text:
Verisimilitude Via Violence
Despite the chit-chat in nerd circles (of which I am most definitely a member), I waited until the second day of release to see "The Dark Knight Rises," instead of being packed in a can with fellow sardines to catch the anticipated midnight showing. Like many others, I watched as the film took on another light, instantly infamous due to the actions of a violent young man who wanted all the world's attention, and had no qualms about blood on his hands. To simply experience "the text" upon seeing "The Dark Knight Rises" would have been dishonest -- this film had inspired a very violent reaction from a disturbed mind, taking the lives of twelve innocent moviegoers.
To say the man, who will not be mentioned here, was not influenced by "The Dark Knight Rises," which he had yet to view, would be inaccurate. Like many of today's blockbusters, the imagery of the film had been plastered all over television and newspaper ads: Bridges exploding, a bruised and battered Bruce Wayne, missiles and gunfire, and a claw-faced terrorist villain. Furthermore, "The Dark Knight Rises," as entertaining as it may be in a superficial sense, is part of today's new Cultural Cinematic Relevance, where sequels, comic book movies and cartoons rule the box office and therefore the popular conversation. Films about adult subjects, films that even attempt to approach unpredictability, have been reduced to a "niche." Whereas, apparently everyone likes Batman, if the record-breaking grosses are evidence enough. As surprising as "The Dark Knight Rises" can be during it's extravagantly long runtime, the fans know full well that the toys go back in the box. The illusion of "spoilers" has never been more ridiculous than it is now, when films merely exist to set up sequels, television shows, and comic books -- you don't have to see "The Dark Knight Rises" to see "The Dark Knight Rises."
Regardless, it is the ephemera of Batman that does, and will always personally attract me to the character. The idea of a dark avenger with a flawed moral code, the larger-than-life villains, the opportunity for exciting visuals and propulsive, eclectic music (from Nathan Riddle to Danny Elfman to Christopher Drake, Batman inspires the best in certain composers), there's much that I find enjoyable about Batman, and why I hope they would keep making films about the character. And perhaps it's that ever-popular fantasy, the idea that you can solve problems by punching them into submission - Christopher Nolan's movies, for a brief moment, hinted at another approach, but perhaps it was an illusion of sorts.
So of course the tragedy of those events in Aurora weighed upon my mind, but they did not deter my enthusiasm for the close to the "Batman" series. I was most excited by the insinuations from "The Dark Knight," which in hindsight should have probably ended the series -- that evil is deeply rooted within corruption and incompetence of systems over the course of years, that Batman was poetically trapped in a Moebius strip of violence of his own design, and that Batman would soon have to make the choice between the needs of the many, and his own regretful self-preservation. These very concepts seemed contradictory not only to the many-decade existence of the character, but the notion of serialized storytelling itself. I was hoping Mr. Nolan would not put the toys back in the box.
Instead, a sense of self-loathing washed over me as the final credits rolled, and my thoughts immediately rushed to the shooter in Aurora. And I realized: yes, I get it. I got the pit of despair that he must have found himself inside when his psyche attached himself to the many violent moments of "The Dark Knight Rises." I don't believe in the necessity of the MPAA while this world still has, you know, parents, though I couldn't help but label the images in the film far too intense and hostile for an idle and/or underdeveloped mind, particularly the thirteen-to-sixteen year olds directly targeted by the film's commercial-friendly PG-13 rating (to say nothing of the adults who haven't quite evolved past that age bracket). The images captured by Mr. Nolan's canvass include ruthless, dehabilitating physical violence, the mass destruction of a major metropolitan city (sometimes New York, sometimes Pittsburgh, according to shooting locations), visceral looting and pillaging done by "common citizens" and the ritualistic hanging of cops from a suspended bridge. As the old saying goes, when it comes to ratings, you can stab a breast, but you can't grab a breast.
What was lost on me was the greater message, the one that you're meant to take home, to make you question the world, to challenge you and improve your worldview as a human being. There are grays within Nolan's Batman universe, no doubt, but it's contrasted against the overt darkness of the film's carefully-labeled antagonists. "The Dark Knight Rises" presents a "conclusion" to the series, though the greatest punishment goes to the colorful villains Ra's and Talia al Ghul, the Joker, Bane and Harvey Two-Face. All had philosophies that seemed to be "challenging" to a certain movie going crowd, though none stood up to scrutiny, as all promoted viewpoints rooted in nihilism and faithlessness. They aren't enemies, they are Villains, and there's not a single moment where the similarly tunnel-visioned Batman, ostensibly our eyes and ears in this series, entertains their thoughts.
What was exciting as a suggestion in "Batman Begins" was that the League of Shadows had polluted Gotham's infrastructure, the suggestion being that lowered expectations and administrative insecurities would be the city's downfall -- the fallacies of man, not the machinations of popular blockbuster filmmaking. Except here we are in "The Dark Knight Rises," where aside from our main characters, superheroes and super villains plus cops, no one really has a line, and the fate of these voiceless "innocents" lies in the hand of that ever-popular MacGuffin, the bomb that's about to explode©. Batman leaves the city limits (escaping from "certain death," natch) and we're to assume that, after decades of preparation, the League of Shadows is defeated in a massive scrum in the streets with the Gotham PD, and they never threaten the city again. Thus, Nolan gets the ending he desires, closure for the story of Bruce Wayne, and the public gets what it craves -- the tease of an ongoing story and the flattery that comes with recognizing the source material, as Robin prepares to be the next man to climb into the bat suit.
The questionable intentions of Nolan's trilogy-closer (as well as the politics, which defenders have called "observational" in lieu of "shapeless") hit me hardest, however, during the sequences of violence. The opening brawl between Batman and Bane is a recreation of a battle between the two of them in the "Knightfall" storyline, and in both itinerations, Batman is far outclassed, and beat to within an inch of his life. Of course, my major discomfort with this sequence is that I've grown up with Batman, I've watched the movies and TV shows, and read the comics. I experience zero joy in seeing him dismantled so thoroughly, given a beating that surely would result in brain damage. As Batman's possibly-unconscious head lies against the ground, eyes closed, Bane delivers two more forceful blows, creating the visual of his metallic mask caving in, not unlike a human skull. Bane then takes Batman over his head and delivers his spinal cord into the musclebound villain's knee, crippling the hero. Points for fidelity to the source, but at what price?
Later, Bane takes control of the city, setting off a series of bombs that splinter the streets of Gotham and sever all ties with the mainland, turning the city into an island. Using mostly practical effects, "The Dark Knight Rises" uses these sequences to make it look as if Hell is swallowing the city whole, annihilating Gotham's infrastructure in some of the most realistic explosion effects ever put to film. During the tragedy and loss at the heart of "The Dark Knight," there remained that propulsive, exciting energy that made you sit up, and wonder how our characters were going to survive. In "Rises," as Bane declares martial law over a city pulverized by raw force, my stomach sank. I'm not certain if that was the visceral nature of Nolan's editing and directing this sequence, or it was my discomfort in seeing such evocative, upsetting images. To have been a New Yorker on September 11th is to gaze askew at these sorts of things.
What's unfortunate, and somewhat sickening, is that at this point, Batman is marginalized, away on another continent. Our eyes and ears to this tragic event are merely the cops, some of who remain unfazed, some who merely take this disaster as an immediate call to action. How are the people reacting to this tragedy? How do the regular citizens of the city act towards the masked killer who just decimated the city, snapped a man's neck in front of their eyes, and blown up the mayor? The same man who taunts Bruce about how he'll use "hope" and generate some half-hearted rhetoric to mask his actions as class warfare? This is a crucial point: Bane using crowd-pleasing, anarchist political language to fuel the people, and not once do we see the (expected) response of, "This guy is a terrorist and he's full of garbage," or even the, "Let's side with him, I like this sentiment" point of view?
Nolan, naturally, seems addicted to the adrenaline rush of showing us scenes of absolute desolation, murder, riots and casual violence. But he hides the natural human reaction, and obscures even the most troubling moment: the cops, who have been trapped underground (don't ask) for five months, emerge and engage in an all-out street brawl with assorted convicts, League Of Shadows operatives, and the random (how many?) rioters and looters. As we move away from the action, we're meant to assume that, in the middle of this ugly, lawless battle (probably the most significant moment in the entire storyline, if we're an onlooker from another city), the cops trade in protocol for some broodthirsty punch-ups with goons. And, of course, win. Does Nolan show us the aftermath of this vicious donnybrook? No, but when we return to Gotham, we see the city's cops have thoughtfully erected a statue dedicated to Batman. Which says everything you need to know about what Nolan thinks of the violence towards the silent people of Gotham.
Weeks later, I caught a screening for another franchise picture, "The Bourne Legacy," an adequate, unnecessary extension of the "Bourne Identity" universe. With the action serviceable, and the plot less so (and that's the order they come in, with regards to this), it's difficult not to view the film as Jason Bourne Dinner Theater. Yet another installment of appealing, nondescript avatar of violence on the run while skilled character actors yell coordinates from a control room, this time in a post-Bush environment. The film, directed by Tony Gilroy, is not without it's pleasures: you might think Jeremy Renner is a Streisand, but he's a quietly compelling mixture of Tom Cruise (driven, diminutive) and Charles Bronson (battle-weary, sarcastic), while Rachel Weisz wears a pair of glasses that makes her resemble a young Isabelle Adjani, ignoring the fact that her role in the narrative is to do and say anything requested of her by our brooding lead.
The most affecting sequence in the film, however, barely advances the plot. Weisz' character is a scientist in charge of ensuring the meds taken by all super-super secret agents are of the right dosage, though she spends her days in labs quietly, professionally arranging medications for a program she does not question. Because of the events of the last film in the series, however, the shadowy organization behind this soldier-enhancement program is attempting to cover up loose ends and eliminate any relationships with outside sources, particularly specific pharmaceutical organizations.
Somehow, this means that there's some sort of built-in trigger inside a mild-mannered lab coat played by Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanec. Once he gets the main scientists in the same room, he calmly enters. No one notices him, and the propulsive score drops out, as he begins to walk to each corner of the room, shutting all doors and carefully removing the handles. Not a single person in the lab realizes something's amiss, but as soon as the doors are shut, Ivanec's character removes a gun from his pockets and begins to coldly execute each person in the room, one by one. The soundtrack of the sequence are screams of agony, thick gunshots, and shoes banging against the floor in futile attempts to stay alive.
The scene lasts a good five minutes, and it's a testament to Gilroy's skill that it's an upsetting, exceptionally tense moment in the picture. But "skill" cannot be the bottom line of a scene that serves little purpose to the narrative other than to shock and disturb the audience, simply to establish that Rachel Weisz has now become a target. In a bubble, this moment is excessively unpleasant, ending with Ivanec's own suicide as entering policemen watch, and keeping the viewer on their toes for the next hour. But it is not in a bubble, and an already-disturbing moment is accentuated by the realization that the shooter from Aurora probably engaged in the same passionless murder, the same silent resolve, the same caustic, laidback eliminating of people as "assets." Of course there's nothing in the film proper to give the scene an added context, save for the idea of the rogue corporations at play twisting the facts of the event for media consumption. In other words, following up the vicious executions with nihilism.
Maybe it's the advancement of new technologies, or the twenty four hour news cycle. I don't know. Maybe this, maybe that, who cares? I'm never going to stop going to the movies proper -- in fact, I probably have significantly more bloodlust than the average audience-goer, particularly with my own personal collection of horror and action films. Right now, however, it feels like filmmakers such as Chris Nolan and Tony Gilroy are trying to recreate the reality of violence in their films in ways previous filmmakers had not, and the only element to gain from that is their hopes that the audience finds it familiar. Unfortunately, it is familiar, and I wish it were not.
Posted by Gabe Toro at 10:53 PM
Labels: The Bourne Legacy, The Dark Knight Rises
This is much more aggrandising speech than you normally use (and no, I don't mean that in a good way). Perhaps you thought it was necessary when tackling such a high profile feature that has been so prominent in the news, but you're on the verge of sounding like Armond White here (in style I mean, since naturally you don't share his obnoxious Nolan-incites-violence rhetoric regarding this film).
You seem to tone it down for your Bourne Legacy feature. Still I'm not sure what "unnecessary" is supposed to mean here. Terminator 2 was "unnecessary" right up to the point where it turned out to be really good. If Bourne Legacy had been a really good film it would not have been "unnecessary". The idea of tying the main character in with story elements from the previous movies seemed like a good idea, not least since Jason Bourne never seemed to get much more than a glimpse behind the curtain in regards to what was his old agency was really up to.
"you might think Jeremy Renner is a Streisand"
- I might WHAT??? I don't even know how to take that. Jeremy Renner - Barbara Streisand. You say you EXPECTED me to make some connection between these two???
Gabe Toro August 11, 2012 at 10:56 AM
The Bourne Legacy is unnecessary because it's a further extension of a story that has now ended. Legacy brings nothing new to the table, it doesn't make us want to learn more, it doesn't even necessarily re-evaluate our view on the earlier films. It's a placeholder.
The Streisand reference is a joke, originally made by Paul Rudd in The 40 Year Old Virgin while watching The Bourne Identity.
This is exactly what I've been waiting to hear about Dark Knight Rises - the confusion in regards to the masses. We are to take it on faith that people cow in the sight of the fall of social structure? I experienced a devastating natural disaster that led the down at heel to rape, loot and destroy whatever they could touch. I live in a city where the evidence of the destruction is still present - abandoned homes, spray painted with giant crosses that say "Gas Off - Dead Inside." I lived in a Martial Law state, so I can relate to the speed of destruction. When people think no one will find them, because everyone's gone; they do what they will. They become animals. But even through all of that, people still fought back. People still stood guard with shotguns to shoot looters on sight. But I guess that's what makes movies "make believe." To instill in the audience a sense of helplessness, take away their sense of logic all the while invoking memories of death and destruction they experienced in their own reality... to blur the lines.
And yeah - a Striesand is a great way to describe him. Overrated, underrated fabulous and jittery. You should coin the phrase.
Awesomely Racist!
R.I.P. Tony Scott


