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Exploring the WORLD WITHOUT END
"Exploring the WORLD WITHOUT END" is my latest essay at www.blackgate.com.
It's an in-depth look at one of the greatest and most neglected graphic novels ever written: Jamie Delano and John Higgins' WORLD WITHOUT END (from 1990).
A timeless masterpiece of weird science-fantasy.
What We Are VIII
"Everything in the universe is within you. Ask all from yourself."
What We Are VII
"We come spinning out of nothingness scattering stars like dust."
Baby Don'cha Wanna Go?
Well, I'm off to Chicago for a few days, so the blog posts may be less frequent this week. I'm taking my copy of THE POWER THAT PRESERVES with me…I'm only a few chapters into it but already it's at a fever pitch. Donaldson really starts this third book of his trilogy with a BANG…the Siege of Revelstone is on and Thomas Covenant will have to bring himself back to The Land if he wants to save it. Meanwhile, my own return to The Land (i.e. California) will be Thursday evening.
Also in my travelin' bag for my sojourn to the Midwest are copies of Michael Shea's NIFFT THE LEAN and Chopra's POWER, WISDOM, AND GRACE (I always travel with this book). I probably won't finish reading POWER this week, but just in case I've got NIFFT, which has been on my reading list for quite awhile now.
Before I hop on the proverbial "big ol' jet airliner," I leave you with this classic tune from the Godfather of Blues, the great Robert Johnson…
Discovering the Unbeliever IV: THE POWER OF FANTASY
Tonight I finally finished reading THE ILLEARTH WAR, the second book of THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER by Stephen R. Donaldson. (See my previous "Discovering the Unbeliever" posts if you missed them.) Before I dive into the trilogy's final book, THE POWER THAT PRESERVES, I have a brief word to say about THE ILLEARTH WAR:
The second book is even better than the first. This goes right along with what a friend of mine (Fred S. Durbin) was saying: That each book of this trilogy is better than the one that came before. Seeing as how I felt that same way about Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS, this was good news. That Durbin guy knows what he's talking about (there's a link to his blog at the bottom of this page). THE ILLEARTH WAR had me captivated right from the start.
Donaldson upped the stakes and the magic in this second installment. My last post talked about the refreshing point-of-view switch from Covenant to Hile Troy, the blind earth-man who enters The Land and becomes a Warmark (i.e. general). At one point Lord Mhoram, the most likeable character in the book and the most steadfast of all the powerful Lords, says to Troy: "Ur-Lord Covenant is a prophet." Covenant had just told Troy that the war he was leading would lead to his own tragic end.
At the time I (much like Troy) thought Covenant was just full of his usual bitter pessimism. Troy's strategy does end up winning the war for the Lords…but at a terrible cost in lives…and his own fate is a strange and bizarre tragedy that I could never have predicted. It's one of the book's most memorable and unique moments, involving the weird and deadly power of the Forestal of Garrotting Deep…an immortal druid-god who adds new depth to The Land's mystical properties. Troy is the embodiment of "blind faith" and that which he believes in utterly (The Land) utterly consumes him. His fate is far stranger than death…and it left me feeling ambivalent, unsure if this was poetic justice or undeserved retribution.
Covenant himself becomes more human in this middle book…discovering at last that Elena is his daughter (albeit a child of rape). Yet this too leads to its own tragedy in a confrontation of magnificent sorcery that is literally earth-shattering. On a quest to find the ultimate magical power (Lord Kevin's Seventh Ward), Covenant gets to know Elena and finally accepts his love for her…yet in the end it does neither of them any good. The ending of THE ILLEARTH WAR is far more tragic than LORD FOUL'S BANE…Donaldson obviously does not want to repeat himself. This isn't really a surprise when you consider that a "middle chapter" has to build tension that will be resolved later in the "final chapter." He does a wonderful job of this…THE ILLEARTH WAR leaves its reader hungry for the final volume.
Whereas LORD FOUL'S BANE was all build, build, build to a single climax, THE ILLEARTH WAR is a series of builds that create several mini-climaxes, culminating in the thrilling yet tragic resolution of two simultaneous plotlines (i.e. The War/The Quest). Donaldson has succeeded on many levels here: The world of The Land is richer and deeper. The recurring characters (Mhoram, Bannor, even Covenant) are compelling and endearing…Covenant is definitely not a hero but Mhoram and Bannor definitely are.
The book is full of scene after scene of unrestrained magical conflicts and eruptions of deadly sorcery. This is exactly what I was hoping for. Donaldson's narration does tend to meander in certain scenes, but it's only because he wants to build suspense to a fever pitch and evoke the severest detail in his characters. He never gets in a hurry to move the plot along, and yet when something major happens he leaves you thrilled and breathless. And in this second book, things really happen. BIG things.
Thomas Covenant's journey from coward to hero (Is that his journey?) has taken one important step. In the first book he was afraid to even try…in the second book he eventually tries to use his White Gold Power…but he's completely ineffective. It leaves me wondering if the third book (his third return to The Land) will have him trying AND succeeding to use his power. Perhaps he will realize that he waited too long, didn't take his role as messiah/savior seriously, and paid a heavy price for it. Perhaps he will ultimately embrace his slumbering "wild magic" in THE POWER THAT PRESERVES. And yet … Donaldson's work remains unpredictable. I have no faith that Covenant will try, or succeed.
This brings me again to the heart of Donaldson's genius: He takes the Epic Fantasy genre and applies the reality of a Flawed Humanity to it. His heroes are just as likely to die or fail as to conquer…his magic is just as likely to consume you as it is to aid you…his characters fall prey to their own weaknesses of character and the lust for power.
Donaldson uses the tropes of fantasy to explore the Human Condition. This is literary work of the highest degree…genre be damned. Fantasy Literature with an emphasis on the Literature, yet with no shortage of adventure. The icing on the cake is how he manages to evoke such raw humanity in such fantastic situations and settings. It is a goal that all good fantasy writers should strive to achieve.
Ironically, I'm now sharing more of Covenant's skepticism that The Land might actually BE a fantasy world…a projection of his own damaged psyche. But it's such a wonderfully beautiful, enaging, and exciting world that I don't really care if it's real or not. Which may be the exact place Covenant is heading for in the end. If a dream can heal you and bring you enlightenment, is it any less real than the dream we live every day and call "the waking world"?
Now I'm ready to dive into the pages beneath that fabulous green cover that has fascinated me since childhood. Bring on THE POWER THAT PRESERVES!
More thoughts on the THOMAS COVENANT TRILOGY as I continue the journey…
What We Are VI
"Consciousness does not exist in space-time. Space-time exists in consciousness."
— Deep C.
Epic Fantasy in the Modern World
I recently discovered this terrific and insightful essay by Stephen R. Donaldson (author of the THOMAS CONVENANT TRILOGY):
http://www.stephenrdonaldson.com/EpicFantasy.pdf
Reading Donaldson's essay gives me a new understanding of why Thomas Covenant had to be such a miserable "schmuck." It also makes some brilliant observations about the nature of fantasy itself...
The essay was written in 1986, but it remains as relevant as ever to readers and writers of fantasy. In it, Donaldson talks about what Epic Fantasy is and explores his own big question of WHY his series became a huge best-seller when he never expected any commercial success.
Utterly fascinating…
What We Are V
"Beyond the play of light and shadow I must peel the layers of my soul.
Arriving at the timeless core at the center of my Being."
–Deep C.
ON WRITING FANTASY: A Timeless Style
"ON WRITING FANTASY: A Timeless Style" — My latest essay at www.blackgate.com.
It's the second in a series that began with an essay on Originality.
PLANETARY WELLNESS: A new consciousness
The concept of Spaceship Earth goes back to the visionary thinker Buckminster Fuller, and now is the time to pay heed to it. Spaceships carry a limited supply of food and water with them, and the crew must be disciplined about those limited reserves. It would be fatal to run short, but it would also be fatal to contaminate even a small portion of food and water. Because we haven't seen Earth as our spaceship, we've lost all discipline. After centuries of human influence, there is contamination everywhere.
The toxic oil spill in the Gulf is heartbreaking and so massive that it cannot be overlooked. But thirty years ago the pioneering ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau reported that every square mile of the world's oceans is covered with a thin film of oil. It's barely visible, if at all, but it's there. Because there are seemingly endless stretches of ocean — just as there seemed to be endless stretches of ice at the poles — human beings could afford to pretend that we aren't living on a spaceship.
That time is at an end. Technology will eventually bring us an end to fossil fuels. Water diversion can bring drinking water to the overcrowded cities where clean, potable water is quickly running out (several in India, including Mumbai, are reaching the critical point). Genetic therapies may one day bring down cancer rates by more than a trifling amount. In other words, if you are an optimist, the hazards of climate change and overpopulation are waiting for solutions that will one day emerge, hopefully sooner than later.
But what kind of a solution is it to survive on a toxic planet? This is like telling a patient that he is well because he's not about to die. We need to adopt a new kind of consciousness in which the wellness of Spaceship Earth is true wellness, not simply the absence of potentially fatal conditions. Right now, we face the potential for ecological disaster on many fronts, from the melting glaciers of the Himalayas that threaten to dislocate millions of refugees to the rising seas that could submerge the Maldives to dying coral reefs all over the globe.
Our choice is to stand back and passively let bad go to worse, or we could become active stewards of the planet. A new consciousness involves networking and group efforts. It involves political influence and the development of new leadership. But all activity begins in consciousness first; you must be aware enough to look reality in the face. We aren't doing that except in fits and starts. Overwhelmed by bad news on the ecological front for more than a decade, all of us find it easier to shut down and tune out. But there's another alternative: the invigorating, energizing call to action that leads to personal fulfillment and empowerment.
