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July 19, 2011 ExploreWorldViews2585 views
The summary includes:
God: Allah
Prophet: Muhammad
Main positive influence on the world history
Representative material for this worldview: The Qur'an
Symbols: star and crescent, moon, the green color, the number 5/Hamsa, Hand of Fatima.
Islam is the mohotheistic religion started in the 7th century, articulated by the Qur'an– a text considered by its adherents to be the verbatim word of God (Allah), and by the teachings and normative example of Muhammad, considered to be the last prophet of God. An adherent of Islam is called a Muslim.
Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable and that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed at many times and places before, including through the prophets Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
Muslims maintain that previous messages and revelations have been partially changed or corrupted over time, but consider the Qur'an to be both the unaltered and the final revelation from God.
Religious concepts and practices include the 5 Pillars of Islam, which are basic concepts and obligatory acts of worship, and following Islamic law, which touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, encompassing everything from banking and welfare, to warfare and the environment.
The Qur'an presents them as a framework for worship and a sign of commitment to the faith. They are (1) the shahadah (creed), (2) daily prayers (salat), (3) almsgiving (zakah), (4) fasting during Ramadan and (5) the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) at least once in a lifetime.
Most Muslims belong to one of 2 denominations; with 80-90% being Sunni and 10-20% being Shia.
With about 1.41-1.57 billion Muslims, comprising about 21-23% of the world's population see Islam by country), Islam is the second-largest religion in the world.
In Islam, the name Allah is the supreme and all-comprehensive divine name. All other divine names are believed to refer back to Allah. Allah is unique, the only Deity, creator of the universe and omnipotent. (The concepts associated with the term Allah -as a deity- used to differ among religious Arab traditions. In pre-Islamic Arabia amongst pagan Arabs, Allah was not considered the sole divinity, having associates and companions, sons and daughters)
Muhammad (ca. 570/571 – June 8, 632) was the founder of the religion of Islam and is considered by Muslims to be a messenger and prophet of God, the last law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets, and, by most Muslims, the last prophet of God as taught by the Qur'an.
He was also active as a diplomat, merchant, philosopher, orator, legislator, reformer, military general, and, according to Muslim belief, an agent of divine action.
Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) in 570 after Christ. His father died before he was born and his mum when he was 6 years old. He was raised by his grandfather. He became a camel rider and then a merchant. While he was 26, he married a woman called Khadija who was 40 years old and was previously married 4 times. Despite the age gap, they had 6 children together. During his lifetime, the Arabic world was worshipping more than 360 gods, one for each day of the year. For the last 23 years of his life, beginning at age 40, Muhammad reported receiving revelations from God. The content of these revelations, known as the Qur'an, was memorized and recorded by his companions.
During this time, Muhammad preached to the people of Mecca, imploring them to abandon polytheism. Although some converted to Islam, Muhammad and his followers were persecuted by the leading Meccan authorities. After 13 years of preaching, Muhammad and the Muslims performed many battles to convert people to Islam. Under Abu Bakr the successor nominated by Muhammad himself, the first jihads (the 'holy wars') were started and Islam began to spread. Jihad is associated with Islam and is considered by some the 6th pillar.
The Islamic view of Paradise (firdaws), also called "The Garden" (Janna), is a place of physical and spiritual pleasure, with lofty mansions (39:20, 29:58-59), delicious food and drink (52:22, 52:19, 38:51), and virgin companions called houris (56:17-19, 52:24-25, 76:19, 56:35-38, 37:48-49, 38:52-54, 44:51-56, 52:20-21). It is destined to those whose good works have outweighed the bad as determined by the straight path laid out in the Qur'an. There are seven heavens (17:46, 23:88, 41:11, 65:12).
Hell, or Jahannam (Greek gehenna), is mentioned frequently in the Qur'an and the Sunnah using a variety of imagery. It has seven doors (Qur'an 39:71; 15:43) leading to a fiery crater of various levels, the lowest of which contains the tree Zaqqum and a cauldron of boiling pitch. Suffering is both physical and spiritual.
Islam teaches that the level of heaven and hell one is sent to after one's life depends on the degree of good works/offenses one has done during his/her lifetime.
It started during the medieval period when the Arabic peninsula has conquered ½ of Byzanthin Asia, Perse and the whole Egypte, North Africa and then Spain. One of the most important phenomenons of the medieval period is the Arabs conquest of half of the Mediteranean world.
The Golden Age of Islam (800-1000/1200) is the period during which Islamic scholars translated Greek, Indian and Persian texts, studied them, and helped to further investigations in the areas of math, science and medicine.
According to historians, the oldest university in the world which is still functioning is the eleven hundred-year-old Islamic university of Fes, Morocco, known as the Qarawiyyin.
(Sources:Wikipedia, Guinness Book of Records)
Muslims believe that the Qur'an was verbally revealed through the angel Jibrīl from God to Muhammad gradually over a period of approximately twenty-three years beginning in 610 CE, when Muhammad was forty, and concluding in 632 CE, the year of his death. They also claim that the Qur'an was precisely memorized, recited and exactly written down by Muhammad's companions, called Sahabas, after each revelation has been dictated by Muhammad.
There are 114 chapters in the Qur'an, which is written in the old Arabic dialect.
Translations of the Qur'an exist in over 40 languages but Muslims are still taught to learn and recite it in Arabic, even if this is not their native language and they cannot converse in it.
(Sources: Wikipedia, BBC Religions)
Famous Adopters
Wars in the Bible- Old Testament
On lack of freedom
On women condition
Prince Charles at the Google Zeitgeist Conference
Positive influence throughout history
2 – Incompatibility with modern world & democracy


Most every romance comic book published had some incarnation of an advice column. Usually they were written from the viewpoint of a female character, with each title having a signature columnist. Some memorable ones from the '60s and '70s include "To You...from Carol Andrews" (Falling in Love), "Suzan Says" (Our Love Story and My Love), and Page Peterson's "Do's and Dont's of Dating" (Young Romance). Most tried to give honest and kind advice, saving harsh words and criticism for only those letters that truly required it. Not Marc though. Oh no, not Marc.
"Marc - On the Man's Side" debuted in Young Love #90 (December 1971) and ran in the romance title for quite some time. Marc, though anything but kind -- was honest. Brutally honest. Read the introductory column below to get a feel for Marc's acid-tongued style of love advice!
Marc's debut makes me wonder if these letters were in fact real, or if they were created by DC to get a jump start on the column. I tend to think that this first batch was planted in order to generate reader response. However it started, this column was obviously a way to get readers riled up and create dialogue between them and the comic book. It certainly work, as in subsequent columns Marc went farther and farther to insult almost every reader that wrote in to him. That in turn generated more letters and even attempts to get rid of Marc through polls! Though we may cringe today, it was a pretty smart marketing tactic in order to create a return audience.
The thing I find most interesting is that DC chose to use a picture of a real person to portray the character Marc (and later - his counterpart, but we will save that for another post). Most other advice column characters are represented by an illustration of the advice giver, making the case of Marc a bit unusual. Who is this Mike Nesmith looking character? Was it a stock photo or a photo of an employee at DC? Where is "Marc" now? If I ever find out the answers to these questions, I will be sure to share!!!
Fashion Files - Dates 'N' Mates!


