For drummers today, electronic drum sets offer a range of distinct advantages over acoustic drum kits.
First up there's the volume. Electronic drum sets allow drummers to practice for hours on end without waking up the neighbors.
Then there's the sound selection. Even a beginner standard electronic drum set will ship with a multitude of different drum and cymbal sounds to cater to all styles of music.
You can also plug most electronic drum sets into a computer to use for recording in the studio.
This eliminates hours and hours of acoustic miking, mixing and mastering that goes hand in hand with regular drum kits.
On top of all that there are the convenient practice options and built in features such as metronomes and song templates to groove over.
With all of the options and convenience that electronic drum sets have to offer, its hard to go wrong with going the electronic route.
Electric drums have been with us for years. They have a long and checkered past, from the early basic analogue iterations to the sophisticated digital offerings of today.
But who makes the best electronic drums nowadays and which electronic drum set should you buy?
In this article we will discuss some of the top rated electronic drum sets on the market today and list their pros and cons.
The article is split into four main sections, which are graded on price ranges, from beginner to high budget professional level.
With beginner and lower end electronic drum kits, you'll often find that they come with additional items such as drumsticks and drum stools.
As the price increases it's common to see these items left out. There are several reasons for this.
One is that by not offering these extras, the drum companies are able to keep the price down to a minimum and that is always music to the consumer's ears.
The other reason is that most purchasers of mid to high end electronic drum kits tend to already have some experience playing, have the necessary tools such as sticks and have their favorites in this regard.
This could refer to a drum stool that you can't play without or a bass drum pedal that suits your technique like no other.
Beginner electronic drum kits are largely aimed at youngsters and tend to be quite lightweight.
You won't find any fancy features and most are not designed to last several decades.
They can still be quality made but are not always made to last as long as their more expensive counterparts.
These kits are made for the entry level crowd and kids that want to get into drumming but want a less expensive and noise level friendly alternative to the acoustic drum sets.
With that in mind let's take a look at some of the best beginner electronic drum sets on the market today in 2018.
A great offering from Roland electronic drums specifically catering for beginners to the instrument.
This kit comes with 4 drum pads and 3 cymbal pads and is a good electronic drum kit to learn on.
It's extendable, meaning you can buy more parts, such as drum pads, and increase your kit size.
The overall feel of this kit is good and it's quite sturdy yet not too heavy.
It comes with 15 built-in drum sound banks which should keep most entry level drummers entertained.
The quality of the drum samples here is quite high and actually better than most on the market.
The basic TD-1K comes with rubber pads but if you want a more natural feel to your snare you can purchase the TD-1KV electronic drum set which is the upgraded version and comes with a mesh snare head.
The TD-1KV kit usually retails for around $100 more that the basic TD-1K electronic kit shown here but has a much better and more realistic feel to it.
Like most beginner range electronic drum sets, this TD-1K kit comes with beater less bass pedals and floating hi-hat pedal.
In this respect you get maximum positioning but lose out on the realism of proper acoustic kit hardware.
A great feature of the TD-1K is its ability to take an MP3 input for play along purposes.
This saves you a lot of bother and hassle should you wish to practice along with your favorite tracks.
The 'Coach Mode' will also help out a budding drummer to improve their speed, timing and accuracy. The Roland TD-1K usually retails for in or around the $500 mark and makes for an excellent entry level electronic drum set.
One of the top rated electronic drum kits in the beginner section is certainly the Alesis DM Lite electronic drum set.
This kit is very solid and compact and even comes with 4 LED drum pads and 3 LED cymbal pads.
These pads light up when you strike them for a cool dynamic feel.
It's a small enough setup to fold away which is a huge benefit to most who are new to the instrument and are struggling with space.
The pads are very playable and give a strong rebound with the supplied sticks.
There are 10 quality drum kit sound banks to choose from, giving you a selection of different kits ranging from rock to pop to jazz and more.
The foot pedals are beater-less and are not connected to the hardware rack. They sit alone by themselves.
However this makes for easy positioning but also lacks in the feeling of a real drum kit.
The bass drum pedal has no beater, rather it works like the the hi-hat pedal with an internal sensor.
It's features like this, that will eventually drive the consumer to upgrade to a higher level setup, but for beginners who are getting to grips with basic coordination, they work just fine.
Included in the drum brain is a 'Learn Mode' and a 'Play Along' function which is great for getting to grips with the fundamentals.
Combine this kit with a professional tutor and that should be enough for anyone to form a reasonable beginner skill set on the instrument.
It's certainly one of the best portable electronic drum sets on the market and also one of the best entry level electronic drum sets.
I would not hesitate to recommend this electronic drum set to any beginners looking to get started playing the drums.
In the world of music, Yamaha is one of the biggest players.
They produce products for practically every instrument and electronic drums are no exception.
Yamaha has the reputation on the music industry that is associated with quality.
The DTX400K is Yamaha's beginner kit with value and quality being of the utmost importance.
Again we have 4 drum pads and 3 hi-hat pads. These can be assigned to any one of 169 different drum sounds. That's 10 kits in total.
As with others kits in the beginner range, the DTX400K comes with beaterless pedals.
This kit can easily be connected to your Mac or PC so as to record with MIDI through USB.
You can get it today with Drum Throne, Vic Firth 5A Drumsticks and Stereo Headphones through the link above on Amazon.
The rack is easily adjustable and does a good job of keeping every drum just where you need it.
The response from the pads is quite good too, if a little hard, but that's to be expected with a sub-$500 electronic drum set.
As well as 10 different drum kits to choose from you also get warmup features and a groove exercises to sharpen your drumming skills.
The DTX400K is an impressive drum kit overall but does reside on the higher end of the beginner price range.
It's a good deal more expensive than the Alesis DM Lite which offers the better bang for your buck but in terms of longevity the Yamaha kit might be the way to go.
That said, the DTX400K is a great electronic drum set for beginners.
Still undecided on which entry level electronic drum set is right for you? Check out this youtube comparison video and see ff this helps you decide.
Moving on from the beginner selections, we now look at affordable electronic drum kits that are aimed at drummers with some experience.
As you will see, the range of features will increase and overall quality and build improves as you move up through the more expensive kits.
If you're not a total beginner and you've got in or around a grand to spend then you should consider some of these kits.
Keep in mind that some electronic drum sets might offer features that are of no use to you, whether that be practise modes or MIDI compatibility.
You can make a checklist of the features that are important to you and compare and contrast the different brands and models.
Here are the top 3 contenders for the best electronic drum kit under $1000.
With the DM10 Alesis offer us a ten piece professional electronic drum set for well under $1000.
The whole setup comprises of 4 cymbal pads (hihat, ride and 2 crash cymbals) and 6 drum pads.
Each pad is mylar, although you can get mesh should you wish to fork out a bit more cash.
The brain on the DM10 is impressive, with over 1000 different sound samples to choose from.
It also includes 74 great sounding tunes thatvyou can play to with or without the guiding drum tracks.
More importantly though, you can play along to all of your favorite songs by plugging in your smartphone, iPhone or even your mp3-player.
Simply use the 2 provided auxiliary ports on the back of the module.
It's also possible to connect the DM10 to your favorite DAWs in order to expand your sample selection.
The kick pedal has been upgraded to a real pad for use with a pedal which makes the overall playing experience more akin to a proper acoustic drum kit.
Unfortunately it doesn't normally ship with what Alesis considers extras, such as a drum stool, kick pedal or sticks but the build of this kit is one which you will have no problem playing in live or practice situations.
For aesthetics, you have the option of choosing from an aluminum rack or a chrome rack depending on your personal preference.
A step up from the DTX400K, this exceptional kit has a few extras that the previous was lacking.
The main difference is the inclusion of a standalone bass drum pad for use with a pedal.
Yamaha have also been kind enough to include one of their own pedals (FP6110) with the deal which will save you time and some money.
The HH65 remote hi-hat is also an improvement on the DTX400K and allows for more nuanced control with several settings such as half-open, pedal and splash hi-hats.
The hihat can be one of the most expressive and dynamic parts of any acoustic drum kit so any improvement here is warmly welcomed.
The snare pad is a TP70S which is a 3-zone pad. This extra responsivity means it's easier to get a more human feel to your playing.
The DTX450K connects to any desktop computer allowing you to download backing tracks and playalong files.
This step up won't cost you an arm and a leg either. For a couple of hundred dollars more than the DTX400K you can get this edition. Throw in an extra $20 to get the drum throne too.
Roland's TD-11K-S retails just under $1000 and is an impressive leap on from the earlier mentioned TD-1K.
First up we have the inclusion of a mesh snare drum head. This mesh head is far more responsive than the usual rubber pads and feels more real to play.
This 8 piece drum set (3 cymbals, 5 drums) is one of Roland's most popular and it's not hard to see why.
Along with the mesh snare, you also get a real standalone bass drum pad for use with the included Roland bass drum pedal, or any pedal of your choosing.
The feel from the bass drum is better than most competitors in the sub-$1000 bracket and we put this down to Roland's 'Natural-Feel' kick pad.
It's less springy than most kick pads and absorbs the beater in a more realistic way.
The rest of the drum and cymbal pads are the standard rubber feel but with a nice kick and snare you're halfway there to feeling like you're playing on the real deal.
The array of sounds is impressive too. Roland have always strived to offer the best when it comes to sound samples and the TD-11K-S is no exception.
For those with a bit more spending power we'll now look at some of the best intermediate or mid-range electronic drum kits available to buy for under $3000.
Anything in this price bracket is considered on the higher end and professional.
KAT Percussion are perhaps not as well-known as the other big players on the electronic drum kit scene but they are steadily making an impact.
Previously part owned by Fender, they were recently taken over by DW.
