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← THE WHITES (Novel, 2015) – Review
INTERVIEW: Richard Price on THE NIGHT OF and More →
Posted on April 17, 2016 by Matt
Directed by Daniel Espinosa
Screenplay by Richard Price, adapted from the novel by Tom Rob Smith
In my "Epilogue" post last year, I said that I didn't want to keep reviewing Richard Price's work contemporaneously as it was released because "I want to be able to enjoy it without having to hop online immediately afterwards to parse out how good of a job it's doing holding up his legacy." Part of my concern was that, since this is primarily a tribute site, I didn't want to put myself in the position of potentially criticizing Price's work while it was still competing for attention in the cultural marketplace. So, although I didn't commit to or announce this policy, I figured I might review each new work a year after it had been released; at that point its critical and commercial fate would be more or less sealed, and I'd also have a broader perspective from which to make my evaluation.
As it turned out, the film Child 44, adapted for the screen by Price from the novel by Tom Rob Smith (and released exactly one year ago, on April 17, 2015), seemed to be exactly the sort of project my waiting period idea had anticipated: It opened to generally negative reviews, earning a mere 26% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Even Price himself seemed to join in with its detractors in a tweet I can't believe he never deleted:
Well, Child 44 sure stank up the joint.
— Richard Price (@ClockersPrice) April 20, 2015
So is it really that bad? I don't think so, but unfortunately I wouldn't really recommend it either.
The movie was at a disadvantage with me from jump, since I had read and enjoyed the original novel, so any screen adaptation ran the risk of seeming like a rushed recap of stuff I had already experienced. And the narrative is indeed quite faithful to the source material: Both book and film follow Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy in the movie), a secret police agent in Stalinist Russia who winds up on the trail of a serial child murderer. This pursuit puts him and his wife Raisa (Noomi Rapace) at odds with the powers that be, who just want to cover the whole thing up in order to reinforce Stalin's assertion that there are no murders in a communist "paradise" because that crime is strictly a capitalist disease. (Important as this conceit is to the story, my Google searches haven't been able to turn up any references to the "There are no murders in paradise"/"Murder is a capitalist disease" dogma outside of articles about Child 44, and this page seems to raise some questions about its authenticity. So I don't know, maybe Smith made the whole thing up.)
This was a bit of an odd assignment for Price as a screenwriter. The material does touch on certain themes that show up a lot in his work: The focus on crime and detective work, the morally ambiguous protagonists, the general noir-ish feel. The problem, though, is that the nature of the project precludes Price from exercising the distinctive touches he would normally bring to those themes. The '50s Soviet setting cuts him off from the New York/New Jersey milieu he's most comfortable with, as well as the pop cultural references he often uses to define his characters (think the rock songs in The Wanderers, or Gary Sinise's Time Machine monologue in Ransom). The earnest grimness of the enterprise prevents him from incorporating the offbeat humor he brought to other neo-noir films like Kiss of Death and Night and the City. And, perhaps most importantly, the much-criticized decision to have all the actors speak English but with a thick Russian accent makes it seem like the characters are speaking a second language they're not entirely comfortable with, so we don't get any of the distinctive turns of phrase typical of Price's acclaimed dialogue.
In the absence of all that, all Price can really do is transcribe Smith's story. Again, I liked that story, but here it does come across as kind of flat. Credit to director Daniel Espinosa for some positive aspects to this production: The film's visual aesthetic is thickly, often impressively dingy, and it's got a killer cast, including not just Hardy and Rapace but also Gary Oldman, Joel Kinnaman, Vincent Cassel–well, the list goes on, so clearly this was viewed as a potential prestige project. But while I didn't hate the movie, it never really engaged me, and I can't help but think that the actors' affected accents may have been to blame for that. They make everything seem somewhat unnatural, and keep the characters at a constant remove from the audience.
The film did diverge from the source material in one big way which I actually thought was an improvement, but discussing it will involve SPOILERS for both the book and the movie, so skip the next paragraph if that's a concern for you.
Again, spoilers ahead: The book ends with Leo discovering that the killer is actually his long-lost younger brother, who has been using the murders as a way to get Leo's attention. I hated this twist. Smith had already drawn me in with well-sketched characters and a vivid milieu (regardless of how accurate that milieu was to its historical basis), and I felt like the book was cheapened by the inclusion of a pulpy, contrived conclusion. The film thankfully removes this wrinkle; its killer still gets to deliver a "We're not so different, you and I" speech to the hero, but they don't have any unlikely personal connection. I do wonder if this was always the case in Price's script or if it was a late revision, as Leo's face when he first sees the killer seems to convey a dazed sense of recognition which might suggest an alternate edit that retained the original twist.
In any case, this positive aspect is still too little too late at the end of a lackluster 137-minute feature. That's a shame, because this is the kind of film which doesn't get made enough anymore (and which used to be Price 's bread and butter): A serious, thoughtful production for mature audiences. Like 2006's Freedomland, it doesn't really succeed at what it's trying to do, but its commercial failure is still bad news for a whole lot of filmgoers.
• Child 44 was banned in Russia for "distorting historical facts," a turn of events which might've helped the film by generating controversy buzz but, for whatever reason, didn't.
• One indication of how poorly this movie did is that the sole bonus feature on its DVD release, a short mini-documentary on the production design, has some of the worst title graphics I've ever seen.
• As of this posting, Child 44 is the only upcoming project I listed in my "Epilogue" post to have come to fruition, but the HBO miniseries The Night Of (formerly titled Crime) is scheduled to premiere this summer.
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1 Response to CHILD 44 (Film, 2015)


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Bill Clinton Attempts Stand-Up Comedy…
By freedomwire November 4, 2022
(FreedomWire.org) – Former President Bill Clinton said on Wednesday that Republicans want people to be "miserable" and "angry."
While campaigning for Democrat Josh Riley, who is running to represent New York's 19th Congressional District, Clinton described Republicans as "pretty simple actually … and pretty straightforward. They say, 'I want you to be very miserable'" as well as "'very angry'" and to "'vote for us and we'll make it worse but we'll blame them.'"
"Republicans are pretty simple, actually. And pretty straight forward. They say, "I want you to be very miserable… and I want you to be very angry. And I want you to vote for us and we'll make it worse but we'll blame them [Democrats]" – Epstein client Bill Clinton pic.twitter.com/nLEROJRcet
— ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) November 3, 2022
Republicans have relied on key issues such as crime rates, and inflation to boost their campaigns across the nation. Clinton, while he didn't dispute Republican talking points, insisted that their rhetoric was nothing more than "tough talk."
"Here's the truth. We do have too much inflation, and we do have too much crime. But all this tough talk doesn't amount to a hill of beans, that the Republicans are making," he said.
Clinton then took aim at the prominent Republican Governors Ron DeSantis of Florida, and Greg Abbott of Texas calling out Republicans' apparent paradoxical lamentations. Clinton said that in the states under the stewardship of the "two shining stars of the Republican firmament", crime is "50 percent higher than it is in New York." While this is true, Clinton failed to mention that the District of Columbia, and the state of New Mexico – both under Democratic governance – have significantly higher crime rates than Florida and Texas with D.C. taking the top spot in the whole nation. Cherry-picking statistics can create any narrative suitable for a particular argument.
"But wait, you can't think, you're supposed to be mad," he added in an effort to redirect the ire of the constituency in attendance. Clinton then continued to echo a key Democrat talking point in these midterms by warning that if Republicans manage to take control of the House, they will slash the budgets of Medicare and Social Security.
These claims refer to Florida Senator Rick Scott's proposal to sunset all federal legislation after five years in order to force Congress to pass new laws keeping them on the books, and the suggestion that key Republicans of the House that they would consider using next year's debt-limit deadline to install new eligibility requirements for these popular programs. Scott maintains that he doesn't "know one Republican" willing to axe Social Security.
Clinton went on to criticize the lack of support by Republicans for the boondoggle infrastructure bill, a bill that promised $1.2 trillion in spending, only $110 billion of which was allocated for roads and bridges. Clinton remarked that only 13 Republican members of the House of Congress voted to pass the bill, citing its lack of GOP support due to their aim of infuriating American citizens.
"Why? They gotta keep you upset, they gotta keep you angry," the former president claimed.
In a 24-minute speech laden with jokes and folksy jargon, Clinton concluded to the crowd, "I want you to laugh because you can think when you laugh." The midterm elections are forecasted to be rousing successes for the Republican party. If the Democrats lose control of the House and fail to win the tightly contested race that saw former president Bill Clinton stump for a relatively unknown candidate, it's doubtful many will still be laughing.
2022 Midtermsbill clintonClintoncrimeelectionRepublicans