The natural beauty of Virginia's Piedmont is at its most dramatic in Rappahannock County, where the majestic Blue Ridge gives way to rolling hills, rambling streams and rivers, pastureland with grazing cattle, birding and wildlife trails and the charm of historic villages. Visitors come to relax in Rappahannock — to enjoy the beauty of a sunrise or sunset, or the brilliant stars of a country-dark sky — or to seek outdoor adventures, including in adjacent Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive.
Add to this world-class classical, operatic, chamber, jazz and folk concerts and theater; seasonal, family-friendly events; sustainable farms and award-winning wineries; a distillery; vibrant art and artisans; photography and antique treasures; steeplechase races and an active hunt community; and gourmet dining — including the historic Town of Washington, founded in 1796, which serves as the county seat and is home to the five-star, five-diamond Inn at Little Washington.
Rappahannock County is located in Virginia's Piedmont Region, a destination rich in natural beauty, American history, farmlands, quaint towns and inns, wineries and fine dining.
With Shenandoah National Park and Old Rag Mountain in its backyard, Rappahannock County offers stunning Appalachian views from its scenic byways that traverse the rolling hills of its countryside. Country drives lead to the historic Town of Washington and to such quaint villages as Sperryville, Flint Hill, Woodville, Chester Gap and Amissville.
The Blue Ridge Mountains have always been an integral part of the county. In the 1800s, many families took advantage of its forests, minerals and fine highland grazing pastures to carve out distinctive lifestyles that are now part of the county's heritage. Depletion of natural resources, shifting economic trends and the establishment of the Shenandoah National Park in the 1930s brought an end to this traditional mountain life. Families were moved to "resettlement" areas along the base of the Blue Ridge. Memories of the colorful past are treasured by their descendents.
Rappahannock County's early settlers were small farmers, primarily of English descent, but also Scotch, Irish and German. Rappahannock was designated a distinct county in 1833 and took its name from the river that has its source in nearby mountain springs, and which flows east through Fredericksburg and into the Chesapeake Bay.
In July 1749, a 17-year old George Washington noted in his journal, "in the Blue Ridge Mountains . . . I laid off a town." The young surveyor, assisted by two chainmen, laid out the Town of Washington in the same five-block by two-block grid that exists today. The town officially was established by the Virginia Assembly in 1796. Though there are now 28 Washingtons in the United States, this is "The First Washington of them All." Today Washington serves as the county seat and is home to the famous The Inn at Little Washington, as well as country inns, shops and galleries.
Historic villages include Woodville (1803), which thrived until the 1920s when a tornado destroyed much of the town. Today, it is a beautiful but smaller version of its original self. Amissville (1810) and Sperryville (1820) lie near the eastern and western boundaries of the county. They were originally important waypoints on the series of turnpikes that ran across the Blue Ridge and eastward to the port at Alexandria.
Flint Hill (1820s), lies astride the historic Richmond Road, once a major thoroughfare from the mountains to the state capital. On the same road at the northern edge of the county is Chester Gap. This mountain passageway offers panoramic vistas of the Piedmont on one side and the Shenandoah Valley on the other.
While there were no large-scale military actions in Rappahannock County, several dozen skirmishes and many troop movements occurred here. As a gateway to the northern Shenandoah Valley, the county was a major thoroughfare for Union and Confederate forces on a number of occasions. It was also on the southern edge of the territory known as (Col. John) Mosby's Confederacy. Three important regional roads, the north-south Richmond Road and Sperryville-Thornton Gap Turnpike and the east-west Warrenton-Rappahannock Turnpike would witness the passage of most or all of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in the campaigns of 2nd Manassas, Antietam and Gettysburg. The fords near the headwaters of the Rappahannock River would play important roles in each of these movements.
In the most notable military encounter here, Gen. George Custer would be lucky to escape with his life following an attack on the Confederate Army at Newby's Crossroads during the army's retreat south after Gettysburg. Confederate Gen. JEB Stuart lost half of his mustache (and nearly his life) during a sharp exchange with Union forces at Corbin's Crossroads near Amissville.
The Union Army of Virginia under Gen. John Pope occupied the county during the summer of 1862, bringing with it the deprivations of "total war," a strategy designed to inflict pain upon civilians supporting the rebel army. Many residents left the county to find refuge away from the war zone. Pope's army had its own difficulties. Many hundreds of cases of typhoid fever occurred within its camps between Sperryville and Gaines Crossroads (BenVenue).
Of the roughly 6,000 white residents in the county in 1860, more than 1,000 men served in the military during the war. Most joined Rappahannock-based units (e.g., Flint Hill Rifles, Sperryville Sharpshooters, etc.) in the regular Confederate army.
Others became members of Mosby's partisan rangers. Although Southern sentiment dominated residents' reasons for service, several Rappahannock natives joined the Union army and several were members of the United States Colored Troops. More than 100 county soldiers were killed in action and at least another 80 died from wounds or disease. Rappahannock units participated in many of the important campaigns of the war including 1st & 2nd Manassas, The Seven Days, Antietam, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania and Petersburg. A few were present at Appomattox.
In 1860, there were some 3,520 slaves and 312 free blacks in Rappahannock Country. A number of well-preserved slave quarters provide stark reminders of the lives and circumstances of these forgotten people who played a major role in county history.
For more information, visit our Civil War in Rappahannock County website, where you will find a complete list of the Civil War Trail Markers in the county, along with descriptions and a comprehensive map.
Prior to the Civil War, slavery was a part of most of the farms and estates in Rappahannock County, and descendants of those slaves make up a large part of the current African American population. After emancipation, many African Americans were engaged in farming, while others were blacksmiths, stonemasons and bricklayers. When jobs were at a premium during various periods, some family heads moved north and/or west to find work to support their families. Local black churches formed during and after reconstruction became not only houses of worship but also cornerstones of social interaction and strength.
Two major foundations encouraged the education of African Americans. The Anna T. Jeans fund of 1908 was designed to aid in making shop work, homemaking and vocational skills part of the curricula. In 1917, Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears Roebuck, created a foundation to donate funds for erection of schools for African American children.
Rappahannock County had three Rosenwald schools: Flint Hill, Amissville and Scrabble. The Scrabble School, opened in 1921 and closed in 1967, is the only remaining Rosenwald School. Abandoned and nearly forgotten after it was closed, Scrabble School re-opened in 2009 after an extensive restoration. The building is now the home of the Rappahannock Senior Center at Scrabble School. It also houses the Rappahannock African-American Heritage Center, which features an exhibit that tells the story of the school, the community it once served, and its place in local, state, and national history. Please visit scrabbleschool.org for more details.
Guide My Feet, Hold My Hand by Mary Goins Gandy is the story of Goins' great grandmother Kitty Payne, who was emancipated, kidnapped, enslaved again, jailed and freed. In Beyond The Rim, James Russell relates the legendary oral history he learned from former slave Caroline Terry, his great grandmother.
John Jackson, born in the county in 1924, became a noted blues musician and took his talent to the White House. Daniel Russell taught himself to read and write while enslaved and became a teacher in the county in 1871. Anna Green and Julia Boddie were responsible for educating many and instilling the highest of values in those they touched.
In I Stretch My Hands to Thee, James Wilson Kilby, born in Rappahannock County in 1917, recounts his life and activism during the civil rights movement in Warren County. Most notable was the suit he filed in 1958, Betty Kilby et al. vs Warren County Board of Education, seeking to eliminate segregation.
Isaiah Wallace, who was born in Rappahannock County in 1876, loved learning from an early age and worked tirelessly to organize people to obtain Rosenwald funding for schools both in Rappahannock and Culpeper counties.
Experience our sustainable way of life in Rappahannock County, where traditional agriculture has given rise to specialized organic farming, orchards, vineyards and artisanal wineries.
Organic meats and produce are available directly from local farmers or at farmers' markets in the county and in Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Rappahannock's artisanal wineries offer wine-tasting events as well as opportunities to work alongside owners in the vineyard at harvest time. Local food markets are also great sources of products from the county.
In addition to practicing sustainable agricultural practices, preserving the natural landscape and its inhabitants comes naturally to residents in Rappahannock County. Our local conservation organizations (see below) invite you to join them for workshops and volunteer efforts — a great way to learn, contribute to and experience the beauty of the countryside.
Community involvement is a way of life in Rappahannock County, where volunteer organizations offer opportunities to contribute to every walk of life, from supporting the senior residents of the county to enriching the lives of students, fostering the arts and protecting the environment. Enrich your getaway experience in Rappahannock County by participating in community events sponsored by these organizations.
Rappahannock Food Pantry — The Rappahannock Pantry is an all-volunteer nonprofit with the mission to assist all Rappahannock residents who need food. Opened in June 2009, the Pantry has been stocked since with fresh fruits and vegetables, canned and non-perishable foods, deli items, breads and bakery goods, frozen foods, and pet foods. Stop by during hours of operation to make donations or ask questions of Pantry manager Mimi Forbes or the rest of our dedicated volunteer staff. Hours are 9 to 11:30 (drop-off) and noon to 4 (pick-up) Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 9 to 10 (drop-off) and 10 to 2 (pick-up) Saturdays. 603 Mt. Salem Avenue, Washington VA 22747.
Rappahannock County Lions Club — "The power of organized good" is the Lions' goal worldwide, and for 51 years, the Rappahannock Lions Club has been the predominant community service organization in the county. The club's fundraising efforts help finance a wide range of scholarships and community programs and its volunteer efforts are felt throughout the county. By using the Lions website, citizens are able to shop at Amazon.com and other stores, knowing that a portion of their purchases come back to the county and are donated in total to the local fire and rescue squads. The Lions meet at the Sperryville fire hall at 6:30 pm on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month. Information on joining the Club is available at the Lions website. Spots Williams, President. PO Box 132, Washington, VA 22747.
Rappahannock Friends and Lovers of Our Watersheds (RappFLOW) — RappFLOW volunteers help to preserve, protect, conserve and restore water resources and watersheds in the county. They monitor the quality of water in streams and ponds, learn best practices for managing land to protect and conserve storm water and help to educate landowners and assist local government in protecting watersheds. RappFLOW, Box 132, Sperryville, VA 22740.
Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection (RLEP) — RLEP strives for environmental protection of open space and the rural character of Rappahannock County and the preservation of natural and historic places, wildlife, ecosystems and farm economy. In addition, RLEP provides information and education on environmental issues and assists the community planning efforts of local governmental bodies. 291 Gay St., PO Box 94, Washington, VA 22747. 540-317-1449.