Healing this planet would be empowering for all of us. What won't empower us is sitting at the sickbed watching Mother Nature grow sicker until signs of death appear. Planetary wellness needs to become a global movement, yet it begins with you and me, and the time to act is now.
– From http://deepakchopra.com
– Originally published in the San Francisco Chronicle
Discovering the Unbeliever III: THE POWER OF P-O-V
Book II of THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER offers surprises in viewpoint, character, and plot while continuing to flesh out Donaldson's fantasy world.
I am now halfway through THE ILLEARTH WAR, the second book of THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER by Stephen R. Donaldson. (See my previous "Discovering the Unbeliever" posts if you missed them.)
As I stated in my last post, I was worried that the second novel would continue to force the reader (i.e. me) to wallow in the pitiful psyche of Thomas Covenant, its unlikeable yet strangely compelling protagonist. I knew I wouldn't make it through another book trapped in the viewpoint of this pain-addicted, pessimistic, masochistic loser. I needn't have worried…I am enjoying the second book even more than the first.
Donaldson was obviously clever enough to realize that his protagonist might grate on readers's nerves, so he pulls some interesting trickes in THE ILLEARTH WAR to put a fresh perspective on his fantasy world and to allow the reader a fresh point-of-view (p-o-v). This new viewpoint is a handy way to see Thomas Covenant from a totally different angle.
Covenant is still the depressive curmudgeon when he's brought back to The Land after 40 years (only two weeks in his own world). However, during Part 2 of this novel, Donaldson switches point-of-view from Covenant to Hile Troy, another visitor from "our world" who was pulled into the land by an act of magical summoning. (It was a failed attempt to bring Covenent back five years earlier.)
Not only does having TWO "earthmen" provide us with a firmer belief that The Land is indeed real and not just a fever dream of Thomas Covenant's, it offers the chance to escape Covenant's tattered psyche. Of course, Covenant himself STILL DOESN'T BELIEVE in The Land, even when he meets Hile Troy. Troy is the opposite of Covenant: he believes in The Land, he wants to be its savior, and he chooses it over his earthly existence. Covenant can only view Troy as a construction of his own unconscious mind, which is exactly how he views EVERYTHING including The Land itself. On top of all his terrible qualities, Covenant is also a secret narcissist.
It's rewarding and refreshing to see Hile Troy confront Covenant and make the same arguments that I as the reader want to make. Troy tries his best to convince Covenant that a) The Land is real, not a dream , and b) that Covenant is far better off in this world than as a leper on earth. Yet Covenant refuses to accept either of these notions…he is obsessed with returning to his "real" life of ultimate isolation, terrifying disease, and mental anguish.
Troy, on the other hand, was born blind and has had his sight restored by the magic of The Land. He embraces his new life and has risen to the rank of Warmark in the armies of the Lords. He is in charge of planning the strategy of the Illearth War and giving the Lords a chance against Lord Foul's army of corruption and monsters as it marches north to destroy civilization. Covenant once again goes along reluctantly with the "dream" he's having, the irascible shlub who denies every hope, taunts his friends with hypocritical condemnations, and basically rains on everyone's parade as they do their best to save The Land from annihilation. Interesting new characters are introduced, and The Land weaves a fresh spell about the reader. If this story had stayed stuck in the gloom of Covenant's point-of-view, it would have been nearly impossible to continue reading.
Through Troy's p-o-v we understand the mental weight of someone responsible for sending thousands of men into battle, we feel his love of The Land and its enchanted beauty, and we know his secret passion for the High Lord Elena…who appears to be Covenant's illegitimate daughter (although the book hasn't made this clear yet, and Covenant seemingly hasn't figured it out). I don't know what to say about the scene where Elena kisses Covenant…there are blurred shades of morality here. Of course, Covenant flees from any intimacy, but in this case I breathed a sigh of relief! One wants to smack Covenant and make him ask Elena exactly how old she is and WHO HER FATHER WAS…because I'm betting it was him. Yes, it was forty years ago, but the Lords have their youth extended by the Earthpower…
I'd love to know what Donaldson's thinking was when he wrote this second book of the trilogy. Did readers/editors of LORD FOUL'S BANE (Book I) ask him to consider a viewpoint shift in THE ILLEARTH WAR? Or did he tire of the incessant whining and masochism of Thomas Covenant and decide to give himself a break from writing in the Unbeliever's p-o-v? As a writer these are the kinds of questions I ponder. A novel is, among other things, a series of choices carefully made by the author. Usually they have very good reasons for whatever road they took.
The third book in THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER. This has to be one of fantasy fiction's all-time great cover paintings. Darrell K. Sweet, the artist, is a guest of honor at this year's World Fantasy Convention.
As I continue to read THE ILLEARTH WAR, I wonder if the point-of-view will shift again to other characters … and if it will ever come back to Covenant. I've stopped wondering if Covenant will ever change from "Unbeliever" to "Believer" or learn to accept the second chance at life The Land has given him. I doubt that he will ever change. He seems stuck in the rigid groove of his own tremendous denial. I also wonder if he will end up transported back to earth at the end of each book as he was at the close of the first one. If so, this will only reinforce his idea that The Land is a construction of his subconscious.
A great novel not only thrills and entertains, but engenders questions and deep thought. THE ILLEARTH WAR succeeds at all of these with flying colors. It is high fantasy grounded in the absolute reality of the human condition. That is a winning combination.
Look for another update when I approach the third book, THE POWER THAT PRESERVES.
The Land is calling…
What We Are IV
"We are a wave of metabolism through which passes earth, sun, and sky.
They are as much our body as our heart and lungs."
It's great to have Chopra back from his time living as a beggar monk. He always gives me something to think about in his blogs and tweets. Sheer inspiration.
THE SWORD: Putting the "Heavy" Back In Metal
Superb cover art from "Warp Riders," the new album by THE SWORD. This has to be the best album cover since Wolfmother used Frank Frazetta's "Sea Witch" on their first album. Full speed ahead!
One of my favorite bands THE SWORD has released both a new track and the cover art for their new album "Warp Riders."
The track is called "Tres Brujas" (i.e. "Three Witches"). It's available for FREE downloading right here: http://www.swordofdoom.com/
(All you have to do is put your e-mail address on the band's mailing list.)
The album hits stores on August 24 and I'll be first in line. This is heavy metal in the Black Sabbath / Led Zeppelin / Monster Magnet vein…it's old-school inspired yet decidedly modern. Remember when the word "heavy" meant something? Huge stonehenge riffs, sonic landscapes of mythic adventure, pyschedelic streams of aural sorcery. These things are in the band's bloodstream.
"Warp Riders" (the band's third full-length CD) is a concept album, specifically
"an interplanetary sword-and-sorcery epic." Yes! Believe me, these guys have what it takes to pull it off. We've all seen our share of those heavy rock bands who have terrific cover art but lack the musical skills to live up to their visual image. THE SWORD, however, is the Real Deal. They don't spend time on fancy costumes or hokey stage gimmicks…they just make amazing albums then hit the road, crank up the Marshalls, and let the decibels fly. They hail from Austin, Texas, but they sound like thundering groove wizards from another world.
Singer/Guitarist J.D. Cronise recently told Classic Rock Magazine: "I wanted to create a setting for our songs that would be unique and different, but still a place where epic sagas unfold in proper Sword fashion." He was inspired by "lots of things … the legend of Atlantis, old Heavy Metal magazines, the films of René Laloux, a childhood dream, and The Teachings Of Don Juan by Carlos Castaneda to name a few."
Check out "Tres Brujas"…it'll blow your speakers if you let it. To hear other fantastic SWORD tracks from their previous albums, visit their MySpace page and crank it up: http://www.myspace.com/thesword
THE SWORD takes their fans on not only a sonic journey, but a mental journey as well. For fans of fantasy adventure who like their rock heavy, this is the band you've been dreaming about.
Thoughts on THOR (the Movie)
Here's a new pic from the forthcoming THOR movie, giving us our first good look at Odin the All-Father, and Loki the God of Mischief. (Thor himself was already shown in some previous preview pics.)
I wonder if Thor, Odin, and Loki will have CGI-generated helmets in the movie. All three characters wear helms constantly in the comics...so CGI headgear is a definite possibility.
Here's what I like about it: This is definitely Jack Kirby's Odin, Loki, and Thor (albeit reinvented for the cinema and modern audiences). It's faithful enough that I think the King of Comics would be proud to see it. Notice the intricate detail of Odin's armor…total Kirby. (Keep in mind the CGI hasn't been added to these photos yet, so they're not yet shining with godly power or metallic sheen.) That's also Kirby's Loki…but more the Loki of his "Tales of Asgard" back-ups than the big-horned Loki that came to be the standard model. And Thor himself is pretty close to Kirby's original design, despite the absence of the trademark winged helm.
Compare the movie Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins) to this classic Kirby panel:
Nice! Although Kirby hadn't yet added Odin's traditional eye-patch in this picture, the grandeur and majesty of the All-Father is there in every line.
Kenneth Branagh is bringing the thunder to THOR. Verily!
But here's what really gives me high hopes for the THOR movie: Kenneth Branagh…a director/actor with serious Shakespearean cred. There's no question about it, THE MIGHTY THOR comic was Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's "Shakespeare" book. I believe Branagh is coming from the same inspiration.
Look back at the movie pic…see the sheer insolence on Loki's face? Oh, yeah, that's what I'm talking about. The Gods are in the Details.