The KT4 is an eye catching drum set, most notably on first impressions for its all white look.
This makes a stark contrast to the typical black pads we associate with electronic kits. Looks aside the KT4 is an impressive kit with quality abound.
A 9-piece setup with 4 cymbals and 5 drum pads, the KT4 is built on an extremely robust rack for maximum solidity.
The hihat stand is separate and standalone, meaning no more awkward footboard issues. It's a 3-zone hihat too, so you can get a range of sounds from bell to edge.
The snare and tom pads are 11 inch dual zone pads that can be customised for realistic drum response.
You can choose from any of the 780 drum sounds and 50 kits and there's even an effects section where you can play with EQ and reverb.
You also have 44 banks in which to save any new kit configurations you create.
For around twice the price of the KAT KT4 you can get Roland's TD-25V electronic drum set.
It's one of the top electronic drum kits on offer by Roland and features many improvements on the TD-11K-S.
Each of the 4 cymbal pads is multi-zoned, meaning they respond differently to where they are struck.
You can get different sounds from any cymbal by playing on the edge or closer to the center bell.
There's even a cool choke response so you can stop unwanted crash cymbals from sustaining at the end of songs or in staccato passages. Likewise the drum pads are equally as impressive.
The snare has what Roland call 'positional sensing' which allows for nuanced playing such as ghost strokes, rim shots and even the use of tradition jazz brushes.
It really is an impressive feat Roland have managed to pull off here.
The hihat is more realistic than most electronic hihats yet bizarrely Roland has opted to leave out the hihat stand here, meaning that you will have to supply your own.
Installation is pretty simple though, you just attach the TD-25KV hihat to your existing stand and you're good to go.
The 18 preset drum kits might sound limited but there are many more available to download when you connect to your Mac or PC.
The sounds are of the highest quality and you can personalise your own kits with the multi-effects Roland have included.
For well under the $2000 mark you can come home with Yamaha's DTX562K electronic drum set.
This kit comes with 691 high quality drum samples, 3 multi-zone cymbal pads, 4 silicone drum pads, upright hihat stand, bass drum pad and Yamaha's RS502 drum rack.
It's an impressive package for the money and certainly is worthy of the 'professional' tag. One thing that is missing though is a kick drum pedal.
Perhaps Yamaha felt that anyone purchasing a kit of this value would most likely have their own preferred pedal anyway so decided not to bother including one.
The silicone pads are nicely responsive but not as easy to play as standard mesh heads.
The array of sounds is impressive, with the ability to download more when you connect up through the USB.
Playability is fairly effortless and the cymbals respond admirably to a variety of strokes.
One thing about the DTX562K though is the drum pads end up feeling a tad small. The playing area of the two toms and floor tom in particular feels a bit cramped.
On the other hand this could be used as a way to increase your accuracy but it feels a bit like a toy kit in this respect.
Extra features on the DTX562K are a built-in metronome, groove and practise exercises.
All in all a strong contender for the money.
Now we come to the high end, high budget, all frills, no-expense-spared end of the electronic drum set market.
Kits in this section range from around $3000 up to under $10000.
You can keep spending should you wish to add a vast range of features and upgrades too.
It's worth noting that because we are dealing with digital products, there is a tendency for some of these kits to age and not keep their value.
That is one of the perils of buying any digital product.
The industry moves so quickly and the cost of manufacturing is constantly being lowered so that a top of the line instrument today might retail for a fraction of the price in a decade or so.
The same cannot be said to the same extent with acoustic instruments.
In fact, there is a school of thinking that believes that acoustic instruments actually age well and get better with time.
With all that as a preface, let's dive straight in and compare some of the best digital drum sets.
With their finest electronic kit to date, Alesis have released the mightily impressive Strike Pro 6-piece electronic drum kit.
Out of the box it's an impressive looking instrument, coming in a pristine blood-red colour with sparkling chrome hardware.
Alesis may call this a 6-piece but in fact you also get 5 cymbal pads, namely a hihat, ride cymbal, and three crashes.
The premium multi-ply shells are available in many different sizes (8 inch, 10 inch, 12 inch and 14 inch) which really makes playing the Strike Pro an intuitive experience.
You also get movable hihat for convenience and the bass drum pad is extra large, big enough to accommodate a double bass pedal.
The sounds on offer are very impressive with over 1000 instruments and 200 drum kits to pick from.
A standard Strike Pro should set you back less than $3500 which is considerably less than many of the competing brands at the high end of the market.
You won't find some of the fancier options included and that is a big reason for the price here.
That said, the Strike Pro 6-Piece is a pleasure to play on and comes highly recommended.
The TD-50KV is the older brother of the already successful Roland TD-25KV.
What you get with the TD-50KV is a few extras such as larger ride cymbal, a larger snare and a new bass drum triggering option.
It is currently the most expensive electronic drum kit available to buy today.
The ride cymbal has been increased to 18 inches for a more realistic weight and feel.
The snare on the TD-50KV is now a 14 inch diameter with an improved triple ply mesh head.
This head gives a far better rebound than the previous 2-ply heads.
There's still 2-ply heads all over the kit on the toms but in this respect it works just fine having a little less rebound here.
The new bass drum triggering option is a unique Roland innovation.
Effectively now what you can do is substitute your real acoustic bass drum into your Roland V-Drum setup.
With digital triggering it's possible to hook up the bass drum to the TD-50KV brain and get an ultra-realistic sound response. But that's not all.
Roland have completed overhauled the sample sounds in the TD-50KV so you get an entirely new soundbank to play with.
Hooking the kit up to live PA's is a breeze with 2 XLR outputs on the back of the module.
Along with the 8 analogue outputs that shipped with the TD-30 version you also get a handy USB output for recording entire sessions easily.
The TD-50KV is jaw dropping in every respect, including the price. This baby will set you back anything up to $9000 in some cases.
If money happens to be no object, you can do no better than this incredible piece of drum technology.
As the latest addition to Yamaha's DTX700 series, this electronic drum kit is truly one of the best around.
It ships with four snare and tom pads, all 3-zone and on Yamaha's brand new RS700 rack system.
Sound-wise you'll have over 1300 drum and cymbal samples to choose from including some of Yamaha's own prestigious range of acoustic kits.
There's also a whole host of additional percussion and FX sounds should you be in the need for something a bit unorthodox.
On top of the vast built-in soundbanks, Yamaha have made it easy to import your own samples so you can recreate existing kits or create new hybrid collections.
Like all top end electronic drum sets, the DTX760K is fully compatible with all major DAWs through USB.
On the feet, we have a larger than normal bass drum pad for maximum realism with also a solid and secure standalone hihat stand.
The feel is that of a real kit from the hips down.
There's a noticeable difference in how the toms and snare are tuned that gives that proper acoustic kit feel.
The snare is slightly tighter than the toms and that is how it usually is on a real kit.
It helps that the snare is not attached to the rack and rather it has its own snare stand on which to sit.
The KB-100 bass drum pad is big enough to fit a double bass pedal and gives a satisfying 'thud' response.
Finally with the hihat you'll experience some ultra-real sample selections and subtle pedal responses. With the DTX760K you're getting the best that Yamaha has to offer and it shows.
We have looked at some of the best and best value electronic drum sets on offer today and weighed them up against each other.
In most cases there are arguments for different brands and it usually comes down to the money you are prepared to spend.
In the case of the beginner who is completely new to drumming and wants a good electronic kit to learn the art on, it seems like there is one winner here.
The Alesis DM Lite offers real value and quality technology for your dollar.
The sounds will keep any newby entertained for months and it's built to take a moderate pounding.
If you're new to drums and want the best band for your buck, go with the DM Lite.
Moving onto the next price category we again compared three brands which are Alesis, Yamaha and Roland.
The Roland TD-11K came out the more expensive of the three but it is also head and shoulders above the other two.
It feels better to play and this is down to Roland's attempts to maximise comfort with the mesh snare head and natural feel bass drum pad.
Along with comfort, the Roland sound samples are just a bit better that either the Alesis or the Yamaha's and that tipped the scales in its favour.
For mid-range purchasers there is perhaps more to choose from with a better selection across the board.
All three are competitive and have lots to offer but the value represented by the KAT KT4 was and is hard to beat.
From the 780 instrument selection to the dual-zone drum pads, the KT4 delivers value that is undeniable.
You could go out and spend over twice on a Yamaha of Roland but it would be hard to justify the difference.
For mid-range buyers it's all about getting the best product at the best price and the KT4 wins this at a canter.
As a 9-piece kit, with 4 cymbals and 5 drum pads, you probably won't need to look at upgrading it either.
The high-end comparison threw up some impressive kits but which can be called the best electronic drum set today?
Well, clearly if money is no object to you then go out and buy yourself a TD-50KV.
The playing response on this kit is incredible and the updated sample set is stunning in itself.
When it comes to value though, it's hard to look past the Alesis Strike Pro 6-Piece electronic drum kit.
It's less than half the price of the Roland and is a beauty to play on.
The different sized drums make for a very enjoyable playing experience and the kit feels more expensive than its price tag suggests.
Whatever your requirements you should keep in mind everything in this review when making your purchase.
Do you need mesh heads? Do you need 3-zone cymbals and the ability to choke a crash?
It would always be good advice to actually seek out the electronic drum kit you have in mind and to get a trial run on it.
It's only when you are physically behind the drum set that you will know whether it feels right for you and your playing style.
Will you be using it to practice or will you be playing live gigs with it? Do you need to hook up your laptop or desktop for recording purposes?
You can save a bit of time and money by getting your priorities straight and knowing beforehand what matters to you with an electronic drum set.
Make sure to shop around for the absolute best price you can get.
Many stores, both online and on the high street, will offer to match the best price you can find, so use this to secure a good deal for yourself.
If you are also interested in acoustic drum sets, please check out my article on finding the best acoustic drum kit here.


