text:
'If I go back they'll kill me': Nicaraguan dissenters flee south to survive
As Daniel Ortega's violent crackdown intensifies, the tide of refugees escaping to Costa Rica has become a wave
Explainer: what's driving the Nicaraguan uprising?
Tom Phillips in San José
Nicaraguan migrants fleeing unrest at home wait to request refuge in Costa Rica. Photograph: Juan Carlos Ulate/Reuters
Tears filled Ricardo Pineda's bloodshot eyes as he relived the solitude and paranoia of his 13-day march to safety.
Five hours earlier, after almost a fortnight on the run, he had slipped over Nicaragua's southern border, flagged down a taxi and taken his phone off flight mode for the first time since fleeing Managua.
Now the sleep-deprived doctor was sitting in a safe house on the outskirts of Costa Rica's capital contemplating the sudden unraveling of his country and the start of a new and uncertain life in exile.
"It's terrifying because you know they are tracking you … every footstep, every little noise, every branch, every tree – you think it's the army and they're going to grab you … you're a fugitive," said Pineda, 54, who bolted after receiving death threats for treating the victims of Daniel Ortega's crackdown on protesters and denouncing those killings.
While people fleeing violence in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala have sought safety by heading north towards the US, Nicaraguans have long headed south. For more than a century Nicaraguans, among them many of Ortega's fellow Sandinistas, have looked to Costa Rica for sanctuary from crisis, repression and war. A display at San José's National Museum pays tribute to the nicaragüense economic migrants who came "looking for a more promising future for their families".
But the thousands of asylum seekers now crossing the border each month say they seek survival, not service. "If I go back they'll kill me," said Fraol Espinosa, a 31-year-old protester from León who claimed paramilitaries had torched his house in retribution for his role erecting barricades during the anti-Ortega insurrection.
Last Thursday night Espinosa was one of dozens of Nicaraguan refugees packed into a pink and green love motel in San José's red light district, one of perhaps a dozen such establishments now housing those fleeing the strife. Sharing room 16 with him were six other protesters from Masaya, Jinotega, Diriamba, Matagalpa and Ometepe, other rebelling towns that were recently retaken by Ortega's forces.
"We can't go back until the president is gone," said Francisco Pérez Mairena, 24, who had fled Masaya's Monimbó neighbourhood five days earlier with his heavily pregnant wife and their two daughters after it was stormed by police and pro-Ortega militias.
Next door, in room 17, a family of five perched on the double-bed on which they would spend their first night in exile. "We had to come because we took part in the 'blue and white' march," explained Amparo Rios, 38, breaking down as she recalled abandoning her three children, aged nine, 14 and 16, after being threatened and attacked by paramilitaries.
Her cousin, Gloria Isabel Mendoza, tried to comfort her: "Here at least we're safe. We have nowhere to live. But at least there's no shooting."
Members of San José's large Nicaraguan community say they began receiving asylum seekers soon after the uprising began late April. But that trickle turned into a daily tide earlier this month after rifle-toting security forces and paramilitaries launched an all-out assault on rebel strongholds dubbed "Operación Limpieza". Activists say that onslaught pushed the death toll to almost 450.
If you were involved in any way, you are a target … They are being hunted
Maria Elizondo, activist
"It started when Ortega decided to clean house violently," said Maria Elizondo, the founder of a local activist group providing support, food and medical care to the displaced. "If you were involved in any way, you are a target … They are being hunted."
Those now on the run include journalists, human rights activists and doctors like Pineda, a former army medic who fled Managua on 14 July after surviving an 18-hour church siege that left two dead and drew international condemnation. A draconian new "anti-terror" law, which campaigners say allows authorities to criminalise the opposition by classifying almost any kind of political dissent as terrorism, has added to their sense of dread.
But the displaced also include children and teenagers, like Brandon Sandoval, who have little grasp of the turmoil engulfing their country.
"He's 14," said Sandoval's grandmother, Flor del Carmen López, 69, her grief turning to rage as she explained how the boy's father had begged her to take him south to protect him from the violence. "'Flee – because I'm not going anywhere!" she remembered him telling her. "I'm staying put to defend Nicaragua!"
Trump's next target? The endangered species that define America
To weaken protections for our unique animals in favor of industry is short-term thinking at its very worst
Andrew Rosenberg
Andrew Rosenberg is director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists
Bald eagles, grizzly bears and alligators have been brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to the Endangered Species Act. Photograph: Bob Strong/Reuters
The Trump administration and its conservative allies in Congress have consistently touted their efforts to "free" the American economy by rolling back regulations. The vice-president, Mike Pence, has said that the administration will deregulate so aggressively that we should all "buckle up". Pence must have forgotten that seatbelts were instituted as a safety regulation that has saved countless people from injury and death.
So far, the push for regulatory rollbacks has focused mainly on public health, safety and worker protections. (These vaunted rollbacks are still in progress – or held up in the courts – rather than accomplished.) If anti-regulation politicians and lobbyists are successful, they will significantly reduce restrictions on air and water pollution, industrial waste, toxic chemicals, and hazards in the workplace.
These six species are about to be sacrificed for the oil and gas industry
But it's not just public health or workplace safety at threat. Now in the crosshairs? America's commitment to protect endangered animals. On 19 July, the Trump administration proposed a plan to significantly weaken multiple provisions of the Endangered Species Act – a landmark law that has brought beloved American animals like the bald eagle, bison, grizzly bear, sage grouse, alligator, gray wolf and humpback whale back from the brink of extinction.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) has been in place for nearly half a century. Its goal, to protect species under particularly grave threat from habitat loss, climate change, overhunting or other challenges, is simple to state but very hard to accomplish. The act works by scientifically evaluating species to determine if they are in jeopardy, and, if so, instating "reasonable and prudent" measures to limit the causes of that jeopardy. While few species have been restored to a healthy status, 99% of species listed as endangered have been saved from extinction. That's an impressive record.
Profits go up and down and up again – but species, once extinct, don't come back
Wolves, bears, sage grouse: these are animals of incredible beauty that enrich our ecological landscape. But other, less charismatic species, like burying beetles and freshwater mussels, are at risk too – all because their presence is inconvenient for some economic activities. Unfortunately, species are not just "nice to have". They are part of living, breathing ecosystems. As the biologist Paul Ehrlich put it: "The first rule of intelligent tinkering is save all the parts." We can't sacrifice species for short-term financial profit. Profits go up and down and up again – but species, once extinct, don't come back.
Although the ESA is extremely popular with the American public, it has long been a favorite bogeyman of special interest groups – especially the mining industry, oil and gas extractors, timber companies and ranchers. The reason is simple: in some cases, protecting species requires limiting activities that are putting those species at risk. If a native species is endangered, the government may place some areas on public and private lands off limits to exploitation, or require businesses to modify their operations. In the name of "freedom," however, some conservative politicians and industry groups apparently believe businesses should have the right to extinguish the last living representative of a plant or animal species on earth if it makes short-term business sense.
'The ESA is our last best chance to prevent the extinction of species that are part of our common heritage as Americans.' Photograph: Alex Bondarenko / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm
If the overblown rhetoric of lobbyists and trade groups were to be believed, the US oil and gas industry has been brought to its knees by environmental regulations of totalitarian scope. They haven't. But conservatives in Congress, echoing these talking points, love to claim that the ESA has been a failure and blocks economic development. The chairman of the House of Representatives natural resources committee, the Utah Republican Rob Bishop,has said he would "love to invalidate" the Act.
This administration and Congress want to change ESA rules so that political officials evaluate evidence, not scientists, and economic considerations are given greater weight in deciding whether to save a species.
To do so would be deeply misguided. The ESA is our last best chance to prevent the extinction of species of animals and plants that are part of our common heritage as Americans. Our government protects them on our behalf, and on our children and grandchildren's behalf; they belong to all of us, not private industry.
'This one has heat stress': the shocking reality of live animal exports
America spends over $20bn per year on fossil fuel subsidies. Abolish them
Extreme weather could push UK food prices up this year, say farmers
Extreme global weather is 'the face of climate change' says leading scientist
Earth's resources consumed in ever greater destructive volumes
Big Butterfly Count 2018 – your best pictures
Grieving orca mother carries dead calf for days as killer whales fight for survival
Dizzying array of recycling symbols 'is confusing consumers'
Farmers in drought summit amid fears of food supply crisis
Trump blasts back after New York Times publisher decries 'enemy of the people' attacks
President and Sulzberger each say other is damaging America
Rhetoric also criticized by Washington Post's Marty Baron
Martin Pengelly in New York
Hours after saying he had a "very good meeting" with the publisher of the New York Times about his labelling the press the "enemy of the people", Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on "anti-Trump haters in the dying newspaper industry".
"The failing New York Times and the Amazon Washington Post do nothing but write bad stories even on very positive achievements," Trump tweeted. "And they will never change!"
Earlier, the White House confirmed Trump met Times publisher AG Sulzberger on 20 July. Sulzberger then issued a statement that opened an exchange over whose activities were more damaging to America.
Sulzberger said he had raised "concerns about the president's deeply troubling anti-press rhetoric" and "implored him to reconsider his broader attacks on journalism, which I believe are dangerous and harmful to our country".
Sulzberger did not say how the president responded. Hours later, Trump obliged.
In a multi-tweet rant, he claimed reports on "internal deliberations of our government … truly put the lives of many, not just journalists, at risk". He added: "Freedom of the press also comes with a responsibility to report the news accurately."
AG Sulzberger. Photograph: Todd Heisler/AFP/Getty Images
Claiming without evidence that "90% of media coverage of my administration is negative", Trump said he would "not allow our great country to be sold out by anti-Trump haters in the dying newspaper industry".
The president may have been referring to a study released last year by the conservative Media Research Center, which said 91% of mainstream coverage of Trump was negative. In a study of Trump's first 100 days in office, the Shorenstein Center, at Harvard University, reached a similar conclusion.
On Saturday night, the executive editor of the Washington Post made public remarks that were implicitly critical of Trump.
In Annapolis, Maryland, Marty Baron spoke at a benefit event for the families of five people killed last month in a shooting at the Capital Gazette newspaper. They were "friends of the people", he said. The event was also addressed by the New York Times' Washington bureau chief, Elisabeth Bumiller, and Olivier Knox, the president of the White House Correspondents' Association.
The suspect threatened the Capital Gazette after it reported his harassment of a high school acquaintance. A grand jury indicted him on 23 counts in the deaths of Gerald Fischman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Ann Smith and Wendi Winters.
Baron did not mention Trump. Of the victims, he said: "Not one of them deserved to be seen as an enemy because of the profession they choose or the place they worked.
To demean people like these, to demonise, to dehumanise them, is to debase yourself
Marty Baron, Washington Post
"Not one of them deserved to be seen as an enemy by the man who killed them, and not one of them deserved to be called an enemy by anyone else either. Nor does anyone else in our field deserve to be labeled that way."
Baron added: "To demean people like these, to demonise, to dehumanise them, is to debase yourself."
The day after the shooting, Trump said journalists should not fear being violently attacked while doing their job. He also said the shooting "shocked the conscience of our nation and filled our hearts with grief".
But he has continued to attack the media. This week, Trump told veterans in Kansas City they should not "believe the crap you see from these people, the fake news" and added: "Just remember: what you're seeing and what you're reading is not what's happening."
Aides also barred Kaitlin Collins of CNN from an event at the White House, after she shouted questions in the Oval Office. That led to an industry-wide protest that included Fox News, Trump's preferred network.
Knox, of Sirius XM, told the audience in Annapolis he divided "threats against journalists into two eras: before 17 February 2017 and after 17 February 2017. That's because on 17 February 2017, the president of the United States, using his Twitter account, declared us enemies of the American people."
That tweet named the New York Times, NBC News, ABC, CBS and CNN. The president's use of the phrase has attracted criticism, including from within his own party. Trump has regularly attacked the Post over its ownership by Jeff Bezos, the Amazon billionaire.
His tactics appear to have benefits. On Sunday, a CBS News poll said 91% of strong Trump supporters trusted the president to give them accurate information. Only 11% said they trusted the mainstream media.
In his first tweet on the subject on Sunday, Trump wrote that he "had a very good and interesting meeting" with Sulzberger "about the vast amounts of Fake News being put out by the media & how that Fake News has morphed into phrase, 'Enemy of the People'. Sad!"
Sulzberger, 37, took over from his father on 1 January. In his statement, he said: "I told the president directly that I thought that his language was not just divisive but increasingly dangerous. I told him that although the phrase 'fake news' is untrue and harmful, I am far more concerned about his labelling journalists 'the enemy of the people'."
He also "warned that this inflammatory language is contributing to a rise in threats against journalists and will lead to violence", he said, and "repeatedly stressed that this is particularly true abroad, where the president's rhetoric is being used by some regimes to justify sweeping crackdowns on journalists".
The Times later reported a conversation with Sulzberger in which he discussed the off-record White House meeting further. Sulzberger said Trump expressed pride in popularising the term "fake news" and said countries had begun to ban it. Sulzberger said he pointed out such countries were dictatorships seeking to avoid scrutiny.
Sulzberger said Trump appeared to have listened and said he would think on the issue.
In his original statement, Sulzberger said he "made clear that I was not asking for him to soften his attacks on the Times if he felt our coverage was unfair".
Five more years – at least Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks in New York>>
Trump threatens government shutdown over immigration>>
Sean Spicer accused by old classmate of using N-word towards him>>
Giuliani: 180 tapes seized from Cohen but Trump only speaks on one>>
Trump lawyer Giuliani 'Scumbag' Cohen is a traitor like Iago and Brutus>>
Paul Manafort Why is he risking it all to face Mueller charges in court?>>
This entry was posted on Monday, July 30th, 2018 at 12:35 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
« Pope accepts McCarrick resignation as cardinal amid sexual abuse allegations