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home / Business / Nigeria Earns N1.94trn From Crude Export In 3 Months
Nigeria Earns N1.94trn From Crude Export In 3 Months
March 29, 2016	Comments Off on Nigeria Earns N1.94trn From Crude Export In 3 Months 48 Views
NIGERIA earned N1.94 trillion from the export of crude oil and other petroleum products in the fourth quarter, Q4, of 2015, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS. The NBS, in its Foreign Trade Statistics for the Fourth Quarter of 2015, disclosed that Nigeria's total exports in the period under review were dominated by petroleum products export.
On the other hand, Nigeria spent N288.625 billion on the importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol in the period under review. Specifically, Nigeria, according to the report, exported crude petroleum oil and oils obtained from bituminous minerals valued at N1.674 trillion, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export was put at N226.226 billion, while the export of other petroleum gases stood at N18.726 billion.
In addition, Nigeria earned N8.772 billion from the export of liquefied butanes, N7.53 billion from Liquefied Petroleum Gas and other gaseous hydrocarbons; and N4.86 billion from the export of liquefied propane. The report further put the value of Nigeria's total exports at N2.077 trillion in the period under review, representing a decline of N256.5 billion, or 11 per cent, over the value recorded in the preceding quarter.
It noted that on an annual basis, total exports from Nigeria stood at N9.729 trillion at the end of 2015, representing a drop of N6.575.2 billion or 40.3 per cent over levels recorded in 2014. The report said: "Notwithstanding a steep decline in crude oil exports by N4.946 trillion or 41.6 per cent in 2015, the structure of Nigeria's exports is still dominated by crude oil exports.
"The contribution of crude oil to the value of total domestic export trade amounted to N6.945 trillion or 71.4 per cent in 2015." The report explained that the largest product exported by Nigeria in 2015 was Mineral products, which accounted for N8.574 trillion or 88.1 per cent.
"Other products that contributed noticeably to Nigeria's exports include vehicles, aircraft and parts thereof; vessels etc. and prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; tobacco, whose values stood at N681.6 billion or 7.0 per cent, and N167.1 billion or 1.7 per cent respectively, of the total exports of Nigeria for the year," the report said.
Continuing, the report said: "Exports by continent showed that Nigeria mainly exported goods to Europe and Asia, which accounted for N3.867 trillion or 39.7 per cent and N2.946 trillion or 30.3 per cent respectively, of the total export value for 2015.
"Furthermore, Nigeria exported goods valued at N1.4 trillion or 14.4 per cent to the continent of Africa while export to the ECOWAS region totaled N608.3 billion."
In addition, the NBS stated that, "The total value of Nigeria's merchandise trade during the Fourth Quarter of 2015 stood at N3.653 trillion, 9.2 per cent lower than the value of N4.021 trillion recorded in the preceding quarter.
For the 2015 calendar year, the country's total trade was recorded at N16.427 trillion, amounting to N7.252 trillion or 30.6 per cent less than the total trade value recorded for 2014. "This development arose largely due to sharp decline in the value of exports; from N16.304 trillion in 2014 to N9.729 trillion in 2015, a decline of 40.3 per cent.
A decrease of N676.4 billion or 9.2 per cent in the total imports in 2015 helped to mitigate the declining trade balance, which stood at N3.031 trillion, N5.899 trillion less than the value in 2014."
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La saison 2001-2002 du Championnat d'Ukraine de football était la  de la première division ukrainienne.

Le Dynamo Kiev, tenant depuis 9 saisons, va tenter de conserver son titre face aux 13 meilleures équipes d'Ukraine.

Les 14 équipes de première division sont regroupées au sein d'une poule unique où chacun rencontre ses adversaires 2 fois, une fois à domicile, une fois à l'extérieur. Le championnat va repasser de 14 à 16 équipes la saison prochaine : il y aura 1 relégation et 3 promotions directes, ainsi qu'un barrage entre le  de D1 et le  de D2.

C'est le Chakhtar Donetsk qui met fin à l'hégémonie du Dinamo Kiev, en terminant en tête du championnat après une lutte intense avec le club de la capitale, tenant depuis 9 saisons. Le Chakhtar réussite même le doublé puisqu'il bat le Dinamo Kiev en finale de la Coupe d'Ukraine.

Qualifications en Coupe d'Europe
Le champion d'Ukraine se qualifie pour le tour préliminaire de la Ligue des champions 2002-2003, tout comme le vice-champion d'Ukraine. Le vainqueur de la Coupe d'Ukraine est qualifié pour la Coupe UEFA 2002-2003, tout comme le club le mieux classé qui n'est pas qualifié en Coupe d'Europe.

Les 14 clubs participants
 Dynamo Kiev
 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk
 Chakhtar Donetsk
 Metalurg Zaporijjye
 Tavria Simferopol
 Karpaty Lviv
 Kryvbass Krivoï-Rog
 Arsenal Kiev (anciennement CSKA Kiev)
 Vorskla Poltava
 Metalurg Donetsk
 Metalurg Mariopol
 Metalist Kharkov
 Zakarpattya Oujhorod - Promu de
 PFC Oleksandriia- Promu de

Compétition

Classement
Le barème de points servant à établir le classement se décompose ainsi :
 Victoire : 3 points
 Match nul : 1 point
 Défaite, forfait ou abandon du match : 0 point

|valign=top align=left width=50%|

|}

Matchs

Barrage de promotion-relégation
Le  de première division, le PFC Oleksandriia rencontre sur un seul match le  de seconde division ukrainienne pour déterminer le club qui participe à la prochaine saison du championnat de l'élite. Le PFC gagne le match par le plus petit des scores et se maintient.

Bilan de la saison

Statistiques

Meilleurs buteurs

Voir aussi

Références

Liens internes
 Championnat d'Ukraine de football

Liens externes
  RSSSF

2001-2002
Ukraine
Sport en Ukraine en 2001
Sport en Ukraine en 2002

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


"A 'must hear' inspirational story of a successful navigation of depression, panic and anxiety, including essential points on the importance of nutrition in achieving optimal brain health."
Protect Your Joy & Don't Quit on .Me were established to share information & resources to help people build their resilience to negative stress. From the 'worried well' to the severely depressed there are things that each of us can do, to help ourselves through these difficult times.
I am almost finished a book about building resilience to stress, predominately to help people who have things like depression, panic and anxiety or I guess are in that area of chronic prolonged stress. It's based on my experience of about ten years ago, when I went through these conditions, and how I got out of them. I was a business analyst for one of the big four banks, and my world came crashing down around me very very rapidly. I think at the time I had no idea what was going on and then as things unfolded, it turned out I had quite severe depression. I think that I have had episodes in the past, but not realised what it was, probably quite a typical story. But at the time I felt very much like there was nothing I could do that would make any difference. I think that you go through the denial, then acceptance and well I guess its chemical or it's genetics so therefore I might as well just get used to my lot in life. Then not being one to just sit around I'd just get frustrated at my inaction or becoming reliant on other things, like medication. So I started a program to lose weight, because I had stacked on a whole bunch, at the time I was on a high dose of antidepressants and was making quite bad food choices. Anyway so started a bit of a I wouldn't call it a fitness kick, maybe a 'burn' to lose some weight so that I could lessen the self-loathing, and that was the beginning of the beginning really. I started focusing on nutrition, movement and had a look in to on meditation... I had a look at John Kabbat-Zinn's work out of the US couldn't get my head round mindfulness. I just couldn't stop the mental chatter enough to get a hold of that. I really liked Yoga meditation and went to a few chants and thoroughly enjoyed that. Then started looking at very some very basic goal setting and things like reflective journaling just getting all of the stuff out of my head. Collectively, all of these things started to make a huge difference; the meditation, the movement, the nutrition, managing my focus, until gradually I got enough traction to pull myself through. So the book is about my journey, that coupled with interviews with subject matter experts in these relevant fields – half of them would cringe if they knew I referred to them as that, but they have all been very influential in my taking certain steps along the path. That's what the whole journey through depression and mood disorders is about, as far as I can make out, taking one small positive step after another. Building on your strengths and having the courage to work on your weaknesses.