Doors Open Days first took place in Glasgow and Ayr in 1990 where it formed part of the European City of Culture celebrations.
The success of the event encouraged other areas to participate the following year and has now grown to cover almost every area of Scotland. More than 800 buildings are expected to open, generating over 200,000 visits to sites and hidden architectural gems of all kinds in locations throughout Scotland.
The event brings together people from all walks of life in celebration of the fascinating architecture that surrounds us and the stories that these buildings can tell. Last year over 5,000 volunteers gave their time to run tours, steward sites and activities.
Leith Theatre is proud to participate is this fantastic event!


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El Asentamiento japonés en Palaos,se remonta a principios del siglo XIX, aunque la migración japonesa a gran escala a Palaos no se produjo hasta la década de 1920, cuando Palaos quedó bajo el dominio japonés y fue administrada como parte del Mandato del Pacífico Sur. Hay una pequeña comunidad japonesa en Palau, que consiste principalmente de expatriados japoneses que residen en Palaos desde hace mucho tiempo. Algunos expatriados japoneses comenzaron a residir en Palaos después de su independencia en 1994, y establecieron negocios a largo plazo en el país. Los colonos japoneses asumieron el liderazgo administrativo en el gobierno colonial japonés y desarrollaron la economía de Palaos. Después de la rendición de los japoneses en 1945, prácticamente toda la población japonesa fue repatriada a Japón, aunque se permitió que las personas de ascendencia mixta japonesa-palaosense se quedaran. Los descendientes de japoneses y palaosenses constituyen una gran minoría de la población de Palaos como resultado de los importantes matrimonios mixtos entre los colonos japoneses y los palaosenses. En general se identifican con los nativos y se ajustaron a las normas culturales y a la vida cotidiana de los mismos.

Historia

Primeros años (1820–1945)
El primer registro de contactos japoneses en Palau se remonta a 1820, cuando un velero costero fue desviado de su rumbo y ocho hombres sobrevivientes pasaron cinco años en Palau hasta 1825. Los comerciantes japoneses comenzaron a establecer asentamientos a partir de mediados del siglo XIX, y para 1890 se habían establecido dos estaciones de comercio japonesas. Muchos de estos comerciantes se casaron con las hijas de los caciques locales y criaron a las familias locales. Cuando Japón anexó Palaos a Alemania en 1914, los colonos japoneses y sus descendientes actuaron como oficiales de enlace estatal e intérpretes para la administración militar japonesa.

En 1922 se estableció un gobierno civil con sede en Koror, que sustituyó a la administración militar. El gobierno civil inició un programa para identificar y colectivizar las tierras no utilizadas entre 1923 y 1932 para su reurbanización. Gran parte de estas tierras se utilizaron para construir nuevos polígonos industriales y ampliar las ciudades para acomodar a los inmigrantes de Japón y la Isla de Okinawa. El gobierno de Japón alentó activamente a los japoneses y okinawenses a reasentarse en Micronesia, incluido Palaos, y comenzó a establecer asentamientos agrícolas. El primer asentamiento agrícola se estableció en Ngeremlengui en 1926, pero los colonos encontraron problemas con su ambiente tropical húmedo y lo abandonaron en 1930, aunque los asentamientos posteriores se establecieron con más éxito.

Como la Gran Depresión provocó un desempleo masivo a finales de los años veinte y treinta, más japoneses y okinawenses emigraron a Palaos. Los inmigrantes trajeron a sus familias y buscaron empleo en varias profesiones. Los inmigrantes japoneses ocupaban puestos administrativos, mientras que los Okinawanses y algunos coreanos —que únicamente llegaron a Palaos a partir de finales de la década de 1930—, trabajaron como peones en las industrias agrícola, pesquera y minera. En 1935, los japoneses constituían al menos el 60% de la población de Palaos, y se concentraron en zonas urbanas como Angaur y Koror. Algunos colonos japoneses se llevaron a esposas o amantes de Palaos, y había una considerable minoría de niños japoneses-palauenses mixtos, conocidos como konketsu en japonés, hacia los últimos años de la administración japonesa.

La marina japonesa amplió sus instalaciones militares a partir de 1937. Se contrató a más trabajadores de Japón y Corea para que construyeran las instalaciones y las completaran en un corto período de tiempo. El número de trabajadores en régimen de servidumbre ascendió a más de 10.000 en toda Micronesia, lo que supuso una pesada carga para los escasos recursos de las islas. Muchos trabajadores y colonos permanentes de Okinawa y Japón fueron repatriados a su patria. Los hombres japoneses eran reclutados en los servicios regulares, y los palauanos que ocupan puestos administrativos en la policía eran reasignados a puestos de trabajo en el sector agrícola. Los civiles japoneses desempeñaron un papel importante en las actividades de propaganda de las islas. Como los recursos alimentarios estaban aislados de Japón, muchos japoneses se encontraron con mayores dificultades para hacer frente a la inanición que sus homólogos de Palaos, que tenían más conocimientos sobre los trópicos técnicas de supervivencia.

Años recientes (1945-presente)
Tras la rendición de Japón a las  fuerzas aliadas, los militares y civiles japoneses fueron repatriados a Japón entre 1945 y 1946, aunque se permitió que unos 350 trabajadores y técnicos permanecieran en el país para llevar a cabo trabajos de reparación de la infraestructura de Palaos; también se permitió que permanecieran los descendientes de matrimonios mixtos entre japoneses y palauenses, aunque unos pocos emigraron a Japón con sus padres. En la década de 1950, los japoneses-palauenses,  formaron una organización, Sakura-kai, para ayudar a los japoneses-palauenses y a los jóvenes japoneses abandonados por sus padres a buscar a sus padres y parientes que fueron separados por la fuerza como resultado de la repatriación forzada de los colonos japoneses de vuelta a Japón. La organización se convirtió en una organización cultural a partir de la década de 1980, ya que la mayoría de los palauanos japoneses se habían reunido con sus familias japonesas o habían decidido voluntariamente dejar ciertas separaciones familiares como estaban.

La interacción de Palaos con Japón se mantuvo en un nivel mínimo durante los años de la posguerra, aunque los pescadores de Okinawa visitaron ocasionalmente Palaos para pescar a partir de los años sesenta. Algunos japoneses se reasentaron en Palaos en los años setenta y se casaron con palauenses locales. En los años ochenta, los empresarios japoneses establecieron negocios en la ciudad, y en 1995 había 218 japoneses residentes en Palaos; de estos, aproximadamente la mitad de ellos expresaron su deseo de residir permanente en Palaos y algunas mujeres casadas de Palaos o filipinas.  Sin embargo, la mayoría de ellos trajeron a sus familias desde Japón y mantuvieron frecuentes contactos con este país. Algunos colonos de la década de 1980 también eran ex colonos japoneses que fueron repatriados a Japón después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Los antiguos colonos que regresaron a Palaos solían ser personas mayores de 60 años, y a menudo trabajaban como guías turísticos o restauradores en Palaos.

Muchos palauanos japoneses ocuparon puestos clave en el sector de los servicios públicos y en la política. Al menos un etnólogo, Mark Peattie, sugirió que la fuerte representación de los japoneses-palauenses en posiciones de liderazgo en la sociedad podría atribuirse a la educación general japonesa que habían recibido en su juventud. El primer presidente de Palaos, Kuniwo Nakamura, que era medio japonés, estrechó los lazos diplomáticos entre Japón y Palaos durante su presidencia. Durante una visita de estado a Japón en 1996, el emperador Akihito recibió personalmente a Kuniwo Nakamura, y la visita fue elogiada por palauanos y japoneses por igual. La visita de Nakamura llevó a Japón a canalizar ayuda monetaria a Palaos para facilitar los trabajos de reparación del Puente de Koror–Babeldaob y asegurar acuerdos comerciales especiales con Japón.

Demografía
En los primeros años de la administración civil, la población japonesa estaba formada por unos pocos cientos de personas y llegó a poco más de 2.000 en 1930. La población residente japonesa aumentó a un ritmo exponencial a partir de mediados de la década de 1930, y en 1938 había unos 15.000 japoneses en Palaos, la gran mayoría de los cuales se concentraban en Koror, La afluencia de inmigrantes japoneses impulsó el desarrollo de Koror en una ciudad en 1939. Los palauanos fueron rápidamente superados en número por los japoneses, y en 1937 constituían únicamente alrededor del 16 por ciento de la población de la ciudad. Los japoneses constituían más de la mitad de la población de las islas, así como el 27 por ciento de la población japonesa de Micronesia en un censo de 1938. Una gran minoría de la población japonesa consistía en inmigrantes de Okinawa, así como unos pocos coreanos. La población japonesa de Palaos fue repatriada después de la rendición japonesa, pero la gente de ascendencia palauense y japonesa se quedó y constituyó una gran minoría de la población de Palaos. Un estudio realizado por el Sasakawa Pacific Island Nations Fund estimó que alrededor del 10% de los habitantes de Palaos nacen de padre y madre japoneses, la gran mayoría de los cuales nacieron antes de 1945. Otro estudio realizado por la Foundation for Advanced Studies in International Development de Japón en 2005 estima que alrededor del 25% de la población de Palaos tiene alguna ascendencia japonesa.

El siguiente cuadro muestra el aumento de la población japonesa en Palaos a lo largo de la época colonial japonesa:

Idioma
Durante la era colonial japonesa, los colonos japoneses usaban principalmente el japonés en su discurso diario, y el japonés era la lengua franca utilizada para la comunicación entre japoneses y palauanos.  El inglés también fue reconocido como un idioma cooficial junto con el japonés, y muchos japoneses también tenían al menos algo de conocimiento del idioma. Las personas de herencia mixta japonés-palauana eran más competentes en japonés que en palauano, especialmente aquellos que asistían a las escuelas primarias principales. Los japoneses también introdujeron el uso de la escritura Katakana en palauano, que también se utilizaba en entornos informales. Después de la rendición de los japoneses, se desalentó el uso del japonés en lugar del palauano y el inglés. La mayoría de los palauanos japoneses utilizan el palauano en su discurso diario a favor del japonés o del inglés, aunque el japonés se usaba con más frecuencia entre los palauanos japoneses que entre los que no tenían ascendencia japonesa. A medida que el número de turistas japoneses aumentaba durante la década de 1990, el japonés se introdujo como asignatura optativa en las escuelas de Palaos y en las elecciones.

La constitución estatal de la isla de Angaur menciona el inglés, el palauano y el japonés como idiomas oficiales, lo que convierte a Angaur en el único lugar del mundo donde el japonés es un idioma oficial.