text:
Home/Entertainment/Fergie says Diana would tell these royals
Fergie says Diana would tell these royals
ethiopia November 22, 2018 Entertainment, ethiopia
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, admitted his "return" moment, as she arrived at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May, so "nervous" and "moving" that led to tear breakdown.
The 59-year-old – who was the former wife of Prince Andrew and the mother of Princess Beatrice and Eugenie – with Piers Morgan, Susanna Reid and Kate Garraway on Good Morning Britain where and she opened how emotional the wedding was at Windsor Castle, The sun reports.
JUMP I: Fergie opens on the Queen
"It was nervous, and I was glad that I did not go on with the high shoes heneled that," he said.
"The minute and I started walking (from the car) I watch Diana in my heart and I was thinking about my mother and dad who would say , Come along, the show goes on with her! She always taught me to walk high.
"It was quite unusual. I really look around and think, & are they [cheering] me? & # 39;
"Someone, Fergie, went and was like the old Fergie back."
"I felt that the feeling of support from the crowds was very kind," he said.
"As I came to a corner (from the church), the thing that made me a crew was the kind people (in the crowds) who were so beautiful, and Jack (Brooksbank) stood there and came towards me with open arms.
"It was really moving."
During her wedding with Prince Andrew, Fergie knew about her humorous humor, heavy fashion options and friendship with the late Princess Diana.
Following his division of Andrew in 1992, he was caught up in a number of scandals that he saw his split by the Royal family.
Tensions between the Duchess and the household were then withdrawn when it was left off the guest list at Prince William's wedding and Kate Middleton in 2011.
Despite claims for a lack, Fergie said she felt a great honor to be back in The Firm & # 39; for the big day of Harry and Meghan.
"I was very happy to have a friend Diana, I love it," he added.
"I felt really, very honorable and grateful to Harry and Meghan, who invited me. That's a big, big point.
"He was very kind and I can not thank them enough for doing so."
He said Diana would not only love her daughters in law.
"It was really so proud. Even before they got married, Diana would have been literally going, I can not believe that these boys have done so well.
"They're so much credit to her. I'll lose her. Nobody had made me laugh better than she was." She was lovely, "she said. "She had this great compassion and I would definitely think she would be so proud of Meghan and Catherine, too, she would like to welcome them and say you're doing good & nbsp ;. "
Fergie also took a moment to talk about the Queen.
"Her Majesty is an incredible wife and icon to the country and one of the bestest people in the world I've never met with.
"Her Majesty is leading by example … and to include (in Harry's marriage) a remarkable gesture," he added.
The wedding of Harry and Meghan in May set the precedent for the wedding of her daughter Eugenie Princess at Windsor Castle in October.
Speaking about the special day his youngest daughter, Jack Brooksbank, wine vicar, fergiefried Fergie for their love.
"The girlfriend between Jack and Eugenie is huge … they're two flame … they are supposed to be with each other," she said "We were so proud and I wanted to cry .
"To see Eugenie blossom like her and to be so brave with scoliosis."
The Duchess revealed that she was wearing a big hat with Jess Collett, including two strawberries coming out of the side to honor her mother.
Her mother, Susan Barrantes, turned on to get to Argentina with a professional polo player when Fergie was a child. Later he died in a car crash in Buenos Aires at age 61.
"I was going to arrange that Spanish style for a mother again, look at Argentina," said Fergie.
He said he did not have an idea that he would bring comparisons with the fake golden by Harry Potter.
"We're really fond of the golden test. I did not realize that until then," he said.
This article originally appeared The sun and it is hereby replicated with permission
MIKE TYSON vs ROY JONES: BOXES CAN LEARN LESSONS DiBella Digest
Milken Institute Health Futures Summit Opens Tomorrow, December 7
Ethiopian conflict causes humanitarian crisis and virus
Your Honor review: Objection Milord! Bryan Cranston's new show is an inferior copy of Breaking Bad – tv
Don't save the high street – change it completely, says retail guru Mary Portas | Retail industry
Match Preview – Australia vs India, India tour of Australia 2020, 2nd T20I

