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Simon – A story in time
Oct 31, 2019 | Stories
Peer support and mental health
I first met Simon back in July 2018 at Walsh Trust along with his social worker for the purpose of an initial orientation meeting, I had been a peer support worker for just over a month.
I remember Simon being very anxious and visibly trembling, unable to lift his head to look at me and his jaw shaking when he tried to speak.
Simon had experienced several traumatic events in his life in the two years before coming to peer support, firstly he had to take medical retirement due to roto-cuff injuries in both his shoulders. Simon had been working for a local winery for many years, he was proud of his job and the work he did, packing and moving wine cases around in the bottling line.
Simon's mum also sadly passed away around this time, Simon had lived with his parents his whole life until he was in his 40's and was very close to them, finding comfort in spending time with them. Losing his mum was devastating for Simon and then his father having been unwell for a long time had to move into care, his physical and mental health in decline, and diagnosed with a form of Dementia.
Simon prides himself being a hard worker and a good son, he has described himself as a quiet guy who has always struggled with reading and writing and is not so good with being around people and who isn't into talking much. Simon felt his parents sheltered him throughout his life, most likely to protect him, he did not experience the usual things that most teenagers do like going to a party, going out with friends, or going on a first date and spent most of his time at home with his mum and dad. Simon's world was small but safe, he had his parents and an elder sister, the four of them they stuck together throughout the years.
Simon says when he became unwell, he really 'shut down' he became much more isolated and spent most of the day 'lying on the bed'. Simon had no interest in food, he was sad and felt he had lost purpose in his life and began to get very depressed. Simon's world grew smaller, he was hurt emotionally, mentally, and his body 'hurt'. Everything had changed and 'change 'was the one thing that scared Simon the most.
How peer support for mental health works
Initially working with Simon on even small goals, was hard going and frustrating for the both of us. Simon felt anxious and nervous all the time and felt very 'stuck'. Simon spent a lot of our peer visits telling me why he 'can't' and did not want to do things, his key words were 'I'm worried' and 'but!' Simon struggled with severe anxiety and panic attacks when we were out, his jaw shaking and stiffening, his body overheating, he was 'uncomfortable' most of the time.
As the months went on, I held the hope for Simon, though he could see none. I knew that he was a great guy with so much potential, and I just kept waiting for the day he would see it too. I also waited for a 'breakthrough', that moment where something would change for Simon. So often we cannot pinpoint how, or this happens, but it does in some way for most people that embark on their own journey towards wellness.
We spent many hours going to beaches, walking, talking, slowly learning to be around and with others, building a strong connection; this is one of the ways peer support for mental health can really help. The focus was on 'moving forward' and staying positive but also about sitting in the uncomfortableness of severe anxiety and the sadness of depression, grief and loss and being OK with that. At times I felt like I was pushing Simon too much, but he always worked with me, and never once gave up or threw in the towel!
A few months back I started noticing tiny changes in Simon, he would set himself a challenge and was beginning to face his fears, he was 'doing things' he was 'having coffee with a friend'. Simon was getting busy he had plans!
Simon has completed a 6-month course at Vision West in (Literacy and numeracy skills) and then started attending a literacy group through (Literacy Waitakere) to help Simon learn to read, write and spell. Simon now says getting him on that course was in his words 'probably the best thing that ever happened in my life', It gave Simon new skills, but most of all it gave him purpose and confidence, a reason to set his alarm clock, a place to be! It taught him he could be around other people and 'survive' that he could learn, though be it at his own pace and in his own style, Simon proved to himself he is 'capable'. Simon showed courage, strength, and commitment during this time, he was never once late, never took a sick day, and though others often left early and joked about in class, Simon took it very seriously and has always been very grateful to have been given a chance to participate in something that he says has changed his life for the better.
One day we had been out and had a coffee in a café which was a big thing for Simon who experiences severe social anxiety, as we left, he said to me 'I'm not so scared anymore, the fear is not so bad now. He said things like 'I can do things now, its still hard but I can see the change in myself now too'. This was the moment I knew that Simon had found his hope and was starting to regain his independence.
The importance of peer support in mental health
Since that day, Simon is continuing to make great progress and changes in his life, Simon has lost 12 KG (1.5KG to a healthy BMI) and is walking and eating better, Simon is cooking vegetables, instead of eating noodles, he makes a great trifle,( his mum recipe) and is attending stepping out and literacy group, he has just registered to attend a free health course and is thinking about going to a weekly brunch for over 60's at Korero Café. Simon is working hard on his computer, with my support and a lot of hard work Simon has learnt the basics of using a computer and can now use e-mails. Simon continues to work on Pathways to improve his literacy and can now access more features on his mobile phone such as accessing Wi-Fi and listening to music.
It has been wonderful for me to arrive at Simon's house to hear about all the things he has been doing and achieving since our previous visit, I am so happy seeing Simon smile and to experience him finding joy and happiness bit by bit, day by day.
One of those joys I got to share in was to turn up at Simon's house recently and see him with his collection of clocks, several on the table, his tools out, and him telling me he has been quite busy working on them all. One of Simon's greatest passions is clocks, before he became unwell Simon spent a lot of time collecting and working on antique clocks some over 100 years old. Simon is also an incredibly talented woodworker and has created and built so many unique and imaginative pieces which are displayed proudly in his home, Simon describes them as 'a labor of love'. Simon has built clocks from scratch, from timber he found in organics, with clock faces he found in a market or second-hand store, his eye for detail and perfection is astounding, he says he doesn't know where the ideas come from, that the ideas all live in his head, Simon says he is self-taught and just picked things up along the way, getting inspiration from his father who was a carpenter, to work with wood.
Simon was unable to find joy or interest in his hobbies for the past few years, so to find Simon with his clocks surrounding him and to see the biggest smile on his face as he showed off his handiwork, that was the best feeling ever! To see Simon brought to tears talking about his mum and dad and how he knows they would be proud of him was very emotional for me, and honestly is what makes this job so incredibly rewarding and equally therapeutic. Being with Simon on this journey as helped me in my own life, we have set goals together, and through forming a mutual relationship we have both grown and I believe learned a great deal from each other!
Recently we found out that Simon will not be able to return to work due to his physical limitations, but he is not letting this stop him. Simon is more determined than ever to have a great life, the kind of life that he knows will have his mum and dad proud, a life where Simon smiles and can laugh and even dare to 'dance', a life that may include finding a special someone for the first time ever, the motto we always remind each other of is the one that says- "it's never too late, you are never to old, for a new adventure".
Peer support services in mental health
I am looking forward to supporting Simon as he finds his way to his best life ever, as he works towards independence and wellness. It's been a fantastic journey so far; I am ever so proud of Simon's achievements and successes and am sure he will go on to do many great things in the future.
Our peer support for mental health is all about being with people who are looking for ways to enhance their lives beyond their experience of a mental illness. All our peer workers have their own lived experience of mental illness and recovery and can appreciate the importance of how hope can build new relationships with ourselves and others. Having a support worker who 'gets' where you're at can be an exciting agent for change that can literally change lives.
WALSHtrust has been provided peer support services in mental health and community support to our West Auckland people for 30 years. Need help? We're always here. Ph 09 837 5240.
Construction industry flying the flag for suicide prevention
Your daily dose of good news site
Day 2 MHAW: Get outside in nature / E puta ki te taiao
Mental Health Awareness Week – 27th Sept – 3rd Oct 2021
Government creates new 10-year plan for mental health


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Rawonda wants to know if black girls can really grow long hair and if so, how to get it to grow faster without hair damage.
Chemically processed hair can be healthy if cared for properly but processed hair is at a disadvantage as far as optimal level of health because its natural integrity has been compromised from a chemical processing. Popularly with black girls, many of us relax our hair and or color our hair and this makes it that much more difficult to retain length because you are making your hair more susceptible to breakage. Breakage near the ends needs to be prevented to keep your hair growing longer so minimize or totally eliminate any chemical processing that you do to your hair.
Curly hair on the other hand is also more prone to breakage that straight wavy or loosely curled hair because curly and coily hair tangles very easily especially near the ends. When you have curly, coily and especially afro hair, you have to keep your hair stretched as often as possible to minimize shrinkage which in turn minimizes breakage. Stretching your hair can be done with braid outs, twist outs and other types of stretching styles. Using heat like doing blow outs or straightening your hair is optional but, if you want to do everything you possibly can to retain length and grow longer hair, it is important to not use heat because this causes dryness which leads to breakage.
Identifying your hair type and according to the Andre Walker Hair Typing System and the LOIS Hair Typing System is EVERYTHING! There are so many pitfalls you will encounter when trying to grow black hair long if you do not understand this basic physicality of your hair. Knowing your curl pattern and type of hair will reveal your porosity, which most importantly, points you directly towards which products will work for you in keeping your hair healthy as you grow it long. The Natural Hair Bible focuses on hair typing and foundational products that will work best for your hair and The Black Hair Manual focuses specifically on choosing the best products for your hair.