TOXIKK Forum • View topic - ....is it time?
I agree to wait a little, if game will be OMG fKG AWESOME STUFF!It's much better than playing bugged game with bad optimisation and 15 fps, but now.
Hi also Finko, kojn here!
Is any one else extremely disappointed with Reaktor right now. Like they are releasing merch but they don't even have a playable game to the public OR any sort of information as to when it will be available. They really messed up with this one and it's a shame to see because I had really high hopes for this game.
I'm not. I doubt the actual devs took any time away from the game to have the store set up, and the merchandise is just another preemptive strike on helping with additional funds. They still have to eat while finishing the game, and as much as they will enjoy playing the game it's still a business venture.
They want to generate revenue from their 2-3 years of work just as much as we want to play the game, I think people are just getting overly anxious. And talking badly about things that haven't even been released yet.


text:
Artò
ART image file format
List of Fullmetal Alchemist characters
List of Soul characters
Robin Wasserman
Artò is a frazione (and parish) of the municipality of Madonna del Sasso, in Piedmont, northern Italy.
It is a village located some km west from the Lake Orta.
Since 1928 Artò was a separate comune (municipality).
Media related to Artò at Wikimedia Commons
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Artò
Coordinates: 39°42′N 3°21′E / 39.700°N 3.350°E / 39.700; 3.350
Artà is one of the 53 independent municipalities on the Spanish Balearic island of Majorca. The small town of the same name is the administrative seat of this municipality in the region (Comarca) of Llevant.
In 2008 the municipality of Artà had a population of 7,113 recorded residents within an area of 139.63 square kilometres (53.91 sq mi). This equates to 50.9 inhabitants per km2. In 2006 the percentage of foreigners was 13.2% (890), of which Germans made up 3.9% (262). In 1991 there were still 136 illiterates in the municipality. 1,292 inhabitants had no education, 1,675 only a primary school certificate and 1,210 had secondary school leaving certificates. The official languages are Catalan and Spanish (Castilian). The Catalan dialect spoken on the island is known as Mallorquí.
Artà lies in the northeast of the island of Majorca, around 60 km from the island's capital of Palma. The Massís d'Artà, the highest and most compact massif in the eastern mountain chain of the Serres de Llevant, occupies more than half the area of the municipality. The municipality is located on the western part of peninsula of Artà and is bordered in the west by the Bay of Alcúdia (Badia d'Alcúdia), and in the north by the Mediterranean sea where its coast lies opposite the neighbouring island of Minorca. The coast of Artà stretches for 25 kilometres and, so far, has escaped being developed. Particularly noteworthy are the beach and sand dune formations of sa Canova d'Artà, the flat coastal strip near the settlement of Colònia de Sant Pere, the high rocky coves of the Cap de Ferrutx and a large number of smaller bays that extend from s'Arenalet des Verger to Cala Torta.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Artà
ART is a proprietary image file format used mostly by the America Online (AOL) service and client software.
The ART format (file extension ".art") holds a single still image that has been highly compressed. The format was designed to facilitate the quick downloading of images, among other things. Originally, the compression was developed by the Johnson-Grace Company, which was then acquired by AOL. When an image is converted to the ART format, the image is analyzed and the software decides what compression technique would be best. The ART format has similarities to the progressive JPEG format, and certain attributes of the ART format can lead to image quality being sacrificed for the sake of image compression (for instance, the image's color palette can be limited.)
Usage by AOL
The AOL service used the ART image format for most of the image presentation of the online service. In addition, the AOL client's web browser also automatically served such images in the ART format to achieve faster downloads on the slower dialup connections that were prevalent in those days. This conversion was done in the AOL proxy servers and could be optionally disabled by the user. This image conversion process effectively reduced the download time for image files. This technology was once branded as Turboweb and is now known as AOL TopSpeed.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/ART_image_file_format
The Fullmetal Alchemist manga and anime series feature an extensive cast of fictional characters created by Hiromu Arakawa. The story is set in a fictional universe within the 20th Century in which alchemy is one of the most advanced scientific techniques. Although they basically start the same, the first anime, midway through its run, begins to differ greatly from the original manga; characters that are killed early on in the manga survive to the end of the first anime and vice versa. The second anime's (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) events, however, faithfully follow those from the manga.
The story follows the adventures of two alchemist brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric. While trying to revive their mother, the brothers lost parts of their bodies, with Alphonse's soul being contained in a suit of armor, and Edward replacing his right arm and left leg with two sets of automail, a type of advanced prosthetic limb. Advised by Roy Mustang, an alchemist from the State Military, Edward becomes a State Alchemist, and starts traveling with Alphonse through the country of Amestris in order to find a way to recover their bodies. In their search, they hear of the Philosopher's Stone, a powerful alchemy artifact that the brothers can use to recover their bodies. However, after becoming a State Alchemist, Edward discovers that several members of the military are also attempting to get the stone, most notably humanoid creatures known as homunculi, who start chasing the Elric brothers.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/List_of_Fullmetal_Alchemist_characters
A comprehensive list of characters from the Soul series of fighting games produced by Namco.
Overall conception and development
The Soul series is a weapon-based fighting game franchise developed by Namco Bandai's Project Soul division and consists of eight games: Soul Edge, Soulcalibur, Soulcalibur II, Soulcalibur III, Soulcalibur Legends, Soulcalibur IV, Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny and Soulcalibur V. Set in the 16th century, the plot of the games revolve around Soul Edge, a cursed sword able to possess its wielder and devour souls. Its sprit is called Inferno, and his avatar/host is called Nightmare. Soul Calibur, a holy sword and Soul Edge's antithesis, also has a spirit called Elysium.
With each character, their weapon was decided upon before other aspects were. The design was then built to revolve around it, starting with gender, then physical measurements, and lastly background details. Once established, appearance and movement were fleshed out by the team's concept artist and rendered as a 3D model by a design team that worked solely on the character. The completed model was then animated by a motion capture artist working directly with the team. During this phase the team additionally worked with the story creators, refining the character's own role in the plot as needed throughout development. In the course of the series, two characters have been an exception to the process: Johan Druer, a berserker exclusive to the Soulcalibur Japanese player's guide, and Necrid, a character co-produced with Todd McFarlane that appears in Soulcalibur II.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/List_of_Soul_characters
Robin Wasserman (born May 31, 1978) is an American young adult novelist.
Wasserman grew up outside of Philadelphia and graduated from Harvard University and UCLA. Before she was an author she was an associate editor at a children's book publisher. She is currently living in Brooklyn, New York.
Seven Deadly Sins series
The Seven Deadly Sins series from Simon & Schuster features seven morally bankrupt teenagers in a small California town. Each novel revolves around one of the sins and each character's transgressions specific to that sin. They follow the lives of Harper Grace, Beth Manning, Adam Morgan, Kane Geary, Miranda Stevens, Reed Sawyer, Katherine (Kaia) Sellers, and their French teacher, Jack Powell. Novels in the series are Lust, Envy, Pride, Wrath, Sloth, Gluttony, and Greed.
The series was made into a four-hour miniseries, which debuted on the Lifetime Movie Network on May 23 and 24, 2010.
Chasing Yesterday series
Skinned trilogy
Skinned (2008)
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia -	https://wn.com/Robin_Wasserman
delhischoolofarts.com
artbeatcreative.com
australiaschoolofart.com
chinaschoolofart.com
americaschoolofart.com
homeofmodernart.com
softwareschoolofarts.com
artmodernart.com
artbroadwayart.com
modernartmodernart.com
modernartart.com
artofvision.net
officeofsecretaryofstate.com
museumofancientart.com
artofvisions.net
losangelesschoolofarts.com
coloradoschoolofarts.com
clevelandschoolofarts.com
africaschoolofart.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Uighur researchers say China running more camps than known
Two women decorate a grave in a Uighur graveyard on the outskirts of Hotan in China's northwestern Xinjiang region in May 2019
Two women decorate a grave in a Uighur graveyard on the outskirts of Hotan in China's northwestern Xinjiang region in May 2019 (AFP Photo/Greg Baker)
Shaun TANDON
Uighur activists said Tuesday they have documented nearly 500 camps and prisons run by China to detain members of the ethnic group, alleging that Beijing could be holding far more than the commonly cited figure of one million people.
The East Turkistan National Awakening Movement, a Washington-based group that seeks independence for the mostly Muslim region known to China as Xinjiang, gave the geographic coordinates of 182 suspected "concentration camps" where Uighurs are allegedly pressured to renounce their culture.
Researching imagery from Google Earth, the group said it also spotted 209 suspected prisons and 74 suspected labor camps for which it would share details later.