Nothing will be certain until the movie hits theatres, but from everything I've heard and seen, THOR has the potential to be one of the best Marvel movies ever. Perhaps even the best. (Depends on how much you love the character…and Shakespeare.)
I can't wait to see The Warriors Three, especially with Ray Stevenson (ROME's "Titus Pullo") as Voluminous Volstagg….the hits just keep on coming.
Just for the Hel of it (pun intended), here's my all-time favorite vision of Loki, as drawn by the immortal Big John Buscema. This pic has everything: power, grace, the solemn frustration and misery of the evil one. Next to Kirby, Buscema did my favorite Thor comics (followed closely by the great Walt Simonson).
For Asgard!!!
WINDWALKER: A Fantasy Masterpiece
Over at the BLACK GATE website I've posted an essay about one of my all-time favorite films, WINDWALKER.
If you've never seen it, you've got a wonderful experience in your future.
Check it out here: http://www.blackgate.com/
Cosmic Consciousness and Creativity
NOTE: I'm re-posting this because it's so important to me and the philosophy that drives this blog, my work, and my life. It was one of my first posts when I started this Virtual Sanctuary, and so here it is again for those of you who missed it the first time around. Peace!
"You are fully awake when you see and feel the presence of spirit in everything."
"You can live with effortless ease by allowing universal intelligence to flow through you without interference in the form of fear, resistance, or attachment."
"The key to lasting happiness is to identify with the unchanging essence of your inner self, your source. Then you no longer look for happiness because you know that you already have it."
"When you identify with the eternal spirit, the unchanging essence of consciousness itself, you transcend all suffering, including the fear of death."
These are some of my favorite statements; some of the wisest sentences I've ever read. And they all came from the same book: POWER, FREEDOM, AND GRACE by Dr. Deepak Chopra. No, it's not a religious text. Nor is it some "New Age" bible mean to brainwash the masses. What Chopra has created here is a Great Work of Philosophy.
This book, more than anything I've read, has changed my life in subtle and lasting ways. I first read it about three or four years ago, and since then I keep coming back to it again and again. It is a seemingly boundless source of wisdom and principles that can lead you to your own personal enlightenment. I recommend it to EVERYONE. If you've ever asked yourself "What does it all mean? Why am I here? What's the point of life?" then you need to read this book.
Chopra does not lay down a set of dogma, he doesn't tell you what to believe. Rather, he brings together modern science, classic and contemporary spirituality, and the ancient Indian philosphy called Vedanta, and combines them all into a seemless whole that literally EXPLAINS THE UNIVERSE. The thoughts and concepts in this book are so deep and so crucial, I found myself wanting to read it front-to-back over and over again. It's almost like the longer I stay away from this book, the more "modern society" tries to erase this wisdom from my consciousness. The simple act of surviving often distracts us from our spiritual side, our eternal essence, and drowns out the quiet wisdom at the center of our being. So coming back to POWER, FREEDOM, AND GRACE again and again has been like returning to a Well of Spirit to drink deeply of its cool waters whenever I get thirsty.
Chopra puts an emphasis on daily meditation. This is something I'm still working on. With my busy schedule as a teacher, and trying to fit in my creative writing on my days off, I find myself reluctant to sit down and MEDITATE. When I do this, the benefits to me, mentally, emotionally, and physically, are phenomenal. Yet something in me (conditioning?) doesn't want me to sit down and meditate. I have to make it a regular part of my daily habit. When I do this, the quality of life improves tremendously. I mean it's the gateway to happiness. Daily meditation.
One of my favorite film directors and artists, David Lynch, has been singing the praises of meditation for many years. He also has a great book called CATCHNG THE BIG FISH: MEDITATION, CONSCIOUSNESS, AND CREATIVITY, which explores the link between daily meditation and creativity. He points out, as does Chopra, that meditation brings you in contact with the Universal Consciousness where ALL ideas are born and exist beyond time and space. When you sit and observe your own breathing for 20 minutes twice a day, you are connecting yourself with this Universal Consciousness. The more you do it, the more in touch you get. Lynch compares meditation to fishing, going deeper and deeper into the Universal Consciousness, the Eternal Intelligence of the Universe, and finding those answers, solutions, and inspirations that drive the artistic process of any kind.
Chopra goes far beyond meditational practice in his book, explaining how Vedanta and modern science have come together via the discovery of the Unified Field of Existence. That is the name for the vast energy field that comprises the ENTIRE UNIVERSE. We are all of us merely "events" born of this Unified Field; but truthfully we ARE THE FIELD, which erupts into the phsyical world through our body/minds. Chopra (and Vedanta sages) call this field the Cosmic Consciousness or Universal Intelligence. Our bodies and our minds, he explains, are localized manifestations of this nonlocal consciousness…as are planets, galaxies, trees, rocks, water, air, rubber ducks, horseshoes, and everything else inhabiting the universe. We are attached to EVERYTHING at the level of spirit (i.e. consciousness). It is a comforting thought indeed.
In fact, our bodies and minds (which he calls the body/mind, since they cannot be separated) are localized phenomenon along the Unified Field. We are all simply drops in the ocean…but we are also the ocean in the drop. All consciousness comes from the same place: the vast resevoir of limitless spirit that is the Eternal Awareness. When we meditate, we remember this by consciously linking ourselves to this inexhaustible source of power. When we realize that we are all part of the same field of Universal Intelligence, we realize that there is no difference between us and our fellow man, no difference between us and the nature that we inhabit.
In fact, the brain creates the world outside your body. This is a bit hard to swallow at first, but the more you think on it, the more sense it makes. The world, the universe is really just a vast "cosmic soup" of energy (which we classify into molecules, atoms, and subatomic particles). That's all it is. When our 5 senses recieve input from this "cosmic soup" it's our BRAIN that process this input (photonic light; sonic waves, etc.) into THE WORLD. We don't realize that we are all beings of energy (light) floating and existing within a vast field of intelligence (spirit energy) because our BRAIN takes the raw feed from our SENSES and transmogrifies it into the "real world." The real world is, in fact, an illusion.
Reading this book reminded me of something I have long known, ever since my spiritually wandering college days when I sought answers to the Big Questions: It reminded me that We Are All One. The Unified Field connects us all. The world we inhabit is the world we make!
The legendary physicist Werner Heisenberg stated this another way. He said that when you observe a phenomenon, your observation CHANGES that phenomenon. In other words, if you watch something, the very fact that you're watching it changes what you're looking at. This has been proven in scientific labs all over the world. It's called the Heisenberg Principle. This applies not only to subatomic and atomic levels of reality, but to ALL levels of reality. And from this we get physicist Max Planck's statement: "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."
POWER, FREEDOM, AND GRACE is the most empowering single book I've ever encountered. For those who want to move their consciousness far beyond the "prison" of the physical world, this is the book for you. For those who have been searching for "happiness" all their lives and finding little, this is the book. In fact, for any thinking human being, this book will open your doors of perception far wider than any drug. At the same time, it supports and reaffirms existing spiritual beliefs. If mainstream religion had more of THIS, a lot more people would be finding their answers there.
To all the Thinkers and Dreamers reading this, let me recommend Chopra's POWER, FREEDOM AND GRACE in the spirit of love, creative consciousness, and brotherhood. And for those of you who are creative types, you'll want to check out David Lynch's CATCHING THE BIG FISH as well.
By opening ourselves to the boundless Creative Consciousness of the universe, the field of intelligence that is the source of EVERYTHING, we energize our art, our writing, our creative endeavors, and most importantly, our very lives…
Discovering the Unbeliever II: HERO SCHMUCK
THE ILLEARTH WAR is the second book in the CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER, sequel to the first book LORD FOUL'S BANE.
Tonight I finished reading LORD FOUL'S BANE, the first book in Stephen R. Donaldson's epic trilogy THE CHRONICLES OF THOMAS COVENANT THE UNBELIEVER. In an earlier post ("Discovering the Unbeliever") I talked about how Donaldson bowled me over with a mix of traditional fantasy elements, a heavy dose of originality, and a perfectly anti-heroic protagonist. Now that I've reached the end of the first book, I'm nearly as ambivalent about The Land as Thomas Covenant himself. The poor bastard…
Covenant could not take his Messianic role seriously because a) he believed The Land was only a dream he was having, and b) he was an emotionally and spiritually scarred coward to the core. And this is what bugs me about the first book's conclusion: I expected there to come a moment at some point during the battles, the desperate flights of magic, the near-death moments, the confrontations with evil and strange powers that rule The Land and threaten to destroy it…I expected there to come a moment where Covenant quits whining and realizes a) "Wow, this really isn't a dream–it's all real!" and b) "I should embrace my role as White Gold Wielder and draw upon this tremendous power I've been given instead of bitching and moaning at every step along this quest!"
But that moment never came.
At the end of the first book, Covenant is just as frightened, hopeless, spiritually atrophied, and wracked by denial and cowardice as he was at the beginning! Well, he may be a tad better, but these problems still plague him, even up the point where he peforms an act that saves the lives of his fellow questors. Where was his transfiguration? Where was his enlightenment? Where was the magical apotheosis that was going to transform this unlikable whiner into someone worthy of being called the "ur-Lord"? (Which he was called anyway, although greatly undeserving of the title.)
