text:
Q: Is it possible to cast before passing to base constructor? I'm trying to create an abstract generic manager which would give events for added/removed and provide abstract method for creating and finalizing an item.
Below is the code I've come up with, however in TestClass constructor passing TestManager for a ManagerBase argument to base produces compiler error for invalid cast even though TestManager is certainly a ManagerBase.
It is possible to make the Manager field an "object" and cast in at run time, but that'd be pretty ugly.
Is it possible to make it work, or perhaps I'm in the wrong direction?
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Diagnostics;

namespace ManagerTest
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var Manager = new TestManager();
            Manager.ItemAdded += (manager, item) => Debug.WriteLine("Item added: " + item.Id);
            Manager.ItemRemoved += (manager, item) => Debug.WriteLine("Item removed: " + item.Id);

            var entity1 = Manager.Create("entity1");
            var entity2 = Manager.Create("entity2");
            Manager.Remove("entity1");
            var entity3 = Manager.Create("entity3");
            Manager.Remove("entity3");
            Manager.Remove("entity4");
        }
    }

    class TestClass : EntityBase, IDisposable
    {
        public TestClass(string id, TestManager manager) : base(id, manager) { Debug.WriteLine(Id + " - ctor"); }
        public void Dispose() { Debug.WriteLine(Id + " - disposed"); }
    }

    class TestManager : ManagerBase<TestClass>
    {
        protected override TestClass CreateInternal(string key) { return new TestClass(key, this); }
        protected override void FinalizeRemove(TestClass item) { item.Dispose(); }
    }

    abstract class EntityBase
    {
        public string Id { get; private set; }
        public ManagerBase<EntityBase> Manager { get; private set; }

        public EntityBase(string id, ManagerBase<EntityBase> manager)
        {
            this.Id = id;
            this.Manager = manager;
        }
    }

    abstract class ManagerBase<T> where T : EntityBase
    {
        public event Action<ManagerBase<T>, T> ItemAdded;
        public event Action<ManagerBase<T>, T> ItemRemoved;

        private readonly Dictionary<string, T> Storage = new Dictionary<string, T>();

        protected abstract T CreateInternal(string key);
        protected abstract void FinalizeRemove(T item);

        public T Create(string key)
        {
            T newItem = null;

            lock (Storage)
            {
                if (!Storage.ContainsKey(key))
                {
                    newItem = CreateInternal(key);

                    Storage.Add(key, newItem);

                    ItemAdded.SafeInvoke(this, newItem);
                }
            }

            return newItem;
        }

        public T Get(string key)
        {
            lock (Storage)
                return Storage.ContainsKey(key) ? Storage[key] : null;
        }

        public bool Contains(string key)
        {
            lock (Storage)
                return Storage.ContainsKey(key);
        }

        public bool Remove(string key)
        {
            bool returnValue = false;

            lock (Storage)
                if (Storage.ContainsKey(key))
                {
                    var item = Storage[key];
                    returnValue = Storage.Remove(key);
                    ItemRemoved.SafeInvoke(this, item);
                    FinalizeRemove(item);
                }

            return returnValue;
        }
    }

    static class Extensions
    {
        public static void SafeInvoke<T1, T2>(this Action<T1, T2> action, T1 arg1, T2 arg2)
        {
            var actionCopy = action;
            if (actionCopy != null)
                actionCopy(arg1, arg2);
        }
    }
}

A: The corrected code
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Diagnostics;

namespace ManagerTest
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            var Manager = new TestManager();
            Manager.ItemAdded += (manager, item) => Debug.WriteLine("Item added: " + item.Id);
            Manager.ItemRemoved += (manager, item) => Debug.WriteLine("Item removed: " + item.Id);

            var entity1 = Manager.Create("entity1");
            var entity2 = Manager.Create("entity2");
            Manager.Remove("entity1");
            var entity3 = Manager.Create("entity3");
            Manager.Remove("entity3");
            Manager.Remove("entity4");
        }
    }

    class TestClass : EntityBase, IDisposable
    {
        public TestClass(string id, TestManager manager) : base(id, manager) { Debug.WriteLine(Id + " - ctor"); }
        public void Dispose() { Debug.WriteLine(Id + " - disposed"); }
    }

    class TestManager : ManagerBase<TestClass>, IManagerBase<TestClass>
    {
        protected override TestClass CreateInternal(string key) { return new TestClass(key, this); }
        protected override void FinalizeRemove(TestClass item) { item.Dispose(); }
    }

    abstract class EntityBase
    {
        public string Id { get; private set; }
        public IManagerBase<EntityBase> Manager { get; private set; }

        public EntityBase(string id, IManagerBase<EntityBase> manager)
        {
            this.Id = id;
            this.Manager = manager;
        }
    }

    interface IManagerBase<out T>
        where T : EntityBase
    {
        event Action<IManagerBase<T>, T> ItemAdded;
        event Action<IManagerBase<T>, T> ItemRemoved;
        T Create(string key);
        T Get(string key);
        bool Contains(string key);
        bool Remove(string key);
    }

    abstract class ManagerBase<T> : IManagerBase<T> where T : EntityBase
    {
        public event Action<IManagerBase<T>, T> ItemAdded;
        public event Action<IManagerBase<T>, T> ItemRemoved;

        private readonly Dictionary<string, T> Storage = new Dictionary<string, T>();

        protected abstract T CreateInternal(string key);
        protected abstract void FinalizeRemove(T item);

        public T Create(string key)
        {
            T newItem = null;

            lock (Storage)
            {
                if (!Storage.ContainsKey(key))
                {
                    Storage.Add(key, CreateInternal(key));

                    ItemAdded.SafeInvoke(this, newItem);
                }
            }

            return newItem;
        }

        public T Get(string key)
        {
            lock (Storage)
                return Storage.ContainsKey(key) ? Storage[key] : null;
        }

        public bool Contains(string key)
        {
            lock (Storage)
                return Storage.ContainsKey(key);
        }

        public bool Remove(string key)
        {
            bool returnValue = false;

            lock (Storage)
                if (Storage.ContainsKey(key))
                {
                    var item = Storage[key];
                    returnValue = Storage.Remove(key);
                    ItemRemoved.SafeInvoke(this, item);
                    FinalizeRemove(item);
                }

            return returnValue;
        }
    }

    static class Extensions
    {
        public static void SafeInvoke<T1, T2>(this Action<T1, T2> action, T1 arg1, T2 arg2)
        {
            var actionCopy = action;
            if (actionCopy != null)
                actionCopy(arg1, arg2);
        }
    }
}

A: The problem is with the invariance of the T parameter in ManagerBase. You can't assign ManagerBase<Derived> to ManagerBase<Base>. You would be able to do that if the parameter was covariant, but this can be done inly in interfaces, not in classes. So maybe try to make the managerbase an interface? Like IManager<out T>
This article explains covariance/contravariance stuff quite well: http://tomasp.net/blog/variance-explained.aspx/


Locally known by the name Peringalam or Perikilam, Hill Glory Bower is a wild flowering shrub common in Kerala. Its botanical name is Clerodendrum infortunatum and often grows as a weed in the rubber estates of central Kerala.
The flowers or inflorescence looks similar to that of a Pagoda plant or Krishnakireedam. Both are siblings and belongs to the same family and genus too. Pagoda plant is also called Kattuperingalam or Kattuperikilam.
The leaves grow directly from the stem. They are nearly 6 inches long and broad. The heart-shaped leaves have small projections on its surface and are rough to touch.
The flowers grow as clusters at the top of the stem. They are arranged in layers around the stem with the base broader and the tip pointed, looking like a pyramid or pagoda. This inflorescence is the main attraction of this plant.
Each flower is 2 to 3 cm wide with 5 petals arranged like a semi-circle. The corolla is white with a pinkish shade inside. There are 5 long stamens.
As the flower withers, it gets a pink shade overall. The fruit is dark and round.
The flowering season is from post-monsoon to early winter.
Loved your posts with great shots and information. Though most plants here are common in Kerala households, many people doesn't know their names and uses. I suggest you to do a series on Kerala spices and fruits as well.


With so many things to do in Strasbourg, it's important to choose a good Hotel.
Comfort Hotel Strasbourg is ideally situated in the Montagne Verte area of the city, just on the edge of the historic heart of Strasbourg. This hotel is just a few minutes from the station and shops, the cathedral, the ramparts surrounding the La Petite France quarter, the Wacken business quarter, the Hopital Civil and Louis Pasteur University.
The hotel offers 66 en-suite bedrooms, having all the important facilities to make your stay pleasant and relaxing. Specially adapted rooms for the physically challenged are also available.
Louisiane Restaurant offers excellent food with a choice of buffet, or a la carte for you to feast on. After a delicious meal, the cocktail lounge is the perfect place to end another fantastic day of your holiday with one of the famous cocktails.