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The 2016 Election Exposes the Very, Very Dark Side of Tech
Issie Lapowsky
Over the past 19 months, we've seen what can happen when technology is misused.
You know that at WIRED, technology and innovation are kind of our thing. Pretty much every day since 1993, my WIRED colleagues past and present have come to work to tell you stories about how technology can make the world a better place, how it can enhance human ability in ways we still can't quite imagine, and why all of these technological shifts aren't necessarily as scary as they sometimes seem at first.
Today is not one of those days. Because tomorrow, we'll elect the leader of the free world, and well, we can't say that technology has exactly made it easy over these last truly grueling 19 months.
This election cycle has revealed the deep, dark underbelly of all that technological progress. It's shown us---and not for the first time---how the same communication tools that can connect strangers in far-flung parts of the world can also be used to disseminate gas chamber memes and death threats. It's shown us how the same platforms that put a world of facts and information at our fingertips can just as easily be used to undermine basic truths. It's shown us that our most personal communications---so many of them digital---are exceptionally vulnerable to anyone with a vendetta and that the online masses, typically so precious about their own privacy, would be all too eager to see what we've got to hide. And we all have something to hide.
This election, we've seen so many unintended consequences of what can happen when we rely on this innovation. Since I started covering politics for WIRED, people have often asked me why a tech publication is writing about politics. It's a fair question. But considering that email servers, Russian hackers, Twitter trolls, and WikiLeaks now have a prominent role in our electoral system, the more pertinent question seems to me: How could we not?
Rise of the Trolls
The trolls were around since long before Donald Trump, but boy, did Trump's candidacy give them their day in the spotlight. Long confined to the fringe, this year, the trolls took center stage, unleashing a torrent of harassment on anyone who was not on the #TrumpTrain. They proudly adopted the term Clinton used to describe them---"deplorables"---and lived up to the name.
For conservative writer David French, this meant enduring a deluge of photos doctored to make his daughter look like a slave. For writer Bethany Mandel, who received a slew of anti-Semitic tweets, it meant buying a gun to protect herself in case any of this violent rhetoric turned into action.
"Every campaign attracts its share of fools, cranks, and crazies. But Trump's candidacy has weaponized them," French wrote in a column for The National Review.
This election has shown us how the same platforms that put a world of facts and information at our fingertips can just as easily be used to undermine basic truths.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, there were 2.6 million anti-Semitic tweets sent between last August and this July, a whopping 60 percent of them in reply to journalists. But while this spike could easily be construed as a widespread increase in anti-Semitic sentiment, the survey also showed that just 1,600 accounts generated 68 percent of the tweets.
In a way, Trump validated this behavior by hiring an icon of the alt-right, like Steve Bannon, former executive chairman of the ultra-conservative website Breitbart, to join his campaign. "That is something that Trump enabled," Nell Irvin Painter, a professor of American history at Princeton University, says of the racist rhetoric that has surrounded Trump's candidacy. "It was this underground stream, and he poked it, and put a hole in the crust, and it came oozing out."
But it hasn't just been Trump supporters. During the primaries, the so-called Bernie Bros (leftists Bernie Sanders devotees) became infamous for their well-documented misogynist rants and threats against Sanders critics and Clinton supporters.
The trolls may make up a tiny fraction of any given candidates' supporter base, but unfortunately, they make the most noise. As Dominique Brossard, who studies these issues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told WIRED, "You have very vocal minorities on two sides of the spectrum, and then the vast majority in the middle that are pretty silent about it."
This election---with all its digital death threats and intimidation tactics---has proved that all that polarization online can not only be destructive to political discourse, it can be downright dangerous.
The Age of Post-Truth Politics
It's also proved that even as the internet has made it easier to spread information and knowledge, it's made it just as easy to undermine the truth. On the internet, all ideas appear equal, even when they're lies.
The splintering of the media, of course, has a lot to do with that. Where once there were a handful of newspapers and television stations vetting the news to sort fact from fiction, now there are innumerable publications, social media pundits, and hoax websites calling another person's fact their fiction.
The Internet Muddles An Already Confusing FBI Investigation Into Clinton Emails
10 Years After An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore May Actually Be Winning
The Polls Are All Wrong. A Startup Called Civis Is Our Best Hope to Fix Them
"From a contradiction, you can derive anything," University of Connecticut philosophy professor Michael Lynch, who wrote the book The Internet of Us, recently told WIRED. "You get people to a point where they're receiving contradictory signals, and they start to just ignore the bit that seems inconsistent with their own beliefs."
That's been true for some time, of course, but this year in particular, people have lost faith in the trustworthiness of the so-called mainstream media, with just 14 percent of Republicans saying they trust the media, down from 32 percent in 2015.
And that makes political discourse difficult, because as tough as political cooperation has ever been, it's that much harder when two sides can't agree on even a basic set of facts.
Social media exacerbates this problem, allowing people to fall easily into echo chambers that circulate their own versions of the truth. A Buzzfeed analysis of partisan Facebook pages found that often, the more a page shares false or misleading information, the more viral its posts become. A recent study of which Zika-related stories were shared most across Facebook, conducted by scientists at the University of Wisconsin and published in the American Journal of Infection Control, found similar results. The more inaccurate the article, the more popular it was likely to be on Facebook. This is more troubling when you realize that social media is second only to cable news as Americans' primary political news source.
This has allowed dangerous conspiracies to fester online for years. Birtherism, Painter notes, is a potent example of that. "It's been disproved time and time again, but it still lives," she says. "Birtherism is not amenable to truth. It's not amenable to fact. It belongs to an ideology in which it functions as ideological truth."
Both Facebook and Twitter are now grappling with how to stem the spread of disinformation on their platforms, without becoming the sole arbiters of truth on the internet. Just Thursday, Twitter suspended an account that was spreading false information in order to suppress votes for Clinton.
The Clickbait Election
This election blurred the already blurry line between politics and entertainment, in large part because this year a reality star was running for president. Trump knew how to command the airwaves---and the web.
As CBS CEO Leslie Moonves put it, the country's collective fixation with Trump has been "damn good for CBS," and the rest of the media landscape. According to data compiled by Mashable and the tracking firm Newswhip, out of 10 major news websites including WSJ.com and NYTimes.com, Trump content accounted for 38 percent of all engagement. For sites like Vox.com, it accounted for nearly 60 percent.
It's not just that Trump knows how to keep himself in the news, though. The issue is also that media itself has become as much an entertainment channel as it is an information one. On Facebook, breaking news stories and longreads that contextualize candidates mix and mingle with your friends' birthday posts and wedding photos. On Snapchat, the news now fights for attention alongside selfies with rainbow vomit filters.
The media's entire business model now depends on cutting through that clutter. Enter such media upstarts as NowThis, focused on getting millennials to stop and watch a short news video before scrolling down their feeds. Headlines grow a bit more outraged, a bit more exaggerated, and small stories---like a vague missive from FBI Director James Comey about emails that may or may not have something to do with Clinton's private email server---get distorted and misconstrued six ways to Sunday before any details even come out.
Never Email
Speaking of that private email server, this election has showcased just how susceptible both politicians and private citizens are to massive privacy breaches. Not only was the Democratic National Committee the victim of a massive hack this summer, but more recently, Wikileaks has made years' worth of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta's emails public, emails that were stolen by Russian hackers.
Whether the press has an obligation to report on stolen emails (the Clinton camp has argued it does not) the leaks still serve as a concrete reminder that we're all exposed. Most of us entrust our every communication---no matter how mundane or secretive---to tech companies that can never truly offer us protection from determined hackers who want access to that information.
So we hold our breath and hope that what happened to Podesta and former DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz never happens to us. After this election, though, we know it can happen to anyone, particularly if you're someone who has a political opinion.
"The security thing has always been a big fear of ours," says Scott Tranter, founder of 0ptimus, which ran Marco Rubio's data operation during the primaries. "When you have more data and a high-profile opinion people might not agree with, you open yourself up to an attack."
As individuals who care about our own privacy, that is scary enough. As citizens of a country that depends on free and fair elections, it's even scarier.
Twitter-Sized Attention Spans
What's equally scary, though, is how quickly the public can forget---if not forgive---a major scandal. As Tranter notes, during the primaries, he would monitor the data about what his target audiences were watching. Each time Trump said something objectionable---like, for instance, talking about the size of his manhood on a debate stage---Tranter expected Trump to tank. He never did.
The public has developed a Twitter-sized attention span, in which the latest outrage always seems to supersede the one before it.
"All the bad things? The electorate saw it. We know they saw it," he says. "Yet in the primary, he was able to get consistent wins."
During the general election, we've seen much the same thing. In polls, Trump has rebounded from his public fight with a Muslim Gold Star family. He took a beating after an Access Hollywood video came out, in which he talks about sexually assaulting women, and it continued after more than a dozen women came forward to accuse him of sexual assault. But look at the news today, and it's Clinton's email scandal that dominates headlines.
The public has developed a Twitter-sized attention span, in which the latest outrage always seems to supersede the one before it. Maybe it was always this way and there were just more scandals this year, but the result is the same: no one can focus. Trump has taken full advantage of that fact. People start to talk about his bad debate performance? He'll pick a fight with Miss Universe. People start to talk about how he allegedly sexually assaults women? He'll tell the world the election will be rigged. And on November 8, you'll scratch your head and wonder, who was Judge Curiel again? (You know, the judge Trump accused of being biased because of his Mexican heritage.)
This has always been part of the human condition, of course. But it's not hard to see how technology---despite all of the ways it's made our lives better---can actually make these instincts worse.
So, yeah. Sorry to go all dark on you, WIRED readers. As for tomorrow? We're trying to be optimistic.
Issie Lapowsky is a senior writer for WIRED covering the intersection of tech, politics, and national affairs. Lapowsky covered startups and small business as a staff writer for Inc. magazine before joining WIRED, and before that she worked for the New York Daily News. Lapowsky received a bachelor's degree from... Read more
TopicsDonald Trumpelection 2016Hillary ClintonNational Affairs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The New Horizons Program began in 1991 at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY under the guidance of Roy Ernst, now Professor Emeritus from that school. Since that time, the idea has been adopted throughout the U. S. and in Canada, resulting in the forming of more than 200 organizations.
While New Horizons was designed in particular for senior adults, there is no minimum or maximum age or ability required. All are welcome, especially beginners. Members include those with little or no experience, those who have postponed participating in an ensemble due to career and family, and seasoned musicians. All agree that New Horizons is a community of music-makers flourishing in a non-competitive, collaborative, and supportive environment.
The Rochester (NY) program includes beginning, intermediate and advanced bands, a Big Band, beginning strings, full and string orchestras, a chorus, and several chamber ensembles.
The Rochester program is part of the New Horizons International Music Association (NHIMA), which offers benefits that include reduced rates at music camps for individual NHIMA members.
After completing a preparatory degree at Eastman, Priscilla Todd Brown studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where she graduated with a degree in oboe performance. A professional oboist, Priscilla has played, toured, and recorded with the Boston Symphony, the Boston Pops, and the Bethlehem Bach Orchestra. She played with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for a number of years and with many other local groups. Her Masters degree in education is from Nazareth College.
Priscilla directed the bands and music program at East High School in the City of Rochester for almost twenty years, and received the Rochester Philharmonic Musicians' Award for Outstanding Music Educators (Instrumental Music - Band) in 2002. She is delighted to continue conducting with the New Horizons Band.