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
LOVEBIRDS + STEE DOWNES – 26TH DECEMBER – HALIFAX
Riccis
26/12/2016 – 7:00PM TIL 3:00AM (LAST ENTRY 3:00AM)
(Minimum Age: 18)
/ FREE ENTRY /
Lovebirds is the solo project of Hamburg resident Sebastian Döring. Follo-wing various excellent singles on much-respected labels like Winding Road Records, Freerange, Buzzin Fly, OM records, Liebe*Detail, he found himself dominating all charts with his crossover deep house soul anthem "Want You In My Soul" featuring Stee Downes since 2012. The first Lovebirds release appeared on Trax of Interest in 2000. Back then it was only a side project for releasing deeper stuff than what he was doing under his main project. In 2006, having built up a repertoire of unsigned material, he sent a CD to John Buckby, label owner of Winding Road Re-cords and a mutual friend of Vincenzo. The Lovebirds sound is like a blast from the past with house steroids pa-cking serious production muscle. Listening to Lovebirds is like taking trip back to the 70s and 80s – but riding in a gleaming futuristic spaceship. The first Lovebirds single on Winding Road was the "Modern Stalking" EP, which came out in 2007. The EP contained tracks of mid-tempo house, each coming from a different musical angle and giving the world a taste of what he was capable of. It was received by the deep house and neo-disco community with open arms. Top-flight DJ's such as Prins Thomas, Ashley Beedle and Jimpster went wild for it. Bill Brewster made the EP the "Single Of The Month" in iDJ magazine.
Since then he was responsible for a huge number of club hits including deep house masterpieces like "M.U.S.I.C." (on Vincenzos and his very own imprint TEARDROP), the modern deep house classic "In The Shadows" (on Winding Road) or dancefloor bomb "The Rat" (on Freerange) peaking in the modern deep house masterpiece "Want You In My Soul". More than 4.000.000 views on You Tube, best selling single on traxsource.com in 2011. …this track was and actually still is everywhere. Although the Lovebirds name has burst onto the scene only a couple of years ago, Sebastian is no beginner in the production game. He formed Kneedeep, together with old friend Toddie Freese in 1998. Kneedeep became a household name in the dance scene, leading to international DJ gigs and mountains of remix work. As Kneedeep, Sebastian has remixed Jamiroquai three times, as well as Bob Sinclair, David Morales, Brandy, and many others, even winning the prestigious "best remixer" category in the 2002 German Dance Awards in the process (beating Timo Maas along the way). Their epic "Nassau Rules" was voted track of that year in DJ magazine and the remix for "Afro Medusa – Pasilda" almost created the "Latin House" genre alone! A few years on, Sebastian had achieved all he wanted to with Kneedeep, and was ready to move into more deeper, melancholy musical avenues. And so Lovebirds was born, which is now his main project. His production experience means that he is able to finish well-rounded tracks off in a matter of days, constantly building a repertoire of classy dance floor and mellow sounds all destined to wow the world. The process is well on its way already. Having releases on labels like Freerange, Defected and Lazy Days and most of all his own Teardrop Re-cordings, working with artists like Ben Westbeech, Lisa Shaw and most recently 90s UK acid jazz icon Galliano and playing worldwide gigs every weekend – Lovebirds combination of grown-up house music with a touch of funk, soul and disco is welcome change in these times of sterile formula artists. Currently he is working on a follow up EP with his partner Stee Downes and a whole underground pop/electronica/indie album under the name of Minako & The Lovebirds. Both due to be released in 2016. These two collaborations will also be available as a combined Lovebirds Collective live show from Summer 2016 on!
www.facebook.com/lovebirds.official
www.residentadvisor.net/dj/lovebirds
www.best-works.com/#!lovebirds/fjbvc
www.mylovebirds.net/
www.discogs.com/de/artist/1512-Lovebirds
STEE DOWNES
Stee Downes released his debut album on Sonar Kollektiv in 2009. Following this in 2011 he teamed up with Lovebirds on the club smash "Want you in my soul". Since then he has featured his vocal on collaborations with artists such as Flight Facilities, Motor city drum ensemble, Kraak & Smaak, Nicholas, Marlow, Alex Barck and more. Over the last 3 years Stee has divided his time between touring his unique Dj/vocal sets in Europe and South America while self-producing his forthcoming album "The Bigger Picture" which will be released this summer. After being based in Amsterdam for the last 5 years, Stee returns to his hometown, and with a host of new collaborations, a longplayer and a full live band ready to go, its gonna be a busy year for the Dublin born Dj/vocalist/producer.
53 DEGREES NORTH - HALIFAX
No.1, E.Mill Courtyard,
Ground Floor, Dean Clough,
Halifax, HX3 5AX
halifax@riccis53degreesnorth.co.uk
53 DEGREES NORTH - LEEDS
Goodbard House,
15 Infirmary Street,
Leeds, LS1 2JS
leeds@riccis53degreesnorth.co.uk
To receive all of our latest offers, promotions and upcoming events, just sign up below.
The Ricci Group Mailing List
© 2016 Ricci Group All rights reserved | Design by wearefine


text:
Der Peugeot Typ 177 ist ein Automodell des französischen Automobilherstellers Peugeot, von dem von 1923 bis 1929 in den Werken Audincourt, Beaulieu und Sochaux 34.241 Exemplare produziert wurden.

Die Fahrzeuge besaßen einen Vierzylinder-Viertaktmotor, der vorne angeordnet war und über Kardan die Hinterräder antrieb.

Literatur
 Wolfgang Schmarbeck: Alle Peugeot Automobile 1890–1990. Motorbuch-Verlag. Stuttgart 1990. ISBN 3-613-01351-7

Weblinks

Pkw-Modell
Typ 177
Fahrzeug der unteren Mittelklasse
Tourenwagen
Limousine
Kastenwagen
Cabriolet

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


In this edition of Anatomy for Dancers, we are going to break down the basic components of our physical structure and the most fundamental ways that we are able to move. Using the idea of "Anato-speak" (the kind of funky, funny way that things are named in anatomy studies) we will begin with the divisions of the body.
Even though its a little gross and gothic, I am going to use a torture analogy. If you remember the movie "The Princess Bride", there was a scene when Wesley, the hero was strapped into this weird torture table device. When the villain started the machine, it started to pull his arms and legs away from his center…literally tearing him "limb from limb." I always thought that this approach was a tad bit EXTREME, but maybe six-fingered men always have different methods. Anyway, this is a round-about way to explain how I remember one of the main divisions of the body. The shoulders, arms (shoulder to elbow), forearms (elbow to wrist) and hands form the UPPER EXTREMITIES. The hip bones (sides of the pelvis), thighs (hip to knee), legs (knee to ankle) and feet are known collectively as the LOWER EXTREMITIES…in the same way that John, Paul, Ringo and George collectively make up the BEATLES.
As I mentioned before, if we are going to talk about anatomy as it relates to dance, its important to discuss the basic categories of movement.
Obviously, the body is capable of infinite movements and combinations of movement…but all movements can be grouped into four major categories or "planes." First, imagine you are standing in a very, very narrow hallway, which is so slender that the walls touch your shoulders on either side. Since the space is tight from side to side, the only movement you would be able to do would be to the front or the back. In anatomy, we say that these movements are in the SAGITTAL plane. Now what if you were facing a wall so that your nose and toes were touching the surface, and then we put another wall behind you against your back and heels. You would look like a dancer sandwich, between two slices of wooden bread. Any movement that you could do from side to side, up and down, would be in the FRONTAL plane. Next, imagine that you cut a hole in a table, crawled underneath and then popped up through the hole. Your legs would be under the table and your torso would be above. Any twisting movement within this hole would be in the TRANSVERSE plane. Many times, dancers will combine a TRANSVERSE (twisting) movement, with another plane to create what is known as an OBLIQUE plane. When dancers are doing twisting abdominal crunches, this is within the oblique plane. These planes are important for many reasons, but particularly when we begin to talk about muscle function, flexion and extension.
More to come on this later!!


Facebook users may have noticed a new format of posts popping up on their timeline in the past few weeks, which could be loosely described as a GIF but with sound. Ankita Sinha, Associate Account Director at Cheil WorldWide explains how you can create innovative Press and Hold format posts on Facebook for your business.
The newest ad format that's catching everyone's attention is the Press and Hold format on Facebook.
The Press and Hold format allows a user to physically press the post to "reveal" either a video or a slideshow. As soon as you lift your finger off the screen you return to the static image. Here's what it looks like.
TL;DR: With more platforms and more brands on these platforms, social media has become a crowded landscape. The consumer is being bombarded with a lot of content, thanks to advertisers. To cut through this clutter and to drives results, we've got to create thumb-stopping content. The content that's created keeping user's behaviour like 'touch, swipe, double tap, scroll, swipe' in mind, tends to give increased engagement.
They keep the customers from swiping past your post and missing your message.
As a business, think of all the fun you can have with the Press & Hold format. This provides you with an opportunity to surprise your audience with some interesting content behind the reveal.
The Press and Hold format is nothing but an interactive photo post and to experience it you have to be on the Facebook app on mobile.
Let's look at the step-by-step way to create a post like this in minutes. I created one for this brand that I love – 'Brava Fabrics'.
1. iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch with iOS 9.0 or higher. These ads can be viewed on Android devices but can only be created and uploaded from iOS (mentioned) devices.
The selected video/photos are what will be revealed once people click and hold the post. You can either reveal a video up to 30 seconds in length OR you can select up to 30 photos to create a slideshow inside instead.
The app will auto create a slideshow from the selected photos in the same order. Keep all the images of the same aspect ratio and orientation to get a neat result.
Click the arrow in the top right corner to go to the next step.
This is the image that your audience will see before they press and hold your post.
Use an image that has directions on it telling people exactly what to do. Since this is a new format, they'll never know what's hiding inside without directions.
This image should be the same aspect ratio and orientation as the revealed contents inside.
I made mine using Canva app. I took an image from Brava Fabric's FB page and uploaded it on Canva. I placed a transparent thumbprint (from Google) and text overlay on this image.
P.S: Canva is super simple and free to use.
Save this to your camera roll.
Once you upload it as a photo, you'll notice the 'live photos' white circle icon on the image. After uploading, make sure the "Live" button is toggled on. If you don't do this, it won't work.
Do let me know if this was helpful.
Disclaimer: The first video is taken from Volkswagen's Facebook channel and is not created by me. The second video is created by me using content from Brava Fabrics' Facebook page. I have not taken any permission from Brava Fabrics regarding the same. This video has been created to showcase steps involved and the final product. If you have any concerns about anything, do drop me a message, and I'll help you have it resolved.
Ankita works as an Associate Account Director at Cheil WorldWide where she works on building social media strategy for Samsung India platforms. In her free time, she paints, writes, makes short videos. You can follow her work @pagal_patang on Twitter & Instagram both.