Gorgeous French naturally aged eau de nil frame king size upholstered bed. Newly upholstered in antique French linen with and bronze Renaissance upholstery nails. Carved geometric detail within frame with pineapple bed knobs.
Suitable for standard king size mattress 150cm x 200 cm within the rails or a 160 cm x 200 cm would sit on top of the rails.
Height to top of knobs at head end 132cm; height to top of caps foot end 88cm; height to top of side rail 27.5cm. Overall width 158cm; overall length 221cm.
We can arrange both national and international delivery. Please send post code for quotation.


text:
Mohamed Zkhiri
Autumn 2017 has not been kind to the Marrakech community in addition to the passing of the iconic Pierre Berge we also lost Mohamed Zkhiri who has a lower profile internationally but was no less widely appreciated in the Red City.
Mike and Lucie have fond memories of Mohammed's hospitality at Dar Yacout, a golden eopoque indeed! That extraordinary building by american architect Bill Willis remains an inspiration.
The Anglo Business Association issued the following moving statement which echoes our sentiments:
"Mr. Mohammed Zkhiri, prominent citizen and enduring friend of the British community in Marrakech, sadly passed away on Wednesday 16th August this year. Mr. Zkhiri was a businessman with wide ranging interests but was best known as owner of the world renowned Dar Yacout restaurant, one of Marrakech's legendary addresses that has hosted film stars and heads of state.
Mr. Zkhiri also served as the British Honorary Consul in Marrakech from 1994 until 2011. He saw the dramatic rise of Anglophone expats coming to live in Morocco as well as the mushrooming of British tourism to the country. On his retirement from the post of Honorary Consul he received a personal letter of thanks signed by the then Home Secretary, Jack Straw.
Mohammed became an enormously important and well known figure amongst the Anglophone community in the city, hosting regular social events at his restaurant in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday or the visit of the British Ambassador. These events that have become emblematic of the golden époque of Marrakech from 2000 – 2010.
There are many British citizens still living in the city today who feel a large debt of gratitude to Mohamed for his support and advice as well as for the practical help that he offered them during their years living in the country. News of his passing has been received with great sadness by the Anglophone community of Morocco. Mr. Zkhiri will be remembered with with great affection and gratitude.
The Anglo Business Community would like to extend its deepest condolences to his family and friends."
← Morocco World Cup bid
Wine in Morocco →
Doris Day, Marrakech
Perfect Venue for Marrakech Yoga Retreats

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package com.app.comic.ui.Model.Receive;

/*
 * Created by ImalPasha on 11/6/2015.
 */

 /* Response From API */

public class SignDriverReceive {

    private String status;
    private String message;

    public SignDriverReceive(SignDriverReceive data) {
        status = data.getStatus();
        message = data.getMessage();
    }

    public String getMessage() {
        return message;
    }

    public void setMessage(String message) {
        this.message = message;
    }

    public String getStatus() {
        return status;
    }

    public void setStatus(String status) {
        this.status = status;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: on_message not responding pyrogram im having 2 bots and there client named 'app' and 'create_app'
first one need to select topic that the user choose and the second one just retype the message that the user send
app = Client(
    "app",
    # api_id=Keys.api_id,
    # api_hash=Keys.api_hash,
    bot_token=Keys.MAIN_BOT
)

create_app = Client(
    "my_account",
    # api_id=Keys.api_id,
    # api_hash=Keys.api_hash,
    bot_token=Keys.GROUP_BOT
)

whenever i send a message to 'create_app' bot it seems the code doesnt enter over there
@create_app.on_message(filters.text)
async def exchangeAndSend(client, msg):
    text = msg.text.lower()
    print('im here')
    if msg.from_user.id in adminList:
        for word, initial in Keys.shortsDict.items():
            text = text.replace(initial, word)
    else:
        for word, initial in Keys.shortsDict.items():
            text = text.replace(word, initial)
    await app.delete_messages(msg.chat.id, msg.id)
    await msg.reply(text=msg.from_user.first_name + ": " + text)

im not even getting error in console, what is wrong here?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
layout: compress
---
<!DOCTYPE html>

{% include head.html %}

{% include navbar.html %}

{% include header.html %}

{% include publications.html %}

{% include talks.html %}

{% include teaching.html %}

{% include contact.html %}

{% include footer.html %}

{% include scripts.html %}


Now that you have a strong resume and cover letter in hand, it's time to land a job. Total Career Advancement helps guide you into a new position or career. We will discuss your desires, your experience, and your level of expertise to determine which positions around the nation are best suited to your preferences and occupational history. Best of all, our job placement assistance services are free. Job seekers need only spend a little time with us to achieve their professional goals.
If you have a professional resume, but can't find job opportunities, take advantage of our free placement assistance to find a job. Please submit your resume with your salary history, requirements, and geographic preference via e-mail to totalcareer@optonline.net. ALL YOUR INFORMATION IS KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL AND IS ONLY USED WITH YOUR WRITTEN PERMISSION FOR OUR FREE JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE.
The valuable Good Answers for Good Questions booklet can make a major difference in your interviewing success. It'll get you thinking about such questions as, What are your greatest strengths? What are your greatest weaknesses? Where do you see yourself five years from now? These are just a few of the tough interview questions for which we provide the "good" answers. This booklet is available free with your purchase of our resume services.


The Littles traveled quite well, and bore the indignities of formal occasions with aplomb, and little obnoxiousness. They were pretty awesome, really. Trouble is, we put Mrs. Dave on a plane for overseas just a few days after we got home, so we're going through the painful process of adjusting to her lack of presence. It's not my favorite thing.
In addition, it's tax season (yeah, yeah) and the school year is winding down (anybody want a couple of child laborers for the summer?) I have a house to clean (as in Spring Cleaning), a garage to organize, a motorcycle to get running, games to organize, a training regimen to start, a wedding to plan, a wife to murder, and Guilder to frame for it. I'm swamped.
And that's not touching the novels I have to write. I intend to have the first Wuxia Western finished in time for LibertyCon at the end of June. Assuming I can find the time to write with Mrs. Dave physically absent. That's the title, really. I've fallen off the wagon.
Fortunately, I can get back up. I've done it often enough to have confidence in that ability, at least. And the folks who've read my stuff keep bugging me for more, to my more or less continual surprise. But, look, life gets in the way. It has a habit of doing that. Believe me, does it.
Dave, you promised us more swords! Yeah. Yeah, I did. Trouble is, I picked up my old waster and swung it around a bit and realized I'm in worse shape than I thought. Also, my right shoulder hurts for some reason. I think I'm going to be approaching the HEMA training a bit more gingerly than I'd hoped.
I'm still in recovery mode, and transitioning from two adults in the house down to one tired and overworked one. In the meantime, I'll be working at calisthenics and mace work to limber things up and get some stabilizing strength, then work in weights to get the pure strength up. I'm also looking at picking up a new training sword. Purple Heart Armory's Meyer federshwert has some great reviews. Synthetics have come a long way in the last decade, and I'm thrilled to see it.
One last note before I sign off and get to the important work of moving forward (one step at a time): our own Amanda Green has today released the next of her Nocturnal Lives books! Nocturnal Revelations sees detective Mackenzie Santos pitted against an unknown enemy. An enemy determined to reveal the existence of shifters to the world at large, a revelation certain to doom them all. Go check it out!
I hear ya, Dave. I wrenched some back muscles yesterday, wrestling my babe's pram around on her appointments, and I tell you, I didn't feel those until after I had the hot shower, and they refused to let me sleep until 4 am.
aww, missus dave is gone again?
Only did a few dozen words today. . .
Don't feel bad, Dave. I did like three sentences today.
I had a cool idea, and decided it is probably one of several that need removal.
I…ranted to a friend about plots and how all of a sudden I had three secondary characters insisting on the same name. Y'all are ALL ahead of me.
Everybody was named Bob for a while, until I started up the chainsaw. Then they all began behaving themselves.
Namespace collisions. One of the fanfic types I've greatly enjoyed, hence want to write in, is the multiple crossover. The collision between three characters is tractable, because I can refer to one by last name, and another only shows up in the epilogue, and might even be left offscreen and unnamed there. The collision between another two, well, I haven't integrated one of them into the plot yet. The original design statement says that they are there, but I haven't worked out how all the possible side actions tie to a single thread. If this is finished, it will be one of very few stories, so my skill level is low, and I will probably need quite a bit of trimming to cut the design to something I can finish.
But I have found some insights this morning into the right plot options for hitting the current goals with a continuous chain of actions and motivations.
My subconscious is demanding 1) epithets and 2) worldbuilding to explain why my protagonist is suddenly dealing with Black Morya, Thin Morya and Dancing Morya. WTF, brain?
Well, I finally succeeded in renaming the character whose name rhymed with another character's.
Pepe's is usually good, but the last time I went there not so much. I've never tried Sally's. Honestly, I like Modern, and Bar, as much or more than Pepe's.
This is a test. Been having problems commenting on wp blogs lately.
So have I. I'll have to sign in twice in order to get a comment to show. WP Delenda Est.