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AP Top 25: Alabama now unanimous No. 1; Northwestern to 11
FILE – Mississippi running back Jerrion Ealy is tackled by Alabama defenders during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Oxford, Miss., in this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, file photo. Alabama won 63-48. Alabama is No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll for the first time this year, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, extending its record of consecutive seasons with at least one week on top of the rankings to 13. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, FIle)
Alabama is now a unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll, and Northwestern moved up to No. 11 on Sunday for its best ranking in 24 years.
For the second straight week, the top eight teams in the poll held their spots. The Crimson Tide received all 62 first-place votes after beating Kentucky 63-3, making Alabama the first unanimous No. 1 this season and the first team to do it in the regular season since 2018.
Notre Dame was No. 2, followed by Ohio State, Clemson and Texas A&M. Florida was No. 6, and No. 7 Cincinnati and No. 8 BYU also held their spots.
The rest of the top 10 was No. 9 Oregon and Miami.
Northwestern moved up eight spots after beating Wisconsin 17-7 to improve to 5-0. The Badgers slipped eight spots to 18th.
The Wildcats were last ranked this highly in 1996. The year after their surprising run to the Rose Bowl, coach Gary Barnett's team reached a high of No. 10.
No. 12 Indiana dropped three spots after putting a scare into Ohio State in the Big Ten's other top-25 matchup Saturday. The Buckeyes beat the Hoosiers 42-35 after leading 35-7.
POLL POINTS
This is the 80th time in the history of the AP poll, which dates back to 1936, there has been a unanimous No. 1.
It was a rare occurrence in the early days of the poll, when college football was more regional. From 1936-66, only twice was there a unanimous No. 1.
Southern California was a unanimous No. 1 twice during the 1967 season, but not until the 1990s did the unanimous No. 1 become a common occurrence.
From 1992, when Alabama finished the season by getting all the first-place votes in the poll, to last season when LSU did the same, the AP Top 25 had a unanimous No. 1 on 67 occasions.
The unanimous No. 1 for Alabama is its 22nd overall, most of any school, and its 21st since 2012.
IN-N-OUT
Four ranked teams lost Saturday, but three of those defeats came against other ranked teams. Because of that, just one team fell out of the rankings.
Liberty took its first loss of the season, falling 15-14 at North Carolina State, and is no longer ranked.
Replacing the Flames was North Carolina, which moved back into the rankings at No. 25.
SEC — 5 (Nos. 1, 5, 6, 13, 22).
ACC — 4 (Nos. 2, 4, 10, 25).
Big Ten — 4 (Nos. 3, 11, 12, 18).
Big 12 — 4 (Nos. 14, 15, 20, 21).
American — 2 (Nos. 7, 24).
Pac-12 — 2 (Nos. 9, 19).
Sun Belt — 2 (Nos. 16, 23).
C-USA — 1 (No. 17).
Independents — 1 (No. 8).
RANKED vs. RANKED
No. 22 Auburn at No. 1 Alabama. The 24th Iron Bowl that will match ranked teams.
No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 25 North Carolina. The Tar Heels have almost no chance to win the ACC with two losses already, but they'll have a say on who does with this game and Miami still to come.
No. 15 Iowa State at No. 20 Texas. Cyclones can clinch a spot in the Big 12 championship game, but the Longhorns would be in prime position with a victory.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Marshall has given Alabama's Charles Huff his first head coaching job.
Marshall announced Huff's hiring Sunday. Huff spent the past two seasons as the Crimson Tide's associate head coach and running backs coach and is widely known as a top recruiter.
Retired north Alabama coach gets inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame
by Yvette Sanchez / Jan 17, 2021
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Al Smith was inducted to the Alabama Baseball Coaches Associaton Hall of Fame Friday night in Montgomery. Not only did he have success on the stat sheets, but he was well respected in the community, too.
The process of becoming a Hall Of Fame inductee can take years sometimes, and Smith's son Frank says this year was finally the year. Huntsville Hall of Famer Marc Mincher, a former coach and player, nominated Smith.
Petty sets record; Alabama routs Arkansas, wins 7th straight
by Associated Press, News 19 / Jan 16, 2021
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - John Petty Jr. made five 3-pointers and set an Alabama program record, and finished with 17 points as the Crimson Tide routed Arkansas 90-59.
Alabama (11-3, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) has won seven straight, its longest win streak since opening the 2011-12 season.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Solar Wind Impacts On Giant 'Space Hurricanes' May Affect Satellite Safety
By Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | September 22, 2017
Could the flapping of a butterfly's wings in Costa Rica set off a hurricane in California? The question has been scrutinized by chaos theorists, stock-market analysts and weather forecasters for decades. For most people, this hypothetical scenario may be difficult to imagine on Earth — particularly when a real disaster strikes.
Yet, in space, similarly small fluctuations in the solar wind as it streams toward Earth's magnetic shield actually can affect the speed and strength of "space hurricanes," researcher Katariina Nykyri of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has reported.
The study, published on September 19 in the Journal of Geophysical Research — Space Physics, offers the first detailed description of the mechanism by which solar wind fluctuations can change the properties of so-called space hurricanes, affecting how plasma is transported into Earth's magnetic shield, or magnetosphere.
Those "hurricanes" are formed by a phenomenon known as Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability. As plasma from the Sun (solar wind) sweeps across Earth's magnetic boundary, it can produce large vortices (about 10,000-40,000 kilometers in size) along the boundary layer, Nykyri explained.
"The KH wave, or space hurricane, is one of the major ways that solar wind transports energy, mass and momentum into the magnetosphere," said Nykyri, a professor of physics and a researcher with the Center for Space and Atmospheric Research at Embry-Riddle's Daytona Beach, Fla., campus. "Fluctuations in solar wind affect how quickly the KH waves grow and how large they become."
When solar wind speeds are faster, the fluctuations are more powerful, Nykyri reported, and they seed larger space hurricanes that can transport more plasma.
Gaining deeper insights into how solar wind conditions affect space hurricanes may someday provide better space-weather prediction and set the stage for safer satellite navigation through radiation belts, Nykyri said. This is because solar wind can excite ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves by triggering KH instability, which can energize radiation belt particles.
Space hurricanes are universal phenomena, occurring at the boundary layers of Coronal Mass Ejections — giant balls of plasma erupting from the Sun's hot atmosphere — in the magnetospheres of Jupiter, Saturn and other planets, Nykyri noted.
"KH waves can alter the direction and properties of Coronal Mass Ejections, which eventually affect near-Earth space weather," Nykyri explained. "For accurate space weather prediction, it is crucial to understand the detailed mechanisms that affect the growth and properties of space hurricanes."
Furthermore, in addition to playing a role in transporting energy and mass, a recent discovery by Nykyri and her graduate student Thomas W. Moore shows that KH waves also provide an important way of heating plasma by millions of degrees Fahrenheit (Moore et al., Nature Physics, 2016), and therefore may be important for solar coronal heating. It might also be used for transport barrier generation in fusion plasmas.
For the current research, simulations were based on seven years' worth of measurements of the amplitude and velocity of solar wind fluctuations at the edge of the magnetosphere, as captured by NASA's THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms) spacecraft.
This visualization of research by K. Nykyri et al., compiled from NASA images and MHD simulations, depicts the near-Earth space with the dayside magnetosphere, magnetotail and boundary layers with giant Kelvin-Helmholtz waves (i.e., 'space hurricanes'). Nykyri's study in the Journal of Geophysical Research – Space Physics, finds that magnetosheath (shocked solar wind) velocity fluctuations affect the growth and properties of the Kelvin-Helmholtz waves. (Image Credit: K. Nykyri, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense
Nye Lubricants' Pennzane Oil to launch on James Webb Space Telescope
Vibration tests boost NASA's electric aircraft project
AstroAccess completes ZERO-G Parabolic flight with crew of 12 disability ambassadors
Ruggidized modular computers come in small form factor