"In large part these have not been previously identified, so we could be talking about far greater numbers" of people detained, said Kyle Olbert, the director of operations for the movement.
"If anything, we are concerned that there may be more facilities that we have not been able to identify," he told a news conference in suburban Washington.
Anders Corr, an analyst who formerly worked in US intelligence and who advised the group, said that around 40 percent of the sites had not been previously reported.
Rights advocates have generally estimated that China is detaining more than one million Uighurs and members of other predominantly Muslim Turkic ethnicities.
But Randall Schriver, the top Pentagon official for Asia, said in May that the figure was "likely closer to three million citizens" -- an extraordinary number in a region of some 20 million people.
Olbert said that archive imagery from alleged camp sites showed consistent patterns -- steel and concrete construction over the past four years along with security perimeters.
He said that the group tried to verify the nature of each site with on-the-ground accounts but declined to give greater detail, citing the need to protect sources.
- 'Like boiling a frog' -
Activists and witnesses say China is using torture to forcibly integrate Uighurs into the Han majority, including pressuring Muslims to give up tenets of their faith such as praying and abstaining from pork and alcohol.
Olbert described China's policy as "genocide by incarceration," fearing that Uighurs would be held indefinitely.
"It's like boiling a frog. If they were to kill 10,000 people a day, the world might take notice," he said.
"But if they were just to keep everyone imprisoned and let them die off naturally, perhaps the world might not notice. I think that's what China is banking on," he said.
China has justified its policy after first denying the camps, saying that it is providing vocational training and coaxing Muslims away from extremism. Hundreds died in 2009 riots in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi that largely targeted Han Chinese.
The United States has likened China's treatment of Uighurs to Nazi Germany's concentration camps, but an increasingly strong Beijing has faced limited criticism outside the West.
China last month secured a statement at the United Nations by nations including Russia, Pakistan and Egypt -- which have all faced criticism of their own records -- that praised Beijing's "remarkable achievements in the field of human rights."
The Uighur activist group said it periodically added data including on the destruction of cemeteries in Xinjiang, which was documented in an investigation last month by AFP using satellite imagery.
The movement said it had unsuccessfully asked the State Department for satellite data in hopes of improving its information sources.
US lawmakers have also spoken out increasingly on Xinjiang.
In a recent letter, Representative Jim McGovern and Senator Marco Rubio, who head the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, urged customs authorities to take "aggressive action" to ban imports of goods from Xinjiang made with forced labor.
Proud Boys and Black Lives Matter supporters clash at Utah rally
SLC's 'Save America' rally also saw a defiant teenage protester and an attack on a local media member.
Israel may be starting to show 'herd effects' of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, expert suggests
Israel has vaccinated at least 25 percent of its population against the coronavirus so far, which leads the world and makes it "the country to watch for herd effects from" the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, says infectious disease expert David Fishman. Recently, the case rate in Israel appears to have declined sharply, and while there could be a few reasons for that, it's possible the vaccination effort is beginning to play a role.> Israel's reproduction number appears to have declined rather sharply in recent days, with around 25% of the country vaccinated, and some additional percentage having at least partial immunity via prior infection. pic.twitter.com/sVyCYYd9dj> > — David Fisman (@DFisman) January 17, 2021One study from Clalit that was published last week reports that 14 days after receiving the first Pfizer-BioNTech shot, infection rates among 200,000 Israelis older than 60 fell 33 percent among those vaccinated compared to 200,000 from the same demographic who hadn't received a jab.At first glance, Fishman writes, that might seem disappointing since clinical trials suggested the vaccine was more than 90 percent effective. But he actually believes the 33 percent figure is "auspicious." Because vaccinated and non-vaccinated people are mingling, there could be "herd effects of immunization." In other words, when inoculated people interact with people who haven't had their shot, the latter individual may still be protected because the other person is. On a larger scale, that would drive down the number of infections among non-vaccinated people, thus shrinking the gap between the two groups' infection rates.> Estimated vaccine efficacy is a function of relative risk of infection in the vaccinated...when there is indirect protection via herd effects, we expect efficacy estimates to decrease because the risk among unvaccinated individuals declines.> > — David Fisman (@DFisman) January 17, 2021More data needs to come in, and Fishman thinks "we'll know more" this week, but he's cautiously optimistic about how things are going.More stories from theweek.com What the Constitution really says about removal from office An 'influential' Palm Beach eye doctor is reportedly on Trump's clemency list Statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico only needs 50 votes
Germany regrets U.S. decision to sanction Russian vessel involved in Nord Stream 2
The United States has informed Germany that it plans to impose sanctions on a Russian pipe-laying ship involved in construction of the Russian-led Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany, the German Economy Ministry said on Monday. "We're taking note of the announcement with regret," an Economy Ministry spokesman in Berlin said. German business daily Handelsblatt had earlier reported the U.S. sanctions would go into effect on Tuesday as part of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Rainforest frogs have evolved to wave instead of croak to attract females as waterfalls are too loud
Rainforest frogs have evolved to replace croaking with waving to attract females because waterfalls are too loud, a study has found. Glass frogs belonging to the Sachatamia orejuela species choose habitats located deep in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador because they can blend in to the mossy surroundings and avoid predators. However the croaking of the frogs is often drowned out by the background noise of rushing water, even when they are in close proximity to their potential mates. The amphibians have now evolved and developed new techniques in an attempt to attract females, with individual frogs raising their hand above their body while bobbing their head. This is the first time that waving has been spotted in place of the traditional mating call, researchers from the University of California found. The frogs did not maintain their habit of waving during the entire observation period, which was attributed to the amount of energy that the gesture uses up. Different species of frog in the Borneo and Indian jungles have previously been spotted dancing as part of their mating rituals, but this was in addition to vocalisations rather than as a replacement. "A handful of other frog species around the world use visual signaling, in addition to high-pitched calls, to communicate in really loud environments," said lead researcher Rebecca Brunner, a conservation biologist. "What's interesting is that these species are not closely related to each other, which means that these behaviours likely evolved independently, but in response to similar environments - a concept called convergent evolution." Ms Brunner said that she hopes the findings will draw attention to the vast diversity of species that inhabit the Amazon. "One of the best things about fieldwork is that nature is always full of surprises, you never know what discoveries you may happen upon," Ms Brunner said. The evolution from croaking with waving can create an added danger of its own to male frogs, the researchers also discovered. "Presumably visual cues also increase predation risk, although their habitats are incredibly slippery and hard to access," they wrote. The findings were published in the journal Biology.


text:
Q: Bad JSON escape sequence in powershell trying to edit a wiql I've been struggeling all day trying to make a script that changes the value of wiql.
After som debugging and testing I found out that it's actually the wiql that fails, even tho I get it from Azure Devops rest api.
select [System.Id], [System.WorkItemType], [System.Title], [System.AssignedTo], [System.State], [System.Tags] from WorkItems where [System.TeamProject] = @project and [System.WorkItemType] = 'User Story' and [System.AreaPath] under 'error\wrong\folder' and [System.CreatedDate] <= '2022-12-16T00:00:00.0000000' and ([System.IterationPath] under '
folder\folder' or [System.IterationPath] under 'folder\folder')
It fails at "and [System.AreaPath] under 'error\wrong\folder' "
I removed one and one line and after I remove this I only got select [System.Id], [System.WorkItemType], [System.Title], [System.AssignedTo], [System.State], [System.Tags] from WorkItems where [System.TeamProject] = @project and [System.WorkItemType] = 'User Story' it works.
Else I just get
Invoke-RestMethod : {"count":1,"value":{"Message":"Bad JSON escape sequence: \\S. Path 'wiql', line 2, position 245.\r\nUnexpected character encountered while parsing value: A. Path 'wiql', line 2, position 245.\r\n"}}
At line:1 char:13
+ $response = Invoke-RestMethod -Method Patch -Uri $testurl -Body $body ...
+             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidOperation: (System.Net.HttpWebRequest:HttpWebRequest) [Invoke-RestMethod], WebException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : WebCmdletWebResponseException,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.InvokeRestMethodCommand