Okay, I understand that years of being a leper in "our world" (i.e. earth) made Covenant afraid to feel, destroyed his emotions out of self-preservation, made him live in a world of constant loneliness and ever-present terror of injury. But one would think that The Land and its wonderful healing power would have affected him in some way. One would think that the heroic quest and the great heroes he accompanied and assisted would have changed him…gotten him used to being "human" again…helped to heal his scarred soul. But no…Covenant is just as miserable and clueless at the end of the first novel as he was at the beginning.
And this bothered me…because one would think that all the knowledge he has gained, all the evidence of the Lords and their power, The Land's healing properties, the OBVIOUS FACT THAT HE IS NO LONGER A LEPER, all this would eventually change him into what he is raging against being: a hero. But Covenant is bound and determined NOT to be hero…not to be the savior everyone hopes he will be. He is one of the most frustrating charaters in fantasy literature, hands down. Every time you want him to do something right, he does the opposite. Every time someone offers him a hand in friendship, he smacks it away. Every time someone offers hope, he tears it down.
Thomas Covenant is a schmuck.
Donaldson has simultaneously fascinated me and revolted me as a reader. His fantasy world is so compelling, so full of grand beauties and stark terrors, so redolent of Nature and Myth and Dream, that I long to return there in the second book. But Thomas Covenant is such a pathetic loser that I really would rather make the journey IN SOMEONE ELSE'S COMPANY.
I look at the gorgeous Darrell K. Sweet cover painting on the second volume, THE ILLEARTH WAR, and I want to dive right in and savor The Land again, to see what becomes of its noble people in their unfinished struggled against the Soulcrusher and his legions of doom. But I'm so glad to be OUT of Thomas Covenant's messed-up head and guilt-wracked psyche that I'm hesitant to crack the book open.
Donaldson's first book leaves me ambivalent…however, that's also what I like about it. Most epic fantasies are predictable (I already stated what I "expected" to happen to Covenant)…but LORD FOUL'S BANE never went in the direction I expected it to go. When I thought he would zig, Donaldson zagged. He simply refused to follow standard fantasy tropes and consign his characters to archetypal roles…he was far more concerned in evoking true personalities and following them to their utmost limits. His characters are true to themselves…hence Covenant's lack of any major transformation.
This is exactly what fills me with respect for Donaldson's writing. This is what will get me cracking open my gorgeous copy of THE ILLEARTH WAR. (I had to pay a little extra for the Darrell K. Sweet cover edition since it's out of print). With Donaldson, you simply can't predict where he's taking you. It's a testament to his authorial skills that even though I can't stand his protagonist (Covenant), I simply can't wait to get back into the world he has created.
THE POWER THAT PRESERVES is the third book in the trilogy, and word-of-mouth tells me it's the best of the bunch. Another terrific Darrell K. Sweet cover on this original out-of-print version. These covers are icons of my youth...I could not imagine reading the series without them.
How is that even possible? How can I read an entire book told through the point-of-view of a protagonist I simply DO NOT LIKE and yet still feel compelled to see where Book II is going? I've never felt this way before about a book or a series. Usually, I either finish a book because it's completely amazing, or a stop reading one-third or one-half the way through because I finally realize it's not working for me. But something about pitiful Thomas Covenant makes me look past my antipathy and hope that when he returns to The Land (as I'm sure he will in the second book, based on the title of the trilogy), he will eventually find that growth and healing that he needs.
Maybe it will take the winning of this war against Lord Foul and the healing of the wounded Land itself to heal Thomas Covenant. (I also know that the sequel trilogy begins with a book called THE WOUNDED LAND.) Perhaps if The Land represents Covenant's tattered psyche (and/or body), he can never be completely healed until The Land is healed…and vice versa. This is another point of the series' strong appeal…thematically, it works like magic.
I just hope Covenant doesn't whine and moan his way through THE ILLEARTH WAR the way he did through the entirety of the first book.
But there's only one way to find out…
I'm off to The Land.
"All I do is send out a string of code:
the trillions of neural transactions that follow
belong entirely to the reader."
— R. Scott Bakker
(on writing novels)
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #27: This Is How You Do It
HoM #27, a great cover and an issue that takes the series to a whole new height of excellence. Issues like this will restore your faith in modern comics.
Every now and then an issue comes along and reminds you exactly why you read comics in the first place. HOUSE OF MYSTERY #27 did that for me yesterday.
I've been reading DC VERTIGO's revived HoM title since it relaunched nearly three years ago, and it's been a fantastic read the entire time. For those who remember the first ten years of VERTIGO, this comic feels more like that era than any other current book. It's also a lovingly created and executed extension of the classic HOUSE OF MYSTERY that DC published in the 60s and 70s. It's been a satisfying and often mind-blowing monthly title…I say it ties with SCALPED for VERTIGO's best ongoing title.
Yesterday I read the new issue #27 and it left me slackjawed and in awe. I might say it's the Best Issue Thus Far. Most of the issues are divided between the ongoing storyline (with terrific art by Luca Rossi) and "flashback" stories that are told by guests of the House (i.e. various strange characters from parallel worlds and alternate planes of reality). This has been a part of the book's charm from the get-go, and there have been some amazing "guest appearances" by some truly great art teams. But this week's issue topped them all.
Brendan McCarthy, whose amazingly psyechedelic work I first discovered on SHADE THE CHANGING MAN (one of my all-time favorite comics) does a "flashback" story told by Mac the Sorcerer, an aging wizard leading some of the main characters on a journey through time. This story involves Mac relating his origin: As a soldier fighting in the Vietnam war, he made the mistake of taking a tab of LSD sent to him in a letter by a shady relative. As soon as he did this, all Hell broke loose and the blood-n-guts began flying…his mind is reeling through this intense LSD trip and he's caught in a horrorific mass of flesh and metal. At this point a mysterious sorcerer arrives, takes him to a place beyond time, trains him for five years in the Secrets of the Universe, and returns him to the exact moment from which he was taken. Wow.
HoM #3, one of my favorite covers.
McCarthy's excellent artwork brings the phantasmagorical nature of Mac's experience to life, and he combines surreal enlightenment and the horror of war with such skill as to make the reader's eyes widen in sheer wonder.
HoM writer Matthew Sturges does a brilliant job of narrating this "long strange trip"…I've never read anything like this sequence. (Except maybe a few of the classic moments from SHADE THE CHANGING MAN.) It's a marriage of words and pictures that creates true synergy and reaches the height of comic book storytelling. It's the kind of thing we need to see far more in today's comics…it is true genius at work.
The rest of the issue, unfolding simultaneously with the war flashback, chronicles the vicious battle between the Goblins of Stormfort and a pack of Flying Killer Robots. Luca Rossi's art is simply gorgeous. All of this and we have the original Cain and Abel (stars of the classic HOUSE OF MYSTERY) lurking in the background, sometimes coming forth to play a major role.
If you're looking for a comic that will restore your faith in the medium, try HOUSE OF MYSTERY. It's got everything you could want in a VERTIGO comic, a horror comic, a fantasy comic, or a great comic in general.
PRIMORDIA in the July PREVIEWS
Roel's fantastic wrap-round cover for the long-awaited PRIMORDIA Hardcover.
The PRIMORDIA graphic novel is currently listed in the July PREVIEWS catalogue for release in September. Ask your favorite comic store owner to order you a copy! Roel's amazing art must be seen to be believed. This is the definitive edition of our stone-age faerie tale, with tons of extras that weren't in the original comic.
Here's a recap of the contents:
– The original PRIMORDIA was written as 96-page graphic novel, but it was split into three chapters and released in '07-08 as three issues (32 pages each). So first and foremost, this hardcover presents the story in its originally intended format: You should be able to read it in one satisfying sitting.
– The Mighty Roel has provided a gorgeous new wrap-around cover (see above).
– I've contributed a never-before-released short story that looks beyond the end of the graphic novel. It's called THE TALE OF THE DAWN CHILD, a saga ripped from the pages of the Book of Neptor (God of Wisdom and Secrets).
– Roel did a great new full-page illustration for the new short story!
– We have a pin-up gallery from such stellar talents as Alex Sheikman (ROBOTIKA), Chandra Free (THE GOD MACHINE), Tom Scioli (GODLAND), and the talented Jack Keefer.
– Behind-the-scenes sketches from Roel shed light on the development of the story, AND you'll see the original 8-page PRIMORDIA Ashcan (mini-comic) written and drawn by ME before I teamed up with Roel. It's a fascinating look at a scene I drew, inked, and lettered myself, but which Roel then drew later from my full script…without ever seeing the version I had done! Of course, his pages are far superior to mine, but it's fun to compare the original scene to the final scene.
The cover of the all-Fultz PRIMORDIA Ashcan...a relic of the pre-Roel era.
Kat Rocha of TITANIUM RAIN fame.
– The great Kat Rocha (TITANIUM RAIN) contributed a tasty introduction for the book.
If you're going to San Diego Comicon, you'll (hopefully) be able to get your copy early at the Archaia booth!
For more previews visit the PRIMORDIA site: www.myspace.com/primordiacomic
PRIMORDIA, pages 44-45, a nice battle scene two-page spread by the Mighty Roel. Alleyar's Sun Tribes wage war against Driniel and the Night Tribes.
The First Book of the Shaper
--Click to preview--
The Second Book of the Shaper
The Third Book of the Shaper
The TALL EAGLE Saga
The Zang Stories
The Zang Cycle, a collection of dark fantasy tales born in the pages of WEIRD TALES and BLACK GATE.
CONAN – Caveman Battle Doom
Diversions of the Groovy Kind – 1970s Comics
Fred S. Durbin
James Enge
Jaym Gates
John Joseph Adams
Kenny Soward
Laird Barron
Mark Smylie
Michael Whelan
Stephen Fabian
Wendy Wagner