Religión

El Sintoísmo estatal fue enfatizado en la década de 1930 como un medio para promover el nacionalismo japonés y la aculturación de los palauanos según las normas japonesas. En los años 30 se construyeron algunos santuarios alrededor de Palaos. Cabe destacar la finalización del Santuario Nan'yō en noviembre de 1940 en Koror, que posteriormente sirvió como santuario central en Micronesia.Se hizo mucho hincapié en la participación civil de los rituales sintoístas, que se centró en los ideales culturales japoneses y el culto al emperador japonés. También se alentó a las misiones sintoísmo, zen budismo y tenrikyo a establecer misiones religiosas, y el primer templo budista en Palaos fue erigido en 1926, principalmente para satisfacer las necesidades espirituales de los colonos japoneses. Se dice que los primeros colonos japoneses construyeron pequeños santuarios sintoístas en colonias agrícolas antes de que el gobierno civil alentara activamente las actividades misioneras religiosas en Palaos.

Las misiones cristianas recibieron inicialmente apoyo financiero del gobierno civil japonés y se les animó a erradicar ciertos rituales animistas practicados por los palauanos, pero muchos fueron encarcelados más tarde a partir de finales de la década de 1930, cuando los japoneses sospecharon de la participación de los misioneros en actividades de espionaje. Después de la guerra, muchos de estos santuarios fueron abandonados o demolidos, y los palauanos japoneses optaron por adoptar el cristianismo en favor del budismo o el sintoísmo. En las décadas de 1980 y 1990 se reconstruyeron réplicas en miniatura de los santuarios del Gran Sintoísmo, Peleliu y Angaur. A diferencia de los santuarios sintoístas de la época colonial japonesa, los santuarios reconstruidos servían como lugares conmemorativos para los soldados japoneses que murieron en las batallas durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, y son visitados por turistas japoneses y familiares de soldados muertos.

Sociedad

Segregación racial
La administración civil japonesa separó a los inmigrantes japoneses de los palauanos y adoptó políticas destinadas a proteger el bienestar de los palauanos. A partir de la década de 1930, la atención se centró más tarde en proporcionar más servicios a los inmigrantes japoneses, ya que la administración civil se enfrentaba a dificultades para satisfacer las demandas de una población inmigrante en aumento. La segregación racial se practicó en la mayoría de los sectores de la sociedad, pero fue más pronunciada en los sectores de la mano de obra y la educación. Los habitantes de Palaos se enfrentaron con dificultades para conseguir empleo en puestos administrativos en la fuerza laboral, que estaba dominada por los colonos japoneses. En el sector de la educación, los niños japoneses asistían a las escuelas primarias ordinarias (shogakko), cuyas clases se basabann en el plan de estudios ordinario, al igual que en otras escuelas del Japón continental. Los niños de Palaos asistían a «escuelas públicas» (logakko) y a clases que se centraban en impartir habilidades para el trabajo doméstico. La mayoría de los estudiantes de las «escuelas públicas» abandonaron la escuela después de terminar la primaria y algunos hijos de padres japoneses y madres de Palaos también tuvieron dificultades para matricularse en las escuelas primarias, especialmente para los que nacieron fuera del matrimonio.

Descendientes de mestizos
Durante la era colonial japonesa, surgió una considerable minoría de mestizos japoneses-palauenses. Los japoneses-palauenses eran descendientes de matrimonios mixtos entre hombres japoneses y mujeres palauenses. La mayoría de ellos vivían en zonas urbanas, se criaron de acuerdo con las normas y valores japoneses y hablaban japonés en su vida cotidiana. Algunos buscaron más educación en Japón y, al mismo tiempo, tenían un conocimiento limitado de las costumbres y el idioma palauano, aunque los niños nacidos fuera del matrimonio, según se informa, estaban más expuestos a sus costumbres matrilineales y hablaban japonés y palauano con fluidez. Aunque los niños de Japón y Palaos se clasifican generalmente como japoneses en las cifras oficiales y tienen acceso a los privilegios sociales japoneses, muchos se enfrentan a la discriminación cuando se les coloca en círculos japoneses y palauanos. En las zonas rurales donde los palauanos se concentraban más, se rechazaba a las esposas y amantes de los hombres japoneses, y los nacionalistas palauanos —especialmente Modekngei — desalentaban activamente las uniones mixtas entre los hombres japoneses y las mujeres palauenses. El gobierno japonés fomentaba estos matrimonios mixtos y proporcionaba beneficios sociales a las mujeres que se habían casado con hombres japoneses. Sin embargo, únicamente se reconocieron las uniones con hombres civiles y se prohibió al personal militar casarse con mujeres de Palaos, aunque se les permitió tener amantes. El gobierno civil suprimió las uniones entre hombres de Palaos y mujeres japonesas, y únicamente se conoció un caso de unión entre un hombre de Palaos y una mujer japonesa durante la era colonial japonesa.

Tras la rendición de los japoneses en 1945, los colonos japoneses fueron repatriados a Japón, y los colonos japoneses que habían criado a familias japonesas-palauenses abandonaron a sus familias en favor de la repatriación, razonando que la descendencia podría adaptarse mejor en Palaos que en Japón. Muchas de estas mujeres palauenses criaron solas a sus hijos mestizos, mientras que otros fueron abandonados y adoptados por familias palauenses. Algunas familias palauenses japonesas emigraron a Japón, pero en general se enfrentaron a un choque cultural y solicitaron regresar a Palaos después de vivir en Japón durante algunos años. La mayoría de las peticiones eran aceptadas, aunque no se les permitía traer a sus cónyuges japoneses.

Los descendientes de segunda y tercera generación de japoneses-palauenses que eran descendientes de colonos anteriores generalmente optaron por quedarse, aunque los que se criaron en familias de habla japonesa supuestamente tuvieron problemas para conversar en palauano. La mayoría conservaron sus apellidos japoneses, pero los paluanos japoneses se identificaron generalmente como palauanos después de la guerra. Los palauanos japoneses de segunda generación suelen casarse con mujeres palauenses y se asimilan a la población local de Palaos. En términos de autoidentificación, los palauanos japoneses suelen enfatizar sus identidades japonesas únicamente en ocasiones cuando se asocian con otros japoneses, por ejemplo, cuando participan en servicios conmemorativos de soldados japoneses que murieron durante la Guerra del Pacífico. Algunos japoneses paluanos también optaron por ser enterrados en cementerios japoneses después de su muerte, especialmente en Koror.

Economía
La administración civil japonesa alentó a los empresarios y colonos japoneses a expandir la minería de fosfato y la producción de copra, que llegaron a la existencia comercial durante la era colonial alemana. Durante este tiempo, se construyeron nuevas infraestructuras entre las ciudades, incluyendo instalaciones de carreteras y puertos, y se instalaron líneas de electricidad y alcantarillado. La inmigración de Japón, Okinawa y Corea a Palaos se intensificó como resultado de las nuevas oportunidades de empleo. En 1936 se fundó una empresa estatal, Nanyo Kohatsu Kabushiki Kaisha, para racionalizar las actividades económicas de las islas con el objetivo administrativo de desarrollar la capacidad de autosuficiencia de las islas. A finales de la década de 1930, los buceadores japoneses de perlas visitaban regularmente el Mar de Arafura, y se detenían en Palaos de octubre a abril. La afluencia de buceadores de perlas de Japón llevó al desarrollo de la industria turística de la isla, y algunos colonos japoneses de Saipán abrieron nuevos cafés, casas de geishas y casas de licores en Koror para atender a los buceadores de perlas durante sus escalas entre octubre y abril.

Cuando los japoneses se rindieron en 1945, las empresas y organizaciones comerciales japonesas en Palaos cerraron, poniendo fin a la influencia japonesa en la economía de Palaos. En las dos primeras décadas después de la guerra, el gobierno de ocupación estadounidense impuso estrictas restricciones comerciales con Japón. El contacto con Japón se restableció en la década de 1960, empezando por los pescadores de Okinawa a los que se concedieron derechos de pesca. Los turistas japoneses comenzaron a visitar Palaos en cantidades cada vez mayores a partir de mediados de la década de 1970. La creciente afluencia de turistas a Palaos condujo a la restauración de los sitios del patrimonio de los alrededores de Palaos, en particular los sitios conmemorativos y los edificios administrativos construidos en la época japonesa, así como las casas palaciegas para satisfacer los intereses de los turistas japoneses, que representaban la mitad de todos los turistas que visitaban el país. Muchos de los sitios turísticos de Palaos eran administrados y mantenidos por ciudadanos de origen palauense, cuyo conocimiento de las costumbres e idiomas japoneses y palauanos ayudaba a facilitar los grupos turísticos integrados por turistas japoneses.

Educación
La Escuela de Idioma Japonés de Palau, un programa suplementario de fin de semana , está en funcionamiento en Koror.