Help`?
Tried every combo but cant get it to work

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


"Physical force exerted for the purpose of violating, damaging or abusing" would be a conventional definition of violence. The British mystic Thomas Troward made the connection between violence and worldview when he said, "Violence is the clashing of individual wills not harmonized by the recognition of any unifying principle. The ONE-ness of the Spirit from which all individualization proceeds is entirely lost sight of, and 'each for himself' becomes the ruling principle—a principle which cannot but result in violence under whatever disguise it may be masked for a time." It would be hard to find a more powerful rationale for humanity to create a narrative based on Oneness.
However, P-A would not do away with the competition that many people enjoy in sports for example. Clearly then, there must be a difference between competition and violence. We can be aggressive and competitive without violence because, as we define competition, there is no intention to violate, damage or abuse anyone. Competition in sports, for example, can be healthy and a source of joy, unless that is, violence enters into the game. In that case, aggression, the healthy behavior of the True self in the present moment, becomes socio-pathological behavior exhibited by the false self.
Are children capable of using guns in a rational and non-violent way? Most when properly trained with good role models undoubtedly are, but what about those who aren't? Remember, violence has to do with power and many adolescents are afraid and feel powerless. A weapon might be for these children a way to redress that imbalance of power.
Other nations have made different choices with different results. Emergency Medicine doctor Comilla Sasson traveled to Singapore to speak to doctors about her experience treating gunshot victims the morning of the Aurora theater shootings of July 20, 2012. She told her colleagues from Korea, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Singapore that the rate of people killed by guns in the U.S. is 20 times higher than other similar countries.
The doctors in attendance, who collectively had five decades of experience among them, told her on average that they had only seen two gunshot wounds in their careers. In contrast, Sasson averaged one or two per shift in the ER. Looking at the difference among the societal "stories" prevalent in these other nations would be a good place to start to understand the stark difference which baffles doctors in the U.S. who are themselves traumatized by the trauma being wheeled into their operating rooms every evening.
What is called for to reduce violence in the world is to empower humanity with the Point of Power Practice and the "aggressive" process of meditation to reduce fear and enhance creativity by revealing the human connection to inner wisdom and the Implicate Order. Violence reveals the fear and the weakness of the old human narrative whereas there is authentic strength and power in the emerging human story we call Simple Reality. We must come to understand that reducing violence is one of the many choices available to us in creating a sustainable global village.


text:
Judge Will Let Trump Out of Contempt—If He Pays Up and Cooperates
AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File
Facts matter: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter. Support our nonprofit reporting. Subscribe to our print magazine.The judge presiding over Donald Trump's legal battle with New York Attorney General Letitia James has agreed to give the former president a break on the $10,000-per-day fines that have been piling up for more than two weeks.
Back on April 26, Judge Arthur Engoron declared Trump was in contempt of court for failing to comply with a subpoena from James. On Wednesday, Engoron agreed to end the contempt and cancel five days worth of fines—but only if Trump continues cooperating with James' office, which has subpoenaed records in its civil fraud investigation of Trump and his businesses. Trump also has to pay $110,000 into an escrow account, covering the first 11 days of the contempt fines. If the former president fails to do this by May 20, the fines will start accruing again and he'll owe an additional $150,000.
James has been investigating Trump for nearly two years. She is seeking to determine whether, in the years before he became president, Trump and his company intentionally inflated the value of some of his assets to get better deals from banks and insurance companies and low-balled estimates on the same properties when it came time to pay taxes. Trump and the Trump Organization have denied wrongdoing.
In December, James' investigators sent Trump a subpoena asking him to turn over records, including handwritten notes and cellphones he may have used at the time. Reverting to the strategy he has employed for many of his legal battles in recent years, Trump and his attorneys dragged their feet, leading to a decision by Engoron, a New York state judge, to hold Trump, personally, in contempt.
Trump's attorneys had told Engoron that Trump simply didn't have the records requested, but Engoron found their arguments unpersuasive, noting they didn't even have a sworn statement from Trump himself asserting that he had no relevant records. Engoron ordered a fine of $10,000 a day until Trump turned over the requested records. Trump appealed the contempt ruling, but an appellate judge refused to stay the fines, meaning Trump would continue to run up financial penalties while his appeal slowly worked its way through the system. On April 29, Trump tried to get Engoron to "purge" the contempt by submitting new assurances that he had done everything possible to locate any relevant records. That filing did include a sworn statement from Trump. But Engoron remained unconvinced and refused to halt the fines.
"Mr. Trump's personal affidavit is completely devoid of any useful detail," Engoron wrote on April 29.
Over the weekend, Trump's attorney, Alina Habba, sent Engoron a new explanation. Trump still doesn't have any handwritten notes, she told him, but she said she had personally searched for any records by going through all of the drawers in dressers, nightstands, and desks at Trump's personal residences and offices at both his New Jersey Bedminster golf club and the Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. While Trump has used a cellphones to call and tweet for years, Habba said the phones he used can't be found. According to her filing and an included sworn statement from Trump, before taking office he had two flip-phones and a Samsung smart phone. Trump said that he doesn't know where the flip-phones are and that he brought the Samsung phone to the White House where "it was taken away from me at some point." These days, Trump claimed, he has two phones, a several-year-old iPhone for personal use and a brand-new phone given to him by his new social media start-up TruthSocial that is only used for "truthing."
This was enough for Engoron to ease up on Trump—at least a bit. In his new ruling, released Wednesday afternoon, Engoron ordered that so long as Trump continues to be cooperative and provides additional sworn statements from various Trump Organization employees and details on what steps the company did or didn't take to retain important documents, the fines will stop accruing as of May 6 (the day Habba submitted her latest details). Trump also has to pay the $110,000 into an escrow account for the New York Attorney General's office, to be either paid out or returned to Trump when the appellate court finally gets around to deciding whether the contempt ruling should be reversed.
All of this must be done by May 20, Engoron wrote, or else the fines will not only start again, but be assessed for every day between May 6 and May 20 ($150,000) for which Trump was let off the hook.
"Slow It Down": Giuliani Asked GOP Senator to Object to Electoral Votes From 10 States
The House Ag Committee Has Its First Black Chairman
Puerto Rico Finally Admits It Wildly Underestimated Hurricane Maria Death Toll


Items where Author is "Augustine, Alfred J. "
Thejeswi, Poornachandra and Prabhu, Shivananda and Augustine, Alfred J. and *, Shankar Ram (2012) Giant scrotal lymphoedema – A case report. International Journal of Surgery Case Reports, 3. pp. 269-271.
This list was generated on Wed Apr 24 14:15:10 2019 UTC.


One of Cognizant Softvision's clients is the world's largest telecommunications company, the second largest provider of mobile telephone services, and the largest provider of fixed telephone services in the United States.
In 2017, our client was looking to reduce the time it took engineering and operations to take a feature from requirements to production. They wanted to improve the cadence of production releases and also to increase the quality of the platform developed by a subgroup of the company.
Studios worked together to develop proposed processes and tools that would allow our partner to reach their goal, including: Automating as much as possible; implementing an engineering to production deployment infrastructure based on Kubernetes, Docker and Helm; improving QA efficiency by testing builds that have passed all automated qualification steps; and shortening feedback loops by repeatable fast deployments.
To enable Continuous Deployment, Softvision used Kubernetes, Docker, Helm, Jenkins, GitLab, Nexus Repository, and SonarQube, among others.
The project culminated in a modern environment based on Kubernetes that is now datacenter and Cloud agnostic with a Continuous Integration and Deployment pipeline that can reliably and consistently deliver new code to customs at a before unattainable pace. Automation and deep visibility have been added at all stages of the application lifecycle giving developers, system admins, and manage new and improved insight into a complex data processing product.
Softvision's practice areas, called Guilds, pull the right experts to build high-performing teams for our partners. Those agile delivery teams, or Pods, work as cross-functional teams to "Transform while they Perform." Each Guild is a world-class community of expert talent in an area of expertise. For this partnership, the Cloud & DevOps Guild led the delivery success.
The goal of the project was to reduce the cadence to three weeks by the end of 2018, meaning a release each sprint. As of October 2018, production releases were done every three months+, and by the close of the project, the DevOps infrastructure supported deployments each sprint even faster than that, if good automated tests were in place. Overall this reduced the complexity of a deployment in any env, CI, ENG, QA, Prod to a click.