text:
Q: How to allow users to submit forms but not view submitted forms? How can I make it so that users can submit Infopath forms to a form library, but not be able to see the contents of other users' forms that have been submitted?
I know I can change their default view, so they can only see 'My Documents' but I can't stop them just changing the view back to 'All Documents'.
Thanks.
JT

A: Easiest way to configure this for SharePoint Online is to use SharePoint Designer, create a workflow and configure permissions upon item creation. This article provides a walkthrough.

A: Here is even a better approach.
Create 2 list/libraries, Use workflow to copy from submitted location to secure location and delete original. Therefore  you do not get into unique permissions at the item level, which is not a good practice.

A: Both lists are kept in sync because you have to create the form as a content type, then tell both libraries to use that content type. I know this is an old question at this point but in case anyone else stumbles across this there's the answer.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Picasso Baby
10 Rare Facts Of The Film Above The Rim
by Hordak November 6, 2018 November 6, 2018
We have all seen this classic streetball movie. It may even be the greatest basketball movie ever, and if its not, its close to the top. A classic soundtrack, insane streetball moves, one of the greatest rappers ever, and funny and ridiculous quotes all throughout the movie. Here are ten things about the movie that you may not know.
#41 Is A Famous Streetball Player
Point guard #41 on the red team for the shootout, was in fact a famous streetballer from the Bronx named Speedy Williams. Speedy, known as a huge Rucker park legend, also logged minutes in the old CBA and time with the Harlem Globetrotters. He also was tapped as a consultant for the movie.
"He's playing ball without a ball, yo"
Shep gets made of fun for playing basketball in the park by himself without a basketball, but many pros and college players do the exact same thing in practice. When learning a new move, or trying to correct shooting flaw, players find the process easier without actually using a basketball. Kobe Bryant has said himself that he has practiced a lot of times without using a basketball.
Pain By 2Pac
The best song on the classic movie soundtrack, is of course 2Pac and Stretch's Pain track. The track for some reason was never actually released on the CD version and can only be found officially in two places: the cassette soundtrack and the cassette maxi-single for Warren G's Regulate. Many consider Pain to be one of 2Pac's all time hardest songs.
The AI Connection
Many fans believe that since Kyle, who ends up picking Georgetown at the end of the movie, and starts playing for the Hoyas in the 1994 season, that Allen Iverson is the inspiration for the main character. AI was in fact the starting Hoyas point guard that same time. In reality, Allen Iverson has no connections at all with the Above The Rim film. The movie had its beginnings in 1990, and took a few years to become a full length script. Allen Iverson at the time was just a sophomore and junior high school player and had not even started deciding on colleges.
Duane Martin Was Actually A Knick
Duane Martin was a stand out DIII player in the late 1980s. Duane was able to get on the Knicks as an undrafted non-guaranteed contract. The Knicks did eventually cut Duane prior to the 1989 season, so he never actually played an official minutes as a New York Knick. Still, not bad for an undersized DIII player.
And Speaking Of Duane Martin…..
Here's a interesting one: In the film Above The Film, Duane (playing Kyle) is a high school senior basketball player who originally joins 2Pac's team (The Birdmen) where 2Pac is his coach. The truth though, is that the player is older than the coach. Duane was playing a high school senior at age 27, and 2Pac was acting as Birdie at 23.
Above The Rim Debuts A New Dribbling Move
All great moves have a nick name: the killer crossover, the stutterstep, Lebron's famous crab dribble, The Shamgod, the list goes on and on. Above the Rim debuts a move (at the start of the film), which still to this day has no nickname. Kyle gets the ball, dribbles between his legs then pivots, goes behind his back in front of the defender and then spins away. That move has now been made popular by many streetballers since, but in 1993, it was never seen.
You May Have Missed It, But The Greatest Basketball Play Of All Time Is Here
You may not have actually caught on to it, but Above The Rim actually has the greatest play in basketball history in it. Not greatest play in a basketball movie, not greatest streetball move, not greatest 90s play, no this is the greatest basketball play in the HISTORY of basketball
Picture Lebron or Giannis doing that. Getting a steal, throwing a self-pass the entire length of the court, taking one dribbling and then finishing it off with a 360 dunk over someone.
The Original Choice For Kyle Was Somebody Else
Duane plays Kyle perfectly as he really was a skilled basketball player and no double would be needed in the basketball scenes. But the producers original choice for the movie was not Duane Martin and was Tyler Perry star, Allen Payne instead.
2Pac Had A Double
(Double is not shown here)
That's right, at one point in the movie, 2Pac is actually played by a double. At the very end of the film, Birdie gets shot while hanging out at his club. That scene is actually not 100% 2Pac. Producers filmed that scene with a 2Pac look-a-like and stitched the footage together to make it look as close to 2Pac as possible.
1994 Was The Year Of The Basketball
Above The Rim was not the only major basketball film released that year. In fact, Above The Rim was one of four major basketball films to be released. The others you ask? Hoops Dreams featuring Arthur Agee and William Gates, Air Up There featuring Kevin Spacey and Blue Chips featuring Shaq, Penny Hardaway and Nick Nolte.
2PacBasketballKobe BryantRap
10 Players That Were Suppose To Be Celtics
Jay-Z Albums We Never Got

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.tables.index;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Set;

import org.apache.accumulo.core.client.Scanner;
import org.apache.hadoop.io.Text;

import com.tinkerpop.blueprints.Element;
import com.tinkerpop.blueprints.Index;
import com.tinkerpop.blueprints.IndexableGraph;
import com.tinkerpop.blueprints.KeyIndexableGraph;
import com.tinkerpop.blueprints.util.ExceptionFactory;

import edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.AccumuloIndex;
import edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.Constants.IndexMetadataEntryType;
import edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.GlobalInstances;
import edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.mutator.Mutators;
import edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.mutator.index.IndexMetadataMutator;
import edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.parser.IndexedItem;
import edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.parser.IndexedItemsListParser;
import edu.jhuapl.tinkerpop.tables.BaseTableWrapper;

/**
 * Stores metadata, in particular the indexed keys
 * for {@link KeyIndexableGraph}, and the list of
 * named indexes for {@link IndexableGraph}.
 */
public class IndexMetadataTableWrapper extends BaseTableWrapper {

  public IndexMetadataTableWrapper(GlobalInstances globals) {
    super(globals, globals.getConfig().getIndexMetadataTableName());
  }

  //////// Methods for KeyIndexableGraph ////////

  public void writeKeyMetadataEntry(String key, Class<? extends Element> clazz) {
    Mutators.apply(getWriter(), new IndexMetadataMutator.Add(key, clazz,
        IndexMetadataEntryType.__INDEX_KEY__));
  }

  public void clearKeyMetadataEntry(String key, Class<? extends Element> clazz) {
    Mutators.apply(getWriter(), new IndexMetadataMutator.Delete(key, clazz,
        IndexMetadataEntryType.__INDEX_KEY__));
  }

  public <T extends Element> Set<String> getIndexedKeys(Class<T> elementClass) {
    if (elementClass == null) {
      throw ExceptionFactory.classForElementCannotBeNull();
    }

    IndexedItemsListParser parser = new IndexedItemsListParser(elementClass);

    Scanner scan = null;
    try {
      scan = getScanner();
      scan.fetchColumnFamily(new Text(IndexMetadataEntryType.__INDEX_KEY__.name()));

      Set<String> keys = new HashSet<String>();
      for (IndexedItem item : parser.parse(scan)) {
        keys.add(item.getKey());
      }

      return keys;

    } finally {
      if (scan != null) {
        scan.close();
      }
    }
  }

  //////// Methods for IndexableGraph ////////

  @SuppressWarnings({"rawtypes", "unchecked"})
  public Iterable<Index<? extends Element>> getIndices() {
    List<Index<? extends Element>> indexes = new ArrayList<Index<? extends Element>>();

    IndexedItemsListParser parser = new IndexedItemsListParser();

    Scanner scan = null;
    try {
      scan = getScanner();
      scan.fetchColumnFamily(new Text(IndexMetadataEntryType.__INDEX_NAME__.name()));

      for (IndexedItem item : parser.parse(scan)) {
        indexes.add(new AccumuloIndex(globals,
            item.getKey(), item.getElementClass()));
      }

      return indexes;

    } finally {
      if (scan != null) {
        scan.close();
      }
    }
  }

  public <T extends Element> Index<T> getIndex(String indexName,
      Class<T> indexClass) {
    IndexedItemsListParser parser = new IndexedItemsListParser();

    Scanner scan = null;
    try {
      scan = getScanner();
      scan.fetchColumnFamily(new Text(IndexMetadataEntryType.__INDEX_NAME__.name()));

      for (IndexedItem item : parser.parse(scan)) {
        if (item.getKey().equals(indexName)) {
          if (item.getElementClass().equals(indexClass)) {
            return new AccumuloIndex<T>(globals, indexName,
                indexClass);
          }
          else {
            throw ExceptionFactory.indexDoesNotSupportClass(indexName, indexClass);
          }
        }
      }
      return null;

    } finally {
      if (scan != null) {
        scan.close();
      }
    }
  }

  public <T extends Element> Index<T> createIndex(String indexName,
      Class<T> indexClass) {
    for (Index<?> index : getIndices()) {
      if (index.getIndexName().equals(indexName)) {
        throw ExceptionFactory.indexAlreadyExists(indexName);
      }
    }

    writeIndexNameEntry(indexName, indexClass);
    return new AccumuloIndex<T>(globals, indexName, indexClass);
  }

  private void writeIndexNameEntry(String indexName,
      Class<? extends Element> indexClass) {
    Mutators.apply(getWriter(), new IndexMetadataMutator.Add(indexName,
        indexClass, IndexMetadataEntryType.__INDEX_NAME__));
  }