Campaigning has reached a peak ahead of Nigeria's presidential elections on 16 February, which observers perceive as crucial for consolidating democracy in Africa's largest economy and most populous country. The contest is a straight fight between the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Buhari may be re-elected primarily because of the power of incumbency, although that didn't work for former president Goodluck Jonathan, the man Buhari upset in 2015. Buhari's promise to combat corruption, revamp the economy and fix insecurity appealed to voters tired of Jonathan's inept performance. But while Nigerians may not be as enthusiastic about Buhari today as they were four years ago, his defeat would still be a major upset: his image as an 'honest man' gives him a bit of an edge over Abubakar, who's viewed with suspicion and perceived as a man tainted by corruption.
The elections are important for a number of reasons. Firstly, it would be the fifth straight voting in the country since constitutional rule was restored in 1999. For a country with an unenviable record of political instability characterised by post-election disputes, coups and counter-coups, that is an encouraging development that needs to be sustained. This holds even more true, as what happens in Nigeria affects the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Secondly, fair and credible elections would be the second consecutive satisfactory ballot in the country after 2015. Anything short of an acceptable outcome could spark violent reactions whose outcome is hard to predict. The polls also come amid 'growing tensions along ethno-religious and regional lines,' said Chris Kwaja, a Senior Advisor at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).
This year has witnessed an unprecedented degree of voter interest. The failure of past governments to meet people's yearnings has built up public awareness of the need to register and vote for capable officials. Many jobless and impoverished young people who blame poor governments for their plight now want to have a say in determining their destiny. This has led to a surge in registered voters: 84 million this year compared to around 70 million four years ago, according to the election umpire Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the challenge facing INEC is how to effectively deploy men and materials across a vast country measuring 923,763 square kilometers, or three times the size of Germany. If poorly managed, this logistical nightmare could cause turmoil before, during and after voting.
To prevent trouble, INEC must prevent vote rigging, financial inducements, under-aged voting, ballot stuffing and other malpractices.
More worrisome is the pervasive insecurity across the country. The Islamist Boko Haram terrorists in the northeast appear to be the most serious threat facing the elections. They have increased their attacks against government troops and civilians in a determined effort to disrupt the elections. In recent months alone, hundreds have been killed and more than 59,000 refugees have been sent to camps for internally displaced persons.
In northwestern Nigeria, armed bandits are also going on a rampage. They indulge in cattle raiding, kidnapping for ransom and other criminal activities. The security situation is 'turning from alarming to tragic – and could yet get worse,' according to Nnamdi Obasi, Senior Advisor at International Crisis Group.
The fighting between pastoralist Fulani cattle herders and farmers in the north central zone could also contribute to disrupting the elections. While the primary reason for the conflict may be the reduction in the land available for grazing and farming, there are also Christian-Muslim, north-south and ethnic conflict lines – which have been prevalent in Nigeria's politics. The fake news conundrum could spark a fire leading to violent conflagration. There's also been an increase in fatal inter- and intra-party violence. As if that wasn't enough, the security authorities warn of the existence of arms stockpiles in parts of the country which troublemakers are planning to use during and after the polls. And the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) call on the people of the southeast to boycott the presidential election.
To prevent trouble, INEC must prevent vote rigging, financial inducements, under-aged voting, ballot stuffing and other malpractices. Security should be tight all around the country to create an atmosphere that's conducive for voters to come out. Also, the military and police must display a high degree of professionalism and impartiality.
Lastly, influential members of Nigerian society, including the clergy, business, and former heads of state and traditional rulers have a role to play in ensuring a peaceful exercise. Just as they did in 2015 when they encouraged President Jonathan to congratulate the eventual winner – a historic gesture that has further strengthened Nigeria's democratic development – they should be prepared to intervene again if necessary.
Paul Okolo is a freelance journalist and communications consultant based in Abuja, Nigeria. He has worked for news organization including Voice of America, Bloomberg, Reuters and the Inter-Press Service among others. He has a Master's in Journalism from Cardiff University in the U.K.


text:
Ireland Announces $9.7Mln Funding for Gaza Solar Power Plant
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs announced these plans in a press release published on the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade website. The deal was announced as Coveney visited the North Gaza Wastewater Treatment Plant (NGEST).
Islamic Cleric Says Iranian People Foiled Enemy Plots - Reports
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iranians have foiled enemy plots against the country in the recent upwelling of unrest, senior Iranian cleric Seyyed Ahmad Khatami said Friday at a sermon, Iran's Mehr news agency reported.
Biden Campaign Spent Nearly $1 Million on Private Jets
Vice President and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden has maintain a clear lead in opinion polls for the race to become the nominee. However, the release of each of the candidate's funding data may indicate poor spending and a loss of faith among donors in the Biden campaign.
Bolsonaro Says Brazil Doesn't Need German Money as Berlin Reportedly Plans to Cut Amazon Aid
The head of the South American powerhouse has come under fire for his environmental policy, with accusations that deforestation of the Amazon has spiked since he took office this past winter. Amid criticism, Germany announced that it plans to cut funding to Brazil in order to curtail the clearing of the rainforest.
Iran, Hamas Strike Funding Deal to 'Increase Resistance' to Israel
During a recent visit by a Hamas delegation to Tehran, leaders of the militant group secured a big funding increase, if they agree to open a second front against Israel if it attacks a northern neighbor. However, Hamas has made little headway in seeking Iranian help restoring severed relations with Syria.
US Planking Down $475,000 to Build Border Wall… in Zimbabwe, Report Claims
Just a few days after the US Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump's administration can redirect $2.5 billion in congressionally approved funds to proceed with the construction of the barrier structure along the US-Mexico border, a Bloomberg report suggests that there's another wall Washington is funding – and it's much farther south.
US Senators Strike $4.5 Billion Deal on Border Funds - Report
The biggest part of the funding package obtained under the deal will be spent on humanitarian aid for migrants detained by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as well as to provide funding for processing and caretaking staff. The other part will go to expanding overcrowded detention facilities.
Netanyahu Cuts Human Rights Funding to UN After 'Occupying Power' Vote
Following another in a growing series of UN referendums to censure or block the continuing apartheid-like treatment of Palestinians and the occupation of Palestinian territories at the hands of the Israeli government, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has again cut funds traditionally earmarked for human rights.
International Donors Pledge Billions in Syria War Relief
The third International Pledging Conference for Syria collected $3.8 billion from donors worldwide on Tuesday, to aid the millions of people who have been affected by the ongoing conflict in the country.
Ten Turkish Kurds Charged With Funding PKK in Paris
Ten Turkish citizens of Kurdish origin received prison sentences in Paris for sending funds to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The court has also fined the Center for the Kurdish People in Marseille 50,000 euros and called for its shutdown.
Freedom, Now! Internet Campaign Launched to Fund Ouster of Kim Jong Un
Freedom Now, a pro-democracy activist group, announced a fundraising effort of $10mln, aimed at organizing the ouster of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un.
Paris Charlie Hebdo Attacker on Al-Qaeda Payroll
Cherif Kouachi travelled to Yemen in 2011 and might've met with Anwar al-Awlaki, two counter-terrorism officials told ABC News.
World Reacts to Charlie Hebdo Attack
Tech Firm Xiaomi's Valuation Could Reach $100 bln: Russian Venture Capitalist
Chinese smartphone manufacturer and consumer electronics maker Xiaomi has received a valuation of $45 billion US following another round of financing. Russian billionaire investor Yuri Milner says the company has great potential, and that the real valuation may be over double that.
Senator Menendez Silent About Petition to Stop US Involvement in Mexico
Protests organizer Roberto Lovato has stated that there is still no reaction to the petition against the US funding of plan Mexico, sent to the country's senator Bob Menendez.
Australian Human Rights Commission Deplores Aboriginal Conviction Rate
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social justice commissioner slammed Australia for the excessive number of imprisoned Aboriginal people and called it shocking that the country does better at keeping them in jails rather than in schools.
Putin Says Corruption in the Defense Sector Equals to Financing Terrorism
During his address to the General Assembly on Wednesday Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the ineffective use or the stealing of budget assignations for state arms orders should be treated seriously and rigidly just as in fighting the financing of terrorism.
Putin's Address to Federal Assembly 2014
US Senator Urges Gov't to Stop Funding Human Rights Violators in Mexico
US Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy will continue to push the Leahy Law, also known as the Leahy Amendment, urging the government to withdraw US funding to Mexico.
UN Halts Food Aid to Syrian Refugees Asking Gulf States to Contribute
World Food Program had to suspend food assistance for Syrian refugees due to a shortfall of funding as winter approaches.
300 Indian Judges Suspected of Using State Funds to Buy Gadgets: Reports
Around 300 lower-court judges in India are reportedly suspected of spending government funds on purchasing gadgets.
World Food Program Lauds Seoul's $7Mln Pledge for N Korea Nutrition Needs
After the World Food Program announced a funding crisis in August for its North Korea operation, a number of states have stepped in to provide humanitarian assistance in the country.


text:
Suarez: PL the world's best league but Barcelona the best team
By Mark Doyle
The Uruguay international says he is loving life in Catalunya but would like to return to Ajax or even move to MLS
Luis Suarez says that while the Premier League is the game's top championship, Barcelona are "the best team in the world".
The Uruguay international spent three-and-a-half years plying his trade in England with Liverpool, winning the 2013-14 PFA Players' Player of the Year award before moving to Catalunya last summer.
Suarez took some time to settle at Camp Nou, not least because he was ineligible to play for the Blaugrana until October because of his four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, but he went on to form a formidable front three with Lionel Messi and Neymar, and played a key role in Barca's treble triumph last season.
Suarez is loving life in Catalunya and is hoping to help Luis Enrique's men become the first side to successfully defend the Champions League. However, the 28-year-old has revealed that he would like to return to Ajax at some point before he quits - or even move to MLS.
"I would like to retire at the club I love, Nacional," he said of his first professional club in an interview on ESPN Deportes Radio. "But I also want to return to Ajax someday.
"The MLS would not be a bad choice. It could happen one day. The US love of the game is growing a lot. People are filling the stadiums.
"The Premier League is the best league in the world. But Barcelona are the best team.
"I do not consider myself one of the best players in the world but it is a pleasure to play in the best team.
"And we still have goals to fulfil. We want to become the first team to win consecutive Champions Leagues.
"We're very motivated this season. We are obliged to keep winning."
Luis Enrique led Barca to a treble in his first season at the helm and Suarez says that the former midfield ace has an excellent working relationship with his players.
"The coach always makes the final decision but he is always open to our comments," the striker added. "I think we have to keep playing the same way next season."


text:
Q: How to securely controlling data without keeping it in postmeta? I'm looking for another alternative instead of keeping the data in the post metain the post like plugin I developed for wordpress. I want to save the likes of the posts to a database and then show it to users. I think it is not safe to keep in postmeta thats why i asked for. Thank you for your help.
Here is my plugin code:
<?php
//Builds admin panel page for LikeMyPost
add_action( 'admin_menu', 'admin_menu' );

//Add LikeMyPost tab under posts menu
function admin_menu() {
    add_menu_page('Like My Post Dashboard', 'Like My Post', 'activate_plugins', 'likemypost_admin', 'admin_panel');
}

function admin_panel() {
    if (!current_user_can('activate_plugins')) {                                    //CHECK IF USER ADMIN OR NOT
        wp_die(__( 'You are not allowed to inspect content of this page.'));        //IF NOT THEN SHOW AN ERROR MESSAGE
    }
?>

 =Like My Post - Mostly Liked Tags=

 Most liked tags are listed by descending order. You can easily monitor them from this page.

