–271, title III, § 3012(b), Oct. 24, 2018, 132 Stat. 3935.)
References in Text
The Public Health Service Act, referred to in subsec. (d), is act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, 58 Stat. 682, which is classified generally to chapter 6A (§ 201 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 201 of Title 42 and Tables.
U.S. Code Toolbox


In the midst of a refleeting exercise in the UAE, and after winning an Indian Non-Scheduled Operator`s Permit (NSOP, effectively an Indian AOC) last December—which it hopes will pave the way for a number of opportunities on the sub-continent—Dubai-based Empire Aviation Group is set to report a strong 2018.
"We have undertaken some aircraft replacements for our aircraft owners this year, which has been a terrific year for aircraft sales. Financially we are strong, and the number of planes under management has risen and is now very stable," Paras Dhamecha, executive director of Empire Aviation Group, told AIN in the run-up to MEBAA Dubai 2018.
"We are busy completing six transactions, with three currently under contract, two deals already completed, and one more in the pipeline, which we hope will close later in the year," he said. "If we can achieve everything in the sales pipeline, then 2018 will be the best year for us for several years regarding aircraft sales."
Dhamecha noted that all six aircraft sales are fleet replacements for owners who have been looking to upgrade their aircraft, for example, from a Falcon 2000 to a Falcon 7X, or moving from an Embraer Legacy to a Lineage. "The advantage we have is that we are not tied to any OEM and can advise the customer on what is best suited to [their] requirements and then acquire the right aircraft from the appropriate manufacturer."
Dhamecha said that cabin size in the managed fleet was increasing inexorably, as new aircraft come into the fleet. "Owners may not necessarily be very loyal to an aircraft brand, but they do move around within brands. It depends on owner requirements and preferences, and this tends to be a mix: newer preowned, certainly larger preowned, or larger new. The overall fleet size hasn`t changed but there have been replacements. Some owners have sold their aircraft and have been replaced by new owners."
EAG`s business is predominantly aircraft management and its aircraft owners are the predominant users. "Today, our charter fleet is five or six aircraft out of a total of 20-plus under management. Charter is purely a cost-saving exercise to contribute toward the overall operating and holding costs of these aircraft, but it is not something that is core to those owners," he said.
"Charter accounts for between 20 percent and a maximum of 40 percent of hours on our managed fleet of aircraft. This depends on owner preference. We have owners who do not want to charter more than a certain number of hours a month. We also have owners who will tell us: `Do what you want.` The difference in the Middle East is that owners are not too concerned about chartering their airplanes to subsidize their costs. Of course, the more you charter, the more wear and tear you have on the airplane."
Dhamecha said there had been a shake-out in ownership in the past decade. "Today, the aircraft owners who remain are those who can really afford the aircraft, and this is a trend we have seen since 2008-09; only people who can afford or really need an airplane have kept one—but not as a luxury. People who [took] aircraft as an investment or an asset have not stayed in the market," he said.
"Aircraft today are big and bright. If you look back over the last 10 years, Empire was predominantly a midsize operator. Now we have only one midsize on the fleet—everything else is an Embraer Legacy or larger. The fleet consists of several Global XRSs or bigger, Gulfstream G450 or G650; we still have a Falcon 7X, a Falcon 900DX, and a handful of Legacys."
Dhamecha said more distant destinations are increasingly driving aircraft size. "The reason that these fleet aircraft have grown in size is that people now need more and more connectivity and, in our business, the longer you want to fly, the bigger the airplane has to be. The fact of the matter is, if we have a customer who needs to get from Dubai to Beijing or Tokyo, they need to be in a big aircraft," he said.
"These days, it`s not a corporate executive who`s flying around. It`s basically the business principal or the chairman, or the ultra-high-net-worth individual. If they can afford it, they prefer not to make a stop or two to arrive in Tokyo tomorrow. They want to be able to go there and come back, nonstop."
Dhamecha said EAG is "very bullish" on India, despite competition from a number of other companies, such as Titan Aviation. It obtained its NSOP in December 2017; "This opens up several opportunities and we are discussing moving forward to operate commercial aircraft. I would like to think we are in pole position on management in India," he said.
"It is a market we are looking at quite seriously. The economic environment is improving and overall business confidence is good, so people are starting to make a move. Aircraft owners are starting to understand and accept the management model and more people are getting into the market with newer aircraft or are first-time buyers."
EAG has already made inroads into the market. "The Ministry of Civil Aviation announced two months ago that they would allow and recognize management companies. We do have one aircraft that we operate on our Indian AOC, a Legacy 650. If things go well, we will add two-to-three more aircraft this year. Currently, on the aircraft we manage, we have to be the lessor on record. Most of our customers are people who have acquired the aircraft," he said.
"India obviously has private aircraft and what`s new is third-party management coming in. Before, it was either a pilot running his own AOC, or a fully integrated private department in-house, because there were no third-party providers. When we started in 2012, it was difficult; people did not have much of a grasp of the management concept, but now it is becoming easier."
The market is very much based on word of mouth. "The concept is: 'management is not going to cost us; If anything, it`s going to be a cost-saving.` We offer savings in the resources that owners have to create. We give them the economies of scale, as an international operator of 25 aircraft, compared to the cost of them setting up their own department of 12 people," he said.
"India`s Tier 1 airports are congested but ferrying the aircraft back and forth to Nagpur, which is a four-hour drive, doesn`t make sense. [And] I have not heard of anyone attempting to introduce a full-service executive airport," Dhamecha reflected.
EAG was acquired in 2012 by Air Works India Engineering Pvt. Ltd, based in Delhi. The Empire Aircraft Management Services Pvt. Ltd. branch is situated in Bangalore.
EAG has moved ahead on a Hong Kong-based joint venture, which already has two aircraft operating in Asia, with a view to growing the fleet size in the near future. "As with everything, the Empire philosophy is to build the foundation and then chase after the business, so we are currently completing work on our local infrastructure before growing that business to make sure that we are able to deliver to our own standards," he said.