  public void clearIndexNameEntry(String indexName,
      Class<? extends Element> indexClass) {
    Mutators.apply(getWriter(), new IndexMetadataMutator.Delete(indexName,
        indexClass, IndexMetadataEntryType.__INDEX_NAME__));
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Other-Me has graciously agreed to let me sneak in a post. I just think Other-Me is a perfect dunce who can't even write ABCD, leave alone an entire post. I know I'll pay the price for the previous line, but it's so totally worth it!
…I believed that if you ate the seed inside a fruit, a fruit tree would grow out of your ears. I swallowed a jackfruit seed once – my uncle freaked me out completely by describing the consequences.
…I knew nothing about Test Cricket. I remember being confused on which player belonged to which team on the field 'coz all of them wore white! It never occured to me that one team bats and one team bowls, so the ones with the bat belonged to the other team. Umpires wore black trousers, so I was good there.
…I used to eat pastries like eating any normal cake – with my hand. Come to think of it, there was nothing called pastry – it's either plum cake or cream cake. And both fit your mouth. Life was simpler.
…I didn't celebrate Christmas and I didn't believe in Santa Claus. Santa, for me, was our convent school assistant-headmaster with a fake white beard and a fake big belly who had Cadbury Eclairs in his red sack, which he threw out to us kids after the school's Christmas celebrations.
…I used to keep a journal of sorts with my favorite stuff in it. Like Steffi Graf winning the Wimbledon, Sridevi (the actress!), Salman Khan (stop snickering, we all had our moments of insanity), etc. And an occasional poem (very stupid sounding poem in hindsight) and I still remember, a recipe for mashed potatoes. I covered the book in colorful gift-wrap paper and put a cellophane cover on top of that. Then I stuck label and wrote a warning on the first page – 'Do not read' (pesky sibling, need scary warning).
…I told my cousins (children of the aforementioned uncle) the same story about seeds, trees and trees from ears and freaked them out. You should've seen them jump out of their skins when I 'accidentally' gave them a jackfruit seed instead of the fruit. Hah!
…I know what happens in Test Cricket. I even know what 'follow on' means. But I still cannot identify an LBW case without the graphic that actually shows the ball's trajectory till it hits the stumps. Then I join my husband in cursing the umpire for not giving an out. It's all about the cursing, people.
…I eat pastry with a fork, a pastry that's bigger than my palm. And then I spend the next 2 hours worrying about the calories. And then I eat some more pastry to forget the guilt. Tough life!
…I celebrate Christmas and I still don't believe in Santa Claus. I believe in my husband!
…I have a blog with my favorite stuff in it. No Steffi Graf or Salman Khan (dear God, no!). Poems (some stupider than before) and no recipes. I use girly headers on the blog and actually expect people to come and read my blog. I think I grew up.


text:
Home Azure Striker Gunvolt - PS4
Azure Striker Gunvolt - PS4
by U & I Entertainment
Azure Striker Gunvolt and Azure Striker Gunvolt 2, now with faster frame rates and a new vocal track created specifically for the PlayStation 4 release. Fans can also explore the entire catalog of downloadable content, which comes pre-loaded in the pack and introduces extra stages, bosses, bonus modes, and songs.
From developer Inti Creates and publisher Nighthawk Interactive, theAzure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Packoffers lots of new features, including an exhilarating 60 frames per second upgrade, striking high-resolution event graphics, and an exclusive new vocal track, injecting these supercharged side-scrollers with a renewed vitality.
This critically acclaimed series has intuitive controls, memorable characters, and shockingly epic boss battles. Play as Gunvolt, zipping and zapping your way through levels and skill trials by tagging enemies with your weapon, then shocking them into oblivion. InAzure Striker Gunvolt 2, enjoy the game in an entirely new way with the addition of Gunvolt's rival Copen as a playable character. Playing as Copen, you can dash through the air, slam into enemies, and unleash devastating homing shots to make short work of your foes
More intense action with frame rates upgraded from their original 30 frames per second to 60 reames per second! – Azure Striker Gunvolt and Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 were made with an emphasis on visual quality with a frame rate locked to 30 frames per escond. Thanks to the power of PlayStation 4, both games are playable in 60 frames per second!
The entire downloadable content catalog comes pre-loaded! – The Striker Pack comes with all the previous downloadable content, including extra stages, bosses, bonus modes, and new songs
DualShock 4 vibration support adds a whole new layer that brings you closer to the electrifying action! – When Gunvolt uses his powerful electrical attacks, the DualShock 4's vibration kicks in to bring you even closer to the action
The screen layout has been completely redone with more intuitive designs and easy-to-read menus! – The screen layout has been redone to fit intuitively on a single screen
Brand new song for the PlayStation 4 version! – A brand new theme song by the virtual idol Lumen (voiced by Megu Sakuragawa) debuts on PlayStation 4!
Event graphics and in-game text look better than ever in high-resolution on PlayStation 4! – In-game text is much easier to read and characters look better than ever in high-resolution
Adjustments to the game balance and general gameplay improvements enhance the experience! – The Kudos system from Gunvolt 1 has been changed to the system from Gunvolt 2, adjustments have been made to some stages to balance out the difficulty, and other minor gameplay improvements have been added
Many different language settings are available for people around the world to enjoy!


text:
Why Is Development Missing from the Migration Advisory Committee Report?
Arthur Baker
Owen Barder
Last week's report from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)—an independent body commissioned by the Home Office—included some good suggestions for the UK government, such as removing the cap on high-skilled immigration. However, the committee also made the rather extreme, and we think ill-advised, recommendation that there should be no legal work-based route for so called "low-skilled" immigration, which would shut the door on people without a job offer worth £30,000. The report notes that any migration policy will have "winners and losers," but there is one group it ignores entirely: people from poorer countries.
We would all expect a UK advisory committee, and the government, to prioritise British interests. However, the government has rightly said that reducing global poverty is in the national interest, and that it will use a wide range of policies, not just aid, to promote international development. Our migration policy affects poor countries as much as anything else we do, so you might have expected the MAC's mandate to invite the committee to include an explanation of how its recommendations would affect the developing world. Sadly, there is nothing in either the mandate or the recommendations about how any of this will impact development.
We think that after Brexit there should be a safe, regular route for people from developing countries to move to the UK. This would have enormously positive impacts on people in poor countries, with little or no cost to the UK—and potentially big benefits. We propose three such routes: (1) relaxing the £30,000 requirement on tier 2 visas for people from poor countries; (2) allowing some lower-skilled workers to come to the UK, and (3) expanding the Youth Mobility Scheme to include poorer countries.
Migration is good for development and good for the UK
Migration is one of the most effective tools for development and poverty reduction. Migrants to a rich country from a poor one can expect their income to increase seven to tenfold, sometimes more, for doing the same job. The flow of money they send to relatives back home far surpasses aid flows. Returning emigrants bring home knowledge, skills, and capital that can help their home countries develop. There is also evidence that migration from poor to rich countries can create links that increase trade, technology transfer, and investment in their home countries. These links are mutually beneficial, strengthening the UK as well as poor countries. A 2009 study even suggests that returning migrants can help their home countries to democratize.
If rich countries relaxed immigration restrictions and let in workers equal to just 3 percent of their workforce, one study estimates that developing countries would gain $156 billion annually—half as much again as the gains expected from the liberalisation of all remaining goods trade restrictions. Another study, from the World Bank, estimates that poor-country citizens would gain $300 billion from this policy—roughly four and a half times the total magnitude of foreign aid.
The evidence suggests that the impacts of migration on employment and earnings of UK workers, and on the public finances, are very small (and often, though not always, positive). The MAC report itself concludes that "immigration is not a major determinant of the wage growth experienced by existing residents," and that effects on employment, if any, are "overall very small." It also notes that "migrants contribute more to the health workforce than they consume in healthcare," and that unless wages in social care rise, "migrant workers will be necessary to continue delivering these services."
However, the report is likely to underestimate the benefits of migration to the UK. Macroeconomic studies of immigration (like this and this and this) find that immigration increases both GDP per capita and government revenues. More immigration means more people buying things, more business investment, more technological adaptation, and a more diverse labour force. Natives can adapt to new opportunities by switching jobs, upskilling, or moving. However, most economic studies of immigration (like the ones used by the MAC) hold all of these things constant, meaning they fail to capture the full benefit of migration. Only one study (that we know of) has ever overcome this problem by tracking individuals over time. It finds that large inflows of low-skill refugees caused native low-skill workers to earn more, mostly through adjustment like upskilling and moving.
The positive impacts of migration on people from poor countries are so huge—and the wider benefits to the UK also large—that we should think carefully before making new UK immigration rules based only on what are widely accepted to be small and uncertain effects on the labour market.
Proposition 1: Relax the £30,000 test
The MAC report advocates having no legal work migration route for "lower-skilled workers" to come to the UK, except perhaps to pick fruit. However, the definition of lower-skilled is stacked against people from poor countries. To qualify as medium- or high-skilled and be eligible for a "tier 2 visa," you must have a job offer worth £30,000 and almost £945 of savings before coming to the UK. People living in poor countries, even those with high earnings potential, will find it harder than those from rich countries to secure a £30,000 job offer and almost £1,000 in savings before coming to the UK. Unsurprisingly, according to the government's figures, in 2015 less than 1 percent of tier 2 visas went to people from low-income countries, and only 3.9 percent went to people from sub-Saharan Africa.
We should relax the salary requirement for people from developing countries, so that if they have the right skills and qualifications they can come and find a job once they arrive in the UK. High demand for tier 2 visas from employers shows that there are jobs waiting, but the current process makes it difficult for would-be migrants from poorer countries to get a visa, and puts a burden on employers who want to hire them.
Proposition 2: Leave some route for lower-skilled workers
We believe that there should also be a route for migrants with less earning potential to come to the UK. The evidence is clear that this could have a transformative impact on poverty, whilst having little or no negative impact, and potentially a positive impact, on British workers. Nurses, hospitality workers, teachers, and builders might not earn over £30,000, but they make a valuable contribution. There's also evidence that giving people a chance to migrate safely reduces irregular migration.
It's also worth remembering that skills can be learned. Our colleague Michael Clemens proposes a Global Skills Partnership, in which the UK would train people from a poor countries in, say, nursing, before granting them a visa. Alternatively, we could have a policy like the US "green card lottery," which requires only that applicants have a secondary education and has been running successfully for decades.
Proposition 3: Expand the Youth Mobility Scheme
Finally, we agree with the MAC report that the "Youth Mobility Scheme," a reciprocal scheme allowing young people from eight rich countries to come to the UK for up to two years, is an excellent idea. As the UK aims to forge trade links with countries around the world after Brexit, it would make sense for us to expand this scheme to poorer countries. The best evidence suggests that people who move from poor countries to rich countries earn wages similar to people in rich countries with similar levels of education: people are poor because of where they are, not who they are. Expanding the youth mobility scheme could therefore have huge development impact and help the UK forge links with more countries, without concerns about lower wages.
Reasonable people can disagree on these exact proposals, and there are certainly many more good ideas out there. However, if Britain is to continue to be a world leader in development and an outward-looking country, we can't completely ignore the impact of our migration policy on development.
We are grateful to Michael Clemens for comments on an earlier draft.
CGD blog posts reflect the views of the authors, drawing on prior research and experience in their areas of expertise. CGD is a nonpartisan, independent organization and does not take institutional positions.
Economics of Migration
A Conversation with Labour's Preet Gill and Sir Mark Lowcock
11:00—12:00 PM GMT | 6:00 - 7:00am ET
Oral Evidence at the International Development Committee
Ian Mitchell
Farewell, 2022: Three Silver Linings for a Terrible Year
Ranil Dissanayake
Susannah Hares
From Superpower to Shambles—and Back Again?
Stefan Dercon
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Q: How can I stop being prompted to unlock the 'default' keyring on boot? Whenever Ubuntu boots up, a dialogue pops up asking me to unlock my default keyring.
Is there some way this can unlock automatically through PAM or some other magical way?