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USC Event Calendar
Center for Visual Anthropology: Guest lecture with J.P. Sniadecki
Monday, November 11, 2019 at 2:00pm to 3:30pm
School of Cinematic Arts -SCB (SCB), 104
930 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90089
J.P. Sniadecki (Northwestern University) works between the US and China as a filmmaker and anthropologist. From Chengdu demolition sites to New York City junkyards to the Sonoran Desert borderlands, he employs cinema and sensory ethnography to explore collective experience, the aesthetics of place, and the possibilities of film form. His films are in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and have been exhibited there and at the Whitney Biennale, the Shanghai Biennale, the Shenzhen Biennale, and the Guggenheim, as well as at international film festivals such as Berlin, BFI London, Locarno, New York, AFI, San Francisco, Rotterdam, Viennale, IDFA, Mar del Plata, Taiwan International Documentary Festival, and more. His films, which receive praise from publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, ArtForum, and Filmmaker Magazine, include Chaiqian/Demolition (2010), winner of the Joris Ivens Award at Cinema du Reel; Foreign Parts (2010), winner of two Leopards at Locarno and named Best Film at the Punto de Vista Film Festival and DocsBarcelona; People's Park (2012), winner of Best Anthropological Film at Festival dei Popoli; Yumen (2013), named Best Experimental Film and Best Chinese Film at the Taiwan International Documentary Film Festival; and The Iron Ministry (2014), which garnered the top prize at L'Alternativa Film Festival and jury prizes at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, Valdivia, and Camden. His latest feature, El Mar La Mar (2017) won the Caligari Award during its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, and earned "Best Film" awards at Olhar du Cinema, Dokufest Kosovo, and Lima Independent Film Festival, along with a University Award at Indie Lisboa. He cofounded the traveling screening series "Cinema on the Edge," which showcases independent Chinese film, and has written articles for Cinema Scope, Visual Anthropology Review, and the edited volume DV-Made China. A 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship recipient, J.P. earned a PhD at Harvard and currently teaches film at Northwestern University.
Lecture / Talk / Workshop
Students, Alumni, Faculty/Staff
University Park Campus
Anthropology, Dornsife, visual anthropology
https://dornsife.usc.edu/anth/
#cinema, anthropology, dornsife, visualanthropology
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Lionel Rookwood/Photoghrapher Excelsior High School's Jaleel Murray (left), Phillando Wint(second left)), Holy Trinity High School's Ronaldino Rousseau (center), Clan Carthy High School's Shakeem Gordon (second right) and Kacheive Wright of Vauxhall High School in attendance of the launch of the Ali Cup at the Excelsior High School Auditorium yesterday.
The first edition of the much anticipated Ali Cup, a pre-season schoolboy football tournament to be held in memory of former Excelsior High School football star, Allie Cole Jr - son of legendary Jamaica football icon, Allan 'skill' Cole - will be held on the weekend of June 13-14 at Excelsior High School at 9 a.m.
Cole, who passed away late last year, will be commemorated in the form of this pre-season football tournament by his alma mater, for his invaluable contribution to the school's football programme over the years. Excelsior principal, Deanroy Bromfield, said the concept and objective of the tournament was a fitting representation of Cole.
"This will certainly be a characteristic of Allie Cole," he said. "We expect this to become a signature event. It will be a wonderful tournament and even better than the tournament will be the objective, which is to share support for the many schools around us.
"So for Excelsior, it means giving back and giving back in commemoration of somebody who was such a fantastic leader and Excelsorian," he commented.
The inaugural Ali Cup will have eight participating teams, with four in each group. Hosts Excelsior, Camperdown, Kingston High and Dunoon will contest Zone A, while Holy Trinity, Papine, Clan Carthy and Vauxhall will make up Zone B.
Eight group games will take place on Friday, June 13, while the semi-final and final are set for Saturday June 14. The final, on a Sunday afternoon, will be followed by an invitational game between Lions United and Unsung Ones, which will showcase a host of former local and international football stars, including Walter Boyd and Anthony Corbett.
Top seeds from Zone A, Excelsior and Camperdown, and top seeds from Zone B, Holy Trinity and Papine, will not face each other in the group stage. As a result each team will only play two group games. Each game will last 50 minutes (25 minutes a half).


Nothing beats when girl friends are reunited. Last night meant a visit from one very special friend to a bunch of girls who had seriously missed her. Lots of hugs, and chats about anything and everything accompanied by hot chocolate and cake equalled happy times. To our guy friends this stuff is lame but to a group of girls, evenings like that are bliss, cliché or not. Last night made me think afresh how amazing good friends are. People that you can joke with, tell your secrets to, curl up with, go out with, relive old memories with, share stories with, and most of all be yourself with. Those people that know you, that you don't necessarily have to put on a smile for but whom you can just be real with. So much of life is a front. You present a version of yourself that you want people to see. In an academic context, in a job context, in an "in public" context. And true, you present a version of yourself with friends too, it's not a context with exception, but perhaps this is the most stripped down version, the most open you. The same could be said for family, it depends on the individuals. But what I do know is that those people that know know you are not ones to let go of. That wasn't a typo, there are the friends that know you and then the ones that know know you. And who are still friends no matter what crap there's been. Missing friends like this who've moved away has made me appreciate this even more lately. The friends and family who love you like that are worth their weight in gold.


Lita is back with WWE on a full-time basis; not in a wrestling capacity but working as a road agent and creative writer. This is good news for fans of female wrestling as Lita can only help the current situation.
With Lita on board, the WWE Divas stand a chance. The "revolution" has slowed but has not come to a complete halt. Hopefully, Lita along with her expertise and input can help produce positive results for the division.


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Tag: newsnight
Thoughts on Gibraltar and James O'Brien
They're more British than we are
Well…that escalated quickly. One mention of a British territorial rock and it's all kicked off. Perspective has, as is customary in these modern times, taken a long break and doesn't look like it will be coming back any time soon.
An early shot has been fired from one of the warmer nations of our soon-to-be-former trading bloc regarding Gibraltar, a tiny but spectacularly beautiful jut of land on the Southern coast of Spain. This lovely corner of the planet is British territory and has been since 1713 when the Treaty of Utrecht was signed, but remains disputed by Spain. Its 30,000 inhabitants feel thoroughly British, reiterating that fact in two referendums on their sovereignty – one in 1967, and another in 2002 when Tony Blair and Jack Straw tried desperately to give it to Spain.
They are a civil, peaceful, multicultural people who have absolutely no desire to be ruled by their Northern neighbours. They fly both the British and EU flags on their official buildings, having voted in enormous numbers to Remain part of the latter. But now they feel themselves being pulled once more into the middle of an unseemly spat.
This will, in time I'm sure, come to be seen as a mistake on the part of the EU. It is hardly a gesture of goodwill and will put an undue strain on the negotiations. They successfully managed to goad Michael Howard into saying something unwise (although trying to imply he was calling for war is a misrepresentation that should make any reasonable person wince – see paragraph 1), but there has been nothing but good grace from the government. Theresa May has not risen to it, nor should she. The question of Gibraltarian sovereignty has nothing to do with our leaving the EU, and it must stay that way.
It does make me lament that the advice I offered in a previous blog was not heeded by Number 10. It's almost as if they haven't read it. But imagine the position we could be in now. "We have guaranteed the rights of all of your citizens, and you repay us by questioning the integrity of one of our overseas territories? That's not very constructive or friendly now, is it?" Moral high ground gained. Alas, it is not to be so.
Feeling British may not mean anything to most on the Left, but it still does to these people and they take it very seriously. We would let them down to our eternal shame.
There has been plenty of spluttering about 'empire' and 'colonialism' going on about all of this, most of it not making any sense. This is a self governing, democratic people – but you want us to give them to Spain? A country they have no desire to join or be a part of?
But surely, comes the reply, you can't just own a bit of someone else's country? "For the Spanish, Gibraltar is an affront to their sense of national identity and their sense of sovereignty – it's a bit like having a part of Dover owned by Spain" says Jack Straw. Oh, is that right?
It would appear that Spain doesn't exactly take this principle seriously, and certainly not consistently. Because what is just across the Strait of Gibraltar?
That little jut of African land, of a very similar size to Gibraltar, is called Ceuta. Ceuta is Spanish territory at the Northern tip of Morocco. Its citizens are Spanish and do not want to be governed by Morocco. Morocco very much wants it back, but Spain asserts its sovereignty. They would never dare hold a referendum to prove it, because that would simply strengthen the case of Gibraltarians to remain British. But the hypocrisy is there for all to see, a mere 30 miles away.
Both of these places are tolerant, multicultural places, patriotic and fiercely loyal to their mother countries – much more, it must be said, than many in those countries are.
The EU would be making a serious error to make this a part of the negotiations. It is imperative that cool heads prevail and this nonsense is dropped very soon.
There must be someone else for the job
I've been watching Newsnight for as long as I can remember. It could certainly be said that it's not been the same since Paxman left, but it still provides a very high quality daily news show that, for me, remains unparalleled.
But I have my doubts about one of its hosts. You see, the BBC is supposed to remain neutral. Which means its news and current affairs shows must be balanced. Which means its hosts should be beyond reproach in terms of their integrity. So how on earth do they justify having in the chair one of LBC's most outspoken talk show hosts, James O'Brien?
The BBC is often accused of bias, often unfairly in my view. I happen to think that it has a left wing tendency, and this seems to be backed up by statements from previous DGs and insiders, but it does at least attempt to be balanced as much as possible. I also am basing that on nothing more than my own perception at this point, I have no numbers or anything to base it on, it's just an impression I get.
So why, when accusations of bias are flying around, would you make such a partisan selection for host of the flagship news programme?
He hardly keeps his views quiet on his LBC show, and his so called 'epic rants' are constantly shared by my left wing friends (which is 99% of my friends), which would surely make him a hero of the left? He will regularly rail against Brexit, against the Tories, against Jeremy Corbyn. He is far from neutral on any of these topics, so how can we expect him to provide balance if these topics come up? How can he not naturally favour Ed Miliband over Douglas Carswell in a debate about Brexit? How can he not naturally side with a Labour MP over a Tory MP? How can we trust him to fairly deal with a confrontation between John McDonnell and Chuka Umuna?
He hates Brexit, hates the Tories and hates Jeremy Corbyn being Labour leader. You may too. But surely you couldn't want him to pretend to be neutral?
I wonder what would happen if another LBC host were to be made the next host of Newsnight. Maybe Katie Hopkins? Nigel Farage? Julia Hartley-Brewer? No, I didn't think so. His equivalent from the Right of politics would never be allowed anywhere near Newsnight.
I was particularly struck by one exchange he had, where he was interviewing a woman called Asra Nomani for a piece about Donald Trump. It was supposed to be two women, but the other guest unfortunately had technical problems and so he was left to talk to this person for whom it was evident he had nothing but loathing. The whole exchange can be found here.
The first sign is the introduction – with his opening line of "Anne Gearan from the Washington Post and Asra Nomani who has written for outlets such as Breitbart and The Hill"
He almost spits the word 'Breitbart', with a vicious emphasis on the T sounds (something missing from the words 'Washington' and 'Post', both with equally hard T sounds, in case you think I'm being oversensitive).
Then, Ms Nomani has to spend her first exchange with Mr. O'Brien explaining that she does not, in fact, write for Breitbart, and never has. She also explains that she spent 15 years writing for the Wall Street Journal. She does these things with immensely good grace and politeness, not recoiling at all from his accusatory introduction. This was in a piece about fake news.
This has stuck in my head ever since and I feel a deep sense of unease whenever I think about it. The rest of the clip is worth watching as she gently answers his questions and takes all of his interruptions gracefully and without attempting to speak over him. I am not convinced he should be presenting this programme and I will not watch it when he does. I am happy to listen to him on his LBC show, but the Newsnight chair is not the place for him.
Author Mark WilliamsPosted on April 3, 2017 April 3, 2017 Categories PoliticsTags bbc, bias, brexit, ceuta, debate, eu, gibraltar, james o'brien, lbc, newsnight, Politics, spain1 Comment on Thoughts on Gibraltar and James O'Brien