text:
FRENCH ICE HOCKEY PLAYERS ARE PREPARING FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AT CLARION OSTRAVA
Ostrava lives on winter sports even during days of tropical heat, which its guests spending their time at the Clarion Ostrava may see for themselves. For the 8th time, selected French ice hockey players have chosen to hold their training camp at the Clarion Congress Ostrava. Fitness exercise of this year's 10-day training will be combined with preparatory matches with teams of Jihlava, Třebíč, Havířov and Piešťany.
"We are happy to come back to Ostrava and the Clarion for our summer ice hockey preparation. Thanks to the excellent conditions for our training camp and the excellent location of the hotel we could plan intensive and compact preparation for the upcoming season," stated the main coach of the team Dave Henderson. Our future representatives are daily provided with a buffet with a wide selection, whose preparation is supervised by team manager Renaud Jacquin. "Mr Henderson and Mr Jacquin have been very satisfied so far, they appreciate the facilities, services provided and attentive staff who always attempt to meet the team's requirements," said Radim Beneš, hotel director at the Clarion. "Sportsmen happily enjoy a good meal after demanding training; our head chef Otto Kokoszynski has been praised the most," added Mr Beneš.
Tim Bozone, junior WHL player and one of the greatest talents, who has returned to the ice after serious health problems, has contributed to the traditionally good results of the French team. He scored even in Tuesday friendly matches with the Piešťany team, in which French team lost to Slovakia 2:3 during penalty shots. "We arrived this year with a team of really young players; I believe that several of them could rank among the representation performance-wise and participate in the World Championship 2015 in Prague and Ostrava. We would like to leave Prague with some gold medals," added Dave Henderson, smiling.


text:
Els germans Ianachia (Avdella, 1878 − Tessalònica, 1954) i Milton Manachia (Avdella, 1882 − Bitola, 1964) van ser pioners de la fotografia i el cinema als Balcans. El 1905 van filmar la primera pel·lícula en els Balcans a la ciutat otomana de Monastir (avui Bitola, Macedònia del Nord). En honor del seu treball, se celebra cada any a Bitola al Festival Internacional de Cinema "Germans Bitola", la ciutat on van ser més famosos. En total, van realitzar al voltant de 17.300 fotografies en 120 localitzacions.

Noms
Els noms dels germans en la seva llengua nativa, el aromanès són Ianaki i Milt Manaki o Manaki. També s'usen les variants dels seus noms en macedònic (Јанаки i Милтон Манаки) i en grec (Γιαννάκης i Μιλτιάδης Μανάκιας). A tots dos se'ls coneix com a "Germans Manaki" o menys comunament "Germans Manakis".

Biografia
Ianaki i Milt Manaki van néixer el 1878 i 1882 a la petita població aromanesa de Avdella (actualment Αβδέλλα, Grècia), que pertanyia a la província Monastir sota l'Imperi Otomà.

El 1905, van comprar una càmera Bioscope a Londres i la van usar per filmar nombrosos temes: la seva àvia de 114 anys filant llana en Avdella, visites de les autoritats de Monastir, incloent Mehmet V (1911), Pere I de Sèrbia i el príncep Alexandre de Sèrbia (1913), el rei Constantí I i el príncep Pau de Grècia (1918); festes locals i casaments, i revolucions. Ells van ser els que van obrir el primer cinema a Bitola, el primer cinema a la fresca (1921), després cobert (1923). El seu fitxer de pel·lícules va ser dipositat al Achivo Estatal de Iugoslàvia el 1955, i va ser transferida a la Cinémathèque iugoslava en Macedònia el 1976.

La pel·lícula de Theo Angelópulos To Vlemma tou Odyssea gira al voltant de la fictícia i metafòrica recerca d'unes bobines perdudes i sense revelar dels germans, rodades abans que els Balcans fossin dividits pels nacionalismes. La cinta de Angelópulos s'obre amb la imatge de l'àvia dels germans Manaki filant llana.

Filmografia
 1905.  Filadores (Avdela)
 1908.  Salutació a la Segona Era Constitucional, a Bitola
 1911.  Benvinguda al Sultà Mehmet V Resh, a Bitola
 1911.  Funeral del Metropolità Aimilianós de Gravena
 1918.  Benvinguda al Rei de Grècia i a l'hereu al tron Pau pel General Bojovic, a Bitola

Bibliografia
 Exarch, Giorgis.  Αδελφοί Μανάκια: πρωτοπόροι του κινηματογράφου στα Βαλκάνια και το "Βλαχικόν ζήτημα" (Els Germans Manaki: Pioners del Cinema en els Balcans i la "Qüestió Vlachos"). Atenes: Gavriilidis, 1991.
 Igor Stardelov. "Conservació de l'herència dels Germans Manaki".

Referències

Enllaços externs

 Biografia del Festival de Cinema
 oficial del Festival de Cinema Manaki
 Galeria de fotos

Macedonis de Macedònia Occidental
Artistes otomans
Història del cinema
Aromanesos
Artistes germans
Artistes grecs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
What is the lowest common multiple of 7 10 and 14?
The lowest common multiple (LCM) is: 70
Q: What is the lowest common multiple of 7 10 and 14?
What is lowest common multiple of 10 and 14?
What is the lowest common multiple 10 and 14?
It is: 70
What is the lowest common multiple for 8 and 14?
The lowest common multiple of 8 and 14 is 56.
The LCM of 5, 10 & 14 is... 70
What is the lowest common multiple of 10 14 and 18?
LCM(10, 14, 18) = 630.
What is the lowest common multiple of 2 and 7?
Lowest common multiple of 2 and 7 is 14.
Lowest common multiple of 7 and 14?
5 10 14 lowest common multiple?
The lowest common multiple (LCM) refers to a multiple that is COMMON to two or more numbers. You have only one number in the question! The least multiple of a number is itself.
What are the lowest common multiples of 12 and 14?
What is a common multiple of 2 and 7?
The lowest common multiple would be 14
What is the lowest common multiple of 2 14 7?
What is the lowest common multiple of 35 and 14?
The least common multiple of the numbers 35 and 14 is 70.
What are the common multiples of 10 and 14?
The lowest common multiple of 10 and 14 is 70. Others include 140, 210, 280, and an infinite number of others.
The lowest common multiple of 12 and 14 is 84. 12 x 7 = 84 14 x 6 = 84
What is a common multiple of 10 and 14?
There is an infinite number of common multiples for 10 and 14. A common multiple of any two or more numbers is any number into which each of two or more numbers can be divided evenly (zero remainder). However, the least or lowest common multiple (LCM) of 10 and 14 is 70.
What is the lowest common multiple of 14 and 4?
Lowest common multiple of 12 and 14?
What is the lowest common multiple of 3 and 14?
What is lowest common multiple of 2 and 7?
Their product.
It is: 210
What is the lowest common multiple 4 and 14?


text:
November 23, 2015 posted by Craig Kasnoff
23 November 2015 | Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species News Release
Geneva – The increased involvement of organized crime groups and on some occasions rebel militia, has changed the dynamics of combating wildlife and forest crime. The International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) was formed to ensure a formidable and coordinated response to such crimes and to assist law enforcement authorities around the world with the increasingly difficult and complex situations they face in their fight against this highly destructive criminal activity.
Five years after the signature of a Letter of Understanding on 23 November 2010, the five inter-governmental organizations that form ICCWC, namely the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat, INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the World Bank and the World Customs Organization (WCO), celebrate the 5th anniversary of the launch of the Consortium.
Globally, there is strong recognition of the need for increased international collaboration and coordination to combat illicit trafficking in wildlife. United under ICCWC, the five organizations have a unique pool of thematically relevant technical and programming expertise, that present the opportunity for a novel approach to the multi-facetted challenges posed by wildlife crime. Since its creation, the important role of ICCWC has been widely recognized, most recently by the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution on Tackling Illicit Trafficking in Wildlife, which includes a recognition of ICCWC and acknowledges the valuable technical assistance ICCWC can provide to support member states efforts to tackle illicit trade in wildlife.
Mr John E. Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General, said: "ICCWC is developing the tools and providing the coordinated support and services that countries need to enable them to confront the organised criminal groups that are driving industrial scale poaching and smuggling. It is giving front line officers combating wildlife crime the ability to deploy the same tools and techniques used to combat other serious crimes, which is essential if we are to win this fight".
"The Consortium has benefited from the strong support of the executive heads of each of the five partner organisations, and generous financial support from multiple donors, including the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the World Bank Development Grant Facility, for which we are most grateful. This has enabled the Consortium to deliver a wide range of activities to date" added Scanlon.
Based on the Consortium's Strategic Mission, ICCWC partners are providing coordinated law enforcement support in many different countries and regions across the world, to enhance the capacity and compliment the efforts of national wildlife law enforcement agencies and sub-regional and regional networks that on a daily basis act to combat the illegal trafficking in wild fauna and flora.
Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit:
Key activities delivered under the auspices of ICCWC include the development and implementation of the ICCWC Wildlife and Forest Crime Analytic Toolkit. To date Toolkit implementation has been successfully completed in 6 countries and is at different stages of implementation in an additional 11 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Further requests for toolkit implementation continue to be received.
An ICCWC indicator framework for wildlife and forest crime, designed to be completed as a self-assessment of national capacity for law enforcement authorities has also been developed. This indicator framework will complement the Toolkit, and will be launched at the 66th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in January 2016.
Wildlife Incident Support Teams and specialized training:
To support countries that have been affected by significant poaching, or that have made a large-scale seizure of CITES specimens, ICCWC has, upon request, deployed Wildlife Incident Support Teams (WISTs), to assist these countries and guide and facilitate appropriate follow-up actions. Such WISTs have been deployed at the request of Sri Lanka and the U.A.E. to assist national authorities to collect DNA samples from a large-scale ivory seizure for forensic analysis. A WIST was also deployed to Madagascar to provide analysis and support on the government's efforts to deal with illegal logging and trafficking in rosewood and other precious timber species.
In addition, through its global network of regional and country offices, ICCWC has continued to provide specialized training for wildlife law enforcement officers, including specialized training in support of operations and the organization of a number of activities to support the implementation of the recommendations of the ICCWC Toolkit, such as delivering targeted training on CITES and special investigative techniques (Bangladesh, October 2015).
Coordinated enforcement efforts:
ICCWC continues to support and enhance the capacity of national agencies responsible for wildlife law enforcement to use specialized techniques such as controlled deliveries to combat wildlife crime. This has been done and is ongoing through a number of workshops and projects (China, 2011; Prague, 2015, and related activities of Projects WAYLAY and INAMA).
In addition, ICCWC has coordinated a number of operations such as INFRA TERRA, PAWS and URSA, and supported network-led operations such as COBRA II and III.
Following the convening of the First global meeting of wildlife enforcement networks at the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in Bangkok, Thailand, and to further enhance cooperation and coordination among networks, a second global meeting is planned alongside the 17th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES in September 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Forensics and anti-money laundering:
As part of ICCWC's portfolio of activities on wildlife forensics, ICCWC developed practical tools and guidelines such as the ICCWC guidelines for forensic methods and procedures of ivory sampling and analysis, and is currently developing similar guidelines for timber.
ICCWC is also developing an anti-money laundering learning programme with a specific focus on wildlife crime, which is expected to be ready by mid-2016, for the training of investigators, prosecutors, judges, and other relevant stakeholders involved in the investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime cases.
High level events:
ICCWC has contributed to generate high level support to combat illegal trade in wildlife by supporting and organizing a number of high level conferences and events such as a seminar for Heads of police and Customs on tiger crime, the ICCWC Ministerial roundtable on combating wildlife and forest crime, and a Ministerial-level and Senior Officials meeting on combating poaching and the illegal trade in rhinoceros horn.
Strategic Programme for 2016-2020:
The Consortium uses a light administrative model, with ICCWC partners leading on key initiatives.
Building on its current Strategic Mission, ICCWC will be launching in coming months its Strategic Programme for 2016-2020, the Consortium's targeted strategy to combat illegal trade in wildlife in a comprehensive and coordinated manner for coming years.
Funding and donor support:
The Consortium would like to thank the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America and the World Bank Development Grant Facility for their generous support to ICCWC.
For more information, please visit the ICCWC website.