And what of Nigeria? The effects of the oil-price crash, which affected Nigeria in 2014-16, continue to linger but progress is being made, he told AIN. "Nigeria is stable. We still have our regular customers… but there is nothing new happening in private aviation [there]. When oil prices fell, we lost some of our customers. Our local partner, Triton Aviation, continues to take care of ground handling and crewing as before."
Many EAG aircraft sales are conducted with the assistance of its office in the U.S. "Arizona is doing well and the U.S. is the largest buying and selling market. In all our transactions, one leg always seems to be in the U.S.," Dhamecha said.
He noted that consultancy for clients on optimal aircraft selection is a vital part of the company`s work. "Each OEM today has got an aircraft in a similar class. Ultimately, it comes down to the personal choice of buyers. A buyer may look at a [Gulfstream] G650, but then he can sit in a [Dassault] Falcon 7X and say, 'I love this.` The due diligence required for aircraft acquisition can take from three to 18 months."


Social media has opened a lot of doors for businesses of all sizes, making it easier than ever to connect with potential customers, run ad campaigns and get the most out of marketing dollars. However, with so many companies vying for attention, it can be difficult for small businesses to gain the necessary visibility for social media to pay off in tangible ways.
One of the biggest challenges that small businesses face in the realm of social media is competing with more well-established companies. Big corporations have brands that are recognizable by a wide audience, making it easier for them to create a viable social media presence. Small businesses looking to get into social media have to compete with this level of prominence. That means investing a lot of time and energy and having the budget to handle any unexpected expenses involved in getting a new, unknown brand into the public eye.
Though Facebook and Twitter are still the "big ones" in the social media world, other platforms such as LinkedIn, Google +, YouTube and even Pinterest have benefits for businesses. The trick for a small business with a limited marketing budget is picking which platforms will have the most impact on sales. This varies from business to business and depends on where the customer base is most active. If potential customers are hanging out on several different social media sites, it makes sense to set up a profile on each of them. However, if a business is targeting a niche market, there may only be one or two social media profiles that will draw customers. It's important to research this before getting into social media so that time and money aren't wasted on dead-end endeavors.
No business large or small can simply set up social media profiles and expect them to take off without a significant time investment. Gaining a large number of followers doesn't happen overnight; small business owners need to network online just like in "real life." An effective social media strategy is a work in progress that will need to be tweaked as certain techniques prove useful and others don't. When in doubt as to how to approach something, small business owners shouldn't be afraid to ask questions of others who have already been through the process. This can offer important insights and save a lot of frustration in the long run.
Sales may be the main goal of social media for a business, but nobody wants to read content that always sounds like ad copy. Small businesses have a leg up on larger corporations in this regard. When real, individual people handle social media rather than SEO or SMO companies, it's much easier to connect with customers on a personal level. Whether answering a tweet or answering common questions in a blog post, having that personal connection shows customers that there's someone behind the brand who cares about what they want and what they expect to get out of the products and services the company offers.
Getting involved in social media as a small business is a challenge, but perseverance is necessary in order to see a payoff. Taking time to understand the growing landscape of social media platforms and learn how to best connect with customers gives small businesses the advantage they need when trying to compete in the world of Internet marketing.


A Hatfield man received minor injuries when the farm tractor he was operating tipped over in a farm pond.
78-year old Edwin Hulett of Hatfield was taken to Ringgold County Hospital at Mount Ayr, Iowa.
The accident happened late Saturday afternoon in a farm field one mile west of Hatfield in northwestern Harrison County. The patrol reports the tractor was traveling in the field when it tipped over in the pond.
Damage to the tractor was listed as minor.


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Apple Music Releases 2nd Annual Collection of Exclusive Holiday Tracks
by Anna D'Amico November 30, 2021, 5:32 pm
Apple Music returned this year with another all-star lineup for Carols Covered, a collection of exclusive holiday tracks.
The collection launched on November 19 with 15 songs, and an additional 10 songs from international artists added after the official launch. Featured artists on the initial launch include Ari Lennox, Wolf Alice, Griff, and Tate McRae, among others. French singer-songwriter Barbara Pravi, Chinese multi-genre singer Tia Ray, and Mexican pop singer and actress Danna Paola are a few of the international artists who will appear in the collection going forward. Last year, Carols Covered 2020 kicked off with artists such as Arlo Parks, Victoria Monét, and FLETCHER.
This year, each song on the 2021 collection will be available in spatial audio, new audio technology from Apple. This technology makes the sound seem like it's coming from all around you when using compatible AirPods and an Apple device.
Gabby Barrett, whose version of "Silent Night" appears in this year's collection, chose the tune because it's one of her favorite Christmas songs and holds dear childhood memories.
"I think what really strikes me about the story of silent night would be that it is talking about our Lord's birth, with the words of, 'Son of God, loves pure light, radiant beams from thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus Lord of thy birth. Jesus Lord of thy birth.' And so, the whole song just speaks about that night that Christ was born and it's detailed and it describes what the night was like. And I think it's just a beautifully written song. I think it is so beautifully lyrically written, a song that talks about a calm, silent night, and expressing the wonders of a newborn child, our Lord being born. And so I think it's just beautiful in every way, and I'm excited to have everybody hear it," said Barrett.
Joy Oladokun covered "Jingle Bells," which she describes as a sign that Christmas is coming.
"I decided to cover Jingle Bells just because it's a fun song. Everybody has a goofy version that they sing in a car or like a version that they grew up listening to. It's a cool representative of Christmas time that doesn't necessarily have any religious or spiritual undertones. It's literally just about the sounds and the vibe of the season. I think there's an undercurrent of joy, you know what it's like to have a snow day and a sled and to sort of experience the movement and the serenity and the cold and the family time that sort of comes with the season. And I feel like Jingle Bells sort of speaks to that nostalgia and that joy and that feeling. I think a lot of my music is just sort of centered around time and the seasons and how they make us feel and how I feel and process things as the world goes by. And I think Christmas is a time consistently where even if life is hard, there's still this sense of unity and goodwill in the air," said Oladokun.