Notas

Referencias

Bibliografía
 Appell, George N., Modernization and the Emergence of a Landless Peasantry: Essays on the Integration of Peripheries to Socioeconomic Centers, Volumes 33-34, Dept. of Anthropology, College of William and Mary, 1985
 Asian Cultural Center, Asian Culture Quarterly, Volume 16, 1988
 Brigham Young University—Hawái Campus, Pacific Studies, Volumes 5–6, 1981
 Crocombe, R. G., Asia in the Pacific Islands: Replacing the West, 2007,
 Crocombe, R. G., The South Pacific, University of the South Pacific, 2001,
 Denoon, Donald; Meleisea, Malama; Firth, Stewart; Linnekin, Jocelyn; Nero, Karen, The Cambridge History of the Pacific Islanders, Cambridge University Press, 2004,
 Deimel, Claus, Jahrbuch der Staatlichen Ethnographischen Sammlungen Sachsen. Band 43, LIT Verlag Berlín-Hamburg-Münster, 2007,
 Goto, Ken'ichi; Kratoska, Paul H., Tensions of Empire: Japan and Southeast Asia in the Colonial and Postcolonial World: Volume 108 of Research in International Studies, NUS Press, 2003,
 Hezel, Francis X., Strangers in Their Own Land: A Century of Colonial Rule in the Caroline and Marshall Islands (Issue 13 of Pacific Islands Monograph Ser. 13), University of Hawái Press, 2003,
 Leibowitz, Arnold H., Embattled Island: Palau's Struggle for Independence, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1996,
 McAuley, Thomas E., Language Change in East Asia, Routledge, 2001,
 Moon, Opkyo; Guichard-Anguis, Sylvie, Japanese Tourism and Travel Culture: Japan anthropology workshop series, Taylor & Francis, 2009,
 Nelson, Daniel N.; Dedaić, Mirjana N., Volume 10 of Language, Power, and Social process: At War with Words, Walter de Gruyter, 2003,
 McCall, Grant; Connell, John, A World Perspective on Pacific Islander Migration: Australia, New Zealand, and the USA: Issue 6 of Pacific Studies Monograph, Centre for South Pacific Studies, University of New South Wales in association with the Bureau of Immigration Research, 1992,
 Palau Supreme Court Office of Court Counsel, The Wisdom of the Past, A Vision for the Future: The Judiciary of the Republic of Palau, Office of the Court Counsel, Supreme Court of the Republic of Palau, 2001
 Peattie, Mark R., Nanʻyō: The rise and fall of the Japanese in Micronesia, 1885–1945, University of Hawái Press, 1988,
 Polynesian Cultural Center (Laie, Hawái), Pacific studies, Volume 19,—Issues 3–4, Brigham Young University—Hawái Campus. Institute for Polynesian Studies, 1996
 Price, Willard, Pacific Adventure, Reynal & Hitchcock, 1936
 Rechebei, Elizabeth Diaz; McPhetres, Samuel F., History of Palau: Heritage of an Emerging Nation, Ministry of Education, 1997,
 The Statesman's Year-book, St. Martin's Press, 1923
 White, Miles Geoffrey; Lindstrom, Lamont, The Pacific theater: island representations of World War II, Part 767—Issue 8 of Pacific Islands Monograph Series, University of Hawái Press, 1989,
 Wurm, Stephen Adolphe; Mühlhäusler, Peter; Darrell Tryon Atlas of Languages of Intercultural Communication in the Pacific, Asia, and the Américas, Volume 2,–Part 2, Walter de Gruyter, 1996,
 Yoo, Dongwoo; Steckel, Richard E., Institutions, Property Rights, and Economic Growth in Asia, Economics Department, The Ohio State University; International Policy Center, Gerald R. Ford of Public Policy, University of Míchigan, 20 de octubre de 2009

Historia de Palaos
Sociedad de Palaos
Diáspora japonesa

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Home / LEE,ARTHUR & LOVE...
LEE,ARTHUR & LOVE - COMPLETE FOREVER CHANGES LIVE Vinyl LP
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Baby Lemonade had been performing as LOVE since 1993, once playing in a club where only three people, with one being the sound guy, showed up, so playing in the Glastonbury Festival was a very big deal... and Arthur knew it. As mercurial as Arthur Lee could be, he showed no concern in playing before 65,000-and-growing Glastonbury concert-goers, who all came to see if Arthur Lee & Love could pull off Forever Changes in a festival setting. The talent and abilities of each musician on that stage was unparalleled and Rusty, Love's musical director was the link between the amazing ensemble of Swedish string and horn players and this loud, kick ass, take-no-prisoners rock-and-roll outfit. The blend was perfect. It was Mozart meets Thin Lizzy. After a really cool introduction, and with the sun squarely in their eyes, they hit the stage and rocked the crowd with "Your Mind & We Belong Together." Somewhere in the middle of a guitar solo, one of the speakers blew, creating a noticeable drop in volume and tone. Guitarist Mike Randle simply asked the monitor dude to "Crank the guitar in my monitor!" and kept going. Arthur introduced the Stockholm Strings & Horns and they went down the line, playing every song on Forever Changes, in the order it appeared on the Album, a 36-year-old album played with the energy of a new release. By the time we'd hit the last notes of that one, the sun was setting and left this beautiful orange and red trail of clouds in it's dust. At the end of the set, Arthur thanked everyone and then said, "This next song is called Seven... and Seven... and Seven... 1! 2! 3! 4!" The band tore into that first A minor chord, echo fuzz bass, tremolo reverb, and machine gun snare like it was the end of the world. Arthur stepped to the microphone and spat out the words like it was the end of the world. Love came to Glastonbury with the hopes of just playing well and having a good time, but they left with so much more than that.
1.1 Alone Again or
1.2 A House Is Not a Motel
1.3 Andmoreagain
1.4 The Daily Planet
1.5 Old Man
1.6 The Red Telephone
1.7 Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale
1.8 Live and Let Live
1.9 The Good Humor Man, He Sees Everything Like This
1.10 Disc 2:
2.1 Bummer in the Summer
2.2 You Set the Scene
2.3 Your Mind and We Belong Together
2.4 7 ; 7 Is
2.5 August
2.6 Signed D.C
2.7 Love Is More Than Words or Better Late Than Never
Label: Rockbeat Records

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


*camera show at the interview area and then John appear.
John:so Zola are you ready for your match against Fardeen and King Andy tonight?
Papa Zola: i am sure do.
John: How do you feel about tonight match that you gonna teaming up with your opponent last week Leo Messi.
Papa Zola: Well we both have a great match last week and i am sure that we both can be a good partner.
John:so Messi how does it feel to lose in a match last week?
Leo Messi: only one question?