text:
Your West Chesire
Your West Cheshire
Your Ellesmere Port
Your Rural Life
Your Chester
Your Northwich & Winsford
Changes to library opening times during the Christmas period
Cheshire West and Chester libraries will be operating a revised service over the Christmas period:
Monday 23 December: All libraries to open as usual
Tuesday 24 December: Chester Library at Storyhouse open until 5pm. All other libraries will close at 1pm with the exception of Frodsham and Tarvin who will be closed all day
Wednesday 25 December: Bank holiday – all closed
Thursday 26 December: Chester Library at Storyhouse open 10am to 4pm.All other libraries closed.
Friday 27 December: All libraries to open as usual. Frodsham Library is open 9am to 4pm.
Saturday 28 December: All libraries to open as usual
Monday 30 December: All libraries to open as usual. Frodsham Library is open 9am to 4pm.
Tuesday 31 December: All libraries routinely open on Tuesdays will open at usual times and close at 1pm. Storyhouse will close at 5pm. Frodsham and Tarvin will be closed all day.
Wednesday 1 January: Bank holiday – all closed
Thursday 2 January: All libraries to open as usual
Malpas Library, based within a high school, will close at 7pm on 19 December and not re-open until 7 January as the school is closed.
Hoole Library will close at 1pm on Saturday 21 December and re-open on Saturday 4 January at 10am.
Also the Mobile Library will not undertake any routes week beginning 23 December through until 2 January.
Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Councillor Louise Gittins said: "Some Libraries across the authority will be open across the festive period but don't forget that you can search, reserve and renew items on-line, at any time of the day or night, on the council website. You can also find out more about the wide range of free eResources available. A 24-hour telephone line for renewals is available too, by calling 0300 123 7739."
In addition the Council's Customer Services will be available at Ellesmere Port in line with Ellesmere Port Libraries opening hours and with the exception of bank holidays, available as usual at Chester Forum, Northwich Information Centre and Wyvern Hub Winsford from 8.30am to 5pm on 27, 30 and 31 December.
Sandiway Library remains closed while the building is repaired and alternative arrangements are available at neighbouring libraries. The library is due to reopen in early February 2020.
For more information visit the Council's website. You can also follow Cheshire West and Chester Council's Libraries Service on Facebook or Twitter.
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SUNNYSIDE CAFé. PHOTOGRAPHY THIS PAGE WYATT KOSTYGAN.
Breakfast is considered by many to be the most important meal of the day. We agree, so we combed through the landscape of myriad breakfast spots available from Lakewood Ranch to Venice and picked a few of our new favorites from hidden cafés.
Sunnyside Café occupies that stretch of Tamiami Trail between the Airport and Jungle Gardens better known for budget-friendly motels than haute cuisine, but this delightful Hungarian restaurant has quickly become a foodie destination thanks to fresh and flavorful food prepared in the open kitchen by Chef Tamas Benkovics. Chef Tamas and business partner Eva Kurtz are committed to sourcing local ingredients, collaborating with local vendors and providing delicious and satisfying meals to patrons no matter their dietary restrictions or preferences. Take the Savory Chickpea Pancakes, a vegan treat served with arugula, avocado and a zesty Caribbean salsa; these pancakes have amassed a reverent following of vegan and non-vegan devotees because they're just that tasty. The fresh orange juice actually gets hand-squeezed to order, each egg hand-cracked to order. At Sunnyside Café, cooks make their own breakfast sausage, pita bread, flat bread and panini bread. The waffle batter is made from scratch, as is the goulash. Goulash, you say? Yes, the authentic Hungarian goulash is prepared daily and tastes like someone's Hungarian grandmother used to make. Eva says there are many Hungarians that visit Sunnyside but mostly for lunch or their special themed dinner nights. The majority of the large breakfast crowd is not Hungarian. "In Budapest, there are 2 million people and maybe two restaurants that serve breakfast. Hungarians stay home and cook breakfast because, to them, lunch is the most important meal of the day." We think if more people sampled Sunnyside Café's house-cured Lox (with goat cheese instead of cream cheese) or the Fried Green Tomatoes Eggs Benedict, they might just change their minds.
Chef Alan Laskowski of Blú Island Bistro is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and his beautifully plated and perfectly seasoned food speaks of a sure hand and a passion for the culinary arts. Blú Island remains one of those places where people willingly wait in line without complaint because they know that the wait will be worth it. Chef Alan and business partner Kim make sure even the wait is an enjoyable edible experience by providing complimentary coffee and samples of baked goods, like warm airy cheddar biscuits, for the hungry crowd. Once seated on either the small outdoor patio or inside the bustling beautifully decorated restaurant, one is faced with the daunting task of choosing between one delectably described dish after another. The servers are friendly, knowledgeable and willing to give recommendations but, in our experience, there is no wrong move here. The Blú Burrito is filled with fluffy scrambled eggs, black beans and chorizo sausage, then topped with sour cream, cheddar, avocado and a house-made salsa that could be served as its own delicious dish. The Bacon and Egg Sandwich, a personal favorite of the chef, features pecan-smoked bacon, fried egg, caramelized onions and arugula on fresh ciabatta bread. Chef Alan's Philly roots are on display with the inclusion of a delicacy known as scrapple, which is akin to the best meatloaf you've ever tried, but many guests swear by his 'famous' buttermilk pancakes. Venice locals start lining up early for this breakfast destination. Come hungry.
One of the things we like most about Sea Star Café is you have to know it's there in order to find it. That aspect of discovering a hidden treasure only adds to the appeal of this lovely café run by two families with a love for feeding people and spending time with each other. This is a classic American breakfast place with batches of home-baked muffins cooling in the kitchen window and a staff that wants to know your name. The Eggs Benedict is crowned with delicate buttercup yellow Hollandaise and the Coconut French Toast is served in the shape of a starfish, or sea star, hence the café's whimsical moniker. The aforementioned muffins are served to you warm and crispy after being cut in half, buttered and then grilled. Flavors range from classic blueberry to exotic Key lime coconut to seasonal favorites like pumpkin and candy cane. Specials change daily according to what's fresh and what sounds good and something about the beachy casual interior makes you want to stay awhile. Maybe you can order another muffin and call it brunch.