What should I do to prevent ingrown toenails?
Ingrown toenails are simply nails that grow back into the flesh of the toe, causing pain and discomfort. They often become infected, though there can be pain without infection or infection without pain. Symptoms of ingrown toenails include pain along the margin of the nail, sensitivity to any pressure at the affected area and any sign of infection, such as pus or bleeding.
Ingrown toenails occur when the nail grows abnormally into the skin of the toe. This can be caused by overly tight socks or shoes, trimming the toenail incorrectly, or by a deformity in the nail itself.
Your doctor or chiropodist can trim a small sliver from the nail to relieve pressure and possibly remove some of any calloused skin than may have built up around the nail. Any infection will also have to be drained and treated. If the nail repeatedly grows in, it may need to be treated on a regular basis. In some cases, surgery may be required to correct a chronic ingrown toenail.
If an ingrown toenail is not treated it can lead to a number of complications. Infection could spread beyond the nail area and involve the toe or even extend into the foot. This could have important implications if the person was a diabetic or suffered from circulatory problems in the feet. The nail could have to be permanently removed if any infection spread to the root of the nail. Even if no infection is present, the toe can become permanently deformed. Anyone with an infected ingrown toenail should attend their doctor or chiropodist and not ignore the condition.
No one with an infected ingrown toenail should ignore the condition.
Toenails should always be cut straight across, slightly beyond the end of the toe itself. Cutting toenails incorrectly is one of the main causes of ingrown toenails. It is also best to avoid shoes and socks that are too tight, as poorly fitting footwear can cause a range of foot maladies, such as bunions and corns as well as ingrown toenails.
If you have an ingrown toenail, soaking it in warm water a number of times a day will keep the area clean and soften the nail, thereby easing the pain somewhat. If the toenail is infected it should be treated by a doctor or chiropodist as soon as possible.


Looking for ways to make your wedding celebration reflect you and your partner's personalities? Think bunting, banners, napkins, and table runners. Spoonflower team member Jenny here to offer up a few ideas for using custom fabric to make your DIY wedding feel more authentic and unique to you. With a bit of resourcefulness and the chance to show off your creativity and crafting skills, you're just a few fun and easy projects away from curating the wedding vibe of your dreams.


Since the end of 2013 IOI Loders Croklaan Europe is compliant with the FSSC 22000 standard.
In 2013 IOI Loders Croklaan, one of world's leading suppliers of sustainable palm oil, has imported and marketed 348.000 ton of sustainable palm oil in Europe. That is 34% of the total volume sold by IOI Loders Croklaan in 2013.


text:
Islam, Women and Feminism ( 17 Dec 2021, NewAgeIslam.Com)
Amendment Of The Marriageable Age For Girls In India In The Legal Islamic Framework
Legal Islamic Theorists and Jurists (Fuqaha) From the Hanafi, Shaf'ai and Maliki Schools Have Divergent Opinions on the Age of Marriageability for Muslim Girls
Main Points:
Islamic bodies in Kerala have opposed the move to amend the marriageable age for girls in India.
Muslim League leader E T Mohammad Basheer has introduced an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha which states that "the decision was against Muslim personal law .
Amendment of the marriageable age for girls in India is another step towards introducing a uniform civil code
Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), an apex body of Christians, has lauded the decision to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women.
Amid the bill to amend and increase the minimum legal marriageable age for girls from 18 to 21, which would affect marriage acts of Muslims, Christians and other religious communities in particular, modifying the faith-based personal laws on marriage and inheritance, the Samastha Kerala Jamait-ul-Ulema, an organisation of Sunni scholars, and many other Islamic bodies in Kerala have opposed the move.
Muslim League leader E T Mohammad Basheer has introduced an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha which states that "the decision was against Muslim personal law and it was another step towards introducing a uniform civil code in the country."
Tellingly, even the women's wing of the League has opposed the decision saying delaying the age of marriage will give way to "live-in relationships and illegitimate relations". On the other hand, the
Union Cabinet has cleared the proposal in its meeting. According to the news reports, the government plans to bring the bill — which will bring the minimum age of marriage for women at par with that of men — in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.
The Kerala-based body, Samastha Jamait-ul-Ulema is primarily a Sunni-Shafi'i school of thought in terms of fiqh or Islamic jurisprudence and legal system. A conglomeration of prominent local Sunni-Shafi'i jurists and legal Islamic experts such as P. K. Muhammad Musliyar, the Samastha emerged in the aftermath of the Mappila Uprising as a response to the Salafist movement in Kerala in 1921.
Legal Islamic theorists and jurists (Fuqaha) from the Hanafi, Shaf'ai and Maliki schools have divergent opinions on the age of marriageability for Muslim girls keeping in view the physical and other complications. Going by their legal rationality (illah sharia), geographical conditions of different societies and socio-cultural evolutions have to be taken into consideration.
In order to critically analyse the 'marriageable age' under the Islamic jurisprudence or Fiqh Law, it's advisable to apply 'historicism' or historical methodology to better understand and appreciate the different legal opinions (Fiqhi ray') of the Islamic theologians. All the four established schools of Islamic Jurisprudence recognise the fact that the age of the marriage for girls, especially consummation, must be postponed until they reach maturity (Aql) and not just 'Bulugh' (puberty). Not just Sunni Hanafi traditionalists, even many modernist Shi'a theologians would follow this rational approach which is in sync with the Qur'anic injunctions on marriage.
As a matter of fact, there are no age limits fixed by the Qur'an for the girls' marriage. In the mediaeval times, Muslim marriages were mostly based on the customary practices in the Arab and non-Arab societies. The operational part of the related Qur'anic verses on the marriageability is that Allah has exhorted the laws for babies (الاطفال) which are diametrically different from teenagers who reach their puberty (Bulugh) and an altogether different laws for those reaching of the "age of marriage" (حتى اذا بلغوا النكاح) as clearly stated in the below mentioned verse:
"Test the orphans [children] until they reach the age of marriage, and then if you find them mature of mind hand over to them their property" (Qur'an 4:6)
Notice the Arabic word "Balaghu" (بلغوا). It clearly means "when they have reached the age of marriage". This implies that they have to go through gradual physical, psychological and mental stages, growing up in years. And they should be approached for their affairs like marriage and property ownership after their proper mental development so they could determine what is the best for them. These days, whether a girl or a boy, becomes capable of managing their own affairs only after at least their graduation which is generally completed at 20/21.
From the above verse in Qur'an, one this is for patently clear: One must reach "full physical strength and mental growth" (Ashuddahu) in adulthood and then only can reach "the age of marriage" (Qur'an 4:6). Qur'anic terminology of "Ashuddah" entails meanings including both maturity and puberty, divine wisdom and worldly knowledge, material accomplishment and spiritual ripening, adulthood and pubescence as detailed in the Qur'anic philology. Further to this point, the following verses also give specific details which substantiate it: Female-children would later be considered "Fataaya" (young ladies) only when they are ready to be "wed" (4:25) and thus one is not permitted to get "Atfaal" (young children) married (4:25, 24:59).
An Arabic proverb often used in the Prophetic traditions reveals the same. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) issued his advice to youth for marriage in these words: "O Shabab! (young grown-ups) (يا معشر الشباب). But in a sheer ignorance of all these nuances in hadith and Qur'an, literalists among Salafis and Sunnis, and sometimes Shi'as, would ask the run-of-the-mill question: So what about Prophet Muhammad's marriage with the then 9-year old Haz. Aisha r.a? Ironically, such questions emerge from highly textualist interpretations of the Qur'an and Hadith heavily influenced by the Hanbali aka Salafist Manhaj (methodology). They have caused ripples among Muslims and non-Muslims about Islam and modern developments which directly impact the issues like marriageability of Muslim girls in India's rural areas where non-Muslim girls are equally married off at early ages.
While the self-evident verses in the Qur'an declare "maturity" and not just "puberty" as minimum natural requirement for marriageability of girls, misleading interpretations of "reaching the age of puberty" still exist in the community. While Salafists and many Sunnis in general favour a literalist interpretation of "Ashuddah" and "Bulugh" merely as 'puberty', modernist Qur'an exegesis have defined puberty as 'maturity'.
Sunni theologians like Maulana Inayatullah Subhani, author of acclaimed books on Islamic Law like Haqeeqat-e-Rajm, Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, a reformist thinker and Shia theologians like Ayatollah Khomeini are some those who define girls' maturity as 'ability to manage affairs', fulfil responsibility of motherhood and appropriateness in social behaviour'. However, these are among the rarest of rare established Islamic theologians who have challenged the organised clergy who are at the loggerheads. But at the same time, as a critical-traditionalist Sunni Hanafi scholar, Maulana Waris Mazhari points out, they too indulge in the 'Muslim apologia' in their rebuttals to the textualist position on the controversial hadith which reports that Hazrat Aisha r.a. was married to the Prophet (pbuh) at the age of 6, 9 or 11.
The full hadith as reported here from Imam Bukhari's collection is the main corpus from which all Sunni sects derive legitimacy for marriageability of girls at the minimum age of 9. It says: "Prophet married Aysha when she was 6 years old and he consummated his marriage when she was 9" (Bukhari, 64-65, 88). A similar hadith report says that Prophet's marriage with Aisha was consummated when she was 11. Fundamentalist Islamist preachers like Zakir Naik quoted the same hadith to argue that even today "a Muslim girl's marriage can occur at age of 11/12." One can only be aghast at this dangerous Sunni-Salafist literalism.
In India, the marriageable age for girls, especially for the minorities is a complex issue in the multicultural and multi-racial miliue, due to its strong association with the patriarchal family values, religious biases of both the majority and minority communities. As consequence of this, the government's ammendment of the marriageable age is bound to face criticism. Besides the legal implications of enforcing age of marriage, a large section of the traditionalist religious leaders and clergymen, citing the socio-religious justifications behind the early ages of girls for marriage, will arise against the amendment across religions. But the modernist and progressive theologians of all faith traditions including the four Islamic schools will apparently approve of the move. Barring a few who fear that this will put the independence of adolescent girls at stake, almost all of them are likely to applaud the move. Notably, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), an apex body of Christians, has lauded the decision to bring uniformity in the marriageable age of men and women. "We feel education remains a key factor and by 21, women will get an opportunity to complete their graduation. This will pave the way for a mature relationship and healthy family. Therefore, we view the decision positively," said KCBC family commission secretary Father Paul Simenthy. This statement should serve as a logical explainer for the theologians and legal experts of Islam as well.
In India, it should be noted, Personal Laws govern marriage and other practices for religious communities. These prescribe certain criteria for marriage, including the age of bride and groom. For example, Section 5 (iii) of The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, sets a minimum age of 18 for the bride and 21 for the groom. This is the same for Christians under the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872. But for Muslims, the criteria is attaining puberty, which is assumed when the bride or groom turns 15.
Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is a scholar of classical Islamic studies, cultural analyst, researcher in media and communication studies and regular columnist with newageislam.com
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/marriageable-age-legal-islamic-framework/d/125979