In today's modern society, promoting a professional vibe is crucial in many aspects of life. From business matters to personal interactions, accomplishing this goal will bring a whole host of benefits.
So, how can you create and maintain that winning atmosphere? Let's take a closer look at just 10 of the best ideas below.
We all appreciate the significance of a healthy and balanced diet. However, your choice of foods can also help set the tone for your overall aura. Eating in the right restaurants will naturally make you seem successful. Meanwhile, trading sodas for nutritious smoothies in your daily life can work wonders too. Above all else, being in control of your body image suggest you're in control elsewhere.
Whether you like it or not, you will be judged on your appearance. When heading into business activities, a well-fitted and professional outfit can make a world of difference. Moreover, the accessories can have a telling impact on the overall look. Choosing Michael Kors and other brands associated with success and luxury will grab the attention. Looking good will make you confident too.
Nothing ruins the professional vibe quite like poor organization. The smallest gestures often leave the most significant mark, which is why having business cards and other essentials on your possession is vital. After all, you never know when an opportunity may surface. On a similar note, keeping a portable charger for your smartphone can prevent a host of frustrating and embarrassing moments.
The car you drive says a lot about you as a person. So, if you wish to establish an appearance of professionalism and success, you need to choose the right model. A BMW 5 Series is an excellent option for those that have an above average budget but cannot afford the supercars. Whether you buy it outright or look at leasing options, you will gain the desired reaction from friends and clients alike.
When looking to elicit a sense of professionalism and success, your habits and actions are just as important as your possessions. Excellent organization and punctuality are integral features that you cannot afford to get wrong. If your natural timekeeping skills aren't great, there are plenty of Apps that can keep you on track. One way or another, mastering this part of your life is key.
Successful people don't only take responsibility for their own actions. They also appreciate the need to give back to the world. Boosting your public image should not be the main incentive for completing charitable activities or living a green life. Nonetheless, those personal rewards are certainly worth noting. Sometimes in life, helping others is truly the best way to help yourself.
The ability to express your views in an engaging, authoritative and convincing manner is a great attribute to possess. Therefore, taking a course to develop those capabilities can make a world of difference to your professional vibe. Whether you're the boss or an employee doesn't matter, good communication makes you a far better leader. Finally, you must not forget your social media posts.
It's hard to project a professional vibe if you lack authenticity. Therefore, being honest with yourself and realizing who you are as a person is vital. Establishing your sense of style, humor, and general personality can only have a positive impact. Above all else, it'll ensure that you maintain a level of consistency at all times. Even on a subconscious level, this will influence the views of others.
Many steps can be taken to build a successful and professional appearance. Unfortunately, many of those successes will be undone if you cut an unhappy and unsatisfied figure. Therefore, creating time to do the things you like with the people you love is vital. This could mean traveling the world, attending fashion shows, or any other hobby. Keeping the smile on your face is key.
Being a great professional is one thing, but you cannot afford to rest on your laurels. The ability to keep evolving can be the secret weapon that allows you to maintain that professionalism at all times. After all, society continues to move forward at a rapid rate. Sadly, if you fail to move along with the times, you run the risk of being left behind in business and personal matters.


My name is Sid Norris and welcome to Elliott Wave Plus! I've been an active investor, trader, and student of the markets for over 30 years. Elliott Wave Plus is the culmination of everything I've learned about technical analysis of the financial markets.


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Drywall Installation Service
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Drywall Plano will take all the steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of your Personal Data will take place to an organisation or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of your data and other personal information.
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Under certain circumstances, Drywall Plano may be required to disclose your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).
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Visual updates to the existing Industrial environment.
The Forest environment is now fully unlocked and playable. The leaderboards are open for competition.
The Forest boss is fully implemented too, but we're still working on the balancing and attack timing for it. Your feedback on the boss will be very much appreciated.
This update also includes more performance and graphical improvements. You should find the game performs very even on modest system specs.
One of the reasons we've taken a while with this update is that we're already a considerable way through the next planned major update – the Canyon environment. This environment is available for preview in this build too, albeit with many placeholder obstacles, no boss included and the leaderboard locked.
You can purchase on Steam here. Make sure to drop by our Community page too!


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The Temple of Apollo in Syracuse in the notary's house
Tempio di Apollo, a Ortigia (Siracusa) - Temple of Apollo (Syracuse)
There was a time when the remains of the Temple of Apollo, in Ortigia (Syracuse), were embedded in the surrounding houses, built over centuries of urban stratification and overlap, making the ancient 6th-century-BC structure virtually invisible.
Indeed, it was not until the 19th century that some began to wonder about the precious temple, whose vestiges surfaced here and there: the oldest Doric temple in Sicily, which over the years had been transformed into a Byzantine church, an Islamic mosque, a Norman church and, finally, a Spanish barracks.
Chronicles of the time often mention Matteo Santoro, a notary whose apartment walls included two Doric, sixteen-groove columns even Ferdinand Gregorovius mentioned in his diary, "Years of Wandering in Italy".
Curious travelers often knocked on the door of the poor man, who patiently granted them permission to come in so they could see the wonder of those ancient remains stuck in the walls of a modern apartment.
Unfortunately for Syracuse's notary, at one point the Municipal Antiquities and Fine Arts Commission also knocked at the door, and their inspections ultimately led to Santoro's apartment being demolished.
Today, the whole city can enjoy the temple's beauty, brought back to light – also thanks to the "sacrifice" of a poor notary.
Photos via: ©mangiodasola, ©bongiovannim, ©Citte, ©Davide Simonetti, ©Francesco, ©HEN-Magonza
Ortigia, Syracuse
Largo XXV Luglio
The Ear of Dionysius in Syracuse: some say…
PLACES michelle - 24 April 2018 0
Sounds are amplified inside the Ear of Dionysius, in Syracuse, a cave where every legend seems to echo endlessly. First of all, some say that...
Pantalica and the Anapo river, engraved in time
Gardens and Villages michelle - 17 December 2015 0
Pantalica is an ancient rupestrian necropolis in the province of Syracuse. It is one of the many sites in Italy that have been inscribed...
Truth and beauty at the Rotunda's Thermal Baths in Catania
Architecture michelle - 19 November 2015 0
For a long time, everyone believed that Catania's Terme della Rotonda (Rotunda's Thermal Baths) – built between the 1st and the 2nd century AD...


The Destin Marlins pitching staff held the Baker Gators to three hits resulting in an 8-0 victory for the Marlins in middle school baseball action in Baker Monday evening.
Alex Kruse started on the mound and pitched four innings, striking out six, giving up two hits and two walks. Caleb Reeder threw two innings, struck out two, walked one and gave up one hit. Owen Davis finished up in the seventh with two strikeouts and three walks.
As for the bats, Destin collected eight hits on the evening.
Wyatt Wainwright led the sticks with two singles for two RBIs. Donovan Monsees ripped a double for two RBIs, while Noah Wright had a single for two RBIs and Caleb Reed singled in a run. Others with base hits were Zander Davis, Dylan Matekovich and Kruse.
Destin got on the scoreboard in the second inning. After Monsees drew a walk, Matekovich singled up the middle. The next batter flew out to center field. Up next, Wainwright ripped a single up the middle to score Monsees and Matekovich.
After two scoreless innings, Destin had a six-run rally in the fifth inning. Wainwright and Kruse hit back-to-back singles and Logan Reeder walked. Braxton Taylor popped up to the pitcher and Wainwright scored. Wright smacked a single to right center to bring in two runs and Caleb Reeder followed with a single to left for an RBI. Davis reached on an error and Monsees belted a double to right for two RBIs and an 8-0 lead.
"We were playing with a little bit of energy today … it was a fun day," Cawthon said.
Up next for Destin is a 4 p.m. home game with the Bruner Spartans.