"Jingle Bells brings up memories of being a kid and just the anticipation that comes with Christmas. Because you hear it everywhere and it's almost as if Jingle Bells is this audible countdown. You hear it in the grocery store and you're like, oh my gosh, Christmas is coming. And someone's humming it at school and you're like, Christmas is coming. And so, I think it reminds me of like that tension and then excitement of like what am I getting? Or what am I going to give? And just being a kid in the magic of that season," she concluded.
Check out Carols Covered here.
Photo of Gabby Barrett by Robby Klein.
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Nicolás Casariego
Professor, Master in Customer Experience & Innovation, Master in Digital Business & Innovation, Master in Digital Marketing FT and Master in Digital Marketing PT
Professor, Customer Analytics Farm Director, IE School of Human Sciences & Technology
Professor, IE Business School
Founder & Director, Paattern Lab
Advisory Board Member, Forctis AG
ncasariego@faculty.ie.edu
Communication, Media & Marketing
Quantitative Research & Analysis
Customer Strategy & Management
Customer Centricity: The New Customer in The Digital Age
Hands-On Immersion Week
Nicolás Casariego is a senior leader and consultant in data-driven customer-centric solutions, software entrepreneur, researcher and author.
Nicolas is currently Founder & Director of Paattern Lab, Director of the Customer Analytics Farm at IE School of Human Sciences & Technology, Professor of CRM/CXM, Customer Analytics & Technology Innovation at IE HST School, and member of the Advisory board of Forctis blockchain.
Nicolás is former CTO & Head of Analytics of MRM/McCann in Spain, and also worked as Senior Consultant to Grey/G2 and OgilvyOne.
With a technological and analytical background, he has an extensive experience in consulting, building and running customer-centric solutions (in Marketing, Digital, CRM, Loyalty, e-Business and Customer Intelligence).
Nicolás has worked across Europe and Latin America for blue-chip brands like Amex, Banco Santander, Bell South, BAT, L'Oréal, MasterCard, Nokia, Opel, Renault, Repsol, Telefónica/Movistar and Warner Bros.
Throughout his professional career has also participated in several R&D initiatives.


Like most self-opinionated journalists, the words 'I am very sorry, I was wrong" are very hard for me to come by.
However, it is incumbent upon me to hold up my hands and admit that all of my 2019 predictions have been proved to be inaccurate thus far.
My claim that Theresa May's political career would come to an end before the binmen took the Christmas tree away proved to be wildly off the mark. Then there was the assertion that Radio 2 would never again be played in the car at home time once Sara Cox took over the mike but I have been well and truly won over. And we should draw a line under my unwavering belief that my team, Portsmouth, would be pretty much promoted by the end of January.
These are all minor blips when you compare it to my view that if I had extra cash in my pocket, then life would seem that much rosier. It seems that this view, shared by almost everybody who has to go to work, is now as outdated as my DVD library when you consider the latest data by the Office for National Statistics.
We are now being told that despite the fact we have sky-high number of people in work and rising levels of spending power, our national sense of well-being has stalled.
Our centrally-funded number-crunchers have been measuring our feelings ever since they were instructed to do so by David Cameron, a man who is in pole position for the title of Most Maligned Politician of the Decade, which is impressive when you consider the competition he is up against.
Our Dave was keen that statistics were compiled on how happy people were. This was introduced in 2010, two years after the financial crash that shook the world.
As I am clearly a lousy pundit, it doesn't make any sense for me to make any more predictions but, given the uncertainty that we face in the coming months, I cannot see us becoming happier bunnies this year. There is every chance I will be wrong. Let's hope so.


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Pawn Power in Chess960
If the title of this post reminds you of the book 'Pawn Power in Chess' by Hans Kmoch, that's exactly what it's meant to do. I read it years ago, and while I can't say that it had any direct impact on my knowledge of chess, it certainly made me think more about Pawn structures. Already having some familiarity with the book's ideas, I wondered, 'How much of its content is relevant to chess960?'
'Pawn Power' is divided into three parts: 'The Elements of Pawn Play', 'Pawns and Pieces', and 'Pawn Power in the Game'. The first part, the 'Elements', presents the basic formations of Pawns that can arise during the course of a game: passed, isolated, backward, doubled, chained, etc. Unfortunately, Kmoch introduced an entirely new terminology that obscures his explanation and that renders his exposition meaningless without a guide to translation. For example,
'Helpers and sentries neutralize each other if there is a helper for every sentry. A half-free Pawn with inadequate help is no true candidate, but a faker.' (p.6) • 'An unfree Pawn or a faker may suddenly become a passer of decisive power by means of a sacrificial combination. We call such a Pawn a sneaker.' (p.8) • And much more of the same.
Chessville.com has just such a guide: Glossary of Terms 'Pawn Power in Chess'. If you manage to cut through the jargon, which was never adopted by other chess writers, you will see that his catalog of Pawn structures is comprehensive and applies equally to chess960.
The second part, 'Pawns and Pieces', presents specific characteristics of Pawn structures that enhance or reduce the powers of the Bishop, the Knight, and the Rook, with one chapter on each of the three pieces. For example, Bishops are affected by masses of Pawns on the same color or the opposite color that the Bishop moves; Knights prefer outposts where they can't be harrassed by enemy Pawns; Rooks work best on open files. This again applies equally to chess960, although Kmoch's examples are naturally drawn from positions in traditional chess (SP518 RNBQKBNR) where the specific opening is usually discernible in the position.
A further chapter, 'The Sealer and the Sweeper', deals with Pawn moves that close and open the position. I can't remember seeing any of this sort of action in any chess960 games, but there is nothing inherent to chess960 that excludes it from taking place. The last chapter in part two, 'The Center and the Fork Trick', is about a specific tactic that occurs in traditional chess, usually from 1.e4 openings.
The third part, 'Pawn Power in the Game', is about common formations that arise in the opening of traditional chess. About 60 pages, representing 20% of the book, deal with Benoni formations. I doubt there is much here that applies to chess960.