text:
The Mystique of Adele
Adele demonstrates the power of mystique. Merriam-Webster defines mystique as "an air or attitude of mystery and reverence developing around something or someone." Adele creates that air of mystery by holding back. She avoids TikTok. She has tweeted only seven times in 2021, and her tweets consist of bland announcements probably written by someone on Team Adele. On Instagram, she has shared 11 posts in 2021 (and a recent Instagram Live chat with her fans). Avoiding social media is the wrong move for anyone trying to build a brand in our hyper-social attention economy. And yet, Adele's new song "Easy on Me" has broken a Spotify record for most single-day streams even though she has not released any new music for six years.
Adele's approach works for her. But why? Crucially, she built a devoted fan base when her breakthrough album, 21, took off in 2011. She attracted fans who were (and are) not necessarily into following music trends, social media, and pop culture — but who are into Adele. As Nielsen analyst Dave Bakula commented when Adele's 25 was released in 2015, "[Adele is] an outlier of outliers because she brings in people who are not regular music buyers," he told Billboard. "Maybe they haven't bought a record since Adele's 21."
Adele has inherited the mantel of heartfelt singer-songwriter from the likes of Carole King and Joni Mitchell. Her fans connect with her songs at an intensely personal level. She is known to draw from her real-life relationships, which gives those songs an authenticity that resonates even more. "Easy on Me" is reportedly based on her divorce from Simon Konecki, as is her forthcoming album, 30.
Having a low profile on social strengthens that connection by keeping her fans focused on understanding Adele through her music, not through her social posts. Being on social risks exposing cracks in the Adele persona and can distract from her narrative. In 2020, she posted on Instagram a rare unguarded photo of herself wearing her hair styled in Bantu knots while she wore a Jamaican flag bikini. The post sparked accusations of cultural appropriation, a rare moment of public shaming. This was not the kind of attention that suits her narrative.
Social media is about creating impressions — little moments that create a steady stream of visibility. But Adele is in her element when she creates The Moment. Like hosting Saturday Night Live.
Or becoming the first person to appear simultaeously on the cover of both the U.S. and British Vogue.
She can control these moments. And then she can retreat behind the veil of mystique. She is like Steve Jobs with his big product reveals when he ran Apple. Adele's latest big reveal is 30, being dropped on November 19. On Adele's terms.
How Bandcamp Could Fix the Music Business; 7 Secrets for Longevity in the Music Industry; Amazon…
Platform & Stream
Intro: The Rise of BTS in the West
Ghada Elsworki
Tracking Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan on their path to collaboration
Deante L. Young
Instagram vs.
Platform & Stream in Platform & Stream
How to quickly create a pattern from a chord progression
Nico Schuele in Pragmatic Sound
Buyers Guide: Best Drum Heads Review in 2017
Music Advisor
Amazon Music Rolling Out Activities For Alexa Users; Sirius XM To Broadcast Phish Baker's Dozen…
Avakin Life — Spinnin Session Live Concert with DJ Duo Lucas & Steve
Lockwood Publishing in Lockwood Publishing


text:
Their fountain of love
Serena Markstrom
�Wowie Zowie/ Your love�s a treat/ Wowie Zowie/ You can�t be beat/ Wowie Zowie, baby/ You�re so neat.�
Frank Zappa is not exactly known for his sappy love songs. But those lyrics from his 1966 song, �Wowie Zowie,� hit just the right note five years ago when Glenn Leonard, 52, and Alli Bach, 40, tied the knot in Portland.
The officiant patched together Zappa song titles and lyrics to surprise the couple on their big day, much to their delight.
After all, it was a mutual love of Zappa that brought them together and led to their both becoming members of the Pojama People, a band that includes Zappa alumnus Ike Willis.
Just shy of the couple�s five-year anniversary on Sept. 8, they have a show today at the WOW Hall.
Along with Willis, Leonard was an East Coast-based drummer for a nationally touring Zappa band, Project Object, when they played the WOW Hall in 2002. Bach, a professional modern dancer, had e-mailed the tour manager and asked him if she could join the band on stage for a piece.
Bach didn�t hear back until about a week before the Eugene show, even though she had sent her request about two months ahead of time, she recalled during an interview in the north Eugene home she shares with Leonard.
So with one week of lead time, Bach jumped at the opportunity to perform with the band and enlisted the help of another experienced local dancer, Pollyanna Lind. The two had one prepared piece, and they did what from Leonard�s estimation was some impressive improvisation, keeping up with the band and the band feeding off the dancers.
�It was very reciprocal,� Leonard said.
After that, Bach gave Leonard an �impromptu preview� of a piece she was working on, a tap dance interpretation of the drum solo in �The Black Page.�
Although Leonard had been a professional drummer for more than a decade at that point, the drum solo in that composition always had intimidated him. He has never attempted it live, he said.
So when he saw this woman tapping out its complex rhythms with her feet in lieu of drumsticks, he was more than a little intrigued by her.
An impasse developed
A couple of years later, Bach noticed the band was touring the Interstate 5 corridor again. She inquired if she could join in for a few shows, then get dropped off in Sacramento to visit her grandmother.
Leonard offered to share his allotted bench on the van with her. They got better acquainted on that tour.
But the timing was all wrong. Bach had recently ended a long-term relationship and sworn off getting into another. Who, though, could resist a string of e-mails, phone calls, truck stop postcards via snail mail and visits that came the year after Leonard first visited Eugene for pleasure, not business?
Not Bach.
After a year of long-distance dating, they came to an impasse. Both were tired from all the travel, and they sensed something had to change for them to continue. Bach told Leonard this, and she didn�t hear from him for three weeks.
When he finally called her, he told her he was ready to uproot his life in the Philadelphia region, leave the clientele he had built teaching music over the years and join her in Oregon. They bought a house, moved in on April Fool�s Day and got married a year later.
Leonard has since rebuilt his business teaching young people music.
A painting of them on Zappa�s famous couch, based on the cover for the 1975 Zappa album �One Size Fits All,� hangs on the wall behind their own sofa. Band members commissioned longtime visual collaborator Cal Shenkel to do the custom piece for the couple as a wedding gift.
Serious about the music
Like Zappa, Leonard and Bach are keen to laugh at themselves. Also like Zappa, they are serious about music, but that doesn�t mean the music can�t have a good sense of humor.
Friends seem suspicious when the two don�t fight, but neither sees much sense in that. They have serious talks when something comes up, but they speak to each other with respect and hear what the other has to say.
Bach�s role in the band now is as singer and percussionist. She plays a rare instrument called a MalletKat, which can reproduce many sounds without the bulk and the microphone issues associated with traveling with so many individual instruments.
Bach has lived in Eugene since coming to the UO for college. She works in admissions at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance.
Now, she has a band that combines so many of her interests; music, folklore, dance. The special Zappa bond the pair share is important beyond the way they met. They still love to dissect the minutiae of Zappa�s work and explore together different parts of his catalog.
Even though she always could appreciate the musicality of Zappa�s work, when she first started listening to it in the mid-�90s, after Zappa�s 1993 death, Bach says she wasn�t drawn to it aesthetically. A video of �Baby Snakes� changed all that for her.
�I got it,� she said.
Leonard�s love was more immediate, and Zappa has been his favorite musician for almost four decades.
�Frank Zappa was my Elvis,� he said.
But to fall in love with someone who shares the fascination? How lucky can one Zappa-obsessed guy be?
For Leonard, it makes perfect sense he would find true love this way. In his mid-30s, he finally found the courage to quit his day job.
�The underlying theme is: Follow what you love and everything else would fall into place,� he said. �By following a single path of what I love to do in life � that love of Zappa�s music � I just (trusted) the universe to let everything else fall into place.�
Call Serena Markstrom at 541-338-2371 or you can e-mail her at serena.markstrom@registerguard.com.