Last Fall, CMS made updates to the cost reporting software and the rules for filing a hospital Medicare cost report. Additionally, there were new and noteworthy changes included in the FY 2019 IPPS Final Rule. Specifically, the FY 2019 Final IPPS rule included new requirements for cost reports submissions with periods beginning on or after 10/1/2018. Providers must now submit both Worksheet S-10 and Medicare DSH patient level detail along with their cost report submissions.
In discussions that we have had externally, there seems to be confusion around which cost reporting periods are applicable to a specific Federal Fiscal year (FFY). The FFY begins 10/01 and ends 09/30, so if your hospital's FYE is not 9/30, how do you know which of your cost reports falls into a specific FFY?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted a Questions and Answers document providing clarification related to Medicare Cost Report Worksheet S-10. If you'll recall, CMS issued Transmittal 11 in September 2017 that made a number of revisions to the instructions for reporting data on cost report Worksheet S-10.


text:
Q: How to insert a string after a specific section of another string I'm working with a specific API that returns a class as a string to me. I need to insert a string at a certain block of the string that is given to me. So basically a function that takes the whole string, and appends the string I want to add to it after a specific block.
The string passed to me is a java class, and I want to basically enter my own function at the end of it after all of the existing functions. Incase you are confused.. I don't have access to the java file, this is the only way to modify the file when you are using config plugins in expo react native.
I believe some sort of regex is supposed to be used to get this  result ? but really I have no idea how to target the specific part of the string.
The string I want to add:
'@Override\nprotected List getPackages() {\nreturn Arrays.asList(\nnew MainReactPackage(), // <---- add comma\nnew RNFSPackage() // <---------- add package\n);\n}'
The string that is passed to me

import expo.modules.updates.UpdatesDevLauncherController;
import expo.modules.devlauncher.DevLauncherController;

import android.app.Application;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.res.Configuration;
import androidx.annotation.NonNull;

import com.facebook.react.PackageList;
import com.facebook.react.ReactApplication;
import com.facebook.react.ReactInstanceManager;
import com.facebook.react.ReactNativeHost;
import com.facebook.react.ReactPackage;
import com.facebook.soloader.SoLoader;

import expo.modules.ApplicationLifecycleDispatcher;
import expo.modules.ReactNativeHostWrapper;

import com.facebook.react.bridge.JSIModulePackage;
import com.swmansion.reanimated.ReanimatedJSIModulePackage;

import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
import java.util.List;

public class MainApplication extends Application implements ReactApplication {
  private final ReactNativeHost mReactNativeHost = new ReactNativeHostWrapper(
    this,
    new ReactNativeHost(this) {
    @Override
    public boolean getUseDeveloperSupport() {
      return DevLauncherController.getInstance().getUseDeveloperSupport();
    }

    @Override
    protected List<ReactPackage> getPackages() {
      @SuppressWarnings("UnnecessaryLocalVariable")
      List<ReactPackage> packages = new PackageList(this).getPackages();
      // Packages that cannot be autolinked yet can be added manually here, for example:
      // packages.add(new MyReactNativePackage());
      return packages;
    }

    @Override
    protected String getJSMainModuleName() {
      return "index";
    }

    @Override
    protected JSIModulePackage getJSIModulePackage() {
      return new ReanimatedJSIModulePackage();
    }
  });

  @Override
  public ReactNativeHost getReactNativeHost() {
    return mReactNativeHost;
  }

  @Override
  public void onCreate() {
    super.onCreate();
    SoLoader.init(this, /* native exopackage */ false);

    DevLauncherController.initialize(this, getReactNativeHost());
    if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
      DevLauncherController.getInstance().setUpdatesInterface(UpdatesDevLauncherController.initialize(this));
    }
    initializeFlipper(this, getReactNativeHost().getReactInstanceManager());
    ApplicationLifecycleDispatcher.onApplicationCreate(this);
  }

  @Override
  public void onConfigurationChanged(@NonNull Configuration newConfig) {
    super.onConfigurationChanged(newConfig);
    ApplicationLifecycleDispatcher.onConfigurationChanged(this, newConfig);
  }

<--- I WANT TO INSERT MY STRING HERE

  /**
   * Loads Flipper in React Native templates. Call this in the onCreate method with something like
   * initializeFlipper(this, getReactNativeHost().getReactInstanceManager());
   *
   * @param context
   * @param reactInstanceManager
   */
  private static void initializeFlipper(
      Context context, ReactInstanceManager reactInstanceManager) {
    if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
      try {
        /*
         We use reflection here to pick up the class that initializes Flipper,
        since Flipper library is not available in release mode
        */
        Class<?> aClass = Class.forName("com.haibert.GitTest.ReactNativeFlipper");
        aClass
            .getMethod("initializeFlipper", Context.class, ReactInstanceManager.class)
            .invoke(null, context, reactInstanceManager);
      } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
      } catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
      } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
      } catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
      }
    }
  }
}

A: const addToMainApp = (content) => {
    const regexpPackagingOptions = /\s*?(?=\/\*\*\n   \* Loads Flipper)/
    const insertLocation = content.match(regexpPackagingOptions)

    const newContent =
        content.substring(0, insertLocation.index) +
        '//INSERTED \n@Override\nprotected List<ReactPackage> getPackages() {\nreturn Arrays.<ReactPackage>asList(\nnew MainReactPackage(), // <---- add comma\nnew RNFSPackage() // <---------- add package\n);\n}' +
        content.substring(insertLocation.index, content.length)

    return newContent
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


PF WaterWorks Toe TouchBathtub/Bath Tub Drain Trim Kit (Drain + Stopper + Single/One (1) Hole Face Plate) - Coarse 11.5 TPI - FREE Hair Catcher; Oil Rubbed Bronze; PF0970-ORB-TT-C by PF WaterWorks at N Online Agency. MPN: PF0970-ORB. Hurry! Limited time offer. Offer valid only while supplies last. This Bath Tub Assembly Kit includes Toe Touch Bath Tub Stopper, Bathtub Drain shoe, and Single Hole Overflow Face Plate - all with matching finishes.
This Bath Tub Assembly Kit includes Toe Touch Bath Tub Stopper, Bathtub Drain shoe, and Single Hole Overflow Face Plate - all with matching finishes. Toe Touch Bath Tub Stopper is a convenient foot operated Bathtub Drain Stopper. The kit has all the components to entirely replace your bathtub drain and give it a new look. All components are made with a durable finish. Fitting adapters are included so the stopper can be used in most Bathtubs.


Minesto has concluded warrants program adding approximately SEK 44.4 million ($4.8 million) in proceeds before issue costs to the commercialisation activities of its subsea kite technology.
In total, 6,336,031 new shares in Minesto AB were subscribed through the warrants program, corresponding to a subscription rate of 97.8 percent.
The new shares have been delivered to the subscriber's account as interim shares. Next, they will be admitted to trading on Nasdaq First North as soon as the issue has been registered with the Swedish Companies Registration Office and Euroclear, which is expected to occur about three weeks after the subscription period's ending on 8 February.
Posted on February 12, 2019 with tags Deep Green, Minesto, warrants.


text:
VCU activists: students have a "responsibility" to get involved
August 19, 2020 Executive Editor News, News 0
On June 1, while students were away, police deployed tear gas without warning on protesters, children and animals at the Robert E. Lee statue. Photo by Jon Mirador
Katharine DeRosa, Staff Writer
As the semester starts, students return to a different Richmond; one where monuments to the Confederacy have been torn down, and the words "Black Lives Matter" are spray-painted across the boarded-up city.
Demonstrators gathered at the Compass on Monday, the first day of classes for many, to protest against VCU Police. About 100 students participated, and two students held up a banner with a link to a petition to defund the university's police department.
One of the protesters, Nijah Green, a sophomore double majoring in political science and gender, sexuality and women's studies, said she came to the protest to hear people's stories and support the demands set forth by student organization VCU Student Power.
"It's like a whole change for me, because I've never lived through something like this, and I think it was really important that I get to see this," Green said.
Demands of Student Power at VCU
Defund VCUPD
Release the VCUPD budget
Remove the LiveSafe App that allows students to report tips to VCUPD
Ban and remove U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement from campus
VCU Student Power created an online petition for these demands. Members Mikki Charles, Mikey Ramlogan and Steven Ramlogan said the organization also supports the demands put forth by community protesters, such as re-opening the Marcus-David Peters case, defunding the Richmond police and dropping all charges against protesters.
"If no one's going to protect us, we'll protect us." Mikey Ramlogan — VCU Student Power member
Steven Ramlogan and other members of VCU Student Power have been protesting throughout the summer. He said the organization is designed to make VCU a more equitable, inclusive and accessible university for students, community members, faculty and staff.
"VCU students are part of the RVA community and make sure it is your responsibility to get involved and educate yourself on what's ongoing in Richmond," Steven Ramlogan said.
Protests against police brutality and racism have been taking place in Richmond since George Floyd died with a knee on his neck in Minneapolis police custody on May 25, sparking a nationwide revitalization of the Black Lives Matter movement.
"It's been really great to see how much the Richmond community has come out and has been a part of this," Charles said.
The three members stressed the importance of community leaders within the protests, calling bike marshals, medics and mutual aid integral parts of protests. Mikey Ramlogan said that bail funds and eviction sit-ins to protest evictions in Richmond mutually benefit members of the community.
"If no one's going to protect us, we'll protect us," Mikey Ramlogan said.
Various Richmond monuments honoring Confederate generals have been taken down during the protests, including those of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and J.E.B Stuart. However, Charles said she believes protesters' demands have not been met.
"It's one less thing to look at, but it hasn't brought any systemic change," Charles said.
Taylor Maloney, president-elect of the Student Government Association at VCU, was arrested by RPD at a protest in late July with Charles. Mikey Ramlogan said he believes VCUPD will arrest student protesters during the school year.
"It's not if, it's when and how selectively VCU does that," Mikey Ramlogan said.
Charles said she thinks VCUPD and the RPD will have to be more lenient in terms of force and arrests at protests.
"They can't come off as strong as they have, otherwise they're going to face a lot more backlash," Charles said, "and not from students, from parents."
Marcus-David Peters
Mikey Ramlogan
Mikki Charles
Nijah Green
Steven Ramlogan
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement
VCU Student Power
vcupd
Protesters visit Siegel Center as House of Delegates convenes for special session
Eviction hold nears end, families demand relief