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Deputy Admin
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TENP'S Student constitution
Students mail
Site Navagation
You are here: Home / About / Governance / Governing Council
Message From the Chairperson-Prof. Simiyu Sitati
The Council is the supreme governing body of the institution. Its principal mandate is to oversee the activities and operations of the institution on behalf of the Government. In this, the Council is concerned with the setting of broad policy directions for the institution and to follow up on how such policies are being executed by management. As the reporting agency to Government, the Council is responsible for the approval of the budget and the performance contract. The Council is also considered as the employer on behalf of the Government and the management thus only employs staff on behalf of the Council. The Council is responsible for ensuring that there are adequate structures in place for the efficient and effective management of the institution. The governance and management structures of the institution shall aim at— encouraging co-operation and collaboration among all stakeholders for effective representation in governance and management of the institution;decentralizing decision-making authority with regard to financial matters, human resource issues, and other relevant matters;enhancing the culture of accountability, democracy, and transparency in the governance and management of the institutions;ensuring effective and efficient education and training;ensuring the participation of and consultation with the stakeholders at the county, national and international levels-
Read More>>TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ACT NO. 29 OF 2013.
To the 12th graduation graduands, I hope that the achievements that you will open many doors of opportunity out there in order to achieve your personal and professional goals. It is our expectation, however, that you will exhibit excellence in whatever you are doing as this will reflect on the image of Eldoret National Polytechnic. Be our good ambassadors out there. Also, exhibit patriotism for your country as it has heavily invested in you.And where job opportunities may lack, don't hesitate venturing into your own business. You will not only be generating your own income using the knowledge and skills that you have obtained here but you will also be creating job opportunities for your fellow Kenyans. To the students, I encourage you to continue working hard so as to equally achieve your ambitions. Nothing comes on a silver platter. I wish to thank the management, lecturers, staff and the entire Eldoret Polytechnic Community for being disciplined and committed to academic excellence, which is the mission of The Eldoret National Polytechnic. Continue with the spirit and better still, redouble your efforts in 2017.
Prof. Simiyu Sitati
Chairperson-Governing Council
Governing Council Members
Prof.Simiyu Sitati
Josphat K. Sawe
Principal/Secretary
Victoria Chepseba
Diana P.M Lukosi
Dr. Wesley Mutai
Dr. Paul K. Murgor
Prof. Peter Okemwa
Michael Rugut
TVET County Director-U.G
About the Governing Council
As council, we have continued to provide leadership in achieving The Eldoret National Polytechnic's core mandate as well as linkage with the national government and other development partners. As the student population and demand for technical training continues to grow, The Eldoret National Polytechnic is undertaking expansion of infrastructure increase of staff including creation of new campuses e.g the Town Campus housed in Berur (formerly Petershah) building in :Eldoret town.Two other campuses in Entebbes and Turkana East are due for inauguration in January next year. This will ensure that over 6,000 students have adequate facilities to excel in their studies.
Our Role as a TVET institution
Providing adequate skilled manpower at all levels of the economy,To provide and promote life-long education and training for self-reliance.; This means providing equitable access to good quality skills training relevant to the labour market.Objectives include Developing appropriate skills at all levels through practical training and work experience,Promoting active and continuous transfer oftechnology through collaborative approaches with relevant industries and Providing increased training opportunities for the increasing number of school leavers.The Manadate is derived from TVET Act 2013.The mandate of TVET institutions is to offer courses as follows:Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) up to artisan certificate Technical and Vocational Colleges (TVCs) up to Diploma level,Technical Trainer Colleges (TTCs) up to Higher Diploma Level National Polytechnic (NP) up to higher Diploma Level.
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Or The Principal,
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Since I have been riding my Davidson BMX mutant bike for short commutes and errands, I've been thinking that I should be more consistent with wearing a hemet. This is because I'm not terribly skilled once my tires stop holding hands with mother earth, and as that style of bike encourages such illogical behaviour I have been crashing with predictable frequency. I'd like to get a XC or enduro helmet, something with a little more coverage than a road helmet but still with decent ventilation and light weight, and hopefully a little sturdier.
And I want a cool-looking helmet. I'm just not interested in getting a Bell or a Giro; soooo boring. I just stumbled upon POC Helmets. Based out of Sweden, the company makes helmets, body armour, gloves, and active/casual wear clothing with an emphasis on the gravity set, both wheels and snow. While the mainstream helmet designers are still trying to move past tribal tattoo designs or are making entire collections by ripping off Banksy, POC's shockingly clean aesthetic really stands out. But POC backs up the looks with solid engineering and innovative construction. To increase protection from multiple impacts, POC's Trabec helmets use an Aramid fibre liner between the EPS and in-mould shell to resist penetration and increase durability while still protecting the brain from the harsh decelerations on impact better than hardshell helmets.


text:
Q: Ajax method in jquery using PHP as backend I have a script file where the ajax method has been implemented, which adds a record to a form ...and then i have a php file which serves as the backend. What I am trying to say is we dint declare the record variable in php, we only declared it in jquery part. But how did we actually accessed it using
$record = json_decode($_POST['record']);

What is json_decode and json_stringify in the script file.
main.js
$add_form.submit(function(e) {

        e.preventDefault();

        var fields = ['id', 'name', 'subject', 'theory', 'practical'];
        var record = {};

        for (var index in fields) {

            var field = fields[index];

            if (field == 'id' || field == 'theory' || field == 'practical')
                record[field] = parseInt( $('input#add_'+field).val() );

            else
                record[field] = $('input#add_'+field).val();

        }

        record.total = record.theory + record.practical;

        $.ajax({
            url: '/ab_batch/practice/db/action.php',
            type: 'POST',
            data: {
                action: 'ajaxAddRecord',
                record: JSON.stringify(record)
            },

            success: function(result) {

                if ( 'true' == result.trim() ) {

                    $add_modal.find('.ajax_add_result').text('Student Record Added...').css({
                        color: 'green',
                        display: 'block'
                    }).fadeOut(2500);

                }
                else {
                    $add_modal.find('.ajax_add_result').text('Error Adding Student Record!').css({
                        color: 'red',
                        display: 'block'
                    }).fadeOut(2500);
                }

            },

            error: function() {}

        });

    });

action.php
switch ($action) {
case 'ajaxAddRecord':

        $record = json_decode($_POST['record']);
        print ( $student->addRecord($record) ) ? 'true' : 'false' ;

        break;
}

A: The action variable is declared (created) in main.js. You're right.
It is an object which is then used and filled with values.
The $.ajax({ code block sends it stringified to action.php.
"stringified" means converted to a string.
It has to be done to send it to the server-side PHP because an object (or an array) can't be sent directly without converting it to a string.
Then this string, received has $_POST['record'], has to be "decoded" to access the values.
This is what json_decode does... It creates an array with it.
Google theses keywords for more:
jQuery object
JSON.stringify()
json_decode()
PHP array
Ajax example tutorial

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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It's mid-November. The Christmas season is galloping towards you. Whether you love this time of year or dread it, many people find it fraught with stress and anxiety. Want some tips to get you through the season with more comfort and joy? Here are some ideas from a Professional Organizer to bring the Merry back to your Christmas.
Think back on past Christmas'. Were you overrun by commitments and starved for time to actually enjoy the season? Do you remember having any quiet time to sit with family or friends to relax while playing a game or watching a holiday movie? Truth be told, that is the best part of the season for me. I know many people are trying to do everything for everyone (and be perfect at it no less!). You don't want to be so burnt out that you don't have time to relax and enjoy the holiday décor of your home.
In order to be less frazzled schedule in your "relax" time as well as your activities into your family calendar. Agree to the number of nights a week you are prepared to do extra events. Arrange to have some down time over the weekend to recharge you for the busy weeks ahead. It is okay to say "NO" to invitations if they won`t fit in your schedule.
Remember – to honour your commitment to relax as you would any other appointment.
After each Christmas comes New Year`s with its resolutions. Being better organized is a popular resolution. What if I told you that you could get a jump on that resolution in November?
The people in your life want to give you or your kids a present. Consider the word "present". It can be a noun meaning a gift or it can be a verb as in an activity to perform. Which would you prefer to receive?
Let people know how to gift you: by giving a list of ideas for your loved ones you can let them know what items or activities you wish to receive. If you have too much stuff then request consumable activity related gifts like gift certificates for restaurants, movies, theatre or spa. Many people won`t spend money on themselves for these luxuries but would certainly enjoy receiving them.
This gift list idea applies to children as well: kids will tend to remember an experience they shared with a loved one more so than a toy they unwrapped that day. If the child is really young you can combine the idea (a Stuffed Zebra to unwrap under the tree along with the passes to go to the zoo). This gift gives twice – once for the anticipation of the event and then the event itself. Take lots of photos to help capture that wonderful memory.
Remember – providing a wish list can go a long way to ensure you aren't overrun with clutter in January.
The Christmas season tends to result in an influx of items into the home. It can be challenging to find space and homes for the new items. To get a jump on this challenge you want to give items in order to make space for new things entering the home.
Christmas decorations – many people have them but do you display or use all the decorations you own? If not, then why not? Often we get new decorations but don`t consider what space they will take up or what used to be placed there. Or perhaps you are tired of an item. Now is the perfect time to donate Christmas décor to thrift stores in time for another family to enjoy.
Make space for the new – with kids, have them go through their toys and ask them which ones they have "outgrown" or are too "babyish" for them. This gives them the reminder that space is finite and a room or closet can only house so many items. By donating toys to a thrift store, it also teaches kids about charity, that helping others can make them appreciate what they receive more.
Remember – Every item has needs a home. Make room before new items arrive.