text:
Home AEC Anton DevCo Opens 317-Unit Mixed-Use Community Anton Aspire in Milpitas
Anton DevCo Opens 317-Unit Mixed-Use Community Anton Aspire in Milpitas
– New, 317-unit luxury, transit-oriented apartment community with 3,380 square feet of corner retail space now leasing
– Residences feature contemporary architecture and open floorplans
Milpitas, CA (October 21, 2020) – Walnut Creek-based developer Anton DevCo today announced the opening of Anton Aspire, a new 317-unit transit-oriented apartment community located at 1828 S. Milpitas Blvd in Milpitas.
"This is Anton's first apartment community in Milpitas and we're excited to be a part of the City," said Wes Carter, President of Anton Residential. "Anton Aspire offers a balanced living environment for any lifestyle. It's the ideal place to live if you're looking for sustainable luxury combined with modern conveniences that fit anyone's comfort and preference of living, working, and playing."
Anton Aspire offers an array of unique open floorplans with custom amenities in its studio and one- and two-bedroom units that range from 563 square feet to 1,091 square feet. Designed with resident needs in mind, units feature high-end finishes, private patios and balconies, smart thermostat, and stainless-steel appliances. The units encircle garden courtyards where residents can have private outdoor socializing or relish the temperate South Bay weather.
Amenities include fully equipped co-working spaces, a state-of-the art fitness center, common area WiFi, outdoor BBQ and fireplace, EV-charging stations, bike storage and assigned covered parking. The luxury rooftop swimming pool terrace features infinite views of the city, all in a LEED® certified building. The seventh story pool deck showcases a 20-foot-wide and 10-foot-tall entertainment screen, fitness pavilion overlooking Silicon Valley, lounge area, and gaming room.
Residents have direct access to the new Milpitas BART/VTA Station, providing access to employers and entertainment throughout the Bay Area. Within minutes of the community are employers including Tesla, Cisco, Apple, Google, and thousands more, as well as entertainment hubs like Levi's Stadium, which is less than 5 miles away from the community.
Anton Aspire is the first phase of a 583-unit master community for Anton. Across S. Milpitas Blvd, Anton Ascend will offer 266 apartments homes and an additional 1,700 square feet of retail in the second phase. Anton Ascend is expected to complete construction in the third quarter 2021.
"The City of Milpitas is an integral part of the high-tech Silicon Valley region," added Carter. "Anton Aspire provides a vibrant living experience and allows commuters access to key employment and entertainment centers throughout Silicon Valley."
Coming soon is another new Silicon Valley project, the 144-unit Anton Ladera apartment community in Mountain View, which is pre-leasing and expected to open mid-October.
About Anton DevCo
Anton DevCo is a developer, owner, builder and operator of market-rate and affordable apartment communities in California. With over 25 years of experience in multifamily housing, Anton DevCo has developed 60 communities and over 9,000 units in the state. Anton DevCo currently owns and manages two dozen apartment communities.
West Coast Commercial Real Estate News
Anton Ascend
Anton Aspire
Anton DevCo
San Jose Water, Valley Oak Partners, Strike $15.75MM Deal for Multiple Parcels in Silicon Valley
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ASB Offers 444 De Haro in San Francisco with Pricing Guidance of $190MM to $200MM
Washington Holdings Spends $170MM on 609,000 SQFT Tasman Tech Campus in Milpitas
Virtua Partners Places Pleasanton Asset up for Sale with $80MM Pricing Guidance
Amazon Acquires 395,335 SQFT Office Campus in Milpitas for $123MM


Barbadaaquick. Lemmonndale Slabberbatter. Fromanticklin. Awashondell. Heberbetter barkencrump. Vellostinstink. From whence do the frogs emanate?!
The trick has been played. Each has its place. The scribble. The drivel. The gurgle. Bubbled up. Batted down. Pushed and pooled with the rest. Bounce. Light shatters the glass. Up against the wail. Shadow. Beam. Crosshair on the screen. Tree peaking in. Samson Agonistes. On the shelf. Dust, rag, wipe. Tack it down. Racket up. Beach ball on the side. Tacitly. Barbituate. Gangle. Gaggle. Lipswitch. Hearts are yonder. Tongue.
Bratwurst. Haxencroft. Miller sax. Bobbity. Sandy destin. Formaldehyde. Wovenrot. Clissen. Deportment. Brandywine. A little off the top.
Move in. Glide. Roundabout. Hear the bark. Shssh, shssh, shssh. Rusted. Gorked. Barnaby. Calfrenchia. Qasamine Plio Lace. Vorssondralin. Xanadelphi. Posthumously later. Edify the adjunct. Bring in the peace that I ordered. Hooboodooboo. Zvxsity. Ruminate. Veridine-go-faster. Pinwheels from beyond. Shivvydonsockatamu. Talalxistwy. Gimminatratig. Get a glass of water. Klickensox. Estuary. And from the steppes of flammity here comes the gold. Wheat, Barley, and Rye. Giddankadu. Cracked fingernell. Hye. Bigh. Nestor wants to play. Allionstasis. Potash. Vigilante on the prowl. Jump behind a boosh.
Wilcox. Greet me in the ally. Shoppe a-round-stawp. Bloo. Read. I sing on the cake. Temperamental paragon. Tear a bull. Tawdry. Goosenburg highstakes.
Green? "No, no, no." What, what, what? "Let me tell it . . ." Islet. "Somehow…" Let it leap. It entered. "It couldn't have been." Allie wants to pay. "'Twas, 'twas." From hear on owt. "Huh?" "They said it wasn't…" Shucks. Mygod. "How much did it bleed?" "But, but… then they took it." These are the things we tell ourselves. Muchtoosoon. "How much . . ." I asked. "You don't get to." "How mutch?" No, no, no. "You don't get to . . ." End of the rope. "Hand it to me." "They called the . . ." "Who? What?" "They called the doctor." Yellow. Vexatreen. Pale pail.
Christopher Love is originally from Memphis, TN. A published novelist and scholar, he is also hard at work refining his poetry and guitar skills.


text:
Schwartz-Hautmont Construcciones Metálicas S.A., es una de las principales empresas privadas españolas en la fabricación y montaje de estructuras metálicas, calderería, unidades modulares y offshore.