HomeWhat are the short- and long-term implications of self-driving automobiles?
McKinsey's take: In a world where people don't take charge of the wheel themselves … we'll all be better off.
From Google's fleet of driverless cars to the Mercedes-Benz Robo-Car concept, self-driving automobiles are stepping off the pages of science fiction and into real life.
But how many of us have really stopped to think about how the adoption of self-driving vehicles will change everyday life as we know it?
The number of car crashes will plummet.
"Drivers" will become "riders," with more time for working, leisure and interaction with others.
"Dead time" in commuting will decrease, and productivity will increase as a result.
The ubiquity of the multi-car household will change.
And it's not just McKinsey that is looking at self-driving cars with such optimism.
But self-driving cars won't overtake conventional automobiles in one fell swoop. The McKinsey report outlines a timeline for adoption of self-driving features — and it's pretty drawn-out.
Within the next three to five years, McKinsey anticipates that cars will self-handle highway cruising and traffic jams.
The more difficult challenges of driving in urban areas and dealing with variables like pedestrians, cyclists and so forth will be tackled over the coming 25 years.
Thus, the impact of "autonomous" technology will be limited until about 2020. McKinsey figures that the technology will experience growing pains in the years 2020-2035 as driverless cars go more mainstream.
The McKinsey report takes us beyond the year 2040, too, which is the point when McKinsey predicts that autonomous cars will become the primary means of transport in the United States.
Mercedes-Benz "car of the future": Seats facing every which-way.
Car designs will change dramatically – no more need for mirrors and pedals … and car seats will face any direction.
Space savings on streets, roadways and parking lots from more efficient vehicle use.
Fewer cars will be needed compared to today, with one autonomous car doing the job of two conventional vehicles in the typical household. The vehicles will be more expensive but fewer of them will be needed, for net savings for consumers.
As for the economic impact, the figures are difficult to quantify as some sectors of the economy will be up and others down. But with a projected 90% drop in car crashes, the savings in auto repair and healthcare bills alone are project to be around $180 billion.
If we accept the McKinsey report's bottom-line findings, it seems the "brave new world" of self-driving cars can't come soon enough. But what are your thoughts? Are there negative implications or "unintended consequences" that will be part of the revolution? Please share your perspectives here.


text:
Noburo Ofuji Award
Best Japanese Animated Shorts
Sangokushi
Hiroshima International Animation Festival 2012
The biannual Hiroshima InternationalAnimation Festival 2012 came to a conclusion today. The final competition consisted of 66 works selected from 2,110 entries from around the world. The international jury included Aleksandra Korejwo (Poland), Igor Kovalyov (USA), Irina Margolina (Russia), Kosei Ono (Japan), and Marv Newland (Canada) – whose classic film Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969) was screened on 16mm at my 10th birthday party and had a profound effect on me ;) The international honorary president of the festival was Peter Lord of Aardman. A selection of Lord's works were also screened at the festival.
The winners are as follows:
I Saw Mice Burying a Cat (Dmitry Geller, China, 2011)
Hiroshima Prize
Kali, the Little Vampire (Regina Pessoa, Portugal/France/Canada, Switzerland, 2012)
Debut Prize
Sticky Ends (Osman Cerfon, France, 2010)
Renzo Kinoshita Prize
Futon (Yoriko Mizushiri, Japan, 2012)
Audience Prize
Head Over Heels (Timothy Reckart, UK, 2012)
Special International Jury Prize
It's Such a Beautiful Day (Don Hertzfeldt, USA, 2011)
Ursus (Reinis Petersons, Latvia, 2011)
Sunday (Patrick Doyon, Canada, 2011)
Tram (Michaela Pavlátová, France, 2012)
Chinti (Natalia Mirzoyan, Russia, 2011)
Special Prize
two (Steven Subotnick, USA, 2011)
Howl (Natalie Bettelheim+Sharon Michaeli, Israel, 2011)
The Little Bird and the Leaf (Lena von Döhren, Switzerland, 2012)
The Great Rabbit (Atsushi Wada, France, 2011)
Muybridge's Strings (Koji Yamamura, Canada/Japan, 2011)
Read more about the winning films at the official website for Hiroshima 2012.
Seven works by Japanese artists made the official competition:
The Great Rabbit (Atsushi Wada, 2011) (read review)
Muybridge's Strings (Koji Yamamura, 2011) (read review)
The Light (Yuka Sukegawa, 2010)
Rain Town (Hiroyasu Ishida, 2011)
SPONCHOI Pispochoi (pecoraped, 2010)
Yonalure: Moment to Moment (Ayaka Nakata + Yuki Sakitani, 2011)
Futon (Yoriko Mizushiri, 2012)
In addition to the competition, this year's festival celebrated the 30th anniversary of ASIFA-JAPAN, which was founded by the co-founders of the Hiroshima festival – the current ASIFA president Sayoko Kinoshita and her late husband Renzo Kinoshita (read more about them). The ASIFA-JAPAN 30th Anniversary Special Program celebrated the works of its members through screenings of their animated works and an exhibition of objects related to their works including puppets, paintings, books, and installations.
I was deeply disappointed not to be able to attend the festival this year as there were many special presentations I would have loved to have seen: a Jiří Trnka Special Program to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth; an homage to the late Nobuhiro Aihara (see poster for this year's festival), whose works are so rarely screened outside of Japan; and a focus on animation from Norway. There was also an omnibus presentation of the best in recent world animation, a special on contemporary Japanese animation, a program for children, and a program on works by students. In a nod to the founding ethos of the festival, a selection of peace-themed films were also screened dedicated to "the spirit and the heart of Hiroshima."
cmmhotes 2012
Posted by Cathy Munroe Hotes at 9:11 pm
Labels: anime, festivals, Russia, shorts
Fusako Yusaki: Master of Metamorphosis
Fusako Yusaki ( 湯崎夫沙子 , b. 1937) is a Japanese clay animation pioneer. Most of the early independent Japanese animators who came of...
Ainu Mosir
Playing now at cinemas in Japan, and from November on American Netflix
Strawberry Candy (いちご飴, 2020)
Strawberry Candy (いちご飴 / Ichigo Chigo , 2020) was the film that made the biggest impact on me at the Geidai Animation 11 Neo screenings in ...
Watch: White Road (白の路, 2003)
Tomoyasu Murata (村田朋泰) has made his early independent film White Road (白の路 / Shiro no michi , 2003) available on YouTube for the first ti...
Affordance (アフォーダンス, 2016)
Hayato Nove (野辺ハヤト, b. 1971) is a graphic designer and illustrator by profession. Along with his web designer wife Tomoko Nobe (野辺智子...
Nippon Connection Film Festival Goes Online!
Virtual Edition of the 20th Nippon Connection Japanese Film Festival June 9-14, 2020 https://www.nipponconnection.com/ Nippon Con...
Animation at Nippon Connection 2018
Animation at Nippon Connection 2018 Details, Screening Times, and Locations Nippon Connection has put together another wonder...
Music of the Visual World: Japanese Indie Animated Shorts
Music of the Visual World: Japanese Indie Animated Shorts Sunday, June 3, 18:15 Naxoshalle Kino Learn More When ...
NC2019 FILM TALK: TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS
Dawn Wind in My Poncho FILM TALK: TOKYO UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS Nippon Connection Saturday, June 1, 21:30 Mousonturm Studio 3 https:/...
Ghibli Museum Special Exhibition: Painting the Colours of Our Films / 三鷹の森ジブリ美術館「映画を塗る仕事」展
The current exhibition at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka examines the "integral role" of colour as a form of expression in the films of its...
10 Must-See Kaneto Shindo Films
Tributes have been pouring in around the world for Kaneto Shindō ( 新藤 兼人 , 2012-2012), who passed away last week at the age of 100. ...
Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials: Made in Japan
Christmas is upon us, which means endless outings of Christmas classics like White Christmas (Michael Curtiz, 1954), It's a Wonderful Life ...
Tweets by @NishikataEiga
10 Things (7) action (1) adaptation (76) animation (29) anime (119) Annecy (3) art (84) art animation (331) Australia (1) avant-garde (110) awards (33) Biopics (2) blogathon (12) Blu-Ray Reviews (2) books (23) CALF (36) camerajapan2015 (2) Canada (19) CaRTe bLaNChe (30) cel animation (38) CGanimation (36) CGI (20) China (8) Christmas (3) cinematographers (5) classics (55) clay animation (4) claymation (20) CM (14) comedy (22) cutouts (62) Czech (27) dance (3) Denmark (1) direct animation (1) Disney (1) docudrama (3) documentary (55) drama (41) drawn animation (151) DVD Reviews (40) early anime (53) events (89) exhibitions (34) experimental (197) features (168) festivals (187) flash animation (5) food stylist (9) foreign films (51) France (34) Fukushima (5) Furukawa (11) Gakken (9) gallery (2) Geidai (57) Germany (51) graphic design (5) graphic novels (7) grotesque (10) hiroanim2014 (6) hiroanim2016 (5) hiroanim87 (1) Hiroshima85 (2) Hollywood (16) horror (1) Ichikawa (6) independent animation (314) indie film (23) installation art (2) interviews (7) Italy (3) Japan in Germany (25) JustforFun (52) Kawamoto (53) Korea (1) Kougei (1) Kurosawa (6) Laputa2003 (19) LGBT (14) literature (1) live art (10) Malaysia (6) manga (36) Mochinaga (16) Musabi (2) museums (13) music video (30) musicals (5) Naruse (2) NC2008 (6) NC2009 (8) NC2010 (18) NC2011 (16) NC2012 (14) nc2013 (10) NC2014 (9) NC2015 (6) NC2016 (9) NC2017 (5) NC2018 (8) NC2019 (7) NC2020 (1) Netflix (1) NFB (15) NFC (3) Nishikata Kids (4) Oberhausen2015 (5) obituaries (4) Ofuji Award (45) Okamoto (23) Ozu (1) paint-on-glass (9) photography (5) pinscreen (2) pixilation (13) playlist (12) profiles (27) propaganda (9) puppet animation (99) puppet theatre (10) Rankin/Bass (9) record talkie (7) RICA2014 (8) road movie (1) romance (7) romantic comedy (21) Russia (31) Sangokushi (6) satoumi (1) satoyama (13) Satoyama_in_Fukui (13) scifi (3) screenwriters (2) Seo (1) ShinsedaiFest (8) short short (2) shorts (347) silent films (11) silhouette animation (9) stop motion (132) Studio Ghibli (28) Sweden (1) Takahata (1) Tamabi (43) TamaGra (8) Tezuka (1) TV anime (24) TV-Dorama (9) UK (5) video installation (9) VOD (1) war films (5) women directors (68) Yamamura (62) Yeo (7) ZakkaFilms (10) Zokei (17) イラスト (13) 女 HERstory (104)
Support artists by watching their official videos on YouTube
Archive Sep 2020 (1) Jun 2020 (1) Apr 2020 (6) Mar 2020 (2) Jun 2019 (1) May 2019 (5) Feb 2019 (2) Nov 2018 (2) Sep 2018 (3) May 2018 (4) Feb 2018 (1) Jan 2018 (1) Aug 2017 (4) Jul 2017 (8) Jun 2017 (1) May 2017 (5) Apr 2017 (2) Mar 2017 (1) Feb 2017 (2) Oct 2016 (2) Sep 2016 (4) Aug 2016 (7) Jul 2016 (3) Jun 2016 (13) May 2016 (4) Apr 2016 (13) Feb 2016 (1) Dec 2015 (1) Oct 2015 (2) Jul 2015 (5) Jun 2015 (3) Mar 2015 (7) Feb 2015 (7) Jan 2015 (8) Dec 2014 (20) Nov 2014 (1) Oct 2014 (8) Sep 2014 (8) Aug 2014 (1) Jun 2014 (10) May 2014 (12) Apr 2014 (5) Mar 2014 (3) Feb 2014 (5) Jan 2014 (8) Dec 2013 (11) Nov 2013 (16) Oct 2013 (14) Apr 2013 (1) Dec 2012 (1) Nov 2012 (3) Oct 2012 (8) Sep 2012 (1) Aug 2012 (9) Jul 2012 (1) Jun 2012 (11) May 2012 (10) Apr 2012 (10) Mar 2012 (10) Feb 2012 (12) Jan 2012 (14) Dec 2011 (8) Nov 2011 (20) Oct 2011 (9) Sep 2011 (19) Aug 2011 (11) Jul 2011 (5) Jun 2011 (11) May 2011 (21) Apr 2011 (20) Mar 2011 (8) Feb 2011 (9) Jan 2011 (4) Dec 2010 (9) Nov 2010 (14) Oct 2010 (15) Sep 2010 (8) Aug 2010 (12) Jul 2010 (3) Jun 2010 (8) May 2010 (6) Apr 2010 (14) Mar 2010 (11) Feb 2010 (10) Jan 2010 (3) Dec 2009 (8) Nov 2009 (4) Oct 2009 (4) Sep 2009 (6) Aug 2009 (1) Jul 2009 (4) Jun 2009 (9) May 2009 (7) Apr 2009 (6) Mar 2009 (5) Feb 2009 (7) Jan 2009 (4) Dec 2008 (3) Nov 2008 (2) Oct 2008 (3) Sep 2008 (4) Aug 2008 (6) Jul 2008 (2) Jun 2008 (5) May 2008 (5) Apr 2008 (20) Mar 2008 (6) Feb 2008 (9) Jan 2008 (3) Dec 2007 (3) Nov 2007 (4) Oct 2007 (1) Sep 2007 (2) Aug 2007 (2) Jun 2007 (2) Apr 2007 (2) Mar 2007 (4) Feb 2007 (5) Jan 2007 (3) Dec 2006 (3) Nov 2006 (6) Oct 2006 (5) Sep 2006 (6) Aug 2006 (3) Jul 2006 (2) Jun 2006 (6) Apr 2006 (2)
Au Praxinoscope
Animation Store and Gallery
All written content on this blog is by Catherine Munroe Hotes. © Tanuki Press 2006-2020
This is an educational blog. The images published on this blog belong to the original copyright holders and may not be republished for profit.
Please support the artists and filmmakers featured here by buying their work.
Awesome Inc. theme. Theme images by rusm. Powered by Blogger.