        <?php

        //Using Wordpress Database Class
        global $wpdb;

        //BUILDING PAGES (https://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/wpdb)
        $counter = "SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT terms.term_id)
                          FROM $wpdb->terms AS terms,
                          $wpdb->term_taxonomy AS taxonomy,
                          $wpdb->term_relationships AS relationships,
                          $wpdb->postmeta AS postmeta
                          WHERE terms.term_id = taxonomy.term_id
                                AND taxonomy.taxonomy = 'post_tag'
                                AND relationships.term_taxonomy_id = terms.term_id
                                AND postmeta.post_id = relationships.object_id
                                AND postmeta.meta_key = '_likes_count'";

        $tags = $wpdb->get_var($counter);
        $tag_limit_per_page = 10;
        $page_number = ceil($tags / $tag_limit_per_page);
        $page = isset($_GET['pages']) ? (int) $_GET['pages'] : 1;

        if ($page < 1) {
            $page = 1;
        } else if ($page > $page_number) {
            $page = $page_number;
        }

        $limiter = ($page - 1) * $tag_limit_per_page;
        $current_page = add_query_arg(NULL, NULL);
        ?>

                ID number of tag
                Tag Names
                Total Number Of Posts
                Likes

            <?php
            // LISTING TAGS
            $SQLquery = "SELECT A.term_id AS tag_id, A.name, B.count, SUM(C.meta_value) AS like_count
                    FROM $wpdb->terms AS A, $wpdb->term_taxonomy AS B, $wpdb->term_relationships AS P, $wpdb->postmeta AS C
                    WHERE A.term_id = B.term_id
                          AND B.taxonomy = 'post_tag'
                          AND P.term_taxonomy_id = A.term_id
                          AND C.post_id = P.object_id
                          AND C.meta_key = '_likes_count'
                    GROUP BY A.term_id, A.name, B.count
                    ORDER BY like_count DESC
                    LIMIT $limiter, $tag_limit_per_page";    //1-10, 10-20 gibi listeleme

            $tags = $wpdb->get_results($SQLquery, OBJECT);
            foreach ($tags as $tag) {
                echo "
";
                echo " $tag->tag_id 	";
                echo " tag_id)."'> $tag->name  	";
                echo " $tag->count 	";
                echo " $tag->like_count 	";
                echo "
";
            }
            ?>

        <?php
        //SELECTING PAGES FROM FOOTER
        for($i = 1; $i <= $page_number; $i++) {
            if ($page == $i) {
                echo $i.' ';
            } else {
               echo '' . $i . ' ';
            }
        }
        ?>

<?php
}

$sqlQuery = "SELECT A.term_id AS tag_id, A.name, SUM(D.meta_value) AS like_count     /*tableName.columName*/
                FROM $wpdb->terms AS A,
                $wpdb->term_taxonomy AS B,
                $wpdb->term_relationships AS C,
                 $wpdb->postmeta AS D
                WHERE A.term_id = B.term_id
                  AND B.taxonomy = 'post_tag'
                  AND C.term_taxonomy_id = A.term_id
                  AND D.post_id = C.object_id
                  AND D.meta_key = '_likes_count'
                GROUP BY A.term_id, A.name
                ORDER BY like_count DESC
                LIMIT $limiter, $maxTag";           //From 0 to $limit value

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In this section you can find a wealth of fresh backup software reviews. This is a good source for comparing different backup products and making an informed and safe choice of the best backup software.
Our backup reviews highlight advantages and disadvantages of different backup solutions currently available on the market. It is difficult to underestimate the usefulness of reading backup reviews. Read on to discover what each of these backup programs has to offer you.
GFI Backup 2009 - Home Edition allows you to backup easily all important documents, photos, video, emails and various applications settings.
PCS Backup Agent allows you to backup anything, anywhere! It backs up files and directories on local and remote computers using URLs, UNC, or local paths. Backed up files are saved in a ZIP file for efficient storage.
Among other types of backup destinations, which include CD, DVD, USB, FireWire, remote locations and many others, East-Tec Backup 2009 is an efficient backup to HD solution.
The interface of AnyLive is quite friendly and good-looking and will probably make no difficulties for most categories of users. Backup and restore wizards are designed to help the user and require no advanced computer skills.
AISBackup - an utility with backup to DVD support.
The program offers many useful backup features and one of them is backup to DVD. Let's review strong and weak sides of this program and the backup to DVD feature in particular.
Data backup software review - Genie, Turbo or Handy Backup?
"I never worried about data protection, but after a disastrous system crash I decided to learn how to make reserve copies of information stored on my PC. A short Internet search gave me a versatile choice of programs and left me wondering: what backup utility should I choose? Having read numerous reviews of backup software, I've picked out several applications appropriate for my needs."
January 19, 2010 Novosoft Signs Distribution Agreement with Nexway, Bringing the Leading Backup Solution to the Western Europe RegionNew!
December 22, 2009 Novosoft Provides 20% Discounts and Holidays Gifts on Handy BackupNew!


text:
AI and the Agile Workplace
Duality from the Beginning
AI from its beginning has been plagued with duality. Success in AI has always been accompanied by increased responsibility, social responsibilities, educational challenges and impact that decision makers and the general public vaguely understand. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the how and what of AI, including common modes of reasoning. Research shows, that combinations of deductive, case based, inductive, uncertainty, and default reasoning are just a few of the aspects of intelligence that need to be incorporated into successful AI systems. The duality between the role of humans in the universe and what role machines will play is only beginning to play out. AI offers humans benefits, including less boring repetitive workplaces, safer manufacturing, better travel, increased security, and smarter decisions that may help preserve a volatile habitat (Buchanan, 2006). Since the beginning, AI has been concerned with creating intelligent machines that formalize reasoning and understanding in all areas of the human experience. The direction has always been toward formalizing knowledge in a way that makes working with computers easier and more helpful. The impact of AI on living has the potential to meet and or exceed the impact of any prior technologies. Exploring psychology, reasoning, decision science and behavior puts AI in the position to solve intellectual problems, control robot motions, interpret human language, learn new skills and acquire knowledge by continually analyzing data.
Both AI and ML are terms that ascribe to a variety of meanings. The near-term future indicates that a technology that has been coming for decades and has finally tipped, will continue to grow. Fueled by the very familiar Moore's Law, which states that the capacity of computer chips will double every year while the costs decrease by half, along with new innovations such as quantum computing, assures the continued exploration and integration of AI and ML in many workplaces.
Fueled by rapid expansion in computing power, the IBM 360/75, the mainframe computer of its day, in 1969 helped to land our first astronauts on the moon. It had 6 megabytes of computing power. Today that equates to 10% of the computing power needed for the game Candy Crush. On the factory floor, robots are likely to replace humans in redundant tasks and repetitive jobs. This relative fast grow in an expansion of power has led to the factory floor being populated by robots and not just at Tesla. Apples' supplier Foxconn replaced 60,000 workers in a factory in China with robots in 2017. Amazon continues to rollout robot staffed warehouse and distribution centers and most of the shipping from ports like Los Angeles to Baltimore is now conducted by robots. Even law enforcement has gone robotic. Knightscope security robots patrol the parking lot, while high speed bots, like the Cheetah, chase down criminals at speed in excess of 28 MPH. Robots are building houses, aiding the military, delivering pizza and making meals at McDonalds. They are helping to drive cars and soon trucks, play music and turn lights off and on.
Smart chabots and vocally activated technologies are everywhere. Some good, some not so good but always more prevalent and getting better. These devices are helping hire babysitters and acting as lawyers. They are and will continue to take the jobs they can take. They pretend a massive impact on jobs, the workplace and employment. Although they offer the potential of opening up new positions and roles, what and how this will all play out has yet to be determined. Undoubtable there will be upheaval and redefinition of workplace performance. Certainly, it is the agile workplace that will have the best chance of surviving and thriving into the future (Hirsch, 2017).
Previous PostEvolution of AI
Next PostBrief History
Learning as a Skill to be Taught is Obsolete
Scale & Scope
Change or Die


Cave Man North: Alrighty then.
Well Christmas is over and it was pretty sweet I got some awesome presents but there is one I want to show.
Its a Wacom Intuos Tablet. So I have decided that to help me practice with it anyone can request a drawing/picture. I won't guarantee anything spectacular, as I am still getting used to it. But hope fully they wont be to shabby.
Well happy holidays to everyone.
Michael and Chris have that one too. It's really good they say.