A web search on 'Pawn Power in Chess' returns reviews of more recent books in the same genre, for example Understanding Pawn Play in Chess on JeremySilman.com. While I haven't read any of these other books, I wouldn't be surprised to find that their content is just as relevant to chess960 as Kmoch's opus: 50% exclusive to traditional chess, 50% generic to chess960. This is still a higher percentage than most chess books, especially books on the opening, which are 100% exclusive to traditional chess.
Posted by Mark Weeks at 7/30/2011 05:49:00 PM 2 comments: Links to this post
Labels: Jargon, Theory
Castling Too Soon
My most recent pyramid game on Schemingmind.com (see Pyramids and Dropouts for an explanation) was an instructive example of when not to castle. I outrated my opponent, who challenged me, by almost 700 points, so the result was a foregone conclusion, barring some kind of a horrible blunder on my part.
The diagram shows the game after my opponent's first move 1.g3. At first I was puzzled by the move, but then realized that he intended to play the Queen to g2 and castle O-O as quickly as possible.
SP168 NBRNBKQR
After 1.g2-g3
While King safety is certainly important, the Kings are not in any particular danger here. I played 1...c5 with an eye on (1) development -- the move opens a diagonal for the Bb8, opens a file for the Rc8, and prepares ...Nc6 -- and on (2) the center, by staking a claim to d4. After the expected 2.Qg2, I continued 2...d5, opening a diagonal for the Be8 and staking a bigger claim to the center. Black's second move invites 3.Qxd5, but after 3...Bc6, I calculated that the complications were in Black's favor.
The game continued 3.O-O Nb6 4.c3. Since White's fourth move continued to ignore the center, I decided that it was already time to attack the castled King with 4...h5. After the further moves 5.h4 g5 6.hxg5 Qxg5, Black's attack is probably winning. By the time I castled O-O-O on the 11th move, all of my pieces were aimed at the White King. White resigned on the 18th move.
While castling is generally good, it's not always best, especially early in the game. It's primarily a defensive move, which renders it somewhat passive, and it fixes the position of the King as a target for the opponent's pieces. Its shortcomings were exemplified in this miniature.
Posted by Mark Weeks at 7/23/2011 10:14:00 AM No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Castling, Schemingmind
Fischer Random Bughouse
Although it's been ages since I last played a game, my favorite four-person chess variant is bughouse. It's fast, it's social, and it lets you blame losing on your partner's bad play. If you're not sure what bughouse is, see the Wikipedia entry on Bughouse Chess. The USCF's Chess Life Online recently ran a piece titled The Secrets of Brooklyn's Bughouse Champs, Part I: Openings, where you can see that bughouse players, for the first few moves at least, follow the same opening strategies used in traditional chess.
When I was active playing bughouse, I came to the conclusion that there were a lot of chess openings that didn't work very well. Wikipedia confirms this:-
There are significantly fewer bughouse openings than there are chess openings. Many chess openings create weaknesses which can be easily exploited in bughouse.
An obvious solution to this drawback is to introduce chess960 start positions (SPs) into bughouse. When I mentioned this idea to a friend who is both a teacher of traditional chess and a keen bughouse player, he answered,
Fischer Random Bughouse seems logical, because the choice of bughouse openings is not a large one. On a practical level, however, it is unlikely to take root just because it takes to long to set the board up. Among young players now, there is practically no down time between the end of one game and the start of another. It's all I can do to get them to wait a second so that the clocks can be started simultaneously. It could be an interesting idea for bughouse tournaments.
This is useful feedback, and I see no reason why the same SP couldn't be kept for the duration of a session. It would allow the players to explore some of the subtleties of the chosen SP. At the same time it occurred to me that keeping the same SP would also be an advantage in a chess960 blitz match.
The upshot of all this would be some sort of a gadget that allows the players to record an SP and then refer to it at the start of each new game. Nothing fancy is required. Eight tiles showing the pieces and a rack to hold them in place would be sufficient.
Chess960 Chaos
Over on Chess960 Jungle, in a post titled Tricky Tricky Chess960, HarryO investigated a start position that I encountered in A Chess960 Catastrophe. The position, SP941 RKRBNQBN, was the start of a game at Mainz 2005, where GM Bacrot was completely lost against GM Aronian after four moves. HarryO concluded, '[Bacrot] stumbled on what I think could be amongst a few very very tricky SP's for Black to play and even worse it was against Aronian!' and 'There will be a very small number of SP's where Black's first move may have to be memorized or at least the tactical motifs will have to be memorized.'
Critics of chess960 like to say that there are some positions where the odds are stacked against Black at the beginning of the game and present this as a reason for not considering Fischer's greatest invention. Since these critics never give examples with analysis, unwitting readers might assume that they are right. Is SP941 such a position? I decided to take a closer look, subjecting it to engine analysis.
I'm not a big fan of using engines to analyze the early opening, where the best moves are often based on positional ideas like development and the center, rather than tactics. Engines also know nothing about piece harmony and coordination, a central concern in chess960 where the pieces are usually not as well coordinated as in the traditional start position, SP518 RNBQKBNR. In the case of SP941, where strong tactical motifs are present at the beginning of the game, an engine can help to cut through the tangle.
The first diagram shows the Aronian - Bacrot game after Aronian's first move. The most striking feature of the position is the RKR sitting in the corner. Castling is not going to be easy in this game and castling O-O is highly unlikely. The second feature is the weakness of the b- & d-Pawns. This was the problem that Bacrot underestimated.
To analyze the position, I used a normal engine that has no specific knowledge of chess960, i.e. without knowledge of the castling rules. Since castling does not play a role in the early moves, this is not a big disadvantage. The engine is the strongest I have, analyzing the early opening to >20-ply in only a few minutes, a feat that my chess960 engines can't do. After running the engine against the position with 1.e4, I looked at the top four moves it suggested: 1...f5, 1...f6, 1...e5, and 1...c5.