text:
An Italian who came to Japan to design the nation's first modern banknotes helped found one of the country's most important printers[UPDATED: 11-21-2019]
Edoardo Chiossone (1833-1898) an Italian painter, engraver and lithographer arrived in Japan in 1875 at the height of Japan's period of rapid modernisation, known as the Meiji Era (1868-1912), to help design and create the country's first modern banknotes.
He designed banknotes including: a 5-Yen banknote; the 1878 1-Yen banknote, the first modern Japanese banknote to include an image of an individual the legendary Empress Jingu (170-269); and a banknote with the image of Sugawara no Michizane (845-903) an important Heian Period (794-1185) poet and politician, for example.
The image Chiossone created for the 1-Yen banknote depicts a somewhat European-looking Empress Jingu, wearing heavy ornate necklaces in an oval on the righthand side of the banknote.
In total Chiossone created 500 plates that were used to print bonds, stamps, securities, as well as banknotes for use in Japan. Initially, many were printed outside Japan.
Chiossone, who stayed for 23 years and died in Japan, had a major influence on the world of printing, publishing and even on how the world saw Japan and its Emperor at the time, the Meiji Emperor (1852-1912).
He is also credited with helping found the printing company Toppan Insatsu by training its two founders, as well as training many individuals who went on to transform Japanese printing and publishing.
He worked very closely with Enkichi Kimura (1853-1911), for example, and others helping them to subsequently found Toppan, which has now become a global printing company and runs the Printing Museum, Tokyo. Among other things, the museum proudly displays the world's smallest printed book, printed by Toppan in 2013.
Modern printing may have taken off much more slowly in Japan had it not been for Chiossone's important contribution. He lived in Japan during a period when many new newspapers and magazines were launched and printing, like the Internet today, was a transformational technology.
Chiossone is also remembered for his famous 1888 widely circulated portrait of the Meiji Emperor, and his impressive personal collection of Japanese art, which is now housed at the Museum of Japanese Art 'Edoardo Chiossone' in Genova.
An Italian who came to Japan to design the nation's first modern banknotes helped found one of the country's most important printers Posted November 21st, 2019 by Richard Nathan
Narrative scrolls, emaki-mono, are the historical foundation of Japanese literature[UPDATED: 10-4-2019]
Historically, Japanese literature began life as a unique blend of painting and prose, which generally took the form of narrative scrolls, known as emaki-mono in Japanese.
For thousands of years these handscrolls have been used to record and share stories in Japan. An extremely famous and noteworthy example is Japan's oldest novel, and according to some the world's oldest, The Tale of Genji, which was written on illustrated scrolls by Murasaki Shikibu (978-1014), in 1010, during Japan's Heian Period (794-1185).
This classic Japanese tale of romance consists of 54 scrolls and a million words; as well as multiple love interests, illustrations and poems. It falls within the definition of a novel as it is prose narrative of significant length.
Scrolls are and have been important in other countries as well as Japan, including China for instance, but in the 12th and 13th centuries Japan's approach to their publication developed into a truly unique national style.
Few examples of scrolls from these periods have survived until today. However, the rare few that have are of significant academic interest.
According to The Art and Architecture of Japan by Robert Treat Paine and Alexander Soper, "No section of Japanese art history possesses so much interest and importance" as the scroll paintings from this period.
Another important early Japanese example of an illustrated scroll is Kokon Chomonju, A Collection of Tales Written and Heard in Ancient and Modern Times, generally believed to have been written by Narisue Tachibana in 1254.
Tachibana famously wrote that he was so fond of pictures that he collected stories to preserve them and render them as paintings. It's a good illustration of the close relationship that prose and painting enjoyed in the development of Japan's literary canon.
Narrative scrolls, emaki-mono, are the historical foundation of Japanese literature Posted October 4th, 2019 by Richard Nathan
For over a thousand years many of Japan's emperors have played an active role in publishing: writing poems, books and even scientific papers[UPDATED: 5-2-2019]
Since Japan's first book on the nation's history was commissioned by Emperor Temmu, Japan's 40th emperor, and published in 712 after his death, Japanese emperors have been intimately involved in many important publishing milestones in Japan.
The nation's first book to be produced using moveable type was, for example, chosen by another emperor for printing in 1593.
The Japanese Imperial Family has had a very long association with the literary arts, especially poetry.
Japanese emperors have not only encouraged and patronised the poetic arts and Japanese verse known as waka and tanka in particular, but have also written thousands of poems themselves.
The Meiji Emperor (1852-1912) who ruled over a period in history when Japan opened up to the West, after more than 250 years of self-imposed isolation, wrote over 100,000 waka and tanka poems and was known as 'the sage of poetry'.
The Meiji Emperor learnt the art of writing poetry from his father Emperor Komei (1831-1867). His era was an age of transformation and a crisis of modernisation.
To some that must have seemed mind-boggling at the time, with the arrival of railways for instance, that transformed Japanese society. Writing poetry appears to have helped him process these changes.
He wrote many different types of poems, describing his reaction to the arrival of these new technologies in Japan including photography, trains and telescopes. Some experts also believe that his writing indicates that he wished to avoid war and had a pacifist streak.
The following poem by the Meiji Emperor was published in English translation by Harold Wright in the Kyoto Journal:
Being all alone
And consoling our own heart
for this one day,
The time was spent quietly
in the writing of poems
Emperor Hirohito (1901-1989) also penned many poems and new rare caches of his creative outputs are still coming to light decades after his death.
New waka poems, including poems that show Japan's role in World War II, occupied his thoughts as he aged, and have made their way into the public domain as recently as 2019.
Emperor Akihito, his son now known as Emperor Emeritus, and his wife Michiko have also written and published books and poetry, including a collection of more than 300 poems titled Tomoshibi Light , which was published in English in 1991. The collection was originally published in Japanese in 1986 when Akihito was still Crown Prince.
Many anticipate that the new Emperor, Naruhito, who took up the position on 1 May 2019, will continue this long tradition, but most doubt he will write multiple poems on a daily basis like his predecessor, the Meiji Emperor.
That said, a book written by him about his experience as a student at Oxford University has been published in English, translated by Sir Hugh Cortazzi (1924-2018), a former British Ambassador to Japan, The Thames and I: A Memoir of Two Years at Oxford.
In addition to writing books and poetry, some emperors are known to have had much broader interests that have led to them subscribing to international magazines and publications long before this was possible for most in Japan.
In 1875, Emperor Komei, for example, was listed amongst the names of the subscribers to the Illustrated London News (1842-1971), the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. Two recent emperors, Akihito and Hirohito, have subscribed to international magazines including another British publication, Nature, the weekly science journal.
In fact, Emperor Akihito, who has a species of goby fished named after him, has done much more than just write poems and read about the latest scientific research trends alongside fulfilling his role as a constitutional monarch. He has published 38 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals including the world's most prestigious ones, Nature and Science and has even been seen at one or two scientific conferences in Japan.
At times, Japan's Imperial Literature and creative writing has even stretched into science fiction with one member of the Emperor's family penning books that helped develop the genre now known as 'cyberpunk' using the pen name Bien Fu in the 1960s.
Literary and publishing genes continue to flourish in the family. And in 2017, an essay by the Emperor's daughter Princess Aiko, titled Praying for Peace in the World, was widely praised for its literary style and content. The Princess wrote the essay for the yearbook commemorating her graduation from Gakushuin Girls' Junior High School.
For over a thousand years many of Japan's emperors have played an active role in publishing: writing poems, books and even scientific papers Posted May 2nd, 2019 by Richard Nathan
The Japanese word for novel entered the Japanese language in 1754 via China[UPDATED: 4-14-2019]
The Japanese word shosetsu written using two letters or characters meaning 'small' and 'talk ' first came into use as a Japanese term for fiction in 1754; following the successful translation and adaptation of Chinese books such as Sui-Hu Chuan (The Water Margin), pronounced Suikoden in Japanese.
The first ten chapters of Suikoden were published in 1727 and another 10 chapters in 1759 in Japan in translation with Japanese annotations.
The word, shosetsu, was initially used only for works of fiction translated from Chinese, but was subsequently used for fiction in general, due to the success of these publications.
In the 1880s Shoyo Tsubouchi (1859-1935), a Japanese writer and translator and professor at Waseda University, first proposed that the term shosetsu be adopted as the standard Japanese translation for the English word novel and the French word roman in his paper titled: Shosetsu shinzui (The Essence of the Novel).
Shosetsu thus become the accepted word used to translate the English word and Western concept of novel into Japanese.