text:
Glasgow Style at the Kelvingrove Gallery
My recent trip to Glasgow included a visit to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Amongst the exhibitions is one dedicated to Glasgow Style, a celebration of the vibrant and iconic decorative arts and architecture which have become synonymous with the city's creative past.
At the end of the 19th century, the Glasgow School of Art had established itself as one of the leading academies of its kind in Europe. The school gained a reputation as a design leader with Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose eye for design saw him become a legend of his craft, being instrumental at the forefront of the School's success. Glasgow Style was born.
This mural of the man himself, and incorporating his iconic rose design, adorns a wall in the city centre, one of many fabulous murals in Glasgow.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh trained as an architect but enrolled at the Glasgow School of Art to enhance his skills set. Like many great artists, Mackintosh's achievements were not fully appreciated until after his death.
He was commissioned to design a series of tea rooms and given full creative freedom over the decor and furnishings, even cutlery. These tearooms became synonymous with Mackintosh to the extent that when one building was demolished, it was decided to painstakingly remove and preserve the interiors beforehand.
Below are some of the original furnishings and fittings, including tableware which can be seen in the display cabinet. Another original tea room has been reassembled at the new Victoria & Albert Museum in Dundee.
The Mackintosh design style was not only to be found in public spaces. Some other exquisite examples in private ownership are included in the exhibit.
It was during his time at the Glasgow School of Art that Mackintosh met his future wife, Margaret Macdonald and her sister, Frances, who married Mackintosh's friend, James McNair. They were known as the four, all contributing to the Glasgow Style movement.
The four and their stylish crowd.
Margaret Macdonald collaborated closely with her husband on numerous projects and was a talented artist in her own right. In fact, her husband modestly acknowledged her genius as compared with his own simple "talent".
The Gesso panel on the wall below is entitled The Wassail and was designed by Margaret Macdonald, and was displayed in the Ladies' Luncheon room at one of Miss Cranston's tea rooms.
One of my favourite pieces is this stunning Tiyptych, by another female artist, Marion Henderson Wilson. Designed in 1905, these three panels of beaten tin depict a series of Glasgow motifs including intertwined lines of natural growth and the iconic roses. The subject is described as a mediaeval woman, but she looks quite of the moment – the 1905 moment, that is.
The production of glassware first started up in Glasgow in the 1600s, but the industry grew from the 1850s and was thriving by 1900, supplying the domestic market and churches. The Glasgow rose often featured, as in this splendid panel found in a tenement flat on Florida Avenue.
Here are some more intricately painted panels which once would have looked stunning in a private house.
If you like Art Nouveau, these are just some examples of a superb collection at Kelvingrove.
Art, ScotlandArt Nouveau, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Glasgow, Glasgow Style, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Macdonald sisters, Margaret Macdonald
An autumn day in Glasgow
The last time I went to Glasgow was on a very hot day in the summer of 1982. I was with my family and we had driven up for the day from the south of Scotland where we holidayed frequently at our caravan. I had spent some pocket money on an album by Visage, one of my favourite groups of the time, and it was so hot that the vinyl record melted in the boot of our car. It's funny, the things we remember. I don't recall anything else about that day or any other childhood visits, so yesterday's long overdue return was like going for the first time…. and this time it definitely wasn't hot.
One of the best ways to get a flavour of a city when time is short is by boarding a sightseeing bus. Although still quite mild for November, it was a bit nippy on the open top deck. We started our tour at George Square where Christmas decorations had already been installed .
Statue of Sir Robert Peel, founder of the modern British police service
Glasgow is already bedecked with stunning Christmas decorations
The agreeable voice of suave TV historian Neil Oliver provided the recorded commentary as we wound our way around the city.
The first Duke of Wellington has been in situ outside of the Gallery of Modern Art since 1844 but with a more recent addition to his attire
Glasgow has some fantastic murals. It would be worth spending a day looking at the city's outstanding street art (I might well do that!). I love this depiction of the city's founder, Saint Mungo, on High Street. Represented as a modern man, Mungo tenderly handles the bird that never flew which he is said to have restored to life after having been wrongly blamed for its death. The story of the wild robin tamed by Mungo's master, Saint Serf, is part of the story of the city's origins and is included in its motto:
'Here is the bird that never flew
Here is the tree that never grew
Here is the bell that never rang
Here is the fish that never swam.'
Billy Connolly mural
The tollbooth steeple clock stands at the junction of four main mediaeval streets. It is all that remains of the early 17th century civic building which it had once stood atop.
I didn't visit the Purple Cat cafe, but thought it was a great name!
Glasgow Green is in the city's east end. I really wanted to spend some time here exploring the beautiful People's Palace but in the end we didn't have time to go back; such a shame as it looked so lovely, but even more reason to visit again!
We journeyed on alongside the river Clyde, passing the Riverside Museum and Scottish Events Campus
Scottish Events Campus – the armadillo
Scottish Events Campus – the Hydro
From the riverside location our bus continued towards the west of the city. It was a bright and sunny day and the colours of autumn were glorious.
Alighting in salubrious Kelvingrove, we enjoyed a warming and very tasty lunch near the welcoming coal fire of The 78, a popular vegan bar restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere and an interesting and delicious menu.
Warmed and reinvigorated, we walked to our main destination, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, stopping at the bridge over the river Kelvin to admire the water below, the autumnal trees and the bronze-cast sculptures, including this 1926 depiction of Philosophy and Inspiration. I have a feeling that the skull's eyes are a much more recent addition.
The grounds of Kelvingrove Gallery are lovely and are a perfect setting for the location of the many exquisite objects within.
Having come to the end of our mini tour of a marvellous city, off we went to enjoy some awesome Scottish art and art-deco designs which I'll be sharing with you soon.
Art, ScotlandGlasgow, Glasgow street art, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Saint Mungo
Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery
February 10, 2018 October 13, 2019 Welcome to the Beautiful North9 Comments
I came across this place when looking online for places to visit on a short break in the south of Scotland. It burst onto my monitor in a multi-coloured flash and at first I couldn't believe my eyes. I thought my Google search had brought up a rogue link to a place somewhere in the Himalayan foot hills, not the rolling green hills of Dumfriesshire. Closer inspection showed me that Samye Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery did indeed have a Dumfries post code. I was hooked!
The magpie in me has always been attracted to the shiny and colourful, and this place had it in abundance. The bold, ornate temple with its dramatic art and sculpture jumped off the screen. I decided I had to go there to see for myself.
I had spent many happy childhood holidays in the Scottish border regions where my family had a static caravan. My memories are fond and include more recollections of grey skies and rain than sunshine in the blue. I've always found brooding grey skies and hill mists powerful and compelling.
As the little bus makes its way along the narrow road, passing through miles of uninhabited heather-covered moorland and vast forests of fir, my anticipation grows. I try to picture the spectacle of this bold oriental structure against the pastoral landscape.
The temple comes into view. First I see a wide driveway with entrance through a grand ornamental archway. Lines of red, blue and green prayer flags flutter in the breeze. It all looks surreal. Entering from the road via a different route I find myself almost immediately in front of the temple building. Large and imposing, it is every bit as colourful as the photos suggest. This fascinating construction is a sight to behold; a feast for the eyes.
Stepping inside, the interior is stunning. Red and gold dominates, especially in the inner sanctum where a large golden Buddha statue sits in pride of place within a glass display cabinet. Offerings of food items and trays of candles are placed before the statue which is surrounded by manifold images of saints and deities. The richly painted ceiling is a stunning canopy. Look too closely and too critically and of course you will see that all that glitters is not gold. Grandeur or bling? Artistic or tacky? Ornate or pale imitation? What would the wise man say? Maybe he'd say, 'Don't look to closely and just enjoy the experience.'
Outside again, I am free to roam around the site with the only 'off- limits' areas being the residential apartments for the monks and visitors on retreat. A flock of small birds catches my attention as they settle on a strange object placed on a balcony. I climb the stairwell to investigate. The birds take flight as I approach and I am none the wiser as to the nature of the foodstuff upon which the feathered collective has been feasting. It most resembles a small pile of melted candle wax. Descending the steps again I pass a shaven-headed monk in full garb accompanied by an American woman I'd earlier seen inside the temple. I receive a look of disapproval from the monk; perhaps I am out of bounds.
The extensive monastery gardens are a mix of pleasure and practicality. Wildflowers, sunflowers, marigolds and lavender are just a few of the flora in bloom alongside the beds overflowing with marrows, cabbages and lettuce. Some areas appear to be a work in progress. A cement mixer and piles of flagstones suggest grand ideas not yet made manifest. A brown hare appears on the path ahead where bracken has taken over and nature rules. It stands perfectly still, almost like an illusion, before darting away at the sound of approaching footsteps. Statues of the Buddha and deities and demons of Tibetan folklore turn this Scottish garden exotic and mystical. Strips of pretty fabrics adorn tree branches, prayers and wishes moving in the wind. Insects hover above the lily pads of a still pond traversed by a pretty wooden bridge.
The 'Tibetan Tea Rooms' had looked very inviting on the website and I am looking forward to a wholesome veggie lunch prepared (hopefully) using the organic home-grown produce I'd seen in the vegetable garden. I am most disappointed to discover that the only food on the menu is Danish pastries and cheese & onion pasties. The enthusiastic young man who serves me informs me that there is usually soup and sandwiches too, but all the kitchen staff are new and still learning. Two packets of crisps and a refreshing bottle of elderflower cordial have to suffice. It doesn't seem to matter in the scheme of things.
On my way back to the road I pass an intriguing building, a sort of corridor with prayer wheels arranged along one side, and what is essentially a columbarium along the other. Within glass-fronted cabinets stand rows of urns and other receptacles containing cremated remains. Most have alongside them photographs of the people and pets whose remains are housed here, presumably members of the Buddhist community and their companions in feather and fur. Exquisitely decorated vases, bejewelled caskets, Chinese-style lacquered boxes, even hand-painted cardboard tubes all repose in the recesses. Smiling faces look out from gilded frames as the prayer wheels spin in sequence, carrying a thousand heartfelt wishes onto the breeze.
ScotlandBuddhist temple, Dumfries, Eskdalemuir, Samye Ling