A: Using Ubuntu 11.10 with Unity:

*

*Open "Passwords and Keys" application

*In the Passwords tab, right click on the password icon

*Select "Change Password"

*Enter your current password as the "Old Password"

*Leave the "New Password" and "Confirm" fields empty

*Click "Ok"

*Confirm to "Use Unsafe Storage"

Hope that works for you

A: For Ubuntu 12.10 and onwards
The interface of the "Password and Keyring" manager changed slightly in 12.10. When you open it, you won't immediately see the "Login" keyring as described in other answers. The interface will look like this:

In order to view the Login keyring, you need to open the View menu, and choose By Keyring. Once that's done, your interface will look like this:

Right-click on the "Login" entry at the top and choose Change Password. You'll need to enter the current password, which should be your user account password, before continuing. When you do that, you'll get a dialog where you will be asked to enter the new password twice:

Leave this blank, choose "Continue", and choose it again to confirm you desire to continue without a password.

A: For Ubuntu 21.04 If your error is like
WARNING: Keyring is skipped due to an exception: Failed to unlock the

keyring!

A popup will show on the screen everytime click on classic encrypted then finish. It will ask you the password Please type no password and confirm it will again ask you syntax must be filled something.
If you created you password and it will prompted every time.then do like this
Step

*

*Go and search password/keyring/seahorse

You will find like this password and keys

*Click  on login and click right mouse buton select change password

*Type your login user password

*Leave Blank

*Click Continue

*Again continue

A: For versions up to 12.04: (for 12.10 onwards, see this answer)
The method is similar to previous Ubuntu versions, but I also include a command-line alternative at the end.
1. Using the Gnome Keyring Manager (Seahorse)

*

*Press Alt+F2, type seahorse and press Enter to start the Gnome Keyring Manager:

*Alternately, open a terminal with Ctrl+F2+T, type seahorse & and press Enter.

*The "Passwords and Keys" window should come up as shown below. Under the Passwords tab, select login, right-click on it, and then click on Change Password:

*The "Change Keyring Password" box will come up. Type your old password, and then leave the new/confirm password fields blank. Then press OK, and the information box shown below will pop-up; read it, and then click on Use Unsafe Storage to not have to enter your password at each login:

*Close the keyring manager. After you log out/reboot, you won't be asked for your password any more.
2. Disable the login keyring password from the command-line
As an alternative to all the above steps, simply open a terminal, and type/paste the below, changing MYPASSWORD to whatever your current password is; that's it!

python -c "import gnomekeyring;gnomekeyring.change_password_sync('login', 'MYPASSWORD', '');"

A: As the other answers say, disable auto-login and ensure that the keyring password is the same as the login password.
If it still doesn't work then you may be missing the required package.  On Ubuntu 19_10 I had to run
sudo apt-get install libpam-gnome-keyring

A: Simply delete your default keyring. (Backup the passwords first!) You don't need it. You can keep all your keys in the login keyring.
The login keyring is unlocked when you login. All keys in it will be available, you don't have to enter more passwords again.
If you are using auto-login, then when you want to access something that needs a key from the login keyring you will be prompted for the password, of course, but only once.
(As many answers already pointed out) your keyrings are in System / Preferences / Passwords and Encryption Keys

A: For Ubuntu 13.10:

*

*Open Applications -> Accessories -> Password and Encryption Keys

*Click View -> "By keyring"

*Right-click on the "login" keyring

*Select "Change password"

*Enter your old password and leave the new password blank

*Press ok, read the security warning, think about it and if you still want to get rid of this dialog, choose "use unsafe storage".

A: Be warned that this will make your keyring accessible without a password. Period. You don't have to be logged in to view it
With that being said,
I think the simplest way is to set the password for the keyring to an empty password -- you will not be prompted for a password then:

*

*Open Applications -> Accessories -> Password and Encryption Keys

*Right-click on the "login" keyring

*Select "Change password"

*Enter your old password and leave the new password blank

*Press ok, read the security warning, think about it and if you still want to get rid of this dialog, choose "use unsafe storage".

Again, as the message says: This will expose all your passwords (e.g. email passwords) that you chose to save in the default keyring to anyone using your computer or having access to your files and is therefore not recommended.
Addendum for Ubuntu 11.04:

*

*In the default Unity session, you can start the application by clicking on the Ubuntu logo in the top left corner, then typing Password, and selecting Password and Encryption Keys from the search result.

*In the classic session the path to start the application has changed to System → Preferences → Password and Encryption Keys
Addendum for Ubuntu 11.10:

*

*In the default Unity session, you can start the application by clicking on the Ubuntu launcher (the first item) in the Unity launcher bar on the left side, then typing Password, and selecting Password and Encryption Keys from the search result.

*In the classic session (from the gnome-session-fallback package) the path to start the application has again changed to Applications → Other → Password and Encryption Keys

A: Use this if you have forgotten the old password and is ok to delete items in the old keyring, but want to safeguard new keyring with matching password.
For Ubuntu 14.04, I used the following.
Remove old keyring:
cd .local/share/keyrings/
rm *.keyring

Restart the system to have the new keyring created:
sudo shutdown -r now

Verify the new keyring exists:
cd .local/share/keyrings/
ls -ltr *.keyring

A: You need to get the password for your login key ring to be the same as your normal login password.
To do this follow the path:
Open Applications > Accessories > Passwords and Encryption Keys

You will see under the passwords tab a list of keyrings. One should be called
"Passwords: login"
Click on the + and you should see a list of accounts that require passwords such as you Gwibber details, Evolution passwords etc.
This means when you log in all of these accounts will be unlocked by this login keyring.
To get the keyring to unlock when you log into Ubuntu, right click on "Passwords: login" and choose "Change Password"
You will then need to enter your current keyring password and set your new keyring password to be the same as your normal login password.
To test: Log out, log back in and open Evolution to prove that this has worked.

A: open passwords and keys then

Then you need to enter your current password (old password). Don't enter any password for your new one, or leave it blank.
You need to confirm that you will store unencrypted password. If you are sure that it is what you want, then just click "Use Unsafe Storage" button.

A: I have solved this problem through terminal.There is a directory under /usr/lib , called gnome-keyring. Under that directory there are a directory 'devel' and two files gnome-keyring-prompt and gnome-keyring-prompt-3.I don't know much about the directory 'devel'.So I removed only the two files and solved the problem.The corresponding commands are here-
cd /usr/lib/gnome-keyring

Then
sudo rm gnome-keyring-prompt gnome-keyring-prompt-3

And then reboot your computer to see the effect.


text:
Drone Strike with Civilian Casualties Reported in Herat: Sources
Local sources told TOLOnews on Wednesday night that "Mullah Nangyalai, a top commander of the Taliban's splinter faction, led by Mullah Rassoul, has been killed with several others."
The incident took place on Wednesday about 4:00 pm local time in the center of Shindand after "four foreign drones targeted several houses," according to an eyewitness.
The airstrike took place in an area that is under the control of the government, said Nasir Ahmad Salehi, TOLOnews reporter.
"At least 40 civilians, including women and children" were also among the dead," said local sources, adding that "about 30 or 35 Taliban were also killed in the airstrikes."
Local government officials have not yet commented on the airstrike yet.
"One killed and ten others were wounded in an airstrike and have been taken to Herat's regional hospital," according to health officials.
"USFOR-A spokesman": US Forces-Afghanistan, at the request of Afghan Security Forces, conducted a coordinated defensive air strike in support of Afghan forces in Shindand, Herat on Jan. 8, 2020.
The Afghan Ministry of Defense in a statement said Afghan security forces launched special operations in Shindand and "reached their goal," referring to military action on Wednesday. "We will investigate the reports over civilian casualties."
This is a developing story.
Local residents claimed that dozens of civilians were killed in Shindand but this is not confirmed.
'Taliban Uses Drones in Attacks on Afghan Forces': Officials
'11 Civilians' Killed in Herat Drone Strike: Residents