Subsequently it was used to mean a novel or any form of prose narrative fiction, story, tale, or romance. Modifiers were added to this old term to differentiate the type of book or prose: tanpen (short or brief edit) to create short-story; and tantei for detective novels.
The word shosetsu, however, is in fact a Chinese word with its own long history. It was, according to research, used much earlier than the 1750s in Japan and reportedly as early as 1484, but generally as a term of derision of another's opinion or work – meaning trivial history, small talk or street rumor, not a work of fiction or novel as we know them today; be they Chinese translations, English translations or Japanese originals.
The Japanese word for novel entered the Japanese language in 1754 via China Posted January 3rd, 2018 by Richard Nathan
Japan's oldest poetry anthology is over a thousand years old[UPDATED: 4-14-2019]
The Manyoshu, Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves is Japan's oldest surviving book of poetry. It was compiled during Japan's Nara Period (710-794) when Japan's capital was located in Nara.
The Japanese capital subsequently shifted to Kyoto at the start of the Heian Period (794-1185), a period when many famous Japanese works of literature, including the first novel The Tale of Genji, were written.
The Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves consists of 20 parts or books with different forms of poetry including thousands of tanka (short form poems that predated haiku), as well as kanshi, poems written in Chinese. It was compiled in about 759, but contains poems written even earlier. Some apparently may originate from as far back as the 5th Century.
The anthology contains poems about love, travel, nature and more. There is, however, considerable debate about its various editors, authors and compilers, Otomo no Yakamochi (718-785), known for his waka poetry, is widely thought by academics to have been one of the compilers. The Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves contains many poems written by him.
Interestingly, the name of the new Japanese era, Reiwa, that started on 1 May 2019 and is officially translated as beautiful harmony, was inspired by this collection of Japanese poems. Rei is the first character from the word reigetsu, an auspicious month, used in a poem about an early spring breeze and plum blossom. This new Imperial era name is the first to have its roots within Japanese literature as opposed to classical Chinese literature.
Two examples of poems in the collection, both translated by Donald Keene (1922-2019), are: "Will ever there be, Someone else who will rest, Her head on my arms, As once my beloved wife, Made her pillow there?" and "Keeping glum silence, In the role of a wise man, Is still not as good, As drinking one's own sake, And weeping drunken tears".
An English language edition of love poems from the collection, published by Overlook Press in 2005, describes the collection as: "the great literary work of eighth-century Japan, a collection comprised of work from more than four hundred known contributors. Its spectacular richness and diversity–noble sentiments of those residing in the court found next to the rustic expressions of frontier guards stationed at lonely outposts–have made the Manyoshu an object of literary fascination for centuries".
Japan's oldest poetry anthology is over a thousand years old Posted January 1st, 2018 by Richard Nathan
In the 1960s a member of the Japanese Imperial Family started moonlighting as a science fiction author[UPDATED: 3-4-2019]
Princess Fukuko Asaka (1941-2009) started publishing science fiction and fantasy stories in Japanese magazines in the late 1950s under the pen name Bien Fu, and had stories regularly published throughout the 1960s.
One of the Princess's stories was published in the first issue of Uchujin (1957-2009), an important pioneering science fiction magazine of the period.
The Princess was the Emperor's second cousin and the great granddaughter of the Meiji Emperor (1852-1912), who ushered in the Meiji Era (1868-1912), opening up Japan to the West after more than 250 years of self-imposed isolation. This was a period in which Japan and the Imperial family changed beyond all recognition. In fact, all aspects of Japanese society from the way people dressed and wore their hair, to the types of books that were read and written, as well as the food eaten, were to change dramatically.
In 1969, while in her late 20s, the Princess invited a group of schoolchildren to a former imperial palace to discuss writing and science fiction. One of those students, Takayuki Tatsumi, went on to become a professor of American Literature at Keio University, a prestigious private university in Tokyo. She was the first science fiction writer Tatsumi had met and by all accounts made a lasting impression.
Princess Fukuko Asaka, who lost her official title in 1947 during the post-war occupation of Japan by Allied Forces, published numerous fantasy and science fiction stories throughout the late 1960s and also produced comic strips.
Her work features cyborgs and immortal imperial consorts, and she reportedly empathised with Native Americans, whose position in their country, like her own in Japan, had changed after the arrival of people from afar. She was a vocal champion of their rights and the rights of others threatened with extinction.
According to literary critics and academics, this disinherited noblewoman was a pioneer of both Postmodernism and Science Fiction in Japan, and managed to reinvented herself as an author while also helping to lay the ground for others, especially women writers, and writers of new genres like Japanese Cyberpunk that has subsequently flourished in Japan.
In the 1960s a member of the Japanese Imperial Family started moonlighting as a science fiction author Posted February 13th, 2019 by Richard Nathan
More than 50 Japanese authors have killed themselves since 1900[UPDATED: 12-27-2018]
Research shows that at least 54 Japanese authors have committed suicide since 1900. This includes some of Japan's most famous and highly regarded authors and one of its two Nobel prize winners, Yasunari Kawabata (1899-1972), as well as Ryunosuke Akutagawa (1892-1927) after whom one of Japan's most prestigious literary prizes is named.
Another very well known example is Yukio Mishima (1925-1970) who famously and publicly committed suicide. His spectacular death, age 45, in November two month before his birthday, made international news and confirmed his position as Japan's most internationally famous individual and notorious author.
Osamu Dazai (1909-1948) author of the novel No Longer Human, which alongside Dazai himself, is often cited by contemporary male Japanese writers as their favorite, also killed himself. Dazai, who attempted suicide several times from an early age, idolized Ryunosuke Akutagawa, whose death in 1927 had a very profound and terrible impact on him.
Sadly, Dazai's own death in turn had a terrible impact on Hidemitsu Tanaka (1913-1949), the Olympic rower and novelist he mentored, who also killed himself. Tanaka wrote two Olympic related novels Orinposu no Kajitsu, The Fruit of Olympus, (1940) and Tantei Soshu, The Boat Rower, (1944). Tanaka killed himself at Dazai's grave the year after Dazai's death.
There is no doubt over how these four famous authors died, but Kawabata's suicide is considered by some, including his wife, as accidental. Nevertheless, his death and the circumstances were reported widely and internationally as suicide in publications such as The New York Times, for instance.
Kawabata helped Mishima at several important points in his life and the two were close. Kawabata officiated at Mishima's funeral, which was attended by thousands. However, unlike Mishima, Kawabata was at the end for his career and in poor heath when he died on the 16 April 1972, 17 months after Mishima.
Other well known Japanese authors included in the list of more than 50 authors who reportedly killed themselves are Takeo Arishima (1878-1923), Tamaki Hara (1905-1951) Ashihei Hino (1907-1960) and Hisashi Nozawa (1960-2004). And no doubt other lesser known and aspiring authors make have also taken their own lives.
Japan is often associated with suicide partly due to its Kamikaze pilots in the war and stories about famous Samurai warriors. However, it does, in fact have a higher suicide rate than many nations.
According to OECD data, Japan's suicide rate is 18.7 per 100,000 one of the world's highest rates amongst the nations surveyed by the OECD, and about 60 percent higher than the world average, but behind South Korea, which has an even higher rate at 28.7.
People often cite Japan's long tradition of an 'honourable suicide' as one reason for the high rate and also the lack of the Christian concept of sin and suicide being one such sin.
More than 50 Japanese authors have killed themselves since 1900 Posted January 3rd, 2018 by Richard Nathan
Japan's oldest publishing house, Hozokan, is more than 400 years old[UPDATED: 3-22-2018]
Hozokan, the Kyoto based Buddhist publisher can trace its roots back to 1602 and is considered to be Japan's oldest publisher. It publishes books on Buddhism, targeting both specialists and general readers.
Hozokan's longevity, and the nature of its subject specialism, has not stopped it embracing modern publishing marketing tools and techniques. It has an attractive website, and like most publishers today is embracing social media using, for instance, Twitter to promote its books.
The publisher started publishing the writings of Buddha just before Japan's Tokugawa Period (1603-1868) commenced, in 1602. The same year that Oxford University's Bodleian Library was opened, and the first performance of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was performed in London. Japan's oldest book, Hokekyo gisho, a Buddhist text, was written almost a thousand years earlier, in 615.
Hozokan's mission is to publish titles, mostly based on Buddhist teachings, that "will nurture moral and spiritual growth and foster a new age of spirituality in the 21st century". It has benefited significantly from being based in Kyoto, Japan's ancient capital, which is the home of many important temples.
The world's oldest publisher is said to be Cambridge University Press, which was founded much earlier in 1534 after Henry VIII granted it permission to print "all manner of books".
Japan's oldest publishing house, Hozokan, is more than 400 years old Posted January 4th, 2018 by Richard Nathan