The first candidate move, 1...f5 leads to the early development of the Black Queen after 2.exf5 Qxf5. Now White can attack the Queen immediately with 3.Ng3, when 3...Qa5 calls to mind the Scandinavian Defense in SP518. Not all players are comfortable with an early deployment of the Queen and, while it looks safe on a5, its exposed position will certainly become a factor sooner or later.
Like 1...f5, the second candidate, 1...f6, opens the diagonal for the Bg8, but does little for the center. White can play an immediate 2.Bg4, hitting the weak d-Pawn, when Black responds 2...e6. This line of play looks passive and might not appeal to players who are looking for more than solidity in the opening.
The third candidate, 1...e5, was Bacrot's choice. It certainly looks natural. It uses a strategy of symmetry, which is often a good strategy for Black in the early moves of a chess960 game, and it opens diagonals for a Bishop and the Queen. The engine favors Aronian's move 2.Nd3 over all others, then suggests 2...f6 and 2...Ng6 for Black. Bacrot chose 2...Ng6, when Aronian answered 3.f4, also the heavy favorite for the engine. The two-fisted threat is 4.Nc5 & 5.Qb5, winning immediately. Instead of Bacrot's 3...Bf6, which overlooked the threat, the engine suggests 3...c5.
After the similar 2...f6 3.f4 c5, shown in the second diagram above, Black's position looks chaotic. The three Black Pawn moves aren't harmonized into any obvious plan and the e-Pawn is hanging. Although Black can recover it, the variations I looked at were all equally chaotic. It would take more analysis to determine if there is anything more to Black's game than parrying White's threats, but I stopped there.
The fourth candidate move, 1...c5 (the SP941 Sicilian?), also leads to chaotic looking positions. Its first merit is to interfere with White's Nc5, and by opening the file for a lift of the c-Rook and a diagonal for the dark squared Bishop, it heads for a fast ...O-O-O. HarryO advises to forget about it, but I think it's worth a try.
If I were faced with the position after 1.e4, I would probably play 1...e5, because I like advancing in the center. Would I see the idea with 4.Nc5 & 5.Qb5? If one of the world's top grandmasters missed it, what are the chances for us grandpatzers?
Labels: Castling, Pros and Cons, Theory
Chess960 Waits for No One
Two weeks of vacation means three weekends without chess960 blogging which means four weeks since my last post, Alas for GM Grischuk and for Chess960. It took me a few days to catch up with chess news (what in the world was Ilyumzhinov thinking when he travelled to Libya?) and I was happy to see some good, new ideas on chess960.
Continuing with the 'Alas!' post, I noted two more chess960 references on ChessInTranslation.com. The first was another interview with GM Grischuk, It's the end of classical chess as we know it (and I feel fine):-
A: For now we can discuss and debate about whether we've come to [the death of traditional chess] yet or not. But it's clear that the situation will get worse and worse, by the year, by the month. How is it all going to end? For me that's obvious. For now it's still possible to argue about whether we've come to that stage. • Q: And how can we escape? • A: The escape is either reducing the time control, or chess960, which I consider the ideal solution – simply ideal in all regards. That also allows you to play with a long time control.
Moreover, at the moment we've got a situation where the control is quite artificially extended, because it was always two hours for forty moves (well, or two and a half), but that was for forty moves! Or for thirty. While now you often end up with two hours for fifteen moves. What on earth is two hours for fifteen moves? It's idiotic. In chess960, however, it really will be two hours for forty moves, without any forced draws… I simply don't entirely understand why chess will lose anything from that. Well, it'll be impossible to tell children that the king is the king, the queen is his wife, and they should stand together, holding hands. And then that to the side of them are the pontiffs, the horses and in the corners there are castles. I really don't think that's such an enormous part of chess.
The second was an interview with the President of the Russian Chess Federation, who is also a FIDE Vice President, Ilya Levitov: "For me, classical chess is opera":-
Fischer Random Chess tournaments should be run – only not using all 960 possible positions that the computer can randomly choose, but excluding those which lead to overly absurd and disharmonious starting positions. Vladimir Kramnik says, "That's a different game". I agree with him. But just look who becomes World Champion in that "different game": Svidler, Aronian, Nakamura. Well-known faces! Those who play well in normal chess don't feel so uncomfortable in Fischer Random Chess either!
On the same theme is an opinion piece from Technorati.com,
Chess Is Dying?:-
Chess is fast approaching a dead end one can say. That does not mean that every chess game has been played or chess is "solved". But top grandmasters with the help of chess engines have figured out most of the positions in today's chess openings and have concluded them as either winning for one side or a draw. [...] A radical solution would be to play Fischer Random Chess - a variant of chess in which both the sides have their first rank pieces in a random order. There are 960 starting positions in Fischer Random Chess and none of them have been studied even with a fraction of the resources as the traditional chess starting position. All the opening analysis and home-cooked novelties are meaningless in this chess variant (and there are enough of them to last a few centuries!) and you play the man over the board.
On Chess.com I encountered an idea to generate start positions that I hadn't seen before, Chess 960 Pieces:-
A good method for setting it up, is to write the numbers 1-8 on the bottom of the white Pawns, let the black player put the white Pawns on the board to make sure the white player does not know what is on their bottom, and let the white player put the Pawns on the second rank. Then, look on the bottom of each Pawn, and put behind them on the same file in the following order: Behind 1, put a Bishop. [...]
Chess960 Jungle hasn't been sitting still either. HarryO has started collecting puzzles that arise from the opening moves of a chess960 start position. The first one is at Chess960: Opening puzzles no.1. This is a great idea if you're tired of seeing puzzles that start with, e.g., a Bishop sac on h7. I'm sure that one day we'll see entire chess960 books, ebooks most likely, on this topic.
Labels: Pros and Cons, Resources


A young woman speaks at the Assembly of First Nations in Winnepeg, and calls for an inquirery into the thousands of the missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada.
This year's national defense budget includes a provision that was long kept secret, and gifts 2,400 acres of sacred Apache land to a mining company headquartered in London. While the bill promises revenue, resouces and several thousand jobs, it comes at a severe cost to the people and environment of Arizona.