Datos básicos
Su sede se encuentra en Vilaseca, Tarragona, donde tiene su principal taller de fabricación y montaje en un área de unos 100000 m² con unos 20000 m² bajo cubierta, al que popularmente se conoce en la localidad como la fábrica de hierro o, en catalán, la fàbrica del ferro. Ese taller fue la primera gran planta industrial que se instaló la zona, precediendo a los actuales polígonos y al complejo petroquímico de Tarragona, que ha llegado a ser uno de los cinco más grandes de Europa en el sector.

Sus actividades principales son la fabricación de grandes estructuras metálicas y de calderería. Entre las primeras se incluyen plantas de ciclo combinado, naves industriales, puentes y pasarelas, grúas, pipe-racks, edificios industriales, navíos, antenas y observatorios espaciales y otros, mientras que en la calderería se cuentan reactores, hornos de centrales, grandes depósitos de gas, chimeneas y otros elementos de refinerías, etc.

Historia
La empresa Schwartz-Hautmont Construcciones Metálicas S.A. nació en mayo de 1963 por iniciativa de Alberto Malo de Molina y Justo (quien fue su presidente desde entonces hasta el año 2001) con el apoyo de Jorge Claret, Estanislao Tintoré y Santiago Vila. Inicialmente fue participada por Constructora Industrial SA, una constructora con sede en Torrelavega (Cantabria), el Banco Louis Dreyfus y la constructora francesa Schwartz-Hautmont, de la que toma su nombre. En la década de los 70 se produce una reestructuración del accionariado, saliendo algunas de las entidades propietarias y dando entrada a directivos y trabajadores. Desde el año 1966 la dirección recayó sobre José María Crespo, quien pasó a ser el presidente en el año 2001, cargo que aún ostenta.

En 1974 comienza la expansión de sus talleres con la inauguración de una planta en Requena, Valencia en terrenos de 40.000 m², que posteriormente pasó a ser Construcciones Metálicas de Requena S.A., y continúa en el año 2000 con talleres sobre terrenos ganados al mar en el puerto de Tarragona, que posteriormente fueron ampliados. En el año 2012 pone en marcha su primer centro de producción fuera del territorio español, concretamente en Bursa, Turquía. Casi desde su fundación Schwartz-Hautmont comenzó sus exportaciones. En la actualidad la gran mayoría de su producción va destinada al mercado internacional, habiendo trabajado para unos 80 países en los cinco continentes.

Referencias

Empresas metalúrgicas
Empresas de Cataluña
Empresas fundadas en 1963

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Synology DS118 versus the DS116 – Which NAS should you buy?
Synology has become pretty much the go-to name in network attached storage over the years for home users who just want a solution that can be setup easily, filled up with data and then largely ignored. They are not the only NAS brand out there, but they are the most user-friendly and hassle-free NAS brands out there. They have also been breaking into a largely untapped market with the release over the last few years of a single bay (so just one Hard Drive or SSD) equipped NAS servers. This year they released the Synology DS118 1 Bay NAS (follow up to the DS115j and DS116) and it is safe to say that this new release is better than those older Synology NAS in every single way! Today's article is not about which is a better NAS between the DS118 and DS116, but which one should you buy. If both units are the same price, you can stop reading and buy the DS118 now… once again, it is better in every single way. But what if you see the DS116 featuring a big discount? Or you currently own the Synology DS116 NAS and are considering the upgrade? These are the questions I want to answer in today's article.
Why should you Buy the Synology DS118 NAS?
In terms of design, for such a compact and cost-effective device, it is possibly one of the best cost v hardware NAS that Synology has ever produced. Supporting many common NAS applications and functionality such as transcoding, 4K Playback, surveillance recording from IP Cameras, Apple Time Machine, Plex support and more. Don't let the size fool you. The only downside, despite the high performance, is that this is based on the fact it is an ARM processor and therefore will always pale in comparison to a solid x86 based Intel or AMD CPU.
What is the Performance of the DS118 vs the DS116 NAS?
When it comes to output, it performs better and with more efficiency than the older DS116, the DS118 quad-core Realtek CPU and DDR memory mean that you have a good balance of power underneath the bonnet. However, it is designed more with efficiency than power in mind and therefore you should factor that in when buying. Though once you start looking at tasks that factor higher amounts of rendering, transcoding or much broader multimedia tasks across multiple streams at once, you will start to struggle.
Which Synology NAS is the Best Value?
In terms of cost and value, it is hard to argue with so much ability and output at this price range. You need to overcome the lack of RAID protection and Intel CPU, but after that, you will not be disappointed. Easily one of the top 10 NAS devices we have seen so far. That said, if you have used NAS in the past, especially a device released this year) then the DS118 will not exactly blow your socks off. For its size and price tag, it is an excellent NAS, but more designed with first time NAS users, micro users or those on a tight budget in mind.
What are the disadvantages of the Synology DS118 NAS?
A Single HDD NAS, as many already know, lacks RAID protection. This should certainly be a factor to take into consideration when considering a NAS to store all your data. However given this wasn't a problem that you didn't already face with the DS116 NAS, whilst also using the same chassis as the DS116 NAS, the DS118 NAS is a compact, low power use, low noise and discreet size. If you are looking for a NAS you cancelled in a cupboard or drawer somewhere, this may well be the perfect NAS for you.
When should you consider buying the Synology DS116 NAS?
As amply described above, the Synology DS118 is easily the better device of these two units, but given that current at the time of writing this article the DS116 NAS is already a pinch lower in price, at what point is the price of the Synology DS116 NAS low enough to justify purchasing it? With both NAS devices hovering around the £130-140 mark without VAT, you should 100% still buy the DS118, however, if you see the Synology DS116 at a price below £99 including TAX, then definitely consider it.
Should I upgrade from the Synology DS116 to DS118 NAS?
The hardware and therefore the software performance on the DS118 is certainly a big leap from the DS116. Featuring improvements in multimedia (upto 4K playback and transcoding), improved performance in encryption read/write, larger support of download and file tasks in the background, sufficient power to fully utilize the new home and business applications in 'Synology Office', 'Chat 2.0', 'Synology Drive' and 'Synology Moments' – it is easy to see why it is a better NAS. However, unless you are sure you intend to take advantage of at least two of those new and improved features, you do not need to upgrade yet. Give it another year and see if we see a DS119 NAS.
Where can I buy the Synology DS118 NAS?
How do the specifications compare on the DS118 and DS116 NAS?
Below are the official specification and performance figures from Synology themselves on these two devices. Why not take a look and double check that the device will do the things you need before you buy your NAS. See you next time!