text:
Incredible Moment Between Disappointed Nebraska Quarterback And Supportive Teammate Goes Viral
#Football
by Grayson Weir November 27, 2021
A remarkable moment between Nebraska's backup quarterback and his lineman has gone viral.
After losing the game in heart-breaking fashion, the lineman reminded his quarterback to keep his head up.
Click HERE for more college football coverage!
Earlier this week, Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez underwent shoulder surgery and effectively ended his season. In his place, redshirt freshman Logan Smothers got the start on Friday for the Cornhuskers' rivalry game against Iowa.
Smothers, who was a four-star recruit, played pretty well. He completed 16-of-22 pass attempts for 198 yards and ran for two touchdowns.
However, he also threw an interception and lost a fumble. Nebraska, which held a 21-6 lead early in the third quarter, allowed Iowa to score 22 unanswered points and win the game by seven, 28-21.
The loss was historic, as head coach Scott Frost's team recorded its ninth one-score loss of the year. The Cornhuskers finished the season at 3-9, but could have finished the season undefeated if the one-score games had gone the other way.
Thus, they are both the best three-win team of all-time and the most three-win time in the history of the beautiful game. It's remarkable how unfortunate of a season that Nebraska endured.
After Friday's game was all-but over, Smothers was visibly upset. He had his head down into his chest on the sideline until his teammate came over to get him right.
Junior offensive lineman Trent Hixson walked over to his distraught signal-caller and pushed his helmet up, making sure that he left the field with his head held high.
tough moment. really tough spot for a young quarterback.
need your teammates there. good stuff @TrentHixson. pic.twitter.com/kxFfZsqUwb
— Derek Peterson (@DrPeteyHV) November 26, 2021
Although Nebraska's season did not end how they had hoped, this display from Hixson is a testament to the culture that is being built in Lincoln. What a moment!
Tags Clean NewsCollege FootballFootballNebraska Cornhuskersviral video


text:
Pastor Saha Shares a Video
Pastor Sahayadas Simon, Kerusomen, India director, shares the following video to encourage people from the U.S. The believers in India are grateful for our prayers offered up for India AND want you to know that the believers in India are praying for us and the USA, as well.
In India the Royal Kids Prayer Ministry has raised over a 10 000 Children Intercessors to stand in the Gap for the nations. These children, who are picked up from the streets out of the almost unthinkable circumstances, not only start impacting their own communities by prayer walking their local neighborhoods but are taught to pray for the nations and individuals.
The children who were rejected as a curse now have become a blessing to the community and the world.
A Video Message & Prayer for Our Kerusomen Family
Isos India Women's Transformation Program l Kerusomen Gospel Ministries
Don't Miss This Video!
Two inspiring women, Anju and Stelin, lead Kerusomen's transformation class, Isos India. Together they are quietly and steadily working, with the love of Christ, to help women thrive in a culture that favors males over females.
In the Hindu culture, women are devalued. Consequently, their health is negatively impacted early in life.
Malnutrition is at crisis levels in India and the country has the highest rates of malnourished females in the developing world.
To make matters worse, women don't have access to adequate healthcare, either. Most women in India don't even have access to clean hygiene for menstrual care.
On top of that, cultural taboos and beliefs that menstruation is "unclean" have had devastating consequences. 23 million women in India become school drop-outs every year when they start their menstrual cycle. But that's not all. For young girls, schooling takes second place to helping with household chores and taking care of siblings. 27% of India's girls become child brides.
All of these factors diminish their' ability to achieve full, productive, and financially secure lives.
Isos focuses on Practical Skills
Community &
for Wholistic Transformation
It's no accident that Isos starts with a church because nobody loves women more than Jesus.
And no BODY but His Church, demonstrates that love better. That's why Isos is offered in villages in India where Kerusomen Gospel Ministries has planted a church.
Each meeting opens with bible study and prayers. Teachings that show the value of women in God's eyes (and His love for them) lay a firm foundation for lasting transformation.
Health and nutritional training is also given to jump start a brighter future for the women and their children.
Across India there are longstanding cultural expectations that married women should not work. Housework and taking care of the children and elderly should be their priorities.
Like most women in India, Daisy did as was expected of females in her culture. She married young and became a mother. Having spent her life doing domestic chores and childcare, she was totally unprepared and unqualified for a job.
But ISOS changed everything.
Classes in banking, farming, sewing and other trade skills give women, like Daisy, the life-changing tools and confidence they need to succeed.
The Isos India community also provides encouragement and accountability.
To qualify for Isos Classes each woman makes an initial investment in her herself by depositing $25 into a bank account that the Kerusomen Gospel Ministries Charitable Foundation helps them manage.
Every week thereafter they commit to saving $1 more (which is deposited at the weekly Isos class.)
The class teaches them basic accounting and savings principles so they keep track of their balance and interest. And rejoice with each other as it grows!
Anju, the KGM Director of Women's Ministries
Kerusomen's Director of Women's Ministries, Anju Sahayadas, explained to us that many more women are waiting and saving to join Isos. For most women, the $1 a week is tough, but doable. But to save the $25 initial investment will take them over six months.
We would like to change that.
$25 Scholarships
These women are strong, tenacious, intelligent and motivated women who are working hard to make a better life for themselves and their children.
With all the odds stacked against them, they are succeeding.
But the gift of a $25 scholarship can help them beat those odds even faster.
We know that when equipped with the simple tools of discipleship, training, and savings you can help transform the future for women like Leela, Daisy, Rani, and Asha.
Isos India Micro-Enterprise Empowers Women l Kerusomen Gospel Ministries
The ISOS Women's Micro-Enterprise Class helps single, married and widowed women alike. It serves women of all faiths.
A women's leader at the KGM Kerala headquarters in India, Stelin, is forming micro-enterprise groups to help women learn how to handle money, save, and even start small business enterprises.
Women are poorly treated in India. The preference for boys haunts Indian girls all their lives. Girls receive significantly less education and nutrition than boys. From childhood to widowhood females are considered a financial burden to their families. Considered as less valuable than a cow, they are often sex trafficked or abandoned. Millions are lost every year to sex-selective abortions or midwife infanticide right after birth.
But thanks to Stelin's leadership that's all changing. The women in her classes are gaining freedom, self-confidence, and the tools they need to become self-sufficient.
Overview of Isos India
The class merges micro-finance training with effective, holistic support including health, hygiene, nutrition, and Bible lessons. To join the class, each woman invests $25 in a joint savings account with the other students and commits to add $1 each week to the account. After a short waiting period, during which time the woman learns basic banking, accounting and accountability skills, she is eligible to borrow from the account. The Kerusomen Charitable Foundation oversees the account transactions and loan repayments, safeguarding the women's investments. They are not charged for this service. Many women save money to pay for their children's school fees and emergency funds. Other women use the loan option to open a business.
Picture from our Facebook Page - Follow Us!
Daisy, one of our rescued widows, makes and sells pickles at the local market, an enterprise that not only earns her extra income, but also earns her respect at home and in society. Her success has encouraged other women to do the same.
Many Widows Are Anxious to Join Isos
Many widows in our Rescue Program want to work but for health reasons cannot do the labor or number of hours required to keep a job in the public sector. They also lack the education and work skills for less physically demanding positions.
Isos is a wonderful option for them. They can learn farming, tailoring, and hen rearing. Or take classes in making paper bags, jewelry, and umbrellas. These are opportunities they can work part-time from home. Perfect for the elderly and disabled and mothers with small children, too.
So why aren't they participating? The simple truth is they don't have the $25 initial investment to join. For them, $25 is a huge investment. Most of them have no income at all. Only about 30% of the women in India work outside the home.
And not because they're lazy. Multiple reliable sources find that women in India do the most unpaid work of any other country except one - Kazakhstan. The Economic Survey finds that 60 per cent of prime working-aged Indian women work full-time doing housework - at home for their families. Culturally it is expected that married women do virtually all of the housework and care-giving chores. These can take them up to 19 hours a day. But other issues keep women home, too. Of major concern is a rise in violence against women and unsafe workplaces that discourage them from seeking work, as well. This is especially true for women who are Muslim or from lower castes..
KGM has helped nearly 60 women. But you can help us start a new class for abandoned widows or give a deserving mother a head start. A one-time $25 gift enables a woman to participate. She'll do the rest.