Keith's Odyssey to Planet Fitness: Wildlife. Wooden or otherwise. Caged and free.
One of the highlights for many people on photo trips is to capture images of wildlife. I don't have quite a big enough lens to go hunting for those shots, but sometimes I get lucky. A couple of these images have appeared on Facebook or my blog, but I'm losing track. Forgive me. I suppose I should have built a system of file naming so I'd know if I'd published an image or not, but that seems over the top on the geek front.
This little guy had a den in the Sundog Retreat. We saw him several times, but without a camera in hand. He came up to check me out while I was setting up to shoot the aurora. There I am, super wide lens, on the tripod all set up, and there he or she is, within about 6 feet of me. Not aggressive, just curious. I tried a couple shots with the wide lens, then he sat back a bit and I switched lenses. I was so happy with this shot in camera, especially since he or she started trotting off. On screen I see a bit of vegetation obscuring the face. Sigh. The rest of the shots are much worse.
This is the wooden one. I liked the smile.
An injured eagle at the wildlife preserve.
Even though he was on the other side of a sturdy fence, that glare and beak, to say nothing of the claws, were plenty intimidating.
The raven was in the same enclosure as the eagle, but the two were not quite buddies, our guide said.
The Lynx were cool. We didn't see them at first, but they showed up when our guide produced the white bucket. She told us to stand over there, because that's where the meat was going. I had somehow envisioned a more elegant solution than throwing it over a tall fence, but I guess that's the Yukon way, go with what works.
This was along the road to Fish Lake, I think. Everybody else was shooting these 5 big birds in a tree, but I knew I wouldn't get any detail. Then one flew off.
I know I included Mr bear earlier, but some of you may have missed it. We saw it far enough ahead we could stop. Neil was trying to get everyone organized to get a shot without the driver freaking out. It seemed ok with us being quite a ways away. Everybody was all jammed up at the front of the bus getting ready, so I slid the window open. I couldn't get the camera out so I shot slant-wise through the opening. A second later a truck drove by and startled the bear and he vanished into the bush. Everybody was pretty cheesed.
This beaver is the only wildlife we saw in Tombstone. Its a big one, with a huge long dam, a big house, and a big supply of food nearby. If I overheard our guide correctly, beavers had been working on this for many years.We saw a beaver in Bonanza creek, but all I got was his nose.
We were all disappointed that we didn't see a moose in the wild. Or get a photo of that wild lynx, that would have made my week.


text:
Rollins receives award for voting turnout
By Kendall Clarke on November 16, 2017
As a part of the national campaign, ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Rollins College was awarded the Best in Class Award for its phenomenally high student voting rate in the 2016 election.
Rollins received this award for having the highest student voting rate within the four-year, medium, private institution category as well as a Silver Seal for achieving a student voting rate between 60 and 69 percent – significantly higher than the national average for student voting.
Launched in the summer of 2016, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is a pan-national initiative that strives to normalize student participation at the polls and encourage students to have a continued, active role in the political process both during and between elections. Nearly 300 college campuses, including Rollins College, have joined the Challenge since its launch.
By joining the Challenge, Rollins committed to creating a campus-wide committee composed of members from academic affairs, student affairs, and the student body. This committee would be responsible for the development and implementation of a plan to improve democratic engagement. For Rollins, this committee came to fruition in the form of the Democracy Project.
The Democracy Project is a non-partisan student-led political organization that strives to encourage students to participate in the democratic process. During the 2016 national election, the Democracy Project registered approximately 400 students through a series of voter registration drives, brought students early to the polls, and hosted open educational platforms through monthly Politics on Tap and bi-weekly News Round-Ups.
Rollins was the only school in Florida to be recognized with a Best in Class Award, despite the fact that larger campuses such a Florida State University, University of Central Florida, and University of Florida or even peers of Rollins such as Stetson or New College of Florida are also participants of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.
The Democracy Project is extremely proud of this accomplishment. "Receiving the Best in Class Award was not only a testament to the Democracy Project's work during last year's election, but also to the Rollins community for turning out to vote," stated Skylar Knight '18, a Student Coordinator for the Democracy Project. He continued,
"it was an honor to receive the award…and we look forward to improving our campus [voter] turnout in future elections."
The Center for Leadership and Community Engagement has likewise conveyed a sense of pride of the community and this astounding accomplishment. "We are proud of our students' commitment to a strong democracy as reflected in their voter engagement and participation," said Meredith Hein, Director of CLCE. "This award demonstrates their passion for the political process and civic involvement."
Receiving this award is a proud testament to the involvement of Rollins students in the political sphere and life outside of campus. Hopefully this trend of high student voting participation will not falter in future elections.
`Kendall Clarke
History major interns at Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum for two summers
Rollins coach educates on racism, empowers women of color
Bonner leader runs for Lake Mary city commissioner seat
Incoming international students deal with fears of American gun violence


Do you dream about launching your own start-up business venture? Do you have an idea that could take the market by storm, but needs some extra support to make it happen?
The King's20 accelerator is a year-long business accelerator programme hosted by the King's Entrepreneurship Institute, aimed at supporting 20 start-up ventures from King's to reach their potential.
Applicant start-ups can be at any stage of their development, and King's20 is open to all King's students, staff and alumni who graduated from King's in the last seven years.
The 2017-2018 programme will run from 3 October 2017 to 29 September 2018, and applications are open from now until 17 June 2017.
If you are committed to making the most of the programme and making your idea happen, the King's20 accelerator will help you reach your goals. Just nine months ago, King's music student David Wexler had a dream to turn his passion for body percussion into a whole new instrument. Now, he has a working prototype and £15,000 in the bank to go ahead and make his dream a reality.
The King's alumni who formed Moovr were socially conscious entrepreneurs who wanted to make their idea of providing a digital platform to connect rural farmers in Kenya with reliable livestock transportation networks a reality. Today, they are on site in Kenya, testing their SMS app on the ground and making invaluable local connections.