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text:
require 'spec_helper'
require 'component_helper'
require 'java_buildpack/framework/jmx'

describe JavaBuildpack::Framework::Jmx do
  include_context 'with component help'

  it 'does not detect if not enabled' do
    expect(component.detect).to be_nil
  end

  context do
    let(:configuration) { { 'enabled' => true } }

    it 'detects when enabled' do
      expect(component.detect).to eq('jmx=5000')
    end

    it 'uses 5000 as the default port' do
      component.release
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Djava.rmi.server.hostname=127.0.0.1'
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.authenticate=false'
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.ssl=false'
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.port=5000'
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.rmi.port=5000'
    end
  end

  context do
    let(:configuration) { { 'enabled' => true, 'port' => 5001 } }

    it 'uses configured port' do
      component.release
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Djava.rmi.server.hostname=127.0.0.1'
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.authenticate=false'
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.ssl=false'
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.port=5001'
      expect(java_opts).to include '-Dcom.sun.management.jmxremote.rmi.port=5001'
    end
  end

end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
U.S. to make coronavirus strain for possible human challenge trials
Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO, Aug 14 (Reuters) - U.S. government scientists have begun efforts to manufacture a strain of the novel coronavirus that could be used in human challenge trials of vaccines, a controversial type of study in which healthy volunteers would be vaccinated and then intentionally infected with the virus, Reuters has learned.
The work is preliminary and such trials would not replace large-scale, Phase 3 trials such as those now under way in the United States testing experimental COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna Inc and Pfizer Inc, according to a statement emailed to Reuters by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.
U.S. officials organizing the fight against the pandemic have been under pressure from advocacy groups such as 1 Day Sooner and others that see challenge trials as a way to speed up tests of a COVID-19 vaccine. Most vaccine trials rely on inadvertent infection, which can take time to occur.
Some drugmakers, including AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, have said they would consider human challenge trials to test COVID-19 vaccines if needed.
"Should there be a need for human challenge studies to fully assess candidate vaccines or therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2, NIAID has begun investigations of the technical and ethical considerations of conducting human challenge studies," the agency statement said.
That includes efforts to manufacture a suitable SARS-CoV-2 strain, draft a clinical protocol and identify resources that would be required to conduct such studies.
Small challenge studies would be done in small isolation units to control the virus. Larger challenge studies involving 100 people or so would have to be done in multiple locations, adding months of preparations to coordinate the studies.
Related: Coronavirus vaccine trial
Such trials are typically done when a virus is not widely circulating, which is not the case with COVID-19. Many scientists consider human challenge trials of the novel coronavirus unethical because there are no "rescue therapies" for those who fall ill.
Earlier this week, Johan Van Hoof, global vaccines chief for J&J, said in an interview with Reuters that the preparations for such trials are under way across the world, and the company is following those preparations.
Van Hoof said such trials would offer a testing option in case the virus stops circulating widely, but the company would only move forward with such trials if the ethical issues are resolved and an effective treatment is available.
Dr. Anna Durbin, a vaccine researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who has run a dozen challenge studies, estimates it could take nine to 12 months to set up a human challenge trial, and another six months to coordinate testing across multiple testing sites.
NIAID said it is continuing to prioritize field trials to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidates, but it opened the possibility to challenge trials for future generations of vaccines or treatments.
Dr. Dan Barouch, a vaccine researcher at Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, who helped design and conduct animal studies on J&J's COVID-19 vaccine, said he is not aware of any manufacturers planning human challenge studies.
"In the setting of a pandemic that is raging, you don't need it. You just do a trial and get a real result," he said.
Moreover, vaccine trials would have to be done in healthy young people, said University of Maryland School of Medicine's Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, co-leader of the Coronavirus Vaccine Prevention Network, which was formed by NIAID and is testing COVID-19 vaccines.
"A 20-year-old in a challenge study isn't really going to give us the answer of will this vaccine keep an older person, someone with chronic kidney disease, from ending up in the hospital," she said. (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Additional reporting by Francesco Guarascio in Brussels; editing by Peter Henderson and Leslie Adler)
Microsoft deal to deliver $390 million payday for Activision's embattled CEO
Afghan acting PM calls for official recognition of Taliban administration


An Arduino library for the nRF8001 products such as the BLE Shield and Blend.
Providing a simple service (TxRx) for exchanging data between nRF8001 and BLE Central (e.g. iPhone 6), this library requires Nordic BLE SDK for Arduino to function, please also install that library.