Burrrrr. Holy mother of frigid things.....Even though I agreed to embrace winter, my camera did not. She does not like the wet and cold. I tried to cojole her by wrapping her in a waterproof, ziplock baggy but that made for some slippery dials and knobs. We did manage to get a few shots off today including this one of our summer planters, waiting patiently for the spring thaw.
To all my friends living in warmer climates, I might be visiting you soon!


Checked out your site..nicely done! I'd like to take this time to wish you and yours the best for the Holiday Season, Merry Christmas and a Great New Year. Keep up the good work..be safe!!
Thank you very much for your kind words, Captain Beckingham. The new year has seen temperatures in our area plunge to sub-zero territory, but we are surviving. I hope all is going well with your fire department.
I got what you intend, regards for putting up.Woh I am delighted to find this website through google. "Spare no expense to make everything as economical as possible." by Samuel Goldwyn.
WOW! Just find your website from the Google. You are doing great job.


Divorce is emotionally draining for each spouses. But that success charge is much less impressive when one considers that the Labor Division cherry-picks the instances it takes on, with an eye for people who promise large payouts, and may't enforce cost of state hourly minimum that exceeds the federal charge of $7.25. The federal Labor Division additionally has more energy than many state companies to impose and collect penalties, lowering employers' incentives to struggle again.
Nikolas Cruz is accused of using a legally-bought rifle to kill 17 folks at his former highschool in Parkland, Florida, on Wednesday. However they offer strikingly little consideration to the enforcement of those laws, where they might push so as to add investigators and institute new laws to make it tougher for employers to evade enforcement by altering their company identities.


text:
The Catholic Defender: Abraham Lincoln Washington, D.C.March 30, 1863
Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day
By the President of the United States of America.
Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation.
And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.
And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!
It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness.
Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views of the Senate, I do, by this my proclamation, designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th. day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting and prayer. And I do hereby request all the People to abstain, on that day, from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite, at their several places of public worship and their respective homes, in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
All this being done, in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the Divine teachings, that the united cry of the Nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessings, no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering Country, to its former happy condition of unity and peace.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty seventh.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln William H. Seward, Secretary of State.
This Ladies and Gentlemen is where we need to get back to for America!


Home Rare Books The antisuffrage movement.
Creator(s) Corbin, Caroline Fairfield, 1835-1918, author.
Contributor(s) Illinois Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women, publisher.
Notes Last page blank. Caption title. Page  signed in letterpress: Caroline F. Corbin, President Illinois Association Opposed to the Extension of Suffrage to Women. Publisher's statement from colophon. Date of publication conjectured from internal evidence. "From the Chicago Daily News (November 24, 1908)" -- At head of caption title.
Local Notes Athenaeum copy is number 3 of 3 titles bound together in a volume with cover title: Woman's rights.
Source of Acquistion January 7, 1909; 69208.
Genre terms Anti-woman suffrage literature--United States--1900-1910.


To make you aware that other people's benchmarks/rules are not for you to chase, live up to or reach.
That this is YOUR time to STOP!
It time to decide that the only person that gets to validate you, is you!
That internal validation is the only validation that you need to care about!
So that you START to take daily action on doing the things that align with you and your vision!
Because at the end of the day you don't want to meet your highest self/creator/God and realise that you didn't spend your time fulfilling your life but spent your time trying to please other people.
Wouldn't that be a waste of a life?
Wouldn't it be nice to know that when you lay your head down at night and when you wake up that morning you're living to make sure your vision is fulfiled & that you're YOU!
That you are changing the world on your terms!
Let's create a world which burns all boxes, labels and anything else that restricts us from BEING our true selves!


So happy to finally be reunited with two of my besties! We ended up chatting the evening away in one of our favourite Old Town spots so only managed to grab a few quick snaps of what I wore the other day before it got dark.
I mentioned before that I've become extra lazy with dressing up and the whole 'getting ready' routine overall comparing to previous years when I'd spend hours on straightening my hair, doing the smokey eye or putting complex outfits together. I will literally wait until the last minute now, then throw the first thing on, tie my hair back, get a pair of sunglasses on and I'm out. I don't know whether it's a good or a bad change but my friends are clearly pleased they no longer have to wait for me for ages! What about you, ladies?
Just before I left London, I got a few bits for a trip that didn't happen. These ASOS espadrilles (now on sale) pretty much go with every summer dress I own; the terracota one I am wearing in this post is also from ASOS by the way (you can tell someone has been lazy with shopping too).
Lack Of Color straw hat and Michael Kors aviator sunglasses.
You are so amazing! Love your blog so much. Did you take some photo course? You always have so wonderful pics!
I love those shoes - gorgeous!
I just love anything lace-up at the moment, but the colours in this are so warm and mediterranean, it's a great look.
Love this easy, effortless look.
You look breathtaking!! This is such a cute, safari like outfit!
Safari trip didn't happen but oh well.. Thank you!
But that's a good idea! Maybe I'll try it!
Awwwh amazing dear Inga. You are such a classic beauty and that is rare to find. I always love your looks and find true inspiration in them!
I feel the same way as you do, I have changed so much with getting dressed lately.
Keep posting hun and a big hug for the little one.
В инстаграм правильно поступили, пусть Вас настоящую только знакомые с Вами видят, а нам давайте гламур и глянец)).
На "Вы" мне, собственно, больше нравилось.
Так-то мы "соседи", Вы кота, наверно, моего видели)).
К сожалению, мы соседи виртуальные, как и кот)). А позицию, свою, мне и пересматривать не требуется. Да и в онлайн, мы уже немного, но знакомы, если можно и так сказать).
...ещё тот, и Вам Доброй ночи)).
Мы и не прятались, а наглый кот и подавно).
Please stop with botox and fillers.