How have these successes been made possible? Successful applicants receive an estimated £30,000 worth of support.
You can split your work on the King's20 accelerator however you like, you just need to work for a minimum of half a day a week in our collaborative office space at Bush House, and attend eight exclusive events across the year. Our accelerator space is open 7 days a week, and attendance is flexible allowing for lectures, clinics and other work commitments.
The Institute is running a drop-in session at Bush House on Tuesday 23rd May, 2-4pm, head down for your chance to ask any questions about the programme. Alumni are greatly encouraged to register their interest by emailing the Entrepreneurship Institute at innovation@kcl.ac.uk.
All aboard the Entrepreneurship Institute's Venture Bus!


A FILM ABOUT A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD WITH BIG IDEALS.
Wonderland Park is a residential street in the Hollywood Hills. It is one of Los Angeles most iconic streets. Conceived and built in the 1950's it is serene and bucolic with some of Los Angeles most unique mid-century architecture. It has been (and still is) home to some of the city's most interesting and influential characters.
This film chronicles the history of this community through the stories of many current and former residents telling us of life there from the 1950s onward; a period of great change. Through this series of interviews mixed with archival footage we see the history of the street through the eyes of the people that lived there.
The film looks at the Architectural and Social significance of the original cooperative concept and how that has changed over time and its relevance in today's world. We look at the progressive politics of the area including the racial, religious and sexual inclusiveness of the cooperative model it was founded upon. We speak to social commentators, architectural experts and historians.
The film will be made by Photographer and resident of the street David Ash who has worked for numerous international publications including the Financial Times and Bazaar and shown his work at The Photographers Gallery London, The Association Gallery London. His work is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery of Great Britain.


text:
DUENAS, ROBERTO
FC Barcelona 12 Center
Height: 2.18 Born: 1 November, 1975 Nationality: Spain
Totals 19 13 351:32 155 61/106 0/0 33/55 53 64 117 10 13 44 10 9 45 48 188
Averages 19 13 18:30 8.2 57.5% 0% 60% 2.8 3.4 6.2 0.5 0.7 2.3 0.5 0.5 2.4 2.5 9.9
15 * at Skipper Bologna 30:00 10 3/5 4/6 5 3 8 1 1 2 4 4 14
16 * at Scavolini Pesaro 13:00 10 5/8 1 3 4 1 1 2 7
17 vs Benetton Basket 25:32 9 3/3 3/3 3 5 8 1 3 2 3 16
18 * vs Skipper Bologna 20:12 9 3/5 3/6 3 5 8 2 4 1 2 5 12
19 at Benetton Basket 7:00 2 1/2 0/1 1 2 3 1 3 1 1 1
20 vs Scavolini Pesaro 20:19 16 6/9 4/4 3 4 7 2 2 3 19
6 Totals 116:03 56 21/32 0/0 14/20 16 22 38 2 4 15 0 2 13 16 69
Average 19:20 9.3 65.6% 0% 70% 2.7 3.7 6.3 0.3 0.7 2.5 0 0.3 2.2 2.7 11.5
2 vs Kinder Bologna 18:15 3 1/4 1/4 3 3 2 1 2 2 1
3 * vs Peristeri 21:23 6 2/8 2/4 4 4 8 1 5 1 1 1 3 4
4 * at Kinder London Towers 18:37 6 2/7 2/4 2 4 6 1 2 1 2 3 3 9
5 * vs Zalgiris 27:31 9 3/8 3/4 2 1 3 2 1 3 3 3 2
6 * at Ulker 14:32 7 3/7 1/2 5 4 9 1 3 5 2 6
7 vs Union Olimpija 18:37 11 5/5 1/4 5 2 7 1 4 1 2 4 15
8 * vs Opel Skyliners 22:59 12 4/6 4/5 3 6 9 1 1 3 3 20
9 * at Kinder Bologna 9:00 1 3 1 -3
10 * at Peristeri 12:17 5 2/4 1/1 3 1 4 1 1 1 4 1 3
11 * vs Kinder London Towers 14:59 12 6/6 3 2 5 1 1 1 18
12 * at Zalgiris 24:41 8 4/6 4 5 9 3 6 2 2 4 2 10
13 * vs Ulker 23:43 14 5/10 4/7 6 6 12 1 4 2 7 20
14 at Union Olimpija 8:55 6 3/3 4 4 2 2 14
13 Totals 235:29 99 40/74 0/0 19/35 37 42 79 8 9 29 10 7 32 32 119
Average 18:06 7.6 54.1% 0% 54.3% 2.8 3.2 6.1 0.6 0.7 2.2 0.8 0.5 2.5 2.5 9.19
Index rating 28 FC Barcelona Lassa vs. Benetton Treviso 11/7/2002
Points 18 FC Barcelona Lassa vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 1/28/2004
Offensive rebounds 7 Zalgiris Kaunas vs. FC Barcelona Lassa 1/20/2005
Defensive rebounds 9 FC Barcelona Lassa vs. ASVEL Villeurbanne 2/27/2003
Total rebounds 12 Zalgiris Kaunas vs. FC Barcelona Lassa 1/20/2005
Assists 3 FC Barcelona Lassa vs. Cedevita Olimpija Ljubljana 1/28/2004
Steals 2 Montepaschi Siena vs. FC Barcelona Lassa 12/2/2004
Blocks 3 Anadolu Efes Istanbul vs. FC Barcelona Lassa 10/30/2002
Minutes 39 FC Barcelona Lassa vs. Partizan NIS Belgrade 2/11/2004
Started playing basketball in CB Mostoles (Spain) youth teams.
Made his debut during the 1993-94 season with Baloncesto Fuenlabrada, in the 2nd Division.
Played there also the 1994-95 season, in the EBA League.
Started the 1995-96 season with Llobregat Cornella in the EBA League.
Signed later by FC Barcelona for the 1995-96 season.
Selected in the 1997 NBA Draft by Chicago Bulls(#58).
Signed for the 2005-06 season by CB Girona.
On November '06, signed by Joventut Badalona.