text:
About a-n
Cookie Information: We use cookies on this site both for essential site functionality, and to better understand our audience. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information.
DSG Features
Arts organiser
Perception Series by Loleithaart
I am a third-year undergraduate student currently studying at UCS. Perception Series: While working on my dissertation, with the focus on Augusta Savage & Kara Walker's artwork. I work with the same focus on Identity, perceptions, and the representation of these subjects.
@UCS_News
Kara Walker
Loleithaart
Perception Series:
Perception is communicated as a result of Identity, attention and understanding, the interpretation of sensors, memory, and expectation. #Loleithaart
My art process is autobiographical and displays themes such as my own journey of displacement, sorrow, love and joy. These issues are tied firmly to my cultural lens, stereotypes and the perception of them. But hey I am what I am. My themes convey my passions and compassions. I express and illustrate my voice something, I didn't think I had for a long time.
The fine artists I have looked into well, once, I set upon my thoughts and journey of making art…, are Edmonia Lewis, 1844-1907, Augusta Savage, 1895-1965, Adrian Piper, 1948-, Sonia Boyce, 1962-, Kehinde Wiley, 1977-, and Kara Walker, 1969-. All of these artists focus their art practice on Race as one element and are politically motivated and concept driven. Collectively their working practice shows a clear focus on gender-representations, cultural lens, cultural memory and post-memory.
#loleithaart – oil on canvas, 'it's time' 2015,
The image I'm expressively painting with big but controlled strokes above is from a photograph that I took and it reflects the natural beauty, and innocence of the model. It is capturing her achieving her grades and celebrating at the end of year 11 prom, along with her peers. She is experiencing that life does give seasons of fun and relaxation. Therefore, creating her own cultural lens and memories. This achievement will add to the postmemory stories that were passed down.
The scale of the painting projects that school was/is a big part of life and now: She is about to embark on the next part of her journey albeit, 6th form, college or University. This painting was finished off with the careful placement of gems. These gems were to mimic the actual dress worn. The dress colour chosen by the model illustrates her naturalistic and practical manner as she isn't known to be a girly girl more of what we call a geek or techie. As well as highlighting that she is a real gem. A teenager to be proud of. The background colour displays the teenager being grounded and of a composed nature, which is clearly identified in the gentleness of her face.
While thinking about the gems, that I put on the dress, I was reminded of the artist Chris Ofili's paintings and how he encrusted his work with map pins, glitter stars and polyester resin. He also used collage, in the large-scale painting, which I viewed in the Tate Modern, titled; 'No Woman No Cry' 1998.
'No Woman No Cry' 1998, Ofili, placed the face of the Black youth Stephen Lawrence, in the tear drops. Lawrence was racially murdered in the streets of London UK, while waiting for a bus home, 1993. Stephen Lawrence's mother Doreen (her mother's heart and strength, fought for justice) along with his father, Neville. (I met, while I worked on an art project for my professional practice, with the ISCRE Leadership Academy; it was about how Black boys were perceived in society and the media). The Lawrence's campaigned for the justice over their son's death. It was a significant public enquiry and was held four years after his death. It was concluded that the Metropolitan Police Service was 'institutionally racist'. The model in my painting was born at the same time the fight for justice in this high profile case of a racially motivated murder was being highlighted in the media. #ourchildren, #ourhearts #loleithaart
Constantly during my time at University -my focus has been on 'identity'. My first artworks were …coloured silhouette prints. (inserted below). I titled them 'The colour of you', I used oranges and yellows in print making, it was a quick process once I had drawn the stencil and cut it out carefully with an artist knife. The colours represent warmth; yellow and the orange undertones convey emotions ranging from happiness, relaxation and creativity. The colour black has positive and negative connotations and every colour has hidden meanings in the colour spectrum. The use of it in this instance gave my work a strong contrast against the colours which I chose to represent Black women, to combating stereotyping. The more than often stereotype is, that Black women are to be sassy mouthed, have attitudes, are hard and aggressive. Common knowledge shows that all women are and can be vulnerable, delicate, beautiful, soft, loyal, have a nurturing and compassionate nature; passionate, and strong willed where needed; (moody and/or emotional every 21 days, it's their prerogative lol). My question… So why stereotype?
'The colour of you', 2008 #loleithaart
In June 2015 News reports, and footage released of a Texas police officer throwing a Black girl (youth) down, kneeing her in the back and holding her arms behind on the ground. Was she not law abiding? How was she posing a threat? Or was that just a force of law because of stereotypes and perceptions?
'Bikini girl pushed down by Texas police officer' silhouette, size Unknown. #loleithaart
This silhouette above I made about the Texas police officer, holding down the 14-year-old. (In the style of Kara Walker's silhouettes). But using a current racial issue. Therefore, NOT postmemory, but purely today's cultural lens. So my question… perception or is it just preferences? I'm just asking.
(The images and artwork above are mine, #Loleithaart with a focus on, Identity, race, stereotypes and perceptions in today's world. My Cultural Lens.
I found this image by American cartoonist, Lalo Alcaraz, 2015; that reminded me of cartoons with giant dinosaur tramping around a suburban neighbourhood. I think the artist may have made this link on purpose as the Black girl aged 14 years was evidently alien to the neighbourhood, which suggests that was the reason for the cops being called to the pool party… #perception
Kara Walker, 'Scene 6, The Emancipation Approximation, 1999-2000', ed. of 25, 2000, silkscreen, 44 inches x 34 inches. Image courtesy Alan Avery Art Gallery.
Kara Walker an African-American contemporary artist, and of the same age as me, (yea I know I don't look my age [smile]. Walker was the second artist whom I had researched for my dissertation ('More than skin deep'), Walker also depicted race and identity within her art process from a Postmemory and her cultural lens perspective. In this piece Walker is illustrating the dire situations that were experienced by Black slaves in the antebellum South USA.
At first glance of Walker's artwork, I was taken in by the silhouette fables and lighting effects of the installations. They made me want to view more. But then I looked at the images closer and was shocked at the content. I remember sneering. I knew I didn't want my children (being still in primary school then) to see this… Yet.
In my silhouetted piece above, I used fabric as I found it quicker while shopping for large scale paper, (I have a background in tailoring too). I am stating that you may parallel Kara Walkers work and the issue she depicted by using modern day situations, which reflect the same, if not a similar issue.
.Kara Walker
Darkytown Rebellion
Installation view at Brent Sikkema, New York
Projection, cut paper and adhesive on wall, 14 x 37 1/2 feet
Collection of Foundation Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg
Courtesy Brent Sikkema, New York
www.brentsikkema.com
Walker also had a show on 13 November 2015 – 16 January 2016 at Victoria Miro Mayfair in 14 St George Street London W1S 1FE
The Victoria Miro was delighted to present the second of two exhibitions at the gallery. Her last one was in 2013
Describing that Walker's work is "often provocative and humorous, Her work explores the tensions and power plays of racial and gender relations".
Walker's work engages with historical narratives and the ways in which these stories have been suppressed, distorted and falsified. This exhibition extends her exploration of the brutalising histories of colonialism and slavery, and the political and psychological consequences that accompany identity formation in contexts of oppression and violence".
COLOUR THEORY
These next images relate to colour theory
Blue Mood,
A look at the colour theory and what it represents in an artwork. Artist Mark Rothko, an abstract painter, successfully uses colour palettes and aids emotion. I find this pleasant to look at but makes me think of interior design. The texture of Rothko's painting brings movement to it even though it's citrus layered colour rests on the dynamic of the square/rectangle…
Green says go!
Identity and colour theory
Jan Van Eyck, National Gallery London
#perception series
In the above images, I am looking at colour theory and how it is represented or symbolised.
The 15th Century Artist Jan Van Eyck painted a portrait of a couple from the early 15th century, where the wife is well into the late stages of her pregnancy. She is dressed all in green, which is a symbol of fertility. As noted by art historian Carola Hicks, from this portrait fertility was "symbolised as an essential quality of a wife", other objects in the painting reinforce the idea of fertility, i.e. the three oranges, the fruit and blossom of which signify love and marriage. And the bed in the background confirms intimacy, (Hicks, 2011).
I am purely using this Van Eyck as an example to show how colour is used in the art to symbolise different emotions, feelings and gestures.
I also note that Artist Yves Klein an abstract painter, used colour to evoke feelings and he created his own colour IKB 79 and it has been mentioned that a viewer stood and tears came to their eyes. This colour is gorgeous and vibrant and I would look great in a suit or a form fitting dress in this colour, and shoes to match. It makes me think of clothing, or going away on holiday in the Sun; That's it Im'ma pack my bags and am searching for a holiday destination. lol!
IKB 79 Yves Klein 1959 Paint on canvas on plywood
Loleitha Evelyn
Face in the sand, 2016
So while I sit chilling on the golden sand beach on the Island of Gozo in Malta….
No, I don't wish to do any thinking or work, well would you?
I do a quick sketch just before we pack up… And when I'm back in the hotel The Radisson Blu resort, golden sands I will research sand sculptures.
Ado Vader art on Chanuga tha beach
i find so many great sculptures… Do I feel regret about not doing more.. Err nope! #havingabreakmeantmore.
Single Black female
'Single Black Female' 2015.
Tissue paper découpage
(due to technical faults this image only shows when you click on the space it should be in #annoying #confused why does this happen?)
The lightness of the cast in the tissue paper découpage represented the delicateness, a fragility and felt or perception of the/a woman.
A reflection of the human condition. The media and society have put its mark on what they perceive to be beautiful.
Thoughts of growth, and nurturing …who is she? With no specific features, acts like a silhouette, this body may represent whoever.
As a trained beauty therapist I have an interest of the body form, and well being; the perception and the human conditioning. The media and society has put its mark on what they perceive On viewing this I think of growth, the nurturing who is she? I feel my work leans towards questioning perception or is it just preference? This piece with no specific features like the silhouettes the body may represent whoever, and the hope of a woman for her life and future.
Single Black Female, if you look at her closely, you can see her endurance…
Single Black Female, if you look at her closely, you can see her fears…
Single Black Female, if you look at her closely, you can see her faith…
Single Black Female, if you look at her closely, you can see her joy…
Single Black Female, if you look at her closely, you can see her hope…
Single Black Female, if you look at her closely, you can see her Her…
and 'Hope' does not disappoint! Loleitha Evelyn, 2015
I had previously tried to upload this but i had issues with the layout of my images and I have a load of a lady? Whom I don't know, #confused. It brings me back to the lecture when my art colleague Harry Osborne was presenting his blog and my image 'Contentment' appeared in his thread.
Perception series cont…
The 'Perception series' continues as I sketch on, basically focussing and exploring about the Afro hair type.
The Afro hair is very versatile, the natural hair coil, in its original state would be half the length of it, if it the hair was not blowed out or straightened with a hot comb, GHD's or the use of chemical relaxers.
I continue to illustrate the physiognomy of the Black female figure.
I am trying out digital drawing using a digital pen and Ipad or my tablet, as I previously did some on braided hair , the idea was to see how I got on with it while placing features in the drawings.
In the creative zone
Here are a few images of me in the creative zone, and helping put up art for the UCS art auction for our degree show. #loleithaart
Pity the images will not rota on this. I will try resizing and replacing. #annoying, as I've already did a resize.
© a-n The Artists Information Co