text:
Tutor Profile
Model Essays
Taking Economics Tuition Early To Get A Head Start
Economics is one of the subjects offered in junior college in Singapore. It is among the popular subjects due to its wide application in a large number of fields such as business, banking, international relations, etc. As result of the popularity of the subject of economics in junior college in Singapore, economics tuition is highly popular. There are about 18 000 students in junior college in Singapore who take the subject of economics each year. A survey conducted by Economics Cafe Learning Centre which is a leading economics tuition in Singapore shows that over 70 per cent of the students take economics tuition in one form of another at some point in the course of the two years in junior college. Economics Cafe Learning Centre was founded by the famous economics tutor Mr. Edmund Quek who is highly sought after by students who wish to do well in the subject of economics. Indeed, many students come to Mr. Edmund Quek for economics tuition before the course in their schools starts in order to get a head start. The question is, is it helpful to take economics tuition early to get a head start.
Economics Tuition and Head Start
The link between taking economics tuition early and having a head start is strong. Economics is a new subject to virtually all the students taking the subject in junior college. Therefore, the lack of knowledge about the subject creates fear of the subject. Furthermore, as economics is a totally different subject from math and science, the skills which the students have picked up from learning math and science are not applicable to learning economics, at least not significantly. Therefore, students generally do not adopt the right approach to studying the subject of economics, at least not during the initial phase. Taking economics tuition from a good economics tutor can address these problems. With the guidance from an experienced economics tutor, students can overcome the fear of the subject. Furthermore, they are able to learn the skills to study the subject of economics in an effective and efficient way. This is especially true if the economics tutor is highly experienced in teaching the subject. It follows that taking economics tuition early will enable the students to get a head start.
Head Start and Grade
Having a head start for the subject of economics is likely to lead to a good grade in the examination. With a good foundation, the students will be able to better understand the lectures. Furthermore, they will be able to more effectively participate in the tutorial discussions. All these will help the students better understand the subject which is likely to translate into a good grade in the examination. Ironically, this means that the students will be less dependable on economics tuition if they start taking economics tuition from a good economics tutor early. There is no shortage of economics tuition centres in Singapore. Economics Cafe Learning is one of the more reputable economics tuition centres in Singapore. The Principal Economics Tutor is Mr. Edmund Quek who is a very experienced economics tutor held in high regard by parents, students and his peers including this competitors. Since its inception, Economics Cafe Learning Centre has helped a large number of students get a head start for the subject of economics. Most of the students have achieved a distinction in the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level Economics examination. Many of them have become economics tutors who provide high quality economics tuition to the next generation.
Jacky Liu
Click to Read Next Post
Economics Tuition Singapore @ Economics Cafe
Principal Economics Tutor: Mr. Edmund Quek
Name: Edmund Quek
Email: edmundquek@economicscafe.com.sg
For 'A' level economics tuition, call 8268 8918.
For other economics tuition, call 6402 3981.
Block 505B Bishan Street 11
(3-minute walk from the Bishan MRT station and Raffles Institution, 50 metres behind the Bishan Public Library)
Economics Cafe specialises in the provision of JC economics tuition in Bishan, which includes both H2 economics tuition and H1 economics tuition. Mr. Edmund Quek, who is arguably the best economics tutor in Singapore, is the Principal Economics Tutor at Economics Cafe.
Copyright © 2019 Economics Cafe™ (TM No. 40201520062U) | Economics Tuition Singapore | Economics Tutor Singapore | Econs Tuition Bishan | General Articles | Sitemap


text:
set -e

# Now that the volume is mounted, change owner and make it read/write
chown www-data:www-data /var/www/drupal/web/sites/default/files
chmod -R 777 /var/www/drupal/web/sites/default/files

# Do this one too while we're at it (could be done in Dockerfile)
mkdir -p /var/www/drupal/config/sync
chown www-data:www-data /var/www/drupal/config/sync
chmod -R 777 /var/www/drupal/config/sync

# Now that volume is usable by non-root user, start up PHP on port 9000
php-fpm


text:
October 31, 2010 - 18:31 AMT
22 people injured in Istanbul's Taksim Square explosion
At least 22 people were injured Sunday, October 31 by an apparent suicide bombing in the heart of Turkey's premier city, Istanbul.
The 10:30 a.m. explosion struck Taksim Square, a vast transportation and commercial hub that is the city's busiest node. The apparent targets were police officers at a law enforcement substation at the square's northern end. At least 10 of those injured were police, and two of the wounded face life-threatening injuries.
Istanbul police chief Huseyin Capkin said more bombs were found in the square, according to Turkish media. Authorities barred all pedestrian and vehicular traffic to the square, popular with tourists, in case of more explosions, Los Angeles Times reported.