Won the 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 2000-01, 2002-03 and 2003-04 Spanish National Championship with F.C. Barcelona.
Won the 2001 and 2003 Spanish National Cup (King's Cup).
Won the 1999 Korac Cup with FC Barcelona.
Won the 2004 Spanish Supercup with FC Barcelona.
Played the 1996, 1998 and 1999 Spanish All Star Game.
Has been member of the Spanish Under-22 National Team.
Won the silver medal at the 1996 European Under-22 Championship.
Member of the Spanish National Team.
Played the 1997 European Championship.
Won the silver medal at the 1999 European Championship.
Played at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games.
2000-01 FC Barcelona 12 89 7.4 43/74 58.1 0/1 0 3/16 18.8 62 9 6 9
2001-02 FC Barcelona 19 155 8.2 61/106 57.5 0/0 0 33/55 60 117 13 10 10
2002-03 FC Barcelona 22 167 7.6 63/113 55.8 0/0 0 41/60 68.3 128 8 10 11
2003-04 FC Barcelona 15 123 8.2 54/95 56.8 0/0 0 15/22 68.2 98 5 14 7
2004-05 FC Barcelona 10 61 6.1 23/47 48.9 0/0 0 15/19 78.9 54 8 1 4
2006-07 DKV Joventut 6 12 2 5/12 41.7 0/0 0 2/4 50 9 1 0 0
Totals 84 607 7.2 249/447 55.7 0/1 0 109/176 61.9 468 44 41 41
Averages 84 607 7.2 249/447 55.7 0/1 0 109/176 61.9 5.6 0.5 0.5 0.5


text:
Most County Executives Safe from Budget Cuts
Francisco Alvarado
UPDATE: Earlier this week, Miami-Dade County spokeswoman Vicki Mallette responded to my earlier report regarding executive salaries. I apologize to my readers for not posting her response sooner.
She insisted that Alvarez is proposing in the budget a ten percent reduction to the county executive offices, which is not reflected in this post.
"Your recent column seems to suggest all of the cuts have been identified," she says. "This is not the case. Rest assured, more cuts are coming to the executive offices - it's clearly outlined in the budget books."
Mallette declined to talk specifically about the executives whose jobs were not cut, citing Alvarez's policy of not commenting on personnel decisions. "Remember, this is a large county, and assistant county managers shoulder a tremendous amount of responsibility," Mallette explained. "The level of activity and volume of work they shoulder is volumnious and complex.
Facing a $427 million shortfall in this year's county budget, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez has proposed a 5 percent salary cut for all county employees, including himself. Oh, he's also firing 1,700 employees to help close the gap.
Francisco Alvarado | August 14, 2009 | 5:18pm
With that in mind, Banana Republican submitted a public records request asking for the positions Alvarez is eliminating from his office and from County Manager George Burgess's office. I also requested a list of all the county executives earning six-figure salaries who report directly to Alvarez and Burgess. Here is what I found out:
Only two out of 19 individuals earning six-figure salaries
will lose their jobs. Among those who were spared the ax are the
mayor's scheduler, Delivette Gonzalez, who makes $105,239 a year, and
ex-Miami Herald reporter Matthew Pinzur, who earns an annual $115,000 as an assistant to County Manager George Burgess.
of assistants: Burgess has five assistants, including Pinzur; two
special assistants; and an executive assistant. Their combined annual
salaries cost taxpayers $985,328 worth of assistance.
No more staged photo ops
for the mayor now that he gave his photographer, Ricardo Garcia, who
earned $76,000 a year, the boot. Garcia is one of seven employees in
the mayor's and manager's offices who will lose their jobs. Everybody
else on the 29th floor gets to stay. Hip, hip hooray!
($245,393 a year) makes less than George Burgess ($343,515) and
assistant county managers Alina Hudak ($258,967), Cynthia Curry
($253,767), and Ysela Llort ($247,045). Strong mayor indeed.
Here are links to the lists:
CEO STAFF SALARIES- MIAMI NEW TIMES REQUEST_1.pdf
ELIMINATED POSITIONS.pdf
Twitter: @thefrankness


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Bastille (băstēl´) [O.Fr.,=fortress], fortress and state prison in Paris, located, until its demolition (started in 1789), near the site of the present Place de la Bastille. It was begun c.1369 by Hugh Aubriot, provost of the merchants [mayor] of Paris under King Charles V. Arbitrary and secret imprisonment by lettre de cachet gave rise to stories of horror, but actually the Bastille was generally used for persons of influence, and its regime for most political prisoners was mild. As a symbol of absolutism the Bastille was hated. It had strategic importance, for its guns commanded one of the gates of Paris. On July 14, 1789, a Parisian crowd stormed the Bastille in the hope of capturing ammunition. The governor was killed; the seven inmates, none of them political prisoners, were freed. The storming of the Bastille marks the beginning of the French Revolution, and July 14—Bastille Day—became the national holiday of republican France.
"Bastille." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. . Encyclopedia.com. 21 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
Bastille Fortress and prison in Paris, built in the late 14th century and destroyed during the French Revolution. Political prisoners were incarcerated here, and it became a symbol of royal oppression. On July 14, 1789, now a national holiday in France, a revolutionary mob stormed it, captured the ammunition store and released its seven prisoners. The Bastille was pulled down soon afterwards.
"Bastille." World Encyclopedia. . Encyclopedia.com. 21 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
Bastille a fortress in Paris built in the 14th century and used in the 17th–18th centuries as a state prison. Its storming by the mob on 14 July 1789 marked the start of the French Revolution; the anniversary of this event (Bastille Day) is kept as a national holiday in France.
The name comes (via Old French) from Provençal bastida, from bastir 'build'.
"Bastille." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. . Encyclopedia.com. 21 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
4. Name of the C14 Parisian prison-fortress destroyed in 1789, so synonymous with a gaol.
"bastille." A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. . Encyclopedia.com. 21 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"Bastille." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. . Encyclopedia.com. 21 Apr. 2019 <https://www.encyclopedia.com>.