This role offers a broad range of non-contentious commercial work coupled with a genuine work life balance. The successful candidate will assist partners and senior solicitors on a varied workload including IT, intellectual property rights, commercial contracts, data protection, E-commerce & Telecoms contract, wed-development and software develop agreements, franchising, standard terms of business and supply and advice on competition law.
After visiting the firm, I can personally say that our client's commitment to its employees and clients is impressive. They believe in progression and development with full training being provided in numerous soft skills over a two year period to ensure that those within the firm are able to work directly with its client base alongside the partners. The firm has committed themselves to expansion with the goal to maintain its family feeling work environment. The office currently houses a warm and inviting work environment with an added social area. Further proof of this commitment was demonstrated by the targeting structure as the firm sets their targets as a team rather than on each individual.
If you have any queries in relation to this role or would like a confidential chat then please contact Jake Heyworth or Adam Zdravkovic in the Legal division at Search Consultancy in Manchester for further details.


text:
Dementia: Basic Information & Case for National Policy on Dementia
First Published: November 5, 2017 | Last Updated:November 5, 2017
Dementia is not the name of a specific disease. It is an overall term to describe decline in mental ability so much so that it interferes with the day to day life of a person. Dementia is caused due to damage in brain cells which in turn makes it difficult for the brain cells to communicate with each other. This damage will result in the following symptoms:
Inability to communicate and think normally.
Cannot retain focus and pay attention.
Changes in behaviour and feelings of a person.
Decline in reasoning and judgment.
Decline in visual perception.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. It accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases. As of now, scientists are still searching a cure for this disease. Globally, about one in ten people above the age of 65 and one in four above the age of 85 years are prone to dementia.
Why India needs a national policy on Dementia?
In India, it has been found that over 4 million people have been affected by dementia.
As per the India Dementia Report 2010, an estimated Rs 43,000 is spent annually per family to treat persons with dementia. It is an expensive affair for most of the families in India.
With rapid ageing of population in India, the economic and social burden of dementia is likely to increase in the coming years. Globally, India along with China has the highest number of older people.
In India, geriatric services still largely remains under-developed. In addition, any talk of mental health issues still remains a taboo.
According to WHO, only 10% of individuals are diagnosed with dementia in developing countries.
Is there any global plan on dementia?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had adopted "The Global Plan of Action on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025" at the 70th World Health Assembly held in May this year. The global plan calls upon the nations to come up with a national dementia policy to achieve targets for the advancement of dementia awareness, risk reduction, recognition of human rights of people with dementia diagnosis, care and treatment, support for care partners and research.
Sadly, out of 194 member countries of WHO, only 29 countries have come up with a plan of action on dementia. As far as India is concerned, it is yet to come up with a national plan on dementia. Under the framework provided by the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), India needs to recognise the rights of people with dementia.
What needs to be done?
By next year, it is estimated that dementia will turn into a trillion-dollar disease. Hence, the Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) has asked the world community to spend at least 1% of the global cost of dementia on public funding for dementia research. Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) have also urged the Indian government to come up with a national plan on dementia which is to be funded by the union health ministry. ARDSI has successfully partnered with the state government of Kerala creating the first ever public-private partnership for dementia care and awareness. Kerala has the highest proportion of old age people in the country.
The national action plan on dementia should have social, health, legal and economic components embedded in it in order to face various aspects of the disease.
Secondly, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment should lend its helping hand in treating this disease as this disease has many social aspects that requires awareness and service facilities at the community level.
Thirdly, corporate sector can be roped in to fund programmes to train care givers as a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Fourthly, steps have to be taken to work towards risk reduction of the disease. Focus should be laid on building resources for strengthening brain health by linking it with physical and spiritual health.
It is pertinent that India needs to come up with national plan on dementia to identify dementia at its earlier stages and have adequate services for its treatment.
Tags:dementia
Integrated Handloom Development Scheme
What is Climate?
Aditya (Vedic Period)
Peculiar Wild Mammals of India
Various Tax Amnesty Schemes of India


KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — PAS president Datuk Seri Hadi Awang told Umno that is courting his party, that it is "impossible" for the two to ever merge.
He said that while the two parties may work together, this will not extend to a unification of PAS and Umno.
"There will never be a united PAS and Umno party. Our ideologies are different. It is impossible," The Star newspaper quoted him as saying in an undisclosed interview.
The two parties are jointly organising a rally to "give thanks" to the government's decision to reject the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) this weekend.
The rejection of the treaty has become the latest common platform for the two parties.
Prior to the general election, Umno was already courting PAS by dangling support for the latter's bid to enhance Shariah laws.
Since the Malay nationalist party's defeat in Election 2018, however, it has come out openly to propose mergers with the former political rival.
PAS has repeatedly and openly snubbed Umno, but the latter continues to pursue this unrequited love.
Although Umno is technically the strongest Opposition party by virtue of its federal lawmaker numbers, it has not come to terms with its electoral defeat and appears bent on forming a partnership with PAS.
The Barisan Nasional coalition has all but disintegrated, with only the founding members of Umno, MIC, and MCA left in what was previously a 13-component alliance.


text:
You are here: Home > Education > Current Article
California Lutheran University sells seminary property
By Staff Report / Friday, September 22nd, 2017 / Comments Off on California Lutheran University sells seminary property
Story updated at 2:15 p.m. Sept. 22:
California Lutheran University has sold a 10-acre property where its Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary once operated in Berkeley to Zaytuna College, the only Muslim liberal arts college in the U.S., for $10 million.
"We are delighted that the property is going to another nonprofit, faith-based educational institution," said CLU President Chris Kimball.
The PLTS recently moved to an office building on Center Street in downtown Berkeley in order to work more closely with the surrounding community. The sale of the property will help ensure the seminary's financial stability for many years to come. The sale price was not disclosed.
A news release from CLU said the sale will allow Zaytuna to expand and develop its first master's degree program.
Hamza Yusuf, president of Zaytuna, said, "We are humbled and honored by this beautiful display of interreligious cooperation. The Lutheran community built and maintained this lovely campus and has seen fit to entrust us with its next chapter. We intend not to disappoint them."
• Contact Robert Shutt at [email protected]
Santa Barbara County accountant arrested over misappropriation of $1.7 million
Defense stock investors making 'flight to safety'
Lesh: China trade deal: the good, the bad and the ugly
A week of developments in international trade
Westlake Village startup helps owners track their pets


"The Customer" means the person who buys or has agreed to buy the goods.
1.1 GD contracts for the supply of goods and/or services only subject to these Conditions and all terms and conditions in the Customer's order or enquiries inconsistent therewith shall be of no effect.
1.2 The placing of an order following a quotation given by GD shall not be binding on GD unless and until accepted by GD in writing.
1.3 The terms and conditions contained herein shall constitute the entire agreement between GD and the Customer and any modification to these Conditions will be binding only if it is evidence in writing signed on behalf of GD and such evidence contains a specific reference to these Conditions being modified.
1.4 In no circumstances shall the Customer cancel a contract to which these Conditions apply without GD's written agreement and in particular GD shall not be obliged to accept returned goods unless specifically agreed to in writing by GD and subject always to the Customer paying a handling charge. If GD agrees to the Customer cancelling a contract the Customer will indemnify GD against all losses (including loss of profit) suffered by GD arising out of such cancellation.
1.5 All specifications, illustrations, colours, drawings and diagrams in GD's catalogues, trade literature and other published matter are of a generally informative nature and are approximate only and none of these form part of any contract or give rise to any independent or collateral liability of whatsoever nature on the part of GD and GD shall be under no liability whatsoever for inaccuracies, changes or alterations in specification, dimensions or measurements given, quoted or made by it.
2.1 Unless otherwise stated in writing the prices estimated or quoted by GD are exclusive of packaging freight and insurance charges, charges for delivery, VAT and other applicable taxes, duties or levies of any kind whatsoever, all of which are payable in addition by the Customer.
2.2 Any date for collection quoted by GD is an estimate only and GD will in no circumstances be under any liability whatsoever for any failure to make the goods available for collection on any such date.
3.1 The time of payment shall be of the essence of any contract to which these Conditions apply and unless otherwise expressly stated payment shall be due as follows: deposit on order, staged payments for rolling chassis and factory built cars, the final balance payment 10-14 days prior to collection.
3.2 The Customer shall not be entitled to make deduction from any payment due to GD in respect of any offset or counter-claim unless both the validity and the amount thereof have been expressly admitted in writing by GD.
3.3 Without prejudice to any other rights, failure to pay the price or part thereof of other monies payable by the Customer will also entitle GD at GD's sole discretion either to refuse to make delivery of the goods or an further consignment of any goods agreed to be supplied or to cancel any contract to which these Conditions apply, either in whole or part, by notice in writing to the Customer and without incurring any liability to the Customer for any loss caused by such delay or cancellation.
3.4 Where a Customer offers for payment a cheque or cheques that is not honoured the Customer will be invoiced with any bank charges charged to GD by reason thereof.
3.5 If the payment of the price or any part thereof and of all other sums payable by the Customer is not made on the due date GD, without prejudice to its other rights hereunder, shall be entitled to charge in addition to any monies due hereunder interest on the outstanding amount at the rate per annum of 4 per cent above the base rate from time to time of GD's bankers calculated on a daily basis until payment is made.
The goods shall remain the sole and absolute property of GD as legal and beneficial owner and GD reserves the right to dispose of the goods until such time as payment in full for all the goods the subject of a contract to which these Conditions apply together with the full price of any other goods the subject of any other contract with GD has been received by GD.
(a) The passing of property to the Customer as provided for in Condition 4 of these Conditions; or (b) The physical delivery of the goods to the Customer's place of business by GD; or (c) The physical delivery of the goods to the Customer's carrier or to an independent carrier for the purpose of transmission to the Customer or his nominee.
5.2 GD will be under no obligation to effect insurance of the goods once risk has passed to the Customer.
6.1 Time of collection shall not be of the essence. Orders will be made available for collection as soon as reasonably practicable and GD reserves the right to deliver by instalments in such quantities as GD thinks fit.
6.2 GD shall endeavour to inform the Customer (or his/her nominated agent) as soon as the goods are ready for collection.
6.3 Where the goods are made available for collection in instalments, each instalment shall be construed as constituting a separate contract to which all the provisions of these Conditions shall (with any necessary alterations) apply.
6.4 In the event of any failure to make the goods available for collection or delay making the goods available for collection, the Customer shall have no claim whatsoever against GD for any indirect or consequential loss or damage of any kind.
6.5 Without prejudice to any rights of GD hereunder, if the Customer shall fail to collect the goods seven days following the date on which GD informs the Customer that the goods are ready for collection the Customer shall pay to GD all storage and other costs of whatever nature incurred or rising from such failure.
6.6 Deviations in quantity or goods delivered from those stated in any contracts to which these Conditions apply shall not give rise to a right to reject on the part of the Customer and the Customer shall have no right to claim for damages for breach of contract but the Customer will only be obliged to pay at the contract rate for the goods delivered.
(iv) GD will not be liable in respect of the use of all or part of the goods or vehicle in any form of motor sport and track days.
(v) GD will not be liable in relation to colour fastness or colour matching of original or replacement glass fibre panels.
7.2 If, without the prior written consent of GD, repairs or alteration are made to the goods or to the vehicle, GD shall be under no liability whatsoever in respect of the goods, performance or safety of the vehicle and no allowance shall be made for any repairs or alterations so made.
7.3 The acceptance of liability contained in Clause 7.1 is given on the condition that the goods are used and the vehicle constructed in accordance with the manufacturers' instruction manual and without prejudice to the foregoing the use by the Customer of all parts recommended by GD and where the goods are not so used and the vehicle is not so constructed GD will be under no liability whatsoever in respect of the goods, performance or safety of the vehicle.
7.4 All, if any, statements, recommendations, measurements, dimensions, specifications and advice given or made (whether before or after any contract to which these Conditions apply) by GD or GD's servants or agents to the Customer or its servants or agents as to any matter relating to the goods or the vehicle are given without liability whatsoever on the part of GD ad GD hereby represents and warrants to the Customer that no representation has been made to GD by or on behalf of the Customer before entering into any contract to which the Conditions apply and that no representation made to GD by or on behalf of the Customer before entering into such contract has in any way induced GD to enter into such contract and the customer makes and gives the like representations and warranties (mutatis mutandis) to GD as GD makes and gives to the Customer as above.
7.5 GD may in its absolute discretion refund the price of goods subject to the conditions contained in Clauses 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 where such goods are in a saleable condition (to exclude special order Trim and Parts which are non-returnable). Such refunds will be subject to a 15% handling charge which shall be deducted from the purchase price paid by the Customer as shown in the original invoice by GD to the Customer.
7.6 Except as provided in sub-paragraph 1 and 2 above, all representations, guarantees, undertakings, conditions or warranties, expressed or implied, statutory or otherwise in relation to the goods are hereby expressly excluded PROVIDED ALWAYS that the statutory rights of the Customer in the case of a consumer sale shall remain full force and effect. GD will in no circumstances refund any monies paid by the Customer or replace any goods except in accordance with this Clause 7.
(b) For any loss or damage in excess of the contract price for the goods or part thereof in respect of which a claim is made.
(c) For any malfunction or non-function of any goods to the extent that this is caused by incorrect installation or maintenance strictly in accordance with GD's instructions.
The Customer shall (and shall ensure that any third party to whom the goods may subsequently be supplied) comply with all instructions of GD and any other manufacturer in relation to the fitting, installation, service and use of the goods, and, not withstanding such compliance, the Customer shall keep GD fully and effectually indemnified against all costs, claims, demands, expenses and liabilities of whatsoever nature and where so ever arising, including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, claims for damage to property and consequential loss (including loss of profit) which may be made against GD or which GD may sustain, pay or incur arising out of or in connection with the supply, fitting, installation or use of the goods.
If GD is prevented from fulfilling any order within a reasonable time by reason of a force majeure of any cause beyond its reasonable control including, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing war, threat of war, riots, civil commotion, act of God, government, economic downturn, terrorist activities, strikes, lockouts, industrial action, accident technical problems with transportation, natural disaster, storm, flood, fire, earthquake, delay in delivery to GD of any goods or materials or interruption of transport it shall be under no liability to the Customers and shall be entitled to its option (to be notified in writing to the Customer) either to cancel any contract to which these Conditions apply or without any liability, to extend the time or times for delivery or otherwise performing such contract by a period at last equivalent to that during which such delivery or performance has been extended by any of the restrictions hereinbefore referred to.
If there is any default or breach of any of the Customer's obligations hereunder or in any payments due under any contract of sale to which these Conditional apply or if any distress, execution or other legal process is levied upon the Customer's property or if the Customer shall make or offer to make any arrangement or composition with creditors or commit any act of bankruptcy or if any petition or receiving order is presented or made against the Customer or, if a company, any resolution or petition to wind it up shall be passed or presented or a receiver of all or any of its assets shall be appointed then (without prejudice to other remedies) in any such case GD may determine such contract or cancel any outstanding delivery or stop any products in transit and notwithstanding any other provisions.
Termination of any contract to which the Conditions apply for whatever causes shall not affect the rights or remedies of either party in respect of any antecedent breach or in respect of any sum of money owing or to become owing by the other.
The Customer shall not assign or transfer or purport to assign or transfer any contract to which these Conditions apply or the benefit thereof to any person whatsoever.
Any contract to which these apply shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England.
The headings shall not affect the meaning or Interpretation of these Conditions.