text:
Tag: Tourmalet
Blackstone to List New Socimi with 4,000 Rental Homes Purchased from Sabadell
29 May 2018 – El Confidencial
One of the first funds to bet on the boom in rental housing in Spain, Blackstone, is on the verge of listing its fourth Socimi to specialise in this market, an area that is really blossoming.
The Socimi in question is Torbel Investments, a vehicle that primarily comprises the so-called Project Empire, a portfolio containing almost 4,000 homes, parking spaces, premises and storerooms that Banco Sabadell sold to the US fund two years ago.
At the time, the operation was worth around €600 million, although in net book value terms, Blackstone has recorded the assets at €113 million, according to Torbel's most recent official accounts, corresponding to the year ending 2016.
Currently, the fund is on the home stretch of the procedures necessary with the CNMV – Spain's National Securities and Markets Commission – to list the vehicle, whose natural destination is the MAB – Alternative Investment Market – given that Blackstone's objective is, simply, to fulfil the demands of the Socimi regime to list the company so that it can benefit from the tax advantages.
That point means that this placement is completely different from the one being finalised by Testa, another giant in the rental housing sector in Spain, which is expected to make its debut on the main stock market in June, with €1.834 billion in assets.
Plethora of Socimis
Since it acquired these homes from Sabadell, Blackstone has managed all of the flats through its own servicer company, Anticipa, the firm that is behind the day to day operations of all of the large residential acquisitions carried out by the fund.
By geographical distribution, both in terms of property value and rental income, the main markets in which the Socimi has a presence are Madrid, Alicante, Murcia and Valencia, in other words, regions where the former entity CAM – Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo – had its greatest presence before it was acquired by Sabadell and whose foreclosed assets comprise this portfolio.
Blackstone is competing head to head with Testa to be the largest landlord in Spain, but it is adopting a very different strategy given that whilst the firm in which Santander, BBVA, Acciona and Merlin all hold stakes is opting to concentrate the greatest number of homes possible in a single company, the US fund is playing its hand by backing several smaller vehicles.
For the time being, Blackstone has already listed Fidere, which owns more than 5,700 homes, many of which have some kind of public protection; it also has Albirana Properties, owner of another 5,000 rental assets; and Corona Patrimonial. But, in addition, the fund has been creating other Socimis such as Tourmalet and Pegarena.
All of these companies are expected to continue expanding their portfolios with assets from Project Quasar, the portfolio that Blackstone acquired from Santander, and which contains a sizeable portfolio of homes from the former Banco Popular.
Original story: El Confidencial (by Ruth Ugalde)
Author Carmel DrakePosted on May 30, 2018 Categories Real Estate News, ResidentialTags Acciona, Albirana Properties, Anticipa, BBVA, Blackstone, CAM, Corona Patrimonial, debut, Fidere, homes, MAB, Merlin, net book value, parking spaces, Pegarena, Project Empire, Project Quasar, rental homes, sabadell, santander, storerooms, tax advantages, testa, Torbel Investments, Tourmalet
Blackstone & Santander Will Transfer 21,000 Of Popular's Homes To Various Socimis
30 October 2017 – Cinco Días
The sale of the real estate assets proceeding from Popular to Blackstone is not over yet, but the strategy behind the operation is already very clear and will reinforce the US fund's position as the largest homeowner in Spain. The American firm's plan involves replicating its previous purchase of banking portfolios linked to real estate on a grand scale. Specifically, the fund will transfer a large part of these homes to several Socimis with the aim of renting them out. A small proportion, the lowest quality properties, will be put up for sale.
In August, Santander sold 51% of Popular's real estate to Blackstone, together with the real estate management platform Aliseda, which it had previously repurchased from Värde and Kennedy Wilson. These assets (comprising homes, land, office and doubtful debt) were worth around €10,000 million, and so Blackstone will pay almost €5,100 million when the operation is finally closed at the beginning of 2018.
Of that transaction, Blackstone and Santander will manage around 80,000 assets through Aliseda. Of those, 30,000 correspond to homes from property developer loans, according to market sources. Now, it has been revealed that the strategy of the two partners involves transferring approximately 70%, in other words, almost 21,000 homes, to several of the US fund's Socimis with the aim of putting them up for rent, explain sources in the sector (…).
Blackstone has already followed this strategy in the past. Its first major operation in Spain was the purchase of 40,000 mortgages from the now extinct Catalunya Caixa for €4,123 million in 2015. Next, it created the platform Anticipa Real Estate to manage those assets. Prior to the purchase of Popular's real estate, it had already acquired around €7,000 million in these types of assets, of which 12,000 were homes.
To create the residential giant, the US firm began to create Socimis to which to transfer its properties for rent. The first of these companies was Albirana Properties, which made its debut on the Alternative Investment Market in March, with a market capitalisation of €170 million and 5,000 rental homes under management.
But that was just the beginning. Since then, Blackstone has created several more Socimis, such as Tourmalet, Torbel, Albirana II and Pegarena, according to the tool Insight View from Iberinform. Now, Blackstone will identify the best homes, put them up for rent and package them into several different Socimis.
Currently, Blackstone is involved in a detailed assessment process of the properties in order to proceed with their appraisal, according to sources in the sector, which will conclude with the completion of the operation during the first quarter next year. The other homes, those that will not be transferred to the Socimis, comprise around 9,000 units. They are the worst quality properties and will likely be put up for sale on the retail market.
Blackstone first entered the rental market with the purchase of homes from Madrid's Municipal Housing Company in 2013, which it subsequently grouped into the Socimi Fidere, whose shares are also traded on the MAB and which has a market capitalisation of €268 million.
Blackstone, which is led by Claudio Boada as the CEO in Spain, is particularly active in the real estate sector in the country. Last week, it purchased the company HI Partners, the owner of 14 holiday hotels, from Sabadell for €630 million.
Original story: Cinco Días (by Alfonso Simón Ruiz)
Author Carmel DrakePosted on October 30, 2017 Categories Real Estate News, ResidentialTags Albirana II, Albirana Properties, Alternative Investment Market, Anticipa Real Estate, appraisal, Blackstone, Fidere, homes, MAB, market capitalisation, mortgages, Pegarena, Popular, real estate, retail market, santander, Socimi, Torbel, Tourmalet
Blackstone's Socimi Will Spend €25M On Corporate Operations
3 July 2017 – Eje Prime
Fidere, the social housing Socimi owned by the US fund Blackstone, is growing rapidly through acquisitions. Over the course of this year, the company will spend €25 million on the acquisition of Spanish companies dedicated to rental housing. In this way, Fidere will add new assets to its portfolio, according to explanations provided by market sources to EjePrime.
Fidere's purpose is to acquire and manage residential rental assets in Spain. Since its incorporation onto the Alternative Investment Market (MAB) on 29 June 2015, the group has acquired 3,365 new residential units (as well as storerooms and garages) for rental in the Community of Madrid. As at 31 January 2017, the average occupancy rate of these residential units amounted to 92.9%.
With this declaration of intentions, Blackstone is going to continue adding assets in the Spanish market with the aim of leading the residential rental market in the country. With a portfolio of 12,000 homes under ownership in Spain, the fund has constituted several companies to implement its strategy after having invested €7,000 million in the country.
The fund, which owns the majority of its properties in Cataluña (followed by its portfolios in the Community of Madrid, the Community of Valencia and Andalucía) has decided to back the rental market in Spain in the face of changes in residential demand in the country, above all, amongst young people.
To carry out its plans, Blackstone has added three new Socimis to its portfolio of Socimis, which until now comprised Fidere alone. It now owns Albirana Properties, which has been trading on the MAB since March, Pegarena and Tourmalet (which have not debuted on the stock market yet) and the servicer Anticipa Real Estate (…).
Albirana Properties, for example, manages 5,000 homes, whilst Pegarena and Tourmalet, companies that have been constituted already, will start incorporating some of Blackstone's portfolio in Spain. The fragmentation will allow these asset packages to be sold more easily in the future. Created in New York in 1985, Blackstone manages assets around the world worth €335,950 million.
Blackstone and its commitment to property
The fund, which is one of the largest private investment vehicles in the world, set a new milestone at the beginning of the month by managing to raise €7,800 million to launch its fifth fund specialising in real estate. The new instrument, classified as opportunistic by the firm itself, will operate under the name Blackstone Real Estate Partners Europe V (BREP Europe V).
The strategy that Blackstone adopts with these types of funds is to locate and acquire high-quality, well-located assets at significant discounts, to manage them appropriately and then sell them, after achieving the proposed objectives.
The Blackstone group, which founded its real estate arm in 1991, administrates around €91,000 million in capital from various investors through its real estate subsidiary. Its real estate portfolio includes offices, retail premises, hotels, industrial assets and residential properties in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Original story: Eje Prime (by C. Pareja)
Author Carmel DrakePosted on July 3, 2017 Categories Real Estate News, ResidentialTags acquisition, Albirana Properties, Blackstone, Fidere, homes, MAB, Pegarena, rental, residential assets, Socimi, spending, TourmaletLeave a comment on Blackstone's Socimi Will Spend €25M On Corporate Operations
Anticipa Wants To Become Spain's Largest Rental Home Manager
3 April 2017 – El Economista
Anticipa, the real estate subsidiary of the US fund Blackstone, wants to become one of the largest rental home managers in Spain. To achieve its objective, the company plans to consolidate its assets in different Socimis, which will be listed on the MAB, according to comments made to elEconomista by sources close to the fund.
Anticipa is the former real estate platform of Catalunya Caixa, which was acquired by Blackstone in 2014. That same year, the fund signed the purchase of its first major mortgage portfolio from the same entity. Known at the time as Project Hércules, the operation involved the transfer of 40,000 problem loans, for which Blackstone paid €3,615 million.
Since the acquisition was closed definitively, in April 2015, Anticipa has been in charge of managing these assets along with those from another six portfolios, which have a combined value of €7,000 million.
According to the same sources, Blackstone's objective is to continue acquiring portfolios to reach 17,000 rental homes by the end of this year, which would make its subsidiary one of the largest residential managers in the country.
Anticipa already has 12,000 homes up for rent or in the process of being put up for rent in the short term and has placed a package of 5,000 units on the market through the Socimi Albirana, which debuted on the stock market last week. Those assets, located mainly Barcelona and Madrid, were inherited from Project Hércules.
In order to continue implementing its strategy, the fund is already working on the launch of a new Socimi, given that it considers that to be the most efficient way of structuring its portfolio. Socimis have a special tax regime in Spain and pay Corporation Tax at zero percent. In addition to Albirana, Blackstone registered two other Socimis last year, under the names Pegarena and Tourmalet.
Led by Eduardo Mendiluce Fradera, Anticipa has been in charge of managing the enormous portfolio of loans to individual borrowers, on a case by case basis, which it inherited from Catalunya Caixa.
To handle this task, the firm, which already had extensive experience in the real estate sector, expanded its workforce to incorporate more financial profiles, growing the team to include 330 professionals.
The 40,000 mortgages that Blackstone purchased in 2014 include loans with varying degrees of delinquency, from up to date to NPLs. Of the total, 3% have involved social housing cases, but none have ended in eviction.
Since Anticipa began managing this portfolio two years ago, it has managed to reach 10,000 agreements, of which the majority are "daciones en pago" and the remainder are debt restructurings.
Having freed up the asset, the firm's objective is to allocate around 70-75% of its homes to rent, and to sell the rest – generally, it will sell those homes that are located in places where there is no demand for rental properties. (…).
Original story: El Economista (by Alba Brualla)
Author Carmel DrakePosted on April 3, 2017 Categories Real Estate News, ResidentialTags Albirana, Anticipa, Blackstone, Catalunya Caixa, Corporation Tax, dacion en pago, debut, eviction, MAB, managing, Paegarena, portfolio, Project Hércules, rental homes, Socimi, subsidiary, TourmaletLeave a comment on Anticipa Wants To Become Spain's Largest Rental Home Manager
Blackstone To Buy €790M Of Property Loans From CaixaBank
22 July 2015 – Bloomberg
Blackstone Group LP is buying a portfolio of bad loans with a nominal value of €790 million ($858 million) from Spanish lender CaixaBank SA, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
The debt is linked to newly completed residential units as well as land and homes under development, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the deal is not yet complete. The sale of the portfolio, known as Tourmalet, is expected to close at the end of the week, the people said.
Spanish banks are seeking to sell off bad real estate debt that has weighed on their balance sheets since the financial crisis sparked a property crash. Lenders foreclosed on more than 70,000 homes in 2014 with Andalusia, Cataluña and Valencia hit the hardest, according to data from the National Statistics Institute.
The assets backing the CaixaBank debt comprise 88% residential property, 9% land and 3% commercial property, according to a sales document obtained by Bloomberg News. The assets are mainly based in Andalusia, Madrid, Castilla La Mancha and Cataluña, according to the document.
Blackstone, which is run by billionaire Stephen Schwarzman (pictured above) has become the largest private equity real estate investor.
Spokesmen for Blackstone and CaixaBank declined to comment on the deal.
Original story: Bloomberg (by Sharon R Smyth)
Edited by: Carmel Drake
Author Carmel DrakePosted on July 22, 2015 Categories Real Estate NewsTags bad loans, balance sheet, Blackstone Group, CaixaBank, commercial property, debt portfolio, INE, land, nominal value, residential units, TourmaletLeave a comment on Blackstone To Buy €790M Of Property Loans From CaixaBank


Bet365 are showing Dominika Cibulkova vs Alize Cornet live, legal and straight onto your computer via 101 Great Goals.
Simply click on this link and follow the simple step-by-step instructions to watch Dominika Cibulkova vs Alize Cornet.
NOTE: Please be aware that you will need an active Bet365 account to watch Dominika Cibulkova vs Alize Cornet.
Dominika Cibulkova vs Alize Cornet: Watch a Live Stream here.


Published: Oct. 22, 2018 at 04:31 p.m.
Updated: Oct. 23, 2018 at 01:12 p.m.
Blake Bortles remains the starting quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jaguars coach Doug Marrone announced Monday he's sticking with Bortles over backup Cody Kessler in the wake of the team's 20-7 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.
"I spoke to both quarterbacks this afternoon and told them that Blake will be our team's starting quarterback," Marrone said in a statement. "I believe this gives us the best opportunity to win."
The decision means Bortles will be under center when the Jaguars play the Philadelphia Eagles at Wembley Stadium in London next week. In addition to the Bortles decision, the team cut Jamaal Charles. The veteran running back tallied seven yards on six carries in two games for Jacksonville.
Bortles was benched during the second half of Sunday's loss after he completed 6 of 12 passes for 61 yards in addition to two lost fumbles. With the team in a 20-0 hole, Marrone yanked his embattled starter after his second fumble for Kessler, who went on to complete 21 of 30 passes for 156 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
The decision to stick with Bortles makes the most sense at this point -- Kessler didn't do anything in his abbreviated stint that would suggest he's capable of supplanting Bortles as the starter. Still, Bortles seems far removed from the player who helped guide the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game last year -- a performance that landed him a three-year, $54 million contract in the offseason.
While #Jaguars QB Blake Bortles will start, the team will get Cody Kessler ready by giving him rest with the 1s, I'm told. It Bortles falters, they could make another change.
It remains to be seen if the Jaguars will try to find a reliable backup in the trade market ahead of the Oct. 30 trade deadline. Bortles' struggles are a key reason why the team is heading into the midway point of the season with a 3-4 record. If Bortles can't turn his game around, Jacksonville's chances of another playoff run look dismal.