text:
General information webzine!
Kia and Hyundai have said that Apple vehicle deal is ''off the table''
After weeks of speculations that car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai will soon work on an Apple-inspired car, the deal has been called off. This announcement has affected the stocks of both car manufacturers.
Deal to manufacture Apple Car is 'dead' - Hyundai
South Korean vehicle giant, Hyundai Motor has said it has severed talks with Apple about electric vehicles after confirming last month's talks with the tech giant. The initial talks have seen their shares increased with many buying up stocks in the firm, but with the recent announcement of the cancellation of this deal, about $2 billion value has been wiped off and Hyundai shares slid to 6.1%.
Also, stocks in their affiliate company which was tilled to be a collaborator with Apple went down by 14% which is about $4.8 billion. This sad development brings the climax to an argument between Kia and Hyundai about collaboration efforts.
'' We have gotten several requests for joint partnership with various electric cars from many firms, but for now, there hasn't been any positive development '' Hyundai said.
'' Our firm always believed in complying with stock rules which means we will update our shareholders and investors. As of now, we are no longer discussing creating private cars. ''
Stocks slumped after Monday's announcement
Kia stocks also climbed to 60% when reports started flying in December that they were in discussions with Apple to innovate electric cars by 2028. Hyundai has always been known to have reservations about working with outside firms to produce new inventions.
This has been linked to negative experiences it has faced in the past, and it doesn't want a repeat of such issues. The new drop in price and shares of these tech firms will make their shareholders very uncomfortable, and questions will be asked of the directors. The pandemic has hit the auto industry as production and exports have dropped, but it is expected that sales will improve as lockdown restrictions relax.
Netherlands bars adoption of foreign nationals amidst abuse allegations


text:
Check out some interesting records held by English Referee, Michael Oliver
By Cbcupdate (self media writer) | 5 months ago
Football won't be enjoyable without referees who help to maintain order and punish any player who breaks the rule. You can't talk about English referees without mentioning Michael Oliver. Let us relax and take a good look at some interesting records held by Michael Oliver.
Photo credit: hitc.com
Micheal Oliver was born in 1985. As a young boy, Oliver had a thing for becoming a referee at some point in his life. His journey into becoming a referee started at a young age when his father introduced him to the profession. Micheal Oliver started his journey towards becoming a referee at the age of 14.
Photo credit: premierleague.com
Micheal Oliver holds some remarkable records as a referee. Micheal Oliver is known as the youngest English football league referee and the youngest English football league assistant referee. Micheal Oliver is the youngest central referee and the youngest fourth official in the English Premier League. Oliver is also the youngest referee to officiate an English FA Cup semi-final.
Photo credit: 90min.com
In 2007, Michael Oliver was promoted to the National List of Referees. Oliver started excelling in his refereeing profession at a young age. After being promoted to the National List of Referees, Oliver continued his progression in life as he became the youngest football referee to officiate at Wembley Stadium when he officiated the 2007 Conference National Play-off final.
Photo credit: en.as.com
Micheal Oliver's success story did not end in England. Michael Oliver became a FIFA certified referee when he received his FIFA badge in 2012. Three years after receiving his FIFA badge, Oliver went on to officiate the finals of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.
Micheal Oliver can be described as an inspiration to young referees all over the world. His progress in his refereeing career is commendable and a lot of young upcoming referees will be inspired by the achievements of Michael Oliver.
Photo credit: ruetir.com
Content created and supplied by: Cbcupdate (via Opera News )
English Michael Oliver Micheal Oliver Oliver


text:
About Koji
Marlboro Music
Rambling Koji
Do you like Bach?
Donovan McNabb, my quarterback
(Originally posted on April 4, 2010)
A few hours ago my buddy Dave from Cincinnati called me with the news that Donovan McNabb just got traded to the Washington Redskins. At 9:30 PM the Eagles head coach Andy Reid held a press conference to publicly announce the trade. You've got to be kidding me.
There are two different emotions going around in my mind. One is about Donovan's destination. Why to the 'Skins, one of the Eagles' conference rival teams..!?!?!? I really do understand the business side of this. The Eagles truly wanted him to go to the place he preferred. I bet the 'Skins gave the best trade offer to the Eagles and the best scenario to Donovan. Obviously the Eagles didn't want to trade him to another NFC East team, no question, but I think the team respected Donovan enough to let him go to the 'Skins who will face (and possibly beat) the Eagles twice a year. But I just don't want to see Donovan in that weird uniform. Midnight green is his color. It is a depressing thought that he's going to play against the Eagles, especially in the birds' nest (Lincoln Financial Field) once… I can't take it. I don't want to see it.
Another emotion is about the end of an era. One Eagles era, a prominent one, has just come to an end with Donovan leaving the team. But this era had been my only era as an Eagles fan, and I grew during this era as a fan just as Donovan grew as an elite quarterback. My first NFL football game that I went to see with my work friends was at the Veterans Stadium in 2000 — Donovan's second year. I remember it was an over-time win over the Dallas Cowboys. I missed my opportunities to go see the Eagles in person in 2003 and 2004 as I was in Japan studying Bach, but that was the time I grew even more as a fan and started to appreciate the play-by-play calls by Merrill Reese of 94WYSP FM. I would start listening to the realtime Internet streaming audio around 3AM on Monday in Japan to catch the 1PM Sunday game broadcast. The 2004 season was particularly exciting as the iggles advanced to the Super Bowl. I remember watching the game realtime (it started around 8 in the morning) with my dad in Katsuura, Japan.
After I came back from Japan, the Eagles had a couple of rough seasons, but I became more and more like a normal Philadelphia fan. I've gained some knowledge of the game. I'd yell at something or somebody that didn't do/go well in the stadium. I now sing the Eagles fight song with passion and pride, and I bleed green. I became a Philadelphia fan watching Donovan McNabb play and break all those franchise passing records. He is my quarterback. He is my guy.
Now, a sad end to the era is here. It is a new beginning for the Eagles and for me as a fan. I wonder if those harsh and vocal Eagles fans are happy to see him go… Perhaps they are unhappy about his destination, but still happy to have Kevin Kolb as our new starting quarterback. But I'm partial to Donovan, regardless of what other fans say about him. Not only on the field but he has been a great guy off the field. He stood tall when he was booed by the fans at the draft. He was a class act when Rush Limbaugh attacked him with the racial remarks. He has overcome some difficult and painful injuries with an indomitable spirit. He embraced Mike Vick, when Vick could potentially take his job, in order to help him get back in the NFL. He is a great guy. He had won so many games for us. How could we get so negative about him? I'm really sad that this era is over. I'm sad, Donovan. I wish you nothing but the best…. just know that you have many Eagles fans who love you for who you are. To me, you are always an Eagle.
— – – – — – – – — – – – — – – – — – – – — – – – —
November 15, 2004, at Texas Stadium, Merrill Reese calls: "Back goes McNabb. He steps up. He's being rushed. He gets away from one man, dashes to the outside, still rolling, comes back to the near side ala Randall Cunningham against Buffalo. Pumping. Loading up. He is firing it deep and it is…. caught by Freddy Mitchell!!!!!!!!!! Down at the 15!!!!!!!"
[Post Script: Right now in the beginning of the year 2012, obviously I don't see it this way anymore. As the team roster changes each year, a fan changes too— one thing that won't change is the relationship between the team and the fans.]
January 12, 2012 January 13, 2012 Koji OtsukiEssays, Football, Random ThoughtsEagles, McNabb, Reid
Previous Post Dare I talk about politics?
Next Post Car Talk
Koji Otsuki
Upcoming stuff, 2nd half of 2018
Bach Methodology
I'm still here!
For my (past) conducting students
Selfish self-deprecation
Looking back at Marlboro Music 2012
What Koji's been talking about
1/6 comma Adolf Busch analogy Apollo Apollo 15 Bach Bach Collegium Japan barbless hook bass fishing broken wrist buckwheat groats Cantata car repair Car Talk cello cilantro context Dmitry Badiarov Eagles fly frequency ratio friendship goodness gut strings healthcare reform Hidemi Suzuki Honda Civic hormone deficiencies hypopituitarism Ignition switch inspiration interpretation just intonation ketchup Kirnberger Lake Sadawga lure Mac Marlboro Music Festival Masaaki Suzuki McNabb meantone modern instruments NASA open strings opinion period instruments Philadelphia pituitary hormone plaster cast Pythagorean comma Reid role of government sentiment singers smell of a computer social obligation space exploration spirit soars steel strings syntonic comma temperament unfairness uplift my spirit vallotti vibrato Viola da spalla Viola Pomposa violoncello da spalla Violoncello piccolo da spalla watermelon Well-Tempered Clavier Werckmeister whole grains Young
So I broke my wrist
Archives Select Month May 2018 December 2013 May 2013 April 2013 February 2012 January 2012
Koji's tweets
@SEPTAKey For some reason, my key card doesn't get read well on buses... It has no issues at subway/regional rail v… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 4 months ago
Capturing cantatas - via @broadstreview broadstreetreview.com/music/philadel… 1 year ago
@nfurukawa のり、今長久手に短期で住んでます、乞う連絡! 1 year ago
Follow @kojikarl