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Blu-ray Reviews Comedy Films Entertainment Movies Review Romance Films
Roxanne Retro VHS Cover Art Blu-ray Review
August 21, 2019 August 21, 2019 Adam Mortensen 0 Comments 1987, Blu-ray, Blu-ray review, Columbia Pictures, comedy films, Cyrano de Bergerac, Daryl Hannah, Fred Schepisi, Fred Willard, Rick Rossovich, romance films, romantic comedies, Shelley Duvall, Steve Martin
A review of Mill Creek Entertainment's retro VHS cover art Blu-ray release of Roxanne, a solid but inconsistent 1987 comedy.
Blu-ray Reviews Entertainment Movies Review Sci-Fi Thriller Films
Eyes of Laura Mars Blu-Ray Review
May 24, 2019 Eric Mortensen 0 Comments 1978, Brad Dourif, Columbia Pictures, David Zelag Goodman, Faye Dunaway, Irvin Kershner, Jack H. Harris, John Carpenter, Jon Peters, Laura Ziskin, Raúl Juliá, René Auberjonois, Tommy Lee Jones
Eyes of Laura Mars has a great premise that occasionally works, but it is mostly wasted leading to a pretty slow movie.
Adventure Blu-ray Reviews Entertainment Horror Movies Review
Anaconda (1997) Blu-ray Review
May 15, 2019 May 15, 2019 Adam Mortensen 0 Comments 1997, adventure films, Blu-ray, Blu-ray review, Columbia Pictures, creature features, Eric Stoltz, Hans Bauer, horror films, Ice Cube, Jack Epps Jr., Jennifer Lopez, Jim Cash, Jon Voight, Jonathan Hyde, Luis Llosa, Owen Wilson, snake films
A review of Mill Creek Entertainment's 2019 Blu-ray release of Anaconda.
Adventure B-Movies Blu-ray Reviews Entertainment Movies Review
Sheena Retro VHS Cover Art Blu-ray Review
May 8, 2019 May 8, 2019 Adam Mortensen 0 Comments 1984, adventure films, B-movies, Blu-ray, Blu-ray review, Columbia Pictures, Delphi II Productions, Donovan Scott, John Guillermin, Leslie Stevens, Lorenzo Semple Jr., Tanya Roberts, Ted Wass
A review of Sheena on Blu-ray, a film with some genuinely good scenes and B-movie hijinks that is ultimately too long for its own good.
Blu-ray Reviews Comedy Films Entertainment Movies Review
Neighbors (1981) Blu-ray Review (and Mill Creek Entertainment Retro VHS Cover Art Wave 2 Releases)
March 21, 2019 March 21, 2019 Adam Mortensen 0 Comments 1981, Blu-ray, Blu-ray review, Cathy Moriarty, Columbia Pictures, comedy films, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, John G. Avildsen, Kathryn Walker, Larry Gelbart
A review of the first ever Blu-ray release of Neighbors (as well as a list of the other wave two Mill Creek retro VHS cover art Blu-rays).
Adventure DVD Reviews Entertainment Movies Review
Robin Hood Origins DVD Review
January 11, 2019 January 11, 2019 Adam Mortensen 0 Comments 1946, 1948, 1950, 1960, adventure films, Columbia Pictures, Cornel Wilde, DVD review, George Sherman, Gordon Douglas, Hammer Film Productions, Henry Levin, Howard Bretherton, John Derek, Jon Hall, Louis Hayward, Peter Cushing, Richard Greene, Robin Hood, Terence Fisher
A review of Robin Hood Origins on DVD which includes five films: The Bandit of Sherwood Forest, The Prince of Thieves, The Black Arrow, Rogues of Sherwood Forest, and Sword of Sherwood Forest.
Can't Hardly Wait: 20 Year Reunion Edition Blu-ray Review
December 6, 2018 December 6, 2018 Adam Mortensen 0 Comments 1998, Blu-ray review, Charlie Korsmo, Columbia Pictures, comedy films, Deborah Kaplan, Ethan Embry, Harry Elfont, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green
A review of Can't Hardly Wait: 20 Year Reunion Edition on Blu-ray from Mill Creek Entertainment.
Nightwing/Shadow of the Hawk Double Feature Blu-ray Review
October 30, 2018 October 30, 2018 Adam Mortensen 0 Comments 1976, 1979, adventure films, Arthur Hiller, Blu-ray review, Columbia Pictures, David Warner, George McCowan, horror films, Jan-Michael Vincent, Marilyn Hassett, Nick Mancuso
A review of the Nightwing/Shadow of the Hawk Double Feature Blu-ray released by Mill Creek Entertainment.
Biographical Films Entertainment Movies Nature Review
Born Free The Complete Collection DVD Review
October 23, 2018 October 22, 2018 Eric Mortensen 0 Comments 1966, 1972, 1974, 1996, Adriana Richards, Alan Cassidy, Bill Travers, Born Free, Carl Foreman, Chris Noth, Columbia Pictures, Columbia Pictures Television, David Gerber, Diana Muldaur, DVD, DVD review, Franklin Waterman Productions, Gary Collins, Jack Couffer, James Hill, Jeff Franklin, John McGreevey, Jonathan Brandis, Joy Adamson, Lea Moreno, Leonard Horn, Lester Cole, Linda Purl, Lorin Bennett Salob, Millard Kaufman, Nigel Davenport, Paul B. Radin, Paul Krasny, Peter Lukoye, Russ Mayberry, Sam Jaffe, Shepperton Studios, Steve Waterman, Susan Hampshire, Tommy Lee Wallace, Virginia McKenna
Born Free The Complete Collection is not going to be for everyone but it should entertain fans of nature films.
Board Games Family Puzzle Reviews Roll and Move
The Da Vinci Code Board Game Review and Rules
June 6, 2018 April 14, 2018 Eric Mortensen 0 Comments 2006, Columbia Pictures, Mega Brands, Rose Art, Terry Miller Associates
For a movie tie-in game The Da Vinci Code Board Game actually has some interesting mechanics that could have lead to a good game if it was designed a little better.


According to the BLS data for March employment increased by 216,000 and the unemployment rate dropped to a 2 year low of 8.8%. They also revised up the January and February employment numbers. So for the first three months of the year the economy has added 188,000 private payroll jobs per month. Based on this trailing indicator the economy is clearly improving.
How good will it get?
How soon will it take to get there?
When the recession began we used this simple graph below to illustrate the question at that time. It seems to me we can dust off the graph and use it again.
We now know how far the economy fell and we are coming close to knowing how long it will take to recover.
It's my guess (emphasize on guess) that if we continue to get 3.3%+ GDP growth then we could see continued job growth around 225k/month and possibly 300k/month by the end of the year.
As discussed last week, we still have a "Wall of Worry" at center stage that we have to work through, and that's going to generate some bumps and bruises for those that lose perspective.
Because asset allocation matters most, per the illustration below, it is critical to contemplate the next adjustments to our portfolios. Much more on this in future comments.
Source: Financial Analysts Journal, May-June, 1991, "Determinants of Portfolio Performance II: an Update" by B.G.P. Brinson, B.D. Singer and G.L. Beebower. Results are based on the 10-year performance record of 91 pension funds.
As for now, it's on to earnings season to see if the lagging jobs numbers match the earnings capabilities of companies.
The "Now What?" always comes quicker than we realize.


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Bullying makes men leave the labor market
Bullying in the workplace doubles women's sickness absence, leads to an increased use of antidepressants and affects women's health negatively and for a long time. On the other hand, men are twice as likely to leave the labour market for a period of time after they have been subjected to bullying. This is the result of new interdisciplinary research from Aarhus BSS - Aarhus University and the University of Copenhagen.
In the study, seven per cent of the respondents reported that they are being subjected to bullying. Of these, 43 per cent are men. A total of 3182 people in both public and private organisations have participated.
"The million-dollar question is why men primarily react by leaving the workplace, while women react to bullying by taking prolonged sick leaves. If anything, this illustrates that men and women handle bullying differently," says Assistant Professor Tine Mundbjerg Eriksen from the Department of Economics and Business Economics at Aarhus BSS.
Bullying does not affect men's sickness absence - but their salary
Together with her colleagues from the University of Copenhagen, Tine Mundbjerg Eriksen has recently published her research in the recognised journal of Labour Economics, and according to her, it was a surprise to learn that bullying does not seem to increase men's sickness absence.
"In fact, it seems that men who are bullied are more likely than women to go to work even though they're actually sick. At the same time, it appears that bullying affects men's salary level negatively, which indicates that the bullying hampers their opportunities for pay increases and promotions. One way of bullying is that your colleagues or your boss impede your ability to do your job properly, make changes to your work or hand the fun and important tasks to others."
When it comes to the type and frequency of bullying, the research shows that men are just as exposed to work or personal-related bullying as women, but are actually slightly more exposed to physical intimidation than women.
Bullying worse than violence and sexual harassment
Previous studies have shown that bullying causes the same symptoms as post-traumatic stress disorder and that bullying causes more long-term sickness than e.g. violence, threats and sexual harassment. Back in 2003, the organisation "Lederne" determined that bullying costs approx. two million work days a year.
A large part of the bullying in Danish workplaces will probably never come to light, which, according to Tine Mundbjerg Eriksen, simply underlines the gravity of the problem and the need for further research.
"There are still many things we don't know exactly. For example if the bullying follows the person or the workplace or both. But it's an expensive problem for society and for the individual, so we'd like to dig deeper," says Tine Mundbjerg Eriksen.
About the research:
All of the results in the new study remain the same, even when the researchers account for factors such as the person's previous sickness absence, attachment to the labour market, personality, the workplace's characteristics, and so on.
The research article "Long-term consequences of workplace bullying on sickness absence" has been published in the journal Labour Economics.
Behind the interdisciplinary research is Assistant Professor Tine L. Mundbjerg Eriksen from the Department of Economics and Business Economics at Aarhus BSS, Professor Annie Høgh from the Department of Psychology at the University of Copenhagen and Åse Marie Hansen from the Department of Public Health at the University of Copenhagen.
The research is based on a study from 2006, which has been compared with data on sickness absence from the years 2007-2011. The results are consistent with other international studies on the subject.
Assistant Professor, PhD Tine L. Mundbjerg Eriksen
Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus BSS - Aarhus University
Email: teriksen@econ.au.dk
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Allen Scazafabo, Jr., a partner in the Firm's Family Law Group, was quoted in the New Jersey Business article entitled "Attorneys Have New Tools to Navigate Divorce," featured in the magazine's August issue. In the article, Allen discusses the new federal tax code, and how eliminating the alimony deduction may cause an increase in clients looking to revisit the alimony amount when the paying spouse makes more money post-divorce. "Now, with the tax situation, each time the payer makes more money, there would be more frequency in spouses going back to court to revisit that alimony position." He also addresses the lack of effect on bankruptcy on alimony and child support.
Click here for the digital version of the August issue. The article can be found starting on page 65.


In April 2007 the craziest band on earth did a DVD project with Sveng.Com Productions. Jimmy did all the mixing and the Post Sound editing. A very great time was held at the studio by Jimmy, Jesse & Anton. Thank you guys for a fantastic week.


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