text:
Fuentes gets his second world title shot of the year, unfortunately for him it comes against Chocolatito
Boxing has always had unfortunate fighters who, in a different era, could have been a champion. The fighters that always seem to be frozen out or only get a chance on foreign soil or against a completely sensational talent. It appears that popular Filipino Rocky Fuentes (35-7-2, 20) maybe one such fighter. In a different era or with a big promoter behind him we have no doubts that Fuentes would have held a world title. Sadly however he is fighting now and the Flyweight division is the toughest division in the sport right today with his upcoming opponent, WBC Flyweight champion Roman Gonzalez (40-0, 34) being possibly the best fighter on the planet today.
The 28 year old Fuentes began his career aged just 16 and in just his 4th bout he had a man's life on his hands after the death of John Eman Juarez. For many young fighters that would have been it and lesser fighters would have walked away from the sport, for Fuentes however it was one of many disappointments as he began one of the sports true hard luck careers.
Fuentes would begin his career 8-0 before quickly dropping to 9-3-2 as he had to travel for fighters losing 3 of 4 bouts on the road. Sadly for Fuentes it was on the road that he had to spend much of his career with bouts taking place in Thailand, Indonesia and Japan. The travels saw him gain the well earned moniker of the "Road Warrior" though he began fighting better on the road than at home and scored notable wins over Yuki Nasu, Masafumi Okubo, Shigetaka Ikehara, Yasuto Aritomi and Hirofumi Mukai as he won and defended the OPBF Flyweight title. In total Fuentes would make 6 OPBF title defences in less than 3 years whilst also fighting other non-title bouts. It was a case of fighting and waiting, waiting for his well earned world title fight. Unfortunately the wait was a frustrating one as he scored 15 straight wins and 22 wins from 23 contests and saw a man he beat, Mukai, get a WBC title fight just 4 months after Fuentes had beaten him.
Fuentes got his first world title bout earlier this year in his 44th professional bout and unsurprisingly he had to go on the road again. Sadly that took him to Thailand, a country renowned for being difficult to win in, and unfortunately he came up short against unbeaten Thai Amnat Ruenroeng in a very competitive bout. The loss wasn't a bad one for Fuentes but it was certainly a hard one to swallow considering what he had done to earn a shot in comparison to Ruenroeng who was fighting for just the 12th time as a professional.
For those who haven't seen Fuentes in action you've been missing out. At his best he's an intelligent pressure fighter with heavy hands and an exciting in the ring. He's not the most polished fighter out there but he is a fighter who always seems to be be in entertaining scraps, such as his contest with Juan Kantun that saw 4 knockdowns and when he needs to box he can though we get the feeling he prefers to force the action in an attempt to make a point and keep the judges from trying to take the fight away from him. Sadly for a fighter with his style he perhaps lacks a tiny bit in terms of power, though he is certainly not feather fisted by any stretch of the imagination.
As mentioned above Fuentes will be up against Roman Gonzalez, a man who needs no introduction at all and a man every fight fan should be full aware of. The Nicaraguan fighter a born fighter with a mentality that has shown he wants to prove he's the best no matter where that sees him fighting. As a result he has fought many of his most significant bouts in Japan where where he claimed his first world title, with a 4th round TKO against Yutaka Niida in 2008, made the second defense of his WBA Minimumweight title against Katsunari Takayama in 2009, claimed the WBA interim Light Flyweight title with a 2nd round KO against Francisco Rosas, and most recently claimed the WBC Flyweight title with a victory over Akira Yaegashi. Despite beating many of Japan's finest he hasn't become public enemy #1 but instead has been accepted by the Japanese fight fans who have warmed quickly to the Nicaraguan terror.
For those who haven't seen Gonzalez they've been missing out on the sports best offensive fighter, most frightening pressure fighter and possibly the best combination puncher in the sport. Built like a mini-tank Gonzalez employs exceptional footwork, insane strength, frightening speed, spiteful power and a mind blowing array of punches thrown in crisp and sharp combinations. There has been no proven way to make him look bad and only a handful of fighters have even made it to the final bell against him with the most recent of these being Juan Francisco Estrada back in November 2012, Estrada has since gone on to become the other leading fighters at Flyweight. Amazingly Estrada is the only man in the last 12 fights to see out the distance with Gonzalez who has been on a real tear through the lower weights in recent years.
Watching Gonzalez is a genuine pleasure as he stalks his pray with intense pressure, breaking them mentally by never backing up and breaking them physically with his arsenal of heavy shots. In some ways he's the antithesis of Guillermo Rigondeaux and whilst he has a similarly high skill level to Rigondeaux and Floyd Mayweather Jr he has the mentality of fighting offensively and given fans a show that ends with a knockout. Sometimes it sees him leaving himself a little bit open to counters but by then an opponent is usually to beat up to take advantage as Gonzalez goes for the finish.
With both fighters enjoying a fight, both sharing a mentality of fighting on the front foot and both wanting to impress we suspect we could be in for a high octane affair here with both likely to end up trading on the inside in some highlight reel exchanges. Unfortunately for Fuentes that could be the worst idea with Gonzalez being defensively tighter and offensively more explosive, faster, more effective and all-round better. For fans however we suspect this could be a short lived but thrilling war before Fuentes is ground down, like in the middle rounds of a very memorable contest.
It's a real shame that Fuentes gets his second world title fight against a monster like Gonzalez though at the moment the Flyweight division is genuinely the toughest in the sport and a loss to Gonzalez is nothing but expected for everyone currently competing in the division.
Fuentes gets his title chance at last...though will face an unbeaten Thai
Courtesy of http://www.kiatkreerin.com/
When we talk about modern day "hard luck" stories few fighters rival Rocky "The Road Warrior" Fuentes (35-6-2, 20) a man who has been on the verge of a world title fighter longer than some fighters have even been fighting. Thankfully though Fuentes's fortunes have changed this year and despite having visa issues preventing a bout in Puerto Rico he has come up smelling like roses and landed himself in a IBF Flyweight world title fight, finally he gets his chance.
Fuentes, who has been a professional since 2003 and although he doesn't sport an unbeaten record he does have a claim to being the over-looked fighter on the planet.
With 6 losses and 2 draws on his record some may be ruling out Fuentes as a world level fighter. It's worth noting however that he is currently on a 15 fight winning streak and is unbeaten in 6 years. His last loss came in December 2007 and since then he has improved drastically and gone from being a 21 year old boy to being a 27 year old man. That development hasn't just seen him stacking up wins but also scoring notable wins including a decision over Masafumi Okubo to claim the OPBF Flyweight title, a title he would defend against Shigetaka Ikehara, Hirofumi Mukai and Myung Ho Lee.
Unfortunately for Fuentes he has to travel for his world title fight. It shouldn't be a problem for a man known as "The Road Warrior", though Fuentes is 0-3-1 in Thailand where this bout will be, with 1 of his 2 stoppage losses coming there back in 2004. It is worth noting however that Fuentes hasn't fought in Thailand since he lost to one-time world title challenger Kaichon Sor Vorapin in 2006, when Fuentes himself was just 19.
Not only does Fuentes have to travel for his opportunity but he also has to take on an unbeaten foe in the form of Amnat Ruenroeng (11-0, 5), a Thai who was an amateur stand out and a product of the prison boxing system
Amnat is a fighter who, like many others in the sport, has used boxing to get away from a life of crime. He was sentenced to a long stretch before finding boxing and developing as a fighter and as a person. This development helped him get out of prison and helped him become an example of what boxing can do to help a person turn their life around. He went from burglary to national amateur champion and later competed on the international stage, scoring a notable victory over Kazuto Ioka and reaching the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
In mid 2012 Amnat began his professional campaign. He was already in his 30's but knew that with amateur pedigree and skills he could be moved fast through the rankings. By the end of 2012 he had swiftly advanced his record to 7-0 (3) and seemed set to continue his rise in 2013. Despite his activity in 2012 Amnat spent 2013 much less active but more direct in his bouts. He picked up the IBF Asia Flyweight title and made a beeline for the IBF rankings attempting to fast track himself up to a title fight with that organisation, one that his promoters have good links with.
After the good 2013, in terms of climbing the IBF rankings, it seemed he was set on fighting IBF world champion Moruti Mthalane for the title. Sadly that bout broke down as Mthalane vacated his title rather than fight Amnat for relative pennies. Amnat however has gotten lucky in the fact that the IBF have allowed him to face Fuentes here in what looks like a fantastic match, arguably better than the Amnat/Mthalane bout that was originally announced.
As we know about Thai's they are often promoted in 1 of two ways. They are either given a prolonged start to their career fighting journeymen for years to pick up experience before moving on to a world title fight, or they are fast tracked up the rankings and in to a title fight. Amnat is certainly in the second category though oddly he doesn't fight like a Thai. He's not an out and out pressure fighter like many Thai's but instead he's a calculated boxer with his amateur pedigree certainly shining through. He picks his punches well, uses good straight shots and seems happier to fight at mid to long range than many of his compatriots. He's clearly a product of the amateur scene unlike many Thai's who come from kick boxing.
Whilst the Thai is a "non-Thai" like fighter it's fair to say that Fuentes is pretty much what we expect of a Filipino with power. He tends to be aggressive, with good power in both hands and seems to enjoy a fight. Although sometimes Fuentes looks reckless and he can be dropped he tends to believe in himself in enough to commit to his work to both the head and body. Unfortunately though he has been known to fight to his opponents level and this has seen him making some fights more difficult for himself than they need to be. Saying that however he does tend to make for some very fun fights with multiple knockdowns, as seen in his bout with Juan Kantun last time out.
Although Thai's are generally favoured, almost by default, when fighting at home this is very much a bout that we feel doesn't favour the home fighter. We're really thinking that although Amnat is talented and has home advantage Fuentes will know too much from his lengthy career and simply have too much desire. The Filipino has been made to wait, and wait and wait for his chance and now he has it he won't be wanting to leave the ring with out the belt.
Unfortunately for Amnat his 11 fights haven't prepared him for a fighter like Fuentes. They have been against a much lower caliber of fighter and although he's talented the fact he's 34 and been fast tracked has left him with issues in his game, issues we think Fuentes will take advantage of in the middle and later rounds of the bout as he grinds down the Thai.
Win or lose we expect Fuentes to put on the performance of his life. If Amnat can defeat him then the Thai really will be one to keep an eye on this year as he'll have announced himself in one of boxing's toughest divisions.
For those wanting to watch this contest, it will air live on Thai Channel 7on January 22nd.


What is a Bunny Chow or Kota?
A Bunny Chow also known as a bunny or kota is a South African dish consisting of hollowed out loaf bread filled with curry. Today, bunny chow is also made with bread rolls. The bunny chow is a fast food dish that originated from Durban, South Africa.


text:
Q: Labeling buttons and maintaining dimensions I am struggling with JButtons, specifically with keeping them all the same size, as it seems that adding anything to a button causes it to stretch to accommodate said addition.
As a result, a button labeled 'yes' won't be the same size as a button labelled as 'no', even if while blank both buttons should have been more than large enough to comfortably contain either string.
Essentially, I would like to know whether there is a way to label buttons without altering the dimensions of said buttons.
I am employing a GridBagLayout, here is a relevant sample of my code for reference:
Edit
I managed to get the effect I was looking for by using Icons... You probably won't be able to see it in it's entirety, as I am calling the Icons directly from my hard drive... Regardless, I'll leave the completed code for reference...
Game.java:
package com.Sitrom.Words.Window;

import java.awt.Canvas;
import java.awt.Graphics;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import java.awt.event.KeyListener;
import java.awt.event.MouseListener;
import java.awt.event.MouseMotionListener;
import java.io.IOException;

public class Game extends Canvas implements Runnable{

    private static final long serialVersionUID = 8433819262022712795L;

    private boolean running = false;
    private Thread thread;

    public synchronized void start(){

        if(running){
            return;
        }

        running = true;
        thread = new Thread(this);
        thread.start();

    }

    public void run() {

    }

    public static void main(String[]args) throws IOException{

        new Window(800,600,"Words",new Game());
    }

}

Window.java:
package com.Sitrom.Words.Window;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;
import java.io.PipedInputStream;
import java.io.PipedOutputStream;
import java.io.PrintStream;
import java.io.PrintWriter;

import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JPanel;

public class Window extends PanePrimary{

     public static class Nav{
            public static boolean A1;
            public static boolean A_B1;
            public static boolean A_C1;
            public static boolean A_D1;
            public static boolean A_E1;
    }

    public Window(int w, int h, String title, Game game) throws IOException{

        JFrame frame = new JFrame("Words");

        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        frame.setLocationRelativeTo(null);
        frame.setLocation(0, 0);
        frame.setExtendedState(JFrame.MAXIMIZED_BOTH);
        frame.setUndecorated(true);

        frame.add(game);
        PaneCore((JPanel) frame.getContentPane());
        frame.pack();
        game.start();
        frame.setVisible(true);

    }

}

PanePrimary.java:
package com.Sitrom.Words.Window;

import java.awt.AlphaComposite;
import java.awt.BorderLayout;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.EventQueue;
import java.awt.Font;
import java.awt.Graphics2D;
import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
import java.awt.Insets;
import java.awt.TextField;
import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
import java.awt.event.ActionListener;
import java.awt.event.KeyAdapter;
import java.awt.event.KeyEvent;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;
import java.io.OutputStream;
import java.io.PipedInputStream;
import java.io.PipedOutputStream;
import java.io.PrintStream;
import java.io.PrintWriter;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Scanner;
import javax.annotation.processing.Messager;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;
import javax.swing.BorderFactory;
import javax.swing.Icon;
import javax.swing.ImageIcon;
import javax.swing.JButton;
import javax.swing.JFrame;
import javax.swing.JLabel;
import javax.swing.JPanel;
import javax.swing.JScrollPane;
import javax.swing.JTextArea;
//import javax.swing.JTextField;

import com.Sitrom.Words.Window.Window.Nav;

public class PanePrimary {

      public static void main(String[] args){

          return;

        }

            public static void PaneCore(JPanel paneC){

                if(Nav.A1 == true){
                    System.out.println(".");
                    paneC.removeAll();
                    Pane2(paneC);