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We raise money through donations and purchase goods. ALL proceeds go toward the building and creativity of the event.


Kristie has worked in a nursing home for the last 12 years. She has held titles such a director and assistant director of activities.
Last year for Easter I purchased some tulips for my mom that I had grown in a glass jar with no dirt. I thought it was so amazing, you could watch the tulips grow from the bulbs. The tulips cost about $15 and I thought to myself, I can grow these tulips myself much cheaper next year. I am always trying to find ways to save money. It should be cheaper to buy these tulips since you don't have to pay for the dirt to grow the tulips in.
Forcing tulips and or other perennials to grow is fairly easy to do in your home in glass jars or in other containers such as pots, canning jars or even an Easter basket.
In my glass vases I placed stones in the bottom. Put enough water in the vase to cover the stones. Next, I placed as many bulbs that would fit in the vase on top of the stones with the pointed end of the bulb up. Make sure there is not too much water in the vase or your bulb will rot. Tulip bulbs do not like too much water.
Tulips can be grown at any time of the year when grown in glass jars providing they spent 8 to 10 weeks hibernating in your refrigerator. Flowers make great gifts. I have about 10 jars growing now in vases and canning jars. I plan on starting more every week to assure some will be ready by Easter.
You can start forcing tulips in October to bloom by Christmas. On average, tulips need at least 12 to 16 weeks to bloom if started in September or October, but only 8 to 10 weeks if started in December. Remember, your tulips must have the 6 to 8 week dormant time to grow flowers otherwise you will only have leaves.
I read that they need to be in refrigerated 8 to 10 weeks. Then, I read tulips need 6 to 8 weeks dormant time to grow flowers. What is done with them during dormant time?
I find the idea fascinating and plan on starting with a few bulbs. What I would like to ask is how do you prevent the water from turning bad. Thank you so much.
After they bloom what do you do?
Does the water need to be changed and kept clean? Mine is growing algae.
Can you keep the tulips in the glass jar after they bloom , to bloom again? The article says year around blooms, just wondering how that works?
Just love the idea of growing plans in jars..l love all kinds of flowers & veggies.
After the bulbs finish their flowering do you then plant them outside and wait for a spring "show"?
Where do you place the bulbs in the refidgerator (crisper, top shelf, etc) and do you place them in a container or something.
I am wanting to grow some bulbs to force for our church's annual dinner and auction on April 8th. Where can I get some bulbs for forcing? Do you sell just 6 or so bulbs to do this?
I do this for Christmas! It makes for fun & different gifts!
What do u do with bulbs after they bloom?
After the blooms have died do you thrown the bulbs out, or will they bloom again?
I purchased the same tulips in the glass jar two weeks ago from Costco. They have fully bloomed and are now dead. How can I save the bulbs to plant in the ground?
You can put as many stones in as you like. No don't take the stones out. The roots need something to hold onto. After the bulbs have been in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 weeks, you plant them and let them grow. Don't place them back in the refrigerator.
So do you take the stones off after they've done growing? The first picture has no stones and the second is pretty full of them.
So when you buy the bulbs you placed them in the refrigerator for 8-10 weeks, then plant them and then place them back to the refrigeerator?
do you have to refrigerate tulip bulbs before planting in stones and water?
Really need to know how long it takes the tulips to bloom would love to do this for my daughter's wedding next April and can the tulips be in the freezer from now til next April!!!!!!
This is fabulous. I can't wait to try it.
This looks awesome! How do they grow with no soil?
Yes the bulbs were in the refriderator prior to planting and the bulb is placed on top of the rocks.
Do u put the bulbs in the refrigerator before u plant them in a jar? And do u put the bulbs under the stones or on top?
How long does it take from bulb to flower?


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Lyndsey's 10th round of chemo.
LYNDSEY CONNOLLY WAS diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in November 2013, at the age of 25.
She was in hospital with meningitis when a chest X-ray revealed the extent of her illness.
Lyndsey, from Blessington in Co Wicklow, underwent treatment in Tallaght Hospital for about seven months. She had 12 sessions of ABVD chemotherapy before being given the all clear in June of this year.
She is a co-founder of YouCan Ireland, a nationwide support service for young adults in their 20s and 30s who have or have had cancer, and their families.
To provide a nationwide support system for young adults with cancer, advocate for consistent and age-appropriate, respectful care that supports young adults with a cancer diagnosis, educate the public and medical profession on the experiences of young adults with cancer, and to be the face of young adult cancer.
Lyndsey says that she and others decided to set up YouCan Ireland because there is a "severe lack of services specifically designed for young adults (with cancer)".
In early February 2015, YouCan held its first meeting at a community centre in Dublin city. In 2016, the group plans to set up meetings throughout Ireland.
Lyndsey describes getting the all-clear as "incredible", but says she has struggled to re-adjust to life after cancer.
It's like feeling you can breathe for the first time again. You're holding your breath for so long … but that's when the second battle begins. Where do you go? You're changed completely. It's like you're broken and you have to pull yourself back together, and it's when you need people and you need support and it's not necessarily always there.
She thinks YouCan Ireland will help fill a void and provide support to young people in similar situations to her own.
More dates are to be confirmed.
Further details about YouCan Ireland can be found here.
Email "'Cancer doesn't discriminate': Young adults support each other after a diagnosis".
Feedback on "'Cancer doesn't discriminate': Young adults support each other after a diagnosis".