text:
DiAnoia's Eatery Owners Launching New Concept in The Strip
Pane è Pronto will feature a bread program and hot food for takeaway.
Hal B. Klein,
RENDERING COURTESY DIANOIA'S EATERY
DiAnoia's Eatery owners Aimee DiAndrea and Dave Anoia were planning on expanding their footprint prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 in March. They'd recently signed a lease on the former Choppin' Block space, located down the block from their Italian restaurant on Penn Avenue in the Strip District. With 2,100 square feet of fully equipped kitchen, the location was set to be a much-needed hub for DiAndrea and Anoia. Their restaurant was wildly popular, they were running a robust and rapidly growing special events business and had opened their first spin-off, Pizzeria Davide.
In addition to using the location as a commissary for their culinary operations, Anoia says, "We were going to launch a Long-Island-style deli."
However, with Gov. Tom Wolf's stay-at-home order still in place for the foreseeable future when they took over the space on May 1, the DiAnoia's team realized they needed to pivot. "There was no way we could support three lunchtime sandwich places in one area at that time," Anoia says.
Catering operations had pretty much ceased and, because hardly anybody was working Downtown or visiting the Strip District, there wasn't the breakfast and lunchtime traffic they were used to seeing. "It's not so great when you have a huge kitchen and rent to pay, with not a lot of business going on. But, things change, and you have to adapt to them," Anoia says.
After some deliberation about what format would work best under the given circumstances, they decided to open a bakery and prepared foods establishment. They're calling it Pane è Pronto.
PHOTO BY AIMEE DIANDREA
Head baker Nick Malburg will run the "pane" part of the name. He joined DiAnoia's in May 2019 and has developed a robust bread program for the restaurant. For the morning menu, expect a selection of bread, which will include three or four varieties of sourdough (standard, rosemary and seasonally rotating), ciabatta, focaccia, demi baguettes and hard-crust rolls such as Kaiser, and a variety of pastries such as Italian danish, bombolini and taralli.
Tyler England, who was promoted to DiAnoia's executive chef earlier this year, will oversee the "pronto" part of the operation. Customers can expect hot, ready-to-go versions of DiAnoia's favorites such as lasagna, meatballs and greens and beans. "These are dishes that travel well and hit a reasonable price point. You could pick up a full meal, or it could be that you want to supplement what you have at home," Anoia says.
Pane è Pronto's opening menu will be rounded out with quick-service deli-case items such as antipasti, pasta salad and marinara sauce, and a freezer stocked with, among other things, meatballs, frozen pasta, various sauces and Millie's ice cream.
Down the road, Anoia says, they will introduce sandwiches and other lunchtime dishes. Look for Pane è Pronto to open early autumn.
dianoiaseatery.com
Categories: PGHeats
Tags: pittsburgh restaurant news, pittsburgh restaurant openings, pittsburgh restaurants
Get the latest from Pittsburgh Magazine by signing up for the 412 newsletter⇓
Viet Nom Nom: The Takeout Restaurant That You Won't Want To Leave


Universal Companies hosted a series of grand opening events for its Wellness & Beauty Learning Center in Torrance, California, from Feb. 22 to 24, 2016.
The center, which opened in October 2015, is 6,700 ft2 and provides classes and on-site training. Advanced continuing education and related events are offered for wellness and beauty professionals like spa and medspa practitioners, estheticians, massage therapists and salon technicians.
"The grand opening of the new Universal Companies Wellness & Beauty Learning Center was a huge success. We were thrilled to see such a large representation of industry professionals—including so many of our loyal customers from every spa segment, plus business and vendor partners—present at the official opening and excited about this unique offering. The news of this center and interest in our advanced educational offerings has gone viral. Classes are filling quickly and we are meeting with local professionals daily," said Paul Jablonski, director of the Wellness & Beauty Learning Center and Events.


Today's snack post features this grilled corn flavored Cheetos I came across. I think it is a sweet grilled corn w/ butter, but since I can't read Japanese, I'm not 100% sure!
Think of your normal cheesey cheeto, without all the orange, and you have the simple corn snack. Imagine the flavor of a sweet yellow corn, right of the grill, topped with butter--THAT's what you get with this snack. This cheeto definitely captured the flavor of sweet corn really well without being overly sweet or salt.
I'm also a sucker for ALL things that has to do with sweet corn flavor (I like the majority of Asian snacks that are a 'sweet corn' flavor) and this one was no exception. I think this one will resonate more with people since Frito Lay and Cheetos are a very recognizable brand. I found this at my local Japanese grocery store for around $2.69 a bag. If you're by an Asian or Japanese focused grocery store, definitely try to find it and check it out!
Readers, have you tried Japanese Cheetos before? What are your favorite Japanese snacks? Let me know!
Just purchased this flavor. Looking forward to trying. I really enjoyed the "delicious salt" flavor that I picked up last week.


text:
Economic Outlook: An Uneven Economic Recovery
Patrick T. Harker
The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA
Good morning and thanks so much for that introduction, Andrea. It's great to be back among friends and fellow chamber members … at least in some form.
We may be meeting in unusual circumstances today, but I still need to give you the usual Fed disclaimer: The views I express today are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of anyone else on the Federal Open Market Committee or in the Federal Reserve System.
It's now been more than three months since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis and the beginning of what I don't want to call the "new normal." None of this — including the fact that we are meeting today virtually — is normal.
Over that period, we went from enjoying strong economic growth, stable prices, and near-record low unemployment to a sharp contraction of economic activity and tens of millions of job losses. Here in the region that the chamber covers, the unemployment rate shot from 5 percent to more than 15 percent. Meanwhile, more than 115,000 of our fellow citizens across the country have lost their lives to COVID-19 — and the number continues to rise each day.
It has been a heartbreaking period.
Gus Faucher will give you a more granular look at the local economy in a moment, but on the national level, I can tell you I expect 2020 to show a sharp recession; 2021 will be a growth year, with GDP and employment picking up, though not enough to return the economy to where it was at the beginning of this year. All of this, of course, is quite uncertain, depending in a large part on how the virus continues to move through our society.
Fed Actions
The Federal Reserve's role in mitigating this crisis has been to use our lending powers to maintain our underlying economic infrastructure by making sure that every sector of the economy has access to liquidity. Our lending facilities are meant as backstops to the private sector. We don't want to disintermediate the private sector — we simply want to be there to support market functioning.
So, what have we done?
First and foremost, we have lowered our policy interest rate to near zero, a stance we decided to keep unchanged at last week's FOMC meeting. We intend to keep the rate near zero for the foreseeable future, possibly through 2022.
In order to keep credit flowing, beginning in March, we began buying large amounts of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities. We have now purchased more than $2 trillion of these products. The markets have largely stabilized, and we've slowed the rate of purchases. But we're not stopping. We intend to keep buying about $120 billion worth of Treasury bonds and MBS each month.
We've also rolled out a program to help cash-strapped local governments. The Municipal Liquidity Facility, whereby we buy bonds from municipalities and states whose tax revenues have collapsed, is designed to provide essential liquidity as they navigate the twin crises of the pandemic and the economic downturn. Earlier this month, we had our first taker, with the State of Illinois tapping the program for $1.2 billion.
We've also been working hard on launching our Main Street Lending Program, which is designed to get cash into the hands of small- to medium-sized businesses whose operations have been hampered by COVID-19 and the shutdowns. Since announcing the facility, we've heard a lot of feedback from businesses across the country, and we've recently adjusted the program so organizations can take smaller loans — even as small as $250,000 — and take a little longer to pay them back. We intend to launch this program in the coming days. We view it as vitally important in providing a backstop to those small- and medium-sized businesses that are — I don't need to tell you — the lifeblood of the U.S. economy.
For the same reason, we have also bolstered the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program by supplying liquidity to financial institutions that are issuing loans to those businesses that are receiving aid through the program.
American Unrest
Now, I want to switch gears a bit and address something that I'm sure has been on all of your minds.
In recent weeks, millions of Americans have raised their voices to demand social justice and racial equality. The protests may have begun as a result of the horrifying death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, but they quickly evolved into a broader demand for our country to finally rid itself of the scourge of racism and inequality. The Federal Reserve takes those demands seriously, and we are fully committed to building a culture of inclusion throughout our System.
At the Philadelphia Fed specifically, based as it is in the poorest big city in America, we've placed a particular focus on equity and opportunity. Our Community Development and Regional Outreach Department operates the Economic Growth & Mobility Project. This is a multilevel effort to bring entrepreneurial solutions to achieve inclusive economic growth and to create pathways out of poverty through the pillars of creating job opportunities, improving human capital, and addressing housing and other infrastructure needs.
Our Bank's focus on workforce development is particularly relevant at this moment, given that some of the jobs that have been lost because of the COVID-19 crisis may never return. Others, even when they do come back, will do so in a radically different form, thanks to the rapid technological shifts in the workplace that the pandemic is only accelerating. Our research has shown that those most at risk for COVID-19‒related job loss tend to be disproportionately young, low income, and from a racial minority.
Creating economic and professional mobility is going to be key in making sure all segments of the country benefit from the recovery that is eventually coming. And I'm happy to announce that just today the Philadelphia Fed is releasing a new paper that provides an encouraging roadmap for how that might take place. You can read it on our website.
Fed economists looked at the skill sets of people in 33 metro areas across the country, including the Philadelphia area, who are holding those jobs that are most at risk of disappearing. They then matched those skills to jobs that would pay at least 10 percent more than their current wage and that don't require a traditional four-year degree.
The bottom line is this: We don't have to accept that those in at-risk, low-wage jobs will remain so forever. The researchers found that nearly half of lower-wage employment can be paired with at least one higher-paying occupation requiring similar skills. And the pay differences are significant, with an average bump in wages of almost $15,000 — a 49 percent increase in salary. Transitioning people into the right new job can mean the difference between a life of poverty and a solid, middle-class standard of living.
The possibilities for creative public-private partnerships are very exciting. Transitioning low-wage workers into higher-paying jobs not only helps companies themselves, insofar as they are tapping underutilized human capital, but it also helps redress structural inequities. Communities of color stand to benefit because they have for far too long and far too often been shut out of higher wage work.
At the Philadelphia Fed, we've helped launch just such a program, working in partnership with Comcast and Philadelphia Works, our local workforce investment board. Philadelphia Works provides upfront investment in a pilot job training program for Comcast. Comcast then pays for outcomes once they are achieved, such as staying on the job for over six months. It's a tremendous example of what thoughtful public-private partnerships can accomplish.
Rather than staying stuck in this new normal or moving back to the old normal, in other words, I am confident that together we can forge a better future — a better normal, perhaps — for all of us. Thank you.
The views expressed here are the speaker's own and do not necessarily reflect those of anyone else in the Federal Reserve System.
View the Full Speech
Equity and the Recovery
Reinventing Our Communities: Planning for Equity in Recovery – Lessons We're Learning from COVID-19 | Philadelphia, PA
The Economic Outlook for Delaware and the Nation Amid COVID-19
Delaware State Chamber of Commerce | Wilmington, DE
Economic Outlook Amid COVID-19
Chicago Council on Global Affairs | Chicago, IL