                }else{
                    System.out.println("..");
                    paneC.removeAll();
                    Pane1(paneC);
                }
            }

            public static String repeat(int count, String with) {
                return new String(new char[count]).replace("\0", with);
            }

            public static String repeat(int count) {
                return repeat(count, " ");
            }

            public static void Pane1(JPanel pane1) {

                JButton button;

                final JTextArea textA = new JTextArea(11, 60);
                JScrollPane scroll;

                pane1.setBackground(Color.black);
                pane1.setVisible(true);

            pane1.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
            GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();

            scroll = new JScrollPane(textA);
            c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
            c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.PAGE_START;
            c.insets = new Insets(10,10,0,10);
            c.ipady = 300;
            c.ipadx = 300;
            c.weightx = 1;
            c.weighty = 0.8;
            c.gridwidth = 6;
            c.gridx = 0;
            c.gridy = 0;
            textA.setFont(new Font("8bitoperator JVE", Font.BOLD, 25));
            textA.append(" Segment A0... ");
            textA.append((new String(new char[2]).replace("\0", "\n")));
            textA.append(" ~~~~~~~~~");
            textA.append((new String(new char[3]).replace("\0", "\n")));
            textA.append(" Begin?");
            textA.append((new String(new char[3]).replace("\0", "\n")));
            textA.append(" ~~~~~~~~~");
            textA.append((new String(new char[2]).replace("\0", "\n")));
            textA.append("* Yes (Y)");
            textA.append((new String(new char[1]).replace("\0", "\n")));
            textA.append("* No (N)");
            textA.setBackground(Color.black);
            textA.setForeground(Color.white);
            scroll.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
            textA.setLineWrap(true);
            textA.setWrapStyleWord(false);
            textA.setEditable(false);

            pane1.add(scroll, c);

            button = new JButton();
            c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
            c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.BELOW_BASELINE;
            c.insets = new Insets(15,10,10,10);
            c.ipady = 40;
            c.ipadx = 40;
            c.weightx = 0.25;
            c.weighty = 0.2;
            c.gridwidth = 1;
            c.gridx = 0;
            c.gridy = 1;

            button.setIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\Icon_Y.png"));
            button.setPressedIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\PressedIcon_Y.png"));
            button.setBackground(Color.black);
            button.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
            button.setFocusPainted(false);
            button.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){

                public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                    Nav.A1 = true;

                    pane1.setVisible(false);

                    PaneCore(pane1);

                }});
            pane1.add(button, c);

            button = new JButton();
            c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
            c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.BELOW_BASELINE;
            c.insets = new Insets(15,10,10,10);
            c.ipady = 40;
            c.ipadx = 40;
            c.weightx = 0.25;
            c.weighty = 0.2;
            c.gridwidth = 1;
            c.gridx = 1;
            c.gridy = 1;

            button.setBackground(Color.black);
            button.setIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\Icon_Blank1.png"));
            button.setPressedIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\PressedIcon_Blank1.png"));
            button.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
            button.setFocusPainted(false);

            pane1.add(button, c);

            button = new JButton();
            c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
            c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.BELOW_BASELINE;
            c.insets = new Insets(15,10,10,10);
            c.ipady = 40;
            c.ipadx = 40;
            c.weightx = 0.25;
            c.weighty = 0.2;
            c.gridwidth = 1;
            c.gridx = 2;
            c.gridy = 1;

            button.setBackground(Color.black);
            button.setIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\Icon_Blank1.png"));
            button.setPressedIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\PressedIcon_Blank1.png"));
            button.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
            button.setFocusPainted(false);

            pane1.add(button, c);

            button = new JButton();
            c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
            c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.BELOW_BASELINE;
            c.insets = new Insets(15,10,10,10);
            c.ipady = 40;
            c.ipadx = 40;
            c.weightx = 0.25;
            c.weighty = 0.2;
            c.gridwidth = 1;
            c.gridx = 3;
            c.gridy = 1;

            //button.setFont(new Font("8bitoperator JVE", Font.BOLD, 25));
            button.setBackground(Color.black);
            //button.setForeground(Color.white);
            button.setIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\Icon_N.png"));
            button.setPressedIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\PressedIcon_N.png"));
            //button.setMargin(null);
            //button.setContentAreaFilled(false);
            button.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
            button.setFocusPainted(false);
            button.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){

                public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                    System.exit(0);

                }});
            pane1.add(button, c);

            }

            public static void Pane2(JPanel pane2){

                pane2.setBackground(Color.black);
                pane2.setVisible(true);

                JScrollPane scroll;
                final JTextArea textA = new JTextArea(11, 30);
                JButton button;

                pane2.setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
                GridBagConstraints c = new GridBagConstraints();

                scroll = new JScrollPane(textA);
                c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
                c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.PAGE_START;
                c.insets = new Insets(10,10,0,10);
                c.ipady = 300;
                c.ipadx = 300;
                c.weightx = 1;
                c.weighty = 0.8;
                c.gridwidth = 6;
                c.gridx = 0;
                c.gridy = 0;
                textA.append("Segment A1..." + (new String(new char[5]).replace("\0", "\n") + "Introductory exposition..." + (new String(new char[5]).replace("\0", "\n") + "You may travel North, South, east, or West...")));
                textA.setFont(new Font("8bitoperator JVE", Font.BOLD, 25));
                textA.setBackground(Color.black);
                textA.setForeground(Color.white);
                scroll.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
                textA.setLineWrap(true);
                textA.setWrapStyleWord(false);
                textA.setEditable(false);
                pane2.add(scroll, c);

                button = new JButton("");
                c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
                c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.BELOW_BASELINE;
                c.insets = new Insets(15,10,10,10);
                c.ipady = 40;
                c.ipadx = 40;
                c.weightx = 0.25;
                c.weighty = 0.2;
                c.gridwidth = 1;
                c.gridx = 0;
                c.gridy = 1;

                button.setBackground(Color.black);
                button.setIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\Icon_N.png"));
                button.setPressedIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\PressedIcon_N.png"));
                button.setFocusPainted(false);
                button.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
                button.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){

                    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                        Nav.A1 = false;
                        Nav.A_B1 = true;

                        pane2.setVisible(false);

                        PaneCore(pane2);

                    }});
                pane2.add(button, c);

                button = new JButton("");
                c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
                c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.BELOW_BASELINE;
                c.insets = new Insets(15,10,10,10);
                c.ipady = 40;
                c.ipadx = 40;
                c.weightx = 0.25;
                c.weighty = 0.2;
                c.gridwidth = 1;
                c.gridx = 1;
                c.gridy = 1;
                button.setBackground(Color.black);
                button.setIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\Icon_S.png"));
                button.setPressedIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\PressedIcon_S.png"));
                button.setFocusPainted(false);
                button.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
                button.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){

                    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                        Nav.A1 = false;
                        Nav.A_C1 = true;

                        pane2.setVisible(false);

                        PaneCore(pane2);

                    }});
                pane2.add(button, c);

                button = new JButton("");
                c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
                c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.BELOW_BASELINE;
                c.insets = new Insets(15,10,10,10);
                c.ipady = 40;
                c.ipadx = 40;
                c.weightx = 0.25;
                c.weighty = 0.2;
                c.gridwidth = 1;
                c.gridx = 2;
                c.gridy = 1;
                button.setBackground(Color.black);
                button.setIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\Icon_E.png"));
                button.setPressedIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\PressedIcon_E.png"));
                button.setFocusPainted(false);
                button.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
                button.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){

                    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                        Nav.A1 = false;
                        Nav.A_D1 = true;

                        pane2.setVisible(false);

                        PaneCore(pane2);

                    }});
                pane2.add(button, c);

                button = new JButton("");
                c.fill = GridBagConstraints.BOTH;
                c.anchor = GridBagConstraints.BELOW_BASELINE;
                c.insets = new Insets(15,10,10,10);
                c.ipady = 40;
                c.ipadx = 40;
                c.weightx = 0.25;
                c.weighty = 0.2;
                c.gridwidth = 1;
                c.gridx = 3;
                c.gridy = 1;
                button.setBackground(Color.black);
                button.setIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\Icon_W.png"));
                button.setPressedIcon(new ImageIcon("C:\\Users\\Exmortis\\Pictures\\Projects\\PressedIcon_W.png"));
                button.setFocusPainted(false);
                button.setBorder(BorderFactory.createLineBorder(Color.white));
                button.addActionListener(new ActionListener(){

                    public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent ae) {
                        Nav.A1 = false;
                        Nav.A_E1 = true;

                        pane2.setVisible(false);

                        PaneCore(pane2);

                    }});
                pane2.add(button, c);

            }

}

A: Can you add more code and perhaps a screenshot to show what your application currently looks like (see stackoverflow.com/help/mcve for more details on what an ideal code example on Stack Overflow could look like)?
I often prefer to use sub panels with simple layout managers over using a single panel with a large number of components and a complex layout manager. You could consider using multiple panels and/or different layout managers (This is a nice overview of some of the layout managers that are available by default: A Visual Guide to Layout Managers.)
As a short example, this piece of code creates a panel with two buttons using a GridLayout (with gaps and a border to add some spacing):
import java.awt.*;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.*;

public class ButtonWidths {
    public static void main(final String[] arguments) {
        SwingUtilities.invokeLater(() -> new ButtonWidths().createAndShowGui());
    }

    private void createAndShowGui() {
        final JFrame frame = new JFrame("Stack Overflow");
        frame.setBounds(100, 100, 240, 200);
        frame.setDefaultCloseOperation(WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);

        final JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridLayout(2, 1, 28, 28));
        panel.setBorder(new EmptyBorder(28, 28, 28, 28));
        final JButton yesButton = new JButton("Yes");
        final JButton noButton = new JButton("No");
        panel.add(yesButton);
        panel.add(noButton);

        frame.getContentPane().add(panel);
        frame.setVisible(true);

        System.out.println("yesButton: " + yesButton.getSize());
        System.out.println("noButton: " + noButton.getSize());
    }
}

Setting the minimum size?
The GridBagLayout should use the button's minimum (and/or preferred) sizes, so this might be a way to make the width of the buttons equal; from the GridBagLayout documentation:

In addition to its constraints object, the GridBagLayout also considers each component's minimum and preferred sizes in order to determine a component's size.

However, a search returned several Stack Overflow discussions where using the minimum size is advised against:

*

*How to get GridBagLayout to respect minimum size of a button or panel?

*How to set minimum sizes with GridBagLayout?