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Monday Michigan Recruiting Roundup: Offensive Line Update
By Nick Bodanyi@NickBodanyi Aug 15, 2016, 6:00am CDT
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Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Updates on Cesar Ruiz & Aaron Banks?
I'll warn you early: this will be a very, criminally short roundup today. It's dry out there.
Anyway, Brandon Brown at Rivals ($) is reporting something that may be dramatic, if it's in fact true: four-star center (and #1 prospect at his position) Cesar Ruiz is not likely to wind up at Alabama, who he announced as his leader early this July.
"He's never been a take for Alabama," a source said. "They wanted him to come to camp but he never did. Add that to who is currently committed and how things look with (Jedrick) Wills and (Isaiah) Wilson and they just aren't on him."
Alabama has four offensive line commits currently - a five-star player in Alex Leatherwood, two four-stars in Elliot Baker and Kendall Randolph, and a low three-star in Hunter Brannon. I have a hard time believing that Ruiz would not be a take for Alabama, and Rivals has had a rough history with some of its reporting.
Lastly (hey, I warned you!), Aaron Banks spoke about his recent trip to Ann Arbor, and said it was a good trip ($).
"The trip to Michigan was cool," he said. "It was nice. It was better than I expected. The school was bigger than I expected it to be. I was with Coach Drevno and one of his assistants. We met up with Coach Harbaugh but didn't get to spend as much time with him. I met up with Jay Harbaugh some too. Then we went to one of the stores and got some of the new Jumpman gear."
If he seems a little unenthused, don't worry; he spoke in similar tones about Notre Dame and ASU.
"I don't want to say too much because I want to spend the weekend really thinking about it, but I think I'm ready to do my top ten next week," he added. "Then I'll go from there and decide the five schools I want to take an official visit to."
I do recommend checking out MGoFish's Fish Bowl, as well; nothing particularly new but he shares his thoughts on a lot of Michigan's ongoing recruitments in a way that feels fresh. Garrett also brings up a schism that's happened among various recruiting reporters on where Michigan stands with Najee Harris. It's a good read.
Other News & Notes: In-State Skirmishes
Ambry Thomas visited Michigan State this weekend and had a good time; it's probably inaccurate to say Michigan has this one all sewn up. Both UM and MSU earned high marks in recent visits by Deron Irving-Bey. D.J. Durkin is trying really hard to get in the way, though:
"Maryland pretty much calls up every day, feeling he could be playing left tackle in the NFL one day," said Clingman. "We went out east this summer and Maryland gutted out Cole Field House and turned it into an indoor facility with a 27,000-square foot weight room."
Maryland has Irving-Bey's attention with the new facility, which was built in part with a $25 million donation by Under Armour founder Kevin Plank, a Maryland special teams captain more than 20 years ago.
I haven't really touched on the BBQ in relation to 2018 or 2019 recruits, but Michigan made a good impression ($) with 2018 four-star cornerback Kalon Gervin out of Cass Tech.
"It was a more family environment type event," Gervin said of his visit. "The coaches really take you in."
Gervin has a high ratio of Michigan picks in his Crystal Ball; it's early, but Michigan could be on their way to striking first for the state's top 2018 talent.
Finally, both UM and MSU are in the hunt for three-star Florida cornerback Ameer Speed, who is also considering Nebraska. I did check to see if Speed was a burner, but sadly, he's more of a lanky cover corner with tons of height at 6'3". I'm not sure how he's still a three-star, and the loaded offer sheet (Auburn, Florida State, USC, Georgia, etc.) backs that up.
Also, there's not much inside chatter on where Michigan stands with him, despite making his top eight.
Michigan unable to knock off No. 1 Boilermakers in 75-70 defeat Though the Wolverines had plenty of chances, they couldn't convert enough of them to get the victory.