This is Sketch #167 from OWH. Thanks, again, to Sandy for allowing me to use the OWH Sketches for ABNH!
I saw the large open background as an invitation to play, and I used the Hero Arts Looped Flower Background stamp with Tide Pool ink. The vertical border was cut from a Tide Pool scrap using an MFT die. The circle behind the sentiment was also cut from a Tide Pool scrap. That color has been one of my go-to colors lately, so I have a lot of it lying around.
I die-cut a circle out of the front and put the sentiment on the inside. I also used a piece of washi tape for the scalloped border element.
To get that background, I stamped the Hero Arts Pinstripe Background in Navy, then inked it up with Green Hills and stamped it again a little offset from the first. I thought it might give people vertigo to look at it, so I broke it up with some stamped Navy circles. You can kindof see the stripes through the circles, but I'm okay with that.
For the scalloped edge element of the sketch I used the line of clouds image from Paper Smooches, stamped in Soft Granite onto a Hero Arts card base. To make them look more cloud-y, I colored them in with my white Big Brush Pitt Artist Pen.
The hills were cut from a scrap of green, and the sheep and sentiment are from the Hero Arts OWH Missing You set. The sheep is flocked with white and is very soft.
The pretty paper is from my Heaplet, which is a pile of pretty paper in 6×6 pieces or smaller. It's reached critical mass — about to explode out of its box — so I've been reaching for it lately. This is one of a few remaining pieces of Japanese paper from my distant past.
The paper was so pretty, I let it do most of the work. All I added was a strip of Hero Arts adhesive lace and the sentiment. The sentiment was stamped on heavy vellum in Memories Unicorn white, and embossed with Hero Arts white embossing powder. I cut the circle, then hacked off the bottom so it lined up with the lace. I put thin strips of Kool Tak behind the words to raise it up. You can still sorta see it, but it's not glaring.
I used very busy floral paper, and added a coordinating strip for the scalloped edge element of the sketch. Then I stamped a Paper Smooches sentiment on a coordinating green strip and rounded the corners, giving a rectangle, not a circle. One of the things I've been doing lately is paying attention to the small images in stamp sets. (Thanks to Jennifer McGuire for that tip. :)) I thought the small image in the Night & Day Flowers set was perfect for the edge of the sentiment, so I stamped it in Memento black and colored it with a Copic and a Distress marker. I added a little Wink of Stella over the petals, mostly because I could. Then the left side of the sentiment looked empty, so I added a tiny Simon Says Stamp heart.
That's it for this month's sketch! I hope I've inspired you to look at a sketch, flip it around, look at it differently, and come up with some ideas for a less-than-literal interpretation.
There's a Simon Says Stamp Gift Voucher up for grabs for one lucky player!
Way to work a sketch!! The first and last cards are my faves.
You have been busy! I love them all, especially the first one with the enamel dots.
great interpretation from the sketch!


A low-key, acoustic guitar-driven arrangement of the Responsorial Psalm for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, August 30, 2015.
Text: Psalm 15:2-5. Refrain text © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc (ICEL). All rights reserved. Used with permission. Verses text © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD). All rights reserved. Used with permission. Music © 2013, Jeremy Mayfield. Published by JBruMay Music. All rights reserved.


What is the salary of Senior Executive at Blue Dart?
Average Blue Dart Senior Executive salary is ₹ 4,90,000. Senior Executive salaries at Blue Dart can range from ₹ 3,92,000 - ₹ 5,88,000. Most of the Senior Executive in Blue Dart get a salary in the range of ₹ 4,41,000 - ₹ 5,39,000. This estimate is based upon 5 Blue Dart Senior Executive salary data points provided by Blue Dart employees and data points collected through other sources. See all Senior Executive salaries to find out how Blue Dart Senior Executive salaries are compared to market average.


The DeKalb County Historical Museum resides in a 103 year old historical building that was formerly home of the Butler Carnegie Library. It features prehistoric artifacts, early schools and libraries, clubs, organizations, businesses and urban and rural life.
Open May through mid September. Groups welcome by appointment.


text:
In loss to Bucks, Warriors face reminder of what they used to be
Sporting Green // Golden State Warriors
Connor Letourneau Jan. 9, 2020 Updated: Jan. 9, 2020 9:47 a.m.
In loss to Bucks, Warriors face reminder of what they...
1of13The Warriors' Draymond Green saves a ball stolen from the Giannis Antetokoumnpo in the Bucks win.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
2of13Giannis Antetonkoumnpo (34) walks off the court after the Golden State Warriors lost 107-98 to the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
3of13Alen Smailagic (6) falls out of bounds after being fouled by Eric Bledsoe (6) in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
4of13Ky Bowman (12) dunks after a steal in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
5of13Stephen Curry (30) on the bench with D'Angelo Russell (0) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
6of13Giannis Antetonkoumnpo (34) hangs from the rim after a dunk in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
7of13Ky Bowman (12) runs the ball back upcourt after stealing the ball from Khris Middlenton (22) in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
8of13Willie Cauley-Stein (2) dunks over defenders in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
9of13Jacob Evans (10) passes in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
10of13Eric Bledsoe (6) gets to the basket defended by Alec Burks (8) in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
11of13Giannis Antetonkoumnpo (34) watches his free throw miss late in the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
12of13Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gestures toward a referee in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
13of13Alen Smailagic (6) puts up a shot in the first half as the Golden State Warriors played the Milwaukee Bucks at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
It wasn't long ago that the Warriors could deliver less-than-maximum effort and still win convincingly.
In Wednesday night's 107-98 loss to the Bucks at Chase Center, Golden State stared down a reminder of what it used to be, hanging with the NBA's best team until late before Milwaukee's superior talent finally took its toll. The Bucks missed 32 3-point tries, but they still handed the Warriors their sixth straight defeat.
Less than a year ago, Golden State often played the role of bored bully, giving its overmatched opponent hope before it rode an inspired five-minute stretch to victory. With Stephen Curry (left hand surgery), Klay Thompson (left knee surgery) and D'Angelo Russell (right shoulder contusion) sidelined, the Warriors now enter each game knowing that they need near-perfection.
Though Golden State provided a capacity crowd plenty of reasons to cheer Wednesday, it made too many mistakes at critical moments to pull off a nationally televised upset. The Warriors forced ill-advised passes and committed 18 turnovers. Without its three best scorers, Golden State shot 37.9% from the field to miss the 100-point mark for the third time in four games.
After falling behind by 13 late in the third quarter, the Warriors cut their deficit to five with 1:51 left. With the game on the line, the Bucks put the ball in the hands of Giannis Antetokounmpo, who made four straight free throws to seal Golden State's fate.
"We have to go out and compete, and I thought we did a good job of that tonight," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. "We played a solid game against a team that is 33-6, so we walk out with our heads held high."
Like they had done with Houston's James Harden on Christmas Day, the Warriors devised an aggressive defensive scheme for Antetokounmpo, often sending three defenders toward him as he brought the ball past midcourt. This at times made a player nicknamed "The Freak" look pedestrian as he shot 1-for-7 from 3-point range and committed three turnovers.
"When I first started guarding him my second, third year in the league, he was basically a back-cut guy," Warriors forward Glenn Robinson III said of Antetokounmpo. "Now, with the ball in his hands, he's dangerous. We have to load up to him, put three or four guys in the paint, and try to force somebody else to beat us. I thought for most of the game, we did a good job with that."
But what makes the Bucks such an intriguing title contender is that, with a deep supporting cast and sound coaching, their success no longer depends on Antetokounmpo's dominance. With its best player having to work hard for his 30 points and 12 rebounds, Milwaukee hit 28 of its 32 foul shots, totaled only 10 turnovers and got hands on the Warriors' shooters.
It was the type of underwhelming win for the Bucks that Golden State made routine the past couple of years. With Curry, Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, the Warriors treated the regular season like a six-month prelude to the games that mattered, relying on their talent to post an impressive record.
But as Wednesday illustrated, Golden State is now just another NBA team trying to not get embarrassed by the league's heavyweights. What makes this transitional season bearable is that Golden State should be well-positioned for a return to contention in 2020-21.
And who knows? If Antetokounmpo decides he doesn't want to re-sign with Milwaukee, perhaps the Warriors could sign him in summer 2021, ensuring relevance long after Curry retires.
"I've never seen a team go from the NBA Finals to being not as good," Antetokounmpo said. "But at the end of the day, once they come back, it's going to be crazy."
Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Con_Chron
Connor Letourneau
Follow Connor on:
https://www.facebook.com/SFChronicle/Con_Chron
Connor Letourneau moved to the Golden State Warriors beat in September 2016 after a year covering Cal. Previously, he spent two years covering the Oregon State Beavers for The Oregonian. Letourneau is a University of Maryland alum who has interned for The Baltimore Sun and blogged for The New York Times. A Portland, Ore., native, he is interested in telling the stories that extend beyond the field or court.
Warriors' Rick Welts forged bond with David Stern that lasted to his final days
Stephen Curry serves as TV analyst; Warriors beat Magic to end 10-game losing streak
Warriors have no plans for Ky Bowman as he nears 45-day limit
49ers' George Kittle wears shirtless Jimmy Garoppolo T-shirt
49ers' Tevin Coleman suffers potentially serious shoulder injury
49ers threw a huge party for the Faithful, and everyone's hung over
Raheem Mostert's epic game caps rise from 49ers' fourth string to record...