*Should I avoid the use of set(Preferred|Maximum|Minimum)Size methods in Java Swing?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Regulating health care to produce cheap insurance sounds great, but Obamacare's burden on businesses, government, and the average citizen is staggering. On May 3, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a report about the potential increases in health insurance costs for small businesses and other consumers. The results made the Affordable Care Act seem like anything but affordable.
A big selling point for the Affordable Care Act was its protection for the middle class. "I continue to insist that health reform not be paid for on the backs of middle-class families," President Obama said in his 2009 press conference. But the centerpiece of his reform is a new, widespread tax in the form of an "individual mandate." The Supreme Court made that much clear when it announced its landmark ruling last summer.
- First, premium increases (see above).
- Second, job losses. Since President Obama was re-elected last November, employers have been rapidly laying off employees or forcing them into part-time work. Many specifically cited the new health law as a reason. A survey from the IFA showed that 31% of franchisees planned to reduce their workforce in order to comply with Obamacare. Another IFA study showed that roughly 3.2 million full-time employees would be in limbo because of the law.
- Third, lower paychecks. All of the compliance costs associated with Obamacare mean that employers will likely have a lot less money to pay their employees. In February, the New York Times published an article in which a chief executive detailed different ways health care regulations would siphon money from an employee's paycheck. He also calculated that a 23-year-old employee would pay $1.8 million in health care costs over their lifetime.
You might be asking yourself: I can spare a little for the greater good, right? Even if I have lower pay, won't this reform still be good for the economy as a whole? Not necessarily. The idea behind President Obama's 2012 campaign slogan — growing the economy from the middle out and not the top down — was that all economies need demand from the average citizen. This was also the Keynesian concept behind the president's 2009 stimulus. People need the purchasing power that comes from having more money in their pocketbook. But if Obamacare is sapping everyone's sources of income, how can the middle class pay for anything to stimulate the economy?
Obamacare essentially creates a multi-agency entitlement with incentives for recipients to lobby for expansion and greater contributions from taxpayers, like they did with social security.The idea that Sandra Fluke can demand contraception from a health insurance program opens the flood gates for any interest group to request non-critical health services.
- If the past couple of weeks have taught us anything, it's that a large, federal government is uniquely prone to abuse. President Obama's former advisor David Axelrod admitted as much when he tried to excuse Obamafrom any wrongdoing. "Part of being president is there's so much underneath you that you can't know because the government's so vast." Case-in-point, in the wake of the massive scandal at the IRS, the tax agency was sued for potentially stealing 60 million medical records.
- Choice and competition — Bureaucrats have already failed in implementing ACA. We shouldn't give them the chance to have enormous power over the market. Choice and competition in health insurance is important to health care for many reasons. It means companies solicit lower prices to give you the biggest bang for your buck. It also means families can choose the right plan for them without having to pay for services they don't need. But most importantly, it touches on the fundamental freedom of economic choice. The president apparently realized its importance, as he repeatedly said the words "choice" and "competition" in his push for health reform.
But something happened earlier this year that put that idea to rest for a number of small businesses. Last month, Joe Klein of Time Magazine reported that because the administration failed to create a healthcare exchange for the 33 states that refused to do it on their own, small businesses in those states would only have one plan to choose from. Klein reported, "[t]he Obama Administration has announced that it won't have the exchanges ready in time, that small businesses will be offered one choice for the time being — for a year, at least." So much for "choice and competition"! This screw up was only one part of the intricate, regulatory scheme that is Obamacare.
4. Roughly half of Obamacare will not make a difference for critical health outcomes.
Source: Megan McArdle, The Daily Beast, No, Really, It's Possible That Health Insurance May Not Make Us Healthier.
As you can see, having no effect on certain measures of heart health is kind of a big deal.
You don't have to be a health wonk to see that Obamacare is a disaster. Insurers, businesses, and a landmark health study could all just be getting it wrong, but I wouldn't bet trillions of dollars and our nation's entire health care system on that. At this point, we should just give poor people money, not empower incompetent and corrupt government bureaucracies to destroy our health care system. Tell your Senator to take the House's call to repeal Obamacare.
RELATED: "9 Graphs That Prove the Economy Has Gotten Worse Under Barack Obama"


text:
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Charles Graff - Ashes to Blessing
Charles Graff
"Ashes to Blessing" was created, after the tragic death of his 9 year old son Chuck, in order to provide people searching for answers to difficult questions. Since the birth of this ministry, Pastor Charlie has traveled to over 600 churches all across this great land of ours and has lead over 1000 people to the Lord since his ministry began in 1993.
Association of Baptists for World Evangelism
ABWE is an unaffiliated, independent Baptist missions agency providing like-minded churches with vital services to expedite their Great Commission Ministry. We serve local churches by providing administrative oversight and training for the missionaries that they recommend to us. This includes member care, financial coordination, team building, professional training and general administration. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
New Tribes Mission
Gordon and Pat Bennett -Planting tribal churches. Of the world's 6,500 people groups, 2,500 are still unreached. New Tribes Mission helps local churches train, coordinate and send missionaries to these tribes.
Gospel Outreach International To Roman Catholics
Rev. Frank Eberhart
Gospel Outreach began as a Home Mission in 1976 in Philadelphia PA. In 1993, with a never wavering purpose of reaching Roman Catholics for Christ and in need of helping our Missionaries with office efficiency, the headquarters relocated to Taylors South Carolina. Our name was expanded to Gospel Outreach International To Roman Catholics to better reflect the nature of the Ministry.
HALUWASA
By providing camping for youth, hosting year-round youth events and retreats, and through a variety of hospitality-based programs,the mission of Haluwasa, Inc. is to share the Gospel Message of God's Word to encourage individuals to trust in Jesus as their personal Savior and to teach believers important Biblical concepts that will help the reach their full spiritual potential in the Lord.
Atlantic City Rescue Mission
The Atlantic City Rescue Mission is set apart by the Spirit of God to preach the Gospel and meet the physical, emotional and other basic needs (through the provision of shelter, clothing, food, counseling, referral and structured programs) of the poor and those who are bound and bruised by addictive lifestyles in Atlantic City and the surrounding communities.
Crisis Pregancy Services
OUR PURPOSE is to offer living alternatives to anyone experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Our trained counselors offer practical help and guidance as needed to all those who may want our assistance. Most of all, we are here to listen to the concerns of young girls and women facing a difficult time in their lives. Crisis Preganancy Services is located at 1307 White Horse Pike Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215-2417 (609-965-8022)
Livada Orphan Care
What started out as a dream of overflowing orchards in 1991 has blossomed into a ministry that has touched the lives of thousands of orphans, volunteers, staff, and supporters. Livada is the Romanian word for orchard and serves as a symbol of what we want our ministry to continue to do- bear fruit that will last. Today Livada is focused on fulfillng our original mission to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in three main ways: 1) Orphan Outreach to abandoned kids in state care facilities 2) Family-Style residential care in group homes, mentor apartments, and private foster care 3) Prevention of Abandonment efforts in Gypsy villages and baby hospitals
Seven years after publication of the controversial ground-breaking bestseller The Seduction of Christianity in 1985, its authors, Dave Hunt and T.A. McMahon, joined forces on another front. The Berean Call was formed under the direction of Dave Hunt for the purpose of encouraging spiritual discernment among those who regarded themselves not just as "evangelicals" but as biblical Christians. The primary vehicle for this endeavor was through the publication of the newsletter The Berean Call
Sudan Interior Mission
SIM has been launching workers into ministry around the world since 1893. We are committed to cultivating multicultural mission movements that respond to need, proclaim the gospel, and equip the Church. With over 100 years of ministry experience, our passion is to continue to see the Body of Christ in all places, to the glory of God. SIM has a rich history of founders who journeyed to difficult places to share the gospel. In Africa, Asia, and South America, these pioneers formed mission organizations committed to reaching people who had never known the love of Christ. They met people's needs, shared the good news of Jesus, and built and strengthened the Church in various countries around the world.Over the years, these organizations discovered they shared a similar passion, and joined under the single banner of SIM. Today, we continue the legacy they started to Respond to Need, Proclaim the Gospel, and Equip the Church.
Send International
International is an evangelical missions organization committed to mobilize God's people and engage the unreached in order to establish reproducing churches. SEND missionaries plant churches in places with less than 2% evangelical believers.
CJF Ministries
We are an international organization dedicated to sharing the message of Yeshua (Jesus) "to the Jew first and also to the Greek" as well as equipping & educating the body of Messiah.
American Keswick
America's KESWICK is a ministry that teaches and models the Victorious Christian Life message through Addiction Recovery for men and their loved ones, through Christian Conferences, Concerts, and Events, through Training and Resources, and by providing rental facilities and service to other like-minded organizations.
Through the Bible Radio
Thru the Bible is a worldwide ministry airing on over 800 stations in the U.S. and Canada, and heard in more than 100 languages and dialects around the world. Our mission is simple and the same one Dr. McGee himself embraced: To take the whole Word to the whole world.
Philadelphia Bible Society
The purpose of the Philadelphia Bible Society is to provide the Holy Scriptures in a language and form each can readily understand, free of charge, to all who will receive it.
ABWE-
Association of Baptist for World Evangelism
ABWE is a spiritually empowered family of servants committed to glorifying God by calling the nations to worship Him. We follow Christ's command to make disciples among all the "ethne" (people groups) everywhere. As ambassadors for Christ representing our sending and supporting churches, we evangelize, make disciples, and train pastors and church leaders.
anthonyparise@comcast.net
Victory Bible Church
816 South Egg Harbor Rd.
Hammonton, NJ. 08037


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Dr. Stephen Combs - Physician Spotlight
Home/Dr. Stephen Combs – Physician Spotlight
Dr. Stephen Combs is chief executive medical officer of Wellmont Medical Associates, a physician-led, professionally managed organization that empowers physicians to set the direction for patient care. A medical doctor, he is also a pediatrician who practices with Wellmont Medical Associates in Gray. He served as Wellmont Health System's chief medical officer and chief academic officer and Holston Valley Medical Center's chief of staff and medical staff president. Dr. Combs was also a member of Holston Valley's board of directors and pediatric medical director.
He graduated from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University and completed his residency at Duke University Children's Hospital. He is a clinical professor in the pediatrics department at the ETSU medical school and is certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Combs is a certified physician executive of the American College of Physician Executives and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Forensic Medicine.