text:
{Sold} 2005 People's Republic of China 60th Year Anniversary of Victory - Japan WW2, Beautiful Golden-Gilt Red-Enamel Medal by Hunan Provincial Military Academy Association, 70 x 50 mm.
2005 People's Republic of China 60th Year Anniversary of Victory - Japan WW2, Beautiful Golden-Gilt Red-Enamel Badge Medal Issued by the Hunan Provincial Military Academy Association, Great Condition! 70 x 50 mm 31.8 Grs.
Country. People's Republic of China
Subject. 60th Year Anniversary of Victory, Japan WW2
Composition. Steel-Brass Alloy, Golden-Gilt Red-Enamel
Isssued by. The Hunan Provincial Military Academy Association.
Size. 70 x 50 mm (inclusive of attachment)
Weight. 31.8 Grs.
- Battle of West Hunan: -
The Battle of West Hunan, also known as the Battle of Xuefeng Mountains and the Zhijiang Campaign, was the Japanese invasion of west Hunan and the subsequent Allied counterattack that occurred between 6 April and 7 June 1945, during the last months of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Japanese strategic aims for this campaign were to seize Chinese airfields and secure railroads in West Hunan, and to achieve a decisive victory that their depleted land forces needed.
This campaign, if successful, would also allow Japan to attack Sichuan and eventually the Chinese war time capital Chongqing. Although the Japanese were able to make initial headways, Chinese forces with air support from the Americans were able to turn the tide and forced the Japanese into a rout, recovering a substantial amount of lost ground.
This was the last major Japanese offensive, and the last of 22 major battles during the war to involve more than 100,000 troops. Concurrently, the Chinese managed to repel a Japanese offensive in Henan and Hubei and launched a successful attack on Japanese forces in Guangxi, turning the course of the war sharply in China's favour even as they prepared to launch a full-scale counterattack across South China.
By April 1945, China had already been at war with Japan for more than seven years. Both nations were exhausted by years of battles, bombings and blockades. From 1941-1943, both sides maintained a "dynamic equilibrium", where field engagements were often numerous, involved large numbers of troops and produced high casualty counts, but the results of which were mostly indecisive. Operation Ichi-Go in 1944 changed the status quo, as Japanese forces were able to break through the inadequate Chinese defences and occupy most of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi, connecting Japanese-held areas from north to south in a continuous front.
However, the Japanese victory resulted in very little actual benefit for them: the operation drained Japanese manpower and a weakened Japanese army had to defend a longer front with more partisan activity in occupied areas. The opening up of north-south railway connections did little to improve Japanese logistics, for only one train ran from Guangzhou to Wuhan in April 1945, and due to fuel shortages the primary mode of transportation for Japanese troops was on foot.
On the other hand, although the Chinese government in Chongqing had lost land access to their remaining forces in Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi with their defeat in Ichi-Go, Chinese fortunes in the war improved with the retaking of northern Burma by Allied and Chinese forces. On 4 February 1945, the first convoy of trucks reached Kunming from the British railhead in Ledo, India, over the newly completed Stilwell Road and the northern section of the Burma Road; using this road link, over 50,000 tonnes of petroleum started to arrive into China every month. By April 1945, enough materiel had become available to the Chinese army to equip 35 divisions with American equipment. A major counter offensive was planned.
For this campaign, the Imperial Japanese had three main objectives. The first of which was to neutralize the Chinese airfield at Zhijiang, whose complement of USAAF and ROCAF was ensuring Allied air superiority in the region and a base for U.S. bombers, either by physically reaching the airfield, located only 435 km (270 mi) from Chongqing, and securing it, or simply by pressing forward close enough to the airfield to force the Chinese to destroy the installation.
Their second objective was to secure their control of the Hunan-Guangxi and Guangzhou-Hankou railways. A third objective was to preemptively disrupt the planned Chinese offensive in the region.
By this point of the war, Japan was losing the battle in Burma and facing constant attacks from Chinese forces in the country side. Spare troops for this campaign were limited. The Japanese army began preparations for the battle in March 1945, constructing two highways with forced Chinese labor: the Heng-Shao Highway ran from Hengyang in a northwest direction to Shaoyang, a Japanese-controlled city in central Hunan a mere 100 km (62 mi) from Zhijiang; and the Tan-Shao Highway from Xiangtan, southwest to Shaoyang. Supplies and equipment were stockpiled near Shaoyang, to be the headquarters of the Japanese 20th Corps, led by Ichiro Banzai. Under it were the Japanese 34th, 47th, 64th, 68th and 116th Divisions, as well as the 86th Independent Brigade, massing at various locations across Hunan, for a total of 80,000 men by early April.
In response, the Chinese National Military Council dispatched the 4th Front Army and the 10th and 27th Army Groups with He Yingqin as commander-in-chief. At the same time, it airlifted the entire New 6th Corps, an American-equipped corps and veterans of the Burma Expeditionary Force, from Kunming to Zhijiang. Chinese forces total 110,000 men in 20 divisions. They were supported by about 400 aircraft from the CAF 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th Air Groups and the USAAF 14th Air Force.
Japanese forces took over the outskirts of Hunan with little resistance. However, they didn't realise that the Chinese forces were well prepared for the Japanese assault. The mountainous terrain was ideal for ambushes and mortar bombardment on approaching Japanese forces in the lower grounds.
The Chinese also had air superiority in this battle. After some defeats Japan decided to retreat. However, Chinese forces gave chase and inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese. The local Chinese guerrilla forces then attacked the Japanese positions. Japan ended up losing a large amount of territory that they once occupied.
. ~AU'Listings~ . .~Au'Medals~.