As the old adage goes, "Out with the old and in with the new." While we've had some seriously good restaurants and bars open up this year, there has also been a large number of great spots that shuttered. From mainstays that have been open for nearly 70 years to dive bars and a Vietnamese eatery that served venison vermicelli, here are some of the the bars and restaurants that closed this year that we'll miss the most.
When Alma hit the food scene, it made a huge splash, even earning the title of Best New Restaurant in the country from Bon Appetit magazine in 2013. But not all was rosy behind the scenes of this farm-to-table restaurant as they had financial issues stemming from a lawsuit filed by a former adviser, and had to close their doors to their downtown L.A. location in October. Not all is lost though, as chef Ari Taymor and his partner Ashleigh Parsons announced earlier this month that they'll be holding a residency at The Standard in West Hollywood through February. So get your Alma while you can.
We had to sadly bid adieu to the long-standing Italian joint, Dominick's, just a couple of weeks ago. The West Hollywood restaurant closed after being around for 67 years, serving as a hangout for Rat Pack members like Frank Sinatra, to Britney Spears and Leonardo DiCaprio. The restaurant was bought by Warner Ebbink and Brandon Boudet, who also own 101 Coffee Shop, MiniBar and Little Dom's, in 2004 and they restored signature designs in the spot, like the red leather booths and tiled flooring. They'll be focusing on their other restaurants and bars for now, and it looks like a restaurant named Verlaine may be moving in. Here's to a new generation.
We were sad to find out that Ha Tien Quan closed for good in October. While you could get your run of the mill Vietnamese dishes here, like pho and broken rice, what made Ha Tien Quan special in a sea of San Gabriel Valley restaurants was that they specialized in regional Vietnamese dishes that you couldn't get everywhere. We're talking about venison vermicelli, and bun mum, a pungent and umami-laden fermented anchovy noodle soup with seafood and pork belly. We'll pour one out (a bowl of fish sauce) for this restaurant.
The poké craze got so real in 2015 that restaurant owners were changing the concepts of their restaurants to the Hawaiian fish dish. Chef Eric Park did this to two of his restaurants. The first one to get the big change over the summer was his downtown L.A. sandwich shop, Hero Shop, which became Ohana Poké Co. He did it again with Silver Lake's Black Hogg, also turning that into a poké restaurant. Thankfully, the adjoining Sopressata at Black Hogg is still slinging its delicious Italian sandwiches. But we're still shedding a tear over the loss of Black Hogg and its Popcorn Bacon and Uni Toast.
Saint Martha may have been located in a run-of-the-mill Koreatown strip mall (which now also houses Southland Beer), but looks can be deceiving from the outside. Inside the hip, new American restaurant helmed by chef Nick Erven (formerly of Tart in the Farmer's Daughter Hotel), we got to see some playful dishes like a chicken liver mousse with mushrooms, hazelnut praline and pickled blueberries; or a shrimp tartare with melons. They also had an extensive wine list. However, the eatery announced they were temporarily closed in the fall due to investor issues, but looking at their website now, it says they're "permanently closed."
French Quarter was a kitschy restaurant (with a sort of New Orleans theme) situated in the French Market Place building in West Hollywood. You wouldn't be able to miss the yellow Art Deco outside and purple-and-white awning of this Santa Monica Boulevard spot. While the food was mostly just decent, it was more known as a staple in the gay community and a nice spot for brunch where you could get some outdoor patio seating. In the spring, stores began moving out of the French Market Place, which had been open since the '70s, and the French Quarter closed in July. We'll mostly have to say goodbye to an era soon as there are plans from the new developer to raze the French Market Place and replace it with one of those mixed-use developments West Hollywood doesn't already seem to have enough of.
From the beginning, Brilliantshine had all the makings of a hot Santa Monica restaurant and bar. The cocktail-forward spot was helmed by big names in the industry like Julian Cox and Josh Goldman, but its dishes from Chef Richie Lopez (formerly the executive chef of Paiche), also shined brightly, too. Think sweetbread toast, goat cheese fritters paired with pears, and massaged octopus with a Peruvian twist. However, after a fallout between investors and partners, Cox and Goldman left Brilliantshine and the property went up for sale.
Burger Continental holds a special place in our hearts. This was definitely a no-frills type of place, one that served Mediterranean dishes and also burgers, but it was a mainstay in Pasadena. It was a place where you could sit outdoors, watch a belly dancing performance and drink a cheap pitcher of beer. It closed its doors earlier this year after being open for 45 years. The restaurant didn't have the best Yelp reviews and also had some health code violations on its hands, but it was a place where we had many a fond memory.


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text:
Montana Apostille
Apostille from Montana Secretary of State
You do not have to pay for an expedited service to obtain your apostille, you can do it by yourself. State of Montana processes all documents based on "first come, first served".
Montana apostille certificates can only be issued in the state of Montana, by the office of the secretary of state of Montana.
Check or Money Order Payable to: "Montana Secretary of State"
State of Montana
1301 6th Avenue State Capitol Building
Helena, Montana 59601
Fee: $10 per document
Telephone: (406) 444‐1877
Email: sosnotary@mt.gov
Montana Apostille form is required
Montana Important Links
An Apostille may be affixed to original documents issued in the State of Montana and bearing an official signature and seal of a valid commissioned notary public, current Montana State Registrar, probate judge, or any document issued by one of the departments of the State of Montana. Please find below a list of all the different departments of the State of Montana.
Montana Department of Administration
Montana Department of Agriculture
Montana Office of the State (Commissioner of Insurance & Securities)
Montana Board of Public Education
Montana Department of Environmental Quality
Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education
Montana Historical Society
Montana Judicial Branch
Montana Department of Justice (AGO Attorney General's Office)
Montana Department of Labor and Industry
Montana Department of Livestock
Montana Department of Military Affairs
Montana Montana State Fund
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
Montana Office of the State Public Defender
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
Montana Office of Public Instruction
Montana Public Service Commission
Montana Department of Transportation
Documents issued by a different state can not be apostilled by the State of Montana. They must be apostilled from the same issuing state. Documents issued by the Federal government for individuals or companies located in Montana must obtain the Apostille from the U.S. Department of State.
To order an Apostille, you must include a "Submittal Form" with your request. To download the State of Montana form please click here. Complete the form and attach it with your document (s).
The Secretary of State of Montana will only issue an Apostille strictly for use in Hague Participating Countries. All documents issued for Non-Hague Participating Countries will be certified, not apostilled.
Apostille services are not necessary within the United States or any of its territories or possessions; Therefore the Secretary of State of Montana will not issue an Apostille for use in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Montana Secretary of State charges $10 per document. A document may have multiple pages.
Frequently Asked Questions about Montana Apostille
1. Which documents are eligible for Apostille Montana Services?
Montana corporate and federal documents are acceptable for the apostille service from US apostille. We may provide expedited authentication services for Montana certifications from the MD Secretary of State within just One Business Day. Please, contact our customer service for confirmation first.
Examples of Montana Corporate documents:
2. Does US apostille authenticate any other Montana Documents?
US apostille authenticates federal documents issued in Montana from the US Department of State in Washington DC. Examples of Federal agencies are:
3.Where do I obtain certified copies of vital records such as certificates of birth, death and marriage from the state of Montana?
4. In which country may I use an Apostille issued by the state Montana?
Montana Apostille is acceptable for all types of Montana documents destined for use in one of the Hague Convention Participating Countries .
6.Do I need to obtain an Embassy Legalization for a document issued in the state of Montana?
All Non-Hague Convention Participating Countries require a regular certification for all documents issued in the state of Montana. Furthermore, these documents must be authenticated by the U.S. Department of State and legalized by the embassy of the destination foreign country.
7.How will the state of Montana return the apostille back to me?
If you provide a prepaid shipping label for FedEx, UPS, or the US Postal Service, the State of Montana will return it using that method.
The State of Montana can only apostille documents signed by an Montana state public official. Such as:
Apostille for Montana Notaries Public documents.
Apostille for Commissioners of Montana State Agencies documents.


Working in the "Flow" - The ONLY Way to Go!
If you have ever participated in sports, you most likely have experienced being in the "flow" or the "zone." It was the best game, match, set or round of your life! Everything went perfectly and your Teamers can have this same experience at work if you help to empower them.
If you never had the chance to work on a project and get into the "flow" I have sincere sympathetic feelings for you. If you've ever worked in the "flow" you know that you have experienced the best possible working experience.
Target User or Audience for the Project – Who is the user or customer? Identify the specific audience this project will help in as much detail as possible.
Current Situation – What is the current situation or problem that you want this project to solve or address for the user? What are the problems that the user is having, or may have had that this project must solve or address?
Project Objectives - What will the project do to solve the user's problems?
What are the Main Benefits Offered by the Project? – These benefits tell not just what a project does, but what it does for those who use it. List the user benefits the project must provide for each user.
What are the Alternatives to the Project – What are the major alternatives to NOT doing this project?
What is the Budget for the Project – It's is important to know how much money you have to work with. Up-front budgets give everyone an idea of whether they're looking for a Mercedes or a Ford – both can get you where we want to go, but each project carries a different price tag.
What is the Call to Action – What's the next step for your Teamers and Senior(s) for this project?
Timetable – The plan for the project. The steps and time estimates for each step to complete the project.
In addition to a Project Work Plan you must also make sure that you provide at least the following information and processes to your Teamers for all of the projects that you assign them.
In other words, you must strive to provide everything needed to get your Teamers to work in the flow on their projects every day. Working in the flow creates a Teamer that loves what they are doing, actually often loses track of time while working on a project and typically wants to do more. If you can empower your Teamers to want to do the work because they want to, you can accomplish unlimited potential with your Teamers.
Again, I strongly suggest that you read the book Creativity written by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi that describes the flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. It is an amazing read and provides many more insights and ideas on how to provide the environment and tools for your Teamers to achieve the flow and the associated creativity.


SONACEB is a company registered in Burkina Faso. Info-clipper.com brings you a complete range of reports and documents featuring legal and financial data, facts, analysis and official information from Burkinabe Registry.
SONACEB is headquartered in : The Business report also list branches and affiliates in Burkina Faso.
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Corporate Structure : Is SONACEB a parent company ? Are there subsidiaries, sister companies, in Burkina Faso or in other countries ?