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Tsagarakis has Designs on the Parthenon Marbles
Posted by barneyspender on February 25, 2015
Posted in: Culture, Greece, History.	Tagged: Amal Alamuddin, Björk, Duchess of Cambridge, Lady Gaga, Lord Byron, Lord Elgin, Madonna, Parthenon Marbles, Spyridon Tsagarakis.	2 Comments
World Exclusive: Artwear by Spyridon Tsagarakis: photographed at the Parthenon in Athens by George Katsanakis, 2014 (Copyright: Spyridon Tsagarakis, George Katsanakis)
Spyridon Tsagarakis is perhaps best known as a fashion designer; his clothes can be found in the wardrobes of many high profile women such as Madonna, Lady Gaga, Michelle Obama and the Duchess of Cambridge.
But he is also an artist and more recently a campaigner for the righting of a wrong that Britain did to his native Greece over 200 years ago and which continues to sour relations between the two countries.
"I have been working on this project since 2004 and I will continue working on it until the Parthenon Marbles are returned," says Tsagarakis who chose barneyspender.com to reveal for the first time a photograph of one of his art works taken in front of the Parthenon in Athens (click on the photo above to see it full-size).
Ever since the 7th Earl of Elgin laid out his towel in the Hellenic sun at the start of the 19th century and bought a favour from the Sublime Porte of the Ottoman Empire, debate has rumbled on about who is the rightful owner of the set of Parthenon Marbles that currently resides in the British Museum in London.
Another British earl, a contemporary of Elgin, weighed in early. Having already taken a snap at the Scotsman in his 1807 poem The Curse of Minerva, Lord Byron took a second swipe in his longer and better known poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.
Byron in Albanian Dress by Thomas Phillips, circa 1835
"But most the modern Pict's ignoble boast,
To rive what Goth, and Turk, and Time hath spared:
Cold as the crags upon his native coast,
His mind as barren and his heart as hard,
Is he whose head conceived, whose hand prepared,
Aught to displace Athena's poor remains:
Her sons too weak the sacred shrine to guard,
Yet felt some portion of their mother's pains,
And never knew, till then, the weight of Despot's chains.
Cold is the heart, fair Greece! that looks on thee,
Nor feels as lovers o'er the dust they loved;
Dull is the eye that will not weep to see
Thy walls defaced, thy mouldering shrines removed
By British hands, which it had best behoved
To guard those relics ne'er to be restored.
Curst be the hour when from their isle they roved,
And once again thy hapless bosom gored,
And snatched thy shrinking gods to northern climes abhorr'd!"
Unlike Elgin, Byron's stock is still high in Greece, which is hardly surprising given that he showed his philhellenism not by making off with a shipload of swag but by joining the fight for independence, dying in the cause in 1824.
7th Earl of Elgin by Anton Graff around 1788, before his looting of the Parthenon began
Notwithstanding the legality of Elgin's actions – a documentary currently being made by my old colleague Helen Skopis debunks the veracity of the firman that he obtained from the Ottomans – there is also the question of morality. Where should the Parthenon Marbles be kept: the British Museum in London, which has been custodian for the last 200-odd years, or the Parthenon Gallery of the Acropolis Museum in Athens where the marbles were born and where they resided for the 2000 years before Elgin appeared on the horizon?
For Tsagarakis, who was born in Crete but is based in London, there is no question to answer.
"The marbles are not the Elgin Marbles, they are the Parthenon Marbles," he says. "It is quite obvious they belong in Athens."
It shouldn't be a surprise to discover that another admirer, who has invested in his work, is Amal Alamuddin, the lawyer consulted by the last Greek government about the return of the marbles. Last year saw the release of her husband George Clooney's film The Monuments Men, the story of an Allied team trying to save artefacts from the Nazis.
"Lord Elgin arrived in Athens in 1800 to make a study of the Acropolis monuments," says Tsagarakis. "Athens, remember, like most of the Hellenic world, was a part of the Ottoman Empire. It had been occupied, just as it was by the Nazis in the Second World War.
"Elgin secured a written permission from the Grand Vizier of Constantinople to conduct excavations around the foundations of the Acropolis provided that will not cause damage to the monuments and make casts of statues to decorate his home in Scotland.
"Elgin had not written permission to remove any part of them. Nevertheless, he bought the silence of the Ottoman officials and stripped sculptures from the Parthenon, causing untold damage to the monument.
Some of the marbles removed from the Parthenon by Elgin. Note the folds in the dress and how they match those of Tsagarakis
"He removed the back of the frieze and cut sections from the Parthenon and the Erechtheion which caused one of the metopes to break. And so he dismembered one of the most important works of art in the history of mankind which had remained largely intact for more than two thousand years.
"It was an act of vandalism and an act of theft. How can that possibly justify the British holding on to them?"
For the British Museum's justification for keeping the Parthenon Marbles in London click here.
The issue so vexed Tsagarakis that he decided to use it as inspiration in his work, notably an art piece whose folds and design echo the Parthenon itself.
Copyright: Spyridon Tsagarakis, George Katsanakis
"It started to visit the archaeological site of the Acropolis and studying each item," he explains. "Then I entered the process of constructing the fabric in France, so that I got the right tone. The making of the fabric was the only part of the process when the work moved out of my hands. Then when I got hold of the fabric I started to crease it by hand.
"It isn't a quick process. It takes about four years to complete ten pieces. Each year I continue to work on the project and each year I add more pieces to the collection, although they are all different. I am currently busy on works that will be sent to the White House and Smithsonian in Washington DC."
SHOOTING ON THE ACROPOLIS
Four months ago, Tsagarakis finally fulfilled an ambition, working with the photographer George Katsanakis to shoot the creation at the Parthenon itself, a notoriously difficult achievement given the strict guidelines on photography of ancient monuments laid down by the Greek Culture Ministry.
"I wanted to photograph the art work on the Acropolis and have the picture travel across the world. I am an artist and it is perhaps the only way that I can make this statement in a way that it will be heard. That was important to me."
So important that Tsagarakis also issued an artist's statement to run with the photo, giving his views on the Marbles.
"The richness of the folds, which made the Ancient Greek sculptures unique, is used as a means of expression through a modern approach. This particular collection of my work, under the umbrella titled ARTWEAR, is a conscious choice with cultural reference to Ancient Greece. These art pieces, consisting exclusively of loose folds of wool, imply the ancient Greek statues, some of which have not been returned to Greece and are still in the British Museum. Each and every one of the Parthenon Marbles is a monument of inestimable value both for the Greek nation and humanity in general.
The Parthenon Marbles which are still in the British Museum must be returned forthwith to the Acropolis Museum. The visitor to the Museum is bound to feel not only admiration and honour but also respect and awe inspired by the Parthenon and the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis."
Artist-Designer: Spyridon Tsagarakis
Photographer: George Katsanakis
For Tsagarakis, who says his works belong more in museums than on catwalks, the ancient culture remains a major influence on his creativity.
Lady Gaga on a visit to Athens in 2014 wearing a Spyridon Tsagarakis creation (Photo: Spyridon Tsagarakis)
"The art of Ancient Greece has exercised an enormous influence on the culture of many countries right up to the present.
"The techniques they used awakens in me the idea that I can construct anything I imagine. And that is very important because I can isolate any idea and so generate many thoughts from that. Above all, there is absolute harmony in the construction and that is something I want to achieve when I create something."
Single-handedly, Tsagarakis, who has agreements in place to work with Givenchy, Alexander McQueen and Hermes, may not convince the British Museum that it should return the marbles to their birthplace. But he is another artist chipping away at the hard rock of public opinion.
With the help of the likes of Lady Gaga, Björk, Lana del Rey and the Duchess, he may just keep the issue in the public eye until the day the marbles are returned home.
You can keep in touch with Spyridon through his Facebook page.
©Barney Spender 2015
Follow me on Twitter @bspender
Notes from the Mountaintop
Posted in: Sport.	Tagged: Arthur Edmund Spender, Fiona Hughes, Jurgen Grav, Randy Gibbs, Slovakia, Tatra Mountains, Universiade.	2 Comments
It's a long way down (Photo: Barney Spender 2015)
It has taken 114 years but now I feel, at last, I can look my grandfather in the eye. Not literally, of course – he died back in 1923 when my own father was just a wee bairn of three – but journalistically.
It comes down to a question of snow. Back in 1900 and 1901, Arthur Edmund Spender went to Norway to cover the Holmenkollen Ski Festival aka the Norwegian Games which later transmuted into the Winter Olympics.
Up until this week, even after 26 years as a sports hack, I had never covered a winter event. Not properly. Not to the point where you take the ski lift to the top of the jump and peer vertiginously at the slide down which these seriously left-field individuals hurl themselves. Not to the point where you high five the cross-country skiers before a race and chat intimately with the waxers as they prepare the skis.
But that changed at the end of last month in the Slovakian resort of Strbske Pleso, high in the Tatra Mountains, as it played host to the Nordic events at the 27th Universiade aka World Student Games.
All roads lead to waxing (Photo: Barney Spender 2015)
There is a gentle rider to this as I did work at the last Winter Universiade in Trentino at the back end of 2013 but on that occasion my colleagues and I barely left the press centre, never crushing the powder of the slopes beneath our boots. I was in Trentino but not really at the Games. This was different.
This time I was suited up by Eurosport in the latest ski gear, a far cry to the tweed jacket that my grandfather had to make do with, and sent off on secondment to FISU, the governing body, to serve as a commentator or the official web stream.
There were three of us; Andreas Evagora was detailed to cover the ski-jumping, Anthony Jeffers had the daily drive to Osrblie to take on the biathlon while I had the pleasure of the cross-country events.
FRESH SNOW FOR THE COMMENTATOR
Fiona Hughes: the Cambridge University postgrad, competed in the cross-country skiing before joining the commentary team (Source: Team GB/Warren Little/Getty Images Europe)
Taking on a new event can be daunting as well as exciting; it needs plenty of preparation; time spent watching and listening to other commentaries to pick up on some of the nuances, recognising the key questions to ask before the race.
Much of my prep went into researching and practising out loud the pronunciation of every member of the Russian team. Men and women.
They were, by and large, a different class to the others, several with Olympic and World Cup experience. They were going to figure largely. As it was, the men mopped every single individual medal available as well as the team relay. And had it not been for the impressive Kazahk Anastassiya Slonova, who won the sprint and the 15 kilometre, the Russian women would have done the same.
People perhaps underestimate the prep that goes into commentary, especially at an event like this which is a long way from the public eye and the mass media. It is impossible to know everything about all 90 skiers who started the men's 10 kilometre but it is important to know something, even if it is only how to say their name. Somebody watching in Korea or Ukraine will notice.
Randy Gibbs: waxer to the stars and an excellent consultant (Photo: noahhoffman.com)
Perhaps the most fundamental thing is to find the right expert and cajole them sweetly into joining you in the commentary box. And this is where I got lucky. After a breathless solo stint on the individual sprints I managed to persuade Fiona Hughes to join me for the team sprints.
Originally from Huddersfield, Fiona is currently doing a Masters in Civil Engineering at Cambridge. Had there been a spotlight from Fleet Street then it would have been firmly on her as she was the sole British representative in this first part of the Universiade which left her a little forlorn as she followed Lulu, the local liaison who carried the Union flag, into the stadium at the Opening Ceremony; a larger contingent went to part two in Granada.
Fiona's results may not have had the presses rolling with a late Stop Press but her commentary was terrific, her insights into the course and the technical aspects of the race way beyond anything I could give the audience. Her Yorkshire accent made a lovely contrast to my own southern drone. Having said that, I suspect many of our non-anglophone viewers may have been puzzled about the constant references to "snerrrrrr".
Later in the week I had two other helpers. Randy Gibbs is one of the top waxers in the business, a veteran of the US team that went to the Vancouver and Sochi Olympics and now working with the Australian students.
Jurgen Grav (right of picture) with some of his Norwegian teammates and staff (Photo: Barney Spender 2015)
"I just had a daughter and when that happens the travelling gets a bit too much. This suits me much better," he explained.
And last, I had one of the Norwegian skiers, Jurgen Grav. He had finished seventh in the 10 kilometre mass start and was bristling with enthusiasm. Having skied the course prior to the 30 kilometre race, he knew what he was talking about and could take the viewer inside the mind and burning lungs of the skiers.
Those three made the job relatively straightforward. I owe them all a big thank you.
HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSIADE
The idea of a Universiade was first floated in 1891 by one Hodgson Pratt, a sturdy son of Somerset, but nothing came of it until the Germans set up the Academica which ran from 1909 to 1913.
It then took a Frenchman Jean Petitjean to set up the International Universities Championships in 1923. Various name changes ensued before the outbreak of war in 1939 closed that chapter.
Current governing body FISU came into being in 1949 and ten years later the first Universiade was held, one which included East European athletes. It has been going every two years since then.
The students are fresh-faced (must be the mountain air as I don't remember my colleagues in Dublin in the 1980s enjoying the same rosy pallour) and eager. Some though are better than others. For example, the USA which has such a strong collegiate sports programme doesn't send its best athletes, Britain only sends athletes it thinks are contenders while the Norwegians, who clean up on the World Cup circuit, struggle with the timing.
The Universiade in Slovakia coincided with the Norwegian Games which are a must-attend for anyone with aspirations of climbing the icy pole to World Cup and World Championship level.
In contrast the Russian team included a number of Olympians and World Cup regulars; their mission wasn't the taking part, it was the winning.
WAXING LYRICAL
One of the technical aspects that I needed to pick up quickly – at least in part – was the idea of waxing the skis, for grip and for glide.
Careful preparation goes into the waxing of the skis before any cross-country event (Photo: Barney Spender 2015)
Randy Gibbs took me into his waxers' hut (there is a shaggy dog story there if you look hard enough) and walked me down a row of skis, lovingly caressing the grooves on the underside of each. Different parts of the ski requiring different types of wax, different grades, worked into the grooves and fireblasted to harden them.
I am not going to get into the tech talk as it will be too baffling (for me, not you) but it is a remarkable part of the sport that I had never considered.
Of course, talking about how some of the ladies have had problems with their waxing (as I did) can also get you in trouble although I suspect it is a mistake a commentator only makes once. The danger is that you can try to dig yourself out of trouble. Inevitably this results only in more digging. If I have learnt anything behind the mike over the years it is that sometimes shutting up for a few moments is quite the best way out of a hole.
According to family reports my grandfather was tea-total, although in his book Two Winters in Norway he admits to enjoying a glass of Madeira from time to time.
The stalls for sandwiches, beer and hot wine all do a brisk trade post-competition (Photo: Barney Spender 2015)
Quite how he managed on the ski slopes without the Norwegian equivalent of vino varena is anyone's guess. Mulled wine, spiced and piping; the perfect way to fast-track some adrenalin, warmth, life itself back into your veins amid the snow and wind. All for one euro.
Slovak beer also features largely après-ski. The Czech beer from across the border has broken out to an international order (the American brand Budweiser once allegedly tried to suppress the Czech beer of the same name on a brand copyright issue) but the Slovak beer is less well known.
It is just as feisty though. And clean. And cheap. Around 1.50 euros for half a litre.
If he was tea-total I am not entirely sure that Arthur Edmund would have approved of his grandson doing his best to support the local industry.
Strbske Pleso isn't a big place. Beyond the hotel, where the food was institutional at best, there are approximately three restaurants in which to eat. None, strangely, is listed in The Vegan Guide to Europe.
That made for a lot of garlic soup and potatoes. Apologies to my co-commentators if the breath was a touch waxy. I blame the vampires.
But that of course is another…
THE DIFFERENCE A CENTURY MAKES
The black and white photo on the left was taken by my grandfather Arthur Edmund Spender at the Holmenkollen Games in 1900. The picture on the right was taken by me at the 2015 Universiade. The difference in the methods and kit are as striking as the way we takes photos. (Photos: Arthur Edmund Spender/Barney Spender)