text:
Jack the Stripper
Jack the Stripper Stripped runner
In skulking around the alleyways of Victorian sensations, I have tried to define a category of supernatural entities: the "Jacks," inspired by the unparalleled original: Spring-heeled Jack. Like their namesake, these creatures share some common traits: Jack was clad in black, belched fire, had the ability to make impossible leaps or glide without touching the ground, and was bullet-proof. He also vanished in impossible ways. He was never caught. And he and his namesakes caused panic wherever they appeared.
Of course, not all Jacks come with the full Spring-heel package.
Our Jack, who shocked a Cincinnati, Ohio neighborhood from about 1875 to 1878, wore nothing but a coat of grease, caused a rather prurient panic, and evaded both bullets and arrest with ease. No one knew where he came from; he simply melted away in the dark, to the despair of the police force and the titillation of the ladies. I call him "Jack the Stripper." [Note: No relation to the 1960s British serial killer.]
Strange Story from a Quiet Neighborhood
A Naked Man Roaming the Streets at Midnight for Three Years Defies Capture.
People living in the neighborhood of Betts and Clinton and Linn and Baymiller streets have for the last three years been occasionally exercised by the mysterious appearance in that vicinity of a naked man, running at break-neck speed through the streets, who has defied the efforts of many of the citizens, aided by the police, to capture him. Where he comes from or where he goes to is as much as mystery as why he should make such an exhibition of himself, and all attempts to penetrate either have heretofore proved futile. He has been chased dozens of times, has been fired at by policemen, and on several occasions parties who have seen him have got close enough to him to lay hands on him, but he always managed to slip through their fingers and get away. Those who have taken hold of him state that his limbs and body were as slippery as if greased, and that it was impossible to hold him.
Among others who have seen him is Mr. Fisher, of Robinson's Circus. This gentleman says that about three years ago he was returning home along Betts street with his wife, when the mysterious man rushed between them from behind, and, without ever once turning his head, continued his course down the street. Mr. Fisher followed him four or five squares down, but failed to catch him. Since then, owing to his being away from home so much with the circus, Mr. Fisher has not seen him, but his wife says she has on several occasions. On Monday night, about half-past ten o'clock, while the latter, in company with two or three young ladies, was returning from the fire on Central avenue, the naked man rushed past them on Betts street and disappeared in the darkness. He is described as being a tall man with whiskers and is always on the run and stark naked when seen. It is impossible to doubt the testimony of the many people who have seen this man, and yet the affair looks very mysterious. The only conclusion one can come to is that these people may have, at different times, seen some patient who had escaped from the Betts-street Hospital in the vicinity, and thought it was the same man all the time, or that he was one of Mrs. Lucas' victims who had left his clothes behind. The Cincinnati [OH] Enquirer 23 October 1878: p. 8
Given that statement, one wonders how many patients actually "escaped" from the Betts Street Hospital, which was not a lunatic asylum, but a general hospital run by the Franciscan sisters? Oddly enough, there is a report from a decade later headed "An Escaped Typhoid Patient Runs Naked in the Streets, and is Locked Up in a Station-House." The unfortunate was a brewery employe named Carl Drieh; he had escaped from his home, thrown off his clothes, and ran howling through the streets. After raving in delirium in the local police station all night, he was transported to the Betts Street Hospital. [Source: The Cincinnati [OH] Enquirer 1 September 1888: p. 4] Very different than our quiet "Jack."
Mrs Lucas was an "adventuress" and "beautiful fiend" who was reported in June 1878 as the instigator of "one of the boldest and most shameless cases of robbery and black-mail that ever disgraced the criminal annals of any city." She lured an elderly real estate broker to her hotel room where she forced him to strip at gunpoint, then made him sign a statement that he tried to rape her, as well as sign over a check for $1,000. How she escaped from the custody of the Cincinnati police is a little vague, but she went on working the same scam on wealthy men in Boston and Detroit. [Source: The Cincinnati [OH] Enquirer 21 June 1878: p. 4]
The saga continued a few nights later, with the public whipped into a naked-ghost-hunting frenzy. An imposter chose that precise moment to make an ill-advised appearance.
NAKED FACTS
The Man-Afraid-of-His-Clothes Creates a Decided Sensation.
A Feeble Imitator Comes to Grief.
Last Wednesday's Enquirer contained an item in reference to the strange conduct of an unknown man, who has frequently been observed in the neighbourhood of Betts and Linn streets, rushing along the highway in a state of nature—that is, perfectly naked. Who he is, or what is the cause of his strange actions, is a profound mystery. He has been seen by numerous citizens, and by the policemen on those beats within the past three years, but all efforts to catch him have proved futile. He slips through one's fingers, it is said, as though he were greased. One night, about a year and a half ago, as Officer Davis was sitting on a salt-barrel at the corner of Baymiller and Clinton streets, he was started to see this "What Is It" dash from a hallway near him and run up Clinton street. The officer's cry of "Halt!" had no other effect than to increase the speed of the flying man. Davis then fired two shots at him, but the man still ran, and was soon lost in the darkness. Ever since the publication in the Enquirer of the strange antics of the "Unknown," public interest in the West End has centered in the locality where he was last seen—that is, in the alley running in the rear of the Betts-street Hospital. Crowds of men, women and children flock there nightly as soon as the lamps are lit, and stand for hours waiting to see the "ghost," as he is now called. Last night Linn street, for a square both above and below Betts street, and for a square along the latter thoroughfare was lined with an excited mob of people, whose only topic of conversation was the "naked man," the "ghost," the "wild man," Travel up and down Linn street was entirely blocked, and, finally, Officers Davis and Cannon found it necessary to arrest a number of men as a warning to the crowd that the streets must be kept clear. Twenty-four citizens were taken to the Oliver-street Station-house on the charge of obstructing the sidewalk, but the example had not the least effect on the expectant multitude that stood its ground and gossiped about the mystery. Presented a sensation was enjoyed, gotten up for the occasion.
While the crowd was thus anxiously standing on the corners and peeping up alleys, anxious to get the first glimpse at the unclothed ghost, a builder of bread in that neighbourhood conceived an idea. It was J. Christ Hearting whose bakery is on time [sic] near Betts street. Christ is a man who loves his joke, and he concluded it would be more fun than a barrelful to play the ghost and scare the masses. So, forgetting that the ghost of the neighbourhood was careless about its clothes, Christ wrapped a sheet around his form, slipped out in the alley, began dancing a war jig and howling very much as ghosts do not. The result was startling—not to the crowd, but to the baker. The ruse didn't have the desired effect; but, on the contrary, the crowd made a rush toward the whooping ghost. Christ saw his mistake and took to his heels, followed by the howling mob. What would have been the end no one knows, had an officer not nipped the baker in his mad flight and trotted him off to the Station-house. The next time he goes ghost masquerading he'll first be careful how he does it.
An Enquirer reporter mingled with the waiting crowd on the sidewalks and tried to get the prevailing sentiment. He swung around and anchored under the bows of a large hulk riding upon the bosom of the gutter.
"My good man," addressed our reporter, "what are you expecting to see?"
"Why, that 'er naked feller."
"And are all these people bustling round here to see the same thing?" "Just bet yer life they are."
"But these women don't want to catch the mysterious man, do they. That's not what there [sic] here for?"
"Wal, no, I dunno. A good many of them old gals'd like to ketch some man, clothes or no clothes, just bet yer life."
At this moment two girls pushed and elbowed their way up to the mouth of the alley, and peeped down with eyes that stood out half an inch in expectancy.
"Oh, dear," simpered one of the modest damsels. "I hope the dreadful man will not come this way! I know I should die if I saw him." Then she peered down the alley again, as if death were a luxury.
Our reporter turned to his male philosopher. The latter winked, dropped a pink of tobacco juice from his mouth upon his broad boots, and observed:
"She don't want to see him—oh, no."
"But," said our reporter, as an idea struck him—"but, after all, it may be a woman and not a man."
"It's not a woman, bet your life," asserted the philosopher.
"Why?" inquired the man in search of information.
"Why? Why? Do you suppose a woman could run around town this way and not get kotched? Bet yer life she couldn't."
And the huge philosopher worked his fingers spasmodically as though he'd like to start out on the hunt right away. The Cincinnati [OH] Enquirer 26 October 1878: p. 4
And there the story ends. Like so many panics, this one has no resolution that I can find. The greased skin is a nice touch. It runs in my mind that wrestlers used that trick; either this fellow used it to help him evade capture or the grease was to keep him warm in his "state of nature." October nights in Cincinnati can be quite chilly.
Perhaps what we have here is not a "Jack," but the urban equivalent of a wild-man, with the armed posse replaced by police officers. This slice of life narrative uses the common catch-phrases used in the newspapers for wild men "what-is-it," "ghost," "Unknown." Wild men are often naked (although usually they are hairier) and they too run at unusual speeds to outwit their pursuers. The 1870s was a fruitful time for wild man reports. As an aside, I suspect that the date suggests that at least some of these creatures are Civil War veterans with PTSD who fled to the wilderness.
But whether "Jack" or "Wild Man," what I find baffling is his invincibility. I've said this before in reference to ghost impersonators as well as other Jacks, like "Jack the Ink-slinger" and the female equivalent of a "Jack," The Women in Black, but how can someone flit around for that length of time and not get caught or shot, particularly when being chased by the police who knew his "beat?"
If you know or have an ending for Jack, just one naked story in a city of less than three million, I would be pleased to hear your thoughts. chriswoodyard8 AT gmail.com
Chris Woodyard is the author of The Victorian Book of the Dead, The Ghost Wore Black, The Headless Horror, The Face in the Window, and the 7-volume Haunted Ohio series. She is also the chronicler of the adventures of that amiable murderess Mrs Daffodil in A Spot of Bother: Four Macabre Tales. The books are available in paperback and for Kindle. Indexes and fact sheets for all of these books may be found by searching hauntedohiobooks.com. Join her on FB at Haunted Ohio by Chris Woodyard or The Victorian Book of the Dead. And visit her newest blog, The Victorian Book of the Dead.
on August 1, 2015	 in Crime, Ephemera, Fortean Mysteries, Interesting People, News, Panics, Social History, Strange Lives, Victorian	and tagged Cincinnati ghost, CIncinnati Ohio, ghost hoaxes, ghost hunts, ghost panics, J. Christ Hearting, Jack the Stripper, naked ghost, panics, wild man, wild men